HTNSA 105

Chapter 105

As she looked into the mirror, her eyes sparkled, something rare for her.

“Is this a new product from Sharon Atelier? It feels so much better than what I’ve used before.”

“What?”

The moment Zordic heard her words, a flash of realization struck him.

‘This… might actually be worth a lot of money!’

Sharon Atelier was currently the most famous cosmetics brand in the empire.

If there was a product better in quality than theirs, it was bound to become wildly popular among women who cared about skincare.

So the next morning, Zordic sought out Yuria before anyone else.

Yuria, who desperately needed a partner to provide capital and ingredients, signed the contract without hesitation.

That was how their business officially began, growing into what it was now.

‘To think I’d go from a lifetime of petty brokering to dealing with the upper-class market. The level of money flowing in is completely different.’

The business was thriving.

The profits far exceeded his initial investment, and Zordic looked out the window with a satisfied smile.

That was when a shop employee burst into his office, flinging the door open.

Panting heavily, the employee shouted,

“Master, there’s a big problem!”

* * *

“What is it? What happened?”

Following the employee back to the shop in a rush, Zordic grabbed the store manager as soon as he stepped through the door, asking urgently.

The manager carefully leaned in to explain the situation in a low voice.

“A customer who just arrived is a young master from the Azenta Duchy. It seems he gifted one of our products to a lady he’s courting… and there was an issue with it.”

“What? A young master from the Duchy came here?”

The manager proceeded to explain in detail, and Zordic’s eyes widened.

“But no one’s ever complained about any issues with our cosmetics before! What exactly happened?”

“Well…”

As the manager hesitated, Zordic let out a frustrated sigh and waved his hand.

“Forget it. I’ll see for myself.”

Feeling tense, he strode toward the reception room, pausing at the door to steady his breath.

He had heard of the Azenta Duchy’s power for a long time, so he needed to handle this quietly and smoothly.

As soon as Zordic opened the door, he immediately bowed his head.

“Greetings. I am Zordic, owner of this cosmetic shop and the Flor Merchant Guild.”

The first thing he saw upon entering the reception room was a beautiful woman in a deep purple velvet dress, seated on the sofa.

Next to her was a silver-haired young man with striking features, radiating a presence that was impossible to ignore.

‘That must be the young master from the Azenta Duchy.’

Behind them stood a broad-shouldered knight in silence. The emblem engraved on the longsword at his waist was one Zordic recognized well.

‘A direct knight of the Kistar Order?’

Feeling cold sweat trickle down his back, Zordic forced a polite smile.

“So… may I ask what issue brought you to our store today?”

As soon as he finished speaking, the woman in the purple dress snapped her fan shut with a sharp sound.

A red rash was visible on her pale cheek.

But the condition didn’t look too severe, and Zordic felt a bit relieved. Perhaps he could talk her down and send them off quietly.

“Do you see this rash? This happened to my skin after using your cosmetics.”

Zordic cautiously examined her face before speaking.

“Of course, we deeply regret hearing this, but… are you certain our product was the cause? I must apologize, but we have never once received a complaint like this from any of our customers.”

He then carefully explained the numerous processes they used to magically treat their products to prevent allergic reactions, laying out logical points that were difficult to refute.

However, before he could even finish, the woman’s face flushed with anger as she shouted,

“So you’re saying I’m lying now? The only cosmetics I’ve used recently are yours! Isn’t that right, Felix?”

She turned sharply to the young man standing next to her, and the silver-haired young man immediately agreed.

“She’s right. Her face became like this right after I gifted her your product.”

“I-I see. However, skin conditions can also be affected by a person’s health at the time…”

Before Zordic could finish, Felix cut him off coldly.

“So you’re doubting my woman’s words now?”

Felix narrowed his eyes, staring at him, and Zordic swallowed hard.

From what he’d heard, their relationship seemed far more intimate than expected.

Who would have thought a young master of the Duchy would be so deeply smitten with a woman of low status?

And both of them were clearly furious.

‘Causing a scene over a minor rash like this… unbelievable.’

It was unfair, but the opponent was the Azenta Duchy’s heir.

If he didn’t handle this carefully, it wouldn’t just end as a customer complaint.

Zordic decided to swallow his pride and do everything he could to calm them down.

He quickly bowed his head and said,

“Of course not! That’s not what I meant at all. I sincerely apologize. I will take full responsibility for this matter.”

Wiping the sweat from his brow, he added in a pleading tone,

“I will provide any compensation you desire. We will cover the medical expenses, and I will prepare a generous settlement as well. Please, I beg of you… This shop has just recently opened, so could you find it in your hearts to forgive us just this once?”

At his words, the woman in the purple dress crossed her arms, tilting her head slightly.

A strand of her pink hair fell forward, adding to her alluring presence.

“Now you’re making sense. But I don’t want money. I have more than enough of that already.”

“I’m sorry? Then… what kind of compensation would you like?”

Eila, still with her arms crossed, spoke in a calm tone.

“Bring me the person who made this. I won’t feel satisfied until I’ve slapped them a few times for what they did to my face.”

For a moment, Zordic blinked blankly at her demand.

All Flor cosmetics were created by Yuria, a mage.

For that reason, Zordic had been extremely cautious about exposing her identity to the outside world, fearing their techniques might be stolen.

‘But… this time, I have no choice.’

The look in Eila’s eyes was more than simple anger; it held a fierce determination to get revenge.

As if she intended to ruin the other party’s face several times over in return.

‘She just wants someone to take the blame.’

After a brief moment of consideration, Zordic made up his mind.

Losing a fortune in compensation was far worse than letting Yuria take a few slaps and ending it cleanly.

He bowed deeply, humbling himself.

“If that’s all it takes to resolve this, then I will gladly arrange a meeting.”

“Hmph.”

Eila covered her mouth with her fan, satisfied. So Zordic couldn’t see it—

—the cold smile that formed on her lips.

* * *

Yetien couldn’t make sense of what was happening before his eyes.

He was beyond confused; his head was starting to ache.

‘Lady Eila suddenly flipped her attitude completely… and the young master is going along with it.’

Until right before they entered the shop, Yetien had actually thought Eila might be a good person.

But as if to mock that thought, Eila had started throwing a fit without any restraint.

The only silver lining was that the merchant leader also seemed eager to settle the matter quietly.

If word spread that the Duchy’s heir and his lover had caused a scene at a shop, it would undoubtedly damage the Duchy’s reputation as well.

So Yetien decided it would be best to handle this as quietly as possible and keep everyone’s mouths shut before returning.