Chapter 138 : Chapter 138
Chapter 138. Can You Handle It?
“That is not something I can take lightly. Why do you need information on the Astria Count House and the Delfino Merchant Company?”
“A relative who is no different from my right hand has fallen into a difficult situation. He is someone Your Excellency knows well.”
“Could it be Sir Dilen?”
I nodded with a regretful expression. Right now, I had to look as pitiful as possible. Appealing to emotion was one of the most basic methods.
“It is none other than Dilen, the baronet of House Adeline, who has also come to serve as a consultant for the Metis Merchant Company.”
“A consultant at that age does not suit him.”
“Is age not merely a number? He has been a great help to us in creating innovative products such as the fountain pen and ballpoint pen.”
“To summarize, you mean he is a key figure.”
“That is correct. At the same time, he is also someone who must be protected. For the sake of our business.”
“I heard there was an unsavory incident not long ago.”
“He was attacked by assassins.”
Until now, I had explained him as a distant relative, but in order to widen Dilen’s position, I gave him the title of consultant. That way, even if Metis worked together with the Duke, we could still keep one foot in the Adeline Marquis House.
Not only that, it also had the advantage of allowing me to respond flexibly to every unexpected situation. Since I was playing the roles of two people by myself anyway, my answers could not contradict each other.
“I heard that news as well. Fortunately, I heard nothing serious happened. But do the Astria Count House and the Delfino Merchant Company have some problem with Sir Dilen? If you need information to protect Sir Dilen, that must mean there is some friction with those two forces.”
“You saw correctly. There is a major problem.”
I paused briefly and steadied my breath, as if I were about to say something important. The Duke kept his gaze fixed on me, showing that he intended to continue listening.
“Do you remember the kidnapping incident involving Young Lady Sapiela?”
After saying that much for the moment, I deliberately glanced at Hermes. Noticing that sign, the Duke gestured toward Hermes. Hermes bowed deeply and left the room.
“There is no one else here, so speak freely.”
Just in case, I raised my mana. The Duke’s words were true. Only now was I in a situation where I could speak alone with Duke Mydas.
Now then, let us write a refreshing piece of fiction.
After all, I was in the position of someone passing along a story secondhand. If I used that gap, a suitable amount of fiction would be tolerated.
“Several key figures, including Sir Dilen, are paying attention to the Delfino Merchant Company as the force behind the Young Lady’s kidnapping incident. They also believe this recent attack was their doing.”
“What? That cannot be...... That makes no sense. The Delfino Merchant Company is one of the leading merchant companies on the Continent. How could they do such a thing? Against House Adeline, no less.”
That was the common-sense way to think. The Delfino Merchant Company was indeed capable. No matter how much we shook them, not even a speck of dust had fallen out.
“There is one matter we must point out first. The Delfino Merchant Company has an inseparably close relationship with the Astria Count House. Why else would rumors circulate that the master of Astria is not the count, but the Master of the Delfino Merchant Company?”
“It is not as though there are no such rumors.”
That meant the merchant company possessed tremendous financial power and intelligence capabilities. Enough to stand against the enormous authority of a kingdom’s count.
If the title of count had been filled with the merchant company’s money, the story changed. The authority they held would not belong to the count, but to the merchant company master.
I had that situation in mind.
Simply put, Count Astria might be sitting on the seat of authority as a puppet, with some weakness or pretext held over him.
It was not a groundless guess.
Based on what Eluna, who had sharpened her hearing, overheard outside Delfino’s office, the merchant company master clearly looked down on the count. Despite being a commoner.
“Are you saying the Master of the Delfino Merchant Company is controlling the Astria Count House?”
“There is sufficient possibility. My secretary and skilled negotiator, Eluna, once met the Master of the Delfino Merchant Company. According to what she heard then, he seemed to be interfering in the internal affairs of the Astria Count’s Territory.”
I had heard the details of that story from Eluna when I returned to Adeline last time.
As expected of a descendant of elves, Eluna had an excellent memory, and she relayed every word of Delfino’s conversation with his subordinate without missing a single syllable.
While speaking about the count, he had clicked his tongue and even snorted. No matter how massive a merchant company he owned, he had not shown even the slightest courtesy.
More than anything, he had been watching Young Lady Sapiela’s route of movement.
A merchant company master with no connection to her was interested in the Young Lady’s route? That was not something that could be overlooked. He clearly had some plan.
“In other words, we need information on the two groups not only to protect Sir Dilen, but also to bring the Young Lady’s kidnapping incident to a close. It is also a special mission entrusted to Sir Dilen.”
“Somehow, he did not look like an ordinary butler. It was the first time I had heard of a butler who was an Aura User.”
As if the interpretation mattered more than the dream itself, the Duke interpreted things on his own, and thanks to that, the story was fitting together perfectly. I continued speaking calmly.
“Since Your Excellency is the kingdom’s Minister of Internal Affairs, I presume you have heard about what is happening in the rear.”
“I heard that Astria is conducting large-scale military exercises. But that is a customary matter. That movement will end as training.”
“The problem is the timing.”
I smiled with my eyes gleaming.
