Black Gold (8)

The road maintenance was completed quite rapidly. It took only a fortnight, and after returning to the Lord’s manor, I immediately used a teleportation scroll to head to the Imperial Palace.

It was an abrupt visit. While waiting after submitting a request for an audience with the Empress, I spoke to Matilda and Linda, who were watching me with tense expressions.

“There’s no need to be so nervous. I don’t see her often either, but she isn’t as scary as you might think.”

The two women turned even paler at my words. I couldn’t understand why they feared the Empress to this extent, but the Empress I had seen was a relatively rational person.

‘Well, I suppose being at the pinnacle of power is the most intimidating factor…’

Just then, the Chief Attendant approached and informed us that the audience had been granted, leading us inside. Finally, we faced the Empress.

No other nobles were in sight; only a few knights stood guard. It appeared to be a ‘private audience.’

“It has been a long while, Your Imperial Majesty.”

“Indeed. It has been some time. I receive news of you occasionally through the Princess, but compared to your usual conduct, you seem to have been living quite ordinarily… What is the reason for requesting an urgent audience?”

Thinking that the Princess wasn’t being as talkative as she used to be, I caught my breath and spoke.

“I have come to present a proposal, Your Majesty.”

“A proposal… how interesting. Very well, I am curious to see what it is. Speak.”

At the Empress’s word, I took the documents from Matilda and handed them to the attendant. I imagined several possible reactions as the papers were delivered to her. After a moment, the Empress, who was reading the documents, looked up with a surprised expression and asked.

“Is this for real?”

“It is. I have put a great deal of effort into it, and its value has been proven through the help of several major merchant companies. I wish to make a proposal on the condition of granting access to this place.”

“Hahaha, how entertaining. You are always fresh and interesting. What is it you want?”

Contrary to my expectation that there would be a backlash because of the secretly constructed harbor, the reaction was surprisingly positive, which felt a bit suspicious.

But there was no turning back now.

“It is one of the reasons I opened the harbor, but first, I would like you to permit official trade with the Northern Continent.”

“You desire official trading rights?”

“I do. It is only a ten-day journey by ship to the trading ports of Briden, the nearest kingdom on the Northern Continent. Because of the nature of the Ingrad Domain, it was impossible to build a harbor despite the short distance, and the long detour has hindered exchange with the Northern Continent until now.”

“Correct. Because of that, even the relatively close Northern Continent required at least a month. You would be shortening that significantly.”

Next, I took another set of documents from Linda and handed them to the attendant. The Empress received these with a curious expression as well.

After reading for a long time, she looked at me with a grave expression and asked.

“Do you truly intend to permit this? Many will be able to see your domain exactly as it is.”

“I believe it is fine. Even if they see it, they won’t be able to imitate it.”

“Such immense confidence. The movement of troops… indeed, if one can move to the Ishtain Domain through that route, they wouldn’t have to march the long way around. But I am curious. Are you gathering news separately?”

“It is not quite like that. I am a noble who is closer to a merchant. Those I mainly deal with are merchants. They are active all over the Central Continent, and when they come to buy goods from me, they bring various pieces of information. I simply piece those together to gain insight.”

“Fascinating. The war situation is not favorable. And the movement of the demons is troubling…”

I could see that the Empress hadn’t yet noticed the finer details of the situation. Perhaps that was why? The Empress, who had been reading the documents with a very serious expression, asked.

“How do you think things will unfold?”

I could think of several possibilities, but I felt it was better to evade rather than give a hasty answer.

“I am ignorant of international affairs. I have only come here to secure some personal gain with the information I’ve gathered.”

“Amusing. Very well, what do you want in exchange for this?”

“I wish to import special minerals. I heard that certain minerals can only be purchased with the Empire’s permission. I want to create a greater variety of items through them.”

“….Special minerals are controlled due to concerns that they might disturb the internal order of the Empire. You are asking for permission for that?”

“I do not intend to bring in large quantities. I simply need a limited amount that can be consumed within the Ingrad Domain.”

“If that is the case, the Imperial Family can grant it. You likely know that the high-grade mana stones you requested from the Princess are also war supplies and cannot be given out lightly.”

“That is exactly why I intend to purchase and import them from the Northern Continent.”

The Empress looked complicated. After a moment of contemplation, she spoke to me.

“Since you have provided information and opened the harbor for use, I will accept the proposal this time. However, you must realize that too much of a good thing can be as bad as a deficit.”

I couldn’t fail to recognize that this was a warning.

“Your Imperial Grace is immeasurable, Your Majesty.”

“If you understand, you may withdraw.”

Receiving the dismissal, I backed out of the audience chamber immediately. Seeing the two women drenched in cold sweat the moment we stepped out, I asked.

