Chapter 10: The Path to Profitability

Zenon’s office had effectively become the beating heart of the Arkwright Duke’s House.

A steady stream of department heads came and went, each presenting approval documents before their young lord. After brief exchanges, Zenon would give either consent or rejection, and they would hurry out again.

There was no idle chatter, no flattery — only reports, analyses, and decisions. An efficient flow of work, stripped of waste.

“Zenon-sama, pardon my intrusion.”

With a modest voice, a young man entered the room.

It was Rio Goodman, a commoner by birth, yet appointed to the vital position of chief accountant. Still unaccustomed to his role, he always carried a faint air of tension — but in his hands, and in the clarity of his eyes, there was unmistakable intelligence.

“I’ve compiled the financial report for last month, my lord.”

“Let’s hear it.”

Zenon set his pen down and leaned back in his chair, facing Rio.

Swallowing hard, Rio opened the report.

“First, on expenditures — we have successfully reduced costs by seventy percent compared to the same month last year.”

It was a figure that would have made any other vassal faint on the spot.

“The primary factors were: your order to suspend all personal expenses of the family, the elimination of unnecessary personnel costs, and the eradication of embezzlement under the previous accounting officer, Bartolo.”

A trace of excitement colored Rio’s voice.

As a former scribe, he had long noticed the rot festering in the family’s ledgers, but he had neither the power nor authority to expose it. The young lord before him had cut that corruption away — cleanly and decisively — within mere days.

“As for income, there’s been no significant change for now. However, with the drastic reduction in spending, our monthly deficit has fallen to less than one-tenth of last year’s.”

He paused, then continued with the most crucial report of all:

“If we maintain this level of financial control, we’re projected to achieve a monthly surplus within three months. Within a year, we could even begin repaying our accumulated debt.”

It was, for the House of Arkwright, nothing short of a miracle.

A sinking ship that had been speeding toward the cliff of bankruptcy was now stabilizing — even beginning to rise again.

And the one responsible for this turnaround was the sixteen-year-old boy quietly listening before him.

A wave of reverence swelled in Rio’s chest.

“…An expected result.”

Even at such historic news, Zenon’s expression did not waver.

To him, this was simply the logical outcome of sound calculation. Eliminate irrational spending, and the deficit shrinks — a matter of course.

“I understand. Continue monitoring all financial flows. Don’t overlook even the smallest inconsistency.”

“Yes, my lord! Leave it to me!”

Rio nodded firmly, bowed deeply, and departed.

Left alone, Zenon glanced over the report Rio had left behind.

“The Path to Profitability.”

It marked the completion of the first phase of his reforms.

He rose from his chair and made his way to his father Darius’s office. The head of the family would need to be informed — at least for formality’s sake.

A weak voice answered his knock.

“…Enter.”

Inside, Darius sat gazing absently out the window. The once-imposing duke looked older now, his proud aura faded to exhaustion.

Without a word, Zenon placed a copy of Rio’s report on the desk.

Darius lowered his eyes to it, tracing the numbers with intense focus for a long while.

At last, he let out a deep, weary sigh.

“…I see.”

That was all he could manage — a single phrase laden with relief, regret, and an emotion toward his son that he could not quite define.

The one who had saved the family from ruin was unmistakably his son — yet his methods were beyond the duke’s comprehension.

“From here on, we’ll continue managing the house according to this policy. Any objections?”

Darius shook his head weakly.

He no longer had the right — nor the strength — to object. Though still the nominal head of the house, his power was completely gone.

“…Do as you wish.”

It was his final surrender — the pride of a duke cast aside.

Zenon gave a short nod and turned on his heel.

His business here was done. Remaining any longer would be a waste of time.

Back in his room, Zenon laid out the profit report beside charts of the domain’s productivity.

On one side: financial graphs rising at last.
On the other: stagnant harvest records that had barely moved in years.

“The bleeding’s been stopped. But at this rate, the patient is merely alive — not recovering.”

The fundamental issue remained unsolved.

The Arkwright family’s entire economic structure was frail at its core.

Its only source of income was taxation — squeezing the life out of its already exhausted peasants.

At this rate, sustainable growth was nothing more than a fantasy.

In business terms, what he had done so far was nothing more than cutting away unprofitable divisions to produce a temporary surplus.

What was truly needed now was to cultivate a new, high-revenue enterprise — one that could serve as a stable pillar of income.

And in this world, the most fundamental, the most vital industry of all—was agriculture.

“All prosperity begins with food.”

Zenon unfolded a map of the Arkwright territory.

“Without a stable food supply, there can be no sustainable development. When the people starve, labor productivity drops, dissatisfaction festers, and eventually that discontent becomes rebellion — the worst possible threat to management stability.”

Conversely, if the food problem were solved — if surplus production could be achieved — that surplus would become a new source of wealth.

Surplus crops could be processed into specialty goods.

A prosperous land would attract people, stimulate commerce, and create a virtuous economic cycle.

Everything was connected.

Zenon’s focus had already shifted beyond the internal flow of money within the household.

His mind was now set on a broader management strategy: how to extract the greatest possible profit from the vast land of his domain.

At that moment, there was a knock at the door.

Gray entered, carrying several small leather pouches in his hands.

“Zenon-sama. As ordered, I have gathered soil samples from the major villages in the territory.”

Zenon lifted his gaze from the map and fixed a sharp look on the pouches.

They were no mere lumps of dirt.

They were data — precious information that would determine the future of the Arclight domain.

“Well done. We’ll begin the analysis immediately.”

The purge known as the financial reform was over.

But that had been only the prologue to Zenon’s grand management plan.

The true battle, the one that would shape the domain’s destiny was about to begin, from this single handful of soil.