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Chapter 4
She admired her own idea, saying it was brilliant. Feeling suffocated, I snapped the newspaper shut.
“Don’t ever say something so ridiculous again.”
“Y-Yes…”
Daisy let out a long, disappointed sigh. I frowned and snorted.
This was all because Killian Orpheo had perfectly hidden his true identity.
If Daisy knew there was a devil behind that face, she wouldn’t be this interested in him.
On top of that, in the Empire, he was known for his generous donations and had a great reputation.
In other words, he was a man whose reputation was the complete opposite of mine.
The fact that my reputation was worse than that of a fraudulent devil like him oddly hurt my pride.
“Where are you going?”
“To the flower shop.”
As I stood up, Daisy asked with a puzzled look.
“I should at least send thank-you bouquets to the investors.”
I had already sent gifts tailored to each investor’s taste, so flowers were the perfect finishing touch.
“You’re going to pick them yourself? Why not send Henry?”
Henry was the gardener at our estate.
“I felt like looking at some flowers for once.”
That was just an excuse. My real goal was the items I would secretly place inside the bouquets.
In other words—bribes.
When money was involved, I preferred to handle things personally.
“But you don’t even like flowers, miss.”
Daisy clearly didn’t believe me.
Still, I couldn’t exactly tell her I was planning to hide money inside the bouquets.
‘Daisy is secretly quite honest, after all.’
I skillfully disguised myself with a wig and sunglasses.
Photography here wasn’t very advanced, so this level of disguise was enough to avoid recognition.
‘Then just how insane must Killian Orpheo’s looks be?’
If even crude photography could capture him that well, it meant his real appearance must be overwhelming.
“Well then, I’m off.”
After boarding a carriage, I soon arrived in the capital.
I had bought a mansion there in advance, expecting frequent business visits.
‘Buying that mansion was no easy task either…’
It was practically a miracle that, in just five years, I managed to turn Stella’s opal diamond necklace into enough money to purchase it.
‘Still, I want to get that necklace back soon.’
I tried to retrieve it from the pawnshop, but its whereabouts were unknown—it had already been bought by someone for a huge sum.
Even after requesting the information guild, they couldn’t find the buyer.
Staring out the window with a heavy heart, I carefully reviewed my future plans.
‘I need to move quickly and decisively if possible.’
Later, the Adelheit family would repeatedly use their power to suppress and humiliate Edit, who had left home.
To avoid that outcome, there was only one answer—make money.
‘Power follows wealth, after all.’
Although the Empire appeared to be a centralized monarchy, in reality, it operated on capitalist principles.
The biggest reason for that was Grand Duke Orpheo.
As the emperor’s strategist and minister of finance, he moved entirely according to the flow of capital.
“I’m already here.”
Lost in thought as I walked through the capital, I arrived at the flower shop I was looking for—the largest one in the city.
“There are so many flowers…”
I expected fewer since it was winter, but there were so many varieties it made my head spin.
‘Let’s choose something that looks as sincere as possible!’
I opened the flower guidebook I had brought—filled with blooming seasons and flower meanings.
But nowhere did it mention which flowers were good for bribery.
‘I should’ve brought Henry…’
I wanted a quiet walk alone for once, but now I regretted it deeply.
“What kind of flowers are good for bribes again…”
As I buried my face in the book, someone approached me.
“Are you perhaps looking for flowers as a gift?”
That voice—insane. The best voice I had ever heard. Deep, resonant, and smooth.
If a voice alone could enchant someone, it would sound like that.
“Ah, yes…”
I answered awkwardly.
It wasn’t a pure intention, but technically it was for a gift.
Still, given the situation, I didn’t welcome attention.
“Well then, if it’s alright—”
I was about to decline, but the moment I saw his face, I froze. The book slipped from my hands.
‘Why is this devil here?!’
Killian Orpheo—the one person I wanted to avoid at all costs.
He was known for rarely going out. The only time he appeared publicly was when summoned by the imperial family.
He picked up my fallen book and handed it back to me.
“Th-thank you…”
Caught off guard, I barely managed to respond.
“It’s nothing.”
“Oh my, Your Grace!”
A shop employee hurried over to him excitedly.
“So you heard the news as well, Your Grace?”
What news?
“We just received a new variety of lisianthus today.”
Killian smiled faintly, a hint of anticipation in his purple eyes.
“But it seems the young lady here is having trouble. A gentleman should help first.”
