The siblings were sitting in a small but comfortable waiting room. They were given food and drinks and told that their Lord was still busy. Ben was looking at his sword with glee, drawing it and sheathing it in turns. He took out and put together things he had in his backpack. However after some time, he sat down and looked at his sister, who was sitting near the table with her backpack on her thighs and a dreamy expression on her face.

  "Silfa... Do you think that our Master is like... Someone super important?" Ben asked after he inspected his equipment for the tenth time.

  "Ben... Do you have any idea how much money a gold coin is?" She asked softly. It wasn't her brother's fault that he lacked education.

  "Ummm... A lot?" He smiled but shook his head in denial.

  "You need one hundred copper coins to have a silver coin." She explained and he nodded eagerly. "Then you need one hundred silver coins to have a small gold coin. The big gold coin costs one hundred small gold coins, and Lord Ives uses them. This is more money than we have earned from hunting combined when our parents were alive. And he just spent it on us. Just like that!"

  She loudly snapped her fingers and took a deep breath. "I don't know if he is important, but he is wealthy enough to be important, so we must do everything we can to stay at his side, Ben. No matter what he asks us to do. Even if he... I don't know... Anyway! No matter what he asks you or me to do, you must control yourself!"

  "Like ask you to his bed? I'm not the brightest, Sis, but I saw how you looked at him..." He showed her his tongue and enjoyed how she turned beet red at the insinuation. He decided to tease her more. "Sorry, but I think your chances are slim for that. Have you seen his Maid? She is a beauty!"

  When his sister groaned instead of her usual bickering, he looked at her, worried. "Don't tell me..."

  "What?! You don't have to tell me that I'm delusional! But... He’s like some Hero from a legend, or a dashing prince from a romance story!" She finally quipped back, seeing his grin. "I wasn't laughing at you when you were pretending to be the greatest warrior in the world! You have your dreams, I have mine!"

  "Shesh! Relax..." Ben decided that teasing her further would probably be dangerous. He took a deep breath and said seriously. "But... You are right about one thing. He is like a Hero taken straight from a legend. I... I would like to go with him and see his country."

  "That would be something..." She said with a dreamy voice and hugged her backpack. "To see a country where people like him are nobles."

  ???

  "Ummm... I don't want to be impolite, but do your Lord and you... Ummm, are you a couple?" Miss Pola asked Catherine in a confidential tone when they were alone. "I swear to Goddess Tréni that I will keep it secret!"

  The Nekomi felt her face burn, but she once again touched her necklace and swallowed thickly. She couldn't call it a slave collar anymore. Considering everything she did, what he had said... She slowly shook her head in denial. No one would dare to make a false vow in the name of the Goddess of Love and Families, so Cate slowly inhaled.

  "No. I like him, and I think that he likes me, but that doesn't make us a couple." She said calmly.

  "Well... Not yet." The young Wolfkin smiled, happily wagging her tail. She grabbed Catherine's hands and looked deep into her eyes. "You are beautiful, Miss Catherine, so maybe...?"

  "I'm a slave..." Catherine reluctantly said.

  "We both know that’s a convenient lie." The woman smiled smugly and pointed with her finger to the ground. "I was there when you admitted it yourself. But even if you are a slave? So what? I was a slave as well! I was saved by Kenneth, one of the guards in our branch, and Sir Benjamin, who paid to set me free. Now I'm a happy bride-to-be! Kenneth and I are getting married next week!"

  "Congratulations... I guess?" Catherine smiled weakly.

  "What I want to say is the fact that you can be happy as well. He isn't like any men I’ve met so far, and he seems like he is truly from some faraway land. Maybe things are different there? Maybe a noble can love a commoner without being shunned by his peers in his homeland? If you think that he is the man you should be with, don't let anything stop you!" Pola said with a strange fire in her eyes and a clenched fist that she slowly raised to the air. "And thank you for your congratulations!"

  "Hmmm..." Catherine lowered her gaze as her heart beat faster. What if...

