The Female Lead Takes Care of Everything - Chapter 62

“Are we really supposed to just sit back and watch? Do nothing at all?”

“Yes.”

But he made sure to draw a clear line and gave a firm warning.

“Make absolutely sure your name—especially your family name—isn’t used carelessly.”

“Ralph, I know you’ll handle it well, but still.”

Ardores added calmly. Muniel nodded in agreement.

“And don’t make it obvious to Al and Rubens either.”

Muniel believed the two were smart enough to act appropriately, even without being told directly.

At those words, Kallaroff thought about how his sons had always struggled to get along with Rima.

What if it hadn’t been just a personality mismatch?

“…This is probably just my own worry, but…”

Kallaroff asked cautiously.

He tried his best to sound casual, like he was just checking a thought that popped into his head.

Silently, Kallaroff clenched his fist.

“Could this be… connected somehow?”

He tried to sound calm, but his voice trembled as though barely holding back anger.

“The reason my wife and daughter ended up like that…!”

Nivellia wanted to tell Al and Rubens about her new business plan.

But Armiphera quickly reached out and covered her mouth.

She did it gently, of course—careful not to hurt her.

Nivellia looked up, fiddling with the calloused, scarred hand covering her mouth.

“Hey now, that’s not something you should just say out loud.”

Armiphera shook her head. “That’s confidential information.”

“Pfft!” Nivellia finally slipped free and argued.

“But that’s what a secret is! Something you’re not supposed to tell!”

“Exactly. You’re absolutely right.”

“Then why can’t I tell people what I’m going to sell? I need to promote it so customers will come! Like, ‘Come this way! Buy our cookies!’ Like that!”

She mimicked the vendors she’d seen at the department store. Everyone burst into laughter.

Nivellia twitched her lips, holding back a smile.

“But still, you can’t,” Armiphera explained.

“Why not?”

“Because someone might copy your idea.”

She said it in a serious, low voice—warning that they could lose a good business opportunity.

Nivellia’s eyes went wide in shock.

“W-Who would do that? Just to get in my way?”

“Maybe someone who’s jealous of you making money. Or maybe just some mean-spirited fool who wants to mess things up.”

“The world is scary…!”

“That’s why anything related to money is better kept a secret.”

“Even from Al and Rubens? But they’re my subordinates!”

“I trust them.”

Nivellia blinked her wide, honest eyes as she looked at them. Al and Rubens looked deeply moved.

“Even so, they can’t know.”

“Aww, we would never steal Nini’s idea!”

Rubens shouted, a little hurt.

“Nini is like our little sister! How could we call ourselves her big brothers if we took something that belongs to her? Right, Al?”

“Right. But I understand what Lady Armiphera is saying—business stuff is important.”

“Thank you for understanding, gentlemen.”

Rubens, happy to be treated like an adult, grinned and forgot all about feeling left out.

Nivellia leaned toward Aref slightly and whispered in a small voice:

“Then it’s just between you and me, okay?”

“……”

“Just our little secret. Heehee, a secret!”

A secret between just the two of them.

That soft, ticklish voice passed through Aref’s ear and made his little heart race.

Of course, it wasn’t a secret only they knew.

Solace knew. The adults of Deiamor knew. Armiphera had even agreed to start the business with Nivellia.

But Aref forgot all of that.

All he could think about was the idea that he and Nivellia shared a special secret—just the two of them.

“……”

He nodded eagerly.

“A-a secret… just for the two of us…”

He spoke slowly, his voice trembling with emotion.

Aref had sharp, fox-like eyes.

When his face was expressionless, people often mistook him for being angry.

But his personality was timid and cautious. He always paid attention to what others were thinking.

Because of that, Aref had been bullied often at the orphanage.

Especially for his eyes—he was endlessly mocked because of them.

So, he came to hate the way his own eyes looked.

Whenever he caught his reflection in water or glass, he would quickly look away.

Many nights, he even prayed to wake up with normal eyes—just like everyone else.

“……”

But now, Aref could finally face his reflection in the mirror.

“All done washing up?”

Ardores called from outside the door.

“Yes!”

Aref wiped his face with a towel and opened the door.

He was learning how to wash his face by himself.

Rubens had once boasted that he could do it alone. Fueled by a bit of rivalry, Aref had asked Ardores to teach him too.

‘Is it because he’s a wolf?’

Ardores thought to himself as he wiped the last drop of water from under Aref’s chin.

‘He grows fast in a pack environment.’

Aref quickly found peace in the feeling of belonging—of being part of something—and the satisfaction of fulfilling a role within the group.

“Hm, I’ll give today’s face wash a 70 out of 100.”

“That high?”

