Chapter 53
Chapter 53
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 53
Chapter Title: 6. Slaves Are an Excellent Source of Labor
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The Empire.
It had unified the continent, wielding influence across the entire landmass—barring a few demon realms, that is.
Even though the previous emperor had failed to subjugate the Snow King, that just meant you had to be on the level of a king for the Empire to taste defeat. Far from declining, the Empire was basking in a brilliant golden age.
And right there in the Empire's capital.
"Um, Director?"
"What's up?"
"Is it... really okay for us to be hanging out here like this...?"
3-Star Orphan Kyle was fidgeting restlessly. It was understandable. Coming from a rural backwater like Luton to the capital would make anyone gawk like a country bumpkin or feel overwhelmed.
But Kyle couldn't afford to act like this—not when he wasn't just any product. If Laila and Karen were external branches of the Orphan Network, Kyle was the main server itself. A glitch this early would be a problem.
So, I employed the most classic fix for bugs and server crashes.
Snap.
"Ow!"
"Don't be so scared. We're not trespassing or anything—this is all perfectly legitimate."
"I know that, but... it's still just so awkward. Take this table—why does it have to shine like that?"
"Because it's gold."
"...Gulp."
Fortunately, the bug was fixed. My director's hands truly are miracle workers.
After patching Kyle's glitch, I leaned back in the plush chair to shake off my fatigue.
"Sir, do you need anything else?"
"Something light to drink, please. For this kid too."
"Right away."
As I relaxed, a sharply dressed waiter approached, bowed politely, and took my order.
Gold tables, cushy chairs, and top-notch waiters.
The place Kyle and I were currently lounging in was one of the most expensive inns in the Imperial Capital—hyperbole to call it the finest in the Empire outside of noble-exclusive lodgings, but not by much.
Why choose such a spot? Simple reason.
'I've got money to burn!'
Following Eric, Karen, and now Laila.
Selling off those three orphans had filled my wallet beyond sturdy—it was overflowing. This was why I couldn't quit the orphanage business. Felt so damn refreshing.
"Right, Laila?"
"Director? Why bring up Laila sis all of a sudden...?"
"...Nothing. My mistake."
Was it because we'd been stuck together for two years? It'd take time to get used to life without her.
But that'd pass soon enough. No doubt about it. Laila would thrive in the Beril Count Family.
Shaking off thoughts of Laila, I turned to Kyle, who was still fiddling with the desk.
"Kyle, what do you think?"
"Huh? Well, it does seem like real gold. But not pure—probably just gold-plated on the surface..."
"Not that. I mean the reason I came here."
"The reason?"
"Yeah."
Of course, I hadn't booked this place just because I was drowning in cash. One night's stay here cost as much as a month's orphanage operating budget. Insane.
Sure, with my current funds, I could crash here for over a year without batting an eye—but blowing my hard-earned money like that would be pointless, and it'd do zilch for my retirement plans.
So why had I picked this pricey inn? As Kyle realized it was a test, his expression shifted.
And true to his 3-Star Orphan status, he nailed it.
"Something related to what you're planning in the capital?"
"More precisely?"
"From what you told me on the way here... it's about establishing the orphanage—specifically, finding a site."
"Spot on. As expected from the leader of the back-alley orphans."
Leader of the back-alley orphans or not, in an environment free from pressure and responsibility, he was just a boy craving praise. Kyle beamed and grinned at my words.
But at the same time, he tilted his head, puzzled by his own answer.
"But what's the connection between land and a fancy place like this? You can't do things Luton-style right under His Majesty the Emperor's nose, but even to get permits, wouldn't somewhere less..."
"I've got someone to meet."
"Huh? You don't mean... you're here to see an acquaintance?"
"Strictly speaking, no."
"Well, yeah, since we've never met."
Kyle jolted at the sudden voice, and I whipped my head around. Unfamiliar voice, but I knew right away.
There stood an old gentleman with a finely groomed mustache.
"May I sit?"
"Of course."
The old man fetched a new chair and sat, his mana-infused monocle briefly appraising Kyle before he nodded.
"Your son? Quite the talent."
"Not exactly, but I'd like to treat him like one."
"Doesn't matter anyway. I just handle the job and go."
With a snap of his fingers, several hefty document binders dropped from thin air.
Each one was a meticulously prepared report.
"As per your top-priority request, I've selected land near the capital matching your specs. Take a look."
"Thank you. Information Guild lives up to the name—it's not even been a full day since I placed the request."
