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“Drinking and causing a scene anywhere you go. If you want, I can try that too.”
At the soft whisper by my ear, I ended up blurting out what I truly felt without thinking.
“Are you crazy?! Try coming into the bedroom after drinking—I’ll kick you out immediately.”
He let out a low chuckle.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Don’t just brush it off—listen properly. You have to take care of yourself while you’re young, or you’ll turn into a scruffy old man in no time.”
“Got it. I’ll take good care of myself.”
Watching Shubel skillfully steal Elysia’s attention, Tyronz let out a hollow laugh.
‘I was just going to tease him a little…’
Shubel, who had been listening to Elysia’s nagging as if he enjoyed it, lifted his head.
Their eyes met briefly.
‘…So he’s not just some brat.’
There was no arrogance or confidence in his gaze.
It was simply indifferent—like he was looking at passing dust. His eyes brushed past Tyronz and settled back on Elysia.
As if everything that could stimulate him existed only there.
“Ah, right. Lord Alvio.”
“Calling me like that—it must be business. Are you finally going to tell me why you called me all the way here, Lord Seton?”
“Of course. I told you, didn’t I? There would be ‘profit.’”
A merchant never moves without profit.
Even if there was some personal connection with Tyronz, that alone wasn’t enough to summon the head of Alvio all the way to the North.
At least, not in the golden world I belonged to.
‘That’s probably why he couldn’t even contact my uncle when my parents passed away.’
Because he, too, was part of this world.
I hid my thoughts as memories of the past surfaced.
I wasn’t disappointed in Tyronz.
I had simply realized once again where we stood.
So I would act according to those rules as well.
As long as I was bound by this golden thread, the fact that he came to the North without even hearing the conditions was already enough goodwill.
“Got a lot of unsold stock, don’t you?”
“Hm, I’m not sure what stock you’re referring to.”
“Don’t play dumb. Hecail wheat—it’s a headache for you, isn’t it?”
There was only one difference between Hesen wheat and Hecail wheat.
Storage.
Hecail wheat was far more sensitive to temperature and humidity compared to Hesen wheat.
The South was a granary. In a region overflowing with wheat, a C-grade variety that wasn’t particularly tasty and had worse storage ability had no chance of selling.
And—
“Hesen wheat and Hecail wheat are both basically staple food for commoners.”
Poor storage was a fatal flaw for staple food.
“No matter how cheap it is, it won’t sell in the South. And the East is a port—half of it would rot during transport due to humidity, so it’s not profitable.”
“What about the Central and Western regions?”
“The Central, where they say even bread sprinkled with gold sells? Or the West, where culinary culture is so advanced that they don’t even touch plain wheat bread?”
I scoffed.
“You really think those people would eat staple-grade food? Sure, some might—but not in the quantities you want.”
I looked straight at him, eyes gleaming.
“Only the North can do it. The only place that can turn your dead stock into a great deal.”
When I first planned the ‘Northern Revival Project’ and researched food, I came to one conclusion.
‘Does it really have to be Hesen wheat?’
The North’s natural environment could offset the only weakness of Hecail wheat.
That meant there was no need to insist on expensive Hesen wheat.
“Hm, as expected, the head of Seton understands product background far better than some idiot.”
“Cut the flattery. How much can you lower the price?”
“Lower it? Hecail wheat is already one-third the price of Hesen wheat.”
“Are you joking? This is for the entire North. Buying ten should be much cheaper than buying one. Thirty percent.”
“You’re asking too much. Fifteen.”
“Did you drink something weird, old man? Twenty-five.”
“Okay, okay. Twenty percent. That’s my limit.”
“Then add 30 kilograms of A-grade every month.”
“…Planning to strip me dry, huh. Deal.”
“Deal.”
Just like that, a supply route for the entire North was established in an instant.
“Make the contracts based on the number of people here.”
“I recognize them as minor merchants from the North. You’re not planning to sign everything under Seton but distribute it? Twelve is a bit much, isn’t it?”
“For the entire North, it’s actually few. I carefully selected elites.”
The merchants who had been silently listening were shocked.
They thought they were being invited to take a small share from Elbanon—but instead, the entire supply chain was being replaced.
‘I never lied.’
I did say they would get a good deal.
It just wasn’t with Elbanon—but with Alvio.
“Th-then… does Seton guarantee these contracts?”
One merchant bravely asked. I appreciated his courage and answered plainly.
“No.”
“Pardon…?”
“You’ll handle the contracts yourselves. Of course, you’ll also bear full responsibility. If you fail to deliver on time, Lunein will replace you immediately.”
I wasn’t raising children.
If I helped them with everything, they’d never stand on their own.
I had already given them enough.
“Weren’t you thinking of taking at least a small share from Elbanon when you accepted my invitation?”
“……!”
“Work with that mindset. Compete fiercely, cooperate when needed, and increase your share.”
The merchants’ eyes changed.
Now they finally looked ready to work.
Seeing that the great tree called Lunein was ready to rise again, I smiled softly.
“You look exhausted, Risha.”
After sending the merchants away, only the three of us remained in the empty hall.
“It’s nothing special.”
“You’re not overworking yourself? Come to the South if you need rest. You’re always welcome.”
“No thanks. I’m not a child who runs away when things get hard. See you at the union meeting.”
“All you think about is work. Cold-hearted.”
Tyronz grumbled.
I was thinking, ‘When will this old man grow up?’ as I watched him, when he suddenly spoke.
“I didn’t expect Seton to join hands with Lunein.”
I looked up at him.
“Seton even rejected the imperial family. Are you moving your base to the North?”
“What are you talking about? Seton’s headquarters is still in the capital.”
“I didn’t mean it literally. Among the four major merchant groups, Seton is the only one that hasn’t allied with a noble house.”
He was right.
To grow to that scale, a merchant group usually had to align with power.
That’s why Alvio couldn’t directly trade with Lunein—it was already under the protection of the southern ducal house, Nestia.
‘…And that’s also why Seton nearly collapsed.’
Remaining neutral had made it prey for everyone else.
In that sense, Lunein was definitely unusual.
They didn’t plant their people in the company, nor did they demand relocation of headquarters.
I narrowed my eyes and looked at that person.
Shubel blinked innocently and smiled.
“What is it, my lady?”
‘Too naive for his own good.’
Clicking my tongue inwardly, I replied,
“It’s nothing.”
Between Bella and Shubel, the entire family was far too trusting.
They were bound to get scammed at this rate.
For now, I decided I’d have to protect them.
“No matter what choices my parents made, it’s my responsibility now. I’ll take responsibility for my own decisions.”
Tyronz blinked slowly, then chuckled.
“That’s so like you.”
He removed his worn hat and held it to his chest.
A breeze blew from afar. Around this time, the South would be busy with wheat farming.
Once, I had thought of him as family—but now I knew that in the face of profit, we were strangers who could part ways.
Tyronz recited a prayer, like the priests offering it to the goddess during harvest.
“May the three goddesses of fate guide your journey safely.”
Time, once passed, never returns.
The past—when a young girl ran through golden wheat fields, and a young man smiled watching her—was already gone.
Whoosh—
I could almost hear the sound of wheat swaying in the wind.
I opened my eyes.
“May your journey be as eternal as gold.”
