116. Diamonds Are Forever(1)

‘Diamonds are forever.’

This was the slogan of the most famous diamond company in the world where she lived before her transmigration.

While I mentioned earlier that the invention of the brilliant cut elevated the position of diamonds in the jewelry world, marketing efforts played a significant role in that success beyond just the new cutting technique.

‘It’s a gem that could bring in enormous profits if sold, but that’s only if there’s a market for it.’

Diamonds are certainly beautiful, but currently, they’re merely strange new stones that people have never seen before. Therefore, it might take decades for them to acquire the luxurious image she remembered from modern times.

“But what if we hold a spectacular debutante ball?”

She knew someone who could elevate this gem to the highest position, like a lady wearing the most beautiful dress making her debut as the year’s most notable newcomer.

Darius crossed his arms and watched as she moved her quill pen with great care, writing each character with dedication.

“This is the first time I’ve seen you writing a letter.”

“Please deliver this letter to Her Highness the Former Princess. Having recently lost her fiancé, how uncomfortable her heart must be.”

She smiled brightly.

And a few days later, a reply to the letter containing the diamond arrived promptly.

To the Grand Duchess of Inkheart.

Dear Anette, though we have never met, I hope I may address you so informally? Thank you for comforting my heart after losing my fiancé. I feel your warmth from afar.

Actually, I don’t really care much about that matter.

Finding a new fiancé will be troublesome, but that’s about it. For now, I’ve become a free person, so I plan to enjoy my life. Therefore, there’s absolutely no need to express condolences.

Still, I won’t refuse the gift you sent along. It’s a pretty gem.

From Princess Raniana.

Count Alexei, who died during the Northern Mountains subjugation, was the former princess’s fiancé. With her strong influence over him, he felt great inferiority and took it out on innocent Darius.

By the way, our apology wasn’t “We’re sorry for killing Count Alexei,” but rather “We regret that the princess’s fiancé died in the North.”

Even so, this level of indifference is tongue-clucking.

‘Anyway, Princess Raniana holds a high position and loves parties.’

Since she said with her own mouth that she would attend parties more enthusiastically after losing her fiancé, she would be a good advertisement for diamonds.

As an extravagant princess, she would immediately recognize the value of diamonds not yet on the market. She would also know that wearing jewelry made with the diamond I gave her would attract everyone’s attention at parties.

‘Now, I’ve entrusted the promotion to a celebrity, so let’s move on to the next step.’

She headed to the De Beers Trading Company with Darius. A few days ago, she had requested them to look into potential buyers for diamonds.

Why specifically the De Beers Trading Company?

‘I liked the name.’

Anette entered the company’s reception room with light steps.

* * *

The jeweler De Beers put down his magnifying glass and sighed. While the Grand Duke’s household had certainly sent some top-quality gems, even without that, the brilliance of this gem was supreme.

‘At first, I was so surprised when I received word that the Grand Duke’s household would visit.’

De Beers was well aware that the once reasonably prosperous De Ville Trading Company in the North had been destroyed. Right after that, slave trading companies were also disbanded. In short, Northern trading companies had recently been going through a period of hardship.

Moreover, De Beers wasn’t exactly clean. Like other trading companies, he had committed a few minor illegal acts, such as tax evasion or slightly concealing business profits.

So when De Beers first heard about the visit from the Grand Duke’s household, he thought it might be his turn.

He had calculated everything from how quickly he could pack up and leave for another territory to save some of his assets, to what percentage of his total wealth he would need to offer as a bribe for a nearby lord to hide him despite the Grand Duke’s influence.

〈This is a newly mined mineral from the Grand Duke’s household. My lady highly values the abilities of the De Beers Trading Company and wishes to discuss sales methods with your company.〉

Instead of a search and seizure warrant, the Grand Duke’s envoy presented an unfamiliar mineral.

Along with the message that the purpose of the grand ducal couple’s visit to the De Beers Trading Company was to inquire about the marketability of this gem.

Relieved by this news, De Beers seriously examined the gem and finally reached a conclusion.

This gem, which the Grand Duchess herself had named “diamond,” possessed tremendous value.

‘In my lifetime as a jeweler, I’ve never seen such an ore. There have always been predictions about rare precious metals in the North, but the places where these precious metals would be buried were estimated to be in the Northern Mountains occupied by monsters…… Come to think of it, the Grand Duke’s household recently went on a monster subjugation mission. Was this gem mined then?’

Having vaguely heard that blacksmith Boyer had expanded his forge with support from the Grand Duke’s household, it seemed possible.

They had also recently built a new forge there with special materials that were difficult to obtain.

“Hmm……”

It was almost time for the grand ducal couple to visit the trading company. De Beers pondered.

