Chapter – 21
You’re asking what I think?
What kind of question is that? You’re today’s worst dressed.
Not only the staff but also Aden and Lorena turned their attention toward me.
I groaned inwardly.
Honestly it looks really bad… but Cordelia seems satisfied for now…
Besides, if I bluntly told the truth, it felt like Aden and Lorena would kill me with their eyes.
The safest answer here would probably be this.
Just as I was about to open my mouth—
“Ah, is there really any need to ask others? The answer is obvious just by looking in the mirror, Lady Cordelia.”
“Exactly. You look so beautiful. You’re absolutely perfect just the way you are.”
At Aden’s exaggerated praise, the staff quickly chimed in.
Cordelia tilted her head.
“Hmm. I definitely like the purple earrings, but I’m still unsure about the necklace. Maybe this one is better…”
She picked up another necklace from the jewelry box.
It was orange, and honestly it did look better than that washed-out pale blue necklace she was currently wearing.
But Lorena quickly waved her hands in shock.
“Oh my! What are you saying?”
“The one you’re wearing right now suits you much better! You’re perfect just like this.”
Aden and the staff joined in.
Are they serious?
I couldn’t hide my increasingly bitter expression.
If Cordelia liked it, I had intended to just agree and give her a thumbs-up.
But these people were completely ignoring her preferences and pushing their own opinions.
This was practically fraud.
“Lady Cordelia.”
Ah, whatever.
I suddenly stood up.
As I walked toward the jewelry box, everyone stared at me in surprise.
Ignoring them, I rummaged through the box.
“Lady Cordelia, do you like purple?”
“Huh? Ah… yes, I do.”
“Then try changing to these earrings.”
I took out a much softer, lighter purple pair.
The staff’s expressions froze.
Cordelia held them up to her ears and looked slightly surprised.
Even just holding them there made her complexion look much brighter compared to before.
“And for the necklace, this one.”
This time I handed her a necklace with a pale green gem, like a tender new sprout.
As she put it on, soft gasps were heard around us.
“Wow.”
“Your skin looks much brighter.”
For the first time, genuine admiration came from the onlookers.
I saw Aden and Lorena exchange stiff glances.
Cordelia awkwardly touched the necklace.
“It is pretty… but doesn’t it lack presence? The color is so light.”
She said something ridiculous.
Since she usually wore bold primary colors, the softer tones probably felt unfamiliar.
I shook my head.
“I don’t know. I think these soft pastel tones suit you much better.”
“It… might be true…”
“You definitely look much more elegant now.”
A new voice joined in.
I turned my head.
It was the handsome young man who had introduced himself earlier as Baron Ray Monahan.
“Right? You really have a good eye.”
I said with a bright smile.
Ray tilted his head.
“Right? Haven’t we just met for the first time?”
“You just seem like someone with a good eye. Like someone who observes people a lot.”
I said with a playful smile.
For a brief moment, the expression vanished from Ray’s face.
It was only for an instant, but the way his eyes scanned me felt cold and inorganic.
Soon he smiled again.
“I’ve never heard that before. I’m not sure if that’s a compliment, but I’ll take it as one. Thank you.”
“It is a compliment! It means you look very sharp.”
Ignoring the faint chill I felt, I forced a smile.
While we talked, Cordelia finally seemed to make up her mind.
“I’ll buy these.”
“But Lady Cordelia! The quality of the gems on this one is much better—”
“No. I like the ones I’m wearing now. I’ll trust Miss Irene’s judgment.”
In the end, the staff processed the purchase of the jewelry I selected.
Even while doing so, their expressions were unpleasant.
Holding the bill, Cordelia tilted her head.
“This is much cheaper than usual.”
The moment I heard her mutter, I realized.
So that’s why.
The reason Aden and Lorena had pushed those ugly pieces so hard—
They were the most expensive items brought today.
Wow. They’re even trying to rip off a Saintess?
I clicked my tongue at their shamelessness.
With her new pastel jewelry, Cordelia looked much more lively.
After the staff left, we continued our tea.
Cordelia looked happy. Seeing her secretly smile while checking the mirror made it obvious she liked her new look.
She’s cute.
I chuckled inwardly.
Aden and Lorena’s stares burned my cheeks, but Cordelia’s cute reactions made it worth ignoring.
While tea time was reaching its peak—
I saw a blond man entering the terrace alone.
Is that Ray?
My real target today, Ray Monahan.
Thinking this might be my chance to speak with him alone, I stood up.
