Book 11: Chapter 4: Sweet Trap
If there is one word to describe Licitea, it would be "someone who is out of place."
In the palace, where political disputes abound, kind-hearted knights are simply devoured.
Nor should she have a high position.
She is an eccentric princess who became a knight to protect her younger brother.
It would have been nice if she had the ability to do so, but unfortunately, reality is cruel.
Licitea had only the abilities of a common knight, no matter how high you estimate them, and she had nothing to excel at.
"I am sorry, Duke. I can't stop Cleo."
We are walking down the corridor together when she stops me, but Licitea is pale and downcast.
Listening silently, she begins to talk about Cleo recently.
"Now Cleo has gotten power and has changed into a different person. He used to be a gentle boy, but now he is just like Brother Calvin and the others--or worse."
Cleo is trying to send me to a place of fierce battle after all the effort I put in to achieve his position as Crown Prince.
It is a terrible betrayal if you think about it in a normal way.
But I do not resent Cleo.
--Because I don't trust people from the beginning.
I expected Cleo to betray me.
But I didn't think it was going to be this bad.
Licitea laments her own pettiness.
"My words cannot reach Cleo now. I told him that the duke has taken very good care of him, and that he should join hands with him now. But--Cleo wouldn't listen to me."
I suppose that Licitea, the human being, is a good natured person.
But such a conversation should not have taken place in the palace.
Cleo would be displeased if she even approached me in a situation where she couldn't fully grasp where my eyes and ears were hidden.
Licitea speaks self-mockingly of her recent treatment of me.
"They even took me out of the escorting business because I was being too picky. Now I can't even talk to Cleo. But - as Cleo's sister - I really wanted to apologize to the Duke. If I could--"
If you could--would you please not hold a grudge against Cleo? Or do you want me to ask for Cleo's forgiveness? Licitea, who was about to utter those words, swallowed the rest of the story, perhaps feeling shame.
--Yes, that's right, that's good.
It seems that even Licitea understands that there is no turning back now.
I smile at Licitea and give her a safe reply.
"I understand your feelings. Now then, I'm going to get busy, so please excuse me."
Licitea was staring at my back as I walked away, but did not look back.
.
A room in a luxury hotel where I used to live.
I use this place when I stay in the capital planet, and when they know I'm here, they have a steady stream of visitors from the morning.
Elliott of the Clave Trading Company and Patrice of the Newlands Trading Company, for example, came without regard to whether it was night or not.
I hear about their recent situation from them, who have a grim expression on their faces in front of me.
"Did Cleo give you guys the cold shoulder?"
Elliott's Clave Chamber of Commerce is one of the leading merchants who are the imperial purveyors.
Even such a clave trading company is apparently decreasing its business with the empire.
"It's terrible. We have been providing the utmost support for His Highness Cleo, and yet we are being treated like this. I would like you, Liam-sama, to put up someone else."
The Chamber of Commerce, which is close to me, is being turned against me.
I don't know if Cleo gave the order or if people around here were just being cautious.
It's just - I'm disappointed that both Cleo and the emperor are like this.
Patrice was very impatient.
"In the executive committee of the Newlands Chamber of Commerce, there are more and more people who want to cut off Liam-sama and approach His Highness Cleo. If you wish to retain him, I'll have someone convenient for you right away."
She is trying to appear calm, but she is pushing me to hurry up and prepare an opponent for Cleo.
"Has your position in the executive committee gotten any worse?"
I ask her with a grin, and Patrice looks as if she is biting a bitter bug.
"More and more executives are trying to offer me to His Highness Cleo as a parting gift."
Beside Patrice, who was about to be betrayed by her people, Elliott looked at her coldly, saying sympathetically, "That's tough."
They are not friends.
They don't care what happens to the other party as long as it is not detrimental to themselves.
It's dry, but it's more trustworthy than those who bring up human feelings.
Those without power are used and discarded.
It is the same in the past life and in this world.
"Patrice, I will lend you one of Kukri's men. Keep the hostile executives under control."
"That would be very helpful."
"And I need you to do something for me."
"You want me to select who to retain?"
"We'll talk about it later. First of all, the battle with the High Kingdom is imminent. It should be a good time for you to make some money, right?"
As I said this, there was a light in the depths of Elliott and Patrice's eyes.
Merchants are always good for profit, after all.
Elliott asked about the battle against the High Kingdom.
"Profit is important, but what do you think about the war with the High Kingdom?"
You seem to be concerned about what I want - to fight for my country with sincerity, or to fight passively for the purpose of conserving forces and ultimately retreat.
The best thing to do would be to fight reasonably well and retreat or negotiate when we are in a position to make excuses.
But I don't take the better option.
"Of course, it would be a complete and utter victory."
The next person to visit my room was a weapons factory official.
Nias, dispatched from the Seventh Weapons Factory, was in tears in front of me.
"They've taken away all the work we've been contracted to do! This is too obvious! I can't believe they would go this far just because I'm on good terms with Liam-sama!"
