Different World Business Symbol-Chapter 5: lora・summers
MTL: uniquegasuki
Editor/ Proofreader: (not proofread)
Lora・Summers is Rivas・Summers (リヴァス・サマラス) and Helen・Summers (ヘレン・サマラス) only daughter .
Rivas・Summers was an heir to a small company in the city-state of, Shufelt (スフェルト) . Aside from Rivas, he had a little brother named Reinard (レイナール) . In the neiborhood, these two siblings were known to be close .
Rivas and Reinard, the two brothers who were quite close, quickly grew up . But then, that event tore the two of them apart . While their parents were traveling on route to another city-state for business, both parents were involved in a rockslide and died . At the time, Rivas was 18 while Reinard was 15 . To further complicate matters, the married couple had secretly taken out a loan and had hidden that fact from the brothers . The company was also on the verge of collapsing . Normally, the debt is supposed to be inherited by the brothers . Although by Shufelt law, the children have the privilege of choosing who receives the inheritance (including debt) . However, there is an exception to the rule . They can refuse the inheritance by legally cutting ties with the parents . Naturally, those who cut ties are not allowed to attend the funeral . The two brothers disagreed on whether to succeed their parent’s debt .
Rivas claimed that they should receive it out of love for their parents, returning the favor . If they were to cut ties, that would mean abandoning the Summers’ firm and their employees .
Reinard claimed that they should legally sever ties with their parents . Even if they don’t go to the funeral, the bonds with their parents will still exist . And, that their parents would have wanted them to not be burden with debt . Inheriting the debt would make their parents unhappy and either way, the Summers’ company will collapse; it was better to get it over with, he suggested .
Neither of the two would admit that they were wrong . The two had argued for 3 days and 3 nights but nothing was settled on . Eventually, Rivas received all of the parent’s inheritance (including debt) and Reinard had cut ties with both of his parents .
Rivas by himself had succeeded the Summers’ company and inherited the debt . After his parents’ funeral, he reshaped the firm and began to repay the debt . However, the bubble-berry proved to be a heavy burden for the Summers’ company to handle . Bubble-berry is very easily affected by the change in the weather and the market price can fluctuate just as easily . Rivas tried his best to supply a steady flow of bubble-berry by investing in its cultivation at a farming village . He built facilities in order to maintain and preserve the bubble-berry, a thoroughly economical endeavor in an attempt to eliminate waste . At the time, Rivas even had to bow down his head to the debt collectors .
When Rivas was 23, he was visited by Reinard . When they met, Reinard bowed his head down to Rivas . (T/N: dogeza)
「Sorry, nii-san . I was mistaken . I should have inherited the debt . Although, I may not be able to atone, may I help nii-san out?」 (Reinard)
Of course, if this man was not his family, Rivas would have declined; however, Reinard has earnestly apologized . And thus, Rivas forgave Reinard as originally they were quite close . From a perspective, it appeared that the two of them had reconciled . Until that time……
One by one, Reinard linked transaction after transaction until he had a solid position in the company .
With Rivas’s and Reinard’s effort, their achievements began to bear fruit and the debt had been repaid . Rivas was 25, then . The Summers’ firm was no longer small but a prominent up and coming company in Shufelt .
During this time, Rivas was busy with work so he was still a bachelor . Having gained achievements and having restored the company, there were soon talks about marriage . At the age of 25, there was now a mountain of marriage proposals . The reason why was because Rivas was quite handsome .
Around that time, Rivas was invited to an influential gathering at a parliament-held-party . As most of his clientele for bubble-berry were wealthy people, he had no reason to refuse so he attended . There Rivas had a fateful encounter .
The person in question was reported to be the most beautiful woman…… not really . She wasn’t particularly beautiful nor was she ugly, her appearance was somewhere in-between . Let’s say, she is a beautiful redhead . By chance, Rivas happened upon the woman when she having her meal alone . Being curious about her action, he talked to her .
