I nodded, pleased with what Lella had chosen. It was a dress with a beautifully defined waistline. A yellow color that suited me well.

I put on the dress and wore a hat with feathers. Then I slipped on sandals, opened the door, and went downstairs.

Like me, the others were dressed casually and preparing to enjoy tea time.

Tea time was held near the valley. Everyone just had to bring their tea in cool coolers.

I transferred the brewed tea from the teapot into a cooler. The tea cooled down quickly. I drank the cool tea and walked to the valley, heading to the waterside.

The water rippled. When I dipped my feet in the water, a refreshing sensation lingered at my toes.

This is why you come to valleys.

People gathered and entered the water. The valley was shaded and extremely cool.

The wind blew gently.

‘If Luden were here, we could have gone in together.’

It was a bit regrettable that he’d left.

I smiled softly and drank my tea.

Everyone else was a couple, but I didn’t care and boldly walked along the waterside alone.

“Everyone!”

Luna walked over. She brought small papers and distributed them to the guests.

“Our family is starting a business venture this time.”

At the word “business,” everyone looked at the papers. They described the store Luna would be newly launching.

“A cosmetics shop?”

I looked at her in surprise. I knew Luna dressed well, but I didn’t know she’d open a cosmetics shop.

“Ahem.”

The Charlot family ran various businesses. Among them was a cosmetics business, and it had its own recognition.

So if she partnered with Luden, it would be very helpful.

‘She didn’t just approach him casually.’

Luna smiled brightly and talked about the future prospects of the cosmetics market.

She planned to use a strategy of selling high-end cosmetics to a select few.

‘How good could the cosmetics be?’

I looked at the cosmetics Luna brought as samples. The bottles were extremely luxurious. It seemed she’d invested a lot of money in the bottles too.

“Try applying some.”

Luna brought the cosmetics and applied them to the backs of the guests’ hands.

I looked at the cosmetics applied to the back of my hand. It was a basic lotion. When I applied it, it was sticky. It didn’t suit my skin.

“Ugh.”

I quickly rubbed my hand. The other guests were just applying it.

‘Well.’

Cosmetics in this era weren’t refined yet. Cosmetics weren’t differentiated according to skin type.

Luna explained enthusiastically, but I didn’t find much merit in her cosmetics. It just felt adequately made.

The others felt interested and asked Luna various things, but I didn’t.

I should just drink tea.

Drinking water in the cool valley made me happy. It would have been perfect if not for Luna’s business talk.

Listening to this bothersome talk was making me sleepy. But I couldn’t sleep while Luna was talking. I pinched my thigh to chase away the drowsiness.

It was truly a difficult time. The others also seemed bored and started yawning.

Luna hurriedly finished her explanation at that sight.

‘The explanation was too long.’

I coldly evaluated Luna’s presentation. In a company, it was a terrible presentation that would have gotten her scolded without question.

* * *

Luna slowly looked at Annelia. Annelia seemed uninterested and was just drinking tea.

The old Annelia had no money. But not now. She was the fiancée of the Charlot family.

Everyone who needed to know knew that the Charlot family had given the Rosaline ducal family a huge amount of money. And hadn’t Annelia also personally received money from him?

After finishing her explanation, Luna approached Annelia.

“Annelia, want to see other cosmetics?”

At Luna’s words, Annelia shook her head.

“Um, no.”

Annelia refused. Then Luna was flustered. She hadn’t expected Annelia to refuse so openly.

“I’m not capable of doing business.”

Saying that, Annelia smiled brightly.

“But when what I’m using runs out, I’ll look around, so could you give me a catalog?”

Annelia smiled brightly. Luna gave her a catalog. Annelia read the contents right there. Luna carefully observed Annelia’s reaction.

Annelia closed the catalog, put her feet in the water, and looked at the rippling water.

“There are many good things.”

“Right?”

Luna forgot that Annelia had refused. Since she was reacting like this, Luna thought things went well and that she’d secured one customer. She wouldn’t invest, but securing customers was important too.

* * *

“How annoying.”

I grumbled. There was nothing special in the catalog. It just had product introductions. There were no unique cosmetics that caught my interest.

I refused because asking to see the cosmetics would be too bothersome, but I asked for the catalog since refusing too obviously wouldn’t be good. Luna’s feelings probably went back and forth at my reaction.

Thinking that, I immersed myself in playing in the water. Still, I carefully played so the catalog wouldn’t get wet, drank tea, and smiled brightly.

After tea time ended, the nobles interested in Luna’s business decided to have dinner separately. I naturally had no intention of having dinner.

“Annelia, aren’t you having dinner?”

Luna asked.

“I’m not qualified to do business.”

I refused with an appropriate smile.

‘I already refused earlier!’

Luna’s persistent clinging was annoying. I had no choice but to say this.

“I don’t have that kind of capital either. I already gave it to my father.”

Annelia spoke vaguely, and Luna understood immediately.

“I see. Come to the shop with Marquis Charlot sometime.”

“I’ll go alone. Well then, I’ll be going.”

Luden is busy.

I appropriately greeted Luna and turned around. When I returned to my room, Lella had packed everything and was waiting.

“Ugh, that was exhausting.”

I shook my head.

