Chapter 77

Emma's Proposal and the Contract [Part 3]

"Then, for now, could you sign a one-year contract as our Rothschild Company's exclusive painter? The ink will be handled separately. Today we will only purchase the amount of ink we need. And because we will likely make some prototypes that will be commercialized after this, let's have an exclusive contract for the ink."

"Eh? That's... No problem, but..."

Joshua proceeded with the contract at a dizzying pace.

He quickly filled out the necessary articles on the contract paper he always carried and signed it.

"If you're alright with this content, would you please sign here, Harold-san? This is the contract to be our exclusive painter, and this is an agreement that you will not sell this ink to anyone else until our new product using this ink is determined to be launched."

"Eh? That's... No problem, but..."

"B-Brother! You keep saying the same thing since a while ago. Are you okay?"

Hue tugged at Harold's clothes worriedly.

"Ah, yeah. To me, it's the best I could ask for. There's nothing wrong with the content."

It just, feels like a dream. Harold trembled when he looked at the amount written in the contract.

"We've saved money for not having to scrape or peel the stone floor. And because our customer target is mainly female students from the academy, if the store can be well-known for being cute, then it's also the best we could hope for."

Joshua took the contracts with Harold's name signed on them, looking satisfied. A win-win business negotiation with a mutual agreement had been concluded efficiently.

"Ah, Brother, what just happened?"

The children that couldn't understand the course of events flocked towards Harold.

Not even 10 minutes after Joshua's arrival, the situation had changed completely.

"Ohh, that just means that I have found a job. So for at least a year, all of you can eat every day."

The children looked at each other blankly.

'Eat? Every day? Does such a dream-like story exist?"

"Brother, did you get tricked?"

There's always a downside to a good story. The slum children began to worry about Harold.

"How rude! The Rothschild Company would never trick people, you know? That's what the contracts are for."

Joshua retorted in indignation. "Our welfare program is also very generous," he further suggested to Harold.

"Here is a little far from the shop, so how about moving to the commoner town? Our company has a few buildings..."

"No, I can't move."

Harold refused immediately.

"I could prepare a big building for you, you know? Enough for all the children to live in."

Joshua gave an exceptional offer, but Harold stood firm.

"The ink's raw material is on the underground of this slum. If I leave and a different person settles here, I may not be able to make the ink."

'It's a crucial material, so I can't move from here no matter what.'

The clusters of mushrooms in the underground of this crumbling building are valuable ones that can only grow here. Even after all that traveling, Harold couldn't find it anywhere else.

"If this ink production method becomes public, there's also the risk of overharvesting."

So he would live in the slums for a while to secretly research the mushrooms.

Harold went to Joshua's store to draw as it is, while the three siblings were told by Leonard to return to the mansion.

"Melsa is also worried. We should come back quickly to give her peace of mind."

Emma started to tremble the moment she heard Melsa's name.

"Was Mother... angry?"

In the whole Stuart family, only Melsa would get angry at Emma.

She could imagine that Melsa would be angrier at Emma, a girl, for staying outside overnight without permission than at George and William, who are boys. Only this one, her sweet father and Koumei-san, couldn't help.

"Having parents to get mad at you is a luxury, you know!" was what Hue said, but her footsteps towards the carriage felt heavy.

Koumei entered the carriage the last, and they went back home being squeezed.

"This... What will become of Koumei-san's body?"

The gaps between the gaps inside the carriage were filled with Koumei.

They thought that not all of them could get on the carriage to return home, but the cat had unbelievably fitted in easily.

"......see, cats are liquid..."

"Meow♪"

For a short moment until she would be scolded by Melsa, Emma had been healed by this carriage full of Koumei-san's fluff.

Author's note: If the definition of a liquid is a matter that conforms to the shape of a container in which it is held, then cats are liquid... supposedly.

Translator's note: This is the last chapter of the "Royal Capital - The Three Siblings Go to the Academy" arc. The will be the start of a new arc, "The Stuart Family and Imperial Japan."