Chapter 5: The Unattractive Flower (1)
Chapter 5: The Unattractive Flower (1)
Translation: Godtl
The Alkand Empire, Britannia Kingdom's eternal rival.
Like any neighboring nations, the two countries shared a long-standing historical enmity.
The only slightly special aspect was that both were such formidable powers that they had waged over a century of war—not over scraps of land, but for continental hegemony.
Though they had currently signed a peace treaty, the invisible war between them had never ceased for even a moment since the day their diplomats shook hands.
Alkand Empire, Imperial Intelligence Bureau (IIB) Headquarters.
Konrad von Stiller, Director of the IIB, stared at the report with a grave expression.
"...Is this confirmed?"
"Yes, Director. We've cross-verified through multiple intelligence channels. Han-bin Ainsworth, a core member of Britannia's cabinet, has gone missing. Officially, he's on extended leave, but he's stepped down from all positions, and his whereabouts are unknown."
"A falling out with the royal family... or defeat in a power struggle... Well, it doesn't matter which."
It was merely a report about one individual.
Yet, the conference room buzzed with barely contained excitement.
In this world, there exist game-changers—individuals whose power alone can shift the grand scheme of things.
Han-bin was such a being, one even the Emperor of the Empire had regarded warily.
For him to voluntarily step off the chessboard was nothing short of a blessing.
"Gentlemen, the time has come. Immediately initiate Phase One of 'The One' Project. Contact Lopo and have him distribute the 'reagent.'"
'The One' Project was a scheme the IIB had secretly nurtured for years.
Its goal was to unite the drug cartels of Soltera and flood Britannia with narcotics, weakening the kingdom from within.
Lopo of the Montagra Cartel would likely become the Empire's unwitting vanguard, poisoning Britannia without even realizing the true nature of his role.
To the victims, it would appear as a meticulously crafted, ruthless scheme—impossible to trace back to its origins or mastermind.
This was why Konrad was known as the 'Dark Chancellor.'
"We will carry out your orders as commanded."
Just as they were about to topple the first domino and set the plan into motion—
"Urgent report! Th-the Montagra Cartel... has voluntarily disbanded...!"
"...What?"
"All members have switched professions to farming and begun agricultural work..."
The fervor of patriotism that had been heating up the operations room instantly cooled.
"What about Lopo? What did our liaison say? Did he just let this happen?"
"He's adamant. 'I'll never engage in criminal organizations again. I'll live a new life as an honest farmer'... He even pledged to donate a portion of his monthly earnings..."
This disastrous news—like sprinkling ashes on freshly baked bread—left all IIB officials dumbfounded.
The plan had collapsed at the most inopportune moment.
"Do not panic."
Despite the critical plan derailing at the brink of execution, Konrad maintained his composure.
At least, outwardly.
Perhaps it was all just a coincidence.
It was possible that Lopo, whom they had painstakingly cultivated in the shadows, had suddenly repented and dissolved his organization.
But of all times—
At the very moment Han-bin's disappearance was confirmed.
The first domino had vanished at the most exquisite timing.
This was no coincidence.
If anything, it was a warning.
Just as the IIB had been watching Han-bin, he too had been observing them.
"We've been outplayed again."
Konrad forced a bitter smile.
"Suspend the operation and put the project on hold. Investigate Han-bin Ainsworth once more."
Let it be said again—that man was a figure who warranted this level of caution.
When recreating something modern in another world—
Especially when trying to reduce production costs—considerable effort is required.
The reason is simple.
What might be an easily obtainable item in the modern world could be a treasure in this one.
Aluminum, plastic—the list goes on.
There were times when no amount of knowledge or physical exertion could make the impossible possible...
But this expedition to Soltera was a resounding success.
"With this, the most difficult ingredient has been secured."
The coca leaves, which would have accounted for a significant portion of production costs, were obtained at a bargain price.
Not because they were used in large quantities, but because coca leaves were inherently expensive.
Though the tedious process of extracting only the flavor while removing the narcotic components remained, the sheer volume of inventory was enough to produce hundreds of thousands of cola bottles with plenty to spare.
