Lord Theodore's Favorite Ritual
Chapter 77: Shopping To Brighten The Mansion.

Chapter 77: Shopping To Brighten The Mansion.

Afternoon.

The Chandelier shop, Marketplace.

Critic Arley, Critic-Ishire.

***************

"Whatever do you mean?"

Lydia asked the staff who thought to announce to his customers that his products were expensive.

She was genuinely confused.

"This is not a small chandelier shop, you could go down to the other shops and check their products" he advised, his shoulders tight.

"Whatever makes you say so?"

The staff shook his head in resignation. "Nothing, come inside let me show you to the affordable ones" he said.

Perhaps to him, he was being pleasant but he was merely trying to use his words to put the couple in their place.

Lydia smiled.

The group walked to a place where they displayed the goods that the shop owned, Theodore caught a few people going towards the other part of the shop instead of here, they were also dressed like low-born but Theodore wasn’t low-born.

"This is a crystal chandelier, they refract light, and they create a mesmerizing play of prismatic colours that adorn the surroundings with an ethereal glow, it is quite inviting," the staff said with a smile, his voice drawing Theodore back to him.

The crystal chandelier is a dazzling display of luxury, featuring a cascading arrangement of sparkling crystals. Precision-cut and meticulously arranged, these crystals refract light.

Lydia liked the colors but she would love to see others.

"Next, please," Lydia said, her attire not hindering her authority.

"This is a candlestick chandelier, it radiates a warm and inviting light, it reflects a traditional charm, and it could be placed in every room"

The candlestick chandelier showcases elegant arms that extend gracefully, each designed to hold slender candlesticks.

It evokes a sense of vintage opulence, Lydia nodded in approval she knew she would get some of them, but the mansion desperately needed them.

Every corner of it, those candles Theodore promised would come be much needed soon.

She shall have to remind him.

The staff moved forward and the couple religiously followed

"This one is a rustic chandelier, and this, embraces a more natural aesthetic, this is the wrought iron material it also has wood, and distressed metal, whatever one you prefer"

Lydia smiled, her mind following it, it had earthy tones and a simple yet charming design she liked it.

"It adds a touch of warmth and cosiness to spaces, making it a perfect fit for farmhouse or cottage-style interiors, I think this is for you"

Lydia smirked ruefully, the staff was right despite his wrong reasoning.

Yes, they do need this chandelier because with how much warmth the mansion was lacking, this perhaps could help.

"Show us the rest, we are in haste" Theodore complained.

The staff nodded, his smile back again,

"Now, this is a contemporary Sputnik chandelier it is a modern design, this is very futuristic and artistic, barely affordable" he concluded and now his smile looked proud and teasing.

This one keeps attention with its distinctive burst of radiating arms. Resembling a celestial explosion.

The staff waited for them to talk.

The couple watched the chandeliers, Lydia mostly, Theodore merely gazed at his wife.

"This would make the mansion appear like a war house or for some witchcraft, we do not want that" Lydia commented on the contemporary Sputnik chandelier.

Theodore quickly agreed. "Yes we do not, Gooseberry"

"Alright, so which one are you purchasing?"

Lydia looked at the chandeliers, each type of chandelier brings its unique charm and style, catering to diverse tastes and interior preferences and Lydia wanted three.

"One massive crystal chandelier" she started.

She then pointed at the rustic chandeliers "This one-" but the staff cut her off with a scoff.

He said. "The rustic chandelier, of course"

"I need a dozen of them," Lydia said softly.

"What?"

The staff’s gasp made Theodore shake his head, Theodore thought he had made enough changes to Critic Arley to eradicate people like this, but it appears he was wrong.

"My wife shall not repeat herself to you" Theodore declared.

"Okay, however, are you paying for them?" he asked with a raised brow.

To him, this was a poor couple that was perhaps trying to carry out a fantasy.

Lydia smiled warmly she was genuinely happy to have the opportunity to change the mansion and this was an important part.

Lydia ignored his question and continued to say. "I also want twenty of the candlestick chandeliers or perhaps thirty, Theodore" She turned to her husband for guidance, she needed the mansion brighter and Theodore needed her happier.

"How about a hundred?" he asked in all seriousness.

