Atonement, For Your Cruelty — Chapter 23

SAINT ROEL CATHEDRAL, WHICH IS SAID TO HAVE STOOD FOR OVER A THOUSAND YEARS.

ACROSS THE SQUARE IN FRONT OF THE CATHEDRAL

LIES THE BUES DEPARTMENT STORE, WHICH FIRST OPENED ITS DOORS IN EAST NORFOLK.

ALTHOUGH IT IS A HISTORIC DEPARTMENT STORE WITH THE LARGEST SCALE AND HIGHEST SALES IN EAST NORFOLK,

THE BUES DEPARTMENT STORE WAS NOT OPERATING THIS SUCCESSFULLY FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.

IT HAS BEEN ABOUT A DECADE SINCE IT TOOK OVER THE COMMERCIAL DISTRICT.

IN PARTICULAR, THE ELDERLY NOBILITY

WERE RELUCTANT TO EVEN USE ITEMS SOLD IN A SPACE WHERE ANYONE COULD ENTER.

THE CHANGE BEGAN WHEN NEWS BROKE THAT

THE MARQUIS OF REICHENHARDT HAD INVESTED IN THE FAILING BUES DEPARTMENT STORE.

THE INVESTMENT BY A YOUNG NOBLE WHO HAD JUST STARTED HIS BUSINESS DID NOT ATTRACT MUCH ATTENTION,

AN INVESTMENT? HE SET UP A STEEL COMPANY WITH SOME FLAIR, BUT NOW HIS BOTTOM LINE IS SHOWING.

THEY SAY HE IS A YOUNG MARQUIS WHO DIDN'T EVEN ATTEND THE ACADEMY.

REICHENHARDT STEEL AND RAILWAY COMPANY ACQUISITION. FULL-SCALE REDRGANIZATION OF EAST NORFOLK LOGISTICS NETWORK BEGINS.

AND FOLLOWING THE TRACKS THAT BEGAN CONNECTING PARTS OF NORFOLK,

NEW AND INNOVATIVE GOODS THAT HAD NEVER BEEN HEARD OF BEFORE FROM ALL OVER

SINCE REICHENHARDT STEEL ACQUIRED A MAJOR EAST NORFOLK RAILWAY COMPANY, THE REGIONAL RAILWAY NETWORK HAS BEEN EXPANDING RAPIDLY. REICHENHARDT HAS SUCCESSIVELY OPENED BRANCH LINES CONNECTING CITIES, PORTS, AND MINING AREAS IN ADDITION TO THE EXISTING MAIN RAILWAY LINES. IT IS REPORTED THAT AS A RESULT, TRANSPORTATION TIME FROM THE OUTSKIRTS OF EAST NORFOLK TO THE CAPITAL AREA HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANTLY SHORTENED

STARTING WITH THE ACQUISITION OF THE RAILWAY COMPANY,

BEGAN TO ENTER THE DEPARTMENT STORE,

AND IT GRADUALLY DEVELOPED INTO A COMMERCIAL DISTRICT THAT THE NOBILITY LOVES DEARLY,

GATHERING HUGE CROWDS.

BUES DEPARTMENT STORE VIP ROOM-

IT IS AN HONOR TO MEET THE MARCHIONESS AT THE FESTIVAL COMMEMORATION EXHIBITION.

THANKS TO THE MARCHIONESS, I AM ABLE TO DRINK SUCH HIGH-QUALITY CHAMPAGNE.

CHAMPAGNE WITH RUHAS STRAWBERRIES.

TO THINK THAT THE PERSON WHO DECIDED TO DISTRIBUTE THIS WAS A YOUTH OF ONLY TWENTY-ONE.

THIS MUST ALL BE BECAUSE HE RESEMBLES THE MARCHIONESS.

IT SEEMS THAT A GOOD EYE IS ALSO HEREDITARY.

HOWEVER, MARCHIONESS.

HOW IS IT THAT THE MARQUIS IS STILL UNMARRIED?

I FEEL LIKE GOOD OFFERS WOULD BE FLOODING IN.

MARRIAGE OF ONE'S CHILD IS THE PARENTS' CONCERN,

AND SINCE I ALSO HAVE A SON, I AM ENVIOUS OF THE MARCHIONESS,

AND I WAS ALSO JUST CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT KIND OF GOOD OFFERS ARE COMING IN...

MARCHIONESS.

