Sasaki and Peeps - Volume 2 - Chapter 7

<Otherworld Business Negotiations, Part Two>

Once my meeting with Section Chief Akutsu was over, I went to my desk to write my report and deal with all the other little details of the incident. Time passed quickly, and before I knew it, it was time to go home.

I felt bad about all the bureau staff who still seemed like they had a lot to do, but this field employee was heading straight home now that his job was done. On my way back, I stocked up on some things for the otherworld at the neighborhood supermarket, remembering to pick up a gift to take home to my pet bird.

I had just returned to my apartment when…

“Welcome back, mister.”

…the next-door neighbor called out to me from in front of her apartment. She’d made the effort to stand up and greet me as I approached.

Thinking back, it had been quite a while since I’d last run into her. I realized several days had gone by without us even saying hello. It was probably because of how irregular my life schedule had become after changing jobs. Naturally, that also meant my handouts were delayed.

“I’m sorry for not being able to see you much lately,” I said, using my free right hand to fish around in the plastic bag hanging from my left.

The first thing I spotted was the meat for Peeps—definitely couldn’t give her that. Instead, I took out a blocky nutritional meal substitute. With how busy I’d been recently, I’d thrown quite a few in my cart in case I didn’t have the time to eat, figuring I could give any extras to the neighbor.

I held this out to her along with a cool bottled drink. “If you’d like, you can have—”

“Excuse me, but can I ask you a question?” she interrupted. Her expression was more serious than usual.

Unconsciously, I braced myself. “What is it?”

“You said before you weren’t going out with any women.”

“Yeah, that’s right. I’ve never really had much to do with that stuff…”

“Have you just recently started a relationship with someone?”

“Huh?” I said, surprised at the sudden question. What a weird thing to ask.

But as soon as I heard her next sentence, I understood why. “I heard a young person’s voice coming from your room.”

“Oh… I see…”

So that’s what this was. A noise complaint.

Apparently, my conversations with Peeps had been drifting into the neighbor’s apartment. The walls here were thin, and I often heard the sounds of other people’s TVs. I thought I’d been careful enough, but it seemed we’d given ourselves away.

That’s not good. I’ll have to be a lot more careful in the future.

If her mother had gotten mad, and it had caused a family problem… It was well within the realm of possibility.

“I’m sorry. It sounds like we were being a little loud.”

“W…w-wait, so you did start a relationship with someone?”

“No, I’ve just been having a friend over more often lately.”

“A friend?”

I wasn’t exactly lying. This friend just happened to look…unique. “We’ll be sure to meet up outside the apartment from now on. I really am sorry.”

“This might be rude to ask, but is your friend a woman?”

“No, he’s a man.”

“…Oh.”

Peeps’s voice did sound pretty androgynous.

She probably wanted to tell me to take it to a hotel if I was doing things with a woman. The girl was in middle school now and seemed to be rapidly becoming more sexually aware. She probably didn’t want to hear any sort of sexual anything from the old guy living in the apartment next door.

That said, I was pretty far removed from anything like that to begin with.

“In any case, you can have these, if you want,” I repeated, holding out the food and drink.

Her expression softened, and she took them. “Thanks. And sorry for asking something weird.”

“No, don’t worry about it. In fact, thank you for telling me about it so quickly. It really helps.”

“…Huh?”

“I didn’t realize how much our voices were carrying.”

I wonder if there’s some kind of soundproofing magic. I’ll have to ask Peeps when we have a moment. I didn’t know what population density was like in the otherworld, but it was pretty high in this one, so that would be a very useful spell to have. There were all sorts of potential uses—from regular everyday life to combating bosses who wanted to spy on their employees all the time.

“Huh…,” she murmured.

“Something the matter?”

“No, it’s nothing. Never mind.”

Considering the future, though, it would be best if I moved. Not to quote Futarishizuka, but relocating somewhere with better security was a good idea. It didn’t have to be a mansion—it could just be somewhere on the second floor or higher of an apartment complex with auto-locking doors and windows and walls made of reinforced concrete. Something along those lines.

And having a nice big living room would be amazing. I’d want a separate room for Peeps to have all to himself—private space was important, in my humble opinion.

Ah, now that it’s on my mind, I’d like to take some time and seriously consider it. The financial problem was, after all, already resolved.

“All right, I’m off, then. Good-bye.”

“Yes, and I’m sorry again for asking weird questions.”

“No, I’m the one who should apologize. If anything else bothers you, feel free to tell me.”

Bowing slightly, I parted ways with my neighbor. Then, with swift motions, I undid the lock, stepped in, and bid her a final farewell through the door.

After saying good-bye to the neighbor, I met up with Peeps, who had been waiting at home. Then, going through the base of operations we were borrowing from Futarishizuka, we entered the otherworld.

Along the way, we had grabbed the dozen or so tons of foodstuffs. These were the goods that required factory production, like superfine sugar. Our choices had broadened as well, thanks to Futarishizuka’s cooperation. I’d asked her to stock some medicines previously, so now I was bringing as many as I could fit into my backpack.

These were medicines that normally required a prescription. To be specific, I had sexual dysfunction medication and birth control.

Like hunger and the need to sleep, sexual urges were a powerful desire that persisted for as long as you lived. Any medicine to support that would have a perpetual demand, even in the otherworld—plus, I was thinking I could trade them in for a lot of money.

Peeps had given his seal of approval to the idea as well.

Although the world was overrun by spells that could temporarily charm a person and unleash their lust, as far as the bird knew, magic to enhance sexual function or avoid unwanted pregnancies was extremely rare. And the medicine they had for it wasn’t as good as the stuff we had here, apparently.

The way he’d explained it, medicine had stopped at the level of stuff like “boil ogre testicles and drink the broth to improve nighttime well-being.” The effectiveness seemed to depend on the person, too. In other words, even a little modern medicine would give us the chance to do business with rich nobles.

That said, I was still uneasy about how effective they’d be on people from another world. Unforeseen side effects were another worry—there was a potential the drugs could act like poison.

So for now, we planned to recruit some volunteers and run something like a clinical trial. I wanted to ask the Kepler Trading Company for their support, including help with any necessary negotiations. I trusted Mr. Joseph not to do anything too crazy.

“I… I’m sorry, but Joseph is currently away…”

But though my spirits were high when we arrived, the one we were looking for was absent. Instead, we were speaking with someone who claimed to work under him.

We were in the Kepler Trading Company’s storehouse. Behind us was a pile of bag-like bulk containers—the goods we’d brought in with Peeps’s teleportation magic. We’d added another digit onto the quantity, so the sight of them all together had a lot more impact. Various even larger containers were piled up all around us, though, regrettably lessening the effect.

Why am I feeling this sense of defeat? I thought. The Kepler Trading Company sure is something. Next time, I’ll push just a little bit harder. Even though Futarishizuka is the one doing the actual work.

“Oh. I apologize for coming when you’re so busy.”

“He did leave me with instructions to accept any and all products from you if you were to visit. I know I’m not Joseph, but would you mind terribly selling the wares you’ve brought—to me instead?”

The discussion about the medicines and manufactured goods would likely have been complicated for a number of reasons, so I decided to only sell him the foodstuffs for now. I had little enough of the rest that it fit into my backpack, so I could carry it around without issue. Entrusting them to Count Müller was also an option.

Thinking back, I had been very lucky in the past, visiting big trading companies without an appointment and being led straight into meetings with their top people over and over again. Not that I could help it, of course, given the time difference between the two worlds—I couldn’t make precise plans.

