“Master Shao, I’ll be taking my leave!”
A sailor with his arm around a girl’s shoulder saluted.
It had been only about an hour of drinking, but it seemed I had succeeded in winning their hearts.
I had poured them top-grade molasses rum to guzzle and steered the conversation so the girls would like them—if they didn’t feel some gratitude, it wouldn’t balance out. I was exhausted.
I smiled and raised my hand lightly.
“Yes, have a good night.”
This tavern was built with an open atrium; on the second floor private rooms lined up like a hotel. You could take a girl you liked up there. Of course, for an additional fee.
I suddenly noticed—the tavern girls were all gone. The numbers matched up exactly, thank goodness.
“Well then, I suppose that’s enough for tonight. Let’s settle the bill and head back.”
Second Lieutenant Crimine fixed me with a damp, piercing gaze.
“You’re leaving?”
“The sailors won’t be back for a while. They were plenty drunk; they’ll probably sleep until morning.”
Even if I meant to win them over, tonight was about the right time to end it.
She looked displeased.
“You really are skilled at slipping into people’s hearts.”
“I lived half my life in a way that I had to, or I wouldn’t have survived…”
In my past life as well, I had lived by reading others’ moods.
After making sure no one was nearby, I lowered my voice.
“My homeland was a poor village, and my parents were tenant farmers. The landlord was a good man, but his son was a bastard. I thought if that guy inherited, life would become unbearable, so I left.”
Also, as a modern person, frontier life didn’t suit me. Especially the toilets—those were brutal.
The officer academy was harsh too, but at least I had a bed.
Now, as an officer, I had the treatment of one, so life was considerably better. Only, I still had not gotten used to the lack of air conditioning.
Second Lieutenant Crimine, unusually, looked apologetic.
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have…”
“Don’t worry about it. Everyone who lives has bitter things in their past. You too, right?”
She was a semi-noble young lady, and yet she was serving as an officer in the Execution Battalion. Obviously she had circumstances.
I drained the last of the wine in my glass and smiled at her.
“There’s no meaning in competing in misery. I won the power to flatter and ingratiate myself, and tonight it served its purpose. It will surely be useful again. That’s not such a bad story.”
“‘Master’…”
She looked like she wanted to say something more, but it would only make her uncomfortable, so I let it go.
I stood and called a waiter.
“We’re leaving. I’d like to settle up.”
The waiter came quickly with a thick bill, and I paid with a bit extra added on.
“When those sailors upstairs leave, please wrap them some food with this. Tell them it’s from ‘Wong of Shao Yuntasa.’”
“Y-yes, certainly.”
“Thank you. And here’s for your trouble.”
I smiled warmly and pressed silver coins into his hand.
＊ ＊
Repeating such joyless night outings for several days…
“Um, ‘Master’? We’re running out of funds.”
“Of course—we’ve been squandering like idiots…”
I had been spending about my monthly pay every night, so naturally the money I had brought was almost gone.
To spend so much and not even enjoy it—unbelievable. It seemed I was simply unsuited to this kind of play.
“Well, what now?”
This was a port town, so there were banks, but they weren’t as convenient as modern ones, and client records weren’t managed. If I moved large sums, my account could be traced and my identity exposed.
“It might be best to return once, ‘Master.’ If we go back to the ‘branch’ we can withdraw funds.”
The Imperial Ceremonial Battalion had only its base in the Capital, but since that was inconvenient, they maintained simple safehouses in regional hub cities. Hideouts used as bases for “business trips of execution.”
Unfortunately, there was no safehouse around Zerlan Bay, so we would have to withdraw for the time being.
“Nothing for it. We’ll return tomorrow morning. But since we’ve come this far, tonight I’ll take a small gamble.”
I looked around the tavern. Quite a few people were staring at us.
Among them were some wearing Navy officer uniforms. They drank with NCOs and sailors at their table, but they did not look like they were having fun.
“That’s our mark.”
I rose and walked toward their table.
“Good evening.”
“So you’re the strange Shao man who’s been throwing money around every night?”
A middle-aged officer with captain’s insignia looked me over, and I bowed politely.
“Yes. I am Wong, a merchant from Shao Yuntasa—that is, what you call the Great Morning Kingdom of Shao. I have been taking advantage of my master’s blind eye to indulge myself.”
I slid my sunglasses down and smiled.
The Navy captain scowled.
“My sailors say you’ve been treating them generously. What’s your scheme?”
“Hahaha. Of course, who would believe a Shao merchant would buy drinks without ulterior motive?”
Most foreigners in Zerlan Bay were merchants. Praised as skillful negotiators, condemned as cunning schemers.
Naturally, suspicion followed.
Feigning nonchalance, I produced a bottle of liquor.
“If you wish to know my heart, just make me drunk and I’ll spill it.”
The captain glanced at the label and snorted.
“Very well. But if you try anything strange, your debauchery ends tonight.”
Well, in any case, I was already broke.
I laughed bitterly inside, and set down the brandy bottle and glasses.
“I shall engrave the officer’s words in my heart. Come, let us begin with a toast.”
“Hmph… Wait, is this the ‘Fire Dragon Brand’ thirty-year?”
“Yes, indeed. You have a sharp eye.”
Aged thirty years, it had been sleeping in a barrel since before Second Lieutenant Crimine was born. Naturally, absurdly expensive. Well out of reach for a mere Navy captain.
As I poured, the color and aroma fixed the gazes of both officers and NCOs.
“Whoa, look at that color…”
“The smell’s incredible.”
“Captain, we get to share some too, right!?”
“Ask him, not me.”
With my glass in hand, I smiled.
“Of course, let us all toast together. To the heroes who guard the sea lanes—to the glorious Imperial Navy!”
“…Yeah.”
They glanced at each other, and awkwardly clinked glasses.
And before long, the middle-aged captain who had been so wary clapped me on the shoulder and declared loudly, “All right then, leave it to me! I’ll get you in to see Admiral Terzen!”