Chapter 5 - 005 - Meeting with Count Banyusas and Shopping
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005 - Meeting with Count Banyusas and Shopping
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Count Banyusas's base is a castle called Great Eagle Castle. Because the walls are white and brown, and its shape when seen from above looks like an eagle spreading its wings, it came to be called Great Eagle Castle.
Rodney, who was waiting with Rodmel in Great Eagle Castle's waiting room for an audience with Count Banyusas, was intimidated by the luxurious furnishings. As befits Count Banyusas, who is called the champion of the northern lands, Great Eagle Castle is large and uses expensive furnishings. Even just the sofa Rodney and the others are sitting on probably costs several large gold coins. It's a quality unimaginable in Rodney's home.
After waiting a while, the butler came to call him, and only Rodney was led to the reception room. Furnishings that looked even more luxurious than the previous waiting room were lined up.
"Thank you for coming. I am Adelaide Schneif Banyusas."
"It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I am Rodney Elias Forvas, who inherited the Knight Baronet title of Forvas House upon the death of my father Beck. I humbly ask for your favor from now on."
"Please sit."
Urged to sit, Rodney sat on the sofa. Count Banyusas, sitting in front of him, was a white-haired old man but one who exuded vigor.
The butler presented some documents, and Count Banyusas looked them over. Because he hadn't been taught by his father how to handle such situations, Rodney tensed up, wondering what the Count was doing.
"How old are you, Rodney-dono?"
"I am 15 years old."
"You are young. Inheriting a house at such a young age must be difficult. If you have any troubles, you may rely on me."
"I am grateful. I imagine I will cause you trouble on various matters, but I ask for your kind assistance when that time comes."
Count Banyusas started with safe confirmations and spun formal words as the lord-parent, and Rodney also gave a benign response. And he did not forget to express gratitude for having been given time to repay the debt.
Count Banyusas showed consideration by quickly changing the subject from the debt. Rodney was grateful for that. But not talking about the debt and not repaying it are not the same thing. Also, he felt it was due to the custom that nobles do not worry about money.
"I hear you gave me something called Galim Syrup today. I have no knowledge of such a thing in my memory. What is it?"
"It is a sweetener, Your Excellency."
"Oh, a sweetener? So it's different from sugar or honey, is it?"
"Yes. Galim Syrup is made from the sap of the Galim tree, and I intend to make it a specialty product of the Dedel Territory."
Rodney gave a simple explanation of Galim Syrup. He also mentioned that it had been decided that his grandfather Hacklehoff's shop would handle it. Count Banyusas, knowing that Hacklehoff was Rodney's grandfather, assumed he was getting it handled through connections.
"Specialty products are very important for enriching a territory. Do your best."
"Thank you very much."
The audience with Count Banyusas ended anticlimactically simply. There was no demand for repayment of the debt. Rodney breathed a sigh of relief that the meeting had ended safely, thinking that the Count had shown consideration because this was a visit to announce the inheritance.
After confirming Rodney had left the room, Count Banyusas shifted his gaze to his close aide, Geldovas. Geldovas, who had fallen ill as a child, could not move the left half of his face; his eyelid barely moved sluggishly. Therefore, he skillfully moved the muscles on the right side to speak, and grew up being told it was comical. Due to such a background, his personality was somewhat distorted.
"How did you see Rodney?"
"I cannot say anything yet. First, let us confirm this Galim Syrup thing."
Because the left half doesn't move, Geldovas's words, spoken moving only the right side of his mouth, were somewhat hard to hear. Nevertheless, Geldovas's talent lay as a strategist, and Count Banyusas, understanding that, said nothing and felt there was no need to say anything.
"Indeed. But I thought he would ask for another loan, but he didn't."
"Perhaps he got accommodations from Hacklehoff. I hear he has been staying at Hacklehoff's mansion since yesterday."
"So what one should have is a great merchant grandfather."
"But it is unknown how far that stingy Hacklehoff will support him."
"That's true too."
Count Banyusas had the Galim Syrup brought. He had it tasted for poison just in case, but his subordinate's cheeks relaxed and reported that it was very sweet and delicious. Hearing that, Count Banyusas and Geldovas also tasted the Galim Syrup. There was a roasted aroma within the sweetness, and it was not a cloying sweetness like sugar.
"Hoh... this is delicious."
"Since he said he would make this Galim Syrup a specialty, Forvas House's finances may improve."
"It's Hacklehoff who will handle this, isn't it. That old man is a smooth talker and resourceful, so it'll probably sell."
"Yes. Depending on the price, there is sufficient possibility it will sell."
"So a specialty product will be born in the farthest northern frontier land that had nothing."
If a vassal were to ruin land management due to debt troubles, his management ability as the lord-parent would be questioned, so while there is a limit, he is not stingy with support for Forvas House. Rather, a certain degree of dependence is desirable. Because losing the connection of debt and losing control would be far more troubling.
