[Balance Remaining: $663,783,609 69¢]
---Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Holy Commonwealth of Pennmere---
---The Kenway Mansion - Alaric's Office---
It was Alaric's sixth day back in this world.
The morning sun streamed through the tall, arched windows of his office, illuminating the dust motes dancing in the air. The room smelled of polished mahogany, old paper, and the faint, sweet scent of Celestial Tea brewing in a pot on the sideboard.
Alaric sat behind his massive desk, a fortress of wood and leather. He was dressed impeccably in a white silk shirt and a dark vest, his crimson coat draped over the back of his chair.
Before him layed the ledgers.
They were thick, bound in premium leather, and filled with the intricate, handwritten records of the Kenway family's sprawling business empire.
The golden rings he had crafted and distributed the day before were already proving their worth.
Leonard had reported a 40% increase in loading speed for the Ramen and Premium Cigar shipments. No more crates breaking. No more risk of people stealing products.
Eleanor had simply walked into a meeting with the Governor's wife, materialized a crate of Beauty Masks and Lotion on the tea table, and walked out with a contract worth fifty thousand pounds.
Caroline and Edward were currently terrorizing the market, using their rings to instantly supply Celestial Tea, Toothpaste, and Toothbrushes to high-end apothecaries across the colonies.
Bernard was having too much fun with the Hot Sauce and Liquid Soap, reportedly using the ring to "prank" a rival merchant by filling his pockets with soap bubbles, though Alaric chose to ignore that report for now. His uncle had his way of doing business.
And Linette, efficient as ever, had streamlined the distribution of Celestial Salve and Shampoo to the point where they were out of stock in three states.
Alaric looked at the ring on his own left index finger. It was the Master Ring, a band of gold inscribed with microscopic seals.
'Hmm...' Alaric thought, tapping the ring against the desk. 'Let's check the reserves.'
He focused his intent.
Query: Stock Levels.
Information flooded his mind instantly, precise and categorized.
WARNING: Low Stock on multiple items.
Alaric raised a brow. "Already? I mean, yeah, we didn't have much stock left two months ago... well, six days ago… but to think it get sold out that fast?"
He sighed, leaning back in his chair. "Capitalism waits for no man. Let's restock."
He mentally opened the System Interface. The translucent blue screen hovered in the air before him, visible only to his eyes.
[Buy] [Sell]
He navigated to the bulk purchase tab. The prices were astronomical, but so was his bank account.
These were the raw products… items from the Naruto world that he bought, before rebranded as Celestial Products, and sold at a premium markup in this world.
He began to select.
[Ichiraku Ramen Instant Noodle Cups (10x) - 25,000,000 pcs]
[Uchiha Fire & Spice Hot Sauce - 15,000,000 pcs]
[Kunoichi Beauty Mask (5x) - 400,000,000 pcs]
[Sage's Herbal Infusion Tea Bags - 20,000,000 pcs]
[Premium Cigars - 50,000,000 pcs]
[Hyuga Clan Secret Ointment - 25,000,000 pcs]
[Shampoo+Conditioner - 10,000,000 pcs]
[Liquid Bathing Soap - 10,000,000 pcs]
[Toothpaste - 15,000,000 pcs]
[Toothbrush - 15,000,000 pcs]
[Lotion - 2,000,000 pcs]
[MRE (Meal Ready to Eat) - 2,000,000 pcs]
The total tallied at the bottom.
[Total Price: $6,011,197.91]
Alaric hit Confirm without hesitation.
[Payment Accepted.]
[Balance Remaining: $657,772,411 78¢]
He immediately set the drop point inside the Store Ring. He felt the familiar weight of the dimensional pocket expanding as millions of items were shunted into the void.
He closed his eyes, doing the mental math.
'If all of that gets sold out at current market rates... we should earn around $719,984,375.'
He nodded his head, satisfied.
'Then taxed at 15% for the new Royal Charter... that leaves a clean $611,986,718.75.'
'Minus the overhead and the generous percentages the family gets as managers... I'll pocket around $575,267,515.'
He grinned, though he quickly forced his face back to neutral. 'Well... it's not like all of this will get sold out immediately. It'll take at least a quarter. Still. Not bad for a morning's work.'
He stood up from his seat. He needed to update the paperwork. The rings updated automatically, but the physical paper trail was necessary for the tax auditors… which was his own bank and for posterity.
He pulsed a small amount of chakra.
'Wood Release: Wood Clone.'
A clone grew out of the floorboards, looking exactly like him but made of polished timber before shifting into flesh tones.
"You know what to do," Alaric said.
The clone nodded silently, sat at the desk, and began furiously writing up the manifests.
