OHNIR - Chapter 73
Chapter 73: Stubbornness
When Kelusta woke up, she found herself nestled in Gloria’s arms, her own arms wrapped around the other’s slender waist. There was a gentle pressure on her head, as if someone was using it as a pillow.
She yawned groggily, her eyes cracking open to see bright spots of light filtering through the tree shade outside the curtains, dappling the wooden floor like a dark beach scattered with golden shells.
The sun was already out. It must be around eight o’clock.
It’s not about waking up early, but waking up at the right time. This was perfect.
Kelusta shifted her head, letting her soft hair brush against the chin of the person beside her. She whispered lazily, “Last night, you told me not to oversleep… Lux, wake up. Don’t we have to go out?”
A hand fumbled to her shoulder, pulling her closer. Gloria’s voice, still laced with sleepiness, drifted down from above her head. It was languid and alluring, melting Kelusta’s heart. “Mmm… what time is it?”
“The sun is already shining into the room,” Kelusta seized the moment, pretending to be half-awake. She pressed her cheek against Gloria’s collarbone, nuzzling it and taking full advantage of the situation. Then, rubbing her eyes, she pulled away from the embrace and propped herself up. “Don’t even think about sleeping in. Get up, get up.”
“…You really hold a grudge.”
The half-asleep girl lazily lifted a hand, running her fingers through her diamond-colored hair that cascaded like water over the soft pillow. She finally opened her eyes and said slowly, “Alright, go wash up. I’ve already arranged for a carriage. It will take us to Newlinya Queen Avenue No. 2 shortly.”
“Newlinya Queen Avenue No. 2?”
Hearing this name, familiar to anyone in the capital, Kelusta whipped her head around. Her sun-bright eyes were filled with astonishment, meeting Gloria’s beautiful face, which held a faint smile.
Newlinya Queen Avenue was a bustling street in the central district of the capital, separated from the Royal Palace only by Brilliant Plaza. The avenue was named in honor of Her Majesty Queen Newlinya for her outstanding contributions during the Cruel Era. When this great woman first took control of the kingdom, the human race had been in decline, retreating step by step until the demons were at the gates of the capital.
But at that critical moment, Queen Newlinya purged the last of the traitors in the kingdom, seized military power, and commanded the entire Royal Knight Legion to charge out. On this very street, she repelled the horde of demons clamoring outside the Royal Palace, successfully turning the tide. For a long time afterward, she led humanity to hold the absolute upper hand in many battles.
However, today, washed by years of peace and prosperity, this street that had once witnessed countless blades and rivers of blood had, by virtue of its prime location, become a veritable shopping paradise in the hearts of young ladies.
It was divided into three streets, known as Avenues No. 1, 2, and 3. Avenue No. 1 specialized in jewelry; Avenue No. 2 was home to clothing boutiques and haute couture studios; and Avenue No. 3 was dedicated to cosmetics and perfumes, displaying all sorts of makeup and fragrances. On weekends and holidays, when the ladies visited the shops, the entire street would be filled with an intoxicating aroma.
And today, the first “date spot” the ducal daughter had chosen for them was the second avenue, a concentration of gorgeous dresses.
Although Kelusta had been studying at the Holy Light Magic Academy for a semester, for a poor girl from the countryside like her, Newlinya Queen Avenue undoubtedly still fell into the category of an “unaffordable noble-exclusive zone.”
On top of that, she was usually overwhelmed with completing missions and had no time for off-campus excursions. So, even though Kelusta was already the “chosen one who could kiss, hug, and be lifted by the eldest daughter of a duke all day long,” she had never visited this entertainment world that her female classmates revered as a holy land.
“We’re here. Let’s get out.”
Just as Kelusta was staring blankly at the bustling and prosperous scene outside the carriage window, Gloria, sitting beside her, suddenly patted the back of her hand, smiled gently, and reminded her.
The touch jolted Kelusta, and she suddenly realized the carriage had stopped.
