Judging only by Raymond’s appearance, it looked as though someone had pushed him from behind.

Even though there was no way that had happened.

“…What’s wrong?”

Charlotte was still startled, but the trembling in her chest had calmed more than before as she asked.

Raymond, suddenly coming back to his senses, quickly straightened his back.

“Ahem. What I mean is, you don’t have to give him a gift.”

He had come that close just to say that?

Hmm… Perhaps that could be true.

Charlotte nodded.

“As I said earlier, unless the party has some special meaning, people don’t often bring gifts, and the other side probably won’t expect one either. In the first place, he only gave you a light gift as well. Something meaningless like that…”

Raymond covered his mouth with his fist and rambled on.

“So for now, follow me.”

When Raymond abruptly turned his back, Charlotte asked, “Where are you going?”

“I assumed you likely didn’t bring a party dress with you, my lady. There doesn’t seem to be a truly skilled designer here, but I’ve found somewhere decent enough.”

“No! It’s all right. I’ll take care of having a dress made myself…”

“Did I perhaps say I would buy it for you?”

He stopped walking and glanced back at her.

Charlotte’s face burned hot.

Ah, right. He had never said he would buy it for her, so why had she assumed that?

Ah. How embarrassing…

Just as Charlotte was about to apologize for misunderstanding—

“How did you know when I hadn’t even said it? Impressive. It isn’t easy to see through me.”

“…Pardon?”

“In any case, let’s hurry. It’s almost time for the appointment.”

“W-wait a moment.”

Charlotte hurried after Raymond, who had already started walking.

“No.”

“What isn’t?”

“The dress. I’ve already received so much from you. And now you want me to accept a dress too? It isn’t exactly cheap.”

“Well. Compared to the price of the dolls I sent you before, there may not be much difference.”

The skin beneath Charlotte’s eyes trembled.

They were that expensive?

Of course, all the dolls had been elaborate, and above all, there had been so many of them that she had thought he must have spent a great deal, but…

No. This is no time to be swayed.

She shook her head and said, “In any case, I can’t accept a dress too.”

“I told you, I made a reservation. If we don’t go, how troubled will that dress shop be?”

“You may go to the dress shop you reserved. But I’ll pay for it.”

“That may be difficult…”

When Charlotte looked at him as if asking what he meant, Raymond said, “I rented out the entire dress shop. I promised them a full day’s worth of sales.”

“…”

Charlotte’s steps came to an abrupt halt.

Sensing that the footsteps diligently following him had stopped, Raymond stopped as well.

“If you can’t pay that much, then just follow me with an easy heart.”

He turned back to Charlotte again, said that, and resumed walking.

Charlotte hurried after him once more and asked, “Why on earth are you doing this to me?”

“Didn’t I tell you before? That I have to do what I want to do, and buy what I want to buy.”

“I remember. But what I’m asking is, why do you keep buying things for me? You could just buy things for yourself…”

“I buy far more for myself. I simply buy them where you can’t see.”

Charlotte stared displeasedly at the back of the man who was looking straight ahead so casually.

Had this man once told her that since he had written off fifty gold for her, she should endure at least this much tyranny from him? In any case, he had said something similar.

Should I consider this tyranny too?

Charlotte felt burdened by receiving things she could not repay.

So to her, it was indeed tyranny.

Her blue eyes, which had been lowered in thought, turned back toward the back of Raymond’s head.

Just look at that confident back.

A person who felt no hesitation about doing as he pleased…

Hm?

Charlotte’s eyes widened.

The tips of his ears were bright red, as vividly as if they had been painted.

What’s wrong with him? Is he cold, perhaps?

Was he unexpectedly sensitive to the cold?

Ah, now that she thought about it, the second place he had taken her to had been the warm indoor flower market.

Perhaps the reason he was walking so quickly was because of the cold after all.

Since Raymond was oddly well-mannered, Charlotte diligently followed him so that he would not have to slow his pace while waiting for her.

