IARMDH - Chapter 100




Bulran is a very expensive imported herb. Since it is not a commonly used herb, only a few apothecaries or doctors stock it.

And there was only one merchant who imported such precious medicine: the Loprey Top.

Judith contacted the upper-level Loprey merchants who were staying in the empire and bought up all the bulran they were bringing into the empire.

Of course, if it weren't for his connection with Caroline, the process of persuading the Loprey upper class would have been much more difficult, but thanks to Judith and Caroline's close friendship, things progressed smoothly.

And if anyone comes to the top of the Loprey to buy some fragrant herbs, tell them to 'go to Miss Harrington's scented candle shop in the square.'

They said it was a herb that was not used very often, but only two people came to Judith to buy it. They also bought only a small amount.

One was a family doctor, and the other was a scholar studying medicine at the academy.

Both of them answered that they did not know who the Lord of Ouz was. To make sure that was not a lie, a week after Judith had bought up all of bulran, the Lord of Ouz came to visit.

“We see each other often, Miss Harrington.”

His face was still shiny, but the leisureliness in his eyes was gone and was replaced with impatience.

“Wait a minute, don’t come too close.”

When the merchant who had stormed into the incense shop tried to approach Judith, Erne stopped him.

“For your own good, Sir. You don’t want to get assaulted by Miss Harrington again.”

Then I'm really tired. Erne motioned for the top pod to go behind her.

“What kind of rude thing is this? We came here to buy herbs. How can you be so rude to a customer?”

The man standing to the left of the upper column stepped forward in a fit of rage. He looked strangely like him but was a short man, about the size of a head.

“It’s okay, just calm down.”

It seemed like he was the owner of the house. As if he thought that the same unfortunate incident as last time would not happen again today, the owner of the house took two steps back, carrying his luggage on his back.

“I thought you were only good at making candles, but you can make a business out of people's lives.”

The corners of the owner's lip kept twitching.

Ouz's owner ran a large trading company based in the South. When he died, he split the company between his two sons.

Ouz's father, who inherited the upper house, advanced to the capital and settled there, then passed it on to Ouz.

The remaining aunt in the south also passed the upper class to her children. In this way, Ouz and his cousins ​​worked together to develop each other's upper class.

When Ouz ran out of money to lend money here and there, he would borrow money from his cousins.

He believed that much, but it turned out that his cousin was preparing to hit Ouz on the back of the head.

'If I could just sell incense, paying off that debt wouldn't be a problem.'

Moreover, it was a great honor to be one of the best merchants in the entire empire. Judith's incense was a product that would sell well regardless of whether it was placed in the South or the North.

So, he took her into custody and asked Marquis Howard for help. He planned to negotiate with her to share the recipe for making incense as a condition of his agreement.

But things didn't work out as planned.

'How does this woman who runs a small incense shop know the commander of the 1st Division? What kind of relationship does she have with the Lopley upper class?'

First of all, how did she find out that he was taking medication containing arsenic?

Bulran was an essential herb for making his drowning potion. Even if all his plans had gone down the drain, he had to buy just that one.

“You don’t plan on selling it at full price, do you? How about three times that?”

“Ten times.”

Judith held up ten fingers and added:

“No, thank you.”

“Five times.”

“Hey, no.”

Judith shook her head decisively. The faces of the Top Lord and the Top Lord-like man contorted simultaneously.

“But if you sign a pledge promising never to steal my incense recipe again, I’ll give you nine times the amount.”

Henry, who had been watching from the other side, came over with a pen and paper at just that moment.

“And if you answer my questions sincerely and honestly, I will give you an 8-fold discount.”

“I don’t know what Miss Harrington wants to ask me, but as long as it’s not about my sales pitch, then by all means.”

The stock that had been hesitating finally realized that 8 times the discount was the lowest possible price and picked up the pen that Henry offered.

He was sorry for having to miss out on the business that was right in front of him, but the pain of illness was incomparable to anything else. In addition, he had to wait a long time for the next time the Loprey Top came to the empire. In the end, he was the one who was feeling sorry.

