The Jenit Trading Company, now owned by Amelia, was originally a wedding gift to Amelia’s mother, Jenit Vermerian.

It was a gift from Viscount Vermerian to win the heart of a woman who habitually said she didn’t want to just stay at home raising children, nor did she want to wait for a busy husband who rarely returned once he entered the palace.

The Viscount created a trading company bearing Jenit’s name, according to her detailed requests.

This played a crucial role in changing the mind of the woman who loved the Viscount but had no intention of marriage.

Jenit Vermerian, who was assertive, proactive, and ambitious in everything, steadily raised the trading company her husband had created for her.

And within three years of its establishment, she grew it into a trading company whose name everyone would have heard of.

Jenit, who became a legend in the trading world, managed the company’s affairs until just before giving birth to Amelia.

Saying she wanted to teach the child about the trading company as well, she spent her entire pregnancy talking about various things to the child in her womb.

Whether Amelia remembered or not, it was the last memory Jenit had with her child, as she never properly saw the face of the baby she gave birth to.

At the same time, it was a painful memory for the people of the trading company who had sworn loyalty to her.

The regret for their young master who passed away early soon turned into sympathy for Amelia, who lost her mother at a young age.

The people of the trading company would immediately tear up at the mere mention of Amelia’s name.

“Our young lady is… getting married…”

“It seems like just yesterday she was toddling around, and now…”

It was the same now.

This happened as soon as Betty, who had entered the underground of the trading company through a secret passage, opened her mouth saying it was the young lady’s order.

The men, each about three times Betty’s size, took out pictures of young Amelia from their pockets, looked at them, and began to sob one by one.

Surrounded by numerous men, Betty was dumbfounded as they sporadically sniffled, calling out to the young lady who had now grown up and even gotten married.

“No, I’m telling you, the young lady doesn’t even remember you all now?”

The problem was, none of them had ever seen the grown-up Amelia.

The Jenit Trading Company was known for its good treatment, to the point where it could be called a lifelong workplace, and therefore most of the people here were those hired when Jenit first established the company.

They were also the ones who secretly wiped away tears while looking at the tiny, fragile, and cute Amelia who had just lost her mother.

As the scale of the trading company grew, they were scattered to create branches throughout the empire on the orders of Hayley, who was the deputy head of the company at the time.

And there was a particularly famous story about the people in this Waynes:

When they heard they were being moved to a branch, they cried out as if they were being driven out, calling Amelia’s name.

Betty, who had heard this story many times, looked around at them acting as pitiful as if they were sending off their own daughter to marriage, and let out a heavy sigh.

“If you want to do what the young lady ordered, you need to move quickly. If you don’t want to be marked as incompetent by the young lady who doesn’t even remember you properly, you’d better move fast.”

“It’s not just anyone, but a request from the young lady! We can’t let that happen!”

Such impressive love for the young lady.

The people who had been sighing deeply until just now jumped to their feet at Betty’s words ‘the young lady’s order,’ which she had blurted out like a command.

She stood firmly on her legs and sighed heavily again at the vibration that felt like a mountain was rising.

Even the Viscount, who was always anxious behind the scenes worrying if the young lady might get hurt, wasn’t this bad.

Betty took off the hood she was wearing as she looked at the men who were boasting loudly that they would do anything if just asked.

“First, the young lady said to make sure to convey her thanks.”

“Our young lady did?”

“She said to make sure to tell you that although she hasn’t had the chance to come here and take care of the trading company outside the capital due to her promise with the Viscount, the company has grown this much thanks to all of you.”

When sending her here, Amelia had insisted on conveying her sincere gratitude.

It was strange that the usually concise master suddenly said such things, but well.

Given her meticulous personality, Betty thought she was probably laying the groundwork in advance.

Now that the promise with the Viscount was fulfilled, there would be opportunities to visit the branches outside the capital.

And the reaction that came out as soon as she brought this up was beyond what Betty had imagined.

“The young lady…!”

“How wonderfully she has grown…!”

Once again, everyone started sniffling while looking at the pictures of young Amelia they were holding.

Some of them were even suggesting going to see her from afar, saying the young lady was in Waynes.

No, I’m telling you, the young lady doesn’t even remember you.

Betty, who hadn’t even achieved half of half of her original purpose yet, let out a long sigh.

She had to return before the masters came back to their lodgings, but somehow she had a feeling she was going to be seriously late today.

* * *

The inside of the auction house was darker than expected.

Until I was guided to the seat written on my ticket, passing through a long corridor with only minimal torches to prevent stumbling, I thought the surroundings were excessively dark.

“It’s darker than I expected.”

“It’s probably to prevent people from recognizing each other’s faces. Even if the light is slightly brighter, there’s a possibility of recognizing someone else’s face.”

