Chapter 130 - Are You a Heretic? (5)

“Then you aren't saying there's no chance of success?”

“That's right. The Pallatio marquisate is well situated, so merchant caravans frequently pass through.”

“For all that, we haven't had quite so many caravans coming through.”

“Until now, they've had no particular reason to stop here. Most likely, they've preferred to visit other nearby territories, even if it meant taking a slight detour.”

“Because of their local specialties?”

“Yes. To be blunt, the surrounding territories all have specialties of their own.”

Alexion answered without hesitation. Alon was inwardly impressed.

'Oh. So this is why you should leave business to someone with a knack for it.'

He found himself nodding as he watched Alexion, who understood the territory's situation far more thoroughly than he did.

... Granted, Alon hadn't taken much interest in developing his territory in the first place. Still, Alexion's outstanding business acumen was undeniable.

'Should I invest?'

When he first learned that Alexion owned the auction house, he had actually thought he ought to reconsider investing. Alexion had behaved himself when Alon met him through Radan, but Alon knew just how rotten his true nature was.

Yet now that they were talking, Alexion seemed surprisingly normal. No, more than normal—he even seemed remarkably intelligent.

'... Was Identifier Alexion originally normal too, until something happened to him before the player arrived in Laxas? ... No, I could swear I heard he'd always been like that.'

It puzzled him, but he made his decision and asked a question.

'Well, he seems perfectly fine right now.'

“How much do you think we'll need if we develop the territory along the lines I suggested?”

“Hmm. There will be considerable expenses on several fronts.”

“Will there?”

“Yes. Simply laying the groundwork will cost a great deal.”

“Naturally, I'm willing to invest a certain amount. In you as well, of course.”

Alon intended to make a fairly substantial investment in this venture. Above all, he wanted some way to make money without exploiting his subjects.

“So I'd like you to speak freely... What are you staring at?”

Something was odd about Alexion. Ever since their discussion had begun in earnest, he had been subtly looking past Alon rather than at him.

Alon turned to follow his gaze.

'A tree?'

All he saw was an ordinary tree.

“Oh, it's nothing. I have a habit of staring into space when I'm thinking. My apologies for the unintended rudeness.”

“Well, if that's all it is.”

Everyone had their habits.

As Alon nodded, Alexion forced a smile and watched the image the woman was holding up behind him.

In it, Radan was mouthing a chilling threat.

'If. You. Get. Caught—'

'I'll. Show. You. The. World. Beneath. The. Sea.'

“...”

Radan was kindly enunciating every single syllable to ensure Alexion couldn't possibly misunderstand. Alexion stifled the scream he wanted to let out.

He knew Radan was the sort of bastard who really could do it.

If he wanted to survive, he had to behave himself.

Keeping his face as impassive as he could, Alexion began offering practical advice. Normally, he would have steered things toward leaving himself a “slightly larger” profit, but with Radan watching, that plan was dead in the water.

He didn't want to die over a single ill-chosen word.

“To plan a venture on the scale you envision, my lord, we would first need this much.”

“... That's quite a sum.”

“It can't be helped. Construction alone will require a substantial initial investment, and then we'll need money to attract merchant caravans. On top of that—”

“On top of that?”

“The key is to make the caravans feel that stopping here matters more than visiting territories with local specialties. Offering them various incentives to achieve that will cost still more.”

“... If we operate that way, might they stop coming once the incentives are gone?”

“No. First, we attract caravans and stimulate both the auction house and the surrounding tourism industry. Once the auction house becomes a major attraction in its own right, merchants won't be able to drop the marquisate from their trade routes so easily.”

“Then what if—”

They talked for a very long time, until at one point Alexion began to speak, only to shut his mouth again.

“Therefore, we'll need approximately 250% of the amount you initially proposed—”

Radan, visible outside the window, was staring straight at him and shaking his head.

“—But if I put in the effort, around 200% would also—”

Under the murderous gaze he could feel even from afar, Alexion smoothly changed his tune.

Radan shook his head again.

“Be possible, and with a little more effort, I think I could bring it down to 180%—”

Feeling rather wronged, Alexion lowered the figure a little further. But Radan slowly shook his head once more.

“—Though, in fact, even 150% might be... feasible.”

As he spoke, he screamed inwardly with indignation. Admittedly, he hadn't quite managed to abandon his greed at the end and had quoted a slightly inflated price. Even so, it wasn't as if that left him with much profit.

But even then, the devil beyond the window kept shaking his head.

Alexion's smiling face stiffened.

'Isn't this going too far?'

Even a cornered rat would bite a cat. Faced with such an absurd demand, Alexion unwittingly took on a venomous expression.

'I did everything you asked! Everything!!!'

When told to come to the Pirate Peninsula, he'd obediently gone. When told to stay out of the underworld, he'd abandoned his illegal businesses. He'd come to the marquisate without a word of complaint when ordered to do so, and he'd reduced an investment proposal that had originally been around 200% to 150%.

He'd done absolutely everything, and it still wasn't enough?

Countless memories of humiliation and persecution flashed through his mind, deepening his resentment. Finally, his emotions rose to their breaking point.

“...100%.”

“What?”

“... I'll make it work with the investment amount you've proposed.”

