The Strongest Man’s Fake Wife Wants to Live Chapter 25

“<PRIVATE_PERSON>…… What?”

The employee who had been slowly frowning, about to treat them like troublesome customers, widened his eyes at the sudden mention of Owen’s name.

“Owen Namoi? Wh-who? Him?”

Owen, who had suddenly been thrown out as bait, looked utterly dumbfounded, while the employee stammered in disbelief.

Meanwhile, Pesha casually shrugged her shoulders and said,

“Yes. We came regarding a business matter concerning the eastern region.”

The employee, who had initially looked flustered, quickly regained his composure and blocked their way.

“I’m sorry, but the guild master is not here at the moment.”

Apparently, he had concluded that everything she said was a lie.

“If you suddenly say he’s not here, you expect us to believe that?”

“I’m truly sorry.”

If it were Duke Pontroy, he would have appeared the moment he heard Owen’s name.

But Pesha hadn’t expected to encounter the obstacle of an employee who simply wouldn’t listen.

Damn it. At this point, merely stirring things up from the side isn’t enough.

The person in question has to step forward.

With that thought in mind, she looked up at Owen, and he flinched when their eyes met.

Since he wasn’t the sort of person who boasted about his status or fame, it must be awkward for him to introduce himself and his achievements with his own mouth.

‘Still, I’m doing all this to help you, so you should at least cooperate this much.’

Seeing the look on Pesha’s face that seemed to say, ‘What are you waiting for? Stop standing there and intimidate him already,’ Owen remained silent for a moment before finally sighing like a man who had given up.

It was just as he was about to say something to settle the situation.

“I’m sorry for coming without an appointment, but……”

“Someone from House Namoi came?”

Before Owen could properly begin, someone appeared.

Looking toward the voice, Pesha saw an old man standing on the landing of the second-floor staircase, leaning on a cane.

The old man wore a black eyepatch over one eye. His hair had gone completely white, but with his straight posture and piercing eyes, he gave off an intimidating air that made it clear he was no pushover.

Above all, there was the green jewel set at the tip of his cane.

If it wasn’t a fake, that was undoubtedly the thousand-carat Emerald of the Abyss said to have been passed down through House Pontroy for generations.

“Everyone in the Empire knows Count Namoi, but is the matter truly urgent enough for you to come here so suddenly?”

The moment Pesha saw the enormous green jewel atop his cane, she exclaimed,

“Are you perhaps Duke Pontroy?”

Even as she called out to him, she wasn’t completely certain, but as though responding to her words, the old man looked at her.

“And who might you be?”

From the curt question alone, Pesha became certain.

She had never met him in person, but that man was indeed Duke Pontroy, Owen’s steadfast ally in the original story.

The moment she became certain, she answered, cutting off the startled employee.

“Yes. It’s a rather urgent matter. I’m Pesha, the mistress of House Namoi. And this is my husband, Owen. We came because there’s something I’d like to propose.”

At the mention that Owen himself had come, Duke Pontroy showed interest.

“Owen Namoi? You’re really Owen Namoi?”

His expression was so stern that it looked as though he were interrogating them, but Pesha would bet what little fortune she had that the old man wasn’t actually angry.

When Pesha poked Owen repeatedly in the side, urging him to answer already, he gave up and nodded perfunctorily.

Duke Pontroy looked extremely surprised and approached them, offering his hand first.

“To think I’d actually get to see you in person. I’m Brandon Pontroy, Duke.”

When he extended his hand, Owen reflexively took it and shook.

“Though this is the first time we’ve met in person, I’ve heard plenty about your achievements, Count Namoi. I’ve wanted to meet you and have tea together someday, and now here we are.”

After finishing his handshake with Owen, Duke Pontroy greeted Pesha as well.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you too, Countess. But what brings you to me?”

“I want to do business with you.”

“Business.”

There must have been countless people who had proposed doing business with Duke Pontroy.

So she needed something that would catch his interest right from the start.

“I thought the Pontroy Merchant Guild might recognize the opportunity that the Woods Merchant Guild kicked away with its own feet.”

At the mention of the Woods Merchant Guild, Duke Pontroy also began paying more attention to Pesha.

“You tried to make a deal with Marquis Clark?”

“Yes.”

“That bastard always cuts the offer in half right off the bat. If it works, good. If it doesn’t, whatever. That’s always how he does things.”

Duke Pontroy clicked his tongue as though he knew Marquis Clark well.

He was the owner of the once-greatest merchant guild in the Empire, the Pontroy Merchant Guild, and in the original story, he had appeared as Io’s steadfast supporter.

In the original story, Io overcame many difficulties with the help of the understanding and broad-minded Duke Pontroy.

The reason Io, Marquis Clark’s daughter, ended up working with the Pontroy Merchant Guild instead of the Woods Merchant Guild was simple.

Marquis Clark, who believed his daughter had no abilities whatsoever, had brutally abused her.

In the original story, after going to Swapro and awakening her purification power, Io wanted to willingly lend her strength to the territory of Swapro.

The person who helped Io greatly at that time was Duke Pontroy.

Having known the Pontroy family since Io was young and already being acquainted with her, Duke Pontroy pitied her circumstances and decided to help her. His connections and financial power gave wings to Io’s achievements.

‘He may have shown goodwill toward Io because he’d known her since childhood, but that doesn’t apply to me. So I need to make the most of the information I know and present him with something that will tempt him.’

Having finished thinking, Pesha smiled sweetly.

“You were right. But it’s a little awkward to keep talking here. Could we move somewhere else?”

“Hmm. Very well. You there, show my guests to the drawing room.”

“Pardon?”

The employee who had been blocking Pesha and Owen until just moments ago looked completely dumbfounded, then hurriedly came to his senses and bowed his head.

“Ah, yes, understood!”

The employee quickly led the three of them into a spacious drawing room.

Pesha looked around the modest interior of the drawing room and nodded inwardly.

People overwhelmed by Duke Pontroy’s immense wealth and lofty title were frightened the moment they saw him.

But that was only because they didn’t know him.

Despite his noble status, perhaps because he had spent his childhood in poor circumstances, Duke Pontroy never wasted his wealth frivolously or easily looked down on people.

The three sat facing one another in the drawing room and began their conversation over warm tea.

“So, Count and Countess, how did things go so poorly with Marquis Clark? If you went all the way to the Woods Merchant Guild, you must have had business with them.”

Pesha took out the bottle of potion she had brought with her.

“The truth is, I was looking for a place to distribute this potion I made, but Marquis Clark made such an outrageous proposal.”

Hearing that, Duke Pontroy burst into hearty laughter.

“That’s the sort of fellow he is. He gets lucky once or twice out of ten, so he keeps doing it. Still, Count Namoi is the Empire’s savior. He should have held himself back this time.”

He glanced at Owen as he spoke, but Owen, seated beside Pesha with his arms crossed, merely watched Duke Pontroy with sharp eyes.

Perhaps because he had just met Marquis Clark, Duke Pontroy seemed suspicious as well.

“But I’m curious about this potion you said you made. My joints have been aching quite a bit lately. If it’s a potion that can cure joint pain, I might be interested in it.”

Pesha held out the bottle she had been holding toward the joking Duke Pontroy.

“Preventing physical aging is difficult, but this is a potion that can prevent contamination caused by monsters.”

“Hm? What kind of potion did you say?”

The moment monsters were mentioned, the look in Duke Pontroy’s eyes changed.

“…Monsters?”