“……You mean the Grand Duke?”

Amelia nodded with a smile when she saw the Master’s face stiffen when she mentioned the Grand Duke. It seemed like Master was aware of the Grand Duke’s influence. Probably because of his business dealings in Siegfried.

“You said you would auction it off.”

“Yes, I’m going to put it up for auction.”

In fact, Amelia had a plan from the beginning. She wouldn’t trust the brooch that only brought misfortune to Leonel. It will bring some good fortune? That was a lie from the start. It was a common practice to overvalue old items.

“But why did you ask me to spread the rumor that the Grand Duke was interested?”

It was simple. People always wanted to buy the things they wanted at the cheapest price possible. Especially when there was no competition for the item, they would bargain even more.

“Master, do you know how jewelry is sold at the highest price?”

“How.”

“When it’s the same gemstone, but one is sold at my price and the other at an outrageous price.”

Both gems were similar in size, and the only difference was the owner.

“Gems sell well when they have a story.”

Storytelling was crucial for jewelry. The value of jewelry was determined by who wore it.

“The value increases depending on whose jewelry it is. In that sense, we can say this brooch, which played a role in the founding myth of the empire, has exceptional storytelling.”

There probably wasn’t a better storytelling gem in the empire. A brooch that aided the founding myth of the first emperor and brought success to its owner. It was an item that everyone desired. Even the imperial family wanted it, making the whereabouts of the brooch unknown.

“That’s what you said back then, right? The fearless scavengers would be sticking around, but it would be difficult to get the right price.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

She knew that, too. The unofficial treasure of the imperial palace that had disappeared is showing up at an auction? It was an extraordinary treasure among treasures. Probably everyone in the empire would be tempted by it. Just the fact that it appeared in the world would cause a big sensation.

But everyone would realize that it was an item they couldn’t possess. Despite being unofficial, it was the imperial treasure, and as long as the imperial family had their eyes wide open, there was no one courageous enough to take it. Things that couldn’t be possessed originally seemed even more desirable.

“There are two places in the empire that symbolize the color gold. The imperial family and the Grand Duchy. If Grand Duke Siegfried takes the brooch at the auction?”

“…The imperial family won’t say anything.”

Since it wasn’t an officially registered treasure, there would be no backlash. The only reason no one had it was because they were afraid of retaliation from the imperial family. In the end, the winner of the auction would be the imperial family. People were genuinely afraid, so they couldn’t participate in the auction sincerely.

“If we put this up for auction now, it’ll be obvious.”

“Everyone will be too busy paying attention to the imperial family, they won’t be able to participate properly in the auction.”

“Yes, the auction will be a failure.”

It was the same during Aaron’s time. The emperor, who was at ease, had his brooch taken by Leonel. The shocked imperial family continued to raise the auction price, but Leonel bid even more. Grand Duke Siegfried’s financial power surpassed their imaginations, and the emperor, who had financial limits, eventually gave up on the brooch.

As a result, Grand Duke Siegfried became firmly entrenched in the imperial palace. Because the emperor, who had his brooch taken, wholeheartedly supported the crown prince, Aaron.

Aaron gained a lot with just one brooch. A huge sum of money that could serve as business capital and the emperor’s support. And all that Leonel gained was a broken brooch.

“The imperial palace finds treasures without having to spend money. How nice would that be?”

It was so disgusting that I couldn’t stand it. The emperor also persecuted Leonel greatly. Since he couldn’t punish him outright, he tried to demean him. Saying that he wasn’t a proper Siegfried. After awakening, he had even been called a demon, right?

“Well, it’s better this way. The spell on the brooch is broken, after all.”

“What?”

She didn’t want to give the emperor something intact. Of course, she never believed in the effect of the brooch, but…

‘That’s because it wasn’t intact after all……’

Even if there had been an effect, how much of an effect would there have been? Even if the magic hadn’t been broken, it would have been the same. It was probably an exaggerated rumor from the beginning.

“I don’t even know if the spell was really broken.”

“Usually, when the magic inside breaks, it breaks together.”

Contrary to the Master’s words, the brooch was dazzling. It shone so brightly that everyone would believe it was completely made of gems. The golden diamonds were just like Raphael’s eyes. They were pure gold, uncontaminated by any impurities.

