I Bought the Villains With Money - Chapter 40

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 40.
The rumor Rumdracks had spread circulated widely. The wealthy within the Kingdom began to stir.
“My lady, you’ve spread word of an impending war?”
Jennis, whose ear for news was sharper than most, sought me out the moment she heard what Rumdracks had released. But her question struck an unexpected chord.
Usually when someone arrived with gossip, they’d ask, “Have you heard the news?” But Jennis was curious about the source of the rumor.
And she had pinpointed me as that source with perfect accuracy.
“Where are you going about saying such things?”
Jennis flinched, then broke into a sly smile and pressed further.
“Are you curious, my lady?”
Curious I was, but this wasn’t the moment to discuss it with Jennis.
“We’ll talk properly next time. I need to prepare to receive a guest, Jennis.”
“Receive a guest? Who?”
“Bella’s coming.”
The letter I’d sent to Bella last time had been returned untouched. According to Jennis, the servants swore Bella wasn’t anywhere inside, even though it was clear she was there.
Instead, they’d said they would personally deliver word to the provincial office that I was looking for her.
And some time later, I received a letter from Bella.
[It’s so warm here in the Southern Region. Is the Capital the same?
I don’t know why you thought I was in the Capital, but I’m here in the South. That must mean you wanted to see me, yes? I’ve been wanting to see you too.
I’ll head up to the Capital. Let’s meet when I arrive, my dear Diana.]
At the end of her artfully playful lie, Bella had written the date and time of her arrival in the Capital. Today was that day.
It was the time she could arrive if she’d rushed up from receiving my letter.
‘She really put some thought into calculating the timing.’
After instructing the servants to prepare for our guest, Jennis helped me dress.
She spread boxes of Hair Ribbons and Shoes arranged as matching sets across the floor and fell into deep consideration.
I stood in an underdress with abundant lace, dangling my feet and picking up almonds coated in chocolate to eat.
“Jennis, let’s just pick something at random.”
“We absolutely cannot pick at random! Bella’s coming, isn’t she?”
Jennis had disliked Bella since long ago. I remembered how she’d always made a particular show of adorning me more grandly on the days Bella visited.
Whenever I refused voluminous skirts and large ribbons, she’d instead dress me in gleaming finery.
Between sparkling and grand, I’d chosen the latter.
‘Whether Jennis has good intuition or an accurate eye for people, I can’t say.’
I’d spent nearly every day with Bella, yet even I hadn’t caught her strength of will—how had Jennis noticed it?
“Today, we’ll go with this!”
Jennis brought forward a box containing sky-blue satin Shoes made from matching fabric as a Hair Ribbon.
They looked both adorable and refined to me. Especially beautiful was the Sapphire set in the center of the ribbon.
‘If I’d truly been a child, I would’ve praised the size of the ribbon.’
But since my inner self was grown, my eyes went straight to the valuable jewel.
“Do you like it?”
“Yes, I do. What about the Dress?”
Jennis said she’d already thought of something and produced a Dress. It was a shoulderless Dress, she explained, with a white lace shirt underneath to provide coverage, and she briskly undressed me before I could protest.
Jennis went on gushing about my pale skin and long limbs before ending with nagging advice: “You need to eat more to grow.”
“How does it look? I’m thinking of braiding your hair.”
I’d surrendered all authority over my appearance to Jennis. There was no point in resisting—it would only waste time, and she’d have her way in the end regardless.
I sat before the vanity. While Jennis stood behind me working on my hair, I heard a sound that wasn’t from her.
Looking in the mirror, I spotted Cho. She’d entered through the window again and was picking leaves off her clothes.
“Aunt, I keep telling you—use the door.”
“There are suspicious people lurking around your house.”
Julia had assigned someone to watch me since I’d returned from the palace.
“Did you already know?”
When I didn’t look alarmed, Cho asked the question.
“Yes. I even know who they are.”
