The Tollen Merchant Guild (Part 2)
The home visits continued, and next on the itinerary was House Hophel.
Ziel was mildly surprised upon his arrival.
She is nothing like Quantus Hophel.
Unlike the previous two households where the lords had received him, the person who stepped out to greet Ziel was Mrs. Hopel. In stark contrast to everything he had observed in her son, she was the picture of elegance, nobility, and gentle poise.
"You must be exhausted after traveling such a long way, Instructor."
"Welcome, Instructor! Gwahahaha!"
On the other hand, the patriarch of House Hophel—Quantus's father—was the spitting image of his son, boisterous and built like a fortress.
"...And so, with my mind set on raising him to be even bigger and tougher than myself, well, he ended up like that! Hahaha!"
Thanks to his father's overpowering presence, the usually loud and erratic Quantus, who habitually blurted out bizarre nonsense, sat as quiet and well-behaved as a lamb.
He did say he respected his father above all else. Quantus had declared the man to be the most masculine figure in the world.
"He told me he learned a great deal at the academy, so I've been putting him through grueling drills lately! I'll see to it that he's trained thoroughly so he returns next semester with an even larger frame!"
"Father, are we training today as well?"
"Of course! One hundred laps around the training grounds dragging a timber log!"
"Let's make it one hundred and fifty! Shall I demonstrate for the instructor right now?"
Hm. Perhaps intellect was an inherited trait as well.
Ziel silently recalled a common thread he had noticed throughout these visits.
Is that what they call love?
The concept of family. Most of the parents he had encountered so far cherished their children beyond measure. It left Ziel with a lingering question. Why? Why were parents willing to do anything for their offspring?
Without even asking for compensation in return.
Ziel knew virtually nothing about the notion of family, having only ever encountered it as a dry dictionary definition. Even after watching them, he didn't fully comprehend it, but one aspect was beginning to dawn on him.
There seem to be no transactional interests involved.
They calculated neither profit nor loss in what was given and received.
"By the way, Father, if you train with me like this, what about tomorrow's inspection of the estate?"
"A bit of fatigue is nothing compared to training alongside my boy! Hahaha!"
Beings capable of pouring out unconditional love regardless of whether the recipient asked for it. That, it seemed, was family.
"Ah, right, Instructor. Please take good care of our boy. Not that I'm asking for special treatment, of course! Just... guide him well. Discipline him sternly if he acts out of line, praise him when he does well, and..."
Was this simply the heart of a parent? For Ziel, who had neither been a parent nor ever known the touch of one, it was an alien yet strangely fresh sentiment.
"Well, because I raised him so toughly, he can be... excessively reckless at times, but I suppose that's better than being weak. Still, if he ever goes too far, please keep him in check. I've heard plenty about your esteemed reputation."
Whenever his father spoke, Quantus kept his mouth politely shut. These home visits were offering Ziel glimpses of fascinating sights. So that is what parents are like. The heads of the previous two houses had displayed much the same warmth.
"Quantus Hophel is doing well," Ziel said. "His progress has been steady, and..." He paused briefly, deciding to skip any remarks regarding intellect. "...he is a student with even greater potential ahead."
"Really?!"
For some reason, Ziel did not feel inclined to enumerate areas for improvement this time.
I see. Parents cannot help but react this way when their children are praised.
Of course, not every parent was cut from the same cloth. His very next destination proved as much.
"Welcome to the Hillbilly estate, Instructor."
It was the household of Kus, Deleve's close friend.
"Has my son been causing any trouble?"
"None at all. He achieved remarkable growth over the course of the semester."
"Still, his talent pales in comparison to his brother's. Once he graduates, I plan to place him in some modest knight order, so you may keep that in mind."
Simply because he was not the heir, the patriarch of House Hillbilly showed virtually no interest in his second son's education. He merely skimmed the thorough documentation Ziel had painstakingly prepared with a bored expression, while Kus kept his head lowered, visibly disheartened by his father's dismissive attitude.
So Ziel asked, "Are you uninterested in your child's education?"
The patriarch's eyebrow twitched at the blunt inquiry.
"Only one person can inherit the house, Instructor. Unless a child possesses exceptional brilliance like someone from House Kundel, what reason is there to pay them much heed?"
"I see. In that case, were you aware that Kus Hillbilly possesses greater talent than his elder brother?"
"...What is that supposed to mean?"
