Chapter 273

Chapter 273 - How Eugene Makes Money (2)

With the super client being cautious and the super boss full of goodwill, the interview proceeded amicably. Here, delicious food further lightened the mood.

Potatoes cut into rectangular sticks, deep-fried in pork fat, and topped with salt, cheese, and bacon bits. And Dwarf-made beer. This is a combination no mercenary can resist.

The food served in the Moving Castle prison was better than the rations distributed by the Imperial army. Let alone the food served to guests.

"Are these really... potatoes?"

"Of course. They say nothing is bad when fried, but potatoes are truly the king of fries. I heard potatoes are the staple food in Lantzheim too."

Lantzheim is a cold and barren small northern kingdom. Most of its territory consists of mountains, but unlike the Dwarf mountain range, transportation is highly inconvenient, so trade didn't develop. No lucrative herbs grow there, and all they have are iron mines and monsters. Naturally, the mercenary business became a national industry.

"As you said. It's even hard to find firewood, so we use a large communal pot with neighbors to steam potatoes. Only nobles can afford rapeseed oil, and usually, even salt is a luxury not eaten every day."

"So you eat plain potatoes every meal?"

"We accompany it with some mugwort tea."

"..."

It was a much worse neighborhood than he had imagined.

"So that's why you fought so tenaciously."

"Because we can't block the employment path for our hometown juniors."

The centurion scratched his bandaged wound.

"Why do excellent warriors like you serve such a master of all people?"

"The Emperor... Ah, my apologies."

"It's fine. You can address him comfortably in front of me. Was it because the Emperor offered the highest price?"

"That's part of it, but it was because he hired all of us at once. Getting paid well while avoiding shedding the blood of our kin is the best, isn't it?"

The Lantzheim Mercenary Group is not a single entity unified under one leader. It's a concept similar to a syndicate or union where mercenaries from Lantzheim form an alliance.

"Looking only at the money, there were nobles who offered more. Still, the difference wasn't enough to make us point our spears at our hometown people on the battlefield."

"Hiring all of them at once would be too much even for a great lord."

Roman is currently in a civil war with the country split in half. If hired by both sides, the probability of eventually fighting a bloodbath against their hometown people is not low.

"Actually, the Emperor's payments are delayed too..."

"Oh my."

An era where most nobles were armed with the mindset of 'I just have to win and pay it back!'. Delayed wages were common in all fields.

The reason mercenaries go crazy for looting is because they often don't receive compensation even after risking their lives and shedding blood in battle. If they don't make up for it, they won't be able to close their eyes peacefully even in death.

Pour.

Eugene patted the centurion and filled his glass with beer.

"By the way, Your Excellency. May I ask just one thing?"

"Ask anything comfortably. We'll soon be family, so you should know our situation well too."

The centurion bowed his head with an emotional face.

"With so many troops stationed in the castle, I wondered if you could handle the food. You even treat prisoners like us so lavishly."

"You don't need to worry about that. We have more than enough to feed the current number of people abundantly until the end of the war. For me, I actually want them to stay longer and spend money like water."

The Western Army currently stationed in the Moving Castle are not vassals of House Mayer, and their numbers are large.

For the sake of saving face, one or two meals upon entry might be fine, but Eugene had no obligation to feed them for free continuously. He was already receiving gratitude just by providing free accommodations, water, and a base for looting.

Currently, he was making massive profits by selling food and alcohol to the Western Army. Selling cheap food to the poor and expensive food to the rich.

"I just had a good idea. Gather the officers who are hard to persuade, and let's all dine out togAAether. Knowing what it's like to stay here as a member might make persuading them a bit easier?"

* * *

The product that accounts for the largest trading volume in the Moving Castle is undoubtedly food. Thanks to the world's only large-scale freezing and refrigeration warehouse, food from thousands of kilometers away could be brought over perfectly preserved.

An era where, due to technological limits, food not native to where one lived could only be tasted as preserved food. Overcoming such limits, the Moving Castle could reign as the one and only sanctuary of gastronomy.

-I plan to use the 1st floor as a public space. We have to empty the wallets of guests who drop by briefly.