“Oh, I don’t mind at all.”

“Thank you so much. Please, bring the wares out so I can see them.”

Following the instructions of this extremely humble employee, the trading company members gathered and checked each of the products I’d brought in turn. So many of the ones who did the labor were built. They must hire employees for clerical work and those who carried and transported things separately.

I waited for a while as all this occurred.

Then the workers transporting the goods suddenly paled and went to whisper something into the clerical worker’s ear. Upon hearing what was said, the humble employee dashed over to the goods. He talked with the others about this and that as they went around looking over everything I’d brought.

It took maybe a few minutes. Eventually, he turned back to face me.

“S-sorry for the wait. We’ll purchase all of it. However, I fear I lack the discretion to value it on my own, especially with this much product. Would you mind waiting for a moment?”

“Not at all. I understand.”

“Thank you so much for your understanding, and again, we apologize.”

“No, I should be the one apologizing for visiting so suddenly.”

“We will prepare the deposit with all haste. It shouldn’t take long.”

This was all because I’d increased the quantity without notifying them in advance. I had figured more was better, but now I felt bad about it.

I had sold all the products I’d brought to the Kepler Trading Company as is. After informing them that I’d be visiting again in the near future, we headed straight to see Count Müller. Incidentally, the deposit they’d proposed—when converted into Herzian currency—had been three hundred large gold coins. Another substantial sum.

We couldn’t exactly walk around with that, so we put it in the bank in Baytrium. Our deposits thus far had decreased as a result of making the ingots; but now it seemed we had brought it right back up with this single deposit. I wondered how much it would be once we tallied up everything from the next deal, too.

As I thought this over, we entered Count Müller’s estate for the first time in a few weeks.

“How good of you to come by, Sir Sasaki. Lord Starsage.”

“I apologize for the delay in our visit, my lord.”

“Things have been keeping us rather busy in the otherworld, you see.”

“Please, don’t let it bother you. I only just returned from the royal capital the other day myself.”

We were in the reception room, as usual. Another familiar face was present, too: the second prince of the Kingdom of Herz, Adonis.

“It’s good to see you again, Your Royal Highness,” I said.

“Good indeed, Sasaki. I am pleased to see you in good health as well, Lord Starsage.”

“I’m truly obliged that you’ve come all this way from the capital, sir.”

“What turn of events has brought you here in person?”

“When I received your request, I was simply unable to stay put.”

As originally planned, it looked like Count Müller had spoken to His Royal Highness on our behalf. I hadn’t expected the man himself to make the journey, however. And his arrival had come quite a bit earlier than I’d expected.

“I was considering paying Duke Dietrich a visit while waiting for your arrival, Sir Sasaki. I’d assumed you would be another few days; your timing is excellent. We can move into action at once.”

“Ah. I see, sir.”

With everything settled, we prepared to set off as soon as we were able.

In addition to me, our team members were Count Müller, the second prince Adonis, and Peeps—three men and one bird. Boarding a carriage the count had kindly prepared for us, we made our way to Count Dietrich’s lodgings. Once again, we’d be charging in without an appointment.

When we arrived, we were shown to the reception room we’d met in last time. The man of the hour was already present.

“I hadn’t expected the honor of laying eyes upon the second prince!” he exclaimed.

“You are with the first prince’s faction, yes?” asked the prince. “No need to be so respectful.”

“You are correct on the first point, Your Royal Highness, but my respect for the royal palace is sincere, I assure you.”

“I hope so.”

Right off the bat, the prince and Count Dietrich struck up a conversation. The three of us—the count, the prince, and I—were sitting abreast on the sofa. At first, I’d wondered if it would be better for me to stand behind them, but the prince had patted the empty seat next to his, so I had sat down without argument. Peeps was, as always, on my shoulder.

Across the low table directly in front of us sat Count Dietrich. He was the sole occupant of the other sofa, identical to ours—and he had plopped down right in the middle of it. The impression it gave was of a man who outranked us.

“I’d like to get right down to business, if you don’t mind,” said Prince Adonis as soon as the greetings were over. His eyes were locked on Count Dietrich’s.

The man was younger than Count Müller—part of why he had seemed so unreliable during the war. At this moment, however, he looked quite dependable. His sharp, square expression plus the title of second prince gave him enough dignity to make me think this would work.

“I want you to release the merchant who has offended you, effective immediately.”

“This is a very sudden request, sir.”

“No need to beat around the bush. If you have incurred unlawful losses as a result of this offense, I shall have the men beside me give you compensation. I am sure they can manage that. Isn’t that correct?” The prince’s gaze shifted toward the two of us.

We’d discussed this part in advance, at my suggestion. Thankfully, Peeps and I had a good amount of surplus capital. It wouldn’t amount to bail, but if a little flexibility was needed to release the prisoner into our custody, there was no need to make a big fuss over it.

“Yes, it is as His Royal Highness says.”

“We would be glad to do so, my lord.”

Count Müller nodded, agreeing without argument. I followed his example and kept my own agreement brief.

After confirming our assent, Prince Adonis quickly continued.

“I don’t know what relationship you have to the head of the Hermann Trading Company,” said the prince. “But is doing all this worth damaging your relationship with us? If you are dissatisfied with the vice manager’s presence, then we shall convince him to move somewhere else.”

This was another of my proposals we had discussed beforehand. At this point, Mr. Marc had already lost his place at the Hermann Trading Company. However, I explained to the other two men, I thought we might be able to use that as a bargaining chip. Count Müller had expressed concern for the man’s future, but I’d assured him that I had something in mind.

“For you to go that far on his behalf, sir… Just who is that merchant?”

“If you’re curious, then why not show him how open-minded you are, Count Dietrich?”

“Respectfully, sir, I’ve already offered the two other men here conditions. Should that knight agree to sell his many wares exclusively to me in the future, I would immediately release the merchant in question.”

“I cannot accept that condition.”

“Then I’m terribly sorry, sir, but I cannot acquiesce to your proposition, either.”

Count Dietrich was remaining firm even against the words of the second prince. I had assumed that, when faced with royalty, he might yield a little more, but his attitude hadn’t changed at all. The only thing different about him this time was how politely he was speaking.

At this point, maybe it would resolve things faster if we did something about the Hermann Trading Company’s manager instead. Depending on the situation, there was a possibility he might even be calling the shots here.

That said, considering the trading company’s scale, I couldn’t imagine him having much sway with a noble outranking even Count Müller—I doubted the count would be able to do much with him. It was true that certain wealthy merchants wielded more power than the average noble. However, within the Kingdom of Herz, Hermann would be considered a small to medium enterprise.

All this I had heard from Peeps. Considering how they’d recently set up their main headquarters in the capital city, I could see them taking the handful of restaurants they successfully managed locally and launching a chain in the capital.

“By the way, sir, is your visit today at Count Müller’s behest?” asked Count Dietrich, his eyes moving between the prince and the other count. He was probably trying to gauge the amount of influence his rival had within the court. Count Müller had only recently been promoted from viscount to count, and seeing the man now seated right next to the second prince had no doubt prompted him to err on the side of caution.

“No, it wasn’t me.”

“Then what is Prince Adonis doing all the way out here?”

“He is here as a result of the proposal of Sir Sasaki, the man seated over there.”

“What? I had heard he was but a mere knight.”

“Sir Sasaki is not a royal guard by title, but he is still a knight under Prince Adonis’s exclusive service. Circumstances dictate that he be with me for the moment, but his position is completely different from other knights. Please consider it as equivalent to my own.”

