Kuro no Senki

Episode 7: Hands Modified

Really, it's no longer a lady's hand, and I... Elena Grafias stared at her dirty hand with ink.

The pencil is on my finger, and the ink is getting between my nails.

If I washed it, 90% of the way would fall off, but the ink in between my nails didn't, and at some point, this got normalized.

Looking at my own hands, I was remembering Faye's conversation.

What we talked about... I don't know what to say, Night Game.

There was a lot going on at the southern border, and Faye became his woman.

On several occasions, within doing night games, Faye seemed to feel inferior as a woman, feeling her hands ungirly.

I think it's weird for me to treat Faye over twenty as a 'girl', but still, after all, Faye is a 'girl'.

I think this is because Faye has recently become aware of herself as a woman.

Is that why I feel 'girly' in my usual standing behavior, or colorful in my shame?

Perhaps Faye would instantly reply that he could be proud if asked about his hand.

What about me?

When asked if I could boast of my dirty hands with this ink... I don't think I can answer instantly.

"... it's hard to work though"

Phew, and I exhaled a long sigh.

When a sitting job is held for a long time even in the main, it drains considerably.

Some standing jobs are unfamiliar with tax payment times, so I feel that the degree of wear and tear is intense.

The job of the clerk, including me, is to see if there are any differences between the figures on the books and the real numbers.

Crops collected from villages in the territory, the cost of crops received from merchants, other taxes and carry-overs, etc.

It's easy to put it in words, but in the case of a nobleman with a large territory like Master Chrono, that's all that's hard work. Besides being chronically understaffed, work runs out of harsh words.

Fuck it, 'I was wrong' is unacceptable.

I've only worked under Master Chrono, but I guess affairs, including the accounting I'm in charge of, is a job that requires no fallacy.

That's the kind of job, but he seems to appreciate it a lot. My salary went up from last year.

Well, it's something I can say to the salary of everyone who works at the Marquis Mansion, not just me.

Now I have twenty-seven gold coins at my disposal.

He bought me for twenty gold coins... so I should be able to buy back my freedom (me), maybe.

But do I need that? I also think.

At least since he bought me out, I haven't been forced to be unfettered.

I don't think I'm forcing you to disable the situation right now, motherfucker.

Next time, let me ask you something. and I just slowed my pace a little.

Rethink that buying yourself back has no place to go.

Master Krono will not cooperate in trying to avenge you.

I can't put my life at risk for nothing more than to kill Phillip and the others with my own hands, to find that I have no talent for witchcraft or swordsmanship.

Philip knows I'm alive.

You must be assuming that you are spoiled as a sex slave.

Philip would be frightened if Master Chrono became a great influence... even his uncle would be frightened when he would be avenged.

I don't care if you say you don't want to eat it, but that's about as much revenge as I can get right now.

I went into my room and grabbed the stick I stood near the door, feeling uncomfortable.

And wiggle the stick like a glue and circle.

Changing places and repeating over and over again,

"Ouch!

A shock came through the stick of the tree and someone screamed.

I shook up the stick and shook it down again and again.

"Ouch, it hurts!

Gugnali and air distort, and Master Chrono shows up from a space where there was nothing.

He was hiding in my room under the spell of the Kaiyang Corridor.

"How?

"I just wielded a stick."

The Kaiyang Corridor is a witchcraft with the dumb flaw that the hidden person will also no longer know what's going on around him, and a master like Faye will have his place breached with a word of 'investigation', and even if he's just swinging the stick appropriately like he is now, he can hit it.

"I could have used it against an amateur vigilante."

Master Chrono shrugged smudgingly, but he's done the same thing over and over again, so I'll work out as much countermeasures as I do.

Conversely, if we don't repeat it over and over again, we wouldn't have been able to work out countermeasures, so if we tried to make someone who didn't know about the existence of the Kaiyang corridor, it would be a threat.

"Hit me a little more gently."

Master Chrono lowered his hips deep into the bed deliberately rubbing his head.

I sighed deeply because I could read the next development.

"You know, I'm tired."

Now I want to rest anyway.

Plus, keep going.

"How's work going?

"Good, good."

I briefly reported my income and expenditure.

Firstly, income...... 43 thousand seven hundred forty-two gold coins and ten silver coins carried over.

