IDNT 50

Chapter 50

“This place is a members-only salon, Lady Weimar.”

When Layla greeted her like that, Lady Weimar glanced at her and said,

“Oh my, that hair color… Are you Lady Layla Abier, daughter of Count Abier?”

“Yes, my lady.”

Layla’s soft pink hair was famous among the young noblewomen. Everyone said it stood out too much, yet they also admitted they’d love to try that color when playing dress-up or changing hairstyles.

Above all, her thick, voluminous hair looked almost like a pink peony.

“Ah… Now that I think about it, you were with His Highness the Crown Prince last time.”

Lady Weimar’s expression darkened slightly, as if recalling something unpleasant.

“His Highness was merely extending his generosity to me. I’ve been… rather prone to illness. It was no different from a lofty person showing charity to someone unfortunate.”

Layla said this while remembering how, in the original story, Lady Weimar had been in love with Crown Prince Anasis.

Perhaps her words had the intended effect, for Lady Weimar’s sharp gaze softened into a gentler expression.

“A membership system, you say? That doesn’t sound so bad.”

She lowered her guard and stepped inside, but then she suddenly stopped in front of a painting hanging in the hallway, her eyes widening.

“Devine…?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“No way. How could a painting that should be in the Imperial Palace be here…?”

And she was right — because Rainier had taken it from his father’s study.

Lady Weimar’s expression cooled again.

“To think you’d dare hang such a counterfeit in a salon. I’m disappointed.”

Layla, however, was secretly pleased she had said that.

“Shall I escort your guests inside, my lady?”

“No need. I’ve no interest in a place that hangs counterfeits. I only came because Eclair has been so disappointing lately, but this was a wasted trip.”

As Lady Weimar insulted them and turned away, Layla chuckled.

“And what makes you think that’s a counterfeit?”

“Even if you sold the entire Abier estate, you couldn’t afford this painting. Yet here it is in a mere count’s daughter’s salon? It’s absurd.”

Lady Weimar’s attendants stepped up beside her, but Rainier removed his mask for a moment and said,

“That painting is genuine, my lady. Would you like to test it?”

As soon as she saw Rainier’s face, Lady Weimar froze as though time had stopped, captivated by his inexplicable air of authority and dazzling beauty. Without realizing it, she answered,

“…Yes.”

“My lady?”

Her companions were startled, but when Rainier smiled and met their eyes, they too fell silent, dazed.

“Is he the owner of this place?”

“As a business partner, you could say he is.”

“Oh my.”

Lady Penald, one of Weimar’s closest companions, flushed and let out a small gasp of admiration. The other young ladies behind her blushed and whispered among themselves.

“I had no idea such a handsome man was in the capital.”

“Right? He must be that foreign royal who’s been seen with Lady Abier.”

Rumors had already spread among the young noblewomen — that Layla, while meeting Sonnet Bruce at Eclair, was also secretly spending time with a foreign prince.

They said he was hiding his royal status but couldn’t hide his immense wealth.

No one believed Hugo’s claim that he was a commoner.

The clothes Rainier wore were bespoke, made by the top-tier Andrean atelier. Every piece of jewelry on him was so valuable that it alone proved his noble standing.

Not to mention, he had been seen ordering only the most expensive items from Eclair.

He was clearly a foreign royal — at the very least, someone with the wealth of a duke. A commoner could never amass such riches.

“What’s your name?”

“My name is Rain, my lady.”

Lady Weimar thought his eyes bore an uncanny resemblance to Crown Prince Anasis, whom she adored — even though Anasis had golden eyes.

At that moment, her heart softened a little.

She was certain she had never seen someone so handsome in her life, and that air of subtle authority was even more irresistible.

“How exactly will you test it?”

When Lady Weimar asked this, regaining her composure, Layla smiled.

“I’m sure you already know, my lady, but allow me to explain.”

She knew Weimar was testing her, so she responded with a pleasant smile.

“Devine’s paintings have a unique mark along the edges.”

At Layla’s signal, one of Rainier’s men, disguised as a staff member, approached. At her gesture, he took the painting down from the wall, opened the frame, and removed the canvas.

“In the very corner, a strip of gold is painted. And on the back, there is always this signature.”

On the back, instead of “Devine,” the signature read “Armes.”

“My goodness.”

Armes was the name of Devine’s late mother. He dedicated every painting to her, signing her name instead of his own.

Only those who possessed an authentic Devine knew this detail.

“I’ve heard the Weimar family also owns a Devine.”

“How do you…?”

Lady Weimar was taken aback by Rainier’s words — that was supposed to be a closely guarded secret.

“Is that enough proof for you? Or would you like to appraise all the paintings here?”

As she faltered, Layla delivered the final blow.

“Or you may bring your own appraiser, my lady. At Mont, we have the utmost trust in your people.”

Lady Weimar’s expression brightened at that.

“As it happens, I’ve been looking for a new place to go since Eclair has grown so dull lately. This might do.”

“It would be our honor, my lady.”

“What’s on the second floor?”

“The Andrean atelier.”

“What?”

She looked even more surprised. The paintings downstairs had already shocked her, and now there was something even grander upstairs?

“Isn’t Andrean the Emperor’s personal atelier?”

“That’s right. But their contract with the Imperial Family ended yesterday, and as of today, they belong to Mont.”

“This is madness!”

Grabbing her skirts in both hands, Lady Weimar hurried up the stairs, ignoring the elevator.

Layla couldn’t help but smile at her unexpectedly enthusiastic reaction.

After all, Lady Weimar was Eclair’s biggest client — winning her over alone would take away 10% of Eclair’s monthly revenue.

The Weimar family encouraged her to spend lavishly to uphold their prestige, hoping that Crown Prince Anasis would choose her as his bride.

Since she had loved Anasis for so long, they sought ways to enhance both her chances and the family’s standing.

And it had worked fairly well.

“It really is Andrean!”

On the second floor, Lady Weimar gasped at the dazzling display of gowns. Among them were spare outfits made for Anasis’s coronation, as well as identical designs in different colors prepared just in case.

“I’ll take everything on that rack.”

She pointed to the coronation outfits.

“I’m afraid not, my lady,” Rainier replied.

“Our salon has purchasing tiers. Only the top 10% of customers, based on purchases from our first-floor jewelry and goods shops, may buy from the second floor.”

“Good heavens… Then what’s on the third floor?”

Knowing they had fully captured Weimar and her entourage, Rainier smiled at Layla.

“The third floor is a lounge, furnished with the same teaware and accessories sold on the first floor, for guests to enjoy.”

“I must see it.”

She led her party upstairs to the third floor.

“This is insane.”

Lady Weimar was speechless. She had only rarely been inside the Imperial Palace — and only the Crown Prince’s or Empress’s chambers at that.

The third floor’s décor was just like a royal suite — warm, luxurious, and exquisitely refined.

“What about the fourth floor?”

Layla widened her eyes as though she had only just realized the fourth floor existed.

“You have a sharp eye, my lady. The fourth floor is our VIP suite, accessible only to the top 5% of our customers.”

Lady Weimar’s mouth fell open.