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“Ahem... Still, regardless...”
“Honestly, I had high expectations because he’s a prince, but once I saw him, he was nothing special. Ah, I mean, his face. Anyway... the problem is that there’s no man as decent as Father. It’s actually a testament to why Mother married Father, don't you think?”
“Hmm, hmm...”
The only weakness of Duke Martyr—a man who was always cold, always thinking ahead, and moved strategically with every possible option mapped out in his head.
That weakness was the Duke's wife, Rose Martyr.
And when Yevgenia, the couple's only child who looked exactly like Rose Martyr, spoke in a coaxing tone, the Duke's iron fortress began to crumble.
“I wanted to just ignore the gift and move on, but shouldn't we uphold the Martyr family motto? If I get this over with quickly, I'll never have to see him again.”
“That is true...”
“In a way that is most fitting for a Martyr, once I pay back the favor in full, we will become strangers. Does Father really want Zhenya to live with the debt she owes the Second Imperial Prince buried in her heart forever?”
She even used her childhood nickname, something she hadn't uttered since leaving preschool.
In vulgar terms, this was nothing short of an ultimate move.
At least, it was when dealing with the Duke.
As she looked up at the Duke with teary eyes, he took a deep breath and let it out like a sigh.
“...Take it.”
“Yay! Father is the best!”
“Instead...”
“I won't meet him personally; I'll just deliver the gift and never see him again!”
“Yes, as long as you understand.”
Watching his daughter intercept and finish his sentences, the Duke shook his head.
The saying that no parent can beat their child was exactly right.
If she had been a son, he wouldn't have lost so helplessly...
The Duke shook his head again as he watched Yevgenia jumping for joy with the invitation in her hand.
Regardless, as a parent, he couldn't help but be happy seeing his child so delighted.
Like a single flower blooming atop a distant snowy mountain, a soft smile flickered across the Duke's otherwise frigid face.
The reason he felt a lingering sense of complexity was that the person who had provided this joy to his daughter was, of all people, a child of the Imperial Family.
His only wish was that this shameless, conscienceless, and tactless man would not cling to his precious daughter.
“Yevgenia, if a strange man happens to strike up a conversation at the auction house...”
“Don't worry, Father. I'll kill them all.”
“...There's no need to go that far. Just give them a proper scolding.”
The Duke had forgotten because Yevgenia had been acting so gentle and kind lately, but for the past few years, she had caused such madness that she was called the nightmare of social circles.
The moment he heard her sincere answer, the Duke's heart sank, and he corrected her without missing a beat.
Worry dripped from the Duke's eyes as he looked at Yevgenia, who gave a half-hearted nod.
The worry that had been directed at Yevgenia a moment ago had now shifted toward the strange men she might encounter.
* * *
“Anna, the mask?”
“I'm wearing it!”
“The money?”
“I've packed about ten platinum coins for now, and just in case, I asked the butler and brought the family crest plaque.”
“My appearance?”
“Perfect!”
“Good, let's go!”
She checked her preparations several times—when they departed, on the way, and even right before stepping out of the carriage.
Despite bringing ten platinum coins, each worth one million gold, she felt anxious because this was the Peton Auction House, notorious for its staggering prices.
She had visited other small auction houses here and there, but this was her first time at an auction house where the line between legal and illegal was so blurred.
Taking a light breath, Yevgenia stepped out of the carriage with the coachman's escort.
She walked as naturally as possible so as not to look like a first-timer.
Anna handed the invitation to the guard at the entrance, and the heavy doors opened silently.
Everything flowed naturally, from receiving the welcome drink to finding her assigned seat.
Just as the tension in her chest began to ease, she noticed a white dress in a box seat on the opposite side, moving back and forth as if the wearer needed to use the restroom.
According to the organizers' wish to keep everyone's attention on the auction items on stage, it was basic etiquette to wear dark colors to the auction house so as not to stand out.
Of course, since it wasn't a law or a strict rule, there were no sanctions for breaking it.
Since the business targeted nobles, they seemed to be cautious about everything.
'Still, ignoring the organizers too much wouldn't be a wise choice...'
Ultimately, the organizers managed the most important items in the auction and controlled all the facilities and services.
Even for a noble, there was no need to intentionally earn hatred.
She wondered what kind of stupid noble thought it was a good idea to pick a fight from the moment they entered.
Glancing around stealthily, Yevgenia lifted her opera glasses.
While pretending to scan the auction floor below, she subtly tilted her gaze upward, and the scene she saw nearly made her faint.
“Holy crap, why are those things here?!”
“My lady, is something wrong?”
“N-no. I just saw something filthy. Look, I have goosebumps.”
Still unable to control her expression, Yevgenia thrust her bare arm toward Anna, who had rushed over in surprise.
Goosebumps were prickling across her forearm, which was as smooth as a porcelain doll's.
Since they were visible even in the dim light, she must have been genuinely shocked.
Equally horrified, Anna rolled up her own sleeve.
“Oh my! What on earth did you see... I must say something to the guards. How could they be so negligent as to let such a thing enter my lady's sight...!”
“A-ah, no. It's not that serious. Now that I think about it, it might have just been some dust...”
“Allowing such ominous dust to be seen by my lady is also a mistake!”
“I'm fine now, Anna. If you see something like that again later, tell them then.”
“...If my lady insists...”
Anna nodded with a dissatisfied expression at Yevgenia's best effort to make an excuse.
If left alone, it looked as if Anna would storm out immediately and grab the organizer by the collar, shouting, 'How dare you let ominous dust enter my lady's sight!'
Quickly grabbing Anna's hand, Yevgenia gestured toward the stage.
“They say it's starting soon, so sit down and watch with me.”
“What? How could I possibly share a seat...!”
“It's fine, it's fine. If you're by my side, you can clear it away if that ominous dust appears again, right?”
“That... is true. Don't worry, my lady. I, Anna, will do my best to annihilate the dust!”
“Uh, right...”
Yevgenia tried to ignore the passionate Anna and lifted her opera glasses.
Looking at the auction items coming up on stage one by one, the unpleasant feeling from earlier seemed to vanish.
Jewels of several hundred carats were basic, and quite a few artifacts previously known to be lost appeared.
As Yevgenia enjoyed the heating atmosphere while watching quietly, an oddly familiar object entered her sight.
“Now, everyone, please focus! The highlight and the flower of this auction is arriving!”
The item was so precious that even the employee pushing the cart was walking with extreme caution.
As the auctioneer politely removed the velvet cloth covering the item with both hands, a light poured out that was, perhaps with a bit of exaggeration, blinding.
“This is an artifact from the Holy Kingdom that worshipped the God of Light, before our Atrux Empire was even established! Those of you with broad knowledge have likely learned of it by this name.”
“...No way.”
“Correct, this is the 'Rose of Light'!”
The Rose of Light.
It was the gift Raymond had presented to Stella in the original story when he sincerely confessed his love.
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