Yes, Lady Funina!

"Clorind, what are you doing?" Richard asked as he opened the door to find Clorind huddled behind a newspaper.

Clarinde, who was behind the newspaper, froze. She hadn't expected Richard to spot her as soon as he came in. However, she didn't say anything. Instead, she watched as the newspaper slowly tilted and covered her head. Soon after, she heard even breathing.

Sleeping?

Furina glanced at Clorind's pathetic state and ignored her, instead saying to Richard, "You've arrived."

"Lady Funina, do you need something from me?" Richard looked at Funina, wondering what she wanted to discuss.

“Sit down and let’s talk.” Funina gestured to the chair opposite her and placed the master tape she was holding on the desk.

Richard pulled out a chair and sat down, his gaze falling on the cassette tape that Funina had placed on the table. What was she going to do?

“I heard from Claurind…”

"I'll go make you some tea!" Clorind suddenly woke up from her deep sleep, stood up straight, threw the newspaper aside, and walked towards the door at lightning speed.

“Clorind, the tea station is over there…” Furnessa pointed in the opposite direction from the office door.

Clarinde's delicate body trembled, and she stopped in her tracks. After standing there for about five or six seconds, she realized that the other two people's eyes had not left her. Finally, she gave up her plan to run away, resignedly turned around, and walked towards the tea station.

Richard looked away and asked, "What's wrong with her?"

"Maybe they're lost?" Funina joked.

Richard didn't seem to care and continued talking to Funina, asking, "What did you just say?"

"I said, do you also want to participate in the annual Most Influential Person of the Year selection? The one in the political category."

"How could that be? Don't you know that I've never liked to show off? The tallest tree in the forest is bound to be felled by the wind."

“But I think it’s a good thing to show some talent sometimes,” Funina advised.

“You are right, but I am merely a humble public instrument, used to hold the fruits of your careful consideration.”

"Is it meant to hold the fruits of your careful and deliberate cultivation?"

"What are you saying? Does Lady Funina believe that all your achievements are manipulated and deliberately arranged?" Richard retorted.

Funina gave Richard a deep look and said meaningfully, "Who knows?"

"What if there's a shrewd and calculating secretary-general who, weeks ago, has already set a spotlight for his superior, forcing him into a situation where he has to produce results quickly, and that secretary-general happens to have a project that can produce results in a short time..."

"Do you think this could be considered a deliberate arrangement, Secretary Richard?" Funina leaned forward slightly, looking directly into Richard's eyes.

“I think this is a win-win situation.” Richard knew immediately that Funina must have seen through his hidden plan.

But it doesn't matter. Funina is now in a situation where she has no choice but to act. Even if she wanted to pursue the matter, it would be too late. After all, she still needs him for some reason, which is why Richard is so confident.

"So you admit you were plotting against me?"

"Lady Funina, what are you saying? How could I possibly scheme against you? It was just a coincidence." Richard smiled and shrugged, his gaze unwavering, as if it truly were just a coincidence.

"And how could I allow you to participate in the annual selection without your consent? I am no longer your personal secretary. In this situation, you should ask your personal secretary, Clarinde."

"Of course, everyone makes mistakes at work, so please don't be too harsh on her, Lady Funina," Richard said dismissively.

The implication was clear: I did do it, but if we really investigated, the blame didn't lie with me, but with Clarinde.

It's an old non-stick pan.

"Really?" Seeing Richard's calm and collected demeanor, Funina finally smiled, her previously tense face breaking into a smile.

However, Funina's smile surprised Richard, because it wasn't the kind of smile that comes from extreme anger, but rather a triumphant smile that seemed to indicate she was ready to watch the show.

"Please have some tea." Clarinde served tea at the right time, but at this moment she did not dare to look Richard in the eye.

Richard wasn't paying attention to Clarinde either; he was now pondering why Frynn was giving such a strange smile, as if... he'd been caught red-handed.

"Crolynde, play the recording from this master tape for our Secretary General to hear," Furnessa called out to Crolynde, who was trying to leave the scene of trouble.

Trying to run? Impossible!

"A recording?" Richard frowned. Given his usual level of caution, he shouldn't have left such obvious evidence as a recording, right?

And why did Clarinde act so timidly when she went up to him? It was as if she had done something to offend him.