“Yes,” the prince cut in. “Sasaki is a very dependable man.”

“…I see, sir. Forgive my rudeness,” said Count Dietrich, bowing slightly.

It felt good having them casually butter me up like that. Still, that didn’t mean I was actually capable of anything. I didn’t know the first thing about the court and had little experience as a nobleman. In fact, Count Müller had been the one to bring me to the prince to begin with.

That said, this was going fairly well for me. Since I was now the topic of conversation, it was my turn to speak up—and I’d be sticking with our original plan: leveraging my relationship with the prince to convince the count to yield.

“Excuse me, my lord, but may I make a few remarks?”

“I doubt your words will change my mind. If you are happy with that, then I will listen. Thinking back, it was your proposal that convinced me to give you a month before.”

“Thank you very much, my lord.”

“Now then, what plan does the prince-sponsored knight have for me?”

“It isn’t really a plan, my lord. Prince Adonis has deigned to accompany us in order to explain to you, Count Dietrich, how the business I conduct and the products I sell are all carried out under the prince’s permission.”

“…What are you saying?”

This was where I needed to put my foot down for the sake of Mr. Marc.

Belatedly, I realized how incredibly convenient it was to accuse someone of disrespecting nobility. The accuser could roll up every little thing disadvantaging them into one neat package they could push with impunity. Which was why it seemed to me like such a cowardly move to bring that alone to the negotiating table.

“My lord, His Royal Highness has graciously given my products a high appraisal. I was instructed to sell them only to those I can truly trust, which is why, up until now, I have been selling to the Hermann Trading Company under the auspices of Count Müller, who I trust even more than the prince.”

It seemed to me that was why the prince had refrained from throwing around his authority and using terms like disrespect in front of us. For this particular case, however, maybe it would have been justified—after all, we were up against someone now who was attempting just that.

“Selfishly switching to another client,” I said solemnly, “would be an act of rudeness toward Prince Adonis, my lord. I sincerely apologize, but I would like once again to discuss with you possible compensation for the crime of disrespect by the merchant in question.”

“……”

Originally, my agreement had been with Count Müller, but Count Dietrich probably didn’t know that. And though the latter was part of the first prince’s faction, the former was in the second prince’s—as well as being one of Prince Adonis’s closest allies. Count Dietrich wouldn’t be able to voice any objections in front of the man himself.

“…I see. I understand what you’re saying.”

“Thank you, my lord.”

“As I mentioned earlier, my respect for the royal palace is sincere. Leaving aside noble ties, I find myself in awe of the prince’s unsullied integrity and dauntless bravery on a daily basis. I was moved when I saw him eagerly depart for the front during our conflict with the Empire.”

“Then you will consider it, my lord?”

“Taking into account all that has been said, yes, I shall.”

“Thank you, my lord.”

We did it! All thanks to Prince Adonis. Really brought home the value of having royalty behind you.

“However, the merchant in question has conspicuously scorned my noble respect. If I am to forgive him with no real punishment, I will require suitable compensation. I believe you must understand that, having received the title of knight from the prince.”

“Yes, my lord. I understand perfectly.”

“In terms of compensation, it need not be granted materially. Should you total up the profit on all sales, you, Knight Sasaki, have made to the merchant in question and pay me that sum, I would accept the proposal you have brought me.”

“I see, my lord.”

But he was still holding out. His plan was probably to take me for all I was worth.

“I’ve already confirmed the amount via the Hermann Trading Company’s manager, as he handles the accounting for his company. You have been dealing in significant amounts of money, haven’t you? Upon hearing you had close to one thousand Herzian large gold coins, even I was plainly shocked.”

The count continued smoothly. He’d probably already predicted what objections we’d try to raise. It appeared he hadn’t expected the prince himself to show up, but his current spiel seemed well thought out.

“One thousand large gold coins, and I shall acquit the merchant in question. How does that sound?”

Count Dietrich’s lips curled in a grin—a smug grin. He was totally trying to rile me up.

Actually, I doubted even summing all my business profits thus far would yield that high an amount. It would be two hundred—three hundred at most. When exchanged for regular gold coins, it would be somewhere from twenty thousand to thirty thousand, and that included my dealings with Count Müller.

However, Count Dietrich had the evidence necessary to back up his claims. It must have been child’s play to falsify the accounts.

Upon hearing this, Count Müller immediately raised his voice. “Count Dietrich, forgive me if this sounds rude, but do you honestly believe a single commoner is worth that much? One thousand large gold coins is far more than a mere merchant would ever be handling.”

“You’re right, the worth of a single commoner is considerably less.”

“Then why have you proposed this?”

“I reasoned that is how much our noble prestige is worth. In fact, it is a low estimate. Normally, it would be intolerable to even attempt to set a monetary price on the honor and obligations of peerage bestowed by His Majesty.”

“……”

Even Prince Adonis, beside me, took on a difficult expression at that.

I might have been a novice otherworlder, but even I could tell he was fleecing us. I was sure he didn’t expect us to actually pay that amount. The count’s aim hadn’t changed: He wanted a permanent supply of goods from yours truly.

Until a few days ago, a sum like that would have put me out on the streets. I would have said, “Well, this is quite the mess.”

That, however, was in the past.

Now that I had Futarishizuka’s assistance in the modern world, and I’d secured a major client in the Kepler Trading Company, one thousand large gold coins was no longer an unattainable amount of money. I’d probably have more than enough to pay it once I sold the rest of what I’d brought this time.

And I was more than willing to take this deal if it meant saving Mr. Marc’s life.

“I understand, my lord. I will prepare one thousand gold coins.”

“…What?”

As a result, Count Dietrich entertained us with some very amusing expressions.

His combed-back gray hair and his deep, pronounced features… Those blue eyes and that impressive mustache and beard… He was a very attractive middle-aged man. And now those features were twisted into a look of blank amazement as he stared at me. He’d lost his calm, sophisticated visage and actually looked kind of cute.

“W-wait. Are you serious?”

Until now, he’d kept a straight face. This change, however, comforted me—schadenfreude at its finest.

“Yes, my lord, I am quite serious.”

“I’m talking large gold coins here, not just gold coins. One thousand of them. You can prepare that much?”

“I will prepare it down to the last coin, my lord.”

“We will conduct the payment as swiftly as possible! I will not wait years for you to pay it all off. You will need to get the money by the end of the year. Are you saying you have that sort of financial power?”

“I do, my lord. I will pay the amount in full at the end of next month.”

Count Dietrich nearly choked. His lips twitched, causing his well-kept mustache to tremble. This was no act—he was honestly shocked. And with good reason; this was no small amount of money.

Thinking back, when my business with Count Müller had concluded during the conflict with the Ohgen Empire, my total assets had been about a thousand large gold coins. That included the restaurant Mr. French managed as well as my deals with the Hermann Trading Company.

Maybe that was why those nearby, hearing about the deals I was striking, started making a fuss.

“Sir Sasaki, you can’t… That’s too…”

“Asserting lies in situations like these is a criminal offense, Sasaki.”

Count Müller and Prince Adonis watched me with worried expressions.

The former, especially, was one I’d made several deals with in the past. He probably knew what my financial situation was like. No doubt I looked like some crazy, olive-skinned foreigner spouting nonsense.

But the correct play here was to force my way forward. We’d finally put Count Dietrich on the defense. It was time to press even further, so he wouldn’t be able to get another word in edgewise.