“I’ll go get some fresh air for a moment.”
On the terrace, a blond man was indeed standing alone enjoying the scenery.
He turned around.
Damn.
I clicked my tongue.
It wasn’t Ray.
It was Aden Odello.
Because of the similar hair color and slim build, I had mistaken him.
Aden’s face also stiffened when he saw me.
“Lady Irene.”
I had been thinking about just leaving when he approached me with a rigid expression.
Standing right in front of me, he spoke quietly.
“Forgive my boldness, but I have served Lady Cordelia for a long time. No one understands her tastes better than I do.”
“I see. Though she seemed to like the jewelry I picked more.”
If this were a comic, a crack mark would have appeared on Aden’s forehead.
The handsome young man’s face tightened before he composed himself again.
“Those of us who are her close companions know best what Lady Cordelia truly needs. I’m confident of that.”
“Hmm. Is that so?”
Suppressing my annoyance, I brushed back my hair.
I wasn’t interested in being treated as a rival just for picking jewelry once.
But his attitude of treating Cordelia like a child in his palm was ridiculous.
I spoke casually.
“This is unrelated, but I once got obsessed with a certain chef and kept going to the same restaurant.”
A complete lie.
The place I actually went to most was the university cafeteria western food corner. The sausages were good.
But it was just a metaphor, so a little bluff wouldn’t hurt.
I smiled innocently.
“But I got tired of it in less than a month. If you only consume the same thing, you get tired of it quickly. Don’t you think?”
“…”
Aden’s expression turned cold.
As someone experienced in high society, he couldn’t have missed my meaning.
His deer-like elegant face becoming stiff made him look quite intimidating.
Yes. If you’re going to exploit a Saintess, you should at least have that kind of ruthless expression.
Leaving Aden glaring behind me, I exited the terrace.
I just wasted time because I mistook someone.
As I was returning to Cordelia’s table, I suddenly widened my eyes.
That person—
Golden hair and a sharp fox-like profile.
This time, I was certain.
That was Ray Monahan.
He seemed to be preparing to leave.
“I suppose I must take my leave now.”
“Already?”
“You always leave so quickly.”
People tried to stop him, but Ray smoothly promised to meet next time.
It made sense he left early.
Ray Monahan was a very busy man.
I naturally followed as if our paths just happened to align.
Once we entered the hallway, he was already walking ahead.
I quickly caught up.
I needed to stop him before he left the estate where Sir Joan was waiting.
Fortunately, hearing my hurried footsteps, Ray turned around.
“Aren’t you the new Saintess? Do you need something from me?”
A fox-eyed handsome man smiling warmly.
But I knew this appearance was fake.
I smiled brightly and extended my hand.
“Hello.”
“Haha. Greeting me twice?”
“This is different. This time I’m greeting not Ray—but the Master of the Magic Tower.”
Ray’s smile vanished instantly.
“I don’t know what you mean… No. Since you’ve said it this precisely, denial seems pointless.”
Ray—
No.
Rizello smiled.
“How did you figure it out?”
I read it in a book.
I answered only in my mind.
The genius Magic Tower Master Rizello had many hobbies.
One of them was disguising himself as Ray Monahan and infiltrating high society.
Especially Cordelia’s regular gatherings—he never missed those.
“Depending on your answer, I may become very hostile toward you.”
Rizello said with a smiling face.
But cold hostility already shone in his eyes.
Honestly, saying I wasn’t scared would be a lie.
He was a genius mage who could kill me with a single gesture.
But maybe because I had already faced death threats from the strongest Sword Master—
I found myself calmer than expected.
“It’s because of my divine power.”
“…Divine power?”
“The god Elune granted me the ability to glimpse the future.”
“…Oh?”
Rizello’s eyes flashed.
“Of course, it’s still incomplete and limited. Discovering you were here was just luck.”
After a moment of silence, Rizello spoke slowly.
“Saintesses… truly are remarkable.”
“…”
“They really are worth observing.”
A strange chill ran down my spine.
Ignoring it, I brought up my real purpose.
“Lord Rizello. Please accept me as your official client.”
Rizello looked at me with interest.
Anyone could submit requests to the Magic Tower.
But the Tower Master was different.
He was someone who could make the impossible possible.
Ordinary people couldn’t even meet him face-to-face, let alone hire him.
“So you want to hire me.”
Rizello smiled with amusement.
“What a bold Saintess. Let’s hear it. What is it that you want so badly?”
