Chapter 100

That evening, Guild Master Berman Miller and I visited the Central Auction House.

Befitting an auction house that dealt only in the most expensive items, the entrance itself was lavish.

When I presented our invitation at the entrance, the manager escorted us to a private room.

“The auction will begin in an hour, so please feel free to dine in the meantime. The restroom is located inside the room. When you have finished your meal, please press the blue magic stone. A member of our staff will come to assist you.”

“How do we participate in the auction?”

“When an item you desire appears, simply press the red magic stone on the table.”

“You may leave.”

“Yes, milady. Please enjoy your time.”

As the manager exited and closed the door, all outside noise was completely blocked out.

Only then did Berman remove the robe he was wearing and gulp down the ice water prepared on the table.

“Phew, I can finally breathe. I thought I was going to die of heat.”

His forehead was slick with sweat. It was understandable, given he was wearing a robe in this rather muggy weather.

I pushed back my hood and commented.

“It’s quite pleasant and elegant. I was expecting something dark and gloomy.”

“The idea of a dark and secretive auction house is a thing of the past. You can’t do business that way anymore.”

Berman said playfully, then pointed to the glass.

“You see that glass panel in front of us? It’s a magic mirror. From here, we have a perfect view of the auction stage, but from the other side, this room is invisible. I hear the mirror alone costs a fortune.”

It was a device designed for perfect anonymity, where one wouldn’t know who was in attendance or who had purchased an item.

I nodded and sat on the sofa.

“They’ve prepared a meal as well.”

Berman, sitting beside me, gazed ecstatically at the food set on the table.

“People tend to get fussy when they’re hungry. This is a strategy to fill their bellies and get them to spend freely. I was starving, so this is perfect.”

“Shall we eat, then?”

“Wow, this is absolutely delicious. Thanks to you, Princess, I get to experience a place like this. I feel like I’ve hit the jackpot.”

Berman and I took a moment to eat.

The dishes were clearly curated for a high-rank clientele, focusing more on taste and presentation than on portion size.

“It’s quite good. Though not as good as my own chef.”

“The skill of the Ruthius mansion’s chef is famous. Isn’t he considered the best in the capital, alongside Patissier Jean Blanc?”

At the mention of Jean Blanc’s name, I recalled his devastated expression and felt a pang of sympathy.

“Jean is now the official patissier for the Guardian Guild.”

“I heard his shop was destroyed when a gate opened. So it was true.”

“Unfortunately.”

“…And yet, you seem to be in a good mood?”

“Oh, of course not.”

I lowered the corners of my mouth and slowly savored the food.

For some reason, I had no appetite.

The image of Johan’s back as he walked away wouldn’t leave my mind.

‘Am I treating Johan too much like Shinwoo?’

It was true that the more time I spent with Johan, the deeper my longing for Shinwoo became. So I must be treating Johan like him.

But it seemed Johan disliked it when I was so casual with him.

Whenever I ruffled his hair or treated him like a little brother, his expression would invariably harden…

I finished my meal quickly and wiped my mouth with a napkin.

“I’ve lost my appetite.”

Berman’s expression turned worried.

“I heard you have quite a large appetite, but you’ve barely touched your food. Are you feeling unwell? Should I have them bring some digestive medicine?”

“No, that won’t be necessary.”

I glanced at the plate, still more than half full, and asked.

“By the way, who told you that?”

“Pardon?”

“You said you heard about me. Who was it?”

Berman blinked his large, round eyes.

“…Uh, my informant…”

“What a meticulous informant you have, to even look into my appetite. I’m quite curious who it is.”

“That is… I’m sorry. I cannot tell you.”

“I wasn’t asking you to tell me. After all, I have you, Berman.”

“Yes…”

I smiled gently and pressed the blue magic stone.

A short while later, a staff member came, cleared the plates, and brought wine and some light refreshments.

Once the attendant left, the light atmosphere grew somewhat heavier.

I drank water instead of wine.

“Where is the Second Prince?”

Dante had promised to visit the Guardian Guild once he recovered, but days had passed with no word.

A sense of foreboding had led me to scale the palace walls again, but I hadn’t been able to find him.

All three times.

So, I had commissioned Berman to find the Second Prince’s location, and he was to report his findings today.

“That’s the strange part. His Highness has definitely not left the Imperial Palace. And yet, we can’t find anyone who has seen him inside, either.”

