Translator: AkazaTL
Pr/Ed: Sol IX
***
Chapter 116 : People Leaving on a Journey
'Kunde Ceciliano', the owner of the Wind Tail rchant Guild and a man scheduled to be granted the title of Duke by the Esper Kingdom, had been in a very foul mood recently.
As if possessed by so evil spirit, various matters he had been secretly conducting had all gone awry recently, as if by prior agreent.
On top of that, sothing happened that further fueled his annoyance, which had already risen to the top of his head.
"I cannot do that."
"......Why can't you do that?"
The subordinate, who had pleased him with his exceptionally sharp handling of affairs, openly refused his instructions.
"When you delegated the authority for negotiation to , Master, you promised to supply them without a hitch for 3 years at the sa price as now. But now you say you will raise the price by 50%? It is an act that goes against good faith."
Grind.
If the young man in front of him had been just a little less clever, Kunde would have kicked this guy out imdiately.
But the young man's talent was too precious to throw away just like this.
Kunde forcibly suppressed his rising anger.
"Mikhail, didn't I say it just a mont ago? That the situation has changed. The financial situation of the guild is not good due to the settlent of the civil riot that occurred in Mahatdur. Surely you aren't unaware of this?"
"Of course, I am aware of that fact. However, the Belbomier Tribe risked a large-scale migration trusting my promise. To them, who are in the middle of migration, a sudden price increase is like a disaster. Please reconsider your decision."
"Mikhail, do your eyes only see the difficulties of those savage bastards and not the difficulties of our guild?"
"Of course, it's not that I don't know that. But I am speaking about the issue of good faith right now. To a rchant, 'good faith' is sothing precious that cannot be compared to a mont's difficulty."
Bang!
Eventually, Kunde ended up losing his temper.
Mikhail's confident attitude and his words, which were impossible to find fault with, were all irritating.
"Mikhail, the reason I cherished you all this ti was because I believed that at least you bastard had a heart for Wind Tail. But to spout such armchair theories in a situation like this...... I am beginning to doubt your sincerity!"
"Master!"
"Even if you have so petty talent, is there a need for to keep soone who has no heart for the guild?"
"......."
"Mikhail, this is the last chance. Go to those savage bastards right now and deliver the word that the price will be increased."
In fact, Kunde was sowhat confident.
There was no need to trade with the Belbomier Tribe, who was the subject of the current debate, in the future.
That was why he could take such a double-dealing attitude without any hesitation.
'Surely you bastard wouldn't try to go against my will just because of those re savage bastards whom we won't see again?'
However.......
"I cannot do that."
Crash!
Eventually, a large crack appeared on Kunde's desk.
"Mikhail, I clearly said this was the last chance."
"Thank you...... for everything until now. Master."
Kunde's eyes, looking at Mikhail who eventually chose 'pride as a rchant' over his own safety, were truly burning fiercely.
"Our 5 Great rchant Guilds have close relationships with each other. Do you know what that ans?"
"......."
"If you bastard leave Wind Tail defying my will, you will not be able to work in the other 5 Great rchant Guilds, nor in any other guilds under their influence."
Considering Kunde's usual way of handling things or his character, giving one more chance was an extrely exceptional thing.
"......Please stay healthy. Master."
However, the 'incomparably capable executive of the guild' who had stayed by Kunde's side for over 10 years did not change his decision.
"......!"
On that day when Kunde's desk was completely smashed.
'Mikhail Enderose's' life at Wind Tail also ended just like that.
***
He had spent over ten years in this place.
But it took less than two days for Mikhail to organize the ti he spent at Wind Tail.
Mikhail, who packed all the past years into a not-so-large bag, took a deep breath once and stood up from his seat.
"Porter. This is what I told you about two days ago."
"......."
Beside Mikhail, who had slung the bag over his shoulder, was a skinny young man.
The young man's na was Porter.
He was the one who acted as Mikhail's secretary and bodyguard while Mikhail stayed at Wind Tail.
"This is my last request to you, so I hope you complete it without trouble."
The envelope Mikhail handed to Porter contained a fairly large amount of money made by disposing of his shares in the guild.
The destination of the envelope was the Belbomier Tribe.
If they have that money, they would be able to hold out until this ti next year even if Kunde raised the price.
'Please think of it as the last conscience of a foolish rchant who could not keep the promise with you until the end.'
Mikhail forced a smile and reached out his hand to Porter.
"Thank you so much for trusting and following a foolish person like all this ti. Stay healthy until the day we et again."
"......Do you really have to go this far?"
"Porter."
"If you allow , I will go see the Master and speak to him. If the Branch Manager just changes your mind, the Master will also......."
Porter was usually taciturn to the extre, but today, he had quite a lot to say.
"You know, right? That things turned out this way was not my will."
Mikhail's gaze as he answered was directed toward the main building where Kunde was staying.
Kunde had changed.
Although he had a cunning side before, he was not a shallow human who threw away promises with trading partners like old shoes according to the logic of power.
'The Master is no longer a rchant, but has beco a monster of lust for power.'
Since when was it? Kunde had beco sothing other than a rchant.
Eventually, Mikhail had no choice but to leave his side.
"I think I really have to go now. Be well, Porter. Always stay healthy. I will miss both that brusque expression and your unfunny jokes."
Mikhail, who tapped the shoulder of his truly faithful secretary once, ca out of the Wind Tail building.
