| Author: Shizuku | Original Source: Syosetu | Word Count: 2563 characters |
| Translator: Nomad | English Source: Re:Library | Word Count: 1114 words |
| Editor(s): Robinxen | ||
Some days after the Rufu incident had wrapped up, Charlotte was formally appointed by her father as the head of the relief efforts, and was gathered with a number of nobles in Duke Pynemo’s mansion.
“Our acquisition of relief supplies and help for the victims are on the uptake. That’s all thanks to your swift and early response, so you have my heartfelt gratitude.”
“What are you saying, I merely fulfilled my duty as one of Seperion’s viscounts. It’s what I had to do.”
“I concur with Lord Feullade. We’re just fulfilling our obligations.”
As Charlotte bowed reverentially, Godwin and Otis who were sitting in front of her just waved it off with a smile.
There were both commoners and nobles amongst the victims, and while it was their duty to upkeep peace, they had clearly responded proactively to end the incident sooner, and then joined Charlotte’s rescue efforts.
Even if Charlotte was the next in line for the Pynemo family, she was still a student, so it was hard to say whether she would have been able to produce such positive results without their help.
“But it wasn’t just us, we also had a lot of help from the common folk. Especially from merchant companies, who provided supplies free of charge. I made sure to repay them properly afterward though.”
As Otis said, they had obtained plenty of help from various merchant companies, who provided medical supplies, food, and clothing. The Nekome Store was one of those companies as well.
“That’s true, they were also a great help.”
Charlotte, Otis, and Godwin knew that those companies were not simply helping out of the goodness of their hearts. They likely expected proper compensation once things went back to normal, while also improving their image greatly amongst the people. That did not negate their actual help though, so using that marketing tactic was not something the nobles condemned.
On top of that, the adventurers who helped were allowed to keep all of the monster parts from Rufus to use however they wished, while those defeated by the guards of the city or nobles were sold off to the guild, and the money used to aid with the relief operations. Considering they were a flock of monsters led by a unique named monster, their remains produced plenty of money.
“According to reports we got, the flock of Rufus left their usual habitat because the Terra-King Garan was engaged in battle.”
“Wasn’t the Terra-King designated as a protected species?”
“Yes, we’re still investigating the group who violated that restriction. Apparently they were quite numerous, but I can’t imagine they came from our country or Pivana.”
Otis mentioned Pivana, a country neighboring Seperion, which extended into the Derbidenies Desert. They had once been embroiled in a territorial war, but that was in the past and now they had an amicable relationship, though not a particularly close one. They respected the adventurers’ guild decision to mark certain monsters as protected species, and they held a deep respect for the Terra-King, so it was hard to imagine they had anything to do with the attack.
Their numbers indicated that they couldn’t be a group of adventurers but rather part of a larger organization. This might have raised some suspicion within the country. However, the secret investigators sent to Pivana reported that it was unlikely, and no such group existed there.
“It’s hard to say whether they were involved, but are you aware of the secret network of companies Viscount Barnard was investigating?” Godwin raised that topic, and Charlotte furrowed slightly before replying, “Only vaguely, something about a western enemy country using the guise of a company to infiltrate others.”
Charlotte pretended to have only limited knowledge of it. She didn’t understand why Godwin was bringing this up, so she wanted to be cautious. However, what he would say next would be enough to shatter her composure.
“It turns out that network of companies had also reached into Pivana.”
“Wha-?! Are you sure about that?!”
“We don’t have any concrete proof yet, but most likely yes.”
Charlotte fought back the desire to throw herself on the couch and stare emptily at the ceiling, instead taking deep breaths to calm herself and then drinking the cup of tea she had nearby.
“My apologies.”
“Don’t worry, that’s alright.”
Charlotte apologized for raising her voice, though Godwin did not seem bothered by that.
She had already suspected that the network of companies could have something to do with it, and she was also assisting in efforts to eradicate them from Seperion. However, learning that they were already having such an impact on a neighboring country heightened the gravity of the threat. It was still difficult to gauge how much influence they had in Pivana, but there was a chance they could become enemies of Seperion, who wouldn’t hesitate to retaliate. This would lead to a complex, multi-faceted situation that, no matter how strong Seperion was, would be challenging to handle.
Seperion was a multi-racial country that had weathered numerous wars during its founding. While some nations maintained a neutral stance towards Seperion, many secretly regarded them as enemies. There was also tension in the regions they had incorporated, with certain races still reluctant to coexist with others.
The Feullade family was part of a tribe that succumbed to Seperion during its founding when Seperion seized their land. Today, there were still remnants of that tribe who regarded the main family as outcasts.
“This is a bigger issue than I had anticipated.”
“It’s not something you should be worried about, Charlotte. This is our job.”
“That’s true. We still haven’t retired, and we have to work properly so the new generation doesn’t take us as lazy old farts.”
As Charlotte despaired realizing the magnitude of the matter at hand, Godwin eased her worries, while Otis spoke with a daring grin. The two nobles then looked at each other, chuckling like two mischievous children about to pull off a prank.
“Hahah, that sounds reassuring. I’ll leave it in your hands then.” The energy of the two had rubbed off a little on her, so she relaxed and laughed a little herself.
A few hours passed after the meeting with Godwin and Otis had ended. Then, a servant informed Charlotte that the guests for her second meeting that day were waiting for her in the mansion’s drawing room.
She went there and found Olivia Eto Gardeland sitting down, with her magic automaton maid standing behind her.
“Thank you for coming. Let me get straight to the point, I called you here to discuss the Rufu incident a few days ago.”
“Huh? Did the Rufus do something again..?”1
