Chapter 2.10

“Crafting a sculpture begins with establishing its composition, which requires skill. How could someone who conceptualized such an original and flawless composition end up with this result?”  

Ariana pondered aloud, her voice thoughtful.  

“Could it be an unfinished work by a renowned sculptor? Or perhaps the person who conceptualized it was different from the one who crafted it…”  

“This sculpture appears to be from the era of the Thousand-Year War.” 

Pablo offered, giving Ariana a hint.  

“The Thousand-Year War?”  

The Thousand-Year War was a civil conflict between two families vying for the imperial throne. Although the war lasted just over a century, its brutality and devastation made it feel as though it had stretched for a thousand years, hence the name.  

“Artifacts from that era are incredibly rare, aren’t they?”  

“Yes. The destructive war left many artifacts damaged, and few remain intact.”  

“If this sculpture is an intact artifact from the Thousand-Year War…”  

“Its mere existence would make it valuable. Depending on its artistic merit, it could even be considered a national treasure.”  

Ariana’s interest in the sculpture deepened, and she began to examine it more thoroughly. Like Pablo, she rotated it, inspected its details up close, and stepped back to assess its overall composition.  

The Earl, somewhat bewildered, nudged Pablo in the ribs.  

“Is this really an artifact from the Thousand-Year War?”  

“Yes. This time, you’ve made a proper purchase. Regardless of its artistic value, its origin alone makes it highly valuable.”  

“Then what’s the counterfeit?”  

“The first edition of 〈Alidsei〉, the ancient book you thought you had acquired.”  

“What?”  

The Earl clutched his head in disbelief.  

“I was certain about that one!”  

“It wasn’t easy to identify. The binding method was accurately replicated, and the paper was sourced from the correct era. However, the ink was a Baltic product released just ten years ago. Its unique gloss gave it away upon close inspection.”  

“Ink… of all things…” 

While the Earl and Pablo whispered among themselves, Ariana discovered something unusual about the sculpture.  

“Mr. Pablo! There’s some writing engraved on the base.”  

“Ah, yes. It’s encrypted, so I couldn’t decipher it immediately, but it seems to contain information about the piece.”  

It wasn’t uncommon for sculptures to have inscriptions on their base, such as the piece’s title or the artist’s signature.  

“Such inscriptions are usually meant to say, ‘Please recognize me,’ so why encrypt them?”  

The composition was perfect, but the craftsmanship was poor. The sculpture’s information was inscribed but encrypted, making it impossible to understand. It was an oddity in every sense.  

“There’s no such thing as an inexplicable inconsistency. There’s always a reason.”  

“This sculpture included?”  

“Absolutely.”  

Pablo smiled gently at Ariana, whose curiosity sparkled in her eyes.  

“Why don’t you try uncovering that reason? If you succeed, the Earl will gift the sculpture to you.”  

“Really?”  

Both Pablo and Ariana turned to the Earl, seeking his agreement. He laughed heartily and nodded without hesitation.  

“Of course. Whoever recognizes its value deserves to own it.”  

“Alright! I’ll figure it out for sure. Even if you hadn’t promised to gift it, I would’ve solved the mystery!”  

Seeing Ariana’s enthusiasm, Pablo nudged the Earl again.  

“Honestly, I think Miss Ariana might become a more skilled collector than you. She has an excellent eye.”  

***

“Today, many people, including myself, witnessed the golden sculpture. So, you’ve uncovered its secret.” 

Rowen remarked, staring at the sturdy wooden box containing the sculpture. They were returning by carriage, and Ariana, unable to endure Rowen’s questioning gaze, began to recount the story behind the sculpture.  

“I started by deciphering the encrypted writing. Once I realized it said 〈Birth of the Goddess of Beauty〉, I thought the sculpture was truly contradictory.”  

“Because its appearance was far from that of a ‘goddess of beauty.’”  

“Yes. Then I had a sudden thought: what if the plaster isn’t its true exterior? I read numerous books about the Thousand-Year War to find supporting evidence.”  

“What evidence did you find?”

