Chapter 89
Chapter 89
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: 88. Battle of Connections (1)
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Before long, early spring had passed, and May—the month of blooming flowers—had arrived.
Thanks to the warming weather, various events were held across the Empire.
From the fireworks festival imported from the East.
To the jousting tournaments in the West.
Men and women, young and old, all enjoyed the Empire's many festivities.
Of course, I was no exception.
I'd finished my morning patrol and headed to a very important event.
Today, instead of my drab defense knight uniform, I wore a sharp suit.
And with the Toruman clansmen, I made my way to the Northern Imperial Palace.
These foreigners, donning suits for the very first time in their lives.
They looked thrilled, as if they'd become nobles themselves.
However, Orun, their leader, was different.
He worried that following me might cause them unnecessary trouble.
"Um... Lord Veil. Is it really okay for the likes of us to come to a place like this?"
"Of course. I came here because of you all."
The event venue I'd visited was an auction house set in the palace gardens.
[15th Northern Mansion Auction]
It was an auction for mansions designed by famous architects or construction reservations.
"Alright, time for me to play the noble for a bit."
I strode into the garden with them, bold as brass.
I positioned them near the entrance, then took a seat in the bidding area alone.
Truth be told, there was no real upside to showing my face among the upper crust.
But if I could use this to establish a cover identity.
And claim a mansion with training facilities to boot, it was worth the risk.
On top of that, this auction featured the final commission from a retiring Imperial Artisan.
And beneath the training facilities in his works, numerous master swordsmen had been forged.
Fortunately, as befitting the capital's north side, there weren't many nobles with deep pockets.
The one real eyesore was...
Probably that secretary sitting in the corner, working for the Northern Grand Duke's heir.
A black-haired middle-aged man in a monocle.
He looked like a prickly type, silently organizing contracts at his seat.
Those documents listed every item he'd snapped up at the auction.
He'd already claimed a hefty number of mansions before I arrived.
And now he was gearing up to snag the Imperial Artisan's final commission.
But that didn't mean I had no chance.
He'd already burned through a lot of funds.
He wouldn't have much left to bid on the special lot I was after.
It was a surprise event from the start, after all.
「Sold for 5,000 gold!」
As various lots came and went, I quietly held my seat.
Then, I sensed someone approaching the chair beside me.
"Excuse me."
A woman in an elegant black dress, with long black hair.
She carefully took the seat next to mine.
*She's from the North. Judging by her attire, probably a duke's daughter.*
She appeared to be in her mid-to-late twenties.
She exuded refinement at first glance.
"Here for the auction, I take it?"
"Yes, to reserve some construction slots."
"Hmm—really? You're a new face around these auctions."
The woman rested her chin on her hand, eyeing me with interest.
She might be another contender eyeing the mansions.
"I'm no noble, so you probably haven't seen me much."
I'm no noble.
Most upper-class folk would give an awkward look and make themselves scarce upon hearing that.
But the duke's daughter was different.
"There's no rule saying only nobles can join auctions, is there?"
She covered her mouth and smiled brightly.
"My husband was a war captive, you know."
Unexpected.
To take a war captive as a husband.
*She must love him dearly.*
"Ah, I see."
I dismissed the woman next to me as unremarkable and turned back to the auctioneer.
But even as I tried to ignore her, my eyes kept drifting her way.
Nobles kept approaching her during breaks in the bidding.
Especially the young ladies, who showed her immense interest.
"Lady Grand Duchess, it's an honor to meet you...."
"Could you sign this for me?"
Women in vibrant silk dresses.
They often asked her to sign their novels.
"Ladies, I'll sign the rest outside. This is a public venue, after all?"
The grand duchess gracefully ushered them away.
Rather than annoyed, the women happily complied and stepped back.
It was like watching a famous author in action.
"Sorry about the commotion."
"Not at all. You must be quite famous."
When I asked, the grand duchess smiled and denied it.
"I dabble a bit in the literary world. Nothing major."
She waved it off and tucked away her fountain pen.
Then, as if nothing had happened, she sat straight and focused on the auction.
She clearly didn't want to reveal what novels she wrote.
