The Heroines Are After My Fortune

32 – Buffed Up and Exploding Growth

“Okay, I take it back.”

“…Huh?”

“I said, I take back what I just said.”

“Ah, yes…”

The director’s willingness to yield to Rene, who’d charged at him demanding he retract his derogatory remark, shocked her and the other actors.

It wasn’t like he was bowing down because Rene was a noble’s daughter, since he treated David with utter contempt, so no one could understand what was happening. But Director Starfield, or rather, Aiden Roen, had an unspeakable reason.

‘Wouldn’t it be ridiculous if I was fighting over something I myself said, like, ‘Nah, I’m not taking it back?’

He was maintaining a tight concept right now, so he knew a certain amount of trouble was inevitable, but he wasn’t confident in dealing with the fallout if Rene ever found out the truth later.

‘David, that guy, he knows who I am too, right?’

He didn’t know what color he appeared to David, but he was sure David could tell. Even if David liked Elena, it wouldn’t be good if her brother came off as a crazy person.

‘Well, things seem mostly sorted, time to hit the gas.’

Obedient and skilled actors, a solid budget, even a first-rate spirit-user slave – there was nothing lacking. Now was the time to show what he could do.

####

About two weeks into filming, the production was proceeding smoothly, without a hitch.

Of course, it was the power of money that blasted through any bottlenecks.

For party scenes that required a large number of people, he threw money at everyone – people, costumes, food – paying their due price. And for the battle scene in the middle of the capital, he secretly bribed officials to get permits.

Surprisingly, the biggest hurdle in filming was ‘location scouting.’ Places clean and pretty enough for nobles had no reason to shut down for filming and tell their aristocratic guests, ‘No business today.’

But who am I? The head of the Roen Trading Company, the empire’s behemoth. Dig anywhere within our company affiliates and you’ll find something usable.

Of course, it wasn’t just a careless borrowing of locations.

I provided the owners with value far beyond what I borrowed.

Under the glare of the cameras, a supporting actor playing a chef and Rene are having a conversation.

“This is our Madison Restaurant’s signature dish, the finest veal tenderloin steak, prepared for Lady Luna.”

“I only eat the best. Are you sure it’s up to par? I might have your doors closed if I’m not satisfied.”

A rather arrogant statement, some might say.

The chef, undeterred, presented his masterpiece, and after taking a bite, she had a look of pure ecstasy.

“The tender texture, the overflowing juices, the perfect sauce pairing…! You have reason to be confident. It’s a taste worthy of the highest praise!”

“…Okay.”

A seamless PPL integrated so perfectly into the film.

Once this movie’s over, the establishments I featured are bound to see sales skyrocket.

And yet… why does it feel like something’s missing?

The popularity of some of the places featured will generate a lot of profit, but that’s just the story of a few places in the film.

‘…There’s gotta be a way to hit it bigger.’

Lately, pulling funds from the company to spend as I please is starting to feel like walking on eggshells.

If I’d just given it to the pros to manage and drew out smaller sums it might have been fine, but with money being spent left and right on a string of projects, a simple success isn’t going to cut it.

Beyond the film’s success itself, landing one bigger hit would be ideal. But right now, something feels like it’s on the tip of my tongue, yet no concrete idea comes.

“Where’s the next filming scheduled?”

I asked a staff member beside me, my face hidden behind a mask. The staff member answered in a tense voice.

“Ah, y-yes…! It’s the art museum!”

“………!!”

That fool, how could he have forgotten this.

A whoop of joy escaped me at the plan taking shape in my mind. The thing that would bring the biggest boost to fame and fortune when shown in a film, was right at hand.

‘I’ll show you the terror of going viral.’

The artist persona ‘Van Gogh,’ created without me even realizing,

And my merchant-prince persona, the empire’s top merchant, and filmmaker persona ‘Steven Starfield’

If this triangular plan of each boosting the other goes off without a hitch, my paintings, already worth tens of thousands of gold, could skyrocket…!

###

The Polo Merchant Guild,

A large guild barely clinging to the bottom rung of the empire’s four great guilds.

Its designated successor, the golden pig Marco Polo, was currently confined to his home, unable to even step outside.

“Grrr, Aiden Roen…! That damned b*stard…!!”

His competition with that guy had flared up so fiercely that he’d bought a ‘Van Gogh’ painting at a ludicrous price, earning him a brutal beating from his father, and a ban on leaving the house for the foreseeable future.

‘Was he really caught by the name of that deceased old geezer, Yulne, to pay 120,000 gold, several times the market price? Go die, you idiot…!’

Trying to sell the painting again was useless.

He’d bought something worth a mere 30 to 40 thousand gold for three times the price.

Rumors were already spreading about his desperate attempts to quickly offload the newly purchased painting, making it impossible to even get a third of the original value. It was during this whole mess that…

“Young Master Marco, there’s a call for you!”

“Tell them I’m busy!”

“It’s, uh, a call from the Roen Merchant Guild. Seems like the Guild Master himself is on the line.”

“Aiden Roen…?!”

He burst into his office, breathless, grabbing the phone in a rush.

[Greetings, this is Aiden Roen speaking.]

“You, you…!! “

[You?]

Remembering the humiliation at the auction house, he couldn’t help but feel the anger bubbling up, but the man on the other end was the head of a colossal guild. He was of a different league than a mere heir like himself. Marco quickly collected himself, switching to a groveling mode.

“You fool of a butler, you should have brought a call from such a distinguished person to me much quicker…!”

[…………]

“Aiyo, Lord Aiden Roen. What brings you to call me…?”

Marco’s one desperate hope was that he would offer to buy that painting, that cursed piece of merchandise now stuck in inventory.

