I Became The Sole Perfumer of A Tyrant

“When did you arrive? I haven’t noticed this whole time.”

“I only took a quick glance.”

“On what exactly?”

“Your Grace.”

Cedric narrowed his forehead at the unexpected response.

“…Me?”

I approached him.

“Yes. It was astounding how your Grace could be so focused.”

“You must have been waiting for quite a while.”

As if apologetic, Cedric immediately left the pile of papers and stepped forward.

Wasn’t his work urgent?

I advanced to stop him from leaving his documents.

“Ugh!”

At that moment, my heel snapped.

My bodyweight progressed forward after producing the ridiculous sound. I floundered my arms, but it seemed too late. I clasped my eyes shut as I witnessed the marble floor nearing. I would be welcomed with a cracked nose very soon.

…On the contrary, no pain was felt.

“…Oh, my.”

All I could hear was the sound of a tongue clicking up close.

As Cedric pulled my waist, his body scent brushed the tip of my nose.

It was a very unique aroma. It appears to be a slightly diluted musk or a pine scent… A faint smell that could be rarely caught.

I managed to come to my senses whilst instinctively working to figure the identity of the incense. I almost brought my nose to Cedric’s collarbone.

I scrambled free from his arms.

“Are you alright?”

Cedric asked. He, too, seemed a bit surprised, and his voice was strangely softer than usual.

I raised my head to thank him.

“Yes, I’m fine. I almost stained Your Grace’s marble floor with my predicted nosebleed. Thank you very much…”

My voice abruptly came to an end.

It was because Cedric’s face wasn’t even two inches apart from mine.

I realized the useless fact.

His eyes, which were noted to be as red as the dark color of blood, held a variety of different gleaming shades.

Like a perfectly shaved ruby, his pupils glowed differently depending on the angle.

“…Ah. I apologize!”

I quickly backed away from Cedric.

It was only after taking a few steps away that I could barely glance at him.

‘I almost indulged myself into trouble.’

I can’t believe I’m facing the male lead’s beauty right in front of me. If I lift this, I could have had a big death.

I blinked away the afterimage of what I had just witnessed.

“Thank you for your precious time, Your Grace. I am sure you’re busy, so I will get straight to the point.”

Cedric pointed elsewhere instead of answering.

“Let’s have a seat. Lady.”

“…Ah, yes.”

As I sat on the sofa, a servant placed tea and refreshments on the table. In front of Cedric was a wine glass instead of tea.

I took in the fragrant tea and repeated the lines I had prepared inside my mind.

Cedric opened his mouth first.

“So.”

Cedric shook the glass of wine slowly after he had taken a sip. Bloody liquid circled in the wine glass, drawing a flexible line.

“What were you going to say to me?”

I cleared my throat. Then, I once again recalled the lines I had repeated myself throughout the ride.

All right, the script is perfected enough.

I slowly opened my mouth.

“Your Grace Duke Evans.”

“Yes.”

“Please be an investor in my perfume business.”

He ceased shaking the wine.

One of Cedric’s eyebrows crept upwards. As if demanding an explanation on what this was about.

“I’m sure you know of my perfumery skills. I am ashamed to say this myself, but I was the only person you had commissioned to produce the Anixia scent.”

Cedric’s eyes narrowed. I continued to speak without waiting for his response.

“Perfume hasn’t become so common in the system as of yet. Nonetheless, people are curious and attracted to this new luxury. I think now is the appropriate time to start a business, without many competitors and various demands.”

There was no change of expression on Cedric’s face. He only tilted his glass of wine from time to time.

Nevertheless, I was satisfied he didn’t cut me off.

While calmly listening to my story, he suddenly opened his mouth.

“Rigion.”

“Yes, Your Grace!”

His aide, positioned outside the room, stepped inside quickly.

“What are the expected sales of Magnus’s new perfume store?”

“Ah, I’ll get the report right away!”

I gazed at Cedric in astonishment.

It was surprising how he already knew of Magnus’ newly opened store, and that he could even predict sales.

After a while, Cedric proceeded to scan through the report handed to him.

“There is much talk throughout the capital, therefore Magnus’s store will progress well for a while. Besides, he has a strong distribution channel in the cosmetics industry. It would be difficult to survive against a competitor such as him.”

“I know. That is why I am here to ask you to invest with me.”

Cedric looked from the report.

