Chapter 5

Chapter 5

“I’m tired.”

When she came back to her room and lay down in bed, she finally relaxed. As the incident at the annex had already spread, my reputation changed a little. But she can’t relax yet.

‘That was close. It was a really small difference.’

She almost failed to save the tears of the wind. She thought there would be no one other than her who wanted to get this item. In the original, it burns up in vain and disappears.

‘But it didn’t.’

The moment she closed my eyes, she remembered what happened at the auction.

｡+.｡☆ﾟ:;｡+ﾟ ☆*ﾟ¨ﾟﾟ･*:..ﾞ((ε(*⌒▽⌒)†

“500,000 gold.”

A sigh came out automatically.

Whenever she tried to win the bid, that man repeatedly called for a bigger amount.

‘That person again.’

There is 1 million gold in hand, but more than half of it has already been auctioned off. She felt like she was being robbed of 10 billion won that came into her arms, so she was about to cry.

‘But I still have to bet here.’

It’s okay. She hasn’t spent all 1 million gold yet, and if she gets divorced, she can get 4 million gold.

‘Let’s think of it as one step back for two steps forward.’

But why does she feel her tears welling up and her nose getting stuffy?

“Yes, 500,000 gold.”

“The gentleman wearing a mask seems to be very generous. Is there anyone who has the guts to pay more?”

The auctioneer’s voice was filled with excitement over the larger amount than expected.

She held back her tears back and wrote 60 on the paddle and then lifted it.

“600,000 gold.”

“Yes. The lady wearing the mask said 600,000 gold!”

It was already 6 billion won.

She desperately hoped that others would not call for a larger amount of money.

But the sky was indifferent.

“Yes! We got 900,000 gold! It was a showdown between a gentleman and a lady wearing a mask.”

After several battles, the man finally called 900,000.

“It’s a huge amount of money. Will the lady continue to raise the amount? Or should we stop here?”

Along with the auctioneer’s fuss, the eyes of the people in the hall were on her. On the outside, she pretended to be calm, but her arm trembled.

“1 million gold.”

The auctioneer cheered as she slowly lifted the paddle.

“Yes! We got 1 million gold! It’s the largest amount in Brighton’s auction history! Everyone, please pay attention. Where will the end of this auction go?”

She was worried that the man in the mask would call 1.1 million gold.

It was difficult to grasp the man’s intention with the mask covering most of his face.

“Here we have 1 million golds. I’m going to ask for it three times from now on. If there is no higher amount in the meantime, the tears of the wind will be owned by the lady over there!”

Yeah. It’s a fact that everyone knows, so please stop talking and ask for it.

“From now on, I’ll ask you three times. 100, 100… 100!”

The auctioneer deliberately took a long time to count the last number.

Nevertheless, no one has called 1.1 million gold in the meantime.

‘Done! The tears of the wind is mine!’

“The Tears of the Wind was sold for 1 million gold. Congratulations!”

The auctioneer’s fuss, which had been cheeky until a while ago, was no longer annoying.

“Everyone who participated in the auction! Please remember this day. It’s a monumental day to break Brighton’s highest auction price! Wow! I’ll give this honor to the winning lady. Please give her a big hand!”

She was embarrassed by the auctioneer’s unfamiliar comment, but she stood up in a hurry.

Oh my god.

A roar that started from afar rang inside the auction house. When she raised her hand and waved toward the surroundings because she felt awkward for no reason to stay still, the cheers grew louder.

“Phew.”

It only hit me after the auction was over and she received tears of the wind.

“Let’s go back to the mansion now.”

Because she has to give Leodor tears of wind before today passes.

She had to move quickly to get rid of the mask without being noticed.

She left the auction and hid in an alley where she would throw away her mask.

“Wait a minute.”

She felt a presence at the entrance of the alley.

“You…”.

There the person who made her use all 1 million gold in the end by raising the price, stood.

“I’ll propose a deal.”

Even before she could deduce the intentions of the man who chased her, he spoke. A terribly low voice hit the wall and rang.

“I really need that item. I’ll pay you no matter how much you ask, so let’s move on.”

“I can’t sell it. It’s important to me, too.”

You were quiet during the auction and now you want this? In many ways, it was very suspicious.

“Even if I offer 5 million gold?”

“… No.”

She was shaken by the man’s words for a moment, but she shook her head firmly.

‘If I can’t save Leodor, my life will be ruined, too.’

In the short term, she will not be able to go through the divorce without the trust of her father, and in the long run, the family will fall into ruin due to the death of a successor.

Just before she left the mansion, she escaped the maid watching her and sneaked into the annex. And she saw Leodor sleeping soundly.

“Leodor.”

Just wait a little bit and I will save you.

She was on her way out of the mansion after making such a resolution. So, no matter how much this man pays, she doesn’t have the intention of selling it from the beginning.

“Why are you so obsessed when you don’t seem to need it?”

“Hey, you?”

Why do you keep crossing the line? Who is he to judge on his own?

“You don’t seem desperate. You’re going to give me 5 million gold? Then why did you stay still at the auction earlier?”

“………”

“You either don’t have the money for that, or you don’t need it that much. Either way, you’re lying.”

I could feel the man narrowing his eyes beyond the mask. I felt a willingness not to give up. She needs a decisive hit to make him back down.

“And.”

“And?”

“Without this, my brother will die. Whatever you offer, there is nothing more precious than the life of my family.”

‘This will work.’

Regardless of whether it is east or west, it was a given that nothing could touch the family.

Just as expected.

The man licked his lips, and then he bit his mouth.

“I see.”

After a while, he whispered softly, as if convinced.

“Excuse me.”

It was when she was quietly burning with a sense of victory.

“Uh…… ?”

As the man turned around, something fell to the floor. There were also faint traces of his undercoat exposed under the mask.

Water drops?

‘Why is he sweating? Is he sick?’

The man’s jaw moved as if gritting his teeth. As if he was trying to put up with the pain.

“…For a moment.”

After hesitating for a while, the man’s back flinched when he called her. Now that she looks at his back, men that are this fit were rare.

‘If it’s like this, I could rub it against the Duke of Palesdon.’

I was surprised that Argention’s back came to mind.

“Shouldn’t you say something if you called someone?”

“….”

No matter how much she thought about it, this man was too rude.

‘Should I just go away like this?’

After thinking about it, she decided to use it well since she decided.

“Here.”

When she pulled out a handkerchief from her arms and held it out, the man looked down at her. His gaze became so tenacious that it became embarrassing.

“What is it?”

He asked me.

Somehow, she got goosebumps at the voice that is lower than before.

“Wipe your sweat.”

“……”

“It’s in return for giving up.”

By the time she was embarrassed by the silence that lasted for a long time, he finally stretched out his arms.

“But I can’t accept Madam’s handkerchief.”

‘Huh? That’s…’

She was surprised to notice something about the man who said no, but when she saw the sunset dwindling over his head, she came to her senses.

I can’t believe it’s already been this long.

‘It’s not the time to scuffle.’

Before today passed, I had to bring Leodor the Tears of Wind.

“I’ll go get it back later. That’s okay, right?”

“………..”

“Then, I’ll get going.”

She left the alley in a hurry, leaving that remark.