Chapter 72
72
*
When Scarlett returned home, good news awaited her. Joanna, one of the artisans from Factory 1 who had been laid off, had arrived at the shop, dressed smartly, to deliver the news.
Scarlett, finding Joanna enjoying a leisurely time drinking tea that Andrei had provided, greeted her with delight.
"Joanna! What wonderful clothes you're wearing?"
"I have something to show you."
Joanna said, proudly displaying something. What she took out were two watches and documents in a bag.
Before speaking to Scarlett, Joanna looked at Andrei and said,
"By the way, the tea is very delicious, Mr. Andrei. Thank you."
"I'm glad to hear that."
Andrei grinned.
Andrei, who usually urged Scarlett to work, was impeccable when it came to hospitality.
As Scarlett sat down, Joanna spread out the documents and said,
"This is the result of our appraisal, and this is… a document with the consent of several members of the Crimson Family."
"There are people in the Crimson Family who agreed?"
"The results are too obvious."
Scarlett checked the documents Joanna gave her.
The Crimson Parts Scarlett made and the Crimson Parts Evil made were different in every way. Scarlett's watch was lighter and had fewer errors. Above all, the biggest difference was in durability. In various durability tests, such as drop impact, the Crimson Parts made by Scarlett were overwhelming.
Joanna handed the documents to Scarlett and said,
"With this, the verdict will be decided in court."
"Thank you, Joanna. Thank you so much."
"It's only natural."
"And, though it's presumptuous… once the verdict is out and the recall begins, I'd like to ask for your continued support."
At her words, Joanna looked at her with a face mixed with pride and pity.
"It's not like you caused the problem, but you're working so hard to solve it."
"Is that so? I'm just happy. It's an opportunity, for Isaac and me."
At Scarlett's bright voice, Joanna reluctantly smiled. The fatigue and pressure filling Scarlett's eyes were clearly visible to Joanna.
Joanna said to Andrei,
"Please take good care of the boss, Mr. Andrei."
"I always do well, so the boss just needs to do well."
The two women laughed happily at Andrei's predictable words.
*
A week after the comparative documents arrived, Isaac arrived on 7th Avenue.
Scarlett was initially very anxious about Isaac returning to Crimson Manor, but after he started living there without much trouble, she felt somewhat relieved.
Evil Crimson was on trial for being recognized as the one who tried to stab Isaac with a paper knife first. Since then, Isaac had been living in the mansion, wary of his aunt Anne, and the siblings Arnold and Marilyn. Scarlett asked how they had come to a compromise, but Isaac didn't give her a clear explanation and glossed over it.
As Scarlett came out of the watch shop, Isaac, who was waiting in front, looked at her.
"Scarlett."
"Isaac, how's your eye?"
As Scarlett tried to take off the sunglasses he was wearing, Isaac stepped back and said,
"Ugh, I don't want to show you yet…"
"Why? I really don't care anymore."
"Everyone who sees it is surprised?"
"That's because it's the first time they've seen it."
At Scarlett's words, Isaac took off his glasses.
More than half of the threadworms in his eyes had disappeared, and Isaac's wine-colored eyes were revealed. People who were surprised by the condition of his eyes stopped screaming when they met his clear eyes.
"Oh my gosh, it's gotten so much better… I can even see your pupils?"
As Scarlett was moved, Isaac smiled bashfully.
"I'm glad, right? Now I can see quite clearly, except for the covered parts."
At his words, Scarlett was delighted and hugged Isaac tightly. And after holding back her tears, she let go of Isaac and handed him a briefcase.
Isaac also handed over a small box he had brought. Scarlett took it and said,
"Okay. Let's go."
"Yeah."
Isaac also took the briefcase.
Both of them had things to do today. Scarlett had to go east, and Isaac had to go west, so the two soon parted ways. Isaac headed to the courthouse to suspend Evil's guardianship, and Scarlett planned to head to Mrs. Paradi's mansion, a jeweler at the end of 7th Avenue.
