A Minor Skirmish
After a brief back-and-forth, they were finally able to see the pieces Camille had kept in storage. Chloe's eyes widened. "I don't know much about jewelry, but... these look incredibly beautiful."
"You flatter me," Camille replied with a soft smile. There were dozens of pieces her father had crafted as a hobby using leftover gems, and every single one was exquisitely delicate and beautiful. Though the stones were much smaller than the ones sold in the main shop, Chloe could tell that they were highly varied and of excellent quality.
"Whoa. This is so pretty! Even a child like Iris could wear this!"
"It would be nice if they sold things like this..."
"We did sell them in the past," Lady Basilure said. "However, due to our current policy, we no longer offer them. Besides, they are a bit too modest to offer to a Grand Duchess."
Lady Basilure's polite excuse that they were "too modest" for a Grand Duchess simply meant they weren't profitable enough. Even at a glance, the gems and materials used weren't particularly expensive. Instead of famous stones like rubies, emeralds, or sapphires, most were colorful tourmalines or carnelians. Some pieces even incorporated butterfly wings or kingfisher feathers.
To the nobility, jewelry was not just a simple luxury but a form of liquid asset. In other words, while someone might buy one or two of these unique pieces as a novelty gift, they lacked resale value and were therefore unpopular.
"Oh, don't say that. Expensive things aren't the only good things in the world. Besides, they seem to suit Miss Camille wonderfully. Saying that must be rather embarrassing for your sister, don't you think?"
Lady Basilure, her face still flushed, replied with a strained smile. "You are entirely correct. I shall engrave Your Highness's wise words upon my heart."
...Judging by the lack of warmth in her eyes, she had no intention of engraving anything. Chloe had meant it as a compliment, but she seemed to have rubbed the older sister the wrong way.
"And they've been kept so beautifully! Your father would be so pleased," Leah chimed in quickly. And she was right. Even the tiara Camille had gently encouraged Iris to try on, which looked quite old, gleamed with a brilliant luster. It was set with ten pink garnets and suited Iris perfectly.
"It looks like a princess's crown!" Iris gasped. Camille glanced around cautiously before whispering, "It actually was made for a princess."
"Oh, really?" Chloe asked. The older sister shot Camille a thoroughly displeased look before offering an explanation as if she had no choice. "A few noble patrons who took notice of it ordered similar pieces for their young daughters. However, our father has passed away, and with no one to inherit his craft, it has been nearly ten years since we stopped producing them."
In short, they were now kept merely as historical relics of the shop. But Chloe noticed something strange. "Wait, isn't this a black opal?" She pointed to a platinum necklace. In the center of its beautifully engraved wave pattern sat a black opal. As far as Chloe knew, there was only one place that produced black opals with that distinct green sheen: La Rochelle.
"Black opals from La Rochelle were only imported for the first time five years ago. Didn't you say your father passed away more than ten years ago?"
"How did you..." The older sister fell silent in embarrassment. It was only natural, considering the Grand Duchess had just claimed to know nothing about jewelry. Of course, Chloe hadn't been lying. She simply happened to know this one specific detail very well.
"I used to be in the navy," Chloe explained. "When I first enlisted, that black opal almost forced the navy to prepare for war, so I remember it well."
"...We did not intend to deceive Your Highness." In the end, it was Camille who stepped forward again. She bowed deeply to Chloe before speaking. "I crafted that piece myself."
Chloe had suspected as much. She nodded. "I understand."
"You see, Your Highness... I can explain," the older sister interjected hurriedly, but Chloe only stared back blankly. Why was she trying to explain when Chloe had already said she understood? Besides, Chloe could easily guess why Camille hadn't spoken up. Even if they were based on her father's designs, these pieces were in a completely different league from the extravagant items typically handled by this shop. Unless someone specifically asked for them, they weren't the kind of goods you would put on display. And there was no reason to go through the trouble of explaining when each piece was made or who crafted them. They weren't for sale anyway.
