Chapter 18: The Boredom Ban and Business Booms

I was curfewned from going out for a week, in the end.

Should I be thankful that it’s only a week?

But, after just a moment of thought, I was incredibly bored.

“Ugh, I’m bored.”

“Miss, shall we go for a walk?”

“I’m sorry, but I’m curfewned from going out?”

“…Miss, the Madam said that a walk is okay.”

“No!? I’m a good daughter who listens to my mother!”

“……”

I was rolling around in bed, when I suddenly caught a thought.

“More than that, Anna. How is the business Liriel unnie is running going?”

“It’s going smoothly.”

I had invested ideas and funds in Liriel unnie, but I had completely forgotten.

‘Well, she’ll do as she pleases, but I can’t miss this opportunity.’

“Anna! I’ll go to Mom!”

“Go ahead, Miss.”

I ran to the office where Mom was working.

I knocked, and Mom’s voice was heard from inside, telling me to come in.

I opened the door and peeked inside, and I saw Mom working.

“What’s going on, my daughter?”

“Mom! Can’t I go to Liriel unnie? I need to talk about business.”

“Uhm, well, there’s no choice when it comes to business. Go ahead.”

“Really!? I love you, Mom!”

“You can’t just say you love me, right?”

I could be released only after showering Mom with affection for a long time.

‘Ugh, I’m how old…’

I was preparing to go meet Liriel unnie when the sound of knocking was heard.

“Miss, a guest has arrived.”

“A guest for me?”

“Yes. Lady Bella Robusta has arrived.”

“Guide her to the reception room! I’ll be right there!”

As soon as I was ready, I went into the reception room, and Bella unnie was waiting inside.

“Unnieeeeeeee!”

I hugged Bella unnie, and she hugged me back, looking like she had no choice.

“I heard. You were curfewned from going out?”

“…I was caught while playing at night.”

“A five-year-old already…”

“Ehehehehe…”

The moment I smiled cutely, Bella unnie’s heart filled up and disappeared with a bright light.

At that moment, her gaze, which had been looking at me, changed to something serious.

After briefly letting me go, she bowed her head and greeted me.

“Thanks to you, Aria, I was able to become independent from the family. Thank you so much.”

I was flustered by the sudden situation, and as I told her to look up, Bella unnie’s mouth turned up.

She hugged me suddenly, and my unnie opened her mouth.

“Aria, do you know what independence means?”

‘If I say I know what independence means here, she’ll be suspicious…?’

I asked Bella unnie, pretending not to know.

“Bella unnie…? If it’s independence, doesn’t that mean leaving the house and living alone?”

“…Ah, independence from our family isn’t that kind of thing.”

“Uhm? Then what does it mean?”

According to Bella unnie, two children are born in the Robusta Family.

The first child is raised to inherit the family, and the second is raised to become the Master of the Tower.

As an exception, those who have brought great benefits to the family will be supported by the family through ‘independence’ to live the life they want.

Because I brought the ancient magical tome, Bella unnie was able to bring great benefits to the family, so she was able to become independent.

In a word, whatever Bella unnie does from now on, the family can’t interfere.

I had reached the ending I wanted.

‘From now on, Bella unnie will be able to live like a bird flying freely in the sky.’

I was looking at Bella unnie with a bashful smile, and she blushed.

I can’t miss this opportunity.

“Aat!? Are you embarrassed now!? Is that it!? You’re cute!”

“…Come here.”

“Eww, my cheeks hurt.”

“It’s your own doing, Miss.”

Bella unnie pinched my cheeks for a long time, and they turned red.

I was released only after promising to grant her one wish.

My wish-granting power is expensive…

“Miss, we have arrived.”

I got off the carriage and opened the door to the office where Liriel unnie was.

But where did the clean office go? It was a room filled with documents.

“Uhm? Did I come into the wrong room?”

“Our youngest, you came…?”

“Wh, what!? Liriel unnie!? Where are you!?”

“I’m in here…”

Looking closely into the room, I saw Liriel unnie buried in the documents.

“No, what happened…?”

“It’s all because of the youngest!? Well, it’s hard, but this is a big hit!”

Liriel unnie, buried in the documents, swam out and then handed me a document.