The income is 67,500 gold coins from Marquis Elakis territory and 5,000 gold coins from Count Cado territory.

Twelve thousand gold coins for the head tax on slave traders and two thousand and four hundred gold coins for the harbor royalties in two months.

In total, one hundred and twenty-three thousand eight hundred and ninety-two gold coins and ten silver coins.

Expenditure was varied, but thirty-seven thousand seven hundred and fifty-seven pieces of gold.

"You're not using it for what it's worth. Then I'd like to reward my men."

"You should stop that. If they think you're privatizing a loaned soldier, your neck will fly physically."

This guy surrounds many mistresses and he's a pervert who says he wants to see my disgusting face, but given the war effort he's put up and where he stands now, there may be some eye spills.

Well, I can't deny the possibility of being judged to crush it before it gets out of hand in earnest.

"What do you send in the name of a lump sum to the families of wounded or dead soldiers?

"I don't think you can blame me for that, maybe."

How long ago? I didn't think this guy was fatally suited to the commander.

This guy has a family for every soldier, and it feels too strong to have a life.

If this guy was just a lord, if he was in a position to focus on running the territory, it could have been a virtue.

But he's a lord and a commander at the same time.

I'm in a position to have to divide a person's... subordinate's death by a number.

Because I can't do that, this guy suffers.

I try to reward my men at all.

And my men pledge more loyalty to this guy.

"... then make arrangements"

"Huh?"

"You're tired, aren't you?

"Well, yeah, but"

"I'm tired, too."

When I was in my mouth, Master Krono left the room.

I was left alone... and I slept unfaithfully.

The next afternoon, when I went to the office with the reports of the three books, Master Chrono was gracefully drinking incense tea as if he had let the job slip.

"… is the official version of the revenue and expenditure report. Forty-three thousand seven hundred forty-two gold coins and ten silver coins"

I walk over and show a copy of the report… the documents that I have compiled on my spending from last October to this September.

Master Chrono leans over the edge of his desk with incense tea and stares at the report.

"I was going to spend quite a bit on the cost of war or investing in Mr. Elaine."

"The purchase of slaves is missing."

It was not in the draft budget for these three things.

However, given what this guy was trying to do, I also think it was woven.

"The revenues...... tax revenues from the Marquis of Elakis increased slightly over last year to 67,500 gold coins, 5,000 gold coins for the Count Cado, 12,000 gold coins from slave traders, and 2,400 gold coins in two months for harbour royalties"

Elena punctuates words there.

"Together with the carry-overs, there are one hundred and twenty-three thousand eight hundred and ninety-two gold coins and ten silver coins. It's a paper shop... this one's doing fine."

Elena overlaps revenue and expenditure reports for the paper workshop.

"110,000 sheets of paper per month, 55 gold coins for sales, 33 gold coins for profit minus labor costs… year after year, 396 gold coins for profit."

"In a year, you'll be able to recover the amount you invested."

"The ingredients you were worried about are going to work out."

By this time last year, I was worried that this guy would run out of trees that would be raw materials for paper, but with the acquisition of Count Cado territory, it looks fine for a while.

In the first place, tree branches that become paper ingredients grow even when cut.

"... next I want to develop a street that connects the Marquis of Elakis with the Count of Cado, I want to pioneer, I want to build a school... my dreams will spread."

"Get more affairs before then, get more affairs."

I know it's not as easy as saying it with my mouth, but I went in.

I guess if you're an old nobleman, you can gather competent and trustworthy talent from relatives, but in this case, you only have enough options to grow your own, pile up your own money and pull it out of somewhere, buy a slave like me.

The choice to raise is also crooked...... Leila the half elf, for example.

Perhaps Leila will leave the army as soon as Master Krono says so and engage in clerical work.

However, if you do that, you come in the way of policing.

"You have to build a deputy office in Count Cad's territory."

"If you get busier than you are now, you'll have a dead man in the boulder."

"Around there, I sent a letter to my father and Olt, asking Dr. Weissman to get in touch with Tilia and the ex-ministerial corps, too."

The more vividly he vomited an otherwise forceful dialogue, Master Chrono stood up.

"Are you going out?

"To the 'union' and the asylum. You want Elena to come, too?

"If you can explain it properly to others. I don't want them to think I'm skipping."

For once, I am responsible for accounting in general, but there are nine other clerks.

