Chapter 28
Chapter 28
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: The Hardworking Scoundrel - 1
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After wrapping up the social season, I returned to the Altesia mansion.
Princess Rosmel had left, saying she would handle Viscount Beld's matter herself.
She wasn't the heir, but her influence outstripped most nobles, so I could safely leave it to her.
I decided to focus on the plan I'd prepared so ambitiously.
"Luke."
"You called, Young Master!"
"You got all the items I told you to procure, right?"
"Of course, everything! And I spread the rumors about the elixir through the back-alley informants, just as you instructed!"
Luke had perfectly completed the homework I'd given him before departing for the social season.
I'd half-expected him to slack off, but my prediction was way off.
It was such an outstanding result that I couldn't even scold him for grinning smugly.
"Good work. Things are going to be nonstop busy for a while, so take today to rest up."
"Pardon? I can actually rest?"
"If you don't want to, I can give you more work."
"A day off granted by you, Young Master! I'll gladly take it!"
Luke bolted from the study without a backward glance.
I found myself envying him anew. I'd just returned from the social season with no time to rest myself.
Still, thinking of it as groundwork for my survival made my body move on its own.
"Oppa?"
Coco peeked her face around the door after Luke left.
I set down my pen for a moment and beckoned her closer.
Her ears perked up as she beamed and ran over to me.
"Did you stay out of trouble while I was gone?"
"Yeah! I went running every morning with those scary-looking uncles and had tons of fun!"
Running morning drills with the family knights, huh?
She seemed to have kept up her basic stamina training consistently.
And with her eating well on top of that, her once-gaunt frame had filled out nicely.
"No one gave you a hard time?"
"Nope! At first, everyone avoided me, but now they play with me and give me all sorts of yummy stuff!"
"That's a relief."
I'd worried they might discriminate against her for being a beastkin, but it was unfounded.
Coco must have charmed them with her usual innocent personality.
She was the kind of kid who was hard to hate, and it looked like she was getting all the affection she deserved.
Just seeing her hop up onto my lap made it obvious why they'd fallen for her.
"But I'm worried. I don't feel like I'm getting any stronger at all!"
"That's because you haven't been training."
"What's training? How do you do it?"
"There's someone else who can answer that for you."
I tapped the back of my hand three times with my middle finger, and Kizen popped out from my shadow.
Coco bristled all over at the sudden appearance.
She wedged herself between me and Kizen, baring her teeth and growling.
"Oppa, run! This old man's giving off a super dangerous smell!"
She seemed to see Kizen as an enemy.
Her loyal-dog-like attempt to protect me was oddly touching, though.
"No need to be on guard. He's on our side."
"He's on our side?"
Kizen extended his hand to the tilting Coco.
A candy sat atop his scar-covered palm.
Coco snatched it up without a care for the scars.
She held it tight and bowed neatly at the navel.
"Thank you!"
"What a cute little wolf pup."
"Coco's been special from the start."
She'd carried a bundle several times the weight of a rice sack all the way from the capital to Altesia on foot, after all.
Monstrous strength paired with a spirited personality.
If she grew like this, she'd make quite a name for herself in the empire someday.
"With that in mind, Kizen—I want you to make Coco strong."
"Young Master, do you know what it means to entrust her to me?"
"I'm saying raise her as an assassin."
Kizen twisted his lips, clearly reluctant.
It made sense. Coco's bright personality didn't suit an assassin.
She also lacked the cold judgment and fine dexterity required.
He probably figured raising her as a knight would be far better.
But I had my own reasons for wanting Coco as an assassin.
"Coco's sense of smell is special. Once she's caught a scent even once, she can track the target anywhere."
"I don't doubt your word, Young Master, but may I test it once?"
The moment I nodded, Kizen slipped back into the shadow.
Coco sniffed around, then snapped her head up.
Her gaze fixed on the shadow of the fireplace against the wall.
Kizen emerged from it, full of admiration.
"Truly remarkable talent. I see exactly why you want to raise her as an assassin."
"I know it's odd coming from someone begging a favor, but can you actually do it?"
