Hadrian Luthier walked briskly through the stone-paved streets of Ravennest, his thoughts troubled. The young lord's proposal lingered in his mind, but not for the reasons one might expect. It wasn't the game itself he had seen countless pastimes come and go. It was the idea of investing in something created by a child.
"A four-year-old noble's whim," he muttered under his breath. "Does Lord Vincent truly believe this is worth the risk?"
Sebastian walked beside him, his ever-composed demeanor unshaken. "You seem troubled, Hadrian."
Hadrian exhaled sharply. "Forgive me, Sir Sebastian, but I cannot understand the lord's insistence. Investments require foresight, planning, and experience. Yet he places his trust in a boy's game?"
Sebastian gave a small smile. "That boy is his son."
"That does not make him a businessman." Hadrian shook his head. "I have seen this before. A merchant I once knew, a good friend, was ruined because he blindly followed the vision of a noble who thought himself a genius entrepreneur. The noble wasted his resources on extravagant ideas, believing they would change the market. And where is that merchant now? Bankrupt. His family shattered. And the noble? He simply moved on to his next fancy."
Sebastian listened in silence as Hadrian continued. "I respect Lord Vincent, but I cannot gamble my business on something as uncertain as a child's creation. No matter how clever it may be, the world does not work on enthusiasm alone."
They turned a corner, the Raven's Crest Manor now visible in the distance. Hadrian sighed. "I will hear them out once more, but my stance remains firm. This is not a merchant's game it is a noble's toy."
Sebastian glanced at him, his expression unreadable. "And yet, Hadrian, sometimes the most unexpected ventures yield the greatest returns."
Zach sat in the study, his small fingers tracing the grain of the wooden desk. His mind lingered on the conversation with Hadrian, the merchant's unwavering stance against Vincent's proposition. Despite his lower status, Hadrian had not yielded, and yet Vincent had not forced him to obey. Instead, his father had simply allowed the man to leave with his beliefs intact.
"A lord who doesn't abuse his power…" Zach muttered to himself, his respect for Vincent growing. "Is that what true leadership looks like?"
The memory of his past life surfaced one he had buried deep. It was a moment that had shaped his understanding of leadership in the cruelest way possible.
The crowd had been cheering moments before. It was a bright day, and Zach no, Senator Zachary stood before the public, announcing a new industrial project that would bring thousands of jobs to the city. The air buzzed with excitement, the promise of economic growth filling the hearts of the people.
Then the pain struck.
A sharp, burning sensation pierced his side. The world tilted, and he barely registered the warm liquid seeping through his suit before collapsing to the ground. Chaos erupted as guards tackled the assailant, and Zach struggled to breathe, the searing agony clouding his vision.
As he lay there, he caught sight of the man who had stabbed him. Not a trained assassin, not a hired killer just an ordinary, desperate man. His face was twisted in anguish, not anger. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he was restrained.
"You took everything from us!" the man sobbed, his voice hoarse with grief. "My family's business has stood for three generations! Your factories crushed it overnight! We had nothing left! NOTHING!"
Zach wanted to speak, to explain, to do something, but the pain was too much. The last thing he saw before blacking out was the hollow despair in the man's eyes a look not of vengeance, but of sheer hopelessness.
Zach exhaled sharply, shaking the memory away. He absentmindedly clutched his side, where no wound remained, yet the pain of that day still haunted him.
Hadrian's resistance to change suddenly made sense.
The merchant wasn't simply stubborn he was cautious. He had likely seen men lose everything due to the whims of those in power, just as Zach had witnessed before. Even if Zach's game truly had potential, Hadrian feared the consequences of investing in something uncertain.
And Vincent… Vincent had understood that. That was why he hadn't forced the merchant to submit. A leader who valued choice over authority.
Zach let out a breath, a small smirk forming on his lips. "Maybe I still have a lot to learn."
For the first time, he saw Vincent not just as his father, but as a man worthy of admiration.
And perhaps… as a role model.
The next day
Hadrian sat in silence, his mind turning as he considered the strange proposition before him. He had always respected Lord Vincent's leadership, largely because the man had never meddled in the merchants' affairs unnecessarily. Unlike some lords who controlled trade with an iron grip, Vincent allowed commerce to flourish independently, merely setting fair regulations and collecting taxes. The merchants thrived because they handled their own risks, their own profits, and their own failures.
But now, this proposal was different. The lord's young son a mere child was presenting an idea that, while intriguing, came from someone with no experience in business. The idea of letting nobility test the game before it reached the market was new, but would it work? Hadrian knew that many ventures failed before they even began, and placing trust in something so unproven was a dangerous gamble.
Zach, however, was unfazed by Hadrian's skepticism. With practiced ease, he laid out a piece of parchment and drew a rough diagram of a small establishment.
"Instead of mass-producing the game right away, we start small," Zach explained, his young voice steady. "Rather than flooding the market with something untested, we place the game in select locations tea houses, noble estates, or taverns willing to participate. This way, we minimize risk while creating curiosity."
He pointed at the makeshift diagram, adding, "Think of it as an attraction. The more people play and talk about it, the more demand will grow naturally. When the game gains attention from nobles and merchants alike, production can scale up gradually."
Hadrian narrowed his eyes. "You speak as if this is a certainty. What if the game fails? What if no one is interested?"
Zach smiled. "Then we lose only a small investment. Not an entire fortune."
Hadrian folded his arms, deep in thought. "This venture will require a small amount of investment," he admitted to himself. "And the burden will be shared with the lord. If it fails, the losses will be minimal. But if it succeeds... it could attract attention, not just from Ravennest but from nobles across the kingdom."
His instincts told him to reject it outright, but there was something unsettling about the certainty in the young master's eyes.
"Still, this is unprecedented. A merchant does not simply follow the whims of a child," Hadrian said, shaking his head slightly. "Even if the idea is interesting, what guarantees do we have that it will work?"
Before Zach could respond, Vivian, who had been quietly listening, placed her teacup down with a soft clink against the porcelain.
"Enough," she said firmly, her voice carrying the quiet authority of a noblewoman who would not be questioned. "This discussion is over. I will personally approve this venture. The merchants of this town have benefited from my husband's leadership, and they will continue to do so. If none of you have the courage to take this step, then I will."
Hadrian stiffened. Unlike Vincent, who led with a measured hand, Lady Vivian's word was final when she made a decision. He could argue with Zach. He could debate with Vincent. But against Lady Vivian? There was no room for discussion.
Zach watched the exchange with silent admiration. He had always seen Vincent as a father first and a lord second, but now, he was beginning to realize how delicate the balance of leadership truly was. A leader was not simply someone who commanded he was someone who guided, persuaded, and when necessary, stood firm against doubt.
Hadrian let out a long breath before giving a slow nod. "Very well, my lady. I will follow your will."
The room fell into silence for a brief moment before Zach finally spoke, his young voice carrying an assurance far beyond his years. "Then let's begin."