Three days after the remote meeting...
"We've made it to Gaunago! Man, Space Magic really is a lifesaver."
"Owner, just because it’s convenient doesn't mean you should spend the whole night researching. You need to cut that out."
"I just went to bed a little late last night; I didn't stay up all night. I got some proper sleep, so I am improving... slowly but surely."
While Yudum was chiding me for my late-night habits, we passed through the gates of Gaunago. A long line of carriages, likely merchant caravans, stretched before the entrance, but as a Ducal House Technician and his attendant, we were granted priority for the town entry inspection.
An extra guard came out to move us to the front of the queue, though the inspection itself was standard procedure. Still, standing there next to everyone else who had been waiting patiently made the curious stares of the travelers feel like they were piercing right through me.
"It’s nice not having to wait, but I can't say it’s very comfortable," I muttered.
"I get it, but it's a legitimate right. You'd best get used to it. Your personal ID is fine for most things, but there are times when you need to push your status as a technician to the forefront."
"Sorry for the wait," the gatekeeper said, returning after checking with his superior. "Everything is in order. Welcome to Gaunago."
He offered a polite welcome, though I caught a flicker of bewilderment in his eyes. I couldn't blame him—it wasn't every day a child claimed to be a technician for a Ducal House.
With permission granted, there was no reason to linger. We passed through the gates and were immediately greeted by a bustling, lively streetscape crowded with people and carriages.
"It’s as prosperous as ever here," I remarked.
"It houses the lord's mansion and a Noble District. It's the heart of the Jamil Duchy. If this place didn't look prosperous, the nobility would be in serious trouble."
"I suppose so. Well, we still have plenty of time before our appointment. Why don't we take a walk around town?"
"Good idea. Let’s find somewhere to grab a bite to eat too."
Exchanging idle chatter, we made our way through the streets on horseback and my Mimic Slime. After wandering for a while—and making sure we weren't late—we arrived at the Moulton Slave Company.
"I have been expecting you, Master Takebayashi."
Oresto, the chairman, was waiting for us as if it were the most natural thing in the world. I hadn't met the man often, but he seemed the type who could easily predict exactly when I’d arrive—neither late nor overly early.
He smoothly ushered us into a reception room and quickly dismissed the employee who had brought the tea.
"To get straight to the point, I understand you are looking for workers with rope-making techniques? Is that correct?"
"Yes. I haven't decided on a specific number yet, but do you have any candidates available?"
"For standard rope? You’d be hard-pressed to find someone from a rural village who doesn't know how to weave it."
As he spoke, he placed a volume as thick as a phone book on the table. Having seen something similar during my previous visit, I knew it was a collection of resumes for the slaves.
"All of these?" I asked, eyeing the thickness.
"People sold to reduce the number of mouths to feed after a bad harvest, those who sell themselves to support their families, those who come to the city and get swindled because they can't read... the reasons vary, but many slaves come from rural backgrounds. If you filter for nothing but the ability to weave rope, this is the result. Once they are in our care, we provide instruction in reading, writing, and calculation based on their aptitude. If we exclude those with specialized skills you aren't looking for, Ryoma-sama, the number will drop significantly."
"I see... Well, since the goal this time is strictly rope production, could we limit the selection to people who don't have any other special skills?"
"In that case, choosing from those who only recently became slaves would be best."
Oresto opened the book to roughly the middle without hesitation. "Everyone from this point forward is from a rural background and became a slave within the last year."
"The list is much shorter now, but it's still quite a few people."
"We had a large influx of people from other territories last year."
"Ah..."
So the fallout from the incidents at the end of last year was still being felt. That made sense. For my part, I didn't care about their origins as long as they could make the rope. As long as the quotas were met, I had no other requirements. However, that lack of preference actually made it harder to choose. Seeing my hesitation, Oresto spoke up.
"If you’re having trouble deciding, may I make a suggestion?"
"Please do."
"Thank you. Take a look at this."
He handed me a separate resume that had been pulled from the stack. It described a man in his sixties whose former occupation was... a slave merchant?
"Until last month, this man ran a slave trading company separate from ours. He closed his shop because his age made it physically and mentally taxing to remain a business owner. We took over his business through a merger. He chose to become a slave himself to secure retirement funds and ensure his former employees received their due rewards. My proposal is this: how would you like to rent his old company building and a group of rope-weaving slaves as a single package?"
"I knew renting slaves was an option, but the building too?"
"My father had a relationship with him, and since he was an honest businessman, I agreed to take over his affairs, but we have little use for the building ourselves. However, it was designed for slave trading, so it’s perfectly equipped for them to live in. If you use it as a base and workspace, you can start production immediately. We get rent for the building and the slaves, so everyone wins. Furthermore, I’ll assign this man and a few of his staff to manage them. He’s older, yes, but he has decades of experience. He’ll handle the treatment of the slaves, work assignments, and facility management flawlessly. Renting slaves usually adds more administrative work for the client, like tracking contract periods and return dates, but he and my company can manage all of that so you don't have to lift a finger, Ryoma-sama."
He was right; there was no downside for me. In fact, since my only real goal was a stable supply of rope, having them handle all the management was a huge help.
"Just to be sure, his company was operated legally and ethically, right?"
"If it weren't, we wouldn't be associated with him. Trust is everything in business, especially for slave merchants who are already viewed with suspicion. We have to be twice as careful."