  "Anyway! After he spent so much money on those two incredible items, I will find you the best clothes we have! He will be disappointed if you decide to buy just the bare minimum."

  Catherine opened her mouth to protest, and closed them again after a heartbeat of consideration. Miss Pola was right. She needed more clothes.

  "I will consider what you said. But I don't think it's the time for something like that." She admitted with a soft smile. "I will need a few more sets of maids' clothing..."

  "I was thinking about something bolder..." Pola scratched the side of her head with a mischievous grin. "However, for starters, you will need more undergarments..."

  She opened the door to a separate room filled with various lingerie. Catherine followed her with a sense of growing dread that amplified when the doors closed behind her with an ominous thud.

  The next two hours were probably the most exciting, and taxing, experience she had ever had in a shop in her life. Some clothes proposed by Pola were way too bold in her opinion, no matter what the clerk thought. However, with a burning face, she decided to buy a few lingerie pieces she never expected to wear. She liked them, liked how they fit and flattered her, and that was enough to fulfil Arthur's order to buy whatever she liked. She didn't expect him to do it deliberately, but because of that order, she hadn't much choice. Secretly, she was even happy about it. Cate already had about twenty various dresses, mostly casual ones, but also a few far more distinguished. She even had four evening dresses she hoped to wear one day. They were absolutely gorgeous, and Pola assured her that they were worthy of a noble's daughter about which the Nekomi believed her. She obtained twenty more maid sets made of the highest quality cotton like the one she already had and liked. They would be enough to always look like a perfect Maid. However...

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  "This is really a maid's outfit, Miss Pola?" She looked at herself in the large mirror.

  The dress she was currently wearing was made of stunning black and white silk, velvet, and lace. It underlined her slim body perfectly and gave her a freedom of movement that surprised her. Cate spun around and observed how the material shone elegantly with her every movement. The high-heeled, black shoes with lovely white bows were shining on her feet, making her taller. She loved everything about this dress.

  "Well... Not exactly." Miss Pola admitted. "I took the liberty of putting together various parts to make it look like a maid's outfit, Miss Catherine. Do you like it?"

  "I love it! It's very comfortable..." She nodded.

  The hem of her dress ended right above her knees and her tail could move freely because the entire dress was specifically tailored for her. Master tailor Daria was watching from the side and was making amazing work in no time.

  "It matches your necklace," Pola added with conviction.

  "How... Ahem..." Cate cleared her throat. "How much for everything so far?"

  "I shouldn't tell you that..." The clerk made a pained expression but leaned towards her. "Ten gold pieces."

  "That's a lot!" She shuddered. "I can't..."

  "Do you want to make a bet that he won't even bat an eye?" Pola grinned.

  "No..." Cate felt how her ears flattened but she couldn't help but chuckle.

  "You have bumped into a wealthy Prince Charming, girl! I can bet that he can pay for this shopping run from his pocket change." The Wolfkin laughed, but suddenly straightened. "They’re coming!"

  "What? Who?!" Cate looked around, alarmed, but she calmed down when she noticed Arthur and Benjamin entering the floor.

  At least for a moment, Arthur had an unhappy expression that worried her. However, once he came closer, he masked his bad mood with a happy smile.

  "You look wonderful, Catherine." He said, even as his gaze softened seeing her.

  "Thank you, my Lord." She curtsied.

  "You wanted me to see you in some dress if I recall, right?" He asked with a mysterious smile.

  "Yes, my Lord." She smiled and felt Pola's gaze on the back of her neck. Cate could swear that the clerk's smile was particularly smug right now.

  He looked around while Cate tried to decide which one of the four dresses she should wear.

  "Hmmm... What about this one?" He pointed at one of the dresses she hadn't tried yet.

  "Of course!" Miss Pola quickly grabbed it and they disappeared into the fitting room.

  Catherine focused on her ring and stored her refined maid set. She was wearing only dark lingerie while Pola prepared the dress. The clerk was strangely focused, but quickly got Cate into the gorgeous, long dress, with a cut to the knees in front. The material was made in a way that it flowed like a river behind the woman.