「My name is Rivas・Summers . May I ask you for your name?」 (Rivas)
As he says this, his body was shaking . She turns to look at him . After swallowing her steak, the woman answered Rivas .
「I am Helen・Albertine (ヘレン・アルベルティーニ) . Rivas・Summers…… sorry, I have never heard of you before . What is your reason for coming here?」 (Helen)
Rivas was surprised to hear that . First off, he knows of the family with the surname, Albertine . In this country, the people who share that name would fight from the top 1st and 2nd seat in the parliament . Secondly, while Rivas was unfamiliar with women, he found her to be a woman of superior quality . He was more or less interested in her as Helen had a sophisticated air about her; Rivas liked that she didn’t try to flatter him with compliments and thus the two naturally became more acquainted .
After dating for 1 year, Rivas and Helen were married despite Helen’s father’s reluctance for them to marry . At the time, Helen was 21 and Rivas was 26 .
A year later, Helen gave birth to a lovely baby girl .
「Look at that, she has the same beautiful hair as you . It almost like a ruby . 」 (Rivas)
「If I had to say, she resembles you more . It is going to be troublesome in the future when all those marriage proposals start coming . 」 (Helen)
「Not going to happen! This child isn’t going anywhere!!」 (Rivas)
Rivas was acting like a splendid doting-parent . Although, Helen’s father was the most delighted as he was known to clamor on about how much of a prodigy the child was . This baby girl was named, Lora . Lora quickly grew up while receiving her parent’s love .
As for Helen’s father…… while he did claim that Lora was a prodigy, in truth she was . By the time she was 5, Lora could perfectly read and write . When Lora turned 6, she was capable of being able to calculate well enough to manage a business . At the age of 7, Lora had taken an interest in the family business and was being taught by Rivas the basics of business management .
Again and again, Lora exceeded the norm of what the average person was capable of . Because of this, she received a fairy’s blessing .
A person has a 1/10,000 chance to be gifted with a fairy’s blessing . Those who have such an ability are able to use that ability at the cost of very little maryoku . The ability can vary from person to person . For example; there is an ability that allows a person to avoid incoming objects or arrows that are approaching at a fixed speed, a clairvoyance blessing that can see over long distances, and an ability that lets a person read another’s mind . Lora was born with a money-making based blessing; this ability allows her to smell the scent of profit . Rivas and Helen were delighted to hear that Lora had a business specialized ability . Fearing that Lora would be kidnapped, they decided to keep quiet about her blessing until she was an adult . She was told not to tell anyone about her ability . Lora was a clever little girl, she understood that she couldn’t boast to her friends about her blessing .
Things changed when Lora turned 9 . Rivas and Helen were going away on a important business trip . Lora didn’t throw a trantrum this time when she saw the two of them off .
「Well, Lora we are leaving now . I will bring you back a souvenir when we return . 」 (Rivas)
「Lora be good and listen to what Reinard-san says, okay .
Reinard-san, I’m leaving Lora in your care . 」 (Helen)
「Don’t worry, please leave it to me . I will protect Lora with my life . 」 (Reinard)
Lora and Reinard waited for Rivas and Helen to return . While Rivas and Helen were absence, Reinard took care of Lora . She was told that her parents would return in 2 weeks . However, when her parents were supposed to return, 2 weeks later, bad news had arrived instead .
Rivas・Summers and Helen・Summers were attacked and had died .
They were attacked by robbers on route to their destination . Of course, the two had hired mercenaries; however, they were unlucky . While on a seemingly safe road they had encountered bandits .
With his dying breath, Rivas wrote a message on his clothes .
『Lora will inherit the company . I nominated Reinard as her guardian . Lora, please grow up in good health . 』
A grand funeral was held for the two . It was a funeral fit for the president of a prominent company and the daughter of a parliament member .
Lora loudly cried that day .
「Why!! Liar . You promised me you would return . You said you’d bring me back a gift if I was a good child . 」 (Lora)
When Lora cried her eyes out, Reinard was the one that comforted her .
