“It’s been a while, Bastian.”

With a smile on her face, Madame Sabine greeted them in person. Bastian embraced her without hesitation.

“You have no idea how surprised I was to hear from your aunt.”

“Thank you for doing me a favor, Madam Sabine.”

“It’s not a problem. Maria’s nephew is also my nephew.”

After giving Bastian a brief kiss on the cheek, Madame Sabine finally looked at Odette, who was standing a step behind him.

“Welcome, Lady Odette, it is an honor to be able to serve you.”

A bright smile appeared on her face, which had gone cold for an instant.

After her welcome, Madame Sabine led the two of them to the reception area at the back of the hall where dresses and fabrics were on display. It was only after entering there that Odette understood the situation. 

“Well, shall we take measurements first and then discuss the details?”

“I’m sorry. I think there must have been some kind of mistake.”

Odette stopped walking with an awkward smile.

“I didn’t come here to get my clothes tailored. I just thought this was a place to visit the Captain’s acquaintances.”

“Excuse me, would you mind giving us a moment?”

Bastian suddenly interrupted Odette’s words. Madame Sabine happily gave a nod. “Anyway. Let me know when the conversation is over.”

With a light tap on Bastian’s shoulder, Madam Sabine left with the staff.

When the door was closed from the outside, the reception room with only the two of them was dead silent.

“That was very rude.”

Odette spoke first, breaking the silence. Bastian looked down at her brazen face. 

“It seems to me that this is something to be thanked for, not reproached, Lady Odette.”

“Thanks? Excuse me?”

Odette asked back in astonishment.

She managed to maintain a calm tone, but it was not enough to hide even her trembling eyes.

“This place is already fully booked until next spring. If it had not been for the old friendship between my aunt and Madame Sabine, we wouldn’t have been given this special privilege.”

“No matter how wonderful this place is, I have no desire to receive clothes from the captain. Forcing unwanted gifts in this way……”

“A gift. Do you think I’m going through all the trouble of giving you a gift?”

For the first time, Bastian’s low and somber voice filled with emotion. It was a sharp ridicule that erased even the bare minimum of courtesy.

Speechless, Odette only blinked her wide, round eyes. Meanwhile, Bastian turned around and sat down on the hospitality sofa again and pointed to the seat across from him with his gaze. Odette defied the arrogant order by remaining motionless.

Bastian nodded his head as if to do whatever she liked, and picked up the crystal glass on the table. The sound of the transparent glass and the ice colliding echoed loudly and clearly.

“I am not interested in cheap things.”

Moistening his lips with cold whiskey soda, Bastian slowly crossed his legs. The bright light reflected from the well-polished shoes scratched Odette’s defocused pupils.

“Whatever I have, I want it to be the best. The best, the most expensive, the fanciest, everything. Lady Odette is no exception.”

“Why bother when I’m a fake anyway? It was the captain who said all of this is just a play that will end with Princess Isabelle’s wedding.”

With the insult so severe that her eyes turned white, Odette did not lose control. 

It was the sanctuary of the heart that had nothing to do with that man. The last dignity that Odette had managed to protect. She didn’t want to give that incorrigible man the right to violate it.

“I understand that this decision was made at the risk of rumors and reputational damage due to this marriage proposal. Is my memory wrong?”

“Of course, I don’t care about the honor and dignity of a gentleman. If your pride comes from noble blood, then to me it is money.”

After taking another sip of whiskey soda, Bastian took out a handkerchief from the breast pocket of his jacket and wiped away the water droplets running down his fingers.

“But, for the time being, a noble lady whom the whole world will know as my woman, wouldn’t it be very difficult for my position because you don’t have a single decent piece of clothing?”

“When I attend official events, I believe I have dressed adequately for the occasion. I intend to continue to do so.”

“I know you’re trying your best. I appreciate that.”

Bastian folded the water-stained handkerchief and set it down on the edge of the table. He glanced up and looked at Odette. Her face was as pale as a sheet of paper, and her eyes were red with unshed tears. Her color contrasted with her stern expression.

“But, as you know, the results weren’t very satisfactory, and I have no desire to put up with that moniker that comes before your name. So it is of a job than a gift. I think that’s the more appropriate way to put it.”

Bastian’s eyebrows wrinkled as he looked at the beggar princess’ shabby appearance. Disillusionment deepened when the father of the woman who came to extort money came to mind.