As a bonus, they had also cleaned up the troublesome startup cartel that would have inevitably become a headache.
At least now, the guilt of abandoning his position as Minister of Internal Affairs felt slightly lighter.
However, he couldn't just plunder all the ingredients—the remaining ones would have to be acquired legally.
"Hmm, this won't be easy."
But here, another problem arose.
Jurgen had no money.
Moreover, since he had laundered his identity, he had no credit either.
Even in Nortaris, where commerce and banking flourished, not a single penny would be lent to a small-time merchant with nothing to his name.
"The additional ingredients I need are sugar and various spices, I suppose..."
Especially the spices were a headache.
Sugar wasn't prohibitively expensive, so he could manage if he scraped together some collateral.
If push came to shove, he could always cling to the hem of his wealthy regular, Lady Penelope, and beg for investment, right?
But spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla beans were quite pricey.
He needed a way to procure them more cheaply.
When Jurgen had shed his old identity and taken on this new one, he had anticipated such hurdles.
That was precisely why he had chosen Nortaris as his new starting point—a land of opportunity where not just monsters but all sorts of rare ingredients poured forth like a flood from the Labyrinth Demon Realm.
"Looks like I'll have to pack my bags again."
Years ago, during Britannia's monster extermination project, the Great Subjugation, Jurgen had stood on the front lines. To him, this place was as familiar as home.
While Jurgen was busy dismantling a fledgling cartel and harvesting coca leaves, Penelope visited the shop as if it were part of her daily routine.
Which is to say, Penelope's resentment grew with each fruitless trip, swelling in proportion to the number of times she'd been stood up.
"Closed again today?"
"Do you even want to run a business?"
"Ugh...! I...! Seriously...! This is ridiculous."
Holding onto a sliver of hope, she visited the shop, only to return after touching the empty doorknob—three days in a row.
She felt a pang of self-reproach, wondering why she was making such a fuss over mere cola, and burned with indignation, determined to give the negligent shopkeeper a piece of her mind.
But when her wait stretched from three days to four, impatience began to gnaw at her.
"...Did he skip town?"
It was a reasonable assumption.
Even if the rent in the Brellum shopping district was cheap compared to the central commercial area, it was still rent.
Penelope didn't know the exact amount, but she understood that a shop needed at least a steady trickle of customers to stay afloat.
And Penelope had no memory of seeing any other customers at the shop besides herself.
How many options did a struggling out-of-town merchant have if they fell behind on rent?
"Don't tell me he really ran away?"
No—what about the cola?
Did this mean she'd never get to drink cola or espresso again?
"If things were so bad he had to flee, he could've at least complained about it."
Clicking her tongue at the unpleasant thought, Penelope realized—if he'd really been in trouble, she might've lent him the rent money.
Come to think of it, she was starting to regret something.
Jurgen didn't know Penelope was the daughter of the Rosemore Count Family.
Because she'd never told him.
Had she known it would come to this, she would've just said it outright.
Then Jurgen might've clung to her, his regular customer, instead of grasping at straws.
Her irritation smoldered into restlessness, and Penelope gnawed on an innocent handkerchief.
Still, she refused to give up hope, which was why she found herself at the shopping district again today.
Just in case he returned, she even planned to leave a note offering to lend him money.
"This infuriating... man? Huh?"
Just as she was about to walk past the shop, resigned to its emptiness, an exclamation mark practically stabbed into her head.
Because through the display window, she could see someone moving around inside.
Frantic, she checked the doorknob—the [Closed] sign had been flipped to [Open].
"Oh, for—!"
Emotions surged like a storm, as if a dozen colors of paint had been dumped into water at once.
Relief that he hadn't skipped town after all.
Embarrassment that all her worrying had been for nothing.
Fury at Jurgen for making her worry like this.
Joy that she could drink cola and coffee again.
Penelope, experiencing every emotion except sorrow, hesitated at the door.
"..."
Wait a second.
Wouldn't it look a little pathetic if she just barged in like this?
If she barged into the store the moment it reopened after days of closure, anyone could tell she'd been desperately waiting for it.
'Not just "waiting"—I've been waiting so desperately my neck might snap.'
