The Duke's Unease
System wore a bright smile. “There are strange rumors circulating about the Legrian family?”
“Yes, Duke Rodrian Pomeranian.”
Rodrian Pomeranian, the Duke. A genius of the sword. The Sword King. A prodigy hailed as the Sword Master. He was one of the few Sword Masters the kingdom could boast of. From a young age, he had displayed extraordinary talent with the blade. At just ten years old, he had effortlessly defeated a family knight in single combat. At fifteen, he claimed overwhelming first place in the royal swordsmanship tournament. By eighteen, he had single-handedly slain a Red Ogre. At thirty, he reached the threshold of Master rank. Everyone acknowledged him as a sword prodigy. Now in his early sixties, age had not diminished the fierce spirit radiating from his body. That overwhelming presence could never be dismissed as mere frailty.
Word on the street claimed that Rodrian Pomeranian stood on the verge of breaking through the wall to Grand Master. ‘Once in a hundred years… no, perhaps once in a thousand. A true genius of the sword.’
The butler could not understand it. ‘Someone like him finding this strange… Why on earth would he concern himself with a fallen house?’
Countless families were currently fawning over him, desperate for his attention. From counts to marquesses, they sent daily letters begging him to attend even a single social gathering. The royal family’s overtures arrived burdened with treasures so lavish they felt oppressive. Yet he paid them little mind. Perhaps it was the natural detachment of the strong, secure in his immense power and martial prowess. Whatever the reason, Rodrian showed no particular interest in such matters.
Strangely, however, he seemed oddly fixated on the Legrian barony—a house already ruined and supposedly beneath his notice. “What rumors?”
“They say the eldest son who ran away has returned after ten years. And now they’re spreading word that they’ll accept refugees.”
“What?”
“Ahem… Shall I report it exactly as heard?”
“Speak plainly.”
Rodrian’s dignified voice demanded the truth, nothing added or omitted. The sheer charisma in his tone seized the butler’s heart. The servant quietly relayed every rumor he had heard.
“Ladies and gentlemen! Hello there! Life’s been tough lately, hasn’t it? The taxes the lords collect, the harsh words and oppression—doesn’t it make living difficult? Well, I have something to introduce to you! A new place to call home! I present to you the Legrian Territory!”
The butler paused to catch his breath, keeping the energy high. “Where is the Legrian Territory, you ask? It’s right next to Monster Land! Ah, but you needn’t worry about monsters! A massive wall will protect you all! And if you move in now, they’ll even provide housing! Tax reductions on top of that!? There’s never been a territory like this before—is this a noble’s domain or a village!? Becoming a resident brings all sorts of benefits! Move in right away!! First come, first served, so hurry!! That’s the rumor going around.”
“……”
The rumor was far longer than what Albert had mentioned. This was Richel’s handiwork. She had embellished the tale with extra details to draw in more people. For a moment, Rodrian’s usually dignified expression twisted with disbelief. “That’s the rumor? That specific?”
“Yes. It’s spreading among the commoners, especially in the slums.”
Even the butler looked somewhat embarrassed as he spoke, his face flushing slightly. He cleared his throat awkwardly and changed the subject. “Your Grace, what shall we do? Shall I investigate further?”
“Look into it. Commission the information guild for the source of the rumor and solid intelligence on the Legrian Territory.”
“Understood. But before that, may I ask one thing?”
“What is it?”
The butler chose his words carefully. “In the past, when they were counts, it wasn’t so strange for you to take an interest. But now they’ve been branded traitors and reduced to a barony. Why would you—”
“……That is none of your concern.”
“……My apologies. I shall take my leave.”
At Rodrian’s firm reply, the butler bowed hastily. He could tell from the tone alone that his master’s mood had soured. Once the butler departed, Rodrian, now alone, fell into reminiscence. ‘……A beautiful sword.’
A sword trajectory so graceful it seemed to cleave the sky itself. It was the first time he had ever been captivated by someone else’s blade. His instincts told him the man would one day reach a realm similar to his own…… Even if it took more time, he would surely climb to the same heights. That first encounter with someone possessing talent comparable to his own had shaken Rodrian deeply. Jealousy. Envy. An impatience he had never felt before. He had feared the man might one day threaten his position. That was why—
‘I crushed them so thoroughly that their family name should never have been heard again…… Yet here it is, echoing once more.’
