"To the servants, not the nobles?"
"Yeah, send it with the name 'Baron Fenris' prominently displayed."
"Oh… I see? Got it." Claude nodded with a peculiar expression.
At that moment, Belinda, who had been watching them suspiciously, interrupted.
"Wait, what's this? What are you talking about? Can someone explain? Are you sure you understand, head butler? You're not just pretending to know, are you?"
Claude immediately bristled at her dismissive tone.
"What nonsense! As the top graduate of Seiron Royal Academy and the one managing all affairs of the estate, there's no way I wouldn't understand!"
"Hmph, says the one who gets outsmarted by the young master every day."
"That's only because the lord's ways are outside normal logic!" Claude beat his chest in frustration.
But Belinda wasn't the only one skeptical; the others also kept their eyes fixed on Ghislain, awaiting an explanation.
Ghislain shrugged and explained casually.
"Belinda, remember how happy you were when I first gave you the cosmetics? You wondered where it came from and asked if it was expensive."
"Well… yes, that's true."
"But then, why did you later refuse it?"
"Well, that's obvious, isn't it? Because you said you made it yourself, and you've never studied things like alchemy or herbalism… Ah, I get it now!"
Belinda's eyes widened with sudden understanding.
Everyone at Fenris Castle knew Ghislain had no knowledge of alchemy or anything related to cosmetics. That's why they hadn't trusted the products he made.
But it was different for people in the capital.
"Among the servants, there will be some who believe in a product just because it's associated with a noble's name."
"Especially since people here don't know who you are, young master."
"Exactly."
Not everyone who received the cosmetics would use them, but if even one person did and saw results, the word would spread quickly, just as it had back in the Fenris estate.
Gillian, who had been the most diligent tester during the first round of cosmetics trials, nodded seriously.
"Ah, so it's like catching the horse to catch the knight. Targeting those close to the nobles first… clever, my lord."
"…I didn't really plan it that deeply, but in the end, you're not wrong," Ghislain said, scratching his neck awkwardly.
Belinda, now aware of the logic, muttered in frustration.
"It seems so obvious now, but why didn't I think of it? I'm the one around the servants the most."
Ghislain smirked.
"Because you don't trust me, that's why. That's why I don't like explaining everything. People don't believe it, anyway."
The others fell silent, feeling embarrassed.
Watching them cough awkwardly, Claude clicked his tongue.
"Tsk, tsk. How can vassals who are supposed to be loyal to their lord doubt and question his every action? How is the estate supposed to run like this? Don't be like Alpoi."
The irony of hearing this from the most skeptical one of all left everyone fuming.
But since Claude had been the only one to grasp Ghislain's intent before he even explained it, they had no grounds to argue.
As everyone glared at him, Claude tapped his temples and said, "Can you feel the difference in intelligence?"
A slight murderous aura filled the air.
Pretending not to notice, Claude turned away and said, "I'll make sure the products are wrapped nicely and sent to noble households."
"That's right. No need to send them to all the nobles; pick only the influential ones."
"Then what should we send to the nobles? We can't ignore them entirely."
It would be strange to ignore the nobles and only send gifts to the servants.
Ghislain thought for a moment, then replied nonchalantly.
"Just send them some mandrake roots as an excuse, saying it's a token of respect from our visit to the capital."
"...Mandrake root?"
"Yeah. No need to send anything fancy. All they need to know is that Baron Fenris and his guild are here with a new cosmetic line. Send the cheapest roots you can find."
Claude scratched his head, looking uncomfortable.
While mandrake root was known for its tonic properties, it wasn't exactly the kind of thing capital nobles would appreciate as a gift.
Even if they weren't looking to win over the nobles, he worried about the gossip it might stir.
"Well, I'll do what I can. So, what should I write in the letter? Is there anything specific you want to say?"
"Just put, 'This lord has arrived in the capital.'"
"…I'll draft it appropriately."
Ghislain clicked his tongue in reply.
"Yeah, figure that much out yourself. You don't need me writing every word, do you?"
"I understand," Claude grumbled but prepared the letters and gifts with care.
After sending the gifts, there was nothing left to do but wait for a response.
While the others explored the capital and sought out well-known eateries to pass the time, Ghislain stayed behind in the mansion, lost in thought.
'By now, some of them should have started seeing results.'
Everyone thought Ghislain had come to the capital to make money by selling cosmetics.
While that wasn't untrue, money wasn't his only goal.
'How long will it take, I wonder…'
Caw! Caw!
Ghislain tossed some feed to the crows, which swarmed eagerly, squawking as they gobbled it up in the garden.
***
Count Ailesbur was one of the more powerful figures in the capital.
Although he didn't hold a high office or control vast lands, his influence was bolstered by extensive family connections with other noble houses.
The wealth and business holdings he'd inherited from his ancestors also provided him with solid backing.
As such, people regularly sent him gifts to curry favor, so much so that he had to set aside time to keep track of it all.
