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CHAPTER 89…
I was deep in thought again.
A way to catch the culprit… without making a big scene…
The auction item that disappeared during the event.
A perfect locked room, and the only suspects were the attendants who moved the items.
How exactly did they steal the painting?
Various clues swirled and tangled in my head.
At that moment, I noticed the small notebook sticking out of the knight’s breast pocket.
“Sir Lupen, does that notebook include today’s entry logs as well?”
“Oh, yes. Just in case, I recorded who transported which auction item. Would you like to see it?”
I took the notebook from the knight and checked it.
Just as he said, the names of the attendants and the items they moved were written down.
As I scanned the list, something caught my eye, and I couldn’t help but smile.
“I think we’ve found our culprit.”
In a break room tucked inside the building—
The attendants who had finished transporting the items were resting there.
Andrew, sipping water, noticed his colleague Blan Lichman giggling to himself in the corner and walked over.
“Blan, what’s got you in such a good mood?”
“Huh? Oh?”
“You’ve been snickering like a lunatic. Something good happen?”
Blan looked flustered for a moment but quickly brushed it off with a clumsy excuse.
“Oh, it’s just… I had a funny dream last night. Can’t stop thinking about it. Haha.”
Andrew gave him a weird look but didn’t press further.
“Anyway, drink this and get some rest.”
As Andrew handed him a cup of water and moved on, that sinister smile crept back onto Blan’s face.
The real reason for his laughter wasn’t the dream—it was because of the emperor’s auction item hidden in the ceiling of a remote room in the building.
[“Burn the real item as soon as it’s swapped.”]
Feydan had instructed him to swap the emperor’s auction item with a fake and burn the original on the spot.
But why burn something so expensive? I could make a fortune selling it!
If he sold it on the black market, he’d get a huge payout.
He didn’t know the exact amount, but it was definitely more than whatever Feydan promised.
And if I sell that painting, it won’t just be a matter of ‘negligence’—the duchess will be accused of stealing royal property. That’s good news for the duke too, right?
Oh, he couldn’t wait to get his hands on that money.
Of course, if he quit immediately after, it’d raise suspicion. So he’d keep working another two or three years before retiring “to return to his hometown.”
As Blan drifted deeper into his sweet fantasy—
The break room door suddenly opened.
Click, click.
The sound of heels echoed in as Leticia entered, with Idris behind her.
Surprised by their sudden appearance, all the attendants quickly stood at attention.
Blan was no exception. In fact, he was the most shocked.
Why is she here? Don’t tell me… she found out about the painting?!
His thoughts spun wildly in panic, but he quickly forced himself to stay calm.
No, no way. Even if they realized the painting was swapped, they wouldn’t know it was me, right?
Besides, if the switch had been discovered, there would’ve been a huge uproar.
The fact that it was still quiet meant they didn’t know yet.
She must be here to give instructions or something.
Leticia had been overseeing the auction preparations from the start. It made sense.
But then—
“The auction’s nearly over. Could everyone please help load the auction items onto the carriages?”
Everyone followed Leticia’s instruction and began filing out of the break room—except for one person.
“Oh, Mr. Blan, please stay behind for a moment.”
Everyone looked puzzled, but obeyed and left the room.
Now alone with Leticia and Idris, Blan finally sensed something was off.
But showing panic now would only make him look more suspicious.
And really, maybe this has nothing to do with that. If I react, I’ll just look guilty…
Blan forced a calm expression and spoke first.
“Is something the matter, my la—”
“What did you do with the painting?”
The cold, blunt question made Blan’s eyes widen and shake violently.
She knows it was switched!
He had swapped it after the auction began—figuring no one would open the frame or even have time to.
He thought the deception wouldn’t be discovered until the buyer checked it.
But how the hell did she…?
Even if she somehow figured out the painting was fake—
How did she know it was me?!
Many attendants had been moving items.
The fact that she singled him out was too specific.
Is she bluffing?
There was still no proof.
Until they could present hard evidence, denying everything was the best option.
“P-Painting? I’m not sure what you’re talking ab—”
“Shall I be more direct?”
Leticia leaned in slightly, her voice ice-cold.
“The painting you smuggled out in the jewel-studded quiver. Where is it?”
As she described the exact smuggling method, Blan’s face turned ghostly pale.
Leticia sneered.
It’s easy if you think about it.
Folding the painting would damage it.
Rolling it up would be obvious.
So he must’ve hidden it naturally—inside something else.
Most likely inside the item he was assigned to move.
And among the auction items, there had been a luxurious quiver decorated with gems.
The knight’s log had clearly stated that Blan was the one who carried that item.
Leticia came straight to the break room.
There were many attendants there, but finding Blan had been easy.
He was the only one looking panicked the moment she walked in.
“Y-You mean… the auction item’s gone? How could that be?! I swear to the gods, it wasn’t me! Truly!”
Leticia smirked as she looked down at Blan, now groveling.
His pale, panicked face and desperate denial were pathetic.
“Idris.”
Leticia turned to Idris, who stood quietly beside her.
“I’ll leave the rest to you.”
“I was waiting for that.”
As Leticia walked out, the sound of her heels fading behind her, only Idris and Blan remained in the room.
Blan suddenly realized he should’ve tried to stop her.
But—
“Well then, shall we have an honest little chat?”
It was already too late.
“Damn it, when the hell is that stupid dress auction going to end…”
Feydan yawned and cursed under his breath.
The emperor’s painting auction would begin after this fashion show, but it was taking forever.
Just as his patience was wearing thin—
“The latest Mariposa dress is sold for 700,000 gold!”
Finally, the fashion show was over.
“Now, let’s keep the momentum going as we head into the highlight of today’s auction—the item you’ve all been waiting for!”
Feydan’s dull eyes finally lit up.
