kscans

Chapter 57 - A Preliminary Look

A cloth covered the area around the stone tablet currently under restoration.

In the blank space near the center, a preliminary sketch had been drawn, and the relief carving had already begun. The work was proceeding smoothly.

This was thanks to the prime minister, who had given me the original drawing that had been stored in the royal palace's warehouse. The restoration itself was being handled by artisans in the royal family's employ. Even so, it would take another month before the unveiling.

An unveiling is an overstatement, I thought. This was, after all, just the restoration of a relief. The real unveiling was for the statue of "The Hero Who Slays the Dragon" being erected in the center of the Forum. The relief would simply reappear alongside it, casually and without fanfare. Most people who saw it would probably just tilt their heads, wondering if anything had changed at all.

To everyone except a certain female classmate and a few of her friends, it was nothing more than that. Said classmate was now staring intently at the sketch. He was quite the handsome man, at least in profile. Of course, given that they were mythological gods, the depiction wasn't necessarily true to life, but the man drawn beside him, his brother and the current king, still bore a resemblance, so it probably wasn't too far off.

More than anything, one look at her face made it easy to imagine that both her parents had been beautiful. Incidentally, the other relief was also being restored, based on an original drawing that Grand Duchess Bertold had kept in her possession.

"...Ricardo-kun."

"Yes."

Alfina spoke from a distance of two paces away. Apparently, her aunt had scolded her for her actions before I left for Tuvil Mountain.

"The memories of coming here with everyone are very precious to me. But every time I remembered them, this broken relief would also come to mind. It was just a little... frustrating."

Alfina started to reach a hand toward me, then hastily pulled it back.

"I heard from Clau. She said it was very dangerous."

"Hahaha..."

Is she talking about the part where I was running around being shielded by a girl while the knights fought bravely in front of us? Is that what she found out?

"How can I ever properly thank you?"

"Lady Claudia-dono would be happy to hear you say that."

"I thanked Clau, of course. At that time... it was because of my own selfishness that I made even Clau participate in the extermination..."

Alfina lowered her head. Even if Clau-dono had volunteered, it was natural for her to feel remorse. But when Alfina looked up again, her expression was troubled.

"However, Clau said she was just repaying you for protecting her father's honor."

Huh, that's different from what I heard. I'm pretty sure she told me it was Alfina's request, so I shouldn't worry about it.

"No, that's not what I mean... For you to go through such danger, Ricardo-kun..."

Alfina looked at the sketch for the relief.

"I did it for my own personal reasons. Unfortunately, there is no reason for you to thank me, Your Highness, Alfina-sama."

I used the words I had prepared. Alfina bit her lip.

"A-and besides. I gained something that was well worth the risk. I need the members of Central Garden to cooperate fully with the trade fair we're holding here."

According to Mia, Rilka had been quite despondent after learning the relief's true meaning. Mishandling a reception for royalty is the kind of thing that can leave a trauma, after all.

"..."

My classmate silently puffed out her cute cheeks. A mysterious pressure washed over me.

"Also, just like at the Shoken Festival, I would like you to participate in the trade fair, Alfina-sama. It would be a complete waste if our star attraction's smile was clouded over."

I said it. I was trying to break down the barriers between the various Commercial Guilds, and between the merchant and artisan guilds. To ensure my own security, I needed the royal family's seal of approval. That was the whole reason for holding it in the Forum.

"I do not know what this 'panda' is, but I will do anything I can. But that is simply my duty as a shareholder in the Vinder Company."

She's turning her position as a shareholder against me.

"If people believe my only objective was to repair the relief, it will help hide what Vinder is truly trying to accomplish with the trade fair. The heads of the commercial guilds, aside from the Food Guild, must not learn of our true intentions."

I stated another of my objectives. Using a classmate's feelings for her parents for commercial gain. I'm the very model of a merchant. Mia had even praised me, saying, "You truly are a tactician, senpai!"

"...You are very cunning, Ricardo-kun."

"It wounds my pride a little that you are only just now realizing that."

"Hehe. I wonder what Mia would say. Ricardo-kun, why are you... No, it seems I must think about this for myself..."

With that, Alfina pulled on my arm. Her beautiful face drew close to my ear.

"A-Alfina-sama. The Grand Duchess is just on the other side of that curtain, you know."

"My feet are still properly two paces away."

"Yes, but as an excuse, that's..."

"I will not give up. Once I have properly proven myself useful to you, Ricardo-kun, you will have to accept my thanks."

Alfina whispered into my ear.

"Something about this feels strange..."

"Do you think so? I don't think it's as strange as you are. In any case, it is a promise."

