ATRF Ch10
by Disha“Miss!”
“Kyaaa!”
Dalia let out a scream, startled so badly that her shoulders jumped.
In contrast, Leonald smiled brightly without even a flicker of surprise.
“You’re not very discreet, Rosine.”
“Gasp, I’m sorry! I saw Miss Lara from the window, so I thought I should inform.”
“Lara?”
It was a name she’d never heard before. Dalia turned her head to look at him.
“She’s the designer who’ll be making your wedding dress.”
“A designer?”
“You know the business I run—supporting talented young people.”
“Ah.”
Only then did Dalia recall one of the Duke Lancaster family’s projects—supporting young entrepreneurs.
It provided backing to talented youths regardless of status, mainly focusing on commoners rather than nobles who already had sufficient capital.
“It would’ve been best to ask the Countess of Poisson, but given that we’re preparing this wedding discreetly…”
“Poisson Boutique? That’s way out of reach.”
She fanned her face and shook her head.
Poisson Boutique was currently the most popular and expensive boutique in the capital.
Naturally, Dalia had never even stepped inside it.
Given the Count of Noirose’s well-known financial struggles, she would’ve been the laughingstock just for browsing.
No one would’ve believed she could afford anything there anyway.
“Once we’re married, everything will change, Dalia.”
Leonald smiled radiantly as he placed a hand on her shoulder.
“Poisson Boutique won’t even be a concern.”
His warm smile made Dalia’s chest ache unexpectedly.
“Hello!”
Just then, Lara came up to the second floor and greeted them cheerfully.
“Your Grace!”
With her soft, cocoa-colored hair tied up high, she smiled sweetly at Leonald.
“Thank you so much for calling me!”
“No, thank you, Miss Lara.”
“Oh no, the honor is all mine.”
Lara smiled, eyes crinkling, and gave Leonald a playful tap on the shoulder.
“I can trust Miss Lara.”
Trust her? How well did they know each other?
Dalia’s gaze shifted from the shoulder Lara had touched to the girl’s face.
She looked about twenty, with youthful, intelligent green eyes that sparkled.
“Nice to meet you, um…”
Lara hesitated briefly.
Dalia took the initiative and introduced herself politely.
“I’m Dalia of the Noirose family.”
“Ah, yes! Dalia! I’m Lara Felton.”
Lara eagerly took Dalia’s hand and shook it up and down with energy.
“Miss Lara, you should refer to nobles by their family names.”
Leonald gently corrected her, glancing toward Dalia for her reaction.
“Ah! Sorry! I don’t usually interact with nobles…”
Lara lightly smacked her head and laughed sheepishly.
“It’s fine. No problem.”
Dalia answered stiffly.
‘It wasn’t about status—she just isn’t the type to laugh and chat with strangers.’
“Alright, let’s start by taking your measurements, and then you can look through the fabric and design books!”
“Okay.”
“Then I’ll leave you ladies to chat.”
Satisfied, Leonald asked Rosine to bring refreshments and went downstairs to his office.
“Let’s go in…”
Before Dalia could finish her sentence, Lara had already stepped into the room.
She put her bag down on the table like she’d been there many times before.
“Let’s start measuring, Miss Noirose.”
Her tone had subtly changed as she began pulling measuring tools from her bag.
“…Alright.”
Though she felt uneasy, Dalia quietly followed Lara’s instructions.
Lara turned her this way and that, took the measurements, and then casually raised an eyebrow as she sat on the sofa.
“That’s done. Would you like to see the design book, Miss Noirose?”
She pulled out one of several design books from her bag and handed it over.
“Pick a style you like from here.”
“Hmm…”
Dalia slowly flipped through the designs. Her expression grew darker with each page.
“…Is this all?”
“Yes. Why?”
Lara tilted her head, sitting slouched.
“You don’t like them?”
Dalia didn’t respond. It wasn’t about liking or disliking.
These were supposed to be wedding dress designs, but they were completely out of touch with the latest trends—antiquated and outdated.
Deep-cut bodices and exaggerated silhouettes had gone out of fashion a century ago.
Even for a commoner, it was unlikely she wouldn’t be aware of current trends.
“It’s not that I dislike them…”
“Isn’t this good enough?”
“What do you mean by that?”
Dalia’s expression twisted slightly at the strange tone.
“You’re not bringing any dowry, right?”
Had she heard that correctly?
Dalia gave a dry laugh and asked again.
“Excuse me, what?”
“No dowry. That’s what I heard. And yet, you still want to wear a fashionable dress?”
Lara emphasized each word like she was rubbing it in.
Dalia was too stunned to speak.
Yes, she was a poor noblewoman with no dowry—but that didn’t mean she deserved to be insulted by a stranger.
And dowry? Did Leonald tell Lara about that?
Her heart pounded with rising fury, but she suppressed it.
“Miss Felton.”
She spoke slowly.
“You sure talk a lot for someone who doesn’t know me.”
Though her stomach churned, she lifted the corner of her mouth coolly.
“I’m not known for my patience.”
“…What?”
“You do know I’m marrying the Duke of Lancaster, right? Yet you dare talk about my dowry?”
She had assumed that someone chosen by the Lancaster family would be smart.
She shook her head.
“How foolish.”
“Foolish?! How dare—”
“This means you’ll no longer be receiving a single coin for your business.”
“W-What? What did you say?”
Lara’s face instantly turned pale at Dalia’s merciless tone.
“Get out, Miss Felton.”
“W-Wait a minute!”
“And if you dare say anything about me out there…”
Dalia stood up and flung the door open.
“I can’t say how I’ll respond.”
She pointed outside.
“Unlike the Duke, I don’t have a gentle personality.”
“Miss Noirose!”
“Get out. I don’t want to see your face again.”
Her bubbling anger finally burst.
“Rosine.”
“Yes, miss?”
“Throw her out.”
“Right away!”
Rosine, who had been waiting outside, grabbed Lara’s arm.
Lara began to screech.
“Wait! You can’t do this to me!”
“Who do you think you are?”
Dalia scoffed, not even bothering to look in Lara’s direction.
Once Lara was dragged away, Dalia closed her eyes to calm down.
“What happened?”
Moments later, Leonald rushed in, having heard the commotion.
“Did you tell her about the dowry?”
Her sharp, furious gaze locked directly onto him.