The words ‘go inside’ in a store for noble customers were often used to invite the nobles to the second floor where the store would introduce their finest goods.
There was also a security reason behind the creation of this second floor. If in an unlikely event some criminals attacked the store, the noble customers would be evacuated to the second floor while the employees and the security guards would make a barricade in front of the stairs to protect the customers.
This world could be quite bloody, just like the real medieval era in my previous life.
“May I get you some drinks?” (Bierstedt)
“No need.” (Welner)
“I..I am fine too.” (Lily)
Annete who was standing behind Lily also nodded in response. To be honest, I still didn’t know why he called me here.
“I understand. Then, I shall move directly to the topic, as I do not want to waste too much of your time.” (Bierstedt)
Well, since you needed to also prepare a poison taster, preparing drinks and food for nobles was quite troublesome. As I was thinking like that, Mr. Bierstedt suddenly lowered his head. Huh?
“As a humble representative of the guilds in the entire capital, allow me to offer my deepest gratitude for your action, Viscount-sama.” (Bierstedt)“Huh?” (Lily)
Lily opened her mouth in disbelief before me. Thanks to Lily, I was able to somehow mask my real feeling…I think? To be honest I was also confused. I had no idea what he was talking about.
“I have heard that it was you, Viscount-sama, who noticed the fact that the demons had infiltrated the capital. Thanks to your keen observation, the kingdom was able to take care of the demons that had infiltrated the capital. If it was not for you, Viscount-sama, who knew what would happen to us, our employees, and all of our families. Not only us, even the rest of the citizens of the capital might have died.” (Bierstedt)
Ah, he was talking about that. Well, there was no gag order about that event so after this long, I guess some people would have known.
“In addition, I have also heard that it was the Zeavert family’s idea to pay the orphans and the refugees to clean the streets.” (Bierstedt)
“We also have our own agenda in doing that, though.” (Welner)
“Of course, I have never thought that you are doing it without any reason. But it is also true that people, who needed workers, ended up hiring the orphans and the refugees after seeing how diligent they were with their work because of your actions. There was also the matter of the nobles repairing the roads and the buildings in the capital. Please allow me to deeply thank you for your actions, as one of the people of the capital, Viscount-sama.” (Bierstedt)
For the citizens of the capital, the result was more important than reason, I see. Well, that was understandable. Although it wasn’t like I was trying to hide the fact it was me who did all of those things, I still didn’t know how to react to Mr Bierstedt’s words.
“There was also what you did in Anheim…” (Bierstedt)
“The guild also traded with people of Anheim?” (Welner)
“I was not talking about trade, Viscount-sama.” (Bierstedt)
Not about trade? Then what?
“I heard that before fighting with the demon general, you had even prepared the compensation for the villagers who had to be relocated.” (Bierstedt)
“Ah, you’re talking about that. Yeah, I did that.” (Welner)
“There were governors who compensated the people after the war, but I rarely heard of any governors who compensated the people before the war even happened. I also heard that you had even made the arrangements with other territories, so the relocated villagers could stay there. I had never heard about a governor who thought about the people this much before going to a war.” (Bierstedt)
I guess that was how the people of the capital thought of my action? For me, it was a natural course of action since that time, the plan was for me to provoke the demon general. But there were certainly governors who wouldn’t think that far before going to war. In addition, at that war, our side was the one that lured and provoked the demon general, so we had a lot of time to do preparation like relocating the villagers and stuff.
“Then, there was also your reputation as a debt-ridden governor.” (Bierstendt)
“That one is also true, though.” (Welner)
“We, merchants, have our own eyes and the citizens also have their own ears. Those who pay attention to details know that the debt you took was not for buying luxurious goods for your own entertainment.” (Bierstedt)
“…Really?” (Welner)
“Similar to how there are people who are blind and only believe what they want to believe, there are also many people who know that the debt you have taken was used for none other than to fight the demon general. I and other guilds also have the honor of cooperating with you in the trade for necessary military supplies for that war.”