“If it’s all the same to you, my lord, I will pay three hundred large gold coins by the end of the day as an advance payment. In exchange, I would like you to release Mr. Marc, even if it is only temporary. He is unused to living in a cell, and it has exhausted him greatly.”

“Y-you talk very big in the presence of His Royal Highness. But if this should turn out to be a lie, you will lose your noble title. Knowing that, do you still insist that you will pay me? This is your only chance to retract your statement.”

“Then as proof, my lord, I will now go to prepare the advance payment. It will take approximately one hour, and I will write a promissory note to you for the remaining seven hundred as well.”

“……”

Count Dietrich was dumbfounded.

I did it, Peeps. It seems like I’ll be able to get Mr. Marc out of there safely.

Casually, I glanced at the bird on my shoulder and saw him give me a subtle nod.

“I hope you are not thinking of running,” said Count Dietrich, immediately getting up, eyes still on me. Since he was so tall, being looked down on like that was petrifying. His rank was much higher than mine, so it was possible he’d decide to just beat the snot out of me. I could only hope he wouldn’t do anything like that in front of Prince Adonis.

“No, my lord. I would never dream of it.”

“…What company are you spying for?”

“I don’t work for anyone in particular, my lord. This is a private side business of my own.”

“Absurd! Even a knight in service to the prince could not pay such an enormous amount! This isn’t your idea, I trust, Count Müller? Have you brought the prince all the way here just to make a fool of me?!”

Apparently, my proposition was even less realistic than I’d realized. Count Dietrich had pretty much blown his top. And neither Count Müller nor Prince Adonis could hide their confusion. They both looked at me, clearly worried. We hadn’t discussed this beforehand, and I felt a little guilty; they were honestly concerned for me.

And therein lay my chance. This exact moment was my opportunity to defeat Count Dietrich.

“Forgive me for repeating myself, but please release Mr. Marc. He is worth at least one thousand large gold coins. His value will benefit not only me, but Count Müller and Prince Adonis as well—and you yourself, my lord.”

“What?”

“I know of the factional difficulties in the court. Before that, however, are we not all nobles of the Kingdom of Herz? Our neighbors are sure to attack us again. It may be that once the succession has been decided—no, even before—we will be entrusting our lives to each other on the battlefield.”

“……”

“Factions have no place when it comes to gathering the strength to oppose them. This is our responsibility as Herzian nobles. And we need Mr. Marc for that. Should we lose him now, our collective losses will be far greater than one thousand large gold coins.”

And that was certainly no lie. I’d already invested quite a lot in asking the Kepler Trading Company to establish the Marc Trading Company. Plus, all the deals we would be doing in this world in the future would be managed through the company he would be representing—an arrangement to which Mr. Joseph held the keys.

“I will pay the promised amount, my lord. So I ask you—won’t you please lay down your arms?”

“…Are you referring to the relationship between Count Müller and me?”

“I am indeed, my lord.”

I hadn’t actually thought this far ahead. But in the moment, it seemed like this was the right way to go, so I went with it. The fewer enemies close at hand, the easier it would be for Count Müller to act. Count Dietrich was the kind of person who would plant spies in someone’s home, after all—it would sure please Count Müller if he was to back off.

“……”

“What do you think, my lord?”

Unfortunately, judging by Count Dietrich’s reaction, it still wasn’t enough. He appeared to be thinking about it but didn’t seem ready to make up his mind. That suggested the real problem was one of face, not finances. Both Count Müller and I were of lower rank. Even if the prince outranked us all, the thought of simply agreeing vexed him.

In which case, I had little choice but to take advantage of the prince’s presence and start flinging criticisms.

“This may be rude of me to say in front of Prince Adonis, my lord, but to be perfectly honest, I would not mind either the first or the second prince succeeding the throne.”

“Wh-what?!” exclaimed Count Dietrich, shocked again. His eyes darted back and forth between Prince Adonis and me.

The prince chuckled a little in response.

“That doesn’t surprise me,” he said with a sigh, his expression fond. This little cheat had only worked because the prince knew of my relationship with the Lord Starsage. Count Müller understood it as well, so neither of them criticized in turn.

“What’s more important, my lord, is to strengthen the Kingdom of Herz so we are ready when the time comes. I’d like to assist Prince Adonis in that respect. Losing one’s homeland must be very sad, indeed. I wouldn’t want anyone to have to endure it.”

I didn’t say who, specifically. Despite my present company, it was a pretty cheesy line. That’d be way too embarrassing.

“You have quite the silver tongue, don’t you, Sasaki?”

“Those are my true, unabashed feelings, sir.”

“…I can tell why he puts so much stock in you,” whispered the prince, eyes shifting to the sparrow on my shoulder.

The bird he was looking at showed no particular response. He simply gazed straight ahead, quiet as usual. I followed his gaze to some rice treats on the low table in front of us.

Wait, Peeps, are you hungry?

“…All right.”

“Count Dietrich?”

“I will trust in your words this time,” he said, looking me right in the eyes. Though his brow had remained stubbornly furrowed up to this point, that now changed. He seemed refreshed, and his voice calmed down as well. It was almost like we’d performed an exorcism. Almost. At the very least, I couldn’t sense any more irritation or hostility from him.

“Truly, my lord?”

“You do indeed seem sincere.”

“I deeply thank you for your understanding, my lord.”

“I hadn’t expected one from a foreign nation to sue for unity among Herzian nobles. But recently, it seems we have indeed sunk that far. If you’ve thought that far, I am left with nothing more to say.”

“……”

So that was what got to you? I had to wonder.

Maybe the man had a more earnest personality than I gave him credit for. But anyway, all’s well that ends well.

“You need not pay the thousand large gold coins, either. I will release the merchant in question by the end of the day.”

“Are you sure, my lord?”

“If I don’t show deference before His Royal Highness now, I wouldn’t be able to call myself a Herzian noble.”

“It would appear your respect for the court was genuine, after all, Count Dietrich,” remarked the prince.

“The matter of factions and the succession dispute aside, sir, I do truly fear for the future of this kingdom. Thus, I do not want to deny the spirit this knight has shown when he spoke of becoming that foundation without heed to his own welfare.”

“I see.”

“And I admire your magnanimity, sir, for permitting such a relationship.”

“My elder brother is different, then?”

“I said nothing of him, sir. But I believe you know the answer better than I.”

“I suppose I do…”

The prince’s gaze seemed to pass Count Dietrich, extending to some far-off place. Were he and his elder brother not on good terms? Prince Adonis was such an affable person that I couldn’t imagine him getting into fights with his family.

“Knight Sasaki, the merchant in question is named Marc, correct?”

“Yes, my lord.”

“If your earlier words were true, then I suspect the day is not far off when we may see those thousand large gold coins. Our factions may differ, but if, as you say, it is for the sake of the Kingdom of Herz, then I shall be looking forward to it.”

“……”

Thanks to my embarrassing speech, we’d secured Count Dietrich’s agreement. I’d been fully intending to pay the money, so now I felt a bit let down. Either way, everything had turned out fine.

At this rate, the relationship between the two counts might even stabilize. Now we just had to rush to Mr. Marc’s prison cell and release him from confinement.

I breathed a sigh of relief—and clearly jinxed it. No sooner had I done so than the door to the reception room burst open.

“Excuse me, my lord!”

An exuberant greeting rang out, and all present turned their attention to the newcomer in the hallway. This was one I’d seen before—the manager of the Hermann Trading Company.

“Hermann! Don’t you think it’s rude to enter without knocking?”

