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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 64
Chapter Title: Hiring the First Employee
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Daily marveling at her young niece's ever-growing knowledge lasted only a moment before Armifera gave the answer.
"You need horses and carriages. To load up the goods and transport them."
"Oho!"
"And what else do you think we need?"
"Something else too?"
Hmm, Nibelria pondered before answering.
"Hay? Horses can't go hungry."
"That's important too, but the real answer is someone to drive the horses and carriages and buy the goods."
"Nini will do it!"
"You're the most enthusiastic person I know, Nini."
But Rattro was too far and treacherous a place for Nibelria to go.
Above all, the family elders would never allow Nibelria to travel west—to the land of mercenaries, no less.
So they needed to find someone to go in her place.
"Let's hire some staff."
Thus began Nibelria's first employee recruitment.
Armifera handled the hiring, management, delivery confirmations, and everything else.
And as befitted the owner of the merchant group, Nibelria meticulously reviewed the reports Armifera brought her, keeping tabs on the situation.
"Auntie, what's this?"
"This is a list of people who submitted resumes. See? There are twenty of them. Pick the ones you want to work with from here."
"How do I pick?"
There was so much Nibelria didn't know about running a merchant group.
Even when Armifera explained the ongoing processes, she failed to grasp most of it.
Still, Nibelria did her best in the areas she could manage.
And that effort wasn't in vain.
"Mercenaries are super strong people, right?"
In the midst of discussing how to price the stone mushrooms, Nibelria suddenly asked.
"They are."
Armifera answered promptly.
"Then let's hire a mercenary as staff!"
"...Why?"
"Stone mushrooms are too delicious, so someone might steal them. Nini sometimes glares at Arep and Brother when she wants to swipe their cookies?"
Nibelria's eyes sparkled like a cat eyeing its prey as she mimicked the scene.
She even peeked just her eyes over the edge of the desk, pretending to snatch a cookie with nimble fingers.
"But we can't let them steal! So we need someone to guard them!"
"......"
"...Is that wrong?"
"Huh? No, no. Ah, I mean! You're right, Nini."
Armifera, who had been momentarily lost in thought, hurried to reply.
Soon, her face lit up with joy, like someone who had wandered a long maze and finally found the exit.
Standing up, Armifera scooped Nibelria into her arms and planted a big, slurping kiss on her cheek.
"Nini really is a genius!"
"Yeah! A genius!"
"Oh, you pretty little thing!"
"Kyaaaa!"
Nibelria burst into uncontrollable laughter.
"Is it related somehow?"
"The reason my wife and daughter ended up like that...!"
The first thing Kalarop Degladis did upon returning to the Dayamor mansion was to have the family portrait removed.
The one featuring his wife and daughter together.
The portrait he cherished like his own life.
His servants were thrown into great confusion by his orders.
"D-Duke...!"
His loyal butler, who had long served the household, was especially shocked.
The elderly butler, who had guarded the mansion for years, couldn't readily obey.
So he asked for the reason.
And Kalarop replied thus:
"To protect it—would you believe that?"
"Master...?"
"Don't ask questions. Even I..."
It's not like I want to give this order.
The butler felt as if he had heard the words Kalarop ultimately swallowed.
It was Kalarop who had ordered it removed, yet his expression looked as agonized as if a knife had pierced his heart.
"...Understood."
In the end, the butler accepted his command.
Moments later, Al and Rubens came looking for Kalarop upon hearing the news.
"Father!"
Al, who always maintained a calm and composed demeanor, flushed red with rare emotion. His body trembled as if he might shout at any moment.
"Why on earth did you remove the portrait?"
Al pressed his father with wounded eyes, demanding an answer.
Rubens was on the verge of tears.
"Th-that portrait has Mother and my little sister in it. It's the only one with all five of us...!"
Kalarop's heart ached seeing his grieving sons.
"Al, Rubens."
He called out to his two sons, more precious than his own life.
"There are circumstances here."
"I can't understand any circumstances."
Al slowly pulled his hand away and shook his head.
Rubens had been the one with teary eyes, but now Al was shedding tears too.
