Chapter 68 – Join Me on National Foundation Day.
“As usual, I’m a bit busy, so I’ll stop. Haha.”
The crown prince left the place as if he was running away.
It was a blatant consideration to create space for me, the princess, and Chloe.
Normally, I would have been embarrassed by her awkward absence, but today I was actually grateful that I had come to see her in the first place.
“Wow, it’s been a while.”
“Have you been at peace so far?”
“Well, I didn’t have a bad time.”
Chloe said, twisting her hair.
Her pupils moved down to her right side. It was a unique habit that appeared when lying.
“You seem to be doing well.”
I decided to be deceived by a tell-tale lie.
“Hmph, sure. “I can get along just fine without you.”
“Fortunately, the. “I hope you are doing better.”
“… Well, that’s right.”
Chloe licked her lips with a shocked look on her face.
“But what’s going on? “He left as if he would never see me again.”
“I need the princess’s help.”
“My help?”
The corner of Chloe’s mouth quirked up when she heard that, but I pretended not to see it.
“What happened? “The Dojin of the world needs help.”
“We need staff. “He is a moderately educated person who does not feel burdened by dealing with people.”
“Hmm, it’s my help.”
Daddadak.
The sound of the princess’s feet moving quickly inside her dress was heard.
It looked like a swan, elegant out of the water, but desperately flailing its legs in the water.
“There are many people like that. Because people are all around me.”
“Is that so? Thank goodness.”
“Then. “Thank goodness.”
Chloe continued her words while sipping warm tea.
“But you don’t plan on getting it for free, do you?”
“Well, of course. “It’s not free.”
“Thank god. “You didn’t think that our Lord Dojin was a man who didn’t know loyalty, right?”
“Sure. “I always make sure to pay for it.”
“I see.”
I asked Chloe who grinned.
“What do you want in return?”
“It’s National Foundation Day soon, right?”
“Yes, I heard there are several big events.”
“If you enjoy one day of National Foundation Day with me, I think it will be enough compensation.”
When I looked at her in surprise, Chloe’s face turned bright red as she drank her tea and avoided my eyes.
It’s probably not because of drinking hot tea.
“I’m sorry, but I already have a prior contract.”
“Because it was a prior agreement, National Foundation Day will last for three days. “You probably didn’t have a reservation for all three days, right?”
Chloe’s eyes are scary.
Like.
If I refused here, he was going to break me in two.
“That is correct.”
“Good for you. “Please spend the rest of your schedule with me.”
The force was so fierce that she couldn’t bear to say that she had to go to the convenience store.
The eyes of the enemy commander I faced on the battlefield were not that harsh.
Is he really the crown prince’s younger brother?
I vaguely felt the power of the emperor.
Of course, even if the princess hadn’t forced it, she would have sent it along.
I was still caught up in the memories of her past when I treated her poorly.
“I knew. Then, I’ll see you on the second day.”
“I guess you really changed your mind. “If it were like before, you would have refused.”
Chloe asked, surprised by my acceptance.
You must have been surprised that someone who always refused accepted it.
You might even think that you might die tomorrow.
“Aren’t you planning on leaving somewhere? Or die…”
Did you really think like that?
“No. Think of it as give and take.”
“What is give and take?”
Ah, there is no English in this world.
“This is the word of our world: giving and receiving from one another.”
“Hmm, give and take… “It has a good tone.”
The blue eyes were gently curved.
The golden eyebrows drew an arc.
Every time she smiled, the silver tiara hanging on her head sparkled.
“Give and take…”
Chloe repeated it over and over again, shaking her head as if making a promise.
“Great. I’ve chosen that day, so don’t make another schedule for no reason. Convenience stores will also be closed for a day.”
“I understand.”
There is no way to get the right number of people other than her.
Don’t you know this because you’ve been interviewed?
People who catch my eye don’t often come to interviews.
“If possible, please use young women.”
“You’re not trying to do anything strange, are you?”
“Of course. “It’s a necessary job because it deals with female customers.”
“Great. Then what?”
She nodded her head in understanding.
Actually, it seemed like a good thing.
After making an appointment with me on National Day Tate, her face softened a lot.
“So is this a date?”
“Eh, eh? “A date?”
“Yes, a man and a woman are walking together to an event, so wouldn’t it be a date?”
“Hmm, I guess so… ?”
The corner of my mouth twitches once again.
Chloe nodded her head as if satisfied.
“Are you going to eat and leave?”
I thought about it for a while.
Chloe’s expression right now was too pitiful to refuse her offer.
She had a face that would shed tears if she refused.
‘If I press it, it will explode.’
She was so embarrassed that her once white face turned bright red.
“It’s been a while since I’d like to taste a meal at the imperial palace.”
Hehe, it will be the best in the empire. “The imperial family always boasts of being the best in the empire.”
I held back as if I was trying to save her face.
