Isekai Nonbiri Nouka Chapter 1085: Count Godrake’s Tea Party

My name is Mikel.

I’m Alfred-kun’s guide.

……..

Should I come up with a better pose?

I wonder.

-0-

The three of us, Alfred-kun, Kato-san, and I, arrived at Count Godrake’s estate.

We had contacted them in advance to let them know approximately when we would arrive, so a butler came out to greet us and show us the way.

This butler was impressive.

He didn’t even bat an eyelid when he saw Kato-san’s motorcycle.

Not even when he saw Alfred-kun standing on the back of it as he rode along.

What an excellent butler.

Though he did stop us when we tried to ride the motorcycle into the mansion…

Well, Alfred-kun had stayed on his motorcycle even in front of the king, so of course he wasn’t going to get off.

Hmm?

Changing the location?

To the garden?

Ah, so we weren’t going inside the mansion after all. We were heading this way instead.

Understood.

This butler really was excellent.

Incidentally, I had traveled here by carriage.

They had invited me to ride the motorcycle, but there wasn’t anywhere for me to sit.

I wasn’t confident enough to ride standing up like Alfred-kun.

A sidecar?

I didn’t really know what that was, but if I could ride safely, I might have taken them up on the offer.

Well, perhaps next time.

Oh, and I certainly hadn’t tried to enter the mansion in my carriage.

I got off at the gate.

-0-

Since I didn’t know how long we would be talking with Count Godrake, I had my carriage return ahead of me.

Well, if the conversation ended amicably, they would probably provide me with a carriage. If it didn’t, having a carriage around would only get in the way.

We could figure out how to get back when the time came.

So at the moment, I was traveling on foot.

As for the motorcycle carrying Kato-san and Alfred-kun… it was moving slowly behind the butler at the same pace as me.

They looked like they could easily overtake the butler, yet they were considerate enough not to do so.

I really should work hard to learn how to be that considerate myself.

-0-

Before long, we were shown to a place filled with blooming flowers.

Despite the sudden change of location, tables and chairs had already been set up, as if the tea party had been planned for this spot from the beginning.

Perhaps someone of a count’s standing always prepared a backup plan.

Or had he intended to hold the tea party here all along?

In any case, I kept an eye on our surroundings.

Not because I intended to do anything myself, but so I wouldn’t get in Alfred-kun’s or Kato-san’s way if something happened.

That was pretty important.

-0-

There were four chairs around the table.

One was for Count Godrake, and the other three were presumably for Alfred-kun, Kato-san, and me.

Since Kato-san was acting as a bodyguard, he seemed to intend to stand by in the background rather than sit down. He parked his motorcycle a short distance away.

I would have preferred to stay out of the way too, but that wasn’t an option, so I sat down with Alfred-kun.

Then Count Godrake arrived alongside the butler carrying the tea.

I had seen him several times before.

He was tall and well-built.

He played an active role in the domestic affairs of Raywhite Kingdom, but he looked more suited to wearing armor and standing on the front lines.

Count Godrake was dressed in formal attire.

He had put as much effort into his appearance as he might when meeting the royalty of another country.

Alfred-kun and I stood up and bowed our heads.

「I’m Alfred Machio. This is my companion, Mikel. The man standing behind us is my bodyguard, Kato.」

I left the introductions to Alfred-kun.

I was just his companion, after all.

「I apologize for the sudden invitation. My name is Savalka Godrake.」

Count Godrake bowed his head and invited us to take our seats.

-0-

The tea party with Count Godrake began with Alfred-kun presenting him with a gift.

「It’s nothing special, but would you accept it?」

Normally, there was no need to bring a gift when you had been invited.

However, Alfred-kun had prepared one because he considered it proper etiquette.

He had probably waited until now to present it so he could first see how the other party would behave.

I hadn’t said anything to him about it.

-0-

Count Godrake accepted the gift from Alfred-kun and handed it to the butler.

Then they made small talk.

The topic was the princes and their work at the archive museum.

To sum it up.

He was pleased that the princes had become sensible.

He also supported their efforts to promote the toilet business.

After all, clean was better than dirty.

However, he wasn’t too happy about Alfred-kun taking noblewomen like Lady Foka out with him.

What if some unsavory fellow took an interest in them?

That sort of thing.

Once they had finished discussing all of that, they finally got down to business.

At Count Godrake’s signal, a maid who had been waiting nearby brought over a folded piece of fabric.

When unfolded, it looked to be enough material for one outfit.

She placed it in front of Alfred-kun.

「I’d like you to take a look at it.」

At Count Godrake’s request, Alfred-kun examined the fabric.