At the western end of 7th Avenue, where Scarlett arrived, Mrs. Paradi's mansion was splendid and huge. Moreover, it was guarded by countless guards from the entrance, making her feel pressured from the start.
Scarlett passed through several doors and arrived at Mrs. Paradi's room.
Mrs. Paradi was always scary. She faced each person who came to trade with an icy face, and no matter how many times Scarlett met her, she couldn't get used to it.
Still, thanks to Mrs. Paradi's scariness, Scarlett was able to obtain jewels without being disturbed by the Crimson Family. She didn't give out very good jewels, but the quantity was sufficient.
Scarlett said.
"Count Crimson would like to trade for jewels to use for perfume bottles."
"I see."
Mrs. Paradi continued.
"If it's jewels to use for perfume bottles, does that mean jewels that match the perfume?"
"Yes."
"I'd like to know how much perfume you can make."
"Ah, I brought it."
Scarlett hurriedly took out three perfume bottles she had brought. The perfume in the small, plain perfume bottles was wine-colored like Scarlett's eyes, and the other two were transparent.
Mrs. Paradi took the perfume bottles with a blank face and took out two drops with the dropper attached to the lid and dropped them on her handkerchief. And after waiting for the alcohol scent to dissipate for a while, she lifted the handkerchief and checked the scent.
After checking the other two scents, she put down the handkerchief and checked the display case.
There were countless boxes stacked in Mrs. Paradi's display case. Most of them were crystal, and the important jewels were in the inner room.
When Mrs. Paradi took out one of the boxes and opened it, red crystals were divided into small compartments inside the box, all emitting different lights depending on the intensity of their color.
Mrs. Paradi took out one of the crystals with a deep purple color.
Scarlett checked the crystal Mrs. Paradi was holding and her eyes widened. It was the very color she had thought of while smelling this scent.
Mrs. Paradi looked at Scarlett with a leisurely gaze and said,
"Did you say that Count Crimson made this perfume?"
"Yes, that's right."
"I heard that Count Crimson is blind."
Then Scarlett tried to nod her head several times but stopped.
Viktor had always taught Scarlett elegance. How to walk with a straight posture, how to lift the hem of her skirt slightly when climbing stairs, and ballroom dancing.
Scarlett spent most of her early married life getting used to such things. She learned how not to be disturbed even while styling her hair for three hours, and how not to say that her feet hurt even after standing for a long time in shoes.
Scarlett always groomed her hair in advance like this whenever she came to buy jewels from Mrs. Paradi. Even if she wore an old dress, she used the hairstyle she had spent a long time grooming, the way of walking she had learned from the Dumpelt Family, and her way of speaking. Scarlett became even more convinced that people judge a lot from visual aspects while running the watch shop.
Mrs. Paradi said.
"So his sense of smell must be sensitive."
Thinking it was a compliment, Scarlett smiled, but Mrs. Paradi continued.
"But the problem is whether Count Crimson can make perfumes other than this."
"Pardon?"
"I have been interacting with the Crimson Family for a long time, but I know that Count Crimson has been reclusive for a long time. During that time, you have been taking care of Count Crimson, haven't you?"
"Yes. Is that… a problem?"
"It's a big problem. This perfume was made for you, who has been taking care of him. It's the perfume that Count Crimson feels most favorably towards. This one is very excellent. But the other two are so insincere compared to this one that I even feel hostility. It's not yet at the level to interact with our store."
"……."
"You won't be able to run a perfume shop like this, but I like this perfume, so I'll give you this as a gift."
Mrs. Paradi put the crystal she had taken out with tweezers into a small silk pouch and handed it to Scarlett.
As Scarlett hesitated to receive the pouch, Mrs. Paradi said.
"The next customer is waiting, so please leave."
"Ah, yes, yes."
Scarlett hurriedly grabbed the pouch with both hands and tried to leave, but suppressed her fear of Mrs. Paradi and looked back at her.
"Excuse me……."
"I told you to leave."
Scarlett flinched at Mrs. Paradi's sharp voice and hurriedly left the place.