In the end, he lowered his head, swallowing bitter tears.

... No matter what, he didn't want to die.

Beyond the window, Radan nodded in satisfaction.

Alexion looked utterly despondent.

Meanwhile, Alon, who had been standing quietly opposite him, could only be bewildered.

“???”

... They hadn't even started negotiating properly, yet Alexion had begun and finished the whole thing all on his own.

After a moment of stunned silence, Alon finally spoke.

“... Let's make it 150%.”

“Pardon?”

“From what you've said, it sounds as though I should invest at least that much.”

His voice was calm, but Alexion's eyes widened as far as they could go.

Of course, even 150% was still insufficient. But wasn't everything relative?

After watching Radan ruthlessly hammer the price down, seeing the marquis offer him an extra 50% instead made him feel as though tears were streaming from both eyes.

'The marquis is a saint...!'

Objectively speaking, this hardly made Alon a saint. But Alexion, who had already endured more than enough of Radan, bowed deeply, holding back the tears that really were beginning to trickle out.

“Thank you...! Thank you so much!”

Watching Alexion's emotions swing wildly up and down all on their own, Alon felt a reasonable suspicion stirring within him.

'... Is he going through male menopause?'

####

Karmakses III, King of Coloni, had lately been less busy than the rulers of the other allied kingdoms. The desert kingdom of Coloni had suffered no damage in the recent Outer God crisis.

Apart from the first summit, therefore, the major incident had not affected him all that much.

Instead, he had another concern.

“Another Time Gate has appeared?”

“Yes. The territory of Mannanna reportedly suffered fairly substantial damage.”

“Hmm.”

Karmakses III had been keeping an eye on the recent Time Gate incidents.

“How many does that make?”

“This is the fifth.”

“Strange. What about the mages?”

“The mages from the magic tower appear to be investigating, but they don't seem to have identified the cause yet.”

His concern was understandable. Time Gates, which ordinarily appeared only at magic towers where mages gathered, had recently been opening frequently in all sorts of places.

“Hmm...”

After considering it briefly, Karmakses put the matter aside. The territories were suffering damage, but it was not yet excessive.

Instead, he asked about the second prince, who had recently drawn his interest.

“... What is Karsem doing?”

“He's studying magic again today.”

“Today as well?”

“Yes.”

“And does he have any talent for it?”

“Yes. Quite a bit, I'm told. Apparently, he's already reached the first tier.”

“Already?”

“Yes. They say that in addition to his talent, he's putting in considerable effort.”

The aide continued.

“The second prince's standing within the palace has risen considerably of late. Most people are saying that he has acquired dignity since that incident.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. There is even a good deal of talk lately that he has become more dignified than the first prince.”

“... That much?”

“The contrast with his previous behavior does seem to make the change look more pronounced.”

The aide paused before adding her own impression.

“But in my opinion as well, the second prince has changed a very great deal.”

“Hmm...”

“Apparently, he even recently rescued a maid who nearly fell while cleaning a railing.”

“... Karsem did?”

“Yes. From what I've heard, he said, ‘Because Marquis Pallatio would have done the same.’”

“... That's rather embarrassing to hear.”

“I agree, but it does seem that his disposition has grown gentler.”

At her assessment, Karmakses III unconsciously stroked his chin.

In truth, the second prince was not a son to whom he paid much attention. He loved his family, of course, but had judged the boy unfit to inherit the throne.

Not that the first prince entirely met his standards either. Still, he was far better than the second by comparison, so Karmakses had chosen him as his successor.

Recently, however, the first prince had been falling increasingly out of favor. Despite being trained as an heir since childhood, he continued to cause various kinds of trouble in secret, even if not as much as the second prince had until now.

The first prince apparently believed he had concealed it all, but Karmakses knew everything. There was nowhere in this palace beyond the reach of his ears.

And so, even as he marveled at Marquis Pallatio, who had reformed that wastrel Karsem in one stroke, another thought occupied him.

'Just what is Marquis Pallatio?'

'... Karsem. Karsem, then...'

He absently repeated the second prince's name, his gaze growing still.

Those were not the eyes of a man looking upon his family, but solely the eyes of a king assessing someone.

Perhaps that gaze heralded a struggle for the throne that should never have occurred.

####

Another month passed. When winter had fully retreated and warm spring days arrived, Alon received the report Duke Xenonia delivered every few months.

[“My lord, have you been well?”]

“It's been a while.”

Then came another question.

[“Come to think of it, my lord, I hear you've recently established an auction house in your territory.”]

“Yes. I'm considering putting a little effort into managing the territory.”

[“Then shall I offer you a little help?”]

“I see no reason to refuse.”

That was all they had said in their brief conversation after the report.

... That was all, and yet...

“My lord, how would you like exclusive auction rights to the premium specialties produced in our territory?!”

“My lord—if you established a regular partnership with our trading company—”

“Greetings, Marquis Pallatio! I lead a trading company called Salman in the Kingdom of Ashtalon—”

“...”

How had things come to this?

“Evan.”

“Yes?”

“... How many people do I still have to meet?”

“Approximately seventy-four are waiting.”

'... How, exactly, is this a little help...?'

Alon held his spinning head.