SMR | Chapter 65

~Chapter 65~

At the beginning of the business, Catherine felt guilty that those who served God were also making money.

She even lost sleep, worrying that they might be using God for profit.

But when they were able to welcome the orphans from Epere with open arms, when they could pay the monks and nuns even a small amount for their hard work, and when they could double their meal services to the poor from once to twice a week, Catherine’s perspective changed.

“This must be the answer to my prayers,” she thought.

“God has sent Sister Harriet to our convent.”

Once, the Saint Clarissa Convent was a place filled with tears over the harsh reality.

Now, Harriet and the convent looked at each other with smiles.

If this wasn’t divine will, what was?

“We’ll do our best, too. Most importantly, we will not be misled by greed.”

“I believe in you,” Harriet replied with a bright smile, picking up her bag.

She needed to hurry if she wanted to visit Emma, Sophia, and the people in the soap workshop—as well as Marie, who was in charge of the herb workshop.

But the first thing that caught Harriet’s eye as she stood up was the snow outside, which had turned the world white.

It was bright, and she’d just assumed it was because it was daytime—but now she realized the light was being reflected off the snow-covered ground.

“Um… looks like I’ll be staying a little longer until the snow melts, Mother Catherine.”

Catherine also seemed to notice the snowfall.

She walked to the window, opened it, and stretched out her hand.

The breeze that came in wasn’t as cold as expected.

“Hmm… it looks like it’ll keep snowing through tonight. There might be a bit of piled up, but it’ll all melt in about three days, so don’t worry.”

“Does God tell you the weather too?”

“When you’ve lived as long as I have, you get a sense for these things. If the snow were going to pile up so badly the carriage couldn’t move, my nose would feel much colder than this.”

Harriet decided to trust her.

Spending a night at the convent made her feel more relaxed—it wasn’t a bad thing at all.

When Emma heard that Harriet would be staying overnight, she excitedly raised her hand and exclaimed:

“Sleep in my room! I’ll sleep on the floor!”

Anyone could guess what that really meant:

She wanted to chat late into the night.

Catherine chuckled and offered a better solution.

“There’s a two-bed guest room for travelers. Sister Harriet and Emma can stay there tonight.”

“Yes, Mother Catherine!”

Emma’s face was clearly overjoyed.

And she had no idea just how much that meant to Harriet.

“I thought I’d never have a friend again in my life.”

Emma felt more like a younger sister than a friend, but it didn’t matter.

To Harriet, simply feeling the warmth of someone’s affection in her life again was enough to make her feel overwhelmingly happy.

***

Because it was the Holy Celebration Week, another visitor had come to the Saint Clarissa Convent.

“Welcome, Duke. Was your trip here alright?”

“It’s been a while, Mother Catherine. I didn’t contact you in advance again, and I feel half-guilty, half-glad that you’re welcoming me so kindly.”

Duke Cedric Kailas, visiting again this year like last, was still as gentlemanly as ever.

Though he said he hadn’t sent word ahead, Catherine already had a feeling he would come.

After all, about a month ago, one of the Kailas household’s retainers had sent a letter asking:

“What is the most urgently needed item at the convent?”

Since Cedric had already donated 200,000 Dirham to expand the soap and herb workshops, Catherine had politely declined further donations in a letter. But still, she had a feeling he would come.

“A powerful duke like him must be getting offers from major temples everywhere. Yet he still remembers our small convent… That’s touching, but I can’t help wondering why.”

But when Cedric arrived, he looked completely relaxed, as if it was only natural for him to come.

After exchanging greetings and entering the office with Catherine, he handed her an envelope.

“Please use this where it’s most needed.”

It wasn’t a box full of money like last year, but judging by the feel of the envelope, it likely contained a similar amount. It wouldn’t be proper for a duke to donate less than before.

‘Maybe he thinks high-denomination notes are more convenient now,’ Catherine mused, realizing again how much the convent’s financial situation had improved.

As she offered him tea, Catherine expressed her sincere gratitude for his continued support of their soap business.

“Thanks to your additional donation, the expansion of the soap and herb workshops is nearly complete. Without your help, we wouldn’t have been able to meet the demand.”

“I simply did what was best for me as an investor. It’s the nuns and monks who deserve thanks—for maintaining such high quality under difficult conditions and tight schedules.”

Investing such a large sum in a business where returns wouldn’t come anytime soon was not something just anyone could do. And yet Cedric humbly credited others for the success. This made Catherine begin to warm up to him.

‘I still can’t quite figure him out… but he doesn’t seem like a bad person.’

After all, the reason he had invested in this business was to “repay” the struggling convent.

Feeling pleased and proud, Catherine explained how the convent was currently operating and how they were producing soaps and other goods.

Cedric listened quietly, nodding, and then carefully began to speak.

“You might take this oddly, but I don’t think ‘St. Clarissa Soap & Herb’ should just stay as a soap shop. I think the product range should expand—and maybe we should change the name to something simpler…?”

Catherine blinked in surprise and adjusted her glasses.

“That’s exactly what Sister Harriet said. Did the two of you discuss this together?”

“Pardon? Miss Harriet Listerwell has already been here?”

“She arrived yesterday. She suggested that we drop the long store name and create a proper brand—‘Clarissa.’ She also said we should sell more than just soap and skincare products. Something about… telling our own story?”

Catherine relayed what Harriet had said, and Cedric felt genuinely surprised.

‘Was I… one step behind her?’

He remembered that Harriet’s original business proposal had mentioned expanding the product range. But the idea of fully branding it—making it into something more—was exactly what he had been planning too.

‘Harriet Listerwell… she really has a good business sense.’

And to think, she planned to hand over full rights of the business to the convent once it was on track. The fact that she cared this much for something that would no longer be hers—Cedric found it admirable.

“Did she say anything else?”

“She said that if we manage quality, design, storytelling, and consistency, she believes the brand ‘Clarissa’ will succeed. She stayed up late last night talking with our team leads and even toured the facilities.”

“Around what time did she leave?”

He asked because he was concerned about her traveling alone after dark. But Catherine shook her head.

“It snowed last night, remember? She stayed the night here. We’ll probably need to wait for the snow to melt a bit before sending someone to call her carriage. The snow didn’t stop until this morning…”

Cedric paused for a moment, staring at her—then it dawned on him.

“Then… she’s still here?”

“Yes, that’s right. She might have to stay again tonight too.”

His eyes dropped to the teacup on the table.

Indeed, the closer he got to the convent earlier, the deeper the snow had gotten. His carriage could handle it just fine, but the rented carriage Harriet would call for wouldn’t be the same.

For the coachmen, the risk of damage from slipping on snowy roads would outweigh the pay—so Harriet would be stuck until the snow melted.

Cedric’s long lashes lifted again.

“Since I have my carriage here, wouldn’t it be better not to call for another one? It’s also a bit dangerous for a woman to travel alone by hired carriage.”

Catherine smiled warmly at the thought.

“Sister Harriet will be delighted! Thank you for your consideration.”

“She is my business partner, after all.”

Not long after that exchange, Harriet—summoned by Catherine—entered the office.

“You called—oh?”

Harriet noticed the man sitting opposite Catherine before anything else.

His presence was not something easily ignored.

“Had I known you were coming, I would have sent my carriage for you, Miss Harriet.”

“I didn’t know you’d be coming either, Your Grace.”

Though even if she had known, she probably wouldn’t have had the nerve to suggest they travel together.

At that slightly awkward and strange moment, Catherine stepped in between the two.