kscans

Chapter 14 - Chapter 9: Latter Half – The Large Chest and the Small Chest

"How can a mere commoner boy of fifteen come up with an explanation like that?"

The noblewoman, who until moments ago had maintained a certain elegance, was no longer smiling in the slightest.

"Ah, do not misunderstand. I am not saying you are merely parroting someone else. That much is clear from the words of Alfina and Fulsy. I am asking how such a thing is even possible."

It was a question as standard as "What is your reason for applying?" in a job interview. I had prepared several potential answers. The words wouldn't come out smoothly because the woman before me was silently conveying that no form of deception would get past her. If she were asking about the knowledge inside my head, I could answer in any number of ways. But when I was asked about my very being, my knowledge was useless.

"Regarding the tree rings... I can only say I saw it in a dream... haha."

The words that finally escaped me were ones I thought I had already rejected as impossible. I mocked myself for saying something befitting a prophet. Her response, of course, was a cold sneer.

"Let us change the subject. What reward do you desire for this achievement? I, for one, believe this accomplishment is so great that if I cannot properly evaluate you, my only choice is to have you killed."

A cold sweat began to race down my back. It was terrifying, the way the tip of her feathered fan was now pointing just beneath my chin. I noticed that the butler, whom I thought hadn't moved an inch, was now standing right behind me.

"Aunt, your jests go too far. This is supposed to be a discussion about a reward, is it not?"

"To protect his own business. What else would he desire?"

Alfina clasped her hands tightly before her chest, defying her guardian. But the Grand Duchess paid her no mind. In the first place, she had no need to discuss rewards right now. This was a continuation of the interview from before.

While different from Fulsy’s brand of scientific literacy, this high-ranking noble understood that knowledge is power. It followed that she would naturally consider the danger I posed, possessing knowledge that was far beyond my station. I wanted to just say, It’s not so easy to apply modern knowledge that I wouldn’t struggle, but in this situation, that would have no persuasive power at all.

Therefore, Alfina was mistaken. This was in no way a generous offer of a reward. My fate, after this problem was solved, would be decided by my next answer. The old tale of the Tongue-Cut Sparrow came to mind. I wonder what would have happened if the kind old man had chosen the large chest.

Of course, in this case, unlike the folktale, choosing the smaller option wouldn't solve anything either.

"What is it? Will you not give me your answer?"

In her eyes, I was an incomprehensible, alien existence. To be unknown was reason enough to be cautious. Trying to appear harmless would only be counterproductive. The Grand Duchess's wariness, while unreasonable and unjust from my perspective, was not the least bit surprising.

"Ordinary people, especially commoners, prioritize protecting their current lives. To that end, they naturally narrow their perspective. A difficult problem like a disaster that may or may not happen is simplified into a binary choice. Believe it, or don't believe it. Well, we nobles are not so different in that regard. You said you cooperated with Alfina to protect your small business."

The Grand Duchess's eyes narrowed to slits.

"A man like that could not have drawn that picture."

...Damn it all, she keeps making one spot-on, self-serving judgment after another. But that was ultimately just her one-sided opinion. If this was how it was going to be, I would make her understand. I'd show her that my instinct for self-preservation was the real deal.

"I have three requests," I said. I had already prepared a draft.

"Let me hear them."

"First is the matter of Leylia village after the disaster is resolved. I would like you to protect it in a certain way."

Even if the monster flood is dealt with, that village will attract no small amount of attention. At the very least, the movements of the Knight Order will bring it to the attention of people from the capital. And then there was the recent kidnapping attempt. We can no longer get by with simply keeping it a secret. It must be protected, in the most literal sense of the word.

The Grand Duchess pointed to the jar of honey placed beside her cup.

"You want me to protect the source of this, not only now but after this is over as well. Is that it? And what is this 'certain way'?"

"If the disaster can be prevented, Lady Alfina's reputation will rise. Her lack of a fief, which royalty ought to be granted, should become an issue."

If the village became the princess's domain, no one of any consequence would dare to meddle with it. I would normally hate for things to come to this, but I could no longer be picky. In that case, I had no choice but to take the best of the worst options.

"Its location in the west is a sticking point, but it is a small village. The king might even be relieved by such a small matter. I shall see that your suggestion is carried through. I will dispatch a trustworthy retainer from my own house to act as magistrate."

The Grand Duchess nodded. In that case, the next thing I had to do was...

"My second request. Please push for the Third Knight Order to be dispatched to the west."

"The Third Knight Order is small in scale. It is not a bad choice, as it is also less likely to provoke the Empire financially, but..."

The Grand Duchess looked puzzled. The Third Knight Order was, so to speak, a mobile reserve force. They had assisted the Second Knight Order with exterminations before, so they were not completely without experience. However, dealing with monster floods was the Second Knight Order's specialty. With the safety of Leylia and twenty other villages hanging in the balance, one would normally prioritize security above all else.

But as things stood, there was a high probability that the Second Knight Order could not be deployed.

"With the Second Knight Order, obstacles will arise regarding the dispatch itself."

In this world, where there is little surplus production, gathering provisions takes time. It has been a long time since the wars with other nations ended, and in a country where monster floods are predictable, regular stockpiles are small to begin with. On top of that, due to the secret war between Dorefano and Kenwell, the Second Knight Order's reserves are at a crisis level. That was a fact discovered by Mia and Jacob's investigation. An unexpected stroke of luck, really.

If an emergency deployment were ordered, Dorefano and Kenwell would do nothing but trip each other up. Through lobbying and other means, the dispatch of troops, which would already be contentious, would be thrown into further chaos. In the worst-case scenario, they might prevent the decision from being made at all.

