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The Two In The Office
There is a knock, konkon. It is still before breakfast. It’s probably Wyst who just got back from drawing water.
「Oーi, Noor, you inside?」
I silently open the door.
Wyst thinks I am a fussy kid. Saying that he won’t know what I might do if I said I want to be alone and being disturbed. Well certainly, it doesn’t feel good when you are disturbed while reading and it makes things easier if people understand that.
「I’m off then….what, you want souvenir?」
That’s right, today is the day they left outside before the auction day. Myluc is giving the children who are about to be sold a chance to go outside. Of course, they are not allowed to walk by themselves and only move within a certain range. Since they are all children around 6 years old, they can only be taken to places where they can be seen and with good public security.
Now then, I wonder what the purpose of setting up such an opportunity for the children?
「Nothing in particular. You get some pocket money, right? Use it for yourself 」
「Naah, you know」
Wyst uncomfortably scratched his head.
「It’s, my fourth time, see」
「Going to the town?」
「No, it’s just the second time」
Wyst has also grown a lot over the past 2 years. He is a year older than me and is becoming more and more mature. At the same time, his habit of slacking off became increasingly worse. And yet, he’s quick-witted and has a good memory, so in a way, it is actually making it harder for them to deal with him.
A person’s way of life is reflected in their expressions. Even at his young age, he’s a boy who already gives off an air of wittiness and elegance, and anyone who sees him would surely see his potential and have expectations for him. But, he’s hard to evaluate since he was highly regarded by the nobles who looked for pretty boys who were diligent and loyal.
As a result, he has failed to even meet the minimum price in the past 3 auctions that Myluc would agree to, causing the deal to fall through.
「In short, it’s hard, you know, to be allowed to have fun」
「I see」
Guess it’s a pressure he felt on the day out before the auction, huh? Outwardly, it is to let them have memories of this place before leaving here and showing the slave merchant’s conscience, but actually, it serves as an opportunity to encourage the individuals’ self-awareness. As expected, Myluc is Myluc. 6 copper coins per person. It’s a small price to pay if it can motivate them.
Incidentally, you can have quite a bit of fun with children. They can fully eat if they buy the food sold at the food stalls for 3 copper coins, and things like cheap snacks or candy are usually around 1 copper coin. A trivial toy will cost from a silver coin to 4, 5 coins, and there are all sorts of toys.
「But, it’s about having a balance, you know, Wyst」
「Oh, that’s good words」
「You have to play fully when it’s time to play, so you won’t leave any lingering feelings behind. Do your work properly when it’s time to work, and also don’t bring it home with you」
「Right right, that’s right!」
「So」
I stare intently at Wyst’s eyes.
「……I think you will be able to become better if you change your usual habit of idleness.....」
「Guhh!」
Wyst clutches his chest, looking in pain.
「If it weren’t for that, I think you wouldn’t have any shortcomings」
「You, you’re so merciless」
「Persistence is strength」
「That, where did that phrase come from?」
「……my hometown, I guess?」
As we were talking at the room’s entrance, we could hear the sounds of horses’ bit *kapokapo*. It’s about time for the carriage to be ready.
「Not good, well then, I’m off」
「Un, have fun」
Wyst started running up the stairs while waving his hand at me.
Led by Jusa, the group set off. Dona, Dee, and Covol are also included in the group.
On the other hand, Dorol and Tamria are not coming with them. They are no longer ‘stocks’ to be sold at auction after all. I feel like it is tough in its own way. No expectations are placed on you anymore. It’s no different from saying that. Tamaria is acting as if nothing happened but Dorol looked quite weak recently. He’s below me in terms of intelligence and Covol in terms of physical strength, so he can’t wield the authority of the slave’s leader just like Wicax some time ago.
After seeing the carriage off, I head to the office as usual. There are strong iron bars blocking the way, but since I’m passing through, it’s only at this time of the day that it is not locked. Of course, I always make sure to lock it after I pass through.
Only, since it is not a good thing to leave it open, it seems like Myluc is planning on giving the key to me. I wonder if that’s okay, giving a slave a key to the exit?
「You came」
Compared to the drawing room, the quality of the furnishings is a grade lower, but still, it can’t be compared to the slave’s room. Myluc - who had been looking at a bundle of documents - looked up.
This is his usual office. There are a few visitors in the morning, but it is mainly time for doing paperwork. Myluc is a slave merchant, but he also has several other businesses. He possesses a date farm in Saharia and is also a shipowner of a trading ship in the south. He is also a patron of retail merchants in various parts of Forestia. Not only does he provide them with money, but he also gives them advice, and he won’t forget to exchange information.
So his office is flooded with letters. They are income and expenditure reports from the trading ship and the farm. Consultation and contact from the retail merchants and clan members. Greetings from regular customers, such as nobles or wealthy merchants, checking how things are going. Depending on the situation and position, of course, the content’s writings and languages also change. He reads them, reviews, records the information in books, and then thinks about the reply. He’s always busy.
