"Well… I received a cosmetic product as a gift recently…"
"Cosmetic?"
"Yes, a skin cream… from some baron…"
Flustered by Meriel's uncharacteristic demeanor, the maid stammered, unable to complete her sentences.
Growing impatient, Meriel turned to the head maid for clarification.
"Apparently, Baron Fenris recently sent gifts to various noble households. I believe he sent a gift and a letter to the Count as well."
"Baron Fenris? I've never heard of him."
"It seems this is his first visit to the capital."
"So he's sending gifts around, then. But he sent it to my husband and not to me?"
While Count Ailesbur held significant influence, Meriel's was even greater.
As the eldest daughter of one of the few marquess houses in the kingdom, she practically ruled the capital's social scene.
"He should have tried to impress me instead of my husband. How clueless. Even if he doesn't know the city well…"
Though she understood he was likely new and unfamiliar with who held real power, it still stung her pride.
Fanning herself to cool her heated face, she continued questioning the head maid.
"So did he send my husband some fancy cosmetics?"
"No, my lady. I believe the Count received just a single mandrake root."
Meriel let out a sarcastic laugh.
"Just a mandrake root? Must be a poor noble. But where did he get these cosmetics? He sent enough for all the maids."
"I heard that Baron Fenris's guild developed it themselves."
"They… developed it themselves?"
Meriel's expression was a curious mix of admiration and disdain.
The idea of a rural baron's guild creating cosmetics—if she'd heard this at any other time, she'd have laughed and dismissed it.
But after seeing the effects of the cream, she couldn't ignore it so easily.
After a brief moment of consideration, Meriel made a swift decision and turned to the head maid.
"Cancel my attendance at today's gathering. Tell them I'm unwell. And you—follow me."
She brought along the maid with the best skin to question her in detail about how she'd used the product.
Meriel then took a closer look at the cream, which she had purchased from the maid in exchange for a decent sum.
"Hm… Should I use this or not?"
If it had no effect, that would be one thing. But if it caused any adverse reaction, it would bring untold trouble.
Not only would she become a laughingstock among the ladies and noblewomen, but her carefully cultivated reputation would take a nosedive.
Yet her intuition was insisting that this was an opportunity she couldn't miss.
That she had to seize it before anyone else.
"Well, none of them had any adverse effects, and a few showed obvious improvements. I'll give it a try."
Meriel washed her face thoroughly and carefully applied the cream to her skin.
'Ah… Is this what morning dew feels like on one's skin?'
It felt slightly sticky at first, but it quickly absorbed, and she felt her skin filling with moisture from within.
This was it.
Feeling certain, Meriel spread the cream evenly over her face before going to bed early.
She knew dramatic changes wouldn't happen overnight, but when she woke up, she noticed the slightest difference.
'It's definitely working. It's subtle, but my skin feels different. No adverse effects yet, and it's clear this is effective.'
Waiting to see more results would only waste time. Meriel wasn't one to let a good opportunity slip by.
She immediately summoned her head maid.
"Where are Baron Fenris and his guild staying?"
"They're in an old mansion on the outskirts of the city."
"An old mansion on the outskirts… You mean the haunted house? The Crow Mansion?"
"Yes, that's correct."
"He must really be short on funds. That works to my advantage."
Meriel was determined to secure exclusive rights to this cosmetic line.
A product created by a noble just recently arrived from the countryside wouldn't be widely recognized or have many buyers yet. It was likely priced affordably due to its low profile.
If she locked down an exclusive contract now, she could control the supply.
Not only would it allow her to maintain her beauty, but it could also help her accumulate wealth and power.
"Let's go see Baron Fenris right away."
After a short deliberation, Meriel ordered her staff to prepare for an outing.
***
An elegant carriage made its way through the heart of the capital, escorted by a few knights clearing the path ahead.
People muttered under their breath as they were forced to make way, but fell silent upon seeing the noble crest on the carriage.
Claude, who had been waiting for visitors at a makeshift reception area near the mansion entrance, gaped at the sight.
"What… What's this? It's like a royal visit! But if it were, we'd have been notified…"
Even if he knew it wasn't, the grandeur of the carriage and the bearing of the escorts made him nervous.
The carriage came to a halt before the mansion, and the head maid stepped out.
Surveying the somewhat shabby entrance with disapproval, she spoke.
"Countess Ailesbur is here. We were informed that Baron Fenris resides at this estate—is that correct?"
"Yes? Ah, yes, that's correct."
Claude nodded, still in a daze.
The head maid, with her elegant attire and the imposing knights around her, projected an aura of nobility that matched, if not exceeded, many aristocrats.
Even in Seiron, he had seen many noblewomen, but none carried such an aura of authority.
'If the countess is this imposing, strong nations really are different.'
In reality, few noblewomen in Lutania held influence comparable to Meriel, but Claude, unfamiliar with the capital's social hierarchy, couldn't know that.