[That painting from the auction, do you still have it?]

‘Hallelujah…!’

Hearing that Aiden was looking for the painting, Marco rejoiced. If things went well, he could probably dump the bomb, if not for the same price he’d paid.

“Ahem, yes, I cherish it greatly, as it’s something I deeply desired, but what brings you to seek it…?”

[Ah, is that so? Then, please treasure it.]

“Huh? Then why call…?”

[I was just feeling bad that perhaps I had saddled you with a painting you never even wanted. I thought perhaps I might offer a sum and take the painting, but if it’s a desired item for you then I’ll just hang up-]

“Wait, wait just a minute…!”

[Yes?]

“See, the family gallery’s bursting, quite full lately. Disposal, it’s not something we can’t do…!”

Marco, revealing his hand with high-minded words for fear of the lifeline snapping, the momentum of this game, it had effectively shifted to Aiden here.

In his heart he wanted to say, “You b*stard, you said Yulne only wanted that painting, that Rouen…!” But admitting to eavesdropping would be the cost, so he couldn’t say it.

[Hmm…]

Aiden, seeming to ponder for a moment, spoke the price as if bestowing a favor.

[How about 30,000 gold?]

“Too low…! Even at auction, there were other contenders at 50,000!”

[Then why not sell it to them. Unless, you still have it because they backed out, wouldn’t you say?]

“Ugh, well…”

If you ask someone to buy at less than half the price right after they bought it at such a high sum, of course they wouldn’t jump at it. It’s normal to think something is off with the painting’s worth.

[I’ll offer 35,000.]

“40,000… Give me exactly 40,000 gold, no more, no less. I’ve conceded much.”

[40,000 gold, it is. I’ll send someone soon.]

The call ended, their agreement done.

Marco, though a bit at a loss, felt relieved, figuring he had still recouped some of the cost, it wasn’t all that bad.

‘Not bad at this point, that guy’s paintings are never going to go up again anyway…!’

He had heard from art experts that ‘Van Goth’s’ paintings, though recently drawing some attention for their somewhat unique style, were also thought to be at their peak.

In the Empire’s art world, to firmly carve out a space, one needed a body of work big enough for a personal exhibition, but Van Goth had very few pieces and even then he’s in hiding, unheard of.

It was clear that with time, he’d be an artist who briefly sparkled then was forgotten. Marco, oblivious to the tears he’d soon shed, felt quite pleased with his decision to cut his losses before suffering more.

####

“Oppa, you’re hardly ever home these days….”

Elena lay sprawled on her bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.

Lately, she hadn’t seen much of her brother, Aiden. He was so busy, his time at home was practically nil.

Fine food, captivating movies, grand music – her brother Aiden provided near-endless financial support so Elena could enjoy many things. But she, with her humble roots, didn’t indulge all that often, finding it “nice but burdensome.”

She’d hoped to find some joy at the new Academy she’d joined, and while learning was certainly interesting, the rest…it was just so-so.

‘Oppa’s a liar, said there’d be more handsome guys than him at the Academy….’

To Elena’s eyes, you could search high and low and still not find anyone better-looking than Aiden. It wasn’t just the men’s looks either; she thought the problem lay with herself too.

She didn’t consider herself pretty enough to turn heads, even in noble society. Proof of this was how the men around her seemed to give her a fleeting, disinterested glance before turning away, reinforcing that belief with every instance.

Her brother’s constant claim, ‘Once you get to the Academy, handsome men will be lining up for you,’ felt like a tale from another world.

But it was fine. She much preferred silly, trivial conversations with her brother, Aiden, to any of those Academy men, anyway.

*Knock-knock*

“Lady Elena, Master Aiden has returned. You may find him in his personal studio.”

“Ah, is that really…!?”

The butler’s welcome news sent Elena springing from the bed. Shedding her nightgown, she quickly changed into a white lace dress, the kind she’d wear when going out, and rushed toward the studio.

No one was allowed in his studio without permission for the time being, but Elena was an exception. After knocking and receiving Aiden’s consent, she entered her brother’s studio.

“Oppa, what are you doing?”

“Me? Just painting.”

It had been ages since Elena had seen him paint. He used to paint and sell them around four years ago, but then, suddenly a lucrative job came up, and he dropped his brushes.

She noticed many of the paintings in the room looked awfully familiar. Sunflowers, a man with a cut ear, interior scenes; they were all things she had seen before.

“Wait, aren’t those paintings you used to sell, Oppa?”

Elena remembered him bringing back meat, grilling it, saying he got it for a good price. Of course, she only recognized them because they were her brother’s paintings, not from any knowledge of the art scene; she was completely unaware that these works were recently garnering huge popularity.

“Bought them again. They’re… somewhat sentimental.”

“Oh, right…! They were only worth a few silvers, so it makes sense you’d buy them again.”

‘If only they were still worth a few silvers…’

Aiden chuckled bitterly at the recent large expense of gathering his past paintings. Even while answering her, he was already sketching something new. Elena peeked at his work and was instantly struck with awe.

While she thought the other paintings had ‘a feel,’ the one Aiden was working on made her feel, even as a complete outsider, the emotion of ‘astonishing.’

“Does this one, maybe, have a title too?”

“I’ve got something decided, for now.”

“What is it…?”

The painting, striking in its use of blue for the sky, yellow for starlight and moonlight, and depicting a serene village, was the most beloved and critically acclaimed amongst all the copies Aiden made of that artist’s work.

“…A Night Lit by the Moon.”

Since he was already copying it, he might as well copy it fully.

The alter egos’ great surge toward the empire’s peak was only just beginning.