In addition, the Necamel clan he belongs to seems to be a powerful clan with a high position even in Sharia. Moreover, Myluc is the second son of the previous head of the clan. Therefore, Myluc’s status is comparable to that of a noble. However, he’s just a merchant in this country, so he is not particularly respected by those who do not know him. Merchant is not a very respected profession here. But, Saharia and Forestia have different senses of values and structures. Over there, it is natural for a person with a high position to engage in business.
That’s why the quality of his visitors is high. Nobles, their messengers, and wealthy merchants' clerks often visit. Responses to such people are mostly scheduled in the afternoon. That’s why, he wants to take care of the necessary documents or at least look over them before entering negotiations.
「There’s not a lot of work today. There are no visitors, but let’s tidy up in the morning」
「Yes」
After being told that, I sat down next to Myluc. I was only assigned documents in Forestia language. Documents with the Saharia and Ruin languages are still difficult for me.
Let’s see, the first one.....hmm, the deflation seems severe these days. There is a shortage of money and a surplus of goods, people are lamenting that they can’t sell their goods. It seems that a price-cutting competition has started among the retail merchants in the royal capital. They won’t get any profit at this rate, and things will be stuck, and they will come crying.
I wonder how Myluc will reply? If it’s me, it will be 「Stop this pointless competition」.
「Hmm, not bad」
Myluc sighs beside me.
「Looks like there are too many people in the royal capital. It is because there was a royal castle extension and structural renovation that there has been a shortage of manpower, but it was suddenly discontinued due to the downsizing. People will still have some money at hand, but they will probably hold back from purchasing things. That means.....」
「It is going to be a competition in a bargain sale」
「Those who had been holding their inventory expecting future sales will probably have no choice but to do so. Really, the royal family of Forestia is also acting irresponsibly」
While saying that, Myluc reaches out for the next document.
「I thought things would calm down if they started some other public works.....oh well, it is just a temporary measure」
Myluc suddenly stopped his hand when I muttered that. And his eyes urged me to continue talking.
「To begin with, the kind of public work is not good. Even if those extensions and structural renovations were completed, no one will get any benefit from that, right? Moreover.....I think it will be a bit better if they work on something that could be done immediately after they finish that work. Like maintaining the harbor or repairing the trade route or something....」
For example, making a new trade port. Well, it will be meaningless if you choose a location with no other advantages besides the location and other aspects. So then, you will need people to work there. In this world, simple labor is done with human effort, so the demand for manual labor shifts accordingly.
Once he finished hearing what I said, Myluc put his hand on his chin and thought for a moment.
「Hmm....but, is it going to be that simple? Well, I shall try to ask my noble acquaintance then?」
Holding a writing paper in one hand, he grasped a quill pen with his left hand. He is left-handed. His left cuff was rolled up for a moment, exposing an old scar.
I’m thinking of something and was about to start writing but....my mind wanders elsewhere again.
「But, if that were to happen, we might not be able to highly expect this year’s Aquamarine market」
「Why is that? Is it because we can not sell?」
When I asked that, Myluc added an explanation while nodding.
「There is that but.....at times like these, there is often an unpleasant flow of money. Listen Noor. Money is a living creature. If it doesn’t keep flowing, it will end up dead. But, if that flow suddenly stops like this time.....we merchants will try to make it flow somehow, and sometimes we will do something unreasonable. Situations like this are also when deals that do not match the real value tend to arise」
「Then, is this also an opportunity?」
「You can also say that, but not for merchants. The people expecting this are only the speculators and gamblers」
Myluc shook his head as he answered.
「Let us contain the damage first. Circulate the agricultural produce and groceries. Let us stop with the jewelry. The auction.....that is participation. I have no expectation for that, but I can only think of it as an opportunity to make an appearance」
He was a jeweler previously and went around the nobles’ houses in urban areas, but once he became a slave merchant, he inevitably tended to grow distant from his regular customers. And it is some sort of unique business of delivering high-quality children like him. He usually stays in the housing facility, so he will really end up forgotten if he doesn’t make an appearance at times like this.
I realized this after I started helping him, but so to speak, to him slave merchant is like naruto-maki in ramen, so it’s a flagship business but not the source of revenue. Business in this part of the world is based more on connections rather than on the free market. He uses high-quality slaves as a substitute for his public image.
If he wants to be forgotten so badly, he can just return to being a jeweler like before, but it seems like he doesn’t really like that. Of course, if you continue to always read his mood, there’s the advantage of getting hot information, but honestly, it’s just mentally exhausting. Although he is intelligent, he is basically a quiet man so he might want to protect his peaceful life as best as he can.
