Chapter 45
Chapter 45. If Good Comes, Evil Does Not; If Evil Comes, Good Does Not (3)
It was a night with many visitors.
Jurgen let Baron Keystone into the house for now.
Although it was late, it wasn't bedtime, and he was curious what he had come all this way to say.
Wasn't Baron Keystone's weight class too big to come and go just for the beverage business?
'Is it because of taking down Rex?'
If so, how deeply was Baron Keystone entangled with Rex?
Jurgen's eyes darkened.
Dark mages were a tribe that must be dealt with without any mercy.
Even if high-ranking nobles were involved, there were no exceptions.
"Did you come about Rex Salisbury?"
"Don't even mention that idiot."
Baron Keystone shuddered.
"I knew his work was messy, but I never thought dark mages were involved. If I'd cut ties a little later, I would have suffered great humiliation too."
Baron Keystone grumbled.
'Well...'
He had come all this way at a point when Rex was caught and shaken down to the last speck of dust in his pockets.
Judging from that, there didn't seem to be anything particularly incriminating.
Baron Keystone sat comfortably on the sofa as if it were his own home.
"Anyway, nice to meet you. So you're Jurgen."
"Nice to meet you too, Baron Keystone. However, if you came looking for Lady Rosemore, you should go to the hotel."
Baron Keystone's eyebrow twitched.
The Keystone family was an orthodox noble family based in Golden Hill.
Originally, Jurgen, a mere commoner, was someone he couldn't even dare to meet.
Nevertheless, Baron Keystone didn't get particularly angry at Jurgen, who offered a handshake without formality.
"I came to meet you, not Penelope."
"That's quite unexpected."
The Cola Dispenser must have been painful for Keystone.
Right now it was a crisis limited to Nortaris, but the speed of market development through syrup distribution was several times faster than before.
It was only a matter of time before Cola ate away at Berrymix's market share across the entire North.
How would Baron Keystone approach this?
Baron Keystone's first words were beyond Jurgen's expectations.
"I had someone look into Y&P Trading Company a bit, and it was interesting."
"Oh, so you did a background check?"
"Lady Rosemore was the face for all business contracts and social activities. But when it came to technical aspects like Cola's initial development or the unique design specifications of factory equipment, your name, Jurgen, kept being mentioned. I see you as the hidden hero of Y&P Trading Company."
"A novel interpretation."
Baron Keystone held out a check to Jurgen.
"Sell your stake. And work under me. I'll make sure the treatment isn't disappointing."
No amount was filled in.
It was a blank check to fill in whatever amount he wanted.
Taking this out in front of Jurgen, not Penelope, meant...
"As you can see, it's a scouting offer."
"Hmm, what do you plan to do if I hand over my stake?"
"I'll expand the entire North's beverage market pie with a Cola-Berrymix dual system. In that sense, Cola became a very good bridgehead."
Jurgen properly looked at Keystone for the first time.
Not as a middle-aged man with moderate obesity who felt arrogant, but saw the representative leading Keystone Company.
"Y&P Trading Company will be maintained. It will be in a collaborative relationship with Penelope Rosemore too. But you need to work with me."
Quick and agile judgment.
Not trapped in preconceptions.
Above all, a proposal that seemed to pay no mind to Jurgen's status.
'I never thought he'd make such an offer.'
Since Keystone Company was a food company monopolizing the North's livestock industry, joining hands with him would be a great help to the culinary revolution long-term.
"What if I refuse?"
"..."
Baron Keystone's silence lengthened.
The first words that came out after a silence that felt almost like a threat were somewhat out of the blue.
"Do you know the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs, Lily Fontaine? She's probably around your age."
Why is Lily coming up here?
Jurgen barely maintained his composure.
"...I've heard the name? Why are you suddenly bringing up that young lady?"
"Do you know how much wealth that young lady possesses?"
"I don't."
"As far as I know, barely over a thousand Crowns. Far less than what you make with Cola in a month."
Keystone took out a cigarette from his case and lit it.
"But even merchants with far more money than you can't even make eye contact in front of her. Sometimes even nobles like me or huge corporations pay close attention to her decisions. If her fingertips move, massive castle walls built with gold coins would crumble overnight."
Well, Lily is somewhat scary.
"Why do you think that is?"
"Why?"
"It's because Minister Fontaine holds power. The power to control the kingdom's administrative network at will, to move prominent nobles in the direction she wants."
Baron Keystone clenched his fist tightly.
"Money is just glittering sand. To build a solid castle, don't you need bricks? You're young and promising. I'll provide you with a foundation of power to reach higher places."
"What exactly are you trying to say, Baron Keystone?"
"I'll use my Viscountcy recommendation right on you."
First-generation nobility, or Viscountcy selection, was done through strict examination by the kingdom.
But there was one exception.
The 'talent recommendation right' was given only to orthodox nobles with strong influence among the nobility.
