Chapter 31
Chapter 31. I Released Cola in Nortaris! (1)
A meeting room without a single window.
Thick cigarette smoke drifted over an old mahogany table.
Marcus, chairman of the Gray Council, polished his monocle with a soft cloth as he spoke.
"As everyone gathered here knows, our old friend Sir Edwin Blyton has met an unfortunate end and become a hangman. Let us observe a moment of silence in mourning."
The reactions varied.
Some quietly observed the silence, others clapped while sneering, and some maintained a wordless silence.
After gauging the reactions, Chairman Marcus got straight to the point.
"With this, the 7th Seat has become vacant... I've sent a proposal to Penelope Rosemore."
"That's absurd!"
As soon as Marcus finished speaking, a rough voice burst out from across the table.
It was Rex, the 8th Seat, whose main businesses were loan sharking and illegal gambling operations.
"Chairman, are you in your right mind? That idiot Blyton caused this whole mess because of that girl, and now you want to hand her our inner sanctum? Obviously that seat should go to me, the 8th Seat!"
Rex revealed his naked ambition with excited semi-formalities.
The council members below the 8th Seat also wore expressions of dissatisfaction, as if agreeing with his opinion.
There was nothing strange about it—they all eagerly wanted to move up.
"I'm not unaware of the weight of a seat. Especially from the 7th Seat onwards, it's an important position with weighted voting rights. I understand Rex's raised voice."
"Do you feel like she's your granddaughter just because she's all polished and pretty? Cancel that proposal immediately."
"Restrain yourself, Rex."
It was Crane, the 2nd Seat, who held back the growling Rex.
"Penelope will refuse the 7th Seat proposal anyway. The Chairman knows that too."
"Thank you for the explanation, Sir Crane. Exactly so."
"...What does that mean?"
Rex, who had kicked his chair, sat back down with a displeased expression.
"Haven't we seen her recently working to return to social circles and restore her honor? It means she's still deeply interested in noble games."
"...You're saying she won't want to dirty the honor she gained from Cola by playing with the likes of us?"
The Gray Council was, after all, a mafia gathering.
Who knows what happens behind the scenes, but the moment someone takes a seat on the Gray Council, noble or not, they're ostracized in public society.
In a way, you could say the Gray Council was a huddling party for those excluded from the society of public circles.
"However, even if Penelope refuses the seat, we plan to appropriately transfer the interests from Polar Sun's dissolution."
"...What's that about now?"
"It's nominally a gesture of reconciliation. Blyton being part of the council is a fact, after all."
"...Is there really a need to be that considerate? Let's settle it with the seat offer and divide the interests among ourselves."
Though Rex seemed to have lingering complaints, Marcus's will was firm.
"Offering the seat is a gesture of reconciliation toward the Rosemores. Handing over the interests is a gesture of reconciliation toward Penelope."
Rex felt frustrated.
Though it seemed a bit servile, he fully understood the seat offer—up to ten parts.
After all, it was a show of goodwill she wouldn't even accept: 'We're innocent. We really have nothing to do with Blyton. Really, we'll even let you into our inner sanctum. Come and see!'—presenting that to the Rosemores.
"Let's say that's fine. But why worry about Penelope? Cola that she stumbled upon by chance? That won't last. Blyton died because he stupidly attacked the Rosemore bloodline, but business is a different story, isn't it?"
"Does Sir Rex truly feel Penelope has no power at all?"
"Is it worth discussing at length?"
Marcus shook his head.
"Blyton was greedy in this matter. But he was no incapable person. Yet a noble young lady with no backing and not even decent ability brought Blyton down."
"..."
"In the process, she made five of Blyton's subordinates disappear, burned Polar Sun's factory without leaving evidence, and even sent the undertaker to a funeral home instead—and that too while conveniently awakening as a 5th Rank at just that moment."
"..."
"Afterward, she deliberately spread rumors in social circles. She made the Rosemore family, which had been ostracizing her, 'have no choice but to move' and strike at Blyton."
"Where did you get such information... Damn it, Crane. Share some intel with me too."
"I don't want to."
Marcus stated firmly.
