Up until now, the House of Romain had turned a profit through monopoly and market-cornering. They had amassed wealth by colluding with other houses to purchase a single commodity in bulk, drive the price up sharply, and then resell it.
But the Count boldly shattered such longstanding practices and declared that he would engage in fair competition. It was a drastically changed demeanor from his previous attitude, where he had always spearheaded cornering the market.
“From now on, our House of Romain shall begin unlimited competition. We shall strive to supply better goods at lower prices, so never again expect monopolistic profits.”
As part of that plan, Count Romain embarked on a massive restructuring. He increased the size of the caravans that traveled to the production regions to purchase goods tenfold; in return, he slashed the number of shops that had made the monopoly possible by more than half. He kept only one per street and disposed of the rest. The other houses could not help but be bewildered by the incomprehensible changes at the House of Romain.
“What in the world is he thinking…?”
“The madman. He’s determined to go bankrupt. Let’s see how long he lasts.”
But the House of Romain did not go bankrupt. The caravans, whose numbers had exploded, traveled to every corner of Arcadia to buy up high-quality goods, and sold them cheaply with only a reasonable margin added. Before long, people began flocking to the House of Romain. With good merchandise sold cheaply, customers were inevitable.
The House of Romain’s sales revenue grew exponentially, and the other houses eventually had no choice but to follow in its wake. To do otherwise was to be driven out of business. But catching up to the House of Romain, which had already built up rock-solid trust, was no easy task.
“The lifeblood of a trading house is trust. Only by dealing honestly with customers can one prosper.”
The one who actually benefited from the House of Romain’s small-profit, high-volume strategy was Lorbein. As the other houses begrudgingly benchmarked the House of Romain, Lorbein’s own commercial district grew to a size incomparable to before. People no longer troubled themselves to travel to the production regions; they could obtain everything at low prices in Lorbein.
Thus the House of Romain became the foremost trading house in Arcadia. There was hardly a nation in Arcadia that did not have a branch of the House of Romain. Within just three years of starting business, Count Romain had amassed astronomical wealth—enough to offset and more than cover the sums he had poured into renovating the slums three years prior.
“Is it time to begin the second act of benevolence?”
Count Romain once again began to spend his fortune. This time, it was recompense for the slaves who had been sold off by his own hands in the past. Dispatching caravans on a massive scale, he bought back the slaves he had previously sold and freed them.
“You must resent me deeply, but I hope you will forgive me generously. Think of this money as compensation for your hardships.”
To the slaves who had unexpectedly gained their freedom, these were words that made their ears ring with joy. Although he was the very one who had sold them off, the joy of becoming free was enough to make them forget their hatred. Moreover, had he not placed in their hands a hefty sum sufficient to support their families?
They departed for their hometowns, overjoyed.
“Th-thank you.”
“I shall never forget this grace as long as I live.”
Despite his considerable efforts, gathering all the sold slaves was impossible from the start. Some were already dead, and many had been sold elsewhere. But he did not give up.
“Any slave who wishes to become free, hesitate no longer and knock on the door of the House of Romain. Then you shall obtain the freedom you desire.”
Many slaves were liberated by Count Romain’s hand. An astronomical fortune was exhausted in the process, but he did not begrudge a single coin. Revealing his inner thoughts with the single phrase, “One reaps what one sows,” he began his third benevolent endeavor: supporting the Truvenian people.
He began caring on a grand scale for the Truvenians, who struggled to survive as lowborn.
“They say Truvenians can live in peace in Lorbein, too….”
“And no one there will try to take advantage of them for being simple?”
Upon hearing the rumors, Truvenians flocked to Lorbein in great numbers. They became employees of the House of Romain, or began second lives under its protection. It was around that time that praise for Count Romain began.
“Truly astonishing. To think he could change like this….”
“The world is truly full of surprises if you live long enough.”
Thereafter, Count Romain each year poured the massive profits he reaped back into society without stint. His notoriety was forgotten in this way, and his place was filled with endless praise. It was thus that Count Romain was able to become the greatest benefactor in Lorbein.
The man at the center of these rumors, Count Romain, was currently immersed in the month-end closing of the books alongside his employees.
“Aren’t you tired?”
“We are fine, my lord. It is you who looks more tired. We shall finish the settlement, so please go inside and rest.”
A middle-aged man with a notably kind gaze smiled gently and urged the Count to go in and rest. The man named Martin was a former slave who had gained his freedom by knocking on the door of the House of Romain not long ago. Having a good head for business, he had become an employee of the house, and thanks to his tireless work, he had firmly earned the Count’s trust. Recalling this fact for a moment, Count Romain silently nodded.
“Shall I? Indeed, I am a bit tired today.”
“It will be finished shortly, so do not worry and rest well.”
“Then I shall leave it to you.”
Handing over the stack of documents, Count Romain rose with a weary body. Having stayed up all night to balance the accounts, his body could not help but feel as limp as waterlogged cotton. Seeing this, the employees all rose together.
“You have worked hard, my lord.”
“Please leave the rest to us.”
Though no one had instructed them, the employees were showing the utmost respect to Count Romain. It was a scene that made clear just how much they revered him.
Entering the inner chamber, Count Romain sank deep into an armchair.
“Phew! I am utterly exhausted.”
Glancing around, the Count suddenly gave a bitter smile.