PLEASE LOOK AT THE PAINTINGS HERE.

AMONG THE WORKS DISPLAYED IN THIS EXHIBITION HALL,

THERE ARE NO WORKS WITH THE PRICE STATED.

MARCHIONESS, DID YOU BUY ANY WORKS HERE TODAY?

IF THAT IS NOT THE CASE,

THEN YOU MUST NOT HAVE HAD ANYTHING TO BE CURIOUS ABOUT.

EX...

EXCUSE ME.

MOTHER!

COME HERE, SABINE.

MY LADY!

YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL AGAIN TODAY, MY LADY.

THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS SAYING SO.

I HAVE SOMETHING I NEED TO TELL MOTHER RIGHT NOW.

I WILL TAKE HER FOR A MOMENT, SO PLEASE FORGIVE ME.

OF COURSE, PLEASE GO AHEAD.

WHAT IS THE MATTER? SABINE.

I FOUND A GIFT I WANTED TO RECEIVE FROM MOTHER FOR MY BIRTHDAY ON THE FIRST FLOOR OF THE DEPARTMENT STORE.

AFTER RECEIVING SUCH EXCESSIVE GIFTS FROM YOUR BROTHER AND HIS MAJESTY,

DO YOU NEED TO RECEIVE A GIFT FROM ME AS WELL?

IT IS THE DAY A MOTHER SUFFERED TO GIVE BIRTH TO YOU.

IT WOULDN'T BE ENOUGH EVEN IF YOU GAVE ME A GIFT.

MOTHER, LOOK AT THAT.

THE WOMAN WITH THE RED RIBBON IN HER HAIR OVER THERE.

ARE YOU WATCHING?

THIS SPLENDID SIGHT.

A FEAST OF GOLD...

EXCUSE ME, LET US PASS.

AH, I APOLOGIZE.

THERE ARE TOO MANY PEOPLE, RIGHT?

IT IS A FESTIVAL DAY.

THERE IS A FIREWORKS DISPLAY LATER, SO LET'S WATCH IT TOGETHER.

I... DOES THIS MEAN THIS IS A PLACE THAT SELLS THINGS?

SO YOU DIDN'T KNOW WHAT A DEPARTMENT STORE WAS AND ONLY KNEW OF THE MARKET.

I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT OR HOW I SHOULD DO THINGS HERE.

THEN...

SHOULD I GO WHERE I WANT TO GO?

YES.

THIS WOMAN IS SUDDENLY EXTREMELY LOVELY.

NO, I LOVE HER UNCONDITIONALLY.

Her Expression Is...

LET'S GO, THEN.

AH, YES...!

Let's go here, here!

WELCOME!

I FEEL LIKE... I AM GOING TO BE OVERWHELMED.

...THIS PERSON'S FOOTSTEPS ARE MUCH MORE LIVELY WHEN THEY ARE HERE.

ISN'T IT ALMOST WINTER? THERE IS NOTHING LIKE CASHMERE FROM MOUNT ATUN IN WINTER.

SHE LIKES IT SO MUCH, DID I ONLY TAKE HER AROUND MARKETS TOO MUCH?

I FEEL SORRY.

NOW, CUSTOMER. HOW DO YOU FIND IT?

THE SIZE IS GENEROUS ENOUGH TO WEAR IN WINTER, AND THE COLOR SUITS YOU SO WELL.

IT LOOKS GOOD ON YOU, RIGHT?

HMMM, I LIKE IT.

HONEY, HOW IS IT?

OOPS, I MADE A MISTAKE.

I WAS SO EXCITED THAT THE WORDS I USED DURING SEX CAME OUT LIKE A HABIT.

IT LOOKS REALLY FANTASTIC, DOESN'T IT?

AH.

YES, IT SUITS YOU WELL.

OF COURSE. YOU LOOK SO HANDSOME~

I AM TRULY ENVIOUS THAT SUCH A FANTASTIC PERSON IS BY YOUR SIDE.

OHO~

HE DOESN'T KNOW THE WORD 'HONEY'.

I FEEL LIKE I'VE STUMBLED UPON SOMETHING.

A WAY TO DEVOUR THIS NAIVE STRANGER COMPLETELY.

I WILL PAY FOR THESE CLOTHES.

YES, THANK YOU. CUSTOMER!

COULD I TRY ON THOSE CLOTHES ONCE TOO?