Chapter 278: Departing for Fortress City Cayenne
A month passed in the blink of an eye, and it was finally time to go to Fortress City Grosser. No, was it Fortress City Cayenne?
By the way, the new lord, Panamera, could only endure for two weeks and had already set off for Fortress City Cayenne ahead of us. Perhaps she had received a substantial reward. She hired fifty adventurers and headed there, so she must have arrived quickly and with time to spare. Considering the distance, maybe two to three weeks?
Panamera must have arrived at her own territory by now and must be discussing various management issues or suppressing rebellious factions.
“Well then, I guess it’s about time we depart. Town building is fine, but living in a carriage for over a month round trip again…”
Do I seriously need to develop automobiles? I muttered while thinking such things. Hearing those words, Dee, who was doing a final check of the accompanying knight order, turned around.
“Lord Van! A month or two is nothing! From now on, let us conduct special training so that you can enjoy expeditions and camping! We have exactly one month for that!”
Saying that, Dee laughed happily. Behind him were Arb and Law, wearing indescribable expressions. No matter how you think about it, it doesn’t seem like fun training.
“…A-Anyway, are preparations complete?”
When I asked that, Dee checked the state of the knight order.
“Indeed. Fifty elites and fifty rookies. Twenty members of the mechanical bow unit. There are ten adventurers, but including Sir Ortho, they are adventurers with proven ability. There will be no problem. Regarding supplies, just like during Lord Panamera’s movement, a joint caravan from the Bell & Rango Trading Company and the Mary Chamber of Commerce will accompany us, and they are also ready.”
When Dee said that, Bell, who was venturing outside the village for the first time in a while, waved one hand from the coachman’s seat of a carriage.
“Lord Van! Let’s hurry to Fortress City Cayenne! I’m looking forward to the new sales channel!”
Bell laughed happily as he said that, but did he understand that the Bell & Rango Trading Company, which was already short-staffed, would become even busier? No, he definitely wasn’t thinking about it much. As proof, Rosalie, riding in the adjacent carriage, was glaring at Bell’s elated face with a terrifying expression.
“…Bell. Of course, you have secured the personnel and materials to regularly send caravans back and forth, haven’t you?”
“Eh? No, I was thinking of recruiting from now on… Ah, but I will be going for a while.”
“Even now, many staff members are being loaned from the Mary Chamber of Commerce for support, yet a new sales channel…? Heh, did I teach you to do business like that?”
When Rosalie asked with a smile, Bell straightened his back stiffly and wiped away cold sweat.
“N-Not at all! Even now, under those serving as store managers at each shop, there are those serving as deputy managers! We are hiring new personnel every month, so I think we will have enough hands soon…”
“Knowledge and ability are completely different between someone who has just spent a year in a shop and someone who has experienced peddling… If you want to train a full-fledged merchant, it takes three years in a shop. Three years of peddling. Two years as a store manager… I believe I taught you that?”
“…I am sorry.”
Although her tone wasn’t harsh, Bell’s head sank lower and lower as Rosalie pointed things out in a slightly lower voice. However, Rosalie eventually laughed as if letting out a breath.
“…Well, it can’t be helped. President Dyane asked me to provide as much assistance as possible, so I will give you some advice this time. A town in a special situation like Fortress City Cayenne is overflowing with people who have lost their jobs. Also, there are small trading companies whose connections with the Kingdom of Yelenetta have been cut off.”
When Rosalie said this, Bell’s face lit up with a bright smile as he answered.
“I see! If we absorb the trading companies in Fortress City Cayenne and make them part of the Bell & Rango Trading Company…! We can easily conduct business within Fortress City Cayenne, and also connect a sales channel with Fortress City Murcia! Oh, what a brilliant idea…!”
Bell voiced his joy in admiration, but Rosalie was smiling in a troubled manner. Apparently, from Rosalie’s perspective, Bell still had a long way to go.
“Wahahaha! Even the President of the Bell & Rango Trading Company, which now has enough momentum to drop flying birds, is no match for Lady Rosalie!”
When Dee laughed aloud, Bell shrank back, looking ashamed. Instead, I expressed my gratitude to Rosalie.