Then, a moment later, she realized why Lady Basilure was so frantic. She was terrified that Chloe might have taken offense over such a trivial lie. It was a strange feeling. In reality, such things could easily be dismissed as a matter of convenience. Did a merchant have any obligation to explain items that weren't even for sale? But the reason Lady Basilure was so anxious was because Chloe was the 'Grand Duchess.' Not Chloe Amboise the soldier, but Chloe Le David Berk.
So this is how it is. For the first time, she felt she understood a little of why Curtis hadn't let her return to work immediately. If she had gone straight back to her duties, she might have made a mistake, completely oblivious to the weight of her new position. Chloe smiled and waved her hand dismissively.
"It's fine. I'm not offended by something like that. It's just that, to my eyes, these are much prettier. It's a shame they aren't for sale."
"Thank you."
"It's even more of a shame since you said they were made for young ladies. My sisters do need some accessories, but I suppose it can't be helped."
"I see..." Camille trailed off, glancing at Chloe tentatively. But once again, the older sister intervened. "My sister is a fine jeweler, but her skills are still far too lacking to be presented to Your Highness."
Chloe narrowed her eyes. Her expression of regret had been mere politeness. She understood why Lady Basilure was bowing so low to her now, but she still found people who excessively demeaned themselves uncomfortable to deal with. I should just wrap this up quickly and leave. It was then.
"Well, I suppose those who lack an eye for quality would find such things appealing." Parting the curtain as she entered was a young lady. She was clearly of noble birth, and she looked somewhat familiar. However, unable to place her exactly, Chloe only blinked.
"Miss Montpis!"
Montpis? The only Montpis I know is Noel Montpis. Before Chloe could finish her thought, someone who appeared to be an employee rushed in after her. The flustered employee shrank back under Lady Basilure's terrifying glare. At the same time, Julia, who was holding Iris, widened her eyes. But the young lady, Miss Montpis, paid them no mind and addressed Lady Basilure.
"Lady Basilure. I thought the Queen herself had graced us with her presence. I never imagined I would be blocked from entering Basilure."
The woman looking over with an incredulous expression was elegant and pretty, yet she also seemed rather immature. She was, in a word, a typical noble lady. At least, that was how she appeared to Chloe, who belonged to the Royal Guard, an organization teeming with typical young nobles. After all, once people reached their twenties, their upbringing tended to seep into their posture and attire. Most of the guardsmen, though they might not have inherited fortunes, came from prominent families and shared a similar air. Yet, even among them, this woman seemed exceptionally young and childish. Her short stature and round cheeks, still holding a touch of baby fat, contributed heavily to that impression. So did her neatly braided hair, which she certainly hadn't styled herself. Her sharp blue eyes had a fierce look, though some might find them charming. The feathered hat tilted to one side was clearly worn for fashion.
"My deepest apologies, Miss Montpis. There seems to have been a misunderstanding. Were you planning to visit today?" Lady Basilure asked, forcing a smile. The young lady's sharp, beak-like lips spat out her irritation. "Am I the sort of person who needs to ask permission before coming here?"
Only then did Chloe realize who this person was. Agathe Montpis. "She is my younger sister." "Ah, you have a sister." "She is infatuated with that bastard." "How on earth did she suffer such a terrible fate..." She was Noel's younger sister. The one who was said to be in love with Curtis. And because of her extreme stubbornness, she had caused some sort of incident and had been reflecting on her actions for a while.
"That is Lady Agathe Montpis. I saw her from a distance once before," Julia whispered, leaning in to confirm Chloe's suspicion. Right. I heard she enlisted. Chloe recalled hearing that even after being rejected so harshly, Agathe had picked herself up, taken the Royal Guard entrance exam, and passed as an administrative officer. It was a mindset Chloe truly could not comprehend. If you belonged to the House of Count Montpis, you could easily spend your days doing absolutely nothing. Why on earth was she here of all places?