Isekai Nonbiri Nouka Chapter 1088: Cooperation from Neighbors

AN: Countess Blackriver is a new character.

I am the wife of Count Blackriver.

Those around me call me Countess Blackriver.

The House of Blackriver is one of the families that has supported Raywhite Kingdom since ancient times.

We have a vast territory and bear great responsibilities.

As the wife of a count, I was also busy with administrative duties and social engagements, living a life that took me back and forth between our residence in the royal capital (our urban house) and our residence in our territory (our country house).

My husband often told me not to push myself too hard, but at the time, I must have been so anxious to prove that I could be useful.

I paid no heed to his words and kept pushing myself forward.

I collapsed from overwork twice before I finally learned my lesson.

Work in moderation.

Taking time to relax is important, too.

After giving birth to our two sons and daughter, I finally had more time to spare, and now I enjoy my days.

-0-

Now then, one of my recent pleasures has been watching the competition among noble daughters vying for the attention of the princes of Raywhite Kingdom.

My daughter is participating in that competition, but I don’t interfere.

I don’t lift a finger to help, either.

I simply watch.

That alone is more than enough to entertain me.

Well, my daughter does complain that I’m not being supportive enough and that she wants me to back her up, but she mustn’t become spoiled.

If she wants something from me, she must first show me what I stand to gain.

「You’re always so indulgent toward my older brothers, though.」

I admit it.

I am indulgent toward my sons.

However, barring any unexpected troubles, one of them will inherit the count’s house.

The one who doesn’t inherit it will either marry into another noble family or establish a branch family of his own.

I need them to look after me in my old age.

Calculating?

And what’s wrong with that?

Don’t I believe in the love between parent and child?

Of course I do.

However, having seen several families torn apart by conflicts between parents and children, I’m afraid to rely entirely on that love and take it for granted.

「If I marry a prince, I could take care of you, Mother.」

I’m afraid that’s out of the question.

「That’s not…」

Let’s say you become the second or third wife of one of the princes.

If someone in that position grants benefits to her relatives simply because they’re family, it will lead to conflict.

「……」

If you become a second or third wife, you must keep your distance from us.

Otherwise, not only you but your children will be put at risk.

Do you understand?

「…………Y-yes, I understand.」

Good.

Now, do you have any new news for me?

Lately, all you ever talk about is the food Alfred-sama prepares at the archive museum.

The subject of food is fascinating, but it’s a problem that I never get the chance to try any of it.

「Apparently, a restaurant serving Alfred-sama’s cooking is going to open.」

……

Make a reservation under our family’s name immediately.

「It seems the restaurant will cater to commoners rather than nobles. Is that all right?」

There’s absolutely no problem with that.

I’m sure you already know this, but we mustn’t demand that the restaurant close to the public just because our family is visiting, nor should we force the commoners out.

「Of course not.」

The House of Blackriver would never cause trouble for commoners.

-0-

One day, I noticed a change in my daughter.

My dear daughter.

「Yes, Mother? What is it?」

……Your skin looks smoother than usual today.

「Ah, you noticed? Actually, Alfred-sama gave me some beauty product samples, so I decided to try them.」

……

Bring them to me.

「What?」

Bring. Them. Here. Right. Now.

I need to examine them.

「B-but I’ve already opened the lids.」

I don’t mind.

Hurry.

-0-

The samples my daughter handed over to me… Every one of the beauty products was wonderful.

Their performance was one level, no, two or three levels above the beauty products I had been using until now.

Having to check whether each product suited my skin was a nuisance, but considering how potent they were, that was only to be expected.

Fortunately, none of the products disagreed with my skin, so I was able to use them, but…

There wasn’t enough.

At this rate, I’d run out after just thirty days.

Knowing my daughter, she must still have a few more hidden away, so I’ll have her hand those over to me as well…

I need to speak with Alfred-sama as soon as possible.

But how?

We have no connection.

It would be improper to invite him out of the blue.

I cannot afford to tarnish the name of the House of Blackriver.

Have my daughter invite him?

I simply cannot do that.

Alfred-sama is unmarried.

It would be unseemly for my daughter to invite an unmarried man.

Perhaps I could attend a party that Alfred-sama would be attending… No, that would be rather difficult to arrange.

It would be safer to have my sons attend such a party, establish a connection with him, and then invite him to our home.

I don’t have much time, but I must act.

-0-

It didn’t work out.

Alfred-sama doesn’t attend parties.

This was a problem.

Just when I was at a loss, I heard that Countess Godrake had made contact with Alfred-sama.

Countess Godrake, who usually shuts herself away in her country house?

She came here?

And it seemed she’d beaten me to it.

Her daughter, Lady Foka, just like my own daughter, was helping the princes with their projects at the archive museum and spending time near Alfred-sama.

She must have contacted Alfred-sama to discuss those beauty products that had been distributed as samples.

Damn it.

Countess Godrake and I belong to different factions.

I couldn’t rely on her.

Grrr…

I should have invited Alfred-sama to my home, even if it meant being a little forward.

……

It wasn’t too late to do so now.

That was what I would do.

