Chapter 240 No Need To Get Involved, It Will Self-destruct
That day, the high-class brōtḥel "Flower Hideaway" was buzzing like never before.
"Hey, Kojimo! This is not what we agreed on. There's no way the Sophia Merchant Guild and the Grandchester family are out of cash with that!"
"I heard that the Roisen noble is buying wheat from the Sophia Merchant Guild."
"What a situation. At this rate, we might not get a single grain of wheat."
The new alcohol from the Sophia Merchant Guild showcased at the hunting tournament quickly became the talk of the nobles.
But that's not all. There were also cosmetics that captivated women, and products like the Spieluhr, which lets one listen to music in your room without a band, piled up and ready to be sold for cash. Even the large Spieluhr, which was way too expensive for commoners, had sold signs hanging on it.
"I heard the Duke Arbal family bought that large Spieluhr. Plus, they bought ten smaller Spieluhrs with different songs for their daughter's lessons, along with the sheet music for each song."
"Hey, how much did that cost?"
"The smallest one is 5 Dallas, and the largest one costs about as much as a small mansion in the capital."
"What? That's a huge price difference."
"The size of the box isn't the issue. The magic stone inside is just massive. You can even order the outer box in a different design."
"Magic tools, huh... I wonder how much profit there is."
"I bought a few to have an alchemist break them down, but it seems the magic circle is encrypted..."
"Does that mean similar products can't be easily made?"
The merchants grimaced as they sipped the liquor in front of them.
"But that cider was definitely delicious."
"The Elma brandy was amazing too."
"Is there any chance we could get the production method from the Grandchester family?"
"No, that method is exclusive to the Sophia Merchant Guild. Marquis Grandchester himself has publicly stated that he buys it at whatever price the Sophia Merchant Guild sets."
"Then why not order the Sophia Merchant Guild to disclose it as the lord?"
"If you push too hard, the Sophia Merchant Guild might leave the Grandchester territory."
"So, the Sophia Merchant Guild isn't just a pet of the Grandchester family!?"
"Seems that way."
Kojimo slammed the metal goblet filled with wine onto the table. It made a loud noise, spilling wine and staining Kojimo's sleeve a dark red.
"Damn!! That woman said she would sell 'herbal tea' and 'Elma liquor' when registering with the Commerce Guild. Just some small products for women after that."
Kojimo's irritation seemed to be felt by the others.
"Well, she wasn't lying. Both the cider and Elma brandy are said to be made from Elma liquor."
"Oh, is that so?"
"I heard it directly from Sophia at the opening ceremony, so there's no mistake."
"Did you become acquainted with that woman?"
"Well, I was just listening to Count Harrington talk. At that venue, the nobles were surrounding Sophia like they were in a race, so merchants like us couldn't even get close."
Then Kojimo started to share what he had investigated.
"Actually, the Sophia Merchant Guild has bought up all the Elma liquor from the Harlan farm. Well, they say they left some for existing customers, but the rest is pretty much all gone. The Elma farm has already started expanding. And that annoying Sophia Merchant Guild's golem was helping with the farm expansion work!"
"Oh, that rumored golem? I really want to buy one. I heard it can speak fluently now."
"There are also smaller golems that are different from the security ones. Well, they say they're about the size of an adult man. They help not just with carrying things but also with organizing documents."
"That golem sounds great. An employee that doesn't get tired, doesn't get sick, doesn't complain, and doesn't need a salary――how appealing!"
"But I've heard that there's a ridiculously expensive magic stone buried inside them. It probably costs a fortune. Thieves who caught wind of this have been trying to dismantle the golems to get the insides. But they were all defeated. To be precise, they got caught and turned over to the knight order. Thanks to that, the security in the capital has been really good lately."
"Isn't that a good thing?"
"On the way back from turning the thieves over to the knight order, they say they helped an old woman carrying a big load home and even picked up a lost child to help find their parents."
"That's kind."
"Some people pay a small fee, but it seems that golems accept these fees."
"That's where you should refuse!"
"I heard that the golem's fees become part of the funds for the soup kitchen near the slums every weekend. Oh, and the small golems also help with the soup kitchen. They keep track of who gave them money and how much, and they announce it during the soup kitchen. Well, most of it is probably covered by the Sophia Merchant Guild anyway."
"...Well, if that's the case. I mean, the Sophia Merchant Guild seems pretty popular."
"The kids have really taken a liking to the golems. They say kids follow them everywhere."
The merchants all held their heads in despair.
"Hey, Kojimo. Who is Sophia? Is she an angel or a saint? Isn't she related to the Grandchester family?"
"Clearly, she's a merchant. Otherwise, she wouldn't be hoarding wheat. The soup kitchen is probably just for popularity. It's something a new merchant guild would do to make a name for themselves."
"Her true identity..."
Kojimo remembered Sophia from the Commerce Guild.
"I always thought her face looked familiar, but I finally figured it out after hearing about the nobles who attended the Grandchester family tea party. That face looks just like Adelia, who eloped with the late Sir Arthur."
"Speaking of Sir Arthur, isn't he the third son of Marquis Grandchester?"
"Yes. It was over ten years ago, but a merchant from Genoa was visiting the Grandchester territory, and he fell in love with Sir Arthur's daughter."
