Living a Scheming Marriage with a Mad Villain - Chapter 78

If I were to tell you just how much effort Liam Verdick, the owner of Verdick Shipping, put into this trip for Duke and Duchess Rochester, it would take several sleepless nights.

Even after making perfect preparations, Liam was so nervous that he repeated to the staff what he had said again and again.

To Duke Rochester, follow the manual exactly, no more, no less.
To Duchess Rochester, be kind and kind with all your strength.

However, Liam had heard that Duke Rochester was a ruler of the seas, but since he was not a god who ruled the skies, he never expected Rose Asenry to cause trouble for the Duchess.

So, there was no proper manual for the staff on how to handle a troublesome VIP obsessed with the Duchess.

It would have been better if he had added that, besides being kind to the Duchess, the staff should always prioritize her in any situation.

Since that was not the case, the employee who suddenly became the “shrimp” (lowest rank) grew more and more worried.

Although she was the Duchess of the Great Ashelit Empire, Loelle Rochester was someone she might never see again. But the troublesome VIP, who went shopping in different countries whenever bored, would probably be met again on a not-too-distant voyage.

If Liam were here, he would definitely say no matter what, Loelle Rochester always comes first.

In fact, the staff vaguely knew what choice to make, but since she had to meet Rose Asenry constantly at work, it was hard to decide easily.

“I’d rather just faint!”

Though anxious inside, the employee’s face wore the friendliest smile, the kind practiced through years of service.

Though it didn’t work on the troublemaker.

“What are you just smiling at? Don’t you hear me asking for this?”

“I’m sorry, but sir, the policy is to serve whoever came first. That friend standing over there can help you better and more kindly…”

“If I say I want it, just give it! How dare you talk back? Do you know who I am? Do you know how much I spend whenever I ride the cruise? How can you act like this?”

In that moment, Loelle’s mind flashed through countless difficult customers she had faced in her past life.

“Troublemakers are everywhere, huh…”

Usually, Loelle would avoid such people, but today was different.

That troublemaker was the one who had been stubbornly following her and openly picking fights.

Loelle spoke clearly without hiding her displeasure.

“This was what I intended to buy. So, you should either be guided by another employee or wait for your turn.”

“Hah!”

Buy? What a joke.

“If she has money, why would she buy this?”

Only then did Rose Asenry check what item she had been trying to snatch. It was clearly a luxury watch.

Even just by looking at the finishing of the watch, it was not cheap at all.

That was because they were in Rendolbro.

Rendolbro watches were the dream brand anyone successful wanted to try wearing at least once. The cheapest model started at 60 million won. The watch Loelle liked was priced well over 300 million won.

And even the shopping-obsessed Rose Asenry roughly knew that price.

“How dare she provoke me when she can’t afford it?”

Rose was certain Loelle couldn’t pay, but the wealth of the Ivelle Count family and Rochester Duke family wasn’t comparable to a poor border kingdom’s rich.

But Rose, who enjoyed luxury on pocket money from her father, assumed most women were the same.

Though she secretly looked down on Loelle, ironically, she herself didn’t have the money to pay either.

“Ha, damn… I don’t have enough for a Rendolbro watch.”

Rose, who spent money like water, suddenly remembered she had almost used up all the pocket money allowed for this trip.

But even if she hadn’t shopped today, it was still impossible to buy a Rendolbro watch with her pocket money.

Unless Rose received about one billion won every trip, which she didn’t—the most she had gotten was about 50 million won.

And that was impulsively given by Asenry, who was in a very good mood the day before her birthday.

Monzeto Mangani tried to think.

Should I just pretend to be angry and leave?

After a moment of hesitation, Mangani decided Rose probably wouldn’t buy it anyway, so he stepped up his approach.

Soon Rose sneered and asked,

“Do you have money to buy this? Just looking at you, it doesn’t seem like it.”

