Chapter 13
Chapter 13
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 13
Chapter Title: Elena
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I returned to the Justice Merchant Group.
The merchant slave had recommended this place.
"Please, go on in, Master."
Credit.
It sounded good, but in the end, it was just borrowing money.
In other words, taking on debt.
Honestly, I felt a bit resistant to the idea.
"Very well. But I don't know your name."
"Please call me... Russell."
"Alright, Russell. Show me that my choice wasn't a mistake."
"Of course, Master."
I entered the Justice Merchant Group.
The merchant who had welcomed me yesterday greeted me warmly again.
"Thank you for coming back, esteemed customer."
We settled into the elegant reception room,
and Russell got straight to the point.
"You've looked into our master, haven't you, merchant?"
The merchant smiled at Russell's confident tone.
"It's hard to fool someone from the same trade... You're right."
The merchant used honorifics toward Russell, even though he was a slave.
Though he hesitated midway.
He seemed to value the fact that we were customers more than our status.
"That's good. This should make things easier to discuss."
I knew merchants had their own tricks, different from those of nobles.
But Russell didn't resort to any.
He explained our entire situation and stated our requests plainly, without exaggeration or omission.
"So, what benefit does the Justice Merchant Group gain from this?"
Russell held up two fingers.
"We'll repay the loan within two months. Additionally, in the future, we'll purchase slaves worth twice the loan amount from the Justice Merchant Group."
The merchant looked at me, and I nodded in agreement.
Everything wrapped up in an instant.
We signed the contract and received the money.
'This easy?'
The Justice Merchant Group even hinted that they could lend more if needed.
Of course, I declined.
The toll exemption was courtesy of the Callas Viscount.
We couldn't use it to transport massive amounts of grain.
Just a moderate amount.
Moderate enough that the Callas Viscount would overlook it.
"It went according to plan, Master."
"Easier than I thought."
Merchants thought differently from me.
They had no aversion to the word "debt."
In fact, they seemed quite accustomed to actively taking on loans.
"That means the merchant holds you in high regard, Master."
"Hmm... I suppose so."
Any merchant would understand what farming on Monster Island entailed.
And they could guess the profits it would yield.
"Good work, Russell."
"I will continue to devote myself to you, Master."
With the borrowed money, we bought grain,
and headed back to Monster Island.
Unlike the first time, the procession was much larger.
One hundred slave households—over four hundred people—had been added.
Aside from a minor incident at the Callas Viscounty checkpoint, we returned to River Village without any major issues.
The checkpoint knight stopped us upon seeing the wagons full of grain.
Of course, Russell stepped in and resolved it smoothly.
Being a former merchant, he was adept at dealing with checkpoint officials.
"Master, this is River Village."
"Yes, where your wife and daughter will live. And you..."
Russell bowed his head.
"I understand. I'll exchange the grain for monster byproducts in Frontier territory, then go to the continent to buy livestock."
"I'll assign some villagers to accompany you. Be careful."
A few days after arriving in River Village,
Russell departed the village.
"Is it alright to use a slave as a merchant?"
Grandfather asked in a worried tone.
"It'll be fine."
His wife and daughter are in River Village.
Villagers from River Village are by his side.
And finally, the slave seal is imprinted on him.
Triple safeguards.
With this, Russell shouldn't harbor any ill intentions.
"Grandfather, we need to expand the farmland."
"Hahaha! I knew you'd say that. Do you have a plan?"
"Of course!"
First, I mixed the existing slaves with the new ones and divided them into two groups.
We plan to operate two farmlands: Farmland 1 and Farmland 2.
Each farmland will be divided into four sections—A, B, C, and D—following the Norfolk Four-Course Rotation.
"We'll make each farmland large enough for one hundred households to farm."
Too large, and management becomes difficult.
Too small, and we lose economies of scale.
That's why I decided on units of one hundred households.
'And... if I select one person per household to form a militia...'
We gain both financial power and military strength.
Of course, I'm not thinking of a full army yet.
Just militia level.
