Industrial production of anything requires significant resources, time, and exceptional engineering skills. The profitability of production is determined by the difference between the world price of the produced product and local production costs.
Particularly noteworthy are natural monopolies, the only socially acceptable form of monopolistic organization of production. A natural monopoly is one that produces socially necessary products in an objectively non-competitive sector of the economy.
A characteristic feature of a natural monopoly is the increasing returns to scale. One corporation, created by the federation itself, managed to reach incredible economic heights. This corporation produced up to 60% of all necessary products for the planet's population, ranging from household appliances to military technologies. Thanks to its unique production capacity and high-quality standards, the corporation ensured low production costs per unit, allowing it to offer goods at more affordable prices.
Its products included everyday items such as electronics, furniture, and clothing, as well as complex technical devices, medical equipment, vehicles, and agricultural machinery. In the military sphere, the corporation developed and produced advanced weapon systems, armored vehicles, and protective equipment, ensuring the planet's safety and defense capabilities.
The corporation's monopoly position was justified by its ability to maintain high production standards, ensure supply stability, and introduce the latest technologies. However, such a scale of production required constant control and regulation to avoid abuses and maintain the balance of interests between society, the economy, and the environment.
It has long been known that if the means of production (capital — which includes not only money but also raw materials, equipment, and technologies) belong to private individuals, they naturally behave like capitalists. In the production process, they primarily care about capital, compensating for its loss from profits, and only then about their own needs and those of their workers.
A business based solely on greed is like a house of cards in the wind — it will collapse sooner or later. A true entrepreneur understands that his success depends not only on profit but also on how much his product improves people's lives. Money should be a means, not an end. If money becomes an end in itself, it leads to moral and social decline.
Production for consumption means that the produced goods have high quality and low price while being beneficial not only to the producer but also to the consumer. If the purpose of money is distorted, then the purpose of the product is also distorted in favor of the producer.
Those who think only about their pocket inevitably face the consequences of their actions. Deception, low quality, and exploitation lead to loss of reputation and business failure. Those who forget about humanity and social responsibility quickly lose their soul and everything they have created. True success comes to those who see people and their needs behind the numbers.
Life is not reduced to the algorithm "bought for a coin and sold for two."
"Roxy, as you may have noticed, we are not the wealthiest family. But we will pay fairly," Paul began, nodding towards the restaurant menu.
We were sitting in a local adventurers' restaurant, smelling of fried meat and fresh bread. Finding a better place for an interview was difficult, especially when serious matters needed to be discussed, and the regular cleaning impressed me a lot.
"Uh... I thought you were from the Boreas family..."
"My son is an engineer, kind of a jack-of-all-trades. And since you have the rank of Saint of Water, we definitely need you. We need like-minded people."
Paul leaned forward, trying to give his words more conviction. Roxy squinted, looking me up and down.
"Master engineer...? This blind boy? He's practically a skeleton! How old is he? Still using a potty, I bet."
Ah, you little brat! Just wait, I'll show you who's using a potty! Did she decide to get back at me for calling her a kid?! I wanted to jump up and teach her a lesson, but Paul caught me by the collar.
"Here we go again, always angry when you're hungry..." Paul sighed heavily, seating me back down. "Rudy, calm down. If you behave, I'll buy you anything you want from the menu."
I sat back down, clenching my fists, trying not to lose it. My hunger intensified, and I couldn't think about anything else but food. When I'm hungry, my anger flares up like a fire. Deciding it was better to occupy my mouth with something useful, I grabbed the menu and started ordering everything, practically drooling on the table.
"I want... uh... fried chicken, steak, seafood soup, three apple pies, four plates of salad, and... uh... one of those desserts called 'Sweet Bomb'."
The waitress, taking my order, looked at me with surprise but didn't dare interrupt. Roxy, unable to hold back, giggled.
"What are you laughing at?!"
"Are you really going to eat all that?" she asked with a smirk, watching my maneuvers with the menu.
"Of course, and don't even think about getting any leftovers."
Paul shook his head. He knew that my hunger and anger were inseparable, and the best way to calm me down was to feed me.
"Roxy, back to business. We aim to change the world for the better with our inventions and magic. We need people like you to help us with this mission."
