The fortune-teller threw the beads onto the table with his thick, muscular arms. The beads clattered and then came to a stop.
“What does the reading say?”
“…”
The fortune-teller stared silently at the beads. Duke Eisen, growing anxious, asked again.
“What does my fortune look like? Will my investment luck continue?”
“…”
The man, who looked more suited to wielding a sword in rough lands than studying divination, sighed heavily.
“W- What is it?”
“An ominous cloud is gathering over the Berg Empire. It’s a massive and powerful storm, enough to wither flowers.”
At the foreboding prediction, Duke Eisen flared up.
“What? Misfortune? Didn’t you say not long ago that my luck was so good that I’d be buried in money even in my coffin?”
The fortune-teller calmed him down.
“Your luck is indeed very good. It’s the Empire’s fortune that is bad.”
This statement finally calmed Duke Eisen, who had been about to storm off. However, his unease remained. Duke Eisen asked hastily.
“But if the country’s luck is bad, won’t that affect me too?”
“People who came with a handful of coins and left with piles of money will find their pockets empty. There won’t be a penny left in the Empire’s streets, only the cries of those who have become penniless.”
The fortune-teller’s cold recitation was as chilling as if his hands were stained with blood, not predictions. Duke Eisen shuddered at the intensity.
“But Your Grace has good fortune, so you don’t need to worry… wait?”
While speaking, a bead at the edge of the table fell off. The fortune-teller’s face hardened.
“There is an evil spirit seeking to harm Your Excellency.”
Is he talking about Brantley? Duke Eisen turned pale.
“It’s a spirit with a deep grudge against you. Do you know something?”
The fortune-teller cast a suspicious glance. Duke Eisen, flustered, mumbled, “When you do great things, pests are bound to gather.”
“That pest hasn’t gone to heaven and is still lingering around you, waiting for a chance to cause harm.”
“!”
Duke Eisen recalled Brantley glaring at him in his dream.
Seeing the terrified Duke, the fortune-teller spoke reassuringly.
“Fortunately, Your Grace’s luck is stronger than the spirit’s grudge. You can overcome this crisis. Just don’t miss the help of a special person.”
“A special person?”
Duke Eisen, feeling greatly relieved, asked, “Yes. A noble person will appear to save you from the spirit. They will provide you with a treasure to escape the crisis, so you must accept it, no matter the cost or sacrifice.”
“How will I recognize this noble person?”
“Pay attention to someone who seems suspicious and secretive. They may not reveal their face, but they are more trustworthy than anyone. This special person will bring you an unexpected, shining treasure. Do not miss this person.”
The fortune-teller emphasized. Duke Eisen nodded as if enchanted.
***
The café turned into a tavern and auction house at night. In the daytime, it was bright and lively, a stark contrast to the evening’s madness. Laughter erupted from the center of the café.
A table full of young noblemen was the source of the noise. Everyone else in the café frowned at the racket, but no one dared to complain. The occupants of the table were members of the most prominent social circle in the Empire.
At the center of this group was Jacob Eisen, the heir to the Eisen Dukedom.
“Recently, Prince Patrick asked Lord Jacob to find the ‘Spotted Emperor,’ didn’t he?”
“No matter how much of a prince he is, that’s a shameless request.”
“Bulb transactions are thriving, but isn’t it hard to find blooming flowers now?”
“There’s only one place to get them: the Eisen Ducal House.”
“That’s right. Truly impressive.”
All the members of the group agreed and showered him with praise. Jacob’s lips curled into a smile at the flattery.
“The Prince asked, so of course I had to help him. It wasn’t a difficult request.”
“It might not be for you, Lord Jacob. Plus, all the businessmen are in awe of the Duke.”
“With just a word from my father, any variety can be obtained within a day.”
“Remarkable!”
The men couldn’t hide their envy.
Duke Eisen was not only a big investor but an insider, who produced popular hybrids. This made it easier for Duke Eisen to acquire rare varieties. But the people didn’t know this.
The only merchant outside the grasp of the Eisen family was Mut.
“D-Does the Young Master have any information from the merchants? About new hybrids, for example.”
“My profits have been sluggish lately. Any new investment opportunities?”
“I recently suffered a loss on my investment. I’d appreciate your guidance, Lord Jacob.”
