As expected, the Ashford Family possessed the ability to create Artifacts.
The Secret of the Ashford Family is quite fascinating.
“Artifacts that contain the power of magic are still only produced by a handful of high-ranking mages, or discovered as ancient relics, and even now, they are rare. Grandfather, who first began making Artifacts, must have gained an incredible ability. However, what was somewhat regrettable was that Grandfather’s Mage Imbuement was not as outstanding as that of other Artifacts.”
“Grandfather’s Mage Imbuement could not adjust the timing of the power, and he could only make one or two a year. The items he crafted could only be imbued with minor enhancements, such as slightly increased strength or magical power. Even so, during the Heroic Era, many heroes sought Grandfather’s wares, and our family slowly gained fame.”
I had thought they were simply a noble family that amassed their fortune by leatherworking for war, but the real core was the Artifact.
To think there would be such a fateful encounter in this world…
Who could be the woman who passed on the Artifact?
“A few years before the end of the Heroic Era, Grandfather collapsed from illness and departed for the will of the gods. Curiously, when Grandfather passed, the blessing was passed down to the next generation. Now, Father, who is the lord, not only can make Artifacts, but the efficacy of those Artifacts has grown stronger. Because of that, our family’s fame among heroes and nobles has risen greatly.”
“At that time, Father poured all our assets to actively support the war. For his contribution, after the war against the Demon race ended, he was granted the title of Baron and an estate. Though the war against the Demon race ended… after that, another long war began. Do you know what this era is called?”
She seemed to be enjoying the quiz, continuing to pose questions as riddles.
This answer wasn’t hard either.
“It’s the Great Human War.”
Thirty years ago, the heroes who triumphed in the war against the Demon race were lauded and gained influence in their respective countries.
But too much praise breeds new tragedies and tales.
With the common enemy—the Demon race—gone, the heroes caused many civil wars within their own countries, or tried to extend their fame through wars with other nations.
Even the famous party of eight heroes eventually pointed swords at each other.
Not only that, countless heroes and nations who had once fought the Demon race now stood in opposition to one another.
My country, the Tutun Kingdom, and the neighboring Jovia Principality.
Originally, these two nations were one, but the Duke of Zobia from Tutun Kingdom made the neighboring region a vassal state and recognized it as independent.
“After that, Jovia Principality was required to offer tribute to Tutun Kingdom every year.”
Generations later, the heirs of each nation—David, Crown Prince of Teuton, and Duke Nathaniel of Zobia—ended the Heroic Era by defeating the Demon King and bringing an end to the war.
Those two were nicknamed the Twins of Lightning.
After the Heroic Era ended, the two returned to their respective countries and inherited their thrones.
But Duke Nathaniel was not satisfied with being a Duke and called himself King of Zobia, declaring war on Tutun Kingdom and launching a preemptive strike.
Contrary to predictions that Tutun Kingdom would be superior, Jovia Principality proved powerful, catching Tutun off guard and nearly turning them into a vassal state.
It seemed as though the war would end there, but in a dramatic turn, the Sharon Knights and King David of Tutun launched a counterattack and pushed Jovia Principality back to the border.
Afterward, there were various skirmishes, but they were small-scale battles, and eventually, the kings of the ten most influential nations, who had greatly shaped the course of the Great Human War, made a treaty.
By the terms of the treaty, the war ended.
As it was an era of humans fighting humans after the end of the war, that time came to be called the ‘Great Human War.’
“And now, here we are. When it finally seemed that the war was over and an era of peace would arrive, two years ago, my father suddenly collapsed. After he lost consciousness—though he was still alive—somehow, I received the blessing to create Artifacts.”
“If you ask how I could use such power, I can’t explain it exactly, but I always had a hobby of making accessories out of leather. While making an accessory, I felt a warm energy welling up deep in my chest. The moment I released that energy into the accessory, an Artifact imbued with magical power was created.”
To inherit the Artifact… how peculiar.
It feels like I’ve been let in on an immense family secret.
It’s as if their household craft had reached its ultimate form—a true specialist’s touch…
But why is she telling me such a critical secret?
“And now, I possess even greater Mage Imbuement abilities than Grandfather and Father. Unlike the two of them, who could only make about two Artifacts a year, I can usually manifest my ability about once a month. In other words, I can make over twelve Artifacts a year.”
By the thirteenth generation, both productivity and efficiency have increased!
“Unofficially, our family must offer one Artifact per year to the King of Tutun as tribute. And we gained the right to freely trade any Artifacts made beyond that. Whereas the average ability was to make two a year, now I can make over ten. Still, this remains top secret, known only to my closest associates. Some heroes from across the land, hearing rumors that our family possesses powerful Artifacts, have been attempting to make covert contact.”
