Thanks to the consistent care I had given the estate while living at the duchy, the house was spotless and ready for immediate occupancy. With a sense of nostalgia, I stepped inside.

“Welcome, my lady,” greeted the butler and maid I had hired during interviews while still at the Graham estate.

“Nice to see you. I’m counting on you,” I replied briefly before heading straight to my room.

“Could you go to the Reflen Auction House and check the schedule for the next auction? Also, verify which items will be up for bid.”

“Yes, my lady.”

“And if a Tieria flower is among the auction items, let me know immediately. Also, check for mana stones; I plan to participate in the auction if any are available.”

“Understood.”

The butler bowed and left to carry out my instructions. My first priority after leaving the Graham estate was to find the Tieria flower.

I had been diagnosed with Trintz disease, a condition where the mana within the body loses its vitality, causing gradual stiffness. I discovered I had this illness just six months ago. It was a morning like any other when my body wouldn’t respond properly, leading me to fall down the stairs—my first symptom.

The Tieria flower was essential for treating this disease. It only bloomed under the moonlight, and consuming it would reactivate the body’s mana. Hunters occasionally found this rare flower, the main ingredient in the cure for Trintz disease.

However, patients with Trintz disease weren’t the only ones seeking the Tieria flower. It was also highly coveted by practitioners of magic and swordsmanship, as it greatly enhanced their abilities. Many were desperate to obtain it.

In the six months since my diagnosis, the Tieria flower had appeared at auction only once. The competition was fierce, and the price was so high that I had to give up. Even as the Duchess of Graham, I couldn’t afford it because my allowance was insufficient.

Disappointed, I had asked Ains to increase my allowance, but he refused to even hear my reasons. That was a major factor in my decision to divorce him.

Now, with the substantial alimony I received, I had enough financial power to purchase the Tieria flower if it appeared at auction again.

…The key question was whether the Tieria flower would appear at auction once more.

Still, it wasn’t a completely hopeless situation. Even if I couldn’t find the Tieria flower for a while, I could temporarily use mana stones. Fortunately, I had already secured enough to last for some time.

* * *

“Welcome, Viscountess Marves. We are pleased to have you at the Reflen Auction House.”

After verifying my identity card and auction invitation, the staff at the entrance greeted me politely.

“Do you need a mask?”

“No, it’s fine.”

“Then please follow me inside.”

I followed him into the auction house. The Reflen Auction House was one of the top three in the imperial capital, Grante.

I had visited a few times before to purchase mana stones. Today, I was here for the same reason. This auction featured one top-grade mana stone and twelve high-grade ones.

Low and mid-grade mana stones could be purchased directly from the magic tower without going through an auction. However, high-grade stones and above were rare, produced by only a few people, and with very limited distribution, making auctions necessary.

“Your seat is number 137. Would you like some wine or tea?”

“Please bring me some Cheff tea and madeleines.”

“Right away, my lady.”

The auction seats were private spaces with partitions on both sides, accessible only through a door. However, they were arranged in a circular layout around the stage, making it possible to see others to some extent.

I settled into the plush chair. On the table were a bell for participating in the auction, a number pad for entering bids, and a pamphlet listing the items up for auction.

Just as I reached for the pamphlet, there was a knock on the door.

“Viscountess Marves, your tea is ready.”

“Come in.”

The staff entered, placed the tea and snacks on the table, and then left. I lifted the teacup, inhaling the bitter aroma of Cheff tea, which helped clear my mind.

After taking a sip, I set the cup down and looked around. On stage, a singer performed to entertain the waiting audience, while a famous orchestra played nearby.

The enchanting music brought a brief smile to my face before I turned my attention back to the room. As expected of a renowned auction house, the seats were filling up with people, some wearing elaborate masks to conceal their identities.

I had thought there was no need for a mask, but that was a mistake. Despite my pretense, I could feel the curious glances directed at me.

I knew why they were looking.

Just a week ago, I had divorced Ains Graham, and rumors had begun to spread.

“A woman who gave up everything—wealth, power, and honor.”

“Why did she get divorced? Was it the Duke’s fault or Viscountess Marves’?”

For gossipers, there was no better story.

But they couldn’t openly mock Ains Graham, a young man with a powerful trading company and the only Duke in the country. Instead, they chose to target me, Cecilia Marves, a young woman with little more than her youth. It was safer that way.

I didn’t need to seek out the rumors circulating in the auction house; I could easily imagine what they were saying. Fortunately, since everyone was in private spaces, they couldn’t gossip about me openly.

If I had known people would be so blatantly staring at me, I would have requested a mask… but it was too late for regrets. Besides, I felt no need to hide. Divorcing Ains wasn’t a crime.

It would be a lie to say I wasn’t bothered by the gossip, but I resolved not to let it affect me. Despite the piercing stares, I calmly leaned back in my chair and took another sip of tea.

“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for waiting. Welcome to the Reflen Auction House. I am Chapman Garnick, your auctioneer for today.”

Thankfully, the auction soon began, drawing everyone’s attention to the stage. Some continued to steal glances at me, but I ignored them, half-listening to the auctioneer’s instructions while picking up the pamphlet listing the auction items.

The items were typical: a set of sapphire accessories crafted by a famous jeweler, intricately designed porcelain from the East, and so on. I knew the Tieria flower wasn’t among the auction items this time, but I couldn’t help feeling disappointed.

When would that flower appear at auction again? It was possible someone might sell it to the magic tower before it ever made it to auction. I had mentioned it to an employee of the Graham trading company, but now that I was divorced, it felt unrealistic to expect their help.

I couldn’t search for the flower myself either; it bloomed in dangerous, rocky cliffs under the moonlight. It was impossible for me to find it alone. All I could do was wait for it to appear at an auction.

“Let’s begin the auction! The first item is a painting by Dial Truger, ‘Rainy Night Street.’”

Lost in thought, I barely noticed the auction starting. Others were bidding on items that caught their interest, but I was focused on the mana stones.

After eight items, the mana stones finally came up.

“The ninth item is a set of twelve high-grade mana stones, starting at 10 gold.”

The starting bid was low, but I knew it would rise quickly. The average price for a single high-grade mana stone was around 20 gold, making the fair price for twelve about 240 gold. I planned to join the bidding when it reached around 200 gold.

“Customer 83 has bid 229 gold. Any other bids?”

The price quickly rose to 229 gold. I entered 240 gold on the number pad.

“Customer 137 has bid 240 gold. Any other bids?”

It was the exact fair price. Even if I paid a bit more, it wouldn’t be a loss. It wouldn’t be surprising if someone else bid higher.

“Customer 204 has bid 260 gold. Any other bids?”

Now, only serious buyers would continue bidding. I entered 280 gold.

As soon as the auctioneer called out 280 gold, customer 204 raised it by another 20 gold. This back-and-forth continued until the price exceeded 380 gold.

“Any bids over 380 gold? If not, the item will go to customer 204. Counting down from five.”

380 gold was much higher than the average price.

“Four.”

It wasn’t worth it unless someone was desperate.

“Three.”

I placed my hand on the number pad, ready to enter a bid before time ran out. Curious about who wanted the mana stones so badly, I glanced at seat 204.

“Two.”

And then I froze.

“One.”

In seat 204 was Ains.