“This piece is presumed to be an early work of Melchaski, painted even before the well-known 『Morning Greeting』. It is a painting from the period when he was experimenting with colors he rarely used, exploring combinations that had not yet been revealed to the world.”

At the Viscount’s words, the audience gasped in admiration. No one seemed to suspect that this painting had actually been completed just yesterday.

“It is a painting featuring colors not often seen in Melchaski’s works, reflecting his struggles with identity and his journey as an artist. Now, let’s begin the auction.”

At the Viscount’s announcement, hands moved quickly. The pace was much faster than the previous auction.

“Already at 200,000. Any bids for 210,000?”

When the bidding surpassed 200,000, the flurry of activity ceased.

It seemed that anything above 200,000 was too much for the attendees.

‘These bids are too small.’

The Viscount couldn’t afford to sell the painting for less than the previous auction’s price. The higher the bids went, the more people would be willing to spend in the future.

Viscount Monzas signaled to the shills scattered among the attendees. Just as they were about to act on his signal—

“300,000.”

A delicate voice called out an astounding amount.

“300,000?”

The crowd murmured in astonishment. 300,000 litas for a single painting? It was a price comparable to the highest currently being paid in the art market.

Viscount Monzas scanned the room for the owner of the voice that had called such a magnificent sum. It was a lady wearing a mask, lightly waving her hand. He recognized her from earlier when he had checked the invitations.

She was Espin Leon, a young lady from Count Leon’s household, introduced by the Duchess of Ameron.

If it was Count Leon’s family, they could certainly afford such a sum.

“300,000. Any higher bids? If not, 300,000—sold!”

The Viscount struck the gavel three times, sealing the deal. It was a very satisfying price.

“Now, the winning bidder will be escorted to a room for the contract. Today’s auction is officially concluded.”

“Are there no more paintings?”

At the announcement, the crowd looked around, voicing their disappointment.

The Viscount dismissed them without hesitation. They were people who coveted the paintings but weren’t willing to pay over 200,000. They were of no value to him.

“I’m sorry, but these are all the paintings we prepared for today.”

“Then, when is the next auction?”

“Ah, I can’t give you a definitive answer about the next auction. There are only a few paintings left to be auctioned. This might even be the last one.”

After stirring their anxiety one last time, the Viscount headed to the room for the contract.

Inside, Espin was leisurely tapping her feet, looking around the room with an innocent expression.

“You must be Lady Espin from Count Leon’s household, correct?”

“Yes. I came at the recommendation of the Duchess of Ameron.”

“Lady, you’ve made an excellent choice. In fact, this is my favorite painting. I assure you, in ten years, its value will more than double.”

It was a line he always used. He had said the same to the Duchess of Ameron and to the Marchioness who had won the previous painting.

The truth, however, was that this painting was a forgery that would be worth nothing in ten years—or even in just ten months. But such lies were necessary to prevent the buyers from backing out.

It was a blatant falsehood, but the Viscount felt no guilt.

“May I read the contract?”

“Of course.”

The contract prepared by the Viscount was a standard one commonly used in the Empire.

While scammers often altered contracts in subtle ways, that tactic only worked on commoners. Nobles, familiar with contracts, would quickly spot any irregularities in the clauses.

‘This contract is sufficient.’

By the time they realized something was wrong with the deal, he would already have fled to the Kingdom of Bornor, with a new identity. It was best not to do anything that might arouse suspicion.

“Here it says, ‘In the event of any issues with the ownership of this painting, Viscount Monzas, the seller, will take full responsibility and compensate the buyer. The compensation amount will be five times the contract price.’ Is that correct?”

“That’s correct. It’s a testament to how confident I am.”

“Do you have collateral worth five times the contract price?”

Of course not. The family’s assets were already outweighed by its debts.

The money raised from selling off the family’s valuables and the proceeds from previous auctions amounted to only 500,000 litas. That was far short of the 1.5 million litas—five times the contract price of 300,000.

“Lady, why do you ask such a thing?”

“My father told me to be cautious with contracts.”

The Viscount studied Espin.

She had an innocent face, clearly unaware of anything. It was obvious that the Count had sent her to act on his behalf.

After all, there was no way a young lady could personally afford such a large sum.

“Yes, your father must have told you to check. It’s possible.”

The Viscount walked over to the safe. The safe was built into the mansion, making it difficult to remove.

Inside were the cash from liquidating the family’s assets, the proceeds from previous auctions, and several jewels.

Although he felt uneasy about showing his wealth to someone else, all of it would soon be moved abroad anyway.

“As stated in the contract, the cash and assets in this safe serve as collateral.”

“I see. Oh, and this painting is genuine, correct? It was definitely painted by Melchaski?”

“Of course. It’s an authentic piece, discovered through highly meticulous methods.”

“Then, could you add one more condition to the contract? If this painting is proven to be a forgery, you will pay five times the contract price.”

At Espin’s words, the Viscount frowned, unable to hide his displeasure.

“You’re quite suspicious, Lady.”

She didn’t know anything about paintings, yet she had the audacity to question the authenticity of his work. It was absurd.

“It’s better to be safe than sorry. Or are you not confident in its authenticity?”

“Of course I am.”

In truth, no one in the Empire could definitively confirm whether the painting was by Melchaski or not. There was no evidence proving it was genuine, but there was also no proof that it was a forgery.

The Viscount was confident. He immediately added a special clause about forgeries to the contract.

What did a few lines of text matter? What mattered was that the money would soon be in his hands.

“Now, the payment…”

“I brought it with me.”

Shortly after, the door opened, and a man carrying a large bag entered the room.

“Here it is.”

The man placed the heavy bag on the table with a thud. Espin immediately opened the bag and handed it to the Viscount.

It was a staggering 300,000 litas.

This young lady, blinded by vanity, had handed over such a huge sum without even knowing the painting was a forgery.

“Yes, I’ve confirmed it. The painting is now yours, Lady.”

“Oh, but I’ve paid the money now. Can I pick up the painting in a few days?”

“In a few days?”

“Yes. I’d like to decide where to hang it before bringing it home.”

The Viscount saw no issue with this request and nodded readily.

“Of course.”

“But… since the painting is quite valuable, I’d feel uneasy leaving it here. Would it be alright if someone from our side stayed to guard it?”

Espin gestured toward the man who had brought the money.

He had a gruff appearance and seemed entirely uninterested in guarding the painting.

Seeing his unmotivated expression, the Viscount agreed without hesitation.

“Sure.”

To leave a painting worth 300,000 litas in the hands of just one man…

‘The young lady of the Leon family is truly foolish.’

Viscount Monzas silently vowed that he would never raise his daughter to be so naive.