Blink.
Where am I?
I was definitely on the road to Oxhorn Pass just a moment ago…….
Blink.
When I looked up at the ceiling, rough wooden beams were tangled together. The smell of old pine resin brushed the tip of my nose.
‘Ah, this is our house. I survived…….’
Who saved me?
No, why did they not kill me?
And why is my body so hot?
Strangely, far from hurting anywhere, I felt as if my body was overflowing with vitality.
“Father! Mikael is awake!”
My third sister found me and shouted loudly.
“Really?!”
“Mikael!!”
Dadadak. Thud, bang!
The sound of several footsteps overlapped. Soon, the ceiling that had been visible in my field of view was filled with familiar faces.
Father, Mother, and my three sisters.
Mother exploded as soon as she saw me.
“You! What were you doing while the child ended up like this?!”
“Ah…… No, the thing is….”
While Father was being scolded by Mother, my second sister opened her mouth.
I tightly shut the eyes I had slightly opened.
“Do you know how much chaos our house was in after you collapsed?!”
If my first and third sisters were mischievous, my second sister was strict.
“They say two villages in the west were already turned into ruins by demons recently!”
When I was young, I had feared her even more than Father.
“Your sisters and Mother even went all the way to the next village looking for a priest, you know?”
My second sister's scolding continued without pause.
…Of course, I admit she had every right to be angry this time.
Our village was so small that it did not have a priest.
They had run all the way to the next village just to save me, so even I truly had nothing to say about this.
“Sorry… I heard something strange, so I went out because I was curious…….”
“Sigh, still, it is a relief that nothing hurts. The priest came and examined you, and he said you are actually too healthy.”
“……?”
That is strange….
The power of a mana-charged gun was considerable.
It was a weapon only some mages used because it took a long time to load, but in terms of destructive power, it competed for the highest ranks.
Moreover, if they were skilled enough to catch me off guard…… then they had to be a fairly capable expert. But I am healthy?
“…….”
No matter how much I thought about it, I could not come up with any possibilities.
There had definitely only been me and that person there.
The one using that magic had clearly tried to kill me.
But they did not kill me.
‘Could they have sensed my mana when I killed the direwolf? No, there is no need to make baseless assumptions.’
“Seriel! Stop pressing him. The child is still sick.”
“…Understood, Mother.”
At Mother's restraint, my second sister closed her mouth as well.
Everyone in our family had names ending in “-el.”
Raphael, Mariel, Seriel, Lumiel, Mikael.
In any case.
“Mother, you do not need to worry. Just as the priest said, I think I am fine now! Ha ha ha ha.”
“That is a relief. Just rest for a few days. I heard everything from your father. They say you earned an enormous amount of gold coins? Money is good, but still, take it slowly.”
“Yes…….”
“Your mother was so worried, thinking demons might have done something terrible to you….”
‘Before, I was the one who caught things like trolls with tree branches, Mother.’
After my parents and three sisters all left the room, a handful of raisins Mother had left behind remained on the table.
Chew, chew.
A flavor that was not even sweet lingered in my mouth for a long time.
‘Foodstuffs…….’
Heindel was a small village at the southernmost edge of the Empire.
Because it was close to the Southern Kingdom, the ground did not freeze even in winter.
Crops grew well.
The problem was that most of those well-grown crops rotted inside this village.
In my previous life, I had not considered that a serious matter.
Back then, scarcity had been the problem instead….
Soldiers had starved to death every day.
The current me was different.
I stood not on the side consuming, but on the side selling.
It would be nice to sell foodstuffs, but preservation magic was not reliable, and the trade routes to sell them far away were blocked.
In the end, that meant there was only enough business in Heindel to make a living.
‘The west is different.’
My second sister's words came to mind.
I took out a sheet of parchment.
My fingertips were still sticky with the scent of grape juice that had not fully dried.
Since my body was fine, I could not just lie around.
In any case, I had to wait another three months before the wine came out.
I had gained time and had also gained some leeway in capital.
I had to find a new trade route.
‘A good place to move right now would be…….’
The western region. After the demon attack, the roads had been cut off, and the market was entirely empty.
And in my memory, that incident had soon become the starting point where the demons' power began to expand in earnest.
I had to get the western region moving again.
The trade goods had to change too—
There was no way something like wine would work there.
What the west needed right now was not luxury goods, but supplies for survival.
Of course, in my current state, it was impossible. We lacked horses to carry supplies, and we had no space to stockpile trade goods.
