As Cassian looked around at the clothes, an attendant sent by the fat woman approached with a smile.
"Hi there," he said, noticing Cassian's shock at the prices. "I saw you were surprised by the prices of those clothes. Well, it can't be helped—they're made from fine material. But these are just as good."
He rubbed the fabric of a pair of black pants between his fingers. "Feel this. See how smooth and light it is? But don't be fooled; it will keep you warm despite how thin it looks." He urged Cassian to do the same.
Cassian entertained the man with a smile, knowing it was all a sales pitch. The attendant's smile widened as he saw Cassian's impressed expression.
"And like the lady said, these are also cheaper. They cost 10 silver coins per set, while those others cost 20 silver coins a set. You can buy double the number of these for the same amount you were going to spend, on them."
The sales pitch was clearly part of a straightforward scheme, one that Cassian suspected the fat lady had used on others before. The first step was to charge excessively high prices for ordinary clothes, often more than what luxurious items would cost.
When a customer who was unfamiliar with clothing prices hesitated or expressed dissatisfaction, the saleswoman would then present them with higher-quality items at what seemed like a bargain price. These higher-quality items, which were actually being sold at a normal or even discounted rate, were offered as a "better deal" compared to the overpriced ordinary clothes.
To the customer, it appeared as though they were getting fine, luxurious items for a lower price than the ordinary clothes they initially chose. In reality, they were just being manipulated into spending more by making them think they were saving money on superior products.
In a way, it wasn't outright cheating; rather, it was a clever scheme designed to make customers spend more by convincing them they were getting a better deal. The tactic involved making them believe they were purchasing higher-quality items at a lower price compared to the ordinary clothes they initially selected. In reality, they were simply being persuaded to spend more than they originally intended.
As Cassian examined the so-called luxurious clothes, he noticed they weren't truly high-end. He could tell from Lady Katherine's wardrobe that the truly luxurious items she wore were worth far more—enough to buy out the entire store and the land it was on. But of course, why would she need to? It all belonged to her family.
Though the scheme's ingenuity impressed him; customers caught in it would remain oblivious to the manipulation and continue to believe they were getting a bargain. Now that Cassian had uncovered the trick, he planned to use it against the store owner.
However, the success of his plan depended on Lucy's influence and her relationship with the store owner If Lucy was merely an acquaintance of the store owner, it would be good. And as or her influence, she was a personal maid to a princess, and Cassian had observed the respect she commanded from other servants and even some nobles.
As Cassian selected a few more outfits from the luxurious clothing pile, he heard the store owner's excited tone as she greeted the new arrival. He looked up and smiled when he saw who it was.
"Miss Lucy, welcome back!" the store owner exclaimed.
Lucy responded with a warm smile and a nod. "Mrs. Purner," she greeted.
As Lucy entered, Cassian, smiling from the back, called out, "Aunty, you're here!" His greeting surprised Lucy and shocked Mrs. Purner, who stared at Cassian's grinning face in disbelief.
Mrs. Purner's shock was palpable as she quickly realized the situation. Lucy, puzzled by Cassian's use of "aunty," connected the dots, noticing his amused expression and Mrs. Purner's dismayed reaction. Lucy followed along, asking, "Did you find the clothes you were looking for?"
"Yes, aunty," Cassian replied with a grin, pointing to the clothes he had selected earlier.
Mrs. Purner, picking up the items, forced a smile that looked even more strained as she said, "I didn't realize he was your nephew, Miss Lucy. If I had known, I would have treated him more kindly."
"No worries, Mrs. Purner. How much for these clothes?" Lucy asked, rummaging through her purse.
Mrs. Purner, eyeing Cassian, hesitated. She was caught in a dilemma—if she quoted the real price, Cassian might reveal the higher price she initially mentioned, which could jeopardize her relationship with Lucy. Conversely, if she maintained the inflated price, she risked losing an important client. Reluctantly, she said, "10 silver coins, Miss Lucy, just for you." She hoped Cassian wouldn't bring up the price he had been given earlier.
To Mrs. Purner's surprise, despite Cassian's mischievous smile, he remained silent, but only for a few seconds. Then, with an innocent tone, he added, "Oh, I forgot to mention these. The big lady here said they cost less than those," and he placed the few luxurious outfits he had picked out on the table.
Mrs. Purner's smile grew even more strained as she said, "Well, then, the total will be 15 silver coins. These sets are 1 silver coin each."
Lucy, surprised, felt the fabric of the clothes Cassian had picked out and remarked, "Really? That's quite cheap for such quality. I should buy some for myself, too, if you have any ladies' items in this fabric."
Mrs. Purner's cheeks flushed red with irritation, but she forced a smile and shook her head. "Unfortunately, it's only available for men."
"Well, that's a shame. The fabric is really nice," Lucy said, pulling out the silver coins from her purse and placing them on the table.
Mrs. Purner quickly grabbed the coins, her forced smile easing a bit as she put them in the drawer. "We have some new items, if you're interested. The attendants can show you around."
One of the attendants promptly packed the clothes and handed them to Cassian. Lucy shook her head with a smile. "Some other day," she said, turning to Cassian. "Let's go."
