Chapter 22

Despite somehow convincing Aneta to join him in his office, Carlos’s loneliness is even worse than before.

Unlike him, who felt like he was stranded on a remote deserted island, Aneta and Chris had now become close enough to call each other by their first names.

Watching their interactions closely, Carlos realized he was facing his lifelong rival. It was the first time Aneta had allowed someone to approach her and use her name.

Feeling a sense of crisis, Carlos observed the two of them. It had been a long time since he had put down the documents and pens he was holding.

Aneta was listening attentively to Chris’s calm voice as she talked about the tales of the territories. Her demeanor towards encountering an unfamiliar world was serious.

“When spring comes, you see a lot of people selling scrolls, especially in the markets.”

“There might be cases where the contents overlap.”

“Yeah. Sometimes, people made a fuss by selling the same scrolls to multiple people.”

Chris laughed as she recalled the scene of a lover being caught and hastily fleeing after being overheard.

“Traveling peddlers also sell all sorts of odds and ends, but most of the time, you can’t trust the quality. When you wander around like that, you often come across some items that get damaged, and there are also many old items left unsold.”

You can’t follow a peddler across the country for a single item. By the time you find a flaw, they’ve already left town.

“What about the stores then? I noticed that even though they sell the same items, the prices vary from store to store.”

Aneta asked, recalling her earlier notes.

“For the same reason you mentioned, shopkeepers often raise their voices and fight.”

“They fight?”

“Because store owners often argue loudly, trying to attract customers by adding bonuses or lowering prices unreasonably.”

“In that case, there must be cases where excessive competition leads to problems.”

If those who already have a lot lower their prices to sell, naturally people will flock to that side.

The situation where those who already had a lot fattened their purses wasn’t something new. Aneta herself had seen it many times before.

“So what would be the solution to that problem?”

“Um…”

Chris hesitated to answer, pursing her lips as if pondering deeply.

“Take your time to think. I’ll wait,” Aneta said, giving her time to consider.

Leaning back in her chair, she signaled that she was open to any answer, whether it aligned with her perspective or not. Without realizing it, she glanced at Carlos, curious about his reaction.

He seemed to sense what Aneta had in mind, wearing a subtle expression.

‘Well, it would be stranger if she didn’t know.’

Given that he knew how Aneta viewed Chris, it wouldn’t be hard to guess what she wanted her to do next or what she wanted to do for her in the future.

“Oh.”

As Aneta and Carlos silently locked eyes, Chris, who had been deeply immersed in thought, let out a small sigh.

“What if sellers of the same item agree on a minimum price through negotiations? That would prevent prices from going any lower,”

Chris suggested, her idea bringing satisfaction to Aneta. She nodded in agreement, and Chris’s expression brightened.

“Price fixing. That’s usually called a price cartel. To prevent excessive profits, some degree of government intervention and regulation would be necessary.”

Aneta didn’t hide her smile. It felt like discovering an uncut gem.

“Starting today, your task is to review that plan and document it until the next administrative meeting. Feel free to add more if needed, and if there’s anything you don’t understand, don’t hesitate to ask for our help. Is that okay, Carlos?”

Aneta looked at Carlos seeking his agreement. He nodded approvingly, knowing from the beginning that it would turn out like this.

“If you deliver satisfactory results, we can present it as an agenda item.”

While adding that it was a task worth doing when it had value, Chris’s eyes sparkled without hesitation.

“You won’t refuse, right?”

“Of course not.”

Seeing the determination in Chris’s eyes, Aneta set aside her concerns she would cancel immediately if there was any refusal or hesitation.

“I want to do it.”

Chris clenched her fists, determined. Even if they couldn’t put it on the agenda, it would still be a valuable experience, so she wanted to do her best.

“Oh, by the way, there’s something I want to give you both.”

Chris walked over to her desk, which was alongside Aneta’s, and pulled something out. She’d forgotten about it while she was trying to finish sorting papers before Aneta left for work.

“It’s not much to return the favor, but please take it.”

She handed over a brightly colored pastel envelope with a shy smile. Aneta accepted it with a sense of gratitude for the gesture.
“May I open it?”

“Of course.”

Judging by the weight and volume, it seemed to be some kind of cookie. As Aneta opened the envelope and peeked inside, a voice followed to explain its contents.

“It’s Sablé Chocolates.”

Chris then turned to Carlos and offered him the other one.

“Would Your Grace also accept it?”

“Do I have my share?”

“You’ve helped me in so many ways.”

“In that case, I won’t refuse.”

It was all done for Aneta, but Carlos didn’t bother to mention it.

The Sablé chocolate made from star pods looked like they were looking down at the blossoms from above.

Aneta admired the simple yet pretty shape, then picked one up and bit into it carefully.

