Rise of the Foolish Second Son

Chapter 5: The Storm Rises Again

Leo knew that the most important thing right now was—money! To get out of this mess, he needed to figure out how to make some cash. Well, if he was going to do something, he might as well start with the family brothel.

As night fell, Leo walked over to his father's bedside, watching his sister-in-law Isabella silently pray through her grief. Despite being filled with sorrow, she still tried to comfort him, telling him not to worry. Leo felt a warm feeling in his heart and thought, “Sister-in-law, you’re really a good person.”

At his brother’s funeral, people came in droves to pay their respects. Isabella was there with her five-year-old son, Owen, the butler Kler Montu, and a new face—Mark Dillon. Mark was the brother of Howard’s bodyguard, Mark Bass, a decorated scout who had just retired. Upon hearing about his brother's death, he rushed back to fulfill his brother’s last wishes and decided to join the Ferdinand family.

The business partners seemed to have decided beforehand to keep quiet about money, expressing their condolences without mentioning any debts. Sean Kenneth was also there, looking serious. Everyone quietly went through the funeral proceedings, the atmosphere heavy with sadness.

In the Ferdinand mansion's living room, a group of businessmen holding promissory notes sat quietly, as Montu had arranged for them to come today to discuss the debts. Meanwhile, in a side room, Isabella was kneeling on a mat, softly praying.

“Montu, can you give us an update on the current situation?” Leo asked.

Montu sighed, “Right now, in Vido City, we collected 5,300 carts of grain, but 800 carts were stolen, leaving us with 4,500. We currently owe a debt of 103,000 gold coins, and we have a little over 2,000 coins available for household expenses. We can manage for a short time, but it seems we have more pressing issues at hand.”

Isabella felt a knot in her stomach. She knew she had to step up, even though she felt limited. She hoped Leo could take on the family’s burdens, but she worried he might not be capable. Tears welled up in her eyes again as she asked, “How much can we get if we sell the grain in Vido City?”

“Ma’am, we bought the grain at a high price, and now we’ve heard that someone is deliberately lowering the market price. If we sell it now, we might only get around 50,000 gold coins,” Montu replied.

Leo did some quick math in his head. His father’s grain stash could keep a 200,000-man army fed for half a year—what a huge operation!

“In that case, we’d be losing money. Let’s hold off on selling it for now,” Leo said decisively.

Isabella looked at Leo, feeling conflicted. “Leo, our priority is to repay the debts. We need to either sell the grain or the shops. Can you think of any other options?”

Leo didn’t answer right away. Instead, he turned to Montu and asked, “What’s the word from the government?”

“This is strange. There have never been bandits around here before, and suddenly a large group appears, and the government seems unaware. It doesn’t add up. They’re saying nice things, but I can’t shake the feeling that something’s off,” Montu explained.

“Let’s send someone to keep an eye on things. If there’s news about those bandits, have them report back immediately,” Leo ordered. “Sister-in-law, I’ll figure out the money situation. We can’t sell the shops.”

“But Leo…” Isabella’s anxiety was evident.

“Don’t worry, sister-in-law. I’ve got a plan. Trust me.” Leo’s confidence eased Isabella’s worries a bit.

“Leo, can you share your plan? I want to know what you’re going to do next. You’ve changed so much, it makes me feel a bit uneasy.”

Outside, the noise grew louder; the waiting businessmen seemed impatient.

“Leave it to me, sister. Give me a month, and I’ll sort everything out,” Leo said confidently.

Isabella stared at him, feeling helpless. She had no solutions of her own, so she figured it was worth letting Leo try. She steeled herself and declared, “Kler Montu, from today onward, Leo will be in charge of all family affairs. You’ll fully support his decisions without needing to check with me. Let Mark Dillon accompany Leo for his safety.”

As Isabella continued to pray, Leo led Montu into the living room. Everyone turned to look at Leo, the so-called “fool,” wondering what he would do next.

“Thank you all for waiting. What do you all want to do?” Leo spoke up, his voice clear and strong.

“Are we here to settle the debts or to discuss other solutions?” asked Abel, seeming to be the leader among the group.

“Sir, it’s only fair to pay our debts. How much does our family owe you?” Leo asked.

“10,000 gold coins in total,” Abel replied.

“Alright, can you remind me of the interest rate and repayment terms we agreed upon when my father borrowed the money?” Leo pressed further.

“After six months, it’s a 10% interest rate, and after a year, it’s 20%. But today, I can let you off without interest; just pay me back the principal,” Abel said, his tone a bit more relaxed.

Leo couldn’t help but chuckle, “So by that logic, today shouldn’t be the day for repayment, right?”

The businessmen began to murmur among themselves.

“Thanks for trusting my father. I hope you’ll continue to trust me,” Leo said. “I’ve said it before, today isn’t realistic for repayment. Let’s cut to the chase: if all you want is the principal, then give me a month. One month from today, we’ll meet here, and I’ll settle the debts. How does that sound?”

“And what if you can’t pay up by then?” Abel asked coldly.

“Not a problem. We owe you all a total of 103,000 gold coins. If we can’t pay, we can put up our 30-some shops as collateral,” Leo said confidently.

Abel scoffed, “Collateral? Do you think those shops can cover 100,000 gold coins?”

“Of course not. So, Mr. Abel, what do you suggest?” Leo remained calm, still smiling.

Abel replied, “If you can’t pay up by then, how about we take the family mansion as compensation?”

Seriously? That place is massive and could easily be worth 50,000 gold coins. Without hesitation, Leo replied, “Sure.”

“Absolutely not, Leo! No need to put up the house. I’ll guarantee it; if you can’t settle the debts, I’ll cover the shortfall myself,” Sean Kenneth interjected, eager to defend Leo.

Leo looked at this future father-in-law with gratitude, thinking, “Now that’s what I call a true friend in tough times!”

“Everyone, there’s no need to worry. Thanks again for trusting my father. Like I said, one month from now, all of you with promissory notes, we’ll meet right here, and I’ll settle everything,” Leo’s voice was steady and confident.

At this point, Abel stood up, seemingly worried that Leo might back out. He said loudly, “The second young master has guts and ambition. Since the mansion is under your command, I’m sure you’ll find a way. We’ll wait for a month and hope you keep your promise.”

With that, he strode toward the door, and the others followed suit.

Sean looked at Leo, his eyes filled with concern.