Akatsuki Translations

“It’s not as easy to imitate Vinder’s honey business as it is with French toast. We also take care to keep information confidential. However, the larger the business becomes, the more likely it is for information to leak out. We need to prepare before a merchant larger than Vinder sets their sights on our method of making honey. That’s where the discussion of Archduchess Berthold comes in. There are two advantages to Her Grace’s investment.” -Ricardo

Alfina’s expression turned serious again.

“…One is the money itself that Auntie is investing, right?” -Alfina

“Yes.” -Ricardo

“What’s the other one?” -Alfina

“The credibility generated by the fact that the archduchess is investing. If we become a merchant company with a high-ranking noble’s investment, Vinder will be able to procure funds at a lower interest rate, meaning we won’t lose in the debt competition.” -Ricardo

“I think I understand. Um, I’m a little relieved. Auntie’s proposal is a good thing for you and Ricardo-kun. I was wondering if you were being pushed around by Auntie’s selfishness.” -Alfina

No, we’re being pushed around plenty, I wanted to say but held back.

“…May I ask you something?” -Alfina

Alfina opened her mouth hesitantly.

“Go ahead.” -Ricardo

“The conversation just now was very easy to understand. By converting everything into money, various things can be understood as a single flow. But, um, is money everything?” -Alfina

“What do you think, Alfina-sama?” -Ricardo

Answering a question with a question is against the rules. However, it’s a necessary step when the other person can’t clearly articulate their own question. I waited patiently for Alfina’s answer.

“…I don’t think it’s everything.” -Alfina

“You’re right. It’s a given that money isn’t everything. For example, you can’t eat without money, but you can’t eat money. When a sword is pointed at you, even if you offer money, you might just lose both your life and your money. Even if you hire a bodyguard with money, money won’t judge whether that person is trustworthy.” -Ricardo

If there were an almighty power, it would be the ability to see through people’s capabilities and credibility, in other words, the ability to see through people. Needless to say, it’s much harder to acquire than obtaining money.

It’s like having access to a status menu, a true cheat often seen in web novels. So I’ll put that aside for now.

“The issue in this case is whether money comes first or not within the limited scope of business. Business is about making money with money. So, is the purpose of business to obtain money?” -Ricardo

I asked again. Alfina stared intently at the empty plate in front of her. I waited for her answer. Of course, there’s no answer to this kind of question and answer. Now, what kind of answer will she give?

“I don’t think so. I was happy eating French toast. I was grateful to Ricardo-kun for making such a delicious thing. I think that wouldn’t have changed even if I had paid money .” -Alfina

Alfina said with pure eyes. Damn it, this girl is truly unwavering. As an answer, it’s against the rules. If someone said this to you with a straight face, you wouldn’t be able to stand it.

“…In a sense, that’s the correct answer. Money is a means, not an end. The raison d’être of business itself is to maintain a situation where customers can eat French toast. You could also say that money is a necessary means for that purpose.” -Ricardo

I spoke, hiding my agitation. It’s a teaching of the management scholar Peter Drucker[1]. It is hard to believe he is really a Westerner. He’s on par with a Zen monk.

“Business is conducted between people. So it’s natural for things other than money to be exchanged. Money mediates that. In other words, even if the purpose of business is hypothetically money, the purpose of business existing in this world is not money.” -Ricardo

“Yes, I understand well.” -Alfina

Alfina, who had been waiting for my answer with a tense expression, relaxed her face.

“However, among those ambiguous things, there’s also my desire to make a lot of money and be overjoyed.” -Ricardo

“Senpai, like a second-rate schemer, says one word too many. It could have ended on a good note if you had kept quiet.” -Mia

“I wasn’t trying to have a good talk from the beginning. Money is important.” -Ricardo

Money isn’t everything. However, money gives us a clear guideline. It’s true that there are things that can’t be bought with money, but that means they’re more valuable than money. In other words, generally speaking, they’re not something that can be obtained by people who can’t even make money. Therefore, I dare to add:

“Money is a means. But Alfina-sama, don’t be deceived by the obvious truth that money isn’t everything. Money-grubbers like me often use that kind of truth as a weapon.” -Ricardo

Ignoring Mia’s exasperated face, I continued.

