7MIP - Chapter 108



Agatha tilted her head, unable to understand Isabelle.

“You have to tell me before you get into a formal relationship.”

Isabelle was a member of the Aratus family. As her older brother, she should have reported to Enoch, the head of the household.

The beginning of a formal relationship is an engagement, and the end is marriage.

“I understand that you want to talk to me directly. You can do that.”

But there was something that had to come before that.

What if things go wrong? Or if Julian Margrethe approaches with a purpose?

The ones who will suffer will be the Aratus family and Isabelle herself.

Enoch also had a duty to look after and protect his younger sister, Isabelle, a member of the Aratus family.

“Aratus is not the Aratus of old. As the family’s power and wealth have increased, we must be careful when forming relationships.”

“Madame Agatha.”

Agatha spoke to Isabelle kindly, but coldly.

“You can think of this as advice from the perspective of the Marquis of Aratus to the Marquis of Aratus’s daughter.”

This may sound harsh to Isabelle, who is still unfamiliar with the world of the nobility.

Julian Margrethe was a foreign royal, so if he could return to his own country, he could live as if nothing had happened, but not here.

“And above all, I don’t want to keep secrets from Enoch.”

If you didn't know, then you didn't know, but if you did know, you couldn't pretend not to know. Agatha was the mistress of the Aratus family.

Agatha gave the gloomy-looking Isabelle three days to spare.

“If Enoch still doesn’t know after three days, I have no choice but to step forward.”

Now the choice was Isabelle's.

“I’ll go first, Isabelle. See you later.”

“...Yes. Please take a look, Madame Agatha.”

Agatha got up from her seat much later than scheduled.

Hubert, who had been waiting in front of the balcony, held out his hand with a look of concern.

Agatha placed her hand on his arm and whispered quietly.

“Sir. Please be very vigilant about your surroundings for the next three days.”

“Don’t worry, ma’am. I’ll do my best.”

Ethel, who greeted Agatha as she returned to the carriage, asked cautiously.

“Are you done talking?”

“Yes. Let’s go right away.”

As soon as Agatha sat down, the carriage started moving again.

The destination was the upper Nobilis in the heart of the capital.

She never thought Isabelle would be in love.

Agatha blinked quietly and stared out the window.

What should I say?

It was a bit more shocking than seeing her close associates Lady Kate and Lady Vanessa dating.

Is it because it's a real relationship between relatives?

“I think Enoch will be shocked as well.”

“...”

Ethel kept her mouth shut. The carriage crossed the main street and soon arrived at the Nobilis upper building located in the center of the capital.

An elegant signboard was fluttering in the wind on an old-fashioned building that had aged with time.

The upper-level officials were surprised by the unexpected visit and quickly ran out.

“Marchioness, have you arrived?”

“Long time no see. Are you busy?”

“Over there now-”

"Marchioness!”

Then, the representative ran out of the building as if he was running.

“If you had told me, I would have come to your mansion.”

“I thought I’d take a look at the top status today.”

“I see. If you wait on the third floor, I will come to you right away with the relevant documents.”

Agatha headed to the upper room on the third floor with her maids and escort knights including Hubert.

First Assistant Ethel was already following behind The representative, who was walking busily.

There was nothing special about the surprise inspection.

It was about checking the ledgers, inspecting the warehouse, making sure there were no problems at the top, and making sure things were going well.

The upper room on the third floor was the same as when she came a year ago.

The clean ivory walls and framed moldings gave them an elegant feel.

A desk where you can work under a large landscape painting, and a large window and terrace on one wall.

In the center, there was a table and sofa to accommodate guests.

Agatha sat on the sofa and reviewed the documents that were beginning to pile up on the table.

There was no difference from the reports she had received so far.

The arms and food trade, which had been booming thanks to the last land war, was starting to stabilize again.

“What is the situation in Aratus Territory these days?”

The Representative and Philip, who had just been moving the documents, stopped in their tracks.

The existing Aratus territory was devastated by the tyranny of his relatives, and the new territory granted by the Emperor was barely recovering from the war.

Earlier this year, Agatha was still supplying food and purchasing local specialties to the Aratus territory, using the life price she had forced upon Enoch.

“Fortunately, the crops this year are not bad, so it looks like they will recover soon. The Aratus managers are doing a good job.”

