Chapter 42

At the cosmetics store, just like at the café, we lined up to enter and looked around inside. Mimoza said she wanted this and that, but since we would be visiting a members-only store afterward, I had her restrain herself.

At the members-only store, since only nobles can enter, both Mimoza and I had to reveal our true identities. The service is all in private rooms, but there is a possibility of running into other nobles inside the store.

Only three people, including the member and their attendants, can enter the store at a time. So, I, Tanya, and Ryle will go in one group, and Mimoza, Harry, and Dan will go in another. ... If there were no limits, they would bring a lot of maids and guards, making the store crowded, so such measures are in place. Therefore, a waiting room for the guards is also provided in one corner of the store. ... Dida said she would not wait there but would guard the entrance and the surroundings of the store.

Then, we finally entered the store. ... This store is located in the district of the capital where nobles have their secondary residences. The store bought an entire vacant mansion, so there is a garden, and the path from the entrance to the actual store is quite long. First, we showed our membership cards at the gate. Then, while admiring the beautiful garden that surrounds the path to the mansion, we entered the store. Inside, we were greeted by a butler and showed our membership cards again. After that, we were led to our respective private rooms.

"...... Lady Iris, welcome."

The butler who greeted us did not lose his composure when he saw me. By the way, his name is Barat. His previous job was as a butler for a merchant family.

"Oh, you're not surprised."

"I was aware that you were in the capital. Therefore, I thought you might come at some point."

"Well, then I can't do a surprise inspection here, can I?"

I said this jokingly, and Barat smiled. Despite his grandfatherly appearance, his smile was quite intense.

"Frankly, Lady Iris, this is a store that nobles visit daily. Even a small matter could lead to something serious, so I cannot let my guard down for a moment."

"That's true. Then, I look forward to seeing the inside. I want to talk to you a bit, so please take Mimoza to her room first."

"Understood. Lady Mimoza, I will show you to your room."

"Thank you."

"Barat, I will wait here, so please come and get me when you're done with the tour."

"Understood."

After sending Barat and Mimoza off, I moved away from the entrance and entered a certain room. This room, near the entrance, has no specific purpose. Since the mansion is quite large, there are many rooms.

The second floor is primarily for private rooms where each customer is attended to by an employee and a servant, who provide the items the customers desire and introduce new products. The first floor is for storing inventory and the employees' break room. There are also several rooms on the first floor without a specific purpose, like the one I am in now. If the store gets busier in the future, I might consider using them.

"Welcome."

Oh, someone seems to have arrived. In this room near the entrance, I can hear the voices from the front door.

"I have someone with me today. Please take good care of us."

I quietly opened the door and peeked. Barat was greeting the new arrivals. I wondered who had come and focused on the other person... Oh, it's Lord Monroe. Even from a distance, his plump figure and curly golden bangs that hide his forehead are unmistakable. As they say, speak of the devil... I looked at the person with him. I thought it might be his wife or child, but it was someone I didn't recognize. If it were a woman, I might have thought it was a mistress, but this person had no particular features. Since they were with him, they were probably not a servant or guard... Who could it be? I wondered as they went upstairs.

"I have kept you waiting, Lady Iris."

I was lost in thought when I heard a knock, and Barat entered.

"It's fine. By the way, Barat, does Lord Monroe come here often?"

"Yes, as you said. He comes at least once or twice a week."

"I see."

That's quite frequent. ... It's good for the store, though.

"What does he usually buy?"

"The most common items are pastries. Recently, he has also been purchasing our cologne. He often brings his wife and children as well."

That's quite normal... or is it? Considering the high prices of the store, it depends on the quantity.

"Interesting... What do his wife and children usually buy?"

"His wife often buys beauty products and frequently consults with us. His children usually buy the same chocolates as Lord Monroe. Since it's for two people, it's a considerable amount, so it takes some time to load it into the carriage each time."

A considerable amount... I wondered how they consume it all, but since Lord Monroe often hosts parties, he might be serving it there.

"Lady Iris...?"

Barat called out to me as I was lost in thought.

"Oh, sorry. The talk I wanted to have wasn't about any major issues. I just wanted to hear directly if there were any problems or areas for improvement. Of course, I carefully review the reports I receive."

Since I have revealed my identity, I just wanted to hear from the staff. Besides, given that this store deals with nobles, there are likely more complaints and concerns than other places.

"I see. Currently, there are no particular issues. If I must say something, it would be nice to have more staff... especially more cooks. More people are ordering and eating here now."

"I see... However, the training period for cooks is quite long, so even if we hire new ones, it will take some time. I will address this as soon as possible."

When I get home, I will compare the recent sales figures again.

"Thank you. Now, please show me to my room. From here on, I will visit the store as a customer."

"Understood. I will show you to your room."

After that, I was treated as a customer, and the inspection was complete. Since there were no particular issues, I left without saying much.

... I was waiting for Mimoza, who was taking a while to come out. When she finally appeared, she looked quite satisfied, so I assume she made some good purchases. ... I didn't ask for details, though.

That's how today's inspection ended. Thinking that my stay in the capital is almost over, I felt a mix of sadness and eagerness to return to my territory...

"Thank you, Alice."

"You're welcome, Misha."

... With such mixed feelings, I returned home.

Regarding the "settlement" mentioned in the previous chapter, it refers to accounting. I have corrected it. The staff only handle the accounting for the customers, so they only use the abacus for addition and subtraction. I apologize if it was confusing.

Thank you for your feedback. I will continue to correct any typos and errors. I appreciate your continued support.