Chapter 21
Chapter 21. Competition is Not Fair (4)
Spring in Nortaris was extremely dry, so the wooden buildings of the shopping district were no different from bone-dry firewood.
By the time the fire brigade arrived, the fire was quickly extinguished, but four nearby shops had already burned down completely.
"Good grief... what a mess."
Around dawn, when all the onlookers had dispersed.
Two people stood before the charred remains of the shop.
Everything had burned down without exception.
Even the coffee machines that remained in stock were all destroyed, and now they really would have to be sold to a scrap dealer.
"It's a shame. It was a nice, quiet shop."
"At least no one was hurt."
If it were before, maybe, but at this point it wasn't a painful enough loss to feel the pinch.
They had fire insurance, and there was plenty of profit left over from selling Cola.
Penelope knew this fact too.
Yet the reason she felt gloomy was probably because this was a place that held memories.
It was the shop where she and Jurgen had struggled together to make Cola.
Jurgen's sense of loss must be even greater.
Penelope knew better than anyone how dearly he cherished the shop.
She still remembered how he would look at the shop lovingly every morning while cleaning it.
"Jurgen, I'm sorry, but now is not the time to get sentimental."
"I agree."
Fires were accidents that could happen anytime.
Around this time of year, large and small fires broke out in Nortaris once in a while.
However, the origin of this fire was Jurgen's shop, which had been vacant for a month.
Just when Penelope and Jurgen were doing well with Cola, a fire broke out in the shop that had been left empty for so long.
In other words, there was a possibility it was arson rather than a simple accident.
"Do you suspect anything?"
"It's a bit of an old story, but..."
Jurgen mentioned that he had rejected Polar Suns's representative Blyton's offer to acquire Cola.
"Why didn't you tell me that!"
"I didn't think it mattered since I rejected it anyway. Let me ask you one thing too. Do you think this fire was Polar Suns's doing, Miss Penelope?"
Penelope flinched.
She hadn't realized until now because she had only been looking at his back.
Jurgen's voice, which she thought would be dejected, was extremely calm.
His eyes were clear and composed.
However, there was none of his usual glibness mixed in, making him feel like a different person.
"Give me a moment. Let me think."
Penelope was not immature.
She knew better than anyone that the seemingly glamorous social circles were actually flowers made of blades.
She must not forget.
Nortaris was not a fairy tale city where everyone lived peacefully with overflowing resources.
If there were outlaws in the Demon Realm, then there were mafias in the city.
The biggest characteristic of Nortaris's mafia forces was their collusion with nobility.
On the surface, they were corporate criminal organizations that had been legitimized.
Many families subcontracted to the mafia and even employed them like private soldiers.
Polar Suns was a representative gray company that thrived in such a gray zone.
"It's very possible. Polar Suns has a lot of bad rumors."
"I had no idea. I should have asked earlier."
"It's normal that you wouldn't know. If anything, I was thinking too optimistically."
However, she had to admit it.
She had been somewhat complacent.
Though Penelope had been endlessly ignored until now, she was still a member of a prestigious family.
Not a prestigious family with just an empty nameplate, but a wealthy family that wielded influence all the way to central politics.
The social circles could 'ignore' Penelope, but they couldn't be openly rude to her face for that very reason.
That's why she had let her guard down.
Jurgen was already well-known as Penelope's business partner.
She never expected that he would suffer damage just because of Cola.
—Splash
"......"
Penelope's gaze turned downward.
Ash and mud mixed in a puddle, creating a mire that was dirtying her boots.
She felt a chill creeping up her spine.
Even the breath flowing down her cheeks felt chilly.
It wasn't because the drizzle falling on her cloak was cold.
It was because she truly realized what she had stepped into.
Money, laughter, power, dark schemes, plots, lies.
A muddy quagmire where all these things were mixed together.
Into the true world of nobility.
"How dare they..."
But before fear, hot anger burned her heart, pushing away the eerie chill.
Someone might look down on it.
Penelope's return to the social circles, the Cola business she held, and thus her accumulation of wealth.
They might not like it.
She could understand attempts to push her back out of the social circles.
She was used to such rejection.
Therefore, this anger was not because of the despicable tricks to interfere with her business.
"Jurgen."
"Hm?"
"This is my mistake."
However, Polar Suns had touched something they shouldn't have.
Penelope's pride.
They had pointed a blade at the noble's dignity she had stubbornly maintained even when everyone pointed fingers at her.
"I didn't expect the damage to extend to you too."
