Volume 7 - CH 6

Chapter 7- Yuuji, Changing Jobs from “Farmer” to “Pioneer Group Leader”.

Part 6- Yuuji–Meets the feudal lord’s wife and the governor, applies for pioneering

Two days after experiencing the difference in culture.

Finally, the day to meet the wife of the feudal lord and the governor has arrived.

Yuuji was putting on the neat clothes Kevin had prepared. It was a set of clothes with many frills on them.

“I can’t really remain calm wearing this… What do you think, Alice, Koutarou?”

Knitting her eyebrows and folding her arms, she thought for awhile and replied,

“Mm. Mmm. I think Yuuji-nii looks cool!”

Why did you have to think about it? Is that really a compliment?

Alice was dressed in a simple one piece and cardigan.

Koutarou was pacing around Yuuji, not settling down.

‘What are these frills? I am curious but– no biting, I can’t bite, don’t bite, don’t you bite’–seemed like Koutarou was fighting against his instincts.

“Yuuji-san, are you done getting ready? Shall we leave?”

Wearing a similar clothing as Yuuji, with all the decoration and frills, Kevin came into the room and asked. It was different from the travelling attire Yuuji had always seen him wear. He looked like a proper merchant.

The employees and apprentices saw us off saying ‘Have a good day!’ altogether. We went outside and got into the carriage Kevin had prepared. Inside the carriage were Kevin, Alice, Koutarou and Yuuji. An exclusive guard was accompanying us as the driver.

The carriage went along the main street and before long, we could see the river from the window.

“Is the feudal lord’s mansion close to the river? Ah, that reminds me, how are the water transportations using boats?”

“Yes, the mansion is just beside the river. You mean the riverbank a bit north from the center of the city, right? Its downstream leads to the capital. The city built the riverbank there to carry goods via boats to the capital. Moreover, as the forest is deep in the north, so in the early days, the feudal lord’s mansion was at the most northern part of the city to protect the people. After that, the city developed and now the feudal lord’s mansion appears much closer.

Kevin went on saying, ‘Even now, the market for carrying wood with rafts and using ship transports is quite blooming. Although, there is the risk of water monsters when using the water path.’

‘So there are aquatic monsters. I wonder if Kelpie or lizardmen exist.. No, maybe they are merman…’ and so Kevin thought, and when he was just about to ask Kevin about it, the carriage’s speed had started to slow down.

“Now then, Yuuji-san, we will arrive shortly. As I had instructed, do not forget the etiquettes and just leave everything to me. Even if something does happen, please do not lose your composure.”

Kevin continued to remind Yuuji.

Koutarou barked ‘Woof’, as if he was saying ‘I think it is impossible for Yuuji’…

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After arriving at the mansion, we were guided to the reception room by a lady attendant. ‘Uwaah, a real maid-san..’ such remarks from Yuuji were ignored by the rest.

By the way, Koutarou was being cared for beside the gate, in a guard’s room. I am not sure if it was the same one or not but an armoured siberian husky which was walking on two-feet undertook looking after Koutarou.

Guided by the attendant, Kevin, Yuuji and Alice took their seats. The special guard we had brought with us was standing diagonally behind Kevin. Of course, he had surrendered his weapons to custody but was allowed to wear armour.

After distributing tea to everyone in the room, the attendant left the room saying ‘Then, please wait for a while’.

Yuuji was nervously looking around the room. Alice had just frozen in place, with her back straight. It seems like she too was nervous to meet nobles.

In the end, Kevin was the only one who had enjoyed the high-class tea.

To Yuuji, it felt like a long period of time he had to wait. But in reality, it was such a short while that even their tea had not gone cold before the person they were waiting for had entered the room.

Guided by the attendant again, the first one to come in was probably the guard, who had stationed himself behind a chair without saying a word.

The one who came in later was a man of about 40 years. A skinny man who had his hair combed back. He, too, did not say anything. His expression could not be read either.

Kevin exchanged glances with Yuuji and greeted the man. Yuuji and Alice also greeted the man, although a little late.

Before long, a woman came in the room.

A woman in her 20s. She was wearing a long dress with a long glove which went all the way to her elbows. Instead of the hands which were hidden, her neck and shoulder portion were not covered.

Seeing Kevin go into a posture to pay respect with a side glance, Yuuji and Alice also assumed the posture to pay their respect.

After a whole two days, he activated his special technique, Scouter. Of course, such a skill does not exist. It was just his assumptions after looking at various different images.

‘G–no, H. Darn it, I do not have enough reference material’.– such thoughts had been floating inside of Yuuji’s head.

“Sorry to have kept you waiting. I am Orga Pastour. I do the feudal lord’s jobs when my husband is not around.”

“I am the governor of this city, Raymon Canter.”

The two greeted them.

Following them, Kevin, Yuuji and Alice also introduced themselves. It looked like Yuuji had crossed the first hurdle.

Then, Kevin offered some clever topics of the city. It seems that it’s this world’s standard to start the conversation with idle talk.

Yuuji and Alice had stayed silent at his side. No. Yuuji’s eyes had gone towards the deep valley every now and then but every time, he had come to his senses, telling himself that bushy is the standard in this world.

“And so… what business do you have today? The president of the Kevin company, which is gaining prominence in the city of Prumie, even having the letter of introduction from Gegas company of the capital. I was quite excited to make time for this.”

The lord’s wife asked Kevin, making an elegant and glamorous smile.

Ignoring Yuuji who was charmed, Kevin continued,

“Oho, to think you would know of me as well as the Gegas company. You sure have sharp ears!”

