Chapter 20
Chapter 20
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: Brilda
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"It seems you’ve misunderstood, Mother."
Murmur. Murmur.
Murmur. Murmur.
"Elwin! Do you plan to sell at these outrageous prices? What makes you any different from Callas then? Do you see the island only as a money-making tool?!"
Brilda unleashed a fierce rebuke.
"Madam is right!"
"Are you planning to exploit the islanders like Viscount Callas?!"
"Do you know how hard the islanders have it because of these high grain prices?!"
The retainers backed Brilda’s opinion.
I took a step toward where the retainers were gathered.
"That’s exactly why. That’s why I’m selling at high prices."
"Wh-what do you...?"
"Such illogical..."
As I came on strong, the retainers shrank back.
Whether they liked me or not, I carried the Frontier bloodline.
"Elwin."
"Speak, Mother."
"Are you saying you’re selling grain at high prices for the sake of the island? Do you think that makes any sense?!"
"Mother, think bigger."
"What... what did you say?!"
"Why do you only think about one or two years from now, and not five or ten years ahead?"
Brilda’s face twisted.
Of course, only for a moment.
She quickly realized there were many people around.
"So, you’re thinking ten years ahead?"
"Of course. I’m using most of the profits from grain sales to expand the farmland."
I slowly walked to the center of the banquet hall.
Along the way, I made eye contact with those around me.
I didn’t forget to occasionally meet Alensia’s gaze either.
It was still uncomfortable to lock eyes, and each time, Alensia’s eyes were a respite for me.
"The Goddess of the Earth has blessed me to farm on this island."
Mentioning the goddess sobered the crowd.
"The goddess’s will is not this narrow land we have now. She wishes for us to cultivate vast fields so that all islanders can eat their fill."
"Heir Elwin, can you really cultivate that much land!? Is that true?"
"Of course. That is the mission the goddess has given me."
About half the people in the banquet hall nodded.
At that moment,
"Elwin! Even so, what good is it if you don’t lower the prices! What the islanders want isn’t island-grown grain. They want cheaper, more affordable grain than now!"
Brilda struck at the core.
"Mother, do you know why lumber prices are low on the island?"
Lumber prices on Monster Island were cheaper than on the continent.
"Obviously because there’s so much wood."
"Then do you know why grain prices are high?"
"Because there’s not enough grain."
"Exactly. So, let me ask one last thing. If large farms appear on the island and grain production increases, what will happen to grain prices?"
Brilda was at a loss for words.
Exclamations of admiration burst out from various parts of the banquet hall.
It was simple market logic.
When supply is less than demand, prices rise.
Conversely, when supply exceeds demand, prices fall.
"If we lower prices now, only some people can buy cheap grain. But if we continue like this, every islander can buy cheap grain."
"Ooh..."
"Indeed..."
Public opinion turned to me.
A perfect counterattack.
I had met Brilda’s scheme head-on.
"Lowering grain prices now is like cutting open the goose that lays the golden eggs. Don’t limit your vision to the short term. Think broader. If that’s too hard, just leave it to me. Mo-ther."
"Elwin... you... right now..."
I leisurely enjoyed Brilda’s contorted expression.
Political infighting among nobles was where I fell short.
I admitted that much.
But.
‘Beat me at economics? I’m an economics major, you know.’
"Then I believe Mother understands now..."
"If I may say something presumptuous, Heir Elwin?"
Murmur. Murmur.
Murmur. Murmur.
The hall grew noisy in an instant.
It was because Brilda’s personal maid, Anna, had stepped forward.
"What is it?"
"There’s one flaw in what you said, Heir Elwin."
"In my words?"
"Prices aren’t determined solely by supply volume."
I uncrossed my arms.
Anna’s words didn’t sound trivial.
"If there’s only one seller. Even if production increases, prices won’t drop."
Anna was right.
In a monopoly, the supplier sets the price.
Murmur. Murmur.
Murmur. Murmur.
"What’s that mean?"
"Dunno. Let’s just listen."
Most couldn’t follow the conversation.
For a maid to know such things...
"There are many grain producers. Even now, countless farmers till the fields on the continent."
"But because of the high transit tolls in Viscount Callas’s territory, the economies of the continent and Monster Island are disconnected."
How far did she know?
For a maid to grasp the economic situation between Monster Island and the continent...
"That’s only while Callas’s transit tolls remain high. If island grain production rises and grain trade decreases, Viscount Callas will lower the grain tolls. Then I’ll have to compete with continental farmers."
Anna bowed her head.
"You’re right. However, what if that day comes and Viscount Callas doesn’t lower the tolls? Will you keep selling at high prices?"
So that was it?
She’d jumped in, thinking this far ahead?
If I dominated the island grain market and Viscount Callas didn’t lower the grain tolls?
I’d reap massive profits.
This was to prevent that in advance.
"I’ll lower the prices and sell. The Goddess of the Earth would wish for it too."
"Thank you for giving a firm answer before all these honored guests, Heir Elwin."
Anna bowed, then cleared an empty plate nearby.
After Anna left the hall, Brilda stepped forward.
"I gave Anna permission to speak, so I ask the other nobles not to take offense."
Brilda covered for Anna, and the nobles let it pass without comment.
