Chapter 366: Expanding Business
“Uwaaah… This is definitely the entire year’s account book! Why do I have to handle the year-end bookkeeping? I’m a novelist, not an accountant…”
In the small but bright room, Clund sat on a chair, checking every income and expense in the account book. His desk was covered with all kinds of finance reports. A large page about clothing and materials was spread out across the table.
Beside him, Carle looked much more relaxed. He was sitting in the sunlight, holding a cup of hot tea in his left hand and a newspaper in his right. Even though his face still looked young, his posture and attitude were like that of an old man enjoying his morning.
“Consider it expanding business.”
Carle took a sip of tea and said this quietly.
On the topic of “expanding business,” Carle did have a lot of experience.
After all, he was originally just a rich merchant’s son. He was supposed to inherit the family business. But instead, he signed up to become a knight. Even then, he didn’t start as a real knight, he was just a cook in the Knights’ Headquarter’s kitchen.
From being a cook, he later followed the army onto the battlefield. Step by step, he worked his way up from a low-ranking soldier, passing through many challenges, until most people finally recognized the former “rich chef’s son.”
Originally, people thought he would keep fighting on the battlefield and make a name for himself. But instead, he became Armand’s vice-captain. Since Armand hated handling all the messy paperwork, Carle’s position, though officially “vice-captain,” was basically like Armand’s secretary.
He was a military man doing administrative work. And as a “secretary,” he still had to lead soldiers in training. In a way, his life was one big lesson in “expanding business.”
“…Sigh…”
Clund could only sigh at this, then went back to calculating the numbers. Thankfully, Anna paid him well for this job. Even if it was just for the sake of having a comfortable New Year, he was determined to finish his work.
Carle quietly drank his tea, his attention on the newspaper in his hands.
The old King’s return was known to everyone, and all eyes were on the upcoming New Year’s party. Carle, of course, was also invited. Like Armand, his wife and daughter were invited as well. This gave Carle a headache because he really didn’t want his daughter to appear in the public eye.
Just imagining all those people who wanted to climb the social ladder staring at her made him feel disgusted.
But it wasn’t easy to refuse the King’s banquet. Making too many excuses would only draw the King’s attention, and for someone like Carle, who could leave the Knights’ Order at any time, that would not be a good thing.
So, like everyone else, he paid close attention to this upcoming ball, wondering whether it would be a “trap banquet” and which faction it might target.
“Clund.”
“Yes? What is it, Mr. Carle?”
Hearing Carle call him, Clund quickly wrote down the number he had just calculated in the account book, then looked up at the man whose expression almost never changed.
“Are you from around here?”
“No. I only came to the royal capital because the publishing office wanted me to do promotion. I’ll probably leave after the New Year. Right now, I’m just doing New Year promotions.”
“I see. Then do you have a place to live in the city?”
“Yes. I have a small rented place. The editor helped me find it. During the day, I sometimes go to the publishing office. When I have nothing else to do, I come to the shop to help out or work on my novel. At night, I go back to my rented apartment.”
Clund didn’t know why Carle suddenly started asking about these things, but he still answered clearly. He was afraid that Anna’s cousin was interrogating him.
Clund and Anna, of course, had no relationship beyond work and friendship. To prove this, he even emphasized that he always went back to his rented apartment at night and never stayed over to disturb Anna’s life.
“This is for you.”
Clack, clack.
Two diamond-shaped magic stones, one blue and one red, were placed on the table by Carle, landing right on top of the newspaper that had a big report about the King’s New Year’s banquet.
“Hm? This is…?”
“The blue one is a communication device. I connected it to my private line. You can contact me, Anna, and some of my subordinates in the Knight Order. You’ve helped out quite a lot here. As Anna’s partner in work, I think she may need to contact you sometimes too. If you have any problems, you can contact me. If I can’t be reached, you can talk to my men, they will handle it.”
“…Wow…!”
At first, Clund didn’t think much about Carle’s explanation. He assumed it was just to make Anna’s work easier, like calling him in for errands.
But when he heard the last part, his eyes lit up instantly.
This was the private line of the vice-captain of the Knight Order! If there’s a problem, he could contact him, and his men can even handle it for him?
That was basically having a connection to someone very powerful!
