Chapter 166
Chapter 166. Title-Conferral Ceremony (2)
I had heard the name of the Blue Dragon Mercenary Corps before, when I was negotiating a contract with the duke.
The fact that Metis’s production facilities would be built in the Ture Region was also related to them. The Blue Dragon Mercenary Corps had been founded with the Ture Region as its base, and it was also backed by the Bahamut Ducal House.
That was why the duke had intended to subcontract the work to them in order to increase his margin.
After all, this place had no properly established logistics system such as parcel delivery, unlike the world I used to live in.
In other words, it would not be strange at all if we were attacked by bandits or Monsters at any time.
However, I had acted a little conspicuously at the time of the contract.
Back then, the duke had explained why he recommended the Ture Region and tried to steer work toward Blue Dragon. However, I refused and inserted a clause stating that Metis would bear the general costs required for product transport and that Metis would oversee every procedure.
I still could not forget the duke’s expression at the time. It had been exactly the face of someone forced to chew something bitter.
Still, he had ultimately fallen for my honeyed words and signed it, so it would be difficult to amend the terms at least while the contract remained in effect.
In any case, the Blue Dragon Mercenary Corps was quite a large organization. With a ducal house of a kingdom backing them, growing had not been difficult at all.
According to what I had heard from Eluna, they had grown in a short period into one of the kingdom’s leading mercenary corps.
“I have heard plenty of rumors about Blue Dragon. It is an honor that its commander has come in person.”
“And yet I cannot understand what you mean by saying you cannot trust us.”
I feigned surprise.
“Hm? To my recollection, I have never said that I could not trust you...... Where exactly did you hear that?”
“Are you going to play dumb?”
The commander gave a faint laugh.
He stretched out his hand, picked up a pastry from the table, put it into his mouth, and chewed noisily. The people around us looked at me anxiously as I held my chin high.
One glance was enough to tell. He was not exactly someone with a good reputation within the family.
There was a theory that people who held power gradually became unable to think normally because their frontal lobes shut down. Was he the perfect example?
“There is no one who does not know you are trying to do business with His Grace the Duke. Rumors have already spread that Metis’s production facilities will be built in the Ture Region. All goods require escorts. Yet I heard you put some strange clause in the contract?”
“What a strange thing to say. If I had inserted a strange clause, His Grace the Duke would not have signed the contract, would he?”
When I spoke with deliberate sarcasm, Donald pressed his mouth shut. Seeing his hand naturally move toward his waist, I could tell he was not the type to use his head.
However, he was not armed right now, so he could not draw a sword.
Since he had picked a fight, should I make sure he could not even recover his stake?
“Surely you are not questioning His Grace the Duke’s eye for judgment?”
“What! Do not twist my words!”
“Then I cannot understand why you brought up the contract at all. I do not know where you heard it, but the contract clearly includes a protection clause prohibiting disclosure of its contents to outside parties. Surely the duke, who is currently serving as the Minister of Internal Affairs, would not make such an elementary mistake...... Which means, after all, that perhaps you heard some strange story somewhere and came to your own conclusion.”
I also reached out and picked up a pastry from the table. It was sweeter and tastier than I expected. A smile naturally settled on my face.
“The pastries are quite delicious.”
When I added that remark, Donald swallowed as if he were furious. He must have felt as if I were scraping away at his insides.
Since I had raised the protection clause and spoken from proper principle, he could not insist further. He could no longer say that he had heard such a story from the duke.
Conversely, the duke probably had told Donald that it had become difficult to subcontract the work to them in practice. That was why he was acting so sensitive.
This was why people who relied on force had difficulty doing business.
What one needed in compromise and negotiation was not might, but verbal skill. From what I could see, this man named Donald did not possess even the bare minimum of Eloquence. I could bet about one million gold that his Status Window did not have the Eloquence Trait.
A brief lull followed, and Donald, having swallowed down his anger, opened his mouth.
“Then may I hear Metis’s transport plan?”
“Of course. At Metis, we intend to pursue contracts with skilled mercenary corps in order to supply our produced goods across the Continent.”
“And the candidates?”
“For now, the main force will be a mercenary corps established by Metis itself. Its name is the AvenXers.”
“That is a name I have never heard before.”
“Until just one month ago, the name Metis must also have been one you had never heard before. But what about now? Is there anyone here who does not know it?”
As I spread my arms and showed off, Donald’s mouth closed tightly. His lips twitched, displaying his dissatisfaction, and I continued speaking.
“In short, time is not what matters. What matters is its density, is it not?”
I lowered my arms and continued.
“I am aware that some may say we lack experience, but there is no need to worry so much. We are also considering contracts with other mercenary corps.”
“If it is the Ture Region, there should be nowhere worth looking at besides our Blue Dragon, no?”
“A mercenary corps does not necessarily have to operate only in its base region, does it? If there is a place that offers a reasonable price, we are fully willing to sign a contract. We also plan to provide lodging for the mercenary corps.”
“In that case, what about our Blue Dragon?”
Donald threw the question directly, and I smiled as I nodded.
“Blue Dragon is also one of the candidates under consideration. If you present satisfactory terms, I was certainly willing to accept. But when I think of today’s hospitality, it is also true that I hesitate somewhat. This is how I see it. The dignity of a master represents the organization.”
“......”
