Chapter 06
**A Way to Win-Win**
The promise Cliff had made upon becoming lord.
The commoners waited for it. The hope that support would arrive was the reason they endured.
And it arrived.
*‘Just as the Acting Lord said!’*
*‘So many supplies coming into the territory…!’*
The merchants brought basic grains.
They also brought livestock like geese.
The procession was quite long, so the commoners naturally assumed it was the support from the homeland that Cliff had mentioned.
*‘Even if it’s not actually that, everyone will think so anyway…’*
Nigel greeted the merchant procession with a stiff face.
He had traveled with Cliff. Following Cliff’s orders, he guided them to the storehouse.
“Hoh?”
The mid-level manager of this trade caravan arrived at the storehouse and let out an exclamation of admiration.
“To secure goods of this quality… in such quantity… Our trading company will purchase the entire lot.”
Good.
They could now dispose of the inventory that was starting to become a white elephant.
“Hmm. What price would be acceptable?”
“Well, we have distribution costs as well… For a rope of 1 gote (about 150cm) length, 6 copper coins, and for a basket… about 8 copper coins, how would that be?”
It was a disappointing price, that was true.
But it wasn’t bad either.
From the territory’s perspective, they didn’t need more than this.
Above all, they could gather this amount of inventory again quickly.
“Hmm. I will propose that to the Acting Lord.”
“Haha. More than that, it’s impressive. It looks like you’ve been stockpiling for three years… The items are all managed as if they were new.”
“Heh heh heh.”
Nigel just let out a dry laugh.
In this era, everything was handmade.
Even though baskets and ropes were relatively easy to make, it was difficult to accumulate this much quantity. And most of them were well-made and of high quality.
Normally, one would think it took a long time to gather this stock.
*‘That it took less than a month to pile up this much… Even I saw it with my own eyes, and it’s still hard to believe.’*
Even amidst this, the commoners’ skills were gradually improving.
Nigel learned for the first time.
That their craftsmanship was this good.
Anyway, this generated some money. But there was still something bothering Nigel.
*‘Hmm. These people didn’t come here to provide us with grain and livestock as support. In the end, we just receive goods equivalent to the quantity in our storehouse.’*
They came for trade.
It’s not support supplies, as the commoners expect. It’s surprising enough that this much trade goods came, but if they left without unloading their carts, taking everything back…
*‘Hmm.’*
It might cause chaos in the territory.
That chaos could soon lead to a riot. The territory didn’t even have enough security forces to control this.
Nigel turned his head towards the lord’s mansion.
*‘The Acting Lord needs to handle this well.’*
The confident face of the Acting Lord.
Nigel hoped he would solve this problem smoothly.
In truth, there was nothing else he could do.
—
* * *
“……I will take responsibility for your escort and travel expenses on the way. But that is all I can do for you. You are no longer my son.”
The Duke’s final words to Cliff.
After hearing those words, Cliff’s mind was busy as he left.
*‘Even if he was promised advancement into central politics, it’s not easy for a lord to sell off his own territory and only daughter. That probably means the lord thought the territory’s situation was that hopeless, right?’*
If not, he would have aimed for central politics using the territory’s own strength.
Without needing to make such a deal.
But the lord chose to abandon the territory.
A territory clearly as shabby as that.
“……What would I need for a place like that?”
The Duke had said he would no longer provide help as a father.
But Cliff didn’t think so.
*‘Rather, it’s better than when I was his son.’*
Cliff had come to that conclusion at some point.
The Duke said he would cover travel expenses and an escort.
He was allowed to use the Ducal family’s crest.
With that crest, there was no one he couldn’t meet.
Especially if they were mid-sized merchants, not even the major trading companies of the kingdom.
*‘Even if Father finds out I used it this way later… he’d probably think I did well. He might even be disappointed if I didn’t do at least this much?’*
That’s the kind of person he was.
Regardless, the result of that was arriving now.
“Congratulations on obtaining a beautiful lady as your wife and on your inauguration as Acting Lord.”
Tom, a mid-tier merchant.
He looked exhausted from his travels.
He showed no other emotion.
But Cliff could guess what he was thinking. He was probably disappointed by now.
“I don’t particularly care for verbal congratulations.”
Cliff spoke.
At those words, Tom’s expression hardened. He had brought a large amount of supplies because Cliff instructed him to.
After purchasing them and covering the expenses to get here, he was already at a massive loss. From what he could see, this territory couldn’t possibly absorb the supplies he brought.
*‘So he’s going to use his authority to take all my goods?’*
To Tom’s ears, Cliff’s words sounded exactly like that.
So for a moment, his expression couldn’t be pleasant. But he quickly calculated the profit and loss.
It was not advisable to clash with a noble here.
Cliff knew that as well, which is why he spoke.
“As requested by the Acting Lord, I have procured ten carts each of wheat and barley, and a mix of male and female geese totaling fifty. As a gift to celebrate your honorable marriage and inauguration, I will gladly offer them to you, Acting Lord.”
Tom bowed his head.
The loss would be significant, but he submitted to Cliff here.
