I Kidnapped the Hero's Women-Chapter 208: Tue. Tour (1)

"The operating funds are so large, I want to hire a deputy manager for each field..."

"Ah. No."

Before I even finished reading the letter from Irene, I immediately began writing a reply.

To summarize, she was saying she wanted to hire someone to help with the overwhelming workload. But that was absolutely unacceptable.

The only person I trusted and could rely on with my money was Irene. I could never stand the thought of someone else handling my funds.

Irene’s work was overwhelming, and I knew it would get harder, but that wasn’t my concern. I had given her a 10% share, so she should be working hard for it.

"And as for the idea of the Vermont Investment Corporation acquiring the Tales Guild and using it to manage assets, handle transportation, and create a stable cash flow, what do you think about that..."

"This is approved."

Finally, a proposal I liked came up at the last minute.

The Tales Guild, though small, was solid in structure but always had to be subjugated by the financial backers. If Vermont Investment Corporation acquired it, we could create a win-win relationship by controlling it from below.

"This will greatly improve our financial situation..."

Vermont’s position had grown significantly recently, but that was mostly due to political and diplomatic influence. The actual financial situation was still serious. The highway construction was just completed, and the Vermont Security and the blacksmith business had not yet turned a profit, so the financial issues were still pressing.

But thanks to the Emperor's big gift, it had been resolved in one go.

If things had gone wrong, I would have had to pay off all my debts within the year. Instead, now there were offers coming from everywhere to loan me more money at lower interest rates.

Now, Vermont was one of the strongest counts, with excellent military power, a solid backer, and strong economic standing.

"At this point, we're almost at the level of dukes... huh!?"

Suddenly, a thought crossed my mind, and my stomach sank. Could this... be part of the Emperor’s plan?

She might be setting me up to give me a duke or even a grand duke title, claiming that Vermont was too large to be just a count.

In the Empire’s history, I knew that all dukes and grand dukes were related to the imperial family.

If I were to receive such a title, I’d be bound by blood to the royal family. And now, the only person in the Vermont family who could marry into the royal family was me.

On the other hand, the royal family had no one else who could marry into Vermont either, except for the Emperor’s sister.

Follow current novels on freewebnσvel.cѳm.

"This is it! I’ve fallen into a trap..."

Unbelievable. All the scenarios were leading me straight to the position of Duke.

I had been caught in a trap, and I hadn’t even realized it.

"Sister... For the time being... let’s manipulate the books... overvalue the assets... or pick investments that seem to be going sideways, just to make the Investment Corporation seem like it's failing..."

I hastily scribbled the final lines of my reply to Irene.

I asked her to make sure that Vermont Investment Corporation was undervalued as much as possible. I didn’t want anyone saying we had to promote it to a duke title.

Of course, this was just a delay tactic.

It wouldn’t be a solution to escape the trap. I needed to buy some time and figure out how to avoid the Emperor’s attempt to marry me off.

"If the Emperor truly sees me as a romantic partner, I could understand. But she’s only interested in my capabilities and wants to marry me off for that reason..."

[Kali, the evil god, laments that you're always sharp except when it comes to these things.]

There was no denying that Kali was right, but for some reason, Kali was panicking. It seemed like Kali still hadn’t fully understood what the Emperor was like.

The Emperor was someone who would chase after capable people and recruit them, even if it meant going to hell and back.

Romance and sentimentality were the furthest things from her mind. She was that kind of person.

"Next... what’s this?"

As I flipped through the documents, I suddenly noticed the Imperial Magic Academy's emblem. Was it a notice from the academy?

When I opened it, I saw that it was a payment receipt for Yuria’s second semester tuition fees. I was about to throw it in the trash when I stopped myself.

"Wait a minute. How about sending the kids on a tour?"

[Kali, the evil god, claps and says it’s a great idea!]

I had planned to have Charlotte and Yuria enrolled in the academy next year, but when I asked them about it last time, their reactions weren’t very enthusiastic.

