166. Fox Baron (1)
The next day.
Following Count Timan’s business card, I visited an old mansion.
“Okay, we’ve arrived. Veil. “The former Cornell City Hall building.”
An old-fashioned mansion that was left alone when the city hall was moved.
It is said that it has been repaired and used secretly by members of the Golden Apple.
As expected, an open road and quiet birdsong.
Plus, a well-maintained garden.
I wondered if there was a western-style place like this in Cornell.
‘It’s perfect for rich people to gather secretly.’
“Thank you, Margo.”
I got off the wagon of Mago’s mercenary unit.
Then, the small witch looked down at me with worried eyes.
“Are you okay? Shall we accompany you?”
The fierce men gathered on both sides of the little witch.
I stared at them and shook my head.
“No, if they follow you, they will think you are some kind of loan shark.”
The mercenaries became sullen at my answer.
‘Contrary to his appearance, he has a soft heart.’
“Okay, call me when you’re done.”
Margo looking down at me from the carriage.
She stroked the top of my head in a friendly way.
“Hey…. “My hair gets tangled.”
“You are better suited to be in our gang than to be an aristocrat.”
The witch grunted as she looked at the neatly dressed suit.
“Are the princesses passing away today?”
“Yes, to avoid suspicion, they passed away one by one.”
“Thank you.”
I nodded.
Then, I adjusted my collar and headed alone to the quiet garden behind City Hall.
“You’re here.”
When I reached the entrance to the garden, Count Timan greeted me.
A middle-aged man wearing a comfortable dress shirt walked along side by side with a grin.
“The people we will meet today are the rulers of the outskirts of the capital, including Cornell.”
“I expected it since they were Golden Apple members.”
He looked at my determined eyes and nodded.
Afterwards, he pointed with his finger at two people sitting at a table in the distance.
“First of all, the ‘woman’ with red hair over there is the best guild leader in the region.”
A long-haired woman with a sullen expression sitting on a luxurious chair.
She was alone with her arms crossed, and there was a knife mark around her eye.
“She is famous for her beautiful appearance, but she has close to 2,000 elite mercenaries. “It’s the largest in the empire.”
He wore two deadly daggers at his waist.
She wore a short jacket and a slim t-shirt that clearly showed her belly button.
It seems easy for assassination or chase.
“It’s the Solar tribe.”
“What, do you know?”
‘I know.’
A minority ethnic group whose imperial proverb says, “Never touch a red head, whether a man or a woman.”
Isn’t that the ferocious warring people, Solar?
“Yes, this is my first time seeing the leader, but I know what kind of tribe he is.”
Past, Purge Day.
These are the people who chased down the royal family members who were fleeing the capital and sold them all at a high price.
They are cold-blooded people who are greedy for money and power.
‘Is this the time when no deal was made with the crown prince yet?’
Maybe we can get them involved in advance.
“They are a trustworthy mercenary group with experience in outsourcing from the imperial family, and her father was also given the title of count in recognition of his contributions.”
‘It must be trustworthy enough for the noble Count Timan to admit it.’
“The name is Frey. Frey, I don’t like being called ‘Miss’, so please call me ‘Lord’.”
The Solar tribe treats male warriors more highly.
As a female warrior, she doesn’t want to be pushed around, so she’s sensitive to even a single title.
“I will keep this in mind.”
Next, the Count pointed to the plump man sitting across from her.
A young man wearing a hunting cap and a nice suit.
“I am Burke, the owner of the merchant.”
Just looking at him, he looks like he has some money.
“All distribution networks outside the capital are in his hands. “He acquired the title of Baron through his overwhelming wealth.”
In essence, it is difficult to purchase a title of nobility with any amount of money.
This is ridiculous, especially during the time of the Holy Prince Leonhard.
“The friendship is so close that he serves as the chairman of the local lords’ meeting. So, the higher-ups in the capital are keeping it in check.”
‘Is that why you even went so far as to purchase a noble title?’
However, judging by his appearance here, it appears that even after purchasing the title, he was unable to expand his business network to the capital.
There are probably a lot of complaints about this.
“Everyone came early.”
Count Timan approached the round table with a noble smile.
“How can I come late when the Count is calling?”
“It’s been a long time since I had the time.”
The subject and the guild leader answered in turn.
“This is Baron Bail Mikhail. “He is a young man who has recently gained the favor of His Majesty the Emperor.”
The Count introduced me politely.
Then, the owner of the top, Burke, asked to shake hands first.
“Even I haven’t met His Majesty yet…. That’s great, I’m Burke. He has a ‘little’ top.”
“Nice to meet you.”
While greeting each other in turn.
Guild leader, Frey’s turn has come.
“Prayo, leader of the Solar Guild. “I heard he was a strong man, but he’s thinner than I thought.”
“hahahaha…. “It is an honor, Sir Frey.”
When I paid attention to the title, Frey raised the corners of his mouth.
I felt a strong force in the sparkling red eyes beneath her red hair.
‘This is enough to compete with Batshu….’
“Now, sit down. “Everyone will be busy, so let’s start with the main topic.”
