Otoko Nara Ikkokuichijou no Aruji o Mezasa Nakya, ne? Chapter 260

Year 7446, Month 9, Day 2

This b.a.s.t.a.r.d(she's a woman though), I'm amazed she can say that so shamelessly...

【Refaisu Family: Baron of Rombert Kingdom. Invest.i.ture date was Year 7314, Month 5, Day 24.】

【The current head of the family is Vizonsu.Refaisu, the sixth generation.】

Hmph.

I'm not rejecting the aspect of n.o.bles forming relations.h.i.+ps through marriage itself. It's somewhat effective after all. However, just those who are related to the King of Rombert are no good. If it comes to that then it will really just end up as a va.s.sal Kingdom and if things go badly based on the blood relations.h.i.+p background it can be thought they might try to take control of politics or the internal details of my Kingdom.

No, it's not particularly like I'm against being a va.s.sal Kingdom. Of course I don't want that to be the case though. But, starting a country that can maintain it's independence in this state of affairs is putting it frankly impossible.

If I can make a portion of the Dirt Plains into my territory then in regards to food(just the staples wheat and meat though) I think we'll be fine with self-sufficiency. That's if we can cultivate a bit of it though. In regards to an army I have confidence I can do something about it as well. If I'm there, and I make things like guns or gunpowder then putting aside a foreign campaign, I think there will most likely be no problem with defense. If I just have enough time to make several tens of guns, anti-personnel mines, and pseudo claymores(though it's just planned but I plan to have a certain amount ready before hand) then even if an army of several thousand lead by the first knight group with sister included were to attack five or ten times, I think it'll be possible to deal hard blows to them every time and still drive them into retreat. Though I'm sure the cleanup would be difficult.

The problem is if in secret something like a commando unit of a small number of super elites invade and perform combat sporadically almost like a guerilla warfare and perform things like terrorism towards non-combatants but whether it's Rombert Kingdom or Guranan Empire , I'm sure any place would be troubled by that so it's the same.

Rather than the problem is the various types of manufactured goods other than food and an army. Even if it's not perfect if we can at least produce all of it inside of my territory then we should be able to mange anything. Whether it's the founder of the Nosebleed Arts or whatever else it's fine if I just make the machines for producing it. However, the problem is in regards to mineral and plant resources. No matter what it's necessary to import them.

There's few mountains in the area around the Dirt Plains so I'm sure it'll be necessary to rely on imports for most of those sorts of things. Certainly there's also territories that have mountains included in them as well but those areas have few forests along the border of Devas Kingdom and there's a lot of combat. There's merits and demerits right.

It's because of reasons like that in regards to a va.s.sal Kingdom, particularly for the first a.s.sistance period where it's necessary I think it can't be helped. However, I personally am hoping to form those sorts of relations.h.i.+ps through marriage with a n.o.ble that has a territory in the surrounding areas. If it's possible then ideally a territory that's right next to mine in contact with it. Even when it comes to receiving aid, going back and forth to the next territory over is easy. Additionally if it ever comes down to it, it makes it easier to conquer as well. No, I don't think I will though. Yeah. Probably.

In any case, I want to form blood relatives with some place which won't make any sort of unreasonable demands. In this case, the demands towards my country wouldn't be the delivery of money or resources but I can guess it would be offering military strength. Even if you just look at me individually it would be a large force and in regards to guns even if we desperately try to hide them the moment they're used in live combat of a reasonable scale once there's no way left to hide them anymore. It's necessary to find a different route than offering them military strength until then. If we can skillfully cultivate the land in the Dirt Plains and defend it then it's possible that eventually we could deliver food in exchange. This would be better.

It can also be thought that something might be demanded using sister as a hostage but as long as sister is in the first knight group of the Kingdom, that's something we already knew could happen. Since my brother and parents are citizens of Marquis Webdos's territory as long as I don't let my relations.h.i.+p with Marquis Webdos deteriorate then even if it's the King he shouldn't be able to do anything unreasonable. To be more precise it's possible for him to request things of the Marquis but I can't imagine that the Marquis would accept it.

In those sorts of meanings Miduchi's Lail Kingdom has considerably good conditions. It's a moderate distance away and a small country that's maintained complete independence. It seems they perform some foreign trade but their population is extremely small and they rely on imports for a considerable portion of their daily necessities. The primary things they export are drugs and the various types of mushrooms that are the ingredients for those and secondary they also sell magic stones. After that is..they have something that can't even be called a military but is quite literally a commando unit of a very small number of a.s.sa.s.sins.