Did he just seamlessly insult some nobles? He knew of my actions better than I initially thought, was it because, for merchants, information was truly precious, so he gathered as much information about me as possible? I let out a sigh. I see, I now understood His Highness’s aim.
For me and the other people in positions close to the ruler of this kingdom, the news of the hero, Mazell, defeating the Four Heavenly Kings was good news, but for the normal citizens, their feelings might be different. If I was to use a modern example, the news of Mazell defeating the Four Heavenly Kings was like the Japanese people hearing the news that one of their people won a medal outside of the country.
But the normal citizens would appreciate stuff that was closer to their normal daily lives, like repairing roads and buildings. Using a modern example, Mazell was like a celebrity that people idolize, while I was a local athlete that was closer to the reality of the people.
If the popularity among people was concentrated in Mazell alone, the repercussions that the ruling class of this kingdom would face would be terrifying if something went south. Worst of all, people might say that the country was absolutely useless.
But it would be different if the popularity among people was divided, like what happened now. The popularity among people was now divided between the hero Mazell, me, and the Knight Order, so the kingdom could avoid the scenario of people only talking about ‘the hero’ all day long. Especially because my actions were closer to the people everyday living.
That was why His Highness asked me to let my reputation as being debt-ridden to remain longer. So not only that prince used my reputation to fish out nobles, he even used it as a tool to divide the people’s attention. He sure didn’t spare anything.
“Alright, I understand your feeling, so let’s stop talking about that here, and return to the matter of choosing her clothes.” (Welner)
“Oh, I beg your pardon! I will let our best employee handle the lady’s clothes!” (Bierstedt)
There were different guilds for different sectors, like there was a guild for cloth making, a guild for handicraft making, and etc. Merchants for nobles like Mr.Bierstedt was an influential person among many kinds of guilds, otherwise the merchants would not be able to handle the nobles’ occasional unique demands.
Of course, there were also merchants who only dealt with specialized goods. But even for those kinds of merchants, having a bad relationship with an influential merchant like Mr. Bierstedt was still a really bad thing.
Considering how influential Mr. Bierstedt was, I wouldn’t put it past him that the ‘best employee’ he was talking about was, in fact, not this store’s most skilled employee, but the most skilled employee of the entire guild who came all the way here just for Lily’s clothes.
“Then, milady, please follow me.”
“Annete, you go with her too.” (Welner)
“Y…yes.” (Annete)
I left Lily and Annete to the woman employee. Judging by that employee’s bearings, she likely had received training in a noble house, so it should be fine to leave them both to her. After both of them had left us, I throw a sharp glance to Mr. Bierstedt.
“So? Why did you say all those things in front of Lily?” (Welner)
“Well, because I thought you were being misunderstood, Viscount-sama, even though you worked this hard for the sake of our country.” (Bierstedt)
“Hah! You sure have a way with your words.”
I replied. Though I didn’t see Lily’s expression to our conversation, I doubt Mr. Bierstedt really called us here just for the sake of Lily hearing our conversation, like Mr. Bierstedt said. In fact, I suspect he called us here just to tease me.
“My target was the lady knight, Viscount-sama.” (Bierstedt)
“What?”
I frowned at Mr. Bierstedt’s reply. His target was Annete-san, not Lily?
“Annete Molders’s mother’s line of family is the distant relative of Jhering noble house.” (Bierstedt)
“Jhering?” (Welner)
I dug my memory for a moment and finally remembered. Jhering Count house was a house that belonged to a hostile faction with the Duke Grunding house’s faction.
“You think she stayed at Lily’s side with a purpose?” (Welner)
“Annete-sama is the type of person who dislikes political strife, so I doubt it. Currently, Annete-sama’s family also has yet to catch the Jhering house’s eyes, but who knows what will happen in future.” (Bierstedt)
“I see.” (Welner)
Receiving new information that made my head ache, I sighed. Let’s stop thinking about complicated things for today. After all, I was here to have some fun with Lily.
“Thank you for the valuable information.” (Welner)
“Viscount-sama, please remember that you have many allies, likely more than your expectation.” (Bierstedt)
“Okay.”
Let’s just think about difficult stuff tomorrow.
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