Raising the Northern Grand Duchy as a Max-Level All-Master

Chapter 34.2

As Arad continued, his voice carried a faint bitterness.

“Those bastards! I helped them out so much! One guy was on the verge of bankruptcy because of a rental scam, so I used company funds to bail him out. Then, when things got tough and I froze salaries for a year, what did he do? Jump ship to a competitor!”

Grrrind!

Arad ground his teeth, clearly recalling the memory.

“Haaaah...”

Moments later, he exhaled and regained his composure.

“...?”

Arina didn’t understand half of what he’d just said, but his frustration was palpable.

“Then... Do you think I’m trustworthy?”

That was the question lingering in her mind.

“Oh, of course, I trust you,” Arad replied without hesitation.

“What? Based on what?”

“Just a feeling. That’s why I hired you on the spot.”

“...!”

His straightforward answer struck a chord deep in her chest.

“So, don’t betray my gut, all right?”

“O-Of course, sir!”

Arina’s heart swelled at his words, while Arad thought to himself:

‘Honestly, if I didn’t know the original timeline, I’d have doubted her and kicked her out immediately. Even if Isabelle recommended her—because my gut says something’s off about her.’

Despite what he’d said, his actual opinion of Mary was cautious at best.

Sometimes, a well-placed white lie was necessary.

‘Still, she’s sharp—probably why she’s destined to become the Archwitch of the Snowfield.’

But outwardly, Arad remained reserved.

Overpraising someone could inflate their ego, making them complacent or demanding. Too often, talented employees turned into competitors after being nurtured.

“Want to try your hand at this next?”

Arina made a fatal mistake in response.

‘If she can handle this, I can delegate the magical circuit engraving!’

Unaware of the dangers of standing out in a company run by a corporate-savvy boss from a harshly competitive world, Arina eagerly agreed.

‘She’s a witch—pushing her a bit harder will only help her grow. She has the skill and potential.’

Suppressing his excitement, Arad decided to pass on the intricate work of engraving magical circuits to Mary... or rather, teach it to her as a valuable skill.

‘She seems thrilled to learn!’

Seeing Mary’s enthusiasm made Arad all the more eager to share his knowledge.

‘It’s a good thing I’ve been reading magic theory books.’

Arina’s habit of studying magic theory as a knight had turned out to be unexpectedly useful in this new context.

“This is how you do it, right?”

“Exactly! Perfect execution!”

“This is surprisingly simple. Hehe.”

“Mary, you’re a genius! A prodigy!”

Arina threw herself into the task with the same fervor and focus she brought to her sword training.

And yet, some time later...

Arina began to sense something was off.

‘What’s going on? He’s praising my abilities, recognizing my talent... but why... Why does this feel harder?’

By the time she realized something was amiss, it was already too late.