Chapter 17: Live To Sienna Pt.17
“As you may already know, I run a small business called The Green Corporation.”
Sienna remembered what The Green Corporation was like. The Green Corporation was by no means a small business association. That business community was to become more widely known as The Dark Society than The Green Corporation in a few years.
The Dark Merchants was the group that had won the battle between the bosses, which would take place two years from then, and had taken control of much of the market. Named for having both information and financial power, the identity of the owner of the association was shrouded in secrecy.
Although the topic of the Society’s control of associations was on many peoples’ minds at the time, there was no further information released about the traders. Therefore, rather than being called The Green Corporation, the business’ name changed to The Dark Society.
“I want you to succeed me as the owner of The Green Corporation.”
“What?!”
Sienna had no choice but to ask again. What Kelly was doing was essentially appointing Sienna as owner of The Green Business, and what would become The Dark Society.
“As you know, I lost my husband early and I have no children either, so I have no one to pass the business on to. So, I’d very much like for you to take it over.”
“No! I can’t do that,” Sienna flatly refused.
“I know what you’re worried about, but don’t worry. Jane is competent and will help you well.”
“Yes, miss Sienna. I’ll take care of you by your side.”
Sienna shook her head vigorously at their statements.
In the past, Kelly had died shortly after Sienna had gone to her debutante banquet. Then, Jane’s great contributions to the future fame of The Dark Merchants came to be. She couldn’t just take Jane’s place as the real master of the business.
Moreover, Sienna was soon to be chosen by the Imperial Palace and married off. She couldn’t be the master of the business.
She had a job to do. She had to take revenge on Queen Arya. Arya had to be stopped from wielding her blade against the many innocent people she had killed before.
“That’s not it. I know you’re trying to repay me, but I don’t think this is the way to go about it. I don’t know anything about The Green Corporation, and I’m a complete stranger to the people of the business. If you take me as your successor, I’m sure you’ll get some complaints.”
“You don’t have to worry about that. You just have to study the running of the firm step by step...”
“This is too important to have me do it with just cursory knowledge.”
Kelly nodded at Sienna’s words and said, “That’s right I guess.”
“I don’t want to take over The Green Corporation. There is something else that I must do.”
Kelly smiled at Sienna’s words and nodded. It seemed to her that she had already known that Sienna would refuse.
‘Despite proposing this to me, it must’ve been done with the intent to pass the position on naturally to Jane.”
“What about Jane? I don’t think anyone is as qualified for the position as Jane.”
“No, miss Sienna! How can I possibly...”
As she jumped up in protest, Sienna shook her head and said, “No. From the standpoint of the staff, you’re better than me, Jane. I’ve come to grasp my aunt’s knowledge of your skills and how much she relies on you.”
“But to be the successor of The Green Corporation as a commoner is too...”
Sienna looked at Kelly and said, “Aunt, at this point, how do you feel about getting a daughter?”
“That’s a good idea. Jane, if you don’t mind, would you be willing to become my daughter? I’m so old now that I’m in need of someone to support me.”
“But...”
“I know it’s a hard thing to do. Becoming my daughter and becoming the successor to The Green Corporation must be a big burden on you. Nonetheless, could you do it for me?”
“Miss Kelly...”
Eventually, with Kelly and Sienna’s insistence, Jane decided to become Kelly’s adoptive daughter. Jane, who was so happy that she could not hide her tears, had to leave her seat to wash them away.
“My aunt is very naughty,” Sienna said after confirming that Jane had left the drawing room.
“What does that mean?”
“You were planning to do this from the beginning, weren’t you? You wanted Jane in the position of being an heir because she’s a woman foremost, she’s young, and she must have made a lot of connections. But, if I were to be mentioned as your successor just because I’m related to you, there would be a huge commotion from the people within the business who know Jane well and want her to succeed you.”
Kelly nodded her head with a satisfied expression and stretched out her hand to try to keep Sienna from continuing.
“You’re trying to get people to lean toward Jane while talking to me about being the successor. Moreover, since I declined, you were able to ask her to be your adoptive daughter, naturally appointing her as you successor under the pretext of rewarding me.”
“From the very beginning, I asked you to be my successor. Not Jane. You could have been my successor.”
When Kelly said that, Sienna shook her head and said, “It wouldn’t have changed much if I’d become your successor. You would have placed Jane as my advisor. Ignorant of the business, I would have become a puppet who would’ve signed documents according to Jane’s decisions. Even if I had been the owner of the business, Jane would have been the real master.”
Kelly burst into a loud laugh, ‘Ha, ha, ha!’
“My goodness... I can’t refute what you are saying, but I don’t think you would’ve simply became Jane’s puppet as the owner of the business.”
Sienna shrugged at her words and said, “Anyhow, don’t you think you were being a tad too excessive? You told me that you’d compensate me when, in fact, you used me...”
“No, that’s not it. To say that I just used you... Although you have rejected the offer to succeed me, our company will instead serve you as a benefactor.”
“A benefactor?”
“If you come appealing to the Corporation, we’ll comply with anything you request. Whatever that may be.”
At Kelly’s words, Sienna, who was originally going to request for a dress to wear to her debutante banquet, had a change of heart. If an enormous business like The Green Corporation were to support her from the shadows, even after joining the Imperial Family, she would be able to receive tremendous aid in her revenge against Queen Arya.
“Anything? You might come to regret those words.” Sienna had already thought of a plan to diminish Arya’s funding. The problem was that it would take a lot of money to implement it. “You never know, I may soon ask The Green Corporation to lend me some money.”
“If there’s anything you need, you just need to say it.”
“It’s not something as small as an allowance. I may need the entire financial power of The Green Corporation.”
“The Green Corporation has not yet been revealed to the public, but that doesn’t mean we’ll lose to anyone in matters of financial power. You may not know how much you want yet, but I think you’re underestimating the funds our business possesses.”
Despite Kelly’s confident words, Sienna shook her head and said, “What I need is enough to pay for all of the wheat in the South.”
Kelly’s expression hardened with Sienna’s words. What her niece had proposed was a huge sum even for her.
The southern region of the empire was where the bulk of the wheat production of the Laifsden Empire took place. Sienna’s was essentially asking for enough money to buy all of the distributed wheat in the Laifsden Empire.
“Ha, ha, ha! You are definitely a daughter of the Waters Family. How vigorous!” Kelly burst out into a great, pleased laughter. “I’m not sure what you are trying to set in motion, but I’ll do that for you. We’ll try to garner The Green Corporation’s funds.”
Kelly had not asked Sienna for the reason for the amount she needed. Instead, she had promised Sienna that she would acquire the amount she wanted.
Sienna felt reassured now that she had something on which to lean. Until recently, she had been filled with fear and trepidation about having to fight Arya alone. The reason for that was because Sienna had felt she had nothing when compared to Arya.
However, with the support of The Green Corporation, which had solid financial influence and remarkable trade secrets, the fight against Arya, which would have proved difficult before, felt much more like a job worth doing.
A Back-to-back Encounter
Since that day, Sienna had been going to the temple every day to fulfill Roy’s request for her to take care of the temple.