I Became The Sole Perfumer of A Tyrant - Chapter 8

“Is that so?”

Cedric tilted his head.

“That’s strange. Didn’t you enjoy being called Duchess Evans in society?”

I tried to hide my warm, blushed face. It was true that Ariel was flirting with other nobles, referring to herself as Dutchess Evans. I didn’t think this guy even knew that.

“I did…There were indeed times when I did it, but… I’m ashamed. I would appreciate it if you could think of it as some childish moments and let it go.”

Cedric did not answer. He stared at me silently for a moment. He seemed to be attempting to gauge my real intentions.

After a while, he parted his lips.

“What do you want? Is it still the same?”

“Yes?”

“A clean parting. Is that really alright with you?”

I nodded my head.

“Yes, of course.”

Cedric blinked slowly.

He closed his eyes for a brief moment. As Cedric opened his eyes, his face became more expressionless. He opened his mouth and wore a rather gruesome expression.

“Okay, if that’s what the Lady wants.”

“…”

“Thank you for that.”

It was a polite farewell. His expressionless face was like a wounded doll as he was preparing to leave. I greeted him in silence.

“I’ve been very rude. Thank you for all you’ve done.”

Cedric stood up and turned his back.

As soon as he started heading towards his partner, he suddenly turned back to me.

“…The perfume.”

“Yes?”

I widen my eyes. Cedric replied without any expression on his face.

“It was effective.”

“…”

“Thanks to you, my men are becoming more efficient than ever before.”

I thought he was talking about the Anixia scent, but he was talking about the other one.

I nodded my head. Fortunately, it was effective in recovering from fatigue. I didn’t know this man was such a kind boss that he shared the perfume he received as a gift with his subordinates.

“Thank you. Then.”

Cedric paid a silent salute and left.

I suddenly opened my lips again.

Actually, I wanted to ask. Did the Anixia scent work?

Other perfumes were presented to servants as gifts, but the Anixia scent was prepared only for Cedric, so I couldn’t help but wonder about the only customer’s feedback.

…But yes. Some say that no news is good news.

The fact that he’s walking like that so casually means that there’s no problem with the formula prepared for the scent.

I nodded and soon turned my head away from him without regret.

✧༝┉┉┉┉┉˚*❋ ❋ ❋*˚┉┉┉┉┉༝✧

“Oh, my god, My lady!”

As soon as I exited the carriage, the butler rushed to me.

“Lady Ariel!”

“What’s wrong?”

“What in the world did you do? Master is not just angry!”

Count Winston?

I narrowed my eyes. I can guess why…I sighed as I recalled the incident at the restaurant.

“Is my father looking for me?”

“Yes, he is determined!”

“Let him know that I will see him now.”

The Count, whom I encountered inside the mansion, had a very vexed expression on his face. He raged as soon as he noticed me.

“Ariel Winston!”

What a surprise. I looked at the count with calm eyes.

“Why are you calling, Father?”

“Why are you calling?! Oh, it’s amazing!”

The Count struck the table.

“I just got a telegram from Marquis Marcel! Robin Marcel is locked up in the prison! What the hell are you talking about?!”

It’s that story again. I sighed and rubbed my forehead.

“Where in the world is there a Lady who puts her marriage partner in prison?!”

“The Marcels have only paid for their sins, Father. If he didn’t do anything wrong, the security forces wouldn’t have taken him.”

“What nerves! Did you and Robin Marcel have had a sword fight at the restaurant!?”

“I didn’t do anything so crazy…but he’s made some low-level remarks on me.”

“Low-level remarks?”

“He told me I seduced him and that I sprayed a stimulant on him…well, that’s the story.”

“…What!?”

The Count glared fiercely.

“I can’t believe he said that! How the hell did you behave, Ariel!”

“No, I just…I just sprayed perfume on him, because he smelled bad.”

“Perfume!”

Bang!

The Count struck the table again.

“That’s why I told you to put an end to your weird hobbies! Don’t you see what happened in the end! Damn it! People will start running their mouths off now that you have put your marriage partner in jail!”

“…”

Having nothing to say, I shrugged my shoulders. The Count was constantly saying it was all my fault, so I didn’t feel the need to clarify.

The Count, who had made himself outraged, shouted.

