Winning Favor Was The Easiest Job! (7)

It turned out to be true that people could travel from the Imperial Palace to the lord’s manor even without a response from us; now it was my turn to play host to the arriving princess and her entourage.

“But… what do I even serve them?”

I saw plenty who looked like merchants and others besides, but the more urgent task was “cleaning,” not hospitality, so I first told a few of the maids:

“Please air out the rooms and give everything a good clean.”

The maids answered “Understood” and moved swiftly. Until now they’d mostly only had to look after me, but suddenly there was much more to do.

Then Vincent and several maids brought what I had requested and distributed it to the people.

Those who received it made a fuss—“Ohh, is this the Viscount of Ingrad’s medicine?!”—so I told them:

“It’ll settle your stomachs. I remember feeling off all day after teleporting, so take it now—hey! Don’t tuck it away; take it now!”

A merchant who had been about to slip a pill into his purse flinched and popped it into his mouth.

“Once saliva touches it, it won’t keep. Swallow it right away; don’t think about holding it in your mouth to stash later.”

The merchant’s face fell at once, which made me chuckle—more than that, though, I looked at Princess Riana, whose expression was brightening as the medicine took effect, and asked:

“What brings someone so distinguished all the way out here?”

“Before that—this medicine is remarkable, isn’t it…?”

Princess Riana looked at me with a face of “as expected,” which, honestly, felt burdensome. Just then, the man who had been staring daggers at me strode over, stood beside the princess, and held out his hand.

“So you’re the Viscount of Ingrad I’ve heard so much about. A pleasure. I am Viscount Muriel, heir of House Giltian.”

I didn’t know what House Giltian had to do with this, but since he’d offered his hand, I couldn’t leave it hanging; I took it and said:

“I am the Viscount of Ingrad. A pleasure to meet you, Viscount Muriel.”

“As for the medicine… you have my thanks. Teleportation forces every noble into an ugly state. If we had what you just distributed… I daresay many nobles would rejoice.”

At Muriel’s words, Princess Riana nodded and said:

“When we return to the palace, could you spare some of this?”

“It isn’t especially rare, but if Your Highness asks, what wouldn’t I provide?”

The princess blushed at that. Now that I looked, the two didn’t seem particularly close, and most of the escort were familiar women; Muriel was the only man and felt somewhat out of place. I decided to ask his story later.

While Vincent and the maids bustled about tidying up, I led the two of them and a few merchants to the reception room of the manor. On the way, the princess sniffed the air and asked:

“You’re compounding medicines here as well, aren’t you?”

“You caught the scent? I hope it isn’t unpleasant.”

“Not at all. The fragrance when you compound is rather sweet.”

“Ha ha, such praise—I’m not sure where to put myself…”

It was honestly awkward. And because word of the princess’s arrival had spread, the five knights assigned to guard me finished training and came inside reeking of sweat—this was…

The princess had just said the scent of medicine was nice; would she be all right now?

“We greet Your Highness the Princess!!”

Led by a knight named Banesia, they bowed so low their heads nearly hit the floor—but the princess’s face had been stiff for a while. It seemed the smell was getting to her.

I was just considering fetching a hand-sprayer of deodorizing essence when:

“I was informed you were sent here to provide close protection for the Viscount of Ingrad. Then why were you outside, looking like that, dressed like that?”

Ah—she was angry about something else. Perhaps it looked like they’d tossed aside their duty to loaf about.

Well, she wasn’t wrong. If she learned the internal situation of the Viscounty of Ingrad these days, she would realize they had little to do, but she didn’t know that now, so her anger was understandable.

I was about to speak up in their defense when:

“They seem to have been training. And… they’ve been taking physical enhancement potions and working hard. I think it would be right to hear the circumstances before scolding them.”
At Muriel’s interjection, the princess glanced at me and then the knights.

“Could you explain?”

“It’s not complicated, but… there’s something I should do first before explaining. May I step out for a moment?”

Riana said she understood.

I told Vincent to guide the princess’s party and left the manor. I then found Debik and dragged him along, saying:

“You just need to show your face.”

“Why must I show my face to human royalty? The only noble we look on kindly is you.”

It seemed their distance from “humans” had lessened, but they still didn’t think well of “nobles.”

I told him:

“It’ll be quick. Just spare me enough time to explain the situation. You already took five invigorators as your fee, remember?”

“That… I took those… ngh…”

Hirna’s sharp gaze shot from behind him. Sensing it, Debik drooped like a scolded pup; he looked so pitiful…

“Right—beastkin society is matrilineal. Win over the women, and the rest follow… huh?”

Once more confirming the power of women, I brought Debik to the manor. A maid who no longer feared him guided us to the reception room where the princess’s party waited.