A garden with few people.
The tycoons took their seats.
Among them, the first to open his mouth was Sangdanju Burke.
“Thank you for giving me the opportunity to invest in Cornell, Baron Bale.”
“It seems a bit odd to donate principal without interest, but considering the expected profits, it seems like a reasonable condition.”
Frey also helped.
The ax-shaped tattoo on her neck flashes.
“However, there was one thing that was quite annoying. Break your neutrality and support the princesses. “This is too much of a condition.”
“I agree. “No matter how good the profits are, I don’t think it’s worth putting our lives on the line.”
I looked at the cool-headed nobles.
After that, she opened her eyes like a fox and asked.
“What should I do to support the princesses?”
Frey was silent for a moment in response to my question.
Burke, the owner of the top who is quick at calculations, answered on his behalf.
“I want to know the princesses’ true feelings.”
Sincerely.
Burke, who had become a member of the Golden Apple through lobbying and networking, considered his trust very important.
“Guarantee us the benefits and trust that will return to us when we support them.”
“Yes, that is why we must support the princesses instead of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.”
The same was true for Frey, the guild leader with thousands of mercenaries.
“Good.”
As if responding to this, I also took out the card I had prepared.
They already have concerns.
I knew everything from the newspapers while I was on the Northern Front.
“Then, I will be here to solve your concerns one by one.”
In my past life, I didn’t have the ability to solve the problem.
However, it is different in this life.
“I’m worried…. What do we know to say and propose so confidently?”
“Well, I like your spirit at least.”
I knew that Frey, an exciting female warrior, would respond well.
Let’s coax her out first.
“Let me guess, isn’t Lord Frey suffering from a rumor recently?”
Rumors.
Hearing those words, the red-haired warrior sighed deeply.
“I’ve said everything that even a foreigner like you would know. That’s right, we’re suffering from a rather trivial scandal.”
There is information I heard at the Owl House.
Fray, the owner of Solar, the best guild in the region, is in a relationship with a civil servant.
“Even so, the forces supporting the crown prince released a bard and spread the rumor to the capital.”
The female warrior’s eyes became sharp, as if her teeth were grinding just thinking about it.
It definitely didn’t suit dating.
“Afterwards, they are being threatened to side with them in exchange for retracting the rumor.”
I feel like I’m going to catch all the bards on the street right now and beat them up.
“It truly breaks my heart to see how difficult it must have been for the brave warrior to hear such vulgar rumors.”
When I sympathized with him, Frey kept his mouth shut for a moment.
Afterwards, she muttered quietly to herself.
With a very unexpected answer.
“The rumor is… “No.”
Everyone’s eyes, including mine, sparkled at the sight of her being embarrassed to speak.
Because the other side of the guild leader, who seemed to know nothing but blood and slaughter, was embarrassing.
“Yes… ?!”
“Actually, she is dating him seriously. “I confessed first.”
Frey shyly scratched her scarred cheek.
Then, she spoke again with fierce eyes.
“Well, anyway! It is true that this caused problems for my position as guild leader. “The original feeling is that once a woman gets married, she has to step down from the front line.”
He frowned, perhaps annoyed by the personal custom.
“My brother, who is actually her second-in-command, is thinking of driving me out with this rumor and reclaiming her position as guild leader.”
I put my hand on my chin.
Then, he asked her with a serious expression.
“Now that I think about it, shouldn’t your brother, the eldest son, have become the guild leader?”
“Ha, that fool has been tarnishing the family’s name by getting drunk whenever he drinks.”
Frey hit her table hard.
“Even recently, he assaulted women in a brothel while drunk!”
“Why would a person with such a bad reputation threaten a person who has barely had one scandal?”
My question The red eyes of the female warrior were burning.
“It’s because he’s using minstrels. “She buries all the bad news about herself and only exaggerates information about me.”
It’s information warfare.
Well, no matter how talented an individual is, if the media is not good, he or she will be driven out.
“How about it? “Can you solve my problem?”
Frey stared at me with serious eyes.
Sweating seemed to naturally flow from my forehead due to the heat.
“If you just resolve it, I promise endless support for the princesses.”
The chubby owner and count who were just listening next to me also looked at me.
As if testing my abilities.
As if responding to this, I also raised the corners of my mouth.
Like a despicable treacherous traitor.
“I understand. “We will solve it right away.”
I raised my finger confidently.
And then, I took out the portable crystal ball that I had received from Margot from my pocket.
From Noble mtl dot com
“You mean right now?”
“Is that possible?”
When the members of the Golden Apple heard what I said, they all looked dumbfounded.
“Trust me. “He is a young man with such a mysterious talent.”
Count Timan is watching this with satisfaction.
He chuckled, saying he had the same expression as them before he got to know me.
“Excuse me for a moment.”
I infused mana into the crystal ball.
And, he made a request in a solemn voice.
“Please connect me with Victor, the royal reporter.”
「――――――」
Exclusive to the imperial family.
Fray and Burke’s lips parted at that luxurious modifier.
It has to be that way.
Because he is a person who is different from the street bard.
