Chapter 109
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 109
It was a remark that gave her much to ponder.
If that was true for everyone, how much effort had Cedric poured into maintaining that facade of invincibility? For someone in her current position, the mere thought of the burden he carried felt like a weight she couldn't even begin to imagine.
“Haa…”
She let out a weary sigh, frustrated that her thoughts had drifted back to Cedric yet again. Roxana, noticing her distress, spoke up bluntly.
“I don’t know what’s eating at you, but if it’s causing this much grief, it might be best to find a distraction to lose yourself in for a while.”
“A distraction?”
“I mean a task that requires so much focus that your worries won't even have the room to cross your mind.”
It was an undeniably workaholic solution, but since she lacked any better ideas, Harriet decided to lean into Roxana’s expertise.
“What would you recommend?”
“Usually, nothing clears the mind like a massive financial stake. The larger the sum, the more it consumes your every waking thought.”
Harriet let out a small, incredulous laugh, but Roxana wasn’t joking.
“The money you earned from the soap business and the funds you acquired in Perilas—are you just going to let them sit idle?”
“Well... shouldn't I keep some cash on hand for emergencies?”
“Now is the perfect time to invest, especially with the Countess covering your basic needs. Even if you fail, you won’t starve.”
Only then did Harriet begin to take Roxana’s words seriously. As she pondered potential ventures, a piece of information she’d overheard long ago surfaced in her mind.
At the Vanderbilt family’s party—her first reappearance in High Society—hadn’t a man named Greg Lambert told her to invest in land and buildings near Vout or Chadbury?
“The business plan will be revealed within a year, and construction will begin immediately afterward. By then, even if you try to buy buildings or land, they’ll already be snatched up by others.”
After hearing that, Harriet had spent her spare moments researching the Vout and Chadbury areas.
Although the official business plan hadn't been released yet, rumors of bridge construction were already circulating openly. Anyone with an interest in investment likely knew as much, which meant it might already be too late to secure a prime deal.
‘Still, there might be one last-minute opportunity left.’
Harriet did a rough mental calculation of her assets. She hadn’t made any major purchases lately, leaving her with about 300,000 Dirham to spare.
“What do you think about investing in real estate? Land or buildings?”
“Not a bad idea. There’s a real estate auction the day after tomorrow. If you watch where the crowd flocks, you might catch a lead. If something looks promising, it wouldn’t hurt to place a bid within your limits.”
It was a bolder suggestion than she’d expected from Roxana.
‘If I buy a small building or a plot of land, I could at least use it as a place to live. It wouldn’t be a total loss.’
With Roxana’s encouragement, Harriet decided to attend the auction two days later.
*
The auction house was a far cry from what she had imagined.
She had expected something luxurious, given the staggering sums of money changing hands, but the reality was a somewhat dim, drafty hall filled with rows of hard wooden chairs facing an auctioneer’s podium.
Even the auctioneers seemed indifferent, flipping through their ledgers with stern, businesslike expressions.
‘Did I come here for nothing?’
The thought was natural, considering she was the only young woman in sight. Most of the attendees were elderly men, and they were all eyeing Harriet as if she were a stray curiosity.
She considered turning back, but the time she’d spent traveling felt like a waste. She paid the minimum bid deposit, took her numbered paddle, and found a seat. Even if she didn't bid, she figured she could learn something just by observing.
Due to the sheer number of participants, the registration process took quite a while.
Harriet, feeling a prickle of nervous energy, took a deep breath and opened the 'Auction Item Guide' to shield herself from the piercing gazes of the crowd.
She had come hoping to find properties near the future bridge or station sites. Her eyes widened when she saw a listing for the Chadbury area prominently displayed in the middle of the guide.
‘A 2,000-square-meter plot with an abandoned factory? Appraised at 230,000 Dirham...’
It was expensive, but considering how land prices in Chadbury would skyrocket once the bridge was built, it seemed like a steal. Of course, if the competition was fierce, the winning bid could easily double the appraisal.
‘It’s within my budget... Should I try for it?’
