I Became a Gallery Manager in Another World

Tok-tok- Tok-tok-

Helen Redrose walked down the road with light steps.

“Heheung~.”

Helen was humming as she walked, unlike her usual self, because she was going to meet Ian after a long time.

Of course, if you told her this fact, she would never admit it…

There was undeniable evidence in Helen’s wallet.

‘Goat & Savannah’

It was a personal brand established by Thierry, a master artisan from the renowned luxury brand ‘Hermes’.

It became immensely popular upon its debut, but because every process was meticulously crafted by a single artisan, the price was secondary, and most nobles couldn’t even get a reservation.

However…

Helen was not from an ordinary noble family.

As the heir of the ‘Redrose’ family, which proudly belonged to the three primary color families along with ‘Bluetulip’ and ‘Yellowpansy’.

With her status, what seemed impossible became possible.

‘…That blue-haired girl tried to take it away without knowing her place.’

Even though ‘Salome Bluetulip’ was from the same primary color family, she couldn’t compete with Helen, the Redrose heir, and thus Helen forcibly took the priority.

“Hmph! That man is really lucky. Does he even know how much he could get just by putting this priority on auction?”

Helen closed her eyes, imagining Ian’s joy.

---

“So, what kind of relationship do you have with the man who received the priority from you, Helen? Won’t you really tell me?”

“…Well, it’s hard to say exactly what kind of relationship it is. …Let’s just say it’s not an ordinary one.”

“Oh, is he perhaps your future husband?”

Helen’s lips twitched at Thierry’s playful question.

Strictly speaking, it wasn’t wrong.

Being Harin’s father meant being Helen’s husband.

‘…But it’s still far off.’

In Helen’s view, Ian was lacking in many aspects except for his looks and night skills.

“Not exactly, but… well, it’s not impossible.”

“Oh my! Oh my! Then I, Thierry, will prepare with all my might.”

“No, there’s no need to go that far. Just do as you always do. Payment will be…”

Helen, who was about to naturally take out a check, paused for a moment.

‘…Well, on second thought, it wouldn’t be bad to boost his confidence this time.’

Instead of paying herself, giving Ian the cash to make him look like a ‘capable’ man was a necessary step for the future.

“…He will come and pay. …He’s a man with some skills.”

“Oh my, oh my… Helen, you’re giving such compliments. Understood. Then I will wait for your husband.”

“He’s not my husband yet… Hmph!”

Helen turned her head at Thierry’s words, but a joyful smile was evident on her face.

---

Tok-tok- Tok-tok-

“Heheung~♪”

Walking down the road while reminiscing about that day, Helen soon arrived in front of the promised cafe.

Swoosh—

Before opening the cafe door, Helen took out a hand mirror and checked her face.

“…Hmm, is my lip color too light? Maybe a bit darker…”

Helen puckered her lips a few times with lipstick and brushed her rose-red hair, trying to find the best look. Realizing something, she put the hand mirror back in her bag and muttered an excuse to no one in particular.

“Hmph! It’s not like I want to look good for him!”

As the heir of the Redrose family, it was only natural to always show a perfect appearance to others.

Squeak-!

There was no need to look for where Ian was sitting in the cafe.

…For some reason, the place where that man was present always shone.

“Ah, finally you’re here…. You’re late.”

“Hmph, you arrived early. Were you that eager to see me, Helen Redrose?”

“…You called me here. And it’s not that I came early, you came late.”

“Shut up. Don’t you dare think you’re the same as a noble like me? My every minute and second is worth several times more than yours.”

“Yes, yes, so? Why did you call me, the busy Helen Redrose? I’m also busy.”

“Ugh! How busy could you be! What’s with that attitude!?”

Helen gritted her teeth at Ian’s words.

‘What, what is this!? Is there really something more important than me, Helen Redrose!?’

After the contract period of ‘one semester’ ended, Ian and she would return to a relationship as different as heaven and earth.

Naturally, he should beg to see her even once more during that time!!

‘…Well, if that man kneels and begs after the contract period ends, saying he can’t forget me, Helen, I might consider it a little… But where is this nice smell coming from?’

Baam—

“Wha, what?!!… What, what is it!!… Surprised!!! So, so close!”

When Helen opened her eyes, Ian’s face was almost at kissing distance.

“No, I called you several times, but you didn’t answer.”

“That, that’s because… bu, business!! Yes, business! I was thinking about business!! I was busy. So, step back!”

When Helen lightly pushed his chest, Ian shrugged his shoulders and stepped back.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

‘That, that face is harmful!!’

While Helen was calming her racing heart, Ian sipped his coffee and spoke.

“Then let’s get to the point. Why did you call me?”

