Chapter 135……………………………………………………..
“Why?!”
At the declaration that struck like a bolt from the blue, Liena’s face turned pale.
“Why are you suddenly acting like this?!”
“It’s not sudden. I told you before. That research is unfinished. I said it still needed more experimentation.”
Liena searched her memory. Now that she thought about it, Kais might indeed have said something like that.
“But it’s practically complete. You said it would probably be finished in half a year.”
“I said that would be the case if the experiments concluded successfully.”
“Then what’s the problem? It’s only half a year! You could just speed things up a little!”
At Liena’s unreasonable insistence, the parrot made a sound like a sigh.
“I am not a puppet that produces inventions instantly just because you command it, my lady.”
“…What? Are you saying I treated you like a puppet?”
“Speed it up? That’s easy to say. If you had even the slightest understanding of my work, you wouldn’t say such a thing.”
The atmosphere was turning sour, and Liena’s red eyes rolled restlessly.
In the more than ten years she had interacted with Kais, she had never seen him take such a firm stance.
Aside from refusing to meet her in person, he had generally been someone with a weak sense of self-assertion.
At first he would hesitate, but whenever Liena pushed firmly, he would eventually relent with something like, “I really can’t win against you, Lady.”
But this time… I can’t push him.
Cooling her heated head, Liena tried to analyze the situation rationally.
Had it been a mistake to pressure the eccentric inventor because she wanted to regain her former glory as soon as possible?
But no matter what happened, she couldn’t afford to fall out with him now.
He was someone who could bring her many times the wealth he had already given her.
Deciding it was time to step back, Liena spoke in a subdued voice.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you hated it that much. And what I said earlier was careless.”
“…Is that so.”
“Will you forgive me?”
With just a slightly pitiful expression, the soft-hearted wizard’s momentum weakened.
“Forgive is a bit of a grand word… It wasn’t that big of a deal. It’s fine.”
Inside, Liena smiled in triumph.
“Really? I’m glad! I’ll postpone the new business for half a year, just like you said. That works, right?”
“No, it doesn’t.”
“What? Why?”
“Didn’t you hear what I just said? I clearly told you there will be no further dealings between us.”
“But I said I’d postpone it!”
“That’s a separate matter.”
“…Fine! Then I’ll give up on the new business.”
Of course, she had no intention of truly abandoning it, but Liena lied in order to change Kais’s mind.
“Instead, we’ll continue trading your other inventions like before, right?”
“That won’t happen either.”
“What?!”
“No matter what you say, there will be no more business between us.”
“Why? Did I do something wrong?”
“In any case, I cannot tell you the detailed reason. I’m not obligated to.”
“…That’s cruel. How can you do this to me?”
“I don’t understand. When we first met, wasn’t it you who suggested that if our mutual need disappeared, we should part cleanly at any time?”
That was something she had said only to appear open-minded and bold! Liena swallowed the words.
Back then, it had been the best way to get closer to the cautious Kais.
But she had never planned to maintain such a relationship forever.
She had believed that eventually—even someone like Kais—would lower his guard, and at that moment she would captivate him with her charm.
But Kais’s walls had been far higher than expected, and their relationship had made little progress.
“You don’t need me anymore?”
Seeing the parrot raise its wings, Liena hurriedly continued.
“Why? Even if the Iber Merchant Guild is gone, once I establish a new company I can sell your inventions better than anyone else in the world! That’s how it’s always been.”
“I’m sorry, but my decision is final. Thank you for everything until now.”
“Wait, Kais! Listen to me a little more—!”
But despite Liena’s desperate call, the parrot flew into the sky and disappeared.
Liena stared blankly out the window.
Is this really the end with Kais?
The desperate thought crossed her mind, but she quickly shook her head.
That couldn’t be true. They had spent so many years together—there was no way it would end in an instant like this.
More importantly, the eccentric inventor had been a benefactor who had helped Liena for a long time.
He wasn’t a villain—there was no way he would become her enemy.
“Right! Kais is just a little sulky right now.”
Walking around the empty room, Liena muttered to herself.
