I Plan to End This Possession — Chapter 16

ONE BILLION FRANCS A STEM?!

DOES THIS MAKE ANY SENSE?!

WE BOUGHT MOONLIGHT FLOWERS WITH THAT KIND OF MONEY SOLELY TRUSTING THE WINDSOR FAMILY!

AND YET THE PRICE DROPPED BY HALF...

IS THE WINDSOR FAMILY'S CREDIT WORTH ONLY THIS MUCH?!

I WILL FIND A SOLUTION RIGHT AWAY.

SO PLEASE, EVERYONE, CALM DOWN.

WHO WOULD DO SOMETHING AT SUCH A LOSS?

WITH THE PRICE SKYROCKETING DAY BY DAY,

THEY COULD HAVE SOLD THEM FOR A MUCH HIGHER PRICE ON THE BLACK MARKET.

THERE MUST BE AN ULTERIOR MOTIVE.

IS THIS A TRICK BY THE OLD RELIGION FACTION?

OR...

THE WORK OF SOMEONE BEARING A PERSONAL GRUDGE.

UNCLE, ARE YOU ALL RIGHT?

YOU DON'T LOOK WELL.

DANA, YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE WHO WORRIES ABOUT ME.

I'M FINE, SO DON'T WORRY.

I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT, BUT...

...TRUTHFULLY, THERE IS SOMETHING I MUST TELL YOU.

GIVEN HOW THINGS ARE, I HESITATED BRINGING IT UP, BUT...

DURING TEA TIME TODAY, SOMETHING LIKE THIS...

THEY SAID A "STRANGE SUBSTANCE" WAS DETECTED IN IT.

WHAT?

SOMETHING ONLY TRADED ON THE BLACK MARKET...

...LIKE AN APHRODISIAC.

FORTUNATELY, MY SECRETARY FOUND IT, SO I DIDN'T INGEST ANY, BUT...

WHO COULD HAVE DONE THIS, UNCLE?

I'M SO FRIGHTENED.

SOMEONE TRIED TO DRUG DANA?

WITH AN ILLEGAL DRUG ONLY TRADED ON THE BLACK MARKET?!

WHO WOULD DO SUCH A...

AH.

A LOVE POTION.

SOMEONE TRYING TO WIN DANA'S HEART.

SOMEONE WHO FREQUENTS BACK ALLEYS AND THE BLACK MARKET.

AND SOMEONE WHO HARBORS ENOUGH OF A PERSONAL GRUDGE AGAINST ME TO SWALLOW A MASSIVE LOSS.

SOMEONE WITH EASY ACCESS TO MOONLIGHT FLOWERS,

JUAN ROLAND!

IT WAS YOU!

JUAN EVEN SENT DANA A BOUQUET OF MOONLIGHT FLOWERS HE HAD SIPHONED OFF.

SPITEFUL OVER THE BEATING I GAVE HIM,

HE SURELY TANKED THE PRICE OF MOONLIGHT FLOWERS!

DON'T WORRY, DANA. I WILL PROTECT YOU.

FOR NOW, DON’T EAT ANYTHING.

I’LL SEE TO YOUR FOOD PERSONALLY. UNDERSTOOD?

YES.

I TRUST ONLY YOU, UNCLE.

FREEZE THE MOONLIGHT FLOWER AUCTION MARKET.

FEARING LOSSES,

WILL THE ERA OF THE MOONLIGHT FLOWER END LIKE THIS...?

DAY 3 OF THE MOONLIGHT FLOWER MARKET CRASH.

LETHE.

DUMP ANOTHER 10% OF OUR MOONLIGHT FLOWER STOCK.

THE PRICE?

500 MILLION A STEM.

DAY 4.

TAKE OFF ANOTHER 10%.

SET IT TO 300 MILLION A STEM.

SELL MY MOONLIGHT FLOWERS!

OFFICIAL WINDSOR EXCHANGE.

I WAS HERE FIRST!

T-TAKE MINE FIRST, PLEASE!

280 MILLION!

NO, I'LL TAKE 250 MILLION! PLEASE, JUST TAKE MINE—

WHAT?! IF YOU SELL AT THAT PRICE, WHAT ARE THE REST OF US SUPPOSED TO DO?!

SOMEONE STOP HIM!

I NEVER SHOULD HAVE BOUGHT THESE DAMN FLOWERS IN THE FIRST PLACE!

WHO WOULD EVER BUY THIS GARBAGE NOW?!

ALICE, THIS HAS GONE TOO FAR!

IT HASN'T EVEN BEEN THAT LONG SINCE WE BOUGHT THE FLOWERS FROM ALICE...

SO HOW COULD YOU LET THE PRICE CRASH LIKE THIS?!

DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!

THIS IS YOUR BUSINESS, ALICE, SO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY!!

MIONA!

MIONA WILL KNOW WHAT TO DO!

PLEASE, SAVE ME!

MIONA!

HUH?

MILADY, MIONA WON’T BE AT THE ESTATE FOR A WHILE.

SHE WENT TO VISIT HER GRANDMOTHER AT THE CARE HOME, REMEMBER?

OH, RIGHT...

HOW COULD YOU, DARLING?!

HOW COULD YOU EXILE JUAN FROM HOUSE WINDSOR?!

WITHOUT SAYING A SINGLE WORD TO ME, NO LESS!

DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT THAT BASTARD JUAN DID?

JUAN IS THE ONE WHO CRASHED THE MOONLIGHT FLOWER MARKET, SANDRA!

D-DON'T BE RIDICULOUS.

DO YOU HAVE ANY PROOF?!

YOU'D BETTER PRAY I NEVER FIND IT.

BECAUSE IF I DO,

RUIN WILL FALL NOT JUST UPON JUAN, BUT UPON US ALL!

THERE YOU ARE, LADY ALICE.

ERIC...!

DO YOU HAVE ANY GOOD IDEAS?

I AM CERTAIN YOU CAN FIND A WAY THROUGH THIS, MILADY.

AFTER ALL, YOU ARE A WISE WOMAN...!

I-I...

...IT SEEMS I PLACED FAR TOO MUCH FAITH IN YOU, MILADY.

MARK MY WORDS, THE MOONLIGHT FLOWER BUSINESS WILL BE RUINED WITHIN A MONTH.

NO, IT WON'T!

AND IT WILL BE ALL BECAUSE OF YOU.

NO, SHUT UP!

I CAN FIX THIS!

RIGHT, THE BLACK MARKET...!

I HAVE TO GO TO THE BLACK MARKET.