*It seems my stamina did not change even after my body was swapped by the curse. Heh, heh, heh.*
The six years spent without a moment’s rest flashed before his eyes like a revolving lantern; he smiled softly and shook his head.
*That fellow called Romain had built up such a fearsome reputation that it was no easy task cleaning up the mess. Now that is more or less settled…. But where might my benefactor be these days? It is a bit vexing that he has not visited even once recently.*
He summoned the image of a person in his mind. The one who had brought a revolutionary change to his life. A great mage who had appeared in the form of a young man, completely transformed his life, and then left, taking his face. While living the life of Count Romain rather than Jengart, there had never been a moment when he did not think of his benefactor. Thanks to him, he had been able to realize the dream he had kept buried deep in his heart.
*Now the House of Romain has become the undisputed greatest trading house in Arcadia. It is a pity that I cannot name it the House of Jengart, but….*
As he was lost in thought, a gentle voice reached his ears.
“What are you thinking so deeply about?”
Turning his head, he saw a woman approaching with a tray. She looked as though she had suffered much at a glance, yet her eyes were supremely kind. When their gazes met, she smiled softly. She was none other than Jane, his wife, whom he had taken a year ago.
“Please have some of this. You seem to be overworking yourself these days, and I am quite worried.”
“Thank you, my dear.”
At Jengart’s words, Jane smiled gently.
“Why thank me? It is I who cannot contain my gratitude.”
“What nonsense.”
Rising from his seat, Jengart approached and gently embraced Jane, who had slightly flushed.
“Go in and rest. I still have more to think on, so I shall join you shortly.”
“Yes. Please do not overdo it.”
Answering in a barely audible voice, Jane turned around as if embarrassed. Jengart watched her retreating figure with eyes full of warmth.
In fact, Jane was a Truvenian like him. She was also a woman who had lived a very tragic life. Like most Truvenians, she had been rescued by knights on a monster hunt and had come to Arcadia with her two younger siblings. From then on, she had to live a very hard life, restarting from the very bottom without knowing anything.
She had done every job imaginable, from paid needlework to grueling restaurant labor. Because she had to take care of her two younger siblings, she could not even entertain the thought of marriage despite reaching a suitable age. Then one day, a slave merchant approached her. Taken in by the sweet talk of earning a large sum of money, Jane boarded the merchant’s carriage, leaving her siblings behind. She had come this far to be sold to a coastal city. Only later did she realize with a shock that she was being sold as a prostitute.
“If we are sold to the coastal city, we will never see the outside world again.”
Hearing the full story from the other women being sold alongside her, she resolved to escape. If she did not, her remaining siblings would be cast out into the cruel world. Fearing they might starve to death, she risked her life to break out of the carriage. But because she was unfamiliar with the geography, there was nowhere to hide, and she could not go far before being captured.
As she was being beaten and dragged away by the slave merchants, she happened to catch the eye of a passing Romain caravan. Hearing her circumstances, Jengart paid a large sum to buy her from the slave merchants.
“You need worry no longer. You will now be able to live comfortably here with your siblings.”
As fellow sufferers, no one understood the sufferings of the Truvenian people as deeply as Jengart. He immediately sent for Jane’s siblings to be brought to Lorbein and provided them with a comfortable home.
Overwhelmed by the unexpected kindness, Jane wept floods of tears. Never before had anyone cared for them so deeply. In the end, she volunteered to become a maid and entered Jengart’s mansion.
“I shall repay this grace for the rest of my life. I mean this sincerely, so please do not refuse.”
Thereafter, Jane served Jengart with all her heart. She looked after him as diligently as a wife who had lived with him for many years. As she prepared meals with sincerity and fussed over his health daily, Jengart began to gradually fall for her. It would have been a lie to say that Jengart, who had lived alone all his life, did not feel affection for the modest and tender woman.
His love for Jane grew day by day like a thriving plant, and finally, unable to bear it any longer, he proposed to her one day.
“Marry me. I speak from the heart.”
“Th-that is impossible. How could someone as lowly as I…?”
Jane waved her hands in surprise, but Jengart did not bend his will. He had already engraved the woman named Jane deep in his heart. Unable to refuse his repeated proposals, Jane finally accepted, and the two at last tied the knot. Though it was late in life, Jengart finally took a wife. Gazing softly at the door through which Jane had passed, Jengart silently murmured:
*Your hardships are over now. I shall make you infinitely happy.*
Just then, a low voice came from behind.
“It has been a while.”
Startled, Jengart turned his head to see a figure standing stock-still, draped in a black robe.
“Wh-who might you be…?”
Jengart squinted his eyes, then snapped to attention. The person he had been longing for day and night was standing right before his eyes. It was none other than the benefactor who had granted him a new life. Without a moment’s thought, Jengart approached and bowed deeply.
“Y-you have finally come. I have waited so very long.”
“You are truly living well.”
Damon quietly looked at Jengart. He could not help but be glad, for Jengart was the very first person he had formed a connection with since coming to Arcadia.
*I am truly relieved you are safe, Jengart.*
After arriving here, Damon had not sought out Jengart immediately. He had needed to be careful, as the claws of a dragon had already reached out once.
*That Ruselront bastard probably did not kill him, but even so….*
If Ruselront had found him, there was no guarantee other dragons would not find him as well, so Damon had deliberately teleported to the outskirts of Lorbein.