Chapter 156
I jumped in as well.
“Do you seriously think he tied them up? Father wouldn’t do something that dangerous!”
“Of course, Sol believes in me.”
“Obviously! If it were Father, he’d have sent the Lord of Biste to another region in advance, then blocked his return route so he couldn’t come or go. Right?”
“…Thanks for the flattering evaluation in a different sense. But that’s wrong.”
“Huh?”
While Elber and I were huddled together, trying to think it through, Father smiled at us, and the coachmen drove the carriage without pause.
We finally arrived at a small town said to be the closest to the Biste Desert. Its rugged city walls interlocked like the gears of a clock to welcome us. The roads were terrible, as if there was plenty of land to waste, but the city beyond the walls was truly vast.
Before we could reach the official residence where we were to stay, Father got out halfway and sent only the carriage ahead. He wanted to see the city for himself.
“Sol, why don’t you head to the residence first?”
“I’m fine. I even wore flats on purpose!”
“Ah, if you really want to tour the city with me…”
“Get off my back and stand up. I can walk on my own.”
“….”
Father, who had been trying to carry me on his back, sulked as he stood.
He’s amazing wherever you put him, but his problem is doing strange things anywhere!
His lips protruded slightly.
“You taught me this is how to win people’s favor… and now look at me.”
So people really do get younger as they age, huh.
“That’s an old story. Besides, I have someone to meet here. I can’t be underestimated!”
“Hmm? Who is it?”
“I sent allies ahead. I thought they’d chase after the carriage immediately, but…”
I looked around.
Buildings of all shapes and sizes reflected the bright sunlight on both sides of the wide road—or, rather, in almost every direction. It truly felt like being in another country.
On the smooth stone streets, barefoot children ran around, decorated carriages rolled by, and scarred mercenaries walked freely, all blending together naturally.
Elber quickly covered my eyes.
“Father, is the mayor coming to greet us?”
“I told him it wasn’t necessary. Besides, he’ll be busy with the crowds of wanderers anyway.”
“But the more you tell him not to come, the more he probably will…”
Exactly. Maybe they even laid out a red carpet in front of city hall.
But the first person to greet us was someone I had summoned.
“Hey, Sol! You got here faster than I expected.”
It was Jackson, the guild master of the Western Information Guild.
“Hi, Jackson! Is the investigation going well?”
“Going crazy well! This distilled liquor here is amazing. Even just a few sips and everyone’s tongues loosen…”
Just as he was about to brag, Father and Elber stepped in front of me, crossing their arms. Hey, you don’t need to overprotect me. Jackson’s going to be scared.
Elber’s voice was cold.
“Thank you for the casual welcome, but could you prove that your attitude comes from goodwill and not disrespect? As a brother, I am concerned.”
In short: Who exactly are you?
Father spoke too.
“Who exactly are you?”
…Too honest.
Before I could explain, Jackson spoke first.
“My name is Jackson, guild master of the Albion Western Information Guild. I know Lady Schlaeger professionally and was an old friend of hers.”
“Old friend?”
“…Um, do you two not remember me? From the northern orphanage—”
“Ah, Jackson!”
Elber’s eyes widened. He remembers.
Jackson was happy, but hey, no reason to be glad—you used to be the gang leader who tormented Elber.
However, the situation got more serious. Elber frowned and said:
“When Sol asked me to date her, I rejected it because it was horrifying…”
“Excuse me?”
“What?”
The last person to ask was Father. That “What?” wasn’t even serious; he already had the Ice Sword in his hand.
Just before that sword could move, I leapt—
“Pffh?”
I punched Jackson squarely in the jaw. My fist is soft, so it barely hurt… Ah, I bit my tongue. Sorry.
Thanks to landing the first punch, Father stopped the sword, giving me a chance to explain.
“When we were kids, they used to tease each other! Now he’s a reliable business contact!”
“Hey! Why are you saying that while hitting me?!”
“If I had tried to stop Father, something even worse would have happened.”
Jackson glanced at Father briefly, imagined the scene in his mind, and nodded.
If I had shouted, “Don’t do this!” while clinging to Father, he would have misunderstood, thinking, “She rejected my daughter, yet she still loves me?” and then hit Jackson.
Anyway, having bought some time, I explained why I had sent Jackson here.
“Biste gathers all kinds of people: job seekers, brokers, even scammers. I sent a friend ahead to check the flow of all that information.”
