I Became The Sole Perfumer of A Tyrant - Chapter 9

‘It’ll be a waste to sell only the recipe.’

Currently, Ariel was the only one who could successfully produce the Anixia scent.

Selling it away was the same as cutting the belly of a goose that laid the golden eggs.

“As expected, it would be better to sell the perfume itself than to sell the recipe.”

It would be burdensome to get involved in such an earnest business, but … while contemplating, Lina raised her lips.

“My lady, What have you been talking to yourself about?”

She asked with round eyes. Her eyes, inadvertently, summoned a smile onto my face. I wondered when did this child became so close to me. She always looked shocked like a rabbit whenever she made eye contacts with me 15 days ago.

“Nothing. By the way, isn’t it about time we reached our destination?”

“Oh, yes! I believe we’re almost there!”

I was currently visiting the Senon District for the second time to supply the materials needed. There were not many people today. I didn’t catch sight of the forsythia-colored dresses that had criticized me the last time.

When I established the flower shop I had visited before, the young man attending the flower shop recognized me and smiled delightedly.

“Welcome back, dear guest!”

I took a quick tour around. The small-sized flower shop was well decorated with its endearing interior.

I looked back on the memories of my past life. Before I lay in bed, I used to frequently roam around the perfume stores. Such shops were not as spacious as this one. I asked the young man, “Well, if you’d excuse me …”

“Yes, feel free to ask, Milady!”

The young man answered with sparkling eyes. I encouraged myself and asked carefully, “A store this big … How much is the purchase price?”

“What? You wish to buy it?”

Perhaps, it was an unexpected question, as the young man opened his eyes wide. I placed an awkward smile on my lips.

Fortunately, the young man answered my unforeseen inquiry with pleasure.

“Let me see, if the price had risen in the last few years … Hmm, it would be about 20 million won?”

“Tw, twenty million won?”

Everyone around was frightened out of their wits. Oh my God. Real estate prices in this world are no joke!

“Yes, the land price in the Senon District is rather high … haha.”

I gulped as I gazed at the young man currently attending the flower shop. This young man, who seemed like he owned a speck of dust, suddenly began to appear as a shining golden spoon.

“Ye, yes … I see. Thank you for your answer.”

“Haha, anytime. If you’re interested, shall I introduce you to a decent property?”

“Ah … no, maybe next time. I’m a little short on money right now.”

Short on 19.5 million won. Haha.

Swallowing such words, I staggered out of the flower shop.

To be honest, I took independence too lightly. Ariel Winston was a noblewoman, and didn’t the aristocracy hold the so-called ‘golden spoon position’? Therefore, I thought that the initial funding for my independence wouldn’t be too difficult.

But … the world wasn’t easy here or there.

‘If I sell all the dresses and jewelries, wouldn’t I get 20 million won?’

I heard the small dream of opening a perfume shop flies far away.

What should I do now? I can’t open the shop.

Lina glanced anxiously, while I ruffled my hair in exasperation.

“My lady, are you perhaps worried?”

“Just, I’m just a bit vexed … sigh, Lina.”

“Yes?”

“Let’s say Lina is in dire need of money. It’s an extremely urgent situation, yet she doesn’t have much in her hands. What would you do?”

“What happens if I don’t have the money?”

“Well … let’s say you’ll marry a twenty year older man.”

“Ugh.”

Lina looked disgusted.

“If it’s so urgent… well, I’ll have to make some money.”

“However, what if the money you saved isn’t enough, and you can’t gain the amount?”

“Then … shouldn’t I borrow some?”

“Borrow?”

I nodded slowly. It was a natural answer. If I didn’t have the money, I would have no choice but to borrow someone else’s.

By the way, does Ariel Winston have any connections with someone who’d lend her money? I asked Lina hesitantly.

“Hey, Lina. Does a name come to mind when you think of my close friend? A friend close enough to lend me money.”

“What? The lady’s close … friend?”

A flustered expression passed over Lina’s face. I was frustrated. As expected, Ariel Winston did not seem to have any friends.

Well, a friend would be a girl of the same age, so there’s no way she could lend me 20 million won.

Then should I borrow from the bank? How much interest does the bank have in this world?

“Madam, are you short of pocket money? If I inform the butler…”

“Oh, no. It’s not like that. An acquaintance I recognize wishes to invest in a business. However, they don’t have enough money, so I’m thinking about it for them. Haha.”

