Chapter 19

Freyer looked up at the signboard hastily scribbled with the words [Baimery Trade Guild.]

 

‘She was this close all along.’

 

The lingerie shop he’d visited for clues about the ribbon, the information broker—everything he’d searched was only a few blocks away. He’d been going to all the wrong places.

 

Now, at last, he could meet her. The moment he had longed for. A faint tension rippled through him. Gripping the black ribbon tightly, Freyer opened the shop door.

 

Ding—

 

The silver bell on the door chimed.

 

“Welcome! This is Baimery Shop! What are you looking for?”

 

A green-haired girl who seemed to be a clerk greeted him with a bright smile.

 

Freyer stepped inside, scanning the various goods on display, and asked, “I’m here to see Lady Lilithia Baimery.”

 

“You’re here to see Lady Lilithia…? Unfortunately, she’s not at the trading guild right now. It would be better if you came again next time!”

 

“I’ll wait.”

 

“But she went to the palace, and we don’t know when she’ll be back… Oh!”

 

The clerk covered her mouth with both hands, her eyes rolling anxiously. What slipped from her lips left Freyer stunned.

 

“The palace…?”

 

The palace? A chill of unease crawled up his spine. The clerk’s face fell into despair.

 

“So you did hear. The lady told me not to tell anyone. I’m going to get in trouble…”

 

Muttering nervously, the clerk cautiously looked up at Freyer.

 

“Could you pretend you didn’t hear that? …I guess not, right…?”

 

Suppressing the urge to demand the exact hour and minute she left, Freyer cast a lazy smile instead.

 

“I’ll keep it a secret.”

 

“Really?”

 

Relief blossomed across Carrie’s face—only to falter when he added, “If you could just tell me why she went.”

 

“I can’t tell you the details…”

 

She sneaked a look at the tall, silver-haired customer. His height, his well-made clothes of high-quality fabric—he radiated nobility. He was clearly some aristocrat’s son. Lips twitching nervously, Carrie said,

 

“You seem to know the lady… You’ll keep it a secret, right?”

 

Freyer gave a small nod.

 

“His Highness the Crown Prince invited our trading guild to the palace because he wanted to try our tea. And the lady said she’d introduce some of our other goods while she was there…”

 

“When was that?”

 

“She left in the morning, so…”

 

If she hadn’t said anything, he would have waited here in complete ignorance. Freyer pulled a pocket watch from his coat and checked the time. The moment she’d left for the palace aligned perfectly with the time he’d left for the commercial district.

 

‘She must already be there. I need to go.’

 

Carrie grabbed his hands and looked up at him.

 

“Please don’t tell the lady! She might think I’ve been running around spreading rumors…!”

 

“I’ll keep the secret. Thank you.”

 

Freyer stepped out of the store, heading for the palace. Carrie tilted her head as she watched the silver-haired customer leave.

 

“I should be the one thanking him…? Why did he thank me?”

 

 

***

 

 

“Young Lady! The carriage is here.”

 

“Already?”

 

I jumped up and looked out the window. A carriage trimmed with gold was rolling through the estate gates. Maybe it was because I’d waited so long for this moment—my heart thumped with nervous excitement. I exhaled to steady myself.

 

“Haah…”

 

“Are you very worried, my lady?”

 

“Of course! I hope His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has an eye for quality.”

 

The reason I’d been waiting for the palace carriage—because of the conversation I had with the Crown Prince at the Return Banquet.

 

I had vowed not to interfere with the novel again. But the goal of this life was to revive the trading company—and for that, I needed the Crown Prince’s help.

 

‘It’s okay to benefit from the Crown Prince just this once, for the first and last time, to save the company, right…?’

 

Before heading to the palace, I needed to prepare something that would catch his attention. Ordinary black tea wouldn’t be enough to revive the company.

 

‘What could give us an edge over other trading companies?’

 

I practically lived at the company for days thinking about it—eating, sleeping, and digging through documents. That was when I discovered what the piles of plants and powders in storage were.

 

‘Most were dyes for cotton.’

 

Why was there so much of this stuff here? My confusion didn’t last long—I realized it was part of Father’s vision for the company.

 

In this world, where science wasn’t advanced, most commoners dyed clothes by drying plants and grinding them into powders. Naturally, the colors were dull.