When I confirmed the document, everything was written, from the stores that would move into the department store to the expected profits.

“It’s not even finished yet, but it’s already this much?”

“It’s a big hit, right!? I didn’t expect it to be such a big hit!”

According to her, there were many stores that couldn’t do business properly because of some abusive shops.

In such a situation, my unnie offered the opportunity to move into the department store, and what could they do?

No matter how bad the conditions were, they had no choice but to participate, as it would be better than just failing.

But because Liriel unnie recruited the stores with good conditions, it was easy to make a big hit.

“If it’s like this, we can rake in the money!”

Was it my imagination that Liriel unnie’s eyes were sparkling with money…?

Well, if she’s happy, that’s enough.

“More than that, Liriel unnie, did you publish the book I asked you to?”

“Of course! That’s also a big hit! Our youngest is definitely a genius! How can you write such a story!?”

One of the businesses I did through Liriel unnie was publishing a book.

Because books are one of the best entertainment sources in the empire, where there aren’t many entertainments.

The titles of the books I published were ‘The Teddy Bear Next Door’ and ‘Ggomsuni’s Moving Castle’.

Both books became bestsellers as soon as they were published and boasted enormous sales.

And, starting with musicals and a variety of collaboration proposals came in, so Liriel unnie’s mouth didn’t come down.

“Our youngest is a lucky charm! I love you! Let’s do business together with unnie forever!”

“Uhm? Y, yeah. That’s fine with me.”

“Whaaa! I love our youngest so much!”

She hugged me for a long time and left like the wind, saying she had a meeting in the afternoon.

I can’t help it when she’s so happy. I have to tell her another story.

The next story would be good.

‘The Disappearance of Bear and Ggomsuni’

But now that the business is over, what should I do…?

I don’t want to go back home right away. I’ve been out for a few days, so I’ll stay out as long as possible.

I was thinking of taking Anna and going around the nearby shopping district, and I suddenly had an idea.

“…Anna. Wouldn’t I be able to get rid of the curfew if I bring a present for my parents?”

“It’s highly possible.”

I went to a nearby general store with Anna to pick out a present for my parents, and there were many strange things.

A shiny scarf, a hair loss treatment…? Our parents have plenty of hair, so they don’t need it.

Gender change potion…? Why is this sold?

I was a little doubtful if I had come into the general store, but I was finally able to pick out something useful.

I bought the item and went home, and as soon as I got home, I went to see my parents.

“Mom!! Our pretty daughter has come!”

“Did our pretty daughter come? Did you enjoy your outing?”

“Yes! And this is a present!”

“Oh my, this, this… kind of thing….”

A talking hat I brought for Mom!

If you wear the hat and ask questions, it answers.

“Please try it on!”

“Y, yes.”

Mom put on the hat, and asked a question.

“When is our daughter the cutest?”

At that moment, the hat opened its mouth.

“As long as the unstoppable flow of time, which inevitably leads us to eternal death, does not stop, finding the cutest moment…”

I could see Mom’s expression as time passed and she got tired of what the hat was muttering.

After a long time, the words didn’t stop, and Mom finally took off the hat and said.

“…Youngest, thank you for the present, but don’t use a hat like this.”

“Yes…”

“Ah, there’s still a chance! Dad! I’ll go to Dad!”

“…Miss, isn’t it better to give up?”

“No!? Giving up is only used when you are counting cabbages!”

I took Anna and visited the office where Dad was this time.

“Dad!!”

“What’s going on, our youngest?”

I ran to Dad and hugged him, and Dad hugged me gently.

“I bought a present because I was thinking of you, Dad!”

“Our youngest thinks of Dad already…”

Dad patted my head, and even though it was a rough touch, I felt good.

I handed the present to Dad, and his expression became subtle…?

“What is this polar bear doll for?”

“What is this polar bear doll for?”

As Dad talked, the polar bear doll followed the same words, with the same voice as Dad.

“hehe, it’s cute, right!? It’ll be a companion when I’m alone!”

“…Thank you.”

“…Thank you.”

‘Since he’s so happy, he’ll lift the curfew!? Right!?

A week later.

The curfew was lifted.