The lord of Vins continued speaking into the bewildered archbishop's ear.
[Yes! I was truly amazed! Just how long ago did you begin preparing the treatment for Cadenna influenza?]
"Wait. Did you just say the treatment for Cadenna influenza?"
[Yes, yes, that's right. The treatment you sent, Archbishop. I heard you'd been preparing it in secret with the White Tower...... Was I perhaps given the wrong information?]
"......"
Quickly grasping the situation, the archbishop licked his lips and asked.
"How was it? Did it have any effect?"
[Of course. The patients who received the injections were miraculously cured in just a few hours. Isn't this grace bestowed by the goddess herself? El Sia!]
"And there were no side effects whatsoever?"
[None so far. But, Archbishop...... I don't mean to rush you at all, but could you perhaps give me some idea of when we might receive the second shipment?]
The lord of Vins spoke cautiously, making himself as deferential as possible.
[I asked someone who said he was an elder of the White Tower, but he told me that was for you to decide and left.]
"......I'll send the second shipment as soon as I have it ready. It won't take very long."
[Thank you. Thank you so much! El Sia!]
The moment the call ended, the archbishop's gaze shot toward Oscar.
"Is this your work?"
"Yes. It seems to have arrived safely."
"This is a clear violation of imperial law!"
Realizing what had happened, Moira flew into a rage.
"You must judge this matter carefully as well, Archbishop. The unauthorized use of any medicine not approved by the Imperial Food and Drug Administration is prohibited, and a violation carries a minimum sentence of ten years' imprisonment, up to and including the death penalty depending on the consequences. This man is violating the law stipulated in Article 2, Paragraph 8 of the Imperial Food Safety Act. This is a felony!"
"......Ahem."
The archbishop, who had secretly been concerned about that very issue, turned his head.
"Did you proceed without knowing any of this?"
"No. I knew."
"You see! The White Tower knowingly committed an illegal act for illicit gain. In a case like this, the aggravated penalty will surely......"
"There'll be no penalty."
Oscar cut him off flatly.
He met the three pairs of eyes fixed on him and shrugged.
"Perhaps it's because you gentlemen have done nothing but make potions, but you seem rather ignorant of the law."
"What nonsense! The Blue Tower's Potion Department understands every legal interpretation of food law perfectly......"
"Oh, I'm not talking about food law. I'm talking about wartime law."
"......Wartime law? We're discussing a treatment. Why bring up wartime law out of nowhere?"
Oscar let out a low chuckle.
Could this vast empire have been an empire from the very beginning?
Peaceful though it might appear now, this nation had been built upon countless wars and layer upon layer of blood.
It was only natural that its body of wartime law would be immense as well.
'But no one would have had reason to open it during the last twenty years of peace.'
Oscar swallowed an inexplicable bitterness and spoke in a calm voice.
"......Twenty-two years ago, in the war against the demons, the weapon that claimed the greatest number of imperial lives wasn't their swords or magic, but disease. The empire's capable mages quickly developed treatments and vaccines, but the problem was how long it took to obtain approval under food law. It was clearly a harmful consequence of outdated laws failing to keep pace with the urgency of war. In the end, His Majesty the Emperor, unable to stand by any longer, added the following provision to Article 42, Paragraph 8 of the wartime law: Medicines intended to treat the wounded during wartime shall be classified as special medical supplies and shall not be subject to imperial food law."
"But we aren't at war now. What in the world are you......"
"The Calderan Empire currently recognizes exactly three circumstances as wartime conditions."
First: when war breaks out with another race or nation.
Second: when rebels rise in the empire.
"And finally, the third."
An icy voice flowed from Oscar's lips.
"......When a Disaster of Hazard Grade B or higher that threatens the safety of imperial subjects occurs."
"......"
A deep, heavy silence settled over the room.
He continued, looking at Moira, whose face had gone pale with belated realization.
"Although it's only the lowest Grade, Cadenna influenza is officially classified as a large-scale natural Disaster of Hazard Grade B. Therefore, there's no need to secure approval from the Imperial Food and Drug Administration to treat it. Judging by your reaction, you didn't know."
"Th-That's......"
As the thoroughly flustered Moira lost his composure, Neil Brion swiftly stepped in to salvage the situation.
"Archbishop. That changes nothing."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean that if the White Tower can do it, so can we. We'll send all of our treatment to Vins immediately, so......"
"You still don't seem to understand the situation."
"Pardon?"
Tsk, tsk. The archbishop clicked his tongue at him with contempt.
"This contest ended the moment the White Tower's treatment reached Vins."
Only seven archbishops existed on the entire continent, and their authority was extraordinary both religiously and politically.
Moreover, Baldwin, who coveted the position of cardinal, was a man who wanted no blemish on his name, however small.
"The lord of Vins believes I joined hands with the White Tower and prepared the treatment. If a man of my rank were to speak out of both sides of his mouth, what would become of my dignity?"
"......We'll lower the price further."
