The Abandoned Heiress Gets Rich with Alchemy and Buys an Enemy General
Vol. 1 - Ch. 7 - Popular Person in the Astoria Kingdom - 3

Robert was using the abacus.

While waiting for the bill to be calculated, Julius and I checked the clothing and armor that Robert had prepared for us. Unfortunately, it seemed that Robert didn't have the sense of style I had hoped for, and there were no outfits with leopard prints or anything interesting. To be frank, it was quite disappointing. I really wanted to see Julius in a full leopard print outfit.

But more importantly, most of the clothing placed on the counter was black, befitting Julius's nickname, the Black Prince. Although not flashy, the quality of each item was excellent. A simple touch revealed they were made from high-quality fabric.

In addition to the clothing, there was also a black cloak, a sword, and a spear on the counter.

"The cloak may look like an ordinary piece of clothing at first glance, but it's actually made from the Ariadne's threads that Chloe-chan alchemized. It's lightweight, incredibly durable, and even if it gets torn or cut, the threads themselves have a self-repairing ability. It's a fantastic piece of equipment, a best friend to housewives, and can be machine-washed without any problems. And as for that sword and spear over there, both were made from the Everlasting Diamond that Chloe-chan alchemized. Of course, their base stats are high, but they also have a strong affinity for magic. With Chloe-chan's magic, they'll be a great support for Julius-kun in battle. I poured my heart into these items to ensure that they can be useful to you in combat," Robert explained while flicking the abacus beads.

"Wow! Thank you so much!" I said, smiling and expressing my gratitude, but deep down, I was actually a bit worried.

Ariadne's threads and the Everlasting Diamond were both incredibly expensive. I can say that confidently since I'm the one selling them. Robert's willingness to buy them from me, craft them, and then sell them back showed a lack of restraint, truly embodying the spirit of a merchant. 

Julius seemed to think I was wealthy, but my funds were not unlimited. If I also had to buy a flying dragon, my savings might run dry.

I looked up at Julius. He seemed disinterested, gazing out the window. He probably didn't understand the value of these items. Even though he used to be a dragon knight, did he not appreciate the worth of weapons? Was he really a general?

"What is it, idiot?  I understand that you want to see your favorite face, but don't overdo it. It's unpleasant."

"Even though you're not wearing any underwear..." I muttered quietly in response to Julius's high-handed attitude when he noticed my gaze.

"Did you just say something?"

"Nothing."

Julius didn't seem to hear, which made it feel a bit satisfying.

"The total is five million gold, Chloe-chan."

"...The clothing, weapons, and armor cost the same as Julius-san himself..."

I expected it to be around that price, but seeing the actual amount was shocking. It wasn't an unpayable sum, but it would require a lot of work. I'll have to stave off my hunger with bean soup while I go hunting for dangerous monsters and gathering rare materials for some pending requests. I had a few jobs on hold because the material collection was too challenging, but completing them would likely cover the living costs of Julius and me.

"The Everlasting Diamond and Ariadne's threads are expensive materials. We had them processed by the best craftsman in the royal capital, so they come at a certain price. Besides, Julius-kun was originally from the same noble background as Chloe-chan, right? If we offer cheap clothing, it could harm our shop's reputation," Robert calmly explained while presenting the price, looking confident that I could afford it.

Even though Robert and I had a relatively close relationship, the word "discount" did not exist in our interactions. As I was shocked to hear that it would cost ten million gold to support Julius alone in two days, I nodded and said, "I understand." 

I took five bundles of money, each containing a million gold, from my infinite storage trunk connected to my home and handed them to Robert with a smile. Robert looked very pleased.

"Julius-san, please put the stuff we bought into this bag."

"Why do I have to do it?" Julius asked.

"Because it's yours! You should put away your own things! After all, I'm not your wife; I'm your master," I replied.

"..."

