The Young Male Protagonist Who is Destined for Ruin Fell for Me - Chapter 110

Arriving at the Hail Times building as usual, I felt something was off.

What had happened to make everyone so excited?

Is it because of me? But Mr. Pringles isn’t the type to go around spreading my identity…

The answer to my question became clear as I walked down the hallway leading to the president’s office. Journalists, printers, and staff alike were all talking about the same thing.

“So Hail Times is joining hands with Duke Chaeild….”

“We can finally walk around with some real pride now.”

“Oh, please. As if you didn’t act proud before?”

“Come on! It’s completely different before and after Chaeild’s acquisition!”

“Acquisition.” The word made my mind go blank for a moment.

I had thought Kyle might make a move after figuring out where I worked, but I never expected this.

Of course, I didn’t think he would settle for something small, like placing a pretty vase in my office or secretly sending me delicious food.

I thought he might build an annex at most…

But clearly, I still wasn’t thinking on Duke Chaeild’s scale.

The best way to get details was to hear them from Mr. Pringles himself, so I quickened my pace.

And when I stepped into his office, I realized something: The excitement and joy I had seen from the staff were nothing compared to what Mr. Pringles was feeling.

“Ann—no, Countess Diane!”

His beard practically flew as he waved his hands in excitement. He seemed a bit intimidated by me but was also overflowing with enthusiasm.

Even when I was just Ann Smith, I received special treatment. Now that my real identity as Amelia Diane had been revealed, it was even more extreme.

At his signal, cafeteria staff rushed in with trays full of delicious desserts. For a moment, I wondered if I had walked into a dessert café instead of a newspaper office.

…Did Kyle personally come here instead of sending someone?

I didn’t need to see it firsthand—I could already picture exactly what had happened.

I looked at Mr. Pringles, who must have been nervous about meeting a business tycoon like Kyle, and slowly took off my cloak.

Even though he had already known I was hiding beneath it, seeing me in person must have felt different. His mouth gradually fell open.

As I removed my gloves, my engagement ring, which I had hidden so carefully, was revealed. Extending my right hand as I always did when greeting him, I saw him freeze in shock.

“Mr. Pringles. It’s fine, just treat me as you always have.”

“H-How could I possibly shake hands with Duke Chaeild’s fiancée…?”

He looked like he had just heard the voice of a deity. In the end, I had to take his hand and shake it. He flinched as if he had been struck by static electricity, making me feel a little guilty.

“Mr. Pringles, I’m sorry for keeping my identity hidden all this time.”

“Sorry? Please, don’t say such things!”

“If you treat me so formally, I might feel a little hurt.”

As soon as I said something even slightly negative, he panicked.

Chuckling softly, I pulled my cloak back over my shoulders.

“But why are you putting your cloak back on? That must be uncomfortable.”

“I’ll be direct with you. Since it would make things awkward for you, there won’t be any columns under the name Amelia Diane.”

“…!”

His expression was like someone who had just been sentenced to damnation by the gods. He shook his head desperately, his eyes pleading with me.

“But I do want to continue writing under the name Ann Smith.”

“…!”

“So I just need you to help me a little. First, by treating me the same as before.”

I smiled as I shook his hand again.

This time, I could see his inner thoughts—his mind erupted with cheers, as if his favorite athlete had just won a championship.

Trumpets blared, confetti rained from the sky, and in my mind’s eye, Mr. Pringles was shedding tears of joy.

“Miss Ann—no, Countess Diane has chosen our newspaper! This is unbelievable!”

“I must have used up all my good fortune on this moment.”

“More than Duke Chaeild’s acquisition, the fact that we’ll continue to publish Ann’s writing—that is what truly matters!”

His small, beady eyes shone with excitement.

After clearing his throat, he tried to regain his composure and laughed heartily.

“Alright, alright. I’ll treat you the same as before, then!”

Finally, he was back to normal. Feeling at ease, I sat down.

Sensing that I was about to bring up my real reason for coming, Mr. Pringles poured tea into my cup.

“So, Ann. What’s today’s topic? Another exposé on Traiha? Or an economic analysis column?”

His reaction was similar to Vanessa’s.

Well, it was understandable. I had taken similar measures against both the imperial family and Kelton before, so it was only natural for him to assume that.

But this time, I planned to handle things differently.

“No, I’m going to write about why now is the perfect time to expand businesses into Traiha. I want entrepreneurs, especially those in trade, to focus on Traiha.”

“…Why that topic? Aren’t you angry at Traiha?”

I had been kidnapped, after all. How could I not be angry?

But encouraging exports was actually the best way to deliver a sharp blow to Traiha.

“Traiha is still unstable from the rebellion, but since Prince Enoch—the legitimate heir—is alive, things will settle soon enough.”

“I agree. People tend to be satisfied with even the smallest incentive. And right now, the Traiha royal family is wealthier than ever, so they’ll recover quickly.”

“Exactly. Traiha recently brought in an enormous amount of silver from its colonies. The royal family is wealthy, and so are the people. But that wealth will shake the very foundation of their economy.”

I took a sip of tea, savoring the moment.

It might seem like everyone would be happier when their pockets were full, but reality was the opposite.

When too much money floods the market, prices inevitably rise. However, fixed wages won’t increase accordingly.

In the end, inflation will cause a crisis where people won’t even be able to afford a full meal on a day’s wages.