“Yeah. You wiped off most of the water well. But your sleeves are wet, and you missed a bit under your chin…”

“Next time, I’ll roll up my sleeves before I wash and make sure to dry under my chin too.”

“Then you’ll get a higher score tomorrow.”

“Hehe…”

When Aref smiled, his sharp, narrow eyes softened into a gentle curve.

“You really have beautiful eyes.”

Ardores said quietly.

Aref blinked, surprised, his eyes widening.

“I mean it. Especially that red color—it’s so vivid. Even if we got separated, I’d find you in no time.”

“…She said that too.”

“Hmm?”

“The young lady… she said my eyes were pretty too.”

“Well, Nini takes after me. She’s good at noticing beautiful things.”

Ardores’s large hand playfully tousled Aref’s blond hair, messing it up completely.

Aref let out a quiet laugh, amused by how his hair moved with each stroke.

Afterward, Ardores gently straightened it again.

“There we go.”

With a satisfied nod, he walked with Aref toward the dining room.

Aref glanced up at the thick fingers he was holding and stared at them in admiration.

He wanted to grow up to be like Ardores someday—

Big in body, and big in heart.

“Sir Ardores.”

“Yeah?”

“My eyes… they’re not weird, right?”

“No. Not weird at all. In fact, they’re beautiful.”

“A long time ago… at the orphanage…”

Aref quietly began to share some of the painful memories he had carried.

Ardores came to a stop and listened carefully, trying his best to keep his expression calm and steady.

“That must’ve been hard.”

His words were simple, but full of quiet sincerity.

Aref quickly added more, feeling a bit embarrassed—like he’d just tattled on someone.

“It doesn’t bother me anymore though.”

“That’s good. But if something ever hurts you, or makes you sad—talk to me. Even if it just suddenly comes to mind, like today, it’s okay.”

“Really? I won’t be bothering you?”

“Not at all.”

You are never a bother.

At those words, Aref’s ears turned red.

They started walking again.

“But Aref…”

“Yes?”

“Who said those things to you?”

“……”

“If it’s hard to say, that’s okay too.”

But Aref shook his head. Then, just like Nivellia had once done, he gestured for Ardores to come closer.

Ardores leaned down without hesitation, turning his ear toward the boy.

“Well, actually…”

Whisper, whisper.

Aref quietly spoke into Ardores’s ear.

Whisper, whisper.

“…Hmm, it’s a good plan.”

Celletina looked over the proposal that Nivellia had put together.

For the past few days, Nivellia had worked hard with Armiphera, carefully planning their new business.

She’d drawn and written out the ideas herself, using the words she knew and colorful pictures, then handed the final version to Celletina.

Right in the center was a big drawing of a wagon.

Above it was the word “Transport”—a pretty difficult word for someone like Nivellia. It was probably something Armiphera had taught her.

“I worked really, really hard on it!”

Nivellia said proudly.

“Right, Auntie?”

“She really did. I was there the whole time. This is the proof.”

Armiphera pulled out a more detailed document she had kept hidden—the real business plan for distributing stone mushrooms.

Celletina read through that one carefully as well.

The whole time, Nivellia and Armiphera held hands tightly, silently hoping for Celletina’s approval.

After a brief pause…

“Alright.”

Celletina smiled and nodded.

“Rubeo will buy the stone mushrooms. And we’ll leave the distribution process in the hands of Nivellia’s ‘Kitty Shop.’”

“Yay!”

Nivellia threw her arms into the air with joy.

“Nini, we did it!”

“We’re going to make money! Yay!”

The little niece and her strong, muscular aunt hugged each other, overjoyed.

“But, Auntie!”

“Yeah?”

“What does ‘distribution’ mean?”

“Oh, my.”

Armiphera knelt down and explained it.

“It means asking someone to do work for you, and paying them for it.”

“Money!”

“Yes, money! We’re going to earn money!”

“Yaaaay!”

“But…”

Celletina, who had been smiling at the happy pair, gently brought them back to reality.

“You two—do you even have any money?”

“Auntie, you don’t have money? But you’re a grown-up.”

“I just became the Mercenary Queen. I don’t have much yet. Everything I saved up is still back in Latro, and I left it all behind…”

Nivellia and Armiphera hit a major problem.

They didn’t have any money to start the business.

“Tch… Celletina’s always so cold when it comes to things like this…”

She could lend them money—but she never does.

Regretting all the wealth she left behind in Latro, Armiphera glanced sideways at Nivellia.

“Nini, don’t you have anything saved up? You’ve been saving from your paycheck, right?”

“I’ve got three million Uba.”

That was a lot for a kid—but nowhere near enough.

Still, the problem would soon be solved.

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