Inventors are great.
It was on that day that the masters of the Adventurers' Guild and the Apothecaries' Guild were summoned to the Inventors' Association.
The largest and most magnificent building in the capital is the headquarters of the Institute of Inventors.
In front of the entrance, the two masters, accompanied by a group of their men, came face to face.
"Oh, the medicine man. Did he call you, too?"
"Yes, yes. I don't know why we're called in compared to you guys who have problems."
"Oh? What the hell are you doing? Didn't you find out that I'm raising the price of fever reducers by cutting down on imports?"
"You don't want to be talking about rumors that have no roots."
"Just say it."
The two, who are not particularly close, said "Keh", straightened their collars and entered the Inventors Society.
The master of any guild is a prominent figure in the city.
But in the kingdom of Freya, inventors are all.
Guildmasters are a dime a dozen in front of the Inventors Guild.
Both the Adventurer's Guildmaster and the Medicine Man's Guildmaster were very nervous as they made their way through the luxurious building.
We were taken to the office of the president of the association.
"Please come in. But only the two of you, Master."
The two guild masters gulped and went inside.
There were two old men there.
One, of course, is the president of the Inventors Society.
And the other one-- a well-dressed old gentleman. He's well tanned.
"Oh..."
The Medicine Man Guildmaster groaned, but the Adventurer Guildmaster wasn't sure who the other was.
"Well, sit down."
I sat down on the sofa recommended by the head of the association, and two old men sat opposite me.
I was so thirsty that I immediately drank the tea offered to me, but I could not taste it.
"Well, I was wondering what kind of..."
The adventurer's guild master asked in a frightened voice where the bravado outside had gone, and the old gentleman next to him, not the head of the association, took out a box.
"I'd like you to take a look at this."
"Hmm? What's this?"
With a snap, the lid of the box opened, and inside were a variety of colorful sandwiches.
"Oops, not this way. Sorry, sorry."
"...What are you doing, predecessor?"
"Looks good, doesn't it? But I won't do it. Ho, ho, ho."
The previous generation," the head of the association said, and it hit me.
This man is the previous head of the association.
As I recall, he is now working as a tourist guide (・・・・) or something like that.
When the Adventurer's Guildmaster heard this, he thought that a man who had risen to the position of head of the Inventors' Guild was capable of doing crazy things.
"Here's the main issue."
The old gentleman took out another box.
When I cracked open the lid, I found a row of dried herbs.
"Oh, this is..."
Seeing the reaction of the two masters, the old gentleman said,
"I'm glad you know. These are rare medicinal herbs that Gentlemen Kun and the others tried to undercut the seller. Am I right?"
"What are you talking about?"
"No, sir! You've misunderstood something!"
"I don't think it's a misunderstanding. According to the information I have, he tried to buy it at one-tenth of the market price, and when it was refused, he said something like a threat."
"Ah."
It's already been covered.
It must have been a Guild employee who told him.
"...Oh dear."
The old gentleman let out a sigh as the Guildmaster kept his mouth shut.
The lunch box I mentioned earlier was delivered by the maid this morning.
Every day since then, she has brought me a lunch box.
He also said he was leaving town today - so we chatted for a bit longer.
What I heard there was, "It's a pity we couldn't sell the herbs.
I was in shock.
I can't believe that Nina, who was so interested in this country that she was willing to listen to my tour guide, was betrayed by the people of this city.
The old gentleman did not show his displeasure and bought the herbs from Nina, saying that he wanted to sell them in his son's store.
The old gentleman felt that it was he who should apologize to Nina, though she was always very apologetic.
There's only one thing to do.
Even if I have to use my title as the predecessor of the inventors' association, I have to reveal the facts and punish him appropriately.
"The guild is an institution with a public character. Do you realize what a crime it is to abuse it and undermine its trust?"
The old gentleman's tone was quiet.
However, the two guildmasters' faces turned pale from the anger that oozed out of them. Even the head of the association sitting beside them broke out in a cold sweat.
As the two guildmasters left, a relaxed atmosphere finally prevailed in the room.
"Well... my predecessor. I was surprised to see you so angry."
"I had a personal attachment to it, you know."
"I'm surprised those masters didn't faint."
As a result, in exchange for not reporting this loss to the Freya royal family, the two guildmasters decided to give them a three month pay cut, along with three months of community service.
I could have fired him and replaced his head, but that would have been pointless if the next master was also corrupt.