「Our next item is the one you've all been waiting for—the work of the Imperial Artisan, Sir Colvert!」
At the mention of the artisan's name, the bidders focused intently.
They all began fidgeting with the numbered paddles in front of them.
「We'll start the bidding at 10,000 gold.」
「15,000.」
Paddles rose repeatedly.
In response, I raised mine as well.
"19,000."
The nobles turned their gazes to me.
The woman beside me did the same.
She stared straight at me, her lips hidden behind her fan.
「20,000.」
The grand duke's heir's secretary quickly followed with 20,000.
I immediately raised my paddle and called out leisurely.
"29,000."
Cleverly bumping it up by exactly 9,000 each time.
The woman gave an amused smile.
「30,000!」
The price climbed to 30,000 before long.
From then on, fewer paddles went up.
Still, the grand duke's heir's secretary kept bidding.
With a look of victory, he claimed Colvert's mansion for 50,000 gold.
"Hmm, he's really pushing it today—"
The woman murmured leisurely, arms crossed.
As if she knew the secretary personally.
"You're quite the troublemaker yourself."
She turned her head slowly.
Gazing at me with an expression like I was adorable, she said.
"You drove up the price without any intention of buying."
"Who knows. I really wanted it—"
I shrugged nonchalantly.
The grand duchess snapped her fan shut and smirked.
"You slyly added just 9,000 each time, luring the secretary along."
"I was just bidding up to the amount I had."
As I played it cool, she chuckled.
Then she nodded, as if understanding my intent.
「Now, for a surprise auction item!」
Here it comes.
The artisan hadn't been a mere rich man—he'd prepared this ambush auction for someone who truly valued his mansion.
"A surprise auction...?"
The grand duke's heir's secretary probably hadn't known about this either.
Neither had I, without memories from my past life.
「Let's begin the auction!」
Starting bid: 50,000 gold.
I jumped in with my first real bid.
"60,000."
「70,000....」
"80,000."
「80... 85,000!」
The grand duke's heir's secretary suddenly switched to 5,000 increments.
*Hm—so his limit is 140,000 gold?*
The secretary swallowed hard.
He glared at me with resentful eyes.
I met his gaze steadily.
Flashing a smug smile, I mouthed the words.
"90,000."
I'd preempted his limit first.
The secretary was at a loss for words.
His budget had been exceeded by a wide margin, leaving him flustered.
But he wasn't the only flustered one.
The grand duchess beside me was stunned that a commoner like me had 90,000 gold.
She seemed to peg me as some merchant guild heir.
"You'll be okay...?"
"Yeah, for now."
I crossed my legs boldly for all the nobles to see.
And introduced my cover identity.
"I'm planning a large-scale farm soon. Having a mansion like that nearby would be pretty cool."
I snapped my fingers, summoning Orun from afar.
Sturdy blond men approached in a line.
"Who are they?"
The nobles around us, including the grand duchess, stared blankly at the beastly men.
Raw masculinity.
Especially the middle-aged women, their jaws dropping at the exotic newcomers' prowess.
"Ah, they're my 'employees' working my western territory."
Not tenant farmers.
Proper employees.
Orun and the men looked moved by the words.
"By the way, what crop are you growing in the expensive western lands?"
The nobles were curious about the valuable western produce.
I answered with a refined gaze.
"It's a variety called watermelon. From the East—red flesh, superb sweetness."
"Ooh...."
The nobles suddenly took interest in me.
Meaning they didn't suspect my identity at all.
Thanks to that, among the upper class, I was branded as a wealthy farmer.
But.
The grand duke's heir's side, upon hearing I was a commoner, shot up from his seat.
He approached the auctioneer and whispered.
The auctioneer listened intently.
Then, he raised his voice to draw attention.
「Ah, everyone, please hold for a moment!」
His booming voice halted everyone.
With a serious look, the auctioneer announced.
「Bids over 50,000 gold traditionally require a guarantor.」
「So, Lord Veil Mikhail and Secretary Romus, please submit guarantor affidavits. We'd be grateful.」
The crafty old secretary was clutching at straws.
He figured a commoner like me would have few upper-class connections.
I scratched the back of my head with an annoyed expression.
Well, guarantors? I could muster plenty.
