The Merchants Spring into Action

Bringing the Gilberta Company members along, heading into the hidden room had become routine. Even Brigitte saw us off with a look that said it was the most natural thing in the world, while Damuel followed with an exasperated expression on his face.

I'd gotten used to Damuel's exasperated face, so you'd think he'd get used to me clinging to Lutz by now, but apparently he still hadn't.

"Lutz, Lutz, Lutz! I can't take it anymore! It's so frustrating! My head's gonna explode!"

"What is it this time?!"

"Nobility's common sense versus my uncommon sense! My common sense versus everyone else's uncommon sense! Trying to reconcile them is brutal! I don't want to think about it anymore! Ugh!"

"Rozemyne, you're acting like Deria," Gil pointed out with a laugh. As long as I was screaming and letting off steam, it seemed everyone judged the situation wasn't all that serious, since nobody looked particularly concerned.

"I really feel like screaming at the top of my lungs. Ugh, I hate this! There."

"So, did screaming make you feel better?"

"Yeah. A little, anyway."

After howling with all my might, I did feel somewhat relieved. In my own room in the castle, or even in the High Priest's chambers, I obviously couldn't shout my true feelings at full volume. It would crumble the Saint legend that everyone around me had worked so hard to build.

After venting my frustrations to Lutz to my heart's content, I let out a long sigh and looked around at the members of the Gilberta Company.

"Anyway, please praise me because I worked incredibly hard. I got a verbal confirmation from my adoptive father that I can proceed with the printing business at my own pace, got Cantona to nullify the Hasse contract, and brought the contract document back. According to the Chief Priest, Hasse's handler has been changed from Cantona to someone else. And on top of that, the Chief Priest told me to go ahead and do as I please with the rumors. I worked hard, didn't I?"

I puffed out my chest with a self-satisfied "Ta-da!" and Lutz ruffled my hair.

"Wow, awesome. Good job, good job."

"Well done, Rozemyne. This takes a huge load off."

"Yes. During winter we can't make paper, so the printing business is bound to stall a bit. Just knowing the Lord won't be pressuring me is a relief. Now I can devote myself fully to the Hasse situation."

So after all the hassle and unpleasantness, my efforts seemed to have paid off, and everyone praised me. Energy recharge. I felt like I could push a little further.

"Now then, regarding the rumors we're going to spread from here on... I have absolutely no idea how fast rumors travel among the merchants around here or how much influence they carry, so this time I'll be studying Mark's methods."

My words brought a smile brimming with enthusiasm from Mark. His smile, though dark, was refreshingly straightforward compared to the Chief Priest's.

"Well, if it's for the sake of Lady Rozemyne, the Lord's adopted daughter, doing her studies, then we shall put forth our best effort on our end as well. Have you decided how to corner them—or rather, what the end result should look like?"

...What kind of treatment did Hasse's town mayor give Benno and Mark, exactly?

I wanted to know, but I didn't want to ask.

"I'd like to minimize the damage as much as possible. The mayor is beyond help at this point, but Hasse is a town that hosts the Winter Lodge, so a lot of people from surrounding farming villages gather there too, right? I'd like the damage to farming villages that had absolutely nothing to do with the Temple attack to be less than what it might otherwise be..."

"Less than it might otherwise be—so the punishment for everyone besides the mayor has already been decided?"

When I nodded firmly, Mark raised his eyebrows slightly and Benno drew a small breath.

"We've been told we can spread it as a rumor or use it to stir up anxiety among the townspeople. As the Chief Priest's decision, no priests will be sent to Hasse for next year's Spring Prayer."

"...That's going to be tough for the farmers."

Basically, the Lord protects the territory, so it's filled with magic power. But that magic power is spread thin and wide, and apparently a bit more needs to be added to sustain all the residents.

So priests, while useless as nobles, possess magic power and are dispatched to various parts of the territory to provide it. That is the Spring Prayer.

At the Spring Prayer, blessings are received, and magic power is distributed throughout the farming villages. Those blessings apparently have a significant impact on the harvest. Over a year or two, the farmers could manage with effort and labor, but if magic power is insufficient, the land progressively becomes barren.

