Company Welfare

"Okay then let's move onto the last part."

Albert grabbed the last few parchment on the table.

*Knock* But before he could continue, somebody knocked on the door.

"Come in!"

Albert shouted already guessing who arrived.

"Good afternoon my prince! I finished my task!"

Bela stepped into the room and reported while bowing

"Thank you for your hard work!"

The prince said and motioned her to relax.

"Here are papers which your highness required."

Bela put down a few documents on the table and walked back to her position.

"I read them later but first..."

Albert put the papers aside for now and looked at Anul who was just awkwardly standing there not knowing what to do.

"Let's introduce yourself to our new company manager and finical advisor!"

Bela already noticed the man, when he came in but the task by the crown prince was more important. But now she had time to assess the man in noble clothing.

"Bela greets sir Anul the heir of the noble Appius family!"

She bowed while lifting up her skirt a little with her hands. She recognized him fairly easily since he had a quite big reputation in Andola. Like the man who can make money out of everything. But the bigger reason why she recognized him.

"Haha you don't have to bee so formal since I heard we are going to work with each other from now on..."

Anul scratched his head and replied a little bit embarrassed. Even though almost everybody greets him formally, he still don't like formal greetings and he was catched of guard.

"Perfect now we are done with the introductions we can continue!"

Before the moment could anymore awkward Albert cut in and gave Anul the last three parchment. Who switched back to business mode and became serious again.

"The first one is the royal decree of approval of the establishment of the Royal company!"

Albert pointed at the clearly more higher quality parchment out of the three. Which caused Anul eyes to widen a little, it was not everyday that the king issued a royal decree.

But Albert didn't care about his surprise and continued his explanation.

"The other is the positions and the criteria for hiring! But Bela will help you with that."

He explained while pointing at the other parchment.

"And the last one is about the pay, working hours, well fared and day offs!"

Albert motioned Anul to read it and form his opinion.

While Anul just skimmed trough the first two but his face became weirder and weirder while reading the last.

"My Prince isn't there some problem with this?"

Anul looked at Albert not believing what he read.

"No there shouldn't bee a problem with it..."

The prince replied which caused Anul to read it again in disbelief.

"But it says that wages are going to be three times higher than the standards! And the working hours are six day a week and 10 hours a day!"

He read it loud in disbelief.

"Ha, ha that's correct..."

Albert laughed while scratching his chin a little bit embarrassed. He wanted to do eight hours works day as a modern person. But when his father read he instantly rejected it. And Albert had to realize as well that eight hours in the middle ages just won't work. First the efficiency of one hour is not the same as in the modern ages. Second even if he let people go home after just eight hours, it worth nothing. Like what they gonna do? Play with dirt? There is nearly nothing for entertainment.

"And I never heard of a job where workers get free housing, payed leave when they get injured. Not to mention the 10 days paid vacation days!"

After finished reading out loud, Anul looked up and looked at Albert questioningly.

"Even if your highness wants to appeal to the common class it's just to much!"

Anul voiced out his thought not understanding why this much welfare is needed.

"Hmm I understand what you are saying but it would help the morale and make the company more lucrative."

Albert when seen that Anul want to say something he preceded him.

"Besides I am a firm believer of the saying you get what you give!"

Actually Albert thought about it a lot. At one hand maybe his company could be more profitable, if he won't make such a welfare.

But on the other hand he realized his priority is not money! Since he will be a King one day he will have an unimaginable amount of wealth. And since the Royal Company will be the first company, it will be the standard. So if somebody wants to make a company, he has to at least give some welfare to his workers. Which is two bird with one stone, since the living conditions will improve and that means the people will be happy.

And happy people means happy kingdom which means happy king...

"Whatever, it is the crown prince's investment."

After a few moments of thinking Anul sighed in resignation.

"That's perfect! Then here is your first mont pay and pay for the hiring!"

Albert said happily while giving Anul a big pouch full with money. Which he received and bowed towards Albert.

"I am thankful for the Royal Highness's trust in me!"

After that, Anul and Arthur made a small talk with each other sometimes including Bela and Kris. (Who was oddly quiet trough the whole thing.)

"Then I leave now your highness!"

Anul finally said his goodbye after a few minutes.

"Okay, Bela will help you but I want to talk with her first!"

Anul bowed a little and said goodbye to Bela and for some reason said a more awkward to Kris.

Once he left Albert turned towards Bela.

"So how was the task?"

"Your highness mean the pi-...*Khm* merchant?"

He looked at her strangely but he decided to ignore it.

"Yes I mean the owner of the store which I sent you to buy..."

Bela slightly tilted her and pondered for a moment before answering.

"That fa-... I mean kind gentlemen after hearing the request of the crown prince he decided to offer up not just his store but all of his wealth and even his estate!"

Albert already called this a bullshit but she still didn't stop talking.

"I tried to refuse him and said that I can't accept but he just didn't give up so I just gently accepted his offer!"

She straightened his back proudly for making up such a good lie so quickly.

'Poor guy...'Albert thought after hearing the word gentle but in the end decided to delve into it. Trusting in his maid.

"Thank you Bela, you can go now!"

Bela said goodbye and followed after Alun to help him in his work.

After she left Albert read the documents which Bela left on his table. And confirmed his suspicion about the miserable fate of the merchant.

'But man this mansion is really big, I wonder where did he got this much money from...'

The mansion was a square shaped with a courtyard in the middle. Its side were more then 200meters long.

'I wonder what should I use it for...' Albert wondered.

'Wait... Maybe I have a good idea!'

He then looked at Kris who was deep in thought since Anul left.

"Kris I have a task for you!"

But the man didn't react to his call at all.

"Kris!" Albert raised his voice a little.

"Yes your highness?!"

Which was enough to wake up the musing Kris.

"What are you thinking about so deeply?"

"No it's nothing of important!"

He became flustered and replied oddly fast.

"Whatever you say but I need your help now."

Realizing that it's not time for joking around, Kris became serious.

"What can I help the highness with?!"

"I want you to gather orphaned childs preferably under ten years old from the sum and bring them to the merchant's mansion."

"Yes my prince!"

Even if Kris didn't understand the prince's purpose he still accepted without asking anything.

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