Chapter 406: Proclamation Ceremony (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 406: Proclamation Ceremony (1)
"…What do you mean by that? An opportunity to make a connection with Marquis Palatio has arrived?"
"Exactly what I said."
Malgam continued his explanation to Kun, who was asking back with a bewildered expression. He shared the announcement made by Alexion, the manager of the Marquis’s estate, as of today.
Kun listened calmly, then his eyes widened at Malgam’s further explanation.
"…The Marquis is going to meet us in person?"
"Yes. But only one person—the one who can supply the materials he needs at the lowest price."
"Is that… is that for real?"
"Would the atmosphere be like this if it weren't?"
Kun shifted his gaze to the surrounding merchants. The atmosphere in the tavern was still much the same as usual. Mercenaries were boisterously drinking and shouting, while laborers spat out disjointed vulgarities while badmouthing their superiors.
It was a scene that had become quite rare recently, following the betrayal of Elivan—the one called a Hero—and the appearance of the Divine Blood. Yet, despite the somewhat relaxed atmosphere, the merchants, including Kun, were unable to join in.
Or rather, it was more accurate to say they chose not to. Every single one of them wore a dead-serious expression, lost in deep thought.
"What on earth is—"
Even the tavern owner, who would usually bark, "If you're not going to drink, get the hell out! Other people need these seats!" was merely watching the merchants, suppressed by the sheer intensity they were radiating.
"…I suppose you're right."
"Right?"
"Meeting the Marquis in person definitely carries a different weight."
In fact, if someone who wasn't a merchant saw this scene, they might tilt their head in confusion. Even they would know that Marquis Palatio was a formidable figure and hard to catch a glimpse of, but they wouldn't understand why merchants, who live and die for money, were acting this way.
Actually, even a fellow merchant might think that.
‘But if a merchant thinks that way, he’s a man destined for ruin soon enough.’
At this point in time, for these merchants, having a private audience with Marquis Palatio—no, even just simply transporting the Marquis’s goods—would be a monumental opportunity.
First of all, by the mere fact that they were moving Marquis Palatio’s goods, their merchant guild would effectively become the safest in existence, immune to attack from anyone until the contract ended.
It wasn't because the Marquis would provide an escort. Regardless of whether there was an escort or not, a guild contracted with the Marquis became the safest.
Why? Because no matter how strong they were, bandits feared everything related to the Marquis. He was the man who had nearly wiped out the very existence of bandits in this United Kingdoms, and he possessed the power to do it again at any time.
As proof, the small merchant group managed by Alexion, the manager of the Palatio House, never suffered a single raid, even when traveling with expensive artifacts or precious metals. Not even once, to this day.
In other words, from a merchant's perspective, if they used the period they were performing the Marquis’s work to also transport luxury goods they couldn't move in bulk before, they would have the chance to make a literal fortune.
And what if they made a good impression on Marquis Palatio and managed to snag the next contract? What if they could go further and establish a regular contractual relationship?
And if, unlike other nobles, they could secure a contract with the Marquis, who had yet to sign a proper deal with any specific merchant guild?
"…Wow."
Incredible.
Kun, who had unconsciously been soaring on the wings of his imagination, muttered to himself. Goosebumps had broken out all over his body. Before he knew it, Marquis Palatio had become a god-like being in his mind.
…Well, he had already considered him a god, but still.
As Kun’s thoughts continued, Malgam smirked.
"I see you've imagined it."
"From now on, I will consider any attack on Marquis Palatio as an act of aggression against me personally."
"The other merchants probably feel the same."
Kun looked around once more. More accurately, he looked into the eyes of the merchants. Every single pair of eyes was filled with a creeping sense of madness.
"Well, in reality, only one person will be able to do that."
He was right. Here—no, among the hundreds of lucky souls in the territory from the moment the Marquis spoke those words—only one person could seize that chance.
Only one. Only that person would have a private audience with Marquis Palatio and get a foot in the door.
"The Marquis is truly amazing. To set such a stage with just a single word about a private meeting."
"I agree. On top of that, by announcing a volume of materials that mediocre merchants could never hope to handle, he’s weeded out the riffraff from the very start."
"I heard he possessed strength transcending humanity, but I didn't know his strategic depth was this profound."
Malgam and Kun, both considered big shots among the current merchants, were deeply impressed.
…Of course, if Alon had heard this, his reaction would have been, "Huh? Me???"
Unfortunately, since he wasn't there, no one was around to deny that bizarre misunderstanding. And with the end of their conversation…
"…Aaaagh! I don't care anymore!"
One merchant stood up as if he had made up his mind and ran off somewhere like a madman. With that as the signal, the merchants began to move.
