Chapter 3.4

“I knew this might cause trouble if you ran into him, but I had no choice today. I needed to show you this.”  

Ariana retrieved a statue from the safe and placed it on the table. The artifact, which had caused a stir in the capital, immediately captured Dylan’s attention. His earlier nervousness vanished as he examined the statue.  

“You’re aware that this statue was covered in plaster. While most of it has been removed, some remnants remain, so restoration is necessary.”  

As Ariana explained, Dylan carefully inspected the statue. As she mentioned, small chunks of aged plaster were still adhered to parts of it. Removing them without damaging the golden statue would require meticulous restoration.  

“This is a highly talked-about piece. Restoring it will bring you fame quickly, just as it did for me.”

Dylan had inherited restoration skills from his father but had never worked on a project for anyone else. Could he really take on such a significant piece as his first job?  

“This was originally a task I asked Daniel to take on.”  

“What?”  

“I thought restoring a piece of this caliber would clear Daniel’s tarnished reputation. But he refused.”  

“He refused?”  

“I explained the plan in a letter, but he still declined. When I went to persuade him in person… he recommended you instead. He said he wanted you to have this opportunity.”  

“…”  

Dylan was left speechless, glancing between Ariana and the statue. Ariana, seeing the uncertainty in Dylan’s eyes, spoke firmly.  

“So, please take it on. Daniel’s endorsement is enough for me. And it’s not like I’m offering this opportunity for free.”  

A flicker of tension crossed Dylan’s face. Of course, such a significant chance wouldn’t come without strings attached.  

“If it’s not for free…”  

His voice was full of apprehension. Ariana smiled gently, trying to ease his nerves, and got straight to the point.  

“This statue restoration is officially an excuse to meet restoration experts. What I really want to do is something else. I have to proceed in secret because of my lunatic husband.”  

Ariana placed a newsletter in front of Dylan. It was a publication from the Lynette Republic that she had been reading diligently while devising her money-making plans.  

“Vintage plates imported from the Empire are trending in the Republic these days. Items with visible ‘history’ are especially valuable, more so than pristine new ones. They even use cracked or broken ones as decorations.”  

The trend seemed to involve decorating homes with vintage plates and boasting, “Look at this historical piece I own.”  

“But isn’t it a shame to use them only as decorations? What if they could be beautifully restored and used to experience the ‘history’ they admire firsthand?”  

Surely, there would be a market for such items, even at high prices.  

“However, they can’t be restored in a typical way. If they’re made to look brand new, the vintage charm is lost.”  

If new products became the competition, the appeal of vintage items would diminish drastically.  

“So, they need to be restored for practical use while retaining their vintage feel. I need someone to brainstorm and develop that method with me.”  

Dylan’s lips parted slightly in surprise. He didn’t fully grasp everything Ariana was saying yet but could sense that this was a massive undertaking—and a significant opportunity for him as well. Nervously swallowing, Dylan met Ariana’s gaze as she asked directly,  

“Do you think you can do it?”  

Her golden eyes shimmered with confidence, and before he knew it, Dylan found himself nodding. At that moment, a smile spread across Ariana’s face.  

“Great. From now on, we’re partners.”

***

After sending Dylan home, Ariana collapsed onto her bed to recover her energy. She was exhausted from walking all the way to Daniel’s house.  

‘At least I’ve cleared one major hurdle.’ 

Now that she had secured a restoration expert, her business plans felt a bit more tangible.  

‘Is there a suitable space I can use as a workshop? I need somewhere to restore the statue and research plate restoration methods.’  

It had to be a quiet place where her husband wouldn’t notice, so the Earl’s mansion was out. Dylan’s house seemed too cramped for his family, so that was also out. Renting a space was an option, but it would require a landlord who could keep secrets from her husband.  

‘A quiet place where that bastard won’t find me…’  

Suddenly, a location popped into Ariana’s mind.

***

“This place is a bit shabby, but I’d like to rent it temporarily.”  

“…”  

Rowen was utterly baffled as Ariana barged into the “investigation office” early in the morning, leaving him in a state of disbelief as soon as he woke up. Kazen, who appeared while rubbing his sleepy eyes, was equally startled to see her. However, Ariana paid no attention to their reactions and casually inspected the office.  

“Hm. I doubt anyone could live here properly, but unfortunately, I don’t have many options. This building has two floors, so there must be at least one vacant room, right?”  

