Chapter 128: The Tour
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 128: The Tour
I had thought I knew my mother well. It was because of the pastoral scenery that always came to mind whenever I thought of her. But digging deeper, I realized I couldn't recall anything else besides that one scene.
It was so artificial, as if I had been programmed to picture that specific image whenever I thought of my mother.
Come to think of it, the very fact that such a bland, dry scene was so memorable was strange in itself. Aren't the memories that stick with you usually the intense and shocking ones?
‘There’s something wrong with my memory.’
My mother’s warm touch, her comforting scent that soothed my heart, and even her love. Were the things I had taken for granted actually true?
Bright red lips.
A nervous smile.
The foreign fragments of memory that had brushed past my mind were as irritating as a fishbone caught in my throat.
Perhaps what Father had said—that my mother disliked me—was true.
Once the doubt began, everything became suspect. This must be why they say suspicion can create ghosts where there are none.
I set aside my countless assumptions and doubts for the moment. With both my parents gone, it would be nearly impossible to find the truth by mulling it over alone. Instead, I focused on the truth that had been clearly revealed.
‘Was Mother a witch?’
It was highly likely that Aenya’s and my abilities were inherited through our maternal lineage. If so, my mother must have possessed a special ability as well.
The strangeness of my memories might have been caused by that very ability.
‘Why?’
If that was the case, the important question was why she would do such a thing.
“If Mother really had the ability to manipulate memories like you said, maybe she regretted how she treated you right before she died.”
“Regret…”
“She wanted to remain a good mother in your memory. It might have been for your sake, too. The memory of a mother who hated the child she bore is a terrible thing, isn't it?”
Aenya whispered, glancing at me cautiously. She seemed to regret having unsettled me with her words.
“Aenya.”
When I called her name with my arms wide open, Aenya rushed into my embrace as if she had been waiting. As she buried her face in the crook of my neck and shoulder, her familiar scent comforted me.
“Don’t think too deeply about it. You have me now, right? I’ll love you enough for Mother, too.”
Right. It was all in the past. Nothing would change even if I learned the truth. And besides, I had Aenya. I hugged her so tightly it felt like she might break.
*
The next morning.
“How is it? Completely different from before, right?”
Aenya pointed toward the streets of Quaran with a proud expression. The main road was so crowded there was hardly room to stand, and the outskirts of the city were bustling with expansion work.
“Even if we lost the fishing rights to Dresden, processing and distributing the herring is still Quaran’s job.”
“Meaning there’s more than enough work to go around.”
Aenya grinned as if I’d given the right answer.
“Thanks to that, Quaran’s population keeps growing. Seriously, I have no idea where all these people were hiding.”
“It wouldn’t be strange if there were more shifting cultivator villages.”
We hadn’t even known about the first one until it had grown to the size of a small city. It wouldn’t be surprising if there were other, smaller villages nearby.
“Anyway! Dresden may have taken a huge amount in taxes using the fishing rights as leverage, but the indirect benefits are even greater. And of course, that’s not all.”
The port had also changed astonishingly. A new berthing facility, large enough to accommodate sailing ships, had been built, and several such ships were docked there.
“Where people gather, merchants follow.”
There were not only merchants who came for the salted herring but also plenty who sold goods consumed in Quaran. This, in turn, drew many people from nearby villages and manors to visit the city.
“A virtuous cycle.”
Thanks to this, Quaran, once a small port city that was little more than a stopover for supplies, had grown into a respectable mid-sized city.
“Eleanor must have worked hard.”
Educated properly, as befitting a princess, Eleanor was a talent who could run circles around most administrators.
“I helped a lot, too!”
Aenya puffed up her cheeks like a blowfish.
This wasn’t childish petulance. Wasn’t this the same cunning Aenya who had dominated Eleanor and become the second-in-command of Quaran’s political scene in just a few months?
Eleanor had entrusted Quaran to Aenya because she judged her capable of taking her place.
“Yes, yes, you did.”
I poked Aenya’s cheek with my finger. It deflated with a soft poof. Annoyed at being treated like a child, Aenya scowled and puffed her cheeks up again.
“Ugh, I can’t watch this.”
Piole, who had been watching from the side, looked disgusted. Aenya, on the other hand, just grinned.
“If you’re jealous, just say so.”
“I’m embarrassed! What are two grown adults doing on a public street? And you two seem to forget you’re siblings sometimes.”
“Is it a crime for siblings to be close?”
“Aargh! That’s not what I meant!”
Just as Piole shouted, drawing the attention of the people around us…
“Piole.”
“Huh? Mph…!”
Caught by a surprise kiss, Piole’s eyes went wide. Even in her shock, her tongue tried to invade my mouth. Habit was a scary thing.
When I didn’t part my teeth, her face turned red as a beet. She had belatedly realized this wasn’t something to be done in the middle of a street.
“Ah…”
Seeing Piole flustered and blushing, Aenya chuckled.
“See? You were jealous.”
“I was not! Just hurry up and follow me! My father will be waiting!”
Quickly composing her expression, Piole began to stride forward. The way she moved looked an awful lot like she was fleeing, and I was sure it wasn't just my imagination.
