“Business, you say?”
The baron’s expression shifted, his eyes unreadable. He looked like a man ready to hear any idea I might have.
“A business proposal from the youngest of Berg… That does make me curious.”
“If you hear me out, I’m sure you’ll find it hard to resist.”
“Heh heh… Well, now you’ve got my hopes up.” The baron gave an encouraging little nod.
Inside, I curled my lips into a sly grin aimed straight at the baron.
Right now, he probably thought whatever I was about to say was beneath his dignity, if not outright laughable.
Given what he knew about Berg County, he’d surely heard stories about me as well.
The notorious wastrel of House Berg.
That would be me. In all my dubious glory.
He was probably assuming my proposal was just another one of my infamous indulgences.
He probably thinks I’m about to open some tavern or the like.
But that sort of misunderstanding wouldn’t last long.
The moment he heard my offer, the baron would be clutching at my trouser leg, begging to be let in.
I paused to clear my throat before addressing the baron. “First, I need a merchant guild. I’ve got the trade route fees sorted, but I don’t have a suitable guild to use.”
“Hmm… By trade route, do you mean the one the Miph Merchant Guild has been using?”
“Yes, I acquired it from them. Here, take a look.”
With a rustle, I pulled the transfer certificate from inside my coat and handed it to the baron.
He quietly read through the document, and let out a dry, incredulous laugh. He exclaimed, “A whole trade route, just to save a life? That’s quite a steep price.”
“Well, let’s just say I had more than one reason.” I shrugged, steering the conversation away from the real story.
Makio hadn’t handed over the certificate to save his subordinate’s life. That’s just how it looked, for the sake of appearances. The former Trademaster’s true aim was to make sure I never set foot in the casino again.
But there was no need to explain all that.
At times like this, it was best to simply change the subject.
“Anyway, Baron, my proposal is quite simple. Just set up a merchant guild in your barony’s name. That’s all I’m asking.”
“Hmm.” The baron sank into a contemplative silence.
But only for a moment.
With a faint sigh, the baron finally spoke. “So, in other words, you want us to establish a merchant guild in our territory. If you’d planned to do it yourself, you wouldn’t be telling me all this.”
I nodded in agreement.
The truth was, I shouldn’t be the one to get my hands on any Mithril at all.
To be precise, I couldn’t afford to hold a monopoly over this lucrative business.
The Elder Council would be practically frothing at the mouth to snatch away any monopoly I held, while Artezia would be tripping over themselves to throw obstacles in my path.
For now, at least, it was best to keep my abilities hidden.
At this stage, just being the son-in-law of House Praha is more than enough.
Anything more could wait until the day I reached the lofty heights of Aura Master—then I could reveal my cards with a flourish.
I let out a long breath and looked at the baron. If I wanted to raise the funds, I’d need his help.
Of course, I had a Plan B and even a Plan C stashed away somewhere, but if I could save time, why not do it the easy way?
I said, “Yes, but there’s no need to worry. All I need is your name on the paperwork, nothing more.”
“…Is this illegal, by any chance?”
“No. I swear on my family’s honor, there’s nothing unlawful about it.”
The baron listened, swallowed again, and asked slowly, “Then what is it we stand to gain?”
There it was. That was the question I’d been waiting for.
Curling my lips, I continued. “Your barony will be able to trade directly with the Imperial Capital through my trade route. Naturally, the amount of gold flowing into your lands will be quite different—and before long, your territory will start to grow wealthier and wealthier.”
“…But even if we set up a merchant guild, there’s nothing to sell in our territory. Young Lord, aren’t you just hoping to make a quick profit by running goods along your trade route? Even if you bring things from the Imperial Capital to us, I doubt the margins will be anything to write home about.”
“That’s nothing you need to worry about. If you just sign the contract, I’ll handle everything else.”
“…So you have a plan, then.”
Instead of answering the baron’s question, I just shrugged.
This was the moment to look as nonchalant as possible.
If I looked calm and confident, the baron would be more likely to trust me and go along with the deal.
Not that I was bluffing.
“…”
I kept my mouth shut while the baron wrestled with his thoughts.
How long did we sit there in silence? Hard to say.
Eventually, the baron’s eyes opened slowly, and I caught his gaze.
“So, what will it be?” I asked.
“…You know, Young Lord, you have a way of casting a spell on people with your words.” The baron let out a soft, rueful laugh. “All right. Let’s do as you say and give it a try.”
Whew. It’s done.
I let out a sigh of relief and rose from my seat, saying, “Then let’s go draw up the contract. We’ll need to hammer out the percentages, too.”
“Yes, let’s.” The baron chuckled again and stood up as well.
I had the distinct feeling today was going to be a long one.
* * *
That evening.
The baron sat at his desk in his study, thinking of Louis Berg, and let out a dry laugh.
He’s nothing like the rumors.
The Black Sheep of House Berg. The Shame of Berg. Those were the labels that clung to the youngest son of Berg County like particularly stubborn burrs.
And the baron himself, before meeting Louis Berg in person, had worn those same tinted spectacles.
But the young lord he’d met face-to-face was nothing like he’d imagined. He had a silver tongue and a knack for charming people.
Just look at the contract he’d signed, for example.
