I clutched my stomach, aching from the stress, as the participant who remained a little further back from the rest of the group came over to me. It was Ruston, the one who spoke the least. I actually had a great deal of interest in his business.
I was curious about how he could turn a profit given the economic structure here, seeing as he apparently dealt in rare fruits and delicacies. That also meant he must have possessed information on each region of the Kingdom.
“...Got a minute?”
Ruston pointed to the corridor, and I nodded back at him.
“Whoa.”
As I came out into the hallway, I just about bumped into Alfina’s maid.
“Princess Alfina has already returned together with Miss Claudia.”
“...Thank you for informing me.”
Alicia bowed and replied courteously in such a formal manner that even I could tell it was a façade. She then checked inside the room from the door before heading to the school’s exit. When judging others, actions speak louder than words. This was a prime example of that.
“...She’s the first year who serves as the princess’s maid, right? Does she dislike you?”
“Isn’t it because having someone like me nearby lowers the status of her lady?”
I tried to steer the conversation away from overvaluing myself...
“...That just shows how large an existence you are to Her Highness.”
But I failed. My words were powerless before Alfina’s innocent trust.
“So? What do you need, Ruston?”
“...I just have one question.”
“Go ahead. However, depending on the details, it could cost you.”
“...It does happen to be related to what we were talking about.”
“Then isn’t it better to go back inside and talk about it in front of everyone else?”
I held my palm back out to the door. I had the responsibility of explaining anything regarding the Food Court to the others. The fact that he went out of his way to have a conversation in private meant that this wasn’t what this was about.
“...Why did you not use the princess’s name from the beginning? Irrespective of you being a copper, that would have settled things immediately. It should’ve been far more advantageous a situation for you.”
“It’s troubling when you phrase it like I’m capable of manipulating her, though...” I didn’t expect this question and was a little troubled as to how to answer. “After all, even if I were to use the authority of some big shot to forcibly bring everyone into the fold, I won’t be able to buy a merchant’s sense for profit or their will as a concerned party.”
I also wanted Alfina to enjoy the Academy Festival in a natural way, even if just a little, but this probably wasn’t what Ruston was asking about. This was about merchants and nobles; the relationship between private businesses and politics. The Kendalls’ stance, and his question itself, were hints as to why he would ask such a thing.
“...Got it. Then, let us start over. Will you come with me? There’s someone I want you to meet.”
Ruston nodded slightly, then pointed to the other side of the building before silently walking away. I followed along, without any other choice to take. After exiting the building, I thought we were headed to the courtyard, but we passed by it without stopping. We ended up going all the way to an auditorium near the school gate. If my memory served me right, this was the hall that the Carlests and another large company were using for the festival. I have a bad feeling about this.
We entered the auditorium, and there were several people inside who were clearly outsiders. All of them had armbands on, indicating that they had permission to enter the premises. The one standing at their head was a male student. He had curled chestnut hair, and a somewhat childish face, giving him a refreshing sense of handsomeness. This was an upperclassman I hadn’t met before.
“How’d it go?”
“...Black. And he passed,” Ruston replied.
“So it really was true...” The upperclassman said with a bitter smile and nodded. “Let’s start with introductions, then. I’m Jean, the eldest son of the Kendall Company. I want to talk with you.”
In other words, this was Lilka’s boss. Not only did he yield tables and chairs to us, three of his child companies were involved in our enterprise. He certainly was somebody that I had to at least exchange formal greetings with.
“The Ruston Company has served a secondary role as the Kendalls’ intelligence branch for generations now.”
This was easy to accept. That’s because it didn’t seem possible to make a profit from selling rare foodstuffs here. Using a silver company as an intelligence branch was quite a luxury for this gold company to spare.
Jean pointed over to the stage further within the auditorium. My battlefield this time was to be an empty courtyard, so I didn’t really feel like marching onto a big stage.
“To begin, I suppose I have two things that I must thank you for. First is for what happened before, and the second is for what is to come.”
“Please leave what’s to come to me. Besides, you are the one lending us chairs and tables for the courtyard, so doesn’t it balance out?”
I didn’t hate his stance on putting an emphasis on intelligence gathering. That’s only if I wasn’t the one in his crosshairs, though. Also, the thing that happened before wasn’t for the Kendalls’ sake. I just happened to use the Kendalls, nothing more.
“So you’re saying that the favor of a gold company of the Culinary Guild is unnecessary...”
“It’s far too large a connection for a copper. It feels like it would be impossible for us to handle correctly.”
It didn’t really compare to a princess or archduchess, but it was still at a level where it was troublesome to handle.
“How tough.”
“...It seems there’s no need to beat around the bush. His thoughts and actions are so fast that it’d be unthinkable from the perspective of common sense,” Ruston said to Jean.
“Got it. Let me get straight to the point. Could you perhaps put me in touch with Archduchess Berthold?”
“I won’t,” I replied immediately.
I was just barely making it by in our negotiations with Euphylia as it was. I didn’t want to create any sort of unnecessary debt.
“So you’re not saying you can’t.”
“You’re one to talk. It’s not something you can say to her yourself, right?”
The Kendalls were a gold company, moreover, one that set up its main base of business in the west. Now that the Dreyfans had been overthrown, they weren’t an existence that Euphylia could just ignore. I know that they can’t move openly, but they should choose their connections better.
“Even if I were to say that upon becoming the guild representative, we promise to promote you to a silver company?”
“Don’t make me repeat myself. We wouldn’t be able to handle it correctly. I’m not going to stock up on merchandise I can’t sell when it’s so heavy and bulky. That’s because the storage cost for this is stupidly high. Also, I don’t find making empty promises to make people take action very admirable. How exactly do you plan on becoming the guild representative?”
“...”
“...”
We stared each other down in silence. I could hear Ruston gulp behind him. Now then, how will this rich boy of a golden company reply?
“Let’s say it isn’t an empty promise. What would you want?”
“Ruston. I’d like you to pay me back right now. Why was it that Jean ordered you to ask me that question?” I faced my classmate, and Jean answered for him.
“Very well. Allow me to explain, beginning from our plan. First, the Kendalls do not fundamentally bind others strongly under our umbrella or to guild membership. We cooperate as a group when it is efficient to do so, but all actual business is left to each company independently, since those dealing with the village peasants happen to be the people from said companies. Incidentally, in the guild, they refer to the two deputies as the Vertical Carlests and the Horizontal Kendalls.”
I see, so it’s something like hierarchical commercial affairs, and cooperative ones. Independence... huh? Judging from how they aren’t directly helping Lilka and the others for the Academy Festival, it seems he isn’t lying.
“Which do you prefer?” he asked.
“Each has their own advantages and flaws, so it doesn’t matter to me as long as it goes well. But I guess that’s being a little vague. Well, strictly speaking in terms of taste, I would prefer the Kendalls’ way. We’re quite small, after all.”
“I’m honored you think so. But that stock system you proposed... That isn’t a form of contract that either system can adapt to flexibly, is it now? It would only be possible if you were to mix the two to an extent. Is this right?”
“Who knows? This is just a game among students. Besides, this time we have a common goal, or more specifically, a common enemy. Also, it’s limited to the duration of the festival. If not for that, this wouldn’t be manageable.”