“Governor, congratulations on your inauguration! I wanted to welcome you at the dock, but alas, I couldn’t attend due to an internal citation, and hearing the news of the welcoming ceremony makes me feel a bit disappointed.”
When Craft High Merchant Jjongjjong visited, Grace High Merchant welcomed him.
“It’s all thanks to you, Grace High Merchant! Who do you think keeps me from starving~!”
Pastel giggled.
“But have you heard that the concert at the dock is already making waves? Ugh, President Horace was a bit over the top with the welcome.”
Pastel blushed, covering her face.
Naturally, feeling flustered over the protocol she deserved was something that pure-hearted Pastel couldn’t help.
Grace High Merchant covered her mouth with a fan and giggled. She went to one side of the table and pointed at a large sheet of paper spread out.
“The merger of failing merchants is complete!”
The changes in ownership structure were neatly illustrated in a diagram. It was a visual design that Pastel had personally provided.
“Wow!”
Though she had focused so much on the railroad, the merged merchants were quite substantial. Thanks to Empire Bank shaking the credibility of Sky Island, dozens of collapsing merchants were organized and consolidated due to the chain reaction.
“Wow!”
Pastel’s pink eyes sparkled.
They absorbed everything they could from Craft High Merchant, while large or specialized merchants were separated to retain only management rights, successfully completing the mega merger.
Without the budget, credit, and powerful administrative measures of the Sky Island government, this would have been impossible for a private venture.
More than anything, Pastel was fond of the number written at the top of the ownership structure.
Pastel Love Craft – 100%
Clean! Clean!
Although one might reasonably suspect why personal shares were collected when Sky Island’s budget was involved…
Not a problem at all!
Because Governor Pastel and Sky Island are one! They live and die together!
“We’re family~!”
Pastel danced, waving her arms.
“From today, family! From tomorrow, family~! Better than blood relatives!”
Grace High Merchant brought out a new document. It contained information on the asset value of the completed merchant.
“Excluding special cases like the Demon Realm Stock Company, we’ve become the largest merchant of Sky Island.”
“Wow! A legendary asset holder!”
Pastel cheered.
“Even if we’re big, we’re sitting on a mountain of debt.”
The overwhelming debt subtracted from the asset value, bringing it below zero.
“Whew, the greatest debt holder.”
Pastel’s shoulders slumped.
It was true that we should have gone bankrupt due to worsening credit.
The reason we’re still afloat is thanks to our kind creditors who powerfully trusted the intertwining of politics and business!
She clenched her fist.
I must live diligently to repay that trust!
“Still, it’s remarkable that we’ve grown this far. I lost count of how many times I borrowed to the limit of credit and turned everything into trade goods to carry out smuggling.”
Grace High Merchant chuckled.
“Thanks to hiring Knight Order personnel, it’s a bit more stable now, so I wouldn’t call it pure gambling anymore.”
“That’s all due to my foresight!”
Pastel pointed to herself proudly.
“Absolutely. Of course, it’s your credit as Governor. Managing the Knight Order while recycling their personnel!”
Oh?
Wasn’t that just a joke?
However, since it wasn’t a bad thing, Pastel pretended to be serious.
“Ahem.”
“But now there’s a problem.”
Grace High Merchant retrieved another stack of documents. This time, it was related to smuggling, and she emphasized the trade scale.
“The scale has grown so large that it’s become hard to conceal. Everyone tacitly acknowledges it, but being overtly known is a different matter. If we expand further, even the Demon Realm Stock Company, which has been bribed to keep quiet, will inevitably start talking.”
“Are you telling us to pay fees to use the smuggling routes made semi-public through bribery? Or else face crackdowns?”
“That’s right.”
Yikes.
Why do we have to pay a fee?
I prefer free stuff!
“That won’t be a problem for you, Governor Pastel!”
If it were in the time of Governor Pastel, she would have cried out, “Aaah! Save me! I don’t want to pay fees or taxes!” But Governor Pastel is different now.
“Look here!”
Pastel pulled out the Emperor’s sword from her waist. But realizing she’d left it at the dormitory, she had to change her tune.
“Look at me! The trusty aide of the Emperor, Pastel!”
The level of trust was such that she was given the authority to borrow the soldiers of the Demon Realm Stock Company for identifying the Demon King and associated matters.
Pastel had a wicked thought.
I mean really wicked.
What does it mean to have the authority to operate a group of soldiers from a certain organization?
You could see it by turning your head to the now-normal academy.
Our school is so beautiful!
I wish everywhere else was like this!
Pastel, the student, stumbled upon success thanks to the chaos around her, but Governor Pastel was not intending on relying on luck.
Long live the Emperor!
Loyalty rising!
“Soldier command authority?”
Grace High Merchant looked dumbfounded.
“It must be a very delicate order to gain something like that, huh?”
“Well, it is confidential as you suspected, so I can’t really say! But it’s extremely important!”
The prophecy of the Demon King who would bring down the Empire, absolutely critical.
Grace High Merchant turned anxious.
“If that’s the case, you should concentrate on the Emperor’s command. Merchants, regardless of size, rise and fall based on the royal family’s mood.”
Yikes.
Now that I think about it, chills run down my spine.
Emperor: “Huh? Why is this person so incompetent? Ah! They’re busy with business! If the business goes away, they’ll do well? I should help!”
Craft High Merchant, forcibly disbanded by imperial decree.
Aaaah!
The tyranny of the powerful…!
Pastel went pale.
“I can manage the upcoming smuggling ship and merchant matters just fine. You should focus on the Emperor’s orders. The throne can be quite capricious.”
Capricious.
Emperor: “I feel annoyed! Disband you!”
So realistic!
Pastel’s hands trembled.
“Then I’ll focus on the railroad business. It has some ties to the royal decree.”
“Oh, is that so? Please, do as you wish, Governor. As for the railroad…?”
Grace High Merchant rummaged through her drawer and reviewed the railroad schedule.
“It seems our business partners suddenly stopped cooperating because they didn’t like that we won the auction for the railroad construction rights. While you were in the capital, the student council received a message to prepare for re-initiating, but do you know the reason?”
Is it Elly?
“Oh, I think I’m set to meet with those business partners. It should be about that.”
Pigeon Faction Demon Meeting.
“I understand. Please take the lead on this matter.”
Grace High Merchant spoke calmly.
“As a merchant, I advise you to remember that the royal family’s moods have a great impact on business! You really must!”
Yikes.
Something feels off…!
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