Chapter 11

I grabbed the hem of my dress and moved quickly. The reason I came here is not for an outing.

Coming to the capital for a moment, I erased the name Carbella Rudbihi. I’m Blake Ariandel, the famous daughter of a rich man whom everyone didn’t know her face from now on.

Count Ariandel. I heard that he was originally a modest noble and then suddenly became rich out of nowhere. Although he was lucky enough to make it to the capital, I was told that he often sails, and his daughter is still and can’t come to the capital often. And this year, Lady Ariandel’s health is not very good, so she will never be able to set foot in the capital. Of course, this is the information from Sir Shubart. 

It was the perfect identity to borrow. Plus, we already blocked the invitation before the invitation arrived. 

In fact, the identity that Sir Shubart brought first was better. The mansion was also much larger and grander than here. But the reason I chose to be Lady Ariandel is just because she is the real better half of Valery Ahibara Kasinev. Of course, it happened after I died due to the evil things I did with my mother in the original story.

I have a strong desire to be alive even though I will be involved like in the original story, but why am I in a hurry now?

I was told that the banquet would be held at the imperial palace in three days while in the carriage. When I heard the order to go back to the capital, I thought that avoiding the prince was already out of the question, but the progress was even faster. I’m sure it would happen later in the original story.

Still, my power wasn’t manifested yet, but the plan was getting faster than I expected. So I was ordered by my mother to attend the banquet without asking about my opinion first.

I don’t know where Blake Ariandel, the real half better of Valery, is right now. Because she’s the character that appears late in the future. I’ve never actually seen her, so I don’t know whether she got kidnapped or missing. The only thing I know about her right now is she had red hair and red eyes, plus some other features.

I borrowed her name for a while, and I’m going to return it when I’m done. Well, about the aftermath… Perhaps Sir Shubart will take care of it.

Why would I have to worry about it when my hands are already full?

It felt different to ride the carriage passing through the center of the capital.

“We’re here.”

“Yes.”

I got off the carriage and went straight into the boutique.

“We have been waiting, Lady Ariandel.”

I had already made a reservation before I arrived in the capital, so I could get things done right away without having to wait.

“I’d like this design.”

Then, Ian took out a bunch of papers from behind and handed them to Madame. They were all designs that were completely opposite to my taste.

When it comes to choosing a dress, I like a dark but glamorous and not boring style. The dresses painted on the documents were bright and glamorous, but the pattern was monotonous and elegant.

“Wait here.”

I told that to Ian before entering the design room and followed Madame into the dressing room.

“Lady, can you raise your arm?”

I raised my arms gently. Then Madame, the owner of this boutique, quickly took my measurements with my hair neatly tucked up. It took her a few minutes to measure my entire measurement. She began to draw a new dress by combining the papers she received from Ian and my opinion.

“Can you make the pockets a little bigger on the inside?”

“Is Lady talking about the inside of the dress skirt?”

“Do you mean the inside of the dress skirt?”

“Yes, I want a pocket too on the side of my chest.”

This is the part that I always ask for whenever I order clothes. No matter how close someone protects me by my side, I have to be able to protect myself. Well, the best thing to do is to get out of there at the highest speed thought.

“I don’t need to do mid-check. Just deliver them over as soon as it’s done.”

“Is Lady sure about it?”

“I believe in Madame’s eyes.”

Madame’s face brightened at those words.

“Lady will like it. We will deliver it on the promised date.”

“Then, please take care of me.”

Madame bowed deeply to me as I tried to get into the carriage. I was going straight home as I rode the carriage, but I looked out through the carriage window and my eyes caught something.

“Wait.”

“Did you forget anything?”

Ian looked puzzled when I stopped the carriage.

“No. There’s a place I’d like to stop by. You don’t have to follow me.”

“I can’t do that.”

Ian doesn’t have to do his job, but he’s very straightforward and stubborn. I had no choice but to bring him with me. We arrived in front of a dessert shop that somehow had a few customers and looked shabby. It was a shop that didn’t match the clothes I’m wearing now.

“I will come in. Do you have to follow me into this place too?”

“I’ll be watching from here.”

“All right.”

I opened the door straight in. As soon as I entered, I smelled sweet desserts.

“Welcome.”

“It’s still here.”

I was greeted and stepped in a little more. There were two or three different kinds of desserts on display. Some of them were familiar to my eyes.

This shop has been in business for over 10 years. I came here because my mother brought me here when I was young. Not long after I came out of the orphanage, only once did I eat outside with my mother, and this was the place.

I thought this place would have disappeared, so I erased it from my memory. But to think I could see the sign again. I stopped the carriage without realizing it.

What I ate that day was still being made. Fortunately, not one of them seems to have been sold today. I ordered one and sat down by the window, where I used to sit as a child. Soon tea and the ordered dessert were served together. As soon as I saw it, I felt like I had returned to that day.

I almost lost my life when I was a kid. The memories of that time were almost erased, and only traces remained. Still, it was not long after I barely survived anyway. It was just before I remembered the memory of my past life.

My mother brought me here and watched silently with this cake and a drink. Then, she went out for a moment.  It was the first time my mother had bought snacks for me, so I ate with a fork and saved some, but my mother didn’t return until the shop closed.

I thought she might forget about me since she was such a busy mother, so I casually waited for her. The shop clerk informed me that the shop was closing, and as a child, I put the cake I had saved in my mouth and left. If I remember correctly, the sky was already night, and it started to rain. 

I waited for my mother in front of this closed shop. As I waited patiently with all my clothes wet, I saw my mother’s shoes as my gaze fell to the ground. A pair of shoes that were not stained with dust.

That day, mother put me back in the carriage and said nothing. I came back home like that, but my mother hadn’t said anything about why she did it that day until now.

If I had been abandoned then, would I have been thinking about something else instead of worrying like this?

I stared out at Ian without eating.

“Excuse me.”

I turned my eyes and called the staff.

“Can you wrap this up for me?”

The staff looked at the untouched dessert in wonder. When I said it wasn’t because something was wrong, he was relieved and took the dessert. Shortly after, a cake in a small box came out. I took it out and handed it to Ian. He looked at me while holding it.

“It’s a gift for you. It’s delicious.”

Ian kept staring blankly and soon nodded. Every time I see him, I think he’s really a boring person. I got into the carriage and stopped the carriage again.

“Ian.”

“Yes, Lady.”

“Buy me some menstrual pads over there.”

I ordered him casually.

Ian asked back, “Pardon?”

“It’s about the time. I left it all in the North, and I won’t come back there for some time. So I’m going to buy it in advance, as much as possible.”

“I will buy it for Lady as soon as we get home.”

Perhaps it was difficult to leave me alone, but he said he would take me home first and buy it. I shook my head.

“Aren’t you wasting time? You know the horseman will be waiting here too. So, hurry up.”

I knocked on the carriage. After a long pause, Ian agreed. We were in the middle of the capital, so there were many people, and there were guards everywhere. Perhaps he thought there would be less risk.

“…Then I’ll be back. Please wait a moment.”

“Yes. Be careful.”

I smiled and turned as soon as he disappeared from view. Then I began to walk to a place just a short distance from the carriage. It is an alley if you turn straight ahead. As soon as I turned the corner, I slipped into the alley.

I walked to a place just a short distance from the carriage.

“Somewhere here…”