Welcome to Olivia’s Magic Stone Jewelry Store

Chapter 15: Unexpected Good Fortune

“It’s done! It looks pretty good.”

The day after she told her friends about her situation.

Olivia was sketching designs in her study in the back of the store.

She was making earrings and a necklace for a young lady.

It was requested as a gift for her mother’s birthday.

Because her mother loves flowers, she created a design with a rose motif.

The standard “disinfection” worn by the nobility will be granted upon the magical stone.

Olivia returns with the completed design.

“Could you look at this, Lottie?”

“Yes.” Lottie approaches her and admires the design.

“It’s very nice, in my opinion. The design is serene yet delicate.”

“Fufufu. Thank you. Then I’ll take this tomorrow.”

Olivia smiles.

“So, about yesterday… Thank you for informing Sally.”

Olivia slept well last night without having any nightmares. She may have been relieved that her friends had agreed to help her.

Her physical condition, which had been shaken the day before, had improved.

She got through a long day at work without incident.

“If Lottie hadn’t told them, I would have been on my own and self-destructive.”

“No, and I apologize for taking the liberty of doing so.”

“Please do not apologize. I’m grateful… Okay, I know it’s early, but let’s call it a night.”

“Yes.”

After hanging a [Closed] sign at the store’s entrance, the two begin cleaning up.

They were done cleaning up and ready to rest.

Tinkling, tinkling

The doorbell abruptly rings.

Lottie opened the door to find a cheerful Sally standing there.

“Oh, I see you’ve already done your cleaning. Olivia. How are things going?”

“Thank you very much. I slept well last night, so I’m in good spirits.”

Sally smiled and looked relieved.

“Well, show me what’s in your home closet.”

“…Huh?”

Olivia blinks, not understanding what Sally is saying.

“You need a lot of things like moving clothes when you go to a wedding, don’t you? I want to know what Olivia has so that I don’t buy clothes that are similar to hers.”

“Well, I think the clothes I’m wearing now will be sufficient for moving…”

Sally shook her head, as if it were nonsense.

“You’re currently dressed in a work suit. A woman who is going to a wedding should not be dressed like this, even if it is for work. Don’t you think so, Lottie?”

“Yes—You’re right.”

Lottie gives a deep nod.

Olivia sighs in resignation at the two vs. one situation.

“…Okay. Come upstairs.

She leads Sally upstairs.

Then, when she unlocked the room door and turned around.

“Please come in.”

“I’m sorry to bother you.” Sally enters and looks at the room, which is so empty you’d think no one lived in it, and she looks surprised.

“What? Isn’t this Olivia’s room?”

“Yes—It is, indeed.”

“Do you really live here? There’s hardly any furniture or fixtures.”

Olivia looks away uncomfortably.

“…I was going to buy some furniture I liked, but I didn’t have time to go shopping. “

“How about those boxes in the corner of the room?”

“That’s from Gordon’s Great Magic Tools Store, where I got everything when I first moved in.”

“…”

“Yes, I know what you mean. But I really didn’t have time to clean up.”

In fact, she had plenty of time.

However

“Today I have to read a book on magical stones.”

“I’ll practice granting newly acquired materials today.”

There were so many work-related tasks to complete that the room had to be put on hold.

“A-Anyway, here’s my clothes.”

Deceptively, she pushes Sally back and leads her to the closet.

“Everything is in here.”

“Okay. I’ll take a look.”

Sally opens the closet door as if trying to gather her thoughts.

Then she looks inside and makes a startled noise.

“It’s all black… I thought the only clothes you had other than black and navy blue were blouses. And you’re almost always in a suit, aren’t you?”

“For some reason, when I go shopping, I always buy them. It’s safe and I can wear it to work.”

Olivia is making slurred explanations for why she did nothing wrong.

“Oh. But I’m wearing the clothes I bought when I went shopping with Sally.”

“Those are winter clothes.”

