182 - Damian and Old Man Ratata
With my departure for a guild request scheduled for tomorrow, I listened to the discussion between Old Man Ratata and Damian, who had visited the estate.
I had thought it would be good to see them meet, but I felt that, in a bad way, it had been a mistake.
At the table in the drawing room, Damian had blueprints spread out and was speaking passionately to Old Man Ratata.
"I really think... we need individual differences. At this rate, Lariel will only obsess over big breasts, so I think that part is important. I want to create individual differences in the biological body parts."
Old Man Ratata spoke with an exasperated look at Damian, who was speaking with a serious expression. I hoped he would scold this eccentric.
"That's obvious. You'll get bored if every face is the same. But, a biological body? That's outside my jurisdiction. I can make the skeleton as you've asked... but are you covering the whole body in a biological body?"
(O-Obvious!?)
"That's impossible. Some mechanical parts will inevitably be exposed. The ancients were great, weren't they? Automata and such look completely human. Well, maybe we could make the limbs interchangeable?"
When Damian reluctantly compromised, Old Man Ratata also nodded.
"It can't be helped. If you obsess too much, it won't be finished while I'm still alive. If that happens, only up to this part—"
Shannon was watching Old Man Ratata draw lines on the blueprints with interest. Since Shannon, who is usually blind, looked interested, I grew curious and asked.
"Is something interesting?"
"Yes. The blueprints the maid prepared have lines I can see, so it's interesting. I can see letters and numbers too. I can see the parts that were corrected, so it's already a mess, though."
Hearing that, I looked at the blueprints. On top of the lines Old Man Ratata had written, Damian had drawn lines again.
"Can you see the additions too? Like the line you just drew?"
"I can't."
As I watched Shannon answer instantly, the Seventh Head seemed to have thought of something.
"Hmm. This is quite... Lariel, can Shannon write letters or numbers? No, can she understand them?"
Asked that, I rolled the Orb with my fingertip, wondering if they were asking if the blind Shannon could read and write. When I indicated my denial, the Seventh Head spoke regretfully.
However, they didn't seem to have given up.
"It will take time, but it can't be helped. From now on, reading and writing will be added."
(Reading and writing for the blind Shannon?)
I was curious about what the Seventh Head was thinking, but looking at the two people heating up in front of me, I started to feel a bit anxious.
"Do this like this, and then we'll create a prototype... the first one will take two to three months."
Damian nodded with satisfaction at Old Man Ratata's prediction.
"That's right. The budget is... about five thousand gold coins? It'll be a bit over, but that's fine, right? After that, we'll repeat the tests, and from there, we'll make the second unit."
Hearing that conversation...
"Eh, wait a minute... it's already two thousand gold coins over the initial budget?"
I spoke to the two of them while breaking into a cold sweat, but both of them were smiling.
"There's no environment where these conditions are all met. I'll cooperate as much as possible. But it will cost money. Even when preparations for mass production are ready, one unit will basically cost about one thousand gold coins."
"What I said before was the minimum amount. If we don't do at least this much, we can't meet Lariel's expectations. Please work hard to gather funds again. I'll climb to even greater heights with this craftsman! Now, next is the appearance."
"Why not be even more adventurous? A beauty in armor isn't bad, but I want more playfulness."
"Playfulness... yes! That's important!"
Watching the two of them get excited, I started to worry if the funds would be enough while breaking into a cold sweat.
(This is bad. At this rate, we'll definitely be short on funds again. But although I've become able to earn a bit with normal requests, this is like throwing water on a hot stone.)
I had been recognized to some extent as an adventurer by the guild and was now being assigned high-difficulty requests. At the same time, the success rewards had increased, but the money was still not enough.
"P-please, both of you, show some restraint—"
Then, Damian looked at me.
"I am. I'm telling you, if I felt like it, the first unit would be a ten-thousand gold coin course. Oh, but... maybe that would be better anyway? A prototype is, after all, a boy's romance, isn't it?"
Old Man Ratata shook his head.
"I like the mass-production models too. Well, practically speaking, what'll it be, kid? Spending money doesn't necessarily mean a good product will be made, but it's better to spend it if you can."
When I tried to choose the cheaper option, surprisingly, the Fourth Head spoke in a serious voice.
"...Lariel, let's spend ten thousand gold coins. Then, let's have those two sign a contract. Stating that all the technology obtained here belongs to Lariel. We can lure Damian with future support. Tell the old man we'll provide the best environment."