"Let's see, still, I can manage to buy the promised 200 bottles of wine sohow. What a relief. That I don't have to beco a liar on this side. Haha."
A bright laugh that didn't match the current situation burst out from Mikhail's mouth after checking his wallet.
Since it was the season when a large amount of wine was shipped from the wine cellars of the Sarong region, it seed he could obtain good wine without difficulty.
'They said the Grand Duke of Zodiac returned safely from the Sacred Festival a month ago.'
He adjusted the bag straps to fit his shoulders perfectly and retied his shoelaces.
"Shall I get going!"
Ending with a single shout, Mikhail Enderose set out on a journey to keep his promise with Hein.
***
One week later.
Just as Mikhail traveled personally to keep his promise, Hein was also sitting at a negotiation table to keep his good faith.
However, if Mikhail's bargaining partner was a wine rchant with a bushy beard,
"You said your na is Leon Denhart?"
"That is correct. Your Excellency."
Hein's partner was a beautiful boy with a truly beautiful appearance.
Checking the naplate held in the boy's hand, Hein examined the boy once again.
Fine-textured skin and blue hair a little lighter than Sherazade's.
Slender limbs and delicate features.
If it weren't for the bulging Adam's apple and a few other characteristics, the boy's appearance was beautiful enough to be believed even if he were called a girl.
'Well, it's natural, but he hid his fangs perfectly this ti too.'
And the heavy deanor that didn't match the faintly felt mana waves and his young-looking age at all.
Facing the 'recipient' who perfectly possessed the unique characteristics of the clan, Hein entered into a full-scale discussion.
"Right. How do you plan to handle the collection thod?"
"As the Grand Duke has guessed, I intend to extract it after forming Blood Stones inside the body. That way is the cleanest for both storage and transport."
"Are there any traces left after the extraction work is finished?"
"When the Blood Stone ford inside the body is extracted outside the body, it cos out as gas through the pores, so there will be no separate traces left. Your Excellency."
"That's a relief. After all, the fewer traces left, the more convenient the cleanup is for too."
"Could you tell how many bodies you have in storage?"
Except for the fact that the object of the transaction was 'blood', a perfectly normal conversation went back and forth between the two.
"Are you surprised? It seems the amount is larger than you thought."
"......Actually, yes."
Toward Leon who was making a sowhat surprised expression, Hein said.
"Recently, there were quite a few occasions to see blood in this country."
At Hein's answer that he had prepared for this situation in advance, Leon had no choice but to be surprised once more.
Which ant,
'Does this an he had our transaction in mind from the ti the civil war started?'
Leon's eyebrows frowned slightly.
Just like last ti, he sohow got the feeling that the entire clan was dancing on the Grand Duke's palm.
"When do you plan to start the work you just ntioned?"
"If you allow it, I plan to start in earnest from next week. If I go in and out of the mortuary from the first day of eting the Grand Duke, it might attract the attention of the surroundings."
"That, you can do as you please, and any other necessary things?"
"I am truly grateful for your words, but I think it would be safest if all work is done by and two technicians of the clan who will enter the mortuary with . But I am truly grateful for your detailed consideration, Your Excellency."
"Then let's settle this matter like this. A pass that allows entry to the mortuary will be issued within today. You can do other things as you please, but if there is a change in the number of people entering, report it to imdiately."
"I will do so."
"Right. If there is nothing more to say, you may leave now."
"......."
In fact, Leon had not expected the negotiation to be concluded so easily.
Although the Grand Duke had promised to cooperate at Mystic, he hadn't thought he would show such a straightforward attitude.
"If you have more to say, speak comfortably."
But the Grand Duke's attitude was cooler than imagined.
At the coolness Hein showed, Leon decided to say what he had wanted to ask all along.
"Actually, there is one thing I would like to ask the Grand Duke."
"Try ."
Thinking that the bridge of Hein's nose facing him was truly smooth, Leon fixed his gaze on Hein.
"......Since when did you notice?"
"From the beginning."
As if trying to avoid his gaze, Hein answered while slightly picking up his teacup.
"Was my disguise that clumsy?"
"It's not that. It's just that my intuition is a bit good in this regard."
"Why did you pretend not to know when you knew everything?"
"Because it seed like that was what you wanted."
Hearing Hein's answer, Leon bit his lip gently and said.
"If you were perhaps displeased, I apologize. It wasn't because I didn't trust Your Excellency or had thoughts of deceiving you."
"You don't have to apologize."
Hein, who put down the teacup, waved his hand.
"Since our first eting was a bit violent, from your position, it is natural to be wary of ."
The first eting in the Forest of Dead Spirits (Pelbes Forest).
It wouldn't be strange for anyone who saw the rough appearance Hein took that day to be wary.
"Thank you for your understanding, Your Excellency."
Leon, no, the boy who used the na Leon gathered his hands neatly and rose from his seat.
"Since it has co to this, it would be appropriate to greet you formally. Last ti, I couldn't even greet you properly because things were frantic."
Her appearance, standing completely, was distinctly different from a mont ago.
The blue hair that slightly covered the back of the head disappeared without a trace, and pure white hair reaching down to her waist took its place.
The curves of the body that had the shape of a boy also changed into a feminine form before anyone knew it.
Lastly, what attracted Hein's attention the most was the eyes.
Red.
Shining red eyes that held the color that was like the symbol of the clan, she bowed her head.
"The successor of the secret arts of the Night Crow Faction, 'Eos Mirgichia', gives her greetings to the Grand Duke of Zodiac."
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