Electronic Edition Bonus Story: Letitia Chooses a Dress
—On a certain morning.
It was the beginning of a day that was supposed to be peaceful, with the Academy closed for the holiday. The weather outside was good, and the morning sun streaming through the window was pleasantly warm.
Since Letitia and I spend all our time together in the same room, from morning till night, she’s right next to me when I wake up. Mmm, bliss. It would be even more blissful to lie in the same bed with Letitia all day, talking about trivial things and being completely lazy.
But Letitia wouldn’t allow that. Even on a holiday, she doesn’t approve of idling about. As expected of my wife; she’s incredibly responsible.
Still, a holiday is a holiday, and the weather is nice today. It would be great if I could take Letitia out on a date on a day like this—I thought.
“Hmm…” Letitia, by contrast, had a troubled look on her face early in the morning.
“What’s wrong, Letitia? Why the grim face so early?” I asked.
“I’m having trouble deciding which dress to wear today… Which one do you think is best?” Letitia rested her hand on her mouth, tilting her head as she looked at the dresses stored in the closet.
Oh? That’s rare. Letitia struggling to pick what to wear.
But thinking about it, she doesn’t own many dresses. Especially for everyday wear, she has a shockingly small number for a noble lady. This is partly because Letitia is not materialistic, but also because she is considerate of the fact that the Odrant Baronetcy is not as wealthy as other nobles and has refrained from buying more. We are, after all, just humble country nobles. Compared to the massive wealth of the Barrow Dukedom, we only have pocket change.
That said, we aren’t poor enough to struggle severely. The management of the territory is stable, and Sebas sends funds regularly. I tell Letitia all the time, “You can buy more things, you know?” but she always replies with a simple, “It’s fine…”
She’s so earnest, so self-restrained, so much like Letitia…
—
────
──────Ah, I know.
“That’s it, Letitia! Let’s go dress shopping today!”
“Eh…?”
“We can go look for clothes for you as part of our date! You haven’t bought any since you came to the Royal Capital, right?”
“N-No, that’s alright… That won’t be a cheap purchase…” Letitia was, as usual, reserved.
Needless to say, dresses aren’t cheap. Especially ones worn by nobles.
But I’m a husband who cares for his wife. I want to splurge on her occasionally. It won’t compare to her time at the Barrow Dukedom, of course.
And frankly, I want to see Letitia in a new dress. I desperately want to see it. I super, ultra, mega want to see it.
She’s going to look beautiful, I just know it. No, she’s definitely going to look beautiful. She can pull off any dress. If I can see a brand-new dress on Letitia, I’ll pay any price! I’d even survive on water for ten days!
“No way, I’ve already decided. We’re buying one, period. That’s the plan for today.”
“…Is it because you want to see me in a new dress?”
“You guessed it.”
“Hah… Honestly, you’re hopeless.” She finally relented. “Very well. Then I shall accept your kindness, Alban.”
“Yesssss! I get to see Letitia in a new dress!” I jumped for joy.
I know I’m acting like a kid, but I can’t help it; I’m happy.
Letitia cleared her throat softly. “I should tell you now that I will not buy an overly expensive dress. If you try to buy one without even looking at the price, claiming ‘it looks absolutely perfect on you,’ I will be cross.”
“Aw… come on. Just this once. I want to spoil you a little.”
“Ab-so-lute-ly not.”
“Tch.”
▲ ▲ ▲
The two of us headed down to the castle town right away.
The castle town has a street called “Dress Street,” lined with many clothing stores. You can find almost any kind of women’s clothing here. Today, “Dress Street” was bustling, with people looking at the dresses displayed in the window cases.
We walked along the street, glancing at the various displays.
“There really are a lot of clothes shops here, just because it’s the Royal Capital,” I observed.
“Yes. I used to order custom-made dresses from a shop on this street a lot.”
“Oh, you have a regular place?”
“I’m warning you now, we are not going there,” she said quickly.
“Eh… why not?”
“Shops that make bespoke items are for the upper echelons of nobility. We can’t afford a dress that costs enough to build a house in the best part of the Royal Capital, can we?”
“If you want it, I’ll buy it. Should I just go sell a kidney or something?”
“…I apologize, I was an idiot to ask. Either way, we’re not going.”
What the hell? If she wished it, I’d sell a kidney or a liver—or both. Ah, but maybe not the heart. I’d die, after all.