"That's not true. I also didn't take Polar Suns's proposal lightly."
"Even if this really is arson, we can't be certain Polar Suns is behind it. But from now on, you might be attacked in some way."
Penelope removed one earring and placed it on Jurgen's hand.
The earring she always wore, shaped like rose vines and unopened buds.
"Go to The Richfield Hotel and find Manager Ritz. Show him the earring and request protection, and he'll do it for you. Don't go outside for a while and just stay there."
Penelope had once tried to reveal her family to Jurgen, citing noble prestige.
However, even after they became close, she hid her nobility from him.
She hid her family.
Why had she done that?
She felt like she now knew the answer to the question she couldn't resolve until just before.
It was because she was afraid.
Jurgen, who had treated her as an equal colleague regardless of Penelope's identity.
She was afraid that he would change when he belatedly heard the rumors circulating in the social circles.
But to Jurgen, Penelope was Penelope.
He believed in Penelope without any conditions.
Humans call such an irrational relationship a 'bond.'
"I am Penelope Rosemore."
Then the opposite should be true as well.
"The utterly useless second daughter of the Rosemore Count Family. But... I have enough power to protect you at least."
Jurgen's eyes widened, and he smiled faintly.
"You're only telling me now?"
Penelope, who was about to turn around stylishly and head to the 'battlefield,' stopped.
She turned around like a rusty wind-up doll, creaking.
"Y-y-you... what did you just..."
"I was thinking, you're only telling me now."
Well, of course.
Among countless scenarios, this was definitely a reaction not in the script!
"What, what! You knew?"
"When we were making Cola together, you were talking in your sleep, so I heard."
"Sleep, sleep talking? What, what did I say?!"
Penelope squeezed her eyes shut.
It seemed like nothing good would come from knowing.
"No, no! Just don't tell me! More importantly, if you knew, you should have said something! What are you doing confusing people!"
"Were you planning to hide it? For that, weren't you always wearing obviously expensive clothes? You always bragged about money too."
"When did I ever...!"
Huh?
Come to think of it, I did, didn't I?
Even when her relationship with Jurgen was just a coffee shop owner and regular customer, she acted that way.
Faced with the mirror of truth, Penelope turned rapidly red.
"Ah..."
Why did I do that back then?
How did it end up like this now?
It was supposed to be a momentous scene where she solemnly said, 'Ah yes, my identity is actually Penelope Rosemore'...
I see.
Life doesn't turn out like a movie.
Penelope learned a valuable lesson.
"Miss Penelope! Where are you going!"
"Anyway, I'll solve everything! You stay put at the hotel!"
Eventually, after Penelope fled the scene, having faced unexpected dark history.
Jurgen walked the streets alone, lost in deep thought.
This fire was clearly and evidently arson.
For Penelope it was a suspicion, but for Jurgen it was a certainty.
There were clear differences between traces of naturally occurring fires and arson.
Especially if it was arson using Alchemy.
When he carefully examined the traces of the general store...
First of all, the ignition point was unnatural.
How could flames suddenly arise in the middle of an empty floor with nothing there?
Moreover, there were traces of flames spreading in abnormal patterns.
The unevenly carbonized wood and glass windows that had evaporated and disappeared in places were evidence of that.
A mediocre alchemist might not notice, but a series of unnaturalness caught Jurgen's eye.
Furthermore, burning and destroying things was once his specialty.
Whether this arson was Polar Suns's doing...
"I just need to confirm it from now on."
Instead of going to the hotel, Jurgen headed to his rental house to prepare for guests.
Dawn broke, the sun rose to its zenith, sunset came, and night fell.
After a long wait, five fierce-looking men wearing masks burst into the rental house.
"Hey, old man. Have you changed your mind now?"
"Did you think you'd be okay hiding under some noble lady's skirt?"
"It'd be better to let this pass nicely, yeah? Next time it'll be your place that burns down."
Really now.
"I don't remember inviting anyone."
The corner of his mouth curved up crookedly.
"But it's not proper to treat guests poorly. Would you like a cup of coffee?"
Why do villains lack creativity even as time passes?
***
Bella Ashton.
She was a newly assigned secretary to serve Acting Minister of Internal Affairs Lily Fontaine.
And she was an ambitious person hungry for success.
From the moment she was assigned to serve Lily, Bella shed tears of emotion.
Lily Fontaine, who had risen to the position of Minister of Internal Affairs (acting, but still) at the youngest age.
