Path To Godhood Begins With Marrying Wife And Gaining SSS Rank Skill

“Our company mainly hires widows and poor girls who cannot make a living. They design crafts and jewelry. Your blows have not only destroyed my company but also taken away their ability to earn food.”

She turned toward the other four.

“Even these men, who act like hungry wolves when they see profit, cannot survive at your pace.”

One of the men frowned. “Are you praising us or insulting us?”

“Huh? What’s that supposed to mean?” she shot back.

Rina took another sip of coffee and set the cup down gently. She smiled, but her gaze did not soften.

“Lady Hester, the main core of business is profit,” Rina said. “Even noble thoughts must pass the test of reality.”

“Your model is similar to ours. All our garments are also made by women who were too poor to have a livelihood.”

She folded her hands on the table and leaned slightly forward.

“As traders, we naturally clash while trying to squeeze profit. But what if we join hands?”

The five exchanged looks.

“Join hands? How?” a middle-aged man asked with a deep frown.

“I suggest you come and become a part of Global Symphony,” Rina replied. “Use your connections and resources. Together, we can expand and march straight toward the capital and break those who hold monopoly.”

One man slowly raised his hand, his voice cautious. “Are you talking about the large merchant groups?”

Rina shook her head.

“No. I am talking about the Merchant Association.”

For a moment, no one reacted.

Then all five shouted at once.

“Whaaat?”

“Miss, do you even know what you are saying?”

“You want to fight those behemoths?”

“Do you understand what the Merchant Association is?”

“That alliance trades across the entire world!”

“Crazy… You are just crazy,” one of them muttered, half in fear and half in disbelief.

Rina did not flinch. She simply leaned back in her chair.

Her fingers tapped lightly on the table.

“That is exactly why,” she said quietly. “If we stay small, we die slowly. If we grow together, we at least have a chance.”

“Also, it is not as if we are fighting a war,” Rina continued, her voice calm but firm. “A trade battle is slow and subtle. It takes many years. Influence grows step by step, market by market. No blood, no banners. Just patience.”

One of the men shook his head and sighed. “You do not understand. It is not only about financial power. The Merchant Association is backed by powerful individuals. People with strength and status. And who do we have?”

He spread his hands helplessly. “A Count backing us might mean something inside Arcadia, but beyond that we are nothing.”

Rina looked at him, then at the others, one by one. Her gaze was steady.

“Should we not at least try?” she asked quietly. “I am talking about the end goal, yes. But our current goal is simple. First, we clash with their influence inside Arcadia.”

She leaned forward slightly. “If all of you join us, you will not only earn a heavy profit. You will also have something to rely on. Protection. Stability. A growing platform instead of sinking alone.”

The room fell silent.

One man clenched his jaw. Another tapped his fingers on the table. The lady with spectacles lowered her gaze, clearly conflicted.

“You speak as if failure is not an option,” one of them said slowly.

Rina smiled faintly. “Failure is always an option. But doing nothing guarantees it.”

Her words lingered in the air. The five merchants exchanged glances again. This time, their expressions were not just anger or fear.

There was hesitation.

Temptation.

Finally, the middle-aged man spoke. “Miss Rina… give us some time to think.”

The others nodded.

They stood up and gathered their coats. As they turned to leave, Rina’s voice suddenly dropped, cold and sharp.

“Before you leave,” she said evenly, “understand one thing. If you do not accept this alliance, you will be marked as competitors.”

She paused.

“And competitors will not receive mercy.”

A chill ran through the room. The five froze for a brief moment, then nodded stiffly without turning back. They left in silence.

…..

Later that evening, after finishing her work, Rina returned to her private chamber. She closed the door behind her and let out a long breath she had been holding all day.

Before she could take another step, a small figure jumped out from behind the curtain.

“Ahhh! Mother!” a cheerful voice cried.

Rina barely had time to react before a pair of arms wrapped around her waist.

“Did it work?” the girl asked eagerly. “Did the deal succeed?”

The red-haired child bounced on her toes, eyes shining. Her hair was tied loosely, and her cheeks were warm with excitement.

Rina’s stern expression melted instantly. She reached down and ruffled the girl’s hair.

“It was a partial success,” she said softly.

“Partial?” the girl asked, tilting her head. “What about the rest?”

“We need to wait for that,” Rina replied, smiling gently.

The girl puffed her cheeks, then suddenly brightened. “Then when can we go back?”

Rina blinked. “Go back?”

“I miss Papa,” the girl said with a small pout.

Rina’s eyes softened. “Mama misses Papa too. We will go back soon.”

The girl squealed and jumped up and down. “Yes! It has been so long since Papa gave me a piggy ride!”

Rina laughed quietly. “You have grown so big, yet all you think about are naughty things.”

The girl stuck out her tongue playfully. “He promised!”

The two walked together across the room. As they passed a shelf, Rina’s steps slowed. Her eyes fell on a framed image resting there.

A red-haired man stood beside a golden-haired woman. Both were smiling calmly.

Her parents.

Rina stopped completely.

Memories rushed back. The past. The humiliation. The day their trade group was crushed without mercy. Their reputation ruined. Their influence was wiped away by a family tied to the Merchant Association.

She remembered the helplessness. The laughter of others. The silence of those who once called them friends.

Her fingers slowly curled into a fist.

The child noticed the sudden change. “Mama?” she asked softly.

Rina took a breath and smiled again, turning away from the frame. “It is nothing. Go get ready for bed.”

After the girl left, Rina stood alone.

Her gaze returned to the image.

“For everything you took from us,” she thought, her eyes burning with quiet resolve. “I will return it.”

“I will destroy your family. I will burn your name and I will erase you from history.”

“Ambrose… just wait.”