9th Grade Civil Servant In Another World Chapter 65 - Another World Con Artist (2)

“Good morning?”

“Yeah, good morning.”

Days in Le Chapen start leisurely.

Getting up around 9 AM and heading down to the inn’s first-floor dining hall, Erika and Daniel are already eating.

I grab some toast, eggs, cheese and such to eat, and give Colin something edible too.

True to a shabby inn in a back alley, as long as you pay the lodging fees properly, they don’t interfere with guests at all.

“Shouldn’t we start preparing to move soon?”

I followed her gaze and turned my head toward another table.

I could see a guest trembling while measuring out drugs, another guest sprawled out drunk, and the innkeeper carrying food with an indifferent expression.

“Right, now that we have about 10 million rickels left, we should be able to rent a decent house.”

Daniel also chimed in, folding the newspaper he’d been reading.

True to his journalistic instincts, Daniel has been religiously reading the local newspapers every morning over coffee these days.

‘Well, it’s good to keep track of neighboring countries’ situations too.’

Thinking that, I took a bite of toast and nodded.

“I was actually planning to look at houses today. Let’s take a walk around the neighborhood together.”

It was time to put an end to inn life.

After breakfast, we went out for a stroll.

Erika, Daniel, and I wore clothes tailored at luxury clothing stores. I’d even had a necklace with silver ornaments made for Colin.

Just buying these clothes must have cost several hundred thousand rickels.

We walked through the vibrant city, looking around at mansions in the neighborhood near the royal palace.

Le Chapen is divided into 10 ‘cores.’ A ‘core’ is an administrative unit like a ‘district’ in Schufaben terms.

The White Palace located in Core 1 here isn’t some floating fortress or anything—the queen actually resides there.

Naturally, the surrounding neighborhoods have good security and are clean, so traditionally there have been many noble mansions.

Walking around looking at the artistically decorated houses really feels like being on vacation.

“A place that’s the right size, cheap in price, somewhere we can live briefly and leave, and good for showing off to others—isn’t there a house like that?”

“If there had been such a house, we would have found it long ago. We kept looking but eventually decided to postpone it since we don’t know how the auction will turn out. But kind landlords like Mrs. Schmidt are rare—ah.”

Daniel, who had been speaking with a smile, suddenly glanced at me. I chuckled and waved my hand.

“You can talk about it. I’m fine now.”

Daniel had also struggled a lot after losing Mrs. Schmidt. Blaming himself or having nightmares.

But it couldn’t compare to me.

Why would someone from another world like me have deeper wounds than Daniel, who had been much closer to Mrs. Schmidt?

It’s a mystery.

“Mmm, anyway, the point is we probably won’t find a house easily. If worst comes to worst, we can live in a hotel, so don’t feel too much pressure—”

“I think I found one.”

Erika cut Daniel’s words clean off.

The house she stopped and pointed to was quite modest compared to other mansions, but extremely beautiful.

Beyond a garden enhanced with fountains, pavilions, and verdant shrubs even in winter, stood a three-story mansion with a pure white, soft design.

A paper attached to the antique iron gate caught my eye.

‘Available for short-term rent. Please ring the doorbell.’

***

“Honestly, this isn’t work I’m doing to make money. I have plenty of wealth. The reason I’m looking for tenants is that I’m going on a trip soon, and I’m anxious about leaving this house to just the servants. I’m quite attached to this house, you see. After inheriting it from my parents, I went through so much trouble keeping relatives who coveted the house at bay. Anyway, that’s why I decided to charge cheap rent in exchange for only letting in trustworthy people.”

The mansion’s owner was a thin young lady with a prim impression.

As I listened to her stiff words and received a tour of the house, I stopped in front of a wall in the corridor.

“Hmm? This is…”

A familiar painting hanging on the wall.

No matter how much money I’d thrown around at yesterday’s auction, it would have been impossible to buy up dozens of auction items with that level of funding from the start.

