The Female Lead Takes Care of Everything - Chapter 75

The startled man looked around the dark room, wondering for a moment if water had spilled somewhere.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

“…!”

But there was no time to figure it out.

The pounding on the shop door grew louder, and the shouting outside became clearer by the second.

“Your scammer!”

“Give us our money back! We want a refund!”

Only then did the man realize something was seriously wrong. Forgetting the cold, he rushed to check the down coats on display in the store.

But there was no need.

“…….”

He stood frozen, staring in disbelief at the store’s only products—now soaking wet.

Coats worth fifty thousand Uvazas, made from the feathers of the Perennial Snow Duck.

Every single one of them was drenched.

Some, displayed near the front windows, were even frozen solid.

Unable to fully grasp the situation, the man reached out and picked up one of the coats with a dazed expression, as if it were someone else’s problem.

Water trickled out.

The drops slid down his hand and pooled into a small puddle on the floor.

“D-Down feathers….”

Nivellia slowly read the headline on the front page of the newspaper, carefully pronouncing each word.

“Down… coat… defec… defective….”

“Defective.”

“Defective! Mmm, because it’s defective… the damage is…”

That day’s front page of the Dramenor Empire Daily featured a report on the once-popular Perennial Snow Duck down coats, which had gained massive attention for being sold at an affordable fifty thousand Uvazas.

But now, a scandal had broken out.

The coats were fake.

They gradually lost their ability to keep out the cold, and poorly sewn seams caused the down feathers to fall out.

Worse still, the down inside had absorbed moisture.

Water leaking from the coats had stained other clothes in closets, and those hung near windows or doors had frozen completely.

Several people had even suffered frostbite on their backs while wearing the coats outside.

After being briefed on the situation, the Emperor issued an emergency order to destroy all the counterfeit coats.

He also demanded a full investigation into everyone involved in the production and distribution, with strict punishment for all responsible.

“The clothes froze!”

Understanding the article, Nivellia turned to look at her side.

Caleo nodded with a serious expression. Nivellia copied his face, matching the mood.

“Clothes freezing in winter… What kind of nonsense is that?”

“Daddy, are those people going to freeze to death?”

“No deaths have been reported yet. That’s a relief.”

“Mm-hmm.”

So far, only property damage had been confirmed.

But winter had only just begun. A colder-than-usual season still had at least a month left.

At this rate, it was only a matter of time before there were serious casualties.

“…….”

Nivellia climbed onto Caleo’s lap.

He leaned back slightly so she could sit more comfortably.

She gently tapped the back of his hand.

“It’s hard when you’re cold, right?”

“Yeah, it’s tough when you’re cold.”

That’s why people flocked to the Rubeo Department Store to buy new winter clothes.

But the winter sale had already ended.

With the Petra Bank collapse, spending money wasn’t easy, and many customers had no choice but to turn away empty-handed…

“To ignore this situation would be unworthy of Rubeo.”

As fate would have it, Celletina, during an inspection of the department store, noticed the disappointed crowd and issued a discount on the spot.

“Just for one week. We’re starting a special discount.”

Grateful, people rushed to buy new clothes.

Rubeo not only won back public trust but also cleared out all the leftover stock from the previous season.

Even unrelated items saw a noticeable boost in sales.

Customers who thought they’d have to pay full price were able to buy what they needed for much less, all thanks to Celletina.

That unexpected kindness brought warmth to people’s hearts and made it much easier for them to open their wallets.

Of course, Nivellia had no way of knowing the truth.
She simply felt sad when she heard that people were cold.

“Hey, Daddy. At kindergarten, they said when things are hard, we should help each other.”

“Then how should we help them?”

“Medicine!”

Nivellia thrust her tiny right fist forward with confidence.

“Let’s give them medicine!”

The pharmaceutical company founded by Deiamor and Rubeo quietly opened for business.

That wasn’t the original plan.

They had intended to host a grand opening, but with all the chaos throughout the autumn, the ceremony was quietly dropped.

Instead, Celletina Deiamor Rubeo, head of the Rubeo family, chose a different way to promote the company.

“Oh my goodness, I just put it on and…”

“The bleeding stopped right away!”

“Mom, this doesn’t taste bad at all. It’s really sweet and tangy!”

She distributed the company’s new medicines through Rubeo’s trade caravans and had them sold directly in every village they passed.

Even pharmaceutical staff joined in the fieldwork.

