CH 66.2

Smiling, Baron Gosushin lit a government-made cigarette and sucked it with a hearty smile.

Looking toward the principal, I was given a nod.

Haha…..

That means I’m now a noble.

An associate professor at a magic academy is not some wooden bureaucrat.

「And I also have a personal request which has nothing to do with the country….」

As I was having a hard time regaining my composure after the unexpected turn of events, Baron Gosushin began to talk shyly.

「Can we use your name for my son? My wife has been nagging me to get your permission.」

I nodded back ambiguously and returned to the lab with a fluffy feeling where I was congratulated by Professor Marino and everyone in the lab. I went home after promising them to celebrate at a later date.

Until my wife Laura-san kissed me at home, I felt like I was pinched by a fox.

-0-

Dungeon special zone, it’s a golden tree given to mankind.

For a long time, mankind has surrounded the not.so.dangerous dungeons with cities and have the local knights and adventurers hunt monsters that almost infinitely springs up the dungeon to make money.

The main products of the dungeon are meat, leather materials, and magic crystals.

These products have been of great use to the local government of this country, supporting the ever increasing population, the ever growing military budget, and the dreams of young men and women to rise to the top of their league.

Dungeons are such a wonder, however, there’s a drawback.

When you don’t hunt enough, the dungeon will overflow with monsters.

When this happens, the situation will become extremely dangerous for non-mages.

On land, everything up to the horizon will be swallowed up by monsters. At the sea, it will be tinged with the color of monsters. The monster riot caused by these monsters will not die down until the powerful dungeon master, who appears in the depths of the dungeon, is defeated.  

To mages, such a thing is nothing to worry about.

Monsters?

Dungeon master?

It is a little mess that can be contained as soon as you exterminate everything in the dungeon.

However, why would you kill the goose that lays golden eggs?

It’s a waste but not enough to give up on military expansion.

For that reason, people like me, who have private armies, in each local city, will be pulled to solve the problem.

「I’ve discussed it with the other parties involved. They said that next year, they will buy magic crystals at 50%  premium if they are from the Schenkers.」

「50% more huh. What about the other things?」

「They will buy them at the same price.」

「Then, double the price of the magic crystals. The other thing is the treatment of the people under us. The lives of the slaves are at stake so I won’t be stingy. I will write a letter later.」

「Thank you very much.」

Chicken, the slave boss, who has been going to the dungeon special zone everyday for the past week since I became an associate professor, smiled tiredly.

It looks like she’s having a difficult time but it is very different from the time when she’s not even being seen as a business partner.

After all, she’s working for a noble now.

Even Chicken, who had been treated with contempt for being a lowly slave, is now a candidate as a head vassal of a young noble patriarch.

The slaves were so pleased that the “Schenker Street” sign carved on the stone pavement in front of the Magical Schenker Group headquarters was changed into “Great Schenker Street” on the same day.

Councilor is going to be angry at me.

「Is the other party being overly unreasonable?」

「The people there are mostly commoner mages. The lower rankers say they don’t have enough help but the higher ups are too stubborn to get their act together.」

Chicken shrugged her shoulders.

「It’s like that everywhere.」

「Maa, there’s no reason for us to turn our face.」

「Yeah, dungeons won’t fall apart that often. We still can take it easy.」

「Hearing you say that takes some weights off my shoulders.」

-0-

I let Chicken take care of business and went to my parent’s house for the first time in a long time.

Today, we are going to celebrate my career advancement.

My father, my two brothers, and my eldest brother’s father-in-law, the head butler, gathered to celebrate. It’s not a big celebration but there’s no substitute for spending time with the family you care for and love.

My steps were light, my purse strings were loose, and I was on my way to the dining room, having bought a pile of sake and Torquiva’s specialty on the way.