THHAAWMF

Chapter 85

I had a monopoly on a quarter, and doubling it would be conscientious. Other jewelers had just tripled it.

No matter how I felt about it, the madams were grateful. If I hadn't gotten the jewelry, they wouldn't have been able to run their stores.

Oh, just one.

There was one that went out of business after the Rubina Rebellion because they didn't reach out.

'Said they were dealing with Count Essit.'

It was the same shop that made Tyriel the dress I wore at the Ruby Moon Festival.

The owner, who is close to Essit, said they were trying to undermine me after my divorce from Duval.

'You've lost your business mind.'

I tried to fix it up one day, but I was so busy I forgot.

During this incident, they made a bunch of Rubina dresses, and then they had to charge for them, and they lost customers because they were seen as dirty.

Even if they wanted to make new dresses and rebuild their image, they couldn't sell the jewelry, so they had to wait for foreign countries to import it, and they went out of business.

Before the Rubina incident, the shop was so famous that it only took reservations from high-ranking nobles.

I stopped somewhere while wandering around the boutique street with May.

The store looked pretty and I liked it. Somehow, I knew they would have a dress in my favorite design.

"Should we go in here?"

"Shall we?"

I walked inside with May, and, recognizing my face, the madame and her staff came running out, ready to roll out the red carpet.

"Little Marquis Lavirins, my goodness!"

"At your service!"

Hmm, this is what power tastes like.

We made our way to the room, surrounded by staff, who shooed away all the guests who had been looking at the dresses. They even hung a "close" sign on the door.

I was offered fabric recommendations by the madam with a salesy smile and asked May for her opinion.

"What do you think?"

"I think the navy blue one is okay, and this purple one here looks good too, they both suit the young lady's face."

May, who is very interested in fashion, rambled on.

Good, this is why I brought May here. She can take care of everything.

Next, the madame flipped through the design booklet. There were so many, it seemed like every design in the world was in front of me.

'Well, I must be the hottest young lady in the empire these days.'

Word of the crown prince's arrival in Lavirins did not spread, but the word of the emperor's reward did.

It's going to be fashionable even if I wear a girdle, and I want to be in on the action.

The madame and May enthusiastically discussed my dress.

"I think I'll make a lace of organza; it will make the dress look richer; and I'll put a dark sapphire at the hem, and embroider it with silver thread between, and then-"

"Instead of sapphires, why don't you put on desaturated rubies? The contrast in color will make it look a little more glamorous than the sapphires."

While May and the madame were still discussing this, the madame suddenly got up with a puzzled look on her face and fetched a hot pack.