Count Dietrich was the one to respond. He knit his brows, taking the man to task. His voice was fairly stern, too—he probably wanted to save face in front of the prince. Despite representing a trade company, the man was still a commoner, and the reception he received was exceedingly cold.

Even so, he continued to address Count Dietrich, his voice loud.

“My lord, someone has, without permission, transferred the bonds for our store, issued during the transfer to the capital! Not just the bonds, either, my lord—all the notes you paid during the previous conflict have disappeared from the central bank!”

“What?! Who dares do such a thing?!”

“I don’t know, my lord. I tried asking the one in charge, but they insisted they knew nothing.”

“That’s not possible…”

Count Dietrich’s calm had only lasted a few moments before his expression once again grew stern. He’s such an expressive person, I thought in spite of myself. Also, was it all right for us to overhear what the manager had said just now?

“Count Dietrich, we’ll show ourselves out…”

Reading the mood, Count Müller picked himself up off the sofa. The prince slid out of his seat as well. I followed their example, of course. I didn’t want any more trouble here.

A moment later, the manager of the Hermann Trading Company shifted his attention to me. Apparently, he hadn’t even realized we were here—probably because of the urgency of his news. Upon seeing our familiar faces, his eyes grew wide; Prince Adonis garnered an even greater reaction.

“Wh-what are Count Müller and that knight—? Y-Y-Y-Your Royal Highness?!”

“Is that the manager of the Hermann Trading Company you mentioned, Sasaki?”

“I—I—I… I’m terribly sorry for my rudeness!” the manager exclaimed, frantically kneeling and groveling on the spot.

His movements were excellent. Maybe he was used to this kind of thing.

“You seem busy with matters of your own, so we will excuse ourselves now.”

“Y-yes, sir! I’m terribly sorry for…for interrupting your…”

The manager’s whole body tensed up when Prince Adonis addressed him. It was so comically exaggerated, but it drove home the relationship between royalty and commoners.

Count Dietrich was the next to address him. “Hermann, I’ve decided to release the merchant as early as today.”

“Huh…?”

The manager was struck silent by this unforeseen follow-up strike.

But that only lasted a moment.

Immediately, he began to complain. Loudly.

“B-but that isn’t what we promised, my lord!”

“It has just been decided. I will not hear any objections.”

“Wha…?”

Count Dietrich’s tone was firm. Hermann fell silent once again. As a commoner, getting told off by a noble must be a painful experience. If I’d been in his shoes, it would have broken my spirit. This Herzian feudalism backed up by the aristocracy was truly terrifying.

“Hermann, I’d like to make something clear. Though I only have the word of these fine men, the employee you threw in prison is apparently a very shrewd businessman. If you desire great success as a merchant, you should use him to his full potential, not eliminate him.”

“Please, wait, my lord. That means I will have to reevaluate my relationship with you as well.”

“…What was that?”

“Regarding this matter, I have also received an opinion from Marquess Koch. If you would renege on our agreement and leave me no recourse, please understand it will also affect your relationship with the marquess. I am not operating at my sole discretion, my lord.”

“……”

The manager of the Hermann Trading Company had just introduced a new character: Marquess Koch. It was getting more and more annoying to remember everyone’s names. Maybe I’ll leave it to Peeps and just forget them all, I thought. Still, judging from how this conversation was going, things wouldn’t be so easily resolved.

It felt like we’d killed the final boss only to be greeted by a secret boss.

“N-no. I’ve already decided…,” stammered Count Dietrich, his expression pained. His previously stern tone now grew labored. His expressions really did change by the second.

“Count Dietrich, please reconsider!”

“You say this, but have you truly earned an audience with the marquess?”

“Yes, my lord. I’ve had several opportunities to meet with him in the past. He helped immensely with our move to the capital. That relationship has given me the chance to help the marquess, however minor my help may be.”

“Marquess Koch has connections to major trading companies in the Republic of Lunge. Pardon my words, but I doubt he would hand out any opportunities to a suburban trading company like yours. Can you explain this?”

This was getting complicated.

Considering my future, I should probably have tried to get as much information as I could, even if I had to interrupt. But in my mind, I’d finally done what I needed to do—I’d settled things. I wanted to go rescue Mr. Marc and have some food at Mr. French’s place. Some of that meat with the rich seasoning.

The bird on my shoulder was probably hungry, too. And I was beside myself with worry—about when my stomach would start audibly rumbling. It would look awful if that was to happen here.

And then, as if summoned by my very thoughts, I caught sight of Mr. French out of the corner of my eye.

No, wait. That’s not possible.

I did a double take.

But there he was—standing right there in his chef outfit.

Until now, he’d been beyond the door to the reception room that the Hermann Trading Company’s manager had so rudely swung open. Now he was standing just outside the room’s entrance, nervously peering inside. He looked helpless—a complete one-eighty from his bold, imposing countenance whenever he was working in the kitchen.

“E-excuse me…”

Eventually, he rallied himself and spoke up.

Everyone’s attention shifted to Mr. French.

“What is it now?!” roared Count Dietrich.

Mr. French flinched, letting out a short yelp. It was kind of cute seeing such a big, stern-looking guy too frightened to say a word.

Nevertheless, he managed to respond. “I… I’ve brought someone who claims to be acquainted with you, sir…,” he said, looking straight at me.

Unexpectedly made the topic of conversation, I automatically tensed up. “With me?”

“He came to the restaurant looking for you. We checked at Count Müller’s estate and heard you were here, so I brought him along…”

As Mr. French finished speaking, there was movement next to him. Then another person poked his head out from behind the doorframe.

And just as Mr. French had said, this person was indeed someone I’d met before. The very one I’d gone to see even before Count Dietrich, whose absence on my visit had made me just a little lonely. I’d assumed I wouldn’t see him until my next trip.

“Hello, Mr. Sasaki. It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”

“Oh? Mr. Joseph, I didn’t expect to see you in a place like this.”

Wait. What was he doing here anyway?

For reasons unbeknownst to me, Mr. French had brought Mr. Joseph to us. Nobles used these accommodations, and the surrounding neighborhood was quite respectable. His store also catered to the upper echelons and was located in a similarly desirable area. In fact, it was not very far from our current location. Mr. French’s response wasn’t particularly strange in that sense.

However, that logic didn’t extend to Mr. Joseph. Why was he in the Kingdom of Herz? The employee at the Kepler Trading Company had told me he was out. Finding him here, though, was the last thing I’d expected. The Republic of Lunge and the Kingdom of Herz were a fair distance apart. It would have taken something significant to cause him to make such a long journey.

“I don’t want to sound rude,” I began, “but what brings you here?”

“I had some minor business in Herz, and I figured I’d pay you a visit while I was here. I’d love to meet Mr. Marc as well, if you don’t mind. I apologize for not contacting you in advance.”

“No apologies necessary. Thank you for coming so far. I believe I can oblige you on that, but he is currently away. I would need a day or two.”

“I understand perfectly.”

I couldn’t exactly bring him here straight from his prison cell. He’d been locked up for months. We’d need to get him a bath to wash off the dirt and grime and then spruce him up. He’d need food and rest, too. Sometime late the following day seemed a safe window to set up the meeting.

In the meantime, Mr. Joseph’s attention had drifted elsewhere. He was now looking at the sofa opposite our own.

“Oh?” he said. “Is that you, Count Dietrich?”

“Lord Joseph! I, er, what are you doing here?”

“I wasn’t aware you were acquainted with Mr. Sasaki.”

