Who Brought the Head Maid Back? - Chapter 53

“Surely, you didn’t purchase all of these…?”

When Amy asked in a trembling voice, Noah shook his head.

“Not exactly…”

“That’s a relief.”

Amy’s sigh of relief was short-lived, however, as the tailor gazed at the jewels with an enchanted expression and spoke softly.

“He has placed reservations on all of them. The payments are scheduled to be made over several years.”

“…”

Did “not exactly” just mean “not yet”? Amy froze like a stone statue. Whether Noah noticed her state or not, he began pestering her to hurry up and try on the gown. Amy clutched her head, which had started to throb.

“Did Joseph… apply the seal?”

The purchasing process at the Grand Duchy required the Grand Duke to stamp the payment form, followed by a final review and decision by Joseph, the accountant, until the Duke reached adulthood.

“No, not yet. His Grace said he would look at the items first before handing over the invoice,” Mrs. Weaver explained.

Amy felt she could finally breathe again. She let out a long sigh of relief and said:

“Take them back.”

“Amy?”

Noah blinked. Amy glared at Mrs. Weaver. Her gaze was sharp with reproach, asking why she hadn’t stopped him. Mrs. Weaver simply shrugged. Her silent rebuttal—“As if he listens to anyone”—felt as audible as a shout.

“Amy.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

Amy turned quickly at the low, sinking tone of his voice. A dejected Noah was looking down, his eyelashes casting long shadows. He murmured with a distant expression.

“Remember when we left the Imperial Palace and went to the Central Market for the first time?”

“I… do.”

Why on earth was he bringing that up now? Amy felt an ominous premonition.

“That was the first time I ate a skewer from a street stall. I was overwhelmed by that intense flavor, something I’d never experienced before. I was so excited I didn’t know what to do, and Amy spent all her money to buy them for me without a second thought. Do you remember?”

Noah’s voice was melodic, as if he were savoring a beautiful memory.

“…It wasn’t quite to that extent, was it?”

Amy felt cold sweat on her back. The narrative was making her out to be some fairy godmother who had granted the wish of a destitute child. Mrs. Weaver and the tailor were staring at Amy with moved expressions, as if witnessing a legendary tale of kindness.

“I loved that so much. I was happy. So I made a decision. That someday, I would do something for Amy too.”

Having finished his passionate speech, Noah turned to gaze at Amy. His golden eyes, moist with emotion, sparkled plaintively. The tailor let out a sharp intake of breath, muttering “A masterpiece,” before catching herself and covering her mouth with a handkerchief.

“After all those twists and turns, I’ve become a Grand Duke and finally have money I can spend as I wish… but Amy won’t even grant my long-held wish?”

Noah tilted his head exactly forty-five degrees downward and to the side. It was the precise angle where his lowered lashes and slightly trembling red lips looked most dramatic.

Amy was flabbergasted. Is he practicing this in a mirror? And what do you mean “long-held”? It hasn’t even been six months!

Just then, Mrs. Weaver interjected to settle the situation.

“Then let’s do this. You shall accept exactly one gown.”

At the compromise, the tailor’s face crumpled. Mrs. Weaver stepped forward and brushed her hand over the navy gown Noah had selected.

“His Grace wishes to show his gratitude to the Head Maid, so this should be enough to satisfy both parties… though not entirely, of course!”

When Noah’s eyes flashed sharply, Mrs. Weaver quickly pivoted.

“However, with the festival approaching, please be satisfied with this one for now. Once Your Grace’s private funds have grown sufficiently, we can reconsider. I believe the Head Maid will feel less burdened accepting such gifts once Your Grace is more firmly established.”

Amy’s ears perked up. Once Noah came into possession of the “Black Gold” in the future, accepting ten such gifts wouldn’t leave even a scratch on his fortune.

“Don’t you agree, Head Maid?”

“Oh, um. Yes… Your Grace, I really only want to accept one. You’ll do that for me, won’t you?”

The target of persuasion had shifted from Amy to Noah, but the transition was incredibly natural. Noah narrowed his eyes, lost in thought, while Amy waited anxiously for his consent. Still, she felt something was off.

‘Wait, why am I the one pleading to receive a dress…?’

She felt as though she had been led into a trap, but it was too late to back out or argue; Noah’s mood was too volatile. He let out a sigh deep enough to collapse the ground and nodded reluctantly.

“Then I shall have to wait for the next opportunity.”

“!”

Amy and Mrs. Weaver breathed a simultaneous sigh of relief, while the tailor collapsed onto the sofa with a groan of despair. Feeling a tiny bit of guilt, Amy quickly stepped forward and snatched up the navy gown.

