Chapter 123

Merion has a well-lit four-story building near the eastern gate.

It belongs to the Maridadio Trading Company and specializes in importing high-quality materials for art and crafting.

The president of the company was waiting in his third-floor office, the sunniest and coziest room.

“When are the Verchellos coming to pick up their order?”

“At two o’clock.”

“Soon. It’s the perfect time for a cup of tea.”

The president of the Maridadio Trading Company gestured.

His posture was arrogant, as if the servility he showed in front of Kukulo Del Conti was a distant memory.

If a hundred people were to be given the right to be pompous, the president of the Maridadio Trading Company would be more than qualified.

He was a man who was more often greeted than had to greet others, no matter where he went, except for a place like the Del Conti family.

“When they arrive, send them straight to my office.”

Yes. The secretary left the room with a short answer.

It was to not disturb the president of the Maridadio Trading Company during his tea time.

The president took out a teapot with a lid and tea leaves from a cupboard.

He put the dried tea leaves in the teapot and closed the lid and when he tilted it, a gurgling sound was heard as well-brewed tea filled the cup.

How convenient.

The president of the Maridadio Trading Company smiled.

He had only put in dried tea leaves, but a well-brewed tea was made in an instant.

He didn't know the principle.

He just knew that some kind of magic was involved.

It was Fre Leaf Tea.

The scent was pleasant.

He had heard that even the Emperor of Cordis, who lived on the east side of the great mountain range, enjoyed Fre Leaf Tea.

Thinking that he was enjoying the same scent as the Emperor, his neck imperceptibly became stiff.

“But the Verchellos, they have no shame.”

He tilted his teacup this way and that to spread the aroma.

“To even send someone to come and get it, they must know what kind of humiliation they're in for.”

The Verchellos had ordered Sepdi oil and Hojen wood, and the Maridadio Trading Company had signed a contract to accept the order.

However, they had no intention of selling the items.

It was merely a contract in name only.

“Do they really think we’d sell them the Sepdi oil and Hojen wood?”

Anyone who thought about the relationship between the Del Contis, Maridadio, and the Verchellos would know the answer.

The Del Conti family had a long and close relationship with the Maridadio Trading Company, and a long-standing feud with the Verchellos.

“It just doesn't make sense.”

He sipped the Fre Leaf Tea.

Just eighty silver coins… no, it wasn’t just that, but it was far too little to justify displeasing the Del Conti family.

Still, he felt a sense of pity for the Verchellos.

The reason was simple.

He was also a person from Merion.

Anyone from Merion couldn't help but feel a difficult-to-describe affection for the fallen Verchellos.

No matter how much they had fallen, the Verchellos were still the Verchellos.

“…If I just give them a cup of tea, I can say I’ve done what I could.”

There was a knock.

Soon, he heard his secretary say that a guest had arrived.

The president of the Maridadio Trading Company told them to come in and the door opened.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, President of the Maridadio Trading Company.”

A boy entered.

He had blonde hair and blue eyes.

***

“My name is Shion. I’m the representative for the Verchellos.”

There was something peculiar about him.

He looked like a boy to anyone.

He was probably around sixteen or seventeen.

But he didn't feel like a boy.

He was beautiful to anyone who saw him.

He was so beautiful that he looked like a girl.

Yet, his beauty didn't stand out.

He was peculiar because he had so many differences from others, but he didn't feel different from others.

“Take a seat.”

The president of the Maridadio Trading Company said pompously.

Even though he was peculiar, he didn't seem like someone he needed to adjust his posture for.

I, Shion, sat across from the president without any signs of displeasure.

The president offered me tea.

“Fre Leaf Tea, would you like some?”

“I’ll drink it if you give it to me.”

Gurgle, another cup of tea.

As I smelled the aroma, I rummaged through my pocket and took out a metal tin. I thought it was a pack of cigarettes, but lozenges rolled out.

“Would you like candy, Mr. President?”

“…I’ll eat it if you give it to me.”

I shook the metal tin.

There was a rattling sound from the candies.

The president stayed still.

