I Became the guardian of the future villain

“Good afternoon, everyone! No urgent matters, right?”

“Miss! Welcome back!”

Hestia had spent a relaxing morning with Derrick and only came to work around 2 PM.

10 years ago, as Byron expanded and the Frost family’s business grew, Derrick’s workload had naturally increased. Seeing him overwhelmed with work to the point where she feared he might overwork himself, Hestia had started helping him when she was just 15 years old.

Now, she was second in command, taking on significant responsibilities. In terms of position, she was essentially a senior executive.

At first, people doubted how a mere 15-year-old girl could manage foundation affairs. However, as she handled tasks as well as any adult, those complaints quickly disappeared.

Not only was she efficient in her work, but she was also more diligent than most employees.

However, a week ago, Hestia had taken a leave of absence, claiming she couldn’t concentrate on her work. Employees, who knew her work ethic, were concerned, wondering if something bad had happened to her. Was it heartbreak? Or was it some personal matter she couldn’t share?

But now, as they saw her bright and lively expression, their worries eased.

“Miss, did you rest well?”

“We were worried you might have been ill.”

“Or maybe someone was giving you trouble? Just let us know! We’ll protect you!”

As the workers gathered around, showering her with greetings and worries, Hestia felt a bit overwhelmed.

“Nothing happened. I was just a bit overwhelmed with the change of seasons. There won’t be any more of that, so don’t worry too much.”

“We’re relieved to hear that.”
“As long as you’re okay, that’s all that matters.”

“More importantly, there must be a lot of pending work. Is there anything that needs immediate attention?”

“I’ve already taken care of most of it. You just need to check what’s on your desk, Miss.”

“Jerome!”

Hestia smiled brightly as she spotted Jerome among the staff.

Jerome gently moved the employees aside and stepped into her office.
“They always make such a fuss when it comes to your work, Miss. If you’d been gone for another day or two, they probably would’ve gone out searching for you.”
“Is there that much work?”
“Not really. They were just worried about you. Did you resolve what was bothering you?”

Jerome had known Hestia’s true nature for the past ten years, so she felt more comfortable around him than anyone else. He didn’t know she had traveled back in time from the distant future or that she had once died, but he understood the general burden she carried.

“Yes, I think I can live more peacefully from now on.”

“That’s good. You’ve been anxious about it for the past year, after all.”

“I know. Now that all the worries are gone, I can focus even more on my work.”

“More? You should take it easy, Miss. You’re already handling everything well enough.”

“Jerome, do I seem like someone who would be satisfied with where I am?”

Seeing the ambition gleaming in Hestia’s eyes, Jerome couldn’t help but smile.

“No, you don’t seem like the type.”

“Exactly. This is just the beginning. I’m not going to be satisfied with just the Empire. I want people all over the world to cheer for our products.”

“You have grand ambitions, Miss. That’s exactly what I like about you.”

Hestia grinned mischievously.

The two of them sat down and began sorting through the work that had piled up over the week.

Jerome wasn’t just talented in soap-making; he also had a knack for business, so he summarized the tasks from the past week concisely.

“Sales have increased since the last period?”

“Yes, our latest product caught the eye of the royal family, which caused word to spread among the nobles.”

“And naturally, it reached the commoners as well.”

“Exactly.”

The first business that laid the foundation for the Frosts was scented soap. Isaac’s workshop, which had once been a simple soap-making shop, expanded and became a brand named *Tears*, focusing on producing and selling beauty products such as scented soaps and moisturizers.

By now, Jerome’s brand was so well-known that there was hardly anyone in the Empire who didn’t recognize it. Recently, they had even branched out into cosmetics, and their new product had been met with a positive response.

“Yesterday, the royal family requested a custom order. They want the cosmetics packaged in containers engraved with the royal emblem. They’re planning to gift them to foreign envoys coming soon.”

“Then we’ll need to commission special cases. Ask Uncle Wayne to design them. He used to supply goods to the royal family, so he’ll know what they’re looking for.”

“Yes, understood.”

“And, of course, make sure our brand’s logo is subtly included, too.”

“Naturally.”

Jerome carefully noted down all of Hestia’s instructions.

As their work neared completion, Jerome glanced at Hestia thoughtfully. She was only 18—still quite young. She had just come of age and, by most measures, might not be fully prepared to take on such responsibilities. But Jerome had known for ten years that she was far more mature than others her age, so her efficiency in handling work didn’t seem strange to him.

‘She’s always been like this, ever since she was young.’

He knew she wasn’t doing all this work because someone forced her to. It was her own choice that made her step forward.

Suddenly, a thought crossed Jerome’s mind.

“Miss, have you ever considered going to the Academy?”

Hestia paused, looking up from her work.

“Why do you ask?”

“It’s not really sudden. You had a good opportunity to go to the Academy when you were 15, didn’t you?”

“Oh, that.”