“Hmm, then how about that dress? It looks like it would suit you, Letitia.” I pointed to a dress in a window display.
She walked closer to the window. “Hmm…” she murmured. “It’s certainly lovely… calm and not too flashy…”
“Then let’s get it.”
“But it’s too expensive. Didn’t I tell you not to buy anything without checking the price?” Letitia pointed to the small price tag.
…Well, it was pretty pricey. I don’t know the “expensive” threshold for city people, but it felt high to a country boy like me. Still, if Letitia wanted it, I’d buy it without hesitation, but she was openly frowning.
“Let’s look at another one. How about that dress over there?” she suggested.
“Hmm, not bad, but it doesn’t quite fit the image of Letitia. How about that one?” I suggested.
“Oh, that looks nice… but it’s still overpriced. In that case, what about the one—” she started.
“No, this dress is—” I countered.
We walked from shop to shop, debating and looking, but we couldn’t agree on the one, considering the price and other factors. Time flew by.
“W-We’re having trouble deciding, aren’t we?” I said.
“Y-Yes… I knew finding the perfect garment wasn’t easy, but…”
We were both quite tired from all the walking. We probably didn’t enter every shop on “Dress Street,” but we must have gone into at least half of them. Choosing women’s clothes is hard… I realized anew. I’m too lazy for all this; I think clothes are fine as long as they cover you…
Ah, but I don’t want to look shabby, either. If I dressed too poorly, Letitia would be embarrassed to walk next to me. I try to maintain a minimum standard of appearance.
Still, what should we do? At this rate, the whole day will be spent just staring at clothes…
…Maybe,
“—Letitia, why don’t we try going to your regular shop after all?”
“Eh?”
“Since you used to order custom-made dresses there, the owner must know what suits you. And there’s a small chance we could talk about the budget, right?”
“Well… that might be true…”
“Then let’s not delay! Come on, let’s go!”
“Ah, w-wait a moment…!”
I took Letitia’s hand and started walking, trying to escort her. Yup, a couple’s date should always have the husband leading the way—
—But immediately after thinking that, I realized.
“…So, where is that shop?”
“Hah… Please calm down. Here, this way.” Letitia chuckled, moving in front of me. This time, she took my hand and started leading me.
▲ ▲ ▲
“Here it is, this is the place,” Letitia said, stopping in front of a clothing store.
The facade was quite plain—or rather, old-fashioned and small. It had a certain rustic charm, I suppose.
“Oh, this is it, huh…”
“It’s surprisingly small, isn’t it? My father was fond of this place.”
I see, her father’s place… It was actually a bit surprising. I honestly imagined a much flashier, larger shop. After all, the Barrow Dukedom had custom dresses made for their daughter here. But… I got the feeling that a “skilled tailor” was working inside.
“…It’s been five years since I last visited here.”
Karan-karan. Letitia opened the door and stepped inside, the entry bell jingling.
The shop interior was also cozy, but like any clothing store, it had various clothes neatly displayed. It seemed to also be a boutique, as I saw necklaces and rings here and there.
Hmm… It’s kind of a comfortable shop. It had a feeling similar to Shanoa’s tearoom.
“—Welcome, are you two looking for clothes?” a man asked, coming from the back of the shop.
He was a kind-looking, white-haired old gentleman, neatly dressed—clearly a tailor.
“It’s been a long time, Uncle Barbery. Do you remember me?” Letitia asked.
“—! Could it be, Lady Letitia…?” The old gentleman, Barbery, recognized her immediately. He walked toward her.
“It’s truly been a long time…! Has it been five years now? You’ve changed so much… You’ve grown into a fine young woman…!”
“The last time I had a dress made here, I was only eleven. Of course, I’ve changed.” Letitia chuckled.
Yep, so cute. Incredibly cute. That smile really suits her.
“I was worried. You stopped visiting after you married Duke Mauro, and I’ve been hearing bad rumors recently…”
“Yes… A lot has happened, truly.”
“So it seems. However—it appears you are doing very well now.”
“Oh, you can tell?”
“Of course, I can tell. You look much brighter than you did five years ago. And your complexion is better; you’ve become even more beautiful.” He slowly shifted his gaze to me. “And your companion must be Baron Alban Odrant.”
“Huh? How do you know me?”
