“Yes.”
Aiman nodded when Keiras immediately understood what he wanted.
Keiras also brightened at his answer.
“Of course you should build one. You will earn far more by producing and selling paper than by draining my purse.”
“That is true.”
Aiman expected to earn a considerable amount of money once he began producing paper.
When Aiman readily agreed, Keiras grumbled.
“No, at a time like this, could you not show a little humility? You could at least say that your master must earn more because he is an Imperial Mage.”
“A mage only needs to excel at magic. And in that regard, are you not the greatest aside from the Archmages, Master?”
Realising why Keiras was disappointed, Aiman cleverly offered him a compliment.
Keiras did not appear entirely displeased by it and cleared his throat.
“Ahem. That may be true, but still.”
He attempted to appear indifferent, but his face clearly brightened at the praise.
Aiman smiled.
“Then should I tell Karib about the workers and materials I need?”
“Yes. Speak to Hansen as well. He is now the butler of your manor, so he should handle the practical arrangements.”
“Understood. Then I will be going.”
“Very well.”
After bidding Keiras farewell, Aiman went to Silverian Manor.
He then told Karib, the Chief Butler of Silverian Manor, what he needed.
“Understood. Once everything has been acquired, I will deliver it to Hansen.”
“Thank you, Karib.”
“There is no need to thank me. Master ordered me to provide as much support as possible for anything you require. Also, please speak to me less formally. After all, Lord Aiman, you are also a mage and hold the position of a baronet, do you not?”
“But you are not my butler.”
Aiman had believed that his reasoning was correct.
Karib was considerably older than him. Furthermore, he was Keiras’s butler rather than Aiman’s, so speaking casually to him seemed inappropriate.
Unless the other person was someone like Rakhoop, whom Aiman needed to put firmly in his place, there was no reason to do so.
However, Karib made Aiman realise that his thinking had been rather shortsighted.
“Lord Aiman, you are our master’s disciple. That means you must conduct yourself in a manner that prevents others from looking down upon you.”
“Because otherwise, they might look down upon Master as well?”
“Of course, I doubt anyone would dare to look down upon Master.”
Keiras was one of the candidates being considered as the next Deputy Commander of the Imperial Mage Corps.
There were not many people in the world who could afford to disregard someone like him.
Nevertheless, Aiman understood Karib’s concern.
‘If someone looks down on me or takes offence at my behaviour, their judgement may eventually extend to Master as well.’
Aiman had already experienced something similar.
Count Jenkins had personally punished one of his own subjects in front of Aiman.
That had not been because Aiman had become a mage.
It had undoubtedly been because of Aiman’s connection to Keiras.
Just as treating Aiman favourably could earn someone Keiras’s approval, Aiman’s misconduct could also reflect poorly upon Keiras.
Accepting Karib’s explanation, Aiman acknowledged his new position.
“I understand. Then I shall speak freely from now on.”
“Yes.”
“Perhaps I should have asked Master to send you as my butler instead.”
“I beg your pardon?”
Karib looked at Aiman in confusion.
Aiman laughed heartily and praised him.
“Ha ha. It is nothing. Hansen seems capable as well, but you appear even more impressive.”
“Thank you for the compliment.”
“In any case, I will leave everything to you.”
“Yes.”
After telling Karib what he needed, Aiman returned to his manor.
The following day, construction of the papermaking workshop began on the grounds beside the manor where Aiman’s family lived.
At the same time, Aiman spoke with his father, Isaac.
“We will have the employees handle the minor labour, but only you and I should know the crucial parts of the papermaking process.”
“Hmm?”
Isaac tilted his head at Aiman’s words.
Aiman responded as though the reason were obvious.
“This is not some worthless technique. We cannot allow outsiders to learn it.”
“I see. But will I be able to do it properly?”
“Come now. I succeeded after merely hearing an explanation. There is no reason you should be unable to do the same.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes.”
Aiman then explained the process of making Hanji to Isaac.
After listening to the explanation, Isaac raised a hand and asked a question.
“But how will we obtain the Paper Mulberry?”
Paper Mulberry was the material required to make Hanji.
Aiman had already considered that matter.
“We should begin by inspecting the territory.”
“What if we cannot find any?”
“Count Jenkins is favourably disposed toward us, so we can purchase it cheaply from his territory.”
“To think that we would purchase something from Count Jenkins······.”
Isaac looked as though he could not tell whether he was dreaming or awake.
They had once been serfs, yet they had now risen to a position where they could conduct business with a count.
After hearing Aiman’s explanation, Isaac realised that he might know what Paper Mulberry was.
“Were those dried trees you used to bring home Paper Mulberry?”
“That is correct.”
“Is that why you had been gathering dried trees all that time?”
“Yes.”
“Hmm. Then we might not need to go all the way to Count Jenkins.”
“Hmm? Why not?”
Aiman’s interest was immediately aroused by his father’s unexpected remark.
They might not need to visit Count Jenkins.
Honestly, that would also be beneficial for Aiman.
Since Paper Mulberry had no use in Jenkins County, he would probably be able to purchase it cheaply. However, once the cost of purchasing and transporting it was considered, obtaining it would still require considerable effort.