-A good idea. Then the main product would naturally be food?

-Of course, Lady Valda. What other business handles money as steadily as selling food and drink?

-I look forward to it. You always bring ingenious concepts in this area. Have you thought of a name for the zone?

-Of course. Honestly, you probably don't know how long I've wanted to do this. I needed the capital and distribution network fully established to pull it off.

The crystallization of the business Eugene had envisioned for a long time. The Sylph Mercenary Group entered the Food Court. They are mercenaries specializing in search and guard duties, formed by 6 former adventurers.

"My goodness."

"Why are there so many restaurants?"

In the vast space, restaurants spread out in orderly fashion to the left and right appeared. The first impression was as splendid as a triumphal ceremony after subjugating heterogenous races. The dirtiness of a village inn or the disorderliness of a city restaurant street was nowhere to be found.

'Offering you tastes even kings do not know.'

This was the catchphrase hanging at the entrance of the Food Court. Eugene conceived the sentence, Valda wrote the sample in elegant handwriting, and Walker completed it by carving it in relief on a large wooden signboard.

The Sylph Mercenary Group, exuding a strong country bumpkin vibe as they entered, scanned the center first. With tight pockets, their first choice of menu was always fixed.

"Is there no communal pot?"

"I heard His Excellency the Count hates that. It seems there really isn't one."

What the Sylph Mercenary Group was looking for was the Eternal Stew. A cheap porridge maintained infinitely by throwing in all sorts of ingredients. Going to an inn in this era, there was always at least one hanging in the 1st-floor hall.

"They aren't that expensive."

The leader stopped his comrades from flaring their nostrils at the tempting aromas from all directions.

"We have to save at times like this. Our team has a hard time even touching loot."

Because they don't fight risking their lives, they also couldn't enjoy opportunities for sudden wealth. Then the youngest of the mercenary group's eyes sparkled.

"Look over there! 2 servings for one copper coin!"

"What?"

Everyone's eyes gathered at one shop. A steaming bowl was drawn on the standardized signboard. Since there were many illiterates, the large menu board set up in front of the shop also displayed prices and menus with pictures.

"It's real."

"No, what are they selling to give 2 servings for just one copper coin?"

"Could that be the Eternal Stew?"

Out of a total of 7 menus, 4 were priced as cheaply as the Eternal Stew.

"Party Noodles! What would you like to order?"

The restaurant owner greeted the Sylph Mercenary Group, who approached hesitantly. The mercenaries were surprised by the owner's accent and skin color.

"Eastern Empire people?"

"That is correct. Not just me, but many brothers are working here."

The Easterners in the Food Court were the slaves Eugene had obtained after annihilating the Immortal Knights.

"6 servings of this..."

"Confirmed 6 servings of Banquet Noodles."

The dish came out immediately. It was because all they had to do was pour broth into bowls already containing noodles and garnishes.

Slurp.

Gulp.

The eyes of the mercenaries who grabbed the bowls and took a sip widened.

"N-Not bad?"

"Not just not bad, it's delicious!"

The youngest made a fuss at the salty taste that vitalized his muscles.

Instant service.

Cheap price.

Warmth.

It maintained the 3 characteristics of the Eternal Stew, but the hygiene and clean visual were worlds apart.

"Kuhaah."

It was a food designed to treat poor guests in place of the Eternal Stew. As such, the site was large, and there were many employees and customers.

Mercenaries with more leeway sought out even more luxurious broth dishes.

"Welcome!"

A signboard with hundreds of noodles held in wide-spread hands. It was the ramen shop 'Suta'. As boasted on the signboard, the noodles were chewy because they used hand-pulled noodles.

"The prices are all similar, so what's the difference?"

"Customer. If you look at the menu board, there are pictures of a chicken, a pig, and a cow, right?"

"Yeah."

"It means we use broth brewed from the bones of those animals. The composition uses the same noodles and garnishes, but the broth changes. Chicken bone broth, pork bone broth, and beef bone broth."

"Which one is the most delicious?"

To the most frequently asked question, the chef returned the most frequent answer.

