The Destined Mother-Son Meeting (1)

Elysar's eyes were immediately drawn to the stunning woman who entered the grand Valthoren hall. Her presence radiated authority and grace as she approached him with a loving gaze. This woman was none other than Lady Ravenna Valthoren, the mother of the previous owner of Elysar's body.

Despite being 80 years old, Lady Ravenna looked no older than forty, a testament to her enduring beauty. Her pitch-black hair cascaded down her back, framing her delicate, fair-skinned face. Her almond eyes, mirroring Elysar's own, sparkled with a mixture of relief and concern. Her full lips and refined nose added to her enchanting visage, while her soothing voice and delicate hands bespoke a gentle nature.

Ravenna's attire was nothing short of luxurious, befitting her status as both the wife of the Valthoren family patriarch and the head of the world's most powerful merchant organization. She wore an elegant, black gown adorned with intricate embroidery and embellishments, the fabric hugging her curves and flowing gracefully behind her as she walked.

As Ravenna neared Elysar, he stood up to greet her. She looked at him with a mix of love, relief, and concern, happy to see him finally awake from his coma. Without hesitation, she wrapped her arms around Elysar, embracing him tightly as her only son. At that moment, the bond between them felt genuine and powerful, even though Elysar knew he wasn't truly the same person she had raised. However, thanks to the previous owner's influence, he still had a natural and almost instinctual emotional attachment to her. But, even the current, rational side of Elysar didn't have much of a negative response to her, in fact, it was the opposite.

The woman was quite supportive of the original owner no matter the low point at which he found himself, unlike the previous mother and family of the current Elysar's past life. He, therefore, quite respected this very gentle woman in front of him that was now his mother.

However, whilst hugging her, Elysar suddenly opened his eyes wide, 'The red color!? Just 15 points...? How on earth is this possible!? Wasn't she supposed to be a super lucky female protagonist type who build her huge business empire, in a couple of years, all on her own...? It is impossible for someone so unlucky to do it... Not to mention, all the information regarding her personality in the original owner's memories seems to indicate to me that she has nothing to do with the "villain" camp... Or is it because she was just my mother...? No, 15 points are extremely close to zero. Those two maids and all the other servants I checked on my way here had around 50 percent and were yellow in color. There is something seriously amiss about her that I, nor the original owner, nor anyone in the Valthoren family and the world knows about...', Elysar suddenly palpated a little as they finally finished their embrace.

"Is there something wrong, sweetheart?", Ravenna asked gently, a soft smile gracing her lips. But, despite her outward warmth, Elysar suddenly got a really strong feeling that she was scrutinizing his every move, carefully analyzing his expression and composure at this time.

'Either way, I can't let her find out something is amiss. Moreover, even if she really is hiding something, I have an intuition that she still wouldn't bring any harm to me. Well, at least if she doesn't realize that I'm not fully her original son anymore. Therefore, I need to get my act together and pretend to the fullest, embracing the role of a more positive, but still, the same, original Elysar I devised...',

Elysar's face quickly shifted, adopting the demeanor he believed would be most convincing, "Nothing is wrong, mother... I'm just happy I get to see you once again, I thought that it might really be it during my coma. It really changed my perspective on many different things about life. I decided that I will stop being such a nuisance to you in the future and repay everything that you did for me before. Moreover, I have a feeling that I will definitely solve the problems holding back my strength in the future. You can believe me."

"You're not a nuisance, Elysar. You're your mother's only son, and you mean everything to me, remember? But, I'm glad that you seem a bit happier now. However, I don't know what you did back there to get yourself into a coma, and I won't ask, but you have no idea how worried I was. Never do something like that ever again. No matter what, your life is the most important thing, the strength is only secondary. I don't know what I would do without you..." Ravenna's voice grew warm and emotional, and by the end, her eyes glistened with unshed tears.

Nonetheless, due to all the experiences Elysar had been through so far, he had developed an exceptional talent for reading people. Even with someone as seasoned in business as his mother, he could sense nuances. With Fate's Gaze confirming that something was amiss, and considering the previous owner's paranoid personality, Elysar had an intuitive feeling that there was something hidden in her response, although he couldn't quite pinpoint what it was.

"I rushed here through the Main Portal as soon as your two little maids informed me that you were finally awake after those hellish weeks for me and doing well. You can't imagine the relief I felt. Also, you really do look much better now. Your complexion has improved, and the dark circles under your eyes are barely noticeable anymore...", Ravenna said warmly as she took a step closer to inspect and gently touch his face. She was back at her business headquarters when she received a unique spatial signal from them.

Communication in the world was nearly always done with different forms of messengers, however, the Valthoren family developed their own unique method thanks to their unique spatial-related Dream Plants. Elysar nodded in agreement. The previous owner had suffered from frequent sleep disturbances caused by nightmares and anxiety about potential dangers. This occurred virtually every night, making it impossible for his face to recover fully until he transmigrated.

