Chapter 105…………
“Aaahhh!”
I felt like I was losing my mind…
I tightly clutched Idris’s arm like a lifeline, squeezing my eyes shut.
I couldn’t see anything, but the way the horse shook as if it might throw me off at any moment, and the wind fiercely brushing against my cheeks, told me just how fast we were moving.
“Damn it, Idris… If I get off that horse, I won’t forgive you, really!”
I wanted to slap his back right then and there, but if I did, I was sure I’d fall off. So I gritted my teeth in silence.
Through the roaring wind, a familiar voice reached me.
“Where did the always-tough Leticia go?”
…I really wanted to hit him.
Fear surged within me, and anger bubbled up, but I couldn’t bring myself to respond. I kept my eyes and mouth tightly shut.
Then a strong arm wrapped around my waist.
“It’s okay, open your eyes, Leticia.”
“……”
“I really want you to see this view.”
At that moment, the horse’s shaking and the wind hitting my face gradually subsided.
Only then did I slowly open one eye.
Before I even took in the scenery, I first noticed the smell of summer wind carrying the scent of water.
The warmth of the sunlight shining gently.
The distant chirping of birds.
And finally…
“Wow…”
A vast green meadow stretched endlessly alongside a river.
Riding the horse and feeling nature with my entire body, I felt as though I had become part of that scenery myself.
The fear from moments ago, the anger at Idris for taking off recklessly on the horse—all of it was instantly forgotten.
Lost in the view, Idris’s voice drifted to my ears.
“How is it? Beautiful, isn’t it?”
In his question, I could feel his heart: he wanted me to see this view, to help me overcome my fear.
I couldn’t help but burst into a smile and nod.
“Yes, it’s beautiful.”
At that moment, I was certain.
I would never forget this beautiful scenery he had shown me, the emotions of this moment, and… the person I shared it with.
The opening day of Faidan’s boutique, Blanc.
Despite past failures, the boutique was crowded with visitors, likely due to the Farnese family’s reputation.
Yet the atmosphere fell far short of Faidan’s expectations.
“Why have so few come? Mariposa had people lined up from here to there.”
Faidan, watching the situation from a carriage near a nearby alley, clicked his tongue in displeasure.
Lockhard cautiously spoke to calm him.
“Perhaps it’s still morning. I think more customers will come after lunch.”
“No, no. It’s our lack of promotion.”
Faidan’s gaze fell on a newspaper lying at his feet.
He had tossed it aside carelessly after reading it on the way to the boutique.
The paper featured a photo of Leticia and Idris, smiling together in matching riding outfits.
Faidan crushed the paper with his shoe once more and ordered Lockhard,
“Get more newspapers to feature promotional photos.”
“But, Your Grace, bringing in more newspapers will cost a lot…”
Lockhard was hesitant. Although spending on promotion could yield immediate results, this was a brand-new venture. Investing blindly in an uncertain business carried high risks.
Faidan, however, saw things differently.
“What’s a little money now? Whether we spend more or less, if this business fails, it’s over anyway!”
The Farnese family was already out of liquid funds and had borrowed from Deon. There was no turning back or planning for next time. He had to stake everything on this endeavor.
“In a situation like this, being cautious will only leave you standing by while we fail.”
Faidan barked, and Lockhard no longer argued. Faidan’s reasoning wasn’t entirely unreasonable.
“Immediately hire actors to model the clothes and distribute the articles.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
Lockhard complied. At this point, they had no choice but to bet on the business.
The promotional effect was immediate.
Those who saw the newspaper ad came to the boutique.
Following Faidan’s instructions to ensure no shortage of stock, the pre-made clothes sold quickly.
The boutique now appeared busier than ever.
“See? It wasn’t Leticia who built the Farnese name—it’s me who brought it here.”
Drunk on victory and confidence, Faidan decided to go to the boutique in person that day.
Previously, he had only observed from the carriage to avoid embarrassment if business lagged.
Now, there was no need for that.
The carriage stopped proudly in front of the boutique, where a few customers were already lined up.
As Faidan stepped out, the waiting customers recognized him immediately.
“Oh my, the Duke himself has come!”
“But… aren’t those clothes from another boutique?”
The people were puzzled to see Faidan, the boutique owner, wearing someone else’s clothes.
Did that mean the quality of his own products wasn’t good enough?
Ah.
Faidan realized he had been naive.
Part of him was also annoyed.
“How dare lower-ranking nobles wear the same clothes as me?”
Still, for the sake of boutique promotion, he decided that at least on workdays, he should wear the boutique’s own clothes.
“What on earth are these idiots doing that they didn’t even come out to greet the boss?”
Faidan clicked his tongue at the staff’s negligence as he entered the boutique.
At that moment, he understood why the staff hadn’t—or couldn’t—come out to greet him.
“Are you seriously selling this as clothing?”
A sharp female voice pierced the air.
Faidan frowned, beginning to assess the situation.
In the center of the store, two noblewomen were confronting staff members.
At their feet were dresses so small they could have been for children, deliberately tossed there.
“I apologize, madam. The shrinkage may not be due to the fabric but might have occurred during washing—”
“I thought the same at first! That’s why I wrongly blamed an innocent maid. But look at this!”
The noblewoman threw down two more dresses that the maid had been holding.
“Not just my dress, but the dress bought by the Countess of Roshern shrank too!”
The dresses were indeed shrunken to childlike sizes.
“Is this a coincidence? You still blame the customer’s carelessness? Huh?”
Customers inside the boutique, caught up in the scene, began murmuring, unaware that Faidan had arrived.
“But these aren’t cheap dresses. How can they shrink this much after just one or two washes?”
“They said the fabrics came from the Eastern Continent… Surely squeezing into shrunken clothes isn’t a fashion there either?”
“I came to see the Eastern Continent fashion, but… seems like I wasted my time.”
The murmuring crowd started moving toward the exits.
At that moment, they saw him:
Faidan, his face boiling with anger.
