Now This Family Belongs to My Mother Chapter 19

“When I lived outside the mansion, I used to earn money by helping merchants. If you give me a chance, I’ll give it a try.”

 

“You’re not backing down, huh,” Hubert said with satisfaction. “Stella is proactive when it comes to big contracts, but she absolutely hates selling things herself.”

 

Stella became like that because of the influence of her mother, Diane, who had been raised in a noble family. But I had nothing to be picky about. Now that Diane and Stella’s hands and feet were tired, this was a golden opportunity to gain Hubert’s trust by proving myself both inside and outside the mansion. The opportunities I could gain through business weren’t limited to just this.

 

“If you try to handle everything on your own from the start, it’ll be tough. I’ll assign someone to help you. He’s a difficult person, so you’ll have to be very careful to get along with him,” said Hubert.

 

The next day, the person Hubert referred to as ‘difficult person’ came to see me.

 

“My name is Benjamin Paulton, His Excellency’s chief aide.”

 

A man with a lean frame greeted me politely. However, his pale face and sharp eyes were exactly as Hubert had described.

 

He doesn’t look like someone easy to deal with.

 

Benjamin looked like the type who would scold me rather than help.

 

He wasn’t assigned to help me. This must be another test. Since I’d expected it, I wasn’t too surprised.

 

Benjamin got straight to the point before even sitting down. “Business isn’t an easy thing. Even for the Blanche family, which has more money than it knows what to do with, not a single coin is earned carelessly. So if you’re just trying to use the family name to gain some nice experience, I’ll put a stop to it.” His tone was polite, but there was a strange coldness to it.

 

Just like in my previous life.

 

I smiled faintly. Still, I knew he wasn’t a bad person. In my past life, he was one of the few people who treated me fairly.

 

He was cold to everyone equally. Including me. It was better than being treated unfairly, at least. It also meant he was a fair person. He often blocked Nichola’s business plans too.

 

Gale and Nicholas were desperate to get rid of Benjamin. But since he had Hubert’s trust, it wasn’t easy. At least, not until he got caught up in that rebellion plot.

 

“Well then, let’s start by making a plan. Do you have anything in mind?” Benjamin asked, clearly not expecting much.

 

A business run with a lucky ointment made by a noble child. He probably thought he’d end up doing all the real work while I took all the glory. I understood Benjamin. Because Nicholas used to do the same in my past life.

 

“This is a jackpot item, I’m telling you! Sir Paulton, just do you’re told!”

 

“Why not? What? It’s unrealistic? Solving that is your job! You’re just a commoner, so stop complaining!”

 

I had witnessed all of that in my past life. Probably more than once or twice.

 

Benjamin seemed to think I would act the same way. So I handed him a document. His usually calm eyes widened at it.

 

“What… is this?”

 

“It’s a business plan report. I started drafting it right after Grandpa proposed the business idea.”

 

Benjamin took the report and began to read it slowly.

 

“It must be lacking in many ways. If you give me advice, I’ll actively incorporate it.”

 

Benjamin wasn’t listening to me. His eyes, scanning through the report, were trembling. “The implementation plan is specific and meticulous. Did you really write this yourself? Truly without any help from any…” He stopped speaking mid-sentence and closed his mouth. He knew better than anyone else that there was no one in this house who would help me.

 

The one who helped me was the me from my past life.

 

In my past life, I ran around here and there to make money for Gale and Nicholas. Of course, no matter how hard I worked on writing reports, they always rejected them.

 

“The Kaluxo Mountain industrial complex? Who the hell would buy this garbage?”

 

The Kaluxo Mountain Industrial Complex, which Nicholas had mocked, became a massive trend the following year after Duke Claude Clemency got involved.

 

“Why didn’t you tell me to invest in the South Sea Company? I have to invest quickly now!”

 

Gale, who wouldn’t even listen when I told him to invest, only rushed to put money in after the stocks started declining, resulting in a huge loss.

 

That experience is coming in handy now. But I couldn’t tell the truth.

 

“I did a lot of odd jobs to make ends meet with my mom. I picked up things here and there while doing that.”

 

“Your level of knowledge is too high for something you just picked up here and there,” Benjamin said as he looked over the report again. He seemed completely engrossed.