「Lora-chan…… you can cry as much as you want . It is okay to cry when you’re sad . But, the two liked Lora’s smile more than her tear-stained face . You may be crying now, but try to send them off with a smile . 」 (Reinard)
Hearing this, Lora regained her composure . The two will not be returning . If she continued to weep, her parents would not be able to be relieved while in Heaven . Besides, Reinard must also be sad, she thought . He knew her parent far longer than herself…… Lora finished crying and then sent them off with a smile .
That night, Lora awoken in her bed . After the funeral had ended, Lora cried herself to sleep with tears clinging to her face . Reinard was the one who carried Lora to her bed .
From all her crying, Lora had become thirsty . When she left her room to get a cup of water, she heard voices while she was walking down the hallway .
「Here is the reward I promised you . Thank you, for your work and I’ll be counting on you for next time as well . 」 (Reinard)
「Yes, I certainly will accept . By the way, are you really alright with the dying message? Would it not have been better to name yourself the successor?」 (???)
「Yes, I certainly will accept . By the way, are you really alright with the dying message? Would it not have been better to name yourself the successor?」 (???)
「Idiot, that would be too suspicious . This way is fine . It will be awhile before that brat becomes an adult . I still have time to overtake things . When that time comes, I will be counting on you to kill Lora . 」 (Reinard)
「Hihihi, as long as you have the money, I am always willing to accept . From now on, I will be in your care, boss . 」 (???)
The voices belonged to Reinard and an unknown man . In that moment, Lora understood everything . Reinard had planned to take over the company . She started to understand what sort of person Reinard was . It was only a matter of time before it was discovered that Lora overheard their conversation . If she goes to the police, will they believe her…… there is also the chance that the police might be somehow involved . Sensing that her life is in danger, Lora ran away .
With what little money she had on her, Lora took refuge in the neighboring country of Clarice . Having no relatives to rely on, she eventually ran out of money .
She had no money to buy bread . While being hungry, she saw a boy steal bread and in the blink of an eye, he ran away . To steal…… she had no choice . Lora got involved with thievery . Naturally, she wasn’t quick enough for pickpocketing and thus she had no choice but to shoplift .
The first thing she stole was an apple . It felt as if her heart would explode from the tension . Later, she found that the stolen apple was surprisingly delicious .
From then onwards, Lora frequently shoplifted . She would especially target bread as it could be preserved . During the day, she could then eat it little by little .
Naturally, she discovered other methods aside from shoplifting . At times, she would guide travelers and peddlers . Lora has a divine blessing that allows her to smell the scent of money (profit); this blessing gives her the ability to locate stores that offer a good bargain . Working on the streets as a guide was fairly profitable . However, the other beggars would do the same . At times, she wasn’t able to eat and had to compensate by shoplifting .
While living like this, she turned 12 . And then one day, at her usual spot in a back alley, she saw a mysterious young man walking by . The young man was carelessly walking towards the slum . Normally, Lora would not have been concerned with an unknown foreigner being robbed . However, she smelled the scent of profit . Lora was sure this person would give her a tip .
「Onii-san, that way leads to the slums . Did you want to get robbed?」 (Lora)
Lora called out to the young man and he responded to her .
「Thank you for telling me, but that isn’t enough for a tip . 」 (Haruto)
Lora unintentionally made a wry smile . The chance for a tip wasn’t gone and thus, Lora introduced herself .
「I haven’t even said anything yet . I am Lora・Summers . Onii-chan, what is your name? You are wearing clothes I have never seen before; where are you from?」 (Lora)
The young man stated his name .
「My name is Haruto・Asuma . I am from the far east . 」 (Haruto)
Lora acknowledged that this young man had come from the east as she has never seen someone with his features . To befriend the young man, Lora continued the conversation .
「From the far east……, do you mean past the large mountain, great forest, and the vast desert? That sure is very far away . 」 (Lora)
When she said this, the young man hurried the conversation .
