The Villainess is a Millionaire Solver - Chapter 113

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

Chapter 113

Duke Carnel asked with an incredulous expression.

“What did you just say?”

“I said I’ll turn it profitable by today. That’s why I said we won’t get that painful lesson.”

I repeated myself once more.

You? Don’t make me laugh. What makes you so confident to boast like that?

I expected that kind of reaction…

“…”

Unexpectedly, it was quiet.

The Duke just stared at me intently. His eyes seemed to say, ‘What on earth is this girl thinking?’

Sion also looked at me without saying anything. Though he seemed to think it was impossible, there appeared to be a trace of doubt like ‘Could it be? Maybe?’

Had he learned something, even if just a little, from watching what I’ve been doing?

“You’re truly remarkable, sister. Didn’t I tell you, Uncle? I said sister must have had some plan in mind.”

Sion said with a bright smile.

“Then I’ll go give orders to prepare the carriage. I’ll be right back.”

And then he immediately went outside.

I stared at the spot where Sion had disappeared.

‘You’re going to call your subordinates. To find out what I’m planning to do with that failing newspaper company.’

But it’s futile, Sion. Unless you have the ability to read minds, you’ll never figure out my plan.

While I was thinking that, Duke Carnel looked at me.

“You must be really confident to say something like that?”

“Yes, Father. If things go according to my plan, we really can turn it profitable in just one day. However…”

I turned my gaze to one side.

The White Griffin’s helmet was placed there properly.

When Sion was present, I was worried he might catch on to my plan, so I didn’t even look in that direction. Looking at that helmet, I said:

“However, there’s one thing that bothers me.”

“What’s that?”

“When everything is revealed later, I might receive criticism like this: ‘Wow! Keeping that secret shows there’s no family loyalty when money’s involved.’ ‘She’s the heartless embodiment of capitalism.’ Things like that.”

Since I was hiding the fact that the thief would steal Father’s gift, I laid this groundwork just in case…

“Really?”

Duke Carnel’s eyes actually lit up.

“If you receive such words, wouldn’t that be the highest praise for a businessperson? If that really happens, I’d be very satisfied. I’d even write in my diary that my daughter received such words.”

“Good. Anyway, I hope you’ll remember that I made this choice for my own benefit, not because I don’t respect you and Sion. Still, I’m worried about your health, so it would be good if you took heart medicine in advance like last time.”

Just as I finished saying that, Sion and the servants came in. Seeing them prepare to take the helmet outside, the Duke said:

“Be careful not to damage it in any way.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll accompany it and keep a close watch.”

Sion said while locking the box.

Of course you would. For him to continue using dark magic, this item must return home safely.

‘Thanks to that, the situation will probably be even more dramatically staged.’

I thought that while quietly watching. And after they left with the White Griffin helmet, I said to Duke Carnel:

“Then I’ll be going out as well.”

It was time to run around again.

I left the study and immediately headed to 【Justice Daily】.

The newspaper company was still in its place.

I thought that when I visited again, all the journalists might have quit, leaving only an empty editorial office to greet me.

When I opened the door, it was unexpectedly bustling. From what I could see, it seemed no one had quit yet.

The journalists were working hard with their heads buried in their desks, then looked up at the sound of my footsteps. Seeing who had come, they quickly stood up from their seats.

“Good day, President.”

Having roughly sorted out their feelings over the past few days, their attitude was reasonably respectful.

“Skip the greetings.”

I waved my hand.

“I need you to prepare an extra edition right now.”

“Pardon?”

Everyone looked bewildered.

Editor-in-Chief Gremory raised his eyebrows.

“What kind of extra edition? If it’s something like ‘Shocking! Princess Aristina is pretty today,’ go ask somewhere else.”

“Your sense of humor is excellent, as befits an editor-in-chief. Publishing such an extra edition would be a good idea too, but today I have a real news story. I’ve brought back a scoop.”

I said while looking around at the journalists with their haggard faces.

“I found out what treasure that thief we all know well will steal next. It’s the treasure helmet my cousin Sion brought from the Northern Region. It’s being transported to the Paleontology Academy right now, and when they open it, there will be the thief’s warning letter attached.”

“…?”

When unimaginable words flowed from the president’s mouth, the journalists looked bewildered once again.

Editor-in-Chief Gremory asked:

“What’s the source of that information?”

That very thief.

I can’t say that.

I put my finger to my lips and replied:

“It’s a secret.”

“…”

The editor-in-chief and journalists looked at each other as if dumbfounded.

“What are you doing? Why aren’t you all moving?”

I urged them on.

