Chapter 98

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 98

Chapter Title: Bribery Backfires

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The guests who had been chased out of the shop due to the arrival of the Muzen Ducal House were still lingering at the entrance.

With the Crown Princess's maid visiting on top of the Muzen Ducal House, all eyes in the area were focused on them.

Everyone had no choice but to hear what Annie said.

The reaction was explosive.

"Hold on, does that mean Kemal Atelier didn't make Her Highness the Crown Princess's dress?"

"It was actually a dress meant to humiliate Her Highness? How shameless!"

"They've been lying and peddling those dresses this whole time?! Unbelievable!"

"I ordered several dresses here."

"Me too! I fell in love with it because it was Her Highness the Crown Princess's dress! I need to cancel."

Cries of intent to cancel orders rained down from all sides.

Melissa Kemal's face drained of all color. She practically clung to Annie.

"Why are you doing this? All this time with Her Highness...!"

It was as if she were asking why they were making a fuss now after staying silent for ten whole days.

Annie sneered at Melissa's brazenness.

"Her Highness was waiting. For you to repent your wrongs. Giving one last chance—that's our Her Highness's way. She did the same for Baroness Filern."

"...!"

"Ha, but we already sent apology gifts to Her Highness! After accepting them, to do this...!"

Annie pointed at the gifts she had just set down moments ago.

"You mean these bribes?"

"Ah!"

In her shock at Annie's arrival, she had momentarily forgotten that these had been returned right away.

"Her Highness does not accept bribes."

Annie said it with emphasis.

"Our Her Highness has the mercy to grant one final chance to those who err, but she is also impeccably upright—never swayed by something as sordid as bribes."

If Hilia had heard that, she probably would have shrieked, 'There's no need to lay it on so thick!'

But Annie felt utterly justified.

'I'm just speaking the plain truth!'

Besides, how often did she get a chance to declare it so boldly on a crowded main street?

Public opinion naturally swung in favor of Annie and Hilia.

"Heavens, she even gave someone who committed such a grave wrong a second chance...!"

"Did they really think they'd buy forgiveness with bribes? The nerve."

"Exactly. They should've rushed over and begged on their knees—and that still wouldn't have been enough."

Bombarded by contempt and disgust from every direction, plus a flood of order cancellations, Melissa could barely keep her wits about her.

If this rumor spread, all the months' worth of backed-up atelier orders would surely be scrapped.

'That would mean certain bankruptcy!'

She tried to mount a defense. But she couldn't very well claim the Crown Princess's own maid was lying.

That would make her look like she was picking a fight with the Crown Princess—who had even pushed aside the Empress.

"We were forced into it by threats from the Ruth Marquis's Daughter! We're victims too!"

"......"

"We showed maximum sincerity to Her Highness out of deep remorse!"

"Remorse? You never even visited Her Highness once and just tossed these bribes at her?"

Annie nudged a jewel box with the tip of her foot.

"No, but...!"

That was when something odd caught Melissa's eye.

There was something strange about the second gift sent to the Crown Princess Palace.

The dazzling jeweled dress was definitely the one she had sent.

But the torso mannequin was off.

'I definitely sent a gold one.'

In truth, that had been the real bribe—worth more than the dress.

"Wh-what is this? This is just a wooden torso plated in silver!"

Melissa grabbed Annie's hand and vented her outrage.

"What happened to this?!"

"What are you talking about?"

"I sent a solid gold torso! But this—isn't this wooden?"

If this stood, she'd lose the bribe entirely and watch her business crumble.

She cried out desperately.

To let the Crown Princess know they'd stripped the valuable core from her bribe.

"I definitely sent Her Highness a gold torso! So why is it wood...!"

Annie looked at Melissa with utter contempt, then wrenched her hand free.

She pulled out a handkerchief and wiped her hand as if soiled by filth.

The handkerchief in Annie's hand was a striking, lovely shade of sky-purple.

But Melissa had no head for such details right now.

She looked up, pleading for help from the crowd—only to freeze solid.

Cold stares were fixed on her from every side.

Annie asked icily.

"Not content with deceiving Her Highness with that dress, now you're trying to frame her for keeping your bribe?"

The crowd's reaction was frigid.

"Ridiculous. Her Highness returned it all publicly like this... "

"A gold torso? As if. Did they send a wooden one and expect gold back? Insane."

"They're lashing out now that ruin's staring them down."

"Shameless to the end."

Annie turned away, ignoring Melissa's dazed despair.

Then came a voice to detain her—not from the shattered Melissa.

It was from the Muzen Ducal House mother and son.

The Duchess treated Melissa like roadside trash as she approached Annie.

"Are you Her Highness the Crown Princess's maid?"

Annie was startled but composed herself.

"I suspected from the carriage crest— are you from the Muzen Ducal House?"

"Indeed. I was planning to request an audience with Her Highness soon, but it's a pleasure to meet you first."

The Duchess approached with her son's escort, her demeanor noticeably warm.

"By the by... I couldn't help overhearing, but this place didn't make Her Highness's banquet gown last time?"

Annie smiled softly.

"That's right, Madam Duchess."

The Duchess's eyes gleamed as she drew closer to Annie.

Her gaze locked onto the sky-purple handkerchief in Annie's hand. It was, of course, dyed with Shalinga petals.

"Then, might you tell me? Who made that dress?"

Annie took a fresh look at the Duchess.

The woman was draped head to toe in varying shades of purple. And it suited her perfectly.

It was just as Hilia had described.

"The Muzen Duchess will come. She's very easy to spot. Look for the walking purple."

"Pardon?"

"She'll approach first if you're holding a handkerchief dyed with Shalinga petal tea."

'Her Highness was spot on.'

Annie marveled anew.

Hilia knew from her past-life memories that the Muzen Duchess was famed as a purple enthusiast, but Annie had no such knowledge—so it felt like prophecy.

"I could tell you, but..."

Annie trailed off ambiguously.

The Duchess grew more eager, pressing in.

"Please, tell me. I'll make it worth your while."

Annie relented with a single line, as if unable to resist.

"Truth be told, I was just on my way to the atelier that made Her Highness's dress, by her command. Shall we go together?"

"...Of course!"

Those who overheard the exchange lit up.

The crowd milling like clouds before Kemal Atelier ebbed away like the tide.

All that remained piled around Melissa Kemal was scorn and canceled orders.

The gold torso she had offered Hilia as a bribe had been nearly her entire fortune.

With it gone and cancellations pouring in, only one thing was left.

Bankruptcy.

The failed shopkeeper's scream echoed alone.

"No, nooo!! This can't happen!"

"C-Captain?"

The Black Mercenary Corps headquarters in the capital welcomed its master after a long absence.

The Mercenary King Gerald—who moved mainly by night, cloaked in his usual black mantle—had appeared in broad daylight.

The mercenaries who moved to greet their captain warmly instead found themselves bowing their heads to the ground.

His bloodlust and aura were so overwhelming, his mask couldn't even contain it all.

Questions raced through their minds.

'What's going on? Did we screw up?'

'Was that recent report botched? No, we handled it fine.'

'Who is it? Find out quick and grovel!'

Mercenary King Gerald issued his command in a deeply sunken voice.

"...Bring it."

"Pardon? Bring what?"

"Information on the jewels."

What was this out of nowhere?

Had a dragon shown up in the dead of... no, middle of the day?

"Gather every scrap of intel on precious gems across the continent. Now."

'Why on earth?'

The question burned on everyone's tongues, but no one dared voice it.