Two android guards glided toward Alex.
“Sir, you are requested to leave the store,” one said in its calm synthetic voice.
Alex turned slowly. “And what exactly is my mistake? I asked to check the ring before buying it. Is it wrong to make sure what I’m buying is real?”
The android paused, processing his words. Its eyes blinked once in rapid sequence. “Apologies, sir. There has been an error on our side. Please continue with your purchase.”
The guards stepped back to their post.
Alex glanced at Dorothea and smiled faintly. “Well, seems like even your guards agree with me.”
Dorothea’s face flushed red with anger. “Guards! Drag this man out of my store!”
The androids turned again, but one of them hesitated.
“Supervisor Dorothea,” it said, “after reviewing the interaction, I find this man to be a polite and respectable customer. Please allow him to examine the ring. I believe this kind and handsome gentleman intends to make a purchase.”
Dorothea’s voice cracked with fury. “You stupid machine! What do you know about him? That man is Alex—the fool! Half-slave from Xia! What could he possibly afford? He owns nothing!”
The android’s internal system synced with the security database. Hidden within it was an encrypted tag—Alex Saint-Claire, reinstated heir of the Marquise Saint-Claire estate.
The android was forbidden to reveal personal data but flagged him internally as a high-priority client.
“Supervisor Dorothea,” the android warned, “you should mind your language in front of customers. This gentleman holds verified credentials and deserves respectful service. Any further misconduct will be reported to management.”
The entire store froze. Customers whispered, staff exchanged glances. No one had ever seen an android challenge a human supervisor before.
Dorothea’s pride shattered under the spotlight. Her voice rose to a shriek. “You malfunctioning tin can! Can’t you see who he is? You’re dumber than scrap metal! Get back to your post—now!”
The android nodded, protocol forcing obedience. But as it passed Alex, it stopped for a brief moment. Its digital voice lowered to a near-human murmur.
“Sir, please enjoy your visit. Don’t let Supervisor Dorothea’s attitude bother you.” It paused, then added quietly, “She’s just another bitch.”
Gasps rippled through the store. Dorothea’s eyes widened, her jaw dropped.
“Ouch…” one of the customers muttered, stunned by the android’s last remark.
Alex smirked. “Looks like we both agree on that.”
“Get out of this place!” Dorothea screamed, her voice cracking with fury. “Nothing will be sold to you! Not a single thing! Get out!”
Alex didn’t flinch. He tilted his head slightly, calm and almost amused. “Well, unless I’m mistaken, you’re just the supervisor here, not the owner. So tell me—what gives you the right to throw me out of someone else’s store?”
Dorothea’s face turned red. “I’ve been the supervisor here for ten years! That gives me the authority! Now get out!”
“Authority, huh?” Alex laughed softly, the sound edged with bitterness. “You must not know your history. This shop—Royal Prussia Fine Jewels—used to belong to the House of Saint-Claire. My family’s business. Until traitors destroyed everything we built… and vultures started stealing what was ours, including this place.”
Dorothea’s eyes narrowed, disbelief twisting her lips. “You? The fool of Saint-Claire? Don’t make me laugh. You’ve gone from dunce to daydreamer. This store belongs to the Lion of the Winchester now. You’re nothing. You own nothing. Go dream somewhere else!”
She turned sharply to her staff. “Listen to me, all of you! No one—no one—serves this man. If I see anyone speaking to him, you’re fired on the spot!”
The room went silent. And then—
A deep hum filled the air outside.
Five sleek black hovercars descended in front of Royal Prussia Fine Jewels, their engines whispering like restrained thunder.
The glass doors slid open, and ten bodyguards stepped out—real humans, not machines—dressed in sharp black suits, shoulders squared, faces carved in stone.
Their eyes swept the area with lethal precision. The temperature seemed to drop instantly.
The customers froze. The staff stopped breathing. Every instinct screamed danger.
Dorothea’s jaw slackened. Her rage vanished, replaced by sudden confusion.
Who the hell are these people? she thought. Are they here to buy jewelry?
The lead car door opened. A woman stepped out—elegant, poised, radiant in a white suit that gleamed under the sunlight.
Countess Marlene Von Adler.


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The readers' comments on the novel: The Almighty Dominance (by Sunshine)
Great novel...