The Secretary of the Northern Grand Duchess Has Run Away

Chapter 26: The Birth of a Nouveau Riche (1)

The second step in the revival of this ruined district was my ‘business partner.’

"Mansachs, your job is simple."

I looked at the line of workers entering the store.

There were only thirty for now.

But once you included the distributors who would transport the weapons and equipment produced at the workshop, the number would easily reach several hundred.

Thinking of the influx of all those people into this empty city, I let the black glint of my secretary days flash in my eyes.

"When you go back today, report this situation—where the population is gravitating toward Old Luton—to your father."

As the president of one of the Three Major Newspapers, his father was already entangled with numerous high-ranking figures.

They were people who, with a flick of their fingers, could take ownership of countless buildings in Nord.

"Someone like him would understand just how valuable this influx into an industrial district is."

Once they were informed of this phenomenon, they would certainly start moving.

After all, there’s no easier way to make money than real estate.

"Got it. I’ll try to get a few lines in the paper too."

The workers had already filled the once-empty shop.

Perhaps pleased by the boisterous atmosphere, my business partner nodded his head.

Mina and her mother, who had come out from the kitchen, seemed to feel the same.

Every night, the two of them had only dreamed of such a bustling shop, and now tears welled up in their eyes.

"Secretary Julius!! So you really plan to take responsibility for feeding all these workers?"

Schmidt laughed heartily and placed his thick hand on my shoulder.

I opened his hand and pressed a pouch of gold coins into it.

"Yes. Please use this to cover food and gathering expenses in Old Luton."

"Thank you. So, this is only for this street, right?"

The half-dwarf asked again, his eyes sparkling now that he had received the gold.

"That’s right. Even when you're dining with other ‘dwarven craftsmen,’ always make sure to use this place only."

"Understood! I’ll make sure to spread the word thoroughly among our group—!!"

Mansachs scratched his cheek at my unusually generous offer.

"Will you be okay...? You're even covering full-blooded dwarves. Do you know how much they can drink...!"

Dwarves, as a non-human race, had a completely different constitution from humans.

Their alcohol tolerance was so legendary that there was a saying: “One of the dumbest things you can do is make a drinking bet with a dwarf.”

"It doesn’t matter."

I sat on the edge of a chair and looked at Mina, who was busily moving about.

Her tied-up black hair bouncing with each step left quite the impression.

"Most of the dwarves Lord Schmidt knows are master craftsmen like himself."

On top of that, their pride was so high that they refused to work under others.

Schmidt only agreed to work with the Luton family because, as a half-dwarf, he had enough flexibility.

But still.

That didn’t mean dwarves never interacted with humans.

“They have hundreds of apprentices under them alone.”

The population set to enter Old Luton had suddenly increased by several hundred.

Mansachs let out a dry cough, seemingly dumbfounded.

“Come to think of it, I heard quite a few young people head north to learn forging techniques...!!”

“But, they have such eccentric personalities that they don’t easily pass their knowledge on to human apprentices.”

I looked intently at Schmidt, who was gripping a cold beer glass.

Among all things made by humans, the one thing dwarves praised without exception was ‘beer.’

“To coax them properly—where do you think their apprentices will be taken?”

I asked my business partner leisurely as I turned to look at him.

He already had a cigar in his mouth, probably tempted by the scent of money.

“They’ll naturally gather in this commercial district...!!”

Just as he tried to light the match, I casually snatched the cigar from his mouth.

Then, shaking it smugly, I gave him a calm smile.

“That’s exactly it.”

Despite losing his cigar, Mansachs didn’t show a hint of displeasure.

His head was already spinning with thoughts of profit.

Then, as if he had finally returned to his senses, his blue eyes blinked slowly.

He furrowed his brows and voiced a grounded concern.

“But listen… it’s good that the city’s getting attention, but can it really increase in value?”

Mansachs glanced around the shop as he spoke.

Tables filled with rough-looking men.

“If the whole city fills up with just laborers, I don’t think it’ll fetch a high value in the long run.”

It was a sharp observation.

As expected of a journalist, he assessed Old Luton’s future with a cool eye.

“The value will rise for now, but relying on only one social class will eventually reach a ceiling.”

He was right.

Bringing in Luton Workshop personnel was merely a stopgap to provide an emergency infusion of population.

Now, it was time to begin the ‘gentrification of the city.’

“Exactly, relying solely on workshop workers and dwarf apprentices won’t be enough.”

