The Trap

Pierce Pawnshop.

An old pawnshop located in the old town was frequented by those who couldn't properly disclose their identities.

Inside, layers of dust had settled everywhere. It was a place utterly devoid of maintenance.

Someone, after glancing around at the entrance, flung the door open. Dust caught in the breeze floated hazily in the air.

Ignoring the pawnshop owner's curt greeting, a young girl in a robe strode forward and thrust a piece of jewelry at him.

"You can see the condition of the item; it's excellent—no, it's perfect. So, you'll have to offer a generous price this time too."

The owner, examining the necklace the girl handed over, nodded.

"A top-quality aquamarine? This is worth quite a bit. But..."

The pawnshop owner scrutinized the girl's face under the hood of her robe.

"Is this really yours? It's not something that should be traded in a place like this."

"Yes, it is. The lady I serve ordered me to sell it. Do we really have to go into such trivial details?"

"Well, not exactly, but..."

The girl's sharp reply made the pawnshop owner tilt his head, then reluctantly hand over the money with a wary expression.

"This is a generous price. There's no one as honest in business as me."

The girl glanced at the money and instantly frowned. She cursed internally.

"Honest, my foot."

The price was absurdly low for the item. She could have gotten several times more elsewhere with this jewelry!

But going to such places would instantly get her accused of theft.

Samantha ground her teeth and glared at the curt man's face. His greasy visage was plastered with greed.

She wanted to demand more money, but what if he found her suspicious and reported her? She couldn't risk causing trouble.

In the end, holding back her temper, Samantha snatched the money and left the pawnshop.

'I was already running out of things to sell.'

There was a limit to how many jewels she could dispose of from Dalia's jewelry box.

Not only were there only a few jewels to begin with, but after losing the pearl earrings, the occasional mention of them made her uneasy.

While she was worrying about what to do next, a timely opportunity had presented itself.

'Leaving the basement key with Madam?'

The vault was so vast that whenever she went in with Dalia, one or two items could disappear without notice.

And Dalia was completely unaware that anything was missing.

Samantha looked at the heavy pouch of money in her hands.

'Just a little more.'

She had already saved enough for travel expenses to another country.

With the remaining money, she could afford a nice house in a quiet village abroad, if not the capital.

The thought of a new beginning filled her chest with excitement.

Overjoyed, Samantha didn't bother to adjust her robe, clutching the money pouch to her chest as she walked briskly.

Samantha had no idea that someone was watching her from afar as she left the street, face flushed with excitement.

"That maid is…"

The face hidden under the hood hardened. The man didn't take his eyes off Samantha as he lowered his hood.

It was Lloyd.

* * *

The Seiyer Duke's estate had been enjoying peaceful days without incidents recently.

The once-cold relationship between the Duke and Duchess had become as calm as a still lake.

News that Dalia had been entrusted with the basement vault key spread quickly, sparking rumors of the Duke and Duchess's greatly improved marital harmony.

"Don't the two seem to be getting along these days?"

"Exactly. It's such a relief. You have no idea how it felt like walking on thin ice all this time."

After all, peace in the household depends on the masters getting along.

Because of this, the servants unanimously wished for such days to continue.

It was another peaceful late lunch hour.

By now, Dalia and Clayton sharing meals at this time had become a daily routine.

"How's the basement vault?"

Clayton asked as they ate. Dalia set down the knife she was holding and answered.

"It's enormous! So many paintings, old books, jewels, dresses... It's so big I couldn't look at everything, but it felt like touring a museum."

"I see. I'm glad you like it."

Clayton replied monotonously.

"But how should I manage it? I was wondering if there's anything I should do…"

"You don't need to do anything."

"Pardon?"

"Having the key is what's important. It's highly symbolic."

Of course. She wouldn't be expected to roll up her sleeves and clean such a vast place, and the management could later be gradually handed over to Jason.

Since Clayton put it that way, it seemed there was no need to worry about it.

With her mind at ease, Dalia resumed her meal. Just as her glass emptied, Samantha stepped in to refill it.

"Oh, and…"

As if he had forgotten something, Clayton spoke up. Dalia looked up with a curious expression.

"There should be an aquamarine necklace in the basement vault. Have you seen it?"

Samantha's hand fRose as she tilted the water bottle. She tried hard to keep her hand from trembling.

She glanced around surreptitiously but, thankfully, no one was paying attention to her.

"Aquamarine? Hmm, there are so many types of jewels…"

"There's only one aquamarine, so you'll know it when you see it. I'd like you to retrieve it from the vault tomorrow."

Clayton looked directly at Dalia, who replied nonchalantly.

"Sure, I will. But why?"

"It's my mother's keepsake. I promised to lend it to my maternal relative, the Count of Edenbury, for tomorrow evening."

"Do people even lend out something so precious?"

Clayton nodded.

"It's not uncommon. The necklace originally belonged to the Countess of Edenbury, and my cousin contacted me wanting to wear it for her debutante ball."

"Ah, I see."

Clayton added that the necklace was originally a keepsake from a former Countess of Edenbury.

Since the jewels were so valuable, they were often shared among relatives. Besides, they carried significant sentimental value…

Dalia smiled neatly as she spoke.

"Alright. I'll prepare it."

"Good."

The conversation ended like any other, and the two resumed eating, but Samantha's face had stiffened.

* * *

As soon as the day's work ended, Samantha rushed out of the estate and headed straight for the pawnshop.

What should I do? What should I do!

Cold sweat poured down her entire body. Without even glancing around, she frantically flung the pawnshop door open.

"The item I pawned!"

Pale-faced, she rushed to the owner. But the answer he gave drove her to despair. It felt like her heart had plunged into the abyss.

Samantha slammed the table and asked again.

"You already sold the necklace?"

"Yes! How many times do I have to tell you? I said it's already been sold!"

"No, wait! Who bought it? When?! It's only been a few days since I pawned it, and it's already sold? And it's not even past the redemption deadline! Who gave you the right to sell it?"

"Miss, I thought you pawned it because you needed money urgently? You've done this before. You didn't seem like the type to redeem it."

"Excuse me!"

Samantha's face had turned almost blue with fear, but the pawnshop owner waved his hand dismissively, feigning ignorance.

"Oh, I don't know. It's already sold!"

"Please, contact the person who bought it! I urgently need that necklace!"

The pawnshop owner's face twisted as he looked at the stubborn Samantha. There was only so much whining he could tolerate.

Sure, he had sold the item before the redemption deadline, but what could he do? If it was so important, she shouldn't have pawned it in the first place.

He shamelessly raised his voice.

"How am I supposed to find the person who bought it? Stop disrupting my business and get lost!"

"Wait, wait a minute! Sir!"

Samantha was shoved out of the shop by the owner's rough hands.

The owner slammed the door shut, yelling at her to never come back. Facing reality, she collapsed onto the ground.

"What do I do now…"

It was just an ordinary-looking necklace, nothing special, so he had sold it without a second thought.

If he had known it was that important, he wouldn't have touched it.

Of all the items, why did it have to be that one!

The longer you keep it up, the more likely you are to get caught. If she sold more valuables, someone would definitely notice—or maybe they already had…

Samantha, her face pale, quickly shook her head.

"No, this won't do. I'll have to find something that looks as similar as possible."

Just as Samantha resolved to head to the jewelry district and got up from where she sat…

A large hand suddenly reached out from behind and covered her mouth.