TISND Chapter 33

Chapter 33

Joshua’s thoughts after visiting the medical clinic were as follows:

Helena, at her core, was a genuinely kind person.

“Kids, there are patients here, so absolutely no playing around.”

Always gentle and kind, Helena’s demeanor changed the moment they arrived at the clinic. She helped Aiden brew medicines and even treated minor injuries herself.

At first, Jeremy and Joshua were bewildered, but soon they began following her lead, assisting the patients. Their roles mainly involved carrying boxes of herbs or tidying up the beds.

Although the clinic staff tried to dissuade them, the children handled their tasks maturely and even found it fulfilling.

Naturally, this led to a realization: a person who cared so sincerely for patients could not possibly be bad.

Well, they had already let go of their initial suspicions about her long ago. Yet, the unease stemming from her being Eskel’s daughter had lingered. However, no matter how they looked at her, she seemed worlds apart from Eskel.

On their way to the clothing factory, Joshua reviewed the medical clinic’s expenses and the financial statements of the factory. From this, he discovered that Helena had been using her personal funds for both.

When Helena noticed Joshua holding the financial statements, she asked where he had gotten them. Once again, he replied that he had a reliable source.

In short, the projects she was involved in brought her no personal gain whatsoever.

Inside the carriage heading to the factory, Joshua stared at the sleeping Helena across from him, lost in thought.

In a word, Helena was just someone absurdly, almost foolishly, kind.

“Are you looking at the financial statements? Are they interesting?”

Aiden, perhaps mindful of not waking the sleeping Helena, lowered his voice as he asked.

“Don’t act like we’re close…!”

Joshua began his usual sharp reply but abruptly stopped.

Helena’s words from earlier crossed his mind. How you treat others reflects how you yourself will be treated.

She was always strict whenever he or Jeremy acted rudely toward Aiden.

“They’re somewhat interesting,” Joshua replied instead.

‘Hmph. I’m not doing this because of Helena. I’m just maturing, that’s all.’ Joshua hid his irritation as he answered.

Aiden, seemingly surprised that Joshua responded at all, smirked and asked another question.

“You know how to read these?”

“Of course. Anyone from Frantor should know how,” Joshua replied coolly.

“To protect people, it’s only natural to learn such skills. We start rigorous training in this stuff from the age of five.”

“Really? And what’s your impression after reading it? Is Helena a good businesswoman?”

‘Acting like we’re close again. If Helena weren’t here, I’d kick him out right now.’ Joshua glared at him briefly before pouting.

“She’s a businesswoman with plenty of money but not enough brains.”

Aiden chuckled. “Why’s that?”

“No matter how much you claim to be running a business for altruistic reasons, there should still be some profit, like tax benefits. But this is like a broken jar—it’s leaking money with every breath she takes.”

Her ability to identify the most pressing needs of the northern people was exceptional—likely due to her inherently thoughtful and caring nature.

But this went beyond simply helping people.

“Plus, she’s so impatient! Normally, gathering resources and manpower takes time, but Helena tries to solve everything with money. She’s willing to incur massive losses just to complete her projects immediately. At this rate, the business might become stable, but Helena will end up penniless.”

‘Does she even know how to run a business? What if she really goes broke? Would I have to support her?’ Joshua found himself worrying without realizing it.

Aiden chuckled softly. “That’s a rather blunt assessment.”

Aiden couldn’t hold back his laughter, snickering as he said, “Joshua, maybe we should get Helena a tutor.”

Hearing this, Jeremy chimed in, “That’s not a bad idea. If she’s going to run the estate and the manor, she should at least know some basic things. As the lady of Frantor, she ought to be prepared for these responsibilities.”

“She graduated from the academy, didn’t she? Silly Helena,” Jeremy added with a smirk.

The twins busied themselves criticizing Helena.

Meanwhile, Aiden was trying not to burst into laughter. Not only had they already accepted Helena as the lady of Frantor, but they were also casually planning to entrust her with managing the estate and manor. Even as they teased her, their fondness for her was evident in their words.

“Wake up now. We’ve arrived!”

The carriage had reached the clothing factory located in the bustling heart of the city, far from the medical clinic on Frantor’s outskirts.

The factory had caused the already crowded area to become even busier, drawing in all sorts of people: those who had lost limbs in battle, elderly individuals, men, women, and children alike. What stood out the most was the bright expressions on everyone’s faces.

“Helena! Hey!”

Helena, however, showed no signs of waking up. Jeremy, unable to bear it any longer, tried to rouse her. He nudged her and even pinched her cheek, but she remained motionless.

