Chapter 47
Danae not only managed her own business but also gave Tanisha a great deal of help.
After her debutante ball, Tanisha immediately began working at the duke’s household.
Since she had little interest in high society, she struggled a lot when dealing with noble ladies.
Whenever that happened, Danae would step in to give her advice.
They said she had once served as a lady-in-waiting to the Empress, and indeed, she seemed born with natural social grace.
Watching Danae meticulously inspect the goods that kept arriving, Tanisha suddenly thought—if only she were my mother.
If that had been the case, perhaps she wouldn’t be someone else’s subordinate now, but a competent businesswoman in her own right.
Her parents had shown little interest in her education.
Tanisha had grown up nearly neglected.
So she had learned everything on her own.
It would be a lie to say she had never felt lonely.
As self-pity welled up, Rebecca came to mind. Raised by such a mother, Rebecca too must have possessed no small amount of talent.
But to think she had to live confined under the title of countess—Tanisha found herself, almost against her will, wishing for Rebecca’s safe divorce.
“Master! Someone has come from the Devonshire household.”
A worker came rushing into the warehouse, out of breath.
At the word Devonshire, Danae and Tanisha exchanged glances.
“I’ll be right there. Tell them to prepare refreshments, and guide the lady through the back door.”
Dusting off her skirt, Tanisha carefully reread the letter Rebecca had sent.
Even the single line in the postscript made her grin.
What a sweet order this is.
Her steps grew lighter.
Now—it was time to make money.
“This is already a generous offer.”
Pablo, the Devonshire family’s steward and a viscount, slid a card with the written amount across the table toward Tanisha with a haughty air.
Looks like this will be easier than I thought.
Glancing at the chubby cheeks that still betrayed Tanisha’s youth, Pablo quietly smiled.
Wine, alongside art distribution, was one of the Devonshire family’s core businesses.
Securing that business meant wealth and honor would naturally follow.
Though he was only a viscount, Pablo had clawed his way up, trampling over men of much higher birth, to become the one in charge of the wine trade.
Unlike other nobles who were blinded by their rank, he never let his work slip.
From vineyards to the wine shops that handled distribution, everything was under his strict supervision.
Then, one morning, all of the vineyard’s rose grapes had withered at once.
After much effort, he had identified the cause—but the real problem was the solution.
For some reason, the country’s entire supply of Tabara ladybugs had dried up. And it turned out they had all been purchased here, from Tanisha’s company.
At first, he suspected that her firm had deliberately killed off the rose grapes. But upon visiting, he realized that wasn’t possible.
A shabby trading house in the middle of the marketplace would have no reason to provoke the Devonshire earldom—unless it had gone mad.
And the head of this trading house was just a young girl.
She looked even younger than his own daughter. Relaxing his guard, Pablo thought it must have been pure luck that she had acquired the insects.
Smirking, he waited for Tanisha to happily accept the offer.
“Hm…”
Tanisha pretended to hesitate, studying the paper he had pushed toward her. Then she added another zero to the figure and pushed it back.
“You’ll have to pay at least this much.”
Pablo doubted his eyes.
“Listen, young lady. You must not know the value of money yet. No one would pay such a ridiculous price for mere insects.”
“Is that so?”
Without missing a beat, Tanisha added another zero.
“How about this price, uncle? Weren’t you the one in a hurry?”
“You—!”
That was easily five times the budget Zeppelin had allocated for him.
Pablo slammed his cane against the ground.
“Uncle?! And such outrageous prices! I am here representing the Devonshire family! Show some respect!”
“Oh, I only used the same address you did with me—‘young lady.’ I assumed we were keeping things consistent. Anyway, I did my homework. You’re in big trouble, aren’t you? Trouble with rose grape supplies? Let’s see… the summer festival is coming up, and so is the Crown Prince’s birthday banquet! With the busiest season right ahead, if I’m the only one holding the solution, isn’t raising the price just Business 101?”
Tanisha circled dates on a calendar and shoved it in front of Pablo.
“And your master is Zeppelin Devonshire, isn’t he? If you don’t solve this today, well—you might not live to see tomorrow.”
She even drew a line across her throat with her hand.
Pablo’s hand trembled on his cane.
“You dare act so arrogantly, knowing the Earl’s temper? Don’t you realize a shabby business like this could vanish overnight?”
“Oh? Then go ahead and try. Let’s bet on which happens first—my company collapsing, or you dying.”