Though it's thanks to Miduchi as well but just in case I have the pipe with the healer Baidu~nsu.Tukerin in the capital and I'm also making use of it to purchase some industrial waste from their country. In between operation time of the sausage factory I have two of each flavor being deliveries to his healing office everyday. Baldoggie are a favorite of his and he's supposedly extremely pleased over them. I think it might be good to sell Baldoggie and wheat to Lail Kingdom through him as well.

Adding to that as well and if I just return Miduchi to Lail Kingdom once, the fact that it seems we can simply form an alliance is the greatest. Although, in this case there's not very many short-term merits other than preventing me from becoming the target of a.s.sa.s.sination and making obtaining the various types of drugs easier.

However, in the future on the occasion I start trying to increase my territory it's possible I could have some powerful reinforcements. After all I can make a unit of close to 100 all with mana on the level of Miduchi and depending on the case I might even be able to get my hands on their systematic education and upbringing method as well.

Putting aside Lail Kingdom, this lady Yorire is almost definitely a forerunner p.a.w.n for that middle-aged King. I don't know if he intentionally ordered this, guided her into doing it, or convinced her into believing this was her own thinking though. In that case there's only one way of dealing with it that matches up with my goals. The objective is of course, making sure even just she doesn't keep dragging this on any longer. It can't be helped if someone else is sent in instead. After that, it's also let him understand the message, "I've noticed, don't underestimate me so much."

Of course, if he doesn't do things like underestimate me and hopes for a relation of an equal alliance then I'll raise my hands in the air and welcome it. I'm sure something like that is impossible though.

"I see. So you have the intention of coming to my place? Just now, you said that if I marry you then I'll have an advantage in the future but..What are you saying is the collateral for that to be the case?"

It's quite something that she didn't even bat an eyelid seeing my att.i.tude suddenly change to arrogance.

"I stated it just now right? I was born from the seed of his majesty the King."

"Well then, if a blood relation with his majesty is important then you yourself have no value other than giving birth to an heir? Ah, you were still just a squire was it. One from the third knight group even."

I made a face as if I was completely looking down on her as I said it. Someone like you other than your blood relation, whether it be as a soldier or as the commander of a unit(at the very least for now) are useless, also, I tried saying it as if she was at best a tool for giving birth to children.

"What other value do you wish for than that?"

Oh, she's got quite a bit..of resolve behind it I see. I guess it's proof that she knows her own position?

"If you don't know that then you're lacking to become my partner."

"Of course I know that much. In place of your excellency, it's to provide relief for places your excellency's hands don't reach in the territory."

She sure says it easily. Certainly if she could do that then it's a high point as a partner. However, for her to answer with this sort of reply means she isn't an idiot. But, this reply is still no good. If she's going to highlight the blood relation then she should lay out all of the merits of it thoroughly. That's right, regardless of what I tell her. On the contrary if she said something like she would get all of my wishes to pa.s.s with Rombert Kingdom using her blood relation as a s.h.i.+eld then even if it was boasting I'd have give her a second look.

Although, she's not an official child so I'm sure something like that is impossible. She should be showing guts. If it's just this degree of reply then it lacks in tangibility and it just feels like she's trying to cleverly match it up to me. There's no different from saying "I"ll give my best".

"How are you going to prove that?"

"I can't prove it until things from here on out."

Of course that's the case. Since you have no achievements after all. Well, since nothing concrete came out here, I'm sure it's impossible. If she doesn't at least say something like, "Since your excellency sub-n.o.ble Greed is an adventurer from a remote area I'm sure taxes, human resources, and law are a weak point so I'll support you there" or "I have connections to a good candidate for tax collection official or governor". You, for what reason are you in the third knight group? Doesn't the knight group raise those sorts of talents?

"Even though you don't have any achievements at all just blood relation isn't enough of a reason to accept you. I think I have some considerably talented people in my place after all."

Additionally I guess I'll say this as well.

"By the way, why is the color of your hair different from last time?"

It's a beautiful blue color but it's hard to say it suits her very well. It's in bad taste.

"Oh my? Isn't it the color you prefer? I heard that you preferred blue or green so I dyed it though.."

