Lord Baby Runs A Romance Fantasy With Cash [EN]: Chapter 159

It was the only scar on Sidrian’s back, which was otherwise flawless.

‘Did it hurt a lot?’

Bloop, bloop.

Ruatisha put her lips in the water and blew a puff of air.

‘He was sold as a slave and his body was covered in scars, but this one definitely wasn’t there back then…’

Thanks to Ruatisha’s efforts, all the scars on young Sid’s body had disappeared.

‘I was so proud when I saw his clean back一. Huh?’

Ruatisha’s eyes widened at the sudden memory.

‘There was definitely something on Sid’s back back then…’

She remembered.

She remembered when she thought the mole was cute.

It wasn’t a past life.

Thump, thump, thump, thump!

Her heart beat rapidly.

‘Could it be?’

Ruatisha jumped up, causing the water to ripple.

The otter friend, who had been scurrying nearby, was pushed far, far away.

Ruatisha’s face, reflected on the rippling surface of the water, loomed large.

* * *

Inside the office in the middle of the day.

I looked through the documents Yelloche gave me and nodded.

“Yeah, good. It’s neat. Let’s wrap up the poorhouse issue like this.”

I stamped the seal with a thud.

“What’s next?”

“We’re starting to get requests from other territories to open Kochon Chicken branches. It’s very popular, you know?”

Gründ winked and handed me the documents.

It listed the territories that wanted to open Kochon Chicken branches, along with location suggestions for each territory.

“Hmm, it’s time to expand to other territories.”

“Wouldn’t 제도 [Jeju Island, a symbolic place] be the best place to start? It has symbolism, too.”

“No. 제도 [Jeju Island] is fine as it is. There’s no need to borrow 제도’s [Jeju Island’s] symbolism.”

“Ah, I guess that’s true. It’ll be enough that it’s trending in the Paeraton territory.”

“Let’s start with one place first. I’ll think about where to go and let you know.”

“Understood.”

As Yelloche and Gründ left, I stretched.

Duke Dier narrowed his eyes as he looked at me.

“You’ve already decided where to go, haven’t you?”

“Huh?”

“I’m talking about the first place to launch Kochon Chicken.”

I grinned.

“You know?”

“Of course, I know. How many years have I been serving you, Miss?”

“Good. Then you know what I’m thinking, too.”

“You’re thinking of planting a spy.”

“A spy? Don’t say such scary things…”

“Isn’t that right?”

“Hmm, I just thought it would be nice to have a bright, sharp kid with good ears and eyes as a clerk there.”

I stuck out my tongue, and Duke Dier chuckled and shook his head.

“The lords and local officials aren’t fools. Maybe later, but at first, they’ll definitely check if their territory residents are clerks.”

“Yeah, but it doesn’t matter, does it?”

“Hoo, I understand. I’ll find some people.”

“Good work.”

I waved my hand.

Kochon Chicken wasn’t a high-end store for nobles, but a store where anyone could enjoy clean and delicious chicken.

‘Because the greatness of Chicken God must be shared with many people!’

一But there’s also that.

‘The stories that go around among the common territory residents are surprisingly useful.’

That’s right.

I was planning to use Kochon Chicken, which had entered other territories, as an information-gathering organization.

Even among the nobles who use it, the cautious ones will be careful because Kochon Chicken belongs to the Paeraton ducal family.

But what about the average territory residents?

No matter who the owner is, if it’s delicious, they’ll go and eat it, and when they get drunk, they’ll share this and that story with their close friends. Wouldn’t they even curse the country?

The people who actually work there are all commoners like them.

‘Sell chicken and make money, and collect information!’

Isn’t this killing two birds with one stone!

‘Hehe!’

Duke Dier, who was watching me laugh, pouted.

“Please braid my hair.”

“If you find someone good.”

“…! It’s a promise!”

“So, find someone good!”

“I’ll find someone good no matter what it takes.”

Duke Dier’s eyes blazed.

“Above all, I am! A loyal servant of the Miss, whose abilities were proudly recognized by the Miss in front of everyone一.”

Tingle.

“No, I’m her aide!”

Duke Dier proudly puffed out his chest.

He’s always been like that since he heard me say ‘aide’ at the dawn festival.

I shook my head.

