"Haah~ I'm exhausted."

  "My lord, you've only reviewed the first one."

  Several days after the official party celebrating Celeste's receipt of Tenger as fief, his consequent reception of the Marc Tenger rank, and his retainers Reinbardt and Arimecalises receiving Vicari—at Alabaster Hall.

  Celeste glared at the stack of documents the Commerce Minister had provided.

  "No, Tusita characters just don't stick in my head somehow."

  "Even though you speak fluently and can read and write?"

  "Strange, right~

  So Reinbardt-kun? Could I leave this to you?"

  "No.

  What I can do extends only to evaluation as a local and advisory judgment.

  Final decisions must be made by you, my lord."

  The two were now conducting selection work for the trading company to entrust with monopoly business operations.

  Initially there'd been a proposal to establish a company from scratch, but Celeste had strongly opposed this.

  "No no no, I have no business talent, and Reinbardt's a military veteran with no commercial experience, right?

  Besides, starting from nothing means hiring, personnel costs—it's no joke.

  As 'House Regis's purveyor,' we should just subcontract."

  Since even other nobles did this, it seemed reasonable—so when he'd requested recommendations under certain conditions from the Commerce Minister, about 20 letters of recommendation arrived, which he and Reinbardt were now reviewing together.

  "However, why were the selection criteria 'exclude already prosperous major trading houses; also exclude those with reputations for merchant heads being virtuous'?"

  "Well you see—

  Already prosperous places—sure, that proves they have track records, but proportionally, they're arrogant."

  "Arrogant... you say?"

  "Well, in this case I'd call it insolent civility.

  Already successful, so they tend toward attitudes like 'We're profitable without doing that?' and holding forth."

  "I... see?"

  "Besides, making already profitable places even richer... they won't feel grateful, they'll think it natural, and...

  Wealth concentrating in one place isn't good either."

  For Reinbardt—himself of noble birth, rarely directly facing merchants—such things he heard from Celeste felt like an entirely new world.

  "Wealth concentrating is bad?"

  "No, not entirely bad... but there's balance.

  How to explain... ah, if water doesn't flow but pools, it rots, right?

  Money's the same. Gathering in one place without circulating—socially speaking.

  And..."

  "And?"

  "If wealth pools in one place, can you guarantee no one will think they can break noble authority and power with money?"

  Thinking explanation via status would reach status-society-native Reinbardt faster than economic talk, Celeste used such examples.

  Outwardly proclaiming 'equality,' modern Earthling Celeste—no, Amashiro—but actually not so much, and in a world still with status systems, so long as beloved Rashion's family stood at the apex, he had absolutely no intention of carelessly discussing democracy.

  'After all, on Earth too, the wealthy stole nobles' seats and live arrogantly as upper class, don't they?'

  Inwardly mocking Earth thus, Celeste received Reinbardt's response.

  "I see...

  Indeed, I've heard that impoverished provincial lords sometimes can't hold their heads up before merchants regarding money matters.

  I understand that, but then, why exclude merchants with reputations for virtue?"

  "That? Well...

  Sure, grasping types are no good, but someone so virtuous they've abandoned even desire won't make business work.

  They're easily deceived too.

  Others' hardships catch their eye before their own profit.

  Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  I can't imagine such people handling state enterprise."

  Celeste continued while leaning back against his chair.

  "Monopolies are, essentially, exclusive businesses. No room to consider the other party.

  Can't entrust it to someone who'd sympathize when pleaded with or be tricked by smooth talk, right?

  So for merchants, 'virtuous' doesn't become praise.

  Desire, ability to discard sentiment when necessary, ambition—that's what I want."

  "I understand that.

  However, completely ignoring reputation also seems problematic?"

  "That goes without saying.

  So 'virtuous' is like a filter selecting out those with only that merit.

  You didn't think that was the sole criterion?"

  Watching his master answer with a smirk at his own observation, Reinbardt felt not confusion but rather deep interest.

  "Excluding 'virtuous' doesn't mean I asked to deliberately choose the ill-reputed.

  I requested choosing someone who, between personal feelings and business, can prioritize business."

  "...Understood.

  Then please continue your review."

  "No, you do it too!"

  "I believe I stated my role extends only to advice."

  "No, operations management is your job?"

  "Begging your pardon, being military-raised, I'm unversed in commerce...

  I humbly wish to observe your expertise, my lord."

  "No, I'm no merchant either?"

  "Yet your broad insight always impresses me."

  "Flattery gets you nothing!"

  Though grumbling thus, ultimately Celeste proceeded through documents, asking Reinbardt about concerns as they arose.

  "...Hm?

  Reinbardt, is there data for a company called Golden Barrel?

  What kind of company?"

  "One moment please.

  ...Yes. An upstart established five years ago.

  Specializing in food distribution, rapid growth in a short period...

  Ah, the company head is Piglet (pig beastman) Daranma Luina."

  "Hm? Piglet meaning...

  Those trampled by Humanita?"

  "Yes. Having a clan name suggests...

  Likely a Piglet noble from a nation destroyed by Humanita."

  "Ah...

  Despite being a refugee, rose this high in just five years...

  I like this one. Let's meet them."

  "Are you certain?

  With many merchants of established origin, choosing a refugee..."

