“I have spent half my life on battlefields. No matter what kind of battle I faced, I always believed victory was not so difficult to seize as long as I possessed the will to win. Perhaps I have grown old. These days, I find myself thinking that there are some things that cannot be accomplished through sheer determination alone.”
“My Lord....”
“I never imagined making a decent man out of my own son would be this difficult. Whatever else I may be able to control, that one thing seems beyond my will. I suppose there is no changing the nature a person is born with.”
Count Edwell gave a bitter smile.
He habitually threatened to “cut off the head” of his third son, who did nothing but cause trouble day after day, but his true feelings were another matter entirely.
Count Edwell might have severed the heads of countless enemies on the battlefield, but what parent in the world could truly cut down his own child?
“I hear Maxim has begun a business because he intends to make use of the academy’s graduation assessment system. When it comes to business, you are the expert in our territory, are you not? So this time, I want you to go there yourself, observe him, and make the judgment.”
Count Edwell handed over his treasured sword.
For the Count to entrust someone with a sword he regarded almost as an extension of himself meant delegating all of his authority.
Perhaps this would be the final chance given to his third son.
“In the worst case....”
The Count trailed off before continuing, his resolve hardened.
“Take back the necklace bearing our family crest.”
***
Howard also served as the person in overall charge of House Edwell’s merchant company during the lucrative season approaching with the start of the academy semester.
Now, his third young master’s sudden behavior had added another unexpected task.
Still, the additional assignment was hardly troublesome enough to bother him.
There would probably be very little to judge in the first place.
Considering how much of the territory’s money the Third Young Master had squandered over the years, was there really any need to see matters personally to know the answer?
‘For the future of the family and the territory, we must make a firm decision this time. We cannot continue keeping the troublesome Third Young Master within the family forever. Just as the family head said, even if it means taking away his family necklace....’
Being permitted to confiscate the necklace bearing the family crest meant one thing in simple terms.
Maxim could be cast out of the family entirely.
“We have entered the Duchy of Arnia, Lord Howard.”
After an unknown amount of time had passed, Howard, who had departed from the Edwell territory, hurried into the Fence and met with the people Count Edwell had secretly stationed there beforehand.
“Take me to the Third Young Master.”
Since none of these men had been personally entrusted with a sword by the Count, all they had been able to do until now was monitor the Third Young Master.
Howard, however, held the Count’s treasured sword.
Its authority was far greater than that of the sword the Count had bestowed upon Isaac.
In other words, while Howard held that treasured sword, the authority he wielded was effectively equal to Count Edwell’s own.
“What are you waiting for? I told you to take me to the Third Young Master.”
“Th-That is... the situation has become somewhat difficult.”
“Do not tell me the Third Young Master has already fled?”
“No, that is not it....”
“Then what is so difficult? Has he perhaps borrowed such an enormous sum of money that even I cannot handle it?”
“At present, it is impossible to approach the Third Young Master.”
“Impossible to approach him?”
“There are too many people surrounding him. With so many witnesses present, if we approach too rashly, we may end up having stones thrown at us.”
They might have stones thrown at them merely for approaching?
Howard soon understood what the man meant.
< Free Coffee Tasting Event >
Hundreds of people stood in line in front of the shop supposedly operated by the Third Young Master.
Whenever someone tried to pass them and approach Maxim directly, the people in line immediately shouted in anger.
“Who are you people? Why are you suddenly cutting in line?”
“Can you not see everyone waiting here? Do you have any idea how long we have been standing here? What do you think you are doing, showing up and pushing ahead of us?”
“Have you no sense of decency? Get out of the way!”
Howard unconsciously recoiled from their hostile threats.
They genuinely looked ready to throw stones if he took even one more step forward.
“...What?”
Yet the sight before him was even more astonishing.
The Third Young Master was sweating profusely as he ground coffee beans with a manual grinder, personally serving the customers and handing out cups one by one.
He was a man who had never earned a single coin through his own efforts in his entire life.
Seeing that same Third Young Master now struggling before his eyes in an attempt to make money was truly a remarkable spectacle.
‘Is he trying to pique my curiosity and buy himself time?’
But Howard was not so easily fooled.
Admittedly, it was an unbelievably rare sight.
But who was the Third Young Master?
It was disrespectful to speak this way of his lord’s son, but to put it plainly, the man was a parasite who consumed money.
“So he knew in advance that I was coming. To think he even prepared a performance like this.”
The Third Young Master had always possessed a remarkable talent for cunning schemes, even as a child.