Claude took the tape, closed her eyes, gritted her teeth, and inserted it directly into the phonograph. After a brief "buzzing" sound, a short, clear dialogue began to play.

"There are some things that require your authorization, and that concerns the selection of the most influential awards of the year..."

"It's that matter. I gave the authorization."

After listening, Richard did not comment but looked thoughtfully at the phonograph. He remembered that it was the one Clarinde had brought to his office yesterday afternoon, and that was when the conversation took place.

"We were testing the machine to see if it was working properly; we didn't mean to record it," Claude couldn't help but argue.

Little did they know that such sophistry was seen as self-destruction by someone else.

'If it wasn't intentional, then it must have been deliberate,' Richard thought, but another question arose in his mind.

So what can be proven by just these two sentences?

Richard quickly figured out the key point: Funina didn't need any proof. She only needed to tell Steambird Newspaper that Mr. Richard had agreed to participate in the annual Most Influential Person of the Year selection, and his name would appear on the political influence list the next day.

Of course, Richard could have informed Steambird Newspaper in advance now that he knows about this, but since Funina chose to tell him, it means that the other party does not really intend to do so.

Just tell him that I have ways to 'punish' you.

Whether Richard admits it or not, it was indeed a slip-up on his part. Who would have thought that the usually harmless Clarinde would suddenly pull such a stunt?

A smug smile appeared on Funina's pretty face as she said, "How about it?"

"I admit it was my oversight. What is Funina trying to use this as leverage to demand that I do something?"

Richard admitted that he did make a mistake in this political game, and although it wouldn't have mattered if it had actually made it into the newspapers, he couldn't deny that he had been successfully fooled.

Since Funina didn't use this leverage, Richard naturally had to agree to a reasonable request in exchange.

This is a tacit understanding between the two of them regarding the rules of the game.

"Hmph, you have to come with me to the groundbreaking ceremony too."

"That's natural."

"You have to be there when you speak."

"can."

"Help me prepare my speech."

When Frynn saw Richard looking at Claurind, she quickly added, "Claurind is also a winner, and she should enjoy the corresponding privileges."

“I understand, I will prepare it for you.” Richard nodded in agreement to the request, and at the same time, he gave Claurind a deep look. His intuition told him that Claurind had played a crucial role in this major setback.

After all, in that previous situation, Fu Ningna's CPU was probably occupied with the opening ceremony and official business, and she wouldn't have thought about whether she was being schemed against.

When Claudia saw Richard looking at her, she shuddered, feeling as if he could see right through her and see through all her hidden thoughts.

“It seems Clarinde is on Frynn’s side this time,” Richard replied.

"No...I..."

Just as Clarinde was about to explain, Furina interrupted her.

"Wasn't it because you tricked Clarinde into the trap? Wait, shouldn't she have been on my side in the first place?" Furnessa gradually realized that if she hadn't found the letter, wouldn't that mean Clarinde wouldn't have told her about it?

Instead, she remained neutral as before, even though Richard had gotten himself into trouble this time?

"I think she has always been on your side. You know, the things she has in her hands couldn't have been prepared in a short time."

Richard's words, seemingly addressed to Frynn and intended to exonerate Clorinde, were actually spoken to Clorinde herself.

—You little rascal, you've been plotting rebellion for a long time.

“Goo…” Clorind understood Richard’s meaning, but Funina seemed not to understand at all, and even thought that Richard made sense.

His gaze towards Clarinde softened. He had thought she was a fence-sitter who would side with whoever won, but it seemed she was quite loyal to him.

“Speaking of which, as the winner, Furnessa’s request has already been fulfilled, but it seems that Clarinde hasn’t made your request yet.” Richard’s gaze fell on Clarinde.

"Me? I guess I don't need to..." Clorind wished she could be as inconspicuous as possible, so she didn't dare to make any requests.

To describe how she feels right now is like a wife who goes out to take on private jobs and gets caught by her husband, only to have an unsuspecting customer praise her for her skills in front of him.

The sense of immorality is overwhelming.

Claudia didn't know why she had this strange feeling, even though... he was the one who started it.

I was merely making a reasonable counterattack.

“Since it’s a game, we should abide by the rules.” Richard looked Clarinde up and down when he saw that she was unwilling to make any demands.