  "My Gods, Miss Catherine... That dress looks like it was made specially for you." Pola whispered in a voice that slightly trembled with awe.

  She looked into a mirror and caught a glimpse of her reflection. Cate's heart started beating faster. Her form was as if caught by a dark blue wave. The insanely intricate black lace corset was intertwined with golden threads, creating a breathtaking embroidery. Her shoulders were bare, and it was a mystery to Cate how this dress could hold her body as firmly as it was, and yet she could barely feel its weight. She was given long, black gloves made of silk, embroidered with more golden threads and crowned with a wide stripe of black lace.

  "Gods, you are gorgeous... I can't wait until I see you in a few weeks." Pola whispered.

  "A few weeks? Why?" Cate looked at her in surprise.

  "Because you have barely any meat on your bones, but I'm sure he will fix it in no time..." The Wolfkin grinned and poked her in the neckline.

  Cate looked down and turned red. For the past four days, she was eating to her heart's content and had been sleeping much better.

  "You should also consider growing your hair..." Pola took a comb and brushed out her short locks.

  Catherine took a deep breath and looked again at herself in the mirror in disbelief. She took another deep breath and smiled. With closed eyes, she begged herself not to fall in love with him, but her heart wasn't listening... She wouldn't be able to mend it if he didn't love her back… She slightly nodded at Pola, who slid open the doors of the fitting room, and Cate mustered all her grace as she slowly stepped forward. Arthur was staring at her with a slightly flushed face, but he smiled with his arms crossed behind him. He was so handsome and impressive…

  "You are absolutely gorgeous, Catherine." He smiled charmingly, and his voice made her heart race. "Do you like it?"

  "Yes, my Lord..." She replied as he took her hand.

  "Then we have to buy it." He made her spin around, as if they were dancing, and nodded with a soft smile. "Like a princess."

  She gasped and forced herself to not start purring in happiness and delight. She must stay his perfect Maid no matter what…

  "I want everything else that a lady would need. Brushes, combs, ointments, soaps... I don't have to tell you, Ben. You know what's best. I will send Ben or Silfa for it later." He nodded at the merchant. Despite her overflowing happiness, she noticed annoyed notes in Arthur's voice and she looked at him questioningly. But he simply smiled and shook his head.

  "Of course, Lord Ives. But it wouldn't be necessary. Pola, go gather everything and we will meet downstairs." Benjamin nodded and Miss Pola bowed to him, quickly approaching him and giving him a slip of paper, then leaving the room in a hurry. "We will inform you, once we finish the work on the carriages, Sir Arthur."

  He just nodded and slowly turned around. "How much do I owe you?"

  "Let's see..." Benjamin looked at the paper Pola gave him. "That would be twenty big gold coins, Lord Ives."

  "Very well..." He took out the gold and handed it to the merchant, just like that. As if the coin meant nothing to him at all.

  "If you like to put on something lighter, now it is the time, Catherine." He smiled at her again. "However, if you like to return to the apartment with me wearing this dress, I would be happy to offer you my arm."

  "You are teasing me again, my Lord..." She whispered and focused on her storage item.

  In a blink, she was wearing a set of her more mundane maid clothes. However, her necklace and ring made the clothes look even better than usual.

  "I'm not." He smiled, but it never reached his sad blue eyes.

  Before leaving the Alabaster Trading Company, Miss Pola prepared a large basket of various items and handed it to Cate, who stored it in her ring.

  "Consider it a gift, Lord Ives." Benjamin tried to smile, but whatever had happened during Catherine's absence clearly spoiled their mood.

  With Ben and Silfa following them closely, they moved back towards the Baron's mansion. Only when they reached the main market did she break the heavy silence.

  "What happened, my Lord?" She was worried sick. "Is it my fault?"

  "I revealed something I shouldn't have, Cate." He sighed heavily. "Now, I'm just blaming myself, so you shouldn’t take it personally. If anything, your presence saved the day..."

  Thank you all for reading.

  I wish you all a great day and as always I wait for your comments.

  A big thanks to and who edited the chapter!