Chapter 9
“Hesse…? Ah, a pleasure,”
Viscount Royce said the words, but his tone showed little interest. He had no reason to engage with a penniless young lady from a minor noble house—he was looking for a mark to scam out of a hefty sum.
As expected, his reaction didn’t surprise Nadia.
“Forgive me for being so forward, but did I hear correctly that you possess The Emperor’s Bird?”
“Ahem, you overheard that?”
“Yes. That’s truly… impressive. I’m not highly educated, but even someone like me knows of a famous work like The Emperor’s Bird. I also heard, by chance, that you’re looking for a new owner.”
“That’s right. But the price is so high that no one’s stepped up.”
Your family could never afford it. So move along.
That was clearly what Viscount Royce wanted to say.
But Nadia stood her ground, unshaken.
“Our Hesse household recently discovered a mana stone vein. We used the profits to treat my mother’s illness and repair our estate… but with mana stone prices soaring, we were left with quite a bit of surplus.”
Only then did Royce’s ears perk up.
“Is that so?”
“Yes. The North is home to many artists. If our family could possess such a fine piece, it would be a great way to make our name known.”
With a carefully crafted look of longing, Nadia dangled the bait. Royce’s eyes wavered.
Though he was still moving freely in society, it had to be difficult to pull scams again after being tried for fraud. Yet here was a naive, common-born noblewoman—easy to manipulate, and more importantly, she had money.
It was too perfect.
Royce’s guard dropped completely, and he began to gush about The Emperor’s Bird—its unmatched beauty, its historical significance, and more.
Nadia nodded, seemingly impressed, and soon proposed a contract.
“Without even seeing the piece?”
“What if someone offers you more in the meantime? We couldn’t afford to pay more than what we’re offering, so I’d like to write the contract now. Is that a problem?”
“Not at all! You’re quite bold, Lady Hesse.”
“For the sake of my family, I’m willing to do anything.”
Nadia and Royce slipped out of the garden and asked a maid to bring them paper.
“This is my first time drafting a contract. Could you help me?”
“Of course.”
Royce, already imagining how thoroughly he’d fleece her, couldn’t stop the smug smile tugging at his lips.
Naturally, the contract he prepared was full of unfair, even illegal, clauses. Nadia played innocent, asking a few questions here and there, and Royce answered smoothly, his tongue slick with lies.
“You’re very kind, Viscount Royce. I think I’ll be able to acquire a truly wonderful piece thanks to you. I felt so ashamed attending the Baldwin party without a single artwork to my name.”
“If you have The Emperor’s Bird, even the Baldwins will envy you.”
“That’s wonderful to hear. This may be a great opportunity for the Hesse family to gain footing in northern society.”
Smiling sweetly, Nadia returned to the garden and made her way straight to the Grand Duchess Baldwin.
She greeted the duchess with a respectful bow, then spoke boldly.
“Grand Duchess, I was awestruck by Sir Sulliano’s sculpture. I’ve also managed to acquire a fine piece—may I offer it to you as a gift?”
Royce’s face went pale.
Has this woman lost her mind?!
He forced a wide, twitching smile and hurried over.
“Lady Hesse, we haven’t even finalized the transfer yet. Isn’t it a little premature?”
“Oh dear, what are you saying? We’ve already signed the contract. All that’s left is delivery. There’s no need to send it to House Hesse—please send it directly here to the Baldwin estate. Grand Duchess, you will accept, won’t you?”
The Grand Duchess looked puzzled but couldn’t refuse such a gesture during her own party. With a gentle smile, she nodded.
“Any artwork is welcome. I look forward to seeing what you’ve chosen to gift.”
“The piece I wish to give you is none other than The Emperor’s Bird.”
Nadia beamed innocently, her expression the picture of sincerity.
By contrast, a subtle tremble flickered in the Grand Duchess’s gaze. Though normally unreadable, Nadia—once her daughter-in-law—could detect her shift in emotion.
She was furious.
“The Emperor’s Bird, you say…”
With a cold smile, the duchess stared Nadia down.
“You’re referring to the masterpiece that went missing over a century ago? I’d very much like to know how you managed to acquire such a rare piece.”