Eh? Something like that...

The only ones I thought things like they're beautiful or cute the moment I saw them, based on just appearances were Bel and sister-in-law Shani-san. Of course, the elf Miduchi is beautiful and even Ralpha has reasonably cute facial features. However, since Miduchi has the blood of an elf it's just that she's beautiful in comparison to humans but looking in the framework of elves there's many more beautiful people. Ralpha is in the cute category looking from a j.a.panese person standpoint, but somehow she smells of p.i.s.s*. Looking in the case of a dwarf Gwine is an overwhelming beauty but she's far off from my preference.

If I were to observe my own glances towards women then I might notice that the way I looked at Bel's hair dyed deep blue and sister-in-law Shani's light green hair is different. Of course I have no self-awareness of doing it.

However, things like red, black, blonde, and depending on the case light red, white, were all hair colors on Earth. Blue, green, and pink are hair colors that weren't on Earth so at first I was considerably surprised over them. I guess that means they realize, no, realized that? I'm sure it's just overthinking it though.

"It seems that wasn't the case."

She must have noticed that I had raised my eyebrows and was making a doubtful expression. She continued  with a slightly disappointed voice.

"..I don't know if it was dyed or not but your previous hair color suited you better."

"..I'll take that to heart."

"Well, putting aside the matter of hair, I intend on choosing my partner myself. Things like ability and appearance are important but if things like sensitivity and values can't be shared then I'm sure it would be painful for both of us through a long life."

It's something extremely ordinary but it's also important as well. I'm sure this Yorire isn't the only daughter or relative of the King and other n.o.bles trying to make blood relations and in that case even I want to choose.

"Also, it's strange saying this but your excellency sub-n.o.ble Refaisu is still a squire right? You should have important duties in the knight group."

"If Greed-sama would be willing to take my as a wife I would resign even tomorrow."

I'm sure that's the case but you know. Well, I guess when it comes to something like squires of the third knight group there's about 1,000 or so of them so even if she quits there's plenty of replacements. However, putting aside a full-fledged knight, doing something like that at the stage when she's still a half-a.s.sed squire is something I don't like~ I actually was left with a pretty good impression from Kuro and Mary.

It was then that there was a knock on the door of the room. Lady Yorire waited for me to troublesomely fix my posture before giving permission and the one who appeared in the room was Ran. It seems the catering has arrived. I guess because of that trouble before I entered the room, they had already finished preparations and they were just waiting for good timing. It still hasn't even been 10 minutes since I sat down on the sofa.

"Now then, I guess we'll end things here for today. Ran, please call James."

She told that to Ran and at the same time declared an end to the fishy discussion. I asked for Giberuti to be let into the room as well. Of course as someone to wipe my face for me. After that I ate reasonably first-cla.s.s catering while(Ah, I wiped my mouth myself. Giberuti is just enduring as he stands behind me. Sorry about that), I was asked freely about my activities as an adventurer.

We finished up the meal and after drinking tea, I said before standing from my seat.

"It was an honor being invited by you today. Also, it was a very delicious meal. I apologize for being unable to give you a favorable reply but just this has various circ.u.mstances involved with it. Please give up thinking it was something not meant to be."

On our way back I let Giberuti eat at a slightly good restaurant.

"..Is how things went."

I invited Miduchi, Zenom, Ralpha, Bel, Toris, Gwine, Basutoral, also Rodrick into my room and reported things from today. They were considerably surprised from the details no one had predicted.

"In other words~ there's strings attached, to that. Not to mention it was just a mere illegitimate child. It didn't seem like I could pull any money out of it, even if I accept something like that unless they're considerably superior there's not much really..Additionally you know her face was, "Bata-kusai~". She was reasonably beautiful but didn't match my preference~"

I said that while drinking some tea.

"..So you turned her down."

Miduchi said somehow relieved but she's already accepted the fact that eventually somewhere down the line there's a high chance of needing to form a blood relation through marriage with someone with strings attached. Well, if it's someone around the area of Marquis Webdos then it seems they have some leeway financially so I'd have nothing to say but a daughter of the direct bloodline has already married my brother. I'm sure it would be difficult. But if it's after the Marquis's eldest son, the knight commander Baron Sendohel.Webdos becomes the Marquis and I'm the Lord of my own territory then he might think about sending one of his daughters over as a bride to me. Of course I'm sure there's things like timing and whatnot though. That would mean a sister of sister-in-law Shani-san.

