Decision

Proofread by Thomas F. 9th Feb 2025

I climbed the stairway and stepped into my office from the small room down below, where I had slept the night before. Although I had already rented a house in the city, exhaustion had kept me from returning there.

After a refreshing shower and a breakfast Carla had brought earlier, I felt ready to face the day.

Today promised to be even busier than yesterday, but a mix of excitement and nervous energy coursed through me. For the first time since arriving in this world, I had complete independence—to act as I pleased, free from anyone's control.

I just hoped I knew what I was doing.

"Architect Davidson, the head architect from the Nielson, will meet with you at ten," informed Carla.

I nodded and gazed out the window at the establishment's gate, where two guards now stood.

The girls would soon be making their decisions and giving me their answers. I hoped enough of them would choose to stay to review the new contract. I was confident that once they read it, they would accept my offer.

My father would no doubt ridicule me. He would call my business style sentimental foolishness, and he would be right.

My conscience did not leave me when I came into this world. Those values still mean something to me. If I am forced into this industry, I will impose my standards upon it.

The conversation with Carla provided me with the context I desperately needed. While my father had given me cursory knowledge, it was not enough to make drastic changes.

She is not the first person I have asked these questions. I have also asked them to the Madam and other prostitutes from the brothel the family owns in Redfawn City.

I did that a year ago when my father informed me that he was planning a brothel in the Fourth Prince's new city.

I spent the next few hours reviewing Carla's answers, and soon it was time.

I placed the contracts and coin purses back to my left and right.

Carla opened the door and led the women in, who filed in neatly behind her.

"Have you all made your decisions?" I asked the girls. Several nodded, and I looked at each of them directly. "When you're ready, tell me your decision."

No one spoke momentarily, and I thought no one decided to leave. Finally, Lola spoke up. "I want to go," she said. My heart ached at her words.

She is one of the top earners and the one close to reaching Lv. 20. It is painful to see her wanting to leave, but I have given them a choice.

Now, I would be able to work on business without guilt. I need it to work my best.

"Me too." "Me also." "I also want to leave."

Four others spoke up one by one—a pair of sixteen-year-old girls, a twenty-one-year-old, and a forty-year-old.

"Just to be certain," I said, meeting their gazes. "Lola, Sapphire, Jordana, Venar, and Rupa—have you all made your final decision?" My tone was firm, ensuring they grasped the weight of their choice. "If you leave, there will be no returning to my employ. Is this truly what you want?"

"I'm certain of my decision, Master Silver," said Lola firmly, and the others nodded in agreement. It was clear they had made their decision.

I nodded understandingly and retrieved their contracts from the pile, holding them up for the girls to inspect. Once they were satisfied, I reached for the small Fire Stone nearby.

Wordlessly, I took each girl's contract and held it briefly against the Fire Stone, watching as the paper disintegrated into ash within seconds.

After reducing the contracts to ashes, I retrieved my purse and withdrew fifty gleaming violet coins from inside. They glinted in the light, starkly contrasting the burnt scraps of paper on the table.

I counted out ten imperials, knowing that each was equivalent to roughly one hundred crowns. After dividing the coins into five equal groups, I placed each group into small leather pouches.

I handed over the five small leather pouches containing their severance pay. "This should help you get started on the next phase of your lives," I said, hoping the coins would ease their transition.

Sapphire's voice trembled as she expressed her gratitude. "I can't thank you enough, Master Silver." I shook my head. "There's no need to thank me. You all deserve this." I gestured to the pouches.

"Make sure to use your severance pay wisely," I reminded the group, as they nodded in agreement. With that, they bowed and left the office. I watched them go, feeling a mixture of sadness and relief that they were moving on.

"Well, it seems like the rest of you will make a choice after seeing your new contracts," I said, bringing some laughter to the girls' faces.

"This is the new contract. I hope the terms are to your liking," I said as I handed out several copies of the three-page document. They wasted no time in picking them up, their eyes scanning the pages with eager curiosity.