So that’s it. That’s what all these tests have been about. My coming mission is becoming clearer.
“Right… Judging by your expression, you seem to have caught on. I want to supply Artifacts to those people for a high price. But when it comes to nobles, one must always keep their guard up. Do you understand what I mean?”
“Yes. I understand it means all the family’s actions are being monitored.”
“That’s correct. Everything I do is currently under surveillance. Among those watching are… even relatives, as well as forces hostile to us. The lion crest engraved on the carriage I ride may look splendid, but it only makes it easier to track. Especially, a noble crossing borders to visit another country can easily cause misunderstanding, so it’s not a simple task. But to trade goods, sometimes I must cross borders. Even if negotiations over Artifact trading are conducted secretly via letter, the goods themselves must be delivered in person.”
Of course. The more valuable the item, the more face-to-face delivery is preferred.
“But, Miss. If I may speak from my humble experience, is it truly necessary to hand the goods directly to heroes? Surely there are wealthy nobles in our own nation interested in purchasing them.”
When I asked, her eyes gleamed from behind the veil.
“That’s a very pleasing question. Of course, selling the goods for a high price is important. But I believe the value of what I make is not only determined by the power that goes into it, but also by the fame of the one who uses it.”
Influencer marketing! As soon as I heard her words, I thought of marketing through celebrity influence.
Among the nobles of this world, their business savvy and instincts are truly exceptional.
In short, she wants her powerful Artifact arms to be recognized as luxury goods by delivering them to heroes.
That is, if a hero who receives an Artifact becomes active, that hero becomes an ambassador who promotes the Artifact.
“Yes, Miss. That’s an excellent idea.”
When I praised her concisely, she again sent me a mysterious look.
To sum it up, to make a product a luxury item, it must be used by renowned heroes, not just any noble, and for this, a high-end deliveryman is needed to package and deliver it well.
“But Miss, there’s something I’m curious about. So, where should I go to find these heroes?”
She looked a bit flustered at my words, but her answer flowed smoothly.
“Is there any one place where heroes stay? A hero who became king would be in the royal palace, a retired hero might live in a hut deep in the forest. Some might have become mercenaries and still fight in border wars. And some, perhaps by chance… might be found in a dungeon.”
In other words, the whereabouts of heroes are random. There’s a high chance they’re in extremely dangerous places.
At first glance, delivering seems easy, but just meeting a hero is a huge challenge.
“That’s why I intend to form a Sangdan. With a grade-4 Sangdan or higher, interstate travel is much freer. And you will be the Sangdan owner, tasked with delivering the Artifacts and collecting payment.”
“What left the strongest impression on you was the scent of poverty, correct?”
Huh? Why that question now? I suddenly felt a little uneasy.
“Don’t be so surprised. I feel the same way. Though the Ashford Family has governed this estate for decades, the situation has not improved. Our land is barren, making farming difficult, and we lack natural resources. Watching our people constantly suffer from famine, I dreamed of making this a wealthy domain. If the lives of all my people could at least match the standard of living in the communal living quarters you stayed in, I would be happy.”
Though I never ate my fill there, at least the Queen’s promise meant we could survive in those communal quarters. That’s her goal.
I thought to myself—what a modest goal.
“And I want to build a vocational school, too. So, will you help me?”
After finishing her long story, she waited for my answer.
I see… This is definitely a good proposal. I was planning to form a Sangdan anyway.
And I also needed a way to gather startup capital for my Startup.
It’s an ideal offer for me. However, carrying around dangerous goods means risking my life. I should think it over a bit more…
“I’ll do it.”
Why hesitate? This is an opportunity I can’t miss.
“You’re quick to decide. I thought you’d think it over longer. Why did you decide so fast?”
“Because, Miss, the fact that you trust me and entrusted me with such an important mission is already a great honor. Also, seeing the… no, the trust you’ve shown so far, I believe I’ll be generously rewarded when the task is done. However, I do understand that sometimes I may have to cross borders and risk my life exploring unknown lands to complete the commission.”
“Indeed. It’s true that you’ll be delivering powerful goods to dangerous people.”
She readily acknowledged the difficulty of the quest. That makes negotiations much easier.
“If you trust me, Miss, I promise to complete the task more perfectly than you expect.”
She looked at me with satisfaction.
“Does the mission begin now?”
No, not yet. Up until now, it’s been Miss’s turn. Now, it’s mine.
“So, Miss, in exchange for accepting this job, I’d like to make three requests.”
Her brow furrowed.
“Three… requests?”
“You may have heard that I have a knack for telling interesting stories. My first request is to tell you a story that will pique your interest, Miss.”
I, William Steven.
It’s time to begin my Startup in this world.
And she is the Angel Investor who will turn me from a would-be founder into an entrepreneur.