“…Hoo …Anyway, your patience… Here, take this.”

Swoosh—

Helen opened her wallet and handed Ian a check along with a business card with the address of ‘Goat & Savannah’ written on it.

“What’s this?”

“Can’t you see? It’s a check.”

“I know that, but why are you giving me a check?”

“Really, you’re so dense… Isn’t it obvious? The vacation is coming up.”

“…So?”

Helen frowned as Ian continued to stare blankly at the check.

“Haa… Do I really have to explain everything? Don’t you know the phrase ‘Do it well, neatly and tastefully’? Even if you dress like that inside the academy, it’s embarrassing for me if you go around in such shabby clothes outside. Buy some clothes from ‘Goat & Savannah’.”

“Why should you be embarrassed… And ‘Goat & Savannah’? You want me to buy clothes from there? Isn’t it impossible to get a reservation now?”

“Oh? You know about ‘Goat & Savannah’? That’s unexpected.”

“Well, it’s not that I know it personally, but I remember Evelyn saying she failed to make a reservation once.”

…

For some reason, Helen suddenly wanted to punch that man’s face.

“Hmph!! Do you know who you’re looking at right now? I’m Helen, okay? The ‘Marigold’ family isn’t small, but I’m the heir of the Redrose family. No matter how long the orders are backed up, it’s nothing if I step in.”

Helen sneered as she looked Ian up and down.

“It’s a place run by the most popular and outstanding artisan and designer in the Empire. Wearing clothes from such a place might improve your lousy fashion sense a bit.”

“…Is it really that bad?”

“Yes, it’s terrible. Extremely. Completely. So, so bad! Oh, now that I look, is that even clothes? Sorry, I thought it was a rag.”

Honestly, from Helen’s perspective, Ian’s fashion wasn’t bad.

Even if Ian wasn’t interested in fashion, he had grown up seeing and wearing only the best as the ‘Marigold’ family’s virtual ‘future son-in-law,’ and naturally developed an eye and sense for it.

Thump-! Thump-!

And regardless, the completion of fashion was the face.

Ian was so handsome that even Helen couldn’t find any faults in his face.

Even if he picked up a rag from a trash can, it would look like a luxury item on Ian.

‘…But.’

As mentioned earlier, Ian’s fashion was decent…

But for Helen Redrose’s partner, decent wasn’t enough.

“Perfect”

If that wasn’t possible, they had to be at least ‘excellent’ to barely pass.

And above all…

‘…The golden wild dog.’

Helen, who had a talent for feeling the flow, could tell.

Right now, Ian was reeking of ‘Evelyn Marigold.’

…Well, she knew it couldn’t be helped.

Even before she planned to use Ian to separate the royal family and the church, it was well-known in the academy that Evelyn and Ian were practically in a relationship.

‘Seriously… It’s ridiculous. How is Harin supposed to learn if her dad reeks of another woman?’

Helen didn’t like it.

She disliked the scent of another ‘female’ permeating Ian’s life overall, including his fashion.

Of course, it wasn’t jealousy!

It was just obviously bad for Harin’s education to have a dad who smelled like another woman.

Yeah, that’s all.

‘Still, I, Helen Redrose, can’t do things half-heartedly. If I’m going to color him with Redrose’s hue, it has to be perfect… First, trim that shaggy hair, and thoroughly from his behavior to his speech!’

─Other women were just a fleeting fling… You’re the only one I want to be with forever, Helen.

“Huh… Huhuh!”

Imagining Ian dressed in her taste, whispering love, a smile appeared on Helen’s lips.

Swoosh—

“Here.”

“…What is this?”

“Returning the check.”

“Why are you returning it? Ah…”

Seeing Ian’s unexpected reaction, Helen added cautiously.

“…Did your feelings get hurt because I said your fashion sense is bad?”

“No, I’m not hurt.”

“Ha, it looks like you’re hurt… Fine, I take it back. It’s not that bad. …It’s just a bit not to my liking. Happy now?”

“….”

But still, Ian didn’t take his hand away, making Helen frown.

“Ah!! I took it back!! So why?! What’s bothering you?!”

“It’s not that it bothers me, I just don’t need it.”

“…Huh? Unbelievable. Who doesn’t need money in this world!”

“I need money, but… This money is for buying clothes during the vacation, right?”

“That’s what I said!! How many times do I have to say it?!”

“So I don’t need it. Our contract was for one semester.”

“Yeah! So what! What are you trying to say?!”

“So, you don’t need to worry about what I wear during the vacation.”

“What?!”

Ian grabbed Helen’s wrist and handed back the check.

“Our contract ends this semester.”

“…….What?”

Flutter—

Helen dropped the check from her hand at Ian’s shocking statement.