"Once you eat one, you'll end up eating the other two anyway. Please choose anything. The customers eating here are all like that too."

The chef pointed to the dining mercenaries with a proud smile. Unlike Party Noodles, as it had a price, it contained plenty of meat chunks and looked truly delicious.

There were also many places for mercenaries who wanted to fill their stomachs heartily with bread and meat instead of broth dishes.

"Elven Whopper! The bread of the Fairy race and the meat raised by the secret techniques of nomads have united! Do not miss this delicacy that can only be tasted here!"

A Beastman child wandered around soliciting customers.

In front of a signboard depicting the profile of an Elf woman riding a cow. The vicinity was swarming with mercenaries eating hamburgers.

A Bulgogi burger composed of pork and a soy sauce-based sauce.

A Cheese burger harmonizing a beef patty and cheese.

A Hot dog with a thick sausage and plenty of vegetables.

Since it hadn't been long since opening, the menu was simple, but its popularity exceeded imagination. The taste was one thing, but the fact that it was food touched by the hands of the Fairy race carried a tremendous premium.

Even while cursing them as knife-ears, people harbored deep envy for the race of beauty.

"His Excellency Count Mayer also frequently visits our shop!"

Furthermore, the fact that Eugene enjoyed eating it served as powerful marketing.

"Hans! Let's try eating this once."

"Isn't it expensive here? Let's just have noodles over there..."

"No. This is cheap."

There were also low-cost menus for those without money. They used cheap meat and bread made from barley and rye.

A Pink Burger containing hairless edible rats obtained from Khazad-dor.

A Mix Burger using patties made by grinding and clumping togAAether various low-grade meats.

A Tripe Burger flavored with strong seasoning after finely chopping intestines, liver, lungs, etc.

These became excellent choices for those desperate for meat. Because the taste was excellent compared to the cheap price.

Meanwhile, there was a rival challenging the stronghold of Elven Whopper despite handling only 1 menu item.

"No fish will dare compare to the cod of Britannia. And there is no better partner that goes this well with the beer brewed by Dwarves."

Sizzle!

Cooking oil filling two large pots bubbled fiercely. Potatoes and fish fillets were currently dropped into each.

The signboard depicted a fish leaping vigorously from the center of French fries decorated like laurel leaves.

"Fish and Chips! Please remember this name. It's a name that will spread across the entire continent someday."

That savoriness and the combination with beer were enough to stand against the hamburger legion sold at Elven Whopper as a single menu item.

And these menus were only a part of the Food Court. Mercenaries who had eaten here even once sought it out again and again with the momentum to try everything.

However, unfortunately, it was an era where civic awareness hadn't properly developed yet. With violent mercenaries everywhere, incidents and accidents were bound to happen.

"What seems to be the problem?"

A neatly dressed middle-aged black man stood before a mercenary throwing a tantrum while huffing and puffing.

The mercenary was displeased from the start by the black man wearing clothes far more expensive than his own, a silk cravat, and even shiny shoes.

"What are you? Throwing pearls before swine or what..."

"I am Gustav, the manager representing this Food Court."

He was also the slave master representing Eugene's Eastern slaves.

Gustav looked at the mercenary holding the chef by the collar with glass-like eyes. The floor was a mess with ladles and bowls dropped everywhere.

"This slave bastard is treating me like a thief!"

"Th-That's not it, you fOrcefully... claiming you left your money behind today just like yesterday..."

"This bastard?!"

"Heek!"

The mercenaries were already fully prepared to turn into unruly customers at any time. Knowing that the shop owner was a slave from the Eastern Empire, they openly treated him as an inferior and abused their power.

"We are operating this place under the orders of the honorable Count Mayer. Please calm down and let go of that hand."

"Hah! Do you nigger bastards of the Caliph think selling the Count's name is everything..."

The mercenary didn't shrink back at all against restaurant slaves who weren't even of the warrior caste.

A tragedy occurring because it was an uncivilized era, but simultaneously easy to resolve because it was an uncivilized era.

"Dispose of him."

"What? Dispose? This bastard is craz..."

