The Dress Reserved a Year Ago

“Why are you crying, Shasha?”

Shana didn’t answer Lucian.

Instead, tears kept falling silently.

If anything, she started crying even harder.

“Hic…!”

Hot tears streamed endlessly from her eyes, soaking her knees.

Shana wasn’t someone who cried easily, so Lucian looked visibly flustered.

“Shasha… are you hurt somewhere? Did I say something wrong?”

Lucian hurriedly searched for a handkerchief and gently wiped away her tears.

Clear streams ran down her cheeks, quickly soaking the cloth.

“Lucian… I, I…”

“Yeah. It’s okay. Take your time.”

“…I think… I can finally receive the advance payment.”

As she said that, more tears fell from her eyes.

“The advance payment! Freedom from debt!”

“Ah, Shasha… so it was about money.”

Lucian looked deeply disappointed.

Truthfully, that wasn’t the only reason.

She had also made the medicine because she wanted to ease Lucian’s long suffering.

But she didn’t feel like mentioning that.

‘It’s not like I want to make a big deal out of it.’

“Honestly… I thought it would never work.

Sniff…

I thought I’d spend my whole life failing and end up homeless…

But suddenly, like this… suddenly getting results…I still can’t believe it…”

Shana sniffled like a child.

“Really? That must’ve been very hard. Here, blow your nose, Shasha.”

Lucian gently held the handkerchief to her nose.

It meant she should blow.

‘That’s a little embarrassing…’

But when she looked closely, the handkerchief was actually hers.

Well, in that case it was fine.

After hesitating, Shana blew her nose.

All this time, she had returned every moment that others spent resting or enjoying themselves.

She had worked two or three times harder than everyone else just to survive.

That struggle had become her normal life.

With tear-streaked cheeks but a much lighter heart, Shana began smiling again.

“Shasha, do you feel better?”

“Yeah.”

Now that the medicine’s effect had been confirmed, the rest would be much easier.

All that remained was verifying whether there were side effects and refining the formula.

The enormous burden that had weighed on her shoulders for so long finally disappeared.

‘If I hadn’t forced myself to sleep last night like Lucian said…’

She would have spent the whole night creating more failed experiments.

Testing them.

Getting frustrated.

Repeating the same cycle again and again.

Maybe after she eventually died from overwork, a doctor examining her body might have discovered the fermented medicine by accident and published it to the academic world.

‘Then the history books would probably record me as the tragic genius, Shana Crowell…’

“Thank you, Lucian.

Thanks to you, I was able to make the medicine.”

“Shasha, for you I would—”

“Alright!

Then let’s continue the experiments properly now!”

“Huh?”

“We still need to confirm things like how long the effect lasts, whether there are side effects, and the optimal dosage.

There’s still a mountain of work left.”

‘It’s such a relief to finally work happily again with a lighter heart!’

For some reason, Lucian’s expression suddenly darkened.

But he cooperated enthusiastically with all of Shana’s experimental requests.

After several days of additional experiments and verification, the newly completed medicine for Mana Rejection Syndrome revealed its effects.

A single dose could completely eliminate the symptoms for at least three days.

The duration wasn’t extremely long.

Even so, it was an unprecedented breakthrough in the history of the Empire.

Shana was the first person ever to create a medicine capable of fundamentally treating Mana Rejection Syndrome.

One week before the diplomatic delegation arrived, Shana carefully sealed the finished medicine inside an elegant bottle.

With a trembling heart, she sent it to the Imperial Palace.

A few days later, a telegram arrived from Princess Elise.

“Princess Elise praised the medicine highly and said she would like to officially invite both you and me to the reception celebrating the delegation’s visit.”

Lucian said while reading the telegram.

“It makes sense for you to go, Lucian… but me too?”

Shana looked confused.

“Apparently, even though the medicine works, it hasn’t been fully verified yet.
She feels uneasy.
So she wants you to attend as the apothecary.”

That meant Shana now had to prepare to attend the Imperial Palace’s grand banquet and official events.

‘Me?’

Because she had no money, she had stayed far away from high society for years.

She didn’t even own a decent pair of shoes, let alone fancy dresses or jewelry.

The thought of attending a party alone made her nervous.

Then Lucian asked,

“Then should we go buy a dress for the banquet?”

“No, it’s fine.
I don’t have money anyway…”

“Let’s at least take a look.”

“If I show up wearing something modest, maybe Her Highness will even give me a bonus.”

It had been the same during their academy days.

