He Opened A Matchmaking Agency In 18Th Century London [EN]: Chapter 195

< 195. The Girl I Met Again >

One day before departing for the Kingdom of Naples.

Theo and Prince Pietro were in San Marco Square in Venice. They planned to take one last look around Venice before leaving.

Walking side by side with Prince Pietro in the square, Theo offered sincere advice.

“In the future, as a prince, you will inevitably be involved in the affairs of the Kingdom of Naples. Whether in economics or the military, remember that the more information you have about how other countries operate and their internal affairs, the better equipped you’ll be. Don’t waste this rare opportunity; observe and remember everything diligently.”

“Yes, Count.”

Passing the magnificent St. Mark’s Basilica and venturing into the back alleys of the square, they entered a somewhat unsavory area.

After considering their options, Theo decided to explore more of Venice since it was still afternoon and their last day.

“Shall we go down this alley?”

“…Yes.”

Prince Pietro listlessly followed Theo, still preoccupied.

It seemed the woman in the black cloak was still on his mind.

“Prince Pietro, don’t be too disheartened. Even if you are smitten with this young lady, now is not the time.

You can’t very well search for her while you’re being formally introduced to the Doge’s [chief magistrate of Venice] daughters as a prince of the Kingdom of Naples, can you?

If you still feel strongly about her after returning to Naples, try visiting Venice again to find her. You might have another chance to meet her.”

The prince was embarrassed that his feelings had been exposed.

“I can’t hide anything from you, Count… Sigh, I don’t know why I’m acting so pathetic. This is a first for me. Her image is so vivid, it’s strange. How can I feel this way after only a brief encounter in the dark?”

“Prince, shall I share an interesting fact?”

“?”

“How long does it take for a man to fall in love with a woman at first sight?”

“…?”

“Approximately 8 seconds.”

“8 seconds? Really?”

“Yes, it’s true. Especially when you meet your ideal type in a challenging situation, it creates a unique and lasting impression.”

“…Yes. I suppose that’s true.”

“In any case, it seems clear that the prince fell in love with that young lady at first sight. I, too, was impressed by her resolute demeanor. I also thought she would be a good match for you.

If you still can’t forget her after returning to Naples, we’ll come back and find her, no matter what. I’ll help you. So, cheer up today, explore more of Venice, and we’ll head to Naples tomorrow.”

The prince was invigorated by Theo’s words.

“Yes, Count! Thank you so much.”

*

As Prince Pietro and Theo entered the gloomy alley, they saw groups of disreputable-looking men passing by, and the sounds of clinking glasses and boisterous laughter echoed from the nearby pubs.

Looking around, Theo said.

“It’s like stepping into a completely different world, just a square away.”

“Indeed, it is.”

Once a center of Mediterranean trade, Venice rose to prominence and became known as a hub of culture and art.

Consequently, artists and intellectuals from all over Europe flocked to it.

However, as the economic recession deepened, the nobles who supported Venice declined, and the resulting poverty among the traditional ruling class led to corruption.

While Venice was once a place of thriving trade and diverse art, the Venice of the late 18th century was a dark world dominated by gambling dens and brothels.

The two men ventured deeper into the alleyways, seeking to uncover the hidden underbelly of Venice.

*

A small building with old, whitewashed walls stood nestled between narrow alleys.

A rusty iron sign in the shape of a gold coin hung above the entrance, and the windows were heavily barred with thick curtains drawn.

The only door leading inside had a large, heavy doorknob that seemed uninviting.

At first glance, it appeared to be a typical moneylender’s establishment of the time.

But rough voices leaked from within.

“You bitch! What the hell were you doing!”

Inside, a young woman was being held by two burly men.

The bear-like man grabbed her chin roughly and turned her head from side to side.

She clutched several bundles of paper in her trembling hands.

“Let go of me!”

The man next to him snatched the bundles of paper from her hand and said.

“Boss! That’s right! This bitch stole a bunch of our contracts!”

“Look at this, will you?”

“Boss! This one doesn’t seem like just a prostitute. I think I’ve seen her around here before. Plus, her face and hands don’t show any signs of hardship. She’s suspicious.”

The man gripped her chin even harder and shook it violently.

“Hey! Who are you? Tell me now!”

“Argh! Get your filthy hands off me… now!”

The man grabbed a handful of her hair with his large hand and yanked it back.

Argh-

Thump-

“Why did you steal these contracts! Tell me!”

“What’s wrong with you all! I just… I just came to borrow money!”

“Then why did you secretly steal other contracts? Huh!”

“There were so many similar contracts, so I just looked at what they were… Ah- Can’t you let go of my hair?”

The man, who was roughly grabbing the hair of the woman who had fallen to the floor, grinned, revealing his rotten yellow teeth.

“Oh, you said you couldn’t read, but how did you know if they were different contracts or not? I was suspicious from the start. Who’s your pimp? You’re not a brothel girl, are you? You better tell us who you are! Before I cut you into pieces and throw you to the fish!”

