Ludel had returned to the Count’s Domain several days later.
“Oh wow. Is this really the Count House of Weinstein I’ve only heard about…?”
Bering exclaimed in surprise as he gazed out at the scenery of the Count’s Domain through the window.
It’s no wonder he was shocked; the Count’s Domain of Weinstein was famously known as a remote area within the kingdom.
But, anyone would react similarly upon witnessing the rapid changes that had occurred in the Count’s Domain recently.
“So, what does the territory look like through the eyes of a merchant?”
“What I see is endless potential. For a merchant, uncharted ground is a place where treasure could be hidden, after all.”
“That’s not a bad assessment.”
Nodding in agreement with his merchant-like evaluation, Ludel gazed out of the window.
Even though only a few days had passed since he left, the Count’s Domain felt strange to him.
It was changing that fast—day by day.
As the carriage carrying the two passed through the bustling streets and arrived at the Count’s mansion…
“I’m here, Janice.”
“Welcome back, young master.”
As he stepped down from the carriage, Janice, the most experienced handmaid serving the Weinstein family, respectfully bowed her head.
“Nothing happened while I was gone, right?”
“No, nothing at all.”
With just a few days away, it was unlikely that anything significant had happened, but Ludel couldn’t shake off his uneasiness.
The immediate concerns he thought of were the church, monster hordes, and the tyranny of the major trading guilds…
None of those issues could be easily overlooked.
“Let me introduce you; this is Bering, the business guest I mentioned in my letter.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Bering, the head of the Berinot Guild.”
“Welcome to the Count’s Domain of Weinstein, Mr. Bering. Your luggage will be taken this way…”
As Janice spoke, Bering handed his luggage to a handmaid beside him, and she moved inside the mansion with it.
“Where are my father and mother?”
“They are both waiting for you and your guest in the reception room.”
“Please tell them I’ll be there shortly with the guest.”
It would take at least a few more days for the major trading guilds to gather.
In the meantime, Ludel planned to wrap up the business discussions between the Count House of Weinstein and the Berinot Guild.
“Understood.”
Calmly, Janice moved aside with the other handmaids…
“Alright, then let’s go.”
“Ah, yes! Let’s do that!”
Having observed the scene for a moment, Ludel took a step forward alongside Bering.
*
In the commercial district of the Royal Road, Priscillium.
Countless merchants congregated there, making it the heart of commerce within the kingdom and the place where the most money exchanged hands.
Among them, the groups with the most wealth and influence were undoubtedly the enormous trading guilds.
One such guild was the headquarters of the Gold Rush Company…
“The Count House of Weinstein sent an invitation?”
A man, sitting in his office and engrossed in paperwork, asked without lifting his gaze.
With a physique that suggested a serious lack of exercise, his desk was piled high with food.
He was the type of person you wouldn’t mistake for being dignified, but he didn’t seem to mind as he read while grabbing a piece of fruit with one of his heavily adorned hands.
His name was Gord.
He was competent enough to rise to the position of branch manager within the cutthroat environment of the Gold Rush Company.
“Yes, that’s correct.”
As Gord’s question was answered with a nod from his secretary, the moment arrived.
“You fool!!”
“Ugh!?”
With a furious shout, Gord hurled a plate at his secretary.
With a crash, the plate shattered, and the secretary stumbled back, letting out a low groan.
“What do they expect me to do with an invitation from some insignificant noble from the countryside? Do they want me to travel all the way there!?”
The Count of Weinstein had become a noble less than a month ago.
To someone like him, who had dealt with numerous nobles, this newcomer was nothing but a chick.
The audacity of such a ridiculous person inviting him sparked an indescribable rage within him.
“That… that was specifically what the headquarters told me to convey to you…”
“Are they all mocking me…!!”
As he spoke, blood trickled down his forehead. Gord, his irritation mounting, popped another piece of fruit into his mouth.
The headquarters manager.
The pathetic fellow who took the position that should have been his.
If he weren’t part of the Duke’s House, he would’ve dealt with him already, but he wasn’t ready yet.
He needed thorough preparations to bring him down.
Until then, he must keep his head down while hiding his blade.
As Gord sharpened his metaphorical blade in his heart…
“Hey there, Branch Manager. What’s got you all wound up?”
Without knocking, a man entered his office.
With hair that seemed shaped from gold and eyes that sparkled like rubies, he possessed an elegance that captivated anyone who laid eyes on him.
“You’ve arrived, Headquarters manager.”
As the person he had just been cursing appeared before him, Gord instantly switched to a courteous demeanor.
This was one of the few social skills he had learned in the cutthroat merchant world.
The headquarters manager raised a hand in acknowledgment and settled into a chair in front of his desk…
“Have you heard about the invitation?”
“I just heard about it.”
“I see. By the way, how come you’re bleeding from your head? Are you alright?”
Gord nodded at the response, and the headquarters manager looked at the secretary with a puzzled expression.
For a normal person, it would be quite the alarming situation, but curiosity was the pure emotion shimmering in his eye.
“Ugh, well… I bumped my head on the corner of the desk when I fell…”
“Oh dear, that’s no good. You should quit for the day and head to the hospital.”
“But…”
“If you’ve been hurt, you need to go to the hospital. Don’t worry about it, just go.”
At that remark, the secretary stammered and trailed off. Gord, watching the scene, let out a sigh and gestured to the secretary.
“Alright, got it…”
Simultaneously, the secretary pressed a handkerchief to his forehead and exited the room…
That clueless fool would need to be dealt with later.
Thinking that, Gord shifted his gaze back to the headquarters manager.
“Why do you look like that? You weren’t planning to just leave him injured, were you?”
“Of course not. I was thinking of telling him to go to the hospital.”
Of course, his true feelings were that he wanted to pour a bucket of curses on the headquarters manager right then and there.
“Good, very good. That’s the proper attitude for a superior, isn’t it?”
“…”
Did he just see through my thoughts?
The headquarters manager said that with a bright smile.
Gord felt his insides twist with discomfort but didn’t let it show on his face.
For a moment, the headquarters manager regarded him with narrowed eyes and…
“You’ve heard, I assume, that I want you to take some initiative regarding this matter. Do you know why?”
“Is it because of the dealings with the Duke Lagrind?”
The dealings with the Duke Lagrind.
It was a contract to supply a significant amount of goods to the Count’s Domain of Weinstein.
Though unfortunate incidents had caused delays in delivery, it was still in progress.
“That’s part of it, but I’ve heard some rather interesting rumors from that side.”
“Interesting rumors?”
The duchy was a territory that had only just begun to be developed.
Nothing should be so surprising from there, but the fact that the branch manager was mentioning it implied something more significant was brewing.
“I’ve heard they’re planning a new business venture involving monsters…”
“M-Monsters!?”
At that, his eyes widened in shock.
What kind of existence were monsters?
They were creatures imbued with magic power by nature, and if captured, could be treasures from head to toe.
A business deal concerning monsters from a duchy he had thought of as insignificant until now?
“…”
His mind raced faster than ever, and the headquarters manager looked at him with a faint smile.
Moments passed, and…
“It seems I should handle this matter personally.”
“Of course, that’s only fitting. Considering the importance of a deal involving monsters, there’s no one better suited than you, Branch Manager.”
“Then I’ll take my leave to prepare.”
“Alright, take care.”
Standing up, Gord stumbled as he exited the office.
“Goodness, it’s all so straightforward…”
And chuckling at that ridiculous sight was Gilbert Berun Obertas, the headquarters manager of the Gold Rush Company and the first son of the Obertas Dukedom.
