94
Irene's words, which promised that there would be many amazing surprises, were immediately fulfilled.
"Whoa! Look! That!"
Evie pointed excitedly at a huge balloon floating above the endless rooftops.
"It's an air balloon. It's attached to a thermal device or a magic stone that generates heat from below to make it rise."
“He's flying in the sky!”
"So it was made. Why? Would you like to try it?"
At these words, Evie, whose eyes had been taken in by the sight outside the window, turned around with a look of astonishment.
“Can we actually ride it?”
"naturally."
"truly?!"
Her round green eyes widened even more as they moved between the balloon and Irene, filled with a sparkle of excitement.
Irene thought to herself: “Who sees these eyes and does not take them for a balloon ride? He is not a human being, but a demon!”
“Sure. What's so hard about riding a hot air balloon?”
Irene was saying this confidently, even though she had never tried riding it before.
“Well, this will be my chance to try it.”
Of course, not everyone can ride a balloon. Or rather, it's very expensive. Even Irene, who doesn't care much about money, was a little surprised when she first heard the cost of the ride.
“But that's not a problem at all.”
What worried Irene was something else. As she expected, Evie's shoulders, which had been glowing with excitement at the thought of riding the balloon, suddenly began to sag.
“She's definitely thinking about the cost again.”
Most likely, if Irene suggested going for a ride later, Evie would back off, saying she didn't need to.
So, Irene decided to pretend not to care, then suddenly take her and put her in the balloon without giving her a chance to refuse.
Admiring her perfect plan, Irene began caressing Yvette's soft cheeks.
They were soft like fresh bread, and then turned a beautiful red like apples, making her want to touch them whenever she saw them.
“Haha, only I can touch these cheeks!”
Irene remembered the envious looks Arcel and Ruska would give her whenever she caressed Evie's cheeks.
But, who would dare touch a noble lady's body without permission?
“Evie's cheeks are mine!”
As she cupped Evie's cheeks with her hands, Irene looked out the window with her.
“Hey, what is this?”
"Whoa! Look over there! A huge bread shop!"
“And a big fountain too!”
“There is a market!”
Evie chattered nonstop, enjoying everything she saw with her sparkling eyes. And so, the carriage continued forward until it stopped in front of a luxury store on the upscale Merchants Street.
“Is this… your home, Irene?”
But the place looked more like a store than a home. Rather, it was the largest and most luxurious on the street.
“No, of course not. This is Madame Crevel’s shop. It started out as a tailoring salon, but now it deals in hats, bags and accessories as well.”
Evie had heard about this place before. I remembered how other students in the restaurant were talking enthusiastically about him:
“My mother said that if I got into the top 100 in school, she would take me to Madame Crevel’s shop to make a dress for the fall party...but is that possible?”
"Top 100? That's very generous. My mom said I should be in the top 50. Does that make sense? I feel sick just looking at the books!"
"But I really want to go there. The fall party outfits there are the most popular!"
“I don't even covet clothes. If only I could buy one hat!”
In Evie's eyes, most of the academy's students looked like the richest people in the world. Whenever they want something, they get it quickly.
If these students were so eager to visit this place, it must be very expensive.
“A place I will never visit in my life.”
Evie was curious, but she felt that a normally dressed girl like her wouldn't even be allowed to enter it.
However, she continued to hear the name of the store many times after that. Once, while talking to Ruska, the latter pretended to know the place:
"Madame Crevel's store? I know it well. My parents regularly get their clothes tailored there. I? I get my clothes tailored there sometimes, but they are very elegant, so I don't wear them often. One time I wore one and was training with my brothers, and my mother came screaming if I had lost my mind and hit me on the back!"
Even Rusca, the Marquis's son, said something like that. This increased Evie's curiosity, but she became more convinced that this was a place she could never visit. Then Ruska added:
"Arcel also separates most of his clothes there, doesn't he? The clothes there really suit him. Last year, when he attended the fall party in a suit from there, he caused quite a stir!"
From there, the conversation turned from Crevel's store to Arcel. Of course, talking about Arcel was more enjoyable for Yvette.