But Penelope was, after all, a noble lady. And for a noble lady, the truth was hardly important.
The truth had to bend to fit her whims.
After fluttering her eyebrows dramatically, Penelope finally pushed the door open with an air of defiance.
After suffering through such emotional turmoil, she deserved to be rewarded with cola right this instant.
"Hey, you! Taking a vacation without even a word—?"
Then she spotted Jurgen, a large backpack slung over his shoulders, fully prepared to leave.
Not an escape under the cover of night—this was a brazen daylight departure.
"Oh, Miss Penelope! Long time no see!"
"Wait a second!"
"Hm?"
"Put that backpack down first."
Fine, leave if you must—but hand over the cola before you go!
Penelope hastily grabbed the hem of Jurgen's sleeve.
The gut feeling that this was her last chance was strong enough to momentarily shove aside her ladylike dignity.
Because, well—the cola was just that delicious!
"I get the gist. You need money, right? I'll lend you some."
"Miss Penelope, while I may be short on funds, I'm not so desperate as to borrow from a customer."
"Don't be so stiff. It's fine—you're a regular, after all."
"What does you being a regular have to do with me borrowing money?"
"...Huh?"
Let it be said again: Penelope was a noble lady.
Therefore, her intuition wasn't just ordinary intuition—it was the razor-sharp, socially honed instinct of high society.
The moment she saw Jurgen's blank reaction, she realized her mistake in an instant.
Swiftly releasing his sleeve, she reverted to her usual haughty young lady persona.
"You'd do well to forget everything I just said. Consider it advice—for your own good."
"Not sure what you mean, but I'll keep it in mind."
"One coffee, and—what was it called again? Ah, right. A cola as well."
"Can't you see I was just about to leave?"
"And? If you have complaints, why not voice them somewhere out of earshot?"
The flow of conversation was admittedly unnatural, but if a noble lady said that's just how it is, then it was as if nothing had happened.
Penelope, settling into her usual seat as smoothly as flowing water, and Jurgen, left bewildered by her high-handedness.
But what could he do?
A shop that mistreated its regulars wouldn't last long.
With a sigh, he set down his backpack and turned on the coffee machine, watching her stubbornness win out.
"Ah, Miss Penelope. I can serve you coffee anytime, but there's no cola left."
"What?!"
Penelope slammed the table and shot to her feet.
"What do you mean by that? Then what was I waiting over a week for?!"
"You didn't... come to the shop every day during my vacation, did you?"
"I didn't! I wasn't waiting!"
"Why the anger? Here, have some coffee first."
"Then why is there no cola?"
"Well, you see..."
As she sipped her coffee, Jurgen explained the current situation—"There's no cola in stock"—and his plan—"I'm going to gather the remaining ingredients to make more."
Penelope felt indignant, but her noble dignity prevented her from expressing it properly, making her even more indignant. Still, after a few sips of coffee, she regained a semblance of composure.
Perhaps caffeine deficiency had also played a role in her earlier fury.
"I see your plan. Where are you getting the ingredients? You said you're broke."
"Aren't we in Nortaris? The Labyrinth Demon Realm, of course."
"Hah, didn't know the shopkeeper had a sense of humor."
Penelope almost snorted at what she assumed was a joke—until she remembered his dead-serious tone and the fact that he had been packing a backpack.
"...You weren't joking?"
"Is there a problem?"
"Of course there's a problem. Have you lost all sense of reality?"
I thought this guy was just a little slow, but he's actually a disaster waiting to happen.
Thank goodness she had swallowed her pride and come to the shop.
"The spices you need—vanilla bean, cinnamon, and the like—right?"
"Indeed."
"Do you even know which floors of the Demon Realm those come from?"
"Spices in general are found on the 4th floor."
The answer came so smoothly that Penelope was left even more dumbfounded.
"So you did some research of your own."
But half-knowledge was more dangerous than ignorance. It was clear this commoner had no idea what he was talking about.
Even after the Great Subjugation, the Demon Realms were only "relatively" safer.
If an ordinary merchant set foot in a Demon Realm alone, he'd become monster chow in an instant.
"Do you at least have a permit?"
"A permit? What's that?"