Just when I thought the Fourth Head wasn't fussy about money, Mireia-san's voice came from the Orb.
"Oh, Grandfather. Have you thought of another way to make money? You're the same as always."
The Fourth Head spoke with a happy voice.
"Of course! Even if their personalities are problematic, the two here are talents with the best brains and skills! The fact that they won't show restraint means something that great should be possible! ...Well, even if it fails, it wasn't our money to begin with. It wasn't in the budget, so spending a little won't hurt."
(It's not a little!)
That's right.
It was Vera's money. That's why I wanted to use it as carefully as possible. However, the successive heads of the family seemed to agree with the Fourth Head's opinion.
The Third Head spoke with a lack of interest.
"The Fourth Head is the one for money-making. I'll leave it to you."
The Fifth Head was also uninterested.
"Same here."
Only the Seventh Head seemed to have guessed what the Fourth Head was thinking.
"Monopolizing the technology... no, preparing it to sell. You're doing here what you did in Alamsars. I see. Thinking of it that way, ten thousand gold coins isn't a waste. There are many rich people in Beim."
Hiding my face with my left hand, I spoke to the two of them.
"The ten-thousand coin course. However, I'll take the rights to the technology obtained this time. I will pay a corresponding reward, though."
Then Damian raised both hands in great joy.
"As expected of Lariel! You understand well!"
Old Man Ratata also looked happy.
"It's good that you don't worry about money. This has become interesting for the first time in a while!"
Watching the two of them rejoice, Shannon spoke to me as I slumped my shoulders.
"You have it rough, too."
I saw Shannon laughing at me with her hand over her mouth. I also smiled.
"You're practicing reading and writing starting today."
I told her that.
"Why! Aren't you embarrassed to take your frustration out on me!"
Leaving the golems to Damian and Old Man Ratata, I visited the information broker Launo-san before my departure.
As usual, I brought Miranda, and as usual, I paid the reward to Inis, the gnome who served as Launo-san's assistant.
In Launo-san's workroom-cum-bedroom, we received the report.
Miranda looked at the report.
"You've investigated a quite wide area. Did you cut any corners?"
Launo-san waved his left hand while looking sleepy.
"No way. I asked a colleague to dive in with me. Business is good over here. It's important to pass work around sometimes so as not to be envied. Well, human relationships are difficult everywhere, right?"
Then, Miranda smiled while narrowing her eyes.
"It would be correct if it weren't for the reason of wanting to take it easy. Well, as long as the information is accurate, it's fine."
As I read the report, my gaze went to one of the items.
The content was that problems were occurring between the expanded Kingdom of Rolfis and its neighboring countries. The two nations of Galleria and Lusworth were still fighting each other.
However, Rolfis, which bordered those two nations, seemed not to know what kind of distance it should maintain when dealing with the opposing countries.
"Even when they sent envoys, they were turned away? No trade, huh."
As I read the report, Launo-san explained while yawning.
"They've been doing those kinds of deals with Beim from the start. It seems they were threatened by both sides not to touch them, and that they'd be crushed if they did. It seems the Valkyries love war."
The report stated that this time too, both camps had suffered damage. However, it felt too calm for the neighboring countries to have been destroyed.
(I thought they might invade, though.)
If they invaded, my plan was to cooperate with one side from here to crush the other, and then form an alliance or union among the three countries.
(...There might be something going on.)
Thinking so, I looked through other materials, and Banseime was written about. All of it was terrible information.
"Banseime is still in a terrible situation. No, it's getting worse and worse."
When I said that, Miranda seemed curious.
"...Even though Banseime is in turmoil, Beim doesn't show much movement."
Then, Launo-san grinned.
"Well, they're a place that thinks of other countries as nothing more than business partners. Rather, they might think that with war increasing, it's a time for mercenary groups to earn. Besides, the higher-ups are probably thinking about how to make money."
It's a country where a civil war broke out. The collection of magic stones and such probably isn't going as planned.
In that case, Banseime would need to purchase magic stones from surrounding countries. However, the surrounding countries won't sell magic stones to the current Banseime, who might snap at them at any moment. In that case, the only place that would sell them is probably Beim.
From inside the Orb, the Third Head muttered with a look of distaste.
"Is this what they call 'a fire on the opposite bank'? Rather, they're thinking about how to profit by using that fire. Looking at the information, there are many things that are simply untrustworthy, but do they not care?"
