All she could enjoy in a theater with no games, no TV, and no novels was watching an opera that was not fit for her tastes or going to the makeup room of the actresses to see the dresses. It was a rare pleasure to spend time drawing pretty clothes according to her imagination.

"I know you want to open the dressing shop when you save money later, baby."

The word 'baby' from Maribel raised Simone's eyebrows at once. But she didn't refute the words that followed.

"I'll send you Amelie and Sophie. They're the ones who've been trying to avoid my eyes and somehow give you something better, and you needn't worry about their betrayal since they raised you."

The day after the Marquise had warned her about the illegitimate child as she had taken away Stella's body, Maribel had thought about Julietta's future. The two women had asked Maribel, burdened by the warnings of Mrs. Anais ordering that Julietta should never be identified, not to kick out Julietta, since they would raise her in the prop room.

It was Amelie and Sophie who had been taking care of the child for nearly a year, instead of Stella who had been lying in bed without energy since she returned to the theater. At the strong request of the two, who were very affectionate to the astute Julietta, Maribel let the child leave of her living quarters in the theater and put her in disguise.

Maribel looked at Julietta, her eyes glistening at the suggestion that she would send Amelie and Sophie over, and said, "Please open a small but luxurious dressing shop with a proper name. It's also good to make her face invisible. Julietta can put Amelie and Sophie in the dressing shop and have them make a dress for her to wear. Amelie and Sophie's skills are excellent when compared to the average tailors in other dressing shops. If you don't want Julietta's secrets to leak out, how much more perfect could this dressing shop be?"

At Maribel's words, Simone was lost in thought for a moment. As she said, there was no better way to keep a secret than this.

Simone felt gooseb.u.mps on her arms as she looked at Maribel smiling confidently. She was a formidable woman. She was a woman that she should not be an enemy. Fearing whether it was a good thing to get on the same boat, Simone stood up. There was no way she could do anything about it now anyway.

"I'll do as you say. I'll send someone as soon as I'm ready."

When Simone left the box, Julietta whispered quickly to Maribel, "Aren't you worried that I won't be able to pay you back?"

"Baby, I'm sorry I racked my brains for you."

Of course, Maribel's suggestion was not bad. Furthermore, she was glad to hear that she would send Amelie and Sophie. However, she was only nervous about why she made such a proposal for.

"Oh, of course, it's important to get my money, too. But now you have a very good chance. And while you've got that good opportunity, it's not bad to be a little more greedy."

Maribel patted Julietta's cheek with her fingers and bent her eyes.

"Go ahead, before you get scolded by the Marquise. And whenever you have time, drop by the theater as an excuse at the opera. When you were working on Harrods Street, I could still see you once a month, but it wasn't easy to see your face after you went to Bertino."

Julietta sighed as if she had given up and turned away, thinking that she could say she didn't want to see her often. It was because she knew Maribel had affection for her, though it changed according to her mood. As that affection was shallow, she never knew when it would change.

After Julietta fell into a strange world, the Eileen Theater was her home and hometown, and Maribel and her troupe members were her family. Maribel was selfish for her own benefit, but Julietta still believed she wouldn't hurt her.

------

Inside the carriage returning from the theater, Simone told Vera, "Vera, tell Gibson tomorrow to find the right place for a dressing shop."

Julietta had been running her head busily ever since she heard Maribel's suggestion. After saving some money, it was her dream to go down to a quiet country village and open a small dressing shop. She was going to ask Amelie and Sophie to come with her then, but it was thrilling to see the opportunity come so fast.

Julietta, who now thought she should make this unexpected opportunity as favorable to her as possible, said to Simone, "Can I check out the store?"

"You?"

"Yes. I think it's too much for Gibson, the driver, to find the right store for this situation right now. Since it's going to be the dressing shop for Princess Kiellini's wardrobe, it needs to be luxurious and elegant, as well as not noticeable. That is not a typical store."

"Don't be ridiculous. Do you think it makes sense that Princess Kiellini goes around looking for a dressing shop? No matter how careful you are, you could catch people's eyes."

"Of course, I can't walk around in the form of a princess. There's a wig I used to dress up in. If I wore that wig and borrowed Vera's gown, who would think I was Princess Kiellini?"

At Julietta's words, Simone was lost in thought for a moment. She was sure that it would be better than leaving it to Gibson.