THTE 1

chapter 1

Early morning.

The Lubeo Department Store was already bustling even before opening.

“Ugh… heave-ho….”

Especially on the first floor, where foot traffic was the heaviest, rows of display stalls had been set up outside the checkout area.

It was a special section made up of dessert shops—some that had recently gained word-of-mouth popularity, and others that only insiders knew about.

“Heave-ho… heave-ho….”

The department store would occasionally lend space like this to promising shops.

Although they had to pass strict screening and pay a certain fee for the spot, shop owners tried desperately to get this opportunity.

It promised significant promotion and profit. If they were lucky, they might even be able to open a permanent branch inside the department store.

“Ugh… ngh…!”

Everyone preparing for business wore serious expressions.

But today, that seriousness wavered just a little.

“Sigh….”

Everyone’s attention turned to a small child who had just let out a rather dramatic sigh.

* * *

“Ahh, it’s so heavy….”

Nivellia exaggeratedly wiped her forehead with her sleeve.

Among all the shops in the special section, hers was the least known, tucked away in the most remote corner—a tiny stall.

But that tiny stall was Nivellia’s very first shop.

Today was the grand opening day of the “Meow Shop.”

“My lady!”

Dether, the maid who followed behind her, exclaimed in surprise.

In her arms were no fewer than three large boxes that Nivellia had just dragged over.

She quickly set them down behind the stall and checked on Nivellia.

“You should have waited. You carried all this by yourself?”

“It’s Nini’s shop, so Nini has to do it.”

“How impressive. The boss really is different.”

“Nini is the boss!”

Nivellia grinned proudly. Her soft, pale cheeks jiggled as the corners of her lips lifted.

Her snowy silver hair was tied into two rounded pigtails so it wouldn’t get in the way.

She was dressed just like Dether—in a black dress with a white apron.

“I wonder if it’s okay to dress you like this,” Dether said, though she didn’t sound worried at all.

“A young lady dressed as a maid…”

“You have to dress like this to work properly.”

Nivellia, on the other hand, loved her outfit.

Even while chatting, the little boss and her maid moved busily.

Nivellia toddled around, carrying the cookies she had baked the day before, and filled in the price tags with crooked handwriting.

A small tongue peeked out between her lips as she concentrated.

“Dether, did I write it well?”

After finishing, she asked for inspection.

Dether nodded after checking the tags.

Although the numbers got smaller and smaller because she had written the first ones too big, Dether found it all adorable.

“You’ve improved a lot! And you even wrote the currency this time. Very impressive.”

“I practiced!”

Nivellia puffed out her chest proudly—though she looked anything but dignified.

“I’m going to sell a lot and become rich!”

The Lubeo Department Store was the largest commercial complex in the Drameno Empire.

It handled so many goods that the word “market” wasn’t enough, leading to the creation of a new term—“department store.”

The special stall area in front of the first-floor checkout had caught Nivellia’s eye.

She had overheard employees gossiping that selling here could make you rich.

So, to set up shop here, she had lobbied the staff and even offered bribes.

She massaged her mother’s shoulders—her mother being the owner of the department store—and ran errands diligently for her grandmother and grandfather, who were shareholders.

She even brought her father the newspaper every morning to get permission to go out. And she forced herself to eat eggplant, which she hated.

It was an opportunity earned through great effort.

Nivellia’s goal was to sell every cookie she had made.

“Dether, hang this up.”

“Like this?”

“Yeah.”

After finishing the display, Nivellia handed Dether a sign she had drawn herself.

A white cloth with the words “Meow Shop” written in crooked letters was hung at the top of the stall.

Looking at it made Nivellia’s heart race.

“It’s Nini’s shop!”

“Today is your glorious first day of business.”

“What’s ‘day of business’?”

“It means working. So it’s the day you open your shop and sell cookies.”

“Yeah! It’s business day!”

Nivellia clenched both fists.

“Let’s make lots of money!”

“If you earn money, will you give me some too?”

“No. I’ll only give you what we agreed on. Nothing more.”

“How honest and firm you are.”

Dether praised her while fixing the little lady’s clothes.

