The Villainess Builds a Department Store - Chapter 78

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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 78

It seemed Camille had thoroughly misunderstood something. In Camille’s eyes looking at me, flames of passion and enthusiasm were blazing brightly.

How do I correct this…?

“Oh, speaking of which, what exactly did you study at the Academy, Camille?”

I desperately changed the subject. It was also something I had been curious about.

Somehow, compared to an hour ago, Camille’s gaze toward me had become incredibly… heated, and she smiled brightly as she obediently answered.

“I studied anthropology.”

“Anthropology…?”

It was unexpected. But there probably wasn’t a subject more fitting for Camille, who always quietly observed others with calm eyes.

“Though I couldn’t enroll or graduate.”

“Even if not at the Academy, didn’t you want to study more… or have other things you wanted to try?”

Camille’s smile faded, then rose again with difficulty.

“I wanted to go to Gawri. Thinking that what were subjects of my research were someone’s daily life made me really want to see that…”

“Did you give up because you had to care for the old lady?”

“That’s not it. There was another reason.”

“Another reason?”

Camille nodded slightly and stared at me. Somehow, with a smile much more lonely and heavily sunken than before, I too became solemn.

“They wouldn’t let women board the ship.”

It was that kind of era. In her voice adding this in a tone of inevitability, long resignation and regret were embedded. All I could say in my sympathy was one thing.

“…If you ever get the chance to travel to Gawri, I’ll buy you the best cabin on the first departing ship.”

Camille smiled again. I was also relieved by her much lighter smile.

The lesson ended with just a simple overview of what we would learn going forward. Since the content was what it was, I already knew most of it and knew what would happen in the future, but some stories were hazy in my memory or completely new to me.

Like with dancing, I was wrong to be so relaxed this time too. Tsk.

* * *

My daily routine wasn’t particularly set except for Camille’s lessons. Wake up early, eat three meals and snacks well, study hard, take some walks, play with Antoine in the garden, do some homework, then sleep early. That was all.

But after Pearl Street was created, Antoine and I would head there as soon as Camille’s lesson ended. Unlike the garden where you’d need seasons to pass to notice changes, Pearl Street’s scenery changed dozens, hundreds, thousands of times a day.

Even our parents, who were initially worried, seemed not to care much now since most customers visiting Pearl Street were ‘cultured’ people of bourgeois class or higher. Moreover, the shop owners in the area knew our faces as siblings.

Thanks to this, Antoine headed straight to the bookstore as soon as we arrived at Pearl Street today. It was the very bookstore that had offered a reading spot and fairy tale books to a lost, crying child.

“Antoine. What did your older sister say? The bookstore isn’t a library, right? So what do you do?”

“Buy the book I was reading when I leave!”

“That’s right!”

That’s my younger sibling. So smart. While I was at it, I ordered a few books for Camille.

“If there are any books related to anthropology and Gawri culture, could you buy a few? I can trust Camille’s discernment.”

Of course, it was just an excuse. Those books are too difficult for me to read. Instead, Camille would read them and tell me about them.

The two headed to the bookstore like that, and I remained at Mother’s shop with Monsieur Laurent to watch Bastian work.

“What.”

Bastian, who had been wiping the window with his small hands and noticed my gaze, replied grumpily.

The reason why Bastian, who had been promoted to office work at the young age of twelve, was still wiping windows with the store employees was simple.

As someone had once said, he was too young to cut off adult employees’ heads with a single signature.

So while he usually learned various things from the manager, when he had free time, he would come back down to the store to serve customers.

It seemed like he was simply twice as busy, but since the person himself said it was better to serve customers than be bored alone in the office, it worked out well.

I was about to wave my hand saying it was nothing, but instead offered him candy that happened to be in my pocket.

“Didn’t I tell you not to act familiar in the store?”

“Did I come somewhere I shouldn’t have?”

Anyone listening would think I was a customer who came to a store where my sibling works part-time.

“My goodness, how exactly does this store train its clerks? Huh? I eat meals with the company president of this place! Drink tea! We have that kind of relationship!”

When I threatened with an exaggerated voice, Bastian widened his eyes and glared at me as if wondering what kind of lunatic this was, then let out a deep sigh. Then he shook his head and focused on wiping the window again.

But whenever he saw customers in the distance who looked like they might enter the store, he would quickly hide his rag and run to the door to greet customers with a bright smile.

I couldn’t help but snort at the quite different discriminatory treatment compared to only showing me angry smiles.

“I came to Port Nantes on business, but my wife threatened that she wouldn’t open the door if I didn’t stop by here. What’s most popular with women these days, young boy?”

“Ah! If that’s what you need, there’s something perfect. I’ll guide you this way.”

Bastian had a knack for keenly figuring out what customers needed. Perhaps that was intuition he had learned to survive in the back alleys.

Anyway, when he was recommending items that customers would like most and that would also boost store sales based on a few clues, other customers would soon seek out Bastian as if enchanted.

I was in the middle of watching Bastian’s sales skills like that.

Monsieur Dubois called him over and gave him instructions. Bastian glanced back at me, then furrowed his brow as if protesting something.

Then Monsieur Dubois firmly shook his head, and Bastian’s shoulders heaved up and down greatly before he approached me.

“Let’s go out.”

Bastian, with both hands shoved in his pockets, gestured outside with his chin. Was it break time? But he was still in uniform.

“You’re just in the way being here. I’m going on an errand, so come along if you want to follow.”

“I, I want to go!”

I jumped up from my seat without realizing it. Bastian smirked as if he knew that would happen and extended his arm to me.

Not knowing what to do, I just stared blankly when he nudged my arm with his elbow.

“You were good at asking me to escort you first back then, weren’t you?”

Ah!

It was an escort. I hurriedly took his arm.

“What kind of errand is it?”

“To take the doll that’s not helping business outside for a bit.”

What on earth does that mean. When I glared at him with a look of bewilderment, Bastian didn’t back down and stared right back.

Ugh, forget it. Let’s not talk.

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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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