Chapter 19: Wearing a Fortune!

Even if there is no magic cast on the seal, selling this house with a fake contract and running away with the money seems completely impossible. Even if I were a real estate agent, if a brat like me came claiming to sell the house on behalf of the King’s Brother, I wouldn’t even scoff but report him straight to the police.

I should stop thinking nonsense and just sleep. Or do mana breathing all night.

I lifted my wrist to check the time.

There were only six hours left until the morning routine started again, but the moment I looked at the watch, I couldn’t hold back a smile.

It’s not an item that shouts “I’m expensive!” with 128 diamonds attached like the King’s Brother’s.

The watch face looks monotonous at a glance. The time indicators are only a piece of crystal at the 6 o’clock position and a piece of amethyst at the 12 o’clock position.

However, if you tilt the watch, the face changes from dark blue to pale sky blue depending on the angle of reflection, revealing its hidden splendor.

The hour, minute, and second hands moving over the lake-like watch face are made of mother-of-pearl harvested from freshwater clams, simple yet elegant.

I boldly excluded a perpetual calendar. I didn’t want to ruin the design by forcing functions into it.

In that sense, I put my heart and soul into making the day and night indicator intuitive yet not childish.

I also included a device in the day and night indicator to light up the watch face so the time could be checked even in the dark.

Especially when it became night, I paid special attention to adjusting the illuminance to allow checking the time clearly while feeling a subtle moonlight-like glow.

The finishing touch is the sapphire glass covering the watch face.

Crystal made by processing sapphire powder with a hardness of 9.

In 21st century Earth, it’s an option applied even to watches in the 500,000 won range, but here, it was an unfamiliar object that required trial and error even with the cheat key called magic.

But there was enough reason to make the effort.

Covering this beautiful watch face with the fragile glass of this era was absolutely something that shouldn’t be done.

Magic can cover up even poor glass quality, but I couldn’t tolerate that kind of deception for this watch.

Yes, the sapphire crystal was purely for my personal satisfaction.

But this crystal will satisfy not only me but all customers who buy this watch.

Hardness just one step lower than diamond doesn’t tolerate daily scratches.

Being weak to impact is a disadvantage, but still, it can reduce the magical power required for protection magic compared to glass, which is weak to both scratches and impact.

It means the gem acting as a battery inside the watch will have a longer lifespan.

The probability of breakdown naturally lowers as well.

Above all.

I tried reflecting light with the sapphire crystal.

As expected, the reflected light shone brilliantly.

It doesn’t even allow comparison with the crude glass of this era.

This light is the beauty that only gems can show.

It may look plain at a glance, but the elegance and subtle splendor of the design itself will surely bring acclaim.

This watch is a whopping serial number 1.

A watch face symbolizing crystal and a lake.

It is the top-tier line among products sold only in Westell.

To prevent misunderstandings in advance, I opposed the King’s Brother giving this watch to me.

Because it was obvious that the exact opposite effect of what I aimed for by making the King’s Brother wear a watch with 128 diamonds would occur.

Would there be any noble who wants to buy the same watch worn by a mere servant?

Even when the price is absolutely wicked?

“You don’t like it even though it’s one of only two products entirely designed by you? Is this one better?”

The King’s Brother persuaded me by showing his flashing left arm.

If he had tried to cover all the design fees with the watch, I would have held out until the end and refused, but the design fee was calculated separately.

The watch was literally a bonus.

Of course, unlike the King’s Brother, I am conscious of public gaze, so I won’t be wearing this watch when going outside.

In fact, if the King’s Brother hadn’t handed me this watch before today’s magic lesson, I wouldn’t have worn it at all.

That I barely managed not to faint today might be to protect this watch.

Although sapphire crystal rarely gets scratched, a mishap of shattering might occur if I unluckily hit the edge on the marble floor.

It wasn’t an item to wear while working either.

Although I don’t do physically demanding work, I didn’t want to do something that stands out uniquely among the servants working in this mansion.

Even though working close to the King’s Brother already makes me stand out, wearing a house on my wrist is a different level.

With a slightly disturbed mind, I looked down at the watch again.

Even though my mind was complicated, I couldn’t help but smile.

It is a design satisfying even to my eyes.

Since the era is what it is, I pursued classic, and there was a reason classic is classic.

Moreover, a product sold only in limited places.

This will definitely work.

I unclasped the watch and preciously put it in my pocket.

It is mine, but I must not show that it is mine.

That way, it will succeed even more.

****

Yesterday was definitely not a bad day. Even though it was a bit tiring.

After doing mana breathing and waking up from a short but deep sleep, even that fatigue was cleanly relieved.

Therefore, I could start the morning quite refreshed.

The coffee announcing the morning to the King’s Brother was brewed with proper aroma, and the King’s Brother, who now keeps the three-cups-a-day limit quite well, savored it slowly instead of pouring it down at once as if burning his esophagus like before.

Although his regret was evident with every sip, thanks to that, I didn’t need to prepare a second cup of coffee.

There were no urgent matters to report in the morning either.

I started the day quite leisurely for the first time in a while.

Even in the newspaper, no article appeared that would make me prick up my ears.