So I shook the metal tin again.

My tone seemed to say, "What are you doing not reaching out your hand if you're going to eat the candy?"

The president of the Maridadio Trading Company, without realizing it, held out his hand like a child.

I smiled broadly and gave him a candy.

“Do you know about the Shaebo Confectionery in Maesh? These candies were brought from there. They’re peppermint and raspberry flavored.”

“…A very high-quality item. Your name is Shion, right? I heard that you run a gallery and work as an art dealer.”

“I also bring in these kinds of sweets at the same time.”

It was a short conversation, but the president of the Maridadio Trading Company smelled money from me.

My way of speaking and the items I used gave off a subtle scent of wealth.

It was a smell that a nouveau riche could not emit, a smell that the president, who had met countless people, had only smelled on very rare occasions.

“I appreciate you coming all this way, but.”

But whether it was the smell of wealth or something else, the president had a job to do.

“Something has come up, and I have to apologize.”

“You haven’t been able to get the ordered items yet?”

I said with a smile.

“That’s alright. I’ll wait until the items are available.”

“No. I have the items.”

“Then what’s the problem?”

“Well, you see…”

The president of the Maridadio Trading Company crossed his legs.

He didn’t look sorry at all.

“I ran into a few problems while getting the items, so I’ll have to raise the price a little.”

“Don't prices for items brought from far away always change? There’s no need to apologize.”

“I’ll have to raise it quite a bit.”

The president stroked his chin.

“I’ll have to charge eight hundred silver coins.”

“This is indeed something to apologize for.”

My face hardened.

I put the metal tin away and took out the order form instead.

The contract between the Verchellos and the Maridadio Trading Company was written on it.

I pointed my finger at one part of the order form.

“What kind of situation makes eighty silver coins turn into eight hundred?”

“What kind of situation? Don't you know?”

The president of the Maridadio Trading Company shrugged.

It was an order from the Del Conti family.

I must have known that already.

“What's going to change if you tell me? Our trading company can't give you the items for less than eight hundred silver coins. The contract also states that the price can change, doesn’t it?”

“The price doesn’t usually go up by ten times.”

“What can we do, it is what it is.”

How rude. I muttered.

The president of the Maridadio Trading Company pretended not to hear me and took on an even more arrogant posture.

“Anyway, if you want the items, it’s eight hundred silver coins.”

“…”

“Just drink your tea and go back. I have a lot of work to do.”

I stayed silent, and the president interpreted my silence as anger.

“We’re in a difficult spot too. We finally got the items, but what should we do with them…”

“You won’t be in a difficult spot.”

Thud, a sound was heard.

It was because I suddenly put a pouch on the table.

A golden light shimmered inside the pouch.

The president, who smelled a monstrous amount of money, stammered and asked.

“…What is this?”

“What is it? It’s money.”

I smiled gently.

“Forty Maesh gold coins.”

“…Maes h gold coins? Forty coins!?”

“It’s definitely more than eight hundred silver coins.”

The president of the Maridadio Trading Company hurriedly opened the pouch.

He counted the gold coins in an instant.

There were exactly forty.

His posture had become courteous in an instant.

His crossed legs were back in their original position.

“That's a relief. I just happened to have exactly forty gold coins on me.”

“…You just happened to have forty gold coins on you? Money to buy a house!?”

“Yes. I just happened to have it.”

“…Who on earth carries this much money? And in cash, not an IOU…”

“I wonder. A person who is always mindful of someone’s dirty tricks?”

“…”

The president of the Maridadio Trading Company, who had been caught in his dirty trick, bowed his head.

He had been completely outsmarted.

I had seen through his plan to raise the price and even how much he would inflate it.

“You should give me the items now, Mr. President.”

I, Shion Pollinglight, crossed my legs.

“I’ve paid the price, haven’t I? If you don’t sell them, it will be your responsibility.”

“…”

“You can still break the contract and pay the cancellation fee right now.”

The president of the Maridadio Trading Company’s scheme had been completely exposed.

But for some reason, the corners of his mouth wouldn't go down.

It was gold coins.

