As Cassian looked around at the clothes, an attendant sent by the fat woman approached with a smile.
"Hi there," he said, noticing Cassian's shock at the prices. "I saw you were surprised by the prices of those clothes. Well, it can't be helped—they're made from fine material. But these are just as good."
He rubbed the fabric of a pair of black pants between his fingers. "Feel this. See how smooth and light it is? But don't be fooled; it will keep you warm despite how thin it looks." He urged Cassian to do the same.
Cassian entertained the man with a smile, knowing it was all a sales pitch. The attendant's smile widened as he saw Cassian's impressed expression.
"And like the lady said, these are also cheaper. They cost 10 silver coins per set, while those others cost 20 silver coins a set. You can buy double the number of these for the same amount you were going to spend, on them."
The sales pitch was clearly part of a straightforward scheme, one that Cassian suspected the fat lady had used on others before. The first step was to charge excessively high prices for ordinary clothes, often more than what luxurious items would cost.
When a customer who was unfamiliar with clothing prices hesitated or expressed dissatisfaction, the saleswoman would then present them with higher-quality items at what seemed like a bargain price. These higher-quality items, which were actually being sold at a normal or even discounted rate, were offered as a "better deal" compared to the overpriced ordinary clothes.
To the customer, it appeared as though they were getting fine, luxurious items for a lower price than the ordinary clothes they initially chose. In reality, they were just being manipulated into spending more by making them think they were saving money on superior products.
In a way, it wasn't outright cheating; rather, it was a clever scheme designed to make customers spend more by convincing them they were getting a better deal. The tactic involved making them believe they were purchasing higher-quality items at a lower price compared to the ordinary clothes they initially selected.
In reality, they were simply being persuaded to spend more than they originally intended.
As Cassian examined the so-called luxurious clothes, he noticed they weren't truly high-end. He could tell from Lady Katherine's wardrobe that the truly luxurious items she wore were worth far more—enough to buy out the entire store and the land it was on. But of course, why would she need to? It all belonged to her family.
Though the scheme's ingenuity impressed him; customers caught in it would remain oblivious to the manipulation and continue to believe they were getting a bargain. Now that Cassian had uncovered the trick, he planned to use it against the store owner.
However, the success of his plan depended on Lucy's influence and her relationship with the store owner If Lucy was merely an acquaintance of the store owner, it would be good. And as or her influence, she was a personal maid to a princess, and Cassian had observed the respect she commanded from other servants and even some nobles.
As Cassian selected a few more outfits from the luxurious clothing pile, he heard the store owner's excited tone as she greeted the new arrival. He looked up and smiled when he saw who it was.
"Miss Lucy, welcome back!" the store owner exclaimed.
Lucy responded with a warm smile and a nod. "Mrs. Purner," she greeted.
As Lucy entered, Cassian, smiling from the back, called out, "Aunty, you're here!" His greeting surprised Lucy and shocked Mrs. Purner, who stared at Cassian's grinning face in disbelief.
Mrs. Purner's shock was palpable as she quickly realized the situation. Lucy, puzzled by Cassian's use of "aunty," connected the dots, noticing his amused expression and Mrs. Purner's dismayed reaction. Lucy followed along, asking, "Did you find the clothes you were looking for?"
"Yes, aunty," Cassian replied with a grin, pointing to the clothes he had selected earlier.
Mrs. Purner, picking up the items, forced a smile that looked even more strained as she said, "I didn't realize he was your nephew, Miss Lucy. If I had known, I would have treated him more kindly."
"No worries, Mrs. Purner. How much for these clothes?" Lucy asked, rummaging through her purse.
Mrs. Purner, eyeing Cassian, hesitated. She was caught in a dilemma—if she quoted the real price, Cassian might reveal the higher price she initially mentioned, which could jeopardize her relationship with Lucy. Conversely, if she maintained the inflated price, she risked losing an important client.
Reluctantly, she said, "10 silver coins, Miss Lucy, just for you." She hoped Cassian wouldn't bring up the price he had been given earlier.
To Mrs. Purner's surprise, despite Cassian's mischievous smile, he remained silent, but only for a few seconds. Then, with an innocent tone, he added, "Oh, I forgot to mention these. The big lady here said they cost less than those," and he placed the few luxurious outfits he had picked out on the table.
Mrs. Purner's smile grew even more strained as she said, "Well, then, the total will be 15 silver coins. These sets are 1 silver coin each."
Lucy, surprised, felt the fabric of the clothes Cassian had picked out and remarked, "Really? That's quite cheap for such quality. I should buy some for myself, too, if you have any ladies' items in this fabric."
Mrs. Purner's cheeks flushed red with irritation, but she forced a smile and shook her head. "Unfortunately, it's only available for men."
"Well, that's a shame. The fabric is really nice," Lucy said, pulling out the silver coins from her purse and placing them on the table.
Mrs. Purner quickly grabbed the coins, her forced smile easing a bit as she put them in the drawer. "We have some new items, if you're interested. The attendants can show you around."
One of the attendants promptly packed the clothes and handed them to Cassian. Lucy shook her head with a smile. "Some other day," she said, turning to Cassian. "Let's go."
Cassian followed her, but before leaving, he didn't forget to address Mrs. Purner with a friendly smile. "Take care, Mrs. Purner."