Chapter 69
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 69
“Please, take care on your way out.”
Sheika and the managers of the Bellatea Merchant Guild personally escorted us to the entrance.
“Yes. I’ll stop by again when the time is right.”
“We shall visit again.”
“May fortune follow you all.”
Having successfully signed the contract with Sheika, we made a leisurely departure from the guild. I tapped the document tucked into my breast pocket, a satisfied smile playing on my lips.
With this, I had accomplished everything I’d come to Stella for this weekend.
The thought of having invested in a sure thing naturally lifted my spirits. It felt as if I were already sitting on a mountain of gold. My days of scraping by were finally over.
‘What should I do once the money starts rolling in?’
I knew I was getting ahead of myself, but I allowed myself to indulge in a happy daydream for a moment.
First, I’d have to repay the funds I borrowed from Eleina. After that, I could replace all my gear and artifacts with the latest models, or perhaps buy a massive stockpile of high-end alchemy ingredients. I could even leverage the power of the underworld and Lize in the process.
Alternatively, I could reinvest the capital elsewhere to maximize profits, or fund populist policies to skyrocket my approval ratings. The possibilities were endless, and just imagining them was a delight.
As I walked with a strange grin, Garfield, who was flanking me, spoke up in a hesitant voice.
“Lord Roen, you have a very wicked look on your face right now.”
“Wicked? The truly wicked ones are those who spread false rumors to manipulate stock prices, hit them with short selling, and profit by destroying a perfectly good merchant guild. I’m just trying to teach them a lesson.”
“And make a handsome profit in the process,” Ciel retorted.
I shrugged at her remark. “Well, you could call it a secondary income.”
I got to screw over the villains and make money at the same time. What could be better? Moreover, since the masterminds behind this stock manipulation were merchant guilds from the Gilbert Kingdom, this would deal a significant blow to Jeremy as well.
After a moment of silent calculation, Ciel asked, “In that case, Lord Roen, what is your rough estimate for the expected profit?”
I stroked my chin, considering the numbers. “Hmm. I’m expecting at least three or four times the initial investment.”
If I invested the entirety of my remaining 500 million, I could expect a minimum profit of over 1.5 billion. Depending on how things played out, it could be five, or even ten times that.
Theoretically, the potential profit was nearly infinite, but the opposing faction only had so much capital to lose. It all depended on how well Sheika could contain the information and maneuver against them without being noticed, as well as the timing of the execution.
I fell silent, lost in thought.
‘They’re probably planning to take a quick profit and bail.’
But things wouldn’t go according to their plan.
There was nothing more for me to do regarding the deal for now. It was time to stop the headache-inducing calculations. Since I was already outside the Union, I decided to enjoy myself a bit more. It had taken quite an effort to come all the way down here, after all.
“Ciel, since we’re out, is there anywhere else we should stop by?”
“Ah, I heard there is a street of lovely cafes up in the highlands. Some of them double as bakeries, and I’m told the sliced cakes made by a master patissier are famous.”
“A cafe? Didn’t we just go to one?”
“This is different,” Ciel said firmly.
A cafe is a cafe, I thought... but since she was so insistent, I figured we could stop by later. Ciel had been through a lot recently, and I could certainly afford to buy her some dessert.
“Garfield, what about you?”
“I must purchase the latest issue of a new magazine. How about we stop by the bookstore located near the docks?”
“A magazine? Is there a comic you’re waiting for?”
“Huhu. Indeed. There is a rather excellent new series that started recently. You could say I’ve found a diamond in the rough amidst a flood of new releases. Also, the results of a contest I entered are being published in this issue, so I must check it. Are you perhaps interested?”
At Garfield’s question, I gave a small nod. Perfect. If it was a bookstore by the docks, there was something I needed to pick up there anyway.
“It wouldn’t hurt to check it out. We can walk off some of that food before we eat again.”
Between the cafe and the snacks served at the merchant guild, I was feeling a bit full. A bit of wandering would help me digest in time for a delicious lunch.
*
After leaving the market and walking a short distance toward the docks, we arrived at Stella’s largest general bookstore, ‘Water Melon Books.’