*
My plan was to get an introduction to a reliable merchant from Andrei and use my brandy to create a distribution network with other continents, thereby fostering commercial development.
“What are you going to do about Piole?”
But before introducing me to any merchants, Andrei pressed me about Piole’s position.
So that’s why he’d asked his own daughter, whom he hadn’t seen in a long time, to leave the room. It was to bring this up.
“...”
As I remained silent, Andrei continued.
“I’m not unaware of Piole’s feelings. And I sometimes wonder who else would take a tomboy like her. But as a father, I can’t help but worry. Public opinion is harsher on women, isn’t it?”
Any relationship outside of holy matrimony was considered a grave sin by the church. The problem was that even though it was a mutual affair, the woman bore the brunt of the criticism.
This was because the man was usually the one in power, and society tended to be more lenient toward them.
“You don’t need to worry. Piole will stand by my side officially.”
Andrei’s brow twitched.
“But what about the Castellan? And I’ve heard rumors that Dresden is pushing for a marriage alliance with you.”
As expected of Quaran’s foremost politician, Andrei was aware not only of my relationship with Eleanor but also of the marriage alliance with Dresden.
“Of course, she won’t be the only one.”
“What are you talking about?”
“If the law is wrong, you fix the law. If the doctrine is wrong, you fix the doctrine.”
“What…?”
Andrei couldn’t hide his bewildered expression. I ignored it and declared calmly,
“It means I won’t stand by and let the woman by my side be scorned.”
“Ah, so that’s what you meant. For a moment there…”
Andrei seemed to have interpreted my words as an exaggeration meant to emphasize my resolve.
I didn’t bother to explain further. Regardless of his strength, he was a man of this era, for whom faith was a part of life. If he heard my actual plan, convincing him would only become more difficult.
“Then let’s get to the main point. What about the merchants I asked for?”
“I summoned them earlier, so they should be gathered in the reception room by now. But it won’t be easy. They are merchants who operate their own sailing ships without the backing of other families.”
He was telling me they had nothing to lose, a warning that it would be difficult to get the results I wanted.
*
“Ooh! The one who has never known defeat! The Giant Slayer! The strongest of knights! It is an honor, a true honor, to meet the renowned Baron! I am Mollak, operator of a small trading company.”
“I, Robert, offer my greetings. I have long admired you, my lord, and have always wished to meet you. To have my wish fulfilled like this is an honor that will be passed down through my family for generations.”
As soon as I entered the reception room, the two merchants inside bowed low, praising me with all sorts of flowery language. It was more formal than the etiquette shown to a king.
‘Words don’t cost a thing, I suppose.’
As I accepted their praise as if it were my due and took a seat, the smiles on the two merchants’ faces deepened. They had mistaken me for a typical nobleman.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you as well. Please, sit and let’s talk.”
“Oh, my. How could we possibly sit at the same table as you, my lord…”
“Then you can stay prostrated on the floor.”
The two merchants, who had intended to refuse once out of courtesy before sitting, froze in an awkward, half-crouched position.
“Ahem, it would also be impolite to ignore the Baron’s kindness. Hahaha…”
Of course, being merchants, they were quick on their feet. When I let out a small laugh, they laughed along with me.
“But may we ask why the Baron, who holds sway over both Dresden and the South, has sought out humble merchants such as ourselves?”
“A mere baron holds sway over the South?”
When I feigned ignorance, Mollak gave a sly smile.
“We merchants make our living on information. On the surface, it may seem that the Princess and the Rasino family rule half the South, but we know the reality is quite different.”
“Then do you also know why I’ve summoned you?”
The merchants’ intelligence was faster than I expected. I asked the question, intending to test just how much they knew.
The two merchants exchanged glances before presenting me with the bundles they were carrying.
“Ahem. Of course, we do.”
Inside the bundle was a small box. When I opened the lid, brown pills were revealed.
“What is this?”
Mollak said with a sly grin.
“Hehehe. This is the Eastern aphrodisiac that’s all the rage in high society these days. I prepared it as soon as I heard you had summoned us.”
Robert added,
“Is this aphrodisiac not the very thing you need, my lord? I went to great, great trouble to acquire this, all for your sake.”
It was an item that also appeared in the game. Since it was related to Jini of the East, its effects were guaranteed. It was also true that it was popular in high society.
“Hoh. An aphrodisiac, you say…?”
As I leaned forward, feigning interest, the two merchants grinned as if to say, “I knew it.”
“It’s a truly incredible item. If it doesn’t work, I’ll refund you double what you paid.”
“Shouldn’t you tell me the price first?”
Mollak flinched.
For nobles who lived and died by their reputation, asking a merchant the price of an item was taboo. For the same reason, there was no haggling. My blatant question about the price had caught him off guard.
After a brief exchange of glances with Robert, Mollak cautiously spoke, all the while watching my expression.
“It is one gold coin per pill.”
Hearing the price, I smiled brightly. The two merchants facing me smiled back in kind. Of course, it was only for a brief moment.
“So something that costs a few copper coins on its native soil turns into a gold coin just by crossing the Sea of Death?”
