“My lady, the tailor has arrived.”
“Alright. Let him in!”
The man standing before her was a handsome fellow with a gentle appearance.
He lowered his gaze, wiping his palms on his pants as if they were sweaty.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lady. I’m Marcel Oder.”
His light blue hair and sky-blue eyes formed a pair, creating a soft and neat impression.
“Welcome, Marcel.”
Diana smiled at Marcel, who was seated across from her. He was an aspiring designer hoping to get a job at the capital’s tailor shop.
There was only one reason she had called in this unknown commoner tailor.
‘This man is destined to become a genius designer in the future…!’
Diana needed a dress to wear to the ball.
And, as luck would have it, the future exclusive tailor of Peniche was residing in the Arnel territory.
Diana remembered this fact after witnessing the high-waisted dresses worn by the maids for their outings.
‘Why did I forget about Marcel? This person is a trendsetter who leads fashion.’
A few years later, the dresses he created would become very popular in the capital, causing a sensation in the dress business.
Dresses that emphasized mobility by removing corsets and eliminating flowing laces became a big trend among the newly emerging nobles who criticized the luxury and hedonism of the royal family.
And at the center of this trend, playing the role of a modern influencer, was none other than Peniche, the eldest daughter of the Hyperion family.
Diana, who never showed her face in social circles and only ate meals at the duke’s palace, watched the activities of these two people through newsletters.
At that time, she merely marveled at the success of a fellow countryman while reading Marcel’s interviews. However, the situation was different now.
How grateful it was that this genius designer’s hometown happened to be Arnel!
Marcel, unaware of the situation, was looking around the spacious and lavish reception room.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Diana. You can address me however you feel comfortable.”
“Yes, my lady…”
“You must be curious about why I called you here today.”
“Yes…”
“I’d like to commission a dress.”
Marcel’s and Angela’s eyes widened simultaneously. Angela swallowed once and whispered in Diana’s ear.
“My lady. You have an exclusive designer. This person is just an assistant at the tailor shop. He’s a novice…”
“I know. But I like this person.”
Diana handed a piece of paper to Marcel, who was just scratching his cheek, unable to grasp the situation.
“This is…”
“It’s the budget for the custom-made dress I order every year.”
“10 million gold…”
“I’m thinking of appointing Marcel as my exclusive tailor from now on. Of course, only until you get a job at the capital’s tailor shop.”
He stammered with wide eyes.
“M-may I ask what aspect of me you saw to make such a grand offer…? As that person said, I’m just a novice…”
Angela flinched in surprise and pretended not to hear. Instead, she apologized and pointed to the dress she was wearing.
“Don’t mind what Angela said. What’s important is ability, not position. There is an exclusive tailor who has worked at the castle for 20 years, but as you can see from the dress I’m wearing now… his aesthetic sense is significantly lacking… My father doesn’t care at all though.”
“Yes… no… yes…”
Marcel couldn’t take his eyes off Diana’s dress since earlier.
It wasn’t because it was pretty, but because he was shocked by the confusing dress details.
‘I can’t believe someone still wears a dress with such a design…’
He fidgeted uncomfortably, unable to find a place to rest his eyes due to the dizzying fashion sense.
Diana awkwardly smiled and lowered her gaze to the design samples Marcel had brought.
“There are many clothes closer to casual wear than dresses.”
“Yes… Considering the social status of our main clientele…”
“Still, all the details are excellent. I can feel an elegant beauty that’s also practical.”
“You’re too kind…”
“The reason I chose Marcel is precisely for this practicality. The clothes worn by nobles are all overly decorated and lack mobility. They’re just dresses that look like they’re not meant for work…”
“Well, you’re the idol of the territory’s people! I think glamorous dresses are also aesthetically excellent.”
He licked his lips, averting his gaze, as if afraid of being arrested for insulting the nobility.
“…Thank you. But I don’t like dresses with expensive lace and jewels. I’m sure you can make a more practical dress than this.”
Diana handed over the design sample with sparkling eyes.
Marcel muttered with a troubled expression.
“…I’m… not sure if I can do it. This is my first time receiving such a big offer… Perhaps it would be better to entrust it to someone else…”
‘What are you saying with no confidence! You must take this job!’
Diana clenched her fists with fire in her eyes.
“You have the skills to get a job at the capital’s tailor shop right now.
Honestly, I think the clothes the maids wear are more sophisticated than what I wear…! It’s no exaggeration to say that you’re leading the recent fashion industry in our territory.”
“Ah, no. I’m just an assistant.”
“I heard that regular customers commission separate productions. Don’t worry and believe in yourself. There’s a reason why many people seek you out.”
And so, it was a week ago that she started receiving dress design samples from the genius designer.
He produced several new designs every day.
Moreover, each one was unique and eye-catching.
