Chapter 56

And as time passed, the opening day of the cosmetics shop 〈Yunette〉 was finally approaching.
Although it had a good location in the main street, there were a considerable number of people interested in the shop that hadn’t even opened.
It was because of rumors that had already spread.

“Duchess Primrose is coming back to social gatherings these days. Is it true that it’s because of the new cosmetics?”
“I heard that those cosmetics are from Yunette… But it’s a place that hasn’t opened yet, so they were speaking with caution.”

And this rumor was confirmed to be true. Duchess Primrose stopped by the shop to buy cosmetics on the opening day.
Later, the gatherings of the nobles were covered with topics about the duchess and Yunette.

“Did you hear? The Duchess personally visited Yunette!”
“I heard that was why she hadn’t been using powder made with lead. So it was true?”

People wondered what cosmetics the duchess had bought.
There were many people who came to Yunette and asked about them, so a list of ‘cosmetics chosen by the duchess’ was hung on the wall.

“Excuse me, there was a rumor that the Duchess went to Yunette… Is the list in that store true?”

The reaction became more explosive after Duchess Primrose herself mentioned Yunette at a social gathering.

“That’s right. My skin is like this thanks to Yunette.”

If it was a secret of the skin, she could keep it a secret, but Duchess Primrose readily revealed the things she had used.
She was surprised by the nobles who approached her with great caution despite her straightforward attitude.

“The products that the store said the Duchess used were real?”
“Yes, I gave them permission. I don’t want to be the only one healthy with the help of Yunette.”

Duchess Primrose put her hand on her chest and spoke gracefully.

“I happened to know the person who founded Yunette, and they helped me a lot. We also talked a lot…”
“By the person who made Yunette’s cosmetics, do you mean the one who is partnering with His Highness the Crown Prince?”
“Yes. I thought I couldn’t be the only one who had this kind of fortune. It is also commensurate with that person’s ideology.”
“Have you met them before? Their identity is a secret…”
“Because it is my benefactor, I cannot tell you anything about that person’s private life. I trust you’ll understand that.”
“Yes, y-yes…”

When Duchess Primrose called that person a ‘benefactor’, she could no longer pry.
If she dug further here, it would turn the duchess into a person who would be discourteous towards her benefactor.
She divided the lines clearly, where the right amount of information was revealed, and any specific private information was hidden. Everything was as Duchess Primrose wanted.

‘This will help Yuria.’

It led to not only rumors like this to come out in the first place, but also rumors that the duchess had stopped by the store.
She did all this for her daughter, Yuria.

‘I… won’t be a mother like my mother was.’

She thought it was good for everyone to just hold on to what they wanted to do and press on.

“If you were born anyway, it would be better for you to be a benevolent duchess. Don’t you know the position of a divorced lady in the social world?”

Living as a good wife. That was the good life, her mother said.
But Duchess Primrose did not want to teach her daughter that.

‘Yuria, I want you to do what you want to do.’

Instead of clinging to her fiancé that loved another woman or looking for another man… Seeing Yuria doing what she wanted to do made her happy.
She wanted to support her.
She didn’t want her to think that someone like her, who silently endured her husband who had borne her an illegitimate child, was the right answer.

“Are the cosmetics used by Duchess Primrose from Yunette?”
“I heard they work really well.”

And word of mouth did not end only with the nobles.
Suddenly, people of all classes began to stop by Yunette.
Then, they were amazed to see how different it was from a normal cosmetics store.

“Oh my?”

Yuria’s intention was greatly reflected in Yunette’s interior.

“I want to give a feeling of trust even if it might feel a little stiff.”

Rather than being glamorous and dazzling, it had a neat and clean impression.
It was mysterious and fascinating, unlike any other cosmetics store that looked like it was selling magic potions that created miracles.
There was a joke that people who had come to Yunette for the first time could be identified just by the look of surprise they had when looking at the store.

“Uh, ahem. Is that list of items bought by Duchess Primrose correct? If so, I…”
“I can give you the products exactly.”

Another thing that surprised them was that the employees didn’t immediately give them the items they asked for.

“But what about your skin type? Cosmetics work best when you use what’s right for you.”
“S-skin type?”

〈Cosmetics for you only〉

The clerk smiled neatly as she pointed to the slogan in the store.

“Just as people have different personalities, their skin is also different. If you’re not sure what kind of skin you have, can we help you?”
“Oh… We can’t all apply the same thing even if it’s good, right?”

Even though customers were prevented from trying to buy things, they felt rather confident in that attitude.

‘How attentive… It would be more profitable if they just sold it as they were asked. They would need less staff too.’

They didn’t feel unhappy that they were stopped from purchasing the items. Seeing how they didn’t sell them anything randomly, the staff felt more trustworthy.
And this was entirely thanks to Yuria’s training.

“You won’t be working in Yunette right away.”

Training in finding cosmetics suitable for a person’s skin type and training on customer response was essential.

“I’ll explain it by dividing it into oily skin and dry skin.”
“With oily skin, one’s face tends to be greasy and prone to pimples. Oily products, such as coconut oil, are not good.”
“Dry skin is when the skin feels flaky and tight, with a lot of dead skin cells. It is important to replenish moisture and oil, and this cosmetic product with peppermint should be used with caution.”
“Especially if you have sensitive skin, you need to make thorough tests to avoid ingredients that aren’t right for you.”

In addition, Yuria explained several cases, such as when certain parts were dry and other parts were oily.

“People’s skin is different like this, so you can’t just sell anything. Ask their skin type first.”

It was complicated. Some people who thought they were simply going to sell cosmetics felt taken aback and troubled.
Yuria smiled in the middle of training, as if she understood their feelings.

“You’re wondering why you need to study this much when you can just sell the products, right?
“That…”
“Of course, they don’t contain any lead that endangers people’s lives. But even so, the products that are good for someone can be poisonous to others.”

It was something that required a lot of memorization. Something that would be complicated if they made a mistake.
However, Yuria’s training was systematic and detailed, so it was not difficult for those who received it to follow her.
Beauty had great value, but the cosmetics sold by Yunette weren’t just for skin care…

“I want you to remember that the cosmetics sold here can have a positive effect on people.”

She fully explained the motivation for the training and paid attention to the welfare of the employees.
And what impressed the prospective employees of Yunette the most was that they were paid for the training even though they were not yet full-time employees!

“We’re getting paid even though we didn’t work today?”
“The amount of time you spend on Yunette is valuable.”

Yuria said that was how important she thought the knowledge of cosmetics was. And it wasn’t empty words.
One potential employee receiving training stood out.
Unafraid of rejection, well-spoken, and a likable appearance.
She was proud that she made a lot of sales when she worked elsewhere.
However…

“You didn’t pass the test. I also heard that you were distracted during the training and spoiling the atmosphere.”
“I apologize. But I also want you to know that I have that much confidence. I don’t just get stuck on knowledge; I reach out to customers…”
“No. For Yunette, it doesn’t matter how many cosmetics can be sold.”

Yuria firmly declared that if she lacked cosmetics knowledge, she would never be able to establish herself as a salesperson.

“Isn’t it possible to aggravate the condition of someone who has been struggling with their skin if you have the wrong knowledge and sell them cosmetics that aren’t suitable for them?”
“But!”
“I’m the one who made the cosmetics, but in the end, it’s the employees who meet the customers in person who sell them.”

Yuria continued, adding that it was the employees who could best help people with Yunette’s cosmetics.

“Only those who pass the test can meet the customers at Yunette.”

In the end, the prospective employee with a great career wasn’t seen from that day on.
And what happened that day was a powerful motivator for the employees when it came to the training.

——