The celebration party ended,
and Alensia boarded her carriage.
Clop. Clop.
Feeling the carriage’s vibrations, she sank into thought.
She recalled Elwin speaking confidently before all those nobles.
‘He’s changed a lot.’
He’d always lacked confidence.
More passive than proactive.
But now...
"Lady Alensia."
"...Huh? What is it, Marie?"
"What are you thinking about so deeply?"
"Nothing much. But why’d you call me?"
"That maid Anna... she was amazing."
"She was."
Even she had struggled to follow Elwin and Anna’s exchange.
She only understood after mulling it over once it ended.
‘Elwin talked about that stuff so casually.’
Why hadn’t she noticed during the four years together?
She’d just thought he was a nice guy...
"Lady Alensia? Lady Alensia!"
"Yes?"
"Heir Elwin was impressive too, right?"
"..."
"Wasn’t Heir Elwin cool?"
"..."
Normally she’d flatly say no, but he’d been just a tiny bit cool.
She answered with silence.
"Why aren’t you saying anything? Don’t tell me you agree!? You thought Heir Elwin was cool too, didn’t you, Lady Alensia!?"
"No. I said no. Let’s just go quietly!"
Marie covered her mouth with her hand.
"Your eyes are smiling. I can see it all."
"Oh! Was it? Sorry, Lady Alensia."
She covered her eyes with her other hand.
Alensia ignored Marie and turned her head to the window.
"Oh right! Lady Alensia, when we left, I saw Heir Elwin getting into a carriage."
"Elwin did?"
Clop. Clop.
Clop. Clop.
"Elwin, there’s no place for you in this mansion."
The original plan was to spend the night at the Frontier mansion after the party.
They hadn’t rested properly during the rushed trip.
But...
"To think she’d be this hostile."
I leaned back against the carriage and closed my eyes.
‘Anna...’
Brilda’s personal maid, Anna.
She’d precisely targeted the flaw in my argument.
Pointed out the monopoly issue.
And preempted the massive profits I’d gain if Viscount Callas didn’t reduce grain tolls.
"Grain prices have to drop in the future anyway. For the next stage, at least. More than that, Anna..."
‘She was pretty sharp.’
Was this what talent lust felt like?
I wasn’t angry at Anna’s intervention—in fact, I wanted her for myself.
‘That’ll be tough. Anna’s Brilda’s personal maid.’
Even after pushing Anna from my mind, various thoughts surfaced.
Especially the persistent mentions of weak monsters in the southern coastal areas and how the slave soldiers were numerous but not strong.
All points Brilda had emphasized in her speech.
‘They’re true, though.’
The slave soldiers’ weaknesses were clear.
Even with training, they had limits to how strong they could get.
What if they encountered black trolls or ogres?
They’d collapse in an instant.
‘Knights are essential, after all.’
But how to acquire knights?
Monster Island’s knights were already affiliated with various territories.
Bringing them from the continent was impossible.
They wouldn’t want to come to Monster Island.
‘If I can’t get them, make my own?’
My thoughts were interrupted by the coachman’s voice.
"Heir! There’s a carriage stopped ahead."
"Pass it slowly on the side."
The carriage slowed, then stopped.
"Heir, the Vampire Duke’s second daughter wishes to see you."
She’d been waiting on purpose.
I stepped down and walked to Alensia’s carriage.
"You wished to speak?"
"Get in."
"Our relationship isn’t one to share a carriage..."
"I said get in. Business partners have things to discuss."
Not as broken off fiancés, but as business partners—that changed things.
The door opened, and I entered.
Inside were Alensia and her maid Marie.
"Sit."
"Then, if I may."
Alensia asked various questions about farming.
She even inquired about the Norfolk Four-Course Rotation.
‘She already knows all this.’
I’d explained it before.
Yet she’d waited just to ask again.
I answered each question one by one.
As business partners, we had a duty to help each other.
When the explanations ended, Alensia waved her hand.
"You can go now."
She’d summoned me, and now shooed me away?
I couldn’t fathom Alensia’s thoughts.
It couldn’t be just because she missed me.
‘What’s she really after?’
"I said go."
"I have something to say as well."
"You? To me?"
"Business partners should help each other."
"...What is it?"
"Please send a swordsmanship and magic teacher."
I couldn’t hire knights or mages at my level.
Who’d come to someone whose heir status was shaky?
If I couldn’t acquire them, I had to raise them myself.
"You... don’t tell me, slaves?"
"Not exactly slaves. I’ve released the slave seals on the children."
Alensia crossed her arms and legs.
She pondered for about a minute.
"Well, you don’t have many other options in your situation. But will that be enough? You don’t have much time left."
"I’ll do what I can."
"I’ll send them to River Village."
"Thank you."
I bowed deeply to Alensia and stepped out the carriage door.
As the door was closing, Alensia’s voice came.
"If you get kicked out as heir... and have nowhere to go later... come to me."
"To the seat beside Lady Alensia?"
"..."
"That won’t do. Then I’ll find my own way to survive."
Alensia’s carriage departed,
and soon after, mine followed down the road.
‘Not much time left...’
That time was until third son Gibson’s coming-of-age ceremony.
That’s when the Frontier heir would change.
‘I have to manage somehow before then.’