A few days later, on the day of the bazaar.
Each of them brought along a servant and presented a bundle of clothes, ornaments, and jewels that they no longer wore.
This bazaar was both a charity event and a subtle display of "our family has so many precious items that we can afford to throw them away." For them, offering up a lot of items and raising more donations than others was a way to save face.
As befitting an annual event, each family had neatly arranged awnings and stalls along the streets lined with townhouses. Beneath the shade of brightly colored cloth, each stall was neatly arranged with goods, and the buzz of people and the busy footsteps of attendants organizing the goods continued.
Meanwhile, several women who had previously been uncomfortable with Odelia were gossiping among themselves and staring at the empty stall in front of Odelia's house.
"Did you just come here without an attendant? Did you just come to look around? What's the point?"
Another added, swallowing a laugh behind her fan.
"You're not really bringing anything, are you?"
A light laugh spread among them.
"Should I bring some fruit? Maybe you'll bring a handwritten letter?"
"Haha. If you bring something like that, it's not a donation, it's a nuisance."
A shallow chuckle spread across the room.
Then Judith, who could not stand to hear, strode towards them and spoke firmly.
"Shaming others like that doesn't increase your own self-worth."
Judith, who suddenly intervened, was met with fierce gazes.
"When did I ever embarrass you? You don't even know your place, and you're spitting on your own face."
"Do you really not know who is spitting in whose face right now?"
Judith, who had been sharply rebuked, headed straight for Odelia's mansion, knocking on the door. Soon, the door opened, and Odelia greeted Judith with wide eyes.
"Lady Herdel?"
Judith entered without hesitation. Then she stopped in front of Odelia, took a deep breath, and spoke.
"Lady Odelia, I'm not trying to disrespect you or humiliate you. I just want to say that if you happen to have a lot of items ready, how about sharing a stall with me?"
Odelia smiled, realizing that she was being considerate of herself when she said this.
“Thank you for your words, but..."
At that moment, a figure quietly approached Odelia from behind.
"Let's give it to them. I already have the items ready to sell."
A low, soft, pleasant-sounding voice quietly resonated through the space.
Judith's gaze naturally rose upwards at the heavy yet smooth sound.
"Huh! Your Highness, the Crown Prince!"
Judith was startled by the gaze that met hers. Her eyes widened, she froze for a moment, then nodded in confusion.
"...I have been very rude!"
As Judith, blushing, turned around and tried to leave, Odelia quickly took a step forward.
"Don't do that. Have a cup of tea before you go."
Judith hesitated for a moment, then stepped into Odelia's mansion for the first time in her life.
Odelia, seeing that the servants seemed busy, left, saying she would prepare the tea herself, and Cedric followed suit. Calix and Judith were the only two left in the living room.
Judith, who was now so close to the Crown Prince, sat facing him, her face visibly tensed. With a look of embarrassment on her face, Calix spoke.
"Lady Herdel."
"Yes."
Soon, Judith's eyes shook greatly.
Odelia heads back to the living room with a simple tray of cookies and other items, as seen from the entrance.
She found Herdel running out with a red face.
As Odelia headed back to the living room with a simple teacup and cookies on a tray, she spotted Herdel running out from the front door with a blushing face.
"Lady Herdel?"
When Odelia called out in surprise, Judith quickly turned around and greeted her.
"I'm sorry, Lady Odelia! I'll see you later! I have some urgent business to attend to...!"
Odelia tilted her head in bewilderment as she watched her leave the mansion in such a hurry.
As she entered the living room, Calix was sipping tea with a dignified air, as if nothing had happened. Odelia pondered for a moment before cautiously opening her mouth.
"...What did you say to Lady Herdel?"
"Why?"
"She wants to leave quickly."
Calix put down his teacup without a care. His face was completely composed.
"Well, I guess she was embarrassed."
What is she embarrassed about?
***
Several people's eyes widened as they saw Judith hurriedly walk out of Odelia's mansion.
"Look over there, Lady Judith is also coming out with her butt out."
"It's obvious, you've given up. You're not prepared, and you don't have anything."
They looked at each other behind the fan and laughed.
Then, the bazaar finally began in earnest, and the townhouse streets were bustling with onlookers. Ladies sat on chairs, chatting, and attendants busily displayed goods and assisted with sales.
Meanwhile, only one place remained quiet: in front of Odelia's mansion. Its bare, empty appearance, like a vast field, sparked whispers among passersby.
"At that point, I'd rather just put up the tent. What's so embarrassing about that?"
At that moment, the atmosphere on the street changed.
One by one, eyes turned towards Odelia's mansion. Even passersby stopped and looked in one direction.
As the murmur grew louder, Odelia walked out of the tent.
She spread out the paper in her hand with a very reluctant expression and shouted loudly.
"Now, the auction will begin!"
Auction? What kind of auction? Everyone, puzzled, slowly approached. The auction item, which would be the highlight of today's bazaar, slowly moved.
...It was Calix.
His shiny black hair was smoothly combed back, and he wore a ceremonial uniform with imperial and royal symbols that fit his body perfectly, giving him a very dignified appearance.
"No, His Highness the Crown Prince, why on earth are you here...?"
As the place in front of Odelia's mansion became noisy, those who had been secretly keeping an eye on Odelia stopped a passerby and asked him.
"What's so noisy over there? What, is it a nuisance again...?"
Just as she was getting ready to laugh out loud, the passerby answered with great excitement.
"No, she's putting His Highness the Crown Prince up for auction as a bazaar item! She's auctioning off the chance to date His Highness! She's an amazing woman, really!"
The pedestrian walked away quickly, and only then did the women, who understood the meaning of the answer, burst out in astonishment.
"Are you crazy? Putting His Highness the Crown Prince up for auction!"
"It's blasphemous, really..."
Shock erupted, then subsided. In an unnatural silence, they glanced at each other.
"...But, the fact that the date with His Highness Calix is an auction item..."
As soon as someone spoke, the woman who had been the first to taunt Odelia suddenly grabbed the hem of her skirt and ran out.
As word spread about the identity of the auction items, the scene became chaotic.
They left their stalls to the servants, and, forgetting all elegance and running, each grabbed their dress and began to run towards Odelia's mansion.
Debts fell to the floor, skirts billowed in the air. Some threw their strength away, while others grabbed their friends' arms and shouted, "You can't miss this!"
Even before the auction began, the area in front of Odelia's tent was crowded with a huge crowd.
The ladies who had been sitting elegantly just moments ago were now blushing, glaring at each other, and making a fuss. Their elegance was gone, and their eyes were like those of hunting dogs.
It was a natural outcome. A date with the Crown Prince? It was a bargain, even if you paid billions of gold.
“Five thousand gold!”
"I will call the eight thousand!"
"10,000 gold"
Everyone raised their voices to call for higher prices, and they started stepping on each other's skirts, grabbing each other's arms, and even pulling each other's hair in front of the tent.
"I was called first!"
"No! I'll pay that price first!"
"Give up! My brother is going to send me a whole box of gold coins!"
As the commotion grew louder, Odelia stood in front of the stall, watching the scene in amazement.
Is this correct?
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