Read Novel Full Vol 12 Chapter 15
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(11/18)
Chapter 15 – Audience
The master of the Adventurers’ Guild came with an appraiser to inspect the treasures of the Duke’s castle. Although there were a few unpleasant incidents, such as the appraiser Ottmar-san’s outburst, the appraisal and offering meeting went smoothly because the guild master, who we thought was a bit of a muscle brain, was surprisingly intelligent.
“But I think this is going a little too fast.”
“Master. The guild master told you that there is a possibility that you will be summoned today. If you don’t get dressed quickly, it will soon be time to leave.”
“…I know. I’ll get dressed.”
I was a little frustrated, and Ines, who was wearing normal clothes, gave me a warning look as if she was scolding a child who was about to give up.
I had been told that, and I had prepared myself for it, but I didn’t think they would actually decide on an audience for tomorrow on the day it was reported to the castle. It’s nice that Ines doesn’t have to go to the audience, isn’t it?
Phew. It helps that all the annoying things are going smoothly, but I needed a little more time to get my head in order. It seems that the Duke’s castle in the sunken city has affected this land more than I imagined.
The guild master said it was a legend, so maybe the effect is on the level of the Tokugawa reserves being unearthed? Then maybe I could understand the rush.
There’s no point in complaining about the buzzards in my head, so why don’t I just put on my suit and get this over with?
Just like going to the dentist, you hate it before you go, but when it’s over, you’ll be glad it was nothing.
“Wataru-san. You look cool.”
“Thank you.”
When I stepped out of the Lutto, I was greeted by Alessia-san and the others, still in their adventurer’s gear, who complimented me on my suit. I am a simple person, and even though I knew it was flattery, I felt elated. I’m so simple.
I would have liked to see Alessia-san and the others dressed up, but alas, they were still in their normal clothes.
It’s an emergency, and since they’re adventurers, there’s no problem with their normal clothes, but I’m a merchant, so I’m told that proper dress is etiquette. I don’t feel that there is any discrimination, but I also feel that it is natural that there is a difference between a merchant and an adventurer.
“Wataru-dono, please come in.”
While I was fantasizing about Alessia-san and the others in their dresses, reality called out to me in the form of a knight that I had been looking away from.
“Yes.”
The knight sent from the castle urges me to get into an open-style carriage. Yes, an open carriage.
After receiving the report from the guild master, the king used his power as king to prepare the parade in a very short time.
How could the parade be ready on a day when it was after noon when he received the report? The power of the authorities is just too frightening.
Upon hearing the story, the country immediately sent people. Confirmation of the offerings and interviews about the exploration of the Duke’s castle began, and when that was over, the meeting for the parade began.
I was treated politely because I had the support of the mage, but I was also asked a lot of questions about the mage, which was tough.
I should have resisted, but before I knew it, the reward and even the route of the parade were decided, and the meeting was over. The government official of the royal capital, a viscount, is a terrifying person.
The next morning, the knights were sent to the Lutto to begin preparations for carrying the offerings, and we were taught the etiquette of an audience.
And now the parade! I want to go home.
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“Wataru-san. As expected, I don’t think you should smile like that. Can’t you do it a little better?”
Alessia-san, who is sitting to my left, calls out to me with a worried look on her face.
“Wataru-san. Just sit there with a smile on your face. Please calm down.”
Dorothea-san, who is sitting to my right, tells me to calm down. But I can’t.
“T-that’s all I can do right now. I’m aware that my smile is drawing back, but I can’t help it. At least if I had Rimu…”
“Even though he’s tamed, it’s really impossible for us to bring Rimu-chan and the others with us to the audience.”
“…You’re right.”
I think Alessia-san is right, too. But it is also true that if I could rub Rimu, I would have felt calmer.
Without something to stabilize my mind, it’s impossible for me to calm down in a situation like this.
The parade left the harbor. Many people gathered on the main road leading to the castle and cheered. In the middle of the parade, a horse-drawn open carriage is moving.
Behind the carriage is a miniature of the Duke’s castle of the Sunken City, carried like a portable shrine.
Well, it is still good that the miniature of the Duke’s castle is being carried by human power while showing its glittering appearance.
The speed is slow because it is human-powered, and the carriage slows to a crawl to keep up with it, so it takes forever to reach the castle.
I have the desire to hurry and get the carriages out of this hell, but that’s not the worst thing because it diverts the gallery’s attention.
The worst part is the knights who will line up in front of, behind, and to the left and right of the parade.
Who is the hero who conquered the Duke’s castle? No, I didn’t have such an intense adventure. I just stayed in the safety of the ship. Was it a trap? There was no such thing.
