Chapter 42

In the midst of cherry blossoms dancing in the wind, Misaki opened the old diary and read the words of promise written there.

Hiri, which had become very popular and was sold at high prices in the Empire, was finally being used in the restaurants of the capital city, Ibit, of the Allied Nations, albeit belatedly.

Hiri, which grows in the southern part of the Allied Nations, is not well-known to many of the nation's citizens and has gained popularity as a new herb. However, those from the southern regions, like Cecilio, enjoy the taste of their homeland nostalgically and use it frequently.

"It seems that a small bottle is traded for one large silver coin in the Empire."

"Wow! In this country, a small bottle would probably cost two or three small silver coins?"

"It seems that this country has finally become capable of such trade with the Empire."

From behind the tall partition, such a conversation could be heard, and Cecilio and Berteine, who were enjoying their drinks, smiled wryly. Recently, the two of them had often gone out like this, always at Cecilio's invitation.

"You're doing great, Berteine."

"I've been experiencing the joy of hitting the mark in business since coming to this country."

"I appreciate the canned fish from the Calisto region every night."

"It would be nice if the canning could continue. However, in the Calisto region, the job of harvesting and drying Hiri seems to be more popular."

Cecilio nodded in agreement and spoke about what he had been thinking about for some time.

"I'm glad you decided on the purchase price of Hiri by the medium bottle."

"Why is that?"

"If you had set it as a percentage of the pure profit, like with syrup-cooked fruit, the Calisto region would probably be in chaos by now due to the unprecedented amount of money. Perhaps people would have stopped paying attention to the more modest fishing and farming. That wouldn't be desirable."

Berteine thought it made sense.

Syrup-cooked fruit was already a widely available product in the Empire, making the profit margin easy to predict. In contrast, Hiri was a completely new herb that could not be grown in the Empire. Therefore, the profit margin was unpredictable, and the price was set based on the labor cost. However, it seemed that this approach had been fortunate.

"If that's the case, I'm glad. I don't want to do anything that wouldn't benefit this country."

"Then, Berteine, what do you want to discuss?"

"Yes. It's about a ship. I want to build a sailboat that can travel up and down the Saran River. I want to use a neat ship that won't make noble or female passengers feel uneasy, to shorten the travel time to the deepest and southernmost regions. With a ship, it would take much less time to travel to the deepest and southernmost regions, including the Calisto region, compared to a carriage."

Cecilio looked thoughtful.

"A ship, huh. Do you want to carry the Empire's nobles? I wonder if they will ride on a river boat. They prefer their own luxurious carriages with their family crests."

"If we build a ship that they will want to ride, it will be fine. The Allied Nations have Hiri, fruits, and meat. I will also build a small hotel eventually. I will attract the Empire's nobles with these attractions."

Cecilio took a sip of the distilled liquor in the small glass and laughed.

"I think everything you say will come true. That's what I've been thinking lately."

"I really mean it."

"Ignacio calls you a goose that lays golden eggs."

"Goose... Is that a compliment?"

"Of course. Thanks to you, the country's specialties are being produced one after another, and the people are thriving. It's surprising that one person can enrich a country so much. The country will bear part of the cost of the river boat as a means of transportation."

"Thank you! I believe that with the increased use of ships, new developments will arise."

Berteine was delighted at Cecilio's words.

"Still, the Kingdom of Sanlouan made a big mistake. To send such a capable person to another country. They must be regretting it now."

"No, I don't think so. I'm careful not to put my name out in the open."

Berteine had been working in a way that put Luca and the Allied Nations in the spotlight.

This was something she had thought about after being attacked over the dye.

If you stand out in business, you become a target. At that time, it was fortunate that there were only two bandits, but if there had been five or ten, she and Diego might not be alive today.

Her father had also told her, "If you stand out in business, you will inevitably make enemies. It's even more so for a woman. Earn money without drawing attention. Don't seek attention or praise. Your own abilities will be proven by the numbers, even without such things."

