Chapter 71

Chapter 71:  Acquisition of the Factory (1)

The commemorative performance for the construction of Luton Hall had ended successfully.

However, not everyone was entirely happy.

One month before the completion of Luton Hall.

The eldest daughter, Freya, had suffered a major financial loss in her company’s capital due to a single deal.

It was all because of the blonde woman sitting in her company’s conference room—Helena Yekaterina.

Two weeks earlier, Helena had suddenly delayed the marble supply contract, and right on cue, the marble price surge occurred.

Thanks to that, the price of materials had skyrocketed to more than triple.

On top of that, she had the nerve to demand renegotiations on the marble contract, giving Freya a splitting headache.

“I feel so sorry about this, Freya. But at this time of year, our side is also taking quite a loss, you see.”

Helena took a leisurely sip of her tea.

She had steeped it with about two whole sugar cubes.

“Still, we should go by principles. It’s difficult for us to suddenly pay triple the market price.”

Freya also sipped her strong black tea.

There was not a single grain of sugar in hers.

“Of course I understand. It looks like you’ve put a lot of effort into this project, but I imagine the budget must have been quite tight.”

A subtle jab, mocking the fact that the eldest daughter’s coffers were now completely empty.

At that, Freya’s characteristic, lethal gaze shot toward Helena.

“The contract amount will remain the same, but I will pay entirely in gold bars. How about that?”

Currently, gold bars were the most stable form of currency amid various market upheavals.

Their value was even steadily rising.

In effect, she was offering to pay one and a half times the original amount, and whoever held them would see their value grow even more.

“Gold bars… That’s certainly a very good deal.”

Helena was clearly willing to settle for this much.

There was no benefit in needlessly provoking the Grand Duke’s house further, and gold bars were easier to transport.

But.

A certain man came to her mind.

A man who could set the stage even larger than she could, and who knew how to play with far greater sums.

“However, if we do that, wouldn’t it be quite a loss from the Grand Duke’s perspective?”

Helena’s sharp eyes narrowed further.

And she decided to play along with the stage set by the man who had piqued her interest.

“We don’t even know how long this marble surge will last, and paying extra would make us feel sorry as well.”

The Western Grand Duke’s daughter gracefully swept her rich golden hair back over her ear.

Then, folding her hands together, she skillfully proposed,

“In that case, it would be more reasonable to adjust the interest side of things.”

“Interest, you say?”

Freya echoed with a meaningful look in her eyes.

The executives following her also seemed tense.

Soon, all attention focused on the words about to leave Helena’s red lips.

“We switch from a fixed interest rate to a variable interest rate. That way, we can adjust the value flexibly, right?”

A variable interest rate.

An agreement where the interest changes along with the market price of materials.

If the price of marble stabilized quickly, the original interest could be maintained until the principal was repaid.

“That doesn’t sound like a bad proposal, President.”

“Yes, the Empire is currently preparing a massive pirate suppression operation. It should stabilize soon.”

With the Empire stepping in, how could they possibly fail to wipe out a mere band of pirates?

Freya nodded calmly, seeming to agree.

This would be far more economical than paying one and a half times the principal in gold bars.

However, this was all based on the condition that marble prices actually “stabilized.”

If the pirate suppression failed and marble prices rose even higher…

The interest could skyrocket to the point where she might end up paying more than 1.5 times the principal.

“…”

Freya was clearly aware of that fact.

But with her father’s major project at stake, she could not risk disappointing him.

“Alright. Let’s do it.”

In order to maintain her image as the most reputable among the children, she finally agreed.

The two then signed each other’s contracts.

Standing in the middle of the conference room, they shook hands.

“It’s truly an honor to work with you, Freya.”

“The feeling is mutual, Lady Helena.”

The two women exchanged relaxed smiles.

However, every executive and knight present knew the truth—

That each of these women hid a fierce predator within.

“Would you care to join me for lunch?”

“No, since the contract is signed, I must deliver the materials right away. I plan to head back to the West.”

