The Eldest Daughter Walks Down The Flower Path - Chapter 25

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Eldest Daughter Walks the Path of Flowers Episode 25

Earning her keep.

At those words, Radis, the temporary retainer of the Russel Estate who earned a high salary of 100 million rupens yet had no particular work to earn her keep, couldn’t help but feel pangs of conscience.

She had no choice but to slowly remove her outer garment.

As if waiting for this moment, delicate hands wrapped around her waist.

The seamstress spoke.

“Then I’ll take your measurements.”

“Do as you please. Oh dear…”

From behind the screen came the sound of Eve Russel grumbling.

“Oh dear? I should be the one sighing. Do you know how busy I am, yet I have to supervise even the measuring of your dress?”

At that complaint-filled grumbling, Radis looked toward the screen with pitiful eyes.

The intimidating first impression and the ominous rumors surrounding him had long been forgotten.

‘My Lord, you nag too much…’

Radis replied in a dejected voice.

“If you’re busy, don’t do it.”

“Because you won’t do it! You just wander around trying to escape, and whenever I try to keep you in place, you disappear!”

“…Because there’s nothing to do.”

Thoroughly angry, Eve Russel spoke in a sarcastic tone.

“Why would there be nothing to do? Skin care, hair care, nail decoration. Even twenty-four hours a day wouldn’t be enough, would it?”

Those ‘tasks’ had been interesting at first.

Rubbing her face with honey mixed with salt, bathing in goat’s milk, applying mud mixed with herbs said to make hair grow faster to her head. She had even tried attaching fake nails.

But interesting things were only fun the first time.

She couldn’t stay locked inside the house just washing her face with milk to have slightly whiter skin.

Hair was just fur that would grow when the time came, but trying to grow it faster by applying mud to her head and lying around idly made her body itch with restlessness.

And the nails – those were the worst.

With long fake nails attached, she couldn’t hold anything except the most delicate utensils.

“I don’t like it. Are those things really necessary?”

“Oh…!”

Eve Russel, mindful of their surroundings, lowered his voice that had risen sharply and whispered.

“…Don’t you want to meet Prince Olivier?”

Embarrassed by the mention of Olivier, Radis pressed her lips together and lowered her head.

Having finally broken Radis’s stubbornness, Eve Russel patted her shoulder with a satisfied expression.

“Good, Radis. I have it all planned out, so just trust me and follow along. Today we’re just fitting dresses, understand?”

“…I understand.”

Radis spread both arms as if surrendering and entrusted her body to the seamstress’s hands.

“Don’t worry, my lady!”

The seamstress named Sillia, who had come on a house call from 【Chaperone】, the most famous dress shop in the South, pulled the measuring tape taut as she spoke.

“This Sillia will take your measurements perfectly!”

“It doesn’t have to be perfect…”

“No! Accurately understanding the customer’s body measurements and strengths and weaknesses is the foundation of dress making! This Sillia won’t allow even a hair’s width of error!”

Sillia wielded the measuring tape like a whip, applying it to every part of Radis from her neck circumference to shoulder width, arm length and circumference, chest, waist, hips, legs, and even foot length.

Changing positions this way and that as Sillia instructed, Radis thought it would be more efficient to just make a cast of her while she was still alive.

After a long while, having finished taking measurements, Sillia brought out a book with fabric samples attached and said.

“Do you have any preferred colors for the dress?”

“…As long as it’s not pink…”

Just then, Eve Russel, who had been waiting behind the screen, jumped up from his seat and shouted.

“Silver, purple!”

“Understood, Your Lordship!”

Sillia flipped through the thick pages of the book with a rustling sound.

Then she pulled out pages with silver and purple fabric samples attached.

“Since your skin tone is a bit dark, it would be better to avoid silver that’s too bright.”

“Such colors depend on how they’re used.”

Lord Russel walked over and examined the pages with fabric samples closely.

Then he picked out a silver fabric piece that looked exactly like Prince Olivier’s hair color, and a purple one that matched his eye color perfectly.

Eve Russel asked Sillia in a testing tone.

“Can you do it? The budget doesn’t matter.”

“Of course!”

Radis could only be dumbfounded by that transparent color selection.

‘And he only wears black clothes himself…!’

Then Lord Russel approached.

He brought the fabric sample up to Radis’s nape.

She could feel his soft knuckles brush against the fine hair on her nape.

‘It tickles.’

Radis, unaccustomed to contact with others, flinched and trembled her shoulders.

