The Price Is Your Everything

Nellis, who had just finished bathing in a white ceramic bathtub, looked at the state of the room she had been given and glared at the culprit.

Diane, who had been smiling brightly, shrugged her shoulders and pouted.

"Anyway, we don't have anyone else to give it to, so you have to take it. Try on this dress tomorrow, and wear this one today, okay?"

The number of children's dresses that Diane had laid out in Nellis's room was staggering - there were at least thirty. Nellis sighed.

"Um, thank you, but I have my own clothes. I'd feel bad borrowing yours."

"Don't be silly! I want to dress you up!"

Diane jumped up and down.

Nellis had actually expected Diane to do this before they even started their journey, so she resigned herself to it and scanned the dresses with her eyes. Diane showed Nellis each dress, trying to convince her to wear it.

"This one is bright and matches your blonde hair, this one has cute ribbons, and this one is decorated with gold thread and sparkles. This one has puffy shoulders, but it would make you look like a princess."

"Let's go with that one."

Nellis pointed to a light blue dress that was hanging on the bed, which Diane had not recommended. Diane looked a bit disappointed.

"That one's not very fancy."

"It will suit me."

"How do you know?"

Nellis had worn all sorts of styles and colors as the Duke's daughter and the princess, so she just brushed it off.

"Look, the pendant on the ribbon matches my eye color."

"I guess so."

As Betty helped Nellis change into the dress, Diane watched with interest.

The light blue dress that Diane had worn as a child had a simple design, with a black velvet ribbon around the neck and a purple pendant in the center. However, the skirt was quite full and had multiple layers of black velvet frills.

Although it was a dress that Diane had discarded because it didn't suit her, both Diane and Betty were amazed by how well it suited Nellis.

"You look beautiful!"

"You really suit the dress, Nellis."

Nellis's bright blonde hair always had a beautiful shine due to the fragrant oil she used, and the dark-colored dress made it shine like moonlight.

The dress also brought out Nellis's striking eyes, which were similar in color to the pendant.

As Nellis looked at her reflection in the mirror, she smiled wistfully.

Although she had worn all sorts of clothes as the princess, her criteria for choosing clothes were not what suited her, but what would show the dignity of the royal family.

How many years had she spent being ridiculed for wearing clothes that didn't suit her small and delicate body?

But now, she had found a dress that suited her.

'...But it's pointless, since I'm not impressive anyway.'

Looking at her reflection in the mirror made her feel uncomfortable, as if it was a habit. Nellis glanced away from the mirror.

"I'll fix your dress before dinner."

Betty said, marking the sleeves and waist of the dress with chalk. Since Diane and Nellis had different body types, it was inevitable that the dress needed to be altered.

Diane's eyes sparkled with excitement.

"Then, while Betty fixes the dress, let's try on some other clothes!"

While Betty took the light blue dress to alter it, Nellis tried on more than five dresses, and most of them suited her well. However, none of them suited her as well as the first light blue dress.

"Liz looks great in clothes. She's so stylish."

Diane looked at Nellis, who was wearing the 'princess dress' that Diane had strongly recommended, with a mix of disappointment and admiration. Nellis replied nonchalantly.

"I know what suits me, and you usually wear clothes that suit you too."

"Really?"

Diane smiled at Nellis's words. Just then, someone knocked on the door.

"Yes."

"Yes."

Nellis and Diane replied simultaneously. Before they could finish, the door opened, and Muriel McKinney peeked in.

"Are you two having fun?"

"Ah, sister. Come in."

Diane welcomed Muriel, seemingly having forgotten about their earlier argument. Muriel was accompanied by a young girl. Nellis could guess who she was, despite her still-childlike face.

"Heather's here too."

Diane's tone was lukewarm, and Heather Railing smiled sweetly. Nellis found her expression familiar and amusing.

Unlike her father, Angelo, who had a plain face, Heather was a beautiful girl with a charming smile, which she used to get what she wanted.

Heather was, after all, the daughter of a commoner, no matter how high her father's status rose.

So, in Nellis's previous life, Angelo had asked the Elantria family to let Heather serve as a maid to one of their daughters, in an attempt to push her into higher society. Being a high-ranking maid was a prestigious job that involved meeting high-ranking people every day.

And Heather had teamed up with Valentine.

Heather had put Nellis in difficult situations several times with her innocent face. If Heather hadn't quickly married a low-ranking nobleman and quit her job as a maid, Nellis would have had a lot of trouble.

"I heard that Lady Diane had arrived, so I came to greet her."

"When did you arrive?"

"I arrived last week, Lady Diane."

Heather smiled innocently and turned her gaze to Nellis.

The dress Nellis was wearing was clearly high-quality, but it was also obviously too big for her. Heather's eyes flickered with disdain.

"Why is your room like this? Diane, are you giving her your clothes?"

Muriel quickly realized that the dress belonged to Diane. When Muriel asked, Diane glanced at Nellis's face and replied defensively.

"We were just playing dress-up for a bit. What's it to you?"

"You're so smart, but you don't even have your own clothes? You have money to pay for the Academy, but you're wearing someone else's clothes to save money?"

Nellis found Muriel's childish provocation amusing, but Diane's face turned bright red with anger.