"An entry permit for the Demon Realm, issued by the Merchant Union or the Adventurer Guild."
"No. Why would I need some damn permit to go hunt monsters?"
Though this was the first Jurgen had heard of such a thing, listening to Penelope's explanation made him realize how much the world had changed.
In the past, the Demon Realms had truly been realms of demons.
But now that Britannia had nearly eradicated the high-level monsters, they were apparently treated like prime hunting grounds in some RPG game.
The Merchant Union and Adventurer Guild were issuing permits to monopolize the profits.
"Highway robbery, plain and simple."
"That's not all."
"What else is there?"
"From the 4th floor you're targeting onward, you need at least a Silver Rank permit. They can't just let anyone waltz in and die, or rescue teams would have their hands full."
"Well, I'll be..."
Back in his day, they'd practically thrown money at adventurers who entered the Demon Realms.
As Jurgen marveled at how times had changed,
Penelope had a realization.
'Wait a minute. Isn't this an opportunity?'
If she helped him make his cola, she'd have a legitimate reason to receive some in return.
More importantly, it was the perfect chance to show off her competence in front of this utterly clueless shopkeeper.
Ahem.
Penelope crossed her arms and cleared her throat loudly to draw attention.
"Incidentally, Silver Rank permits aren't given to just anyone. They're only issued to adventurers with thoroughly verified experience. Though sometimes, they're specially granted to nobles as a privilege."
"You don't say?"
"That's right. I have one. And not just any Silver Rank permit—it's an Emerald Permit that allows me to bring up to three companions."
Tax reductions on goods exported from the Demon Realm!
Discounts at shops affiliated with the Merchant Union!
Free use of designated rest areas in the Demon Realm!
Expedited and precise rescue services provided by the Adventurer Guild!
Additional bonuses and points when completing guild requests!
Priority bidding rights for higher-rank requests!
And so on and so forth!
Penelope rattled off the incredible array of benefits that came with the magnificent Emerald Permit.
"...Well, that's about it."
"Ooooh."
Now, how about that?
Each benefit was enough to make any adventurer drool.
Would they just hand out such privileges to anyone?
Surely even this dense shopkeeper would get the hint by now.
Penelope stole a sidelong glance at Jurgen's reaction.
"Miss Penelope, to think you possessed something so remarkable. I had no idea you were such a skilled alchemist."
"What?! How did you—?!"
"Ah, so you're not an alchemist but a knight, then?"
"You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?!"
"Doing what, exactly?"
"Ugh..."
Penelope's composure crumbled.
So thoroughly, in fact, that she plopped down into a crouch.
What followed was a minor incident where the sulking Penelope grumbled about just going home, but...
"Hurry up."
"Ah, got everything?"
Penelope would escort Jurgen to the 4th floor of the Demon Realm and protect him.
Their negotiation had reached a dramatic conclusion: Jurgen would provide her with the completed cola in return.
"Are you sure about that outfit?"
"What's wrong with my outfit?"
"Less flamboyant than usual, but still far too gaudy, I'd say."
"Really? To me, it's just some cheap rags I wouldn't mind tossing after one wear."
"Now that you mention it, I suppose it does look that way."
"...Forget it. Drop it."
With their simple preparations complete, the expedition began.
One might wonder if such a haphazard approach was wise, but it likely wouldn't pose any major issues.
According to our regular young lady's claims, she was a 4th-Rank Alchemist.
That meant she had the skills to take down the monsters inhabiting the 4th floor without breaking a sweat.
Though he had no intention of revealing his true abilities unless absolutely necessary, he could at least look after her in an emergency...
And above all, if he left it to Viche, most monsters wouldn't dare come anywhere near them.
Jurgen's role this time was simply to play the part of an ordinary merchant along for the ride.
Thus, they arrived at the Demon Realm portal beside Litchfield Square.
After passing through the exclusive VIP lounge accessible only to adventurers with Emerald Permits...
"Feels like some first-class airport lounge."
"Airport? First-class lounge?"
"They have those, you know."
"...Could you stop showing off? I know about those things too, you know?"
They stepped into the portal leading to the 1st floor of the Labyrinth Demon Realm.