It's fine even if it's Duke Berutasu who rules a vast territory Royal Territory in the Northeast. Or if we were to follow along the connection from Rodrick there's the possibility of Count Faruergaz as well. Duke Zamu who has a territory to the East of the Royal Territory and North of Count Faruergaz's territory is fine as well. If it's not the King and they're a moderate distance away then there's no other choice than for them to be rich. In reverse if their territory is in contact with mine or really close-by then even a place that's just a bit poor would be fine. Like Viscount Yoraizu or something. If things go well then the possibility remains where I could get them to listen to what I say as well.

"However, just listening to the words and you know, Al is quite the brute right."

Ralpha said that finding it amusing. Again with that?

"Why?"

Zenom replied to that.

"I mean you know, just thinking about the marriage partner in terms of money and such, somehow that's a bit."

"Do you intend to say that it's not the same for us? Al says he's going to raise a country. What is there more important than loss and gain? If you were going to get married then I think it would be best for the other party to be rich. Nothing good will come from getting married to some poor person."

"Eh~ what about feelings? What will you do about Miduchi?"

"Something like feelings are secondary. Also even Al is thinking about Miduchi right. Of course Miduchi as well. It's nothing for you to worry about. In the first place you're the only one to inherit the Firefreed family. There's a high probability that by the time you get married you'll be in a position where you can't get a divorce anymore. Think carefully about that. A husband who just lets the money flow back to their family isn't worth s.h.i.+t right."

When the details of what doesn't sound like a conversation between parent and child progressed that far, Bel interrupted them.

"I think what Ral says is fine in the case of a normal person that's not a n.o.ble. But, you can't afford to keep saying such childish things as that right?"

I wonder what it is. This separating of things is just like Bel if you put it that way though.

"I understand the feelings and what Ral wants to say though. I'm the same. But if you don't form a blood relations.h.i.+p through marriage then the collateral for a.s.sistance ends up having an enormous amount of interest I'm sure."

Gwine commented on it.

"That's right. Even if you have a blood relations.h.i.+p through marriage it's not like they'll provide support without interest or compensation. For example, my family was still arguing with Marquis Rodairu over a loan problem from far in the past up until just recently. It seems that we gave a loan of over 10,000,000,000 Z so they could start a mining operation at a mine but they just wouldn't return it. In the end we resolved it through handing over a portion of the rights to the mines and cession of some of their territory though."

Rodrick nodded with his arms crossed while saying that. Ah, I've heard about that before. The one who adjusted the estimation of the territory and the mining rights was the King right? It seems it was considerably difficult to make adjustments because the value of Z{Zeni} was different back then.

"Of course this is an example of it failing. There's also a lot of cases where it succeeded. For example Viscount Bison or Count Suroiaru, they were grateful that the financing circulated around well for them and we ended up profiting as well. We have blood relations with all of them. If there's no blood relation then after all the interest ends up a bit high. But, Al-san. In reverse I think that might be better even if you have to pay a bit more interest. If you just properly pay back the amount you've borrowed then there's everything after that is unrelated after all."

Right. That's the ideal though you know. If we were going to accept support then I'm sure it would be a considerable amount and how high the interest gets wouldn't be something you could make light of. If you can get a reduction of 10% or 20% in interest from just taking on one bride or an adopted child then you could say that's a cheap price to pay as well. I'm sure that even just the interest moves in the hundreds of millions.

Incidentally, previously I discussed with Rodrick what would happen if I discussed financing with his family. However, Rodrick said, "I can't suggest that unless Al-san is at  a point where he absolutely needs a lot of money all at once and has no other options. Since it seems that our ancestor is the one who invited compound interest." and also said, "We're rich but we don't have a very good reputation." with a complicated face.

Well I can't ignore the possibility that we would run out of money for a period of time but we're always discussing industries which could make some reasonable profits with everyone so as a matter of fact I'm not all that worried about money.

Rather than that the part that's been bothering me is the portion, "If you marry me then in the future when you're granted a territory it will be an advantage." Of course, I think there's a high possibility of it being lip service and the chances of it being something other than that are minuscule though.

It might be possible that Yorire is a super favorite illegitimate child of the King right?

Though I'm sure I'll find out right away.