Chapter 52

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 52

Chapter Title: The Tumbler Auction Surprise

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"Mm..."

I stared in bewilderment at the item placed before me.

There, smack on the table, sat one of the objects up for auction at this secret sale.

No matter how I look at it, that's definitely it...

Sleek body, familiar illustration.

...Whether I rolled forward or backward, it was unmistakably the limited-edition Duke Ghost tumbler I'd ordered.

As I spaced out, fixated on the tumbler, the duke asked casually,

"Princess, what do you plan to do now?"

"Uh, well..."

Yeah, what should I do?

I scratched my cheek and replayed the situation the duke had just explained to me.

The "limited edition of 100" gimmick had successfully whetted readers' appetites, drawing even more people to hunt down the comic.

What I'd overlooked, though, was the intense consumer fervor of this world's people.

Back in Korea, ads were everywhere, so folks had built up a tolerance. But...

Not here.

Thanks to its scarcity, the tumbler's popularity had skyrocketed, landing it in a secret auction house.

Not some priceless gem or legendary sword—just a mere tumbler!

I should've taken that uneasy feeling from before seriously instead of brushing it off as mere worry. I'm the real culprit here...

Whenever I half-assed something, it always boomeranged back like this.

As I nursed my battered body from the karmic backlash I'd rightfully earned, Bonita chimed in softly.

"M-Miss, the meal you mentioned earlier is ready."

Right, mealtime. My blood sugar must've crashed, leaving me this wiped out.

Now that I noticed, hunger hit me like a truck. Clutching my empty stomach, I saw Bonita point toward the garden.

"It's set up over there, Miss."

"Thanks. I'll eat first and think it over."

I expressed my gratitude and was about to tell the duke we'd talk tomorrow when...

"Ahem! Cough!"

He let out a cough so loud no one needed to ask who it was, fixing me with a stare.

...A very pointed look, at that.

Huh?

What?

Seemed like he was signaling something, but what did it mean?

As I gazed at him in confusion, the duke coughed again, even harder.

"Cough!"

He clearly wanted to say something.

Was he demanding an immediate solution? But I'd just learned about this myself—I needed time to think.

I'd just found the right polite refusal when I ventured cautiously,

"I know you're busy, but I still need to eat..."

"Ahem!!"

Not it?

"Why the sudden... Oh, have you not eaten yet?"

His response came instantly, as if he'd been waiting.

"With all the paperwork piling up..."

Ah, got it.

Plus, being in the imperial palace meant he couldn't dine as casually as back at the duchy. He was swamped, too.

I glanced at the mountain of documents behind him and tossed out a light suggestion.

"How about having some simple finger foods you can eat while working?"

"Ahem! Cough! Cough!"

But instead of appreciating the advice, the duke's coughing grew more strained.

Am I missing something?

Did I mess up without realizing? But I hadn't said anything wrong...

I was just worried he'd skip meals, so why was he acting so uncomfortable?

Utterly baffled and frozen in place, I was saved when Bonita—who never butts in on these moments—suddenly spoke up.

"W-We prepared plenty anyway. If Master hasn't eaten, why not join Miss for the meal...?"

"Good idea."

The duke cut her off and agreed at lightning speed.

...So that's what it was?

He was hungry?

Did he want to steal my food?

"Ahaha..."

Guess the grass is always greener—even in this world, even for the powerful.

I nodded vigorously and followed him as he took the lead toward the garden.

* * *

Dining with the duke was painfully awkward.

What's his deal?

He'd stare right through me like he had something to say, then pretend nothing was up the moment our eyes met.

And throughout the meal, he kept his mouth shut tight, mechanically stuffing food while putting on a grave front...

He definitely has something to say.

Something uncomfortable, by the looks of it.

What could it be?

Maybe... no way... he wants to raise my rent?

"Hey."

As I steeled myself to shut down any contract changes, a commotion erupted nearby.

"What's that noise?"

"Criminals being hauled in, probably."

"Criminals?"

"The palace cracked down big-time on illegal gambling and auctions. Knights from our house joined in."

I glanced toward the source as the duke explained.

Sure enough, a line of prisoners was being marched along, one man thrashing and bellowing.

His twig-thin frame involuntarily wrinkled my nose.

But then.

Wait, did he just look at me?

Our eyes met for a split second, and dread washed over me.

The prickly hunch that something annoying was about to happen—triggering every homebody instinct to nope out.

Shaking off the intense unease, I quickly averted my gaze and told the duke,

"Maybe we should wrap up and head out..."

"Pl-Please! Hear me out!"

But my gut was spot on.

With some burst of strength, the man shook off the hulking knights and charged straight at me.

The duke swiftly intercepted, sending the man tumbling backward.

"Argh!"

Up close, the man looked even more pathetic.

His shirt was frayed at the sleeves despite attempts to look presentable. His hair was a wild mess...

"You alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

I nodded at the duke's question and turned to the fallen man.

The knights belatedly restrained him again, but after seeing that desperate voice and face, I felt compelled to listen.

No wonder my instincts screamed to bail...

"I-I'd like to hear what happened, at least."

At my words, the duke gestured, and the knights eased off, stepping back.

Only then could the man lift his head to look up at us.

"Th-Thank you. I'm Baron Pavron. My crime is participating in an illegal auction, but the reason I even joined that auction was..."

I pieced together his trembling words bit by bit.

And reached a conclusion.

This tumbler issue is way more serious than I thought.

The fix itself was simple. The problem was I couldn't use it...

"Princess."

"Yes?"

"What was that request you made to the Magic Tower before?"

"The request...?"

Why ask that now?

Puzzled but thinking carefully, I recalled asking for as much Partanium as needed...

I explained plainly, and he followed up in his usual mild tone.

"So, couldn't you just keep producing tumblers?"

"Huh?"

"You seem eager to make more of them. Or am I wrong?"

Eh? How'd he know?

He skimmed my surprised face with a faint smile and added,

"People like them as souvenirs, sure, but they seem intrigued by the function too."

My eyes widened at that.

Where I came from, keeping food hot or cold was effortless. Not here.

Unless you were high nobility or filthy rich enough to hire a mage, preservation was tough.

...Once invented, it'll spread to the masses eventually anyway.

Back home, tumblers came first, then merch. Here, merch first, then mass tumblers. Same difference.

With my thoughts neatly sorted, I had my answer.

Except.

When do I get to rest?

As an extreme introvert, it was just tiring. That's all.