Tensura - Chapter 1 The Ambition of Myourmiles

 Chapter 1

The Ambition of Myourmiles

 

My name is Myourmiles.

 

I consider myself a lucky man.

 

However, lately, I’ve been getting a little too lucky to be able to describe it in more than one word.

 

My good fortune was cemented when I accepted Rimuru-sama’s invitation.

 

Rimuru-sama is my boss.

 

And I don’t mean just any boss.

 

He is the head of state of the Jura Tempest Federation, in other words, the king.

 

And he’s a Demon Lord.

 

This is not a joke, it’s serious

 

When I first met him, I thought he was not an ordinary man, and I still think of him as a goddess, but frankly, he's so powerful that I can't even begin to imagine how strong he is.

 

I’m not just talking about the destruction of large cities, but he also saved me by defeating a sky dragon, a monster that could have toppled a small country, in a matter of seconds. At that point in time, he was a hero in my eyes, but I was astonished to hear that he had become one of the Octagram shortly thereafter.

 

And that’s not all.

 

He is also a friend of the Demon Lord Milim-sama, from the legends, as well as the True Dragon Veldora-sama, of which there are only four in the world! At this point, I’m tired of being surprised.

 

I’m so tired of being surprised that I can’t help but go “hmm” at anything I hear these days.

 

For that reason, I will stop talking about Rimuru-sama and get to the point.

 

My ambition has always been to become a great merchant who is not to be taken for a fool by anyone.

 

I was able to open a shop in the small country of Blumund and a branch in the large country of Ingracia.

 

Just as I was starting to get my face on the map and business was starting to take off, Fuze-dono, the Blumund Kingdom’s Guildmaster, asked me to join him, which was how I met Rimuru-sama.

 

Rimuru-sama, who had become a Demon Lord, came to me and asked me to work for him as an executive.

 

***

 

My current position is that of Minister of Finance.

 

The name may change from time to time, but the job is the same. My job is to transfer the vast amount of wealth gathered in the Demon Lord Kingdom to the departments I deem necessary.

 

When I was a merchant, a portion of the sales of various businesses was my reward. I had to work hard to raise the working capital from the leftover money, after deducting the cost of purchases and labor costs. But now, however, it’s a different kind of hard work.

 

The amount of money we are dealing with nowadays is on a different order of magnitude.

 

In the old days, my salary was nothing more than a well of water in front of the ocean.

 

And as for my current salary…

 

Fifty gold coins a month. Naturally, this is the amount of money after taxes are deducted.

 

Apart from bonuses and other allowances, this is a housing allowance.

 

And that’s not all.

 

The trainees act as housekeepers for free, so it’s just like having the monster kingdom taking care of the house.

 

It’s an unbeatable deal, and I’m very happy.

 

Of course, I also take care of the people who followed me from Blumund, but most of them work for me and are paid by the government. The only people directly employed by the government are the family members and Bydd, who are entrusted with the housekeeping, and they are paid about twenty gold coins at the most.

 

But here’s what is surprising me.

 

In addition to my salary, I have several other revenues.

 

One is the profit that my company makes.

 

Starting with a fast food restaurant at the Founding Festival, Rimuru-sama’s idea took shape in the Blumund Kingdom and a rest stop on the road, and I am the owner of each of these restaurants. I am paid by the government, but for some reason I am also paid personally.

 

According to Rimuru-sama, he and I are destined to be together.

 

Rimuru-sama said, “Myourmiles-kun. When you make money, I will be rich too” Isn’t that right? Since the money was earned by giving shape to our ideas, shouldn’t that be a fair price to pay?

 

So, he trusts me completely.

 

I didn’t know this, but according to Rimuru-sama, he and I had a contract to split the profits. He has not put it in writing, but Rimuru-sama is determined to honor the agreement.

 

That is why I’m doing my best to meet Rimuru-sama’s expectations.

 

As a result, I am receiving hundreds of gold coins every month from each store. In addition, the profits are decreasing because of the investment in the first period, but it is expected to continue to increase in the future.

 

The existing branches are expanding. We’ve received requests from all over the world to open more branches, so that’s something we need to consider.

 

And the variety of shops is likely to increase as well. There are many more restaurants that Rimuru-sama asks Gobichi-dono to serve. There is also the added benefit of being the first to taste good food, so I’m more than happy to take a stake in the company.

 

The Burger shops and Ramen shops are doing very well. Teppan-yaki shops have also become a major player, and an ice cream store is in the works.

 

There is even an inn on the main road that is offering new dishes.

 

Depending on how popular they are, I’m sure there will be even more of them.

 

For that reason, I think it’s as good as guaranteed that we will continue to make enough profit to match our investments.

 

If this happens, rather than having fun, I’m afraid of how much my income is going to increase.

 

Frankly speaking, in less than a year, I’ve accumulated enough money to live in luxury for the rest of my life.

 

It’s truly an unbeatable deal, but this isn’t the end of the story.

 

There is yet another source of income for me.

 

It’s the Three Drunk Sages.

 

***

 

The “Three Drunk Sages” is a reference to Rimuru-sama, the Celestial Emperor Elmesia of the Sorcerer’s Dynasty Sarion, and me, “Gard Myourmiles.” It is an acronym of these three names, and refers to a naming organization.1

 

I don’t care about myself, but Her Majesty Elmesia is a heavenly person.

 

It is said that even for the nobility of a great country, there is usually a waiting list of several years for an audience with her. Even royalty can’t easily meet, even if they wanted to.

 

Her influence is immense.

 

It is said that Sarion’s national power is comparable to that of the Western Nations, and since it has been supporting such a superpower since the time of its rise, the prestige of Elmesia shines brightly down from above.

 

I hear that Her Majesty Elmesia is treated like a god in Sarion. I thought that Rimuru-sama was a very scary person to be casually drinking with such a person as her.

 

I cannot remember now why I was drinking with him, either. But thanks to that, even I can now call Her Majesty Elmesia as an older sister.

 

That’s why some people call us the Three Drunk Sages, but it’s not known that we three are involved in the Three Drunk Sages.

 

This is a top-secret matter, and only a few people know about it.

 

In the Monster Kingdom, only Benimaru-dono and Souei-dono are known to be involved in this matter.

 

Souei-dono has helped me by lending his subordinates, so I can’t keep it a secret from him.

 

As for Benimaru-dono, Rimuru-sama called out to him…

 

“You will get married one day, won’t you?”

 

“No, I don’t think so…”

 

“Well in preparation for that time, you need to hide this from your wife and save up some pocket money, right?”

 

“No, my salary is enough—”

 

“You idiot! If you don’t at least keep your annual income stashed away, it’s going to be hard to go out drinking with your male friends!”

 

“Is that so!?”

 

“Yes, that’s right. That’s what a man’s worth is all about!”

 

I remember him having a conversation like that.

 

It may seem slightly wrong, but it’s not something I would interfere with. I wisely ignored it and avoided getting involved.

 

Besides, the annual income of Benimaru-dono, the Minister of War, is the same as mine. And with six hundred gold coins, I don’t there’s any drink he can’t afford.

 

Well, that’s not important.

 

For some reason, Rimuru-sama is afraid that Shuna-sama will find out about his plan.

 

The reason Rimuru-sama invited Benimaru-dono is because he wants Shuna-sama’s older brother to keep an eye on her, and to get her to agree with him.

 

Anyway, I got Benimaru-dono as a collaborator, and borrowed some of Souei-dono’s subordinates. The Three Drunk Sages’ secret society plan has been set in motion with them as the executing unit.

 

Rimuru-sama’s point of view is very interesting.

 

The crux of the plan is the transformation of the relationship between the three drunk sages.

 

The plan was to gain complete control of the Three Drunk Sages, the secret society that serves as a device of violence, and to encourage clean conflict on the surface.

 

If you only create one giant organization, it will eventually rot from within. It was decided to set up two organizations in the first place because we knew there would be people who would have a grudge against the Jura Tempest Federation.

 

By making them compete with each other, we hope to revitalize our business. In addition, by making them compete with each other, the two organizations would be encouraged to cooperate with one another.

 

In this way, we are trying to prevent the organization from becoming corrupt.

 

When the organization was founded, I was impressed because I would never have been able to think that far into the future.

 

My role was to unite the two organizations.

 

Older Sister is the one in charge of uniting the survivors of the Rosso clan with King Dolan of the Dolan General Kingdom at the center. Then, the “Western General Trading Company” was established by those who have enmity against our monster country.

 

In order to counter this, it was necessary for me to establish the “Four Nations Trade Federation” at the earliest opportunity.