Moreover, goods would not sell just because I blindly went there. I had almost never handled daily necessities. Unlike luxury goods, “smooth talk” would not work.
In the end, if I wanted to head west, I had to lay the foundation again first…….
Transport network, supply lines, storage facilities, trade goods, buyers.
If those were not arranged, no matter how good the goods were, they would not reach the west.
Buy horses, increase warehouses, change the carts….
All of that was good. But the thing was….
“I have no information, so I do not know where to start.”
Even though I had regressed to the past, only the major events came to mind… Mikael, who had lived as a war maniac, was still the same person.
As I scratched my head, one place suddenly came to mind.
I moved there without hesitation.
***
Jingle, jingle.
“Mikael, you are here? You seem a little taller.”
Lisa, the official dispatched from the Empire, greeted me.
“Oh, come on. There is no way. How long has it been since we last saw each other?”
The place I headed to was the Merchant Guild. In a tiny village like this, there was nowhere information gathered except the guild.
“Is that so? Then what brings you here today?”
“Ha ha… What is wrong with a merchant coming to the Merchant Guild? I just came.”
“Then why do you keep staring at me? Do you need something from me?”
She crossed her legs and stared straight at me.
…Why are you making that kind of expression when you are nineteen?
“Uh, the thing is…… Sis, can you help me a little? I will be sure to repay you.”
“Hmm… A request for a corrupt imperial official. This is interesting.”
…I hate corruption.
And Lisa was probably not a corrupt official.
Probably.
“No, it is not like that…….”
“Heh heh, I am joking. Tell me.”
“The western region was attacked by demons this time, right? So I am thinking of jumping into the postwar reconstruction business.”
“You are saying you will trade with the Empire?”
“No, for now, with the villagers… Supplying the Empire is only possible once we become a formal merchant company.”
Lisa's expression stiffened briefly, but soon, interest appeared in her smile.
“So?”
Instead of answering, I showed her the parchment note I had written.
∿∿∿∿∿∿∿∿∿∿∿∿
✓ Transport (Reinvestment)
⤷ Later, receive cherrywood planks and reinforce the carts.
⤷ Secure 2 horses or 2 mules.
✓ Foodstuff Storage (Reinvestment)
⤷ A temporary warehouse is needed on the outskirts of Heindel.
⤷ Preservation magic—how? Guild? Priest?
⤷ Enchantment cost unknown.
✓ Trade Goods
⤷ Dried grains, dried fruits, dried meat, herbs.
⤷ Luxury goods (wine, etc.) excluded for now.
※ Cost : Completely unknown. Ask the guild.
∿∿∿∿∿∿∿∿∿∿∿∿
Her fine brow narrowed slightly as she held the parchment.
“So our guild is something like a magic lamp, is it? I had no idea. Heh heh.”
“Ha ha…… This is the only place I can ask.”
“So. You want to get an estimate for this, right? Did you get your father's permission?”
“……Yeah.”
“Hm?”
“I did not get it….”
Lisa swept a finger through her hair once, then let out a small sigh.
“Sigh… I knew it. We will have to look into the details, but for now, money is the problem.”
“I earned 33 gold coins this time.”
“I know. Your father reported it yesterday before leaving.”
Thirty-three gold coins… Is that not enough?
“Is it not enough?”
“Are you going to stake your entire fortune on trade every time? Wait.”
Was this why expanding a business was difficult?
“First, do not even think about horses.”
“Why?”
“The feed costs alone are no joke. You need to use what suits your circumstances. If you bring them in just because they look good, you will struggle with maintenance costs. It would be better to just buy two more mules and have four pull the carts.”
After saying that, she pulled over a blank sheet of parchment and picked up a pen.
Scratch, scratch—
∿∿∿∿∿∿∿∿∿∿∿∿
✓ Two mules — 10 gold coins (14 stones)
∿∿∿∿∿∿∿∿∿∿∿∿
“With four mules, you can load around 14 stones.”
“Fourteen stones… how much is that?”
“In terms of grain sacks, about 60? If you mix grains, jerky, and dried fruits, you should be able to load plenty at once.”
She swept back her hair and continued calculating.
Scratch. Scratch.
∿∿∿∿∿∿∿∿∿∿∿∿
✓ Foodstuffs: 7 gold coins, 40 silver coins
∿∿∿∿∿∿∿∿∿∿∿∿
“The biggest problem is the warehouse…….”