“Just a moment.”

Amelia tilted her head in confusion at the Master’s action of touching his forehead when he saw her examining the brooch. Why was he acting like that?

“You aren’t planning to compete with the Imperial Family and the Grand Duke’s Family, are you?”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

“You asked me to spread rumors that the Grand Duke’s family is interested in the brooch…”

Amelia simply nodded her head silently. It wasn’t without reason that he became the top merchant of the Empire. It was convenient that he understood everything with just a slight hint.

“The Imperial Family, upon hearing the news that the brooch will be auctioned, will probably try to buy it at a low price.”

The money she had was hardly enough to fund her business.

“Since no one else will be competing. But what if there is competition?”

“They will prepare a lot of money.”

“Yeah, that’s right. Since the competitor is the Grand Ducal family, it can only be settled with money.”

He couldn’t exert and stamp it with the imperial authority. According to her memory, the Emperor had coveted the brooch until the moment Leonel died. That was not an ordinary obsession. Obviously, since he knew the brooch existed, he would be itching to get it.

“Your Highness wants to sell this brooch to the Emperor.”

More accurately, there was no one else who would buy it at the price she desired. Leonel buying the brooch would happen more than ten years later. Would Raphael buy such a brooch? He was definitely not that kind of person. Then the only one left was the Emperor.

The Emperor also participated in the auction at an unimaginable price. If Leonel hadn’t risked his life and bid on it, the brooch would have ended up in the hands of the Emperor.

“The plan is perfect in every way. But there’s a problem…”

Amelia knew what the Master was talking about. This plan had one drawback. It was a perfect plan only if Raphael joined in.

“Siegfried must really participate in the auction.”

“I thought it was all a secret from the Grand Duke?”

Of course, it was a secret to Raphael. Amelia smirked, raising her chin.

“I’m Siegfried too. Amelia Siegfried.”

***

Certainly, she had told him to spread the rumor that the Grand Duchy had an interest in the brooch. But she didn’t say it was Raphael.

“Your Highness?”

“I said the Grand Duchy of Siegfried was interested. It doesn’t have to be the Grand Duke, necessarily.”

And it wasn’t completely a lie, since the Grand Duke’s wife would participate in the auction. Perhaps people would interpret it as Raphael’s intention, not hers.

“I, Grand Duchess Siegfried, will participate.”

The master seemed speechless at her words. It was understandable since it was a very strange situation for her, the owner of the brooch, to participate in the auction.

“Then the rumor is not false, and if Siegfried participates, the Imperial Family will be nervous.”

“What if, by any chance, you actually win the bid?”

Amelia burst into laughter. The Master somewhat resembled Raphael until now, but she felt their difference in this aspect.

“Then we can cancel the auction. After all, I’m the owner of the brooch, aren’t I?”

Besides, the Emperor would never hand over the brooch to her. She will just try to raise the price. She doesn’t really intend to win the bid.

“You’re really… a bolder person than I expected.”

Amelia couldn’t help but chuckle at the Master’s groaning reaction.

“It’s a bluff of sorts.”

“By holding a hand you can never lose?”

“If I receive a large sum of money, it’s good for both me and the Master, isn’t it?”

She believed in the abilities of the Master. The Master was a person who could swindle money even from the imperial court.

“A brooch that brings prosperity to its owner…”

Although it was beautiful, there was no such power emanating from it.

“Wouldn’t Your Highness want to possess it?”

The more wealth, the better. But what was important to her now was cash rather than actual goods.

“No, I prefer cash.”

If Amelia were to leave Raphael and live alone with Leonel, she would need a considerable amount of money. In addition, she would need more than imagination to buy a decent position and start a business. Cash was more valuable to her than a brooch that’s said to bring good luck.

“I don’t need something like a lucky brooch.”

“It’s interesting. The more I learn about Your Highness, the more unfamiliar you are.”

“And isn’t that the same for the Master? A bundle of bills is better than this brooch, right?”

Amelia dangled the brooch on her fingertips. It shimmered and radiated a golden light.

“Beautiful things make me nauseous.”

It was incredibly beautiful, to the point where it was hard to believe it had been buried for so long.

“And I shudder at the color gold.”