"I have finished cataloging the royal assets you inherited—specifically, the legacy of Third Prince Rodel."
This was the task Rest had entrusted to Celestine.
Following the execution of Third Prince Rodel Aiwood via the poisoned cup, Rest had come into possession of his entire fortune according to the prince's last will and testament. Since the fortune had belonged to Rodel, it was effectively the estate of the late Queen Dowager, who had once held the reins of the kingdom.
While the crown had seized items of national importance, all other gold, goods, and land deeds had become Rest’s personal property.
Rest watched Celestine, thinking back on why he had asked her for help. As someone who had been a commoner until quite recently, he had no eye for the value of fine art or ancient manuscripts, even if he understood the value of gold.
He had initially asked his father-in-law, Marquis Albert Rosemary, to handle the organization of the estate. However, Albert had suggested that the Duke Crocus House would be better suited for the task, given their status as relatives of the royal family. Rest had felt a bit guilty imposing on a lady like Celestine, but she had graciously accepted the request, which had been a massive relief.
He had even told her that she was welcome to take a portion of the inheritance as a fee for her labor. In truth, he was currently so overwhelmed with wealth that he almost wanted to force the extra money onto someone else.
"I will provide you with the detailed inventory later," Celestine continued. "Since you mentioned you wanted us to take over any items you found difficult to dispose of, I have also included the details of those sales."
"I’m sorry for all the trouble. It must have been quite the ordeal, wasn't it?"
"No... my family's butler and our preferred appraisers handled the actual processing. I did very little myself."
Celestine’s voice dipped slightly in tone. "However... there were a few items that caught my attention. I felt it was best to come here and inform you about them in person."
"Items that caught your attention?"
"Yes."
Celestine shot a brief, meaningful glance toward Yuri. Yuri was currently busy stuffing her face with white bread, tilting her head curiously when the conversation stalled.
"Oh, it's fine," Rest said. "I don't mind her hearing it."
Among those present, Yuri was the only one who wasn't strictly part of the inner circle. Celestine’s silence had been a tactful inquiry into whether it was acceptable to speak freely in front of her, as opposed to his fiancées, Viola and Primula.
"I understand. In that case..." With Rest’s permission, Celestine began her report in earnest. "First, regarding several grimoires. There were some exceedingly rare magic books found within the legacy."
"Grimoires... that is interesting."
"Indeed. There were items that would make any dedicated mage drool with envy. Naturally, the crown confiscated those classified as forbidden books, but..."
"So there were other precious volumes as well!" Primula cut in, her eyes widening with excitement. Unlike her sister, she had a deep-seated love for research and reading.
"In that case, could you have those grimoires sent to the Marquis Rosemary estate? Since my father-in-law is the Chief of the Court Mages, it seems like the most appropriate place for them."
That way, Primula could read them whenever she pleased. Rest had his own interests in magic as well, so it seemed like a perfect compromise.
"Understood. I shall see to it."
"As for the historical documents and records, let’s donate them to a specialized institution," Rest added. "It’s a waste of treasure for them to just sit in my hands. The artworks that are difficult to liquidate can be donated as well."
"As you wish. I will make the arrangements. I am certain the Director of the Royal Art Museum will be overjoyed."
"No matter how precious an object is, there’s no point in it being held by someone who doesn't understand its worth," Rest said with a wry smile and a shrug.
He knew that many of the world's wealthy collected art and antiques only to lock them away in a warehouse. It was far better to put them to use elsewhere than to leave them with someone like him.
"And there is one more thing... a rather strange item was found among the documents. A title deed for a piece of land in the frontier."
"A title deed? Is it a royal demesne?"
"No, it is quite different from those. It appears to be a private villa once owned by Prince Rodel... or more accurately, by Her Majesty the Queen Dowager."
Judging by Celestine’s puzzled expression, she couldn't fathom why the Queen Dowager would have possessed such a place.
"What kind of land is it?"
"A seaside plot on the western edge of the kingdom. It isn't a summer resort or a tourist destination, and it has no notable local specialties. According to the people I sent to investigate, it seems the Queen Dowager lived there incognito during her final years to recuperate."
Rest fell silent. He wondered if even the Queen Dowager, a woman who had spent her life embroiled in power struggles, had sought a quiet, peaceful existence as death approached. It felt like something he could simply ignore, yet it piqued his curiosity.
"Is there anything else you discovered about that place?"
"Only that it is a small fishing village facing the West Sea. If I had to name a feature, it would be their unusual custom of eating raw fish."
"Raw fish... you mean sashimi?"
In this kingdom, the culture of eating raw fish was nonexistent. Rest had often felt a lingering dissatisfaction with the local cuisine, especially since there was no soy sauce or miso to be found.
"Now that you mention it... while she was in that village, the Queen Dowager used a pseudonym. Apparently, the locals knew her as Shoko Sanada."
Rest’s eyes flew open in shock.
The name that had just come from Celestine’s lips was unmistakably Japanese. For Rest, it was a name that carried a profound and unexpected familiarity.