‘Indeed, skills worthy of being called a genius.’
Among the sketches Marcel sent, the lavender silk dress particularly caught her eye.
Rather than severely tightening the corset to emphasize the figure, the beautiful line that fell softly with a seam below the chest was beautiful.
“This should be more than enough to capture Peniche’s attention.”
She was able to try on the finally completed dress only today.
“Oh my… It’s so beautiful, my lady… You look like an angel.”
As soon as the tailor left, Angela, as if she had been waiting, sat her down in front of the dressing table.
“Please try on the shoes and accessories too, okay?”
“Alright. Angela can do my hair as well.”
“I’m so~ happy! I was worried at first, but now I can only praise it… As you said, my lady, it’s time for fashion to change. A dress this beautiful and practical will surely be popular.”
Angela neatly tied her hair down and gave a thumbs up.
Diana nodded with a bright smile.
‘Although Angela’s taste is hard to trust, even I can see this dress is excellent…! I feel good…’
Diana intended to attract the attention of Peniche, the fashion icon, with this dress.
Angela finished all the preparations and stood her in front of the mirror.
“You’re so, so beautiful, my lady… I feel like I’m going to cry.”
Diana stared blankly at the girl reflected in the mirror.
Although she wasn’t the beauty that would move one to tears as Angela said, it was a remarkable transformation compared to the usual Diana.
The delicate dress in a lovely pastel tone, white gloves, and neatly tied-down hair revealing the neckline formed a perfect trinity.
The pearl hairpin, added as a point of accent, also pleased her with its subtle glow.
‘It’s certainly better to wear a pearl necklace on a pig’s neck than not to wear it at all.’
Just as she nodded and looked up at Angela with satisfaction,
“Is Diana here?”
A knocking sound was heard from outside.
“Why at this time? How inconsiderate.”
Angela was about to burst out in anger, but Diana stopped her and responded.
“Angela, it’s okay, please prepare some refreshments. I’m starting to get hungry too.”
“…Yes.”
Angela left the place, subtly showing her displeasure.
As Diana saw her off with a helpless smile, Raoul’s toes peeked through the gap left by Angela’s departure.
“You can come in.”
When Diana flung the door wide open, Raoul, standing in front, flinched and stepped back in surprise.
‘Why is his expression like that…?’
“…I still have a few more fittings to do, so I’m not properly dressed… Do you want to come in and… take a look?”
She awkwardly spoke, but there was no response.
“…Raoul?”
He turned bright red up to his ears, trembled slightly, and suddenly stammered.
“…Ah, I, I came to say that I might finish practice late today, so I won’t be able to stop by the library.”
“Oh… I see.”
“I’ll… go first.”
He hurriedly left the place as if he had an urgent appointment.
Diana waved at his retreating figure that couldn’t be caught and returned to her room to look in the mirror again.
‘He must be very busy…’
Honestly, she had wanted to look a bit pretty, and she couldn’t help feeling a bit disappointed, which felt somewhat foolish.
Male lead is a Divorced Husband
She said to him: “Tell me, what makes you like me? I’ll change it!”
Liu Changning transmigrated into a female cannon fodder character in a female-dominant novel.
After reading the first half of the novel’s plot, the first thing she did upon transmigration was to divorce the Pan Jinlian-style male protagonist she had just married.
She indulged herself, pretending to be ugly and poor.
But as time passed, the way that man looked at her became more and more unusual…
Liu Changning was dumbfounded: Tell me, what makes you like me? I’ll change!
――
This lifetime, Pei Yuanshao was rejected by the same woman twice!
The first time, she drove him away. Forced by the situation, he endured the waves of anger in his heart, yielding and humbling himself.
That person lay slanted on a rocking chair, her sallow face emotionless: “If you don’t want a divorce, go cook!”
Pei Yuanshao’s face was dark and gloomy: “You!”
The second time, after the crisis in Jinling City was resolved, the new emperor sent someone to pick him up. He turned around, stammering: “I… I have to go. If you keep me…”
That person lay on the kang bed, her back to him, as if she had long anticipated this day, crisp and clear: “Goodbye!”
Pei Yuanshao was so angry his fingers trembled: “You… you!”
The mission of family and country made him restrain himself, averting his eyes and turning to leave this broken household.
Two years later, they met again. Seeing her ethereal face, his body shook like a sieve.
“She was originally a ‘she’!”
At the Qionglin Banquet, the top scholar of the imperial examination, a talented person with exceptional speech and conduct, all the unmarried young gentlemen from aristocratic families looked at her with shy and timid eyes.
The peerless imperial official Pei Yuanshao felt the anger in his heart erupt. He pointed at the woman surrounded by the crowd at the Qionglin Banquet, his thin lips slightly curled: “Little sister, I wants that person to be the wife-master of my Mingde Prince Manor.”
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