Chapter 138
Astana couldn’t keep his mouth shut as he entered the Devon family’s business briefing room.
"Wow..."
It was as if he had come to a different world.
Maybe it was because of the atmosphere and the bustling crowds that are completely different from the other banquets.
Or maybe it was because of the alcohol he drank heavily while running to the Lombardy territory.
"After all, my mother was wrong."
She said it was a boring banquet, she didn’t know anything.
Even though he arrived late on purpose, the banquet hall was full of people.
And it was clear that the business was cruising successfully whatever it was that everyone was excited about.
Someone tapped him on the shoulder.
It was Astana’s fault for standing in the middle of a busy space in a daze.
"Hey!"
Astana called someone who looked like an ordinary aristocrat, but he looked at Astana up and down and went inside the venue.
"Damn it. This kind of thing happens because I wear cheap clothes."
No one recognized Astana as a Prince because he wore shabby clothes to escape the Palace without anyone knowing.
"Huh."
Since he didn’t have anything to prove his identity, so he couldn’t scare him.
Astana moved his slightly staggered steps further inside the venue because of his drunkenness.
"Where can I apply for delivery?"
"How many of these can I buy?"
People’s voices were heard loudly from all over the place.
"Hey, there!"
Astana, who was giggling and watching the inside of the banquet hall, grabbed a servant who was passing by with a glass of champagne on a tray.
"Oh!"
Clang.
Thanks to him, some glasses of champagne fell to the floor and shattered, but Astana didn’t care what he had done.
He glanced at the embarrassed employee and sipped a glass of champagne in his hand and continued to look around.
Soon after, Astana settled in front of a wall not too far from the entrance.
It was because he was so drunk that he couldn’t walk anymore.
"That’s great."
However, Astana’s expression was quite different from before.
His face, which was just amazed and nice, was now filled with discomfort.
"Florentia Lombardy..."
The project and event were definitely led by Gallahan Lombardy’s daughter.
"She has been extraordinary since she was a child."
It was Florentia, who had a lot of strange things going on starting from the day Astana threw his hat.
So when he was young, he used to grit his teeth when he heard the name ’Florentia’.
But it changed as he got older.
When everyone was crawling in front of Astana and trying to look good, Florentia Lombardy was not.1
That was both bothersome and strangely annoying.
"Such a cheeky girl."
From a distance, he could see Florentia Lombardy.
There was no sign of nervousness at all while she was hosting the event that attracted so many people.
"I’m having bad luck."
Until now, he couldn’t understand his mother who hated Lombardy.
At this moment, Astana seemed to know her mind.
"Lombardy..."
Astana’s reddened eyes from drunkenness captured Florentia and the splendid banquet hall.
Then, Astana caught the eye of a woman looking at the artworks of the Lombardy Scholarship Foundation.
"Larane Lombardy?"
Apparently Belsach’s sister, Larane.
Thin, weak, timid, and scaredy-cat.
Another Lombardy lineage, opposite from Florentia.
It was when Astana, with a fishy smile, stumbled and tried to approach Larane.
A sturdy hand clasped Astana’s forearm.
"You seem to be drunk a lot, but let’s go out."
It was a security guard hired to proceed with the event.
"Let go of me."
Astana tried to shake the hand as hard as he could, but it wasn’t easy with him already drunk.
"Where do you think you are, drunk and violent? I don’t know which family you’re from, but you shouldn’t do this in Lombardy. Don’t regret sobering up, get out."
"Who do you think I am..."
Astana stopped talking.
There’s nothing to prove of him as a Prince.
He could have called in an Angenas aristocrat who lives nearby to confirm it, but he doesn’t know what kind of scolding the Empress would give.
"...huh."
Eventually, Astana shook off the security guard’s hand and walked out of the venue on his own.
But Astana’s constant gaze continued to turn to one place.
* * *
I walked back out to the briefing room with Nosier.
"I’m sorry I took your precious time."
Nosier continued to be ill at ease.
I know that the Monak top is Perez’s, but Nosier doesn’t know if I knew that far.
"It’s okay. Don’t mention it."
I’ve been wondering who put Violet in trouble at the Triva Tree auction.
Nosier was far too frank for a merchant with a long career.
He seemed to have no idea how to act or hide his innermost feelings.
I found out through Bate that he was betrayed by someone he trusted.
Despite such experience, Nosier still seemed to have faith in people.
It may be said that he is foolish, but he is quick to turn his head and cares about his credibility as a merchant.
Besides, he’s got a lot of experience, so if he learns little business skills next to Clerivan, he’ll be back on his feet soon.
"It wouldn’t have been easy to try this innovative approach. Were you afraid of failing?"
Nosier asked me with a serious face.
"There was more anticipation than fear. It’s the same now. The delivery business is designed to be a successful business."
"I can’t believe you’re made it to be successful..."
"For example, something like this."
I quietly approached a nobleman who was being explained by a nearby Lombardy delivery staff.
Noisier followed in my footsteps.
"Are you saying that the items in this booklet can only be bought by delivery?"
"Yes, the customer. You can also try free delivery for just a month from today."
"Oh, for free?"
"Yes, it’s a great opportunity to experience our Lombardy delivery service."
"What happens when the free trial period is over?"
"Every time you use the delivery service, you can pay a set price based on the weight and distance of the item, and you can buy an annual pass."