But she thought she would never see this place again, so how did she find herself here now?
“I...am I allowed in?”
“What do you mean? Of course customers can enter the store!”
“Yes, but...”
Evie looked at her clothes. These were the best clothes she owned. The orphanage director had bought them with her own money on the day she left for the academy after she was accepted.
She knew that her clothes were not as good as other people's clothes, but she never felt ashamed of them.
So far, she didn't mind if they denied her entry. But Irene… might not accept that.
Irene took Evie's hand and said:
“Yvette, did you bring the pin that Lady Lucy gave you?”
“Yes, there it is.”
Evie took out the pin she kept in her purse for fear of losing it. Irene took it and fixed it on Evie's clothes immediately, then took her hand and led her with a smile.
“That's enough. With this pin, they might let you in even if you're naked!”
Irene looked at the pin, which wasn't hers, with pride. When Evie showed it to her for the first time, Irene almost screamed in surprise.
“This is the 'Ruler's Natural Numbers Society' pin!”
Irene had only seen this pin in drawings before, and this was the first time she had seen it with her own eyes.
The “Ruler’s Natural Numbers” Society was a gathering of many scholars and experts from various fields.
Although any other association might accept new members, this association has maintained its current membership for decades without change.
Its members included former ministers, the empire's greatest female architect, and the head of a major trading company that rivaled the Terence family.
So much so that people called it “the elite gathering of the empire.”
The only thing its members have in common is that they graduated from the academy, but their ages vary, causing some to speculate that they may have been members of a student club at the academy.
And for Yvette to own this association’s pin?!
“Thanks to that, I learned that this association consists of Professor Malice’s students.”
Irene went to Professor Mallis and asked him:
“Why didn't you give me one?” He replied that the pin was given directly by Lucy, the current president of the society, and if she wanted one, she would have to go and get it herself. Upon hearing this, Irene, and even Luska, became excited.
“Let's go get him!”
"Good!"
“I'll go with you both!”
Even Arcel, unexpectedly, joined them. This pin carried a value and honor that everyone coveted.
“Our Evie got it!”
Irene almost stopped passers-by on the street and shouted: “Look! My roommate is an amazing girl! Haha!”
But she suppressed this desire with effort. If she had, Evie might have been the first to escape from her.
“Come on, let's go in!”
The two guards at the entrance opened the huge door politely.
When they entered, a slightly heavy, luxurious scent spread. The hallway was decorated with sparkling chandeliers, elegantly decorated walls, and decorations that captivated the eyes of visitors.
While Evie was unable to close her mouth in front of this brilliance that differed from the opulence of the imperial palace, an elegantly dressed woman approached from inside.
“Madame Crevel!”
“You've come, Miss Irene.”
As they exchanged greetings, Evie's round eyes widened even more. Madame Crevel? The owner of this place? Do they know each other?
Looking at them hesitantly, Irene laughed and explained:
“Madame Crevel is from the south, and she is from a side branch of the Terence family. From a young age, her talent was exceptional, so my father believed in her and invested heavily in her.”
“Yes, and it is thanks to him that I am here today. I will forever be grateful to Terrence’s family.”
Crevel smiled gently, then looked at Evie. Suddenly, her eyes settled on the pin on Evie's clothing.
"Oh, my God!"
She looked genuinely surprised, covering her mouth slightly and her eyes widening. Seeing her expected reaction made Irene shrug her shoulders confidently.
"Didn't I tell you? I knew she would be shocked!"
Irene thought that Madame Crevel, with her keen observation, would recognize the pin at once. As she expected, Crevel recognized his value. She hesitated a moment and then urged Irene:
“Miss, who is this?”
"It's Evie, my roommate! Isn't she adorable?"
Evie's face flushed slightly as she introduced herself:
“Hi, I'm Evie Alden.”
"Welcome, Miss Evie Alden. It looks like I'll be having a very special client today."
Her greeting was incredibly polite, as if she were not dealing with a child. As she greeted Evie with a bow, Crevel was sure:
“This girl will definitely become a very important customer of my store.”
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