Mainly regarding Celes.
It was said that those who meet Celes are charmed and give up everything. Also, the severity of massacres and looting in the invaded territories.
Even though these were transmitted as information, Beim seemed to be taking it easy.
"Launo-san, information regarding Celes has reached Beim too, right?"
"It has, but whether they believe it is up to the individual, right? In reality, war is a terrible thing. If something is slightly unbelievable, people tend to think the report is wrong. Besides, rumors tend to grow. They probably think it's that kind of thing. Or rather, they want to think so. For that matter, Beim also has the pride of having repelled invasions from other countries many times. They have a foundation for thinking they'll be fine."
When it comes to war, the guild will gather adventurers regardless of the means. Merchants will make the opponent suffer through economics, and then hire mercenary groups.
Beim really was a troublesome place.
Miranda was looking through another report while crossing her legs.
"Hey, the country between Beim and Banseime... it says the movement is strange, but what does that mean?"
To Miranda, who had a serious expression, Launo-san spoke a bit irritably.
"...Apparently, a prosperous village appeared. That much wouldn't matter, but it seems they're gathering quite a lot of magic stones and materials. The village is also starting to lean that way now. Because Banseime is running wild with civil war. Part of it is that the purchase price of magic stones has gone up... but I think it's suspicious. I wonder if they're hiding a labyrinth or something."
Launo-san laughed at the end as if making a joke, saying "Well, it's just my own imagination," but it seemed truly fishy.
(Other countries can't interfere.)
"Can you leak the information?"
Then, Launo-san spoke.
"There's no evidence. However, I have connections with the big shots in Beim. Indirectly, I've passed on the information. But this kind of thing..."
Launo-san looked at the ceiling.
"...By the time they notice, it's often too late."
――When Lariel and the others left the office, Launo called Inis into the room.
Then, he had Inis read all the gathered information.
"How is it, Inis?"
The petite Inis looked like a child reading difficult documents while sitting on the sofa.
She was cute, but Inis's body was emitting a faint light.
Even though the windows were closed and the room was dark, it was vaguely bright. In the room, Launo waited for Inis's answer.
The woman named Inis is a skill holder. Moreover, it's a special skill. A skill that is complete the moment it manifests, without a second or third stage.
That skill is [Information].
It was a skill to scrutinize obtained information and then make future predictions. It was a skill positioned as a higher-tier skill than Clara's, and the reason Launo had survived as an information broker was also because of Inis's skill.
"...They probably intend to hide it well, but there's a high possibility that a labyrinth has occurred. In some parts, materials from monsters not discovered in that area are flowing. They might have thought it was fine because there are monsters of the same type. Also, there's a possibility that the lord has already been won over."
Hearing that, Launo asked Inis for confirmation.
"Now, the situation of the surrounding countries, and the situation of Beim――what will happen from now on, Inis? The labyrinth will go berserk, right?"
To Launo's question, Inis――.
"With a high probability, it will go berserk in the near future. I think the dispatch of adventurers won't be in time. If that happens, part of the monster army will flow into Beim as well."
Launo spoke flatly.
"Can it be prevented? How much damage will Beim take?"
"...The damage from the berserk state itself is on a scale of several thousand. But the aftermath is the problem."
"The aftermath?"
"There's a high possibility that the neighboring country will collapse. And after that, there's a high possibility that Banseime will dominate the neighboring country. Beim will surely be dragged in too."
In other words.
"――The neighbor will become Banseime. That's troublesome."
Launo muttered that.
(Now, I wonder how my client will move.)
"Inis, how do you think Lariel and the others will move?"
Then, Inis was troubled. Inis can predict most things with her skill, but she has been wrong about many things regarding Lariel.
She predicts many times considering personality, ability, and so on, but all of them end up being wrong.
"...I cannot predict. Information is insufficient. Lariel-san's actions are either diagonally above or below my predictions."
Launo gave a bitter smile.
"Again? Honestly, he's a client who never lets me get bored."
Third Head (゜∀゜ヘ) "Inis-chan! Do you properly know Lariel-san as information? That part is important! Otherwise, you can't predict anything lol"
Lariel (#゜Д゜) "...It's because of you guys! Because you make me do all sorts of things!"
???? |∀・) "But you don't actually hate that kind of thing, do you? You're really not honest."