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Chapter 54 – A Gift for Moye: Part 2
Moye had been laughing heartily for a while, but he seemed to be settling down. His laughter gradually softened, and at one point, he suddenly snapped back to reality.
“Hahaha… My apologies.”
These emotional swings are too extreme; they’re scary.
He should aim for a smoother emotional landing.
Then again, perhaps Moye is naturally an emotionally rich person who suppresses his feelings to perform his daily duties.
He seemed aware of how he appeared to others, repeatedly clearing his throat with a hint of embarrassment.
“This piece truly astonished me. When was the last time I felt such profound emotion?”
“I’m pleased you found it satisfying. I don’t know the exact technique, but I’ve heard that this pattern emerges by carving the glass cup. They say that when held to the light, the glass shimmers like a kaleidoscope. It was a piece I absolutely wanted Lord Moye to see.”
“This is a cup, I see. Are there others available?”
“It’s handmade by artisans. We couldn’t get many, but thinking you might want matching sets for guests, I splurged and bought four. They’d be splendid for serving distinguished visitors or as diplomatic gifts.”
“Excellent. You understand our needs perfectly.”
Moye nodded with satisfaction.
Still, I wouldn’t show the remaining Edo Kiriko pieces just yet.
Price negotiations needed to begin here.
Considering Edo Kiriko as tableware, a single piece starts at around 20,000 yen.
Some pieces by certain artisans could reach 100,000 yen.
Compared to mass-produced items, which could be bought for a few hundred yen per piece, Edo Kiriko couldn’t compete on price. That’s why he wanted to extract a substantial price from Moye, no matter what.
How should he demand compensation?
During the last negotiation, he recovered Aire’s treasured sword and secured the rights of an official merchant.
This time’s initial investment was greater than last time’s, yet these crafts were, in a sense, everyday items.
To connoisseurs, they could be worth a lot, but demanding such a high price for everyday items might be seen as greedy.
Moreover, what he received in return was crucial.
Money? Or something that money can’t buy?
As the Deputy Minister of the Provincial Government, Moye could likely arrange various favors.
It was a dilemma.
“Now then, how shall I repay you for such a splendid item? Speaking of which, Mariel-kun, have you reunited with your parents yet?”
“No, not yet, Lord Moye.”
“If you and your master, Wataru, would like, I could arrange for them to work as officials in this town. Your master seems to truly cherish you, Mariel-kun.”
“Really!? But… I can’t decide this on my own. I must ask my master for his judgment.”
Even though he knew he was being read, he couldn’t deny it.
Mariel looked at him with hopeful eyes. Wataru didn’t decide immediately, but he listened.
He wanted to maintain good relations with both of Mariel’s parents.
A life spent flying between territories infested with monsters would surely carry life-threatening risks.
Staying in a safe, secure city would be preferable.
“What do you think? It’s not a bad offer, I suppose.”
“Truly, I’d love to accept. That said, considering the vast sums spent on procurement, it’s difficult to see this as sufficient compensation.”
“That’s not my intention. I’m merely presenting one possible option. Besides, I’m not proposing this purely out of goodwill, you know?”
“Wh-what do you mean?”
“You’re the man who arranged for the Welcome Trading Company to acquire sugar and other precious goods. Rather than having you wander about and bring wealth to other territories, I’d prefer you remain within my own.”
“I see. Even if I understand, I can’t leave.”
“I suppose not?”
It was a remarkably well-thought-out plan.
He didn’t know how high-ranking the deputy minister of the provincial government was, but he could easily arrange a transfer for his subordinate.
Since they are being assigned to his territory, he could keep them under surveillance.
There’s no better way to maximize Wataru’s abilities.
Besides, Mariel’s parents are former nobles. Managing a territory should come naturally to them after all these years.
Having managed their estate while burdened with debt from past losses, they must have honed their skills naturally.
Furthermore, since they’re serving under him, it’s reasonable to assume that Moye will receive some information about Wataru and the others through Mariel’s parents.
“If it’s acceptable to you, Moye-sama, I’d greatly appreciate it.”
“Understood. I’ll make the necessary arrangements.”
This offer is certainly welcome, but there’s another matter that only Moye can handle.
He’ll ask for this favor as well, which will legally resolve one difficult issue.
“May I make one unreasonable request?”
“I’ll hear you out. Whether I grant it depends on the content.”
“The place I’m going doesn’t welcome beastmen. I let them live there now, but they have to wear hats and hide their tails. Therefore, I’d like an item that grants ‘transformation.’”