And Traiha doesn’t have a central bank or any institution capable of regulating the influx of silver. There’s no way to stop inflation.

Of course, Enoch might try to control it.

Not in a structured, modern economic sense, but as the ruler of a nation, he would have some degree of power to intervene.

Still, once Hail’s exports start pouring in, the economy will inevitably become unstable.

“To handle the aftermath of my kidnapping, Enoch promised not to tax Chaeild’s exports. That means the merchant guilds will soon be on the move.”

“A s-scoop…!”

“You can write the scoop later. What we need to do now is ensure that merchants don’t hesitate to expand into Traiha despite the political instability.”

Mr. Pringles asked why we needed to do such a thing. The answer was simple.

“With prices in Traiha skyrocketing, if Hail’s relatively cheap goods are exported there, the people of Traiha will only buy Hail’s products.”

“Then Hail’s merchants will become rich… Wait a minute.”

The way he stared blankly at me told me he had finally caught on. I shrugged and continued.

“That’s right. Since Traiha has promised tariff exemptions on Chaeild’s exports, their domestic products won’t be able to compete with Hail’s cheap imports.”

“With Traiha’s inflation already soaring, that makes sense. That means their domestic goods won’t sell.”

“In the end, Traiha will become dependent on imports. Their manufacturing industry will collapse.”

“And over time, all the silver they’ve brought in will flow straight to Hail… Ann, you….”

I took one last sip of tea before rising from my seat. Everything had played out exactly as Mr. Pringles had just described.

In the end, Traiha will be nothing more than an empire where wealth briefly passes through.

I wasn’t sure if reality would follow the Dutch Disease theory I had studied in university, but this much was enough for my revenge.

“That should be enough discussion for now. I’ll send the article soon, so please check it over.”

“Of course. I’ll publish it as soon as it arrives, so don’t worry.”

Adjusting my cloak, I extended my hand as I always did. When we exchanged a light handshake, I heard his thoughts loud and clear.

“Is this woman really the daughter of the Diane family, who lost everything as a guarantor?”

“Well, I suppose she must have had enough wit to rebuild the family.”

“Chaeild has found a treasure…”

＊＊＊

Emperor Verdrevan de Hail often left the palace in simple clothing. It was his way of keeping an eye on the people while enjoying a bit of fresh air.

But today’s excursion was different. He was both determined and tense—because one of his informants had passed along some suspicious information.

“Why is the young Countess Diane in the marketplace…?”

Why indeed? Upon hearing that a carriage bearing the Chaeild crest had stopped in the market, his thoughts had immediately turned to Hail Times.

That troublesome newspaper—one that had humiliated his debauched father and nearly toppled Kelton’s ambitions to swallow Hail whole.

“During both the necklace incident and the Kelton affair, Ann Smith of Hail Times showed an extraordinary level of insight.”

Verdrevan read the newspaper regularly. He had often suspected that columnist Ann Smith might be directly involved in these incidents.

Today, he had come in secret to confirm his suspicions. He hurried toward the Hail Times building and hid nearby.

Soon enough, someone suspicious emerged from the building.

A black cloak—in broad daylight?

Moreover, Mr. Pringles, the president of Hail Times, bowed repeatedly, cautioning the person to be careful. It was the kind of attitude one would show to a noble guest.

“That must be Ann Smith, the one keeping Hail Times alive.”

Pulling up his own hood, Verdrevan followed her discreetly as she slipped through various alleys like a cat.

And then—

“…!”

“Why are you following my master?”

A sharp, murderous voice whispered into his ear.

But it wasn’t just her voice that reached him—cold steel brushed against his throat.

“I-I… I….”

Verdrevan rolled his eyes to look at the woman who had just overpowered him.

She had a strikingly clear and refined face.

Where had he seen her before?

She had platinum blonde hair, beautiful yet unfamiliar in any lavish attire. A maid. She was definitely someone’s maid.

And the master she served—the one who had spoken with such a chilling tone—

“…!”

“What are you staring at, you bastard? Keep your eyes down and don’t look at my lady.”

Thud!

Vanessa struck the cloaked stranger without hesitation.

Anyone foolish enough to stalk her delicate lady deserved a good beating.

Without Amelia noticing, Vanessa picked up a rock and yanked off the intruder’s hood, fully prepared to smash his face in—

But when she saw who it was, her own face twisted in shock.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake… Why is the emperor here?”

In a panic, Vanessa hastily pulled the hood back over him.

If her lady found out, she’d scold her for causing another incident.

Sighing, Vanessa nudged the dazed emperor’s limp body with her foot.

“Vanessa? What are you doing back there?”

“Just… admiring a cute little cat.”

“A cat? I want to see too!”

“No, you can’t. His Grace the Duke might get jealous.”

Verdrevan could only gape as the two disappeared at lightning speed.

Amelia Diane.

The woman who had played a crucial role in dethroning an emperor and dismantling the alliance between Kelton and Hail.

“Chaeild thought they were saving a noblewoman from a fallen family…”

But in truth, she had been the one orchestrating everything.

He wasn’t even angry—he was terrified.

If he ever became her enemy, he couldn’t even begin to guess what would happen to him.

“She really isn’t an ordinary noblewoman, is she?”

Verdrevan let out a hollow laugh.

A few days later, he would find himself flinching when he accidentally ran into Amelia at the palace.

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