Chapter 55
Chapter 55
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 55
Chapter Title: Went to Register the Merchant Company
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Grandma was my direct blood relative, so she couldn't act as my guardian herself. But she was still someone who could provide me with major help.
I quickly ran over and clung to Grandma's arm like a child, dangling from it.
"Hammy!"
"My little honey bun..."
"Oh, come on."
Just then, Delphia appeared, fanning herself gracefully with her fan. She looked extremely annoyed.
"I've hugged you before, you know."
"Where'd that dog start barking from?"
Watching the nerve war between Grandma and Delphia, I just rolled my eyes back and forth.
For today's operation to succeed, those two couldn't fight. But now that they'd started sniping at each other, I needed some emergency measures.
"Th-that's why!"
"Hm?"
"What's wrong, honey bun?"
Delphia's expression melted into mush, and Grandma turned incredibly gentle.
I cleared my throat with a loud *ahem* and rolled my eyes before opening my mouth.
"Y-you both get kisses, so don't fight..."
The two, who had been glaring at each other like fierce dogs, instantly softened.
They really just stared at me silently without a word.
Why had they suddenly gone quiet like this? Were they against kisses? I panicked for a second.
"Oh my gosh, kisses!"
Delphia started dancing like she'd conquered the world.
"Our baby is giving me a kiss! The Master is giving Delphia a kiss!"
It was a bit embarrassing seeing a full-grown adult shake her hips like a kid and get so thrilled, so I turned my gaze to Grandma.
Surely Grandma, being more of an adult, would be different!
But...
"Someone fetch the magitech devices. We need photos and portraits to commemorate this."
...Grandma was busy ordering her maids around to declare they'd make photos and paintings of this moment.
I let out a big sigh from in between them.
When adults act so immature, it's really tough being a little kid.
But I couldn't let myself get swept up in their childishness.
I gathered my strength right down to my tiptoes and approached Grandma and Delphia.
"Here, cheeks!"
"Huh?"
*
*
*Mwah, mwah!*
I quickly pecked both their cheeks and slung my bunny-shaped bag over my shoulder.
"I gave you kisses, so I'm off now."
Today, I was heading to the imperial palace.
The administrator had notified me to come with a guardian by this afternoon. Otherwise, they'd shut down our magic tool merchant company.
"Be careful out there."
"No worries."
"We've prepared everything just like you said, honey bun, so don't worry."
I nodded.
"Yeah! I'm off!"
Today, I wasn't going to the imperial palace with a guardian.
I planned to go alone.
***
A few hours later, I trotted into the imperial palace.
I'd ridden the Mirmod family's carriage up to the palace gates, then switched to a horse provided by a knight to head inside.
"Cute little lady, where are you headed?"
"To the business office!"
"Here you go. Hop on, and I'll take you."
The knight uncle lifted me onto his lap and slowly guided the horse along.
Since we were inside the palace, the horse couldn't gallop fast. As I gazed down at its mane, I thought to myself.
No matter how I looked at it, the imperial palace felt so impersonal.
But I'd be coming here often from now on, so I had to get used to it.
Would my plan for today work? All sorts of thoughts like that.
And finally, the knight uncles helped me down from the horse.
"We're here, lady."
With my tiny body, I clambered down from the horse with effort and looked up at the building ahead.
After waiting a week, I'd finally arrived in front of the [Imperial Business Office].
I gazed solemnly up at the sign and took small steps forward.
*Tap, tap.*
The sound of the tap-tap shoes Daddy bought me echoed across the floor.
As soon as I crossed the threshold into the hallway, curious stares landed on me from all sides. They were staring so hard it stung my face.
"What the..."
"Why's there a little kid...?"
"Who's that cute pink-haired girl!"
Anyway, I walked on energetically.
Some administrators gave me puzzled looks, but I ignored them.
My eyes were fixed solely on the [Startup and Shutdown Permits Division].
And the [Startup and Shutdown Permits Division] under the [Imperial Business Office] was in the room at the very end of the second floor.
*Tap-tap-tap-tap-tap.*
I hurried that way and knocked on the division door.
*Knock knock.*
"Excuse me."
"Come in."
The door slid open smoothly.
Over ten people were working in the large division office. I headed toward the sign that read [Startup Application Team].
*Tap, tap, tap.*
I walked slowly over to the assigned administrator, who was skimming documents with a bored expression. He looked down at me.
"What?"
"I'm here to apply."
I smiled brightly, trying to make a good impression.
He glanced around briefly. Seeing no one else with me, he switched his bored look to something more menacing.
"Kid."
"Yeah?"
"Name."
I answered loudly with my name.
Loud enough for everyone in the room to hear.
"I'm Sien Mirmod!"
Things unfolded just as I'd planned.
Everyone pretended not to notice but focused this way after hearing my loud, booming voice.
It was all thanks to the person who'd tried to trap me—they'd done solid media work.
It was negative attention, but people were curious if my merchant company would really get shut down.
"Oh..."
Suddenly, intrigued gazes fixed on us.
And the administrator's face twisted abruptly.
I realized it from his uncomfortable expression and the envelope on his desk labeled sender 'Temple'—which he wasn't even trying to hide.
"Didn't bring a guardian?"
