To Deprive a Deprived Person

「Self-supporting tents and instant soups are not particularly problematic, so they are likely to be sold soon」

When he places a document with details of the magic tools and processed foods created by the Nameless kingdom on the table, Yuu who sits on a sofa made in Wood Payne sips tea.

「Hooho, that’s more than nothing. Yuu-sama’s wholesale items are selling well and they are sold in my company as if they were in stock. Now, in my shops, mixed with adventurers and mercenaries, the common people are not only buying cheap potions, but also buying for the best of luck, jam, honey etc. There are alot of happy screams, but the shop owners are inquiring when the next arrival will be. Not only Comer, of course. It’s the same situation at shops in Samantha and Morigur」

Mago happily reports that his shops aren’t only prosperous in Comer city, but also in the shops in Samantha city and the fortified city of Morigur.

「Oh really. Other than that did you send the item pouches?」

「There’s no way I make a mistake. I left it to a trusted person because it will take time for me to go directly to the royal capital. I have confirmed that he safely passed the item pouches to the other party. But, what are you going to do with that many item pouches? In the first place, Yuu-sama handmade item pouches――」

「Cough!」

It was a deliberate coughing. This room is currently paying people, so there is no waiting even for escort, only tea and light tea confections are prepared on the table and only Yuu, Mago and Victor are in the room. And of course, it is Victor that has disturbed Yuu and Mago’s conversation. This man is at a good age and can’t stand it if he is not in the center of the circle.

「What is it」

While Yuu seems to be annoyed, Mago turns his cool gaze to Victor.

「Dear me. Satou-sama, as expected, even with my personal network, it was very difficult to cash that precious metal」

While picking and pulling his moustache with his fingertips, Victor looks at the boxes which are piled up like a mountain. There was a feeling of oppression in the boxes that Victor brought into the room that was not narrow. The contents are the price of the precious metal that Yuu sold to Victor.

「Instead of saying unreasonableness, don’t complain because you sold it much cheaper than the market price」

「No way! I´m complaining to Satou-sama, I can’t say it!」

「I would have told him a while ago」

「Haaha, is that so? However, Mago-dono mentioned something earlier, it’s an item pouch. It’s just cash. I have a premonition that something interesting will happen」

「What’s interesting?」

Mago asks Viktor instinctively.

「That’s right. For example, an auction is going to be held only once a year in the capital city and not only the nobles of Udon Kingdom are participating. Many aristocrats and royalty have already come to Tencassi from afar. It seems that they have obtained information that ridiculous things are exhibited and it is not clear even for me that even if you look up who is sending such information from where」

Victor turns his gaze to Yuu while stroking his moustache.

「Dear me, I’m thinking that I must participate even if I don’t care. And the day after tomorrow, the ambassador of Finance Minister Balue should arrive at Comer City」

At the moment the name of Balue comes out, Mago´s face becomes stiff. It was a figure that didn’t looked like the usual old-fashioned Mago who was dealing with merchants and aristocrats.

「It’s easy to imagine that Satou-sama is involved in because that selfish and arrogant Balue is going to bother to send his messenger to Comer. If that’s the case, nuhahaa! This is interesting――dear me, this is rude, but there is a intense smell of gold」

「Yuu-sama, what is the story of Victor now?」

「I can confirm this, too. He has a lot of questions about Comer City´s tax revenue, so I heard that the messengers will come to persuade Muss to come to the capital, but he also wants me to go to the capital to receive honor medal」

「Definitely. It’s a trap, isn’t it?」

Mago covers his face with his hand to suppress his anger. If he removes his hand, you could see the face of a man who spent his life on revenge, not the face of a merchant.

「I know that」

Yuu is calm, opposite to the agitated Mago, picking a tea cake from the table and throwing it into his mouth.

「No way....... Yuu-sama, are you going to go to the capital city?」

「I don’t know」

「That’s not all there is to it! The Finance Minister tends to seem greedy and stupid, but that’s a big mistake!! Do you think that just a greedy person can take the front and back of Udon Kingdom for years? The essence of that man is cunning and brutal――」

「That’s why I said I know. Don’t worry, I’ll keep your promise to you」

「I don’t think Yuu-sama is going to make a difference with me. But when it becomes so――」

「Oya? What happened to Mago-dono? That’s a scary face」

Victor talked to Mago with a messy attitude, but he didn’t miss the discernment behind Mago´s glare.

「Hooho, I have something to check with Victor」

「What is it? By Mago-dono’s request, I will not do anything, but I will answer most of what I know!」

「I’d like to ask you frankly, Victor, on which side are you?」

There was a bell in the right hand of Mago who didn’t distract his eyes from Victor. This bell´s ringing method determines whether a maid is entering the room or the escort waiting outside the room. In the latter case, what is waiting for Victor is death.

「Let me see? Frankly speaking, which side is abstract?」

「If humorous words and times do not speak, you’ll destroy yourself. Even if I don’t know that Victor is in communication with Finance Minister Balue? Now, it’s the end of the sloppy fight. I would you like to make clear if you’re on Yuu-sama´s side or on Balue´s side」

The pressure released from Mago´s whole body was so demon-like that no one couldn’t think of him as a merchant. However, the attitude of Victor did not change a little even under the pressure of a demon-like Mago. No, he’d rather break his face to make it more funny.

