I Ended Up Snatching a Marriage With the Male Lead! - Chapter 40

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

She had rushed into marriage with the male lead.
Chapter 40

* * *

“Phew, all done.”
Emilia gathered and organized the documents.
Today was the day she would meet Samuel, the grandson of Ardel.
Until now they had only exchanged letters, and this would be their first face-to-face meeting.
“Is there too much?”
Emilia murmured as she looked at the thick stack of papers.
She had added various reference materials that seemed useful, so the volume had grown quite substantial.
In truth, lately strange thoughts kept surfacing, and she had thrown herself into work all the more because of it.
‘It was just too close.’
Emilia quickly shook her head.
For some reason, that outing had been continuously eroding not only Kaiden’s efficiency but hers as well.
‘I should probably refrain from going out with Kaiden.’
With that thought, Emilia stood up, cradling the documents.

* * *

Not long after settling in to wait at the Reception Room, she heard footsteps drawing nearer.
Knock, knock.
At the sound, Emilia rose and answered.
“Yes, please come in.”
The door clicked open and two people entered.
One was Ardel, and the young man following him appeared to be Samuel.
He had pale skin and a slender build.
His impression was quite calm and gentle, and with his glasses, he appeared considerably intellectual.
‘That’s rather different from what I imagined.’
Given his terrible handwriting and stiff word choice in his letters, she had assumed he would be a very cold man.
In the meantime, Ardel spoke to her with hearty warmth.
“Miss Emilia—or should I call you Manager?”
“No, please call me whatever feels natural.”
When Emilia answered affably, Ardel seemed satisfied.
He poked his grandson in the ribs as the young man stood blank-faced beside him.
“What are you doing? Hurry and greet her.”
“Ah, yes? Yes.”
He nodded awkwardly toward his grandfather.
Seeing this, Emilia extended her hand to Samuel.
“Hello, I’m Emilia, the Business Support Manager for the Ardel Family.”
“…I’m Samuel Ardel.”
Yet despite his composed voice, when he saw her offered hand, Samuel seemed uncertain what to do with it.
In the end, he gave a perfunctory handshake and quickly withdrew his hand.
‘Does he avoid unfamiliar people?’
Tilting her head at his behavior, Emilia spoke.
“Thank you so much for coming all this way.”
“No need for such words. Thanks to you, we can proceed with the business—I’d go anywhere, not just the Capital.”
In fact, it was unusual for a Business Support Manager to visit the estate directly, but Emilia couldn’t leave because of Ivan’s lessons, so they had come up to the Capital instead.
“Shall we sit?”
Emilia gestured for the two to take seats, but Ardel declined.
“I’ll be heading out.”
“Pardon?”
“It’s not really my affair, and I’ve arranged to have tea with Robert while I’m here.”
“Ah, I see.”
Emilia wondered briefly if the butler and Ardel were acquainted, but she nodded readily.
Before leaving the Reception Room, Ardel whispered something to his grandson.
He clearly intended for it not to be heard.
But his muttered words about not troubling this important guest and doing well reached Emilia’s ears as well.
With Ardel gone, only the two of them remained in the Reception Room.
“P-please feel at ease.”
Watching Samuel output exactly what his grandfather had input into him, Emilia smiled softly.
“You feel quite different from our letters.”
“Th-that’s true for me as well.”
Samuel glanced at her as he spoke.
“I’ve heard much from my grandfather, but I never expected you to be like this…”
Emilia tilted her head at his words.
They had only met once today—she wondered what Ardel had told him about her.
She was curious, but there was something more pressing at the moment.
“Then shall we start discussing the actual work?”

* * *

Once business matters began, Samuel no longer looked awkward.
“So the quality of the Ore used in making the Catalyst is the most important factor.”
“Yes, exactly. The Efficiency changes completely depending on it.”
“Oh, that reminds me—when I looked into it, I found another material that has a similar effect to the Ore you used in your experiments. Do you think this would provide comparable Efficiency?”
At her fluent words, Samuel found himself staring blankly at Emilia.
Not only that, but she had grasped the principles of the technology perfectly.
For the first time in his life, he could converse with someone without any hesitation.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
Noticing his gaze, Emilia asked, puzzled.
“Ah, it’s nothing. It’s just… I’ve never met a woman who converses so smoothly… ah, no, I’m not dismissing women or anything…”
He fumbled over his words.
“To be honest, I didn’t know much about this field either, but I studied it for this opportunity.”
“D-did you?”
“Yes. I wanted our conversation to flow better.”
Emilia smiled as she spoke.
In that moment, Samuel felt his heart drop.
‘What… what is this?’
It was the same tremor he felt when discovering a new formula.
As Samuel floundered in confusion, Emilia continued.
“After all, I’m supposed to be a Business Support Manager.”
Samuel quickly swallowed and nodded.
“R-right.”
But as he answered, his voice unintentionally cracked.
“Haha.”
At her clear laughter, heat rushed to Samuel’s neck.

* * *

But shortly after.
An unexpected break came for Emilia.
Kaiden had accidentally entered the Reception Room, looked Samuel over, and then taken him away saying he needed to discuss funding matters.
With time to spare, Emilia stepped out to the Garden for some fresh air.
It was then that she heard Ivan’s excited voice from one corner of the Garden.
“This is amazing!”
Emilia followed the sound of his voice.
Soon she found Ivan crouching down.
“Ivan?”
But beside the child was a woman she had never seen before.
At the sound of her voice, Ivan jumped up from where he sat and rushed over to her.
“Emilia!”
“Ivan, what were you doing?”
Emilia bent slightly and asked.
“Something delicious!”
“Hm?”
At his odd answer, Emilia tilted her head.
‘Was he eating a snack?’
Then the woman who had been with Ivan straightened up from her crouch.
“Hello!”
She was a girl with charming pink hair.
“I’m Flora Ardel! I came along with my brother today and was just looking around the Garden!”
At her introduction, Emilia’s eyes widened.
‘Ah, so this is Samuel’s sister.’
The siblings certainly resembled each other in some way.
Not so much in appearance, but both of them had the same bright, intelligent gleam in their eyes.
“It’s nice to meet you. I’m Samuel’s Business Support—”
But before she could finish, Flora grabbed her hand eagerly.
“Wait, you’re not saying you’re Emilia?”
“Ah, yes.”
At Flora’s vigorous reaction, Emilia nodded awkwardly.
Flora’s eyes sparkled as she spoke.
“You’re the one who saved our brother from certain death!”

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————