Chapter 1 - Part 1
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***
Unlike Lelia, who was momentarily startled, Romeo looked fine.
“Did you bring me here to do this? To act like a servant?”
“…….”
Romeo wrote down the measurements on the paper next to him.
When their eyes met again through the mirror, Lelia smiled awkwardly.
“…….”
Romeo froze for a moment at the smile and soon turned his head.
[Still, he really is such a gentleman.]
Lelia looked at herself in the mirror, and adjusted her clothes.
[The most inconvenient thing about dressing up as a man. I guess… having to bind my chest.]
Fortunately, there was a “less stuffy bandage” among the items in the Alchemy Lottery, so she used it.
The item was for Elephant NPCs who frequently hurt their trunks in the game.
It was certainly less stuffy. She could see why the Elephant Customers were especially enthusiastic about the item.
Romeo put down his pen, and she approached to see if he had written down all the measurements.
***
Outside the dressing room, the salesmen were whispering.
“Did you see that? I thought he popped out of Donatelli’s painting.”
“Yeah, I’ve seen a lot of guys trying to be like that picture, but he’s….”
Staff exchanged opinions about Lelia’s appearance.
That’s because the innocent, beautiful man in the Donatelli painting is a hot topic in the capital, and the young man in the change room are very similar. The color of his hair and eyes were different, but the unique delicate atmosphere and innocence were very similar. Even the atmosphere with the man he came with was unusual.
The blond man was apparently a high-ranking aristocrat, and was dressed in jaw-droppingly luxurious clothes.
Even though he was broad-shouldered, he had a great fashion sense.
A man like that brings a very innocent man in plain clothes and picks outfits for him?
It was obviously that kind of relationship.
He even measured the smaller man himself in case the clerk touched him, which said it all.
He didn’t want someone else’s hands on his lover’s body!
The clerks were excited about the entertaining things that happened so far this morning.
There are said to be nobles who enjoy that side of life, but very few of them openly dragged them around like lovers and bought clothes for them.
Most of those people came at late hours after sunset, while not obviously together.
At least he didn’t come to see us this confidently during the day.
“If I had a lover who looked like that, I’d take him to show off from dawn until dusk.”
The men wondered about the status of that beautiful man who suddenly appeared in the capital.
***
“I don’t think that cravat is a good idea.”
Romeo suddenly approached, untied the cravat from around Lelia’s throat and threw it away.
Romeo had a cravat in his hand that he had brought when he entered the dressing room.
He tied a colorful cravat around Lelia’s neck. Clearly, he was more skilled than clumsy Lelia.
Lelia watched his moves closely. Tomorrow morning, she won’t fumble and will tie it well.
All of a sudden, Lelia looked up at Romeo’s face and quickly looked away.
“…….”
It was strange to be so close.
Romeo was still fair-skinned and pretty-eyed, just like when he was young.
[Is it because he’s too big? Suddenly I felt something strange.]
She lowered her head, this time she was nervous for some reason.
Come to think of it, Romeo smelled very good. He smelled like flowers but masculine.
When she sniffed without realizing it, Romeo’s face fell.
“What is it?”
“I’m sorry….”
Romeo grumbled that it was troublesome, but tied the new cravat perfectly around Lelia’s neck. Lelia’s expression brightened when she saw herself in the mirror.
With only the change of the cravat, it looked much brighter. At least now she didn’t look like Romeo’s servant anymore.
“Thank you.”
When Lelia said thank you, Romeo listened and left the dressing room.
The men, who were gathered outside, immediately fixed their positions and bowed down. Lelia followed Romeo out, and handed the tape measure she was holding to the owner.
“I’ll get the clothes prepared and bring them to your residence by tomorrow. Where should I bring it to you?.”
The man spoke carefully to Romeo. Romeo was looking at a hat this time, debating whether the previous one was right.
Romeo ordered some hats to be wrapped up as well.
“Take them to the Imperial palace. Tell them that it’s for Prince Romeo, the maids will take care of it.”
“……!”
The clerks were surprised by his identity.
***
“Are we going right back to the palace?”
“Why? Do you have some other business?”
“No, but… Now that we’re here… “
When Lelia faltered, Romeo thought for a moment and said,
“Then let’s go eat lunch.”
“Great.”
Lelia breathed a sigh of relief inside. Romeo stepped out and put on a gentleman’s hat.
If they return to the palace, Romeo would want to follow her to her room.
But there was no excuse to follow her and stick together, so it was better to stay outside for a while.
