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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 24
Chapter Title: The Creepy Warehouse
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“They're all so fresh and pretty flowers. But I wondered if they usually only grow flowers like these. They're all for sale in the end, after all.”
“Perhaps...”
Arep, who had a hunch, spoke up.
“Because of their flower meanings?”
“Yeah.”
Solles nodded as if that was exactly it.
“All the flowers here...”
Kids!
At that moment, Kaleo called out to the children.
The kids paused their conversation and headed toward the adults.
“...Huh?”
Just then, Nibelria turned around at the sudden feeling of being watched.
There, in one corner of the farm, stood an old shed.
Atop the shed was a single tiny window.
“......”
As she stared fixedly at the rundown shed, someone suddenly stepped in front of her, blocking the view.
It was Mrs. Plaud.
“Lady Dayamor.”
Nibelria flinched in surprise.
“What's wrong?”
Due to the backlighting, shadows darkened Mrs. Plaud's face.
“Ah, you saw it, did you? That's the shed. We store the tools for planting and growing flowers there. It's full of dangerous things, so you mustn't go near it.”
She was saying something, but Nibelria could barely hear her.
Her heart was pounding.
Thump, thump—the heartbeat drilling through her tiny ears drowned out all surrounding noise.
“Your parents just called for you, Lady Dayamor. Shall we go together?”
Mrs. Plaud slowly extended her hand.
It was just as Nibelria hesitated and started to step back.
“Miss!”
Arep had rushed over, his small back blocking the outstretched hand.
Mrs. Plaud withdrew her hand in surprise and smiled brightly.
“It was nothing. I was just going to take you to the marquess. Right?”
“Miss.”
Ignoring the woman, Arep gripped Nibelria's hand tightly.
“The marquess and marchioness are calling. We have to go.”
“......”
“Miss. Let's go.”
“...Okay.”
Nibelria headed to her family's side with Arep.
On the way, curiosity made her glance back.
Mrs. Plaud was still standing there with a kind smile. She was following slowly behind Nibelria and Arep.
“......”
But Nibelria's gaze kept drifting to the shed behind Mrs. Plaud.
“Then we'll draw up the contract and send it over that day.”
“Thank you.”
“Or we could visit the capital ourselves. We need to pick up medicine for our daughter anyway.”
The investment deal had gone smoothly.
The actual investment would be made in the name of the Dayamor family and Lubeo conglomerate.
Nibelria's own funds were still too meager, so she planned to piggyback on her parents' substantial capital.
“You're really something else. How did you even find out about such incredible information?”
“Surprised, right? It's not for nothing that I'm the president. I have my own information network, you know. Not quite on Della's level, but still.”
“No, I think you've surpassed Della as of today.”
Unlike the adults, who were thrilled with the unexpectedly great results...
“......”
“......”
“......”
Nibelria, Arep, and Solles kept their mouths shut, showing a strange discomfort.
Kaleo and Seletrina, realizing they'd been a bit emotional in front of the kids, subtly put some distance between themselves.
“Uh, it's not that we forgot you were there...”
Kaleo, feeling awkwardly embarrassed, started to say something...
“Daddy.”
Nibelria spoke up.
“Nini doesn't want to invest...”
“Huh?”
“Oh dear, why all of a sudden?”
Kaleo and Seletrina were startled by the unexpected words.
And it wasn't just Nibelria.
“I feel the same as Nini. Something just feels off.”
“M-Me too...”
Solles and Arep voiced their agreement.
The flustered adults asked why.
Solles spoke first.
“I hope it's just my imagination, but all the flowers seemed so melancholic. I really hope it's just me.”
“Melancholic?”
“Their flower meanings were all sad and depressing ones.”
Solles added a more precise reason.
“It's a flower farm that sells them. And people buy flowers for happy occasions.”
Flowers were common gifts for celebrations or to show affection.
In other words, flowers with positive meanings like joy and love sold the best.
Flower farms knew the demand, so they focused on growing those.
“...That is strange.”
Seletrina recalled what the Plauds had said about growing flowers.
“They said they grew them to show their sick daughter, but planting only flowers with depressing meanings... that's a bit...”
“Maybe they didn't know what the meanings were?”