「…It looks like ordinary fabric to me. Is there a problem with it?」

「Would you buy that fabric?」

「What do you mean? I’d buy it if I had a use for it.」

「…I heard you bought up all the stock at Count Silversilk’s estate.」

「Ah, you mean as a trade good. My customers are quite far away, and this fabric wouldn’t make a profit for me. You’d be better off approaching merchants who trade with nearby regions rather than trying to sell it to me.」

「Why wouldn’t it be profitable?」

「The transportation costs would drive up the selling price.」

「At such a high price, no one would buy it? This fabric, I mean.」

「To be honest, yes.」

「Silversilk’s fabric is elaborately made, after all.」

「Yes. It had a luxurious look, too, so it sold even at a high price.」

Exactly.

I’d seen Silversilk’s fabric myself, and it was magnificent.

The noblewomen would surely be delighted to buy it.

By contrast, the fabric in front of us was good quality, but ordinary.

It wasn’t suitable as a trade good.

Surely Count Godrake understood that too.

So why was he asking Alfred-kun about it?

「I’d like you to keep this between us, but…」

Count Godrake looked up at the sky and murmured.

「Word that Alfred-dono had bought up all the Silversilk fabric has spread among merchants dealing in textiles throughout the various regions.」

Well, he hadn’t exactly kept it a secret.

It was only natural for word to spread.

「The textile merchants in various regions began hoping that you might buy up the fabric they had to offer as well.」

Huh?

Why would they think that?

Silversilk’s fabric had distinctive features.

It was suitable for trade.

That was why Alfred-kun had bought up all the stock.

So why would they think Alfred-kun would buy ordinary fabric?

I couldn’t help asking.

「Until now, their own fabric had been selling, while Silversilk’s fabric wasn’t selling at all.」

Ah…

Silversilk’s fabric hadn’t been selling because a major trading company had been interfering with their business. But if they didn’t know that, I could see why they might come to that conclusion.

「They got their hopes up on their own and increased production on their own, yet when Alfred-dono showed no interest in their goods, they came to me to complain.」

The merchants complained to a count?

「They haven’t come to me directly, of course. However, the lords with ties to those merchants have approached me. They want me to do something about it.」

The lords, huh?

「Merchants dealing in textiles have close ties with the lords of their respective regions. They cooperate with one another in textile production. The local lords probably invested money in this latest increase in production as well.」

I see.

「Some fools have even suggested using force to make you buy their goods, if necessary.」

……..

「Of course, I’ve been keeping them in check. But if this continues, some people may be provoked by the merchants into taking action.」

I’d like to think no fool would directly target Alfred-kun…

「I also have to protect Count Silversilk’s estate.」

As for that one… is it jealousy?

「Silversilk was the only one who made a profit.」

What a hassle.

And it wasn’t something we could simply ignore, either.

After all, Lady Pannacore, Count Silversilk’s daughter, was helping with the princes’ business.

She was acquainted with Alfred-kun.

And if the reason she was being targeted was the purchase of Silversilk’s fabric… Alfred-kun would act.

He really would.

Perhaps that was why Count Godrake had invited us here, to keep Alfred-kun from acting?

「Now, take these.」

With that, Count Godrake handed Alfred-kun…

A list?

It had the names of around ten lords written on it.

「They’re listed in order of how likely they are to take action. The numbers beside their names indicate how many soldiers they can mobilize. If possible, I’d appreciate it if you could go easy on these two, since national defense is involved.」

…It didn’t look like he intended to stop Alfred-kun.

「Here’s the list of merchants stirring them up. The top three would cause problems if their businesses collapsed, so I’ll deal with them myself. You can do whatever you like with the rest.」

Alfred-kun accepted the two lists with a nod.

-0-

I thought the tea party would be over now, but it continued.

「Please allow me to introduce myself.」

The person who approached us was Count Godrake’s wife, Countess Godrake.

She was famous for usually staying in their territory and rarely making public appearances.

I hadn’t known she had left their territory and was here.

Perhaps since she was here, she wanted to get acquainted with Alfred-kun as well?

「So you are Alfred-sama. I’ve heard all sorts of things from my daughter, Foka. Apparently, you deal in some excellent beauty products…」

Ah, no.

This was the real reason.

So that was why it had to be a tea party.

I looked at Count Godrake.

The tall, well-built count had hunched over, making himself look small.

「I’m sorry. I couldn’t resist… I couldn’t refuse her.」

Apologizing to me wasn’t going to help.

He should tell Alfred-kun that himself later.

-0-

Excellent beauty products = the ones from Beezel’s wife’s company. Alfred is handing them out as souvenirs for women.