Three years ago, she had indeed had the chance to enroll in the academy. Although the tuition was quite high, the Frost family’s financial situation could easily support it, and the Winston family had even offered to write a recommendation letter.

Going to the academy would have provided her with a high-quality education, a vast network of connections, and even the potential to secure a good marriage match. Derrick and Anna had both wanted her to attend, but Hestia had declined.

“Why did you turn it down, if I may ask?”

“Hmm… because my father was struggling?”

“Three years ago, Baron Frost could have supported you just fine, financially speaking.”

“I meant work-wise, not financially. My father had too much on his plate, and I felt I needed to help him with the workload.”

Indeed, if Hestia hadn’t helped Derrick, she wouldn’t be in the position she is now.

“But you’ve always wanted a higher education, haven’t you?”

Jerome knew this. He knew how much she loved studying and how eager she was to acquire more knowledge.

“Back in the day, I might have worried about that. But once we started making good money, I was able to get a proper home education. Remember, I convinced my father to hire a highly qualified tutor.”
For the past five years, Hestia’s education had been overseen by Melvin Waynes, a former professor at the academy who had retired.
He had made a name for himself as a scholar and had even received a medal from the royal family.
Now, he was also in charge of educating Hestia’s younger siblings.
“My tutor says I’ve already learned everything I need, so there’s no point in going to the academy.”

“But surely there are things you can only learn at the academy? Plus, you could make connections with new people.”

“You’re not wrong. But Jerome, you’re overlooking one important thing.”

“What is that?”

“Frost no longer needs to actively go out and expand its network.”

If it were before her return to the past, she might have gone to great lengths to attend the academy and build connections.

But now, Frost didn’t need any of that.

They already owned several businesses, were selling goods to the royal family, and were on such a successful path that other nobles were practically begging to team up on new products.
“And besides, I believe I learn more helping my father with the business than I would at the academy. Do you really think I’m here purely because I’ve given up my right to a better life?”

Hestia laughed as if asking Jerome, Aren’t you being a bit too naive, but Jerome still believed her kind heart meant she couldn’t completely ignore her father’s needs.

“More importantly, Jerome, do you really think I’m the type to fit in with kids my age?”

“…No, not really.”

She had always been far more mature than her peers, finding it easier to converse with adults than with those her age.

“Exactly. You already knew that, so why ask?”

Hestia smirked as she returned her focus to her work.

Jerome had often felt it was unfortunate that she missed out on the typical experiences of someone her age, but she seemed completely unbothered by it.

‘That’s just so like her,’ Jerome thought with a smile.

“I suppose I was overstepping.”

“You were just concerned about me. That’s why I like you, Jerome.”

When Hestia winked at him, Jerome couldn’t help but laugh.

“Don’t overwork yourself on your first day back after a week off. I’ll be heading out.”

“Thanks, Jerome. You did great.”

After Jerome left the office, Hestia remained at her desk, still immersed in work.

Piles of documents were scattered across her desk.

Thanks to Jerome’s thoughtfulness, most of the tasks had been taken care of; all she needed to do was review them.

Hestia quickly went through the papers, deciding what required approval.

Once she had nearly finished, she picked up one final document.

“Hmmm… a mining operation…”

This wasn’t an official document but something she had specifically requested Jerome to gather information on.

“Ah, as expected, it’s expensive.”

The document contained details about mine that a fallen noble had put up for auction in desperate need of quick cash.

The mine was considered depleted, with no more valuable minerals expected to be extracted from it.

But Hestia knew in the future that more precious gems would be found in that mine.

Trends usually started in the capital.

But recently, Byron had begun setting trends little by little.

As a city renowned for the arts, many craftsmen were actively working there, producing a steady stream of fine craftsmanship.

The problem lay in sourcing the raw materials.

What good was it to have famous jewelers and accessory designers if there were no gemstones to work with?

Despite Byron’s growing fame, it still lagged behind in the gem trade.

Hestia wanted to make full use of the talents of Byron’s artisans.

So, she had considered purchasing the mine, which contained valuable gems yet to be discovered.

‘But it’s so expensive.’

Even though the mine was considered depleted, the price was still enormous.

The only silver lining was that the mine hadn’t sold yet, and the current owner was becoming desperate.

“Frost’s finances could handle it, but…”

The biggest challenge would be convincing Derrick.

Until now, their investments had been limited to acquiring talent or offering patronage, neither of which required such a large sum.

But buying a mine was on a completely different scale.

It wasn’t just the purchase cost—there would also be expenses for hiring miners and other related costs.

Hestia considered buying it with her own savings, but even with all the money she’d accumulated, it wasn’t enough to purchase the mine.

“Sigh, I can’t exactly borrow the money from someone either. This is tricky.”

Thankfully, there was still some time before the auction, giving her more room to think about it.

[Translator Note: Hi readers, Are you liking my project? If yes, Can you please drop some comments to motivate me? Thank you]