Chapter 10
Warm sunlight poured over my face.
Whenever it feels like this, it usually means I’ve overslept.
The unusual silence and coziness around me felt ominous enough that I shot upright in bed—only to realize why.
“…Oh right. I’m unemployed now.”
What was I supposed to do about the instincts of an office worker that had been carved into my very bones?
Sighing at myself, I was about to lie back down when I turned my head.
Sunlight streamed through the empty window.
Was it all a dream?
It was hard to believe Roakin had been sitting there just last night.
But if it had been a dream, why could I remember every word of our conversation so vividly?
“Fine. I’ll leave for today.”
Did that mean he intended to come back?
If Roakin Argen kept dropping by my house, there would be no point in hiding anymore.
Whether because of his striking appearance or simply because he was the Master of the Magic Tower, he attracted attention wherever he went.
We had a serious conversation, so hopefully he’ll stay away for a while.
Just thinking about it chased away the last remnants of sleep.
I threw off the blankets and headed downstairs.
Dragging my fluffy slippers across the floor, I wandered onto the terrace with a yawn.
Then I noticed the flowerpots.
“…The leaves have already sprouted?”
I knew Crown Trees grew quickly, but not this quickly.
I’d planted seeds in two pots.
One I watered normally.
The other I’d treated with the growth potion I’d created.
That way I could compare the results.
The watered pot had only just sprouted.
The one treated with the potion already had tiny leaves growing beside the sprout.
“So it really works?”
Excited by the promising results, I fetched the remaining growth potion and poured another generous dose over the healthier plant.
“Ah! It splashed!”
I’d gotten a little too enthusiastic.
Some of the potion splattered onto my clothes.
I was wondering why these clothes had lasted so long.
Working with potions meant getting splashed with chemicals, singed by flames, and suffering countless other accidents.
It was practically the fate of every potion maker.
I hurried into the kitchen and tried scrubbing the stain with water, but it refused to come out.
Guess these clothes were beyond saving.
Opening my wardrobe to change, I paused.
“Hmm…”
Gray.
Black.
Dark gray.
The wardrobe, filled with nothing but gloomy-colored clothing, looked as depressing as a sky covered with storm clouds.
…Is this really the best I could do?
Since Serphine wore her everyday clothes while working, she’d deliberately bought only dark-colored outfits.
There was a practical reason for it.
But even so…
This was a bit much.
Wasn’t it a little too dreary for someone so young to own nothing but clothes like these?
Back when I’d been busy escaping the Magic Tower, I hadn’t had time to worry about clothing.
Now that life had settled down a little, I saw things differently.
“…Then again, I’m hardly one to talk.”
Looking into the gloomy wardrobe inevitably reminded me of my previous life.
The time I’d stood trembling in a department store because I couldn’t bring myself to buy a single coat.
Money had always been tight.
I’d denied myself nice clothes, good food, and anything I wanted in order to save every penny.
And what had all that sacrifice earned me?
I’d worked myself to death before enjoying any of it.
I’d already learned that lesson the hard way.
I had no intention of repeating it.
I refuse to be the only one dressed like a raincloud during such a beautiful spring.
Just then, I remembered the dress shop I’d passed yesterday on my way back from the plant store.
“La-la-la.”
Humming cheerfully, I put on the lightest gray dress I owned, covered my face with a wide-brimmed hat, and headed out.
The dress shop was packed with women preparing new outfits for the upcoming Founding Festival.
“…Should I come back another day?”
For a moment, I considered turning around.
But it would probably stay this crowded until the festival ended.
Since I was already here, I decided to go inside.
Girls around my age were shopping in lively groups, chatting and laughing together.
I seemed to be the only customer shopping alone.
How do I not even have a single friend…?
Seriously.
Even after transmigrating, how had I ended up in a body like this?
Aside from the people at the Magic Tower, Serphine had absolutely no acquaintances.
In a society where a mage’s worth was determined by magical power, Serphine had never been particularly valued.
Actually, “not valued” is putting it mildly.
She’d practically been an outcast.
Someone who’d spent years isolated like that was hardly going to have friends.
Normally, my introverted personality didn’t bother me.
But today, for some reason, it left a bitter taste in my mouth.
Shaking off those thoughts, I turned my attention to the dresses.
The problem was…
Serphine had never cared about fashion.
Neither had I.
I had absolutely no idea how to choose a dress.
As I awkwardly wandered around, completely lost, a sales clerk approached like a savior.
“Welcome. Is there a particular style you’re looking for?”
She had curly auburn hair, rosy cheeks sprinkled with freckles, and looked like a doll from a mountain village.
…She’s adorable!
Suppressing the urge to pinch her cheeks, I answered calmly.