I handed him a piece of bread in place of the cigar.

Then, standing up from the table, I gestured for him to follow.

“There are others we need to secure firmly.”

“Why are we heading outside all of a sudden...?”

Mansachs dusted off the crumbs from his cashmere trousers and followed me.

And soon enough...

Having ridden here by carriage, he now began to see the things he had missed until now.

“See them? Over there.”

Young men and women dressed in neat, simple white shirts.

Many of them looked as though they had just woken up, their hair still messy.

“I thought this was a ghost town, but people keep appearing out of nowhere...?”

“Who do you think they are?”

At my question, the son of a noble family fell into deep thought.

But there was no way someone who’d spent his life in opulent mansions would understand the lives of poor youths.

"I have no idea. Are they… students?"

"Half right, half wrong."

I waved at the young people we passed.

Then I made a gesture as if lifting a spoon, asking if they’d eaten.

"Half of them are students who came up to Nord from the provinces, dreaming of getting a job."

Among the disheveled bunch, one woman in a neatly tailored suit caught my eye.

She furrowed her brows as she watched me trying to lure the youths into the shop.

"The other half already found jobs, but they’re still poor."

Round glasses, thick hair, red eyes.

She was short, but the gleam in her eyes was sharp.

I knew her.

Ten years from now, she would become a royal prosecutor who hunted down the corruption of noble families.

[Anna Emmelique.]

She had been the hound who hounded me relentlessly even when I tried to cover up for Archduke Eric’s crimes.

‘I heard she had a poor childhood, but I didn’t expect her to be living here...’

Hard to believe this fresh-faced legal apprentice was her at twenty years old.

She looked more like a fluffy retriever puppy than a future hound.

"What’s going on over there?"

"They seem to be serving free meals to the workers at that place over there."

For these poor commoner-class students, she was a symbol of hope.

Anna, whom they looked up to as a senior and role model, stared directly at me.

"Suddenly, for free...?"

"Yes, I heard from afar that he’s the new landlord here? He gestured for us to come too."

As expected of the future hound—her eyes filled with suspicion.

Then, tightening her necktie, she declared firmly,

"Everyone wait here. I’ll go check it out."

The group of young intellectuals followed Anna as she led the way toward the shop.

She folded her arms and questioned me with a sharp gaze.

"Excuse me. Did you tell our juniors you'd give them a free meal?"

"Yes, that’s right. Although it’s only for today."

When I gave her a pure and innocent smile, Anna gave a grumpy look in return.

She already had dark circles, likely from being run down by her seniors in the legal field.

"If you agree to my condition, I might even offer it free for life—."

Free for life.

At those tempting words, the juniors standing behind Anna had their eyes light up.

The rich scent of bacon and fresh bread wafted from the shop.

And to a twenty-year-old youth, the sound of cold beer was like a dream.

After moving up to Nord, they had been eating only dry rye bread every day. This was like a scene from a fantasy.

[“Roger!! Can I add more meat over here?”]

"Of course—. Help yourselves, as much as you like—."

At my polite voice, the students swallowed hard.

And just as they unconsciously began to take a step toward the shop—

"Guys, get a grip!"

Tiny little senior Anna rushed to stop them.

"You don’t just accept something like that so easily!"

As always, cautious and razor-sharp.

As expected of the future hound—her instincts were sharp.

“There’s definitely going to be a catch. Just look at those sly fox-like eyes!”

Anna pointed at my mischievous face and added sharply.

At that, I gave a wide smile and raised my index finger.

“You’re right. A lifetime free meal isn’t going to come with easy terms.”

“See? He’s obviously trying to take advantage of clueless students from the countryside with some hidden clause!”

The little retriever pressed up close to me and said firmly.

Her voice snapped the other juniors back to attention, and they all stared at me, alert.

“A hidden clause, you say?”

But.

What I said next left the fresh-faced twenty-year-olds completely speechless.

Because the condition I offered was nothing like what they’d imagined.

“All I ask is that you move into the building I’ve just purchased.”

I pointed to the massive structure beside the Luton’s Table—right next to the shop.

It was the Erian Hotel, the very one I had bought earlier today.

“I’ll only charge half of whatever you’re currently paying for rent.”

Free meals, and now half-price rent?

Anna rubbed her eyes hard with her dainty hands, as if she couldn’t believe what she’d just heard.

Even Mansachs, who was listening nearby, let his jaw fall open in disbelief.

But this was only the beginning.