"No silly, that is unduly, we shall take fifty of this and twelve of this one" She pointed her index to the candle sticks and the rustic chandeliers.

Theodore reached into his trouser pockets and pulled out a satchel of gold crits, it was a small size.

The staff snickered.

Theodore didn’t open it as he handed it to the staff who received it with a frown.

"Here’s your payment, a cart shall come to pick up the purchased chandelier, let them all be pristine" the lord ordered.

The staff frantically opened the satchel and his eyes almost vacated its socket at the content they met in it.

These were gold crits, he screamed in his head.

Silver crits were the only exchange money in Critic-Ishire, only the royal family were allowed to own gold crits as they would confiscate wherever it was found in the empire for the empire’s purpose, its security and peace, but the couple that the staff assumed would be poor have just handed him the crits like it’s was nothing but silver.

He shuddered.

"Yes, yes Sir" he replied, his mind distraught.

"Calculate it and hand over my change" Theodore ordered coldly.

The character this staff has shown makes Theodore wish to remain mysterious to the whole empire because he would be more ruthless if he engaged with them.

The staff paled a little more. "Oh Yes, I apologize," he said.

He rushed to a corner leaving a comfortably smiling Lydia and a frowning Theodore.

"It is because of the way we are dressed Theodore, I fault no one but us"

"Why?"

"We should not judge them because they judged us, we created a person that they can judge"

"Gooseberry you’re so wise, but they should be respectful"

The staff wished back, his forehead glistening.

"Here sir, it shall be finely arranged for the picking" he handed the change to Lord Theodore with both his hands, Lydia had a smile the staff no longer knew if he appreciated.

They should be furious at him, he thought full of fear.

Theodore took the satchel back and left as the staff gave a deep bow.

Theodore turned and left with Lydia’s small palm nestled in his long large ones, they just purchased something they had not planned but the mansion desired desperately.

"Please, what material do you wish for your rustic chandelier to be?" the staff had run after them to ask.

They couple veered around to him.

Lydia’s brow lift in organization that she hadn’t chosen a design.

"The wrought iron preferably" she said with a nod.

The staff nodded before giving a bow and then scurrying away.

"Are you hungry Gooseberry?"

He whispered a question to Lydia as they walked.

Lydia chuckled lowly. "Is my lord expressing his hunger in such an ungentlemanly way?"

Her teasing made Theodore blink. "No, I care for my wife’s well-being" he claimed.

She shrugged. "I am well Theodore, I feel incredible" she confessed.

Theodore gazed at her. "Let’s go spend more gold" he declared.

"Yes, My lord husband"

Theodore smiled.

He liked this nickname.

It sounds loving and absolutely his.

*

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*

Afternoon.

Jones Estate.

Critic Arley, Critic-Ishire.

**********

"Mother I’m home" Conan announced from the front steps of his family’s estate.

Today was a free day for him and he wanted to spend it with his mother.

She stepped outside with a stick in hand, she looked beautiful.

Her short chestnut brown locks are left flowing to her shoulders, her body clad in a long grey dress, she tapped her intricate beautified stick on the ground to reach him slowly.

She smiled and she had a dimple on both sides. She has eyes so green, they rivalled the freshest grasses. They’re now blind but they still shine.

Conan felt he didn’t exhibit one of her beauty traits.

"My charming son, you’re here early" she said when Conan rushed to reach her.

Conan chuckled "I am, I missed you" he confessed.

"Come, let me feel you"

His mother pulled him into her arms and Conan shuddered at the rush of emotions he felt engulf him.

Sarah Jones was an intelligent and beautiful woman who tutored in the royal house, she was looked up to by the ambitious young girls.

Now she is at home waiting for her son, the only person who would come back to a blind woman aside from her husband of course.

Conan, a good child his parents would vow, had looked for medicine from every physician he could find for his mother to regain back her sight but it had all been futile attempts as the eye lost vision through magical ways.

He had first gotten interested in the muckraker as he had heard she would be a witch, a person who could give out information about things that happened in the most secluded of places and then deliver and never be caught because no one ever remembers seeing her.

She could only be a magic practitioner.

That he was sure of and he must find the muckraker to help his mother gain back her sight.

Whatever it may take.