 

As planned, we set up an umbrella organization involving the leading figures of the Blumund Kingdom, the Farmenas Kingdom and the Dwarven Kingdom.

 

The merchants I took in after the Founding Festival became my hands and feet.

 

The number of business partners has decreased drastically, and they are on the verge of being ostracized by their homeland and abandoned by their families. So when the time was right, I reached out and offered my help.

 

I offered them a living if they would work for me, and few would be so foolish as to refuse that offer.

 

Of course, there were still a few who did.

 

Because this was reported in newspapers world-wide, their names have been sold in a bad way. Few people would trust such a person and hire them, so it was obvious that this was the last helping hand they would get.

 

The reporters did a great job too. Needless to say, it was terrifying how Rimuru-sama and Diablo-dono guided it.

 

Thanks to that, my work went well. I owe it to them for making it so interesting.

 

Of course, some of them would be aware of our intentions, and more than a few of them were, but doing anything about it would be useless. Also, they have no reason to complain about the payment, since we are not lying about it.

 

It was their pride that was the problem, but that was about it. A merchant is a cash cow, and most things are acceptable if it makes a profit.

 

Demonstrating competence would increase their position and salary. Their complaints gradually disappeared, and they pledged their loyalty to me.

 

I even got the former head of the store, Bach, involved.

 

He had become a respectable manager while paying off his debts to me, and I left him with the job on the condition that he would pay off the rest of his debts.

 

He felt that he owed me a debt of gratitude, so he did a lot more than I expected.

 

There were other excellent human resources growing up.

 

When the King of Blumund heard from Fuze-dono, he gathered all his trusted advisors. He said that they were promoting human resource development in preparation for the coming day.

 

The Dwarven Kingdom had also dispatched some excellent civil servants.

 

The dwarves have a long life expectancy, so there is no way for them to rise through the ranks unless their superiors retire. And so, some quick-witted people who have taken advantage of this opportunity have come forward to offer themselves to me as well.

 

It’s good to be ambitious.

 

I heard that the Western General Trading Company, organized by older sister (Elmesia), has also signed up the elves, and with the participation of dwarf civil servants, there was no better rival than the Western General Trading Company.

 

However,

 

The Farmenas Kingdom, on the other hand, needed help to open a branch office, and the Freedom Association was willing to help, but the stability of the country was still the priority.

 

This is to be expected, so we are taking a long-term view and have given our support to the people who will grow up to be able to do so.

 

But now comes the hard part.

 

We didn’t have enough staff to expand into Western Nations.

 

As I watched the Three Drunk Sages expand, I envied the Three Drunk Sages from the bottom of my heart, as they continued to crush and absorb the underworld.

 

The underworld was fine, but an organization that was active in the public arena needed good people who could be trusted with the job. The people we scouted were sent to the Monster Country to be trained, but it would still take a few years for the buds to sprout.

 

By principle, it is out of the question, from my point of view, to entrust such an important job to a stranger.

 

When it comes to that, it is necessary to be very selective about the people we hire. And as I feared, we have been short of people to hire due to sending personnel to various countries.

 

Thus, I turned to Rimuru-sama for advice.

 

“Well, I’m in a bind. Our country’s human resources are monsters, so I am reluctant to send them out into human society.”

 

“Yes, that’s right. There are many excellent people, and I think they will be accepted once they start working together, but I wonder if it is still too early to do so.”

 

“I agree with you, Myourmiles-kun. If the person who looks down on you is too good, one will be jealous of them and vice-versa. It would be worse if they were persecuted or something, and I feel it’s not good to think about things in a hurry.”

 

Rimuru-sama and I agreed.

 

Then what should we do?

 

Just as we were pondering, Rimuru-sama came up with a solution.

 

“It can’t be helped. She seems to be very capable, and I’d like to ask her to cooperate in this matter as well.”

 

After saying this, he called up his direct subordinate, Testarossa-dono.

 

Testarossa-dono was a diplomat and was reputed to be a very talented person. I was introduced to her, but she was so beautiful that I was too nervous to have a proper conversation with her.

 

And then…

 

“Rimuru-sama, you wanted to see me?”

 

A smile, full of grace, and a look of extraordinary beauty.

 

The scent in the air was so overwhelming that I couldn’t help but be overwhelmed by it.

 

While I was stunned, a conversation between Rimuru-sama and Testarossa-dono was occurring beside me.

 

“To tell you the truth, we’re short on people.”

 

“I see, if that’s the case, please leave it to me. I’ll have my subordinates work with you.”

 

“Oh, yeah? Yes, that’d a big help. Also, this is a secret mission, so make sure to keep it a secret.”

 

“Oh my, it’s a secret between me and Rimuru-sama. I promise I won’t tell anyone. And of course, my subordinates as well. If they ever speak of this…”

 

Testarossa-dono laughed.

 

Seeing that smile, Rimuru-sama and I felt very confident that our secret would be kept strictly to the letter.

 

Thus, it was very easy to come to an agreement.

 

Then Testarossa-dono looked at me and smiled.

 

“I have strict orders that I am to be absolutely obedient to you, Gard-sama” she said.

 

When her voice reached my brain, I felt as if I were going to heaven.

 

“Gard-sama,”—that Testarossa-dono called me by my name.

 

“Thank you very much!”

 

I couldn’t help but answer with a gluttonous smile.

 

And so, with the help of Testarossa-dono, the plan began to take off almost scarily well.

 

***

 

In just a few months, a branch of the “Four Nations Trade Federation” has been set up in every member country of the Council. It is small, enough to accommodate about ten staff members, but it should be enough for the time being.

 

This was a surprise to me, but an even more surprising event still awaited me.

 

I was elected as the representative of the Four Nations Trade Federation.

 

“Myourmiles-dono, whom Rimuru trusts, can trust me too. I’ll leave everything to you.”

 

When Gazel, the king, gave me encouragement, I was so nervous that I felt paralyzed.

 

As long as the king had said that, the dwarven officials had no objections. They may have been dissatisfied, but on the surface, they obediently followed.

 

“Because we are on the side of being helped, I don’t have any complaints at the moment. So, good luck with that.”

 

And Youm-dono.

 

Then I overheard him saying, “It must be hard for you to be pushed around by that guy, isn’t it?” but I smiled and replied, “That’s true for both of us. Thanks to you, I’ve been able to live a very pleasant life.”

 

Youm-dono laughed as well, so I think the feeling was mutual.

 

The King of Blumund was troublesome.

 

At first glance, he seemed to be a friendly man, but my gut feeling told me something else.

 

Drum Blumund—this man can’t be trusted.

 

And sure enough, negotiations with the King of Blumund were not going to be easy.

 

“Ho-ho-ho, you are the representative of the federation, so you will have unimaginable power in the future. If Myourmiles-dono is going to take over the reins, I’ll be at ease too.”

 

Is it that bad? I wondered, but it could be, depending on how things unfolded.

 

“Ha-ha, I’m honored. Well, I’ll see you in the future—”

 

“By the way…”

 

Here it comes! I braced myself.

 

“In my country, we are in the process of training our staff for Rimuru-dono’s project. We would, naturally, want to expect job security.”

 

“Of course, of course. In fact, the plan won’t be able to move forward without the cooperation of those people.”

 

“Well, I am relieved to hear that. Then, of course, you are aware of the situation in our country, are you not?”

 

“The situation, sir?”

 

I didn’t know what he was talking about, so I didn’t bother to answer the question.

 

Then the King of Blumund, with a friendly smile, said something that made me want to scream at him like an idiot.

 

“Let me put it simply. We have abolished all agriculture in our country. We are now selling off all the food stored in the national treasury to keep the people in line. We need your support.

 

“What!?”

 

I couldn’t help but exclaim, but I think it couldn’t be helped.

 

“Mmm, of course I’ll do everything I can, but I’m afraid I’m the only one…”

 

“Well, I’m sure Rimuru-dono will smile and give us permission. He has built the ‘World Station’ of the Magic Train in our country, and I am sure that you will not abandon us for responding to your spirit. “

 

That’s unreasonable!

 

I want to scream at him for his absurd logic, but somewhere in my heart I am convinced.

 

This man had staked the fate of the nation on Rimuru-sama’s plan.

 

Would this be considered an incredible act of stupidity or a wise decision? No, no…

 

I must prove that he made the right decision.

 

Because if this is seen as a fool’s errand, it would mean that Rimuru-sama’s plan has failed.

 

We have no manpower to begin with, and it would be a great help to us if all the people of the Blumund Kingdom were to work for us.

