The Great Mercator System

Chapter 3: The First Pawns

Simeon knew that power alone meant nothing without control. The Great Mercator System had given him the tools, but without the right people under his influence, he would remain just another forgotten noble son. If he was to carve out his own path, he needed leverage—people he could control, people he could use.

And he had already chosen his first two pieces.

The De Long family’s butler, Sebastian, was an experienced servant who had served the household for over two decades. A man of discipline and unwavering loyalty to House De Long, yet burdened by a deep-seated fear of failure. His position was stable, but in a declining house, stability was an illusion. If the family fell, so would he.

The other, Ser Dave, was the head guard of the estate. A hardened warrior, loyal in his own way, but not to ideals—rather, to coin and security. He had no love for the nobility, but he understood that his livelihood was tied to them. His greatest weakness? Pride. He believed himself indispensable, that no one could shake his position.

Simeon just needed to nudge them in the right direction.

***

The first target was Sebastian. Simeon observed him carefully over the following days, noting his habits, his frustrations, and his responsibilities. Then, he set his trap.

One evening, after his father had finished his wine, Simeon approached the butler with a concerned expression. “Sebastian,” he said, his voice carrying the perfect mix of innocence and curiosity. “Father seems troubled lately. I heard him speaking about finances… something about restructuring?”

Sebastian paled. “Restructuring, young master?”

Simeon nodded, feigning ignorance. “I don’t understand much about such things, but I heard him mention the household staff.” He let the words hang in the air, watching the color drain from the butler’s face. “You’ve served our family for a long time, haven’t you, Sebastian?”

“Indeed, young master. Since before you were born.”

“Then I’d like to ask for your guidance. I wish to learn how to manage a household properly. If I can help ease father’s burdens, perhaps he won’t need to make… difficult decisions.”

Sebastian hesitated, his aged eyes scanning the young boy before him. A noble child asking to learn about estate management was unusual, but Simeon had given him something greater than a mere request—he had given him fear, then a lifeline.

And Sebastian took it.

***

Ser Dave was a different beast. He wouldn’t be moved by subtle words and indirect threats. For him, Simeon needed a different approach.

One morning, while the guards were training in the courtyard, Simeon approached Ser Dave with calculated boldness. “Ser Dave, may I observe?”

The head guard turned, his thick arms crossed over his chest. “Observe? This is no place for children, young master.”

Simeon’s smile was knowing. “Oh? I thought a warrior such as yourself would appreciate a noble’s interest in combat. Or… do you think I lack the ability to understand?”

Ser Dave narrowed his eyes. The challenge had been set.

“If you wish to learn, you’ll start like any other—by listening.”

And so, Simeon did. Day after day, he absorbed everything Ser Dave taught. The guards initially mocked the young noble, expecting him to quit after a few days. But Simeon endured, using his Perfect Memory and Appraisal to quickly adapt. He memorized footwork, analyzed weaknesses, and learned the weight of a blade without ever lifting one in combat.

Then, he made his move.

One evening, when Ser Dave was enjoying a rare moment of solitude, Simeon approached with a bottle of fine liquor—a luxury in their struggling household.

“Consider this a token of my respect,” Simeon said, offering the bottle. “A warrior like you deserves to taste victory, even in small ways.”

Ser Dave smirked but accepted the drink. “You’ve got a sharp tongue for a noble brat.”

“I simply understand value,” Simeon replied smoothly. “Every man has a price. I know mine. Do you know yours?”

The older man stiffened slightly, but there was no anger—only curiosity. And that was the first sign of control.

***

Over the next weeks, Simeon pulled the strings tighter. He fed Sebastian just enough inside information to keep him reliant on Simeon’s ‘guidance.’ The butler now saw him as both his protector and his pupil, a young master to mold in exchange for his own security.

Ser Dave, on the other hand, had been given respect—something few nobles offered their guards. And in return, he had begun offering Simeon small favors. An extra lesson. A whispered warning about rumors in the household. A quiet admission about which guards were competent and which were liabilities.

But the true brilliance of Simeon’s scheme lay in how he played them against each other.

One evening, he casually mentioned to Sebastian that Ser Dave had been questioning household security. “I think he’s worried about how things are being managed. I wouldn’t want father to think his staff is incompetent…”

Later that same night, he told Ser Dave, “Sebastian has been very interested in estate security lately. I suppose it makes sense—after all, if anything happens, wouldn’t it be blamed on you?”

The results were immediate. Sebastian became more diligent in proving his competence, subtly trying to exert more control over the household under Simeon’s ‘advice.’ Meanwhile, Ser Dave began keeping a closer watch on the butler, wary of any signs of overreach.

Neither could move against Simeon—because doing so would mean risking exposure to the other.

With careful maneuvering, Simeon had ensured that both men would remain loyal. Not out of love or admiration, but out of necessity and fear.

And that was a loyalty that could never be broken.

Simeon De Long had taken his first true step toward power.

***

For all the mind games, the careful manipulation, and the ambition burning in his heart, there was one person in this world whom Simeon De Long could never deceive—his younger twin sister, Selene De Long.

She was his opposite in every way. Where he was calculating, she was pure-hearted. Where he saw people as pieces on a board, she saw them as individuals deserving of love and kindness. And where his mind was filled with schemes and strategies, hers overflowed with dreams of a peaceful, happy life.

If his past life had been devoid of warmth, then Selene was the sun that melted away the last traces of that cold existence.

Simeon and Selene were identical twins, yet in many ways, she was a mirror of their mother. She had the same golden hair that gleamed under the morning light, the same emerald eyes that held an endless kindness, and a presence that soothed even the most troubled of hearts. While their brothers focused on their own ambitions, Selene remained the glue that kept the family from fracturing completely.

From an early age, Simeon had been protective of her. It wasn’t just love—it was something deeper, an unspoken promise that he would never let the harshness of the world taint her gentle soul. If there was one person he would sacrifice everything for, it was her.

And then, on one quiet afternoon, everything changed.

***

Simeon had long since grown accustomed to using his Appraisal skill. It was one of his most valuable abilities, allowing him to see beyond what others perceived. With a single glance, he could determine the value of objects, the intent behind words, and even the potential in people.

Yet, when he playfully used Appraisal on Selene, expecting nothing more than the standard information, what he saw sent a chill down his spine.

[STATUS WINDOW]

Name: Selene De Long
Age: 6 Years
Title: The Fifth Daughter of House De Long
Class: ???
Skills:

• Charm (Rare): Naturally draws people towards her, making them more inclined to trust, adore, and obey her. The more time one spends with her, the stronger the effect becomes.

Simeon’s breath hitched.

Charm. A skill so rare that most people doubted its existence. Unlike manipulation, which relied on wit and strategy, Charm was instinctive. It wasn’t about deception—it was about genuine attraction. The ability to make people want to follow her. To adore her. To protect her.

In the hands of a ruthless noble, it could be the ultimate weapon. In the hands of Selene… it was both a gift and a curse.

She was completely unaware of it.

Simeon clenched his fists. The implications were staggering. If the wrong people discovered this ability, Selene would never know peace. She could be used, controlled, married off to some power-hungry noble who saw her not as a person, but as a tool.

No. That could never happen.

His mind raced with possibilities. He could train her, teach her to use her ability without realizing it. He could steer her away from danger, shelter her from those who might seek to exploit her. But most of all, he could protect her—just as she had unknowingly protected him from becoming something truly monstrous.

For all his schemes, for all his ambitions, one truth remained:

Simeon De Long would do anything for his sister.

Even if it meant burning the world to the ground.