Chapter 23

While Nadia couldn’t grasp the situation properly and only had question marks forming in her head, she was steadily guided into the parlor.

When she finally came to her senses, there were tons of refined fabric samples and designs sitting on the sofa in front of her.

“Due to the tight schedule, we couldn’t bring many clothing samples, but we prepared a variety of fabrics and designs. Please take a look and make your decision.”

The tailor smiled kindly and bowed to her.

As if Altair was willing to leave all the decisions to Nadia, he just sat back and sipped the tea that Pavel had made.

In a situation that was different from what she had planned, Nadia waved her hands in bewilderment.

“This…this is not it! I called you today because I wanted to tailor Altair’s clothes…Why…”

“My clothes?”

Altair’s eyebrows twitched as if the thought had never occurred to him.

“I don’t need clothes or anything. The clothes I have now are enough.” 

“You need good clothes to wear at the meeting. If you match the attire and accessories well, you wouldn’t be ignored.”

“Impossible. No one can ignore me.”

No doubt.

Since just looking at Altair with his fierce eyes would give anyone chills and make them submissive. The sense of menace and presence he exuded was by no means ordinary.

“Besides, if it’s someone who judges others by their clothes, I don’t intend to get close to them anyway.”

“If that’s the case, then I don’t need new clothes either…”

“You and I are different.”

“What’s the difference? If Altair doesn’t do it, I won’t either.”

As she stubbornly closed her mouth, Altair slightly frowned. If it had been before, she would have been intimidated and trembled, but now, having gotten used to that look, she was able to overcome it after only a slight flinch.

“It seems you two are very close.”

In the oddly continuing confrontation between Nadia and Altair, the tailor bravely stepped forward. There was a smile on her face, probably because she had anticipated that she could sell the clothes for the two of them.

“How about choosing the lady’s clothes first today? On the day the Madame tries on the clothes you ordered, I’ll also bring you samples of clothes that will suit the lord, so you can choose for him then.”

“…then let’s do that.”

Altair finally let out a sigh and nodded in compromise, since he knew she would not back down easily.

After permission was given, the tailor approached Nadia enthusiastically with a big smile.

“I will have to measure you first. I need to know your body type in order to find clothes that suit you. Of course, since you came from the capital, you must know this process very well.”

The tailor seemed to believe that she was used to adorning herself like any other aristocrat in the capital. Contrary to her expectations, however, Nadia was very bad at this.

‘Cause I never enjoyed socialising!

Due to her timidity, it was hard to meet people more than anything else. Unless it was a must-attend event, she didn’t really need a dress or jewelry because she would most probably lock herself up in her room.

Nonetheless, she was not ignorant of the fashion in the social world. Even when Nadia was locked in her room, she could grasp all the events of the world through newspapers and magazines.

Hence, even in front of Altair, she might be able to imitate a moderately elegant wife from the capital.

Besides, when my parents were alive, I often went shopping with them.

Yet, even that dearing pieces of memory were cut short after the two died.

Her uncle shoved her away into a small room, took all her dresses and jewelry, and gave them to Melissa. He said it wasn’t hers but for the new young lady of the Marquis.

Nadia knew it was an unreasonable treatment, but she couldn’t dare dream of rebellion in a marquis family with no one on her side.

After that…

Though it was not like she had never shut away from everybody else, it was completely different when it was done under someone else’s will. Whenever she thought of the time she had lived in the marquis, her shoulders unknowingly shrank.

While she was lost in thought, the was already guided to the front of a large mirror by the hand of an assistant brought by the tailor.

“Madame is the delicate type, so it would be best to keep the lines as simple as possible. Since your hair colour is very special, your outfit should not be too gaudy, so your uniqueness could still stand out.”

As she was diligently taking measurements, the reflection of Altair watching her in the mirror made her nervous. Altair’s gaze slowly moved along with the assistant’s hand, and every place his eyes swept through became stiff.

“Among the clothes samples I brought, I think this style would suit you the most, so please try it on first.”

A cloth screen was erected next to the full-length mirror so that Nadia could try on clothes. The tailor and her assistants were so skillful that with their help she could change clothes in the blink of an eye.

It was strange for Nadia to stand before the mirror in the changed clothes. Her appearance felt completely different than usual.

All the clothes Nadia had brought with her when she got married into Aylesford were mended ones Melissa had worn a long time ago.

Melissa always wore clothes that boasted her prideful gorgeous looks and voluptuous body. For that, they mostly didn’t suit Nadia, so she always looked like a child in grown-up clothes.

However, the clothes recommended by the tailor fitted her image perfectly, as if they were hers from the beginning. It was a transformation that shocked even herself, who was not interested in shopping at all.

“Hmm…the clothes are a bit big because the Madame is much thinner than I thought.”

The tailor, who wasn’t satisfied, grabbed the slightly loose seam of the dress and secured it with a pin. Only then, did the outfit truly come alive.

Wow… 

Nadia’s lips parted slightly in admiration. Noticing that she was satisfied, the tailor smiled and turned her head, this time asking for Altair’s opinion.

“What do you think, my lord?”

“…Not bad. Can you show me any other designs you’d recommend?”

❈❈❈

Something crazy has just happened…

Exhausted, Nadia sat down on the sofa and cradled her head with both hands. The tailor had left, but the aftermath still remained.