Enough to monitor monsters and deal with them if necessary.
Just like I did with the existing slaves,
I told the new one hundred slave households that they would receive wages,
and could save up to buy their freedom.
As a result, they started working diligently, just like the originals.
Section D of Farmland 1, which was unfinished, was completed,
and now we're clearing Farmland 2.
In the meantime, the wheat planted in Farmland 1 grew tall and strong.
While everything was progressing smoothly,
a single letter arrived in River Village.
.
.
"Elena's coming-of-age ceremony is soon."
I read the letter again.
It requested my attendance at Elena's ceremony, complete with the location and date.
"Vampire Duke Family? Not at the Frontier estate, but the duke's family? Why?"
My younger sister, Elena Frontier.
Considering the importance of a coming-of-age ceremony, it should have been at the Frontier mansion.
"Brilda again?"
Elena and I shared the same mother.
In other words, to Brilda, Elena was also a child of her predecessor husband. Just like me.
"I have to attend this one."
I took the letter and went to find Grandfather.
Vampire Duke territory.
Gray Mage Tower.
Elena Frontier ate lunch alone again today.
The mage tower's large cafeteria.
Not just mages, but all the tower's staff ate here, so it was crowded.
Laughter and chatter filled Elena's ears.
She kept her head down, reading the notes beside her tray.
Notes densely packed with earth magic incantations.
After reading them several times,
her meal ended.
She cleared her tray
and was about to leave the cafeteria when
she ran into a group entering.
Elena lowered her head to avoid their eyes.
They were classmates.
No, they used to be friends.
When she first entered the tower, they got along well.
She was in that group.
Actually, at its center.
The Frontier name from Monster Island carried that much weight.
But then my lack of magic talent was revealed,
and rumors spread that I was being ousted as heir.
That's when it started.
Her friends began distancing themselves from Elena.
Now, they didn't even exchange greetings.
She exited the cafeteria.
People were relaxing outside.
Some sat on benches chatting,
others gathered on the grass having fun.
Elena ignored them as best she could
and returned to her room.
And there was a welcome face.
"Alensia unni!"
Elena hugged Alensia's waist.
"Have you been well?"
"Unni, what brings you today? You've been visiting a lot lately."
Alensia's smiling face stiffened slightly.
"A small problem came up."
"A problem? Is it about my coming-of-age ceremony?"
Coming-of-age ceremony.
Important for everyone, but especially for nobles.
Usually, parents prepare it.
If no parents, then grandparents; if none, retainers.
But Elena's parents showed no interest in her ceremony.
Father was busy defending Frontier territory.
Mother wasn't the type to handle a ceremony either.
So Alensia had stepped in to help.
She arranged the venue and invitations.
On the day, musicians and food too.
"On the day of your ceremony, there's a banquet at the Frontier mansion."
"What!? On my ceremony day? Then people will...?"
"They won't come. The Frontier retainers will attend the banquet Brilda prepared."
No matter that she's the stepmother.
Was this level of cruelty necessary?
Elena squeezed her eyes shut.
If her most celebratory day ended up empty?
It would be no different from life at the tower.
"Unni... what about brother?"
At the word "brother," Alensia's eyebrow twitched.
"I sent a letter. He'll probably attend."
"Yes...."
At least that was a relief.
She had a brother from the same mother.
A ceremony with no father or mother.
At least one family member would be there.
I gathered slaves skilled with their hands.
I had them carve wooden dolls.
Father, mother, me, and my little sister.
Family dolls representing the four of us.
I planned to gift these to my sister.
Additionally, I scoured the clover field.
Searching for a lucky four-leaf clover.
Four family members.
Four leaves on the clover.
The numbers matched perfectly, making me feel inexplicably good.
I wasn't the only one busy preparing for Elena's ceremony.
Grandfather hurried too.
He led villagers across the bridge to West River.
There was an old tree trunk he'd eyed long ago; he'd cut it for a gift.
Perfect for a magic staff, he said.
Thus, we each prepared our gifts
and headed to Vampire Duke territory.