Received the Obsession of a Chaste Dark Lord (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 16
The Janet Trading Company, now owned by Amelia, was originally a wedding gift given to Amelia’s mother, Janet Vermilian.
It was a gift from Marquess Vermilian, meant to win over her heart, as she constantly said she did not wish to merely raise children at home or wait idly for her busy husband, who rarely returned after visiting court.
Marquess Vermilian created a trading company named after Janet, precisely according to her every detail.
This played a decisive role in changing the heart of a woman who, though she loved the marquess, had no desire for marriage.
Janet Vermilian, bold, proactive, and ambitious, gradually elevated the company her husband had given her.
Within three years of its founding, she transformed it into a name known to everyone.
Thus, Janet, a legend in the trading world, continued overseeing the company until just before giving birth to Amelia.
She even spoke to her unborn child throughout her pregnancy, eager to teach it the ways of the trading company.
Whether Amelia remembered it or not, it was Janet’s final memory with her child, a child she never even saw clearly.
It was also a heartbreaking memory held by the people of the company who swore loyalty to her.
Their sorrow over their young mistress’s early death soon turned into sympathy for Amelia, who had lost her mother at such a tender age.
Whenever Amelia’s name was mentioned, these people would immediately tear up.
“Our lady… our lady is getting married…?”
“It feels like just yesterday she was toddling around, and now…”
It was the same now.
As soon as Betty, who had entered the company’s basement through a secret passage, opened her mouth claiming it was the lady’s order, chaos erupted.
The huge men, each three times Betty’s size, pulled out small portraits of young Amelia from their chests and began weeping uncontrollably.
Surrounded by countless men, Betty, though bewildered, watched as they wept in scattered sobs, calling out loudly for the lady who had now grown into a married woman.
“No, no, the lady doesn’t even remember you anymore!”
The problem was, none of them had ever seen the grown Amelia.
The Janet Trading Company offered such excellent treatment that it was hardly an exaggeration to call it a lifelong career; most people here had been hired when Janet first founded the company.
They were the same people who had secretly wiped away tears upon seeing the tiny, frail, sweet Amelia, who had just lost her mother.
When the company expanded, they were scattered across the empire’s branches, following the orders of then-deputy company head Hailey.
And there was one famous rumor about the people in this Waince branch:
Whenever they heard of being transferred, they would scream as if being driven away, crying out Amelia’s name.
Having heard this story many times, Betty looked at them, their pitiful behavior like a mother sending off her daughter to marriage, and sighed heavily.
“If you want to carry out the lady’s order, you must move quickly. If you don’t want to be marked as incapable of working for a lady you can’t even remember properly, then move fast!”
“It’s the lady’s request—not just anyone’s! We can’t possibly refuse!”
What incredible devotion to the lady.
The very people who had moments before sighed as if the earth had swallowed them leapt to their feet at Betty’s sharp command: “the lady’s order.”
With a tremor as if a mountain had risen, Betty braced her legs and sighed deeply once more.
Even the marquess, always fretting behind the scenes that the lady might come to harm, hadn’t been this dramatic.
Betty removed her hood as she watched the men loudly declaring they were ready at any moment.
“First, the lady specifically asked me to thank you.”
“Our lady?”
“Until now, I couldn’t come here because of my promise with the marquess, and I couldn’t oversee the branches outside the capital. But she insisted I tell you that the company’s growth to this size is entirely thanks to you.”
When sending me here, Amelia was adamant that I deliver her heartfelt thanks.
Though it was unusual for her usually concise and direct mistress to say something so warm, well—
Knowing her meticulous nature, I assumed she had laid careful groundwork.
Now that her promise with the marquess allowed her to visit the outer branches, it made sense.
And the reaction to this remark surpassed anything Betty had imagined.
“Our lady…!”
“How wonderfully she has grown…!”
Once again, everyone stared at the portraits of young Amelia in their hands and burst into tears.
Some even began urging each other to go see the lady in Waince—even from afar.
No, I keep telling you, the lady doesn’t even remember you!
Betty sighed deeply; she hadn’t even achieved half her original goal.
She had to return before her mistress came back to the quarters, yet she had a strong feeling she’d be late today.
[This is the timeline separator]The auction hall was darker than expected.
As I walked down the long corridor, lit only by minimal torches to avoid tripping, until I was guided to my seat marked on the ticket, I thought the darkness was excessive.
“It’s darker than I thought.”
“It’s to prevent us from recognizing each other’s faces. Any extra light might allow someone to identify another person.”
As I sat down and whispered softly, Leopric nodded and explained.
Generally, all illegal auction halls are kept excessively dark; attendees often wear additional coverings like cloaks over the masks provided.
“There are far more people here who would be in trouble if their presence were discovered.”
“But why risk coming here at all, knowing you might be exposed?”
Being discovered here would not only bring legal consequences but also social disgrace.
