CH 167

I went shopping in Nalluahdid. The goal was to check where the spices are getting transported from while buying some.

Nalluahdid also does trade with the southern area where the dragons are, the misty western regions, and the eastern regions too, although the latter does it through the south. The main product of Nalluahdid is wool, and it trades it for spices, grains, rare textiles, flowers and others.

The central continent is the most populated among its trade partners, but each region is also littered with their own sanctuaries and countries protected by spirits, dragons and other divine beasts, which are powerful beings that can communicate their intent. I haven’t tried going there, so I’m not sure if only the central people think they’re the most populated place.

Moving on, the merchants and nobles from various countries also bring their own trade commodities and specialties when they come here to shop, since it’s a waste making the trip to Nalluahdid on an empty ship.

Nalluahdid is overflowing with all sorts of goods.

And so, here I was, staring at the strange items that I don’t know what to make heads or tails of. What I thought was a ladle turned out to be a hair iron, and they also have wick cutters that have a place that catches the candle wick when cut

Beeswax is expensive, tallow candles cheap but smelly and sooty. It doesn’t completely combust, so it gives off a nasty smell, and it’s necessary that you’re good at cutting the wick. The simple, thread snips-looking scissors version that you grip for cutting wick is also available in Canum.

It’s the kids’ job to cut the wick in households that use tallow candles, so the wick cutters are designed to suit small hands, but for public events like dinner parties, silver elegantly fashioned scissors with stylish decorations are in vogue.

According to the uncle tending to this store, the demand for wick cutters was great in the Royal Capital’s theaters. That’s because they had to keep on cutting the wick so that the candles won’t go out, apparently. That made me curious to see what the play here looks like.

Makes me want to build some sort of entertainment facility on the island, too.

「This looks cool. 」

「This grape scissor here is popular too, you know. 」

I thought the one the store uncle pointed to was a pruning shears or something, but they turned out to be for cutting grape bunches at the dinner table. Oh, by the way, this store carries silverware used by the rich. There were a lot of things new to me, but this store is also complete with ordinary stuff.

The wick cutter looks cool, so I bought one.

Bulk order was basically the norm in Nalluahdid. The overwhelming majority of shoppers usually purchase goods in bulk to sell back to their own countries or for their huge mansions.

Although most transactions in Nalluahdid is large-scale level, this place is also known as a commercial city and a tourist destination, so there are also small shops, like the one I’m in, that handle the incomplete sets from the bigger shops.

Alright, time to go back to my island. I consulted Pal and Ish this morning, so there are some changes in the plan.

And so, I head towards the boat house like usual, but it seems like there’s something going on over there. Gramps seems to be quarreling with a scarlet-haired, hour-glass figured woman?

「I’m telling you, this ship is left in my charge. 」

Gramps was pointing to my ship with his pipe.

All the small boats that can go to the island are currently out, or should I say being used to transport goods, so they’re not here.

The woman wasn’t wearing any jewelry, but the simple dress she had on emphasized her curves as it hugged her body, and the fabric was obviously high quality. Oh, and she’s barefoot.

「Oh my, so it’s a no despite anything I do, huh. Alright, I’ll just swim, then. 」

Hey, the island’s quite far, you know.

「Do what you want. 」

Gramps said, and — she took her clothes off! Gramps didn’t budge! What strong mental fortitude!

「Why are you going to the island? 」

Doesoesn’t matter if the woman is just bluffing, I’m not that mentally tough. Is that what they call a a corset on her torso? Plus she’s only wearing knickers.

「I’m going to have the fief lord hire me. I was told to gather a few servants by the end of the year, but I’m going to nominate myself. This might be just for a while, but they also owe me enough to support me for half a year — are you the owner of this boat? 」

「Yeah. 」

Can’t you wear your clothes first before saying all that?

The only source of light in the boating area was the open door and the glittering sea’s sunlight reflection, so it’s quite dim. Even so, her bosom was in full view.

「Won’t they reject prospective employees with problematic backgrounds? 」

「If the problem is solved then it’s fine. 」

The person who asked her was either Auro or Kiel, or an islander asked by those two. Whoever it is, owing a loan that could support someone for more than six months wasn’t something to scoff at.

But what did she mean by solving that problem right here, right now? I unconsciously glanced at Gramps.

「That girl is Soleil, vice president of the Calva Trading Company and adopted daughter of its president, who is currently sick and falling in and out of consciousness. Recently, there’s a rumor floating around that his debauched, idiot son came home and is going to marry Soleil. 」

Oh, her name is the same as my fake one. I’m not sure what the case is here, but isn’t Soleil a man’s name?

「That idiot son is doing whatever he wants now, but in a month, another company will absorb Calva Trade Company with the president’s approval. When that time comes, the procedures for removing my name from the Calva family registration will be approved too, so I don’t have to do whatever that idiot son wants to. I can’t say anything more than this, but know that I just have to survive one month then I’m free. 」

Many regions arrange marriages according to the head of the family’s will, so did this idiot son pressured his bedridden dad to marry him to Soleil?

「You don’t have any lingering affection for the company? 」

Gramps asked Soleil.

「Rather than letting that idiot son crush the company with his own hands, it’ll be better for all the employees to have the company taken over by someone else. And I’m in the way for that to happen. 」

「Heh, you’ve got some guts, huh. 」

Gramps narrowed his eyes and smoked the pipe with great gusto. Looks like he took a liking to this woman.

「Got it. I’ll bring you to the island. Wear your clothes. 」

Hey, stop with that unnecessarily straight posture while in your underclothes, alright. And nah, it doesn’t work even if you cover yourself with your hands.

Seems like I got myself a glamorous but gutsy employee candidate.