"Could this all be a coincidence? I see Penelope as someone who pretended to be an incompetent wastrel to avoid family scrutiny, then revealed her true colors."
The assembly fell silent.
The Gray Council wasn't a space for jovial chatter.
In the past ten years, the number of times seats changed through mutual tearing and being torn apart probably reached double digits.
Marcus had always been recognized as 'Chairman' amid such dog-eat-dog fighting.
Not because he held the most money, power, or strength.
Instead, it was because he possessed insight that benefited the entire council, and everyone acknowledged it.
"Let's keep our hands off Polar Sun's legacy for one month. Let's do that. Whatever's left afterward, pick it up or not—do as you please."
"If that's the Chairman's will, I understand."
"I agree as well."
The other council members nodded.
But their interests were already elsewhere.
They knew how valuable this information was.
They made contacts as soon as the meeting adjourned.
"Marquis Ashford, this is information about Penelope Rosemore. No, not the eldest daughter, the second daughter."
"Councilman, are you well? Ah, there's information you should know about. Yes, yes."
"Cancel the Polar Sun factory purchase. Yes! I said cancel! Fuck, pull out immediately! That's a bomb!"
"Yes, it's me. There seems to be movement coming soon. Let's catch our breath for now. We don't need to take Chairman Marcus's words lightly."
***
"So you're going to accept the seat?"
"Are you crazy? What the hell are they thinking? It gives me the chills."
Penelope burned the letter without a moment's reconsideration.
As if that wasn't enough, she even washed her hands thoroughly, looking creeped out.
"They seem to want to reconcile with Miss Penelope. Either way, didn't you suffer because of Blyton?"
"It's like saying since I stepped in shit passing by, they'll let me enter the shit bucket too. No thanks. I really decline."
The seat offer was probably a reconciliation request to the Rosemores, not Penelope.
Thinking that way, it made sense.
Of course, no matter what riches and glory they offered, Penelope had not the slightest intention of becoming a mafioso.
"My noble pride won't allow such a thing."
"Didn't you say before that you were sick and tired of being a noble?"
"Jurgen, you're a commoner so you don't know? There are good nobles and bad nobles among nobility."
"Which is Miss Penelope?"
"Aren't I a good noble? And pretty too."
Penelope poked her finger against her cheek, looking smug.
And that night.
After parting with Jurgen, Penelope returned to the top-floor exclusive suite.
"Uhhaa..."
As Penelope entered the bathtub, she unconsciously let out an old-man-like sigh.
All her energy drained away.
Just how many things happened today...
On days like this, the best thing is to soak in a hot bathtub, roll around on fluffy bedding, and pass out.
Empty your head and indulge in rest.
"Blyton was handled by the family... Polar Sun's dissolution is just around the corner... I want to pick up something, but I don't have the leeway... And what do those mafia bastards take me for anyway?"
She definitely tried to rest a bit...
Perhaps because she's been so steeped in work lately, work thoughts kept bubbling up.
"The Cola factory is coming soon too..."
With Serena's passionate cooperation, the Cola factory had also gotten on track.
Starting tomorrow, they'd begin manufacturing facilities based on the blueprints.
Now Cola would become a proper industrial product.
This should be something to celebrate.
Jurgen's culinary revolution was steadily advancing... or rather, racing forward at full throttle with limiters released.
"Really... how pathetic of me."
Yet now that the factory opening was right before her eyes, she felt unsettled.
Her desire to help Jurgen's culinary revolution was genuine.
Separately from that, the reason Penelope had shone in social circles was because she was someone who could provide Cola.
Stories about the Cola factory had probably already spread through whispers.
Cola would instantly lose its scarcity and soon lose its current status.
Social circles are cold.
The nobles who had fawned around Penelope to get Cola would ignore her dignity and treat her coldly again.
When they'd act friendly again would be much later, around when the Cola business got on track, wouldn't it?
"I'm really quite greedy..."
But how is this, anyway?
Compared to before, even this is more than enough to be grateful for.
She defeated the undertaker, became a 5th Rank Alchemist, and somehow started a proper business.