I had personally crafted the contract—an effortless task for a fully-fledged lawyer like myself. I was a lawyer in my past life. I studied the law here in this world and passed all the qualifications to practice.

As they read through the pages, I noticed their expressions shift to shock, their hushed whispers filling the room.

"The contract is only for five years," Ina murmured, disbelief lacing her voice.

"We keep 10% of everything we earn... and we get to keep the gifts we receive," Margaux added, astonished.

"One day off for every six days worked," Sam finished, her tone a mix of surprise and cautious excitement.

Voices filled with a mix of emotions echoed through the room as the documents were passed around. It took some time for the murmurs to fade, but even then, they stared at me with uncertain expressions as if struggling to believe what they were reading.

"Everything written in the contract is true," I assured them. "Yes, the term is now five years instead of the previous ten. Yes, you will receive a 10% share of everything you earn, and the gifts given to the patron will belong to you. You will also get one day off each week and other benefits outlined in the contract."

I explained the essential parts of the contract individually, and their eyes widened even more with each point. A few in the back had even fainted as I reviewed the details.

"It all seems like a dream; the conditions are too good to be true," whispered Margaux as she even tried to pinch herself.

"It's not a dream, Margaux," I replied. I wanted to offer more, but I am already walking on the fine line here, bending the rules as much as possible.

Offering a more significant share would invite trouble, especially from the other brothel owners in the entertainment district. The conventions had to be adhered to, or the consequences would be dire. My father had taught me that well.

Conventions can be changed or broken, but to do so, one needs to be powerful enough to bear the consequences, and I am far from it.

However, I hope that one day I will be.

My brothel will not be a standard one but something more. When my father planned to open the brothel here a year ago, I made a detailed plan for him.

I had shown that old man my plan, but instead of taking it rationally, he hit me and called me an utter idiot.

I hope he is watching from beyond because I want him to see how his creation - this brothel that his very children had bestowed upon me - becomes an empire.

"So, does anyone want to leave?" I asked, and the looks I received from them said everything that was on their minds. I couldn't help but feel embarrassed by it.

"Master Silver, where do we need to sign?" asked Ina as she placed the contract on the table. "On all three pages, with your signature and thumbprint," I said as I forwarded the quill, thumbprint pad, and a double copy of the contract.

One will be for them, while the other will be for me.

Although the old man rejected many of my suggestions, he was not dumb. He had accepted some of my proposals, such as offering literacy classes for all employees regardless of their job duties.

He reluctantly praised me after seeing the positive change it brought within a year of its implementation.

Ina took the quill and moved to sign the contract. Just as her quill touched the paper, I felt a familiar sensation that I had only experienced once before, about a month ago.

[Class Obtained: Lawyer]

[Lawyer Lv. 1]

[Skill Obtained: Contract]

As a lawyer, I have studied and practiced for many years. Here, in this world, I had passed all the qualifications.

Now that I have used that knowledge. I got the class. It is easy to gain the class, but I have filled all the conditions to get it.

I have not only obtained the class but also acquired a highly valuable skill in contract negotiation. This skill is incredibly valuable, even more so than the two skills that came with my base class.

While the skill is impressive, it is a double-edged sword. I must adhere to the terms if I apply it to a contract. The agreement will not be something I can simply discard like a piece of paper.

Despite its potential drawbacks, the benefits of this skill outweigh any risks, and it instantly applied to the contract that Ina was signing.

When I applied the skill, Ina stopped as she sensed it, looked at me with surprise, and then a genuine smile bloomed across her face.

A hint of respect appeared on her face because she now knew that everything I said was true.

Breaking the contract will result in suffering backlash, which will be more intense for me since I have a lower level than them.

Soon, Ina finished signing the contract. I took one copy and gave the other to her.

After Ina, it was Margaux's turn. The moment she touched the contract, she also sensed the skill's presence, and shock appeared on her face. It took a few seconds for her to calm down and sign with shaking hands, but then a soft, genuine smile appeared on her face.

The women signed the contract one by one until everyone except for the fiveteenage girls, and Carla had signed.