* * *
Until just yesterday, Alon had been agonizing over the materials. Naturally, it was because the cost of materials was far higher than he had expected.
‘Alexion wasn't exaggerating.’
Just as he had said, the prices of materials had skyrocketed beyond imagination. Timber alone had jumped to more than five times the price Alon remembered, and the stone needed next was the same. Even the secondary materials required had seen their prices explode to an absurd degree.
It was enough to make him wonder if he should postpone the territory expansion as much as possible. If he started the expansion project at these prices, the Marquisate’s finances would be depleted in an instant. No, it wasn't just that; the prices were murderous enough to potentially leave them out on the street.
That was why Alon had gone to sleep determined to tell Alexion the next day to reconsider the territory expansion.
Yes, that was definitely the case. And yet…
"Alexion."
"Yes."
"…Um, didn't you say yesterday that the price of all materials had skyrocketed?"
"Yes, I did indeed say that, but…"
"…Then, what is this?"
Alon stared silently at the quotes held in his hand. They were the quotes from merchants that Alexion had brought as soon as work began this morning, as if they had been waiting.
"…."
Alon pulled out one sheet from the dozens of quotes. The timber, which had been over five times the price just yesterday, had somehow returned to its original cost.
"…."
When Alon looked at another quote, the price of stone had been normalized there.
"…Hmm."
In yet another quote, most of the materials Alon needed were actually priced lower than the original costs he knew. …Some were even marked as free.
"…Have they all gone mad as a group?"
Evan, who was looking at the quotes beside him, muttered. He, too, had checked the raw material prices yesterday. In other words, he couldn't help but know how nonsensical the prices before his eyes were.
After staring blankly at the quotes for a while, Alon finally spoke cautiously.
"Alexion."
"Yes."
"I'm asking just in case, but these quotes… are they real?"
"They are all authentic."
"What is the probability that the quotes were written falsely…?"
"I can say with some certainty that there is none. Most of them are from quite large merchant guilds."
"…Then did Silli do something?"
"As far as I know, the Saintess returned to the Divine Land after yesterday's meeting, saying she had things to prepare."
"…Then why on earth?"
Alon tilted his head in confusion as he scanned the quotes again. If this was real, he would have money left over even if he expanded the territory further than planned. After a moment of deliberation, Alon decided not to overthink it.
"…Let's meet the merchant who offered the best terms among these."
Whatever the mystery was, it would be solved once he met them. Thus, putting the unresolved question aside, Alon handed the quotes back to Alexion.
And so, after some time had passed.
"Greetings, Marquis Palatio!"
"…Is it you?"
"Yes! I am Kun, the owner of 'Singing Money'!"
Alon was able to meet the merchant who had offered the best terms. The very person who had submitted a quote that Alon found somewhat incomprehensible, offering all materials at 70% of their original price.
And—
"First of all, thank you so much for giving me this opportunity!"
—seeing him bow his head deeply as if he had received a great favor, Alon couldn't help but be bewildered.
‘…Opportunity?’
What opportunity…?
* * *
At that moment.
Inside the Imperial Palace of the Eastern Empire—one of the four fragments of the empire that once held territory wider than the United Kingdoms, and which was still radiating a powerful aura while fending off the invasions of the Divine Blood.
In an audience chamber decorated with immense splendor and elegance, a man delivered a report.
"The Western Empire has completely collapsed."
A calm statement. At that, the woman sitting on a throne far more magnificent than the man’s let out a light, airy sound and asked.
"Not even a single small fry survived?"
"…It appears so."
"Tsk. It’s embarrassing to think we came from the same womb."
She frowned overtly at the man’s answer. Shaking her head several times as if the person she was thinking of was pathetic, she continued.
"So, is that the end of the report?"
"There is one more thing I must mention."
"What is it?"
"It concerns information received from the United Kingdoms."
"The United Kingdoms? You mean those ragtags?"
"Yes."
"Hmph. It seems they haven't perished yet. So, what is the story?"
In response to her question, the man relayed the information he had heard from the informant dispatched to the United Kingdoms.
"…Ho, is that true?"
"Given that the source of the rumor is the King of the United Kingdoms, the probability of it being false does not seem very high."
It was information(?) that Marquis Palatio was of the Divine Blood—something he had double-checked several times because it was so hard to believe.
And that story finally—
"…So it is true."
"Yes."
"If that is real—"
—reached the ears of Serdea Polantisia, the Second Princess leading the Eastern Empire.
"He would be more than sufficient to be the husband of the one who shall hold the world in her hands."
A twisted smile settled on the lips of the Princess leading the Eastern Empire.