TLWRO 34

Chapter 34

The Lady Deals Only in the Genuine
 That’s Some Intense Greeting

“Madam Helena, the Tehita Sapphire you consigned has sold for 2.4 million gold. Here’s the payment.”

“…Alright, thank you.”

Even hearing that a large sum had been earned didn’t brighten Helena’s expression.

The street scene behind her was just as bleak.

The gray streets were deathly quiet. No shops were open, and no people were around.

“Ever since yesterday’s general meeting, the atmosphere has been awful. Everyone gathered at the guildhall looked drained. It’s like they’ve suddenly lost their entire livelihood.”

“Are there many without guarantors?”

“From what we’ve checked, about twenty.”

There were roughly a hundred merchant members in total.

That meant a staggering 20% of them were on the brink of closing their shops.

“Everyone had been planning a festival together with high spirits, and now with this incident, the others aren’t feeling good either.”

Helena let out a heavy sigh.

“I reached out discreetly to some noble acquaintances, asking if they could help…”

“They refused.”

“Yes. They said they didn’t want to be associated with us because of our bad reputation. Funny, since they were secretly buying our goods thinking they were valuable.”

Helena clicked her tongue.

“They ignored us when we asked for help with security, but now that we’ve taken care of everything ourselves and try to do well, they’re just throwing salt on our efforts. It makes me really angry.”

From what I’d heard from my grandfather, Helena had requested the royal court’s help multiple times to maintain security.

But each time, her pleas were ignored. They told her to manage with her own resources, citing a lack of manpower.

That was why the gray streets were under the guildhall’s security, not the knights or the city guard.

“They catch criminals, hold them temporarily, and hand them over to the knights who come by for patrols occasionally, like a favor.”

Helena, wearing a troubled expression, looked at me and forced a bright tone.

“I’m rambling, sorry. I just feel relaxed here, so I talk more than I should.”

“No, it’s fine.”

“Still, guild member Elisha is at least somewhat fortunate. Even though Michele is traveling, she can briefly come by and act as a guarantor.”

I had no words and simply nodded.

“I could tell you were worried because your expression was terrible, like you hadn’t slept at all. Well, I’ll take my leave then.”

Helena truly had a keen sense of people.

She hadn’t slept at all last night because she had visited the Raum estate.

Even though her own mind was tangled, Helena extended care toward others. I grasped her hand firmly.

“It will work out. Please don’t worry too much, Madam Helena.”

It wasn’t a casual greeting.

I said it clearly and firmly.

Helena looked at me steadily and smiled faintly.

“…Alright. Let’s hope for a miracle.”

After she left, I took a plate from the safe.

Looking down at the plate with Nicholas’ painting, I muttered:

“It’s not a miracle. There will be results from our efforts.”

Helena’s effort.

My effort.

And Nicholas’ effort as well.

I recalled the conversation with Nicholas from last night.

“D-Duke Michele sent you…? Does that mean you’re the Duke’s granddaughter?”

“Yes. You’ve never met my grandfather, right? You might doubt it, but look at my eyes. They’re the same color as Lionet’s.”

I slid the document in front of Nicholas.

It was the record I inherited from my grandfather.

Watching Nicholas read the document, I recalled what I knew about him.

‘Nicholas Raum. A commoner-born painter who caught Rozanne’s eye and became a son-in-law-in-name. Rozanne, who prefers to pull strings behind the scenes rather than act openly, found him the perfect piece for her plan.’

Rozanne never loved him.

She only married him as a cover to use him as a copyist and to show that she valued art enough to marry an unknown painter.

Of course, even loveless marriages can change people’s hearts. But Rozanne’s never did.

I knew that better than anyone.

Because…

‘In my past life, Rozanne killed Nicholas.’

She took him away, like she’d kidnapped my grandfather. Six months later, Nicholas was ousted.

He was falsely accused of having an affair and fathering a child.

When Nicholas tried to clear his name with an interview at a small gossip magazine, he died in an accident.

It had to happen that day.

‘The perpetrator escaped immediately, and there were no witnesses. The investigation fizzled out, and the man who was once a marquis was buried in disgrace.’

The Nicholas in front of me was destined to die.

If I hadn’t been there…

“Ah, I understand. But why did the Duke seek me out…?”

I looked at his gentle, tear-streaked eyes.

Nicholas must have vaguely realized the truth too.

That as long as he stayed by Rozanne, only bad endings awaited.

So…

‘I will change that ending.’

“He valued your talent highly, and that’s why he wanted to invest.”

“…Invest in me…?”

“Yes. Not in your copies, but in your real paintings.”

Nicholas stared, dumbfounded. I smiled gently.

“The conditions are very simple. Would you like to hear them?”

His weak jaw, frozen in shock, clenched.

He nodded resolutely.

“Yes. Please, tell me everything.”

When we finished talking, Nicholas handed me a plate with a waterfall painting.

“Will you accept it?”

“Oh, may I really take it?”

“Yes. People usually think the painter owns the work, but in my view, the true owner is the person who first recognized its value. So please, become the owner. Use it however you wish.”

After carefully repacking the plate into the safe, I looked at the neatly stacked bundles of cash.

It was time to start investing anyway.

I decided to invest in Nicholas.

‘It’s not out of pity. It’s a business decision.’

Because Nicholas’ paintings were truly excellent.

A painter who married a duchess but fell into ruin due to a scandal.

His death was even briefly reported in the duchy’s newspaper.

I saw a few of his paintings from before Rozanne exploited him.

Nicholas’ pre-Rozanne paintings were vivid and full of life.

Even latecomers fell in love with them and clamored to buy them.

‘Rozanne likely kept undermining his confidence so he couldn’t think for himself. Who else would have noticed, if not me? But it was only a matter of time. Nicholas would eventually see the light.’

I was glad I had an eye for art.

I could recognize that the supposedly retired Nicholas was, in fact, Rozanne’s secretly employed copyist.

‘Rozanne’s copyist business will take a huge hit.’

The plan to prevent Rozanne from touching him was already set.

All that remained was to wait.

Glancing at the night auction schedule on the calendar, I fiddled with a magical orb.

A defective one, but its bumpy surface could work as an acupressure ball to wake me up.

‘I need another relic to hide Lina’s pendant…’

The scoundrel knight would definitely return with his usual tracking tool.

But the tool didn’t detect only the pendant.

So I could claim it was a different relic, and he’d be mistaken.

The problem?

I didn’t have that other relic.

‘You can’t just take a relic because you want it.’

Money wasn’t the issue.

If it’s expensive, buy it and sell it at a profit. Though the margin might be small.

But if there’s nothing to buy in the first place?

‘Do I need to dig up land around the World Tree temple?’

As I pondered, a thought struck me.

The only relic I’d encountered besides the pendant:

The golden music box.

But my expression soon soured.

‘If I get it from that thief, it’s stolen goods. That’s absolutely out of the question!’

Should I request a loan from the World Tree temple?

Rarely, they grant such requests.

I was deep in thought when suddenly:

“Hello!”

He must be tired from lack of sleep.

Right. Of course.

If this isn’t a dream…

“I came to keep my promise to come again. You remember my name, right?”

The guy I was thinking about suddenly appeared in front of me.

Why is this thief barging in so boldly? I never even made a promise to him.

Without further thought, I threw the magical orb I’d been holding at him.

‘Right! It’s defective!’

I realized it after throwing it, but oh well.

Might as well take it! Revenge for the spray incident!

…Or so I thought.

“Uh, um.”

The orb hit the thief, and web-like strings erupted from it.

“What an… intense greeting.”

The thief, tied up by the strands and falling backward, laughed heartily.

“Quite the reaction…”