Chapter 17
“I spent days and nights researching that!! What if he, a master of disguise….”
“Do you see it glowing?”
“Huh? Why is this glowing?”
Karin swiftly turned her head from side to side.
“No way—did you meet Bain?”
“I gave one half of the shattered amethyst shard to Lady Bellia. I wasn’t sure if I had misjudged the pattern.”
Karin inhaled sharply.
“Then it’s true. If it’s glowing like this, it means Bain’s scent lingers on that young lady. A trace of him remains.”
As Karin stared in shock, Carlton began putting on his clothes.
“Exactly. That’s why I asked if you knew anything about that young lady. More importantly, Karin, you should come to the Empire too.”
“Me? Why?”
“Do you remember what I told you about the Forest of Fog?”
“Oh, the place you said might be where we were experimented on?”
“Right. We might be able to enter that forest soon.”
“But last time you said we couldn’t.”
“I got permission from the imperial crown prince.”
“How—oh, right, you’re the Tower Master. Did you strike a deal or something? Fine, if you’re going, I should go too. But is it okay for me to go when my identity’s unclear?”
“I’ll take responsibility for that. It’s better if you see the forest—and that young lady—for yourself.”
Carlton put on his coat.
“Huh? You’re leaving already?”
“I have work to do.”
“Can’t you tell me a bit more about her…?”
“Next time.”
Without hesitation, Carlton turned and exited the cave.
“Alright then! I’ll gather ingredients for my potions and head to the Empire! I’ll contact you before I go, so be careful! You know you’ll die if something goes wrong with that pattern, right?”
Karin’s voice echoed through the cave.
“It’s been a while.”
Dressed in formal attire, Bellia greeted the arriving guests one by one.
Those receiving her greeting waved their hands dismissively.
“Oh my, young lady, you don’t need to be so formal.”
“This is the first time we’re meeting officially.”
Although she’d seen these merchants come and go from the estate for business, this was the first time seeing them at a meeting like this, so Bellia was extra polite.
“We didn’t expect the young lady to be so grown-up.”
“My, how time flies.”
The marquis exchanged pleasantries with the merchants.
“It’s clear why the marquis dotes on you so.”
“Ah, Father—thank you so much for the samples.”
As the others exchanged greetings while waiting for the textiles to arrive, Bellia leaned in and whispered to the marquis.
“Yes, I heard even a jewelry designer drew up something. Was it any help?”
Bellia smiled brightly.
“Yes. Thanks to you.”
“You smile so well—it’s nice to see.”
“Pardon?”
The marquis gently patted Bellia’s head.
Startled by the unfamiliar touch, Bellia’s eyes widened, and the marquis quickly pulled his hand back in surprise.
“Oh, I just…”
“Marquis, they say the delivery is almost here.”
A secretary came rushing over to whisper to the marquis.
“Ah, Father, I’ll head to my seat.”
Bellia awkwardly scratched her cheek.
She was flustered by the rare—perhaps first—moment of warm eye contact and a gentle smile from her father.
“They’ll arrive soon, so everyone take your seats.”
At the marquis’s words, everyone returned to their places.
Just before taking her seat, Bellia flinched upon seeing who was already seated next to her.
“Oh, brother.”
“You’re here.”
“Yeah.”
“You’ll probably learn a lot today. Just so you know, managing a trading company is nothing like picking out dresses at a salon. Your words and actions represent our family…”
Barun’s quiet voice crept into her ears.
“Look who’s talking.”
Bellia swallowed her retort and smiled sweetly.
“I’ll handle it just fine.”
As soon as she spoke, the door opened and the executives of the Arpedi Trading Company entered the conference room.
“Oh!”
“Do you like it?”
With dark circles under his eyes, Henri looked at her pleadingly, silently begging for this to be over.
“Who made it this time?”
“An old man named Dorito who lives in the artisan district. He didn’t want to do it, but I begged and clung to him until he finally agreed.”
Bellia reached out and picked up the item Henri brought.
It had a subtle sheen to the fabric and the handle fit perfectly in her hand.
