CHAPTER 311: SHION

"What’s got you frowning? Isn’t the pay I give you enough?"

Upon hearing that familiar voice, Shion’s face tensed. She quickly turned toward the sound and saw the person she had missed the most—Nolan.

"Master!" she exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with joy.

Without hesitation, she ran toward him, arms wide open. Each step seemed to make her chest bounce with an almost teasing rhythm.

When she was only a meter away, ready to leap into his arms, Nolan reached out and pressed his palm against her face.

"Don’t come near me," he ordered, his tone laced with disgust.

"Ughh! I want to hug you! I missed you so much!"

Shion struggled to move forward, but her strength was clearly no match for his. Her cheek pressed against Nolan’s hand made her look irresistibly cute.

Yet Nolan had no intention of letting her go, holding her firmly in place.

But Shion didn’t give up. Determined, she pushed forward with all her might until Nolan finally gave in.

With a long sigh, he withdrew his hand. Without a moment’s hesitation, Shion leapt into his arms, clinging to him like a koala hugging its mother.

"Whoaa! I missed you so much, Master! You were so cruel to leave me alone with all these responsibilities!" She sobbed, tears welling in her eyes.

Running a trading house as large as Blue Moon was no easy task. It demanded patience, energy, and constant focus—and every day, Shion felt drained from pouring all her strength into it.

However, when she needed him, Nolan had left her to handle all the affairs of the trading house, clearly leaving Shion upset and frustrated.

For a moment, Nolan remained silent, then finally opened his arms and hugged her, patting her gently on the back.

"All right, I’m sorry for leaving you and being gone for several months," he said softly.

The woman in his arms was Shion—the supreme leader of the Blue Moon Trading House. Nolan had first met her about nine years ago.

At that time, he had been taking a leisurely stroll through the capital when he accidentally wandered into a poor neighborhood on the city’s north side.

There, he saw children struggling and women forced to work just to put food on the table.

By chance, he noticed a twelve-year-old girl being bullied by other children.

Still inspired by the heroes he had admired on television and in novels in his previous life, Nolan rushed to her aid.

Yes, that girl was Shion. Of course, the Shion of the past was very different from the one before him now.

Where the girl of the past had seemed timid and innocent, the present Shion was bold and shameless—utterly depraved in comparison.

Whether it was because of his heroic rescue or something else, from that moment on, Shion had followed him around like a little dog that had lost its home.

Unable to bear it any longer, Nolan eventually took her in as his personal assistant—without his sister or mother ever knowing.

Then he slowly began building the Blue Moon Trading House, teaching Shion the business skills he had mastered in his previous life.

Thankfully, Shion was incredibly intelligent—even the smartest person he had ever met besides Cedric.

Sadly, Nolan also realized that this seemingly innocent girl was surprisingly lewd. She constantly wanted to hug him and bury her face in his chest.

Looking down, Nolan saw Shion pressed against him, rubbing her cheek against his chest and inhaling his scent.

The corners of his mouth twitched slightly. The urge to push her away arose, but he held back, letting her do as she pleased.

"So, anything new to report?" he asked, his tone slightly irritated.

Shion grinned, tightening her embrace. "Nothing, Master. Everything’s going smoothly. Oh, wait—I almost forgot something!"

She loosened her hold and lifted her head to look at him.

"We want to open a few more mines in the western region, and we’ll need a lot of capital. Do you know any investors who might be willing to give us a little of their money?"

When she said "a little," her expression turned mischievous and cunning. Nolan could only chuckle helplessly. This woman was becoming even more cunning and ruthless than he was.

Naturally, that was a good thing. Only those truly strong and ruthless could survive at the top.

"Is the ’little’ you’re talking about really just a little?"

As he spoke, Nolan suddenly scooped Shion up in a princess carry, startling her.

"M-Master!? What are you doing?" She stammered, her face flushing as red as a ripe apple.

Although she often appeared brave and liked to tease Nolan, the truth was that Shion was still an inexperienced young woman. This was the first time she had ever been carried like a princess, and the experience felt absolutely exhilarating.

Nolan ignored her flustered state and carried her to her work chair, sitting down with Shion on his lap.

The closeness made her whole body tense as if she had been electrified.

"So, can you explain your plan to me?" Nolan asked casually, taking a dry biscuit from the plate on her desk and popping it into his mouth.

The moment work was mentioned, Shion’s expression immediately turned serious.

"The plan is..."

She began explaining in detail, and Nolan, as her listener, didn’t interrupt once.

Only after she finished did he offer his input.

The mines Shion wanted to establish were indeed a great opportunity, but Imperial regulations prohibited full ownership by any trading house.

About fifteen percent of the profits had to go to the authorities: ten percent to the Duke of the region and five percent to the central government.

Once their discussion on the mines was complete, Nolan shifted to the main topic.

"By the way, I’ve come with some good news."

"Good news?" Shion raised her eyebrows, a smile creeping onto her face as a sudden thought struck her.

"Don’t tell me—it’s about the Red Obsidian Trading House and your plan to change its name and ownership?"

Nolan was momentarily taken aback. "How did you know? Did Arnold tell you?"

As far as he could remember, he hadn’t told her about this matter.

"Pfft! Master, I’ve been with you for years. How could I not understand your thoughts?" Shion said, a slight smile on her lips.

Nolan studied her expression, and for some reason, a chill ran down his spine.

This woman really surpasses me, he murmured with a long sigh.

Nodding slightly, Nolan continued, "Yes, I intend to do that. Ownership of Red Obsidian is already in my hands, and I’ve appointed Claire Horven, Belfor Horven’s illegitimate child, as its leader. Do you have any objections?"

Shion shook her head without hesitation. "No objections. Everything is your decision."

Nolan felt a deep sense of satisfaction. What he valued most in Shion was her genuine, unwavering loyalty—he could never trust subordinates who constantly questioned their superiors.

"We’ll start today. I’m sure Melinda Horven already knows that I’ve taken the Red Obsidian Trading House from her sister."

"I understand. Leave it to me," Shion said firmly. Then, as if remembering something, she added quickly, "I almost forgot, Master. While investigating Belfor’s past crimes, our team found something intriguing. I’m sure you’ll be surprised—you might even like it."