She turned her head, a little embarrassed, and stuck her tongue out at Gloria, saying quite honestly, “I’ve never seen such a lively street before.”
It was true.
Even though the market in Seaside Town was often shoulder-to-shoulder, the “liveliness” of a remote town and the “liveliness” of a high-end commercial street were fundamentally different.
The market was filled with the chaotic haggling of uncles and aunties or the cheerful chatter of children. But standing on Newlinya Queen Avenue and listening closely, one could only hear the elegant discussions of noble ladies about the season’s fashion and the soft rustle of the shopping bags in their male companions’ hands.
Seeing the slightly embarrassed look on the girl’s face, Gloria showed no sign of finding her provincialism strange. Instead, she calmly took her hand, lifted her long skirt, and was the first to descend the steps the coachman had already set up outside the carriage.
With Gloria holding her hand, Kelusta had no time to feel awkward. She quickly grabbed her own skirt and followed her onto the ground.
The carriage had stopped right under a tall ginkgo tree. Standing in the shade, Kelusta looked around curiously. The wide, straight asphalt pedestrian street was lined with a dense array of shops. In the bright display windows, one after another, were dazzlingly exquisite gowns. Lace and chiffon, layers of fabric and silk, paired with luxurious crystal embroidery and intricate patterns—each one was so beautiful it was overwhelming.
Young ladies holding feathered fans or parasols chatted and laughed as they entered the welcoming doors of the shops. Men, too, walked purposefully toward formalwear stores with either dark or bright color schemes. The entire street was filled with people coming and going. The sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting long shadows of many, making even the ground seem crowded.
After exchanging a few quiet words with the coachman, Gloria turned around to see the brown-haired girl’s excited and eager expression.
She couldn’t help but smile, squeezing the fingers she held in her palm, successfully drawing Kelusta’s attention back to her.
“Dazzled?” the ducal daughter, accustomed to such sights, glanced down the street and asked with a light smile.
Kelusta pursed her lips, coughed a little sheepishly, and mumbled, “I haven’t seen much of the world.”
Gloria raised an eyebrow and reached out to pinch her cheek. Before Kelusta could pout and express her dissatisfaction, the silver-haired girl preemptively patted her head soothingly, her tone indulgent as if begging for forgiveness. “Then after we’re done with our business, I’ll take you to see all three streets, so you can properly ‘see the world.’”
“I thought you were just taking me shopping today, and that last night was just a casual remark,” Kelusta said, leaning in with a grin and whispering, “Tell me, Lux—what’s the important business?”
But today, Gloria was as hard as iron, immune to her coquetry, and insisted on keeping her in suspense. “You’ll know in a moment.”
Kelusta could only shrug and give up completely. Gloria took her hand again and expertly led her deeper down the street.
Along the way, the silver-haired girl, who was clearly very familiar with the street, softly explained the different characteristics and histories of the clothing stores on either side. The commoner girl listened, feeling both dazed and genuinely more knowledgeable about the long-famed Queen Avenue.
Useless knowledge has been acquired!
The System, however, listened with great interest, even diligently taking notes. Kelusta was in awe of such a high level of professionalism, expanding its knowledge base even while on duty.
Just like that, the two girls unknowingly walked past the most crowded middle section and arrived at the deeper end of the street, which was comparatively quieter.
“We’re here.”
Just as Kelusta was about to fall asleep on her feet, they finally stopped in front of a shop decorated primarily in a deep blue hue.
Kelusta blinked, giving the low-key storefront a quick once-over. Then she saw Gloria step forward, reach out, and gently push open the latticed door inlaid with several panes of glass.
“Good afternoon, esteemed ladies.”
As a gentle wind chime tinkled, a tall, middle-aged woman appeared in their view. She held a long roll of parchment, muttering to herself as she calculated something while greeting them. “Welcome to the custom gown shop under the Silentdis family… There are currently two other customers being measured. Please wait a moment in the seating area. My sincerest apologies—”
“Good afternoon, Madam Mary,” Gloria said with a smile. “You seem a bit overly busy today?”