“I must have pushed him too hard and made him angry. Maybe he just wanted attention from me.”
Come to think of it, she had been so busy with other matters that she hadn’t paid much attention to Kais lately.
People around Liena often competed with each other to monopolize her affection.
“What do you all think?”
She called over her maids, who had stepped back earlier because of the sudden appearance of the parrot.
Although they were palace attendants under Mikhail, they tended to follow Liena more closely because she had been visiting Mikhail’s palace since she was very young.
“Of course! Anyone in their right mind would never dare dislike you, miss!”
One maid answered confidently after hearing only Liena’s partial explanation.
The others quickly chimed in.
“How could anyone dislike someone so beautiful and adorable?”
“And you always give us generous tips whenever you visit!”
Listening to them, the anxiety that had been tormenting Liena vanished.
After all, Liena had always been loved by many people—and surely always would be.
So Kais would certainly come back once some time passed and she soothed him properly.
Just then, Tara entered the room.
“Miss, I’ve placed the materials you asked for in the study.”
“Thank you! I knew I could count on you, Tara!”
“…It was nothing.”
At Liena’s praise, the other maids glared at Tara with jealous eyes.
Liena secretly enjoyed their obvious jealousy as she headed to the study.
On the desk were piles of documents related to the new merchant company she was about to establish.
She sat down and reviewed the paperwork, but before long she tossed the pen aside.
“Ugh… I don’t want to do this.”
Even if the unveiling of the new business had been postponed, there was no reason to delay launching the company itself.
Liena still possessed the exclusive rights to commercialize several of Kais’s inventions, and the profits from them would be substantial.
But the work was unbearably boring, and she had no motivation.
“Before, Cecil and Elliot handled most of this.”
Just as she began to miss their presence, an unexpected visitor came to see her.
“Why is such a cute face sighing?”
“Uncle!”
Isaac Cassius entered the study.
“Did you come to visit again today?”
“Of course. If I don’t see my dear niece for even a day, I feel uneasy.”
Recently, Isaac had been visiting the palace so often that even Mikhail seemed uncomfortable.
“Is something bothering you?”
“Well…”
After hearing Liena’s story, Isaac smiled sweetly and plucked the documents from her hands.
“That’s simple. I’ll help you.”
“You will?”
“Don’t you remember? I used to make quite a bit of money from business. I just quit because I got bored of it.”
“…That’s right.”
The Cassius duke’s siblings all lived comfortably in their own positions, but among them Isaac was known for his particularly sharp business sense.
“Will you really help me?”
“Just trust me. Besides, you shouldn’t be buried under such trivial paperwork.”
That was true.
Liena had far more important matters to deal with, such as negotiating with the temple and persuading Kais.
She didn’t have the leisure to review employee applications one by one.
“Thank you so much! You’re the only one I can rely on, Uncle.”
Overcome with gratitude, Liena hugged Isaac.
“Well then, I’d better work hard.”
Liena had no way of seeing the expression on Isaac’s face as he gently stroked her back.
“Then I’ll leave it to you, Uncle. I need to start preparing the most urgent thing—the celebration banquet.”
She turned back as she left the study.
“A celebration banquet?”
“It’s to celebrate the founding of the Baby Bunny Merchant Company.”
“…That’s quite a cute name.”
“Hehe, it’s a little embarrassing, but it’s a precious nickname my family gave me.”
“When is the banquet?”
“In two weeks!”
“Oh dear. That’s soon.”
“I wanted to announce the return of Merchant Leader Liena as soon as possible. The actual work can start later, so don’t feel too pressured!”
“That won’t do. Go ahead.”
With her uncle waving kindly, Liena walked away energetically.
Two weeks passed quickly.
The celebration banquet was held in the ballroom of the Luciano Ducal House, which had gladly offered Liena the venue.
“Lady Cassius, congratulations!”
“To think you started your own merchant company—how impressive!”
“The company name is so cute!”
Surrounded by people showering her with praise, Liena enjoyed the banquet.
Then suddenly, an odd tension began spreading through the hall.
“Oh my! Baron Luciviu is here!”
Someone’s shout captured the attention of everyone in the room.
