The Heroines Are After My Fortune

3 – Taming the Merchant Scum

“So, those are them.”

*Vrooom—!*

Looking down from my room’s window, I see luxury cars lining up on the long drive of the manor. Enough to effortlessly drive limited edition cars, the greatest luxuries of this era, these are the men who climbed to high positions within the Roen trading company. It’s clear they won’t be easy, but if I follow my preparations, I have a good chance of victory.

“Let’s give it a try, then.”

And so, I stepped out onto the stage of my debut as Baron Aiden Roen.

####

In one of the manor’s meeting rooms, the Roen trading company branch managers, each considered a big shot in their own territory, were gathered. As expected by the housekeeper, they were there to argue over the business reduction plan. These branch managers held the power to sway their region’s economy, but before Yul-father, their employer, they wouldn’t dare even make a peep. Numerous executives had their heads roll for less. But with the previous owner now in heaven and his son, knowing nothing about commerce, as the new boss, things were different. They were confident that this would be easier than pie.

‘I heard he was raised as a commoner until recently, what could he know?’

‘We’ve prepared a ton of plausible data. We’ll suck him dry to the bone while he’s still green.’

After a short while, Aiden entered the meeting room with a calm stride.

“I recognize faces from the recent funeral. It hasn’t been long since we laid my father to rest, my heart still torn, so what brings you all here?”

Aiden started with a sorrowful expression, appealing to their emotions, but the branch managers’ hearts only warmed briefly. If they were going to stop there, they wouldn’t have crawled all the way here.

“Having also lost a father, I can understand, if only a tenth, no, a hundredth part, of the gut-wrenching pain felt by the Head Merchant. For us too, the passing of the former Head, Yulne-man, is a sorrow greater than the sky falling. But we are responsible for countless staff and families under our charge. Decision-makers must move with reason rather than emotion. Therefore, we have suppressed our grief and gathered here for a matter that demands a decision.”

“…I understand. Then may I hear what this critical matter is?”

Aiden nodded at the reasonable logic, urging them to continue. One figure, seemingly the representative of the branch managers, presented a stack of documents.

“Yes, please examine this material.”

“…What is this?”

“These are the reduced trade items for this term. Specialty items remain, but the food ingredients, those with high price volatility, have had their sales routes drastically curtailed during the inheritance to you, Young Master.”

“Hmm, I’ve heard as much. It was my father’s doing, but do you have some dissatisfaction?”

Yul-father shield!

“Yes, we do.”

But the effect was minimal!

The branch managers, launching a direct assault, continued.

“This decision, we can only see it as the former Head Merchant Yulne-man disregarding Master Aiden’s judgment and potential. It’s a blatant intention to tell you to do only what is easy and stable since no one can achieve what he could…! We are indignant! Master Aiden, as young as you are, has boundless potential!”

“………………”

“Please allow us to restore the abolished sales routes. It’s still possible to return to the original state. We have accumulated vast know-how in this field while serving the former Head Merchant. We only lacked the opportunity to take the lead, but we are sure to reap great benefits…!”

“Ho-oh….”

“If the Head Merchant and we join forces as one, we can achieve the same results as before, no, even greater! We believe that Master Aiden, the bloodline of the former Head Merchant Yulne-man, will make a very wise decision.”

The branch managers urged him again to look through the documents. It wasn’t without reason that they offered them, as they were written in a way that even a novice could easily understand. Of course, the content was riddled with traps that only appeared superficially appealing, but there was no way a novice could see through them. Yet, Aiden might have been a novice in management, but he knew well how things were turning.

‘These shits, they’ve planned everything among themselves and just want me to nod along?’

Yulne-man was said to possess a keen eye for international affairs and earned a great deal of money by reading the situation at every moment. A man like that would only be all the more cold and objective when it came to evaluating people. Aside from the purpose of inheritance, if it was something that his subordinates could do well enough alone, he thought, he would have left it to them as it was.

‘…There were no instructions on how to manage things, neither as Baron, nor in merchant work.’

Even if the branch heads milk him dry in the future, the Roen household will still be the richest in the Empire under Aiden. Yulne left, telling him to do as he pleases, having amassed such an abundance that a little nibbling wouldn’t matter, meaning he should live comfortably without dwelling on such things. But regardless of Yulne’s intentions, Aiden deeply loathed anyone eyeing what was his.

“I’ve listened well. Quite amusing.”

“Oh, as expected, your insight is profound. Then, let’s proceed quickly–“

“My father’s decision was wrong, but I, who inherited the blood of a great father, must make wise judgments. Which rhythm am I supposed to dance to?”