When Howard had first risen from managing House Edwell’s merchant company to becoming the territory’s financial officer, he had occasionally fallen for the young Third Young Master’s ingenious tricks.
“Ha ha! But I am no longer the man I was back then, Third Young Master.”
It was an elaborate performance.
After all, this was a free tasting event for coffee, something known as “the drink of nobles.”
Howard had no idea where Maxim had obtained the money to distribute such an expensive luxury for free.
But if he had borrowed it from shady sources again, just as he used to do when he was consumed by gambling and entertainment....
“What should we do, Lord Howard? It seems impossible to approach the Third Young Master for the moment.”
“Time is money. I have no right to steal the time those people have already invested.”
The people remained firmly in line, enthusiastic about the Third Young Master’s coffee.
Howard could hardly disregard them and disrupt the tasting event.
“The event will probably continue until sunset. Let us put the matter of the Third Young Master aside for now and handle our own work first. Keep someone watching him, just in case.”
“Yes, Lord Howard.”
Howard turned away.
He intended to observe the Third Young Master a little longer.
Even if he was going to carry out Count Edwell’s orders, he would still need proper grounds for his judgment.
Until then, he could finish preparing the merchant company’s business operations.
“Wait. Something is strange.”
“What is it, Lord Howard?”
“...Come to think of it, Isaac has not been here this entire time.”
***
Late that night, Howard sat across from the Third Young Master.
“It has been some time, Third Young Master.”
“It has indeed, Lord Howard.”
Howard’s cheek twitched at Maxim’s respectful manner of speech.
It was the first time in his life he had heard Maxim speak so politely to him.
But Howard possessed so little trust in Maxim that he immediately assumed this too was merely another trick.
‘He already knows why I came here. Heh. But I anticipated that the Third Young Master would adopt such a submissive attitude.’
They exchanged brief greetings.
However, both knew that this meeting had not come about for pleasant reasons, so there was no need to waste time speaking around the matter.
“It is already late. Let us get straight to the point.”
Maxim brought up the subject first, almost as though he had been waiting for it.
Howard placed Count Edwell’s treasured sword on the table.
Then he lowered his head as respectfully as possible.
“I came here as the acting representative of the family head to determine your punishment, Third Young Master. I apologize, but I must ask you to forgive any discourtesy I may show in carrying out my duty.”
“Because I disobeyed Father’s orders, I assume?”
“Yes. The family head gave you an opportunity to reflect upon your past wrongdoing. Returning to the academy, devoting yourself to your studies, and graduating was meant to be that opportunity.”
“But instead, I used the tuition money to open this shop.”
“I do not believe that alone was wrong. The family head is also aware that your intention to make use of the graduation assessment system may be considered an effort toward graduation.”
“Then?”
“The family head sent me to observe you and determine whether you possess any genuine potential. Therefore, you will not be punished immediately.”
Maxim silently nodded.
Isaac had described Howard as extremely strict, so Maxim had expected a stubborn man who refused to listen to reason.
He had not expected to be granted a grace period.
In any case, this was fortunate.
It would make the plan Maxim had prepared before Howard’s arrival much easier to carry out.
“So you intend to give me time until then.”
“Yes. One month.”
“One month. Then that covers the lucrative period after the academy semester begins.”
“Is that too short?”
“Not at all. You are not telling me to make the shop a complete success within that period, are you? If I can simply demonstrate sufficient potential, I am sure you will make a fair judgment, Lord Howard.”
“Thank you for your trust, Third Young Master.”
Meanwhile, Howard studied Maxim’s expression.
Maxim might be pretending to remain calm, but surely he was anything but.
The Third Young Master knew very well what it meant for Howard to possess Count Edwell’s treasured sword.
The tasting event, his respectful speech, his demeanor—Maxim seemed to have prepared thoroughly to improve his image this time.
‘The reason the Third Young Master is behaving so obediently must indeed be the family head’s treasured sword. He knows that if matters go badly, even the necklace bearing the family crest could be taken from him.’
But something similar had happened before.
Back then, Howard had been fooled into believing that the Third Young Master had finally matured.
He was not foolish enough to fall for the exact same tactic twice.
‘I anticipated this side of the Third Young Master as well. It seems he is even willing to swallow his pride if it will prevent him from losing the family necklace.... But is any of this truly sincere?’
Of course not.
A single example could reveal ten others.
And the Third Young Master had provided more than a hundred examples of his true character, all involving gambling, entertainment, and every manner of disgraceful behavior.
How could Howard possibly trust him?
