"I am Liora," I said politely.
Before I could speak further, a deep, steady voice cut through the quiet. It was the old man.
"Tell us the truth," he said. "Are you a noble or not? And what's your purpose for coming here?"
I turned my gaze toward them. Both looked to be in their early eighties.
The woman was graceful even in age—petite and slightly rounded, with delicate yet surprisingly strong hands. Her silver-white hair, still thick and shining, was braided and coiled into a bun, secured by a hairpin shaped like a blooming sunflower. Her pale hazel eyes, flecked with gold, were softened by the faint haze of age. She wore ankle-length skirts in warm shades of cream and gold, a knitted shawl draped around her shoulders, and a gold locket that jingled faintly each time she moved.
The man was thin and wiry, his back slightly bent from years, yet his golden-brown eyes—though clouded by age—still carried a mischievous spark. His silver-white hair was kept short and neat. He wore an old-fashioned vest over a collared shirt, the kind of clothes that belonged to another era, yet somehow suited him perfectly.
I dipped my head politely. "I am Liora Dreadmoor, daughter of the Western Duke. I am here for something that will help me in my plan… my plan for finding freedom."
They exchanged a long glance, as if speaking through their eyes alone. Then the old woman gave the faintest nod to the man before turning her smile toward me.
"I am Belle," she said warmly. "And this is my husband, Sunny. This shop belongs to us."
"It's a pleasure to meet you both, Madam Belle, Sir Sunny," I replied. The words left my lips with a small sigh of relief.
Sunny caught it instantly. "Why the long breath? Is there any problem?"
I shook my head quickly. "No… no, there's no problem."
He narrowed his eyes. "Are you telling the truth—?"
Before he could finish, a sharp smack landed on his back. I flinched at the sound.
Belle had slapped him. "Hey, old man, why are you threatening a child? She's already passed the test. Don't bother her like this."
Sunny turned to her with mock outrage. "Honey, why did you slap me that hard? If my back breaks, who will take care of this shop?"
Belle only sighed. "Forget this old man. Tell me, girl, what do you need?"
I smiled faintly, knowing full well that first impressions here would shape how they treated me in the future. "I… need a potion."
Sunny's voice turned suspicious. "What kind of potion?"
Belle shot him an annoyed smile. "Honey…"
"Fine, fine," he muttered, turning away. "Ask her yourself."
Belle faced me again. "Don't feel burdened, child. He doesn't trust outsiders easily—that's all. But you passed our test, so you can buy whatever you need here without pressure."
"What test?" I asked.
"You told us you were a noble," Belle explained. "And you told us your true identity. That's why you passed."
I smiled politely, though inside I already knew she wasn't telling me the full truth. They had a lie detector in place—something that could sense falsehood and malicious intent. I had told them the truth, and the detector had confirmed that my intentions were not harmful. That was why Belle's attitude toward me had shifted from guarded to warm.
Thanks to Liora's future visions, I already knew what kind of people they were and what they valued. In the original timeline, they had pitied Liora, often giving her the best they had. She had mostly come here for rare magic books—guides for those without magic, or theories on why healing magic resided in the body. They had treated her with warmth because they knew how difficult her life was. But I wasn't here for books, and I certainly didn't want anyone's pity.
Belle's voice pulled me from my thoughts. "Child, what are you thinking? Tell me—what potion are you talking about?"
"I want a potion for the eyes," I said.
She murmured, almost to herself, "A potion for the eyes…?"
Sunny stepped closer, curiosity sparking in his gaze. "We have plenty of eye potions. Let's head upstairs."
Belle nodded. "Yes. Follow us—we'll show you."
They moved out from behind the counter, and we began walking toward the staircase.
"My Lady," a voice called from the seating area.
I turned to see Nirelle and Sir Magnus approaching, their expressions filled with concern.
"My Lady," Magnus said firmly, "where are you going alone?"
Nirelle added softly, "Sir Magnus is right…"
"I'm going upstairs," I explained. "What I need is up there."
Magnus frowned. "Then I will come with you. We don't know what they have upstairs. And what their intentions are."
Belle bristled immediately. "Are you saying we're thugs? That we'd harm this child?"
Magnus shot back, "When did I say that? I am here to protect My Lady and I can't leave My Lady alone with anyone."
Sunny's voice rose. "There's no need for your protection here. Our store is the safest place you'll ever step into. No one harms our customers."
They were bickering like children.
"Enough," I said sharply. The word cut through the air, silencing them all.
Turning slightly toward Belle and Sunny, I said politely, "I will come with you, and we'll discuss upstairs what I want."
Then I looked at Magnus calmly. "Sir Magnus, Sir Sunny is right. We are safe here. There's no need to panic. I'll be upstairs for fifteen to twenty minutes. If I don't return in that time, you may come up and do whatever you wish."
Magnus hesitated, his gaze flicking between me and the shopkeepers.
"This is my order so please obey my order for twenty minutes," I added firmly but calmly. "Sit on the sofa and wait there patiently."
He sighed. "Yes, My Lady."
I glanced at Nirelle. "You too—sit. Don't worry, I will be fine."
They both returned to their seats, and I followed Belle and Sunny toward the stairs.
When we stepped into the upstairs room, I froze for a moment. There were things here I had never seen in reality—strange, glittering objects, bottled lights.
Belle moved to the counter, opened a drawer, and took out a set of keys. She glanced at me over her shoulder.
"What potion exactly do you need?" she asked.