Chapter 98
Chapter 98. Go Ahead, Do Your Worst (1)
There is a term — doorknob authority.
It refers to the unofficial, real power held by those closest to the powerful.
Clarisse's maid Bell occupied precisely this position.
Not of Rosemore blood, with a status amounting to nothing more than Clarisse's handmaiden.
And yet even the average Rosemore functionary was wary of Bell.
For what Bell did was as good as Clarisse's will, and everything Bell saw and heard would flow directly into Clarisse's ears intact.
On top of that — the result of Clarisse delegating broad discretion and independent authority to Bell.
Bell had come to wield power that, for a mere maid, was enough to give even a tolerable New Noble indigestion just sitting at the same table.
But God as her witness, Bell had never once abused this authority.
All of it was for the sake of Lady Clarisse.
Since the day she was saved from that terrible hell, Bell's life had belonged to Clarisse.
"How can I earn more praise from the young lady...... hmm......"
Bell pondered, legs crossed.
When a family is of the calibre of the Rosemore Count Family, even succession becomes a grand political event.
And so Clarisse had returned to the capital for negotiations with the royal household.
The mission given to Bell was thus a single one.
'Break Penelope completely.'
The same as had been done before — to ruin her so thoroughly that Penelope held no value whatsoever as a potential 'Heir.'
And so Bell had recovered Management Rights of The Richfield Hotel, and expelled Manager Ritz, the one who had faithfully served Penelope alone.
She had confirmed with her own two eyes that this alone had dealt a crushing blow to Penelope's spirit......
But the Young Lady's weed-like tenacity was something Bell had already experienced firsthand.
Teetering on the verge of collapse right until the very end, she had somehow managed to pull off a Royal Warrant — quite the incident.
"If only she'd just stayed still."
In hindsight, it was a pity that because of it, she had been made to taste an even greater defeat.
"But that was then. Work is work."
Spread across the table now were all the documents and personnel records connected to Y&P.
Bell had been collecting these since the days when Cola first tasted success.
The materials were ready; the assembling was Bell's job.
Cola still boasted sales rivalling beer, and the queue at CCC showed no sign of shortening even at this very moment......
But the methods to bring a thriving company to its knees were legion.
Particularly for a startup like this, the most effective was eliminating the key personnel.
However — having been told 'Bell, don't cross the line,' assassination and kidnapping were off the table.
Well — removing key figures didn't necessarily require killing them.
"In that caaase......"
Bell tapped one of the documents on the table.
According to the young lady, there didn't seem to be any notable backing.
Of Commoner Origins.
And at the same time, holding the most critical part of the business.
The easiest target.
"Jurgen, shall we start with this one?"
Bell picked up the telephone.
***
The soft sound of small, ragged breaths.
Today of all days, Penelope's slight shoulders rose and fell in a gentle rhythm.
Having clung to Jurgen for a good while and soaked his lapel with her tears, Penelope fell asleep as though collapsing from exhaustion.
It was less a comfortable sleep and more like a brain under extreme stress cutting itself off like a switched-off light.
"Haa......"
The fall from her position as manager of The Richfield Hotel.
Strictly speaking, that in itself was not a serious blow.
Penelope's current assets were at a level where she could buy a Townhouse in the wealthy district 'Maple Town' outright in cash, and the dividends she had been receiving from the hotel were a drop in the bucket compared to Y&P's earnings.
But Penelope had lost her way.
The reason she had thrown herself so completely into Y&P Trading Company was gone.
Hardship causes a person suffering, but the collapse of a sense of purpose is what finally brings a person to their knees.
"She was holding up a little too well, I thought......"
When Penelope woke — what would come next?
The confidence that she would dust herself off and rise as she had before was...... honestly, optimistic.
This was not a problem that had built up over a day or two.
It was a problem that had been cracking throughout, held together by sheer stubbornness, and had now burst all at once.
It would be understandable if her spirit had broken.
Just then.
"Jurgen...... you're still there?"
"You're awake?"
"...... You keep sighing away over there...... I can't sleep properly."
"My apologies for that."
Penelope, who had been lying with her back turned, called to Jurgen in a low voice.
Even her sharp, thorny tone had no strength left in it.
