CHAPTER~14
“Why am I getting chills like this?
It feels like something is about to happen, and it’s making me uneasy.”
There are moments like that.
When you’re sitting still and suddenly feel cold for no reason or get goosebumps.
Since even my ears felt itchy, someone must definitely be talking badly about me.
“Maybe it’s because you’re nervous, Madam Merchant?
Today is the day the Decart family’s representative visits.
Ugh, just hearing it makes my legs shake.”
“Is that so?”
The employee’s words had some truth.
Today was the day our merchant group met with the Decart family, after all.
‘Why don’t we just trade anonymously if we’re doing it anyway?’
A few days ago, Hubert’s words sparked a brilliant idea in my mind — using the merchant group to trade the Andra Fruit.
I already had a merchant group, so I could have just traded naturally, but back then I was too shaken to think of it.
In any case, the Carencia Merchant Group I owned operated under strict anonymity, keeping all consultations and transactions completely confidential.
Of course, the Decart family deserved credit for that.
When we divorced, they cut off all my connections and routes, so I had no choice but to create a secret merchant group.
Because of that anonymity, our performance wasn’t very good.
It made procuring goods difficult, and at present we were barely maintaining small profits, so we desperately needed a big opportunity.
“Surely His Grace the Duke of Decart won’t personally come here, right?”
Carencia now had only two people left — me and Loren, the employee and manager.
Loren handed me a cup of tea and carefully spoke.
“No way.
That busy man… no, that very busy gentleman wouldn’t come all the way to this shabby place.
He’ll only send a representative to a small merchant group like ours.
Which is a relief, honestly.
Thanks for the tea.”
“It’s nothing, hehe.”
I took a sip of the tea, trying to calm my nerves.
The problem now was whether we could complete the trade safely.
Fortunately, the value of the Andra Fruit was unclear, just like Argenta Ore.
If it went well, we could buy it at a low price.
The Lopenter Marquis knew this, so he traded it cheaply.
It felt like I was unintentionally stealing the Marquis’ credit, but what could I do?
The situation turned out like this.
And now I had someone to take care of.
It takes a whole village to raise a child.
And if I wanted to raise her into a future Archmage, I needed to spare no support.
“Ahem.”
As I thought about it, I realized I had spoken as if I would continue raising Mela.
I had only meant to stay with her for a few days, but I must have grown attached.
Well, it wasn’t just affection.
It was also a way to resolve my karmic debt.
The original female lead suddenly appearing before me might have been because I twisted the story before it even began.
That guilt pricked at my conscience a bit.
But if I stayed by her side and helped her become the Archmage she was meant to be, wouldn’t that be fine?
“…Madam Merchant!
I think they’re here, I’ll go check.”
At that moment, Loren’s urgent voice broke through my thoughts.
With her sharp hearing, she always noticed sounds outside first, and she quickly stood up.
I hurried to put on my mask and robe, completing the preparations.
My perfectly fine fingertips tingled and trembled.
No matter how many times I did this, meeting someone new was always nerve-racking.
“Ahem!
Ahem.”
I coughed several times to lower my voice.
I anxiously went over the trade details in my head when suddenly the crow-shaped warning device on the wall flashed red, and loud cawing echoed through the room.
“Why is this suddenly…?”
The warning lamp was installed to detect the danger level of a client in advance.
From the first floor, Loren would press the button if she judged the visitor as dangerous.
That meant she had pressed it — a ‘warning’ that the worst had happened.
No way… could that damned Frezen have actually come?
The moment I panicked—
Bang!
The door burst open before I even touched it.
No, half destroyed.
“Cough, cough…!”
Smoke filled the office.
I coughed repeatedly and forced my eyes open.
“Just as I heard.
A shabby place.”
The silhouette and voice that followed made everything clear.
I was doomed.
* * *
“I… I never imagined that His Grace Duke Decart would personally visit our humble merchant group.
Hahaha!”
Calm down, calm down.
They say even if you get lost in a mountain, you survive as long as you stay calm.
I acted as if nothing was wrong while speaking to Frezen Decart, who sat confidently across from me.
Fortunately, the mask would prevent him from recognizing me.
And with the voice modulator altering my voice, this was practically a perfect disguise.
“I heard your merchant group wants to distribute Andra Fruit from northern Noscal.
I was curious and simply couldn’t sit still.”
His blunt voice made my neck stiffen in tension.
His aura and dignity alone made my shoulders shrink.
But I reminded myself — I was the owner of Carencia.
Frezen and I were strangers.
Repeating that in my mind, I answered confidently.
I had already prepared for this question.
“As expected, you must be curious.
To explain simply — we plan to use the Andra Fruit to create luxury goods.
We will improve the variety to make edible products or create rare wine.”
I knew Frezen wouldn’t believe it if I said it was medicinal for a plague, so I chose a believable excuse.
“The fruit is extremely bitter and toxic, making it nearly impossible to eat.”
Of course, I also expected this question.
Just as I was about to answer, Frezen continued.
“So you must have a method.
Fermentation?
Extraction?”
“We plan to discover the method after securing the fruit.”
Of course I knew the method.
As if I would attempt something like this without knowing.
I simply couldn’t tell Frezen.
If I did, he would dig deeper, and in the worst case he might make demands in exchange for fruit supply.
The key to this deal was acquiring the fruit as cheaply as possible.
I continued persuading him.
“As you know, Andra Fruit is extremely toxic, so most people can’t consume it.
That means it can’t be used as a material, making its value and commercial use low.
It will likely have no buyers in the future.”
Well… for now.
Frezen’s eyebrow twitched.
“So your point?”
Thankfully, his attitude softened compared to earlier.
I steadied my voice and continued calmly.
“Our merchant group wants one thing.
The exclusive distribution rights of the Andra Fruit to Carencia.”
“And what does the Decart family gain?”
“After securing the supply, we will immediately begin product development using a special processing method known only to us.
In return, we will provide royalties based on sales revenue.
How does that sound?”
I purposely didn’t mention specific numbers.
I planned to negotiate based on his reaction.
If it had been a mere representative, things would’ve been easier.
But this was Frezen — a master strategist.
He was definitely calculating the situation right now.
“…As expected.”
His sudden words tightened my chest.
Soon after, Frezen spoke.
“I came to the right place.”
For some reason, a faint smirk tugged at his lips.
I didn’t understand, so I asked cautiously.
“What do you mean?”
“Just that I’m now certain I didn’t misjudge you.”
“…”
“Let’s do it.
Seventy to thirty.
Carencia takes seventy.”
“Really?”
I almost cheered out loud.
It was far better than I expected.
I thought he would go for fifty-fifty at best, or sixty-forty.
It was a generous offer, yet I couldn’t celebrate blindly.
After all… it was Frezen.
As I hesitated, trying to speak—
“The contract lasts one year.
The fruit is fifty gold per piece.
I believe this is an exceptionally favorable contract.
What do you think?”
He specified conditions himself, showing more enthusiasm than me.
It wasn’t a bad deal at all.
“Of course!
I’ll bring the contract right away!”
Feeling like I had struck gold, I quickly stood and moved toward the desk.
I had to write the contract before he changed his mind.
But then—
“Ah.
But first, I have one condition.
Or rather… a request.”
“A request?”
“Or should I call it a commission?”
A commission?
I froze and looked at him.
His relaxed attitude made me uneasy.
Frezen smirked as he spoke.
“I want your merchant group to find me a remarriage partner.
Preferably a woman with a five-year-old child.”
What on earth…?
