Chapter 124
Chapter 124: Let’s Do Some Business (5)
“That’s absurd!”
Meriel stumbled over her words, shocked by the outrageous price.
“100 gold? That’s too expensive! Who would buy it at such a price?”
“Too expensive? Even the famous luxury brand ‘Charnel’ doesn’t sell for less than 100 gold!”
“That’s jewelry! It doesn’t wear out like cosmetics!”
“But this will be a luxury above that.”
Ghislaine responded confidently. Meriel bit her lip.
“Do you really believe it will sell for that price?”
“Of course. Can’t you tell just from the fact that the Countess came here?”
“…”
Meriel couldn’t argue back. 100 gold was certainly a bit burdensome, but for a wealthy noblewoman, it wasn’t an impossible price.
“Um, what if we at least contract for distribution in the capital? If I help, it’ll be much easier to establish a presence there.”
Ghislaine merely shrugged at the proposal.
“This is an item that would sell even if it were displayed in a sewage ditch.”
Meriel bit her lip. She had no more words to say.
It was as Ghislaine said.
Once the word of mouth started spreading, this product would absolutely sell.
To monopolize it, one would have to steal the technique and silence the mouths of others.
But she wasn’t that malicious of a person.
“Huuh…”
A sigh escaped from Meriel’s lips.
Having a product that was too good was also a problem. She needed to offer a price as attractive as cosmetics, but she had nothing that could match it.
Claude, enchanted by the desolate aura emanating from her, poked Ghislaine in the back, suggesting just to give her what she wanted.
But Ghislaine didn’t even blink.
‘I can’t play the fool.’
Still, it would be better to maintain a relationship with Meriel.
After a brief moment of contemplation, Ghislaine decided to offer something different instead of distribution rights.
“It seems the Countess has a good instinct. She was the first to come here. While a monopoly contract may be difficult, I can ensure you’ll gain a reputation in the social circle.”
“A reputation?”
Ghislaine pushed a large box that she had prepared in the corner of the reception room towards Meriel.
Meriel opened the box, puzzled. Inside were about 50 pieces of cosmetics.
“What is this…?”
“Why not set the trend before the rumors spread further? Your reputation will last quite a while. The more expensive the gift, the greater its value.”
Meriel nodded, smiling.
“So you’re suggesting I promote the cosmetics through me?”
“If the rumors are bound to spread anyway, wouldn’t it be better for both of us? I save time, and you build your reputation. This is a token of appreciation for being the first to recognize our product.”
It wasn’t a bad proposal for her either. In high society, who leads the trends has a huge impact on their reputation.
By discovering this cosmetic first and recommending it to those around her, she would gain a reputation for having good taste.
This way, even the high price would turn into an advantage. If it’s not something anyone can easily use, those who do would elevate their social standing.
“Sounds good. I’ll accept that proposal.”
She readily agreed, taking the box. If a monopoly contract wasn’t possible, she would at least gather a reputation.
“I’m off then. Don’t worry about the promotion.”
Without hesitation, Meriel stood up from her seat.
She had to attend the banquet quickly and make her move before more rumors spread.
As soon as she returned, she planned to sift through all the invitations and attend the earliest gathering first.
Ghislaine slightly bowed her head in salute.
“Take care.”
The crow perched on her shoulder also followed Ghislaine and bowed its head.
Caw!
*
Not long after Meriel left, the rumors about the cosmetics began to spread widely.
People came just because she guaranteed it, without even confirming the effects of the cosmetics.
Despite the exorbitant price, nobles didn’t hesitate to buy the cosmetics.
Even if they couldn’t afford to use it regularly, knowing it was the product Meriel used made them think it was worth trying at least once.
Claude and Belinda cheered with glee at the influx of orders.
“It’s a hit! A huge hit!”
Gold coins piled up high in the mansion. With just this money, they could sustain the territory for a year.
“Ahahaha! Lord, wouldn’t it be best to quit everything else and just do business here? This is the easiest!”
Claude, lost in the fun of counting money, even blurted out silly remarks.
“Even at this high a price, it’s selling like crazy! Shouldn’t we bring in more?”
When the tide rises, you must row.
Before the rumors spread throughout the kingdom, they needed to set up a proper branch in the capital and prepare to send the orders received from the territory to various places.