One was a black lion, seeking to devour both the eldest and the second son to become the ruler.

The other was a golden lion, who had already overpowered every male and claimed the position of heir herself.

The two understood each other better than anyone.

And so, without further words, they went their separate ways.

“Then have a safe journey. Our knights will see you off.”

“How kind of you. Thanks to that, I can return with peace of mind.”

Helena and her knights departed from the main conference room.

Freya watched them with her arms folded.

When the door closed, she silently sat back down in the leather chair.

“…”

The executives were puzzled at the sight of their president, who didn’t seem pleased.

Clearly, this deal was far more profitable than paying 1.5 times the value in gold bars.

Yet, her sharp gaze, tinged with dissatisfaction, kept everyone on edge.

“President, you’ve certainly made an excellent choice.”

“That’s right. The Western Grand Duke’s daughter probably went easy on you because she didn’t want to provoke the Grand Duke’s house.”

At her subordinates’ words, Freya slowly closed her eyes.

Then, in a cold, sarcastic tone, she spoke.

“Have you already forgotten Father’s teachings?”

The teachings of the continent’s second-in-command, the Grand Duke of the North.

At those profound words, the executives found themselves momentarily at a loss for words.

“He told us never to board a ship with no way out.”

Indeed, the possibility of marble prices skyrocketing further from here was very slim.

There was no way a bunch of pirates could defeat the Imperial Navy.

“If nothing happens, we’ll barely be able to save a few billion gold.”

But.

What if—by some chance—they weren’t caught?

“On the other hand, what happens if the price of materials shoots up more than fivefold?”

At best, we’d gain a few billion.

If we lose, it’s over a hundred billion gone.

“This is nothing but a gamble that’s stacked against us.”

Still, Freya had no choice.

The total debt she had incurred from building Luton Hall amounted to 40 billion gold.

If any more debt than that was added, she would be forced to ask for her father’s help.

“Yes… it should be fine…”

That was something she could never allow.

She was, after all, the eldest daughter of the Northern Grand Duke’s house.

“As if the Imperial Navy couldn’t control a single pirate…”

「――――――」

And so, after much struggle, Luton Hall was successfully completed.

It was unveiled to the public in grand fashion, accompanied by a splendid completion ceremony.

The sight of the towering performance hall building proudly graced the front page of the Gold Morning Newspaper.

Everyone in the North, seeing that news, felt reassured that the Northern Grand Duke’s house was still as strong as ever.

But.

The one who should have been the happiest—Freya—was seething with rage.

「Pirate Roctania still exploiting the strait. Is the Empire leaving them unchecked??」

On the very next page after the news of Luton Hall’s completion came the report that the pirates still hadn’t been caught.

「Never-ending marble surge—this week surpasses 7 times the original price!!」

And alongside that, the news that stabbed straight into her heart: the marble price had risen sevenfold.

Which meant the interest rate had also soared beyond seven times.

In other words, she now had to pay 70% of the principal as interest every single month.

Even in the loan shark business, such an outrageous rate was unheard of—her delicate eyes twitched violently.

“What the hell is going on here…!!”

The Grand Duke’s eldest daughter crumpled the newspaper.

With a lethal glare that was the spitting image of her father’s, she slammed her desk.

Bang!!

“Don’t tell me… that bitch Helena colluded with the navy…? Otherwise, how the hell could the Imperial Navy fail to catch a single pirate!!”

At the sound of her chilling outburst, the office door slowly opened.

Then, a secretary entered, wearing a tense expression.

“Uh… Grand Duke’s daughter…?”

“What is it? I told you not to come in until I called for you.”

She clearly had no mana, but a unique, unexplainable killing intent filled the office.

Pressed by that aura, the secretary’s glasses frame trembled as he spoke in a fearful voice.

“Someone has come to the first floor, saying they wish to meet you…”

“Who is it?”

The eldest daughter was in no mood to meet anyone and had intended to send away anyone who came.

However—

“A secretary candidate named Julius Roger.”

