Volume 9 - CH 5

Chapter 5 – Discussion with the Marquis

I see Alessia-san’s little brother and his friends off. There is a subtle atmosphere in the room. It’s awkward.

“I’m sorry, Wataru-san. I will make sure that the punishment is carried out.”

“No, I’m sorry too for not being mature enough.”

Ugh, this embarrassing apology battle had developed. I don’t like this “No, no, it’s my fault, too” feeling, but I don’t know when to stop.

The apology battle went on for a while, and then Dorothea-san stepped in, and we settled the matter by saying that it was mutual.

“We still have some time before the Marquis comes to pick us up, so let’s have some tea.”

We drink coffee and chat. We talked about the little brother and his friends. They are also from this town and seem to have become adventurers because of their admiration for Girasole.

They had been asked to join the group several times, but they had refused because they were going on a journey and because they were not good enough. They worked hard and raised their rank to C and came here to join Girasole when they returned.

For some reason, I couldn’t forgive them, so I asked for their punishment… Yes, they resented me. They definitely resented me. I’m starting to feel like I went a little overboard.

Hmm, it seems strange to withdraw the punishment right away, so I’ll tell Alessia-san that it’s okay after a while.

“Ines and Felicia are staying here, so what about dinner? You can eat wherever you like, and I’ll get you something you like from the food storage boat.”

After the two of them talked it over, they chose what they wanted to eat from the food storage boat. Ines said steak, and Felicia said pizza. Rimu, Fuu-chan, and Beni-chan also stay behind. I asked Ines and Felicia to prepare food for Rimu and the others.

It is almost time to get dressed. The ladies’ clothes are the clean and elegant clothes of this world. It’s simple, and Claretta-san has just changed into her new priestess uniform.　

“Don’t the Girasole wear dresses?”

“Yes, if we were invited to a party, we might wear a dress, but we are adventurers, so we don’t usually dress up.”

Really… that’s a bit disappointing. The Castle did sell dresses, so I’ll do my best to see if there’s an opportunity next time.

The carriage to pick us up arrived, so we split up and got in. I’m finally going to meet the Marquis. I’m very nervous. When we arrived at the castle, we were shown into a luxurious room. Tea was served immediately.

The servants in the castle all have straight backs and move gracefully… It is cool to have good manners. It’s a world of difference from me walking around lazily.

We chat over a cup of tea to ease the tension. After a while, we are ushered back in and shown a magnificent room.

Generally, the person sitting at the shorter side of the rectangular table, looking so important, was the Marquis. I was a little intimidated when he stood up and greeted me.

“Welcome to my humble abode. May I call you Wataru-dono?”

“Yes, my name is Wataru. I am pleased to meet you, Marquis-sama.”

The other participants also greeted each other and took their seats… I didn’t know that people would be so attentive when it came to matters concerning the mage. I’m afraid of the nobles’ kindness. The Knight Commander’s smile is also drawn, and he seems to be having a hard time.

The food is monotonous compared to that of a luxury liner, but it is tasty enough, and beautifully arranged dishes are served. At first, it was light conversation, but gradually the conversation turned to probing.

I didn’t find being probed any better than talking about clothes and art. It was so full of gibberish that I had to phase through it and broke out in a cold sweat. I managed to explain about the suit, but the rest of the conversation was refreshing.

He even tried to recruit me. He asked me if I would be interested in opening a shop in Lucca. He said he would give me permission to do business with the Marquis family… and it sounded somehow lucrative, but I refused. Doing business with the nobility is a hassle.

Besides, I think he wanted the connection with the mage 100%. When I refused, he told me to visit him whenever I felt like it. He seems to be a very good negotiator.

“What kind of relationship does Wataru-dono have with Mage-dono?”

“Relationship, huh? I don’t know how to describe it, but we met by chance and became friends.”

“Oh, we owe him a debt of gratitude, but we never had the chance to meet him. What kind of person is he?”

“Well, yes… He is a gentle and kind man, as long as you don’t make him angry. He doesn’t seem to be interested in money and likes to live a leisurely life.”

This is almost a lie. I am almost embarrassed to say it. He asks me a lot of questions, but his interest seems to be focused on the mage.

He also asks about me in between, but his interest seems to be in the ship I use for the pepper trade. He asked me about the performance of the ship, the price, if he could get it, if I could sell it to him, and so on.

When I told him that the mage does not allow resale, he quietly retreated. It would be annoying if I met a nobleman who said, “I don’t care about the mage; just give me the ship.”