* * *

But business wasn’t as easy as it sounded.

As soon as the department store opened, crowds poured in.

Well-dressed nobles stood out the most, but most were middle-class citizens or ordinary people.

“Welcome! Would you like some pudding to go?”

“Our shop uses handmade butter—”

“Our financiers are baked in the shape of gold bars, often given as gifts for good fortune! Yes, five boxes ordered!”

“The banana cheese bread pudding is sold out!”

The special section was quickly surrounded by customers.

Though some stalls were more popular than others, most were busy serving customers. Some had already sold out.

“……”

“……”

Only the Meow Shop was quiet.

Some people approached out of curiosity.

But the cookies looked ugly, the sign was shabby, and the only staff member was a young woman in a maid outfit.

It didn’t exactly inspire confidence.

“Who would come all the way to a department store to buy something this ugly?”

One customer commented bluntly.

Dether calmly agreed.

“Well, the cookies do look like they were kneaded with the feet of a four-year-old and baked carelessly.”

“I didn’t mean it that harshly…”

“But please try one. I guarantee the taste and benefits.”

Dether offered a packaged cookie.

The customer broke it in half and shared it with his wife.

“Our cookies have amazing effects,” Dether explained.

“They help prevent headaches, rhinitis, colds, chills, and even reduce muscle pain.”

The claims sounded exaggerated, but the cookies were genuinely delicious.

“We only use carefully selected premium ingredients. We never cut corners or deceive customers. Our owner hates that kind of thing.”

Dether pointed to the price tag.

“And look at the price.”

Three cookies for 5,000 Uva.

Considering that the average monthly wage was 3,000,000 Uva, and cheap street candy cost 100 Uva for three pieces, it was quite affordable.

In the end, the customer opened his wallet.

“I’ll take four packs.”

“Thank you, sir.”

As Dether packed the cookies, the couple stared blankly at the sign.

“Meow Shop… but there’s a dog drawn on it?”

Clatter—.

The stall suddenly shook.

“I’m sorry. I slipped a bit.”

After sending the customers off politely, Dether glanced under the stall.

There lay Nivellia, curled up like a cat, hugging her favorite stuffed toy—a “wolf.”

“It’s not a dog. It’s a cat.”

Nivellia pouted.

“Aren’t you going to run the shop?”

“You shouldn’t talk to strangers. It’s dangerous. You’ll get kidnapped.”

“You have to talk to strangers to do business.”

“Ah….”

Nivellia sighed deeply, having learned something new.

“Life is tough….”

“Where do you even learn such strange phrases?”

“Adults say it.”

Dether gently patted the shy young lady’s head.

* * *

Despite her grand determination, the Meow Shop only sold four packs of cookies.

Upon hearing this shocking news, the owner of the department store personally came to visit.

“Lady Deiamor.”

“Mom…”

“You should call me Director, not Mom.”

Celetina Deiamor Lubeo—the director of the department store and Marchioness Deiamor—checked the sales with a regretful expression.

“You only sold four packs?”

“Yes…”

“Not ‘yes’—say ‘yes, ma’am.’”

“Yes, ma’am…”

A dejected Nivellia glanced at Dether.

“If Dether had worked harder…”

“My lady, blaming others is not good. And you said you wouldn’t pay me extra.”

“So cold…!”

“That’s how the world works.”

But an even colder moment was about to come.

“There’s no helping it,” Celetina said regretfully.

“The Meow Shop won’t need to come starting tomorrow.”

“Then when can I come?”

“You can’t. You didn’t sell enough.”

“Eh…?”

“Eh.”

Celetina mimicked her daughter’s tone, drooping her eyebrows. The two looked strikingly alike.

Nivellia racked her brain.

“W-what about bribery?”

“The Lubeo Department Store does not accept bribes. But do you even have money to bribe with?”

At that, Nivellia turned to Dether.

But Dether delivered bad news.

“We spent too much on ingredients, so there’s no money left. Only debt.”

“Debt? Like something shiny?”

“It means you owe money to others. Including my labor cost, by the way.”

“…Wah.”

Nivellia looked like she was about to cry.

And so, the Meow Shop went bankrupt in just one day.