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Kaoru Chapter 72: Treasure Hunt 1

 

 

『Is the lady shopkeeper here?』(Soldier)

 

A while after the store’s opening, the busy time due to the lunch also passed, one soldier appeared.

It’s not a lower-level soldier, he is about 40 years old and seems to be a little superior.
Oh, I don’t mean his attitude but his class.

 

『Oh, lady shopkeeper, actually, I have a favor to ask!』(Soldier)

 

Eh, this person, I remember…
He is one of the four middle captains who met the other day with Mr. Lt. Col!

 

『Uhm…, how may I help you…』(Kaoru)

 

Without knowing the detail, I can’t decide.

 

『Umm, about that…, actually…』(V. Captain)

 

Mr. V. Captain was somewhat hesitant, he looked around and told me in a small voice.

 

『… Actually, it’s a confidential request. Can you come to my mansion and see me in person?』(V. Captain)

『Eh…!?』(Kaoru)

 

What should I do?
Actually, I don’t think this person will do strange things against me.

Except for two cases.

One: this person is a part of that military supply sideways flow, came to deal with me who can read the cipher.
Although they can change the encryption, as I can decry again, it’s will be the same. So they want to break the root of the problem.

Two: this man was a pedo and he had his eyes on me.

No, Nope Nope!

If he wants to get rid of me, he won’t go through all the trouble to come here by himself.
Usually, he will do it himself or his men to do it in the middle of the night.

And this person, he seems to be serious middle age man, he doesn’t seem to be a pedophile…
No, he may be a pedo, but I don’t think a pedo dares to ask people come directly to his house.

… and somehow, it looks interesting.

Recently, I got caught up in bad things, I was busy with clattering, so I want to change the pace a little bit.
Besides, I am not in trouble with money.

No, in order to do business, shouldn’t I make the maximum profit possible?
Selling it at a low price that breaks the market price or doing a cranky business would be annoying to other traders and makes a fool of God of business.

It’s unacceptable.

 

So…

 

『Business trip fee, one small gold coin』(Kaoru)

『Ah, yes… Please!』(V. Captain)

 

Well, that price will be fine.

 

『Riette-chan, we are leaving』(Kaoru)

『Yes!』(Riette)

 

Riette-chan replies well and starts to close the wooden window.
After she closes the windows, she also closes the back door on the second floor, and then the entrance.

 

『 The residence is about 20 minutes from here.』(V. Captain)

 

Oh, the other side of the royal palace?
Somewhat distant…
Not with the sense of this world.

Since Bell and Emil went out to work as hunters, the shop was temporarily closed.

I took Riette-chan and moved on foot.
Even though he is a noble but because he is a soldier as well, he walks just fine without using a horse-drawn carriage.

I also don’t bother to prepare my chariot carriage or renting one.
Once in a while, I have to exercise my body, it’s also good for Riette-chan’s growth.

Looking back at the glance on the way, Francette and Roland were following me.
Did both of them always keep watching our shop?
Where, from what time to what time?
No holidays?

Well, I have to ask them later.
No way, don’t tell me they are standing all day in the alley.
Which black company are you?

That is why I arrived at the house of the Company Leader.
Well, considering the distance from this building and the center of the royal city, maybe he isn’t that great.
Perhaps, his family is a Baron or a Viscount?

Even if Mr. Lt. Colonel is the son of an Earl…
He is just the third son, he isn’t going to succeed in the future. Does that mean Mr. Col. Lady isn’t so great either?

And then, after passing through the gate, we headed to the entrance…

 

『Welcome home master』(Servants)

 

Eeeeeh!?

Master? The owner of the active aristocracy who already succeeded the rank?
Then, doesn’t that mean his aristocrat state higher than Mr. Lt. Col?

Even the Earl’s rank is higher than the Baron or a Viscount,
The third son still won’t be counted as an aristocrat yet. So, as individuals, Mr. Captain is still lower rank than Mr. V. Captain.

Well, it’s bad to make the enemy out of the Earl, so it can’t be helped.

It’s a power relationship. (力関係: Don’t really know if power relationship makes sense in EN though)

Besides, they are an officer and a subordinate of the same unit, so it doesn’t matter.
Both in the military and the company, the ranks, and positions within the organization are everything.
Your parents, parents, age, educational background, it doesn’t matter.
Just like that damn section chief.
Have an attitude, looking down on the clerks,…
No no, that the story in the past.

 

『Oh, that, the middle captain, are you the master of this house?』(Kaoru)

『Oh, did I forget to tell you?
Yes, I am Sevos von Larslick, the Larslick Viscount』(Sevos)

 

As expected!
Well, I will not change my attitude even with the aristocrats.
After all, I’m the woman who even yells at royalty.
Hahahaha… However, I will not be rude with aristocrats without reason.

