“Whew… Today was the best shopping I’ve ever done in my life.”

Bella, who had just left Ruelcia, spoke as if she had just had a sweet dream.

“I hate to admit it, but it seems the Count really has money to burn.”

“R-really…?”

“Yes. I had no idea that Ruelcia was a brand owned by the Count.”

Ruelcia is a luxury brand that, unlike other brands that pursue extravagance, focuses on simplicity and elegance.

Moreover, every product uses at least one rare material, making the prices even higher.

As a joke among wealthy nobles, it’s said that one’s wealth is measured by how many Ruelcia products they own.

“But, Miss Wendy.”

“Yes?”

“Are you really sure it’s okay to give this to me?”

In Bella’s hand was a shopping bag with the Ruelcia logo on it.

“I only helped you pick out clothes…”

“Oh, no, no, no!”

Earlier, Wendy had felt the need to repay Bella in some way.

Though it might seem like just a simple shopping trip, strictly speaking, it was the noble daughter of the Izakhel Duke Family personally assisting her.

Letting it slide would have been too much for Wendy.

But for a mere servant like her to repay someone of Bella’s high status… wouldn’t that be disrespectful?

As she hesitated, the quick-witted manager whispered to her.

-If there’s a product you’d like, it’s fine to gift it to the Princess.

-Huh?

-I don’t consider this as making up for our staff’s mistake towards you, Miss Wendy. But rather, it’s my personal gesture of gratitude for your gracious forgiveness. Could you think of it that way?

At that point, Wendy had no choice.

Pushed by the smooth-talking manager, Wendy picked out a dress that would suit Bella.

The price was a whopping 20 times Wendy’s first month’s salary at the mansion.

Today became the day she spent the most money in her entire life.

“If it weren’t for the Princess, I wouldn’t have been able to do anything…”

“…You know what?”

“Yes?”

Bella, looking somewhat embarrassed, fiddled with her cheek as she spoke.

“Honestly, if it weren’t for you, Miss Wendy, I wouldn’t have been able to do anything here either.”

Just like Wendy, Ruelcia had been out of reach for Bella.

The clothes she bought today at the department store were barely affordable with her allowance.

And that was only possible because of the department store’s remodeling sale.

As for Ruelcia, it was a brand she could only dream of.

When Bella’s family was better off, she didn’t know much about the Ruelcia brand.

Moreover, she was too young.

That’s why she had never owned anything from Ruelcia, the so-called “dream brand” among noble ladies.

In other words, the gift she received today was her first Ruelcia item.

“I’m not sure if I should accept something like this…”

“Y-you should, Princess…! It was helpful!”

“But… this is more expensive than what you bought, Miss Wendy…”

Bella pointed to Wendy’s hand, which held a shopping bag.

“It’s okay, Princess… Hehe. I like this one…”

Wendy ended up buying the cloak she had seen earlier.

It was a garment befitting the dignity of an exclusive maid serving a noble family.

Of course, part of the reason was that it matched the color of the Count’s coat…

Wendy hugged the shopping bag as if it were something precious.

Seeing this, Bella chuckled and said,

“Hoho… Miss Wendy, when it’s just us, call me ‘unnie’ (older sister).”

“Huh?! B-but…”

Wendy was flustered.

Even though she was a servant in a noble family, she was still a commoner.

But in this country, addressing the daughter of the highest-ranking Duke Family in such a way would be a grave offense.

The difference in their statuses was immense.

Bella placed her hand on her temple and said,

“Ah, is it… that you don’t want to call me that?”

“N-no, it’s not that…”

“This unnie is hurt.”

“Huh?!”

“Unnie is.”

“Ugh…”

“Hurt.”

Bella was smiling, but her eyes were dangerous.

The same terrifying look she had when trying clothes on Wendy.

In the end, Wendy had no choice but to give in.

“T-then… uh, uh…”

Is there even a servant who can call the Princess “unnie”?

Wendy’s voice cracked.

“U-uh, unnie…”

“Again.”

“Ugh… unnie…”

She was on the verge of tears, but Wendy managed to say it.

“Good job. Our Wendy.”

“Huh?!”

Bella hugged Wendy.

Like an older sister caring for a younger sibling.

Wendy looked both flustered and troubled, not knowing what to do.

‘…Huh?’

At that moment, something strange caught her eye.

It was a scene that didn’t fit the luxury section of the department store at all.

People around were already murmuring.

And through the crowd, knights in red armor were running somewhere.

*

Blanshe’s nails sliced through the air.

Her near-supersonic strike was about to split the man’s head like tofu.

Or so she thought.

“?!”

“Lighter than I expected.”

The man had caught Blanshe’s wrist.

He stared directly at her floating body.

“Hard to land an effective attack in that form. Beast.”

“Let go…”

Blanshe tried to break free with all her strength, but the man’s grip didn’t budge.

‘What kind of strength is this?!’

Though his arms weren’t particularly thick, the strength emanating from them was far from ordinary.

But Blanshe was also beyond the realm of ordinary humans.

Crack-!

A dull sound echoed.

“I clearly warned you to let go.”

Blanshe’s sharp kick landed directly on the man’s face.

A kick powerful enough to kill a bear instantly.

And this time, she definitely felt it.

“Indeed, a speed-focused type.”

“?!”

The man, completely unharmed, made Blanshe widen her eyes.

Click.

The man tilted his neck.

“But I’m not convinced.”

“What the…”

“If you’re this weak, no matter how fast you are, it’s useless. Beast.”

Weak?

Blanshe couldn’t believe her ears.

Her, the former assassin of the Ruelberta Family, who once terrorized the underworld?

“You’re weak. Admit it.”

“…Is that so?”

The man’s words finally ignited something in Blanshe.

The change came immediately.

The rooftop floor began to freeze.

As the temperature dropped sharply, snow started to fall around them.

“Hmm?”

A biting cold assaulted him.

Sharp ice fragments rushed towards the man’s body.

Only then did the man show a slightly surprised expression.

“Is this cold from a spirit beast…? Impressive. Not an easy power to obtain. But a poor imitation.”

“Is that so?”

Why did everything this man say irritate her?

Blanshe’s mana began to surge.

“Then is this weak too?”

The cold exploded in front of the man.

A bomb of mana-compressed ice.

The ice blades, appearing without a moment to dodge, flew towards the man’s eyes.

Crash!

“Not bad.”

Blanshe couldn’t help but be surprised again.

Where did he pull that from?

The man was holding a red shield.

As he moved the red shield aside, shattered ice pieces fell to the ground.

“But weak.”

By now, Blanshe had realized.

This man was not someone she could easily handle.

She lowered her stance, fully on guard, and asked the man,

“Who… are you?”

“I am Marco Peiriguris.”

At that moment, Blanshe’s hair stood on end.

A heat, if you could call it that.

Marco’s scorching mana overwhelmed her.

“A knight who protects His Majesty the Emperor.”

“The Emperor’s knight… Huh?!”

Blanshe instinctively stepped back.

The intense heat felt like it would consume her.

“Are you done with your questions? Beast.”

Mana flared up in his hand.

Following the flames, something began to appear.

At first, it looked like a charred stick.

But it wasn’t just a stick.

“Then I shall deliver punishment.”

From the flames emerged a massive mace.

The black mace was pointed at Blanshe.

And for the first time, Marco showed emotion.

His lips twisted into a sneer.

“Beasts need a whip.”