I Will Seduce The Northern Duke

In most cases, it would be easy to have a useful maid at hand. Besides that, deliberately sending someone from the capital to Renbird may appear as covert and primitive as that.

For now, Selena had to look into the store recommended by Juna. She decided to find Kalcion before leaving the mansion.

He usually spent time in his office or the training grounds, but today, he stayed in his room because he said he was sick as an excuse to refuse the Queen's invitation. In this way, he could easily go through the documents as well.

"Give me some money."

She needed it for shopping. It was justifiable because it was a necessary cost to settle well in the society.

Kalcion stared at her, who held out her hand proudly.

Instead of asking anything, Kalcion took a bunch of bills from the drawer and placed them in her hand. It was the currency of this world that she'd never seen before. She looked down at each note as if she was holding something so amazing.

"Oh….. I guess they use paper currency here as well."

"It's a family cheque. You'll need a carriage to carry money to pay for dresses and jewelry in cash."

"I see. Money in this world are simply things such as gold and silver, right?”

"Yes. But try not to use that cheque if you can."

Oh, is that so? It wasn't like she was taking it away. Her eyes widened in disbelief.

"Just mention the name of Renbird."

Ah, so that's it. Since he put it that way, that means there was no one in this world who didn't know about the Duke of Renbird. Especially if the shop did business with nobles.

"If they think I'm impersonating you, I'll pay with this."

"That's not going to happen. Unless they have a death wish, you don't need to pretend to be an aristocrat to buy things."

"Then, why did you hand this to me?"

She fluttered the bills like a fan. Each bill would be of much worth than a coin, not just a penny or two.

"You asked for it."

"Would you give me everything I'd ask for?"

"I can give you as much as you ask."

He wouldn't even remember giving her this much money if she lost it somehow, Selena thought.

"Alright, alright, I'll use this to buy a couple of snacks."

"Hope you enjoy it."

Kalcion wasn't concerned about Selena spending all of the money on snacks. It was evident in his cavalier tone.

Selena walked out instead of teasing him any longer. Juna, who was waiting outside, was at a loss when she saw a massive amount of money in Selena's hand.

"W-Whoa….. I would never cease to see this amount of money even if I combined all my earnings for the rest of my life."

"It's also a first for me."

"But, why did His Excellency give you money? You could just mention his name, can’t you?"

"To buy some snacks."

"Pardon……?"

Selena strode away first, leaving a dumbstruck Juna. Shopping wasn't a hobby of hers, but it was sometimes good for a change.

There would always be certain tension in this world. / There would always be a certain reason why one would feel restless in this world. Whether because of magical beasts or because of assassins, her life would always be in danger. She couldn't dream of walking around the market and meeting other people leisurely.

It was the same in her original world. She usually avoided crowded places because of her job as an actress.

For that reason, although her purpose was to shop, she was rather excited to venture into a place with people.

The house was located in the center of the city and was close enough that it is within walking distance of the store. To be exact, the entrance gate from the front door of the mansion was farther than the store from the gate.

For security reasons, she had to get on a carriage and give up the chance to view the scenery of the city.

"Miss Selena! We're almost there!"

Juna chirped as the carriage stopped in front of the store.

Its name is "Diatte" as Juna had said before. Before the guard could reach the carriage door, Juna burst it open and jumped out towards the entrance.

The shop even had a luxurious entrance with gatekeepers similar to the ones where only aristocrats were allowed. They were dressed in neat white suits. This seemed to be a part of the service for the young customers who visited.

Selena followed Juna elegantly. She expected them to open the door with a friendly smile on their faces.

"Excuse me, we don't appear to have enough room inside. You cannot enter now."

It wasn't a warm welcome she received, rather, it was a complete denial. The gatekeeper was polite but tough.

It was still morning. Regardless of how famous the store was, it couldn't have gotten that crowded enough to not be able to enter at this early hour.

"Hmm."

Selena hummed and stared at the guards.

The faces of the guards in front of Selena, who were neither speaking nor retreating, became more and more stiff. That alone confirmed her assumption.

‘You can't let anyone in.'

If she turned her back to this, she'd be a fool to believe their words, and if she yelled at them, she'd never face the truth.

‘What kind of store is this to run their business so proudly?'

It seemed amazing, but her curiosity was also piqued.