“Yes, I’ve written the memorandum. Now, ask your questions. You’ll have to give me the bulran as soon as you answer.”

“Did you curse me.”

The expression on the owner's face distorted at Judith's question.

“What curse?”

“A curse that causes minor misfortunes.”

“Why would I put such a curse on Miss Harrington?”

The owner frowned as if asking something really strange.

“What good would it do me if Miss Harrington suffered a minor misfortune? If I had cast a spell on Miss Harrington, I would have cast a spell on you to make you confess the secret of the incense. Or I could have cast a spell on Yu out and then have you  tell me the recipe for the incense.”

Listening to the words of the owner, she also thought the same. What would it gain Ouz if Judith lost a piece of silver?

Why would Ouz put such a curse on her when she wouldn't bring him the recipe for the incense if she fell down the stairs?

“And I don’t spend money on such useless things. When you’re done with your questions, give me some herbs. Unless you want to see someone fall behind in Miss Harrington’s shop.”

The merchant, whose patience was running out, motioned for her to bring it to him. Judith sold the bulran to the merchant Loprey for eight times more than she had bought it for.

The Ouz owner left, and he would probably never pursue the incense business again.

It was a very profitable business, but strangely Judith wasn't all that happy. Was it because she couldn't find out who the witch was?

“You must have received a lot of compensation.”

“Considering the hardships I endured behind bars at the police station, I should have received ten times the amount, but I was weak-willed and only received eight times the amount. Ah, I should have made up my mind when negotiating something important.”

“If you had made up your mind twice more, all of Ouz’s wealth would have been lost.”

Erne stuck out his tongue. Judith poked his ribs, asking whose side he was on. Of course, it only hurt Judith's fingers.

“Ah, my godmother said that good luck would come to me, but why didn’t it come to me? Is this good luck?”

Judith, rubbing her fingers and walking out of the store, muttered as she watched the Ouz carriage disappear into the distance.

That was when.

Meow-

A white cat with glossy fur appeared from nowhere and rubbed its face against Judith's leg. She crouched down and stroked the cat.

“Who raised that cat? It has a collar. Is there a name on it?”

Judith was startled as she pulled the necklace out from among the cat's fur, wondering if the cat's name or address was written on it.

“Why is there a jewel on that cat collar?”

It was clear who had raised the cat. And it was a very wealthy person. Someone who could afford to put a ruby ​​around the cat's neck.

The cat seemed to like Judith and remained still even when she picked it up. Judith placed the cat in a box containing incense, hoping that it would find its owner.

It was true that cats like boxes, and the cat didn't move from inside even though she didn't put the lid on it.

“First, I have to take you to the Rhineland Mansion.”

“The kids will like it.”

After sending Henry and Ryan, who had been working since morning, home first, Judith and Erne were preparing to go back after briefly cleaning up the store.

At that moment, the store door opened and the bell hanging above the door rang out.

“What are you doing here at this hour?”

“Your Grace?”

It was Cain, a guest but not a guest. He greeted Judith with dark circles under his eyes.

“I guess the police force has a lot of work to do these days.”

“It must be because of the royal banquet. People from all over will flock here to attend the banquet.”

The time Erne hated the most while living as a knight was the grand imperial events to which all the nobles in the entire empire were invited.

It was an event held once every two years, but this was the first banquet held after the new Emperor ascended the throne, so almost all the nobles from all over the empire were flocking to the capital.

Then it was the Templars and the Kingsguard who got busy.

“They’ll have to buy one of our incense sticks.”

“Anyone who sees incense at an imperial banquet will covet it.”

This is why supplying incense to the imperial banquet was such a great opportunity. It was rare to have the opportunity to introduce incense to the aristocrats who were not familiar with it without spending a penny.

“So why are you here? We were just about to leave.”

“Let’s have a drink when you have time.”

“Your Grace, what is really going on?”

Cain sighed deeply and began to complain.

“It’s because of the cat.”


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