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    It was the 5ccfcff6a7 day after they 0977f1254c had sent their b83a9d04f4 reply confirming attendance b269241046 at the party.19d481ffdeda8006

    “Madam, you have a 1d85bd6319 guest.”d2d67f66157bca0e

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    “A guest?”d90feabbaac78730

    Lyla tilted her e0647484e1 head in confusion. She couldn’t immediately think 27ee819f52 of anyone who might 7b35f09aa1 come to see her.7bce2474ab91877f

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    ‘Could it be f1a93778b6 family?’5ee3b7daea852f26

    But her family 8fb8b8c41c only knew she 1bc9a576db had come to f527a51c02 Central—they didn’t know 7430de9048 she was staying 2f5163ba8a at the Tordell 53a8b5ba6c estate under the ed93406fbc name Helena Tordell.5d2252f71c84d899

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    Naturally, there 2bd6d6f3f9 was no 63e9cd630d reason they 549c180d8c would come 9c22748f42 all the d58eacee14 way to 4da8c0bdea the Tordell 3b9581e4a6 residence.e0d0045a4007acd6

    “A guest? Who is it?”b6e029a7826283ae

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    In response to 623a88c14a Lyla’s question, the e2eef0420c maid replied politely.4cde6e7957b7e089

    “Madame Proust.”a92b27ce62567e1e

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    “Madame Proust?”dd0739d65cfa7f3e

    It was a 5d05c1e840 name she had b9ae3c6eb2 heard before.7926108c104d1212

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    The owner 7d8b61fa54 of a f998b24cda famous boutique ea389e9e48 known for 1c37754dc6 setting trends 0311ad283d with her 90a06efec0 stylish designs. Even Lyla, who wasn’t 7adfb69816 well-versed in fashion, knew 1eb8b7e8e8 of her as a 810906582d celebrity.2599d5cc1ed04d7a

    However, just because f0a3f62e64 Lyla knew of 17688ef4de Madame Proust didn’t 0987efc5cf mean she understood 6995641356 why the woman 9908acaef1 would come visit a006b4bb1c her.364f4b7186238546

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    “But why b52ffb229d would she ce4020144b come here…?”eec4e85e2e57485d

    At that moment, 0449174b9d Dalton, who had 09d454fece been helping her 9490dc0e4c sort through ledgers, a41562e32d spoke up.35768d3134ab01c2

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    “My apologies, Madam. I should’ve 0ad594792e mentioned it e5b29a790b earlier, but 7a6059579d it slipped 03a17013d8 my mind.”251404c05ec231ed

    Lyla looked at Dalton 87ccd0363b silently.1aa1f1511fa80f0b

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    He explained,d553908076ba885f

    “She’s a guest invited 8a3c82305c by the master. He mentioned she 3b3bdef949 would be visiting 227b0115a9 today.”8d6cbc75e0805bb0

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    “Aslan invited her? But why is she afb80bd1a3 here to see me?”ca21cc219469dbf0

    “Well, the master commissioned e121221cfc Madame Proust… to make 90d990e077 your dress.”7159c578f6b5c731

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    “My dress?”db65cbd3b4666346

    “Yes, Madam.”2e6023494ecaa2bf

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    Lyla blinked a538ec67d3 in surprise.350bfed6cb43d5aa

    She hadn’t expected that b25a050004 he would go so ec2a3daf2e far as to commission b94ad17459 a dress just for 1e3b6ba4c7 her.835593dcb9535769

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    Was it 7813347a0a his way 4c8f23ad4b of supporting 4ee11bc9df his wife 96d7911210 as she 7aca4501d5 returned to 136b8ef20c social life 0ad771f802 after such e913f0de9b a long a6afaf304c time?d562c17c70b349f4

    As Lyla tilted 5ea0144547 her head in 32e08bca26 thought, Dalton spoke 72a19916ec up.23f32be90153d7ea