「Anyhow, where can I find an inn; do you mind being my guide?」 (Haruto)
For some reason, Lora was in the mood to swindle the young man . But, only in the sense of being a guide as there was no need for her to dig a hole and cover it with leaves .
「I’m alright with that, but not for free……」 (Lora)
Lora demanded a tip and the young man handed her 4 copper coins . Normally, a tip is 1 copper coin; however, the other party wasn’t stingy with their coin . As she smiled, Lora thought his person was an easy mark .
「Fufu, thank you very much . Now, Haruto-san, what are you looking for?」 (Lora)
「If possible, I’m looking for somewhere that is clean, but affordable . A cheap place would be nice . 」 (Haruto)
If that is the case, then it has to be Sylph’s pavilion . That shop is clean and popular . Also, Undine being next door made it a good deal . Having received 4 copper coins, she carried out her work .
「Understood . Then will 『Sylph’s Pavillion (シルフー亭)』do . That place charges about 2,000 Doraria a night . 」 (Lora)
Upon Lora’s answer, the young man’s eyebrows furrowed; he seems to be thinking about something .
「Excuse me, but will you tell me about the currency here, for reminder’s sake?」 (Haruto)
When Lora heard him say this, she was surprised . “Just how far did this person travel for them to not know the value of the currency”, she thought . But, this was yet another chance for a profit .
「Alright, but it will cost you 1 copper . 」 (Lora)
Lora smiled as she demanded a tip . Haruto showed a wry smile as he handed her the coin .
While on the way to Slyph’s pavilion, she answered Haruto’s questions . It was things such as the value of currency here and the basic geography .
While on the way to Slyph’s pavilion, she answered Haruto’s questions . It was things such as the value of currency here and the basic geography .
「Truly, a wasteful expense . 」 (Haruto)
Today, Lora earned 8 copper coins . It was a big profit .
「Well, that is Haruto-san own fault for being ignorant . 」 (Lora)
It was true . “Where one earth was this person before they came to Clarice”, she thought .
「Despite being a beggar, you sure do know the value of a gold coin and the geography of this land . 」 (Haruto)
Lora was startled by Haruto’s words . Although, he was right . Beggars usual have never seen a gold coin and as for knowing the geography, Lora doesn’t know .
「Eh, well, it isn’t like I started out as a beggar . 」 (Lora)
Lora dodged the question as it is a matter of the past and that wasn’t something one should talk about with a person they just met .
It wasn’t longer before they reached Sylph’s pavilion and soon they will say their farewells .
「Over there is Sylph’s Pavillion . Now then, I will be excusing myself . 」 (Lora)
Lora considered Haruto to be a good natured person .
The next time Lora and Haruto encountered one another, it would be 2 days later when Lora was following the scent of profit on the streets .
The scent lead her to Haruto .
「Oh, if it is not, Haruto . It has been awhile . What have you been up to?」 (Lora)
Lora rushed over to greeted Haruto .
「Nothing much, I’m just here to buy some daily necessities . 」 (Haruto)
Lora kept her eyes open for her chance to make a profit .
「I know of an inexpensive shop; I don’t mind guiding you there for 500 Doraria . 」 (Lora)
「No thanks . I will look around on my own . 」 (Haruto)
She needs to pull him in . Lora tried to persuade Haruto .
「You should know that the prices in the shops will vary . If you are careless, you could end up with inferior goods……, for just 500 Doraria you could avoid such dangers . If you are low on money, that is all the more reason to hire me as I am well informed about this town . 」 (Lora)
As Clarice is a country of merchants, there are numerous swindlers and con-men here .
「Fine . But, I ask that you properly do your job . 」 (Haruto)
Lora was able to convince Haruto and thus became his guide .
「Fufufu, thank you for your patronageー」 (Lora)
She was quite glad when she received the copper coins .
While Lora guided Haruto to a shop, he initiated a conversation . She normally didn’t talk with those she guided, but for some reason, Lora felt she couldn’t just ignore him . And thus, she took an active role in the conversation .