Cho frowned and grumbled.
“What, so I went through all that trouble for nothing.”
“You found out who they were?”
I was surprised—she’d looked into it on her own, without even being asked.
“Protecting my client is part of the job.”
Cho held up her gloved hand. I could’ve sworn I saw what looked like hair trapped between the stones, but were those human strands?
I didn’t bother asking how she’d found out—it was obvious enough—and instead explained why I’d needed her.
“Please report Rumdracks to the Security Force.”
Both Jennis and Cho went wide-eyed, speechless.
“Hahaha, so you’ve decided to throw that con artist in prison? Smart thinking!”
A moment later, Cho laughed with obvious delight and patted my shoulder. Though Cho’s touch was light as a feather, my body lurched forward with the force of it.
Jennis turned and glared at Cho. Looking sheepish, Cho removed her gloves.
“These have excellent performance.”
Cho tucked the gloves into her back pocket.
I asked Jennis to wait a moment, then turned my chair to face Cho directly. Since she was standing, I had to crane my neck back considerably.
“I have no intention of sending him to prison. I went through all that trouble to get him out. All I need is to report him to the Security Force and make sure those noble ladies know he’s a con artist. The louder, the better.”
“Want me to get a newspaper piece written about it?”
“That would be ideal.”
Besides, Rumdracks wore a disguise every time he met with those ladies, so walking around with his real face meant no one would recognize him. And I’d have to tell him to stay at the Mansion until things quieted down.
“There’s something else I need you to do at the same time.”
“What sort of thing?”
I handed Cho the note I’d prepared earlier. The moment she unfolded it, her brow furrowed deeply.
“Why are you buying so much lumber? You building a house? No, even if you were building a house, you wouldn’t need this much. Are you constructing a castle out of wood?”
“Why would I build a castle, much less one made of lumber? This isn’t even lumber for my own use.”
“So you’re buying lumber you won’t use? Your extravagance takes bizarre forms.”
“Please handle this quickly. Once this is all finished, I’ll give you 5 percent of my profits.”
“Five percent? How much is that in lumber costs? Never mind the percentage—give me it in coin instead. One hundred Gold Rings.”
The Kingdom uses Gold Rings, Silver Rings, and Bronze Rings as its currency denominations. One Gold Ring equals one hundred Silver Rings, and one Silver Ring equals ten Bronze Rings.
It’s essentially the Kingdom’s own nomenclature for gold, silver, and copper coins.
Since a modest house in the Capital costs about fifty Gold Rings, the fee Cho was demanding amounted to the price of two houses.
“You’ll regret it?”
“You don’t lack money, do you?”
Cho was baiting me. My funds were dwindling, admittedly, but I wasn’t entirely without one hundred Gold Rings. Besides, this was a deferred payment arrangement.
“Deal. Look into it right away and make the purchase. You understand it needs to be under a borrowed name, yes?”
“Of course. Maintaining thorough discretion so the client’s identity isn’t exposed—that’s Chorni’s greatest strength!”
I couldn’t deny it. I’d watched with my own eyes every time my aunt climbed through windows to keep our meetings hidden.
“Move quickly, please.”
Cho leaped out the window without even saying goodbye. She demonstrated her sense of urgency through action.
“Miss, I really don’t understand. Could you explain this to me? Starting with why we’re reporting Rumdracks?”
Sigh. Where do I even begin with this explanation?
There’s only one reason I’m buying timber: Naval warfare is coming.
Six months from now, the Brook Kingdom will invade the Bitwinner region, which has a port, in order to trade directly with the Empire.
This triggers a war between the Donet Kingdom and the Brook Kingdom to protect the Bitwinner region, but the surrounding nations won’t simply stand by and watch.
Sensing opportunity in the chaos, countries scramble to join the naval battles to seize control of maritime interests. However, in the past, the Petrola Kingdom never participated in such naval warfare.
The Petrola Kingdom, positioned right beside the Empire, felt little need for sea routes.
