The Heavenly Demon Can’t Live A Normal Life [EN]: Chapter 308

Hoffman felt his anger grow.

Valentino. Muriel. Vincent. *Why were they all here?*

And Fabius. Everywhere Hoffman went in these kingdoms, Fabius was there too. It was starting to really annoy him.

Wasn’t this all Dimitri’s plan? *Dimitri wanted to cause trouble for Golden Bank.*

Hoffman wanted to punch that smiling face – Vincent’s face – but he held back his anger. He had a bigger plan now.

Viscount Vincent spoke, a smile on his face.

“Well, none of you wanted to wait for another time. So, I thought, why not meet together? You all want to talk to me about the same thing, right? So, let’s talk together now.”

Even though he sounded polite, Vincent’s real plan was clear.

The problem with the iron business had made him very popular – like something everyone wanted, but was also difficult to handle. He wanted to use this to make himself seem more important by bringing his rivals, Fabius and Hoffman, together.

Viscount Vincent was clever and sly.

He acted like he didn’t know what was really happening, but everyone knew he did. Because he was rich, no one dared to say what they really thought of him.

Hoffman felt the same way as Vincent.

Usually, Golden Bank was powerful. They could use their name to push people around. But now, *Hoffman needed Vincent more than Vincent needed him.* It was like *Hoffman* was the one who needed to work hard to get what he wanted.

*’Okay,’* Hoffman thought, *’I’ll play his game.’*

He smiled to himself. Vincent was a snob, someone who cared too much about money and status. This could be good for Golden Bank.

Hoffman spoke to Vincent, his voice smooth.

“Viscount Vincent, you are a smart man. You know how the world works. Things are changing. Golden Bank and Dimitri are finished. We will not try to fix things with Dimitri, ever. And the same goes for anyone who works with Dimitri. To be honest, I like fair deals, and this situation is not good for me. It might be hard for me to ask you to pick a side, but I am here to ask you to choose, Viscount Vincent.”

“Oh, dear,” Vincent said, pretending to be worried.

But his eyes, though he tried to hide it, shone with excitement. He knew that this fight between Hoffman and Dimitri made *him* more valuable.

So, Hoffman made his offer clear.

“Stop doing business with Dimitri. If you do, we will make the Vincent family a member of the ‘Golden Line.'”

Viscount Vincent’s eyes opened wide.

“…Are you really, really serious?”

“Yes,” Hoffman said firmly.

“Heh,” Vincent breathed out.

Golden Line.

*That name meant incredible honor and power.*

Golden Bank, the most important bank in the Salamander Continent for ages, only invited special partners to join the Golden Line – partners they trusted and who were sure to be successful.

*It meant being part of Golden Bank’s future, going beyond just this kingdom.* Members of the Golden Line got amazing benefits, things that would shock you.

Like this offer right now.

“You know that joining the Golden Line means your future is tied to Golden Bank’s future. If you say yes, we will help you with all your businesses. We will buy the best goods from you at low prices. We will connect you with our delivery companies – companies that are part of the Golden Line – so you can send your goods cheaper and faster. And other members of the Golden Line will also want to do business with you.”

*This was like hitting two targets with one arrow.*

No, it was even better than that.

Anyone could see how amazing this offer was, even with a quick thought.

“Golden Bank lends money. We will make the interest on your current loans as low as possible. And, because you are a Golden Line member, we can lend you money for your business just based on our trust in you. Honestly, you won’t find a better chance than this. Some of the companies in the Golden Line weren’t rich when they started. But they grew very fast, year after year. Think about what could happen to the Vincent family! You are already rich and powerful in the Frank Kingdom, in the Kingdom Alliance. But this is your chance to become even bigger, to go beyond this small place and become a huge power in the world. You must take this chance.”

It was a very tempting offer.

For a businessman, saying no to the Golden Line would be foolish.

But Vincent had to think carefully.