“Rian Legrian…… You really are tenacious.”
A small spark ignited in Rodrian’s eyes. “It is best to stamp out the seeds of anxiety before they grow.”
* * *
Several days later, a line of Flower Merchant Group carriages rolled into Legrian Territory. They carried timber and all manner of daily necessities Albert had requested. “Oh! It’s the Flower Merchant Group!”
“Heavens! They’ve brought so many goods!!”
“Out of the way! I need to buy things!!”
To the people, the carriages looked like they were laden with gold. They gathered to purchase what they needed. Among them were members of the guard. “Meat! Meat, meat!!”
“Hand over the protein!!”
“Hey! I’ll buy all the meat you’ve got!!”
Those who had once been so frail now behaved like ravenous food fighters obsessed with meat. They looked ready to chew bugs if it meant getting protein. They were diligently evolving from hell lean to hell bulk. “Abel, let’s go together.”
“Ah, understood.”
“But why do you look like that?”
“L-Like what?”
“No, it’s just……”
Richel studied Abel. His body trembled with unease, his eyes darting nervously. His expression was tense and anxious, like a criminal returning to the scene of the crime, terrified of being caught. He kept swiveling his head like a meerkat, searching for someone. “Why are you acting this way? Are you feeling unwell?”
“N-No, that’s not it. I’m fine. I’m perfectly healthy! Really, I’m all right!”
“Right. You’d better be.”
The reply came from behind him. In broad daylight, a shadow had fallen over them. Upon closer inspection, it was a human-shaped shadow. Strangely, even though it was only a shadow, one could feel an overwhelming display of muscle from it. “……”
Abel felt a chill run down his spine, his hair standing on end. Slowly, like a broken machine, he turned his head to see who cast the shadow. The moment he did, two massive pectoral muscles filled his vision. “H-Huh! B-Braum and Bry!”
“Still remembering the names of my two great pectorals? How admirable, my friend. In that case……”
The owner of those impossibly broad pectorals—Aiden—grabbed Abel’s head. “You remember selling me out too, don’t you?”
“H-Huh!”
“W-Who are you!? Let go of Abel!”
“I am Aiden, Captain of the Legrian Territory Guard.”
“C-Captain of the Guard……?”
“That is correct. And I am this fellow’s friend.”
“……Friend?”
“I have business with this friend of mine. May I borrow him for a while?”
Despite his intimidating appearance and overwhelming muscles, Aiden spoke with impeccable politeness. Abel shot Richel a desperate look. ‘S-Save me! P-Please tell him no! Tell him it’s not allowed!!’
He poured all his desperation into the telepathic plea, convinced that the trust they had built would let her receive it. Richel nodded as if she had sensed something. Abel believed she had received his message. But then—
“Feel free to borrow him. I’ll be departing a little later today anyway, so until then……”
“Hahaha, of course. Don’t worry.”
The smile on Aiden’s face was so terrifying that Richel instinctively looked away. “Let’s go, friend. A room has been prepared just for you.”
“A-A room……? W-What kind of room……?”
“The Room of Truth. I made it especially for you, so you can look forward to it.”
“A-Aaah! Help me! The monster is—Guhk!”
“Be quiet and come along.”
Aiden grinned and clamped a hand over Abel’s mouth, dragging him away. To any onlooker it would appear to be a kidnapping, yet remarkably, no one around paid it any mind. ‘No, they just don’t want to get involved……’
Richel watched Abel being dragged off with pity. ‘I want to help, but……’
She had clearly received Abel’s telepathic cry. If she could, she would have helped. But after seeing that face and those muscles, how could she possibly intervene? Look around—everyone was desperately avoiding eye contact with Abel, even the children. ‘I’m…… scared too……’
Thus, Richel set Abel aside for the moment and headed off to meet Albert. Along the way, she spotted a small shop. When she saw the goods on display and the shopkeeper, her eyes widened. “That’s……”
* * *
“Dark elves are making soap!?”
“Yeah.”
“H-How did that happen!? Why are dark elves here, and why are there more dwarves too?”
“Ah, there’s a bit of a story behind it. Anyway, let’s set that aside.”
