Chapter 162

Chapter 162

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Firewood wasn't something you could get just by going to a forest or mountain and cutting trees.

To speak more concretely, all the trees in the forests or mountains were the private property of the lord. Therefore, the act of cutting trees carelessly was illegal, and in principle severe punishment could follow.

However, human life doesn't necessarily only flow according to the law. Sometimes cutting trees was allowed by setting a period, and though illegal was still illegal it was overlooked appropriately.

Even when cooking meals fire was needed, and maintaining body temperature also needed fire. They couldn't exactly starve and freeze to death right.

Just because they were lords didn't mean they were only busy satisfying their own greed and didn't care about the people.

People living in remote backwaters with rare human presence might cut trees as they pleased without worrying about others' gaze, but in densely populated areas the amount of firewood that could be obtained was inevitably limited.

Cities inevitably had to be supplied with food, firewood, and other consumer goods from farming villages, but when a snag occurred in supply and demand there were often cases of abruptly suffering from starvation.

Incidents of people dying in heaps often happened.

Exactly like air. An existence that shouldn't be lacking, but that everyone treats trivially. But just as they only realize its preciousness when they feel like they will die of suffocation, firewood was exactly the same.

That firewood was piled up like a mountain. Not a metaphor, but a real mountain. Firewood was stacked almost as big as a house, and there seemed to be easily dozens of such firewood heaps.

Around those tremendous amounts of firewood heaps, a fence was set up, and armed people were strictly guarding it.

In other words, these firewoods had a separate owner.

"Even up until yesterday wasn't it two bundles of firewood for one copper coin? Why is it one bundle today? This is no different from the price doubling in one day, this is practically tyranny."

Macquin said exactly as if dumbfounded. However, the branch manager of the Kelbron Merchant Guild dealing with him didn't have any particular expression.

Because the swelling on one side of his cheek hadn't completely gone down yet, his both cheeks were mismatched. That it had become like this was from getting beaten up by a Nord mercenary.

He quietly looked at Marie standing behind Macquin, then looking at Macquin again he said.

"It is not tyranny. Mayor. Just as grain prices go down in autumn and grain prices rise in winter and spring, the price of firewood rising as winter approaches is also a natural phenomenon. Since winter is approaching as each day passes, isn't it natural that the price rises day by day?"

"Even so I have never seen the price doubling in just one day. It is doubtful whether you do not have another ulterior motive."

"Another ulterior motive?"

"I'm saying aren't you engaging in a battle of nerves with us."

"How would I dare engage in a battle of nerves? Madam was born with the most noble lineage in the world, and her swordsmanship is something even renowned heroes cannot match. For a humble person like me who merely buys and sells goods to engage in a battle of nerves, it is a truly foolish act even when I think about it. I tell you it is absolutely not so."

Whether saying exactly IF HE COULDN'T SPEAK WELL IT WOULDN'T BE DETESTABLE EITHER, HIS SPEECH WAS TRULY FLUENT LIKE FLOWING WATER. IT WAS NO DIFFERENT FROM SAYING EXACTLY I ABSOLUTELY HAVE NO THOUGHT OF KILLING YOU while choking their neck.

"Isn't it a loss for you folks too if you don't dispose of all this within this winter? Let's trade rationally."

In the midst of that Macquin tried not to let go of the string of negotiation. But then, Marie who had only been watching the negotiation stepped forward.

"Just give it as he asks. One copper coin for one bundle of firewood. Let's start by buying 5,000 bundles."

Roughly calculated it was about 50 gold coins. Compared to the money Rickart received selling spices and silk it was a small amount, but in a destitute time like now it was a very large sum of money.

"M, Madam."

Macquin panicked. But the merchant from Kelbron being a bit surprised was the same. Because he also hadn't expected they would buy firewood at this price at all.

"The Nords are currently building cabins, and if people consume firewood over the winter this is also insufficient. Since I have some money I've gathered all this while let's try covering it with that for now."