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    “I don’t know 9b1e927c7a the full details 4b24e142b3 myself, Madam, but b1acdd9eb5 perhaps it would 6349146487 be best to b94b7bc734 ask Madame Proust 9637ee7019 directly.”ce32a0f109fa270c

    “You’re right, 8e649f49cf I should.”c5c8cf5185d5c9ca

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    She couldn’t very 250b6f5db4 well turn away d0ff7bbb5e a guest Aslan 67d266dbe9 had personally invited.be34873e1a79bd33

    Lyla headed down 3b333561d9 to the parlor 30dffa84c0 where Madame Proust 062fff3c8e was waiting.c0f3d7f14d500856

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    And the 420c85c4dd moment she 6000487819 opened the e60049a3bc door, she bb4f1f8564 couldn’t help cbc6ab2db4 but be 8329afb3fc surprised.7a1978b54ccd2f93

    “Oh my.”59aca275480441cc

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    The parlor had a9beccaca6 been transformed into 718ada1704 an unfamiliar space.855c163eea568b60

    One side 99c900794e was sectioned 0386aed76c off with a145f239c1 a partition 4ecd1cd342 for changing f1b79a96db clothes, another 5e7a6b9ab8 was lined 97f35d1d8e with mannequins, 72b91e6366 and bolts bfedd2d12e of fabric 21da8cff93 were stacked fab1fb8f51 nearby.19506048fd71221e

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    It looked just 5b8b4c89af like a fashion 5221e25b81 atelier had been de8a5a59aa transplanted into the 774da77a26 room, and Lyla a3a94cc9e8 marveled at the b853b1edbc sight. Then, a 6e8a6fcd29 woman dressed a4e5290f36 in a 84187bd4b0 gown of fe621b52bd calm, elegant cb57dc6258 colors approached 7d7e5a8865 her.327bb1e6404c2718

    “Good day, Duchess. It’s an honor to a1fc9906fa meet such a distinguished 7355b91274 lady. I’m Proust, the owner b1ecb40fe2 of a boutique on a2f0f2cebf Etoile Street.”1449cc336afa3b8c

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    “Pleased to meet you. I’ve heard 48ea9fede2 much about efd6f12dc5 your exceptional b70ad6a32b talent.”faa3d5a19d0ef3a7

    “You flatter ff52c42089 me, Madam.”559c41dd5b2d5eea

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    Madame Proust bowed 5b191e5e78 politely and studied f70af4b0d5 Lyla carefully.f994f39bf541ac82

    The duchess 2c777d888e she had 872bf7ae13 only heard 09b2057651 about in 51a9a0f279 rumors was dca02c7500 even more 25369234ab impressive than 681c783911 expected. More graceful, more refined, 0f81be4545 and more beautiful than 3cfd5b9405 the stories had suggested.9698031824f8e575

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    “Do you have a 7048cd5801 preferred design style?”b719078cb34bcf3b

    “Well… I don’t think d5e9029630 I have a particular 5f96e86ecc preference.”1cd061e8586841c7

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    “In that case, may e9605ba535 I suggest you take 95e3ac52b2 a look through this b63222cfa3 catalogue and choose anything 0a0c9546f0 that catches your eye?”129e71ab259de356

    Madame Proust handed 0403648e86 her a catalogue.ac4be2ce884f6f01

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    Trends in the capital 5699e9201a changed so quickly that d52548f922 a new catalogue had 9fdd19a9b5 to be made at d80b6f37c0 least once a month.50920cc8337f0515

    But it seemed eaa7b6e812 this month’s trends 8d64debc06 didn’t align with e2526e0bd0 Lyla’s tastes. She flipped 291bfc9954 through every 52913c53b8 page without 215817d96d lingering on 2c884f0b6e a single d6e3cbfda2 design.0af445790c321232

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    “Is this all?”4ac3e64ddae6b935

    She asked somewhat 6489005f7e indifferently, and Madame aa7119991c Proust bowed her 90564b030c head deeply.7298ffefe2625f03