Feeling the soft, warm touch of her hands on my arm, I timidly asked my supposed niece.

"...By the way, what kind of thanks did you have in mind?"

"Luiza said that a pillow... No! That was supposed to be a secret."

Alfina's face turned red, and she quickly let go of me. That was an unsettling name to hear. A pillow? What in the world has that young lady been whispering in her ear?

◇◇

"You smell the same as Alfie."

"W-what might you be talking about..."

As I stepped out from behind the curtain, the Grand Duchess's words made me instinctively shield my right arm.

"I am in your debt."

"And I have no idea what you mean by that, either."

"He was my brother too. ...Honestly, to make a direct appeal in a place like that."

The Grand Duchess hid her mouth with her usual feather fan.

"...Incidentally, had you played your cards differently, you could have obtained an honorary title."

"That would interfere with keeping our information secret. Besides, a title would be nothing but a hindrance. What would I do if I became an outcast in Central Garden?"

My communication skills are already questionable. Becoming the sole noble in the group would be a one-way ticket to being ostracized. More importantly, I cannot abandon my position as a merchant if I want to achieve my dream.

"Political matters are your jurisdiction. If, by some chance, talk of that nature arises, please crush it."

"...It seems I had best hear more about this trade fair you spoke of. You said you wished to draw the attention of artisans and merchants to Bertold while Kurtheite is rebuilding, did you not?"

Eufilia's expression changed.

"Yes. Bertold is overly dependent on agriculture. While Kurtheite is recovering, we should proceed with diversifying its economy."

The kingdom has enjoyed twenty years of stability and peace. What does that mean for its farming villages? Unless they were mistreated in the aftermath of the civil war, like Leylia, their populations have been slowly growing. Of course, it is nothing like the population growth on Earth. Perhaps one percent over ten years, something of that order.

Moreover, according to the data I saw, agricultural productivity is also gradually increasing. But expanding arable land is not a simple matter. The land best suited for farming is already being cultivated. Forcing expansion would only create less productive fields on barren soil with high transportation costs. If anything, it could increase the region's vulnerability in a crisis.

In fact, a not-insignificant number of surplus people are already beginning to appear. To put it another way, the number of people who can do something other than farming is increasing.

"It is true that the population in the villages is growing. And...?"

"We have secured a venue for commerce that, though limited, removes the framework of the guilds. Using the trade fair as leverage, we will create a system to encourage cooperation and competition between different types of companies, and between merchants and artisans. New products will be born from this. We will create an industry with the broadest possible base, and we will create it in Bertold."

It was similar to Oda Nobunaga's rakuichi rakuza policies in medieval Japan. Regional deregulation. A so-called special economic zone. In fact, there was something I wanted to try. I had gotten a hint from the state of that dragon.

"Hoh. Are you saying that the three days of the trade fair are merely a catalyst?"

"Yes. The main event is what will be exhibited there, or rather, the system we build to create those things. Besides, if we do not do this, something rather inconvenient for Bertold could occur."

"You say some interesting things."

"The surplus population is beginning to gather in the Royal Capital and in Kurtheite. I heard this directly from the miners, so I am certain of it. And Kurtheite possesses industries capable of absorbing this influx of people. As for food, they can manage with supplies from neighboring territories like Duke Grynisias's. In other words, if we do nothing, the balance of power between the east and west will collapse in ten or twenty years."

We cannot allow Kurtheite to monopolize the fruits of these twenty years of peace. Or rather, if we did, they would likely let those fruits rot. And unlike the prime minister and the king, we must consider those two to be our enemies. We cannot simply stand by and watch our enemies grow stronger.

"...So if we do nothing, that foolish Grand Duke who could not even protect his own domain will gain unnecessary power. Then what will happen if things proceed according to your prophecy?"

"It is not a prophecy... To put it in extreme terms, Kurtheite will become a mere supplier of raw materials. Though, I imagine they will still be richer than they are now, since the overall pie will be larger. Hey. What was that for?"

The feather fan rapped against my head.

"I am ashamed of myself for thinking, even for a moment, that you were selfless."

"I am honored by your praise."

What I told Alfina was not a lie. The reward Vinder gained this time was by no means small. Before the fruits accumulated over the past twenty years can spoil, we will sow the seeds for the next twenty. The trade fair is the field for that purpose.

First, we need to improve that, the thing that limits everything else.

"Besides, when I think of the Empire, we must eliminate any elements of instability in the west."

"The Empire, yes. Considering recent events, we certainly cannot let our guard down."

There is also the fundamental problem of observing the fluctuations in the magic veins. Honestly, when will I ever be able to just focus on my business?