Manuke FPS

There were five rooms on the second floor of Blue Ocean Inn. Judging from the dots shown on the map, there are two rooms in use. The room just up the stairs and the room at the far end. The room I rented was the second one from the back, so the customer that the young man at the counter called “creepy” must be the customer at the back.

There were three dots in the room, and the sound sensor picked up their conversation――but what I heard was the innocuous impression of Big Ship. I had no intention of sleeping in the rented room anyway. Even if I was told not to cause trouble, the reality would be that there is no way to do so.

While thinking so, when I unlocked the door and went inside, I heard an inaudible voice that seemed to be a magic word from the next room――I couldn’t hear anything. The three dots were still there. But apparently they noticed that someone had entered the room next door thus they cast soundproofing or silence magic.

I didn’t know why they had to be so wary, but it has nothing to do with me.

After checking the time, I took out the transfer magic circle and the copy magic circle from my inventory and placed them in the room. As a reward for preventing the rebellion of Rafflesia, I was ostensibly given a large amount of reward. Behind the scenes, I also received two sets of transfer magic circles obtained by the Kingdom of Kurtmerga in subjugation of Mine Labyrinth, that is, magic circles for two round trip routes.

With this, I have obtained a total of four sets of magic circles. The route currently connected is between Amar to the capital and the Big Ship to Marida Company’s trade ship. From now on, I will connect the Labyrinth Island and the Big Ship, and save the last pair for emergencies.

When the preparations were complete, I boarded the transfer magic circle and teleported to the trading ship.

“You’re right on time.”

At the transfer destination, Malta-san was already waiting for me.

“Is that so? I thought it was a little early.”

Today was the day of the regular liaison meeting that had been decided in advance. I had set the date and time in case I arrived at Big Ship a little late, but I never thought that I would arrive at the last minute…

In the dimly lit hold, there was a transfer magic circle and a copy magic circle. A magic light lantern and tea set were placed on the wooden table. Malta-san, who was sitting on a chair, poured tea into a cup――I also sat on the opposite chair, and first took a sip while enjoying the fragrant aroma of tea.

Delicious――

“So, did you make it to the Big Ship safely?”

“Yeah, I was able to enter the city today”

“Today? Did you lose your bearings during the voyage, I wonder…?”

“Haha… at least I managed to get there.”

“What about the shop that I recommended?”

“I’ve visited there too. I was a little surprised by the proprietress, but she said that she can get everything I want, including the magic stones.”

“That’s good to hear. Sierra often uses womanly guile as a weapon during first meeting, but changes her attitude once she learns that the other person is trustworthy. I think it was necessary to thrive in a closed space city such as Big Ship, but I knew that such tricks wouldn’t work against Schwartz-san.”

Malta-san laughed merrily. I mean, he could’ve warned me about Sierra’s penchant. But, needless to say, Malta-san knew that it wouldn’t work for me.

I sipped my tea while feeling happy in my heart for the recognition that could be called trust.

“By the way, Ashley-sama was not able to come today due to urgent business, so it’s just going to be a letter this time.”

I received the thick sealed letter that Malta-san took out of his pocket. When I turned it over, I could see that it was stamped with the magic seal of the Zephanel family.

“Excuse me―”

When I opened the envelope and checked inside, there was indeed a letter written in Ashley’s handwriting. Starting with an apology for leaving Amar due to a sudden summons to the Royal Capital, my daily life since I set sail――she also wrote about the current situation with Chancellor Zephanel and Sharle, Prince Khan, Prince Ark, Anastasia and Lapitirica. ……As if incidentally, the article about Pig Lemon and the newly laid security situation was added.

The content of the letter was almost like a diary describing such daily life, but at the end was a written instruction to call Chancellor Bergman.

I can easily communicate with Chancellor Bergman by mobile phone, but it is not always possible to talk easily when we are in battle or in a meeting. For that reason, I decided to make a phone call at night to contact Chancellor Bergman.

Perhaps I’ll call him after the liaison meeting….

After reading the letter, I changed the topic to the recent report so that Malta-san didn’t need to wait for too long.