But at that moment.

Bang-bang- Crash- Crack-

Crash- Clatter

The office door was forced open.

Two men stood in front of the splintered door.

It was Theo and Prince Pietro.

The prince, seeing the woman held captive, shouted.

“Let her go right now!”

The startled men asked.

“What, what! Who are these bastards? Who are you!”

“What language is that? They’re foreigners?”

Prince Pietro rushed at the man holding the woman’s hair without hesitation.

Whack-

“You bastard!”

Thud-

“Ugh!”

Crash-

Theo also kicked the man standing next to him in the chest without mercy, knocking him over.

Thud-

Crash-bang-

“Argh-”

As the men who had fallen backward tried to get up, Theo and the prince kicked them again with all their might, knocking them down once more.

Thwack-

Crash-

“Ouch!”

“Ugh!”

Theo shouted.

“Get out of here! Hurry!”

Prince Pietro quickly grabbed the woman’s wrist and ran outside, and Theo hurried after them.

*

Tap-tap-tap-

Huff-huff-

Huh-huh-

After running for a while and hiding in a dark, narrow back alley, the three of them breathed heavily among the piles of garbage.

Soon, shouts of people searching for them could be heard.

Judging from the voices of at least a dozen people, it seemed the moneylender had called in all the local thugs.

– It’s a woman and two men! They’re all together! Find them quickly. They couldn’t have gone far!

– They were definitely foreigners! The bitch stole the documents! We have to find them!

– Yes!

– If you find them, stab them to death! Kill them and throw them into the sea!

– Yes!

Tap tap tap-

The chaotic sound of footsteps filled the alley and gradually faded away.

The gangs in the back alleys of Venice were notorious throughout Europe.

They were so dangerous that you couldn’t even find the body if you were caught.

The prince hugged the woman tightly, lying close to the floor, afraid of being caught by the gangs.

After about ten minutes.

“Um… could you loosen your arms a bit? I can’t breathe very well…”

“Yes? Ah… Yes, yes. I’m sorry.”

At the woman’s words, the prince hurriedly stood up.

At that moment, Theo, who was cautiously checking the situation, shouted.

“No one’s in sight now. Let’s get out of here quickly! Let’s go the other way!”

*

The three people, having barely escaped the alley and boarded a boat in the canal, were finally able to breathe a sigh of relief.

Prince Pietro spoke to the woman in English.

“Whew- you were almost in serious trouble.”

The woman smiled shyly and thanked him.

“I know. I really don’t know what would have happened if it weren’t for you two.”

“Really, both the day before yesterday and today… I think we have a special connection.”

“Yes? What do you mean by a special connection…?”

After looking back and forth between the prince and Theo for a moment, she widened her eyes as if she finally understood.

“Ah! Is that so? Are you the foreigners who were on the boat together the night before yesterday?”

“Haha- you didn’t know yet? I thought you recognized us right away because we spoke English.”

“At first, at the moneylender’s office, I briefly thought that I had seen you somewhere. But, I was so flustered… Anyway, how did you know I was being attacked there and come in?”

Prince Pietro explained how they rescued her.

“We were just passing by that alley when we heard a woman’s scream from inside the building. So, without thinking, I peeked through the slightly open curtains and saw that it was the young lady who helped us that night, wasn’t it? So I went straight in… Haha. It was really a stroke of luck.”

However, Theo, who was listening quietly, noticed something strange.

‘…?’

She had been wearing a luxurious dress under her black cloak that night, but today she was wearing simple commoner’s clothes.

Theo asked.

“That place seemed to be a moneylender’s office, but why was a lady like you alone in such a place? And in those clothes… It’s quite different from what you were wearing the other day.”

She hesitated for a long time before finally speaking with difficulty.

“Actually… the place I went to earlier was the business of the most notorious moneylender in Venice.

They’re known for lending money, writing double contracts [fraudulent contracts with hidden terms], and charging ridiculously high interest rates. As a result, the amount owed can increase several times over in just a few days.

If people can’t repay the inflated amount, they use all sorts of methods to extort their property, and even sell women into prostitution.

The Republic’s government is aware of this corruption, but they can’t catch them because they’ve bribed the officials and are careful to hide the evidence.

The only evidence they present is a contract with a legitimate interest rate, so the cases are dismissed, and they’re released as soon as they’re caught.

So, I went there to borrow money myself, observe them writing the double contract, and collect evidence. Then, I happened to find a hidden bundle of double contracts and tried to steal them, but then…”

The prince pointed to the bundle of contracts in her hand and asked.

“Ah-. So that’s why you made sure to grab that when you ran out earlier. But what exactly do you do that you went to such a dangerous place alone? You’re not a secret police officer, are you?”

At Prince Pietro’s question, she confessed as if she couldn’t help it.

