My Strange Savior - Chapter 108

Chapter 108

“Who would want to date such a boring person?”

Well, that would be her. That’s right, it’s her. 

Ariana suppressed her laughter as she watched Gia express her words through her face. 

“Who… has become Lady Gia’s partner.”

“You don’t have to keep saying lady…”

Seeing Gia feeling uncomfortable with the honorific, Ariana gently brought up the subject.

“Then, may I address you as a sister? Since you’re brother’s lover…”

“Uh, sister? That’s fine.”

Seeing Gia expressing her approval so wholeheartedly, Ariana thought she did well in bringing up the idea. The clear expression of liking or disliking on Gia’s face showed that she wasn’t skilled at hiding her feelings.

Ariana pursed her lips in response to Gia.

“Yeah.”

Ariana found herself in trouble because she unexpectedly liked having a sister for the first time. This new woman quickly found her way into Ariana’s heart.

“His Majesty will be looking for you soon. Have you prepared your attire?”

“Oh… attire.”

Gia hesitated, but then confessed to Ariana, who had become her younger sister, that Yuria would lend her a dress.

“Wha—”

“Huh?”

Ariana was dumbfounded by Gia’s innocent eyes, which seemed to be clueless about why she was angry. In the brief moment of an increased pitch, even Rey, who had been enjoying himself, turned his head towards Ariana.

“Uh, well, I made a little mistake.”

With her fist clenched and a cough escaping her, Ariana somewhat composed herself.

“That’s not acceptable.”

However, it seemed her emotions weren’t entirely sorted out.

“Oh, it can’t be done.”

Accepting the fact that it couldn’t be done so easily, Gia gave up. Ariana narrowed her eyes like a cat.

“Why, why…”

Again, something seemed to bother Gia. She stared at Ariana as if asking why she was acting like that.

“It’s not allowed for my future sister-in-law to borrow clothes from Lady Yuria.”

The emphasis on the word ‘borrow’ made it sound like Gia was misunderstanding something. The sound of swallowing saliva echoed through the room.

Gia seemed to have become a part of this house already. In the brief moment, she was about to explain that she wasn’t Gia but someone else, a knocking sound interrupted.

“Have I disturbed the two of you?”

Thinking that it was the maid bringing tea, Gia casually looked towards the door, but then her body jolted as if she had been electrocuted.

“Oh, uh… Please come in.”

A polite knock, a moment of hesitation, and the sound of a door opening. There, the Duchess was holding a tray in her hands, smiling kindly. Gia nonchalantly looked at the door, then, as if electrocuted, swiftly got up.

“Oh, um… Please.”

There was a sense of urgency in Gia’s tone. She thought a maid would be bringing tea, but instead, it was the Duchess holding a tray. Gia quickly approached and took the tray from the Duchess’ hands. 

The Duchess’ smile deepened as she saw Gia’s actions.

“Mother.”

“Did I disturb your time together?”

“Not at all.”

The response came from Gia. Looking at Gia, who seemed to have no problem at all, the Duchess naturally took a seat.

“Well, may I join your conversation? I thought I could share a little chat while waiting. After all, men don’t talk about what happened outside. It’s like they don’t understand the worries of their parents, right?”

With a slightly furrowed brow, Gia responded smoothly to the Duchess’ voice, trying not to show any dislike.

“Yes, that’s right.”

Although she couldn’t understand what was being said, Gia nodded her head obediently. Meeting someone she should impress more than Ariana made her body malfunction.

Gia, who had never dreamed of a situation where she deeply interacted with someone and was introduced to their parents, swallowed her tears. 

It was difficult. Too difficult. 

Despite the anxiety written all over her face, Gia greeted the adult pretending to be fine, making the Duchess’ mouth subtly curve up.

“I’m Audrey Bowers.”

“Oh, Lady Audrey…”

“You can call me that way, or if it becomes more comfortable later, you can call me ‘Mother.'”

“What?”

Not hearing the almost inaudible whisper, Gia asked loudly, prompting Audrey to clarify that it wasn’t ‘Mother’ and applaud her hands.

“No, it was something you didn’t need to pay attention to.”

“Yes… If you’re comfortable, you can call me Gia.”

“Is that so? Then let’s do that… since it seems a bit early for ‘Mother’ yet.”

In between the muffled words that Gia couldn’t hear, she strained her hearing but couldn’t catch anything. Seeing the questioning expression on Gia’s face, Audrey covered her mouth gently, saying it wasn’t ‘Mother.’

Matching Audrey’s solo laughter, Gia forced a smile. Tremors were felt in her cheeks.

“What were you talking about?”

Although asked by Gia, the answer came from Ariana.

“Mother, Gia will soon have the opportunity to meet the Emperor, so she’s borrowing Yuria’s elegant clothes.”

“Oh, I see.”

As if truly lamenting, Audrey lowered her head with a pained expression.

“Lady Gia, no, it’s not right.”

