Chapter 48
Chapter 48
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 48
Chapter Title: Santa Claus Operation
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"Starting with a gift offensive."
The first step was what I called the Santa Claus operation.
Mages wouldn't be able to come outside easily. I knew that all too well, having holed up in my house for a while myself.
There were so many things you couldn't enjoy if you stayed cooped up at home. For anyone less wealthy than a noble like me, it wasn't just hobbies—basic food, clothing, and shelter became a struggle.
I had chosen to stay home myself, but I still craved the pleasures of the outside world.
'Plays or operas, for instance.'
Fortunately, I had tools that could record and play them back.
That's right. I was the one who had come up with a way to enjoy them!
And what I could record wasn't limited to arts and culture.
Mountains, seas—anywhere in the empire, I could deliver it vividly.
It could be a precious gift for those unable to venture out easily, or children who had never seen such places.
But that was far from all.
I could take photos and make photo albums for kids stuck living in confinement.
I could take them there myself later, but until I'd built up enough goodwill, that wouldn't be possible.
Plus, using magic tools like this would help with future contracts.
They'd all develop a positive impression of magic tools. A win-win for me.
Of course, videos and photos were just a tiny fraction of my gifts.
I wanted to leave them with a first impression no other noble could match.
Most people chose either quantity or quality, but not me.
I went for both. No compromises.
Just thinking about it sent a thrill through me.
It had been ages since I'd gone on a spending spree.
And to pull this off, I needed to offload some magic crystals.
I owned the magic crystal mines, but I knew nothing about their distribution or specific mining cycles and yields.
I'd never thought I needed to.
So this was the first time I'd gotten proper information.
Some of the crystals from my mines were supplied to the Imperial Palace, with most stockpiled in warehouses.
The imperial family consumed the largest amounts from their own mining operations. Marquis Etwar cooperated with the palace, and Marquis Epekle did too.
Nothing was publicly known about Marquis Epekle's crystals, but there was no reason he wouldn't supply them like Marquis Etwar and I did.
The Imperial Palace strictly controlled magic crystal distribution.
Marquis Epekle's mines handled the largest volume, followed by Marquis Etwar's. Mine weren't circulated on any regular schedule.
That only deepened the mystery.
Staves that amplified mages' power were made using magic crystals.
The imperial family could intervene from production to distribution.
'Most of the mages who fought Darsi probably didn't even have staves.'
That alone would put them at a huge disadvantage in power.
Yet the conflict between mages and the imperial family dragged on? It didn't make sense.
Of course, the citizens weren't fools. They came up with their own rationalizations.
'Some say the mages found mines of their own.'
It had a ring of truth, but I didn't buy it.
The book never mentioned anything like that.
Magic crystals were key materials for the magic tools that bonded Ryan and Resuan in the original story. If there had been hidden mines, it would've come up.
...Probably.
I shook my head. No need to overthink it now.
'Once I go there, these questions will sort themselves out.'
I'd learn the truth meeting the mages directly anyway.
How lucky that Darsi knew where they were.
I checked the warehouse, piled high with magic crystals like mountains.
Before I possessed her, Marso had been busy contacting merchants to feed her vanity, but until talking with Darsi, I'd just been stockpiling them diligently.
Seeing it all as mine filled me with satisfaction.
'There are fewer than five such warehouses, I bet.'
That was why I could afford to give so many to Darsi.
But aside from my current mines, I needed to assess my overall assets.
Before leaving, I should talk with the manager overseeing my magic crystal mines.
Confirm current yields and figure out how much I could commit in contracts.
Rather than dumping a huge batch on the mages as payment later, I planned monthly supplies.
'Do they live in a forest?'
Some mystical forest like in adventure tales? A place untouched by human feet.
I packed bundles of magic crystals into my bag and prepared to head out. My maids had done my light makeup, and I wore comfortable clothes.
My body, softened from being a shut-in, struggled with corsets.
