Chapter 139 : Chapter 139
Chapter 139. Mystic Trading Company (1)
Before returning to Dilen, since I had already put on the Face Mask, there was something I had to check.
I had sent a messenger pigeon to Metis headquarters not long ago. I had asked by super-express whether there were any completed fountain pens that could be sent to the Royal Capital, so a reply might have arrived by now.
I could not check the messenger pigeon as Dilen. That was partly because my signature had already been entered when the service was activated, and partly because the staff remembered my face.
So it was more convenient to handle every task I could do while wearing the Face Mask, then take it off again afterward.
When I arrived at the Messenger Pigeon Center, I immediately went inside and looked for the man on the far left.
A customer who had arrived before me was taking care of his business, and although another counter was empty, I wanted to ask him.
“Please go safely. I hope to see you again, sir.”
Was it finally my turn?
When the person in front of me finished his business, my eyes met the staff member on the left. I walked to the empty counter. As expected, he remembered me.
“You have come at just the right time, Master Suhyeon. A messenger pigeon from Metis headquarters has just arrived.”
“It seems I came at the right moment.”
“I will bring the receipt confirmation document and the letter, so would you please wait for a moment?”
“Of course.”
The man on the left left behind a smile and disappeared toward the back.
A short while later, he came out holding a note. I rose from my seat, signed the receipt document he handed me, then received the note.
“I remember that you sent it by super-express. I hope everything worked out well.”
“Thank you.”
“Is there anything else I can help you with?”
“There is one thing I am curious about.”
“Please tell me. I will resolve it for you.”
“It is a private matter. Would that be all right?”
I asked with a smile, and he nodded without showing any confusion. A man asking a private question might have seemed a little strange, but he was a professional after all.
“Of course. If it is a customer’s request, I must listen attentively to anything.”
“It is nothing else. I would like to know your name.”
“My name is Vincent. I am in charge of messenger pigeon management and customer management here.”
He introduced himself while bowing politely. I smiled with satisfaction.
“Would it be all right if I asked one more thing?”
“Please speak.”
“I have not visited this place often, but I was impressed by your customer service ability, Mr. Vincent. So I became curious. Why did you come to work at the Messenger Pigeon Center?”
“Since I was young, it was my dream to work here. A place that delivers news to precious people. Is that not romantic and wonderful? Perhaps because of that, I could not think lightly of even a single customer.”
“Only for that reason?”
“Of course.”
Was that not too modest? It was a slightly unexpected answer, so I ended up chuckling.
“Ah, please do not misunderstand. I was not laughing at you. It was simply a little unexpected.”
“Everyone reacts the same way whenever I say this, so it is all right. I am used to it now.”
“Delivering news to precious people is good, but how about becoming someone who delivers precious items to precious people?”
“What do you mean by that?”
He tilted his head. Had I spoken too indirectly? I was about to get to the point, but I thought he might feel resistance if I said something too sudden, so I roughly tied off the conversation.
“I simply said it because I thought I would like to work with you someday, Mr. Vincent. Since I also run a company, I cannot help but notice someone like you, who has expertise in customer service and hospitality.”
“I see. Thank you for seeing me in such a favorable light.”
I had no intention whatsoever of simply seating him in a store and making him serve customers.
Looking at the bigger picture, I intended to use him as a professional service instructor.
What I had felt while living in this world was that specialized customer satisfaction had not yet been realized here. Even raising the level to where it had been in the place I used to live would contribute greatly to increasing sales.
In order to raise it to that level, a man named Vincent was absolutely necessary.
It was not urgent right now, but it did not cost money to mark him in advance. I would have to work on it step by step.
“Our private conversation has grown long. It seems a customer is waiting, so I will greet you again next time. Thank you for your work.”
“Please go safely. I hope to see you again, sir.”
After finishing my greeting, I left the Messenger Pigeon Center.
As I walked along the road, I opened the note. Perhaps because there was nothing in particular that needed to be hidden, Eluna had not treated it with mana, so the writing was immediately visible.
====
When I pressed Mr. Spinel, he confessed that one standard fountain pen remained. He said he had sealed it and stored it as a company commemorative item. He is worried that if I tell you this, Master, you may become angry...... but it seems he judged it was not a serious matter because it was a standard model rather than a high-end one. For now, I will immediately send the one remaining stock item to Saint Lucia. I will be careful to ensure that something like this does not happen again.
====
Rather than being angry, I was surprised because it was something I had never expected. There was one more standard model left?
“Actually, it seems the one who is angry is not me, but Eluna.”
She had not even asked whether I was doing well, and since the handwriting was slightly uneven, it seemed she had been extremely agitated when writing it. The words “pressed” and “confessed” were not words she often used either. They were words Kalmond used more often.
It was difficult to see her angry. So, when I imagined it for no reason, laughter came out. I wondered what expression she had worn while pressing Spinel.
In any case, even if it was not a high-end model, a standard fountain pen was still an extremely valuable item.
Right now, each one had gone beyond 1,500 gold to 2,000 gold, or rather, it had reached the point where the price was whatever one called.
Of course, I understood Spinel’s position as well.
If he sold off every single item we had made, it would be troublesome when there was something worth commemorating, so Spinel must have acted with his own foresight. A prototype had its own value, after all.
“All is well that ends well. This worked out nicely. With this opportunity, Eluna can properly play her role as a middle manager. And I can bring something to Princess Ophelia’s birthday party.”
