“Oh my! It suits you perfectly!”

Aria exclaimed enthusiastically when Lila, having changed with Emma’s help, stepped into view. Behind her, Lou and Leigh nodded vigorously, affirming Aria’s sentiment while holding more dresses.

“Wait a moment, let me change your hair ribbon.”

Emma tied Lila’s hair with a light-blue satin ribbon matching her dress, completing the look with a butterfly-shaped pin adorned with sapphires.

“As expected, blue shades suit you best, Lady Lila.”

Emma, satisfied with the final touch, beamed. The deep navy dress adorned with white lace, pearls on the sleeves and shoulders, and silver buttons, designed to evoke the starry night sky, complemented Lila beautifully.

“How do you feel?”

“It’s comfortable.”

Lila replied as she moved lightly, testing the outfit. She had assumed a dress would be more cumbersome and restrictive than trousers, but she was pleasantly surprised. Aria’s design left no room for discomfort; the dress was entirely unobstructive. It was even suitable for wielding a sword if necessary.

“It might look nice with a pumpkin-shaped brooch or some embroidery with colored thread… Hmm, the sleeve length will need a bit of adjustment.”

Aria meticulously inspected the outfit with a sharp eye, pinpointing areas for improvement and marking them. Meanwhile, Lila stood awkwardly, staring at her reflection in the mirror. Dressed like this, she looked like one of the noble ladies she often saw in the imperial palace.

“They do say clothes make the person…”

How long had it been since she’d worn something like this? Lila found herself overcome with nostalgia as she gazed at her reflection. Memories of the days she spent in the empress’s cold palace surfaced. During those times, her nanny, who cared for her in every way, would occasionally sew dresses and gowns for her.

“My Lady, do you like your new clothes?”

“Yes.”

“It’s such a relief the Grand Duchess provided such fine silk. I was worried about how we’d manage through the winter…”

The faintest curve appeared on Lila’s lips, which had been tightly pressed together. She couldn’t recall the nanny’s face, but her voice came back to her clearly. It felt as if she had recovered a small piece of her lost memories, lifting her spirits.

“Huh? Who are you? Why are you here?”

“Ah! You’re that mutant princess, aren’t you?”

What was that just now? Lila flinched as another memory momentarily flashed through her mind. Her eyes hardened as she tried to grasp the fleeting fragment.

Unfortunately, nothing more came to her. Feeling a little frustrated, Lila let out a sigh. Lately, her memories had been coming and going like this, surfacing briefly only to vanish again.

“…Is there something you don’t like about it?”

“Hmm?”

Aria’s voice pulled Lila from her thoughts. Startled, she turned her gaze toward Aria, who was looking at her nervously for some reason.

“What did you just say?”

“Well… your expression didn’t look good, so I wondered if the clothes weren’t to your liking.”

“No, they’re pretty.”

Seeing Lila’s indifferent response, as always, Aria forced a smile. Over the past few days, Aria had come to realize that Lila was a different kind of challenging customer—nothing like the usual kind of picky aristocrat. Lila wasn’t interested in fashion.

“It’s nice. It’s fine. I like it.”

No matter what Aria designed or showed her, Lila would nod in approval. But Aria knew she didn’t genuinely care for the clothes. In short, Lila didn’t have any particular preferences.

Even though fashion trends came and went, everyone had their own taste. It was standard practice to tailor designs to suit the client’s style as much as possible.

Difficult customers who nitpicked everything were exhausting, but clients like Lila, who had no likes or dislikes, posed their own unique challenges.

“If there’s anything uncomfortable or if the design isn’t to your liking, please feel free to tell me anytime.”

“Okay.”

Though Lila responded obediently, Aria stifled a sigh.

“Next up is the uniform you’ll wear for the investiture ceremony.”

Having come this far, Aria was determined to create an outfit Lila would genuinely like. For a seamstress, satisfying a client was a matter of pride.

“Another one?”

So it wasn’t over yet. Realizing there were still more outfits to try on, Lila wore an expression of dread. She had been at this all morning, trying on no fewer than ten outfits so far, thanks to Aria.

Dresses were one thing, but how could there be so many types of outfits, each tailored to a specific occasion or time?

This was the first time Lila realized just how many varieties of clothing existed. It wouldn’t have been so bad if it were only about changing outfits. But each outfit required matching accessories and a hairstyle to complement the look. Dressing and styling for one outfit alone took a good 30 minutes.

“Another one? We’re far from done!”

Unlike the exhausted Lila, Aria was brimming with energy.

“After the uniform, you’ll need to try on the dress for the banquet following the ceremony. Then there’s the silk blouse and redingote for casual occasions…”

As Aria rattled off the list, Lila’s expression grew darker. Just hearing about it made her break into a cold sweat.

“Emma.”

Lila cast a pleading look at Emma, silently asking for help. But this time, Emma was firmly on Aria’s side.

