Today was such a happy day for Ann. She woke up in high spirits knowing that it would be the day she could go out and shop in ease. For she now had access to a carriage!
She wasn’t a spendthrift actually, and she wasn’t someone who really enjoyed shopping like crazy. However, for some reason, she was looking forward to shopping for the first time in this other world. The fashion sense that was deemed ordinary here wasn’t the same as the one in the modern world, and she somehow wanted to try out some styles that she didn’t really dare to use back in the modern world. This was the perk of transmigrating to a different world and different era!
Yes, trying out some certain clothes was in her to-do-list before her destined death. And finally, she would be able to make it come true…! Who wouldn’t be looking forward to it?
Also…Ann glanced at little Faye who was helping her.
Though she couldn’t reverse time and tried on cute children clothes for herself, she had a perfect specimen she could dress up right in front of her! That’s right, she often dressed up her little sister in the modern world for fun. Now she could do that to Faye…
Faye noticed Ann’s stare at her and somehow had goosebump. Was this a premonition to something bad? Was her mistress thinking of something to do with her? Faye shook her head, trying to shake off the foreboding feeling. No way, her mistress was someone really kind!
Thinking about how much fun she would be having later on, Ann couldn’t help but smile.
“Mistress, you seem to be in such a good mood,” Faye said.
“Of course, don’t you feel excited to go out?” Ann asked back.
“Not really…,” Faye’s words trailed off. She really meant it as she was so used to going out and wandering around aimlessly to survive.
Ann froze a bit, thinking that it was silly for her to expect Faye to be excited. That’s right, Faye wasn’t some secluded little girl, how could she be excited from going out alone?
If any, Faye might even be able to guide her around outside.
Not wanting to destroy her good mood, Ann decided to not say anything anymore and just focused on thinking where she wanted to go later. From her first time going out, she had already noted some places she ought to visit. She just hoped that the things she wanted to buy would still be there. Ah, it was true that one should regret buying instead of regret not buying, if one’s wallet permits.
Ann stood up and opened her wardrobe, trying to choose what clothes she should be wearing out when she felt dizzy looking at the dresses inside her wardrobe.
That’s right, she was thinking of selling off these outrageous dresses, wasn’t she? She had an access to a carriage so she might as well bring the dresses with her to sell! Right, what a brilliant idea!
“Faye, help me pack these dresses,” Ann went to work right away.
Faye assisted her although she had no idea what her mistress was planning to do with the dresses.
Soon, the dresses were put neatly in boxes. Next, she wanted to carry the boxes to the carriage herself, maybe with Faye’s help a little, but who would have expected Faye to insist that Faye would be carrying everything? Faye thought to herself, ‘How could I let my mistress work? That’s my duty as her maid!’
And so, Ann gave up trying to make Faye change her mind and let her do that.
While Faye was going to handle the boxes, Ann decided to go out first. That was when she bumped into Gwen.
Unexpectedly, Gwen seemed to be absentmindedly looking at her. Ann touched her face. She didn’t have something weird plastered on her face, right? Was it her dress choice that was weird? No, she looked into the mirror and thought that she was pretty alright.
Unable to withstand Gwen’s dazed stare, Ann finally opened her mouth, “Hmm? What’s the matter, Gwen?”
Contrary to Ann’s expectation, Gwen became more dazed after she talked to her.
Holy-! What’s wrong with Gwen? Gwen.exe has stopped responding? Shouldn’t she be responding to me, hello? Earth to Gwen?
Ann was about to freak out at Gwen’s new peculiarity. She hadn’t done something weird or the likes of it, right? Why would Gwen be this weird, hello?!
At this time, small Faye was carrying some boxes carefully, following after Ann. Faye hadn’t expected Ann to still be in this hallway. Furthermore, she seemed to be…huh? Standing still in front of the dazed Gwen?
Faye stopped right behind Ann, unconsciously hiding her small self behind her. For she found the current situation to be weird, and Gwen was certainly acting weird, she was scared!
Sensing that Faye felt intimidated by the current situation and how she wanted to go out after this, Ann decided to lean closer to Gwen and ask again, “Gwen? Is something the matter?”
“Arlea-sama…I…,” Gwen finally spoke! Ann was so relieved she almost wanted to praise the god.
“I humbly apologize for misunderstanding you,” Gwen bowed deeply.
“Eh, it’s fine. There’s no need for you to bow that deeply. I understand,” Ann was taken aback by Gwen’s words, for she never expected this strict maid who was harboring distrust towards her would be bowing herself in apology first. But either way, she didn’t mind, she knew that her ‘change’ would definitely be unbelievable and even frightening to some.
“Thank you for your kindness, Arlea-sama. I promise I will definitely instruct the other maids to treat you well. On behalf of them, I humbly apologize again,” Gwen still bowed.
“Really, it’s fine…,” Ann wasn’t used to be treated this way, so she was feeling rather awkward…
“Would you like me to assign a few more people by your side?” Gwen asked.
“Eh, no, that’s fine. Faye is enough,” Ann immediately answered.
Afterwards, Gwen tried to insist, but Ann was a hardy person as well, so she insisted as well. In the end, Gwen was the one who backed off. It had something to do with their roles as mistress and maid as well.
Gwen still asked Ann to let her know if she needed something, though, which somehow touched Ann.