So I generously bought only things that seemed like I could recover my investment later, and didn’t even touch the rest, pretending I wasn’t interested. After all, image-making was the purpose.

The painting before me was one of the auction items I’d given up on like that.

‘Did that young lady also come to the auction yesterday? I don’t think I saw her.’

“What I want to say is, no matter how urgent my trip is, to foreigners like you… what are you doing standing there?”

“Ah, I was appreciating the painting. It’s a familiar work.”

“Really? Was Claude Cloux famous abroad too?”

“I’m not sure about that either, ah! I remember now. It’s the painting I saw at the Panelon auction last night. It seems you also went to the auction, Miss Garnier.”

“No, I only sent servants… wait a moment.”

Her eyes widened.

“You were that person? That ‘Luca’ who caused such a stir in all of high society. The royal descendant from Schufaben, right? Why didn’t you say so?”

I burst into pleasant laughter.

“Haha! When did you give me a chance to speak? Anyway, it’s a shame. I really liked Miss Garnier’s house, but you said you don’t let foreigners in.”

She blushed slightly as if embarrassed and cleared her throat.

“Ahem! No, no. I just meant I’m reluctant about people whose background isn’t clear. Someone of Mr. Redan’s standing is sufficient, yes, more than sufficient.”

We wrote a lease agreement.

It was a bargain price of 3 million rickels per year in rent. Instead, the conditions Miss Garnier demanded were quite demanding.

“No scratches on walls or floors, and don’t change any interior materials. You must clean regularly, and for the garden, just maintain it—don’t mess with it too much. Absolutely no planting new flowers or anything. Everything must be in its place when I return. Parties are fine, but clean up afterward! Got it?”

She blinked her eyes at my smiling face.

In short, come in like you were never there and leave without a trace. I can see why the contract hadn’t worked out until now.

But she was very generous, even handing over the servants that came with the mansion.

“I won’t charge extra. Anyway, many are following me, so only two maids and one gardener will remain here. Still, for a house with three people, that should be enough to avoid major inconvenience. Even if you don’t particularly give them detailed instructions, they’ll handle things on their own as they have been, so don’t worry.”

Erika whispered that she felt like a freeloader, but I shrugged and laughed. It’s all part of the con anyway.

“Well then, please take care of things.”

Miss Garnier pressed the large key into my hand and left the house with maids carrying travel bags.

“She was a rather unique landlord, but now we can relax.”

Daniel said. I patted his shoulder and grinned.

“Well then, shall we try playing the role of young entrepreneur now!”

“Please, move carefully, Lucas.”

Erika nagged at me.

***

It was Oscar who came up with the idea of swindling money from Rubellia’s wealthy.

“Will that be okay? It’s practically fraud. Surprisingly.”

When I reacted like that, Oscar burst into loud laughter.

“Lucas, you really don’t know what kind of creatures nobles are. Those bastards can pour astronomical amounts of money into completely useless endeavors. Even if there’s no profit at all. Of course, there has to be motivation. Like thinking their reputation would suffer if they stayed out when everyone else was jumping in, or feeling they’d look backwards if they didn’t follow trends of the times.”

I remember Oscar having a dry, cold expression at that time.

As a scion of an old noble family, he must have been well-versed in noble life. Though he mocked his own position as being bought with money and rendered useless by revolution.

Anyway, so who would take the lead in pulling the con?

At first, I was thinking of pushing Daniel forward. I thought his gentle impression and calm atmosphere would be great weapons.

“No, Lucas, you have to do it.”

But Daniel seriously insisted.

“Anyone less than you would get caught at fraud like this immediately. If it were me, I’d be trembling and unable to say a word the moment I was surrounded by nobles. Lucas, you’re good at persuading people. You even talked down someone who wanted to kill you, so how easy would it be to just swindle some money?”

“Hey now, it’s not that easy for me either.”

