14 — 14

There is no stronger motivator for a salary worker than money. They even have a term called “financial therapy.”

‘This is an opportunity.’

Life in the capital wasn’t easy. Prices were much higher than in Opel, but the situation for the four siblings hadn’t changed. Marcella still hadn’t found steady work, and medical fees in the capital were expensive. Because they weren’t high nobility, temple treatments were out of reach unless they made enormous donations.

‘The gods charging money for treatment?’

I was honestly put off by how they were profiting off people’s lives. They acted pure as messengers of the gods, but to me they looked worse.

Still, I decided to be satisfied that Rio’s condition was at least improving little by little.

I had to earn money for medicine. If anything happened to me while I was here, I’d be furious.

‘With risk comes bonus, at least a few months’ salary.’

The merchant guild was fairly large, so they’d at least give something to save face.

I followed senior Yul to check on progress in other departments.

The first place we visited was the external relations department. Pinea’s senior was a plump woman who looked visibly annoyed.

“How’s the situation?”

“It’s a headache. Make it a guaranteed success, do they think it is that easy? Let them try doing it themselves!”

“Calm down. So what’s the current status? We need to check and report, too.”

“I don’t know, there’s nothing. Nothing! Why all this fuss now?”

I deeply sympathized with the two seniors’ disgruntled conversation and took two steps back to give them space to vent. Swearing might at least relieve some anger.

‘But are they just pushing a project without any plan like this?’

As far as I knew, cosmetics weren’t Daijo merchant guild’s main product. They focused more on daily necessities and food than luxury goods.

‘No competing company had a recent cosmetics hit either. And it has to be a guaranteed success?’

It was hard to understand. The owner of the merchant guild who lives and dies by revenue was pushing this through like that.

“Coco, you’re here?”

Pinea, who had spotted me, approached with a gloomy expression. Jemina’s twin brother, Jemini, standing behind her, awkwardly nodded in greeting. I bowed slightly in return.

“Are you okay? You look really tired.”

Pinea shook her head.

“I don’t know where to start. The product is ready, but how do we promote it? Suddenly they demand guaranteed success, this was supposed to be a small-scale product! Daijo hardly has any experience in cosmetics, how are we supposed to… I hope they’re not planning to send us back home just because we just arrived in the capital?”

“Calm down, Pinea.”

I wanted to reassure her that low-level staff like us were relatively safe from this issue, but I held back since many were listening.

“The mood is heavy and scary.”

For normally cheerful and spirited Pinea to be like this was practically funeral vibes. Understandably so—the product’s quality mattered, but marketing was just as important. Especially for cosmetics.

“But why was this decision made all of a sudden?”

That question hadn’t left my mind.

“Who knows, maybe the merchant guild head had a change of heart.”

“That’s not it.”

Jemini, who was behind us, suddenly chimed in. He flinched at Pinea’s and my gazes.

“I thought it might help. Sorry if that sounded off-putting.”

He looked like Jemina but had a much more outgoing personality.

“No, thank you, please tell us.”

There was no reason to refuse information. Jemini continued, relieved.

“You might not know as a newcomer: the owner of the Daijo merchant guild isn’t the merchant guild head.”

“What do you mean by that?”

Pinea asked in surprise. I was curious too.

“Daijo is a merchant guild owned by the House of the Marquis Aurelius.”

“The House of Marquis Aurelius?”

A marquis was certainly high nobility in this fantasy setting; the refined pronunciation reinforced the certainty.

Jemini continued at my prompting.

“So the House of the Marquis sits above the merchant guild.”

“So you’re saying this absurd ‘guaranteed success’ mission came from the Marquis?”

He nodded.

“A mission? I don’t know exactly what that is, but it’s definitely from the Marquis. I heard the marquis’s daughter is very interested in decorating. There’s a rumor that when the marquis’s daughter says something, no one dares refuse it. If she wants something, they’ll find it for her even if they have to search the remotest countryside.”

Now everything made sense.

‘I thought the company was in trouble. It’s a classic top-down directive.’

A top-down directive is an order from above with no reason given, no idea why it’s happening, what the goal is, or what to do; it’s just “do it.”

‘It’s one of the most stressful types of orders for people on the ground.’

