A Painting of the Villainess as a Young Lady

“Then, how about this dress?”

“That’ll just suffocate me to death. Next.”

“Ah, hahaha… If not that, then this one. This design will most definitely accentuate Your Ladyship’s charm—”

“Having too many embellishments is worse than none at all. Next.”

Violet’s demand was a bit tricky. Sitting on one side, Roen didn’t know much about clothes, so he just watched.

As the dressmaker couldn’t stand it any longer, he burst out,

“Your Ladyship, it seems like my designs do not fit what you have in mind. Originally, a dress should highlight a woman’s body in a way that fits the ideal, thus making it beautiful for everyone to see, but… it doesn’t seem like Your Ladyship is satisfied with this.”

“……”

At the dressmaker’s nonsense, Violet just raised her chin once, a wordless gesture to make him continue speaking.

So, the dressmaker opened his mouth once more.

“Here in Werchen, the style that women pursue is classical beauty—a style in which one’s natural beauty is even more enhanced as many colorful and eye-catching decorations are added. No one will be able to take their eyes off of such beauty!”

After that, the dressmaker went on another one of his long tirades about the Laurent Boutique’s ideologies.

Yet again, to summarize, Violet was like a country gal who just left the boonies and had just come to the capital. She did not know what’s in vogue here at the empire’s center, so the dressmaker’s designs were in line with the ultimate standard of beauty.

In the first place, this dressmaker was a man, and he was not the one who should decide what ‘the ultimate standard of beauty’ was for a woman’s body.

Violet frowned.

She heard that the flower of the empire’s high society was Lady Tolofia, but what exactly did she do to popularize a clown’s costume?

‘I think it’s been a little less than three years.’

This was just Violet’s opinion though. In fact, the designs of the Laurent Boutique weren’t bad enough that they should be called clown costumes.

“Sure, I can see what you mean.”

“Your Ladyship! Then, as expected—”

“What you’re saying now is that my perspective is wrong, hm?”

Violet’s calm voice made the dressmaker’s face bright one second, then crestfallen the next. He looked at Roen and silently tried to ask for help.

However, Roen just gave him a gentle smile.

“That, well, that’s not what I meant. I only mean to say that the trends in Werchen that are being pursued—”

“Why should I follow the trends?”

“Pardon?”

“Let me repeat myself then. Is there any reason that I should follow the trends?”

“……”

The ducal lady’s haughty tone shut the dressmaker right up.

As a matter of fact, what Violet said was not wrong. With the exception of the imperial princess, amongst all the ladies who had yet to wed, Violet was the highest noble of her peers.

So, it was only right for Violet not to follow the trends and instead lead the trends.

Of course, this was if Violet was reigning as the flower of high society.

“So, um, again, about this dress…”

Feeling overwhelmed, the dressmaker doggedly tried to explain his clothes once more. But Violet just clicked her tongue.

This small action startled the dressmaker and he began to hiccup.

Sitting at the side, Roen admired Violet’s attitude. Indeed, she was a talent who even the crown prince could covet.

Even if she didn’t have Roen’s protection, Violet could stand firm on her convictions and convey this with just a click of her tongue.

Still though, the dressmaker didn’t seem to be willing to give up on his designs.

“Fine. You there.”

“Y-Yes?!”

“Do you also make clothes?”

“Ah, yes… I work under Lord Laurent as an assistant.”

As Violet continued to ignore the dressmaker’s words, she beckoned at the restless girl standing at one side.

Suddenly called forward, the assistant looked very taken aback. She was walking on eggshells around the dressmaker, who then glared at the assistant when she was called.

“Your Ladyship, that child is still not very skilled!”

“I didn’t ask you. Do you have the right to cut off a duke’s daughter?”

“No, not at all, that’s not what I mean—”

“Enough. Violet has the right to decide on this. If she’s not asking you for your opinion, then it would be best for you to close your mouth.”

“E-Excuse me?”

Roen was just observing how things were going until now, but he soon intervened. The dressmaker then shut his trap. It’s obvious to anyone that he was feeling wronged.

“Assistant, huh. Right, so you’re an assistant. Have you ever made clothes before?”

“Y-Yes… Although I am still young, I am confident that my skills are as good as anyone else because Lord Laurent taught me well.”

“I see. Okay.”

The assistant somehow raised the dressmaker with her remarks, but Violet didn’t care much about that part. The dressmaker’s eyes were filled with incredulity.

No. No way.

“You, remain here. And you, your name’s Laurent, is it? You may leave now. I’ll pay you generously for your hard work of coming all the way here.”

“E-Excuse me?”

“Have your ears gone bad in the meantime? I said, you may leave. Now.”

“R-Regardless of how you are a duke’s daughter, you can’t do this to me…!”

Finally realizing the treatment he was getting, the dressmaker protested tenaciously.

Even if someone had the money to afford it, not just anyone could get their hands on his clothes. The nobles of the capital were all lined up to get one of his designs somehow. He was under the impression that a high noble such as Violet of House Everett was also just as amazed by him.

“Regardless of how you are a duke’s daughter, you can’t just treat my boutique like—!”

“Violet has already made up her mind. Wouldn’t it be better for you if you just leave on your own two feet?”

As Roen said this, the despairing dressmaker was soon dragged out.

“Um, well, I…”

Left at the drawing room, the young seamstress inwardly sobbed, not knowing what to do.