“At that time, it was common to cover valuable sculptures with plaster to protect them from being damaged or looted during wars. I was certain that the true ‘Goddess of Beauty’ was hidden beneath the plaster.”  

Later, Pablo confirmed her theory. He had shared the same thought, and the Earl validated it as well. Ariana eventually received the sculpture as a gift.  

“To reveal the true form of the ‘Goddess of Beauty’ hidden beneath the plaster, we had to break the plaster. However, it wasn’t easy to act without knowing exactly what was inside.”  

“Because there was a risk of damaging the true sculpture hidden within the plaster.”  

“Exactly.”  

The thought of recklessly attempting to reveal the true ‘Goddess of Beauty’ could have led to the destruction of a precious artifact.  

“It was a dilemma. Before breaking the plaster, I had to first figure out what material the true sculpture was made of. It took years to uncover that information.”  

The Earl, Pablo, and Ariana worked tirelessly together to solve the mystery. After the Earl passed away, only Pablo and Ariana remained, but they refused to give up and eventually discovered the truth.  

“We could have restored it immediately, but since there was no rush, we left it covered in plaster until a suitable opportunity arose.”  

“And yet, to think you threw that precious sculpture onto the ground…”  

“I knew the sculpture inside would be intact. I even confirmed it with restoration experts. I wanted to make a bold statement.”  

Time was of the essence. Ariana needed to earn money quickly to resolve the family debt her husband had repaid. A staggering amount of 100 billion was impossible to earn in a short period through conventional methods. Though she recognized the risk, she had no choice but to act boldly.  

“Judging by people’s reactions, it seems I succeeded.”  

Ariana smiled nonchalantly, her demeanor calm despite the audacity of her recent actions.  

“By tomorrow, all the newspapers and bulletins will be full of stories about me and the sculpture.”  

“That’s likely. What do you plan to do next? You mentioned starting a business.”  

“That’s obviously a secret.”  

Ariana turned her head sharply, feigning indifference.  

“You might steal my plan, after all.”  

As their conversation drew to a close, the carriage began to slow down. They had reached their destination.  

“Wait.”  

Rowen stopped Ariana as she was about to step out of the carriage and pulled back the curtain to check the view outside.  

“Before you get out, you should tidy your appearance. Photographs last forever.”  

“What are you talking about?”  

“People in the capital are always hungry for interesting news. Reporters have already caught wind of this and gathered outside.”  

“Already?”  

Ariana, surprised, pulled back the curtain and saw a crowd gathered in front of the mansion. The area was packed with people holding cameras and notebooks.  

“Wow…”  

Ariana marveled at the reporters’ speed and diligence, prompting Rowen to chuckle. It amused him that someone who had just executed such a daring act was now so fascinated by the arrival of reporters.  

Rowen reached out and caught hold of the ribbon in Ariana’s hair as she gazed out the window. When she flinched and tried to turn away, Rowen issued a short warning.  

“Stay still.”  

His voice was close, as was his presence.  

“Your ribbon has come loose. Let me fix it for you.”  

Rowen carefully, yet skillfully, retied the knot on Ariana’s ribbon. Under his touch, the loose and crooked ribbon regained its neat appearance.  

“There. All done.”  

Ariana finally turned to look at Rowen, her hand reaching up to feel the ribbon. Without a mirror, she couldn’t visually confirm it, but it felt properly tied.  

“Most men aren’t good at things like this.”  

“Am I just an ordinary man?”  

“Well…”  

This man was like the golden sculpture hidden beneath the plaster—his true self was impossible to discern.  

“Either way, you’re certainly not ordinary. I misspoke.”  

She knew that if she spent time observing him, she would eventually find an answer, but she didn’t want to bother. With artifacts, perhaps, but with people, she had never gained anything good from delving too deeply. Her husband and Alena were proof enough of that. So, she decided to let it go. Ariana concluded her thoughts and sharply turned her head, opening the carriage door.  

“There she is!”  

“The Countess has arrived!”  

At the same time, the crowd surged toward the carriage.