“So he’s been confined.”

“That seems to be the case.”

I had a feeling. If he were free, he would never have broken his promise to me.

“What about the selection of the Crown Prince? It’s been half a month since the announcement was due. Why the silence?”

“The nobles who were expected to object are quiet, aren’t they? As if they’ve come to accept it.”

“…If the Second Prince is announced as the Crown Prince in this atmosphere, his position will be solidified.”

“Exactly. It would create a stepping stone for the Second Prince to become the next emperor. That’s why the announcement is being delayed. His Majesty is backing the First Prince, after all.”

I had the strong feeling that the Emperor chose Igrid not because he saw him as emperor material, but because he detested Dante to the point of death.

‘Why does he hate him so much? Dante is his son, too.’

Dante was likely being held captive by the Emperor himself. In a place no one knew about.

I recalled the time I had broken into Dante’s bedroom. He had appeared suddenly, without the sound of a door opening.

As if he had sprung from the wall itself.

“Did you look into whether there are any hidden spaces in the Imperial Palace?”

“I did, and they do exist. There are secret rooms prepared for evacuation in case of an emergency.”

“How are they accessed?”

“The secret rooms are said to be connected to the fireplaces in the bedrooms of the direct royal line. Pushing or pulling the fireplace will likely reveal a connecting passage.”

Just then, the auction began. The auctioneer’s voice, amplified by magic, flowed into our private room.

“Our first item is the Mermaid’s Tear. A treasure of the now-extinct mermaid race, it is enchanted with a spell that makes the bearer’s voice captivating. The bidding will start at twenty million Ruan, with increments of two million Ruan. Let the auction begin.”

A total of twenty items were up for auction today. The barrier was last.

‘Considering the intermission, it should take about two hours.’

I rose from the sofa and slightly opened the door to our room.

Just as I’d heard, once the auction started, no staff patrolled the hallways. The corridor was completely empty.

“I’ll try to be back in time, but… if I’m not, you know what to do, right?”

“I am to participate in the bidding for the barrier in your stead, correct?”

“That’s right. The price doesn’t matter, so make sure you win the bid.”

“It’s not even my money, but I’m already excited. Understood.”

“Ah, there’s one more thing.”

“What is it?”

“Starting tomorrow, I want you to spread a rumor. That the master of the Guardian Guild is looking into seeking asylum.”

“The Rank 1 seeking asylum… You intend to shake His Majesty. But will he really believe such a rumor?”

“He’ll believe it.”

“Is there a reason you think so?”

Because he knows. He knows that when I’m pushed, I’m the kind of lunatic who loses all reason.

I gave a faint smile and pulled my hood over my head.

* * *

Sneaking into the Imperial Palace and back out was not a problem.

‘It’s fine as long as I don’t get caught.’

However, spiriting away someone imprisoned by the Emperor was a major crime.

Even more so if the prisoner was someone with enough power to oppose the Emperor.

The Emperor would soon find out that Dante was gone. After all, he was the one who had imprisoned him.

And I would be the first person he suspected.

That’s why I needed an alibi.

An alibi to prove I was somewhere else at the time of Dante’s disappearance.

I silently opened the window to Dante’s bedroom.

“Just as I thought, no one’s here…”

Not just the bedroom, but the entire Prince’s Palace was quiet.

For things to be this peaceful when the prince hadn’t been seen for nearly half a month…

‘Do they not even know he’s missing?’

I stepped into the silent bedroom.

“Everyone, you said you couldn’t get into Dante’s broadcast, right?”

— Anonymous Constellation: Yeah, it was blocked.

— Anonymous Constellation: That was a first.

— Anonymous Constellation: Who the hell is that guy???

The reason I had to ask Berman for Dante’s location was that the Constellations had been unable to enter his broadcast.

Then how did he know my father had been injured?

“I’m curious myself. Just what in the world is going on…”

Well, I supposed I would find out soon enough.

The carpet in front of the fireplace, which was said to be connected to the secret room, looked brand new, with no signs of having been moved.

Which meant…

“It’s a push mechanism.”

When I pushed the edge of the fireplace, the wall rotated with a soft *shhh*, revealing a passage.

I looked down into the passage and whispered quietly.

“From this moment on, anyone who posts about what is about to happen on the bulletin board without my permission will be permanently banned.”