Chapter 98 - North Korean rabbit

Episode 98

The customers who had been driven from the shop by the appearance of the Duke of Müzen’s household had remained by the entrance.

Following the Duke of Müzen’s household, even the Crown Princess’s lady-in-waiting had visited, so the attention of those nearby was intensely focused.

Everyone could not help but hear what Ani said.

The reaction was fierce.

“Wait, so you’re saying Kemel Atelier didn’t make Her Highness the Crown Princess’s dress?”

“On the contrary, it was a dress meant to humiliate Her Highness? How shameless!”

“So you’ve been lying all this time while selling dresses?! Unbelievable!”

“How many dresses did I order here?”

“Me too! I ordered because I fell in love with Her Highness the Crown Princess’s dress! I should cancel.”

From all around, words saying they would also cancel their orders poured down like rain.

Melissa Kemel’s complexion turned deathly pale. She clung to Ani almost desperately.

“Why, why are you doing this? All this time, to Her Highness…!”

It was a question asking why she was causing such a fuss now, after having stayed quiet for ten days.

Ani sneered at Melissa’s shamelessness.

“Her Highness was waiting. For you to repent. Giving a final chance is our Her Highness’s way. She did the same for the Viscountess of Fileren.”

“…!”

“B-but we already sent a gift of apology to Her Highness! To do this after receiving it all…!”

Then Ani pointed to the gifts she had set down earlier.

“You mean these bribes?”

“Ah!”

She was so startled she had momentarily forgotten that she had returned these as soon as Ani arrived.

“Her Highness does not accept bribes.”

Ani said, as if emphasizing.

“Our Her Highness possesses the mercy to grant a final chance to those who have committed a wrong, but she is also a person of integrity who is absolutely unswayed by things like bribes.”

Had Hilia heard, she would likely have screamed, ‘You didn’t need to go that far!’

But Ani was unashamed.

‘I’m just stating the facts!’

Moreover, how often does one get a chance to speak so boldly on a crowded main street?

Public opinion naturally turned in favor of Ani and Hilia.

“Good heavens, she even gave a chance to someone who committed such a wrong…!”

“Did you believe you were forgiven by offering a bribe? Truly thick-skinned.”

“My thoughts exactly. It wouldn’t have been enough even if you ran over, knelt, and begged.”

With the contempt and disgust pouring from all sides, compounded by the order cancellations, Melissa found it hard to keep her wits about her.

If this rumor spread, it was clear that months’ worth of accumulated atelier orders would all be canceled.

‘If that happens, it’s certain bankruptcy!’

She tried to argue. But she couldn’t claim that the fact stated by the Crown Princess’s own lady-in-waiting was false.

Doing so would mean picking a fight with the Crown Princess, who had even pushed back against the Empress.

“We were threatened by Lady Ruth and had no choice but to do it! We are victims too!”

“…….”

“Still, we felt so terribly sorry that we made the utmost gesture of sincerity to Her Highness!”

“You say you’re sorry, yet you never once came to see Her Highness? Just throwing bribes like this?”

Ani kicked the jewel box with the tip of her foot.

“No, but…!”

Then, something strange caught Melissa’s eye.

The second gift sent to the Crown Princess’s Palace seemed odd.

The dress glittering with jewels was definitely the one she had sent.

But the torso was strange.

‘I definitely sent a gold torso?’

In fact, that was the real bribe, more so than the dress.

“W-what is this? This is just a silver-plated wooden torso!”

Melissa grabbed Ani’s hand and clung to her, hurling accusations.

“How did this happen?!”

“What are you talking about?”

“I definitely sent a gold torso! But this is made of wood, isn’t it?”

If this were the case, Melissa would have her bribe essentially stolen and her business ruined.

She desperately cried out.

To let it be known that the Crown Princess had taken the valuable part of her bribe.

“I definitely sent a gold torso to the Crown Princess! So why is it wood…!”

Ani looked at Melissa with a contemptuous expression, then forcefully shook off her hand.

She then took out a handkerchief and wiped the hand that had been grabbed, as if something dirty had touched it.