It was a massive establishment that sold not only books but also a wide variety of used goods and merchandise. It had a completely different vibe from the stuffy bookstores and libraries in the Union, which were packed with nothing but textbooks and workbooks. Being near the port, it also received new releases much faster than the shops inside the Union.
As we reached the entrance, Garfield puffed out his chest and took a deep, dramatic breath.
“Haaah... Haaah... This unique air. This place is truly my spiritual home.”
“...Tsk.”
Ciel shot a sideways glance at Garfield’s eccentric behavior and subtly distanced herself. It seemed she didn’t want to be associated with our group at the moment.
Standing a safe distance from Garfield, Ciel told me she would go look elsewhere.
“I’ll be in the specialized books section. Please feel free to look around on your own.”
“Specialized books?”
“Yes. There is something I need to research.”
I had a rough idea of what she was up to and spoke up. “If you’re planning to look for information related to Demian’s blueprint, there’s no need. Take it easy. It’s not urgent.”
It felt a bit hypocritical for me to say that after dumping the work on her, but I meant it.
“...Yes.”
I wasn’t sure if she actually intended to listen, but Ciel bowed and disappeared behind a bookshelf with quick, efficient steps.
With Ciel gone and Garfield having vanished into the bookstore’s basement at some point, I was suddenly left alone on the first floor.
“Hmm.”
This was actually better. Now that I was alone, I could browse at my own pace.
Inside, rows of bookshelves stood neatly organized by category. Near the checkout counter, there was an abundance of eye-catching, colorful stationery and interior goods. They even sold simple snacks and basic magical tools, making it feel remarkably similar to a modern bookstore.
I savored the nostalgic feeling for a moment as I wandered through the aisles.
‘Fascinating.’
In the game, this bookstore was merely a place to pick up a few lore books for achievements or to trade skill books. You could only perform a few pre-scripted interactions; most of the books on the shelves couldn't even be interacted with.
But reality was different.
Here, I could pull any book I wanted from the shelf. Inside was a wealth of information that couldn't be found in any game guide. I found myself flipping through cookbooks, travel guides, and even past exam questions for the mage certification test, browsing through various genres indiscriminately.
There were regional specialty dishes, local ingredients, recipes, and reviews from famous gourmets. There was information for travelers on international transportation, lodging procedures, currency exchange, and basic conversational phrases. There were even detailed guides on the national exams to become a mage or a knight, complete with tips for passing and archives of past questions.
Every book I picked up contained a staggering volume of information. Someone’s experience, effort, and knowledge, preserved in text and images, meticulously crafted into a physical object. They were fundamentally different from the books in the game, which were just graphical assets with a plausible exterior.
Experiencing this firsthand, I felt once again that this world wasn’t just a game, but a living, breathing reality.
Thud.
I placed the book I had been reading back on its shelf. I closed my eyes, falling into thought for a moment.
‘The gap between reality and the game.’
Was this place really inside a game? Or was it a truly existing, separate world? And why had I been dropped into it? The questions I had been trying so hard to ignore came crashing over me like a wave.
“...”
My head suddenly felt cluttered. I shook it, forcing the thoughts away. It was a question with no answer, no matter how much I agonized over it. All I could do was what needed to be done.
“Hoo.”
With a deep sigh, I was about to continue my walk through the bookstore when it happened.
“...?”
Rustle.
Between the bookshelves, the back of a familiar figure caught my eye. Although a robe was pulled down low to hide her face, the fiery, crimson hair peeking out was impossible to conceal.
My curiosity piqued, I called her name in a quiet voice.
“Beatrice.”
“...”
The figure flinched slightly as if she’d heard me, but then silently began to move away.
Ssk.
As she tried to hide behind the bookshelf, I called out to her retreating back again.
“Beatrice Le Cassandra.”
“...”
Her footsteps continued to quicken, still ignoring me.
Let’s see who wins this.
Since the shortened version of her name got no reaction, I decided to graciously recite her full, formal title.
“Beatrice Euraphim Lorraine Le Miriel Cassan—”
And then...
“Could you please keep it down?!”
