“Oh my…! Well! This is just so adorable… What kind of tool is this?”
A repulsive man, talking like a woman, addressed me.
A guy with a short haircut and a mustache like Freddie Mercury’s was wriggling around, speaking in a feminine tone.
He’s practically a monster, but since there were plenty of people like this in America claiming to be part of the LGBT community, it wasn’t anything to be afraid of.
“It’s cutlery. A type of dishware.”
“Oh, really! This rounded knife has such elegance, I love it… Oh, excuse me. I’m Viscount Asman von Carpenter. Pleased to meet you!”
“Whether we get along or not depends on the money.”
“Oh my, I like that. Clear and straightforward, like a merchant. Makes negotiations easier.”
“I’m Damon von Howl. Pleased to meet you.”
An old guy, who looked like an athlete, came to talk.
“Uh-huh.”
“I heard about the magic you created… ‘Sound Move,’ through my son, and we’ve been testing it on our side. As a result, our army’s command has become much more efficient.”
“Ah, okay.”
“Your magic is quite powerful. If you don’t mind, could you teach me more? Of course, I’ll pay you.”
“Maybe when I have free time.”
“I’m Count Conan von Colland. A pleasure, Lord Xanadu.”
A person approached, but I couldn’t tell if they were a man or a woman.
No, probably a man.
Their voice was deep.
“Yo.”
“I do a bit of a tricky job… Lately, thanks to you, it’s been much easier. I wanted to personally thank you.”
Oh?
Well, judging by the way they carry themselves, they must have some skills related to espionage or something like that.
They’re incredibly skilled with makeup, their voice is flat and leaves no impression, and they reduce their footsteps to a minimum.
“Hmm, is it about the assassin guild? You’re in that line of work, right?”
“…I’m surprised. It’s the first time anyone’s figured it out just by looking at me… Well, I can’t go into detail, but yes, my family’s been in that business for generations. Anyway, thanks to you, the troublesome assassin and thief guilds are gone. I’m really grateful.”
“Ah, I see.”
Why do I have to talk to these old guys?
I half-heartedly brush off the conversations while devouring my food.
Ah, it’s delicious.
Magic is the power of information.
Lost magic power can only be restored by absorbing magic.
However, the magic in food is limited.
That means mages have to increase their food intake.
…On the other hand, since I can generate “pure magic power” through my magic, I don’t actually need to eat or drink anymore.
But since I like eating, I do it anyway.
“This food is really delicious, though! Where’s it from?”
The viscount, who talks like a woman, asked.
“Oh, it’s food from my hometown.”
“From your hometown? What do you mean by that?”
“When I was a kid, I traveled the world out of boredom. I found some crops on a distant continent, cleared out some forest land near my estate to cultivate them, came up with new cooking methods, and passed it on to my younger brother as local cuisine.”
“…Wait, Exus, you can do land clearing too? Is there some magic for that?”
“I just blew away the trees and monsters, altered the soil, and planted the seeds.”
“You’re saying that so casually, but every noble would kill for that skill…”
“It’s not a huge farm, though. Just about the size of three of these castles.”
“Wow, that’s a major agricultural area…”
Not really, though…
I’m only growing enough potatoes and corn for personal use.
“If you switch the villagers’ main diet to new crops like potatoes and corn, you can sell all the wheat as a commercial crop. The profits will just multiply, but it’s not that big a deal.”
“Hah! If that’s not a ‘big deal,’ what else have you done?”
“Nothing significant, really. I’ve just been producing commercial crops that yield oil, trees with extremely high growth rates, figuring out ways to ensure a stable supply of honey, and cultivating crops that produce sugar. But yeah, it’s nothing major.”
“…You realize what you’re saying, don’t you?”
“Who knows? What could you be referring to?”
Surely not!
There’s no way I’m treating my beloved younger brother and his estate as just one of my useful minions, right?
There’s no way I’m keeping them as a convenient card to use whenever it suits me!!!
But… you know?
If I sent a letter to my brother saying, “Help Mr. So-and-so,” I could totally rack up a huge favor from Mr. So-and-so, couldn’t I?
Since my brother’s already brainwashed, he’ll follow whatever I say!
…There’s no way I’d help anyone purely out of goodwill, just because they’re family, right?
“Seriously, who was it that spread rumors about you being some crazy person who can’t negotiate…? You’re much shrewder than most merchants.”
The viscount said, stroking his cleft chin beard.
“Hmm, a letter of introduction to my brother? Three hundred gold coins!”
“Oh, that’s something I can’t ignore. If it benefits my territory, I’ll definitely consider it.”
“Uh, excuse me, can I get in on this too? I still have to feed my people… Lately, the ‘underground’ business has been getting overlooked…”
“Ehhh???? What should I do???”
Man… even if it’s an old guy, it still feels good when they’re being humble to me…
“Okay! Then three hundred fifty gold coins and a letter of introduction to the artists in my domain, and we have a deal!”
“Sure, that sounds good.”
“Are you interested in art? Your games are pretty artistic, after all…”
“Ah, yeah, I’m thinking about expanding into media mix.”
“Media mix…? Is that another new business idea? Tell me more!”
“Well, it’s just about turning the game’s story into books or plays, and making game-related merchandise…”
“Wha—?! That’s amazing! That’ll make tons of money! Let me in on it! Please!”
“Ehhh???? What should I doooo????”
And just like that, I enjoyed the party.
…Oh?
Meeting kids my age?
Nah, that sounds like a pain.
