Putting aside Lancelot’s minor insubordination for now…
Our party ca to fully appreciate Hans’ driving skills as we made our way toward Praha Manor.
The horses we’d brought along were now tied to the carriage, for the simple reason that every last one of us—including Lancelot—had decided to ride inside instead.
Strictly speaking, this was a breach of etiquette, but since there wasn’t a soul around to see us, who was going to complain? Given all we’d endured here, and the brisk weather outside, crowding together in the carriage seed the wiser choice.
“We’ve arrived.” I glanced out the window and, at so point, a manor had appeared—so white it looked like a palace of snow.
We had reached the Duchy of Praha. And, more specifically, we’d co within sight of Praha Manor.
“Everyone, out you get. If anyone else catches us like this, there’ll be a scandal,” I said.
“Aw… but it was so comfortable,” Lancelot complained.
“Would you care to stay with a bit longer, then?”
“Huh? Am I allowed?”
“Just hand over three years’ salary and I’ll allow it.”
“…So, is this where I get off?” Lancelot, a grown man with the backbone of a jellyfish, quietly opened the carriage door.
Anyway…
Thus, Lancelot and the rest of us climbed down from the carriage and mounted the horses we’d brought along.
And so, we arrived at the entrance to the Ducal Residence.
At the entrance, the guards spotted and snapped to attention in unison.
“Salute!”
Fortunately, since I hadn’t arrived on the very day of the engagent ceremony, they weren’t shooting daggers with their eyes.
“Good work, n. May we co in?” I asked.
“Yes, sir! Please, co right in!”
“Discipline’s running high today.” I let out a quiet chuckle and gave one of the guards a friendly pat on the shoulder. “I’ll be sure to rember your dedication.”
“Salute!”
Passing the guards, I stepped into the manor. Inside, the place was bustling with servants darting about.
“…Looks busy,” I remarked.
“Well, wouldn’t they be? The engagent ceremony’s tomorrow!” Lancelot exclaid.
…Tsk.
Hard to argue with that.
As I scratched my head and gazed off into the distance, Lancelot seized the mont and began to chatter away.
“Honestly, so people just don’t appreciate the importance of punctuality.”
“…”
“Frankly, it’s a wonder if you can even take good care of Lady Lea. Really now… How did our dear lady end up saddled with a human being like—ow!”
Kai, having watched Lancelot prattle on at , delivered a punch to his stomach.
I shot the knight a disdainful look, wondering why he never seed to grow up.
By now, he should at least know when to keep his mouth shut.
Leaving Lancelot groaning and clutching his midsection, I strode on ahead.
Just then—
“Young Lord Louis Berg, the Patriarch requests your presence.”
The head butler had co to fetch .
* * *
I followed the head butler to the Patriarch’s office.
Knock, knock.
“Patriarch, Lord Louis Berg has arrived.”
“Show him in.”
Creeeak. The heavy door opened with a sort of dignified, addictive squeal.
“It’s been so ti,” the Grand Duke remarked.
“It has indeed, sir.”
“You must be busy with the engagent preparations… But first, have a seat.”
The Grand Duke gestured for to take one of the guest chairs.
It wasn’t the sa as the one I’d seen just a month ago.
Looks like a new purchase.
Why a man preparing to depart would bother buying new chairs was a riddle for the ages, but I nodded agreeably all the sa.
“Thank you, I’ll make myself comfortable.” I took the seat the Grand Duke indicated.
It was, in fact, noticeably more comfortable than the previous one.
Hmm… Maybe I should get one of these for my own room?
Just as I was about to ask where he’d found it, the guest who’d arrived before spoke up, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
“Back already? I suppose that ans you’ve sorted out the rchant guild business?”
Roxha Praha. Lea’s third elder sister, and the Trademaster who led House Praha’s rchant guild.
She regarded with a smirk, saying, “What’s wrong? Lost your tongue? How did things go with the rchant guild?”