Loelle squinted at the unpleasant way Rose scanned her up and down. Meanwhile, the forgotten “shrimp” quietly thought,

“She’s the Duchess Rochester; she must have this much money, of course…”

The employee wanted to shout at Rose to get lost to save her life but again only thought it silently.

Her face still wore an angelic, gentle sales smile.

Then Loelle finally spoke.

“You’re the one who probably can’t afford this.”

Loelle knew that this childish insult would hit the woman right in front of her. It took a lot of courage to be sarcastic like that.

But Rose’s reaction was harsher than expected.

“What? Are you really crazy…!”

Rose Asenry stepped forward as if to slap her.

At that moment, the man who had been following them since Loelle and Millie came down to the shopping center finally appeared.

The one who was threatening Loelle was none other than Monzeto Mangani, but he was stopped by someone wearing a loose shirt…

“Theron…?”

“It’s Ron, Master. You keep making up names for me like I’m some god.”

The man smiled shamelessly. It was Theron.

“Alright, Ron…”

‘Why are you here?’

Loelle forgot the serious situation and asked with her eyes. Millie behind her looked confused as well.

Ignoring that, Theron’s expression was so casual it was almost dripping with nonchalance.

“Master, can I talk to you for a moment?”

Though his tone was rude enough to make anyone wince, Loelle nodded as if giving permission. Theron leaned closer and whispered.

“She can’t afford it anyway. Just tell her to buy first.”

“Ah…”

How did he even know that?

Loelle was very curious but guessed Theron had just guessed by intuition this time.

“No wonder he’s the leader of the Anas Guild.”

While Loelle was marveling unexpectedly, Theron whispered again.

“What? Can’t say it? Want me to say it for you?”

He should have waited for the master’s answer after asking, but the rude fake guard was too impatient and spoke without permission.

“The master graciously let her go first, so let her buy first.”

Of course, Rose Asenry was greatly embarrassed by Theron’s words.

Whenever she acted so rudely, no one ever gave in first. Either the situation got serious and people intervened to end it in a draw, or she crushed them with money.

So today, if she provoked the woman badly and the woman stormed out, she planned to lose her mood and quietly disappear.

But the suddenly appearing guard ruined her plan.

“Wasn’t there no guard? Where did he come from…!”

After a moment of silence, Loelle realized Theron was right and sealed it.

“Alright. Since you want it so badly even though you butted in, you can buy first. I’ll give way.”

Then Loelle smiled gently at the employee before Rose could say anything.

Anyone would see the calm and kind face of the Duchess in this situation.

But as said, Loelle did resist a little inside and felt a bit triumphant.

“Then… I’ll help you with the payment first, ma’am.”

“Ma’am?”

A frighteningly cold silence fell over the Rendolbro store. The staff all stopped working and glanced at Monzeto Mangani.

After tense moments, Millie was the first to speak.

“Miss, I don’t think that person has money to pay.”

Though she whispered, the place was so quiet everyone heard her.

Naturally, Rose Asenry’s face grew redder.

She was usually confident, but today was full of humiliations. Through it all, the woman had never gotten angry but kept ignoring her elegantly, making her humiliation worse.

If the watch were cheaper, she might have managed to buy it somehow. Since no one on the cruise didn’t know her, she could tell the staff she’d get money and go to her room…

Then Theron shouted loudly.

“Ah, dragging this out for so long. Did you come here without money?”

It was Rose’s last chance to run away, but she got drawn into Theron’s provocation and came out with an even more arrogant attitude.

Of course, her tone was less calm than before.

“W-what…! How much? Tell me!”

The staff spoke with a hint of disbelief.

“Y-yes, ma’am. This item costs 360 million won. Shall I help with payment now…?”

Silence again.

Then Theron openly said what he should have whispered to Loelle.

“Master. I don’t think she can buy it. Let’s just buy first… okay?”

“Pfft—.”

“Ugh…”

Millie laughed at Rose Asenry’s plight, and Loelle laughed at Theron’s rude tone.

Then Rose Asenry’s face turned so red it looked ready to burst, and she ran out of the Rendolbro store like she was fleeing.

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