Subjugating a monster flood is, to put it in extreme terms, about defeating a single high-ranking individual, not a war against a horde of monsters. Numbers shouldn't be the most important factor. I had confirmed this with Fulsy beforehand.

"The Knight Commander of the Grand Ducal House of Bertold is a former unit commander of the First Knight Order, I believe..."

"True, my own domain will also send reinforcements, but... Why do you insist? Do you have some connection to the Third Knight Order?"

The Grand Duchess narrowed her eyes. She was completely off the mark. But the formal head of the Third Knight Order was another key point.

"I was watching the New Year's Festival. 'Even if a calamity should befall us, the Kingdom will repel it. As it always has.' That was it, wasn't it?"

"...The head of the Third Knight Order is the Third Prince. The hero who prevented the disaster would be a prince. For the Royal Family, it would more than make up for the failure of denying the Oracle Princess's prophecy. No, it would paint a picture of the Royal Family uniting its power to avert disaster. That would also soften the criticism against Alfina."

At this point, protecting Alfina meant protecting the village, protecting the Vinder Company, and protecting myself.

"And your last request?"

"A four-day grace period before this information is widely revealed. I suspect it will take about that long just for the internal maneuvering anyway."

"There is no way it will be done in four days. Very well, I will be thorough. And your reason?"

The Grand Duchess stared at me intently.

"I can only say that for a merchant, a monopoly on information is the greatest source of profit."

This was the moment of truth. This request, from top to bottom, was purely for my own benefit. We stared at each other.

"..................Very well. Consider that part of your reward as well. Alfina, you are not to speak a word of this. Not even to Adele's daughter."

"Not even to Clau? Y, yes, I understand..."

"Thank you very much."

I bowed my head, packing many different meanings into the gesture. If Claudia found out, the whole plan would be ruined.

"Um, but, is that all? It's all about me. There's nothing for you, Ricardo-kun... Th, that's right. I was the one who asked for your help in the first place. If there's anything I can do for you..."

"A-anything, you say?" Alfina nodded firmly, her expression earnest. Her blue-silver hair cascaded over her modest, but well-formed, chest. Gulp. I couldn't help but swallow.

"Oh? So there was some promise between you and Alfina after all?"

"N-no, that's not it!"

"Hmph. Well then. A distant relative of mine, a viscount, has an only daughter of marriageable age. He is looking for a son-in-law to inherit the house. If you are interested, I could introduce you."

"Aunt!"

Alfina shot to her feet in surprise. Thanks to her, I missed my own opportunity to act surprised.

"What is it, Alfina? This is about your dear friend's advancement. If this young man were to become a relative, it would be much easier to associate with him."

"Th-that's not what I mean... That sort of thing should be up to the person involved..."

"Hmm. True, if a commoner were to become a candidate for her hand, Luiza might be displeased."

"That's not it! I mean, this is supposed to be about a reward for Ricardo-kun. To decide something like that without even asking what he wants... That's not right!"

A childish quality crept into Alfina's tone.

"Are you not the one ignoring his wishes? I am asking for his preference by saying I could make an introduction."

"Eh? Ah, um..."

Alfina looked at me with a troubled expression. The answer was already decided.

"Our family has spent nearly ten years in the honey business. Your Grace just referred to it as a small business. Vinder is indeed small. But it is not so cheap as to be exchanged for a viscount's title."

My goal isn't so small that I have time to waste dabbling in a side-gig like being a noble. Besides, she already knows I don't give a hair's breadth of value to social status.

Still, I pray the viscount's daughter never hears those words.

"Kuku... Hahahaha!"

The noble lady threw her head back and laughed, her mouth wide open. To top it off, she began to bang her feathered fan on the desk. The intimidating aura from before vanished completely.

"I see, so it cannot be exchanged for a mere viscount. I see. I was thinking of making you an official purveyor to the House of Bertold, but I suppose you have no need for that either."

I nodded. It wasn't that I was without ambition. By asking only for indirect forms of protection, I was, conversely, telling her not to interfere directly with the Vinder Company. Safety under a noble's patronage, with all the strings attached, was a mismatch for my objectives.

Therefore, this was my true, genuine wish. Since I lacked the capacity to deceive my opponent, I had no choice but to fight with the weapon of honesty.

"Hmph. Well, I suppose I will watch you for a little while longer. Having you around certainly adds to the enjoyment I get from teasing my niece."

◇◇

Four days later, I was heading to the library as usual.

"Senpai."

"Mia. How are the preparations?"

"Yes, the rumor is spreading slowly through the city. Jacob is also spreading it among the adventurers who are former soldiers, so it should reach the military's ears eventually."

"And the reaction?"

"As expected, no one is taking it seriously."

"Just as planned, then," I said, trying to keep the emotion from my voice. In the courtyard, a chubby boy was walking, flanked by his entourage of fellow commoner students.

"Understood. However..."

"What is it?"

"What do you suppose Her Highness the Princess will think when she learns of this?"

"...Is that important right now?"

I made my voice sound calm. Given her personality, she would certainly not be pleased when she found out what I was about to do. But right now, I had to focus on what I needed to protect above all else.

The attempted kidnapping of the village child had ultimately led back to Dorefano. Jacob and his team's investigation had identified one of Dorefano's subordinate mid-sized companies as the ones who commissioned it. And with our current power, we couldn't even touch Dorefano. Not head-on.

"I spoke out of turn. ...Regarding the milk vetch honey, the shipment of what we had stored in the village has arrived. The emergency food supplies from Bertold, where the Chairman is, have also been delivered, just in case."

I had already confirmed that things were getting busy at the Third Knight Order's garrison. By now, inside the castle, that formidable woman was probably holding Fulsy by the scruff of his neck, forcing him through a presentation.

"Alright. Our own preparations are complete, then."

I pay my business rivals respect, but I show my political enemies no mercy.