A woman came out from the back of the store, and several male customers turned to look at her. She was wearing a formfitting dress that accentuated the curves of her body, and on her ears, fingers, and wrists, and around her neck, she wore expensive, luxurious jewelry with plenty of precious stones. The average noblewoman would’ve shied away from wearing such a revealing dress, but on her, it didn’t appear even a shred indecent—in fact, it greatly heightened her refinement and feminine charm.
“Welcome, Layce,” the woman said, smiling. Several men around her were captivated by her smile, and they were blushing.
Layce was not one of those men. Despite being the target of her smile, he showed surprisingly little reaction to it. “Hello, Lydia,” he replied.
The woman Layce had called Lydia then noticed Yui, who was standing behind her father. “Oh, you’re Yui, aren’t you?”
“Yes,” Yui said. “Um... Have we met before?”
Lydia quietly giggled. “We’ve never spoken, but I attended Layce’s wedding, and I saw you then. The dresses that you and your mother wore were from my store.”
Layce had given Yui her dress on the same day as the ceremony, so she hadn’t known where it had come from. She was surprised. “Oh, really? Thank you for the wonderful dress.” Yui bowed.
Lydia smiled at her. “You’re very welcome. Hee hee, I understand why Layce is so crazy about you. I was interrupted, and I didn’t have a chance to meet you back then, but I’m happy that I finally have a chance now.”
Interrupted? Yui wondered, puzzled by what Lydia was saying. But then she saw her give Layce a slightly cold look, and she instantly knew who had gotten in Lydia’s way.
Lydia turned to the twins. “I did meet you two at the wedding.”
“Yes, it’s been a while, Lydia,” Cecil said. “I had no idea when we met that you were with the Langert Company.”
“I’m glad to have had the chance to see such a beautiful woman again,” Carlo said. He and Cecil both had smiles on their faces, the same ones that had charmed so many girls at the academy.
“Oh, you flatter me,” Lydia said. With greetings over, she looked at Layce. “By the way, I have what you requested of me. I displayed it in the store with your permission, and it was a sensation. It really helped draw customers in. Thank you.” Strangely enough, though she was thanking Layce, Yui sensed a hint of irritation in her voice.
“You aren’t perhaps referring to that crowd over there, are you?” Layce asked.
“Oh, I am. I don’t know how many times I’ve had to refuse someone coming up to me and saying, ‘I’ll pay anything, so just sell it to me.’ It was good publicity, but honestly, it’s a bother, so please take it back soon.”
Layce sighed deeply. Yui and her brothers didn’t know what they were talking about, and they looked at each other, confused. “Hey, papa, what’s she talking about?” Yui asked.
“Well, I asked Lydia to prepare your birthday present for you. She asked me for permission to display it in the store for some time.”
“It’s a masterpiece made by the master craftsman Laroque, and it features rare Orthyrian gemstones impossible to find in Garlant,” said Lydia. “I could see it being presented to the king if it weren’t already spoken for.”
Yui, Cecil, and even Carlo were speechless. It hardly sounded like something fit to be just a regular birthday present. While they seriously doubted Layce’s priorities, they also began to worry about how much it must’ve cost to have it custom-made. They were even taken by a fear that the Curtis family might go bankrupt.
“What were you thinking, dad?” Cecil said. “No matter how well paid the prime minister may be, this is too much.”
“I get that Yui’s cute, but if you lose everything because you bought that, it won’t be pretty for us,” Carlo said.
“Papa, I don’t need a present, so can we return it? Or sell it, if we have to...?”
As the three of them protested, one after the other, Lydia looked like she was trying to stop herself from bursting into laughter. Her shoulders shook.
Layce sighed deeply in response to their serious concerns. “It’s nothing for you three to be worried about. While it would certainly be the absolute best product on the market if it was sold, I used all my connections to the utmost of my ability in order to obtain it, so it didn’t cost as much as you think.”
“What connections?” Yui asked.
“The king of Orthyria, Laroque, and I are all friends. I was able to get the gemstones at a reasonable price, and even Laroque, when I told him that it was Yui’s birthday, made it specially for free. There’s no need to worry about the money.”
Yui and her brothers looked at Layce with suspicion, but they finally relented.
“I guess that makes it fine...?” Yui murmured.
“If there’s anyone who could do all that, it’s dad. As long as there are no problems, it should be fine,” Cecil said.
“I’m just relieved he had the barest minimum of common sense,” Carlo said.
“I know how I am, but I would never use my money in a way that would worry any of you.” Layce squinted angrily, and the three of them quietly averted their eyes.
“It’s amazing that you all can speak to him like that,” Lydia said. “You’re very amusing.” She was still smiling slightly, but she seemed to have avoided bursting out into a fit of laughter in the middle of the store.
“But anyway, how are you friends with so many important people?” Yui asked Layce. She still thought it odd that Layce had such an impressive lineup of acquaintances.
“I became friends with the king of Orthyria and Laroque when we were students,” Layce said. “Well, I was only with the king for the year I studied abroad, but we instantly clicked, and we’ve been friends ever since.”
“Oh, and don’t forget poor Van, the Melphis family heir,” Lydia chimed in. “Layce made him go all the way to Orthyria to get those gemstones.”
Cecil quickly reacted to the name Melphis. “You mean the massively economically influential family with a large number of business ventures in various industries? That Melphis?”
“Yes, that Melphis,” Lydia replied. “He’s also been a friend since we were students. Melphis merchant vessels can dock and trade in many countries, including Orthyria, without being subject to too many inspections. So, because they can make the trip quickly, Layce used them to do his errands.”
Cecil’s and Carlo’s voices grew strained.
“Using the heir to the Melphis family as his errand boy...”
“The Prince of Darkness isn’t feared for his reputation alone. His personal connections are also scary,” Carlo muttered. Cecil and Yui nodded emphatically.
Orthyria was an ally of Garlant, and though it was a small country, it was rich in high-quality ore, gemstones, and other natural resources. Selling and exporting those resources to neighboring countries had caused the Orthyrian king’s coffers to grow quite full. Laroque was just a craftsman, but he had numerous fans among nobles and the wealthy, so he had extensive connections both in Garlant and abroad. And then there was Lydia, the only daughter of the head of the Langert Company—one of the leading companies in Garlant, a purveyor to the royal household, with branches in many different countries. Those three people alone were significant connections, enough to give someone no small amount of influence, but on top of them, Layce was also acquainted with the Melphis family heir, Van. Yui and her brothers thought that, out of everything, Layce’s circle of friends made him truly terrifying.
Layce turned to Lydia. “Well, with that problem solved... Lydia, if you don’t mind.”
“All right,” Lydia said. “Yui, this way”
“What is it?” Yui asked.
“We’ll be going to dinner after this, so you have to be dressed in the finest clothes,” Layce explained. “Lydia’s taste is impeccable, so she’ll choose the right outfit for you. Cecil, Carlo, you two should also pick out what you like.”
“Nice! You’re so generous, dad!” Carlo said.
Cecil smiled. “Thanks.”
Yui stood next to the celebrating twins, not knowing what to do. As she lingered there confused, Lydia took her arm and led her to a large changing room. Inside were countless outfits and several female employees. As soon as Yui set eyes on the scene before her, she was instantly overcome by a horrible sense of déjà vu.
“I feel like this happened to me not too long ago...”
“Now, we don’t have much time, so let’s do this quickly,” said Lydia. “Get ready, Yui.”
The beaming smiles on Lydia’s and the employees’ faces reminded her of another dress-up moment she’d endured at the royal palace. Feeling like she was about to experience a recurring nightmare, Yui’s face stiffened. “P-Please be gentle...”