Bright yellow lights dazzled around me as I entered the campus of the latest addition in Glorenstein. The first of its kind union of carriages.

With Jackie, the leader and president of the Union leading me himself, the attention naturally shifted toward me. 

And naturally, I waved at everyone. If people were around in a city where I had been living for more than one day, chances are they were my friends. 

I picked up a glass of champagne and started making my way around. Alongside Jackie, I first went to the merchants and investors in businesses that were waiting for him.

“Ah, Mr. Frondier!” Jackie smiled and introduced me. “This is Professor Ethan, he is our chief advisor.”

“Of course I know Ethan! He is nasty at chess!”

“Really?” Another person stepped into the conversation. “Then we have to play someday. Rune from the Renya Trading Guild.”

“Renya Guild?” It was my turn to talk. “Ah, the ones that brought a revolution with affordable perfumes.”

“Same ones!”

I scanned the place and talked to every merchant one by one. This was a good chance to make them all invest in the business and help it grow. 

“The expansion of the business is definitely a tricky situation. In Glorenstein, everyone has registered with the Union, but how do you expect to dominate a carriage market all over the Empire? Paying the salaries for every single person can’t be a profit for you.”

“Haha, you seem to have missed the mark, sir.” 

One investor particularly strong in armament around the area talked to me, and instead someone else began explaining.

“This is a genius model. It’s a union, not a company.”

“So…? You mean to say everyone will be forced to join anyway? This worked because Mr. Jackie here got a lot of fame as a hero and was well connected with the other drivers.”

Right. It was me who was well connected with the other drivers. After all, ever since the first incident at Jeremy’s party, I had been paying the carriage drivers in some way to keep moving information for me.

Even though I did not receive a lot of information through them; I had used them well. That was, in a way, a trial run for this plan.

“I still don’t understand, what is the business here?”

“To put it simply, it is credibility in exchange for money.” Mr. Rune continued explaining the business model to the arms dealer and I listened while entertaining some other guests.

“How many times have you rejected a carriage because you couldn’t trust the driver? Many times people also prefer only someone they know. Everyday is like a job hunt for carriage drivers. That’s why, for a small commission fee, they get jobs and credibility through the Union.”

“I see… a commission fee. That means people would still be paying the carriage driver and a cut will go to the union.”

“All you need is a small office in every city. One or two staffers would be enough. Unlike our trading where we have to manage the logistics of getting everything to a shop and then manage the funds from there, all this business needs is people.”

“Their ‘goods’ are already in every place in the form of carriage drivers. Indeed, that is a good model. I still don’t see it working well though… I mean, how much profit can you make from carriage drivers alone? And why would they join you in the first place when you people simply hail carriage drivers on the streets?”

The criticism was good. Unfortunately, the business model’s working had already been proven before. In the modern world. Through UBER.

I hid a blush as I left the space. I had always wanted to try the transmigration-standard of ripping off modern knowledge to make a profit.

This was just one of those events.

***

The opening party was proceeding smoothly. I stepped to the back of the room as Jackie and eventually even Jeremy took to the stage.

It was hilarious to see how a foolish prince was helping with this new company’s promotion so much. This would help make just enough of a buzz.

Of course, this wasn’t without usefulness for Jeremy. He was from the Zirka Kingdom, one of the few places that could compete with the Empire head-on. He was making a presence amongst the Empire’s citizens.

For royalty of a different country this was no different than influencing political opinion. Of course, the loyalty towards one’s country wouldn’t change. But with Jeremy’s presence growing strong in the Empire, the entire Zirka Kingdom would become a powerful figure in the Empire.

If the Empire criticized or started enmity with the kingdom, the public would be dissatisfied. When I first came to this world, I used to think that the public wouldn’t matter in a monarchy—But no country could last when its citizens were unhappy. 

A kingdom is never its territory but its people. 

Just like Jeremy, every person here had their own agenda. From the merchants to the reporters, everyone looked for their personal profit. Even Professor Jim, Barnum and Richard at the front were likely checking if they could invest and make bank.

Everyone was in some way looking for this business to succeed. Except some.

My eyes narrowed as I noticed Gladwin along with two other civil servants stepping away from the crowds. He met my gaze and offered me a small nod as he left.

Gladwin was a civil servant. One in the most dreaded Ministry of Internal Affairs. Anything that could be a problem to the Empire was a place that needed his eye.

He seemed to have judged the small start-up a waste of time and stepped out. If not for me, I doubt he would have even entered this place.

At least, that meant there was no reason for them to look at this business anymore.

“Cheers to this new beginning!”

“Cheeers!”

As the speech came to an end and another was about to start, I slowly killed my presence and stepped away from the building too. 

I reached the back entrance. The door led to a storage room at the back of the shop. Dozens of old crates and boxes had lined up the place.

I pushed one stack of boxes to the side, and a small entrance leading underground revealed itself.

The door had been cleaned up a fair bit. This building that used to house Mrs. Frock’s boutique was also, after all, being used as a place for her experiments.

I pulled the door open and went underground. The stairs led to a wide, bright room lit with white lights. Inside, three familiar faces were waiting for me.

One man holding a giant battle-axe that was dwarfed by his figure—Anthony, A woman with slick black hair, half of which was styled in a bun and the other half she let drape over her back—Rena Fixon, and lastly their leader, Shirley.

“You sure took your time,” said Shirley. 

I waved my hand and walked over to a seat at the back, plopping down on it.

The Glorenstein Carriage Union was nothing else but a front for me.

A front to finally start changing this damned world.

Cerealissoup

Happy New Year!