“The Astria Count’s Territory moved its troops right after Young Lady Sapiela headed to the Royal Capital. As if they were trying to make a show of force. You are well aware of the relationship between Young Master Otto and Young Lady Sapiela, are you not?”
“I am. And yet they did that......”
“It is an intentional provocation.”
Just as I had explained to the young masters at the secret gathering before, I revealed my own scenario to the Duke.
I spoke of the indirect benefits the Astria Count House would gain if something happened to Young Lady Sapiela.
The Duke rested his chin on his hand and sank into thought. It was not that one layer of suspicion had been removed, but the fact that he was at least listening to me was positive.
“Dilen did not save the Young Lady because he was lucky. He had already secured evidence and was moving when the opportunity to save her came.”
“Could they not be interrogated when the culprits were caught?”
“They prudently cut off the tail. Nothing was revealed. In that process, many people were murdered or disappeared.”
Suddenly, the image of Cornel, who had been the Training Officer, came to mind. He, too, had been one of the victims.
“In the midst of that, there was a tip that the Delfino Merchant Company was behind it, and while Sir Dilen was investigating, he was attacked in the Royal Capital. I am standing here not out of selfish motives, but for Sir Dilen’s sake. I do not know whether that sufficiently explains why I need the information.”
Only now had the story returned to the beginning. After letting the silence linger for a moment, the Duke asked,
“Is he that important of a person? Important enough for you to make such a reckless request?”
“He is also my relative, Your Excellency.”
In truth, it was because of myself.
“Peace has lasted for a long time. It is not entirely incomprehensible that the rear would become noisy. Especially if it concerns those two houses. Dilen is an impressive fellow. To uncover this much while holding the status of a butler.”
After saying something unexpected, the Duke rose from his seat.
He clasped his hands behind his back and began walking around the office. He seemed to have many thoughts.
When I saw that, I realized it.
The Duke definitely knew something. A massive secret large enough to overturn everything I had said so far.
“To give you the conclusion first, I cannot give you the information you want.”
“May I ask the reason?”
“I wish to do business, not to engage in a power struggle. You know well what it means to hand over information, do you not?”
What a sly old fox.
It was a typical trick: take only the profit and step back from dangerous matters. If so, there was no helping it.
I bowed my head and paid my respects.
“In that case, I will also return, discuss the contract with my executives, and visit you again.”
“Are you bargaining with me right now?”
“How could that be? Absolutely not. The investment matter is important. It cannot be taken lightly. The opinions of several people are necessary.”
“Hmm...... How long will it take?”
“I must handle several matters in the Royal Capital before I leave. It will probably take about a couple of months. I will contact you as quickly as possible.”
The Duke’s expression darkened. The one who was in need right now was not me, but the Duke. If I went to another influential house, his losses would be enormous.
“Whom do you plan to meet?”
“I must be careful in answering that. I have appointments with several nobles. More people than expected are showing interest in the fountain pen and ballpoint pen, you see.”
I did not mention any specific names. The appointments did not exist, but in the Duke’s mind, the faces of several rivals were probably rising one after another right now.
As expected, the Duke spoke in an agitated tone.
“I would like to hear your answer as quickly as possible, if possible.”
“There is an order to every transaction. That is precisely why contracts exist. Since Your Excellency is the Minister of Internal Affairs, I believe you understand that well.”
The Duke merely wore an uncomfortable expression and kept silent, drawing out the pause. I felt I had given him enough of a chance.
“I have another appointment scheduled soon, so I will take my leave now. May you remain peaceful until the day we meet again.”
“You.”
The Duke called me solemnly. His eyes, which had been calm, now carried a venomous edge.
They were the eyes of a typical person in power. The emotion he held when things did not proceed as he wished.
They resembled the exact look my professors and seniors had given me when I was in graduate school, when they had failed to win various business interests and then took it out on me.
“Do you understand what it means to return like this? I am the kingdom’s Minister of Internal Affairs and the Head of the Bahamut Ducal House. I believe I have shown you every goodwill I can offer, so if this is all I receive in return, I cannot help but feel disappointed.”
I bowed my head, but I answered him.
“I will gratefully accept the goodwill you have bestowed, but a transaction must be fair.”
“Is there such a thing as a fair transaction in this world?”
“Fair, honest, and free of selfishness. Because you know the meaning contained in those words, the Bahamut House is a prestigious family, and Your Excellency is entrusted with the great duty of Minister of Internal Affairs.”
I mentioned Impartial Fairness, which was also the house precept of the Bahamut House. Thanks to that, I felt nervous. It seemed as though the Duke might shout for someone to cut off my head.
“Hahaha! Yes. That is right. You are a bold one. To think you can stand so confidently before me. You have the qualities of a good merchant. You are qualified.”
The Duke, who had been glaring at me silently, gestured with his hand. I approached a little closer.
“Where are you staying?”
“At present, I am staying at a modest inn called the Crow’s Forest.”
“I will send someone soon. Wait there.”
“Yes, Your Excellency.”
With that, the entire conversation ended.
However, something felt unpleasant in one corner of my heart. When I spoke about Dilen, the Duke’s words that he had uncovered this much while holding the status of a butler continued to circle in my mind.
“There is definitely something.”
For now, I left the Ducal House.