“That’s the nature of clothing. For nobles, it’s a virtue to change outfits several times a day to suit the occasion.”

“Do all nobles live like this?”

“Most of them do.”

“That’s impressive.”

Lila was genuinely amazed. Reflecting on it, the emperor and the crown prince also seemed to change outfits multiple times a day. Suddenly, she found their daily routine admirable.

“This feels more grueling than training…”

“Pardon?”

“Nothing, never mind.”

Muttering under her breath, Lila sighed tiredly. She couldn’t help but think that running twenty laps around the training ground would be far easier than this.

“You’re not used to it yet, but you’ll get the hang of it soon.”

Emma consoled Lila in a soft voice as she accepted the uniform from Aria.

“Really?”

Lila asked skeptically. Out of all the things she had to do, she was sure this was something she would never get accustomed to.

“Of course. Even His Grace the Grand Duke used to find it incredibly bothersome as a child. He still doesn’t like it much now, to be honest.”

Recalling the young Grand Duke Eustace who often refused to change clothes, saying it was a waste of time, Emma smiled wistfully and gently held Lila’s slender shoulders.

“Now then, shall we change into the uniform?”

“Ugh.”

Caught in Emma’s grip, Lila let out a groan. She felt like a cow being led to the slaughter.

“Wow! It looks amazing on you!”

A moment later, Aria exclaimed in admiration at the sight of Lila in her new uniform. The crisp white shirt adorned with a lapis lazuli brooch, paired with a black jacket and a velvet sash embroidered with the gold lion emblem of House Eustace, gave her an air of dignity and elegance.

“Definitely, you suit pants much better, as expected of a martial artist!”

Aria couldn’t hide her satisfaction as she practically bounced with excitement.

“Let me see… The fit looks perfect. We’ll just need to add the gold embellishments and the insignia later.”

“Oh, speaking of which, the accessories we commissioned from the dwarves should arrive this afternoon or, at the latest, tomorrow morning.”

“Already? I thought it would take longer!”

At Emma’s words, Aria beamed with joy. On the continent, any item crafted by a dwarven artisan—be it weapons, magic tools, or jewelry—was considered the best. However, commissioning something from them was no easy feat. The dwarves valued honor over money and only accepted requests from those they deemed worthy.

Everyone, from nobles to warriors to merchants, wanted to secure their craftsmanship, but it was rarely possible. Even for Aria, a renowned seamstress, convincing a proud dwarven artisan to create earrings or necklaces was nearly impossible.

Yet, the Grand Duke Eustace had achieved what was unimaginable for most. A task that could take weeks or even months of waiting for a response was resolved with a single letter. This was because Eustace was one of the few individuals whom the dwarves themselves sought out for dealings.

“Thanks to His Grace, I get to work with a dwarven artisan! Lately, I’ve been loving my job more than ever!”

“The special fabrics you requested—the satin and the ancient silk—should also arrive by tomorrow.”

“That’s great!”

“If there’s anything else you need, don’t hesitate to let me or Hans know.”

“Thank you so much!”

It seemed that when you fervently wished for something, it would come true! Aria smiled brightly, her face glowing with happiness. For her, taking on the Grand Duke’s commission felt like landing her dream job.

‘What a beauty,’ Aria thought as she gazed at Lila with eyes full of admiration, almost like someone smitten. She owed all these opportunities to Lila. To Aria, Lila was a stroke of incredible luck.

‘The mysterious martial artist from the East who has the Grand Duke wrapped around her finger!’

Lila had become the hottest topic of conversation among the staff at the Grand Duke’s estate. They often cornered Aria to ask about Lila while she worked on her outfits.

Aria was certain that rumors about Lila had already spread beyond the estate. Soon, once Lila completed her investiture ceremony and formally debuted in social or political circles, the seamstress responsible for her wardrobe—Aria—would also see her reputation soar.

“In that case, we’ll finalize the uniform after the gold trim and accessories arrive. Now, let’s try on the gown for the banquet.”

“Ah…”

Lila sighed softly. Somehow, this was more exhausting than running twenty laps around the training field. As Emma helped her remove the cape and jacket, Lila began plotting an escape. Just then, the sound of a carriage approaching caught her attention.

“The Grand Duke is back.”

Lila’s eyes lit up as she spotted Eustace’s carriage entering the estate.

“I’m going to greet him.”

“Wait, Lady Lila?!”

Before Emma or Aria could stop her, Lila swiftly placed her foot on the windowsill and leaped out without hesitation.

“Kyaaa!”

Aria screamed in shock at Lila’s sudden action, while Lou and Leigh turned pale.

“Lady Lila!”

Emma ran to the window, her face filled with panic. But Lila, now outside, calmly infused aura into her feet and scaled down the wall before landing lightly on the ground.

“Whew.”

Lila glanced up at Emma and Aria, who were staring down at her from the window with stunned expressions. She gave them a small wave before turning and sprinting toward the carriage.

“My goodness…”

“What did I just see?”