Chapter 74
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I possessed the body of a villainess locked away in a desolate tower.
Chapter 74
"Things have been unfolding rather strangely."
Despite venturing out with the intention of resolving the matter, I found myself returning to the Grand Duke's Residence alongside Blaire Grand Duke.
Though his intervention had temporarily dispersed the crowd, if someone were to step forward and incite them again as before, there was a high likelihood the same situation would repeat itself.
Which meant, ultimately, I needed to devise a more fundamental solution.
Thus, the emergency countermeasure meeting that was hastily convened included Blaire Grand Duke, myself, Lady Rainy who barely managed to excuse herself, and Liam.
"It seems someone was deliberately trying to sabotage us."
I voiced the suspicion I had been harboring all along.
But for what purpose?
Since most of what we were commercializing were ideas we had conceived first, there shouldn't be any competing businesses.
Just as I was contemplating how to substantiate my flimsy theory, Blaire Grand Duke retrieved something and placed it on the table.
"What is this...?"
Upon spotting the familiar object, my eyes widened.
Why would he bring such a rare limited edition here, when it's become difficult to obtain?
"Isn't this the Ghost Duke Edition tumbler we made initially?"
The sleek body, the illustration drawn upon it, even the signature.
Since it matched exactly what I remembered, I regarded Blaire Grand Duke without any suspicion.
But then.
"Liam."
"Yes, Your Grace."
When Blaire Grand Duke gestured without even responding to me, Liam rose to his feet.
And what he held in his hand was... a hammer?
"Pardon me."
Before I could stop him, the heavy hammer head smashed the tumbler to pieces.
Crash!
Before the tumbler that shattered with a deafening sound, I let out a silent scream.
"Wh-what is this... huh?"
But something felt off.
The hammer Liam held was, no matter how I looked at it, an ordinary hammer.
Could one really break Partanium so easily with such a hammer?
It was a mineral that boasted such hardness that even crafting it was difficult.
Moreover, the stains visible between the shattered tumbler fragments looked unmistakably like rust marks.
"Su-surely not."
Then there was only one remaining possibility.
Returning to my seat, I stared at Blaire Grand Duke and Liam alternately with a dumbfounded expression.
"This is a counterfeit, isn't it?"
"Yes. Did you not know such fakes were circulating?"
"...No, I didn't."
Since this was something I had been completely unaware of, my bewilderment only deepened.
Because the tumbler before my eyes was so meticulously crafted that it was indistinguishable from the one I had lovingly created.
It meant there was no way to tell them apart by appearance alone.
Besides, ordinary people wouldn't go around striking tumblers or thermos bottles with hammers.
Facing my silence, the Blaire Grand Duke spoke with certainty.
"This is an arrow aimed at the Blaire House."
"Pardon?"
"The nobles of the Imperial Capital have been sending messages since this morning."
While I was meeting with Ashley and heading to Lady Rainy's workshop, it seemed the Blaire Grand Duke had encountered his own troubles.
As I listened to him calmly explain what had transpired, I couldn't help but let out a hollow laugh.
"Haha."
"It appears that people who drank something from those tumblers manufactured by the Blaire House's business are complaining of stomach pain."
"Ahem... Blaire Grand Duke. This is Ludwig Duke. The matter is that rumors have spread of harmful substances being found in the thermos bottles distributed throughout our territory..."
How could all of this happen simultaneously?
'This makes no sense.'
At that very moment, the Blaire Grand Duke uttered words that aligned precisely with my thoughts.
"This is something that could never logically occur."
Why was this happening at all?
If he was right that someone was threatening the Blaire House, what could their motive possibly be?
What made my confusion even worse was that this had never happened in the original story.
Ah, the original story.
A certain hypothesis suddenly occurred to me.
'In the original story, there were no comic books, blackout curtains, tumblers, or thermos bottles.'
If that were the case... then it made sense that arrows would be aimed at things that had merely been devices to make the protagonists stand out in the original narrative.
In fact, Kaian Blaire had barely any presence in the original story, so he might have attracted unintended attention because of the business I had undertaken.
'And if I recall correctly, the original setting mentioned that the Blaire Grand Duke carried imperial bloodline.'
If that were true, then naturally even the slightest movement would draw scrutiny and opposition.