For success, where could there be such a perfect golden connection?
If she could just win Lily's favor, Bella's future life would be as wide open as an 8-lane road to the royal capital.
Truly a high-pass, smooth road, royal road to success.
This was the life she had always dreamed of!
For that, Bella was even prepared to lick Lily's shoes clean with her tongue every morning.
"Miss Fontaineeee."
"What is it, Secretary Ashton?"
"Have you heard about Cola, the beverage that's popular in the north these days?"
"Yes, I confirmed it in writing. I judged it wasn't an important matter."
Bella rubbed her palms together in a sweet voice, fawning over her superior.
"I just happened to obtain it with great difficulty, with tremendous effort. As soon as I got Cola, I thought of my respected superior, Miss Lily Fontaine. Now, now, think of it as my sincerity and just gulp it down..."
"Secretary Ashton. According to Article 13 of the Prevention of Illegal Solicitation and Graft Act, public officials cannot receive any form of private benefit. Please familiarize yourself with basic legal provisions from next time."
Bella was success-oriented, but that didn't mean she lacked ability.
If she had, she would have been demoted by Lily long ago.
"However, that law has a clause that says 'courtesies provided as an extension of official duties may be received,' doesn't it?"
"How is this an extension of official duties?"
"I, Bella, as a representative secretary of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, would like you, Miss Fontaine, to personally evaluate the potential value of Cola..."
"Sigh, give it to me."
"Yes, here it is."
"I'm accepting it because I don't want to waste time, but don't expect any kind of special treatment from me."
"Hehehe, of course!"
Bella watched Lily with an excited expression.
This beverage was supposedly heating up the north these days.
Could it melt the frozen heart of her principle-obsessed superior?
Based on her preliminary tasting, it was bribery worth looking forward to.
"...How is it?"
"It's just a beverage. Nothing special. This is enough for me. Secretary Ashton can drink the rest."
However, even after drinking that mysterious beverage, Lily remained expressionless and focused on her work.
She didn't look toward Cola again.
"Ugh..."
It was always like this.
They say opportunities come with hardship, don't they?
Even though she had gotten on the right line, no matter what plausible gifts she offered, Lily remained unshaken.
She was the very model of an upright and honest minister who couldn't be pierced by anything.
But there was just one thing.
There was one weakness she had recently discovered.
"Ahem, come to think of it. About Hanbin."
"......"
She could see Lily's ears perk up as she focused on her work.
"I looked up the records once too, and he really is an amazing person. I think I understand why you respect him, Miss Fontaine."
"...So Ashton understands Hanbin's greatness too."
"I really do! How can one person achieve such great feats...! I couldn't help but tremble when I saw the royal records!"
"Hmm. Right. Of course."
Her superior, who wouldn't even twitch the corner of her mouth no matter how much she fawned, looked pleased.
In other words, if she praised Hanbin and built common ground together.
Couldn't she eventually overcome Lily's rigid wall of 'incorruptible integrity'?
"What was Hanbin like when you observed him directly? I'm personally curious."
"Alright. I'll tell you specially."
As proof, Lily began chatting about something unrelated to work.
"Hanbin does not yield to any hardship. Even after being seriously injured while subjugating the Demon Realm and losing his power as a 'Knight,' he changed his path to become an Alchemist and distinguished himself."
"Can you believe it? He bloomed his talent as an alchemist, which was originally only 4th Rank, in such a short time."
"When Hanbin was active, even the mighty Alcand Empire was wary of Hanbin's personal power."
"That's not all. Do you know how Royal Castle Albion came to have such sophisticated water and sewage facilities? I'll tell you now."
But she started talking too much.
"...Aha, mmm. Oho! Really amazing!"
Even Bella, who had been listening with a smile, gradually felt burdened.
She needed to change the subject somehow quickly...!
"Then, I'd like to ask what he was like not as Minister of Internal Affairs, but as the human Hanbin."
"......"
"I vaguely remember hearing that he was definitely kind and deeply considerate..."
"......"
Suddenly Lily closed her mouth.
Lily, who had been pondering something, opened her mouth.
"That's right. He is kind and deeply considerate. However..."
Bella probably didn't have access to this information either.
What role he had played in the shadows of this kingdom before he became a 'Knight' and roamed the Demon Realms.
"He shows not a shred of mercy toward those who harm the kingdom. Truly a model of patriotism."
"Uh... um... uh... Those who harm the kingdom?"
Bella felt suddenly guilty for no reason.