Chapter 92

One day passed, then two, but not a single customer set foot in the shop.

 

I lay slumped over the counter, exhaling a slow, dejected breath.

 

“This can’t be happening….”

 

The Baimery Merchant Guild was facing a crisis. I would have believed it if someone told me the shop had been vanished by invisibility magic, given how completely people were ignoring it.

 

“My lady… I’m so sorry.”

 

Winnie’s heavy voice, saturated with guilt, snapped my blurry vision back into focus.

 

“I should have found a better location.”

 

Winnie looked as if she were carrying the weight of the entire world on her shoulders.

 

‘This is my responsibility.’

 

I realized that my own gloom was starting to infect Winnie, the very person who was here to help me. I slapped the counter with a firm ‘thwack’ and bolted upright.

 

“No! The location is perfect!”

 

“My lady…?”

 

“It’s not your fault. I’m the one mismanaging the guild’s operations.”

 

I couldn’t just sit here waiting for customers to arrive; I had to take a step forward and make things happen. Back in the capital, I had taken the initiative to meet the Crown Prince and moved busily to create opportunities.

 

I had to move like that again.

 

“Promotion. We’re going to promote!”

 

I steeled my heart for the sake of the guild’s prosperity.

 

 

***

 

 

I immediately put the promotion plan into action.

 

“My lady…! This isn’t right.”

 

I was holding thick stacks of paper in both hands. Winnie stood before me with a desperate expression, arms outstretched to block my path.

 

“I’m telling you, this is the most effective way!”

 

The thick bundle of papers in my arms were promotional flyers for our guild. To call them flyers was a bit generous—they looked more like humble business cards—but with my current capital, I couldn’t afford to produce flyers using expensive colored dyes.

 

I had kept it as simple as possible: I carved a woodblock with our name and location and stamped it onto small sheets of paper.

 

Since there was no social media or mass media, the best method was word of mouth. However, I couldn’t just walk into the homes of families I didn’t know and beg them to buy things like a door-to-door salesperson, so handing out flyers on the street was the best option.

 

“Absolutely not.”

 

Winnie stiffened for a moment, then shook her head vigorously, trying to dissuade me again.

 

“This is the one thing I cannot compromise on.”

 

“But… you don’t need to do this yourself, my lady.”

 

“I have to do it. Who else will?”

 

“I’ll do it! I’ll do it!”

 

“No.”

 

I cut her off firmly.

 

This was my family’s business, and as the Vice Head Leader, I held total responsibility. Winnie was my maid, not a guild employee; asking her to do this felt outside the scope of her duties. Furthermore, deep down, I felt sorry for her. The journey to the Pearching Kingdom must have been exhausting enough; I couldn’t make her suffer any more.

 

“A lady of your status cannot be doing such menial labor!”

 

“It’s not menial to me.”

 

From Winnie’s perspective, it was unacceptable for the high-born mistress she served to be doing such “rough” work. Her mistress always tried to be too self-reliant; whenever things got difficult, she never leaned on others but tried to push through alone. Because of that, she was carrying an immense burden.

 

‘I wish she would just ask me for a little help.’

 

While guild work wasn’t her primary job, as a personal maid, serving the lady included helping with her business interests. Winnie was more than willing to do anything for her.

 

‘And it’s not like I didn’t expect this.’

 

The Baimery Merchant Guild led by Baron Percival wasn’t a large-scale operation, so it always suffered from a lack of manpower.

 

‘That’s why my lady is having such a hard time….’

 

If the guild had enough staff and talent, the lady wouldn’t have had to travel all the way to the Pearching Kingdom herself. However, knowing full well that they were struggling to even hire new employees in the current situation, Winnie couldn’t just stand by and ignore what was happening. She spoke to the lady with newfound resolve.

 

“Then, let’s do it together, my lady!”

 

“I told you I’ll go alone, Winnie.”

 

“If you try to hand out this many flyers by yourself, it’ll take you a week.”

 

Faced with the sheer volume of the flyers, I found myself swayed by her logic. I gave a reluctant, slight nod.

 

Winnie gave a relieved smile and took half of the bundle from my arms.

 

“Shall we go, my lady?”

 

“Yes!”

 

I headed to the plaza with Winnie to distribute the flyers. To finish quickly, we decided to split up by location. Rather than carrying them in our arms, we chose to tuck them into pockets; I stuffed my waist pouch full of the small papers.

 

‘Winnie told me not to leave this area.’

 

I carefully checked the path we had walked down. The road leading straight down from the shop opened directly into the plaza.

 

‘I need to memorize the way back.’

 

Recalling Winnie’s repeated warnings not to get lost, I committed the landmarks to memory and began handing out the flyers.

