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The man approached me with silent footsteps. He seemed small from a distance, but up close, he was quite tall. Am I the one who’s small? Well…

The man circled around me, his gaze fixed on me.

What’s wrong with you, are you a hungry eagle circling its prey?

“What is it? Do you have something to say?”

I spoke in a voice that tried to sound as composed as possible to this seemingly unconventional man.

He was about to answer when the store door creaked open.

Has Etienne already arrived? This can’t be happening!

I quickly averted my gaze.

“Oh, a customer has arrived.”

Phew, no!

The black-haired woman who had just entered smiled warmly at me.

Clearly, she must be the owner here!

I smiled back slightly as if responding. Then, the woman quickly gave a subtle gesture to the man beside me.

You, quickly, get out.

Somehow I read it that way.

But it seemed like he didn’t catch the unspoken signal that even I did. He stood still, absentmindedly fidgeting with a callus on his fingertip.

The woman forced a smile and spoke in a harsh tone.

“Nathan, I told you not to come to the store. Hurry up and go inside.”

Her tone was dismissive.

I carefully observed the situation.

It’s strange. From what I can see, the man seems to have a higher status.

Both in terms of his clothing and the aura he exudes.

The man referred to as Nathan seemed unable to feign ignorance and obediently followed the woman’s words. He entered the store, leaving me behind. The sweet scent of soap lingered in the spot where he had disappeared.

No, scratch that about obediently following. He confidently sat in front of a tea table on one side of the store.

“Nathan…!”

The woman glanced at me and quietly let go of her hostility.

However, Nathan casually poured himself a cup of tea, seemingly unfazed. The delicate lace hanging from the edge of his sleeve caught my attention. The woman sighed deeply as she looked at him.

Giving up on persuading him, she approached me instead. It seemed that she thought it would be better to pretend not to see than to have any confrontation in front of the customer.

“What brings you here?”

“I came to buy a dress. I heard that the tailor here is skilled.”

“Ahaha, thank you. I’m not really that impressive.”

“Are you the tailor?”

“Yes, that’s right. I personally design and sew each piece, stitch by stitch.”

The sound of tea being poured loudly echoed from one side.

The tailor looked in that direction once and then glanced at me. Although she managed to force a smile, she appeared extremely annoyed.

“Indeed, the dresses are all beautiful, just as I’ve heard. Especially this one, it really catches my eye.”

I approached the dress that had caught my attention earlier.

“Oh, wait a moment. But that one is from our expensive line. The affordable ones are over there.”

She gestured towards the opposite side, trying to dissuade me. I doubted my ears. Is it really what I’m thinking? No way, right?

“Huh?”

“This one is the most expensive item in our store.”

The woman quickly scanned my attire from top to bottom.

So, judging by my outfit, she thinks I can’t afford this dress?

Sigh. It’s so predictable, so cliché. Why is it that wherever I go, there always seems to be someone like this?

“So what?”

I pretended not to understand and asked. The woman pressed her forehead as if she were tired. The smile on her lips trembled slightly.

“Ahaha, as much as I hate to say it, it’s not priced for customers like you.”

“Did I ask you to judge whether I can afford it or not?”

The woman let out a deep sigh.

“Look, I…”

Just as I was about to say something, the door opened again. This time, a young lady dressed in vibrant and colorful attire walked in.

The tailor glanced at me and the young man named Nathan. Her lips twitched with displeasure. Then, she hurriedly approached the new customer.

“Welcome, Lady Anna. I’m glad you’re here.”

It seemed like they knew each other.

“I came to buy a dress for the upcoming Empress’s birthday celebration.”

“Oh my! You were invited to such an important event? I’m so envious.”

Her tone was warm and different from how she had treated me.

“Well, it’s only natural for someone like me,”

“Of course, because you’re from the esteemed Viscount Alexa’s family.”

“But who is that?”

The young lady named Anna glanced at me over her fan. Although the shop was small, she didn’t make any effort to hide her voice, so I could clearly hear her.

“Oh… She’s a customer who came in a little while ago.”

“But why are you hesitating in front of that dress? I said I’m going to buy it.”

“That’s right. Even though I said it’s not for her, she is insisting in front of me… But don’t worry. I won’t let her touch it until you make your purchase, Anna.”

I doubted my ears.

When did I insist on anything? They’re speaking loudly on purpose for me to hear.

I tried to remain calm, just like a princess. Thinking, From where did this dog come from?

Their feeble attempts to restrain me were pitiful, and while I wasn’t angry, I wasn’t meek enough to let it slide.

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