He casually talked about various plans for how to handle things going forward while writing a letter to a noble with a quill pen. And it was at that moment that I also picked up a pen.
「…….」
There is a faint footstep and a groan. It seems like I wasn’t the only one who noticed it.
Standing there was Jill.
I almost have no connection with Jull. I know that the children are scared of Jill. First, her gaze is sharp, and she’s extremely quiet. Only the girls are receiving instructions from Jill and also those above 5 years of age. It looks like only a very small number of them receive martial arts training,g but I don’t know anything more than that.
She always dresses lightly. Wearing a white top and white pants. Leather shoes that look easy to move in and a Saharian-style curved sword at her waist. She has short black hair, but it looks like she has been letting it grow without cutting it since we first met, and it has become quite long now. Her bangs were trimmed so they won’t obstruct her vision.
And that woman started speaking, stopped, and stood still in front of the room. The person at the end of her gaze is me.
「Ah……good morning」
I turn around and greet her.
But, Myluc tells her.
「I have work left in the morning. Do not come here」
His tone was strangely cold, as if pushing her away. This was unusual of him, since he never forgot to show consideration for the children's slave. Having heard that, she turned around without saying anything.
I stared at the situation. A top and bottom that stick tightly to her body. Her full, firm breasts and shapely hips stood out strikingly.
In any case, I continued burying myself at the desk with the work once she was out of sight.
******
I realized I had forgotten about something when going down the stairs on the north side of the courtyard to eat lunch. I happened to bump into Tamaria.
「Ah」
「What’s wrong, looking at people’s faces like that」
I left it in Myluc’s room. It was a book I’m planning on reading later, 『Biography of Seripacia’s Emperor』. I was in the middle of reading Emperor Alden’s achievements. He was a man with both strengths and weaknesses, being considered quite an eccentric person, if not downright a weirdo. But, you could say that the gourmet culture of the Western continent, as it exists today began with him. As I was also a former chef in my previous life, it is something I can’t ignore.
「Ah, I left a book in Myluc’s room when doing morning work.」
「And what does that have to do with me?」
The only person His Majesty the Emperor loved in his life was a lowly chef......even now in this world, chefs generally don’t have high status.....she was a beautiful blonde woman. I was reminded of that when I saw Tamaria’s blonde hair.
「I see, well, it seems like Noor's visit is pretty unrestricted, so why not go there and grab it quickly?」
「I’ll do that」
You’ll end up getting locked up if you space out. Myluc might open it again if he were nearby, but sometimes he sleeps during the day. Maybe I might as well ask him to let me borrow the key from now on?
I hurried back to the office on the second floor. The iron bars were not locked. Although I was allowed to come and go, it was originally off-limits. It’s not okay to just enter without permission. I will call out if Myluc were inside, but if not, I will just return the book and not return. I silenced my footsteps and quietly observed what was going on inside.
I could hear the sound of faint rustling clothes. Looks like someone is inside. Then I will call out and ask to retrieve the book. Thinking like that, just as I was about to call out after taking a breath, I stopped moving.
「……hhaaah……」
A husky woman’s voice. Is this, Jill?
Something seems strange
I quickly prick up my ears. The sounds of breathing were heavier than usual and there is also the sound of water. This is, don’t tell me.
What I saw from my hiding place was exactly what I had imagined. Jill - lightly dressed - clung to Myluc, standing in the corner. He had also set aside his usual indifference. He has the typical light brown skin of Saharian and curly long hair that has grown out in recent years. She had a smile on her face. A seductive smile that seems both flattering and provocative.
I remembered the sense of discomfort when Jill came to the room earlier. Come to think of it, she looks strangely feminine. Why? I understand it now. That’s because I can smell a faint scent of perfume on the clothes that have fallen nearby. I guess I unconsciously noticed something strange about her.
She kissed Myluc, with an action as if she was pushing herself. But he turned to the side. The next moment, I couldn’t believe my eyes.
There was a sharp sound paan. Jill slapped Myluc on the cheek. This, what does this mean? Jill is smiling as usual. Still smiling, she grabbed Myluc’s hair and forced him to face her, and forced her tongue into his mouth.
I forgot myself for a moment, but pulled myself back. Because I remembered Jill’s ability.
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Jill War Tock (18)
・Material Human Form
(Rank 6, female, 18 years old)
・Skill Saharia language Level 5
・Skill Fores language Level 5
・Skill Business Transactions Level 3
・Skill Swordsmanship Level 4
・Skill Hand-to-hand combat Level 4
・Skill Archery Level 5
・Skill Spy Level 4
・Skill Bedroom Technique Level 2
Empty (10)
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She receives training as a spy. She should be good at hiding or finding people hiding themselves. She is probably distracted right now and becoming inattentive, but even so, there’s nothing good coming out of being noticed in this situation.
I had some doubts in mind right now, but for now, I quietly left the place so I won’t stand out.
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