“Unfortunately, Angela hasn’t shown herself for quite some time.”But not everything went the way he wished.Mark, the owner of the doll shop—the only one likely to know Angela’s whereabouts—shook his head immediately when Edgar said he wanted to meet her.“You said you’d pay double the usual commission fee. All I need is for you to arrange a chance to speak with the baronet.”“I’ll tell you again—I don’t even know where Angela lives, and I have no idea when she’ll come to take on new work.”It felt as if he were talking to a wall.Growing frustrated, Edgar removed the silk top hat from his head and let out a sigh. Mark shot him a sideways look and muttered just loud enough to be heard:“And who do you think pushed Angela into shutting herself away like that….”The tone clearly blamed Edgar. Edgar quietly looked at him, and Mark flinched and turned his eyes away.“What do you mean by that?”“W-What do you mean, what?”“You say it’s my fault. I don’t recall doing anything that would make the baronet hole herself up.”“Do you truly not know?”…After quite some time, Edgar stepped out of the doll shop and put his hat back on with another long sigh.After she was humiliated at the boutique Your Grace owns, that child stopped going outside at all. I heard the one who sent the invitation was you, Your Grace. What kind of training do you give your employees that they would treat such a fragile girl that way? The child must have found courage only because you have a reputation for not discriminating. Normally, she can’t even enter a fruit shop alone. I hope the message is clear now. Please do not look for Angela again.He never imagined that the reason she no longer stepped outside was because of his invitation and his boutique.He had only heard that the witch tried to attend his party but failed to buy a dress. He had never been informed what had happened at his own establishment.There were countless enterprises under his name, not just the boutique. And at that time, he had been too busy preparing for the party and meeting with scientists to spare attention for a small incident. Timothy must have known this and therefore did not report it.“Never thought that sending invitations to every noble listed in the ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) registry would come back to me like this.”The rapidly changing era often made nobodies become key investors or business partners overnight.And so, Edgar always made small efforts to appear decent to everyone—no matter their status—speaking politely and maintaining a pleasant expression.Given his status, background, and wealth, those small courtesies were enough for the world to call him an equitable gentleman.“Did it not go well?”Timothy, who had been waiting outside, asked in curiosity.“The boutique where Baronet Faber was thrown out—it was Signor, was it not? Were you aware?”“…What?”“They ignored my directive to treat every customer without discrimination. The employee responsible is to be dismissed immediately for breach of contract.”“That can be handled, but… will that make the baronet agree to meet?”“We start with that. And this is separate from any intent to meet her. This is disciplinary action for disregarding my policy.”For a businessman, reputation and trust were life itself.If an employee under his name committed an offense and harmed someone, then that employee had to be removed.If Angela truly had enough talent and reputation to keep two years’ worth of commissions waiting, then she would certainly have enough wealth to purchase the most expensive dresses in Signor Boutique.And yet, that employee had failed to recognize the value of such a customer. There was no reason to keep someone like that.“After the action is taken, watch the doll shop. If the baronet eventually calms down, she will come back at least once. That is the only place she interacts with anyone.”“Yes, understood.”Now, not only the wager but even the rights to the Oricto Mine rested upon Angela.She held too many potential keys to his new business. He had to meet her.***Whether she knew of Edgar’s burning urgency or not, Angela was living more fulfilled days than ever.“Hello, Eddy. The weather is very bright today. Can you see it outside?”Angela spoke to a white sphere placed at the center of her worktable.To anyone else, it would have been a deeply unsettling sight. But no one had entered her home in the past ten years—not a single person—so there was nothing to restrain herself for.“I’m sorry for leaving you alone yesterday. There was more work on the second floor than I expected, so I didn’t have a chance to come down.”She continued speaking as she proudly lifted something she held in her hands.“Tada. What do you think? I finished it yesterday.”What she displayed was a set of beautiful golden synthetic hair.“Normally, alpaca wool is used for doll’s hair. And you have to dye it to get natural colors. But producing a blonde like Edgar’s is extremely difficult. Strange, isn’t it? I’ve made blonde hair countless times, but this is the first time it’s been this difficult.”Even as she spoke, her slender fingers moved slowly, dissatisfied with the result.“His blond hair is like melted gold—radiant and elegant. I tried all sorts of chemical treatments and stayed up all night experimenting. But no matter what I did, I couldn’t get the exact feeling. I ended up bringing what was closest, but it's still not perfect. It’s supposed to be brighter and more brilliant…”Her complaining voice faded as a thought struck her. She glanced toward the window.Already, several weeks had passed since Edgar’s birthday party.The day she wanted to become dust and disappear.Instead of disappearing, she chose never to step outside at all. She asked Mark to delay her commissions, and confined herself entirely to her house.“Eddy… if Edgar knew I was making you, he would probably find me even more repulsive.”The sphere she looked at held a shape very familiar.The walls surrounding her workspace were covered entirely with pictures of Edgar. Photographs cut from newspapers—acquired while forcing herself into the outside world through sheer fear.The sharp bridge of his nose, the almond-shaped eyes.Refined eye sockets, well-groomed brows.Lips neither too full nor too thin, and a chiseled jawline.Angela hesitated, then gently placed the golden hair atop the sphere.“I know. If I were him, I would be horrified too.”With the golden hair laid upon it, the sphere resembled Edgar even more.“But I will never be able to see him up close again…”The humiliation she paid for daring to approach him—had ignited a new impulse inside her.If I cannot see him up close… then I should simply make him, and keep him beside me.If there was one thing she trusted in—it was her ability to create dolls.With a skill and artistry everyone praised—she could do it.To create a doll exactly like Edgar de Grace.

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