Laurel’s smile widened like she had just been personally validated by the fashion gods. "Of course, Miss! After all, this is the number one boutique in the Imperial Capital! Would you like to try one on?"
I nodded again, already emotionally attached to the item.
The three assistants didn’t even give ti to react before they gently but firmly dragged toward a full-body mirror like I was about to undergo a transformation arc.
"You can open your eyes now," Laurel’s voice ca, smooth and confident, like she already knew the result.
I opened my eyes then blinked. ’Am I even wearing the veil?’
And then, just to be absolutely sure I wasn’t being scamd by fashion this ti, I waved my hand in front of my face.
I leaned forward slightly, squinting at my reflection like it might suddenly glitch.
"...Wait."
I reached up, touching the veil draped over my eyes, expecting sothing—a distortion, a shadow, anything—but there was nothing. It was like I wasn’t even wearing one.
No "fashion over function" nonsense.
"...What kind of sorcery is this?" I muttered under my breath, turning my head side to side just to make sure my vision wasn’t about to betray .
"This is perfect," I admitted, because there was no point pretending otherwise.
Then, naturally—
"...How much was this?" I asked, imdiately turning to Laurel because there was absolutely no way sothing this good ca cheap.
She just smiled.
The kind of smile that told I was about to hear sothing either horrifying or suspicious.
"Don’t worry," she said sweetly. "The gentleman who was here already paid for it."
I paused.
"...Oh right. I almost forgot that this was part of the deal."
Once again, I found myself deeply impressed by the man who had kidnapped , used as a stress reliever, paid a small fortune1, and now apparently also sponsored my shopping spree.
What a strange, generous, highly questionable individual.
"I see..." I nodded slowly, pretending to accept that answer like a normal person. "...But how much was it?"
Because I was not letting that go.
I needed to know for... personal reasons.
Financial curiosity, ntal preparation, and closure.
Laurel only smiled wider. "Just think of it as a gift given to you."
I stared at her suspiciously.
"...Then can I at least ask for his na?" I tried again, because if I was going to accidentally acquire a secret benefactor, I deserved so information.
"I’m sorry, Miss, but that would be a violation of client privacy," she replied without missing a beat. "Let’s just call him... your secret admirer."
...
..
.
"...That is the most suspicious phrase I’ve heard today," I muttered.
Judging by how smoothly she dodged every single one of my questions, that man was definitely not just so random custor.
He was dangerously high-profile.
The kind of person whose na probably ca with titles, influence, and the ability to casually drop half a million without blinking.
I shook my head.
’Soren is also high-profile,’ I reminded myself.
And yet here I was, still alive and still accepting free things.
"...You know what," I muttered under my breath, shrugging off the entire situation with the grace of soone who had decided not to question her good fortune. "As long as it’s free, I don’t care anymore."
Growth.
That was called growth.
I happily grabbed the shopping bags, all my items already elegantly packed like they belonged in a display rather than in my very willing hands.
"Please co again, Miss Blanca!" Laurel said, bowing gracefully.
"Co again, Miss!" Bubbles, Blossom, and Buttercup echoed in perfect unison, bowing right after her like a well-trained performance group.
I waved casually, already halfway out the door.
"Yeah, yeah—I will," I said, because let’s be honest, if this place ca with mystery benefactors and free luxury items, I was absolutely coming back.
I thought the rest of my day would be peaceful but the mont I stepped outside, soone past through running and screaming for his life.
"WHERE IS THE LADY??!! WHERE’S THAT DAMN MAID??!! WHERE ARE THEY WHEN I DESPERATELY NEED THEM?!!"
I stepped outside, fully expecting the rest of my day to be peaceful, calm, uneventful.
’You know... having a normal day. Maybe I’d even grab a drink, admire my purchases, reflect on how I had sohow profited from being kidnapped—’
The universe, apparently, took that personally.
The mont I stepped outside, soone ran straight through like I was a decorative object instead of a person holding multiple very expensive shopping bags.
I stumbled back, clutching my shopping bags like they were my children. "...What the—"
"WHERE IS THE LADY??!! WHERE’S THAT DAMN MAID??!! WHERE ARE THEY WHEN I DESPERATELY NEEDED THEM?!!"
The voice echoed through the street with the kind of desperation usually reserved for people being chased by death itself.
I blinked.
Slowly.
"...Wait," I muttered, squinting at the figure sprinting away like his life depended on it.