After the number and quality of blue-robed priests dropped significantly, the magic power available to enrich the fields had been gradually decreasing. This year, since I gave the blessings, the harvest should have increased, according to the Chief Priest's prediction.

At the next Prayer, where I would give blessings versus Hasse, where the Prayer wouldn't even be held, the difference in next year's harvest would be plainly visible, he'd said.

"He said he'd observe Hasse's condition and my approach up to the next Harvest Festival, and then consider what further punishments to impose and how far they should extend."

Benno crossed his arms and furrowed his brow with a thoughtful hum.

"Rozemyne, you said the contract with the civil official was nullified, but what happened to the contract with the mayor? Did you pay the fees for the orphans?"

"That's next. The day after tomorrow, I'm scheduled to go to Hasse with the Chief Priest."

Mark nodded with "I see, I see" and jotted a note on his tablet, then looked at me.

"Then as a rumor to spread immediately, how about something along the lines of: the townspeople of Hasse, having merely had their orphans taken away, treated a priest with rudeness. The other priests are furious, but Lady Rozemyne is holding them back?"

"Add your own opinion that it was an offense for which they'd have been killed on the spot without complaint if not for Lady Rozemyne. The key point is to emphasize that she has, through her mercy, so far spared them from punishment," Benno said, stroking his chin as he nodded lightly at Mark's suggestion. Lutz watched the exchange between the two with a serious expression.

The important thing was to accelerate the Saint legend, earn points with the Chief Priest, and create a faction in Hasse that opposed the mayor and believed cooperating with me was in their best interest. Ultimately, I hoped Hasse and the small Temple could develop a mutually beneficial relationship.

"After this rumor spreads and we go to Hasse, the familiar faces around the woodworking shop will likely approach us. At that time, convey that Lady Rozemyne is worried about what will become of Hasse—hoping the outcome won't be terrible. At the same time, let them know what would happen if it were the town of Ehrenfest instead. That should split them into those who tremble at the thought of noble retribution and rebel against the mayor, and those who try to ingratiate themselves with the mayor through their existing noble connections."

Mark predicted that if the mayor had been receiving favors through ties with the previous High Priest, and had letters to prove it, he would likely pursue similar methods.

"If the rumor spreads smoothly, at the Harvest Festival you're certain to see townspeople approaching with changed expressions. At that time, have your Attendants convey that the Chief Priest has decided not to send priests for the Spring Prayer, and that although you're working hard to mediate, the priests and the Lord's anger run deep. That way, whether they like it or not, it will become a topic of discussion at the Winter Lodge, and various negotiations will take place."

As I nodded along, saying "Mm-hmm," and noted down what I needed to do on my tablet, Benno tilted his head slightly.

"Mark, wouldn't it have been better to first spread the rumor that townspeople of Hasse attacked the small Temple that the Lord built for his daughter? Surely even the High Priest couldn't protect them from that."

"That's our job, not Lady Rozemyne's, Master. We spread it among the people from other farming villages when we leave town with the priests after the Harvest Festival."

If the farming villagers learned they'd been implicated in a case of treason against the Lord's family, the Harvest Festival would be the least of their concerns. The whole town would erupt in panic, and as High Priest, I'd likely be cornered and put in danger. Mark smiled slyly and explained it was a consideration to ensure the Harvest Festival could at least be enjoyed, since things would get complicated afterward.

"When the townspeople panic and rush to the Temple for details, the previous High Priest is gone, and the merciful Lady Rozemyne and all the blue-robed priests are absent for the Harvest Festival, so there's nothing they can do. They might try to gather whatever information they can by loitering around Ehrenfest, but we simply tell them we have no further information, and that's the end of it."

The phrase "He who controls information controls everything" seemed to float behind Mark.

"The small Temple incident is treason against the Lord's family. Even Lady Rozemyne couldn't protect them from that. What conclusion will Hasse reach? ...Ah, I should also add a remark about making sure the mayor doesn't act rashly and get himself killed before someone steps up to take responsibility and face judgment themselves."

Mark twisted his lips as he pondered what the mayor's position would become over the winter. His desire for revenge against the mayor was practically transparent, but oh well. The Chief Priest had told me to isolate the mayor, and if I could clear this task, I didn't want to think about it any further.

