Translator and Editor: Skye and Nabi

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Chapter 29

Evan went to sword training, and I met Serena, who came under the pretext of seeing me as a doctor.

“Serena, did you find the person I told you last time?”

I once asked Serena to find someone and bring them to me secretly.

At that, she nodded with a smile.

“Yes, they’ll be here soon, disguised as a herbalist.”

“Thank you.”

I had the land.

Now was the time to raise the Capital.

It was possible to borrow money to develop iron ore, but for now, it wasn’t the right time. The price of iron ore will soar after a few years. In the meantime, I was planning to raise some money.

Suddenly, Serena spoke in a low voice.

“Miss Laria.”

“Yes?”

“You’re going to step out at the right time, aren’t you?”

I looked at Serena, startled. I thought she might have noticed something since I bought the land under a borrowed name, but I couldn’t figure out why she would bring it up at this point.

“Well, yes.”

As I was trying to think about what to answer if she asked anymore, out of nowhere, Serena grabbed my hand instead.

“We’ll help you run away.”

“Huh?”

“You’re too precious to stay here at young master’s expense.”

I blinked a few times and then asked calmly.

“Tell me what you really want. There’s no way the Vestian Dark Information Guild would offer to help me so wholeheartedly.”

“I’ll… tell you later when I’m with Sven.”

There was no reason to refuse the help, though it was an unexpected situation.

Moments later, a servant politely came in with a boy.

“Ms. Serena, this child says he is a herbalist. He said you would know who he is.”

“Yes, welcome. I was the one who called him.”

When Serena answered, the servant bowed and left, and the fifteen-year-old boy bowed to me with a slightly nervous look.

“Hello, I’m Redian Keos, Young Mistress.”

Redian was a good-looking boy with dark green hair and black eyes.

I had instructed Serena to bring him directly to me. The reason why I needed to use this method because I couldn’t move freely.

“Yes,” I said, smiling brightly at the boy in front of me.

He called himself a herbalist herb dealer to deceive the Duke’s eyes, but truthfully, Redian was someone who had nothing to do with medicinal herbs.

“It’s not a big deal, I just wanted to buy some of your paintings.”

Redian was an unknown painter.

He had some paintings with unique styles in a small studio downtown. He was selling them, but they were not famous. However, soon after, his name would be widely known. The painting was the best when it came to money laundering!

I had some of the ten gold coins that I had previously received from Sven. Of course, this was also one of Seymour’s moves.

Seymour accidentally sees his painting and immediately knows it would be a huge success. So, he buys some of the paintings and presents the most valuable ones in the living room, exponentially increasing Redian’s value.

Along with him, the value of Seymour’s assets also increased.

Therefore, Redian was an artist who will go into the work anyway, so if I preoccupied him a little in advance, I could make some money.

“My, my painting?”

“Yeah. About five? One gold coin for each?”

“Th-that’s too much…”

Redian shook his hand.

‘If Seymour shows up later, he will give you a hundred gold for each painting…’

In particular, the price of the early works soared to the ceiling because the early style of painting couldn’t be restored even after trying.

“Then, I’ll buy ten paintings. One gold coin per two?”

There was no reason not to cut the price even though it was too much.

I don’t have to keep in touch with him either.

Redian realized he should have said, ‘No, my paintings are worth that much.’ However, he nodded hurriedly as if he realized that I wasn’t a person who carelessly lent gold coins, but someone who quickly cut the price in half.

“I understand, madam. Thank you…”

“Please do only ten flower paintings. Give Serena the painting, and she’ll take care of it.”

The reason why I called him in person was because he was stubborn about never selling paintings to people he had never met in person. The price of a painting increases even more because of the artist’s stubbornness.

“Yes…”

From Redian’s point of view, it must be astonishing.

He was a poor painter without any name, but suddenly the young mistress from a noble family called him secretly and said she would buy his painting at a high price.

“Though, how do you know about my paintings…”

“I was out of town a few days ago, and I saw it. I had a good feeling about the painting, so I remembered it.”

“Ah.”

Redness broke out on Redian’s face. As an artist, he couldn’t help but like the people who flattered his work.

“Especially, the color is remarkably unique, and I like it.”

‘…That was Seymour’s opinion, but anyway.’

“I think you know why I called you here secretly now. Please don’t tell anyone about this.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Hearing my words, Redian nodded immediately.

“I’ve heard that the late Madam loved painting and often called many artists… It might be burdensome to do the same.”

“Oh, she did? I didn’t know that.”

Since our business was over, I was planning to leave. Although Redian hesitated.

He turned towards me and said.

“Excuse me…”

“Yes?”

“Madam, if you don’t mind, would it be okay if I draw a portrait of madam and give it to you?”

‘My portrait? What kind of special treatment is this? Of course, I couldn’t say no!’

A portrait painted in Redian’s early style… It will be hard to even try to put a price on it later.

“Thank you for recognizing and appreciating my paintings, Madam. This is my first bulk order ever… so, I’d like to provide an additional drawing.”

‘To be honest, Seymour will approach you soon.’

Though he didn’t get his portrait painted. This was a buff for being the lady of a noble family.

“But, you didn’t bring any paintbrushes?”

“If I just keep my eyes on you for a long time, I can memorize your features and will be able to draw you.”

…Was he a genius?

