How could it not be? Even though she had intended to play the graceful lady at first, she’d ended up being lauded and treated like a hero just for being herself.
Once my family finds out what happened, I’ll most likely be summoned back home immediately. But until that time comes, I will stay here, free, Byletta vowed. She took her new sister’s tiny hand in hers.
Nothing brought Byletta more happiness than the knowledge that she’d protected the owner of that dainty hand. The marks on her mother-in-law were also fading, the life returning to her face as the oppressive atmosphere that had long hung over the count’s house finally seemed to lift.
“Shall we play together, Milena? Do you have any favorite games or toys?”
“I always play with my stuffie friends. I like to read, too.”
“Wow. I’d love to meet your friends.”
“Okay!”
The sight of the young girl’s wide grin and rosy cheeks made Byletta’s heart feel full to bursting. Having only ever had an older brother, she thought Milena was downright adorable. I’m glad I came here.
As the two girls walked down the corridor, side by side, Byletta couldn’t help but reflect on how happy she was.
Eight years had passed—an unremarkable eight years, if you were to ask Byletta. Count Swangan, if approached with the same question, would likely grimace and argue the opposite.
At the moment, Byletta was standing in front of a boutique next to a much taller Milena. The girl was more or less the same height as Byletta now, maybe just a smidge shorter, and had blossomed into a wonderful young lady Byletta was proud to call her sister.
As the cool winds of early summer stirred Milena’s flowy skirt, Byletta thought fondly about what a picture she made.
The two young women were standing to the southwest of the intersection of Gaidea and Ranx Street, in front of a store that faced the main thoroughfare. It was a small boutique with an unassuming exterior, but the white wooden front door and decorative lace embellishments gave a more glamorous flair to the place.
A bell tinkled clearly as they opened the door and went inside. The store was full of immaculately organized dresses, and the shelves that hung on the walls were neatly lined with accessories.
It was a fashion boutique. Byletta spotted one particular shelf next to a number of mothers and daughters happily picking out dresses, and she walked up to it, beckoning Milena to follow her.
After all, it was Byletta’s fashion boutique.
She knew exactly what hung where. One particularly colorful corner, in fact, was stocked with the season’s latest—all dresses that came highly recommended by the store owner herself. Byletta had known the lovely designs would suit Milena beautifully the moment she’d seen them.
The main line of work at Byletta’s boutique was to take dresses that people no longer needed, wash them, and then alter them. As the war had intensified, extravagant clothing had fallen out of vogue to the point that even nobles had grown reluctant to waste money on frivolous attire. Nevertheless, when a lady stepped out, she wanted to look good. That had inspired Byletta to take used clothing items and transform them into entirely new garments. The process was half the price of making a dress from scratch, which had allowed her business to take off nearly right away. Sometimes, she was even commissioned to travel to her clients’ houses to modify their dresses by hand at their place of residence. The demand for her services was surprisingly high.
Even nobles, with all the value they placed on appearances, couldn’t escape the economic pinch of war. They were also scrimping and saving, which meant less money to spend on trifles like clothing. But Byletta had been one step ahead, and—thanks to her existing customers—she already had the perfect models with which to advertise her services. For she wasn’t just in the business of buying and selling secondhand dresses: Byletta was taking once-beloved items of clothing and breathing new life and value into them.
More than anything, her designs were innovative. They always incorporated the latest styles, which was a factor that had contributed to their popularity. And with the dazzling reviews the ladies of the city were giving her, Byletta’s profits were steadily rising to greater and greater heights.
However, after hearing that the war might be nearing a close, she’d decided to change tack.
The boutique now primarily sold mass-produced ready-made goods, with a smaller department accepting customized orders for preexisting designs. There, she had introduced a system in which customers could select one of the store’s products and customize certain aspects, like the buttons or color of the material. They could also add other embellishments. In addition, Byletta had begun to work with the military, selling them useful standardized goods like shirts and cloaks, which were everyday essentials for the soldiers. In order to meet the demand, she now owned and operated her own sizable textile factory.
For a lady like her to become a successful businesswoman was perhaps unexpected, but Byletta had made little time in her life for anything else. That was the main reason she’d been so determined to avoid things like love and marriage. And though she’d ultimately failed to avoid the latter, now that she’d gotten a taste of married life minus a husband, she was happy to immerse herself in her work.
The shopkeeper, noting Byletta’s presence, sent her a nod before quickly turning back to her customers. They knew that when Byletta was here with Milena, she didn’t want to be disturbed.
Milena’s eyes lit up, and she let out a feminine gasp of wonder as she gazed at the dresses that decorated the store. Byletta’s heart warmed.
“Would you like me to have a new dress made for you, Milena?”
“Oh, would you?”
“Of course. We just received some new products, so you can choose whatever design you like. This line is very popular, so I’d love nothing more than to gift one to my darling little sister before it sells out.”
“Thank you so much, Letta.”
As the pair homed in on a dress, Byletta heard someone chuckle behind them.