Chapter 123

I put the lavender Mushroom Pebble in the basket.

“Why that one? It doesn’t seem like something you would need, my lady. Janes follows you around all day.”

“The color is too pretty! I want to have one! And the expression is so cute, and it even sparkles!”

“Ah. Of course.”

“Let me get you one too, Emily! I brought plenty of money just in case!”

I selected one Mushroom Pebble of each color and placed them in the basket, one by one.

Soft pink, pale yellow—all the pastel shades, made of delicate marble. They were genuinely beautiful.

“Oh. That completes the figurine set. They’re produced in seven colors.”

“Really? That’s wonderful! I’m so lucky—they happened to be freshly stocked!”

I did a little shoulder shimmy on my way to the next section.

“Emily! Look at this! A small clip with a little rose on it! What would this be used for?”

“Gripping something, perhaps?”

I tilted my head.

“What would you grip with it? It’s quite small—maybe for holding documents together?”

“Hmm. It seems better suited for gripping something hard and small, I think.”

“Oh! Something hard and small! I have no idea what, but it’s pretty—let’s get it!”

I scooped up a handful of the small black clips with their little rose ornaments and added them to the basket.

Afterward, we went to the counter and set the basket on the desk.

We had picked up quite a few things, and the items had piled up rather high.

Mr. Smith surveyed our basket with composed amazement.

“My. You really will be burning tonight.”

He began writing up the prices on a receipt.

“Total—five gold.”

“Here you are!”

My husband kept my purse comfortably full. This level of spending was well within my means these days.

Mr. Smith handed over a red box containing our purchases and a receipt, and then said:

“You’ve won our promotional draw. Your name, please?”

He directed a sharp look at me, hood pulled well forward.

“Oh—um… I’m Emma Hallis.”

“‘Madame Emma Hallis.’ There’s something curiously familiar about that name.”

Mr. Smith furrowed his brow and drew out a red card. He began writing on it—quickly, efficiently, in practiced strokes.

He handed it to me.

“Our promotion for our one-thousandth visitor. Fifty percent off your next purchase.”

“My goodness! A discount card? And fifty percent?”

“That’s right. Present this card on your next visit, and I’ll take off half immediately.”

“Wonderful! Emily—ah, I mean—Natalie! We are incredibly lucky! It’s practically a half-price coupon!”

“Indeed.”

I opened the card eagerly.

TO: E.H.

Darling. You’ll come back next time, won’t you? I’ll be expecting a night that burns. Keep it a secret from your husband.

— S.J.

I giggled.

“That’s exactly what you’d expect from a secret membership shop. The promotional card copy is strangely intimate and enigmatic, isn’t it?”

“Quite. Rather designed to make sure you can’t not come back.”

“If my husband saw this he’d completely misunderstand. I might drop dead on the spot. I’ll have to hide it very carefully.”

“That does seem wise.”

I tucked the coupon card firmly into my sleeve pocket.

“Oh! And I should definitely hide everything we bought here too. It’s a secret membership shop—telling my husband would make it not a secret anymore. And I need to protect Emily’s false identity as well!”

“I’d appreciate that, my lady. A compromised false identity means starting over. This one’s been in use for five years—losing it would be quite a waste.”

“Understood! I’ll ask Janes specially—please, please keep our visit here a secret!”

We left the shop in good spirits.

Emily’s company had completely lifted my gloomy mood.

On our way back to the carriage, we shared a stick of skewered chicken. Emily asked conversationally:

“My lady—if there’s a second baby, who would you like them to take after?”

“My husband!”

“You’re that fond of the master?”

“Yes! Completely! Especially his face!”

“Even after everything he puts you through. Now that is true love.”

“Hehehe.”

We chatted pleasantly, and I was just biting off the last piece of chicken when—

“Oh?”

A familiar shopfront caught my eye.

“Wow! Emily—do you remember this? The place where we bought my husband’s birthday present! There must be a chain of them—they’ve opened one in our estate district too!”

“Ah. I remember. That surprise birthday present.”

“Yes! I really thought I was going to die that day— …wait.”

I stopped mid-sentence.