“No. I’m just browsing. I don’t really know much about dresses…”
“Oh! I see. Then would you mind if I recommended a few?”
Smiling brightly, she began showing me around.
“I think something elegant like this would suit you very well.”
She pointed toward a mannequin wearing a violet dress.
Oh… it’s beautiful!
The color was exactly the shade of violet flowers I loved.
The design was simple yet refined, with just enough lace to make it suitable for everyday wear.
“I love it. May I try it on?”
“Really? Of course!”
Just as she reached for the dress—
“Hazel!”
An angry voice called from the checkout counter.
“Eek! I’m so sorry, miss. The owner is calling for me. Could you wait just a moment?”
So her name was Hazel.
After apologizing profusely, she hurried toward whoever had called her.
“Tsk. What has she messed up this time?”
Another clerk, who had been organizing the displays, clicked her tongue before approaching me.
“You wanted to try this dress, correct? If you don’t mind, I’ll help you instead.”
“Please.”
I followed her into the fitting room.
“Let me remove your hat first…”
As she reached toward it, I quickly stopped her.
“Oh! Please don’t take off my hat!”
“Oh my! I’m terribly sorry. I’ll be careful.”
I immediately regretted overreacting.
There were only the two of us in the room, after all.
Fortunately, she simply assumed I was a peculiar customer and carefully helped me change without touching my hat.
Once I was dressed, I looked in the mirror.
“Hmm.”
It felt embarrassing to say it myself, but…
I looked beautiful.
Serphine usually dressed so plainly that it was easy to forget how naturally pretty she was.
Combined with her silver hair, the violet dress perfectly complemented her cool, elegant appearance.
Whatever trouble Hazel constantly got herself into, she certainly had an excellent eye for fashion.
Spinning around once in front of the mirror, I smiled.
“I’ll wear this one.”
The words escaped before I could think.
Buying clothes without looking at the price tag!
It had always been one of my little dreams.
“Very well.”
The clerk beamed as she led me toward the register.
“You can’t finish the sleeves like this! How many times have I told you?”
…She’s still being scolded.
While waiting to pay, I spotted Hazel standing in the corner behind the counter with her head bowed.
“But I followed your instructions exactly…”
“When did I ever tell you to do this? Do you even know who almost bought that defective dress? Countess Lud, one of our regular customers! Thankfully I noticed it before she paid…”
“…I’m sorry.”
Hazel’s already-red cheeks turned crimson.
“And do you know how expensive that dress is? Because of your mistake, we can’t sell it now. Even six months’ worth of your wages wouldn’t cover the loss!”
“Madam, I’ll work harder! I’ll do anything to make up for it. Please… just don’t deduct my pay.”
Hazel clasped her hands together and begged desperately.
Even in a fictional world…
People were still people.
Watching the scene reminded me of my own part-time job at a café.
Once, I’d accidentally spilled coffee all over a customer’s clothes.
The compensation had swallowed an entire month’s wages.
I’d been absolutely miserable.
Back then…
I’d wished with all my heart that someone would help me.
No one had.
My eyes drifted toward the dress the shop owner was holding.
It was a lovely daffodil-yellow dress with layers of frills.
The color was gorgeous.
The only problem was that its extravagant design looked better suited for a palace ball than everyday life.
…Where would anyone even wear something like that?
Unfortunately…
My incurable tendency to meddle got the better of me.
After a moment of hesitation, I spoke.
“Madam… would it be possible for me to buy that dress?”
“…Pardon?”
The owner looked at me in surprise.
“I’d like to buy the yellow frilled dress.”
“I’m terribly sorry, miss, but it’s defective. We can’t sell it.”
“I couldn’t help overhearing that only the finishing is flawed. I really love the color, so I don’t mind a small imperfection.”
The owner thought for a moment.
“I can redo the stitching… but I can’t guarantee the repair will be completely invisible.”
“That’s fine.”
Finally giving in, she placed the dress on the counter.
“I’ll only charge half price. The total for everything comes to two hundred gold.”
…What? Two hundred gold?
Even at half price, a single dress cost two hundred gold.
My jaw nearly dropped.
Doing the math in my head…
Two hundred gold was enough to buy two thousand Crown Tree seeds!
No… I promised myself I wouldn’t think like that anymore.
Compared to my usual spending habits, this was definitely extravagant.
But given my current savings, it wasn’t enough to hurt.
Closing my eyes, I paid.
The owner said she’d send the yellow dress to my house once the alterations were finished, along with the clothes I’d changed out of.
After a moment’s hesitation, I wrote down a false name and my address before leaving.
I hadn’t even walked a few steps when someone came running after me.
“Excuse me! Wait!”
“…?”