 

Therefore, I had only one answer.

 

“That’s right. King of Blumund, I swear to you that I will take responsibility for hiring all of Blumund’s people. Of course, you will leave the food aid to me as an advance on my salary!”

 

“Ho-ho-ho, Myourmiles-dono is reliable! I would like to be able to continue relying and helping you with various things in the future as well. Therefore, please call me “Drum”.

 

Well, what a surprise.

 

A mere merchant like me is allowed to call him by his name?

 

“Oh, I’m afraid not…”

 

It could be a trap, so I refused it for the time being…

 

“Myourmiles—no, I’m going to go ahead and call you Gard-dono.”

 

“No, no, no, no, I’m just a former commoner who was taken in by Rimuru-sama…”

 

“Ho-ho-ho, no need for modesty. Nobody would think of Gard-dono, who is a friend of not only Rimuru-dono, but also Her Majesty Elmesia, as a mere commoner.”

 

“Even I can’t call her by her name,” King Blumund said with a straight face.

 

Although he is acquainted with Rimuru-sama and knows him well enough to be on friendly terms, the expression on his face tells me that to Her Majesty the Emperor of Sarion, a superpower, he’s nothing more than an insignificant member of the royal family.

 

There’s no denying it.

 

I have turned my back on this fact, but I have to admit that older sister is an extraordinary person.

 

If so, I assume that this is the reason that the King of Blumund wants to have a close relationship with me.

 

It’s an honor to call him by name, and it’s also a great way to build a good relationship.

 

But what to do…well, don’t bother.

 

Come to think of it, it’s not the name of the country over there. Prince Figaro is the representative of the country, so it’s okay.

 

“Then, with His Majesty Drum—”

 

“Wait, wait, let’s be on equal footing here. Even with Drum-chan…”

 

“No, no, that’s not right! I mean, it’s absurd!”

 

“Is that so?”

 

“Yes, it is! I understand. Well, then may I call you Drum-dono from now on?”

 

I was afraid to change the name, since it was the person himself who had asked me to do so. I didn’t want to be arrested for being rude, though I didn’t believe that was likely.

 

As a result, Drum-dono laughed happily at me.

 

“Well, I’m glad to hear that. Being friends with Gard-dono, I feel as if I have become a great person,” said Drum-dono. “I look forward to working with you as a friend in the future!”

 

Before I knew it, I had become friends with Drum-dono.

 

I didn’t know if I was allowed to do that, and I asked for help from others to see if they would disagree.

 

And yet…

 

Behind Drum-dono stood a group of stern-looking ministers, but no one complained. On the contrary, everyone was smiling happily, as if they were relieved.

 

I had no choice but to realize that the Blumund Kingdom was serious.

 

They had invested everything they had in the Four Nations Trade Federation, a supranational organization represented by me, and they were betting their country’s survival by joining forces with it.

 

That’s an unbelievable gamble.

 

It’s not easy for me to make a decision like this. In that sense, this Drum Blumund is undoubtedly an impressive man.

 

“I wish to build a good relationship with you for a long time. Please guide me as a friend, so that I do not become a ‘fox that borrows the power of the tiger.’”

 

I replied to Drum-dono with sincere respect.

 

***

 

After the meeting with the King’s Drum-dono, we had a practical meeting.

 

Veryard-dono, who had risen up to the rank of Viscount, gave us a report on the current situation.

 

He told me that they have enough food to last for one year, and that their education is going well. Those with high ability have been dispersed throughout the country as an immediate asset.

 

“Well, in our country, we have always been very good at underworld espionage activities. Those people have gone to various countries to conduct price surveys and so on. We are working hard to train our administrative staff under the slogan ‘Rich country, wise people.’ Adults and children alike are working together to learn about world affairs and economics.”

 

I didn’t doubt Drum-dono’s words, but I didn’t expect him to be as thorough as he was.

 

If a king is a king, then his subjects are his subjects too.

 

Oops, I can’t help but be surprised.

 

“I understand. Then I will report on the progress of our plan.”

 

I, too, should stop hiding things.

 

After that, I spoke about the current situation without hiding anything.

 

“The development of the Magic Train is going well.”

 

The construction of the rails is underway from the end point at Dwargon via the intermediate Farmenas, to Blumund in the middle of the line.

 

The ingredients produced at Farmenas is transported to Dwargon, where the cargo is replaced with industrial products. Then they unload at Farmenas and send the rest to Blumund.

 

Eventually Blumund will have to act as a collection point.

 

“Of course. So, food hygiene will be an important part of the job in the future?”

 

“Yes, sir. Also, we would like Blumund to consider where to sell the necessary supplies.”

 

“Of course. I’ve explained that to the officials we sent to you as well.”

 

“Mmmm, I heard you are Fuze-dono’s best friend, but Veryard-dono is no exception.”

 

Come to think of it, Rimuru-sama also told me that Veryard-dono is a shrewd man, so we can’t be too careful. I see, this is indeed an opponent with whom we can’t let our guard down.

 

“That’s a good point. Then what do you intend to do about the abandoned land?”

 

“I’ve made plans on that as well. Here in the vicinity of the royal capital, we have secured a site for the World Station. From there, we will set up a vacant lot in all directions to connect to the city road.”

 

“How?”

 

“We’ve prepared some land on the outskirts of Royal Capital. We plan to connect it with the World Station and make it a logistics base.”

 

“My God…”

 

We were so well prepared, it was astonishing.

 

From here, the negotiations began in earnest, without any bellyaching.

 

Our monster kingdom will provide the labor force. We will build a huge ‘World Station’ and open a line to Dwargon.

 

This will be followed by the opening of new routes to Sarion and Ingracia.

 

At the same time, it was decided to build warehouses on the vacant land that had been prepared. This will allow Blumund to grow into a major commercial area in the future. With land prices likely to rise, it’s imperative to secure a prime location before it’s too late.

 

This place, the Blumund Kingdom, will be a logistics base in the future. I had planned to buy the best location for the site, but…

 

“Then, it’s a branch of the “Four Nations Trade Federation,” but because the current location is temporary, I would like to build a new one.

 

“Don’t worry. We’ve secured a special area for you.”

 

I had a bad feeling about that.

 

I tried to decipher Veryard-dono’s expression, but the smug smile on his face kept me from doing so.

 

“Does that mean you’ll have to give it away?”

 

The land needed for stations and rails is treated as compensation for technology and labor, as well as joint expenses in the future, so there’s no problem since we’ve discussed that it would be free. Therefore, I have put off the purchase of the branch’s land until later, but the situation is getting worse.

 

My fears have been proven true.

 

“No, no, please don’t do that. In the Blumund Kingdom, we have decreed that all land is the property of the state. And we have transitioned to a new form of government-loaned lands.”

 

They got me!

 

Even I never would have guessed that they would pull off such a feat.

 

I’m impressed that they’ve passed such a bill. I wonder how they managed to convince the aristocrats who have vested interests in it?

 

“What are the rents in that area…?”

 

“On a per square meter basis, we plan to pay one silver dollar.”

 

It’s not expensive.

 

It’s not cheap, but if you wanted to rent land in the capital of Ingracia, you’d need three silver coins per square meter. So it’s better to buy, even if you have to pay income tax every year.

 

But there is a bigger problem.

 

The problem is that the other party can take control before the profit or loss!

 

Rimuru-sama is surprisingly unconcerned, but this is the kind of thing that makes things hard to deal with.

 

What will you do if they change the terms and conditions in the middle?

 

As long as we’re on friendly terms with them, it’s fine, but people are replaceable, so it’s important to secure permanent rights.

 

I don’t think this would happen, but what if they raised the rent?

 

If it is within the range of common sense, we can accept their request on a case-by-case basis. However, if they raise the rent unreasonably, one can’t deny the possibility of quarrel.

 

I understand that this is just a contingency, but older sister has told me to think about that eventuality.

 

If we owned the land, the unreasonable demands would be grounded. But if the other party has the right to the land, it will be a problem if conditions are not met.

 

If you complain, the owner has the right to question you. If you don’t like it, you have no choice but to leave.

 

That’s why I want to make sure we get possession. If that’s not possible, then it’s hard to over-invest in this place.

 

Now, just as I was wondering what to do, Veryard-dono grinned.

 

“Rents will fluctuate according to the economy, but here’s an interesting story only for Myourmiles-dono!”

 

This guy really can’t stop.

 

I have a bad feeling, but I’m afraid I mustn’t stop listening.

 

“What’s the story?”

 

“It’s very simple. We in the Blumund Kingdom would like to offer you a settlement concession as a token of our friendship.”

