'Huh. ....... I still need to make the side of the box more robust if I'm going to install the magic stone. Hmm, how's it going?"

　I look at Alan, who is completely white and burnt out, and ask him, while tilting my head.

'No, it's nothing, ....... It's really nothing, so ......."

　I show him the completed fridge, wondering.

　It is still a box of solidified clay on the outside.

　However, when I looked inside, I saw that it was cooled well and had achieved its goal of cooling without using my magic power.

'This could be of various uses."

'Yuri-sama, I've run out of daggers ......'

　The daggers that Fi thought he had made a lot of seemed to have all been thrown away, and there was none left.

'Maybe I've been at it for quite a while?'

　I hadn't noticed at all, but when I saw Fi nodding, I realised she had been working on it quite intensively.

'Maybe Alan was talking to me while I was at work?'

　Fi shakes her head.

'Sorry. You wanted to talk to me about something?'

'Ah, yes. 'If it's all right with you, Yuri-sama, I was wondering if you could sell me this fridge thingy exclusively ......?"

'As you can see, I can't do that right away, can I?　As you can see, it can't be mass-produced.?

'That's fine. If there is something you need, I will prepare it for you."

"Then, if you want, you can come to my territory and do business with me."

　Alan shows a surprised expression when I say this.

'Are you sure?　I would have asked you to come to my estate.

" 'Of course. I hear it's a remote area where few people travel".

'...... Um, if you don't mind, may I ask you to tell me where Yuri-sama's territory is?"

'Yes, that's right. I didn't mention it. The territory I was given is in the vicinity of Alf's village.

　When Alan heard this, his mouth fell open and he fell silent for a while.

　But he immediately started laughing with his mouth turned up.

"'Hmmm, it's no use being a merchant if you can't jump into danger."

　The fact that he is so determined means that it must be a dangerous place.

'You don't have to take it too far, do you?"

'No, I bet on Yuri-sama expanding the village from now on. It will probably be in losses for a while, but eventually you will push me to become the master of a large trading company, won't you?'

'You're the one who has to deal with that, aren't you?　I only need to buy and sell things. Well, it's not a lie that I'm going to develop it.

"Yuri-sama can do just that. If anything, this is a good thing for me now."

'...... Is this related to the bandits targeting you earlier?'

　It was originally a game, so it's only natural that encounters occur when walking outside the city.

　It was usual for people without the power to fight to hire an escort in anticipation of this.

　In other words, the bandits mentioned earlier are the most powerful people around here.

'That certainly has something to do with it. In any case, it seems that I'm not well-liked by the lords here, "

　Alan smiles bitterly.

　'Trying to kill the culprit so that he can find out who did it is a third-rate job. It would be easier if they all had such an obvious scheme.

'So you mean you want the nobility's backing?

'Yes, I do. Besides, looking at you now, I didn't think you'd make any unreasonable claims".

'Really?　Isn't that an absurd request, to come peddling to the middle of nowhere on the frontier?"

'Ha-ha-ha, what's so absurd about a merchant going to a place that has the smell of gold?　I'd rather have a shop there eventually".

　Alan apparently dislikes the lords of this land a fair bit.

　　　　　　　　◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

　We reach the town of Viscount Gestrue, where Alan has set up shop.

　The bandits, who had not drunk or eaten along the way, were limping, but their chief man had a weak but disgusted smile on his face.

'You think you can just hand us over and get away with it?

'What do you mean by that?"

'We attacked these people at the direct request of Gestru-sama, you know?　Do you know what will happen if you capture us?"

　The bandit who, for some reason, tells me everything in a flippant way.

'Try it and you'll see, won't you?'

　Alan immediately talks to the town guard.

　And soon afterwards, the head of the guard, who seems to be his superior, arrives at our doorstep.

　He was a slightly overweight man with a somewhat fishy appearance.

　The chief of the guard rushes up to Alan as soon as he sees him.

You?　The merchant who makes a false report that bandits have appeared...

　He pointed his finger at Alan and said in a devilish tone: '

　The people around stopped and looked at him because he was shouting so loudly.

'It's a misunderstanding. I was indeed attacked by them .......'

But the guards who claim to have been hired by you report that they were attacked by you.

'That's right. When we were advancing along with our escort, we were suddenly attacked from behind, and we barely escaped with our lives.

"Oh, you guys. ......"

　The men who emerged from behind the captain of the guard were dirty and lightly dressed.