Nine to one. That was the profit split from the merchant guild’s earnings—and, naturally, the baron’s share was the one.
“Hah… Might as well call it an extortionist’s guild and be done with it.”
The baron clicked his tongue and shook his head, but it wasn’t because he felt wronged or offended.
He had his reasons for signing off on such a lopsided deal.
Now that was an offer I couldn’t refuse.
The baron chuckled wryly as he recalled the conversation.
Just then, a man entered the baron’s study, asking, “May I come in?”
“Ah, you’re here. Running a bit late, aren’t you?”
“The man I was relieving showed up late, so I got held up.”
“I see. You’ve had a long day. Come, sit down.” The baron gestured to the chair across from him.
The man nodded and sat down.
“I heard you called for me. Is something the matter?” he asked in a calm, even tone.
He was the baron’s son—the same guard Louis had met the other day.
The baron turned to his son and spoke slowly. “The Young Lord of Berg County was here just now.”
“Yes, I know.”
“From tomorrow, you’ll be following him wherever he goes.”
“Follow the Young Lord of Berg?”
Rom, the baron’s son, couldn’t quite make sense of it.
Why would his father want him to shadow this man? Especially now, when leaving a gap in the guard detail was out of the question.
After all, this was exactly the time of year when Kobolds ran rampant.
But the baron, not one to take back his words, pressed on in a tone that brooked no argument. “Right. Set aside your guard duties for now. This may be your only chance.”
Rom didn’t ask what his father meant by “only chance.”
Even though the baron had put particular weight on the word, Rom simply nodded and said, “Yes, Father.”
Rom let out a faint sigh. He could only hope his father wouldn’t make the foolish mistake of sacrificing the barony for his sake.
* * *
The next morning.
I stepped out of my lodgings, stretched, and greeted the morning sun.
Maybe it was the verbal fencing with the baron last night, but I felt absolutely wrung out.
“Ugh… I’m dying here.”
I pressed my throbbing forehead and let out a sigh.
The silver lining was that I’d actually managed to put up a decent fight.
Nine to one. That was the split on the net profits I’d earn from future trading expeditions.
Ninety percent. That’s even better than I expected.
Honestly, I’d been prepared to settle for sixty-forty. I never thought the baron would go for these terms.
Probably because the deal didn’t really cost him anything.
Well, aside from the small matter of making his son a knight of Berg County—which, let’s face it, was the real prize here.
Anyway… The deal was done, and all that was left was to go hunt down some Mithril.
Which meant it was about time for a certain somebody to make their entrance.
I stood outside my lodgings, a roll-up perched between my lips, waiting for my companion.
And right then…
“No smoking inside the Baron’s Manor, Young Lord.”
There was the voice I’d been waiting for.
I turned to see who it was—Rom, the baron’s son.
He was dressed in his guard’s armor, casting me a stern look.
I couldn’t help but smirk.
“Oh dear. I had no idea.” With a snap of my fingers, I snuffed out the ember at the tip of my smoke. Then I added, “By the way, you’re late.”
“My apologies. The shift change took longer than expected.”
“I understand.”
“Thank you. So, is it just the two of us going?”
“The others are waiting outside. Only you were missing.”
“…I suppose I owe them an apology.” Rom’s face stiffened as he replied.
I waved my hand as if to say it was nothing. “You’re hardly late. Let’s get going. We can talk on the way.”
“Yes.” Rom nodded.
When we reached the village gate, the rest of the party was waiting.
“Let’s go.”
With that, I led the group onward.
And so, Rom, my companions, and I set off for the mines in search of Mithril.
Naturally, the Mithril mine wasn’t just lying around in plain sight. You had to pass through a certain spot before its shimmering glory would reveal itself.
The catch? That spot happened to be the underground sewer.
“…Do we really have to go in there?” Lancelot asked, pinching his nose tightly.
Judging by the way Lancelot’s face scrunched up, he really couldn’t stand the smell.
I paid him no mind and threw myself into the underground sewer.
Kai came in after me. Then Roxen. Next, Rom and Hans followed.
Lancelot, seeing he was the last holdout, let out a sigh of pure resignation and stepped inside as well.
We trudged through the sewer, surrounded by a thick stench and dampness.
Just then, in a rare moment of sociability, Roxen spoke. “Rom, was it?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Why are you working as a guard? If you’re a noble, couldn’t you just live a life of leisure?”
Rom tilted his head, as if the question itself was odd. “Of course not. It’s my duty to protect the people of the domain. As a noble, it’s my responsibility.”
His tone was calm and even.
“…I see.” Roxen gave a bitter smile at Rom’s answer.
I looked at Roxen. Today, his dark beard seemed to make his painful past stand out even more.
He was probably remembering the tragedy at Ayla Village.
Back then, the lord of Ayla Village had cared only for himself.
When the Demonkin appeared, he’d gathered up the entire Order of Knights and fled.
Naturally, with no knights left, the village was overrun by Demonkin, and the outcome was disastrous.
The Emperor punished that lord, but it likely brought Roxen little satisfaction.
I looked at Roxen with a sense of pity, but nothing I could say would heal his heart.
So what else could I do but keep walking in silence?
Who knows how long we walked like that.
“Ah, there’s light up ahead!”
At last, the passage to the Mithril mine appeared.