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The Coldman Company, located in the eastern district of the royal capital, had become the largest trading company in the kingdom, dealing with trade with neighboring countries, mining, and the buying and selling of gemstones. The owner, Michael Coldman, was often referred to as the “King of Gems,” as the majority of gemstones circulating in the royal capital were traded through the Coldman Company.
Since they also sold many decorative items to nobles and the royal family, I was familiar with their name even when I was still with the Seigrit family.
Recently, they started dealing with not only gemstones but also paintings and art, which led to the current request for the Monocle of Truth.
Julius and I visited the Coldman residence, which was situated within a much larger estate than that of a lower-ranking noble, and were guided inside by the servants.
Passing through a grand hall, we were led to a room on the first floor that seemed to be Coldman’s office, furnished with a large desk and a set of sofas.
Befitting his title as the King of Gems, the room showcased opulent necklaces and tiaras made of gold and gemstones, all displayed in glass cases.
Coldman welcomed us with the typical smile and friendliness of a merchant.
Being well-informed due to his status as a popular merchant, Coldman likely knew about Julius, who stood quietly behind me. However, he cast only a fleeting glance without saying a word.
I handed the requested item to Coldman, who was a robust gentleman of about the same age as my father.
“I apologize for the delay; it was challenging to obtain the materials. The Monocle of Truth is meant to be worn like glasses. When you look at an item with it, if it’s a counterfeit, paintings tear, ceramics break, and gemstones will appear as mere stones. For example, please take a look at this glass ring resembling a diamond that I brought.”
I explained the usage of the alchemical item to Coldman.
He then put on the monocle to examine the glass ring, and let out an impressed “Ohh.”
He was probably seeing it as a mere stone-embedded ring.
“As expected of the skilled alchemist Chloe-san. When you were still the young lady of the Seigrit family, you didn’t stand out much and seemed modest and quiet. But now, you’re much more lively and beautiful. How I’d wish for you to be my son’s bride. You’ve been through quite a lot, haven’t you?”
Coldman seemed to have had dealings with the Seigrit family.
Even though I wasn’t particularly lively to begin with, during the time my stepmother and Aliza were present, I tried to be even more unobtrusive. I lived my life quietly, trying not to be a bother to anyone.
Coldman’s impression of me was accurate, but a twinge of pain struck my chest.
I merely came here for business, not to reminisce about the past, so I put on a professional smile on my face.
“Coldman-san, your son is already married, isn’t he? He is highly regarded in town as the promising heir to inherit the company. If you have any requests for useful tools for your business, I’ll be happy to create them for you. So please feel free to reach out if there’s anything else you need.”
Julius stood quietly behind me, arms crossed, displaying a rather displeased demeanor.
I could feel his growing frustration radiating from his posture.
To avoid escalating the situation further, I decided to wrap up the conversation early.
Coldman divided the coins into five bundles, each containing ten thousand gold, and placed them into leather bags.
After handing over the product and receiving the bags filled with payment, I checked the contents to ensure the fifty thousand gold were there. Everything seemed to be in order.
And just as I was about to conclude our brief business and head home, the door to the room suddenly swung open.
“Father! It seems a renowned alchemist from town has arrived! Oh my, what a splendid person you are. Hello!”
A charming young lady, adorned in a glamorous light red dress, entered the room.
Her milk-tea-colored hair, strikingly similar to Coldman’s, had well-maintained and lustrous locks that hair gleamed beautifully, a stark contrast to my somewhat neglected and slightly frizzy hair.
She wore an exquisite gold headpiece adorned with dazzling gemstones, and with every movement, the jewels sparkled brightly.
From her hair to her skin and even her carefully manicured nails, she exuded the appearance of a refined young lady.
She seemed a little younger than me. Her curious, light green eyes were wide with interest. Her plump lips, embellished with peach-colored lipstick, gave her a charming look. Come to think of it, I haven’t put on makeup in a while.
Even without makeup, I, Chloe, the cute alchemist, was still adorable, but meeting a genuine young lady after a long time somehow made me a bit self-conscious.
“I’m Eliza Coldman! Nice to meet you, wonderful person.”
She was undoubtedly Coldman’s daughter; Eliza greeted Julius instead of me.
Julius did have a good appearance, so it wasn’t surprising that a young girl would fall for him at first sight.