"Master Silver, what about our contracts?" asked Ruby. She is one of five girls who are below eighteen and unclassed.

"Miss Ruby, you and the others have a different contract," I said, handing her the contract papers. The sixteen-year-olds will be given a different contract.

They took the contract and began to read. Carla and the others also read with them, and surprise couldn't help but appear on their faces.

I said, "You will not work until you turn eighteen, and if you do not want to work in the trade after that, you will be given a choice to serve your contract term in other capacities."

I added, "You all also have a choice to leave. I will release you from your contract, as I did with others. " If they decide to go, I will release them from the contract and even provide them with severance.

'"W-we will sign; the contract is more than fair," said Ruby. Like the others, the teen's face showed an evident surprise as she signed. Unlike the others, it took her a while to gain control over her emotions and finish signing the contract.

After her, the other four teens quickly signed the contract.

"Now you have officially become employees of the establishment."

"I hope you all will help me take this business to the heights it deserves to be," I told them. "We will do our best, Master Silver," they said in unison.

"Thank you all," I said before my expression turned serious.

"And don't forget to write all the answers to the questions I sent with Carla. I will need them by tomorrow morning," I said strictly. "You will have them by tomorrow, Master Silver," said Margaux, and she left with the girls.

Soon, only Carla and I were left inside the office.

"You know, Master Silver, if you had offered even 1% of what they make, without all the other benefits, they would have still signed it with beaming smiles on their faces," said Carla as she sat across from me. I know," I replied sombrely.

Even in the most upscale brothels, the workers typically receive mere pennies while their employers make a fortune.

"So, why did you offer so much?" she asked, and I could sense her genuine curiosity. "They deserve that much and more," I replied, but it was evident that she didn't believe me.

"It is an exploitative business, Miss Carla. It exploits them physically, mentally, and financially. It turns them into nothing more than dispensers of men's lust," I said, and I could see raw emotions flicker in her eyes for a moment before she regained control.

Carla is different from other girls. While they may have been sold or forced into the trade, she was born into it and has experienced every aspect of it.

"I will not say the establishment will not have that, but it will be much more, and sex will be only an aspect of it, but not the whole part, and for it, I want them to be happy, safe, and satisfied."

"You might not believe me, but happier employees generally work better and bring in more profits," I said. My words brought a small, genuine smile to her face.

"So, where is my contract?" she asked after regaining control over her emotions. "Here it is. I hope you will like it," I said as I slid a contract out of the drawer.

"It is a little bigger than what you have offered the other girls," she said, her voice becoming mellower, like honey, and filled with sensuousness.

"Your responsibilities are greater, so you deserve a bigger contract," I replied with a straight face without falling into her trap.

It took her a while to finish reading, but she finally put the contract down. "I am only getting a 1% commission, which is much less than what you are offering the other girls," she said, seductively arching her brow.

"It is 1% of what all that the girls will make," I replied with a smile.

"Which is kind of low compared to my previous salary, Master Silver," she stated.

While my father had planned on giving pennies to the girls, he had provided Carla with a very good salary, which, as she said, would be higher than 1% of what the other girls would make. However, that was before I took over

"No, it is not low. I think you will make at least twice than your current salary," I said. Surprise couldn't help but appear on her face, and it took her a little longer to regain her composure.

"You're planning on earning four hundred thousand to five hundred thousand crowns a month, Master Silver, and I must say that's a gross overestimation for this small city," she remarked.

"The establishment will not earn you that much, even if all the girls worked to death," she said seriously.

"No, it will earn more," I replied simply, with confidence brimming in every word.

She looked up from the contract and stared directly into my eyes for several seconds before turning back to the contract.

"Since you're so confident, I'll believe you and sign this contract," she said, and I once again activated my contract skill. She sensed it but was not surprised; she had likely already guessed from the girls' reaction earlier.

The moment she signed on to the last page, my mind buzzed, and surprise couldn't help but appear on my face; my base skill had finally leveled up after a month.

[Souteneur Merchant Lv. 2]