The Villainess Builds a Department Store - Chapter 53

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Villainess Establishes a Department Store

Chapter 53

Cité Lutétia, the capital of Loire.

Not far from the Royal Palace, Palais de Lutèce, there was a street that the capital’s residents called La Lutèce.

However, the atmosphere of the street was far from the nobility befitting the capital and the name of the Royal Palace.

Rather, it was nothing short of hell where human malice dressed in silk and the city’s darkness adorned with glittering jewels were tightly bound together.

“There! Gentleman! Come play for a while!”

“We have high-purity goods prepared for noble gentlemen like yourself. Not even a speck of impurity is mixed in!”

“You crazy bastard! How dare you in a place like this! Get lost right now!”

A pleasure district where loud voices and screams, art and obscenity coexisted, with decadent theaters and gambling dens disguised as art galleries shoulder to shoulder under one roof.

Among them, the lowest place, a club where those who failed to read the times and were devoured by the current or shipwrecked gathered like a graveyard of stranded ships with only their pride remaining, was one of the few places that welcomed Philippe Noël de Charmeuze.

“Welcome, Monsieur Charmeuze.”

A servant with debts dangling from his ankles instead of chains bowed deeply to greet him. However, Philippe hardened his expression and immediately struck the servant with his cane.

Thwack!

“How dare this lowly wretch disrespect me?”

“Ahhh! Why, why are you doing this!”

Those who heard the servant’s scream came rushing out. Philippe pointed accusingly and shouted at the top of his lungs as if this was perfect.

“That bastard dared to! To me! A member of the Charmeuze Viscountcy! He called me without honorifics! Just how do you train your staff?”

Only then did the servant realize his mistake and turned pale as he prostrated himself flat.

“I was wrong! I’m sorry! Monsieur ‘de’ Charmeuze! Please forgive me just this once!”

Strictly speaking, he was merely the son of a viscount and had inherited no title himself, so omitting honorifics wasn’t such a grave offense to warrant this overreaction.

But for Philippe, being from a noble family was the only dignity and value he had left, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say.

“Now, now, Monsieur de Charmeuze. Don’t be like this and come inside. I’ll offer you a drink as an apology for that one’s rudeness.”

Finally, when the manager came, Philippe reluctantly entered, pretending to be appeased. He didn’t forget to step on the hand of the servant who was still prostrated on the floor like a mistake until the very end.

At the table where gambling was in full swing, familiar faces were repeatedly downing drinks along with futile dreams of striking it rich.

When Philippe squeezed between their shoulders and sat down, a drink was filled as if they had been waiting.

“It’s been a while. What have you been doing that we haven’t seen hide nor hair of you?”

He spoke friendly while sharing some of his snacks, but what lay beneath was subtle contempt and mockery. The rumor that Philippe had incurred gambling debts again and disappeared to avoid creditors was known to everyone.

“I hear your elder brother, Marquis de Charmeuze, had some fun again? That passage thing or whatever it was.”

“Hmph. What could have changed just by changing the name of a smelly, dirty alley.”

When a gruff response came to the seemingly probing remark, shallow laughter briefly followed.

“It seems you weren’t invited to that business?”

“Ha. Haha. My brother is someone who rarely shares with others. Even with his one and only younger brother.”

Philippe answered while gritting his teeth. The gentlemen exchanged knowing looks with each other.

While quiet ridicule poured down over Philippe’s head, he repeatedly downed his drinks.

Even as cards were dealt and house deeds and gold coins changed hands, the gamblers’ topic was entirely about Marquis de Charmeuze and his latest success story.

Except for the one who first spoke to him, no one paid any attention to Philippe.

…That should have been the case.

“Monsieur ‘de’ Charmeuze, there’s a good story, would you like to hear it?”

He was about to drive away what he thought was the usual swindler, schemer, or braggart not worth listening to with even half an ear that appeared at such places.

“If you lend us the name of ‘Charmeuze,’ we’ll give you your brother’s life in return.”

“…Get lost if you’re going to talk nonsense.”

“Aren’t you envious? The grand estate, beautiful wife, lovely children, and guaranteed profits on a smooth path… How long do you plan to just covet those things?”

“Didn’t I tell you to get lost!”

“Just listen to the story once. If you’re still not interested after hearing everything, I’ll withdraw immediately.”

The man who had somehow taken a seat beside him snapped his fingers to order drinks and food. When Philippe’s expression softened at the sight of the appetizing food, the man introduced himself.

“First, let me introduce myself. I’m Gaspard La Motte. I run a small investment company.”

“Ahem. So?”

“The thing is, Hong-sam from the Eastern Lands has been selling as a cure-all for several years now, hasn’t it? And the Hong-sam distribution is monopolized by Monsieur de Charmeuze’s brother and his friend Guillaume Hedebeau.”

Gaspard emphasized the word ‘monopolized.’

“Monopoly, that’s not right. Because those people monopolize the Hong-sam distribution, people who really need medicine can’t even get a glimpse of Hong-sam. So we…”

“Just the point, *smack*. Just the point. I’m a busy man!”

“This time we discovered our own independent Hong-sam import route, and we’d like you to gather investors under the Charmeuze name.”

“What’s the compensation?”

The man with a particularly fishy smile refilled the overturned glass and handed it to him.

“Everything you envied while looking at your brother. Would that be enough?”

* * *

My plan to propose to Father about creating a space for the Nanterre Station construction workers had to be postponed due to an unexpected visitor.

My older brother, well, Uncle who had such a big fight with Father and left as if he’d never come back, had crawled back again.

The moment I heard the news, both Antoine’s and my expressions soured simultaneously.

“I hate Uncle…”

“Me too.”

I nodded in agreement with Antoine’s grumbling. At least today we were fortunate not to have to eat dinner together.

What did he come for this time? I tried to recall memories, but all that came to mind were scenes of Uncle groveling for money, begging Father desperately to save him from bankruptcy, and causing a drunken scene asking why only he had to live like this.

Well… it would be one of those today too. Soon, after a commotion, Uncle would be driven out as always, angrily shouting that he’d never set foot in this damn estate again!

But contrary to my expectation that he’d be driven out immediately, the conversation between Father and Uncle continued late into the night.

What? What on earth are they discussing in the study?

Eventually, the discussion between Father and Uncle didn’t end even when it was time for us to sleep. But for me, it was actually convenient.

‘What father would drive away beloved children who came to say goodnight!’

At least not our Father. He’d say sternly that this won’t do, but his hands would pat our bottoms saying sleep well, right?

I planned to use that as an excuse to secretly eavesdrop on what they were discussing.

But…

“…You’re saying even Viscountess Satin really participated?”

Why is that person’s name coming up there?

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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