I Bought the Villains With Money - Chapter 49

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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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Chapter 49.
“Of course it’s strange! Good grief, what’s with those gaudy gold buttons? I’m mortified to even walk beside you. You follow behind!”
Dayson wedged himself between Casion and me, spilling out whatever came to mind.
It was Dayson’s petulance.
‘He doesn’t want me standing next to him because the other looks better.’
If I truly looked shabby, he’d have wanted me right beside him instead. That way he’d look all the more impressive by comparison.
“Your Highness, no matter who stands next to you, they’ll only fade away,” Bella cooed.
Bella sidled up to Dayson with practiced charm, laying on the flattery thick.
Pleased by her words, Dayson’s expression softened.
“I’ll go ahead. You can follow along, can’t you, Casion? If you’re hurting, rest in the carriage.”
Dayson’s tone grew gentler by the moment. By the end, whether out of self-consciousness or genuine concern, he even added a solicitous remark.
‘We both know that’s not real worry.’
How could anyone be so petty?
“Your Highness, the festival has already begun. Shouldn’t we hurry inside to enjoy it as long as possible?”
I swallowed my urge to punch him and spoke to Dayson instead. Rather than head to the Festival Grounds right away, he glanced at Casion first.
I sighed internally and drew close to Bella, whispering.
“Bella, take His Highness inside quickly. He seems fond of you. I’ll look after Casion.”
“Are you sure?”
Bella’s face lit up as she asked.
“Of course. Go have fun. We haven’t been out in ages anyway.”
Bella’s expression turned apologetic.
But it wasn’t really about leaving Casion with me—it was the shame that the First Prince had chosen me over her.
‘What’s there to be sorry about? I’m thrilled.’
I gave Bella’s back a gentle push.
Playing reluctance, Bella approached Dayson and suggested they head inside. With both of us urging him on, Dayson finally moved.
Bella and Dayson led the way while Casion and I followed, watching their backs.
“Is it strange?”
Just before stepping past the Mages checking credentials, while the entrance grew crowded with commotion, Casion asked.
“I’m sorry?”
“Does this outfit look strange on me?”
“Not at all.”
“Then why haven’t you said anything? If I gave you a gift and you wear it, shouldn’t you show some reaction?”
Casion grumbled. It seemed my lack of response had been bothering him the whole time.
‘That’s… cute.’
I was about to say so aloud when I caught myself. Casion was watching me with eyes that eagerly anticipated what I might say next.
“It’s not strange at all.”
“Then? What do you think?”
The entrance was in utter chaos, bodies flowing every which way.
Dayson and Bella had already gone inside, and the guards had followed them in a rush.
Casion was jostled left and right in the crowd. He instinctively grabbed my collar.
I took his hand so as not to lose him. Casion’s eyes widened like a startled rabbit’s. I pulled him against my side and leaned in close to his ear.
“Will you let me be honest?”
Casion nodded.
“Honestly, Your Highness… you’re far too cute right now.”
And I gave him an honest opinion.
Though of course I didn’t tell him everything—that he looked like a doll I wanted to bite, or that I wanted to squeeze him until he burst.
If I said that, he’d probably panic and bolt.
“Wh-what, calling a prince cute?!”
Casion clapped both hands over his ears, muttering to himself.
Behind those hands, his ears were probably as red as a scorched sweet potato.
“Diana, come quick!”
I’d wanted to tease Casion more, but Bella was gesturing urgently from inside. I checked the time briefly and tugged at Casion’s collar.
Soon he would arrive. There was no time to linger.
As we stepped through the curtain, the roar of the crowd hit my ears like thunder.
For this festival, the Mage Association had distributed tickets to some commoners as well.
It was a calculated move to show local goodwill toward Mages and persuade the candidate for branch director.
With more people attending, the festival brimmed with greater energy than usual. The care put into its preparation was evident everywhere.
Massive illusions soared across the sky, and stone walls were blanketed in flowers and vines that bloomed heedlessly.
Mages gathered in clusters throughout the grounds, performing wondrous magic for the nobility.
There was the art of making people vanish, or bringing scenes straight from books to life. One mischievous Mage performed a beheading illusion so convincing that several people fainted.
The stall was lined with items and potions crafted by mages themselves.
Magical artifacts were sold in shops throughout the city, and various goods circulated widely, but nothing compared to the quality of wares displayed by a mage in person.
When mages from across the continent gathered in one place, they wouldn’t put just anything on their stalls.
I kept a careful distance from Dayson and Bella while methodically examining the goods.
‘While I’m here, I should pick up some magical artifacts too.’
For someone with sufficient funds, acquiring magical artifacts is simple. But finding good quality at a reasonable price—that’s difficult no matter how much gold you have.
‘There’s no point in overpaying when I can save money.’
Since these were direct dealings with mages, the stall prices were far cheaper than the artifact shops.
Just looking at the Magic Pouches on display made that clear.
A Magic Pouch creates a subspace to store items and retrieve them as needed—an incredibly useful thing to have.
The price of a Magic Pouch varies wildly depending on how much subspace it can hold.
At an artifact shop, you’d pay two hundred gold coins for a Magic Pouch with about three square meters of subspace.
Here, one hundred fifty coins would suffice. And there were even pouches with considerably larger subspaces available.
“Jennis, buy everything from that stall to that one. After I pass by.”