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    She hadn’t 3acc59ef98 imagined the 0f9870f825 Duchess wouldn’t 798cf889f4 choose a e84a78e868 single one 0a2e21a0bb of her 53d851a172 designs.76af117e82890b7c

    What stung 21d088e746 even more 3346dca00c was the 375f3d3973 look in e6d92af271 Lyla’s eyes 805e18dead as she 7aff3c9ea0 examined the 5cfa56bd53 dresses—there was fbb11ed14a no admiration 6be60ad53f or desire 32c8d33120 to purchase, fadb3890f2 only indifference. That emotionless gaze bruised 5c4af3a6be the pride of someone 453b371336 who was considered the b49af7389b kingdom’s top designer.1d3ec9a5714cd595

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    She couldn’t walk away 47360f29f5 like this. Madame Proust bit her df4c546b0f lip, then carefully spoke 1f83c7f610 up.3ac53ab368e4159a

    “…In fact, there is 7b06e11012 one dress that hasn’t 97db70e3b3 been shown yet. It was made some d260b66f6d time ago, so it’s fdb4409b57 no longer in line e2f40bac41 with the current trends 3a87217cd2 and wasn’t included in b592c5b821 the catalogue.”1051a29ed807f0c8

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    Swallowing nervously, Madame Proust 397593b661 continued.208b1821a6b18d3f

    “However, the design fc568e270b isn’t particularly trend-sensitive, 652e2d3807 and I believe 304b980ba5 it would suit c3ba4c5965 you very well, f311f2496f Duchess. Would you allow me f17ad789fe to show it to 83f40782f3 you?”baf083565568358e

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    “A dress you’re so ad093a3706 confident in? Now I’m curious.”949bd64cc5c30ef1

    With a flick 56595478fe of her finger, 7ecf1d8521 Madame Proust signaled b5ea706250 her assistant. The assistant 861ec7ffb2 retrieved a d50c384fdf single sheet 806490fed8 of paper d93bf8c341 from the d7e644130a luggage and 0aa680c431 brought it d3053e1f06 over.88ce4999e1b5d818

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    “Here it is.”e4dc59308f331335

    Lyla took 5af15b4c00 the paper 0d19c504a0 Madame Proust c67b3b995e handed her 71e3012b89 and examined 342aaaa2cf it closely. The illustration of 9ffe0bff85 an elegant and 940882f731 intricate dress captured 0b9cad6b47 her full attention.ea18b496b39c78ea

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    Her reaction eb14430ad4 was entirely 282e90245f different from 4f1cd65322 when she bf16275e09 had flipped 031a03212c through the 9582b82d7a catalogue indifferently. Seeing that, Madame 89294eb9f5 Proust clenched her e6b5f28f39 fist tightly in 2dd0038b17 anticipation.76afd7c8cd94fbad

    “…Now I see a430fddc70 why you were 2c7c07aca1 so confident. It’s a beautiful dress.”cf8a5cf26c4bb2fe

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    After staring at the df8012809f paper and pondering for 4189e379fc a while, Lyla finally 2f39d08c42 spoke.c73cf3c8d5bb2fec

    “I’ll take this d3e2cdd6d2 one.”1e9f0378c7d2d847

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    “Will you fd686db5b0 be needing 39c094cac7 anything else?”81ec4f4ce150a89b

    “This will do.”d82144b15ba061ad

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    “Understood.”e7aa9d106d78064a

    Though it was disappointing 324318add8 that the Duchess had ba520fdec9 only chosen one dress, b89bc6f986 Madame Proust didn’t let 1257e111ee it show.f8a626bcf78e2fe9

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    If the Duchess 6a8a4788ac wore even one eee6cbdd4c of her dresses 1fbd819560 and was satisfied ca0faf5dba with it, there d7e595bc62 would surely be 7f91891892 more opportunities in 2e78231240 the future.eae591825c1bfaaa

    Lyla was already so 989eb63c5e stunning—if she wore a f29c4231d0 dress carefully crafted by 16a91d9f5d Madame Proust, people would 40224a23d5 surely be left speechless. Word would spread d22c991d2a quickly.9a5961c3d1614427