“No!”
How could she set that aside!? She had seen dwarves before, so she could accept that, but dark elves were different! Richel was burning with curiosity about that “bit of a story.” Yet she soon had no choice but to suppress it. Something far more captivating stood before her. “This is…… soap. My goodness……”
It was soap, yet unlike any she had seen. Richel had used soap before, but this was different. “A sweet floral scent……”
The soap produced by the Alchemy Guild had cleaning power but was colorless and odorless. This soap, however, boasted beautiful colors that could captivate the eye and a delightful fragrance. And that was not all. “You even drew pretty flowers on the soap?”
“Exactly.”
“I’ve never seen such beautiful soap before. There are two types, though. This one looks a bit rougher, but it’s larger?”
Richel was a merchant. She instantly understood why Albert had prepared two varieties. “The one with the flower design is for nobles, and this one is for commoners, correct?”
[You catch on quickly.]
[As expected of a merchant!]
“Right.”
“I knew it! Of course!”
Richel was impressed. Taking the same soap and differentiating it for nobles and commoners to sell at different prices—what a brilliant idea. “Let’s sell the noble version for around 200 gold.”
“Would that price be all right?”
“Doesn’t matter. They’re nobles.”
“True.”
It would sell. Even the Alchemy Guild’s soap, priced at 100 gold each, found buyers. This one had beautiful shapes, lovely colors, and a pleasant scent. Commoners might hesitate, but nobles would line up to buy it. “And the cleaning power……?”
“Already tested. You saw the residents on the way here.”
“You’re right.”
She had witnessed the territory residents herself—clean and free of the usual subtle odors. The cleaning power was undeniable. At 200 gold, it would still sell easily. Richel offered another idea. “Could you make this soap a little smaller?”
“I could.”
“Then let’s make the noble soap smaller!”
“Why? Oh…… I see.”
Albert flashed a white-toothed grin. “You want to make the soap smaller so it runs out faster and they buy more, right?”
“Hehe, as expected of you, Lord Albert. You’re so clever. That’s right! Plus, with this lovely scent, they’ll probably use it every time they bathe. That way, consumption speeds up even more.”
“Which means we can sell even more.”
“Exactly!”
[Wow, you two really are in perfect sync.]
[How do they understand each other so well when they talk in such roundabout ways……]
“This is definitely going to sell!”
Richel was certain. It would sell incredibly well. Even Iron Ant antennae and ant iron already had strong competitiveness. Adding soap to the mix? ‘We might even reach greater heights.’
Still, she had one lingering worry. ‘The Alchemy Guild…… I wonder if they’ll really stay quiet……’
Would the Alchemy Guild, which monopolized soap production and sales, simply watch this new soap appear? Humans were creatures of greed. They hated having what was theirs taken away and reacted when their territory was invaded. Once the merchant group began selling soap, interference would surely follow. ‘Should I mention this? Or…… handle it myself……’
Before she could ask, Albert spoke as if he already knew her thoughts. “Ah, the Alchemy Guild will probably interfere. When that happens, the maker is……”
“Ah! You don’t have to worry about that! I’ll never reveal who made the soap. My lips are sealed! You don’t need to worry about a thing!”
She had no intention of revealing the soap’s creator even if a blade were pressed to her throat. The Alchemy Guild might eventually discover the maker through investigation, but—
‘It won’t be through me.’
They would learn nothing from her! Her unwavering will to endure any torture and resist any threat shone through, a vow to protect trust and credibility. Watching her, Albert said, “Tell them.”
“Huh?”
“No need to keep your lips sealed. Just say it was made in our territory. If they ask who, don’t hesitate.”
“B-But…… if the Alchemy Guild gets involved, things could get quite……”
“It’s fine.”
Albert wore a dark, wicked smile. It was so sinister that even Richel, who had been tempered by countless encounters with nobles, flinched. “I’ll handle it myself.”
“I-I see.”
“Anyway, do it that way. Ah, and the items I requested?”
“If you mean the books, ah! They’re prepared outside. A total of one hundred volumes—various history books, illustrated guides, and the like……”
[Books!]
[(❁´▽`❁)]
The System smiled brightly for the first time since arriving in this world.