A Famous Traitor and Treacherous Genius

77 – Eve (4)

While the ground is being compacted, the arena is opened, and the knights are training their bodies one by one.

“Are you really going to include this in the festival?”

“Yes.”

I decided to introduce the games my father had at the orphanage to the festival.

“Demonstrations in the form of horseback fighting, throwing and hitting objects, and other various physical activities that took place at the orphanage. These are incorporated into the festival to make it like ‘gambling.'”

“And the currency for that…”

“This token is ‘Somnus Gold,’ a currency used only at festivals.”

I took out a round piece of wood with a somnus flower stuck in the middle.

“A special item worth 100 gold each as currency used at festivals.”

“…”

“Don’t worry. It’s just a game that is only meant to be used at festivals. Production has already begun and promotions are underway.”

“Yes. I know. The reason I called you today was…”

“Did Deacon Malcolm say something?”

“…”

The reason why my father called me while I was in the middle of preparing for the festival.

“You can tell it like it is.”

“He said, ‘You’re planning to spend this kind of budget on playing house?'”

“You’re telling it like it is.”

“Because Malcolm wouldn’t have said that directly in front of you.”

That is correct.

No one in the mansion can speak directly in front of me.

“I think you think everything will be successful with a good job at the orphanage, but the world is not that easy.”

Even if you say something, try to say it back as much as possible, and combining it and conveying it is also a refined statement that removes crude criticism.

“Gray. This is-“

“Is that so? According to what Sir Robert heard, ‘This b*stard Gray is trying to squander the earl’s wealth.'”

“…Who was it?”

“It’s too late to catch him and put him to death. Appropriate measures have already been taken. More than that.”

I lightly shrugged my shoulders, then picked up the Somnus Gold and shook it again.

“In the meantime, we need to see how this Somnus Gold is used.”

“Watching?”

“Yes. Currently, the territory of Gibraltar is crowded with merchants from abroad.”

A light festival is held in Gibraltar.

Although it is not a grand party attended by nobles, merchants cannot miss the festival, where night markets are held on the streets and all kinds of events are held.

“We already delivered the news to the neighboring territories on the day the festival was scheduled to be held.”

“Traders from Seville and Malaga already arrived in the morning and submitted commercial activity permits.”

Wherever there is a smell of money, merchants go anywhere.

“Malcolm was talking to them about the use and settlement of currency for this festival. Is this really okay?”

“I guess it’s because they’re worried that the Earl’s castle assets will be wasted. Deacon Malcolm, I really don’t have any loyalists.”

It’s not a sarcastic comment, it’s a sincere comment.

“All transactions held at the festival will be conducted with Somnus Gold, and the corresponding gold will be paid when the collected Somnus Gold is submitted to the Count’s Castle.”

My father places his hand on his forehead

“There are already dozens of pictures being drawn.”

“In what sense?”

“A picture for merchants to joke about.”

The father spread his three fingers.

“Inflating performance.”

“They will ask you to bring Somnus Gold, which is not what you actually got from selling the item, to settle the settlement.”

“Counterfeit currency.”

“Some of the merchants will cut pieces of wood and attach somnus flowers to them.”

“…Secretly using gold.”

“There’s no need to use this in the first place, you’ll just want to trade with real gold. It’s a hassle.”

In addition to this, there are various other shallow tricks of merchants –

“It seems like you would rather see something like that.”

“Yes.”

Rather, the desired sea.

“Aren’t you curious? How creatively humans will go to mischief to make their own profit.”

“Because it is not gold, you cannot be judged for committing a crime with it.”

“I know. I am willing to take the loss, and I will cover the money from my own pocket.”

“…I understand that they are trying to experiment with merchants, but what are they ultimately aiming for with this?”

My father tapped the plan I had submitted in front of him.

“Do you really think everything will turn out the way you expect?”

“Not everything. It’s not like I can read the future.”

“But at the bottom of this plan, you have written ‘every number of cases’ you can think of.”