If he could avoid that trouble—
‘That would not be bad.’
Isaac explained.
“While we were travelling here by carriage, I saw a place where trees like the ones you used to cut down had been piled up.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
Aiman had been too busy discussing magic with Keiras to examine the territory during the carriage journey.
Had he looked outside, he might have discovered the Paper Mulberry himself.
Nevertheless, it did not matter.
Isaac had seen it.
Aiman asked where it had been.
“Do you remember where it was, Father?”
“I think I will recognise the place once we begin following the road.”
“Then let us go.”
Isaac could not immediately describe the exact location, but he believed he would recognise it if they retraced the route they had taken.
Seeing it for themselves would be better than discussing it endlessly.
When Aiman suggested going there, Isaac expressed some concern.
“But what if we arrive and discover that it is a different kind of tree?”
Isaac had seen something resembling Paper Mulberry, but it would be embarrassing if they arrived only to discover that he was mistaken.
Aiman did not consider it important.
“Then, as I said, we will conduct business with Count Jenkins. Jenkins County had no use for it anyway.”
Finding Paper Mulberry within their own territory would be convenient, but failing to find it would not prevent them from producing Hanji.
Furthermore, the people of Jenkins County did not use Paper Mulberry.
To them, it was merely dried wood that might occasionally be thrown into a pile of firewood.
Isaac also knew that, so he agreed with Aiman.
“That is true.”
“Let us take a look first.”
“Very well.”
As Aiman and Isaac prepared to leave the manor and investigate whether Paper Mulberry grew in the territory, a man called out to them.
“Master, where are you going?”
Aiman and Isaac turned toward the voice.
It was Hansen, who had become the Chief Butler of their manor.
Aiman looked at him and answered.
“I am going to look around the territory with Father for a while.”
“May I ask precisely where you are going?”
“I do not know.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“We are going to retrace the road we travelled while coming to the manor, so we do not have an exact destination.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes.”
After their brief exchange about where Aiman was going, Hansen suddenly apologised.
“My apologies.”
“For what?”
Aiman looked at him as though wondering what had brought this on.
Hansen explained why he had apologised.
“Had I known that you would be leaving the manor like this, I should have spoken to Chief Butler Karib and requested a carriage and coachman. I was so focused on preparing the manor that I failed to make the necessary arrangements.”
Hansen regarded his failure to prepare a carriage in advance as his own mistake.
However, Aiman had no intention of criticising him.
Although only a single day had passed, Hansen had already transformed the manor into something resembling the residence of a respectable noble family.
Aiman considered that level of ability more than satisfactory.
Of course, it might have been perfect if Hansen had also prepared a carriage, as he had mentioned.
However, even in Hansen’s position, Aiman would not have considered arranging one to be particularly urgent.
‘A carriage comes whenever I need to visit Master’s manor, and he probably did not expect me to travel anywhere else.’
Furthermore, Silverian County was not particularly large.
An ordinary county should have covered an enormous area, but mages who received noble titles after joining the Imperial Mage Corps were not granted such vast territories.
Perhaps some would request larger holdings if they truly required them, but most mages only needed enough private land to live upon and conduct their magical research.
“Come now, it is fine. We are not going anywhere far away. We are only going to walk around the territory for a while. If you truly feel sorry, you can simply do better from now on.”
Aiman waved his hand dismissively and uttered the sort of remark one might hear in a company.
Hansen repeated the words inwardly.
‘Do better from now on······.’
Hansen had believed that his ability was sufficient for Karib to select him as the official Second-Rank Butler of Silverian Manor.
Now, however, he had found himself in a position where he would have to become even better.
He did not resent it.
Instead, the words strengthened his determination.
Hansen bowed his head to Aiman.
“Yes. I shall do better from now on.”
“I was not actually trying to scold you······ In any case, we will be back.”
“Have a safe journey, Master. I will prepare everything so that both of you may bathe when you return.”
“Very well. Thank you.”
Aiman briefly waved to Hansen before setting out with Isaac to search for Paper Mulberry.
Isaac retraced the road they had travelled after entering Silverian County.
After walking for some time, he pointed toward a particular place.
“Is that the right tree, Son?”
Aiman looked toward where Isaac was pointing.
At first glance, it appeared to be Paper Mulberry.
However, it would be better to confirm it properly.
“I will take a closer look.”
“Very well.”
Father and son approached the dried trees.
Once he drew near, Aiman focused his gaze upon them.
The Mana blanketing the world began to ripple, and the name of the dried tree upon which he had focused appeared before him.
[Paper Mulberry]
It was indeed Paper Mulberry.
A smile spread across Aiman’s face.
Seeing his expression, Isaac asked a question.
“Does it seem to be the right tree?”
“Yes, it is.”
“But these trees are on Sir Keiras’s private land. Are we allowed to cut them down without permission?”
Aiman shrugged at Isaac’s question.
“This is not Master’s private land.”
“Hmm?”
“We will be managing this territory from now on. I have already finished discussing it with Master.”
After hearing Aiman’s words, Isaac’s pupils trembled violently.
“Th…… This territory is ours?”