The handkerchief in Ani’s hand was a very unique and pretty bluish-purple.

But Melissa was in no state to pay attention to such things now.

She raised her head to seek help from those around her, then froze.

It was because of the cold stares directed at her.

Ani asked coldly,

“Not content with deceiving Her Highness with a dress, now you’re trying to falsely accuse her of not returning your bribe?”

The reaction from the surroundings was icy.

“That’s absurd. Her Highness has returned it so publicly….”

“A gold torso? That’s ridiculous. Are you saying you sent a wooden torso and now demand a gold one? She’s mad.”

“She’s about to be ruined, so now she’s just making wild claims.”

“Shameless.”

Leaving the dazed Melissa behind, Ani turned to leave.

Just then, there were words that stopped her. It wasn’t the already spiritless Melissa.

It was the mother and son from the Duke of Müzen’s household.

The Duchess treated Melissa like trash fallen on the floor and approached Ani.

“Are you the lady-in-waiting of Her Highness the Crown Princess?”

Ani was surprised but responded calmly.

“Seeing the carriage crest, I wondered if perhaps… are you from the Duke of Müzen’s household?”

“Indeed. I was planning to request an audience with Her Highness soon, so it’s a pleasure to meet you beforehand.”

The Duchess, escorted by her son as she approached, was noticeably friendly.

“By the way… I couldn’t help but overhear, but the atelier that made Her Highness the Crown Princess’s gown for the last banquet wasn’t this one?”

Ani answered with a soft smile.

“Yes, Your Grace.”

The Duchess’s eyes lit up, and she drew very close to Ani.

Her gaze was fixed on the bluish-purple handkerchief Ani was holding. This was, of course, dyed with Shalinga flower petals.

“Then, might you be able to tell me? Who made that dress?”

Ani took a fresh look at the Duchess.

A person who seemed to adorn her entire body in various shades of purple. And the color suited her very well.

Just as Hilia had confidently predicted.

“The Duchess of Müzen will come. She is very easy to spot. Look for the walking purple.”

“Huh?”

“If you hold a handkerchief dyed with Shalinga flower petal tea, she will approach first.”

‘It’s exactly as Her Highness said.’

Ani marveled anew.

Hilia knew from her pre-regression memories that the Duchess of Müzen was famous as a purple maniac, but Ani, unaware of this, found it natural.

“I could tell you….”

Ani trailed off ambiguously.

Then the Duchess became even more eager and pressed closer.

“Please, tell me. I will certainly reward you.”

Then Ani, as if giving in, offered a remark.

“Actually, I was on my way to visit the atelier that made the dress, on Her Highness’s orders. Would you care to come along?”

“…Of course!”

And those who overheard this conversation had their eyes light up.

The crowd that had gathered like a cloud in front of Kemel Atelier receded like the tide.

All that piled up beside Melissa Kemel was contempt and order cancellations.

The gold torso she had offered as a bribe to Hilia was practically her entire fortune.

With that gone and order cancellations flooding in now, only one thing remained.

Bankruptcy.

The ruined shop owner’s scream echoed alone.

“Ah, no!! This can’t be!”

* * *

“C-Captain?”

The headquarters of the Black Mercenary Company in the capital welcomed its master for the first time in a long while.

The Mercenary King Gerald, who usually moved at night like the black cloak he always wore, had revealed himself during the day.

The mercenaries, who had been about to welcome their captain gladly, soon had to bury their heads in the ground.

It was because of the captain, who radiated a murderous intent and aura that even his mask couldn’t fully conceal.

Everyone was full of questions.

‘What is it? Did we make a mistake?’

‘Was the report wrong a while ago? No? We handled it well?’

‘Who is it? Hurry up and apologize on your own!’

The Mercenary King Gerald gave an order in a heavily subdued voice.

“…Bring it.”

“Yes? What?”

“Information on jewels.”

What kind of talk was this all of a sudden?

Was this a dragon appearing not at night… but during the day?

“Gather all information on precious jewels within the continent. Immediately.”

‘Why on earth?’

Everyone had this question rise to the very tip of their tongues, but they couldn’t bring themselves to ask it.