CHAPTER 62……………
Three days later.
According to Julian’s memory, today was the day the holy relic called Ignis would be put up for auction.
Before coming here, there had been a small hitch.
Mion, who normally despised going out, had insisted on tagging along for once.
‘Why!! I want to go too!’
‘What if you cause trouble again and word gets back to Penelope’s people?’
Getting away with it once had been pure luck; twice would be impossible.
Since it was already known that Mion was a frequent customer of the Penelope viscountcy’s black market, there was no way I could bring him here.
Even after I said that, stubbornness still lingered on his face. I had no choice but to add:
‘If you get caught this time, you’ll be sent straight back to the ducal estate. I won’t be able to protect you.’
That finally broke his resolve.
“1,000,000 gold! A bid of one million!”
“2,000,000 gold!”
“Three million!”
Wearing a cat mask, I quickly raised my placard.
5,000,000 gold.
“Five million gold! Any higher bids?”
“Sold! Ignis is sold for five million gold!”
The booming voice of the auctioneer filled the black market hall.
Murmurs rippled through the crowd. It had been a while since such a huge sum changed hands.
Originally, this money was meant to buy a countship…
But since the price of a countship had risen to 30 million gold, I had decided to pour the five million into this instead.
No regrets. This relic will make me more than five million.
Still, a faint guilt lingered.
I had practically stolen the information from Julian and snatched it away from him.
I glanced at the side where I saw a flash of pink hair. Thankfully he was far enough away that he probably wouldn’t notice me.
But that illusion shattered in less than five minutes.
“Countess Jacqueline. Fancy meeting you here.”
“…!”
I had tried to slip out unnoticed, wary of running into Julian, but ended up face-to-face with him.
His eyes softened when he spotted me.
“Congratulations on winning the relic.”
“Th-thank you. But how did you recognize…?”
“Your hair color. It had to be you.”
Hey, didn’t you say you had face-blindness?
That was a lie, wasn’t it.
Suspicion welled up inside me as I quickly tucked the relic into my arms.
“Sorry, but I can’t hand over the relic.”
“No, I didn’t come to steal it.”
Julian waved his hand with an embarrassed expression.
“I was just glad to run into you here…”
“Ah, I see.”
I answered flatly. My empty response made him look downcast.
“I really hope you don’t misunderstand. You’re the only person whose face I can recognize…”
I swallowed a sigh.
Don’t make that expression with that face.
Because he looked so much like Melin, it weakened my heart.
‘The only one.’
That title felt like a burden too heavy to bear.
Without thinking, I blurted out:
“How exactly does one use Ignis to cure an illness? Just by holding it?”
That Melin-like face kept disarming me.
“To be honest, I haven’t thought that far, so I don’t know.”
“If just holding it works, that’d be fortunate. But I can’t risk taking it out here…”
The black market was still bustling with the ongoing auction.
I glanced around, then offered a compromise.
“Visit the Academy sometime soon.”
His eyes widened in surprise.
Even that startled look was the spitting image of Melin.
If Melin had been born a man, wouldn’t he look exactly like this?
The resemblance was uncanny. My eyes kept straying to his face.
Reminding myself that staring too long was impolite, I finally looked away.
“Is it really alright for me to accept such an invitation…?”
“Then don’t—”
I opened my mouth, intending to cut off my own meddling.
But Julian was quicker.
“Thank you for the kindness.”
He smiled brightly as he replied.
Clearly, he had wanted Ignis, though. That left me wondering.
“Then why didn’t you bid in the auction?”
He had more money than me. Why hadn’t he tried?
Julian gave a strained smile.
“I thought it would be better for such a precious relic to go to someone who truly needs it, rather than have it dismissed as junk if it didn’t work on me.”
“Really, just for that reason?”
I narrowed my eyes in doubt. Julian looked away sheepishly.
But under my steady gaze, he scratched the back of his neck and muttered:
“…I wasn’t expecting much. I was afraid of being disappointed again.”
His eyes drooped low. He looked like he might cry.
Because he looked so much like Melin, ignoring him was impossible.
“…Sweet things are said to cheer people up.”
I handed him some packaged desserts I had bought earlier, then took my leave.
“Come when it’s convenient.”
I returned to my laboratory with proud steps.
But it was empty.
Placing my hands on my hips, I clicked my tongue in disappointment.
It would’ve been the perfect chance to put Alfeo in his place.
If he admired my ingenuity, maybe he would even agree to join Tara Transport.
If that happens…
I could almost see my countship…
Well, technically Lennox’s share, but still.
I could see my golden future.
Am I being too greedy?
Humans were fickle.
Even I, who once believed a modest life was enough, found myself chasing money now.
Life had become more enjoyable, and I wanted to cling to it, to avoid dying and keep living.
“…Where could Alfeo be?”
Probably the library.
I wandered the Academy in search of him.
Though it was winter break, he had chosen to stay at the Academy instead of the blood-soaked Imperial Court.
Then, someone stopped me.
A silver-haired, handsome middle-aged man in a deep-blue robe.
“Professor Elihu?”
“I sense a very mysterious aura from you!” he exclaimed, eyes wide.
“…Pardon?”
Was this a ‘believe in enlightenment’ sort of thing?
I hadn’t heard rumors of the Tower Master starting a cult.
His sudden proclamation left me flustered.
“Did you touch some top-grade mana stone?”
“No.”
“Then… a relic?”
Unbelievable. Even the Tower Master’s eyes couldn’t be deceived.
“It is a relic, but I won’t be donating it to the Tower as research material.”
“Che.”
But Elihu didn’t back down.
“Then are you planning to resell it for profit?”
“No, I’ll be using it.”
His eyes lit up.
“Do you know how to use it?”
“…No?”
I had planned to figure that out gradually.
And if I couldn’t, I’d consult an expert.
Like the Tower Master himself…
“Oh?”
“Ahem.”
Elihu crossed his arms and closed his eyes, as if to say isn’t one standing right here?
“…Are you offering to help me, Professor?”
“Of course. What wouldn’t I do for my student?”
“Even though I have no intention of joining the Tower?”
“I wasn’t expecting that anyway. Lately, the Tower has been trying to use low-grade mana stones for research, but supplies are short. I heard some greedy fellow bought them all up and created a monopoly.”
“What a shame.”
Feigning ignorance, I tilted my head. After all, I was that greedy fellow.
“But aren’t there still some on the market?”
A pitifully small amount, of course.
“Buying them at 50,000 gold per kilo, when they used to be 3,000? That’s insane!”
“My, that is expensive.”
“And recently, I heard that greedy fellow is tied to Tara Transport…”
Cough! Cough! “Oh dear… I must be coming down with something.”
I tried to excuse myself with feigned illness, but Elihu grabbed my arm.
“Clemens. How about we strike a deal?”
Somehow, I felt this was worth hearing out.
“What kind of deal?”
“You provide supplies. I send you talent.”
Do you smell that? The smell of money.
“Oh, I have been wanting capable people.”
I smiled slyly.
“Then I’ll take responsibility for supplying the Tower’s research materials.”
As long as you send me the mage I want.
I kept that last condition hidden as I pulled out a contract laced with subtle poison.