There was no need to be disappointed just because it was not a high-end fountain pen. The basic principle and key advantages were the same anyway, so all I had to do was show that we had the capability to make something like this.
“By the way, is the materials supply still difficult? Seeing that production still has not resumed, it seems hard. Should I ask Duke Mydas for help with that?”
If production had resumed, Eluna would probably have reported it separately. But there was no other note.
First, I placed the letter inside my coat, then entered the private estate, changed into my butler uniform, and carefully left the estate.
Having become Dilen before I knew it, I entered the mansion while receiving the soldiers’ military salutes as if nothing had happened.
Before returning to my quarters, I headed to the Young Lady’s room. The door was half open, so I entered without making a special announcement.
The Young Lady was sitting at her desk and studying.
“You are working hard late into the night.”
Sapiela put down her ballpoint pen and gazed at me.
“Did nothing happen?”
“Yes. I returned safely. Perhaps because I received a noble title, I feel reassured. It feels as though I am wearing a suit of protective armor. Perhaps because of that, I have not seen any suspicious groups lately either.”
“Still, be careful. If possible, go around with your lieutenant.”
“Thank you for your concern.”
I glanced at the book the Young Lady had been looking at. It was a book filled with various mathematics problems. It seemed her determination to return to the main house and strike back at her Private Tutor had not changed.
“Shall I help you with your studies?”
“No. I cannot make someone who has just finished a mission work again. You must be tired as well, so return and rest.”
It was fortunate that she said that first.
I was planning to be out of the mansion tonight, after all. The Duke would not drag things out. I had read impatience in his expression. He would probably send a messenger tonight to the place I had mentioned.
I had already reserved a special room at the Crow’s Forest, so I intended to stay there and wait.
“There is a morning class at the Academy tomorrow. I will escort you immediately after breakfast. In the afternoon, Viscount Valentino is scheduled to visit. I will prepare good tea. There are no further plans after that. That concludes my report. Sleep well, my lady.”
After bowing deeply, I was about to leave the rest to Arwen and step out when the Young Lady called me again.
“Sir Dilen. There is something I would like to discuss with you.”
“Please speak.”
“Arwen. Step out for a moment.”
Arwen carefully, but quickly, left her place. Sapiela, sitting on the edge of the bed with an alluring air, looked up at me.
“A letter came from Father today. He says the atmosphere in the territory is unusual. Sir Dilen, you recently went to the main house, so you must know well what is happening, correct?”
“Yes. I know.”
“Would it be better for me to return to the main house after all?”
I had not seen the contents of the letter, so I did not know for certain. But if the Marquis had gone so far as to inform her of the territory’s situation, he might have indirectly suggested that she should come back and look after the people of the territory.
“It is still too early. And it is not a matter to think about lightly. It is an extremely political matter, and right now, you are a student of the Academy.”
“But if this happened because of me......”
“That is not your fault, my lady. It is simply discourtesy from the Astria Count House. They will certainly pay the price for it. For now, you should build connections in high society here and study diligently at the Academy. That is also the path for our house.”
Young Lady Sapiela looked at me for a moment, then smiled. It was a rare smile.
“I was worrying about it alone, but after speaking with you, Sir Dilen, I feel somewhat relieved. That is what I thought as well. It would be a little regrettable to return now, but it seems I needed someone to tell me not to go. Thank you for listening.”
“Not at all. From now on, please do not keep such matters bottled up inside. If you have any worries, tell me at any time. Please rest comfortably.”
Was this the effect of the Bond of Fate? It was the first time Sapiela had opened up about her worries.
I went outside, exchanged places with Arwen, and headed to my quarters. The one guarding the place was the familiar-faced soldier. He gave me a military salute with a pleased expression.
“No issues during duty. Welcome back.”
“Where is Arthas?”
“He is training at the Training Ground. Shall I call him?”
“No. It is fine.”
These days, it had been difficult to see Arthas’s face. He was so immersed in training that he was practically neglecting food and drink. If he had not been my lieutenant, he would probably have devoted himself to training for days on end in some quiet cave.
I understood that he had encountered an unexpected Fortuitous Opportunity and gained strength, so he was training. But eating well and resting well were also important, so I was worried.
Still, he was more of a professional than me when it came to anything related to combat, so I believed he would handle it well on his own.
I should check his Level later.
“Go to the dining hall, gather some bread and something to drink, and deliver them to Arthas. Tell him to take it easy as well.”
“I will obey your command.”
I locked the door and opened a spellbook. I studied until the mansion’s lights went out one by one, then late at night, I placed the Face Mask inside my coat and left the mansion.
After transforming into Suhyeon again, I entered the Crow’s Forest.
It was located in a remote area, but the Royal Capital had many people and many travelers. Inside, there were many people drinking and resting.
I approached the owner.
“I am the one who reserved a special room today. The name is Suhyeon. I paid the lodging fee in advance.”
“Ah! You have arrived. Please go up to the third floor. It is the room at the very end. Shall I bring you a meal or some alcohol?”
“No, thank you.”
I received the key from the owner and entered the special room. Even though it was called a special room, it was a place also used by commoners, so it did not feel clean.
Still, the bed looked fairly comfortable.
“Shall I rest for a while first?”
Just as I was about to lie down on the bed, I heard a creaking sound. It was the sound of heavy footsteps. Those footsteps began at the stairs and were approaching my room.