I was glad that Girasole joined the conversation and ended up being the focus of it. After the meal was over, the real discussion began. I was quite tired of the conversation during the meal, but now it was time to get down to business.

“So, Wataru-dono. Do you have a favor to ask regarding the request of Mage-dono?”

“Yes. Mage-sama wants to build an orphanage in this country, and I have been entrusted with the responsibility of arranging it. He wants to build a large orphanage, but it is difficult to secure land in this city. However, I have been told that land can now be secured in the city of Cagliari, so I have come to ask the Marquis-sama for help.”

“I see. The orphanage, huh? Have you heard why Mage-dono wanted to build an orphanage?”

Well, what should I say? It is not good to exaggerate too much, is it?

“I heard that he received a large reward from the war, and he said that if he were going to spend that large sum of money, it would be better to use it to help the country that gave it to him. He is a kind man, so I think he was concerned about the orphans who would come out as victims of the war.”

I feel embarrassed to say this to myself, what am I, a saint? I wonder if I can be treated lightly for being too kind?

“Hmm, well, if Mage-dono is going to build an orphanage… I think there will be some people who will cause unnecessary trouble with the orphanage, but are you okay with that?”

Unnecessary trouble? Is it possible to harass the orphans or take them hostage? …It will be troublesome because the story will get bigger, but I think it’s better to involve the crown prince after all.

“You’re right. I don’t know what benefit there is in angering Mage-sama, but if there is a danger, it should be dealt with. …Is it possible to secure the land within sight of the naval headquarters? I would also like to request that the Navy patrol and guard the property.”

“No doubt, we owe a debt to Mage-dono, but… if we use the National Army in an area under direct control, there will be those who will make a fuss. It will be difficult.”

It’s not good, huh? It would be easier if it worked. It would have to be profitable for the other side. I could use the luxury liner. If there’s a luxury liner near the orphanage, it will be safer, right?

“Right. When Mage-sama gets close to this country, we are supposed to use the crown prince as a contact person. Is that possible? Mage-sama said that once the orphanage is established, he will dock one of his ships at the port.”

“The crown prince was also concerned about Mage-dono, and it would be possible for Wataru-dono to meet him as well. But is the price for the cooperation with the orphanage the docking of the ship? He is not giving up his ship, is he?”

“Yes, just to dock the ship. The ship will be managed by the person chosen by Mage-sama. The country cannot do anything with it.”

“Why is that the price? Sure, it’s reassuring to have that huge ship docked there, but it’s not worth that much now that the empire is on the verge of destruction, is it?”

I think I could do something here if I could successfully convey the allure of a luxury liner, right?

“Mage-sama said he would let people stay in the inn on the ship. I have been on board, and it is a wonderful ship of enormous size, full of alcohol, food, and all sorts of things I have never seen before. I think it would be a great advantage just to have that ship docked there.

That’s no exaggeration, is it?

“A ship’s inn, huh… That’s interesting, but does the inn have that much effect?”

“It does. The ship is a dream for high-ranking people. I hear it is especially wonderful. As word spreads, I think it will attract wealthy people from all over the continent. Wouldn’t that be an asset to this country?”

“Hmm, it would be an advantage, but there are also risks when you consider security and such.”

Ah, I see. There are dangerous issues like terrorism and assassination, aren’t there?

“It’s absolutely safe on board the ship, as long as you don’t commit any acts of killing or injuring on board. If you try to kill or injure someone who has the protection of Mage-sama, you will be thrown off the ship. If the security on the way to the ship is good enough, then you are safe.”

“Is it safe on board? Will assassination attempts, such as poisoning, be dealt with?”

Poisoning, I hadn’t thought about that. How about that? I think it’s okay because it’s a no-kill policy, but I haven’t confirmed it. I think it’s safe because it’s a no-kill policy, but I haven’t checked. I’ll check the poison later, but if the poison is rejected on board, is it okay?”

“Yes, it’s fine. As long as you don’t do it yourself, you won’t be in any danger on the ship. And you cannot bring the poison on board.”

“Hmm, I can’t judge without seeing it. Is it possible to take a look at the ship?”

Since I said it’s the mage’s ship, I don’t think it would be easy to bring him on board.

“When the orphanage is built, I will ask him to bring the ship over, so I think it would be possible to invite you then.”

“After the orphanage is built? We will have to consult with the crown prince, and even if we see the ship after it is built, that is no guarantee that we will guard it, is it?”