“Oh, that’s all settled.”
“Ha, I knew it. Of course you’d—wait, what?” Roxha’s mocking smile froze as she blinked in disbelief.
Then, with an uncharacteristic “Uh…” she managed to speak again. “So you’re saying you’ve actually sorted out the Miph rchant Guild?”
“Indeed.” I pulled the docunts from my breast pocket and handed them to Roxha.
Then I said, “Henceforth, the Miph rchant Guild will be under the Charlotte rchant Guild, which is part of House Praha. They won’t ask for any compensation whatsoever. Furthermore, the Miphra Territory has agreed to treat our rchant guild as a partner, too.”
“…Ehh?”
“That docunt spells out the terms written by the current Trademaster of the Miph rchant Guild. Well, if you look at it, it’s basically them volunteering to be absorbed.”
“I… What’s all this…?” Roxha stared blankly at the docunts, then at , then back at the docunts.
I gave Roxha a wry smile and finished, “So, anything else you’d like to say?”
* * *
Roxha kept staring down at the docunts, her face still frozen in disbelief. But no matter how many tis she reread it, the words stubbornly refused to change.
…So everything written here is actually true?
It made no sense.
It had been just two weeks. No, if you were being precise, it hadn’t even been a full two weeks.
If this was the sort of thing that could be sorted out in that amount of ti, she never would have asked for help in the first place.
It was impossible from the start!
Solved? Fine, let’s say it’s solved.
Honestly, she had no idea how he’d managed it—whether it was threats or so other trick, let’s just say he pulled it off.
But resolving the matter in fourteen days? Even if she tried to make sense of it, her brain simply refused.
Damn it… What is he, really?!
Roxha stared at Louis, sitting across from her.
There he was, back straight, looking every inch the nobleman. The way he sipped the coffee the head butler had brought in—he looked more aristocratic than any noble in the Empire.
It was hard to believe this was the sa man who, not long ago, had been called a wastrel.
When had it started, exactly?
When had this man beco so competent?
No, there’s no way he’s actually competent. This has to be a scam. Who trusts a single piece of paper, anyway?
Roxha shook her head, trying to see it from a different angle.
When she thought about it, all Louis had as proof was this single docunt.
No witnesses, no other evidence—just this sheet of paper. And yet, here she was, about to believe him.
Ugh… I really am pathetic, aren’t I?
Roxha curled her lips into a smile, doing her best to suppress her frustration.
How could she have fallen for such a trick? She had done a disservice to her reputation as a genius rchant—
“Oh, and for the record, it’s all written on a docunt stamped with the Imperial Family’s seal. If any of it’s false, it’s off with my head.”
“Wait, what? Why?!” Roxha yelped in a shrill tone.
Why on earth was there an Imperial seal on this docunt? She’d been trying very hard to ignore that little detail!
I was ignoring ittttttt!
Roxha clutched her head and buried her face in her hands.
It wasn’t the sort of display one expected from a noble’s daughter, but no one in the office seed inclined to scold her for it.
And so, A few monts of silent agony passed.
“…I’ll be going now.”
“Don’t you want to check it again?”
Louis called after her as she made for the door, but Roxha didn’t answer.
She simply left the office.
* * *
There she goes.
I glanced at the spot where Roxha had been, then took a sip of coffee.
Even after storming out like that, she’d definitely go and verify whether I was telling the truth.
Then she’d calculate, down to the last coin, what this business would bring her—and act accordingly.
Whatever anyone might say, she really is a genius rchant.
There was a good reason the Artezias had once sent out an official notice to eliminate her first.
Anyway. Looks like this is the chance for the Charlotte rchant Guild to finally spread its wings.
Before I turned back ti, the Miph rchant Guild had kept their growth in check. But now, with no real competitors left, neither the Charlotte rchant Guild nor Roxha would be stopped.