Alen, vice-captain of the Verdant Knights.
Batsu, vice-captain from the East.
If needed, even Damian, operations advisor for the Radiant Knights.
I had options.
*Since it's come to this, let's prepare a massive guarantor that'll shut the old coot up.*
"Here's an idea."
I stood, facing the secretary.
And declared confidently.
"Letters of guarantee are so dry. They hardly prove the full trust of your guarantors."
The secretary stared at me disdainfully.
"So, what do you want to do?"
"How about we each ask for a little gift to liven up the occasion?"
I could easily ask favors from vice-captains under me.
But what about a mere secretary?
His requests would likely be limited to his master, the Northern Grand Duke's heir, and a few others.
"What...?"
The secretary scowled at the thought of asking his lord for a gift.
To him, I delivered the knockout blow.
"What, scared? You, secretary to a grand duke's heir?"
The secretary scoffed in disbelief.
Eyes screaming, *Do you know who I serve?*
"Fine. But if my guarantor's pull is stronger, you know what happens?"
"Absolutely. I'll yield the mansion."
The secretary strode to the messenger birds confidently.
He penned a meticulous letter to his master.
Mine? I scrawled mine carelessly.
They all owed me big favors anyway.
"There, sent. Now let's sit tight and wait!"
"Agreed."
Afterward.
We sat across from each other at a table.
Waiting to see whose gift arrived first.
Most of the upper crust gathered around the grand duke's heir's secretary, whispering.
But.
The grand duchess, surrounded by ladies, slowly approached me.
"You're making a mistake."
She still saw me as some young rich heir.
She advised me to back out now.
"That secretary serves the Northern Grand Duke's heir. No matter how much money you have, connections-wise... it'll be tough."
I looked up appreciatively at her, advising from my corner.
And casually asked.
"You knew that—why side with me?"
"Well...."
The grand duchess glanced at the secretary.
Then shook her head with a grimace.
"Maybe I just don't like seeing my little brother succeed?"
*Little brother...?*
I furrowed my brow and looked up at her.
Just then, the gifts began arriving.
Everyone turned to the garden entrance.
"Who's that?"
"Has to be the young duke, right?"
The nobles snickered, heading over to witness the grand duke's heir's connections.
But.
They tilted their heads at the unfamiliar lavish wreath.
The first gift they met...
Had come from the East, utterly unconnected to the Northern Grand Duke.
「Guardian of the East, Veil Mikhail. Let's play again soon.」
A fruit basket with the handwritten signature of the 3rd Imperial Princess.
Inside were the finest green grapes.
*These are the same variety we ate together....*
The nobles backed away, dumbfounded.
They focused on the next arrivals.
This time, certain it would be the young duke's gift.
But their expectations missed the mark again.
The next gift came not from the North, but the West.
「Book-Eating Fox, Veil Mikhail. Congrats on the new home.」
A set of fairy tales stamped with the 1st Imperial Princess's golden lion seal.
The cover depicted a fox chomping away at a book.
*She sent fairy tales as a guarantor gift?*
The 1st Imperial Princess had toyed with the formality.
I couldn't help but chuckle.
I turned away with an awkward smile.
And looked at the flustered Northern Grand Duchess.
"Wh-what's going on? Your guarantors... are princesses?"
Even she, so composed until now, had eyes wide as saucers.
I forced a grin.
"Ah, I've got a bit of a connection to the Imperial family myself. Similar boat."
I smiled outwardly.
Inside, I wanted to cry.
I'd asked the vice-captains for guarantor gifts.
How did the princesses find out and send them personally?
"Haa...."
I turned my head and sighed deeply in secret.
But.
My sigh soon turned to gleaming eyes.
I'd glanced at the garden entrance, avoiding the grand duchess's gaze.
There, beyond mere gifts, the guarantors themselves had arrived at the auction.
A silver-haired woman in a wide-brimmed hat.
Irina, in platinum dress, carried a fruit basket straight to me.
"Veil, buying a mansion in the West—what's that about...?"
Her eyes lost focus.
Even the hand-sliced watermelons in her basket trembled.
At the sight, the nobles rose as one.
They bowed hastily to greet imperial blood.