Cassian followed her, but before leaving, he didn't forget to address Mrs. Purner with a friendly smile. "Take care, Mrs. Purner."
"What was all that about?" Lucy asked as they walked toward their next destination.
Cassian, while pulling out some silver coins, handed them to her and said, "Thanks for playing along, Miss Lucy. Here's the amount you paid for me."
Lucy pretended not to notice his outstretched hand and the coins, replying, "Just think of them as a welcome gift from me. Sorry I gave it a bit late..."
Surprised, Cassian still insisted, but Lucy waved it off, asking instead, "So, are you going to tell me why Mrs. Purner's face looked like she had eaten something foul?"
"Like she'd ever make that face while eating anything," Cassian scoffed, pocketing the coins again. Lucy watched him with an amused expression as he continued, "She was trying to scheme me, so schemed her back."
Lucy's smile faded slightly but remained amused as she asked, "Oh? How so?"
Cassian explained the scheme they were using to overcharge customers. Lucy listened carefully, nodding, but didn't seem angry. Instead, she shrugged and said, "At least they're not outright stealing. They are giving people what they pay for, in a way."
Cassian agreed. She was right; it was more of a clever sales tactic than outright theft. Still, the manipulation and dishonesty didn't sit well with him. What if some gullible person agreed to pay a whole gold coin for ordinary clothes? He didn't voice his thoughts, though. Instead, he shifted the conversation and asked about their next stop. "We're going to the bookstore, right?"
"Yeah, it's for the lady," Lucy replied with a smile. "As you can see, she reads a lot, and not just books on magic or other scholarly things—she also enjoys storybooks."
Cassian was a bit surprised. He had assumed all the books in Katherine's room were related to magic and other knowledge. He'd never dared to pick one up, fearing she might get angry.
"You know how to read, right?" Lucy asked, but before Cassian could answer, she added with a grin, "Obviously you do, since you learned those massage techniques from books."
"Yeah, those massage techniques... Why does the lady need me to learn that on top of memorizing every little thing in her room, down to the smallest detail?" Cassian asked, looking a bit worn out.
"I don't know..." Lucy shrugged, her large breasts jiggling with the motion, briefly catching Cassian's attention before he quickly looked away. She continued, "She's been like that since childhood—really particular about her things, like food and such. As for the massages, she started making Sumina do them a few years ago."
"Why?" Cassian asked, still confused.
Lucy shrugged again, causing her chest to jiggle once more, drawing his gaze before he quickly shifted his eyes back to her face. "I don't know, and honestly, I don't want to know." she stopped and turning to look at him. "Cassian, let me give you some advice," she said, her tone serious. Cassian snapped his attention back to her face, sensing the shift in mood.
"Don't get curious about nobles affairs," Lucy continued. "It never ends well for servants like us. Just do what they ask unless it's something morally wrong, like killing or something else shady. In that case, go straight to the head butler—he reports directly to the duke, you will be safe."
Cassian nodded, making a mental note of her warning. Lucy, seeing his understanding, seemed satisfied. "Good. And while we're on the topic, there are a few more things you should keep in mind as a servant to one of the duke's children."
"Like what?" Cassian asked, not minding the advice. He figured it didn't hurt to listen while they walked.
Lucy glanced around to make sure no one was within earshot before lowering her voice, though she maintained a casual air. "First, never talk about Lady Katherine to other people's servants. Especially not in detail," she began. "It's tempting to gossip, but nobles are always competing with each other, and they use us as pawns in their games. The last thing you want is for someone to twist your words and get you or the Lady in trouble."
Cassian nodded again, taking her words seriously. "So, keep my mouth shut. Got it. Anything else?"
"Oh, plenty," Lucy replied with a smirk. "Nowadays, since slavery's been banned across the kingdoms, nobles like to show off their servants more than ever. It's a status symbol now. A well-groomed, obedient servant who knows their place reflects well on their master. They'll parade you around like an accessory at banquets or events, so always be on your best behavior in public. Stand straight, speak only when spoken to, and make sure you know how to address other nobles."
Cassian raised an eyebrow. "It's like we're part of their collection or something."
"Exactly," Lucy said with a nod. "Nobles love that. They can't own people outright anymore, so now they take pride in how well they treat—or control—their servants. It's like a competition to see whose servants are the most refined or loyal. We're actually lucky the head butler was a friend of the previous duke. It means life in the castle is better for us than in most noble houses.
"Only a few members of the duke's family are what you'd call 'bad seeds,' like those arrogant nobles. Most are either good or too busy with more important things than showing off their wealth through servants. As you've seen, our lady doesn't care much for that either, but you still need to stay presentable."
Cassian furrowed his brow, unsure what she meant by "presentable." After all, he only had his servant's uniform, which was professional enough. "But how can I be more presentable?" he asked, confused.
Lucy looked him over thoughtfully. His red hair, neatly combed but slightly tousled, gave him a charming, somewhat rugged look. His milky white skin, with a touch of redness like the Ven Dyke family, and his striking red eyes made him stand out. Though he was still young and a bit slim, he had a certain handsomeness, even a youthful cuteness.
With a smile, Lucy said, "You're already presentable. Just keep it that way—stay neat and clean, and make sure your uniform's always in good shape."
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GOT IT