If she’s not mistaken, she must’ve borrowed the Duke's great carriage. She didn't know if it was fashionable or not, but she was also wearing a fancy dress that was super luxurious. She even had escorts and a maid. There were no flaws for them to refuse for ostensible reasons, except for her status.

Then, another carriage stopped behind. Two beautifully dressed ladies got off. They were talking amicably, but they stopped when they noticed Selena standing in front of the gatekeepers.

"Hmm, perhaps she's new here."

Selena stepped aside and pursed her lips in a grumpy manner. She couldn't help it because her heart was twisted, and her mood wasn't good.

"Welcome."

Naturally, the gatekeepers opened the door wide for the two ladies, who were still looking at Selena.

Not long after, they closed the door, and turned back to Selena. The gatekeepers froze. From this lady's gaze, they could tell she would not be easily warded off.

"You said you didn't have enough room for one person, but your actions speak otherwise."

The time had come. Those men had no excuse to present because they let other people in right in front of her. However, as educated as they may be, they made a perfunctory excuse.

"They were scheduled to visit us today, so there were separate seats available for them."

Selena scoffed.

"Seats in a clothing store."

"I'm sorry, but yes."

"You need to assure more sales aside from providing a seat to others. If I'm correct, you can only recommend your products to a few existing customers, and meet internal standards, right?"

"T-That's….."

They couldn't even say no.

Selena laughed. There were indeed places like this. A place where not just anyone could buy their items. The only people eligible to buy their luxury products were nobles of high status.

‘Should I call for Kalcion?'

It was the fastest and easiest way, but she couldn't do that as it would blow his cover. Due to that, she decided to settle things on her own.

"Call for the owner."

This was the most powerful weapon when he was away.

"Pardon?"

"As a guard, you wouldn't have the power to evaluate the qualifications of your guest, so just call the owner."

She won’t be leaving until they call for their boss! The gatekeepers quickly finished judging the situation.

"P-Please wait a moment!"

One of them rushed inside.

A moment later, as he said, a middle-aged woman in a flamboyant dress walked out of the store. Her steps were gentle, but she had a cold and strict look in her eyes.

"I heard you were looking for me."

"Who might you be?"

Selena asked sharply.

"Pardon me for the late introduction. I'm the CEO of Diatte."

The woman calmly spoke without getting affected by Selena's sharp tone. It seemed she was familiar with this kind of situation.

Rural aristocrats from faraway regions were often known to call for her when they were rejected at the gate. Those aristocrats were unaware of the conditions, and therefore, returned in shame.

Then, later on, if the guests were welcomed grandly when they came after knowing the conditions, their anger would be turned into pride.

This was not the policy from the beginning. The atmosphere was naturally established as it pleased those who wanted ‘speciality'.

"You've summoned me because you were uncomfortable with your welcome…… Am I right?"

"Yes. Apparently, it doesn't seem like a store for anyone."

Selena had a slightly different response compared to the others who called for her for the same reason. She didn’t raise her voice, she didn't get angry, she didn't get embarrassed, and she didn't tremble. She just calmly checked the facts.

However, that did not significantly change her answer. The representative bowed her head as usual.

"I apologize, but our store is also a salon, so we consider making room available for people we know first. Please understand."

"I see. That's too bad. I was planning to join the banquet as the partner of the Duke of Renbird. In order to not undermine the dignity of the Duke, I came to the most famous store to learn the latest trends……"

Selena turned as if she'd walk back to her carriage.

"……Ah, are you the rumored guest of the Duke of Renbird?"

The woman asked. Considering how fast information traveled in society, the news about the Duke of Renbird also reached the CEO's ears.

It was two months after the death of his prospective fiancée. The Duke wasn't known to pick anyone for a partner, but he brought the young lady from Renbird. She wasn't even a commoner. She was just an unknown person.

What’s more, it's not like the Duke to be bothered by a single woman. Therefore, it must be a case wherein she’s receiving an overwhelming amount of affection from the Duke.

‘In that case, she might’ve been showered with money…..’

Money or fame.

However, too much money was on the line to choose fame.

After completing the calculations, the representative immediately took action. Selena raised her eyebrows as the woman bowed her head and stepped aside to let her in.

"I wasn't aware of your situation. Usually, we do not allow any guests inside if there's no room left, but we really wish to help you in this issue."

She was letting her in because of money. A calculating smile flashed upon the woman's face.

"It's a relief that we have the most reliable policy as the most renowned store."

Money was the best, right? Selena also responded with a polite smile.