The Secretary of the Northern Grand Duchess Has Run Away

Chapter 51:  The Greatest Masterpiece on Earth (1)

Riding the white horse Echina had given me, we left the estate together.

That was how we entered Old Luton.

Unlike before, the roads were now packed with carriages, causing severe traffic congestion.

But that was only the beginning.

The streets once filled with "For Lease" signs and ghost houses…

「Old Luton, Street of Tailors.」

…had received a new name, the Street of Tailors, and were now lined with countless designers.

They had opened personal ateliers and clothing shops.

The streets were crowded with models walking in stylish outfits and reporters sketching their appearances.

After passing through such an elegant street, beautiful melodies would capture the attention of visitors.

「Old Luton, New World Music Avenue.」

Poor musicians had gathered to receive support from the Erian Foundation and attend Bennet’s lectures.

In addition to them, renowned singers and instrumentalists from prestigious families personally visited the street in search of inspiration.

All around were shops repairing their instruments, selling suits and all sorts of related goods.

And after passing through all that, finally...

「Luton Royal.」

The Erian Hotel and, on either side of it, the two shops established by the Grand Duke’s daughters.

The landmark with the highest land value in Old Luton revealed itself.

“This is Your Grace’s commercial district, then.”

“Yes. It opened last week, and the response hasn't been bad.”

Echina, arms crossed, gazed down at her store from atop the black horse.

Her sharp eyes subtly seemed to seek praise.

“You decorated it very stylishly.”

That classic and graceful atmosphere unique to the Northern Grand Duke’s house.

The clean designs of the clothing and accessories were gaining great popularity among the younger generation.

‘Echina really is talented.’

Beyond the charisma to become a knight commander, she had clearly inherited many of her father's various abilities.

Of course, it also seemed to result in a rather intense desire for recognition, just like now.

“Obviously. I judge everything with reason.”

I stared at her, looking like a cat with her chin tilted proudly.

Her narrowed eyes were sulky and sharp, like a high mountain fox.

‘And yet she got into that kind of psychological battle with Helena…’

“Let’s go inside. I’ll give you a proper tour.”

“Understood.”

Echina dismounted the black horse gracefully.

With a black uniform jacket draped over her shoulders, she walked ahead with elegance.

“Welcome to Luton.”

Two female employees in black suits greeted us from either side of the entrance.

Dressed modestly, they had a comforting presence that put customers at ease.

“The clothing is from Freya’s brand, isn’t it?”

“Yeah. Old Luton’s become so popular that she wanted in.”

Echina gave a slight chuckle and crossed her arms again.

Then, she looked over the elegant and atmospheric women’s suits hanging on the display racks.

“So I gave her a ‘reasonable’ price cut.”

“Impressive. You’ve chosen your staff well, too. This place is better than the average store in Nord.”

Echina gave me another strange look at my old-soul-like smile.

Though I knew she was a year older than me, she must’ve felt like she was being praised by her father or something.

“But I don’t see any other brands around.”

“They’re still under review. We’ve had quite a few applications.”

Echina touched her red lips with a finger and wore a serious expression.

She looked just like a commander devising strategy.

“I don’t plan to bring in brands just because they have a big name. Luxury goods are already flooding Leonil’s side anyway.”

A solid strategy.

Helena, who already had significant influence as the Western Grand Duke’s daughter, had secured the luxury brands first.

To counter that, Echina needed a different weapon.

“So you’re planning to focus on up-and-coming designers.”

“Why not? As long as they have the elegance worthy of the Northern Grand Duke’s house, I’ll bring them in regardless of reputation.”

Echina tilted her head slightly, mimicking me as I quietly examined a suit.

Her beautiful face was reflected in my black eyes, dulled by the ways of the world and politics.

“Don’t tell me you’re thinking of launching your own brand?”

“I wouldn’t say it’s out of the question.”

I turned my head with a faint smile.

“I do have Sir Bennet and the up-and-coming musicians on my side, don’t I?”

“I like that confidence.”

She seemed pleased with my ambition, her lips curling ever so slightly.

Then she lightly tapped my shoulder and brushed past me.

“I’ve arranged a meeting with Helena at your lounge bar. Drop by then and let us know if you’re interested in opening a store.”

