After business hours, a crowd of people gathered in front of Luburn's largest store.
This huge, luxurious building, designed by the famous architect Deville, was one of the places that every woman in Valois wanted to visit at least once.
The three-story stone building was so opulent that some called it the “Palace of Peleu II.”
As soon as you set foot on the ground floor of the store, you will be greeted by the famous crystal stairs right in the middle of the space.
The crystal handles of the stairs were so elaborately decorated that you would not regret spending a whole day contemplating their decorations alone.
But it wasn't just the crystals that were the most famous, there was a famous glass ceiling as well.
The light filtering through the glass ceiling bathed every corner of the store in a holy glow.
"amazing!"
A man wearing a very wrinkled coat said to the person next to him.
He seemed to be embarrassed by his appearance, so he kept trying to straighten the collar of his coat, which would never straighten.
“Yes, indeed, it definitely deserves the title of Beliu Palace.”
New visitors to the store were busy gazing here and there at the enchanting splendor, unable to decide where to focus their eyes.
Some were taking pictures, others were taking out their notebooks and writing something down.
A woman was watching these people with a satisfied smile.
“Come in, come in.
Welcome, gentlemen journalists.”
She took a step forward to attract the attention of those present.
“Welcome.
I am Delphine, owner of Rocher brand and manager of Rocher store.
Thank you very much for dedicating your valuable time to us.”
The woman who introduced herself as Delphine was a tall woman wearing a long black dress, with a captivating beauty.
The flowy dress was designed to fit her body, highlighting her sexy figure.
When she bowed politely to greet the audience, everyone erupted in applause.
“Some of you may have visited the Rocher store before, and others have not had that opportunity, but I hope that you will first enjoy the banquet prepared on the third floor, and then walk around comfortably.
After that, all the goods that you will choose today will be packed and sent to your homes.”
"truly?!"
The attendees responded in amazement.
“You will certainly be served by our highly trained staff and will advise you on the best products for you.
So, please do not hesitate to accept this humble gesture from me.”
There were big smiles on their faces, and the journalists looked very happy, squirming in their places, eager to head to the merchandise displays immediately without waiting for food.
“But, let's start first with the meal that was prepared for you with love.”
Delphine led the audience up the crystal stairs, the pride of the store.
People examined various aspects of the store she was introducing.
When they reached the third floor, they found a wide open space.
There were about ten round tables distributed around the place.
“We put cards with your names on every table.”
The staff standing at the side began checking names and directing guests to their seats.
As soon as the journalists were seated, the band started playing and the waiters began serving drinks.
The first appetizer came in the form of potato soup in a small glass bowl.
After finishing it, the main appetizer was served: cooked ray fish with white sauce, with a refreshing touch of lemon.
For the crowning glory, a generous amount of caviar was placed on top of the ray.
The waiters explained the ingredients to the guests, and filled their glasses with wine.
Everything was going smoothly.
The mood of the journalists was getting better and better under the weight of this luxurious treatment to which they were not accustomed.
Most of them had only been to the restaurants dotting the newer neighborhoods in Luburn.
Journalists are usually the ones whose salary increases if they write fake or exaggerated news to increase sales, otherwise they have to live on a very small salary.
From behind the curtain, Delphine raised the corner of her lip crookedly and watched the expressions on the reporters’ faces.
Then I approached one of them as I had planned in advance and started talking to him.
“Mr.
Andre, how did you find the food?”
“Ah, so delicious!”
"Thank you."
Delphine smiled charmingly.
The face of the journalist called Andrei turned red.
“I read your previous article about our store carefully, journalist.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yes.
I've never read a better description of our store.
'A meeting place for the extravagant nouveau riche,' isn't it?"
After saying that, Delphine covered her mouth and laughed lightly: “Hoho.”
"I apologize."
The journalist bowed in embarrassment.
“Oh, no need to apologize.
We always need people like you to write critical articles.
By the way, the store’s sales were very good that week thanks to your article.
It seems that everyone wanted to visit the ‘Meeting Place of the Extravagant New Rich People’, right?”
“What a person you are!
Smile!
Can’t you just take it as a joke?”
“Ha, ha, ha, ha.”