Her face showed not a shred of hesitation.
By now, she no longer looked like an innocent girl but like an old, cunning devil smiling at him.
Cold sweat trickled down Pablo’s back.
The young mistress before him wasn’t negotiating—she was intent on stripping him bare.
And with no other options, he had no choice but to comply.
He could request more budget from Zeppelin, but then he’d have to admit he had bought insects at a ludicrous price.
That would be no different than proving his own incompetence.
And Zeppelin had no tolerance for incompetence. That meant Pablo would have to cover the difference out of his own pocket.
“Fix it! You know what will happen to your family every day this drags on, don’t you?”
He recalled Zeppelin’s furious words as they had stood over the vineyard, now blackened with diseased leaves.
Zeppelin never made idle threats.
No one knew better than Pablo that the man meant every word.
There’s no choice…
First he had to put out the fire burning at his feet.
Grinding his teeth, he snapped:
“Fine. We’ll deal.”
“I knew you’d come around. I already prepared the contract. All you need to do is sign.”
Her tone was almost cheerful now, as though softened by the thought of all the money about to fall into her lap.
But when Pablo began reading carefully through the contract, he jerked his head up.
“A lump sum? In advance? In cash? Are you out of your mind?!”
“Take it or leave it. Word is, you’re infamous for paying late. I’ve heard of more than ten businesses ruined because of you. So why should I trust you?”
“Even so, this is an impossible amount to raise in a single day!”
“What? The Devonshire family can’t come up with that much money? How disappointing. In that case, let’s cancel.”
Tanisha made a show of snatching the contract back.
But Pablo slammed his thick hand down on it first.
You wretched girl. I’ll make sure you pay for this.
Grinding his teeth, he scrawled his signature.
<Supply Secured.>
Croa discreetly showed a palm-sized slip of paper to Julian.
Julian smiled faintly, as though he had expected nothing less.
“My apologies for keeping you waiting. Some family matters arose…”
The Pope of the Defria Church collapsed onto a massive white sofa, wiping the sweat from his brow. His heavy frame made the seat sink.
“That’s quite all right. I lost track of time admiring the new sculptures.”
Waiting as long as necessary was natural.
In fact, Julian took some pleasure in watching the Pope’s discomfort.
After all, the “family matter” troubling His Holiness was none other than Julian’s handiwork.
The Pope, Desracino, was desperately searching for his fifth wife—who at this very moment was likely enjoying a sea voyage with Varinica.
Narrowing his eyes, Desracino studied Julian’s unusually relaxed demeanor.
What scheme is he plotting this time…?
Meow.
“Oh! Lord Leo!”
The cat stepped in between them. By obligation, Julian had to bring Leo to the temple once a month.
“If you’ll excuse me.”
A priest carried in a staff topped with a massive crystal. A hazy glow seeped from within.
The Pope took the staff reverently and lowered the crystal toward Leo’s head.
The instant they touched, a brilliant light burst forth.
Julian felt as though the ground were being pulled out from under him.
Never a pleasant feeling.
It was the symptom of vast divine power being drained.
Dizzy, Julian pressed a hand to his forehead.
But the priests paid him no mind, focusing solely on Leo’s wellbeing. Desracino did the same.
“How is it that you grow lovelier every time I see you?”
The Pope reached out with his pudgy hand to stroke Leo’s glossy fur.
But Leo narrowed his bright yellow eyes and bared his teeth. Desracino flinched and pulled back.
“M-my apologies.”
Every Pope in history had petted Leo at least once—but when would it be his turn?
With a look of deep disappointment, Desracino watched as Leo, almost flaunting his favoritism, padded gracefully back to Julian and licked the back of his hand.
Julian laughed softly.
“Leo, that tickles.”
The Pope narrowed his eyes.
What did the divine messenger see in this insolent brat, to love him so?
As the dizziness subsided, Julian’s gaze fell on the staff glowing in the priest’s hand.
The crystal at its tip now shone dazzlingly bright.
“Hah. All this just to make that toy light up? Every month, without fail? Do you realize every time you do this, it shortens my lifespan?”
But at his grumbling, Desracino’s expression didn’t shift in the slightest.
“To call a sacred relic a toy…! This Staff of Light, by its very presence, guides the wretched to salvation. Much like Lord Leo does.”
Julian’s brow furrowed sharply.