There was no doubt about the gem’s value. With decades in the jewelry business, he had a feeling. This would make money. So what he was actually considering was.

‘Should I try to fleece the grand ducal couple?’

No matter how much the Grand Duke’s household had ruined the De Ville Trading Company…… No matter how the slave market had been destroyed by their hands…… That was that, and in the jewelry world, he was the expert above all others, wasn’t he?

“Welcome, Your Grace. And Grand Duchess.”

The young Grand Duke and Grand Duchess, rumored to be very much in love, entered De Beers’ office arm in arm, just as the gossip suggested.

“Thank you for your hospitality.”

The Grand Duchess, who rested her head slightly on the Grand Duke’s shoulder and blinked her eyes, was doll-like in her beauty. She seemed like someone who only knew how to wear jewels, not how to sell them.

‘How would a sheltered noblewoman know anything about business?’

She must have some eye for quality to have discovered these diamond rough stones and realized they could be profitable if cut…… But they were still just young kids. Noble lords and ladies who had been pampered all their lives.

“This must certainly be a mineral from the Northern Mountains? I, De Beers, have been a jeweler for many years, but this is the first time I’ve seen the gem that the Grand Duke’s household has presented. Thanks to this rare opportunity, I have broadened my knowledge.”

De Beers flattered them with all sincerity.

“To conclude, I can tell you that this mineral called diamond has commercial value.”

The Grand Duchess’s lips relaxed into a smile. This was the important part.

“However.”

De Beers sighed as if regretful.

“I am truly, truly convinced that this gem has value, but how the market will receive this new product…… Ah, it’s really such a good item.”

I agree with your proposal. But the problem lies elsewhere!

“If you consider rubies and sapphires, you’ll understand that all the gems that have led the jewelry market trends until now have boasted beautiful red and blue colors. But this diamond……”

De Beers shook his head from side to side.

“With no color, only transparency, how will people receive it…… Since gems have always been expected to have color, they might think something without color isn’t a gem at all.”

At De Beers’ deliberately hesitant attitude, the delicate Grand Duchess looked extremely worried.

“If anyone but Grand Duke Inkheart’s household had brought this! Even though we highly value the gem itself, we would have refused to purchase it. Because we couldn’t guarantee whether it would sell or not.”

I’m only dealing with you because you’re from the Grand Duke’s household! De Beers spoke in the most sincere tone while subtly examining the other party.

The Grand Duchess spoke to the Grand Duke in a distressed voice.

“What should we do, Darius? It seems I spent money on something useless. I invested thinking this would make money, but if it won’t…… What should we do with all the mined ones? We’ve already finished processing them.”

“What are you worried about, Anette? Would I care about a few pennies? If these don’t make money, we can just use them to decorate your room.”

No, how could you use these precious gems for room decoration!

Seeing the grand ducal couple looking as if they might withdraw their diamond sales plan and leave immediately, De Beers hastily spoke up.

“But! Grand Duchess! Who am I if not De Beers, running a jewelry business in this North thanks to the grace of Grand Duke Inkheart’s household. You trusted me and personally! visited like this! How could I say no in front of you!”

“But, but…… You just said that since high value has only been placed on colored gems until now, people might not consider transparent diamonds to be gems……”

The Grand Duchess, who looked fragile enough to break if tapped, pulled out a handkerchief with her slender arm and sniffled. She seemed quite disheartened.

“Let’s give it a try! I, De Beers, will do this with a heart of repaying the Grand Duke’s household’s grace! If you entrust these gems to me, I will try my best to sell them somehow.”

“Really……”

“Yes, you said you have many fully processed diamonds? First, if you give me about a hundred of them, I will spread samples all over the capital!”

Blink, blink, the Grand Duchess’s eyelashes fluttered like butterfly wings.

“A hundred……”

“Yes, promoting with free samples is actually a loss for me, but I’ll consider it an investment in this business! Oh well, I’ll push hard! with all the know-how I’ve accumulated over the years!”

“Wow, just 100 is enough.”

The Grand Duchess spoke gently as she took both of De Beers’ hands. De Beers’ face relaxed into a silly grin at the touch of the beautiful woman with cotton candy-like lovely hair.

“How nice…… Why not ask for the entire mine while you’re at it?”

But suddenly, the beauty’s voice turned fierce.

“How dare you? You’ve received grace from the Grand Duke’s household, so even though this is a losing deal for you, you’ll try your best? How can words of respect for the Grand Duke’s household come out of that mouth?”

De Beers doubted his ears, wondering if he had misheard. But both the Grand Duchess’s suddenly changed voice and his firmly gripped wrists were reality.