I Wasn't Trying to Seduce with the Male Lead - Episode 22

Early in the morning, a lady walking on the main road on the outskirts of the capital city screamed at the sight of a horse charging toward her at a terrifying speed. It seemed as if a horrific accident was about to happen, but fortunately, tragedy was averted. It was thanks to Blaine, who, with great skill, managed to stop the horse.

“That’s some fine horsemanship, sir,” the hired hand praised as he took the reins.

Blaine opened his mouth with dignity.

“Cough.”

A cough like that of a 90-year-old man, a stark contrast to his cool appearance, came out. It was because he had been riding all night. Blaine patted his aching body and looked at the sign of the place he had arrived at.

[Rosewood Park]

Perhaps because it was the week of the Birth Festival, there were few people around, and it was quiet.

“Welcome. Here is a guide.”

A staff member at the auction house entrance handed out a guide to the items being auctioned that day.

After wandering around for a while, Blaine entered the land auction hall.

“The lakeside farmland and vacant lot of the Koaton territory are being sold. The starting price is 2,000 gold.”

Not long after looking around, he found Lian. He was trying to hide his identity with a shabby hood and cloak, but his proportions were different, and even his slightly exposed jawline was outstanding. There was even a noblewoman who kept glancing at him despite his attempts to conceal himself.

Blaine lowered his posture and approached him.

“Lian.”

Lian’s gaze was fixed on the auctioneer, but he showed no surprise when he was suddenly called from behind. He probably noticed Blaine’s presence as soon as he entered the auction house. He lightly motioned for Blaine to sit in the seat next to him.

“Did you come all this way to buy land for the Knights to move to?” Blaine asked.

Lian nodded. If he were to return to the ducal family, he wouldn’t need land for the Knights’ relocation.

Blaine hurriedly spoke. “I have something I must tell you. Last night…”

“Just a moment.”

Lian interrupted Blaine and raised a finger.

The second auction had just ended, and the third item was beginning.

“The winner of the second salt mine, please move to the waiting room. Now, the next item is the Shancarn Hotel and its auxiliary facilities lot.”

Blaine paused what he was about to say and looked at the auctioneer. This was an item Blaine had heard of many times. It was a place adjacent to the square in front of the imperial palace, a place he always passed by.

It was a huge piece of prime land in the center of Fellicity, adjacent to Pamlico Avenue, with an excellent view due to the river right in front of it. The hotel facilities were also superb, and its location was so good that it was operating successfully. However, the Shancarn Viscount and his partners had a power struggle and went bankrupt, putting it up for sale.

It was a location every noble coveted, but its enormous price, so high that it would be difficult to buy even if one sold all the territories of a decent family, made it impossible for a buyer to appear easily.

“This is the fifth time it has been forfeited, but at the request of the creditors, we will proceed with the same price as before.”

Blaine had heard that some families known as tycoons were preparing to buy the property together, then divide and use it.

Could it be sold today?

Out of curiosity, Blaine looked around, but it was quiet.

“The starting price is 100 million gold.”

At the starting price, Blaine let out a hollow laugh. A mansion in the center of Fellicity could be bought for 100,000 gold, and even an ultra-luxurious mansion was enough for 500,000 gold. It was a price so monstrous it made him sigh.

‘Everyone must have stayed away for the Birth Festival, so it’ll probably be forfeited again today.’

Just as Blaine was thinking that,

“Th-The bidder is guest number 32. Did you just make a bid?”

The auctioneer’s eyes widened, pointing to their area. Following his gaze, Blaine almost dropped his jaw.

Lian was holding up the bidding paddle. The entire auction hall was in an uproar, but Lian was composed.

“Th-three calls, and then it will be sold.”

As the dazed auctioneer made the calls, the auction hall became as silent as if water had been poured on it.

Finally, the gavel made a sharp sound.

The employees of the auction house approached and guided the two men.

“The successful bidder, please wait in the waiting room.”

When only the two of them were left in the waiting room, Blaine let out the question he had been holding in.

“Are you really going to buy this land?”

Lian nodded very calmly.

“Yes.”

“But you said you didn’t receive anything yet! Where did you get the money?”

“The Calabria Ducal family isn’t the only thing I can inherit.”

At that moment, Blaine remembered something he had forgotten. Lian was also the sole heir to the continent’s wealthiest family, the Floyd Ducal family. Although he had not yet inherited the title, Blaine had heard that he had received a part of the fortune in advance when he became an adult. Even though it was the Floyd Ducal family, whose total assets were difficult to even comprehend, to think he could buy a hotel like this with just the advance inheritance…

“So you’re going to buy the hotel and support the Knights with the business?”

Blaine was about to suggest that it would be better to just use that money to operate the Knights for 100 years, but he got an unexpected answer from Lian.

“I’m not interested in business. I’m going to renovate it and use it as a mansion.”

“You’re going to use a top-class hotel as a mansion?”

At Blaine’s incredulous reaction, Lian tilted his head.

