“Your Grace, it’s been a while since I last delivered the Anixia scent. Are you alright?”

“Aha, you still seem to remember. The contract.”

“…You are being sarcastic. I know it is past my due date. I apologize for not contacting you beforehand.”

I’ve been so busy these past few days that I couldn’t pay much attention to Cedric. He also wasn’t showing any signs that he had run out of the perfume… Was he waiting for me to bring it?

“No, I didn’t need more to contact you.”

“Really?”

My eyes widened in surprise.

It had already been fifteen days since I last met Cedric. The Anixia scent I handed him last time should have already been used up by now.

“I guess you didn’t use it according to the prescription. Are you feeling any better these days?”

“Well, perhaps.”

Cedric blatantly glossed over his answer. I narrowed my eyes at the response when Cedric opened his mouth again.

“Aside from that, this is a promising building. I can sense the lady’s hard work.”

“Thank you for the sudden compliment. The investment will soon be returned… Well, I will try my best to return the amount as soon as possible.”

I converted my words midway as I spoke.

No matter how good the business turned out to be, I couldn’t pay such a large amount of gold in an instant.

Cedric shrugged.

“You don’t have to feel pressured. I wish you prosperity.”

“Thank you.”

He smiled faintly.

This time it was an actual ‘sincere smile’, not a smirk. Although it was too swift for me to observe at a closer pace.

“Goodbye, then.”

“Ah, yes. Please return safely, Your Grace.”

As Cedric turned his back, Ern reflexively followed him.

Cedric glanced at Ern and shook his head.

“Stay close to the lady, Ern… And.”

Cedric whispered to Ern in a discreet voice.

Ern then nodded his head to indicate Cedric’s words reached underneath his heavy armor. Even as I pricked my ears, their words couldn’t reach me.

Cedric bid me farewell after finishing his words and left the building.

As his large presence disappeared, I felt the perfume shop was suddenly wider than before.

✧༝┉┉┉┉┉˚*❋ ❋ ❋*˚┉┉┉┉┉༝✧

Following Charlotte and Cedric’s visit, the sudden dejection I experienced the first day was soon resolved.

As customers poured in one by one, others also relaxed their guard and began to step into the shop.

It wasn’t a complete success yet, but a decent starting point.

“Lina, there were many customers before now, so get some rest. I’ll deal with them from now on.”

“No, my lady! This level of exhaustion will be relieved quickly if I take my lady’s nourishment perfume. Ah, on that note, would it be alright if I took a light sniff from it?”

“…No, you’re addicted.”

<The Nourishment Tonic> was the first perfume I made with Lina. The perfume caused Lina to go berserk due to the sudden energy boost.

After touching upon the formula, it did not show as much abnormal efficacy as it did back then. However, it was still a perfume with a significant effect on energy recovery.

Of course, there would be no problem with using it often since it didn’t take up any harmful ingredients…

Still, Lina needed some restraint. Addiction is always looking out for us, Lina.

“Hick.”

Lina drooped her shoulders in dejection.

But I can’t change my mind. I pushed Lina’s back and forced her into the room.

“Isn’t it rather sunny, Lord Ern? You may head in and rest for a while. I’ll keep this a secret.”

“It’s alright.”

Ern gave an immediate answer. I scratched my cheek. He’s a very loyal knight.

The silver bell rang.

“Welcome! Ariel’s Fragrance Salon…”

“Dear Ariel!”

“Lady Ariel, it’s us!”

Chirping sounds, one following the other.

This caused me to unconsciously retreat.

The four girls waved their hands enthusiastically. Their dresses seemed colorful as peacock feathers.

“This is Lady Ariel’s shop! It’s so pretty and nice!”

“How could you not send us a word after opening such a wonderful store?”

“Really, Lady Annett made fun of me for not knowing about this! Do you know how surprised we were?”

The girls flocked and gazed at me with their deer-like eyes.

I took another step back, my heel bumping against the shelf.

“Ah, girls… You came to see me. Ha, haha.”

“Of course! How can we not come when Lady Ariel opened up her own shop?”

“You should have invited me to the opening party!”

“Really! Who else did you have fun with besides us!? We could’ve made it even more enjoyable!”

“An opening party, I didn’t hold one, so calm down.”

“Yes?”

Lily’s eyes widened. I felt the need to place my hands under her face since her eyeballs seemed to pop out at any moment.

Lily then asked back in a perplexed tone.

“How did you not throw a party when you now have an excuse to…?”

