Chapter 56

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 56

Chapter Title: Why the Marchioness Wants Cheap Labor from the Ilamena Federation

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Why does the Marchioness want to hire cheap labor through the Ilamena Federation?

That was obvious.

‘It’s probably because of the chronic problem plaguing the Embros Merchant House.’

In the past, once word spread that the Embros Merchant House was raking in fortunes from their delivery business, they became the number one target for bandits, no matter the land or sea routes.

Precisely, for robbers.

With compensation for lost goods set at such high rates, the risks could only escalate.

It was already common knowledge in Salt that the labor costs for security were starting to eat into their profits.

So naturally! The head of the Embros Merchant House would be scrambling to cut those costs somehow.

‘And nothing beats the Federation’s manpower for that.’

Having already used them for dam construction in the duchy, I knew full well how crucial the Ilamena Federation’s freely border-crossing workforce was to running a merchant operation.

Still, the reason the Ilamena Federation and Embros hadn’t linked up yet was...

‘Nowadays, they don’t form connections easily unless through proper introductions. Especially not with people from the Empire.’

The Kletan Empire was the undisputed superpower lording over the entire continent, its influence rippling across neighboring nations—so under normal circumstances, they wouldn’t need outside help.

But as the Embros Merchant House ballooned in size, their logistics ventures pushed into corners even the Empire’s reach couldn’t easily touch. That changed everything.

However, that was just their problem.

The tightly knit small nations didn’t trade lightly with Imperial folk.

Particularly Count Golbro’s house in the Ilamena Federation—they were notoriously hard to approach.

They clung to such a closed-door policy that they wouldn’t even meet anyone who hadn’t been vouched for by a long-trusted partner.

‘From the Marchioness’s perspective, she had no choice but to take my proposal.’

Rustle.

The sensation of evenly grown grass tickling my ankles came with my arrival at the palace’s main garden.

“...Still, it worked out well.”

“What worked out well?”

The voice hit just as I was about to step inside the garden, freezing me solid.

I knew the owner without needing to check.

‘This isn’t even a forbidden garden, so why...?’

No matter how aimlessly I’d wandered, unconsciously steering clear of that one direction from last time—it had all been for nothing.

But I couldn’t afford to stall any longer.

“P-Prin... Crown Prince?”

“Skip the cumbersome formalities.”

I froze midway through my hasty bow, locking eyes with his golden gaze as he raised a hand to stop me.

“A few days ago... I was terribly rude.”

After a brief silence, a lame apology tumbled from my lips.

His eyes showed no particular malice.

Besides, thinking back on that last tea time, from his standpoint, he’d already shown me plenty of favor.

“No, it’s fine. Though I didn’t expect a lady to wander into my domain.”

“I just... got lost somehow...”

“Hmm, is that right?”

Raiden stroked his chin with straight fingers, leaning toward me.

The distance shrank, carrying a faint woody cologne scent.

His gaze flowed smoothly over my form once, and soon an unexpected question followed.

“So, which is the real you?”

“...Pardon?”

“My dear Duke of Brail painted you as a total social misfit, yet here you are, perfectly composed.”

Oh no!

Belatedly recalling how the duke had described me at that last tea time.

“She has such a rigid worldview that her ideas are hard for ordinary people to grasp.”

“Having secluded herself without even debuting in society, she’s utterly ignorant of etiquette.”

I hastily slouched my impeccably proper posture into something sloppy.

“Heh, hehe...”

And started giggling awkwardly.

But the moment my eyes met his, oddly curved in amusement, the urge to stop hit me hard.

Please, just my imagination. Please!

“You’re late.”

But as always, my suspicions proved spot on.

Pretending not to notice things spiraling out of control, I awkwardly echoed him.

“Wh-what do you mean...?”

Watching my desperate flailing with leisurely amusement, the crown prince replied in a languid tone.

“I’m quite generous to capable people, so I’d prefer you not get preemptively uncomfortable.”

“Pardon?”

“No need for the strange act.”

“Oh, I...”

Sigh.

Taking a steadying breath, I forced the most even tone I could muster and added,

“...I am a social misfit. Even now, I’m utterly terrified of committing some blunder before Your Highness.”

“Hmmm.”

But this infuriatingly shrewd Raiden brushed off my bold, unhinged declaration without batting an eye.

He even wore an expression like he’d stumbled on something endlessly entertaining.

‘Stay like this, and I’ll get completely ensnared.’

With no duke here to play shield like last time, my only option was to bolt from this spot as fast as possible.

“Then I’ll be going.”

“Wait.”

Caught after all.

Forcing my rigidly turned head to swivel back, I saw Raiden standing stock-still, smiling softly.

“Come to think of it, you’re heading back to the duchy soon?”

“Ah, yes. That’s right.”

“Were you originally staying at the ducal residence?”

“Yes.”

“So no thoughts of staying on at the palace?”

“Y-yes...?”

Just nodding frantically to defuse the situation, his smoothly probing follow-up left my mouth agape.

As if he’d anticipated my reaction, he kindly unpacked the loaded question.

“Don’t you need to produce and distribute those thermoses? The palace would be far more advantageous than being stuck away in the remote Brail Duchy.”

“......”

“Plus, my mother holds you in such special regard. This could be your chance to become a royal companion.”

How about it? Tempted?

His utterly confident pitch all but screamed, ‘You can’t turn this down.’

But his offer didn’t end there.

“And staying here, you could find a fine husband under good terms. The palace sees plenty of promising young men.”

Yet I couldn’t muster the reaction he wanted.

Because...

‘It reeks of suspicion!’

What had just come from Raiden’s mouth were offers anyone would kill for once in a lifetime.

If I were truly some unimportant collateral Brail lady, I’d have latched on desperately—but alas.

“I must humbly decline, Your Highness.”

I turned fully to face Raiden, taking in his brilliant golden eyes clearly.

“I’m afraid that won’t be possible.”

“...Won’t be possible?”

The tone carried a hint of dare you defy me outright?

Undaunted, I launched into my somber excuse.

“Yes, it’s difficult. The truth is, I...”

Before continuing, a fleeting sense of relief washed over me.

“...have quite a lot of debt.”

“Debt... a lot?”

“Somehow... I ended up owing the Duke of Brail an absolutely massive sum. The kind where marriage is out of the question...”

The duke having framed me as a social misfit.