"The next one… from Baron Fenris?"
"Yes, it's his first time in the capital, so he sent this as a greeting."
"Hmm, alright."
Count Ailesbur nodded indifferently and opened the letter.
However, its contents were anything but ordinary.
"Oh…"
Each line of the letter was crafted to captivate.
The praise was so skillfully worded that it made him feel like an emperor.
"Hmm, either his secretary is quite talented, or he wrote this himself. Either way, it's impressive. I'm quite pleased. Haha."
This made him curious about the gift.
If they'd shown such respect, the gift was bound to be special.
With an expectant smile, he gestured to his servant.
"Hurry, let's see what he sent."
Not knowing what it contained, he couldn't risk opening it himself.
From a short distance, a servant carefully opened the wooden box.
"Huh?"
The onlookers peered inside and looked puzzled.
Inside the box lay a single dried mandrake root.
"…A mandrake? Just the one?"
"Yes, sir. Just this one."
Count Ailesbur, taken aback, gestured urgently.
"Bring it here. Let me see that."
He took the mandrake root, examining it closely and even shaking the empty box.
But no matter how he looked, that was all there was.
"Bah! Just an empty show-off! Remember this man's name. This is why poor, country nobles are useless!"
Count Ailesbur threw the mandrake root and the box aside and got up, thinking he'd attend a social gathering later to complain about this slight.
As he was leaving, his butler stopped him.
"The baron also sent gifts to the servants. What should we do with those?"
"Oh? What is it, more weeds?"
"It's a beauty cream from his merchant guild."
Count Ailesbur scoffed.
A merchant guild from the countryside selling high-end cosmetics? Ridiculous.
Since it was sent to the servants, it was probably some cheap paste made from fruit peels.
"A cosmetic for commoners? Just hand it out. They can use it or throw it away as they please. Oh, and let them have the mandrake root too, whoever wants it."
"Thank you, sir!"
The butler smiled, relieved. While it was trash to the count, a mandrake root was still valuable to commoners.
Count Ailesbur clicked his tongue a few more times before leaving in a huff.
Thus, the cosmetics Ghislain had sent were distributed among the servants of Ailesbur's estate.
The jars were labeled with Baron Fenris's name and the crest of his guild.
Most of the servants were suspicious, just like Count Ailesbur, and didn't use it.
However, some were curious about the prominently displayed noble's name and decided to try it.
Just as Ghislain had anticipated.
About ten days later…
Countess Meriel Ailesbur, who was carefully applying makeup, muttered with a frown.
"My makeup isn't going well today."
The powder on her face felt unusually dry and flaky.
"Nothing to be done about aging, I suppose. I wish I didn't have to grow old."
Her skin seemed to deteriorate by the day.
Despite eating the best foods and using the finest cosmetics, the effects were dwindling.
The inevitable advance of middle age was a source of sorrow and frustration for her.
"Even so, I'm still so beautiful."
Meriel looked in the mirror with a wistful sigh.
She was still considered one of the most beautiful women in the kingdom.
In her youth, many noble heirs had proposed to her, and knights had vied for the chance to serve her as their lady.
Even now, many praised her beauty, and she was one of the most fashionable ladies in the kingdom.
Yet, as she aged, her skin lost its elasticity, and the growing wrinkles bothered her immensely.
"In my youth, my skin glowed without makeup. Ah…"
Trying to cover her wrinkles with powder only made her skin feel stiffer.
"I should've learned some simple mana cultivation technique. They say it helps preserve youth."
But it was too late. No one could escape the passage of time.
Sighing, Meriel stepped out of her room.
"Is everything ready? Let's leave now so we're not late."
Today, she was attending a salon gathering, something she hadn't done in a while.
It was the reason she'd spent the morning meticulously dressing.
Noble social gatherings were like battlegrounds, except without weapons.
Everyone scrutinized each other's outfits, makeup, and even jewelry, comparing themselves.
Meriel had never lost such a "battle."
As she was about to leave the mansion, Meriel paused, feeling something odd.
'What is it?'
She looked over the line of maids flanking the corridor.
Then, Meriel realized what was bothering her.
'Their skin…'
Most of them looked as they always did. How good could the skin of servants, who didn't have access to noble treatments, really be?
But a few of them stood out, their skin noticeably brighter and more radiant.
Normally, it would be hard to notice skin elasticity without looking closely, but Meriel's sharp eye didn't miss it.
She examined their faces one by one. Their skin had a moisturized glow.
Unlike the tired, sallow faces of the other maids, these few looked fresh and radiant.
Meriel approached the maid with the most luminous skin and spoke.
"You."
The maid looked down, intimidated.
"Tell me everything you've been eating, how you've been washing, and how much you've been sleeping. If you think there's any other reason your skin has improved, tell me that too."
Meriel, who usually treated her servants with poise and grace, looked stern, like a completely different person.
[T/L: Please support me and read extra chapters here: https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]