 

“Baimery Merchant Guild is here!”

 

“Go straight up this way to find our shop!”

 

“We have skincare products that women will love!”

 

At first, I struggled with shyness and embarrassment, but as passersby began to accept the flyers, my confidence grew. I even gathered the courage to enter cafes and dress shops to promote the guild.

 

‘I think I might actually be cut out for this!’

 

 

***

 

 

Caught up in my newfound confidence, I handed out flyers feverishly until, before I knew it, evening was approaching.

 

“I should head back.”

 

Winnie had told me to return when the sun started to set. I stopped handing out the flyers and began to make my way back to the guild’s alley.

 

Tap—

 

Step—

 

I heard footsteps echoing my own rhythm. I turned my head, but there was no one behind me.

 

‘Is it just my imagination?’

 

When I tried to walk again, I heard it clearly—footsteps perfectly synced with mine.

 

‘Is someone following me…?’

 

When I quickened my pace, the footsteps followed. But because there was still no one visible behind me, anxiety began to swell.

 

‘What on earth is going on!’

 

The shop building was just a short distance away. Eager to hurry, I grabbed the hem of my skirt with both hands. Just as I was about to sprint as if I were possessed by the spirit of Usain Bolt—

 

Grab!

 

A hand caught my shoulder. I squeezed my eyes shut and screamed at the top of my lungs.

 

“Aaahhh! Pervert! Help!”

 

If only I had a self-defense tool like a taser, I would have zapped the person right then and there.

 

“Pervert!?”

 

Fortunately, my shout was heard. I heard the sounds of windows opening in the surrounding alleys, and objects like wooden blocks and pieces of bread came flying through the air.

 

“That crazy guy is at it again!”

 

‘So he’s a regular neighborhood nutcase.’

 

Just as I was thinking I was glad I screamed, the murmuring of the people vanished in an instant. Instead, I heard gasps of “Gah!” followed by the sound of windows slamming shut. Having sharp ears, I caught the word “Noble.”

 

‘Noble?’

 

My confusion was brief as a voice tinged with embarrassment reached me.

 

“You have misunderstood.”

 

I cautiously opened my eyes to see a man with bright red hair standing there, holding his hands up and smiling awkwardly. And in his hand was a bundle of paper.

 

“My guild’s flyers….”

 

Which meant… my pupils vibrated with shock.

 

“You are the owner of these, right?”

 

‘Lilithia Baimery, you just accused an innocent man.’

 

 

***

 

 

“I followed you because you were dropping them as you walked, and I wanted to return them.”

 

“…….”

 

Faded, pale red hair that reached the nape of his neck. Translucent skin that looked even whiter than mine. Clear, light brown eyes. His black suit emphasized his fair complexion; he was a man who practically had “I am a noble” written all over him.

 

“I think there’s been a misunderstanding. I am not a criminal.”

 

He spoke again, driving the point home. I couldn’t hide my bewildered expression.

 

‘But why is a whole bundle of my flyers over there? I definitely put them in my pouch.’

 

I lifted the pouch hanging from my waist to check inside, and my vision went dim.

 

‘There’s a hole….’

 

It was so unbelievable I practically shoved my face into the pouch to check, but it wasn’t a dream. I was currently experiencing how hard it is to focus when your eyes are shaking from a metaphorical earthquake.

 

“Here, I’m returning these to you.”

 

“Th-thank you.”

 

Despite the fact that I had mistaken him for a pervert, he maintained a gentle smile.

 

“If this was the case, you sh-should have just called out to me.”

 

“Well, I wasn’t sure what title I should use to address you.”

 

‘Hey. You there. Miss. Young Lady. My Lady.’

 

A thousand titles flashed through my mind. But his next words made my excuses feel insignificant.

 

“I apologize. If I hadn’t approached you like that, you wouldn’t have been so flustered.”

 

“No!”

 

I was the one who made the mistake, but because he was acting as if he were the one at fault, I felt even more guilty. I clutched the flyers to my chest and bowed my head to express my gratitude.

 

“Thank you for your help.”

 

I nearly threw away my “blood and sweat” flyers on the ground. Even if they looked humble, they were made by scraping together every penny I had.

 

“I’m glad I could be of help.”

 

With a brief farewell, he turned around. Why did I have to notice the breadcrumbs stuck in his hair just now? Overwhelmed by guilt, I shouted out to him.

 

“Excuse me!”

 

He turned back and tilted his head slightly. I yelled at the nameless man:

 

“If you come to our shop next time, I’ll give you a discount! 20 percent… no! 50 percent!”

 

He said nothing, simply crinkled his eyes in a smile, and walked away.