As soon as I arrived, the general store owner started showing off.

“My lady, you are very fortunate. I managed to secure the last remaining stock by mobilizing even my acquaintance’s relative’s cousin.”

“I get it, just show me the item quickly.”

“Yes. Then I’ll escort you to the second floor.”

The second floor seemed to be a space for attending to nobles like me who made special orders.

The owner opened the lid of the box in front of me.

Inside was an old liquor bottle that didn’t match the luxurious velvet it was nestled in.

However, the amber-colored liquor in the old bottle had a mesmerizing glow.

“This is the legendary Legend 25 Year that was discontinued due to its notorious bad taste, but hardcore alcohol enthusiasts miss it more than their wives.”

That’s quite a loaded introduction.

“Fine. How much?”

“Since Lady Offensa is specifically looking for this item, I’ll only charge this much.”

The owner spread three fingers.

“3 gold?”

“Haha, you jest well.”

“…Haha! Of course I was joking. I know it’s 30 gold.”

“……”

This isn’t it either?

From what I’ve gathered, 1 gold in this world is worth about 100,000 won. But if it’s not even 30 gold…

“300 gold, my lady.”

“……!”

This palm-sized bottle of liquor is that expensive? Are they trying to scam me because I don’t know much about alcohol?

When I glared at him with reasonable suspicion, the owner flinched but still had something to say.

“Al-although it’s a product popular only among a select few, it’s definitely not overpriced. If you’re unlucky, you might have to wait months just to get your hands on one.”

“You’re not lying about that, right?”

“How could I lie to you! It’s the truth. Besides, there’s already another buyer who wants to purchase it as soon as they heard it was in stock.”

“What?”

My heart sank.

At this time, there was only one person who would come looking for this item.

‘Silver-haired man!’

Though he was the person I so desperately wanted to meet, this wasn’t the right place.

I wanted to become his benefactor and business partner, not his competitor.

I needed to grab the item and disappear quickly.

Moreover, given the owner’s attitude that he didn’t mind not selling it to me, it didn’t seem like he was trying to deceive me.

‘But 300 gold…’

This is bad.

Because of how reckless ‘Calliphe’ had been until now, transactions of this size were all reported to the family.

Which means Young Marquis Caiman would find out.

Ding!

[Quest Generated!]

[Purchase ‘Legend 25 Year’ without Young Marquis Caiman finding out to keep your plans secret.]

[Failure: ‘Silver-haired man’ conquest fails, probability of compromising with reality greatly increases]

…Compromise with reality? Are you saying I’ll have to lower my standards significantly to find a substitute for the silver-haired man?

“Lady Calliphe?”

“……”

As I was desperately racking my brain with a sense of crisis stronger than 300 gold, that’s when it happened.

“My direct line, why are you coming to a place like this and losing face? Just go to boutiques like you usually do, hmm?”

A swaggering voice came from behind.

“I told you I’d buy you whatever you want. What, you don’t like dirty money?”

When I turned around, a man with stylishly swept-back red hair was standing there with both hands in his pockets, smirking.

That delinquent-like appearance. It was Dietrich Rotten, whom I’d seen in Calliphe’s memories.

Though he was such a swaggering fellow that it was a waste of his handsome face, right now he looked like a gold nugget to me.

“Oh my, what a coincidence meeting you here!”

When I smiled brightly, Dietrich hesitated.

“Are you crazy? Did you hit your head?”

This b*stard.

But as Dietrich said, it would be awkward if I suddenly changed my attitude.

I acted like the original Calliphe.

As if he had misread my earlier behavior, I made it obvious that I was wary of him.

“Ah, I mistook you for someone else.”

“Hmm. Though this face of mine isn’t exactly common.”

Dietrich lifted the corner of his mouth in satisfaction.

“What did you buy? Did you buy poison or something?”

“None of your business.”

“Is it really poison? Then I should join in too. Don’t leave me out, direct line.”

As he approached swagger, someone cautiously stepped in as if to protect me.

It was Noah, who had been hiding behind me.

“…No.”

“Ha, you really do go around with that kid.”

Dietrich unpleasantly poked Noah’s head repeatedly.

“Stop it!”

I quickly swatted his hand away with my fan.

“Act like a noble, Dietrich. You already reek enough of back alleys as it is.”

“……”

The corner of Dietrich’s relaxed eyes twitched. He seemed properly annoyed now.

“Direct line, you have a talent for saying exactly what I hate to hear. Hmm?”

He brought his threatening face close to mine.

“Did you forget that I can report your charity to beggars as extortion?”

“……”

I kept my mouth shut and glared at him resentfully.

‘Calliphe’ hadn’t always just caused trouble. Sometimes she did good deeds that looked nice to others, like giving to charity.