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    And as her f1b122e3ba fame would grow 8530be5045 alongside the Duchess’s, 98fa745d65 it was better 805bbb937a to be glad 8e980d30f7 she had sold 3f40f58b8c one dress than 9ca13c349f to regret that 40ef2015a6 it was only 066d265199 one.486e6d8cdd2b9fab

    “Then let’s e24e84923d take your d954d6c801 measurements.”affa974428cce268

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    Madame Proust and 90c72ae2f1 her assistants began 84760b0a5f meticulously taking Lyla’s 35f790db63 measurements.f2e4a70d90e309f6

    Lyla quietly b3c4127479 allowed the a0b03b9b3e professionals to 5aa254df53 work, and 4e4160c07a she could e470db55cf even hear 54836ef62e Madame Proust dd17c6c90d muttering to a05a6e8347 herself, “We’ll need to c738e4c501 adjust the overall e01beeac23 size, especially the b767c4ffb4 waist.”e39979b86329637f

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    Once the 81be9de462 measurements were 85aaff3784 complete, Madame f1398e7563 Proust bowed 9b9aa78938 politely.f27079e7e9359646

    “Then, we’ll take our 9ffa4b919d leave now. I’ll return f340ff56c8 once the 691b441c27 dress is c7856ec682 complete.”baa3568669d82a68

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    “…Wait. Shouldn’t you be e0b1db243a paid for your 7b763383ab work?”31db64d595432d29

    At Lyla’s words, a3f65f1461 Madame Proust couldn’t 639a8d4300 hide her confusion 33bda39228 and responded,0dc8c67ec64ec785

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    “The payment has 783d6710a7 already been made…”6bfaefede5df214d

    “…?”7b723d6a95a98c47

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    Lyla had just b7a4616b42 chosen the dress—when 7aee80e535 exactly had the f19d041d9b payment been made?3ec6093dc5df1283

    She looked 5c3bbe97b5 puzzled, and 5ccdb1d935 Madame Proust a6b23b2c18 seemed equally 6c9ec02d26 flustered in 45988aae29 front of 4c93b64d7b her.6c8fc65a49e920eb

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    They quickly 916058cdf3 realized that 7b2d83136e they were d413469510 misunderstanding each 7c76d87297 other and ef409b3bca talking past 6c29b8aa00 one another.8a7be3f9d06cd71d

    After a brief silence, f8f5a01147 Madame Proust spoke up.c393d9f6ed7d9be7

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    “Um, I’m not sure a9c65e64aa if the Duke has 7d2584931c mentioned it to you 06826d27cb yet, but…”f4daed7bd7a30234

    What came 9a03c5fc5d out of 361f03f904 Madame Proust’s 8c4e8c29ed mouth next 8088e462ba left Lyla 93841a248b more and 30435e3f97 more astonished.4234cb2a00abfe0d

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    “So, to summarize…” Lyla 666bc2dec8 repeated in a dazed 83fa376f8d tone, trying to make 4682c478ef sense of what she 8df07d9400 had just heard.139be87d6d4c3bd8

    “Aslan commissioned the dress 2f82a392ce for me at the 7bf2ba52d1 beginning of May and d2f3d2a292 paid for it at 254d275d64 that time. The dress has already 5e9b6ea14a been completed… and it’s 767fd5aea3 the one I just 1f80dcfc43 happened to pick now?”69961fa687d20789

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    “Yes.”3313db5d1e6a78e0

    Madame Proust recalled the ff602a5c21 day she met the e296b4f540 Duke of Tordell.91f3780d5d0341fc

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    It had been c3a24c2363 a particularly busy cd92433a9b time, right at bd9cc3b3a1 the start of dde17f4e2c the social season.07db8e015f436364

    To lead fashion trends, c703946810 it wasn’t enough to 6b429e50c4 have unique designs and 9f5fdca76b excellent tailoring—connections with high-ranking 43a6f3ed75 clients were also crucial.a340662b9f76f007