A single word from Gustav without a change in expression. Instantly, tough guys who appeared from somewhere unceremoniously threw punches at the mercenary.

Thwack!

They surrounded the mercenary who rolled on the shop floor and trampled him mercilessly.

"We'll join in too!"

Even mercenaries eating nearby sneakily joined in to vent their anger, causing the unruly customer to scream.

"Stop. It will be troublesome if he vomits. Throw him outside the castle like this."

"Got it."

The mercenaries hired as security personnel smirked and dragged away the customer who had been beaten to a pulp.

"Excuse us."

Gustav adjusted his cravat that got disheveled while stopping the scuffle and politely bowed to the customers.

There are many unruly customers because it is an uncivilized era.

However, beating up unruly customers is also allowed because it is an uncivilized era.

In some ways, it could be seen as an easier era to do business.

The slaves who used to attend to all sorts of needs for the Immortals also had outstanding cooking skills. True to their Eastern origins, their devotion to their master was exceptionally special, surpassing the lord-vassal relationships of the Western continent.

Eugene had long wanted to entrust businesses inside the castle to these loyal individuals.

-Did you call, Master? Everyone has assembled.

-Gustav. Any thoughts on becoming a manager?

-...Excuse me?

-For you to be flustered, that's a first.

-I apologize.

-No. Just surprised, that's all. I plan to set up a large-scale restaurant complex on the 1st floor of the Moving Castle. A place catering to many outside guests in addition to our castle family. I want you to handle it.

-Master. It is a glorious proposal, but it's a business staking the family's dignity. If we take charge, I worry it might cause a blemish on the name of Mayer...

In the East, the class of slave held a different meaning than in the West. Private property was recognized, and depending on the situation, they even commanded armies or captained merchant ships on behalf of their masters.

However, Gustav also knew that this was Eastern culture and the West viewed slaves much lower.

-Where else can I find talents like you guys? Diligent, loyal, and good at cooking, it's perfect.

-...

Their new master was a fearsome warrior incomparable to their previous masters, the Immortals. Yet he was a good master who bestowed more praise than all of them combined.

Cautious Gustav asked one last time.

-Aren't there also Beastman servants? They have served the Blackhand family for decades or centuries longer than us, won't they harbor dissatisfaction?

-No. Fur gets in the food.

-Oh...

-I'll give a certain percentage of the money earned as your share. I guarantee, when business is booming, you'll earn more than most knights. Food business is a profitable business.

After many twists and turns, the most skilled cooks among the Eastern slaves were assigned to the Food Court. And the business was a massive success.

"Master?"

"Shh."

Eugene, who came out incognito in disguise, admired Gustav's sharp eye for recognizing him immediately.

"What brings you here?"

"How did you recognize me?"

"Your gait and physique. If I remember those two, it's not difficult."

"Indeed."

This slave master had a skinny physique and had never held a sword, but sometimes he had an aspect that gave even Eugene goosebumps.

"I came because I wanted to eat noodles. They taste best when eaten on the spot. Also to check the situation on-site. If you haven't eaten yet, would you join me?"

"It would be an honor for me."

Thus, the Castellan and the manager conversed about business at a corner table.

"There are some shops taking the lead, but overall, the customers are evenly distributed."

"That's a relief."

Eugene didn't recklessly increase the number of stores while intoxicated by the vast space. Because he had to consider the palates of the people here, religious taboos, and the difficulty of securing ingredients.

Therefore, he laid down foods universally loved regardless of era and region as the mainstays.

Noodles for those wanting warm broth and carbohydrates. Hamburgers that are convenient, filling, and delicious. Various fried foods and stir-fried meat dishes.

"I want to reinfOrce one stew dish. Because there are so many guys looking for that damn Eternal Stew."

"The fullness provided by all sorts of solid ingredients is something noodles cannot match."

"It's a stew made by loosening cabbage, beans, and tomato sauce with sliced sausages. We can add more solid ingredients."

"Thanks to the cabbage, the satiety will be excellent. What's the name?"

"Budae-jjigae."

Eugene grinned.

