After a while, Murcia arrived at Seat Village. It was earlier than expected, arriving in just ten days. When I heard the news, I went to meet him at the castle gates, and there he was, waving with slightly worn-out eyes and a hint of tears.
"Van!"
"Murcia, big brother!"
It was an emotional reunion. Murcia walked through the castle gates with a big smile, and then pulled something out to show me.
"Remember, it was your birthday recently?"
"Huh? Are you giving me something?"
I was overjoyed at the unexpected words, and quickly looked at what he was holding out. It was some white and brown powder among other things.
"What is this?"
Murcia smiled warmly and nodded.
"I managed to get a large supply of spices and long-lasting ingredients through the Yellenetta Kingdom. You like eating, right? I wanted to bring you something already cooked, but the long journey made that impossible."
Murcia said this with his usual warm smile. Most of the spices were imported, so the cost was surprisingly high. It seems he also had some more in the cart behind him, which likely cost an amount comparable to gold bars.
However, unfortunately, we had just bought a large batch from the commercial guild's Apollo recently. It's likely that I could have gotten it for much cheaper than the price Murcia paid.
Still, I was genuinely touched by Murcia’s gesture, so I smiled brightly and took the gift.
"Thank you so much! Till, could you make hotcakes with these?"
"Yes! I’ll prepare them right away!"
I picked out the spices I had seen before and handed them over to Till. After more than a week of trial and error, Till had finally succeeded in developing delicious hotcakes. As expected from the culinary researcher of Ceat Village—though, her charm lies in how often she fails.
Hearing the exchange, Murcia tilted his head and spoke.
"Huh? You already knew about these spices? I thought the export/import from Yellenetta Kingdom hadn’t really started yet?"
"Uh-oh..."
I involuntarily let out a nervous sound at his question. It seemed Murcia had figured it out, but I did manage to convey how happy I was to receive these precious spices, even if they were already in stock.
After that, we all returned to the lord's mansion and ate the hotcakes that Till had made, laughing together.
"This is delicious!"
Even Murcia was stunned by how good they were. Well, sweet treats were rare in the borderlands, so just the fact that we had a sweet dish after so long made it all the more joyful. But this time, Till’s hotcakes were a resounding success. Plus, the toppings were wonderfully extravagant. The whipped cream was just the right amount of sweetness, and the fruits piled on top were full of flavor.
"Truly magnificent!"
"…It’s quite something."
"Dee and Espada, you two like sweets, don’t you? Though it doesn’t match your faces."
"I prefer meat!" Dee chuckled heartily.
Not just Arte and Kamshin, but even Dee and Espada were eating the hotcakes with great enjoyment. The mood was light and cheerful, and it felt like a true family gathering. My own cheeks couldn't help but soften in happiness.
"Hmm, this is good."
"Yes, it’s unlike anything I've had before."
"...It’s delicious, but this isn’t our last meal, right? We’re fine, right?"
Well, even though Panamera, Targa, and Freitliner had joined our gathering, Freitliner was crying tears of joy over how delicious the food was. The atmosphere seemed just right to have a serious discussion amidst the warmth.
"Alright, then. While we eat, let me propose the future direction we should take."
At my words, both Panamera and Targa narrowed their eyes sharply. Murcia, who had been a little slow to catch on, straightened his posture as well. As I looked around, I began speaking again.
"Well, first, our focus moving forward will be the stability of the territory and cooperation with the lands of Panamera Viscount."
"Count," Panamera corrected.
"Oh, sorry. Count Panamera," I apologized.
Panamera puffed out his chest proudly with a pleased expression. Kamshin gave a small clap, but the others merely nodded shallowly.
"Now, to get back on track... First, regarding the nearby adventurer’s town, it will be governed by the hostage, Prince Freitliner, as the deputy. Three of Espada’s disciples will assist him. Also, the Espada Knight Order will be temporarily without a leader, with two vice-commanders and one deputy commander."
"Wait, I’m really going to be the deputy...?"
Freitliner murmured uncertainly, and Targa gave him a concerned look.
"Even though he’s a former enemy royalty, making him the deputy... Do you think it’s safe?"
At Targa’s words, Panamera raised one eyebrow, curling the corner of his mouth into a smirk.
"He might betray us. Or, he might secretly funnel the vast wealth accumulating in Ceat Village to the Yellenetta Kingdom... So, how do you plan to handle that?"
"I won’t betray you!" Freitliner immediately shouted, but his words were ignored.
"Van. I’m worried about that too," Murcia said quietly, agreeing with Panamera’s concerns. However, I knew this was a necessary arrangement. To reassure everyone, I decided to respond a little more grandiosely.
"It’s fine. The three people working under Freitliner are all Espada’s disciples. If they try anything underhanded, Espada and I will know instantly. Also, all the weapons in the adventurer’s town will be aimed in only three directions, so they can’t attack Ceat Village. On the other hand, Ceat Village could destroy the adventurer’s town in an instant."
"In an instant...!?"
Freitliner gasped, his body shaking violently. Watching him, Panamera snorted in approval.
"I see. That explanation is reassuring. And it’s certainly a more meaningful use of him than simply imprisoning him as a hostage."
"Yes. Now, as for the fortress city of Murcia, we will continue to have Murcia take charge as the deputy. The knights from Murcia’s personal army will continue to be employed as usual. But, considering the expected influx of immigrants into the fortress city, we will also send three of Espada’s disciples to assist there."
"...I’d still like a few more bureaucrats. And, we’ll need even more supplies, I think..."
As I explained the restructuring of the fortress city, Murcia smiled awkwardly, as if troubled. It was true; the city was mostly made up of knights and adventurers, so Murcia’s burden was going to be a heavy one. But, unfortunately, Seat Village faced the same shortage of hands.
"Moving forward, the Bell-Rango Trading Company will set up a permanent store in the fortress city. We’ll also call for volunteers from Ceat Village, like carpenters, blacksmiths, and farmers, to move there. Peddlers and adventurers will be frequenting, and all the necessary funds for purchases will be provided by Ceat Village, so you don’t have to worry about money."
"...That’s helpful, but what about bureaucrats?"
"…Sorry, brother."
I sincerely apologized. Including Emilia, I would be sending three of Espada’s disciples. They would likely prove even more useful than Murcia expected. However, for now, we had mostly knights, and once the immigrants started flooding in, things would probably get chaotic.
I had no choice but to quickly train new disciples under Espada. Until then, Murcia, please stay safe.
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