Chapter 162 : Chapter 162
Chapter 162
Lilac brought out cheesecake and tea.
“Lilac, what’s this?”
On one side of the tray was a single letter, placed as if for me to read. The fact that it was made of gold from top to bottom made it clear that this was no ordinary matter.
“I’m not sure either. Nerjin-nim said it was enchanted so only you could open it, Master, so I just left it here.”
“Hmm.”
When I placed my hand on the seal made of molten gold, the magic was released and the letter opened automatically.
‘Huh.’
[Greetings, this is the Head Butler of the Imperial Household. Have you been well? These days, as autumn has arrived, the fallen leaves… (omitted)... On another note, you must be aware that the time for the Founding Festival, commemorating the founding of the Empire, is fast approaching. We would like to invite you, Patriarch Martin von Targon Ulvhadin, the hero of the Fog Island conquest, to this event.]
‘Patriarch, huh… their information is fast.’
It didn’t matter. It wasn’t that important.
‘In the end, an invitation.’
It contained a lot of content, but the essence was an invitation to participate in the Founding Festival commemorative banquet hosted by the Imperial Family.
Just then, the door opened with another ‘ding’.
“Ah, President Martin! You’ve returned.”
Nerjin, dressed in a perfectly fitting suit, looked every bit the businessman.
“Yes. I’ve just returned.”
“The timing is good. I just came back from Imperium Bank after handling some administrative work related to the café’s opening.”
“I’m always grateful.”
It was originally my job, but since I was so busy, I often ended up leaving it to Nerjin or Lilac like this.
“Hoho, grateful, you say? It’s my job as well.”
However, Nerjin laughed heartily as if he rather enjoyed it.
“More importantly, did the work you had planned go well?”
I had been away for a whole month. It would be polite to at least give a report on the results.
“Yes.”
I proudly lifted my robe slightly and showed him the cartridge pouch at my waist. The Ulvhadin family heirloom, the Eternal Bullets, which could only hold ten rounds. I took one of them out. The dark-brown bullet was shaped like a dog's head overall, engraved with a beautiful pattern.
“I am now the Patriarch of the Ulvhadin County.”
Lilac smiled, and Nerjin also wore a surprised expression. Martin had become the Count of Ulvhadin. This didn’t just mean that the heir had succeeded the family headship.
It was a special kind of proof that his past misdeeds had been forgiven, even if just a little.
***
[Wait, wait. Everyone, really, calm down. Just listen to what I have to say.]
All eyes turned to the gentleman in the suit who had hastily jumped onto the conference table with an expression that said this couldn’t be happening. Gazes that could not be called kind, even in jest.
[Keltu…!]
Thud! A giant dragon's foreleg struck the conference hall. The shockwave made all of hell tremble. The dragon, its entire body engulfed in flames, slowly lowered its head and brought its massive dragon head before Keltu.
[The name Demon Lord of Cunning Stratagems is wasted on you! You dare jump onto the conference table, you failure?!]
The master of the flames that covered hell. The lord of infinitely spreading flames. The Demon Lord of Endless Wrath, Kragakh, intimidated Keltu.
[Damn it, I know! I know! Who doesn’t know I’m a failure! But this isn’t right!]
[Hahahaha!]
Just then, another demon lord laughed from the side.
[Hahahahaha!]
[Stop laughing, Joverka!]
Keltu shouted irritably.
[Why! I’m living up to my name! The Demon Lord of Proliferating Laughter!]
Joverka, who looked like a clown, resembled a wax doll made in the image of a human, coexisting with both amusement and displeasure.
[Hahaha! It’s funny! So where’s Brahmus?]
[That’s….]
[Isn’t he recuperating after playing the clown with you! Hahahaha!]
[…I have no excuse. But because of that, we must plan even more carefully….]
Keltu of Stratagems, Brahmus of Gluttony, Kragakh of Wrath, Joverka of Laughter. There should have been three more demon lords besides them, but for some reason, they were not seen. Kragakh irritably brought up the story of those three.
