Chapter 351: The Vote (6)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 351: The Vote (6)
It was the day of the vote to select the partner for the Marquis of Palatio.
Alon sat in the massive auction house right next to the statue of the Marquis, wearing a dazed expression.
“…….”
Can I even call this an auction house anymore?
He stared blankly at the scene before him.
The first thing that caught his eye was that the exterior walls of the auction house had been completely opened up. Next were the sheer number of residents who had gathered.
And far off in the center, where auction items would normally be displayed…
Deus stood there instead of any merchandise.
[Now then, before we begin the voting, we will hear a final word from our finalists.]
Alon looked away from the residents, who were clapping and cheering with a thunderous roar, and glanced at Evan.
Evan’s expression clearly said, “Even if you look at me, I don’t know anything.”
Alon shifted his gaze to the side. Alexion, the head of the auction house, spoke up as if he had been waiting for the chance.
“The—the candidates requested it.”
“……Requested it?”
“Yes. They said they wanted to say one last word before the vote……”
“……Isn’t this a bit much money spent for just that?”
Alon’s expression soured. Of course, he had gathered enough wealth that he could afford to spend it somewhat lavishly, but he didn’t want to waste it on something so useless. Even if he had become wealthy, Alon’s frugal, ordinary-man tendencies hadn’t changed.
“Ah, you don’t need to worry about that. Not a single cent of our funds was used.”
“……How?”
“It just worked out that way. The candidates handled things like the exterior wall construction themselves, so there was no expenditure on our end. Besides, we were actually in a situation where construction was needed anyway.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. As you know, Marquis, our house’s business has begun to focus heavily on trade, and the number of merchant groups coming and going has increased significantly.”
Alon nodded. Alexion was right.
“So, naturally, the auction house was starting to run out of space?”
“Exactly. And we judged that opening the exterior like this would bring many benefits. For instance, as per your ideas, Marquis, we can now control the periods during which we gather various merchant groups at our discretion.”
Alon nodded thoughtfully as the explanation continued. Certainly, if they created a few public events using this setup, they could draw in the necessary merchant groups during specific timeframes.
“I see.”
Just as Alon reached a point of understanding, the first candidate appeared on the podium.
[Hello, everyone.]
It was Duke Altia. During her allotted two minutes, she delivered a fluid speech as if she had practiced it dozens of times before stepping down. It was so well-organized that even Alon was secretly impressed.
……Though the response from the residents didn’t seem particularly enthusiastic.
Other candidates followed one by one, but they similarly failed to draw much of a reaction from the crowd, and none of them spoke as well as Duke Altia.
Then, when it was the fourth candidate’s turn.
[Ahem—]
Seolrang stepped up. She tapped the communication orb enchanted with amplification magic, checking it with a few “Ah, ahs,” before speaking.
[If I become Mentor’s partner, I will install a Colosseum in the Marquisate!]
She threw out a radical pledge right off the bat.
“?”
What is she talking about?
Alon turned his gaze toward the area where the fighters were gathered. Naturally, the fighters were also tilting their heads in confusion. But regardless of their reaction…
[And I will trans—ah, no…… mo…… move?…… No—ah! Transfer! I will transfer here!]
Seolrang shouted with a bright smile that revealed her characteristic fangs.
Babayaga is coming here?
Then we can watch the Colosseum here too?
That would be amazing!
The crowd began to buzz. Soon, Seolrang’s speech—which didn’t even last a full minute—garnered a response greater than all the previous candidates combined.
“……Can that promise even be kept?”
“It could be kept, but……”
“But?”
“……I suspect it might start a war.”
“Hmm……”
Fighters were the primary military strength of the Colony. If such a core force of the Colony were to attach itself to the Marquisate? Even if it wasn’t the Marquis’s intention, from the Colony’s perspective, it would look like their main strength was being snatched away right before their eyes.
“Then Seolrang is—”
“She just blurted it out.”
“…….”
Can she even handle the consequences? Alon swallowed a groan inwardly.
The next candidate took the stage. After Seolrang came Magrina. And then…
[Everyone. I am the Elf Queen.]
The crowd was momentarily stunned by the sudden revelation.
[If I become my brother’s partner, I plan to ensure that our kingdom and the Marquisate maintain continuous exchange.]
More question marks popped up over the heads of the crowd at her following words. Their expressions said, “So what?”
However…
[For example, things like intermarriage between Elves and humans.]
At Magrina’s next words, the question marks over the residents’ heads turned into exclamation points.
“!!?”
……And panicked exclamation points appeared in the Elf camp as well. The Elves stared at Magrina with expressions that said, “What did I just hear?”
Watching their faces turn from shock to a slow, dying despair, Alon turned to Evan.
“Why are you looking at me all of a sudden……?”
“No, I just wondered if Magrina had given you any hint about this……”
“Not a single word.”
“……Then that.”
“She just blurted it out.”
Alon looked forward again in silence. He saw Magrina stepping down with a triumphant expression after finishing her piece.
……Somehow, this felt like a scene he had seen many times in his previous world. It felt like watching politicians throwing out empty promises they couldn't keep, and it gave Alon a strange feeling.
How much time had passed? Whether they felt a sense of crisis from Magrina and Seolrang’s remarks or if it was their original plan, the next candidates followed suit.
