Chapter 20

“I like it.”

I paced leisurely as I meaningfully repeated Magnus’s words. Towards the shelf containing the lilac products.

I picked up the bottle and gradually inhaled the scent.

“Lilac. Jasmine, Kailan, and Lockard, am I right?”

I deliberately quoted the ingredients added to the perfume.

Magnus blinked.

“Y-yes. That’s right. The detailed combinations were formulated by our perfumers…”

“Is that right? Then please hand this to the perfumer. The combination of Lockard and Jasmine are not compatible in the least.”

“…What?”

“This is an illiberal perfumery experiment. When the two meet, not only does the subtly bitter smell expanse, it doesn’t take the perfume much time to turn corrupt. One should be especially careful during summer months like these.”

“Ah, then the truth of this bitter aroma is…”

Lina once again sniffed the scent as she abruptly uttered those words.

Magnus glared at Lina with his narrowed eyes before he strode forward and snatched the bottle from her hand. Then he rolled his eyes for a moment before offering an excuse.

“This bitter scent expresses the freshness of the summer season. It was intended.”

That’s a pretty poetic excuse. I shed an amused laugh.

“Fresh, that is nice. Nonetheless, this isn’t a fit combination. Did you know that if you happen to mix them in the wrong order, the perfume could transmute into poison?”

“Po, poison!”

Magnus immediately burst as he let forward his raging flames.

“Be careful what you say, young lady! I can’t believe you stated for there to be poison in my perfume. That’s too much of a slander!”

“If telling the truth is a slander, then yes. It seems I am the one slandering at this point. However, I will let you know this. Lockards and Jasmine are herbs that beginners should not mix recklessly.”

Magnus’s face turned red.

“Be careful what you say, Lady Winston! Our salon’s perfumers are all talented individuals who have been highly educated at the Imperial Academy! Is it since the lady had completed her education at some well-established institution, she is slandering our perfumers with nonsense?”

“I haven’t received any education.”

“Ha!”

When it came to professional chemistry education, I have never received one.

Magnus laughed mockingly.

“How dare you belittle me on such a subject!”

“The fact that we shouldn’t mix Lockard and Jasmine recklessly is well-known even to me, a person who hadn’t received an education.”

Magnus gritted his teeth as he viciously glared at me.

“Can you take responsibility for your words, young lady? This is a clear breach in business.”

“I didn’t mean to interfere, although I apologize.”

I spoke a lie and blatantly shrugged it off. I pointed to the perfume bottle and stated, “For certain, this perfume. It will go bad in one week.”

“Lady Ariel Winston!”

Magnus puffed, his face beaming red.

It wasn’t long after he placed on his gentleman mask, seeming to have recollected his train of thoughts.

“Keep speaking as you please. No matter how far the lady will spread her false rumors, my store will soon become a specialty of the system.”

“…”

“One must choose their ship well to be in fashion. My ship is sturdy and well-prepared, but I’m not sure if that’s the case with the young lady…”

Magnus glanced at me unpleasantly.

“It seems you have prepared a mouth to slander others, let alone a vessel.”

“Hoho.”

I laughed lightly before opening my mouth to reply, “All right, Baron. I don’t think you have any intention of listening to my advice.”

My weakness was indeed revealed within the intention of slandering him, but on the other hand, he was also anxious regarding the customers who were to buy his perfume; his perfume that would supposedly go bad during the summer.

However, I don’t demand to speak good words into his ears when he isn’t even ready to listen to more.

I responded with a shrug.

“I’m heading back now. Excuse me.”

After bobbing lightly, I turned my back without fruitless emotions such as regret. Magnus didn’t call for me, his eyes remained absent-minded.

I could hear the footsteps of Lina and Ern following from behind. As we left the store, Lina asked carefully.

“Well, my lady… Are you alright with this?”

I smiled brightly at Lina.

“Well, of course. What is there to not be alright with?”

“Thank God, my lady.”

I hid my bitter smile from Lina.

Actually, this wasn’t okay.

It was because there was nothing wrong with Magnus’s statements.

He was right. The fashion was to be led by the first player. It didn’t matter who came with the idea in principle. Whoever succeeded in creating a large grand opening automatically led the monopoly system.

Magnus’s perfume shop was already half-successful with its wealth and huge distribution network.

‘Besides, he dislikes me.’

It was obvious Magnus would take over this perfume business and attempt to drive me away in response to refusing his offer. By all accounts, I, a small merchant, would not have the skills to withstand his pressure.