“Being deceived by what’s right. …I understand. I’ll be careful.” -Alfina

Alfina nodded with a serious expression. But for some reason, she immediately looked at me with a smile.

“But I don’t think that’s the case with you, Ricardo-kun. Because when you were watching Mia eat French toast, you looked really happy.” -Alfina

“That’s not true at all. Senpai’s face while watching Alfina-sama eat French toast was not something I could bear to look at.” -Ricardo

The two girls started saying outrageous things. I wish they would stop creating a strange atmosphere when I’m trying to be serious. A sweet atmosphere. …No, I might be getting sweet too.

“I was able to understand Ricardo-kun a little more today. But what is the reason, the purpose, for Ricardo-kun to think this far?” -Alfina

Just as I was battling a Gestaltzerfall[2] of puns, a difficult question came my way. Being asked something like, “What is your dream?” by a beautiful girl is incredibly embarrassing.

To begin with, what I’m envisioning is an outlandish, difficult, and grand goal. In other words, if others hear it, it will only sound like a tall tale.

To give flexibility to this world’s rigid market system. To add stability through freedom to this country that is too biased towards stability through order.

Specifically, to create a general trading company in this world. However, creating a huge organization that could be called the essence of modern Japanese capitalism is extremely difficult in this world. In a simulation I conducted in my head, there was a conclusion that it would be easier to create a country.

In the first place, it’s a timescale where a single person spends their entire life just to create a single merchant company. If I were to truly create what I aim for, there would be an absolute lack of not only capital but also time.

So, what should I do? I have a concept that I’ve been thinking about for ten years, which has somehow reduced the difficulty to the level of creating a single city. It uses the concept of buying and selling not goods or services, but the merchant companies themselves.

However, to explain that, I first need them to understand the concept of stocks.

“Was I not supposed to ask that?” -Alfina

Alfina looks apologetic. No, that’s not the case. It’s going according to plan… I was planning to explain risk next.

“No, it’s just that to answer that question, I need to explain another aspect of money first. It’s about risk. Um, that is…” -Ricardo

I should start with the concept of expected value. Just as I was trying to think of an example, the sound of a carriage stopping was heard outside.

It seems the melodrama took longer than I thought.

It’s a real carriage, not a pumpkin-made one with an expiration date. The apprentice servant returns to the castle as a princess. It’s like a reverse Cinderella.

“Well then, we’ll continue tomorrow…” -Ricardo

“To Senpai’s great disappointment, Alfina-sama is taking a day off tomorrow. By the way, Senpai and I also need to go to the academy. We’ve been summoned by the director. It looks like there will be some time before the next lecture.” -Mia

“Oh right, that damn old man.” -Ricardo

We’re being forced to go to school during summer vacation because the director wants to talk to us about measuring the mana veins. He probably just wants to show off the new laboratory. I’m interested, but I wish he had chosen a time when we had more leeway.

“Well, you and Ricardo-kun are also going to the academy. I’ve been called by Hilda-sama, a fourth-year student, about the upcoming Consort’s Festival. It would be nice if we could meet at the academy.” -Alfina

Alfina put her palms together in front of her chest and smiled.

“That’s a coincidence.” -Ricardo

I should be extra careful with my words tomorrow. If I accidentally call her Fina at the academy, it would cause a big problem.

TL Note(s)

[1] “Peter Ferdinand Drucker was an Austrian American management consultant, educator, and author, whose writings contributed to the philosophical and practical foundations of modern management theory.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Drucker

[2] “Gestaltzerfall is a type of visual agnosia and is a psychological phenomenon where delays in recognition are observed when a complex shape is stared at for a while as the shape seems to decompose into its constituting parts.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gestaltzerfall