“Your marriage, sir, was the talk of the town. And your recent activities since enrolling in the Royal Academy as well.”
Ah… I mentally conceded. When I thought about it, our marriage was indeed the topic of conversation among the nobility. A tailor skilled enough to make clothes for the daughter of the Barrow Dukedom would certainly hear such information.
“But seeing the two of you has finally put my worries to rest. You both seem to be getting along wonderfully.”
“Yes… I—no, we are very happy now.”
“That is truly a wonderful thing. So, are you here today to look for clothing?”
“Yes, we are… but… I unfortunately don’t have much money, so I can’t request a custom order like before. Do you happen to have any reasonably priced dresses?” Letitia asked, looking slightly embarrassed.
Barbery murmured “Hmm,” glancing at her figure to take her measurements.
“…In fact, I already have a dress tailored specifically for you, my Lady.”
“Wait—what do you mean?” Letitia asked.
“The Barrow Dukedom has been a long-time patron of mine. And Lady Letitia was a very memorable young noblewoman to me.” Barbery spoke with genuine sentiment. He must have been remembering the young Letitia.
She must have been incredibly cute when she was little. She’s this cute now, after all. I felt a sense of sentimentality myself, just imagining it.
“I took the liberty of creating a piece, anticipating the day Lady Letitia would grow up. It’s stored in the back of the shop. Although it will require some minor adjustments to fit you perfectly—”
“W-Wait a minute. That’s essentially a custom order you made with the intention of delivering it to the Barrow Dukedom, isn’t it? I can’t afford something so high-quality!”
“No, I don’t need any payment. It was a personal creation of my own volition. It will be payment enough just for you to wear it.”
“See, Letitia? That’s great! Let’s try it on right away.”
“Huh? W-Wait, Alban…!” I gently pushed Letitia toward the fitting room in the back of the shop.
A dress created by a tailor favored by the Barrow Dukedom, made with the grown-up Letitia in mind… There’s no way it won’t suit her, right?! It has to be beautiful, right?!
I absolutely must see it! No, I will see it! Even if the shock causes my heart to stop, I’m seeing Letitia in her new dress! My chest is bursting with anticipation!
—As I waited for her to try it on, Barbery and I talked. A short while later,
“A-Alban… I tried it on, just for a moment…” Letitia’s voice came from the back of the shop.
At the same time, my wife, in her new attire, appeared.
—Pale violet.
It was a light purple dress that gave an impression similar to light pink, bright and vibrant. Pure white, flower-inspired decorations were placed throughout the dress, giving it a more gorgeous than seductive atmosphere. She was also wearing a necklace with a blue gem at her neck. The color of the gem looked remarkably similar to Letitia’s eye color. If he had consciously chosen that gem color, his sense of style was truly masterful.
The dress design looked easy to move in, making it entirely suitable for daily wear.
—Normally, Letitia often wore cooler-toned dresses, such as blues or deep purples. She preferred dresses that gave a calm, cool impression, and they certainly suited her. But this pale violet dress was different. It maintained Letitia’s core color palette while emphasizing a bright, gorgeous, and almost girlish cheerfulness. It was like seeing a new side of my beloved wife.
It doesn’t just suit her; it’s beyond that. Overwhelmed by emotion, I felt a sharp pain in my chest.
“A-Augh…!” I pressed my chest and crumpled to the ground.
“Alban?! What’s wrong!?”
“Hah… Hah… That was close… My heart almost stopped from the sheer emotion…” People call this dying from cuteness. This wasn’t the first time Letitia had nearly made me flatline, but this time was exceptionally dangerous. I genuinely thought I was going to die. No, I would have been fine with dying. To pass into the next life with this sight burned into my eyes would be a glorious end.
Ah, but then Letitia would be sad, so I guess I can’t die.
I cleared my throat. “You look absolutely gorgeous. It truly suits you.”
“T-Thank you…” she replied shyly.
“Master Barbery, that’s magnificent. I honestly didn’t think anything could suit Letitia this well,” I said.
“To hear you say that is the greatest compliment a tailor could receive,” Barbery replied happily.
Letitia looked at the dress, running her hands over it. “But… are you truly sure I can have it? There must be many nobles who would pay a fortune for such a fine piece…”
“No, I insist. It is simply unthinkable for anyone other than Lady Letitia to wear this.” Barbery gently shook his head. He looked genuinely satisfied. “This is truly a good day. How long I have dreamed of the moment you would finally wear this dress.”