With an annoyed hiss, Beatrice whipped around, cutting me off. She threw back her hood and glared at me.
“Why don’t you just announce it to the whole world? That I’m here at a bookstore!”
“Then why are you wandering around a bookstore in such a suspicious outfit?”
There was no way I could just pretend I didn't recognize her. When I pointed out her attire, Beatrice touched the hood of her robe and shot back.
“Suspicious? I simply didn’t want to attract any unnecessary attention.”
“Where’s your attendant?”
“Yuliana is on a mission right now. She’s not so idle as to accompany me on a simple trip to a bookstore. Besides, bringing an attendant would naturally draw the eyes of others, wouldn’t it? Try to use your head.”
I ignored her thorny remark and focused on the mention of Yuliana. “On a mission, huh. Don’t push Yuliana too hard. It’ll just become a pain for me, too.”
Her sticking to me and slipping me those unnecessary "cheat sheets" was a real headache.
“?”
Beatrice, however, just tilted her head as if she had no idea what I was talking about. Seeing her reaction, I shrugged.
“If you don’t know, then never mind.”
It seemed she wasn’t aware of exactly how Yuliana was carrying out her orders. I changed the subject, looking at the basket in Beatrice’s hand.
“You’ve got a lot there. Do you like books?”
The number of books in her basket looked to be well over ten at a glance. I already knew she was a bookworm. As if in exchange for her outstanding aptitude for magic, she had been born with a frail body and had spent her youth cooped up in her room reading rather than playing outside.
It wasn’t strange for her to show up at a bookstore like this. It was an event that could happen randomly on weekends, after all.
As I tried to peek at the titles Beatrice had gathered, she subtly hid the basket behind her back.
“You’re acting like you’re hiding some kind of forbidden tome.”
“Hmph. I have no obligation to show my purchase list to someone like you.”
Beatrice clicked her tongue, muttering something that sounded like, “How rude,” under her breath. She glared at me again and continued. “So, why are you here, Roen? I thought you and books didn’t get along.”
“You’re right about that. I only came here today because I was tagging along with an acquaintance. But it’s more interesting than I thought. There’s a wide variety. It’s a good way to kill time.”
“So you came without any particular purpose. You must have a lot of free time.”
At that, I tilted my head slightly and let my gaze fall on a specific magazine in Beatrice’s basket.
“A purpose, you say? It’s not like you need a grand purpose... like a boys’ comic magazine... to come to a bookstore.”
“...Hk!”
Beatrice’s body stiffened as if a state secret had been compromised, and she completely hid the basket behind her robe.
But what could she do? I’d already seen it. I smiled inwardly at her reaction. There was nothing wrong with reading a comic magazine, but the fact that the Empire’s princess was secretly picking out shonen manga while in disguise was quite amusing.
Amusing enough to be an article in the Union Daily.
“An unexpected hobby. Don’t worry. I won’t go around telling everyone. I’ll keep it a secret.”
“...I don’t need such pathetic consideration! Say what you want, I don’t care!”
Her pride clearly wounded, Beatrice turned on her heel and vanished in a huff. She didn’t forget to pull the robe back over her head to cover her hair.
‘So prickly.’
No, wait. Was I the one who provoked her? In any case, my somber mood had lifted considerably. I watched her disappear behind the bookshelf and shrugged.
Feeling better, I made my way to the bookstore’s basement.
Creeak—
The old wooden stairs groaned with every step.
‘I’m fairly certain I can find a piece of furniture here.’
Passing the first basement floor, which was dedicated to comic magazines and genre novels, I went down further to a section that handled old tomes, used books, and second-hand goods. The second basement floor was filled with the musty, heavy scent unique to old paper. It wasn't exactly fragrant, but it wasn't unpleasant either.
“Welcome.”
I began my search, slowly wandering among the piles of old books tied up with twine. Before long...
“There it is.”
I found what I was looking for. In a shabby corner where antiques were gathered, there was an object covered in a thick layer of dust.
[Cold Raymond's Phonograph]
• Category: Furniture
• Grade: Common
• Description: A shabby-looking old phonograph. It seems to need repairs.