[One guards the entrance of hell to catch a fugitive, one tirelessly spreads darkness to block the heavenly light, and one is working his bones off managing the Time Chaos Dungeon. Even I am heating the lightless hell all day long. And the one we put up as our brain has royally screwed up the plan.]
[That was unavoidable! So….]
[Shut up!]
Kragakh's foreleg once again slammed down on the conference hall. The shockwave pushed Keltu off the conference table. Keltu, who was almost thrown off the conference table that sat atop the lava of hell’s highest mountain, barely managed to grab the edge and hold on.
Keltu was also a demon lord. He was not of a caliber to be defeated by a mere shockwave, but his stratagem this time was to feign weakness. However, this time, the other demon lords were also exceptionally angry.
[Keltu! We are sick and tired of the control you’ve maintained for thousands of years! What have you been doing while the other demon lords, including myself, toiled all day?! You just drank blood in that fine suit of yours! And did you even do a good job?! The most recent visible achievement was the fall of the Cosmos Empire 100 years ago! After that, there’s been nothing, has there?!]
As the flames of wrath that heated hell leaked from between Kragakh’s scales and from his maw, Keltu gulped. It was a truly important moment. Of all times, now.
[P-please! Just listen to me, Kragakh!]
Keltu pleaded while hanging from the edge.
[The scales have tipped! It’s on a knife's edge right now! If we fail one more time, it will go beyond horizontal and tilt! They passed Brahmus' terror relatively easily and are off their guard! We can do it this time! I have a new plan…!]
[Ha! That plan of yours! Plan! Plan! I’m sick of it!]
[Hahaha! Right! Keltu, you’re no fun! Kyahahaha!]
Kragakh’s flames and Joverka’s laughter began to fill hell.
[Keltu, just watch! I’ll make it fun! Hahaha! The scales? Who cares?! As long as we don’t fail, it’s fine! Kyakyakya!]
[I already had a lot of pent-up anger from the stratagems you pulled during the demon civil war that determined the seven seats. We compromised a lot, unlike ourselves. But not anymore. From now on, we’ll each do as we see fit. So….]
Kragakh’s foot nudged Keltu, who was hanging from the edge of the conference table. Keltu’s body fell towards the base of the lava mountain.
[Stop meddling and just watch, Keltu. Unless you want to go through another hellish civil war!]
[You, you…!]
As he fell, Keltu let out a hollow chuckle. To think they would actually knock him off the conference table. It seemed the complaints the other demon lords had been holding back had finally reached their limit.
[Tsk, this is why those who can’t see the big picture are no good. It can’t be helped. I’ll have to let them loose for a while.]
The scales would tip because of those idiots? …Well, it didn't matter. Opportunities would always come. No, in the first place, Brahmus was an exception… there was no way they would fail again. Because humans are insects. Stupid things that cry and wail and worship and self-harm when we descend.
[And in the first place, there’s no way those guys will be defeated by humans.]
If Brahmus was merely a destructive tactical weapon, then they were strategic weapons capable of thinking and judging for themselves.
***
Early dawn. People were busily moving about even before the sun rose. Infiltration mission? Night mission? No. Business preparations!
“Phew, I’m excited to see how much we’ll make today.”
“Sigh, I’m worried. What if fewer people come than we think?”
“Why are you worrying about that from the get-go?! You have to believe it will go well!”
The Imperium Empire’s Founding Festival. It was both a unique holiday and the continent's largest event. For merchants, it was an unparalleled opportunity.
“Are the preparations complete?”
Of course, we couldn't escape that framework either.
“Yes, everything is loaded onto the Coffee Wagon. Spares have also been prepared. We can resupply immediately in case of an emergency.”
Nerjin reported on the supply status.
“President Martin! Did you hear?! They say there are tons of people who can’t leave because there are no carriages heading to the Imperium capital!”
Bianca reported on the customer situation.
“Cleaning mission, completed.”
Savo reported to me, holding cleaning tools.
“Everything is ready, Master. You can depart now.”
Finally, even Lilac. Only after the final checks were complete did we board the Coffee Wagon.