With this, maybe even if he wrote some “edgy” content, no one would dare to bother him. He wouldn’t have to run around every time an editor wanted him to revise an article!
Of course, all of this stayed in Clund’s thoughts. He would never use this favor for something so silly.
“What about the other one?”
After carefully putting away the blue stone, Clund looked at the red crystal next to it.
“That one is a bomb.”
“—Huh?!”
…………………………………………
Meanwhile, on the other side, Rachel had stood up. Anna carefully measured her from head to toe, noting down every precise measurement in her notebook.
“If everything goes as scheduled, I can definitely finish the dress before New Year. Don’t worry, Miss Evelia.”
After finishing the measurements, Anna confidently made her promise.
“Will there be enough time?”
“Of course. As long as it’s for you, I can get it done.” Anna smiled and handed Evelia a small cookie dusted with sugar. “I just hope you can feel a little happier. Everything will pass, Miss Evelia.”
“……”
The sugar melted in her mouth, it was so sweet.
“Thank you.”
Evelia lowered her head and brushed the crumbs from her lips.
Even though Anna didn’t ask any questions or try to touch Evelia’s wounds, she could tell from the gloomy look on her face the moment she entered the shop that Evelia had been under a lot of pressure.
Anna was a businesswoman, and businesspeople knew how to read people well.
She hadn’t seen Evelia in a while, and after hearing about Armand’s situation, she had been worried the whole time.
But Anna knew that, in the end, she was just a “friend,” an outsider. Evelia’s family matters were not something she could interfere in.
So she had simply waited for an opportunity, waited for the day Evelia would come visit again.
Maybe it was because they hadn’t seen each other for a long time, but Anna could clearly notice the changes in Evelia. Even though Evelia had always been quiet and didn’t like talking much, her mood now was obviously different from before.
Anna loved sweets. Even her short fluffy hair looked like the cream on a cake. She believed that desserts could make people a little happier, so her shop always had many sweet treats.
Some were for customers, and some were saved especially for Evelia. Just in case, one day, Evelia came back again. In this cozy and sweet atmosphere, she hoped Evelia could relax, even just a little.
After all, they were friends.
While Anna was trying to help Evelia feel a little more at ease, Rachel ran by herself to the children’s clothing section. When Anna measured her earlier, she had mentioned that Rachel could check there to see if she liked any styles.
As expected, most of the store’s clothes were casual styles. Almost everything was extremely cute, which didn’t match Rachel’s personality at all, and also wasn’t suitable for attending a party.
But occasionally, there were some dresses that looked cute yet still elegant. They were displayed in the shop window, and Rachel paused there for a moment.
Rachel looked at the dresses, and also at the people passing by outside the window.
She watched those people busily preparing for the New Year. She also noticed some children looking at her with envy.
Right now, she looked like an honored young lady. Those daughters of ordinary families showed envy on their faces as they looked at her.
Yes… when did she start getting used to this fake life of wealth?
Even though she was happy, deep down… she still felt different from everyone else.
As an alchemist, as a “researcher,” she knew she couldn’t stay like this forever.
After this matter ended, she felt that she should…
“…?!”
Just as Rachel was staring at the dress in the window, she suddenly felt a sharp, piercing gaze.
When she followed that gaze, she saw a man.
He was a man who looked like he didn’t take care of himself. His messy hair covered his eyes, and even covered his glasses. It made her wonder if the glasses were even useful at all.
She couldn’t see his eyes, but she could feel his intense stare.
“……”
Rachel felt nervous and couldn’t say a word. The man didn’t speak either. He only glanced toward Evelia’s direction, then lowered his head to look at the small Rachel.
He reached out his hand, bent down, and gave Rachel a smile.
It was a perfect and polite smile, but it only sent chills down Rachel’s spine.
Then, the man still didn’t say anything and didn’t do anything else. He simply turned around and left with that smile, leaving Rachel standing there in a cold sweat.
She didn’t know this man at all. She had never seen him before, neither in her past as an alchemist, nor now as Rachel.
Then why did he look at me like that? What did that gaze mean?
But he glanced at Evelia first, and then at me…
Could it be… he wasn’t targeting me, but Evelia?
Could it be… someone from Nightingale’s House…?