Chapter 73
The place Aquila visited after finishing his preparations to go out was the Raiesel estate.
However, Raiesel was exceedingly busy today and was not receiving visitors. This was not solely due to the aftermath of the halted Old Items Auction.
It was because of the treatnt for Mineralization.
Before the legs of Raiesel’s youngest son, Collins Raiesel, beca completely useless, they had to hasten the treatnt.
The Quija’s Smile that Aquila had won at auction had already been delivered to Raiesel, and they would be fully occupied verifying the herb and preparing the redy.
Moreover, the Founding Festival had only just concluded yesterday, so they would be busy wrapping up matters and receiving related reports.
It seems Count Raiesel has returned as well. With them this busy, I suppose eting him today is out of the question.
In any case, Raiesel had decided not to receive any guests for the ti being, but Aquila Reschenhardt’s visit was an exception.
Not only did he know all the circumstances, he was the very person who had helped resolve them.
Thus, the firmly shut main gates of the Raiesel estate opened just enough to admit a single carriage before quietly closing once more.
“How is your condition?”
rien, who had co out to receive him, inquired about his head wound and apologized for the lack of progress in the search despite increased surveillance.
Aquila listened in silence before shaking his head.
Whether Ark would be caught or not was uncertain, but since the Guild of Darkness’ sche in Portplum had failed, there was little likelihood any of their mbers still lingered.
“I understand you are busy with important matters, but I stopped by briefly because there is sothing I wished to ask.”
“No, not at all. I was just about to take a short rest, so please do not concern yourself with that.”
Shaking her head, rien glanced toward the door as she looked at the teacup a servant had set down.
“Everyone is in quite a state of disarray… I must apologize again for receiving you alone. When they find ti, they all wish to see my younger brother’s face….”
“I understand.”
Perhaps she had not slept properly, for rien’s face looked tired, yet she still smiled.
After a mont’s hesitation, she began by saying, “You likely know there is only one use for Quija’s Smile,” and then explained the matter surrounding Mineralization.
She had originally intended to explain the circumstances after the auction concluded yesterday, but there had been no ti.
Everything she recounted was information Aquila already knew.
“No one knew mithril was there. We rely purchased an abandoned mine for a new venture.”
Discovering a rare mineral—mithril, no less—would normally have been cause for celebration.
Yet Raiesel had suffered greatly because of it.
So might have called it a worthwhile sacrifice, but Aquila rely said, “I am glad we were able to obtain Quija’s Smile.”
rien smiled.
“It is thanks to your help, Lord Aquila. You may think shaless, but I am glad I did not let the opportunity slip by.”
Gazing at her reflection in the surface of her herbal tea, rien lifted her head.
Then she rose from her seat, lightly gathered the hem of her dress, and inclined her head.
“I was unable to properly thank you yesterday due to the confusion. I am truly grateful, Lord Aquila.”
There was not a trace of falsehood in her sincere gratitude.
Strictly speaking, however, Aquila had only gone to attract Count Raiesel’s attention and to inspect this year’s auction items.
Moreover, if he failed to resolve the main scenario, he would be the one to suffer a severe penalty. He had rely done what was necessary.
“Once the treatnt shows improvent and the chaos settles sowhat, we will formally visit you to offer our thanks.”
“That is not necessary. I am simply glad it ended without further incident.”
Aquila shook his head quietly.
He welcod maintaining good relations with Raiesel, but he had not acted in order to receive such gratitude.
After repeating thirty regressions, even being thanked had beco tireso.
Perhaps it would be more accurate to say it stirred no emotion.
Since any relationship could be reset at any ti, it was easier for him to take only what he needed.
Tilting her head slightly at his blunt expression, rien soon smiled again.
“You seem quite different from how you did at the party.”
“When one faces death several tis in succession, one tends to grow unexpectedly detached. More importantly, there is sothing I wish to ask.”
“Ah, yes. Please ask anything.”
Unable to determine whether he had been joking or serious, rien straightened her posture.
“I would like to know who put Quija’s Smile up for auction.”
“…Pardon?”
rien’s eyes widened at the unexpected question.
She had prepared herself for any inquiry—she had even considered what she might say if he asked about the location of the mithril mine.
Yet she had not anticipated a question unrelated to that.
Watching her surprised expression, Aquila lifted his teacup.
“Since the auction requires participants to register under their real nas, the sellers would not be anonymous either. Is that correct?”
“Ah, yes. That is correct. Only those whose identities have been verified are granted eligibility to participate in the Old Items Auction. The sa applies to sellers.”
rien nodded.
“Do you require confirmation of the seller’s identity? Or….”
“After acquiring Quija’s Smile, Raiesel must have investigated the seller again regardless—whether they are trustworthy, where and how they obtained it, and whether the herb is genuine.”
Though the appraisers were highly skilled, they would not wish to overlook even the smallest flaw.