“Is there some problem? Are you worried this information might be wrong? That’s unlikely, but even if we concede that point a hundred times, I’m the one who loses anyway. It’s a fact I’ve already fully agreed upon with myself.”

“It’s just so sudden.”

One journalist answered.

“We haven’t obtained any information that the thief has started moving.”

“When has that person ever moved while leaking information?”

“That’s true, but… Then how did you know, President? If we can’t understand that part, it’s difficult to write an article. Isn’t this a matter of our newspaper’s credibility? The credibility we’ve built up so far…”

“This information is certain.”

I said with emphasis once again.

“I’ll stake my name on it. No, my name probably isn’t important to anyone, is it? I’ll stake my position as president. If my information is wrong, I’ll step down from my management position and just serve as a living wallet. That’s what you all want anyway, isn’t it?”

I immediately wrote that content as a certificate and handed it to Editor-in-Chief Gremory.

“Come on, hurry up. This place only prints 3,000 copies of newspapers? To turn this profitable in one go, we need to print about 10 times more, right? Hurry up! We’ll sell as many as we print!”

I could feel everyone’s skepticism.

But what could they do when the president was giving orders while staking her own position? Even if I really told them to publish an extra edition saying ‘Shocking! Princess Aristina is pretty today,’ they’d have to do it.

“Understood, President.”

The journalists began to move.

Though they reluctantly jumped in, their experience with emergency reporting made the process go smoothly.

They first wrote a one-page article based on what I told them, put a bright red 【Extra Edition!】 title at the top, edited it to fit the layout, then sent it to several high-speed printing shops in the city.

While they set the type according to the manuscript content, applied ink, and printed the newspapers, Editor-in-Chief Gremory contacted various sales offices.

“Gather all the newspaper vendors in the capital and bring them to the printing shops. So they can receive and sell the extra editions as soon as they come out.”

A moment later.

Word came that newspaper vendors from various locations had received the first batch and departed.

There was no turning back now.

To the editor-in-chief and journalists who were looking at each other with such expressions, I said:

“Shall we go to the scene then?”

I had been to the Imperial Academy before.

When I bought the position of honorary dean at the Rare Plant Academy to gain the qualification to collect Amaranthia flowers.

Thanks to that, I was able to enter particularly quickly.

“I’m also a dean.”

“Yes, confirmed. Please enter.”

The auditorium of the Paleontology Academy already had a banner hanging that read 【Research on the Endangered Northern White Griffin】.

The academic conference hadn’t started yet, but several scholars had gathered. Quite a few journalists had come as well.

When I appeared at this venue, gazes poured in from all directions.

“…?”

Sion, who had been receiving questions from the scholars as the person who hunted this creature, also turned his head to look at me.

Did he come here to cover the story to sell some newspapers?

That was his expression.

‘Very accurate.’

While we were exchanging sharp glances for a moment.

Someone suddenly walked in through the front door. He seemed to be an assistant working at the academy, with wrinkled clothes and disheveled hair.

He went to the dean, who was in the middle of conversation with other people, and spoke to him.

“Excuse me, but just a moment. I think you need to see this….”

“What is it? What’s so urgent?”

“They say our story made it into the newspaper. As an extra edition.”

“It is newsworthy enough.”

“That’s not it….”

The assistant unfolded the piece of paper he was holding and showed it to the dean.

“Hmm?”

I could see the dean was startled. He quickly approached Sion.

“Wait a moment. Before the academic conference begins, how about we check this out?”

Sion took the paper he handed him.

【Extra Edition】

Empire’s First! Exclusive leak of the undefeated thief’s crime notice!

Exclusively obtained by this paper! Next target is the White Griffin horn helmet from the Rosen Duchy?

According to an anonymous source, the infamous crime notice is scheduled to appear at today’s Paleontology Academy conference….

After reading an article with roughly this content, Sion raised his head.

His gaze turned directly toward me. Given his meticulous nature, he must have noticed it was an extra edition published by 【Justice Daily】, right?

“Sion! Wait!”

I urgently waved my hand as if I had something to say to him.

‘Sorry.’

While mouthing those words.

“….”

Doubt seemed to flash through one of Sion’s eyes. And some anxiety too. As if trying to shake off such emotions, he looked around at the people and said.

“Only I can open the box containing the helmet. Therefore, I believe this is ridiculous false reporting….”

His hand swept away the cloth. A box wrapped in chains and locked with a padlock was revealed.

Sion inserted the key into the padlock and turned it. Then he opened the lid of the box wide.

“Oh, dear God….”

I could see Gremory Editor-in-Chief and the journalists tensing up and unconsciously taking a step forward.

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