Sally grinned bitterly, “I never in my wildest dreams thought those would be your only clothes, since I usually see you after work.”

“Well, it’s easy to understand, because it means that you won’t wear anything other than black and navy blue.”

“…”

“It’s also very satisfying to know you’re almost starting from scratch.”

“Well, let’s go buy some stuff then.” Sally’s heading for the exit.

“Eh? to buy? No way, now?”

Sally smiles as Olivia rolls her eyes.

“Yes—We only have about a month and a half left, and we need to get your sizes corrected. Let’s go get you some clothes and makeup today!”

***

(Sigh… I’m exhausted…)

Two hours after being taken out of the store.

Olivia sat slumped in a chair inside Sally’s favorite clothing store.

(I think this may be the first time I’ve ever worn so many different clothes.)

The clothing store owner and Sally are arguing about Olivia’s clothes in front of her.

“Olivia is fair-complexioned, so I think she would look better in light colors.

“No. Bright colors make her face look blurry. I think she should have clothes in clear colors too.”

Olivia reflected deeply as she listened to the conversation.

(… Before coming to the Royal Capital, I didn’t give much thought to myself.)

She was a hard-working woman who was unconcerned about her surroundings.

She has been working too hard and not caring since she arrived here.

She keeps up with the latest fashion trends in her designs, but she never wears them herself.

All the clothes she wears are similar in black and navy because she can wear them at work and they are safe.

Because of this, Olivia now did not even know what kind of clothes or makeup would look good on her.

(Perhaps I should take this opportunity to properly consider it.)

Olivia becomes unusually positive, other than at work.

After choosing some clothes, Sally and she go to the beauty salon where she has made reservations.

They select the appropriate powder or lipstick for their skin tone and show them how to apply makeup.

And then, out of the store.

“Well, I guess I’ll go back to work.”

Olivia started walking back to the store after seeing Sally off. She was carrying a paper bag with the makeup she had just bought in it.

The sun is already setting outside, and there is a pale spring twilight in the air.

The footsteps of people passing through the city are also somewhat busy.

(I’m so tired, I think I’ll leave work for tomorrow and go to bed early again today.)

With these thoughts in mind, she walks along the cobblestones until she reaches the entrance to Ramiris Street, which houses the store.

She sees a familiar man walking in front of her.

(Is that…? Elliot?)

He was tall with surprisingly stocky shoulders and long limbs. brown hunting cap.

Without a doubt, that’s Elliot.

A man looks forward, perhaps noticing Olivia’s gaze.

He stops and smiles cheerfully.

“Good evening, Olivia. “

“Yes—Sally took me shopping.”

She noticed Elliot was a little tipsy as she approached him with these words.

“Are you drunk, Elliott?”

“Yes—I had a few drinks with some friends.

“Is it work-related?”

“No. with swordsmen.”

Olivia’s eyes sparkled at the unexpected reply.

“Are you learning to use a sword, Elliott?”

“Yes—I went there today for the first time in a long time, and they made me drink a lot as a punishment for skipping training for so long.”

Olivia looked sympathetically at Elliot.

“That’s terrible. Did they give you a drink at one of the places around here?”

Elliot gave a small smile.

“…No. The place I had a drink at was far away, but I felt compelled to stop here.”

(Speaking of which), Olivia tilted her head, remembering that this had also happened about a year ago.

“That’s strange. Is there something around here?

“Let me help you.” Elliot reaches out and takes Olivia’s bags in her hand.

“Let’s go.”

“Thank you.”

They began walking together under the streetlights.

Olivia walks silently next to Elliot, who is unusually silent, worried that he’s probably drunk and tired.

As they walk, children run past, laughing.

They finally arrived at the store.

“Thank you very much, Elliot; you’ve been a great help.”

“No, no. It was an unexpected turn of events for me. You helped me make up my mind.”

“?? That’s good, right?”

Following what may or may not have been a convoluted conversation,

Olivia entered the store.

And Elliot disappeared alone into the evening.