| Chapter 40

For a moment, Quido felt as if he had been lightly hit on the back of his head. This was a rare occurrence, so he was slightly flustered. Blinking, he turned his head as the owner, turning the perfume bottle this way and that, said,

“Why, don’t you know? Miss Lucienne Bickman, the talk of the town. They say her brother, the young Baron Bickman, cherishes her dearly. In fact, the Baron came along and bought this for her. They were a close-knit pair of siblings. I heard she flaunted her beautiful figure at the recent succession ceremony? When young people gather, that’s all they talk about.”

“…It’s something the Baron bought for his sister? Did the Baron perhaps buy the same thing?”

“Did you not listen to what I said? This is one of a kind in the world. It’s made by the master craftsman Dvainko, and he never makes two of the same thing.”

One of a kind in the world.

Clicking his tongue, Quido stroked his chin. The image of snow-white feet stained with red blood immediately came to mind.

She was certainly a striking beauty, but the real reason Quido took interest in her was because of those eyes.

Lucienne’s eyes had captivated him from the banquet hall. Nobles of different origins usually don’t mix well in such places. They either serve others obsequiously or fail to join any group at all.

But Lucienne was different. She showed no signs of being intimidated or nervous. She brushed off the teasing from mischievous young ladies with a smile, all while focusing her gaze somewhere. Like a predator eyeing its prey.

At the end of that gaze was Administrative Official Penu.

Displaying a girlish shyness yet reciting poetry with a confident attitude, she was someone prepared for that place. When she caught Penu’s attention and captivated his heart, getting invited to the recitation gathering, Lucienne’s gray eyes were shining with the most beautiful light.

That recitation gathering was known for only attracting old-fashioned nobles, having no connection with young people, but it also meant it was a place where elders who wielded considerable influence in the royal court gathered. If someone asked Quido the fastest way to get close to those in power, he would recommend that recitation gathering without hesitation.

And yet, a young lady who had lived as a maid all her life and had just entered a noble family had confidently received an invitation to that gathering. At a place where it would have been fortunate just to avoid embarrassment.

Moreover, those feet.

Quido, who had followed her out of curiosity while concealing his presence, couldn’t help but be surprised. The face of the girl who had perfectly played her role with bloodied feet was full of clever pride. The eyes that maintained distance while revealing wariness towards him with an elegant attitude were quite impressive.

Something is happening in the Bickman family. Whether Lucienne is at the center of it is still unclear, but it seemed necessary to keep an eye on her.

“If you leave it here, I can send word to the Baron’s family. Well, you could take it yourself, but who knows if the precious young lady would easily meet a stranger.”

Quido inwardly sneered at the owner’s words, spoken calmly while hiding his greed for a reward. He shook his head with an innocent expression.

“How could she not meet me when it’s such a precious item? I might as well take this chance to see the famous Bickman mansion. Thank you.”

Quido turned his back on the visibly disappointed owner and left the store. As he tightened his collar against the cold wind, his mind was filled with the image of those shrewd, shining gray eyes.

| 7

T/N: I usually buy the serialized version of the novels but sometimes, when the ebook version is R19 and the serialized version is not R19, I buy both. That’s what I did for Volume 1, but I’m too lazy exporting the two copies that I bought so I’ve decided not to buy the serialized chapters from this volume and onwards. Therefore, the way I divide the chapters here may not be the same as how they actually are in the serialized version. Thanks 🫶

Kirhin discreetly put down the documents he had been examining cautiously. His head was spinning. He had spent the past few days comparing the transaction lists and goods from the Freemont merchant group, and in doing so, Kirhin realized something.

He truly had no talent for calculations and using his brain.

When he was at the academy, he neglected all his studies, so he didn’t particularly know what he was bad at, but now he knew for certain. He was weak with numbers and lacked attention to detail.

After entrusting him with the task of listing products, prices, and calculating totals several times, Lars almost threw the precious silver incense burner he was holding when Kirhin produced incorrect results four times in a row. Of course, it was aimed at him.

If he didn’t have an eye for good merchandise, he would have long since had the mark of an incense burner imprinted on his forehead.

Yesterday, when he was directly looking at and selecting items, it was quite enjoyable.

Kirhin sighed and rested his chin on his hand.

The best items among those sent by the merchant group were jewels and furs. There were many items of quality not easily found in Edmus, and above all, they exuded an exotic feel.

Perhaps because they traded with various countries, the methods of crafting jewels were diverse. While there might be personal preferences, there were many items that could fetch high prices if the right buyers with matching tastes were found.

It would be nice to assign someone else, but since the dealings with the Freemont merchant group were confidential, he had to sit like this every day, and his whole body ached unbearably. Wondering if he should suggest having an afternoon snack, Kirhin glanced at Lars and furrowed his brow.

There hasn’t been much progress for a while now. Lars, who had been holding the list of spices for hours, was frowning, seemingly displeased about something. Feeling a twinge of unease, Kirhin cleared his throat and stood up.

“Is there a problem with the spice list?”

“No.”

The answer was quick. Seeing a hint of irritation in his profile as he casually flipped through the papers, Kirhin cautiously asked.

“Then, is there perhaps a problem with me?”

“…Perhaps?”

Lars’s gaze, sharp as a blade, flew towards him as he closed the list. Faced with a look that seemed to say that discussing his problems would take all night, Kirhin could only silently turn his head away.

As if the work wasn’t hard enough, having someone so on edge next to him made him want to cry. Recalling the comforting voluptuous breasts and sweet breaths of his lovers to cheer himself up, he opened a box containing new products. Fortunately, it was full of beautiful things that could lift his mood.

“Here we have silk, ivory, and ornaments. Wow, this will be fun to make a list of. They’re all top-quality items! I’ve heard this purple silk can only be obtained from the Landrop region, and its color is truly unique. They say wearing a dress made of this silk can bring good fortune in love, so young ladies of marriageable age are scrambling to get their hands on it.”

Lars made a disinterested sound and put his feet up on the table. As he folded his arms and tilted his head back, closing his eyes as if to rest, Kirhin rummaged through the items, glancing at him from the corner of his eye. Suddenly, an exclamation escaped Kirhin’s lips.

It was a truly beautiful dagger. Both the sheath and handle were made of ivory, with a pristine color without a single blemish.

What’s even more astonishing was the craftsmanship. It didn’t seem like it could have been made by human hands. The sheath was engraved with the image of the god of wisdom, said to take the form of an elephant, and on the handle, two white tigers, guardians of the god, faced each other. Each line was so delicate and clear that one could fully sense their majesty.

Moreover, emeralds and diamonds were set around the edges, surrounded by gold. Even the harmony of the colors was perfect.

Judging by its size, it seemed like a dagger for women, but the tigers baring their teeth on the handle gave it a formidable presence. It was an overwhelmingly luxurious yet strictly dignified item. This dagger was likely the most precious among the items they had received this time.

“This is such a splendid item that I’d like to keep it for myself. Though the price would be considerable. Ah, if I hadn’t bought that perfume bottle for Lucy last time, I might have been able to afford it…”

Muttering unconsciously, Kirhin suddenly remembered something he had forgotten and glanced at Lars.

Hadn’t he been wearing the Dvainko perfume bottle that Kirhin had paid for and given to Lucienne!

He quickly checked Lars’s waist, but it was empty. He couldn’t tell if he had already returned it to Lucienne or if he simply wasn’t carrying it.

“May I ask you something?”

“No.”

The answer came back sharply. Kirhin, wrinkling his nose and looking at Lars with narrowed eyes, spoke in a deliberately serious voice.

“I wanted to discuss something about Lucy. It’s not unrelated to you, Lord Lars.”