He always acted mature as the eldest, but Al was still just a twelve-year-old boy.
A child who still desperately needed his parents' love.
"......"
Kalarop squeezed his eyes shut, newly realizing that fact.
"The reason my wife and daughter ended up like that...!"
"We must confirm it now."
"......"
"But don't be too certain. And yet, keep doubting. Do you have the resolve to endure it? It will be more painful and arduous than you can imagine."
Muniel had spoken harshly as if to steel his resolve, but Kalarop didn't care.
What did any of that matter?
He had finally found a clue about what happened to his wife and daughter.
'No pain can compare to what those two endured.'
So Kalarop would seize this opportunity without fail.
But that opportunity must not hurt Al and Rubens.
He absolutely needed the boys' understanding and cooperation.
Because Al and Rubens loved those two just as deeply as he did.
"Boys."
Kalarop said.
"In the past, present, and future, I will love only you. Of course, that includes Sana and Nia. My family alone is my sole treasure and reason for living."
Rubens sniffled.
"Then why remove it?"
"You may not believe me, but that's fine. From now on, I'll tell you only the truth."
I need your help.
Seeing Kalarop's earnest expression, Al and Rubens exchanged glances.
Then they looked back at him.
The hurt looks were gone.
Their faces, restored with infinite trust in their father, were even resolute.
"The reason I had it removed is..."
"...Huh?"
Rima's footsteps halted abruptly as she walked down the hall, clutching a thick book she'd borrowed from the study.
There had been a large family portrait hanging here.
But now, nothing.
The spot where it had hung was noticeably darker. But in time, it would fade to match the rest of the wallpaper.
"......"
Rima gazed at the empty wall, her lips curving into a sly smile.
Her steps lightened as she resumed walking.
"Hmm, hmm-hmm."
Her cheerful humming filled the empty hallway.
Through the gap in her arms, the title of the book she held came into faint view.
Ecosystem of the Northern Mountains.
Nibelria faced a major problem.
When she returned from nursery school, Kaleo delivered the bad news that she couldn't use the name 'Meow Merchant Group'.
"Meow Merchant Group..."
Nibelria's gentle eyes drooped even more sadly.
"We really can't use it? But it's Nini's Meow Merchant Group..."
"Daddy's a bit perplexed too."
Kaleo rubbed his nape, looking troubled.
The existing 'Meow Shop' had its trademark registered early, so no issue there. But they'd just received word that 'Meow Merchant Group' had been registered by someone else recently.
They'd even trademarked the word 'Meow' itself.
"Meow..."
Suddenly unable to use the name, Nibelria grew sad.
But she couldn't wallow in pessimism forever.
"This might actually be an opportunity."
Kaleo gently stroked his daughter's sagging cheeks.
"When a business is about to succeed, it often hits walls like this. Who knows? An even cooler name might be waiting for you."
"A cool name?"
"It hurts now, but you'll surely find something even better."
"Okay."
Feeling a bit cheered, Nibelria started brainstorming new names.
Arep and Solles, hearing the news, joined in the naming effort.
"First, what kind of merchant group does Nini want?"
Solles asked.
To name it, they decided to first learn about the principles and goals Nibelria envisioned for her merchant group.
"One that makes lots of money!"
Nibelria shouted energetically.
"And cats!"
Ever since she was little, Nibelria had dreamed of a shop with a sign featuring a white cat.
Because Nibelria herself was a white cat.
Of course, Solles and Arep, unaware of that, just nodded and moved on.
"Nini wants a cat shop."
"You want 'cat' in the name?"
"Yeah."
Propping her chin on the table, Nibelria pouted.
Arep stared at her tiny, fish-like puckered lips, then asked as if entranced.
"Isn't Lady's name a cat too?"
Back when they were naming her, Arep recalled.
"Nini's real name is Nibelria, which means white cat."
Solles had said that.
Nibelria's name combined snow (Nyx) and cat (Pelea).
Its origin was the white cat 'Nini' raised by Saintess Muniel.
"Then we can just name the merchant group after Lady."
Nibelria's eyes widened at that.
"That won't work."
But Solles opposed it.
