Meeting
One week later.
A private room in the Flamsteed estate.
Maryne sat in a chair, waiting.
With the cat monster Firuru on her lap, fluffing it as she waited.
“Fluffy… fluffy…”
“Meow.”
Before long, there was a knock at the door.
“Lady Maryne. Lady Yumia has arrived.”
Rhinos’s voice.
“Please show her in!”
The door opened.
A single girl entered.
Yumia.
Height: 155 centimeters.
Chestnut hair tied into braids.
Yellow eyes.
Simple, but clean clothing.
Eighteen years old.
The moment she stepped inside, she bowed nervously to Maryne.
“N-nice to meet you! My name is Yumia! Thank you very much for inviting me today…!”
Yumia introduced herself and greeted her.
“I am Maryne. I look forward to working with you today!”
Maryne returned the greeting.
At that moment, Yumia thought to herself:
(She said she wanted me to help with a noble family’s business, but…)
Rhinos had invited her to join a business venture.
The Flamsteed family had fallen into crisis after the head of the house died of illness.
And now, the daughter, Maryne, was trying to start a new business.
For Yumia, who had experienced her own family’s downfall after her father’s death, it didn’t feel like someone else’s problem.
She wanted to work together on this venture.
But…
(To think the one trying to start this business is still just a child…!?)
That part, she hadn’t been told.
Yumia spoke up.
“Umm… may I ask a question?”
“What is it?”
“… How old are you, Lady Maryne?”
“I am eight.”
“Eight…!?”
Yumia fell silent in shock.
Maryne whispered quietly to Rhinos.
(Rhinos, you didn’t tell her my age?)
(I considered the possibility that she might refuse if I told her honestly.)
(I see.)
No one would willingly choose to start a business with an eight-year-old who had no track record.
If she had been told from the start, Yumia might not have even come to this meeting.
“……”
Yumia felt uneasy, to be honest.
The daughter of a noble house offering to provide a shop and initial capital.
Normally, there would be no reason to refuse.
But…
An eight-year-old noble girl running a business.
It was obviously impossible.
(Maybe I should decline…)
The thought crossed her mind.
However…
(No, that’s not it. That’s not right. This is… a child asking for help. That’s what this is.)
This wasn’t just some noble girl’s “little game” of starting a business.
She was serious in her own way.
The desire to prevent her house from falling.
Wasn’t she the one who could understand that feeling best?
(I have to help this girl!)
Yumia’s sense of goodwill began to burn.
It wasn’t as if she had any brilliant business ideas of her own.
But if a shop and funding were being provided, she might be able to make something work.
What do you think about this chapter?