"So, Sophia's real name is Adelia?"
"Well, Sir Arthur and Adelia have already passed away. They had a daughter, but since her parents died, her grandfather, Marquis Grandchester, took her in."
"Oh?"
"This daughter is soon to become the adopted child of her uncle, Sir Robert. It seems Sir Robert is going to marry the daughter of Viscount Orson."
"Ah, I've heard that story. It's about time. I hope their marriage brings us some benefits too."
"That daughter... her name is Sara, and even though Sara and Sophia are different ages, they say their hair and eye colors are very similar."
"So, she is related to Lady Sara on her mother's side?"
"Probably."
At that moment, a man who was the guildmaster of the merchant guild, one of the largest in the capital, chimed in.
"Could it be that the girl has silver hair?"
"Yes, she indeed has hair like platinum and deep blue eyes."
"That is likely from the Florence merchant guild family."
"The big merchant guild from Genoa?"
"Yes. The Florence merchant guild, as the name suggests, comes from the former royal family of Florence, a country in the Coastal Union. However, due to a revolution, Florence became a republic, and the royal family was exiled, starting a business in Genoa. If Lady Sara's mother called herself 'Adelia,' she is likely the last daughter of the previous generation, Adelia Elaine Florentia. Before fleeing from Florence, she was the third daughter of the Crown Prince and his wife. Well, she was just a baby back then, so she probably has no memories of it."
"The fallen kingdom's princess and the marquis's son running away together... It sounds like a romance novel, but why do they have to elope?"
"There's a strange rule among the royal family of Florence."
"Rule?"
"When they come of age, both boys and girls must go on a warrior training journey. During that time, they are not allowed to reveal their identities."
"What kind of nonsensical rule is that?"
The merchants all looked shocked.
"Well, even though it's called warrior training, it's not just about fighting. Boys usually come back after a few years of being adventurers, but girls often gain experience in business. Adelia's 2 older sisters opened a clothing store and a candy shop, and they returned home after getting their businesses on track. They joined the Florence merchant guild only after coming back home. The rule is that they can't receive any help from their families."
"Speaking of which, Adelia was supposed to be selling grain with her father."
"That's probably not her real father."
"Still, they eloped and even had a child, right? They could just stop the warrior training and reveal their identities."
"When they go on their warrior training, they swear an oath with magic not to reveal their identities. The royal family of Florence only recognizes those who return from their training as official royals. Of course, some may die along the way, and others may suffer from illness or injury. But until they declare, 'I have completed my warrior training,' no help can be given."
"Is that also part of the magic oath?"
"Seems like it."
"Are there no royals who dislike the warrior training?"
"They can set their own goals. Some even say, 'I'll just adventure for 3 days,' and end up camping instead."
"So, the problem is that Adelia went on a reckless training journey?"
"It's strange, but direct royal family members usually take on reckless challenges. However, that recklessness is also a source of their power. Every time the Crown Prince's children return from their training, the merchant guild grows significantly. Now, they have come to control the economy of their homeland, Florence."
The merchant who was talking about the royal family of Florence cleared his throat lightly.
"Anyway, Sophia is likely from the Florence family. It seems she is allowed to start with a decent amount of funds, but it's certain that she has a way to obtain magic stones at a great price."
"If she has developed such a route, I think she could complete her training just with that."
"No, that route might be funded by money taken from her home."
"How annoying. She should just stick to doing business along the coast."
Kojimo said, almost spitting the words out.
"Well, that's why I'm sorry, but I'm going to withdraw. If someone with financial power buys everything up, we won't be able to do anything. It might be fine just for this year, but if we can't get Grandchester's wheat in the future, the merchant guild's management will fall apart."
"What!"
"I'll do the same. I want to explore a partnership with the Sophia Merchant Guild."
"Me too. I'm under pressure from the noble families I deal with to connect with the Sophia Merchant Guild."
When the big merchant of the capital announced he was leaving the meeting, one by one, other merchants declared their withdrawal as well. Kojimo could no longer stop the collapse with his power.
Thus, the secret meeting that was taking place in the Grandchester territory fell apart on its own due to misunderstandings, without Sara having to intervene.
After confirming everything that happened at the meeting, Sedrick sent the Sed he had sent to Roisen towards the Florence merchant guild in Genoa. There wasn't enough magical power to create a new subordinate.
"Well, Milady Sara was busy dealing with those foolish old men until just now, so it can't be helped. Let's get some magical power later and create a new subordinate. However, there seem to be quite a few fairies attracted to the prince's magical power... I wonder what will happen if he realizes that."
Suddenly, Sedrick glanced at the herbal tea he had after Kojimo took away the wine.
"Even after saying so many bad things about the Sophia Merchant Guild, he still enjoy herbal tea. But to think that even that old man could be dealt with, Lady Amelia is quite impressive. Well, for a noble family that prioritizes having an heir, it's a product they would wish for, but I have a feeling that more families will end up having disputes over inheritance."
Since various things are whispered in the bedroom, Sedrick often peeks in, but he didn't feel like looking into the room where Kojimo had gone. They would probably just be complaining about Sophia and expressing dissatisfaction with today's partner.
Sedrick wore a tired expression and staggered back to where Sara was sleeping at the Jeffrey residence.
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