Adventurer Insurance Association

Even if the opportunity arose, Yohane's current position as a merchant on the cusp of the mid-tier suited him far better than becoming a minor noble.

Setting aside the allure of joining the upper class and thinking purely in terms of benefit, Alexia's advice to shore up their foundation made perfect sense.

… And it reminded him of the Finance Minister.

The man had been virtually absent from the royal castle since Queen Tianis's coronation.

Yet even as the royalist faction led by Queen Tianis rose to prominence, he maintained enormous power.

Because he was the kingdom's keeper of the purse.

Cross him, and any noble dependent on the budget would find themselves strangled.

If Yohane became a noble now, he'd no longer be able to defy the Finance Minister the way a merchant could.

Without the personal wealth to stand against him, Yohane would eventually be absorbed into his sphere of influence, pulled away from Queen Tianis's orbit.

He still couldn't forget the look in the man's eyes, fixed on him, when he'd sent women to lay a honey trap.

There had been an iron will behind those eyes, one that said he'd bend everything to his design, a penetrating stare that seemed to see right through Yohane's thoughts.

Politics really was complicated.

Making money was far easier and far more enjoyable.

Figure out what the customer wants, prepare it, price it right, and things work out.

"I may have ended up in a strange position."

"That's what you get for saying yes to every request Queen Tianis makes, isn't it?"

"How was I supposed to refuse? At the start, the requests came through Jacob… the lord, of all people."

Back then she'd still been a princess, and he'd been genuinely stunned when he heard the details.

Now he understood the pitying look Jacob had given him.

"Well, the situation itself isn't bad. The Luido concession is profitable, we've built connections with the Empire, and there's a clear path to expanding the business. No need to rush. Just steady progress."

"Being close to royalty means something else will come up, for better or worse."

"Let's hope it's something we can handle."

The concert and minding Princess Yupe had been fun, but he wanted to take it easy for a while.

He'd been wound tight for so long that if he didn't decompress now, his mind and body wouldn't hold up.

All the more so if he was going to grow the company.

"Almost evening already. Let's wrap up the talk and have an early dinner."

They'd only had a light meal before leaving Luido, and he was getting peckish.

Queen Tianis had offered them sweets during their meeting, but that wasn't nearly enough to count as a meal.

"Whose turn is it today…?"

"Oh, mine and Finn's. Been a busy day, hasn't it."

"Sorry about that, we made you come pick us up and everything. If you're tired, I can take over."

"Don't worry about it. You're the one who's worn out from looking after Yupe, right? I'll have it ready in no time, so sit down and rest."

"Thanks."

"Sure. Come on, let's go, Finn."

"Hey, I wanted to relax a bit more first. Fine, fine, I'm coming."

Finn voiced her protest, but one stern look from Alexia and she fell into line.

Their daily training sessions had brought those two closer.

"Every time I'm paired with you, I think this, but…"

"… What?"

"You really like cute aprons. Even your oven mitts are pink."

Alexia's go-to apron was a simple design, but it had embroidery and lace sewn onto it.

She tied her hair back while wearing it.

"Are you saying that sort of thing doesn't suit me?"

"Didn't say that. Just… unexpected."

"Embroidery helps me clear my head. And cute things are soothing to look at. Even you have little hobbies, don't you, Finn?"

"Fair enough. So, what are we making?"

"Hmm, I'm tired today, so I'd rather not go all out…"

Alexia opened the magically refrigerated box and checked the ingredients.

They hadn't gone shopping recently, so the contents were a bit sparse.

"How about a cream stew? We can use up whatever vegetables and meat are left."

"Ooh, nice. Make it salty."

"You and your salt… If I season everything to your taste, it's all way too salty. Season your own portion after I plate it."

"You need to get your salt in while you can, or you'll burn out."

Finn had come from the assassination trade.

She'd left that life behind after being hired by Yohane, though she still made active use of those skills when they proved useful.

When you spent days on end lying in wait without food or water, a lack of salt would sap your strength and leave you unable to function.

She understood that from hard experience.

Alexia knew the importance of salt from the battlefield too, but that didn't mean she wanted to eat that way every day.

In a sense, it was a testament to Finn's professionalism.

But keeping it up on a daily basis took a toll.

"It's bad for your body. Keep things milder on a normal day. If it's urgent, just lick a chunk of salt."

"That's the first time anyone's worried about me like that… Throws me off."

The sounds of cooking drifted from the kitchen.

Dinner wouldn't take long.

He settled into a chair to wait in peace.

Or so he thought.

The bell at the front door rang.

A visitor.

If something had happened at the shop, someone would have come through the back entrance, so this wasn't one of their people.

"I'll get it. Please stay seated, sir."

Orleans, being closest, stood and headed for the door.

She opened it to find a middle-aged man standing there.

He was bald, and his clothes were impeccably neat.

"How may I help you?"

"Little miss. This is Yohane's place, right?"

"Yes. What business do you have with sir?"

"I've got something to discuss with him. Go fetch your master, would you?"

"Your name and the nature of your business first, please. We weren't informed of any visitors."

The man seemed slightly irritated that Orleans hadn't moved despite being told to fetch her master.

But Orleans was in the right.

The man's irritation likely stemmed from having categorized Orleans as a servant.

In other words, someone beneath him.

But faced with Orleans's clear refusal to budge until she had a name and a reason, the man relented.

"Haah… Fine. The name's Martz. I apologize for the unannounced visit, but it's a matter of some importance. I hear Yohane runs a rapidly growing trading company and is in the good graces of Her Majesty Queen Tianis. He's also a member of the Adventurer's Guild, I believe."

The man produced a single business card from inside his coat.

"Give this to Yohane, little miss. It should do the talking. Sooner rather than later, if you don't mind."

"… Very well."

The business card Orleans accepted bore the title: Director, Adventurer Insurance Association.