Chapter 21
Suddenly, the auction host called out to him.
“Director. You should come here for a moment. Some strange customer wearing glasses is causing a scene.”
“Tsk.”
The sharp click of his tongue stung Hera’s ears.
It was a much rougher action than the personality the director had shown so far.
“Hammer. Keep an eye on things.”
He gave instructions to a burly man and left the room.
Hera remained rigid in her previous posture, barely able to breathe.
Now what?
How was she going to get out of here?
And what should she do with the painting?
What should I do? What should I do…
‘Blue Rose.’
[Yes, Hera Wintaile.]
‘It’s better if I save money and come back another time. Tell me how to get out of here.’
[The Collin Hugh Rivers Auction House is an irregular, membership-only auction. Both schedule and content are top secret. If you miss this chance, you may never see that treasure again.]
‘But what am I supposed to do in this situation…’
Hera shut her eyes tightly in frustration. The man watching her barked a warning.
“Don’t try anything funny. Just because my eyes are closed doesn’t mean I’m asleep.”
Asleep.
Suddenly, like a lightbulb turning on, an idea popped into Hera’s head.
She needed to make him fall asleep.
With the power of the Prophecy Book.
‘Blue Rose.’
[Yes, Hera Wintaile.]
‘Could you… make a sleeping pill for me?’
Hera licked her dry lips as she awaited the book’s answer. Come on, come on, say yes.
[Possible.]
[Dispensing sleep aid.]
Then, a pill the size of a thumbnail dropped into Hera’s hand from midair.
When it came to medicine, Hera knew better than anyone.
It wasn’t powder or liquid—but a pill. Forcing a pill into the mouth of someone twice her size was no easy feat.
Without realizing, Hera shouted in frustration as she stood up.
“It’s a pill! How am I supposed to make him take it?!”
“What?”
Naturally, the man who’d been watching her reacted immediately.
“What kind of trick is this?!”
He lunged at her, reaching out with both hands to subdue her.
Panicking, Hera had no idea what to do.
She instinctively stretched out the hand holding the pill in a clumsy attempt to defend herself from the approaching man.
“Ugh. What the…?”
A miracle occurred.
The pill in Hera’s hand went straight into the man’s mouth. Maybe it was sheer luck from flailing her arms.
With a thud, the massive man collapsed like a rock.
“No way.”
Now she understood why the pill was so large—it needed to act instantly.
Hera shook her head vigorously while staring at the man now in a deep sleep.
This wasn’t the time to be stunned. She needed to escape.
“Oh right. The painting.”
With the painting too.
“Slot open.”
At her command, blue rose petals began to bloom from the Prophecy Book.
Just like in Duke Antony’s bedroom, the petals transformed—this time into a golden frame that could hold the painting.
[Slot open.]
“Seal complete.”
[Seal complete.]
Hera had now committed theft for the second time in her life.
She had drugged someone to avoid paying. Now she was a full-blown criminal.
Letting out a deep sigh, Hera fell into self-reproach.
Then, she felt something strange. A faint breeze swept over her entire body.
“Huh? I’m back to normal?”
Looking down, she saw she was wearing her original clothes.
Her hair was pink again, flowing lightly.
Everything had returned to normal.
“If I put the treasure into the prophecy book, does its power disappear too?”
It seemed the disguise vanished the moment the sealing completed.
‘So I’m basically a treasure-hunting sniff dog now.’
It felt like the book’s powers existed solely to help her find treasures. Hera pouted bitterly.
She looked around the room, realizing she couldn’t just walk out like this.
A black cloak hanging in the corner caught her eye—thankfully.
“Let’s get out of here.”
She removed the mask from the sleeping man’s face and put it on. Then she draped the black cloak over her shoulders and carefully slipped out of the room.
Strangely, the auction hall was in a bit of chaos.
A man with glasses was waving his arms and shouting, clearly displeased. The director and host were struggling to calm him down.
“Good. I should be able to escape.”
Retracing her steps, Hera weaved through the crowd.
Not long after, a loud voice rang out behind her.
“We lost the thief? Are you kidding me? Search the place! Now!”
Men started appearing from every corner of the underground space, responding to orders.
“She’s a young noblewoman with black hair. Begin the search immediately!”
Hera steeled herself to avoid slowing her pace.
✦
“Your Highness. You’ll have to pay me at least ten thousand Luna later for this favor.”
“Put it on my tab.”
Meriot clicked his tongue with a regretful look.
He had caused a disturbance on purpose by ordering Shane to stir things up, all in hopes of seeing the black-haired woman again.
He thought that if there was noise, she might come out to see.
But the woman he’d been waiting for never appeared.
Worse, Shane made more of a fuss than expected, so Meriot couldn’t keep an eye on the back room.
Soon after, a young man who seemed to be in charge of the auction went into the back and shouted loudly.
From the word “thief,” it was clear the black-haired woman had stolen the painting.
“She actually did it? That huge painting? How?”
Meriot felt dizzy.
A woman who stole in such a bizarre way. A clumsy-looking figure, but a flawless phantom thief.
Leaping from his seat, Meriot rushed into the back room.
There was only a massive man collapsed on the floor.
“That phantom thief again…”
And then, Meriot’s eyes landed on a blue rose petal.
He had found her—the one he was searching for.
✦
By the time Hera managed to escape from the secret Collin Hugh Rivers auction house and arrive in Tolinga, dinner time had long passed.
The head maid rushed to Hera as she arrived home, her face full of worry as she took Hera’s coat.
Rather than looking concerned about her being late, she looked frightened.
“Young Lady, why are you so late?”
“Why? Did something happen?”
“Please, go inside quickly.”
The maid pointed to a place Hera had never entered before.
It was the study of Baron Toling, the master of this house.
‘Baron Toling.’
Ober Toling.
Ever since waking up in Emilia’s body, Hera had never seen him. Now, he was the man she had to call “father.”
Trying to calm her nervous heart, Hera stepped into the study.
It was darker than any other part of the house.
As she walked carefully, eyes on the floor to avoid tripping, she eventually looked up—and saw Julian and Cecilia already standing there.
They glanced at her coldly but said nothing.
Their usual warmth was completely gone, replaced with rigid hostility.
Hera felt like she was being swallowed whole by a wave of confusion and tension.
Standing in the center of the room was Ober Toling. His gaze landed squarely on Hera.
“You’re late. Where have you been wandering around without a servant?”
Tall and thin, with dark brown hair like Julian’s—but even more somber in appearance.
He radiated a closed-off air, yet also a strangely decadent one. A bizarre figure.
Lost in the eerie atmosphere, Hera was jolted back to herself by a heavy thump.
It was the sound of Ober Toling’s cane striking the floor.
“I’m sorry.”
“I heard about the memorial service. They say you’ve grown close to Count Wintaile.”
It still felt strange to hear her relationship with her father, Larry Wintaile, described by others merely as “close.”
Hera chose her words carefully.
“The kind Count simply exchanged a few words with me.”
“Larry Wintaile? Kind?”
Ober scoffed.
His tone dripped with hostility.
“So you lost your memory, and now your sense of judgment too?”