 

“Concession, you say?”

 

“Yes. It’s about the special area mentioned earlier, and that we’re willing to grant extraterritoriality to the special area by entering into a perpetual land lease that will be in effect permanently.”

 

“My God!”

 

I was surprised, but it was too good to be true.

 

It seems that Veryard-dono is going to explain it to me before I even have time to ponder what kind of a backstory there is.

 

“There’s no backstory. It was His Majesty Drum’s idea. I was against it, but the other ministers voted for it and it was adopted. There are equal advantages and disadvantages to this idea. The disadvantage, of course, is that we will be hit by other countries if we sell off our land.”

 

“Well, I guess so.”

 

I was surprised that they didn’t try to hide it, but when I heard it was Drum-dono’s idea, it made sense. And I think I see the merits of it.

 

“The advantage is, of course, that we can expect your country to invest in us to the fullest. Also, we have decided that our country can gain an advantage by adding various conditions to the permanent land lease contract.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

The question is what kind of conditions will be added.

 

“What? It’s simple. One, that you employ our citizens as your employees. The other is that I want you to establish a headquarters for the Four Nations Trade Federation in our country.”

 

I see, I thought to myself.

 

“If the headquarters of the Four Nations Trade Federation is in the Blumund Kingdom, it will not only become a logistics center, but also a center of the world economy. Replacing the current position of the Ingracia Kingdom would not be an impossiblity, and the value of the Blumund Kingdom will skyrocket.

 

Land prices will rise, of course, and the real estate income alone will be very lucrative if the representatives of each country have embassies there.

 

Unlike tourist destinations, this one is not affected by the economy. Moreover, it promises jobs for the people of Blumund.

 

If you have the will to join and work together with the Four Nations Trade Federation, it becomes a gamble with a great return. I was convinced from the bottom of my heart that this is just like Drum-dono, a genuine gambler.

 

And it was also in Rimuru-sama’s vision that the Blumund Kingdom would be the center of the world economy. I had no reason to oppose it, so I nodded my head and agreed to it.

 

***

 

After that, we had a detailed discussion with Veryard-dono and signed a contract.

 

The contract is basically to protect each other’s rights and interests. For example, all contracts will be cancelled in the event of a war.

 

I thought it was satisfactory, but I wanted to hear what Veryard-dono really thought, for future reference.

 

“I would like to ask you one thing.”

 

“What is it?”

 

“Well, Veryard-dono was against the deal, or so I’m told. I’d like to know what you think about the result.”

 

Because the content is such that we gave preferential treatment to the "Four Nations Trade Federation," miscellaneous matters such as explanations to other countries will increase. I was wondering if he wasn’t amused, if not displeased.

 

“Oh, I see.”

 

Then Veryard-dono looked thoughtful. He got up without looking at me, and then, while I was wondering what was on his mind, walked to the window and looked out.

 

“?”

 

Veryard-dono clears his throat in front of me.

 

“I’m talking to myself, so please pay me no mind.”

 

After refusing that, he opened his mouth seriously.

 

“A nobleman is a creature who never shows his true feelings. You must not. If the negotiations turn out to be unfavorable, they will say that things went as planned. Otherwise, you will show your opponent weakness. I said, ‘I was against it.’ That is, I want you to understand that I was for it at the time of the negotiations.”

 

I was surprised that that was the real intention.

 

If so, it was exactly what Veryard-dono was aiming for.

 

I don’t think I’ve lost, but I’ve learned once again how hard it is to negotiate with the nobility.

 

That’s why I couldn’t help but grumble about it too.

 

“Oh dear…I still have a long way to go. I thought I was good at dealing with noblemen, too. But I’m not sure if I’m going to be able to represent the Four Nations Trade Federation if this continues.”

 

“No, no, Myourmiles-dono is a tough guy, even from my point of view. Excuse me.”

 

“Ha-ha, I’ll take that as a compliment.”

 

I looked at Veryard-dono with a wry smile. Unexpectedly, Veryard-dono laughed too.

 

His usual cool expression belied the humanity in his face.

 

That’s why I couldn’t help but smile at him.

 

“I hope you won’t be offended, but would you be interested in working for me?”

 

Well, he’d definitely say no. But there was still a hint of truth in my questioning.

 

I was confident that having a man of Veryard-dono’s caliber working for me would give us the best possible advantage as we expand our operations in the Ingracia Kingdom, which would be plaguing us in the near future.

 

“Hmm.”

 

“Ha-ha, it’s not my place to say anything. If you can pass this off as a joke…”

 

“No, no, it’s an interesting suggestion.”

 

“What?”

 

I looked intently at Veryard-dono’s face.

 

He’s very serious, not a joke in sight.

 

“Are you serious?”

 

“Yes. I’m actually thinking about changing my job, too.”

 

After saying this, Veryard-dono told me about the current situation and future prospects for the Blumund Kingdom.

 

The rich and wise are a double-edged sword. The future of the people is secure, but the status of the nobility will be shaken in the future.

 

“We have no land-owning aristocrats in Blumund. Nor are there many of them. Maybe one percent of the city’s million people. There are less than 2,000 knights, and their families number 8,000 or so, so there are less than a hundred people involved in politics. That’s all well and good for now, but in the near future, everyone will be in an honorary position. That’s the direction His Majesty Drum has set.”

 

Indeed, it was a small country that was able to achieve this drastic reformation by protecting the interests of the nobility. There may have been opposition, but as a result, they’ve continued to this day.

 

“Because Veryard-dono was not, you know, opposed?”

 

“No. It’s more a matter of profit. I just thought I’d have to find another job before I became unemployed.”

 

With a grin, Veryard-dono said that.

 

I saw that smile, and I knew.

 

I’ve been beaten.

 

“Well, that’s one for you. Did you pretend to answer my question and then sell yourself?”

 

“Huh, I was hoping you’d figure that out.”

 

I see. If I hadn’t figured it out, I wouldn’t have passed.

 

“Then, really?”

 

“Yes. I’d like Myourmiles-sama to hire me. However, is it okay to treat me as a consultant for the time being?”

 

Of course.

 

I understand his position as a nobleman. He won’t be able to move much for a while. But I’m counting on Veryard-dono’s intellect and experience, so there’s no harm in being a consultant.

 

“Of course! I look forward to working with you in the future.”

 

“Thank you very much.”

 

Veryard-dono and I shook hands with each other, laughing inivincibly.

 

***

 

With Veryard-dono as my advisor, the Four Nations Trade Federation began to grow steadily.

 

And now the time has come for us to face our worst enemies in business—the big merchants.

 

“Are you going to be in Ingracia Kingdom today, Gard-san?”

 

The one who asked was Bydd, who was in charge of the escort. We have gotten to know each other well and have allowed each other to call us by our names.

 

Forged in monster country, Bydd’s current strength has risen from a D+ rank to a B rank. Now that he’s renewed hiis armor, he’s become reasonably reliable and I always ask him to accompany me when I go out on excursions.

 

Of course, Gobemon-dono was there too.

 

This one is even more impressive and looks like a warrior of the past. His strength is now over Rank A and it seems he’s evolved into a Kijin (fair oni race)2.

 

I heard that they are of legendary status…but they’re common in the monster kingdom. I think I’ll only lose if I look into everything, so I’m just going to let it slide.

 

“That’s right. I have an important meeting today, and I’m afraid I’m going to have to go somewhere dangerous.”

 

“Huh? I guess it’s my turn, too.”

 

“What are you talking about, brother Gobemon! You don’t have a chance with me here!”

 

“Huh, I’m not so sure about that.”

 

Gobemon-dono is laughing at the confident Bydd.

 

Gobemon-dono became a Kijin, but his skin color remained the same. I guess that’s the difference between individuals.

 

He’s grown horns too, but they’re small so he hides them with a bandana or hat. He was wearing a hat that matched his suit and looked stylish.

 

He still seems like a hobgoblin at first glance, so it’s easy to catch any opponents off guard.

 

Bydd is stronger now, but he’s still unreliable. Gobemon-dono has always helped me as my bodyguard.

 

I’m leaving it up to them to protect me, but today I’m afraid it might not be enough. After all, the merchants who control the Western Nations are the ones we are meeting today.

 

But I needn’t worry about that.

 

After all, Rimuru-sama knows what we have planned for today. Whether the negotiations go well or not, my safety is assured.

 

So for now, I want to enjoy this comfortable tension.

 

In response to my call, the big names of the world have gathered in one place—this is a man’s romance.

 

To straighten up after a long absence, the three of us have decided to wear dark suits today.

