Episode 317 – You Haven’t Stamped the Contract Yet, Have You?
I waited for the others for a mont.
I couldn’t go without taking the public face of the Lenon Workshop.
I had planned to bring Lochter along, the one who left such a strong impression on Italus during their first eting.
Just having Lochter present would be enough to create pressure.
“Um...?”
While waiting for Lochter, who had stepped out to deal with the spies, the innkeeper cautiously approached . He held a piece of paper with an amount written on it—it seed to be the bill racked up while Lily had been ringing the bell.
I handed him a small pouch. When he opened it, the innkeeper’s eyes widened in shock.
“That pouch belongs to you from now on.”
“Th-thank you!”
“New guests will be joining us soon. Please take good care of them.”
“Leave it to !”
Leaving the innkeeper, who bowed at a perfect ninety-degree angle, I walked over to a side table.
Sothing had caught my eye.
A small bell left unattended.
I wondered for a mont why the item Lily had carried around like a treasure was here, then looked under the table.
Just as I thought.
“…Sleep well.”
Lily had fallen asleep with a peaceful expression. Judging from the crumbs at the corner of her mouth, she must’ve dozed off while eating bread.
I gently took the piece of bread from her hand and called out to the black ball of fur.
“Keros.”
Keros, curled up beside her, peeked his head out.
“I’ll be gone for a bit. Make sure she doesn’t go wandering off sowhere strange.”
Keros blinked both eyes and nodded. Ever since I’d saved him when he was on the verge of death, he’d been surprisingly well-behaved.
Is he one of those who grow through suffering?
“I’m back.”
Just then, the door opened and Lochter returned.
His clothes were as neat as when he had left.
If not for the blood on his sword, he could’ve looked like soone who’d just gone out for a short walk.
“How’s the situation outside?”
“Twelve in total. Each belonged to a different organization.”
“Sounds like they hired through the Information Guild. Did you find out who funded them?”
“I couldn’t.”
“Are the ghosts interrogating them?”
“They are, but don’t expect much.”
“Understood. We’re heading out shortly. Prepare yourself.”
“I’m coming too?”
“Yes. It’s an important location.”
Hearing it was important, Lochter asked no further and requested a dry cloth from the innkeeper.
As he sat beside and began cleaning his sword, the ghosts returned.
When our eyes t, the ghosts shook their heads.
The backer was unidentified.
Whoever had hired them was being quite cautious.
“Well, it’s unfortunate, but that’s enough. It wasn’t a critical matter anyway.”
There would be more spies.
We could trace the tail then. After all, there were only so many people who’d send them.
I had the ghosts sit at the table and gave them new instructions.
We would offer the distribution rights to items produced by the World Tree Union as a benefit.
Following Notura’s advice, I planned to use profit-sharing to provoke division among the trading companies.
A mont later, the ghosts nodded and asked,
“Should we deliver this to the trading companies listed here?”
“Yes. There are quite a few—how long will it take?”
“Our Leaf agents are already positioned around each company. Half a day should be enough to deliver and return.”
“Half a day? Good.”
I glanced out the window and roughly gauged the ti, then nodded.
The list I gave to the ghosts included only the small and mid-sized slave-trading companies without red marks.
Since speed was of the essence, the ghosts imdiately rose and vanished outside.
“Lochter, shall we get going?”
“Where to?”
“To the marketplace where the Italus family is based.”
We left the inn, hired a carriage, and headed straight for the shopping district.
It was a bit early for a visit.
I tipped the driver and asked him to take a wide loop around the area.
Clatter clatter—
The carriage slowly toured the flashy shopping district like we were sightseeing.
Beneath the clear blue sky, I gazed toward the large estate that was the Lenon Workshop’s main household and thought.
How long would it take for news of the World Tree’s product distribution rights to reach Italus?
Just one or two deliveries should be enough.
Information tied to profits spreads quickly in Aintrier.
That’s how sensitive rchants are about these things.
Notura had said it.
Profit is a bundle of greed—there’s no such thing as equal sharing.
So have more, so less. It’s all relative, and that imbalance triggers envy, which leads to impatience.
“I wonder how Italus will react.”
I leaned back in the carriage.
I had already sent word to the Lenon Workshop that I wished to visit. They’d likely received it by now.
I pulled out another gold coin.
“One more lap, please.”
I wanted to get a feel for the current mood at the estate.
***
A grand estate.
Carriages continued arriving at the mansion adorned with beautiful landscaping.
The people stepping out of them were dressed in expensive, luxurious garnts.
Their attire matched a leisurely pace, but their movents were anything but calm.
As soon as they disembarked, they hurriedly gathered in the mansion’s study, where the owner resided.
It was the office of Italus, master of the Lenon Workshop.
A sudden ergency eting among the bloodline that led the workshop.
The topic: how to respond to the World Tree Union.
The head of the household desired an alliance with the World Tree Union, but as expected, there was strong opposition.
“That won’t do!”
A direct descendant of the Lenon family stood against the head’s opinion.
“The dwarves are the very heart of the Lenon Workshop. Without them, we don’t exist. Trusting the World Tree Union and releasing the dwarves would be far too naive.”
“Even though we have a chance to establish a new relationship with the Dwarf King?”
