# 36
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“The rights to a business that will make huge money?”
“Hmm...I wonder what makes it so massive.”
I saw greed burning in the eyes of the nobles when I spoke those words, and I knew they had fallen into a trap.
“For example, with the rights to Lyle’s silk cloth work, you can produce the brooch that is now very popular among noble ladies and make a fortune.”
It soon becomes clear that Lyle's silk causes sneezing, and he starts a boycott against it.
“The wood from the Oryz tree is also in great demand abroad, and it is a business that can bring in a lot of money.”
Oryx wood is a luxury material, but speculative foreign powers have pushed the price to its current peak.
“What about the rights to trade goat milk? Nothing softens the skin better than goat milk. I use cosmetics made from goat milk myf.”
After the revolution, when famine struck herds and milk prices rose, goat milk was subject to government price controls to stabilize daily life.
Its use in luxury products has also been banned.
So, all the business rights I mentioned will soon be as worthless as chicken bones – no profit, no benefit.
“Ha, to hold the rights to such valuable works and not be able to use them, I’m too busy with other work to pay attention to them, unfortunately.”
I heard one of the nobles respond cautiously to my boastful complaint.
“Ah, the Contina family runs the kennel wood business, and we have a really good distribution network, so we might as well run oyre wood...”
I looked at him.
I saw the reactions of the other nobles, so he coughed sheepishly and said—
“If you were to l the rights to the Oryx Wood Works to me, it wouldn’t be lost, it would be mutually beneficial, wouldn’t it?”
I heard a displeased cough echoing in the room.
If rivalry for land aroused jealousy, then of course no nobleman would stand idly by while he realized the latest profitable opportunity.
“If you're going to l, l it to me.”
“Marquis, I asked first.”
“Hmph, your family is limited to distributing wood only, we make furniture, the rights to the oryz business will be more beneficial to us.”
When another man tried to interrupt, I interrupted him while crossing my legs and talking.
“How ironic, those who were desperate to snatch the management rights of the Frozen Lands from me, are now ing me to share the business rights with them.”
The whispering among the nobles gradually subsided under my words.
They tried to eat my share, and now they are ing while they suffer.
If they had any sense of shame, they should have felt it by now.
“If I were to l, I would not go below 300,000 coins.”
The nobles were horrified to hear this.
These simple rights are usually sold for a maximum price of around 100,000 coins.
“But...that's too high.”
“Sure, we've treated you harshly, my princess, can't you give us some leniency..?”
“Please, my princess, I apologize, can you reconsider the rights of the ory wood?”
I put my hand on my chest and answered coldly.
“The price of business rights is calculated based on the amount redeemable in five years. All the rights I own can redeem 300,000 coins in five years.”
Of course, in reality, it looks promising now but will soon lose more than half its value.
“That's why I offered this price. Trying to lower it makes you no different from those who stabbed me in the back and divided the management rights of the Frozen Lands among themves.”
They don't know the future, so for them, all they see is the rights to expensive works being sold at their real value.
“Hmph.”
“Hmm.”
I gently shook my head and got up.
“I thought I would at least offer you the price out of pity, but if you want to play around and stall with a chance to get rich, I see no reason to be so generous.”
I pulled away and a slight smile appeared on my lips.
Their gazes trembled.
Soon someone shouted in an urgent voice.
"I'll buy it! The rights to Lyle's silk work!"
The man who raised his voice was the Marquis Regalo himf.
So were my ex-fiancé's father, who always belittles women with his sexist comments, and Filius Rigalo's father.
“l it to me, Katherine.”
She stopped slowly and turned to face the man.
His eyes were full of expectations.
I heard that the Regalo family estate has been in financial difficulty recently.
Every project he starts fails under his cursed “touch of inferiority.”
“How will you pay?”
He stepped back a little and raised his shoulders.
“Well, slowly over time.”
She spoke with a cold smile.
“Your style of speaking is very informal, isn't it?”
"Huh? What?"
“In general business transactions, this style suggests a lack of seriousness. Anyway, personally, we're done with it, right?”
His eyebrows rose at my words but he stood.
“Princess, please l the rights to the Lyle Silk Work to the Regalo family, I will write a performance guarantee and pay 300,000 coins within a month.”
“Then pay half the amount as a deposit now.”
“Ha, but I don’t have that much cash ready.”
I looked around at the nobles and announced.
“I will only sign contracts with those who pay at least half the amount as a deposit immediately.”
Marquis Regallo jumped up and stood in my way.
“I will pay. Even if I have to empty our entire property treasury, I will pay. The contract must be in my name.”
“Okay then.”
I gave him a bright smile.
Upon closing one deal, the nobles excitedly raised their hands.
“l me the rights to the oryz wood work.”
“I will pay 350,000 coins.”
“No, I will buy it for 400,000 coins.”
Seeing nobles losing their minds out of greed made me feel satisfied even without eating.
Meanwhile, Marquis Rigalo sighed with relief as he thought he had been lucky to win the rights to Lyle's silk before the auction for the orys escalated.
* * *
“150 million coins in a short period, unbelievable.”
Hirose admired as he arranged the piles of money and gold that filled the reception room.
Only deposits for eight business rights brought me 150 million coins.
Once the remaining payments arrive, the total will be 300 million coins – more than 30 billion KRW.
*Approximately 21,593.61 US dollars.*
Transfer contracts piled up on my desk.
“Don't put this money in the books.”
Hirose's hand stopped at my command.
“I insisted on cash transactions for a reason.”
Sales of business rights are subject to heavy taxes, but I suggested transactions in cash, saying it benefits both parties to avoid taxes.
Nobles who were desperate to pay taxes brought cash, and contracts wrote “free transfers” rather than stating cash amounts.
In other words, it was impossible to recover the money under any circumstances.
“Oh, I almost forgot.”
Then Hirose asked me,
“Are you going to use this money as sponsorship money again?”
"Yes."
The dirty money that the imperial nobles extorted from the people will now be used to finance the revolution that will punish them.
“There's not much time left. We have to hurry.”
The state of the revolutionary army:
- Military force: insufficient
– Equipment and supplies: insufficient
– Comfort level: 72%
– Funds: 150 coins
– Progress: 75%
In a short period, their money diminished while they advanced rapidly.
Obviously they work at a faster pace.
In the original story, Etheus had a lot of trouble overcoming every obstacle, but with my secret help, he easily overcomes adversity.
“Calmly leave 100,000 coins at each of the four pillars. Food can pass through the Sestina Poor House, but there must be places that need money. We will have to take some risks.”
". … my lady."
I heard Hirose calling me, I raised my head.
He spoke with a complicated look.
“Didn't you say that Prince Ethios is bound to your destiny, like an ancient magical bond?”
In the ages of ancient magic, the bond of fate would stop a heart if the other died.
“If there was a way to break it... would you do it?”
". …What do you mean?"
“Maybe if we use every method possible, we might find a solution.”
I thought for a moment and then opened my lips.
“I don't need it, Hirose.”
“…but, ma’am.”
“What about the order you gave last time – investigate the head of the Prospectors Guild?”
She coldly changed the subject, ignoring his worried expression.
However, my heart was beating faintly, knock-knock.
“No, not yet.”
Hirose's eyes were echoing with unspoken feelings.