[Current Balance: £3,047,873 18s. 6d.]
---
Light shined through the curtains, waking Alaric from his sleep.
It had been three days since he had brought the Kenway family down to the underground warehouse beneath the mansion.
Since then, the family, including Caroline, had busied themselves with counting and organizing the vast inventory of goods they were responsible for.
Yawning, Alaric reached for his gold pocket watch that was on the bedside table. The polished cover glinted as he flipped it open. 'It's eight...'
With a sigh, he sat up in bed and stretched, his muscles still slightly stiff. Pushing aside the covers, he lowered himself to the floor and began his morning push-ups, counting his reps.
Finished with his workout, he formed a single hand sign. 'Suiton: Full Bathing Jutsu.'
Water rushed over him in an instant, scrubbing away the sweat and fatigue. His skin felt cool and his hair felt light and fresh.
'I will always be thankful I bought this jutsu...'
He stood for a moment, savoring the cool sensation before making his way to his wardrobe.
As he opened the doors, identical outfits could be seen. White polo shirts with ruffles, black pants, and the same pair of boots he'd owned for years. He grabbed one set and began to dress.
'I should head toward the City Center one of these days... I need a new pair of boots,' he mused while fastening his shirt buttons.
Pausing by the mirror near his wardrobe, Alaric inspected his reflection. His skin was flawless, smooth like porcelain.
'Thankfully, I don't need to apply the Beauty Mask to have skin this clear,' he thought smugly before shaking his head with a quiet chuckle.
Leaving his room, Alaric walked along the second-floor railing as he glanced down toward the front door.
The door swung open, revealing Linette and Bernard walking hastily inside.
Bernard's eyes locked onto Alaric. "'Laric, come, lend us a hand!"
Alaric's brow raised slightly, but the reason became clear when he spotted the documents in their hands.
'Heh... business is finally starting to sell...'
---
Minutes later, they were inside the underground warehouse as Bernard told Alaric, "A merchant'll arrive by the gates with a carriage within the next hour. He ordered two crates o' Hot Sauce..."
Bernard grabbed a paper and quill pen, writing the contents of the contract. "He said he's headin' to Birmingham tomorrow, and if the Hot Sauce sells well... he'll be a loyal customer."
"That's a good start," Alaric nodded, folding his arms.
"A good start? How 'bout I tell you another one? A merchant ship ordered five crates." Bernard grinned, then walked toward the crates of Hot Sauce. "Making William Penn promote our business was a good call, 'Laric! Now... help me prepare the crates. We're sendin' five of 'em to the port once we receive the coin."
Alaric nodded his head and smiled. "Nice. Pay should come first... and it doesn't hurt to ready the items."
"Right, you are. I've readied our own carriage nearby, hup!" Bernard added then grabbed one crate while Alaric picked up two, one in each hand. As Bernard prepared to walk, Alaric stopped him.
"Put one more on each of these," Alaric gestured to the crates he was already holding.
Bernard hesitated but eventually placed another crate on each of Alaric's hands. To his surprise, Alaric's arms didn't even shift.
"Blimey... your hands didn't even budge," Bernard muttered, shaking his head in disbelief.
Linette, who was passing by, walked toward them and said, "'Laric, lend me a hand once ye're finished... I've got an order for twenty crates."
Hearing that, Alaric could only smile wryly.
'I'm glad that business is starting, but... where are Thulani and Jonathan?'
Of course, he knew where they were.
---
Hours later, Alaric lied down on the sofa in his office, staring up at the high ceiling decorated with a grand chandelier.
His thoughts drifted... from expanding his business and lowering food prices in Bristol to whether he'd need to build new warehouses, or if he should invest in trade routes toward the Americas. He also had thoughts about what to do when he meets the Queen for the first time.
'I could use the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan on the Queen to abolish slavery... no, abolishing slavery right away could cause an uproar, and the palace may have a Piece of Eden that nullifies mind control.'
He shook his head, then summoned the System Interface and pressed [Buy].
'Let's try finding some high-ranked Genjutsu...'
The interface popped up, displaying various powerful Genjutsu techniques.
[Infinite Tsukuyomi (??? Rank) - Traps the entire world in an eternal illusion, putting everyone in a dream-like state, altering their minds forever. - £1,562,000,000]
[Kotoamatsukami (SS Rank) - Subtly manipulates the target's mind without their awareness, changing their behavior or desires without them realizing it (Cooldown: 6 Months). - £1250]
[Tsukuyomi (S Rank) - Traps the target in a time-distorted illusion, torturing them mentally for what feels like days, causing severe psychological trauma. - £781 5s.]
