MADWD 34

Chapter 34

The strange “tug-of-war” where they used ankle bones instead of a rope had ended.

“Ow, my back!”

Ariella straightened up and brushed dirt from her elbows.

Well, at least now he looks ready to talk.

Thirty thousand cells — enough to buy several houses for an ordinary demon citizen.

Of course, in Ludwig’s poor Demon King’s Domain, spending that much was a burden.

But…

We can earn more money later!

If they couldn’t revive the economy, both the Demon King and Ariella would be finished. In other words, it was do-or-die.

She was determined to succeed no matter what, so she made a high offer right from the start.

Too big of an amount to refuse, right?

Indeed, the flames in Geru’s eye sockets flickered faster, like a candle in the wind.

But he didn’t agree right away.

“…N-no matter how big the amount, you think you can b-buy the dead with mere m-money…” Geru muttered.

“If you just sign the contract, I’ll give you a 50,000-cell hiring bonus right away — on top of your salary!” Ariella shot back.

“Wait! We don’t have that kind of— mmph! Mmmph!”

Ariella quickly covered Ludwig’s mouth and spoke like a rapid-fire gun.

“You’ll get at least 30 days of vacation a year! A long-term service bonus every year you stay!”

The ghostly flames in Geru’s eyes trembled again.

“You’ll get your own office and housing, of course.”

She could simply give him what Bephar used before — even if the courtyard still had bloodstains, bodies, and scorch marks.

“If you want, I’ll even give you a personal carriage.”

It was obvious which carriage — Ludwig’s domain only had one.

“And if you have any other requests, tell me. I’ll meet them within reason.”

Ariella was being very proactive.

She knew it was hard to find good talent in a poor, remote area like Ludwig’s Demon King’s Domain.

But the main reason she was offering such a generous salary was…

This zombie is more than just a finance manager.

Richmond had told her: before becoming the top finance head of the Fedwick Trading Company, Geru had traveled the Demon Realm for years as a merchant, gaining skill and fame.

He knows what special products each region produces, how prices are set, who the big traders are, and what supply-demand patterns exist in every area.

It was exactly the kind of knowledge they needed to rebuild the domain — knowledge that Ariella and those around her lacked.

She valued books, but knew books couldn’t solve everything.

Field knowledge like this can’t be bought with money.

And here it was — in the form of a zombie who had returned from death.

If I were the head of the Fedwick Trading Company, I’d never have let Geru retire.

Why fight and lose such talent? Smart rulers refused to let skilled ministers retire — sometimes even reviving them to keep them, just as Ariella was trying to do now.

She believed the merchant lord had made a huge mistake. She had to recruit Geru for her plan.

That’s how we’ll control the flow of money in the domain.

“Ughhh…”

The zombie hesitated.

I knew it.

Ariella had never believed that the dead didn’t care about money. The man before her had spent his life handling money — how could he be indifferent?

Seeing him waver, Ariella gave the final push.

“On top of all the benefits I mentioned, we’ll also provide welfare support for the family you left behind when you died!”

Geru’s ghostly eyes flickered again.

This time, for the first time, he cut her off.

“M-my daughter too?”

“Of course!”

From that moment, his voice changed. Ariella could feel it — deep emotion, filled with regret, worry, and affection.

“Come to think of it… S-Cecile… how is my daughter doing now?”

Ariella told him everything she had seen and heard at Cecile’s shop today.

The zombie looked shocked.

“F-Fedwick Trading Company cut off business with her… just like that?”

“Yes. And other companies gave her ridiculous terms, so she’s basically isolated.”

“She suspects the Fedwick Trading Company is behind it too,” Ariella added.

Geru stayed silent for a long time, unable to believe what had happened while he was dead.

Finally, he asked, “I-is the company head still the same person from when I was alive?”

Richmond answered, “Yes. The same man is still in charge.”

At that, the flames in Geru’s eyes flared like oil poured on a fire. Ariella could tell his feelings had shifted sharply again.

“…I understand now what’s been happening since my death. That trash…” Geru growled with hatred.

After trembling with rage, he spoke in a firm voice, “Fine! I’ll accept.”

Ariella’s face lit up — but before she could cheer, Geru added quickly:

“But… I have two more conditions.”

“Two?”

“You said you’d agree to any reasonable request.”

He said he would start working as soon as these two conditions were met. Ariella urged him, “Tell me exactly.”

Geru raised a finger.

“One! If you hire me, you must also take in my daughter.”

Ariella let out a small sigh. Even in death, a parent still worried about their child.

“You mean, hire both a dead father and his living daughter into Ludwig’s domain?”

“Yes!”

If her shop was in that bad a state, there was no reason for her to stay. A good merchant knew when to let go without regret.

Ariella nodded. It wasn’t a hard condition to meet.

“She was never good at running a shop, but she’s skilled with her hands. She’ll be useful,” Geru said.

Ariella exchanged a glance with Ludwig.

“Alright. We’ll hire Cecile too.”

It was going well — both sides agreeing easily. Ariella felt relieved.

“And the other condition?”

“This one’s simple too.”

But when they heard it, Ariella’s group couldn’t help being shocked.

“Y-you just need to… eliminate the head of the Fedwick Trading Company.”

Ariella blinked. “Huh? What did you just say?”

“You heard me.”

Vaggis Fedwick — the demon who had been the company head since Geru’s resignation.

“Kill my former boss!”

Ariella stared. “You really want your ex-boss assassinated?”

“Yes! If you do this, I’ll serve your domain until my corpse turns to dust!”

“Wait, Geru,” Richmond interrupted. “Why do you want him dead?”

Geru looked at the lich. “Do you know how I died?”

Richmond shook his head. “I only heard you were attacked at night. Was it a robbery?”

“Robbery? Hah!” Geru scoffed.

He explained that one night, while walking alone, he was murdered — not for money, but by an assassin sent specifically to kill him.

Despite his age, his years of traveling had kept his battle instincts sharp, so he resisted fiercely. In the struggle, he managed to glimpse part of the assassin’s face.

It was enough to recognize him.

“He was Vaggis Fedwick’s right-hand man. That bastard!”

Ariella’s eyes widened. “You mean… your death was arranged by Vaggis Fedwick, the company head?”