As I whispered quietly after sitting down, Leoprick nodded and explained.

Basically, the lighting in all illegal auction houses is excessively dark, and people often add additional cloth over the masks provided by the auction house.

“There are quite a few people who would be in trouble if it was discovered they were in a place like this.”

“I wonder why they come despite the risk of being discovered?”

If it’s discovered that you were in an illegal auction house, you not only face legal consequences but also have to be prepared for social disgrace.

Nevertheless, the nobles, and those who claimed to have some money, continuously created and sought out such auction houses, trying to find their satisfaction within them.

Even though they possessed wealth and honor to the extent that they didn’t need to do so.

Why on earth would they come to such a place, despite taking so many risks?

When I raised this question, Leoprick gently smiled and stroked the back of my hand.

“Because human greed knows no bounds, Mela. It’s only natural.”

Greed knows no bounds, huh.

It was a statement that struck at the core of me, who used to be consumed by that greed and do all sorts of bad things long ago.

Human greed knows no bounds.

And that end always tends to rush towards the worst.

I turned my gaze from my husband, who had already once met an unpleasant end swept up in my vain greed, to the stage set up at the very front.

Once was enough to be mired in excessive greed, floundering and dragging others down into it, ruining everything.

Perhaps finding it strange that I didn’t say anything more, I could feel Leoprick staring at me intently.

However, I refused to turn my head until the end.

And with perfect timing, a person appeared on the stage.

“Ladies and gentlemen! Thank you for waiting! Welcome to the ‘Sapphire Auction House’!”

The man who came out wearing a mask covering more than half of his face, like everyone else present, introduced himself as today’s ‘host’.

The auction house itself seemed to be designed specially, as the booming voice echoed clearly even from far away.

Leoprick and I could tell that the items in this auction house today were not just the Tears of Isolde.

“This is the place where all sorts of rare things gather, the Sapphire Auction House! I’m sure none of you who have come here will regret taking the trouble to come!”

The host was very confident about today’s auction.

He gestured towards the other side of the stage with exaggerated movements, like someone conducting a circus performance.

With that gesture, a person appeared, pulling a trolley containing something large.

An assistant, also wearing a mask, lifted the cloth covering the item according to the host’s gesture.

Simultaneously, the auction began.

“3,000 gold!”

“7,000 gold!”

“10,000 gold!”

The enthusiasm was tremendous.

As if the jeweler’s owner hadn’t been boasting idly, the winning bids for each item that came out far exceeded the prices I had imagined.

Beyond the rarity of the items, what caught my eye was something else.

Naturally, competition heated up as they stimulated desire for ownership, mentioning names that anyone would have heard of at least once and saying that even such people wanted these items.

“The host’s skill is remarkable.”

“I was thinking the same thing. He’s too talented to be wasted in an auction house like this.”

While others were all captivated by the eloquent speech and the items, Leoprick and I lowered our voices to discuss the host’s talent.

Of course, it was also because the item we were waiting for hadn’t come out yet…

Just as I was watching the stage, thinking that a big item like the Tears of Isolde would probably come out last,

“Is there nothing you want?”

“…Pardon?”

When I blinked at his sudden words, Leoprick smiled at me.

“Something you want. After all, I’m a husband who has come all the way to a place like this for his wife. Shouldn’t I at least put one thing you want in your hands?”

“Ah… It’s alright. This is just an act, after all.”

What was he saying now.

As long as we had set foot in this place, we had more or less achieved our intended purpose.

In other words, there was no need to focus on the act any further.

I shook my head with a faint smile and focused back on the host on the stage.

However, unlike me, Leoprick seemed to have different thoughts.

“That one is the same color as your eyes. How about that necklace?”

“It’s really fine. I have plenty of jewels.”

“Then how about that ring? I think it would suit your hand well.”

“Your Highness…, darling. It’s really alright.”

Rings, necklaces, earrings, hairpins, and even a quill pen made from some rare bird’s feather that was said to be unique.

After that, Leoprick mentioned every single item that came out, asking if there was anything I liked.

But truly, I already had more than enough.

I was the only daughter of Viscount Vermerian, the wealthiest man in the empire, and I was running a fairly large trading company.

Moreover, before marriage, I was the flower of high society, leading fashion trends.

How could there be anything I didn’t have?

Just as I was getting tired of constantly shaking my head at Leoprick’s continuous remarks.

“You probably couldn’t have imagined this! A treasure of the empire, a precious item only seen in the imperial palace!”

The host’s booming voice pierced my ears.

It seems the item we’ve been waiting for is finally coming out.

Not just me, but even Leoprick, who had been making frivolous remarks all this time, sat up straight and focused his gaze forward.

“Introducing, the Tears of Isolde!”

And finally.

What we had been waiting for appeared.