“I don’t think that will be a problem. After seeing the ship, I can’t imagine that the crown prince and Marquis-sama think that it’s not necessary for the country.”

“Is it really such a great ship? Speaking of which, does Mage-dono only use ships? I’ve only seen him use his power on ships so far.”

If I said only ships here, I’d probably be treated lightly. Right now, the Add is the only one that can run on land, but I can buy hovercrafts, amphibious vehicles, amphibious buses, and so on. I think it will be no problem to make a big show of it.

“I’ve been on a magic vehicle before, so I don’t think it’s just ships.”

“What a surprise, he even has a magic vehicle… I’ll be able to meet him the next time I see the ship, won’t I? I’d like to talk to him.”

He took the bait of the magic vehicle. I knew it was rare. Let’s not meet as the mage… It would be easier to understand if the mage is a shut-in and I am the errand boy.

“It is very likely that the mage will not be able to come, so it is unlikely that you will be able to meet with him. He said he would appoint someone to be in charge of the ship and leave everything to that person.”

“Is there any way I can meet with him… Wataru-dono? Is there anything you can do?”

“Mage-sama doesn’t like to meet people, so I don’t think it’s possible. He especially doesn’t like to meet royalty and nobility…”

“I see… Normally, I wouldn’t trust someone I can’t even meet…”

“I think so too. …This is my personal opinion, but I think if you make it a condition to meet, Mage-sama will refuse the whole thing. It is not impossible to run an orphanage or inn in another country or place.”

I guess not being able to see the mage means that there will be a lot of attention on me, but if I spread the word that I am just an errand boy, and if anyone harms me, the mage will come in retaliation, can’t we work something out?

If the luxury liner attracts attention, the negotiations will shift to Camille-san, and if someone makes a nasty mess of us, it may be necessary to dress up as the mage and crash a hovercraft or water bus into them.

“…We cannot ignore the achievements of Mage-dono. We do not want to damage our relationship with him. Most of all, we do not want his knowledge to be spread to other countries. I heard that Wataru-dono introduced Mage-dono to Girasole. I’ll take care of the introduction to the land of Cagliari. But as for asking the crown prince to guard the orphanage, we’ll wait until we see the ship if that’s all right.”

“Yes, thank you very much.”

That will be fine, right? He won’t say, “Duh, I don’t want that kind of ship,” when he sees a luxury liner, will he?

“But if it’s such a great ship, there will be a lot of people who want it. What if the royalty of other countries, who haven’t seen the power of Mage-dono with their own eyes, want the ship?”

“Well, I wonder what he will do. I’m sure Mage-sama will take care of it himself, so I have no idea. “

If the royal family wants the ship… it’s sure to be a hassle, but I might have to make a serious threat. It would be best if things went peacefully and without incident.

“That’s as if it’s someone else’s problem. Aren’t you worried about Mage-dono?”

“I don’t think anyone can do anything about Mage-sama. Besides, after seeing the ship, I’m sure the people of the Kingdom of Brescia will do their best to protect it.”

“Protect? The kingdom? How could they?”

I don’t see why not. If the technology they’ve never seen before, the wonderful alcohol and food they’ve never heard of, the beauty-related goods, if they become very popular, I think they’ll do their best on their own because they don’t want to lose it as a country… Is it too easy to think like that? I would be ashamed if I were too confident.

“No, I just think that if it were me, I would protect the ship and the orphanage because I wouldn’t want anything to happen and the ship to be moved to another place. I would ask you to make a decision after you see the ship.”

“So much for the ship… I’m looking forward to it. I’ll give you the letter of introduction; just wait a bit.”

After exchanging greetings with those present, I was led to the first room.

“Whew, did you find anything wrong with what I told him?”

“Wataru-san, it’s not good to talk about such things here.”

…Ilma-san said something scary. You mean we should be on the lookout for things like eavesdropping, right? Seriously? It sounds like a period drama or a spy movie.

I tried to make it a trivial conversation, but I couldn’t get my tongue around it very well. I’m getting strangely nervous. As I waited, chatting non-stop. A rather pompous-looking civil servant came up to me with a letter of introduction.

He told me to give it to the Merchant’s Guild in the city of Cagliari, and they would take care of the formalities. We were then escorted out of the castle and taken back to the inn in a horse-drawn carriage. I was tired after all that had happened, so I decided to go to bed early today. I guess we’ll have to talk tomorrow.