I Want You

"You want me to come work for you, sir?"

"That's right. I'm expanding my operations and could use the help. Someone as good with numbers as you would be especially useful."

Orleans didn't answer immediately. She seemed to be mulling it over.

Perhaps she was torn between her debt to the duke and her debt to us for saving her.

"You did save me, and I want to repay that debt. But after the duke went to the trouble of promoting me, abandoning that seems…"

"Of course I wouldn't ask you to quit outright. You have your position at the estate to consider. But it's clearly not an easy place for you either."

"That's…"

Her inability to answer was answer enough.

Being talented alone wasn't enough to get by in the world.

People inevitably cared about where you came from.

A small inner circle might look past it, but in an organization as vast as the ducal house, erasing that was impossible.

"I plan to ask Duke Dantarg about it when I report on this trip. We took on a reckless job, so he should at least hear me out. But if you don't want to, I won't force it."

In truth, I wanted her desperately.

Orleans was so capable that just the few days she'd stayed with us had cleared away a mountain of work.

I'd rather have her come to my operation than stay in the ducal house, where replacements were plentiful.

But Orleans wasn't a slave. She wasn't a serf anymore either.

I wanted her to decide for herself, and I intended to respect that decision.

"Could I have some time to think? I need a little while."

"Sure. That's fine. If I don't have your answer before I speak to the duke, I'll assume you've declined."

"Understood. I'll be sure to give you my answer."

I'd said what I wanted to say.

Leaving Orleans alone, I stepped away from the deck.

At times like these, a man should know to be tactful.

When I returned to the cabin first, Azu and the others were relaxing.

"Welcome back. Where's Orleans-chan?"

"She said she wanted to enjoy the breeze a bit longer."

"I see. I hope she doesn't catch a chill."

"I don't think that's something to worry about."

Alexia replied to Azu. I sat down on the bed.

The sheets, freshly laundered in salt water, felt slightly sticky to the touch.

This trip had been dangerous at times, but it was a good change of pace.

Once I got back to the shop, it would be back to grueling days.

I idly wondered if I might be able to get a piece of the iron ore and burning stone transport business.

After all, I had a time-limited right to bypass Alsarm's customs.

It only applied to alcohol and ore, but the effect was tremendous.

For now, I was just sending Kaimol occasionally to buy up alcohol, but even that was generating significant profit.

If I could get into iron ore as well, it would become a sizable business.

The letter entrusted to me by Crown Prince Kelves said to give the duke his regards.

That meant we'd done him a favor and he wanted the duke to make it worth our while.

That was why I'd thought of recruiting Orleans.

If recruiting her didn't work out, I'd ask to be allowed to purchase the iron ore that would soon be circulating.

What I had on board now would net a decent profit, but I wanted to make it regular trade.

Iron ore was available within the kingdom too, but other trading houses always got involved in distribution, driving up prices.

Even if I went directly to a mine to buy, they wouldn't sell to me right away.

Asking Princess Tianis might get it done, but I didn't want to owe her too much.

There was something unfathomable in that girl's eyes.

I needed a working relationship, but I wanted to keep my distance.

Her attendant, Kanon, was also a nag, which made her hard to deal with.

After a while, Orleans returned to the cabin as well.

We had fried fish for dinner.

Sandwiched between bread with basil sauce, it was quite tasty.

Then we exchanged farewells with the crew who had helped us.

They agreed to keep the matter of the storm secret.

For them, having the seas easier to navigate meant fishing and shipping would improve, which benefited everyone.

Besides, the only naval force on these waters belonged to Duke Dantarg.

As a result, the new sea route would be monopolized, further strengthening his economic power.

… A duke, a member of the Imperial Senate, and now a maritime king.

I thought he might attract enemies by holding too much power.

That must be exactly why he supported Kelves, the legitimate heir, and positioned himself as his patron.

If the emperor's authority and the Dantarg ducal house's power were combined, the Empire, currently fractured and unstable, would quickly stabilize and transition to a solid system.

We'd managed to hitch ourselves to the winning side… I supposed.

Of course, we were just a small-time merchant. The benefits we could expect were limited compared to the major trading houses providing direct support. But that was enough.

Alexia and Azu lay down as soon as they finished eating.

They must have been exhausted from staying on edge all night.

Elza was reading what looked like a scripture, and Finn was meticulously maintaining her equipment.

Orleans sat on her bed, deep in thought.

We'd probably arrive at Ateil's port by tomorrow morning.

I hoped I'd get a good answer.

Eventually everyone fell asleep, and only the sound of waves remained.

Amidst all that, I was woken by someone while it was still dark.

Rubbing my eyes and sitting up, the area brightened.

It had been Orleans who woke me.

"Sir. Would you accompany me for a moment?"

"Sure, let's go."

We slipped out of the room so as not to wake the others.

The sea at dawn was blue and dark.

The water was so clear it felt like it might pull you in.

The Azure Sea must have gotten its name from this time of day.

"Sir. Do you remember when you saved me?"

"Of course."

… It was when Orleans had escaped from the estate and been kidnapped by bandits.

Orleans seemed to have forgotten due to shock, but she'd been violated.

We'd rescued Orleans in that state while taking care of the bandits and brought her home. That had been the start of it all.

"… I know you were being considerate. I know what happened too."

"You knew?"

"Scars on the body don't vanish."

Saying that, Orleans slipped off her robe.

Her body in its thin clothes glowed in the moonlight.

Though mostly faded by Elza's healing, faint scars remained.

She must have seen them in a mirror or something. Even without remembering, she could have pieced it together.

"Do you still want someone as tainted as me?"

"You're not tainted. I want you."

That was my honest feeling.

The one at fault wasn't Orleans. It was the bandits, who were no longer of this world.