The moment that noble wrote a name on the recommendation letter and sent it to the royal family, a Viscountcy was granted after only a simple review.
It was truly a groundbreaking offer.
"Hmm..."
However, it was something Jurgen didn't need.
No, it was only burdensome in a position where he wanted to avoid attention as much as possible.
"I appreciate the offer, but I must decline."
As if he didn't expect a flat refusal, Baron Keystone showed signs of hesitation.
"Regrettable. If you're relying on Rosemore, think again. As you must have noticed by now, Penelope is a kite with its string cut."
"That's not the reason."
Baron Keystone stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray and placed his business card on the table.
"Contact me if you change your mind."
"Leaving already?"
"Don't you need to experience it yourself to feel it? How terrifying power is. Try selling Cola well outside Nortaris. It won't be easy."
Baron Keystone turned his back without lingering.
.
.
.
Cola was definitely threatening.
The competition in Nortaris could already be said to be hopeless.
But outside Nortaris, in Keystone Company's territory, the story was different.
Baron Keystone gave instructions by phone as soon as he entered the hotel suite.
"Reconfirm the list of wholesalers connected to our Keystone Company in Golden Hill, Riverport, Billstone, and elsewhere. Connect each manager and strongly emphasize that not a single bottle of Y&P Trading Company's Cola can be handled."
"If they refuse, proceed with contract termination. Tell them they can't handle any of our products either."
"Who doesn't know that? I said handle it gently! If necessary, adjust the margin rate slightly or give other incentives! You've done this once or twice?"
"Send some gifts to the Golden Hill City Council Chairman and the regional Chamber of Commerce President. Ask them to prepare an ordinance soon. The content is... right, 'Emergency Ordinance for Preventing Reckless Market Disruption by External Low-price Beverages and Protecting Local Commerce.' Name it something like that."
After finishing all instructions, Baron Keystone hung up.
A confident smile was carved on his lips as he looked down at the night view outside the hotel window.
Jurgen was a competent talent he wanted to recruit, but still young.
Youth goes hand in hand with recklessness.
He would bow his head after being shown the bitter taste of reality.
"You may have shaken up Nortaris, but this is land the Keystone family has built with blood and sweat for hundreds of years."
A cold smile appeared on his lips.
***
[Notification regarding the fall of Salisbury Financial. P.R.'s involvement]
—Rex knelt before P.R. and begged for his life but was still purged.
—Financial Supervisory Service began investigation of Salisbury Financial. Connection to dark mages discovered.
—Devon Trust in the process of acquiring and merging Salisbury Financial.
—Two Gray Council directors fell. Chairman Marcus silent without any response.
—Need to reconsider P.R.'s political influence. Incompetence image may be intentional performance. (Almost certain)
—Need to reconsider possibility that P.R. exercised indirect influence on Devon Trust. (Almost certain)
"Ah, more weird rumors attached."
Around noon.
Jurgen's townhouse.
Penelope sighed in disbelief while reading a memorandum obtained from somewhere.
The memorandum talked about Penelope doing something...
In reality, it was close to Rex's spectacular self-destruction show.
A supposed mafia boss kneeling to get Berrymix looked at favorably.
Stupidly putting items connected to dark mages in his own safe.
Especially the latter was foolish enough to be ashamed of having once been a rival.
"Really stupid. Why put something like that in a safe?"
"Exactly."
Thanks to that fool, more strange rumors were piling on.
They say respect comes from fear, and it's better to be feared than ignored, but seeing the memorandum writing about Penelope like some mastermind was really...
"I don't know why people who are supposed to be smart do this. Right?"
"First, Miss Penelope, sit properly on the sofa."
Meanwhile, Jurgen sighed in distress looking at Penelope.
"What?"
Because Penelope was lying upside down with her bottom on the sofa backrest.
Her loosely disheveled bright blonde hair flowed to the floor, and her outfit wasn't the colorful dress she usually dressed up in but light indoor pajamas.
Her legs were even wiggling as if doing synchronized swimming.
"A grown young lady shouldn't do that."
Penelope used to be embarrassed about the dignity of a noble lady if even caught with a pen on the bridge of her nose...
Should he be consoled that at least she wasn't wearing a skirt while doing this?
"What does it matter? This house is my gift too. At least one sofa is mine."
Penelope, who shook her legs unconcerned by Jurgen's nagging, had her own words to say.
She had obsessively observed etiquette until now.
Even when social circles attached various reasons to disparage Penelope, she had never been criticized for etiquette.
However, what was suppressed needed an outlet.
Jurgen lightly scolded and let it pass even when Penelope did somewhat undignified things.
Just being comfortable without caring about etiquette in front of him gave her some sense of liberation.
'Huh?'
Penelope, realizing that fact, thought.
'Then coming to this house means Jurgen makes delicious food, I don't need to worry about others' eyes, and I can talk comfortably about business?'
