Chapter 145 : Chapter 145
Chapter 145. To Five Hundred Years Ago (1)
“He is boasting about the Fountain Pen everywhere he goes, so could he really oppose it? You people made that item, did you not? He was never in a position to deny you in the first place.”
When the Fountain Pens were first sold off cheaply, it had stung a little. But when I looked at the matter in the long term, I realized that the First Young Master using the Fountain Pen was not only a bad thing.
Because I belatedly realized that his actions raised the brand value of our Metis. Just like now.
“If he rejected you in the first place, it would be no different from spitting while lying down. Who was the one going around boasting that your products were good? Is that not right?”
In other words, the First Young Master had fallen into his own trap. He must have lost some hair agonizing over it.
Young Master Hamel changed his expression to a serious one.
“In any case, the Metis Trading Company has signed a contract to exclusively supply our house with all kinds of items, including every food ingredient and material, furniture, and Daily Necessities. I came straight to the Royal Capital after signing it. Now your company is, in both name and reality, the greatest Merchant Company in the Adeline territory.”
My mind eased considerably. If this were mountain climbing, it meant the base camp had finally been established.
“Thank you for looking out for us. Both as Dilen and as Suhyeon.”
“Pick one. Just one!”
“In any case, I do not think you came personally just to tell me that, so what brings you all the way to the Royal Capital?”
“Because there are more matters for me to concern myself with. Those Astria bastards finally caused trouble. A localized conflict broke out at the border not long ago.”
“A localized conflict…….”
My expression became as serious as the Young Master’s. A localized conflict meant a war fought within a limited area. In other words, there had been an armed clash under a clear operation.
“Did they attack first?”
“That is a little ambiguous. ‘Localized conflict’ is the term our side is using, while they are calling it nothing more than an accidental incident.”
“They are shifting responsibility and trying to pull their feet out.”
“Those bastards are good at petty schemes.”
In truth, the scale of a localized conflict could vary drastically depending on how the theater of war was defined. However, judging from the fact that they were calling it an accidental incident, the scale of the damage did not seem large.
“How many casualties were there?”
“Not that many. Two dead and about ten wounded.”
“It does not seem to have been a very large battle.”
“It was a platoon-scale battle.”
At that level, it was probably closer to a group brawl than a localized conflict.
However, the story changed if it was a border where tension had already been building.
Above all, there had been a loss of troops. Even if it was not enough to be visible at a glance, the fact that someone had died carried symbolic meaning. It was not good for the soldiers’ morale either.
That was likely why Young Master Hamel’s expression looked so grave.
“Could you explain the circumstances before and after the incident in detail?”
“It seems they got into a dispute during a border patrol and a battle broke out, but both sides had violated certain rules of engagement, so the agreement ended with each side taking one step back.”
“Fortunately, it does not seem to have escalated.”
“If it had escalated, I would not have been able to come here.”
The First Young Master was the same, but the Third Young Master was also fairly skilled with a sword. Since he also had leadership ability, there was a high possibility he would be called to the battlefield.
“It was only possible because both our side and the higher-ups on their side restrained themselves well. For now, the border has calmed down, but it did not end there. Starting with this incident, even more troops are gathering at the border, and in the end, the trade route has been completely cut off as well.”
“Even the trade route…… Then this will become a struggle to shift the burden onto each other.”
“You saw it correctly. When a trade route is cut off, it does not simply mean that the path people use to come and go has been blocked. It cannot help becoming a war of attrition. Neither side has secured a maritime trade route.”
This world had its own economic network. However, its level was crude. Trade was carried out through roads and sea routes, so if the two territories blocked the overland route, the trade route would be completely cut off. Both houses would suffer no small amount of losses.
Of course, since they were two houses that represented the Kingdom, enduring for several months, or even several years, would be easy enough. However, the very fact that losses would occur meant that the gap between them and the other territories not caught up in this dispute would shrink, so it was clearly a disadvantage.
“Has civilian access been completely blocked as well?”
“Of course. I heard Miss Eluna was trying to go to the Delfino Merchant Company to negotiate, but she could not because the border was closed. Do not scold her too harshly. It could not be helped.”
Eluna bowed her head as though she was deeply honored. This was the first time I had seen Young Master Hamel cover for someone else.
Had he developed some goodwill toward her? She was capable, sharp, and even of noble blood, so one would not be human if one did not covet her.
The Third Young Master, in particular, longed for talented people to appear. If he saw even the slightest promise, he would immediately try to make that person his.
But as I had said repeatedly, Eluna was my person. I had no intention of yielding her to anyone.
“Princess Ophelia’s birthday party will be held in a few days. Since you are Ella’s Attending Secretary, you must at least know that much, right?”
“As it happens, the Young Lady invited Her Highness to a Banquet today. She will come this evening, so it would be good for you to exchange greetings.”
“Do I look as though I came all the way here just to idly offer congratulations?”
“How could I possibly fathom your deep intentions, Young Master?”