"No problem. Just know her days will be harsh. She might not smile like that anymore."
"She said she wants to get strong herself, so no holding back. If she can't handle it, she'll just be a farmhand."
She'd be handy for fetching forgotten items here and there.
Still, I hoped she'd grow into a proper asset rather than a dog helping with early-onset dementia.
The more capable people under me, the safer my life would be.
"Understood. One last question. Why entrust her specifically to me?"
"You're the only one qualified."
I'd considered Lena.
But her assassination style didn't seem to fit Coco well.
'Reminds me of those stealth assassin games I used to play.'
It was a game where you controlled a bald hitman with a barcode on his head, assassinating targets in all sorts of ways.
The styles varied, perfectly mirroring Kizen and Lena depending on playstyle.
Kizen was the type who struck with his main weapon when no one was around.
Lena specialized in disguising deaths as accidents through elaborate schemes.
That required sharp wits and quick thinking, which seemed a bit much for Coco.
"Got it. I'll take responsibility and raise her into a fine assassin."
"Coco, this man's your master from now on."
"This old grandpa's gonna make me strong?"
"Yeah. If you wanna get strong, listen to Grandpa. Got it?"
"Yeah! Got it!"
Coco beamed and clung to Kizen.
I trusted his experience to guide her well, but I also hoped her innocence would soothe his wounded heart.
Fathers often end up doting on puppies they initially opposed, right?
That synergy was part of why I'd paired them up.
Hoping for a good outcome from their meeting, I picked up my pen to tackle the paperwork.
But the moment Kizen and Coco left, Maribel arrived at the study.
"Heinz, representatives from the Frontia Merchant Group are here. They want to discuss the elixir."
"They finally showed."
"And Lena sent over the intel you requested."
Earlier, I'd ordered Lena to eavesdrop on conversations inside carriages visiting Altesia.
Focusing on merchant groups not allied with us, of course.
It was a chance to build good ties with others too, so I hadn't shut them out completely.
But some might harbor ill intent, so this was just verification.
And right on cue, my suspicions proved true.
"Ha! Look at these bastards."
I checked the handwritten transcript of Lena's eavesdropping on the Frontia carriage.
⟨ Eavesdropped Transcript ⟩ [Sam, I still can't believe Altesia's wastrel is handling a potion that cured the princess's incurable disease.] [Still on that? I asked the imperial healers, and they didn't deny it, did they?] [They didn't confirm it either.] [If those prideful types don't deny it, that's basically confirmation. Stop doubting and figure out how to pry the miracle potion from the wastrel.] [If we analyze the ingredients and mass-produce a knockoff, Altesia won't let us off easy.] [It's fine. We've got plenty of nobles backing our merchant group! Even Altesia can't stand against a horde of them.] Not even worth reading further.
The elixir required flawless precision in every step of its ridiculously complex process.
Even I, who remembered the recipe, had failed for over two weeks before finally succeeding.
Thinking they could reverse-engineer it was laughable.
That was why I wasn't too worried about it spreading across the empire.
So selling to Frontia Merchant Group wouldn't be a big issue.
"These guys are too shameless. Can't do business with them."
I couldn't reward people scheming to scam me from the start.
They needed harsh punishment.
Time to show them exactly what happens when you covet what's not yours.
"Maribel, what are the Frontia Merchant Group's main products?"
"Pepper and silk, I hear."
"Which one do they have a monopoly on?"
"Silk, as far as I know."
"Tell the merchant groups allied with Altesia to prepare for the silk trade too."
Maribel hesitated at my order instead of answering right away.
After a moment's thought, she boldly voiced her conviction.
"Heinz? I get that you want to crush Frontia Merchant Group. But procuring the silk they're monopolizing—won't that cost a fortune?"
"No issue. I have zero intention of buying their silk."
"Pardon? Then how?"
"I'll source silk way better quality than theirs."
"From where?"
At Maribel's question, I tapped my temple.
My greatest asset wasn't overflowing wealth or insane luck with money.
Game knowledge—that was the source letting this wretched body survive.