Chapter 35

The face of the Porto merchant, who had been flushed, turned pale when asked about his identity. He rolled his eyes nervously from side to side and then, without a word, threw himself toward the nearest exit of the hall.

- "Stop him!"

- "We can't let him get away!"

Several people lunged at the fleeing Porto merchant, but it was not easy to catch him as he desperately tried to escape. - Thud! - It was Prince Alfonso who finally caught the Porto merchant. Among his peers, he was tall and well-built, and his athletic prowess was unmatched. When the <Vittoria Nike> collapsed, he had been sitting in the center of the VIP seats and escorted the ladies to safety on the right side. He did not miss the Porto merchant running toward the right door and, with a swift shoulder tackle, sent him sprawling to the ground.

With the Porto merchant pinned to the ground, Prince Alfonso restrained his hands behind his back and called to his subordinates.

"Bind this man and lock him in the royal prison!"

"Yes, Your Highness!"

"Furthermore, appraise the authenticity of the remaining artworks. If they are forgeries, invalidate the transaction. If they are genuine, settle the payment with the original owner, not this merchant!"

"As you command!"

* * *

The Chibo Marquisate was in a state of chaos. In the center of the first-floor party hall, a fake marble artwork was embedded in the floor, and the royal security officers were interrogating the Porto merchant's group and the Chibo Marquise and her husband, while the gossips of the nobles buzzed like a swarm of cicadas.

- "The second daughter of the De Mare family was impressive in the Asereto's Apostle incident, and she's doing great today too!"

- "Is this the level of knowledge a 15-year-old girl can achieve?"

- "From theology to art to history... Her fields of expertise are diverse. At this point, it's not just about studying; she must have a keen eye for the truth, right?"

Ariadne was now known as "the one with a keen eye for the truth." However, the "keen eye for the truth" herself was standing in the backyard of the Chibo Marquisate, raising her voice in a heated debate with a man whose thoughts she couldn't fathom, even after considering her past and present lives.

"Count de Como, what on earth were you thinking?!"

She addressed him as "Count de Como" rather than "Count Cesare." According to the principle, the title should be followed by the surname, not the given name. However, no one in San Carlo's upper echelons applied this rule to Cesare and his mother, the Countess Rubina. Using the surname and title was a sign of respect for the family, but everyone in San Carlo's high society knew that the late "Count de Como," Cesare's legal father, was a mere fiction.

Insisting on calling him "Count de Como" seemed to highlight his bloodline weakness. But to the furious Ariadne, nothing else mattered.

"How could you push the responsibility onto someone else without thinking about the aftermath? What kind of behavior is this?"

Cesare merely shrugged.

"Look, little lady, everything turned out fine in the end."

"Be respectful! Are we friends? I am the daughter of the Vicar of this diocese!"

"Whoa, whoa, look at this."

Cesare pressed his finger against Ariadne's forehead.

"You haven't even had your debutante ball, so you're still a child. How can a child speak so disrespectfully to an adult?"

Cesare scanned Ariadne from head to toe and added, "Look at that. You're wearing a yellow chick dress, just like a child."

Ariadne trembled with anger. Cesare continued, tauntingly, "When you become a lady, I'll speak to you with respect."

"I won't speak to an irresponsible person like you ever again!"

Cesare finally began to defend himself.

"I'm not as irresponsible as you think, little lady. I didn't act without any clues. I knew that the real 'Vincenzo del Gato' had surfaced in the Tiber River three months ago."

His investigation was more extensive, but he didn't reveal everything to Ariadne.

"Then why didn't you handle it yourself?"

"You know my situation, right?"

Cesare put on a pitiful expression. With his chiseled features and mournful look, he was indeed a strikingly handsome man.

"The king's illegitimate son, the abandoned child. If I show any ambition for power, I'll be eliminated immediately."

He mimed a throat-slitting gesture.

"How could I, in my position, suggest investigating the merchant's background and using administrative and military power to dig into it?"

"Then just do nothing!"

"Everything turned out well in the end. It seems we have a good chemistry, little lady. We make a great team, don't we? The noble count who sets the stage and the vicar's daughter who solves the mystery!"

Cesare's playful approach was something Ariadne had seen a few times when she was younger. It was a look he showed when he was in a very good mood with her or when he was trying to charm someone to get something from them. Whether it was a princess from a neighboring country, an ambassador, or Isabella, his hospitality, jokes, and flattery at the regular tea parties she hosted for the beautiful widow Isabella.

Ariadne had thought his kindness to her sister was a sign of respect, but it turned out to be a fatal betrayal in her past. Cesare's charming and playful demeanor was very attractive, but seeing him act this way toward her now left her with a strange feeling. If she didn't feel a small sense of victory, it would be a lie.

But after coming back from the dead, if she were to fall for his charm again, it would mean she had the memory of a goldfish.

He was still very attractive, and his charm was tempting, but she absolutely did not want to accept it.

"Are you not the villain who pushed all the responsibility onto a girl who hasn't even had her debutante ball and hasn't established herself in society? Don't even mention being a team with me. The thought of you in my dreams is terrifying."

