Chapter 44

“I’m sorry. So, are you ordering one custom-made, and you’re buying two ready-made ones now, right?”

“Yes. I will pay for everything now.”

I bought a bra for Tia.

I ordered one custom-made that fits Tia perfectly now and bought two ready-made ones that are roughly her size.

She would need something to wear until the ordered ones are completed.

Though I thought three might be too few, considering Tia would grow soon and they might not fit anymore, buying too many would be a waste of money.

If I do laundry diligently, running out of bras shouldn’t be an issue.

“How is it? Is it comfortable?”

“Mmm. It doesn’t sting.”

“That’s good.”

“Hehe. Now Tia is just like Mom.”

“What? We’re not the same. Yours is basically just a soft cloth, and Mom’s has cups that give shape.”

“………”

In an instant, I was hit by a wave of emotion and started rambling nonsensically.

What’s so great about having big breasts?

After all, I’m a man.

Tia, who wore a bra for the first time, felt awkward and suffocated at first but soon got used to it.

It seems like she had been experiencing quite a bit of pain in her chest until now.

Still, to me, Tia still looks like a little kid, yet she has already started developing secondary sexual characteristics.

It was shocking to think about again.

“Is it finally over? Are you starting to feel like going dress shopping? Huh?”

“Why do you look so grumpy?”

“It’s been an hour just picking out a few bras. You could just grab something roughly and be done with it…”

Leopard jumped up from the sofa and rushed over.

He had been sleeping soundly.

If so, I would have left and run away.

It was such a pity.

“Are you buying Tia a dress too, right?”

“I don’t remember saying anything like that.”

“Make it so! Otherwise, I’m not going.”

“Hey. That’s not how the conversation goes. Does every time I turn around mean another demand from you?”

“Hmph…”

It could happen.

What’s the big deal about buying one dress that he’s being so stubborn about?

I would buy it for one of my regular customers with just a little flirtation.

‘Huh?’

Suddenly, I felt a sense of discomfort.

Thinking carefully, this is completely the mindset of a bar girl…?

I was appalled at myself.

Has my mindset changed so much just because I earned a little money easily?

It seems like money looks really trivial now.

I decided to slap myself to regain my composure.

“Get a grip!”

“Ugh. You startled me. What’s wrong?”

“I’m sorry. I’ll cancel it. You don’t need to buy Tia’s.”

“Ah, okay… Good thinking.”

The redness in my cheeks quickly faded.

At first, I planned to take Tia to the party.

But thinking again, there was no reason to take her to a party full of perverted nobles.

I could attract unwanted attention from pedophiles.

Besides, even if I spent a lot of money, it wouldn’t fit her soon anyway, so it wouldn’t be necessary.

“What’s going on? Why are we passing by? Aren’t we going to the department store?”

“I can’t put clothes like that on the Holy Maiden.”

“How have you endured until now?”

“By shedding blood tears.”

Around sunset.

Following Leopard, we gradually entered the inner city.

The bustling, noisy atmosphere, resembling a market, faded away, revealing a quiet and clean street.

It was a residential area lined with magnificent mansions.

“Is this the right place? It doesn’t seem like it. There are no shops around.”

“This is the right place. I had all my clothes made here.”

“………”

Knock knock.

The door Leopard knocked on was nothing less than an ordinary house.

Though it may be called ordinary here, it was still a luxury house nonetheless.

Soon, a slightly older woman came out from inside the bars.

“What’s the matter, Leopard?”

“I’m here to get a dress made. For this lady.”

“Then you could just go to a shop. Why do you come here as if it’s a matter of course?”

“Ever since you retired, I haven’t been going to the shops. It’s too crowded and chaotic. Anyway, hurry and open the door.”

“Hah…”

With a deep sigh, the woman waved her hand, and the bars opened automatically.

It’s not even the right place.

He was throwing a tantrum at a retired tailor.

I couldn’t help but feel embarrassed to be causing trouble alongside him.

“I’ll introduce you. This is Anna Carellia, the best tailor who makes both men’s and women’s clothing.”

“Nice to meet you.”

“And this is Julia. She will be working as a maid at the newly built Dragania villa.”

Did that bastard just refer to her as a bar girl?

It wasn’t completely wrong, so I held back my anger.

“Wow, I’m sorry for bothering you since you retired.”

“If you’re truly sorry, you could stop coming to bother me.”

“I was just being polite.”

“How about we show some manners in actions, not just words, former hero?”

Anna and Leopard seemed quite familiar with each other.

They must have known each other for quite a while.

Maybe they even dated at some point…

Thinking about it suddenly made my face burn hot.

“Mmm…”

Tia’s eyes sparkled with excitement as she looked around the house.

A wide hallway with sparkling chandeliers.

And even a striking red carpet.

The mansion wasn’t particularly large, but it certainly had a touch of luxury.

Though among nobles, it might be considered plain decor, Tia couldn’t help but be enchanted.

We soon arrived at a room that appeared to be the tailoring room.

Fabric and unfinished clothes were scattered about, and the place smelled strongly of a professional tailoring studio.

It seemed like it was not just an ordinary house.

“Can I use the bedroom? I’ll take a nap while you take measurements and do whatever else. Uh, you know? Do that for me.”

