Chapter 14 - 014: Let's Speed Up A Little (Click here to skip the adds)

Crusch closes her eyes and thinking about the option given by Arthur carefully, from her investigation the man in front of her is from an unknown origin as if he appears out of thin air. Judging from his appearance he is wearing the same type of uniform like Felix with different colors, but if he is from royal knight there is no way no information at all about him.

For the first option, it was just pure business relationships, but it will make a negative impact on her relationship with the previous trading company.

The same with the second option, it will make people think she is using her position as Duchess to force him to sell an item cheaper than market prices in exchange for protection, this is business and political relationship.

For the third option, she didn't sure if he will help her or just add the number of casualties after the battle ends.

The fourth option is can be said as the best option, even if she is a Duchess and her family is very wealthy it didn't mean she didn't have problems to use personal funds for buying equipment for a whole country, her family still need money for other things

"It seems Crusch's-sama has a hard time to decide it" seeing Crusch still thinking after several minute pass Arthur decide to speak again

"There is pros and cons for every option you give so I need to think about it carefully"

"Then let me give you the last option, Crusch-sama. I want you to announce if Emilia's-sama camp and Crusch's-sama camp will work together for the stability and safety of Lugunica kingdom from any form of potential threat. Emilia's-sama camp will responsible for equipment and supplies, as for Crusch's-sama camp will responsible for distribution, administration, and management of people"

"I didn't think you have the capability to support an entire kingdom with this trading company" Crusch shakes her head and a little disappointment flash in her eyes but to her surprise, she sees a confident smile still on Arthur's face

"As you said, just this trading company isn't enough to support Lugunica kingdom but what about three other trading companies that as big as this one?"

"Do you mean..." a hint of surprise appear on her face, because she just have limit time to gather information about this trading company she choose to focus searching who is people that supporting this trading company and didn't search information about the possibility of having branch in another country because even if they sold item cheaper than market prices she suspect this is just a move to attract attention from the potential buyers

"We already have a branch in Kararagi, Vollachia, and Gusteko. And in term of profit let's just say it as much as the profit I receive from headquarters in Lugunica" although there is just one branch in each country they're in the capital city so the amount of transactions that each branch made every day is not small at all

"I can't make decisions now, can we postpone this meeting for tomorrow?"

"Of course, the night is come faster than usual when we're talking about something that makes us happy but we need to continue this conversation for another day. It's not good for such fine lady like Crusch-sama stay at my place this late"

"I didn't know if knight need to learn sweet-talking in their training" Crusch stand up and offer her hand for a handshake to Arthur and he accepts it

"I didn't know if that was included as sweet-talking but I know for someone who is hailed as Goddess of War your insight is sharper than your peers" Arthur know for someone like her if she offers her hand then that's mean she wants a handshake and didn't mean she wants you to kiss her hand, of course, if he plays dumb and kiss her hand a certain cat-trap will jump for a fight with him

"If you didn't mind I will come tomorrow morning"

After bidding her farewell Crusch leading Wilhelm and Felix to leave the trading company that still has the workers busy moving the goods from warehouse to carriage

"If you want to say something is best for you to say it after we leave this place" Wilhelm speak for the first time and the one he warns is Felix

Leaving the bright Emi-Life trading company that illuminate by crystal lamp Felix open his mouth when he sees Wilhelm is nodding at him

"Why you warn me to say something there, grandpa Wil?" Felix fell something is off if the old man in driver seat warn him

"That man is not an ordinary knight who you can find in royal guard" Wilhelm didn't turn his head and still focus on the road "It best if we didn't antagonize him"

"You think he's actually so strong he's hiding his abilities, meow?"

"Exactly the opposite, as the best healer in the kingdom I think you can sense there is no trace of mana around him?"

"When you mention it... it was really like what grandpa Wil said" if not for Wilhelm word Felix will forget about his first impression of Arthur, 'weak'

"I also think it was strange, he is different from Reinhard who still drawing mana from the air to strengthen his body. There is no mana at all that enter or out of his body but the lesser spirits in the air are like to cling to him" Crusch join the conversation and offer her opinion "Let me hear your suggestion how to deal with him, Wilhelm"

"I apologize because what I want to say is because there is something that will be benefiting me too but I think the last option is the best option for us"

"You think so too, what about you Felix?" Crusch is like to hear her people word before deciding what to do of course it didn't mean she didn't have her own decision

"Aside from his too friendly act with Crusch-sama, I think he is a good partner, at least with this we can lessen Crusch's-sama burden a little. Ferri-chan didn't want to see Cruschs-sama overwork herself every day" after sensing there is no need to serious anymore Felix back to her usual attitudes

Crusch just smile at his act before rest her back on the seat and close her eyes

But on the driver's seat, Wilhelm still remembers the feeling that he senses when he looks at Arthur's eyes for the first time. That's is a pair of eyes who seen many deaths happen in front of him, of course, it means as the killer and not as the bystander.

Of course, maybe that's just his misconception that's why he didn't mention it to Crusch. What he didn't know although there is no war that didn't mean there is no conflict happening in the world.

When Arthur and Otto open the trading company outside of Lugunica kingdom and they touch other people's interest it bound to appear friction. From the easy problem to solve such as harassment from local thugs to the worker until the dangerous situation like ȧssault and ȧssassination is happening especially in Gusteko.

But fortunately Arthur can solve the problem like that just with force, and the level of enemies that send to his trading company is not hard for him more especially after he masters Senbonzakura ability.

As long as the enemy is not at the level of Elsa Granhiert Arthur can take care of them immediately. As for the one who sends them? Arthur give them a ticket for special touring to the hell

....

The next morning when Arthur has breakfast with Emilia she said something that caught him off guard

"Arthur, I want to go to the capital city"