Chapter 7: 1+1+1 = 4! (3)

Knock, knock.

“Clerk. It’s time for breakfast.”

Is it morning already?

The moment I opened my eyes, my head was pounding.

Maybe it’s because I drank for the first time in a while. Back in the day, this much alcohol wouldn’t have given me a hangover.

Ugh. What a bother.

I just want to roll around a bit longer under the blanket.

I want to indulge in laziness with all my might.

“Could you bring me some food? Preferably something like soup, rather than bread…..”

“No, you must come out today. The Duke wishes to have breakfast with you.”

Ugh. Of all days to have breakfast with my superior, it had to be the day I’m suffering from a hangover.

“I guess I can’t skip it, can I?”

There was no response from outside the door, as if it were only natural.

“Alright. I’ll wash up and come out.”

“I’ll guide you to the dining room once you’re ready.”

It seems the Maid is waiting for me outside the door.

I guess I really can’t slack off now.

I quickly washed my face, threw on my clothes, and opened the door.

There stood the Maid who had greeted me when I first arrived at the Helpion Ducal Family, standing demurely.

At the end of her braided brown hair was a pretty red ribbon, and her black-based maid uniform was spotless and neat.

So diligent, even from the morning.

The Maid looked at me with her big, slender, cat-like yellow eyes.

“Let’s go.”

Guided by the Maid, I arrived at the dining room, where red soup and bread were set out.

“You’re up?”

“Yes.”

“Ah, yes, Duke. I’m sorry to have kept you waiting. I hurried as fast as I could…….”

“I heard from Apel about your exploits yesterday. You defeated twelve warriors in duels at the Inn.”

If he heard all about yesterday, wouldn’t it have been better to let me sleep in a bit longer?

I barely managed to keep a smile, suppressing the urge to scowl.

“Now I think I understand why the previous Chief Clerk retired young due to cirrhosis.”

“I told the Head Chef to prepare something good for a hangover. Sit and eat with me.”

“No, no! How could I possibly dine at the same table as you, Duke?”

“No need to be so formal. I’ve spent more time swinging a sword and slaying demons than showing off as a noble. Tedious rituals and etiquette are just a nuisance to me.”

If he’s inviting me this much, refusing would be rude.

I quietly took a seat and picked up my spoon.

The moment I took a spoonful of soup, a fiery spiciness hit my mouth.

But it was only for a moment.

As the soup went down my throat, it warmed my insides and soothed my queasy stomach.

“Is it alright?”

“It’s amazing. This is the Double Hot Soup from the Entil Empire, isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

“Oh ho. That’s a traditional dish most people don’t know about, but you do. Is your hometown in the Entil Empire?”

“No, my hometown is Latvia.”

I just read about it in the Akashic Record.

At times like this, the Akashic Record really is a hodgepodge of knowledge.

“Is that so. The Head Chef is from the Entil Empire. I like Imperial food—it’s clean and has a refreshing aftertaste.”

“It’s my first time trying it, but I really like it.”

Duke Helpion grinned and started dipping his bread in the soup.

When both of us had nearly finished our food, the Duke spoke up again.

“A new power is about to emerge.”

“Pardon?”

The Duke smiled as he looked at me.

“When you hear ‘Beer Contest,’ it might sound like a childish game among mercenaries. But that Beer Contest, yes, ‘sacred’ is the word for it. Here in our Duchy, it’s held in high regard. You yourself named the ‘Inn’ as a faction, after all.”

The Duke’s explanation was similar to what I heard from Apel the Chamberlain yesterday.

On the fringes of humanity, the battle with demons never ends.

So only those confident in their abilities gather in the Helpion Duchy, and the pride of these warriors, who worship only their own strength, pierces the sky.

Even a trivial quarrel could easily escalate into murder.

It was routine to clean up the disabled and dead bodies every other day.

Then, one day, someone made a suggestion.

‘If that’s the case, let’s settle it with beer!’

“What do you think?”

Duke Helpion, who had been telling the story, stared at me.

Should I answer honestly?

“Well, um…….”

“It’s childish, isn’t it?”

I gave a wry smile and nodded.

He read my mind exactly.

Even if it’s to protect lives, a Beer Contest? It sounds like something out of a third-rate novel.

“But ever since that contest began, not a single person has died. That’s why the people of the Duchy treat it as sacred.”

“So, they’ve given authority to the contest itself. Everyone obeys whatever is decided through it.”

The Duke nodded with a smile.

“That childish contest is a kind of people’s trial here. And you’ve become the key card to that trial. No one in history has ever defeated twelve warriors at once.”

Well…… I did go overboard yesterday.

At the end of the contest, I was so drunk I told them to all come at me at once, and it ended up being three-on-one.

I drank three glasses.

Each of them drank one.

Of course, I won.

Ugh, just thinking about it makes my stomach churn. I’d better have another spoonful of Double Hot Soup.

“At the very least, you now have more power in this territory than those twelve warriors. No one will dare ignore you.”

“Doesn’t that cause problems?”

“At least those who were there yesterday, or who heard the rumors, won’t easily oppose your opinion. Whether it’s policy or orders. To exaggerate a bit, it’s like you’ve gained the ‘Inn’ as your own faction.”

I straightened my back, which had hunched over while eating.

The Duke’s perceptive eyes were fixed on me.

“This is a remote territory, but it’s still a proper Duchy. Show me your abilities as a Clerk.”

“Are you telling me to organize and develop the Duchy?”

The Duke smiled faintly.

“That’s one of the tasks a Clerk can do. Think about it. This is your chance to prove your abilities. The time is—let’s see. I’ll give you a month.”

A month.

My head was spinning.

Is it because I don’t know how to answer? Or because I’m afraid of the future?

