Chapter 76
It seemed I had hit a nerve—Madam Russell cleared her throat.
Nobles may be the ones spending money, but they’re far too few. From the perspective of Madam Russell, who had already made a fortune from the railway business catering to the masses, a luxury goods business targeting only nobles probably felt unappealing.
It made perfect sense that someone born to be a businesswoman would be grappling with this dilemma.
“…I won’t deny it,” she answered with a somewhat sheepish tone.
Ah, so in other words—she dislikes commoners, but she still wants their money. But the idea of spending money on commoners to generate business ideas is also distasteful to her.
I barely swallowed the words lingering on the tip of my tongue. Instead, I chose a more tactful expression.
“So, Madam, are you saying that coming up with a business idea is your way of testing me?”
“Hmph…”
It seemed Johannes had a favor to ask of Madam Russell. If possible, it’d be ideal to ease her hostility toward me.
However…
“And yet, after making it so obvious how much you dislike me?”
I had to say it. I didn’t want to act servile toward someone I had done nothing wrong to.
Perhaps she had expected me to act humbly—Madam Russell’s face turned incredulous. Her ears turned bright red at what I said next.
“If you didn’t dislike me, I’d be happy to share. But I can’t give it away for free.”
“How insolent…!”
She slammed her hand on the table.
This must have been a first. A commoner daring to speak so rudely to her face.
But since she didn’t hurl insults at me, it seemed Johannes must have told some truly extravagant lies.
How is he planning to clean this up later? Or maybe he’s hiding an astonishing business idea.
Regardless, Madam Russell appeared to decide that displaying emotion toward a commoner was unwise. She soon returned to a neutral expression.
“Fine. For you to speak to me like that… you must have quite the idea.”
“Of course.”
To avoid being underestimated, I had to stay confident. I calmly placed my hands on the table and said,
“In fact, Madam, strictly speaking… my social status is higher than yours.”
“…What did you just say?”
“Exactly what it sounds like. Of course, I don’t expect to be treated as such. But if you’re seeking my input, I’d appreciate at least some respect.”
Madam Russell fell silent.
Nobles still tended to look down on money-making ventures as vulgar, so few engaged in serious business. That made it difficult for them to seek or even form business ideas that appeal to commoners.
Of course, someone like Madam Russell, who had earned unimaginable wealth, wouldn’t be seen as vulgar, but that level of success isn’t something just anyone can attain.
Anyway, she was probably weighing the costs and time involved in working with me and other commoners against the potential gains.
Businesspeople are usually stingy with spending, after all.
I once heard that big corporate CEOs are meticulous even about the smallest sums of change.
After a pause, she replied.
“Fine. Let’s do that.”
She must have judged that I was at least a reasonably well-mannered commoner, refined enough to converse with nobles.
“So, do you have a good idea?”
“I do.”
I answered confidently.
But my mind was completely blank.
“Ho…”
Her eyes sharpened—she looked like she was ready to hear it on the spot.
“But I won’t be telling you. If I share my idea and you move ahead with it first, I’ll have no rights to it. It could be a major hit.”
“I’ll compensate you. I’m not that kind of person.”
“Apparently, you don’t remember how you treated me. Understandable, of course. But I’m human too—I can’t fully trust you.”
“…”
“Surely, Madam, you’re not accusing me of lying—someone who should be trying to win your favor?”
“…Fair enough. But you’re awfully greedy.”
“It’s just common sense. I could ask my husband to back the idea and launch it first, but instead I’m coming to you—that alone should show I’m not being greedy.”
This was the Madam Russell—the one who had mercilessly pressed me the first time we met.
The fact that she was now tolerating me this much only proved how seasoned a businesswoman she was.
“But I have to at least hear it. How else can I assess the Duchess’s capabilities? I’m curious to see if you can come up with something convincing on the spot.”
“No, I can’t tell you.”
I had nothing to offer, so there was nothing I could say. Still, I had to act like someone brimming with a grand idea.
My palms were drenched in cold sweat, but I didn’t show it.
“No matter how much the royal family tries to block the Duke of Schultz’s funds, I’m sure I can easily raise capital for a business.”
“Ha!”
Madam Russell laughed, looking incredulous.
“A successful businessperson never reveals all their cards.”
Then, with a rather satisfied expression, she added,
“Very well, I don’t mind working with you. I’d like to partner with the Duchess.”
“I can’t share anything unless I see a contract.”
Her slightly softened face hardened again. She looked as though she found me annoyingly meticulous.
In the end, she raised the white flag first.
“Let’s meet again when we draft the contract. But if I don’t like the business idea you propose, I’ll cancel the agreement.”
“That’s only fair.”
I let out a sigh of relief internally but maintained a confident smile on the outside.
✧ ✧ ✧
Even after our discussion ended, Madam Russell didn’t leave. She sat, quietly watching the people mingling across the floor.
Just as I was debating whether I should excuse myself, she spoke softly.
“When you’re young, why do you have so little foresight?”
I looked at her, wide-eyed.
“You think everything will go your way, and you believe you can persuade anyone. But only after you’ve lost everything do you realize how foolish you were.”
She looked bitter, as though recalling a memory. Unsure how to respond to such a sudden confession, I cautiously asked,
“…Did that happen to you?”
“It did. I made the biggest mistake of my life. And by the time I realized it, far too much time had passed.”
The woman who had always seemed so strong looked fragile in that moment. I was about to say something comforting when—
“You two seem to have gotten close, given how quiet you are.”
Johannes had approached, checking my face with his eyes as if expecting to see signs that I’d been scolded.
Madam Russell’s softened expression immediately sharpened again.
“Don’t be ridiculous. What a thing to say.”
She expertly masked her expression with a light laugh.
“I’m hurt, Madam Russell,” came another voice.
“I was the one who invited you, and yet you’ve spent all your time with these two.”
Edward Windsor sauntered up, smirking and spouting nonsense.
Johannes’s face instantly twisted into a grimace. Noticing this, Madam Russell quickly stepped in.
“I know perfectly well that you two don’t get along, but please refrain from fighting in front of an old woman like me. I’m at an age where I only want to see and hear pleasant things.”
Edward waved his hand dismissively and nodded, as if to say she needn’t worry.
But when Johannes gave no reply at all, Edward seemed displeased. He turned to me instead, raising an eyebrow and glancing between Madam Russell and me.
Then he said,
“But now that I look at you… the two of you resemble each other quite a bit.”
