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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Kie]
[Proofreader - Starfall ]
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Chapter 39: Where Did You Get That?
"Have you heard the news?"
News in social circles always started this way, spreading like wildfire.
Naturally, the hottest topic right now was the upcoming revival of the Red Jewel competition.
"Lady Hazel, you'll be participating, won't you?"
A second daughter from a Viscount’s family asked, envy evident in her voice as she looked at Ingrid.
She added that she was disappointed because her older sister, three years her senior, was participating, preventing her from doing so.
"Excuse me, but wouldn't sending your 19-year-old sister when you're 16 actually decrease your family’s chances of winning?"
"They say the eligibility for participation is based more on lineage, past achievements, and abilities rather than age, so I really have nothing to say. My older sister has done quite a lot of charity work, so she has some recognition in that field. I just realized that I still have a long way to go."
At those words, the followers gathered around Ingrid nodded their heads.
"So, this time, even ladies of a slightly older age group will be participating."
"But looking at the trends of previous competitions, older ladies were actually at a disadvantage. I heard that those who participated twice were even ridiculed."
"I heard that Her Majesty the Empress is working to change that trend this time. She said that the participant should be a lady who is fully qualified to represent her family in the competition."
"Her Majesty the Empress is doing a wonderful thing."
A young lady who admired the Empress spoke with sparkling eyes.
"I heard she declared that she would make the preparations for the competition within a month and finish it within two weeks. She's truly amazing."
"She's someone who accomplished a lot, from being born and raised in the Marquis Cherney’s family to joining the imperial family."
"Is it true that even that wicked woman is helping with the preparations?"
The atmosphere, which had been buzzing with talk of the Red Jewel, instantly fell silent at the words of a young lord.
"Surely that wicked woman isn't participating in this competition, is she?"
To the anxious question of one young lady, another replied self-deprecatingly.
"As the only legitimate daughter of the Arsene family, she has expressed her intention to definitely participate in this competition."
"A participant helping with the preparations. Isn't that too unfair?"
"It's just a ploy to get close to Her Majesty the Empress and flatter her."
One young lady whispered.
"I guess her attempts to cling to His Grace the Grand Duke didn't go well? To think she's trying to attach herself to the imperial family again."
"What I did with His Grace the Grand Duke went much better than you all think."
'Wait, that voice?'
The group who had been gossiping about the wicked woman, Selina, flinched and looked in the direction of the voice.
"Her Majesty the Empress did order me to help with the preparations, but she only asked me to assist with the paperwork. The actual preparation of the competition is being handled by other noble ladies who are close aides to Her Majesty and the palace officials in charge of events."
Selina Arsene looked coldly at the group who had been badmouthing her.
"If you're unhappy with my participation, why don't you go directly to Her Majesty the Empress and ask her to change the participation rules for this competition? I doubt there's anyone here who has the courage to do that."
At her sharp retort, Ingrid's followers, who had been momentarily silenced, stepped forward, not willing to back down.
"Let's send Lady Hazel to the back for protection first."
"Since when have you been eavesdropping on our conversation? It's very unpleasant."
Selina replied calmly.
"This isn't a closed-off space, and with so many people gathered in an open area talking about me, I couldn't just pass by without saying something."
With that, Selina approached where Ingrid Hazel was seated.
Her followers tried to block her, but when Selina looked at them coldly, they didn't dare to reach out and stop her.
Standing in front of Ingrid, Selina said.
"The hair ornament and brooch adorned with blue jewels are so vibrant they make one forget the heat. If it's not too much trouble, would you tell me where you acquired that jewelry set that seems to perfectly capture the color of your eyes?"
In truth, there was no need to ask.
Judging by the top-notch jewelry craftsmanship and the luster of the blue gems, it was a product from the Arsene Merchant Group.
The items sold by the Arsene Company were, quite literally, considered luxury goods on a continental level, surpassing even the Empire's standards.
There were even enthusiasts who collected each new product as soon as it was released.
"This is..."
Ingrid couldn't tell her followers that Selina had gifted her those accessories.
The group protecting her here was unaware that Selina had been sending her expensive accessories and apology messages.
They were stepping up to protect Ingrid, who always remained silent and endured.
Ingrid knew well that her followers were fulfilling their heroic desires through this.
That's why she couldn't say here that Selina had given her this jewelry set, worth the price of a commoner's house, as an apology gift, and that she liked it so much she wore it often.
"It's certainly a jewelry set that suits Lady Hazel well. It seems to go well with any outfit, so I was thinking of asking about it myself if I had the chance."
"Now that you mention it, the craftsmanship is quite exquisite. Could it be a gift from the Little Sun who cherishes you?"
Sephian nobles often prepared gifts in a color similar to their lover's eye color when giving presents.
Sighs of envy from the young ladies followed. Then, one of them glared at Selina and spoke.
"Did you ask about it out of jealousy, recognizing it as an Arsene Merchant Group item? Especially since it was a gift from the Little Sun."
Selina replied calmly.
"That's impossible. Items provided by the Arsene Merchant Group to the imperial family are made with the official imperial emblem. And items with the official imperial emblem can't be gifted to just anyone. That's not a gift from him. That's why I asked."
Selina looked at Ingrid, who remained speechless.
'You've been accepting all the gifts I've given you and now you're playing dumb? Just like the lounge incident last time and the fountain incident. I've decided to step up for my reputation rehabilitation, so I can't just stay quiet.'
As Ingrid remained silent, Selina added.
"I even asked because this isn't even listed in our company's product catalog. The luster and craftsmanship are very similar to our company's items, though."
Shaking her head as she spoke, Selina's words were immediately understood by the nobles, who were well-versed in reading between the lines.
'It's not in the Arsene Merchant Group’s sales catalog, but it's similar to the Arsene Merchant Group’s unique jewelry craftsmanship. Then, could it be... a fake?'
The expression of one young lady who thought so hardened.
Even if she was the woman loved by the Crown Prince, it wasn't a good look to be openly wearing a fake.
'Lady Hazel's family was struggling, wasn't it? An item like that must be incredibly expensive. If it's not a gift from His Highness the Crown Prince, how did she get her hands on it?'
Curious gazes turned towards Ingrid.
"This... I bought it from another merchant group. There are many groups that sell good items besides the Arsene Merchant Group’s.”
At Ingrid's answer, the young ladies and lords around her wore somewhat dissatisfied expressions.
However, Selina nodded her head and replied.
"That's true. It seems I've been neglecting my market research. If I had known there was a craftsman whose skills rivaled those of our company's experts, I would have brought them in somehow. By any chance, could you tell me which company you bought it from?"
"I'm curious about that too. We'd also like to avoid using the Arsene Merchant Group if possible. With the level of craftsmanship in your jewelry, Lady Hazel, I could trust them with my own gems."
Lady Hazel's followers had tried boycotting the Arsene Merchant Group, but within a few days, they all started buying Arsene's new products again.
That's because they had many high-quality, reasonably priced products that perfectly catered to the nobles' tastes.
'The fault lies with Lady Arsene, not these fine goods. What fault could these beautiful things have?'
'I have to buy this. My babies are calling out to me, begging me to buy it.'
But if there was a merchant group with craftsmen as skilled as those at the Arsene Merchant Group, it was worth paying attention to.
The followers looked at Ingrid with curious eyes, waiting for her answer.
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Kie]
[Proofreader - Starfall ]
Join our Discord for release updates!
https://discord.com/invite/dbdMDhzWa2
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