One of the knights opened the carriage door, assisting Meriel as she stepped down gracefully.
The mercenaries guarding the mansion gawked, struck by her presence.
'Wow…'
Her beauty was reminiscent of a rose in full bloom.
Though mature in age, she exuded elegance and dignity that only enhanced her charm.
Compared to her, the noble ladies of the northern provinces seemed like mere commoners.
Even though they had seen noblewomen before, none held a candle to Meriel.
Ignoring the attention, Meriel glanced around.
The head maid began to speak, but Meriel raised a hand to silence her and spoke herself.
"I am Meriel of House Ailesbur. I'm here to see Baron Fenris."
"…"
Claude and the mercenaries gaped, practically drooling.
Belinda kicked Claude to snap him out of his daze.
"Ow!"
Only then did Claude recover his senses.
"What are you doing? A guest is here!" Belinda snapped before clicking her tongue and heading back inside.
Rubbing his sore shin, Claude quickly assessed the situation.
There was only one reason a noblewoman would come to a mansion rumored to be haunted.
'The cosmetics must have worked!'
Rubbing his hands together eagerly, Claude bowed.
"Are you perhaps here to purchase the cosmetics? I can assist you—"
"I'm here to see Baron Fenris."
"Well, let me give you an overview—"
"I'm here to see Baron Fenris."
Meriel repeated, smiling gracefully, clearly intent on meeting the baron directly.
Realizing he was outmatched, Claude sighed.
"This way, please. He's in the garden right now. I'll show you to him."
While he would have preferred handling this alone to avoid any issues, there was no other option now.
"Thank you."
Meriel offered a slight smile and entered the mansion with a few of her maids and knights.
As soon as she entered the garden, her face twisted slightly.
The garden's gray, withered appearance, and the crows flapping about the mansion, made it seem almost cursed.
No matter how tight her budget, she wouldn't last a day in such a place.
'They must be truly strapped for funds. This will make negotiations easier.'
Feeling slightly more at ease, she allowed herself to be led into the garden.
There, Ghislain was crouched in a corner, feeding the crows.
"My lord, Countess Ailesbur is here to see you."
"Hmm? Alright."
Ghislain slowly stood, a crow perched leisurely on his shoulder.
"Pleased to meet you. I'm Ghislain Fenris."
Caw!
The sudden cry of the crow startled Meriel, causing her to shudder.
'So this is Baron Fenris? He's much younger than I expected.'
Meriel looked Ghislain over, momentarily taken aback. He was tall, handsome, and appeared young.
It was rare for someone his age to already hold the rank of baron and have a fief.
Perhaps he came from a family with some power…
Though the name "Fenris" didn't ring any bells, indicating he was likely a minor noble with little influence.
'Maybe he was just lucky to inherit a small territory. His father must have divided the land.'
Still, for a rural noble, he maintained an impressive composure in her presence, which she noted with approval.
Hiding her thoughts, Meriel gave a slight nod.
"I am Meriel of House Ailesbur. I'll be direct. I came to discuss the cosmetics your guild produces."
"Oh, is that so?"
Ghislain's eyes sparkled.
He'd expected the usual noblewoman's habit of beating around the bush, but she was refreshingly straightforward.
"Shall we speak inside?"
Leading her into the mansion, Ghislain allowed a faint smile to cross his face.
'Caught a big one.'
The name Ailesbur sparked his memory. The lady before him was one of the most influential figures in the capital's social circles.
The mere rumor of her using a product could lead to it selling out all over the capital.
If such a prominent lady had come to see him in person, it seemed he might achieve his goal sooner than anticipated.
***
As soon as Meriel sat in the parlor, she got straight to the point.
"You've just begun selling your cosmetics in the capital, correct? I'd like to discuss an exclusive contract for your product."
She seemed as direct as he'd thought.
"An exclusive contract?"
"Exactly. I'll purchase all the products you produce. You focus on developing them, and I'll handle the distribution."
She even threw in a subtle warning.
"If you want to establish yourself in the capital, you'll need someone to back you. Other nobles and guilds won't stand by idly. I can protect you from that. But if you refuse, don't expect it to be easy to do business here."
There was no unnecessary push and pull.
Ghislain nodded in understanding.
"Well, I have no issue as long as I can sell more of my products… However, the price might be a bit steep. Are you alright with that?"
Meriel smirked inwardly.
'Does he know who he's talking to?'
This was why she avoided doing business with inexperienced people.
"House Ailesbur is among the wealthiest in the capital. If I can't afford it, no one can. So, how much are we talking about?"
"One hundred gold per unit."
"Wha… What did you say? One hundred gold for how many units?"
Meriel tilted her head, thinking she must have misheard.
Ghislain clarified with a confident smile.
"One hundred gold per unit."
Meriel's elegant smile cracked.
[T/L: Please support me and read extra chapters here: https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]