“Hah…”

Then, Leopard naturally walked out.

It was ridiculous, but he’s always been this way, so I decided to let it go.

Being left alone with Anna felt a bit awkward.

In the meantime, Tia was wandering around curiously, exploring everything.

Anna took out her glasses from a drawer and looked at me with tired eyes.

“Is the place where you will wear the clothes a public venue or a private one?”

“Ah. It’s a private venue.”

“And what’s your relation to the event?”

“I’m here to be introduced and make an appearance before getting a job…”

“You owe a debt to Leopard.”

“Yes…”

“It’s best to be cautious. That man considers manipulating people his greatest form of entertainment. When he finds a woman he likes, he makes her uncomfortable himself and then ‘saves’ her, placing a debt on her. He slowly molds her into his ideal type. Over time, when he grows tired of her, he looks for another toy. With a body that has a long lifespan, who knows how many victims will arise in the future?”

“Yeah…”

Her tone was calm, but for some reason, it felt deeply mixed with emotion.

It sounded like advice from someone with experience.

I decided to take note of it.

Of course, taking note of it wouldn’t erase the debt I owed him.

“Well, even saying this, there’s no way to escape his grasp now that I’m here.”

“There is a last resort.”

“Is that so…?”

Anna chuckled lightly and returned to measuring.

Seeing her not ask any further questions makes me think she sees it as an easy last resort, like throwing away a ring and crying about it.

But my last resort is not that.

That little girl rolling around in the corner with measuring tape all over her body.

If Hero Leopard crosses the line, I will use that child.

A poison that nullifies even the Holy Maiden’s infinite recovery ability—couldn’t I kill a hero with it?

Of course, I wasn’t planning to use it hastily.

However, if he threatens my chastity, I won’t hesitate to use it.

Oh dear. My chastity was taken long ago.

“Tia! Stay still! Don’t mess things up!”

“Hehe. It’s okay. The room is already a mess.”

Tia’s incessant exploration was stressful.

If she breaks an expensive tool, I would end up in debt.

Besides, it was strange that Anna had never once looked at Tia.

If she had once been Leopard’s woman, she should at least inquire if Tia is Leopard’s child.

Or maybe she’s deliberately pretending not to know.

“It’s done. The payment is to be received from Leopard, right?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Come by to pick it up the day before the party. I’ll have you try it on, and if there are any issues, I can fix them on the spot.”

The dress commission was completed quite early.

Since I completely lacked knowledge about dresses, I just informed Anna about the type of party and the dress code, and she selected the colors and materials, while I just signed off on everything.

Finally, after taking measurements like shoulders, bust, underbust, waist, buttocks, height, etc., and pinning the fabric a few times, it was quickly wrapped up.

As I was about to call Tia and leave the tailoring room,

Anna suddenly stopped me and lightly hugged me.

“Ugh…”

“You’re pretty, Julia.”

“Huh?”

“You’re beautiful while young. I miss being young… Well, not really. But I envy you a little. Cherish your youth. And if you ever need to consult about Leopard, feel free to come. Actually, I’d rather ask you. I’m curious about how Leopard’s doing lately… He doesn’t tell me anything. We women should stick together, right?”

“Yes…”

She seemed a bit unstable mentally, so I didn’t particularly want to get close to her.

I could understand why Leopard got tired of her.

Ugh. Feeling empathy for that bastard makes me feel like trash.

As soon as I said goodbye to Anna and stepped out of the tailoring room, the long corridor door swung open, and Leopard rushed out.

Hearing us come out, he looked as though he had just woken up, and his eyes were half-closed.

Tch. I was planning to just leave him.

His ears are annoyingly sharp too.

“How much was it?”

“Here’s the order sheet.”

“Ugh…!”

“What? Is there a problem?”

“You went all out with every expensive option possible…”

“I don’t know. Almost everything was done by Anna.”

“I didn’t expect such expenses. How am I supposed to recoup this investment?”

“………”

He suddenly blocked my way.

With a face that looked like a mischievous child contemplating some prank, or perhaps a lecherous pervert, I couldn’t help but think something had begun.

I could only wish this moment would pass quickly.

“How about you just come marry me? Then I’ll treat you really well.”

“That’s hilarious.”

“Then what if I pile on a ton of conditions? I won’t force you to sleep with me. I don’t expect any domestic duties either. Just occasionally accompany me when I go out, linking arms and blending in—that’s the kind of relationship I’m proposing. What do you think?”

“Are you being serious right now?”

“Yes.”

He had a seriously serious look.

I decided to respond with a joke rather than anything funny.

“No thanks. I don’t plan on marrying other women.”

He was acting so much like a parasite or a girl that it just slipped out.

Naturally, I expected a hearty laugh to burst forth right after.

However, his reaction was entirely unexpected.

“Uh, huh? How come?”

“………?”

Leopard’s steps froze, and his face started to pale.

Though he quickly returned to a stiff expression as if nothing had happened, I didn’t miss that fleeting moment.

He looked shocked as if he had been caught off-guard.

It was as if he was admitting to being a girl…

“Hey. Why are you turning red?”

“………”

“Hey. No way? Huh?”

“………”

No way.

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