“The Lady’s own information personnel are being replenished one after another. Once this is established and combined with Paeraton’s intelligence, there will be nothing we can’t find out.”

Count Kandor smiled.

“How’s the oriental medicine clinic doing?”

“Here’s the information that’s been collected.”

I checked the documents Count Kandor handed me.

Some of the information caught my eye, but I didn’t have any plans to do anything with it.

“Let’s just keep track of this much and leave it alone. If I show that I know, they might suspect the relationship between Paeraton and the oriental medicine clinic.”

“Do you think they threw out bait to see if there were any backroom deals between Paeraton and the Anseur Merchant Guild?”

“There are always cautious people.”

Count Kandor smiled.

“I was going to suggest the same thing. The Lady has the same perspective as me at the tender age of eleven.”

That’s because I’ve been rolling around in all sorts of part-time jobs and black companies in my past life.

Even if only three people gather, power is created, and even if it’s not a great place一 no, rather, that’s why there are more petty fights.

‘And I’ve read thousands of romance novels, so there’s a lot to refer to about how the heroine succeeded and failed in information warfare.’

“But you should look at this information separately.”

Count Kandor handed me a small folded card.

“The Empress sent a letter to Grand Madame Croffel…”

“The noble ladies were talking about it for a while.”

“Well, they would.”

It was a very good choice for the Empress to recruit Grand Madame Croffel.

Grand Madame Croffel is the mother of Count Croffel, who has been in charge of the Central Selection Conference for several years.

Of course, Count Croffel’s connections are golden connections.

‘It’s the best situation for the Empress.’

Madame Huen happened to present a fake elixir at Grand Madame Croffel’s party.

It was Madame Sheruin’s consideration to provide Madame Huen with a good debut stage, but…

‘Thanks to that, Grand Madame Croffel got a lot of mud splashed on her.’

Madame Huen’s public reputation is like this.

A shameless woman who tried to frame me, a child, by using her own daughter to plot because she couldn’t do it with her skills.

In the process, the Empress Dowager was almost seriously injured.

Of course, Madame Croffel and Madame Sheruin’s reputations were bound to be tarnished.

‘And that must have seemed like a chance for the Empress to turn things around.’

When others hesitate, wouldn’t they take a hand in difficult times?

“And a letter came for you, Miss.”

“A letter?”

It’s common for me to get letters.

But Duke Dier is handing it to me directly like this.

‘Is it important?’

Is it related to a business related to the territory?

Or is it a letter from the Anseur Merchant Guild owner?

But it was neither.

The envelope had a welcome name on it.

Dana.

It was a letter from that little girl who was abused by Lady Aphelia and Cynthia.

I checked the contents of the letter and pondered for a moment.

Knock, knock.

Orca, my exclusive butler, opened the office door and came in.

“Miss, it’s time to go out.”

“Ah, is it that time already?”

I nodded and got up.

I had an appointment with Madame Sheruin and Grand Madame Croffel today.

* * *

Madame Sheruin’s mansion was neat and not extravagant.

At the same time, it was dignified and disciplined, giving it a sense of weight.

“They’re waiting inside.”

As the butler opened the door, the perfect spring sunshine poured down on my head.

Unlike the rather heavy atmosphere inside the mansion, this room was made up of windows on three sides, making it very warm and bright.

A subtle scent of flowers and grass floating in the air.

“Welcome, Ruatisha. Last time, I invited you outside, so this is your first time coming to my house.”

“Wow, it’s so pretty. The room is full of spring. Is this where 〈Metis〉 is held?”

“You know it well.”

“〈Metis〉 is famous! But I didn’t know you’d greet me in this room.”

The ‘Spring Room’ in Sheruin’s mansion was more famous as ‘Metis House’.

Because 〈Metis〉 has been meeting in this room ever since it was first launched.

I heard that the door to this place is locked tightly except on the days when 〈Metis〉 meets.

“A precious guest who must be treated with sincerity has come, so I chose the room with the most heart I could show.”

“A precious guest?”

“I’m sorry, Ruatisha. I shouldn’t have dragged Madame Huen into society, making you go through things you shouldn’t have.”

Madame Sheruin, who had risen from her seat, bowed to me.

I froze, not knowing what to do with the formal apology of a highly respected noblewoman.