"So... you're saying I just spread the rumor and then leave it alone?"

"That's right. After the Harvest Festival, you won't be going to Hasse after closing the small Temple, and we'll be heading back to Ehrenfest with the priests as soon as you withdraw from Hasse and head for the next Winter Lodge. We just have to wait and see what conclusion they reach and whether someone emerges who can unite the town in the mayor's stead."

At Benno's words, I realized that after the Harvest Festival, I wouldn't have to deal with Hasse until spring, and I let out a sigh of relief.

"So I don't need to think about Hasse until spring?"

"Hey, wait. Think about it a little."

"But what can I possibly do? Originally, I don't even want to think about complicated things. I'm bad at it. All I need is to hole up in the Library with all its books and read to my heart's content."

I wanted to establish a cooperative relationship with Hasse to some degree, to ensure the smooth operation of the workshop for printing. But as for the fate of the mayor and townspeople—as long as lives weren't at stake, I couldn't care less. I was only using my meager brains because when noble logic, starting with the Chief Priest's, got involved, an entire town could be crushed and innocent people could die.

"Even if it's troublesome, you're the one pulling the strings. At least use your head enough to assess the situation. 'I didn't know' puts you on the same level as Hasse's mayor."

"Um, then could I ask Lutz and Gil to keep an eye on how the rumor spreads through the town and watch the merchants coming to Hasse and the changes in the town, up until the Harvest Festival? I'll fly over on my trombe from time to time to check, so report back to me."

"Fine, but that's not really the point, is it?"

Lutz looked at me and shrugged lightly. How did he always see through me?

"Before the Harvest Festival, I'd like to buy some pigskin or cowskin and have gelatin made in Hasse. Last year's batch still has some left, but I don't know how much I'll need, so I'd like to have some made just in case. It'd help if you could observe the town's condition during the gelatin-making process."

"Knew it. Keep an eye on the town while making the gelatin, right?"

Lutz and Gil let out a light breath and agreed.

More important to me than Hasse's town, which would likely fall in line under Mark's direction, was the gelatin production for next year.

"Oh, and this. Could you deliver this for me?"

I held out a letter to Lutz addressed to my family.

It included a brief update on my circumstances, a request to Turi and my mother for hair ornaments to wear at the winter coming-of-age ceremony, and a request to my father for Benno and the others to have soldiers escort the priests during the Harvest Festival.

I wanted soldier escorts when bringing the priests back from the small Temple. Especially if we were spreading unsettling rumors about Hasse and heading into potentially volatile territory.

"Benno, even though it's the Harvest Festival, I can't exactly serve alcohol to the escort soldiers, so I'd at least like them to enjoy our cook's luxurious cuisine. Would it be alright to request ingredients as well?"

"We'll transport the ingredients along with the goods being sold in Hasse."

"Thank you."

Two days had passed since I gave Mark permission to spread the rumor.

Lutz reported that information had already begun circulating among the major shop owners centered around the Guild Master—"The townspeople of Hasse, having merely had their orphans taken away, treated a priest with rudeness. The other priests are furious, but the new High Priest is holding them back."

Today was the day I would head to Hasse's town with the Chief Priest, carrying the contract documents received from Cantona. Attendants Fran and Monica, and Knights Damuel and Brigitte would accompany me.

"Now then, do you think they've grasped the situation they're in, at least somewhat?"

At the Chief Priest's words, I tilted my head slightly. If they could read the letter, they would likely receive us with deep bows—but would anyone actually be able to read it?

I would have been happy to write it in simpler terms, but Fran had given me a chilling smile and a firm reminder: "Since you are the Lord's daughter and hold the position of High Priest, even a single letter must be properly formatted, or you'll be taken for a child."

Fran's expression when reminded of how people treated her master was very similar to Mark's, so I had no choice but to write in the formal noble style.

"...If they could read that letter, it would be fine, but I think it'll be difficult for anyone not accustomed to noble phrasing."

