Chapter 45

‘Should I have just received the red diamond necklace that her older sister was trying to give me…….’

Ezet was slightly disturbed but soon shook her head to shake the thoughts away.

“So this time, we’re going to the jewelry store?”

“No.”

“Then what?”

Don’t say she has to buy all the jewelry she saw once again. Again, Edmond will be dissuaded if he wants to overspend. She will accept only one, citing the reason that ‘I cannot wear it unless it is the most precious jewel because I am the Duchess.’

If the most precious jewel is too expensive, I’ll have to find another way then.

“Today is the day of the jewelry auction hosted by the Aldebaran Merchants Association. If you use the warp hole, you can get there right away, Milady.”

* * *

The sea city of Aldebaran.

Nearly all of the empire’s maritime trading companies, the city’s primary income comes from aristocratic luxuries such as jewelry and art.

A formal jewelry auction by the Aldebaran Merchants Association, held four times a year. Unlike the small auctions held every month, it was large, and many prominent figures from other countries and Imperial Nobles attended.

“Thank you for giving me a seat even though I didn’t even make a reservation.”

“It’s an honor, Sir, Duke of Jaxen.”

Even though they didn’t book in advance, the auction house staff showed Edmond and Ezet to the VIP seats. The iron rule was to have a few empty seats at a large auction, even if reservations were crowded and full. There was a place for the Emperor and the Duke.

“The auction house is very big…”

“Have you ever been to an auction?”

“No, I’ve only heard, of course. But darker and narrower… I thought it would be like that.”

“There’s an auction house like that, but it’s not Milady’s place to walk.”

It was as big a dome as the Grand Theatre. Only box seats were missing, but the seats were large and comfortable, and the lighting was also delicately adjusting the intensity and angle of the light so that the objects on the stage could be seen well. The curtains and floors were all solemn black to avoid reflecting the lights.

“The stage is all black.”

“It’s a jewelry auction. If the wall or floor reflects the light, the original light of the gem cannot be observed properly. It also has the effect of preventing cheating.”

“For sellers, wouldn’t jewelry have to be brighter than it was before to get a good price?”

“The bidders of this auction are VIPs from around the world. They’re not stupid enough to blow up a lifetime of credibility for immediate gain.”

“I see…”

Since it is a credible auction, she can believe all the jewels in this auction are real.

Ezet was thrilled by the scenery of the auction house for the first time in her life. She thought the auction house in the novel was dark and shady, similar to a gambling house, but looking at the exhibits on stage, she felt like she was in a museum.

‘It’s amazing… should I buy something?’

Edmond visited the jewelry auction house to prepare a necklace for Ezet to wear over her dress. She could say that she would pay the bid price herself, but Edmond would pay with his money.

Edmond paid for the twenty-six dresses bought at Madame LaPromet’s dress shop, and Ezet has yet to spend any of this month’s clothes and entertainment expenses.

‘I have to use it within this month anyway, so if I have a good jewel, I’ll give it to Edmond as a gift.’

Her future budget was two million Lunds. She was at a loss on spending such a large amount of money, and she wanted to spend her budget and show off her husband.

“Edmond, when is your birthday?”

“It’s July 16th.”

“For July… Ruby is the guardian stone. It goes with your eyes.”

“A guardian stone?”

“Oh, Edmond wouldn’t be interested in that, but… The 12 gems of the 12 months of the year are called birthstones. If you carry a birthstone on your body, good luck will come to you.”

Ezet was not particularly interested in magic or occult, but above all, the subject of mystery novels that should be logical was occult.

The criminals magically hide their tricks and disguise the characters as ‘curses’ or ‘ghosts work.’

Of course, it ends pleasantly when the main character finds out that it was not magic or the work of ghosts but with human hands.

“Right, birthstone, guardian stone… When is Milady’s birthday?”

“I’m April…”

That’s all she said, and Ezet hurriedly shut up.

“Milady?”

She almost said her birthday for a moment. Now she is a stand-in for her sister, Erit. Edmond doesn’t seem to know when Erit’s birthday is, but if she says her birthday and has a problem later, it’s a big problem.

“It’s a secret.”

Ezet turned her head, removing her coyness. Her heart was pounding.

‘Since her sister was also born in April, it would be okay just to say the month.’