“……………!?”

Just when they thought they had him, Aiden suddenly charged, startling the branch heads. But Aiden’s attack didn’t end there.

“It’s a complete mess. There’s no need to read these scraps of paper any further.”

The torn paper scattered into the air. No matter how tempting the content might be, Aiden had no reason to read the documents anymore. A bald branch head, seemingly the representative, spoke, his hands trembling.

“What is the meaning of this—!!”

As if he couldn’t hear, Aiden picked at his ear and then pulled something from his pocket, holding it out for everyone to see.

“Branch heads, do you perhaps know what this silken pouch is?”

At the unexpected appearance of the pouch, the branch heads blinked at each other, looking for someone who knew its purpose, but no one did.

“…What is it?”

“It was given to me by my father. He told me to open it when he died and a situation requiring immediate action arose. And I was very surprised when I opened the first pouch.”

The conference room became quite noisy as they speculated about the pouch’s purpose.

“Could it…could it be?!”

“Yes, that’s right. My father had foreseen that immediately after the funeral, you branch heads would come in droves, demanding a restoration of sales channels. My father’s deep, deep insight into even what would happen after his death, it is hard for me to fathom.”

As they sensed things were taking a strange turn, the branch heads collectively glanced around nervously.

“Th-then, would it be alright to read what is written on the pouch?”

‘That’s right, good…!’

It was the best desperate flailing they could manage in the current situation, the most effective thrashing. The branch heads here had exchanged at least dozens of letters with Yulne-man. If they could just find proof the note was a fake, they could reclaim the upper hand.

“Very well. Everyone can take their time reading it.”

Aiden’s unexpected willingness to hand it over made them uneasy, but they clung to the note anyway, desperate to find some flaw. And then they were stunned.

「You must have begged to see this note. You foolish lot, you should be ashamed of yourselves, preying on a child!」

Right from the start, there was that scathing line that set their chests burning hot. The rest of the content, filled with rebukes aimed at the branch heads, all seemed like flawless, genuine writing by Yulne-man in his lifetime. Cold sweat began to prickle across their bodies.

‘The moral high ground has completely slipped away….’

Their main justification had been that Yulne-man hadn’t been thinking clearly due to the inheritance. But if he had already foreseen this before his death, then there was no more logic to cling to. For the branch heads, the former head merchant had been an unyielding, colossal figure. It was true while he lived, and it was true in his death.

“My father said that you all were probably not acting out of pure malice, and that I should be gracious and forgive you this once, but still, I am greatly disappointed that we had to dip into the first pouch so quickly.”

“Then, what do you intend to do…?”

One branch head cautiously raised his hand and asked, Aiden seemed to ponder for a moment before answering.

“It’s not a matter that can simply be ignored, but this time I will settle for a minor punishment.”

At the mention of minor punishment, the branch heads’ ears perked up. But what they considered “minor” was entirely different from what Aiden had in mind.

“Let’s play a simple game. Fold the paper you’ve been given in half, and write your name on the left side. And on the right side…”

“On the right side…?”

“Write the name of the person who instigated this whole situation and brought it to this point. Only the person with the most votes will be demoted to trainee. The rest of you will keep your positions.”

““………………!!””

Everyone was shocked by his unprecedented words. Especially the few individuals who had been at the forefront of this whole affair – their faces paled. Demotion to trainee wasn’t just a demotion. For someone who had been a branch head, this was an utter humiliation, tantamount to being told to leave the merchant guild. They had expected at most a one-month suspension without pay.

“Merchant Head Aiden, this is an utterly unacceptable decision!”

One branch head, unable to contain himself any longer, stood from his seat, protesting. He had dedicated decades to clawing his way to his current position, and he had no intention of falling down. Aiden smiled thinly at him, proposing a new option.

“There is also the option to not hold the vote.”

“Oohh…!”

“Instead, one of you will shoulder the blame. Then, we’ll bury this matter by demoting that person.”

Only then did they all realize. The madman before them wouldn’t let this pass without at least one head rolling.

“…My apologies. We’ll vote.”

And so the voting began. One by one, the branch chiefs wrote a name on a slip of paper, and placed their vote in the bowl before Aiden. Once everyone had cast their ballot, Aiden savored the tense expressions of the branch chiefs as he began to unfold each vote, one by one.

“Hmm, ahem…”

Each time he made a sound, the branch chiefs flinched.

The reactions were most pronounced in two men. The vote itself seemed to be a two-way contest. When all the tallying was done, Aiden opened his mouth.

