Chapter 60
In the most secret place of Achilles, I met my lovely business partner, Count Tolkie.
We shook hands and sat down.
“You never age, Count, never. Is time running backwards for you? Am I the only one getting older?”
“It’s all thanks to the Dearc rock salt, hahaha. But truly, Your Highness, you keep breaking limits every time I see you!”
“Limits? What limits?”
“Every time I see you, you grow even more beautiful. Makes me wonder if it’s really possible for a person to be this beautiful. Or maybe, in truth, you’re an angel?”
Trading such playful flattery back and forth… Perfect.
After laughing for a while, we finally turned to business.
“More people are seeking it than when it was just a simple seasoning. Various institutions are even asking if bulk purchases are possible.”
“Really? How’s the mining going? Didn’t you say last time another mine was discovered?”
“That’s right, Your Highness. The entrance of this new salt mine is wider than the previous one, so we’ve deployed more workers. The deposits also seem larger. Even so, we’re cautious about suddenly increasing supply.”
“I agree with that. Supply and demand should always stay balanced. But I’m curious—what kinds of institutions are asking for bulk purchases?”
“Mainly clinics and orphanages…”
“Mm… Sounds like they want to keep it for medical purposes. Then how about we allow small, regular purchases after carefully checking the purpose and intent behind them? That would make it easier to manage.”
And it would prevent hoarding or reselling.
As I sipped my tea, Count Tolkie gave me a thumbs-up.
“As expected of our Highness! Brilliant!”
“Oh, stop. You were thinking the same thing anyway.”
“Not when you were fourteen, I wouldn’t have been.”
I chuckled softly. Then we spent a while longer adjusting and deciding various matters regarding the Dearc salt.
“Now, lastly, there’s something I’d like to ask of you, Count…”
“Oh dear! Wait a moment, Your Highness. I need to take a deep breath. Every time you ask me for something, this old heart starts pounding.”
“Huh? Why? Have I ever made such strange requests before?”
I watched Count Tolkie inhale and exhale in an exaggerated way.
“Dearc salt, the Achilles Guild, Jeron. Just those three alone were strange enough.”
“Hahaha. Really? Then should I not ask?”
I tilted my head, and the Count chuckled, averting his gaze.
“Oh-ho, so that’s how you want to play it?”
“Well? Should I, or shouldn’t I?”
“Go ahead, Your Highness. I’ll at least hear you out.”
When I pressed again, Count Tolkie met my eyes and answered.
“That’s the spirit. Besides, even if you told me not to, I was going to ask anyway. Hah. If you can’t avoid it, enjoy it. Might as well think positively, right?”
Wink.
My wink made Count Tolkie burst out laughing. Hopeless man…
Alright then, time for the main part.
I swallowed hard and quickly blurted out my request before he could change his mind.
“I want to buy some land and build something there.”
“…Pardon? Buy land and… build?”
“Yes. The deadline is three years. No one must know. A small three-story house, and a dormitory with a spacious indoor training hall. Capacity about twenty to thirty people, ideally.”
“What on earth for? Is this another business venture?”
“No, nothing like that. I’ll pay entirely out of my private funds. But who lives there, what it’s for, who builds it—everything must be kept secret. Well, not secret exactly, more like…”
“More like…?”
“As long as it’s not known it belongs to me. You know, like a safe house. You get what I mean?”
“A safe house…?”
The Count furrowed his brows. He probably wasn’t used to spy-novel terms, so I hurried to explain.
“A safe and discreet place to live. As long as the fact that Crown Princess Celestia Mond lives there is kept secret, that’s all that matters. Simple, right?”
The Count rubbed his face again and again.
“Your Highness, why on earth do you need such a place?”
“That’s a secret.”
“Hahaha, I see… Truly, Your Highness’s requests never fail to exceed my imagination.”
“Isn’t that the fun of it? Isn’t it thrilling?”
“Good grief…”
“No one must know. This has to be a secret between you and me. Which means, ideally, don’t get directly involved—buy the land through intermediaries. Somewhere ordinary, where no one would think twice about it. Same with workers and materials—hire locally, source locally. That should be easiest.”
