The Villainess Builds a Department Store - Chapter 72

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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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The Villainess Establishes a Department Store

Chapter 72

While I was extorting friend fees from Felix, a debate was taking place on the stage about whether the painting was authentic or a forgery.

Surprisingly, the Fraudulent Appraiser was presenting surprisingly plausible opinions and evidence. At least that’s how it sounded at first glance.

Indeed, to ruin someone’s life with words, you need that level of eloquence…

“The Painter who created this painting is characterized by realistic depiction, elaborate brushwork, and everyday subject matter. As evidence, these lovers are meeting not in a secluded, deserted place where secret rendezvous typically occur, but right by the Wall near their Home. As if the Fiancé had just been called out moments ago.”

“Hmm…”

“Look here. The wrinkled clothes and face without a trace of makeup! It’s an appearance one wouldn’t want to show their Fiancé, but it’s possible because they rushed out secretly just moments ago. The Painter honestly depicted this instead of hiding or covering it up. Therefore, this painting can be considered authentic.”

Even to my ears, it was plausible logic.

If you asked a Painter from Loire to paint lovers’ secret meeting, you’d probably get a completely different painting.

As the Fraudulent Appraiser said, it would be set in a secluded, deserted Garden, with a dove carrying a letter symbolizing prior correspondence flying through the sky, and the lovers dressed up to impress each other.

After all, Loire painting style involved imbuing meaning into every small prop and even the composition of figures.

The Appraisers were no exception. The atmosphere was supporting the opinion that the painting was authentic.

“My goodness, I have no idea what evidence you based your hasty claim that the painting is a forgery on. Isn’t a Merchant’s job simply to buy expensive items and resell them here with a markup!”

“Come to think of it, we were so shocked by the mention of forgery that we called Appraisers first, but we never actually heard why Monsieur believes the painting is a forgery.”

“Guillaume Hedebeau. Could you provide your evidence? If you offer excuses like feelings or a Merchant’s intuition instead of convincing, valid evidence, we’ll have no choice but to formally protest for the honor of the Auction House.”

Before we knew it, Guillaume had become the villain who falsely accused the Auction House without evidence.

“I do have evidence.”

Guillaume extended his finger toward the painting.

The Appraisers gasped at his bold action of trying to touch the painting without gloves.

But what touched the paper wasn’t Guillaume’s finger, but a thick, black shadow.

The shadow pointed to the white moon.

A white, round moon representing the lovers’ swelling hearts.

“The moon?”

“The moon’s shape is wrong.”

Guillaume continued his argument with a calm attitude.

“What’s wrong with the moon?”

Emboldened by people agreeing with his opinion, the Fraudulent Appraiser sneered.

“The moon on the day the Painter created this painting wasn’t this shape.”

“Secret lovers’ meetings require caution even with a single candle. Since a full moon is bright, couldn’t the Painter have changed it to a shape suitable for a rendezvous?”

Oh my.

The Fraudulent Appraiser seemed to have forgotten what he had just said.

“Didn’t you just say it was authentic because of its realistic depiction?”

People’s gazes focused on the Fraudulent Appraiser.

But the Fraudulent Appraiser didn’t panic and calmly admitted his mistake.

“Ahem. I apologize. I got too excited.”

His graceful admission of error rather than denial deepened the trust in people’s eyes toward the Fraudulent Appraiser.

“Then Guillaume Hedebeau, let me ask one thing. If the painting is a forgery as you claim… what shape is the moon in the authentic version?”

No one could answer this question. Because no one had seen the authentic version either.

But if someone had seen that day’s moon, and if evidence recording it existed…

Right there, on the Stage.

“On the day written in the painting, there was definitely a lunar eclipse.”

“A lunar eclipse? You mean the lunar eclipse where the moon disappears?”

Guillaume nodded.

“I remember clearly. On the date written here, a high-ranking noble from Gawri invited me to drinks, saying he’d teach me how to read Gawri paintings.”

“A date? Where are there numbers here?”

“…Don’t you know how to read Gawri numbers?”

At Guillaume’s pitying remark, the person who had questioned him instantly became a fraud claiming to be a Gawri painting expert without even knowing Gawri characters.

“If my testimony alone isn’t enough, I’ll submit the sailors’ logs as evidence. Gawri predicts weather by observing the moon’s shape, and a sailor who learned this method recorded the moon’s shape daily, so we can compare.”

The atmosphere that had been confident about authenticity was overturned once again. Along with it, the gazes toward the Fraudulent Appraiser changed from firm trust to sharp, needle-like suspicion.

While bringing the sailor’s log for fact-checking, the Auction House atmosphere froze as if a sudden cold snap had arrived.

Now people were suspicious of the painting’s authenticity, Guillaume’s credibility, and the Fraudulent Appraiser who claimed to be an expert.

Though he maintained a smile, I clearly witnessed the Fraudulent Appraiser’s lips trembling and stiffening whenever impatient people protested and questioned him.

Father and Uncle also seemed very flustered by the unexpected situation, standing up and pacing in place.

Then they exchanged frowns and a few words before starting to push each other’s shoulders as if picking a fight.

“Look, Mademoiselle Charmeuze and next to her…”

“Uncle.”

“…is fighting with Monsieur Charmeuze? Wow, Mademoiselle Charmeuze is attacking Younger Sibling with her cane?”

“Uncle deserves to get hit.”

Felix closed his mouth at my sharp answer.

“…Felix, don’t you think our Father has changed too?”

“Huh? Um… it’s not right to speak carelessly about other people’s Parents…”

The answer was already decided when he responded like that.

Sigh. Even trying to endure it, I kept sighing at that pathetic and miserable sight.

If it’s visible even to a child’s eyes. It’s truly shameful.

“I don’t know if this will be comforting… but I heard Father was often scammed when he was young too.”

I stared at Felix quietly.

I didn’t know when Guillaume’s childhood that you’re referring to was, but I could bet the ribbon on my hat that our Father was probably there getting scammed together with him.

“…Thank you.”

“And leave such matters for the adults to resolve. You’re just a child like me.”

I chuckled at Felix’s words that were half comfort, half scolding.

Just then, loud footsteps echoed and shouting erupted from the Stage.

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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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