TIDSF 07

Chapter 7

“With you, mister…? But, how can I trust you…? You could just take it and run…”

I glanced nervously at the badge pinned to his clothes — the badge of the Empire Merchant Association (Jaejaehyeop).

Moneypan seemed to realize what I was looking at and what I wanted. He pressed his lips shut.

Trust was everything in the Merchant Association. And within the Association, there were special individuals.

Those with a golden badge.

The badge was only awarded to those who consistently produced high performance and received excellent evaluations every quarter.

A financial agent with a golden badge charged significantly higher fees. But in return, the Association guaranteed their identity and integrity.

If someone with the badge committed fraud or dishonored themselves…

‘They’d lose the badge, of course. But more than that, the Association would issue a massive bounty and dispatch their private troops.’

They’d block every exit from the Empire, hunt them down, and punish them — even up to their third generation.

This policy had already been agreed upon with the imperial family.

There were also strict secret oaths in place. Unless it involved a serious crime, the Association wouldn’t even cooperate with the imperial court.

That’s why many nobles and top merchants trusted the Association above all else.

To them, the golden badge was as vital as their lifeline — or their fortune.

So, handing that badge to someone else was a promise.

A promise that they’d keep their word, even at the risk of their life.

If it were lost, it couldn’t be reissued. The badge itself would serve as evidence if any issues arose in the future.

Perhaps that’s why Moneypan hesitated for quite some time.

So I decided to remove that hesitation for him.

“If you complete the job, you’ll get ten billion all for yourself.”

The moment I finished speaking, Moneypan pulled out the badge and held it out.

Just as I reached for it, he suddenly pulled his hand back.

“Can I give this to you after confirming that this is indeed the aurora diamond you mentioned?”

“Of course.”

That night, Moneypan saw the aurora with his own eyes. And with eyes gleaming with desire, he flew off to the capital.

A month later.

The auction results arrived.

The day after Moneypan left.

“At least… this should take care of the most urgent debt.”

I headed toward the warehouse, fiddling with the badge in my hand.

Moneypan, after confirming I wasn’t lying, had handed me the badge and left at dawn. He even hired top-ranked mercenaries through the Mercenary Guild.

‘If I had people, I would’ve sent some from the duke’s household…’

But I didn’t even have the manpower to clear the cobwebs in the estate.

Still, Moneypan was a solid choice. I already knew his personality and values from the original story.

The problem was…

“The auction only happens at the end of each month…”

And now, it was the beginning of the month. Which meant I had to endure this shabby lifestyle for at least another month.

‘I hope he’s doing well.’

My goal was to sell the aurora diamond for more than Moneypan had gotten for it in the original story.

Limited Edition.

New Gemstone.

That’s the kind of rumor I needed to spread.

Those words alone could magically inflate the price of a jewel.

‘Later on, I’ll release more of it, so it won’t be “limited edition” anymore.’

But that’s at least a year down the line.

Did you know?

People are driven by desire.

They want to show off their wealth, their connections, and prove they’re better than others.

It’s the same with luxury goods.

Even if people know the price will drop over time, they still want it if it’s called a “limited edition.”

I was aiming right at that impulse.

In the original story, Moneypan hadn’t laid this kind of groundwork.

Even so, the gem had sold for about 47 billion. With all the buildup I was doing, wealthy buyers would definitely drive the price higher.

‘Anyway, until the auction results come in… what should I do?’

I had two urgent matters to deal with.

My uncle’s illness.

And the mountain of debt.

I’d already made a move to deal with the debt — now it was time to treat my uncle’s illness.

‘If I can develop the medicine, that’ll become another source of income.’

Since I’d be selling it to commoners too, pricing it reasonably would be important.

Once the cure was developed, the “Red Vein Fever” would be no worse than the common cold.

‘And in a few years, it’ll spread throughout the empire like wildfire.’

If the North was to gain an advantage, I had to solve it completely now.

Because the ingredients only grew in Rogas.

‘Originally, it was the second protagonist who discovered it…’

And as the cure was developed and the epidemic spread, ironically, Rogas started to gain real power.

‘But by then, it’ll be too late.’

By that time, the Altard family would be reduced to beggars.

‘Uncle would be dead, and I’d probably starve to death.’

That’s why I had to develop the medicine first — and then monopolize it.

“……”

A sly grin spread across my face.

Thinking about how those snobby nobles from the capital would soon come bowing to the North made me feel great.

‘But first…’

Creeeak—

Thud.

The rusty door creaked open halfway with a loud noise.

Whoooosh—

Inside the empty warehouse, a cold wind blew.

Startled by the sudden noise, the rats scattered in all directions.

“Damn it…”

I should’ve known when the door wouldn’t open.

“Well, first things first — let’s figure out the food situation.”

The problem was — I didn’t have a single coin.

The bitter reality made my eyes water.

“Hiking again… should I try it?”

I stared blankly at the mountain I’d climbed yesterday.

The mountains in the North were a treasure trove of nature.

Even in barren land, plants still found a way to grow.

“Albus~!”

I called out cheerfully as I ran off.

My travel companion was already decided.

The Capital – Foliaml.

More specifically, the capital’s social circles.

There were social scenes in many regions, but none compared to that of the capital.

If you made a name for yourself in the capital’s society, your life would take off from there.

That’s why nobles from all over flocked to it.

Where many nobles gathered, it became easier to form connections.

The higher you climbed, the more important connections and relationships became — not money.

That’s why every new noble or ambitious family from the provinces aimed to establish themselves in the capital.

Trivial affairs like love triangles or duels couldn’t even stay relevant for a day in the bustling social scene of the capital.

And recently, one rumor had taken society by storm — the rumor of a new gemstone.

If it were just a new gemstone, it wouldn’t have lasted long.

But apparently, this gem produced an aurora under moonlight.

That breathtaking sight, usually only visible in the frigid North!

And now, you could see that dreamy scene every night — just from a gemstone?

That’s when society began to buzz. And of course, rumors started flying.

That the gemstone was called Aurora Diamond.

That the original uncut gem was over 8,000 carats.

That it would be put up for auction.

Before anyone knew it, the Aurora Diamond had become the hottest topic in high society.

Though many found it hard to believe.

So in recent days, everyone was talking about it.

And reactions split into two groups:

“Have you heard? About the Aurora Diamond?”

“Yes, but do you think it’s real? It probably just looks pretty because it’s finely cut.”

“Exactly. It’s not like auroras are easily seen.”

“I mean, how could a diamond create an aurora?”

“Right. That’s a natural phenomenon. A rare blessing from the gods — even in the North, it’s not common.”

One camp was clearly skeptical.

And the other—

“My servant’s friend’s cousin saw it in person and said it was breathtaking.”

“Oh, I heard that too! The Merchant Association already verified it.”

“They said the aurora is absolutely stunning.”

“I’d love to host a tea party in a glass greenhouse under it. Can you imagine how beautiful that would be?”

“I heard all the auction tickets are sold out — people are even reselling them at a markup!”

“Apparently, the starting bid is 10 billion rads. That’s steep. Still, I might suggest it to my husband.”

“I already did. He said I should definitely attend.”

Whether skeptical or excited, one thing was clear — every noble was focused on this auction.

And among all that excitement, one group found themselves in an unexpectedly tough spot.

Two weeks before the auction, all the entry passes were sold out.

A first in history.

That group?

The host of the auction — the Empire Merchant Association, or Jesaenghyeop