“Well, the weather is nice. Shall we go to the garden and get some sunshine?”

Serena suggested with a smile.

Therefore, the three of us went out to the garden and sat all afternoon.

I ate the Oklasia fruit and talked about random things with Serena while Redian just stared at me from the side. It was a little embarrassing at first, but soon, I got used to it.

Later, when the portrait is finished, I should hang it in my hiding place rather than selling it.

It was just a typical and peaceful afternoon.

Until Serena suddenly disappeared, saying she was in a hurry to go to the bathroom, and just in time, Evan appeared with some snacks.

* * *

“What the…?”

Seymour frowned and blinked in front of Redian’s shabby studio.

“Redian Keos was called in?”

The old lady next door, who was guarding Redian’s shabby art studio, nodded sullenly.

“He’s been holding onto a painting that doesn’t even sell every day, but it looks like things will be better now. He followed the messenger of Icard Princess.”

“Pardon?”

“If the noble lady fancies them, it may be a huge order. I wonder if he can earn a month’s living expenses. Last time, I felt sorry that he was starving and instead went around to buy paint.”

“Princess Icard…”

Seymour bit his nails.

He thought he had nothing to do with her, but strangely enough, their moves seemed to be overlapped.

At first, it was a bit frustrating to see that she won the same amount of money as him at the horse race. If it weren’t for her, he could have gotten a lot more money. No… even if he saw the Black Horse himself, believed in it, and bet on it.

How the hell did Icard’s young mistress make such a bold choice?

‘Is it just a coincidence?’

Even when he went to the Vestian Dark Information Guild, which was said to be the most capable place with money earned at the horse race, he heard the name of Princess Icard once.

As soon as he held the newspaper in front of the old man guarding the cafe, and said, ‘I am this person.’

He replied with a sour voice.

“You have already been here, don’t pretend as if you didn’t.”

Then, Seymour pointed more closely at his back on the newspaper. The old man looked at him surprised, saying, ‘I thought it was just one person…’ and guided him to Sven.

In other words, Laria Rose Icard, who had a more slender back than himself in the picture, had already come and gone from the place. Furthermore, when he met Sven, Seymour said he wanted to buy a title and the Hanua estate, but he replied with a nervous look.

“I’m afraid that the Hanua estate is already being bought from here to here. Why don’t you just buy the rest?”

Seymour had a strange premonition that the person he mentioned somehow might be Princess Icard. Although Sven didn’t reveal the name of the buyer, he still had a hunch.

He thought she was just a stalker.

Hanua was not well known and was a low-priced land. It was far from the Capital, and there was no particularly advanced industry.

‘If she hadn’t thought about making money there for a special reason, she wouldn’t have been interested in that land at all.’

However, trying to purchase the remote land at the same time wasn’t enough. And, now… she called for Redian Keos.

Redian Keos was a jewel-like talented painter he found while looking through various art galleries. Although he was still young and didn’t actively sell his paintings, the artistry and expressiveness of the paintings themselves were excellent.

In particular, once anyone saw how bright and unique the colors are, it was hard to forget them.

Just a few exhibits at influential art salons were enough for the prices to skyrocket.

Originally, the artwork was limited in supply, so once they became known, they made quite a lot of money. So, he was here to make it skyrocket but… yet again, Icard’s Princess…

‘Strange.’

Seymour sat in front of the art studio and thought, ‘I’ll wait for Redian to come back.’

‘How can she think the same as me…?’

It wasn’t just anyone, it was the Young Mistress of Icard…

A noble lady who was completely different from him, who was a commoner since birth. She was the wife of Icard’s only heir, even though she was only fourteen. They had a status gap that made it difficult for them to even greet each other.

Though did he care about that? Rather, the spirit of challenge ignited even more.

Didn’t he run, wondering how far he could go after starting with his bare hands?

‘Perhaps…’

Moreover, now that he had bought the title, he could no longer be considered a commoner.

He thought he could buy a title to some extent with money gained from the horse race, but since he gained less money than he thought he just got the Baron title.

‘Is it fate?’

Seymour carefully pulled out of his pocket a newspaper article from a few days ago, which he always carried with him, and unfolded it.

‘My soul mate, that I never thought would exist in this world?’

We won the money together, though since Laria is an aristocrat, she attracted much more attention than himself—a picture of Laria’s back, taken at the horse race, in a large position. And next to it, he could see his backside by the side.

Although they made the money together, Laria gained more attention since she was a noble lady.

‘I want to know more.’

His brilliant blond hair shone in the sun, and his green eyes sparkled in thought. Due to his beautiful appearance, women passing by secretly stared at him.

Seymour Letucia.

An eighteen-year-old commoner with no blood, tears, conscience, moral, or ethical consciousness, who was brimming with ambition, and only loved things that made money.

Now, as a Baron, he was named Seymour ‘Gold’ Letucia.

Just by adding ‘Gold’ as his middle name, it clearly showed his passion for money.

Even though he started as a baron now, he was going to work harder for a higher title that required astronomical money.

If he liked her, he had the tenacity to stay by her side, regardless of whether she had a husband or not.

He wouldn’t give up on Princess Icard, even for Princess Elanie, who was said to be the center of the Imperial Family.

‘I need to meet her.’

Seymour raised his chin, lost in thought.

‘Somehow…’

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