Viola invited me to the festival.

The moment her words sank in, my eyes widened slightly.

I don't think she'd ever suggested something like this before. Viola never struck me as the type to enjoy crowded, lively events. If anything, I'd always thought she preferred quiet corners and the company of books.

Yet here she was, inviting me herself.

I had planned to spend the holiday resting, but turning her down didn't even cross my mind. The break was long anyway—one day wouldn't make much of a difference.

"Sure," I replied after a brief pause. "Let's go together."

"…Really?"

She looked genuinely surprised, as if she hadn't expected me to agree so easily. When I nodded, her lips curved into a bright, unguarded smile.

For a moment, that smile reminded me of the younger Viola I'd met inside her dream.

Lately, her expressions had been changing—becoming warmer, more vivid. It was unfamiliar… yet strangely captivating.

We made our way toward the meeting place where Elena and Lisa were waiting, the streets already bustling with people preparing for the festival. Laughter, chatter, and the sound of vendors setting up stalls filled the air.

As we walked, I noticed Viola slow down.

I turned my head and followed her gaze. She was staring at a clothing shop, her eyes lingering on the dresses displayed behind the glass.

"What?" I asked casually. "Do you want to try one on?"

"Ah—no!" she answered quickly, flustered. "I just thought the clothes looked pretty…"

"I see."

I studied her for a moment, then smiled.

"Then you should try them on."

"Eh?"

Before she could react, I reached out and took her hand.

"Let's go inside."

"W-wait, Louis…!"

Ignoring her protests, I gently pulled her along and stepped into the shop, the bell above the door chiming softly as we entered.

"Welcome~!"

The shop owner greeted us with an overly cheerful voice. I glanced at the clothes Viola had been eyeing for a while and pointed toward the rack.

"Could she try on the outfit hanging over there?"

"Of course. Right this way."

"Ah… I'm really fine," Viola said quickly, waving her hands. "You don't have to—"

"It's fine. Just try it on."

When else would she get a chance like this? If you're going to enjoy a special day, you might as well go all the way.

Before she could protest again, I gently but firmly guided the hesitant Viola toward the changing room. She looked back at me once, clearly flustered, then stepped inside as if she had no choice.

I turned away and waited.

A short while later, the curtain rustled.

Viola emerged with the help of the shop attendant, carefully tugging at the hem of her clothes as if she didn't quite know what to do with herself.

She was wearing the Empire's traditional attire.

It vaguely reminded me of a hanbok, though I brushed that thought aside as probably the author's personal touch.

Neatly fitted, vibrant in color, and elegant without being flashy—the outfit suited her far too well.

Honestly…

She was beautiful.

"Um…" Viola hesitated, her voice soft. "H-how do I look? Does it… not suit me?"

"No, it's—" I cleared my throat. "It suits you well."

I scratched the back of my head, suddenly unsure where to look.

At my words, Viola's face lit up, blooming like a flower in full sunlight.

"Hehe. Thank you for the compliment."

I returned Viola's words with an awkward smile.

…This atmosphere is really uncomfortable.

Since I was the one who had dragged her here in the first place, I quickly paid for the clothes and steered us out of the shop before things got any worse.

"Please come again~!"

The shop owner's cheerful farewell followed us as we stepped outside—

"Then what are you going to do about this?!"

A sharp, angry voice suddenly rang out, loud enough to make us both stop in our tracks.

"Huh…?"

In the middle of the busy plaza ahead of us, a crowd had begun to form.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"I—I don't know. But… let's take a look."

Curiosity got the better of us, and we headed toward the commotion.

"I said, what are you going to do about my clothes?!"

"I–I'm so sorry…!"

At the center of the crowd stood a small girl, repeatedly bowing her head, while a middle-aged woman towered over her, shouting relentlessly.

My eyes narrowed as recognition dawned on me.

That girl…

It was Rain.

Rain—the granddaughter of Vermut, the owner of the general store.

She looked tiny surrounded by so many adults, her shoulders trembling as she kept apologizing over and over, as if that was the only thing she knew how to do.

As soon as I saw Rain standing there, surrounded by people with tear-filled eyes, I immediately grasped what was going on.

She'd made a mistake.

And now she was being humiliated for it, right in front of everyone.

A middle-aged woman stood before her, the front of her clothes soaked by the contents of a half-empty cup. Her face was twisted with anger, but her posture remained stiff and controlled.

"I—I'm so sorry…!" Rain stammered, bowing repeatedly.

"Save your apologies!" the woman snapped. "Just pay for it—"

"I-I don't have any money right now…"

"What if you try to run away?"

"I'll come back! I promise!"

"No. I don't believe you," the woman cut in sharply. "Pay up. Right here, right now. One way or another."

"Hic… but I don't have anything on me…"

Rain looked like she was on the verge of breaking down completely. She clearly wanted to go home and bring the money back, but the woman had no intention of letting her leave so easily.

In a place like this—full of sharp-eyed children who were far more cunning than their age suggested—naivety was a luxury you couldn't afford. Trusting someone blindly was just another way to get stabbed in the back.

Even so, as loud and harsh as the woman's voice was, she was still being surprisingly reasonable.

She hadn't raised a hand. She hadn't resorted to violence.

Just that alone told me she was a civilized adult, doing her best to stay composed despite the situation.

That was enough.

"May I pay for it?" I spoke up.

The woman turned sharply toward me. "And who are you supposed to be?"

Rain's trembling gaze shifted to my face, her eyes widening slightly.

"L-Louis…?"

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.