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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
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Chapter 109
Melissa scanned the tasks Leon had completed in her absence with an incredulous expression.
“You act like a total slacker, but you’re surprisingly good at your job.”
Leon had always been like that.
From a young age, he had a childish side, yet his perspective on the world was oddly unique.
As if he had heard or experienced these things before at some point.
Of course, he was quite inexperienced in interpersonal relationships, but even so, Leon was a competent older brother.
That said, she couldn’t forgive him for erecting a statue with the ridiculous motto "It’s easier to ask for forgiveness than permission!"
Considering the newly established teleport gate—a critical transportation route for the mining development—Cascadia was poised for explosive growth.
There was a reason the nobles said that securing just one mine could make someone filthy rich.
“Here’s the business proposal. Mind if I speak candidly?”
“It’s a bit unsettling, but go ahead.”
Aurora set down a stack of documents with a sly smile.
That smile had once made her very popular among the men at the academy, but considering her miserly tendencies, most of them quickly distanced themselves.
Although she was said to be from a noble family, little was known about her family’s estate.
“I’ve been observing this place since I arrived, and there’s a lot that needs improvement. To be frank, give me full control.”
“Are you out of your mind?”
“Then at least delegate part of it to me. I’ll guarantee the revival of this town’s commerce.”
“What’s in it for you?”
“Stakeholding rights.”
Melissa burst into laughter at the bold request.
Aurora smiled just as brightly but immediately ducked as Melissa picked up an ink bottle to hurl at her.
“Eek! You brute!”
“Get out if you’re going to talk nonsense, you lunatic!”
Though they shouted and fought, neither truly meant any harm.
Their relationship had always been like this, built on mutual trust.
Melissa trusted Aurora’s business acumen, and Aurora trusted Melissa’s judgment.
Of course, rough tussles between friends were just par for the course.
“At least act like a proper count, you blockhead.”
“Oh, am I a count now? We’re not academy student council peers anymore. Get used to it!”
Their brawl, devoid of any regard for their titles, didn’t last long.
Aurora couldn’t match Melissa’s brute strength.
“Ugh… you brute.”
“If you saw who lives with us, you’d never say that again.”
“Your brother’s got great strength, and he’s a man—makes sense anatomically.”
“No, even Leon doesn’t stand a chance against her now.”
When Melissa glanced outside, Aurora followed her gaze.
“Oh my God…”
There stood Luna, holding Leon up by the collar with one hand.
“Who is that woman?”
“Who knows. At the very least, she’s not an ordinary human.”
Melissa had almost mentioned angels but quickly changed course.
“Anyway, let’s talk business. You must be busy too.”
“Right. Here’s the most critical business proposal.”
What she handed over was a document regarding the Artifact Paradise.
“To be honest, it’s overwhelming.”
“What?”
“It’s insanely popular. We only released around 30 pieces. Do you think nobles obsessed with prestige, honor, and their appearances would sit still?”
“…”
Demand was exploding, but there was no supply.
There were even rumors of counterfeits, but since even the Magic Tower couldn’t replicate the artifacts, those copies were mere hollow illusions.
“I understand Young Master Leon’s intent, and I agreed with it, so I’m not pressuring you. But if we don’t release more, the counterfeits could cause some serious problems.”
“I’ll respect Leon’s decision. I get what you’re saying, but I won’t force him.”
At Melissa’s firm response, Aurora nodded.
“Alright. If that’s your stance, I won’t push.”
As Aurora backed down, Melissa eyed her suspiciously.
“What scheme are you hatching now?”
“Come on, do I look like someone who schemes?”
“Aren’t you?”
“Fair enough.”
Melissa was at a loss for words at her unapologetic attitude.
“Now, onto the remaining issues. You’re not going to leave me empty-handed after all this, are you?”
Aurora’s contributions were undeniably helpful, especially since she handled the annoying parts.
“Fine. Let’s see.”
In the end, Melissa decided to compromise.
* * *
Luna’s strength had become far more formidable than before.
Previously, her limits were somewhat apparent.
Despite enhancing his strength through aura to a level incomparable to ordinary sword masters, her strength was now overwhelming even to him.
That wasn’t all.
There was an intense, overwhelming force radiating from her—stronger than before.
It was as if her very presence had grown.
Was this how all angels were?
No way.
The angelic enemies I had seen in Labyrinthos weren’t like this.
Granted, she wasn’t exactly a typical case, having fallen and been sealed.