“Ridiculous. A flower farmer who doesn't know that basic common knowledge?”
Seletrina dismissed it outright.
And if the Plauds truly overlooked such basics, that alone made them unworthy of investment.
Once her thoughts reached that point, the suspicious signs started piling up.
“Good point.”
“Your mom and I will think it over seriously.”
Solles let out a big sigh of relief.
He was deeply grateful that his parents were taking his opinion seriously.
Seletrina turned to Arep as well.
“Arep, do you feel the same?”
“Yes...”
“What makes you uneasy? Tell us honestly.”
Arep hesitated before carefully speaking.
“It's just... so similar...”
“Similar? To what?”
“To the orphanage teacher... the feeling, something like that...”
“......”
Seletrina turned to Kaleo with a hardened expression.
Kaleo briefly wore a grim look but quickly composed himself into a smile.
“I see. So you had a bad feeling from experience?”
“Yes.”
“You shouldn't ignore instincts honed by experience. Thanks for sharing.”
Now it was Nibelria's turn.
Kaleo asked in a much gentler voice.
“Why doesn't our Nini want to invest?”
“The shed.”
“The shed?”
Nibelria recalled the shabby shed haphazardly built in one corner of the farm.
“There's a person in there.”
She had seen it clearly.
Beyond the dust-caked window.
Blurry, but something had moved.
“Pink. Like the pink poison mushroom.”
Upon arriving at the mansion, Kaleo and Seletrina headed straight to the study.
“......”
Nibelria trudged along listlessly, her mouth downturned.
“What's wrong?”
Solles asked in a worried voice.
“Brother...”
“Yeah?”
“Did Nini fail to make money again...?”
Nibelria had been really looking forward to this investment.
She had the resilience of a weed that bounced back from every failure, but that didn't mean it didn't hurt.
All those failures accumulated quietly in a corner of her heart.
That's why she wanted this one to succeed so badly. With her parents helping, she had been confident.
But it looked like it wouldn't work out again.
“Waaah!”
Growing sad, Nibelria burst into tears.
The startled Solles pulled her into a tight hug.
“It's okay. You haven't failed yet.”
“Waaah! Wah!”
“We're just double-checking. Your money's still safe, and no debt. This isn't a failure.”
Right?
Solles sought Arep's agreement.
“Y-Yeah, that's right.”
Arep said.
Nibelria stopped crying and looked up at Arep, sniffling. Round, clear teardrops trailed down her chubby cheeks.
Arep racked his brains hard.
He didn't know much yet, but he wanted to prove to her that she hadn't failed.
“Th-That thing...”
After hemming and hawing for a while, Arep remembered something.
“The contract!”
“Contract...?”
Nibelria echoed.
“What the marchioness said at the department store back then.”
“...Right! That's it!”
Solles remembered the same thing and flashed a triumphant smile.
“Nini, you have that!”
“What is it? Tell me quick!”
“The damages clause!”
Arep nodded as if that was exactly it.
“Arep, you're amazing! Remembering that right now?”
Solles praised him, ruffling his silky golden hair into a mess.
Arep grinned bashfully but quickly schooled his expression, realizing now wasn't the time to smile.
Seletrina had said this to the Plauds:
“Then we'll draw up the contract and send it over that day.”
No contract had been drawn up yet.
“Back when we went to Lubeo, the marchioness said contracts must always be made, no matter the situation. That way, you're protected if something goes wrong.”
“Damage...”
Nibelria murmured it after her, then her eyes went wide.
She stomped her feet excitedly.
“That's it! Promise! It's a promise!”
“Exactly, a promise to compensate if harm is done!”
Solles grinned, confirming it.
“Since we haven't made the contract yet, let's add a clause that they pay big money if they cause damage.”
That way, even if something happened at the farm, Nibelria could still make money.
“Nini hasn't failed yet!”
She could earn money!
Having found hope, Nibelria beamed.
The kids hurried to the study where their parents were.
“Oh my?”
But then.
“Lady Nini?”
A familiar voice grabbed Nibelria's leg.
The kids stopped and turned.
Beyond the wide-open parlor door, an older woman was covering her mouth with both hands, overcome with emotion.
The woman cried out again.
“Lady Nini!”
Nibelria shouted too.
“Della!”
