At some point during the ride between planning a Prince's assassinations and Noah's closeness, I realized we weren't going back to the Archduke's estate.
After I began paying attention to my surroundings, we pulled up to a boutique. Not just any clothing store, but "the" clothing store of the entire capital.
Floor-to-ceiling windows with mannequins dressed in gowns that looked like they came straight out of a royal fantasy. Everything sparkled!
I blinked a few times at the storefront when it came into view, thinking it might explode.
"This doesn't look like home." I said flatly.
Noah just gave me one of his usually calm, unreadable looks that I was getting very familiar with now. Then, he stepped out of the carriage, holding his hand out for mine.
I followed, half out of curiosity, half because I wasn't about to let him walk into some fashion nightmare without backup.
Beautiful clothes weren't exactly my thing; I used to think they were pointless. Though at the time I only stayed indoors, occasionally leaving to get food or work. This kind of place isn't something a guy would really be interested in.
But now, with this very attractive body, my emotions are complicated. I'm very much interested in what I would look like in a gown so ridiculously huge and showy with my current looks. Screw corsets, though, to the same place in hell as high heels.
I couldn't help but ask as we entered the store. "You're not going to be one of those male leads who says, "I'll take everything from here to here, right?" My mind was half expectant and the other half in amusement.
My hand dramatically ran across the large window display at the front window scene like some fantasy rom-com, pointing from here to here.
The idea of him doing that made me laugh as I hung off his arm like I was drunk. "Come on, don't be that guy."
He didn't say anything, which only gave me even more fuel to laugh even louder.
Until… well…
He didn't say, 'From here to here.'
Nope!
Noah bought the whole damn store!
"The whole store?!" I choked, standing in the middle of racks and displays while the shopkeeper almost fainted from joy. "What the hell, Noah?"
He just gave me a soft smile like this was a matter of course. This man had no chill!
But it didn't even stop there!
After I tried on more dresses than I could even count, some elegant, some excessive, and one that I'm pretty sure was ninety percent made entirely of diamonds, we left the boutique.
My naive mind thought we were completely done with shopping, but nope!
Next stop was a jewelry store. He didn't just buy a piece or even ask me what I liked. He just said I will take everything like some big shot. At this point I'm pretty sure my expression is what he's after because he just stares at me intently after he shows how rich he is.
I've never even owned jewelry in either of my lives; now I have more than I even know what to do with.
"Are you planning to build a treasure hoard?" I asked, slumping over a silk-lined display case. "Are you some kind of dragon in disguise?"
He, of course, said nothing with that face of his. But I could almost see a smirk, so I understood.
Then came the shoe store; this was my battlefield.
The clerk brought out rows of high heels, stilettos, wedges, and glittery death traps.
I looked Noah dead in the eye. "NO!"
He blinked at my refusal.
"Not a single one of these ankle-snapping devices is touching my feet."
The clerk opened his mouth to say something, but I raised a hand like a queen silencing her subjects.
"Noah, I'm willing to wear anything but high heels. Give me flats, boots, or clogs. I don't care. But if you try to shove me into a pair of six-inch self-hate machines, I will riot."
He didn't argue and just complied. Noah bought everything but high heels.
I almost cried at the humanity in this man. Thankfully he's one of those male leads who value his soon-to-be wife's opinion.
Then, as we passed a section near the back where all the corsets and shape-squeezing nonsense were on sale, I pointed in another direction, making a sharp detour.
"Nope, miss me with that garbage."
Noah raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong with them?"
"They're body prisons." I snapped. "Straps of torment made by fashion tyrants. Why would I want to suffocate myself to look more attractive when I could just breathe like a free person?"
He chuckled lightly and said, "So… no corsets?"
"Absolutely none!"
He didn't argue, bless this man.
By the time we got back in the carriage, I was surrounded by bags, boxes, and fabric.
The weird thing is I was happy in a strange way. Not because of the shopping, necessarily. But because every time I pushed back and said no, made a face, or ranted about comfort, he just listened.
Then he adapted to the situation as if it was only natural for him to respect my wishes. Something I'm sure for women of this world is very rare to find from a man.
It was strange, nice, and terrifying all in one because the more he did stuff like this… The harder it became to tell myself I didn't like him.
The last thing I remembered on the way home was leaning back in the carriage admiring my score for the day and mumbling. "I didn't need to own half the kingdom's silk supply."
Noah said something back, probably in a teasing tone or smugly, but I didn't catch it. I had fallen asleep slumped against his shoulder like a human marshmallow.
