Chapter 4 - 004_Disownment Declaration and Grandfather
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004_Disownment Declaration and Grandfather
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"Well then, I'll be off."
"Big Brother, please be careful."
"It'll be fine since Rodmel is with me."
Rodney decided to head to the city of Bassam, ruled by Count Banyusas. Under normal circumstances, he should have gone to Bassam much earlier to pay his respects to Count Banyusas. However, it was common for someone who suddenly inherited a house to first grasp the management of their territory before visiting their liege lord. For that reason, it was about a month later that he set out to pay his respects.
Accompanying him were his retainer-in-chief Rodmel and five soldiers. Rodney would have liked to travel with the beautiful Yulin, but since his counterpart was his liege lord and a high-ranking noble, Count Banyusas, he decided to bring the battle-hardened Rodmel so as not to be underestimated. Additionally, two of the soldiers pulled a cart loaded with a large quantity of Galim Syrup.
The Dedel Territory, where Garusu Village was located, was the northernmost frontier region of the Kuodo Kingdom. With harsh, freezing winters and cool summers, the land was not well-suited for cultivating Nikashi, so grains like Shishikamu and Zarai were grown. Although there was some fishing, only small boats were used, so they could not venture into the open sea. It was a desolate village with no specialties.
The one trying to create a specialty in such a village was the new lord, Rodney=Elías=Forvas.
The city of Bassam, ruled by Count Banyusas, was about a three-day walk from Garusu Village. It was a large city said to be the northernmost trading city, but it was only a fraction of the size of the royal capital.
As its epithet suggested, it was also the northernmost port for maritime trade, with its main trade goods being pottery and dried fish called Gyaker. In particular, the pottery was so prized it was called Banyusas ware.
Rodney and his party arrived in Bassam without incident on the way, and headed to the trading merchant's shop. When Rodney entered the shop, which was on a completely different scale from the Forvas Knight House, the air grew tense.
"W-well, if it isn't Rodney-sama. Welcome, welcome," said a middle-aged man, rubbing his hands as he approached. This man was a person named Manas, who served as the shop's second-in-command, a high-ranking employee in the store.
"It's been a while, Manas."
"Yes, it has been a long time. What happened to Beck-sama was regrettable. Please accept my condolences."
This was the shop of the merchant Hacklehoff. Hacklehoff was Rodney's maternal grandfather, and also the person to whom he was in debt.
"Father was weak. That's all there is to it..."
Though he held the title of knight, Beck was not particularly skilled with a sword. That blood flowed perfectly into Rodney as well, and Rodney's swordsmanship was about on par with a peasant soldier.
"That's not true..."
"It's fine. I'm the one who feels it. Anyway, is my grandfather around?"
"Well, about that..." Manas hesitated. Rodney looked at him with suspicion.
"Father isn't here."
"Young master!?"
The one called "young master" by Manas was Santas, Rodney's uncle. This Santas detested the Forvas family for borrowing money from Hacklehoff and never repaying it. That sentiment showed in his every action and word, but until now, Rodney hadn't understood the reason, so he had found him unpleasant. However, now that he could understand the reason, Rodney felt awkward.
"Is that so? Then, I have something I'd like to discuss with my uncle."
"I'm busy right now."
"Then, how about tonight?"
"I'm busy tonight too."
He's probably wary that I'm going to ask to borrow money. Things were bad until now, so I can't help it. But this is a chance for me to repay my debts, and it would be a profitable deal for Grandfather and Uncle, so I have to do it.
"Then, what about tomorrow? I'll be staying for two or three days, so if Grandfather comes back by then, I'll wait."
Santas let out a deep sigh before speaking.
"I have decided to cut ties with the Forvas family. Do you understand what that means, Rodney?"
It was an abrupt declaration of disownment.
"Are you serious?"
"Of course I'm serious. I'll inform my sister by letter later. If she wants to come back, I'll accept her."
"..."
"You don't have to repay any of the debts so far. In exchange, never show your face at the shop or the mansion again."
"Is Grandfather... saying that too?"
"Yes."
He felt uneasy—his doting grandfather would never say such a thing—but since he had borrowed money and not even paid the interest, being disowned was inevitable. He resigned himself to that and swallowed the words he was about to say. However, since they had looked after him until now, even if they disowned him, he wanted to repay that kindness.
"Understood. I'll make sure not to show my face from now on. As a farewell gift, please accept that. Hey, bring it in."
"Yes, sir!"
"Hey, what do you think you're doing!" Santas tried to shout to stop him, but Rodney ignored the protest.
"Rodney-sama, we've finished bringing it in!" Rodmel reported. Rodney deeply bowed to Santas.
"I apologize for all the trouble we've caused. That is a sweetener we produced. If you don't need it, please throw it away."
Rodney raised his head and left the shop with Rodmel. The Galim Syrup they had left behind weighed 50 Rodem (100 kilograms). It was half of the Galim Syrup they had brought this time. The other half was a gift for Count Banyusas.
"Rodney-sama, was that alright?"
"Considering everything up until now, I can understand what Uncle says. Even if he says he wants to cut ties, I can't help it."
"I see."
It's sad, but this is all poverty's fault...
Rodney checked into an inn and sent Rodmel ahead to the Count Banyusas residence as an advance messenger. He couldn't just visit a person like that unannounced, so he had to coordinate a date and time in advance before visiting.
