TPES 39

Chapter 39

“Lady, it’s been a while. You’re later than our appointment.”
The Marquis glanced at the man standing behind her, giving a subtle signal.
She had said she would come within a few days, but it had taken her five days to return. Because of that, the unfamiliar man had also stayed at the Marquis’s house during that time.

“I’m sorry. I had some matters at home. So, I just need to take the painting, right?”
“Yes. The painting has been well kept here.”
Watching her smile innocently, unaware of anything, the Marquis allowed himself a victorious smile.

“Then I’ll be going.”
“Very well. We’ll see each other at the imperial banquet tomorrow.”

The Marquis stepped into the lobby to escort her out leisurely.
As expected, everything was going smoothly.

“Marquis!”
The butler in the lobby seemed flustered at seeing him and cautiously approached.

“Who is it?”
The Marquis’s gaze shifted to the woman standing in the lobby.

“Well….”
“I am a descendant of Melchaski. Babin Melchaski.”

Babin Melchaski.
The Marquis recalled the name from memory. She was the previous owner of this house, Babin Melchaski. He had heard she was recovering her health in a rural area far from the capital.
Because of her health, she couldn’t handle the contract personally and had acted through an agent.

Yet here she was, standing before him, looking perfectly healthy.

“Ah, so you’re the previous owner of this house. But what brings you here?”
“Well… I heard a rumor that you are selling the remaining paintings by the Melchaski painter…”

Her voice trembled slightly, perhaps still not fully recovered, and the Marquis sensed danger immediately.

“Let’s go inside and talk.”
He signaled to the butler to escort the Lady of Leonka out. It wasn’t good for her to hear this conversation.

But whether she was perceptive or utterly oblivious, the Lady of Leonka just smiled lightly, watching the situation as if it were amusing.

“No, let’s talk here.”
“Please come inside. We cannot meet guests in a place like this.”
“I just came to check a few things. Have you perhaps found Melchaski’s paintings in the attic?”
“Oh, haha, it’s a long story. Please come in.”
“Just tell me here. I have bad memories of this house, and I don’t want to go inside. I want to talk here.”
“Oh, then we’ll talk here. Trauma can be hard to bear, can’t it?”

The Marquis glared at the oblivious lady, silently urging the butler to get her out quickly.

“Lady, the carriage is ready. Let’s be going.”
The butler noticed the Marquis’s glance and tried to guide the Lady, but she didn’t budge.

“This house was where Melchaski lived. Some of his remaining works were found in the attic. So I’m just taking one painting with me. Is there a problem?”

And with her light, careless tone, the Marquis’s face tightened severely.

“You really sold that painting?”
Babin looked at the Marquis in disbelief. Her lips trembled.

“Ha…”
The Marquis already knew how to handle a delicate woman like her. He would usually take her into his private space, raise his voice a few times to intimidate her, then soothe her, and such women would comply out of fear.

But there was a problem—this Lady.
Espin had no intention of leaving.

“I’ll explain inside. Please come in.”
“Wait. Is there a reason why you shouldn’t sell that painting?”
“Lady, this is a personal matter. I ask you to leave immediately.”

Issuing a dismissal might be rude, but the Marquis had no time to care about etiquette.

“Give me that painting… all of them.”
Babin shouted with a trembling voice, leaving everyone present speechless.

“What is the meaning of this!”
The Marquis snapped in anger. Instinct told him he couldn’t let this woman manipulate the situation.

“I sold the house, not the paintings. So that painting belongs to me.”
“How can that painting be yours! It’s mine.”
“No, if you look at the contract…”

Babin pulled a piece of paper from her bag. Knowing it was the contract signed when the house was bought and sold, the Marquis swatted the paper away.
The papers scattered across the lobby.

“This house is mine, and so everything in it is mine. Stop talking nonsense and leave immediately! Hey, get rid of this strange person at once!”
“No. If you look at the contract, it clearly states that everything inside the house, except the building itself, belongs to Babin Melchaski.”
Babin shed tears of frustration.

But seeing her tears made the Marquis even more irritated. And now the Lady was witnessing all this. It was about to become complicated.

“I see. It’s clearly stated in the contract.”
“Lady, this isn’t your concern. Please leave now.”
“No. It is my concern.”

Espin reached out her hand, and a man brought forth a contract.

“This contract mentions compensation if there’s any issue with the painting.”

The Marquis was speechless. Espin was subtly implying that the painting had a problem and that she should be paid compensation.

1,500,000 litas—five times the 300,000 litas he had earned so far.

“Shall I go inside? I think I have something to discuss with the Marquis.”
Espin smiled brightly, as if she had discovered something fun.

The Marquis felt his head might explode as he looked at the two women in front of him. He couldn’t see a clear way out.
If he admitted the painting was drawn by his sick brother, he’d have to pay Espin compensation, and rumors would spread.
If he insisted it was Melchaski’s painting, he’d also have to pay Espin, giving her both the painting from tomorrow’s auction and the previous one.

After thinking long and hard, he chose a path.

“Actually, that painting is a forgery. There is no painting by Melchaski.”
“What? Then that painting is….”
“I’m sorry, Lady. My sick brother wanted to sell a painting claiming it was Melchaski’s. I helped him, and I apologize.”

“Ah. And what proof is there that it’s a forgery? Are you trying to deceive me?”
“Here, take a look.”

The Marquis removed Espin’s painting frame, revealing the signature his brother had secretly added. He had acted knowing the Marquis might find out.

“This is my brother’s signature. Melchaski’s works do not have this.”

Babin’s mouth fell open.

“Ah… then it’s a forgery?”
“Yes. But rather than a forgery, it’s my brother’s work imitating Melchaski.”
“Ah, I see.”

Babin smiled awkwardly and stood up. The Marquis called the butler over.

“Butler, come here.”
He whispered into the butler’s ear:

“Lock that woman up. We cannot let false rumors spread. At least until the day after tomorrow, keep her confined.”
“But…”
“I’ll take responsibility. Lock her up.”

If left free, she might spread the story everywhere, so they had no choice.

“Yes.”
The butler took her away, leaving only Espin and the Marquis facing each other.

“All the paintings you sold were forgeries?”
Espin’s lips curved in a knowing smile.

Now it was the Marquis’s turn to present something.