Chapter 51

“Esil, have you ever thought about getting a job with our mercenary company? I’ll give you the best treatment.”

Our company is recruiting talented individuals like you.

There are no four major social insurances, but we do have a comprehensive wage system.

The mercenary company needs a new overtime slave.

Won’t you join us?

At that, Esil looked at me as if I were ridiculous.

His face could roughly be interpreted as asking what kind of crazy talk that was.

“Mister, do you know what rumors are going around Fasa these days?”

“I’m not a mister. And what rumors are going around?”

“They say lighthouses aren’t needed at the port anymore. Because the mercenary company headquarters shines so brightly even on the dark sea, they can find their way in an instant.”

“That’s a groundless rumor.”

No, it was true.

Because I myself was becoming the light that illuminated that lighthouse!

Today, too, the lighthouse of Fasa, no, the mercenary company headquarters, was shining.

Sob, to think I was working overtime even after coming to another world.

Was working overtime really a Korean’s passive skill?

“I’m leaving.”

Having no intention of becoming the lighthouse that beautifully illuminated Fasa, Esil coldly rejected the offer and flew off somewhere.

He was a very smart fellow, as befitting a mage.

Left alone again, I tore open the envelope with a letter knife.

As expected, it was a letter from Zeta.

I began to decipher the coded message.

「To Mr. Leon Gryph. First, I express my gratitude for the large quantity of grain delivered to the Imperial Capital via the cargo ship last time. The current political situation in the Imperial Capital is very stable.」

You’re welcome.

It wasn’t given for free; I got paid for all of it.

Thanks to the cooperation of the Signori Family, transporting the grain was not difficult.

I moved on to the next sentence.

「The Empire is currently a giant cauldron of fire. Almost all lords have begun to take action. Bands of thieves have begun to appear around the Imperial Capital as well.」

It wasn’t that there were no people declaring neutrality or watching the situation, but it seemed the situation was precarious.

By repelling Duke Isak, I had slowed the pace of the Empire’s collapse, but that was as far as it went.

Ultimately, it was bound to hit a fundamental limit.

The end of that was the beginning of a new era, an age of turmoil.

I was filled with emotion.

“The game is finally beginning in earnest.”

For the past few months, I was proud to say that I had done my best to prepare to navigate the turbulent times.

Having bought this much time and laid the foundation, hadn’t I done as much as I could?

Though the price for it was great…….

I looked at the documents piled high on my desk and suddenly thought of the current situation.

The situation had become truly astounding.

The origins and races of the mercenary company members were all different, as if they had been gathered from who knows where.

An Imperial human, a Northern Hemisphere Snow Elf, a former Kobold pirate, a human merchant from Fasa, an Aquitaine half-elf, a Caledonian vampire, and even a Troll Knight from Aosta.

Now, if I just gathered a dwarf, an orc, and a goblin, the circus troupe would be complete.

I let out a chuckle at the absurd thought.

It was a thought with no chance of becoming a reality.

Perhaps that was why.

My thought came true in an unexpected way.

***

“The fleet has returned! The heroes have returned!”

“Long live the Fasa Free Company!”

“Aah! Mr. Gryph, look over here!”

It was the moment the mercenary fleet, having finished a countless number of expeditions, returned to Fasa.

The citizens of Fasa came out to the port themselves to welcome the returning warriors.

Getting off the ship, I waved my hand to the cheering citizens.

With continued success, my popularity in Fasa was soaring to no end.

The citizens regarded the mercenary company that fought pirates as the pride of Fasa and treated them like heroes.

Of course, not everyone was like that.

“Sir Leon Gryph!”

Randolfo, who had come to the port to meet the fleet, had a haggard complexion.

At a glance, it didn't feel like a welcome.

“Why on earth have you returned so late?”

“I ended the expedition early and returned early. Is there something wrong?”

“Of course! There’s just too much work! Captain Leandro returned yesterday, and I haven’t even finished processing his work yet!”

Randolfo screamed in despair.

The Golden Sea was a golden fishing ground where you could catch pirates just by casting a net.

On top of that, as the mercenary fleet was officially launched and began operating detached fleets centered around experienced captains, the workload increased proportionally.

In other words, the work of Randolfo, who was in charge of the mercenary company’s financial affairs, had become overwhelming.

Thanks to this, Randolfo, who had wanted to take revenge on the pirates even if it meant using his entire fortune, had completely dark-evolved.

“Matriarch Costanza seemed happy, though.”

“Of course she is! Mother doesn’t do the work herself. But I’m not her, am I? I’m going to die from overwork at this rate! I even had a nosebleed while working yesterday.”

“Treasurer Randolfo. I’ll be counting on you for this settlement as well. There’s a lot to process. There are many prisoners we’ve captured, and the cargo has to be put up for auction. Take care of your health and work hard.”

“Aargh!”

Randolfo screamed, but I ignored him.

I was sorry, but there was nothing I could do to help even if he whined.

I wanted to increase the personnel, but no one wanted to work in the office.

The reason was simple.

The founding of the mercenary company in Fasa was a project the entire city had thrown itself into.

All the available manpower had already been pulled in, so there was no one left to bring.

Furthermore, unlike in modern times, in this world full of the functionally illiterate, it was not easy to replenish the educated class.

But that wasn't what was on my mind right now.

I pointed at what had been bothering me for a while.

“By the way, what is that ship?”

A state-of-the-art five-banked war galley that I had never seen before was moored in the port.

It hadn't been launched from the shipyard while I was away.

Not only had there been no report of its completion, but the ship also had distinct signs of age.

