Chapter 12
It was just a child’s words, but strangely, they brought certainty.
A certainty that Count Rüdeng would never help if things got out of hand.
He would surely try to handle it quietly.
“Or pin all the blame on me…”
Either way, survival was not an option.
The doctor’s mind went blank.
Gulp.
He swallowed nervously.
Looking down at the small head with a chilling gaze, a dangerous thought crossed his mind.
“Maybe I should just kill this kid…”
But then—
“What if I get caught?”
Another problem quickly surfaced.
He shook his head frantically.
Even if the family was ruined, the crime of murdering a noble was far graver than drug trafficking.
“Unless I don’t get caught?”
His mind spun furiously.
Sweat poured down like rain, but he had no time to wipe it.
“What do I do?”
What do I do? What do I do? What do I do?
“Mister.”
Flinch!
Startled, the doctor looked down.
The child was smiling sweetly, as if nothing had happened.
“Should I report this now and also sue for damages?”
Grinning.
That smiling face was unspeakably evil!
It was impossible to tell who the real villain was.
Countless worst-case scenarios flashed through his mind.
“You’ve been selling drugs disguised as medicine to nobles all this time, haven’t you? Even to the ‘Judgment of Wood’?”
“I’ve never done that before…!”
“Really?”
She tilted her head with innocent curiosity.
“But if I say you did, and I have evidence, do you think people will believe you didn’t?”
The child sneered again and again.
“There’s probably no real evidence. I can just deny it and say it was for the patient’s comfort…”
But would the Count cover for that?
“For your information, of course I have evidence.”
“……!”
Impossible!
He had only used injections to avoid leaving traces. There was no way any prescription drugs remained!
Yet the girl’s confidence was unsettling.
“Does she really have something?”
Chatter. His teeth clattered.
Eve watched the doctor calmly and drove the nail in.
“Or… I can keep this quiet if you do me a few favors. Of course, you’ll have to return all the money you’ve swallowed so far.”
“……!”
The doctor’s lips flapped wordlessly.
“Otherwise, I’ll have to tell Grandpa~”
At her innocent and cheerful voice, he hung his head.
Capital – Polyamul.
Imperial Merchant Association Headquarters.
People gathered quietly in the open space behind the massive headquarters building.
Whooooosh.
Clouds blanketing the sky drifted away with the wind. Moonlight, just shy of full, poured down.
Fwaaah!
An aurora lit up the sky above the headquarters.
“Whoa…”
“So that’s the Aurora Diamond…”
“The rumors were true after all.”
When the rumors about the Aurora Diamond first spread, everyone was skeptical. Who would believe such a gem existed?
But seeing it in person erased all doubts.
Gulp.
Doniche, chairman of the Association, sparkled with interest.
“This is a goldmine.”
A real one!
Numbers flashed through Doniche’s mind.
Finishing his mental calculations, he folded his hands and spoke.
“Well. It was a great pleasure to see the famed gemstone in person. Now, shall we continue the discussion inside?”
Muripan wrapped the raw gem in cloth and carefully tucked it into his coat.
“Very well.”
Inside the reception room, the chairman cleared his throat.
“First, thank you for entrusting it to us. If you fill out the consignment form, we’ll ensure it’s sold at the highest bid.”
Muripan tilted his head, as if hearing something odd.
“I haven’t decided yet.”
“Pardon…?”
“I plan to visit a few more places before deciding.”
He pushed up his monocle with the back of his hand.
“But…”
“If you set the sales fee at 5% of the winning bid, then I’m willing to proceed with your auction house. I’m expecting a starting bid of 10 billion Lads.”
His voice was calm and measured.
“…Is this really okay?”
Inside, he was breaking down.
The Association chairman he knew never backed down. He was a seasoned merchant with eloquence and sharp business skills—never known to lose.
Many who had tried to negotiate forcefully with him had ended up banned from any dealings with the Merchant Association.
“And I’m about to try exactly that…”
Cold sweat ran down his back, but Muripan maintained a blank expression and sipped his tea.
— Don’t forget. You can’t back down. If the rumors are widespread enough, they should be the desperate ones. Even 5% is a hefty commission.
— You can’t win a verbal match with the chairman. Not even I can.
— You don’t need to win.
Clink.
Muripan set down his teacup.
“Sir, 5% is difficult. Since our opening, our auction house has strictly maintained a 10% commission. That’s never changed for any client.”
“No, it will be 5%.”
“We can’t lower the fee, but we’ll offer every possible convenience—free lodging, rental support, and even escorts for transporting the payment…”
“There is no negotiation outside of 5%.”
“It costs a great deal to operate the Association. If we make exceptions for one client, others will expect the same…”
“5%.”
“In that case, we may not be able to take your consignment.”
“5%.”
No matter what was said, Muripan only repeated the same thing.
“Very well! We cannot lower the fee, but we’ll waive all fees for future transactions through our Association-affiliated partners.”
Muripan almost flinched but steeled himself again.
— No matter what they say, just stick to one line.
Recalling the child’s voice, he calmly repeated himself with a detached expression.
“5%.”
“…I’m sorry, but no matter how many times you say it, we cannot adjust the commission rate. If that’s a deal-breaker, we’ll have to decline the consignment.”
The chairman’s once-friendly smile faded.
His gentle demeanor sharpened, and the corners of his eyes lifted.
His slicked-back hair and imposing aura exuded authority.
“If this goes wrong, I might never be able to deal with the Merchant Association again.”
And “Merchant Association” here meant almost 80% of all merchants in the empire—unless you were from some tiny backwater, they were everywhere.
In the capital, the membership rate was 99%. If they wanted to retaliate, even the smallest trade could be blocked.
Suppressing his fear, Muripan swallowed hard.
And then he said it.
“…5%.”
Doniche narrowed his eyes, assessing him.
“Not a flicker of emotion. Is he incredibly bold… or just that skilled?”
Negotiations require some level of communication. But this man refused to budge—just repeating “5%.” No response to counter or reason with.
“Is he a pro… or a complete newbie?”
His only words were “5%.”
“If he cancels two days before the auction, we lose money.”
Rumors about the Aurora Diamond had already reached a fever pitch.
Still, no smart merchant would show weakness.
Sigh.
Doniche let out an exaggerated sigh.
“Please wait. We’ll have a meeting.”
“Of course.”
His face stiff, Doniche stood up.
— Remember. Don’t be overwhelmed. If they concede even slightly on the commission, that means they’re the ones in a hurry.
Doniche returned 20 minutes later.
Muripan stole a glance while pretending not to care and maintained his emotionless expression.
Doniche sat down with a serious face.
“Fine. We’ll lower the sales fee to 8%. That’s an unprecedented concession. But this must remain absolutely confidential.”
“…He really did it.”
Muripan clenched his fists under the table and lifted his chin proudly.
“5%.”
