“Pardon?”
Haren moved closer to Travis and examined the report he was reading.

The report, which suggested the woman’s death was linked to a previous fraud case, also detailed the type of scam she had fallen victim to in the past.

A man who falsely claimed to be the illegitimate child of a noble family had promised to marry her if his family acknowledged him. Believing she could become a noble through marriage, the woman trusted him wholeheartedly.

At some point, the man said he needed to start a business to gain his family’s recognition and constantly complained about his lack of money. Wanting to help him in any way she could, the woman gathered all her assets and handed them over to him.

On the day she gave him all the money she could collect—her parents’ money, her relatives’ money, her friends’ money—everything she could possibly gather, the man disappeared without a trace. When she went to the family he had mentioned, they denied knowing him and chased her away.

The investigation revealed that the man did not exist and concluded that the woman had likely been the victim of a marriage fraud scheme.

The report also included a description of the man’s appearance:

A medium build, neither tall nor short, with a greasy smile. He had a plain face with brown hair and brown eyes. His speech was full of bravado, and he had a hot-tempered personality that made him quick to anger. However, when seducing women, he was full of sweet, honeyed words.

One notable feature mentioned in the report was a large black mole between his neck and shoulder.

Upon seeing this detail, Haren let out a small exclamation.

“Ah!”

Haren immediately thought of Sebastian, who was currently imprisoned. He vividly remembered the mole on Sebastian’s neck, mistaking it for a bug and smacking it hard during their first encounter.

“You mean the stalker we caught at Espin’s house?”
“Yes. Doesn’t this sound similar to him?”
“It could be. Should I go interrogate him?”
“No. I’ll go myself.”
“Ha, still, to think someone would fall for such a scam, lose all their family’s wealth and even their friends’ money, and then end up losing their own life… It’s truly tragic.”

At Haren’s comment, Travis nodded solemnly.

“Retrace the suspect’s actions, starting from the day he was arrested at the Leon Count’s estate. That should give us clues about who he was in the past.”

Hearing Travis’s instructions, Haren’s jaw dropped.

His hopes for leaving work on time were now completely dashed.

***

After leaving the Ameron Ducal Family, I headed straight to the information broker. Unlike last time, the gatekeeper immediately opened the door to the stairs leading to the second floor upon recognizing my face.

“Hah… I’ll never get used to these stairs.”

Wearing heels, I practically crawled up the stairs. By the time I reached the second floor, Robert was already waiting for me.

“You said we’d talk later, but here you are already. You’re quite impatient, Lady.”
“Hah, but don’t you find these stairs exhausting?”
“Not at all.”
“Ugh, is it just me?”

As I followed him into the room, panting for breath, Robert handed me a glass of water.

“So, did you find out what I asked about?”
“Yes. But since when did you start speaking so casually to me?”

Not only had he removed his mask upon entering the room, but Robert was now speaking and acting as though we’d known each other for years.

“Good question.”

Robert smiled, seemingly finding it odd himself.

“I don’t know. You’re just easy to talk to. Maybe because you already know who I really am, I feel no need to hide anything.”

Robert answered lightly and crossed his legs as he sat in the chair.

“So, you should speak casually too. No need for noble formalities between us. We’re on the same side, after all.”
“Alright.”

There was no reason to refuse. While Robert was a few years older than Espin in this world, my actual age was closer to his.

Seeing me boldly switch to informal speech, Robert let out a chuckle.

“Hah, I didn’t expect you to adapt so quickly.”
“Robert, do you know an art dealer who’s popular among noblewomen these days?”
“Robert, huh…”

He repeated his name, almost like he was hearing it for the first time.

“If you mean that guy, I’ve heard of him. They say he’s a Viscount who studied in the Kingdom of Bornor. His name is Bleached Monzas, right?”
“Yes, that’s him.”

The Kingdom of Bornor, located near the southern part of the Empire, was renowned for its advanced arts and had a long history of excellence in fine arts. It was a popular destination for students across the continent, and studying there was widely respected.

“Hmm…”

Robert nodded knowingly, appearing to have already picked up on something suspicious.

“I thought something was odd about him.”

“What do you mean?”
“Lately, his high-value art transactions have been increasing. Rumor has it he sold a piece to the Ameron Ducal Family for 200,000 litas.”
“That’s right. It was a Melchaski painting.”
“Melchaski? He sold a Melchaski piece?”

Robert’s expression showed genuine surprise.

It seemed this was a secret kept among noblewomen, and even within the Ameron Ducal Family, only the Duchess and Flaria knew the painting was supposedly by Melchaski. Robert clearly hadn’t heard about it yet.

“Yes. They claimed it was discovered in the attic of Melchaski’s old estate. But it’s probably a lie.”
“Of course. If there were any remaining works by Melchaski, I would’ve found them first.”
“Exactly. He’s pulling off an elaborate forgery scam.”

And he was doing so by imprisoning someone and forcing them to create counterfeit works without rest.

“Forgery, huh… But how can you prove it’s a fake?”
“That’s what I need to figure out. So, I want you to investigate Melchaski’s supposed house, his family, and that Viscount.”
“That’s easy enough. By the way, about that foundation you mentioned…”

Robert opened a paper envelope sitting on the table.

“I looked into various options. The Empire doesn’t look kindly on gathering scam victims. After all, the light penalties for fraud are rules made to benefit nobles and the Emperor.”
“So, what’s the plan?”
“The only way is to gather people privately and help them discreetly. To do that, it might be best to establish a trading company as a cover.”
“That’s a good idea. Then also look into people who’ve been scammed.”

Even though I treated him like a personal secretary, Robert showed no sign of annoyance. For him, such tasks were hardly difficult.

“When can you have the information ready?”
“I’ll have it by tomorrow.”
“Then I’ll come pick it up—”
“No need to come.”
“Huh?”

How was he planning to deliver the information? There were too many eyes at the Leon Count’s estate, including my father, the Countess, and Rosette.

As I looked at him in confusion, Robert smiled mischievously.

“Actually, ever since the Leon Count’s estate fired all its servants at once, I planted one of my subordinates there.”
“What? How?”
“That’s my trade secret. It was easy for me, though.”

His casual tone left me speechless, and he kindly used the paper envelope to close my gaping mouth.

“You’ll dislocate your jaw.”
“You’re a terrifying person.”
“Don’t be too scared. There’s no major noble family without at least one of my subordinates in it. It’s a common thing.”
“That’s even scarier.”

He truly lived up to his reputation as the Empire’s top information broker.

Even noble families, who followed strict hiring procedures, couldn’t stop his agents from infiltrating.

“Do you have people in the Imperial Palace too?”

He smirked slyly, pursing his lips and shrugging.

“Who knows?”

He does. He definitely does.

That expression was a dead giveaway.

“Don’t worry. My subordinate will deliver the information. If you need to pass on a message, you can use them. Contact me if it’s urgent.”

Robert smiled nonchalantly.