CHAPTER 53: CHAPTER 53: FORGET THE IDIOT

Min-jae arched a brow, his hand pausing mid-gesture.

"Is that so?"

Vanadis stiffened but nodded, tone sharp. "Yes. He’s using you. Men like him... they’re only loyal until the moment it stops serving them."

For a long moment, Min-jae said nothing.

The faintest smile curved his lips, but it didn’t reach his eyes.

"And what makes you think you’re any different?"

The words landed like a quiet strike. Vanadis faltered, caught between pride and guilt, his jaw tightening as he lowered his gaze.

"I... I don’t know.." he admitted finally, voice low.

Odysseus sighed inwardly, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. So much for getting into his pants.

Min-jae shifted his weight slightly, his tone even. "His motives, as long as they align with mine, I’ll work with him. If he betrays me, I’ll kill him. Simple as that. Things like trust, we don’t really know who’s going to betray us and who’s not. Relationships are built despite the risk."

Vanadis drew in a quiet breath, shoulders dropping. "I understand."

"Good.." Min-jae said, turning away. "Now, call Serin. She’s my personal attendant, she should be by my side."

He looked to Odysseus next. "You’ll lead me to the artisan."

Odysseus straightened quickly, bowing slightly. "Yes, my lord."

The walk was quiet, they had nothing to say to each other and Odysseus already had enough on his plate.

They met the artisan by the garden, though his back had bent from old age and his features covered with wrinkles.

Min-jae could tell he was an eye candy in his younger days.

"I’m sorry to have kept you waiting.."

-_-

The old man turned, then frowned, he been here for almost a day and he still hasn’t met the madame that summoned him.

"I may come off as rude. But I was told I’d meet the madame here. I’m getting awfully tired of waiting."

-_-

-_-

Min-jae laughed, didn’t anyone tell this man exactly who the madame was?

"I’m terribly sorry. Let me reintroduce myself. My name is Kaizar Amagi, Meical’s wife.."

-_-

The old man eyes widened, the governor’s wife was a man?!!

Never in his eighty eyes of age had he heard of this.

"T—that.." he paused and took a deep breath to calm his nerve.

Whether the ’wife ’ was a man or woman, he shouldn’t concern himself. All he had to do was know why he was summoned here and leave with his head still intact.

"You must be surprised. Let’s have our seats." he ushered the man to the benches so they could have their conversation.

"I already know you wish to commission me. So I came here to decline.."

Min-jae smiled, he wasn’t even going to hear his terms first before he declined?

"Yes. You are right, I do wish for you to commission bottles for me. I just need three bottles. I called you here to discuss the designs with you. I trust your expertise, that’s why you’re here."

The old man still wasn’t moved, Min-jae had no choice but to ask Odysseus to get him a parchment and quill, if he saw the bottle designs, he hoped he’d be moved when he saw them.

"Don’t you want to glory of being the artisan who designed these unique, one of a kind designs? Nobles will speak of your name, and youngsters would want to learn under you.."

The old man’s brows furrowed as he stared at Min-jae, his tone dry.

"Easy words, my lord. I’ve heard them before. Nobles promise the world, then forget your name once they get what they want."

Min-jae reached for the parchment Odysseus handed him, saying nothing as he dipped the quill in ink. His strokes were clean and confident. The artisan leaned closer despite himself.

Within minutes, the sketch was done, a slender bottle, curved at the base, with a narrow tube drawn inside and a small pump at the top.

"This..." he muttered, brows furrowing. "What am I looking at?"

"An atomizer.." Min-jae said, voice even. "It’s a bottle that sprays liquid when pressed from above. It prevents waste, controls scent, and gives elegance even in its simplicity."

The artisan blinked, staring at the sketch. The design was unlike anything he had seen before, a glass body, slender neck, and a small mechanism at the top, beautifully crafted yet functional.

He looked up slowly. "You’re saying this can work?"

"It will.." Min-jae replied. "And I will pay you twice your usual rate to make it happen."

The old man’s skepticism faltered, replaced with reluctant curiosity. "You speak as though you’ve already seen such a thing."

A faint smile touched Min-jae’s lips. "Perhaps I have."

The old man studied him for a long time, as if trying to decide whether this strange, composed man was a genius or a fool.

Finally, he sighed. "I’ll need rare glass and precise tools. The structure will be delicate, not easy to craft."

"Odysseus will see that you have everything you need.." Min-jae said simply.

The artisan hummed, glancing again at the drawing. "Three bottles, you said?"

Min-jae nodded. "Yes. Three. Each one should be perfect."

For a moment, the old man seemed to forget his irritation. His wrinkled face softened with something like admiration. "You may very well change how nobles use perfume with this."

"That’s the plan.." Min-jae replied.

The old man bowed slightly, hesitant still, but with a spark of respect now shining in his eyes. "Very well, Lord Kaizar. I’ll take your commission."

Min-jae smiled faintly, folding his hands behind his back. "Good. I hope we have prosperous working relationship. Odysseus will escort you out.."

The old man bowed as Odysseus lead him out while Vanadis and Serin walked in, bowing.

"Serin. Do you not want your new job?"

-_-

Serin immediately bowed, she feared she would cause dispute between him and the master that’s why she wanted to decline.

"The master doesn’t want me to work for you. So I thought I would cause dispute if I accepted regardless.."

-_-

Min-jae laughed, he guessed that was understandable, but between him and Meical. They knew which one held the reins here.

"You don’t have to worry about that idiot. I’ll handle him. You just work for me."