* * *

If there's one field where even business cannot catch up in terms of money exchanging hands, it would be religion.

Currently, Eugene's status is mainly divided into three.

Lord of the Moving Castle.

Great Lord of Britannia.

Guardian Knight of the Goddess.

"Everyone. Welcome to the Temple of Tolerance."

Right now, Eugene is guiding the Western nobles in his third status.

-Count Mayer. I always suffered from chronic headaches and had trouble sleeping, but since coming to this castle, I've been sleeping peacefully.

-No one suffers from insomnia in my castle. Anyone sleeps deeply and wakes up refreshed here.

-If I wasn't mistaken, I thought I heard a faint lullaby right before falling asleep. The moment it seeped into my mind, the pain disappeared...

-The song of the Goddess is protecting you. Please give thanks to her.

-By Goddess, you mean...?

Talk of gods is indispensable in the conversations of nobles. Naturally, everyone's curiosity focused on Banas, the chief deity of the Moving Castle. Not to mention those who had already experienced her effects.

"Truly beautiful."

Guided to the temple of Banas, the nobles were captivated by the brilliance of the golden goddess statue.

"Bring the fire."

"Yes. Castellan."

A Dark Elf woman wearing priestess garments bowed politely to her navel and stepped back.

The residents of the castle were exceptionally loyal to Eugene without exception, but the priestesses of Banas were uniquely devoted. Because he was not only their liege but also the proxy of the Goddess.

Between Eugene and the goddess statue lay the Hand of Glory obtained after defeating the pagan army. A powerful magical artifact connecting the present world and the afterlife.

I don't know how they made it, but it's an item that infuses mystery into a golden statue instead of the hand of a death row inmate. Thanks to this, it was a super rare item that could be used semi-permanently.

When Eugene glanced back, amidst everyone admiring it, there were nobles with dark faces and slumped shoulders. Beside them were coffins holding the bodies of their fallen vassals or brothers.

"Merciful Goddess. Here are knights who fell in a righteous war."

Eugene lit the Hand of Glory.

Fwoosh!

Candlelights blazed from the tips of the five fingers pointing towards the sky.

"Before they leave for the other side of the world. Please send the souls you temporarily kept here. So they can share a final farewell with their families and lieges."

At that moment, will-o'-the-wisps appeared as if separating from the 5 candlelights burning on the Hand of Glory.

"...!"

As the nobles gasped in wonder, some spoke with trembling voices.

"Son!"

"Sir Anton!"

The will-o'-the-wisps transformed into human figures and flew to their precious ones.

[Father. Please stay healthy.]

"No! Please don't go!"

The middle-aged noble trying to embrace the soul of his fallen son. He passed straight through the soul and fell to the ground.

[Don't cry. I am leaving for a peaceful place.]

Beside the noble sobbing while face down, the son's soul endlessly whispered that he loved him.

[The drawer in my room. Open the 3rd one. It contains a present I meant to give you for your birthday. I'm sorry I couldn't give it to you in time.]

"No! No! There's nothing to be sorry about at all!"

[It is time for me to go now.]

"No!"

On both sides of the goddess statue, priestesses were kneeling and praying. Sweat poured down like rain from their foreheads.

Calling the souls from the embrace of the Goddess by operating the Hand of Glory was Eugene's authority. However, binding those souls to the present world was the power of the priestesses.

'The dead to the afterlife.'

That is the grand principle of the world. Staying in the present world as a pure soul without falling into an undead or evil spirit required massive power.

"May blessings follow the path of the noble souls."

With Eugene's send-off, the candlelights burning on the Hand of Glory went out. The souls passed on in peace.

Great nobles of various countries bring up all sorts of reasons to strengthen their authority. Claiming to carry the blood of an ancient kingdom or that their ancestors received a divine oracle.

But Eugene didn't need to do that.

"Your Excellency the Count. This grace. I will definitely repay it."

A middle-aged noble who newly became a believer of the Goddess offered a military salute while crying.

Eugene doesn't rely on old certificates or old tales to establish authority.

Because he proves himself as a knight on the battlefield and as the proxy of the Goddess in times of peace.