The Keep

43. Of Beliefs and Reality

Hazel's grin and Rangga's playful scowl turned as dark and gloom as the rest of their family's faces as they discussed the future of the Apothecary in the family lunch. Everybody seemed to have lost their appetite. The fine cuisine of spring menu offering salads with beautiful little flowers laid on the table were completely ignored.

"The Colombian national-wide turmoil has led to street riots, violence, and lootings. We've managed to get ahold of one of the Colombian branch's directors, and he said that the Apothecary's stores and factories suffered vandalism and looting to a great extent. And sadly, the perpetrators were mostly of the Apothecary's employees," Sevrin explained grimly.

Hazel looked down. The sight of her grandfather's weariness was too much for her. She only saw him the day before, but Sevrin looked like as if he has aged yet another century.

Sevrin's sure and unrelenting eyes have turned weary, his heavy and half-opened eyelids were only lifted open by the hundreds of deep wrinkles on his forehead, and it has seemed that his whole face has sunken even deeper into his skull. 

With the grayish-paleness of his skin, Sevrin could be easily mistaken for a skeleton, if it weren't for the unwavering firmness of his voice.

"Bill, that slippery bastard. Apparently he's built himself a company full of those just like him," Sevrin let out a cough. "Just fitting, isn't it?" He discarded his napkin and conjured another one. 

Hazel could feel the sourness of her anxiety on her tongue. She was really afraid of her grandfather's worsening health.

"So," Sevrin said as he straightened himself more, "We are not going to cry over that bit of the Apothecary. Whatever left of the Colombian branch after the pillaging ends, whenever that might be, is to be sold and auctioned for whatever price available." 

"Until the nation find its peace, there will be no attempt to revive the Colombian branch. Which means, at least for now, the Colombian branch is lost to us."

"The directors and share-holders have been informed. And they have agreed to prioritize the branches we still have. So, Aurelius, tell us about the South-African branch," Sevrin nodded to his son.

"Ehem," Uncle Aurelius gently pushed Felix off his shoulder as he spoke. (The serpent has glued herself in rotating rolls to her former master, she must have been missing him during his absence.)

"Fortunately, unlike Colombian branch's, South-African branch's employees are loyal. I don't doubt that this was due to Uncle Edwin's exceptional leadership," most people in the table nodded along in agreements.

"Most of our employees have been back to work. We are confident that at least in two-months-time, we would be able to return to our previous level of productivity. And hopefully in three-months-time, we would be able to surpass our previous sales and gain profit," Aurelius closed his report with a confident nod. (Felix, who has found her way back to Aurelius' shoulder, nodded along as if to ensure the righteousness of her master to the audience.)

"You seem so sure, Uncle Aurelius," Mafalda said.

"I am, Ada. When our enchanted machineries reach its optimal productivity we would be able to produce ten times of what we've been producing in our African branch."

"Granted, African branch mostly produce cheap and affordable products with little profit margin, but when we've optimized the production, that little profit margin would be ten times larger," Aurelius answered.

"And that is not including the exclusive tribal potion lines. They usually need months, some even years, to be made. But with the enchanted machineries, we can shorten the production time, and thus, we can produce more of those expensive potions," Uncle Aurelius added with wide gestures of excitement of his arms. (Felix must've felt like she was flying as she dangled herself from Aurelius' waving arms.)