Please Don't Go Bankrupt (2)
I remembered it now. Those were the exact words she’d said when we first met.
‘I said that because I didn’t want to get swept up in factional struggles. But what does that matter now?’
“Up until now, no one has ever invested in me as an individual named Rachel. They only threw money at the name of the Besmont ducal family. And the moment they learned I’d broken away from the family, every last one of them pulled out.”
She looked straight at me.
“But… you were the first person, Baron Goldman, to tell me with absolute certainty that I would succeed.”
Her voice trembled.
“Actually, the ducal house made an acquisition offer at dawn today. I turned it down.”
Rachel gave me a bright, overflowing smile.
“I want to repay your faith by growing this company to its full potential.”
“…….”
Are you fucking kidding me?
So the reason she hadn’t sold the company… was because of me?
Shit. What the hell do I do? I have to make her sell this company no matter what!
“Um, Miss CEO. I’ve been thinking… maybe selling the company right now could actually be a surprisingly excellent choice?”
“Pardon? Where is this coming from all of a sudden…?”
“Let me ask you one thing first. How much did the Besmont ducal house offer for the acquisition?”
“That’s confidential information, so…”
“You overturned an entire acquisition deal with just one word from me, but you can’t even tell me the amount?”
“Umm…”
When I openly showed how disappointed I was, Rachel hesitated. Then her lips parted.
“…They offered 100 million gold.”
“O-one hundred million?!”
One hundred million gold. That was even more inflated than the sale price in the original story!
‘Don’t tell me this is also… the aftershock of me pumping up the stock price?’
“You’re telling me you turned down an offer of 100 million gold?!”
“Given the current upward trend, I believe my company can grow to be worth far more than 100 million gold—”
“I’m not asking about your personal opinion. What about the employees who are actually grinding away down below?”
“…Pardon?”
Rachel’s brow twitched slightly. I seized the opening.
“Let’s say you sell the company for 100 million gold. Then there would be bonuses for the employees too, right?”
“O-of course. They’re precious colleagues who believed in me from the very bottom and followed me here.”
“Then even if you set aside about 20% of that 100 million for the employees, assuming there are roughly 100 people, each one would receive at least 100,000 gold. That’s a massive sum.”
I let out a long sigh and continued.
“Do you really think the employees would turn down money they could never earn in their lifetime just making equipment and doing paperwork, saying ‘We believe in the company’s growth potential, so we won’t take it’?”
“They might be tempted right now, but if they consider the long-term future, the employees would surely—”
“Exactly! So go back right now and call an all-hands meeting!”
I cut her off and pressed harder.
“Gather the employees and ask them directly. Tell them a minimum of 100,000 gold per person will be deposited into their accounts. Ask if they want to keep working at the company or take the 100,000 gold. You can decide on the sale after checking their opinions. It won’t be too late, right?”
“…….”
“And another thing. Why is Rachel Mining’s stock price skyrocketing right now? It’s because you have a solution that can shatter arcanium veins.”
“That’s true…”
“And the core technology is the special magic circle engraved on the rock drills. The magic formula is top secret, known only to you and the executive team, correct?”
She gave a small nod.
“Then do you think the Besmont ducal house, which just got rejected after trying to swallow your company, will simply sit back and do nothing?”
At my question, Rachel’s expression hardened.
“What you’re saying is…”
“They’ll use any means necessary to steal that magic formula. Whether it’s bribing the executives or threatening them!”
“…!”
“Do you have the confidence to protect the company and your employees against a ducal house?”
The reason I could say this with such certainty was because the Besmont ducal family’s dirty tactics had already been covered in the original story. Fail to acquire a promising startup? Then mobilize shadow forces to destroy the company or steal internal secrets by any means possible.
‘At least trying to lure them with money would be the classy way. They don’t hesitate to resort to kidnapping or threats.’
From a small company’s perspective, they can see it coming but can’t even file a single complaint against a ducal house. They’re too afraid of the repercussions. Behind the glory the ducal family enjoys lies exactly that kind of filth. Rachel, who grew up in that environment, would understand their nature better than anyone.
“…You seem quite knowledgeable, Baron Goldman. The Besmont ducal house is very particular about managing its reputation, so what you just described is usually dismissed as nothing more than conspiracy theory.”
“Hahaha, no… I just meant that, logically speaking, it’s possible. You know how rich and powerful people tend to throw their weight around. It happens everywhere, doesn’t it?”
Rachel seemed to weigh something for a moment before nodding.
“Thank you for your valuable insight. As you suggested, Baron Goldman, I think I should discuss this matter with the employees.”
Nice! She bought it! Even the female lead couldn’t help but feel uneasy. After all, her precious employees might get hurt.
