Chapter 96

After the training session, Scarlet led me away. The place we finally reached was a room featuring a circular ivory-colored bed, a tiger skin rug on the floor, and a dazzling chandelier hanging from the ceiling.

 

“If you don’t like it, I’ll change it for you.”

 

I had something to say to her before telling her whether I liked it or not, but the words didn’t come out easily. Seeing my silence, Scarlet’s expression brightened as she reached for the bell pull.

 

“I’ll just have them prepare another room then.”

 

“Princess Scarlet!”

 

“Yes, Lilithia?”

 

At her look that asked why I was calling her, I swallowed hard and finally spoke.

 

“I can’t stay here!”

 

“Why?”

 

What do you mean ‘why’? Why on earth would I stay here?

 

Staying in the royal palace after being dragged here so suddenly didn’t feel right, and I couldn’t just leave the merchant guild empty. As I hesitated, Scarlet asked me again.

 

“Stay here.”

 

“I have to run my business at the guild. And there are companions I haven’t met yet, so it’s not easy for me to be away.”

 

“Then what about the clothes for me?”

 

“For that, I only need to provide the fabric, so you won’t need me here…”

 

Scarlet fell into deep thought, fingering her chin. It seemed like she finally understood my situation.

 

“Well then, I’ll be going now—”

 

“Then that’ll work.”

 

Scarlet cut me off just as I was about to say my goodbyes.

 

“Eh…?”

 

What exactly will work? The hair on the back of my neck stood up in anxiety.

 

“Just trust me. I think I found a way for you to stay here and do business at the same time.”

 

‘The best way would be to just let me go back to the guild, though.’

 

“So, bring the items you plan to sell at the guild to the palace tomorrow.”

 

As if something about her own words bothered her, Scarlet’s expression darkened briefly. She tilted her head, then flashed a wide smile again.

 

“No. I’ll have the knights bring the items instead.”

 

Talking to Scarlet made me feel lightheaded; I couldn’t tell what was right anymore.

 

“If you tell me what items to pack from the guild, I’ll set the stage for you tomorrow.”

 

Realizing that no matter what I said, it wouldn’t get through to her, I gave up halfway and asked her with a bitter smile.

 

“Why are you doing all this for someone you’ve only met a few times?”

 

The answer Scarlet gave, with a smile playing on her lips and her eyes crinkled into crescents, left me utterly bewildered.

 

“I’ve always wanted a blonde, slightly clumsy younger sister.”

 

“……?”

 

“I only have a stiff, formal younger brother, so the palace has been boring.”

 

Hearing a reason that confirmed my fears, a sigh escaped me involuntarily.

 

“I’m… really fine,” I wanted to say, but the words only came out as a mumble under my breath.

 

“Lilithia, just think of it as having an older sister now!”

 

At Scarlet’s continued enthusiasm, my patience finally snapped, and a sigh leaked through my teeth.

 

 

***

 

 

The next day. Early in the morning, the head maid came to see me.

 

“The Princess has requested that I escort the Vice-Head Leader of the Baimery Guild to the garden.”

 

A strange sense of unease washed over me. I tried to ask the head maid why I was being called there, but she left the bedroom with a brisk pace. I hurriedly finished my preparations and headed to the garden.

 

My steps toward the garden were heavy. Even from a glance, there were many young noble ladies gathered there. And when I saw the items piled on the center table instead of a tea set, my eyes went wide.

 

‘Those are our guild’s goods…!’

 

I didn’t realize that her confident “just trust me” attitude from yesterday would lead to this.

 

“Lilithia Baimery!”

 

Recognizing me, Scarlet waved both hands and called out loudly. All the noble ladies turned their attention to me at once.

 

Feeling like a fish trapped in an aquarium, I hunched my shoulders and slowly approached. Scarlet patted the empty seat next to her, gesturing for me to sit.

 

With an awkward smile, I whispered to Scarlet through gritted teeth.

 

“Princess Scarlet, how did this…”

 

“I told you to trust me, didn’t I?”

 

Her face was full of confidence. The surrounding noble ladies scanned me with suspicious eyes before one spoke up.

 

“Since this is the first time the Princess has arranged such a gathering, could you please introduce yourself?”

 

“And who might this be?”

 

“Are you perhaps a princess from another country?”

 

Curious and wary gazes fell upon me constantly. Scarlet leaned her face against my shoulder, her elbow propped on the table.

 

“This is my sister.”

 

“Your sister…?”

 

In an instant, the smiles of the noble ladies faltered. As expected, words prone to misunderstanding began to be voiced.

 

“Could it be… a half-sister?”

 

“Then, does that mean she is a Princess as well?”

 

Everyone began to grossly misunderstand due to Scarlet’s bombshell statement. The noble ladies who had been sending me wary looks earlier let out sharp gasps and covered their mouths.

 

“Lilithia. If you’re my sister, doesn’t that make you a Princess?”