“Gasp! How did you…?”
The two merchants sucked in a sharp breath.
“Instead of ‘how,’ shouldn’t you be apologizing first? You were just caught trying to swindle the ruler who, in your own words, holds sway over the South.”
Finally grasping the situation, the two merchants immediately prostrated themselves, bowing their heads to the floor.
“It’s a misunderstanding, my lord! The value of an item is determined by its rarity. An item from the East that can only be obtained by crossing the Sea of Death is bound to be expensive, even if it’s a common product!”
“Even so, it’s strange for it to be several times more expensive than spices.”
“That is…”
Mollak’s eyes darted around. When I casually placed a hand on my sword, his face went deathly pale.
“Is there something you want from us?”
It was Robert who cut in.
“Why do you think that?”
“If you didn’t want something from us, wouldn’t you have held us accountable for the insult without another word?”
He was quicker on the uptake than Mollak.
“First, let’s wet our throats.”
I personally poured them some brandy from a brass bottle. The two merchants, who raised their glasses while eyeing me cautiously, were first surprised by the sweet aroma, and then their eyes widened in shock after tasting it.
“This is…?!”
“It’s a new liquor I’ve created. And it’s also the product I want you to sell for me.”
Gulp.
The eyes of the two merchants, fixed on the brass bottle, shimmered with heat. As merchants capable of operating sailing ships without backing, they would have recognized the value of brandy.
I refilled their empty glasses.
“What do you think? It’s quite good, isn’t it?”
The two merchants exchanged glances as they tilted their glasses. Mollak was the first to speak.
“This is on par with the wines of the South. However, the problem is the production cost, isn’t it? It looks like a distilled liquor, and considering the distribution costs of crossing the sea, the profit margin won’t be very large.”
Mollak was downplaying the brandy’s value. Now that I had revealed my intentions, he had started haggling to shave off even a single penny.
“There are quite a few distilled liquors on other continents. The ones from the South are especially famous for their fine taste, as they use high-quality wine as a base.”
Robert joined in as well.
‘Merchants.’
I had warned them just a moment ago, but it had no effect. It was a merchant’s instinct, their nature. In that case, I would have to play their game.
“Then I suppose there’s no need to entrust it to you.”
“What do you mean by that? The profit on each item may be small, but if we fill our ships with it, the total profit will surely be satisfactory.”
Mollak’s voice trailed off toward the end. He had belatedly realized he had responded too quickly. Having downed two glasses of the high-proof brandy in quick succession, it was no wonder he was a little drunk.
In fact, that was why I had given it to them.
“Is that so? Then who will sell my goods?”
“If you entrust it to us…”
I cut Mollak off.
“‘Us’? Are you telling me to go through the trouble of diversifying my sales channels? I’d rather just handle it all at once.”
For a moment, Mollak and Robert exchanged glances. It wasn’t the friendly look from before. Weren’t merchants people who could betray each other at any moment for profit?
‘Brandy is a product good enough to break into even the most closed-off foreign markets.’
This was an era where collusion was the norm. Nobles protected their own country’s merchants, and city merchant guilds blocked outsiders from entering.
An incredible product like brandy was the perfect bribe to break through those closed markets.
“Ahem, naturally, I…”
“If you entrust it to me…”
The two merchants, who had been acting like a team, were now scowling and glaring at each other. In that moment, I could once again confirm the value of the brandy. In that case…
“Hmm, how about both of you just come work for me? I’ll make sure you’re well compensated.”
Both merchants showed reluctance. A merchant sponsored by a noble also had to act as an errand boy, and most of their profits were taken away.
For merchants like them, who operated their own sailing ships, noble patronage had only downsides.
“We are grateful for the offer, but…”
Just as they were both about to refuse, I casually placed a piece of parchment on the table. It was a map I had been drawing whenever I had a spare moment.
It was a map that showed the perfect coastlines of each continent, and even marked islands to be used as stopover points. With this alone, trade with other continents would become twice as easy.
It was no wonder the two merchants’ eyes were trembling as if an earthquake had struck. Mollak blinked rapidly, and Robert rubbed his eyes with his hands. Then, convinced it wasn’t an illusion, they craned their necks forward.
When I covered the map with my hand, they fidgeted, not knowing what to do.
“Th-there, your hand…”
For a mere merchant to dare make a demand of a noble, I could well imagine how desperately they wanted that map.
“Let’s do this. I will give you both the same amount of brandy. Whoever sells it for the highest price will be given the chance to work under me.”
The two merchants hesitated. They figured that even if they obtained the map, it would be meaningless if a noble took most of the resulting profits.
What I wanted was something a little different. I wanted commerce to develop in my lands more than I wanted direct profit. In the long run, that would be more beneficial.
“The tax will be 30%.”
So I set a tax rate far lower than what nobles usually demanded for their patronage. In that instant, the merchants’ hesitation vanished like the wind.
“I’ll do it!”
“Leave it to me!”
*
Meanwhile, at that same time, Aron, who was supposed to meet Allen in Quaran, was grinding his teeth at the no-show.
“He’s late—!”