Chapter 425: Rich (4)
yGc“Long time no see, Princess Victoria.”oAMX6nQ
67S8My emergency savior was Princess Victoria.VIVNl
PCr“It must not have been an easy decision, thank you for cooperating without hesitation.”CaqCn8Z
25dSz“…It’s not.”uiEOcLr
WDMDVictoria twirled a lock of her hair to the side as she spoke.2WHY4
KpLdIX“I heard it’s a matter related to you, Heavenly Sword, and the imperial family.”mKS
hEhGhXL“More precisely, it’s a matter where I might end up at odds with the imperial family.”V8m0vK
III03E7This needed to be made clear.9I5uR
p1qcYWVictoria would have to face her own family—perhaps not permanently, but at least for a while.Bnw
FUKk1vjIf she had accepted without understanding the situation properly, then I’d be nothing more than a homewrecker. Like that airhead Choi Seol-Ah.vfb3s
FTPXra4“That’s why I came in person.”ZCvWcpf
GPH5WOUVictoria’s gaze shone with deep resolve.zkYMtYd
Qp6P6WD“As a disciple of Heavenly Sword and as a member of the imperial family, I can’t just turn a blind eye.”A3F
0wgRkl“……”Mi4Li1H
lxlnMaybe she was reminding me of myself at her age.t6z
34sTiaRyozo must have read my thoughts, because she gave me a couple of taps on the elbow and whispered.LYIYEcf
6wKPGG“They say kids mature fast nowadays… but she became an adult way too soon.”StScV9
EolzMaturing early isn’t always a good thing.sCbJA7
HNcIn return, you lose a lot of the valuable things in adolescence. I knew that all too well—because I had been a victim of it.zK5uVm
30SI did my best not to show it and wiped a bitter smile from my lips.ocsWa
wRpCyCThere was a reason why, even as rivals, I couldn’t help being drawn to Princess Victoria.aqGXib
Y1KzvsbThat somber expression was exactly the same one I had in my adolescence in my past life.bMI5Z
XEfyy***ZOWY
foAWith Victoria on our side, we could say we had completed all the groundwork that was in our hands.Zlj
4O3From here on out, everything depended, ironically, on Pertinax X’s ability to handle the auction.QbG
2b5The outcome of this clash would depend on how many clients he could snatch from the competition.YsNBV
d33SqI conveyed my intentions through Choi Seol-Ah, who stayed in constant contact with the tenth Pertinax to deliver the Daiso sashimis signed by me.NrRvQZ
Egi0LUi“Director, we need to draw customers in with a more aggressive move.”0mxo
DpC“A-aggressive, you say…?”Gwbl
e7gy“Yes. He’s doing very well so far, but he still hasn’t bitten the bait, don’t you see?”OQ1R
wEU9lA“B-but, is it really necessary to go that far…?”W4yIZ
2BkJd“My lord told me: there can’t be two suns in the sky. Even if it’s a black sun, there can only be one sun in the sky. That is my lord, the Heavenly Sword. That’s his doctrine.”Y3gil
2aMUgh.DKAYXJ
J2IUyj0In the real estate room, where I was listening by radio, I felt Ryozo pinch my side.VSPjomC
W5WdSqG‘Ryozo!’LgYRv5X
NXKShe glanced at me sideways with an annoyed look and put her earpiece back in while muttering.GObc
llG9yu“If you could behave better, Secretary Kim wouldn’t have to say those things.”2VVl4
HvdWhat a great injustice.V2RACU
Njrntu4But if I voiced my feelings out loud, she’d probably tear a chunk of flesh from my side. The pinching strength of an archer… unnecessary details.TDUiBK
KBUWj“If those were the words of Heavenly Sword! Then I must also follow his banner…!”jWYhf
KDuN“Very good! Then let’s steal all the clients and leave not even a fly in Kaiten auction house!”4ciI
OA5“Yes!”r8q2ROH
d1wIt was ironic. I had once bankrupted Pertinax, and now that same tenth Pertinax worshipped me like an idol.cbIQ
AkbV“Want me to do a bit of digging?”8ce
naBc“……”G4tsS
MIhiAs always, Ryozo. She caught the fleeting doubt that crossed my eyes in an instant.cjpCS4
gRvUc5‘…Really, I can’t hide anything from her.’lYkd
k7b809A cold shiver ran down my spine, and I nodded.Srq5n6
lZ80Oi“I’m counting on you.”NnCyZ
AYn“It’s not just your issue, Geom-Ma. No harm in being cautious.”Svl
B9kFGRyozo hung the earpiece around her neck.GOUG39N
U3n9JAC“I’ll have Vixbig review all the area’s security cameras.”xfl
56IG“……”NM3
zFDr9A comment made with all the authority of a veteran.MlpbKm
1MBrB0Y“What’s wrong?”C9G
6I8Ryozo grinned shamelessly as she asked back.dlgUU
usDKQ“I don’t know anything.”QNA
TEGDOeZI stood firm in denial.uiMC
