Chapter 33

The engine roared as we doubled back toward Bremen along the pre-dawn Reinga Road.

I had Clara-sama and Fiene set out ahead of us while I rode the bike, pulling the rear car with Yoshioka inside. There was a specific reason for bringing the rear car along. I had to consider the possibility that the Count would want to see the goods. While the items were actually tucked away in my Spatial Storage, I didn’t want to reveal that to outsiders. Thus, I needed to maintain the facade that we had transported the goods normally in a cart.

We arrived in Bremen at 7:40 AM. Mornings start early in this world, but was this perhaps too early? Generally, people began their activities at dawn and returned home at dusk. I’d heard that nobles didn’t stay up particularly late either. While they might revel until midnight during a banquet, they usually went to bed around 9:00 PM. Commoners turned in even earlier.

Despite the hour, the city was already overflowing with energy.

“Need any eggs?! Fresh-laid eggs right here!”

“Milk over here! Come on, buy it up!”

Women who looked like local farmers were selling dairy products on the street. An egg cost about 30 Marques, and milk was roughly 180 Marques per liter. The prices seemed similar to or slightly higher than those in Japan. In this world, both were considered luxury items.

The streets were crowded, but everyone moved aside when they heard the bike’s engine. I heard the word “Golem” whispered here and there.

“What a noisy, stinky Golem!” a market woman scolded me.

Sorry about that.

I killed time until 8:00 AM and arrived at the Count’s castle, where I found a gatekeeper I recognized.

“Oh, it’s you, lad. Weren’t you supposed to be traveling to the Royal Capital?”

“I have brought a letter and a gift from my master, Lady Clara Ansbach, Knight Bachelor of Ebba-berg. Please deliver them to the Count.”

“You came all the way back? You’re a hard worker, aren’t you?”

The man immediately relayed the message to the castle staff. While I was waiting in the gatehouse for a reply to the letter, a servant of the Count actually came to summon us. As expected, the Count wanted to see us.

We were shown into the same drawing room we had visited last time.

“You have done well to come. Please tell Lady Ansbach that Jurgen was deeply moved by the wonderful gift she sent,” the Count of Bremen said. He was in high spirits, clearly under the “chocolate effect.”

The power of chocolate is truly magnificent!

On the table sat the high-end chocolate I had intended as a gift—the four-piece box. One was already missing.

“The previous chocolates were delicious, but these are on a different level entirely.”

“Hah, as expected of the Count of Bremen. You possess a keen palate, sir.”

I made sure to lay the flattery on thick.

“So, Lady Ansbach wishes to sell tea sets in the Royal Capital, does she?”

“Yes. However, my master has few acquaintances in the central region, and we humbly request your assistance, My Lord. Ordinarily, my master would have come in person to greet you, but due to her military duties in the Royal Capital, she asks that you kindly overlook her rudeness in sending us in her stead.”

“There is no need for such formality. Ah… by the way… did you not bring the actual tea sets with you this time?”

Here it comes! I knew he’d bite.

“My master instructed me to ensure that you, My Lord, should have the opportunity to view them if possible.”

“Is that so?! Well, I did want to know what kind of items they were before writing a letter of introduction. Show them to me at once.”

I returned to Yoshioka and, with the help of the servants, carried the goods into the room. It goes without saying that I asked the castle staff to be extremely careful and handle them with the utmost caution.

When we returned to the room, the Count’s family had gathered as well. It had turned into a bit of an event. Yoshioka and I ceremoniously donned white gloves and began the process of unwrapping the items.

In this line of work, presentation is everything.

When the first teapot was revealed, the Count and his entire family rose from their chairs as one.

“Dear! Look at this, my dear! How exquisite… It has such a translucent quality…”

The Countess’s eyes were already firing “let’s buy this right now” beams.

“Calm yourself, Simone. Let us see the full collection first.”

I continued to unwrap the packages with a bit of theatricality, teasing them as I went.

“What a wonderfully deep blue. The contrast with the gold ornamentation is superb. How on earth do they produce such a color?”

“Did you see that painting, Mother? It has a vividness as if all the flowers of a garden were gathered in one place!”

Every time a piece of the tea set was placed on the table, the members of the Count’s household showered it with praise.

“Ah—what did you say your name was again?”

“It is Kota Hinoharu, My Lord.”

“Right, I recall you were called Kota. Now then, Kota, at what price do you intend to sell these items?”

“The sales price varies for each, but this six-person set with the indigo patterns on a white background is… 3.03 million Marques in total.”

I said it! I actually said it!!

I just slapped a 3.03-million-Marque price tag on an item that cost me 252,720 yen to source!

“Hmm, 3.03 million Marques… Yes, I suppose it would be.”

Everyone nodded in agreement. It seemed that while the price was high, it wasn’t beyond what they considered reasonable.

For reference, the breakdown of the cost was:

-Cups: 16,200 yen × 6
-Plates: 9,720 yen × 6
-Teapot: 43,200 yen
-Creamer: 16,200 yen
-Sugar bowl: 37,800 yen
Total: 252,720 yen.

I was playing the game with a markup of about twelve times the original price.

After showing the tea sets, I moved on to the crystal glassware. The Count and his son seemed particularly intrigued by the brandy snifters. These were items that cost 29,000 yen each to source, and I was selling them for 350,000 Marques.

As usual, I pretended to pull a bottle of brandy from my bag while actually retrieving it from my Spatial Storage.

“The true value of glasses like these cannot be understood without using them. If I may, would you care to try them out?”

When I showed the brandy bottle, the Count’s throat hitched as he swallowed hard.

“The wine you brought before was truly delicious. I take it that brandy is also a precious rarity?”

“Yes. It is a special production, so I cannot give the bottle away, but please, enjoy a glass each on this occasion.”

These are promotional items, so I can’t let you have the whole thing. I poured a little into each of their glasses.

“What a curious shape for a glass. It’s almost… sensual.”

Judging by the young master’s expression, he was ready to buy.

“Please enjoy it by cupping the bottom of the glass in the palm of your hand. The heat will cause the alcohol to evaporate, allowing the aroma to spread.”

As the two of them took a sip, their faces filled with sheer satisfaction, and they exchanged smiles.

“Father, I am buying this glass.”

“W-wait, I shall purchase both of them myself.”

“Dear, do not forget this tea set over here—the pink one adorned with gold.”

That was the most expensive item in the lot: 4 million Marques.

“Listen, Kota. Is it not possible for me to take all of these goods off your hands?”

“My deepest apologies, Count. I will sell you any specific items you like, but I must ask you to forgive me for not letting you have the entire stock. These items are extremely rare. If I do not show them to the people in the Royal Capital, I won’t be able to establish my business for the future.”

Hearing that, the Count looked disappointed. He was likely planning to buy everything up and then flip them for a profit. Was he trying to pocket a middleman’s margin? That meant there was still plenty of room to raise the prices even further!

“Tell me one thing. Are these items manufactured in Ebba-berg?”

I knew that question was coming. I had anticipated being asked this. I could have given a random answer, but a simple lie would be exposed immediately. Even if I said they were made in Ebba-berg, a quick check of the flow of goods would reveal the deception. Moreover, I was dealing with a leading figure of the northern nobility. I had to avoid a situation where a petty lie would jeopardize Clara-sama’s position.

That’s why we had decided beforehand to tell a fragment of the truth. Mixed with some lies, of course.

“Count, the truth is… we are individuals connected to the lower echelons of the messengers of the God of Space-Time.”

“What?!”

Ignoring the Count, who looked like he was about to drop his brandy glass, the “Liar’s Show” by Yoshioka and me began.