The more pitiful and poor she looked in front of professors, the more financial aid she received.

‘That’s how I barely managed to graduate.’

“So I think I can just wear the dress I bought before.”

As she said that, Shana opened her wardrobe.

The moment Lucian saw the faded brown dress hanging in the back, his face froze completely.

“Shasha.”

“Yeah?”

“This won’t do. It doesn’t suit your beauty. This isn’t a dress… it’s a giant potato sack.”

“A p-potato sack?”

Shana had always believed the dress she owned was perfectly ordinary.

But after hearing it described as a potato sack, she suddenly lost all confidence in wearing it to the Imperial Palace banquet.

‘Even so, it’s an official Imperial event.
I can’t show up looking careless.’

In the end, she reluctantly followed Lucian to a dress shop he strongly recommended.

The name alone sounded extravagant.

Salon de Rose.

Only after stepping through its lavish entrance did she realize—

It was the most expensive dress shop in the capital.

For Shana, who had only ever visited cheap ready-made clothing stores near the market, it felt like an entirely different world.

Dresses displayed in dazzling brilliance.

Each hem embedded with real gemstones.

Her hands trembled slightly as she looked at them.

‘Does Lucian seriously think I can afford these?’

“…Isn’t this the most expensive dress shop in the capital?”

She murmured unconsciously while staring at the crystal chandeliers and gold decorations.

This was the atelier of the legendary designer Madame Antoine, who personally tailored dresses for each client.

It was also famous for using the rarest and most expensive materials in the entire capital.

Even wealthy noble girls at the academy had talked about Salon de Rose.

Even Erilot—who didn’t care about fashion—had mentioned it once.

Shana had always assumed she would never step inside.

“I-I think it would be fine to check somewhere cheaper near the market instead…”

As Shana nervously tried to step backward, Lucian wrapped an arm firmly around her waist.

“Shasha. No. You should wear the most beautiful and expensive things.”

Then he whispered into her ear.

“The delegation from the neighboring kingdom will be attending.
If you show up wearing cheap ready-made clothes… the Imperial family might lose face.”

That… was a fair point.

The highest-ranking nobles of the Empire would be gathered there.

She couldn’t exactly appear in shabby clothes.

But that would only matter if she were attending properly.

Shana believed she would simply be present as an apothecary in case something happened during the delegation’s visit.

‘Does Lucian think differently?’

Born with a silver spoon, he probably assumed parties always required extravagant dressing.

Just then—

“Your Grace, we’ve been expecting you. Welcome.”

An elegant middle-aged woman wearing a luxurious silk dress approached and bowed politely.

Her golden hair was styled in elaborate curls.

Her sharp eyes gleamed.

She was the owner of the salon and the Empire’s greatest designer—

Madame Antoine.

“It’s been a while, Madame. I made a sudden request. Is everything ready?”

“Of course.

If it’s a request from Your Grace, preparation is only natural.

You want a dress for this beautiful lady, correct?”

“What kind of dress do you like, Shasha?”

Lucian casually wrapped his arm around Shana’s waist again.

Shana discreetly pushed his hand away before replying to Madame.

“…I think I’ll know after looking at the dresses on display.”

‘Pick the cheapest one possible.’

Of course, everything here was expensive.

But she had to find the most modest option.

Even the silver dress displayed near the entrance—covered in tiny diamonds—looked like it cost as much as a castle.

Yet after walking around for quite a while, she couldn’t choose.

She didn’t know what design was appropriate for an Imperial banquet.

There weren’t even price tags.

She couldn’t tell which ones were expensive or cheap.

Her head was spinning.

‘Did Lucian seriously bring me here thinking I could afford this?’

Just then—

“Shasha. Is sky blue still your favorite color?”

“Huh? Yes… but why?”

“Madame, please bring out the dress I requested before.”

“Yes, Your Grace. Please wait a moment.”

Madame Antoine smiled with clear satisfaction before disappearing into the back workshop.

Apparently, Lucian had already reserved a dress in advance.

“When did you reserve that?”

They had only received the Princess’s telegram about the party a few days ago.

Before Lucian could answer, an employee beside them explained politely.

“Our dresses must usually be reserved at least two years in advance.

However, His Grace arranged this reservation specially one year ago.”

‘One year ago?’

That was when Lucian had been fighting on the battlefield.

‘Then who did he prepare the dress for?’

Shana hesitated before whispering to Lucian.

“…Can I really wear that? Who did you originally buy it for?”