Emily and I looked at each other.

“…Oh?”

“This is it, my lady.”

“How did I not think of this before?!”

We went straight into the shop.

“This is it! I was the one who got into a box just like this! They carry the same size here!”

“Let’s purchase it. And this time, I think something a little different—something with more flair—would be nice.”

“More flair! What would that be?”

We headed straight for the bestseller section.

This month’s top-selling item was the Holly Holly Rabbit Set.

It consisted of an adorable carrot plushie, a white rabbit ear headband, and a white rabbit cape—packaged together.

“Extraordinary. Even the name sounds enchanting.”

“Good sign, isn’t it? This is the one—the Enchanting Rabbit everyone’s been talking about lately.”

“The Enchanting Rabbit? Emily, you know this character?”

“Yes. The Enchanting Rabbit—a very well-known character these days. Reportedly, just as the name says, it enchants everyone it meets.”

“Oh!”

“Enormously popular for being cute and charming. Apparently it’s responsible for keeping half the novelty shops in the empire afloat.”

“Remarkable. The Enchanting Rabbit…!”

Now that I thought about it—Kael had started calling me rabbit at some point, hadn’t he? Though I couldn’t imagine why.

Just then, I noticed a different character’s plushie displayed beside the Enchanting Rabbit.

“Hold on—is that a leopard? Something about it reminds me of my husband. Those cunning little eyes.”

“Oh my. You’re right. That’s the Prowling Prowling Leopard. I believe it’s the villain character—the one who makes the Enchanting Rabbit’s life miserable. Look here—there’s even an illustration of the Prowling Leopard with its jaws around the Enchanting Rabbit’s scruff.”

“Ugh. What a dreadful leopard.”

I glowered at the character who resembled my husband and rubbed my arms.

“My lady—there’s a sample cape here. Would you like to try it on?”

“Yes!”

I put on the rabbit cape immediately. Then the rabbit ear headband.

“How is it?”

“This as well.”

Emily handed me the carrot plushie. On closer inspection, the carrot had a warm, cheerful smile drawn on its face.

I held it up promptly.

“How is it?”

“Perfect.”

“Oh!”

“Come to think of it—this Enchanting Rabbit mascot does look a little bit like you, my lady.”

Emily gestured toward the Enchanting Rabbit display panel.

“Wonderful! Then this is the one! Last time I just had a ribbon tied around me—this time, I’ll dress the part properly! Maybe my husband will finally be bewitched a little!”

“An excellent choice.”

We bought it on the spot.

“Emily. You’re absolutely certain Father won’t be coming today?”

“Yes. Absolutely. Lord Karson is due to return a day late, tomorrow.”

“Thank goodness.”

“The master should arrive in about an hour, so shall we start getting you ready?”

My husband and father-in-law had set out on estate business since early morning. Father-in-law returning a day later was the most fortunate news I had heard all week.

I transformed into the Enchanting Rabbit in time for my husband’s return. Emily’s help meant I was dressed and ready quickly.

“My. It really is tremendously adorable. Tonight may truly be the night you conquer the master, my lady.”

“Really? Do you think it might work?”

“Entirely. You remember the incantation we practiced earlier?”

“Yes! Of course! I’ve got it!”

Today’s plan was simple.

The moment my husband stepped into his study, I would push the lid of the box up with my head and leap out.

Then I would spin in place and shout the incantation.

Simple, heartfelt, unmistakably a surprise gift.

“All right. I’ll stand by in the corridor nearby, pretending to dust.”

“Yes, yes—thank you!”

My heart was pounding. It had been a while since a surprise—it made my pulse race.

You’re all right, Ivelina. You practiced hard.

Tonight I would properly bewitch my husband!

I repeated the goal silently, dozens of times over.

An hour later.

Click.

The study door opened.

Now!

I tensed my legs and launched upward. The box lid struck by my head flew off with a satisfying bang.

“Twinkle-ling!”

I cried out the incantation with full force, carrot held high, spinning in a circle.

I landed steady and pressed the carrot to my face.

“I am the Enchanting Rabbit! I have come to enchant my husband—”