The Villainess Builds a Department Store - Chapter 54

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Villainess Establishes a Department Store

Chapter 54

“No matter how much of a scoundrel I am, I know enough to fear the Royal Family. I don’t have the guts to impersonate someone of that stature either.”

“I’m not sure about the former, but the latter sounds plausible.”

The atmosphere in the room was strangely warm. Well, relatively speaking compared to before, that is.

In the end, I couldn’t hold back and barged into the room.

Father and Uncle seemed flustered seeing us enter without even knocking. But as expected, they didn’t scold us harshly.

At least today, there was no sign of excitement or anger on Father’s face. Similarly, Uncle was also keeping himself low in front of Father, as if he had taken some wrong medicine.

‘Or not? Did he finally take the medicine he was supposed to take?’

Then why didn’t you take it sooner instead of waiting until now?

“Father, sleep well. But Uncle, aren’t you going home? Don’t you have a home?”

The privilege of being a child was being able to package even malicious rudeness as innocence. At my honest way of speaking, Uncle momentarily grimaced before glancing at Father’s expression.

“Ha, ha. You little rascal! What kind of way is that to talk to your uncle? Ahem, you little… ehem! Ahem! It’s time for children to sleep, so don’t interfere with the adults’ serious conversation and go to bed.”

Uncle waved his hands at Antoine and me. I held back my irritation at his gesture, which treated us like bothersome insects, and just pouted my lips.

Like a child would.

“Tch. Adults only talk among themselves and won’t include me because I’m young! What were you talking about anyway?”

At my attitude disguised as cuteness, Uncle’s expression became noticeably softer. It was so awkward that it wasn’t very effective.

“This uncle brought a story that will make your father even richer. Well, I suppose you wouldn’t understand even if you heard it.”

It seems he came after hearing some false rumor again. But I was bothered by Father’s strangely gentle attitude, which made me uneasy about dismissing him as the usual Uncle.

“Adelaide, Antoine. I’m sorry that this uncle hasn’t been able to properly fulfill his role as an uncle all this time.”

…What did I just hear?

The Uncle I knew was someone who never apologized to others. Of course, when public authority appeared, he would grovel and make excuses pathetically, but anyway, Uncle was a despicable person who kept his neck stiffer than iron columns when dealing with those he considered weaker or equal to him.

Such a person suddenly apologized to Antoine and me. He sighed deeply and frowned with furrowed brows, saying he had always felt guilty about not being able to fulfill his role as a relative or even buy us a single toy.

That artificial display actually snapped me to attention.

When we showed a lukewarm response as if we couldn’t quite believe it, Father incredibly came to Uncle’s defense.

“Look at the children’s reaction. That’s why I’ve repeatedly told you to behave well normally, Philippe.”

What’s this? Did Uncle also regress without my knowledge? Did he repent just before death and decide to raise his niece and nephew well in this life?

“It seems your uncle has finally come to his senses. He got into a quite respectable investment company. He said he got his first salary today and even bought decent wine.”

“A company?”

It’s not some parachute position, is it? For Uncle, whose only talent in investment was losing money, to suddenly join an investment company – at this point it was suspicious enough to reek of outright lies.

Still unable to dispel my suspicion, Uncle rummaged through his pocket and pulled out a stiff piece of paper. It was a business card.

「La Motte Finance

Asset Manager Philippe Noël de Charmeuze

Financial Planning Investment Consultation Specialist」

Uncle’s name along with financial planning and investment consultation specialist. The combination I’d never heard of made my head spin momentarily.

Does Father really believe this?

“Still, you were quite good at studying when you were young.”

He has a believing face. This is hopeless.

But now it’s a face that believes in the Uncle who was an intelligent student with a promising future in childhood, not the pathetic adult Uncle standing before us.

Though he had always coldly rejected him and drawn lines, was there still some affection left for his only younger sibling? A sense of responsibility and duty as an older brother was clouding Father’s judgment.

‘What would I have done if I were in his position?’

No, there’s no need to think from my perspective. In the original story, my role was that of a pathetic older sister no different from the current Uncle.

And Antoine tried to take responsibility for such a sister until the very end.

Family affection is frightening for this reason.

“Yes. It’s fortunate that you’ve come to your senses even now. I’ll seriously consider the investment matter too.”

“Brother, if you decide later, it’ll already be too late!”

“Still, I need to get legal consultation once and also…”

“No, it’s not just anyone – royalty invested in it! Where else can you find a more solid portfolio than this, yet you keep hesitating… I’m frustrated, that’s what I am, frustrated.”

Uncle pounded his chest like a gorilla, as if he was truly frustrated to the point of going crazy.

Then Antoine opened his mouth wide and yawned lazily. Oh my, I came to say goodnight but ended up standing here for quite a while without realizing it.

“Yawn. Older Sister, I’m sleepy…”

“Oh? Oh my. It’s already gotten this late. Philippe, you must be tired from coming from far away, so rest for today. Let’s continue the detailed discussion tomorrow when it’s bright.”

Thanks to that, Father was able to escape Uncle’s pressure. Uncle also looked displeased at not being able to get a definitive answer from Father, but he withdrew obediently.

That night, I couldn’t fall asleep easily because I was bothered by the ‘investment’ matter Uncle had mentioned.

‘Anyone could see it reeked of lies.’

Actually, Father probably knows too. Uncle’s behavior pressuring Father today was that of a typical scammer.

But there was exactly one element that made him hope ‘but just maybe…’

‘Royalty really invested in it?’

In this era, the authority and weight carried by the royal name was never light. Their choices could cost hundreds of people their lives, or conversely, save them.

For that reason, even Uncle wouldn’t dare impersonate royalty or use their name to commit fraud.

Because the more cruelly he treats the weak, the better he knows that he too can suffer miserable consequences at the hands of someone stronger than himself.

‘Let’s sleep for now. Sleep, and find out about the investment matter by any means necessary. If it’s really a scam… I have to stop it.’

As long as Uncle remains Father’s only blood-related brother, Father will never be able to cast him out. So that’s something only I, who am both a relative and an outsider, can do.

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