Howard had already more or less decided what punishment Maxim deserved.
Could a person truly change so easily?
Absolutely not.
‘Perhaps if his very soul had been replaced.’
Observing him for a month was little more than a formality.
Howard needed to remain here to manage the merchant company anyway, and waiting until then was simply the final courtesy he could show to the son of his family head.
“Then I will take my leave.”
“Ah, one more thing. You brought a considerable amount of glowstone from the territory. Are you planning to sell it inside the Fence during the coming rush?”
“Yes, that is correct.”
Howard maintained his composure.
After noticing Isaac’s absence from the tasting event, he had already realized that the knight was probably investigating him on Maxim’s behalf.
‘Just as I expected. He appears obedient on the surface, but he must be searching for some way to stab me in the back if the opportunity arises.’
That was precisely why Howard could not trust him.
Even so, he had allowed it.
The Third Young Master might be trying to uncover some weakness he could exploit, but Howard had absolutely nothing to hide no matter how thoroughly they investigated him.
“I see. Now I understand why you personally came as the one in charge of the merchant company this time. Frankly, I did not think Father would send someone as important as you merely because of me.”
“Is that so?”
“Glowstone has always been something of a burden for the territory, has it not? We own the mine, so production is plentiful, but there are hardly any uses for it compared to the amount produced.”
“That is correct. That is why I came personally this time. I intend to find some solution during the coming rush.”
Howard answered truthfully because there was no reason to hide it.
The Third Young Master already seemed to know everything anyway.
Still....
Howard suddenly found himself wondering why Maxim had brought up the subject.
“Hmm. It must be quite troublesome. The condition that mana must be used to activate glowstone makes it rather inconvenient.”
“Yes. That is true.”
“The shining stones are sometimes used in jewelry, but that alone is hardly enough to sell them in large quantities. And they are far too expensive to use merely for illumination, are they not?”
“It may be difficult, but for the development of the territory, we must find a solution somehow.”
“You certainly have a difficult task ahead of you. If only they could be used in weapons or armor, they would be worth a fortune. Unfortunately, that would merely advertise the wearer’s location to the enemy....”
“Third Young Master. What exactly are you trying to say?”
“Ah, forgive me. I only meant to encourage you in your efforts for the territory, Lord Howard. I let my thoughts wander. In any case, that brings me to my point.”
“...?”
“I would like to buy some of that glowstone.”
Maxim knew.
In the future, glowstone would eventually be used in weapons and armor.
But that would only happen after people discovered that it was lethal to magical beasts, and there was still a long time before those creatures appeared.
Even so, Maxim needed glowstone immediately.
Naturally, part of it would be used for the shop.
But more importantly, it would serve as bait for a ‘big deal’ with Howard.
“I believe I will need around three hundred pieces.”
“What in the world could you possibly need three hundred pieces of glowstone for...?”
“Rather than saying I need it for anything in particular, perhaps we could simply say that merchants ought to help one another when they can. Hahaha!”
Howard considered Maxim’s true intentions.
Purchasing three hundred pieces of glowstone at once was extremely unusual.
For a moment, Howard considered asking what Maxim intended to do with them.
But his suspicion outweighed his curiosity.
‘Surely the Third Young Master cannot know of some use that would consume glowstone in large quantities....’
If he did, it could become an opportunity.
An opportunity to make an enormous amount of money by selling the glowstone that had long been a burden to the territory.
But who was the man sitting before him?
He might have mastered the art of spending money, but he had never shown either interest or talent in earning it.
‘So this is his way of currying favor with me. He is dangling bait in hopes of winning me over and preventing me from taking the family necklace.’
Howard was not a man who could be bought with a mere three hundred pieces of glowstone.
Of course, the Third Young Master must have known that much as well.
He had surely prepared other means of persuasion after the glowstone.
‘But even that remains well within the range of what I anticipated.’
Howard’s poker face remained perfectly steady.
If anything, he intended to turn the Third Young Master’s offer to purchase glowstone against him.
Howard still suspected that Maxim might have obtained money from an illegitimate or suspicious source.
“I would certainly be grateful if you purchased that much glowstone, Third Young Master, but as far as I know, you do not currently possess enough money to pay for it....”
“Yes, I have no money. So I was thinking of using this instead.”
CLICK—
Maxim removed the necklace bearing the crest of House Edwell.
Then he held it out to Howard as though inviting him to take it.
“This should be more than sufficient payment, should it not?”
...Huh?
I did not see this coming.
At that moment, Howard’s poker face completely collapsed.