’Was that... Gawain?’
A pause.
’I forgot about him.’
I stood there, processing my own negligence, when suddenly—
thunderous footsteps.
I turned just in ti to see eight people charging past in pursuit, each one ard like they were heading into battle instead of chasing a single unfortunate soul.
"CO BACK HERE!"
"WHEN WILL YOU STOP?!"
"LET TRY HOW SHARP MY SWORD IS ON YOU!"
"DAMN SLIPPERY SNAKE! JUST WAIT ’TIL I SHOVE MY BOOTS UP YOUR—"
"WHERE’S AQUILA?! HE’S THE FASTEST AMONG US!"
"THE COMMANDER IS ALREADY GETTING ANGRY!"
"SPADE SHOULD BE THE ONE CHASING AFTER THIS GUY! IT WAS HIS FAULT IN THE FIRST PLACE WHY THIS SNAKE MANAGED TO ESCAPE!"
"FIRST ONE TO CATCH HIM HAS THE HONOR OF SKINNING HIM ALIVE!"
I stood there, completely still, my shopping bags dangling from my hands, my soul temporarily exiting my body as I watched what could only be described as a live-action disaster sprint past .
"...What kind of side quest did I just unlock?" I muttered.
My jaw slowly dropped as I followed the chaos with my eyes, trying to piece together how half my day went from luxury shopping to what looked suspiciously like a public execution chase scene with bonus yelling and weapons.
And then, as if things weren’t absurd enough, Agatha appeared.
Not running.
Not rushing.
Not even slightly concerned.
No.
She was strolling.
Leisurely.
Like she had all the ti in the world.
Wearing sunglasses like she was on a beach vacation instead of in the middle of a manhunt, casually eating ice cream like the screams in the background were just part of the ambiance.
She walked past like she had front-row tickets to the entire disaster, watching everything unfold with the calm, detached energy of soone enjoying a street performance.
I stared at her, at the direction where Gawain had just sprinted for his life, then back at her.
"...Agatha?" I called, because I needed confirmation that I hadn’t finally lost my sanity.
She stopped mid-step and turned her head towards .
The mont she realized it was , she reacted with the speed of soone who had just been caught doing sothing illegal.
The sunglasses and ice cream were both thrown far enough that I was genuinely concerned for innocent bystanders.
After that, she walked up to like nothing happened.
"I didn’t know you were already done shopping," she said casually, as if she hadn’t just yeeted evidence of her cris across the street, before gently taking my shopping bags like a proper, responsible maid.
"So..." I started, gesturing vaguely toward the chaos like it might explain itself, "why are those angry mobs chasing Gawain instead of, I don’t know, the actual person responsible? Soren?"
"They’re the Master’s personal squad," Agatha replied calmly, adjusting her grip on the bags. "They’re called the Mad Dogs because of how unhinged and crazy they are, and they only follow the Master’s orders." She paused briefly, glancing in the direction of the ongoing chaos. "Sir Spade and Sir Aquila are also among them."
I stared at her. "...Mad Dogs."
"Yes."
As if on cue, another scream echoed in the distance, followed by a crash, and more yelling.
I slowly turned back to her.
"I’m guessing they received orders from Soren himself?" I asked.
Agatha nodded. "Most likely."
I took a deep breath, exhaled, then pointed towards the direction of Gawain’s impending doom. "Are you not going to help?"
"Why would I?" she replied, tone as relaxed as her walking pace earlier. "This is the most entertaining thing I’ve seen all day."
I stared at her. "...Seriously?"
"If I help him," she continued, completely unbothered, "the Master would punish . Severely."
Then, with the calmness of soone assigning chores—
"So the only safe option is you saving that idiot."
I slowly pointed at myself. "...."
"Yes."
"...Against eight ard lunatics nad Mad Dogs."
"Yes."
"...Who wants to skin soone alive."
"Yes."
"...And that soone is currently running for his life."
"Yes."
I stared at her.
She stared back, completely serious.
I sighed.
Agatha was still Soren’s maid and Gawain, unfortunately, was my manny and he’s still my responsibility.
"...I hate this day," I muttered, already ntally preparing myself to run towards danger like I hadn’t just co out of a luxury shopping experience.
Sowhere in the distance, Gawain scread again.
Louder this ti.
"...I REALLY HATE THIS DAY!!"
yes it’s still small according to Blanca
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