CHAPTER 81………………………………..
“This item was extremely difficult for us to acquire as well. It’s a dish that has recently become hugely popular among noblewomen, and we were very lucky to get our hands on it,”
the auctioneer said confidently, giving a subtle nod to the assistant.
The assistant, who had finished setting up on the podium, nodded in return.
And the moment the box lid was lifted, I immediately recognized the item the auctioneer had introduced.
“That’s…”
When I had visited the shop, I had carefully examined each item for market research. This was definitely the same dish I had seen back then.
‘At first glance, it looks real enough.’
Up close, there might be differences, but from a decent distance, it didn’t seem cheap or shoddy.
“Starting bid: 50 marni!”
The price was already high, just because it was favored by noblewomen.
‘That’s way too much.’
Most dishes sold in shops rarely exceeded 30 marni.
Of course, even that amount was something a commoner family would have to save for an entire year.
‘Even if I try to haggle, there’s no way…’
Once the auction started at such a high price, it was impossible to predict how much higher it would go.
‘Honestly, I’d probably be better off buying it…’
But, of course, I had no money on me.
I didn’t even have enough to scrape together to buy it.
‘I could just see what the princess has, though…’
The more comparison samples I had, the better I could understand the situation.
“60 marni!”
“70!”
“95!”
It was clear that this was a trendy item. The bidding was as heated as it had been with the fake ring. And since all the orders were custom-made by reservation, the premium naturally kept increasing.
‘These are real opportunists.’
Just thinking about how much they had made off items like this was dizzying.
“150!”
“!”
Then, someone suddenly raised the price sharply. Shocked, the others glanced around.
I, too, blinked, unable to hide my stunned disbelief.
“F–one hundred fifty!”
The auctioneer shouted in an excited voice, repeating the number a few times, perhaps thinking no one would bid higher.
Finally, when the last number was called, the auctioneer clapped vigorously and bowed.
“Sold for 150 marni. Thank you!”
He added with a cheerful smile that the item would be prepared immediately.
I couldn’t help but smirk inwardly at the sight. These people were clearly rolling in money, though I had no idea who had bid.
“Next item!”
The auctioneer raised his voice even higher, probably thrilled at the money being made.
As I continued to observe a few more items, I gave Matheus a subtle nod.
Since it seemed unlikely that any more dishes would come up, it seemed like a good time to leave.
Blending naturally into the crowd, we slipped into a quiet alley.
“So it really is circulating in the black market.”
“Yeah.”
Matheus seemed to recognize the item immediately, probably because he had seen it at the shop as well.
“Let’s discuss the details back at the mansion.”
I suggested, and Matheus nodded, extending his hand. But just as I was about to take it, he suddenly blocked my way.
Before I could ask why, heavy footsteps echoed nearby.
A moment later, a man slowly appeared in the dark alley.
“…Viscount Soh?”
I hadn’t expected to run into him here.
“What are you doing here at this hour?”
I furrowed my brows.
I should have been asking the same thing.
But before I could get an answer, we had to part ways. One of Dian’s subordinates urged him to leave immediately.
So, instead of going into details, Dian briefly arranged a future meeting and quickly disappeared down the alley.
Back at the mansion, I spent a long time stewing before finally confiding in Kenis.
“I can’t stop feeling uneasy.”
“Because the Viscount was there?”
“Yeah. And there was nothing else around the auction hall.”
That meant he had come for only one possible destination.
It was a mystery why he had attended the same auction as me.
“I see… so that’s what’s bothering you.”
Kenis, who had been listening quietly, clenched his fists tightly. I immediately sensed the sharp intensity and turned to him.
He glared at me, grinding his teeth.
“I clearly told you not to move around alone.”
“W-well…”
“You are the one leading Renesti! Not me! If something happened to you, what would happen to this family and all the work piled on this desk?”
“But I brought Matheus with me…”
“….”
“…Sorry.”
All my excuses, which had been on the tip of my tongue, vanished. I lowered my head, and Kenis sighed deeply.
“If you were going, you should have taken me along too. What if something unexpected happened while you went alone?”
“It wasn’t really that kind of situation…”
“Meeting Viscount Odilon wasn’t some random accident, right?”
“…No.”
I didn’t expect to run into him either.
“But why did he really come? Was he investigating something too?”
“Most likely, yes.”
Kenis glanced at me, careful not to seem hostile, and continued.
“Otherwise, the only other reason would be to participate in the illegal auction.”
“Odilon wouldn’t have a reason to do that.”
I knew from the original story that he was extremely upright. He must have had some purpose.
“Anyway, we’ll talk about that later when we meet again.”
“That makes sense.”
“Then we’ll ask at that time.”
Kenis gestured toward the piles of documents on the desk.
“First, handle this.”
“….”
“And you have to meet the princess too.”
“Yeah…”
“Not going empty-handed, right? You should prepare a gift and schedule the visit.”
“Right…”
“So what should I do now?”
I quietly closed my mouth.
“You work with your mouth shut.”
A sinful person has no freedom.
A few days later.
I boarded the carriage with the invitation from the princess. The tea party would take place in the greenhouse, and I wanted to check the setup in advance.
‘I also need to know what dishes they’ll serve.’
While plating was important, the dishes used were equally crucial. There were many factors to consider, and visiting in person was better than exchanging letters.
“Have you arrived?”
Lilieta, already seated in the reception room, nodded. I responded with a polite slight bow.
“I am here to see Her Highness the Princess. I hope I am not too late—.”
“I just came early. Don’t worry about it. Please, sit.”
Her straightforward response made me take a quiet breath and move forward.
But as soon as I sat down, an unexpected question was asked.
“What do you like?