I can’t believe I ordered thirteen pieces of clothes!

Even when shopping with her parents, she had never bought so many clothes at once.

Of course, the situation was a little different from back then because she was buying clothes for various purposes now, but thirteen was still too much.

Besides, it wasn’t just clothes. Hats and gloves tailored to match the outfits were also included in the order, so the price must have been exorbitant.

The tailor’s skill was so good that if Nadia hadn’t been contemplative and stopped him, Altair would have bought 130 outfits instead of 13.

Should I have stopped him sooner?

Aylesford now had a lot of money, and it was only going to pour in more, but it didn’t seem good for the baroness to spend it this extravagantly.

However, while she was busy changing her clothes, Altair had placed all the orders, so there was no time to stop him.

“What’s the matter?”

Altair asked.

“Is there something you wanted to buy but couldn’t say? The tailor mustn’t have completely left the castle, let’s call her again…”

“No!”

Nadia shouted and quickly stopped Altair, who seemed ready to go grab the tailor any moment now.

“It’s rather the opposite.”

“The opposite?”

“I think we bought too much. You didn’t have to buy so many clothes…”

“That’s the problem? Everything went well. We are no longer in a situation where we have to save money, and there’s no reason to turn down clothes that look good on you.”

“But there is no need to be so luxurious…”

“‘Luxurious’ is a term used when enjoying something at an unaffordable cost. But we can  afford it now and you’re the one who made it possible for us.”

Altair said firmly. Pavel, who was standing next to him, also smiled softly and nodded in agreement.

“My lord is never a person who spends on unnecessary extravagances. He bought them since he thought you would need them all and also because he could afford them. So please accept it with ease.”

As the two spoke in unison, Nadia could no longer refuse it.

But still, her uneasy feeling did not go away, so she nodded with a sullen face. Seeing that, Altair tilted his head as if he couldn’t understand.

“You could have lived even more luxuriously than this in the capital. The Marquis of Vine was famous for its wealth and splendor. You mustn’t have been able to adapt to Aylesford for its bad situation, but you don’t have to put up with it anymore.”

Altair had no idea that she was considered a nuisance back in the Marquis. Her uncle was certainly a man who enjoyed flaunting his wealth with glamour, but she was the only exception.

“That’s…”

As she mumbled, not knowing how to react, Altair sighed.

“I couldn’t even send a decent amount of money for the wedding, but now that the situation has changed, I should treat the marquis well. He was very sad to marry off his precious niece.”

“Pardon…? Wedding payment…?”

Wedding payment was the money the groom sent to the bride’s family as gratitude for giving him a precious bride.

There were many people who thought that the amount of the payment represented the family’s status, so influential families used to send a huge wedding payment every time one took place.

But Nadia’s uncle had scolded her, saying that the poor baron hadn’t paid a penny for the wedding, and that she wasn’t of any help even until the day she got married.

Anyway, did he say he would send the wedding payment? It was the first time she’d heard of it.

Altair quickly added, assuming that her bewildered response was due to the small amount.

“Actually, the reason I took a stake in the orchard in the Gallard territory this time was because of the wedding payment. It’s a bit late, but if I give the Marquis of Vine a share of this orchard…”

“D-don’t!”

She hurriedly shook her head and jumped up from her seat. Perhaps it was an unexpected reaction, Altair was looking at her with a rare surprised face.

“Un-uncle wouldn’t want that. So don’t worry about the wedding payment.”

“But I am not at ease.”

“It’s really okay! Really…”

Not only Altair, but also Pavel and Anna seemed to find her reaction strange. It was natural, since no woman would refuse to share her wealth with her parents or family.

But I really can’t hand over the precious assets of Aylesford to my uncle!

Nadia looked at Altair intently, silently asking for a promise. While Altair seemed like he had a lot to say, he nodded regardless.

❈❈❈

Altair tapped his fingers on the table, lost in thought.

He was in a good mood up until he got Nadia’s clothes tailored in the drawing room.

Normally, Nadia was beautiful, but her gorgeous features shone even more when she was dressed in a way that suited her. Fascinated by that look, he couldn’t refuse the tailor’s offer and ordered a huge number of clothes.

He did not think of it as a waste at all, because it was worth spending that much money on. Even Pavel, who would become a salty man whenever it came to caring about the poor estate, did not stop him.

But when the matter of Nadia’s uncle and the wedding payment came up after the tailor’s gone, the mood changed. She looked a bit uneasy and anxious.

It’s like she’s afraid of her uncle…

The Marquis of Vine spoke as if he cared very much for his one and only niece.

He said his niece wanted to get married and understood the poor state of Aylesford, but since the wedding payment was related to the bride’s pride, he asked for it to be adjusted to some extent.

It was understandable enough, so Altair brought in Aylesford’s funds as much as possible and sent it as the payment.

But something was off. Altair’s intuition was never wrong.

I must find out her circumstances!

Just in time, there was someone who could tell him about what was going on.

Pavel said that among the people who applied to work here, there was someone from the Marquis of Vine.

He said her name was Marie. Through her, Altair would be able to find out the background story of his wife that he never knew of.

His fingers stopped tapping, and Altair’s eyes sparked dangerously.