Chapter 146: The Interview
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 146: The Interview
Evan jumped to his feet and offered a formal greeting, just as Alcent had taught him.
He was glad he had practiced beforehand so he wouldn't stutter.
As he looked at the Grand Duchess, who was smiling with her pale blonde hair swept up, his legs began to tremble uncontrollably.
Don't be nervous. Stay calm.
Mr. Alcent had told him that there was no need to flatter or put on an act in front of Her Highness.
— "She has a sharper eye than anyone else. Even if you don't try, she'll realize what kind of person you are in no time."
Alcent had let out a pleasant laugh, mentioning how "that very Grand Duchess" had said she wasn't worried.
I don't know what that means, though.
Regardless, Alcent had encouraged him, saying that good intentions create opportunities and that he was sure there would be a positive result.
I mustn't disappoint Mr. Alcent.
The only information Evan had was that the Grand Duchess was currently preparing a new wine business.
If she hired him as one of the managers, he might be able to recommend a few of the employees he had worked with. Even if she just needed a regular staff member or a laborer, he would accept the position gladly.
It was while Evan was lost in these thoughts that the butler entered, placed wine glasses on the table, and poured wine for both the Grand Duchess and himself.
Tiny bubbles rose through the golden liquid, which was filled with white granules.
Could this be…!
"It tastes quite good. Give it a try."
The Grand Duchess kindly offered him the wine.
Filled with curiosity, Evan took a sip. A shiver ran through his shoulders at the sensation of the bubbles popping in his mouth.
"How is it?"
"It is very sweet and delicious. The fizzy sensation reminds me of a heavily fermented beer, but it's much cleaner and lighter."
Evan carefully set his glass down and asked, "Is this… by any chance, Snow Wine?"
"How did you know?"
Evan confessed that several merchant masters from Rondoris had described Snow Wine to him and asked if he knew anything about it.
"I see. This is actually a traditional fruit wine made in a village in the Pogen Mountains."
The Grand Duchess proceeded to explain Snow Wine and her plans step by step.
"…And so, there is actually a lot to prepare in a short amount of time."
Her deep blue eyes sparkled.
"If you were the Guild Master, what would you take care of first?"
Finally, the interview question.
His employment would be decided by how he answered this.
"I don't know the exact situation of Pogen Village, but…"
Evan folded his hands neatly and calmly spoke his mind.
"First, since we need to transport groundwater and elfberries, it would be best to build a road. The winery also needs to be properly expanded. Since many laborers will be needed, we should prioritize hiring the villagers, but if that's not enough, we might need to provide some relocation support and recruit from nearby villages."
As he spoke, more ideas came to mind.
"Since the wine needs to be bottled immediately after brewing, the production of wine bottles and labels should proceed simultaneously. Oh, and it would be best to secure an intermediate base as quickly as possible by building a shop and storage warehouse at Gold Lane or by the lakeside."
"That's a very good idea."
The Grand Duchess asked, the corners of her mouth lifting into a wide smile, "Would about ten employees be enough?"
"Ten?"
Evan soon realized that the Grand Duchess was referring to the ten employees who had been fired from the Iris Trading Company.
"O-Of course!"
Evan leaned forward urgently.
"We'll need more laborers, but ten staff members would be more than enough to handle the distribution."
"Are you sure? If you say you're short-handed later, I'll hold the Guild Master responsible."
Evan blinked, slightly flustered.
"Is Your Highness not the Guild Master?"
The Grand Duchess shook her head slightly.
"I am the owner of the guild."
Her radiant face gazed steadily at him.
"And you, Evan, will be the Guild Master I hire."
Evan's eyes widened.
"M-Me? As the Guild Master?"
"I'm going to delegate full authority over the guild's operations to you."
"I'll be involved in the general direction, but I intend to rely on your experience and insight for the details."
"But Your Highness, I don't know if I should take on such a heavy responsibility…"
Evan trailed off, unsure of how to respond.
— "What does a country bumpkin like you know? How dare you lecture me?"
— "Just because my father doted on you, did you think you were the Guild Master or something?"
— "Do you know why I've kept you around until now? Because I can use you for dirt cheap."
The reason he hadn't quit despite hearing such things was to repay the final debt of gratitude he owed to the Iris Trading Company—the place that had fed and housed him when he had nowhere else to go, the place that had once been his entire life.
I've done enough.
Evan realized that the opportunity of a lifetime had come his way.