“Uncle Barbery…”
“Now, let us begin the final adjustments. I will finish it perfectly so that it fits your body exactly.”
Barbery and Letitia returned to the fitting room.
As I watched them go, my eyes drifted across the shop. I spotted something.
“Hmm…? What’s that—”
▲ ▲ ▲
Letitia eventually agreed to accept the dress Barbery had made. However, she insisted on paying the maximum amount she felt she could afford, saying she “couldn’t possibly accept it for free.” It was her way of showing gratitude and respect, I suppose. My wife is so earnestly charming.
And so, having secured the dress, we returned to our individual room.
“Well, I’m glad we found a wonderful dress, Letitia!” I said.
“Yes… Although it’s so luxurious that I feel I can’t wear it for daily activities…”
“No, you should wear it. Barbery made it for you to wear. It’ll be a way of thanking him, right?” I argued. Barbery had said he wanted Letitia to wear the dress. In that case, we shouldn’t just hide it in the closet to gather dust. She should wear it proudly and walk through the city.
Letitia looked slightly surprised when I said that.
“…You know, that might be true,” she conceded.
“See? Yeah, that’s what you should do.”
“Oh, or is your real intention just to see me in this dress?” she teased.
“You caught me.”
We chuckled together. She really does know my heart well.
“—Thank you so much for today, Alban. It was a wonderful day.”
“It is my pleasure to be praised by my beloved wife.”
“Heh-heh-heh, that’s unlike you. By the way, is there anything you want?” she asked.
“Huh? What’s with the sudden question…?”
“As repayment for today, I thought we could look for something you want on our next date.”
Oh, that’s a surprising and welcome suggestion. Letitia planning a date for me…! It genuinely makes me feel like life is worth living…!
—But,
“…Sorry, Letitia, but I don’t need anything. Because I already have what I want.”
“Eh? What’s that…?”
“It’s you, Letitia Odrant,” I answered openly.
She was momentarily stunned, her eyes wide, before her cheeks slowly turned crimson.
“O-Oh, you… You really are something else! That’s not what I was asking about…!”
“Haha, you’re still so shy, Letitia. But it’s true I don’t need anything. So, I have a counter-proposal.” I reached into my jacket pocket and pulled out a piece of jewelry, showing it to her.
“Is that… a necklace?”
“Yeah, I secretly bought it at Uncle Barbery’s shop.”
What I held was a necklace with a reddish-black gem. It was simple and clean but had an air of elegance.
Letitia looked at the necklace. “The gem on this necklace… it looks a lot like your eye color, Alban.”
“As expected of Letitia. You noticed right away.” I unhooked the small clasp. “Your new dress came with a necklace that had a blue gem, right? It looks just like your eyes. So, how about we exchange necklaces?”
“Hmm… So, Alban wears a necklace the color of my eyes, and I wear one the color of yours—is that the idea?”
“Yeah, isn’t that nice?” I thought to myself. Exchanging the colors of our eyes with the one we love… Mmm, what a romantic idea. Letitia would surely agree gladly!
—But contrary to my expectation, Letitia looked at me with an odd expression. “…Alban, I’ve always thought this… but your love is quite heavy, isn’t it?”
“Eh? D-Do you think so?” My love is heavy? Is it? Well, maybe… But I just thought I was trying my best to express my love…
“…Letitia, do you dislike that? If so, then—”
“Oh, I didn’t say I disliked it,” she said. She opened the case where the dress was kept and took out the necklace with the blue gem. She walked over to me.
“—There. Is this alright?” She wrapped her arms around my neck and put the necklace on me.
“Letitia…!”
“Your turn.” Letitia prompted me, pointing to her own neck.
To meet her expectation, I put my arms around her neck. I hooked the clasp and the ring.
“…Yeah, it suits you well. You look lovely, Letitia.”
The reddish-black gem hung on my wife’s neck. It was a color that was clearly different from her usual aesthetic, yet it blended in beautifully.
“It suits you, too. …But I still feel a little embarrassed.” Letitia’s cheeks were flushed, and she avoided eye contact, perhaps finding the exchange of eye colors awkward.
I found her utterly adorable. I leaned in and gently kissed her cheek.
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