I tried to object, feeling strangely dissed, but it was useless.

“What I really want to say is, Lucas. You’re a far superior person than me. In every aspect, not just this work. Lucas, tell us what we need to do. I’ll help as much as I can.”

“…What?!”

Daniel suddenly declared he would hand over the position of White Raven Order leader to me.

My head instantly became tangled.

White Raven Order leader? That’s ridiculous.

To begin with, White Raven Order isn’t even an organization I created, and I’m the youngest member who joined White Raven Order last.

No, more than that, who would accept this kind of power transfer!

No matter how insignificant an organization’s head is still a head, and even mouse-tail power is still power!

I’m the type who prefers being the number two hiding behind others and scheming freely, definitely not the material to be a leader or boss who takes responsibility for everything.

No matter how much I may have exercised influence within the organization until now, this is going too far.

And most of all…

‘I’m not from this world.’

This is a world I suddenly fell into without reason or warning.

I’m just barely starting to adapt, and I don’t know when I might get bounced out again.

I still haven’t given up the vague hope that I’ll wake up one morning to find myself back at the East Sea coast in Korea.

I shook my head vigorously.

“No. I can’t do it. Daniel, I’m an advisor. You’re the leader. White Raven Order is an organization you created. You all think that way too, right? I’m just a stone that rolled in, aren’t I?”

“No, we’ve all agreed on this.”

Richard’s gentle voice reached me.

Bewildered, I rolled my eyes and looked around at my friends, but they were all calmly nodding.

‘They coordinated their opinions in advance!’

Daniel had done groundwork behind the scenes.

When exactly?

“Lucas, not much will change anyway. You already did whatever you wanted. This just gives it legitimacy.”

I had no choice but to shut my mouth at Erika’s exasperation.

That’s how I ended up being chosen as White Raven Order leader and con artist.

***

Initiation rituals exist everywhere in the world.

When you move, you have to distribute rice cakes; when you start a job, you have to participate in company dinners; when you transfer schools, you have to introduce yourself.

Infiltrating high society isn’t something that happens smoothly just because you have a lot of money.

“Ah, ah, ah.”

I stood straight and loosened my throat. So that the softest possible voice, as if honey were spread on my vocal cords, could come out.

Then I looked in the mirror and smiled.

“Lucky this bastard’s face is at a passable level. Would have been nice if he were a bit taller though.”

Muttering, I tugged at the bow tie around my neck.

Since arriving in Rubellia, I haven’t just been intensively studying language and writing.

I practiced gestures and expressions that could win favor. I spent hours every day visiting high-end salons and clothing stores, refining my appearance.

I’d already been managing myself reasonably well as a tavern owner, but this is on a different level.

I’m desperately trying every means and method to become a ‘likeable young man.’

“It should be effective.”

Moving people’s hearts is my specialty. I’m confident.

“Lucas, are you ready?”

Daniel and Erika entered the room.

“I’m ready, but Daniel doesn’t seem to be?”

At my words, he smiled awkwardly.

“Like I said, I can’t do con artist roles.”

“Oh well, fine, fine.”

On the other hand, Erika, perhaps because she grew up in such a wealthy family, looked quite natural with her tall figure dressed in a gown.

“Mm, good thing we bought that dress. That should hold up well among nobles too. The perfume suits you quite well too.”

“Thanks, Lucas.”

“Good. Listen up, guys. What we’re about to do isn’t exactly fraud. It’s just clever word-twisting and overpackaging. I’m going to gently coax them while staying within legal bounds.”

Both Schufaben and Rubellia had very underdeveloped economic laws. To eyes that had lived in modern Earth, they were still at toddler level. I had to take maximum advantage of that.

Cheerful music and boisterous voices began to be heard from downstairs.

Before I could even get used to this house, I’d thrown a party right away. I contacted everyone I’d met at the last auction and even placed newspaper ads for big publicity.

Now it was time to go among them, make myself known. And my business too.