Chapter 64

Chapter 64

—

A few days later—

It was during the cool, chilly dawn, with the atmosphere and mood subdued.

Several men were gathered along the riverbank, where the hushed mood lingered.

Five people.

No, six people in total. There was one more person here meant to retrieve something from the other five.

After being handed over a box from the other five men, the green haired man who was wearing a silver-rimmed pair of glasses cursorily checked the package. Then, he wrote something down on the piece of paper that was in his hand.

The hand that moved busily stopped for a moment.

Through the glasses, aloof grayish-green eyes scanned the men sharply.

“Let me double check. This is 1000 gold, this is 520 gold— correct?”

The man pointed towards the two packages with his pen.

Both boxes were brimming with gold.

“Yes, that’s right. Then the agreed upon price…”

“Yes, just as promised, I’ve written down twice the amount of what you paid.”

2000 gold, 1040 gold.

The other five men gaped open as the green-haired man muttered out the price.

He plucked off two checks and gave them to the five men.

Owen’s eyes were about to bug out of their sockets when he saw that the amount doubled in a literal instant.

“This is the end of our deal. Just as promised, you can go to the Grand Bank one week later and exchange the checks for cash. Congratulations on becoming a passenger.”

The green-haired man, that is, Logan, gave them a business-like smile.

He reached out for a handshake, and Owen gladly took his hand and whipped it up and down.

“Well, we’re all on the same boat, so please take good care of us.”

Logan smiled coldly at the voice full of greed.

Then, he naturally loosened his grip and replied.

“Do take care.”

Logan’s voice was exceedingly cold, but Owen and his men didn’t notice at all.

Because they were already fantasizing about being rich.

‘1040 gold…’

With this kind of money, it’s possible to buy a three-storey townhouse in the capital.

It would have been better if they were given more money, but this was all they could get right now.

‘Yeah… It’s a shame, but where will just this take me? I can easily double my money like this.’

Though Owen smacked his lips in regret, he was all twisted up in delight.

It was all thanks to the lady client who came before.

A few days ago—

Upon entering the office, the veiled woman gave her request.

‘Two days later, please take this money to the riverbank. Give it all to the green-haired man and exchange it for checks that have double the original amount.’

The request was incredibly unusual.

To give boxes full of gold coins and return with checks indicating double the amount of money.

When the woman entrusted her request, she was looking around nervously.

It’s difficult to see what kind of expression she had beneath the veil, but just by observing her lips, it’s easy to see how nervous she was.

Owen licked his own dry lips with his tongue.

‘By chance, may I ask the reason for your request?’

‘Th…The reason, why do you want to know?’

Owen whispered when he asked, yet the woman answered with a question as well. She was visibly flustered.

Waving his hand casually as if to reassure her, Owen continued.

‘No, it’s just, to be honest… Safety isn’t guaranteed in this request, is it? That’s why I need to know more details so that I can give you satisfactory results. After all, we’re in this kind of profession. Our lips are tightly sealed. That’s why please rest assured. You can tell me everything.’

He was so obviously lathering honey to his words. It looked like the woman was mulling over it for a moment.

Then she nodded and fessed up to everything as she stammered.

‘Honestly, this money… it’s supposed to be to recover a shipwreck.’

‘A shipwreck?’

‘Yes, a shipwreck. It’s… not just any shipwreck. The ship was in the middle of transporting the treasures of a foreign country’s imperial family, but it sank while at sea.’

Then she explained further.

Decades ago, a ship full of treasures, owned by a foreign country’s imperial family, was met with a storm. It subsequently sank into the depths of the waters.

Many people had tried to find the ship full of valuable treasures and expensive jewelry, but they couldn’t.

And today, decades later.

The site of the shipwreck had finally been found.

However, it was going to take a lot of money and manpower to recover its riches.

Accordingly, news secretly began to spread amongst a small group of wealthy people.

They’re going to invest in the recovery of the shipwreck, then as soon as the ship was raised, the funds they had originally pitched in would be doubled.

‘To be honest, it’s too good to be true, so I couldn’t believe it at first.’

But because the person who found the shipwreck was a very reliable person, and because it’s been secretly investigated, it was found out that the ship truly was full of treasures.

Thus, one by one, those wealthy people began to invest in the shipwreck’s recovery.

Rumors inevitably spread, and the number of investors increased. The manager then made a rule.

〈 You cannot invest unless you have been invited or personally introduced. 〉

The last day was also in a week’s time, but by the time the woman had come to this guild, there were only two days left until the deadline.

‘So many wealthy people will be investing anyway, so there shouldn’t be a shortage of funds, yes? I barely got an invitation this afternoon.’

She said that she was lucky enough to get a chance to join the ranks of the investors.

However, she needed the help of the guild because she’s going to invest her hidden slush funds. This was something she decided on behind her husband’s back.

After she finished telling her story, the woman brought a handkerchief to the side of her veil, wiping away a few droplets of sweat.

Suddenly, that woman’s hand came into Owen’s sight.

A big diamond ring lined with blue sapphires.

And on her wrist, too, was a bracelet that looked like it’s made with pure, solid gold. At just one glance, it’s clear that it didn’t have an ordinary design. And, at just one glance, it’s clear that it was not fake.

