Bonus Story:
The Crown Prince and the Merchant
“SORRY TO KEEP YOU WAITING, Prince Osvalt. I think I’ve secured all the magic ore that Lady Philia calculated she would need.”
Harry Freyer, otherwise known as Haruya Fuuma, was a scheming merchant from Ashbrugge. By making a ludicrous appeal to my brother, I’d convinced him to set the man free.
Of course, this came with conditions.
In exchange for his acquittal, Haruya had to procure the magic ore we needed to make the Volcanic Miasma Zone safe. Once we had enough, we’d be able to create a device that would put a stop to the blasts.
Haruya had promised to accomplish the task in an unreasonably short timeframe, so I’d been on tenterhooks. But as it turned out, I had no reason to worry.
“But it’s only been half the time you were promised. Are you sure you’re really ready?”
“My goodness, Your Highness. Do you earnestly believe that a man like me would lie about business? In my world, trust is everything. Only by earning trust can a merchant secure the big jobs.”
“That’s pretty rich, coming from the man who lured us into a booby-trapped hideout.”
“My goodness, you can be quite scathing.”
Haruya had come to Ashbrugge as a refugee and turned himself into a self-made tycoon. His business acumen was second to none.
Oh well. There was no harm in getting things done quickly. It’d put Himari’s mind at ease and assuage my brother’s concerns. I figured Philia should hear the news right away, too.
“All right, let me pass the message along to my brother. Hey, what’s wrong?”
Henry was leaning over, staring at my arm. “It’s just that bracelet. Quite a nifty magic tool you have there. Philia’s talents are wasted on sainthood. That invention alone could earn her a fortune.”
It was a remarkable invention; he was right about that. Philia’s magic tools put the best magic engineers to shame.
“I don’t think Philia has ever even considered using them to make money.”
“That’s exactly my problem! Agh, what a waste! A terrible waste! I’m begging you, Prince Osvalt. Convince Lady Philia to take an interest in making money!”
“Don’t get up in my face and make such a ridiculous demand! Philia’s a saint! Greed is the last thing that would drive her!”
I couldn’t believe he could say something so foolish with such a serious expression. I needed to make sure he didn’t fill Philia’s head with any strange ideas.
“Hmph. I know Lady Philia is a pure, genuine saint. It took me a while to size her up, but she’s the complete antithesis of greed. Maybe that selflessness is the key to her remarkable talent.”
“Are you getting at something?”
“Why don’t you buy Lady Philia a little present, Prince Osvalt?”
“Huh? Where did that suggestion come from all of a sudden?”
A gift for Philia? What did that have to do with anything?
Haruya probably had something up his sleeve, but I couldn’t wrap my head around it. Why would he suggest a gift?
“You’re not asking me to bribe her, are you?”
Haruya laughed, shaking his head. “A sweet love token from you could never be a bribe, Prince Osvalt. Besides, Lady Philia can’t be swayed that way.”
If he knew that much, why was he talking me into buying her a present?
“Still, maybe we could bring out Lady Philia’s greedy side, one step at a time. Once her desire for material goods is strong enough, she might get on board with my money-making plans!”
“I doubt there’s any chance of that, but fine, I’m happy to give her a gift. What do you think I should get?”
“How about some kind of fragrance? Some branches of my store sell perfume. When we started offering a wider variety of fragrances, our female customers were over the moon.”
Perfume, huh? Interesting. I’d given Philia jewelry before, but perfume had never even crossed my mind. I wasn’t sure whether she would like it, but it was worth a try.
“Let me give you a tip. When it comes to choosing a fragrance for a woman, focus on the impression the aroma gives you. Floral scents are gentle, and citrus scents leave a refreshing, cheerful impression.”
“You seem to know what you’re talking about.”
“You could say that. I commit everything there is to know about my products to memory. That’s the approach any decent merchant would take.”
“I see…”
In his way, Haruya was a man of principle. I could sense his burning passion.
Now to find a fragrance that suited Philia.
I still wasn’t sure what kind of aroma to pick, but I hoped she would like it.