Our conversation with the girl was somewhat strange. I don't know what she imagined in her head, but she apparently decided to make some money by working as a teacher. Judging by her words, the life of an adventurer was tiring, and there wasn't much money to be found. She probably thought she could make her millions just by teaching us poor folks magic. Ah, if only she knew that we also dream of those millions but are currently satisfied with the idea!
Meanwhile, the waitress began bringing my orders, and I started eating like a monster just released from a cage. My hunger turned me into a real glutton. I devoured everything at such speed that even Roxy and the adventurers around couldn't contain their shock. Steak, chicken, pies — everything disappeared from the plates in seconds.
During this feast, under the accompaniment of my loud chomping sounds, my father calmly began to explain Roxy's role in our mini-company. Paul possessed excellent communication skills with adventurers, so the role of negotiator was assigned to him.
"Actually, we're just resourceful. We're building our future from scratch, dattebayo. Watch and behold our magnificence!"
I chimed in, drawing attention with a monstrous burp and pulling out a thick book from my bag. Now that I was a bit full, I could keep myself in check. Roxy squinted again, clearly not expecting anything special other than another portion of food.
"What's this magic?"
Under Roxy's surprised gaze, scenes that looked like living pictures appeared on the book's pages. They smoothly transitioned into each other, showing various inventions and technologies we had developed. But it wasn't just animation — the book had a built-in "smart guide" capable of answering the reader's questions, albeit somewhat awkwardly.
"This is a special technique I developed to better explain our ideas," I said with a self-satisfied smile. "With it, I can animate images on the pages. The built-in guide can answer questions, making it even more useful."
On one of the pages, a scene of Paul training in fencing appeared. He moved with grace and strength, performing complex strikes and blocks. The book spoke cheerfully, like a morning show host: "Good morning, dear viewers! Today we'll learn the art of fencing! The sword is your extension, like a third hand. Hold it firmly, but not too tightly! Watch how gracefully I swing my sword! Remember, movements should be smooth and natural, like a dance! Ready to try? Let's go!"
"Hey, why do I look like an idiot here?! Rudy, why did you change the first version?!"
On the following pages, Paul demonstrated the basic stance, holding the sword in front of him. The book continued the text with the same energetic tone: "So, dear viewers, let's start with the basics! Feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, weight evenly distributed. Hands hold the sword firmly, but not like a squirrel with a nut, so the movements remain free!"
This book contained Paul's personal training sessions and his advice, presented in such a systematic and understandable form that even a child could understand them. Convincing my father to write a detailed book about fencing styles was no easy task. He simply couldn't explain what he did so well.
To solve this problem, Paul decided to demonstrate all his techniques in practice, while I carefully recorded and systematized his explanations. We spent a lot of time turning his movements and advice into accessible and understandable instructions. Over time, our joint work turned into a small manual that could teach even the youngest and most inexperienced students the basic techniques.
Well, the course looked like a TV show. Paul glared at me with rage:
"Rudeus! How did you even draw me? You made me look like a fool! And here I look like a wimp!"
"Shut up, old fart! Do you even understand how hard it was to translate your mumbling into understandable explanations?! Be grateful that it turned out at least something fun!"
"What was so hard about it? You just had to show how great I am in motion! I look like a whore! And I'm not old, by the way!" Paul wasn't going to back down, demonstrating his movements with defiance.
"Great?! If I showed everything the way you want, it would be a book about you, not a fencing manual!"
"Huh?! Well, change it quickly! Originally, everything looked fine!"
Paul complained that I didn't highlight his charisma and everything else on some pages of the book, which made me furious. We started arguing, completely forgetting about the interview.
Roxy watched our argument with apparent irritation, carefully examining the book fromPaul watched our argument with apparent irritation while carefully examining the book from all angles. She flipped through the pages, running her finger over the text as if trying to find hidden signs. Her face became more puzzled with each turned page.
"What, looking for magic circles?" I asked with a smirk, still arguing with Paul. "Waste of time, there's not a trace of mana in there, these are new techniques. You can't just copy them like that."
Finally, Roxy gave up and threw us an annoyed glance, clearly realizing that dealing with these two bickerers was pointless.
"Enough, we need to get back on track!" I interrupted, remembering our goal.