I turned my head, hiding the tension existing within my heart. Yeah. How many people would agree with my plan if I merely asked them to trust in me and invest?

Moreover, experience has shown that the rich were more thorough and meticulous in spending money.

Of course, I didn’t mean to earn the investment with a few words either. I pulled the papers from my pouch and handed them to Cedric.

“Please review this. Your Grace.”

“This is…”

“This is a business plan.”

Cedric’s long fingers swept through the white papers. It was a slow gesture that indicated his slight interest.

“You’re in full swing.”

“Of course, I am prepared to bet my all.”

I placed a smile on my face. Cedric raised his head to look at my smile.

His red eyes made me feel like I was stuck in their depths.

His eyes were searched throughout me for a short while. My true heart and sincerity, lies and secrets. All of those things.

…Stare at me as you wish. I have nothing to fear.

I straightened my shoulders confidently. I had nothing else to bear in mind, excluding my intentions of coming after Cedric’s pocket.

It wasn’t long before Cedric removed his eyes from me. At that moment, a light sigh unconsciously flowed from my mouth.

Flip, flip.

For a while, only the sound of flipping pagers could be heard throughout the room.

Cedric’s eyes sank deeply as he pursued the papers. I could see he was seriously considering my proposal.

If this plan had been taken to my father, Count Winston, he would have only snorted. However, he wasn’t Cedric. At this moment, I was his equal business partner.

“You must have taken a while to fill these out.”

Cedric replied as he turned the last page of the document.

I shook my head. There was plenty of time while I was lying in bed. I could realize all my goals one by one while my eyes remained closed. This perfume shop was a long-time dream of mine.

“It didn’t take that long as I simply copied what I had been planning.”

“Is that so?”

Cedric cast his eyes at me. They were as sharp as when he searched at the documents, but there was also a subtle light existing within them.

Perhaps I could label this certain glimmer as a curiosity.

“I thought I knew well about the lady so far, but I still don’t know much.”

“Oh, haha… Is that so?”

I smiled awkwardly.

I reached for my pouch.

I anticipated it would be difficult to have him agree from the start, so I had prepared perfumes that had been accustomed by analyzing Cedric’s taste.

In the end, I’ll have to present these perfumes and persuade him…

“Alright.”

Yes?

I blankly stared at Cedric.

Cedric spoke as he placed the papers away.

“Rigion, go to the safe.”

“Yes, Your Grace!”

After a while, Rigion and a few servants appeared with two large packages.

As Cedric untied the knot, the package’s gap opened and a brilliant golden glow sprang out.

“Twenty million bis each, totaling fifty million bis. Will this be enough?”

Five million… What?!

I could only blink at the uncalled-for amount.

Is this person mocking me right now? Cedric’s eyes, however, didn’t seem a bit playful.

Still, I gazed back towards the package, not able to believe the view right before my eyes. I almost bit my tongue. There were really, truly, mountains of gold coins stacked.

‘Oh my God. With this money, the bottle of perfumes I can make…’

I can’t even count. I stuttered as I made sure of this.

“…Do you mean your Grace wishes to invest fifty million bis in me?”

“Is the amount not enough?”

“No, it’s not that…”

I think I’m going to get hiccups. I managed to keep my calm.

The last time I asked the young florist the price of his shop, he replied it would be around twenty million Bis.

So… This should be enough.

I reached out and only pulled one package. Cedric gazed at me like that with wondering eyes.

“I think this is enough.”

This will be enough

I gazed at the rest of the package with yearning eyes.

Investment money was a fortunate thing, but in the end, it was nothing more than debt. How many years would it take for me to pay off such a huge amount?

In addition, my investor was a nobleman. It was clear that if it were deemed difficult to recover the investment, I wouldn’t be able to get away with it.

In the world I lived in, there was such a thing as an overpayment. This amount was quite enough.

“Are you sure you’ll be alright with that amount?”

“Yes, I’ll be fine.”

I answered firmly.

Let’s think about the consequences if I received all that money and ruined my future down bit by bit.

Then I would have to become a slave under the mad dog and live producing the Anixia scent until my death.

Cedric stared at me for a moment. I nervously pulled the package filled with gold coins closer.

Before long, Cedric nodded.

“Good. Rigion.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

“Bring me the contract.”

A little while later, both Cedric and I sealed the contract while side by side.