The cheesy display of affection was embarrassing, but I endured it, taking the food he offered, conscious of Erin watching from behind.
Considering his mischievous personality, which involved teasing me, I was a little afraid he might make even more demands if he saw me blushing.
After that, bringing me all sorts of "good for you" medicines that I didn't know where he got them was almost cute.
Still, at first, I was happy because it was the first time I'd ever received such care...
"No matter how worried you are, isn't this a bit of an overreaction?!"
After about three days, when I started feeling better, I began to feel stifled.
We had even promised to go out after a week of recuperation.
"So, as you said, I stayed quietly in bed for a week to recuperate, and now I'm all better, right?"
"Don't you know you have to be more careful when you think you're completely healed? And in case you didn't know, that rule has been revised to ten days."
"Hey, you can't just change your mind like that!"
"It's my house, so it's my decision."
Idris was being unreasonable.
His attitude made me burst into an absurd laugh.
'Wow. Was he such a childish man?'
But I had no intention of following his words any longer.
"Then, it's my body, so I'll do what I want."
"You're so stubborn."
"Hmph, who's the one being stubborn here?"
After acting stubborn, following his logic, I noticed the butler and maids quietly waiting on the side of the dining room.
Only then did I feel embarrassed about my argument with Idris.
'If you just take away the voices, isn't it just like kids arguing...?'
As I was belatedly aware of my embarrassment and quietly watching,
"Heh..."
...Idris laughed?
"You're just as stubborn as you used to be."
He muttered something and laughed for a while, then suddenly stopped laughing.
Then, as if giving up, he let out a long sigh and raised both arms.
"Okay, I give up."
Does that mean...!
"Go. But, if you feel even a little unwell, come straight home."
Does going out have to be this difficult?
It belatedly occurred to me that it was strange to get permission from him for something I didn't need to be permitted for.
Anyway, having gotten the answer I wanted, I gave him a satisfied smile.
After many twists and turns, I arrived in front of the boutique and gaped.
"Oh my god..."
In front of the boutique, carriages from all sorts of noble families were lined up, waiting.
'I heard reports from Wigg that it was popular, but I didn't realize it was this much...'
Surprised by the situation at the boutique, I felt the people in the surrounding carriages staring at my carriage.
They recognized it because the Delua Grand Duchy's emblem was emblazoned on the carriage.
Realizing this, I said to Wigg, who was sitting across from me,
"Tell the coachman to turn around and go to the back door."
The coachman turned the carriage around and dropped me off at the back door of the boutique.
I entered quietly to avoid attracting attention, but as always, Wigg's bulk drew attention.
"Lady Leticia...!"
Madame Olivia, the boutique's general manager, approached me quickly.
When I put my index finger to my lips, gesturing to be quiet, the approaching employees fell silent.
I gestured to the customers inside the boutique and said with my lips:
"Treat the customers like royalty."
That was Mariposa's rule that I had set.
Ensuring product quality was the most basic thing in business.
Next in importance was what kind of feelings customers had when they bought something.
'Customers aren't just buying things.'
Most people don't realize it, but when people buy things, they also buy the experience and feeling of being treated like someone precious.
And that memory leads to the next purchase.
Because when they buy this product, they feel like the precious person they deserve to be treated like.
'Of course, high-ranking nobles are used to being treated well, so they won't be as impressed.'
So the real target of this boutique was not high-ranking nobles, but the newly wealthy bourgeoisie who had money but no title.
'If we catch them, the nobles will naturally follow.'
Because it would be absurd for nobles not to have what non-noble bourgeois have.
And the more the nobles had it, the more the bourgeoisie, who envied nobility and titles, would want Mariposa's products that the nobles had.
Then, a structure would be completed in which each side envied and checked the other, and visited the boutique.
The employees, who quickly grasped my intentions, scattered to attend to the customers again.
The interior of the boutique was very quiet and secluded, as it was limited to accommodating a small number of guests at a time.
'I was worried because it was popular, but it seems to be running well without any major problems.'
I felt a customer looking around at the products in the distance glance at me.
The waiting employees were also very tense, conscious of me.
Feeling their reactions, I smiled contentedly.
But then.
"No, I waited so long to buy the same item! What am I supposed to do if it's not available? Are you telling me to wait again and buy it?"
"I'm very sorry, sir. Or how about this bag, which is a similar product? Others bought three of them, and now there's only one left."
"Are you trying to secretly pass off products that don't sell? Bring me the same product, not this."
The man stubbornly insisted on getting the same product.
"Stop it, Ed. I'm okay with other products..."
The woman who appeared to be his wife tried to stop him, but it was no use.
I approached the man with a cold smile.
"Hello, Count Rosen. I see you here again."
At that, the count's demeanor softened as if nothing had happened.
"Duke... Ah, no. Lady Cloel."
"I overheard that our employee seems to have upset the Count. I wonder what they did wrong?"
The decisive reason I decided to manage the boutique directly was this.
'I told them to treat customers like royalty, but that doesn't mean they can treat my employees however they want.'
If there's a boss, even customers who tried to abuse their power won't be able to treat the employees poorly because they'll be conscious of me.
'To be exact, they'll be conscious of Idris, who is my lover.'
And as expected, the Count only cleared his throat, with none of the bluster from before.
It was the Countess who broke the awkward silence.
"I'm sorry, Lady. I think my husband misunderstood the employee."
"Ah, I see."
"Could I see the bag you were talking about earlier?"
The Countess asked the employee, as if trying to divert my attention from the Count.
"Of course, madam. Please wait a moment while I bring it."
The employee went straight to get the bag the Countess had mentioned.
When I gestured, another waiting employee brought juice and gave it to the Count and Countess.
The Count emptied his juice in one gulp and went to see the items that another employee was introducing.
Just then, the employee who had gone to get the bag that the Countess wanted to see returned.
It was then that I was about to turn around with relief.
"Um... Lady Leticia."
Turning to face the direction of the voice, I saw the employee's face, looking quite flustered.
"What's wrong?"
"That is... I think you should go outside for a moment."
Only then did I faintly hear a commotion rumbling from outside the building.
Wondering, I went out to the front of the boutique and was able to understand the reason for the commotion.
Because, in front of the boutique...
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