“Why?”
“Based on the outskirts of Heindel, the monthly rent is two gold coins, and the deposit is three.”
Lisa snapped her fingers.
“The site is the lord's land, so you cannot buy it. You have to enter under a lease contract. You also have to register land use with the Imperial Commerce Bureau. If you add the registration fee and taxes, the initial cost is about seven gold coins. Altogether, you should estimate roughly eight.”
The Empire advocated centralization, but when it came to land issues, it implicitly left the authority of local lords untouched.
As long as there was no war or rebellion, that balance would not be easily broken.
“Then if we add all of this together…….”
She finished calculating and put down the pen.
“To be safe, you will need twenty-six gold coins. Money is one problem, but persuading your father and going through the process of leasing from the lord will also be troublesome.”
“Sis, when you go to meet the lord, can you come with me? I will get permission from Father.”
“Me…?”
Lisa leaned back in her chair and tilted her head.
There was still mischief in her face.
“Aha?! So you intend to make use of a corrupt imperial official at a time like this?”
“Sis… Please help me just a little. If I really raise a merchant company, these documents will go up to the Imperial Commerce Bureau. And the person in charge will have your name written on them.”
“……All mouth, are you? Heh heh.”
She swallowed her laughter and shrugged, then leaned forward and curved her eyes into crescents.
“Fine, let us try it.”
***
At sunset, Lisa came directly to our house.
My sisters glanced from the doorway and whispered among themselves.
“My, they do say the quiet cat climbs onto the stove first.”
“Hmm, at sixteen, I suppose it is about time to get married….”
“Father! Father! Mikael brought a girl home!”
My first, second, and third sisters reacted in turn.
What are they talking about…….
Why don't you get married first?
Rattle.
The sliding door opened, and Father and Mother appeared.
Even if Lisa was from Heindel, before that, she was an imperial official. Their expressions were stiff.
“Did our Mikael do something wrong?”
“Mother, it is not like that. I came to make a proposal to Father.”
She took out the parchment she had organized and explained everything one by one. The postwar reconstruction business, two mules, warehouse leasing, and so on…….
“Mikael, what exactly have you been doing outside lately? Ha ha.”
Father muttered quietly.
But strangely, there seemed to be expectation in his voice….
Lisa carefully bowed her head.
“Father, if Mikael's plan is not just a simple prank, it has administrative potential as well. The Commerce Bureau would welcome a business like this.”
“…….”
Father's permission was just before my eyes.
I searched through the memories of my previous life.
Postwar reconstruction business, merchant companies, support policies….
“Right! I heard that merchant companies in charge of supplying reconstruction projects actually received tax reductions!”
I snapped my head up.
“Right? Sis?”
“Uh, uh……?!”
Lisa blinked for a moment, then immediately burst into laughter.
Her reflexes really are faster than the Imperial Knight Order's.
“Pfft, right. The Commerce Bureau said it would provide reduction measures for merchant companies transporting postwar supplies. If the supply network is properly established, imperial subsidies will be attached too.”
Father raised his head and looked back and forth between us.
“……Ha ha, look at this boy. As if dragging in an official was not enough, now you are even bringing up imperial reduction policies?”
One corner of Father's mouth lifted slightly.
“Good. If you have prepared this far, I will not stop you any further. However, you are responsible for the work you carry out under your own name. Remember that.”
And so, we obtained permission.
Of course, rather than my persuasion working, it was probably because Lisa being beside me had removed his reason to refuse.
***
The next morning.
Lisa and I headed to the lord's castle.
The lord of this place governed several villages, including Heindel.
The lord… The impression I had when I saw him in person was not very strong. Rather than flaunting authority, he was closer to an administrative type who merely observed the forms.
“Mikael.”
“Yeah, Sis.”
“Have you looked at where you will put the warehouse?”
“Yeah. You know the road leading to Oxhorn Pass? I am thinking of putting it there.”
“I heard scary wolves appear on that road. Will that be all right?”
“It is cheap, though. Besides, the more dangerous a place is, the less anyone will touch it. That is the best warehouse location.”
“If that is what you think…….”
As we talked for a long while about the postwar reconstruction business, we arrived before the gate of the lord's castle.
But the scene before the gate was strange. Men and women in uniform stood before the castle gate.
Black overcoats, golden insignia.
‘……That is the Imperial Magic Corps.’
And the Magic Investigation Corps, of all units, all the way out here?