「Mago-dono, no matter how much you have a grudge against Balue......nonetheless, its rude not to address him with a honorific! Fuhahaa. Well, since it’s between me and Mago-dono, I didn’t do anything to tell Balue-sama」

Mago’s words aren’t a threat. In contrast to Victor, who smiles at the evidence, Mago’s facial expression is as if he had lost his emotions. Mago tries to ring the bell to get rid of Victor.

「Fuhahaa. Still, it’s a amusing blunder which side to take」

Mago´s right hand who tried to ring the bell right now stopped. Because he saw Victor’s face. What was there was not a man like a clown who scolded and sometimes laughed, but a big merchant with the appearance and atmosphere appropriate to being said to be one of the heavyweights of the free state of Hameln.

「Mago-dono, have you forgotten our occupation?」

「Occupation......?」

「Yes, it’s not a job」

「I am a merchant」

「That’s right. Then, it is decided which side to take. He’s a profitable person」

「I, Idiot!?」

「Oya? As a merchant, I’m saying something very natural, but I wonder if something was wrong」

Victor can say without being terrified.

「Yuu-sama, it’s okay to dispose of it, right?」

「It’s okay」

「Naa!? What are you saying Yuu-sama! If you let this man return as it is, a lot of information is leaked to Balue!」

「Even if it is leaked, the result doesn’t change. And he told you that he is on the side of the person who makes money」

「Haaha. As expected, Satou-sama, you are the person who understands the story!! Let’s swear on this occasion that I will never leak Satou-sama’s information to Balue-sama!」

Victor swears in a grandiose way and smirks. His playful attitude fuels Mago’s anger.

「It’s supposed to be a lie!! Yuu-sama, what this man says is not worth to believe in!!」

Victor looked at Mago that exposed his emotions while stroking his moustache. There is no shadow or shape like the style as a big merchant up to a while ago.

「Mago, calm down. Perhaps because I was just dealing with trash opponents, I can see the lies of those who are malicious to me」

「So, isn’t it a lie?」

「It’s funny that Victor is not malicious」

「It’s not a laughing matter. We, I can’t give up here......」

「Haaha, I was able to know one of the secrets of Satou-sama. This may not be long before I and Sato’s hearts get through, right?」

「Clown」

Mago whispers as if to spit out.

「What, Mago-dono calmed down. If I had money, I would be glad to be on Satou-sama´s side, even if my brother or family was my partner! It’s not a lie, Satou-sama――what are you doing?」

Victor has a rare and awkward face towards Yuu who stares at him with a strange face.

「No, it’s all for money」

「That’s right! I! I became a merchant because I wanted to get money, especially a huge amount of it. I love money more than anything else!!」

It is a natural idea as a merchant. Mago would have agreed without his revenge on Balue.

「That’s why you’re called 『Thirst of desire Victor』」

「Fuhahaa! This is embarrassing. I, if I´m not surrounded by money, I’ll get dry. Money is better. The more I have, the more thirst will be healed. How much wealth will get with Satou-sama´s help? I’m looking forward to it now――」

「You’re still dry」

「What? What did you just say」

「I told you that your thirst will never be healed. No matter how much money you get, your heart is still dry. Because what you really want is not money」

「I......what I really want......?」

Yuu goes to the door after passing through the speechless Victor.

「Yuu-sama, where are you going?」

「I’m busy even if I look like this. If anything happens, I’ll get in touch with you」

Even after Yuu left the room, Victor remained firm with a thoughtful face.

---------------------------

Muss’s mansion, who governs Comer city, is built on the vast site of the mansions in the aristocratic area. There are several annexes in addition to the main building on the site of about 160,000 square meters and each one is a building that can be safely called a great mansion. One of the many annexes is protected by Joseph and other house guests.

「Is there a sudden meeting?」

「I wanted to take a nap more」

「If you complain about various things, don’t enter the room」

Giant Yakum pushes Claudia and Lara into the room. The third floor of the annex where the house guests live. In the room used for discussions, a fully armed Lauren stood without waiting for a seat.

「What. Lauren, why are you dressed like that」

「What happened?」

「Well, that’s right」

Claudia takes the seat of the upper seat in the back of the room and Lara sits next to her. The wind entering through the opened window brushed their cheeks gently.

「So what are you talking about?」

Claudia who is bored asks with her cheeks in her hand. In fact, it’s boring here, because Joseph hasn’t seen her in the past few days. Beside Claudia, Lara was already asleep, shaking her body back and forth.

「It’s not a big story. For Muss, we just tell a little brat who misunderstands about the severity of the world and put on a collar」

「I’m not going to be too strict with a kid」

Not interested in Yakum’s story, Claudia confesses appropriately while playing with her hair. A blue vein appears on Yakum’s temple as he heard it, but Claudia’s attitude does not change. On the contrary, when she sees Lara snoring and smiling with a mean smile, she tickles Lara’s nose with her hair. Lara´s nose is twitching and Claudia is enduring her laughter, leaking a small 「Huhihi」.

「By the way, who’s the kid?」

「Its Satou」

Claudia’s mischievous hand stopped and Lara opened her eyes.