“It’s a very well-made dress. I like it very much.”

“Yes, well…”

The tailor pouted as if to say Amy was playing good-cop-bad-cop, but Amy ignored it. Noah offered a weak smile.

“Then you’ll accept that one? But… about the matching accessories…”

When he started showing interest in the brilliant jewels again, Amy quickly blocked his path.

“Later! Yes, later! I will definitely accept them then, with gratitude!”

“Mm, then it’s a promise? You won’t make me look like an ungrateful scoundrel, will you?”

“Oh, Your Grace. How could you say such a thing? It’s a promise, of course, haha. Now, I’ll go and put this gift away safely.”

With a face full of awkward laughter, Amy clutched the navy gown and hurried out of the drawing room.

The moment the door thudded shut, Noah snapped his fingers. Mrs. Weaver immediately stepped forward and handed the tailor another money pouch. The tailor, who had been in despair just moments ago, accepted it politely with a bright face, her gloom vanished.

“I shall keep the purchased jewels in our shop’s vault for now. And we will be fully prepared to tailor the gowns and robes to the latest fashions whenever they are needed.”

Noah sat in a single armchair, crossed his legs, and nodded with a satisfied face.

“I trust you will do a good job.”

He didn’t forget to praise Mrs. Weaver either.

“Your tactic worked perfectly. Well done.”

“It was nothing, Your Grace.”

It had been Mrs. Weaver’s idea to overwhelm Amy with an impossible amount of clothes and jewels, knowing she would surely accept the compromise of just one. What Amy didn’t know was that they had already paid for all the jewelry and clothes in advance…

Noah and Mrs. Weaver, the two accomplices, looked at each other and smiled deviously.

Due to the tight preparation schedule, it was decided that the Spring Festival would be held on a small scale in the village below the castle. Guards galloped off to the estates of the Northern vassals with the news.

While it wasn’t a massive event, the clever vassals would undoubtedly come to investigate. It was a prime opportunity to gauge the Grand Duke’s leadership, drive, and hidden financial power.

“We’ve decided to announce the plans in the hall.”

Amy entered the hall with Noah. The servants who had arrived earlier all stood and bowed. Noah took his seat at the head of the room.

On the temporary platform, Joseph and James were busy with final preparations, rustling through documents.

The festival plan Noah had approved was as follows, but there was one thing to note first.

After the frozen ground had thawed, a peculiar flower never seen before was discovered throughout the North. It seemed to be a plant that had grown naturally before the Northern climate turned harsh. Noah and Amy decided to make this flower the symbol of the North and the Grand Ducal family, utilizing it starting with this festival.

Soon, Joseph stepped to the center of the platform and cleared his throat.

“Good day. I am Joseph Wenley, Aide to His Grace, and I will be presenting today’s announcement.”

Applause broke out as soon as he finished his introduction. Then, someone shouted along with a whistle:

“We saw you dancing on the stairs, Aide!”

A roar of laughter erupted, and Joseph’s face turned bright red. He fanned himself with a piece of paper and gulped down some water. After finally calming his heart, Joseph spoke again.

“I have something to tell you first. The symbol of the new flower will be included in all seals used by the Grand Duchy, including the Grand Ducal crest. It will also be on the employees’ name tags and clothing, so please take care in handling them.”

The crowd began to buzz at the news.

“It’s a change befitting a new Grand Duke and a new North.”

Amy, who had come up with the idea, nodded with satisfaction. Beside her, Noah gazed at her with a proud look. Joseph continued.

“The first proposal for this historic Spring Festival comes from the jewelers: the sale of amulets that can only be obtained at the Grand Duchy.”

The most common suggestion among the collected proposals was to sell items fashioned after the Grand Duke, who had brought spring to the frozen North.

After much deliberation, it was decided to make them in gold—the color of Noah’s eyes—but to differentiate them from other amulets, the new floral symbol of the North would be engraved on the surface.

While the standard version would be small enough for an individual to carry, various types would be sold, including those meant for horse armor, breastplates, or as ornaments for weapons.

“The second plan is a suggestion from James and myself. Given the nature of the North, where taxes are still paid in kind such as grain and livestock, this is a measure to secure much-needed funds for the Grand Ducal house.”

He wore a triumphant smile.

“We are going to mint our own currency.”

The coins to be used in the North will also be minted with the new flower symbol. For the next five years, they can be exchanged for Imperial currency at a rate that includes a 10% bonus on the face value.

If someone brings 100 units of Imperial currency, they can take 110 units of Northern currency. Those with surplus funds would never miss such an opportunity, and for this reason alone, they would surely flock to the festival.

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