I was also concerned about Yuria, who seemed to be drifting through her time at the academy.

If I sent Charlotte and Yuria on a tour of the Imperial Magic Academy, it might motivate them to apply, and it could also encourage Yuria to pay more attention to her relationships there.

The more I thought about it, the more it seemed like a good idea.

"Alright, let’s try to push this forward."

I immediately began drafting a proposal to send to the headmaster of the Imperial Magic Academy. There probably wouldn’t be any problems getting the approval.

When Yuria was specially admitted, I had begged for it, but in the end, she became one of the academy's most outstanding students.

Maybe Charlotte and Yuria would end up begging to take the entrance exams for the Imperial Magic Academy.

...

That was what I thought.

"Absolutely not! Lord, I can tell what you're thinking! You want the two of them to go on the tour and then apply for the entrance exams next year, right? Please reconsider. Even handling Yuria alone is too much for us. If we take on two more problem children, we won’t be able to handle it..."

I received an unexpected reply.

The headmaster’s urgent handwriting was something I hadn’t seen before. What in the world had Yuria been doing at the academy to make him this terrified?

"Heh, heh. Yuria’s passing by."

"They say she made all the Combat Magic Department students cry. Is that true...?"

"The barrier stopped her right before the judges could intervene... But without the judges, that’s exactly what would have happened..."

"Yikes!"

Yuria walked through the campus with her hands in her pockets.

Every time she did, the crowd would part, clearing the way for her.

No matter what they whispered behind her, Yuria was too preoccupied with her own thoughts to care.

"The letter from the old man... What did it really mean...?"

I sent the letter hoping to figure out if the grumpy old man was married, had a lover, or was planning to get married in a few years, while subtly conveying my feelings.

But after receiving his reply, I had been feeling uneasy for days.

"To answer your question first, I’m not married. And if it’s someone I truly love and care about, I’d probably wait for years, even if I had to."

"This next part is just in case I’ve misunderstood. I apologize if I’ve made any assumptions."

"If you’re becoming attracted to someone you’ve only exchanged letters with, without knowing their face or name, I would advise you to think carefully. Is your feeling real, or just a fleeting excitement? I suggest you take time to think—by 'time,' I mean at least a few months, not just a day or two."

"And as for marriage, it’s not too late to think about it after meeting face to face, getting to know each other better, and having a serious relationship."

The answer to my question was exactly what I had hoped for.

He wasn’t married, and he would be willing to wait if it was someone he truly loved, even if it meant waiting for years.

But the words that followed made my chest tighten with pain every time I replayed them in my mind.

"Think carefully. Is this feeling real, or just excitement? Take at least a few months to reflect. Marriage can wait until after you meet face to face and truly get to know each other."

He made it sound like he was treating me like a child and subtly rejecting me.

Did the grumpy old man not see me as someone he could consider romantically?

Was I too young to be seen as a romantic partner?

Would he accept my feelings once we finally meet face to face after I graduate?

Yuria’s mind was in turmoil once again, her heart aching.

"I don’t think I can wait that long. I need an answer now."

She clenched her fists, biting back tears as her body emitted a dangerous aura. Those around her, whether students or professors, quickly turned pale and rushed to apologize.

Then, Yuria’s ears perked up at a familiar voice from behind.

"Wow! It’s Yuria! Yuria in a school uniform!"

"So cool! She looks like... El... El... Elephant?"

"Do you mean elite?"

"Ah! Yeah! She totally looks like an elite!"

"Hey, hey!"

The voice was unusual, and I turned around, only to see Charlotte and Yuria waving and running toward me.

Yuria’s face instantly lit up, and her expression brightened.

Just moments ago, she had been like a fierce beast exuding an aura of death, but now, she looked like a sweet, innocent child. The academy students, witnessing this transformation, were left speechless.

"Is that... really Yuria?"

"Has Yuria’s voice always been this lively?"

What was going on with Yuria? No one had seen her act like this before.

Yuria had become unrecognizable, and the students couldn’t find the words to say.