Yet nobles and those with wealth kept creating and seeking out such auctions, striving to satisfy their desires—even when they already possessed more wealth and prestige than they needed.
Why, then, would anyone risk so much?
When I voiced my question, Leopric smiled gently and patted the back of my hand.
“Human greed has no end, Melia. It’s only natural.”
Greed has no end.
It struck at the very core of me—a phrase that had once driven me to commit all manner of evil acts long ago.
Human greed has no end.
And it always ends in the worst possible way.
I had already once, swept away by my own vain greed, watched my husband meet a bitter end. Now, I turned my gaze to the stage set at the front.
One plunge into excessive greed, one entanglement dragging others down—it was enough.
Noticing my silence, Leopric seemed to sense something was odd and stared intently at me.
But I never turned my head.
And just then, perfectly timed, a figure appeared on the stage.
“Ladies and gentlemen! You’ve waited long enough! Welcome to the Sapphire Auction!”
The man who stepped forward, wearing a mask covering more than half his face, introduced himself as today’s Auctioneer.
The auction hall’s design was clearly unique—his booming voice echoed clearly even from far away.
Leopric and I understood immediately that the items here were not merely Isolde’s Tears.
“Here, all rare treasures converge—the Sapphire Auction! I’m certain none of you will regret making the journey here!”
The Auctioneer spoke with absolute confidence.
He gestured dramatically toward the far end of the stage, like a ringmaster directing a circus.
At his signal, a man appeared, pulling a trolley holding a large object.
The assistant, also masked, followed the Auctioneer’s gesture and lifted the cloth covering the item.
Simultaneously, the auction began.
“Three thousand gold!”
“Seven thousand gold!”
“Ten thousand gold!”
The bidding was fierce.
It was no idle boast by the gem merchant—the moment each item appeared, the final bids far exceeded what I had anticipated.
The rarity of the items was remarkable, but what caught my attention was something else.
By invoking names familiar to everyone, and claiming these were objects even such people desired, the Auctioneer stoked possessive urges—inevitably igniting fierce competition.
“The Auctioneer’s skill is remarkable.”
“I was thinking the same. Such talent is wasted on a simple auction house.”
While the crowd was entranced by his flamboyant speech and the dazzling items, Leopric and I lowered our voices to discuss the Auctioneer’s talent.
Of course, we were still waiting for the item we sought…
As I watched the stage, I assumed Isolde’s Tears, as a major item, would appear last.
“Do you not desire anything?”
“…Huh?”
Startled by his sudden question, I blinked, and Leopric smiled faintly at me.
“I mean, something you desire. After all, I’ve come here as your husband, ostensibly for you—shouldn’t I get you at least one thing you want?”
“Oh… no, it’s fine. This is all just performance.”
What else could I say?
Now that I had set foot here, I had already achieved my purpose.
There was no need to continue focusing on this act.
I smiled slightly, shook my head, and turned my attention back to the Auctioneer on stage.
But unlike me, Leopric seemed to think differently.
“That matches the color of your eyes. What about this necklace?”
“It’s really fine. I have plenty of jewelry.”
“What about that ring? It would suit your hand well.”
“Your Highness… dear, really, I’m fine.”
Rings, necklaces, earrings, hairpins—even a rare pen made from the feathers of some mythical bird.
Leopric mentioned every item that followed, asking if any appealed to me.
But truly, I already had more than enough.
I was the only daughter of Marquess Vermilian, the wealthiest man in the empire, and I managed a large trading company.
Moreover, before my marriage, I had been the belle of society, setting trends.
What could I possibly lack?
I had grown weary of shaking my head continuously to Leopric’s endless suggestions—
When the Auctioneer’s booming voice pierced the air.
“Perhaps you never imagined this! The empire’s treasure—the most precious object, seen only within the Imperial Palace!”
At last, the item we had waited for appeared.
Both I and Leopric, who had been speaking nonsense moments before, straightened our postures and fixed our gaze forward.
“Introducing… Isolde’s Tears!”
And finally—
The long-awaited item appeared.
Male lead reborn without memories — but he still falls for her.
The person he finds displeasing in this life turns out to be his cherished wife-master in previous life…
Xie Zhi and Fang Xianxing who had known each other for less than three days through a blind date sat in the same car in front of the civil affairs bureau. They had a disagreement and failed to get married.
Xie Zhi immediately took out his phone, slid through his contacts, and randomly selected the next marriage candidate.
The woman snatched his phone and hung up. Looking at his phone wallpaper, she awkwardly changed the subject: “An ancient painting, eh? It looks pretty good, it’s just that the person in the painting looks a bit like me.”
When he heard this, he sarcastically mocked her for being so delusional, completely unaware that, the person in front of him was the reincarnation of Wen Ru, the famous prime minister of Yuan Shun whom he most admired…
The female CEO who doesn’t want to get married with a divorce agreement in hand × The male archaeological researcher who will only get married if he’s sure he can get divorced
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