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Chapter 22
The Birth of a New Industry
A week passed after the slave incident.
At first, the entire Ether Empire had been in chaos.
Rumors spread through the capital like wildfire.
In noble mansions, aristocrats whispered behind closed doors.
"Did you hear? The Mad Prince freed hundreds of slaves."
"Has he lost his mind?"
"No… I heard he plans to build his own faction."
In taverns, merchants argued loudly.
"That boy will destroy the empire's order!"
"Or maybe he's the first royal with some brains."
Even the guards at the city gates discussed it between shifts.
Stories kept changing.
Some claimed Prince Alex was possessed.
Others believed he was secretly gathering loyal followers.
A few traveling bards had already begun singing songs about him.
The prince who broke chains.
But time moved on.
Markets reopened.
Carriages returned to the streets.
Life in the capital slowly returned to normal.
Still…
Beneath the surface, people continued watching the youngest prince carefully.
---
Meanwhile, inside the western wing of the royal manor…
The rescued slaves were beginning new lives.
They had clean clothes.
Warm food.
And safe rooms to sleep in.
At first many of them could barely sleep.
Years of suffering had left scars.
But day by day, their expressions slowly changed.
The children adapted the fastest.
Fifteen young boys and girls now lived in the servant quarters.
Their laughter echoed through the halls as royal tutors taught them reading and writing.
Where fear once existed…
Now there were drawings, laughter, and childish arguments.
Alex had visited them twice already.
Each time the children greeted him with shy smiles.
And each time, something inside Alex felt strangely warm.
---
Far away from the capital…
A small village was quietly changing.
To outsiders it looked ordinary.
Wooden houses.
Farms.
Sheep grazing in open fields.
But behind the village…
A forge burned.
Massive furnaces glowed like small suns.
Hammers struck anvils again and again.
Clang!
Clang!
Clang!
The dwarves had returned to their true calling.
Crafting.
Forging.
Creating.
Their eyes burned with passion as they worked.
For the first time in years…
They were no longer slaves.
They were craftsmen.
Kael moved between them like a commander, directing the construction of new forges.
Prince Alex had secretly visited once at night.
The pride he saw in the dwarves' faces was unforgettable.
They were not just forging metal.
They were forging their future.
---
Meanwhile…
Prince Alex faced a far more dangerous enemy.
Money.
Inside his private study, Alex leaned back in his chair with a deep sigh.
Papers covered the entire desk.
Ideas.
Calculations.
Business plans.
Most of them had already been crossed out.
"What business should I start…"
He rubbed his temples.
Being a prince didn't mean unlimited money.
The royal treasury belonged to the Emperor.
If Alex wanted real influence…
He needed his own economic power.
He reviewed his conditions again.
First.
High demand.
Something people want.
Second.
Low competition.
No powerful merchant guilds controlling it.
Third.
Low starting cost.
Fourth.
Something that wouldn't attract political attention.
Weapons?
Alex shook his head.
"Too dangerous."
If ranked weapons appeared in the market, every noble house would investigate.
Food trade?
Impossible.
The grain guild would crush him instantly.
Luxury goods?
Even worse.
Large merchant companies already controlled those industries.
Alex tapped his quill against the desk.
"I need something small… but scalable."
Something people use every day.
Something cheap.
Something no one is paying attention to.
He sighed.
"I need permission first."
---
That evening…
The royal family gathered for dinner.
The grand dining hall glowed under golden chandeliers.
Servants moved silently between the tables.
At the head sat Emperor .
Beside him was the elegant Empress.
Alex's brother and sister filled the remaining seats.
Dinner conversations flowed casually.
Until Alex spoke.
"I have something to discuss."
The entire table fell silent.
The Emperor looked at him.
"Oh?"
Alex calmly said,
"I want to start a business."
For two seconds…
No one spoke.
Then laughter exploded.
The Crown Prince nearly choked on his drink.
"A business? You?"
Princess Aurelia covered her mouth while laughing.
"What next? Will you open a vegetable stall in the market?"
Even the Emperor looked amused.
"A royal prince becoming a merchant… that is unusual."
Alex remained calm.
"I will run it anonymously."
The laughter slowly stopped.
"No one will know I am involved," Alex continued.
The Empress looked curious.
"Why would you want to do such a thing, Alex?"
Alex replied calmly.
"Because wealth is power."
Everyone at the table became quiet.
"If I depend only on the royal treasury," Alex continued, "then my influence will always be limited."
"But if I build my own economic power…"
"I can support projects the empire currently ignores."
Now the Emperor leaned forward.
His expression turned serious.
"What kind of business?"
"I haven't decided yet," Alex admitted.
"But it will be something new."
The Crown Prince frowned.
"A prince engaging in trade lowers royal dignity."
Princess Aurelia nodded.
"What will the nobles think?"
"My name will not appear anywhere," Alex replied.
"I will operate through agents."
The room became quiet again.
The Emperor studied Alex carefully.
"What do you want from us?"
Alex answered simply.
"Permission."
Silence filled the hall.
After several seconds…
The Emperor nodded.
"You may try."
Alex felt relief.
But the Emperor added one warning.
"If this damages the reputation of the royal family…"
"It won't," Alex said confidently.
"I promise."
Inside his mind—
A familiar notification appeared.
---
SC Coins Earned: 500
Reason: Strategic Economic Thinking
---
Alex lowered his head slightly.
"Thank you, Father."
Dinner continued.
But the atmosphere had changed.
Now his siblings looked at him with curiosity.
---
Late that night…
Alex returned to his study.
Moonlight entered through the window.
The papers still covered his desk.
"What business…"
He sighed again.
Weapons.
Food.
Wine.
Agriculture.
Every idea had problems.
Frustrated, Alex opened the system interface.
Thousands of blueprints appeared.
Technologies.
Magic formulas.
Manufacturing methods.
"What business do you think is best?" Alex asked.
The system replied calmly.
Host should begin with something simple.
Something used daily.
Alex suddenly froze.
Then his eyes widened.
"Beauty products…"
Soap.
Shampoo.
Perfume.
In the Aurelius Empire, hygiene was primitive.
Most people used harsh herbal soap.
Perfume existed…
But it was crude and expensive.
Proper shampoo?
Almost nonexistent.
But everyone wanted to look beautiful.
Nobles.
Merchants.
Even commoners.
A massive market.
Untapped.
Low competition.
Cheap production.
Alex slowly smiled.
"And the best part…"
"No one will suspect anything."
The system confirmed.
Daily-use products create stable income.
Alex nodded.
"System."
"Search recipes for soap, shampoo, perfume, and cosmetics."
The system responded immediately.
---
Beauty Product Production Set
Includes:
• Advanced soap formulas
• Shampoo and conditioner
• Perfume distillation methods
• Skin oils and lotions
• Basic cosmetics
Cost: 20,000 SC Coins
Do you agree?
---
Alex didn't hesitate.
"Purchase."
Suddenly—
A huge amount of knowledge flooded his brain.
Chemical formulas.
Production methods.
Ingredient ratios.
Distillation techniques.
Alex grabbed the table.
"Ugh…"
After a few seconds…
The pain disappeared.
New blueprints appeared inside the system.
Soap molds.
Distillation equipment.
Mixing vats.
Everything needed for production.
Alex leaned back and smiled.
"Let's start small."
"Soap and shampoo first."
"Then perfumes."
"Then cosmetics."
He walked toward the window and looked at the sleeping capital.
The empire had no idea what was coming.
What looked like simple soap…
Would soon become an unstoppable industry.
Alex chuckled quietly.
"One bar of soap at a time…"
A new empire would rise.
And this time—
He would control it.
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