A couple dressed sharply in clean suits bowed politely.

“Welcome to the Louis Varten shop. As guests of Prince Serfon, we will do our utmost to serve you.”

“Welcome to the Louis Varten shop. As guests of Prince Serfon, we will do our utmost to serve you.”

They looked strikingly similar.

They seemed like twins.

Prince Serfon smiled brightly and responded.

“Thank you. Please assist us.”

His demeanor exuded the calm and grace befitting a scion of a noble family.

Glancing around, it seemed the shop’s servants didn’t hold much disdain for Serfon.

The absurdity unfolded there.

Viola couldn’t help but chuckle softly.

‘What the.’

It was too blatantly obvious.

The female clerk who had just bowed was looking at Serfon with an unusual gaze.

I think I’m in love.

Her expression seemed to fervently claim as she gazed at Serfon.

‘At this point, it’d be weird if she didn’t show it.’

Indeed, he was the greatest womanizer in this world.

Viola kept her eyes glued to Serfon.

‘Didn’t she just subtly brush her hand against his?’

It was like the sleight of hand of a card shark.

No one noticed, but she passed by and ever so slightly brushed her hand against him.

Was she feeling good about it? She had a slight smile on her face.

‘They’re really having fun.

I bet there are more than ten women like her around Serfon.

A quick glance showed that Ersa didn’t miss the scene either.

Of course. There’s no way Ersa wouldn’t see something I can see.’

Does Serfon know?

No matter how swift and stealthy my hands are, they couldn’t escape the keen eye of the Sword Demon.

‘By the way, they say this is a famous luxury store… and it really is quite impressive.’

The most eye-catching items in the store were the glamorous bags.

A variety of bags were displayed, easily exceeding a hundred.

On the opposite side, there were swords adorned with jewels, more suitable for show than for actual combat.

So many.

Hela said.

“I generally wouldn’t want to gift items on display to my brother.”

Then Serfon looked at Hela.

His expression was slightly unexpected.

“Although they are publicly displayed items, they are masterpieces completed with painstaking effort by the artisans of Louis Varten.”

“Is that so?”

Hela replied with a meaningful smile.

“I heard they’ve greatly reduced production costs. I view it positively in that it allows more people to experience the craftsmanship of Louis Varten.”

“……”

“Of course, one cannot escape some criticism that luxury goods have become commercialized.”

In the past, all luxury items were handcrafted by masters.

However, recently, luxury items have also been mass-produced through a series of processes.

Thus, accessibility improved, but those who truly love luxury goods received some criticism.

“That doesn’t mean I doubt the artisan spirit of Louis Varten. I would like to see some other pieces besides the displays.”

“It seems Lady Eleven Flower has something specific in mind?”

Serfon’s eyes filled with contempt.

It was a look that seemed to say, how much could a mere Bellatu from the outskirts possibly know? It was quite blatant.

Viola and Hela could read that gaze well enough.

Hela didn’t show any displeasure and continued speaking.

“I would like to see the works of Chief Designer Carlo.”

“Chief Designer Carlo?”

Serfon, usually so relaxed, twitched slightly.

“That would be…”

“Is it an impossible request by the authority of a prince?”

Serfon laughed heartily.

He looked casually amused, but his fingertips trembled.

‘What a savage and utterly unreasonable family they are!’

How dare they mention the name of Chief Designer Carlo?

He was the most famous and authoritative designer in the family.

‘They have no discernment, and yet they want a pearl necklace for a pig’s neck.

Luxury must be held by those who recognize its value.

Serfon thought that way.

The Bellatu didn’t fit such luxury.

‘How should I phrase this nicely to make them give up on their own?’

It wouldn’t do to outright refuse.

No matter how savage they might be, a duke’s family is still a duke’s family.

Yet, I couldn’t just say I wouldn’t have them meet Chief Designer Carlo out of my own whims; also, I couldn’t say it was a difficult request to fulfill with my own authority.

‘If I openly state it can’t be done…

Lady Ersa would be disappointed.’

Whether she knew Serfon’s heartfelt turmoil or not, Hela spoke comfortably.

“I actually came here specifically to see the personal works of Chief Designer Carlo.”

“To see the works of Chief Designer Carlo, one must make a reservation at least six months in advance…”

After momentarily flustered, Serfon regained his composure.

To see the works of Chief Designer Carlo required a six-month reservation.

He said it with an expression that seemed terribly regretful.