‘But I can’t just walk away.’

I couldn’t bear to observe scams utilizing the name of my perfume to spread throughout the market. It was a matter of my pride to leave everything be.

My perfume doesn’t have such a bitter scent!

“First and foremost, I had better remove myself from the sales list.”

I mumbled to myself. Currently, my perfume business was just a sales business, relying on the word which spread from mouth to mouth. At this level, Magnus could not be dealt with.

There should be a store for now. I needed my own space to focus on producing and selling these perfumes. Even if it didn’t own up to Magnus’s salon, such a space was required to exist.

Having concluded my thoughts, I spoke to Lina.

“Lina, let’s proceed to the bank.”

“Yes, my lady!”

We drove the carriage towards the bank.

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I sighed deeply after having checked the balance on my account.

‘I haven’t collected any money yet.’

It was a matter of course. It hadn’t been two months since I started selling perfume.

Although my perfume was never brought cheap, the cost of the proper ingredients was also taxing, so I couldn’t save as much money as I originally anticipated.

My savings increased significantly after Cedric began paying tenfold for the Anixia scent…

‘Wait.’

I held my breath the moment that name came to mind.

Cedric Evans.

A Duke who controlled the economic situation of the Empire, and a businessman who successfully led his family’s business.

In other words, he’s filthy rich.

I gulped down my saliva.

I needed money to open the store. If I didn’t have cash, an investor was the next best solution.

So how should a young lady, with no great connections or funds, proceed to earn an investor?

The answer is, to jump on her own feet. Yes.

The answer to success is success. I turned my head to face Ern.

“Sir Ern, I’d like to meet his Grace Cedric.”

Ern nodded plainly. It was a contrasting reaction compared to Lina, who turned horrified the moment Cedric’s name popped out of nowhere.

“Shall I make an appointment?”

“Yes, I hope to see his Grace as soon as the time is given.”

“Understood.”

Ern nodded. The sound of his helmet as it clattered granted me a sense of assurance.

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…And, Erne was very quick in completing the task.

Sincerely.

I was invited to Duke Cedric’s residence before the day was over.

“My lady, what should we do! You can’t meet the Duke in your casual outwear, but we don’t seem to have enough time…!”

Lina glanced at the clock as she exclaimed in a desperate tone. I shook my head.

“I can wear any clothes. We’re just going to converse a bit.”

Indeed, as for my intended purpose, it would be nice to dress neatly.

I glanced at my attire.

It was a smooth and neat outwear dress. The skirt hem was not too wide nor too narrow, perfect for a businesslike impression.

“It’s perfect in this state.”

“But…”

“Shh, Lina. What should I do to look better than this? That isn’t necessary.”

After confiscating the title of ‘ex-lover,’ we were just in a perfumer and customer relationship.

If the relationship could adapt into an investor and a manager in the future, there would be nothing more for me to desire.

After many twists and turns while inside the carriage, I arrived in front of the Duke of Evans’ residence. The butler greeted me politely.

“Welcome, Lady Ariel. Master is waiting for you inside.”

I slowly strolled through the hall of the vast Duke’s residence.

The whole mansion held an antique and elegant atmosphere. It was a mansion worthy of the modifier ‘the historic Duke family.’

As I trudged through the hall in admiration, we soon arrived at the reception room.

“This is the reception room, Lady Ariel.”

“Oh, thank you.”

I opened the door to the room. Somehow, I took my steps nervously while advancing inside.

Cedric Evans was seated before a large desk on the opposite side of the room. With a cigar in one hand and a pen in the other.

He seemed very focused on his documents, not appearing to notice my presence.

The cigar shook slightly as he moved his finger.

His eyes which fully focused on the documents seemed mysterious. His hand which held the pen drew delicate and flexible lines, unlike when handling the sword.

It was such a tranquil atmosphere that he could not be thought of as a mad dog who might erupt any moment and destroy the capital whole.

‘ …He’s good-looking.’

I acknowledged it purely. This man was like an illustration, even at the moments he was engrossed in his work.

Well, this should be enough for him to seize the position as the male protagonist.

Around the time I was thinking so, Cedric glanced upward.

“Ah.”

His eyes widened. His ruby-like eyes shimmered against the brightness of the chandelier.

“Lady. You’re here.”

Cedric rose, seeming to be flustered by my sudden appearance.

I couldn’t help but unconsciously smile as I observed him, who was in a state, unlike his common relaxed impression.