After all, this was currently the only herb capable of treating Mineralization.
After studying him for a mont, rien nodded as if it were obvious.
“Yes. Fortunately, the information we gathered matched, and the seller’s background was clean. We are preparing to produce the redy imdiately.”
“That is a relief. It will take at least two days to create the dicine.”
“You seem to know how it is made.”
Aquila rely shrugged.
How could I not? Every ti Count Raiesel beca drunk, he would recount the entire process of making the redy to ….
Once the treatnt was complete, he would no longer have to endure those drunken ramblings.
Not that he would miss them in the slightest.
“I would like to know the seller’s na and information. If possible, even where he is currently staying.”
“…May I ask your reason?”
rien inquired carefully, and Aquila nodded as if it were of no consequence.
“Yes. It is nothing that must be hidden. If Quija’s Smile was harvested intact, the seller must be an herbalist. If he returns west, there is sothing I would like to commission.”
Now that he had received the mithril arrowheads from Ark, it was ti to prepare the poison to apply to them.
However, two additional materials were still required, and those grew only in the west.
And I must confirm whether it is the man I know. He said he established his rchant company with the money earned at this auction.
As Aquila considered these matters with a blank expression, rien pondered briefly after hearing his explanation.
“You are correct in your assumption. He is an itinerant herbalist. His na was… Peri? Peiret? Sothing like that.”
rien tilted her head, clearly uninterested in the seller’s na.
But from that pronunciation alone, Aquila knew.
The herbalist, Peillat.
In the era Aquila rembered, he had beco the head of the Peillat Company, nad after himself. The reason was simple.
He wandered widely and knew precisely where to obtain various materials, and his skill was exceptional.
Most importantly, there was an item sold exclusively by the Peillat Company.
An item that could never be absent in a ga world.
Elixirs.
Only Peillat knew the exact formula and ratios, so they could not be obtained elsewhere.
Naturally, they were expensive—befitting elixirs.
But their effects were worth the price, making them items one had to stockpile by any ans necessary.
He may not be selling elixirs yet, since he has not ford his company… but it would be wise to build rapport and raise affinity in advance.
Peillat did not sell elixirs to ordinary custors.
They were available only to VIP clients of his company or those who had personal ties with him.
In any case, Aquila would have to find a way to build goodwill while commissioning the western materials.
“When we investigated, we confird he was staying at an inn called Kemiah’s Dance. It is likely he has not departed yet.”
Ten million gold.
The price paid for Quija’s Smile.
Since Raiesel would not have handed over such a sum in cash on the spot under House Reschenhardt’s na, and if he intended to use the funds to establish a company, he might remain in Portplum for so ti, given its active trade.
Offering light thanks, Aquila rose from his seat.
“Are you going there imdiately?”
“Yes. I must go before I lose the opportunity. Thank you for your assistance despite your busy schedule.”
“It was nothing. I am glad I could provide information I already had.”
rien escorted him out and bowed politely once more.
“If you ever require assistance, please co to Raiesel. As you did today. We do not forget a debt of gratitude.”
“…Yes. I am aware.”
Aquila held her green eyes in his gaze for a brief mont before turning away without delay.
***
Although the Founding Festival had ended yesterday, the inn Kemiah’s Dance was bustling.
Portplum was already a city with heavy traffic, and many visitors had yet to depart.
Moreover, the proprietor of Kemiah’s Dance was renowned for exceptional cooking, attracting guests for many years.
Groups ordered salty, spicy dishes as drinking snacks, clinking glasses and raising loud toasts.
Others leaned close together in the center, speaking in hushed tones.
And in one corner, at a two-person table against the wall, a lone man continued his al.
Soup, bread, and a modest dish—paired incongruously with a large mug of beer.
The man, with green hair, adjusted his glasses and scribbled sothing on a sheet of paper on the table.
“Hmm. Pel, Pein, Pan… no….”
After listing several words, he scratched them out vigorously with his pen as though dissatisfied.
His face, deep in thought, was serious—almost solemn.
When no answer ca, he lifted his beer mug and drained half of it in one gulp.
“Ugh. What na should I choose…?”
He was in the midst of such contemplation when soone suddenly approached, pulling out the chair opposite him.
“May I join you?”
It was a low, unfamiliar voice.
Since Kemiah’s Dance was almost always crowded, requests to share a table were common.
Thus, the man nodded without much thought.
The clear scrape of a chair dragging across the floor sounded distinctly.
At that sound, he tilted his head slightly.
Normally, it was too noisy here to hear sothing like a chair scraping. Why had he heard it so clearly?
Then he realized that the surroundings had grown strangely quiet.
With a puzzled expression, he lifted his head to look around.
“You appear to be troubled by sothing.”
Beyond the thick lenses of his glasses, he perceived the stunned silence around him.
And—
The blazing red hair of the person seated across from him.
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