I’ll Become the Heroine’s Capable Divorce Partner - Chapter 28

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 28

When running an auction house, one naturally collects all sorts of information about the nobles.

The count made free use of that information.

He would deduce new information from what he already held, or sometimes send people out to gather intelligence directly.

In other words, he was a kind of information broker.

‘Well, that’s why I was confident he’d accept me as a customer at the auction house.’

Of course, Elodie was basically just a spoiled and immature young lady.

But her background, the ‘Laventess Ducal House,’ was different.

The Empire’s one and only ducal house was more than worth collecting information about.

Moreover, Elodie was direct lineage of the ducal house.

Even the most trivial word she carelessly let slip could turn into major intelligence about the ducal house.

Naturally, wouldn’t that be tempting for an information broker?

This was also how the count became a sub-male lead in the original story.

In the original work, the first time the two met was right after Isabel decided on divorce.

Thus, the count provided various assistance in collecting evidence related to the divorce.

Eventually making a tremendous contribution to Isabel’s divorce.

‘So, I absolutely must bring the count to my side.’

Facing the count who was looking at me with bewildered eyes, I softly narrowed my gaze.

“Would it be possible?”

* * *

Bang!!

The front door of the townhouse burst open.

Beyond it, a middle-aged man walked in irritably.

The waiting butler hurriedly bowed his head.

“Have you arrived, Marquis?”

Marquis Bartsen,

The original owner of ‘Arthur’s early work’ that Elodie had put up for auction, and a high-ranking noble rumored to be an art enthusiast.

He was also privately the Crown Prince’s uncle.

However, in his thoroughly agitated state, there was no trace of the dignity he should show as an elder of the Imperial Family.

“The gallery on gallery street, you know? Burke Gallery.”

“Yes, yes?”

“What do you mean yes? Bring me all the painting lists from there. Right now!”

“Understood!”

The butler bowed once more and quickly turned around.

When the marquis was in such a foul mood, one must never delay.

If you made a mistake, his cane might come flying.

“Tsk, being so sluggish!”

The marquis clicked his tongue in displeasure and tossed his outer coat to another attendant.

Then he strode toward the study.

A moment later.

“Here it is, Marquis.”

The butler respectfully brought the documents.

The marquis scanned through the artwork list with an irritated gaze.

And then.

“Yes, this painting.”

The marquis furrowed his brow deeply.

Charcoal on Kent paper, dimensions 29.7cm wide x 21cm tall.

On white paper the size of a single document sheet.

This painting depicting a rippling sea in black lines, and pine trees beyond it was…

“To think this was Arthur’s work!”

Unable to contain his anger, the marquis clenched his fist around the documents.

Crunch!

The documents crumpled magnificently in his large grip.

The butler standing nearby stiffened his shoulders in alarm.

“This is absolutely ridiculous.”

The marquis took a deep breath.

Then he glared with wide eyes and examined the documents thoroughly once more.

It was indeed a painting sold from his own gallery.

The buyer was a man named Phillips.

Seeing only a first name written without even a surname, he was probably a commoner, but…

‘He must have hidden his identity.’

The marquis ground his teeth.

When Arthur’s painting appeared at the auction house, he couldn’t believe how shocked he was.

To think a treasure had been sleeping in my gallery.

And to lose that treasure so futilely…!

“Damn it!”

The marquis couldn’t hold back any longer and threw the documents to the floor.

After fuming for a while, the marquis squeezed his eyes shut.

It was an attempt to calm himself somehow.

‘So, who exactly recognized the true value of that painting?’

When even I couldn’t recognize it.

The wrinkles on the marquis’s brow deepened even further.

* * *

Not long after Elodie left, a man entered the reception room.

Count Disraeli bowed respectfully.

“I greet Your Highness the Crown Prince.”

“You worked very hard today as well, Count.”

Crown Prince Joshua spoke teasingly for all to hear.

“I’m truly lucky. To have such a good friend as the count.”

“Good heavens, who works their friend like this?”

The count looked appalled.

However, a bright smile had already spread across his face.

Count Disraeli, Richard, was Joshua’s long-time retainer and close friend.

However, the two never revealed their friendship to the outside world.

This was because it allowed Richard to move more freely.

‘Would you become my friend?’

When Joshua first made that proposal.

Richard didn’t immediately take the Crown Prince’s hand.

However, Joshua never once disappointed Richard.

He was such an excellent lord that even the meticulous Richard could trust and follow him.

‘What can I do to help you?’

Thus, the two began secretly collaborating to solve various matters that were beyond their individual reach.

The circumstances behind the first establishment of the Settler Auction House were just like that.

‘Illegal transactions in the underworld are rampant.’

Underground dealings had long been a headache for the Empire.

They couldn’t properly grasp the scale of transactions.

They had no idea how much money was moving or what dangerous items were being illegally traded back and forth.

After racking his brains for a while, Joshua finally came up with a brilliant idea.

‘So what if we take over at least part of that role ourselves?’

Of course, the Settler Auction House alone couldn’t catch all illegal transactions.

However, they not only captured a portion of the black market’s goods, but also secured information that had only moved in the shadows.

Using this, they were able to operate the Empire’s security forces a bit more efficiently.

Though if there was one small complaint as a subordinate.

True to being such a smart superior, it was quite exhausting how he worked his subordinates to the bone…

‘But His Highness works just as hard, so there’s nothing to be done.’

Just as Richard was inwardly shaking his head in resignation.

Joshua posed a question.

“So, what did Princess Laventess do at the auction house? Did she quietly sell her painting and leave?”

“As if that would happen.”

Richard shrugged his shoulders and let out a hollow laugh.

“She put a gag on me.”

“A gag?”

“She knew who I was.”

Joshua’s face instantly hardened.

“She requested that I keep her identity secret just as thoroughly as I would keep mine secret.”

“And?”

“She told me she wanted to maintain a good relationship with me going forward.”

Richard concluded with a peculiar expression.

“As an information broker and client, secretly.”

“……”

After a long silence.

Joshua spoke again.

“Then you’re saying the princess had already figured out your identity from before.”

Sharp violet eyes stared directly at Richard.

“Does she perhaps know about the relationship between you and me as well?”

“She didn’t seem to know that much.”

“Right, that’s how it is…”

Joshua, who had been trailing off, soon let out an incredulous laugh.

“Well, I’ll be damned. She got me good.”

Elodie von Laventess.

An arrogant troublemaker who had never once been helpful in Joshua’s life.

Therefore, Joshua had never once in his life been curious about Elodie.

But.

‘How did the princess come to know all that information?’

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