UAKMAVe“Seriously, I don’t know anything…”GkPI
2xqKaDT“Wow, our Geom-Ma’s grown up a lot. Knows how to be careful, huh?”OUwmvHM
2hx8issThis time, she gently pinched my cheek.qWHS
pQJBIJ“You even know when to play dumb?”RuuF0nP
NVHMNAt least within the familiar, I’ve always had a quick ability to tell friend from foe…48MIK
wIX***WWDpD
uum“Now! The Heavenly Sword’s collectible Daiso sashimi Mk.421 has just been sold for 700 million!”jyyBrZe
7cRPertinax X, excited, was leading the auction with energy.EH9O
ARE3In just a few days, his appearance had radically changed—his once sunken cheeks now had some flesh, and his jawline gleamed with health.9qupJuS
GIo3Looking at him like this, he greatly resembled Pertinax IX in his prime.K0ql
1r9EApparently, Pertinax’s customers thought the same. No one asked for it, but everyone started entering the hall wearing masks, trying to relive the nostalgia of old times.AHRjO9
qMXZeuc“Welcome! What a dazzling night we have!”KLqh8
xNi7The atmosphere in the auction house was, as it had been lately, bustling.ihHnvQN
FzEzKThe hall was packed with people, so many that many customers had to stand in the back, raising their paddles from behind.I1e052N
KramU0Thanks to Pertinax X’s mediation, I received special treatment—an honorary seat at the main table.P7TOxK
Pg5hdhTo be precise, it was Choi Seol-Ah who, using the Daiso sashimis as a pretext, managed to reserve several spots.Hw1L7
PcVKJWShe had brought multiple seats, which is why I didn’t come alone but was accompanied by Ryozo and Abel.YOsKZ
0MJfz8BBecause tonight was D-day.HIUAKV2
KAXqyT‘We can’t delay any longer.’pk6
zDwYpUThe more money accumulated in the vault, the more uneasy I became.BiIDUps
UPEWe didn’t start this to make money. I was here to save Chloe. And for that, I had poured in all my available people and all my knowledge.hbiadKo
larbQWhen I conveyed my intent through my representative, Choi Seol-Ah, the Tenth looked rather uncomfortable.poeIXfL
5Y29Vi— Mmm. Just when the tide is in our favor and it’s time to row… well, understood.O9ql
f6hcsEven his way of speaking had changed.kO7U
1WDzNDThe taste of money changes people, after all.Lml2s
gZo8u“It’s so crowded…”MABk
Sy7KaKAbel clicked her tongue. She looked uncomfortable, pressing against me from the left.WgDdOZ
XZvBThe auction items were now ordinary pieces, yet the atmosphere was strange to her. The situation with masked people bidding made her nervous.NYXH
OflsI took her hand to calm her.RDifbro
Li4“Don’t worry. This might all be over today—this whole culture.”nM1
61SVvB“Huh?”6Io9Us
36XEIAbel turned to look at me.tor1rM
HdONsCThrough her wolf mask, her eyes blinked innocently. She reminded me of Sköll and Hati.sSmRfVb
cV5I only gave her a soft smile, and then from my right came another pressure.kBF
c7P7LCIt was Ryozo, in a white cat mask, clinging to my right arm.s1Z
Wz39“This is going to get interesting.”WzNr
M4lJc“……”lFU
7UO9I tried to ignore them and focus on the auction, when—gadKEe
reyOMgP“Excuse me, coming through.”Soh7DHj
TxQqyTA bit of commotion arose up front. A woman was making her way through the rows to reach her seat.PJY7F
wmNThe seating arrangement was like a cinema, all in straight rows.LXpYZf
bmiThe woman in a fox mask came to sit right in front of me, in one of the honorary seats that had remained empty.5OH
e0jMeanwhile, the auction led by the Tenth reached its climax.uCm75
kTmZEven though they had been auctioning off the same item for days, the customers raised their paddles like they had been trained to do it.Hrusjc
FoXeSEk“Eight hundred million!”ByaM8zA
15H“Eight hundred twenty million!”QeAl
tdUmxxK“Eight hundred forty million offered…!!”b5DPu
zKD2v6OThe price record kept climbing.bAa0Yy
U4cin6gA simple Daiso sashimi with my scribbled signature had already hit 800 million.K2J
rSRYOZIt felt like an outrageous scam.8FnOdE
6vxBut there was no room for remorse.Ut7q
ReE3Oxd‘This ends now.’ngywad
bARAt that moment, the curtains behind the podium parted to the sides, as if a noble lady were lifting her skirts in greeting.ZqdyOgq
GmJzKN7Between them stood a tall woman in a rabbit mask—Choi Seol-Ah.ARIg
TEcSince this was the final night, the Tenth had prepared a special event.7bOBz