“Yes.”

Based on his experience as the traitor Gray Margrave.

“If everything written in my father’s words happens, I will be able to prove myself to my father once again.”

I wrote down every possible number of cases that came to mind when merchants got into trouble with Gibraltar over this ‘fake currency’.

“And if there is an ingenious and creative way that I can’t think of.”

“I said you should keep people like that by your side.”

“Yes.”

Is there anyone who deviates from the number of cases?

One of the two.

“A being beyond the ideas of genius.”

A being beyond Gray’s long experience and accumulated data – a rare traitor.

“Or, a genius beyond the genius Gray.”

Or a being with a natural talent for commerce – different from mine, a special product of the Kingdom of Nostrum.

“The former is a criminal who deserves to be executed, but the latter is a hero who must be recruited.”

“Are you a commercial hero?”

“Isn’t it possible that such a being could appear? When the empire’s currency comes in and the entire country becomes indebted to the empire, a hero who can erase all those debts at once.”

“I didn’t know that ‘Heroism’ would come out of your mouth.”

“I’m just kidding. I’m just looking forward to it.”

I don’t believe in heroes.

Because all those heroes were killed by the emperor.

“You never know. You might throw a trap like Ethan Cesar and catch a big fish.”

“It’s really a fluke, your goal is the former.”

My father eventually took out the seal.

“Good. If there are bugs crawling under the bed, if they are the ones that bite people, there is no harm in exterminating them.”

Boom.

“Still, keep that in mind.”

My father gave his approval

“In the end, you will be treated like a fool, and the wildcats will call you…”

“You should know that I am a guy who is easy to take advantage of and approach me.”

“…”

“When a mosquito sucks human blood, it is as if it thinks of humans as dull giants who do not notice its presence.”

In fact, without noticing that a human was waiting with a lot of force on the area where the mosquito was sitting.

“The ones who are easier to deal with than those who cling to the stronger are the weaker who think they are smarter than the strong.”

All of this is both an investment and a bait.

“I am willing to dip my toes into the mud in order to find the parasites that cling to Gray Gibraltar and suck its blood.”

“…”

“You may dirty the house a little in the process, but that’s why you live separately, right?”

“Yes. People have been saying that I am a child that was given away thanks to the fact that I have been living separately at an orphanage for a long time.”

In reality, it is to divert attention from the two princesses.

In addition, it is for private training far away from my father.

“…Grey, that’s not what I want to say.”

“Does this seem like the immature behavior of a child?”

“…”

“Does it seem like a young child just ignores adults and pretends he is a genius?”

I know very well what people are evaluating about all these actions.

“It may be disappointing for those directly involved in the work to hear this, but that is probably why more stories are being told behind the scenes.”

“Grey.”

“What do you think, father?”

“…I think it’s not enough.”

My father opened his mouth heavily.

“In the end, you have to catch mosquitoes, but you can’t catch vampires.”

“Suddenly, it feels like the metaphor has become enormous.”

“If you jump into the sea with a net just because you caught a few minnows, you will become food for the kraken. Or you will be eaten by the shark.”

“…”

My father tilted his head, looking at where the box containing the musket had been placed.

“Will this really be enough to deal with the empire? I don’t know much about this, so I can’t help, so there’s nothing I can do other than trust and support…”

Even if my father believes in me, he has no choice but to listen to what the vassals around him say.

“They thought your actions were like playing house.”

“A 13-year-old child’s play house.”

“…That’s why I’m worried about you. You-“

“If you think I will be hurt, you are sorely mistaken.”

I am fine.

“It’s actually better. They’ll smell the blood flowing from the wound and come to you, and they’ll feel relieved as they continue to suck the blood.”

Such a reaction is also part of the plan, so it will be an appropriate smokescreen to further hide the truth.

“Not even knowing that the blood contained poison.”

“Grey.”

“Father, I think that’s what true poisoning is.”

It’s not about killing them in an instant.

“One day, when you become addicted to the point that you don’t even notice, you suddenly die.”

