The day I met Ginevra Gulbrow
Shortly after, news spread of the signing of the official contract between the Ambrose and Goalbro business groups.
What a relief!
I was secretly worried, but after hearing the details from Ginevra, I breathed a sigh of relief.
Honestly, I wasn't sure if introducing them to each other was the right decision.
The Iron-Blooded Empress, Oriana, was once at the pinnacle of power, but has now abandoned everything to the Crown Prince and stepped down.
and Ginevra Gulbrough, who was steadily educated under her distinguished father while building her own career.
Their meeting was an event that never happened in the original story.
But, surprisingly...
The two transcended their status and social background, bonding over their shared love of comic books.
Soon, Ginevra will publish a newsletter called “The Ghost Duke” for comic fans, and the Empress has secretly agreed to be her guarantor…
Yeah, that's something I'll keep to myself.
“Anyway, this might be a great opportunity for Ginevra as well.”
She had few social relationships.
I only recently learned that her mother had died early, which explains a lot.
Even if she had an introduction ceremony for the girl, not having a noblewoman to support her was a huge obstacle.
But what if she could establish a relationship with the Empress and enter the social life of the empire?
“Goalpro's already strong business group may become even stronger.”
Knock knock.
While I was deep in thought, Bonita's voice reached my ears.
“Madame, the Marchioness Ambrose is waiting for you.”
“Oh, is that time already?”
After hearing the awaited news, I got up and headed outside.
On entering the reception room, I was greeted by the Marchioness Ambrose, who was dressed even more splendidly than usual.
Upon closer inspection, even her skin looked brighter – things must have gone better with the Goalpro set than expected.
"my lady".
"Yes?"
While Bonita was setting the table, the Marchioness spoke to me in a calm voice.
“Honestly, I never thought it would be possible.”
She held the teacup elegantly and took a sip of the warm tea before continuing her speech.
“…For this, Ambrose owes you a great debt.”
Religion, right?
When I heard the words I'd been waiting for, I grinned.
“No, we were able to solve our distribution problems thanks to Ambrose as well. Please don’t say that, Marchioness.”
“No, if I allow this, it will mean that Ambrose is unilaterally incurring a debt.”
Although using the Ambrose distribution network was necessary for us, it was not as if we were using it for free – we were paying an appropriate fee for the service.
However, if the Ambrose family had not been introduced to Ginevra, they would not have been able to secure the future of their valuable distribution business.
So the Marchioness seemed to think that what she gave me was not enough to balance what she received.
Honestly, she wasn't entirely wrong.
That's why I plan to keep this debt open.
And why?
I remembered the lease agreement buried in a corner of the Grand Duke's office.
The increasingly high costs of accommodation as we spoke made my heart pound with anxiety.
And the truth - this was no joke - I realized it again when I explained this deal to that crazy person.
What exactly?
If I didn't work harder, I would be forever in debt and unable to escape the Blair Grand Duke's estate.
Honestly…
It wasn't that I hated the Grand Duke.
But at this rate, I'll be stuck living in his house forever – owned by an exploitative employer (who also happens to be ridiculously handsome, dangerously charming, and offers excellent benefits).
And if he marries someone one day...what will happen to me?
As soon as the idea occurred to me, a vivid simulation began to unfold in my head.
“Honey, who is this woman who lives in our apartment complex?”
“You could call her a parasite who has racked up huge debts and refuses to pay them back. Ah.”
“Get her out of here now!”
“No, I can't let her leave until she pays back every penny.”
“What?! This cunning fox must be deliberately clinging to you!”
...Will I end up living under the supervision of the future Grand Duchess?
Ah, just imagining that kind of future was unbearable. But why did my chest feel so tight when I thought of a Grand Duchess – someone who did not yet exist?
I hid my complicated feelings, sipped my tea and took a deep breath.
“Having a beautiful couple with great influence will always make ordinary people feel like they have been robbed.”
This must be the reason. But still…
“Surely the Grand Duke would marry a woman with a prestigious title, noble lineage, and unparalleled beauty, right?”
At that moment, my resolve strengthened.
I had to secure my independence before the marriage talk started.
“Huh.”
“Oh…!”
I was deep in thought as I stared absently at the cup of tea, then suddenly came back to reality when I heard faint laughter.
“Sorry! I was lost in thought…”
“No, it's okay. I thought you were good with numbers, but seeing your facial expressions change so much reminds me of my son James when he was little.”
Fortunately, she didn't seem too bothered by my rudeness and smiled kindly.
“James—”
“James Baffron, Baron.”
Oh, right.
I forgot his name for a moment, but as soon as I remembered it I nodded. The Marchioness let out a light laugh.
“I may be far away from him now, but James was the son I cherished the most.”
Even though she was looking at me, her gaze seemed to be going somewhere far away.
Then she began to recount the long-standing conflict between her and Baron Bavron.
Because he was her most promising son, it was natural for her to have expectations.
Although always obedient, he was quite uncompromising about his marriage.
“Hmm...”
The more I delved into her story, the harder it became for me to hide my sad expression.
Because I knew not only their past, but also what awaited them in the future.
To be honest, I didn't recognize the name Pavron at first.
The changes that occurred after my survival led to deviations from the original story, and I did not have everything written down when I was transported to another world. Naturally, side stories not directly related to the hero faded from my memory.
But just because they are no longer connected to the heroine, Limia, does not mean that time has stopped for them.
“Everyone has their own story that is still unfolding...”
Even just thinking about the events I've been involved in proves that.
The kidnapping, the problems that occurred in the magic tower, and the tragedy that will soon befall the Ambrose family.
The Marchioness had no idea - she could not imagine - that her beloved son and his wife would soon fall into ruin and lose their lives due to financial hardship.
And when she heard the late news, she would suffer indescribable grief.
In the original story, the powerful Limia helped the Marchioness heal through a psychotherapist, eventually securing full access to Ambrose's distribution network.
Or something like that. Anyway…
“But nothing has happened yet.”
Baron Bavron was still alive.
This means that the Marchioness has not lost her son yet.
So maybe you wouldn't have had to go through all that suffering in the first place.
If there's a chance to turn things around, wouldn't it be worth a try?
“But… should I intervene at all?”
I already tried to fix Salt's starvation problem, and I almost made things worse.
Maybe some things were meant to happen.
But still, the Marchioness reconnecting with Bavron and establishing relations with the family of Grand Duke Pleil was not part of the original plan either…
‘Um….’
As the Marchioness's voice moved away, I found myself sinking deeper into thought.