Meanwhile, Raymond felt as though he might go mad from how hard his heart was pounding.

Calm down.

The reason Raymond had moved so close to Charlotte earlier was because of a habit from childhood.

Who asked me to read to you? Why do you keep losing focus and singing?

When he brought his face close to her large blue eyes and warned her playfully like that, Charlotte would startle, her already large eyes growing even wider, and then focus on him.

This time too, Charlotte had reacted just as she had when she was young.

Yes. She had only lost her memories. Charlotte was still Charlotte.

But the reason Raymond had stiffened so completely in that moment was because one thought had crossed his mind.

Was she always this pretty?

She was truly so pretty that he had nearly lost his senses for a moment.

It was not that he had never known Charlotte was pretty. Since childhood, she had been cute and beautiful like a doll.

But why did such an obvious fact feel so shocking?

Was it because this was the first time he had seen her up close since she became an adult?

No, it isn’t! At the flower market last time…

At that moment, Raymond vividly remembered Charlotte as she had fallen into his arms.

And that small, slender back that had been lightly covered by his hand.

Please, get ahold of yourself.

Raymond sternly warned his still-trembling heart.

Even so, his heart kept making a fuss, and his head felt dizzy.

Surely, the shock he had received at the flower market had caused something to go wrong with his brain.

After all, when a person experienced a shock, they could become unable to escape a single thought or emotion like this.

That was why, even when he was young…

Raymond. You must listen well to your grandfather.

And it is absolutely a secret. Do you understand?

Raymond’s face instantly hardened as he remembered the moment his parents had smiled brightly at him.

Why am I suddenly remembering that now…?

He should stop thinking.

So one thought would not summon another, he should block out thought itself entirely.

Throughout the walk to the shop he had reserved, Raymond silently stripped away his thoughts and emotions.

He did not even notice that Charlotte had come up beside him, walking like a little sparrow as she studied his face carefully.

* * *

Madame Bella.

It was a dress shop specializing in the most expensive clothes in Glasko.

The reason Raymond had chosen this shop was because it was expensive.

If it was expensive, then surely it would meet at least a certain standard.

“Do you have to return early today?”

“No.”

“That’s fortunate. Then take your time and choose comfortably.”

Raymond said this as he sat on the sofa.

He had brought her here, but he had no intention of interfering in her choice of dress.

But Charlotte remained standing still, looking at him.

Raymond, now looking up at a face he usually looked down at, asked,

“What is it? You aren’t still planning to insist on paying for it yourself, are you?”

“No. I was just looking.”

It doesn’t seem like she was just looking…

Raymond touched his cheek and asked, “Is there something on my face?”

Charlotte could not bring herself to say, You suddenly looked unwell, so I was worried. But you seem all right now.

So she shook her head.

“I thought there was something on your face.”

Just then, Bella, the owner of the dress shop, approached Charlotte and said, “Oh my, miss. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’ve selected the finest dresses in advance and set them aside inside. Would you like to take a look?”

“What? Ah…”

When Charlotte hesitated, Bella glanced at Raymond.

The moment Raymond nodded, Bella smiled broadly, gently took Charlotte by the shoulders, and guided her inside.

Bella was excited.

I heard Mr. Bayen spent money generously, but I didn’t know he spent this generously!

Paying a full day’s sales just as a rental fee was already impressive, but he had said he would pay for the dress separately as well.

A rich man like this won’t care about something like the price of a dress.

If she could coax this young lady properly, she would be able to live comfortably for months.

Bella examined Charlotte from the corner of her eye.

She was pretty and had a refined air, as though she were a young lady from a noble family, but…

Her dress is quite outdated in design. Her circumstances must not be very good. At the very least, it seems certain she doesn’t know the trends.

Winning over a young lady like this would be nothing.

I’m finally sending off the dress I couldn’t sell last year!

She would sell it for twice the price.

No, three times the price!

Bella smiled wickedly.