Paul, seeing that the argument was escalating, intervened with an attempt to smooth things over. He sheepishly pulled some coins from his pocket and paid for the inconvenience while calming us down.
"Rudy, let's finish this later, we still have time to talk! And Roxy, thank you for your time."
"Gnome! Don't forget to get that book from the top shelf!" I added, grinning.
We left the bar, where we had managed to spend a fortune on food and nearly break the table. I grabbed my magic book from the girl's hands, receiving an indignant reaction in return. Her face scrunched up in annoyance, and she muttered something under her breath, clearly not expecting such rude behavior.
"Hey, I'm not a gnome!" she protested, throwing her hands in the air and huffing. "It's not my fault the shelves are so high!"
"Don't worry, Roxy. He has a habit of giving everyone terrible nicknames."
Paul, are you trying to get back at me? You said we'd have time to discuss everything. Maybe I shouldn't have changed the first version of the book. He really tried, and I decided to make fun of him for my pranks. Clearly, I'm to blame… again! Damn, my old habits!
There was a time when I wanted to be an attractive and cool guy. If people found me such, it was only because they liked nerdy shorties. And I wanted to be fed for free. The bad part was that perverts courted me when I turned into a beautiful half-naked girl, and then, when I suddenly became a fat granny, they chased me with a crowd. Ah, those were the days!
As they say, you can't judge a book by its cover. Maybe that situation will happen here too, but the other way around, in the face of this brat, which will be very funny. Appearances are deceiving. Roxy, stomping her foot, tried to look menacing, but her chipmunk-like cheeks only amplified her embarrassment.
"I'll teach you respect, you brat! You'll see!"
"Oh, I can't wait! See you in Buano. Ciao-cacao," I said with a smirk, waving goodbye.
Roxy, even more furious, turned and stormed out of the bar, her hair flowing behind her like a cape.
"Rudeus! How many times do I have to tell you to be gentler with girls?! She's probably upset… Why do you press on her sore spots?"
"Ha! You really think someone like her would get upset over a kid like me? She's much older than you think!" I smirked smugly. I hated losing.
Paul covered his face with his hands, clearly disappointed in my social tactics. He couldn't help but mutter, "Are you really my son?"
— Hmm, Rudy, I ordered carts of iron and copper from major suppliers. And lots of other raw materials for the project. By the way, should I buy sand?
— Don't waste your money, Dad. We're unlikely to find quartz sand in Asura, — I replied, shaking my head.
Paul nodded thoughtfully. Our goal in coming to Roa was to get patents for our inventions and to secure the necessary resources in large quantities. We had already signed the documents, which legally allowed us to officially open our mini-company. Of course, we would have to pay a tax first, but that's just a small obstacle on the path to our goals.
We discussed how we would manage the supply of materials. Metallurgists and iron suppliers were ready to provide us with raw materials at favorable prices, thanks to Dad's efforts. Although we stayed longer in Roa, it was important to stock up on materials and establish regular deliveries to avoid production delays. Since then, we hadn't seen Roxy again. I thought she didn't want to talk to freaks like me.
— Alright, let's follow our plan. Until we start getting income from the master's rights, we need to use all our resources to the fullest, — Paul wisely declared, carrying luggage on his back and me on his shoulders.
— Dad, can we assign Lily to soap production? It's too hard for her alone.
— Great idea! Did you forget? The engine automates many processes. And Lily knows this stuff as well as we do.
Well, Dad, you're the first in our family to recognize the usefulness of this invention, and I'm immensely happy about that. I hope everyone will soon see what a fantastic engine we've come up with. Our plan was to produce soap on a large scale, but we faced significant problems: first, there was a lack of quality fats and oils for production.
Most available resources were of low quality, affecting the final product. Extracting monster fats was no easy task. We needed to look for alternative sources or come up with new processing methods. Besides, fats are hard to store, and I hadn't yet invented portable refrigerators. Transporting fats from other places takes a lot of time and money. We had to find a solution to avoid these problems.
— Yeah, better focus on other areas. I wanted to rid this city of dirt, but my wishes didn't come true. Who would have thought that someone like me would complain about cleanliness, — Paul said, trying to hide his disappointment. He frowned, clearly dissatisfied with the conditions in Roa. The smells of this city had indeed been a trial for him these days.