Displeasure flashed through the archbishop's eyes as he frowned.
"You dare suggest that you can buy my dignity with that paltry sum?"
"No. That wasn't my intention in the slightest......"
"I find this deeply offensive. I don't wish to hear another word, so leave at once!"
Having received an unmistakable order to leave, the two had no choice but to move.
Moira Main growled under his breath as he passed Oscar.
"You bastard. Someday, I'll be sure to repay today's debt."
"......Hah."
Do these guys get a script from some academy or something?
How are their lines still exactly the same even after twenty years?
'Not one person who's said that has ever repaid the debt, either.'
Oscar offered a piece of advice with an indifferent expression.
"Oh, for your information, I registered the patent rights for the Cadenna influenza treatment and vaccine with the imperial family in advance."
"......What?"
Moira's eyes widened as if they might split open; he had secretly been aiming for that very opportunity.
"So if you wish to use the treatment you've made, you can either pay us the technology patent licensing fee every single time or dispose of the entire supply. You may choose one or the other."
"Grrgh!"
"Oh, of course, you'll have something else to worry about first, Moira."
The Blue Tower was not so lenient that it would leave someone who had caused it astronomical losses alone.
He would probably be assigned to an insignificant post or expelled from the tower.
Trembling with rage, Moira whirled around and stormed out of the room.
Then Neil Brion gave a small nod in farewell and quietly passed beside Oscar. That was when it happened.
"That's a nice perfume you're wearing."
A refreshing mint scent sharp enough to sting his nose.
Once smelled, a scent like this was not easily forgotten. Just as Gordon had remembered it.
Oscar glanced sidelong at him.
"You said you were with Newtech? I'll see you again."
"......I hope it'll be on better terms next time."
"So do I. For now."
Once the two men had left the room, Archbishop Baldwin burst into hearty laughter.
"Hahaha! Now we can finally discuss the contract terms at length. Come, sit over here."
The question came the instant Oscar took his seat.
"Tell me. How much do you want for the treatment to be supplied to Vins?"
"Hmm."
"For reference, the Blue Tower and Newtech asked for two million Bell."
There was only one reason he volunteered information Oscar had not even asked for.
It was pressure to name a reasonable price instead of trying to fleece him.
"If they wanted two notes......"
Oscar raised two fingers as if contemplating the matter, then smiled and extended the rest.
"We'll take exactly five notes. Five million Bell."
"......Heh."
The archbishop let out a hollow laugh at the audacious proposal.
After all, he had already thought two million Bell was excessive for saving Vins, a territory with a population of five thousand.
'And yet he asks for more than twice that......'
It was price gouging that took advantage of the fact that he had no choice but to purchase the treatment.
Just as indignation began to rear its head, Oscar spoke.
"By now, Archbishop, you probably think I'm an insolent guy trying to fleece you."
"Do you mean to say you aren't?"
"Yes. I've got exactly three reasons for asking for 5,000,000 Bell."
"......Three of them?"
Slightly intrigued, the archbishop tilted his head.
"Let's hear them."
"The first reason is the quality of the treatment. As you've already heard from the lord of Vins, there's absolutely nothing wrong with the effectiveness of our medicine. I believe it'd be an insult even to compare it with their treatment, which hasn't even been proven effective."
"Hmm. I'll concede that point. Then what is the second reason?"
"Time."
The archbishop nodded at that answer.
"I'll concede that as well. You'll be saving me an entire four months."
"Personally, I don't think they can even complete their treatment within four months."
"You certainly have confidence to spare. Very well, that makes two reasons."
Exceptional quality and rapid delivery.
Both were valid factors for raising the price.
"Now then, what is the third and final reason?"
"The publicity fee."
"......Publicity fee?"
Oscar grinned at the archbishop, who blinked in confusion.
"If we suppress Cadenna influenza quickly, people will wonder: Just how did the White Tower prepare a treatment so fast? Then I'll answer them like this: It was all thanks to Archbishop Baldwin. He instructed us to prepare the treatment as if he'd received a divine 'revelation.'"
"......!"
Archbishop Baldwin's eyes gleamed once he understood what Oscar meant.
An archbishop who had received a revelation from the Earth Mother Goddess?
For a man vying to become the next cardinal, this was an irresistible temptation.
It was an opportunity to imprint his name across the entire continent without lifting a finger.
"Heh, regrettably, I received no such revelation. But rumors do have a way of growing."
"Haha, isn't that the nature of rumors?"
The archbishop appeared rather pleased with this scenario, and a satisfied smile filled his face.
Then he asked with a mischievous look.
"Are you truly in your twenties? Talking to you feels like dealing with some forty-year-old fox."
Oscar's face turned completely serious.
"Even so, forty is a little much...... In good conscience, I'll admit to thirty at most."
"Ahem. It was a joke. A joke."
What an amusing fellow.
If he wasn't forty, that was that, so why would he admit to being thirty?