She fixed her gaze on a distant point and tried hard to think of other things.

‘When I leave the estate, I’ll definitely buy a wool mattress and feather comforter. I’d like to take Brendan with me, but that probably won’t work, right? He seems to take great pride in working as the estate’s cook for generations…! Then, before that, let me eat as much as possible…!’

Finally, Lord Russel withdrew his hand.

“It seems like it would suit you better than expected. Please make about four dresses using this fabric.”

“Understood, Your Lordship!”

“For the design… something suitable.”

Eve Russel glanced at Radis and said.

“Besides what I mentioned, feel free to buy anything else you like.”

“I’m fine though…”

“M-my lady!”

Sillia urgently called out while opening a book containing dress design illustrations.

“Let’s look at the design illustrations first and decide! Of course, we have plenty of dress samples you can try on!”

Was it her imagination that a mischievous smile appeared on Lord Russel’s lips?

“Well then, work hard to earn your keep.”

In the end, Radis had to spend the afternoon with dead fish eyes, blankly staring at design illustrations and trying on countless dresses.

“I’m dying…”

Allen smiled gently as he poured tea for Radis, who had finally been released from Sillia.

“Was it that difficult? Wasn’t it enjoyable?”

“The dresses are pretty to look at, but for me to wear them… well.”

“Is that so? I think they would suit you well.”

“Not at all. My hair is short and my skin is dark.”

“It’s not dark. And your hair will grow quickly.”

Allen said with a smile.

“If you’re too tired, shall we skip studying today?”

“No! I’m fine!”

Radis, who had been slumped over the table, suddenly sat up with sparkling eyes.

Radis quite liked studying.

But studying itself had been difficult at the Tilrod Estate.

The tutor who taught the Tilrod children was much more concerned about Margaret’s reactions than even Armano.

Radis had to study without books or listen to lessons while being scolded not to act like she knew things.

So Radis was very happy when Lord Russel said she needed some education.

“That’s fortunate. I found an interesting book that seems good for light reading, so I brought it.”

Allen and Radis settled in the greenhouse where warm sunlight streamed in.

Berry, a maid of the estate, brought fragrant black tea and very delicious-looking cream puffs.

The cream puffs, with their light and crispy shells sprinkled with white hail sugar and filled with cream rich in vanilla beans, were a dessert Radis had recently discovered and truly loved.

Studying while enjoying sweet tea time in a warm spot amidst beautiful scenery.

Radis quickly forgot about her struggles with the dress and felt cheerful, smiling brightly as she spoke to Berry.

“Berry, thank you!”

At Radis’s smile, Berry’s plump cheeks turned strawberry red.

Berry, who wore her curly hair so voluminous it looked fluffy in two braids, was the very maid who had shown Radis the way to Eve’s room on her first day at the estate.

Radis had initially worried that the maids might dislike her, but fortunately that didn’t seem to be the case.

However, the maids at the Countess’ mansion seemed a bit peculiar.

Among them, Berry was particularly shy.

Even now, she was quickly backing away while covering her face with the tray.

Soon, Berry’s voice could be heard from behind the door shouting, “Kyaah, what should I do!”

Allen sighed at the sight.

“When will she ever mature, really…”

Allen seemed quite displeased with the maids’ behavior.

Radis didn’t know why Berry kept shouting “What should I do!” but she thought it was fine.

The maids in this estate seemed to have a habit of occasionally exclaiming “What should I do!” but aside from that, they were all kind and very friendly.

“Now, here’s the book you’ll be reading today.”

Allen placed a colorful and pretty book on the table.

“【The Adventures of Prince Dantes】! This is a fairy tale book.”

“That’s correct. Have you read it before?”

Radis shook her head.

【The Adventures of Prince Dantes】 was a fairy tale based on the life of Dantes Arpend, a real founding hero.

Since it featured the actual first emperor, the imperial family personally produced these fairy tale books and sent them as gifts to children of influential noble families.

The Tilrod Family also had one fairy tale book that had been passed down through generations.

Though it was so worn out that its cover had been replaced several times.

Jade only lent that book to David, the eldest son.

However, David never even opened the book and secretly shoved it under his bed, only to have it confiscated by Jade again.

“This book is considered a royal gift symbolizing the intimacy between each family and the imperial household, but the content is quite entertaining. Moreover, ‘that’ flaming sword appears in it too.”

Allen winked.

At the mention of the flaming sword, Radis’s eyes sparkled as she straightened her posture.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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