The moment when a small amount of poison overlaps and accumulates, and you can no longer use your hands.

“While immersed in a dream-like fantasy of his own making, he is not even aware that he is dying.”

Even if the quick-witted parasites managed to sneak away, it would already be too late.

“You will be trapped in a dream forever, and your real self will not even realize that you are dead.”

* * *

Late at night.

“Ah, it’s so noisy.”

Archen Gilarus, who was moving his feather pen quickly while relying on the light of the magic stone on which he had placed the light spell, suddenly became irritated by the sound outside the window.

“You’re interrupting this archmage’s concentration just to make a little money. It’s bitter…”

Outside the window.

Even though it was late at night, people were moving around busily.

The wooden pillars are firmly fixed to the ground to prevent them from falling, the tent is unfolded above, and the stalls are assembled below.

“Scumbags who spend all day selling goods for overpriced money and end up not earning more than my daily wage, how dare they waste my precious research time… Tsk tsk.”

I feel like I want to scream, but I can’t.

“This is an order from the Earl of Gibraltar! The merchants are to complete the installation work within an hour! If you make any noise this late in the evening, you will be arrested for noise pollution!”

“Your voice is louder, you low-ranking knight with a loud voice.”

Archen responded to the loud noise outside the window so that he could not be heard.

“Damn. How long do we have left now? 1 hour? Sigh. I’m going crazy.”

I know that the reason I came was actually because of the festival.

It was decided that not only the living expenses but also the transportation expenses would be supported by the Earl of Gibraltar rather than his own money, and he would even receive a bonus from the Duke of Morgania if he successfully completed the job. ＞

On the day of the festival, you can receive 5 million (+ bonus pay) by shooting firework magic into the night sky, so do not disturb the festival.

“Use… “

But this is difficult.

This idea and basic theory written on a piece of parchment could become a technology with a value that cannot be converted into numbers, not 5 million but 500 million.

“If it’s not a contract…”

Knock knock.

At that moment, a knocking sound was heard outside.

“…”

Archen hurriedly cleaned up his desk, then smiled wryly and stood up, heading towards the door.

Squeak.

“Oh, hello.”

When the door opened, a woman with slightly faded gray hair was waiting at the door with her basket of flowers.

“Gray hair, brown eyes… That’s right.”

“Thank you for the nomination…!”

Old commoner clothes that look awkward in a hotel.

However, there is something a little unusual about the woman with a pink scarf wrapped around her neck.

Only those in the know know what type of person they are.

“Um, uh… Gilarus…?”

“Okay.”

“Kko, this is Mayen, who came to sell flowers…”

“Come in.”

Gilarus licked his lips and brought Mayen inside.

Squeak, clank.

The door closed, and Gilarus placed his hand on Mayen’s waist and guided her toward the bed.

“First of all-“

Moment.

“Eup… ?!”

Mayen immediately attacked Archen from behind.

“Kuhhh, khuhhh…! Hey…! This kind of rough play wasn’t in the request, huh?!”

The moment Archen collapsed on the bed and tried to resist, his eyes widened as he felt something being shoved into his mouth.

“You won’t be able to use magic. If you resist, you will die.”

“Eup, eup…!”

Beyond the gray hair flowing down.

“As my limbs, you have to become my shadow tomorrow. To do that…”

“Eh, El… P-eup?!”

Pointy ears seemed to be passing by somewhere.

“Ha. Look at how he’s able to hold his own even though he’s a wizard. That’s not going to work. I wasn’t going to use this.”

Mayen pulled something out from between her cleavages, and she soon placed her clamp-like hands over her face.

“From now on, you will become my descendant.”

“Ugh, ugh!!”

The brown eyes of her slowly began to turn red.

“But as a human, I’ll give you a good experience before you die. Ah.”

Sarrr.

“It may all be a dream.”

As Mayen wiggled her fingers, white powder fell from her fingertips toward her nose.

* * *

The day of the festival has dawned.