"Hello, do you have a catalogue for potions?" Vanessa asked.
"Of course, sweetheart, here it is," Susan replied, handing her a list.
Vanessa looked it over and became interested in the concept of bringing your own herbs to receive a significant discount on purchases.
As Vanessa examined the list, Marina approached and whispered,
"She's a novice mage, and behind the door directly behind her, there's another beginner mage."
"Mhm," Vanessa nodded.
Then she suddenly asked Susan, "May I ask? Are you perhaps the person who makes the potions?" She spoke with a sweet voice.
"Oh, no. Alchemy is too boring for me; my children are the ones in charge of the potions. I'm just the seller," Susan replied.
"Children? Aren't you too young to have them?" Marina blurted out. The woman didn't look a day over twenty.
"Fufu, thank you for the praise, but I'm almost thirty, sweetheart. And trust me, having them was the best thing in the world. In fact, my daughter is making the potions right now—she's eleven," Susan said proudly.
"Oh? Can you call her over?" Vanessa asked, intrigued by the idea of an eleven-year-old alchemist.
"Sure, wait a moment," Susan said, then went toward the door.
"Eve, can you come out for a moment?"
Moments later, the woman returned hand in hand with a smaller version of herself. Vanessa's and Marina's eyes widened.
'Damn, how didn't I notice sooner? They're like two drops of water!' Vanessa thought, recognizing the girl Marina had nearly killed some time ago.
She looked at her guard with a serious expression, silently stating she now knew exactly where they were.
"Miss, did you learn alchemy by yourself?" Vanessa asked Eve.
Eve hid a little behind her mom and replied, "No, I just follow the recipes my brother left. He's the one who taught me alchemy."
"Can I see him as well?" Vanessa asked expectantly.
"Oh? Oh!" Susan exclaimed. Then she asked, "Are you perhaps interested in him? I have to say, he's really handsome and a complete sweetheart, and you are really pretty. Do you want me to hook you two up?" she asked brightly.
"Haha, you flatter me, but I'm not looking for any hookups. I was simply curious to meet the alchemist. I have some questions," Vanessa replied, amused by the woman acting as a wingman.
"Sorry, sweetie, but he's been traveling recently and only arrived yesterday. He's still sleeping, but you can meet him this afternoon," Susan said.
"Okay, I will return in the afternoon then. In the meantime, I'll take these potions," Vanessa said, purchasing several as compensation for the time she had taken.
Susan handed her the potions and said, "Thank you for your purchase, sweetie."
Vanessa then bade farewell and went to eat. She still needed to wait until the afternoon to meet the man, and until the night to see what the kid would do with the letter.
Her schedule was completely full, and she wouldn't have any time to rest.
Because of that, she bought a few stamina potions. While she required little sleep, the boost would certainly help.
After eating, she took advantage of her disguise to wander through various shops, burning time. It was surprisingly liberating to live like a common girl for a while.
As the afternoon approached, she took one of the potions.
"Mm, they're really good—one of the best I've had," she exclaimed. It seemed the man skilled at painting was even better at making potions.
"I agree," Marina said after drinking one herself. She didn't like the man, but she had to admit his potion-making skills were top-notch.
This made Vanessa grow interested in forming a contract with him to supply potions to the royal guards—and to herself.
Then she went to a nearby inn and rented a room. Inside it, she and Marina removed their disguises and jumped out the window.
She wanted to finally meet the man Marina had antagonized, so she could apologize, return the supplies they'd left behind, and offer a contract.
As they approached the alchemy shop, people instinctively made way, though Vanessa found it normal. It had been far more interesting when she was disguised, seeing how common people lived.
When she entered, Susan greeted her, "Hell—Oh!" Susan froze mid-word; she clearly recognized her.
"Welcome, Princess. What may you need?" Susan asked, her tone completely changed. She was still salty about what Marina had done to her children.
'I preferred her motherly self,' Vanessa thought. The woman she met while disguised was ten times better than the one forcing etiquette.
"Hello, madam. Some time ago, I received potions acquired from this shop, and I found their quality excellent. So I'm wondering if the owner is present—I wish to offer a contract," Vanessa said, adopting a more regal tone.
Susan was flabbergasted. 'A royal contract… that's a mine of gold!' she thought. But knowing her son, he would reject it.