This was Diane's home, and Nellis was her guest, whom she had invited despite Nellis's initial hesitation.

Diane had mixed feelings about her cousins. She didn't particularly like Muriel, and she didn't like that Muriel was friends with Heather.

However, she had always been kind to her cousins because her father had told her that their family's short history made them vulnerable to ridicule in the noble society, and that they had to rely on their bloodline.

When she went to the Academy, she realized that the McKinney family was indeed looked down upon by others, so she had tried to be nicer to Muriel this time.

But now, Muriel was openly picking a fight with her guest! Diane thought quickly about how to put Muriel in her place.

Nellis, sensing Diane's thoughts, grabbed her hand to stop her.

What? Why? Diane looked at Nellis in confusion, and Nellis smiled and spoke to Muriel in a light, gentle voice.

"Oh, so that's why you don't attend the Academy? You can't afford the tuition because of the cost of clothes. I see."

Heather turned pale, and Muriel's mouth dropped open. Diane was taken aback for a moment, then decided to follow her emotions.

So, she burst out laughing.

Betty, who was watching, looked uncomfortable, but she couldn't blame Nellis. From her perspective, Muriel had started the fight.

"You, you...! Who says that someone can't afford tuition because of clothes...!"

Muriel was so angry that she couldn't even speak properly. Nellis used her diplomatic skills to feign a pitiful expression, without saying another word. It was enough to make Muriel completely lose her temper.

"I...! Our family is far superior to yours! We can afford to send our children to the Academy if we want to!"

Diane chuckled at Muriel's overreaction, and Nellis raised one corner of her mouth, her eyes calm and serene.

"That's right? I must have misunderstood, sorry."

Of course, no one took that apology seriously. Heather looked at Muriel with a frightened expression.

"Ah, miss... of course. Everyone knows. Let's go. You're too excited right now..."

Muriel tried to resist, but Heather's grip was too strong. Betty felt sorry for Heather, thinking that she would be the one to bear the brunt of Muriel's anger.

However, Heather's words were based on sound judgment. If Muriel stayed, it would only lead to more fights between relatives.

After Heather took Muriel away, Diane snorted and said.

"You did well, Liz! I'm sorry you had to hear weird things because of my relatives."

"It's not your fault."

Nellis didn't blame Diane either, considering she had relatives like the Elantria family. After all, you can't choose your relatives.

Diane looked at the door that Heather had closed and asked Nellis after a while.

"But don't you think Muriel is being a bit too angry? It's weird."

"What's weird? It seems like she really wanted to attend the Academy."

Nellis's response was nonchalant. Diane's eyes widened like a rabbit's.

"But Muriel said she didn't need to go to the Academy and that she wasn't jealous of me."

"Not when you bragged about it first?"

"No."

"If you didn't brag about it first but said you weren't jealous, that means you are jealous, Diane."

Diane looked like she had realized something, and Nellis smiled wryly.

It was surprising that Diane, who was usually perceptive, hadn't noticed this. Maybe it was hard to read people you had known since childhood.

"You brought up the Academy suddenly earlier. I thought you were just picking a fight as soon as I arrived. What does Muriel's father do?"

"Uncle Sibna? He works at the McKinney trading company."

"Is he not doing well financially?"

Diane blinked, and Betty answered instead.

"Uncle Sibna is in charge of medicinal herbs, but he's been in the red for several years. He's come to borrow money several times."

"Really?"

Diane was surprised, not knowing much about such adult matters, and Nellis nodded.

The Academy's tuition was indeed very expensive. Muriel's clothes and accessories were of relatively poor quality, and it wasn't surprising that she didn't attend the Academy.

"I think Muriel is jealous of those who attend the Academy. If Heather hadn't taken her away, I would have made her apologize properly."

"Aww, Heather is too kind-hearted to see Muriel fight."

Betty spoke nonchalantly and continued sewing. Diane pouted.

"She's not kind, that's why."

"You're right, Diane."

Diane looked at Nellis with a smile, and Nellis smiled back, her eyes sparkling.

Objectively, Nellis's smile was too bright for the situation, and Diane tilted her head in confusion.

"You don't like Heather either? Not many people dislike her."

"I trust your judgment, Diane."

And I also trust the facts from my past. Nellis turned to Diane with a sparkling gaze.

"By the way, didn't you say we could attend the daytime market party tomorrow?"

"Yeah, we can! Since we're twelve, we're allowed to attend the daytime events!"

Diane replied happily, not understanding why Nellis was changing the subject. Her mood, which had been ruined by Muriel, suddenly improved. Although they hadn't received permission to attend the nighttime event, attending the official daytime event was a big change.

"So, will all the guests be there tomorrow?"

"Yeah, it's the first event of the holiday week, so everyone who can attend has been invited."

"Then, can you tell me about the important people? I don't want to make any mistakes tomorrow."

"There won't be anyone like Muriel who gets angry suddenly."

That's true, if they have any sense. But because Diane was young and had a clear sense of likes and dislikes, adults often overlooked or ignored certain things.

So, it was likely that people would also overlook or ignore things about Nellis because of her youth and poverty.

And if she used that to her advantage, what's the harm in that?