“…I know. Come on in for now, girls.”

The Passers-by’s gazes stuck on the girls, most likely because of their high chirping voices. I couldn’t help but drag them inside the building.

“Yes!”

The girls lined up and entered the shop, their steps cheerful. The spacious interior felt a bit cramped as their thick skirts occupied the space.

“So, girls. Is anything the matter?”

“Oh, dear Ariel. You’re speaking as if we are in a relationship only involving business. Luna is very upset.”

“Don’t act cute, Luna.”

“Don’t mess with me, Eileen.”

Two girls scrimmaged in hushed voices. Then they faced me and smiled innocently.

“Actually, I have something to say to dear Ariel.”

“Yes, what is it? Tell me.”

I asked, my smile friendly.

Eileen’s eyes glimmered as she replied, “We’ve almost completed the plan to play the trick on Romina. When should we activate?”

“Lady Romina has become very, very arrogant lately. We have to lower her nose!”

…Huh?

Ah, ahaha. I smiled awkwardly, rather flustered.

Yes, I forgot my role for a moment since I was fooled by their angelic appearance.

You aren’t angels but a bunch of bad guys roaming around like fruit flies and bothering the main character.

“Dear Ariel, when should we implement our plan?”

Their eyes glistened as they clasped their hands together, asking for permission to set off.

At this rate, I will genuinely feel like the leader of these evil girls.

I smiled awkwardly.

“…What do you mean, a plan? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Oh my, are you kidding, Lady Ariel?”

“Dear Ariel, you’ve designed this plan all yourself! We decided to use parsley perfume to make Lady Romina shed tears and have a runny nose in front of her crush, Lord Rondall.”

“…What do you mean, parsley perfume?”

“Oh my. Are you trying to see if we remember correctly? Lady Romina is allergic to parsley. She has a very severe allergy.”

“The perfume will not be enough evidence against us, so if we secretly spray Lady Romina… Huhuhu, Eileen, do you recall how Lady Romina seemed when she accidentally consumed steamed carp with parsley over the dish?”

“Of course, of course. She had a runny nose and her face turned beet red, am I right? It was amazing.”

“If this happens to her before Lord Rondall… Kukuku. She’d be embarrassed for a month.”

“Ahaha, just thinking about it makes me feel better.”

The girls covered their mouths with their hands and giggled.

Goosebumps ran down my spine.

Yes, you weren’t evil girls for no reason.

Fortunately, Lina served tea and refreshments just in time. I proceeded to speak as if nothing wrong happened.

“Now, have a bite. Let’s eat and think.”

Let’s think about what to do.

The sweets were intended for me to buy time to figure out a way to shake off these children.

I need to think of a method to kick them out right away. These naughty troubles.

“Yes, dear Ariel.”

The girls sat side by side on the reception sofa and picked up their cookies.

Then they began to nibble away.

Their figures seemed frustrating, so I unknowingly glared their way.

“Take a whole bite, girls.”

“I’ll become fat…”

“Just eat—Grow your height.”

“Okay~”

The girls opened their lips slightly more, snapped the cookies in half, and shoved them inside their mouths.

I was able to lift the teacup comfortably only then.

‘…I think I’ll choke.’

I quietly placed down the teacup again. The warm tea water couldn’t go down properly, due to the eight eyes gazing my way. I sighed and opened my mouth.

“Ladies, Romina seems to be seriously allergic to parsley, so it could cause her death if you use it against her in such a way.”

“Well, Lady Ariel can control that.”

“…No, I won’t.”

“Oh, you won’t be controlling the outcome results? As expected, Dear Ariel is fiesty!”

“No, no. That’s not what I’m saying.”

The girls widened their eyes and looked at me.

I adjusted my facial muscles to put on the most serious expression.

I had no intention of being a part of these girls’ villain pranks.

“I’m not going to use allergies to harass Lady Romina.”

“Yes? Why?”

The girls’ eyes widened.

“Because that is a bad thing.”

“Yes? But Lady Romina was the first to hurt us?”

“…How did she hurt you?”

“She bullied us, saying we were stupid! She mocked Eileen for her poor singing, and recently pointed out Sasha’s dark circles in front of others. You know how stressed Sasha is about her dark circles!”

“How long Sasha had to wait for the ball that day… She left while running. What a bad person!”

“…Dark circles?”

I looked back at Sasha.

Come to think of it, dark shadows were indeed cast under Sasha’s eyes, although I could see her efforts in trying to cover it with powder.