Chapter 4

Alexis, head of the Blaine Baron family, was processing documents as usual.

An utterly ordinary day.

Sometimes small incidents would occur to change things, but such cases were extremely rare.

“I’m sorry for visiting so suddenly.”

For instance, when his daughter unexpectedly dropped by his study.

Just by sitting on the old sofa, Katarina made the study’s atmosphere considerably better.

Though she visited without notice, Alexis easily deduced the cause.

Even though they had only made eye contact, he could clearly see his daughter’s heart full of complaints.

‘Those capital swindlers, as expected.’

He clicked his tongue, recalling the publishing companies scheduled to visit today.

“…So I want a different publishing company other than Brien and Liu.”

Katarina’s voice explaining the situation seemed rather dejected.

He frowned and tried to think of other candidates, but no suitable places came to mind.

Brien and Liu were carefully selected from the content he’d received after making an expensive request to the information guild.

After pondering briefly, Alexis opened his mouth in a calm voice.

“Tell me the specific conditions for what kind of place you want.”

Then, seeing Katarina’s eyes instantly brighten as she listed her desired conditions without hesitation, he let out a hollow laugh.

“I’d like a place with strong passion for books. And somewhere that can fully accommodate all my requirements… even a small publishing company would be fine.”

She wants a place she can handle to her liking.

At first glance it seemed demanding, but the core was at the very end.

“Even if it’s a small place that’s never properly published a single book?”

“Yes. My book will make them famous anyway.”

Hearing such a bold answer, Alexis leaned forward from where he’d been reclining back.

A clear face without a shadow of doubt.

‘When she’s like this, she was always on the verge of causing big trouble.’

Looking at Katarina’s quite serious face, Alexis suggested a new method.

“If you’re going to do things your way anyway, acquiring a publishing company with the conditions you mentioned would be fastest. Though it would be a small place that hasn’t published a single book and doesn’t even have a proper system.”

Even so, will you do it?

Simply publishing a book and operating a publishing company were strictly different domains.

If she showed even the slightest hesitation, Alexis planned to withdraw his proposal, but Katarina, still without a hint of wavering, spoke first.

“Good, I’ll invest all the money I’ve saved to acquire it… please look into it once more.”

As expected of my daughter.

Instead of backing down, she showed her spirit.

When her bright red eyes, so much like his own, sparkled as if catching light, Alexis felt satisfied.

Of course, he also felt his daughter’s will and passion contained within.

“I’ll have the documents delivered through my aide.”

“Dad, thank you!”

At the address he hadn’t heard in a long time, the corners of his mouth rose slightly.

“Don’t always obsess over results in everything, but always value the process. You’ll gain things from that.”

“Yes!”

“Emotional responses are no different from exposing your true nature, so keep that in mind.”

“I’ll be careful from now on.”

Though the business seemed finished, when he added parental advice he wanted to give, Katarina listened attentively.

“So when will you show me what you’ve written?”

“…It’s still unfinished, so later, when it’s completed later I’ll show it to you. Thank you, Father!”

At Alexis’s casually thrown question, Katarina rolled her eyes around, unable to hide her flustered state.

After fumbling through her words like that, she eventually stood up and hurriedly fled the study.

Sitting quietly and watching her retreating figure, he let out a small sigh.

‘Good grief, who does she take after?’

Despite teaching restraint over luxury, befitting a knightly family, she seemed to become more reckless as she got older.

His precious daughter who wouldn’t hurt even if put in his eye.

Sometimes she would sing songs he’d never heard before, showing her intelligence and offering help.

But all this writing books and acquiring publishing companies to benefit the family was entirely to avoid the engagement with the Count family.

Did she hate marriage that much? Alexis couldn’t understand, but…

“James, go to the information guild and make another mid-level request.”

He moved his pen and handed the newly written request according to Katarina’s requirements to his aide.

This would probably be the last time he supported Katarina.

His expression darkened as he recalled the contents of the letter sent to the Count family recently.