…Of course, it was to look good in front of her grandfather, the Duke.

Still, good deeds were good deeds.

But every time, Dietrich would distort Calliphe’s actions when reporting to Young Marquis Caiman.

The Young Marquis believed it and admonished Calliphe, and that’s how Calliphe’s good deeds were twisted into rumors. Looking at how the Young Marquis is acting now, I’m not even sure if he really believed it or not.

Anyway, Calliphe’s protests naturally fell on deaf ears since she was already known as a delinquent.

Calliphe’s memories from that time naturally came to mind.

‘Back then, Calliphe was angry at Dietrich but couldn’t lay a hand on him.’

If she touched him, even Caiman might turn his back on her. As Calliphe felt she had no allies in the family, she feared Caiman turning his back on her.

After all, Young Marquis Caiman was her only ally at the time.

Not knowing he was actually the mastermind.

Using this, Dietrich would treat Calliphe however he wanted, and Calliphe would endure it every time – this kind of relationship continued.

“Let’s get along well, okay?”

Tap tap. Dietrich tapped my cheek with his knuckles.

I pressed my lips together harder.

I might burst out laughing otherwise.

‘How much fun must he have had wielding Calliphe’s weakness all this time.’

But there was one thing he didn’t know.

‘I know your weakness too.’

And I had no intention of tolerating Dietrich.

‘I’ll use his weakness to complete the quest. And.’

I need to separate Dietrich Rotten from the Young Marquis.

It might just be a small scratch to Young Marquis Caiman, but collapse always starts from small cracks.

‘You’ll be the second target of my ability. Consider it an honor.’

Of course, he won’t take it quietly.

‘But you will take it.’

Because I’ll make sure of it.

First, I needed to send Noah away.

“Noah. Wait on the first floor.”

“But.”

“Go on.”

When I gently pushed his back, Noah reluctantly left the room.

Dietrich seemed dumbfounded by Noah glaring at him until the door closed.

“That kid looks docile but has quite a temper? I’d like it if we left him behind when we get married.”

“Oh my.”

I slightly covered my mouth with my fan.

“The mongrel can speak.”

“Wh-what? Mongrel? How dare you― Ack!”

Slap!

Dietrich, hit in the mouth with my fan, stared at me in bewilderment.

I lifted my chin and spoke very arrogantly.

“What else would you call a mixed breed that isn’t even purebred and stinks?”

“This crazy… ugh ugh ugh, mmph!”

Slap slap slap, smack!

“From now on, call me Lady Calliphe… no.”

I smiled with my eyes as I snapped open my folded fan.

“Call me Big Sister.”

You’re younger than me, after all.

* * *

Noah, who kept looking back at where Calliphe was, finally came down to the first floor.

His small face was full of distress.

“The red-haired one is really a bad person.”

He couldn’t let Lady Calliphe marry someone like that. Absolutely not!

“I wish I was bigger.”

The mean redhead was very tall.

Noah pressed down on his head, trying to measure his height.

“…Too short.”

He became a little less confident.

‘Come to think of it, I need to give this too.’

Noah fiddled with a small stone he took out of his pocket.

It was a pitch-black jewel that somehow felt ominous just looking at it.

It was the Young Marquis’s item that he had secretly taken when the swordsmanship instructor had told him to steal Calliphe’s belongings.

Since Noah was cleaning the fireplace in the main building, he wasn’t suspected when entering and leaving the Young Marquis’s room.

This small stone was also found in the fireplace. It seemed strange that such a pretty jewel was discarded in the fireplace.

But still, stealing was stealing.

‘I have to tell Lady Calliphe the truth. That I stole this.’

Though he was scared of being scolded again. But if he kept hiding it, something worse might happen.

Just as he made up his mind and was about to put the black stone back in his pocket.

Snap!

“Ah!”

Suddenly, a large dog that thrust its head forward tried to snap up the black stone.

It was a muscular and very fierce-looking hunting dog.

Though it had a leash, suggesting it had an owner, they weren’t visible right now.

“Grrrr, grrrrr.”

“N-no. This is for Lady Calliphe… Ah!”

The black stone fell to the floor and rolled around in circles.

Noah and the hunting dog frantically grabbed at air trying to get to the stone first.

“Grrrr!”

When the dog finally got its mouth on the stone.

Noah, who had been on the verge of tears, couldn’t help but shout.

“Are you red-haired too?!”

Whack! His angry little palm struck the dog’s snout in a pushing motion.

“Whimper?!”

“Got it!”

While the surprised dog froze, Noah successfully retrieved the black stone.

But there was still a problem.

“Grrrrrr……”

The angry dog bared its teeth menacingly as if asking ‘Did you just hit me?’