“Let’s go, Sebastian.”
[Woof!]
A giant-sized Sebastian pulled the Coffee Wagon. Through the window, I could see the figures of bustling merchants. Each wore an expression full of expectation. The purpose, of course, was money. We were the same. Making money off others is no easy task. The shops next door and across the street were all competitors.
‘But I’m confident.’
We had already proven ourselves at the Grand Festival. And this stage was even bigger.
“We’ve arrived!”
Imperium Land! The theme park that Marquis Arnold of Elidore had ambitiously planned and finally successfully opened after years of dedication! Today’s stage was here!
Looking back, Nerjin also grinned like a veteran commander before a battle.
“It won’t be easy today, President.”
“But the fruits will be sweet.”
“Yes. Marquis Elidore has invested quite heavily, after all.”
The main event of the Founding Festival had always been the grand plaza.
‘But the variable of Imperium Land has appeared.’
Somehow, Marquis Elidore had managed to arrange for most of the events held in the grand plaza to be hosted at Imperium Land.
“It’s going to be packed with customers.”
“Still, with you here, President, we feel reassured.”
“I’m just a person with two hands like everyone else.”
Just then, someone came running from afar. It was Luri.
“Martin!”
“Cadet Luri.”
“Hehe, are the business preparations going well?”
“Yes, thanks to you.”
Luri’s help was a big part of why we were able to operate a food truck inside Imperium Land. Of course, the Coffee Wagon's brand value played a role, but it couldn't be said that personal connections had nothing to do with it.
“What brings you here?”
“Inspection! I came out to see if the Founding Festival preparations are going well!”
“I see. You must be busy.”
Blood is thicker than water, and Luri, the legitimate heir of the Elidore family, was just as capable as Arnold. With a continent-wide festival, Luri must be swamped. If anything, I was grateful she took the time to visit.
“Would you like a cup of coffee?”
“Yes, yes! But I already had coffee this morning! So give me something else delicious!”
She was smiling brightly, but she looked tired for some reason. She must have been working all night. In that case….
“Then I’ll give you the Coffee Wagon’s signature menu, the ‘Jajara Tea Relaxer’.”
“Huh? I’ve never heard of that menu before.”
This menu, unfamiliar even to a Coffee Wagon regular like Luri, was.
“A new menu developed for the Founding Festival. We have a coffee version too, but too much caffeine can be bad for you.”
“Hee, you’re so thoughtful, Martin. By the way, Jajara is that, right? A type of cactus that grows in the desert.”
“Yes, it’s similar to aloe but sweeter and more delicious.”
“Since it's Martin's recommendation, shall I give it a try?”
She was today’s first customer. I climbed onto the Coffee Wagon and started preparing the drink. I mixed the blended concentrate of Jajara flesh and sweet juice with infused herbal water and ice. And then, a shake. I put it in a shaker and shook it, just like a bartender making a cocktail.
“Here you go.”
I handed it to her in a disposable cup.
“Your Jajara Tea Relaxer, as ordered.”
The preparation process was also much shorter than brewing coffee.
“Wow, it’s light green?”
“Please, have a taste.”
“Okay!”
Luri’s eyes shot open after one sip. Her pink eyes sparkled.
“It’s delicious! It’s zesty! It’s refreshing! It’s sweet! I love it!”
Seeing her enjoy it so much is the best reward for a barista.
“I’m glad it suits your taste. Are there any improvements to be made?”
“No! None! It’s absolutely perfect! I love it!”
Luri is one of the few girls my age around me who acts her age. She was a perfect taste-tester. Hearing her praise boosted my confidence.
“Martin, you’re good at cooking too~.”
Luri approached me, wagging a non-existent tail.
“My lady, we must be going.”
“Eek?”
At the urging of her suited attendants, Luri turned around with a ‘Suddenly?’ expression, but it couldn’t be helped.
“There are over 100 shops we need to inspect before 8 a.m.”
“Hmph….”
Luri, with a sad face, looked at me.
“Martin…, I’ll come back later.”
“You’re always welcome, Cadet Luri.”