The next day.
"And that is how matters stand."
"Matters stand, my foot..."
After last night’s meeting established our general course of action, Sebas-san made an immediate turnaround back to the Royal Capital. Just before his departure, I was entrusted with letters for the Guild Masters of both the Adventurer Guild and the Commerce Guild in Gimul. To deliver them, I had made full use of Space Magic to return to the city via super-express this morning.
Taking the letters with me, I went straight to the Adventurer Guild. As expected, Wogan-san hung his head after hearing my explanation and receiving the letter.
"A Former Knight Commander and the Witch of Death's Shadow would be a handful on their own, but now Glen might move his Base to Gimul too? I feel like I just got pelted with High-tier Magic, for crying out loud. Still, I get the gist. Managing adventurers and dealing with trouble is the guild’s job. I’ve no intention of abandoning that duty. Having the heads-up helps. Can I just send my reply the usual way?"
"I still have unfinished business on the other end, so I plan to head back once this evening. If you can have it ready by then, I can take it back directly."
"Then wait a second; I’ll write a reply now. I just need to dress up the fact that I’ve understood the details, so it won't take long."
Without waiting for my answer, Wogan-san pulled a stationary set from his desk drawer and began to write. I recalled him once saying he wasn't fond of paperwork, but after serving as a Guild Master for so long, his movements looked practiced.
"Right, Ryoma. Separate from that, can I ask you something?"
"Yes, what is it?"
"That... what was it? That slime stuff. You know, the powder. The one that’s good for your Health."
"Do you mean the Algae Slime Algae Dried Powder?"
"That’s it! Could you sell me some of that? I feel much better when I’m taking it. It makes the fatigue in my eyes a lot lighter in particular."
"Actually, if you go to our hospital for a checkup, you can get it for free right now..."
We had discovered some time ago that the Algae Slime Algae contains rich nutrients similar to Earth's euglena. Currently, it is being researched further as a Nutritional Supplement.
Late last year, when Master Mafrar visited Gimul, he suggested that I should report it to the Medical Guild to seek approval as a medicine or a Medicinal Herb. To ensure the approval process goes smoothly, we are currently in the data-gathering phase. I hadn't heard that the data collection for the periodic reports was finished, so they should still be accepting participants. However, looking at Wogan-san’s expression, I gathered that wasn't the issue.
"Are you too busy with work to find the time for an appointment?"
"It’s not like I have zero time, but getting a solid block of it is hard. Plus, I have to be ready for emergencies. When it’s not an actual illness, I end up prioritizing eating, drinking, and sleeping. Usually, that’s enough to keep me going... and those trials require either hospitalization or regular visits, don't they?"
I understood his sentiment. In my previous life, I used to find the periodic checkups mandated by my company incredibly tedious. While I understood that health management was vital, it was easy to feel burdened by the time commitment when I was already under pressure.
I used to go because the Labor Standards Act made them mandatory once a year. Come to think of it, there was a time at that old company when a doctor would visit a conference room so we could have our exams on-site.
Management explained it as a way to reduce the burden on employees while avoiding disruptions to business. However, the number of people with perfect results—even those previously ordered to seek treatment—exploded. Later, it was discovered the doctor was an acquaintance of the higher-ups, and rumors of excessive fees and kickbacks spread. While the truth was never proven, the company quietly reverted to the old method after about three years. Still, being able to get a diagnosis at the office had been genuinely convenient. The goal and the method of the On-site Health Checkup weren't inherently bad.
"In that case, I’ll consult with Master Mafrar to see if he can handle it as a House Call to the guild."
"I’d appreciate that."
"If it’s possible, how about having the other staff members take turns for checkups as well? It would be helpful for the data collection."
"Oh! That’s a great idea. I’m not the only one buried in work, and it’d be a disaster if anyone collapsed. Let me know once you have the dates and the costs. Also, I’ve finished the letter."
"I’ll take it."
I carefully accepted the sealed letter, promised to look into the checkups, and left the Adventurer Guild.
Now, next is the Commerce Guild.
"You’ve come at just the right time."
The moment I stepped into the Commerce Guild, Grisiela-san greeted me with those words.
"What do you mean by 'the right time'?"
"You funneled Sea of Trees Materials to the Royal Capital through Pioro’s shop, didn't you? It seems word got out that you were the source, because the Royal Capital Commerce Guild Headquarters sent an inquiry. They want as much information as possible on Ryoma Takebayashi."
She continued, "It looks like there’s been pressure from the nobility, and the headquarters is eager for answers. Besides, they’re in a strange hurry. I don't think their only goal is a supply of rare materials. It feels like there’s an undercurrent not mentioned in the official letter, so I wanted to hear the story from the man himself."
I was impressed by how quickly the Commerce Guild Headquarters had moved.
"Please read this before I explain. I think it will make things easier to follow."
The heating technology, the Foundation, the Sea of Trees Materials, and my relationship with Glen-san. Which of these had caught their attention? Honestly, there were so many reasons to be noticed that I couldn't tell which was the primary trigger.
"I see... Well, I’ve got the gist of it now. No wonder headquarters went out of its way to ask."