「By the way, Haruto-san, you’re quite proficient with the Claris (キリス語) language despite being a foreigner . 」 (Lora)
Despite her principle of not prying into the customer’s affairs, Lora voiced her opinion about what she had been thinking about after taking into consideration how close they have become .
「Well, now that have I bought a wallet and clothes, all that is left is soap . 」 (Haruto)
But, he doesn’t give a reply . However “what is soap?”, she thought . Lora had no idea what it was . It wasn’t in any of the many books she had read in the past .
「Eh? 『Soap』? What is that?」 (Lora)
Upon Lora’s response, Haruto showed a flustered expression . “Was it really that important?”, she thought .
「You know, that thing that is used to wash off dirt . That bubbly stuff . 」 (Haruto)
Dirt…… lye is usually used to remove it . The wealthy would use bubble-berry, though .
「Oh, are you talking about bubble-berry? You should have said so from the start . 」 (Lora)
「You know, that thing that is used to wash off dirt . That bubbly stuff . 」 (Haruto)
Dirt…… lye is usually used to remove it . The wealthy would use bubble-berry, though .
「Oh, are you talking about bubble-berry? You should have said so from the start . 」 (Lora)
If it is something used to remove dirt, then is it mostly like that . Bubble-berry was something her father had dealt in . Lora had absolute confidence about that topic .
「What is a bubble-berry?」 (Haruto)
Hearing this Lora was shocked . Bubble-berry is not only used in the city-states but also the kingdoms and the empire .
「Eh! You don’t know? Is it not grown in the east… . . ? Look, it is the berry that they are selling over there . Because the skin on your body will get ruined if you don’t wash it, it is usually used by the wealthy . 」 (Lora)
Lora pointed towards the place selling bubble-berry . When Haruto saw the price, he showed a surprised expression . In the olden day, Lora didn’t understand the high price but now that she has become a beggar, she understands . That sort of money isn’t used for washing or bathing .
Although Haruto was surprised, he suddenly showed a determined expression .
「Lora, would you happen to know where I can get a hot pot, olive oil, salt, and firewood?」 (Haruto)
It was abrupt, but she realized it . “He was planning to do something”, she thought .
「Eh? I do but…… what are you planning to use it for?」 (Lora)
A mischief expression appeared on Haruto’s face .
「Well, you’ll see . 」 (Haruto)
Lora instinctively tilted her head in puzzlement .
◆◆◆
The next day, while she was walking down the street, a wallet fell . Thinking she was lucky, Lora picked it up, inside there was money . Naturally, it looked as if a beggar had stolen a wallet . As she thought this, Lora tried to return the wallet to the ground but then something happened .
「Hey, brat . What are you holding!!」 (policeman)
In an instant, Lora’s arm is seized by a policeman .
「A wallet? Is this not money! Where did you steal this!!」 (policeman)
She didn’t steal it . Lora tried to explain but the other party doesn’t listen .
「That is why you’re a 2nd-class citizen…… criminal such as yourself should be immediately expelled from this country…… you are coming with me . 」 (policeman)
Lora’s body breaks out into a cold sweat . At this rate, she will be turned into a slave . Slaves usually do labor intensive work compared to regular citizens . Because she is female, the chances of her being forced into a corrupted line of work are high . While being dragged off to the slave-trading company, Lora resists as she imagines the things that would happen to her .
「Like I was saying, I didn’t steal it . It is the truth!! Please, believe me . Let me go!!」 (Lora)
A crowd had gathered . And then, Lora heard a loud voice come from the surrounding crowd of people .
「Liar! There is no way an orphan like you can have a wallet with money in it . In the first place, why should we trust the words of a bread thief!!」 (???)
「No, this is……」 (Lora)
This man told them that he had witnessed Lora shoplifting . Lora couldn’t refute the claim . If things continue as is; she will be sold to a brothel, end up catching a disease, and then die…… when all hope was about to be lost, at that moment,
「Please, wait . 」 (Haruto)
Lora hears the voice of someone suddenly barging into the conversation .