As the hall filled to capacity, Harriet meticulously studied the guide from cover to cover, marking the items that looked promising.
Just as she was finishing her notes, someone sat down in the chair next to her.
There were plenty of empty seats elsewhere, and she was just about to wonder why they’d chosen the spot right beside her when a familiar scent hit her. Harriet’s head whipped around.
“Oh?”
She was so startled she couldn't even manage a proper greeting. Cedric Kailas sat there, looking completely unperturbed.
Even though he must have felt her staring, he simply continued reading his own auction guide as if nothing were out of the ordinary.
“Duke Kailas?”
Only after Harriet whispered his name did he glance at her and reply.
“I didn't expect to see you in a place like this, but it is a pleasure.”
“What a coincidence. I never would have thought I’d run into you here…”
“I heard several quality properties were going up for auction today. It seems Miss Harriet is also interested in real estate.”
“Oh, no, I’m just... well, looking around.”
Cedric nodded and returned his gaze to the guide. That was the end of their conversation.
Harriet nervously scanned the room, worried that people might recognize the Duke and cause a scene. But everyone seemed so preoccupied with their own targets that they didn't even glance their way.
She felt a flush of embarrassment, wondering if she was the only one making a big deal out of his presence.
‘Get a grip, Harriet!’
She forced her racing heart to steady and focused on the auctioneer ascending the podium. She didn't want to look like an amateur in front of Cedric.
“I declare the 149th General Real Estate Auction open. The first item is a two-story building on Peyton Street. The land area is…”
The auctioneer spoke with a rapid-fire cadence. If she blinked, she felt like she’d miss a crucial detail.
Yet, the moment the bidding opened, paddles shot up from every corner of the room. The people gathered here were sharks, waiting for their prey with lethal concentration.
Harriet gripped the handle of her paddle tightly, waiting for the items she had marked.
But when those properties actually came up, the bidding fervor was so intense that she couldn't find the courage to raise her hand. The prices climbed far beyond what she considered reasonable within seconds.
‘At this rate, I really will just be a spectator.’
If she had been alone, it wouldn't have mattered. But with Cedric sitting right there, she felt a strange pressure to perform. For some reason, she didn't want him to see her as timid or incapable.
Harriet waited for the land in Chadbury, the area she knew best. Finally, it arrived.
“Item number 2241: a plot of land in Chadbury. Includes an abandoned factory, currently un-demolished. Area is 2,000 square meters; appraised value is 230,000 Dirham. We will start the bidding at 184,000 Dirham, eighty percent of the appraisal.”
As the item was announced, Harriet swallowed hard. She straightened her posture and tightened her grip on the paddle.
Now, it was a battle of wits. Paddles popped up and vanished across the hall.
“200,000! 202,000! 203,000! 205,000!”
The auctioneer called the numbers like a drumbeat. Harriet planned to jump in at 210,000 Dirham.
“209,000!”
The moment the price hit her mark, Harriet moved to raise her paddle. But before she could lift it high enough to be seen, a hand reached out and pressed it back down onto her lap.
“Why—what are you doing?”
Harriet turned to him, her eyes wide with flustered indignation. Cedric looked down at her and gave a slight, dismissive shake of his head.
He leaned in close, his voice a low whisper in her ear.
“It’s not a place worth your investment.”
“Isn’t that just by your standards, Duke? A bridge connecting Chadbury and Vout is being built soon. The plot isn't huge, but I thought it would yield a decent return.”
Cedric offered a faint, knowing smile and shook his head again.
“All the profitable spots have already been claimed. You said there’s an abandoned factory on that land, correct?”
“They said the demolition costs wouldn't be that high.”
“Demolition isn’t the issue. That was a leather dyeing factory. When it closed, they dumped dyes and processing wastewater directly into the ground surrounding the building. The soil is completely contaminated. You wouldn't know it from the surface, but the cleanup costs alone would bankrupt you.”
Harriet froze. She hadn't known that at all, despite all the research she’d done on the area.
“They... they put a place like that up for auction?”