“Honestly… I was really shocked by this and that.”

I approached Madame Sheruin and took her hand.

“But they say you can know ten fathoms of water, but not one fathom of a person’s heart. They say the most difficult thing is people’s hearts.”

Madame Sheruin looked at me and smiled bitterly.

“I prided myself on having a pretty good eye for people.”

“Even a skilled coachman can overturn a cart.”

“Thank you.”

Madame Sheruin looked at me with kind eyes.

Well, she’s not just comforting me.

To be honest, Madame Sheruin is a noblewoman with thick bones, and she wouldn’t be hurt by this kind of thing.

She’s just sorry to me.

I grinned.

“The true value of a coachman will be revealed in how he handles the overturned cart.”

At my words, Madame Sheruin blinked and burst out laughing, “Ahahaha!”

“Indeed, indeed.”

Grand Madame Croffel, who had been watching quietly from the side, nodded and threw a joke.

“Madame Sheruin, you’ll have to behave yourself?”

“Haha, I guess I will.”

Madame Sheruin sat me down and said.

“Eat the Pavlova first. You only ate one piece last time and couldn’t eat it properly.”

She must have kept in mind that I only ate one piece of Pavlova because of Ariel last time.

I ate the Pavlova and talked with the ladies.

Madame Sheruin couldn’t hide her anger at Madame Huen.

At the same time, she repeatedly expressed her apologies to Grand Madame Croffel.

It couldn’t be helped, since her request had damaged Grand Madame Croffel’s insight and reputation.

“Still. Grand Madame Croffel’s party is also the place where Gongjin-dan [a traditional Korean medicine] was first introduced.”

At my words, Grand Madame Croffel smiled.

“Thank you for saying that.”

“It’s the truth.”

This was a kind of permission.

‘This will reduce the talk about Grand Madame Croffel’s insight.’

I ate the last bite of Pavlova cleanly and grinned.

“Was my meeting with you two helpful today?”

The two noblewomen looked somewhat surprised at my words.

“The reputation and connections you two have built up are not sandcastles that will collapse in an instant.”

Count Croffel is still the host of the selection conference.

Unless something special happens, he will continue to do so in the future.

In other words, Grand Madame Croffel’s power is still alive, even if it falters for a while.

“The reason people are hesitating now is because they’re watching Paeraton’s every move. Right? Because I’m the victim of this incident.”

If they confirm that the relationship between me and the two ladies is okay, they won’t be watching anymore.

‘Of course, in the case of Madame Sheruin, she will have to establish her own achievements again.’

“You’re very sharp. But the reason I invited the Lady and Grand Madame Croffel today was really to apologize.”

“I dare not doubt Madame Sheruin’s sincerity. However, if I was helpful as an additional effect一.”

“You have to pay the price.”

“Hehe, why say that so far? It’s just that a mutually beneficial relationship is good.”

Grand Madame Croffel, who had been staring at me, opened her mouth.

“The Empress sent me a letter.”

“Oh my, did she?”

“I sent a reply. I’ll visit you soon.”

Grand Madame Croffel smiled as she gazed at me.

“I guess I was careless because it was a warm spring… This old body seems to have caught a terrible cold.”

Grand Madame Croffel, who said that, looked not only strong but also youthful.

“Oh my. If you’re sick, you can’t go out.”

“I can’t help it. The Empress will understand.”

Good.

This completely prevented the Empress and Grand Madame Croffel from joining hands.

‘After isolating the Empress一.’

“Ruatisha, do you like this room?”

Madame Sheruin asked me.

“Yes! I thought it would be a more academic atmosphere, but I like it because it’s warm and has a lot of plants.”

“Leaving it as it is is the most academic thing. I’m glad you like it.”

“Yes?”

“Because I want you to be a member of 〈Metis〉.”

[Quest 〈Conquer Society!(1)〉 has been completed.]

[You have been awarded a 3000 Cash Gacha Ticket as a reward.]

[Madame Sheruin is a person who has left great academic achievements that will be featured in textbooks several times!]

[You have elicited recognition and admiration from a master-class figure!]

[You have become the youngest member of 〈Metis〉, one of the three major clubs in the Imperial Society!]

[Your influence within the Empire has greatly increased!]

[Additional rewards will be provided!]

[A new quest has arrived.]