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Chapter 29: Arad Company (2)
Several ideas about what could be done with that seemingly useless land crossed my mind.
I wanted to spread out a map and draft all sorts of plans, but this was the royal court.
‘It’s hard to act on this now, but once I have some leeway, I’ll have to give it a shot.’
Setting those thoughts aside, I focused on the figure seated on the white throne before me.
“Your Highness, I am deeply honored by your grace.”
Despite receiving a land of ice and frost, I expressed my gratitude without showing a hint of disappointment.
“To Arad Jin, I bestow the title of count along with 200 gold coins.”
The voice of Haita continued.
‘Two hundred gold? That’s decent.’
I slightly curved my lips upward while keeping my head lowered.
‘If you give me cheap land, you’d better at least compensate with money.’
Considering the perpetually strained finances of the High Tower, this was a bold and generous decision.
‘This must mean they’ve gained a bit of financial breathing room.’
I could roughly guess why such an extravagant gesture was possible.
The purge had left some vacant territories in the north.
Turning those into directly governed lands would increase the High Tower’s tax revenue.
And above all, thanks to the recent profits from Arad Salt, income from the empire had been flowing in steadily.
“However, the 200 gold will not be paid all at once but will be distributed over three years. Twice at 70 gold, and the final payment at 60 gold.”
Amid Haita’s solemn officiation, the title ceremony proceeded without interruption.
“Arad Jin.”
Then came the grand finale.
Arina, the Grand Duchess of the North, stood up from the throne with a ceremonial sword in hand and walked toward me with deliberate steps.
She was dressed in a noble tunic made of silk and rian cloth, with a leather cape draped over her shoulders like a robe. At her waist, she carried the bag I had crafted and presented to her without fail.
“Back then, in the Demonic Realm, I made a promise to you.”
Standing before me as I knelt, she began to speak in a low voice.
It was the first time I’d heard her voice since the ceremony began.
“I said I would grant you a wish. If it’s something within my power, I promised to grant it.”
Her voice seemed to tremble slightly.
“Your wish… Speak your wish.”
Her cheeks and the tips of her ears appeared faintly red.
“I shall state my wish, Your Highness.”
“Y-Yes!”
Unfazed by Arina’s reaction, I calmly voiced my prepared wish.
“I wish to establish a trading company. Not just any trading company but an official one authorized by the crown!”
“Ah… So that’s your wish again! There’s no avoiding it… Oh…?”
“Pardon?”
“…Huh?”
Something seemed amiss in our communication.
“A trading company? Establishing an official trading company is… truly your wish?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
For some reason, Arina’s ears and face turned even redder than before.
“Y-Yes… A wish like that is easy to grant. Ahahaha… Hahaha!”
Arina’s face betrayed a mix of embarrassment and relief, coupled with an odd tinge of regret that flashed in her blue eyes as she avoided my gaze.
‘What’s going on? I relayed my wish through Isabelle ahead of time.’
On the other hand, I tilted my head, puzzled by Arina’s visible fluster.
***
The Morning Before the Title Ceremony
“So his wish is to establish an official trading company?”
Arina had already heard of Arad’s wish through Isabelle.
It might have seemed simpler to hear it directly, but Arina didn’t dare to do so.
If she had to face him and hear something about marriage proposals or imperial edicts again, she feared she wouldn’t be able to make a sound decision.
“Yes, my lady. His wish is to establish an official trading company.”
“Hmm…”
“He’s a merchant at heart. He sold food using Arad Salt back in Haven, and he even traded in the Demonic Realm with his Golden Carriage. Isn’t it just like him?”
Even Isabelle’s rare compliment didn’t fully convince Arina.
“If it’s an official trading company, taxes will decrease, but ownership will belong to me. Even so, he wants an official trading company?”
“Well, everything in the north technically belongs to you anyway.”
“Nominally, yes… but who really believes that?”
“In any case, it’s a good thing. The Rune Trading Company, the only official one under Renslet, is already struggling to manage Arad Salt. It doesn’t seem like a bad idea to establish another one now.”
Arina only half-listened to Isabelle’s words, preoccupied with deciphering Arad’s true intent behind his wish.
‘Could it be… he’s lulling me into complacency only to propose during the ceremony?’
Her imagination spiraled into conjectures that left her face burning.
‘Ughhh…’
Caught between baseless expectations and concerns, she agonized to the point of losing sleep and appetite.
***
The Day of the Ceremony
“I shall state my wish, Your Highness.”
“Y-Yes!”
At last, Arad voiced his wish.
“I wish to establish a trading company. Not just any trading company but an official one authorized by the crown!”
“Ah… So that’s your wish again! There’s no avoiding it… Oh…?”
“Pardon?”
“…Huh?”
The wish she’d spent all night agonizing over remained unchanged.
“A trading company? Establishing an official trading company is… truly your wish?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“Y-Yes… A wish like that is easy to grant. Ahahaha… Hahaha!”
Despite the unbearable embarrassment, Arina couldn’t help feeling a strange mix of regret and frustration.
“By chance… Is there another wish? I would grant you one more, just this once.”
“What I have already received is more than enough. To ask for more would be unfair.”
“Ah… Well thought out.”
Her tone, unmistakably deflated, escaped her lips.
‘Yes, this is… This is how it should be. If I asked for another wish, this is the right response. Feeling regret now is absurd. This is right.’
Her hand holding the ceremonial sword trembled slightly.
‘Perhaps… he’s heard about it. That’s why he’s hesitant.’
For a moment, the ominous jinx about the short lives of past Renslet Grand Dukes and Grand Duchesses crossed her mind.
Even if it was dismissed as superstition, for the sake of the North, someone like Arad needed to live long and stay safe.
‘Yes, this is how it should be. Arad, for your safety and longevity…’
Suppressing her regret and lingering sense of loss, Arina concluded the ceremony by lightly tapping Arad’s head and shoulders with the ceremonial sword.
***
The North was vast compared to its population.
For comparison, it was about the size of the Korean Peninsula, and its location and terrain were similar to that of Denmark in Europe.
Of course, the entire land wasn’t governed by the Grand Duke alone.
The Northern Grand Duchy referred to the Renslet stronghold, known as the High Tower, the Great Northern Wall, and a few directly controlled territories.
The rest of the North was ruled by noble families made up of Northern people loyal to the Grand Duke of Renslet.
In line with the feudal norms of the continent, a Grand Duke, a high-ranking noble, could grant or revoke titles up to the rank of count.
In this northern land, a new count—a high-ranking noble—had been created.
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