Mr. Joseph’s eyes flitted between Count Dietrich and me. Apparently, they knew each other. I supposed it made sense that any large trading company in the Republic of Lunge, which had agreements with all nearby nations, would have connections to one or two nobles from elsewhere.

“Acquainted? Actually, well…”

“Am I wrong? I do apologize.”

The count was acting strange. He’d been on the offensive until just a few moments ago, but no sooner had he spotted Mr. Joseph than he’d suddenly grown meek. His back was hunched somewhat as he stood idly—a stark contrast with how he’d yelled at Mr. French.

Meanwhile, Count Müller and Prince Adonis were looking on in confusion. Neither of them seemed to have any idea who Mr. Joseph was. The Hermann Trading Company’s manager had much the same reaction; he was currently glancing around the room, trying to grasp the situation.

“Mr. Joseph, are you familiar with Count Dietrich?”

“Yes, well, I’ve had several opportunities to speak with him in the past whenever I visited Marquess Koch. His good looks stuck out in my memory. I even considered growing a beard of my own.”

“Ah, I see.” Count Dietrich was certainly handsome. A real catch. His neatly trimmed mustache and beard, for example—really cool. But you’re quite the handsome middle-aged man yourself, aren’t you?

“As a handsome man yourself, I think a beard would suit you well.”

“Is that right?”

“I could bring some useful items to help you take care of it in the near future.”

“How intriguing. Please do.”

He’d probably love a wireless, battery-operated trimmer, wouldn’t he? In this world, where body hair was handled with a blade or a pair of scissors, beards and mustaches were considered a lot of trouble to maintain. Most people, I’d heard, just shaved it all off.

“Sasaki, would you mind introducing me to this esteemed personage as well?”

“My apologies, sir. Allow me.” Just then, the prince interrupted. We’d accidentally become engrossed in our own private conversation. “This is the president of the Kepler Trading Company, from the Republic of Lunge—Mr. Joseph Kepler. We’ve recently had the chance to do some business together. I hope the relationship will be a long and fruitful one.”

“Pleased to meet you. My name is Joseph.”

Come to think of it, the Kepler Trading Company was another one Peeps had introduced me to. I wondered what sort of relationship they had.

However, I didn’t have much time to ponder this question. My introduction had apparently gotten a strong reaction from those around us: complete and utter shock. It wasn’t only the prince and Count Müller who raised their voices in surprise, but the Hermann Trading Company’s manager and even Mr. French.

I wasn’t sure what was going on, but I figured I may as well have finished the introductions.

“Mr. Joseph, sitting nearest to us on that sofa is the second prince of the Kingdom of Herz, Prince Adonis. Next to him is Count Müller, who rules over this town.”

“What good fortune, to have the chance to meet royalty!” said Mr. Joseph with a smile.

He didn’t seem the least bit nervous, even with a prince right in front of him. His behavior was gentle-mannered and proper, yet calm and composed—so impressive. I fervently wished I, too, could have that level of mental fortitude.

In response, the two men who had just been introduced tensed up. They hurried to straighten their postures, then bowed to Mr. Joseph.

“I am Adonis Herz. And may I say, the honor is all mine, to be able to meet the head of the Kepler Trading Company. I hear my father has never been granted a meeting with you, despite his requests, so allow me to offer my gratitude for our good fortune today.”

“I am Müller, governor of these lands. I sincerely appreciate your visiting from so far away. Please allow me to apologize for not preparing a welcome, as I was unaware of your visit.”

“No need to worry about that, my lord. It’s my fault for having come here without sending word.”

I was getting the distinct feeling that Mr. Joseph was a lot more important than I’d assumed. As I looked at the reception room now, he seemed to be standing at the very top of the hierarchy. Actually, I was certain of it.

He’d been so easy to talk to, so I’d interacted with him much the same way as I would the head of a smaller company I’d already had dealings with. Sure, he was the leader of a large trading company, but he was a commoner. It appeared I’d made a mistake and underestimated him.

As I looked at him now, I belatedly realized something else. Could the manager of the Hermann Trading Company have been so flustered because of this man’s visit? The timing would line up perfectly, considering the request I’d made of him.

“By the way, Mr. Joseph,” I said, “there’s something I’d like to clear up.”

“And what would that be, Mr. Sasaki?”

“I apologize for cutting right to the chase, but would you happen to know something about the recent confusion in Herz regarding bonds issued by the Hermann Trading Company and promissory notes with Count Dietrich’s seal?”

After a pause, he glanced around the room and asked, “Shall I explain?”

Everyone here was a related party. Anything to do with the Hermann Trading Company would soon be known to all of them anyway. The manager had already brought it up. I doubted releasing the details here would cause any issues—in fact, it would make dealing with the matter more efficient.

“Things are already set in stone, right?” I asked.

“Oh, of course.”

“Then please, go ahead.” Actually, I thought, I’m wondering what the heck is going on myself.

As everyone looked on, he continued plainly, “As you have implied, Mr. Sasaki, I have taken the liberty of seizing it all.”

His response had come without a scrap of hesitation, despite being right in front of the parties concerned.

As a result, everyone was staring at Mr. Joseph, more shocked than ever. The Hermann Trading Company manager—the main one involved and the principal victim—and Count Dietrich were stunned. They couldn’t believe it.

“It would have taken too much time to negotiate, so I purchased it all from a qualified seller. Their price ran a bit steep, but when I think about my business with you, Mr. Sasaki, it wasn’t even that large an investment.”

“That certainly sounds promising for me, but…”

“As it’s a rather small-scale trading company, if I were to let them send a bad check now, the Hermann Trading Company would then lawfully belong to you, Mr. Sasaki. If you were to choose a brute-force approach, things could be settled even sooner than that. As a result, the matter we discussed will be able to move forward next month.”

This was even more of a power play than I’d expected.

I had indeed made a request on that scale. Like, in an M&A sort of way. I had been sincere about wanting to leave behind a place for Mr. Marc to return to. The Hermann Trading Company, subsidiary of the Marc Trading Company—something along those lines. I had not anticipated that he’d start using real-life yakuza strategies.

Thanks to him, the Hermann Trading Company’s manager was now blue in the face. He stared at us, visibly shaking.

This was probably all because this world’s ethical values were so much looser than Japan’s. Slavery still had a lot of pull as a system here, after all. Compared to that, this was actually pretty tame. Similar things did happen in modern times.

“Then why the promissory notes with Count Dietrich’s seal on them?”

“My information indicated the count held sway over the Hermann Trading Company. I couldn’t be fully certain of the details, but if it was going to cause trouble in the future, then we didn’t have any time to waste—and so we seized those as well.”

Man, Mr. Joseph is a really thorough guy! Now I knew why Count Müller and the prince were in such a panic.

“But it seems,” he continued, “you were a step ahead of us, Mr. Sasaki.”

“Actually, I’m here for a different reason.”

Saying he remembered Count Dietrich because of his cool beard? What a way to greet someone. Mr. Joseph was able to take part in such thrilling endeavors and yet still responded to everyone with such calm—terrifying. At this point, Count Dietrich seemed like nothing in comparison.

“In any case, all that remains is to meet Mr. Marc and run him through everything required to establish the trading company. He will need to visit the Republic of Lunge at some point. I would be very pleased if we could meet so I could explain in person.”

“I see—so that’s what this was about.”