Ante Hillbilly—Kus's elder brother, currently in his third year at the academy.
"I watched Ante Hillbilly fight during the Exchange Event," Ziel stated evenly. "His talent was not particularly impressive."
"Watch your words, Instructor."
"Are you telling me to watch my words because I am mistaken, or because I am correct and you find it unpleasant?"
"..."
No answer came. Ziel continued, speaking purely of what he had observed.
"Judging by Kus Hillbilly's latent abilities, he will soon surpass his elder brother Ante. One more semester should be more than enough."
"On what grounds do you make such an assertion?"
Fury simmered beneath the patriarch's skin. The younger brother was more talented than the designated heir whom he had poured immense effort into grooming? Was this instructor suggesting his decision had been wrong all along?
"It is all detailed in the documents I provided at the beginning of our consultation. Kus Hillbilly's rate of progress over the past semester, his deficiencies, and the areas where he excels compared to his peers are all recorded there. You need only review them."
Only then did the head of House Hillbilly truly examine the papers for the first time. Unlike his initial indignation dismissing it as nonsense, his eyes gradually fixated on the contents.
...Could this be true?
The analysis was meticulously structured, devoid of vague generalities or speculative rhetoric. It laid out raw facts and razor-sharp assessments that proved unintentionally compelling.
Instructor...
Beside him, Kus looked as though he might burst into tears at any moment before hurriedly hanging his head.
His entire life had been defined by comparisons. At home, to his elder brother. Outside, to his friend Deleve. Though both his brother and Deleve cared deeply for him, his father had always weighed him against others, belittling his worth.
And in the midst of that suffocating existence, the one who acknowledged him was Instructor Ziel.
"Kus Hillbilly's growth is remarkable," Ziel noted. "If he refines his physical conditioning and swordsmanship over the break before entering next semester, his development will accelerate further. If there is one flaw to point out, it is that he is somewhat dependent."
Dependent. At that critique, the patriarch glared coldly at Kus.
"Have you still not broken that habit? How can you accomplish nothing on your own—"
"It is not that he does not know how to do things alone, Lord Hillbilly; he is currently incapable of doing so."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Kus Hillbilly relies heavily on Deleve Kundel. According to Foundations of Psychoanalysis, individuals who develop an unhealthy reliance on a specific person do so because they receive acknowledgment and attention from that individual."
Kus flinched in shock. It was undeniably true. Deleve was blunt and prickly, but he was always the one who instilled confidence in Kus.
So that's why I relied on Deleve...
"Tracing back the origins of this dependency," Ziel said, "I must point out that your attitude, Lord Hillbilly, is the root cause."
"Insolent! Instructor Ziel, are you claiming it is my fault my son turned out like this?!"
"Yes."
The patriarch's eyebrows twitched violently. How dare a mere instructor...!
"Did the attention you received during the Exchange Event inflate your arrogance to the heavens?!"
"The attention directed at me has no bearing on my modesty, nor am I being arrogant. I am simply stating the facts, Lord Hillbilly."
Ziel replied in his characteristically flat cadence.
"As noted in the diagnostic report, Kus Hillbilly requires acknowledgment. His desire for validation is exceptionally strong. While all students crave recognition, Kus Hillbilly specifically desires your acknowledgment, Lord Hillbilly."
"And how could an instructor possibly know that?"
"He spoke of his father often to me. He also mentioned that when he returned home, he hoped his father would be pleased with him."
The patriarch fell silent for a moment, silently chewing on that word. Acknowledgment.
"If you were to genuinely acknowledge Kus Hillbilly, I am certain it would have a profoundly positive impact on his future growth."
Acknowledgment. The lord of House Hillbilly entertained thoughts he had never once considered before. After a heavy silence, he managed to squeeze out a sentence.
"...Even so, the succession will not change."
"I never spoke of succession," Ziel said calmly. "I spoke only of Kus Hillbilly."
Ziel glanced at Kus, then added, "Succession is not what Kus Hillbilly desires."
With that, Ziel rose to his feet. "This concludes the consultation."
"Y-You are leaving already?"
Barely an hour had passed since the meeting began.
"Unlike the other heads of house, you seemed to have little curiosity regarding the student, so I intended to conclude here."
The words 'unlike the other heads of house' instantly struck a nerve. Ziel had no intention of provoking him, but the man's pride was already frayed.