"Of course. He's in his office upstairs. Please follow me. But I must ask that your guard stay behind; I won't allow someone who harmed my children near them again," Susan said, glaring at Marina.
"I can't leave her side. I'm her guard," Marina replied.
"Then I'm sorry, Princess, but you must leave. We will do no business," Susan said calmly.
Vanessa found the mother admirable—willing to risk offending royalty to protect her children.
'Now I know where he got his protective instincts,' Vanessa thought.
The mother behaved exactly like the man had.
"Yes, we also came to properly apologize for her actions and to return the things they left behind," Vanessa said, taking out the painting Alex had made from her spatial artifact.
Susan accepted the portrait and looked at it with a soft, pained expression.
Vanessa caught that and asked, "May I know who he was?"
"He was someone very close to my son, killed by a nobleman for helping a girl escape a creep," Susan replied coldly.
Vanessa and Marina suddenly understood many things—especially the source of Alex's aversion toward nobles.
"Still, Marina wishes to apologize for her actions toward him and your daughter," Vanessa said.
"Very well. Then follow me, but keep her in check, please," Susan said.
"Of course," Vanessa replied.
The two followed her upstairs to an office. Susan went in first, then came back out.
"Go in. He's waiting," she said before heading downstairs again.
The women entered and found the man sitting neatly behind a desk, dressed in luxurious clothes.
"Greetings, Princess." Then he glanced at Marina. "Shame we meet again."
Marina's eye twitched, but she could do nothing.
"Hello. May I know your name? I don't wish to address you as 'you,'" Vanessa said.
"Alexander. Alex for short," he replied.
"Well, Alex, I came for three things. First is to let Marina apologize to you and your sister. She overstepped that time and has already faced punishment," Vanessa said.
Alex looked at Marina. "Don't bother."
"Why?" Vanessa asked.
"Because it's clear she doesn't want to. And listening to a forced apology is a waste of my time. I'd rather not hear it at all. She just needs to stay out of my sight," Alex said, completely unconcerned about whom he was speaking to.
"Okay…" Vanessa said. She couldn't do anything about it; Marina's aggression had set Alex entirely against her.
She also found it amusing that the man held no reservations toward her at all.
"The second thing is to return the items you left behind," she continued, placing her hand in the air and releasing their painting supplies onto the floor.
"Thank you, then, Princess," Alex replied.
"And lastly, I wish to form a contract with your shop to supply the royal guards and my own private stash with potions. The pay is great, and we'll supply you with a steady flow of plants and herbs," Vanessa said, expecting agreement.
"I refuse," Alex said immediately.
"What?! Why?!" she exclaimed. No one in their right mind would reject a royal contract.
"Wasn't it clear before? I don't like nobles. And I'm not wasting my efforts supplying a bunch of incompetent people," Alex said bluntly.
"I'd rather sell potions to hunters who actually keep citizens safe," he added.
Marina was about to speak, but Vanessa stopped her with a murderous glare.
Alex noticed and said, "Ooh, nice doggy, obeying her master." Mockingly.
"Now listen here, you little—" Marina snapped.
"Marina," Vanessa said sternly.
The woman shut her mouth immediately.
"Go wait outside," Vanessa said.
"But—"
"No buts. Go," Vanessa ordered.
Marina reluctantly left.
"Sorry for her behavior," Vanessa said.
"You should consider getting another guard. Someone who loses her cool over simple mockery will bring you more trouble than she's worth," Alex said.
"I'll think about it," Vanessa replied politely. "Are you truly sure you don't want to work with me?" she asked softly.
"I'm still not interested. But you're welcome to buy from us anytime," Alex said, unmoved.
"Okay then. That was all. I'll take my leave," Vanessa replied.
"Farewell, Princess," Alex said.
'You'll eventually agree,' she thought as she left. In truth, now that he had rejected her offer, she found it even more exciting to make him accept.
She had always been like this. Having grown up without ever struggling to get what she wanted, she found no excitement or sense of achievement when things came easily.
Everyone wanted to work with her. Everyone agreed to her demands.
It was the same with her love life—and the reason she still kept her maidenhood.
She wanted to conquer the person she loved, but every bachelor danced around her fingers, becoming yes-men.
And now that Alex was completely against her—hating nobles altogether—she craved the satisfaction of turning him into her ally.