At the unexpected name, her silver eyelids lifted.

“Roger… isn’t he Echina’s close aide?”

“That’s correct. He’s currently waiting in the first-floor lobby.”

Why would someone who had nothing to do with her personally come all the way to headquarters?

“Send him up.”

“Understood…”

Curious about his reason, she granted permission immediately.

The secretary then signaled the first floor via the mana switch.

The deputy director waiting at the stairwell received the signal.

A middle-aged man with brown hair then escorted me to the top floor of the office building.

“Grand Duke’s daughter, it’s the deputy director.”

In Nordique, the director was in his thirties—

But in Luton Maiden, the deputy director was in his forties.

From that alone, one could tell the company’s history and structure were well-established.

“…”

No sound came from inside.

The deputy director, as if used to this, opened the president’s office door.

A rich scent of tea and wood wafted out from within.

The polished wooden floor gleamed as if there wasn’t a speck of dust, and the books on the shelves were perfectly aligned.

Almost as if she had an obsession.

“You’ve come.”

Freya, the eldest daughter of the Northern Grand Duke’s house.

The only one in the Luton family who received the Grand Duke’s love, a thirty-year-old woman.

Despite her graceful and beautiful silver hair and noble features, she had never married.

The reason was simple—no man had ever met her standards.

Behind that beautiful face was a woman who hid a predator more chilling and meticulous than anyone.

“Welcome, Julius Roger. This is the first time we’ve greeted each other since seeing you in the lobby, isn’t it?”

“Yes, Grand Duke’s daughter. It’s an honor to see you again.”

The deputy director closed the office door.

From a distance, he watched me with an expressionless face.

“Sit down. Let’s talk over tea.”

With elegant hands, Freya poured me tea.

A deep crimson, like blood.

“If there was a reason to see me, I thought Echina would come in person. I didn’t expect her to send her aide.”

The eldest daughter placed the teacup before me.

At the same time, she subtly pointed out the impertinence of sending a representative.

“I suppose she must be quite busy?”

“Yes, she has her comprehensive sparring evaluation at the Academy today.”

She had left me, the one handling a major project like Luton Hall, to go take part in an Academy evaluation.

At those words, Freya’s lips curved into a faint smile.

Her gaze held the thought that her younger sister was still just a child.

“She must be very busy with such an important evaluation. For her to send you even in the midst of that must mean this is a matter as weighty as the exam itself, yes?”

I kept silent for a moment at her words.

Then I placed the real topic on the table.

“It seems you’re going to suffer heavy losses from the material negotiations with the Western Grand Duke’s house.”

Perhaps because of this jab right from the start,

her hand, which had been lifting the teacup, stopped dead in midair.

“…”

It was clear she was neither a knight nor a mage.

Yet the aura she radiated…

was as terrifying as if the two had been combined.

Even so, I had no intention of stopping.

With the same unwavering black-eyed stare I had used to face countless businesspeople during my time as chief secretary, I continued.

“At this rate, the cost of marble will soar more than fivefold. Then the interest will rise exponentially as well, so you’ll have to repay the principal quickly.”

Freya silently set the teacup she had poured back down on the table.

Then, with that distinctive, chilling gaze of the Grand Duke’s house, she asked me,

“What exactly are you trying to say?”

A completely different expression from the gentle smile she had shown on the first day I returned to the past.

But I wasn’t the type to shrink back either.

“We can help you.”

I no longer had any reason, unlike in my previous life, to act in their favor.

“Sell one of your businesses to us.”

Hand over one of her enterprises to her sister’s aide.

At those words, Freya’s sharp eyes gleamed.

“Deputy Director.”

“Yes, understood.”

At her command, the middle-aged man extended one hand toward the office door.

In that moment—

-----.

Blue mana spread into the office, surrounding us on all sides.

Within it, Freya elegantly crossed one leg over the other and spoke.

“Say it again.”

In a voice that was the very image of the Northern Grand Duke who once dominated the continent.

“What exactly did you just spit out of that mouth of yours?”

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