READ NOVEL ONLINE Recently, Count Bradley Somerset found himself deep in thought.
It wasn’t so much a worry as it was a conflict between whether he should rejoice or be concerned.
Firstly, the significant improvement in the family’s financial situation was reason to celebrate.
“The Count, by this month, has repaid three-tenths of the family’s outstanding debt.”
It was quite astonishing.
In a situation where even paying interest each month was a struggle, to think that both interest and even part of the principal had been reduced.
Moreover, some of the merchants who came to press for payment had completely changed their demeanor.
In the past, they would not hesitate to raise their voices in rudeness toward a noble like himself, yet now,
“Ha ha, Count, it’s not a big deal if repayment is a little delayed, right? After all, money and people still count for something.”
They reassured him, telling him not to worry about the interest.
Of course, there was always a follow-up statement.
“But Count, do you happen to have any extra books?”
Indeed, it always ended with a question about fairy tale books.
“What is it about that book that has such a hold on them?”
His eldest son had gone off to the battlefield, vowing to achieve great deeds despite the opposition, but there had been no word from him since, and the other son, whom he had worried about due to his frail disposition, had begun to change.
Originally kind-hearted, fond of art, but timid and introverted, he had suddenly started suggesting,
“Father, how about you withdraw from managing the family’s finances?”
An unexpected push for retirement from his son.
Even more shocking was how Count Klein, a vassal, had echoed his son’s sentiments.
“What do you mean? There might be a silver mine in our territory. Are we really going to overlook this?”
“No way! What kind of mine produces silver ingots, not just raw ore?”
It was just around the time their financial situation began to improve that they were visited by a mining expert.
He presented silver ingots as evidence that there was a silver mine in their territory, which had him contemplating investment.
However, it was promptly withdrawn due to the opposition from his son and the vassal responsible for the territory’s finances.
Of course, the Count had nothing to counter that. His eyes had nearly glossed over at the mention of a mine, almost falling for that absurd scam.
After the special fertilizer incident with the Elf Mountains, he had found it hard to remain rational when it came to financial matters.
Therefore, he decided to heed his son’s advice and relinquished control of the financial sector, granting full authority to Count Klein and his son.
“Still, I can’t block my son’s path.”
His son, who had created a new content with the fairy tale book, was a proud figure who had revitalized a family that was heading into decline.
Just recently, he had even received a letter of gratitude from the Imperial Family, making him more than capable of being a successor.
Yet, if things continued as they were, it was clear that even if he succeeded him, it would not be an easy situation.
“Summon Count Klein. I have something to discuss.”
As a father, while he couldn’t offer much help, there should be no hindrance from him.
*
“Uwaah!!! Prince, the residence!! No!! The Little Mermaid!!”
Now naturally my first reader, Aida.
This time, I showed her the manuscript of “The Little Mermaid” before making it into a book.
As always, Aida buried her head in the book, deeply engrossed in reading.
However, as she approached the end of the book, tears began to well up in her eyes.
Eventually, upon seeing the prince who did not recognize the Little Mermaid and the ending where she returned to the sea, she broke into tears.
“I hate you, brother! You have to pair the Little Mermaid with the prince!!”
With her tiny fists shaking, Aida assaulted me.
Given I was already being hit, I turned my back to her, relishing the massage with delight.
I hold the power to manipulate my readers’ emotions.
Aida’s current reactions were precisely what I had hoped for.
It’s easy to scare children by making something cruel or frightening.
However, to lead children into the depths of sadness through merely a story?
This is a highly complex challenge.
There are no beings as pure in emotion as children. They receive both humor and sorrow with their raw feelings intact.
They react sharply to emotions concocted through adult calculations.
In this sense, “The Little Mermaid” is a perfect work to introduce the emotion of sorrow to children, unlike previous fairy tale books.
“I will now grant you sorrow, a sorrow more precious than love.”
A line from a famous Korean poem comes to mind.
What is the role of a fairy tale book?
Why should there be tragic endings in fairy tale books that children read? This is a necessary scene.
Children must learn sorrow correctly to understand love.
Through reading “The Little Mermaid,” Aida will realize that not everything flows toward happiness, and that her own choices can lead to tragic outcomes.
Thus, children grow.
“Brother, the residence!!”
Realizing that her tiny punches only served as a massage to me, Aida resorted to biting my neck.
“Ow!!”
The clear teeth marks left behind.
Nevertheless, not appeased, Aida continued to bite me as I barely managed to embrace her and calm her down.
Seeing Aida tearfully puffing, my thoughts shifted slightly.
Isn’t it love that nurtures children towards growth?
*
“No! Reservations can only be made at the main branch.”
“But, Branch Manager, this request comes from Baron Sleepy, our biggest client.”
“Still not allowed! The merchant lord is currently declining requests from the duke’s household as well. This is beyond what we can handle.”
As news spread that the publication of the third fairy tale book was imminent, the branches of the Yuren Merchant Guild went into chaos.
