Lucia

TN: BONUS RELEASE 4. Enjoy.

As though bewitched, Lucia signed the contract that Antoine presented her. The things that Antoine says she had to buy were essential and indispensable. At the time, she thought so. Even after Antoine left, she was still somewhat vacant from the feeling of being entranced.

But when she checked the copy of the contract and the invoice delivered in the afternoon, her half departed senses returned. She felt like her soul was about to fly away when she confirmed the amount.

Lucia didn’t know that the price to pay for falling for the designer’s whispers would be so massive. The price of the first-class designer’s dress that she bought for the first time in her life was much more that the vague amount she imagined.

The maid moderately poured lukewarm water on her shoulder. While absentmindedly leaving her body in the hands of the maid waiting on her in the bath, Lucia continued to think of the dress.

‘Why in the world are the hats and shoes so expensive? Much less the gloves.’

Lucia’s common sense was that hats and shoes were accessories. Nevertheless, a dress was what people saw and while shoes were an assortment, they were not that visible hence Lucia thought that it was enough for them to be presentable. In the dream, she had never even bought something like gloves. And when she bought the dress, she got a few extras.

‘On top of that, they’re all summer dresses.’

When the weather cooled down a little, she couldn’t wear them.

‘I have to get a refund. I can’t blow that much money on a dress. Anyways, I haven’t received anything, and it’s custom-made.’

Originally, Lucia wanted to get a refund immediately but Jerome discouraged her. He advised her to discuss it with his master. Asking for a refund after purchase an item was an important issue than concerned reputation. Especially in the case of luxury goods, there was a fear of bad rumors.

While Lucia constantly contemplated a refund, Hugo finished his bath in his bedroom and came into her bedroom. As he listened to the faint sound of the water from the bathroom, he picked up the white envelope on the table.

Contract and Invoice. Hugo sat on the couch and read through the specifications. When he saw the amount, he chuckled. It was about 1/5th of the amount he had written down for Antoine.

Should he recognize the ability of the designer to be able to make her use this much, or should he praise the designer’s crook-like merchant talk that thoroughly brought down her defenses, without going overboard?

The designer was determined to use the entire amount that Hugo wrote down. A good merchant would not blow away the chance to make money. However, the designer took a step back.

Hugo did not know because he wasn’t at the scene at the time but most likely, the designer must have felt danger that if she were to push excessively, she wouldn’t sell a single thing.

Antoine took a step back to move forward. She realized that this business would not be finished in one shot. To Hugo, it was easy to find noble families consumed by the extravagance of their madams. However, he didn’t know that he would end up paying attention to this for the exact opposite reason.

She was never stingy to others. When the garden was built back in Roam, the workers on the garden were paid a higher compensation than average. However, Hugo was very tired of her frugality and conservation that only applied to herself. It didn’t matter when they were staying in the fiefdom.

Her immaculate skin without her makeup felt good to the touch, and her flowery scent without thick perfume was refreshing. Furthermore, there was no need for extravagant clothes. Clothes existed to be stripped. In that sense, he didn’t like winter. The skirt was too thick and heavy.

But originally, he hated the sticky summer. He used to enjoy horse riding in the cold winter. Certainly that was so, until the winter of last year. Hugo had no issue with her attire, but it wasn’t the same for others. She had to appear in high society as the Duchess. Appearance was the easiest criteria to judge a person on.

If she were to show a simplicity that was not suitable for her status as the Duchess, she would not be praised for her virtue, instead she would become a target of gossip. He did not want her to become the subject of such a worthless topic.

‘I have to meet the designer once more.’

Hugo decided to recognize the ability of the designer. And he wanted to meet the designer again and talk about the contract.

‘I have to make two contracts.’

The contract with the real amount would be sent to him and the fake contract with a much smaller amount would be sent to her. He didn’t want her to worry about something like money. Even though in her head, she was filled with worries about him, there was no need(1).

Translator’s Remark:

1. There was no need for her to worry about his money.

* I oddly connected with Lucia this chapter. Sales people scare me lol. *Next one will be very short. It is a side-story! Guess who it’s about??? It’s your favorite!(just kidding)