“Were you that nervous?”

“How… how can you not tremble even a little?”

Linda asked me with a look of pure shock. Honestly, it would be stranger if I weren’t nervous. I was trembling inside, but with people like her, acting with dignity is what works.

A subordinate who does not crumble even before her majesty—she might judge me as dangerous, but she would certainly see me as competent. That’s why acting with confidence is the right answer.

“I suppose it’s because I’m used to it. Since we’re in the capital for the first time in a while, shall we go out for a stroll?”

At my words, the two women followed me with awkward expressions. Afterward, we conducted market research while walking through various streets in the capital, including the Academy, and the thing everyone was talking about was ‘Black Gold.’

My head felt complicated seeing a box of ‘Black Gold’ brought to the capital by a middleman. Linda found out the price and spoke to me with an indignant face.

“They say that one box is being traded for 1 Large Gold Coin?”

It was a truly absurd price. Even though they didn’t have many in stock, it wasn’t pleasant to see a seemingly ordinary person selling them like that.

“There’s no way to stop them, is there? The best way would be to crack down on them with the backing of an Information Guild. The problem is that we can’t really place restrictions on something once it has passed into someone else’s hands.”

To put it bluntly, it’s ‘bought with my own money.’ I can’t say much if someone wants to do as they please with their own property. Things like ‘unfair profit’ or legal punishments are only possible on Earth. If the person doing it is a ‘merchant,’ I could simply put them on a blacklist and refuse to sell to them later, but if this culture becomes established as a trend…

I thought chocolate would truly become ‘Black Gold’ in the literal sense.

‘I’ll have to take some measures…’

In a month or two, specialized shops dealing in coffee and bread with chocolate chips will be revealed. It’s a business spearheaded by the Hameureun Barony, but the problem was that the chocolate chips they used would definitely become an issue.

There were various other variables, and my head felt cluttered trying to coordinate them all.

Later, while looking into various magic tools needed for the domain, I witnessed an interesting scene.

“You! Do you have any idea how much research funding you’ve squandered? And you want to call this ‘magic equipment’ after making such trash?!”

“B-but, magic and science…”

“Science? What do you expect to do with technology that’s only popular in the Western Continent!”

“It’s not a technology to be belittled like that. In the future, the world will surely be swayed by that very science!!”

A fight had broken out between mages. I glanced at the object made by the mage who wanted to fuse magic and science.

I couldn’t tell what it was just by looking at its shape, but as I began to show interest, the mage who had been scolding the one seeking fusion turned to me with a kind smile and a question.

“Are you looking for something?”

“Ah, I was just curious as to what this is.”

“Hmm, that… Richard, come and explain this.”

The mage named Richard approached cautiously and began to explain the object he had created.

“First of all, this is an item named ‘Blaster.’ It’s a magic tool where you insert a mana stone and press these various buttons to generate different types of wind. Please, take a look.”

Richard took out a small mana stone he had, fitted it into the slot, and pressed a button. At that moment, I could feel wind blowing out from the square box called the Blaster.

It seemed to consume magic power to blow a weak breeze in all directions.

“There is a device inside that creates a special form of wind, and it generates the breeze by rotating it. By consuming magic power along with the wind’s intensity, the temperature of the wind can also be lowered. It is a magic tool that can create cool or warm air even on sweltering or freezing days.”

It was a magic item that combined the functions of an air conditioner, a heater, and a fan. He was a mage with an interesting idea. I casually asked for the price.

“It’s an interesting item. But the important thing is, of course, the price. How much does this cost?”

At my question, Richard looked back at the scolding mage with an awkward expression, let out a sigh, and spoke.

“It’s… 100 Large Gold Coins.”

It was an outrageously expensive price. The other mage who heard the price also let out a sigh and leaned his head against his hand. I asked why it was so.

“May I know the reason for the high price?”

“Well… the metals and various tools used inside, plus an additional magic tool to generate rotational force are included, and for the complex linkage with multiple magic circuits, the engraving of composite magic formulas…”

Richard rambled on, but there was no way I could understand what he was saying. However, the other mage listening to this only sighed louder.

When he finished his explanation, Richard looked at me and said:

“Finally, to make all the magic circles… permanent, a small amount of… Mithril was used…”

But at that moment, the other mage who had been listening to the conversation cut in, stated that it was an item that could not be sold, and led Richard back into the Magic Tower.

The situation turned awkward, but since it was an item of interest, I tried tinkering with it. Did the mana stone run out of power? It stopped in the middle of operation, and I realized the maintenance time was also quite short.

However, I thought the fact that such an idea was possible was a very important virtue.

“The world is vast, and there are many fascinating people, aren’t there?”

“Not as much as you, My Lord.”

I could only chuckle at Linda’s remark.