Chapter 32: Time for Renewal

"How do we start? What do we do to get back at the bastards?" Rory sat down again, looking at Vicente anxiously.

"First, we don't think much about it. We haven't even awakened our magical powers yet, so let's take it easy. The most important thing now is establishing contacts and protecting what we already have." Vicente manipulated the cutlery and dishes in front of him for Rory to understand more easily.

"At the moment, I have to ensure that my father's business continues under my stewardship.

Few people know of his death for the moment, but eventually, news about it will spread. If I'm not prepared, I will lose everything he left behind by that time.

His men may betray me, but his partners may back out of deals with me because they may think I cannot generate profits for them or send them their resources. UppTodatd frm n/v/e/lb(i)n.c(o)/m

Hence, before that happens, I need to do two things." He indicated with his fingers. "First, I must replace my father's men with people I trust. Second, I need to make new partnerships without relying on my father's name.

Once I create my own name, I will no longer risk losing what he created."

"That makes sense." Rory nodded.

He was not the son of a merchant, but his mother also sold a service...

As her son, he had naturally learned a few things about how to manage your capital, when to replace people, and the importance of customers and suppliers.

"I can help you recruit some reliable people. Some of the girls who work with my mother have brothers a little older than us who are unemployed. If we give them a chance, we can gather about 5 or 6 of them with ease.

Their loyalty will be guaranteed since their older sisters work for my mother." Rory suggested.

His mother was not unfair, but those who worked for her needed to walk in the line, and the risk under these girls was not zero.

They and their families knew they needed to be careful and loyal, or they could suffer heavy consequences!

Vicente knew how Rory's mother's business worked and nodded to him. "That will help me a lot."

"What about those other plans?" Rory asked, thinking about the absurd things Vicente had told him.

Vicente looked at Nina and saw that she had already finished eating.

He answered as he looked at his little sister. "We will have to wait. First, we will secure our network, and then we have to approach a Baron at least.

We will collect information, and when we awaken our magical powers, we will start to plan this. Until then, it will be dangerous for us to think about this kind of action.

However, as much as we won't be able to do anything, it doesn't mean we will stand still."

"Oh?"

Vicente explained. "Among the men we will hire, we will need people capable of fighting. When we have enough of these people, we can act in the underworld and fight for space with criminal groups."

"That will be interesting." Rory laughed while Nina watched these two's conversation intently, not understanding anything but knowing that it must be quite important.

Vicente then stood up and took Nina in his arms again. "Anyway, I have to go take care of some business. Can you see these people for me?"

"Hmm, I'll do that right away. I'll stop by your place tonight with the results." Rory stood up and escorted Vice and Nina to the exit.

"That's good."

"But man, what are we going to do about Nina?" Rory worried. "As merchants, we will have to travel out of the village... Do you intend to take her on every trip?"

"About that, I intend to get someone reliable to watch her. But I intend to get to know that person well, so we will have to deal with Nina being at our side for the next few months."

"Won't that be dangerous?"

Vicente looked at Nina and said. "No. I will avoid risking traveling during that period. Besides, it would be more risky for her to stay with someone dangerous and who wouldn't do everything in their power to protect her."

"That makes sense."

The two said their goodbyes, going in different directions in this village.

...

While Rory searched for the relatives of his mother's 'workers,' Vice went to his father's warehouse at one end of the village.

After a half hour's walk, he arrived at a place on the soil floor, where several silos, a large barn, and a corral were on this property that belonged to his family.

A dozen men were working around, some tending the horses, others fixing the wagons at their disposal.

As Vicente arrived there with Nina, those people who had already been warned by Jesse earlier about their situation did not find it strange that he appeared there.

Vicente greeted some old acquaintances on the way to Jesse's office, where he wanted to start dealing with the renovation of this place.

"Vicente, I didn't expect you to be here so soon already..." This man left his office when he saw that this boy had just walked in there.

"Hmm, I have some urgent business to attend to, so I want to start immediately." He said as he looked at this man and entered that office.

"Urgent business? What's that all about? I can take care of that for you. You can focus on caring for little Nina, and I'll do the rest." He said, looking at Vicente and indicating for this child to go take care of child matters and leave the rest to him.

"I'm afraid it would be tricky for you to handle that for me, Jesse." Vicente smiled. "My father has not only left me the duties of this place. He wants me to start leading his business on his behalf.

As you may already know, my father wishes me to replace him when I become an adult."

"Hmm." That man nodded as he tried to understand what this was all about.

But he could say nothing against Vicente's first words, for Andrew had indeed indicated that intention.

As much as he didn't like taking orders from a child, who, yes, was talented but was still a child, he would have no choice.

Vice said. "Since I will be replacing him, I want to make some changes to make our operations more compatible with my profile. So a change in personnel will be necessary."

"Do you want to hire new workers? I can help you with that." Jesse smiled.

"Yes, but not only that." Vice looked into that person's eyes, speaking as an equal. "Unlike my father, I can run this place by myself. So I thank you for what you have done to date.

Your services will not be forgotten, but I'm afraid we'll have to go our separate ways."

"What?" Jesse realized he was being fired and stood up from his chair, not believing that this kid was sending him away.

He had been working for Andrew longer than Vicente existed!

How would he be the first to be fired in a staff renewal?

"Vicente, I don't understand. Is Mr. Andrew unhappy with me? Why am I being fired?" He said in a slightly altered tone.

But as a person of low talent, this man would not dare try to hurt Vicente.

The one who paid the wages of those men in the surrounding area was Andrew, so if he did what he shouldn't, he could be brutally beaten!

Vicente knew this, which is precisely why he would not fire these people before Jesse.

First he had to remove the problem from the person who knew most about his father's schemes!

"You've got it wrong, Jesse. That's not my father. That's me. I will run this place from now on, so you are no longer needed."

Chapter end