Maesh gold coins. Forty coins.

It was a sufficient price to displease the Del Contis for once.

I looked at the president and the money pouch alternately and reached out my hand.

“You don’t seem to have a plan. I'll look for the items in another city.”

“…Wait!”

The president of the Maridadio Trading Company grabbed my wrist as I was about to take the money pouch back.

He had become completely blinded.

It wasn't just the forty gold coins, but the breathtaking amount of money I had nonchalantly offered that had captivated him.

“To be honest, I wasn’t ready.”

“You thought a pauper like the Verchellos couldn’t afford the items?”

“…Well, something like that.”

“That’s rude.”

My eyes, Shion Pollinglight’s eyes, became sharp.

“How about you retract your rudeness now? Your tone, too.”

“…I will do that. Of course, I will.”

The president smirked.

He was a merchant through and through.

It meant that if there was money to be made, his pride wouldn't be hurt even if he had to act servile towards a person much younger than him.

The president of the Maridadio Trading Company became very proudly servile.

“I will make sure to send the items today. They’re of the highest quality. I’m sure you’ll like them, Mr. Shion.”

“That’s the first pleasant thing you’ve said.”

I held out the money pouch, and the president clutched it.

The gold coins rattled and shook his chest.

I had already put another candy in my mouth.

“Was it a good trade?”

“Can’t you tell by my smile, Mr. Shion?”

“You are very merchant-like, Mr. President of the Maridadio Trading Company.”

“Is that an insult or a compliment?”

“Both.”

“Haha…”

The president laughed awkwardly.

I smiled broadly too.

“Mr. President, would you like to make another good trade?”

“…If it’s a good trade?”

“You have more Sepdi oil and Hojen wood, don't you?”

“!!”

The president of the Maridadio Trading Company gulped.

“…I do. They’re for the Del Contis. Why do you ask about them…?”

“I wonder.”

I ran my hand through my hair.

My hair sparkled with a golden light, just like the gold coins.

The president of the Maridadio Trading Company knew he had been enchanted, but he couldn't escape.

“Why?”

***

“I baked bread again.”

Serena de Verchello came to the Art Gallery Lamponé with a fragrant smell.

“I cut it in half and put a lot of ham in it. It’s my masterpiece, so hurry up and try it.”

“What did you put on the bread?”

“I put butter on one side and chervil pesto on the other.”

“That’s incredible.”

When the butter, ham, chervil pesto, and freshly baked bread mixed in my mouth, a small explosion occurred.

My tongue was so happy it was tap dancing, and the corners of my mouth wouldn't stop going up.

I looked to my side and saw Amethus gulping down the bread like water.

I was a little worried about the health of my jade-eyed subordinate.

“Did you have a good time at the Maridadio Trading Company, Shion?”

“Don’t even get me started, milady.”

I waved my hand.

“I met the president of the trading company, and he was a very typical merchant.”

“…Something must have happened, right?”

“Geez, it was so ridiculous. He asked for eight hundred silver coins for an item that was worth eighty silver coins! That would be forty gold coins!”

“…I'm sorry for putting you through that.”

Serena’s face darkened. I tilted my head.

“Why are you sorry, Milady Serena?”

“…Didn’t the Maridadio company ask for a price you couldn't possibly pay?”

“Yes. He asked for a price I couldn't possibly pay. But I bought it.”

I spoke like Arellay Irellas.

Serena was as bewildered as a person talking to Arellay Irellas.

“…You bought it after he asked for eight hundred silver coins?”

“I paid forty gold coins.”

“What!?”

I chuckled.

“He was a merchant after all. He was incredibly good at smelling money.”

I took out a piece of paper from my pocket and handed it to her.

It was the item receipt written by the Maridadio Trading Company. Serena read it with bewildered eyes.

“…Didn't you agree to buy four boxes? But it says here that you bought ten boxes. The payment is also a hundred gold coins…”

“Ah. I bought all the items that were supposed to be supplied to Del Contis too.”

Serena was speechless.

Her face became completely pale.

“I came back after a very good trade.”