The dress design draft, which Rine had thought would take a long time, was finished in no time.

In fact, it was completed so quickly that Rine was left blinking in bewilderment.

“Already?”

Violetta answered with a smile that carried a hint of affectionate amusement.

“It’s not usually this fast. But with such a good model, inspiration hit me the moment I saw you. You can take pride in that—it’s thanks to you.”

“Ah, n-no. I wouldn’t go that far... um, but I have a question.”

“Yes. Ask as much as you like.”

“It’s just... the dress is supposed to be a single piece, yet you’ve drawn three different ones in the draft. Why?”

The designs Violetta had sketched in her notebook were three in total.

And not only were the designs different, but so were the colors.

Violetta hesitated for a moment, as if wondering how to answer, then smiled in a way that seemed full of secrets—an experienced, slightly older woman’s smile.

“You’ll understand when you try them on yourself. And truthfully, even I won’t know for sure until you do.”

“You’re not sure...?”

“This dress will be my first attempt at something like this. So everything about it is unexplored territory. But don’t worry—it’s not dangerous. I only decided to do it because I saw that it could work. Ah, would it be alright if I took your measurements now?”

“Yes.”

“Professor Ludger, may I borrow this adorable young lady for a moment?”

Ludger, seated casually on the shop’s sofa, nodded silently.

The gesture was so natural that it was as if Ludger owned the place.

At least, that’s how it seemed to Rine.

“Come on, let’s go upstairs. There’s a special room for VIPs.”

Guided by Violetta, Rine went to the second-floor room.

There, Violetta began to take various measurements.

“Hm. I’m envious. A figure with not a hint of excess. You’re sure you don’t do any special maintenance? I can hardly believe it.”

“E-ehehe... thank you.”

“Thank your parents. It seems you were simply born with it.”

“Well... not exactly.”

“What do you mean?”

“I don’t know what my parents look like.”

Violetta’s expression stiffened slightly at that.

“Sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”

“It’s fine. I don’t really think much of it. I suppose I’ve even forgotten the sadness of it, since I can’t remember anything about them.”

“... Sometimes, not knowing can be for the better.”

Violetta said this as she measured Rine’s arm length with a tape measure.

“Still, you’re much better off than most. You’re a student at Seorn, after all. Once you graduate, there will be people lining up to hire you anywhere you go.”

“Yes. I’m grateful for that. I know I’ve been lucky beyond my station. Not everyone gets a chance like this.”

“You’re a composed young lady.”

“Am I? I thought this was normal.”

“No. Objectively, you’re very upright. Most Seorn students are full of arrogance.”

Rine’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Really? I didn’t know.”

“It seems so. Do you know? Living on this street, I hear a lot of news—including stories about Seorn’s students. Most of it is about petty trouble. Looking down on staff, treating them rudely, running up tabs without paying... real troublemakers.”

Violetta measured Rine’s waist, prompting Rine to unconsciously hold her breath.

“But here’s the surprising thing—most of those troublemakers are actually commoners.”

“Is that true?”

“We have ears, you know. We also know how commoners at Seorn are looked down on by noble students. Even if it’s gotten better now, the remnants of that prejudice still linger.”

“That’s not always...”

Rine began to object, but closed her mouth.

She remembered the students who had picked fights with her.

Most of them were nobles—ones who either envied her or approached her because of her looks.

She had almost found herself in dangerous situations because of it.

But not everyone was like that.

Erendir, the imperial princess, and even Freuden from a ducal house—there were nobles who were good people.

Yet she couldn’t deny they were the minority.

What surprised her more was that those commoners who had been discriminated against inside the academy would, once outside, flaunt their status as Seorn students to lord over others.

“People like to think, ‘If I suffer something unpleasant, I’ll never do that to someone else.’ But that’s wrong. The only reason they say that is because they haven’t been in a position of power yet. In reality, it’s the opposite. Everyone wants to feel superior to someone. A commoner who has been looked down on by nobles will look at someone of lower standing than themselves and revel in that feeling of superiority. They use it for comfort—like drinking cheap beer when you can’t afford fine wine.”

Society in the current age increasingly spoke of breaking down class barriers.

The main claim was that all humans were born with equal rights and were fundamentally equal.

It was a phrase not unlike what the Liberation Army proclaimed.

But had the Liberation Army really treated everyone equally?

They used the excuse of “liberating” commoners as a means to oppress other commoners.

In the end, a new class was created above the commoners—the Liberation Army itself.

Even if the nobility disappeared, true equality would never arrive.

True equality was nothing more than an empty ideal.

“It’s common enough for a newly wealthy entrepreneur to throw away their old fiancée because they want someone ‘worthy of their status.’ Or for two best friends to suddenly cut ties because one was discovered to have talent as a mage. Even among people from the same back alley, someone born beautiful will look down on the others. It’s more common than you think. Even when standing on the same ground, people think they’re somehow better than others.”

“So that’s why you called me composed.”

“Exactly. Because you haven’t fallen into that trap.”

“And why are you telling me all this?”

“I wanted to check. If someone’s going to wear a dress I made, I’d be much happier if they were a good person.”

Violetta smiled openly as she put the tape measure away.

“Besides, what I do isn’t all that different from what I just described.”

“In what way?”

“Superiority.”

Violetta took a dress from a hanger on one wall and held it lightly against Rine.

“A tailor or designer ultimately sells desire. We give form to the wish to be more beautiful, more dazzling, more captivating—to raise someone’s charm to a higher level. Most people who want that are wealthy ladies. But I think of it a bit differently.”

Her gaze was serious as she compared the dress to Rine.

Rine steadied her breathing and kept still, but she continued asking questions.

“How do you think of it?”

“Revolution.”

“Revolution?”

