Western Continent Calendar, August 9, 2812 [to the Peninsula], Vol. 9:

It's going to be troublesome to make an enemy of them.

　Yan Oo's eyes narrowed when he heard the results of the meeting between Liang Zhen and Simone.
　It seems that Yan Oo has a high opinion of Simone for testing his master, Liangzhen.
　This won't happen if he is simply a person who only pledges his loyalty. Such a person, testing the Lord, is an ungrateful one! I tend to evaluate that, but as expected, no one in this place had that kind of attitude.

''Well, it's safe to say that there's no chance of her turning against us at the moment. As long as the Kristoff Chamber of Commerce chooses to remain in Ipyros, she desperately needs me. As the holder of Woltenia's sovereignty, I am the one who has the right to control the Woltenia peninsula but, even so, there's no telling when things might change. Old Man, just be careful.

''Very well ... but she has an impressive intelligence network ... probably using merchants?

It seems so. It's a very good idea to have a few business associations that have a long history of cooperation both at home and abroad. It's because of this that the pigeon is regularly sent back and forth from those places to exchange information.

It's the strength of a historical society of merchants, isn't it... to sort through the information you get that way and send someone to the site to find out the details?

Yeah, they're going to send a trading party to investigate. I want you to cooperate with Yan'o so please keep in mind that although you may be able to defend yourself, you're not a specialist in battle, as far as I've heard.

Then I will join them in supporting our Lord from the shadows.

　When it comes to using a large number of people to obtain extensive information, Simone and her team are better. But when it comes to torturing, stealing and rearranging, Geno's team is more specialized.
　If they can successfully combine their strengths, they can become a powerful intelligence organization.　
　Even Yan'o seems somewhat relieved to hear that their value will not be diminished.
　Normally, a gentle smile appeared on his face, which did not lose its cool expression.

I'm sure it's a good thing that the discussion is over, isn't it?　I was able to enlist the help of an elite intelligence unit in an unscheduled meeting. So we can let Kristoff & Co. do all the food shopping, right?　Boy.

No I don't intend to start doing business with Kristoff and Company any time soon at least.

'What?　What do you mean?　You said you wanted to talk to him to get the deal going, right?　If you won't do business with the Kristoff Company, where the hell are you going to get your supplies from?

　It was no wonder that Rionne was surprised.
　She had been seeking the Count's breathless Chamber of Commerce. And he had exchanged a promise of cooperation with the Kristoff Chamber of Commerce, which he had longed for. And yet, Ryoma would not do business with the Kristoff Chamber of Commerce.
　There are only nine merchant associations left in Ypiros.
　I've been told that there are nine merchant associations left in Iphiroth, but they are all affiliated with Count Salzberg's side.

It's not a good idea to have a good relationship with Christoph's company at this point in time. It will only irritate the Count, right?　

　At Ryouma's words, everyone had a look of agreement.

　For Count Salzberg, if Ryouma and the others did business with the Christoph Chamber of Commerce, which he hates, he would definitely feel threatened.
　Why would you deal with a chamber of commerce that's so hostile to you? Are you planning to attack me? It is not a good choice for Ryoma and his friends.
　It's not a choice that is very beneficial for Ryoma and the others.
　That's why, after assuring their cooperation, Ryoma and Simone decided to do business with the Mystor Chamber of Commerce and its affiliated stores without any regard for the pressure from the Count's side.
　In return, Ryoushin would pass on any information leaked from the Count's side to Simone, so that Simone would be prepared for the time when the Count would pressure Ryoushin in the near future.
　I'm sure that Count Salzberg, who insults Ryojin as an upstart, will provide various accommodations if Ryojin crawls in and asks for them.
　I'm sure you'll be able to find a solution to this problem.

''I see.......it's certainly safer that way.......''

Yeah, you're right.

　The two wise men of Liangzhen both approve of this story.

''Well, isn't that a very boyish plan?　Especially the part about using the Count as much as possible.

　Lyone laughed somewhere, teasingly saying so.
　Catch your opponent off guard and take care of them with a single blow. He emphasizes efficiency and doesn't waste time looking good. He's a person who can choose what would be called a cowardly method in the Earth world with an unconcerned look on his face.
　It's the most fearsome type of person you could ever make an enemy of.



　Saara turns her gaze anxiously to Ryoma.



So what are you going to do?

I won't lie to you. I went to the Count of Salzberg and asked him to buy some supplies for me, but he refused and I cried to him. He asked me to introduce you to the Mystor Trading Company.

　I didn't go to the Count from the beginning to ask him for help because I refrained from bothering him.
　The reason I visited the Christophe Trading Company at first was simply because the store looked bored.
　There, the purchase was refused, and when Ryoma found out about Ipyros' power relations, he hurriedly cried to the Count.
　It wasn't that they were trying to do business with the Kristoff Chamber of Commerce.
　They themselves have no intention of going against the Count's wishes........

　The image of the Count's character that he heard from Simone and Gen-Oh's were in line with the uncomfortable feeling he felt.
　The goodness of the Count's persona, who welcomed Ryojin the other day, is an act.
　He is arrogant, privileged, and condescending to others.
　Considering the Count's character, if Ryouma honestly cried to him, he would be filled with a sense of superiority and his thoughts would stop there.
　It would never occur to him that he would be deceived by Ryojin.

''I see.......so you even calculated the Count's character?''

As usual, the young man is formidable, Yasu...

　The two wise men sighed in a somewhat dumbfounded tone.

The only thing you need to do is to mix the truth with a lie to catch the count off guard and get his help. All that's left to do is suck on it until you don't need it anymore.

