Chapter 89

In recent days, Sora had been training with Goruju.

After training, Sora, covered in mud, was thrown into the bath by Razetto. This routine had become a part of daily life.

"As I said yesterday, please consider the person who has to clean you up."

Razetto grumbled while holding Sora's mud-covered clothes.

Sora pretended not to hear.

After washing his body, he dried his head with a towel and entered the office.

The building where Sora and his companions lived used to belong to a town official who had fled, but it was now being used as a temporary lord's mansion.

It was in quite a state of disrepair, and the renovations were not yet complete. There were not enough rooms, and the Flame Corps soldiers were sleeping in the common room.

Still, the office and reception room had been prioritized and were functional.

The office had only a desk, a chair, and a bookshelf for storing documents, with no decorations at all.

Although the finances were tight, Sora often thought that at least the reception room should have some art pieces.

There were occasions when the pretense of nobility was useful, as Sora had realized over the past year.

Sora was currently rushing the construction of the lord's mansion. The design of the nearly completed lord's mansion included a strong emphasis on the pretense of nobility.

Picking up a stack of documents on the desk, Sora saw a report of an outbreak of disease.

"…It's also appeared in the neighboring village, huh."

Sitting in the chair, Sora looked at the rough map of the viscount's territory on the wall.

Currently, refugees from the earl's territory were starting to flow into the viscount's territory.

As the number of refugees increased, the security and hygiene conditions worsened. Since many of them arrived with nothing but the clothes on their backs, the financial impact was significant.

To prevent the spread of disease, measures such as alcohol disinfection with distilled liquor and thorough handwashing and gargling were being implemented.

"Once it breaks out, there's nothing we can do. With poor nutrition, it's inevitable."

While giving her opinion, Razetto poured hot water into a ceramic cup.

Recently, Sora had been feeling a cold sensation in his limbs. Before his rebirth, he had never experienced such a feeling.

Warming his hands with the cup, he was about to flip through the report when there was a knock on the office door.

After giving permission to enter, Lylu, dressed in a maid's uniform, peeked in. Her ample chest lifted the white apron, creating a rather pleasant sight.

"It's Lylu. Lately, you only wear maid's uniforms or lab coats."

"Razetto-nee says there's a shortage of staff, so she makes me wear them."

Sora glanced sideways at Razetto, who quickly averted her eyes.

—She's just pushing the work onto Lylu.

However, the shortage of staff was a fact. Sora decided to remain silent, accepting it as a necessary evil.

"So, what is it?"

"Ah, we have visitors. The president of the Wooddora Trading Company, the village chief, and a messenger from the Belze Marquess."

"Given that combination… it must be about the smoked birch wood. I'll see them right away."

Sora put down the report and stood up.

Smoked birch wood was now an important export of the viscount's territory. It would not be wise to keep visitors related to this matter waiting.

"Thank you for your continued support. Viscount Kleinzelt seems to have grown taller again."

The portly president of the Wooddora Trading Company, Zendo, laughed heartily, his protruding belly jiggling.

The village chief, sitting next to him, was breaking out in a cold sweat at Zendo's familiar manner of speaking.

The messenger from the Belze Marquess was smiling wryly, suggesting that even when dealing with the Belze Marquess, Zendo maintained this level of closeness.

While his words might seem a bit rude, his attitude was skillfully crafted to avoid causing discomfort. Zendo knew this well.

He was clearly a cut above the average traveling merchant.

"Today, I have come to introduce these two to Viscount Kleinzelt. Connections are a form of wealth."

"Indeed, they are."

When Sora's eyes met Zendo's, they both unconsciously flashed a businessman's smile.

It was a polite phrase, but when spoken by a merchant, it took on a different meaning. These were people who would sell even their own family for profit.

"Village chief, then—"

Zendo, in a voice that suggested he was recommending a product, turned to the village chief.

The village chief, who had momentarily looked uneasy at Zendo, turned to Sora and stood up.

He bowed deeply.

"Thanks to the timber trade you established, our village has been saved. Thank you very much."

Sora, unusually flustered, turned away.

Seeing Razetto's smile, he changed his expression in embarrassment.

To cover up, he cleared his throat dramatically and gestured for the village chief to sit down.

"Gratitude is unnecessary. It's my duty as a lord. Besides, your village has started to recover before others. I need your help in the overall reconstruction of the viscount's territory."

"Of course. We will do our best to assist in any way we can."

"…Did you say that?"

"–Huh?"

Sora smiled slyly.

Raising his right hand, he received a piece of paper from Razetto.

Placing the paper on the desk, Sora spoke.

"Here, at Crossport, we will smoke the seafood that is landed and then export it to the Belze Marquess's territory. Zendo, do you have a distribution channel?"

"We have connections in food wholesale."

"Good. Once the samples are ready, we'll need to arrange for transportation immediately. Don't cry about the shortage of staff, okay?"

"Our company has excellent personnel, so please don't worry."

The conversation progressed rapidly, leaving the village chief behind.

When he returned to the village, he would undoubtedly be scolded by the villagers, who would be working day and night to produce smoked birch wood.

The village chief laughed weakly.

"Well, I've kept you waiting. This is the messenger from the Belze Marquess—"

Satisfied with the progress of the conversation, Zendo introduced the messenger from the Belze Marquess.

If it were an urgent matter, the messenger would have started the conversation. Sora, who had put it off, shook hands with the messenger and listened.

"—In other words, you can't secure enough birch wood to keep the craftsmen employed."

The messenger nodded in agreement with Sora's summary.

There were too many craftsmen, and the supply of birch wood alone was insufficient.

"Still, there is no other wood. That's why we need the assistance of Viscount Kleinzelt."

The messenger got to the point.

Sora narrowed his eyes, encouraging the messenger to continue.

"Specifically?"

"We will dispatch craftsmen to assist in the reconstruction of the viscount's territory. Times have changed, after all."

Sora, who now held substantial power in the viscount's territory as a neutral noble, was a point of contention between the church faction and the mage faction.

Strong criticism could lead to a full-scale attack from the opposing faction.

This bold move was possible only because the Belze Marquess was known to be close to Sora.

Sora, pleased with the Belze Marquess's strategy, crossed his legs and pretended to think.

"The dispatch of craftsmen will be helpful. However, we will have to work them hard, so food will be an issue…"

While saying this, Sora glanced at the messenger.

The messenger smiled wryly and took out a piece of parchment.

"We will provide food supplies. Since this is an alternative to the original guarantee for the craftsmen, we will do our best to minimize any inconvenience to Viscount Kleinzelt."

Sora chuckled, amused.

He had visualized the Belze Marquess smiling at this level of demand.

The messenger, sensing that the deal was likely to go through, felt relieved internally.

The Belze Marquess had warned him that Lord Sora was a formidable negotiator.

He had also been told to relax only after leaving the viscount's territory.

A predatory gleam appeared in Sora's eyes.

The young viscount, with a friendly smile, continued.

"By the way—"