"No, not that, you must not buy at this price."

"Then is there another good method?"

"No......"

No matter how so, one copper coin for one bundle of firewood was a price too far out of common sense. This had exactly a heavy intention of openly screwing them over, she couldn't just suffer exactly like this.

However, as Marie said, if they failed to stockpile firewood the sacrifices could be huge this winter. Not only the people inside the city, but there were even more of Adelorn's people situated below the city. The refugees, that was.

Actually, with 5,000 bundles it wasn't even close to enough. Even if giving it out to them free of charge.

At Marie's nonsensical decision the Kelbron branch manager also stayed blankly, then barely opened his mouth.

"Is a brief private audience possible? Madam."

Marie nodded her head and signaled to Macquin with her eyes. Macquin, with a bewildered face having heard nothing, stepped away from between the two.

The branch manager came closer and spoke in a low voice exactly as if whispering.

"Is it because of, pride?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You can just apologize. What we want is exactly that. A public apology."

"You're telling me to apologize? Because of what?"

"Do you truly not know? You sided with the Nords at the trial last time. Then what do we become? Well, me getting hit can be overlooked. But there are the eyes of the people following me, aren't there."

"If I apologize?"

"I will sell at exactly the original fair price. Five bundles for one copper coin, that is."

Marie thought quietly then spoke.

"I have never heard of a judge apologizing for the result of a trial. If I apologize, the trials I conduct from now on will lose their authority. Even weighing it in many ways I cannot exactly apologize."

It was a truly wise answer. Even though she could save massive amounts of money with just a single word, Marie didn't compromise. Because authority could not be calculated exactly with money.

"Even if people shiver in the cold and die?"

"If such a thing happens it won't be from me, but the branch manager has exactly made it so. Thank you for speaking honestly, but please do not pass the buck. What the branch manager is doing now exactly deviates from the way of commerce, and is exactly threatening taking people as hostages."

"......No, what I truly don't understand is, Madam and we are from the same hometown and the Nords are some barbarians from somewhere out there right? Why are you doing this to us?"

"If we look at it that way, the people of Adelorn are also exactly having nothing to do with me is the same. Then are you saying I should not care whether they die or not?"

Marie didn't lose exactly a single word. And Marie's words exactly fit reason.

Merely, seeing it from the branch manager's point of view it wasn't realistic. No, she seemed to exactly lack a sense of reality.

No matter how much it fit reason, to solve realistic problems varied worldly wisdom was necessary.

Having exactly to bend when pride must be bent, lie when it must be done, and be brazen when it must be brazen. That was what politics was, and the branch manager thought one must did it like that.

There seemed to naturally be some fundamental difference of perspective between the two.

Even though he spoke up to here, when words couldn't get through the branch manager burst into a hollow laugh.

"How old are you? Madam."

"Why do you ask that?"

"Because a young woman seems to find it too much to handle a big task."

Eh? What was this sound? Marie exactly tilted her head wondering what she just heard, then quickly anger surged up.

So glaring at the branch manager exactly like frost she said.

"Branch manager, I think you just crossed the line."

Then the branch manager tapped his swollen cheek with his finger.

"The line was exactly crossed by you first, Madam. As one from the same hometown I desired justice, and even though justice was not achieved I held back once. Since now you exactly say you cannot even apologize I have no other method. Please give the money. One copper coin for one bundle of firewood."

Marie boiled up bubbling inside, but thinking of the words Paolo had said she held back. And she decided to lay her wager there.

"By the way, haven't you thought of this?"

"What thing?"

"That because I am young and a woman, I am exactly treating you with maximum courtesy. How would it exactly have been if it was my husband?"