"You've been here the whole time?"
"I thought perhaps I might be of some help."
"...... Thank you."
"Think nothing of it."
At Jurgen's gentle reply, Penelope let out a small giggle.
Then, as though having resolved on something, she hesitated for a long moment before opening her mouth.
"Jurgen — I'll hand over my entire stake in Y&P Trading Company to you."
Weakness seeping through the cracks of a broken heart.
"If I stay on, I'll only be a hindrance from here on. Your Culinary Revolution will run into trouble too."
No — it was not weakness.
"In exchange for giving up my stake, I'll try asking my sister not to touch Y&P. My sister's purpose is to stop me from entering the succession race, after all. She'll agree."
Giving up everything they had built together, and everything they were yet to build — in order to protect a colleague.
It was the last courage Penelope could wring from herself.
"And what do you intend to do with yourself?"
"I'll live in luxury for the rest of my life on the money from selling the stake, without any of this bothersome business. Maybe go to Soltera? It was enjoyable there."
For someone whose dream had been shattered — what must it feel like, to have to cast away even the remaining fragments of that dream for the sake of a colleague?
All he could see was Penelope's back, and yet he felt as though he could see her expression.
"I'm so sleepy again even though I just slept...... Jurgen."
"Go ahead."
"Will you stay with me until I fall asleep?"
"Of course."
"...... Thank you......"
It did not take long for Penelope to fall asleep again.
Jurgen, who had been straightening the slipping blanket, let his sharp gaze sweep swiftly across the window outside.
A carriage parked on the wet road was visible.
As were figures just climbing out of it.
It seemed the other party had no intention of allowing idle time either.
"Vic — I'll leave Penelope to you."
[Roger!]
Not wanting her to be alone and lonely when she woke, he left Vic beside Penelope and headed quickly downstairs to the front entrance.
He had not made it obvious, for the sake of Penelope who was likely sunk in sorrow.
But he was thoroughly displeased.
He understood that it was a family matter. That it was a problem entangled in family politics.
But watching a partner's grief from the sidelines was not a pleasant thing.
It was only natural to feel ill will toward an opponent who hounded with such tenacity that one found oneself thinking 'is all this really necessary?'
The people who had just been making their way into the garden spotted Jurgen and bore down on him with sharp, purposeful strides.
"Are you Jurgen of Y&P Trading Company?"
"That I am."
It was exactly as he had seen from the window.
The emblem engraved on the carriage was an eye set within a gold coin.
In other words, the symbol of the Financial Supervisory Service.
The four figures in uniform who had poured out from inside were likely Financial Supervisory Service investigators.
One of them thrust a polished-looking document into his face and read out the charge.
"You are hereby placed under emergency arrest on suspicion of malicious tax evasion, accounting fraud, violation of the Kingdom's Commercial Code, and other offences. Furthermore......"
So that's how you want to play this.
Jurgen swallowed a hollow laugh.
"It's a long road ahead. That's enough of that."
Instead, he brought his wrists together and held them out in front of the investigator who had been about to launch into an unnecessarily lengthy speech.
A rather impertinent attitude.
Business owners who did not tremble before the notorious reputation of the Financial Supervisory Service were few and far between.
Even those who had made good money and acted with swagger tended to squeeze out tears and snot at the sight of an emergency arrest.
"What are you waiting for? Put them on."
And here was a mere commoner having the audacity to act bold in the middle of an arrest.
The investigator, with an expression that said 'just what kind of person is this?', looked at Jurgen and snapped on the handcuffs.
***
Serena had gained a junior.
Brigitte — Y&P's new colleague who would be responsible for recipe improvements.
Distinguished by her chestnut hair in two braids over her chest, and a charmingly cute appearance.
An ordinary commoner of chef's background.
And, according to Penelope, a culinary genius.
At their first meeting, Brigitte had committed the heaven-defying impudence of saying 'Viscountcy? Is that a noble rank too?' to Serena.
In that moment, Serena had designated Brigitte a sworn enemy for life and pledged to discipline her thoroughly.
"Wow...... so this is the Cola that Teacher made......!"
"That's right. Try some."
"The colour is so dark! It looks like coffee! And there are little bubbles rising...... Wow! It's delicious! What a mysterious taste!"