Jeremy Andre laughed, scratching his head.
“By the way, I intend to publish an advertisement for the store.
I expect your newspaper, Le Figaro, will publish it, right?”
“You are definitely welcome anytime you can talk to the advertising manager in detail...”
“Why so formal?
There must be a reason I’m bringing it up with you now, journalist.”
Delphine tapped him gently on his chest with her index finger twice.
Jeremy hesitated for a moment, as if he did not immediately understand her meaning.
“You know very well that I have a close relationship with the Palace of Lysée, right?”
Château de l'Isée - This was the name given to Château Thérèse.
The palace inhabited by the country's princesses throughout the generations.
“Oh, yes.
Yes, that's right.”
Jeremy agreed with her words even though he was hearing about her for the first time.
“That lady picked me up when I was a reckless brat.
All I have achieved in Luburn now is thanks to her.”
Delphine lowered her eyes sadly.
There is no man who can resist the sadness of a beautiful woman.
"truly?"
“Yes.
But lately she has been facing difficulties, and this does not comfort me.”
“Why?”
Jeremy felt like putting his arms around her sad shoulders and comforting her.
“Perhaps because of rumors or articles written by people who do not know the truth.”
Jeremy, who often wrote critical articles about the First Prince and Princess, felt a tingling in his chest.
He felt guilty.
“This is… sad.”
“Yes.
I have to return her favor.
Can you help me?”
Delphine held Jeremy's hands tightly.
“Ah... how can I...?”
“You know better than I do.”
Then Delphine heaved a small sigh and took out a small box from her handbag.
“This is a humble gift as an expression of my gratitude for your presence today.”
“B…Honestly, that’s…, thank you very much.”
Jeremy received the box not knowing what to say.
He opened the box slightly to look through the gap at what was inside.
It was a famous men's watch with exorbitant prices!
He's only heard about her, but he's seeing her for the first time.
Even if he took it and sold it in a store, the money would be enough for him to live without work for three months.
When Jeremy looked up, he found Delphine smiling softly at him.
Jeremy Andre looked around right and left, made sure everyone was drunk and not looking at him, then slipped the box into his coat pocket.
“Mutual aid makes life better, doesn't it, journalist?”
When Delphine smiled seductively, Jeremy smiled back while under her spell.
Delphine ran her fingertips over his shirt as if she were dusting it off, then nodded.
Then I got up from his place next to him and went to another journalist.
Delphine distributed the gift boxes she had prepared to all the journalists.
Then she gave her instructions to the waiters: to make the journalists drunk until they lose consciousness and are unable to choose the goods from the displays.
She didn't want to suffer any more losses.
Delphine clapped her hands twice and shouted:
"Okay!
Everyone get more wine!
No one's leaving today on their feet!"
“Speak again.”
“The Marquis de…de…de Benchetrit, S…withdrew his support...”
Fabrice was playing poker with the sons of the nobles at the social club.
He was in good spirits because he was winning.
But this state did not last long because of the message conveyed by his pale servant who rushed to him.
"What?
Why?"
“He… says he no longer needs… the concession to mine the Boué Mahé mine.”
The servant bowed in expression of his shame.
Fabrice violently ruffled his hair.
“Your Highness, did something happen?”
One of the players at the same table asked him.
“Shut up, your voice is annoying.”
Fabrice replied brusquely as he violently loosened his tie.
He picked up his coat and got up.
“Continue playing without me.”
Then he ran towards the palace.
He felt he had to know the full details of what had happened.
“Explain in detail.”
The back of the head of Baron Barbier, who had summoned him to the palace in the middle of the night, was compressed.
But that didn't matter.
“Most of the minerals extracted from the Bouy Mahé mine are cobalt, but its quality is not premium.
It is suitable for use within Valois only.
As you know, the cobalt coming from Inland is considered premium grade, but Inland has not allowed its export yet.”
"What?
What's the problem?"
“But… it seems that Inland allowed it.”
“With what?
By exporting cobalt?”
“Yes, yes, that is what they say.
Rocher Trading Company exclusively imports cobalt stone, so the price of cobalt extracted from the Bué Mahé mine has fallen sharply.”