 

“Now, are you ready?”

 

I asked, and Bydd and Gobemon-dono nodded emphatically.

 

I steeled myself and headed to the hotel where we were to meet.

 

The automatic door opened.

 

“Sir, may I ask your name?”

 

With a refined motion, the hotel clerk inquired.

 

“Myourmiles.”

 

“──! Oh, I’m so sorry. May I see your ID, just in case?

 

No one else is going to steal my name, but I have to cooperate. It means that we’re thorough with everyone else, so it’s rather safe.

 

“Is this okay?”

 

Bydd took a letter of introduction from his pocket and showed it to the hotel man. After looking at it, we were searched to make sure we weren’t carrying any weapons.

 

Meanwhile, my subordinates came running in.

 

“Myourmiles-sama, we’ve been expecting you!”

 

“Everything is set up right away. The venue is here.”

 

My men, who sent the hotelier away, lead me to the ballroom.

 

The venue this time is where the aristocrats hold balls and other events.

 

There were already many people milling about, and all eyes were on me as I entered.

 

“So that’s the representative of the Four Nations Trade Federation, the organizer of this event?”

 

“Hmm, he looks familiar. He was a very smart businessman, if I remember correctly.”

 

“That man, I hear that he has taken over Demon Lord Rimuru and taken his current position?”

 

“That’s right. But don’t underestimate him. I hear that the trade in monster country was arranged by that man. Rumor has it he gained some leverage over a beleaguered retail community.”

 

“Hmph, it’s a nouveau riche after all. The Rosso family’s influence is now a thing of the past, and although there seems to be a move to rewind in the Dolan General Kingdom, the other Five Great Elders show no signs of being replaced. It’s probably over.”

 

“Johann Duke of Rosteia was also arrested by an Ingracia Magical Inquisitor. He won’t be able to recover.”

 

“I have heard that the Border Count Sidel has been captured as well. He was charged with the defense of Ingracia, and now he’s abandoned it. I doubt he’ll ever see the light of day again.”

 

“In other words, whoever takes the lead at today’s meeting will be promised the power of the next generation,”

 

“Fufufu, I won’t let a newcomer like that take that place. I’m not calling for a bunch of rednecks like Four Nations Trade Federation!”

 

“But the monster kingdom is tricky.”

 

“Right. Their military might is not to be underestimated, and I hear that a woman named Testarossa or something like that has even taken control of the council.”

 

“Well, let’s see what he can do, shall we?”

 

“Master Left. If that man has no ability, it would be best for us to take his place.”

 

“And I’m sure Demon Lord Rimuru will also give preference to those who are more competent.”

 

And so on and so forth, the flowers of rumor are blooming madly.

 

Everyone seems to be curious about me. The conversation is so obvious that I can hear it.

 

Well, that’s understandable.

 

Today, not only the old Rosso faction, but also some of the biggest names in the world’s underworld are gathered here. These are men who control the wealth of the world and who usually don’t ever meet each other.

 

These are the tycoons of the old days, whom I would have once had difficulty meeting. One only has to look at the rumors of the Five Great Elders to see the breadth of their connections.

 

Those who live as if they were living horses. That desire is endless, and instead of being frightened by the fall of Rosso, they are enthusiastic about the opportunity.

 

I can’t let my guard down. I brace myself even more.

 

***

 

Suddenly, someone calls out to me.

 

“Hey, Myourmiles. You’re getting pretty big, aren’t you? Why don’t you say hello to me?”

 

Well, that’s Don Gabbana’s bodyguard, Arlecio.

 

A big, muscular, middle-aged man. He wears full-body black leather armor, which is unbecoming, but no one blames him.

 

That’s just as well.

 

Aftere all, Arlecio is a retired former A-rank adventurer, and the incarnation of so much violence that there isn’t anyone in the underworld who hasn’t heard his name.

 

Of course, I knew him as well. Not that I wanted to see him though.

 

Arlecio is a ferocious beast of a man.

 

Always hungry, and always ready to hunt.

 

Ever since I met him as a young man, he’s always asked me for food and pocket money. I’d complain, but this man was the incarnation of violence.

 

And worst of all, Don Gabbana is standing behind him. He is a nobleman without a title but of such stature that even Ingracia’s royalty cannot resist. When Arlecio went too far and killed a thug, the gendarmerie settled it by suicide.

 

After that, no one dared to challenge Arlecio.

 

We are here to talk about the future of the business world, but this is not the time to quarrel with Arlecio. I, as a founder, will have to get through this, even if it means stepping out of line.

 

I smiled and turned to face Arlecio.

 

“Well, well, well, Arlecio-san. What a surprise to see you here.”

 

“Ahn? What’s with that tone? Hey, you look like you’re in some kind of shape while I’m watching you.”

 

Hey, this is scary…

 

Arlecio’s threats don’t involve shouting or anything like that, but it’s like a bite to the gut.

 

I’m going to chatter.

 

In Blumund, I was also called the king of the backstreets, but in front of such a “real” deal, I am reminded of how small I can feel…

 

“Well, Mr. Arlecio, it’s a happy occasion. I’ll tell you about it later.”

 

Bydd is also under pressure from Arlecio. He seems to know about Arlecio and is now afraid of him.

 

I can’t speak for other people either, and on the contrary, I’ve even reviewed Bydd.

 

In the past, I would never have tried to go against Arlecio.

 

But it leaves a bad taste.

 

“What do you want? You call my name so casually, but who gave you permission? Huh?”

 

Arlecio’s attention is shifting from me to Bydd.

 

Just as I suspected, this man doesn’t remember Bydd. I guess he didn’t think he was worth remembering, either.

 

It seems that Arlecio would not tolerate being accosted by such a small person without permission. He’s in a terrible mood.

 

In the old days I would have put my hands on some money to see him out.

 

But today, that’s not going to happen.

 

I am a representative of the Four Nations Trade Federation and I will not be taken for a fool by our enemies at this time.

 

The people around me are laughing at us now, instead of helping us. This may be a show and a diversion, but I’ll lose my position if we allow this to go on unchecked.

 

If I can’t handle this kind of trouble, I’ll only draw the ire of the guests.

 

“Arlecio, you misunderstand me. I’m a representative of the Four Nations Trade Federation. I’ll let you off one the basis of our old friendship, so leave quickly!”

 

I said to Arlecio, poised in a relaxed manner. I struggled to keep my voice from trembling, but I was relieved that I managed to do it.

 

“What?”

 

Is this what you call a killer intent?

 

The air around Arlecio changes, his eyes narrowing as he stares at me.

 

I’m scared shitless.

 

“Myo-Myourmiles-san…”

 

Bydd shuffled to his feet and called out to me in a tearful voice. But there was no time to answer and I couldn’t take my eyes off Arlecio.

 

“Hey, Myourmiles. Are you sure you didn’t misunderstand? Or maybe you did. Do you think I can’t get to you in this kind of a public place?”

 

“Uh…”

 

I do think so!

 

No one with a bit of wisdom would meddle with a man of high rank in a place like this. It wouldn’t be natural for a monster that follows their instincts, but someone with common sense would usually put up with it.

 

Moreover, Arlecio is Don Gabbana’s bodyguard. If you make trouble here, it would get your employer into trouble.

 

Just when I thought I was absolutely safe, I felt Arlecio’s left hand shaking.

 

In that moment, Bydd was pulled down and Gobemon-dono was in front of me.

 

It seems that in that instant, Arlecio tried to hit me. Gobemon-dono then covered me.

 

It was Gobemon-dono who pulled Bydd over, and if he’d just left him there, it could’ve been dangerous. As proof, Bydd’s ear is torn off by the pressure of Arlecio’s fist.

 

“Are you okay, Bydd?”

 

“Yes, yes. I’m sorry, I can’t help you…”

 

“It doesn’t bother me. Rimuru-sama will be very angry if you die here.”

 

“Oh, are you going to get angry for me?”

 

“Of course. I’ll be mad at you, too!”

 

I’m reaching out to Bydd and pulling him up. Meanwhile, sparks were flying between Gobemon-dono and Arlecio.

 

“Were you trying to kill me?”

 

“It was an accident, an accident. I was just trying to give you a quick pat on the back. I guess that’s why that punk over there fell over because you interfered.”

 

“Don’t be silly. I’m still a work in progress, but Bydd is like a little brother. I’ve been looking up and watching, but you, that’s too much.”

 

“Fuhaha, it’s bad because that guy is weak. You’re not allowed to bring weapons into this place, so you’re not going to die from a little poke.”

 

“…Oh yeah?”

