OVA
Description
Benno, born into a merchant family, endured early tragedy when bandits killed his father, shattering his dream of global merchant influence. Forced to take over the struggling Gilberta Company while his mother lay bedridden with grief, he faced mass contract withdrawals from lehange. Only Mark remained loyal, becoming Benno’s trusted assistant in rebuilding the business. Benno also raised his younger sister Corinna during this period.
He harbors deep-seated resentment toward Gustav, the Merchant Guild head, for repeated insensitive marriage proposals. Gustav first targeted Benno’s mother shortly after his father’s death. After Benno’s lover Liz perished, Gustav pushed for a union between his daughter and Benno, then shifted focus to his sons and Benno’s sisters. One sister fled the city to escape, solidifying Benno’s belief that Gustav aimed to seize the Gilberta Company.
In youth, Benno shared a close bond with Liz, who defied convention by planning dual roles as seamstress and merchant apprentice at Gilberta. Though skeptical initially, Benno admired her intellect and determination, learning to challenge norms and support driven individuals—traits later defining his mentorship of Myne and Lutz.
Driven by sharp business acumen, Benno relentlessly pursues profit, operating by the principle of earning "as much as possible whenever, wherever, and however able." He invests in innovations like papermaking and printing with Myne, embracing risks for high returns. While ruthless in negotiations, he occasionally yields to Myne due to personal fondness.
Despite a cold, intimidating exterior, Benno fiercely protects those he values: adopting runaway Lutz and funding Myne’s magic tool for her Devouring illness through generous rinsham payments. His hot temper and confrontational style toward rivals are tempered by this loyalty. Interactions with Myne gradually soften his rigidity.
As Myne’s pivotal mentor and partner, Benno fuels her papermaking and printing ventures, evolving his enterprise from Gilberta to Plantin Company. Myne names him a "Gutenberg" for democratizing books through printing and plant paper. His legacy includes training Lutz and bridging commoner-noble collaborations, like Elvira’s oversight of printing.
Benno struggles with manual tasks, outperformed even by Myne in peeling bark. Childhood curiosity drove him to sneak into forests for parue-gathering, defying merchant norms. The Plantin name marks his shift from Gilberta, which Corinna and her husband Otto will inherit, honoring traditions of female ownership for noble client interactions.
He harbors deep-seated resentment toward Gustav, the Merchant Guild head, for repeated insensitive marriage proposals. Gustav first targeted Benno’s mother shortly after his father’s death. After Benno’s lover Liz perished, Gustav pushed for a union between his daughter and Benno, then shifted focus to his sons and Benno’s sisters. One sister fled the city to escape, solidifying Benno’s belief that Gustav aimed to seize the Gilberta Company.
In youth, Benno shared a close bond with Liz, who defied convention by planning dual roles as seamstress and merchant apprentice at Gilberta. Though skeptical initially, Benno admired her intellect and determination, learning to challenge norms and support driven individuals—traits later defining his mentorship of Myne and Lutz.
Driven by sharp business acumen, Benno relentlessly pursues profit, operating by the principle of earning "as much as possible whenever, wherever, and however able." He invests in innovations like papermaking and printing with Myne, embracing risks for high returns. While ruthless in negotiations, he occasionally yields to Myne due to personal fondness.
Despite a cold, intimidating exterior, Benno fiercely protects those he values: adopting runaway Lutz and funding Myne’s magic tool for her Devouring illness through generous rinsham payments. His hot temper and confrontational style toward rivals are tempered by this loyalty. Interactions with Myne gradually soften his rigidity.
As Myne’s pivotal mentor and partner, Benno fuels her papermaking and printing ventures, evolving his enterprise from Gilberta to Plantin Company. Myne names him a "Gutenberg" for democratizing books through printing and plant paper. His legacy includes training Lutz and bridging commoner-noble collaborations, like Elvira’s oversight of printing.
Benno struggles with manual tasks, outperformed even by Myne in peeling bark. Childhood curiosity drove him to sneak into forests for parue-gathering, defying merchant norms. The Plantin name marks his shift from Gilberta, which Corinna and her husband Otto will inherit, honoring traditions of female ownership for noble client interactions.