“Tastes great, right? But don’t eat too much or you’ll get a stomachache. Just one spoonful after dinner.”

“First, clean the wound with fresh water. Then apply this ointment in a thin layer. It’s best to keep your hands clean.”

“These are pills made from powdered medicine, shaped for easier swallowing. They’re totally safe. You know gelatin? The stuff used for making jelly.”

“This one is made by hardening the powder with corn starch.”

Thanks to their excellent effectiveness, word quickly spread.

Within a month, the company had secured supply contracts with territories covering nearly a third of the Dramenor Empire.

Two months later, even the royal pharmacists paid a visit.

They examined the company’s products and bought several ingredients on the spot.

A few days later, they came back and signed a full contract.

Rumors that the Emperor himself used their medicine pushed the company’s popularity even higher.

“I took their medicine and slept like a baby. My cold disappeared.”

“The pills are really easy to take, especially the ones made with gelatin.”

“What was the company’s name again?”

People began to recall it.

“Philia Terre.”

A name from long ago.
It once belonged to the witches who were praised as daughters of the earth.

“Nini, how do you always think just like Mommy?”

After work, Celletina hugged Nivellia tight and covered her cheeks with kisses.

Nivellia squealed and burst into laughter.

“You really are my daughter.”

“We should give medicine to sick people. Let’s help them.”

“You’re so kind. Actually, Mommy asked the witches too.”

Philia Terre gladly accepted the suggestion.

They quickly created emergency medicine to prevent common winter illnesses.

They planned to send it to the cold northern regions, especially to poor areas where medicine was hard to get.

“And for those with frostbite, we’ll send treatment to hospitals.”

“Mommy, you’re amazing! So nice!”

Now it was Nivellia’s turn to kiss Celletina on the cheek.

As soon as they heard Celletina was home, the rest of the family came out to greet her.

Muniel in particular took Celletina’s icy hands and held them tightly, looking at her with pride.

“You’ve worked hard.”

“Oh no, I didn’t do that much.”

“I believe in you. If not you, who else would I trust?”

“It’s scary sometimes, you know? You always trust me so much, I feel like I can’t mess up.”

“I trust you so that you’ll carry that responsibility.”

That night, the whole family sat down for dinner together.

Celletina scooped up a soft carrot from her gently simmered cream soup.

“By the way, love,” she said, looking at Caleo.
“You’re going to the palace soon, right?”

“In two days.”

He was scheduled to attend an emergency meeting called by the Emperor.

“Since the cold hasn’t let up, and the Petra Bank issue still isn’t resolved, it’s just a midterm progress check.”

“I’ve been summoned too.”

“You too? Oh… is it what I think it is?”

Listening quietly to the adults’ conversation, Soles glanced at Nivellia and Aref.

The three of them exchanged a look, and as soon as dinner was over, they gathered in Soles’s room.

“If I’m right about this…”

His serious expression slowly softened.

“Then I think the decision will be announced at the meeting two days from now.”

“Do you think the information we got from Ather helped?” Aref asked carefully.

“It definitely helped.”

Nivellia answered without hesitation.

“Aref said it would. The black dragon never lies!”

“Yeah. I’ll believe it too.”

“Great! Then let’s seal it with a kiss!”

“No, no, no!”

Soles jumped in between his younger siblings just as they leaned in for a kiss.

“Not now! And remember, kisses are only allowed three times a day and only in front of adults!”

“This isn’t a kiss. It’s just a peck.”

“S-still! We’re in the middle of something important!”

Even though he was their big brother, Soles couldn’t help feeling uncomfortable watching Nivellia and Aref peck each other.

To be honest, it made him feel weirdly guilty.

Thankfully, they listened to him.

Feeling relieved, Soles went on.

“If Mom and Dad seem that confident…”

Rima’s right-hand fingernails were all jagged, as if they’d been bitten off or torn down to the skin.

“Oh my god, what happened to your nails?”

“Someone gets medicine!”

The maids bathing Rima were so shocked they shouted out loud.

Her small, pale hands were covered in wounds.

Especially her thumbs, where the skin beneath the nails was exposed. Just a gentle press made blood bead up from the injury.

Rima, still not properly washed, sat there blankly as the maids treated her hands.

What do I do? Seriously, what am I supposed to do?

This isn’t how it was supposed to go.

It’s all going wrong, not how I imagined at all.

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