I wholly welcome business competitions. Whoever wins, if we profit from it, then thatâs all that matters. In the end, the better medicine will win. I feel like Gap company will win here as well, since they won in the capital.
âThatâs what I wanted to bring up, foo. We wonât compete, foo. I want you to make it such that only Fonteyne family can sell medicine here in Helan territory.â
So it came out, eh?
âAnd why is that?â
I guess I will hear his reasons at least, for what it matters. Although I am sure it is not going to be anything good.
âOf course, itâs because our profits will increase more if we monopolize it, foo. Medicines are indispensable. If they canât buy Gap companyâs fake ones, Fonteyne familyâs true medicine will sell more. We can also keep increasing the price more and more, foo. After all, they are indispensable, foo. It will definitely sell, foo.â
âHaaâŠâ
I ended up letting out a sigh involuntarily.
And then, I stood up from my seat. I walked close to a window in this hall. I could see the carriage Alegraden used to ride here. Exactly how much did he spend to make such a luxurious carriage? And the numerous gems all over his body. Are those also bought using the method he just spoke of? Itâs most probably so.
âAlegraden-dono, if I do as you say, it will surely bring an unpleasant outcome.â
âWhat are you talking about, foo? We will be able to earn, without doubt, foo. I will hand over 30% of the profit to you, foo. No, if you let me monopolize other fields as well, I will let you take 40% of the profits, foo.â
âThatâs enough. Letâs end this discussion here.â
I declared, without even turning to face him. Itâs time to end this. I will have him leave.
âAre you stupid, foo? How can you not understand the profit, foo?â
âYouâre the one whoâs stupid here. Thatâs why you lose to Gap company.â
I have done it now, foo! I ended up talking back as him calling me stupid ticked me off. I didnât see his face but itâs surely filled with anger. Then I shall not see it at all. The scenery outside is worth looking at 100 times more.
âFofofofo!! I am angry now, foo. I had heard that Helanâs landlord is wise but what a false rumor! I will teach you a lesson, foo.â
âTeach me a lesson? About what?â
âI had my private army ready to go to war against Gap company, foo. I will direct them all to you instead, foo. I will have you atone for angering me, foo.â
âOho? Is that a threat?â
âThatâs right, foo. I will forgive you if you retract your decision.â
Yep, that really ends this discussion.
I turned around and exchanged glances with Lotson-san, who was standing beside the door.
It seems like he properly understood my intention. Lotson-san opened the door and made all the servants leave.
The atmosphere of the room was tingling.
The only ones remaining in the room were me, Lotson-san, Alegraden and 3 of his subordinates.
âYou dare to threaten meâŠâ
I said quietly and slowly started walking. I walked up to his subordinates and gently put my hand on his shoulder.
âDo you have the same view as well?â
âO-of course. I have sworn utmost loyalty to Alegraden-sama.â
I started walking yet again. I did the same with his other subordinate.
âYou too?â
âThereâs no doubt!â
Itâs a pain so I didnât confirm it with the last one. I slowly started walking again. Only the sound of my footsteps reverberated in the room. Alegraden and his subordinatesâ faces were filled with tension. Lotson-san was completely calm.
I walked up all the way to Alegraden, who was sitting on the other side of the table, and slowly declared to him.
âIt will be a pain to have a private army directed at me.â
âMmm? Right?! That is exactly true!â
âAnd so, letâs omit the bothersome stuff. I will have you 4 killed, right here and now.â
âFoo?!â
I am glad youâre surprised. Thatâs what the acting was for, after all.
âI donât like being threatened. And what really ticks me off is being threatened by the people who are conceited that they are strong.â
âStop it, foo. Just try laying a hand on me, I will not let you off, foo!â
Alegraden shouted. His subordinates also stood up in agitation. Their spirit of protecting their master is wonderful.
I looked around the room.
What should I use to deal with these guys?
The chair? Hmm, doesnât feel right.
Tablecloth? That will be cruel.
The knife used for eating? Itâd be a waste.
I looked at a corner of the room.
There were 4 jars there.
Thatâs right, those were made by the craftsmen who are making the craftsmen city. From what I heard, these were made by the newcomers. They werenât of such a good made but after remembering that Eli wanted something to decorate the flowers, I told them I would take it as a commemoration. Although it hurts me to use it differently than what it is meant for, the perfect size of the jars troubled me.
The holes in the jars were perfectly the size of the 4 heads in front of me.
I guess I will execute them with those.
I slowly walked to the jars and held one.
âI will start with your subordinates.â
I held the jar with one hand and approached one of his underling.
âDo-donât come any closer! I am an expert martial artist, you know!? You will get huuurtttâaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh.â
I covered his head with the jar.
He was wriggling on the floor, trying to take it off.
âLetâs move on.â
I turned around and went to take the second vase. After holding it, I looked at the other underling. I gave a small grin.
âAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaâ
âNooooooooooooooooâ
I had all his underlings get into the jars. Their suffering in agony on the floor.
âS-such actions wonât be forgiven, foo. I have many connections in the capital, foo. Even to that Dartaniel family, foo. You wonât be left alone if you lay a hand on me, foo! Aaaaaaaaahhhhâ
The last extremely fat head also disappeared into the jar.
âWhat will you do? Eli-sama will be angry if you kill them here.â
Lotson-san said something extremely scary with an utmost calm expression.
âWell, itâs fine. I will let them off the hook today. This will probably act as a good demonstration for fools who try to say the same thing.â
âThen let us stuff them into their carriage and send them back. Their bodily fluids are leaking out of the jars so I shall do it quick. After all, Eli-sama will get angry if it gets any dirtier than this.â
âRight. I could have dealt with this a bit more peacefully had they eaten the potatoes Eli made.â
I left the rest to Lotson-san. Heâs not only smart, but also strong. Before long, he carried all 4 of them and threw them into the carriage. He whipped the horse once and the carriage left the mansion at once.
Lotson-san and I saw them off.
âDid I go a bit overboard?â
For what it matters, I asked him, my close associate.
âNo, no, thereâs no way Kururi-samaâs action can be wrong.â
âReally? I thought you would find fault in it.â
âWith this, the annoying flies will probably stop coming. It might have increased your enemies but they are worthless compared to you. More importantly, leave these trifling matters aside and listen to the peopleâs requests.â
âWhatâs that? I did see all the applications, if thatâs what youâre talking about.â
âItâs something that shouldnât even be requested. Everyone is eagerly waiting for you to make the hot springs again. They are waiting for the return of the âYoung Hot Spring Nobleâ.â
âExcuse me?â
While I was still dumbfounded, Lotson-san brought a shovel, for some reason. And had me hold one.
âNow then, letâs go.â
âExcuse me?â
Author note:
Next time! Come again, legend!
Making a fortune at a single stroke! The episode of digging up hot springs!