Madam Mary froze, her head snapping up to look at Gloria. Her eyes widened in a delighted gasp. “My Goddess of Light! Lady Gloria, good afternoon! I never expected you to visit in person. Are you here to inspect the family businesses on Queen Avenue today?”
“Inspecting the businesses has long been Wend’s job,” Gloria shook her head. “I’m here specifically to have a gown custom-made.”
“Oh, how foolish of me,” Madam Mary rolled up the parchment and tapped her own head, looking puzzled. “But, my lady, if I haven’t misremembered this as well, your gown… shouldn’t it have been delivered to the ducal manor by a special messenger three days ago?”
“Yes, dear Madam Mary, you certainly haven’t misremembered,” Gloria said gently. “So, the person having a gown made this time is not me, but my… friend.”
She turned her head and beckoned to Kelusta, who was still standing outside the shop. “Ruth, what are you standing there for? Come on in.”
“…”
Kelusta frowned, stepped into the shop, and walked to Gloria’s side in a few strides.
Just as Gloria took her wrist, about to introduce her to Madam Mary, the brown-haired girl suddenly grabbed her sleeve in return, tugging slightly to silently stop the words Gloria was about to speak. She asked in a low voice, “You’re having a gown made for me?”
“Yes.” Gloria glanced at her, slightly surprised, then nodded without hesitation. “The girl I invited should naturally wear a dress I’ve chosen myself.”
“…Don’t play dumb. You know what I’m talking about, Lux,” Kelusta glanced at the sample gowns on display in the shop. Her fingertips, clutching Gloria’s sleeve, tightened. Her brow was furrowed, her expression solemn. “Don’t think I don’t know the price of a custom-made gown… To put it nicely, I probably couldn’t afford it even a hundred years from now.”
“…”
The smile on Gloria’s face gradually faded as she clearly understood the refusal in Kelusta’s words.
She pursed her lips, took the brown-haired girl’s hand with her other hand, and patted it soothingly. She sighed, “Ruth, you know I didn’t mean to make you angry.”
“I know, Lux. But I want us to be equals,” Kelusta said calmly. “It’s been like this since we were children—if you gave me a book, I’d give you a rose in return; if you gave me a necklace, I’d give you a promise…”
“I don’t want to owe you anything, because I only want to place myself on equal footing with you.”
Kelusta looked up, directly into Gloria’s eyes, speaking with utmost sincerity.
As a child, she didn’t understand the true value of those gifts and may not have given the most appropriate returns, but that was then. Now that Kelusta was grown and sensible, she had to stick to her principles. She couldn’t casually accept favors from others—especially important people—that she knew she couldn’t repay.
Because she understood that a pure relationship was the most intolerant of any entanglement with material gain.
Gloria, faced with her persistent refusal, looked into the brown-haired girl’s pure golden eyes, which were filled with seriousness, and sighed deeply.
“Ruth, I also see you as an equal,” Gloria pursed her lips and said softly. “But about this matter today…”
“About this matter today, you don’t need to persuade me, because I will absolutely not agree.”
This time, Kelusta uncharacteristically interrupted Gloria’s unfinished sentence, her expression firm and resolute. “Whether in the future or now, I am certain I can never repay this gown, so I will not…”
As the brown-haired girl stated her firm position, Gloria finally frowned. Her eyes darkened, and she opened her mouth to speak.
But before even half a syllable could escape, a clear male voice came from behind the ducal daughter, tinged with a faint smile. It cut off Kelusta’s refusal before she could finish.
“—My apologies, I did not mean to disturb your conversation.”
The two arguing girls were both stunned. The former turned around, the latter looked up, and they both saw the young nobleman who had suddenly interjected, standing not far away.
Lewis Hippol, dressed in formal attire, stood elegantly behind the speechless Madam Mary. He smiled, bowed slightly, and said to Kelusta with profound meaning, “However… Miss Breviou, life is unpredictable and unfathomable. How can you be so certain that your future self will definitely be unable to afford a mere piece of clothing?”
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