I took a sip of the grape juice Alice had given me. It had a crisp, refreshing flavor that was genuinely delicious.
"This is some incredible grape juice," I remarked.
"By the way, these were made using grapes from the Rich Baron House. Well, they don't actually sell it as juice, so I’m the one who processed them into this drink," Alice explained.
"Oh? Really? So Marie-san’s farm doesn't just grow Ripples; they grow grapes too..."
"Not on the same scale as Raz-san’s place, but they do grow several varieties of fruit. Ripples are their main crop, though. The soil and climate in the Rich Baron Territory are excellent—it’s actually quite well-suited for pomology."
I had thought the same thing when I tried their Ripples, but the fruit from Marie-san’s farm was consistently impressive. It wasn't necessarily world-class or anything that would turn the industry on its head, but you could taste the high quality and the sheer amount of effort and care that went into cultivating it.
"The Ripples were great too. There’s no doubt their produce is top-tier, right?"
"Yes. In fact, if they entered them into a competition, they’d likely walk away with a few awards. However, their logistics are just abysmal. The territory is hedged in by high mountains and monster habitats. To reach the nearest Large Trade City, you have to take a massive, time-consuming detour."
"I see. That sounds like a job for a Wyvern Service, but... is it just that they aren't common in the Arclesia Empire? I know they’re everywhere in the Kingdom of Sinfonia."
"No, the Arclesia Empire has plenty of Wyvern Services. It’s just that the Rich Baron Territory is officially designated as a no-fly zone for them."
Answering my question with practiced ease, Alice produced a whiteboard from seemingly nowhere and began sketching a map by hand. She wrote "Rich Baron Territory" in the center and circled it with several red rings.
"As the name implies, a Wyvern Service is pulled by dragon species. Mary-san’s company is a special exception because she has a contract with Magnawell-san to use his actual subordinates, but everyone else uses dragon species that haven't received a Demon Certification. Because they travel through the air, their primary concern is, naturally, flight-capable monsters."
"Ah, right. Since they’re carrying passengers and cargo, they can't exactly afford to get into a mid-air scrap..."
"Exactly. Most monsters will flee at the sight of a dragon, so attacks are rare, but the exception to that rule is the Wyvern. Wyverns are among the strongest monsters in the Human Realm. They’re also dim-witted and incredibly temperamental. If a Wyvern Service flies anywhere near their nesting grounds, they will attack. For any operator, they are the single most dangerous threat to watch out for."
Hearing that, I recalled Alice mentioning earlier that there were many high mountains in the area. Wyverns made their homes in high altitudes. In short, the Rich Baron House was located right next to a major Wyvern habitat.
"You’ve put the pieces together, I see. Indeed, there are several mountains infested with Wyverns near the Rich Baron Territory. While they’re far enough away that the towns and villages aren't in danger of being raided, the Wyvern Services have a strict policy against flying within a certain radius of those peaks. That effectively cuts the Rich Baron House off from the aerial network."
"I see. And since they don't have a teleportation Gate either, shipping their produce must be an absolute nightmare."
"Yes. You’ve seen Gates several times now, Kaito-san, so you know how massive those facilities are. The construction costs are astronomical. No merchant association is going to sink that kind of capital into a Gate for a region where they can't see a clear path to profit."
It was a bit like a remote train station. The people building them weren't running a charity; if they didn't expect enough traffic to recoup the investment, they simply wouldn't build. This resulted in a vicious cycle where the region remained inconvenient, preventing any further growth or population increase.
"I see. Marie-san really has a lot on her plate."
"She does. Well, that particular problem will be solved soon enough, though I imagine Marie-san is currently struggling with something entirely different..."
"Hmm?"
"Oh, it's nothing. Just thinking about how lovely this grape juice is."
I tilted my head at Alice as she smiled playfully and swirled the liquid in her wine glass. Since I couldn't quite articulate my suspicion, I decided not to press the issue and let our idle chatter continue.
Wyvern-senpai: "It’s been ages since I had a part! Yahoo!"
Serious-senpai: "Calling it a 'part' is a bit of a stretch. You were just a topic of conversation... and every time you come up, you’re treated as either livestock or a nuisance."
Wyvern-senpai: "I’ve left the 'light' representation to Big Sis Nizbel, so I’m fine with handling the 'dark' side as long as I get some screen time. There was talk about Kaito requesting a Dedicated Brush for Dragon Species, so I’m hoping that leads to another appearance for her."
Serious-senpai: "...Ah... Th-That’s right... Kaito has a terrifying number of dragon acquaintances, doesn't he? If a high-end brush for dragons can actually be sourced and Kaito takes a liking to it... It looks like Cornelia’s stomach is destined for utter destruction as well."