*'Oh, this uncle... The temple bribed you to shut down my business?'*
My hunch had hit the mark.
The administrator before me, Jorzhu, grew even colder the moment he heard my name.
Like someone who'd gotten orders to give me the cold shoulder the second I showed up.
"I'm a busy man. If you've got nothing important, scram."
"...Yeah? No way."
From the reminder letters sent to Jorzhu's name that I'd seen before, this guy seemed to have taken some bribes too. Or maybe he'd been swayed by Melodya's rhetoric... or so I'd thought.
But facing him in person made it even clearer.
Whatever the case, I'd expected he wouldn't be friendly toward me, but he was outright hostile. It made my prediction look tame.
I stared at him and tilted my head.
"It's not nothing!"
Me, Sien Mirmod.
I'm not nice enough to use polite speech on someone wearing colored glasses from bribes.
Jorzhu didn't even notice my informal speech as he squinted one eye.
"What, trying to apply for a useless guardian?"
"I'm applying for a super useful guardian!"
I boldly handed him the paper listing my guardian candidates.
"Applications without the guardian present are invalid, got it?"
"But they are here..."
At my retort, he glanced toward the door.
But there still wasn't even an ant at the doorway.
He looked a bit uneasy but forced a relieved expression as he pressed me.
"Can't use lying brats. You've got bad roots, yellow from the start."
"It's not a lie..."
"Then what. Ugh, now I have to deal with a kid's merchant company too. Such a hassle."
"I have a letter from the guardian too!"
I held out the letter written by the guardian themselves, but he wouldn't even take it. He glanced at my chubby arm and waved me off annoyedly.
"Fine... whatever. Looks like you did find a guardian? Guess you are a Mirmod after all. But it's already over."
"...Why?"
"A new law just passed in the palace."
He showed me a stiff parchment.
——————————————————————————————————————————
[Child Merchant 'Startup·Rest·Shutdown' Amendment Passes]
- Merchant companies owned by children cannot register for startup
- Due to labor exploitation issues, notify child applicants repeatedly
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"See this?"
I took the parchment, read it, and puffed out my cheeks.
He finally noticed my informal speech and yelled irritably, narrowing his brows.
"You dare use informal speech?"
But that wasn't the point.
I shook the parchment and pressed him like I was cornering him.
"What is this?"
He whispered low, his face turning red and blue with anger.
"Cast-off from your family, and still so rude."
It was just for my ears.
But it didn't faze me much. I shrugged and jutted my chin at him.
"Explain, dude."
"...Ugh, fine. Child merchant companies are now impossible to establish from the start under the amendment."
"...Uh-huh."
I got it fully.
So, from now on, child-owned merchant companies could be abused for labor exploitation or tax evasion, so startups were banned.
It was a good law.
They must've amended it just in case I found a guardian.
"So, get out. No help for you here."
He was starting to chase me out for real.
It made sense.
The Mirmod family was scary, but a five-year-old kid seemingly discarded by the Mirmods? Not scary.
Plus, that temple envelope on his desk suggested he'd been paid handsomely.
Like I'd let him get away with it?
"...Sigh."
I pouted my cheeks, pretending to be down.
Then he raised his hand to push me away.
"Out now."
"...Not leaving. Got more to say."
"What-"
Just then, the business division door flew open.
I turned around and grinned widely.
At that moment, a woman's booming voice rang crystal clear through the room.
"Who said leave?"
The sharp *click-click* of high heels rapidly approached.
Melang Rollo, the maker of 'Devil's Weed'—the drug everyone used—the empire's most famous pharmacist and matriarch of Count Rollo's house.
My self-proclaimed guardian had arrived right on time.
"I'm your guardian now. What's this about deadlines?"
She stood firmly behind me and began pressuring the pitiful, shrunken administrator.
"...Wh-who are you?"
"Do I have to report myself to the likes of you?"
At the elegant noblewoman's aura, he wiped sweat from his forehead with his hand.
He was the type who was weak to the strong and strong to the weak.
"W-well, guardian registration is impossible for now."
"I'm not talking to some low-level administrator. Get your boss."
Thinking it wasn't his job anymore, he quietly called to the section chief dozing behind the partition.
"...Section Chief, you explain. R-right, Chief?"
He checked with his boss in the section chief's seat.
The chief stood up casually and said,
"Apologies, but guardian registration is already closed. You're the great pharmacist and matriarch of the count's house, Lady Melang, correct? Yes. It's an order from high up in the palace. Means even Lady Melang can't change it."
Good thing neither crumpled right away.
The administrator straightened his slumped shoulders and looked at me.
"Yeah, kid. Too bad, but shutdown."
"I don't think so?"
I smiled brightly and glanced at the door again.
Right then, the door burst open, and a flood of footsteps poured in. All of them sharp *clicks* of heels.
Just as planned, they'd popped in while everyone was watching.
I hid my triumphant smile and lifted my chin.
And finally.
Noble ladies as imposing as Melang—no, even more so—crowded thickly around me.
"Who's bullying our baby?"
"What's closed?"
"Shall we invite Her Imperial Majesty the Empress here?"
"Look at this nobody daring to strut around with her nose in the air?"
My sturdy allies had come to back me up!
The ten-member refund expedition—no, the noble ladies—had arrived.