CH 290

“Mitsuha-sama, an inspection has been conducted at Enova Chamber of Commerce!” (Larushia)

“They’re finally there……” (Mitsuha)

Yeah, I thought it was about time.

“Not from the Royal Army, but an inspector from the Royal Court. Normally, private stores are rarely inspected by the royal court unless there is some irregularity in their dealings with the country.

And it seems he was accompanied by the top brass of the Commerce Guild.

Normally, the Commerce Guild would be vehemently opposed to public authorities meddling with the merchants……

No, well, the owner of the Enova Chamber of Commerce, which is being inspected, is a major figure in the Commerce Guild himself, and if things go badly, the guild itself could come under fire.

In some cases, the Commerce Guild itself and its member stores may be inspected one after another, so I think they are trying to prevent the fire from spreading by hitting the Enova Chamber of Commerce with everything they have so that somehow the Enova Chamber of Commerce would end alone.” (Larushia)

“Ah, Destructive Firefighting……” (Mitsuha)

It’s a method of preventing the spreading of fire and extinguishing it by destroying, crushing, and removing the surrounding structures in the event of a fire.

Destructive firefighting or destructive fire prevention, as it is called.

Perhaps it was the same this time, they were trying to prevent the fire from spreading to the surrounding area by crushing and extinguishing the source of the fire, which was called the Enova Chamber of Commerce.

……So, the Commerce Guild has abandoned the Enova Chamber of Commerce.

Well, I guess it can’t be helped.

Rumors were spreading throughout the Royal Capital and throughout the country that the Enova Trading Company had been involved in heinous crimes.

And those in power, who had been backing or even defending the Enova Chamber of Commerce would provide their opposing faction with an opportune offensive, and in the wrong hands, it would not only deal a major blow but a fatal one.

No one would be foolish enough to take such a risk for the sake of a mere commoner merchant.

They could also just choose an alternative merchant to do business with.

Yeah, that’s how it was with friends who were bound only by money and interests, not by faith and friendship.

“The merchant owner probably never thought he would be so easily cut off. After all, he had been bribing and enticing them for years……

But that’s because the other person simply benefits from it.

If he no longer benefits them or is no longer useful, he is bound to be cut off immediately.

And of course, they’ll put someone more useful to them in his place.

The nobles, fellow merchants, and even his own men who looked up to him. He thought they adored him……

He may have once been a tiger or a wolf, but now he’s a pig or a dog that had fallen into the water…… There’s no one on his side anymore……” (Mitsuha)

Yes, you could tell if you have a true friend when you were in a difficult situation, not when you were still under their wings.

……Well, even if there were true friends, they would not be able to help if so much wrongdoing was exposed, evidence found, all those who were supposed to protect him turned against him, and the victims who have been crying themselves to sleep were now suing and testifying.

If they side with the Enova Chamber of Commerce now, and if they do poorly, or even if they don’t, they will be destroyed by collateral damage.

Everyone cares about themselves, their families, and their stores.

“How are his friends doing?” (Mitsuha)

“Yes, they are not as villainous as the Enova Chamber of Commerce, but they are somewhat similar. It’s more like a scoundrel’s loincloth, or a small-time villain……

They didn’t seem to be directly involved in violent crimes, only to the extent that they could be treated as accomplices. They were usually involved in fraud, threats, and acts of violence using small-fry thugs……” (Larushia)

Since Larushia was only helping her parents’ store before she became the owner of her own store, she didn’t know much about the behind-the-scenes details, but now she seems to be reasonably well-informed, having learned from experienced employees and bought information with money.

“I think the inspection will probably be conducted like a hot potato based on the documents confiscated at the Enova Chamber of Commerce and the results of the interrogation.

……So, at best, hefty fines and reparations, at worst, the owner of the Enova Chamber of Commerce will be forced to retire and let his children, or honest senior employees will take over, or the country will take control of the business…… or the business would simply go out of business.” (Larushia)

“Gone!” (Mitsuha) (「キビシー！」)

No, I shouted that unintentionally, but considering how many people’s lives they’ve messed with, destroyed, and trampled on, I guess that’s too light a punishment……

Ah, no, even if the punishment from His Majesty the King was light, if that much bad publicity spreads throughout the country, customers will leave and there will be too much scrutiny to do anything illegal……

A medium-sized merchant association that earned its money and prestige through illegal activities and helped set up a group of unscrupulous merchants, only to have its rags-to-riches business shut down. It has a bad reputation and obligation to pay reparations.