“It would certainly be a fine mansion, wouldn’t it?”

With its ultra-luxurious interior, elegant furniture, and various auxiliary facilities, it was indeed a top-class mansion.

“Of course, it’s good, but it’s like building an amusement park in a gold mine! It’s as big as the imperial palace! What are you going to use a mansion like that for? If you just operate it as a hotel, you’d rake in gold coins!”

Commerce was highly regarded in the empire. Even nobles were interested in increasing their assets, and commercial facilities were always built in the best locations.

However, Lian’s next words left Blaine speechless.

“I have enough money, so I don’t need more.”

The man who will one day be the head of the world’s wealthiest family can calmly build an amusement park in a gold mine. Blaine felt a sense of relative deprivation and meekly added a comment.

“The Duchess of Floyd will scold you for doing something like that.”

“Didn’t my mother say it was dangerous for me to carry a sword because I might hurt my hands?”

Lian retorted, slightly shaking the sword at his waist.

It seemed that Blaine was still afraid of the Duchess of Floyd after she had severely scolded him for dragging Lian around when they were young. Blaine changed the subject to hide his embarrassment.

“Why don’t you use a part of it for the Knights and just leave the rest as a hotel? You don’t really need a mansion, do you?”

However, Lian shook his head.

“I need it to create a certain situation.”

What is he talking about now? Blaine was about to ask again, but the door to the waiting room opened.

“I am Baron Grizzman, the representative of Rosewood Park.”

Given the scale of the transaction, the representative himself seemed to have come. He seemed a little flustered by Lian’s shabby attire but, like a seasoned businessman, he greeted them in a manner that was not rude.

“Forgive me, but may I ask for your name?”

“Elai Mattson.”

Upon hearing the name, Baron Grizzman’s expression became even more confused. The name Lian gave was his subordinate’s name. As a commoner and a member of the Behind Knights, his reputation was not known to the world. It would be difficult for the baron to understand that the person acquiring a building of this scale was such an unheard-of individual.

“We need to discuss the acquisition procedure. How do you plan to pay the 100 million gold?”

As expected, the conversation immediately turned to payment. It was an amount of money that could feed the population of a small city for a year. They would have to have a long discussion about how to pay the amount in installments with jewelry, real estate, and bonds.

However, Lian ended the meeting simply.

“I will pay immediately with cash and jewels.”

It seemed like a halo was appearing around the already handsome Lian. Blaine looked at Lian as he signed and firmly decided to stay friends with him for the rest of his life.

Having completed the contract so quickly, Lian and Blaine left Rosewood Park.

Once in the carriage, Lian asked Blaine.

“What was it you wanted to talk about?”

“Huh?”

“You said you had something to tell me?”

Blaine remembered his purpose, which he had forgotten because of the overwhelming events that had just occurred.

“I came because I thought I should tell you about your woman’s infidelity,” he said in a somewhat serious tone.

Lian’s violet eyes turned cold.

“Infidelity? Eleanor’s?”

“Yes.”

“Explain what you mean.”

His voice was stiff, but he didn’t seem to believe it.

Blaine explained with a sullen expression. “I went to the Marquise of Litrael’s mansion earlier. I wondered what kind of woman she was, since you like her so much. It turns out she’s using her relationship with you to get treated by high-ranking nobles and make money.”

He had said it hoping Lian would be disappointed, but Lian looked like he didn’t care.

“Why would you be so desperate to woo a woman like that? She’s certainly pretty, but looks aren’t everything. If you just look, you can find someone better than that cheap woman…”

Blaine, who was badmouthing her, paused at a chilling feeling. Lian was giving off a terrifying aura, as if telling him to stop.

“If you weren’t my closest friend, I would have drawn my sword.”

He looked like he would actually draw it if Blaine said one more word. To think he would look at a friend with such a murderous gaze, all because of a woman.

Blaine grumbled inwardly and blurted out.

“What if that woman is doing the same thing she did with you to another man?”

“What?”

“The Baroness went to the annex palace with the Duke of Phaedra last night.”

Lian raised his handsome eyebrow slightly and asked.

“Duke of Phaedra? Are you talking about Archduke Robert Phaedra?”

“No. I mean his son, Sky Phaedra. He was quite handsome.”

Since the two were from the same academy, they would have known each other.

“Why did she go out with him?”

“The Duke of Paidra said he wanted to invite the Baroness tonight.”

Lian, who had been tilting his head, stopped. His face became serious, so Blaine decided to add some more sensational spice.

“The Baroness said she was drunk and went out in his arms. The atmosphere between them was very intimate. If a man and a woman go out like that, it’s obvious what they would have done, isn’t it?”

As soon as he finished speaking, Blaine felt a more murderous aura than ever before.

“Agh, Lian! What are you doing!”

Lian suddenly stood up and flung open the door of the speeding carriage.

Neighhhh!

Blaine’s scream was accompanied by the sound of a horse neighing.

And then, the screeching sound of wheels sliced noisily through the main road of Fellicity.

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