Chapter 116

"Hmm..."

Seeing the check, Clerivan groaned and grabbed his head.

"How can it be so identical?"

Violet opened her eyes round and rubbed them over and over again.

I agree with that a hundred times.

At a glance, it was impossible to tell which was real.

In my previous life, when the counterfeit check case occurred, I was alone in my darkroom and had a hard time.

Later, I only knew that this had happened at this time of year when I was looking back on Lombardy's past history while helping my grandfather's work.

So this was the first time I saw a counterfeit check with my own eyes.

"I don't know who it is, but it looks much the same."

I murmured, staring at the check.

I can't say anything.

The one who made the counterfeit check is obviously stealing from Lombardy.

Moreover, the bank assets are credit.

To blow the money and the credit of Lombardy like this.

Bad guy.

I stared at the check on the table, turned my head, and asked Bate, who was sitting comfortably leaning against the sofa.

"But how did you get the counterfeit check? It wouldn't have been easy because it hasn't been solved yet."

There probably aren't a few things Lombardy bank figured out.

But Bate has saved one of them.

"...it's a trade secret."

Responding like that, Bate sidestepped his gaze.

"I suppose so."

I stepped back neatly.

I can't ask an informant for details.

"Excuse me."

But Bate stares at me.

"What's wrong, Bate?"

"Don't you want to ask more?"

"But you already told me. It's a trade secret. What else can I ask?"

"But anyway, you're an investor of our Caramel Avenue..."

He said, 'If you want, you can grab the money and shake it to make me vomit an answer.'

"I want my relationship with Caramel Avenue to last long and healthy."

Threatening Bate to for the detail is like cutting the belly of the goose that lays golden eggs. [1]

Besides, to betray me in this situation, Bate has too much to lose.

Bate needed a stable base to grow the information guild, not a small amount of money you can get from counterfeiters.

"...Thank you."

The corners of Bate's mouth were loosened as he nodded his head.

"It's amazing!"

While I was talking to Bate, Violet, who was looking at the check more carefully, said half admirably.

Then she looked into my eyes to see if I wanted to and quickly added.

"Well, I mean, the counterfeiter, he's good at it..."

"I know, what are you talking about?."

"Are you all right, Lady Florentia?"

I'm sorry Violet was the target of my bad mood, but I couldn't help it.

"I'm a little upset."

"We'll be able to catch the counterfeiter somehow."

"A counterfeiter is a counterfeiter, but..."

In the end, Viese failed to prevent the situation from worsening again this time.

In my previous life, counterfeit checks eventually ran out of control.

The amount of damage was astronomical because of the enormous.

It was already late when Viese tried to figure out the situation and settle it, and my grandfather, who was in bed, had to take special measures.

'Immediately make a check with a new design and replace the old check, and Lombardy will bear all the damages caused by counterfeit checks.'

It was inevitable because it was practically impossible to distinguish counterfeit checks on the spot.

"You idiot..."

It is beyond Grodic Bray's authority to stop issuing checks, shape new designs, and decide how to deal with counterfeit checks.

I meant that it was a job for the householder to step up.

At that time, Bate added.

"Oh, and there's one more thing. Grodic Bray is said to have visited Shananet."

"As expected."

People's thoughts were all similar.

He must have judged that Shananet was the only one who could stop Viese.

It was a change that occurred when Shananet, who had been down to the resort after her divorce, returned proudly and began to take care of her family's affairs.

Clerivan muttered, looking again at the counterfeit check.

"It would be great if we could figure out a way to tell the difference between counterfeits. And if I could tell Shananet how to do it..."

"Shall we try to shine in the sun?"

Violet picked up two checks and looked through them one by one.

But there was no difference at all.

"There must be a difference..."

The same was true of Clerivan, who frowned and agonized.

Then suddenly he asked me in a low voice.

"Could it be someone from inside the bank? If it's this much the same, I think they're just siphoning off checks made in the same place."

It was a reasonable deduction.

"That's a possibility."

Neither Violet nor Bate nodded.

The betrayal of Lombardy insiders.

In fact, it was the most likely hypothesis to find the culprit in this counterfeit check case.

But it wasn't.

The criminal was just a man with very good counterfeiting skills.

"What if it's really like that?"

Seeing Violet confused, I thought I should give her the answer.

"Bate, do you have a match?"

"Yes, I do."

"Take it out."

At my words, Bate tilted his head and pulled a pack of matches out of his pocket.