— See, dattabayo? What did I say about this city needing us?
Dad grimaced but nodded at my words. I emphasized the importance of an economic strategy to fix this world's mess! Everything is in human hands! That's why they need to be washed more often.
After all this, we went to check our cargo and place a few more orders. We spent quite a bit on these bars, but copper was relatively cheap. In total, we spent about 50 Asura gold coins on two carts filled with various metals. Some of them were in the form of unfinished semi-products, but it wouldn't be hard for me to invent special mechanisms for them.
In our case, it's important to use every resource as efficiently as possible. Iron and copper can be used to create mechanisms and devices that will form the basis of our production line. This also applies to automating production lines in the future.
— Finally, we're home, dattabayo! — I exclaimed joyfully, stepping over the threshold after a week of absence. Our faithful horse Kaladzhav looked like he had just run a marathon with tons of metal on his back. He alone had pulled two carts full of copper and iron, and now his gaze said: "Do this to me again, and I'm retiring!"
The suppliers apparently decided that transporting our order between Roa and Bueno was an insurmountable task. They said the roads were terrible, and transporting such a heavy load was too risky — the carts could break down at any moment. In addition, they demanded an astronomical sum for this service. After consulting with Paul, we refused their offer and decided to transport the cargo ourselves.
When Kaladzhav saw what he had to pull, his eyes widened in shock. But what could we do? We loaded everything onto him, and the poor horse dragged us through all the bumps and potholes, cursing every bump and puddle. Since then, I've sincerely believed that our Kaladzhav deserves the title of "Hero of the Working Class."
— Girls, you won't believe how much we managed to bring! — Paul said joyfully, unloading the carts.
I offered to help him, but Dad waved me off, speaking with concern in his voice:
— You're too small for this job, son. Don't worry, I'll handle it myself.
— Well, looking at how you lift hundreds of kilograms at a time, I think it's better for me to stay aside. I wouldn't want to get a hernia and dodge homework! — I muttered with a smirk. — Most people argue because they try to convince each other that their position is the only right one. But we know that there's no universally right position... except mine, of course.
Paul wisely responded:
— Of course, everyone always has their own opinion, Rudy. But you know, there's some truth in that. Let's just work together and not break spears trying to prove who's right. Better get busy with something else.
Alright, haul it yourself, hero. I turned to face the house. By the way, over the three years of my existence in this world, our two-story house had "slightly" changed under my influence. Now you could say it had turned into a real mini-factory.
The house was adorned with massive oak doors and stained glass windows that let in more light. The roof was tiled, and there was a large garden with herbs and vegetables for our needs.
The first floor was divided into several rooms, including a huge workshop filled with tools and machines we had assembled. The steam engine automated processes, and a smelting furnace and a workbench with tools complemented the interior. Sometimes neighbors helped, especially when something didn't go as planned.
On the second floor were the living quarters. A cozy living room was furnished with furniture we made and decorated with shelves of books and drawings. The workspace with drawings occupied a significant space, and the bedrooms were small but cozy.
The house was equipped with a water supply system that I developed for convenience. Water came from the stream through filters and pipes, and the pump powered by the steam engine, which we called the "Puffing Devil," provided strong pressure. This made it easier to water the garden, work in the workshop, and cook in the kitchen, where the women tried to create meals to satisfy my insatiable appetite.
— Welcome back, dear! — Zenith was sitting in a corner of the house, buried in papers, busy with something. She had mastered the printing press well, and the sound of the keyboard echoed throughout the house. I was slightly surprised to see her here, as Mom was usually busy at the local hospital.
While Paul unloaded the carts, I quickly approached her:
— Mom!
I always felt like the most mature one in the house, but sometimes it gave the situation a strange twist. Being the undisputed favorite of my mother all my life gave me confidence and a sense of victory, often accompanied by real success. I know what it's like to crave your parents' attention because I experienced it myself.
But being a dad… I can't say I was the perfect father. After all, no one in their right mind wishes for war instead of peace, because in peace children bury their parents, and in war fathers bury their children.
— Rudy!
Emotions overwhelmed me… Zenith spread her arms and hugged me, filling me with warmth and care. Her embrace was so cozy that I felt the whole world stop. At that moment, I felt the love and connection that Mom always gave without words. We hugged for a few minutes, and then this beautiful moment was interrupted by someone's voice:
— Wow, what a mama's boy we have here!
