Chapter 134
Chapter 134
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: crow
Chapter Title: The Nordal Heiress's Request
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"Grace, Grace."
"What now."
"Want some candy?"
I rolled a cherry candy around in my mouth as I said that to Grace in the Club Room.
I'd been pretty surprised when I first got it, but since it was a rare gift, I was just enjoying it.
Not just one or two—she'd given me a whole bag—so I was eating them constantly, whether in the Club Room or my Dormitory room.
Thanks to that, most of the candy I'd eaten lately was either the lemon ones Lize carried around or the cherry ones from Grace.
"...You eat it."
"Aw, it's delicious. Just try one. It's from you, Grace."
"Why do you keep offering candy that was gifted to you in the first place?"
"Because I want to?"
Grace had given it to me, and it tasted good.
I just couldn't figure out why she kept refusing it.
It wasn't anything special—just regular cherry candy. Why wouldn't she take it?
"...Give me one."
"Hehe, got it."
After hearing that from Grace, I hopped down from the bed and handed her a candy.
Sharing the gift with the person who gave it—now that's a virtuous cycle, right?
Grace popped the candy I'd given her into her mouth, and I could see her expression change. Definitely.
"Camellia, that candy. Mind if I try one too?"
"Of course not? You wanted one too, Ella?"
"Anyone would want to try one after watching you eat the same candy nonstop right next to them."
That made sense.
I'd been eating it during class today, and even afterward in the Club Room.
I already liked snacking quite a bit as it was.
I used to eat the lemon candies Lize gave me every time, but she wasn't around during class.
"Here."
"Why bring it right to my mouth...?"
"Isn't it easier that way? No need to get sugar on your hands?"
"Is it...?"
I held the cherry candy up to Ella's mouth, and for some reason, she looked a little surprised.
Was this that weird?
I'd always done it this way when taking candy from Lize, so it didn't feel odd to me.
No sugar on my fingertips, and it was way more convenient to just accept it.
Because that's how I'd always done it?
"Anyway, eat up."
"...Okay. Thanks...?"
Ella said that while glancing up at me slightly.
With that response, she took the candy I was holding into her mouth.
Hmm, definitely more convenient.
After the exams ended, we were just relaxing like this.
We'd been busy with Midterm Exam studying for a while, and there wasn't anything pressing to do right now.
It was a club for killing time and hanging out, after all.
"...Young Lady."
"Yeah, Lize? What's up? Something wrong?"
"I told you to eat that candy in moderation last time..."
"Oh."
"The Madam is already worried that you're snacking too much... How am I supposed to write to the mansion like this...?"
"Oh... Um..."
Lize was right.
Rozalin and Lize had always fretted over my snacking habit.
I brushed my teeth properly, and I wasn't packing on pounds from it...
Honestly, I thought they were overreacting.
Eating candy or not didn't make that much difference.
My stamina might dip a bit, but I wasn't so frail that I was sick all year round.
If anything, I felt their worries were excessive.
"It'll be fine. Probably?"
"...Young Lady."
"Come on, I can just eat less on weekends, right? If I eat two today, one tomorrow."
"Sigh..."
Of course, I'd probably eat normally on the weekend too.
*
"Leonhardt Lady."
"Yes, Nordal Lady. What is it?"
After school, as I was heading back normally, Ivana Nordal suddenly approached me first.
We weren't doing club activities today.
I couldn't easily guess why she was talking to me on the way back.
"Got a moment?"
"Um... Sure. I don't have anything to do anyway. Was just planning to head back to my Dormitory room."
"Then spare me a little time."
I was a bit puzzled by Ivana Nordal's sudden request, but I accepted.
It wasn't like the Midterms when we had to study or something. What could it be?
No reason came to mind for why Ivana Nordal would approach me first like this, so I couldn't help but think about it more.
For now, I started following her somewhere.
"But where are we going?"
"Somewhere without people around."
"Ah."
I wanted to ask more, but since she hadn't answered my first question right away, I gave up.
If she was going to answer, she would've from the start.
Well, I'd never really kept up with Ivana Nordal's way of thinking anyway.
I just walked on, resigned.
"A classroom?"
"Yes."
The place we arrived at following Nordal was just an empty classroom.
Lights off, no one there... Not many people in the hallway either.
"Why bring me all the way here to talk? Is it something not good to say around others?"
"Not really."
"Hmm...?"
If not that, then what could it be that she'd bring me to this quiet classroom?
It felt similar to when she'd recruited me for the club.
Back then, I'd dragged Nordal to an empty classroom like this to talk. Exactly that vibe.
What could it really be about?
"So, what's this about? It's the first time the Nordal Lady has led me off somewhere like this."
Anyway, it was time to find out what was going on.
Until now, it'd been Nordal following me suddenly or me approaching her first, but her taking the lead like this was new.
There had to be a reason.
"Two years ago, the mana stone mine discovered in the Northern Region. And the one discovered three years before that."
"Yes?"
"Last year's southern desert cafe business. And the hunting business push four years ago."
"......"
At first, I didn't understand what she was talking about.
But as I listened, I started to get it.
The mana stone mines, the various businesses—they were all ones I'd planned and launched before.
Nordal was listing off my past ventures one by one, and I just listened quietly without interrupting.
"They're said to be the Leonhardt Family's, but most were done by the Leonhardt Lady."
"Yes."
She'd brought it up suddenly, but I just affirmed it.
It was true, after all. She'd probably gotten the info from the Information Guild.
"Why bring that up all of a sudden?"
"You're more nonchalant than I expected."
"You already seem to know everything. No point pretending otherwise."
She clearly knew it all already, so no reason to dodge.
I didn't know why she was telling me this, though.
"So, what's this about?"
"When did you start leading businesses for the Leonhardt Family?"
"Me leading them?"
"Yes. Businesses directly led and planned by the Lady, not the Leonhardt Viscount."
"Hmm..."
I didn't get why she was asking this suddenly, but... I should answer?
No need to lie boldly to someone from the Nordal Ducal Family.
Better to be honest than risk souring things by answering wrong.
"Probably one of the small businesses I started in the south four years ago."
"Hmm..."
"So. Why ask? I'm answering your questions one by one, but you're not giving any answers back. Isn't that a bit much?"
As I answered Nordal, I asked why she wasn't responding properly.
I'd been answering, but she wasn't giving straight replies.
Even if I was a bit lower in status, I couldn't help it.
"You're right about that."
To my slightly rude question, Nordal responded somewhat positively.
What was she really thinking?
Suddenly talking about my past businesses—it didn't make sense.
"You've been the one answering, Leonhardt Lady. I've just been asking questions."
She knew that herself?
I was pretty surprised by the sudden topic, but at least she seemed reasonable. Good.
"The reason I'm talking to you now is simple. I need your help."
"...Help?"
"Yes, help. I judged your abilities would be useful, so here we are."
"Uh... um... why?"
I was flustered.
I wasn't often thrown off, but this had me visibly rattled.
Not just inside—outwardly too.
Why me? Why was Nordal saying this to me specifically? What was going on that even the Nordal Family's heiress would ask me this?
"I'm starting a business. I need the Leonhardt Lady's help with that."
"Uh... ah...?"
...I had a bad feeling I was getting dragged into something annoying.
No—a certainty.
What the heck was this all of a sudden...