When asked about his identity, the Porto merchant's face turned red. He rolled his eyeballs unsteadily from side to side, and without a word, he threw himself toward the exit of the nearest hall.
"Catch him!"
"Don't miss it!"
A group of people threw themselves at the fleeing Porto merchant, but it was not easy to catch the desperately fleeing merchant.
Puck!
It was Prince Alfonso who caught the Porto merchant. Among his peers, he was tall and had a good build, and his motor skills were unmatched. When <Vittoria Nike> collapsed, he was sitting in the center of the guest seats and escorted the noble ladies to the right side. Prince Alfonso, who had put the Porto merchant face down on the floor and put his hands behind his back to subdue him, called for his men.
"Bind him and put him in the palace prison!"
"Yes!Your Highness!"
"Also, appraise the authenticity of the rest of the works of art, and if they are counterfeit, the transaction is invalid, and if they are genuine, pay the original owner, not the merchant!"
"I will follow your orders!"
***
The Marquis of Chibo was reminiscent of war. A fake marble art piece is stuck through the floor in the middle of the party hall on the first floor, the palace security officers running around the house chaotically interrogating the Porto merchant's party and the wife of the Marquis of Chibo, and San Carlo goes away. It was very noisy.
"The second daughter of the de Mare family also played an active part in the case of the Apostle of Aseretto, and today she is amazing!"
"Is this the level of erudition possible for a 15-year-old girl?"
"From theology to art to history. There are many different fields, and at this point, she doesn't know by studying, but doesn't she have eyes that see through the truth?"
Ariadne has been nicknamed 'the eye that sees through the truth'. Actually, the 'eyes that see through the truth' were standing in the backyard of the Marquis of Chibo and arguing with a man who had no idea what he was thinking in his past and present life.
"Count de Como, what the hell are you thinking?!"
His title was also 'Count de Como', not 'Count Cesare'. Originally, it was the principle that titles followed by titles were surnames, not names. But no one in San Carlo applied that principle to Cesare and his mother, the Countess of Rubina. Continuing surnames and titles show respect for the family, and the fact that the ancestors 'Count de Como', the father of Cesare on paper who would have inherited the title, is an empty person who only exists on paper, is known to all of the upper class of San Carlo's society. I was barely noticing. In the midst of that, it was because it sounded like pinching his lineage weakness to stick to the title of 'Count de Como'. But to Ariadne, who was furious, there was nothing to see.
"What the hell are you doing to push others with lies without thinking about cleaning up?"
Cesare just shrugged.
"Look at this, little girl. In the end, everything ended well."
"Shut up! Don't act friendly with me! I am the second daughter of the Cardinal of this parish!"
"Whoa, look at this."
Cesare pressed Ariadne's forehead with one finger.
"You didn't even have a debutante prom. Then you are still a child. How can a child tell an adult not to speak up?"
Cesare looked Ariadne up and down and added a word.
"Look at this. Coming out in a childish yellow chick dress."
Ariadne trembled in anger. Cesare continued teasingly.
"If you become a Lady, I will raise you as much as you like."
"I will never speak to someone as irresponsible as you again!"
Cesare finally began to defend himself.
"I am not as irresponsible as the little girl sees me. She didn't commit without a clue. I knew that the real 'Vincencio del Gato' had risen from the Tiber River three months ago."
His investigations were more extensive than that, but he did not bother to reveal them all to Ariadne.
"Then you should take care of it yourself, so why are you putting it off for me?"
"You know my situation, right?"
Cesare looked pitiful. With features so sculptural, and even a sorrowful expression on top, he was indeed a great handsome man who caught the eye.
"The King's bastard, and abandoned son. If someone like me seems to be greedy for power, I'll be beaten that day."
He pretended to cut his throat with his hand.
"In my situation, how could I say that a merchant is in trouble, let's use administrative and military power to hunt down that merchant"?"
"Then why don't you stay still!"
"It all worked out in the end. You and I seem to be the perfect match, aren't we a good pair? The daughter of a priest who solves the reasoning in front of the aristocratic Count who does background investigation and lays the board!"
Ariadne had seen the smirking Cesare a few times as a child. Towards Ariadne, it was the look he occasionally showed when he was in a good mood, and most of the time, it was the look he showed off his charm when he had something to get from someone. Even if it was a Princess from the next country, an ambassador, or Isabella. His hospitality, jokes, and pranks towards the beautiful widow Isabella at Ariadne's regular tea party. She thought it was good that he respected her and treated Ariadne's older sister, his sister-in-law, but in the past her favor returned to fatal betrayal. Cesare, who acted like a charmer, was very attractive, but seeing him push himself like this now made her feel strange. Cesare, who treated her so badly, is now farting because he wants to look good to her.
However, she even came back against her death, but if her former fiancé, who threw her away and took her life, pushed her forward and went over it, it was not a person that she knew. He was still terribly attractive, and though he was repulsed by the look he was shedding, he never wanted to take it.
"Aren't you a villain who places all the blame on a girl who hasn't made her debut and doesn't even know you? Wherever you go, don't even mention that you're a good pair with me. I am afraid that it will appear even in my dreams."
"Because I'm not such a bad person. Let's just say it was an expression of my sense of justice, which made me too sad to watch a con man devour 2000 ducatos from my dear brother with a fake counterfeit, friendship? blood relationship? courage?"
"Right."
Ariadne, who decided that there was no point in mingling anymore, turned around and was about to leave, but Cesare reached out and grabbed her wrists
"Wait for a second. Today, I came all the way here to meet the Lady because I have a business. The Marquis of Chibo didn't even send an invitation, so I had a hard time sneaking in. Let's talk."