Normally, the Seventh Weapons Factory is a degenerate group that thoroughly pushes productivity, maintainability, or performance, but it usually produces weapons for the empire.
The Seventh Weapons Factory also earns money by mass-producing weapons that have been officially adopted, but all of these jobs have been canceled.
Thanks to this, the Seventh Weapons Factory is said to be in the red.
Standing next to me is Elysia, a former employee of the Third Weapons Factory.
This time she is accompanying me as a sort of secretary, but she also informs me that she has received a complaint from her former workplace.
"The Third Weapons Factory has also been reduced in work. Third is popular and won't lose money, but if the Empire continues to give us the cold shoulder, I'm sure they'll soon reconsider their relationship with the Banfield family."
Why are both Cleo and the emperor so full of it?
I am tempted to suspect that they are doing this on purpose.
Or - are they playing with us?
I promise Nias, who is crying, that I will place a large order right here.
"Stop crying because it makes me sad to watch. The war with the High Kingdom is about to begin, so I'm going to order a large quantity, including spare equipment."
"Really?"
Seeing Nias, who was delighted, Elysia crossed her arms and pitied her.
Even if we get through this, it can't be helped because we are sure to lose money in the future.
Let's have Elysia approach the Third Weapons Factory about purchasing a large amount of equipment.
"Elysia, we will buy large quantities from the third as well. You don't have to give a discount. We will buy at a premium. It would make the Empire look good, wouldn't it?"
"Are you sure you want to do this?"
The Banfield family's finances are already known to Elysia, who is like a relative of the Banfield family.
Since the budget is largely allocated to the development of the territory and the expansion of military power, there is not much room to spare.
Even if I use the alchemy box, I can't keep up with them.
"It doesn't matter. I will provide the budget."
"I'll try to talk to them, but don't get your hopes up too high."
"Tell them I'll buy it even if it's twice the price."
"Oh, that much? Elysia looked at me as if she was praying for me, but Nias changed the color of her eyes and folded her hands."
"Liam-sama, the Seventh Weapons Factory will continue to support you to the utmost of our ability! So, please buy from us at a higher price, fifty percent, no, twenty percent more!"
If they lose their best customer, me, they will be forced into a situation where the Seventh Weapons Factory will soon be shut down.
Also, this woman is really bad at sales.
"I'm sure your place is on the line in the market, right? I'm not going to pay too much for it. I'm going to buy it at a normal price, so bear with me."
"You can't say that~"
Elysia shrugged her shoulders at the lamenting Nias.
"It's bad enough to be watched underfoot. Well, in the Third, it took the form of Liam-sama getting caught short."
" Well--yeah."
Sorry, Elysia - your former workplace, the Third Weapons Factory, will be taken by the wayside.
The doubled price is kind of an apology for that.
After the guests left.
Tia and Marie came to my room and asked me about what we had just talked about.
Tia was not entirely convinced by the merchants.
"We need to have Kukri's men keep an eye on Elliott and Patrice to make sure they don't betray us."
For her part, Marie seems to be annoyed with the weapons factory officials.
"I have to admit that I don't like the third, let alone the seventh. Do you have any idea how much money we have made so far, thanks to Liam-sama? As soon as things get bad, they'll take us off our guard."
My position is in jeopardy now.
So many people were leaving.
But - I'm happy with the situation.
No, it's preferable to what I had assumed.
"Neither Cleo nor the emperor are getting stuffed."
When I say this, Tia and Marie give me dubious looks.
Not at me, but because of their distrust of Cleo and the emperor.
Tia doubted that Cleo and the emperor would not make a more effective cut.
"It's certainly unnatural. In the current situation, candy would be more popular than a whip. If we wanted to weaken the Banfield family, we should have made them betray us on friendly terms, not by clamping down on them. I doubt that they are seriously thinking of cutting us loose."
Marie dryly anticipates what follows.
"They won't be safe when they turn to Cleo's side. If he betrays the Banfield family and then is betrayed by Cleo, the end result will be the same."
The merchants and the people involved in the arms factory are probably having a hard time deciding which side to take.
If they side with me, they will be stared down by the empire.
But would they be safe if they joined Cleo?
If you betray me and join Cleo, there is no guarantee that you will be able to maintain our relationship as before.
If I were in Cleo's shoes, I would have assured them that I would give them preferential treatment in our future relationship.
"Either they underestimate me that much, or this is a trivial matter--I don't feel like they're trying to win."
Our honest impression was - it was weird.
We can't help but feel creeped out by Cleo and the emperor, who dare not take an effective approach.
"--Is this another blessing from the guide?'
I whispered, but Tia and Marie tilted their heads curiously.
"Liam-sama, what is it?"
"Is there something wrong with the one who is supposed to guide you?"
I shake my head, slightly taken back by the two who are trying not to miss even my whispering.
"It's nothing."
Things are unfolding conveniently for me.
Whether this is a trap or the blessing of a guide - it's hard to tell.
But I will be grateful to my guide again today.
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