A Blueprint for Rebellion
The day after our business preparations began in earnest. Having finished my arrangements, I walked straight into the mansion. The servants stole glances at me, whispering and muttering under their breath. To sum up their gossip: a mere slave walking around with his head held high was the height of insolence.
I can hear you, you know.
But I was used to it by now, so I let it slide. Shrugging off the dirty looks and venomous whispers, I stopped in front of Franche’s door.
"Lady Franche, it's me."
—Come in.
When I pushed the door open, I found Franche with Helena. Judging by the way Helena was brushing her hair, Franche had just finished bathing.
"Wait just a moment."
"Yes, My Lady."
She seems quite used to Helena's pampering now, I thought. I remember when she used to find it uncomfortable and insist on doing everything herself. Her life was slowly but surely changing. My brief musings were cut short as Helena finished styling Franche's hair. Franche stood up and walked over to the table.
"Sit."
I took a seat opposite her, locking eyes with her. She stared back at me with her brilliant emerald eyes before speaking.
"It's time to draft the business proposal."
"Yes, I've prepared for that."
"So, how do we proceed?"
Franche slid a sheet of paper and a fountain pen across the table.
"Write it down here. I'll read it and decide."
"Understood. I'll make it as clear and legible as possible."
I picked up the pen and began sketching a mind map on the paper. I laid out the entire structure of the plan, from the initial hook to the development and the final conclusion, making it incredibly easy for anyone to grasp at a glance.
"Here it is."
Franche took the paper and scanned it. A soft hum escaped her lips, her curiosity piqued.
"You draft proposals remarkably well. The layout is highly intuitive. Where did you learn this?"
"Every member of the Barenberg royalty is taught this."
"Oh...?"
Naturally, it was a lie. Mind mapping was something they taught in elementary school back on Earth. I had simply spiced it up with some presentation techniques I'd picked up in college.
"Well, I certainly like the overall concept."
"I thought you would."
"I particularly like this part."
Franche pointed to the section labeled 'Winning over the Duke.'
"You want to sway my father by showing him a finished product before we launch the business in earnest, correct?"
"Exactly. That artisan is capable of crafting garments far superior to anyone else's."
"I'll have to see it to believe it... but well, most of your plans have worked out so far, so I'll trust you this time too."
I grinned and nodded.
"So, where do we begin?"
I pointed to one of the branches on the mind map—the starting phase.
"There is one thing I need you to do, My Lady."
"Something for me to do?"
"Yes. You need to pay a visit to the most famous boutique in the Empire."
"And why is that?"
"To blow up their factory."
Even now, that person would be locked away in their factory, churning out garments. 'The Unfortunate Genius of a Thousand Gold.' The quest in the game required raiding that factory to orchestrate a mass escape of the laborers, and that was exactly what we needed to do now.
Franche frowned. "What does visiting a boutique have to do with blowing up a factory?"
"We need to pinpoint the factory's exact location. I have a rough idea, but it's not precise enough."
After all, Cazar Uplain, whom I had firmly believed to be a man, had turned out to be a woman in this timeline. There was a high probability that the factory's location differed from my memories as well, especially since this quest wasn't supposed to trigger until the mid-to-late stages of the main scenario. Fortunately, there was no chance the quest's protagonist wouldn't be there. The factory itself had been built around them, after all.
Franche murmured, "I see what my role is."
She fell into thought for a moment, tapping her finger against the mind map before continuing.
"You want me to go to the boutique, place a custom order, and then ask to see the production process so I can secure an invitation to visit their factory, right?"
Oh, spot on. As expected of Franche. This was why raising her was so rewarding.
"Exactly. Once you gain entry, we'll learn its location and get a sense of its scale."
"But will we really get away with a stunt like that? It's the top boutique in the Empire, which means they have plenty of noble patrons backing them."
"You don't need to worry about that. With Cazar and me on the job, it'll be a breeze."
At the mention of Cazar, Franche's brow furrowed.
"That woman again?"
"Does she displease you?"
"It's not that... but the fact that she's a mage bothers me."
Was she worried I might use Cazar to undo my slave collar? What a needless anxiety.
"You're worried I might try to remove my collar, aren't you?"
"Yes. I paid a whopping five hundred million to bring you here, and you're the only ally I have. It would be quite troublesome if you vanished."
"You have absolutely nothing to worry about. If I had intended to run, I would have accepted the Saintess's offer long ago."
Franche nodded, murmuring, "I suppose that's true." Yet, she still looked somewhat displeased.
"Is there something about the plan you don't like?"
"No, it's not that..."
Then what is it? Just spit it out so I can address it. I waited for her to elaborate, but she simply shook her head.
"It's nothing. Forget I said anything."
What was that about? Talk about leaving someone hanging. The thing that infuriates people the most in this world is when someone stops talking mid-sentence, and the second is...
"Anyway, the plan begins with the boutique visit. Can you manage it?"
"Of course. I'm quite familiar with visiting boutiques."
Well, of course she was. There was no way a noble lady like Franche hadn't frequented high-end boutiques. Boutiques were the ultimate battlegrounds where noble ladies and young debutantes flocked to keep up with luxury and trends. To maintain even a semblance of her status in high society, Franche had no choice but to visit them.
"Then let's submit the proposal first."
"Right. I'll take this and go."
"Will you be alright on your own?"
"What do you take me for? I am more than capable of handling this by myself."
How could I not worry? The first time I saw her meet the Duke, she had dropped to her knees immediately...
"You mustn't kneel this time. You are presenting a legitimate business proposal as an equal."
Franche let out a soft chuckle.
"I know."
With that, she opened the door and stepped out. I just hoped nothing went wrong...
Franche stood before the Duke's office, clutching the business proposal Jin had drafted for her. Unlike before, her posture radiated a quiet confidence.
