3-5 - A Deal With Carlos

With Sophia and Regis’s help, a meeting was arranged with Carlos-san, the head of House Sphiel.

We gathered in the study of the Sphiel residence. I sat across a desk from Carlos-san, with Regis standing by his side.

“I’ve heard the general outline of your situation. Frankly, I’m surprised to learn that you’re living under such circumstances. First, would you mind if I confirmed a few details?”

“Of course not.”

“First, I knew that you were the son of a concubine, but is it true that you’ve been isolated in a detached residence?”

“Yes, it’s true.”

“Then you’re unwelcome in your own family?”

“…Yes.”

The moment I nodded, disappointment appeared in Carlos-san’s blue eyes.

Well, that was understandable. His purpose in arranging a marriage between me and his daughter was probably to strengthen his ties with House Granches. He must have thought a child who was unwelcome in his own family wouldn’t be particularly useful.

…Hmm, should I have kept that hidden? …No, lying about something like that wouldn’t be fair. Besides, it was too late now.

I thought he might refuse to cooperate right then and there, but after a long silence, Carlos-san merely muttered, “I see.”

“Then my next question. I understand the idea of using enormous commercial interests as a bargaining chip. That would certainly satisfy House Sphiel, not to mention House Granches.”

Carlos-san paused there before adding, “However—” He fixed me with a stare that suggested he wouldn’t overlook the slightest reaction.

“That is assuming such lucrative opportunities actually exist.”

His gaze was piercing. As expected of the head of a count’s family, the pressure he exerted was anything but ordinary. But I’d anticipated this question, so I had no reason to be intimidated.

I met Carlos-san’s gaze directly.

“What if we could mass-produce sugar in this region?”

“Sugar, you say? Unfortunately, sugar can only be produced in cold climates.”

Disappointment appeared on Carlos-san’s face. So, to show him that he’d jumped to conclusions, I deliberately curled my lips into a particularly meaningful smile.

“That’s true. Sugar beets only grow in cold regions, so cultivating them in the warmer territories of Granches and Sphiel would be impossible.”

“What are you getting at? Are you suggesting we produce sugar somewhere else and transport it here?”

“No. I know of a crop that can be cultivated in this region and used to produce sugar.”

“…What did you say? Does such a thing truly exist?”

“Yes, without a doubt.”

“In other words, you’re saying we could establish a monopoly on the mass production of sugar. If that’s true, it would be more than sufficient as a bargaining chip. You would undoubtedly be able to secure your freedom. But… if this is true, why haven’t you negotiated directly?”

“Because Caroline-san wouldn’t stand for it if I gained fame.”

“Hmm. That certainly makes sense…”

Hmm. He probably thought it sounded incredible if true, but found it difficult to believe. Well, I wasn’t lying, so I might as well continue explaining everything honestly.

“If sugar becomes inexpensive, we’ll also be able to sell a wide variety of sweets, including pudding.”

“Pudding, you say…? Oh, that sweet with the strange, creamy texture. It certainly was delicious. But doesn’t it spoil rather quickly?”

“Huh? Ah, yes, that’s true.”

Even in a refrigerator, it would only last a few days. In this world, where food was generally stored at room temperature, it would last a day at most… But how did he know that?

“Actually, I had my people investigate it because I was considering selling it. However, I abandoned the idea after learning how quickly it spoiled.”

“I see…”

Wait, he’d actually considered selling it? Well, it wasn’t as though I’d invented pudding, and this world didn’t have any system for registering products, so it wasn’t a problem… Whatever.

“Pudding doesn’t keep for long, but I know several recipes for sweets with longer shelf lives. Selling those should solve the problem. Besides, even sweets that spoil quickly could be sold if we established shops in major cities.”

“Hmm. If everything you’ve said is true, we could acquire commercial interests of almost unimaginable value…”

Carlos-san fell silent as he considered the proposal. After a short while, he turned toward Regis, who had been listening beside him.

“What do you think of what you’ve just heard?”

“I’m afraid I lack sufficient knowledge of domestic administration to offer an assessment. However… Lady Sophia trusts Lord Leon completely.”

“…Sophia does, you say?”

Oh, this was promising. Since no malicious intent could remain hidden from Sophia’s blessing, her trust would be the strongest possible evidence that I wasn’t lying.

Carlos-san seemed to have reached the same conclusion, and his attitude softened.

“Leon-kun, there’s something I’d like to confirm. Am I correct in understanding that you’re willing to let our family take charge of the entire venture you’ve just described?”

“Of course. I’ll be relying almost entirely on House Sphiel for personnel, funding, and everything else. As long as I can secure our freedom, I have no objections.”

“Hmm. Then there’s just one more thing I’d like to confirm. You said you wanted freedom, correct? Does that mean you have no desire to marry Sophia?”

Urgh. R-right, of course. Even if I’d explained things to Sophia, it wouldn’t mean anything unless I discussed them with Carlos-san too. I hadn’t prepared an excuse for this. How awkward!

“Um, well, you see… It’s just…”

“…You don’t mean that you dislike Sophia, do you?”

“Of course not! Sophia is a wonderful girl, and I really enjoy spending time with her. It’s just that we’re both still children, so I can’t really think of her that way yet, or rather…”

“I see. Then you wouldn’t object to an arrangement involving adoption instead?”

“Y-yes… I wouldn’t mind, but…”

“Good, understood. Then let’s proceed on that basis.”

Huh? Was he really going to accept that so easily? …Wait, seriously?

“Now then, regarding the finer details of our agreement—”

Despite my concerns, the negotiations proceeded remarkably smoothly.

And so, my discussion with Carlos-san came to an end in no time. Delighted that we’d finally secured a path to freedom, I returned to the Granches residence in high spirits, but—

“—Leon, I’m placing you under arrest.”

Waiting for me at home were those merciless words from Caroline-san.