Under the watchful eye of the old gentleman, I decided to ask him to perform a service - a great service to let tourists know about the history of this country.
Summer is coming.
Guiding tourists under the scorching sun is a tough job, but even old gentlemen do it every day.
So the old gentleman thought he would give him a good beating.
(At least, when that maid-san comes again, I'll be able to show her a more wonderful royal capital.)
I can't die until then," the old gentleman laughed inwardly.
"...that's right, Mr. President. Looks like you've got a lot of problems too, huh?"
"Yeah, it's a headache, this paper..."
On the bundle of papers that the head of the association took out, there was a headline that read, "Preliminary research on the execution of magic through conversion magic from spirit power and its practical method.
"If this proves to be correct in the verification experiment, it will change the world of witchcraft. It may be difficult in the city, but in nature, where spirit power is abundant, we can use magic as much as we want. Laying a railroad between cities was not realistic considering the amount of catalyst, but the use of spirit power will make it more realistic..."
"It's a quick thing to do."
"No...it's a Mahogany Trading Company paper, so I can't help but be distracted."
"Oh, the Mahogany Trading Company."
My predecessor knew of course, Mahogany Trading Company.
The stone that Astrid had thrown had definitely caused a ripple effect.
But they don't know.
That Astrid is already trying to leave the city.
"I'm afraid the merchant associations that do a lot of business with catalysts are going to be hit hard."
"Is it still the same, those business associations?"
"Yes. They're all female chairmen of the board of trade, and they're always accompanied by a young man."
Coincidentally, these were the same women who had offered to sell Astrid's house.
"If we don't have to pay to keep young men, why not be healthy?"
"They're also buying up all the land in the capital, so let's get them to spit that out too, and ask the royal family to fix up the plots."
The old gentleman stands up, laughing.
"Then I shall go."
"Yes . What do you want with the herbs? If you don't want it, we can buy it back."
"I've got contacts with good pharmacists, so I'll leave it to them. I'll get a reputable doctor to distribute it to you at a reasonable price."
"That's service, too?"
"That's what I mean."
The old gentleman took the two boxes, gave a quick wink, and left the room.
The head of the association murmured.
"...but that sandwich looked delicious."
It was on that day that the masters of the Adventurers' Guild and the Apothecaries' Guild were summoned to the Inventors' Association.
The largest and most magnificent building in the capital is the headquarters of the Institute of Inventors.
In front of the entrance, the two masters, accompanied by a group of their men, came face to face.
"Oh, the medicine man. Did he call you, too?"
"Yes, yes. I don't know why we're called in compared to you guys who have problems."
"Oh? What the hell are you doing? Didn't you find out that I'm raising the price of fever reducers by cutting down on imports?"
"You don't want to be talking about rumors that have no roots."
"Just say it."
The two, who are not particularly close, said "Keh", straightened their collars and entered the Inventors Society.
The master of any guild is a prominent figure in the city.
But in the kingdom of Freya, inventors are all.
Guildmasters are a dime a dozen in front of the Inventors Guild.
Both the Adventurer's Guildmaster and the Medicine Man's Guildmaster were very nervous as they made their way through the luxurious building.
We were taken to the office of the president of the association.
"Please come in. But only the two of you, Master."
The two guild masters gulped and went inside.
There were two old men there.
One, of course, is the president of the Inventors Society.
And the other one-- a well-dressed old gentleman. He's well tanned.
"Oh..."
The Medicine Man Guildmaster groaned, but the Adventurer Guildmaster wasn't sure who the other was.
"Well, sit down."
I sat down on the sofa recommended by the head of the association, and two old men sat opposite me.
I was so thirsty that I immediately drank the tea offered to me, but I could not taste it.
"Well, I was wondering what kind of..."
The adventurer's guild master asked in a frightened voice where the bravado outside had gone, and the old gentleman next to him, not the head of the association, took out a box.
"I'd like you to take a look at this."
"Hmm? What's this?"
With a snap, the lid of the box opened, and inside were a variety of colorful sandwiches.
"Oops, not this way. Sorry, sorry."
"...What are you doing, predecessor?"
"Looks good, doesn't it? But I won't do it. Ho, ho, ho."
The previous generation," the head of the association said, and it hit me.
This man is the previous head of the association.
As I recall, he is now working as a tourist guide (・・・・) or something like that.