“Please wait a moment, young masters.”

Finally, Aiden, noticing something amiss, stepped in, his face darkening. Only then did Helena stir awake.

‘Has Helena always been such a heavy sleeper?’ Joshua tilted his head, puzzled as he observed her still groggy state. He’d always thought of her as diligent rather than lazy since she woke up earlier than even the manor staff to tend the fields.

“Why won’t you wake up? You sleepyhead!” Jeremy shouted, frustrated.

“Sorry,” Helena replied with a soft chuckle, reaching out to pat his cheek affectionately.

“Did you stay up late last night?” Joshua asked, his tone sharp and observant.

“After dinner last night, you didn’t go straight to your room, did you?”

“I did return to my room early, but I couldn’t sleep well,” Helena admitted.

“Is that so?”

Satisfied with her explanation, Joshua shrugged nonchalantly and walked ahead toward the factory.

Behind him, Helena let out a quiet sigh of relief.

—

Helena had repurposed Lady Kenderville’s salon and some vacant buildings she had purchased nearby, creating a clean and spacious factory interior.

What surprised Joshua the most was the workers’ environment. There were no strict working hours or mandatory daily schedules. Workers earned wages based on the clothes they produced, fostering a relaxed and flexible atmosphere.

Some worked at a leisurely pace, while others worked hard to support their families.

“You’ve arrived, Duchess!”

Joshua was taken aback by how cheerful the workers seemed. They chatted with each other as they worked, enjoying their daily lives. Some even shared homemade snacks, creating a warm and harmonious atmosphere.

He knew that Helena hadn’t been warmly welcomed when she first arrived in Frantor. However, during her time there, she had completely changed people’s perceptions.

“Um, hi, it’s been a while,” Helena said, her face reddening as the workers eagerly greeted her. Embarrassed by the attention, she quickly hid behind Aiden.

“I just wanted to show Jeremy and Joshua around today…” she mumbled shyly.

She spoke in a voice so soft it seemed as though she was trying to disappear. Joshua let out a dry laugh, unable to understand why she was so shy around people who were clearly kind to her.

“What? What did you say? I can’t hear you.”

“I don’t know what to say, but… I’m glad you’re here!”

Oh, for heaven’s sake! After greeting Helena, people belatedly noticed Aiden’s face and were visibly startled.

“Who is he? How is someone so good-looking? Is that even a human face? Excuse me, are you even human?”

As whispers spread, people began to gather around Aiden.

“Ha-ha, hello there,” Aiden greeted awkwardly, visibly flustered by the sudden attention.

The twins, however, coldly abandoned him and began exploring the factory.

“Shouldn’t we wait for—”

“No! I want to look around now!”

“Let’s go already.”

Jeremy grabbed Helena’s hands and led her on a tour of the factory. Inside, there were many state-of-the-art machines and tools designed for convenience.

“Once a week, someone from the trade guild comes by. They take the clothes we’ve made during the week and sell them.”

Helena explained everything in detail, from the operations of the factory to the involvement of Countess Enphirem. It was almost like she was giving them a formal lesson for future successors.

Jeremy seemed genuinely interested, his eyes sparkling as he listened intently to her explanations.

“I’m trying to delegate responsibilities further,” Helena continued. “Eventually, I want to transition the factory so it can operate independently within Frantor.”

“But wouldn’t that mean you’d lose all your authority? Haven’t you already handed most of your practical power over to your subordinates? Why go that far? This is a business you started. Don’t you think it’s a waste?”

“Not really. I don’t think it’s a waste.”

Her answer left Joshua puzzled.

Before coming to the factory, he had dismissed her as a somewhat naïve businesswoman. But now, it seemed like Helena was deliberately relinquishing her authority piece by piece. He could understand her spending money generously, but why would she give up her power as well?

“Why are you rushing to start and then wrap things up so quickly? Are you planning to retire soon or something?”

What? Joshua, who had intended to criticize her, suddenly paused.

Barely into adulthood, Helena really did seem to act as though she were someone preparing for retirement.

If she was buying time with money, not because she was incapable, but because she truly felt pressed for time… then why? What was she running out of time for? There didn’t seem to be any reason for it.

“Sorry, did I keep you waiting long?”

At that moment, Aiden returned with an apologetic smile.

A visiting doctor who had suddenly appeared in Frantor. Helena, gradually giving up her authority. Her seemingly reckless spending, as if she no longer cared about the future.

Something wasn’t right.