Chapter 87
Episode 87
No sooner had the meal ended than I dashed out and gently stroked the Elza tree. The rough bark felt against my palm, and the unique, bittersweet citrus scent of the Elza tree flowed into my nasal passages.
The Chairman, who had come to the castle for work, saw the Elza tree piled up in the castle and approached me.
"What is all this?"
"It's mine."
"All of this? Then how many Teleportation Circles are there..."
Even the Chairman was astonished, and I nodded in satisfaction.
"Once we secure the quantity of Teleportation Circles and start selling them, we'll become even richer."
"What are you going to do with being even richer than this?"
"Well, of course, I have to pay the merchant guild taxes. Now, prepare ten documents and don't save even 10 francs, just pay them all."
When I laughed, the Chairman chuckled.
"That's not a rich person's mindset."
Does the Chairman know Seria's and my heart that breaks every time the tax season comes?
When I looked at him with those eyes, the Chairman shrugged.
"I'll separate only the bark."
"Yeah. Leave the leaves. So people don't think it's weird."
"Yes. Ah, Your Excellency seems to be about to depart for The Capital soon."
Originally, the territory's work had been almost finished several weeks ago. But Mireille appeared and delayed it.
"Yeah. I think we'll probably leave in about three or four days."
"The Communication Stone?"
"Always in possession."
"Good."
I nodded, caressing the Etwal with one corner filled.
Now it was finally time to go out into the world in earnest.
As expected, we departed for The Capital three days later.
The carriage, which previously only had me, Henri, Isaac, and Dad, now also had Yohan and Javelin.
Yohan decided to stay with us until the end of the Academy's vacation. He always spent his vacations in The Capital, so it was nothing special.
When we arrived at the mansion, the now-familiar employees of The Capital welcomed us.
After all the luggage was sorted out, our family had tea and discussed future plans.
Aunt said to Dad.
"Now that LeBlaine needs to enter society, we should find a Godmother."
A Godmother is a socialite who gathers and educates ladies, guiding them in society.
Who the Godmother is is very important. This is because it divides the social circles into factions.
Of course, there are people who don't like factions, but the social circles of The Capital were a world where it was difficult to survive if you didn't belong anywhere.
The family discussed a suitable Godmother for me.
"I've heard that Mrs. Georges is quite wise. The ladies she's in charge of are all calm and intelligent."
Henri, who knew the people of The Capital inside and out, added.
"Mrs. Georges is wise, but her husband is not. He's blinded by ambition. If he knew that my wife was in charge of LeBlaine, he would have foolish thoughts."
"I heard that his niece is making her social debut this time. He cherishes his bloodline terribly, so he might use LeBlaine as a foil for his niece."
"What about Mrs. Dimonte?"
"Mrs. Dimonte wouldn't be a bad idea."
After that, the names of social giants were mentioned. Aunt and Henri asked Dad which of them would be better.
"Anyone who doesn't make LeBlaine wear high heels."
There were those who made them wear high heels from a very young age for an elegant gait.
When he pointed that out, Aunt said, "Of course," and drank her tea.
Everyone put their heads together to decide on my social Godmother, but I already had someone in mind. Of course, someone who would make my first step in The Capital life wonderful.
Aunt was in charge of introducing me to society and helping me adapt to The Capital.
Aunt, who looked me up and down, said.
"First of all... we need to go shopping."
"Shopping?"
"What can drive away the hyenas of The Capital is not a torch, but the smell of money. I'll ask Sharon to make your clothes."
Sharon?
As soon as I heard that name, I quickly said to Aunt.
"Can't I go and meet her in person?"
"Hmm..."
After thinking for a moment, Aunt nodded.
"It wouldn't be bad to introduce you."
I cheered inwardly. Because the person I want to make my Godmother has a deep relationship with Sharon.
When I came out to the shopping district with Aunt, my cheeks were numb from the pouring gazes.
"Oh my gosh, it's Javelin..."
The whispering followed us from the moment we got out of the carriage.
From the lady hugging a book to the bachelor in the flower shop, everyone was captivated by Aunt.
Well, there were endless words to describe Aunt.
Beauty that makes passersby turn around about thirteen times, twisting their necks.
The knight who led the heyday of the White Horse Knights, which is still popular among the imperial citizens.
A diamond education that went through the Capital Academy for the Gifted and then the Academy.
A fashion sense that turns into a trend as soon as she wears it.
Above all, this sharp and elegant aura that makes you want to call her sister or older sister.
The reason I know this is because there were people who cherished Javelin's portrait even in the Temple. Mina was one of them.
[You don't know Javelin? Oh my gosh, LeBlaine! Javelin is a top star. A celestial one at that! You have to call her Javelin-nim.]
People who were influenced by Mina went around calling her Javelin-nim, which earned them a look of disillusionment from Aunt.