“Yes, I order my favourite soap and perfumes from the Gegas company. Besides, is there anyone who does not know about the Bloodstained Gegas in the capital, I wonder? Beating up all the thieves and robbers who come to steal from him, he went by the motto ‘Don’t carry anything you can’t protect by yourself’, if I am not wrong. Although, it looks like he does take some guards around with him now. I wonder if Kevin-san is as strong as the bloodstained Gegas? Well, fighting merchant-san?”

“No, no, not at all. Someone like me does not even reach the president’s foot. To the point I had to take this true guard from the Gegas company. But nevertheless, you are very well informed.”

“Hahaha’ ‘Hohoho’, the two shamelessly laughed on. It looks like a peaceful scene but the negotiations had already begun from the information war. On the other hand, Yuuji was fighting against a man’s instincts with rational thinking.

“Today, I have come to register Yuuji-san and Alice-san over here as pioneers for the reclaimed land and have you acknowledge it.”

“Hoho? I had completely thought it would be about the preserved food the Kevin company had put out for sale. I see, pioneers, eh? A Gegas company origin, the president of the Kevin company which is the talk of the town now, specially came for such a thing?”

She gave a glance towards Yuuji. To which, Yuuji responded with a forced smile. Then she quickly turned around again to face Kevin. It looks like she will leave Yuuji for the time being.

“Yes. Alice-san also has a relationship with the Anfore village….”

Facing down, Kevin laid bare his sadness. It looks like he was also working to appeal to emotions.

“I see…. Raymon, what happened to the Mud Mice? And the other villagers of Anfore village?”

“The thief troupe, Mud Mice, had aimed for a caravan of merchants heading for the capital but were beaten at their own game. 24 of them had died on the spot. I had searched around the surroundings, but the place thought to be their hideout was completely empty. They have still not been found and are thought to have escaped outside of the territory. 11 people survived from the Anfore village. I had all of them immigrated to other villages and cities, depending on their relatives and acquaintances.”

The governor Raymon said, without making a single expression. Looks like being expressionless is his default mode.

“I see…. Alice-chan, I am sorry. It is my husband and my responsibility to ensure the safety of the people in our territory. I will definitely let you know if I get some info.”

With a sad expression, she stretched her arms out to pat Alice’s head.

“Th-thank you very much, feudal lord’s wife-sama!”

It is an unthinkable situation for the village girls to meet a noble normally. It looked like she was nervous but without being bashful, she answered spiritedly.

“Well, it is okay. I will acknowledge it. Raymon, the papers.”

“Are you really okay with it?”

Raymon asked her as she had just lightly given her permission.

“Yes. If they succeed as pioneers, the tax will also increase and if they fail, there will be no loss. More importantly, it seems like they have the backing of the Kevin company, which is at the peak of its popularity at the moment. I wonder if I should contribute as an individual as well.”

“No, no, there is no need for that.”

‘Ahaha’ ‘Ufufu’, the both laughed again shamelessly. Even though they were talking about him, Yuuji was completely outside of the conversation. Fortunately.

They skimmed over a few documents and signed them.

With this, Yuuji had finally obtained the resident certification. He knew the road to the city, and he also had the resident certification. Now he could come to the city by himself.

Immediately after Yuuji got his resident certificate, Kevin negotiated with the governor and transferred the rights of the therianthrope, Marcell, to Yuuji. Yes, because Yuuji did not have a certificate before, on paper, it was like Kevin had lent it to him. With this, Yuuji was officially the master of the slave.

“Well? Is this the end of it then?”

“No, there was one more thing. Actually, it seems like near the cleared land, goblins and orcs are appearing quite frequently. I will request for investigation in the adventurer’s guild but, I was wondering if some help could be lent to the pioneer group in the event of subjugating the monster settlement….”

It seems like Kevin had also been aiming for this from the start. Of course, to the feudal lord’s wife and the governor, a monster settlement inside their territory was not something they could just ignore. She readily gave her consent and also instructed the governor to assist the pioneers.

“Even still, a man of unknown origins leading a group of pioneers and reclaiming a land with the backing of Kevin company, which too, has started to sell a kind of new preserved food I had never seen before……”

With a smile on her face, she looked at Yuuji and Kevin.

“Well, I won’t ask too much. The reclamation and Kevin company’s prosperity also links to tax yields after all. Yes, I won’t ask much–if it all goes well, that is.”

It looks like Yuuji was firmly doubted by her.

In any case, this is how Yuuji had safely acquired identification papers in another world. Thanks to Kevin’s efforts.

Incidentally,

After leaving the room and heading out, for some reason, the governor Raymon was leading the way.

Then, he stopped and turned towards them and said to Yuuji,

“The feudal lord is quite the devoted husband. Everytime he returns, a few people get fired, you see. If someone were to say someone had tried to lay their hands on his wife…”

Being startled, Yuuji replied lightly, ‘Is that so? Must be hard replacing the employees, huh?’. Surely, his eyes had made its way towards the deep valley but never had he fallen in love. It was just a man’s instinct.

“Yes, really, the cleaning up afterwards is quite hard. After all… they are fired… physically.”

Saying ‘Yes, yes, it is quite hard dealing with bodies and bloodstains….’, the governor slowly walked away.

Yuuji didn’t move an inch.

He had started mumbling something like ‘I-I-I will b-be fi-fine, right? I am s-s-safe, right?’

“What happened, Yuuji-nii?! We will leave you here if you don’t come~”

After the conference was finally over, as if Alice had regained her liveliness, she asked Yuuji. To which, Yuuji was guided by and had started walking again.