Chapter 93

1/3

"......Will it be useful?"

After he left, Tanya muttered, puzzled.

"Well? Whether he is a good person or not, the point is that if I can bring him under my control, my purpose will be achieved for now. The rest is just to ensure the success of tomorrow's negotiations."

I smiled, recalling him.

"......But, over time, he might grow, don't you think?"

"Based on what?"

"Intuition, just intuition."

At my answer, Tanya looked as if she had bitten into a sour bug. Seeing her reaction, I retracted my smile.

"He showed a bit of dissatisfaction when we talked about his younger brother, didn't he? When I playfully asked him questions, his answers were always surprising. About the treasury, the flow of money, and so on. Even though, when walking through the streets, you hear many voices praising Lord Ed and Lord Yuri. ... It's an interesting expression, 'being kept,' isn't it?"

"I see......"

"......But most of all, I like that he isn't easily swayed."

When I said this with a smile, Tanya tilted her head as if to say, "What are you talking about?"

"Surely, in the future... he will do work that matches the favor I've done for him. But only that. He will certainly keep his distance and not open his heart, treating it as just a business relationship."

In other words, professional. He will do work that matches the compensation, but nothing more.

"He always keeps in mind the possibility of being betrayed by anyone or anything. For when it really happens. ... Perhaps because he has been betrayed before. Maybe that's why I see myself in him."

Saying this made me a little sad.

But this is my true feeling.

He, too, has multiple heavy doors in his heart. He constantly measures how far he can open them, how much of his heart he can show.

Just like me.

That's why I didn't feel annoyed by his display of wariness. Instead, I accepted it as a matter of course.

I even empathized with him.

......Well, I thought it was a bit unprofessional that his emotions were so visible, and I would like him to learn a bit more about keeping his feelings hidden if he's going to work in the guild in the future.

But perhaps I liked him because he confronted me with his true feelings.

Moneda, who was also in the commercial guild, wouldn't do such a cute thing, and Sei is often unreadable these days.

Tanya looked a bit sad and lowered her eyes at my words.

Feeling a bit awkward in the air, I stood up to head to the office.

Tanya, apparently snapping out of it at the sound, followed me.

In the study, I sat in the office chair.

"......Tanya, could you bring me something warm to drink?"

"As you wish."

While Tanya prepared the tea, I flipped through the stack of documents.

Tomorrow is the day I meet with the representative of the guild, so I'll try to ease up on work today.

If I work too late and collapse, it won't do anyone any good.

Suddenly, I stopped flipping through the documents.

It was a document titled "Commercial Guild Regulations."

To open a guild, the representative must submit an application to the Commercial Guild, and once it is accepted, they can open their store.

As long as this permit is in hand, the store can continue to operate.

If the guild's head dies, the permit is usually inherited by their child as part of the estate.

However, if the child is young and has no experience working in the guild, a guardian can be appointed to continue the guild's operations.

In this case, the guardian is responsible for running the guild and giving the child experience, with the ultimate goal of transferring full authority to the child... in theory.

However, if the child does not submit an application to the Commercial Guild to take over the guild, it is treated as if there is no direct heir, and the permit is automatically transferred to the guardian.

The permit can also be transferred to another person if the representative formally delegates it or if there is no direct heir.

Conversely, if the permit is not delegated to anyone and there is no direct heir, it means the store will be closed.

......In summary, that's the content of the document.

"Still, not having been updated for over 10 years... that's quite something, isn't it?"

I muttered to no one in particular.

Even within the same Commercial Guild, the regulations vary by region.

For example, regarding the opening of a guild, the handling of the permit is the same.

However, in the Duchy of Armenia, the permit must be renewed annually.

The guild asks who the representative is and whether the products they handle have changed, among other things.

This is done at the same time as the new tax declaration, and both the tax payment and the questioning must be completed to renew the permit.

They also conduct random inspections to ensure that no illegal goods are being handled and that the business is being conducted as reported.

In contrast, in the capital's Commercial Guild, the declaration and permit update are only done when the representative changes.

It's not uncommon for permits to go 10 or 20 years without being updated.

......Well, given the sheer number of guilds in the capital, it might be inevitable.

"Here you are."

Tanya placed the warm drink in front of me as requested.

"......By the way, Tanya. You've done a great job again. Thank you so much."

I was once again impressed by Tanya's information-gathering skills over the past few days.

I really wonder what Tanya is aiming for.

"......No, it's just my duty."

In response to my words of appreciation, Tanya answered matter-of-factly.

However, the corners of her mouth were slightly curved.

"Since Tanya has worked so hard. I must also do my best in tomorrow's negotiations."

"If you do, you will surely succeed."

"Hehe... thank you."