When I woke up, it was already the next morning. Bright sunlight streamed through the tall windows, and the faint scent of roses drifted through the air.
I sat up in bed with a jolt.
Wait… what?!
I remember the carriage ride, but I don't remember ever going to sleep last night. Panicking a little, I threw off the blanket and looked around. Noah was nowhere to be seen.
The closet! In one fluid motion I jumped out of the bed, still a bit groggy, and rushed across the room to open the door I was most curious about.
Then I opened it and just stared at the absurdity of how big this "closet" is. My eyes were first instantly drawn to the large amount of jewelry in this huge cabinet. It was like Christmas lights with how shiny and bright everything was.
There was more worth in this jewelry armoire than I had in my whole last life. Probably multiple times over with how much money was spent yesterday.
The dresses were everywhere, hundreds of them, all with different designs and patterns. I saw silk, velvet, and lace gowns in every color imaginable. Some were so extravagant I wondered if they were designed to function as battle armor.
I loved seeing the endless rows of shoes around the walls; I couldn't help but smile, with not one high heel in sight. If there was, I would have thrown it out!
It looked like someone had dropped a princess simulator into the closet and turned the dial to "spoiled."
I stepped back in a daze and asked, "Are these really mine?" The words came out without thinking.
The absolute absurdity of this luxury and the fact that someone had not only bought it for me but meant it, Noah…
My hand ran over one of the dresses, a cool, powder-blue thing with silver trim, and I blinked at my reflection in a mirror nearby.
Somewhere along these past few days around Noah, I had changed even more when it came to the alignment of my heart and soul. Just a little bit.
In my last life, I would've thrown on sweatpants and a loose shirt with some stupid pun on it and called it a day.
Now, I felt like I actually cared how I looked. Maybe it was the environment, possibly Noah, or it was realizing that people were actually looking at me now. Like I was someone important, and I didn't want to look disgraceful.
This kind of world is all about appearances, but at the same time I didn't want to be like them.
Being engaged to an archduke would take a lot of work for a proper noble, but I don't want to go through all of that. I groaned dramatically and flopped backwards onto the bed.
"Oh, poor me, my privileged, pampered, noble life." I muttered with a smirk.
Then I just burst out in laughter.
Honestly, it was so ridiculous. To go from what I used to be to what I am now is such a contrast. Would this be considered character growth? I will keep improving even more in the future. It was tragic, but at the same time fun.
Later that day, Noah invited me for tea.
The estate's gardens were absurdly beautiful. Roses the size of my fists, hedges sculpted into perfect shapes, and a path of polished white stone that gleamed under the late afternoon sun. It felt like something out of a dream or a fairy tale.
I sat across from him at a little iron table shaded by a pale blue parasol, sipping something light and floral from a porcelain teacup that probably cost more than my old apartment.
I frowned slightly as I looked around. "There's something missing." I said it aloud for Noah to hear.
Noah tilted his head at me. "Hmm?"
"Water features, fountains, ponds, and maybe some extravagant-looking fish to put in them."
Without missing a beat, Noah turned towards one of the waiting butlers nearby and said calmly, "See to it. Add some water features to the garden based on Lady Seraphina's preferences."
The butler bowed and then vanished like a puff of smoke.
I stared at him in disbelief. It was just a casual comment, but he instantly took action.
"What… You just… I was half joking!"
He raised his cup to his lips with the tiniest smile.
'Seriously?' I yelled inside my head.
My heart did this weird twisty thing, and before I could even stop myself. "Why is he so good to me?" I blurted out with no filter, loud enough for him to hear.
Noah slowly lowered his cup and gave me that ever-so-familiar smirk.
"Did you once again speak without thinking?"
"Ugh!" I groaned and slapped both hands over my face, ears burning.
But the question was out now; no taking it back, and honestly, I really wanted to know. So I peeked between my fingers with a muffled and uncertain voice.
"It's true, though. Why are you doing so much for me?"
Noah's face was gentler than his normal cold and stoic.
"We just met. I'm not some proper noble lady. I barely know how to sit without slouching. I say the dumbest stuff in front of royalty, eat like I've never seen food before, and I'll probably only ever embarrass you in the future."
I lowered my hands and looked him directly in the eyes. "Does that sound appealing to you?" My head shook as I laughed bitterly at myself. "Really, I'm getting the better deal here. But you, I just don't get it."
He didn't answer for a while as we both just sat there in silence with that unreadable expression, like he was seeing something no one else could.
Somehow, that was worse than any answer.