~CHAPTER 40~
“What is it?”
“How about starting a trading company under your name?”
Me, running a trading company…?
I widened my eyes at the sudden suggestion, and Till gave an awkward smile.
“From what I see, you’ll probably keep making and selling various items in the future… won’t you?”
“You’re right.”
“Then it would be much more profitable if you managed your own company!”
“Hmm, but I already have something important to focus on right now. Even if I set up a company, I’m not sure I could handle it properly.”
If I focused on Aizen’s medicine and the business failed, or vice versa, what would happen?
It’s common to lose both when chasing two rabbits at once.
I hesitated, torn between temptation and worry.
“Then…!”
Seeing my uncertainty, Till raised his hand and quickly spoke up.
“I-I mean, if that’s the case, please hire me to run it! I’ll take full responsibility for managing it!”
“Really? But Till, why would you…?”
He already has his own trading company, doesn’t he?
Puzzled, I looked at him, and Till gave a bitter smile.
“I’ll be honest. Our company’s sales are poor unless it’s your products. We’re close to shutting down. If you officially start a trading company and launch your business, mine won’t survive anyway. So I’d rather join you before that happens.”
In other words, he wants to switch jobs before his own company collapses… even though he’s the boss.
I stared at Till quietly.
When I first started selling tea leaves and perfumed oils, I had met other merchants before him.
But they all refused, saying my goods had no potential.
Only Till saw their value and accepted them.
While I was busy promoting everywhere, he worked hard meeting customers directly and selling them himself.
If he failed as a business owner, he was at least excellent as an employee.
Alright, I’ve decided!
“I’d be happy to keep working with you, Till. Let’s do it.”
“Thank you, Madam!”
Till, moved by my words, grabbed my outstretched hand and bowed several times.
After that, following his advice, I registered a company under my name — the “Jenna Trading Company.”
One owner and one employee.
A humble and modest start, but as soon as I officially became a business owner and ordered name cards, excitement bubbled up inside me.
For some reason, I had this baseless confidence that my company would become the top-ranked enterprise in the world one day.
Holding my white name card with shining blue pearl ink, I fluttered it proudly and went to find Aizen.
“Honey, look at this! My business card! Isn’t it cool?”
“Yes, it’s very nice.”
“Hehe, I never thought I’d become a CEO in my life. From now on, I’ll be the one supporting our family, so just trust me and follow my lead!”
I held the card up under the chandelier light and patted my chest proudly.
Aizen rested his chin on his hand and smiled faintly.
“You’re that happy?”
“Yes! I’m sooo happy! I built this company with my own strength. It feels like I finally have a place of my own.”
Of course, I was also Aizen’s wife and the lady of the Croitz family, but that was a title I had before transmigrating.
Being a trading company owner was something *I* achieved now.
As I smiled brightly enough to make my cheeks puff out, Aizen suddenly reached out and poked my cheek.
As if checking whether a peach was ripe.
Eh?
“…Ah. I-I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine. Poke the other side too.”
When he hesitated in embarrassment, I offered the other cheek, but he didn’t touch it.
He only opened and closed his hand awkwardly.
So I pulled back my face and handed him one of my cards.
“Here, take it. You’re the first person I’m giving it to.”
“I… don’t have anything to give in return.”
Aizen reached into his inner pocket, then paused.
He looked slightly regretful, so I made a suggestion.
“Should I make one for you? Aizen Croitz, the delicate, sculpture-like, sickly handsome husband of Jenna Croitz—”
“No need. I’ll just take yours.”
Tch, what a shame.
It would’ve been a perfect chance to advertise that he’s my husband wherever he goes.
“Ah, right. Starting next week, can you free your schedule every Wednesday? Once we confirm that your medicine has no harmful side effects, I’d like to start clinical trials.”
“Understood. Is there anything I should prepare?”
“Just eat well, sleep well, and come in good condition.”
Aizen nodded.
I waved and left, saying I’d see him later.
For now, Till was laying the foundation of the company, focusing on perfumed oils, tea leaves, and candles.
All that was left for me was to successfully create the medicine.
* * *
A month later.
Inside Duke Kalard’s office.
Aizen was listening to reports about a war that had broken out between two northern border kingdoms.
“The Kingdom of Bellium has taken the advantage, but both sides suffered heavy losses. They say they’re struggling to burn and dispose of the mountain of corpses.”
“Do we know why the war began?”
“The Crown Prince of Nerdehl rebelled, seized the throne by force, and launched a preemptive strike. But he died during battle, so the exact reason is unknown.”
Aizen tapped the desk lightly, deep in thought.
Two kingdoms that had maintained peace for years suddenly went to war, only for it to end within a month.
It was all too suspicious.
Kalard hadn’t even had time to intervene.
