~Chapter 36~
“Are you sure you’ll be alright going in alone?”
“Yeah. If we go together, it’ll only make him more suspicious. I’ll go in by myself.”
The Marquis of Valandier had put a lot of effort into arranging my escort, but hadn’t yet found someone as reliable as Aldin, so he temporarily filled the role himself.
Since I’d been pushy the first time we met, I thought he’d dislike me. But surprisingly, Aldin treated me with care and sincerity.
Leaving his worried expression behind, I checked that my appearance was neat and knocked on the door.
Knock knock—
“Come in.”
A rough voice answered, and I entered the room.
Viscount Joubert’s upper-floor office was filled with expensive decorations, enough to impress any guest.
What stood out most was a dazzlingly ornate floral sofa—so flashy, even I, who liked flowers, found it overwhelming.
“Even I, who love flowers, had never seen something so gaudy. It looked more like an abstract painting than a real floral design.”
“You’re quite an unexpected visitor.”
Even though we had scheduled this, he acted like I was some surprise guest.
By treating me like an uninvited intruder, Viscount Joubert was clearly trying to take control of the conversation from the start.
“Such a shallow tactic. It reminded me of those three daughters I met at the ball. Like father, like daughters.”
“Did I come earlier than our appointment? I wasn’t expecting a warm welcome, but I thought you’d at least greet me kindly.”
I smiled and calmly looked around the office.
‘There’s no hidden room here.’
The space wasn’t big enough to contain a secret compartment or hidden mechanism. I briefly considered a basement, but this was the top floor of a four-story building—going back and forth from a basement wouldn’t be easy. Likely not the case.
“If he’s this paranoid, he wouldn’t keep important things outside his control. No one to trust means he probably keeps the ledger in that safe.”
Walking slowly, I pretended to admire the room while organizing my thoughts. If I took too long, it might look suspicious. Reluctantly, I sat on the overly ornate sofa.
As if waiting for that moment, the viscount sat across from me with a scowl, trying to assert dominance. He looked like a bandit chief.
“Maybe I should’ve listened to Aldin and brought him in…”
But no, bringing in an escort would’ve just increased the viscount’s suspicions and complicated things.
My role today was simple: a clueless noble girl who didn’t know how to carry herself after suddenly rising in status.
“The more he underestimates me, the better.”
Looking at his clenched fist, the size of my face, I calmly began.
“Your daughters have been bullying Serel. I didn’t even need to dig deep—ask any academy student and you’ll hear the same.”
“Kids fight sometimes. No need for adults to get involved in every little thing.”
He clicked his tongue like he was annoyed.
“If their relationships stayed within the academy, there’d be no need to throw two balls a year, would there?”
“What? Are you threatening to cut my daughters’ social ties?”
“Oh? Why does it sound like a threat to you? Didn’t you just say kids fight sometimes?”
“Why, you—!”
“Of course, I’m not threatening you. I wouldn’t have come all this way just for that, right?”
“Then what…?”
“I thought it’d be better for everyone if we smooth things out between the girls. Maybe even help them get along.”
I raised my voice slightly as if offering a good deal.
“If I come off as a naive girl, that’s even better.”
“You also run a trading company, right? Everyone in the Empire knows Valandier’s name. I imagine you’d like your own to grow that big too. Just running a small business between the East and Razan must not be enough.”
“Are you mocking the Joubert Trading Company?”
“Why do you keep twisting my words like that, Viscount?”
“Hmm.”
I wanted to sound like a clueless girl bragging too confidently, but his inferiority complex made him take everything the wrong way.
“If he keeps getting emotional, this won’t go anywhere.”
I held back a sigh and gave him time to gather his thoughts.
“So… are you saying you want to make a deal with us?”
“Yes! That’s exactly it!”
“And why would the great Valandier want to deal with us?”
He wasn’t a complete fool—he showed some caution at my proposal.
I placed my hands neatly on my lap and glanced around nervously, pretending to be anxious.
“Actually… my father gave me an assignment. He told me to complete a good business deal—said it’s something expected of a Valandier daughter. Then I heard about Serel… and it just clicked.”
“Hmm… so you thought of dealing with us.”
“Exactly! We fix the issue with Serel, and I complete my assignment. It’s a win-win. Since you’re a strong father figure, a little talk with your daughters would stop the bullying. Isn’t that a great idea?”
It was a ridiculously shallow proposal.
And yet, the viscount reacted—his scary face twitching like he was actually interested.
Even though I said it was my ‘father’s assignment,’ I had come here representing the Valandier name. That alone would flatter someone like him.
“For someone with an inferiority complex, this kind of flattery is irresistible.”
Just imagining being able to spread rumors like “The Valandier company came to us asking for a deal” would be too good for him to pass up.
“Who’d believe such a silly rumor? But still…”
I blinked innocently and smiled as harmlessly as I could.
Then I added a little fake seriousness—cleared my throat and pretended to act more noble.
I wanted to look like a clueless girl just stepping into noble society, desperate to be recognized.
“Hmm, well… I understand what you’re saying. A deal with us would be quite a big success.”
My act wasn’t even that convincing, but he still fell for it and chuckled.
“Maybe I’m a better actor than I thought.”
“The Valandier company trades goods all across the continent. If you need something in the East, we can offer great terms.”
“The terms are good, but we don’t really have anything worth selling to you.”
“It doesn’t have to be a ‘thing,’ does it?”
I smiled softly, letting the next suggestion fall naturally.
“On the way east, just let one of our deliveries pass through you. Like a small shipment. If there’s nothing you want in return, we’ll make it up with a delivery fee. A trade has to be beneficial for both sides, right?”
In other words:
“You just move our goods. We’ll pay you well.”
Of course, there were no actual goods. The point was to make the deal happen and get my name recorded in the ledger.
The viscount looked tempted but cautious. His narrowed eyes watched me carefully.
“Hmm… and this delivery—what exactly is it?”
“He’s curious. Just playing hard to get.”
It was time to seal the deal.
