The Selling Price
After collecting all the gout plants, we returned to the World Tree.
I asked the Alraune if they wanted to come to my place tomorrow.
When she asked why, I told her Bianca’s and Ripka’s families were coming over to make scarves, so I thought she might like to come too. She agreed right away.
When I asked about the other two, she said, “Just me.”
I guess, like with the dressmaking last time, someone always needs to stay behind.
When we arrived back at the mansion, Henry greeted us with a rare look of surprise.
“Ripka’s and Bianca’s families, and an Alraune,” I explained. “They’ll be staying here for a while, so please take care of them.”
“How shall I prepare their rooms?”
“One large room should be fine. Put some big cushions on the floor—and a perch for Ripka’s parents if possible.”
“Would you like it near your quarters, Young Master Reinhardt?”
“Yes. They’ll feel safer if I’m close by. We’ll go to the hot spring in the meantime.”
“Understood. I’ll have it ready immediately.”
When we got out of the bath, Georges told me my parents were waiting in the sitting room, so we all headed there together.
“Pleased to meet you. I’m Violetta Westland, mother of Chrisford, Gerald, and Reinhardt. I’m so happy we finally get to meet,” my mother said, introducing herself to Ripka’s and Bianca’s families.
Come to think of it, she hadn’t met them before.
“Hardt, explain,” Father said.
“Bianca’s family found a dense patch of gout plants and brought everything back. When I asked what they’d like as thanks, they said they wanted to make scarves—and also that they’d like to try the food at the exhibition.”
That’s why I invited them all.
“But Hardt,” Mother said, “there are two Alraune at the house right now asking how to get scarf rings made after you refused them earlier.”
“What?” I turned to the Alraune who had come with me.
“Well, you said no, so I thought maybe if I asked your mother, she’d make them,” she said innocently.
“I did say I’d make you some—but not with our family crest.”
“But we want to match everyone else.”
I looked at my parents. They both said, “Why not?” and “It’s fine.”
They’re so soft on everyone… honestly.
“If anyone sees them, they’ll think you’re my contracted familiars,” I warned.
“It’s fine. We’ll only meet people connected to you,” she replied.
Ripka’s and Bianca’s families nodded along.
“… All right, I’ll make everyone’s,” I sighed.
I asked Mother to invite Ayla over to help.
When Ripka and Bianca return, I’ll probably need to call her again—but she’ll be happy to come, I’m sure.
“So, Hardt,” Father said, “how much gout did you bring back?”
“We don’t know the exact number, but I’d estimate around two hundred plants.”
“Two hundred!?”
Apparently, even when discovered, they usually only find ten to twenty.
One plant sells for five gold coins.
That means two hundred plants equal a hundred platinum coins—about one hundred million yen.
You’ve got to be kidding me.
They just gave us a hundred platinum coins’ worth in the few weeks they’ll be staying here?
“Will all of it sell?” I asked.
“It’ll sell. The East Springs family will buy the entire lot, even if it’s on installment. It’s guaranteed—pain relief medicine like that always is.”
“Well then, we can think of it as covering the exhibition’s expenses. We should gratefully accept it.”
“You…” Father began, then shook his head, moving on.
He said there was more news:
Princess Rinaluna, Young Lady Diana, four of Chris’s school friends, Raphael, Bridget, Dianne, Isaac, Hubert, Uncle Davit, and Duke Clondale were all coming to the exhibition.
That’s… practically everyone I know.
Apparently, nobles, merchants, and even commoners would be mixed into the crowd.
The inns were fully booked, and some vacant houses had been renovated into temporary hotels.
Word about the preliminaries had reached the capital, and they were even considering holding one there, too.
So this was a “visit” disguised as a reconnaissance mission, huh.
Still, it seemed the people I personally knew were being grouped together out of courtesy.
“I won’t be able to guide them on the day, though. You saw how crowded the preliminaries were,” I said.
“Yes. They’ll visit before the venue opens, then observe the bustle from afar. The items for display can be the ones being judged.”
“They’ll want to try the food too.”
“They can buy it in advance, I imagine.”
“Father, since the exhibitors will be under so much pressure, how about opening the new district’s hot spring when we return from Eminira?”
“You mean the workers’ bathhouse? That one’s fine?”
“Yes. After working three days—five including setup—they’ll be exhausted. A soak before returning to the capital will revive them, and it’ll motivate them to work in the new district too.”
“Good point. We can lend them the knights’ tents—it’ll be camping, but decent enough.”
Father then told me to write replies to my friends who were attending.
So I wrote four letters.
I explained that the exhibition would be hectic, so I might not have time to talk much; that due to the crowds seen during the preliminaries, they’d be touring before opening hours; and that the judged entries would be viewed at the mansion. I also mentioned that rooms might have to be shared due to the number of guests.
To Raphael and Dianne, I added that I wanted to buy as much curry powder and matcha as possible.
When I tell Damian and the others about this, they’re going to scream again.
Sure enough, the next morning, when I shared these updates, they didn’t scream—they just went pale.
If they’d been standing, someone probably would’ve fainted.
“It’s fine,” I reassured them. “My brothers will handle the guiding. We won’t be directly involved—just know that some guests will tour before opening.”
“Why are we leaving earlier, then?” Rosetta asked, still looking queasy.
“We’ll be staying one night in the new district. In tents, but they’re knight-grade, so sturdy.”
“Why there?”
“To visit the hot spring. After three days in Eminira—five, counting setup—you’ll all be dead tired. This way you can relax before heading home.”
“I’m happy about the hot spring, but… what about cleanup?”
“We’ll hire both guilds in Eminira to handle it. Of course, we’ll cover the cost.”
Thanks to Bianca’s family, we can afford it now.
Really, I’m so grateful.
What do you think about this chapter?
