Obedience comes with a price.
Whether the price will be joy or sorrow is usually only known after. The price I paid today for my obedience was the height of hardships.
This is because I had to try on and check the fabric of 9 outfits one by one, including gloves, hats, and so on.
“That’s much better.”
Also, the main orchestrator of this dress-up doll play was Rue, not me.
He played with my body at will – which, I know, sounds like a weird thing to say, but I am not exaggerating.
Rue, who checked the color, brightness, pattern, and combination of the fabrics one by one while lying on the long sofa, was nastily demanding and meticulous.
“This is good, too.”
“Right? It’s a popular colour these days. It will go well with her fair skin. I usually recommend monochromatic fabrics for the young ladies who come here, but I think this pastel turquoise colour would suit you a lot”
Even in the eyes of me, who had absolutely no experience with designs or art, I could feel his aesthetic excellence.
“With that fabric.”
In addition, he didn’t even bother to consider the fabrics that the owner suggested, instead chose only ones that he liked.
“If you’re just going to choose it according to your liking, why even bother putting it on me?”
My legs hurt because I’d been standing for nearly two hours. It took only a few minutes to glare at him with irritation.
“This time, choose the fabric you like, Miss Daisy.”
He gave me the decision on the pretext of being generous.
Wow, thank you so much. But what is the point of this anyway? These aren’t clothes that I’ll be wearing anyway, no?
“That and that.”
I chose two of the most striking fabrics out of the ones scattered across the place along with different types of laces.
A Zebra-pattern running on a green fabric and spring flowers embroidered on lace.
“Do you mean…these fabrics?”
A nod.
Contrary to my expectations, instead of seeming confused, the owner seemed to have a new glint in her eyes.
“I see. Well, indeed, women are sometimes attracted to underwear with bold-patterns.”
Wait, it’s for underwear?
I turned my eyes to Rue, who was smiling with an expression that clearly said ‘what a bad combination and a tacky eye.’
You little brat.
On the contrary, the owner, who had been holding her chin for some time as if impressed by something, leaned close and whispered in my ear,
“The perfect combination for an impressive night. You have a good eye.”
At that moment, I realised something.
‘This woman sees Rue and me as the Viscount Couple who’ve gone out together in disguise.’
It’s not surprising, actually.
Even to me, Rue’s wicked appearance and laid back attitude didn’t seem like that of a commoner. In addition, he was getting the clothes of the Viscountess tailored to his taste, which would be impossible unless the actual couple was already involved in the process.
“This is the end of both design and fabric checks.”
What a liberating feeling!
I rushed into the dressing room, put on my clothes, and came out. My old, shabby clothes had never felt as lovely as now.
Rue smiled as he looked back at me while I was preparing to dash as I put my hat on.
“Was it that terrible?”
“I’d rather be cleaning the manor.”
At least I wouldn’t tremble with boredom.
It was after Rue, who paid for everything, approached me.
The employee who greeted us at the entrance of the store earlier asked him a question with a nervous expression.
“Well, sir, do you happen to work in the Weatherwoods mansion?”
“Yes.”
“If you don’t mind…I’d like to know your name..”
The employee’s cheeks were dyed a cherry red.
Lu, who smiled softly, answered in an easy going tone.
“When the clothing is ready, you can contact the Weatherwoods mansion.”
“Oh, no. that’s not what I was say-”
“Why are you just standing there, Miss Daisy? You said you were having a terrible time.”
“Sir!”
The employee urgently grabbed Rue’s sleeve, but he smoothly shook it off.
Unlike the boss who doubted our identity, the employee seemed to believe in Rue’s status.
Well, he’s the real thing.
Rue, who passed me, opened the heavy door and supported it with his back. He pointed to the street with his chin and I gently followed in the direction.
Walking along the street casually, after reaching a point not far from the western-style boutique, Rue patted off the end of his sleeve.
It was the area that the employee had grabbed for a moment.
