We passed by the library’s entrance and turned the corner down the corridor. The director’s laboratory was locked. Which reminded me, Fulsig was grumbling about not wanting to go to a meeting. I took the key out of my pocket and opened the door.
“The key to the Great Sage’s room...? Who are you...?”
“It’ll be better if we’re closer to the slate board, so let’s use this desk.”
I pointed to a large research desk in front of the slate board on the wall.
Alfina sat in the center of the desk facing the board, and Claudia stood to the left of her lady. I sat directly across from Alfina, while Mia sat to my left. Lilka then headed towards the seat next to Mia in a fluster.
“Sorry for this, but it’ll be hard to talk to you there. Could I have you sit on the other side?”
I repelled Lilka from the commoner side of the table. This room was a fortress of science in this world. Logic dominated over social status here. Well, joking aside, Lilka looked at me in protest like she was about to cry, and Alfina held her palm out to the seat next to her. Lilka eventually managed her way to her seat with awkward movements. Her “how did it come to this?” face was something I could really sympathize with.
“If possible, I would also like for you to take a seat, Miss Claudia. We are gathered here as fellow students in distress over the Academy Festival. I do believe that this applies to you as well, Madam.”
“Clau. There’s no need for you to be so on guard, is there?”
Claudia wavered for a moment, but ultimately sat down. The reason she was prioritizing this over her vigilance towards me was probably because of her discontent with the role pushed on her by her lady.
“So, let’s move on to my questions. To start, Torito, was it?”
“That sounds all stuffy, so just call me Lilka.”
“Oh, okay... So, Lilka, uhhh...”
What’s all this about? Well, it isn’t time for me to be worrying about that. Our opponents were big merchants, and the industry leaders in the business world. They had the backing of influential members of the student council. And faced with this headwind, I now had to set up shop at a festival that I had no plan for participating in. Furthermore, I had to do it somewhere nobody would go.
“For my first question, why are the Carlests going this far?”
The fundamental question here had yet to be resolved. I had at least heard what their official stance was, but it wasn’t enough to gauge their interests.
“Before we get to that, Weinder, you don’t understand the importance of putting up a shop at the Academy Festival. For a start—”
Lilka went on to explain the festival to me. Bearing the reputation of one’s house was an obvious point, but it also happened to be pretty much the only opportunity that companies got to appeal to such a large number of nobles all at once. It was also not all that strange for new goods to be announced at the festival, apparently.
So here in this rigid system, it was an endeavor to secure the minimal amount of social fluidity using the pretext of academics and its students. At least, that was probably the original intent.
The noble guests exchanged money for specially authenticated coins and used those for all payments. The reason it was managed so thoroughly was in order for them to be able to announce rankings based on the amount of coins earned. A special coin... Maybe it’s the one Fulsig showed me?
“I see, so it’s more like a convention than a festival, huh?”
I was starting to get the slightest grasp of it.
“A what? Anyway, it’s extremely important to all the mercantile students. Far more than any stupid test. You are more or less one of us, right, Weinder?”
“There’s nothing ‘more or less’ about it; I’m a merchant. Well, I get the backdrop. But even with the traditional rules, you could secure better spots with more financial strength, which would harden your position. But is there really a need to spend such a large amount of money just so they can clamp down on that? If reputation is the important goal, isn’t going too far going to have the opposite effect?”
“...This year is even more special. Come on, you know about it, right?” Lilka replied with a sour expression.
“...Something to do with the guild representative?”
This was just a bit awkward for me.
“Yeah. The Carlests and our parent company, the Kendalls, are both deputy representatives.”
“All the more reason for restraint, then. From what you just told me, I can tell it will have an impact on the next representative, but it’s still just a school shop, right? Won’t they provoke animosity against themselves by being so overbearing?”
“You’re right. Both us and the Dreyfans would’ve thought so as well. But the Carlests certainly don’t. They’re already the type to act tyrannically against small opponents. It feels like they lost all restraint after the Dreyfans vanished.”
Lilka went on to explain things further. They heavy-handedly forced copper and silver companies under their umbrella, and used any trivial mistakes or times those companies were temporarily in the red as a reason for strengthening their dominance. Copper companies in particular were often made to get absorbed into their parent silver companies. There were even rumors of them using violence.
“That’s exactly why you have to be careful. Unlike silver companies, which are regular members of the Culinary Guild, coppers are just associate members, so...”
Lilka looked at me and Mia and trailed off. I get it now. From what she’s telling me, they’re way worse than the Dreyfans. The Dreyfans were at least fundamentally tolerant as long as you didn’t oppose them.
“So I suppose the Kendalls have a different objective, right?”
“Of course we do. We respect the independence of all our companies.” Lilka proudly boasted. “That’s enough explanation, right? I mean, it’s just been the two of us talking...”
Lilka looked at the two girls seated next to her.
“Please do not pay me any mind. I intended to learn just a little, but a talk between two fellow merchants truly is something else. The exchange between you and Ricardo has been quite enlightening, Lilka.” Alfina replied in a somewhat envious tone.
Please do be at ease, princess. The business knowledge you currently possess has already deviated quite far from the norm. Or perhaps ‘do be careful’ would be more appropriate.
“...Does this perhaps have some relation with what you spoke of with Louisa during the tea party? About the Empire looking to expand the trade of food?” Alfina asked.
“Y-Yes. That’s right.” Lilka’s eyes began darting about.
“It seems an imperial prince is going to be joining the next envoy. President Hilda had said that he is being invited to the Academy Festival as well.” Claudia absentmindedly joined the conversation.
“Is that so? As for any information beyond the envoy coming... We don’t...” Lilka replied.
“I’m sure the Carlests know. They’re more or less connected. If they become the guild representative, they could use the dissemination of the new trade rights to deal with any manner of discontent. That sound about right?” I commented.
“Yeah. They’re probably thinking the same thing. They’re already in a superior position, so the Academy Festival is like the last leg.”
“I see. I’ve got a pretty good understanding of the situation now.”
The feeling that this was still just a school festival hadn’t completely left me, but my common sense on such topics wasn’t particularly trustworthy. Now then, with our talk of the commercial world done, next is the noble world.