I was about to thank her reflexively.

Then, a question popped into my head.

“If the meeting’s at Erian, you could’ve told me in advance. I would’ve welcomed both of you more formally.”

Echina blinked for a moment at my harmless question.

Then, at the words “both of you,” she abruptly turned her head and said,

“I forgot.”

‘Did I say something wrong…?’

Echina clasped her hands behind her back, eyes half-lowered with a sharp gaze.

Then she mumbled in a detached tone,

“Anyway, just let me know then whether you’ll be opening in the Leonil district as well.”

“That won’t be necessary. I’m planning to open only in the Luton district.”

Only then did Echina glance back at me.

And in a voice just a bit lighter than before, she said,

“Well, if that’s what you say.”

The sound of the Grand Duke’s daughter’s boots echoed as she stepped out of the shop.

For some reason, they sounded a bit brighter and livelier than before.

She walked like a cat, confident and pleased.

“Let’s go. Let’s have a cup of coffee at your lounge bar.”

“Are you buying?”

At some point, I had come to joke with her naturally.

Echina must not have disliked my attitude either, as she responded with a playful, sulky look in her eyes.

――――――

As we stepped out of the store,

someone approached, stopping in front of our waiting horses.

A man in a white uniform, panting heavily as if he had rushed over.

With a rough voice, he walked up to the Grand Duke’s daughter.

“Lady Echina.”

“Captain of the Guard…? What brings you all the way here?”

He was the captain of Echina’s escort and her closest confidant.

He approached with a serious expression, scanning the surroundings cautiously.

“He’s my close aide, so it’s fine. Speak freely.”

“Understood.”

The guard captain looked at me with a curious gaze, as if surprised I had earned Echina’s trust.

Then, in a solemn tone, he explained why he had come.

“There’s been an accident involving the artworks purchased by the Grand Duke’s house and being transported today.”

“Artworks…?”

Echina’s delicate brows furrowed.

As if wondering whether an incident like that was really urgent enough to report to her immediately.

The guard captain swallowed hard and continued.

And upon hearing the next part, Echina’s lips parted in disbelief.

“Yes, and the missing artworks are none other than pieces by Deyan.”

Deyan.

A master painter from 400 years ago.

Called the magician of color, his paintings were among the most cherished by the Grand Duke of the North.

“If it’s Deyan… you mean the five-part portrait series of his lover?”

“Yes, that’s right. All five have disappeared!!”

I remembered now.

That incident ten years ago, when several masterpieces purchased by the Grand Duke’s house were lost.

“This is absurd. What was the guard doing?”

“They say a sudden surge in the river broke the levee, and the wagon carrying them was overturned and swept into the water.”

Deyan’s works were lost to the river and vanished completely.

Later, after some time had passed, Debier personally recovered them.

‘Of course, there was more to this incident.’

Though the report claimed the wagon was swept away by the river, the truth was that members of the escort had stolen the paintings.

However, who ordered them to do it was never uncovered.

“The current carried the boxes over the waterfall, making tracking them difficult.”

“…”

From within her black hair, her golden eyes burned with a deadly intensity.

Even the tall guardsman instinctively bent his knees and watched her warily.

“What’s the estimated value of the lost paintings?”

“As a series of five, each one is worth about five billion gold.”

Each piece was worth as much as a building in the capital.

On top of that, demand was so high the value rarely ever dropped.

“What happened to the guards involved?”

“They’ve just returned to the main house and are currently under interrogation. It’s possible they diverted the paintings.”

Echina closed her eyes tightly and let out a deep sigh.

“Baron Obi, who was in charge of the transport, must be in a tough spot.”

“Yes. It seems he thought it would be fine because the guards were from prestigious academies.”

The Grand Duke’s house always selected personnel carefully from reputable families.

However, a few among them had fallen into gambling while on duty and lost their entire fortunes—so they deliberately turned to foul play.

There was no way to stop people like that, since they appeared perfectly normal on the outside.

“Is there any way to retrieve them?”

“Right now, all we can do is search the river…”

Echina slowly shook her head.

“If anyone spots a box protected by mana, citizens nearby will pounce on it. They’ll snatch it up and sell it off in secret.”

