Suddenly, Rosalie appeared and was the first to greet me, then went on to greet Espada and Arte in turn before bringing over a nearby chair.
"If it’s okay, may I sit with you for a bit?"
Rosalie said this while resting her hand on the back of the chair. Her persistence was impressive as always.
"You’ve even brought a chair, so how could I refuse?"
I said with a laugh, and Rosalie smiled brightly, clearly pleased.
"Thank you so much!"
She said, placing her cup on the table and sitting down in the chair. Seeing Rosalie’s smile, even Til couldn’t help but smile in return and asked happily.
"Rosalie, did something good happen?"
At Til's question, Rosalie nodded eagerly.
"Yes! Oh, can I tell you my story now? I hope you weren’t discussing anything important?"
She seemed so eager to talk, yet hesitant to start speaking without permission in front of the lord... her restlessness made me want to laugh. It was such a stark contrast to her usual composed self.
"It’s fine. What happened? I’m curious too."
I asked, and Rosalie’s face lit up like a blooming flower.
"Actually... after being recognized for my achievements in the trading company, I’ve been promoted to a senior member! And it’s all thanks to you, Van-sama! Because of the shop I opened in Ceat Village..."
Rosalie continued speaking passionately, and despite being swept up in her enthusiasm, I quickly asked a question.
"Wait, wait, senior member? What exactly does that mean?"
At my question, Rosalie put a hand to her mouth and let out a soft “Ah.” Today, I’ve seen a side of Rosalie I’ve never seen before. It’s truly a rare day.
"I-I apologize! I skipped a few steps in explaining..."
She quickly apologized, cleared her throat once, and began speaking again.
"I think other trading companies have similar positions, but at the Mary Trading Company, you start as an apprentice, then move up from junior member, intermediate member, and senior member. After that, you become involved in the management of the entire company at the headquarters. So, usually, becoming a senior member is the ultimate goal."
Rosalie explained clearly with a smile.
"I see… Wait, you’ve already reached the top!? That’s amazing!"
I asked in surprise, and Rosalie waved her hand side to side with a bashful smile.
"No, no, it’s just that I was lucky to open a shop in Ceat Village. But... it’s not bragging, but someone of my age becoming a senior member is rare, so from now on, I’ll need to work even harder to maintain this position."
Rosalie said with a wry smile. The way she mentioned tightening up after her promotion made me wonder if there were any quotas or requirements. Perhaps there’s a system like tribute fees... that thought made me shudder.
As I imagined the darker side of the trading company from Rosalie’s words, I suddenly heard a small chuckle. I looked up and saw Rosalie laughing awkwardly.
"I can tell what you’re thinking, Van-sama. But I won’t lose to any senior members, not even the ones at my level. Well, I may get some complaints from the older merchants, but I’ll show them the difference in sales and prove my worth."
Rosalie said with determination. Ah, I see. Given how Rosalie had surpassed the much older and more experienced merchants, there was a lot of potential for jealousy. In fact, she might even face harassment from senior members who are aiming for an even higher position.
Realizing this, I couldn’t help but be impressed by Rosalie’s strong-willed attitude.
"Wow, that’s amazing... But I’m sure you’ll be fine, Rosalie. If anything happens, let me know, I’ll help out."
I said, intending to encourage her, but Rosalie blinked in surprise and froze. Then, she laughed and shook her head, as if amused.
"Van-sama, you’re quite something. I imagine your situation is much more difficult, yet you remain so composed... I’ll work hard to be like that someday! Oh, I’m sorry to interrupt everyone’s time! The meal here is on the house, so please enjoy yourselves!"
Rosalie said that, leaving behind a trail of confusion, and with several bows, she exited. I waved goodbye to Rosalie as she left, and Espada nodded quietly before speaking.
"...Miss Rosalie is quite the strong-willed one. Rising through the ranks of a large company like Mary Trading Company must be more difficult than she lets on. But she carries it with a strength that doesn’t show. Of course, Van-sama, as she said, you’ve probably received even more envy and resentment from other nobles after becoming a viscount at the age of ten. You don’t seem to mind it much, but you’ll have to be cautious of assassination attempts even in Ceat Village from now on."
"…Assassination?"
At Espada’s words, my appetite vanished instantly. As I trembled, I looked around to see Arte, Til, and everyone else had gone pale, but only Kamushrin was glaring with killing intent, gripping a knife tightly.
Wait, Kamushin should be wearing a sword at his waist though...
"...I really don’t want to rise in rank."
I sighed as I muttered this and continued to eat the remaining food, as if it were my last supper.
No comments:
Post a Comment