Home/I Saved the Villain and Fell Asleep/ch 69

Chapter 69

"El has aged too. Letting someone like that work here."

"Wh-what did you say? Are you insulting El's dress shop?!"

The staff member's voice grew louder. The people on the second floor began to frown. Unaware of the gathering attention, the staff member's face flushed as she shouted threateningly.

"Do you need to be dragged out by the guards to come to your senses?"

A chillingly low voice whispered in my ear.

"The one being dragged out is you."

"Wh-what did you say?"

"If you can't see, at least keep your mouth shut. Who do you think you're being rude to?"

Kali stepped forward a few paces and glared at the staff member with cold eyes.

"Not knowing isn't a crime, but being insolent is..."

"Good heavens! Good heavens!!!"

"Die, then."

The only ones who heard Kali's final words were me and the insolent staff member nearby.

Her face turned pale at Kali's murderous expression, and she stumbled backward. I grabbed the wrist of the agitated beast and looked at the person who came tumbling down from the third floor.

"Goodness. Madam! How long has it been! The lower floor was noisy, so I came down to see—goodness!"

Judging by the situation, this person seemed to be El, the owner of the shop.

"El, have you been well?"

"Of course! I, I really...!"

El couldn't finish her words, her eyes glistening with emotion.

"El, with her pride, came running down. The Algenprina name still carries weight."

"Other noble ladies won't be too happy about that."

Those who had been discreetly glancing at the commotion now openly whispered. If the staff member had ears, she must have heard them.

"I should have contacted you in advance."

"What are you saying! I should be the one rushing to you! Please, come up to the third floor. Wait. Wait... This young lady—could she be?"

El raised a trembling hand. Her hand, hovering before my face, dropped and clasped mine.

"She's my daughter."

"Then, does that mean she's the child in that painting?"

"Your dress for your second birthday party was El's work. She was so cute that I had it painted. You've seen that painting too—do you remember?"

"I'm Algenprina Hariella. Nice to meet you, madam. I've seen that dress in the painting—it was beige, wasn't it?"

"Goodness! You remember! You were so adorable back then, and you've grown even more beautiful! I'm El of El's Dress Shop. Please call me El, young lady."

Her teary gaze was overwhelming, and I smiled awkwardly.

"And this young master, hmm?"

El's head tilted one way, then the other. Given his hair and eye color, he could easily be mistaken for an Algenprina—from behind, we looked like siblings.

"...No, that can't be. This young master must be your youngest? I'm El. Welcome to my shop. Shall we go up to the third floor?"

El's puzzled face broke into a bright smile as she gestured toward the third floor.

"Before that."

"Yes?"

"I trust Madam's work, but I'd reconsider keeping that employee."

Mother folded her fan and tapped her chin with a troubled expression. At her words, El slowly surveyed the second floor.

Customers pretending to browse while glancing this way, a staff member with a pale face, and an annoyed-looking Algenprina family. Taking in the situation, El turned to the staff member in shock.

"Why are you here?"

At El's question, the staff member gasped.

"If I recall, you were assigned to the first floor. Who moved you up here?"

"Th-that's... E-El-nim."

No wonder she seemed to be overstepping. El looked around in disbelief.

"Duchess. I sincerely apologize for the unpleasant experience caused by my employee."

El bowed deeply in apology.

"I trust you'll handle the employee appropriately. I'm not so generous as to just accept an apology and move on."

"Generous? Please don't say that. I'll deal with it on my end."

"D-Duchess! I committed a grave offense. Please, please...!"

Glancing at the employee whose attitude had completely changed as she knelt with desperate eyes, Mother walked upstairs without a word.

Right. Just accepting an apology wouldn't be enough—that employee was too rude. When Mother turned away, the employee's desperate hands reached for me.

"Get your hand off."

Kali pressed down on her wrist with his foot and whispered in a low voice.

"Unless you want to die."

"Kali. Come up."

"Yes, Rachel."

At Rachel's call, Kali acted as if nothing had happened and moved along.

"Such a sly one."

Ignoring me, I followed him up the stairs. The third floor had no customers—it seemed to be El's private workshop.

"Goodness, El's workshop!"

"Is she famous?"

Julia's eyes sparkled as she looked around El's workshop and exclaimed excitedly.

"Very famous! It's one of the top three dress shops in the capital!"

Mother sat down naturally at the table and gestured for us to join.

"Nothing here has changed."

"Madam was really happy to see you—were you close?"

"Most of mine and Eve's dresses were made by Madam. She also made several outfits for you when you were babies."

"...I felt like Madam noticed something earlier."

Madam had stared at Kali's face long enough to be rude. She'd laughed it off, saying it couldn't be, but maybe she'd noticed—that Kali resembled someone.

Soon, El came thumping up the stairs. After closing the door and catching her breath, she paced in place before walking straight up to Kali.

"I couldn't have been mistaken. I know that person's facial structure better than anyone—I helped with her makeup over seventy times. No matter how much time has passed, my memory couldn't have faded."

Muttering like a madwoman, El clasped her hands together and looked at Mother with desperate eyes.

"Is, is he the young master? Truly. Eve's..."

"Yes."

Silence fell between us. It wasn't Mother, but Kali who admitted it first.

At his confirmation, tears poured from El's eyes like a waterfall—so much so that I wondered if human eyes could produce that much.

"Uh, Mom. Is she okay?"

"She's always been like that."

El, weeping so much that tears streamed over the hand covering her mouth, staggered and opened a door in the far corner. After rustling around for a while, she carried an armful of clothes and placed them on the table.

"These... to give... these are for you, young master... huaaah, clothes, measurements, huuu—sniff—"

"What, what are you saying?"

Even I could tell they were children's clothes.

"...I don't know."

Even Kali looked flustered—he hadn't expected her to cry this much.

"She says these are clothes she made for you long ago. Since they're for a child, you can't wear them now, but..."

At Mother's words, El nodded vigorously. The clothes on the table varied—formal wear, everyday clothes, even pajamas. Through that pile of clothes, I could feel El's affection for the child. Even after hearing of the Czerban tragedy, she must not have been able to bring herself to throw them away...

"El, calm down."

"Yes, yes. Sniff."

"As you've noticed, it's not time yet, so we're hiding his identity—I trust you'll cooperate with that."

"Of course! I'd keep it secret even if a sword were at my throat!"

Nodding fervently, El stared at Kali with teary eyes, murmuring about how well he'd grown, how handsome, and how he'd make many women cry.

"I came today with two requests."

Startled, El snapped to attention and turned to Mother.

"J-just say the word."

Her eyes were almost fanatical—she'd do anything. What on earth did Mother do in her younger days?

"Will you take charge of the Algenprina's clothing again?"

"That's what I wanted to ask you! It would be an honor, Madam."

"Taking exclusive charge of our family's clothing means it'll limit the number of commissions you can take."

"Just say the word."

"Shimota."

Wow, Shimota appears here too. Mother was telling El not to accept commissions from Shimota. El smiled with her swollen eyes.

"I'll follow the Algenprina's will."

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