A noble?

Right. Judging by her appearance, she must really be a noble. That picturesque posture was something that couldn’t be imitated either.

With a wide grin, Owen made a suggestion to the woman.

That she didn’t need to pay the commission fee. Instead, just introduce him to the investment circle.

The woman thought about it long and hard, but when Owen repeatedly buttered her up, she had no choice but to nod.

It remained a secret, just what kind of expression she was making at that moment beneath the veil.

And now, back to the present—

Owen and his men walked away from the riverbank. His steps were light and gleeful.

No, well, it was supposed to be like that.

Until the end of his gaze had settled upon a familiar figure.

The delightedly humming man who had a skip to his step suddenly stopped in his tracks.

He folded up his precious check as though this itself was the treasure.

He didn’t even know that it was nothing but a fake check—merely a piece of paper.

He confirmed that the check went into his chest pocket then proceeded to button his shirt tightly. This made him feel a bit reassured.

Pat, pat. He patted over the place where the pocket was located, then soon approached the familiar figure. No, that familiar woman.

Stomp, stomp.

His steps were heavy upon the hard floor. To the extent that the other person noticed his and his men’s presence.

Owen and the woman’s eyes met in the air.

Gnash.

As Owen clenched his jaw and gritted his molars together, the grinding sound was audible from his teeth.

“Been a while, Diana.”

His voice was just as rough as his gnashed molars.

Towards his employee, Diana, who dared run away like a rat.

Diana’s legs stayed in place as she looked back at Owen and his men.

Showing no signs of avoidance or surprise.

And there, in her hand, was a heavy looking pouch.

Owen scanned through her countenance as he pasted a fake smile on his lips.

“Seems like you’ve been eating well enough someplace else, huh? You look like you’re doing well. Very much.”

Thinking that Diana was too scared to even open her mouth here, Owen snickered.

“What, so did you enjoy playing our little game of tag? But what to do. You got caught already, hm?”

Watching him act like he’s scaring some child with those sarcastic remarks, Diana let out a small laugh.

“Tag, you say? With what kind of bravado do you say that.”

When Diana wrinkled her nose as she said that, Owen’s expression hardened.

To him, Diana was nothing but a slave.

She owed him money, and at the same time, he’s the one supplying her with her younger sister’s medicine.

It was because of this that he didn’t have to waste money on her.

She was a capable, efficient and inexpensive slave.

But then she ran away.

Without paying back his money.

And then, right to his face, she’s out here mocking him?

He never heard anything like this from Diana before.

It’s always been like this—that Owen would spit out curses or slap the other person across the face. Never the other way around.

Realizing just what happened, Owen’s face turned entirely red with anger.

“Yeah, alright. We haven’t seen each other in a while. It seems like you forgot that I fed you and put a roof over your head, huh?!”

While shouting nonsense, the man grabbed Diana’s wrist roughly.

At the same time, the pouch she was holding slightly opened.

And Owen’s gaze lingered there for a moment.

From the pouch’s opening, he glimpsed sparkling gold.

At this, greed immediately flashed over his face.

“What’s with this money. It’s… mine, right?”

“The hell you talking about.”

Hearing that absurd question, Diana shook off the grip on her wrist and answered like this.

But then Owen’s grip wouldn’t budge, as though he was a leech that wouldn’t let go of Diana’s wrist.

Rather, this just made his eyes have an even greedier look.

“You took my money and ran away, yeah? Am I wrong?!”

“Ha. You check the safe every single day without fail. You’re the one who knows best if it’s empty or not.”

Indeed, it’s just as Diana said.

The Black Lion Guild’s safe was managed meticulously by Owen.

It was perhaps in his job description to sniff the fragrant smell of his money before actually doing work. He did this every day. That’s why Owen was the one who knew best whether the safe was empty or not.

In other words, he was saying nothing but bull.

Even so, he didn’t retract his accusation.

Though Diana didn’t rob the safe, the money she was holding now was his money.

Diana had yet to fully pay back the money she owed him, and her absence from the guild incurred a loss from all the requests that couldn’t be fulfilled.

After all, wasn’t all of Diana’s debt his loss?

“You ungrateful, shameless wench… How dare you run away with my money?! I’m gonna break your legs this time. You’re nothing but a thief—”

What the hell are you all waiting for. Grab her!

Now with his eyes turned upside down, Owen shouted at his men.

And these loyal lackeys immediately obeyed their guildmaster’s orders.

However, these actions did not achieve the results he wanted.

First, Diana flung the pouch full of gold behind her, grabbed Owen’s arm and twisted it over.

Second, a man with a large physique appeared out of nowhere.

“ARGH!”

With his arm twisted, Owen’s shoulder was also grabbed. At this, he yelled out.

Diana pushed him down with no remorse, and so Owen rolled horrendously on the ground.

There, Owen wriggled and tried to get up.

However, as he looked up at Diana and the man next to her, the corner of his lips turned up into a scathing smile.

“What the… I was wondering why you suddenly look like you’re glowing, but I guess you got yourself a husband, huh?”

The moment Owen said that, both Diana and Cassion’s eyebrows twitched.