 

If I wasn’t careful, this rumor was bound to spread as gossip throughout the aristocratic world. Without any intention of fixing it, Scarlet leaned her head on her hand, scattering refreshing smiles. Just as I was about to open my mouth to clear the misunderstanding—

 

“Everyone takes a joke so seriously.”

 

Thanks to the word ‘joke,’ the atmosphere shifted instantly. The anxious looks in their eyes vanished, replaced by faint smiles.

 

“Princess, your jokes are too much!”

 

“What a prankster.”

 

Sensing that there were still lingering doubts, I added my own words.

 

“Oh, Princess. You’re making everyone misunderstand.”

 

“It’s fun, isn’t it?”

 

Scarlet crossed her long legs and said with crinkled eyes.

 

“I’ll introduce her properly. This is Vice-Head Leader Lilithia Baimery of the Baimery Merchant Guild, the owner of these goods.”

 

“Baimery Merchant Guild…?”

 

I stood up with an awkward smile and began my self-introduction.

 

“Nice to meet you. My name is Lilithia Baimery, and I run a small merchant guild.”

 

“It’s a guild that is making a name for itself in the Empire, and it’s also the place that sold the fabric for the dress that won this year’s costume competition.”

 

The noble ladies’ eyes landed on the fabric on the table. They looked at the fabric, which continuously emitted various colors, and their curiosity blossomed at Scarlet’s explanation. Scarlet slowly curled the corners of her mouth as she added more.

 

“I heard there’s a long line of people wanting to buy this fabric, so I specially asked the Vice-Head Leader to arrange this gathering.”

 

“…!”

 

Noble ladies are, by nature, sensitive to rumors and trends. Even those who had looked skeptical dropped their doubts and began fingering the fabric.

 

“It’s so beautiful…”

 

A gathering arranged by the Princess meant she was personally guaranteeing the quality. And the mention of the “winning dress” made the noble ladies’ eyes gleam with greed.

 

“This fabric! I want to buy this fabric!”

 

Their eyes sparkled with anticipation.

 

“Rebecca. I don’t like wearing clothes made of the exact same fabric.”

 

“You can just ask the designer to make a different design, can’t you?”

 

“Is that so?”

 

Without listening to me, they chattered away and then made their request.

 

“Can we buy it?”

 

“Of course.”

 

“Then! I’ll buy all of those!”

 

The noble ladies, who had been chattering around the table, tilted their heads in front of a transparent glass bottle containing something brown, placed next to the fabric.

 

“What is this?”

 

Scarlet, seeing it for the first time herself, examined it closely. I swallowed hard.

 

‘This is a great opportunity, Lilithia Baimery.’

 

Since the opportunity had rolled in, it was a merchant’s job to use this moment well. I stood up and held the black sugar mask.

 

“It’s a product recently developed by our guild.”

 

“Oh. Is it for eating?”

 

“It has an appetizing brown color, so it’s understandable to think that.”

 

I paused for a beat to build anticipation before speaking.

 

“This is a mask pack.”

 

A mask? I could hear the noble ladies whispering lowly. I nodded and held the item up high to introduce it to them.

 

‘I’m going to do this like a home shopping host.’

 

Since it was the first time I was showing the product to so many people, my heart was thumping.

 

“You’ve probably experienced applying oil to your skin, only for it to feel dry again soon after.”

 

“That’s true.”

 

“My skin is already feeling dry.”

 

Because what dry skin with accumulated dead cells needs isn’t oil, but the removal of the root cause.

 

“This product is a black sugar mask that will make your skin smooth.”

 

“Black sugar mask?”

 

Even Scarlet, who had seemed entirely uninterested, stared at the item in my hand, and the noble ladies sent curious looks.

 

“I’ve never heard of such a thing as a black sugar mask.”

 

“But won’t it cause breakouts? Is it a trustworthy product…?”

 

I made a request to the maid standing nearby.

 

“Could you perhaps bring some water in basins?”

 

“Water?”

 

“I think it’s best if you try it for yourselves.”

 

Afterward, basins were placed in front of each lady. After applying the black sugar mask to the skin of the skeptical noble ladies and washing it off after about 10 minutes—the noble ladies couldn’t close their mouths as they looked at themselves in the mirrors.

 

“Oh my. Oh my!”

 

“How can it be this soft!”

 

With skin as white and glowing as a baby’s, the noble ladies were captivated by their own beauty. One of them looked up from the mirror and shouted.

 

“I’ll buy all of them!”

 

“No! I will!”

 

“How am I only finding out about this now!”

 

Seeing the reactions of the noble ladies burning with desire, I smiled inwardly. Scarlet, who was beside me, nudged me with her elbow.

 

“I told you to trust me, didn’t I?”

 

If Scarlet hadn’t arranged this, I wouldn’t have been able to sell the goods so successfully. I was truly grateful.

 

“I’d like to give you some as a token of my gratitude, Princess…”

 

“I’ll just take the thought. I’m not interested in skin care or anything like that.”

 

Scarlet shrugged, as if her acting in front of the ladies had been solely for my sake.

 

“You always need someone to draw a crowd when you’re doing business, after all.”