SMR | Chapter 49

~Chapter 49~ 

“You almost made me the bad guy again,” Julian said. “But I know you’re not that kind of woman anymore. I’m sorry for being thoughtless and bothering you.”

That was… a surprising thing to say.

‘What do you even know about me to say that?’

 Sure, it was true—but for all Julian knew, Harriet Listerwell was still supposed to be a scandalous troublemaker.

“How did you figure that out?”

“If you were still that way,” he said, “you would’ve clung to the Duke of Kylas at the Vanderbilt party. I mean—uh, bad phrasing, but what I mean is…”

“I get it.”

Julian clearly thought Harriet would have gone after Cedric to make him jealous. But she didn’t, and apparently that made an impression on him.

‘So you think that proves I’ve changed? What a joke.’

The fact that he was even watching her with Cedric was already creepy. He might have a polished exterior, but inside he was full of outdated views and male pride.

And if she got close to another man, he’d probably flip his attitude and criticize her—just because she rejected his “brave” confession.

‘No need to feel guilty about using this man.’

Harriet smiled sweetly and opened her umbrella.

“The sun is quite strong.”

“Ah, allow me. I’ll hold it for you.”

“I couldn’t possibly burden you. If you hold the umbrella for the notorious Harriet Listerwell, what would that make you?”

“A gentleman being kind to a lady. Please, let me.”

Julian took the umbrella as if he were her escort and carefully shaded her from the sun.

With Harriet walking a step ahead and Julian staying close, talking to her the whole time, no one would mistake who was chasing whom.

And from afar, Bella watched the scene, eyes wide with shock.

***

Meanwhile…

“Ah, Lord Kingsley, you’ve arrived!”

“Please, call me Benedict,” he chuckled.

“Oh, I couldn’t! I’m already honored just to be in the same club as you.”

Since Cedric had inherited his title, Benedict Kingsley had been invited to a more elite gentleman’s club. Even as a new member, he was welcomed warmly—after all, he was the uncle of a duke.

Back when Rowan was the Duke of Kylas, the family was considered to be under Princess Jeremiah’s control, so Benedict didn’t benefit much from the connection.

But after Rowan’s death and Cedric’s succession, people assumed Benedict would be a strong influence on the new duke. Several reputable clubs invited him in hopes of gaining favor.

He chose The Golden Age, a club where status and honor mattered less than wealth. Its members were known more for their assets than for their titles.

‘These days, money is everything. It’s better to deal with practical men than those hypocrites chasing honor and rank.’

It was a new era. Without money, even nobles were no better than commoners. And rich commoners were starting to surpass the nobility.

Now, a noble family’s reputation mattered less than the businesses they owned or invested in.

Each member of The Golden Age had at least one well-known business under their name. Benedict joined hoping to insert himself into their world.

But the members, closer to businessmen than aristocrats, wanted “upfront payment.” That is, if he wanted anything, he had to show what he could offer first.

And there was only one thing they wanted from him:

“I heard the Kylas family is about to start land development in Alkineth. Sounds like they haven’t finalized their list of partners yet.”

“Ah, yes, I’ve heard something about that too.”

“Well then, actually… My son runs a timber company. He’s very skilled, just lacking in connections. Do you think you could… recommend him?”

Another favor, another request.

Benedict scratched the back of his head and laughed awkwardly.

“Haha, well, I don’t know if I’m in any position to…”

“You’re the Duke of Kylas’ only uncle! I’ve heard Princess Jeremiah has little interest in the family’s business. Most of it is handled by the Duke himself. In that situation, who else would the Duke turn to for guidance but you?”

“That poor boy… burdened with such a heavy title at such a young age…”

“Exactly! If you give him some wise advice or suggestions, wouldn’t that make things easier for him too?”

Laughter and polite flattery filled the air. But beneath it all was sharp calculation and a subtle power play.

“Well, I’ll bring it up… but don’t get your hopes too high. Cedric is the one who makes the decisions.”

“Thank you so much, Viscount! The potato harvest season in your estate is coming up, isn’t it? Once it’s over, just say the word—we’ll let you use our merchant company’s storage space for free!”

Benedict waved off the offer with a polite refusal. He said he couldn’t accept help when he didn’t even know if his recommendation would work.

 He sounded like a man of principle.

And that, of course, was exactly how he gained trust and likability.

 He knew very well how to present himself in a way that drew people in.

Just as expected, the other members grew more favorable toward him.

“I heard your son recently started a new business? I’ve heard people say it shows great promise.”

“Well, I’m not so sure myself. I only gave him a little money to try it out—part of his training to become my successor. He’s always had an interest in helping the sick, so now he wants to make medicine or something like that.”

“Amazing! Pharmaceuticals are one of the most promising industries these days.”

As cities developed modern drainage systems and public awareness of hygiene increased, people began living much longer.

 Diseases that once drove people to temples or shamans were now considered treatable, and interest in medicine was booming.

Of course, there were still problems—fake medical treatments, unproven ingredients, and reckless dosing.

 But even the Empire heavily supported the pharmaceutical industry.

“With such vision, your son is clearly someone with a bright future. The Kingsley family will go far, haha!”

“Thank you, though his business is still just taking baby steps.”

Despite his modest words, Benedict knew all the details of Albert’s business and was giving him strong support behind the scenes.

Albert had gotten incredibly lucky when he met a woman from the Kingdom of Firma who told him about her homeland’s traditional remedies.

 Even better, her father was a Firma-born apothecary, and Albert could simply import the medicine he made—no research funds needed.

“Father! This stuff is amazing! It makes you feel even better than alcohol—without the hangover! Just wait, soon everyone will be scrambling to buy it.”

Officially, they were marketing it as a painkiller and antidepressant. But the real effect of the herbal drug , made with the Darsenger herb, was increased libido.

Nobles who spent their nights in endless parties would try all sorts of bizarre foods if they believed it would boost their sexual energy.

 So imagine how much they’d love a pill that could instantly stoke that fire and keep it burning all night long.

‘This business is going to be huge. Everyone who didn’t invest now will regret it later.’

Benedict and Albert were just waiting for desire for the drug to peak—when that happened, they’d rake in unimaginable profits.

There was just one concern: they didn’t fully understand the drug’s side effects.

“If you rely on Darsenger too much, you can’t live without it. In small doses, it might save someone who’s on the verge of madness from sadness… but if he can’t quit it, he’ll go insane from withdrawal.”

Even the apothecary had trouble explaining the withdrawal symptoms.

 Some said your hands shook, others said you couldn’t sleep… some said you’d start singing strange songs or dancing uncontrollably.

‘If that’s all it is, then it’s not a big deal.’

They couldn’t throw away a drug like this just because of possible side effects.

 After all, most medicine required proper dosage and had some side effects—there was no reason to feel guilty.

‘The fame and attention will come later. First, I need to recommend that lumber company—the one owned by Viscount Livingston’s son—to Cedric.’

They said the company was competent, so Benedict was confident Cedric wouldn’t turn it down.