If he didn’t, he, the victim, could ironically become the target of punishment.
*‘This is the difference between a noble and a commoner. Truly, long live the class system, but…’*
The corner of Cliff’s mouth turned up.
In noble society, it didn’t matter who was right or wrong.
If Tom, a merchant, offended Cliff, a noble’s pride.
The moment that became known among nobles, Tom could no longer conduct trade caravans in the kingdom.
*‘He seems to have that much judgment.’*
But even Cliff shouldn’t just rob Tom of his goods.
He could, but that would be a poor strategy.
Clearly, Tom’s feelings towards him right now would be negative.
*‘Just as he would be in danger if I spread bad rumors about him in noble society, if this man spreads bad rumors about our territory among merchants, our territory will be ruined.’*
The moment rumors spread, no merchant would want to visit this territory.
If the territory were self-sufficient, it might not matter. Considering the abilities he’d gained, self-sufficiency might be possible in the future. But to grow further…
*‘Turning the commercial world into an enemy is stupid.’*
He needed to make a fair deal with Tom.
So, in this manner.
“Considering your gracious heart, I will gladly accept them.”
Hearing his words, Tom smiled.
“If I can be of help to the Acting Lord, that in itself is an honor.”
He shouldn’t be fooled by the smile.
It was a confirmation kill.
A smile of severance. He had probably already made his judgment about Cliff.
But Cliff still had more to say.
“Hmm. I don’t just send away those who helped me.”
At Cliff’s smirk, Tom’s eyebrow twitched.
*‘He wants to trade in this situation?’*
What just happened was clearly extortion.
But if Cliff offered something in return, this part could change. However, he thought there was nothing Cliff could possibly give him that he would want.
The same words came from Cliff’s mouth.
“That said, I can’t give a merchant money that would make him happy from this poor territory…”
There it is.
Tom concluded that Cliff’s words were just for show or bluff.
“Your words alone are more than enough for this humble one, Acting Lord.”
Perhaps Cliff wanted to hear those words from him.
And a young noble who just came of age would be satisfied and let it go with just that.
*‘No merchant will ever come to this territory again!’*
Smirking, Cliff opened his mouth.
“No. I just remembered something I can give you.”
“……What might that be?”
“I will give you the opportunity to run an errand for me.”
For a moment, Tom almost lost his composure.
*‘This is absolutely ridiculous.’*
First, he had Tom gather supplies, and now, not only extorting them, but wanting to use him as an errand boy?
He could even guess what the errand would be.
He would tell him to gather supplies again, just like this time. And when he brings them, he’ll take them again, just like now.
It was malicious, but it was a fairly meticulous scheme.
*‘I should never have come here in the first place.’*
If this happened, Cliff would be rumored among merchants as a villain, but Tom, at least, would find it difficult to escape his clutches.
If he refused an opportunity given by a noble?
If he didn’t want such words to spread, he would have to follow Cliff’s instructions, swallowing his tears.
*‘To minimize the damage now, I need to hand over the supplies and get out. I mustn’t increase the damage any further!’*
A noose he couldn’t escape until death.
It was chilling that a mere 20-year-old noble had come up with such a snare.
He thought that until Cliff spoke again.
“It’s about delivering my letter.”
“……A letter, you say?”
A relatively normal(?) errand appeared.
“Yes. I plan to send a letter of gratitude to the prestigious Aiderun family, who lent me their crest.”
Cliff smiled.
Tom’s expression gradually changed.
*‘I can guess what you were thinking. But I’m not that malicious.’*
He had no intention of putting a noose around Tom’s neck.
Even if he used noble authority to force him, it would be like killing the goose that lays the golden eggs.
He definitely had a way out.
It was actually simple. The next time they met, if Cliff tried to give him another errand, Tom could just say this:
—
*- Because Viscount So-and-So has given me a task…*
—
That would make it difficult for Cliff to use noble authority to force him anymore.
It might be a different story if Cliff were more powerful than that noble, but the Elimeas territory was weaker than any other territory in the kingdom.
So, he would make a deal.
“Will you deliver my letter?”
Tom’s eyes changed.
He would have already investigated Cliff. Even if not, Cliff was the man who had come this far bearing the Aiderun family crest.
He could deliver a letter to the Ducal family.
And if he established some kind of positive contact with the Aiderun family…
*‘It might not be impossible for our trading company to leap into a major trading company of the kingdom.’*
Of course, this was merely an opportunity.
A justification to visit the Ducal family.
And a chance to meet someone from the Ducal family.
He had no idea whether he could gain any benefit from it or not. But there were countless merchants who would want to seize that one opportunity.
That’s why Tom had gathered supplies and come here at Cliff’s request.
“If I can work for the Acting Lord, I would be only too happy.”
His heart pounded.
Cliff’s lips curled into a smile.
*‘Done.’*
With this, the supplies the merchants brought were all his.
Because he had paid the price.
But he wasn’t satisfied with just this. He wanted more.
And he had already thought of a way to get it.
A way for both himself and Tom to win-win.