“Thank you, Ms. Rosalie. I’ll ask Ms. Panamera to make it easier for the Mary Chamber of Commerce to do business in Fortress City Cayenne as well, so could you help build stores for the Bell & Rango Trading Company in return?”
“Of course, since it is Lord Van’s request, I will help with all my might. Though I will be a bit strict.”
“Eep.”
Bell shrugged his shoulders and let out a scream at Rosalie’s answer. Nevertheless, since Rosalie’s education seems to be loving guidance for her disciple, I won’t stop it. Rather, it’s heartwarming to see such a good relationship. HAHAHA.
“Well then, shall we depart?”
While I was laughing looking at Bell, who had ended up in a situation similar to mine, Murcia poked his head out from the window of the adjacent carriage and said that. Murcia planned to accompany us part of the way and return to Fortress City Murcia. By the way, Esparda’s disciples who would become Murcia’s subordinates were also in the carriage.
“…You’re right. Well then, shall we get going? Alriiiight! Everyone, we’re departing! If we don’t hurry, Ms. Panamera will get angry, so we’re going a little fast!”
I gave the order to depart. Then, Ortho and the others, who had been lounging on the ground, also stood up. Although they were in the middle of conquering the dungeon, they gladly accepted the request.
“Oh, are we going?”
When Ortho muttered that, his party members, Pluriel, Kusala, and the others, also poked their heads out of the carriage.
“Lord Van, are we departing?”
“Is it my turn soon?”
Voices could be heard clamoring. Smiling at everyone’s lively atmosphere, I nodded.
“Let’s gooo!”
“Aye!”
The carriage of Ortho’s party, with Kusala acting as guide and scout driving, went ahead, and Dee and the others followed. My carriage, the mechanical bow unit, and the carriages of the Bell & Rango Trading Company and the Mary Chamber of Commerce lined up in order, and finally, Murcia’s party’s carriage and the adventurer party brought up the rear as we departed.
During the camping on the way, Dee’s spirited survival training was introduced, but thanks to Till and Khamsin, I was able to get through it. For some reason, Arte was also learning camping cooking with Till, but could it be that Arte is also positive about expeditions? The super-indoor Arte from back then is nowhere to be seen.
While repeating enjoyable camping like that, we arrived at Fortress City Murcia. It was my second time, but thanks to the road being laid, it was incredibly easy. The fact that camping often became simpler due to the existence of several rest stops along the way was also a factor that could not be ignored.
“Well then, Van. Take care.”
“Okaaay! I’m off!”
After exchanging light greetings and parting with Murcia at Fortress City Murcia, we now aimed for Fortress City Cayenne. No, truthfully, I wanted to take it easy for a bit in Fortress City Murcia before leaving, but I could easily imagine Panamera waiting restlessly. She has taken care of me in various ways, so it can’t be helped.
The journey from Fortress City Murcia to Fortress City Cayenne, coming after the Wolfsbrook Mountain Range, was peaceful and easy to the point of being a joke. No, the march within the Wolfsbrook Mountain Range had become comfortable enough after laying the road, but we were still attacked by many magical beasts along the way. In contrast, the road to Fortress City Cayenne was flat and peaceful.
Since it had just changed from the territory of the Kingdom of Yelenetta to the Kingdom of Scuderia, there were hardly any people traveling on the road, but no magical beasts appeared either. if I talk to Panamera or Murcia early on and have them organize a knight order to patrol the road, magical beasts will likely be less likely to appear in the future as well.
Now, after securing the safety of distribution, I suppose the management of immigrants comes next. No, from now on, trade with the Kingdom of Yelenetta will center on Fortress City Cayenne. It would be better to properly prepare that as well.
While I was thinking about such things, before I knew it, Fortress City Cayenne came into view.
“Lord Van! Fortress City Cayenne is visible!”
“Yeees! Oh, it’s bigger than I thought!”
Called out, I poked my head out of the carriage window and my excitement rose seeing the city walls visible in the distance. It seemed nearly twice as large as Fortress City Murcia, which originally only had the role of a fortress. The height of the walls wasn’t that great, but the walls stretching out in a straight line were quite wide.
“Now, how shall I remodel it?”
I muttered that while gazing at the city walls of Fortress City Cayenne.
