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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 25
Chapter Title: Della's Generous Gift
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Nibelria veered toward the parlor and threw her arms around the woman.
The woman, her once-brown hair now faintly graying from sparse white strands and neatly pinned up, beamed with a bright smile.
"Della! Della's here!"
"Our Lady Ni-ni has been well, too..."
The green eyes of the woman called Della narrowed sharply.
"No way... were you crying?"
Tears still lingered at the corners of Nibelria's eyes, un拭ed away.
Della's composed face crumpled in an instant.
Nibelria's expression turned teary once more.
"What happened?"
"I almost failed to make money."
"Money?"
"Yeah. But I just had a great idea, so I'm heading to Mom and Dad to tell them. Ni-ni hasn't failed yet!"
Della watched Nibelria pump herself up with cheers, then lifted her head.
Outside the parlor stood Arep, watching tensely, and Solles, who seemed to have just recalled where he'd seen Della before.
"You're the employee from the information broker, right?"
Solles confirmed his memory.
The day he'd alternated between the Magic Tower and the information broker to sell the poison mushroom.
While waiting for the owner, "Mrs. Della," the cleaning lady exchanging glances with Nibelria.
Solles had witnessed the whole thing.
"...You have a good memory."
Della's eyes widened round before she smiled appreciatively.
"That's right. I'm Della, who works at the information broker."
"Same name as the information broker's owner."
"Just a coincidence. A coincidence."
"Della's Ni-ni's subordinate!"
Nibelria made the introduction.
"Long ago, when Ni-ni was a cat! She brushed my fur and gave me treats! So Ni-ni made her my subordinate."
"Oh my goodness, you're still keeping me on as your subordinate?"
"Of course! Ni-ni never abandons her subordinates!"
"It's an honor, Lady Ni-ni."
The absurd conversation flowed as naturally as water.
'What a nice person.'
To play along with Nibelria's make-believe game like that.
'...But why "Ni-ni"?'
That nickname was one Nibelria reserved only for family and close friends. Strangers calling her Ni-ni usually got ignored or scolded.
But Solles brushed it off quickly.
'Ni-ni isn't mad, so it's fine.'
Someone else, however, was far more hung up on it.
Arep stared anxiously at the two getting along so well.
'I-I'm the lady's subordinate...'
He grew uneasy, fearing he'd lose the position and duty he'd only just found.
"Della."
At that moment, Nibelria introduced Arep to her.
"It's Arep. He came back to Ni-ni!"
"Wow, it's Wolf-nim!"
"Yeah! He lives with Ni-ni. He's my favorite wolf!"
"Hello, Arep-nim."
Della greeted Arep politely as well.
Arep froze in stunned bewilderment, his face flushing with embarrassment. He felt ashamed of himself for having envied Della just moments ago.
"Ah, h-hello..."
"You have splendid golden hair and red eyes just like your name. Please take good care of our Lady Ni-ni."
"Yes...!"
But when it came to vowing to protect Nibelria, he answered with firm resolve.
Della gazed wistfully at such an Arep and asked,
"By the way, weren't you three on your way somewhere?"
"To Mom and Dad."
"The Saintess-nim and Holy Knight-nim?"
"No, Mom right now."
"Ah..."
Della muttered to herself in silent regret before flashing a smile.
"Is it perhaps related to the flower farm you visited today?"
The children's eyes went wide.
"You mustn't forget. I'm the information broker's 'Della,' after all."
Della revealed that was precisely the reason for her visit to the estate.
She then pulled a letter envelope sealed with wax from her bosom.
"Please deliver this to your parents."
"What's this?"
"As thanks for giving us the chance to purchase that rare poison mushroom..."
Della glanced slyly at Solles with a knowing smile.
'Ah...'
Solles felt convinced that the woman before him might very well be the real Mrs. Della.
"A small gift from the information broker's owner, 'Mrs. Della.'"
"Money?"
"Information just as valuable as money."
Della explained,
"It was just analyzed at the Magic Tower yesterday—piping hot info. I'm sure it'll be a big help."
A few days later.
Monitos, Lubeo's corporate advisor lawyer, visited the Flower Farm.
He was a fierce-looking man who seemed ready to hurl curses at anyone who accidentally brushed his shoulder.
Despite his middle age, his muscles were so bulging that his suit strained taut every time his arms moved.
