Standard Contract Guidelines for a Fraudulent Marriage - Chapter 26

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 26

“Is that so?”
“Yes. Even if you weren’t my wife, I would have done the same. So you don’t need to make that apologetic face every time I do something for you. You deserve to enjoy this.”

You deserve to enjoy this. The words sent a flutter through Adelia’s chest.

She smiled in gratitude and began eating.

She’d worried what would happen if yesterday’s conversation came up, but fortunately, it never did.

When she returned his smile, Loarston felt the strange warmth from last night kindle again.

Looking flustered, he touched the back of his neck and hurriedly changed the subject to something unrelated.

“Ah, and this morning I received a report about something.”

Adelia turned to him.

“There’s a parcel of land in our family’s holdings that can’t be farmed, so it’s been left vacant. You mentioned yesterday that your senior made spirits and sold them, remember? I thought if that’s true, we could build a Distillery on that land.”
“Really?”
“Yes. It’s a waste to just leave it idle.”
“I’m in favor!”

Adelia, speaking eagerly, even set down her spoon as she leaned forward over the table without thinking.

“Ligen doesn’t have any signature Grape Wine right now. If the Insel Duchy could produce something like that, the revenue would be enormous.”
“No doubt. But we don’t actually cultivate grapes.”
“We’d need to cooperate with farmers, wouldn’t we? Grapes sell well every summer, but they’re so expensive that common folk can barely afford them. Oh, wait—senior, I think there might be an even better way than just making wine…….”

Adelia asked Rudolf to bring her paper and a pen.

Loarston watched her with interest.

“What are you imagining now? I can’t begin to guess how much fits inside that little head of yours.”
“You’ll like it too, I’m sure. So if we factor in the grape costs like this, and then the returns would be about this much……. Wait, I need to account for taxes. Is there any way we could sell it from street stalls……?”

Adelia, who had been muttering to herself, suddenly lifted the paper with a satisfied expression.

When Loarston extended his hand, she passed the paper over and spoke.

“I calculated an estimate of how many grapes the Insel Duchy could buy exclusively. I worked out what could be made into Grape Wine for sale and what could be sold as Grape Juice. I included the prices, margins, and distribution methods for each. Of course, that’s all assuming everything goes smoothly…….”
“Hold on. Your plan for selling Grape Wine is fine. But Grape Juice? Grapes are an expensive fruit, Adelia.”
“I know! That’s exactly why most common folk have never tasted them. But if one bunch of grapes is expensive, when I calculated the juice from one bunch into street-stall cup portions, it comes out to about five cups. For someone who can’t afford to buy a whole bunch alone, if five people pooled their money to buy one bunch together, wouldn’t that be more manageable?”
“Hmm, that does make sense.”
“But since it’s summer, it would be better if it were cooler. If we sold Grape Juice made from grapes with sugar and ice added, it would probably be wildly popular!”

Loarston watched Adelia, who was clenching her fists and breathing hard.

“……I understand, so take a breath.”

Adelia exhaled with a loud “Phew.”

She’d spoken with such passion that her throat was dry and her stomach was rumbling.

She looked at Loarston, who was staring intently at the paper.

‘Remarkable.’

Though it looked like hurried scrawls at first glance, Loarston could see the countless calculations hidden within.

Realizing how much thought Adelia had processed in that short span to reach these conclusions, a chill ran down his spine.

‘This woman becomes a runaway engine the moment you give her an opportunity.’

He suddenly remembered the day she first came to him. Adelia, who had wanted to become a typist or tutor to pay off her debts.

Back then, when he’d been persuading her, he’d thought she ‘knew nothing about money.’

It seemed time to revise that assessment.

“……It’s an absurd claim, I admit, but there’s merit to it.”
“Right? If everything goes according to plan, it will be a tremendous asset to the Insel Duchy.”

Loarston smiled.

“It’s more than just an asset. We’ll be able to open an entirely new market. Let’s try it your way. We’ll need to build the Distillery while simultaneously reaching out to the grape farms nearby.”
“Purchasing could be one approach as well.”
“Purchase the farms?”
“Yes, that’s right. But you mustn’t turn the farmers into tenant farmers. They need to keep farming ‘for themselves.’ That’s the only way efficiency can be maximized.”
“But then wouldn’t that be the same as not purchasing?”

Adelia shook her head.

“No, it’s different. If we purchase, those people become ’employees’ receiving wages from the Duchy. And they can also share in a portion of the profits earned from the grapes. That way, the farms will run far more smoothly—they’d profit at least double compared to just producing grapes alone.”

She spoke with such confidence, as if her words couldn’t possibly be wrong. It was as if her usual hesitation and shyness had vanished entirely.

“Fine, let’s do it your way. But won’t the factory’s losses be too steep? It takes a very long time for a brand to establish itself. What if we go bankrupt paying the farmers’ wages?”
“If our finances are so weak we’d face bankruptcy, we’d need to revise the plan, wouldn’t we?”

Loarston eventually waved his hand in surrender.

“Bankruptcy was a joke. But it’s true we might run at a loss for quite a while. The factory doesn’t run on magic, after all.”
“I’ll think about that too. First, I’d like to see what that abandoned land looks like. Will you take me there next time?”
“Of course.”
“I don’t think it will take that long for the brand to establish itself. I’m confident it will sweep through high society the moment we launch.”

Adelia spoke with unusual conviction.

Loarston, curious whether her idea would actually bear fruit, decided right then to begin constructing the Distillery on the idle land.

“By the way, weren’t you supposed to meet Dorothea today?”

At that, Adelia, who had been brimming with enthusiasm just moments before, suddenly looked deflated and lowered her head.

“Yes…….”

Loarston laughed.

If Adelia were sitting right next to him, he would have patted her head.

“Don’t suddenly get so gloomy.”
“But listen, I’ve never been to a tea gathering like this before. And Dorothea is such an important person……?”
“There’s nothing to worry about. You’ll do fine if you’re just careful not to be rude.”

The problem was, she wasn’t entirely sure what counted as rude!

Adelia resolved not to bring up microbes in front of Dorothea.

At least then she wouldn’t become a runaway engine.

***

Dorothea’s Mansion felt cozier and more intimate now, with just a handful of servants moving quietly about, than it had when it was packed with people.

Adelia gazed around at the charming decorations throughout the small hall, finding it hard to believe so many people had gathered in this modest space.

As she admired the delicate ceramics painted in various colors, her tension began to ease—but only briefly. The door opened, and Dorothea appeared.

Adelia stiffened again and bowed respectfully.

“Good day, Madam. It’s an honor to be invited…….”
“Oh, please, get up. Get up. The Duchess shouldn’t be so formal with someone like me.”

Wait—shouldn’t be?!

Adelia blushed in confusion.

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