No.

It’s because so many things I could do right now in the Helpion Duchy are flooding my mind.

All the knowledge I’ve gained from the Akashic Record seems to be coming alive and clamoring in my head, begging to be used.

But to make use of this knowledge, I need a prerequisite.

“I need authority.”

I wonder if he liked my answer.

The Duke responded with a pleasant smile.

“There is only one employee for each position in this mansion. The Maid is also the Housekeeper, the Cook is the Head Chef, and the Butler is the Chamberlain. From today, you’ll be both Clerk and Chief Clerk. Will that suffice?”

Is that alright?

That’s more than enough.

“Sage, you’re here!”

“Hey, I heard you’re a great drinker! Let’s have a round!”

“Shut up, idiot! Even Travis, who lost in the last Beer Contest, was one of those twelve!”

“What, you moron? Want to lose your house deed to me in a Beer Contest?”

“Sage, I hear you know a lot about Monsters?”

I gestured to calm the noisy crowd.

“I’m not here to drink today. I’m just looking around the village. Oh, right. Is there anything inconvenient for you all in daily life?”

“Inconvenient?”

“Potion! The prices are way too high.”

“Now that you mention it, it’s hard to sell Monster Byproducts when we catch them, right?”

“The Merchant Guild isn’t properly set up.”

“I don’t even know the market prices…… Before I came here, the guild or the Mercenary Band accountants used to handle that. They’re probably dead now.”

People were eager to share their opinions.

I was already aware of these issues from sorting through documents, but hearing them firsthand added more vivid details.

I made sure to jot down all their suggestions.

“Thank you. I’ll come drink with you next time.”

After saying goodbye, I started touring the village.

The Helpion Duchy was a more wholesome and humble town than I expected.

Most warriors lived by the sword.

If that’s the case, there should be plenty of places for them to blow off steam, but there weren’t any.

Instead, the atmosphere felt more moral and ethical.

It’s probably not because of the warriors’ personalities.

As I heard at the Inn, commerce itself never really had a chance to develop here.

After all, Duke Helpion had already defeated the Demon King.

What if we paved the roads to neighboring territories and improved security, then established a proper distribution network?

Should I organize an expedition to clear out the monsters on the roads?

Several actionable plans came to mind.

I’ll have to discuss these with the Chamberlain later.

By the way, merchants and the Merchant Guild…

This would put me in direct conflict with the Grizzly Mercenary Corps.

They were about 250 strong, right?

Even with the Duke’s backing, if I go at them carelessly, I’ll be crushed. If I want to do this right, I’ll have to be clever.

I should contact Lone after all this time.

Lone is my younger sister, and after our parents passed away, she’s been barely keeping the Gordem Merchant Guild afloat.

Our main trade item is Potion, something we’ve handled since our parents’ days.

Because of the Craphy Marquis Family’s influence, we can’t deal in high or mid-grade Potions anymore…….

But thanks to our long-standing relationships, we can still get near-expiry low-grade Potions to sell.

So, we’ve got decent trade routes with Alchemists and Herbalists.

What if I supplied them with Monster Byproducts?

Especially from mid-to-large, high-grade Monsters.

Wouldn’t they go crazy for it?

There is one small problem.

Lone hates me.

She blames me for our parents’ deaths.

Can’t be helped. She’s not exactly wrong.

It was because of me that the Craphy Marquis Family targeted us.

So, it’s been six years since she cut off all contact with me, cursing me out every way she could.

Before I entered the Akashic Record, I did send her a letter saying I’d be out of touch for a while to study.

She probably got even angrier because it was so one-sided.

I wonder how she’s doing now.

“Ah.”

A crimson sunset was drawing the day to a close in the western sky.

Somehow, that scene felt like a net pulling in even more nostalgia for the past.

I guess it’s that sentimental time of day.

Time to go back.

I’ll return to the lord’s castle and try sending a letter.

There’s one more person I need to write to besides Lone.

Looks like it’ll be a busy evening.

“Thank you for your hard work today.”

“You too.”

Her hair was the color of a lake under bright sunlight, and her movements were even fresher than the breeze.

Whenever she passed by, people would greet her warmly.

“Guildmaster!”

But the one who stopped her steps—Lone—was a young man.

“Guildmaster, a letter has arrived for you.”

“For me?”

Lone tilted her head in confusion.

Because the guild was so small, she wandered the world as a peddler without a fixed base.

How could anyone know where she was, let alone send her a letter?

It was almost as if someone knew exactly where she would be.

Lone accepted the letter from the young man and began to read it slowly on the spot.

And then—

“YOU BASTARD!”

A shriek burst out.

“Wh-what?”

Everyone who had just greeted Lone so cheerfully now stared at her in shock.

‘Did she just say bastard?’

‘Lone, who never said a harsh word?’

‘Who could make her curse just from a letter?’

‘Could it be an enemy of her parents?’

‘Hey, you shouldn’t talk about someone’s family like that, even if it’s not yours. Just saying.’

The farmer had no idea he had accidentally guessed the right answer.

Lone trembled all over, showing just how much she wanted to tear the letter to pieces.

“……I’m going.”

“Huh?”

“So, you’re at the Helpion Ducal Family. Heh heh heh. You think sending a letter from the ends of the earth will keep you safe? You’re wrong. I’ll kill you. I’ll rip, rip, tear you apart, burn you, I’ll kill you!”

She screamed again.

People scattered as if her rage would turn on them next.

All that was left was Lone, the wind swirling around her, and the shredded remains of the letter.

On one scrap of the letter, it said…….

A cheap sentence that only true siblings would write to each other.

Written in handwriting annoyingly beautiful enough to make you mad.