When he arrived at the farm, the Proud couple startled and dropped the whiskey bottle they were holding.
Monitos glanced at the shattered bottle before pulling out his business card and announcing he was Lubeo's corporate advisor lawyer.
"I've brought the contract."
Monitos pulled a thick stack of documents from his weathered square leather bag.
"Since it's structured as startup investment, this contract takes effect right after you two submit the withdrawal request at the bank."
He continued his explanation in a deep, resonant voice.
The contract's terms were straightforward.
The Dayamor Family invests a massive sum, and the Proud couple uses it to establish a research lab and generate profits.
Lubeo assists throughout the process.
"The primary contractor is the developer of the liquid fertilizer that prevents flowers from wilting..."
"That's me, the developer."
Mrs. Proud jumped in quickly.
"Then, please review the contract carefully and sign."
"Right now?"
"As I mentioned earlier, review it first. However, you'll only receive the investment funds after submitting the notarized contract to the capital's bank."
"I-I see..."
The Proud couple exchanged glances before signing the contract on the spot.
Of course, they examined it meticulously.
To be precise, they meticulously checked only the massive investment amount listed.
Monitos silently watched as they counted the units with their fingers, one by one.
"Wh-when can we get it notarized?"
"Fortunately, I hold notary qualifications myself, so if you wish..."
"Do it now, please!"
"We want to set up the lab as soon as possible. We want to give our daughter a proper home and get her the treatment she needs...!"
And so, the notarization was handled right then and there.
Having completed his task, Monitos left the farm.
The Proud couple saw him off and hurriedly shut the door.
"......"
The lawyer in his carriage kept his eyes on the receding farm.
'Our tastes in liquor match.'
Forty-year-old whiskey.
'Though it doesn't seem like the drink for parents who want to give their sick daughter a proper home and treatment.'
"What a stroke of luck!"
"Who would've thought the contract would actually go through...!"
That night.
The Proud couple packed their belongings.
As if fleeing to some far-off place.
"Who knew that orphan brat would actually be useful."
"Things are falling into place so smoothly. Guess we should've lived kinder lives."
"See, what'd I tell you? Keep her alive, and she'd turn into soup or bread or whatever, right?"
The couple, praising themselves in coarse tones, peered at the farm beyond the window.
"...What're they saying she's up to now?"
The husband asked after roughly packing.
"Why? Gonna go praise her?"
"We gotta take care of her before we leave. If she's found alive and starts blabbing about us, we're done for."
"......"
The wife pondered briefly before shaking her head.
"That'd just make things blow up bigger."
The moment they fled, the Dayamor Family would come after them.
"Killing her might even bring the Saintess into it."
"The Saintess too?"
"An old-timer I worked with back in the day said she was a real nutcase. She's the one who killed the previous emperor and the high priest."
"Wasn't that just rumor?"
"That geezer joined as a mercenary to make money in the war forty years ago and saw the Saintess kill people with his own eyes."
Silence fell.
It was a horrific stillness, as if an invisible blade had been thrust into their throats.
"...Yeah. What's the point of making it bigger?"
The husband said loudly, for no reason.
"Leave her be. She'll starve to death anyway."
"Right. Just let her go."
"This is mercy too. Thanks to her, we made bank, so we could kill her but we're letting her live."
"Natural causes. Natural death."
"From now on, let's live easy without sticking our necks into anything risky!"
Having finished packing, the couple set off for the capital at first light.
By the time the Proud couple's rickety carriage was out of sight.
"......"
"......"
People who had been hiding in the forest emerged.
Clad in black garments with faces masked, their gazes turned toward the Flower Farm the couple had just left.
"Begin."
At the command, the black-clad figures infiltrated the farm buildings and began searching the interiors.
Among them was one slightly out-of-place figure.
"...Are you really going in yourself?"
Dether eyed the dilapidated shed on the farm uneasily and glanced down at her bosom.
Tucked there was Nibelria.
Wearing all-black attire like the others, complete with a mask embroidered with cat whiskers, Nibelria nodded.
"It's Ni-ni's investment. Ni-ni has to check it."
"I still can't believe Big Madam and Big Sir allowed you to take on something this dangerous."
"Grandma said experience is important."
"Even so, some experiences are better skipped..."
"Hurry up!"
Unable to resist her master's urging, Dether let out a faint sigh and stepped into the shed.