Donald flinched and could not continue speaking. I wielded my advantage just a little, and Donald, who had been reduced to the weaker party in an instant, could only flush red.
At that moment, applause sounded from beside us.
“You are as remarkable as I have heard. Master Suhyeon.”
A small, graying older man slowly walked toward me. He was dressed splendidly, and he looked as if he had accumulated considerable wealth.
He offered me a handshake.
“Pleased to meet you. I am Romushu, master of the Blue Dragon Merchant Company.”
“I look forward to working with you.”
We shook hands, and in that instant, Romushu’s Status Window appeared.
====
○ Romushu von Blue Dragon
Rank: ★★★★
Level: 46
Traits: Accounting S, Eloquence A, Negotiation A, Trade A, Personnel Management A, Virility B, Sexual Desire B, Swordsmanship B, Emergency Treatment C, Painting C, Mercenary Tactics C, Fabrication C, Material Procurement C, Design D, ???
Status: Favorability
Areas of Interest: the naked bodies of beautiful women, expanding the Merchant Company’s scale by eliminating his half-brother, excitement and longing for his new lover
Favorability: 61
Alignment: Neutral
[Not Unlocked]
......
It was a very honest Status Window. It also contained several interesting pieces of information.
At any rate, if his family name was Blue Dragon, there was a high possibility he had some special relationship with the commander of the Blue Dragon Mercenary Corps. I asked naturally, as if I had heard it somewhere before.
“If you are Lord Romushu of House Blue Dragon, are you not brothers with Commander Donald over there?”
“That is correct.”
“Oh, my. I have been terribly rude.”
I lowered my head. He stroked my shoulder and made me raise my bowed upper body.
“No, not at all. What you said was entirely reasonable. If anyone was discourteous, it was my younger brother.”
As he said that, he glanced sharply at Donald. Donald narrowed his eyes just as sharply. I could tell at a glance that the two of them were not on good terms.
In that case, the comment in Romushu’s Areas of Interest about “eliminating his half-brother to expand the Merchant Company’s scale” seemed to mean a plan to remove Donald.
How interesting.
On top of that, the fact that he was a four-star talent at Level 46 meant he was well-versed in his field. Considering his age, it was a level he could have accumulated sufficiently.
In addition, judging by the fact that he had the Traits of Fabrication, Material Procurement, and Design, he was undoubtedly deeply interested in our Metis. He must want to make special items such as fountain pens and ballpoint pens himself.
Furthermore, when I combined his Traits and Areas of Interest, I could tell that he was a typical powerful man who liked beautiful women. In other words, he was the perfect target for a honey trap.
“Perhaps because we are in the same field, I understand your difficulties, Sir Suhyeon. I would like to offer you considerable assistance going forward.”
“I will gladly accept that assistance. However, if something comes in, something ought to go out as well, should it not?”
At my nonchalant words, Romushu laughed heartily and stroked his beard.
“As it happens, there is something I would like to discuss with you. How about we speak for a moment after the title-conferral ceremony ends?”
“That sounds good.”
“It was an impressive debut.”
Romushu smiled broadly and returned to his seat. Since his older brother had settled the matter so decisively, Donald could no longer step forward.
And just in time, Head Butler Hermes entered and announced.
“I apologize for keeping you waiting so long. The Banquet Hall is now fully prepared, so I will escort you there.”
One by one, we left the Drawing Room.
***
The procession of guests continued without end. Thanks to that, the number of people filling the Banquet Hall easily exceeded one hundred.
Most of the men were older, while the women were young. Their intention was obvious. Since I was still unattached and had the duke’s attention, they must have brought their daughters to examine me as a prospective husband.
In truth, there were many beautiful and charming women.
However, compared to the women around me, such as Young Lady Sapiela, Eluna, and Arwen, they fell far short. Because of that, I did not give them much attention.
“The gazes of the Young Ladies looking at you are rather unusual, are they not?”
The one who spoke to me with a grin was Young Master Hamel. I gave an embarrassed smile and lowered my head.
“But surely they cannot compare to the Young Lady’s nobility and beauty.”
“Hmph. You certainly know how to talk. Thinking that you won over my younger sister with that glib tongue of yours makes my blood boil.”
“You should take that up with Dilen.”
I smiled. At that moment, my eyes met those of a certain woman. I sent her a smile, then turned my gaze away.
However, that was not the end of it.
Holding a wineglass in her hand, the woman bravely approached me and spoke.
“May I have a moment?”
“Of course.”
“Sir Suhyeon, I have heard a great deal about you. Congratulations. I heard His Grace the Duke favors you......”
Honestly, I would not say he favored me, but rumors always tended to become exaggerated. In this case, I could say it had been exaggerated in a positive direction.
“It is not to that extent. I merely work hard for the House.”
She would never dream that the word “Adeline” had been omitted before the word “House” in what I said.
“You are a modest person. I like that.”
“May I ask the lady’s name?”
“I am Monet. Viscount Beltane is my father.”
The fact that she spoke of her father’s name with such confidence meant that he was most likely a retainer seated in an important post within the Bahamut House.
“I see. I have heard much about him. I look forward to your kind regard.”
After saying words I did not mean, I turned my gaze to one side. Young Lady Sapiela and Eluna were looking at me.
“Once the ceremony ends later......”
“Forgive me, but please excuse me for a moment.”
I cut off her words and headed toward where Sapiela and Eluna were.
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