“Not in some grand political sense, but... I think of it this way: by wearing a glamorous dress, someone can elevate their natural beauty far beyond its usual reach. They can look down on people they normally wouldn’t dare to challenge. A shift in class—that’s a revolution, isn’t it?”

When Rine thought about it, it did seem that way.

“In that sense, I really love this work. Even if I can’t climb higher myself, I can give someone else wings. Just like now. That’s enough for me.”

Violetta nodded in satisfaction and hung the dress back up.

“So I’ll make you the star of the show. I’ll make sure no noble or royal can compare. A commoner taking the top spot in that place—what sweeter rebellion could there be?”

Rine realized, all over again, what kind of person Violetta was.

Someone who loved her work and took pride in it.

And someone who held strong convictions.

“Then I have another question.”

“Yes, go ahead.”

“How did you meet Professor Ludger? And what’s your relationship with him?”

Violetta raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised.

“My, you’re a sharper young lady than I thought.”

“N-no, that’s not what I meant—”

“I’m teasing. We met because he became my patron.”

“Patron?”

“He’s the one who made it possible to open House of Verdi. He’s also helped many people in this street. Did you know? Royal Street used to be a neglected slum no one visited.”

“I’ve heard. That it was dangerous and practically abandoned by the city of Rederbelk.”

“The fact that a place like this could change so much is thanks to helping hands. Professor Ludger was one of the people who offered that help. He doesn’t look down on anyone just because they’re poor. I suppose you could say he treats everyone equally.”

“Mhm. I understand. That does make sense.”

“Is he the same way at Seorn?”

“Yes. Even noble students can’t do a thing in front of Professor Ludger. He doesn’t go easy on anyone, no matter who they are.”

“I can believe that. In a way, he really is equal to everyone.”

He was almost like the embodiment of the ideal itself.

Once the measurements were finished, the two went down to the first-floor lobby.

Ludger was there, sitting quietly with his eyes closed.

He could have been meditating... or perhaps just dozing from fatigue.

Without thinking, they both softened their footsteps.

“All done?”

He asked without opening his eyes.

“Y-yes.”

For some reason, Rine felt like a child caught in the act of doing something wrong.

Then Ludger opened his eyes. A faint bluish light shimmered in his pupils, like dawn mist scattering in the morning sunlight.

“You’ve worked hard. Let’s go. I’ll see you back to the dormitory.”

He rose from his seat as he spoke.

Rine moved to follow him, but glanced back and gave Violetta a polite bow in farewell.

Violetta waved with a smile.

Ding-ling.

When they stepped out onto the street, there were already plenty of people about.

Royal Street was glamorous at night, but it still drew a fair crowd in the early morning.

Among them, here and there, were also students from Seorn.

Huh?

Sheryl Wagner was one of them.

She was browsing for a dress for the upcoming ball.

Given her family background, dressmakers would practically line up to beg her to wear their designs.

In fact, she had already chosen her own dress. The reason she was out today was for Flora’s sake.

Although Flora was the daughter of Duke Lumos, she was far from being properly treated.

Ignorant designers who had approached the Lumos household with offers had all been flatly rejected.

And since Flora herself had little interest in dresses, Sheryl had decided, as her friend, to have one made for her instead.

That was the plan... until I saw something I really wish I hadn’t!

She had just spotted Ludger leaving a shop with a female student.

And not just any shop—it was House of Verdi, the most famous place in the area.

Why on earth would Professor Ludger be coming out of there?

And she knew the girl with him well enough—Rine.

Rine was fairly well-known.

A commoner who was close friends with Freuden Ulburk and stuck to Erendir von Exilion like a shadow—it was inevitable.

Her doll-like beauty even made people question whether she was truly a commoner at all.

I always thought it was suspicious how much contact she had with Professor Ludger... but I didn’t think it would be like this!

Sheryl hesitated.

Should she tell Flora about this or not?

What if she passed it on and Flora ended up hurt?

Ugh... why is this my trial to bear...!

Her head already felt like it was starting to ache

* * *.

The midsummer heat, like a field fire, had not faded even as time passed.

Time was equal for all, and each person had made their own preparations.

“Mmm... does this look okay?”

Aidan muttered as he looked at himself in the mirror.

He’d never worn a suit that fit him this well before, and it felt uncomfortably tight.

Did nobles really wear constricting things like this to every banquet?

While he was thinking such idle thoughts, a curt voice came from outside the door.

“Hey. If you’re dressed, hurry up and get out here.”

“Yeah! Coming.”

When he stepped out, Leo was there, arms crossed, giving him a quick once-over.

“What took you so long?”

“I’m just not used to clothes like this.”

“Save it. Let’s go, the others are waiting.”

“Alright. Oh, by the way, Leo—”

“What.”

“You look good. Really sharp.”

“Stop talking nonsense.”

Aidan and Leo stepped out of the dormitory.

Normally, female students were not allowed near the male dorms, and vice versa.

But today was the day of the ball, practically a festival, and the only day exceptions were made.

At the entrance, female students were already waiting for their partners.

Among them were two who caught Aidan’s and Leo’s attention—each dressed perfectly for the occasion.

One wore a blazing red dress like a flame, and the other was ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) in a distinctive reimagining of beastkin traditional attire.

“What took you so long! You’re not supposed to keep a lady waiting!”

“Haha, sorry, Taishy.”

“Hi, Leo.”

“...Hey.”

Leo glanced at Iona, who had greeted him, and said quietly,

“You look good. The dress suits you.”

“Thanks. You look good too.”

“...Stop talking nonsense.”

Pop-pop!

Even in daylight, fireworks burst in the distance, scattering brilliant colors like drifting petals.

Anyone could tell that was where the main event was happening.

The four of them, each carrying their own excitement, headed toward the ballroom.