Though my time in Salt had been brief, I had witnessed countless people disappear as victims of hidden power struggles during that period, so it was entirely plausible.
And furthermore...!
That face.
That physique.
Those exceptional abilities...
'Ridiculous.'
I hastily shook my head to dispel the wandering thoughts that had unconsciously led my gaze from the Blaire Grand Duke's head to his feet.
Here I was, thinking about someone else's appearance in such a serious situation.
Clutching my burning cheeks, I cleared my throat and asked calmly.
"But is there anyone powerful enough to attack Your Highness right now?"
"We'll need to investigate starting now. However, one thing is certain..."
The Blaire Grand Duke, who had been sitting with an inscrutable expression, turned his gaze toward the shattered tumbler.
I had never felt his gleaming green eyes look quite so ominous as they did in that moment.
"A long tail always gets caught eventually."
* * *
"Everything is proceeding very successfully, Your Excellency!"
In the central branch of Stefan Trading Company, operated by Stefan Marquis House in the heart of the Imperial Capital, a drinking party was already underway in broad daylight.
Stefan Marquis, grooming his sparse beard, asked a question in slurred speech, clearly intoxicated.
"Good, good. How is the public reaction?"
A man with a jackal-like appearance, who had been refilling the empty cup, grinned widely.
His name was Robert Count, the vice-master of Stefan Trading Company.
Calculating and greedy, he was a schemer among schemers who excelled at accomplishing tasks to satisfy his desires.
It was Robert Count who had proposed creating counterfeit tumblers and thermos bottles when the genuine articles became wildly popular, selling them at inflated prices.
"For now it's quiet, but there's no monkey that won't jump from a burning tree. Hehehehe...."
Robert Count, who had bowed nearly ninety degrees to appease Stefan Marquis, straightened his back and leaned close to the marquis, whispering suggestively in his ear.
"Just as you permitted the counterfeit production, if Your Excellency trusts only me, you'll rake in enormous wealth by the handful."
"You really are...!"
Stefan Marquis showered praise upon the count, who spoke only pleasant words.
The counterfeit business was naturally a massive success. Because the counterfeits were manufactured at a cost of only five percent of the retail price, the accumulated deficits were quickly eliminated.
Moreover, when people who had stored food in unverified fake thermos bottles suffered from food poisoning in droves, there was no need to spend expensive money spreading rumors.
Truly a two-for-one! A double victory!
"Unlike the blackout curtains, we even saved money on spreading rumors. Excellent work, Count!"
"Heheheh, it's nothing special."
"Nothing special indeed. I'll make sure your share is quite substantial."
"Kehehehe, thank you!"
Soon after, Stefan Marquis, whose face had flushed red from the alcohol, suddenly changed his expression.
"By the way... how are things progressing with the painters we brought from the Blaire Grand Duke Territory?"
"Ah, that matter is also proceeding smoothly without any issues."
Robert's gaunt face became even more cunning.
Once an enemy was designated, they had to be trampled until they could never rise again.
Secretly contacting the painters working in the Blaire Grand Duke Territory was part of that preparation.
"Indeed, money speaks louder than anything else."
When offered sums incomparably larger than their previous salaries, the painters packed their belongings and left without needing persuasion.
Since he had promised to pay double the salary of any negotiator the Blaire Grand Duke Territory might send, the work became even easier.
In addition, guaranteeing creative autonomy in their work and covering all settlement expenses meant that entire groups of painters were now willing to defect.
"Of course, it would be ideal to recruit the story writer or one of the lead painters, but due to the Blaire House's strict surveillance, we haven't been able to approach them—we're just watching and waiting."
"It's too early yet. We'll slowly tighten the noose, and strike at the decisive moment."
The arrogant Blaire Grand Duke.
Robert drove his point home like a wedge to the marquis, who was so drunk he didn't even know what he was saying.
"We've already secured a printing company, so it's only a matter of time before the works are produced."
"Excellent."
"Moreover, we're prepared to send gifts to the Blaire House whenever you give the order."
"Yes, that's how it should be...."
Stefan Marquis's eyes gleamed dangerously as he began to recall the enormous losses he had suffered at the hands of the Blaire Grand Duke.
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