I couldn’t allow him to learn that Mr. Marc was imprisoned. If he flip-flopped on the matter, we’d be in big trouble. Bringing along royalty from my own nation wouldn’t have as much of an effect on him as it had with Count Dietrich. In fact, I’d really like to determine at least one of Mr. Joseph’s weaknesses while I had the chance.

“Lord Joseph, there is one thing I would like to ask…,” said Count Dietrich. No trace of his imposing dignity remained—it was clear he was nervous about this question.

“What is it, my lord?”

“What sort of relationship might you have with Marquess Koch?”

“My family has known him since my father’s generation, and we still do business with him these days. I hear the deals of the past were impressive, but recently, they’ve only been buying sweeteners—sugar, honey—and only two or three times a year.”

“Ah, I…I see.”

“Oh, and regarding this matter, I had a proposition for you, Mr. Sasaki.”

“What is it?”

“I would like to suggest you become their supplier. It will greatly decrease the cost of stocking their inventory, and your goods are of a higher quality than ours.”

“Wouldn’t that cause problems for the Kepler Trading Company?”

“I’ve personally been meaning to reduce how many small deals we make going forward. Since the year before last, we’ve been tailoring our clients with that purpose in mind. Most importantly, this proposition will benefit Marquess Koch as well.”

“I see.”

Compared to how Count Dietrich and the Hermann Trading Company manager had been talking about him, Marquess Koch seemed a little less significant to Mr. Joseph. When they mentioned he had acquaintances in the Republic of Lunge… Had that been referring to Mr. Joseph? I’d figured he was in better standing as a customer—and that they were more deeply involved.

Count Dietrich appeared to have had the same idea. He was watching our conversation with a blank, amazed look. Seeing him stare absentmindedly with that stern face of his, totally silent, actually made him look kind of cute.

“In that sense, too, I’m expecting a lot from the Marc Trading Company.”

“I hope to be of service.”

It looked like we didn’t have to slay the secret boss, after all—we’d gotten the peaceful ending instead.

The next day, it was time for the arranged meeting between Mr. Marc and Mr. Joseph. It was taking place in the reception room of Count Müller’s estate, and aside from the two main actors, the lord of the house, Prince Adonis, and Count Dietrich were all in attendance. We hadn’t seen the Hermann Trading Company’s manager since he’d left right after the previous day’s discussion.

“It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance. My name is Joseph.”

“M-my name is Marc.”

Two sofas, separated by a low table. Mr. Marc and Mr. Joseph sat facing each other. The rest of us stood behind Mr. Marc—it was a ploy to give him more of a sense of presence.

“Mr. Marc, I have received a strong recommendation from Mr. Sasaki that we, the Kepler Trading Company, enter into a partnership agreement with you. I heard you made quite a handsome sum during the incident with the Ohgen Empire. We would love for you to use that talent on our behalf.”

“D-d-d-don’t mention it! It’s a pleasure to be working with you.”

We’d informed Mr. Marc of the gist of what was happening last night. Accordingly, there was no need for a concrete discussion between them regarding the Marc Trading Company’s establishment. This meeting was only to acquaint the two men, as Mr. Joseph had requested.

As the leader of a major trading company, he was a very busy man. After chatting for a little under an hour, we concluded our meeting.

Just before parting, as initially planned, it was decided that Mr. Marc would travel to the Republic of Lunge. Because of travel costs and possible safety issues, he would be accompanying Mr. Joseph on his return trip, to happen very soon. As he left, he said, “Let’s meet again in Herz’s capital.”

Count Dietrich offered to supervise the Hermann Trading Company in the meantime, angrily saying he’d be keeping an eye on the manager to make sure he didn’t make any strange moves. I wouldn’t soon forget the sight of him desperately negotiating to have his promissory notes returned in exchange for the service.

Not long after seeing Mr. Joseph out of the count’s estate, all parties returned to the reception room and, looking exhausted, began conversing among one another.

“Sir Sasaki, the breadth of your relationships astounds me.”

“How on earth did you meet him?”

Both Count Müller and Prince Adonis looked at me as if they had more to say. For my part, the power of Mr. Joseph’s influence still didn’t feel real. But I couldn’t exactly let that question go unanswered, so I took the opportunity to ask a question of my own.

“There’s one thing I’d like to confirm first. What sort of position is the head of the Kepler Trading Company in, regarding the Kingdom of Herz? As a foreigner, there’s a lot I don’t know.”

“It’s not a particularly Herzian view. The Kepler Trading Company is one of the major businesses representing the Republic of Lunge. They don’t have a long history, but other nations know it as a company that rose to great prominence in the last century due to the skill of its proprietors.”

My explanation came from Prince Adonis. Essentially, they were like a general trading company operating internationally. Thinking about it like a major e-commerce website made the pieces fit together in my mind. My first impression had been of a very humble man, so I hadn’t thought they were that big. He’d played dumb at first, too, claiming to be in charge of the foodstuffs department.

What interested me more, however, was the social standing of Lunge’s merchants.

“But, sir, isn’t Mr. Joseph a commoner?”

“Sasaki, especially when it comes to the Republic of Lunge, that way of thinking is dangerous. First of all, his nation doesn’t have a system of aristocracy, nor do they have anything resembling a monarchy. National administration is carried out by a central council.”

“I see, so that’s the way it works.”

“Lunge also has vastly more national power than Herz. In other words, they’re much more affluent. The foundation of that affluence is their merchant class, which used major business ventures involving nearby nations to build a fortune.”

This was speculation on my part, but maybe the difference between Herz’s economy and Lunge’s was like that of a developing nation versus a first-world nation. As I thought back, their city streets had been pretty sophisticated.

“In Lunge, social status is determined by how much wealth one amasses. In that sense, it would be safe to think of Lord Joseph as equivalent to a Herzian duke—or even royalty like me.”

“They’re that powerful, sir?”

“Without a doubt—especially when it comes to the influence they can exert.”

“Thank you for informing me, sir. That was very helpful.”

I’d have to go over several things with Peeps later. I’d be working with them for the time being, so I needed to get as much information as possible. Mr. Marc was probably reeling from the suddenness of it all, so if there was anything we could do in advance to help him prepare, I wanted to do it.

“Knight Sasaki, I have something to ask of you.”

“What is it, Count Dietrich?”

Once the prince had finished talking, the count spoke up—he sounded timid, completely different from his attitude the day before. “When you said you were able to prepare one thousand large gold coins last time, did you mean…?”

“I did say that, my lord. I could have prepared it by the end of next month.”

“…I, er, I see.”

It sounded like Count Dietrich hadn’t believed us. I had mixed feelings about seeing him so surprised this late in the game.

“Good for you, Count Dietrich. If you’d simply taken the money, or if you hadn’t let the merchant in question go free, you would have had a major problem on your hands involving the Republic of Lunge. Your love for your country is what saved you.”

“……”

Prince Adonis grinned as he spoke. Count Dietrich, in the meantime, had gone white in the face.

After many a twist and turn, the issues revolving around Mr. Marc’s safety and security had been resolved, and calm returned to our lives.

I was sure Count Dietrich and the Hermann Trading Company manager were now extremely busy, but that wasn’t the case for us. We excused ourselves from all the commotion early, deciding to enjoy our first rest in a while to the fullest.

Right now, we were in the living area in the high-class inn we used as our base of operations. There, I was enjoying a good chat with my beloved pet bird.

“It was a hard-fought win for you, wasn’t it?”

“Thankfully, Mr. Joseph is a good person.”

If he’d been the mischievous sort, like the Hermann Trading Company manager…, I thought, belatedly reflecting on how much I’d been playing the whole thing by ear. In the future, I’d have to plan things out a little more.