When the Adventurer's Guildmaster heard this, he thought that a man who had risen to the position of head of the Inventors' Guild was capable of doing crazy things.
"Here's the main issue."
The old gentleman took out another box.
When I cracked open the lid, I found a row of dried herbs.
"Oh, this is..."
Seeing the reaction of the two masters, the old gentleman said,
"I'm glad you know. These are rare medicinal herbs that Gentlemen Kun and the others tried to undercut the seller. Am I right?"
"What are you talking about?"
"No, sir! You've misunderstood something!"
"I don't think it's a misunderstanding. According to the information I have, he tried to buy it at one-tenth of the market price, and when it was refused, he said something like a threat."
"Ah."
It's already been covered.
It must have been a Guild employee who told him.
"...Oh dear."
The old gentleman let out a sigh as the Guildmaster kept his mouth shut.
The lunch box I mentioned earlier was delivered by the maid this morning.
Every day since then, she has brought me a lunch box.
He also said he was leaving town today - so we chatted for a bit longer.
What I heard there was, "It's a pity we couldn't sell the herbs.
I was in shock.
I can't believe that Nina, who was so interested in this country that she was willing to listen to my tour guide, was betrayed by the people of this city.
The old gentleman did not show his displeasure and bought the herbs from Nina, saying that he wanted to sell them in his son's store.
The old gentleman felt that it was he who should apologize to Nina, though she was always very apologetic.
There's only one thing to do.
Even if I have to use my title as the predecessor of the inventors' association, I have to reveal the facts and punish him appropriately.
"The guild is an institution with a public character. Do you realize what a crime it is to abuse it and undermine its trust?"
The old gentleman's tone was quiet.
However, the two guildmasters' faces turned pale from the anger that oozed out of them. Even the head of the association sitting beside them broke out in a cold sweat.
As the two guildmasters left, a relaxed atmosphere finally prevailed in the room.
"Well... my predecessor. I was surprised to see you so angry."
"I had a personal attachment to it, you know."
"I'm surprised those masters didn't faint."
As a result, in exchange for not reporting this loss to the Freya royal family, the two guildmasters decided to give them a three month pay cut, along with three months of community service.
I could have fired him and replaced his head, but that would have been pointless if the next master was also corrupt.
Under the watchful eye of the old gentleman, I decided to ask him to perform a service - a great service to let tourists know about the history of this country.
Summer is coming.
Guiding tourists under the scorching sun is a tough job, but even old gentlemen do it every day.
So the old gentleman thought he would give him a good beating.
(At least, when that maid-san comes again, I'll be able to show her a more wonderful royal capital.)
I can't die until then," the old gentleman laughed inwardly.
"...that's right, Mr. President. Looks like you've got a lot of problems too, huh?"
"Yeah, it's a headache, this paper..."
On the bundle of papers that the head of the association took out, there was a headline that read, "Preliminary research on the execution of magic through conversion magic from spirit power and its practical method.
"If this proves to be correct in the verification experiment, it will change the world of witchcraft. It may be difficult in the city, but in nature, where spirit power is abundant, we can use magic as much as we want. Laying a railroad between cities was not realistic considering the amount of catalyst, but the use of spirit power will make it more realistic..."
"It's a quick thing to do."
"No...it's a Mahogany Trading Company paper, so I can't help but be distracted."
"Oh, the Mahogany Trading Company."
My predecessor knew of course, Mahogany Trading Company.
The stone that Astrid had thrown had definitely caused a ripple effect.
But they don't know.
That Astrid is already trying to leave the city.
"I'm afraid the merchant associations that do a lot of business with catalysts are going to be hit hard."
"Is it still the same, those business associations?"
"Yes. They're all female chairmen of the board of trade, and they're always accompanied by a young man."
Coincidentally, these were the same women who had offered to sell Astrid's house.
"If we don't have to pay to keep young men, why not be healthy?"
"They're also buying up all the land in the capital, so let's get them to spit that out too, and ask the royal family to fix up the plots."
The old gentleman stands up, laughing.
"Then I shall go."
"Yes . What do you want with the herbs? If you don't want it, we can buy it back."
"I've got contacts with good pharmacists, so I'll leave it to them. I'll get a reputable doctor to distribute it to you at a reasonable price."
"That's service, too?"
"That's what I mean."
The old gentleman took the two boxes, gave a quick wink, and left the room.
The head of the association murmured.
"...but that sandwich looked delicious."