"It is regrettable, Madam, but at first I also thought your husband would pacify Adelorn quickly so I came to this place. But how is the current situation? He is confronting Prince Lotharius-gong, and Lotharius-gong has more troops. Is that all? It is Lotharius-gong who completely seized the bridge first and occupied the advantageous terrain. The ones who respond most sensitively to the direction and outcome of war are exactly us. I will pray for your fortunes in war, but to give realistic advice, I think it would be better to appeal the affection between siblings to Lotharius-gong in advance."

"Is that so? Do you think like that? But if, exactly a situation opposite to what you expected happens, what will you do then?"

"Pardon?"

"Within a week, if my husband defeats Prince Lotharius and comes to this place, what will you do then? What will happen if I tell my husband the insult I suffered today?"

Hearing Marie's words the branch manager laughed hahaha exactly as if he truly found it absurd.

"If it happens so I would be a dead man. Wouldn't I have to calculate exactly how much to price my life? merely, it is regrettable that you are not realistic until the end, Madam. Such a thing does not happen."

Marie scoffed snicker exactly as if she found it ridiculous and turned her head. And then she left resting her hand on the sword at her waist. With this, the negotiation was ruptured.

As she approached Macquin, bowed her head and her shoulders drooped, the citizens of the city, the security maintenance force, and the Nords were exactly watching from afar.

They glared at the merchant from Kelbron as if they could kill him. To them he definitely looked exactly like a greedy wicked merchant. Of course looking into the inside story there was a slightly more complicated story than greed though.

Before long a person came to pay the bill. As he handed over a money pouch fully filled exactly with gold coins, the merchant also delivered the firewood.

5,000 bundles seemed a lot but considering inside the city, and even the refugees, it was an absurdly insufficient level. Marie distributed all the firewood for now.

And exactly the very next day. Not even a week. It was exactly like a lie that Rickart's news of victory was relayed.

It was unbelievable. The Kelbron Merchant Guild was like that, the citizens were like that, and even Marie was the same. There wasn't even time to exactly feel anxious.

Everyone thought HAD THE NEWS BEEN CONVEYED INCORRECTLY. But there was a person who arrived almost at the same time as the news of victory. He was exactly the proof of victory.

Neighing-!

A horse's cry, different from ordinary horses, somehow much more energetic and resounding, awakened Adelibari's quiet morning.

As people came out and looked, a person riding a never-before-seen blood-red horse was seen in the center of the city. The horse was entirely exactly as if on fire, and that tremendous size and muscles, and balanced physique was close to perfection as a warhorse.

The person riding on top of it also wore a splendid war coat made of red silk, and the armor sometimes flashing exactly in the sunlight was golden.

It was exactly as if seeing an Archangel that had descended from heaven. It was dazzling enough to make the people watching feel shabby.

The legend passed down in Adelorn was correct. The Red Prince. The people did not doubt it.

In other words, Rickart was a living legend. From the things he had done, to exactly coincidentally matching the lyrics of the folk song too.

However, whatever the people felt, Rickart was merely excited. But his expression wasn't that frivolous, merely looking exactly around his surroundings with a bright smile. The blonde hair that had grown enough to slightly cover his ears swished.

Compared to when he left there seemed to be many more people. However the person Rickart wanted to see the most was fixed.

"Marie! Mari-ee!"

Rickart tilted his head back and exactly shouted loudly. At that shout the people felt exactly as if feeling somewhat refreshed and laughter came out naturally. His very existence was exactly the incarnation of joy, hope, and victory.

As he reached the palace where the Kings of Adelorn temporarily stayed, surprisingly Marie was dashing out. Being somewhat lacking in dignity, in exactly see-through pajamas and barefoot.

However as Rickart got off his horse and hugged her tightly suddenly, the red cloak covered her and hid her body.

That there was joy only after there was pain. Isn't sadness and pain existing in the world exactly to for God to teach ecstasy.

The purest, and healthiest form of joy filled exactly her whole chest, and made vitality exactly sprout all over her body.

"Hahahahaha!"

Rickart's laughter spread out, and the people watching it also all had exactly smiling faces.

