I Regressed to My Ruined Family – 14

 #I returned, and my family was ruined (14)

Jae-ron looked at Ethan.

He was a man with such amazing insight that he could reveal secrets in an instant as soon as he came face to face with someone.

Not only that, but he was also making new proposals and touching on his ambitions.

“I stopped him.”

He was already so curious about what this arrogant man would propose that he couldn’t contain himself, so he had effectively stopped him in his tracks.

He smiled wryly.

“What is the deal?”

“The manufacturing method for items that can be made at a very low price and sold for at least five times the cost.”

Jae-ron’s eyelids fluttered.

If such a method existed, he would have to buy it even if it cost him a fortune.

That is, if the product was sustainable and competitive.

If he could obtain such a method.

Right now, he needed a definite achievement that no one in his family could refute.

Only then would he be able to return to his family and not just secure the position of head of the family, but also gain real power.

In that sense, the proposal from the Grand Duke was irresistible.

“Do you really have that manufacturing method?”

“Of course.”

When the Yongin tribe invaded.

When humanity was on the brink of destruction, everything from precious secret techniques to methods for creating items with special properties was shared.

The reason was simple.

It was to survive.

Ethan was well aware of the famous items that had been revealed at that time.

The “Thunder Stone,” which could unleash lightning after a simple process.

The “Herb Potion,” made by mixing seven herbs and a small amount of healing potion.

The “Elixir of Vitality,” made by mixing holy water that suppresses monsters’ blood and magic with several herbs.

And finally, the “Rapid Mana Recovery Potion.”

Get notified for updates: https://discord.gg/93rmBjgP6B

These four items were the most representative items that were extremely useful until the very end of humanity.

They were easy to obtain, simple to make, and required only a small investment and a little effort to achieve high efficacy.

Items with similar effects were at least ten times more expensive, so they couldn’t even be compared in terms of utility.

“I should start slowly.”

Even if he regained his family, that wouldn’t be the end of it.

It would take a tremendous amount of money to restore a family that had been shaken for so many years.

He had to move quickly now to prepare for that time.

“I’ll start with herbal potions.”

The market was changing too rapidly, so he decided to release these items first.

“I have one question, Grand Duke. Why are you offering me such a product? There are many other merchant families…”

“Because the Marquis is trustworthy.”

“Is it because of what happened during the Dragon War fifteen years ago?”

Ethan nodded.

Looking through the history books, he discovered an interesting fact.

Fifteen years ago, during the Dragon Clan War, the Marquis donated all of his wealth, just as he had done in his previous life.

If the Duke had shed blood, the Marquis, a merchant family, had shed gold, which was no different from blood.

And he had done so twice, in both his previous life and his current life.

“This is a family with sufficient credibility.”

Compared to the ten collateral branches who had been so obsequious in their previous life that they seemed willing to give up their livers, these people were much more trustworthy.

“I’ve heard that the marquis’s family has fallen on hard times since fifteen years ago. I’ve also heard that other merchant families are rapidly rising in power.”

“…That’s right.”

After the family’s reserves were almost completely depleted due to the war, their control over the market also weakened considerably.

Naturally, they were unable to show the same prosperity as before.

To put it bluntly, it was a time when they were struggling to regain their former glory.

“The same goes for our family. In fact, our situation is even worse. Those bastards from the collateral line don’t know their place and are trying to take my position.”

“……”

“There are about seven months left, right? I’m going to wipe out all those vermin before I inherit the position of head of the family.”

“Huh.”

Not only was his mana hole destroyed, but he had also been in a coma for ten years before barely waking up.

Such words were too arrogant to come from someone like him.

However, I did not think he was bluffing. His words were heavy and serious.

“In the process, I hope the Viscount’s family will become a reliable source of funds for the Duke’s family.”

It was not an easy proposal.

“The Duke’s family.”

When the Yongin tribe appeared, it was not only the Duke’s family who shed blood.

The Seven Families of the Kingdom.

The seven families who had the greatest fame and power in the Kingdom of Haidern also shed blood.

Join our discord and ping me to update more chapters. Discord: https://discord.gg/93rmBjgP6B

Of course, they did not suffer as much damage as the Duke’s family.

The other six families had only sent adequate reinforcements instead of committing their full forces.

The dragon clan had once plunged the continent into terror. It was the Ardan Duke’s family who had stood in their way.

In return, they not only earned the honorable title of “Guardians of the Kingdom” and were hailed by the people as the family of a great hero, but also secured the immense privilege of immunity from prosecution, granted by the previous king.

It was an honor and privilege that even the king of that era felt threatened by.

Rumors spread that the duke’s family was able to take over the duke’s family with the tacit consent of the king of that era and the subtle support of the seven families of the kingdom.

In the end, it was said that all the most powerful people in the kingdom looked down on the duke’s family.

Naturally, Ethan’s proposal was burdensome. Joining forces with him meant falling out of favor with not only the current king but also the seven families of the kingdom.

“Join forces?”

He was busy calculating the gains and losses of such a move when Ethan handed him an item.