　As he said that, Ryouma gave a cold smile.
　It's a plan to get Count Salzberg to let his guard down. To fight the Count........


It's not so much the supplies that are needed as it is what to do with the people.

　Yan Ou made a troubled sound.
　The problem of hiring mercenaries and purchasing supplies was in sight for now.
　What remains is the problem of the residents.

''That or ... do you guys have any ideas?''

　To put it bluntly, this was a very headache.
　To begin with, it was difficult to get the residents to move to the city.
　Suppose we put up signs in neighboring villages and cities and asked for people who wanted to move to the area. But who would be willing to move to an uncivilized land like the Woltenia Peninsula?
　This is a land where powerful "monsters" roam, where sub-humans live, and where pirates have a stronghold.
　If the land has been developed to some extent, but it is a land that has not been touched at all. No one would wish for it to be a little bit of a tax break.
　Besides, there is already a big problem. These are the nobles who rule the original land.
　The people who pay the taxes are the commoners who live in their own fiefdoms. What would happen if those residents were to be moved? If the number of people who pay taxes decreases, the revenue coming into the nobility will decrease.
　They would either choose to complain to Lupis or use their powers.
　And no matter which one they choose, it's the end for Ryoma.
　Even if it's in the future, he's currently inferior to even the weakest nobles in the area.

　Everyone fell silent at Ryoma's words and sought a solution.
　While working with Ryoma, they, too, had learned something called an original idea.
　An idea that defies the common sense of the "Earth" world. That is the key to breaking down the current situation.

One.........it will cost a lot of money, but it will allow us to permanently increase the number of inhabitants in the future and we won't have to think about the backlash from the nobles.

　All eyes gather around Saara.
　Her words are quite convenient for Ryoma and the others right now. It's not too convenient. The fact that money can solve the problem means that it can only be decided on the basis of convenience for Ryoma and the others.
　You can get as many residents as the money will allow when you want them. What could be so convenient?

'There are a number of slavers who have set up shop in the back streets of this town. Why not buy labor slaves from them? Then we will only have to pay for the purchase of a slave. The legal arts aren't learned by ordinary people anyway, so we have to educate them ourselves. If that's the case, wouldn't it be much safer to buy slaves than to pull out residents from other noble territories and cause resentment?

　At Saara's words, everyone quickly compared the advantages and disadvantages.
　The first to break the silence was Gen Ou.

''Not bad........The only thing I'm concerned about is the possibility of the bought slaves revolting against the Lord Lord......''

I understand Lord Gen'o's concerns, but aren't they strictly financial to begin with?

Perhaps a labor slave can't fetch such a high price and if we buy them all at once, we can negotiate a discount and the money will do what it takes.

　If we buy in bulk at once, we can negotiate a discount on the amount per slave.
　If we decide to buy regularly in the future, the slavers will not be dismissive.
　It's not a bad deal by any means.

'But what about the rebellion?　If we can manage the money, will slaves really become Liangzhen's people?

That would be fine if we could trade it in for the emancipation of slavery, wouldn't it?

　Rionne turned a quizzical glance at Saara's words.

'Huh?　Are you saying you're going to pay me to buy a slave and free him?

''Yes. My sister and I were originally war slaves and Ryojin-sama freed us from slavery. We sisters are absolutely loyal and devoted to Ryojin-sama, but if we had remained slaves....

　He wouldn't have been as loyal as he was now.
　Everyone understood the rest of what Saara hadn't said.
　No one could ever be loyal to the Lord while a slave.
　They may fear and serve the whip, but only hatred and murderous intent swirl in their hearts.
　The only thing that swirls around in your mind is the hostility that you want to use to kill the Lord through an opening.

You're not going to be able to get away with it.

　Lyonne muttered in a somewhat convincing tone.
　Both she and Bortz wondered why the Malfist sisters had such strong loyalty and trust in Mikoshiba Ryoma.
(I see........slaves are things with lives. If a person is turned into a person by a thing, then of course you feel a debt of gratitude.......)
　Lyonne understands the life of a slave, the hardship and the humiliation.
　She is from a commoner's background. And there is a fine line between a commoner and a slave.
　Even if they can't pay their taxes or their country loses the war, the commoner can easily be sold off as a slave.
　What followed was a path of thorns that would trample on their dignity as human beings until they died.

''I see, liberating them from slavery will make them loyal to the Lord Lord and incite hostility against the nobility... not bad.

　The important thing is loyalty to the lord, Ryojin. Or, you could call it patriotism.
　With Ryojin, who was only an upstart, he would get something he could never have.
　As long as they didn't enforce a very foolish plan, the people who were freed from slavery would no longer disobey Ryojin.

''Fine ... saving people from slavery and benefiting me too ... not a bad choice. Tomorrow, I'm going to visit every slave shop in the city. Lola, come with me. Continue your search of Count Salzberg's neighborhood.　Mr. Lyonne, hire the mercenaries, and Boltz, continue to keep us informed on the peninsula!

　Everyone nodded at Ryouma's words.

　Ryoma hated the institution of slavery, treating people as objects, with all his heart.
　He believes that there is nothing more important than his own will.
　It's the same reason he hates Lupis.
　It was the result of wearing an identity as an umbrella and ignoring Ryoma's will.
　The oppressed Ryoma takes revenge on the oppressed slave by borrowing her power.
　Could there be a more exciting story than this one?
(Status system?　f*ck you!　I'm going to crush your hubris!

　On this day, the oppressed would gain a ray of light.
　The will that poured out of this room would soon engulf the entire western continent.