Rather, the precise depiction of the watch that was on my wrist last night hung hugely under the headline ‘The Reason You Must Leave for Westell Right Now’, satisfying me.

They even gave the watch the nickname ‘Elegant Lake’ and praised it highly.

Furthermore.

“Since you finished the lesson without fainting yesterday, I think I can teach you about magic circles now.”

The King’s Brother permitted me a new lesson.

From the moment I first encountered magic, what I wanted to know most was magic circles using gems.

“How about today?”

I couldn’t help appearing hasty.

It was the purpose for which I learned magic in the first place.

“Will you be okay?”

“I am totally okay.”

The King’s Brother fell into thought for a moment. He seemed to be gauging his Rut period.

When I didn’t take my eyes off him, the King’s Brother eventually nodded.

Suppressing a hum that almost came out, I cleared the coffee cup the King’s Brother used.

In short, my mood was extremely good.

Although the King’s Brother raised his eyebrows seeing the cheapest entry-level watch on my wrist instead of the limited edition, the top-tier one amongst them, that he gave me, other than that, it was a day going too smoothly.

Until lunchtime.

The servants were working in two shifts to avoid gaps, and lunchtime was the only time all servants working in this mansion gathered.

“Did you buy a watch?”

The person who spoke to me was Paul, the coachman sitting across the table.

He sat on the far left, completely opposite to me sitting on the far right.

Recognizing the watch on my left wrist despite the considerable width of the 20-person table meant his eyesight was tremendous.

His voice was loud too.

Thanks to that, the gazes of the servants who were chattering separately while eating lunch focused on me.

Even the servants sitting at other tables.

“Yes.”

“Even if that wristwatch is the cheapest one, it seems quite pricey. Is it affordable for us too?”

“It is a bit expensive, but since I’m an orphan and have no other expenses, it was a price I could afford if I resolved to tighten my belt for a few months. I also felt like the price would jump later if I bought it now.”

I spoke conscious of the other servants’ gazes.

That I had to tighten my belt for a few months was an unavoidable white lie.

There’s no reason to create unnecessary tension among fellow servants.

“Actually, the butler of Count Mons whom we visited recently also had a watch. He urged me to get one too. Should I really buy one?”

The person who drove the carriage when I first met the King’s Brother was also Paul.

The King’s Brother, who would definitely be classified as type I in MBTI popular in Korea, didn’t go out often, but had many visitors.

Paul seems definitely type E, but he couldn’t take the carriage out alone when the King’s Brother didn’t go out.

So he spent more time waiting at the mansion and taking care of horses than going out, but strangely, he had acquaintances among the guests.

From the type who volunteered as messengers just to meet him to those who simply exchanged greetings, the intimacy varied, but it was hard to find a visitor who didn’t say a word to him.

Even nobles went as far as asking him to take good care of the carriage.

Seeing that he noticed something unfamiliar on my wrist even from the end of the table, I could guess the secret of how he could share acquaintances with so many people.

I also had enough acquaintance with him to make the effort to speak loudly so my voice could reach him.

Though I also intended to promote the watch while at it.

“If you’re going to buy one, I think it would be better to buy the model sold only there next time the Duke goes to Westell.”

“Is that so. Indeed, since he goes once a year. I should start saving from now on.”

At Paul’s words, the other servants nodded in unison.

Those remaining in this mansion unable to accompany the King’s Brother to Westell would surely ask those going to Westell.

I can’t mention the timing directly to Paul, but not only this F/W product but also S/S season products were being planned for the Westell limited edition.

The King’s Brother’s trip to Westell was also scheduled to match the time when S/S products go on sale.

The thought of applying an employee discount occurred to me.

If we give a 30% discount, these people will surely buy not one, but two.

And they’ll resell one. Maybe even both.

Eventually, it will be known that Westell’s watches have value not only for collection but also for investment.

Since the resale price of the hard-to-get Westell limited edition won’t drop.

Just like hearing that the moment you buy a certain brand’s quilting bag is when it’s cheapest.

If word of mouth spreads like that and it becomes natural to make an effort to obtain the Westell limited edition, the sales rate of non-limited products will also rise.

I resolved to suggest this part to the King’s Brother.

Since it could raise the servants’ favorability and boost watch sales.

During the last trip to Westell, the servants’ expressions were starkly divided.

While the faces of those accompanying the King’s Brother to Westell looked like they were going to a funeral, those remaining in this mansion had extremely bright expressions.

Of course, going on a business trip following an employer can’t be enjoyable, but it was a bit serious that they couldn’t even hide their expressions in front of the employer.

Now they will come to think that going to Westell isn’t torture.

“Thanks for letting me know.”

“Don’t mention it.”

There was a reason Paul was popular.

Although I gained more from the conversation with him, Paul didn’t forget to express thanks.

I tried to continue my meal with a warm heart.

If only someone hadn’t tackled my right shoulder intensely.

“Oh, sorry. I didn’t see properly ahead.”

Even a machine would apologize more sincerely than this. It wasn’t just an insincere tone like reading a book; the desire to pick a fight was blatantly revealed.