"I'm not that bad. I acted out of a sense of justice, seeing the fraudster take 2000 ducats from my dear sister. It was a matter of justice, friendship, family, and courage."

"Hmph."

Deciding there was no point in continuing the conversation, Ariadne turned to leave, but Cesare reached out and grabbed her wrist.

"Wait a moment. I came here today specifically to meet you, little lady. I had to sneak in because the Chibo Marquisate didn't send me an invitation. Let's talk."

Ariadne subtly pulled her wrist back, freeing herself from Cesare's grip. Though she said nothing, her slightly displeased expression was evident. Cesare raised his hands in surrender.

"Sorry, sorry. I overstepped. I shouldn't have grabbed your wrist. I was wrong. I'm a gentleman. Don't be tense. I have a simple matter to discuss."

Cesare looked at Ariadne and proposed something as if it were a great offer.

"Let's make a gentlemanly deal."

"I have no business with you."

"Please, just listen to me."

He leaned in closer, and a gust of wind brought the scent of his rose, frankincense, and sandalwood perfume to her nose. He always brought her into a beautiful world when he approached her like this. He always broke down her defenses. If she took Cesare's hand, she could leave for his fantastic world of adventure without a second thought. Cesare de Como opened his mouth and made his proposal for the day.

"Would you sell me the 'Heart of the Blue Abyss'? I'll give you a fair price."

"..."

Ariadne's heart sank. A piercing pain. She must have had a glimmer of hope. After the pain, a burning shame washed over her, followed by an indescribable rage.

He listed the items he would offer in exchange for the 'Heart of the Blue Abyss.'

"Have you heard of the 'Swan of Linville'? It's one of the most valuable diamonds in my collection."

Ariadne knew the 'Swan of Linville' very well. It was a 15-carat, flawless, and colorless diamond, cut into a teardrop shape and set with pearls. It was part of the collection given to Cesare by King Leo III when he turned thirteen, and it was known as "a gem to be given to the woman you truly love."

In her past life, Ariadne had desperately wanted the 'Swan of Linville.' Not only for its value but because receiving a gem with such a title would confirm that Cesare, who seemed so elusive, truly cared for her. During their engagement, he never gave it to her, but when she asked for it as a wedding gift, he readily agreed. She knew he did this because he knew she would never receive the wedding gift.

"In exchange for the 'Heart of the Blue Abyss,' I'll give you the 'Swan of Linville,' 6000 ducats in gold (approximately 60 billion won), and various other gems."

But now, this young Cesare was offering the 'Swan of Linville' to Ariadne, who had done nothing for him. In this life, Ariadne had not sacrificed her youth, assisted in murder, fallen ill, or risked her life for him. All she had done was improve her own value. And yet, the 'Swan of Linville,' which she had never received despite her dedication, was about to fall into her hands so easily.

But in reality, he wasn't giving her the 'Swan of Linville.' He was proposing a trade for the 'Heart of the Blue Abyss.' She could be a business partner or an object of use, but she could never receive a gem that symbolized love from Cesare.

She couldn't stop the hollow laughter that escaped her. Her anger was so intense that only laughter could express it.

"Cesare de Como, you are truly a clever fool."

"Me?"

"You lost someone who truly dedicated everything to you. You suffered a great loss."

But Ariadne's lips spoke words different from the deep-seated thoughts in her heart. She couldn't bring herself to say what she truly felt; it would sound insane.

"Calling me the daughter of a vicar and insulting His Majesty the King, well, let's just say that's how it is. We're both in delicate positions."

This was a pointed attack on Cesare's weakest point.

"But if you, who share not a drop of the king's blood, are excluded from politics and the military and rely on a thin thread of favor to survive, shouldn't you at least be more careful about how you perceive the king?"

Cesare was surprised by this unexpected attack. No one had ever confronted him so directly while he was trying to charm them.

"Would His Majesty the King give me the 'Heart of the Blue Abyss' to trade for peanuts? He would be delighted if I sold it without permission?"

"What?"

"Would it look good to His Majesty if I sold it to the Kingdom of Gallico and the Republic of Porto for a good price?"

Ariadne shot back with a raised voice.

"The 'Heart of the Blue Abyss' is a trust from His Majesty the King. I am its custodian, not its owner. It is not something that can be bought with money."

This was a fact. But what followed was emotion.

"Seeing you, who can't even distinguish right from wrong, good from bad, and what to take and what to leave, dreaming of something so grand, is truly pitiful. Get a grip."

'You couldn't gauge who to take and who to leave in your past life. It's the same this time. The only difference is that the object is a gem.'

Ariadne was determined to leave this time. Having shared 14 years with Cesare, she understood his patterns even if she couldn't understand him. At this moment, he would undoubtedly lose control and lash out.

"Hey, you! Stop!"

Sure enough, Count de Como turned around and grabbed Ariadne's wrist as she walked away.

"Let go!"

Above Ariadne's sharp cry, a deeper male voice overlapped.

"Let go of her, Count de Como."

It was Prince Alfonso, one of the only two people in all of San Carlo who could properly address Cesare as "Count de Como."