“…I agree, this is a great offer,” Vincent said slowly. “Maybe no one could say no to you, Hoffman. But we have a problem. The Vincent family does business all over the Kingdom Alliance. Our main businesses are in the Frank Kingdom. We can’t just ignore politics.”

*Everything had changed suddenly.*

The world was different now.

Before, they didn’t need to worry much about the politics of the Frank Kingdom. But the war between Dimitri and the Chronos Empire changed everything.

The Frank Kingdom was supporting Dimitri.

But what if the Vincent family, who did business in Frank, joined Golden Bank, who was against Dimitri, the leader of the Kingdom Alliance?

*It would be a disaster.*

They would be in big trouble. The Frank Kingdom would put huge pressure on them. Their businesses in Frank could be destroyed very quickly.

So, it was not a simple choice.

When Hoffman asked to meet, Vincent knew it was a chance to get something good. But he couldn’t decide quickly.

His thoughts were all mixed up and confused.

Viscount Vincent had been playing Fabius and Hoffman against each other from the start. He wanted to make sure he got the best deal possible from this situation.

“Hoffman, your offer is good, but it could hurt our business in Frank,” Vincent said. “How will you fix that?”

He was giving the problem to Hoffman.

*If Hoffman had a good answer, Vincent might say yes. If not, he would talk more with Fabius.*

Hoffman smiled.

He had expected this question.

*Vincent was a snob, just as he thought. And that was good.*

“It’s easy,” Hoffman said, his voice confident. “Leave the small pond of the Frank Kingdom. Why stay in that little place? Come with us to the ocean! We can give you a base in Chronos, or Valhalla, wherever you want. You don’t have to leave Frank completely. But by giving you more places to do business, you will be strong enough to handle any pressure from the Frank Kingdom.”

*Perfect.* It was exactly what Vincent wanted to hear.

*Go to the Empire!*

The words were like magic.

Viscount Vincent was so excited he couldn’t stop his lips from twitching. This conversation was going even better than he hoped.

“Count Fabius,” Vincent said, turning to him. “What do you think about Golden Bank’s offer?”

He looked at Fabius, waiting for his answer.

Vincent liked the idea of working with the Golden Bank. But he still wanted to hear what Dimitri had to say. Maybe if they competed, he could get an even better deal.

But then, Count Fabius spoke. He had a sly grin on his face. ‘Even I can see that the Golden Bank’s offer is good, Viscount Vincent. You should take it!’ His words made the room feel colder, like someone had thrown ice on a fire.

Vincent was confused. Why had Count Fabius come all this way just to say *that*?

Vincent asked, his voice full of confusion. “…Are you saying it doesn’t matter to you if I work with the Golden Bank?”

“Yes,” Fabius replied simply. He leaned back on the sofa, taking a slow sip of his tea. He looked relaxed and calm as he watched Vincent. Vincent’s face showed he was completely lost and confused.

“Dimitri can’t offer you the same things as the Golden Bank. In fact, he doesn’t want to give the Vincent family any special favors just for working with him.”

“I see,” Vincent said slowly. He started to understand.

“But wait,” Fabius interrupted suddenly. He stopped Vincent from speaking further.

Vincent looked a little angry now. Seeing this, Count Fabius sat up straighter and put his teacup down carefully. He was about to say something important.

“Let me tell you something, Viscount Vincent,” Fabius said, his voice serious now. “I’m telling you this because I want to help you. To get where they are today, the Golden Bank has fought many battles, just like this one. And every time, the Golden Bank leaders say the same thing: ‘Join the Golden Line! If you are with us, you will have a great future!’” He smirked, a small, knowing smile.

Fabius knew exactly what the Golden Bank would offer. It was the usual promise, the one they always made. And just as Fabius expected, Hoffman said those very words.

“Mr. Hoffman is right,” Fabius continued. “Many groups have become powerful by joining the Golden Line. But do you know that some groups have also failed, even after joining? And these failed groups have something in common.”

Vincent leaned forward, interested. “…What do you mean?” he asked.