Although Claude and everyone around him rushed and created a fuss, Ghislaine remained unmoved.
“Wait. There’s still more to do.”
“What else is left? We need to hurry back to the territory and prepare the stock!”
Even when Claude pushed hard, Ghislaine stood firm.
“Hmm… It should be about time for news to come in. Have the rumors not started spreading yet?”
Thanks to Meriel, the rumors spread faster and the products began to sell more quickly than expected.
However, the real target she was aiming for had yet to show up.
A few more days passed, and when the first batch of stock was about to run out, a neatly dressed old gentleman visited the mansion.
“I am the steward from the House of Marquis Branford. Are you Baron Penris?”
Ghislaine’s eyes sparkled.
The prey she had been waiting for finally caught the hook.
*
Ghislaine deliberately didn’t send gifts to the House of Marquis Branford. That way, they would come to her directly.
The Marquis of Branford served as the Minister of the Interior for the royal family, leading the Crown Prince faction opposing the Duke Delphine faction, making him the most powerful nobleman in the kingdom.
It was said that all matters of the royal family passed through his hands.
As the great lord of the East, he had a solid foundation and also held influence in the military due to his past as a military commander before entering the royal court.
For a steward from such a family to come seeking a few pieces of cosmetics was something that would shock other nobles.
As soon as the formal greetings were done, the steward dove right into the main topic.
“Is it true that using this cosmetic can improve the complexion?”
“That’s a vague question. It does have an effect on improving skin condition. Haven’t you heard through the rumors? What exactly do you want to know?”
“Is it possible that using this may temporarily improve the skin only for it to worsen again?”
“Well, the skin depends on how you manage it, so the more you use it, the better the effects. But it differs a bit for each person.”
The steward relentlessly bombarded her with questions. What are the ingredients, are there any known side effects, and so on.
Ghislaine waved her hand dismissively and directly asked,
“You said you’re from the House of Marquis Branford. Is it for the young lady of the Marquis to try?”
“That’s…”
The steward hesitated, trailing off his sentence. Ghislaine looked down at him, laughing as if he were trivial.
“Why hide it? I’ve heard that the young lady has been staying at home wearing a mask. Although everyone is whispering, how could that be hidden? You think I wouldn’t know such things just because I haven’t been around long?”
“…That’s correct. The lady will be using it.”
“See, isn’t it nice to be honest?”
Ghislaine chuckled and placed the cosmetics on the table.
“Take a couple and try them out. These are products I’ve poured all my knowledge into creating. My expertise in herbalism and medicine isn’t insignificant.”
That wasn’t entirely a lie. After all, she possessed a wealth of advanced knowledge that no one else knew about besides herself.
The issue was that while she knew the results, she didn’t understand the principles behind them.
Ghislaine continued shamelessly.
“If this doesn’t work, it’ll mean we need to look for other ways, so we can discuss it again then.”
“…Understood.”
As the steward turned to leave, Ghislaine added,
“By the way, I also know how to cure ‘Eternal Punishment.’”
The steward feigned ignorance and didn’t respond.
Knowing full well that ‘Eternal Punishment’ was an incurable disease, he thought Ghislaine was just bragging.
Familiar with such a reaction, Ghislaine pouted slightly and grumbled.
“People really can’t be trusted. Should I bring that priest back?”
*
The Marquis of Branford inspected the cosmetics brought by the steward, examining them closely.
“Is this the popular skin-care product these days?”
“Yes, it’s the product recommended by Count Ailzbur’s wife.”
The Marquis of Branford muttered with indifference.
“I don’t feel like it’ll have much effect.”
Although he was a power broker in the kingdom, he had two annoying problems lately.
One was the Duke Delphine faction.
The Duke of Delphine, loyal to the royal family, had recently gained power and adopted aggressive moves.
The Crown Prince faction had been suffering losses against the dukes and was rapidly losing ground.
The other was his daughter’s chronic skin condition.
“If this doesn’t work, will that mean there are no more options left?”
While the Duke Delphine was a recent headache, his daughter’s issue was a long-standing problem.
One day, spots had started to appear all over his daughter’s face and body.
It wouldn’t be so bad if that were all, but the symptoms worsened when exposed to sunlight, causing her to scratch so much that she couldn’t sleep. She could no longer go outside.