“Strengthen border security and keep a close watch on Bellium. Gaining confidence from victory, they might set their sights on our lands next.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
“Also, watch for deserters from both sides turning into roaming bandits.”
Ralph bowed respectfully and then took something out of his coat.
A letter sealed with a golden ribbon.
“It’s from that person.”
“Ah.”
Aizen accepted the unsigned letter as if he was used to it.
Thud.
Jenna’s business card, resting on the desk, slipped off and fell to the floor.
Ralph bent down to pick it up, and when he saw what it was, his expression grew complicated.
“This is… ahem, Lady Jenna’s card.”
“…What did you say?”
Who’s *Lady Jenna*?
Aizen doubted his own ears.
Ralph, who always called Jenna “that woman,” was suddenly being polite. It was strange.
Ralph rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly and explained.
“I, uh, heard a few things from my sister and got scolded for speaking rudely behind someone’s back.”
He hadn’t just been scolded — he’d been smacked on the back and nagged for hours.
He could still feel the sting.
“What exactly did you hear?”
“Um… I’m not sure if I should say without my sister’s permission.”
He could just ask her directly.
Right then, Nelle arrived.
Her steps were light, and her expression looked brighter than before.
“Good afternoon, Your Grace.”
“You look well. Something good must’ve happened?”
Nelle nodded, not denying it.
But before that, she had something else to report.
“It seems Lady Croitz has completely lost interest in social gatherings. She said she’ll only stay in touch with a few acquaintances like Lady Fischer and me.”
“That’s good.”
“I’ll make sure Lady Fischer keeps quiet, and if the Duchess says a word to the others, no one will make careless remarks around Lady Croitz.”
“I’ll inform my mother.”
For the first time, half of his goal had been achieved.
Aizen’s lips curved slightly in satisfaction.
“And my good news is… I’ve been blessed with a child.”
Nelle placed her hand gently over her stomach.
Aizen immediately understood and smiled warmly.
“Is that true? Congratulations.”
“Thank you. It’s all thanks to Lady Croitz.”
Nelle confessed about her long struggle with infertility and how Jenna had helped her.
Ralph, who had recently learned about this, had also softened his attitude toward Jenna.
“So, Your Grace… if you’ll allow it, I’d like to be friends with Lady Croitz. Would that be alright?”
“It’s your choice. She helped you, after all.”
“Thank you for understanding.”
Seeing that Aizen’s expression wasn’t displeased, Nelle let out a quiet breath of relief.
She had debated for a long time whether to speak with him.
Before Jenna lost her memory, she had known her true identity, and Nelle feared it would be disrespectful.
But the Jenna she knew now was so kind and warm that she couldn’t ignore her.
Still, befriending her secretly felt even ruder, so she chose to be honest instead.
When she imagined Jenna and Aizen side by side, a sudden thought came to mind.
“By the way, are you sick, Your Grace? Lady Croitz told me she started studying medicine because of your illness.”
“It’s just a setup.”
“Ah, so it’s part of your cover story.”
“Still, she seems to genuinely care about you.”
“…”
“May I ask one more thing?”
Aizen lifted an eyebrow, signaling for her to continue.
Nelle clasped her hands together, hesitating before speaking.
“You said Lady Croitz was a spy. But if she shows kindness to you the same way she did to me… would you forgive her for her past crimes?”
“…”
“Could you give her a chance to live a new life now that she’s lost her memories?”
Aizen’s eyes flickered slightly at the cautious question.
It was something he had never considered.
Once Jenna finished creating the medicine, once he recovered, and once he discovered who was behind her… what would he do with her then?
As silence stretched on, Nelle lowered her head.
“I’m sorry, that was out of line. The current Lady Croitz feels so different from what I heard… I got curious for no reason.”
“…No, it’s fine. It’s a fair question.”
Aizen waved his hand casually, pretending to be unbothered, and dismissed her.
But inside, he felt uneasy.
It had already been several months since he began this fake marriage with Jenna.
Unlike before, he could no longer tell what kind of ending this play was heading toward.
* * *
The past month.
I had gone through every medical book I could find, searching for information on the disease called Frozen Blood Syndrome.
But to my surprise, not a single one mentioned it!
Maybe it’s just too rare.
In the end, I had to analyze the illness myself and start developing a cure on my own.
The main symptom of Frozen Blood Syndrome was blood freezing inside the body.
In other words — blood coagulation.
If so, wouldn’t it make sense to use herbs that could *melt* or dissolve blood clots?
Using that theory, after several rounds of trial and error, I had already made my third sample.
The first two had failed.
I tested the medicine on myself first to ensure there were no harmful side effects, then called Aizen over.
“Honey, this medicine isn’t harmful to humans… but it does have one fatal side effect.”
As I held his hands tightly and spoke seriously, Aizen’s expression also turned grave.