“Yes, I will be relying on you, Gwen. Thanks for your hard work,” Ann smiled.
“…No, that’s my duty…,” Gwen said in a weak voice.
Feeling that their conversation was now over, Ann decided it was time to move. She signaled Faye to follow after her.
Just right when Faye passed by Gwen, Gwen decided to raise her head and then she froze at what she saw.
“Wait a minute, Arlea-sama, Faye,” Gwen quickly called out to the pair of mistress and servant.
Ann stopped walking and turned around at Gwen with a questioning look, and so was Faye.
Gwen’s eyebrows twitched. Why did the two of them look like a mother hen and the little chicken following the hen?
Wait, that’s not the important issue for now. What’s more important was…
“What are inside those boxes?” Gwen asked.
“Oh. Dresses,” Ann casually answered.
“And why would you be putting the dresses in the boxes?” Gwen asked again, having a bad hunch…
“Ah? I’m going to bring them to the town and sell them,” Ann answered as if it was a matter of fact.
A jolt of pain was sent to Gwen’s head as she immediately pressed her forehead.
Did this mistress of hers injure her brain growing up? Oh no wait, that didn’t seem right. She indeed injured her head—that caused her amnesia that changed her personality for the better. But how could it be that she forgot a sense of propriety as a noble? No wait again, she indeed became more commoner-like after her amnesia.
How could this be? Why couldn’t her amnesia spare her from the loss of all nobility inside her? But beggars couldn’t be choosers. It was good enough that her amnesia changed her whole personality for the better! Perhaps the loss of nobility was just a side effect to this transformation? At least this mistress of hers didn’t lose all common sense in the process…
“Well then, we’ll be going–,” Ann was about to walk when Gwen interrupted her.
“Hold on. Arlea-sama, you can’t do that,” Gwen decided to just break the news to Ann.
“Huh, why not?” Ann tilted her head.
“…Do you understand the implications it might give should you really sell your dresses away?” Gwen asked.
“Ah? Implications?” Ann’s face displayed a clear question mark. She didn’t understand at all. It was just selling some unused dresses, what kind of implications might there be?
Gwen touched her forehead again before she looked at Ann’s eyes, dead serious, “If words were to spread out that the mistress of the Schwartzen family was out selling her dresses, what would people think?”
Ann blinked. What would people think? As a modern person, wouldn’t that simply mean that she was bored of the dresses and that she wanted to sell the unused ones to buy new ones? It was just as simple as that.
Frustration started to boil inside Gwen’s heart. No, she wasn’t blaming her mistress at all, but she couldn’t believe how slow her mistress could be! She wanted to report this so that her tutor would start to teach her about common sense…a noble’s.
“They would think that our household is so impoverished it couldn’t afford to buy new dresses without selling the old ones,” Gwen explained.
“Ooooooh!” Ann reflexively answered just like how she would answer in a modern time…She completely forgot the noble lady training she had received.
Gwen’s eyebrows twitched again at Ann’s reaction. Meanwhile, a passing maid shuddered and almost jumped in fright when she overheard the whole conversation. Unable to withstand witnessing the current situation, she even fled with a lightning speed…
Ann noticed it and the corner of her mouth twitched. Did she make another mistake again? But well, she still thought that it would be a waste if the unused dresses would just sit in the corner of the wardrobe, collecting dust.
“It’s not like people will notice my identity. I can just sell it without them finding out,” Ann argued.
“That’s impossible. You’ll be traveling on a Schwartzen carriage. The insignia will make it clear who you are.”
“…,” Ann was about to say that she would be walking after the carriage was parked somewhere convenient, but she thought that the risk of her identity being found out would still be there.
“But the unused dresses will be such a waste. Isn’t there any way we could sell it?” Ann wanted to add that perhaps she could donate it to charity, but then again…the dresses were so outrageous she didn’t think it was appropriate to be given to charity…The safest option would be to sell it.
Gwen sighed. It seemed like this mistress of hers won’t give it up. But she admired her thoughts. She understood very well the thought of not wanting anything to go to waste. Finally, she thought of a solution and said, “Very well then. This servant shall take care of selling the dresses. Please just put it back.”
She would ask the other maids to sell the dresses somewhere. It was more appropriate than having the real owner and the mistress of the house sell it right away.
Meanwhile, Ann thought that it was as if she was some big-shot or celebrity in the modern world. It would make sense for people to start gossiping if she were to sell the dresses herself. But if some servant were to sell the dresses on her behalf, there was a higher chance that the master’s name won’t be leaked out.
But wait a minute, wouldn’t that be the same? Ann’s brain lagged. She couldn’t comprehend the rationale of this world, but when in Rome, do as the Romans do, so she would just leave the arrangement to Gwen.
“Alright, Faye, do as Gwen says,” Ann finally commanded Faye.
In the end, poor Faye retreated and put the boxes back in Ann’s room. The other maids would be the one to handle the boxes of the unwanted dresses.
Ann grumbled a little bit. It was a pity that she couldn’t directly sell the dresses and felt the satisfactions of earning money—though it was only an illusion! It was also a pity that her funds won’t be increased with the sale of the dresses…but anyway, she wouldn’t be spending that much, right?
Giving up the idea of selling the outrageous dresses herself, Ann walked towards the carriage along with Faye.