Even if they couldn't read the letter, Ehrenfest and Hasse were less than half a day apart by carriage, so perhaps Mark's information had already reached Hasse. Or perhaps the merchants, fearing they'd be caught up in the fallout, had hurried through Hasse and it remained mostly unknown.

We traveled from the small Temple to the mayor's mansion on trombes. We could see a caravan of merchants with several carriages pointing our way and saying something. The High Priest had apparently always traveled by carriage, so arriving at the mayor's mansion on trombes—mounts handled only by nobles—would surely lend credibility to the rumors.

Fran, Monica, and Brigitte dismounted from my Schwarzer, and I turned it back into a magic stone, stowing it among my accessories. I was getting used to summoning and dismissing trombes and could do it quickly now.

"We have been expecting you, High Priest. Chief Priest."

A man introducing himself as Richt greeted us. He was a face I hadn't seen on my previous visit—a relative of the mayor who served as an Attendant handling miscellaneous duties. He likely oversaw the mayor's affairs in general. He seemed more competent at clerical work than the mayor.

He appeared to be about the same age as my father, somewhere in his mid to late thirties. He had the air of a middle manager juggling concerns from both above and below.

"What business brings you here today?"

After his greeting to us as nobles, Fran stepped forward and conveyed the purpose of our visit.

"As mentioned in our letter requesting an audience, we have come to formally purchase the orphans."

Richt nodded slightly at Fran's words. Still, he tilted his head as though something didn't quite sit right—as if he couldn't understand how things had unfolded this way.

"We are most grateful for this offer, but..."

"It wasn't until a merchant we're close to pointed it out that Lady Rozemyne or any of us realized that Hasse's town had been surviving the winter using the money earned from selling the orphans. We only intended to take in the orphans that Hasse had been supporting, and believed that taking them in would reduce Hasse's burden."

This was the truth. Having served as director of the orphanage, I knew all too well how expensive it was to raise orphans. If there wasn't even enough money to feed them properly, I'd thought that having the small Temple take them in would relieve Hasse of that burden.

"But we learned that if we simply took away the orphans who had contracts with nobles, it would cause great trouble for Hasse's town. You see, I was raised in the Temple, so I'm rather ignorant of worldly matters..."

I placed a hand against my cheek and tilted my head slightly, as if troubled.

The Chief Priest, gazing down at me with icy detachment, was completely ignored.

"So Lady Rozemyne contacted the civil official Cantona and obtained his agreement to cancel the contract."

When Fran showed the contract with Cantona, Richt's expression softened with visible relief. The thought of the orphans being taken away and the resulting friction with the nobles must have been eating at his stomach.

"I'd like to cancel the contract with Cantona and have myself formally purchase Nora and the others. Would that be acceptable?"

"Of course. Please, this way."

Richt's manner suggested the rumors that had begun circulating among the merchants hadn't reached him yet.

I had no idea how information spread in this area. Having never heard rumors from anyone other than my family or Lutz—besides the occasional trip out of town—I had no understanding of how information traveled in farming villages.

We were shown to the mayor's room and offered seats. What was served was not tea but freshly squeezed Ferijine juice, probably harvested nearby. Presumably prepared for noble guests, a pink liquid was poured into silver cups.

Making good tea required both skill and quality. They likely didn't have the luxury of keeping expensive tea on hand for noble visitors who rarely came.

"Which would you prefer to drink?"

For me it was juice, but the Chief Priest was offered alcohol.

Alcohol in the middle of the day? For a contract meeting? When we blinked and tilted our heads in surprise, Richt blinked too, seemingly caught off guard by our reaction. Apparently, the High Priest and civil officials were always entertained with alcohol.

"I don't need wine. I'll have the same as the High Priest."

The Chief Priest was also given a silver cup with juice poured in. Fran took the silver cup, sniffed it, examined the color, performed several checks, then took a single sip. She swallowed slowly, wiped the part her lips had touched with her finger, and checked whether the silver had changed in any way.

After the poison check was complete, she wiped the lip area once more with a cloth and presented the cup to me and the Chief Priest.

While I noticed Monica jotting down the poison-check procedure on her tablet out of the corner of my eye, I reached for the cup and froze.

...It's heavy!

