Top floor on Redcliffe castle.

I sit on the largest cathedra while Ivanna, Farnese and Isolde sit on the other lesser but sumptuous cathedra. Behind us is large banner with our insignia, which  hammer and book logo sewn on red background.

We are expecting an important meeting with a visitor in this ornate chamber accessible only to the ruler and his closest family members.

Valena, my beloved maidservant pours tea on swanky cups before egressing to the door.

"Are you sure about this Flitch company?"

Ivanna is doubting me with raised red eyebrows.

"Don't worry. I gave her a challenge to gather intelligence in the southern Castall. If she fails to perform satisfactorily, we can just reject her."

Having said that, I actually have no intention of letting go such bewitching lady. Ivanna stares at me with full of doubt.

There is immediately a knock on the door of the room. It’s nice to be early, so I have a slightly better impression of you.

"It’s the Flitch company. Is it alright for me to enter?"

What a refreshing voice, reminding me of the business world in my previous world. 

That improves my impression of her considerably.

"Yeah, enter." Valena opens the door and  allows her to enter. 

"Please excuse me."

It's nearly two months since I last saw her and her image is a lot better than before.

Her clothes are fancy but not gaudy, and she has a mature charm about her. While properly hiding her well proportioned body, the slit on her skirt and the exposure from her neck to her breasts is perfect; her clothes cause a sense of womanliness to drift about her without making her seem too vulgar.

But the enters and freezes in place while smiling all around. 

Perhaps the gallant interior surprises her.

"What’s wrong? Please hurry and come in."

Ivanna also has a dubious face as she urges the merchant, Claire. 

The cool lady froze when she entered but becomes restless when being urged by noble looking woman like Ivanna. 

Valena prepares her chair    which is facing me and the three ladies.

Claire immediately regains her composure and takes her seat.

Between us, there is a broad desk. 

"Please be at ease."

I assure her with nonchalant smile.

"Pl..Your majesty. Please forgive me for taking so much time."

It seems Claire thinks about her choice of words.

I reply in gentle tone, "It's fine. I am very delighted for you really to meet me. Proclaiming myself as a king must dubious. It's not your fault, though."

"Frankly speaking, I had always thought that your majesty might be fraudulent but I continue doing what you commanded as you have saved my life."

She is testing more daring and casual words, which I respond with with casual demeanor.

"I actually sent my message to Redcliffe castle despite all the doubts. It is a pleasant surprise that you are actually a genuine king."

"Well, as I said before, although I rule these lands, I have to keep my kingdom a secret as these lands have existing fealty with other kings. I am working on becoming stronger so that I can declare my kingdom to the world one day."

"May I?"

"Please."

The friendly aura between Claire and me dares her to take the cup and sips the tea with the look of expectation. Her actions are daring but her behaviour is elegant and refined.

Ignoring envious stare from Ivanna, I ask,

"You are young lady but you could carry yourself in this manner. I m very impressed. How do you become a merchant?"

I also loosen my clothes and relax my posture. I am told that if I deal with things in an unsightly appearance, it would become a rumour and I would lower my own dignity, but I don’t believe that I need such formal appearances with such a promising lady.

"I am not from merchant family. I am actually a forsaken noble daughter, robbed of my everything. But I worked really hard."

She smiles in sadness reminiscing her past.

"So how did you become a merchant?"

Isolde seems to be interested in her success story. 

The company is not hers. She is just a representative working for Flitch company but to be entrusted with such task and dare to risk herself establishing relationship with a dubious person like me, Claire is extraordinary.

To unite everything together, from the branch stores within her territory, the contracts with the peddlers and the enclosures of craftsmen using her own discretion and financial ability, those individual storekeepers don’t even come close to reaching her level. It has been two years or so since she has separated from me and climbed up to where she is now, which should make for an interesting story.

"…………Do I have to tell you?"

"We want to hear about it."

Claire resigns herself and starts talking with a melancholic look. 

"Venetian and Florence are place where the merchants are powerful, and the government has little influence. Even in the Arkland war awhile back, the merchants wanted a base on this side of the continent and put pressure on the government."

I see, the merchants are the ones who move the country.

"At one time, I was raped at nowhere by a famous aristocrat. He robbed most of my things. I then used whatever money I have to travel to Florence. That’s why I thought I needed to become a merchant if I wanted to rise up in this place. I was accepted into the company by the current branch manager and……geez I’ll say it!! I became his mistress and he had me look after the store! You’re satisfied with that right?!"

She risks her reputation with us by telling this embarrassing story, in order to win our trust. What a gutsy girl!

I urge her to continue, as Claire finishes drinking her tea and keeps speaking.

"I was just a store clerk, but I burrowed through many different scenes of carnage, and even won several bets. Naturally, I had to work hard as well. I didn’t know a single thing about being a merchant after all. Recently, I haven’t been getting much sleep, and I don’t know how many hundreds of books I’ve read either."

Upon sipping her tea, she resumes,

"I used the weapons exclusive to women too. I got on top of influential people and important customers, and even slept with each and every person within the company that I needed to, and it was a hell of a lot of work."

Claire has gone through quite a bit to get where she is now.

"Every night I would swing my hips on top of fat guys and after they slept, I would study until the sun came up, and was finally able to get them to entrust an important role."

"If I’m in charge of an area, then my authority and responsibility increases. If I can succeed here, I’ll become an influential merchant and it won’t just remain a dream for me to go independent."

Despite being a businessman in my previous world, I’m not too familiar in regards to being a merchant in medieval world such as this, but it seems Claire is dead set on rising up to form her own mercantile house eventually.

I then tell her long story how I rose to takeover Winterwatch Tower, Redcliffe village and Hyuutia. 

"I see……There was such a side to famous territories like that."

Claire was surprised when she accurately grasped what was going on, from the demonic disturbance in Redcliffe, Orlais invasions to the getting my hand on Korcari Wilds.

"Well, it’s required for merchants to understand the current state of politics after all."

She continues,

"Well, now that everyone’s back stories are out of the way, why don’t we start discussing business?"