I called for my butler to prepare a tea party, but he arrived carrying a letter.

The sender was Countess Godrake.

Could this be a letter boasting about how she’d obtained the beauty products?

No, Countess Godrake wasn’t the sort of person to do that.

She was the kind of woman who would show up in person and let me see for myself how beautiful her skin had become, rather than bragging about it in a letter.

That was the sort of woman she was.

And the letter from that woman…

It said that she was planning to open a shop selling Alfred-sama’s beauty products and was asking for my cooperation.

This… I needed to hear a little more about it.

I headed for the wall on the western side of my estate.

The Godrake estate was right next door to ours, just beyond that wall.

Despite being neighbors, we belonged to different factions because Countess Godrake spent most of her time shut away in her country house.

If she’d spent more time at her residence in the royal capital, I would have invited her to join our faction.

But our territories were in completely opposite directions, ours to the south and the Godrake lands to the north, so we had little opportunity to socialize.

I climbed onto a platform that had been set up near the wall, leaned over the moat, and called out to her.

「Mate-chaaaan! Let’s have a chat!」

Mate was Countess Godrake’s name.

It seemed she’d been waiting for me, because she immediately appeared on the other side and climbed onto the platform there.

It’s been a while.

Now, tell me more about that letter.

「It’s just as I wrote. We’re going to set up a shop to sell Alfred-sama’s beauty products. The House of Godrake will provide the building, so we’d like your side to provide the people who will work there.」

Why not monopolize it?

「Because that would only earn us resentment. Besides, that scary woman from the Korin Religion would scold me.」

Fushu-san, yeah, she’s scary.

「So, will you cooperate?」

I will, but don’t you need to invest any money?

「We intend to raise funds from a wide range of people. Oh, I’d definitely like to get Countess Silversilk deeply involved.」

Even though her faction is neutral and she doesn’t belong to any of them?

「If we involve her, we can show that this has nothing to do with factional affiliations. We’ll just leave anyone who can’t read between the lines to their own devices.」

Understood.

Leave it to me to coordinate the members of our faction.

I’ll make sure everyone, from the top to the bottom, falls in line.

「Please do. I’ll have my own faction coordinated by me or… someone higher up.」

Make sure nothing slips through the cracks.

Also, make sure Misha’s faction and Anna’s faction are involved.

Those two factions have trading companies that deal in beauty-related products, so things will get troublesome if we don’t talk to them first.

「Of course.」

When do you think the shop will be ready?

「That depends on Alfred-sama, but construction of the building has already begun. I’d like you to provide around twenty employees who aren’t light-fingered.」

You don’t have to ask. I’ll find capable people.

It would be a problem if the products were diverted and sold elsewhere, after all.

And what about the royal family?

「Fufu. What business would the royal family have with a shop for commoners?」

Are you still holding a grudge over what Queen Kona did?

Well, I suppose that’s why you usually shut yourself away in your country house.

Won’t Fushu-san scold you for that?

Didn’t you say this had nothing to do with factions?

「We’re in a position where we owe our loyalty to the royal family regardless of factional affiliations, aren’t we?」(Translation: Your faction has nothing to do with the Royal Family, does it?)

That excuse won’t work.

「……I’ll give them some once I have products I’m satisfied with.」(Translation: I’ll hand it over six months late.)

No.

That will definitely cause trouble.

Just let them have their name on the sign. (Translation: Let’s get her involve so we can use the Royal Family’s name.)

「……I won’t do anything about that. You handle it.」

Honestly, what am I going to do with you?

I’ll take care of it, so you must attend the tea party I’m hosting.

All you have to do is sit quietly and drink tea.

「I’ll come if I can.」

That’s what people say when they have no intention of coming.

If you don’t show up, I’ll tear down this wall and come drag you over myself.

If you want to get back at Queen Kona, do it over something else.

「Hmph.」

Don’t give me that hmph.

Do everything in your power to get your hands on those beauty products.

「I’ll do my best.」

Good.

-0-

Count Blackriver’s Daughter 「The beauty products… Mother said she wanted to examine them, then took them away from me.」

Noble Daughter A 「Same here. She said they weren’t necessary for young skin like mine.」

Noble Daughter B 「In my case… Mother suddenly had an anniversary to celebrate, so she took them as a gift.」

Noble Daughter C 「I’d never seen Mother so frightening before… I can’t afford to make an enemy of her.」

Countess Blackriver’s Daughter 「Well, I did manage to hide a few of them.」

Noble Daughter A 「Of course you did.」

Noble Daughter B 「Even if she’s my mother, I can’t hand over every last one.」

Noble Daughter C 「As long as she doesn’t find out, there’s no problem.」

-0-

Countess of Blackriver 「Why aren’t you giving this your all?!」

Countess Godrake and the others 「B-bring it out!」

-0-

Countess Blackriver’s Daughter 「She took every last one of them!」

Noble Daughter A 「Me too!」

Noble Daughter B 「That woman wasn’t my mother. She was a bandit.」

Noble Daughter C 「I’ll never defy Mother again. And I’ll never keep secrets from her, either.」