I turned slightly and whispered the instruction to Jennis. Her eyes widened as she quickly calculated the value of the items on display.
“All of it?”
“Yes. And tell them half payment now, half upon arrival in Irenbell.”
I handed Jennis the Magic Pouch containing my funds.
Jennis appeared curious about much, but for now she haggled with the mage as instructed.
I scanned my surroundings intently. There was something specific I was looking for.
“Found it! I’ll take this.”
“Pardon? Miss? You’re buying that?”
Jennis frowned at the rusty ring in my hand.
“This looks more like something to throw away than sell.”
Jennis examined the ring from all angles as she spoke.
“If you’re not buying it, put it down and move along.”
A clearly unfriendly mage waved us away dismissively.
“Miss, don’t buy that. I saw plenty of beautiful rings on the way here. Who pays good money for something like this?”
Jennis spoke loudly enough for the mage to hear. I felt the urge to clap a hand over her mouth.
“I said if you’re not buying, leave.”
Just as the mage was about to close his stall in annoyance, I had no choice but to deploy my greatest weapon.
“Double. I’ll pay double. Give it to me quickly.”
“Really?”
“If necessary, triple.”
I was pressed for time and anxious. Whatever price I paid, considering what the item would be used for, it would be a bargain for me.
Jennis’s mouth fell open. Before she could interfere with my plans, I quickly produced the coins, pressed them into his hand, and slipped the ring onto my finger.
“Jennis, I’m counting on you to handle the rest.”
While I’d been browsing the stalls and buying the ring, Casion had already moved well ahead.
Jennis’s expression fell as she watched me disappear into the distance.
“Miss, come with me! It’s dangerous out here!”
I mouthed “I’m fine” and waved my hand upward, but Jennis’s worried expression didn’t ease.
As Jennis said, the Festival Grounds would normally be a dangerous place for a young child. But this wasn’t an ordinary festival—this was the Magejake Founding Day celebration held by mages.
The Mage Association abhors trouble breaking out in regions where they have a presence.
To prevent unexpected accidents, security mages are stationed throughout the festival grounds.
So if anyone attempted to harm us, the mages positioned everywhere would protect us.
‘I didn’t come out without an escort for no reason.’
I dashed toward Casion. The distance closed quickly.
“Your Highness, are you enjoying yourself? If there’s anything you’d like, just tell me. I’ll buy it all for you.”
“Do you have a lot of money?”
“Of course I do! I’ve said so several times already.”
“Then buy everything at that stall.”
Casion occasionally displays surprising insight. He pointed to the very stall I’d just instructed to be bought out entirely.
I couldn’t outright refuse him, so I quickly steered him toward the adjacent stall instead.
“Eh, that one’s not much. This place has better goods. Look at this, Your Highness.”
I crouched down in front of the stall and picked up a necklace. It was a Magic Necklace that displayed ocean illusions.
I’d chosen it thinking of Casion, who’d been unable to see the sea due to illness.
“You have excellent taste.”
The mage tending the stall smiled broadly.
Without being asked, he mentioned the price and began haggling.
“It’s twenty gold coins, but for such a charming young lady, I’ll let you have it for eighteen. You may not know this, but cheaper illusions only last a short time and show nothing but images. However, this piece I crafted allows you to feel the ocean breeze, hear the waves. Shall I demonstrate?”
The mage was a person far better suited to being a merchant than a mage.
“Your Highness, what do you think? Would you like to see the sea?”
I asked eagerly, but what fell over my head was Casion’s sigh.
He exhaled as if I were pathetic, then grabbed the ribbon attached to my shoulder and yanked it.
“Get up.”
“Why? This thing is nice.”
“If you like it, buy it yourself. No—it’s pointless, and don’t waste money on it. Get up. If you want Illusion Magic items… follow me.”
He frowned as if he’d lose his temper if I didn’t get up. I had no choice but to set the thing down and rise to my feet.
“It really is good! I’ve looked everywhere else and there’s nothing this cheap and this nice!”
The mage’s voice calling us back reached our ears. Casion clicked his tongue.
“Pure con artist.”
“Come on, Your Highness. Calling me a con artist is too much.”
“Selling something that isn’t even good for an expensive price—what else would you call it?”
I thought of Rumdracks.
A con artist is someone who sells nonexistent things for an absurdly high price.
Still, that person does give you something in return. And the things he recommended weren’t completely awful.
“From now on, when you buy Magical Artifacts, you come with me.”
Casion spoke while dodging people, weaving through the crowds without bumping into anyone.
Worried he might trip over someone, I pulled him toward a quieter spot.
“Your Highness, how would you know?”
“I would.”
“How?”
I Bought the Villains with Money (Serialized)
Author │ Lee In-hye
Publisher │ Kim Ju-hyung
Published by │ J Plus Media Co., Ltd. – Tiramisu
Marketing │ Han Jae-hyuk
Address │ Room 1101, 11 Digital-ro 33-gil, Guro-gu, Seoul (Ace Tech Tower 8th Building, 11th Floor, Guro-dong)
Email │ [email protected]
Homepage │ http://blog.naver.com/jayplemedia1
© Lee In-hye 2021
※ This work is published by J Plus Media Co., Ltd. in accordance with a contract with the copyright holder,
and no content may be used in any form or manner without permission from the company and the author.
Violation of this will subject you to 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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