“I-I see. But why does His Grace need me…?”

“The Grand Duke instructed me to bring the most talented seamstress in the empire. As far as I know, that’s you, Miss Aria.”

“That’s true, but… He’s never commissioned anything from me before, so I was curious.”

Hans gave her a warm smile in response.

“You’ll find out soon enough once His Grace arrives. Please wait here.”

With that, Hans left her alone in the reception room. Thirty minutes later, Aria was pacing back and forth, tugging at her hair in nervous anticipation.

“Breathe, Aria. Calm down,” she muttered, slapping her cheeks with both hands. The self-inflicted sting helped clear her head slightly. Just then, she heard footsteps approaching from outside.

“…Oh!”

Her attempt to calm herself was immediately undone as her breath hitched. The door opened, and through it stepped none other than Grand Duke Eustace.

Oh, my goodness, it’s really him. The Grand Duke himself!

As the Grand Duke approached, Aria fought to suppress the giddy smile threatening to break out on her face. Even as her heart raced wildly, she struggled to maintain a composed exterior.

“Are you Aria Shuie?”

The Grand Duke’s voice was as melodious as a finely tuned instrument. Feeling light-headed, Aria bowed deeply, her face flushed with excitement.

“Y-yes, Your Grace! My name is Aria Shuie. It’s an honor to meet you!”

“Pleased to meet you.”

From lips as delicate as peach blossoms came a voice as smooth as rolling jade beads. Seeing Grand Duke Eustace up close was utterly indescribable. Aria trembled with awe and exhilaration.

“It’s truly an honor, Your Grace, that you…!”

Just as Aria, overwhelmed with gratitude, began to speak, she faltered upon noticing a girl with black hair peeking out from behind the Grand Duke.

‘Who is she?’ Aria’s light green eyes darted about in confusion. As far as she knew, there was no noblewoman in the capital with black hair and golden eyes.

“Um… may I ask who the young lady is…?”

Aria struggled to suppress her unease. The girl glanced up at Grand Duke Eustace, as if seeking his permission to respond.

“You may share your name,” he said.

“Yes,” the girl nodded before turning back to Aria.

“Hello, I’m Lila.”

“…Hello.”

Aria’s eyes flicked to the side in thought. It was a name she had never heard before. Lila looked far too pale, her complexion almost translucent, and her body noticeably thin—hardly the picture of a well-cared-for noblewoman.

“If… if it’s not too presumptuous, may I ask who Lady Lila is…?”

Aria cautiously inquired. The response came not from the girl but from Grand Duke Eustace himself.

“She is my savior.”

“Ah, I see. Your… sav—what?!”

Nodding absentmindedly at first, Aria suddenly yelped in shock, her voice cracking.

“Your savior?!”

‘What bastard dared to harm His Grace?!’ Rage and confusion flared in her green eyes. But the Grand Duke, seemingly uninterested in elaborating further, merely offered a faint smile.

“Let’s get to the point. I called you here because Lady Lila needs clothing for her stay at the Grand Duke’s estate. She came here in haste and has no proper attire.”

“Oh.”

So it wasn’t for the Grand Duke himself. Disappointment washed over Aria.

“Well then, how many outfits will you be needing?”

Aria asked in a deflated tone. Still, she reminded herself, the client was the Grand Duke. Completing this commission successfully could open doors to a more significant connection with him.

“Casual wear, formal attire, dresses, nightwear, coats—she’ll need a full wardrobe. Accessories, shoes, and bags will also be required.”

“That much?”

Aria’s jaw dropped. Even if she worked tirelessly for months, it might not be enough to complete everything the Grand Duke had listed.

“Start with clothes suitable for the current season. Discuss the details with Emma.”

“Well, the thing is… I already have quite a backlog of orders…”

Aria hesitated, her face twisting in discomfort. She had always prioritized commissions from high-ranking nobles, but this order was overwhelming, even with her apprentices helping.

“Are you saying you can’t do it?”

“N-no! That’s not it at all! I just mean… it might be difficult to proceed quickly…”

Her voice trailed off into a mumble, until it disappeared altogether. Normally, she would have firmly refused, but this was the Grand Duke. Risking his displeasure was unthinkable.

“Hmm, who are the clients with current orders?”

“Pardon?”

“I’ll send someone to negotiate with them. I’ll cover all the penalties. For now, I need you to focus exclusively on Lady Lila.”

“Are you… are you saying…?”

“Since I’ll be responsible for Lady Lila’s well-being moving forward, you’ll officially become the exclusive tailor for our household.”

“Gasp.”

‘Is this a dream?’ Aria momentarily forgot how to breathe. The words she had just heard seemed too incredible to be real. What had started as an ordinary day had transformed into a magical, astonishing one, all because of her encounter with the Grand Duke.

“Well? Do you accept my proposal?”

Grand Duke Eustace stepped closer, his clear eyes, reminiscent of serene lakes, curving like a crescent moon. Aria, captivated as though enchanted, nodded dumbly.

“Good.”

With a satisfied smile, the Grand Duke extended his hand.

