To You Who Will Destroy Me - Chapter 139

“Madam, I’ve brought the lace.”

At that moment, Madam Cosette returned with her assistants, their arms full of various laces, as if they had raided a storeroom.

“Oh my! How beautiful these are!”

Louisa’s eyes sparkled with delight. As the lady of a count’s house, she quickly recognized the value of the laces before her.

“My goodness, isn’t this the snowflake lace hand-crafted by the nuns of Saint Germain Monastery?”

“Indeed, madam. It would accentuate the dress with an innocent charm if added to the collar.”

“And this piece… it looks like the Lefkara lace, traditionally made by the native artisans of a foreign land.”

“Your knowledge is impressive. While this lace is lovely, I recommend using the round-edged Gallon lace for this fabric… here, take a look.”

“Oh, I see, it’s perfect.”

To Irel, it sounded like a foreign language. She suddenly felt grateful that she had brought her mother along. Even if she couldn’t understand everything, Louisa could handle it for her.

“Let’s go with this fabric then… embroidery here, and the bodice underneath in cream… what do you think?”

“For the skirt hem, we’ll use this lace… Since she’s still young, instead of pearls or diamonds, we can use high-quality crystal decorations.”

“That will give it a clean look. I like it.”

“Agreed.”

It seemed like the discussions had finally concluded, with Irel standing in the middle. Though she didn’t understand most of it, judging by their satisfied expressions, it was clear the dress would turn out well.

“I’ll step out now. Feel free to relax as long as you like,” Madam Cosette said as she gathered the fabric and lace she had spread out earlier and left the room. Louisa, watching this with pleased eyes, whispered to Irel.

“This place is really quite nice! It’s one of the best dress shops in the capital, yet they’re so courteous and friendly.”

Not only that, but the quality of the materials they presented was top-notch. Normally, high-end items are reserved for regulars or important clients.

‘Strange.’

Louisa tilted her head slightly, puzzled by the exceptional treatment. However, she didn’t question it much—she was just glad to have found such a fine dress for her daughter.

“Are you tired, dear? Let’s head home soon. Could you wake your brother?”

“Michael, wake up. The shopping is done.”

Irel shook Michael, who was still lost in dreamland. He groggily wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, clearly embarrassed, and said something completely off-topic.

“Oh, I must’ve dozed off. Is that the new dress? It looks great on you.”

“…It’s the one I came in wearing. What are you talking about?”

Both Louisa and Irel gave him exasperated looks. Blushing, Michael rubbed the back of his neck and quickly bolted for the door.

“I don’t know who he takes after,” Louisa said, shaking her head in disbelief. Yet, there was a soft smile on her lips.

“Come on, let’s head out.”

“Yes, Mother.”

“I’ll buy the dress for you. After all, it’s your first entrance to the palace, my dear.”

“Oh, you don’t have to!” Irel waved her hands in polite refusal. She had a feeling they had chosen some very fine fabrics, and she didn’t want to burden her mother with the cost.

“Really, it’s okay.”

“Please let me. Parents want to do things like this for their children.”

Louisa’s kind words warmed Irel’s heart. It was so reassuring and comforting to know that there was always someone she could rely on.

‘I’m so fortunate to have a family like this.’

What made Irel happiest of all was that she no longer had to feel guilty about receiving her mother’s affection. So, with a bright smile, she nodded.

“Thank you, Mother. I’ll wear it with pride.”

“Of course. How could my daughter be anything but beautiful?” Louisa, beaming, affectionately stroked Irel’s cheek. Then, they left the lounge, and Louisa was just about to write a check to pay for the dress when—

“It’s not necessary, Madam.”

Surprisingly, Madam Cosette refused to accept the payment.

“The cost of the dress will be billed directly to Ha Mash.”

What on earth? Louisa was momentarily taken aback, but quickly seemed to realize something and asked,

“Ha Mash… do you mean Varkan?”

“Indeed. Lord Ha Mash wishes for all members of the Elorance family to have no inconveniences while in the capital, including covering the cost of the dress.”

Louisa stood there for a moment, speechless, with her mouth slightly open. She finally understood why Cosette had been so kind from the start. It wasn’t because of any special service but because she was mindful of Varkan, the true power in the capital.

But since when had the capital belonged to Varkan? Louisa had known for some time that he held a strong influence in the area, but she had only considered him to be on the level of a local thug. Yet, if even one of the finest dressmakers in the city was bowing to him, it was clear that he was being treated almost like royalty.

‘No wonder the royal family has been so wary of him.’

