Chapter 197 - Chapter 197: Salt on Green Vegetables
Arthur and Lilia, having left Viscount Nathan's residence, boarded the waiting carriage.
Once they were alone, Lilia let out a deep sigh.
"Haa, I was so nervous. You seemed quite calm, didn't you? Didn't you feel any tension at all?"
"Events like this happen frequently when I help my grandfather and father with their work. Besides, Mother performed in front of a large crowd to drive up stock prices alongside Father during a stock manipulation battle when she was younger than me. Compared to that, this is nothing."
What Arthur spoke of was the stock manipulation battle against Baron Thompson and Dorothea. At that time, Christina had dragged her family's House Macintosh into it, performing in front of many nobles to increase the value of stainless steel statues.
Hearing this, Lilia compared herself to Christina.
The aura she possessed when they met at House Archibalt was forged from such experiences, and she questioned to herself whether she could ever reach that level.
She had originally approached Arthur to determine if he was suitable as a fiancé, but now she found herself in the position of wondering if she was suitable for him, yet she remained unaware of this shift.
Stopping her thoughts, she looked at Arthur, and his face suddenly appeared very reliable, causing Lilia's cheeks to turn red.
"What is it?"
Asked by Arthur, Lilia snapped back to reality.
"Nothing—"
Saying that, she shifted her gaze out the window.
The cityscape of the Royal Capital visible from the carriage window showed the usual bustling activity, but such scenery did not enter Lilia's mind.
Even as she thought this, the carriage arrived at Valier Trading Company.
When guided to the reception room, Charles Valier, the head of the company, members of the Economic Revolution Club, and Natalia were waiting there.
Isabella asked Arthur.
"How was it?"
"As planned. The fish are biting the bait. Therefore, the plan will proceed as scheduled from here on."
It was Valier who smiled at Arthur's reply.
"Then, we shall begin short-selling Cavendish Construction from now on. However, I am sorry to Emmanuel Trading Company that we must place orders with our firm every time."
"It can't be helped. If we initiated a short-sell through Emmanuel Trading Company, lanterns would appear immediately, and the profits would dwindle."
When Arthur answered thus, Elizabeth leaned forward.
"This time, we must make sure Mom doesn't take the profits."
She clenched her fist tightly.
In the previous stock manipulation battle concerning Fleming Trading Company with Count Cutter, Elizabeth had had her profits confiscated by her parents, and she was burning with the desire to succeed this time.
Although the profits were confiscated, their use within the Economic Revolution Club was permitted. Only Elizabeth's personal use was forbidden. Therefore, although the capital for this short-sell did not belong to Elizabeth, she intended to short-sell with her own holdings and gain profits from it.
"Liz, if you bet too big, you'll end up crying when things move in the opposite direction."
Isabella warned, but Elizabeth's mind was still filled with unseen profits. She was an investor prone to failure in the market, yet with Arthur and Isabella on her side, she could not even conceive of failure.
Michael looked at such Isabella with an exasperated expression, contrasting with the worried Lilia and Natalia.
Especially Lilia felt the greatest anxiety.
"Next, I am the main character..."
Lilia looked at the members with a timid face.
Isabella snorted.
"You are quite different from when you stormed into the Economic Revolution Club. Even with salt on green vegetables, you should be a bit more crisp."
"The moisture has drained away, and you're wilted."
Michael corrected Isabella's words with a wry smile.
Arthur and Elizabeth laughed, but Lilia could not bring herself to feel that way.
However, the moment where Lilia becomes the main character still comes.