“Hm…”
Moye’s gaze pierced Wataru sharply.
Chapter 55 – The Price of Kiriko Glass
His gaze was intensely sharp.
It was hard to believe that this was the same man who had been laughing heartily at the Kiriko glass just moments before.
While he certainly had an interesting side as a collector, bordering on obsession, Moye’s true essence was that of a calm and capable lord.
Those who got too caught up in his collector persona would miss his true nature.
Wataru steeled himself, determined not to be intimidated by that stare.
Mariel stood beside him.
If he made a mistake, she would cover for him immediately.
Even if he made a catastrophic mistake, Aire and Cloche would protect him.
Because of that, he felt no fear when dealing with nobles.
“Do you understand what that means?”
“Yes, that’s why I called it an unreasonable request. If it’s too difficult, I’ll give up.”
“You know that, and you still have the audacity to demand it?”
Transformation accessories were circulating in one way or another, so they weren’t absolutely unobtainable.
They probably weren’t displayed openly on main streets, but he could likely acquire one soon enough if he searched the markets like before or used shady back-alley shops.
The reason he didn’t do that was that Wataru had reservations about resorting to illegal means.
In terms of value, they couldn’t compare to Wataru’s Kiriko glass or kaleidoscopes.
The major difference lies in whether one has the noble’s consent or possesses and uses them without permission.
Though seemingly small, this difference is enormous.
If he had to use them, he wanted to be able to do so openly.
“This may sound rude, but if I were determined to obtain them and didn’t care about the means, I don’t think it would be difficult. But precisely because I have nothing to feel guilty about, I wish to obtain permission from none other than Lord Moye himself.”
“Fufufu, well said in my presence. Speaking so boldly is impressive. That resolve is splendid! I rarely grant permission to anyone but my subjects, but I shall make an exception for you.”
“Thank you!”
“However, misuse will be severely punished. Use it with caution. Understood?”
“I will take that to heart. I will never disregard Lord Moye’s kindness.”
“Umu.”
Wataru bowed deeply. Mariel and the others bowed alongside him.
It was nice to see such generosity from a man in response to Wataru’s feelings.
Considering Cloche’s activities in Japan, this permission was something he desperately wanted.
“Still, this alone is far from sufficient compensation. If you want an enchanted accessory, I could offer you something crafted in my territory. What do you say? Cash is also an option.”
“Please, an enchanted accessory!”
“Very well. I’ll have my subordinate bring a catalog. Adjust the amount from there.”
“Understood.”
“As I said before, if you come across anything rare, feel free to visit anytime. I’ll make time whenever possible.”
Moye picked up the Edo Kiriko glassware and smiled cheerfully.
He wasn’t squandering his territory’s wealth; he was making it prosper. His sense of balance was exceptional.
As the business talks concluded and it was time to take their leave, Moye brought up a topic.
“Speaking of which, spies were recently sent from the capital to gather intelligence regarding my newly granted territory.”
“One must know of any problems beforehand, after all.”
“Precisely. The previous magistrate of this land was sincere but apparently not very capable. I must personally take command and implement reforms.”
“That sounds quite demanding. For my part, I’d be delighted to see this land flourish.”
“Now, we come to the main point. The spy’s report highlighted two concerning matters. First, the presence of a formidable swordsman. Second, there are suspicions that goods are being smuggled out.”
“I see.”
As for Wataru, he merely responded with, “Hmm, being a lord seems tough,” or “Wow, there’s someone that powerful around here.”
His response showed little understanding and was extremely calm.
Moye watched Wataru’s expression for a moment, then suddenly smiled and softened his gaze.
Truthfully, Wataru had been suspected of being a criminal, but fortunately, the suspicion had been cleared.
Aire, who had shown just a hint of tension, let out a quiet sigh of relief.
“You’re wealthy, too, aren’t you? Be careful about crime. You can never be too careful.”
“Thank you. Thanks to Aire and the new employee, Cloche, I’ve become even more vigilant about safety than before.”
“Hm, that’s good. Well, then, that was a good meeting! Now, go finalize things with my subordinates.”
The price for the four pieces of Edo Kiriko glasswork was one thousand gold coins.
That amounted to approximately one billion yen.
The renewed negotiations with Moye were nothing short of a resounding success.
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“The place I’m going doesn’t welcome beastmen. I let them live there now, but they have to wear hats to hide their tails.”
I guess that sentence at the end is missing “and”.
“they have to wear hats and to hide their tails”
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Fixed, thank you
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