When Rodmel returned, he reported that the audience was set for the morning two days later.
"Then I can take it easy tomorrow."
Ever since inheriting the house, he had been rushing around making Galim Syrup and improving the environment for it, so he hadn't had a moment's rest. It was the first time in his life he had spent such an intense period.
He thought he could finally relax, but early the next morning, a visitor came to the inn.
"Rodney!"
The old man suddenly hugged him. This old man was the merchant Hacklehoff, Rodney's maternal grandfather.
"Hey, old man. No matter what, stop hugging me."
"I beat the crap out of Santas! You're my grandson. Come and lean on me anytime!"
Apparently, the disownment was Santas's unilateral decision. After returning, Hacklehoff heard the gist of it from Manas, the second-in-command, flew into a rage, and apparently really did beat him up.
"And what in the world was that stuff!?"
"You mean the Galim Syrup?"
"That's the one! That'll sell! Did you make it, Rodney?"
"Yeah, I made it. I want to make Galim Syrup a specialty of Garusu Village from now on."
"Leave it to me! I'll sell a ton of it!"
"You're a trading merchant for a reason. That's reassuring."
"Ha-ha-ha-ha! I'm a grandfather so I can show off to my grandson!"
Hacklehoff had a very boisterous personality. And he was a doting grandfather. Thanks to that, even with the debts, they could talk comfortably. Even though Rodney felt something was off about Santas saying Grandfather was also cutting ties, he hadn't been able to talk back.
"How much can you make? How much will you sell it to me for wholesale?"
"Right now, I can produce about 250 Rodem a month, I think."
The daily production limit of Galim Syrup was 10 Rodem (20 kilograms). Monthly production would be 300 Rodem, but that was if everyone worked without rest. Moreover, since it was affected by weather like rain, Rodney thought a realistic number, if the weather cooperated, would be 250 Rodem per month, and he told Hacklehoff that.
However, that was only the current production capacity; Rodney was working on improving productivity and mass production. In three months, production would likely double.
Hacklehoff said that was still not enough and that he should make more. Rodney, doubtful that such a large quantity could be sold before any sales had even begun, evaded the response.
"So, what's the wholesale price?"
"I have no idea. How much would you say, old man?" Rodney shrugged his shoulders.
"Are you testing me?"
"No, I really can't imagine it. But I want to make it cheaper than sugar or honey. If it's not, it won't sell even if mass-produced."
"I see. If there's a similar product, the older one has more recognition. To sell in volume, you need impact. If that's price, then impact is there."
Hacklehoff said. When dealing with sugar in the royal capital, the retail price was about 1 large gold coin per 1 Rodem (2 kilograms). Honey was 7 small gold coins. Considering a commoner's monthly income was 1 to 2 small gold coins, sugar and honey cost several times that.
Nobles and the wealthy indulged in sweets that lavishly used such luxury sweeteners. So if that made them wealthy, so be it, but it was something that a poor noble like Rodney could never afford.
"If you give an impact by making it cheaper than that, then 3 to 4 small gold coins. Considering that, the purchase price would be around 8 large silver coins. In exchange, our people will come to Garusu Village to pick up the Galim Syrup. How about that?"
Rodney didn't know about business, but considering transportation, profit, and taxes, selling for several times the wholesale price seemed reasonable.
If the wholesale price per Rodem was 8 large silver coins, then shipping 250 Rodem per month would yield 20 large gold coins, or 240 large gold coins annually. That was double the tax revenue of Dedel Territory. Moreover, Hacklehoff would handle the transport. Rodney thought it was more than enough profit.
"That's fine."
"Alright, it's settled. This is for this time." Hacklehoff took a leather pouch from his pocket and placed it in front of Rodney. Rodney thought that the wholesale price had already been decided within Hacklehoff's mind, since he had prepared it beforehand.
You sly old man.
"No, that was meant as an apology for all the trouble so far."
"Let me look good. And don't be shy, grandson."
"...I appreciate it."
Rodney decided to gratefully accept Hacklehoff's kindness. If he stubbornly refused, the old man would always find some reason and force it on him.
"Also, just like Santas said, you don't have to repay the debts so far."
"No, that's..."
"It's a celebration gift for my independent grandson. Besides, we're going to be business partners from now on, so think of it as a contract fee. I'm telling you, you're not allowed to refuse. This is a command from your grandfather."
"Understood. Thanks, old man."
"Hmm, that's good. Oh, that's right. Old woman said you should stay at the mansion. Don't refuse, or else she'll get sulky, and that would be scary."
"Right. Then I'll be in your care today."
"I'll lock Santas in the storeroom or something, so you can stay as long as you like."
It seemed that in Hacklehoff's mind, his grandson Rodney was more important than his son Santas.
"Is Emilia-chan not here today?"
"This time it's mainly to pay respects to Count Banyusas, so I didn't bring her."
"Hmm. Next time, bring Emilia-chan. Got it? Absolutely!"
The doting grandfather Hacklehoff was as intense as ever. Rodney said he would bring Emilia next time, and they worked out the details of the Galim Syrup transaction.
Afterwards, Rodney and his party checked out of the inn and moved to Hacklehoff's mansion, where they were welcomed by Hacklehoff and his wife, as well as Santas's wife and daughter Shima. Whether it was true or not, Santas had apparently been locked in the storeroom, and he did not show himself while Rodney's party was staying.
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