The family also showed they punished Blyton, so unless someone had considerable nerve, she wouldn't be openly disrespected like before.
"...Ugh... Ostracized again?"
Though she thought that way, it was a night when sleep wouldn't come easily.
***
Some time later.
The Nortaris Chamber of Commerce officially announced Polar Sun's corporate dissolution.
The creditors recovered the manufacturing plants, distribution bases, warehouses, logistics means, distribution rights, etc. that Polar Sun left behind, and put some up for official auction.
"Why is everyone so diligent..."
Was there some rule like 'auctions must be at dawn'?
Penelope arrived at the Chamber of Commerce for the auction opening at the crack of dawn, after a miracle morning.
Though it was early before sunrise, the auction house entrance was packed with vultures gathered to feed on Polar Sun's remains.
"Haa... Maybe I should have just slept more."
Her energy was completely drained.
She came carrying bundles of pocket money thinking she might be able to buy something decent cheaply...
Seeing all the competitors gathered, it seemed unlikely.
Moreover, today was the first day she showed herself publicly after the 'Cola factory' rumors spread.
Even when Cola was doing well, there were many in social circles who looked unfavorably upon Penelope.
Pretending otherwise, she was already conscious of other people's gazes and reactions.
"From experience..."
For instance, 'Acting cocky relying on just Cola, serves you right.'
Or, 'Really can't see an inch ahead. Cola was valuable because it was rare, but she cut open the goose laying golden eggs with her own hands.'
Wouldn't she hear all kinds of mockery and whispers either way?
Someone blocked Penelope's path as she was about to climb the auction house stairs.
"You are Miss Penelope Rosemore, correct?"
Right, here it comes.
I was waiting for this.
"Yes, that's me?"
Then I'll strike before being ignored!
Penelope, about to raise her eyes sharply and enter hedgehog mode...
"Pleasure to meet you. I am Belheim, branch manager of Devon Trust Bank."
She hesitated at the business card smoothly presented before her eyes.
"...?"
Penelope took the card in a daze.
Why give this to me? she thought, but she took it since it was offered.
"I heard about Miss Penelope's recent achievements with great interest. There may be ways I can help, however small, so please accept this."
But wasn't Devon Trust a bank that invested and managed assets for influential nobles?
Setting aside the bank's scale, it was famous as a high-nosed bank that personally selected its clients.
"Ah, yes... I don't have a business card though."
"Penelope Rosemore—these eight letters are your business card. Then if you'll excuse me."
Branch Manager Belheim left after handing over the card.
"Oho."
Penelope's shoulders unconsciously rose.
Quite the eye for things, doesn't he?
As expected of Devon Trust Bank's Nortaris branch manager.
Though Cola might temporarily decline now, he seemed to have discerned it would become a worthwhile business item before long.
But her good mood was brief.
"Uh, there... that, Penelope..."
"Ah! Blyton... did he?"
"Cola is actually..."
"Right, the Gray Council... Marcus..."
For some reason, the back of her head tingled.
Penelope felt gazes glancing at her and whipped around to glare that way.
"Such busybodies anyway..."
If it were before, she would have just run away, but not anymore.
They weren't swarming together, just four or five people at most.
"What are you staring at? Got business? Want to give me a business card too?"
Penelope strode toward those whispering behind her back.
However, contrary to her expectation that they'd mumble and leave...
"Ah, yes! I was just pondering, so it's truly fortunate you spoke first."
"Miss Penelope! I'd like to take you somewhere quiet and have a conversation sometime."
"I'm the economics editor of North Times. I was the one who put Bellaby's Cola article on page one before! Please remember!"
"Huh? Uh... Huh?"
Suddenly people began competing to give her business cards.
Moreover, seeing this, other people also gathered curiously and insisted on handing Penelope their cards before leaving.
"...?"
Penelope, holding an armful of business cards, became even more bewildered.
Did everyone eat something wrong?
Why are they acting like this?
Is this some new social circle harassment skill where they trouble you by handing out cards indiscriminately?
Until the moment she entered the Chamber of Commerce auction house, Penelope couldn't understand what was happening.