Chapter 16. I Need a Break

“An invitation? Why are you showing it to me if it came to you? And isn’t this  in ancient language?”

Elise placed the invitation on the side tea table as if she didn’t even want to touch it.

Then she noticed that it was written in a difficult-to-read script and, moreover, in an ancient language, which made her frown.

Elise was not very good at reading ancient languages. Although it was considered one of the most sophisticated skills among the nobility and she had learned it from a young age, her proficiency had never improved much.

Thus, when it came to decorative scripts written in ancient languages like this, she could hardly figure out where to start reading.

“It’s an invitation from Miss Raina of the Lennox Marquis family.”

“What? Why would that woman send you an invitation?”

“I don’t know either. It came suddenly today.”

Ael explained to Elise that she had just received this.

She added that she had no interaction with Raina and that since she sent it in such an ancient language didn’t seem to be sent with good intentions.

“I know that much.”

Elise replied irritably and ordered Ael.

“Well, reply that you can’t go.”

“But…”

“Why? Don’t tell me you’re thinking of happily going to such an invitation?”

“It’s not that, but they said they’d send their family’s carriage.”

At Ael’s words, Elise’s face twisted even more.

It was because she understood what it meant, along with the embarrassment of not being able to read the ancient language well.

The mention of sending the family’s carriage meant they wouldn’t accept a refusal to the invitation.

In the past, it meant, “Please don’t refuse my request; I will do everything to accommodate your convenience,” but now it was closer to a gentle threat.

That it would be useless to try to avoid it.

Moreover, the other party was the daughter of a marquis family. It would be a great rudeness for a viscount family, especially one without any power, to refuse an invitation from a marquis family.

It could damage the reputation of the entire family.

Understanding the seriousness of the situation, Elise’s face hardened. Ael also looked tense as she stared at the invitation on the table.

An invitation to a tea party that no one would enjoy.

* * *

“This is driving me crazy.”

Callon stretched among the piles of documents stacked like a mountain. Cracking sounds came from his neck and shoulders.

Since his first day in Denertum, Callon had been checking and reviewing everything the Ash Merchant Guild had done here.

He frantically confirmed the documents that others couldn’t even think of organizing, and since yesterday, he had begun reviewing the plans for the future.

Nisha worriedly asked if he was sleeping and advised him to take a break, but he didn’t seem to hear.

Compared to working in the Empire, this was practically a vacation.

Callon recalled the contact he had with the Emperor a week ago through the power of the Golden Rule.

〈How are you doing?〉

〈Thanks to someone who forcibly sent me here, I’m doing well.〉

〈I see. You look well. Be grateful to that person. It seems like they picked a place that suits you very well.〉

The Emperor shamelessly praised himself and then continued.

〈But when I say you look well, I’m not joking. Anyway, there’s still some time until ‘then,’ so just rest well there. Haven’t you had a single day off in the past few years?〉

〈I don’t want to hear such advice from Your Majesty. Moreover, do you say such things knowing the situation in the South?〉

〈Aren’t we waiting for ‘then’ to sort all that out? Besides, there won’t be a war in the South tomorrow, so it’s good to take a break for now.〉

〈Even so, I still have work to do, don’t I?〉

His tone was quite blunt, considering he’s speaking to the Emperor. Their conversation was more like that of friends who knew each other for a long time rather than the formalities of a monarch-subject relationship.

〈In the past, I would have kept my mouth shut at your words, but not anymore. Now, I strictly adhere to my official duties more than anyone else.〉

A bright smile that couldn’t be hidden appeared on the blurry face of the Emperor.

〈You’re incorrigible.〉

〈Say what you will, but I’m having a happy time now, so I’ll forgive you.〉

It was well known that the Emperor had become softer, as if he had changed, since he married against everyone’s opposition a few years ago.

He, who was more devoted to work than Callon, now spent all his time outside official duties by the Empress’s side, intoxicated by the sweetness given by his beloved.

〈Anyway, I hope you find some comfort there too. Who knows, you might find someone good like I did.〉

〈Don’t say such dreadful things.〉

Callon, hearing the Emperor’s incorrigible remarks after marriage, shivered as if creeped out.

“Someone good…”

Muttering those words, Callon reached out and grabbed the top document from the pile again.

“I don’t know about that. But I do need someone who’s good at ancient languages right now.”

Callon flipped through the documents. They were all about the land the Ash Merchant Guild was acquiring.

There were many bought in the name of the Ash Merchant Guild, but many were also being acquired in individual names.

‘The Kingdom of Denertum must have noticed to some extent… but they haven’t said much yet.’

That’s because the land being acquired was on the northeastern coast, a little away from the capital.

The barren beach, with hardly any civilian homes, was the most desolate land in Denertum. The coast was rocky, and the northernmost sea on the continent was rough all year round, making it impossible to launch ships without a port.

Fortunately, the inland area, though rugged, was full of grasslands, so people living nearby often grazed their sheep there.

But it was land with no value beyond that.

The special charm of that desolate beach might be felt during a few hours of a walk once a year. In other words, there’s no need to buy it.

The Ash Merchant Guild was acquiring such land. The Kingdom of Denertum was wary but did not intervene because the Ash Merchant Guild offered several times the usual market price.

‘They must be thinking, let’s make money off useless land from the Empire people.’

The land couldn’t be taken away entirely, and even in a hundred years, that land wouldn’t gain value.

‘That’s what they must be thinking.’

Callon’s lips curled up as he looked at the documents. When ‘then’ comes, they will all realize the value of the land they sold.

Just then, Nisha entered with a knock. Naturally, she was holding a bunch of new documents in her arms.

Nisha placed the documents on the desk and let out a long sigh. Seeing that, Callon groaned.

“I can tell without hearing it. You couldn’t find anyone to teach ancient languages?”

“Yes. It’s more difficult to get cooperation than expected. Once Ino returns, it would be best for you to hear the explanation directly.”

“Where did Ino go?”

Ino Baltern. He was the deputy head here working with Nisha and was a trusted subordinate of Callon when they were in the Empire.

“He went to the Lennox Marquis family’s tea party.”

“Tea party? Ino?”

Callon’s voice was genuinely incredulous.

“Did he suffer a major injury recently? Especially to the head?”

“Of course not. If that had happened, he would already be lying in front of us, wailing for us to recognize how hard he’s working.”

“Then why did he suddenly go to a tea party? That guy hates sweets so much that when he faints, putting something sweet in his mouth wakes him faster than hitting him.”

He was someone who shivered as if he’s seeing poison whenever he saw sugar, which was a major trading item of the Ash Merchant Guild.

“He didn’t go because he wanted to. The Lennox family specifically requested a high-ranking official from the Ash Merchant Guild to attend.”

“So you sent Ino?”

“We have our pride, so how could I, the branch manager, just run over there because they called? It’s a family that is relatively favorable to us among the great nobles, so we sent Ino. We also hoped to get some help with the ancient language.”

As the conversation returned to the topic of ancient languages, Callon pressed his fingers against his brow.

A complicated issue arose recently in purchasing land in the northeastern part of the capital. The most needed land was unfortunately co-owned by two very old noble families.

When the Ash Merchant Guild offered an enormous amount of money, the families owning the land were in an uproar. They brought all their old documents, arguing that their family owned more shares.

‘They should sort it out themselves.’

When it seemed they couldn’t easily resolve it among themselves, the nobles chose another method. They brought the ancient documents directly to the Ash Merchant Guild.