The Crown Prince of France - Chapter 39

Chapter 39: The Crown Prince's Blessing

The Angel Water was initially popular only within the Palace of Versailles. However, after some time and the enthusiastic recommendations of noblewomen and young ladies, its miraculous effects had spread throughout Paris.

Now, among the noblewomen of Paris, none were unaware of this extraordinary cosmetic.

Claims such as "clearing acne in two days," "smoother skin in five days," and "fading spots in a week" were not merely slogans—many were willing to vouch for these results.

Most strikingly, an advertisement had appeared on the front pages of major newspapers ten days ago, displaying only a single line of bold text: "Angel Water: You Deserve It."

Simple, direct.

Like an arrow piercing every woman's heart. Yes, the luxurious Angel Water was expensive, but surely, I am worth owning a bottle!

A quick glance at other sections of the newspaper revealed news of the grand opening of the exclusive Paris Angel store. It announced that Angel Water would henceforth only be sold at these stores, along with the release of many new products.

The store was scheduled to open at noon, but even before dawn, people had already gathered outside. Through the transparent glass walls, they craned their necks to glimpse the merchandise displayed inside.

Joseph frowned as he looked at the street packed so tightly with people waiting for the store to open that it was impossible to get close. Although he was the store’s owner, he couldn’t approach the entrance.

Only after Kessold ordered the royal guards to step in and maintain order did a narrow pathway barely emerge on the Avenue des Champs-Élysées.

At exactly noon, more than ten employees stepped out of the Paris Angel store. Each was over six feet tall, with golden hair, blue eyes, handsome features, and dressed impeccably in bright red velvet uniforms.

They stood in two neat rows in front of the flower-adorned entrance as a band began playing festive music. Two graceful young women held a red silk ribbon tied with a floral bow across the doorway.

The store manager stepped forward, bowed, and loudly announced:
"We humbly invite His Highness the Crown Prince of France, the ‘Son of God’ from Versailles, to cut the ribbon for our store!"

A thunderous cheer erupted from the Avenue des Champs-Élysées. Seeing the royal guards earlier had led people to suspect that a prominent figure might appear, but they hadn’t expected the Crown Prince himself.

Joseph emerged from the store in full ceremonial attire. Waving to the crowd, he declared in a resonant voice:
"Today marks the official opening of the first store under the Paris Angel Company.

"The mission of Paris Angel is to ensure that every woman in France can remain youthful and beautiful forever!
"Happy shopping!"

Another wave of excitement and cheers broke out, and some fervent admirers began shouting, "Long live the Crown Prince!"

Taking scissors from the manager, Joseph cut the red ribbon and quickly slipped out through the back door under Kessold’s protection.

He had no choice—if he lingered, he might have been mobbed by those starry-eyed noblewomen.

Flower petals rained down in celebration as the manager signaled for customers to enter the store.

Chattering about the novel opening ceremony, the crowd surged inside. In an instant, the two-story store spanning over a thousand square meters was packed to capacity, while outside, thousands more anxiously awaited their turn.

A tall young woman, her figure elegant, stood among the throngs outside the Paris Angel store. She wore a navy-blue gown, and a wide-brimmed hat draped with a thin veil concealed her face. Frowning slightly, she murmured to herself,
"Why are there so many people? I should’ve sent Mr. Barvito instead..."

She touched her cheek, where barely noticeable traces of acne remained, as if steeling herself.

A few days ago, a friend had given her half a bottle of the wildly popular Angel Water. After using it a few times, the acne that had long troubled her visibly diminished.

But with the Angel Water nearly finished, she was determined to get another bottle for the sake of her radiant complexion.

After studying the Paris Angel store, she strode purposefully toward the back.

Joseph, having exited through the rear door, saw his carriage already waiting. Just as he was about to board, he noticed a scruffy boy of about eight or nine at the alleyway’s corner. The boy, dirty and disheveled, was pleading desperately:
"Honorable sir, kind madam, please spare a few coins."

The boy glanced toward an even smaller girl slumped against the wall. His voice became more urgent:
"Just five deniers, I beg you! I need to buy a ‘Crown Prince’s Blessing’ for my sister! She’s been burning with fever all day…"

However, the alley was largely deserted, and even the rare passersby didn’t spare him a glance.

Joseph approached and placed two silver coins in the boy’s cracked cup. The boy immediately dropped to his knees, choking with emotion:
"Thank you, kind sir! May the Lord bless you!"

Kessold stepped forward to help the boy up.

Joseph asked, "It’s nothing. Go quickly to care for your sister. By the way, what is this ‘Crown Prince’s Blessing’ you mentioned?"

The boy eagerly explained:
"Honorable sir, it’s those little pills called salic-something that save lives and are very cheap. People say the Crown Prince invented them, so everyone calls them ‘Crown Prince’s Blessing.’"

Joseph gestured to Eymond, who promptly brought over several salicylic tablets—Joseph himself had been using them to manage his pneumonia.

"Is this the medicine?" Joseph handed the pale yellow tablets to the boy.

"Yes! This is it!" The boy exclaimed with joy. He crushed one tablet, fed it to his sister, and helped her drink some water.
"Swallow it—swallow it, and you’ll feel better soon," he urged her.

As the boy tried to kneel again, Joseph quickly stopped him.
"Where is your family?" he asked.

The boy forced a bitter smile.
"They all died of illness last year. Only my sister and I survived."

At that moment, a loud rumble came from the boy’s stomach.

Feeling a pang of sorrow, Joseph handed him more money, his gaze drifting to the bustling crowd outside the Angel Water store.

Rather than giving fish, it is better to teach someone to fish.

Joseph turned to the boy. "Do you want to stop going hungry?"

The boy nodded solemnly.

"I’ll teach you a way." Joseph pointed at the crowd.
"See that Paris Angel store? Take this money, buy some chairs, and rent them out to people waiting outside. Charge two deniers per hour, and be sure to collect a deposit.

"Once you understand how the business works, buy a clean set of clothes. Then you can offer to stand in line or purchase items on behalf of ladies who don’t want to wait. You could probably charge one livre per service."

The boy’s eyes widened. Bowing deeply, he said,
"Thank you so much! You must be sent by the Lord to save my sister and me!"

From behind a protruding pillar in the alley, the veiled woman observed Joseph from afar. In a soft voice, she muttered to herself,
"That man seems to be the Crown Prince? I didn’t expect him to have a good heart. It seems the royal family isn’t entirely composed of vipers and parasites."

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