Vol. 1 - Ch. 6 - Popular Person in the Astoria Kingdom - 2
The Abandoned Heiress Gets Rich with Alchemy and Buys an Enemy GeneralThis chapter is broken. Please report this on discord.
This chapter is broken. Please report this on discord.
Setting aside the matter regarding the flying dragon for now, I entered the shop full of adventurers' goods, weapons, and armor alongside Julius. The spacious store was filled with an array of clothing, swords, armor, and more. The assortment of goods, both on display and in the warehouse, indicated that it was a trustworthy shop with a considerable inventory.
"Hello, Robert-san."
"Hello, Chloe-chan. It's unusual to see you with a man."
Robert, a gentleman of 36 with slicked-back brown hair and a mustache, is a middle-aged man with a seductive wife and five children. Over the course of my work, I had visited his weapon and armor shop many times, making us quite familiar with each other.
"Yes, this is Julius-san. I bought him from the slave arena yesterday. Robert-san, could you please provide him with suitable clothes, armor, and weapons?"
As Julius stood behind me, he, for some reason, pulled my ear. Ouch.
"Hey, stupid. I just said that my identity is not supposed to be known, so why would you reveal my status?"
"There's no need to hide it. Besides, it's just Robert-san."
Julius is quite paranoid. However, unlike him, I am not a fool. I carefully choose whom to disclose information to.
"Speaking of Julius from the slave arena, is it the Black Prince Julius? I must say, that's quite a purchase, Chloe-chan," Robert said in a calm tone.
"If I remember correctly, Black Prince Julius had a sentence of a hundred years in the slave arena. And for each victory, the sentence was reduced by one year. He survived for three years with hundreds of victories, facing a de facto death sentence. What impressive strength."
"Oh my! Julius-san, I had heard rumors of your strength, but isn't that amazing?" I said, looking up at Julius, who was holding my pulled ear. Then, with a genuinely indifferent expression, Julius averted his gaze.
"I'm not sure if the manager had a change of heart or if it's just for attracting customers and creating a buzz, but I heard the price has been set at a level that commoners can't afford. I thought even if he was put up for sale, the manager wouldn't find a buyer due to his terrifying nature, unless someone very daring decided to purchase him. But for Chloe-chan to buy him, it's truly unexpected. Well done, Chloe-chan. You have a very good eye," remarked Robert.
"I expected Robert-san to say something like that," I replied.
"I'm only interested in the value of things. But, Chloe-chan, it might be better not to talk about it too much. It's only been three years since the war ended. If rumors about the Black Prince reach the ears of King Cyril or Queen Aliza, many citizens of the kingdom will be in fear. So be careful."
"You're right. I'll keep that in mind."
"Well, I know that you're clever, so maybe this is just unnecessary meddling. However, it would be worrisome if it reaches the ears of King Cyril or Queen Aliza. Therefore, I hope nothing untoward happens to you, Chloe-chan," Robert said with concern.
I haven't seen my ex-fiancé Cyril and my sister Aliza in three years. Those residing in the royal castle are likely shielded from the mundane lives of commoners, and I'm probably presumed dead by now. While I don't actively conceal my identity as Chloe Seigrit, there's no need to announce it either. Given the passage of three years, few would likely discuss the Seigrit family. I am currently Chloe, the alchemist, so very few are aware of my current circumstances as the Duchess Chloe.
"Thank you very much, but I'm alright. Julius-san is strong. So, please provide him with armor to enhance his strength, as well as everyday clothing and shoes. A complete set from underwear to socks, please."
"It's an honor to be able to choose equipment for the Black Prince Julius. Are you planning to buy a lot, Chloe-chan?"
"These are necessary expenses, so I won't be frugal with money."
"You're such a generous person. I always appreciate your help."
Robert took out a measuring tape and began measuring Julius, who stood there calmly. As Julius was being measured for his height, arm length, and leg length, he appeared docile during the process. It was a relief that he wasn't reacting like a wild beast that would go berserk just from being measured. I had considered the possibility that Julius might have beastly tendencies, but it seemed he was well-mannered. Being the ex-Duke of the Dystiana Empire, Julius should have received proper etiquette training. It might be impolite to think of him as a beastly individual without discernment. Three years ago, I, too, would elegantly respond as the Duchess Chloe Seigrit, saying things like "Indeed." Now, that seemed like a distant memory, and I might share some similarities with Julius.