Yet, she wasn’t suffering from any serious illness. No one knew the cause.
Even when she received divine healing from a priest, it only improved briefly and soon recurred.
He had gathered and tried all the medicines known for good effects, but the symptoms remained unchanged.
“I’ll bring it to her myself.”
The Marquis of Branford slowly made his way to his daughter’s room.
His daughter had completely cut off all ties with the outside world, living alone in a dark room.
With only a few people managing household tasks, the atmosphere in the house had also become gloomy.
He completely understood her desire to not show her ugly face to others.
Even as a father, seeing her increasingly worsening condition made him furrow his brow.
But he could no longer leave it as it was.
“We can’t delay the marriage any longer.”
To prevent the Duke Delphine from establishing dominance, the Marquis had pushed for a strategic marriage with a neutral noble family.
However, his daughter continuously delayed, asking for more time.
“Tsk, there’s a limit to even consideration.”
While the Marquis had been thoughtfully postponing the marriage date for his daughter’s sake, it couldn’t be delayed indefinitely.
He needed to solidify the power of the Crown Prince faction before the Duke Delphine faction could grow stronger.
Clunk.
As he opened the door, only a few candles greeted him.
The window was firmly closed, covered by curtains, and wherever the expensive magical lights had gone was unclear.
The Marquis’s daughter, Rosalyn, was reading by the dim candlelight.
‘At this rate, she’s no different from a prisoner trapped in a tower.’
Glancing around the room, the Marquis suppressed his disapproval while handing over the cosmetics.
“Rosalyn, give this a try. It’s a beauty cream that’s been popular lately. They say it’s good for the skin.”
Rosalyn slowly raised her head only then.
“Will this really be of any use?”
Her tone was calm, but it bore an emotion bubbling from deep within.
The Marquis of Branford momentarily met the gaze of his daughter’s reddened eyes before continuing.
“It was recommended by Count Ailzbur’s wife.”
“…”
At that, Rosalyn fell silent.
She was quite familiar with Meriel. She had looked up to her since childhood.
Meriel had always used only reliable products and led trends in high society. She would never have recommended something useless.
“Just leave it.”
“Understood. And I intend to proceed with the marriage soon. Keep that in mind.”
At his words, Rosalyn forcibly suppressed her emotions as she replied.
“Are you asking me to marry in this condition? I would never be loved in such a state and would only be treated as a monster. Do you wish for me to live being laughed at and ignored by others?”
The Marquis of Branford coldly interrupted her words.
“It is for the family’s sake.”
“My life doesn’t matter?”
“The family is more important.”
Rosalyn then brought up another topic.
“Do you really think the groom will be satisfied looking at my face? When I become a countess, won’t he resent you for forcing me into marriage? Do you think this will solidify the alliance between our families?”
The Marquis of Branford spoke with mockery.
“What good comes from him resenting me? This is how family unions go. When she’s of age, she’ll surely grasp the benefits of such an alliance.”
While Rosalyn emphasized personal relationships, the Marquis of Branford made judgments strictly from a political standpoint.
It couldn’t be said that one side was right. Each person pursues relationships in their way.
Having finished speaking, the Marquis turned and left the room.
“Haah…”
Rosalyn sighed and slowly rose to begin applying the cosmetics.
At this point, she could hardly tell if she was applying cosmetics or tears.
*
A few days after she began using the cosmetics.
Rosalyn gave up entirely and pushed the cosmetics aside.
‘As expected, it’s no use.’
The cosmetics improved her complexion, but the spots hadn’t disappeared.
The redness remained, only her skin seemed to have a sheen, making her look even stranger.
Crash!
Glaring at her reflection in the mirror, Rosalyn twisted her face in anger and hurled a glass from the table.
The sound of shattering glass carried out into the hall, but no one approached Rosalyn’s room.
She continued to spend time alone in darkness.
Simply hoping that someday this pain would end.
At that moment, someone sauntered up to the front gate of the Branford mansion.
“Hey, is the Marquis in? Don’t say he’s not here after I’ve gathered all the information.”
The guard asked the visitor in a stiff tone.
“Who are you?”
“Tell them it’s Baron Penris here. I’d like to see him right now.”
The person who had come to the House of Marquis Branford was none other than Ghislaine.