pKAL30N…My rumored “lover,” Choi Seol-Ah, would appear on stage in person.0tvJg
4KRCSREWith the mic in hand, she pretended a melancholic air and began to speak.hh3
RiHE1U“Good evening, everyone. I am the lover of the Heavenly Sword—I never imagined that something I began to honor my absent beloved would attract so many people here…”HEPC4mx
J08hlKThe nonsense continued.zdzZe
D7tI could only endure the reproachful glares being thrown at me from both sides.WAE0J
xPu4“Ha. How ridiculous.”KsHZyh
cNHkA low laugh escaped from the seats ahead.lJdOY
Wfv3It was the fox-masked woman, who crossed her legs and spoke with an air of superiority.2Jk
S04ob“Just one of the many concubines of the Heavenly Sword, and yet acting like the only one—how repugnant.”eBCifX5
CWQ0…Hey. I’m not that kind of man.8ILjU8
lcaVmbMeanwhile, Choi Seol-Ah continued her speech as if giving a rally:6oeYoFk
xyM“But, as I already told the Tenth, I didn’t do this to make money! That’s why, although we could have put out more items, we decided to stop exactly at 444 units for this Pertinax auction house…”v0yU9
FH2rtZr“What a pity.”6AEYFr2
9YHJmyjThat was already more than enough to have made a fortune.MdEQJ
Dkp“But what truly breaks my heart is that my love for my lord has been corrupted.”H0j
a5S4kBKPertinax X tilted his head, confused.TDDv
oAQSnc“What does that mean…?”8Du03G
GB1yxd“I’ve been a regular customer of this Pertinax house for a long time. And this house, ladies and gentlemen, for generations, has dealt in the forbidden.”Ak0xwbv
nJn0The Tenth, bewildered, tried to interject:n38r
8xgXp“Y-yes, and that’s why I’ve been fighting to fix that mistake in my generation!”Duuyx0X
xbu3R“Yes. That was the intention at first, I’m sure.”enu7w
nIMChoi Seol-Ah stepped forward.W9lXFd
9us7iAt that moment, the woman in front of me flinched. She seemed ready to stand up, but I decided to let her be.DGqG
uO8vKuChoi Seol-Ah continued.xZeIuh
ONu“This auction house used to deal in forbidden items. But now, thanks to my lord, we can show you radiant items like these.”Eu6D
I1TwwzMShe raised a Daiso sashimi, with a solemn gesture reminiscent of the Statue of Liberty.49Q3
HLctn1K“And yet, the Tenth has used my lord’s grace…!”TdFaNF0
p1TrzShe pointed at him.WUPof
sbWCp“To launder money, blinded by greed!”2fQ
jY4P“……!!”vUK1NLY
4eY9TPertinax X took a few steps back.nEbqLBL
e1m“W-what are you… saying…!”DOOGpm
ubXIF“You thought I wouldn’t notice? It was just too strange. In an auction, when the same item is repeated, the price drops—even for luxury goods. Exceptions can happen, but 444 consecutive record-breaking sales is too artificial.”6mvyS0v
djoePChoi Seol-Ah recited word for word what I had instructed her.VtYegWn
6uZ6“So we investigated the money flow.”knjiZs
LMszri6That’s where Ryozo really sweated.S2D9d
QtJIfFAuctions are usually conducted in cash—nearly impossible to trace.or9ojl
kMVBVYBut in the end, she did it, tracing the serial numbers on the tags binding the stacks of bills.Ltdh8
xk4IAnd then Abel and Ryozo came into action.GD0uk
wj6vThe empress of high society, Abel, compiled a list of nobles who had recently made excessive luxury purchases.72l
cXjGH4DThat list was handed—on flammable paper—to Speedweapon within the Association.PFkz
yeJ56ugAnd Speedweapon organized an elite task force based on that.9Q6fD
PCQk37PBoom…!qwmCKoj
qktMqUHThat moment, they made their entrance.yiIp
62xM“We’re from the Hero Association!”R1uz80
951x0Speedweapon raised the paper high, as if declaring, “Secret Inspection!”qgoQF
HjR2cZu“Everyone present here is under immediate arrest on suspicion of laundering illicit funds!”LLWLg
Rt9“Th-the Association…!”1qSjbQR
eeOYsVPertinax X was stunned.Y2Ek4g5
eMbAnd then his gaze turned toward me.w1ce2
NxCZ0No—more precisely, toward the woman sitting in front of me.MxRJH
pj2xMJust as she tried to stand up, I whispered softly.5eBPlO
b9kzn“Stay still.”JNGQRKV
Z7kevMaAnd pressed the edge of a sashimi blade to her delicate neck.0lp
cdtcpe4“Would you prefer an arrest warrant on paper… or in steel?”pUoE
arXoPAt the sound of my murmur, the woman froze.NAYr2K
8zERThat chill in the air.pXa6mIv
iwdrAIt had been a long time since I returned to being the true Kang Geom-Ma.tafOIok
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