Secret Wardrobe of the Duchess

Chapter 55

Mr. Wilkins poked his apprentice again. He then brought a dress with numerous rubies and emeralds attached to it.

“Haha, Your Grace, you really do have a discerning eye. You eventually made me bring out this dress!”

The dress was indeed beautiful. Its emeralds shined so brightly in the sunlight that it almost blinded Rubica’s eyes. However, her smile left a long time ago.

‘… it’s not right for me.’

When carefully thinking about it, everything Mr. Wilkins had recommended to her was expensive. But none of them really matched Rubica. He even pretended not to hear her when she tried to add the right decorations to the dresses he showed and tried to make her chose even more expensive things.

Was she supposed to tell him to leave now?

She was overwhelmed by his confident attitude of showing her this and that with a smile. She hesitated. He had brought so much, but she really didn’t… want to buy. Being confident wasn’t bad for a merchant selling his goods, but he was doing too much.

“How about ordering all of them if you find it hard to decide on one of them?”

That brought Rubica to her senses. She couldn’t let him take advantage of her like that.

“No, I’m not ordering.”

The next second, the smile vanished on Mr. Wilkin’s face. Rubica recalled how she had paltered with merchants in the market. Human nature had to remain the same even though he sold luxurious goods. She reminded herself of the fact that Mr. Wilkins was just another merchant and tried to remain calm.

There was no reason to be sorry. The dresses she didn’t want to buy because of their prices had been brought from far away.

However, as she was the duchess now, she couldn’t say, ‘it’s too expensive’, ‘it’s a fraud’, or ‘do I look like a fool?’ Therefore, she tried to mimic Edgar’s arrogant attitude.

“I will make my decision after seeing the other designers’ dresses. I must give fair chances to all of you.”

“Of course, Your Grace. Please summon me again anytime.”

Mr. Wilkins thought Rubica would end up calling him again and left for now. He sold the most expensive dresses in the Claymore’s domain and he also knew the capital’s fashion trend.
To nobles, clothes were one way of showing their wealth.

However, Rubica promised to herself something as she saw the elegant man leave.

‘I will never call him again.’

The next designers were a married couple, and Rubica didn’t like the husband’s attitude. He tried to win Rubica’s favor and agreed with everything she said, but he ignored his wife way too much.

‘He’s saying I’m right, but he will immediately show his true face once I give him some trust.’

Rubica bought a pair of gloves the wife recommended and sent them away. Next was a middle-aged designer, Mr. Milet. Rubica got her hopes up at hearing he had been working as a designer in one shop for a long time. He had to have great experiences and skills.

“That fabric you just showed me, I think it’s good. May I see it again?”

“Your Grace, most people think fabric made with wool of southern sheep is the best. Well, yes, its luster is fine. However, I do not think it is good enough for its high price. On the other hand, fabric from the east is cheap and…”

Rubica’s eyes widened at hearing that. Mr. Wilkins had recommended only expensive things, but this man was recommending cheap stuff. At first, she thought he was a designer with a conscience.