Chapter 34: Angus’ Speculation
“Please bear with it a little longer, my dear Elaine. After all, we’re not at home.” The father in front looked somewhat helpless and offered a few words of comfort.
“I don’t care. It’s too uncomfortable being crowded together with so many people.”
“Alright, alright. Dad will go talk to the shop owner right away.”
The father with slightly graying temples looked affectionately at his daughter and asked the butler behind him to inquire from the maids inside where the shop owner was.
Not long after, a noblewoman dressed in a purple dress descended the stairs. She wore a black lace veil on her head and had black silk gloves on her hands.
“It’s been a long time since we last met, Angus. How have you become so rude?”
“Truly surprising, Lady Phyllis. It’s been a while since we last met. I didn’t expect this shop to be yours. Please forgive me.”
“Elaine, come greet her. This is Lady Phyllis, once the renowned Songstress of the Blue across the continent. Haven’t you always admired her? Now you’ve met her in person.”
“Hello, Lady Phyllis.” The girl in the blue dress lowered her head nervously, pulling up her skirt in a curtsey, though her movements were not very precise, completely unlike her earlier arrogance.
She could never have imagined meeting her idol here today.
The title “Songstress of the Blue” was well-known across the continent, historically bestowed only upon the most outstanding songstresses. They were honored guests in the royal courts and among the high nobility of various nations, wielding significant influence both in society and within elite circles. Each concert would invariably sell out, with tickets becoming incredibly hard to obtain. It was rumored that at its peak, standing-room-only tickets were sold for as much as 10 gold coins each.
Although Lady Phyllis had retired years ago, she still maintained considerable reputation and influence within the industry.
On the continent, the only one who could rival the fame of the Songstress of the Blue was the Songstress of Crimson. These two titles represented the highest honors in singing and performance in the Ivar World.
Since Lady Phyllis’s retirement, however, a new generation of the Songstress of the Blue had yet to emerge. No young songstress had yet gained universal recognition to inherit the title.
“Can I learn singing from you, Lady Phyllis?” The girl in the blue dress looked hopefully at the legendary figure before her.
“I’m sorry, but I no longer take students. If you’re interested in singing, there are many excellent songstresses in Hope Lane whom you can learn from.”
The girl in the blue dress felt somewhat disheartened and turned her gaze toward her father.
Angus stroked his daughter’s head and looked at Lady Phyllis.
“Could you make an exception, Phyllis? We’ve known each other for quite some time.”
“You know my principles, Angus.” The noblewoman shook her head.
After further conversation, the wealthy merchant led his daughter over to Lolan Hill’s table.
Most of the other tables were already full, occupied either by men or couples, leaving only Lolan Hill’s table, where she sat alone, quiet and peaceful.
“Excuse me, may we share your table?” The wealthy merchant politely asked.
“Yes.” Lolan Hill softly replied, her eyes hidden in the shadow of her hood, revealing only her delicate chin and silver hair.
Recalling how she had just been rejected by her idol, the blue-dressed girl Elaine fell into a gloomy mood and sulkily devoured her ice cream.
Her father beside her affectionately patted her long hair, comforting his daughter.
As for the butler from earlier, he remained outside waiting by the carriage.
Soon after, Elaine experienced stomach discomfort from eating too much ice cream and went to the restroom, leaving only Lolan Hill and the middle-aged businessman.
Lolan Hill delicately savored her ice cream; its icy texture melted instantly in her mouth, spreading a rich milk sweetness throughout.
“I wonder where they get their milk from,” the girl couldn’t help but ask curiously in a low voice.
“It should be from the Gufia Grasslands. But this is likely made from powdered milk. Fresh milk is too difficult to transport.”
Angus heard the girl’s question and casually explained.
“Isn’t the Gufia Grassland where the beastmen live?”
“Yes, they herd livestock there. They mainly produce fur, milk, and meat, trading these for daily necessities. If you can source supplies from there and transport them to Vergha, you could make a small profit.” Angus, displaying his true merchant nature, spoke casually, which wasn’t really a secret, but due to the risks involved, fewer people engaged in this trade.
From the northern Gufia Grasslands to southern Vergha, one must pass through the Westwind Kingdom, which currently was unstable due to frequent uprisings and declarations of independence.
Angus explained that business along this route had not been good in recent years.
At the mention of uprisings, the girl involuntarily recalled a youth named Pulman. Well, it must have been my overthinking.
“Are you a merchant from Vergha? Your words suggest a deep familiarity with the area.” A pleasant voice emerged from under the hood.
“Yes, I used to be from the Westwind Kingdom. In my younger days, I moved to Vergha in the south to work. Over the years, I’ve managed to earn a bit of money.”
Lolan Hill’s voice was soft and melodious. Despite not being able to see her face clearly, Angus was happy to answer some simple questions.
Subsequently, they began talking. Initially, Angus thought the girl before him was merely a young lady from a noble family who had sneaked out for a journey, not giving it much thought.
But as the conversation progressed, Angus realized that although Lolan Hill lacked knowledge of market conditions, her ideas regarding commercial marketing were utterly unprecedented, various novel concepts astonishing even him, a seasoned merchant who had seen much. Just listening gave him a sense of immense charm. Moreover, the girl’s understanding of customer psychology during purchases was spot-on, making Angus doubt whether he, despite years of experience, had truly mastered the art of business.
“If you said you’re a princess who ran away from the Verdant Empire, I’d believe you.”
Angus scrutinized the girl opposite him. Her black robe appeared to be made of some high-grade material, with traces of tiny water droplets remaining at the edges, suggesting it had extraordinary effects that blurred vision.
Her hands were covered in gray silk gloves, but the glimpse of white skin visible between the sleeve and glove revealed that her skin was exceptionally well-maintained—something only someone from an affluent family could afford.
Her accent was also impeccable, making it impossible to discern her origin. This level of strictness was typically only enforced in the households of great nobles.
“I am just an ordinary person.” Lolan Hill shook her head, denying Angus’s speculation.
—
And thus concludes Chapter 34.