But.
Be that as it may.
"Ahem, actually, I was involved in this production process as well......"
"Really?!?! Good gracious! Which part of the process were you involved in?"
"Hmm, hmm, then I shall explain as a special favour. The colder the temperature, the better gas stays dissolved in liquid......"
"I don't quite understand what you're saying, but it's impressive! You seem incredibly, incredibly clever!"
At Brigitte's wildly enthusiastic reaction, the corner of Serena's mouth twitched.
This was not the 'Oh, my. Yes, yes. How very remarkable' kind of flattery that circulated in Social Circles.
It was a reaction that anyone could see was coming from the bottom of her heart.
Serena, who had gone out of her way to use polite speech to show Brigitte the true face of a dignified and impressive noble, thought to herself.
'This girl...... might be more decent than I expected......?'
Serena, taking it a step further, decided to preen a little more.
"But of course. I am something of Y&P's chief engineer, you might say. To be honest, it's fair to say that Y&P Trading Company simply could not function without me."
"Well, naturally! You personally built all the important parts of the factory! Remarkable, Lady Viscount Renoir!"
Serena repented.
To think she had tried to judge someone by their first impression...... she had it all wrong!
A young person could make a mistake or two.
18 years old, apparently — 18.
Looking at her now, Brigitte — this girl was truly the real deal.
Serena had already forgiven Brigitte for the impudence of their first meeting and had come to hold her dearly in her heart.
"Lady Viscount Renoir...... there's no need to be so formal with me. Of course, it is true that my Viscountcy was conferred in recognition of the abilities I possessed — but I am not currently a viscount, after all."
"Then...... may I call you Sister Serena?"
"Of course. Please, be comfortable. Brigitte."
Exchanging a conversation that would have drawn a 'What are you doing?' from Penelope had she seen it, Serena filled Brigitte in on various things connected to Y&P Trading Company.
Brigitte had no particular work assigned to her at this point in time anyway.
"Lady Penelope is the Second Daughter of the Rosemore Count Family. There are rumours she's connected to the Mafia, but that's nonsense. Her personality is extremely fierce, so be careful not to get bitten."
"Oh? She didn't seem like such a terrible person to me......"
"She's actually quite warm underneath. And she pays very generously."
"Aha!"
"Baron Keystone handles Cola Bottling Services across the Northern Three Cities. CCC's chicken supply also comes from Keystone Company. He is, however, a touch stingy. And a frightening man, so be careful."
"Yes!"
"Branch Manager Belheim is from Devon Trust — he provided the initial investment for Y&P. He also takes on various other complicated matters. Handsome, but already spoken for, and a frightening man, so be careful."
It was a slightly peculiar pattern — Serena ending every person's introduction with 'a frightening man, so be careful' —
"All noble people are frightening!"
— but Brigitte nodded along earnestly.
"Oh, then what about Teacher Jurgen? He must be a wonderfully kind person!"
"Ah, well...... he is a kind person. Very much so."
In that moment, Serena recalled Jurgen to mind.
A technical noble concealing his identity, an Alchemist skilled enough to repel a priest-class dark mage, the man who had yielded his Viscountcy to Serena.
The man who had stolen the heart of the arrogant Penelope.
There was an enormous amount she could say, but it was not the kind of story to lay out piece by piece for Brigitte.
And so Serena conveyed her impressions of Jurgen as a 'person' himself.
"He's slippery, always exudes composure...... hmm...... and yet surprisingly down-to-earth. Sometimes he feels like a dependable older brother."
"Wow! So he is, after all!"
Occasionally she wondered if there could be another man like him in the world.
Had it not been for Penelope, she might have seriously made a move and set her sights on climbing the social ladder.
But why was this?
Serena's timidity radar was quietly reporting.
More than Penelope with her fierce personality.
More than Baron Keystone, a thoroughbred noble of Golden Hill.
More than Branch Manager Belheim, who had the northern financial world in his grip.
"He's probably the most frightening person of them all. Truly."
That Jurgen — her senior — was a far, far more frightening person.
"Aha! Serena, you're frightened of everyone!"
Needless to say, it did not quite get through to Brigitte.