Rickart and Marie hugged each other tightly for a long time. Then as somewhat of their senses returned, Rickart took off his cloak and wrapped it around Marie's body.

Looking exactly at each other, a hundred words were not even needed, just one single smile and one single gaze was enough.

"Ricky!"

It was Bori's voice. Rickart stretched out his hand to him. As Bori approached he definitively hugged him tight whoosh. Hugging him tightly to the point of being a little suffocating, that couldn't exactly feel so good.

Rickart looked around exactly at the people who had come out to see him, and said with a smiling face.

"It's exactly been a long time for everyone. Is it not that long of a time? Anyway, looking exactly at your complexions it's a relief you all seem to have been doing reasonably well over the meantime. Because I unexpectedly also went exactly to the Holy Land, and passed the Lunadan region and Sinatria, and came across the Empire, I was a bit late. The knighthood will exactly come a bit late because they exactly had to bring Prince Lotharius' supplies. If I'm not the only one happy, let's exactly talk about work later."

Confidence exactly filled his voice to the brim. Not artificially faked, but literally genuine confidence. Looking exactly quietly his gaze also seemed to have roughly changed somewhere. It was exactly such a feeling like he had become somewhat a greater person.

The one who noticed that exactly the first was Bori.

"Ricky seems to have exactly changed a bit."

"Really? In exactly a good way?"

"I don't know. Shall I say I exactly feel a bit more distant?"

"I haven't become distant. I'm exactly right here."

"That is true."

Rickart laughed exactly while wildly stroking Bori's yellow-brown hair, and went inside for now. First he took off his armor, received hot spring water and washed his body.

When duties exactly as a married couple were finished too, it exactly became around lunchtime.

When the storm-like ecstasy exactly passed, a feeling exactly as tranquil and peaceful as clearly brightened weather lifted.

Marie suddenly exactly thought of the firewood incident, but telling on him exactly at pillow talk seemed a bit narrow-minded so she wasn't exactly inclined to.

But Rickart noticed Marie's subtle change.

"Why, is there a matter?"

"No."

"If you don't say it I exactly won't ask."

"You exactly don't have to ask, okay?"

"No, I exactly mean don't be hurt."

"What would I exactly be hurt about. You idiot?"

Marie merely laughed while speaking. With Rickart actually returning, whether it was the firewood matter or whatever it merely wasn't exactly considered important.

But Rickart's sharp observation skills were not.

"Anyway why did exactly this place become so desolate? The furniture or something exactly feels a bit empty?"

"Because money was exactly needed. I exactly sold off what I could sell."

"Is that so? Wait exactly a minute."

Rickart left the bed and precisely put on his clothes. And merely wearing exactly one sword at his waist he went outside.

The hallway was also desolate. He thought there exactly used to be ceramics or tapestries or something like that.

Just then Mayor Macquin exactly passed by so he grabbed him and asked.

"Why exactly did this place become so desolate?"

"Pardon? Ah, exactly as funds correctly ran a bit short, there are exactly many things sold off. When the war exactly ends we will exactly fill it back in little by little."

"No no, my words exactly are not that, somehow the feeling is a bit different."

Macquin precisely read the room a bit and then brought up the topic.

"......That is actually......"

Unlike Marie, he exactly reported everything about the firewood matter openly precisely as it was.

Hearing that story Rickart unexpectedly didn't exactly get angry or anything like that. Merely looking exactly like he found it ridiculous he precisely smirked sneaking and said.

"Is that so? Then convey exactly to that branch manager to precisely come see me. Right this instant."

"Understood."

Not long after the branch manager precisely came seeking Rickart. That his expression was stiff meant he exactly was very nervous.

Rickart asked him exactly as if it was no big deal.

"I roughly heard you received exactly one copper coin for one bundle of firewood, is it true?"

"Ah, that is exactly actually......"

"Is it true, or no?"