Audrey’s smooth forehead wrinkled as if an unthinkable event had occurred. Seeing Audrey’s contorted expression, Gia felt like she had become a sinner.

She wasn’t just a sinner; she was almost a heinous criminal. Gia desperately tried to salvage the situation, feeling at a loss.

“Yes! Yes. You absolutely won’t do that.”

With a voice full of determination, Audrey’s face relaxed as if to say when did this happen?

“Gia, do you also think the same way?”

Gia nodded her head blindly.

“Of course. You seem to be a person who will become part of our family in the future.”

“What?”

“Isn’t it so? Well… nowadays, they say that young people have freedom in their relationships… Gia, you don’t think like that, do you?”

Audrey, who couldn’t afford to miss her son bringing his first girlfriend home, strengthened her gaze.

Rumors were circulating about the son of the Bowers having a fiancée. Audrey was frustrated by her son, who seemed to view women like dolls. Knowing that Kalion, as the firstborn, had relative freedom regarding marriage, Audrey was now in a desperate state.

Having given birth to Kalion, who was so stubborn that no one could break his will, Audrey knew very well that forcing him into marriage, despite citing the obligations of nobility, would lead to a marriage without happiness. Kalion might fulfill the duties of a husband outwardly, but he would never hold the hand of a woman he didn’t genuinely love.

In the hope that her son would be truly happy with his partner, Audrey suddenly took Gia’s hand. She, who had written a letter expressing her trust and had sent it, insisting that Gia was the first girl to whom her son had sincerely entrusted something. 

Audrey, who managed to suppress the burning gaze Gia couldn’t see, changed her expression.

“It might be a bit urgent, but since the Emperor might visit in a few days, how about quickly altering Ariana’s dress for today, and for the rest, getting them fitted as soon as possible?”

“What?”

Gia was still lost in the conversation’s pace, unable to keep up.

“Oh, my, get a hold of yourself. This isn’t the time.”

Shaking the bell on the table, the butler entered with a polite demeanor.

“Madam, did you call for me?”

“Arrange for a carriage to the Dressing Room. We plan to visit it immediately.”

“Yes. Understood.”

Gia’s opinion had disappeared without a trace.

[Evolution of Affection]

Could teleportation be possible? 

Gia’s heart swayed like a shaky carriage. It felt like the first time she had been so disoriented since the zombie outbreak.

Rey naturally ended up being taken care of by the maids, and Gia, pushed by the two women, found herself on the carriage heading to the dressing room.

As Gia, with a blank face, tried to regain her composure and looked ahead, she saw two women smiling at her with identical faces.

‘What’s going on? What is this? It’s scary.’

Until now, Gia had thought only those with guns and zombies were frightening, but she was realizing that there were other things equally terrifying.

‘Is it okay like this?’

Already, it seemed like she was just another person from the Bowers. Why were they welcoming her so warmly? Gia couldn’t figure out their intentions, and the more she tried to understand, the more frustrated she became.

She should just accept their kindness as it was. Gia, who had never lived her life like that, constantly rolled her head, trying to understand the two women’s intentions unnecessarily.

Moreover, she was someone who couldn’t dream of a future together with Kalion. Because of their kindness, Gia felt choked up, her insides twisting, and cold sweat forming.

Even now, it seemed like she should correct the ridiculous misunderstanding, but her mouth wouldn’t cooperate. They were kind people, like Kalion. Gia, who enjoyed her time with them, foolishly postponed saying what needed to be said.

But nothing would change. What a foolish act this was. With a self-deprecating smile, Gia, who was about to burst into laughter, hastily swallowed her words under the two women’s gentle gazes.

“Oh, Gia, are we making you feel uncomfortable?”

Audrey raised her eyebrows, as if she understood Gia’s feelings, and asked. Seeing Gia hurriedly shaking hands as her closed lips curved downward, Audrey firmly nodded.

“Oh, no, it’s not that. I’m sorry for just receiving so much. I could just wear the dress Lady Yuria lent me, that’s enough…”

“Absolutely not. It’s out of the question.”

“Of course, it’s not possible.”

Both of them decisively responded with a united front, shaking their heads.

Is there a class distinction among nobles even in dresses? Anyway, Gia thought she was nothing among them, neither a commoner nor a noble but just a foreigner.

Feeling the embarrassment of her position, Gia awkwardly stroked her cheek with the palm of her hand. Audrey seemed to notice her embarrassment and interjected.

“You are a special guest, staying with the Bowers, and that too at the request of Kalion. Please let us treat you well.”

“That’s right.”

Ariana, playing along, looked at Gia with a pleading expression.

Did it have to be this earnestly requested? The situation felt like their roles had been reversed. 

Was it appropriate for them to plead for Gia to wear the dress? Gia couldn’t figure it out. 

The more she thought, the more complicated it became in her head.

“Gia, you just need to accept.”

“Yes, we want to treat you. Just accepting from you is enough.”

Audrey looked at Gia, who still had an uncomfortable expression, and gently lifted the corners of her mouth.