“If that happens, recovery will become extremely difficult.”

Perhaps because this wasn’t her direct territory,

the Grand Duke’s daughter placed a finger to her lips and fell into silent thought.

“What did His Grace say?”

“He said he’d speak more once you return to the estate. But from what I overheard…”

The captain of the guard carefully looked around once more.

Then, in a hushed voice, he whispered to us.

“His Grace said he would give a large reward to whoever retrieves the paintings.”

A “large reward” personally promised by the Grand Duke.

Considering even his recent rewards had already been quite extraordinary, Echina’s expression turned serious.

“Is that true?”

“Is that true?”

Echina and I asked the guard simultaneously.

Then, the Grand Duke’s daughter and the guard both stared at me intently.

“Ahem… No, I truly just want to recover them for His Grace’s sake.”

“That’s right.”

At the sight of my greed-fueled expression, Echina bit her lip hard.

“Then first, we should begin by searching the area around the river. Ask the nearby residents too.”

A fundamental approach, just like a future knight commander.

But I knew the truth.

Those stolen masterpieces had already been hidden underground or scattered throughout various parts of the city.

“Well… if I may be so bold, I believe the paintings are already gone from the river.”

“You think someone’s already stolen them, Roger?”

Echina asked in a serious tone, standing close by.

She was usually composed, but when it came to official matters, she truly resembled the Grand Duke of the North.

“Yes. At this point, they might’ve already been brought into Nord.”

“Not the capital, but Nord… Then that means someone intends to smuggle them into the nearby Northern Kingdom.”

Echina hit the mark precisely.

“Correct. So we need to intercept them before that happens.”

“But it won’t be easy.”

The guard captain added, his expression grave.

“The other noble heirs have already sent out their own search teams. They’re scouring every corner.”

Of course, they likely desired the paintings too, but more importantly, they all wanted to earn the Grand Duke’s favor.

For that reason, countless members of the Grand Duke’s house were joining the operation.

“Roger, do you have what it takes to get ahead of them and seize it first?”

I looked steadily into the brilliant golden eyes of the serious Grand Duke’s daughter.

Then, with black eyes tainted by the world, the opposite of hers, I answered.

“Yes.”

I replied in a voice full of certainty.

For a brief moment, silence fell in front of the store in response to that short and resolute answer.

“But I have one condition.”

I raised a single finger and asked.

Echina gave a calm nod, permitting me to speak.

“Go on.”

In response, I opened my mouth boldly.

It was a dangerously audacious proposal—especially for someone who was merely a secretary.

“If I find them, I want to receive the reward His Grace promised.”

I was demanding one of the century’s masterpieces as compensation.

At that, the guard captain standing beside us gaped in disbelief.

“Are you not being too outrageous, just because Her Grace has recently shown you favor…?!”

He pointed at my face with an irritated expression.

However—

“So be it.”

Echina agreed to it without the slightest hesitation.

“But, Your Grace…!!”

“You still haven’t done the math, Dan.”

Haven’t done the math.

At those words, the guard captain’s brow twitched.

“Roger is offering to put in my hands something I couldn’t obtain myself.”

The Grand Duke’s daughter truly was different.

Resting her hand under her sharp chin, she flashed a fierce gaze unique to a ruler.

“And he’s offering me the credit for it.”

“As expected, your understanding is swift.”

I placed a hand over my left chest and gave her a respectful bow.

Then, like a sly courtier serving a tyrant, I added with narrowed, cunning eyes,

“You’ll take the credit, I’ll take the gain.”

After all, Echina, as a child of the Grand Duke’s house, already had more than enough wealth.

Besides, she was far more accustomed to a knight’s life than business—so she wasn’t particularly greedy.

For a knight, honor mattered more than paintings.

“Good, Roger. If you’ve made such a daring proposal, then I trust you have a solid method?”

I looked toward the roads of Old Luton.

In the distance, I could see the Grand Duke’s knights advancing on the horizon.

“Yes, of course.”

I answered as I leisurely watched them.

My own reflection appeared faintly in the glass—a meaningful smile playing on my lips.

“The stolen paintings will return to us within two weeks.”