As the unique texture of the Sablé combined with the ganache in the center spread in her mouth, a rich and deep sweetness tingled her taste buds.

“Did you make these yourself?”

“Yes. How is it? Does it suit your taste?”

Chris clasped her hands together, her face nervous. Every tea or food she’d ever tasted here had been of the highest quality, and it made her nervous.

Aneta, who found it cute how Chris fretted over whether it would suit her taste or not, seemed to relax and opened her mouth.

“It’s delicious. You made it well.”

“Oh, thank goodness.”

Chris, who had quickly grasped Aneta’s character in a short time, finally breathed a sigh of relief. She wasn’t one to speak empty words, so it wasn’t just a polite remark.

“I made it with the recipe I’m most confident in, one that my mother taught me, but I was worried when it came to giving it to you both.”

“You could open a shop with these.”

“You’re exaggerating.”

Chris’s mention of her mother, who had casually passed away, brought a calm expression to her face.

Aneta, perhaps thinking that Chris might be a stronger person than herself, brushed off the crumbs from her hands.

“What about Vernon’s mansion? Is it comfortable?”

“He’s made sure I’m comfortable and lack nothing. But I’ll have to leave soon.”

“It doesn’t seem like you have a place to go.”

“I’ll have to find something, I can’t bother him anymore. What if there are some weird rumors about me?”

The fact that a single man and woman were living in a mansion was a perfect topic for gossip-loving individuals.

For those who enjoyed spreading rumors and gossiping about others, the affairs of others were not so important.

The reason why there had been no talk about her so far was because the existence of Chris Deven had not been prominently revealed. If she succeeded in getting it on the agenda of the official meeting, the attention towards Chris would attract even more, perhaps more than double.

“Then you should come to my estate.”

“I don’t want to be indebted to you anymore, Aneta.”

“Still, I can’t send you to the Baltimor estate.”

Aneta glanced at Carlos.

“How about I move into your estate instead?”

“I oppose that,” Carlos responded firmly, causing Chris to look awkward.

“Well, we’ll find a solution eventually. Let’s focus on the task at hand first.”

Aneta moved to finish the task she had momentarily set aside while holding Chris’s gift. Despite saying they would think about it later, her mind was already searching for alternative solutions.

***

Chris exerted all her efforts to meet the set deadline. There were days when she stayed up all night, barely eating, causing Vernon to worry even more.

With her unwavering dedication to the task, Chris managed to finish just in time for the administrative meeting the next day.

Thanks to the satisfactory results of her efforts, the agenda item reviewed by Chris was smoothly brought up during the meeting.

Although there were some opponents, the agenda did not fail. It was all thanks to Russell’s decision and no one else.

Russell showed a keen interest in the name Chris Deven. Having known about the events at the Deven Viscount’s estate, he didn’t hide his expectations for the emergence of a talented individual.

With Aneta and Vernon supporting from behind, and Carlos giving plausible assessments, it was clear that they were all capable individuals.

Russell’s expectations returned relentlessly with the overwhelming paperwork. Aneta and Carlos, who were enjoying a brief respite, also found themselves caught up in it.

The three of them, including Chris, were ordered to refine the cartel’s agenda and put it into action.

There was a sense of overlap with the work of other departments, but since it was often done in cooperation with each other, everyone was willing to do it.

“I think we should tighten the restrictions on this item.”

“I agree. In cases like this, it might be okay to loosen the regulations a bit, what do you think?”

“That’s a tough one. I think it wouldn’t be a bad idea to consult with other departments first.”

Documents approved by the heads of each department were frantically circulating. The three of them worked tirelessly, day and night, to fill in the gaps.

Chris sometimes appeared overwhelmed as she tried to keep up with the two who were often mentioned as workaholics.

Aneta, who was exchanging opinions with Carlos while discreetly keeping an eye on Chris’s condition, noticed her half-closed eyes.

“Chris, if you’re tired, go rest for a bit and come back.”

“No, I’m fine.”

Angered and alarmed, Chris slapped her cheeks to drive away the tension. Despite rejecting the offer and picking up the documents again, her eyes soon closed completely.

Aneta, seeing Chris fall asleep as if fainting, got up from her seat. Leaning against the back of the sofa, she carefully laid Chris’s shoulders down, who had dozed off. Then, she looked towards Carlos.

Understanding what she wanted with just a silent gesture, Carlos took off his coat.

The coat he handed over quickly covered Chris’s upper body.

Due to yielding her seat to Chris, the only remaining spot was next to Carlos. Sensing this, Carlos subtly asked with a hint of a smile.

“Are you going to sit next to me?”

His already low voice sounded even lower, almost like a whisper that secretly brushed against the ear.

“No.”

With a firm voice, Aneta turned away. Watching her movement, Carlos chuckled with a disappointed smile as she brought over a chair.

“Oh, I can’t take this.”