"You flashed a top-priority request voucher. Expected."
This old man and I were strangers. No names exchanged, no prior meetings.
But that was fine. Neither of us cared about the other. Probably would've been the same with anyone else from the guild.
That's the Information Guild for you.
'Still impeccable at their work.'
I'd used them often back in my adventurer days. Before tackling dungeons or quests, I'd stock up on intel from them first. Fun fact: I handled the intel sorting. Not because I lacked muscle, but because handing it off to the other party idiots yielded worse-than-useless crap.
Fast, accurate, detailed info? Great outfit. One glaring flaw, though: their fees were obscenely high.
Even as a top-tier party, a few requests would drain our funds dry. That's why I'd ignored them post-retirement.
'But things are different now.'
I'd come into money, and I had a top-priority request voucher—the kind reserved for the guild's VIP clients. It guaranteed top billing at any branch, anytime. Single-use, but no regrets.
If anything felt wasteful, it was their choice of this inn as the meetup spot. Kinda pissed me off thinking about it, but the listings were solid, so I'd let it slide.
'Connections pay off.'
"Connections" was a stretch, but good was good. Worth all the adventurer grind.
Real connections would be Hella or Ulfric... but they dredged up old memories, and aside from Ulfric, none were right in the head. No desire to meet them. Like not hitting up old coworkers or bosses after quitting or discharge.
Picking Luton for the orphanage startup was part of that. A rural nowhere town minimized random run-ins. At least I knew Hella was at the Mage Tower and Ulfric in northern Laden, but the rest were wild cards.
'The spirit summoner granny went back to her roots, that fisherman prick's probably stirring shit, the philosopher's location is unknowable. And the crazy bitch... best not think about her.'
Better for my sanity. Still, highest chance of random encounters was the capital. That's why I'd steered clear till now.
But now? Different story. Business-wise, mainly.
'Two years post-retirement—they've probably forgotten me. And expanding means coming to the capital anyway.'
Hence the top-priority voucher and fat payout for capital-adjacent land scouting. Relocating the orphanage? Wrong.
What any successful small business owner does.
Franchising.
'Time to open branch two and double the profits.'
Obviously, branch two couldn't go near branch one. Even if Luton's back alleys were an orphan goldmine, it was a supply issue? No, demand.
Demand in a small town like Luton was obvious and finite—a shrinking pie fight. Time to blaze new trails.
Could plop it in another rural blue ocean like Luton, but... for an orphanage franchise, why not aim bigger? That's why I'd stepped into the red ocean of the capital, thick with rival orphanages.
First rule of orphanage startups: land to build on.
Unlike Luton, the capital was packed wall-to-wall with buildings and facilities. Scouting on foot? Way slower than tapping the Information Guild.
"The owners of those lands or buildings are all in financial straits, as specified. Won't snag them below market value, though..."
"Capital land's rare enough as is—especially prime spots like what I want."
"True enough. Any other requests? I could squeeze you in cheap right now."
"None. Thanks for the stellar work."
"Good—hope to see you again."
No need to linger, apparently. The old man rose and vanished.
I handed the binders straight to Kyle.
"Kyle, wanna pick out some good spots?"
"Huh? Really? I don't know much about this stuff..."
"You've led kids in the back alleys, right? It's got details on surroundings, locations—not just the land itself. Give it a look."
"Oh, in that case, I can probably help."
Kyle: 3-Star Orphan with leadership talent. Future main server of the Orphan Network—orphanage kiosk and POS system rolled into one. That's why I'd brought him for the franchise expansion.
With Laila sold off, even after handover training, he'd need on-site experience. He'd have to fill her shoes from here on.
"........."
So, was Kyle temporary staff now? Not for sale, but for shop use—yeah, that fit.
But for some reason, slapping "temporary staff" on him felt off. Maybe because someone else kept calling herself that.
Better to go with a different title—
"By the way, Director, there's one issue."
"Issue? Speak freely."
"With just you and me... it'll be tough, right? We need more hands, don't we?"
Fair point. Early days with Laila and the 2-Stars were brutal. Up at dawn for meals, grinding late into the night.
And branch two would likely outscale branch one. Factoring that in, yeah—we'd need dedicated labor for operations.
Last time, luck pulled cooking, baking, mending, farming talents via gacha—handy for running the place. No guarantee this time.
"We'll need manpower."
"Definitely."
Well then.
"Shall we pick up some slaves on the way?"