Did he just simply have a preference for neatness, or was his personality just twisted?
It could be both since the other party is Rue.
“I brought you to practise speaking, then you bought a weird underwear that looks like something is running across the meadow on it. I can’t believe coming out myself was still so worthless.”
It’s definitely both.
“If you want me to practise speaking, you should tell me in advance.”
But I wasn’t too worried about my speech. I was confident that once in a man’s body, I would spit out anything required of me with ease.
“Rue.”
“Rue?”
“Mr. Rue, have you changed the plan? Am I going to be the Viscountess, and you the Viscount?”
“The Viscountess will be me.”
He answered with such pride that it looked like he was born a viscountess from birth.
“Then why did you measure my body for the fitting?”
“Because it’s more efficient. And follow me this way, not that way. It’s too early to go back to the mansion. You need men’s clothing and shoes.”
“Would men’s clothes fit my height?”
“Of course.”
Rue, who answered lightly, looked back at me.
They’ll be tailored according to Rue, so that means I’ll have to turn into a long, slim, and solid-bodied man with a height of at least 190 cm.
‘My body right now is not all that comfortable to begin with, and you want me to be a man who is 20 cm taller?’
That’s not very efficient. If you’re going to change your body to fit in anyway, wouldn’t it be easier to fit in one that you’re already familiar with?
I dimly recalled Andert’s structure and spoke,
“Can you do another height?”
“For example?”
“He is 180cm tall, his chest, biceps, and triceps are more developed than yours, and his neck is slightly shorter. The waist is a little thinner, but the hips….”
“Is that your type?”
What? I shook my head in surprise.
“No? No way? All that doesn’t matter to me.”
Rue tilted his head toward me with a suspicious gaze.
“You say no, but then how are you giving such a detailed description? How fascinating.”
Well, it was my body, so…
“Well, I’m only saying that because it sounds like a more comfortable alternative.”
Come to think of it, I must’ve sounded like a pervert because of going into such detail.
Luckily, Rue didn’t ask any more questions.
Instead, he turned and entered a narrow dark alley between the townhouses. I saw a startled gray mouse scurrying to hide.
‘Why are we going here? Is he going to beat me up since he thinks I am a pervert?’
when the steps that followed him faltered, Rue turned his back to me.
“This much?”
I felt like something had changed somehow. His view of looking down at me seemed closer than before.
‘You used transformation magic without uttering a spell?’
Silent magic.
It is by no means an easy thing to acquire.
It is only one step behind sword master, which is the highest degree a knight can reach.
The speculation that Rue was the Imperial Wizard weighed on me even more.
“…these shoulders are too broad. Make it more human.”
Fsh.
Rue’s body changed again with a creepy sound of skeletal alignment. The shoulder length became a little smaller as required.
“You need to be more tanned, too. The wrists are thicker, the hands are, too.”
Rue’s skin color darkened as if a shadow fell over him.
“Hmm, the shape of the skeleton is a bit different..”
Tsk, Rue clicked his tongue and asked in a rather unpleasant tone.
“Who are you imagining to be like that?”
I thought about it for a second.
I can’t say ‘me from the past.’ should I just tell him that it’s my younger brother?
But if you think about it, isn’t it weird to match the skeleton shape with your brother?
Rue urged in a cold voice.
“Well, answer me. Should the national treasury be bigger or smaller?”
“What do you mean by national treasury?”
Rue, who was staring at me, suddenly laughed with a happy face.
“Where is it?”
Yeah, where could it be?
Let’s not lower our head. I’ll stare right at Rue’s face and pretend I don’t understand what he means.
I mustn’t answer ‘of course it’s bigger!’ with useless pride.
Rue was embarrassed by the long silence.
“If you can’t say it, let’s just go like this.”
“…yes, that’s enough.”
“Of course it’s enough, I feel like I’m walking around stuck in the ground.”
At 180cm, my height must definitely feel like walking around stuck in the ground for him.