The next 3 weeks went by in a flash.
As I was waiting for my hands to heal, I regularly conversed with Luna about all the things I had learned during the 7 year void in my life. I told her about movies, books, anime, TV shows, and anything else I could think of. It was the best time of my life. The intense and cute look on her face when listening to my stories healed me more than the medicine I was taking.
Another thing was that throughout the 3 weeks I was bedridden, not a single person other than my step mother and Leo visited. Well, technically Julian came to make fun of me for being an idiot and breaking my hands.
Which reminds me, me and Luna told people that there was an intruder that attacked me and damaged the hallways, because no one would believe that I had shattered the floor and windows with my bare hands and a little bit of rage. Also the blood splattered all over the hallway really helped our case as no one doubted me when seeing blood on both walls and the ceiling.
Anyway, I got zero outside visitors, however, I did get a written letter from Victoria Sergio. She seemed concerned about me, although also said I was stupid for getting injured during a big business deal.
Well, lucky me, my healing time that was supposed to be 2+ months only took 3 weeks. Well it actually took just over a week, but I was enjoying my time with Luna so much that I didn't say anything.
This is all because when you are a swordmaster and have aura you heal exponentially faster than normal people or even magicians. Speaking of, I think Luna is starting to actually suspect something is up after seeing me heal so fast, but I don't care, it's not like I'm trying desperately to hide my strength, I just haven't needed to use it.
These three weeks did however, lead to me having an outrageous amount of free time and alone time. I mean the only thing I really needed to do was run one of the biggest businesses in the country. To be fair though, it was all very hands off after I made the deal with Marquis Sergio, he was able to make a deal with my stupid step mother and will now become the financial advisor if Julian becomes king. Also, Luna had found someone who was good at business to take over in our steed like I asked her too.
The day after I shattered my own hands, she introduced me to him, Lachlan. He was 24 years old and a commoner. He was a merchant and was very successful, but when she offered him a yearly salary of 2 million silver and the chance to run one of the biggest companies in the world, which had large potential and nearly limitless room for expansion and growth, he immediately jumped ship. He had brown hair and brown eyes and was an expert at business, he also greatly praises my idea for how to run the business.
The only downside would be his obvious crush on Luna, but I'm sure she can handle herself. As long as he does his work well and doesn't cross the line, I won't do anything.
Ah, speaking of business, I never thought that it would go this perfectly. We are currently on track to make even more than I projected to Marquis Sergio. I think we are projected for at least $2.2 billion silver at this rate, or $22 million gold. I prefer to calculate money in silver though, it makes more sense to me personally, maybe I'd learn why if I could remember the 7 year void…
I pushed that thought aside, all that matters is that silver is equivalent to USD, I'm not sure what that is, but it makes sense to me, so I'll roll with it. Anyway, our business is set up so that 60% of the profits go to me and Luna.
Now if we quickly calculate, if we assume that this $2.2 billion silver is an accurate yearly revenue, then with the cost of goods sold (material costs and labour costs), we have around $1.308 billion silver in gross profit (profits after subtracting cost of goods sold from revenues). This comes from the $880 million silver that the material of the bars of soap themselves cost and just under $12 million silver we pay our workers. Lachlan gets $2 million because he runs everything and everyone else gets $40,000 which is around twice the average wage of a commoner. Then there is the 10% tax on profits that we have to pay for the king, so we made $1,177,200,000 silver after tax. Over a billion silver in one year is ridiculous. I mean the buildings only cost me $6 million dollars so I have already made my money back plus interest. I didn't take the extra $6 million out of my own share of profits though, that was a company expense so that comes from the companies 40%.
This means that me and Luna will have $706,320,000 silver to split between us two… on a yearly basis… That's insane, I never really realized how rich this would make me until now.
It also means the business will have $470,880,000 silver to reinvest into itself or spend in any other way, which means I never need to use my personal money on the business ever again.
However, the biggest and most unexpected reward that I got was the influence and free marketing for anything I wanted. I now had millions of people entering my stores per week and lining up around the block in order to buy my product. They also all loved the product and trusted the business and while it was under the name Miz and not Artemis, I was able to influence the masses should I so desire. I could even create propaganda saying that the first prince isn't an idiot! Not that I'm gonna do that though.
Well, anyway, now that I'm set for life on money, not that I wasn't already, but now that I'm even more set. I have nothing to worry about while searching for a purpose in life and exploring myself further.
Over the last 3 weeks I've had a lot of time to think about the past, and I realized that my life was really shitty and boring. I would just go about whatever, make fun of people, and do nothing really. I had no goal other than to leave the castle and make Julian king, but even that didn't require me to do anything as all I had to do was act like an idiot and let Julian gain popularity. I also had no friends or lovers or anything. The only people I remotely give a shit about are my step mother Mia, her children, Leo and Maya, and Maya's fiance. Even then, I can't say I consider them family to me, I just enjoy spending time with them slightly more than being alone, I was closest to Maya, but even then, I almost feel like I was obligated to be close to her because she is my sister. I can't say I care about any of them enough to put my own happiness at risk, or to go out of my way to sacrifice anything for their sake. I realized that I need someone I truly care about to become an anchor for me, something to reel in my reckless personality and hyperactive tendencies. Otherwise I will probably continue to meaninglessly bounce from one thing to the next, on my random whims and free spirited actions. Maybe having something or someone to direct my energy too will allow me to focus on something and keep me grounded.
I internally laughed at the irony of this thought as it perfectly composed what I already knew about myself, at least what I should have already known about myself, but somehow failed to realize.
I had never done anything in the last 5 years. Looking back on it, after meeting Luna, I instantly met with Claude and Marquis Sergio, even Victoria, who I only met briefly, sent me a letter to get well. My life had so drastically changed in the last month that I can't even begin to imagine going back to the way it was. Now that I've seen this light, I won't go back into the darkness.
I wonder what I should do now. I need to figure out something other than helping out Luna, the one who helped me. That's more like repaying a favour, I need to start exploring more things about myself and the things around me. Maybe, make a few friends, do something interesting, get a hobby, maybe I'll try to finally get a girlfriend. My mom did always say she wanted grandkids someday so I'd like to fulfill that wish, even if she has already passed on.
Plus, I had just met a perfect girl who understands me, I'm not exactly sure what this fluttering in my stomach is. But I do know that it's new and unique, and something I'd like to explore, maybe I really do already like Luna. Maybe if we continue to get closer, I'll figure out what it means to love somebody.
That sounds like a good goal.
I'll just have to see what the future holds.