　Alan's reaction was that they were the guards who had fled immediately.

　With Alan about to be jumped on at any moment, I ask the head of the guard.

'By the way, what would happen if you made a false report?'

'What's with this kid?　'Well, it doesn't matter. Isn't that obvious?'

　The head of the guard says, breathing hard through his nose.

　Hearing this, I unintentionally let out a laugh.

'Anyway, Alan Muller, who made a false report, is to be execute. The Muller Trading Company will be demolished. His family is ......, giggles, well, if you listen to me, I'll give you special assistance. I don't want the kid, though."

　The head of the guard looks at Ellie and Asha with a licking gaze.

'Hee-hee.'

　Asha somehow shields me.

'Alright. 'In the meantime, can you call the lord of this place, Viscount Gesslü?　We'll talk about it there".

'Why would the lord talk to a little boy like you?"

'Well, that's fine then, is it?　I'll just have to inform my father that Viscount Gesslü didn't listen to me."

　Of course, it's a bluff, but as long as I haven't been disowned yet, I'm a member of the Louth family.

　I'll make good use of that position.

 

　But if a mere head of the guard talks to the duke's son in such a manner, the outcome is obvious - but...

'Ha ha ha, is your father a low-ranking soldier somewhere?'

　The head of the guard laughs out loud.

'My father is Balan Louth, though?'

'Ha ha ha, which Balan is that?'

　The captain of the guard didn't seem to notice, but the guards behind me were whispering in each other's faces.

'Is that the Duke's, Louth

'Is it real?'

'I don't know, but if it's real, wouldn't it be bad if we didn't tell Viscount Gessloo?'

　One of the guards ran away in a panic.

'Well, if that's all right with you, it's fine. ......?"

　I didn't think I'd get this far in the conversation.

　To the point where I didn't care about the bandits anymore.

　Then, after a while, a man who seemed to be in a hurry comes running towards us.

　The clothes he wears are quite costly, so I can imagine that he is the Viscount Gösslü.

　He is quite well-dressed and a little out of breath, but he still glares at the head of the guard and then approaches me.

'Well, well, Yuri-sama. You are very kind to come. If you had informed us in advance, we would have welcomed you.?"

'No, it's really just a coincidence that I stopped by. I didn't expect to be in the Viscount's care.?"

　Seeing me talking, the head of the guard was stunned.

　But he quickly came to his senses and hurriedly said to Viscount Gestrue.

'Master Gessloo, are you acquainted with that child over there??

'Idiot!　What are you talking about?　This is the son of the Duke of Balan, the king's brother!　I'm sorry, Yuri-sama. I haven't been able to teach my men well enough.

That's not important. He executed me and my merchant friend and tried to take his family away.　Furthermore, this person has been falsely accusing me and the bandit I caught of treating as false.　You'll get a clear answer about that, I hope?"

　I turn my sharp gaze on Viscount Gestru.

　He then turns pale and glares at the head of the guard.

'Wow, I'm just following Master Gestrue's orders--'

'I would never give such orders!　Lock this infidel in prison!　And the same goes for that bandit over there!"

'Oh, no. ......"

　The captain of the guard collapsed to his knees and was taken away by the guards.

　The bandits were taken away as well.

"I'll have the bounty for the bandits ready immediately."

'Oh, yes, please. And as I said before, this Alan is in my service. If you mess with him, you'll have to deal with Louth".

'Yes, of course, "

　This will prevent Alan from being involved in any trouble.

"All right. Then give the reward to Alan here."

Oh, thank you very much. You've been a great help."

　When I come to the Müller Trading company, Alan immediately bows his head and thanks me.

'Don't worry about it. You're my personal servant, so it's only natural, isn't it?'

'Even so, you saved me twice."

'But more importantly, don't forget about the peddling?

'Of course. I'd like to go there right away."

I don't even know where the village is at the moment. I want you to come after having ensured safety".

'Yes, of course. In that case, I will move in with my family."

　In this way, I was able to establish a connection with a merchant before arriving in the village.

'Certainly, considering the current situation in the Alf village, it would be difficult to take my family there."

'Have you been there before, Alan?"

"Of course I have. 'If you like, I can tell you what the situation was like when I was there before.　It was a few years ago."

　It was something I could take measures against on the way there if I knew what kind of place it was ahead of time.

　I immediately nodded.

"Please!"

" Then please take a look at this first."

　Alan then unfolded a map and showed it to me.