This,
'...is totally the best?'
So she completely remodeled an empty room.
Made it into Penelope's exclusive dressing room.
Instead of pretty but cumbersome dresses, she packed it full of comfortable clothes with good mobility.
Jurgen's townhouse had become, how should she put it, Penelope's healing zone, exhausted from noble life.
Of course, she didn't just come to play.
Constructive business discussions that originally took place at the hotel also occurred here.
"Baron Keystone seems to be really wary of Cola."
Cola was sweeping through Nortaris, but business expansion to other cities was definitely a separate story.
Berrymix was a beverage that had been doing well for over a dozen years.
With Baron Keystone's checks added to that, Cola, the latecomer, couldn't escape Nortaris at all.
For instance, trying to send one bottle of Cola to Riverport faced all kinds of difficulties.
"He blocked all distribution lines, and government offices won't stamp approval saying it's produced in another city. He completely blocked it off deliberately. The difference in power was really tangible."
"That's inevitable, isn't it? Baron Keystone is a local power."
"It's just a matter of time though. What did Branch Manager Belheim say?"
"He said it's proceeding without problems."
"Good, then today's meeting is over. Let's play now."
However, Penelope was relaxed.
Thanks to Jurgen, who predicted this situation, the second stratagem was already being implemented.
It had proceeded simultaneously when commercializing the 'Cola Dispenser'.
"Oh right, I'm planning to visit my family home once this is over."
Penelope, who had been rolling around on the sofa about to spill off, said.
Subtle anticipation was embedded in her casual tone.
This was the first business she had properly built.
This time, couldn't she receive her sister's recognition?
At least wouldn't it be different from before?
"My sister probably won't treat me coldly like before."
"..."
"This time I'll slip in, check the atmosphere, and if it's okay, I'll introduce you too. You're my business partner anyway."
"..."
"Y&P Trading Company's ultimate goal is a food company, right? Our family's power will definitely help."
Looking at Penelope full of hope, Jurgen spoke with difficulty.
Since he heard from Belheim yesterday, he couldn't just watch optimistically like before.
"Miss Penelope, please listen without misunderstanding."
"What? Suddenly so serious."
"According to Branch Manager Belheim..."
Rosemore hadn't been ignoring Penelope.
They had been checking and directly oppressing Penelope to seize more inheritance.
He carefully conveyed the above content.
"If this is true, even if the Cola business succeeds, wouldn't Miss Penelope's goal be unachievable?"
"..."
Until the story ended, Penelope remained lying upside down on the sofa.
However, her legs no longer fluttered.
Her eyes, turned round, conveyed the dismay she must be feeling.
Jurgen tried to speak to comfort Penelope, who must have received a great shock...
"Of course, it's only Belheim's opinion..."
"What, you believed that?"
Penelope dismissed the possibility with a nasal snort.
"You'd misunderstand."
"What misunderstanding?"
"I always spoke badly about Sister Clarisse."
Certainly.
He remembered her grumbling every time.
But the reason Jurgen judged Belheim's words had merit was different.
Jurgen had watched countless times how far power and wealth could make people cold.
It meant this was plausible enough.
"Sister isn't completely rotten. She's trying to protect the family during a precarious time when Father is bedridden. She couldn't involve personal feelings."
"Then what about your brother? I heard he's the heir."
"Brother is... as you said, he's the heir, right? He's not idle enough to worry about me. He's probably busier than Sister."
"But..."
Penelope shook her head firmly as if the conversation wasn't worth continuing.
"If those two had hardened their hearts, I wouldn't even be breathing. I'm not particularly interested in inheritance anyway. Sister and Brother know that too."
"Can you assert that?"
"Of course. I don't have the 'seal'."
Penelope didn't receive the seal given to successors.
Of course, if she insisted stubbornly, it wasn't impossible, but she didn't particularly argue for it.
It meant she hadn't stood at the starting line of competition in the first place.
"Is that so?"
"I acknowledge Belheim is smart... but he's an outsider. I know family internal affairs better."
However, Penelope's words weren't completely wrong either.
For a family like the Rosemore Count Family, even Belheim would have limits in gathering internal information.
Belheim had also said 'based on circumstances'.
"You got scared, huh? Well, the Rosemore name is scary."
Penelope looked at the silent Jurgen and grinned.
"Don't worry. What you're worried about won't happen."
"I hope so."
"Not 'I hope so'... I'm telling you it really won't?"
Not just for business, but for Penelope's sake too.
He could only hope so.
***
The Renoir family was harmonious.
There was a family rule to always eat together whenever schedules aligned.
Even after meals, they would gather and chat about various things.
The conversation topics always varied.
From trivial stories about daily events or where to travel during summer vacation, to serious discussions about the family's future.
"What?"
And today was the latter.
"From the Granville Viscount family... a marriage proposal? For me?"