A Flat-Chest Believer Reincarnated in a World Where Women with Small Breasts Aren't Treated as Women ~ I Ended Up with a Flat-Chested Harem. - Chapter 48

After finishing my daily task of supplying “Holy Water,” I left the estate alone. Today, I planned to go shopping.

With my time in the royal capital nearing its end, I thought it would be a good idea to buy some gifts for Risty and Rita.

I walked through the noble district, heading toward a specific building: the most prestigious jewelry shop in the royal capital. While the shopkeeper could have easily brought items to the estate, choosing a present at the Gustique estate would have felt less personal. I had informed the shop in advance that I would be visiting today.

As I arrived at the shop, the door promptly opened, and the shopkeeper stepped out to greet me with a deep bow.

“Lord Folca, we’ve been expecting you. Please, this way.”

I replied with a brief “Thank you” and entered. I was guided to a comfortable reception room and seated in a plush chair.

“As mentioned beforehand, I’m here to look at women’s hairpins.”

“Of course. As requested, we’ve prepared options from our finest collection as well as a selection from the next tier below. Does this still align with your preferences?”

I nodded at the shopkeeper’s words. I intended to purchase one for Risty and one for Rita.

While I personally had no issue with buying the highest-quality items for both, society didn’t work that way. If I were to gift Rita something of the same caliber as Risty’s, she’d likely scold me seriously for the first time in a while.

…Would pushing her onto the bed after such a scolding be an interesting play? It’s a tempting thought. But no, I’m not like the Lustful King; I’m rational enough to restrain myself.

“Now then, let me first show you some of our finest pieces. While they don’t surpass the craftsmanship of Marquis Gustique, these are the highest-grade items we can offer.”

The shopkeeper brought out a tray holding over a dozen hairpins. Each one was exquisite, featuring intricate designs and large gemstones, showcasing a variety of styles.

“This piece here is what we consider our masterpiece.”

The shopkeeper gestured toward a gold hairpin adorned with a cluster of small, delicately crafted flowers. The petals appeared to be made of gold mixed with other metals to achieve varying colors, forming a vibrant bouquet.

It was indeed a tasteful design. The craftsmanship was precise and beautiful, fitting for a recommendation from such a prestigious shop.

Yes, I liked it. I was almost decided, but I carefully examined the other options just to be thorough.

One caught my eye—a hairpin featuring an impressive emerald. Its deep, rich color reminded me of Rita’s eyes.

…If I were to gift her something of this caliber, it might cause her some distress.

But then again, if she didn’t wear it in public, wouldn’t it be fine?

Moreover, when the time came to formally take Rita as an official concubine, this level of adornment would no longer be inappropriate. By coordinating her attire to maintain a distinction from Risty’s, it could be acceptable.

The gemstone itself was extraordinary. It could also be repurposed into another accessory if needed. Adjustments wouldn’t be difficult.

Natural gems like this aren’t something you can buy anytime you have the money.

Alright, I’ll buy it.

“I’ll take the floral hairpin you recommended and this emerald one.”

“Understood. I’ll now bring out the items from the lower grade collection.”

“Please do.”

It wouldn’t be fair to only give Rita a hairpin she couldn’t wear in public. I needed to purchase something more practical as well.

The shopkeeper brought out another tray with hairpins, clearly of a different standard than the previous ones.

I scanned the tray and spotted a hairpin that caught my attention. It had a simple design—a long, oval-shaped gold ornament adorned with a small diamond. It was elegant and seemed easy to use.

I imagined Rita wearing it in my mind. Yes, it would suit her perfectly.

“I’ll take this one.”

“Understood.”

In total, I purchased three items. While it was common for nobles to pay on credit, I preferred to pay in cash with gold coins—it made the purchase feel more real. The total came to 25 large gold coins.

“Thank you for your purchase. It is an honor to serve you. We will continue to strive for excellence.”

The shopkeeper bowed deeply.

Though the emerald hairpin wasn’t part of my original plan, it felt like the right choice. I was almost looking forward to Rita’s reaction—or her scolding.

