Chapter 41
Chapter 41
The main agenda of the meeting was about how to lift the mining ban imposed by contract.
Previously, Luwin’s greatest wealth came from mana stone mining, so in reality, if they could just resolve the current mining ban, becoming wealthy again would be a matter of time.
However, the biggest problem was that the mining rights had been banned by Marquis Cloi, Cassis’s uncle, and the emperor.
I stared at Rosalyn Freya, who was arguing with veins popping on her neck that they should bow down to Marquis Cloi and appeal to his sympathy, then shook my head and shuffled through the documents spread out.
‘System, be honest. That, no, that person, was created to be a villain, right?’
[…..]
[…Minor villains need to have that kind of sloppy flavor.]
‘Who would make something so sloppy?’
[Made in a hurry, hehe.]
I quietly listened to the nonsense of just bowing down to Marquis Cloi, who was practically Luwin’s archenemy, with an expression like I had bitten into something sour.
It’s fine for me as an outsider.
But not for Cassis.
Cassis, who had lost everything because of his uncle Marquis Cloi, was listening to this nonsense with a clear mind.
As Rosalyn Freya kept repeating what she wanted to say regardless of the meeting agenda, I nudged Roen, who was boredly rolling his pen.
Then I handed him a piece of paper and scribbled with my pen.
[Why on earth is she like this?]
[Haha]
[Can’t we kick her out? Even if she is Cassis’s aunt.]
Seeming to like my blunt statement, Roen laughed out loud “Haha” and shook his head.
[The Freya family is not only where Lady Rosalyn married into, but also a vassal family of Luwin that has lent quite a lot of money.]
[Ah.]
[And.]
[And?]
[Cassis is weak to people who care for him.]
[Even if it’s in a bad way?]
[Even if it’s in a bad way. Even if it means giving up a lot of himself.]
“……”
In the end, Cassis was enduring such ridiculous nonsense because he was hanging onto affection.
The meeting was naturally stagnant.
From the start, not only Roen and I, but also Cassis and anyone who knew Luwin’s situation were already aware that today’s agenda was impossible.
At a point where we had no weapons, money, or power to stand against the emperor and Marquis Cloi, how could we retrieve the mining rights that were taken away?
Rather, it was already tremendous that restrictions were placed so that no one else could mine either.
“Our dear Duke Cassis. Our beloved nephew must not forget that he is never alone. Although Vedic Cloi seems a bit greedy, his love for Luwin is as strong as our own.”
“Aunt, let’s stop talking about uncle here.”
“As Vedic said, if we can get the mining rights by lifting the mining ban for your uncle, I think it will be a long-term breathing space for our Luwin. It’s not the time to stand on pride and be stubborn.”
Unable to listen anymore, I finally had to raise my hand and ask for permission to speak.
“This is Irina Seike. Lady Freya’s statement just now is problematic. In the current situation where our Luwin doesn’t have mining rights, if the existing mining restrictions are lifted, mana stones will just flow out externally as they are.”
“So isn’t that why I’m saying we should get help from Vedic Cloi?”
Damn it, this person is definitely Marquis Cloi’s puppet.
I can guarantee that if Luwin falls, Rosalyn Freya’s share in that fall will not be small.
I clicked my tongue and cut off Rosalyn Freya’s words.
“Who handles family matters relying on others’ sympathy?”
My sarcastic tone made the other person’s face turn bright red.
She stuttered “Eek-” a few times, trembling, and the rebuttal she finally managed to make was ridiculous.
“Didn’t the Seike Countess enter Luwin relying on sympathy? How dare someone with no honor, from a completely ruined family, talk about sympathy in front of me!”
“Oh, Lady Rosalyn. That wasn’t my intention. In the first place, the Grand Duke Luwin’s family isn’t so easygoing as to choose me out of sympathy.”
[Sorry, Irina.]
[We’re sorry. We’re sorry.]
I spread some bait to preemptively cut off the nonsense and insults, as it would end up insulting Cassis along with Luwin, and gave a slight smile.
[That’s right, well done. Raise one corner of your mouth a little more.]
As I smiled mockingly with effort, she trembled a few times and finally closed her mouth at Cassis’s restraint.
After confirming that the conference room had quieted down again, I clapped my hands to focus attention.
“Shall we continue the meeting?”
Even flipping through the documents, there wasn’t much worth discussing.
“First of all, it seems difficult to resolve the ‘mining rights’ issue, which was today’s agenda, right away. If we act ambiguously and the current restrictions protecting the mana stone mines are lifted, recovery will be impossible.”
Cassis nodded in agreement with my statement, and Roen chimed in.
“In this situation, the only way to reclaim mining rights seems to be to secure at least minimal capital and power.”
So instead of having these strange meetings, let’s think more about business items.
It seems like we’re having this meeting because of people talking nonsense like that, but it might be better to bring these people and launch a ‘Great Ice Cream Sales Strategy’.