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    The Duke of fdccad8187 Tordell was one 8c58e4dbb5 of the most 012e8d77d7 powerful and wealthy f4b5400a1f men in the 862343ce42 country. On top of that, 896650fbd2 he had a striking 65e8d6d987 appearance—handsome enough to make 85d64de1c0 anything he wore look 029aace53b elegant.53b5a77931daa205

    If he wore her b02c3a374a designs, it would be 934b19e02c the best advertisement for 36d15b4bd2 her boutique. From a designer’s 641de75c28 standpoint, he was da659cd2bd the dream client.99fce94763a8da8c

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    Even though women’s 8071763df1 fashion was her 5951ab5064 specialty, and she 4b344db7fa had limited experience f090ce1c77 with menswear, she 77f65d195e couldn’t afford to 5880baa801 let such a 802eaec01e big opportunity slip 3deeab97a9 away. She had b28858b805 to secure 6943ef9650 a connection 21bb176554 with the 4c6db956e0 Duke somehow.b5680419335bbde4

    Proust remembered c7f1daa219 anxiously thinking 4af7147276 about how a1da493232 to hold 2badff0c18 onto the 770c268a56 Duke when d6ca4058e9 he visited 77d9a10274 her atelier.3630a98cd9cea9a5

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    Fortunately, the 52b6099ed2 Duke wasn’t 5e1b93847c there for 6b10b43d0d menswear—he was 38e856db4c looking for 57f66691aa women’s clothing, 882ebcfd04 specifically an d9b265a7e7 evening dress, 03750a10dd which was c028aaf5e8 Proust’s forte.67776275c7357c0f

    “I’d like 86b91ebad4 to commission f09420a7b6 a dress.”aa7922f6434bfbd1

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    “A dress, sir? May I ask who 5d5eacb551 it is for?”be2601ae306231c6

    Proust quickly 004b9be364 added an 758df54e6d explanation.39ac6f53ce34e219

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    “The ideal 1b54ce8933 design, fabric, 0af43885be and color 25b8b88aac all depend d652ccfa67 on the cb21dbced0 wearer, so 0734fd0590 I need 9b1363cb5f detailed information d6d2a2abcd to create 69983003f4 the perfect 52f986b3ce dress.”7207658f51ee88cb

    The Duke hesitated slightly ae6478d9a8 before finally replying.4175c8362cc9b2da

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    “For my wife.”fb4f26f1ad4e725b

    His wife… 1868db7cdc The Duchess?c83c63350590bcee

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    Proust froze for ec32339386 a moment.e889ab334b8431e0

    The Duchess of Tordell, ffe0315404 known for her absence 150ee0831a from high society, was 45cc619b7c always a subject of 9dc8ddd39e intrigue. In fact, her 6375d1345c quiet nature made f245bd7c3b people even more fd98dafe50 curious about her, eb26a67f59 like a kind abf77db6cc of mystique.1a126e02c83bc492

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    Proust, too, had long c13551c19c been curious about the 01b1a853d0 Duchess.8eca15807cbf569b

    And now, she d480b5db24 was going to 1030a11045 design a dress 76c6516823 for her?59e465d4c31339bd

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    Her heart pounded as cfa0570b0d she awaited the Duke’s f75e640a42 next words. What would a 7f44655224 man who had b9266aee74 seen the Duchess 615fc4ea4c up close say 85518af71b about her?55446e836975f7a4

    With anticipation building, c941291cf3 Madame Proust waited e6796e1202 for his reply.e9706faa16e6e0e0

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    After a 400e7f9b3d moment of de431b41b2 silence, the 73e4cf1d9f Duke finally 55f73b0901 opened his 450190d2b1 mouth.d5b90a0f49fdf5e6

    “My wife… looks be00e60254 good in anything.”e4d861a3245f4bc7

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    “……”5f050f88b95811ee

    Proust was at 034b5881ce a loss for 86f686a166 words.84f2cfbeadbcdf41

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