The Sovereignty System

Remi finally realized he had no other choice but to accept the deal that Ben had offered him.

Ben followed Remi out of his office toward the waiting Chancery near the front door.

Remi momentarily paused to tell the sales girls that he would be out for a while and they were to have Cordelia or Baynard lock up if he did not return before closing.

So Ben and Remi followed the Chancery who led them back to the Royal Palace where they would complete the property and store sales deal.

As they walked there Ben could no longer ignore the irritating notification icon flashing in his peripheral vision since he left the royal palace earlier.

He was so excited to acquire a new property he choose to ignore his notices until the tension of making a deal was finally over. Now that he felt like he just went through a battle and his stress level was declining he could take a moment to review his new gains.

[Notice] [You have learned a new Technique! Aura Assault Level 1.]

[Notice] [Technique: Aura Assault has increased. Aura Assault Level 2.]

[Notice] [You have learned a new Technique! Cultivation Reader Level 1.]

[Aura Assault]: You are able to attack those with a lower cultivation or no cultivation by using the strength of your own projected cultivation.

[Cultivation Reader]: You have learned how to read the cultivation stage and level of others that are equal or lower in cultivation than you.

'I must have somehow learned the royal cultivator's skill when he used it on me. That is the first time that this had happened. Does it have something to do with it directly connecting with my cultivation aura?' Ben pondered as he read down to the next skill description he clicked on.

When they ultimately reached the palace Remi was sweating bullets worried that one of the king's guards was going to jump out and throw him on a ship upstream to the infamous debtor island prison any second.

Of course that never happened and they all went to the palace offices without any problems. Inside the office of city land development records, they drew up a new deed for both the land and the store in Ben's name.

Remi was then given the promised 2000g and a new lease on life now that he could clear his debts and move forward.

Remi handed Ben a key to the store and the new copies of his deeds proving his ownership. Remi also had a key to the store still that he was allowed to hang onto until his merchandise was removed from the premises.

Ben allowed Remi one week to move his merchandise out of the store as he promised and both parties were happy in the end. Even though Remi was taken advantage of he was glad to have solved his problems and actually thanked Ben as they parted ways.

Before they parted Ben told Remi he would explain what had happened to the store employees so that Remi could go home to tell his family the good news. Ben felt bad for the store manager and for the salesgirls who were still worried over their futures.

Earlier Ben had decided he would keep Remi's employees under his new ownership. He didn't think he would need the salesgirls right now, but from what Remi had said they were all experienced in sales and had been trained in dealing with every status of people.

He began to think about how he once read about the shopping revolution of department stores when they were first created. No one on Earth had ever opened a large store that carried a little of everything. They were like a huge advanced version of a general store.

When department stores had first opened in the United States people would stand in lines that went around the block just to enter the store and shop or look around.

It was the same with this world most stores specialized in one area of sales. With all the workshops Ben could build in the future he would split his new store up into multiple departments that sold a little of everything. He could have a furniture department, clothing department, weapons, and armor department, jewelry department, food department. The options were limitless for him.

If it grew to this size one day these seven salesgirls wouldn't even be near enough. Ben could become this world's version of a miniature Sears and Roebuck from Earth that started out small and grew to a chain of department stores!

When Ben returned to his new store he walked in and went to talk to the girls who still did not have any customers to help.

"Hello, ladies I've returned from the palace and have some good news for everyone. By the way is the manager Baynard Grandet still in his office?"

Cordelia stepped forward obviously the most confident amongst the group of girls she was the perfect choice to be the store's sales manager.

"Welcome Back Marquess King. Yes, Baynard is still in his office would you like to speak with him?" She asked

"Yes I know this is a little strange, but could I ask you to please bring him over here so that I can speak to everyone together," Ben responded with a smile.

"Not a problem I will only be a moment." Cordelia shuffled off to the office next to Remi's old office and quickly returned with a middle-aged man wearing spectacles clipped to the bridge of his nose. Baynard was wearing an above average looking outfit that gave him a look of how Ben thought a medieval scholar might have dressed.

With everyone expectantly staring at him, Ben spoke up without further ado.

"As of just now over at the Royal Palace City Land Development office, merchant Remi Norberg and myself made a deal for me to purchase this store and the land it now sits on."

The girls all gasped at this sudden news while Baynard remained quiet waiting to hear what else Ben had to say.

Ben raised his hand and placed his index finger on the gold rune engraved ring and then produced his copy of the land and building deeds that he passed over to Baynard to review.

As Baynard read over the deeds Ben continued.

"I am sure you all have been through a lot recently and have been wondering what your futures would hold for you after this store was closed. You all can now relax, I will be soon remodeling this store and reopening under a new name with me as it's owner. I would like each of you to continue working here as my employees from now on. I can promise you the same wages you are making now and once the store begins to grow you will all continue to receive pay increases that fit your workload."

A few of the girls had their hands covering their mouths as tears shone in their eyes. It was the answer to their prayers that saved them from having to choose a job that they didn't want just so they could survive.

"These deeds are both official, he is the new store owner and our new employer. By the way, sir may I ask your name?" Baynard responded after inspecting the deeds.

"Oh, excuse my rudeness, I am Marquess Ben King I am a cultivator that recently traveled to this content from across the sea. It may even be possible that some of you might have heard the name Spirit Food Cultivator that the people of the city have taken to calling me."

Even more gasps and this time Baynard showed a little emotion.

"So Marquess King is the rumored Spirit Food Cultivator. It is a pleasure to meet you my lord" Baynard responded with a saluting bow.

All the girls followed suit with a curtsy and a nod.

"Please, Please, everyone we will all be working together in the future and we will have no time for all these noble formalities. Just address as my lord in public and let us drop all the bowing, curtsies, and saluting in the future."

The employees all hesitantly nodded in surprise. When Ben saw they agreed to his request he continued to speak.

"Now back to our discussion, Merchant Remi informed me of how much each of you earned per paycheck and that you were paid on a weekly bases. As for now, your salaries will remain the same as they have been."

Ben then opened the System Store and bought a few small leather bags with leather drawstrings. He removed two weeks salary that each of them normally made and placed the money into the new pouches.

Baynard made the most money, then Cordelia made the second highest income, and all the regular salesgirls made the same amount.

When he had confirmed the right amounts for two weeks total salary for them all, Ben passed out the leather pouches to each of them.

"Inside of these leather bags are two weeks salary that you would normally make while working here. There is just one problem this store will not be open for two weeks. So I am giving you a paid vacation until the new store's grand opening. Merchant Remi has one week to remove all his merchandise from the store then I want to remodel the place thus the extra one week it will be closed for."

Baynard had a puzzled look and spoke up. "This is a magnanimous offer, my lord, to be paid for not working, but if the furniture is all removed then what do you plan to sell from your new store? Will it possibly be the rumored spirit foods we have heard of?"

"Yes, we will sell spirit foods, but there will be other products as well. This store will be unlike any other store this city has ever seen. I have a feeling it will become popular so everyone should enjoy your time off and rest up and prepare for the busy days ahead of us." Ben said with a confident smile.