Ah, so it’s better to change the head, change the name of the establishment, and start over.

If we were to simply shut it down, it would be a problem for employees and business partners who had been working diligently regardless of the illegal activities.

As a country, it’s not worth a sentence simply because it will reduce its tax revenues.

……Well, they don’t want to destroy the merchants as much as possible……

“So, that’s fine for the merchants, but what should we do about the higher-ups……?” (Mitsuha)

“Eh?” (Larushia)

Larushia had her eyes peeled at my mutter.

“Uh-huh, the higher-ups. N, no way……” (Larushia)

“Yes, the aristocrats who used the Enova Chamber of Commerce as their go-to merchant establishment. The backers of the Enova Chamber of Commerce.” (Mitsuha)

`Da,dadada……’

Yeah, some kind of diacute? (ダイアキュート)

“No, you can’t do that!

You can’t touch the nobility, that’s enough!!” (Larushia)

Oh, is that how it is?

=====

Since then, Larushia had been pleading with me.

Perhaps the raid on the Larushia trade was the sole decision of the Enova Chamber of Commerce, which aimed to monopolize the products of Viscount Yamano’s territory and was not specifically directed from above……

At best, it may have been an innocent request, something along the lines of, “Deliver a sufficient quantity of Yamano products.”

Larushia seems to think that the high nobility would not think twice about a small start-up merchant store that deals only a little in goods from other countries. She simply ordered her merchants to “deliver the goods in sufficient quantities”, and that was the end of it.

The Enova Chamber of Commerce, however, was probably just trying to “monopolize and make a big profit” unauthorizedly.

Indeed, it’s no wonder that they think they can make a lot of money if they can monopolize our products.

Alcohol, delicacies, and above all, the rare cosmetics that were allowed to be sold to the public, which I am compelled to buy, no matter what the price, because the wives and daughters were obsessed with buying them.

If they monopolize these, they will not only have the position of a merchant with a queue of many senior nobles on their doorstep but even the position of an official merchant of the royal court. It’s not just a dream, but almost a certainty. Great profits, status, and prestige would be easy.

……Theoretically, yes.

Well, I would not allow outrageous prices and I would not wholesale goods to a trading company that would attack the Larushia Trade. It was an unfeasible ambition from the beginning……

Anyway, that’s why, according to Larushia, ”it’s better not to mess with the nobility”…….

Well, as for me, I don’t want to go out of my way to make more enemies or pick a fight with this country.

Besides, it’s not convenient for people to think that our “International Network of Women Business Owners”, was an organization that was hostile to noble families.

I guess I’ll have to agree with her here…….

Yes, that’s it. “I think we’ve had enough for today!” That’s what it means, yes.

Of course, I’ll keep it under control, just in case. Larushia Trade and Larushia herself will not be harmed by the remnants of the Enova Chamber of Commerce, their relatives, those employed by them, or any other aristocratic or merchant.

I think it will be effective. When I went around to thank the nobles for their support, I could say to them, “If anything happens to Larushia or Larushia Trade and its employees, we cannot do business with such a scary country anymore, and we’ll withdraw from this country, also notify the merchant members in the neighboring countries not to do business with merchants from this country”.

At that time, incidentally, it would be even more effective if I said, “Please make sure to tell the merchants with whom you do business as well”.

Well, many merchants may come and go, but there was no replacement for “Larushia Trade” and Larushia. No one can choose which one to cut off when something goes wrong, no one else can be the owner of her trading establishment.

Oh right, let’s make sure that the compensation would be paid enough to the family of the deceased security…

=====

Author’s Note:

After a long wait, the sixth volume of “I’ll Save 80,000 Gold Coins in Another World to Prepare for Old Age” has been published! (^^)/

The publication schedule on Amazon is on July 2, but the imprint of the sample is June 30.

……It will be published around that time! (^^ ゞ

Starting with volume 6, the cover, color frontispiece, and illustrations were done by Keisuke Motoe-sensei, who is also in charge of the comicalization.

Yoroshiku onegaiitashimasu. (^^)/