Simone Christof’s Gamble
“Same as always, hmm... Truly headache-inducing...”
A pile of documents was stacked on the office’s desk. They were the reports of the Christof Company’s sales that month.
“At this rate, we won’t last...”
The Christof Company was once one of the finest businesses in the citadel city of Epirus. Now, though, that glory was a relic of the past. After the Mystel Company stole their position as the head of the trade union, Simone’s father was overcome by disease. Their business prospects had been on the decline ever since.
Rising to her feet with a heavy sigh, Simone approached the window. Her white fingers moved the flower-embroidered curtain away, and the sunlight streaming in illuminated her face.
It was another day, and nothing had changed. The days came and went, and all she could do was withstand them and cling to faint hope...
But today that changes. No... Today is the day I change this. I will finally turn things around.
So far, they’d held on thanks to the assets they’d accumulated and Simone’s business acumen, but those could only keep them afloat for so long. If something didn’t change soon, the company would only go further downhill.
After all, the man ruling over this city saw the Christof Company as an obstacle in his efforts to increase his authority. The more Simone struggled to survive, the wider and more vicious his sneer would become.
Right now, it looks like his main priority is to weaken us... And that’s only a matter of time.
He was already applying pressure to their clients so they’d go to other companies, and it was clear he would apply more extreme methods to crush them sooner or later. All to make a show of his power and authority to everyone else.
And there was only one way of stopping him — to going on the offensive and striking back. A safe method that would allow them to pull back simply wouldn’t do.
After all, they were up against the man who served as governor of the Citadel City of Epirus and controlled the northern regions of the Kingdom of Rhoadseria. If they were to win, they’d have to discard all notion of defense and throw everything they had into the attack. And they’d have to do it in a manner their opponent would never predict...
And only one person... Only one man can do that.
The one who had made the impressive achievement of suppressing the recent civil war. A commoner of unknown origins who had received the title of baron from the Kingdom of Rhoadseria.
“Ryoma Mikoshiba...”
The moment his name left Simone’s lips, she felt something cold slither down her spine. He was known as the Demon of Heraklion. And indeed, that young baron had done plenty to warrant such a moniker and the rumors that surrounded it.
But Ryoma Mikoshiba was the only one who might be able to break through this blockade at this point.
I know he’s a clever man... But it’s hard to say if he’ll be able to understand my proposal.
He had an intellect one wouldn’t expect out of a commoner. His plan, which made use of the rumors spread among the people, was especially impressive. But those had been matters of militaries and strategy. There was no way of knowing how knowledgeable he was when it came to internal affairs and economics.
And so, whether he would understand Simone’s proposal to build a port on the Wortenia peninsula was something of a gamble. Especially since it would require the daunting task of building it from the ground up in a land infested by monsters and dotted with pirate hideouts. And even if all went well, the port would only begin to make a profit years down the road.
Most people wouldn’t even consider it... But if that man is as bright as I think he is...
The moment she learned that Ryoma received lordship over Wortenia from the royal family, she used every connection the company had to look into his past. And based on that information, she came up with a hypothesis.
There was a gentle knock on the door, accompanied by a voice calling out to her.
“Miss Simone... Our guest approaches.”
The voice served to pull Simone out of her thoughts.
“Very well... I’ll be right over.” Simone answered and fixed her hair, using the window’s glass as a mirror.
All right... Everything will be fine.
She was about to enter negotiations that would decide the Christof Company’s future. She couldn’t afford to slip up now, no matter what. She looked through the window again, and regarded the figure of the man approaching with a slight nod of the head. Then she turned and made her way to the door.
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