“…Understood. Jackson, was it? I’ll count on your info.”
“Of course, Your Grace!”
Jackson bowed 90 degrees. Being an informant, he surely knew how terrifying Father could be.
And as soon as the greeting ended, he seemed to try to slip away.
“Where are you going, Jackson? You need to tell me the information.”
“Can I wait until your father isn’t around? I’m not brave enough to speak with a guillotine nearby!”
“Just say it. There’s no time.”
“Ugh…”
Soon, Jackson began sharing his findings.
Most people gathering in Biste were day laborers hoping for a big payday. Existing developers and mines couldn’t employ all the laborers, leaving many idle. Brokers were content just to find new clients. Logistics companies struggled because the roads were so bad, and so on.
But one group that worried me most was missing.
“Jackson, what about the pilgrim group?”
“Oh, they passed through the city.”
“Eh? They went straight into the desert?”
“This is the closest city to the desert, right? There must be small villages inside as well.”
“…They won’t even have a stable to spend the night in.”
“They’ll probably sleep among the ruins of an old temple.”
The protagonist really likes to make things difficult for themselves.
Jackson didn’t seem interested in the pilgrims and quickly moved on to another topic, his eyes gleaming.
“When outsiders come, the biggest problem for locals is public safety.”
“Right. If foreign laborers compete for scarce jobs, things could get ugly.”
“But some company solved it! They hired all the idle workers to install a steam engine cart.”
“Whoa…?”
A steam engine in the desert? The installation alone must cost a fortune. There’s such a wealthy idle person?
“What kind of person is he? Confident he can get back what he invested?”
“It’s part of research and development. They don’t care if they don’t earn money. The company’s name… something with Sol…”
“….”
I stopped listening and looked at Father.
The day he hurriedly left Albion over family matters, I told him to invest in the steam engine.
He replied:
“Should we name the business after you?”
“Absolutely not.”
“Father, aren’t you feeling a little guilty…?”
“The weather is fine today.”
“Father, the sandstorm’s picking up.”
“With you, every day feels like a clear winter day.”
“Faaather!”
“Ah, the mayor’s come out.”
As Father twisted his arm, I saw a middle-aged man running from a distance. Dark circles ran from his eyes to his chin—pitiful.
“You’ve come, Your Grace!”
“I told you, you didn’t need to come out.”
“No! Since you came to this humble place, I must at least be your carpet….”
Calm down.
The mayor’s attendants stared at Father nervously. They looked as if seeing a monster in real life for the first time.
The mayor seemed more thrilled than afraid.
“If not for your investment, everyone would still be hauling ore on donkey backs, like the old days.”
“It’s still early in development, so it won’t help much.”
“Not at all! Bringing workers together and paying them is huge. They spend a lot in my city too.”
“Alright. Let me know if our staff causes trouble.”
“No! You’ve even handled the thieves and bandits disturbing the water flow. The lord of this land sends his heartfelt thanks!”
He seemed genuinely happy.
…Wait a minute.
Father said he sent allies in case of emergencies.
Could it be…
The mayor, walking with us, pointed to men carrying goods from a shop nearby.
“Oh! Looks like your staff are here to deliver supplies.”
“….”
There were familiar faces mixed in, even bigger than Jackson.
Elber whispered:
“Aren’t those our soldiers?”
Right. They were the elite soldiers Father had trained separately. No wonder I recognized some faces!
If you brought even a small force into someone else’s territory, it’d be chaos—but Father remained completely calm.
“They’re working hard. Tell me if there’s a problem.”
“There’s no problem! We’re just grateful for all the help. Are we heading to the residence now?”
“We’ll take a short tour first.”
“Yes, understood!”
The mayor bowed repeatedly, took documents from his assistants, and ran off.
Meanwhile, our soldiers from afar lightly nodded to Father.
I muttered:
“Father, those people are our soldiers… Is it okay for them to walk around freely?”
“I rehired them after dismissal. Here, they’re just company staff.”
“How are they ordinary employees…?”
“Don’t be prejudiced just because their arms are thick. In a worst-case scenario, they could grab a weapon if needed.”
“Even though you brought them just in case.”
At that moment, Jackson nodded and interjected.
“You really are Lady Schlaeger.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You used a similar strategy when dealing with that guy Pirat on the matchmaking mission. You disguised our informants as your guards.”
“…Ah.”
Father looked so proud it was almost unbearable.