“It means you need to be realistic. The groups that failed after joining the Golden Line all had one thing in common. They joined because of a ‘competition,’ just like what’s happening now. The Golden Bank didn’t really want them. They just accepted them to win against someone else. Even after joining, these groups were treated unfairly by the Golden Bank. It looked like they were working together, but secretly, the Golden Bank made things harder and harder for them until they had to give up and leave.”

History shows us this clearly. There are examples of this happening before. Groups that were forced out of the Golden Line became weak and powerless. They couldn’t even complain, and they ended up losing everything.

“You and Viscount Vincent both know I’m telling the truth. If you want proof, just look at what happened in the past. So, I ask you, Vincent. The Golden Bank wants you now. But do you really think they will still care about you later?”

“That’s ridiculous!” Hoffman shouted, his face turning red with anger.

Hoffman stood up quickly, knocking his chair back. But Count Fabius didn’t even look at him. He kept his eyes on Vincent.

“Dimitri is different,” Fabius said, his voice calm and steady. “Dimitri is loyal. Once you are friends, he will never betray you. That’s the only promise Dimitri makes to the Vincent family: loyalty.”

* * *

The room felt tense and quiet. Vincent’s face showed he was thinking hard, unsure what to do. Hoffman, seeing this, spoke loudly, trying to break the silence.

“Viscount Vincent!” Hoffman said loudly. “Don’t listen to these crazy lies! The Golden Bank is powerful because we are trustworthy. We keep our promises! We really want to work with the Vincent family. Joining the Golden Line is a very special chance, you know that, right?”

Vincent knew Hoffman was right. The Golden Bank’s offer *was* amazing. But Count Fabius’s words had made him really confused. He didn’t know what to believe anymore.

(Vincent thought to himself) ‘Fabius is right. If I work with the Golden Bank, I’ll always be worried they might turn against me. But people say Dimitri is always loyal. So, which is better for my family? Which choice will give us a safer future?’

Vincent knew something important about his family that others didn’t understand.

The Vincent family was known for being careful, not reckless. Even if others criticized them for being too cautious or even selfish, they always chose the safest path for their family.

Vincent took a deep breath and spoke clearly. “…I will accept Count Fabius’s offer. The Vincent family will work with Dimitri.”

The words were out. His decision was made.

In the end, it came down to trust. Working with the Golden Bank would probably bring them even more riches. But the Vincent family was already rich. What they needed most was to feel safe and secure.

The Golden Bank’s future seemed risky and unpredictable. But Dimitri was building something new and strong. People were saying he was someone you could rely on.

That was it. Hoffman realized he had lost. He couldn’t convince Vincent. His face grew redder and redder. His patience was gone.

*CRASH! BANG!*

“You disgusting insects!” Hoffman roared. He slammed his fist on the table, flipping it over with a loud crash.

His face was now completely red with rage. He pointed a shaking finger at Vincent.

“Vincent! How *dare* you say no to me? The richest families in the empire would kill for a chance to join the Golden Line! And you, you insignificant little man, you just throw it away? I promise you, Vincent! You will regret this! Your family will be destroyed, just like Dimitri’s will be. The Golden Bank will crush you! *I*, Hoffman, will make sure you lose everything!”

Hoffman spun around, his eyes blazing with fury.

And there, standing calmly, was Count Fabius. Hoffman glared at him. *That sly fox!* He was the one who had ruined everything.

“Fabius,” Hoffman growled, his voice low and dangerous. “When Dimitri fails, and he will fail, I will find you. And I will make you pay for this.”

“Keep your voice down,” Fabius said, his voice suddenly hard and cold.

“You little—!” Hoffman started to shout again, but stopped.

In a heartbeat, the air in the room changed. It felt dangerous, like something terrible was about to happen.

Count Fabius’s face was no longer sly or smiling. It was hard and fierce, like a wild animal ready to attack. He looked like a completely different man.

“Shut your mouth,” Fabius said, his voice low and deadly. “Or you will regret it.”