Lady Odette’s life was far more messed up than he thought.

A light of self-condemnation flashed on Bastian’s face as he realized what kind of woman he was entrusted with. He thought he’d rather have paid the price for disloyalty to the emperor, but he had no regrets.

It was a choice he himself had made. And Bastian had a means of erasing the stain on his dignity. Once he found a solution, it would be no problem then.

“Isn’t that something we both have to put up with and understand?”

Odette raised her head after looking at the tips of her old shoes for a long time. Her eyes had been dried and were redder. The incongruity between her youthful face and her bleak aura was strange because she wore no makeup.

“I’m sorry, but I also don’t like that nickname that disparages the captain. But the reason I didn’t show any signs of it was because I thought that was the responsibility of my role. I hope the Captain can show that level of consideration.”

Odette chided Bastian in the tone of a mother teaching her immature child. Bastian’s mouth curled slightly as he stared at her serious face. She had a talent for making people laugh unexpectedly.

“The grandson of a junk dealer. I can’t help it unless I’m reborn, but in Lady Odette’s case, isn’t it different?”

Bastian lightly shrugged his shoulders.

“Let’s live with the problems we can solve. There’s nothing good dwelling on the impossible.”

Bastian stood up from his seat and strode towards the woman. He was a very quiet and nimble for a man of his height and build.

“I will do my job, and Lady Odette does hers. It means nothing more.”

Bastian ordered. The stiffened Odette could make no reply, but that did not seem to matter much.

“When you have to bow, bow down. That’s real pride.”

Bastian raised his head and turned around after whispering that one word.

Odette endured it as much as she could it as best as she could, trying not to show her contempt.

She knew it was already useless pride, but she had to hold on to the empty shell in order not to run out the door right away.

While Odette struggled to calm her emotions, Bastian called back the staff waiting outside the reception room.

“I’m sorry for the discourtesy.”

With a polite apology, Bastian returned to the couch across the dressing room.

Odette still stood there, watching the surreal scene. As Bastian, reclining deep in his wing chair, opened the horse racing magazine prepared for the gentlemen, the staff’s movements became busy.

It was the beginning of doll play.

****

Ready to take measurements, Odette stepped onto the podium.

As the light from the lighting fell on her only piece of clothing, the muslin gown, the outline of her body wrapped in translucent fabric was clearly revealed. Madame Sabine raised her eyebrows in a surprise. The facial expressions of the assistants holding the tape measure were not significantly different. They had already recognized that she had a pretty body, but even so, it exceeded their expectations.

Hurrying her assistants with her glance, Madam Sabine took a step back and watched the situation. When she was near Bastian, she didn’t notice it, but Odette was a pretty tall lady when standing alone. She was slender, but with curves in places that would drive men crazy. Her clear skin and upright posture enhanced her slender figure.

Social queens, famous actresses and singers, even powerful mistresses would exchange wealth and status for beauty. Madam Sabine had seen countless clients including famous beauties of this empire, but Odette’s harmonious features and grace was particularly impressive.

The tailor who took her measurements with her tape measure called out numbers, and an assistant who quietly followed recorded it. Throughout the meticulous measurement, Odette cooperated quietly and skilfully. It was not at all what one would expect from dealing with a headstrong poor woman.

“It is finished.”

The tailor’s voice announcing the end permeated the silence.

“Thank you.”

After leaving a polite greeting, Odette headed for the changing room to change.

Madame Sabine nodded with a satisfied smile. Her (Odette’s) graceful gestures added to make her a more alluring young lady. It seemed to finally make sense why Bastian was acting so out of the ordinary.

Odette returned soon after, once again dressed in tattered clothes.

Impatient, Madame Sabine hurriedly led the young lady to the reception room.

Bastian was reading a magazine, sitting in the same position as before.

As she sat Odette down beside him, Madame Sabine beckoned and staff with luxurious fabrics approached. Bastian finally folded the magazine and raised his head.

“Now let’s discuss the details.”

Madame Sabine’s voice was laced with sincere joy.

Maria Gross said she was worried because she did not know her nephew’s true intentions.

But the Madam was confident to quantify her most accurate answer and pass it on to her friend.

The money a man spends on a woman, she believed, was proof of a certain mind.

It was an obvious truth proven by decades of running a dress shop had proven. It was a science of sorts.