EMST 06

chapter 06

To think I managed to get such an enormous starting capital in just one day.

The lottery I bought yesterday had won as expected, and on top of that, I also collected the horse racing payout thanks to Yuri. There was no longer any need to worry about business funds.

Seeing me happily holding a heavy pouch of gold coins, Yuri tilted his head.

“What are you going to do with that money?”

“Hm? What do you think I’m going to do?”

“Stop being mysterious. You’re clearly planning something fun, that’s why you’re so happy.”

What a sharp guy. How does he read my mind so easily?

‘He said he’s not a mage… is he actually a mind reader?’

First the lottery, then horse racing, now even my spending plans—Yuri kept hitting the core of everything. It made me flinch a little.

But he was my reliable business partner, wasn’t he? There was no need to keep secrets from him.

“Yeah. I’m going to buy white roses with it.”

“White roses? The kind used at funerals? With 1,300 gold, that’s a lot. Are you sure there isn’t a massive plague in the capital or something?”

“Don’t say scary things. And it’s chrysanthemums, not white roses.”

Even if a plague broke out and funerals increased, flower sales might rise—but profiting from someone’s death didn’t feel right.

Besides, I wasn’t planning to profit from white roses themselves.

The real target was something that would take the capital by storm a year later.

“Blue roses. I’m going to make and sell them.”

“Blue roses?”

Yuri’s eyes widened.

I nodded confidently.

‘I already know how to create artificially colored roses.’

And that method was—

‘Dye them.’

✦ ✦ ✦

Blue roses were actually very simple to make: just place white roses in dyed water for a day.

But no one in this world had thought of such a simple method.

That was why, when blue roses were first revealed, they became an enormous sensation.

In fact, before the method became widely known, blue roses were extremely rare and sold for outrageous prices.

‘I already know how to make them.’

And since I had already seen success once in the future, I had no hesitation.

As I told Yuri, I used the horse-racing winnings to buy a large number of white roses. I even signed a contract to have them delivered daily for a month so they wouldn’t wither if bought all at once.

Next, I went to an art supply shop and bought blue dye. Blue pigment was expensive, but I didn’t hesitate.

‘Bold investment brings huge returns. And the best way to make money is to stay ahead of trends.’

That was exactly what someone who had returned in time could do best.

Yuri, who had been following me around all day, clapped after seeing my experiment samples.

“Wow, Titi is really a genius. How did you even think of this?”

“Ah, well…”

It wasn’t my original idea, so I felt a little guilty.

‘I should find the person who originally invented blue roses and make it up to them somehow.’

Yuri stared at the blue roses as if enchanted.

“They’re so beautiful. I want to fill my room with them. No—I don’t even want to sell a single one.”

“This is a product.”

It was made to be sold!

Anyway, that was how we became the first in the capital to launch blue roses.

And naturally, the results were explosive.

✦ ✦ ✦

Yuri watched the woman moving busily in front of him, her silver hair swaying lightly.

Small and delicate shoulders, a slender neck, large eyes—and yet surprisingly firm, capable hands.

Titiana had used the money she earned earlier to buy a large batch of white roses. Right now, she was carefully organizing the freshly delivered flowers.

Roses had to be handled gently so they wouldn’t get damaged, and placed in water in a cool area to prevent wilting. There were many vases and water containers, so it was a lot of work. Most people would complain—but Titiana worked quietly and diligently.

It was admirable, but Yuri’s gaze remained flat.

Honestly, it was annoying.

‘She could just move them over there. If she wasn’t watching, I could do this with magic.’

That was Yuri’s true thought.

In truth, he was a great mage. Tasks like this could easily be handled with magic—levitation for carrying flowers, water creation spells for filling vases.

But he couldn’t use magic openly in front of her. Especially not after lying that he was no longer a mage.

‘Acting all gentle just to lower her guard is honestly tiring.’

Maybe he shouldn’t have agreed to lend her the building for several years.

At first, she seemed interesting, and he was curious about her secrets, so he agreed. But now that he was actually stuck managing everything with her, it was exhausting.

Yuri sighed internally.

But the moment Titiana turned around, he put on a bright smile as if nothing was wrong.

“Yuri, I think I’m done organizing. Let’s go out now.”

“Huh? Where to?”

“We said we’d make blue roses. We need to buy blue dye.”

At her words, Yuri’s eyes sparkled.

‘Blue roses.’

His boredom vanished instantly, replaced by excitement.

‘At the Magic Tower, there were many strange flower experiments. Most were rejected due to ethical concerns…’

There were “Love Flowers” that enchanted people, and “Sleep Flowers” that induced sleep. But no one had ever tried making blue roses.

‘It might be possible with magic… changing hair color is already possible. Usually it’s stored in magic stones as artifacts, but here the medium would be a flower.’

But flowers were far weaker than magic stones.

‘Still, flowers wilt quickly anyway… so maybe that’s not a problem.’

He began thinking about how to embed color magic into white roses.

Just then, Titiana grabbed his sleeve.

“Let’s go, Yuri.”

And so he followed her to the merchant district.

The blue dye was more expensive and heavier than he expected. Carrying it made his earlier cynical thoughts return.

‘Why am I even doing this?’

Then he suddenly became curious.

If he could create blue roses without all this trouble, how would she react?

People he knew would have immediately asked him to do it.

He asked her casually.

“Unnie, what if there were a much easier way to make blue roses?”

“Easier way? Like what?”

“Using magic, for example?”

“How is that easier?”

Titiana laughed as if it was ridiculous.

Yuri shrugged.

For him, magic was as natural as breathing.

“Anyway, if a mage were nearby, would you ask them to do it?”

She tilted her head.

It was a strange assumption—mages were rare. But Yuri might know one.

After thinking for a moment, she asked:

“How much would I have to pay that mage?”

Yuri blinked in surprise.

“You’d actually pay them?”

“Of course. Why would I ask a mage to work for free?”

“But… it’s easy for them…”

Around him, people constantly asked for free help just because something was “easy.”

This was the first time someone had considered payment so naturally.

Unaware she was talking about Yuri himself, Titiana said firmly:

“Even if it’s easy, you shouldn’t ask people to work for free. That’s just being inconsiderate. Everyone’s time is valuable.”