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Chapter 26 - She Split a Mountain… (1)

Clink.

A teacup was placed on the desk in the office.

Sylvia shot me a look that screamed, “Why are you making me do this menial task?” before she turned to leave.

A bit insolent, isn’t she?

I called her back immediately.

"Sylvia. We’re starting a new business today."

"…What kind of business?"

Gulp.

Sylvia swallowed nervously, her expression tense.

I get it.

Aslan must have failed at several ventures before.

"Security services. The company name will be… how about Vermont Security?"

"Why the sudden interest in security?"

"We recently fired all the corrupt employees, so the Vermont estate has no security personnel left."

"Yes, I\'m aware. I’ve been filling in for all the gaps myself."

"The fastest way to replenish our numbers is to hire experienced professionals. The problem is that thanks to Leon, the Vermont family has a reputation for embezzlement, making it hard to find trustworthy security personnel."

"I understand. Honestly, even though my body is more exhausted now, it feels better mentally not having to deal with those incompetent guards."

"Really? So you prefer physical exhaustion over mental stress?"

"…!"

Sylvia paled and took a step back.

She looked as if she’d seen a ghost.

"So, what does a security business have to do with our lack of guards? How do you plan to run a security company when we can’t even staff our own estate?"

"We’ll train them. My finances can’t handle training rookies into proper guards, so we\'ll fund it through the business. We\'ll hire a bunch of people, train them as security personnel, and then outsource the estate’s security to them. The surplus can be deployed for other missions."

Creating jobs is a bonus.

And if we find any promising individuals among the commoners, it’ll be a jackpot.

Having Charlotte participate in the training program will also be very beneficial.

It’s a lucrative business in many ways.

"I understand the purpose and benefits of the business perfectly. But who will be the instructor?"

"You know who."

"…Young master."

Sylvia glared at me.

Oh, she looks ready to hit me.

"Me again? Are you telling me to train these rookies into guards?"

"Exactly."

"Young master! I am already dedicating myself to the Vermont family day and night, and I’m overwhelmed with my current duties, so I don’t have the capacity to take on another job…!"

"Pay cut."

"…!"

"I’ll reduce the duration if you successfully establish the security business."

"R-really?"

Sylvia\'s eyes widened, and her pupils trembled.

How many months has it been since she was punished with a pay cut for her insolence?

Her contract terms were already poor, and now she had to endure a further reduced income for a long time, which was practically slavery.

Though it was all her fault, I still felt a bit sorry for her and decided to be lenient.

This is what they call the carrot and the stick.

The carrot after the stick is the sweetest.

Sylvia’s eyes were now brimming with emotion, almost tearing up.

Good grief.

"I’ll do my best! Shall I start with the recruitment notice?"

"Yes. I’ll leave it to you. You can design the training program based on your military experience."

"I’ll definitely succeed! I’ll turn the Vermont family into a fortress of security!"

Sylvia left, full of enthusiasm.

She would work tirelessly without any doubt for a while, at least until she realized I hadn’t defined the success criteria for the security business.

\'Let this be a lesson, Sylvia, to trust only signed contracts.\'

Verbal agreements don’t count.

Consider it a free lesson in the valuable wisdom of life.

Am I being too generous?

Starting the security business isn\'t just about the estate’s lack of guards.

I anticipate that we\'ll have more important people to protect soon.

The first on that list is the dwarf Jacob.

"Wh-what’s going on, young master? What’s happening to my forge?"

"Your equipment is outdated, so we’re upgrading it. It’ll take about a month to complete, so in the meantime, you can stay in the estate…"

"N-no! I’ll stay at a nearby inn!"

Jacob bowed repeatedly, trembling.

His forge, filled with dusty, broken-down equipment, was getting a complete overhaul.

It felt a bit sad, like erasing his grandfather’s legacy, but seeing Jacob’s eyes light up with anticipation made those feelings disappear.

"Let me know if you need any equipment."

"Your words alone are a great help, young master."

"I mean it. Tell me anything you need. You can make and sell whatever you want. I’ll handle the orders and connect you with clients."

"What…? So I’ll be working under the Vermont name?"

"Of course. You signed an exclusive contract yesterday."

"…!"

Is that a face of shock or gratitude?

I can’t tell.

\'He’s one of the few people in the world who can use mana forge. I’ll need to support him generously.\'

Whether Jacob likes it or not, he’ll be hammering away under the Vermont name, making and selling top-quality metalwork.

Weapons, farming tools, whatever he makes with mana forge will be top-notch and quickly gain a reputation.

"We’ll split the profits 60-40. Just so you know."

"I get 40%?"

"Didn’t you read the contract? Of course, you get 60%."

"…?"

Am I crazy?

Just because I upgrade his forge and bring in orders doesn’t mean I’d take 60% as a fee.

Honestly, even 40% seems a bit much, but when Jacob’s name becomes valuable, I’ll renegotiate the terms.

I saw tears well up in Jacob’s eyes.

Why is he getting emotional all of a sudden?

"I’ll work hard! I won’t tarnish the Vermont name! I’ll meet every deadline and produce only the highest quality goods!"

"Good. Work hard."

"Yes!!!"

Jacob wiped his tears and ran off.

I watched his retreating back and laughed.

"Now I have free advertising for the Vermont family."

A service for Kali.

[The evil god, \'Kali,\' smiles broadly.]

The first step to improving the Vermont family’s image is the Master Artisan Jacob.

As his name becomes renowned, so will the Vermont name.

Of course, there will be side effects.

\'I won’t let him be assassinated like his grandfather.\'

Artisans who use mana forge are rare worldwide.

They’re valuable enough to be targeted for assassination.

That’s why I’m rushing to start Vermont Security.

To protect Jacob, we need reliable guards who are loyal only to the Vermont family.

There will be others to protect in the future, and Sylvia can’t guard them all alone.

In a way, I’m reducing Sylvia’s workload.

Yet she doesn’t appreciate my efforts…

How ungrateful.

\'I have too much work.\'

Though I delegate a lot to Sylvia, most of the work falls on me.

Planning the business, gaining trust, and handling management once we hire more staff at the forge.

"Mister, mister! Can I test Super Strong Sword in the training yard?"

"Go to the back mountain where no one will get hurt."

"Okay!"

"I recently learned to understand the spirits. They really hate you. Did you do something to them?"

"I wouldn’t know."

"Hmm, alright. I’m taking a nap later, so lend me your hand."

"…"

And dealing with the kids constantly makes me feel like a babysitter.

Plus, when Julia naps, I’m stuck for nine hours.

Weird.

I don’t sleep, yet I seem to have less time than others.

Maybe things will get better once we hire more staff and the business gets going?

Then I might see a future where I can live peacefully without worrying about getting killed.

While I held onto such vague hopes.

"…!"

Boom!

A deafening sound and the ground shaking jolted me.

It was far louder than when Sylvia used her magic.

I ran outside in shock and saw Charlotte on the ground.

And…

"I-I’m sorry, mister…"

"What did you do?"

"I… I accidentally split the mountain…"

The back mountain was split in half.

Wait. That direction leads toward the Imperial Capital, doesn\'t it?