Translator: Nox

Chapter 23

Like the heirs of other great noble houses, Aristina had started managing her merchant group early on.

At that time, Duke Karnel had held a sliver of hope.

'Even a caterpillar can roll, or so they say. Maybe...'

With such thoughts, he had equipped her merchant group without envy from others.

Thanks to that, the 'Black Rose Merchant Group' sat proudly in the prime location. A distance one could stroll from the Imperial Palace with a light heart.

I stopped by the notary office right next to the merchant group office, then headed there holding the document folder I'd received.

Bursting through the door, the employees shot to their feet.

"Merchant Leader, you've arrived!"

"We heard you attended the conference—how was it?"

Attitudes servile as tongues in their mouths.

But I knew what lurked beneath that sycophancy.

Laziness. Contempt. Thoughts of roughly handling the empty-headed young lady to coast by easily.

I replied sullenly.

"Just meh......"

"Was the conference meh?"

"No. You guys are meh."

After that retort, I strode to the desk and upended an employee's cup, dumping it out.

The strong liquor poured straight onto the floor.

"Uh......"

Before the startled gasps even faded.

I ransacked every employee's desk.

Adult magazines piled amid documents.

Business logs blank since last year.

Traces of card games up to moments before I entered.

Love letters practiced on stacks of official paper...

All of it caught red-handed.

They had surely been selected family talents at first. But while sucking honey here, they'd all devolved into pathetic trash.

What a waste of salary.

"L-Lady......"

As their misdeeds were exposed, I handed out sheets from the document folder one by one to the panicked employees.

"......!"

The employees gaped at the papers.

It was the dismissal notices I'd consulted the notary next door to prepare.

"L-Lady! This is too much!"

As if I'd inflicted massive harm, the employees suddenly played the victims, starting to wail.

"Firing us out of nowhere—what about our livelihoods? This is too harsh!"

"You've been getting fatter salaries than others, haven't you? Where'd all that money go?"

I replied coldly.

"I know. Our merchant group's ventures tanked one by one, leaving no work. But that left plenty of time to study, and you could've moonlighted easily, right?"

"......"

"Taking our money hand over fist while slacking off! After deceiving your employer slyly all this time—what more do you want? Shall I make you realize how lenient this is?"

Before my fierce glare, the employees cowered in terror.

'Gasp, damn......'

All wearing such faces, they snatched whatever was at hand and fled.

The salary bandits gone. One person remained undismissed.

Brown hair, brown eyes. The plain-faced youngest employee.

"He got ostracized for not joining the bosses' playtime, stuck with all the grunt work," the notary next door had said.

"Th-then......"

The youngest employee, sweating bullets, swept books off the desk. Self-help tomes like .

"Then I'll be going too."

"No."

I stopped him as he tried to bolt.

"What's your name?"

"Benjamin Edwards."

"Good, Benjamin. You've got potential. Just keep working. I'll lump all their salaries to you."

"Gasp."

Benjamin's jaw dropped.

"Y-Yes, Merchant Leader!"

He plopped right into his seat.

Situation over. To my sole employee in the merchant group normalized in mere 15 minutes, I set down 1 million phels.

"No time now, so take this and hit nearby lumber suppliers in order, collect samples. Walnut maple wood samples for music box production. Pick the best and contract."

"Yes, Merchant Leader!"

My lone employee dashed out at track-star speed.

'Worth the salary bump.'

In the quiet office, reviewing past ledgers...

Crash—Benjamin burst back in.

"Got them already?"

"No! Big trouble, Merchant Leader!"

"What? What is it?"

"Walnut maple wood's completely sold out! Someone bought up every scrap in the market! Everywhere I checked, that's all they say!"

"What?"

I was stunned.

Per the guidebook, walnut maple wood was premium furniture lumber. Scarce in the capital but steady demand kept stocks reliable. All gone?

'No way, entirely?'

This reeks of conspiracy.

Whose work? Zikren? His diehard fans? Business rivals? Luellian?

Too many suspects to guess.

"Really none left? For real?"

"I'll check again but......"

Benjamin said, face troubled.

"Actually, one place has it. Big comprehensive lumber shop on Bront Street, not far. They rarely sell out—everyone recommended it, but door was shut. Owner just got summoned to the Imperial Palace. Main palace even."

Imperial Palace? Why there of all places. Not even an hour since escaping that minefield unscathed.

"Benjamin, got main palace access...? Yeah, no."

"Yes. Just a commoner."

"Right. I'll check it out. You keep scouting others."

"Got it!"

Had to hurry. Other merchant leaders had this intel too.

With their petty hearts, they'd hoard it to screw competitors over.

'Gotta meet him first!'

At the main palace, I grabbed guards.

"Seen the lumber merchant?"

"Dunno. Saw merchants getting summoned though."

After answering me, they muttered.

"Why's everyone hunting lumber merchants today?"

Oh crap, S- and A-ranks already moved?

No clue where, so I bolted toward the familiar path.

Post-ball, Imperial Palace corridors were eerily quiet. Guards only.

"Seen a lumber merchant?"

Searching frantically, finally spotted a hatted merchant far down the hall.

"Hey, lumber guy!"

He turned, startled. Not lumber—a jeweler clutching a silk box.

"Well if it isn't—Duchess! Orders have been slow lately. Did I slip up somehow......?"

I cut him off.

"Seen a lumber merchant?"

"No. Why lumber? New furniture commission? Then jewels to adorn...

I ditched the chatty jeweler and left. Scanned ahead—no sign of merchants.

'Opposite way?'

Then.

Heavy footsteps from behind. Unusually resonant, ominous.

'Luellian?'

He might be tailing me. Not one to let a backstab end it.

Glancing to hide just in case.

"......Fine. Tell them replies by tomorrow."

Voice from corridor's end froze me solid.

'Aldensis.'

Mind blanked. What’s he doing here this late?

...Duh, it's his house.

Main palace was practically his living room. I'm the intruder.

'No wonder it's familiar. All that "stalking" I did.'

God save me.

Guarded only against Luellian, hit unexpected ambush. Perfect setup for stalking misunderstanding.

All my efforts to end the crush vibes—down the drain.

Stuck, unable to advance or retreat, footsteps neared.

'Screw it.'

Nearby large room's door stood wide open.

I dashed in, crammed into the wall closet.

But... Crown Prince and aides entered that room.

I clamped my mouth, held my breath.

They chatted, backs to the closet.

"With Second Prince absent today, Your Highness handled double duty amid the chaos. Utterly perfect. Well done, Crown Prince."

"You all did the work."

"What of the flowers from Lady Hyperion?"

"Have maids decorate my private hall. Leftovers, divide among yourselves."

Aha. Still wrapping up ball cleanup. Open door meant this was a prep room.

I huddled tight, peeking through closet slats at Aldensis and aides.

They finished tidying, dusted hands.

"Morning meeting tomorrow then."

"Yes, Crown Prince!"

Aides withdrew.

Aldensis eyed their exit spot.

Then... snapped his head around.

His eyes, blazing 180 degrees from before, fixed here.

Dead on my hiding closet.

"Come out."

An icy voice echoed.

My heart plummeted to the abyss.