Eliza seemed captivated by Julius, her eyes glistening like a love-struck maiden, and her cheeks started to blush.
However, the infatuation she quickly developed for Julius was likely fragile and would shatter soon.
Julius was quite a sinful man. Despite being capable of throwing me around, calling me an idiot, and only being able to harbor affection for a flying dragon, he could’ve been a wonderful person.
“Nice to meet you, beautiful young lady.”
As I watched with fear, expecting Julius to say something terrible to her, what I heard were words I couldn’t believe.
Julius smiled beautifully and greeted Eliza in a gentlemanly manner.
Beautiful young lady.
If I didn’t mishear, Julius actually said that. I wondered what had gotten into him.
Eliza was certainly a beautiful young lady, but perhaps she managed to meet Julius’s discerning aesthetic standards. After all, she was wearing a dress and seemed well-groomed.
“My! Thank you very much! I imagined the alchemist would be an old man, so I didn’t expect such a charming gentleman.”
“Eliza, the alchemist is Chloe-san right here. And over there is... Perhaps a bodyguard.”
Coldman restrained his daughter with those words.
Then, he turned to me for confirmation.
“You’re the one from the slave arena, Julius-kun, right? We heard you were up for sale, and we were thinking of buying you to become a guard for our company. However, when we went to purchase you, we were told that a young lady had already bought you. Chloe-san, it seems you were the one who made the purchase.”
“Yes, this is Julius-san. I was the one who bought him. In order to gather materials for alchemy, it is essential to defeat powerful monsters. And thanks to Julius-san, I was able to collect the materials for the Monocle of Truth.”
Coldman was aware of Julius, so there was no need to hide it.
And so, I honestly explained the situation.
Eliza clung to Julius, entwining her arm with his. I must say, she was quite bold and reckless for a young lady. I thought Julius might get angry, but he merely glanced at Eliza and remained quiet.
“So, if Chloe-san hadn’t bought him first, Julius-san would have become the guard for my house? Well then, it’s not too late even now, Chloe-san; please sell Julius-san to me.”
“Yes… Wait, what?”
Eliza looked straight at me, asserting her claim as if it were her natural right.
I glanced between Eliza and Coldman. Eliza had a provocative look directed at me, and Coldman made no effort to reprimand his daughter’s statement.
Finally, when I looked up at Julius, his silent eyes concealed thoughts that were difficult to discern.
Does Julius perhaps want to become the Coldman family’s guardian knight?
Certainly, he’s wealthier than me, had a large estate, and he could probably let Helios roam freely. Eliza is also cute, and he might even marry her in the future, leading a life without worries.
I’m not sure. Should I sell Julius?
“But, um, the total cost for Julius-san is one million gold coins...”
As I fretted over what to do, I muttered in a small voice.
The day my stepmother and Aliza came to the duke’s household, I lost my place at the Seigrit family. Dresses, jewels, everything—all of it started being given to me as if it were a side benefit, just because Aliza would say, “Please buy it for my sister; she’s so pitiful.”
Even at the academy, Aliza had somehow ended up with Cyril-sama. Although I knew my friends ridiculed me for losing my fiancé and becoming a pitiful sister, I kept quiet and forced a smile.
Unpleasant memories flooded my mind.
My throat felt dry. I felt an intense aversion to the fact that, even though I had bought Julius with money, he was being taken away from me.
Hey, Chloe. The only things that matter and you can rely on are money. That's why it’s not good to be attached to people or things. People betray you, and things get taken away.
“I’m willing to double the offer, Chloe-san. After all, he’s the Black Prince Julius. A renowned general said to conquer a nation single-handedly, and my daughter seems to be quite fond of him as well.”
“But, uh...”
“...Negotiations are over, right? Let’s go back, Chloe.”
Uncertain how to respond, I found myself in a dilemma.
Julius gently pushed away Eliza’s clinging hand and firmly grabbed my arm. It was a rough gesture, completely different from how he treated Eliza.
“Y-Yes, we’re done here, so...! Julius-san isn’t a product of Chloe’s Alchemy Shop, so if you’re buying, please choose alchemical items!”
After regaining my composure, my arm firmly held, I offered a cheerful smile and delivered a clear farewell. Julius then led me away from the Coldman residence.