Of course, her intention to rent the place had not been discussed with Rowen or Kazen, who managed the investigation office—or rather, the Unnamed Knight Order.  

“I don’t recall having such a discussion.”  

“Well, we can discuss it now.”  

Ariana pulled out a check from her pocket.  

“Obviously, I’m not asking for it for free. Consider it a ‘space rental request.’ I’ll pay for it.”  

“It’s not about the money…”  

“What’s more important than money for an investigation office?”  

Ariana widened her eyes in genuine confusion. Rowen frowned and glanced at Kazen.  

“What makes you think it’s safe for you to stay in a house full of men? And didn’t I tell you never to return to this alley?”  

“The person who’ll primarily use this space is a man, so it doesn’t matter. I’ll only drop by occasionally to discuss things.”  

Rowen’s expression twisted at her words.  

“A man?”  

“Yes.”  

“What kind of man?”  

“Ha. Why? Are you surprised that a married woman is asking to rent a room for a man?”  

Ariana laughed nonchalantly, but Rowen was in no mood to laugh along. Ariana Astaroth was indeed married, but she was also a renowned beauty in the capital. Countless young noblemen had shed tears upon hearing of her marriage. Her beauty was so captivating that she could easily have multiple lovers if she wanted.  

“I’m not as passionate as my husband, who keeps lovers. I need the space for business, not for anything strange.”  

“Business?”  

Rowen and Kazen, who had been brimming with rejection, suddenly perked up. They were deeply curious about what kind of business the wife of the infamous Earl Astaroth was planning. The two exchanged quick glances. This was an opportunity to monitor Ariana’s “business” up close, and they weren’t about to pass it up.  

“The rent will have to be high.”  

“Be reasonable. I’m a regular client.”

***

Ariana grumbled as she made her way to the second floor. Each step on the creaky stairs produced unsettling noises.  

“… This won’t collapse, will it?”  

When she asked nervously, Kazen scratched his head and gave an awkward laugh.  

“It shouldn’t collapse, but it might not meet your standards, Lady Astaroth.”  

“I’m not as picky as you think. This building may be smaller than the restroom in the Earl’s mansion, but that doesn’t… Ah!”  

As she waved her hand dismissively, Ariana suddenly let out a scream and jumped into Kazen’s arms. Rowen instinctively stepped in front of them, gripping the handle of a hidden dagger. The only one caught off guard was Kazen, who found himself awkwardly holding Ariana.  

“L-L-Lady Astaroth?! What’s wrong?”  

Kazen shouted in panic as Ariana, still burying her face in his chest, pointed to the spot where she had been standing moments ago.  

“A b-b-b…”  

“A b?”  

“A bug!”  

The two men, who had been on high alert, immediately deflated. A beetle, about the size of a thumbnail, buzzed lazily in the direction she had pointed.  

“It’s just a beetle… It doesn’t even bite.”  

“Doesn’t even bite?!”  

At Kazen’s deflated tone, Ariana abruptly raised her head from his chest. Her hands were still tightly clutching his clothes, forcing him to awkwardly raise his arms while darting his eyes nervously.  

“There’s no such thing as a harmless bug in this world! They’re breeding grounds for all kinds of germs! And besides—”  

“Besides?”  

“They’re unpleasant to look at!”  

At Ariana’s confident assertion, Rowen let out a dry laugh and casually grabbed the beetle with his bare hands, tossing it out the window. Ariana’s face turned pale as she watched him handle the bug so effortlessly.  

“You just… grabbed it with your bare hands?”  

“If you’re this scared of something so trivial, how will you manage? There are plenty more of them around here.”  

“Plenty more?”  

“Of course. Beetles are nothing. Here, there are cockroa—”  

“Don’t say it!”  

Ariana interrupted him with a scream and whispered in a low voice,  

“Words have power. If you say their name, they’ll appear.”  

“Who? Cockroaches?”  

“Shh! What if they actually show up?”  

“Well, no need to worry… they’re already here.”  

Rowen pointed to the floor near Ariana’s feet. Something small and black darted quickly past her shoe. Ariana’s face turned ghostly white. Her lips trembled, and her legs gave out beneath her.  

“Co… co…”  

Pointing shakily at the floor, Ariana closed her eyes and fainted. Rowen swiftly caught her as she fell backward. Seeing Ariana limp in Rowen’s arms, Kazen’s jaw dropped.