Fabrice remained silent as he took large gulps of the strong wine.
“So...I think that's why the Marquis de Benchetrit withdrew.
He must have realized that profitability had declined.”
The Marquis de Benchetrit was a valuable card that he did not want to lose.
If he could annex him, he would be able to control the entire central region.
“Then offer him the Habib mine instead of Bué Mahé.”
“This is also… a little difficult…”
It was not difficult to offer the Bouy Mahé mine, owned by Fabrice, to the Marquis.
But the Habib mine was another story.
A large portion of the king's income comes from the Habib mine.
Therefore, his kingship cannot be spoken of easily…unless he is the King of Valois himself.
No matter how beloved Fabrice is by the king, will his father love him enough to give up all his own wealth?
Will he love him that much?
Baron Barbier stopped speaking.
Because he wasn't sure whether he should break the news he heard a few days ago now or not.
“It seems that the Marquis… has completely turned!”
The Baron said loudly and then lowered his head deeply.
"What?!"
“The wedding of the Marquis’s only daughter will take place next week, and her fiancé is the son of Monsieur Murat, who has recently been granted a noble title.”
“Who is this?”
Baron Barbier ground his teeth in it.
“This is the person who helped the First Prince while he was going to New Shavel to provide relief to the flood victims.
That is to say, Mr.
Murad is a figure from the First Prince’s camp.
So, Your Highness the Prince...don’t you think it would be better to abandon the Marquis de Benchetrit?...”
Fabrice looked at Baron Barbier.
The room fell silent.
Fabrice dropped the cup he was holding in his hand.
The cup that left Fabrice's hand hit the Baron's cheek and smashed against the wall.
Baron Barbier bowed his head further.
A line of blood leaked from his cheek, which had been scratched by the glass.
“What did the Baron do that made it come to this?”
Fabrice nodded to the Baron.
Then he took out a new clean cup and filled it with a golden colored liquid.
“I...I apologize.”
A commoner...in all insolence.
Fabrice was unhappy with his half-brother's interference in everything.
The throne of the kingdom is his birthright.
He is disgusted and upset that this bastard is trying to take what belongs to him.
This case must also be the work of Marquis Engelger, who supports that scoundrel.
Marquis Engelger has always been a master of intrigue.
“You should not do anything that requires an apology.”
Fabrice was very angry.
He wanted to destroy everything.
“Go out.
Ask for a servant.”
“Your Highness!
L… I have something I have prepared for you in advance today.
It is a new hallucinogenic plant from Inland.
It is said to be three times more powerful than the previous one.
It is a humble gift, but I beg you to accept it.
It will definitely be a special experience.”
“Really?
Wasn’t the hallucinogenic plant banned from being imported due to its side effects?”
Fabrice raised his eyebrows.
However, his curiosity seemed to have been awakened, and he looked at Barbier with a face mixed with interest.
He had been confined for a while and was bored by the forced isolation that did not suit his temperament, and he could not play as he pleased.
“We got lucky and got it.
Don't worry, there won't be any consequences.”
“Are you sure?”
"certainly."
Baron Barbier asserted confidently.
“Bring it.”
“Have a good night.”
The Baron closed the door and went out.
Then the servants entered the prince's bedroom carrying something wrapped in cloth.
As soon as he was out of the prince's sight, Barbier's facial expression completely changed as if he were another person, and he said to the knights standing in front of the door:
“When the prince sleeps, get rid of everything without a trace.”
“Yes, sir.”
The Baron took a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped away the drops of blood that had seeped down his cheek.
The white handkerchief turned red with blood.
"Is he stupid?
It's naive to believe that there is a hallucinogenic plant three times stronger."
TS
He clicked his tongue once, then the Baron folded the dirty handkerchief and put it back in his pocket.
Meanwhile, Fabrice firmly believed that what he drank was a hallucinogenic plant and fell into a deep sleep.
But in reality, it was just strong liquor mixed with a large amount of tranquilizer.
“Let's go back.”
“Yes, sir.”
The Baron and the knights following him returned to the Baron's palace, cutting through the darkness of the night.
This was a look that could never be seen in front of Fabrice.