"From your perspective as the Commerce Guild Master, which point do you think they are prioritizing?"
"They’re likely all important, but if I had to guess, it’s your relationship with Glen. I hear the relationship between Glen and the headquarters has turned icy lately."
I thought that having a connection to an S-Rank Adventurer was the main draw, but then the conversation shifted.
"There must have been a flood of inquiries from nobles regarding the materials, and I suspect the headquarters overreached and blundered out of desperation. I hear Glen isn't exactly the patient type, so they almost certainly got on his bad side by pestering him for more supplies until he turned his back on them. If the relationship is broken, one strategy is to put a mediator in the middle. If that mediator belongs to the Commerce Guild, headquarters probably thinks they’d be 'easy to use' in various ways."
"...Easy to pressure, you mean?"
"It would technically be a 'request' for cooperation, but if a request comes directly from the guild headquarters, any ordinary merchant would be too terrified to say no. It’s a dirty tactic, but as they say, 'When the beast's fangs are at your throat, you'll cling even to a twig.'"
It was an idiom synonymous with "A drowning man will clutch at a straw." I didn't think Glen-san would hide his true feelings, so even if he’d just mentioned changing his base, it wouldn't be surprising if a sharp negotiator picked up on it. I couldn't rule out the possibility that the headquarters was truly desperate to mend their bridges with him.
However...
"A mediator? No, getting him to the negotiating table in the first place? Either way, that kind of trickery is exactly what Glen-san hates. It would only make things worse."
"Then you should just tell them that and refuse. If it would truly be counterproductive, then your refusal isn't a lie; it’s a sound proposal for the sake of the guild. In your case, you have the backing of the Ducal House, so the headquarters won't be able to push you beyond a certain point anyway. Besides, it’s not like a formal request has even arrived yet. I’ll look into things on this end, and along with the other matters, I’ll ensure the Commerce Guild’s response is handled properly."
"Thank you. I’ll leave it in your hands."
Just as I had at the Adventurer Guild, I mentioned that I could take a message back to the Ducal House. Grisiela-san immediately began writing.
"Still, you’ve been busy, haven't you? Rare materials, and now Heating Equipment and a Foundation. You’ve finally managed to involve the country and the Church."
"Even I feel like I’ve done something unusually large this time."
"The items must be of incredible quality for the Ducal House to recognize them and move this fast. If you hadn't put the new Heating Equipment into a Foundation and sold them yourself instead, you would have made a fortune."
"I think the heating-related items are all useful, but they aren't strictly my own research."
I gave the prepared explanation: that I had simply refined local wisdom from the Sea of Trees and materials left by my grandmother. Grisiela-san snorted and looked up from her paper.
"With your profits soaring, I thought your greed would finally start showing, but you really never change, do you?"
"Really? Personally, I think I’ve become quite a reckless spender. I don't really sweat large expenses anymore. Just the other day, I set up a whole new factory for myself."
"That’s just because your business scale has grown and you’re making necessary investments. Your spending might have increased, but as long as the money is going toward something meaningful, I wouldn't call it reckless."
Leaning back into her chair with an exasperated sigh, Grisiela-san continued.
"Normally, once a bit of pocket change starts rolling in, the reality of 'making a profit' sets in, and people's obsession with money grows. Usually, anyway."
"So I’m an outlier."
"Based strictly on my experience, and including your rapid growth, I’ve never seen anyone quite like you."
Many people undergo a personality shift the moment their business takes off and their pockets are lined. People change easily when their business suddenly expands or when they happen to strike it rich through pure luck. That is why a person’s future is decided by whether they can maintain self-control in those moments and how they choose to use that money.
Grisiela-san noted that, for a merchant, that realization is where the true first step begins. This was a roundabout compliment, I assumed.
"Whether I should praise you or not is a difficult question. The fact that you don't do business solely for the sake of chasing money is admirable, but you have so little greed that I wonder about you as a merchant. Don't you ever want to earn even more or line your own pockets?"
"You really do read my heart effortlessly... As for my income, it’s already more than sufficient. Honestly, it’s so much that I’m struggling to find things to use it for. Isn’t it the ultimate luxury to live a life without worrying about money? Besides, no matter how much you save, you can't take it with you to the next life."
The source for that? Me. Though, it wasn't as if I’d had massive savings for old age back then. Since I was granted a second life that money couldn't buy, I really had no complaints.
"You’re just like a Clergyman, honestly. Still, considering you were basically a hermit when we first met, I suppose I can call this growth. You’ve found a place where you can keep your feet on the ground and take root, and you've accepted your place there. That’s a form of maturing. Here, take this."
Grisiela-san slid the finished letter across the desk toward me.
"I’ll take care of it."
"I’m counting on you. On another note, you’re participating in the upcoming meeting, aren't you?"
"You’ve already heard? It was only finalized a few days ago."
"I am the official host of the meeting, after all. Orest contacted me all gleefully about it. The participants are all eccentric characters, but just do your best on the day without letting yourself get too tense."
"Thank you."
With those parting words of encouragement, I left the Commerce Guild.