Companies with many such orders often drive employees to disillusionment and resignation. Still, this was better because a special bonus was at stake.

But Jemini’s story didn’t end there.

“Three years ago, the marquis’s daughter wanted a jewel that Princess Seref obtained first, and that very day the entire external relations department was completely replaced.”

“What?”

“Completely replaced?”

Pinea covered her mouth with both hands in fear.

“From the department head down to the lowliest staff, everyone.”

Jemini mimed cutting his throat, and my heart sank as I realized being low-ranking wasn’t necessarily safe.

“Why would they replace everyone but leave the merchant guild or vice-head?”

“Rumor has it one of the external relations staff leaked information about the jewel to the princess’s side. So they overhauled the whole department. Those two were disciplined too.”

The ripple effect of a single informant was enormous.

A marquis’s single word could wipe out an entire corporate department. It was as bad or worse than in my previous world.

‘Family-run companies, seeing one again after a while is jarring.’

I couldn’t help but smile bitterly at the thought that our survival depended on obeying the typical doting-father-in-a-web-novel’s whims. Any remaining pride in my job crumbled.

‘Let’s focus only on getting that special bonus so we don’t get swept away and fired.’

What choice did we have but to follow the chairman’s orders? Best to let go of useless attachments quickly.

Before considering alternatives, I decided to start with market research.

“We need data on competitors’ flagship products and current trends, plus popular cosmetic brands and top products for women right now.”

Pinea rifled through files and answered.

“Most of it is already here. I handled the market research while putting together this cosmetics promotion plan. I compiled everything that might be needed!”

‘As expected, she’s good.’

She’d been polite and capable when helping with extra work, and she was doing her part well at headquarters too. That saved a lot of time. With external relations’ permission, I shared Pinea’s materials with management. The director encouraged staff to propose ideas whenever they had good ones.

‘This isn’t the time to be doing your own job.’

Everyone studied materials and ran between departments looking for good approaches. Executive meetings with the merchant guild head were held several times a day, and sometimes loud scoldings could be heard. The headquarters’ lights stayed on late, and I volunteered for overtime too.

Actually, the materials Pinea gave me sparked an idea, but I wasn’t sure if I could persuade the higher-ups.

‘That special bonus, it has to come to me.’

---

“There’s not much time left. From how things are going, it’ll probably come down to distributing flyers for the new product and greatly expanding and decorating the display stands.”

Pinea came to the archive where I was and updated me on progress. That was the most commonly used method now. If we delayed any longer, they’d likely go with that, which was a problem.

“Actually, I have another idea.”

“Really? What is it?”

“Why are you so surprised?”

“Just that you’re more proactive than I expected.”

I gave a casual answer instead of admitting my darker motive, the special bonus.

“If it fails, it’s a crisis.”

“True. So, what is it?”

Based on Pinea’s research, I explained which target demographic we should aim for and how to promote our product effectively.

“It’s pretty radical.”

“I know. It’ll probably be tough, right?”

“But… it makes sense. It might have a much higher chance of success than the current direction.”

“It’s unprecedented, so persuading the higher-ups won’t be easy.”

That was the biggest concern.

“I’ll help!”

Pinea grabbed my hand that was holding the materials.

“I’m staking this on myself!”

“Huh?”

“Stake what?”

Just then, Nicola came in carrying snacks in both hands.

“Hungry? Eat something first.”

Pinea hurriedly gestured toward him.

“Nicola, we found our method!”

He exclaimed upon hearing about it.

“Honestly, I don’t know much about this field, but Coco, your idea is definitely something no one else has thought of! Try presenting it!”

“But there’s no time.”

I glanced at the clock hanging in the archive. It was already ten at night.

If the report is scheduled for tomorrow afternoon, sleep is out of the question.

“The special bonus…”

“Coco, what did you say?”

“Nothing. Fine, I’ll try. I’ll need some help, are you okay with that?”

“Just say what is needed!”

Pinea confidently tapped her chest with a fist.

“I’ll work hard to help too, Coco!”

Nicola raised the snacks in his hand and cheered. I gave an eerie smile.

‘You’ll regret saying that…’

And so began the prelude to making a homemade PPT.