Chapter 29
Luke, momentarily stunned by Aiden’s words, let out a laugh of disbelief.
“Hah, the House of Erdine, you say? If you’re going to lie, at least make it believable. Where do you get off using the name of the House of Erdine?”
“The House of Erdine was the one who sold its name first.”
“Our family is indeed a branch of the Erdine House, so it’s fine for me to borrow the name. Unlike you, who has no connection to them whatsoever.”
“Is that something you’ve agreed with the House of Erdine? I don’t think so. If it were agreed upon, you wouldn’t come barging into someone else’s business and causing a scene.”
Even someone like him, who until recently had no real connection to Alice, cared about her reputation so much.
It was irritating to think that he believed he could casually use the name of the House of Erdine just because of some distant ancestral connection.
Why he, a mere contractor, was more concerned about Alice’s reputation than she was herself was beyond her.
At that moment, as if realizing something, Luke let out a deflated, crooked laugh.
“Who’s this, then? The Duchess of Erdine? Or the young lady of Erdine?”
“What?”
“Don’t play dumb. I mean the person you’re with.”
Luke glanced Aiden up and down with a sneer. Still pinned to the ground, Aiden only tilted his head slightly.
“Or is it both of them? Your face is pretty… seems like you’ve messed with more than one.”
“……”
“Wow, a man shamelessly hitting on women. You’re a disgrace. How much do you get paid to flatter noblewomen like that? I bet the House of Erdine pays well.”
Aiden’s face naturally tightened at Luke’s vile words. Not only was Luke insulting him, but also Alice and her mother.
“Young sir, please refrain from speaking rudely to other guests.”
“Ah, shut it. Who made a woman think she can butt into a man’s conversation?”
Christine, unable to tolerate it, tried to block his mouth, but it had no effect.
Luke’s face twisted into that infuriating grin, apparently annoyed that Christine had interfered.
“What? You two… are you, like… together?”
“Huh?”
“No wonder you’re alone without the Erdine young lady, despite being part of the House of Erdine. Wow, this is quite a scoop. Isn’t this unheard of at the House of Erdine?”
“……”
“The Erdine young lady has a high tolerance. She even lets a man like this inside her house. If she dumps you later, let me know. I’ll introduce someone new. He’s a man too, but he doesn’t care who he’s with, so he’d even take someone like you who’s… lost their virginity… Ugh!”
“Brother!”
His line crossed a line, and his face was slammed into the floor. Anna, who had been quietly watching, let out a scream.
Aiden grabbed Luke’s neck with the hand he hadn’t been using, pressing down hard.
“Your nonsense is quite… colorful.”
The smile that had been on Aiden’s face moments ago had vanished. Though his tone remained gentle, his expression had become ice-cold.
“Seems you still don’t get it. You shouldn’t open your mouth recklessly while you’re in my grasp. Who knows when I might take your life.”
“Ku, kuah…”
Luke couldn’t speak and gasped. Anna looked back and forth between Aiden and Luke with a worried expression.
Aiden, silently observing the scene, let go of Luke’s neck. He realized it wasn’t appropriate to display such a scene in front of a minor.
Luke, breathing heavily, shouted at Aiden.
“Cough, do you think you’ll get away with treating me like that? If I spread your misdeeds to the Duke of Erdine, you’re finished. Understand?”
“Then…”
“Then what?”
Before Luke could finish, a voice suddenly cut in, freezing him in place as he looked up to see who had spoken.
“Shall we give it a try? This could be fun.”
Alice stood there, expressionless, holding a paper bag with a cat inside.
Before Alice ran into Luke at the boutique, she had been chasing after Cherry.
“Cherry, wait!”
Cherry didn’t even glance back when her name was called and ran faster.
Judging by the way she occasionally checked behind her, it seemed she wanted to bring Alice somewhere. Eventually, Cherry slowed down.
“Got you!”
Alice caught Cherry, who let out her characteristic cry and snuggled tightly into Alice’s arms.
“You’re getting dirty.”
Even as she said this, Alice gently stroked Cherry.
She looked up to see where they had arrived.
“A jewelry shop? No… this is…”
Alice muttered as she noticed the large jewelry symbol on the shop’s sign and sensed the intense energy emanating from inside.
A powerful concentration of magic radiated from the interior.
They had arrived at a shop that seemed to deal in magic stones.
“Did you feel this energy and run all the way here?”
Alice spoke while stroking Cherry. Since Cherry’s diet consisted mainly of mana, she seemed especially sensitive to magical energy.
No doubt, the cat had sensed the strong magical aura of the stones and had led Alice here from the boutique.
“Still, I didn’t expect a shop like this to be here.”
The shop was tucked away in a particularly quiet alley of Blosha Square, unlike the crowded areas one might expect for such a business.
If selling magic stones, it would have made more sense to be on the magical goods street or somewhere nearby. Why someone would open a shop in such an empty area was a mystery.
Alice tilted her head but stepped inside. A woman with black hair, who seemed to be the owner, looked at her.
“Ooh…”
She adjusted her round glasses, let out a small exclamation, and clapped her hands.
“You’re our first customer today. Congratulations!”
The owner congratulated Alice out of the blue, smiling.
“You know me?”
“Who in the Empire wouldn’t know you, miss?”
She smiled, her fluffy hair partially obscuring her eyes, leaving only her mouth visible.
Alice tore her gaze away from the owner and slowly looked around.
The shop’s interior walls and furniture were dark brown, giving a dim impression, but sparkling magic stones were displayed throughout, preventing it from feeling too gloomy.
Alice briefly scanned the shop, then examined the displayed magic stones more closely.
“These magic stones… they all seem top-tier. Where did you get them?”
“I’m sorry, but that’s a trade secret. They’re very difficult to obtain…”
“I figured as much. I didn’t expect an answer anyway.”
Was there any place in the Empire where such high-quality magic stones could be mined? Alice decided she’d investigate later and focused on the stones again.
“Meow!”
At that moment, Cherry stretched a paw toward the magic stones and cried.
Alice, puzzled by the action, soon realized its meaning.
‘Does she want them?’
As she guessed, Cherry seemed drawn to the stones’ magical energy, as if pulled by the mana.
The cat had led Alice here from the boutique precisely because of the stones.
‘Maybe the magic contained in these stones could even be a good source of nourishment for Cherry.’
Even if not for Cherry, such high-quality magic stones had many potential uses. Alice made her decision and said to the owner:
“All right, I’ll buy all the stones on this wall.”
“Eh…?!”
The owner was shocked, exclaiming loudly.
“All of them? That would cost as much as a mansion!”
For the young lady of the Duke of Erdine, a mansion’s worth was practically pocket change.
The owner, staring at Alice in disbelief, burst out laughing and said:
“I guess I worried for nothing. I’ll wrap them all up for you!”
The owner happily packaged the stones into a paper bag. Alice took it and stepped outside.
By now, Cherry had jumped into the bag and was rolling gleefully among the stones.
“Do you like it?”
“Meow!”
Alice smiled faintly at the adorable sight and walked lightly down the street.
She hadn’t gone far—soon, she arrived back at the boutique.
“Luke Zeron?”
Through the glass door, Alice spotted the person inside the boutique and frowned.
