NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 290.1
Chapter 290.1. New Market
“Konoha-chan, you’re amazing! Mom is so proud of you. I can’t believe you made something this incredible!”
Konoha returned to the mansion and explained the future business plans of the Jester Knights to her mother. At first, her mother had smiled warmly, wondering what kind of canned goods they would make. But when the conversation turned to the magic heat-retaining tools, her expression turned serious, her eyes lit up, and she hugged Konoha with a beaming smile.
“Hmm, that really is impressive. Hey, the Jester Knights don’t have that many people, right? I’ll lend you some of my subordinates.”
Her older sister, who had been relaxing in the living room with them, made the suggestion with an impressed look. Recently, her sister had been busy as the successor to their mother, so it had been a while since Konoha had seen her.
Konoha had no intention of getting involved in the Heike family’s succession battle. As a branch family member, she planned to leisurely manage the Jester Knights. She wanted to keep things within her reach.
Of course, she knew it was unrealistic. In reality, her company would likely grow into a major corporation. Still, she believed she could choose to focus only on the work she wanted to do, rather than diversifying. Trying to do everything at once was simply impossible for her.
Flare, her older sister, had a personality that craved power and wealth, which kept her extremely busy lately.
“Today’s arranged meeting didn’t go well, did it, sister?”
“What can I do? Every time I bring up work, they only give me incompetent answers. If they had just given me a decent response, I might have considered them as a potential husband!”
Flare pouted slightly, showing a hint of frustration, but she didn’t seem too bothered. This was just how things usually went.
“Why don’t you just arrange meetings with management consultants?”
Lately, Flare had been busy with arranged meetings. She was looking for a capable partner, but her standards were terrifyingly high. The kind of man who met her standards was usually independent and self-reliant, not someone who would aim to marry into wealth.
So, the men who showed up at these meetings were usually mediocre at best, and most were just after her family’s fortune. Naturally, they didn’t meet Flare’s expectations.
Honestly, it would have been easier if they had just rejected her for her sharp looks and arrogant personality, but the men who aimed to marry into the Heike family didn’t care about that. The manga Konoha had read was a lie—reality was far more calculating.
“Anyway, forget about the meetings. But seriously, Serika Kamishiro is a genius. This business is going to bring in a lot of money. The Minamoto and Ashikaga families haven’t caught wind of it, have they?”
Flare was already calculating in her head, likely picking out people from the family who could help immediately. Her sharp, slightly stern features were deep in thought. She was undeniably beautiful, but her intense aura was hard to ignore.
“Flare-chan, it’s pointless. There’s no way Serika hasn’t already reached out to the other families. She has deep ties with the Minamoto family, and her husband is close to the Ashikaga family. If it weren’t for Konoha-chan, we might have been the ones left out.”
While hugging me, my mother patted my head, praising me like a good child. Though it was a bit embarrassing, I let her continue and spoke up.
“It’s true. If it weren’t for Rei, I’d be terrified. But luck was on our side, and I plan to make the most of this opportunity.”
“You’ve grown so much. Mom is so happy to see how much Konoha-chan has changed. You’re not the same timid girl you used to be.”
She must have been referring to the time before I met Rei, when I was powerless and spinning my wheels. Meeting Rei changed me completely.
Until recently, I had been going along with being the leader of the group, but now I was taking initiative. I wanted to hire people from the ruins and grow the company. I wanted to help those living in desperate conditions, far beyond just being “poor.”
“Hey, where’s Kiyo? Let’s get some people from his company too.”
“Kiyo-chan is on a date with Fuuka-chan. He’ll be back by tonight, I think. Hehe.”
“He’s teaming up with the Minamoto family to try and take me down. Fuuka isn’t an easy opponent, though. What a troublesome little brother.”
“You should at least say it’s a ‘date.’ Today’s meeting is supposed to be about setting up a company to break into the magical fiber market.”
Flare laughed it off, while my mother, with a knowing smile, seemed to be fully aware of my brother’s activities for the day. It was a scene that reminded me why I could never be the head of the Heike family.
My mother’s ability to gather information was impressive, but even she hadn’t known about Serika Kamishiro’s magic heat-retaining tools. This showed that Serika was no ordinary person. She had excellent counterintelligence measures in place. She must have a lot of talented people working for her.
“I thought the acquisition of the flour company was just preparation for making preserved foods, so I let my guard down. So, it’s not just Kamishiro Corporation making these magic heat-retaining tools, right?”
“Yes. We agreed to split the production. Monopolizing it would reduce competitiveness.”
My mother narrowed her eyes slightly and muttered, which was a bit scary. But when I told her the production would be split, she smiled cheerfully.
“That’s an excellent way of thinking, that girl. So, the Jester Clowns and Kamishiro Corporation will produce the magical tools together. I’ll secure the retail distribution channels for you.”
“The Minamoto family will likely think the same way. This is going to get busy! Just like the competition for dominance in home appliances, this is the start of a war for dominance in magical tools. The Ashikaga family is already ahead with their magical hemp.”
Flare praised Serika’s approach openly, then clapped her hands excitedly, her eyes sparkling. My mother was equally fired up.
“First, we need personnel, Mother. I want to recruit people from the abandoned town. We’ll also need to consider employee benefits.”
“We’ll have to start by securing land. We’ll need to consult the adventurer’s guild to find safe locations.”