Returning to the Gustique estate in the royal capital, I spent the afternoon reviewing documents that had arrived from the main estate. There didn’t seem to be any major issues, but there was one note: a girl who had been abducted by bandits in Pireneba, Count Rendolf’s territory, had relocated to Kolibe in Gustique territory. I had already instructed the village chief to provide support when she arrived, but I penned an additional letter to emphasize the matter.

Before I knew it, evening had come.

After dinner, I enjoyed tea with Risty—not black tea, but a herbal tea considered safe for pregnant women. Rita wasn’t present at the moment.

“Oh, Risty, I bought you a little present.”

At an appropriate moment, I brought up the subject. I took out a small wooden box and placed it on the table.

“Thank you. Can I open it?”

When I replied, “Of course,” Risty opened the wooden box and took out the hairpin inside.

“It’s beautiful… It looks like parts of the gold were alloyed to change the colors. It’s so lovely, like a little flower garden.”

Her eyes sparkled as she examined the hairpin closely, admiring it from various angles.

“Thank you, Folca. I’m so happy. I’ll try it on.”

As Risty said this, the maid standing by in Mariel’s place quickly approached and helped her put on the hairpin.

Risty stood up and spun around. The hem of her dress twirled softly, her hair shimmered and swayed, and the hairpin glittered in her hair. Not only did the hairpin suit her perfectly, but her entire appearance was stunning.

“It looks great. Risty, you’re beautiful.”

…This gorgeous girl has my child growing inside her. Am I allowed to be this happy? Thank you, God, for showing favoritism.

Then, Risty leaned in close and whispered.

“Hey, you made sure to get something for Rita too, right?”

I nodded, and Risty smiled with relief.

“Good. Hehe, in a few months, you’ll have to buy four gifts instead of two, Folca.”

Ah, that’s right. Selena and Lasha would be joining us. While money wouldn’t be an issue, choosing gifts would be more challenging. But perhaps that would be a pleasant problem to have.

We enjoyed tea a little longer before parting ways. I returned to my bedroom and caught Rita as she came in to tidy up the room.

“Rita, do you have a moment?”

“Yes, of course.”

I gestured for Rita to sit at a small round table, and we sat facing each other.

“I got hairpins for both Risty and you. I’ve already given Risty hers. These are for you.”

I placed two small wooden boxes on the table. The difference in quality between the two boxes was evident from the wood used.

“Oh, thank you! Two of them?”

“Yes, both are for you. Go ahead and open them.”

Preparing myself for a potential scolding, I watched as Rita nervously opened the lower-quality box first. Inside was the simple gold hairpin with a diamond, elegant yet understated.

“It’s lovely… Are you sure I can have this?”

“Of course.”

Rita then opened the second box. Her eyes widened in surprise.

“Lord Folca, I… I can’t possibly accept something like this.”

The emerald of the highest quality had clearly left her overwhelmed. Though I was ready to be scolded, I decided to explain.

“I understand if you feel it’s too much right now, so I’d prefer if you didn’t wear it in public just yet. But eventually, you’ll be in a position where it’ll be appropriate. At that time, you could even have it repurposed into a necklace if you’d like.”

Bracing myself for the scolding, I instead saw Rita’s eyes brim with tears. They welled up and spilled over.

“Lord Folca… this is too much. I’m just the lowest-ranking retainer of the Gustique family…”

While it was true that her background might lead some to look down on her, neither my father nor I thought that way.

“Neither my father nor I see you that way, you know?”

I tried to reassure her, but Rita’s tears continued to flow.

I see. To me, the emerald had simply reminded me of her eyes, but she must have interpreted this as a sign of my firm intention to officially make her my concubine.

Which, admittedly, wasn’t a misunderstanding. That was precisely my intention.

“I thought it looked like the color of your eyes. Please, accept it.”

Rita replied in a small voice, “Yes.” She was adorable.

Too adorable. I decided to act. Standing up from my chair, I leaned in to kiss her softly, then picked her up and laid her gently on the bed.

“A-Actually,” Rita began, her voice slightly hesitant.

“What is it?”

“Well, I’m a few days late… It happens occasionally, but just in case, tonight… maybe just with my mouth…”

I see… Considering how young and energetic my seed is, the possibility does seem high, I thought to myself.