Randolfo, having regained his composure, answered.

“Ah, that? That is the Levonan admiral’s flagship, the ‘Calcio’. It entered Fasa’s port yesterday afternoon.”

“From Levona? And you don’t know who’s on board?”

“I was too busy to find that out. I heard a diplomatic envoy has arrived, though.”

“A diplomatic envoy?”

I frowned.

Levona was a maritime power in northern Apennia.

What business would bring their diplomatic envoy here now?

Before I could think deeply about it, Randolfo spoke.

“Ah, speaking of which, my mother said she had something to tell you, Sir Gryph. You should probably pay her a visit.”

Matriarch Costanza?

What's this about?

Was she perhaps planning to increase her investment?

***

Matriarch Costanza greeted me in the garden with a wide smile on her face.

Lately, Matriarch Costanza had been spending happy days, regardless of whether her beloved youngest son was suffering from overwork.

Matriarch Costanza despised pirates.

But she was also a merchant to the bone.

So, instead of feeding the pirates to the pigeons in the sea or hanging them on the gallows, the Matriarch chose to create new added value from slave labor.

It was only natural that Matriarch Costanza was greatly satisfied with the beautiful sight of achieving revenge while increasing her wealth.

“Sir Gryph, I am very pleased to see you faithfully fulfilling your promise.”

“Not at all. Your joy is my joy. I only hope that the news I bring today will satisfy you.”

“Satisfied, indeed. I am more than satisfied.”

After spending some time pleasantly discussing the profits from this voyage, Matriarch Costanza looked at me with a suggestive gaze.

I grew slightly tense.

It was time for the real subject to come up.

It didn't seem to be about investment.

Was she perhaps going to tell me to stop overworking her son?

But things run smoothly only when your son is rolling up his sleeves.

However, the Matriarch brought up a different topic than I had expected.

“As far as I know, Sir Gryph is quite popular with the young ladies these days.”

“The benevolent citizens of Fasa have indeed been bestowing their affection upon me.”

That was right.

In proportion to my rising popularity, the number of young ladies wanting to jump into my bed was also increasing.

Thanks to Theo’s thorough protection, none of those attempts had ever succeeded.

Of course, I too was enduring my desires with desperate patience.

First, getting trapped after making a mistake was a problem, but it was also because there might be an assassin among them.

I recalled the trait I possessed.

「Novice Strategist

Your deception has reached a novice level.

─Intelligence +1

─A tracker will be attached: Increased risk of assassination

─Increased initial funds」

There was no telling when Duke Isak, who held a grudge against me, would notice my existence and send an assassin.

It was frustrating not being able to use this young body, but I thought a life without pleasure was better than leaving this world after enjoying irresponsible pleasure.

“That is quite a relief.”

“A relief?”

I was about to get slightly offended.

Matriarch Costanza suddenly changed the subject.

“Mr. Gryph, do you happen to have a marriage partner? A lady you’ve promised to be engaged to?”

“Sadly, I have no such person. To be honest, I’ve never received this much attention in my life, so I’m quite flustered.”

“Oh my, that’s only natural. Mr. Gryph, you are quite wealthy and young, so you’re the number one bachelor in Fasa.”

“You flatter me.”

“No. I sincerely regret that I only have sons. If I had a daughter, I would have made Mr. Gryph my son-in-law.”

“Haha.”

I laughed awkwardly and brought the coffee a maid had brought to my lips.

Right then, the bomb dropped.

“So, what do you think of my niece as a marriage partner for you, Mr. Gryph?”

“Pfft!”

I was so surprised that I spat out my coffee.

What in the world was this.

This was the build-up for this?

The system must have been surprised too, as Heart of Iron and Blood didn't even activate.

Instead, Theo silently handed me a handkerchief.

His eyes were pitiful, as if to say, ‘I would have done the same.’

“Oh my, was that such a surprising question?”

“It’s not that I was surprised, it’s just that I’ve never received such a question before. Yes.”

Matriarch Costanza’s eyes widened.

No, why are you looking at me like that?

Did you not know what you just said?

I never thought I would hear a marriage proposal here, something I had never even heard in my past life.

But from the look in her eyes, the Matriarch was serious.

I desperately made excuses.

“But I am a foreigner in this city……”

“What problem could there be in having a marriage with a promising young man?”

“Wouldn’t your family members object?”

“I’ve already brought it up, and they all approved.”

Matriarch Costanza tried to keep pushing.

But I had a reason to refuse the marriage.

“Thank you for your consideration, Matriarch, but, um, isn’t the age difference between your niece and me too great? Morally, it’s a bit, you know?”

But that child is only five years old, you know?

The last time I saw her, she was running around the garden trying to catch butterflies.

By the time she’s of marriageable age, I’ll be well over thirty, won't I?

But Matriarch Costanza just smiled.

“Don’t worry about the age. Ten years will pass in a flash, you know? I was twice as young as my husband. Besides, Sir Gryph will still be handsome then.”

The former head of the Signori Family.

He must have been a great man.

This is driving me crazy.

However, instead of meekly accepting, I performed a desperate evasive maneuver.

“Shouldn’t we hear what the person in question has to say about the marriage? Would she even understand what she’s doing?”

“Why is the opinion of the person in question important? Marriage is originally something decided between families.”

I see.

I feel like I understand the concept of marriage here, and yet I don't.

With the average medieval mindset, I already knew in my head that marriage was a political union between families.

Besides, when it was a game, marriage was something you could just do by considering the character’s concept or benefits.

But now that it was my own business in reality, I really didn't know what to do!

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