Richard noticed that Clarinde hadn't changed her secretary outfit for months, and considering that he'd never seen her wear any casual clothes before, even when she went out with friends to go shopping or see the opera, she was usually wearing her dueling agent uniform. Richard then began to suspect something.

“Alright, I’ll be going to [Senjuya] in a few days, so you can go with me and order a few suitable casual clothes. I’ll take care of the bill,” Richard said.

"【Senori-ya】? That's very expensive, isn't it? Maybe we should just forget about it..." Claude felt that it was already good enough that Richard didn't blame her for recording without his knowledge. After all, she knew that people in politics usually cared a lot about this, but not only did he not care, he even spent money to buy her clothes.

This intensified Clarinde's sense of transgression.

"It's alright. Besides, with your income, Clorind, ordering a few custom-made outfits would be a piece of cake, wouldn't it?"

The allowance for being Frynn's personal secretary alone already puts Clarinde in the high-income bracket, not to mention that the other party is the strongest dueling agent. The agency fee alone is an astronomical figure for ordinary people.

“Yes, now that Richard mentions it, I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone wearing anything other than a secretary’s uniform or a dueling agent’s uniform,” Funina said belatedly.

Claude shook her head and replied, "I don't usually care about these things. As long as I have enough clothes, that's fine with me..."

"Hmm, but with such a great figure, it does feel like a waste to just wear a uniform," said Funina, stroking her chin and looking Klorin up and down.

Clarinde hadn't expected Frynn to say that. A faint blush rose to her face. Although it was very light, it was still quite noticeable because her skin was as white as milk.

"Huh? Clorind, you're blushing. Let me see." Seeing this, Funina found it even more amusing. She flashed in front of Clorind, wanting to get closer to take a look, and even wanted to poke her cheeks with her hand.

"Lady Funina!" In her haste to stop Funina, Clarind reached under her armpits and lifted her up like a child.

The office fell silent immediately.

To be honest, the two of them really did look a bit like mother and daughter. Clorind was voluptuous and rounded, looking like a mature and beautiful woman. Furynna, on the other hand, was petite and charming, like a young girl, and after being lifted up by Clorind, she appeared even more petite and charming.

"Click."

This is the sound made when the phonograph is working.

Claurind: ? ! !

Before Clarind could even ask Richard why he was taking pictures at this time, she realized that her behavior was extremely 'disrespectful to the gods', and quickly apologized while putting Furness down.

After being put down, Funina looked a little dazed, as if she hadn't yet recovered from being lifted up high by Clorind.

"Lady Funina, are you alright?" Clarind waved her hand in front of Funina with some concern.

Furina then came to her senses, shook her head and said, "It's nothing, I just suddenly realized how strong you are, Clarinde."

"Also, Richard, put the phonograph down!" Funina would never allow such a photograph, which would damage her divine dignity, to remain in the world.

Richard raised the phonograph camera, and Funina jumped up and down several times but couldn't reach it, which made her very angry.

"Clorind, what are you still standing there for? Aren't you coming to help?"

“Ah? Oh…” Claude walked over, “That Richard…”

"Please get me some more tea."

"Oh..." Clorind went to pour tea, leaving Funina alone, anxiously watching the camera that was so close yet just out of reach.

Seeing that Clorind was so easily dismissed by Richard, Furna couldn't help but ask angrily, "Clorind, whose side are you on?"

"Lady Funina, can't you see it yet?"

"Clorind, she will always stand on the side of justice."

—The victor is the one who upholds justice.

Volume 1: Chapter 104 People Arrive

In the end, Richard traded a set of custom-made clothing from [Senjuya] for ownership of the 'lift-up' photo.

However, Funina specifically emphasized that he was the only one who could see it, and it must not be spread to others.

So, what was supposed to be a trip to Chioriya by him and Lynette somehow turned into a team-building activity for the four of them in the office.

The phrase "two people in a row" has become "one person in a row" and belongs to the category of "two people in a row".

"You don't seem very happy?" Richard looked at the cat's tail, which was constantly twitching. Although there was no expression of dissatisfaction on her face, he could tell from the low pressure emanating from her that she was very unhappy.

"No," Lynette said, but only she knew for sure whether she actually meant it or not.