“Cicero.”

“Yes. Did you call…?”

“You are demoted to apprentice status, starting today. A great disappointment.”

“C-c-chief, lord. I was wrong. Please give me one more chance—! Chief, I beg, aagh…!”

Cicero rushed to Aiden, grabbing at his pant legs and pleading desperately, but in the end, he was dragged away by the knights waiting outside. As Cicero’s screams for mercy faded, the room was filled with a long, heavy silence.

“Next time, let’s at least share a drink and a smile at the banquet. Dismissed.”

At the order that broke the silence, the branch chiefs, grateful they had survived, began to hurriedly leave, as if their souls had fled.

In the midst of this,

“Ponder, you stay behind.”

“Me…?”

Aiden seized a bald, middle-aged man whose complexion had been poor since earlier. He was the branch chief who had been sweating the most about getting demoted until the very end.

‘Why did he call me?’

Anyway, the thought that it wouldn’t be anything good was making me tremble when the words that came from Aiden were frankly shocking.

“Ponder, do you know? Actually, your name came up the most in this vote.”

“Wha-what did you say…?!”

A fierce betrayal coiled around him. Anxious, but having done so much until now, he had secretly believed that the branch leaders wouldn’t choose him, but in the end, the thought that he had been stabbed in the back left his head reeling. However, if those words were true, a single, huge question arose.

“Why didn’t you demote me…? Even you, Aiden, must have hated the sight of the one with the most votes, like me….”

With his self-esteem plummeting, Ponder hung his head low. Because of the angle, Ponder’s smooth, shiny bald head was laid bare in its true form before Aiden’s eyes.

‘…I kinda want to slap him.’

By exerting superhuman willpower to suppress the urge, Aiden cleared his throat once and then gently placed his hand on Ponder’s shoulder.

“Because you have the ability.”

“Huh? Me, you mean?”

“A pig full of nothing but greed, like that guy who was just dragged out, is not needed in our guild, but Ponder, we need you. This whole thing was nothing more than you being pushed into taking the fall by their incitement, wasn’t it? Right?”

As his new master smiled gently and patted his shoulder, telling him that he wasn’t largely at fault, Ponder’s face lit up, his head bobbing frantically in agreement.

“Yes, yes! That’s exactly as you say…!”

“However, I’m worried. There’s no guarantee that something like this won’t happen again, is there?”

At Aiden’s troubled expression, Ponder got down on one knee and spoke with bright, unwavering eyes.

“Don’t worry…! In the future, if any seditious moves are detected, I will report them directly to the Baron!”

“I trust you. I’ll contact you soon, so you can head back now.”

Ponder, bowing deeply again and again to Aiden who gave him a faint smile, carefully closed the door and left the meeting room.

As the series of events came to an end, Aiden gave a wry smile.

‘Idiot, falling for that. You’re actually in 2nd place.’

Even if first place is for the biggest b*stards, second place was still infuriating. The words he’d used to soothe Ponder were lies, every single one. Aiden figured it was a win-win-win situation: leash a dangerous beast, sow discord amongst the branch managers so they couldn’t unite, and create a loyal dog who’d hang on his every word.

“…Impressive. I never imagined you’d use the preparations that way.”

The Head Butler, who had watched the whole thing unfold, spoke with a hint of awe. Aiden had not only reclaimed the justification of his claims with a letter that his predecessor had never even left behind, but he’d also managed to make the branch managers decide amongst themselves who deserved punishment, without pointing any fingers.

“The Head Butler’s perfect recreation of the handwriting was crucial. And, this whole mess never would have happened if it were Father. I still have a long way to go.”

Aiden diagnosed himself as a “greenhorn who knows nothing of merchant business” which had led to the whole debacle. He managed to scrape by thanks to his newfound justification, but there was no guarantee luck would always be on his side. He felt a desperate need for someone with a flair for managing the business.

*‘There was a mention of a “genius of management” in the original. Later, I’ll just dump the business on them and kick back.’*

Trying to handle the business when he was a film major, not an expert in the field, was tiring. Aiden, dreaming of a future where he could palm off all his responsibilities, cracked a sinister smile and chewed on the jerky sitting on the table.

“…Even your humility is impressive. Truly, you are of his bloodline.”

Aiden shrugged at the Head Butler’s gleaming eyes, full of respect.

*‘Yeah, well, of course I am. Who else’s son would I be?’*

Aiden chewed the last of his conscience along with the jerky, swallowing it down. To him, Yul, the world’s richest tycoon, was the best of them, far more so than his biological father he’d never even seen.