— Kya-ya-ya?! Wh-when did you get here, Dwarf?!
I shouted in surprise as if I had been caught with my hand in the cookie jar in the middle of the night! Turning around, I noticed Roxy standing with a smug grin on her face. Great, mama's boy… Now they'll remind me of this at every opportunity!
— Roxy, don't tease Rudy! — Zenith said with a smile, picking me up in her arms. I instantly blushed like a ripe tomato and froze in embarrassment. Let go, Mom! You're just humiliating me in front of this kid!
— Hmpf!
As it turned out, because of our delay in Roa and constant moving back and forth, Roxy couldn't find us and decided to head straight to our village. We were so busy with patents, purchases, and transporting materials that we just "forgot" to warn her about our absence.
When Roxy reached the village, she easily found our house. The building stood out among the others: numerous exhaust pipes, a large workshop, and a well-kept garden immediately caught the eye. Lily was the first to meet her, as she was always at home, and then Zenith. Judging by their warm interaction, it was clear that in the days we were away, they had managed to bond.
When Roxy heard from our women that all these incredible devices were invented by me, at first she didn't believe it. Zenith and Lily couldn't blame her — a blind boy who looks so fragile, how could he have invented all this in his three years? Her doubts were understandable.
She clearly didn't expect to see anything like it, and her skepticism was evident on her face. The women showed her some of my inventions, and as Roxy examined the devices and drawings, her skepticism gradually turned into admiration.
She couldn't understand how I, a weak boy, could develop almost "magical" gadgets. Of course, I didn't do it alone, but the point was that we managed together.
Finally, she sighed and acknowledged my genius, though not immediately. It was one of those moments when you realize you can't judge a book by its cover. Zenith and Lily spoke with a slight smile, obviously pleased with her reaction.
We decided to name our company "Grey Spiral," inspired by our last name "Grey" and my past, associated with the spiral. This name also reflects our passion for engineering and mechanics: gear drawings and complex diagrams have become symbols of our work and creativity.
In the shinobi world, many companies and organizations secretly manipulated the global economy. Since childhood, I heard alarming news: one country threatens another, betrayals and economic downturns, the Land of Wind and the Land of Fire have been unable to reach an agreement for fifty years, another explosion or hurricane leaves thousands of people homeless. This contrast between luxury and poverty always made me feel a sense of injustice.
The richest countries must pay to eradicate poverty and provide everyone with useful things. But it's absurd how many resources we waste producing useless things, only to destroy them immediately, while on the other side of the world, women have to walk five kilometers for fresh water. Countries like Konoha and the Land of Fire were drowning in money and luxury, while smaller countries struggled to survive in a harsh world.
The great nations always acted like bandits, and the smaller countries like prostitutes. Warriors and spies from these powers constantly interfered in the internal affairs of small countries, profiting from their misfortunes. The politics and economy of the five nations were built on exploitation and oppression. As a result, small countries could not develop, their resources were depleted, and their people remained in poverty.
Every new invention or resource found in a small country instantly became a target for the great nations, who came to take everything under their control. Their power was such that no one dared to oppose them. Destroyed cities, hunger, and ruin were what the great nations left behind in their quest for power and wealth.
In this twisted world, survival became an art, and those who couldn't manipulate or obey became victims. Intrigue, betrayal, and the eternal struggle for survival became commonplace. People lost faith in justice and the future, knowing that in a world where the strong devour the weak, there can be no hope for a better life. Kill your enemies, kill your friends, the country, the people, and yourself… but no matter how much you kill, it's never enough.
One thing is clear: no enterprise (or country, for that matter) can survive if expenses exceed income. If water is pumped out of a well faster than it replenishes, it will quickly dry up, and those who drew water from it will suffer from thirst. If they think they can simply move on to the next well, it's only a matter of time before all the wells dry up, leaving the world in despair and wars.
War is when innocent people die for someone else's interests. For half of my life, I didn't realize this grim truth. I thought all misfortunes were caused by love and hate… How naive I was.
— Rudeus, what does this symbol mean?
— Ah… This is a formula for calculating the formation of clouds and precipitation.
