Sickly? Husband's Contractual Wife

Chapter 80

But today was a day worth it.

“All right, it’s about to start.”

The dealer standing on the platform announced the beginning of the auction. It was time to auction off the most valuable fish caught during the night. Beside the dealer were large and small tanks containing freshly caught fish, swimming vigorously with their tails.

“First up, we have a halibut. It’s not often you see one this big!”

Cheers erupted from all around as the bidding began. Several more auctions passed, featuring flounders, sea breams, tuna, sharks, and even small whales.

I didn’t choose any of them.

Rona, who had been watching large fish being sold one after another, whispered to me with a puzzled expression, “What are you waiting for?”

“Wait and see.”

I quietly observed the platform.

“You’ve waited a long time.”

The dealer on the platform now only had one fish left.

“What’s taking them so long to bring it up?”

Rona muttered next to me, but I just smiled quietly.

“Wait for it. It’s worth the wait.”

My meaningful smile puzzled Rona.

“Jang, what fish is being auctioned?”

Jang just smiled confidently.

“Now, presenting the legendary fish, Selum!”

Cheers erupted from all around the auction hall.

It was worth getting up early.

“Selum?”

Rona cocked her head as if she had never heard of it before.

“Is there such a fish?”

“It’s that rare. Even if it’s caught, it’s in very small quantities, and naturally, the price skyrockets without knowing the limit.”

“Is it that delicious?”

“The taste is good, but…”

I spent the previous night translating cookbooks with a dictionary in hand. If it was a dish to be given as a gift, it couldn’t be simply delicious. It had to be nutritious, and have additional effects.

“Selum has been called the fish blessed by the sea god since ancient times, with its effect of healing diseases.”

Though somewhat exaggerated, the symbolic significance of the fish called Selum was indeed significant.

“In the past, Greta wouldn’t have been able to buy it at all. It’s good now that the management authority has changed hands.”

Rona said excitedly.

“It’s not just anything; it’s Amoide’s meal. Greta can’t interfere. Not as long as I’m here.”

And I’ll continue to be here.

Greta will probably have a hard time regaining her position as Hanjung.

“Greta, you manage the accounts so well that there’s nothing to criticize.”

I often praised Greta whenever I had the chance.

The important thing was when to reveal it.

The reason I couldn’t exploit Greta’s weakness and expose it was because of Camilla.

After learning about Greta’s embezzlement, I went to see Camilla first.

And there, I witnessed a somewhat shocking scene.

“Greta, I’m so scared.”

It was Greta comforting Camilla, who was pouring out tears.

As far as I knew, the only person Camilla showed tears to and relied on like this was Raymond.

But seeing Greta offering the same level of comfort as Raymond left me momentarily stunned.

They seemed more like close friends than a servant and the mistress she served.

It was a sight I never expected from Camilla, who had a firm stance on hierarchy and status.

So, I had no choice but to gather my collected data and leave the scene as if fleeing.

“Don’t worry, Lady Camilla. I’m here, aren’t I?”

Greta’s reassuring words seemed quite familiar, as if she had done it many times before.

If there were ever a confrontation with Greta, who would Camilla side with?

I wasn’t confident it would be me.

Punishing someone with whom she had such a deep attachment would only provoke Camilla.

There was a reason why Colton, the butler, kept silent about Greta’s embezzlement for so long.

“If I tell Amoide…”

I shook my head to dismiss the thought.

He’s a sick man.

Sometimes he shows such surprising strength, agility, and sharpness, but no one knows when or where he might collapse.

And because the cause of his illness is unknown, I had to be even more careful.

For that reason, I didn’t want to provoke Amoide.

—

The auction house was bustling with people bidding on fish.

“All right, starting bid is 100 Ducats!”

As bidding began, pickets rose up everywhere.

The auction house was filled with tension, and nerves were on edge.

“When do you plan to win the bid?”

“Wait.”

I calmed Rona down.

“The price of selums was already high enough to rise further.

As merchants inserted these fish into fake auctions to raise the price, it soared even higher without them realizing.

As the price kept rising, bidders started dropping out one by one.

Around that time, Jang raised his picket.

Then, a bidder who had been exchanging glances with the merchant raised the price again, and then there was silence.

Naturally, the merchants, who thought we would raise the bid, hesitated, but eventually declared their withdrawal from the bidding.

“That’s it!”

Jang laughed loudly and ran out, carrying the selums in a small tank.

I looked at the selums in the transparent tank.

The fish, with its grayish body and white stripes, was barely the size of a palm.

“Is this enough for cooking?”

“Well, the taste is amazing.

I guarantee it.”

Jang raised his thumb.

“Now let’s go back.

When the sun rises, there won’t be much to see at the market.

And when the day breaks, you’ll see the noble lady…”

I almost burst out laughing in many places.

“No one would recognize me.”

Just a name, the noble lady.

If she recognized me, it would only be the people I saw at the tea party.

“It would be really nice for you to engage in external activities… Not even free to go out, what is this?”

“But she allowed it today.”

When I said I was going to buy ingredients for Amoide’s food, Camilla immediately gave permission.

Tap.

As we walked towards the carriage parked at the harbor, someone bumped into me.

“Oh… I’m sorry.”

The woman and I apologized simultaneously.

The woman was draped in a blue cloak from head to toe, and she exuded elegance and nobility at a glance.

Although her face was mostly hidden, and her body was covered in a long robe, her beauty and graceful figure couldn’t be hidden.

The woman nodded and hurriedly tried to leave.

For a moment, something sparkling was seen under where the woman had stood.

“Did you drop this?”

Under where the woman had passed was an oval pendant.

It was a necklace with a clasp to open it.

“Oh…”

She accepted the pendant I offered with a grateful face.

The woman, who had been bowing her head the whole time, raised her head to greet me.

Because of that, her hat attached to her robe was slightly loosened, and I caught a glimpse of her face.

‘What a stunning beauty.’

She had a beauty with bright blonde hair and light blue eyes.

The woman quickly pulled her hat back over her face.

It was only for a very brief moment, but it was an unforgettable appearance.

“Well then.”

The woman nodded gracefully and passed by me.

I stared at the path the woman walked as if I were bewitched.

—

“Are you really going to do it yourself?”

“Yeah.”

I rolled up my sleeves.

“With such a nice place and good ingredients, wouldn’t you feel like cooking yourself?”

Jang’s kitchen had transformed into a pleasant state.

Thanks to the large open window, ventilation was excellent.

“I’ve been working on the recipe all night.”

I hugged the recipe notebook tightly to my chest and opened it.

Inside the notebook were recipes written and illustrated by hand.

“I was able to complete it with Jang’s help.

Jang, I won’t forget.”

“It’s my pleasure.”

Jang scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

“But the dish hasn’t even been made yet…”

“It’s been a while, so I feel like it.”

Although I had experience assisting in cooking at restaurants, all my skills had rusted away since then.

Traces of trimming the basic ingredients remained like decorations on my hands.

“Is the fish ready?”

“Yes.

You won the bid this morning yourself.

Here…”

Rona was about to say that it was here but stopped.

“It was here?”

Rona’s head tilted quizzically.

“Huh?

Noir…?”

The named cat stopped in its tracks.

And in its mouth was…

“You?”

A piece of fish was caught in Noir’s mouth.

So, the legendary fish that was personally bid on this morning for the sake of her ailing husband.

“No way!”

As I screamed, Noir leaped out through the back door of the kitchen.

“Get her!”

I shouted, and Rona immediately ran after her.

Next, Jang dashed out holding a kitchen knife.

“Jang!

Jang!”

I urgently called out to him.