The Villainess Builds a Department Store - Chapter 31

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Villainess Establishes a Department Store

Chapter 31

It was undoubtedly the latter.

If rumors spread that you could buy Eastern fans for eighty francs at Nantes Market when they cost a hundred francs elsewhere, and that you could see and choose them yourself, it was only natural that people would flock there.

“However, I still find it difficult to agree with Miss Adele’s suggestion to build shops for them. Why should we be responsible for the fact that they’ve been doing business without even a proper roof due to their lack of ability?”

Ah, there it was.

The claim that you’re poor and struggling because you’re lazy and lack ability.

But was that really true?

Born to parents who struggled to make ends meet day by day, barely growing up without catching a single epidemic, but never learning education or even how to write their own name, working twenty hours a day to feed their family—such people existed right here in the alley behind the bank building.

Were those people really living such difficult lives because they were lazy and lacked ability?

It wasn’t as if they wanted to live like that their entire lives.

If they had at least had a proper home, if their families hadn’t fallen ill, if they could have shared the work they had to do alone.

They could have used that extra time to at least learn how to write their names.

“If we just leave them alone, they’re nothing but a nuisance to Nantes, but if we provide them with shops, they’ll become part of Nantes’ proud landscape and reliable workers who sustain the port.”

“Hmm…”

Sustaining the port meant that Reeves Bank’s coffers would also become more abundant.

Yet Mr. Rivers still looked unconvinced.

Mother also maintained only an awkward smile, as if she had no idea what I was talking about.

I knew it couldn’t be helped since that was the era and people’s perception, but my modern conscience and common sense kept nagging at me.

“Interest… Interest…”

Perhaps it wasn’t entirely futile, as Mr. Rivers fell into deep thought, tapping his finger against his teacup handle.

Soon, the look in his eyes when he gazed at me again was different from before. Was it just my imagination?

“I’m not saying we should blindly give shops to all street vendors. I’m suggesting we conduct strict evaluations and only give opportunities to those who qualify.”

“By what criteria? What if people come with bribes, smelling money? What if merchants demand special treatment based on regional, blood, or school connections? What if nobles make demands in earnest? People like me, commoners… well, I wonder how long we could hold out.”

I opened my eyes as wide as possible and blinked.

“Oh my. I thought all the merchants who are friendly with Father were gentlemen, but they’re not? Mother told me not to be friends with bad people, so Mr. Rivers, you shouldn’t do business with such people either!”

Regional, blood, and school connections. Just hearing the names made it seem like I should immediately concede something—they were like the three sacred treasures.

But I wasn’t the one who had to make concessions, was I? And I wasn’t the one who would be responsible for the consequences either.

“Besides, establishing evaluation criteria is something adults should worry about. What would a child like me know about loan evaluation standards?”

Well then, the adults would have to handle the rest themselves. Why not?

When I blinked coyly and pursed my lips, the adults let out bewildered chuckles.

* * *

That evening, Damien Reeves skipped even his meal and fell into deep contemplation in his study.

Before his eyes lay a document that had recently arrived in the name of the Royal Family.

The current King of Loire, Henri d’Aumont de Cordoue, could not be called a tyrant, but neither was he a sage king.

Even such a king had his sole weakness and shame, as well as his own painful concern.

It was his mistress, Violette Diane de Satin, Viscountess.

Henri d’Aumont de Cordoue’s legitimate wife was Victorica Marian Albion, a princess of Albion. However, his love belonged entirely to Violette.

After Queen Victorica’s death, Violette, the king’s concubine who had even received the official title of Maîtresse-en-titre, was no different from a queen in Loire where the queen’s position remained vacant.

Not only did she receive diplomatic envoys and involve herself in politics, but her child was even recognized as the king’s heir.

However, her place in history would only be as a mistress, not as a legitimate wife.

It was precisely this point that made Violette anxious, and she pestered the king with her impatience.

It was natural for anyone to want to do anything for their beloved. The king too was a man and her lover before he was a king.

He needed to achieve something—anything—a great achievement that would more than cover such minor flaws.

The method the king came up with was an urban development project.

In this era of upheaval where unheard-of things like trains and gas lamps appeared every other day, it was absurd that the streets of Loire, especially the capital Cité Lutétia, remained unchanged, old, and dirty.

But no one was unaware of the true intention behind this.

‘If this project succeeds under that woman’s leadership, no one will oppose her becoming queen.’

Even Albion, the former queen’s homeland, would have no choice but to keep quiet then.

Conversely, if it failed?

She would go down in history as a tyrant and villainess who bankrupted the nation.

Though it hadn’t been announced on a large scale yet, the business plan would soon be delivered to various sectors.

The eldest daughter of the Charmeuze Viscountcy had painted the future of Nantes without hesitation, as if she knew about this business plan in advance.

Not with the simple and romantic imagination of a child, but with specific and realistic deductions as her paint.

At first, he had intended to listen half-heartedly, planning to show kindness in responding to a child’s absurd words to gain favor with the Viscountess.

But at some point, when he came to his senses, he found himself listening to her story as if enchanted.

Not taking out a pen from his front pocket to take notes was his last pride as an adult and foolish stubbornness.

But if such a moment came again, would he be able to refrain from taking notes then too?

Damien couldn’t be certain.

‘If things really turn out as Adelaide said…’

He loved this port where he was born and raised.

Just as his childhood friends had each become fishermen who caught Eastern porcelain instead of fish, he too wanted to handle not only Loire’s currency but various foreign currencies.

If he could, he wanted to develop Nantes into the largest port not just in Loire, but in the world.

And now the opportunity had come right before him.

Moreover, the money going in would come from someone else’s wallet, not his own.

Investing with other people’s money was always the most enjoyable kind.

Damien Reeves gladly placed Adelaide’s advice on the betting table.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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