"Did you just click your tongue at me, Julius-san? I spent 5 million gold on your clothes and weapons, and you're clicking your tongue?! That's quite audacious of you!"

"You're buying it because you wanted to. I never asked for this."

Julius can just spend his life naked, for all I care. I thought that, but I didn't say so because I'm a kind person.

With his arms crossed, Julius showed no signs of moving. Reluctantly, I started packing the clothes and weapons into the bag. Ariadne's coat and the Eternal Diamond weapons were surprisingly light, so I managed to fit them all without much trouble.

The clothes and weapons were gradually absorbed into my bag. Then I noticed that Julius's black underwear was not triangular like mine; it looked more like shorts. I might need to buy some more of those, so I'll have to keep that in mind.

"Thank you again, Chloe-chan."

"Your welcome, Robert-san."

Robert, in a cheerful mood from making many sales, gave a slight nod. After greeting me, he turned his gaze towards Julius.

"Julius-kun, please take good care of Chloe-chan. Despite how she may seem, she has been through quite a lot. Regardless of the Duke of Seigrit's bad reputation, Chloe-chan is innocent, and everyone understands that."

"Thank you, Robert-san," I expressed my heartfelt gratitude.

This was probably the first time Robert had spoken so clearly about my situation.

"Chloe-chan has become quite popular in town now. So, Julius-kun, you better take good care of her, or you'll have people here holding a grudge against you," Robert added, showing fatherly concern.

Despite Robert's paternal concern for me, Julius didn't respond and he didn't seem angry either, although he quickly left the shop. But since he didn't get angry, I thought I should give him praise for that.

I waved to Robert and followed Julius.

"Julius-san, since we've finished shopping, how about having a meal before we head back? There's a cafeteria run by a beautiful lady nearby," I said after catching up to Julius, who was briskly returning along the same path. The sun had started to tilt slightly from its zenith, indicating that it was already past noon.

"We're going home, Chloe. You have work to do."

"Work?"

"You said you would do something about the flying dragon using alchemy."

"All you can think about is flying dragons, huh? How much more are you going to think about it? For your information, I can't concentrate on alchemy if I don't eat."

"You're a useless idiot."

"I'm still a human being, you know. Even a genius alchemist can't do alchemy without magic and concentration."

"Then do it with determination."

"I don't want to do it with determination. I don't even have a decent income, and I can't muster the motivation to do alchemy to the death. I invited you to have a nice meal together, and yet here we are. When we get home, there will only be bean soup, you know."

Because we might be stuck with bean soup for a while, I wanted to enjoy a good meal for the last time before that.

"Julius-san, you're in your prime, so you must want to eat meat, right? You look like you'd love meat."

"In the slave arena, I survived by gnawing on moldy bread. I'll eat anything as long as it's food."

"What a wild way of thinking. Julius-san, you have to remember... You used to be a noble!" I said while pretending to cry.

Then Julius pulled my ear without saying a word. It hurt.

"Chloe, don't call me a noble so loudly. Are you an idiot, or just plain forgetful?"

"What do you mean by that?"

"You were supposed to keep my identity a secret, right? The shopkeeper told you earlier. Did you forget? Or do you just not have a good memory?"

"Julius-san, you listen to people pretty well, don't you? Is it because you had a good upbringing?"

"Listen to me more carefully, you idiot."

"I'm listening, I'm listening. It's because I was thinking about money and forgot."

As we continued to argue while walking, street vendors and market stall owners came up to me, saying things like, "Chloe-chan, you've got yourself a boyfriend!" while handing me bags filled with food. I smiled vaguely, unable to say, "He's my slave, not my lover."

Julius remained silent, but his handsome appearance earned him plenty of attention from the ladies at the market.

As I accepted all the items gratefully, my hands became full before we even reached the cafeteria.

"Good for you,  Ms. Popular. Now let's head back," Julius said with satisfaction.

This was the first time I hadn't been happy to be called popular in town.