With some free time, I decided to peruse the items in the store.
As I examined the newly arrived weapons and armor, I noticed Julius standing beside me.
"Oh, is the measurement finished already?"
"It's done."
"Is it okay not to choose weapons and such with Robert-san? If you decide now, your master will buy anything for you, you know."
"You said 'anything,' right?"
Julius-san wore a faint smile on his lips, but the lack of amusement in his eyes was eerie.
"You must be talking about the flying dragons, right? Just how much do you love them? Are you a dragon maniac?"
"A dragon knight rides a flying dragon. I don't like crawling on the ground like an ant."
"You do know the majority of people live crawling on the ground, right? Flying dragons are expensive, you know. Or maybe you think I'm incredibly rich?"
"You've got some savings, don't you? Your lifestyle and clothing are modest."
"Well, I'm sorry for being modest. But don't you think this apron dress is cute? It gives off an alchemist vibe, doesn't it? When I walk around town in this outfit, everyone recognizes me as Chloe from Chloe's Alchemy Shop. In other words, I'm a walking advertisement."
"I don't care about the details of your clothing."
"But Julius-san was the one who brought up the topic of clothing, wasn't he?"
Julius, with his handsome face and good physique, even made the robe I gave him look good. I don't understand what kind of underwear a man wears, so I didn't prepare anything for him underneath. However, I couldn't point this out, as it was my responsibility to supply him with necessary clothing.
"After buying everything that's necessary, I'll take you to the dragon shop. I think there was one at the edge of the capital... Though I'm not sure if they have a flying dragon that Julius-san would like. By the way, what happened to the black one you rode three years ago?"
Julius seemed to have flown around the battlefield riding a black flying dragon in the Empire before becoming a slave. I say 'seemed' because I didn't actually see it. There must have been a war, but at that time, it felt like an event in a distant world for me. I didn't know much about Julius either; I only knew about him through rumors.
"Who knows? Maybe it was killed or went back to the wild."
"Did it get attached to you?"
"I guess."
Julius, who seemed uninterested in many things, changed his demeanor when the topic of flying dragons came up. There was a nostalgic tone in his affirmative words.
"Did it have a name too?"
"What's your point in asking that?"
"I just came up with a good idea. Dragons have a much longer lifespan and are smarter than us, right?"
"Yeah, that's right. They're much smarter and purer creatures than humans."
"You really like dragons, huh? Well, I'll make something nice for you then."
"Using alchemy?"
"That's right. When I say 'make,' I mean alchemy. It's a special service. So, please tell me the dragon's name."
"...Helios."
"What a cute name. Helios. Okay, I've memorized it. If Helios-kun is still alive, you might not need to buy a flying dragon. Can we wait for a day before going to the dragon shop?"
"It can't be helped."
Julius conceded, so I expressed my gratitude, saying, "Thank you." I briefly wondered if it was strange for me to do so, but it didn't really matter. Gratitude is free, so you can say it as much as you want. After working in customer service for three years, I became adept at expressing appreciation, although my heart wasn't fully into it.
"Julius-san, why don't you choose weapons and clothes with Robert-san?"
"I told him to choose anything because I don't have a particular preference. And I don't care about weapons, as I mentioned."
"But do you have a preference for clothes? What will you do if Robert-san's taste is bad? Because he's an old man, he might bring extremely tasteless clothes, like a full-body leopard print."
Julius wearing a full-body leopard print would be interesting to see. However, he looked down on me from above with a mocking expression.
"I get a headache talking to idiots like you."
"But Julius-san was the one who came closer to talk to that idiot, wasn't he? I was quietly browsing through weapons alone, so don't disturb me."
"Do you use a sword, Chloe?"
"I use alchemical tools. I can use a bit of magic, so I mostly use magic-amplifying wands. I'm weak, so using a sword or something would only make me even weaker."
"But you still have interest in swords?"
"Sometimes, customers come in and ask for special effects for their sword or armor, similar to Julius-san's prosthetic eye. I usually recommend attaching the 'True Anagram' effect to a sword, as it makes it easy for them to defeat spirits. It's quite expensive, but a few capable knights and adventurers still want it. So, it's good for me to observe what types of weapons are available, to be prepared when requests like that come in the future."
While talking with Julius at the back of the store, Robert's voice reached our ears, signaling that he had finished selecting Julius's items. An overwhelming number of clothes, armor, and weapons were laid on Robert's counter, leaving no space untouched.