Agatha smiled discreetly and turned the page.

“It’s okay. Is trade with the Eastern Continent going well?”

“Yes. We have recently contracted four more merchant ships for maritime trade.”

“It’s good to increase the transaction volume, as long as the product is good.”

“The response to the silk, ornaments, and patterns from the Eastern Continent that have begun to arrive in earnest, along with the tea previously offered to the Lord of the Upper World, has been good. I would like to try importing a variety of small quantities.”

Agatha, who had been thinking for a moment, opened her mouth.

“Then it would take too long.”

When you have a high-ground advantage over other tops, you should be able to make more profit.

“Bring me the list of items. I’ll decide.”

Next year, the Eastern Continent items chosen by Agatha will become popular in social circles.

A look of pleasure spread across Philip's face.

“I’ll bring it right away.”

Meanwhile, Agatha checked the newly submitted business plan.

This is okay and this is not okay.

Finally, something caught her eye.

“Oh, this looks good.”

Hubert, who had been sitting blankly on the sofa to the immediate left of where Agatha was sitting, showed a slight interest.

“May I ask you something, ma’am?”

“I’m suggesting that we hire a chef from the Eastern Continent to handle the large influx of ingredients from the Eastern Continent.”

It was a very good idea. After clothes, shoes, and accessories, it was time for food.

As food ingredients begin to arrive in large quantities, distribution will become easier and they will quickly reach the capital.

How to prepare unfamiliar ingredients, what dishes there are, and how to incorporate them into the cuisine of this continent.

“I think it might be a good idea to run a restaurant temporarily.”

Currently, the Nobilis upper class was ahead in trade with the Eastern Continent.

It would be nice to present special cuisine by a chef from the Eastern Continent in a place decorated in a splendid Eastern Continent style.

First Assistant, Ethel, who had already put down the last document, was quickly writing down Agatha's words on a scroll.

“Let’s estimate the scale right away.”

"Great."

Agatha suddenly noticed Hubert looking absentminded and tilted his head.

“Sir Hubert?”

“Nothing. It sounds like a really good idea.”

“Is that so, Sir?”

In addition, as she was looking through the useful news and details she had collected through the passage, The Representative appeared carrying dozens of thick scrolls.

This was a list of goods from the Eastern Continent that were being reviewed for a contract at the top of Nobilis this time.

Eastern continental aristocratic clothing was made with hundreds of types of silk, patterns, ornaments, shoes, and samples.

There were also additional ingredients and cooking-related materials added later.

Several of the knights who had entered the room with Hubert stared at their lady with blank expressions.

They spent hours doing nothing, almost until the sun began to set.

Sometimes when Agatha asked him a question, he would just repeat, "That seems like a good idea," and at some point, the questions disappeared, but it was killing him.

Suddenly, Hubert turned his gaze to the window and came to his senses. The curtain of night was falling under the dark sky.

“Madam, has the sunset already?”

"Yes?"

Agatha, startled, raised her head. Since yesterday, unless there was a ball or a night salon, the time after dinner was purely for the couple.

“Is there more I can see?”

“I will bring the remaining items to the office tomorrow.”

The First Assistant, Ethel, spoke up tactfully. Agatha nodded.

“I have to go back now.”

Hubert immediately stood up from his seat.

“I will pick you up in a carriage.”

Agatha left Ethel at the top and headed to her new home, escorted by the vice minister and other executives.

Agatha muttered quietly as she discovered the tea house she had stopped by with Isabelle on the way.

“What is his schedule for the afternoon?”

“I understand that the Marquis went hunting outside the castle in the afternoon.”

The maid, Marie, answered immediately.

'Then he must have come back by now.'

Since you've been given three days, you'll have to keep it a secret for a while.

“I need to give Isabelle some time to think.”

“Shall we exclude the visit to Aratus Mansion for three days?”

“That would be nice.”

Agatha decided not to visit the Aratus mansion for the time being.

She also wondered what good it would be to meet her face to face when her heart would be in a state of fluster.

The winter decorations of the capital Aratus Mansion were almost finished, so it would be okay to leave it for a while.

Even after about two days, there was no significant change in Enoch's face.

When there is only one day left.

First Vice-Captain, Leon Takran, returned to the capital with several knights.


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