“Ha, this bastard has now completely developed a hobby of mocking me.”
“Surely not.”
The Young Master seemed to be sighing a great deal today. He waved his hand and changed the subject.
“In any case, I intend to lobby the high-ranking nobles of the Kingdom. We have to prevent war somehow. Those bastards have started taking issue with the fact that Ella left for the Royal Capital without discussion.”
“That is far too weak as a justification, is it not?”
“They say there are many other accumulated grievances, but in my view, all of them are baseless fault-finding.”
“Even so, should the First Young Master not be the one doing the lobbying?”
Hamel sent me an openly displeased look. However, I did not shrink back. It was a fact, and that was also my charm.
“My elder brother has led the Golden Lion Order to the border. He likely will not be able to return to the Main House for a while. Since my second elder brother is also confined to a sickbed, I have to move.”
Young Master Hamel probably thought of this moment as a heaven-sent opportunity. The First and Second Young Masters could not help being excluded from this matter.
If he could strengthen his relationships with various nobles while lobbying and later receive support from the Royal Capital when he competed with the First Young Master, that would be the icing on the cake. Everything would be flowing according to plan.
I asked,
“How likely do you think a full-scale war with Astria is?”
“Who could know that? In any case, the Count must choose one of two options. Either he fights a war without justification and makes enemies on all sides, or he withdraws his troops as things stand.”
Raising troops for training was only natural.
However, creating tension on the front line was another matter. On top of that, the flimsy justification of House Astria grated on my nerves.
This disturbance was not a decision made independently by House Astria.
Because the Delfino Family was behind it. I had already heard all the secrets from the Mystic Merchant.
Wait, perhaps…….
Were these bastards deliberately pretending to be sloppy? In order to turn our attention elsewhere?
“What is with that expression?”
“A possibility occurred to me, and I was considering whether it might be correct.”
“Think as much as you like. I am going to have a cup of tea.”
Eluna moved quickly even before an order was given. Soon, the maids prepared tea. My throat happened to be dry as well, so the timing was perfect.
For now, I drank a cup of tea and calmed my mind. Now was the time to think with a composure colder than ice.
Once the maids withdrew, we began talking again.
“You said the Astria bastards used the fact that the Young Lady left for the Royal Capital without discussion as their excuse, correct? Though they say there are other reasons as well, that is ultimately the core of it.”
“So?”
“No matter how stupid they are, anyone would know that such a thing cannot become a proper justification.”
“Then are you saying they did it on purpose?”
“Yes.”
Young Master Hamel propped up his chin. Naturally, the words “are they trying to hide something?” flowed from his mouth. For now, I had to confirm a few things with Eluna.
“About the plan we were attempting. The one where we would advance into Astria, form a commercial sphere with our capital, and expand our influence.”
“Yes, Master.”
“How far had that progressed?”
Eluna opened a small notebook, checked what had been written inside, and answered clearly.
“We were actually in the process of pursuing mergers and acquisitions with five Merchant Companies based in Astria. As rumors about the Fountain Pen and Ballpoint Pen spread even in Astria, many Merchant Companies showed interest. Aside from that, we were also in the middle of pursuing investment agreements with ten other places.”
“But with the trade route blocked this time, all of that must have been undone, correct?”
“That is correct. Some Merchant Companies turned the matter into something that had never happened, and with others, contact was cut off entirely.”
Only now was I certain.
From the very beginning, the very act of House Astria trying to start a dispute by seizing on such an absurd fault had been meant to divert our attention.
Of course, when considering historical facts, it was not entirely absurd. There had been a few cases where marriage talks had fallen through and territorial wars had broken out.
Even so, this was not it.
After putting the situation together, I explained it step by step.
“Young Master. This dispute coincides exactly with the time when Metis was taking the lead in Adeline and preparing to expand into Astria. Metis won the exclusive contract with House Adeline, negotiated with the Bahamut Ducal House using innovative inventions as leverage, and rapidly expanded its power. During that time, I was also attacked here. Yet at such a subtle timing, they caused a localized conflict and cut off the trade route…….”
“You are saying they saw through Metis’s expansion plan? The Delfino Merchant Company did?”
“I do not think anything else can explain it.”
BANG!
Unable to contain his anger, Young Master Hamel struck the table.
“Those damned bastards! Did they land the first blow?”
We had no choice but to admit it.
They had read our move and prepared their next action. If the trade route was blocked, Metis could not do anything. We were not a military organization.
But it was fine.
If they landed one blow, we simply had to return two.
They had seen through Metis’s limits, but they had not seen through my limits.
Unless they knew that I was the one who had been hit by a truck and reincarnated with every memory of my previous life intact, they would not be able to surpass me.
Perhaps that confidence showed on my face, because the Young Master questioned me.
“You have the look of someone with a good plan.”
“Before that, I think I should tell you about an incident from five hundred years ago.”
“Five hundred years ago?”
Young Master Hamel stared at me with his entire face twisted, as though asking what I was talking about.