 

Wow, the atmosphere in Gobemon-dono is changing.

 

I thought that this would no longer be a meeting, but then Don Gabbana arrived at that very moment.

 

***

 

“Arlecio , what are you doing?”

 

“Oops, Gabbana-san. Nothing really, I was just saying hello to my old friend for a bit.”

 

“Yeah? I guess so. You there, you’re hurt. Here, use this.”

 

What a bloody farce.

 

Threats and intercessions, trying to do me a favor and holding my head down.

 

Arlecio knows just what to do. He’s just sprinkling Bydd with the restorative without a second thought.

 

A sprinkle on Bydd’s suit instantly restored Bydd’s ear. That kind of efficacy can only be the complete recovery potion (full potion).

 

“Ooh, to use your precious “full potion” on such a low-ranking person!”

 

“As expected of Gabbana-dono! For him, he doesn’t even mind using a rare, secret potion.”

 

“That’s right. Arlecio-dono’s prowess combined with Gabbana-dono’s financial strength is truly invincible.”

 

What’s that? I went pale as soon as I heard that voice.

 

Suddenly I wasn’t scared anymore and I felt like I’d just woken up from a nightmare.

 

I look at Bydd and he’s very puzzled. I guess he’s feeling the same way I am.

 

Because, ain’t that right?

 

The full potion is a familiar sight to us.

 

Every now and then, Gobemon-dono trains Bydd too, but I can’t tell you how many times he’s had his arms and legs chopped off in one day. If he didn’t have the full potion, he wouldn’t be alive today.

 

That’s why we’ve always had the full potion on hand.

 

Listening to those who appreciate it made me realize again how blessed we are now.

 

“Oh. and look! Behold the bright badge on Gabbana-dono’s chest!”

 

“Oh, I see it too. That crest is shining.”

 

“Right. That means it’s made of genuine magisteel.”

 

“No doubt, it’s just as they say. An up-and-coming, mysterious organization is absorbing all the illegal organizations. And this organization’s very crest is exactly what it looks like.

 

The voice from the outside intrigued me, so I looked at Don Gabbana’s chest, only to be astonished.

 

There, shining in a familiar pattern, were three snakes intertwined, snaking their way around.

 

No wonder they were so familiar. I had spent three days and three nights thinking about it.

 

As I recall, Rimuru-sama said, “Why not just make it a snake? Rather than dragons and phoenixes… simple is better. Besides, the snake symbolizes wisdom, desire and eternity, which is perfect for the Three Drunk Sages, right?” And older sister agreed too. She said, “Well, snakes also have the image being drunk, so it might suit us.” And I said, “Wahahahaha! Then let’s make the three snakes intertwine. Let’s make them snake around like the three of us. No matter how you look at it, it’s the Three Drunk Sages!”

 

I haven’t heard about the members in detail, but was Don Gabbana’s organization also absorbed by it…?

 

Now that I know, I’m feeling a bit jumpy.

 

But this is my chance.

 

Let’s make sure Don Gabbana stands out from the crowd to showcase my position.

 

“You are, I believe, the chairman of the Gabbana Trading Company. Now, how do you wish to make amends for this?”

 

“What did you say?”

 

“You are not aware? Apologize for injuring my escort. Bydd wouldn’t go against that thug just because of a situation like this. And now he’s gone too far, just because we wouldn’t hurt him!”

 

“…I’m a thug?”

 

This is great fun. It seems that both look bewildered by my counterattack.

 

“What’s with that man!? What’s that man doing challenging Gabbana-dono?”

 

“Gabbana-dono is a member of the mysterious Three Drunk Sages, isn’t he?”

 

“Yes. I heard that a major militant group has fallen under the umbrella of the Three Drunk Sages. And yet…”

 

“You’re a daredevil… or do you have a secret plan?”

 

“I can’t believe it, but the Four Nations Trade Federation has a plan to counter the Three Drunk Sages. You really think you can!?”

 

The outsiders may be annoyed, but it seems to stand out in the public eye, so I shall bear it.

 

Now, more than that—

 

“You’re dead, man.”

 

“Well, wait, Arlecio. It’s not good here. Besides, it’s not much fun if you kill it easily.”

 

“All right, Gabbana-san. This one’s for later.”

 

First, I’ve got to do something about these bastards who are hiding in plain sight.

 

“Shut up!”

 

I shouted to him on the spot.

 

My voice didn’t shake. I can feel my voice returning to normal.

 

It’s almost as if the fear Arlecio had instilled in me a moment ago was a lie. Now that I think about it, it’s only natural.

 

After all, I’ve had conversations with much scarier beings.

 

Don Gabbana would be no better than a bug from Veldora-sama’s point of view. All he’d have to do is release his aura and Gabbana would be no more.

 

Arlecio might be able to hold out, but it’d only be putting off the inevitable. All Veldora-sama would have to do is turn on the killing intent, and he’d be gone.

 

In other words…

 

I usually deal with Veldora-sama and others who are that scary. I’ve even refused to bargain for a raise in pocket money.

 

And there are also many calamity-class majins living in that town.

 

It’s my job to manage the accounts of the inhabitants of the monster country. Even those that could easily wipe out small nations are begging me to make their budgets work.

 

I’d yell at them and chase them away… it’s hard to believe it, but it’s become my daily life now.

 

Speaking of which, Cien-dono and I had a little chat the other day.

 

“Well, Testarossa-dono is very good and fast at what she does, which is a great help to me. And she’s beautiful. I envy you, Cien-dono.”

 

“What? Well, well, well, hahaha! Myourmiles-sama has a very good sense of humor. I haven’t laughed so much in a long time!”

 

He was laughing a lot even though he was usually so calm and collected. After that, he liked me for some reason, and we became good friends, so much so that sometimes we went out for drinks together.

 

Then I remembered that Testarossa-dono was a terrible demon. Her appearance was deceiving. Her graceful demeanor and soft smile made me think she wasn’t so scary.

 

It’s well known that Testarossa-dono gave the council a hard time, so I tried to keep a modest attitude.

 

Sexual harassment, no! Absolutely never!

 

That’s our slogan at work.

 

This is a digression, but there are many great people in our office. Now that I remembered, there was no reason to be afraid of Don Gabbana or Arlecio.

 

“You—!”

 

Don Gabbana and his friends are all red-faced and furious, but that doesn’t make me feel anything.

 

It’s not only me, but Bydd too, seems to have had a reality check.

 

“Hey, Myourmiles-san is a gentleman so I’ll say it for you instead, but your tone of voice is not very nice, is it? Myourmiles-san can’t talk to you like you do!”

 

Or so he says.

 

However, with this, the line of sight in the venue was nailed, and it was a great show. Let’s beat Don Gabbana to the punch and complete the ratings.

 

***

 

Here’s where I showed a fearless smile.

 

I’m not much of a fighter, but I have a reputation for having a bad face.

 

“That’s true. Bydd is right. I should have disciplined him from the start, not chided him for his old friendship.”

 

“That’s right, Myourmiles-san. That way, I wouldn’t have to put up with it, and I wouldn’t have been hurt.”

 

“Smart man. And how am I supposed to make him pay for what he did?”

 

“First, he should apologize to you. It’s not too late to learn from that attitude!”

 

“You’re right. Oh, Arlecio, and Gabbana-dono. I can close my eyes for this if you apologize now. But if you insist on making things worse, that’s another story. I, Gard Myourmiles, Minister of Finance of the Jura Tempest Federation, and representative of the “Four Nations Trade Federation,” will buy the quarrel! How about it, eh?”

 

I said that as if I were about to make a big spectacle of myself.

 

Their faces are twitching as they listen to me.

 

“Y-You…”3

 

“Wait, Arlecio. Calm down. If it looks like there was a misunderstanding, and you were offended by us, then let’s apologize. Myourmiles-kun, wasn’t it?”

 

“And you?”

 

“Oh, no…Myourmiles-dono…”

 

When I asked him back, Don Gabbana sounded frustrated.

 

We’ve won, I thought.

 

There are many great merchants here. Not only from the Ingracia Kingdom, but also from other nations, whose wealth is valued by these merchants.

 

Don Gabbana was forced to recognize me in front of these great men and women.

 

I guess it was out of the calculations, but it was sweet.

 

He is staring at me with cold, snake-like eyes, but I am not afraid. I’m sure I would have cried and apologized if it was in the past.

 

“Hmm. So, what’s the misunderstanding?”

 

Don Gabbana bowed, a blue streak on his forehead as he set out the rescue ship.