“There’s no deposit, and you’re free to leave whenever you want.”

What I was offering to these future talents was practically a charitable act.

“W-wait a second…!! You’re not from some cult or shady organization, are you?!”

The terms were so shockingly generous that the juniors’ eyes began to sparkle.

Good housing, good meals, and no strings attached—it was too good to turn down.

“If you’re going that far, what’s in it for you?!”

Anna was so flustered that her round glasses went crooked on her face.

Clenching her tiny fists, she blurted out the question in a rush. It was oddly cute.

“I’m offering this because I do get something in return. I’m not a philanthropist.”

With my hands behind my back, I turned to face the empty city.

The desolate plaza, Old Luton with not a single light even at night.

“I intend to revive this city. But right now, the only foot traffic comes from the workers I brought in.”

I pictured offices and intellectuals filling that void.

“If hardworking students like you help fill that remaining space, the city’s image will improve, and the streets will liven up.”

I imagined myself smiling fondly while holding a broom, gazing at that vibrant scene.

Just the thought of escaping the ruthless political battles of the Grand Duke’s House and spending a peaceful retirement made my chest swell.

“So please, stay in Old Luton even after you find jobs.”

To make that happen, I needed these future talents—raised and grown without prejudice in Old Luton.

Just by their presence, the image of this poor industrial town could transform.

“……”

Anna, seemingly understanding my intentions, silently gave a nod.

“Alright… I see now that you’re not just trying to exploit students.”

But that was as far as she was willing to go.

The condition of opening an office in Old Luton even after landing a job was still a heavy ask.

“It’s just… all these juniors here are preparing for the bar exam, like I am. Even if they pass, they’ll have to work near the courthouse.”

Her juniors nodded along with their small-framed senior.

They, too, had always dreamed of dressing in clean suits and commuting to the bustling downtown.

“Setting up an office here is basically telling clients to come find us on their own.”

“She has a point… It’s unlikely anyone needing a legal scrivener would wander out this far,”

Mansachs chimed in, showing he understood their reasoning.

Watching these intelligent young scholars, I smiled brightly.

They may be top of their fields—but they had absolutely no clue how money actually moved.

“Why do you think there would be no clients here?”

I slowly stepped back out through the shop entrance.

Then, with the graceful motion of my secretary days, I gestured toward the workers inside the shop.

“I already brought them here.”

At my calm reply, Anna and all the students around her went blank with shock.

To that, I responded with the dull gleam of my eyes—the very look I had in my secretary days.

The profession most frequently subjected to unfair contracts, and constantly in disputes with business partners.

Not salaried, always troubled by issues of temporary employment.

Those very people—

were the regular clients of legal scriveners.

“Ah…!!”

Anna clapped her hands together, finally grasping my point.

The sharp gleam of a hound in her eyes softened back into the round gaze of a Pomeranian.

“What exactly did you do before this…? How do you know all of this…?”

Anna looked up at me, puzzled, as if trying to figure out how someone could be so familiar with her world.

But I couldn’t give her an answer.

I couldn’t tell her that in the future, I would cover up the crimes of Archduke Eric—and that she and I would stand on opposite sides because of it.

All I wanted now, in this life, was to live as a good landlord with good tenants.

“I’m Julius Roger. A member of the Luton family.”

“The Luton family…! That explains how someone our age already owns a building.”

At the petite blonde’s remark, I simply shrugged.

“It’s not like I bought it with a secretary’s salary, but at the very least, it shows I’m a reliable person, right?”

“Well… If a member of the Grand Duke of the North’s house commits a crime, we’ll know exactly where to go and file the complaint.”

Anna’s red eyes gleamed as she stared straight into my face.

Indeed, at age twenty, when you have no credit to your name, the title of a Northern noble carries quite a bit of weight.

“Very well. Since there’s some trust between us now, may I ask you for a small favor?”

“What is it? I’ll say this again—if it’s a bribe or anything shady…”

At the legal apprentice’s question, I shook my head.

Then I left her with one curious request.

“Miss Anna, you’re someone the other students look up to. Most of them will listen to you, won’t they?”

“I suppose…? I am the only one who’s passed the exam so far.”

She blinked slowly as she glanced at the clueless freshmen still following her lead.

“Then please tell them to leave their curtains open while studying tonight.”

Curtains open—at night?

She tilted her head, her messy hair swaying, clearly not understanding.

“You’ll know the reason tonight.”

With a faint, meaningful smile, I turned and looked out beyond the shop.