Anyway, starting today, I was fully gearing up to impress the mages.
I didn't know what they were like yet since I hadn't met them, but I had no fear my preparations would be wasted.
These were people who had endured Emperor Kies's persecution for so long, fighting steadfastly for their own sake.
Moreover, they were the ones Darsi felt guilty about. If he thought that way, they couldn't be bad.
To avoid drawing eyes, I pulled up my hood and boarded the carriage.
First stop: the back alleys. They might seem too rough for a noble lady, but they were familiar territory to Marso.
With distribution so tightly controlled, the only places for private deals were illegal back-alley merchants.
I didn't bother seeking new ones. I'd use Marso's usual spots.
Finding others would've been a hassle anyway.
Plus, knowing the back-alley crowd could prove useful later.
...Though this was pretty much my first visit since becoming Marso.
'The book mentioned Marso coming here, thank goodness.'
Otherwise, I wouldn't have known the way.
The cheap carriage that differed from my usual rides, the coachman waiting right at the stable as if on cue, weaving through alleys to shake any tails—things too intricate for me to plan from scratch.
'Marso really wasn't ordinary.'
Gratitude for something she'd done? Unbelievable.
With my knights in tow, I opened the door to a dingy general store that looked ominous from the outside.
The bell jingled as I stepped in. The knights waited outside, as if it were routine.
"Welcome..."
An elderly woman behind the counter greeted me. Her kindly face clashed with the gloomy vibe, creating unease.
"I'm here to trade."
"Understood."
It was my first time at a backroom deal. The secretive exchange felt tense and unfamiliar.
No questions asked was a relief. I had nothing to say anyway.
"Payment's here."
I set down the pouch of magic crystals.
"Please wait a moment."
The old woman checked the crystals inside, weighed them, then slipped behind the curtain at the counter's rear.
Now she'd bring back the money, and the deal would be done. The straightforward process suited me perfectly.
No prying questions. Definitely a plus.
I waited silently for her return, then blinked in confusion when she came back empty-handed.
What? Was this a scam joint?
I shouldn't have come. As I furrowed my brow, the woman broke into a sweat and explained.
"The guildmaster wishes to see Lady Etwar in person."
"The guildmaster?"
"Yes. He has words for you directly..."
What could the guildmaster possibly have to say to me? I couldn't think of anything.
Was he griping about my long absence?
"It won't take long. In exchange, we'll pay double the usual price. Time is money for someone like you."
She smoothly buttered me up.
Double the already high price for magic crystals? The guildmaster must be desperate....
Connections like this were good to have anyway.
Meeting in person benefited me too.
"I can't spare much time."
"Of course. We understand."
Come to think of it, the book never mentioned Marso meeting the guildmaster directly.
Or maybe it just wasn't noted.
What if they already knew each other? The sudden doubt felt valid.
I hesitated before tossing out a vague question.
"...Why go to the trouble of seeing me?"
"I wouldn't know. I know it's your first time and you're surprised, but he said it would only take a moment."
Good. They hadn't met before, apparently.
Double price wasn't bad. I wouldn't be a regular here, so I nodded.
'Just make the face familiar, whatever.'
A door beside the counter opened.
I followed the woman behind the curtain.
The passage connected to a back door twisted like a maze with branching paths. The surrounding alley houses seemed all linked.
"This way."
She led me to a room, and inside, I spotted a familiar face.
My expression hardened instantly.
'Shouldn't have come.' The moment our eyes met, I turned to leave without a second thought. She called out urgently.
"Lady Marso!"
"You should at least say hello before going..."
But my escape was blocked by the woman who'd accompanied me. She was far stronger than she looked. Not your average granny. I was trapped here. No way out until the talk was done. I scowled, arms crossed, and asked in a low voice.
"Why are you here?"
No better question for it. The guildmaster of Marso's go-to back-alley operation. Was Leti, the traitor maid who'd served me until recently. Leti, Ryan's confidante, placed by my side to spy on me.