 

“My guards got ahead of themselves this time, and I’m sorry for the inconvenience. I think he was a little too excited, and I think you can tolerate one thing—”

 

“Ahn? Do they teach you to laugh and easily forgive people for hurting you? My Bydd had to suffer the shame of losing an ear, remember?”

 

“The full potion…”

 

“Hah! You don’t know what you’re talking about if you try to fool me with such cheap medicine!”

 

I laughed out loud.

 

In fact, I still have a few of those potionos because Rimuru-sama let me keep them. It wasn’t a lie, so I said so emphatically.

 

“You are not worthy of participating in the grand scheme I have planned to call upon you to carry out. Leave this place!”

 

Don Gabbana scowled as I shouted at him.

 

Then, in a chilling voice…

 

“Don’t you regret it.”

 

“Don’t you regret it” he said, for me only, and left the hall with Arlecio.

 

It was a complete victory for me.

 

The hall had been quiet for a while, but as soon as Don Gabbana disappeared, the audience erupted in cheers. But there were not just positive reactions. There were also some malicious voices in the crowd.

 

I’m sure the consensus was that they didn’t think I would get rid of Don Gabbana.

 

I, seeing my chance to get the attention, made the opening statement.

 

Then afterwards, I unveiled the “Blumund Distribution System” that I had discussed with Rimuru-sama and Veryard-dono, and succeeded in attracting the interest of many people.

 

However, they did not agree to join the project on the spot.

 

The reason is simple.

 

By Don Gabbana, or rather, by the Three Drunk Sages, they thought I’d be killed off for fighting with them.

 

If the organizers are going to be gone, then go after their replacements. If the core group is gone, the project may go down the tubes. This is not a matter for the big merchants to rush into, is it?

 

But that’s good for me.

 

I will have more credibility if I can survive here.

 

And that’s with the Three Drunk Sages.

 

I am one-third of the Three Drunk Sages, and victory is guaranteed.4

 

And so, I gave a passionate speech to my heart’s content.

 

The venue was filled with enthusiasm and the meeting was very lively.

 

***

 

And the next morning.

 

When we came out of the hotel, there was a black carriage parked in front of us.

 

That’s a pretty bold thing for a public figure to do.

 

“Get in.”

 

Arlecio announces in a low voice.

 

I grinned and climbed into the carriage with Bydd and Gobemon-dono.

 

“—you’ve got some nerve!”

 

Arlecio comes aboard at the end of the ride and threatens us, but from what I can see, he’s just a sore loser.

 

“So where are we going?”

 

“A nice place. Well, enjoy your last ride.”

 

And then Arlecio keeps his mouth shut.

 

He didn’t seem to want to say anything else, so we got into the carriage without saying a word.

 

The carriage arrived at our destination after about twenty minutes.

 

Judging from the distance from the hotel, this must be an upscale residential area. In other words, it’s the place that I had guessed.

 

I was truly relieved.

 

If I’d been taken to Don Gabbana’s domain, I would have panicked a little. But now we have nothing to worry about.

 

This is where the Apostles of Vert used to have a base in Ingracia. I helped to renovate this place, so I know it well.

 

“Stay down. The scariest people you could ever imagine are waiting for you down the road. I’m looking forward to it. I’m looking forward to seeing you crawling around, spewing shit and piss and begging for your life.”

 

I look at Arlecio with pity as he threatens me.

 

This guy’s a pitiful guy, too.

 

“What is it, bastard? What’s that look in your eyes!?”

 

“No, it’s all right. It’s not going to happen.”

 

This guy’s going to die.

 

“What!? You…what the hell are you talking about?”

 

I think Arlecio sensed something about my attitude. He has a slightly uneasy face.

 

There’s a group of men lined up in front of the mansion that stands there. As soon as the carriage stops, they come running.

 

One of them speaks to Arlecio.

 

“Arlecio-san. It’s a message.”

 

“What?”

 

“Well, some of the higher-ups are waiting downstairs.”

 

“Upstairs”? ‘The Seven Blades?’”

 

“No… more like…”

 

“You don’t mean to tell me that an old wise man from the ‘Wise Men’s Club’ or the group of evil shinobi from the ‘Dark Heavenly Clan…’”

 

“Those people were the guides.”

 

“The three leaders—!?”

 

Arlecio is astonished, but I’m so unfamiliar with these people that I have no idea what they’re like.

 

From the sound of the conversation, I’m guessing they’re not in the Gabbana family. I guess they’re still newcomers.

 

Well, even I don’t know exactly which organizations the Three Drunk Sages have under their umbrella. That’s why such unfortunate events are happening.

 

Even though I knew about the underworld, I’m surprised there are so many organizations in the Western Nations…

 

“Gabbana-san was taken earlier.”

 

“Okay. Hey, let’s go.”

 

Accompanied by a look of triumph on Arlecio’s face, we stepped into the mansion.

 

We were headed for the basement, but it’s still a luxurious place.

 

The Apostles of Vert originally enshrined an altar, but that was torn down and replaced with an audience chamber.

 

It was Rimuru-sama’s idea to make the room’s atmosphere more important.

 

He believed that a secret society should be like a secret society, and was thus very particular about the details.

 

It might even be more luxurious than the one in the monster country.

 

I control the budget over there too, so I can’t allow them to waste it. But here, it doesn’t matter what is done with the money earned, because it’s an evil organization.

 

“You…why are you so calm?”

 

Perhaps due to anxiety, Arlecio spoke to me.

 

“Well, why not?”

 

I answered, and he gave me a little “tsk”. He remained silent the rest of the way until we came to a large door on the third floor below.

 

“Enter.”

 

“And, Mr. Vigan from the Seven Blades, you’re a doorkeeper?”

 

“Tsk, Arlecio. I was thinking of you. I’d give you a pass on Seven Blades if it was vacant. Idiot.”

 

“Oh, no, Vigan-san! What did I do?

 

“Just quickly get the hell inside! Hey, you guys wait here. I was told only the guests and Arlecio can go in there.”

 

Vigan told him, staring at Arlecio’s men.

 

Well, that’s about right.

 

The fewer people who know I’m one of the bosses, the better.

 

That’s why I say nothing here, and follow quietly.

 

“I’m coming in.”

 

With that said, Arlecio enters, followed by us. Vigan is the last to enter the room, and the door is closed.

 

The door has been magically sealed so that no sound can escape. No one outside can tell what’s going on inside.

 

Even though the room is underground, it’s bright and shiny. Countless wax candles lit the room at varying degrees of intensity.

 

Rimuru-sama said that there was no need to use candles when they could be made by magic. It was in this waste that romance was found.

 

The basement floor is not divided, so it’s more of a hall than a room. That’s why it can be used as an audience room, but only executives are allowed in.

 

And by “executives,” I mean those who know who I am. But more than half the people inside this room are people I don’t know.

 

I walk proudly into the room with all eyes fixed on me, nearly a hundred of them.

 

“Hey!”

 

Arlecio shouts to stop me, but I ignore him.

 

Arlecio tries to put his hand on my shoulder, but Vigan knocks him down before Bydd or Gobemon-dono can move. He was told about me when he was named doorkeeper.

 

The reaction of the other executives who I did not know were also different.

 

Some were surprised and others were baffled.

 

They saw everyone who knew me kneel down at once and guessed who I was. They followed my example and hung their heads in unison.

 

“No way, Myourmiles, you are the leader?”

 

The room is quiet, and I can hear Don Gabbana’s stunned voice. The air-conditioning is good, but the voice echoes because the room is underground.

 

Don Gabbana was in the back of the room, addressing a man I know well. Perhaps he was negotiating to have me killed as an example to an insolent new organization, the Four Nations Trade Federation.

 

“That’s right. The one you’ve been working so hard to persuade, hoping to inflict a horrible death, is the one of your three great leaders.”

 

Don Gabbana was answered not by me, but by a woman in a flamboyant and revealing dress.

 

Glenda Atlee, the woman who plays the boss of the Three Drunk Sages on behalf of me and my friends.

 

And her words confirmed what I had thought.

 

However, somehow, even though it’s about me, I feel like it’s someone else’s affair.

 

“Geh, hey, whaaa—!?”

 

The cool-headed Don Gabbana is sitting up in shock. I never thought I’d be witnessing something so outrageous like this when I was a nobody back in my day.

 

“Glenda, thank you for your help. Thanks to you, the plan is on track. Our meeting was a great success yesterday.”

 

“Thank you very much for the compliment! In that case, I’d love to see the merit points—”

 

“I know. I’ll give you twice the amount I usually give you.”