“I agree. As Irina said, it seems that growing in scale based on new businesses is the priority for now.”
When I had a brief written conversation with Roen earlier, he said that Cassis already knew how meaningless this meeting was.
However, he also said it was unavoidable because Rosalyn Freya was visiting the family after a long time, and the Freya family had provided quite a lot of funding to Luwin.
“Then let’s end the meeting here.”
The meeting seemed to be ending like this.
I stood up as soon as Cassis stood up.
Freya’s gaze was very cold, but honestly, I didn’t care much.
I just wanted to leave this conference room.
But the problem was elsewhere.
“Roen, let’s talk in the office for a moment.”
“Me?”
“Yes, you. You and aunt.”
Fortunately, it seems he’s not calling me.
With the thought that I should quickly escape rather than lingering awkwardly and getting dragged along, I slipped backwards.
However, Roen, thinking he couldn’t suffer alone, quickly pointed at me.
“If it’s about strategy, I think Irina, who’s in charge, should join us as well.”
“Huh? I’m fine! I’m sure Cassis and Roen will handle it well.”
Haha!
I was planning to laugh heartily and then quickly escape!
“No, it would be difficult without Irina, who’s the person in charge. Come on, Irina. Let’s go together!”
And so I was escorted to Cassis’s office.
Unfortunately.
* * *
“Cassis, think again. The ones with money are still the nobles. What we need to target are the nobles. I hear they’re building a high-end resort in the south, centered around the eastern nobles including the Roxen family. Vedic is also going to help.”
“Aunt. I’m not investing.”
“No, we should invest there too and pay off our debts.”
I wanted to listen a bit to see how amazingly she could talk nonsense, but after a while, I felt like plugging my ears.
She was an idiot who couldn’t even speak nonsense eloquently.
“She’s too stupid to even be a con artist.”
Roen burst into laughter next to me, seemingly having heard me mumble quietly.
And at that laughter, the tired face of Cassis and the stubborn-filled gaze of Freya turned towards us.
Rosalyn Freya’s gaze was not particularly kind.
‘Why?’
[You kept rebutting all of her words during the meeting.]
‘Well, I did it because they were worth rebutting.’
I don’t know who made such a pathetic villain.
It was enough to hurt my pride that I had to deal with such a person.
“Irina Seike.”
“Me?”
“Nephew, I’ve tried not to comment on women’s issues as much as possible. But as an elder of the family, I must say this! Honestly, I don’t understand why you brought such a woman all the way from the south.”
I ended up getting insulted suddenly while just sitting there.
I blinked and looked alternately at Cassis and Rosalyn with eyes that knew nothing.
“It’s been almost a year since that woman came to the north!”
“It hasn’t even been half a year yet.”
Bang!
Rosalyn Freya shouted, slamming her hand on the desk.
“So what has she done until now?”
I looked pitifully at Cassis and Roen, feeling unfairly wronged by her pleading words.
You know how hard I’ve been working, right?
“Cassis, my dear nephew. The proud son of my brother.”
Rosalyn caressed Cassis’s cheek lovingly and whispered.
Her skin, unable to withstand the years, was wrinkled all over.
“You need to come to your senses.”
At the words “You need to come to your senses,” I suddenly came to my senses.
That’s right.
This is not the time for me to be listening to such words.
I’ve done so much.
Moreover, Cassis tends to be weak to people who care for him.
And if that person is a family elder?
He seemed likely to make wrong investments even knowing they were wrong.
So in this situation, only I can stop Cassis.
I quickly raised my hand and stepped forward.
I felt hands trying to hold me back from behind, but I shook them off and stood in front of Rosalyn.
Her gaze was cold.
“But the luxury industry requires enormous initial investment.”
“This is why I said uneducated ones can’t do it, didn’t I? Seike? How dare a penniless count’s family from the south raise their head high in front of a grand duke?”
‘Wow, it’s been a really long time since I heard words like this.’
[Don’t admire it because we’re sorry……]
‘Nah, it’s okay. My life as a debtor has been too smooth lately.’
Let’s take it lightly.
I was a bit dumbfounded until just now, but thinking that there would be a good reward after overcoming this minor villain made me somewhat excited.
“Ah, that’s right. As Lady Rosalyn Freya said, that could be the case. But that’s why we need to objectively assess our current situation.”
I picked up one of the reports neatly placed on Cassis’s desk and showed it to Rosalyn, flipping through it.
It was a report I had struggled to create in a world without computers or Excel.
“To conclude, the fact that Luwin has gone bankrupt is known to all citizens of the empire.”
As soon as I finished speaking, the system window rang.
[SYSTEM | The master of the world admires Irina Seike’s personality.]
[SYSTEM | Special reward of 5 luck points provided.]
[SYSTEM | Luck stat. 21/30]