“Oh! It gets easier if business is what we’re talking about.”

It gets easier?

I stared blankly at Lina. She smiled and replied cheerfully.

“We just need an investor!”

“Investor …”

I opened my eyes wide.

Ariel’s perfuming skills were already well known in society. If she claimed she’d conduct a perfume business and asked for an investor, at least one or two people would volunteer.

For a moment, a plausible plan unfolded in my mind.

✧༝┉┉┉┉┉˚*❋ ❋ ❋*˚┉┉┉┉┉༝✧

“The young lady, Ariel Winston, is entering.”

At the butler’s guidance, countless eyes focused on my sudden appearance.

Count Audrey’s daughter approached me with a stiff face. It was her who had hosted this dance.

“… Welcome, Lady Ariel. You attended the dance.”

“Of course, Lady Audrey. It wasn’t anyone else, but the young lady who hosted this dance.”

I put on a plain smile. Audrey’s expression became indescribably subtle.

Yes, it must’ve been weird. I didn’t have a very good relationship with you, yet I attended this dance.

I glanced around the ballroom. Men and women were dancing to the calm music, while trying to fix their eyes on me. Their eyes were not in the least bit favorable.

‘Normally, the villains would possess a bad personality; however, they would hold some great connections, right?’

A villain would often use their butterfly wings and push the main character to the side*. This type of scene would happen frequently.

*TL+PR/N: The villainess tries to use their connections and power to try and steal the spotlight.

However, Ariel Winston didn’t even seem to have that kind of connection.

‘Well, it doesn’t matter.’

I didn’t come out to socialize or build relationships.

I only need to meet one person.

‘There she is.’

Sooner or later, I caught my goal.

On one side of the ballroom, a dark haired blonde lady smiled brightly.

That lady was Charlotte Jenos, the social queen who conquered the system.

It was about when I was going to turn around with sparkling eyes.

“Oh, my God, who is this?”

A familiar voice called me. I looked back. An unpleasantly, familiar woman looked me up and down.

“Isn’t this the Ariel Winston who dumped the Duke of Evans?”

Ah. I remember.

It was the forsythia-dress lady that had been picking a fight with me in the Senon District. Her name was Patricia?

I smiled roughly and attempted to leave for Charlotte once again.

“Oh, nice to meet you, Miss Patricia. I have something urgent to do, see you later.”

“Where are you going?”

The shrill voice called me.

“What other poor young man are you attempting to place in jail?”

As Patricia shouted, her party burst into laughter.

I breathed a light sigh. What happened at the restaurant that day seemed to have already spread amidst society.

“No matter how much Lady Ariel says, you realize what innocence is, am I right? Robin’s friends are working hard on everything. When Robin is released, you will be put on trial!”

“I’m innocent. I know that.”

I nodded my head.

“For falsely reporting an innocent person? Sir Robin committed a crime, so I won’t stand before the judge for such false accusations.”

“Are you still denying? A decent man like Robin, he couldn’t have molested in public during broad daylight, am I right!? Not unless you were out of your mind!”

“I know.”

I nodded one more time.

“I don’t think he’s mentally ill, but I wonder why he did it. Well, I have some business to attend to.”

“Wait, what? Hold on!”

I was about to pass Patricia and head to Charlotte, but a fan blocked my shoulder. Patricia shouted with a heated face.

“I can’t let this go for the honor of my best friend, Robin. How dare you lie to me when there have been so many eyes and ears! This Lady is a shameless person indeed!”

I sighed lightly. Most of the time, this woman had a grudge against Ariel because she couldn’t beat her.

Everyone around was gleaming with excitement at this untimely uproar. I couldn’t ignore it now that I earned this much attention. Patricia shouted with a sour face, clearly aware of the attentiveness.

“Shall we have an open conversation? Honestly, think about it, it is common sense. What kind of Young Lord would be good for a woman who had been abandoned by a man after a whole year?”

I could hear the people who attended the party whispering excitedly.

Everyone was observing me. It was a strange feeling to see no one approaching to help but chattering quietly in the distance.

The eyes stung my cheeks.

The gazes that hoped for me to be terribly worked up by Patricia’s provocation.

The gazes that wished me to provide gossip for their entertainment.

Patricia, who was more resilient to the staring, laughed as much as she possibly could.