Noble families that had no prior dealings were causing a commotion demanding the book be made available, which was, in fact, easier to handle.
They could simply be ignored.
However, it became difficult to refuse when the contracted partner noble families came requesting the book.
At least the assigned supply editions per branch could be sold in limited quantities, but if those were nonexistent, it might have led to all the offended nobles canceling their contracts.
The high-end hardcover edition could only be reserved at the main branch, and getting an order for the custom edition required earning a lottery ticket.
For the hardcover edition, reservations were accepted only from those whose transaction records with the Yuren Merchant Guild exceeded a certain amount, and the same applied to the custom edition lottery.
“What a commotion this is.”
Absynth, the branch manager of Goldpool Valley, had been troubled since morning by the persistent noble requests.
Yet, a smile lingered on his lips.
Due to an influx of noble families newly contracting with the Yuren Merchant Guild to purchase the fairy tale books, his revenue had surged explosively.
“I never thought it would turn out as the merchant lord predicted.”
Absynth had been unable to comprehend why the merchant lord had devoted such effort to a venture of this scale when they initially formed the contract for the fairy tale book.
He had scoffed inwardly at the idea of the fairy tale book being a strategic weapon to penetrate the rigid aristocracy.
Now that everything was unfolding just as the merchant lord had foreseen, Absynth could hardly contain his admiration.
He thought once more that the legendary merchant, famously known as one who couldn’t be easily pricked even a single drop of blood, still maintained his keen instincts.
*
“Uwaah!! I need a wooden cart!! A cart is essential!!”
Seeing Rupert Somerset roaring before him, Esteban felt a headache brewing.
“Here we go again.”
Suppressing a sigh internally, Esteban began to soothe Rupert once more.
“Calm down, Young Master.”
“Even if the merchant lord and I go out to earn money, how can we bear it when money is leaking at home?!”
I’ve sensed this Young Master’s keen interest in material wealth for quite some time.
Even now, upon hearing that his father, Count Bradley, is hosting a banquet, he checked the expenses and exploded in outrage.
“It absolutely doesn’t seem noble at all.”
This was indeed a compliment, as it meant that unlike other nobles who engage in pretentiousness about honor and dignity, communication with him was far more straightforward, and their thoughts aligned better.
However, to see a noble worrying about the costs of a banquet, which would be seen as a given, or displaying indifference towards expensive clothing and items while showing excitement for a new potion from the Alchemist Guild was simply hard for Esteban to comprehend.
“It’s not as if they are slaves in a mine.”
It felt reminiscent of the grim image of laborers at mines, working only because no one else would — prisoners or slaves toiling away.
Their obsession was with vitality potions rather than food or other luxury goods.
“Do you know why noble families hold banquets, Young Master?”
“Well, I understand that. It’s because if they don’t host banquets, they won’t be recognized as nobles.”
Rupert answered with a rather indifferent tone, as if he had little interest in the matter.
Somehow, seeing his face respond curtly like that made Esteban feel an urge to give him a slap, but he quickly dismissed that thought and continued the conversation.
“Nobles do not stand alone. No matter how powerful a noble may be, without others supporting and guiding them, they are no different from commoners.”
With a firm statement, Esteban saw Rupert finally concentrate on their conversation.
“Currently, the House of Somerset wields far too little influence compared to its title as Count. It’s no wonder surrounding nobles can practically ignore the territory’s influence and seize it without significant pushback.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Do you happen to know how much revenue the territory generates, Young Master?”
“Well, I believe it’s around… 50 to 60 gold a month.”
Upon hearing Rupert’s answer, Esteban smacked his palm to his forehead in exasperation.
“That doesn’t make any sense! Is this really the revenue for a territory of a Count? It should be at least double that!”
“Since there’s no influence, you can’t even contest when your interests are encroached upon, making the lack of influence an ongoing vicious cycle,” Esteban elucidated, nodding at Rupert’s response.
“That’s precisely it. A noble who does not host banquets and distances themselves from social gatherings will not be recognized as noble by those around them.”
Esteban’s remarks pinpointed the current situation with perfect accuracy.
After the House of Somerset began to wobble financially, many of its vassals abandoned ship, leaving them with no funds to participate socially, thus drifting further away from the nobility’s circles.
In this scenario, when surrounding nobles laid claim to Somerset’s territory, there were no fellow nobles left to defend them against such claims, exacerbating their decline.
“For this reason, Lord Bradley’s decision to hold a banquet despite the strain is quite a strategic move, preparing for when you inherit the title in the future.”
Not all nobles wastefully host banquets for mere lavishness.
A banquet is a declaration that one’s family is still strong and intact.
After seeing Rupert nodding in understanding, impressed by his own words, Esteban felt a swell of pride, thinking his counsel had made an impact.
The enhanced standing of Rupert, with whom he had a contract, would greatly benefit him as well.
“I understand now. I had no idea such a background existed. But, Merchant Lord… is there perhaps a way to reduce the banquet expenses a bit?”
At this point, Esteban was getting weary of Rupert, known for his coldness, making such statements.