“Now that you’ve put him in jail, who will wish to see you in the future? Now that this has happened, we have no choice but to settle it somehow. Go to the Central District Sheriff’s Department right now and take care of Robin Marcel yourself!”

“What?”

I frowned. I could hear the sounds of a dog barking.

“Not to mention my unwillingness, Father, the main thing is that I don’t have the ability to take care of Robin Marcel.”

“What are you talking about?”

“It was the Duke of Evans’s men who took Robin Marcel away.”

I tilted my head.

“Isn’t it presumptuous of me to take care of a criminal when the Duke himself ordered to be punished?”

“…What the hell is this about? It was the Duke of Evans who arrested Robin Marcel?”

The Count asked with a puzzled look. He didn’t seem to have heard the whole story. It was clear that the Marquis of Marcel sent a telegram with only the information that would be advantageous to them.

“Yes, his excellency, who happened to pass by, didn’t see the situation fit and helped me personally. I didn’t expect him to go to prison. I see you didn’t know that.”

“…the Duke of Evans, Cedric Evans, had come forward and acted himself?”

The Count murmured blankly.

“Didn’t you say you broke up with the Duke of Evans?”

“Yes, we’re completely done.”

“But why…wait a minute, did the Duke realize his feelings towards you later?”

“Hahaha, that’s not true.”

The Count’s pure speculation made me laugh. He frowned when he realized that his remarks were absurd.

“Well…anyway, you’re not wrong. If the Duke intervenes, you can’t call for leniency here.”

That’s what I’m saying.

I shrugged my shoulders and attempted to ask if I could go in now, but the Count was a little faster.

“I can’t help it now that it was done.”

“What?”

“We have no choice but to find a new partner before the rumor spreads.”

“…What?”

I wanted to open the Count’s mind to see what was going on in his head.

The Count looked at me with serious eyes.

“Fortunately, there’s one seat I’ve been holding on for you, Ariel. I’ll make an appointment as soon as possible so please wait. Your partner will be the Marquis of Orgen.”

Marquis? I felt a sense of concussion at the word. Not even the Marquis’s son but the Marquis?

I inquired at the rising ominousness.

“By any chance, how old is the Marquis?”

The Count lifted one eyebrow and answered blatantly.

“He would have to be 40 years old this year.”

“…”

“It’s a normal age for a political marriage.”

Don’t be ridiculous, he’s such an old man. I’m 20 years old. How could I be the bride of an old grandpa!

I managed to swallow my words… I was so patient that I wanted to praise myself.

‘However, I can’t stand marrying a 40-year-old.’

I knew that aristocrats organized political marriages as if they were eating. The subjects of poetry, cultural differences, were all excellent. I could understand almost everything.

However, this was not the case. I took a deep breath and opened my mouth.

“My father wants me to get married as soon as possible. A marriage as fast as possible.”

“What? Of course. If you weren’t going to have a good marriage, why do you think I raised you up to this age?”

As expected.

I sighed deeply. I didn’t expect him to treat his own daughter like this.

Is this a cultural difference? Or is the Count just a bad father?

Either way, it wasn’t that important. To Count Winston, his daughter was just a good bargain to sell. The debt he raised, he had no choice but to pay it off in order not to lose any of his possessions.

I looked straight at the Count.

“I’m sorry, Father. I don’t care if he’s a handsome, young man of the same age as me. I don’t have the slightest desire to marry.”

“What did you say?”

“If I can’t get engaged, I’ll make up for the damage, so don’t worry, Father.”

“You’re going to make up for the damage. You?”

The count laughed cheerfully.

“How can you make up for the damage when all you know how to do is look pretty?”

I smiled meaningfully instead of answering. The Count, perplexed by my reaction, narrowed his brows.

The Count was not wrong. Ariel Winston had no great skill in swordsmanship and no ability to handle mana. However, that didn’t mean that she had no talent at all.

‘Although the Count is dismissing it as a silly game.’

Count Winston did not respect Ariel’s perfuming ability. No, it was rather contemptuous and ignored.

However, contrary to the Count’s prejudice, Ariel’s perfuming skills were so great that even Cedric Evans retreated at the mention of it.

The Count will not know. There is a formula in the perfuming room that was hundreds of times more valuable than the numerous jewels and expensive dresses I owned.

Perhaps, it was fortunate that Earl Winston was prejudiced.