"Thank you, Mother. You see, I have a favor to ask. Recall how I ordered the execution of many of my previous bodyguards, leaving me with very few? Moreover, I can't request more from the family, as the other personnel available probably also harbor resentment towards me and might not protect me wholeheartedly. Moreover, some of the things I'm about to do are extremely confidential and can't be known by the family.",

"That's why I need some bodyguards from your organization. They must be extremely loyal and highly skilled. I require at least one Knight-Captain, and the rest should be Knight-Vanguards. I've discovered a method to enhance my strength and boost my chances of becoming the next Valthoren head. However, I must embark on a crucial journey to achieve this. I cannot predict its duration or where it will take me, but I won't return until I've altered my fate!",

Elysar suddenly declared, his eyes blazing with determination as he addressed his mother. That was his main short-term goal right now. He now always valued his own body's strength and capability first. He first and foremost now needed to travel around the world and look personally for those extremely lucky individuals as his current Fate's Gaze range wasn't that advanced. He also wondered many times if its range would change by getting more of those "luck points" later.

Ravenna looked into her son's eyes, seeing the determination and resolve burning within him. She seemingly hesitated for a moment before nodding in agreement, "Alright, Elysar, I won't ask what it is, and I agree to your request, but I want you to promise me that you'll be careful. Please don't push yourself too far. Your life is more important than becoming the heir... Remember that...", Her words were laced with worry and genuine concern for her son's well-being.

Yet, beneath the surface, Elysar could sense a subtle relief in her demeanor, as if she was somewhat reassured by the fact that he had found a way to address his issues. Elysar caught on to this unspoken sentiment but chose to remain silent about it. After all, it was normal to him. She didn't discard him before, it was enough to know. And everyone would want their children to perform better. After all, even Elysar didn't like his current strength.

Ravenna continued, her tone serious but gentle, "Elysar, I agree to your request, but you must promise me that as soon as you resolve your strength issue and grow stronger, you will join me in learning the ropes of our merchant organization and business. Becoming the Valthoren heir isn't just about personal strength; it also requires managerial skills, social abilities, and influence."

She looked intently at her son, emphasizing the importance of her words, "I need you to prove to your father and the rest of the family that you are just as qualified as I am in the realm of business. Your unique advantage is that, unlike the other two wives of your father who come from lesser noble houses, my business background, though less prestigious, offers far more benefits. At this point, the Valthorens are mainly focused on acquiring more wealth as they have all the status and grips on their vassal families, in the world, they need.",

"If you become the heir, then our merchant organization and the Valthoren family will unite, propelling our interests to even greater heights. For now, we still operate mostly separately. Only when you become the new actual patriarch, both a Valthoren heir and my son, would our organizations truly unite into one...", She smiled at Elysar, hoping he understood it all.

Elysar nodded without hesitation and verbally agreed, fully comprehending the importance of what his mother had just explained, "I understand, Mother, and I promise that once I've resolved my strength and fate issues, I will dedicate myself to learning about your business.',

The name of his mother merchant and business organization was the "Astral Emporium". And it had the highest market capitalization in the world. Elysar was very surprised when he learned about it. However, surprisingly, his mother always kept the 51% ruling stake in the business which was incredibly hard to do and rise so fast at the same time. This just showed her business genius and means. Had he known about her low "fate level", Elysar would also be astounded by her intelligence, but now he suspected that there was something more to it.

In this world, merchants played a crucial role in both the economy and trade system. They acted as intermediaries between the mage families and other communities, bringing goods and services to markets and facilitating exchange. Nobles recognized that they do not have the time or expertise to pursue all the resources constantly, so ambitious merchants often rose through the commoner ranks with the help of nobles who invest in shares of their companies while also providing the necessary resources nobles would want faster.

The same was true for real businessmen, who even produced goods traditionally crafted by laborers within noble houses. Therefore, Elysar was shocked to find that this was not a fully feudalist society, but already in something akin to a proto-capitalistic stage. By recognizing the potential return on their investments and the expertise commoner business owners bring, nobles allowed them to operate freely. This is how Elysar's mother rose to her current position in the first place.

Merchants in this Luminara continent usually dealt with a variety of products, from raw materials like lumber or metals to finished goods like textiles or weapons. They also transported food, spices, or luxury items from other regions or even other worlds.

In addition to goods, merchants offered services like banking or financing, as well as insurance or other financial products to help protect against losses. They often wielded considerable political influence, forming guilds or associations to protect their interests and negotiate with rulers or other powerful groups. They also used their wealth and connections to lobby for favorable policies within different noble jurisdictions.

Noble houses in this world also operated in their own specialized industries, moving beyond traditional feudal agricultural models. They specialized in areas such as herbalism or armory, allowing their businesses to expand. The economy was primarily driven by agriculture, trade, and magic.

Mage families maintained a dominant role in the economy, continuing to control the majority of the production and distribution of magical goods and services. Ordinary merchants and businesses still paled in comparison to the mana absorption material mines that noble houses had monopolized and possessed for thousands of years. As a result, mining was another crucial industry in this world. In addition to agriculture, serfs also worked within these mines, contributing to the overall economic landscape.

Merchants and businessmen in this world needed to be skilled negotiators capable of navigating complex political landscapes. They needed to form alliances and partnerships with other powerful individuals or groups like different legal mercenary organizations and guilds to ensure their success and protect their goods and business interests. It was rare for someone, like Elysar's mother, to be so successful in both of these crucial areas of economic power.