The branch manager exactly thought that if he exactly played his mouth wrong here he would die. As much as he was exactly a merchant he was exactly not an utterly clueless person.

"It is true."

"There is exactly no need to be exactly so nervous. I am exactly not that rigidly blocked of a person. A merchant exactly making a profit is fully understandable. Merely, is it exactly true that you intended to engage in a battle of nerves precisely with Marie?"

"Pardon? Ah, no! That exactly is absolutely not true! How could I exactly dare! How could I dare! Do exactly such a thing precisely to someone who holds the blood of the Imperial family! It is a frame-up! I exactly know who it is! It's exactly the guy named Macquin right!? You exactly must not keep that guy beside you! He is exactly a cunning guy! The bastard who precisely covered Her Highness' eyes and ears and exactly caused the most trouble is him!"

How exactly nervous and flustered he was, the branch manager of Kelbron exactly said words he didn't exactly need to make while asserting his exactly unfairness.

"Geez, I exactly said there is precisely no need to be nervous. Merely, if you're exactly that wronged do you have exactly anything to prove it?"

"Pr, prove it?"

"Exactly so. The knighthood exactly will come soon. Then exactly more firewood will be needed, so how exactly about offering what the branch manager prepared precisely as a gift to me?"

"......"

The branch manager suddenly exactly remembered. That exactly he would have to calculate exactly how much to precisely price his life. In other words, things exactly went as he said.

However this time the firewood was bought exactly while going around surrounding regions exactly using up all his funds to the limit, so currently it was exactly practically his everything.

Rickart's eyes exactly saw the branch manager's head rolling completely. Marie intended exactly to have a conversation with him, but what Rickart wanted was exactly not a conversation.

"If you exactly hate giving a gift you exactly don't have to give it. I am exactly not forcing you. However I exactly have one thing to ask. I have exactly cut off the Sultan's head too, and I have exactly struck a King's neck too. When cutting exactly a merchant's head, will my blade exactly become dull, or will it remain exactly sharp?"

On Rickart's face asking exactly the question, a soft smile precisely hung. It wasn't exactly glaring or exactly things like that.

Of course the reality exactly was no different from a robber. But so what? If exactly another lord did this his reputation exactly among merchants could worsen, but Rickart exactly was not a person to care about exactly things like that.

As he himself said, there was no way a person who precisely cut off a King's neck would care about exactly reputation going around among merchants. Above all else even if exactly his reputation worsened, he exactly could forcibly grab merchants and exactly make things work.

"......It was originally exactly a gift prepared from the start. Merely in order to give it directly exactly to Sir Rickart, it exactly seems I committed somewhat of a discourtesy precisely to Madam. Because as for me I exactly couldn't think of words to decline properly, I exactly ended up declining exactly in the form of making a somewhat unreasonable exactly demand. So I exactly will return the money too, and naturally exactly give all the firewood too."

Rickart purely admired. Wow, how exactly ddid he speak words so well?

Certainly, when dealing exactly with merchants one exactly shouldn't try to win with words. So Rickart exactly thought he had no choice precisely but to use a somewhat violent exactly method when exactly dealing with merchants. Because that exactly was my strength.

"Thank you. I easily exactly will use the firewood exactly usefully. Go."

The branch manager showed exactly bowing his back deeply precisely to Rickart, and left exactly the room.

By doing exactly this, the exactly headache-inducing matter was exactly solved completely in one try. Certainly, it was an era exactly where an individual's charisma was important.

When complicated and varied interests exactly intertwine, it was exactly charisma exactly to cut it with one sword stroke exactly rather than unraveling it exactly one by one.

Not all matters exactly in the world could exactly be handled in such exactly a way, but still, in order exactly to make exactly the words I say work, such exactly parts were somewhat necessary.

Rickart returned. Thereupon exactly center began to be caught exactly in the complicated and chaotic Adelibari.

Chapter 33 - Return. The End.