After hearing Berteine's explanation, Cecilio said seriously,

"I would like to meet your father."

"Yes. I would like to hear what kind of conversation would take place if my father and Your Excellency met."

"I'm not an expert in business, but I would like to meet him. I'll consult with someone knowledgeable about the ship. Please wait a little."

"Yes!"

That night, they enjoyed a lively conversation and drinks, and as usual, Cecilio saw her to Ursula before parting ways. However, he couldn't bring himself to ask, "Why is Your Excellency investigating the laws of Sanlouan?" He was a little afraid to know the answer.

Meanwhile, as the two were having a pleasant conversation, Berteine's father, Duke Maxim de Juan, was reading a letter from the Rose Hotel in his home in the Kingdom of Sanlouan. The letter from his daughter Berteine read, "I am living happily and energetically. I have accomplished work worth over a thousand large gold coins in the Southern Allied Nations and have paid off my debt. I am now working directly under Your Excellency Cecilio as a 'Special Envoy for Specialty Sales.'"

The letter also mentioned three things:

1. She was worried that her stepmother might be suspicious about Diego not returning.

2. She wanted to run a small hotel in the deepest region in the near future and asked if he could introduce someone who could oversee and guide the operation.

3. She was selling canned fruits and Hiri, a herb, in the Allied Nations, and both were selling well. The Emperor had even started using them. Future letters would be forwarded under the hotel's name.

The Duke read Berteine's letter several times.

He had heard from his private army, Elias, about the work worth a thousand large gold coins, but he was surprised that she had secured a position as a 'Special Envoy for Specialty Sales' under Cecilio. However, ...

"There's not a single word about wanting to see her father or feeling lonely," he said, looking sad at his daughter's casual detachment from her family.

"Still, to be interested in running a hotel. She is indeed my daughter."

He had planned and opened the high-end hotels owned by the Sanlouan royal family and the Rose Hotel in the imperial capital, and had given detailed instructions to get them on track.

"A hotel in the deepest region. I'll ask Franz."

Franz was the first manager of the Rose Hotel and was now in his late fifties. He was originally supposed to serve as manager until the age of sixty, but eight years ago, his daughter fell seriously ill after childbirth and he resigned from his demanding position early, seven years ago, to take care of his daughter and granddaughter.

"He might refuse because his granddaughter is still young."

Despite this, he wrote a letter to Franz, the most suitable candidate, and after finishing it, he opened the lid of a small glass bottle hidden among the hotel's pastries. The strong scent of black Hiri made him sneeze.

"Berte, this is harmless, right?" he muttered to himself and read Berteine's letter again, but there was still no mention of loneliness or a desire to see him.

"She seems to be more suited to the vast Allied Nations than this country," he said aloud, looking at his daughter's strong handwriting.

The next evening, during dinner, the Duke, in a tone as if he had just remembered, said,

"By the way, I received a letter from Diego."

Lady Rose tilted her head, waiting for him to continue.

"It seems he has been suffering from a lingering illness in the Allied Nations and has been bedridden for a long time. He seems to have recovered somewhat, but he has requested a leave of absence to regain his strength."

"Oh, I see. I've heard that the Allied Nations have diseases that we don't have here. It's a relief that he survived. Please let him take his time, my lord."

The Duke, looking at Lady Rose's pale, ethereal face, replied with a smile,

"Yes, that's a good idea. I'll tell him that."

Lady Rose, upon hearing that Diego was in the Allied Nations,

(No matter how much I told him, he went to the Allied Nations) felt angry at his loyalty.

However, if Berteine wasn't coming back soon, that was fine. She could think of something when Berteine returned. If the returned Diego told her husband that "Lady Rose prevented Berteine from coming back," she would have him executed. There would be a way to justify it. Given that her sister was the queen, her husband wouldn't be able to be too harsh on her.

For now, she decided to continue her peaceful life and continued her meal.