But Karman comes to deeply regret this later. The nations that triumph in this war seize maritime hegemony and accumulate enormous wealth.
I cannot prevent the war. But I can ensure that the profits from it flow to me.
‘Even if I don’t do it, someone else will.’
The world’s wealth flows toward those who reach for it. In my previous life, it was the merchants of the Brook Kingdom who profited from timber.
This time, it’s my turn.
Since I’m going to profit anyway, I spread rumors of the coming war to maximize my gains.
And I just spread the word that those rumors came from a con artist.
People won’t pay attention to timber now. Regardless of what actually happens.
It becomes like the boy who cried wolf—once deceived, people refuse to believe the truth even when it’s spoken.
‘I’ll become the subject of rumors too.’
A foolish young lady who bought up timber on the word of a con artist’s lies.
Cho will purchase the timber under a borrowed name, but if Julia is watching me, the chances of her discovering I’m buying lumber are high.
‘Julia might even lower her guard against me because of this.’
If I spread the information that I’m regretting it late, having learned those were empty rumors the con artist spread.
Then no one internally will drive up the timber prices.
So I need only buy cheap timber before the Brook merchants raise the prices.
How can I explain this process easily to Jennis without mentioning that war is coming?
‘That’s simply impossible.’
I had to hedge.
“I’m worried Rumdracks might cause bigger trouble.”
Jennis nodded vigorously, agreeing. It was clear that Rumdracks had worn out his welcome with both her and Cho.
***
The Study, bathed in afternoon sunlight, was perfect for a nap. I stretched out on the long sofa and savored a rare moment of leisure.
The article about Rumdracks had run. He’d probably return to the Mansion only in the evening, staying out of sight.
Lebert has barricaded himself in his room for days, subjecting people to his Visual Dissection.
When I asked what that meant, Jennis explained.
“He doesn’t blink while looking at people. And he often stammers out requests for them to roll up their sleeves, then stares at nothing but their arms the entire time he’s working. From what I can see, that’s what Visual Dissection is.”
Now I understood the situation. I’d offered to let him observe an actual dissection, so it seemed he was studying in advance.
“Last time he asked one of the male attendants if he could remove his shirt, and it caused such a fuss. If you hadn’t told them to look after him properly, he would’ve gotten hit.”
It’s admirable that Lebert throws himself into everything so earnestly, but there’s no point in needlessly alarming the servants.
‘I’ll have to warn him when I see him next.’
Chorni was handling everything smoothly on his own. There was a good chance he’d show up tomorrow with news of clinching the timber monopoly contract.
‘The conditions I set were generous.’
I’d doubled the current timber price. With no sign of increased demand for timber in the near future, selling at that price was a good deal for them.
Timber warps if not stored properly, so storage and management costs run high—which means even though they’re receiving double the price, once you factor in those management expenses, the real profit comes closer to triple.
Once the timber is secured, the next hurdle is Karman. If I can persuade Karman, I’ve cleared the biggest obstacle.
So now, let me enjoy these small pleasures of mine.
“Miss, Miss Bella has arrived.”
That was a welcome announcement. I sprang up from the sofa in a bound.
Here comes my little joy.
I Bought the Villains with Money (Serialized)
Author │ Lee In-hye
Publisher │ Kim Joo-hyung
Publishing House │ J Plus Media Co., Ltd. – Tiramisu
Marketing │ Han Jae-hyuk
Address │ 1101, 11F, 33-gil Digitoro, Guro-gu, Seoul (Guro-dong, Ace Techno Tower 8th, 11th Floor)
Email │ [email protected]
Website │ http://blog.naver.com/jayplemedia1
© Lee In-hye 2021
※ This work is published by J Plus Media Co., Ltd. under contract with the copyright holder.
No part of this work may be used in any form or by any means without the permission of the publisher and author.
Violation of this will result in criminal and civil legal liability.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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