He looked like the perfect gentleman.
But I couldn’t accept his kindness so easily.
‘Damn it. Of all days, it had to be when new flowers arrived.’
My luck was terrible.
At this point, the best strategy was to act like a random passerby and leave quickly.
“Oh my, Your Grace!”
I deliberately widened my eyes in admiration.
Most citizens of the capital were fans of the war hero Grand Duke.
Of course, his insane looks probably contributed a lot to that.
“It’s such an honor to meet you here!”
A smile flickered across Killian’s lips as he met my sparkling gaze.
“The pleasure is mine. So, you’re choosing flowers as a gift?”
He seemed ready to help in earnest.
“Y-Yes.”
It would be strange to refuse help while pretending to be a fan, so I nodded—then instantly regretted it.
Maybe I should’ve acted like an anti-fan instead.
“If it’s for a gift, the intention matters.”
That was more thoughtful than expected.
‘It’s for bribery.’
But I couldn’t say that, so I gave a safe answer.
“It’s to express gratitude.”
“…A gift to express gratitude.”
Killian’s gaze scanned the shop before settling on something.
Following his eyes, I saw bright yellow freesia flowers.
“This would be good. The freesia here is of the highest quality—you won’t find better elsewhere.”
He must be a regular.
‘I should’ve checked his usual routes.’
Coming to the most famous shop in the Empire without thinking was a mistake.
“Thank you for your help.”
“It was nothing.”
He left calmly.
A man with brown curly hair—likely his aide—carried a large number of baskets filled with blue lisianthus.
I knew he liked flowers, but I didn’t expect to witness it like this.
Just how many flowers was he buying?
‘Well, it’s none of my business.’
I quickly dismissed the thought and wrote a check.
Winter flowers were rare and expensive, so I wrote a generous amount.
“Please prepare twenty baskets of these yellow freesias—make them as full and high-quality as possible. Deliver them to these addresses. And…”
The employee’s eyes widened at the large order.
I opened a jewelry box.
“Please place these inside the flowers as well. And keep this a secret from everyone except the recipients.”
That was the real reason I came to this shop.
‘The most discreet place to send flowers.’
This shop became the largest because it strictly kept nobles’ secret gifts confidential.
The employee nodded knowingly.
Meanwhile, Killian, seated in his white carriage, glanced toward the shop and murmured:
“Twenty baskets for a thank-you gift… how interesting.”
“Pardon?”
His aide, Russ Marty, looked confused.
But Killian simply smiled faintly, offering no explanation.
The Grand Duke’s carriage left the capital.
‘I swear I’ll never step into that flower shop again.’
I had dressed poorly on purpose to avoid attention, yet Killian still spoke to me.
Still shaken, I returned to the mansion.
The flower baskets had been sent to the investors. Now it was time to begin my business in earnest.
Until now, I had made money by investing in others.
Now, I would invest in my own business.
‘This is the real beginning.’
Just imagining it made my heart race.
But before starting, I needed to hire employees.
“First, we should post a job listing.”
“What salary should we offer?”
Daisy asked.
“80 gold.”
“What?!”
She looked like she couldn’t believe her ears.
“R-really? 80 gold?”
Her reaction was understandable.
Entry-level imperial officials earned 40 gold.
Imperial knights earned 50.
I was offering nearly double the highest standard.
But I believed it was necessary.
“Loyalty comes from money.”
“But… isn’t 80 gold too much?”
“This is Deborah’s first employee. They’ll handle a lot—we need to pay enough for them to endure it.”
A few days passed after posting the notice.
Contrary to expectations, the mansion was silent.
Not a single applicant.
“…This is the Adelheit Duke’s doing.”
Since Daisy was the official face of the company, people had no reason to avoid applying—unless there was outside pressure.
‘He’s already moving?’
Faster than expected.
I checked today’s newspaper thoroughly. There was no mention of Deborah yet.
‘So it’s not known that I’m the owner.’
If it were, headlines would already be screaming:
[Fraudster Edit Diel revealed as the head of “Deborah”…!]
But there was nothing like that.
“Master!!”
“What is it?”
“This is bad! I just heard from my former colleagues…!”
By colleagues, he meant members of the information guild.
Henry, once part of that guild, had nearly been imprisoned due to false accusations before I helped him—after which he chose to become our gardener.
“The Adelheit family has threatened retaliation against anyone who applies to Deborah!”