“Is this a potion?”

“Yes. Excuse me for a moment.”

He took out a small dagger and slashed his own arm.

Blood oozed out.

“…Grand Duke?”

“Try sprinkling some on it.”

He hurriedly opened the potion’s lid. It was a potion with a strong herbal scent. As he sprinkled it on the wound, it bubbled and the wound quickly healed.

“This is the effect of a low-grade potion, I suppose.”

“With one low-grade potion, you can make ten of these items.”

“…Are you saying that the ingredients are a mixture of potions and various herbs?”

“That’s right. It’s a product that requires precise calculations, from the ratio of the ingredients to the time needed for fermentation.”

Jae-ron swallowed hard.

“Are the herbs used in it expensive?”

“Then I wouldn’t have said you could make five times the profit.”

Ethan said with a calm expression.

“Now is the only time you can make your choice, young master. Think carefully.”

He didn’t take long to decide.

“…How many products like that do you know of?”

“Quite a few.”

“Would you supply them exclusively to our family?”

“Of course.”

Making money was not the job of a knight like Ethan, but of a merchant with an eye for the market.

That was why he was handing over the product.

He was too busy growing to take on the burden of running a business as well.

“I accept your offer.”

“That’s bold.”

“I’m a man who does what he says.”

If things continued as they were, it would be difficult for the marquis to regain his former glory. At best, he would be lucky not to fall further.

“I’d rather save him in my lifetime than watch him fall.”

Jae-ron made a firm decision.

Soon, a contract appeared from Jae-ron’s pocket.

“Let’s go over the contract details.”

Ethan and Jayron had numerous discussions about the terms.

They came up with a rough draft.

They included a clause stipulating exclusive supply to the Misas Trading Company for one year.

This was because sales performance at the Misas Trading Company was crucial for Jayron to gain real power when he became the head of the family.

They agreed that from the moment Jayron, who had been independent, returned to the family, he would use the sales network of the Vessos family.

The profit distribution was exactly half and half of the net profit.

After drafting the contract, Ethan immediately told him the recipe for the herbal potion.

“…Are you saying that if we put these seven herbs in and let it ferment for two days, we’ll get the potion we just saw?”

“Yes.”

“I understand.”

“Sell it hard, young master. The more you sell, the sooner we’ll get new recipes.”

“Haha. I’ll do my best.”

“If you need to contact me, send word to the steward you saw earlier.”

“I will.”

The two shook hands.

* *

After the deal with Jayron was finalized.

Ethan pondered deeply.

Originally, he had planned to take about four months to bring down the baron.

“Now that’s too long.”

Lorocia, the Lord of Fire.

His meeting with the Spirit Lord had been decisive. The waste products that had filled his vast blood vessels were washed away, his body became even more accustomed to fire, and the essence of fire burned even hotter than before.

His wrists, arms, and shoulders.

He examined the essence of fire embedded in those three areas.

The shoulders were the areas where he had finished sowing on his way back from the mountains.

“Now there are eight areas left.”

As the sowing progressed, it became much easier to plant the essence of fire in the remaining areas.

This was because his body was becoming accustomed to mana and the energy of fire.

“Once I finish sowing all eleven areas…”

He planned to increase the size of the essence of fire and enter the cycle.

“Two months should be enough.”

It would take exactly two months to complete the cycle.

He called Hans.

“You called?”

Ethan silently handed him a piece of paper. When Hans saw it, his eyes widened.

“Is this… the contents of the feudal contract between the Duke and the ten branches of the family?”

“Yes.”

The paper he handed him was filled with all kinds of clauses.

Starting with the maximum tax rate that the feudal families had to pay, it also included the number of private soldiers they could have and the amount of taxes they had to pay to the Duke.

Hans’ eyes sparkled.

Why did he give this to him now?

It was obvious.

The Count of Karagas.

He was one of the vassal families who had received their titles through the Duke.

He must have wanted him to find out what the Count of Karagas was violating in the feudal contract.

“Is he slowly preparing to draw his sword?”

A bloody purge.

It seemed like it would happen soon.

“If you give me three days, I will find out everything there is to know about the baron.”

Fortunately, he had the money Ethan had given him. To find out detailed information such as the number of soldiers, it was best to hire an information agency.

If given enough money, those men were capable of finding out even the number of moles on Baron Helmut’s body.

Ethan nodded.

“Tell me everything you know about the baron.”

“Yes, sir.”

Hans began to recount everything he knew about him.

“His personality is the same as ever.”

He was cunning and thoroughly careful about his own safety, just like in the past.

The first attack had to be perfect. That way, the remaining nine families would know that we were not to be trifled with.

Memory modification.

We had obtained one important piece of evidence, but it was not enough to completely destroy the baron.

Not only did he want to push the man to the depths of hell, but he also wanted to strike him down right there and then.

“The more evidence, the better.”

Violating the terms of the contract would be an excellent excuse.

A cunning fox hiding in a hole.

Now was the time to drag that fox out of its hole.