  At Reinbardt's worried inquiry, Celeste clicked his tongue.

  "Now, Reinbardt-kun.

  Are you someone narrow-minded who discriminates against refugees?"

  "No, nothing like that..."

  "Well, I understand the feeling that non-nationals are hard to trust...

  But conversely, he 'has no fallback,' right?

  Domestic merchants might already have connections with some noble.

  In that regard, I think this one offers leverage.

  If I say I'll back him, he needn't be ignored by other merchants, and I'll let him do monopoly-profitable business... I think he'll jump at it.

  Ah, and... do you have connections in intelligence?"

  At Celeste's suddenly uttered words—as if holding conviction—Reinbardt answered dubiously.

  "Intelligence... you mean?"

  "Ah, sorry.

  For this I should ask your uncle faster, shouldn't I?"

  At Celeste's deliberately teasing tone, Reinbardt felt slightly irritated but showed nothing in replying.

  "I have a military-era colleague who transferred to intelligence..."

  "Oh really? Excellent.

  Investigate this Daranma Luina's background.

  Something concerns me slightly."

  "Background... is it.

  Understood."

  "Ah, while visiting the palace...

  This 'Triumph' company—the data seems slightly off.

  Something's suspicious, so tell the Commerce Minister."

  "Conveying messages to ministers... is it?

  For important business, wouldn't you yourself be better than a servant like me, my lord?"

  "No, I'm planning to visit Earth.

  And you need to grow accustomed to your rank, yes?

  A Vicari conveying a Regis's message to Comis. What's the problem?"

  "Ah."

  Come to think of it—Reinbardt realized something he himself hadn't yet fully grasped.

  He was no longer merely a servant, but a legitimate kingdom noble, in a position to deal with ministers as a Regis's 'proxy.'

  And who'd made this so was before him—this lord who usually seemed like a slovenly middle-aged man yet occasionally displayed unfathomable insight.

  Five days later.

  Daranma Luina, young head of 'Golden Barrel,' sat in the reception room of Regis Celeste's estate—now the capital's talk—nervously clutching his pounding chest, awaiting the estate's master.

  An otherworlder who'd suddenly arrived from beyond the sky, the unbelievable rumor of being the royal family's previous life's father, who at parties served impossibly delicious fare causing noble society gossip, who'd finally received a flying island as fief...

  Though full of lie-like rumors, the last—that flying island—was visible even from his merchant district residence, leaving no room for doubt.

  What business would such a mystery-shrouded great noble have with a refugee-origin merchant?

  Well, not entirely without guesses.

  If those rumors about business involving that 'deliciousness' were true, and he'd been summoned for that...

  Most welcome indeed, but why me—a refugee?

  Then the reception room door opened, and Luina rose from the sofa.

  "You're Daranma Luina? Sorry for the wait."

  Accompanied by a young Lupacid butler, entering was a man wearing a strange mask.

  But no time to marvel at strange dress.

  "Regis-Basi, I hope you are well.

  Responding to your summons, this Daranma Luina has hastened here."

  "Mm, good.

  Now, please sit."

  At Celeste's invitation while seating himself, Luina responded "How kind" and sat.

  "Well, continuing stiff greetings isn't my forte either, so let's get to business.

  You roughly guess why I summoned you?"

  "...Humbly, you're planning monopoly of otherworld goods."

  "Correct. Merchant information networks are impressive indeed.

  Moreover, refugee-origin yet climbing this high in just five years—quite something."

  "Your praise brings grateful happiness..."

  "...And all for your lost nation's people.

  You're a devoted prince, truly."

  Luina felt his spine freeze.

  "Wh-what do you..."

  "Ah, no need to play dumb.

  I don't intend to condemn you for it.

  Just, we're planning state-scale enterprise.

  Investigating backgrounds of those entrusted with such purveyance is natural, yes?"

  'Trapped'—the word surfaced in Luina's mind.

  Yet Celeste's words held no fault.

  "Initially I thought skilled upstart merchant...

  But Piglet refugee origin... concerned me, so I had you investigated.

  I'd imagined the general circumstances, but never expected a prince."

  "Hiding my status—am I guilty?"

  "Hm? No, why?

  I think there are plenty hiding their backgrounds?

  In your case, your original status is just somewhat special...

  Ah, is it problematic? Vicari Nokoi?"

  "If his homeland government were intact, it might be problematic, but..."

  The young Lupacid butler saying no more was consideration for him, Luina felt.

  Though—when one's a Regis, even butlers become Vicari? Luina found himself oddly impressed by something irrelevant.

  "So he says.

  Well, you hid your status for your own reasons—I won't pry.

  But while becoming a merchant to help compatriots, aiding Piglet refugees is admirably devoted...

  Gathering ethnic groups within Feridelia risks being problematized."

  For Luina, this was both feared and prepared for.

  Nation destroyed by Humanita, citizens massacred, survivors scattered in flight—lost nation's displaced people.

  To give them somehow livable hope, he'd become a merchant in this Feridelia where they'd washed up, desperately reaching this point.

  Yet would it end here, suspected?

  As he despaired thus, the Regis before him spoke unexpectedly.

  "So then...

  You—no, your people too.

  Won't you become mine?"

  Saying this, removing his mask—Regis Celeste wore—

  The hated face of Humanita.