Westa should count to ten, too.

"Of course, I'll root it out."

"Then it's good. I'm gonna wash my hands, so wait."

"Can't we just wait outside?

"No."

When I looked up at Sinner Trade Union II and asked, Master Krono immediately rejected my proposal.

"I hate him."

"That's what they think."

So I guess you don't want to see me! And I shouted in my heart, but Master Krono took my hand and went to the 'Sinner Trade Union' store II.

"... heh, you're thriving"

I missed and distanced myself from seeing that woman, but the 'Sinner Trade Union' II seemed to flourish.

The main thing we deal with is clothing.

I remember hearing that they also handle spices... I'm sure they even sell spices wholesale in store number one.

There is no store number three.

"Oh, I wish you'd called me"

"I was wondering if it would be quicker to go on your own"

Who? That woman... was what it was like to see Elaine Sinner.

Makeup is modest, and exposure is low.

Even my hair is just stuffed.

"Did you even come to buy that kid's clothes?

"... you're not going to sell clothes to slaves, are you?

Elaine smiled tenderly.

Maybe for commercial use.

"No way, I'll sell it to anyone if you pay me."

"Then I'll come on a day without you"

"You're welcome, other than me."

When I finished saying I hated him, Master Chrono looked like he was frightened.

"What can I do for you today?

"A little bit about Count Cad's territory."

"Let's go up."

Elaine leads me to the reception room upstairs.

It's just a simple reception room with a couch and a table, but it's well cleaned and feels good.

Master Chrono lowered his hips deeply on the couch, and I sat shallow.

Elaine narrowed her eyes just a little and sat face to face with Master Chrono.

"I've decided to set up a deputy office in Silva Harbor, Count Cado territory."

Yeah, I'm listening.

He decided to set up a deputy office in Silva Harbor, Count Cado territory... when he spoke to the Alliance Master of the Mercenary Guild.

It is not Marquis Elakis territory because the port of Silva is the hub of logistics.

Pack it up in Silva Harbor, from where the merchants carry the load on their respective routes.

"If you need manpower, I'll introduce you to a whore who's thinking about retiring, okay?

"You know what? There's no way I can take that suggestion."

As I said, Elaine leaned her neck strangely.

Wow, I'm angry.

"I wonder why?

"Because I don't trust you. It's about you, so you're going to buy inside information and use it for business."

"... considering when you found out, you don't want to do it."

If the return outweighs the risk, we're gonna do it, this guy.

But I want you to think about it.

"You're persistent."

"Something responsible. Once you say no, you won't be able to pull back."

Elaine looked at me with serious eyes.

A little, barometric pressure.

"Some kids can be independent or fit into a rich mistress, but only some people can get lucky. When I get older, I get worse customers, and when I can't make any more money, I just have to retire."

"Is it hard to stay as an educator or hire in a 'union'?

Lady Chrono said, Elaine sighed deeply.

"That's all there is to it."

"Well, sure"

Master Chrono put his arms together to think about it.

"... If I were to hire you, would you be a teacher?

They think you took my word for it.

But as a teacher, I don't have many opportunities to access information that is difficult to be known or used, and if I create a stuffing for teachers outside the Marquis Mansion, I can curb that possibility.

"Dr. Weissman was introduced by focusing on management and cadet education... eh"

"You're a former whore, a former whore."

"It feels like former whores are taught to read and write letters and calculate."

I nodded that I would divide it into two stages: foundation and specialty.

"Is it good to think you'll hire me?

"It's still under consideration."

"Enough."

Elaine stroked her chest down to say that her shoulder load had dropped just a little.

"I'll get back to it, but you're deciding who to appoint as deputy?

"I'm going to leave it to Kane."

Hey, and I smacked Master Chrono's side with my elbow.

"It hurts."

How come it's not Faye... is this?

The bureau makes it to prevent merchant and mercenary trouble, so Kane, who has experience as a mercenary, is the right man.

"Oh, can I say that?

"I won't be in trouble."

Well, if you find out, you won't lose it.

"I have plans, now"

"Yeah, I'm glad we have a specific decision on the school by the next time we meet."

Elaine dropped me off and I went outside, and now I walk out towards the asylum.

Why did this guy bring me here?

Uh-huh, this is what I'm gonna do, so does that mean I'm gonna be ready?