I put my gloomy thoughts aside. I didn't want to dwell on the dark fragments of consciousness that crept up on me in the night's silence. Better to focus on something more important than the endless battle with the demons in my head… Occupational therapy. The saving influence of proactive engagement on the psyche that doesn't pull me to the brink of self-destruction. I mustn't die yet, distract yourself with something…
After Roxy officially joined our mini-company, she actively got involved in our affairs. Her pride as a mage who graduated from a prestigious university wouldn't allow her to lag behind my family members. However, in the process, it became clear that her knowledge was limited exclusively to magic. She had no idea about the basic principles of chemistry or physics, which sometimes disappointed me.
— Clouds and precipitation? — Roxy repeated. — Why do you even need that if you can just use magic to make it rain?
I sighed, feeling my irritation rise. She's a water mage and doesn't even know how rain forms? But why am I surprised, in this world, science is at the level of "rattles and bonfires."
— Roxy, if you know how clouds form and what affects precipitation, you can control the weather much more effectively and with less mana.
— But why all these complicated formulas? — she continued. — Why not just use magic directly?
— Because! — I began to raise my voice. — Magic alone can't solve everything. It must adhere to the laws of nature, and these formulas help us understand and use these laws to our advantage! Look, here's the 'Hoshigaki' equation, which describes the process of water vapor condensing into clouds.
— And this is also needed for magic? — she exclaimed. Damn, kid, do you want to see my veins pop? And she even boasts about graduating from the best university in this world.
— Yes! — I was almost boiling with anger. — If you, dear, want to make it rain without wasting all your mana, you need to understand how to create conditions for natural precipitation.
— Alright, alright, — she nodded wearily.
I took a deep breath, trying to calm down. — Here's another example. We can make it rain without magic, using ground-based generators. These devices evaporate silver iodide, which rises into the air and stimulates precipitation. Without any magic.
Roxy's eyes widened as she began to ask questions about the chemical composition of silver and other technical details, which took additional time. — You mean you can make it rain just with chemicals?
— Exactly! By understanding natural processes, you can influence them even without magic. And this knowledge can help you, as a mage, to use less mana and achieve better results. In simple terms, using these principles, you could cast four saint-level spells in a row and still not get tired!
— Alright, — Roxy nodded, still surprised. — I get it. I'll study.
I smiled noticeably, feeling satisfaction from her words. — Great. Now you understand why all this is needed.
Roxy, during her training, demanded proof of my scientific findings. She was right, of course — first, you need to show real facts.
To prove my point, I demonstrated the non-magical process of creating cumulus-rain clouds (according to Roxy, this was her most powerful spell). Using silver iodide, which helps condense moisture in the air, I created clouds and caused precipitation. In the lab, I conducted a series of experiments showing how microscopic particles of silver iodide initiate the formation of water droplets.
— How is this even possible?! — she exclaimed, watching in disbelief as my strange devices worked their magic.
— See? Magic without magic! — I said, grinning.
Her reaction varied from astonishment to frustration as she tried to grasp the science behind it all. One of the experiments went a bit too far, resulting in a small downpour. Imagine my shock when we almost flooded our lab because the rain didn't stop all day. We gathered almost all the steam clouds from the steam engines in the area into one spot!
Teaching Roxy the basics of our business became a necessity. "Grey Spiral" is a company focused on production and research. It doesn't matter what exactly we do; the main thing is that our products are always high-quality, useful, and affordable.
Our company's first major project was soap production. Thanks to my knowledge of engineering, chemistry, and production organization, and the active participation of the grey rats' family, we managed to establish efficient and large-scale production.
We started by creating super-duper devices to automate small processes. Looking at our mini-factory, I can't help but marvel at how brilliantly I organized everything. Steam engines located in the center of our barn provide all the necessary energy, maintaining the required pressure and temperature. We didn't need electricity yet, as the engines' efficiency allowed us to do without it.
Automated lines with conveyors, dispensers, and mixers work as a cohesive unit, turning fats, alkalis, and aromatic additives into soap. Along these lines are molding devices with multiple molds, allowing us to easily change the soap's shapes.
— Boy... No, you can't be called a boy anymore. What did you just invent...? — Roxy unconsciously dropped her staff.