I spotted Aunt and looked at the woman running from afar.
"Who is this, Javelin Arieh! My muse!"
The name of the person with hair neatly cut about 6 centimeters below the ears was Sharon. She was the best designer in The Capital.
She was popular with duchesses and marchionesses, and even Melbein, who sold expensive dresses, was no match for her.
"What's going on? You wouldn't come even when I asked you to come so much. I thought my eyes would grow thorns. First, let me kiss your hand."
As Sharon puckered her lips, Aunt blocked her face with her palm.
"I came to buy this child's clothes."
"I don't design children's clothes. But who is this, this squirrel?"
"My niece."
"Niece?!"
Sharon poked her face out.
I flinched and tilted my face back.
"You're the Child of Destiny?"
"...Yeah."
When she suddenly spoke informally, I also spoke informally, and Sharon's eyes widened. Then she burst into laughter.
"Ahah! Hahahahah!"
Only after laughing heartily did she grab her skirt.
"Excuse me, Little Miss. I'm Sharon Rouge."
"I'm LeBlaine."
"Now you're using honorifics?"
"As a courtesy to my Aunt's friend."
"Didn't I seem like Javelin's friend just now?"
"I don't show courtesy to rude people, no matter how much they are my Aunt's friend. I am a Young Lady bearing the honor of the Dubled family."
When I said that, Aunt chuckled and ruffled my hair. Sharon laughed again and said.
"You have the dignity to wear my clothes. I've never designed children's clothes, but I just had an inspiration."
Then she opened the door of a building without a sign.
Aunt and I followed her inside.
The interior was magnificent. She led us to the end of the hallway and opened a locked door, revealing a spiral staircase.
"Okay, while I do a quick sketch, you two go upstairs."
I held Aunt's hand tightly.
'This is Sharon's Atelier.'
The nobles called this staircase above Sharon's Atelier.
But just because it was called that didn't mean it was a space for making dresses.
This was a so-called club where the upper class shared connections.
The reason Melbein couldn't reach Sharon's reputation was not just because Sharon was a better designer. It was because she was the operator of the upper-class club.
I went up the stairs with Aunt.
Upstairs, about twenty people were gathered in groups of three or five, talking.
A noble who found Aunt said, "Oh." and approached.
"Sir Arieh!"
"Now it's Minister."
"Haha, as you get older, your memory gets worse. Yes, Count Arieh."
Aunt left her position as the head of the White Horse Knights, who oversaw the Empress's guards, and received a title after becoming independent as a branch family of Dubled.
The man just said that to imply that she was just a knight-born fledgling who controlled a branch family.
And the fact that Aunt corrected it was a warning that they would get hurt if they looked down on her.
It was the first time in a long time that I felt the fierce power struggle of The Capital's social circles.
People flocked around Aunt.
"Who is this child?"
"My niece."
"Ah, that..."
Saying that, the man looked me up and down.
"Hello, Marquis Adilbore."
"You know me?"
"Of course. You are the head of the meritorious family who contributed to the founding of the Empire. I heard that you made many contributions to the Central Knights in your youth and admired you."
Marquis Adilbore flinched.
He was flattered by mentioning his family, but the subsequent mention of the Knights was a jab at the words "just a knight-born fledgling" to Aunt.
He was surprised that such a young me was using perfect social etiquette.
"Oh my, she looks young but she's also smart."
Other nobles also showed interest in me.
"It's nice to meet you. Countess Resilla, Count Castor, Marchioness Huisilobang."
When I greeted them by calling their names accurately, the nobles looked truly surprised.
"How do you know me?"
"Before coming to The Capital, I came after studying this and that. Countess Resilla has the most outstanding sense in The Capital, and she is said to be a beautiful lady with radiant blonde hair that seems to be full of sunlight. So I thought that you must be Countess Resilla."
"How does a Young Lady who just arrived know my sense? Did you think the dress I wore today was okay?"
"No, it's the point that you deliberately stood to the left of Marchioness Huisilobang. You came to the left so that the Marchioness, who is holding a cane in her right hand, would not be uncomfortable."
When I showed off my life-hacks from my fourth life, smiles appeared on the faces of the nobles.
"She's also clever."
Countess Resilla smiled pleasantly and handed me orange juice.
I smiled innocently, pretending to be a child.
'Good, I pleased Countess Resilla, who has the most influence in this club.'
I took the orange juice and went quietly to Aunt's side.
"Resilla is one of the most powerful people in society. She is close to Empress Yvonne. Even if you are a Duchess's Young Lady, she wouldn't accept you under her wing, but the way she looks at you has changed."
She kept stealing glances at me. Just now, she asked another noblewoman if she knew my social schedule.
'But the person I want to make my Godmother is not her.'
Didn't she come today?
I was thinking that when I looked around.
A woman with thick, wavy dark brown hair was coming up the stairs.