With that in mind, I went to a poverty alleviation halfway between the commercial and residential districts.

"What about Mr. Theon?

"Oh, the Dean would be up there."

When Master Chrono asked, the woman at the entrance pointed up.

"May I come in?

"The lord is offering money, don't you need to say no?

"Courtesy, courtesy."

"Right."

The woman laughed at Kerakera about what was funny.

When I went into the sanitary home, it was as well cleaned every corner as it was last year.

Up the stairs, in the dean's room at the penetration upstairs...... Master Chrono stops and knocks on the door.

"... go ahead"

"Hi, long time no see"

When Master Chrono entered, Theon, the priest of the "Temple of the Loess", greeted him with a soft grin.

"Master Chrono, please wait while I brew incense tea"

"You didn't make incense tea for me then, did you?

When I went in, Theon had a full grin.

"Master Krono... please make a large donation"

"It's a tough world for a cleric to change his response with money."

Master Chrono sits down on the couch in the corner of the room, and I will imitate it.

I thought I was going to make some tea, but Scion poured incense tea from a pot in the corner of the room into the cup.

"Yes, Master Chrono"

……

I said Master Chrono, but for once, my share was also available.

Besides, it doesn't seem like they treat me funny.

"How's the sanatorium going?

"Half of them left because of the paper shop."

When Master Chrono asked, Theon said satisfactorily.

"The main thing now is to take care of people who are ill and children."

People who can work are good offices at the paper factory, and they will, won't they?

"What about Clover?

"... why, the cow has a reputation for growing up fast, and, uh, he said he's getting good milk out too"

"It was to restore the local power of the field, is it good with delightful miscalculation?

Master Chrono looked up at the ceiling and whined confused.

"We're going to be able to make a lot of cheese, so it would be nice to think it contributed to boosting rural incomes"

"If I could see the effect of restoring the field's local power, I would sprinkle clovers across the territory on fallow land...... wouldn't the cheese collapse?

"You can go sell it to another territory or export it to a group of free city states."

Don't you get tired of this guy just worrying?

"Well, we'll think about the cheese collapse later. What about the beat?

"Oh, yes, the beat is in harvest. The fields south of Hachel are about fifty times the size of the temple."

"... two and a half tons of sugar? Two thousand and five hundred gold coins for one kilogram and one gold coin at the end price. Expand the southern fields for a steady income."

Is this guy thinking of a way to distribute it?

"If you expand the field any further, I'm not the only one"

With that said, it's the temple with you that's understaffed, isn't it?

Theon tours the countryside all by himself.

"More donations, more clerics?

"Oh, it's not about that money, it's about faith"

Though I know it's intelligent, even the temple has to maintain its organization... In other words, there are only priests in the Marquis of Elakis right now because Master Krono's predecessor was an asshole.

"How many can you send a cleric?

"Oh, uh, Master Chrono, if you could put some more clothes on your teeth,"

"About six thousand gold coins?

Theon dropped into a dialogue that had no shards of faith.

I was about to hear that noise.

"Niyanya, I'm sick of laughing."

"I hope you tell me you're smiling."

On the way home from the Sanatorium, Master Chrono answered, holding his mouth back.

"So, what's so fun?"

"Are you happier than I say it's fun?

What? And I follow Master Chrono half a step behind.

"Aren't Elena happy?

"So what?

A carriage of horses that passes the road quite often, a voice of attraction heard from afar, an appetizing smell.

A middle-aged woman enters into an undaunted conversation on the side of the road, with the kids running right through the neighborhood.

"When I... just became lord, it wasn't as busy as it is now."

"Well, there was no harbor, and I was taxed like an idiot"

I feel like there were all kinds of taxes that could not be translated.

"In a narrow alley with a stray boy and a street hooker... Leila was losing weight in a malnourished mood, and the minnows felt like they were not hairy."

I don't know when Layla was losing weight to malnutrition.

So I can't return the answer this guy wants.

"I'm glad to see the results."

"You're not alone, though."

"Well, yeah."

Did I piss you off? And with a little anxiety, I follow Master Chrono.

"So, thank you"

"... Huh!

My chest bursts into a gentle voice.

"Oh, because I'm not the only one"

"Thanks to everyone, including Elena"

I saw my hand.