Chapter 24: CH 24

The next day, I went to an art auction to buy another piece of art.

‘I can’t take a day off to dream of a beautiful independent life.’

The good news is that 1,000 franc came in as my monthly salary. My pocket was full and it felt reassuring.

Dwayne looked at me, who seemed to be in a good mood.

The auction that I participated in today was an auction hosted by Count Rosento, and as it turned out, the Count’s son, who was a troublemaker, was pressured to offer some of the artworks he had collected for a long time.

It smelled like there’d be more to eat than a charity auction.

“Made by the great artist Duke Raymond 300 years ago, this historic candlestick wasn’t a mere candlestick, but rather an ornament, and there are records that it was used to exorcise Princess Yurias, who was being attacked by the devil. This valuable work of art…”

[The God of Art, Mond, points to the candlestick made of lead.]

I immediately prepared my mind.

The auction has started.

“100 franc!”

“200 franc!”

“Isn’t there anything more than 200 franc? 200, 200, 200 franc sold!”

Dressed up as a lady of a rural aristocrat with a lot of money and nothing to do, I won several bids.

It was said that they had been collecting items since the time of Count Rosento’s grandfather, but they seemed to have provided items that could be disposed of on their own.

A garnet necklace, a Mond’s statue, a portrait of the 54th Saintess, and a candlestick made of lead…

Among them, the design of the garnet necklace was good enough to be used now despite its age.

As I got up with my things in my arms, Dwayne came and helped me.

“Are you planning to sell it to the merchant again today?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t think you’re short of salary…”

The 1,000 franc I received as a monthly salary couldn’t be short of the one-year living expenses for a commoner family. I’m not the stupid Ariel who paid Annie 650 franc.

“There is a deep meaning that only God knows.”

I said to Dwayne with a cool smile. It was a signal that he didn’t need to know more.

Dwayne, who was quick-witted, hurriedly lowered his head.

“I’m sorry.”

I quickly moved out of the Count’s mansion. Then, on a regular carriage without the temple mark, I headed to the downtown area where Lloyd’s Merchant was located.

It was fun to sit in the carriage and watch the lively life of the people. Someday, when I leave the temple, I was thinking of living a life that is truly life-like. It’s a life where I feel really ordinary and small happiness.

After a while, the carriage stopped in an alley near the top, and I got off the wagon and headed towards the merchant building with Dwayne.

I went up the stairs I had climbed last time to sell the product and found an appraiser. However, I could see that someone had come before me, and they were having a bit of a fight.

“Although it’s a valuable item, it’s difficult to exchange it with Kronia. I’d rather use money…”

“I know for sure that Lloyd’s Merchant has it. The Royalty said they need it, but if you keep on going with this kind of way and after that you get embedded as an object of hatred, what are you going to do?”

“Kronia is an illegal object. Lloyd’s Merchant doesn’t deal with illegality.”

“I have to meet the merchant’s owner.”

She was a woman in a black robe, and in her hand, a precious necklace was held.

With the Mond’s Blessing buff, in my opinion, it was a platinum necklace that seemed enough to exceed 1,000 franc.

By the way… Kronia?

I think I saw it in a book, but I can’t remember it.

“The merchant’s owner is busy. In order to meet him, you have to make a formal inquiry first.”

“Where do you think I’m from! Ha, really. You will regret it later!”

“Where are you from?”

At the question of the relentless appraiser, the woman got angry several times, then turned around and cursed.

“…won’t leave Lloyd alone.”

I couldn’t understand the first word as it was scrambled, but I recognized the woman’s face as she turned.

The last time I went to the Imperial Palace to give a congratulatory speech, she was the head maid who was close to Empress Rose.

It wasn’t a noticeable face, but it was the woman I remember because she resembled my aunt from my past life.

“If it was Kronia, it would be drugs.” Dwayne muttered after she had left.

It was then that I remembered the word ‘kronia’ I saw in the book.