“Having seen me the day before yesterday and today, I don’t think there’s any need to lie. Yes, I’ll tell you the truth.

In fact, I am the daughter of the Doge of the Republic of Venice. Rather than having any special official role, I just wanted to help my father’s administration, and I personally intervened because I hate the fact that so many common people of the Republic are being unfairly victimized by moneylenders.

My father has also received reports about these moneylenders and conducted inspections several times, but each time, the bribed officials tipped them off in advance, and they hid the evidence, so he couldn’t catch them. Even if he managed to catch them, they always hid the real contract that specified the usurious [illegally high] interest rate.

So, I thought I needed solid evidence, so I took this risk and stepped forward.”

The surprised prince asked urgently.

“Wait a minute! You said you’re the Doge’s daughter? As far as I know, the Doge’s wife has three daughters, right?”

At the prince’s words, the woman calmly explained.

“That’s… my father’s current wife is my stepmother. Those three are my stepmother’s daughters. My biological mother passed away shortly after giving birth to me.”

“Ah, so you are the daughter of the Doge’s first wife?”

“Yes, that’s right. I’m very late in introducing myself. My name is Caterina Manoinni.”

Surprise and unspeakable joy crossed Prince Pietro’s face simultaneously.

However, recalling the terrifying situation, the prince scolded her.

“No, why were you just standing there with such a high status? You should have revealed your identity and tried to get away with it. What would have happened if we hadn’t found you? And a woman alone in such a place!”

Caterina smiled bitterly and replied.

“The Doge of Venice holds a lifetime position, but it’s not a position with absolute power like the kings of surrounding kingdoms. It’s just the head of state who discusses and coordinates national policies.

Moreover, even if I’m the Doge’s daughter, criminals don’t fear or avoid me.

If I had said I was the Doge’s daughter in that situation, they would have tried to kill me without hesitation, in case I became a nuisance to their business.

Also, if I had gone with someone else, they would have noticed right away, hidden the evidence, and wouldn’t have even tried to lend me money in the first place, so I wouldn’t have been able to get any evidence.”

As a prince who had lived exercising considerable authority, Pietro couldn’t fully grasp her words.

Enraged, he shouted.

“Even so, how dare those moneylenders treat the daughter of a country’s Doge like that… I’ll wipe them out right now!”

“Yes?”

The prince, calmed down only by Theo’s restraining gesture, barely managed to control himself.

“Hmm, that’s… that’s a very serious crime in our country.”

“…”

Theo asked Caterina.

“So, Ms. Caterina, you learned about the moneylenders’ tyranny while investigating the guilds and markets?”

“Yes, that’s right. And I also realized that their tyranny is a huge problem that is eating away at our already struggling Republic’s economy. I definitely wanted to eradicate it.”

She was a smart and strong woman, the more they talked.

Theo suddenly wanted to know Caterina’s level of insight.

“Then, I’m curious to know what you think about the fate of the Republic of Venice, which has currently declared itself a neutral country.”

Instantly, Caterina’s eyelids drooped slightly, and a subtle expression of sadness appeared as her strength seemed to drain away.

“Perhaps… if things continue like this, it will be difficult to avoid invasion by France.”

“······.”

“If France occupies us, the monasteries, churches, and guilds that have supported the lives of the poor for so long will also be dissolved due to the French revolutionary ideology. As a result, many common people of the Republic may starve to death without receiving any help.”

Caterina accurately grasped the situation. Moreover, she was the Doge’s daughter who truly loved the Republic of Venice and cared about its people.

Prince Pietro, who was listening to the story, was also deeply moved.

He, as the prince of a country, was immersed in a life of pleasure, not even thinking about the people and only complaining, but the Doge’s daughter, who had no real power, was risking danger thinking about the country, which made him feel surprised and even ashamed.

However, when the prince’s gaze, which had been warmly fixed on her, met Caterina’s, it immediately shifted downward.

‘The prince’s gaze is already telling me the answer, haha.’

The easiest way to identify a man’s signs of affection is his ‘gaze.’

When a man meets a woman he likes, he casts a warm gaze, but when he makes eye contact with that woman, he quickly avoids eye contact.

This is not simply because he is awkward, but because of ‘tension.’ There is an evolutionary instinct that makes men feel a little fear when they see a woman they like.

Prince Pietro’s eyes and emotions were showing that instinct.

The corners of his lips were slightly raised, his cheekbones were subtly lifted, and he had an expression that he was happy just being next to Caterina.

Even though she hadn’t dressed up to seduce him, and she hadn’t approached him for ulterior motives, his whole body and mind were focused on Caterina.

And he was listening to her every word.

‘Pietro and Caterina have a strong liking for each other. From the way they talk, they communicate well emotionally, and their personalities match so well. Above all, she is a lady with the dignity befitting a prince of a kingdom.’

It was a series of unexpected events, but thanks to that, it seemed that they had found the prince’s companion they had been looking for before returning to the Kingdom of Naples.