“Schwartz-san, this one is from『Daikokuya』, from Amy and Presera who are in charge of the shop while you are away. They are requesting to restock the products.”

“Already? The basement should be filled with enough inventory to last for a while.”

“After Prince Kilik’s rebellion, rumors spread among the aristocrats that Schwartz-san’s Daikokuya was the liaison of Spark. As a result, the number of customers seems to have increased at once.”

“Is the product that needs to be replenished related to cosmetics or hair tonics?”

“Of course, but it seems that the high-end furniture that was on display has also been sold.”

“Really?! The price for that was set quite high…”

“I only heard about this from Alm, who was on guard duty, but I don’t know if it’s true or not. It seems that King Asca came to the store incognito, and complimented the furniture he had purchased at that time.”

What the hell is the King doing――?!

“Since the castle was destroyed, most of the main rooms in the castle that is being rebuilt have Schwarz-san’s high-end furniture. Rather, they even told me to get in stock as soon as possible because there wasn’t enough…”

I couldn’t help thinking about it, but Daikokuya should continue to operate as a source of Spark clan’s funding. Even if I buy a large amount of magic stones in the future, if there is no clear source of funds from anyone, I will eventually reach a dead end.

In this transaction with Sierra, the existence of Daikokuya should serve as collateral that Schwarz is a reliable merchant.

“I understand. Can you please make some space here? If you can, I can take out the stock for replenishment.”

“You can unpack here. I’ll do the rest, including transporting to the Royal Capital.”

“Please do. Please subtract the fee from the profits Daikokuya earned.”

“Yes, I’ll do just that.”

Malta-san and I may be friends, and I am also a lifesaver for him. But, that is a different story. We are also cooperating with each other to make a profit as merchants.

Pay what you have to pay. That’s why we can consult each other without hesitation.

After finishing the regular liaison meeting with Malta-san, I first cleaned up the transfer magic circle and took out the interior furniture stored in the inventory until the hold was full. Beds and tableware were particularly requested.

However, there are not many beds in stock, and CP crystal points are required to replenish them. Since I’m going to attack the labyrinth island soon, I can’t afford to consume it. I moved to the captain’s room with Malta-san when the space was crowded with storage furniture, small items, and makeup shelves, which we have a lot of inventory.

“Well then, till the next regular report meeting.”

“Yes, the furniture will be transported to the capital soon.”

“Thank you. Well then――”

The magic circle that was previously laid out in the hold was laid out in the captain’s room, and I transferred back to the room of the inn in Big Ship.

When I returned to the room, the dots in the next room had disappeared. Must have gone somewhere.

“Just right, it’s about time.”

I took out my mobile phone and called Chancellor Bergman――

“It’s me”

“It’s Schwartz.”

Chancellor Bergman has become more proficient in using mobile phones――or rather, he has become accustomed to it.

“Oh, I’ve been waiting for you.”

“Ashley asked me to contact you, did anything happen?”

““Yet”… nothing has happened. However, Cortine, the Princess of Drak Kingdom, whom you supported from the Dragrange Margrave territory, is coming to the capital.”

“Coty? Don’t tell me…. Is she still going around as the Phantom Thief?”

Cortine, the seventeenth princess of Drak Kingdom. Rebelling against the slavery policy of the Drak Kingdom, she fled and hid in the Devil’s Mountains that was located on the border with the Kingdom of Kurtmerga with several slaves. After that, in order to continuously attract slaves who were suffering in Drak Kingdom and earn money for living expenses and smuggling into the Kingdom of Kurtmerga, she acted as a phantom thief Nekoyanagi based in the labyrinth created in the Devil Mountains.

Later, I subjugated the labyrinth, and had Coty build a hidden village in the Devil Mountains and dig magic stone, but…

“No, she followed the formal procedure and came to the meeting. I asked Ashley to come here about that, but I thought I’d tell you too――”

Coty went to meet the chancellor? Did something happen in the hidden village? Or――

“――Viceburn seems to have taken their next move. The Royal family of the Drak Kingdom has been issued an imperial decree, to transfer all the pedigree skill owners to the south.”