Kronia was a kind of medicinal herb and a substance with strong narcotic properties.

It’s also used as a pain reliever, but because it’s often misused as a drug, it couldn’t be handled anywhere other than the temple, and it was a special item that was listed and managed at the temple.

One of its characteristics is that it makes the pulse unstable, creates tachycardia, or makes it impossible to catch a pulse like a dead person.

‘But why did the Empress’ head maid…’

“I don’t know which noble’s wife she is, but that family is terrible.”

Dwayne shrugged his shoulders and clicked his tongue. It seemed that he didn’t know that she was the Empress’ head maid.

I was confused in my head for a while, but anyway, I came to sell, so I approached the appraiser.

Dwayne placed four objects in line in front of the appraiser, just as I was about to open my mouth.

“Good job. Ron.”

The door behind me opened and suddenly a man walked out of it.

His low voice was heard again.

“Because I hate being involved in family quarrels.”

The tall man with dark black hair and black eyes paused, found me, and moved his eyebrows.

” Ah.”

There was no way I couldn’t remember this man. He was a man I knew, and it was clear that he recognized me too.

As I hesitated as to what to do, I saw him raise the corners of his lips.

“This.”

My figure was reflected on the surface of his dark blue eyes.

Overcoming the urge to turn, I stood up and looked straight at him.

“What kind of business did the noble Saintess have for her to come to my merchant?”

Cass Lloyd’s dangerous lows rang in my ears.

The appraiser looked up at me in surprise at his words.

I knew this was Lloyd’s Merchant, but I didn’t think I’d run into him like this.

Because I didn’t officially visit with the priests and the priestesses and this place, where I only purchase things after being appraised, wasn’t the place for him, the official successor and real owner of Lloyd’s Merchant.

It was an embarrassing situation, but I kept a calm face and said to him.

“I’m here to sell some junk.”

At my words, he smirked and strode towards me.

“Did you talk to the Saintess yourself?”

As he approached me, he turned his gaze to Dwayne.

Knowing his face, Dwayne remained silent and stood still. And the dark-skinned appraiser who was sitting at that time said.

“Yes. One was sold last time. I didn’t expect you to be the Saintess.”

At the appraiser’s words, Cass looked straight at me.

I could feel the curiosity in his blue eyes.

“I just came out to get some air. They’re useless to me, but they may be necessary for others, so I’m selling them.” I replied in a tone that seemed like nothing was wrong.

Cass, who raised the corner of his lips slightly, lifted the necklace with red garnets from among the objects on the appraiser’s desk between his index and middle fingers.

A garnet necklace was wrapped around his hand and drooped.

“Are these things you had?”

At that, I nodded my head.

“That’s right.”

There were a lot of valuables in the world. There was nothing strange about the Saintess having such things.

After all, if the objects were collected by the Count’s grandfather, they would be unknown to the world.

Plus, it might be more tiring than I could imagine if it was spread that the Saintess was running a business of buying things at auctions and selling them on the merchant.

“These are my things.”

He looked at the garnet of the necklace for a long time with a deep smile at my words, then turned his gaze to me.

“Then I would like to buy this personally.”

He seemed to like the garnet necklace.

With a relaxed voice, he shifted his gaze from the necklace to my eyes. And I blinked in surprise at his words.

“10,000 franc, how about it?”

I hope I didn’t mishear him just now.

I asked with a surprised look.

“10,000 franc?”

That was almost equivalent to my annual salary.

‘Is this garnet necklace worth that much?’

10,000 franc is the cost of living for 10 years for a commoner family who isn’t poor.

Yet my admiration was cut short by the words of the appraiser, Ron.

“It costs about 600 franc at a reasonable price, isn’t it too much?”

That’s true. Still, if it’s 600 franc, I bought it for 250 franc, so it’s a whopping 350 franc profit.

But Cass, standing in front of me with a garnet necklace, opened his mouth again.

“Yes, 10,000 franc. That is the price of the necklace I’m offering.”