“Then let us seal the agreement.”

“Yes… yes!”

“Ah, how humbling this is!”

Aria, seeing the delicate hand extended to her, quickly wiped her own hands on her clothes and clasped it.

“But is it only my clothes being made?”

Lila, who had been quietly observing their conversation, spoke up, curiosity evident in her voice.

“Don’t you need clothes too?”

“My clothes?”

“Yes.”

‘What is happening now?’

The joy of sealing the contract barely lasted a moment as Aria found herself in a strange scene. The second most powerful man in the empire, the Grand Duke, was addressing an unidentified girl with honorifics, while the girl casually used informal speech with him. Aria, utterly baffled, didn’t know where to look.

“I already have plenty of clothes.”

“Still, it’d feel odd to only have mine made.”

‘Just who is she?’

As Aria listened to their exchange, she gave Lila a suspicious glance. Lila didn’t carry the air of a noblewoman raised in luxury, yet her demeanor wasn’t ordinary enough to mark her as a commoner.

From the start, she hadn’t seemed typical. But for her to speak so casually to Grand Duke Eustace? No matter how much she was his lifesaver, it was strange.

Who was Grand Duke Eustace? Even without the title of the youngest sixth-circle mage, he was born with a diamond spoon in his mouth.

In aristocratic society, rank was law. Regardless of age, title always came first in public matters. An earl in his forties would have to speak respectfully to a marquis in his twenties.

And Grand Duke Eustace? He was second only to the emperor in rank. Not even the crown prince could treat him lightly.

That’s why Aria couldn’t comprehend this scene: a girl addressing the Grand Duke informally, while he maintained utmost courtesy towards her.

Is she some kind of legendary dragon?

Aria looked at them both, her face betraying her utter confusion.

“Hmm, then should I have one made for myself too?”

“What?!”

Aria, lost in speculation about Lila’s identity, suddenly snapped her head up.

“Yes. Don’t just make mine—make one for him as well.”

‘That’s it! That’s the spirit!’

Any lingering discomfort vanished as Aria found herself silently cheering for the unexpected turn of events.

“If Lila wishes it, I suppose I have no choice.”

Giving in to Lila’s suggestion, Grand Duke Eustace turned to look at Aria.

“If it’s alright, I’d like to request one for myself too.”

“Of course! Completely fine!”

Aria answered quickly, fearing he might change his mind.

“Then once Lila’s clothes are complete, please make me something too—something comfortable for both indoors and outdoors.”

Thank the heavens!

Aria beamed, unable to contain her joy. This was a moment when her long-cherished dream seemed to come true.

“Cost is no object. I’ll ensure you have all the fabrics, gems, or whatever else you need. Do your best work.”

“I’ll give it my all! Leave it to me!”

“And I’d prefer if you stayed at the estate to complete the work until the contract ends.”

“Excuse me?”

Aria’s eyes widened at the unexpected request.

“Any simple sewing or miscellaneous tasks can be handled by the estate staff.”

Grand Duke Eustace paid no mind to her reaction.

“Do you have apprentices?”

“I have two.”

Still bewildered, Aria answered, unsure of where this was headed.

“Then bring them along. It’s better to work with people you’re familiar with, isn’t it?”

“Um… But what do you mean by working at the estate?”

“Exactly what I said.”

The Grand Duke’s gaze, devoid of any warmth, was enough to send chills down her spine.

“Let me make this clear. I don’t want my personal life leaking outside.”

“Ah.”

“Not about me. Not about Lila. Everything is to remain confidential. If carelessness on your part causes an incident, you will bear the consequences.”

“You don’t have to worry about that.”

Aria responded confidently.

“There’s absolutely no chance of anything about Your Grace or Lady Lila leaking from me.”

“Good.”

The Grand Duke took a step forward. Aria instinctively held her breath as he drew closer.

“Aria Shuie.”

The Grand Duke, calling Aria’s name, smiled like a single blooming flower.

“I’ll trust you.”

‘Ah, what a wonderful life. This must be heaven.’

Half-dazed, Aria stared up at him, her face glowing with bliss. She felt as if she could die happy at that moment.

“I will do my absolute best! I will pour the soul of an artisan into creating something that will satisfy Lady Lila!”

Clenching her fists with determination, Aria turned her vibrant, green eyes toward Lila, who stood there, blinking in surprise.

“Please take care of me, Lady Lila.”

At this point, Aria didn’t care who or what Lila was. To her, Lila was the person who had made her dream come true.

“Huh? Oh, sure. Let’s work well together.”

Taken aback by Aria’s enthusiasm, Lila hesitated for a moment. But Aria, brimming with excitement, pulled a measuring tape from her waist.

“Then let’s start by taking your measurements!”

For the next several hours, Lila was trapped under Aria’s passionate guidance, having her measurements taken, selecting fabrics, and discussing design ideas. It wasn’t until sunset that Lila was finally freed.

“Making clothes feels harder than training.”

For the first time in ages, a completely exhausted Lila confided her honest feelings to Emma. The day had been as grueling and intense as any rigorous training session.