“Is there any chance a reservation has been made?”

That man does not accept just any reservation.

He was a stickler, second to none.

“Yes.”

As if a reservation existed… huh?

Serfon doubted his ears.

“Did you say a reservation has been made?”

Chief Designer Carlo was famous for being quite proud.

He wouldn’t easily move even at the command of the head of the Louis Varten family.

‘They say Bellatus are savages!’

To lie about something like this.

‘There was not a single reservation under the name of Bellatu.

He scowled.

‘That little noble girl is lying without blinking an eye.’

It was utterly shameless.

Of all lies, she had to entangle Carlo’s name in it…

A designer no one in the family dared to cross.

He had even been Serfon’s teacher in his childhood, and he still feared Carlo.

But Hela continued to speak.

“Yes. It was guaranteed with the seal of Lord of Winter Castle, Heron Bellatu.”

She pulled out an invitation from her bosom.

“It should be reserved under the name of Keros, the Terra Merchant Leader.”

“Excuse me, but what is your relationship with Terra Merchant Leader Keros?”

Serfon’s voice grew slightly serious.

The Terra Merchant was a massive trade group rapidly rising in power across the continent.

They already had over half of the distribution business in the northern continent and were even called the new holy grail in the logistics industry as they rapidly expanded.

When it came to asset management scale alone, they far surpassed Louis Varten, but not much was known about the identity of the merchant leader.

“He is my direct servant.”

“……Huh?”

Serfon questioned his ears.

A direct servant is a merchant leader?

Then that means there’s a different employer?

“I employed Mr. Keros and gave him the position of Terra Merchant Leader.”

“…….”

Viola felt reassured.

Indeed, she was glad to befriend Hela.

‘Truly, a rich older sister!’

She was realizing it fully as she spent time with Hela.

A rich older sister is a good sister.

“So, you’re saying the actual owner of Terra Merchant is Lady Hela?”

“Is there any reason it shouldn’t be?”

Serfon looked back and forth between the invitation and Hela’s face with a bewildered expression.

He couldn’t believe it.

If that were the case, then eventually that sacred Terra Merchant would belong to the Bellatu family.

But at that moment, a magic circle appeared on the wall.

This building seemed like it had three floors on the outside.

But there existed another space here.

It was a concealed area hidden by magic, a secret space for VVIPs.

The people of Louis Varten referred to this space as the ‘fourth floor.’

The magic circle just formed on the wall linked to the fourth floor.

Bang bang bang!

Someone hurriedly ran down.

With half-torn hair.

A man with a long white beard flowing down to his chest.

“Hela!”

The elder of Louis Varten,

Chief Designer Carlo.

“W-why have you come without any prior notice? If you had notified me in advance, I would have personally come to greet you! Oh dear.”

“It’s alright. Prince Serfon guided me well.”

“Oh! You mean the prince?”

The second son who always caused trouble?

How adorable!

How come this brat did something so commendable?

Relief washed over Carlo’s eyes.

Hela spoke slowly.

“Yes. Lady Eleven Flower has been kind to me.”

“Lady Eleven Flower?”

Chief Designer Carlo doubted his ears momentarily.

Lady Eleven Flower? The flower that blooms for ten days and then withers?

He looked at Prince Serfon with an incredulous expression for a moment.

“Oh, oh ho!”

First, he had to manage it.

“It seems our prince got confused with the beautiful flower, Similflower, from the Eastern Continent.”

Hela smiled brightly.

The relieved Carlo continued speaking.

“Was your journey unpleasant?”

“No. Thanks to Prince Serfon.”

“Prince Serfon did a good deed.”

“One thing. However, I did have a regret.”

“A regret…?”

Hela took out a wheelchair from the space.

Only then did Carlo notice something off.

It was a bit odd that Hela was being carried by the butler instead of using a wheelchair.

“This wheelchair, a gift from Chief Designer Carlo, was sad as it couldn’t pass through the Golden Road.”

Carlo’s forehead and balding scalp turned bright red.

Just a little lie and it felt like white mist was puffing from his ears.

Carlo’s face flushed bright red, while Serfon’s turned ashen.

Hela, unfazed, exhibited the traits of a Bellatu.

Once she bites, she must not let go.

Hela had learned to live that way.

“Does my beauty, by your esteemed opinion, resemble one that’s good for ten days?”

The smile had vanished from Hela’s face.

No one saw it, but even Viola’s face turned ashen.