Ariadne slipped her wrist back and pushed away Cesare's hand. He said nothing, but seeing Ariadne's expression tinged with slight displeasure, Cesare raised his hands to show surrender. It was a subtle change in color that most men wouldn't notice, but Cesare caught it amazingly well.
"Sorry sorry. Excuse me. I was wrong for grabbing the Lady's wrist. I am a gentleman. You don't have to be nervous. The business is simple."
Cesare looked at Ariadne and spoke as if he had a very good proposal.
"Let's make a deal just like Ladies and Gentlemen."
"I have nothing to do with you."
"Don't do that, listen to me."
He leaned his upper body towards Ariadne in a friendly way. A gust of wind blew, and perfume made from roses, frankincense, and cedar, which Count Cesare loved, tickled the tip of his nose. He would thus approach her and take her into his beautiful world. He always broke her defenses. If you hold Cesare's outstretched hand, you can leave for his fantastic adventure without thinking about the future. Cesare de Como opened his mouth and made today's offer.
"Would you like to sell 'Heart of the Blue Sea' to me? I'll pay you right."
"No."
The sound of Ariadne's heartbeat was heard. Stabbing pain in the chest. He guessed there was some hope. After the pain, shame flooded his face, and an indescribable rage followed immediately after. He recited the items he would pay for the 'Heart of the Blue Sea'.
"Have you heard of 'The Swan of Linville'? It is a diamond that is quite valuable among the jewels I own."
Ariadne knew the 'Swan of Linville' very well. It was a brooch set with pearls polished to a teardrop shape of 15-carat diamonds with excellent color and no impurities. In the year when Count Cesare was thirteen years old, King Leo III bestowed it on him as part of the collection at a mansion in downtown San Carlo.
Ariadne in her past life wanted very much to have the 'Swan of Linville'. The value of the jewel itself is also worth it, and receiving the jewel with the nickname of giving it to the woman he truly loves seems to confirm the fact that Cesare's heart is really in her, so it is more meaningful. During her engagement he never gave it, but for some reason, he was so willing to agree to it when she asked for it as a wedding present. It must have been because he knew she would never get that wedding present.
"In exchange for the 'Heart of the Blue Sea', I will give you the 'Swan of Linville' with 6000 ducatos in gold (about 6 billion won) and various small jewels."
But now, the young Cesare, who was young like his, was presenting 'The Swan of Linvill'e to Ariadne, who had done nothing. Ariadne in this life did not sacrifice her youth for him, did not aid in the murder, did not get sick, and did not risk her life. All she did was increase her self-worth. However, the 'Swan of Linville', which had not returned to her despite her dedication to him, was on the verge of coming into her grasp so easily. No, in fact, it was not about giving away to the 'Swan of Linville'. It was to be exchanged for the 'Heart of the Blue Sea'.
A woman who could be a transaction partner or an object of use, but could never receive jewels with love, that was Ariadne de Mare to Cesare. She couldn't stop laughing. As the anger soared to the top of the sky, all that came out was laughter.
"Count Cesare de Como. You are really stupid."
"What?"
You've lost someone who truly gave everything to you, you've lost a lot. However, Ariadne's lips spoke different words from the words that had settled deep in her heart. She couldn't bear to say her true feelings. It will sound like a crazy person.
"You insulted His Majesty by saying that you were the King's bastard, but let's just say that. I'm also the Cardinal's bastard, so I'm not in a position to be proud of either."
It was an attack that pierced Cesare's weakest point like a needle.
"But if you are in a position where you inherit a drop of His Majesty's blood, are excluded from both politics and the military, and depend on a single ray of grace to keep that thin line of life alive, shouldn't you at least look out for His Majesty?"
Cesare was surprised by the unexpected attack. He used his charm to the best of his ability and made people flirt with him, but in front of his smiling face, no one had ever been able to jump right in with something he didn't want to hear.
"Would His Majesty the King give me the 'Heart of the Blue Sea' to fuck around? Would you really like it if I sold it at will?"
"What?"
"If I sell it to the Kingdom of Gallico and then to the Republic of Porto because it's a good price, it would be nice to see it in the eyes of His Majesty the King!"
Ariadne fired back with a furious voice.
"Heart of the Blue See' is more like an item entrusted to me by His Majesty the King. I am the de facto keeper, not the owner. This is not something money can buy."
It was a fact so far. But after that, it was emotional.
"Someone which I never even knew, appeared without even thinking about it, claiming to be a son, and telling me not to sell the 'Heart of the Blue Sea'. You can't even tell if you're doing it, you're dreaming too big. Wake up."
In his previous life, he couldn't judge the woman he really should have and the woman he shouldn't have. It's the same this time. The object is just a jewel!
Ariadne intended to leave this time. As someone who had been with Cesare for 14 years, she memorized the patterns even though she didn't understand them. At this point, it was obvious that he would lose control and become angry.
"You there! Stop!"
Sure enough, Count Cesare turned around and grabbed Ariadne's wrist as she strode forward. Ariadne pushed harder than before, but Cesare didn't even budge this time, perhaps because he was serious. The wrist bones pressed by the strength of the adult man's grip were painful.
"Leave me alone!"
Above Ariadne's sharp scream, a man's voice, one tone thicker, overlapped.
"Let go of that hand, Count de Como."
It was Prince Alfonso, one of only two people in all of San Carlo who can rightfully call Cesare 'Count de Como'.
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