SWNOVELXO Chapter 105
“The Felice Merchant Guild? That place has been around since I was just over ten years old. I heard they have branches in other kingdoms as well.”
“I followed the example of an acquaintance who ran a similar business, and it happened to succeed. It wasn’t an impressive company from the start,” Edward explained. The acquaintance he referred to was Diana rud Seperdel, the princess of Pendel.
Edward had long believed that for the stable life of the citizens, it was necessary to supply goods at reasonable prices, even if it meant incurring losses to establish branches in the small towns on the outskirts of the empire. However, he was too busy with other immediate duties to focus on this project. Moreover, there were no precedents of a crown prince running a Merchant Guild, nor any similar examples, making it a risky endeavor. If members of the imperial family engaged in commerce, there would undoubtedly be a line of opposers stretching beyond the palace walls. It was then that he discovered Diana rud Seperdel’s alternate identity, ‘Ena.’
“A fake identity. That’s a good idea. So, this is how one grows a Merchant Guild.”
Encountering similar cases made the next one easier. Using the taxes from numerous territories and the crown prince’s maintenance costs, which he couldn’t even spend, laundering funds to establish multiple branches was not difficult. Edward, following the princess’s example, created a fake identity, bought a small merchant guild, and set up branches across the country. That was the Felice Merchant Guild.
The Felice Merchant Guild standardized the prices of goods that were sold at different prices elsewhere and added one or two functions to existing items to make and sell high-end products. By selling daily necessities at reasonable prices, considering the overall situation of the empire, they curbed the monopoly and market prices in regions where daily necessities were abnormally expensive. They also maintained the guild with profits from selling original products that were differentiated from others.
After being deposed and having more time, he began to oversee the guild work in earnest. By launching a premium brand that sold the highest-quality products, they established themselves as a highly demanded guild in noble society, generating substantial profits. By mass-producing daily necessities independently, they further lowered costs and increased profit margins.
He rehired those who lost their jobs due to the Felice Merchant Guild. They also set up branches in other kingdoms, amassing profits to the extent that calling it a ‘well of money that never runs dry’ would be modest; it was more like the sea of the guild world, the big hand of the continent.
Robin looked back and forth between Edward and Hendrik with an incredulous expression. “Was I the only one in the order who didn’t know about this?”
“
Ha ha
! Seems so. We were wondering when you’d notice, but you never did!” Hendrik laughed heartily.
“No way. I even seriously told His Excellency that there might be a spy from the Felice Merchant Guild in our order because the items His Excellency asked for opinions kept getting released as new products by the Felice Merchant Guild.”
“It was quite amusing seeing you suspecting and worrying alone while His Excellency just laughed it off.”
“It feels like the world is conspiring against me. Am I being bullied within the order?”
When Robin asked with a dejected face, Hendrik comforted him. “Growing up in the temple, it’s understandable you’d be somewhat unaware of worldly affairs. You might lack some tact. We thought about telling you but kept quiet for the fun of seeing when you’d notice, so no, you’re not being bullied!”
“Unaware of worldly affairs and lacking tact? That’s a prejudice against those from the temple. I’m not that foolish.”
When Robin protested loudly, Luize asked with a puzzled face. “Robin, did you live in the temple?”
“Yes. I grew up there as a child.”
“I see. You seem to have a good personality, so you must have had many close priests or believers.”
“Not many. It was because I was a high priest.” Robin answered nonchalantly.
“I see, a high priest… I beg your pardon?”
“Before starting as a healer in the order, I was Michael, the First Apostle of God among the seven high priests and priestesses. Well, that’s all in the past.” Robin shrugged with an indifferent face.
Luize doubted her ears. “Is it that easy to quit being a high priest?”
“He couldn’t quit, so he ran away. Seven years ago, the empire was abuzz with the missing high priest. That was Robin.”
Edward explained, and Luize looked at Robin with a shocked face.
The one who had dropped the bombshell was only muttering to himself, “I’m not that clueless.”
* * *
Luize, having just finished her bath, dried her hair in her pajamas. Usually, by this time, her body would feel relaxed and drowsy, but her mind was busy with the astonishing stories she had heard during the day.
Edward was the head of the Felice Merchant Guild, the largest in the empire. Recalling details, everything started to make sense.
“This person has so much money he can’t spend it all, so please clear out the dress shop for me.”
“Miss Luize, today is our official first date. I don’t want to be a petty man who saves money on his lover.”
She had thought that Edward’s nonchalance in giving her many clothes was because he was the lord of Lindeman, the wealthiest territory in the north.
“What shocked me more was Robin’s past.”
Though Robin spoke casually about it, being a high priest was a position that received treatment almost equal to royalty. The seven high priests and priestess rarely left the temple, and one had to succeed in an audience request, often received on a first-come, first-served basis, to barely meet them. Seeing them once was a lifelong wish for many believers.
“Aren’t eyes supposed to turn golden with high divine power?”
“He was using a magical device to change his eye color, so you wouldn’t have known.”
“I see. That, Robin, can I ask why you quit?”
Robin, looking like he had much to say, began to speak.
“At the temple, you have to strive not to offend the elders, flatter the holy father, and appease wealthy believers. Yet, those with great divine power spend all their time training without using even a bit of it for showy official events. Isn’t that odd? Divine power is meant to save people.”
“Now that you mention it, I’ve heard that treatment with divine power is usually done by lower-ranking priests and priestesses, and even they are very few, so there’s a high demand for healers. You hardly hear of high priests or high priestesses healing people except during grand events.”
“Exactly! The most absurd part is that you’re forbidden to have relationships and forced to remain celibate for life, supposedly to preserve your divine power. It’s madness! I was born destined to be a lifelong celibate just because I was born with divine power, which I didn’t ask for!”
“…”
“God commands us to love. How can we, who serve closest to God, be forbidden to love?”
“That kind of love is different, isn’t it…?”
“It’s still love!”
When Robin fumed, Luize hastily nodded.
“You’re right. You’re absolutely right, Robin.”
“Betraying one’s instincts is like betraying the will of the God who created us. I will meet a lovely partner, fall in love, and build a happy family away from the temple. That’s why I ran away. I applied to the order as a healer, and I got in because basic healing skills are part of priest training.”
“But isn’t the temple still searching for you, thinking you’re missing? I’ve heard they’re still looking for you.”
“His Excellency created a new identity for me, so they can’t find me. As long as I don’t use my divine power, the temple has no way to find me. They’ll likely pick a new high priest soon enough.”
“I see…”
“By the way, since High Priestess Raphaela is here, I need to stay hidden. She’s sharp and has keen eyes, unlike most temple folk.”
“Didn’t you say earlier that it was a prejudice against temple folk?”
“…Ah.”
“See, I know some things too. Haha!”
Robin’s embarrassed sigh and Hendrik’s hearty laughter still echoed in her ears. Luize thought she now understood why Edward had advised her early in their mission not to be too shocked by the pasts of the order members. None of them had an ordinary past, from Hendrik to Avon to Robin.
“In this place, I seem to be the one with the most ordinary past.”
Having finished drying her hair, Luize put her hairbrush on the table and moved towards the window.