If it weren’t for the maid who came with her, she would have run away.
“Then let’s go.”
As I stood up, Chloe grabbed my wrist.
“Hey, I’m getting lost. “The imperial palace is quite spacious.”
I’m not a baby and I thought she would get lost here, so I tried to stop her.
Holding her hand and pressing her lips together, she gave up her thoughts as she watched Chloe tense up like a child.
If I take care of you like this, I’ll be okay for at least one day.
“Let’s go.”
It’s not like I’m holding her hand, I’m just grabbing her wrist.
“Lord Dojin will also like it. I really like the taste of the fish I caught recently in the southern region. The chef will serve one steamed dish.”
Chloe has become more talkative.
Her dress fluttered softly every time she moved.
The whole time we had lunch together, Chloe’s smile never left.
I will keep it a secret that the crown prince looked at me with a happy smile and looked at me like that.
***
Chloe’s work was truly quick and accurate.
Within a day of asking her, the right people came to her.
We will sell cosmetics and clothes. This store mainly targets women rather than men.
I just said that.
“Welcome~! It’s DG Cosmetics!”
“This is DG Noble. “Is there something you’re looking for?”
There are now 5 employees in charge of the 4th floor.
They are all children of the Baron family.
They are not a powerful force, but they are not insignificant either.
‘I thought she had been abandoned by the princess…’
The faces of working women were brighter than expected.
I knew that she was selected from among the maids who worked in the imperial castle.
From their perspective, they must have been demoted.
“They are professionals. “Emotion management is excellent.”
It was Chloe, after all.
They really sent the right people.
I received letters from newly dispatched employees.
It was a letter written by Chloe herself.
-I wish we had a much longer date during National Day.
The handwriting that wrote the date trembled.
‘It’s still the same. ‘There’s a lot of shame.’
I thought it might be a little cute.
There was something Dojin didn’t know.
There is a rumor going around among the dispatched employees.
“Of course you two will get married, right?”
“No matter who sees it, it’s sweet.”
“It looked like it was broken. I guess it’s not there again?”
“Doesn’t the princess look pretty? Everyone in the empire knows that our princess is beautiful. Good face, not to mention family name, good body, and sharp mind. “What kind of man could give up?”
Among them, Dojin and the princess were already set to get married.
So, being dispatched here was not a demotion, but an opportunity to show one’s face to the future sire.
They did their best to impress those in power in the future.
Dojin, who didn’t know that, was still impressed by their professionalism.
[10/12 employees to raise additional floors]
To raise the 5th floor, we just need to hire 2 more people.
‘Should I ask Chloe to send two more people?’
It’s done.
It is not good to increase debt for no reason.
Because healthy debt helps create a healthy life.
Just fill the rest slowly.
“National Foundation Day, it must be very busy.”
For some reason, my heart feels heavy.
***
Sales for the first three days after opening were seriously low.
I don’t know why, but unlike the adult goods store on the 3rd floor, where sales suddenly surged, there was a noticeable difference in sales between the cosmetics and clothing stores on the 4th floor.
Even now, there are almost no customers on the 4th floor.
For some reason, the number of male customers with red faces has doubled on the third floor.
“Sales are worse than expected.”
“Sorry. “Boss.”
Although Sandro tried hard, cosmetics sales were not as high as expected.
The clothes weren’t bad. Modern clothes were made of much better materials and were more daring in design than the clothes of the mid-modern era.
Of course, clothes that were too revealing did not sell as well as expected.
‘It doesn’t seem to be a good idea in the minds of people of this era.’
Tsk.
“It’s not your fault. Sandro.”
“Sorry…”
Sandro, the person in charge of the 4th floor, shoulders slumped.
He seemed to lack confidence in the fact that he had not been able to properly carry out his duties.
‘No way. If this happens.’
If Sandro was recording such sales because his skills were lacking, it would be okay to fire him.
‘There is no problem with Sandro’s sales ability.’
Just.
Unlike convenience store items, cosmetics and clothing are very sensitive to trends.
So even if something more convenient comes out, it is not easy to change.
Because it’s a trend.
“Measures will be needed.”
“Hi! Now, just don’t cut it!”
“If I fire you, who will you work with? “There is no need to cut anything, so don’t worry.”
“Yes, boss… I will be loyal.”
He cried and hugged me.
If this continues, my shirt will get wet.
“Okay. Okay, just leave for a moment.”
“Ugh! “I’m the boss!!”
“Hot. “I told you to fall.”
At that time, the first floor was noisy.
“What’s going on?”
I calmed down Sandro, who was wiping away tears, and went downstairs.
And on the first floor.
“The princess?”
I thought we would see each other again during National Day…
“Long time no see. Ah, it’s only been three days, so it’s a bit much to say it’s been a long time, isn’t it?”
Chloe came to the convenience store.
With a group of noble ladies.