The black color could have looked dull, but instead it sparkled with a refined elegance that would match any dress.
“Oh!!! This is it!”
“Really?!”
Henri’s face lit up with joy.
“Yes! Henri, I love it.”
“Ah, thank goodness! Then please!”
Henri pulled out the contract he had been carrying around every day.
“Sign here…!”
The contract for the dress deal was once again placed on the table.
Henri was overcome with emotion as he recalled the past.
When he came back to Bellia, contract in hand and a list of top-tier artisans, she had dropped a bombshell on him:
“If you bring me the perfect prototype for the bag design, I’ll sign the dress contract.”
“What?!”
That was the moment when the beautiful Lady Bellia’s face looked like that of a demon.
Henri, forced into it, had no choice but to run around day and night.
He worked harder than when he first opened his salon, desperately searching for a workshop that could bring the design to life.
Bellia glanced at Henri and pulled out a document from a drawer.
His face showed just how much he had suffered.
“Well, this should be enough.”
There were two reasons Bellia gave him the task of creating the bag.
First, he had run his salon in the capital for a long time, so with his experience, he should be able to track down the right artisans.
Second, it was punishment and a warning—not to take her lightly again.
Before her social debut, at countless parties, he and others had treated her and her mother with disregard. She wanted to teach him a lesson.
“You won’t make the same mistake again after all that suffering, right?”
“Of course not!”
Henri, standing at attention, answered immediately.
Though she still resented him for the past, he had recently been respectful and brought excellent results, so Bellia decided to forgive him.
She signed the contract she had prepared and handed it to Henri.
“Here, check it and sign.”
“Yes, ma’am!”
Henri checked the document and, recognizing the familiar contents, happily signed with a pen.
“But you said it was made by someone named Dorito?”
“Yes!”
“Really?”
The bag he brought this time was different from the others Henri had shown her before.
It felt like she had returned to her past life—it looked just like the trendy bags that had once taken the Empire by storm.
“Anything unusual happen?”
“Unusual? Oh—Old Man Dorito recognized it as a bag just by looking at the blueprint!”
“Immediately?”
“Yes! Other workshops asked what it was—if it was rags or something—but he instantly asked if it was a bag, and even asked if it was a type of luxury item!”
“Really?”
Bellia’s eyes sparkled.
“Perfect. Now Henri, you’re responsible for the bag production.”
“…Sorry, what?”
Henri blinked, still admiring the contract.
“You just signed it. Didn’t you see the last line?”
Henri looked at the final clause on the contract in his hand.
His eyes trembled as he read the unfamiliar provision.
“…The Contractor agrees to assist the Principal’s business endeavors fully and completely. This includes, but is not limited to, all matters related to the bag business…”
By the time he finished reading, Henri’s face had gone pale.
“No need to be surprised. I told you before, didn’t I? That I’d include your salon in the new venture. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
“What?”
“Now, go to that old man and ask him to make these three designs I’m giving you. Deadline: two days. Tell him I’ll pay three times the usual rate. Got it?”
“Two days?! It took a full day just to get this one made, even with constant begging…”
“Isn’t making the impossible possible exactly what you’re good at, Henri?”
Henri’s face turned a deathly shade of blue.
Bellia smiled brightly.
“This opportunity won’t come again. Because I’m extremely happy with this result. That’s why I want to work with you, Henri.”
And just like that, she’d secured a key player for her bag business.
Bellia smiled to herself as she recalled the results Henri had brought that morning.
Soon, the meeting began.
“These are the fabrics recently imported from the maritime kingdom of Coupa.”
“Ooh.”
The merchants admired the fabrics.
Barun also leaned forward, examining them carefully.
Bellia stole a glance at him, trying to calm her racing heart.
She was determined to counter any opinion he gave, but also slightly nervous that he might genuinely come up with a brilliant idea beyond her expectations.
“Unlike fabrics from the Empire, these are known for their durability and thickness. As for price, since we’ve secured a contract with Orlo, we’ll be purchasing them at domestic rates with only additional handling fees.”
The secretary stood in the center of the room and explained the textiles.
