Ruby on the other hand went to her room, placed the money in her wardrobe drawer, and walked to the bathroom to wash her face. She stared at her reflection in the mirror. Madame Shades had said her face was similar to her mother’s.
A weird feeling settled in her chest. She couldn’t remember the original owner’s parents face clearly, only a blurry recollection of how they had taken care of and pampered her. But for Ruby, thinking about her own past made her stomach turn. Her memories were filled with pain and regret—she didn’t want to remember any of it.
With a quick motion, she wiped her face with a towel, trying to rid herself of the thoughts. She walked out of the bathroom, heading toward the dining room.
As she entered, she noticed everyone was already seated. Karl and Adrian were present, looking better than before but still a little pale. Milo sat beside them.
Ruby sat down in the empty seat beside Julian, noticing him looking at her face. She frowned, meeting his gaze, and he quickly lowered his head.
She watched as he nervously served her plate, stepping slightly beside her. As he bent down a little to place the food in front of her, he turned to check if it was enough. The moment his eyes met hers, his face turned bright red.
Ruby raised an eyebrow, confused by his sudden change in color. "Are you okay?" she asked, watching him closely.
"F-fine," Julian stammered, his usually calm and gentle voice betraying his nervousness.
Ruby couldn’t help but notice how flustered he seemed. "You’re acting strange," she commented, glancing at him curiously.
Across the table, Adrian, despite still feeling weak, noticed Julian’s awkward behavior. He frowned, trying to make sense of what was happening. What’s wrong with him? Why is he acting around Ruby?
Karl, on the other hand, was barely holding himself together. His eyes were teary, his exhaustion clear, but he still found the energy to glance between Ruby and Julian. Milo, sitting beside Karl, squeezed his hand tightly under the table, silently offering support.
After everyone ate in silence, Julian helped Karl and Adrian to Adrian’s room, leaving Ruby alone to her thoughts. She walked to her room, picked up her notebook, and started designing her robe ideas once again.
She decided to start fresh, but as she drew, she felt unsatisfied. With a sigh, she erased the sketch. She couldn’t afford to rip pages, after all.
Ruby closed her eyes, trying to imagine herself in a robe. She thought about what kind of robe she would like to wear and what kind of designs she would prefer as a customer. Though she could easily replicate ideas she’d seen in her previous world, she didn’t want to just copy something. She wanted to create something unique.
Instead of focusing on perfection, she decided to design from her own perspective as a customer. She would start by jotting down whatever came to mind, and later decide if any changes were needed.
The first need that came to her mind was the hot weather, so she designed a light, breathable robe. She used soft, airy fabrics that would allow for airflow, ensuring comfort during the heat. The robe was simple, with loose sleeves and a relaxed fit to provide maximum ventilation while still looking stylish.
Next, she thought about how it needed to be easy to wear. A complicated design would only make it inconvenient. So, she drew a robe with an easy-to-use wrap design—simple to slip on and secure with a tie at the waist. The idea was to make it versatile, something you could wear casually but still feel elegant.
Finally, she considered appearance—because, after all, how something looks is always important. Ruby sketched a robe with soft, flowing lines, gently draping to create an elegant silhouette.
She decided to keep the colors muted, carefully noting the type of fabric and the specific shades needed next to her sketch. She also added details about which colors would complement different skin tones, ensuring the design would suit a variety of people.
After completing her sketches, she sat back and stared at her designs. They weren’t perfect, but they felt right. It was simple, practical, and comfortable, with a touch of elegance. Ruby smiled to herself, feeling more satisfied with the designs than she had earlier.
She could always refine them later, but for now, this would suffice.
Ruby continued sketching on the nude ghost model, focused on refining the flow of the fabric in her design. Suddenly, a small, nervous voice broke her concentration.
"Gasp... Wh-what are you doing, wife?"
Ruby raised her head and saw Milo standing awkwardly at the door, his face crimson as he stared at her notebook with wide eyes.
Her brows furrowed slightly. "Designing clothes," she said simply, her tone calm and matter-of-fact. She went back to sketching, unfazed.
Milo, however, wasn’t as composed. He kept glancing between her and the notebook, his face growing redder by the second. "B-but why is it... like that? I-I mean... isn’t it a bit too... uh..." His voice trailed off, and he fidgeted nervously, avoiding direct eye contact.
Ruby tilted her head, confused. Then, as she looked at Milo’s reaction, it hit her. Her design base—a nude model sketch—must have made him uncomfortable. She chuckled softly.
"It’s just a model," she explained. "i am using these to visualize how the fabric will look on different body types. It’s nothing weird."
"But why are you making this?" Milo asked as he sat on the edge of her bed, his brows furrowed in puzzlement. "And what does it mean... you’re designing?" He tilted his head, genuinely confused.
"To make clothes," Ruby replied casually, her pencil moving across the paper as she continued sketching.
Milo still looked lost. He fidgeted nervously, not wanting to seem stupid in front of her. His voice came out hesitant as he asked, "Why...?"
Ruby glanced at him and smirked, setting her pencil down. "To make clothes and sell them," she explained patiently. "So we can get more money."
—To be continued...🪄