However, there was one thing weighing on his mind.
"Your Highness, I was only a middle manager at the Iris Trading Company."
Because he had often cleaned up after the merchant master, people sometimes mistook him for the master himself. He wondered if the Grand Duchess had summoned him under the same misunderstanding.
"Hmm? I know."
Evan felt a sense of deep relief mixed with slight bewilderment.
"Then why me, of all people, as the Guild Master…?"
The Grand Duchess let out a laugh as fresh as a flower petal.
"Why? Are you wondering what on earth the Grand Duchess is trusting to give you such an important position?"
Unable to bring himself to nod, Evan remained silent.
"Are you perhaps lacking confidence?"
"N-No, absolutely not!"
He would have worked himself to the bone even if she had hired him as a mere clerk, but to be the Guild Master? Evan was prepared to work until his bones turned to dust and fell as snow upon the northern mountains.
"I am confident that I can do better and work harder than anyone else!"
"Yes, I think so too."
The Grand Duchess gave a soft smile.
"That's why I'm leaving it to you."
But what exactly about me do you trust…
At that moment, Evan remembered Alcent's words.
— "She has a sharper eye than anyone else."
Perhaps Her Highness had simply read the deep desperation and longing in his eyes.
Then again, what did the reason matter?
The Grand Duchess had chosen him.
And I'll be able to protect the colleagues I worked with.
Many of the employees were on the verge of being kicked out of their boarding houses because they hadn't been paid in two months. His eyes grew hot as he imagined how happy they would be when they heard the news.
Crying in a place like this would make him look unreliable.
Evan gritted his teeth to keep the tears from falling and made a vow. He would grow Snow Wine into the most famous and magnificent wine in the world.
*
An important meeting was underway in Loik's secret study.
The men lined up before their lord were all elite personnel handpicked by Perel. The agenda of the meeting was: "What kind of gift should the Grand Duke give the Grand Duchess for her first Sacrament Day in the North?"
One of the knight captains raised his hand.
"I heard you gave her jewelry this time. How about a gemstone mine?"
Enolius shook his head.
"She's the type of person who felt so burdened by the Finale that she put it away."
"Rejected," Loik ruled curtly.
"How about gifting her a villa? Back then, near the capital…"
Loik's eyebrows shot up at the mention of the capital.
"She liked the garden last time, didn't she? Why don't we level a mountain and turn it into a garden?" Tiern suggested seriously.
"And who's going to do it?"
"Can't the mage do it?"
"Do you think mages are gods? Maybe if the idle knights dug it out with their swords, it might be possible." Enolius waved his hand with an exasperated expression.
"How about serving her a stew and Snow Wine that Your Grace cooked yourself?" This was Norton's opinion.
"He's already doing that."
A fairly handsome knight spoke up. "Or how about a private date? We could clear out the entire shopping district for a day."
"That's good!"
"…We did that last time."
As the knights grumbled in a mix of admiration and complaint that their lord had already done everything, Leon stepped forward.
"How about giving yourself as the gift, Commander?"
Everyone turned to look at the young knight with expressions that asked what kind of nonsense he was talking.
"I heard that's the trend these days among the inn guests using the Couples' Night Package. The wife personally unwraps the gift-wrapped husband…"
Leon trailed off and scratched the bridge of his nose for no reason.
"Unwrap the gift? What kind of trend is that?"
While the knights were looking puzzled, the mage—the only one who understood—grimaced.
"Are you insane?"
When Perel asked curiously what it was about, Leon replied with a slightly flushed face.
"Well… that 'gift wrapping' means wearing wrapping paper instead of clothes."
"Because it's a Couples' Night."
"Then unwrapping the gift means…!"
The faces of all the knights who imagined the rest turned bright red.
"What on earth are you saying to our Lord…!"
"Leon, you crazy bastard!"
"I heard there are cases where they only wear a ribbon on their bare skin."
Enolius poked his own eyes as if a horrific image had appeared before him.
"My eyes! What are you going to do about my eyes!"
Loik, his face beet-red, glared at Leon.
"Do you want to die?"
"I-I'm sorry! I just heard it was the trend…!"
I'm the fool for trying to brainstorm gifts with these idiots.
Just as Loik was about to wipe his weary face and yell at them all to get out, an urgent message arrived from outside the castle.
Prince Lucion of Rondoris had arrived at the second wall and was requesting that the gates be opened.