“Did something happen?”

Lella asked curiously.

“No.”

Saying that, I looked at the luggage.

“What’s this catalog?”

“Luna gave it while explaining the business.”

“Business?”

Lella looked at me with worried eyes.

“I said I wouldn’t do it.”

“Really?”

“How could I do business!”

Lella was relieved at those words.

“I thought you were giving money away somewhere again.”

Lella seemed to think it was fortunate I hadn’t handed money over to Luna this time.

“I was a bit like that before.”

I said that, picked up a fan, and created a breeze.

“It’s really cool here.”

“Do you like the valley that much?”

“Yeah.”

“Then let’s go to the ducal family’s villa too.”

At Lella’s words, I was silent for a moment.

“Phew, there won’t be meat there. If I go there, I’ll have to eat only greens. When you go to a valley, a meat party is basic.”

I wanted to eat meat, but Caromiel wouldn’t grant me that much.

I quickly boarded the carriage. Then Lella asked again from behind.

“But my lady, are you going to buy the cosmetics in this catalog?”

“When my cosmetics run out, I’ll buy one or something.”

Since we know each other, I should do at least this much.

“And if the product is good, I’ll use it, and if it’s not good, I won’t.”

“That should work.”

“First, before I buy, I need to check the reputation around.”

You have to be careful with things you apply to your skin.

“I thought you’d sweep up products just because it’s an acquaintance’s shop.”

Lella’s words were unrestrained.

“The old me would have done that.”

“I’m glad you really didn’t.”

“I need to stop doing things like that.”

I looked out the window. Beautiful scenery was passing by quickly.

‘The sky is blue.’

Unlike the previous world, the scenery here is nice. I could see the blue sky to my heart’s content.

That aspect seemed good.

* * *

Luden was reading a report.

It was content related to Luna. Andre had investigated and submitted it before he went to meet Annelia.

The Charlot family’s cosmetics business was fairly old and had recognition. When people heard a new product from the Charlot family was coming out, they lined up to buy it.

They put that much care into making new products, and the response had been good so far. In this situation, if Luna partnered with him to start a business, there would probably be a big ripple effect.

He looked at another document. It was content about how Annelia hadn’t had dinner with Luna.

‘Right, the current Annelia is different.’

He thought that and wore a sneer.

“Luden.”

Andre looked at Luden.

“Should I continue investigating Lady Annelia?”

At Andre’s words, Luden pondered.

“No.”

The current her was clever and beautiful. And she made people comfortable. That greatly affected him.

“It should be fine, right? Even though she’s changed, she’s still not someone who treats people roughly.”

Luden agreed with Andre’s words. She had changed, but her attitude toward people hadn’t changed.

Of course, she drew clearer lines than before and didn’t get dragged around, but she didn’t do bad things either.

“That’s the problem.”

Luden said that and looked at the calendar.

He’d meet Annelia in two days. His heart was saying it wished that time would come already.

‘I must have been struggling that much.’

Seeing how his heart leaned this way from a small kindness.

He recalled the time he spent with Annelia. Then his thoughts reached the bouquet he hadn’t been able to give her last time.

‘Flowers…’

“Have the carriage ready.”

This time he had to deliver the flowers.

He just wanted to follow his heart.

“It’s been a while since I’ve gone out.”

At the word that Luden had arrived, I quickly went down. Today we decided to eat steak at a restaurant.

‘Anyway, this is what’s nice.’

To be so delicately considerate.

Luden was waiting at the front door.

“Annelia?”

Luden’s eyes widened. I, who always wore pure clothes, was wearing clothes like this, so he seemed surprised.

Right now I was wearing a tight black dress and carrying a bag with a white chain.

“The atmosphere is different.”

“I wanted to create a different atmosphere.”

I also painted my lips red. I grabbed the hand of Luden, who was staring blankly.

I’m pretty, aren’t I?

“Snap out of it.”

Luden shook his head and held out a bouquet he’d placed on the sofa.

“It’s beautiful.”

Did Anan order this one too? Still, they were pretty flowers. Luden probably didn’t choose them himself, so who chose them?

“Do you like the flowers?”

Luden asked.

“Yes, of course.”

“Put them in a vase.”

“Mm, I will.”

But it seemed like Luden was observing my reaction.

His eyes were looking at me.

“The flowers are prettier than last time.”

I honestly stated my impression.

“I want to look at these flowers for a long, long time.”

I could see the care of the person who chose them. But Luden’s face was flushed.

“Luden, are you sick?”

At Annelia’s words, Luden quickly shook his head.

“No.”

He said that and looked at the bouquet.

Not knowing that Luden had personally chosen the flowers, I ordered them to be placed in a vase.

* * *

Luden looked at her, whose atmosphere had strangely changed today.

It seemed like people were only looking at Annelia.

He wanted to confine her in his arms. So she couldn’t go anywhere.

When he had this thought, he was flustered.

He’d only felt tranquility, but now a desire arose to make her look only at him.

‘Precarious.’

What would Annelia say if he revealed this emotion?

He smiled quietly. He didn’t want to beg for her emotions. And if he spoke of this emotion, he feared their peaceful relationship would break.

Because she might not want love.

For now, it seemed best to just stay like this.