The head’s son, heir to the workshop, attempted persuasion, but the opposition did not subside.
“Do you even understand dwarf nature? They’re as stubborn as stone. They’ll never negotiate with those who enslaved them!”
“But Alex, their representative, is diating...!”
“We mustn’t be fooled by him! What he wants is a family to serve as his base in Aintrier. If they use us and discard us, the Lenon Workshop will lose everything. Think carefully, Master!”
Giving up the massive profits earned over decades through dwarf slavery was no easy decision.
Moreover, trust in the World Tree Union was shaky at best. Still, they admitted the Union was about to bring major changes to Hell Gri.
That only fueled the fiery debate between the sides.
Just then, Italus, who had quietly listened, slamd the desk.
The study fell silent.
He looked at his son and asked,
“What are the chances the World Tree Union allies with Lord Azonne?”
“Low, I’d say.”
“Why?”
“Azonne already has plenty of factions around him. He has no reason to share his profits with the World Tree Union. If I were him, I’d tear them apart instead. They’re a powerful prize—there’s much to gain.”
“There’s conflict over the exclusive rights, right?”
“Yes. Azonne has been openly greedy about the Leaf monopoly. No one is bidding higher for those exclusive rights.”
Italus nodded.
Just as his son had said, an alliance between Azonne and the World Tree Union seed unlikely.
At least they could avoid the worst-case scenario.
Still, our situation’s not exactly easy either.
He clicked his tongue as he looked at the fiercely opposing blood relatives.
They had no right to call themselves rchants.
He knew that they needed to work with the World Tree Union.
What concerned him was the position of negotiation.
He must be in a stronger position during the talks.
He noted which mbers supported his son’s opinion. This eting had revealed the ones he should invest in for the future.
Ti to wrap things up—it wouldn’t be long before an important guest arrived.
“A few days ago, what did Azonne want in exchange for curing his granddaughter’s curse?”
“A joint workshop.”
“Right. He suggested running a workshop together. Do you know what that ans?”
His son’s face hardened as he answered.
“It’s a joint venture in na only. In truth, it’s a declaration that we should submit to Azonne.”
“Azonne has clearly marked us as a target. Why do you think that is?”
“Because of Demtor.”
Italus smiled in satisfaction. His expression said, At least I raised one heir right.
His son lowered his head and continued.
“Demtor’s situation has changed drastically. The Towers are clashing, creating hostility. Because of that, our allied Towers have effectively lost their protective power.”
“What do you an…?”
“It ans Demtor is divided. We no longer have a shield.”
The unexpected explanation stunned the family.
Italus spoke sharply.
“Lenon Workshop is in an invisible war. A blade is at our throats, and we’re blind to it.”
“If I were Azonne, I’d imdiately ban all slave trade involving other races the mont I allied with the World Tree Union. That would destroy our house in an instant.”
“Th-that’s absurd!”
“Yeah! The other rchants would never allow that!”
“Why not? If Azonne uses the Leaf monopoly to distribute benefits, they’ll fall silent.”
Only then did the family begin to understand the gravity of the situation.
What the World Tree Union ant to the Lenon Workshop.
“The decision is made. We’re siding with the World Tree Union.”
“A representative from the Union will visit soon. We must gain the upper hand in that negotiation. Understand?”
“Yes, sir!”
The eting room finally began discussing with one voice.
How to approach the negotiation advantageously.
Over ti, so decent suggestions ca up.
This was why Italus believed in the power of collective intelligence. Even if the individuals were diocre, good ideas could erge when heads ca together.
It was his role to catch and refine those ideas into a solid plan.
“Sir! A guest has arrived!”
The door opened as the butler announced an important visitor.
Italus nodded and stepped out into the corridor.
Whinny—
A horse neighed.
A shabby carriage arrived at the mansion gates.
The door opened, and a familiar man stepped out.
“Hm…?”
The twin blades with red accents stood out.
It was Lochter Felice, the most famous swordsman currently in Aintrier.
Sending him ahead—clearly, the representative knew how to negotiate.
At that mont—
“W-wait!”
His son ca rushing over, flustered. That sort of haste wasn’t typical of him.
But sensing sothing different about his son, Italus quietly listened.
Then—
“What!?”
He couldn’t help but shout.
He stared at his son in shock when a voice called out.
“It’s been a while. Have you been well?”
Turning his head, he saw a man with sharp eyes smiling at him.
Alex Marcia.
The World Tree Union’s representative.
“Why that expression? Trouble at ho?”
“Just one question.”
“You can ask twice if you want.”
Suppressing the rising anger, Italus opened his mouth.
“Distribution rights. Is it true? That the World Tree Union will offer items they produce to rchants?”
“It’s accurate.”
“Then what about what you told us?”
“What do you an?”
“The deal with the Dwarf King. Didn’t you say that would give us exclusive rights to distribute World Tree items?”
“That’s correct.”
“Are you ssing with right now?”
I smirked at Italus’s sharp glare.
Greedy old man.
Did he really think he could gobble up all the distribution rights for himself?
That was a massive miscalculation.
The extent of those rights would be determined by negotiation. And I knew everything about the Lenon Workshop.
Which ant—
“You haven’t stamped the contract yet, have you?”
In this negotiation, I could play as rough as I wanted.
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