"Little curiosity?! I have plenty! No, wait—it's already around this hour, so please, Instructor, have a meal before you depart!"
Ziel pondered the offer of food for a brief second before nodding. "Understood."
"I will have the kitchen prepare a meal at once! Truth be told, there were matters I wished to ask, but I simply had not found the right moment to bring them up."
Was it petty aristocratic rivalry? Or just the inescapable insecurity of a parent vulnerable to comparison?
Of course, none of those thoughts crossed Ziel's mind. His focus was entirely on what would be served.
I wonder what it tastes like. I should eat my fill.
Now only one household remained: House Kundel, the great overlords of the South. Located deep in the heart of the Southern Territory, reaching them would require significantly more time.
The home visits are drawing to an end.
The first phase of his hectic break was reaching its conclusion. Yet, there remained one unresolved matter.
Excluding the Imperial Family, three colossal powers held sway within the Valdrain Empire.
The nobility of each territory, coalesced around regional Great Lords.
The mages, whose command over magic—a craft of the vanishing few—served as an absolute symbol of prestige and authority.
And the merchant coalitions, bound tightly by sheer capital.
These three factions had maintained an exquisite equilibrium, keeping one another in perpetual check.
The fact that the Tollen Merchant Guild could effortlessly expend a fortune of six million Cel on an urgent contract, and the fact that they targeted an academy elective instructor currently drawing the eyes of high nobility—every bit of it was because they possessed real power backed by immense wealth.
"The bastard should be coming out soon."
Guildmaster Tollen.
Ever since receiving the termination notice alongside the penalty fee from the Black Blade assassin guild, he had been consumed by bafflement.
Just why?
The stated cause for cancellation had been absurdly brief: An unforeseen variable. Nothing else.
For an assassination guild, credibility was their lifeblood, just as it was for merchants. It was unbelievable that they would issue such a unilateral cancellation—and to the Tollen Merchant Guild, no less!
Why on earth?
There had to be a legitimate explanation. A sensible reason behind it...
"Guildmaster, will this truly be all right?" the escort knight asked, pulling Tollen from his thoughts. "If the assassins abruptly cancelled the contract, they must have had their reasons. The man might be dangerous."
"Are we supposed to just sit back and watch, then? What about the losses we've already suffered?"
"Regarding the Riversong matter..."
"Exactly! We blew a golden opportunity to swallow the truffle business whole! And the wretch responsible for ruining that chance is the very man we're tailing right now!"
Tollen lived by a steadfast philosophy: A merchant is not one who chases profit. A merchant is one who never takes a loss.
By that metric, the Tollen Merchant Guild had already suffered a catastrophic blow. All the projected returns from seizing the truffle enterprise had vanished into thin air. Now that their intentions were exposed, House Riversong would scrape together the principal amount by any means necessary. Which meant...
We have to secure that instructor at least.
Only then could they offset their deficit.
"Do you truly believe he will accept your proposal?"
"Who knows? But at the very least, I have never seen a man who didn't waver before an overwhelming mountain of gold."
Tollen had prepared a staggering total of ten million Cel: the six million originally earmarked for the contract, the two million penalty fee returned by the Black Blade, and an additional two million drawn from his own coffers.
Ten million Cel. A monumental fortune, but if it was to recruit a singular talent, it was money well spent. Tollen had already shelled out massive sums to employ two 4th-Circle mages for the guild. Money was never the issue. Preventing a net loss was all that mattered.
"It appears he is coming out of the manor."
The long-awaited report finally arrived. Tollen signaled his escort knight with a flick of his wrist.
"Greet our guest with utmost courtesy."
"Understood, sir."
Now then, let's see the face of the scoundrel who ruined my schemes.
Ten minutes trickled by.
"They seem to be taking their time seeing him off."
Another ten minutes passed.
"Are they loading him with parting gifts or something?"
"It would seem so, sir."
This time, thirty whole minutes went by.
"...Just how long can a farewell possibly take?"
Had some new aristocratic etiquette emerged without his knowledge? Right as Tollen's patience wore paper-thin, the escort knight volunteered.
"I shall go investigate."
And twenty minutes later, the knight returned with shocking news.
"...Upon inquiring, it turns out he already left the estate."
"What...?"
"They said he departed roughly an hour ago."
It matched the exact amount of time the Tollen Merchant Guild had been waiting outside.