Perhaps awakening the eyes she had been reluctant to open had changed her.
This seemed like the perfect opportunity to break through as a sword master or even reach the 7th Circle.
I lay in the shade of the count’s manor’s training ground, gathering my aura, when I heard a voice.
“You seem to be in a good mood.”
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
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Without opening my eyes, I addressed the person approaching.
“Oh? Does it show?”
“I assume you squeezed a lot out of Melissa.”
“To be precise, I managed to get just one thing. Her defenses were ironclad…”
I wasn’t sure whether to praise Melissa’s stubbornness or Aurora’s persistence in getting past it.
“What did you get?”
Melissa usually handled these matters herself.
“Trading rights for Young Master Leon’s next project.”
I shot up at that.
“I haven’t even planned my next project yet!”
"Melissa says to submit a draft right away."
Understanding her meaning, I immediately put my thoughts into action.
I took out two artifacts from my pocket.
One for light.
The other made using resin to create smoke.
Honestly, I preferred the former.
Ping!
As soon as I activated the artifacts, I threw both of them through Melissa's office window.
"Wh... Whaaaat?!"
BOOM!
A deafening noise erupted, accompanied by light and smoke.
"Cough... cough, cough! Leon, you bastard!!"
Melissa's furious shout followed, but I just shrugged my shoulders.
"Where are you going?"
"I haven’t thought of a next project yet."
"So what you're saying is...?"
"I have no choice. If Melissa says to jump, I jump. I'll release more stock. Let's discuss it from a merchant's perspective."
"An excellent choice."
Artifact Paradise had only released 30 units so far, but now that we had decided to increase the supply, discussions were essential.
How much stock should we release?
What quality should we aim for?
And, of course, what price should we set?
There was a slight difference in performance between the initial version of the Paradise Artifact and the latest version I created, the mk-2.
The discussion was fierce.
Aurora laid the groundwork for every part that benefited her, and I carefully reviewed those areas to see if there were any potential issues.
As a result:
"Lord Leon, you’re much more meticulous than you appear."
"I'm just doing what I learned."
"Oh dear, that means I’ll have a lot more work to do."
"But your company will make a lot of money, won’t it?"
"Of course. But are you okay with revealing that you're the creator?"
Having more work means more opportunities to make money.
Aurora seemed satisfied.
I nodded in response to her next question.
"I think I need to build up some social recognition."
I can’t rely on other places for safety forever.
The most problematic initial products had sold without any issues, and now that I’d gained some recognition, it was time to use it as my shield.
"Then, from the next product on, the Cascadia emblem will be engraved on all artifacts, right? Speaking of which, are you interested in premium products?"
"Premium?"
"It's a service where we engrave the buyer's desired emblem. It doesn’t cost much, but it turns the item into a luxury or premium product, doubling the price."
She never missed a potential source of profit.
"Of course, quality assurance is essential. We’ll offer various categories and take custom orders for artifact decorations. Fortunately, our company has artisans who specialize in fine craftsmanship."
"You just want me to deliver finished products, right?"
"If you could add extra features, that’d be even better. I’ll discuss detailed plans with the artisans and report back."
It wasn’t a bad proposal.
After all, how did the Lavren family, one of the continent’s 13 great houses, gain fame?
By excelling at branding like this.
"Oh, one more thing."
As she turned to leave, she looked at me.
"When Melissa submitted her leave of absence to the academy, she filed a step-by-step leave. So unlike me, her leave period is shorter."
"How do you know that, Aurora?"
"I’m in the student council with Melissa. The student council president contacted me. Melissa seems to know, but… I think she’s trying to avoid going back."
I nodded at her words.
"What’s your real motive?"
"The student council president asked me to persuade Melissa to return. Despite how she acts, Melissa was a top student, and both the president and professors were quite fond of her."
Of course.
There was no way a merchant to her core would bring this up for no reason.
When Melissa heard about our father’s death, she threw down a leave request and returned home.
Now that I think about it, quite some time has passed, and her leave period is probably nearing its end.
If she doesn’t return, she’ll be automatically expelled.
She’ll say she doesn’t care, but…
I wanted her to at least graduate from the academy.
Of course, leaving the estate for an extended period as a countess wasn’t an ideal choice, so her reasoning made sense...
But if it can’t be done, we’ll just have to make it work.
I could just set up a small teleport gate between her dorm room and here.
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
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