"Then I have no complaints. I'd like to move forward with your proposal, Mr. Oresto. As for the slaves... if he’s managing everything, I’ll leave the selection to him. Recruit volunteers from the eligible candidates. I’ll calculate their pay as a base salary plus a commission based on production volume. I’ll pay the total when I collect the rope."
"I see... It's an unusual arrangement, but simple enough to implement. It’s quite common for those who become slaves unexpectedly to want to work and earn their freedom as quickly as possible rather than spending time on education. Would you be willing to accept people like that?"
I tilted my head. It wasn't strange to want freedom, but his phrasing made it sound like there was more to it. "As long as you handle the details and the rope gets made, I don't mind who you use. Are they particularly rebellious or something?"
"There are a few like that, but the ones I’m thinking of are those who find physically demanding work difficult, or those suffering from extreme anxiety. Becoming a slave is a last resort to survive poverty, but the reality of the market is that some go unsold—especially those without specialized skills. We try to provide education, but that takes time. When people see those who arrived after them being sold first while they remain stuck, they start to panic. They fear they’ll never be sold and will never earn their freedom."
"I see... That could lead to a mental breakdown if left unchecked."
"Exactly. It causes physical and mental health issues. At worst, they become lethargic and give up on everything, or they grow desperate and—as you mentioned—rebellious. We try to help them through counseling and simple tasks, and your project would be a perfect fit. I believe that even a temporary job, where they work and receive compensation from a client, will help restore their peace of mind."
"In that case, I have no reason to say no. Though I can't exactly pay them if they just sit in the workshop all day doing nothing."
"Naturally. If someone does that, they’ll be removed from the project immediately."
"Thank you. As for the materials, I’ll deliver everything we've prepared on our end."
After that, we hammered out the finer details of the contract and I met with the former slave merchant who would be in charge. With the business concluded, I prepared to leave, but Oresto invited me to stay for tea, saying he simply wanted to chat. Since I had something on my mind anyway, I accepted.
"Mr. Oresto, do you remember when you invited me to a merchant gathering in Gimul last year?"
"Of course. I don't suppose you've suddenly changed your mind? Or did someone else extend the same invitation?"
The man was incredibly sharp; he caught on instantly.
"Mr. Pioro from the Saionji Company invited me. I still feel like it's beyond my station to join a group with you and Mr. Serge, but I also realize that as a business owner, networking with people of your caliber is a massive opportunity. I’m just... having trouble committing."
I admitted my hesitation as I sipped the tea. Oresto nodded understandingly.
"I remember feeling much the same way when my father first took me along."
"Even you, Mr. Oresto?" I asked. I’d always assumed someone who loved observing people as much as he did would have gone gladly.
"Naturally. In my case, I was slated to succeed my father, so I didn't really have a choice, but it was still a gathering of giants with decades more experience than I had. I was terrified of offending someone and ruining my business. I imagine you have similar concerns, Ryoma-sama?"
"I do."
"Then let me tell you that such worries are entirely groundless. Everyone at that gathering is a merchant worthy of being called a 'big shot.' And because they are true professionals, they don't waste their time or energy on those they deem insignificant. If they decide you aren't worth their attention, they won't even bother trying to sabotage you."
"Because they’re that far above the fray..."
"Exactly. Of course, it’s a different story if you go out of your way to interfere with their business, but you don't strike me as the type to do that. Besides, your participation is hardly 'beyond your station.' You started with a laundry shop and built several unique, stable businesses in a very short time. Your track record is more than sufficient. And now, I hear you’re spending a fortune to establish a foundation to help people survive the winter."
I nearly choked on my tea. "How do you know about that?"
That had only been finalized three days ago. I knew he was well-informed, but this was unnerving. Yudum, who had been keeping a low profile as my attendant, seemed equally startled; I could feel his gaze sharpen.
"Hehe... I’d love to play the mysterious informant, but I don't want to make you suspicious. I heard it from the Duke himself. He visited me two days ago to ask me to secure any slaves with construction or blacksmithing skills."
"Oh, that explains it."
"I gather information, but I don't go poking around the Ducal House's private business. In fact, the Duke trusts me enough to share certain matters and ask for my help. You have nothing to fear."
I realized he was directing that last bit at Yudum. Since they were meeting for the first time, Oresto was likely trying to ease the tension.
"Providing technology for new heating equipment and firewood substitutes, then creating a foundation to manage it all... those are impressive achievements. You belong at that table, Ryoma-sama. I invited you because I truly believe that."
"Thank you. If you put it that way... I think I'll give it a try."
Encouraged by his words, I felt ready to do my best, even if I wasn't sure I could meet everyone's expectations. "On that note, what kind of people are the other participants? I know Mr. Pioro, Mr. Serge, and Ms. Grisiela, but I’m in the dark about the rest."
"Due diligence is important, but it’s better if I don't tell you too much about them."
"Because it’ll be obvious that I 'pre-studied' them?"
"You catch on quickly. Precisely."
I think I finally understood why I’d been so hesitant. It felt exactly like preparing for a job interview in my past life. I’d failed plenty of them back then, but I’d also been on the other side of the table enough to know when an applicant was over-prepared. It makes it hard to see their real personality, which makes them harder to evaluate. Usually, they end up with a mediocre score and get passed over for someone else.
"Fair enough. Could you at least give me a list of the names and their companies?"
"Certainly. I’ll write one up for you."
I eventually walked away with a list of the merchants attending the gathering. It was just a single sheet of paper with a bit of ink, but for some reason, it felt incredibly heavy.