11 – Mice and Fur (1)

“Did you say you need holy water?”

The bishop seemed curious as to why I had visited without any communication. And since I also had plans later, I quickly told him my business without any other small talk.

“That’s right.”

“hehehe, if that were the case, you wouldn’t have had to come here in person. How could you take such a precious step yourself instead of relying on those below you?”

“It’s been a while since I came to see you, Bishop. By the way, Bishop, may I ask how much holy water is stored in this diocese?”

“Hmm…Let’s see. There may be some errors, but I think you can think of it as an average of about this amount. , Do you know that well? Since you are the Lord of Reed, who has had a long relationship with our parish, I believe in you and show you my insides.”

The Bishop looked around, then raised a finger at me and whispered softly. It’s one bottle… Too little than I expected. Still, it seems like it will be enough for the amount needed right now. I nodded and told the bishop.

“hahahaha, do you mean this? And as for the holy water, I will purchase the entire bottle you mentioned. You can charge the price to my family.”

“Wait a minute, Confucius. Did you say everything now?”

“Yes, everything. And I would like to enter into a separate contract for the continued exclusive supply of holy water.”

“Just a moment, just a moment.”

Embarrassment flashes across the bishop’s face. Why are you like this? Holy water is an incredibly expensive item that is sold in churches. There is absolutely no reason to refuse if they offer to sit on a money cushion. Is there something behind the scenes that I haven’t thought of?

“…Confucius doesn’t seem to know the inside story, so I guess I’ll have to explain it to you.

Holy water is, literally, sacred and pure water that is concentrated with tremendous holy power. Therefore, a very large amount of mental and holy power is consumed each time it is consecrated. Since the priest who has finished the consecration is literally exhausted, it is even stated in church law that he must be allowed to take a few days of rest after consecration of the holy water.

Although we did tell you that we have a barrel in stock, we can’t whip it up every time we need it. There are also sick people who, by their very nature, require a steady supply, and there are also quantities that must be regularly returned to the home country. So, I apologize, but an exclusive contract seems difficult.”

The bishop sweats profusely and pours out words like a rapid-fire cannon. If that’s the reason, it’s understandable. The background of the church is unknown to the knowledge of the original work.

“I see. If not all, then any part is fine. Assuming you sign a contract with us, how much can you supply at most?”

“As far as reducing the portion that needs to be sent to the home country and the portion that needs to be stored for our use… I think this much is possible.”

Originally, even one canister was not enough, but now it is not enough, and suddenly the quantity is reduced to one-third. this is too little… However, there is no way right now, so I can’t help it. There was no choice but to be content with being able to secure even this amount of holy water on a regular basis.

“It’s unfortunate, but I can’t help it. I’ll be satisfied with that much for now. However, if it becomes possible to increase production in the future, then I would like to review the contract once again.”

“Ah, that’s quite possible. But really, originally, it’s not a question of how to use it… but this time, I can’t help but ask. May I ask why you’re buying such a large amount of holy water?”

From the bishop’s point of view, it is well worth asking the question. They said they would buy that expensive holy water in bulk, but of course they would be curious. Since I couldn’t tell you the real reason, I told the bishop what I had prepared beforehand.

“hahahaha, there is no particular reason. I returned to the family this time and checked the inventory of the stockpile, and there was only a very small amount of holy water left. There are often cases where demonic energy is mixed with the wind blowing from and the nearby land is polluted. So I thought it would be used a lot, so I came here to purchase additional items.”

“Huh, if that’s the reason, there’s nothing I can’t buy in this large quantity. I’m just grateful for your reply. Please forgive my rudeness…”

I put forward a reason that was just right, and the bishop nodded his head to see how satisfied he was after hearing my words.

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“It’s okay. There’s a place I need it right now, but I want to get the first delivery as soon as possible.”

“If that’s the case, you don’t have to worry. It’s been quite a while since the last consecration, so maybe in three or three days, all the holy power of the priests needed to make holy water will be restored. As soon as it’s ready, I’ll send it home.”

At the dinner table last night, my father declared the authority for the penalty, so there were no financial problems, so I concluded an agreement with the bishop and even wrote a contract right there.

The Bishop tried his best not to show his expression, but an indescribable joy was leaking from his happy face. I couldn’t sell all of them for one reason or another, but I signed a contract for a huge amount anyway. You will be able to take care of yourself as much as you can and build up performance.

What he did with the gold coins he received from me is none of my business. And it’s easier to deal with someone who shows this kind of greed to some extent. It’s hard to ask for something from someone who doesn’t want anything.

It was just after noon when I left the church. There was still time before the meeting, so I decided to kill some time by looking around the town a bit.

***

The meeting was held in the mansion’s conference room. My father sat at the top of the table, and since I was an observer, I didn’t sit directly at the table, but pulled out a chair slightly behind him.