 

“But.” Benjamin carefully opened his mouth. “This report has a fatal flaw.” He spoke as if it were regrettable. “You’re thinking of using simple ingredients, a streamlined process, and modest packaging to sell at a low price. Then, you plan to donate to the temple sanctuary and the poorhouse for promotion, right?”

 

I nodded with bright, eager eyes.

 

Benjamin let out a sigh. “If you go with this plan, only commoners will primarily buy it, and the profit margin will be small.”

 

“That’s right. The target customers are poor commoners.”

 

Benjamin looked at me with a slightly disappointed expression. “You won’t make much profit. Maybe none at all. There’s no reason to do this business.”

 

I tilted my head. “Does profit always have to be measured in money?”

 

“What do you mean by that?”

 

“This business isn’t about making money. It’s about earning honor.”

 

Benjamin stared at me with a puzzled look. I didn’t shrink back and continued.

 

“The public opinion about the Blanche family hasn’t been very favorable lately. Especially compared to the imperial family.”

 

At my words, Benjamin looked as if he had been struck.

 

The two houses that possess the divine beasts, which protect the continent. The Leopold Imperial Family and the Blanche Grand Ducal family. These two houses have protected the continent together. However, now that it’s a time of peace, the situation has changed. With external enemies gone, the targets of checks and balances became each other.

 

There can’t be two suns under the same sky.

 

In particular, the Leopold Imperial Family’s scrutiny of the Blanche Grand Duchy was meticulous. They spread malicious rumors to disparage the Blanche Grand Duchy and provoked Nicholas into causing trouble. Each time, the Leopold Imperial Family would donate and volunteer, carefully managing their image. Moreover, unlike the Blanche Grand Duke, who was a recluse and once called the Grim Reaper of the battlefield in his youth, the emperor frequently appeared before the people with a friendly demeanor. The difference in approachability was self-evident.

 

“His Majesty is as warm as sunlight, but the Grand Duke Blanche is terrifying just to think about, like the bitter cold of midwinter.”

 

“They’re both noble families blessed by divine beasts, but why are they so different?”

 

“No wonder the Phoenix still hasn’t named a successor.”

 

As these incidents piled up, the Blanche Grand Duchy’s image among the people became unfavorable. The Imperial family took advantage of this to keep the Blanche family in check, which became a headache for the grand duke.

 

“But if we donate good medicine and sell it at a low price, it will help shift public opinion.”

 

Benjamin’s sharp pupils widened.

 

“Grandpa only told me to do business, not to make money with it. So I just need to gain something through business.”

 

“Public opinion has been bad since the recent salon scandal…”

 

Gale’s salon scandal. It was an incident in which he summoned a fake prophet and pretended to be chosen by the divine beast, only to be caught. Through that incident, I ended up joining the Blanche family. The imperial family kept postponing the investigation of this staged act. It was as if they were telling the people to tear it apart and enjoy the spectacle until a conclusion was reached.

 

At that moment, Benjamin spoke up as if he had a good idea. “Why not distribute the medicine for free instead?”

 

I shook my head. “That’s just charity. Grandpa told me to do business. And…”

 

Benjamin focused on me.

 

“People think something has value only if they pay for it, even if it’s just a small amount. If you give it away for free, they’ll think it’s only worth that much and look down on it.”

 

It’s an ironic truth about human nature.

 

Even if we sell at a low price with almost no margin, the goodwill towards the medicine—and the Blanche family selling it—will rise. It seemed Benjamin understood my intention as well.

 

“Alright. Then I’ll just give you a few practical suggestions. The rest will go according to your plan.” For the first time, a spark of interest appeared in Benjamin’s usually cynical eyes.

 

“Thank y—” I stopped mid-sentence. It was because Benjamin had frozen like a statue.

 

“Benjamin?”

 

He stood there, as if time had stopped for him, not even blinking.

 

It was when I lightly shook him in surprise. The moment I touched him, a small black spot appeared on the back of his hand, followed by a sharp jolt of pain.

 

“!”

 

Before I could even grasp the situation, Benjamin’s voice rang out.

 

“What’s going on?” He looked down at my hand gripping his arm.

 

Benjamin seemed perfectly fine, as if he had never turned to stone in the first place.