Did her daughter understand this fully? Feeling an unexpected wave of anxiety, Louisa glanced at Irel. To her surprise, Irel didn’t seem the least bit bothered.

“Well, that’s how it is. Since Varkan’s taking care of things here, shall we go grab something delicious to eat, Mother?” Irel scratched her cheek and smiled awkwardly. It seemed like she’d need to explain the situation to her family over dinner.

And maybe explain a lot more than she initially thought.

***

The day had finally arrived. Irel emerged from her room, dressed and ready for her entrance into the palace. Bianca and Lane, who had been chatting on the sofa, stopped mid-conversation, their eyes widening in astonishment.

“Oh my goodness!”

Half-rising from their seats, they gasped in admiration.

“You look so beautiful, Lady Irel!”

“The new dress suits you perfectly.”

The mysterious teal satin dress shimmered with every movement, drawing attention. The soft lace adorning the collar, cuffs, and hem enhanced her fair skin, and the blue tones in the fabric made her blue eyes appear even deeper and more vivid.

Her platinum blonde hair, half tied and braided down since she was still unmarried, looked especially pure. The teal ribbon that matched her dress, adorned with sparkling crystals, glittered delicately in the light.

“You look just like a princess…”

Oh, that was a dangerous comment. Irel hurriedly covered Bianca’s mouth, who had muttered dreamily. She couldn’t help but recall her recent conversation with her family.

‘They didn’t take it very well, did they?’

Irel hadn’t mentioned outright that Varkan might be planning a rebellion, but she had hinted at it. She didn’t want her family to be completely blindsided if things took a turn for the worse.

The gravity of the situation alone had been enough to cause her family to react strongly. Louisa had gone pale as snow, and Michael had been so shocked he couldn’t even raise his voice, though he had paced around furiously.

‘Do you even know what you’re saying? Our entire family could be destroyed because of that man! Are you trying to get us all killed?!’

‘Nothing is decided yet, Brother. It’s just a precautionary thought.’

‘Why did you even tell us? We didn’t hear anything, and we’re going to keep it that way! And whatever happens, stop this immediately. Either break off the engagement or talk some sense into that lunatic—choose one!’

Considering how much her family usually cared for her, Irel was lucky the conversation had ended there. Although she’d anticipated a strong reaction, their intensity still made her stifle a sigh.

‘Well, it’s only natural.’

She felt nothing but guilt toward her family. But there had been no choice. If she hadn’t chosen Varkan, her family would have already been as good as dead.

One problem after another—like going from one death flag to the next. Although her mind felt worn out, at least her outward appearance seemed fine.

“Everyone at the palace will be in awe when they see you, Lady Irel. How can someone be so beautiful?” Bianca marveled, circling around her. A fan of vibrant colors, it was clear that Bianca was enamored with Irel’s new dress.

“Thank you. And you know, Bianca, your new necklace looks absolutely stunning on you,” Irel replied, returning the compliment with a warm smile. Bianca proudly touched the sparkling glass necklace around her neck.

“Right? Jin bought it for me, and I love it! Even when he was all the way in Al Los Condes, he still thought of me. There’s no one else like him!”

Irel could think of at least two more women Jin had done the same for. But, not wanting to ruin the moment or seem tactless, she just smiled without saying anything.

“Huh?”

At that moment, Rane, who had been sitting quietly, suddenly widened her eyes and looked at Bianca.

“Wait, does that mean those accessories are…?”

“What’s the matter, Rane? What about the accessories?”

“Oh, uh, nothing. It’s nothing.” Rane quickly waved her hands, brushing off the subject, but her face showed a complicated expression, lost in thought.

‘I’m sure Rane also received a heap of glass trinkets.’

Irel thought of Phaesus, who’d been enthusiastically tanking the market economy with his flood of gifts. Judging by Rane’s sour expression, something must’ve gone wrong with the delivery process.

‘He probably just threw them at her without any explanation.’

If he had added something like, ‘If you don’t need them, just toss them,’ it would have completed the perfect disaster. Absolutely the worst.

Irel clicked her tongue, thinking of Phaesus’s complete lack of tact. His brash nature and Rane’s delicate, introverted personality were a recipe for disaster.

“Anyway, it’s time to head out. I wonder where Jin has run off to,” Bianca mumbled as she stood up, glancing around.

“It’ll be a problem if we’re delayed any longer. I’ll go find him quickly,” she said, grumbling about how Jin was neglecting his duty to guard Irel, and then she left the room.

Seizing the moment, Irel leaned closer to Rane and asked gently, “Rane, how are things going with Phaesus these days?”