Alaric tapped his ring.
Broadcast: All Rings.
'Hey guys,' Alaric's voice echoed in the minds of his family members scattered across the city. 'I'm sorry if I'm interrupting anything. I just restocked the items. Check your rings. I'll have the hard copies ready in the office an hour from now.'
He sensed affirmative pulses from all of them… a mental thumbs up.
Alaric walked toward the door, intending to go find Kassandra and Hunter.
Flutter. Flutter.
He stopped. He turned his head toward the tall, open windows.
His sensory abilities picked up a small, beating heart approaching rapidly.
"A messenger?"
Alaric walked to the window and held out his arm.
A few seconds later, a grey pigeon swooped in, landing expertly on his forearm. It cooed, ruffling its feathers. Attached to its leg was a small canister containing five tightly rolled scrolls.
"Thulani's birds," Alaric recognized the breed. "Fast little things."
He took the scrolls out. He unsealed a small bag of premium birdseed from his storage seal and fed the pigeon, which pecked happily before launching itself back into the sky.
Alaric walked back to his desk, ignoring the clone, and unrolled the first scroll.
'Hmm...' Alaric raised a brow. 'Handwriting is definitely Thulani's. Big, blocky letters.'
He read.
'My Dearest Aveline,
How grievously I do miss thee. It hath been a week since last our eyes did meet, and the longing for thy presence weighs heavily upon me. I do pine for the gentle touch of thy hand and the sweetness of thy kiss—'
"Ugh, shit..." Alaric winced, physically recoiling from the paper. "It's not for me. Why is he writing like a Shakespearean tragedy? The man hits people with a giant sword."
He rolled it back up quickly, his face twisting in second-hand embarrassment. "I'll give that to Aveline later. Maybe wash my eyes out first."
He picked up the second scroll.
'This letter is written in September 17, 1717. This is Raven. We have won the war with minimal loss. Thulani, Shakoka, and I will return in two days' time.
Please give the other letter to Flavia Auditore.'
Alaric stared blankly at the concise, military report. "Classic Reuben. To the point."
He set aside the third scroll… Reuben's letter to Flavia… without reading it, assuming it was equally succinct or private.
He opened the fourth scroll. The handwriting was jagged but careful.
'Honoured Lord Kenway,
The war is ended, and I have seen many things… both the joy and the blood of battle, and the loss of good men. Yet I give thanks to you, for the strength you have granted me. Were it not for your guidance, I could not have taken vengeance for the wrongs done to me and my little brother.
Pray, tell my brother that I journey home, and that I miss him greatly. Let him eat well, and learn much from the family.
All glory to Vanguard.Shakoka'
Alaric smiled, a genuine warmth spreading in his chest. Shakoka was a good man. A survivor. He was happy the boy had found closure and purpose.
"I'll let Deganawida know," Alaric murmured.
He picked up the final scroll.
It was decorative, sealed with red wax. The handwriting was elegant, educated, and flowing.
It was addressed to him.
'To the Right Honourable Lord Alaric Jonathan Kenway,
I am most grateful for the three soldiers from Vanguard whom His Majesty, King William Penn Sr., has entrusted to my command in our campaign against the Iroquois Nation. Reuben, Thulani, and Shakoka are men of extraordinary skill and intellect, and their service reflects the strength and discipline of your esteemed organization. By their prowess, I was able to devise strategies relying upon their singular abilities, each requiring but a few hundred of my own men. Truly, Vanguard is a force of remarkable power.
I look forward with the highest anticipation to the honour of meeting you, should you deign to grant me your presence. To stand before the leader of Vanguard and a founding father of Pennmere would indeed be a distinction of the greatest esteem.
With the deepest respect,General Edmund Ashcombe'
Alaric read it with interest, tapping the paper against his chin.
'General Edmund Ashcombe...' Alaric searched his memory of the game lore and history. 'Is he related to Helena? The surname fits. If so, he comes from good stock.'
He nodded, impressed by the man's courtesy and success.
He gathered the letters… one for Aveline, one for Flavia, and the report for himself.
"With that, Pennmere just became even bigger," Alaric thought, walking out of his office. "The Iroquois territory is secure. Supply lines to the west are open."
He walked down the hallway, the sun casting long shadows through the windows.
'I wonder what the colonies of France and Spain would think about this expansion. They've been eyeing the Ohio Valley for years.'
A grin spread across his face, sharp and predatory.
'Would they be okay with it? Or feel threatened?'
He chuckled, the sound echoing in the empty hall.
'Either way... if they don't like it and they want war... Pennmere will just eat them both. And I'll sell tickets to the show.'
.
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