Chapter 83

1/2

When I returned to the office and reception room, Mimosa was there with a pale face. ...I really feel terrible for making her so scared.

"…Misha, I'm really sorry."

I called her by her fake name from the city. After all, even if it's just the two of us, it's better to be cautious.

"Alice, I was really worried. Truly… I can understand how the guards felt. It's as if I don't have enough hearts to spare…"

Mimosa sighed. She was so uncomfortable that her body seemed to shrink. I couldn't agree, and of course, I couldn't argue… I could only give a wry smile.

"…Well, I'm glad you're safe."

That day, we ultimately disbanded. We didn't feel like continuing our tour of the city.

The next day, I felt unusually fatigued and, as usual, sat at my desk to work.

Of course, there were piles of documents in front of me. After finishing a few approvals and taking a break, I called Tanya, who was standing by.

"…Tanya"

"Yes?"

"I want to know what happened to the merchant guilds that Ed-sama has influence over."

"About yesterday? I anticipated you would ask, so I've already had them investigated."

Tanya said this and handed me the documents. As expected of Tanya.

I flipped through the documents to read the contents.

…Due to the commotion over my excommunication, the number of customers had dwindled. This was true for the Azuta Merchant Guild, which I had established, and for all the stores in the Armenian Duchy.

Ed-sama's actions at that time dealt a significant blow to me, both as the head of the merchant guild and as the acting lord of the duchy.

The evidence of this is that I am now suffering from the aftermath.

To be honest, I didn't have the time to think about it during the commotion… but I can't deny that the Pope and Ed-sama's faction really got to me.

It was fortunate that the commotion was resolved early… but the loss of customers alone was a significant blow, and the Azuta Merchant Guild lost key personnel who were the core of the store.

Just thinking about what would have happened if it hadn't been resolved yet… sends shivers down my spine.

"…It was really fortunate that Dean connected us with Priest Raphsimons of the church at that critical moment. Otherwise, the Azuta Merchant Guild would have been dissolved or acquired. …No, worse, the merchant guilds based in the Armenian Duchy would have collapsed."

I said this, and Tanya nodded. Indeed, the early resolution was largely due to the cooperation of Priest Raphsimons.

"…It's pointless to dwell on hypotheticals, but if it weren't for Priest Raphsimons' cooperation, the inquisition would have lacked a decisive blow. You wouldn't have been able to act, knowing that. Considering this, it's likely that the Armenian Duchy's industry would have eventually collapsed."

For the Armenian Duchy, which had been focusing on expanding its economic power, this would have been a significant blow.

If that had actually happened… the heads of the merchant guilds might have abandoned me. In fact, it would have been reasonable.

Most merchant guilds don't have to base their headquarters here.

In other words, Ed-sama tried to bring down the Armenian Duchy not through military force but through economic power.

…However, hypotheticals are just hypotheticals.

In reality, we overcame the inquisition, and the Azuta Merchant Guild had a hit with a new product. Now, other merchant guilds are gradually regaining their customers.

"…Ed-sama's merchant guilds are in a tight spot, aren't they?"

That's the current situation.

Ed-sama's influenced merchant guilds don't have the same momentum as during the commotion.

The price settings are almost the same, and the quality is the same. Perhaps because Ed-sama only poached the people involved in manufacturing, our customer service is better.

…Thanks to this, most of the customers who left us due to the commotion have returned.

Moreover, their management was quite sloppy to begin with, and now that the number of customers has decreased, this has become apparent, and they are struggling to put out fires.

"Yes. Because of this, their treatment of employees has become negligent, further demoralizing the already disheartened staff. From the terms of their employment contracts and the current state of work, it seems that the Azuta Merchant Guild is better. They are also reportedly laying off employees due to the worsening business conditions. Danme from yesterday was one of them."

"…They're quite quick to discard people, aren't they?"

"Are you feeling sympathetic?"

"Of course not. But… it seems wasteful to fire people they poached from the Azuta Merchant Guild so easily. That's what I thought."

It's inevitable to lay off employees when business conditions worsen. While I don't want to do it personally, as a business owner, it's a last resort that I keep in mind, so I have no right or intention to criticize.

However, the fact that the information obtained from the people poached from the Azuta Merchant Guild helped the other merchant guilds thrive is undeniable.

To ignore their contributions and fire them so easily seems quite bold.

"Once people build economic power or social status, it's hard to let go. Conversely, the people poached from the Azuta Merchant Guild had higher salaries when they were hired, and they complained a lot about their treatment after the business conditions worsened. …In summary, they were fired."

Even at the time of the excommunication commotion, apart from the uncertainty about the future of the business due to my excommunication, the employment conditions at the Azuta Merchant Guild were better.

Once you get used to it, it makes sense that the employment conditions would be a higher hurdle.

"Is there a possibility that the laid-off employees will come to the Azuta Merchant Guild?"

"It's not impossible."

"…Right. To prevent something like yesterday from happening again, please strengthen the security."

"Understood."