“I lack such abilities myself,” Nadia replied confidently. “Viscount Royce here obtained it through fortunate means and kindly agreed to sell it to me at a fair price.”
The Grand Duchess turned her sharp gaze toward Royce.
She glanced back and forth between the two of them—and then, as if something clicked, let out a small sound of realization.
Her expression changed in an instant.
“Viscount Royce,” she snapped, “how dare you commit fraud against a noble in the garden of the Baldwin estate! This is beyond disgraceful!”
Royce jumped like he’d been struck.
“F-fraud?! Grand Duchess, with all due respect, you can’t falsely accuse an innocent man!”
“Indeed, Your Grace. I find it hard to believe Viscount Royce would scam me—he even took the time to draft this very thorough contract.”
Nadia produced the signed contract. The maid beside the Grand Duchess took it and examined it, then whispered something into the duchess’s ear.
Likely pointing out the glaringly unfair terms.
The duchess closed her eyes and took a steady breath before speaking.
“The original Emperor’s Bird is in the possession of House Baldwin.”
“You—what? You have the original?!”
Royce nearly fainted.
Of course, Nadia already knew.
Up until ten years ago, she had been a powerful force within the Baldwin household—far more than an “outsider duchess.” She had managed much of the household affairs and thus knew many of its secrets.
Back then, Rivenia (as she was known then) had been tasked with organizing the estate’s collection of artworks. During that time, she’d discovered a painting magically sealed and blackened by enchantments.
Curious, she had hired a mage to examine it—only to find that it was the long-lost Emperor’s Bird.
Within a massive frame large enough to stretch past one’s arms, a beautiful man and woman basked in an intimate moment. People debated who the “emperor” was, but based on various symbols and the composition, the reclining woman was presumed to be the emperor.
The painting was warm, beautiful—tinged with an unstable sadness, but deeply moving. Even just seeing it had left Rivenia’s heart aching with emotion.
She had shared the discovery with Heinrich and the Grand Duchess, then had the painting resealed with protective magic.
And now, of all people, Viscount Royce had claimed to possess that painting?
Of course the Grand Duchess, a lifelong lover of the arts, would be furious.
“But The Emperor’s Bird was lost long ago…”
“Precisely why we never spoke of it. We feared someone like you—a man easily swayed by greed—would try to steal it. House Baldwin spares no effort in preserving great works.”
As the duchess’s voice rang with finality, Royce’s face turned ghostly pale. He looked around wildly, desperate and panicked.
People all around clicked their tongues and glared at him.
“What a disgrace to the nobility.”
“So his ‘vacation’ was really just fleeing justice, huh? I bet his ‘not guilty’ verdict was just clever maneuvering. He’s definitely a con man.”
“If the Grand Duchess didn’t have the real painting, Lady Hesse would’ve been duped completely…”
All eyes turned to Nadia.
They expected her to cry or panic.
Instead, Nadia looked at Royce with cold, steely eyes.
“So you really tried to scam me, Viscount Royce?”
“N-no! I truly believed the piece I had was the real Emperor’s Bird! I swear!”
Nadia approached the maid beside the duchess and respectfully retrieved the contract. She skimmed it, then began reading aloud.
“It says here the artwork has been ‘authenticated by a credible expert.’ But also that you bear no responsibility after the transfer—no matter what. I assumed that clause was to protect you in case I accidentally damaged the piece. But clearly, it was something else entirely.”
The contract was filled with vague language and loopholes—obvious signs Royce had crafted it to protect himself.
However, the single line about the piece being an authenticated original gave Nadia the perfect opening.
“…To think you tried to push such an unfair contract on me. You’re truly despicable. As the ruling power of the North, House Baldwin will ensure this matter is resolved justly.”
At her signal, knights emerged from the shadows and seized Royce by both arms.
They approached Nadia as well, but not with hostility—unlike their treatment of Royce.
And so, in front of the crowd, the Grand Duchess, Royce, and Nadia faced off and laid the matter bare.
Viscount Royce, found guilty of attempting to defraud a noble with a forged artwork, was ordered to pay a massive sum in damages to Nadia.
News of the incident quickly spread to the capital.
With his reputation in tatters and his fraud exposed, Royce would likely never scam anyone again—at least not with art.
In fact, it was now uncertain if he could even retain his title.