— Are you really my child?! — muttered Paul, watching the working devices. — This is simply incredible! — added Zenith, unable to believe her eyes.
— This is magic without magic, — Lily whispered in awe, watching the automated process. — Oh? Is something burning over there?
— What fire...? A-a-a! Roxy! Quickly put out the fire!
— Huh? R-right! Send protection...
The process of setting up and testing the equipment turned into a real circus. The machines often broke down due to my inexperience and hasty decisions. Every time something broke, I reacted like a panicked octopus trying to tie its shoelaces.
— Rudy, this is the third time this week! — exclaimed Paul, looking at me in despair.
— Oh no, not again! — I would exclaim, jumping up and trying to fix something with my small hands.
The first success with the steam engine went to my head so much that I thought everything would now go smoothly. My hasty actions led to many problems: machines broke down, equipment failed, and I realized that knowledge alone wasn't enough; experience was also needed.
Honestly, I was glad that everything wasn't perfect and that my family saw that I wasn't an all-powerful genius. Despite the difficulties, our progress was evident. The product turned out to be a real hit, and the demand for it grew every day, making us work even harder.
Due to the active rumors about our product, traders literally stormed our doors, lining up to buy the goods in bulk. Some of them came from afar, bringing entire caravans of goods in exchange for our products. We were surrounded by people who only wanted one thing — to get our products, and this was a true testament to our success.
— The demand is too high... I can't handle all this alone. Maybe we should hire workers? — Lily said tiredly at our family meeting. We held such meetings once a week to discuss future and current affairs.
Indeed, Lily had been overworking lately, combining the duties of a maid and a production manager. Constant concerns about managing production processes, quality control, and fulfilling household duties exhausted her. She needed help, at least five people, to handle all the tasks, but she was forced to do everything alone!
— Great! We have enough money, so there will be no problems with this idea! Rudy, Paul, you've gone too far, putting all this burden on Lily alone! — Zenith, as a caring mother, warmly hugged Lily and looked at us sternly.
— Madam! — Cheek to cheek, the two hugged for too long and sincerely. Feeling Zenith's warmth and support, Lily couldn't hold back her tears. She sobbed quietly, her breathing was uneven, and occasionally there was a sound of sniffing.
Zenith, with warmth in her voice, whispered softly in her ear: — You do so much for us. We appreciate you very much, Lily. You are our support. Smack.
— Th-thank you, Madam, — Lily blushed noticeably but didn't let go of the hug. At that moment, their connection and closeness seemed especially touching and important. Even I, blind, could feel her gratitude and embarrassment, like warm waves emanating from her heart.
— If the atmosphere here is so cozy and welcoming, I have a few candidates to work with Lily in the soap factory, — said Paul with a mysterious smile, as if weighing his options.
His expression combined satisfaction and slight excitement, as if he eagerly awaited how the new employees would integrate into our small but rapidly developing business. There was something that made me wary, wondering if there were any... spicy thoughts behind it. A strange pheromone haze was in the air.
— And who are they? — I asked, looking at him with interest, despite not opposing new faces in our team.
The first to decide to work at "Grey Spiral" was Rowles, Sylphiette's father. His skills in material handling and his desire to provide for his family made him an excellent candidate. He quickly mastered our intricate mechanisms and contributed to the production. After him came Luna, his wife. Working side by side with Lily, they not only became an excellent team but also friends. And I could only shout: "Hey, folks! We need people to build our business empire!"
Now our "maid" had protégés, which greatly surprised her. Lily was used to following orders, not giving them. It was amusing to watch her realize that now she was the boss and how she had to quickly adapt to her new responsibilities.
Despite rumors that hunters occupy the lowest place in the social hierarchy, it didn't matter to me. The main thing is the quality of the work done. Moreover, the Rowles family always fulfilled our requests consistently and with quality.
It turned out that this couple wasn't of the human race. To me, this was only an exotic addition to our diverse team! Half-elf and a quarter beast — what a mix! I wonder what genes their daughter has?
And to my surprise, Roxy turned out to be a demon. I always imagined demons as huge, with horns and faces of death reapers, not clumsy lolis who could eat all the sweets at once. Maybe the Migurd race are candy demons?
Well, my thoughts ran away again. All this added color to our business and made each work shift unique!