Meanwhile, Rodney, who had returned to Hacklehoff's mansion, was caught by his cousin Shima.
"Rodney-san, welcome back."
"I'm home, Shima."
Pulling Rodney's hand, who had just returned, Shima left the mansion. Rodney was taken out without any rest at all because they had promised to go shopping together after the audience with Count Banyusas.
"It's over there, Rodney-san."
"Eh..."
The place Shima took Rodney was a women's clothing store. The clothing store was still okay, but underwear was also displayed there, so it was a store that required courage for Rodney to enter.
"This is..."
"Come on, hurry up."
Pulled by Shima's hand, he entered the store. It was a custom-made specialty store for the wealthy, with samples of cute clothes and luxurious dresses displayed. And also the women's underwear that had made Rodney hesitant to enter.
The shape was quite different from the underwear in his previous life's memories, but still, in front of women's underwear, his behavior became strange.
"Hey, what about this?"
"Bfuh!"
Shima held up the underwear to show him. It was over her clothes, but he averted his gaze, thinking a young girl shouldn't do such things.
"Oh come on, you can't see like that."
Shima moved into Rodney's line of sight. Then Rodney averted his gaze again. It was a cat-and-mouse game.
"Fine. Next is a dress. I'm going to wear it to a party at the Count's place soon. You're going too, Rodney-san."
"No, I..."
He tried to say he wouldn't go, but Shima talked over him before that.
"Since we're going together, we have to make your clothes too, Rodney-san."
"No, so..."
"I think this one is good. What do you think? Does it suit me?"
"...I think it suits you."
"Really?"
"Yeah, really."
"Then I'll take this. Can you make it with a slightly lighter color fabric?"
Shima conveyed the detailed specifications to the clerk. After leaving the store, Rodney asked why they hadn't taken measurements.
"I ordered clothes three days ago too, so measurements were taken then."
Custom-made clothes and dresses are extremely expensive. To have ordered them three days ago as well—he thought that was just like a great merchant's granddaughter. But Rodney, who thought that, was also the grandson of a great merchant. However, even if Rodney were to become rich, he probably would order clothes only as needed. The temperament of having been poor for these past 15 years doesn't change easily, and he didn't intend to change it.
"By the way, when is the Count's party?"
"If there's no war or anything, there's one about once a month. I don't plan to attend all of them, but if I don't attend an appropriate amount, it becomes troublesome."
Hearing once a month, Rodney's cheek twitched. To attend the party, he would have to make clothes. And different clothes each time. Forvas House didn't have that kind of financial power.
Also, he had never heard that there was a party every month. He could guess that until now, his father Beck had been refusing to attend parties on various pretexts.
Shima said they would have lunch at a stylish restaurant, and then have Rodney's clothes tailored. However, he had no intention of wasting money like that now, and if he were to spend money on clothes, he would rather use it for other things. So Rodney refused, but was forcibly taken.
I only feel weird about ordering custom-made clothes when I have no plans to attend the party. I should clearly refuse here.
"Shi..."
"Oh my, if it isn't Miss Shima. Welcome."
Rodney's voice was drowned out by the clerk's voice. To the clerk, Rodney only looked like Shima's attendant. That was how far Rodney's clothing was from a noble's.
"Could you please make a suit for this Rodney-san today?"
"Yes, of course."
Shima and the clerk moved quickly. Even when he tried to say custom-made clothes were unnecessary, they preempted him each time and he couldn't say anything. Rodney was horrified, wondering if merchants were such frightening creatures.
In the evening, Rodney returned to the mansion exhausted and collapsed onto the sofa.
"Grandmother, listen. Rodney-san became unable to move after just a little shopping. He's so useless."
"My, my. But boys are like that. It seems women's shopping is painful. My husband also used to get exhausted."
Grandmother Aman, who was talking about the old days, poured tea.
"Thank you, Grandmother."
"He's a lord, so he shouldn't get worn out from that much, right, Grandmother?"
"That's right. Maybe Rodney should train a bit. Heheheh."
While drinking tea and moistening his throat, he silently listened to his grandmother and cousin's conversation. If he foolishly interjected, it would probably get longer. Even without his input, Shima's complaints were lengthy.
The next day, early in the morning, Rodney and his group left Hacklehoff's mansion.
"Show your face more often. And bring Emilia-chan too."
"I'll try to come as often as I can."
He shook hands with Hacklehoff.
"Rodney, don't overdo it."
"Yes, Grandmother."
He hugged his grandmother.
"My husband was rude this time. Please show us your cheerful face again."
"Please stay well, Aunt."
He bowed slightly.
"When you come next time, the clothes will be ready. Let's go to the Count's party."
"Please go easy on me..."
It was decided that Hacklehoff would pay for the custom-made clothes. Shima, who had intended that from the start, was spending money without restraint. Rodney was a bit turned off, thinking this must be what they call high society.
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