When I suddenly appeared with a beastkin, everyone sprang to their feet in shock; I said:

“Please relax. He is one of my domain folk.”

I put force into the words domain folk. The princess’s group looked at me in disbelief, but after I explained the situation and asked Debik to introduce himself briefly, I was able to shave away a sliver of their distrust.

“And so, we’re accepting beastkin as domain folk and proceeding with various matters together.”

“Incredible… How did you persuade… beastkin?”

“Well, doesn’t it begin with the basics—mutual understanding?”

I could hardly say “invigorators.”

“Amazing… I knew Mother trusted the Viscount of Ingrad, but to have even an alternative ready…”

To be honest, I didn’t think there was an alternative. It felt more like, “If it’s him, he’ll make it work,” and they dumped Ingrad on me. Not that I felt wronged. I’d heard the realm was in an uproar over my medicines, after all.

That was why Guts and his men had forced their way through the forest to see me, wasn’t it?

Things got complicated and the dogfolk had to “pick them up,” but in the end, people would move.

Which meant the abilities I now had could only look like a fine money-maker—prey to covet—in the eyes of petty nobles.

Perhaps the Empress foresaw that and stashed me here, where none but the Imperial House could lay a hand on me.

And if I did well here, it would be like having my cake and eating it too—half a gamble, maybe? I was pondering that when Riana suddenly got up and walked toward Debik.

Debik panicked. So did I. So did the escorting knights. Riana looked up at Debik from right in front of his snout and said:

“Nice to meet you. I’m a human woman named ‘Riana.’ You said you’re Debik—are you a bear beastkin?”

Debik and I were both at a loss. He glanced between me and Riana, then—surprisingly—lowered himself to one knee to meet her eye level and said:

“I am… a bear beastkin. Are you not afraid of me, Princess?”

“I’m someone who must one day rule the Empire. I shouldn’t be afraid of the Empire’s people, should I?”

When she smiled brilliantly, Debik gave a hollow laugh, thumped my back, and said:

“The one who will be your emperor has a grand spirit. A splendid woman.”

I thought so too. Even with the background explained, I hadn’t expected her to act this boldly.

And Debik could tear a human apart with ease. My back was going to bruise; I might have to ask Allena to rub ointment on it tonight.

“I won’t say: ‘Do it for the Empire.’ But I do hope we can shape an Empire that can accept your people. Until then… would you help the Viscount of Ingrad a great deal?”

“Would there be… any question of that, Princess? Ah—Your Highness?”

He glanced at me to check, and I murmured the proper form:

“Your Highness.”

“Your Highness the Princess…”

It was a little comedy. Riana, satisfied, smiled—and then, as she patted Debik here and there and said, “You’re like a teddy bear!”, Debik laughed and thumped my back again. Still, it all served to set a good mood.

After that, Debik withdrew, and just when my back was about to give up the ghost, the princess asked me:

“I understand your domain’s situation. I’d even like to commend your efforts. But… not all beastkin are safe. In the Demon God’s month, beastkin fall under his sway.”

Calling it “sway” wasn’t quite right, but I didn’t feel like explaining, so I hedged:

“I’m preparing something for that as well. It isn’t certain yet, so it’s hard to speak of now. Later… I’ll explain the details.”

“Later… is it?”

Princess Riana looked like she had much to say—but it would have to be later.

After that came a long stretch of answering the princess’s questions; then it naturally shifted into dealings with the merchants. When the exhausted princess was shown to a room, I glanced at the Muriel left in the reception room and began a deeper talk with the merchants.

“So, you want to distribute my medicines in the Empire, is that it?”

“Yes. The medicines you make, Viscount, are hope for humanity—indeed, for all imperial subjects!”

Not for “humanity”—I wanted to correct that to “all men of this world”—but I let the merchant talk.

“While you were at the palace, rumor spread from mouth to mouth; now it’s grown wings and become uncontainable.”

“So my medicines’ value is sky-high, that sort of thing. And what do I gain?”

I lobbed “Your terms?” The merchant, who had looked like he had plenty to say, pulled a face.

“Demand is so high that supply won’t catch up, no matter what. The consumable ‘Blessing of the Gods’—the going price for genuine product on the market is about ten gold coins.”

Ten gold was a lot. If he knew that making a hundred pills didn’t even cost a single gold in materials, what face would he make? Setting that aside, one word snagged me: genuine?

“So there are counterfeits?”

“It’s unavoidable… And you can’t confirm efficacy the moment you buy it, can you?”

Fair point; they were invigorators. Unless you planned to buy and take one, then walk around aroused all day, you wouldn’t take it—at least not until night. No wonder counterfeits were rampant.