The hero who defeated countless Sea Serpents? No, I am a merchant. I didn’t defeat them.
An associate of a great mage? I am the mage and just an ordinary person who received a cheat from the Creator God-sama. Please don’t make up stories. I want to stand up and shout this.
I had heard from the Viscount that the Knight would have a short publicity campaign because there wasn’t time to spread the word about our achievements, but that’s almost a lie.
Well, I can understand that it would not be good for the public to hear that the Duke’s castle was easily captured by a random person since many people, including the country, had given up on the idea of capturing the castle. There must be some kind of political agenda. I also feel that I am to blame for keeping most of the strategy secret, saying that it was a contract with the mage.
But is it really torture to stand on parade and have your achievements announced in a loud voice?
The sparkling eyes and adoring voices of the children fill my heart with apologies. If it weren’t for the cheers of the beautiful ladies, my heart would surely be broken. I wish this hell would end as soon as possible.
I thought it would be like going to the dentist or something, but it’s just not worth going through this ordeal on the way to the dentist.
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“Mm-hmm. Excellent. You say you’re Wataru, right? Well done for conquering the Duke’s castle in the sunken city!”
“…Thank you.”
In the audience hall where the nobles gathered, I tried my best not to express hatred towards my enemy, or rather, the king, who nodded his head in satisfaction at the miniature of the Duke’s castle as I replied.
Even though he is the source of the parade that has broken my spirit, the king himself does not give detailed instructions.
Although it is the role of superiors to take responsibility for their subordinates, it would be wrong to pick a fight with him because the parade was hell.
I saw the Viscount mingling with the nobles, and I wanted to summon a luxury liner or a ferry right here, but I held myself back because this is also Ines’ hometown.
I will also forgive the fact that I finally arrived at the castle and was taken to the audience hall almost without a break, probably because they wanted to see the treasures as soon as possible. I welcome the early end.
So, please. Please finish the audience quickly instead of leisurely admiring miniatures and paintings.
“You can’t say that there’s no reward for being presented with such treasures. Very well, Wataru, I will grant you permission to develop the undeveloped lands in the eastern part of the kingdom. But is a development permit really enough? I can even give you a title with land, you know?”
This is the reward I told the Viscount in advance, but the king seems to be dissatisfied with it. But I don’t want any strings attached.
“Yes. I am a merchant, so it is enough for me to get a development permit.”
“…I see. Then I will do so.”
The king looks a little disappointed, but the discussion about the reward ended without problems. The Viscount who came to the meeting offered me a title, but I refused it in advance. I can’t be a nobleman in a country where I experienced such a parade. I am sure I would die of embarrassment.
It was a bitter pill to swallow that I was given permission to develop undeveloped land. It would be strange to get money by offering treasures, and I don’t need a title or land. In fact, it would be a nuisance to be tied to the land.
But the country can’t afford not to reward me. I got into a stalemate with the Viscount who came to the meeting. But then it hit me.
Isn’t this a chance to fulfill my promise to the God of Commerce-sama? And…
When I asked the Viscount if I could have the right to develop the undeveloped land, he gave me a strange look and said that I could have ordinary land, not undeveloped land, but I didn’t actually need any land. But I did my best to negotiate, saying that the right to develop the land would be enough.
I had a lot of platinum coins that could only be used for charity. I want to take this opportunity to distribute them.
Well, it wouldn’t be immediate because I would have to get permission from the God of Commerce-sama, and there would be some kind of screening process if I hired a beastman from another country.
But since I have a development permit, if I spread the money around, I should be able to get by eventually. If the God of Commerce-sama rejects the project, it will be the end, but in that case, it will be a waste of the development permit I got.
I didn’t promise to develop it for sure, and I didn’t want to get a reward from the king, so it was all over.
If the God of Commerce-sama is okay with it, it would be less of a burden to be an employer who pays for it and doesn’t interfere. As for the development plan… let’s just find someone competent and let them handle it. It’s an idea, so there will be holes, but most things can be fixed with money.
As long as I’m not forced to recoup the cost of development or asked to become a noble and rule the city I developed, I’m fine.
I am happy to fulfill my promise to the God of Commerce-sama. The Aquamarine Kingdom is happy to have a city built for free. The beastmen are happy to live in a safe land. It’s an ingenious plan that will make everyone happy.
“With this, the audience is over. Wataru, I will see you at dinner. Oh, yes, I’ll send the Viscount to you, and you can tell him about the mage ship in Brescia. See you later.”
While I was congratulating myself that I might be a genius, the king said he would send the Viscount to me and left quickly.
I heard about the dinner, so that was understandable, but I didn’t hear anything about the Viscount. I need some rest.