The men finally got to the point. The reason why even the most prestigious noble scions flattered Jacob was to extract investment information from him.
So far, Jacob’s information had never been wrong. This was because Duke Eisen colluded with the Temple to inflate the prices of certain hybrids.
Duke Eisen used numerous agents to hide his identity while driving up the prices of the hybrids. Speculators would then follow suit.
“A new investment opportunity, huh?”
Everyone’s eyes were fixed on Jacob’s lips. Even people at other tables perked up their ears.
“The ‘Blurple Baron.’ This variety will rise in the future.”
However, people were disappointed by Jacob’s words.
“Isn’t that a variety that already peaked and is now declining? It’s not even popular among the current hybrids.”
Recently, some varieties have begun to decline in price. This was the first time since the frenzy began.
The ‘Blurple Baron’ was one of them.
But Jacob clicked his tongue at their ignorance.
“Just wait and see. It will definitely rise. Have I ever been wrong?”
Jacob was confident. Since his words had always been true, no one could argue. Though his claim lacked logic or evidence, his baseless assertions always turned out to be correct.
“Don’t regret it later when you can’t make money. Buy it, even if you have to borrow.”
“I’ve already invested all my money, so I might have to use my house deed as collateral to borrow money. I’ll make several times more.”
The other men nodded. They had already invested heavily out of greed for money.
One of the men spoke up.
“I know a loan shark who’s good at raising funds. He made his money by selling monster corpses in the borderlands, and his interest rates are reasonable.”
Watching everyone introduce their connections, Jacob smiled contentedly.
“Thanks to Lord Jacob, I’ll be able to cover my losses.”
“If it weren’t for someone like Heinrich Fischer spoiling things, we wouldn’t be in this mess.”
“Exactly!”
The men were indignant. They preferred to believe that the decline in the price of the Morning Glories was due to the scheming of Baron Fischer, rather than a natural occurrence.
Jacob smiled triumphantly.
“Don’t worry. I’ve got a plan.”
***
I was horrified when I saw the shabby wooden door. There were stone marks on it.
The stench of rotten stuff still lingered there. And the terrifying warning is written in bright red paint.
< Keep talking nonsense and we’ll send you to hell. >
Perhaps it was because the price of the flowers was not rising as it used to. It seemed the owner of this house had become the target of someone’s anger.
‘He has been warning about the risks since the beginning and the price drop wasn’t his fault.’
Of course, the decline was still minor. There was a prevailing belief in the market that prices would skyrocket again.
‘Even so, the fact that he is being attacked means someone wants to shut him up.’
I knocked on the wooden door.
“Is anyone there? I’m…”
Before I could finish my greeting, the door fell off its hinges. I was startled, but there was no sign of anyone inside.
I cautiously stepped in, “Is anyone home?”
The narrow, dark house.
Yet, despite its shabby interior, it was filled with lush plants.
‘It’s more like a greenhouse than a house.’
As I wandered, entranced by the plants, I climbed the creaking stairs and then stopped.
The second-floor hallway was full of Morning Glories. But they weren’t hybrids or variants.
Their price was cheaper than hybrids, but these pure breeds were rarer these days.
Intrigued, I followed the flowers that had once been the lifeline of my life.
Just then-
“If you think about stealing them, you’re mistaken. Unlike what a young lady like you might think, these pure breeds don’t bring much profit.”
At the end of the line of flowers, in front of a room, a man glared at me with a fierce expression.
“Or has Duke Eisen sent a young female assassin disguised as a child to deal with me now?”
He walked over, looking down at me with an angry face.
“But that’s pointless. No matter how much they threaten me, I won’t change my stance. The flowers are absolutely—”
“I’m here for an interview, Baron Heinrich Fischer!”
Baron Fischer, who had been speaking aggressively, flinched.
I approached him, my pink eyes shining brightly.
“An interview? The newspapers no longer want to publish my voice because of Duke Eisen’s pressure.”
“I’m not a newspaper reporter.”
“Then?”
“I’m a professor at the Imperial Academy.”
Baron Fischer frowned, looking even more confused.
I clasped my hands together to appear more earnest, “I’m writing a report on the speculation frenzy around Morning Glories. That’s why I need the help of a ‘true enthusiast’ like you, Baron.”
“You need my help?”
At the title of ‘true enthusiast,’ Baron Fischer’s tone softened.