「Connected.」
“Oh my… “How have you been, our reporter?”
The way you speak is as if you were talking to a close friend from your hometown.
The Golden Apple members frowned at this.
「Aren’t you Lord Veil? Congratulations on becoming a Baron!!”
“Huh, has the rumor gotten there already? As expected, the imperial reporter is different.”
I grinned like a 100-year-old detective.
And then, I started talking about high-quality watermelon that I recently shared with my acquaintances.
“Oh, by the way, did you like the watermelon you sent me?”
「I still boasted a lot to my colleagues. They say it costs 10 gold each, but I don’t know if I can accept this.”
“You should get it! “Aren’t you just people who always fight for the truth!”
Among reporters, a strong backing that provides information is power.
The watermelon he received as a gift in front of everyone filled Victor’s self-esteem.
“Actually, I have something to report.”
「You can tell me anything.」
The lords of the two regions swallowed deeply at Victor’s words.
And then, he quietly waited for my intention.
“There is a guild called ‘Solar’ in my hometown of Cornell. Do you know about it?”
「I don’t know. “His recent prestige has been so great that he has become known in the capital.”
The corner of Frey’s mouth twitched when he heard that the imperial reporter knew his guild.
I feel good inside.
“Actually, he is the second-in-command there…. Oh, what was your brother’s name?”
When I leisurely asked Frey, the guild leader whispered carefully.
“This is Jake. Jake Sola.”
She gave a sign of understanding with her finger in her whisper.
Afterwards, she again told Victor in detail with a dumbfounded expression.
“Well, a guy named Jake Sola had an accident at a brothel in my hometown of Cornell, didn’t he??”
「No, is that really true? “The leader of a guild would do something like that to the people?”
I shouted loudly in his serious voice.
“That’s right, I am not a baron, but a ‘citizen’ who loves my hometown. “I want to inform you of this man’s tyranny!!”
It’s a very shameful way to say that my hometown has been desecrated.
“Furthermore, he was hiding his secrets by hiring minstrels. Does this make sense at this sacred time when His Majesty the Emperor has awakened?!”
I got up from my seat.
And then, he spoke to Victor in a very excited voice.
“I have no place to ejaculate…” . “I am at least speaking to a respected reporter who I ‘know’.”
「….」
The crystal ball was silent for a moment at my earnest words.
Afterwards, unlike when I first received the phone call, a very serious voice returned.
「This is truly deplorable…. Such things happen outside the capital….」
I narrowed my eyes and smiled.
Because of his thinner eyes, he had a mischievous smile like a fox.
「Don’t worry. “We will publish this unfair situation not only in the capital but also in local newspapers.”
“Oh my, thank you. Reporter. After all, he is the people’s staff!! “The people should also have the right to know!!”
He said, clenching his fists.
Afterwards, I expressed my sincere gratitude to him.
「No matter how many bards you have, the imperial newspaper will be unavoidable.」
“I am so grateful that I don’t know what to do. “Next time, I will come see you in person.”
「No, you are the Baron who always thinks about the empire. Next time, I will visit in person.”
We smiled friendly at each other and hung up the phone.
“Whoa…” .”
I looked at Frey with a cheerful expression.
And, he said with a grin.
“Tomorrow, Lord Frey’s scandal and all, will be buried. “There will be no problem with the number one position.”
I stretched out my palms as hard as I could to sweep the floor.
The female warrior looked at me blankly like a girl.
“Well, you…” . What on earth is this person doing? How could a commoner who had just become a baron have such connections? .”
“Ah, I am a person who always repays a favor properly.”
Count Timan laughed at that sight.
Although the method was a little strange, it was okay.
He was very satisfied because it was legal and in the end, the evildoer was punished.
“Okay, now it’s our top lord’s turn.”
Burke’s eyes widened at the problem that was solved in just five minutes.
“Well, then, can you solve the problem of my distribution network that wants to enter the capital?”
A chubby man with a chair pressed against the backrest.
He adjusted his posture and asked me.
“Hmm. Sir, you are currently having a hard time because of the merchant association that is controlling the capital’s commercial district, right?”
I asked clearly based on the information I heard from the Count.
“That’s right, if we can squeeze in just one item, we can expand our business. “They don’t even give me a chance.”
It has to be that way.
The people behind it must be the crown prince’s supporters.
“But there is a way.”
I patted the crystal ball held on my waist.
“What on earth is that?”
The chubby Daesang Danju asked me if there was a method that he hadn’t thought of.
I grinned in response.
“Goods not sold within the empire. In other words, we just need to distribute imported goods.”
“It’s an imported product….”
He purred his lips, seeming to have lost some interest.
“I thought about it too. However, there is no way that anyone other than the capital’s outstanding nobles would provide us with goods….”
No matter how wealthy a person was, it was difficult to penetrate the existing vested interests.
However, it is different when you mobilize your network.
「Connect me to Bakal.」
The crystal ball was placed back on the round table.
And then, he spoke with blue mana in his eyes.
「Then, a beautiful princess will receive it.」
” I have no place to ejaculate”
mtl can be funny sometimes