[If you pick me, I’ll protect everything.]
[If you choose me, I will give one gold coin to every resident.]
Historia and Line also threw out bizarre, impulsive pledges following Seolrang and Magrina.
In Ryanga’s case, she rarely joined in on that madness. Instead…
[……Um, I don’t really have anything I can do, but.]
She fidgeted with a very bashful face.
[Still. I will work hard to fulfill the role of the Boss’s partner!]
Then, as if she had made a great resolution, she shouted with a face that had overcome its shyness, her fists clenched tight.
It was the speech with the least substance so far. However…
We’re rooting for you!
I’ll support you!!
Ghost King, fighting!!!
You’re the best, Ghost King!!!
Strangely, the voices supporting Ryanga were incredibly loud.
“……Huh?”
No, looking closer, it wasn’t that the overall volume of support was high, but rather that a specific portion of the crowd was reacting to Ryanga with extreme intensity.
“…….”
Alon felt like he had seen this somewhere before. ……Where was it? Where had he seen this?
“Ah.”
“What is it, Marquis?”
After a moment of silence, Alon realized the source of this déjà vu.
“……It feels like idol fans.”
“Pardon?”
“Never mind.”
Alon brushed it off with a wave of his hand. As Ryanga waved awkwardly and a bizarre roar of “Uooooooo!!!” erupted from one side of the residents, the final candidate took the stage.
It was Yutia.
[Hello, everyone. I am Cardinal Yutia.]
Yutia greeted them politely. Unlike the other candidates, she exuded a clear sense of composure.
[I will not make any pledges like the others. However—I would like you to keep just this one thing in mind.]
Ahem—
[The sheep that does not follow the voice of the truthful one and steps into forbidden territory shall eventually be torn by beasts and become a sacrifice of judgment.]
Yutia’s solemn voice settled low over the crowd. Toward the crowd that had fallen silent in an instant, Yutia gave a thin smile.
[Choice is a very important thing, isn’t it?]
With those final words, she stepped down from the podium.
“……That was a bit scary.”
“I agree.”
The words were surely from the Scripture, but after hearing a statement that felt like a threat—yet also didn't—the vote began.
[Now then, we will begin the voting.]
* * *
The election(?) only came to an end after about five days. If the preparations had been more thorough, it might have ended sooner, but since the voting itself took over two full days, the counting took even longer.
There were even bizarre sabotage attempts during the process. For instance, an Elf caught smuggling out Magrina’s ballots. A resident trying to vote for Seolrang twice. Counterfeit ballots that hadn't been made by the Marquisate appearing out of nowhere.
Various variables arose, but fortunately, they didn’t cause major issues with the count.
And at the end of the five-day marathon, the one selected as Alon’s partner was…
“Well—it’s a natural result.”
It was Yutia. Yutia Bloodia had a look of utter composure on her face.
“This makes no sense—!”
“She must have used some kind of trick!”
“Exactly!”
“Uuuu—I worked so hard.”
“…….”
The other candidates clamored against the victorious Yutia. However…
“Don’t be so sad. It really is a natural result. Didn’t I tell you from the very beginning?”
“That’s why it’s weird! My approval rating was definitely higher!”
Seolrang argued as if it made no sense. But even in the face of Seolrang’s rude behavior, Yutia replied without losing her smile.
“I suppose the world knew who was best suited to be by the Teacher’s side.”
No matter what slander was thrown her way, Yutia countered thoroughly with a vibe of ‘So what are you going to do about it?’
As Seolrang glared at her, huffing, she suddenly seemed to think of something.
“Then I’ll be the bodyguard!”
“……Bodyguard?”
“Two people can go along originally! Then I’ll be Mentor’s bodyguard!”
She shouted, raising her hand high. At that, the losers who had been glaring at Yutia with resentful faces immediately switched targets.
“Ah, if that’s the case, then I’ll—!”
“Me, me too! I’ll do it too!”
“I’m better than you guys—”
“Everyone, maintain your dignity. This time, everyone will fairly vote—”
In the chaos that immediately erupted, the word ‘vote’ came out of Magrina’s mouth once more. At that ominous sound—
“……No more voting.”
Alon firmly blocked them. Then…
“Phew……”
“Whew……”
From the trees and walls near the office, the relieved sighs of Elves and fighters could be heard. Alon hurried to wrap things up.
“Now then, there isn’t much time left. Let’s head to the ballroom. We have to stop by the Magic Tower as well.”
The journey to Teria. It was his first outing in months.
As Alon prepared to depart…
“……Let’s go back.”
“Yes.”
Duke Altia also gained a realization. A realization of how difficult it was to survive among the strong.
‘The weak cannot survive here.’
With slumped shoulders, Duke Altia walked away from the place that was no different from a den of monsters.
* * *
Around the time Alon was heading toward the Magic Tower.
“……So. You’re saying they said they don’t even need three times the amount originally offered?”
“That is correct.”
“Ha—and if we don’t meekly follow those words?”
“If that happens—”
Tolenis and the King of Calliban, Palmalian, were conversing with grave expressions.
“……It seems we will have to go to war.”
“…….”
Something… had gone very wrong.