She bowed her head with refined grace.
“Then I’ll take my leave, Baron Goldman. I truly appreciate your advice.”
“What advice? Just hurry back.”
The biggest help would be if you just live according to the original plot, please.
Rachel hurriedly left the trading floor. Only after her figure disappeared from view did I finally let out the breath I’d been holding.
“Haaaaaaa…”
I aged ten years in a single moment.
‘A thoughtless comment ended up twisting the entire plot…’
The butterfly effect sure packed a punch. From now on, I really need to avoid getting involved with the original story’s main characters.
‘Well, at least I managed to patch things up somehow.’
Once I shove Rachel Mining off onto the ducal house today, she probably won’t get bitten by them for a while. After all, Rachel Mining was built without any backing, so its defenses were bound to be weak. But once she makes her exit… Edward Selwyn’s contact should reach her soon.
‘Inventor-level talent. The judgment to abandon a company that’s growing explosively into the number one spot. The sense to dodge a major negative event that explodes the very next day.’
Edward will be impressed by that potential. Having missed her during the Hamilton visit last time and swallowed his regret, once he hears about her exit he won’t be able to contain his interest and will reach out no matter what.
If everything flows according to plan, her next business partner will be Selwyn Trading.
‘Edward will become her backer.’
His financial power and infrastructure go without saying. Even the Besmont ducal house has to yield to the Selwyn family when it comes to southern maritime trade. In the original story, there were no descriptions of the ducal house pulling any dirty tricks while she was in the south.
‘Anyway, work hard, Rachel. You need to become my reliable cash cow.’
After leaving the exchange, Rachel looked around. A passing taxi came to a stop at her gesture.
Screeech.
“Where to, miss?”
“Hound Street, number 13, please.”
In the back seat of the taxi, Rachel leaned against the window and fell into thought.
‘…Just who is Baron Goldman?’
The absurd claim that he’d invested three million gold because he believed in her potential was one thing, but every single word he’d spoken today had sent chills down her spine. He’d brought up the acquisition offer from the Besmont ducal house that had arrived at dawn. It was almost as if he could see through the dirty tricks the ducal family pulled behind the scenes.
She’d tried to dismiss it all as coincidence.
‘…Don’t tell me he can actually see the future?’
A small, wry laugh escaped her.
“No way.”
Future foresight was a miracle reserved for legendary archmages in fairy tales. And Allen Goldman hadn’t given off even the slightest trace of mana.
“Still… he really is a strange man.”
One thing was certain: she hadn’t sensed any malice from him. On the contrary, his advice had felt completely sincere. That was why she had decided to follow his suggestion.
Screeeech.
“We’ve arrived, miss.”
Rachel stepped out of the taxi and entered the rather shabby building.
Ding-a-ling.
The moment she opened the office door, every employee’s gaze snapped toward her.
“Oh! CEO! You’re back!”
“It’s still climbing today, right? Heh, I feel like I could pull all-nighters for days and still have energy!”
She swept her eyes over the staff. Fortunately, no one was out on business; everyone was at their desks.
“Everyone, stop what you’re doing and pay attention for a moment.”
“…?”
The office fell silent in an instant. The employees gathered around her in a circle.
“…At dawn today, we received an offer from the Besmont ducal house to acquire our company.”
“A-acquisition?”
“We’re doing so well that they want to swallow us before we get any bigger, huh.”
“Typical arrogant noble mentality.”
“Hey, watch your mouth! The CEO is from the Besmont family too, you know.”
“Ah…!”
The employee quickly clapped a hand over his own mouth. The staff didn’t know about the bad blood between Rachel and the Besmont ducal house. They simply assumed the duke’s daughter had gone independent to build her own business.
From Rachel’s perspective, it was better that the fact she was an illegitimate child didn’t become public knowledge. It could damage her credibility and reputation. Most of all, it might interfere with her revenge plot to crush the ducal house using her own ability and capital. Her pride would never allow her to rely on sympathy or gossip-driven media tactics.
“…In any case, the amount they offered for the acquisition is 100 million gold.”
The moment the number left her lips, the employees were stunned.
“O-one hundred million…?!”
“W-wait a second. Did I hear that right? The unit seems… a bit off?”
“C-CEO! S-so what did you do? D-did you accept it?!”
Facing the shocked employees, she spoke.
“That’s why I gathered you all here. I judged that this wasn’t something I should decide on my own. If we proceed with the sale and receive 100 million gold… I plan to share it with all of you who believed in me and followed me. Twenty percent of the total amount…”
Remembering the twenty percent Baron Goldman had pointed out, she shook her head with a faint smile.
“No. I will distribute forty percent, from the executive team down to every regular employee, according to their position.”