'Oscar Crucian. Wait, Oscar Crucian?'
The archbishop lightly slapped his knee!
No wonder the name sounded familiar. Wasn't he the genius who'd once set the continent abuzz?
For the past several years, however, nothing had circulated but rumors that he was the worst of the White Tower's problem children, squandering its finances.
'Has he been restoring the lost potion formulas all these years? If that's true, the potion market will look very different from now on.'
The archbishop naturally assumed Oscar had devoted the past several years to potion research.
After all, a treatment for Cadenna influenza was not something that could be made overnight.
"By the way, why haven't you included what you received from me in your reckoning?"
"......What do you mean?"
Oscar feigned ignorance.
But the archbishop, who could not possibly have missed it, grinned.
"If the White Tower in its current state were to earn a fortune by making such an incredible treatment, packs of wolves would come sniffing around from every direction. Did you think I wouldn't realize that you were putting me and the church forward as your shield against them?"
"......Well. Depending on your perspective, I suppose you could see it that way."
What a sly old serpent.
Oscar had thought he would never know if no one told him......
Seeing Oscar's suddenly sullen expression, the archbishop abruptly burst into hearty laughter.
"Hahahaha! That was another joke! You act so mature that I simply wanted to tease you."
"You've got a nasty idea of fun."
"I hear that often."
Chuckling, the archbishop drew a blank check from inside his coat and wrote a number on it.
"Here. Take it."
"Thank y...... Huh?"
Oscar's eyes widened when he saw the amount written on it.
"Archbishop, I believe you've miscalculated."
"You're the one who miscalculated."
The archbishop shook his head firmly.
"You're offering to promote me alone across the entire continent, and you think a mere five million Bell will suffice? My dignity is neither so cheap nor so worthless."
"Archbishop......"
With a moved expression, Oscar clutched the blank check bearing the sum of ten million Bell.
"Rather than thank you in words, I'll send the second shipment to Vins within one week."
"Heh, I'd be grateful for that."
Then he firmly clasped the archbishop's proffered hand.
***
After returning to the White Tower, Oscar went to the Vice Tower Master like a triumphant general.
Maxim and Fidelina, who had already heard the news and rushed over, were there as well.
Under the three people's tense gazes, Oscar silently held out the blank check.
Fidelina shrieked when she read the amount written on it.
"J-Just how much is this? Ten thousand, one hundred thousand, one million, ten million? Ten million Bell?"
Her expression brightened in an instant, and she vigorously tousled Oscar's hair.
"Oh, my sweet child~ You know, I really did believe you'd pull it off?"
"......Your shamelessness has left me speechless."
Shaking his head, Maxim spoke when his eyes met Oscar's troubled gaze.
"Unlike her, I believed in you from the very beginning. You know that, don't you?"
"......"
I know, so please get this woman off me.
Oscar smiled awkwardly, brushed Fidelina's hands away, and tidied his hair.
"In any case, the deal with Archbishop Baldwin has been successfully concluded, so we must prepare the second shipment and send it to Vins within one week. After that, I plan to begin selling it to the neighboring territories in stages."
"......"
The Vice Tower Master could say nothing and simply stared at the check.
How could the number before his eyes be merely a number?
The faces of all those he had been unable to feed, clothe, and support flashed through his mind.
The Vice Tower Master's eyes reddened despite himself, and he barely managed to speak.
"......To be honest, I'm surprised. I didn't think you would perform this well, Oscar."
"It's all thanks to you for believing in me, Vice Tower Master."
Another emphatic attempt to earn his favor.
Perhaps because of that, affection overflowed from the Vice Tower Master's eyes as he looked at Oscar.
"The disciplinary order only required you to repay three times the twenty-five thousand Bell lost to your embezzlement, yet you've brought back four hundred times that amount. If we also account for future sales to other territories, returns of hundreds or even thousands of times that sum seem within reach."
His gaze turned to Elder Fidelina.
"With this, I'll withdraw the disciplinary action imposed on Oscar. Do you have any objections?"
"No. None at all."
After receiving the answer he wanted, the Vice Tower Master asked another question.
"Oscar. Is there any support you need? One week is a rather tight schedule."
"Yes, I do need other mages. I don't think Fran and I can meet the deadline by ourselves."
"What standards are you setting for the mages you recruit?"
"It would be ideal if every one of them could use Dual Casting...... but that's unrealistic, so as many Level 4 or higher mages as possible."
Unlike with Fran, there was no time to teach each of them Dual Casting this time.
They had to prepare the promised quantity within the brief span of a week.
"As many as possible...... I'll try recruiting them. You can personally select the applicants you want. Elder Fidelina?"
"Yes, Vice Tower Master."
"Post a recruitment notice inside the tower."
"What should it say?"
The Vice Tower Master toyed with the check and smiled gently.
"Say that the potion production room is seeking mages of Level 4 or higher, and that all participants will receive a daily wage and a meat dish with every meal."
Applicants flocked in like clouds.