“I can’t speak for his character, but as a merchant, he is trustworthy.”

“Was he a friend of yours or something?”

“Not friends, no. We were merely acquainted.”

“I see.”

After spending so much time with Peeps, I found myself wondering again about his background. What sort of friendships had he had in life? How had he spent his days? Were there any close friends he wanted to visit?

“…You’re having strange thoughts again, aren’t you?”

“What?”

“I’ve quite enjoyed my life of late. There is nothing more I need.”

Whoops, I thought. Was it really that obvious? As always, Peeps was one sharp Java sparrow.

“Really?”

“Really.”

“Okay…”

Well, if he said everything was fine, then there was no need for me to force him into anything. For the time being, I’d give myself back over to our peaceful lifestyle and allow my weary mind some repose.

“By the way, I’d like to take this chance to return to the otherworld for a moment.”

“Huh? Did you have something to do?”

“I’ve been measuring the difference in time flows between this world and the other using the device over there. I’d like to take the value I calculated last night and verify my findings based on the current time in that world—right away, if possible.”

Peeps used his wing to point to the laptop computer we’d brought from modern Japan. Next to it was the golem he used for controlling the keyboard and mouse, hunched over like a marionette with its strings cut.

“…Peeps, you’ve been doing all that already?”

“Is there a problem?”

“No, not at all.”

“You’ve also been hard at work in this world.”

“……”

He’d just shown me the kind of work a real man can do. So cool.

“Also… Well, this MATLAB tool is excellent, but I feel NumPy makes it easier to specify conditions. This Python, or what have you, is a superb system. It seems to have some competition in R, but R’s syntax is quite clumsy.”

Suddenly, the bird perched on my shoulder felt very far away.

At Peeps’s request, we left the otherworld and returned to modern Japan, coming out in the living room of my apartment. We’d been out so much recently that it felt like I hadn’t seen it in forever.

As soon as we arrived, Peeps headed for the PC on the desk. Using his golem, he started hurriedly clacking away at the keys. I would have felt bad getting in the way, so I figured I’d watch TV for a bit. I went through the channels without any goal in mind, taking in the programs one by one.

A little while later, as I was vegging out, I heard the sparrow speak.

“It’s as I thought. It’s rapidly getting shorter…”

“Peeps?”

The fact that I was leaving all the mental labor to my pet made me feel a little guilty. Kind of like a man getting laid off, then doing nothing but eating and sleeping at home as he watches his wife diligently managing all the housework. Like a total failure of a husband watching his wife leave for her part-time job after she finishes cooking, cleaning, and doing the laundry, only to crack open a midday beer. I tried to conceal those feelings as I replied.

He turned back to me, sharply pointing a wing at the screen. “Take a look at this graph.”

“O-okay.”

The screen displayed a neatly constructed broken-line graph. The rows of characters had been set to a large font size, so that one could see them even if they weren’t up close. Each of the lines was properly separated into its own color, making it very easy to understand. It was finally time for his superhuman—er, super-avian—presentation abilities.

You would never believe he’d only been using computers and the internet for a scant few weeks. Frankly, it was giving me an inferiority complex.

“This is the previous value, and this is the value now.”

“You’re right. The time periods are getting shorter.”

At first, one day spent in the modern world caused one month to pass in the otherworld, but that number had been decreasing quickly. This, along with the passage of time, had been plotted on the graph in a more conspicuous way.

What I’d only had a rough handle on before based on my bodily perception was now being displayed in clear numerical values.

Plus, the graph showed the predicted gap in the future if the changes were to continue at the current rate. If it was correct, in about six months, one day here would just about equal one day there.

“Is it changing on a cycle, maybe?”

“I considered that as well. We just don’t have enough data right now.”

We traded opinions while looking at the screen. Incidentally, the golem looked so cute, awkwardly clicking the mouse buttons. I wondered if Peeps ever gave them names.

“I feel bad asking this, but I’d like to go back and forth a little more frequently to collect more data.”

“That does seem like a good idea.”

“Will you help me, then?”

“What? I’m the one who should be thanking you. You’re thinking about all this stuff for me. If you need to measure the time more precisely, I can get the equipment you’ll need. Just say the word. Thanks to you and Ms. Futarishizuka, our wallet is ready to burst.”

“How dependable.”

My distinguished sparrow was looking straight at me. His fluffy down chest was adorable. Combined with his pompous tone and history of accomplishments, he appeared extremely dignified.

I wondered if he’d get mad if I petted him with my finger. I really wanted to.

If there was one thing I was unhappy about in our relationship, it was the lack of that sort of intimacy. I couldn’t help but be envious of all the other pet owners in the world who could always do that kind of thing with their birds.

“Peeps, I actually have a bunch of questions, if that’s all right.”

“What are they?”

I decided to use this chance to figure out several things about the otherworld. As a result of the matter with Mr. Joseph, I became aware of a number of things about which I had little information. I wanted to fill in those gaps before I saw him again. Once the Marc Trading Company was established, I could see competitions springing up between it and other trading companies headquartered in the Republic of Lunge. I couldn’t afford to hold back its success.

“About the Republic of Lunge—”

Just then, a voice on the television suddenly rang out.

To quote: “Whatever it is, it looks like a monster.”

To quote: “Doesn’t it look like a monster from another world?”

The key words there were another world. Upon hearing it, we both naturally turned toward the TV.

There we saw something that did, indeed, resemble a monster.

As Peeps and I watched, the news broadcaster continued speaking excitedly. “Please have a look at this video. This exclusive video appears to show the moments just before the monster that fell from the sky breathed its last.”

“A reptilian,” murmured Peeps.

“…Huh?”

As Peeps had said, everything from the neck up on this “monster” was very lizard-like. On the other hand, its limbs were configured for bipedal locomotion, just like a human’s. Scales covered its body.

We watched as the creature fell from the sky, landed flat on its face, and let out a groan. The video lasted about thirty seconds. At the end, the subject seemed to run out of energy and stopped moving entirely. Looking at its crushed limbs, I guessed it had died on impact.

The creature had slammed face-first into asphalt. According to the text on the screen, this was in a suburb relatively close to the city’s center, apparently in the parking lot of a sprawling convenience store. You could clearly make out the blood spatter nearby.

“If my eyes aren’t deceiving me, that being is from the otherworld.”

“…It seems so.”

I mean, I had heard it. The reptilian’s final words, over the TV speaker, came to me as clearly as if they were in Japanese. They included great confusion that must have stemmed from the sudden, unexpected event—as well as a cry of love for its family.

In other words, he, too, was a visitor from a world I knew.

“Can reptilians use the same magic as you, Peeps?”

“Elites, maybe, but not in general.”

“…I see.”

I could think of several possibilities. Maybe someone had used world-crossing magic, like the spell Peeps knew, and sent the subject over as an experiment, or maybe it had been caught up in an accident. So many things could have happened.

But all of that was just in my head. We didn’t have a way of proving anything.

“Peeps, if it’s all right with you…”

I wanted to head to the bureau to confirm the situation—but before I could open my mouth, the phone I’d left on my desk started vibrating. The display said SECTION CHIEF AKUTSU.

“I’m sorry, Peeps. It sounds like I’m being called into work.”

“Then go. I, too, am curious about how this came to pass.”

“I figured you would be. I’m sorry I have to head out.”

Considering the timing of the call, there was no way it was unrelated.

My heart was racing just imagining what kind of conversation awaited me at the bureau.