[The best day ever…]
The reason why Lelia was worried was because of the quest.
To make it the best day for Romeo.
When Romeo got in the carriage, it started moving. They were heading to a nearby restaurant.
However, Lelia’s troubles continued after the meal until they took a walk around the square.
She couldn’t think of how to make Romeo feel better.
Then Romeo suddenly stopped walking.
Lelia, who was following him, looked at his back in bewilderment.
[This is it.]
Romeo smirked as if he had realized something. Then he suddenly entered the shop next to him.
“What happened? Wait!”
Lelia was stunned and checked the store Romeo was in. There was a small fireplace, and a painting hanging inside the show window. Lelia frowned as soon as she saw it.
Meanwhile, Romeo asked the owner.
“Hey, would you sell that painting to me?”
“As soon as I hung it up, there was a customer. Yes, yes! I’ll sell it to you. Would you like it?”
Art shops in the busy downtown area often sold paintings of aspiring artists on consignment.
“How much does a painting like that usually sell for?”
When Romeo asked a question, the man answered confidently.
“You mean the portrait of a beautiful man? It starts at a minimum of 5 million shillings.”
“It’s a portrait of a beautiful man… It’s expensive for its skill level. Is it a painting by a famous painter?”
“No, it’s still a painting from an aspirant. If you think it’s expensive, just leave! It’s a painting that is worth waiting for.”
“Are those paintings selling well these days?”
“I don’t even want to speak to you! I won’t sell it to you because I don’t have to.”
“Haha.”
Romeo let out an astonished laugh and walked out of the store to the road, where he found Lelia staring at the painting with a scowling expression. He walked next to her and he smiled playfully.
“Hey. Is everything alright?”
“What?”
“Recently, there were no paintings like this in the capital.”
“…”
“It looks just like you.”
Lelia couldn’t deny it.
The painting was a portrait of a man with very smooth lines, but no matter how she looked at it, she did not feel like a man.
She had no beard or Adam’s apple, but her hairstyle and clothes were certainly like that of a man’s.
“Did he draw a woman dressed as a male?”
“No. Such a man does not exist in real life, he must have painted it from his imagination. Well, there are quite a few men who don’t have Adam’s apple.”
“…”
“This is the reason why people keep staring at you.”
Lelia opened her eyes wide in shock and looked at Romeo.
She had only been concerned about Romeo’s quest this whole time, so she didn’t notice the stares around her.
[Did people realize…?]
Lelia swallowed her anxiety, but Romeo seemed to think differently.
“It was rather good. If this kind of painting is popular, no one will doubt you.”
“Why?”
“No one thinks of this painting as a woman. They think of him as an imaginary man that is unlikely to exist in reality.”
“…….”
That might have been a blessing. Lelia watched Romeo with a sigh of relief.
Romeo muttered, “Why do you look so good?” and looked at the painting.
To be honest, Romeo felt much more beautiful and handsome in Lelia’s eyes than the man in that picture.
While thinking about it, Lelia exclaimed, “Ah!”
Why didn’t she think of this? She was such a fool because she completely forgot about it.
Romeo was a very simple person to make happy. So he feels very delighted when someone praises him or compliments him.
He was like that when he was young.
She didn’t know it would be so easy to give Romeo the best day ever.
[I can just stick around and compliment him all day long.]
Lelia said confidently.
“I don’t know why such a man is so popular. In my eyes, Romeo is much prettier than that picture.”
Not surprisingly, the corners of Romeo’s lips rose.
Lelia whispered softly.
“Look, is it attractive if a man is as banal as that painting? He’s not even dressed as nicely as you.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. Unlike that picture, Romeo has a very good physique and has a clear jawline. Just like a god in a mythological painting.”
Although she gradually crossed the line in praising him, Romeo accepted it as if it was expected. Lelia decided not to stop there.
“The man in the picture must be very short, not as tall as Romeo. As a matter of fact, I believe that a true handsome man must be as tall as Romeo and have broad shoulders.”
“You’re quite thoughtful, aren’t you?”
As they got on the carriage and were about to return to the Imperial Palace.
- Quest complete! ✧*.◟(ˊᗨˋ)◞.*✧ received rewards!
<Reward Item>
∙ 1 ticket for Confirmation of Favorability
∙ 1 Special Recipe Puzzle Piece
∙ 1 Lv. 1 Random gift box[?]
∙ 1 Alchemy Lottery ticket
Lelia was able to complete the quest very easily.
Romeo hummed and looked out the carriage window. It was a satisfied look of a person who had the best day.
***
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