 

‘Of course, nobles were different…’

 

Their clothing displayed bright colors, but not without limits. Expensive silk fabric faded easily in sunlight. Nobles relied on magic to maintain their garments’ colors.

 

‘But commoners couldn’t afford that.’

 

The reason the warehouse was full of dyes was because Father had been working to give the company its own specialty.

 

‘I tried to contact him right away, but it was impossible.’

 

If Father’s intention was what I thought, I wanted to tell him I could solve the issue. But the communication crystal kept crackling uselessly.

 

‘I majored in textile science, you know!’

 

I’d even done research on natural dyeing in school—though I worked in a different field later.

 

So I decided to create fabrics in colors this world had never seen—before the Crown Prince visited.

 

‘And I did it!’

 

Bolts of cloth, from pale blue to deep violet, were rolled up beside me—dyed with the formula I developed. By using mineral-based mordants, the color wouldn’t wash out or fade in sunlight.

 

‘Perfect for commoners who worked outdoors.’

 

And each fabric had its own distinct sheen. When used on silk-like noble fabrics, the results were stunning—subtle, shifting iridescence. I’d dyed countless samples, testing them so much my hands were stained blue like a smurf.

 

“And I designed a dress to show off the fabric.”

 

The dress I was wearing showcased the cloth perfectly. The soft purple fabric shimmered with gold under the light.

 

To the Crown Prince, this was just an invitation to taste our tea. But for me, it was more. I had to give him these fabrics.

 

‘If people hear that the Crown Prince received cloth from our company, sales will explode!’

 

This chance would not come twice. I loaded the fabric and tea onto the carriage and climbed in after it.

 

“I’ll return successful!”

 

 

***

 

 

When the carriage arrived at the palace, the door opened. Struggling with my heavy bundles, I stepped down carefully. The attendant waiting for me approached.

 

“I will guide you to the rear garden.”

 

Following him, I was overwhelmed by the scenery.

 

“Wow… it’s beautiful.”

 

Past an archway overflowing with flowers, a stone path stretched ahead. Immaculate flowerbeds, hedges, and shrubs lined both sides—clearly tended with devotion. Sky-blue blossoms bloomed so fully they looked like clouds fallen to earth.

 

The view was so dazzling I forgot I was carrying heavy loads.

 

‘The palace is enormous…’

 

I’d only ever seen the banquet hall area before. I had no idea such a place existed. My eyes sparkled as I looked around.

 

“Lady Lilithia. We should hurry.”

 

The attendant turned back to urge me on as he saw me standing still, admiring the scenery.

 

Right—getting distracted was useless. I smiled sheepishly.

 

“It’s just so pretty…”

 

“Please, this way.”

 

He stepped ahead again.

 

“Uup—”

 

Adjusting my grip on the fabric rolls, I scurried after him.

 

At last, we arrived at a gazebo in the middle of a pond. It was made of white marble—six pillars supporting a dome. The attendant gestured toward it.

 

“Please cross the bridge. His Highness will arrive shortly. You may wait inside.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

I crossed the little bridge and glanced down. Golden light flickered beneath the surface of the water.

 

“Golden carp?”

 

They shimmered so brightly it felt like actual gold was rising from the lake. Each fish glinted with rainbow hues. I’d never seen such luminous creatures, and my eyes widened.

 

“The palace really is full of wonders.”

 

Leaning slightly on the railing, I was mesmerized by the pond—until the fabric rolls began to slip from my arms.

 

“Huh…?”

 

No—! I scrambled to keep them from falling, but they slipped completely from my grasp.

 

“No…!”

 

They were going to splash straight into the pond—sink, soak, and ruin everything. If that happened, I wouldn’t be able to present them to the Crown Prince. All my hard work would be lost.

 

‘Goodbye, hopes of reviving the trading company… I guess I won’t be able to benefit from the Crown Prince after all…’

 

Unable to watch, I squeezed my eyes shut. Any moment, I expected the loud splash of my ruined future.

 

‘…There’s no splash?’

 

The load in my arms didn’t lighten—instead, it grew slightly heavier.

 

‘What…?’

 

I opened my eyes—and saw a large hand supporting the falling rolls.

 

Dazed, I slowly looked up into bright, blue eyes shimmering in the light.

 

“Young Lady, you’re always finding yourself in danger.”