Chapter 79…
Well, because that’s my natural hair color…
Come to think of it, quite some time had passed since I dyed it blonde to imitate Elizabeth, and my natural brown hair had started to grow out from the roots.
I should probably go back to my original color now. It’ll definitely draw less attention than this blonde hair.
“Stop saying useless things and let’s just go to the flower market already.”
Cynthia put on the pharmacist’s coat the part-timer handed her and pointed toward the pharmacy entrance.
Enoch looked down at her for a moment, then nodded and began to walk.
“Titronia flowers?”
“Yes, may I buy one bunch?”
“Hmm…”
The florist’s gaze shifted toward Enoch, who was standing beside Cynthia. After staring at him for a while, the man lowered his voice and whispered,
“You’re planning to use it for that place, right?”
“‘That place’?”
“Oh, you know… the high-ranking nobles who all gather behind the party hall, drink with these flowers, and spend the night in wild ecstasy—you know what I mean.”
The florist glanced around and smiled slyly. At his reaction, Cynthia turned her head toward Enoch and met his eyes.
Enoch glanced down at her, looking a little confused.
“If it’s for ‘that place,’ what’s the difference?”
“Of course there’s a difference! We give them a special treatment so the hallucinogenic effect lasts longer. But of course, that makes it a bit more expensive, you understand?”
See?!
Cynthia turned to Enoch with a triumphant expression. Enoch frowned.
“What if it’s not for that?”
“Oh, come now, sir. No need to be shy. I’m known for my discretion. Nobles and rich young customers all come to me secretly for these things. My treated flowers are the most effective, they say.”
The florist smiled proudly, clearly taking pride in secretly treating Titronia flowers with drugs for nobles.
Enoch scratched the back of his head irritably.
“I told you, it’s not for that! Just give me plain Titronia flowers—no treatment, nothing added!”
“What are you going to use them for, then?”
“What do people usually do with flowers? They gift them or look at them. Satisfied?”
The florist looked at Enoch’s irritated face, then nodded.
“Well, you’re quite shy, aren’t you? Alright then, I’ll give you untreated ones this time. Happy?”
“How much?”
“20 mint.”
Enoch scowled, opened his wallet, and handed over two bills. The florist smiled warmly, wrapped up a bunch of Titronia flowers, and handed it to him.
“Come again, sir!”
Enoch turned away without a word.
Once they were far enough from the shop, he burst out, sounding indignant.
“Unbelievable! It’s even cheaper! I’ve been paying 60 mint all this time!”
“I told you so! Those merchants must have assumed you wanted the drugged Titronia flowers. That’s why they were more toxic and why your usual recipe didn’t use enough Kirchi sap.”
“How can people judge someone just by how they look?! I’ve never been to one of those depraved parties in my life! I’ve always lived a good, innocent life!”
“Really?”
Cynthia’s comment made Enoch stop dead in his tracks. He shut his mouth tightly and glared at her.
Scary…! How can someone with a face like that claim to be “innocent”?
“I-I was kidding~…”
Cynthia laughed awkwardly and took the bouquet of Titronia flowers from him.
“Wanna check another flower market? Don’t you wonder if there’s a difference when I buy Titronia flowers instead of you?”
“No thanks. I’ve confirmed the truth—and had my pride thoroughly crushed.”
Enoch shook his head.
“Let’s just go back to the pharmacy. At least now we know the cause. Maybe I can make enough money selling potions to fix my ‘dirty-looking’ face.”
At his self-deprecating tone, Cynthia burst out laughing. She buried her face in the bouquet, inhaling deeply.
“Mmm, smells nice!”
Just then, a group of familiar-looking people suddenly appeared, blocking their path.
For a moment, Cynthia thought they might be people sent from the Bailey family and almost ran, but she stopped when she recognized their faces.
Wait… where have I seen these guys before…?
“Cynthia White.”
“…Yes?”
“You’ve been completely off the radar in the capital, and now we find you here? I heard your house burned down. Where’ve you been hiding all this time?”
Wh-who are you…?
Cynthia looked up at them blankly. Seeing her confused expression, Enoch lowered his guard slightly and glanced between the men.
“Cynthia, you know them?”
“I-I’m not sure… Sorry, but where exactly did we meet?”
At her question, the men turned to look at each other. They blinked a few times, then let out a hollow laugh.
“Heh… unbelievable.”
The quiet chuckles grew louder and louder until they burst out laughing hysterically.
What’s so funny…? Cynthia looked at them nervously.
Then, as suddenly as it started, their laughter vanished, and their faces turned cold. They stepped closer.
“Give me my money.”
“…What?”
“Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten your debt collectors’ faces? We’ve been gone too long, huh? Since we stopped showing up, you’ve been living quite comfortably, I see.”
“Kyaaah!!”
At that moment, memories came flooding back. Cynthia dropped the bouquet she was holding.
Right—she owed those loan sharks a huge amount of money!
“Well, look at that shocked face! You really did forget about us, didn’t you?”
“Then we’ll make sure you never forget again.”
The men rolled up their sleeves and came closer. Cynthia trembled, staring up at them.
After suddenly entering the Bailey mansion thanks to Dale’s proposal, she’d changed everything—her hair, her eye color, even her makeup and clothes. Her old self had vanished completely.
Then, when the Duke of Bailey burned down her old house, the loan sharks must have thought Cynthia White had simply disappeared from the world.
‘And now that I’ve gone back to my original hair and eye color—they recognized me instantly!’
Cynthia hurriedly spoke.
“I-I can pay! I was just about to repay you!”
“You said that last time too.”
“But this time I really have money! Uh—where should we go? How much has the debt grown? Let’s talk at your office, not here!”
She could feel people staring as they passed by, and panic set in.
If she drew any more attention, someone from the Bailey family patrolling the area might notice her…!
“You’ve got money? Don’t lie. How could you possibly have that much?”
“I’m telling you, let’s not do this here. Let’s go somewhere—”
“Cynthia, hold tight.”
“Huh?”
Just as she was trying to talk her way out of it, Enoch suddenly grabbed her wrist tightly.
Wait, no! I really can pay—let me handle this—
Before she could finish, Enoch swung his long leg and kicked the man in front of them hard in the shin.
Caught off guard, the man lost his balance and toppled backward—taking the rest of the group down like dominoes.
“Ugh!”
“Argh!!”
“Get them!!”
Cynthia turned her head to look back as Enoch pulled her along, running in the opposite direction.
“H-Hey! Let go! I’m not running away—!”
“Just try not to trip.”
“Let me go, you idiot!!”
You’re just making this worse!!
But Enoch didn’t seem to hear her, and he just kept running straight ahead.
Aaaah!!
“You’re even in debt? Just what kind of woman are you?”
Enoch turned to Cynthia, who was bent over, gasping for breath after their sudden sprint.
“If you’re really the Duke of Bailey’s daughter, you should have money. Did they really kick you out? Is that why you’re being chased?”
“…Shut.”
“What?”
Enoch leaned closer, trying to hear her mumbling.
“I said shut your mouth! And listen to me for once!!”