When the time came, several influential people came in one after another to greet my father, and some of them pretended to know me.

And although it wasn’t all, there were people who remained in my memory and looked familiar in their own way.

The heads of the Horsemen’s family under Reed’s command, Laurel Hart, leader of the Knights’ Order directly under our family, Russ, also the leader of the Magic Division, Becker, the head of the guards at Maidheaden Castle, Gardner, the head of the Chamber of Commerce, etc. Several more people came in, and the huge conference room quickly filled with people.

When he thought everyone had come in, the father checked the time and declared the meeting open, and everyone started scrambling to bring out the agendas they had brought.

***

“Some of the northern walls of the outer castle collapsed last night, and it is speculated that the cause was that the rain from the previous day soaked into the embankment. Although temporary measures were taken, the northern walls are deteriorated and similar problems may arise again. . I’d like to do a major overhaul while repairing the collapsed area.”

“Sardines have decreased by about 30% compared to previous years, but the catch of mackerel and cod has nearly doubled. A few days ago, there was even an incident where a fishing boat sank because it could not support the weight of the fish caught. If this trend continues, There may be a significant shortage of salt needed for salting and magic stones needed for freezing.

There is still a long time left until the ban, so I think we should prepare the necessary supplies in advance.”

“Reports of sightings of monsters are increasing rapidly in outlying villages. This year’s spring came about 10 days earlier than usual, so it is said that the breeding season for monsters has also accelerated. In Glentham alone, there have been 10 cases of ratmen and 10 cases of goblins. Seven sightings have been reported.

That’s about all I heard before heading here, so I think there will probably be more when I return. “We need to plow their breeding grounds at least once before they breed more.”

“It’s the same for us. Many of the potato and turnip fields outside the fence were looted, and one of the farmers who had formed a team to guard the area was even seriously injured.

There was a report from Makni Village, our territory, that there were footprints in the mountain that were three times longer than the feet of an adult male. Although the rain has erased the traces, the mountain ranger insists that they were definitely the footprints of a troll. “I think we should search the area at least once.”

“Becker, bring in masons from Alston and have them inspect the walls. And not only the north wall, but also the walls on the other side at this time. Let’s raise the budget when the repair cost is calculated later. And maybe someone will Thoroughly check the traces to see if there is any possibility that it was intentionally destroyed.”

“As for salt and mana stones, if you clear your stockpile, you should be able to make up for it to a certain extent. Estimate the amount you need and tell the butler.

“We will deal with the sightings of goblins, ratmen, and trolls all at once. When we return to the territory, each of you will select soldiers to form a punitive force. We will also mobilize personnel from the Knights and Sorcerers. Laurel, Russ, and you. “Please stay. After the meeting is over, we will draw up a detailed subjugation plan.”

My father came up with a solution without any hesitation from the opinions of his subordinates.

The way he handled things coolly and calmly, while also calculatingly, gave me a different feeling that I couldn’t see when I was with my family.

When I think about it, it was only thanks to the resourcefulness of my father, Albert Reed, that our family, which started out as frontier administrators, was able to rise to become one of the most prestigious families in the South. I forgot about my usual appearance for a while.

Time passed, and now all reports were over, and only Gardner’s agenda, the head of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, remained.

He rose from his seat, cleared his throat for a moment, then started reporting while looking in his father’s direction.

“Hmm, hmm. Wheat, barley, and oats are all very good. In the case of wheat in particular, it is said that the harvest will be more than three times that of last year, probably because last winter was dry. And as a result of confirmation, the good harvest is not only in Maidheaden, but also in the south. It is said to be a phenomenon that occurred all over the province.

The concern, however, is that grain prices are very likely to collapse due to excessive yields. Other lords in the south are also struggling with the disposal of the wheat, and some are even thinking of burying it.

And we, too, are still full of more than half of the grain warehouses in the territory. Even if you rent the warehouse of the cooperative, the situation won’t be much different. If the harvest season arrives in this state, it is clear that great confusion will occur. Harvest is less than two weeks away, so we’ll have to figure something out before then. We may have to expand the warehouse or dispose of the surplus production if this is not possible.”

“Wheat… Wheat…”

He came up with solutions without hesitation for other matters, but his father seemed to be having a lot of trouble with the crops. I was watching the meeting from behind, when I suddenly felt a flash of light in my head.

Perhaps, with the surplus wheat I have now, I may be able to more easily carry out the work I need to do to prevent the destruction of our territory. In addition, we may be able to expand our wealth as well.

The meeting was now reaching a breaking point, and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry representative’s agenda seemed to have been postponed to a later date as there was no clear answer.

I decided to share my thoughts with my father and waited for the meeting to end.

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