How to Tame That Gentle Male Lead - Chapter 2.13
“It’s fine as long as you’re reflecting on it now. Come, let’s go in and sit down.”
“Yes!”
Resena entered the dining room with her mother and they each took their seats. Usually, the Duke would always escort the Duchess and sit next to her, but he had gone to the Imperial Palace in the morning, so his seat was empty.
As she watched the dishes being brought in and set up, Resena looked at the empty seat beside her. Renard seemed to be sleeping in again, as there was no sign of him coming.
“Resena. After breakfast, could you visit the trading company? Some people at the direct store have changed, and I’d like you to see if they’re operating properly.”
“Yes. I’ll go and check thoroughly. Don’t worry.”
“Hoho. Hearing you say that puts me at ease. You truly are worthy of being the heir to our Arnasus family.”
“Hehe.”
Resena grinned as she ate her soup. The soup, filled with broccoli and cheese, was just to her taste and she never tired of it no matter how much she ate. As soon as the bowl was empty, a maid cleared it away. As the main course was placed in front of her, Resena excitedly grasped her knife and began to cut.
‘Today, I need to go to the direct store and point out the management practices of some people, then come back and do paperwork. I also need to monitor whether the events that could bring Eldis and Lorona closer have been canceled, but I can’t skip the daily tasks I have to do right now.’
Moreover, this would be the fourth time doing the paperwork, including this time, so it was very easy. Because of that, she planned to deliberately do the paperwork slowly to match the original pace.
“Hasn’t the paperwork been difficult lately?”
“It’s just as usual. Not at all. It’s going smoothly.”
The Duchess watched her daughter with a pleased smile. Resena cut into the medium-well steak and brought it to her mouth.
‘One of the good things about possessing her is that the chef at the Duke’s residence prepares fantastically delicious meals.’
Because of this, Resena couldn’t suppress her happiness every time she ate.
“I’ve had the gifts you haven’t opened yet brought to your dressing room. There will probably be many accessories among them, so if you find any you like, have them stored in your jewelry box right away.”
“Yes. I was planning to do that. Among the gifts I received yesterday, there was one with pearls attached to a ribbon that I liked the most. I’m thinking of asking to have it put in my hair, rotating colors daily starting tomorrow.”
“Hoho. That’s a wonderful idea.”
After the meal, canelés and parfaits were served. When the Duke was present, they usually had affogato or sherbet, but today, with just the two women, it seemed they had brought out the ice cream parfaits they both loved.
Resena enjoyed the sweet taste as she scooped the enormous parfait with her spoon.
“This is really quite sensible. I should give the chef some gold coins.”
As the Duchess instructed a maid, the maid left the dining room. Probably the chef would receive an unexpected income today. Resena didn’t object to the Duchess bestowing gold coins on the chef either.
She thought it was only right to give this much occasionally, considering he always cooked such delicious things.
“Well then, Mother. I’ll see you in the evening. I’m planning to have lunch outside.”
“Alright. Do that. Then I’ll have lunch with the sleepyhead Renard today.”
At those words, Resena left the dining room with a broad smile.
The weather was truly splendid. The sunlight typical of June was a bit harsh, but the cool breeze tickled her hair pleasantly.
While the carriage was being prepared, Resena took a stroll around the garden.
She tucked a red rose into her bodice and placed another in her hair, which suited her perfectly. Resena’s beauty was so outstanding that she could pull off anything, and she was truly satisfied with herself.
“Miss. Everything is ready.”
“Alright. I understand.”
Accompanied by three knights, Resena boarded the carriage. As they passed through the garden, the thick scent of roses seeped through the carriage windows. Inhaling that fragrance, Resena looked out the window.
Soon, the scenery changed to the view of the street. The street was bustling with activity, showing prim gentlemen and hurried lawyers. The desolate, half-ruined city she had seen before her regression was nowhere to be seen.
‘But I know… If Eldis can’t protect Lorona, this scenery will turn into a hellscape just like that.’
Resena placed her hands neatly on her knees.
“We’ve arrived, Miss.”
“Good work.”
Resena alighted from the carriage, escorted by a knight. Just then, some children came running from afar and bumped into one of the escorting knights.
“Ouch.”
The child who collided with the sturdy knight’s body teared up, then started wailing upon seeing the wooden toy that had flown from his hand. Resena slowly bent down to pick up the wooden toy.
‘What a detailed carving of a train.’
“Don’t cry. Here’s your toy.”
“S-sorry, so sorry…”
Resena wore a gentle smile on her lips.
“Hurry and go ask the person who carved this to play with you. It seems a lot of care went into making it.”
“Yes. sniff Thank you.”
The child wiped his tears and returned to the other children who were watching Resena cautiously. Resena smiled brightly at the knight the child had bumped into.
“You’ve worked hard, Sir Ron.”
“You’re too kind, Miss.”
Ron straightened his posture and resumed following behind Resena. Resena looked up at the store, then gracefully lifted her skirt and entered.
Ding-a-ling. As the bell rang and the door opened, the clerk at the counter came forward amiably but then looked surprised. Although the deputy head of the trading company, Resena, had visited the store recently, they probably didn’t expect her to come again so soon.
“Hello, Anya.”
“Hello, Deputy Master. The manager isn’t here right now, is something the matter?”
Resena wore a faint smile and looked around the store. The clerk watched her with a nervous expression.
“I came to see if there were any difficulties in running the store. I was here last time too, but I left quickly so we didn’t get to talk much. I came to tell you to speak frankly if there are any inconveniences.”
“Ah…”
The clerk subtly glanced around.
‘Something seems a bit off?’
Originally, before the regression, when she came here, the clerk would greet her warmly and share the difficulties of running the store. But now, it seemed like they were trying to avoid her, which was quite noticeable.
‘Has some problem arisen?’
Even though she had regressed, situations don’t always unfold exactly the same way, so Resena felt tense. And as she carefully examined the store, there were several strange things.
First, ‘Paragon’s Beer’, which always sold well and usually sold out quickly, was piled up in heaps. Not only that, but oddly, the items in the store had increased by two or three, and the display shelves were so full they looked like they might overflow at any moment, suggesting that business wasn’t going well at all.
“By any chance… is business not going well?”
“W-well, that is…”
The clerk’s lips quivered in apparent confusion, but that was enough to understand it was an affirmative. Resena furrowed her brow and walked around the store.
When she touched the displayed items with her finger, dust came off. From the looks of it, they hadn’t been sold for about 5 days.
“Well, the thing is…”
The clerk looked at Resena and spoke in a resigned tone.
“The Tebas Guild nearby used to bring in a lot of sales, but recently they seem to be buying from other stores. I don’t know why, but it’s like the guild members are retaliating by not stopping by here at all…”
“I see.”
So they were planning to retaliate against the direct store because I canceled the request. In my previous life, they didn’t do this because they had vented enough on me, but this time, since I pushed them a bit…