The expenses incurred in the capital for Callard’s entrance exam preparations were quite substantial.

‘No parent can win against their child.’

He hoped that his daughter’s success would bring good news other than engagement.

In fact, he also didn’t appreciate the Leonard Count family’s attitude of trying to snatch away his cherished daughter like thieves in advance.

“I’m quite curious what kind of book she’ll write.”

Ironically, instead of worry, he felt anticipation.

Alexis was also one of those doting parents who believed without doubt that his children were geniuses.

Even after Katarina left, small, inexplicable smiles often bloomed on his lips.

---

“They’re here already?”

I was about to read the newspapers that had been published as usual when I folded them back up.

I’d received news that the publishing company president scheduled to meet today had arrived a full five hours earlier than the appointed time.

“Yes, they just arrived and I escorted them to the reception room.”

Should I be happy about this or not?

Thinking positively, it could mean they’re a diligent person, but this was too much.

After pondering briefly, I put down the newspaper completely and looked at Chloe.

“Then let’s start preparing now.”

Even starting immediately would take about two hours.

I continued preparations meticulously without skipping anything.

Dresses and accessories chosen even more carefully than last time to avoid looking easy to deal with.

I really hate bothersome things, but…

Chloe and the maids, excited by the rare opportunity to dress me up to their heart’s content, chattered in excited voices.

“You should go out on a day like this, but it’s such a shame you’re staying at the mansion.”

“If there’s anyone more beautiful than our Miss in the empire, let them come forward.”

Far from getting tired, they became more excited and made a fuss as time went on. Ignoring them, I looked in the mirror.

‘Not bad.’

The red hair inherited through generations of the family swayed at my waist, well complementing the ornate hair accessories.

The appearance of nobility that didn’t look easy to deal with at all.

“Will you go straight to the reception room?”

Though it was still two hours earlier than the appointed time, I didn’t mind.

“Yeah. It’s better for both of us to finish quickly.”

While Chloe excitedly gathered the manuscript and various other things, I scanned the paper with information about the publishing company once more.

‘Sparkling Gem and Pen’

Owned by a president and one employee, operating a small publishing company at the edge of the shopping district.

Not a single book directly published by them, operated no differently from a bookstore for about 2 years.

After finishing preparations and not long after starting to walk, I arrived in front of the reception room.

“Open the door.”

“Yes, Miss.”

When the attendant opened the door, I could see someone sitting inside stand up through the gap.

“It’s truly an honor to meet the Blaine young lady! My name is Da-Daniel!”

Though I already knew the publishing company president’s name and age through documents…

With the clear voice echoing through the reception room, our eyes met directly and I momentarily froze.

‘I thought Daniel was a man.’

It’s a woman?

Hair tied up tightly in one bundle, neat attire, and freckles on both cheeks came into view.

Considering her age was late twenties, she looked quite young at first glance, which surprised me a bit, but I quickly calmed my startled heart.

“You must have had a hard journey coming such a long way. I’m the second daughter of the Blaine Baron family, Katarina Blaine.”

Certainly this meeting would be about acquiring Daniel’s publishing company, but somehow I had a good feeling from the start.

After exchanging a few more words of light conversation, I immediately got to the point.

“When acquiring the publishing company, are there any specific conditions you want?”

As if what was meant to come had come.

While observing Daniel’s tense face, I found my composure instead.

“Miss… I heard you’re publishing a book you wrote yourself. Is that correct?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

There was no need to hide this.

‘I had certainly expected intense battles over the acquisition price until coming here…’

The wavering eyes that seemed to read the situation and her naive demeanor were things that absolutely couldn’t be acted.

“…Although there are only two of us, we can really do our best to help you. If you hire us when you acquire the company, I’ll only ask for 20 gold coins as the acquisition cost.”

But even so, really…

I never dreamed that she would call 20 gold coins—half of the 40 gold coins I’d considered the minimum—the acquisition price.

‘Where on earth did this gentle lamb come from?’

Daniel, with her clear eyes and tightly clenched fists, somehow seemed desperate.