Whew.
I can do this. Jin's plans had never failed her. Steeling her resolve, Franche knocked on the heavy wooden door.
"Father. It is Franche."
—Enter.
Click. As she pushed the door open, she was greeted by an unexpected guest. Line Descartes. That pathetic excuse for a brother was always looking for ways to torment her. He would undoubtedly try to sabotage her business proposal...
"Well, well, look who it is. Franche? What business could you possibly have here?"
"..."
"Are you deaf? Answer me!"
Franche kept her chin high, refusing to even spare him a glance. In the past, she would have shrunk back, utterly speechless, but she was no longer that helpless girl.
"Ha! Ignoring me now, are we?"
With the Duke sitting right there, Line couldn't openly hurl abuse at her, much to his frustration.
"Franche," the Duke spoke, his voice heavy. "Have you brought the business proposal you spoke of?"
"Yes, Father. Since we are still in the planning stages, I do not have a finished product to show you just yet, but I can present the prototype before we enter the market."
Predictably, Line's face twisted in disgust at the mention of her starting a business.
"A business? You? You haven't been taught a single thing in your entire life!"
"I have studied," Franche countered smoothly. "I taught myself."
It was a blatant lie. Jin had taught her everything and directed her every move. But Franche wasn't foolish enough to let that slip.
"Self-taught? Don't make me laugh! Listen to me, Franche. Even I don't touch business lightly. Even Brother Eden is incredibly cautious when it comes to commerce. And you think you can run a business just because you read a few books on your own?"
Franche ignored Line's barking, keeping her focus entirely on the Duke. She would prove herself to Line later with results; there was no need to waste breath on him now.
The Duke spoke up. "Line. Franche asked for an opportunity to prove her capabilities. It is none of your concern."
Line's face crumpled. The Duke fixed him with a cold stare and continued, "Furthermore, Line. You have achieved nothing of note yourself, so on what grounds do you criticize her? You know very well that the House of Descartes is a meritocracy."
Line had no reply to that. He could only stare at the wall like a scolded puppy. It was only natural; unlike Eden, Line had no major achievements to his name. It wasn't that he was completely devoid of accomplishments, but they were laughably insignificant in comparison.
With Line silenced, the Duke turned his attention back to Franche's proposal, reviewing it slowly.
"Hmm..."
His eyebrows twitched slightly as he read. The overall concept, the meticulous breakdown of the phases, the development, and the conclusion—it was a flawlessly structured plan, far too polished to believe it was drafted by a complete novice.
"Franche. Did you truly draft this yourself?"
"Yes, Father. It is a business I have been planning for a long time."
Another lie, of course. But there was no way the Duke could know. He hummed thoughtfully, scrutinizing the details.
"An apparel business? That is no easy market. You have chosen a difficult path."
"I believe you will understand my choice once you see the final product, Father."
Tap. Tap. The Duke tapped his desk, lost in thought. He had harbored a sliver of expectation when his youngest daughter begged for a chance to prove herself, but to think she would bring him an apparel business with such a low chance of success.
Perhaps I expected too much.
The Duke spoke. "You must secure your own funding. You have the allowance provided by the estate, do you not? Start with that. Given the nature of the apparel industry, I cannot offer you a significant investment."
Franche bowed deeply. "Thank you, Father. That will be more than enough."
"Very well. I expect to see excellent results."
Click. Having secured the final approval, Franche opened the door and stepped out of the office. Behind her, Line burst out in a shout.
"Father! Why on earth did you approve her business?!"
"Watch your tone in my presence."
But Line pressed on, too agitated to care.
"You have never shown the slightest interest in Franche before! Why start now? I didn't understand when you granted her access to the family's funds, nor did I understand when she spent a fortune of five hundred million on a slave and only received a slap on the wrist with house arrest! What is the reason for all of this?!"
The Duke did not answer. He simply continued to glide his fountain pen across the parchment.
"Are you not going to answer me?"
"Your question is not worth answering. If you have time to fret over such trivial matters, spend it on raising your own worth instead."
Line let out a hollow laugh and grabbed the doorknob.
"Could it be... that looking at Franche, who resembles Mother so closely, makes you nostalgic for the past?"
"Line."
The Duke looked up, his eyes flashing with a murderous glint. It was not a gaze a father should ever direct at his son.
"Watch your tongue."
"..."
Line shook his head and stormed out. Slam! The door shut heavily behind him.
Anxiety and impatience tag-teamed my nerves, making my leg bounce restlessly. I was that worried about Franche. She didn't end up banging her head on the floor again, did she? Just as the worry was peaking, the door clicked open and Franche walked in.
"How did it go?"
"It went well, so you can stop worrying."
Whew. I let out a long sigh of relief. Glancing at her forehead, it seemed she hadn't resorted to any self-inflicted concussions this time.
Franche continued, "I'll have complete freedom of movement now, which means we can begin preparing for the business in earnest."
"That's a relief. I'm glad I won't have to keep jumping out of windows anymore."
"Indeed. That is the biggest relief of all."
Franche tapped her fingers on the table, her gaze locking onto mine.
"This apparel business... if it fails, I am truly finished. You understand that, right?"
"I do. It won't fail, so you have absolutely nothing to worry about."
"And," I added smoothly, "if by some miracle it does fail and they try to force you into a marriage, I'll just go and assassinate the groom. That should keep postponing the wedding indefinitely."
Franche's eyebrows knitted together as she shook her head.
"I beg of you, refrain from saying such terrifying things so casually. At any rate, now that we have the green light, let us begin."
I grinned. "Yes, My Lady."
With this, our business was officially underway. All that was left was to track down the unfortunate genius of a thousand gold.
This was the very first step of France Corporation.