I, the Villain, Want to Save Myself, But the Yandere Heroines Disagree-Chapter 14 - The Gift and the Return Gift

Sitting in the carriage, Orson glanced at Litte beside him and lightly tapped the armrest to draw his attention.

“Litte, the person we’re about to meet has considerable influence. If you perform well in front of her, it could greatly benefit your future.”

“Huh?” Litte looked puzzled. “Me?”

“Mm. She’s the eldest daughter of the Bonaventura family—Celineina Bonaventura.”

Orson then began explaining the status of the Bonaventura family and the Silver Moon Trading Company within the Empire.

In the original story, Celineina was also one of the heroines. Early on, when no one had faith in Litte, she made a bold decision to invest heavily in him and foster his growth.

When Litte was struggling financially and too embarrassed to ask his family for money, Celineina provided him with financial support.

When Litte was injured, Celineina personally sent him high-quality healing potions.

Later, during the power struggles between Orson and Litte, Celineina covertly intervened in the family’s matters to support Litte.

Her reasoning was straightforward: the treatment one receives for offering help during a crisis is far different from the treatment one receives for offering it when things are already going well.

As she had explained to Lorenzo before, making an investment that could lead to overnight success required taking risks, rather than choosing something that appeared safe and steady.

This was why, when Lorenzo arrived earlier, she had immediately inquired about Litte.

As for why a merchant like her would interfere in the affairs of a noble family, Orson didn’t know. Perhaps it was a matter of ambition.

This chapt𝒆r is updated by frёewebηovel.cѳm.

By bringing Litte to the Silver Moon Trading Company, Orson had his own plans. He wanted Celineina and Litte to meet early, accelerating the development of their relationship.

After all, she was one of Litte’s future companions.

—

Half an hour later, the carriage stopped outside the Silver Moon Trading Company.

Orson and Litte stepped down, with Litte glancing curiously around.

She had never been to a major city before. The only time she had visited a town was when she was ten years old and her parents had taken her to celebrate her birthday in a small town of just a few thousand people.

While Antica City wasn’t among the largest cities in the Empire, as the ducal capital, it was naturally far more prosperous than ordinary cities.

As the Empire’s largest trading company, the Silver Moon Trading Company’s branch office here was among the most prominent and beautiful buildings in the city.

Noticing Litte’s curiosity, Orson deliberately allowed him to stand at the entrance for a minute before leading him inside.

Upon seeing the family crests pinned to their chests, the attendants of the Silver Moon Trading Company immediately stepped aside to make way for them.

Inside, a middle-aged man approached to greet them.

“Young Master Orson, it’s been a long time. Welcome,” Lorenzo said as he stepped forward to shake Orson’s hand.

“Vice Representative Lorenzo, it has been a while,” Orson replied with a polite smile, extending his hand for a firm shake.

Lorenzo then turned to Litte, noticing the family crest pinned to his chest. He immediately understood his identity.

“This must be Young Master Litte. I’ve heard so much about you.” Lorenzo extended his hand toward Litte.

“Th-Thank you...” Litte stammered. Despite having studied the theory, he became flustered in practice.

He even forgot that one should remove their gloves when shaking hands, and thus, his gloved hand clasped Lorenzo’s.

Lorenzo paused for a moment, and so did Orson.

“Young Master Litte is certainly unique,” Lorenzo said, lightheartedly defusing the awkwardness.

Hearing this, Orson also smiled.

“The young miss is waiting upstairs. Let’s head up,” Lorenzo said, gesturing toward the staircase and leading the way.

“Didn’t Duke Lucius mention in his letter that he was sending you, Young Master Orson?” Lorenzo asked casually as they walked.

“Haha, I’m currently Litte’s teacher,” Orson replied with a laugh. “He’ll need to handle situations like this in the future, so I brought him along for some early exposure.”

“In that case, Young Master Orson, you truly are an excellent role model,” Lorenzo said with a smile.

Soon, they arrived in front of a luxurious and elegantly decorated private box on the second floor. Lorenzo opened the door for them but remained standing respectfully outside.

In occasions like these, it wasn’t appropriate for him to enter, even if he had been tasked with keeping an eye on Celineina.

Inside the exquisitely decorated box, a red-haired, golden-eyed girl sat on a sofa. Her eyes momentarily froze on Orson and Litte as they entered, but she quickly stood up with a warm smile.

“Miss Celineina, it’s been a long time,” Orson said before introducing Litte. “This is Litte. Litte, this is the Miss Celineina I mentioned to you earlier.”

Seeing that the girl was someone close to his own age, Litte relaxed slightly and took the initiative to greet her.

“Hello, Miss Celineina.”

“Mm,” Celineina nodded. “Please, both of you, have a seat.”

After inviting the brothers to sit, Celineina personally poured each of them a cup of tea.

“I didn’t expect that Duke Lucius held me in such high regard that he’d send both of his sons. I’m truly flattered,” Celineina said, maintaining a professional smile while subtly observing Litte.

“Miss Celineina, you’re too modest,” Orson replied, taking a sip of tea. “The gift you sent to my father was greatly appreciated. As the backbone of Antica’s economy, and someone who actively resolves the concerns of the local lord, your trading company is a model for others in the industry.”

The “gift” Celineina had sent to Lucius consisted of three thousand sets of weapons and armor.

Recently, orc activity along the eastern border had increased, forcing Lucius to organize troops for defense.

However, maintaining an army was an incredibly costly endeavor. Beyond the continuous expenses of wages and provisions, simply equipping soldiers required a massive investment. Given Antica’s struggling economy, many active-duty soldiers were still using outdated equipment, which desperately needed upgrading. Even if funds could be raised, manufacturing new equipment would take time.

Celineina’s gift had solved an urgent problem for Lucius.

Although Lucius wasn’t particularly skilled in politics, he wasn’t naive either. He understood that the Silver Moon Trading Company wouldn’t make such a generous gesture without expecting something in return. Thus, he had sent Orson to meet with Celineina to discuss matters further.

It also served as a good opportunity for Orson to gain some experience.

“Our duchy has always deeply respected and admired leaders of trading companies like yours,” Orson said, finishing his formalities. He then took a beautiful, intricately designed box out of his spatial ring.

Seeing something appear out of nowhere, Litte was startled.

“This is a return gift from my father,” Orson said as he placed the ornate box on the table and pushed it toward Celineina.

“The expansion of Antica’s new district is a project my father has decided to entrust entirely to the Silver Moon Trading Company.”