Well, technically, there were still other guilds, but none of them would be able to do any real damage.
Not that it mattered, since I’d already pocketed all the best bits for myself. Trade routes, Mithril, that sort of thing.
Soon enough, whenever they needed money, they’d probably have to co and see .
Even the Miph rchant Guild would end up under my influence, one way or another.
This whole affair had gone rather well.
Wearing a look of deep satisfaction, I lifted my coffee cup—only for the Grand Duke to let out a dry chuckle and say, “I didn’t expect you to truly succeed.”
“It was a business deal, after all. I took the advance, so of course I had to deliver.”
“Hah… I really misjudged you. I never imagined you’d be this resourceful.” The Grand Duke shook his head in disbelief, then asked, “So, aren’t you going to tell how you managed it?”
“It’s a long story.”
“That’s fine. Roxha couldn’t pull it off, but you did—so what’s a little inconvenience compared to that?”
…What I ant is, I’m too tired for that.
I bit back the words that tried to escape and let out a quiet sigh.
After two days of being bounced around in a carriage, exhaustion was setting in, but this was the Grand Duke, after all.
The continent’s greatest knight—a Grand Master.
Throwing a fit in front of him would be the sort of thing only a madman would attempt.
I’m not Lancelot, after all.
With a faint sigh, I gave him a rough summary of what had happened, and the Grand Duke listened with genuine interest.
And finally…
“Hmm… a puppet Trademaster, is it?”
The Grand Duke nodded thoughtfully when I explained how I’d made the Miph rchant Guild’s Trademaster into a puppet.
“Not a bad thod. Especially if there’s a weakness to exploit.”
Naturally, I didn’t ntion anything about feeding drugs to the youngest of Artezia or shopping in the black market.
Sa went for the Mithril.
Only a fool would volunteer information that didn’t need to be shared.
I simply said I’d killed the original Trademaster of the Miph rchant Guild.
“Killing the Trademaster was another sound decision. Since he attacked a noble, you had all the justification you needed.”
“I was just lucky.”
“All the better, then. Clearly the Goddess is watching over you.”
Mm… is that how that works?
I chuckle wryly as the Grand Duke smiled at .
Then, setting down my coffee cup, I continued, “So, Your Grace… Why did you call here? I doubt you just wanted to hear my story.”
“Hmm… You’re quick on the uptake, and that’s certainly one of your better strengths,” the Grand Duke murmured.
Then, as if the cheerful face he’d worn was just another prop in his acting kit, he wiped away his smile and continued. “His Majesty has summoned to the Imperial Capital.”
“…The Imperial Capital?”
“Yes. I suppose it’s about ti he sent off to the Demonic Realm.”
The Demonic Realm…
For a mont, my own face went blank.
The mont the Grand Duke set off for the Demonic Realm, the Elder Council would get down to the serious business of trying to gobble up the Grand Duke’s household.
And the first tasty morsel in their way? That would be .
…Can I really take on the Elder Council alone?
I asked myself, but the answer that ca back was hardly reassuring.
Sure, in my previous life I’d clawed my way up to Aura Expert, and I possessed outstanding archery talent.
But at present, I was just an Aura Adept. No more, no less.
Of course, my progress since coming back in ti was leagues ahead of the past, but that didn’t make so invincible hero. Not by any stretch.
At the very least, I’d need to reach mid-level Expert. That was the minimum requirent if I wanted even a fighting chance.
“…When do you leave for the Demonic Realm?”
“If I dawdle, half a year. If I hurry, I’ll have to move within three months.” The Grand Duke let out a thin sigh as he answered.
In other words, I had at most half a year to reach mid-level Expert. And in the anti, there were little things like Mithril and the trade routes to sort out.
…Looks like I’ll be running around quite a bit.
Just as I was busy redrawing the blueprints for my future…
The Grand Duke turned to and asked, “So, have you gathered all your unit mbers?”
Reviews
All reviews (0)