[Genjutsu: Soul Transference (S Rank) - Manipulates the target's soul, making them believe their consciousness has been transferred into another body, leading to severe identity confusion and instability. - £875]
'I wonder if Kotoamatsukami will do the trick... Yeah, let me buy it.'
[Kotoamatsukami - £1250]
[- £1250]
[Current Balance: £3,046,623 18s. 6d.]
The knowledge of the technique flowed into his mind, and Alaric's eyes widened at its sheer power.
'Six months cooldown... Better use it on the Queen carefully,' he thought. 'I'll make her favor Penn if the Quaker's past actions are not enough.'
"Jonathan!" Alaric called out.
'Penn has already contributed to the country due to him signing an exclusive deal with the Crown with the Celestial Salves... If our plan show signs of backfiring, I'll cast it immediately.'
Moments later, Jonathan entered the room after a gentle knock. "Yes, master?"
"Please brew me some Celestial Tea."
"I'm sorry, master, we've run out. Shall I fetch some from the warehouse?"
"No need. The warehouse should never be touched, unless it's for orders or contracts," Alaric smirked, summoning the System Interface. Concealing his hand under the desk, he purchased a box of tea and tossed it to Jonathan.
[Sage's Herbal Infusion Tea Bags (1 box) - 3s.]
[- 3s.]
[Current Balance: £3,046,623 15s. 6d.]
"I'll brew it right away," Jonathan smiled as he went outside the office.
Alaric then thought, 'I should supply the house with lots of teas and other items, as Reuben and I will be gone for at most two years.'
[Hyuga Clan Secret Ointment (30x) - £1 17s. 5d.]
[Konoha Healing Balm (100x) - £1 11s. 2d.]
[Ichiraku Ramen Instant Noodle Cups (5000x) - £4 13s. 8d.]
[Uchiha Fire & Spice Hot Sauce (300x) - £9 7s. 5d.]
[Kunoichi Beauty Mask (600x) - £13 17s. 5d.]
[Sage's Herbal Infusion Tea Bags (1000 Boxes) - £153 2s. 6d.]
[- £184 9s. 7d.]
[Current Balance: £3,046,439 5s. 11d.]
---
Moments later, Jonathan returned with a cup of Celestial Tea, only to widen his eyes at the sight of LOTS of items like the Elven Salves and such in the middle of the office.
"These are for the mansion," Alaric instructed.
"Divide the Celestial Salves among yourself, Thulani, Eleanor, Bernard, Linette, and Leonard evenly. Elven Salves are for our workers in case of injuries."
He turned to Jonathan. "If any workers have wounds that neither Elven Salve nor Celestial Salve can cure, then hire a doctor and don't worry about the money."
Alaric stepped closer, placing a hand on Jonathan's shoulder. "Our workers should never be neglected in their needs. Even if we have hundreds of workers, we shall provide them with wages and proper food."
He straightened, his expression darkening. "The Kenway Estate will never treat African people like slaves... if anyone does so, fire them immediately."
"Ramen, Hot Sauce, and Celestial Tea should go in storage. The Beauty Masks... divide the 600 pieces evenly among my mother, aunt Linette, and Caroline as my gifts to them."
"Understood," Jonathan nodded.
"Lastly," Alaric added, "I'll be increasing the estate's budget for food and repairs. I want the staff's salaries raised by 50%... that includes the maids, cooks, gardeners, stablehands, footmen, scullery maids, kitchen staff, housekeepers, and groundskeepers."
Jonathan blinked. "What about mine?"
"You're getting £150 a year," Alaric grinned. "Extra pay for taking on multiple roles... being a butler, protecting the Kenway family members, and assisting with the business."
Jonathan's eyes widened in disbelief. "Thank you, Master."
"One last thing," Alaric said, stepping closer. "Do you have family?"
Jonathan blinked, then nodded. "Yes... my older brothers."
"Are they Assassins as well?" Alaric asked.
"Yes," Jonathan confirmed. "Each and every one of them."
Alaric's expression brightened. "Would it be alright if I hired them to protect the estate? They'll earn £100 annually, with free food and lodgings."
Jonathan's eyes widened. "I'll send a letter back to my hometown immediately after this meeting."
Alaric nodded firmly. "Good. Once they arrive, they'll be trained by Thulani... and you should start training with Thulani and Reuben while baldy's still here."
"...Baldy?"
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