Unlike my everyday dishware, the silver cup was incredibly weighty. I couldn't possibly hold it with one hand, and even with both hands, they trembled.

...I'll spill it. If I tilt it, I'll definitely spill it.

Fran noticed immediately and reached over to help—no, rather, she guided the cup to my lips as I steadied it. I took a sip, and a refreshing citrus acidity spread through my mouth.

Only after consuming what was offered were we finally able to get down to business.

"To confirm, the arrangement is for the previous contract with Cantona to be voided, and for the newly inaugurated High Priest, Lady Rozemyne, along with the Chief Priest, to purchase the orphans. Is that correct?"

"Yes."

I gave the mayor the same explanation I'd given Richt, and Fran presented Cantona's contract. With his agreement to void the old contract, we formally signed a new one to purchase Nora and the others.

I and the mayor signed the contract, Fran made the payment, and that was that. Everything concluded without any issues, and I breathed a sigh of relief.

With the civil official's contract voided and the new contract signed, the money from selling the orphans was safely in hand. The mayor must have been relieved too—the tension in his shoulders visibly eased. At the same time, a slimy, thoroughly unpleasant grin spread across his face.

"Still, the previous High Priest was the Lord's uncle, and even after retirement his influence remained considerable. Most admirable."

"...Huh?"

The mayor apparently couldn't read the letter after all—he didn't seem to understand that the previous High Priest had died. On top of that, he kept emphasizing that the previous High Priest had been the Lord's uncle.

...He was the Lord's uncle, yes, but he was executed as a criminal.

He clearly didn't know that I, the Lord's daughter, had become the High Priest, and his pointed remarks were grating. I had no desire to enlighten him. I murmured things like "Is that so? I had no idea he was such a remarkable person," and let his sycophantic praise of the previous High Priest wash over me.

...But please. Stop talking. The person next to me is getting cold.

The Chief Priest, seated to my right, maintained his plastered-on smile while radiating frigid hostility. If the mayor wanted to self-destruct or march himself to the execution platform, that was his business—but I wished he'd at least do it when I wasn't present.

"Just between us, I had a deep connection with the previous High Priest, and he arranged many favors for me. He helped me with this matter as well, you know."

It seemed that in the mind of the mayor—who couldn't read the letter—the chain of events went like this: a letter had reached the Temple, been successfully delivered to the previous High Priest, who had then scolded us, leading us to negotiate with the civil official, and now we were here to redo the contract.

...Stop! Don't say another word! Your life is already shortened—don't make it any shorter!

My mental scream apparently didn't reach him in the slightest. The mayor, looking thoroughly pleased with himself, was saying things like: you really should listen to what the previous High Priest says going forward; even if he's no longer the High Priest, he's still the Lord's uncle.

I stood and ended the meeting, chilled to the bone, wondering when the Chief Priest would finally explode. I let out a sigh of relief that no sudden murders had occurred and returned to the small Temple.

"Now then, Rozemyne. Show me what you'll do with that impudent, ignorant, bumbling, hopeless, irredeemable fool."

The Chief Priest narrowed his eyes, saying the mayor was excellent teaching material with no consequences regardless of outcome—so I should study him to my heart's content.

Judging by the sheer number of insults he'd lined up and the cold aura radiating from him, had I not been the one "studying" him, the mayor would have already met a terrible end. Just being turned into teaching material was trouble enough, but I supposed it was better than a sudden rain of blood.

...I feel like the mayor is making my difficulty level go up too.

I didn't feel confident I could meet the Chief Priest's expectations.

"I'll do everything I can to isolate the mayor and prevent the small Temple and Hasse from coming into conflict. ...Mark is cheerfully sowing the seeds of rumor, and the plan is proceeding as expected, so please wait until spring for progress."

...I just hoped the Chief Priest's anger would have subsided by spring. Probably not, though.

I gathered the Temple's priests to discuss the relocation for the Harvest Festival and the winter hibernation period, informed them that Lutz and Gil would be arriving soon to make gelatin, and then we returned to the Temple.

Mark is so lively this time. Benno is playing the supporting role.

What kind of grower will Lutz become, observing this up close?

Next time: the Hasse Harvest Festival.