"Annual pass...?"
When the man showed signs of hesitation, the employee quickly added.
"If you buy an annual pass today, you’ll get more than three months of free."
"Three months?"
I don’t know who he is, but he’s really good at explaining and guiding well.
I glanced at the employee’s name tag and looked at Nosier.
"Now I understand a little bit."
Nosier poked his head.
And said.
"Delivery was possible because of the Lombardy family."
He’s sharp as expected.
I can see a little bit about what aspect of Nosier that Perez decided to keep him around.
Nosier was right.
Delivery was possible because it was Lombardy, and it is a business that does not fail because it is Lombardy.
Capital power, infrastructure, and support from other subsidiaries located in various fields have already made it possible.
I’ve already cooked well what the Lombardy family has done.
So how can I not love Lombardy.
At that time, I could see the back of a person who was just leaving the banquet hall.
It was recognizable at a glance.
It was my grandfather.
Without telling me, I felt he was on his way out after a quiet tour of the business briefings with the owners of other vassal families.
I didn’t have to worry about my grandfather like the start of my first business.
"Hahaha!"
It was because the unique laughter of my grandfather when he was in a good mood was heard even to me standing far away.
* * *
The next morning.
The delivery business briefing ended in great success.
"Congratulations, Lady Florentia!"
Clerivan said with a big smile.
"Applications for parcel delivery are flooding in, and Pellet Corporation’s sales are going up as well! The same goes for Lombardy Top and the Scholarship Foundation!"
The reaction was explosive enough for Clerivan, who rarely gets carried away, to talk so enthusiastically.
"The local land briefing session next week is also very important, so please take good care of me. There can be a bigger hand in the delivery business than the aristocrats in the center."
Clerivan nodded as if he agreed with me.
"The free trial period for the next month will determine the final success. As soon as the delivery company receives the order, the Pellet Corporation will prepare the product without any disruptions. Let’s keep up the good work."
"Yes, Lady Florentia. The staff of Lombardy Transportation is doing such a good job that you can relax a little bit."
"Everyone has accumulated a lot from being ignored. I think I’m trying to get over it this time."
It tooks time for the new manpower to get used to the work.
However, Lombardy Transportation’s staff have been able to handle the existing work and delivery work.
"I have to raise their salaries."
Good job performance is not maintained only by loyalty.
"What is the internal reaction of the Lombardy family?"
Clerivan asked me carefully.
"There’s no response yet. I’m sure everyone’s going to watch. How the delivery company gets settled and how much money they start making."
And by then, they’ll be shocked and turned upside down.
"It’s rare for a business to generate as much profit as a distribution business once it’s established."
The only part Lombardy spends new money in preparing for this delivery business is only the cost of purchasing additional wagons and filling the people.
"And by the time my reputation is going up, I’ll be announcing my next business again. Then little by little, but steadily. Perhaps in the gathering of the vassal’s families. My name will start to come up once or twice."
Just imagining it makes me laugh.
"I don’t think it’s bad for Lady Florentia as the next Lord successor."
Sooner or later, Shananet will announce her intention to step down from the race for the successor.
Lombardy’s young vassals are in despair already, but it is already obvious whether they will look for, Viese or me, who have proven their abilities by successively succeeding in business.2
"I hope that day comes soon."
Clerivan also smiled as he faced me.
Rumble.
Then I heard a thunderstorm.
Craashh.
I also heard a lot of rain pouring down as if the sky had been pierced.
"That’s a tremendous rain."
Clerivan said as he looked up at the black dark clouded sky.
"Although it’s a time when the short rainy season passes before the fall. What a downpour."
People in the central part of the Empire don’t know yet, but it’s already been raining heavily in the north for days.
The time has come for it to happen.
"Did the letter I sent arrive safely to Violet?"
"Yes, I checked what I received the day before yesterday."
If so, that’s a relief.
"Are you all right?"
Clerivan looked at my complexion and asked.
"It’s okay, I’m fine."
I’ve done everything I can to prepare for that.
But I couldn’t take my eyes off the window where the heavy raindrops hit it.
* * *
"I need a drink."
Astana, who could not overcome the tension in front of the door connected from the waiting room to the conference room, gestured to the servant.
Eventually, after drinking a strong drink, Astana was able to calm down.
As if to prove that today’s agenda is an important issue, many nobles were present, three times as many as at the last meeting.
"If I knew it would be like this..."
He should have studied more instead of going to the briefing session yesterday.
Astana has regretted it so much, but it was too late.
"It’s like this because my uncle puts too much pressure!"
Astana threw a fit of tantrums at Duigi, who was around.
"...Calm down."
Duigi, who is familiar with this situation, said in a calm voice.
But Astana, who couldn’t hear it, was now trying to bite his nails.
Then the opposite door of the waiting room opened and Perez came in.
Stomp stomp.
There was no impatience or tension in his walking with long legs stretched out.
And like Astana, he stood at the door leading to the conference room.
"That’s pathetic."
It was Perez’s snapping remark at Astana.
"What is it?"
Astana started at Perez with a barrage.
Then, of all things, the door to the conference room opened and Perez stepped right away.
"Darn it."
Astana began to move, but it was already late and was not enough to catch up because he was much shorter than Perez.
Eventually, Astana entered the conference room where the nobles were sitting densely in the shape of following Perez.
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