And, as it is, we came into the middle captain’s study.
An office room?
Somehow it was such a room.
His families and servants are excluded, the only members are Mr. V. Captain me and Riette-chan (air mode), only three people.

Well, finally, the main purpose… not

 

『I brought the tea』(Maid)

 

Oh, tea and sweets are appreciated.

And then, after the maid came out, it’s finally the main purpose this time.

 

Mushy… (Riette-chan’s eating sweets SFX)

 

Yeah, Riette-chan is eating sweets.

I have a cup of tea.

As for the middle Captain, because he walks at the speed that the army usually marches, he isn’t tired and thirsty at all.

He doesn’t have any problem as a soldier, but he should be a little more concern about young girls…
No no no, I’m sorry for being a poisonous woman who searching marriage partner!
I was bad…

And then, when I start drinking the tea.

 

『Actually, there was a treasure hiding in my mansion. I want to ask you to search for this treasure』(Sevos)

 

Bu~fu~ge~e~go~ho! (Kaoru tried to stop blowing out the tea SFX*)

 

I was able to stop blowing out the tea in my mouth.
They look expensive, yes, his clothes, the sofa, and carpet etc.
Even if I allow to make a mistake, I will not blow the tea out here.
So, I desperately endured and swallowed it.
And finally, after cleaning my throat.

 

『Why did you say it at such timing?』(Kaoru)

 

Damn, that *Pokan (dumbfound)* face.
For real, he didn’t realize what he did?

Someday, I will make you blow the tea out in front of Mr. Lt. Col!

 

Well, anyway, let’s hear his explanation.
If he doesn’t explain it, nothing will start.

And, from what V. Captain said, it seems that the Larslick family isn’t very well off.
No, sorry. He is working in the military, so he isn’t really that poor…

Because his eldest brother, who was supposed to succeed to the house and rank,  inadvertently died, so he became the next in the line heir.

All of sudden Mr. V. Captain became the head, he moved to the capital and lived with his wife and children.

And he seemed to be working for the Viscount family in various ways both in military service and in society.

Well, that story isn’t uncommon for aristocrats.

Well then, what’s the problem?
… There is nothing.

Yes, money.

After all, they are poor!

Crop failure lasted for several years, they brought out all the stockpiles stored in the estate,
They even bought food with the gold coins left in the vault.

However, there’s the same fail crop in the neighboring territory.
It is costly to buy and carry from afar, not to mention bandit may attack, other farmers may also try to steal it for their wife and children.

The expenses for the escorts cost them even further.
This year, somehow the harvest was pretty much at the same as usual, he wanted to help but both the vault and the stock food cabinet were almost empty.

If they still have something, it’s now to use it.

Even if it’s not really fatal, but there’s also an epidemic disease,
There are also a large-scale bandit group flows.

For the current Larslick Territory, they are at 【one last push】 situation.
Yes, it could be a grave situation.

If it is normal, this might be the end of this family.
They must borrow money from some big noble,
Being 【slave-like】 as bound by money and obligation,
There is no other choice but to accept the declining of the name of the Viscount.

Yes, 【If it is normal】

 

Actually, there are hidden assets in the Larslick family…
No, it should be 【there were】

Long ago, an uninhabited large ship arrived at the Larslick Territory which facing the sea.
That ship is the type that the people of this country have never seen before,
all the crew already died, their water and food seemed to be exhausted,
However, the shipment and safe were untouchable.

They are things that can neither be drunk nor eaten, namely, ceramics, swords, other trade items, and funds for buying, that is, a large number of gold coins and jewels.

Back then, the barren Larslick territory had already been in danger of repeatedly fail crop.
The head of the family at that time secretly convert some of the treasure into gold coins of this country. And with part of that money, the Lord had overcome the crisis of his territory.

 

『This is it.
I want to ask you for deciphering!』(Sevos)

 

That’s it, one parchment that Captain Chief offered me.

 

『From generation to generation, this information on this document has only been conveyed to the head of the family.
The information about the good, the treasure that our grandparent kept safe.
And the third generation head, my eldest brother, was also the only one who knew that information.
However, he died in an accident before telling it to the next generation, which is me…』(Sevos)

 

That’s it. It’s my turn.

Just in case when the verbal orders lost, they prepared the (back up) document written about the secret place for goods written in cryptography?

Yeah, backing up is important. (Back up as Computer back up, even you delete all my files, I sill have back up)
If I had not backed my files up for every day for 3 months, (I might as well lose my job) when that corruption section chief wipes my computer (files)…

No, no, it’s already over, forgets it…

 

And then, I receive the parchment that was presented and look at it

 

【In case of danger of Larslick territory, all warrants exhausted and there are no other means, MAKE SURE TO CONVERT THE “GOOD” INTO MONEY TO USE.
Colex von Larslick】(Parchment)

 

However, only that was written.

 

『Are you kidding me?』(Kaoru)

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