“Your Highness.”
“No need for anything flashy! Just sturdy and safe. What do you think, possible?”
“Honestly, it would’ve been easier if you’d asked me to build a luxurious villa in some scenic spot.”
“That’s something I don’t need to bother the Count with. My father can do that.”
I smirked. The Count nodded.
“Well, that’s true.”
“I was thinking near Dearc originally, but no… The farther from the capital, the better. Maybe about a week to ten days’ ride by a skilled knight?”
“Oh dear… The more conditions you add, the harder it gets, Your Highness.”
He hesitated. I knew it wouldn’t be easy. Maybe a little financial persuasion was needed.
Of course, the Count wasn’t greedy—but a sure reward makes things smoother.
“I didn’t want to resort to this, Count…”
“…Yes?”
“If you grant me this request, I promise never to make unreasonable requests again. And!”
“…Hm.”
“I’ll extend your exclusive Dearc salt contract indefinitely! And make the profit split fifty-fifty! Tempting, isn’t it?”
“Your Highness…”
“This is really important to me. I thought of handling it myself, but it was overwhelming. You know how much work I already have. And I can’t use the guild for this—it must be done discreetly.”
“And what could be more discreet than Achilles itself?”
“If it’s something I want to keep secret even from Achilles, doesn’t that tell you how important it is?”
“You trust me that much?”
“Of course. Naturally.”
“But why?”
The Count hummed thoughtfully, though the twitch of his lips betrayed that he was pleased.
“Because you’re a businessman.”
“…What?”
He looked a little disappointed, but it was true.
“You stick to what’s written in a contract, so I can trust you. Oh! And of course, you’re kind, gentle, compassionate… but that’s separate from reliability. You know that better than anyone.”
“Haah… I can’t keep up with you, Your Highness. You really do surprise me again and again.”
“So? Will you do it, or not?”
“How could I dare refuse an order from Your Highness?”
He bowed his head. He’s teasing me.
“It’s not an order. It’s a request. A re-quest!”
“Yes, yes. A request, Your Highness. Let’s call it that.”
Hahaha.
What a sly old fox. But I can be sly too.
“Thank you so, so, so much for accepting, Count. Now then, shall we draft a contract?”
Hehehe.
And with that, my Three-Year Disappearance Plan successfully took its first step.
“Tia, you okay?”
“Of course I’m okay, Adel.”
No. Not at all. The empty seat across from me made my heart ache.
“You don’t look okay at all. This won’t do. That bastard Killian! Who does he think he is, acting all busy and ditching us? Someone needs to beat some sense into him. Sometimes a good thrashing is the cure.”
“No, Adel. I’m really fine. So please, your mouth… What kind of training do you even do every day? Surely it’s not fighting with words. I can already tell something’s wrong.”
Adel just laughed at my furrowed brow, then spread his arms wide and pulled me into a tight hug.
“I know you’re disappointed it’s just the two of us, Tia, but since it’s come to this, let’s enjoy ourselves. If Killian found out you spent your whole vacation sulking, he’d be devastated.”
“Would he, though?”
“He might even cry.”
“Why would Killian cry?”
If anyone should cry, it’s me. Hmph.
I pouted, and above my head Adel muttered something.
“Oh, what am I going to do with our clueless, innocent Tia…”
I couldn’t hear clearly since he was hugging me so tightly. But come to think of it… why is he so unaffected? That’s odd.
Have I been neglecting my matchmaking duties lately? I’ll have to reflect on that.
So I asked him,
“You’re really okay with this, Adel?”
“Hmm… I think I’m fine. No—better than fine! This is great! When else would I get a chance to monopolize you, Tia? And now I’ve got something to tease that clingy leech about for the rest of his life. Perfect!”
“Killian’s not a leech.”
“There are things our sweet Tia just doesn’t know.”
“…What nonsense.”
Clip-clop, clip-clop.
The carriage rolled on toward Dearc.