 

“I’m glad to hear that. That’s my leader, he knows what he’s talking about!”

 

Glenda led me to the former altar. There were three chairs and I sat on one of them.

***

 

No one complains about me being the leader after seeing Glenda’s reaction. That’s how much everyone fears her.

 

And now, right in front of me, Don Gabbana and Arlecio are hauled up and held down. I must decide how to deal with Don Gabbana, who had advised to kill the leader (me), and Arlecio, who has spoken rudely to me.

 

The executives are unanimous in their desire to see them dead.

 

“Only death will redeem the disrespect to our leader.”

 

“It’s better not to kill him comfortably. By way of example, let’s give them seven days of torment.”

 

“Right. It would be fun to sacrifice them to the devil, and it would be fun to make a synthetic beast out of their corpses.”

 

“The man himself was happy to talk about how to kill the chieftain. Now is the time. You should try everything he said in person!”

 

And so on and so forth, the brutal discussion continued.

 

Don Gabbana has lost color and is breathing hard. A stain has formed on his trousers, but I’ll pretend I didn’t see it.

 

Arlecio looks pale.

 

He must have realized his fate and is calculating whether or not he should resist.

 

But there are some powerful men in this room, from the underworld. I could have many off them killed in heartbeat if I were alone, but many of the other leaders are the best in the world.

 

I couldn’t defeat them all, even if I fought them. Glenda would stand a better chance.

 

The heat in the room grows louder and louder as the executives grow more and more outspoken.

 

Now I’m not sure what to do.

 

I ponder while looking at the two who hang their heads in surrender.

 

Honestly, these two are at fault, but they are not entirely guilty.

 

Threatening an up-and-coming force is a perfectly natural thing for an underworlder to do. Disrespecting the boss of your organization is a problem, but that’s because he didn’t know my face.

 

I was pissed off at the assault on Bydd, but it didn’t matter when I looked at the results. And since Rimuru-sama knew about this incident, someone was supposed to be protecting us from anything that might happen.

 

There are several of Souei-dono’s men here as well. Therefore, I’m sure there is no danger in that regard.

 

If that’s the case, then disposing of Don Gabbana is a bit much.

 

“Be quiet!”

 

I silenced them all as I gathered my thoughts.

 

“I won’t dispose of them. Gabbana didn’t betray the organization. He just didn’t know that I was the leader. If he betrays me in the future, that’s another matter, but I’ll let him off the hook.”

 

I was a little pissed off at times, but that’s bearable. That’s how I decided.

 

However, some people weren’t happy about it.

 

“How naive! That’s no way to represent the organization!”

 

Many agreed with those who shouted that.

 

Some went so far as to say…

 

“Chieftain…you are an amateur, aren’t you? You know, for an underworlder like us, face is the most important thing, right? If you don’t take a swing at them now, no one will follow you.”

 

Some of them even began to look down on me.

 

I could have let them off the hook if they only wanted to complain about my decision. But this was no good.

 

“Whoever said that, step forward.”

 

As I said this, a scowling young man stepped forward.

 

“I’m Yang of the ‘Black Claws.’ During our time together as mercenaries, we fought together, and I was a harsh man who was merciless towards the enemy. My personal strength is also quite impressive. I have a rank of A.”

 

And before I knew it, Girard, who was standing next to me, told me. “He was the leader of the Apostles of Vert.”

 

I nodded at him and looked at Yang.

 

“I hear you’re called Yang.”

 

“Yeah,”

 

“You think I’m an amateur?

 

“Am I wrong? No one in our line of work gives mercy by doing something so half-assed.”

 

“So, you can do it?”

 

“…Is it different?”

 

My God, Yang doesn’t realize he’s making me look bad, does he?

 

No, he doesn’t.

 

He’s just trying to build distrust of me here so that he can defeat me in the future.

 

Those without power do not prosper in the dark.

 

You must always assert your power, or you will be ostracized. But I don’t want the Three Drunk Sages to be that kind of an organization.

 

Well, apart from me, it’s impossible to kick down Rimuru-sama and older sister out of office.

 

So I must tell them here and now.

 

“Who’s going to oppose me?”

 

“Huh?”

 

“I ask, who’s going to oppose me? Yang, do you think you have a chance against me?”

 

“No, no…”

 

When I asked, Yang glanced at Glenda. It looks like it was Glenda who crushed the Black Claws, not the Apostles of Vert.

 

“You say it’s all about saving face. So, Yang, aren’t you the one who should be held accountable for the way you treated me?”

 

“Well, that is…”

 

“Glenda, about those merit points you mentioned earlier, I knew it was a no-go.”

 

“Oh no, that—”

 

“Shut up! Shut up! Like Yang, I wonder if everyone also has no respect for their leader! You have no right to blame Gabbana!”

 

Don Gabbana and Arlecio look at me in surprise.

 

The look on their faces made me think of one more thing.

 

These two men were being used.

 

“Glenda, you have to teach them a lesson on purpose, don’t you? And guys, didn’t somebody smartly put you up to the challenge?”5

 

“Am I in the clear?”

 

“It’s natural. You’re lucky it was me, but if it was them, we’d have a big problem…”

 

“Don’t miss that point. I’ve already consulted about this matter, and it was Master El who insisted that we go ahead with the matter without your knowledge.”

 

“Is that so …”

 

Her antics never cease to amaze me.

 

Well, surely, thanks to that, things seem to have worked out.

 

But that’s beside the point.

 

“Yang. If someone wants to thrash me for letting Gabbana off the hook, I would live to meet theem. So would everyone else. I’m not saying not to go for the downfall, but be prepared. It may succeed because I’m weak…but if I that happens, the Three Drunk Sages will disappear.”

 

I clearly warned him.

 

Yang is shivering when he hears it. I think he realizes that I’m not exaggerating or bluffing.

 

“So, are the two remaining leaders of the Three Drunk Sages by any chance…”

 

“You don’t need to know.”

 

“Really. If you know too much, they’ll erase you, so I wonder why you would want to know?”

 

Girard and Glenda answered, and the executives fell silent in a cold sweat.

 

I look at them and give them one last reminder.

 

“Now, Gabbana and the others have no objection to my decision. Do you have a problem with it?”

 

““Hahaaa—!!””

 

They all prostrated themselves to show respect for my decision.

 

“Yang, rejoice. I’ll let you off the hook for once. But there will not be a second time.”

 

“Of course! Thank you. I will work as hard as I can to repay you for this favor!”

 

“Well, that’s good to know.”

 

With that, I am satisfied.

 

And now that I have complete control of the Three Drunk Sages, I’ve decided to take this opportunity to enact a fundamental discipline.

 

One: Never betray your fellow man.

 

Two: Have the heart to forgive the failure of others.

 

Three: Do not kick others down and make them unhappy.

 

Those three things are the basics, aren’t they?

 

It is a matter of course not to betray your fellow man, and anyone who breaks this rule is punishable by death.

 

It is difficult to forgive others’ failures, but the Three Drunk Sages will be the final resting place for those who fail. There will be a few excellent people, so I have told my subordinates to cover for their mistakes.

 

This kind of thing can only get better if we raise awareness from above. Thus, I took this opportunity with all the executives in attendance to make sure it was done right.

 

The last rule of not kicking someone down and making them unhappy is the most important one.

 

“The Three Drunk Sages will bring together the armed forces of the underworld, and if you pay attention to this, the merchants out in the open will have no chance to compete. However, from now on, such evil deeds will be banned altogether.”

 

From now on, they must realize that their influence is different from what they have been doing up until now, and aim to contribute to society in a fairer and more straightforward manner.

 

Rather than a lawless and violent group, we must become “chivalrous guests” who help the weak and defat the tyrants. It is not only my wish, but Rimuru-sama’s as well.

 

But that doesn’t mean we should lose our pride.

 

If the top rots, those below cannot resist. This is also true for me and I’ll keep it in mind.

 

“Be mindful that this is what the Three Drunk Sages are called upon to do, though it will be difficult to change your way of life. Let the young ones slowly learn that there is more than one way to live.”

 

As I concluded, the executives looked puzzled and thought about it.

 

They’ve grown accustomed to doing the dirty work. It’s not going to change their minds anytime soon. But with the help of me, or rather Rimuru-sama, it’s not impossible.

 

I have been able to silence their opposition with force, but since we are dealing with people who believe that force is justice, this is the right way to go.

 

I hoped that this will give an impetus to the people to change.

 

***

 

The Gabbana family was disbanded, and its members were transferred to other organizations. Gabbana is now under my direct control and will work under a new name, at Blumund Headquarters.

 

He’s a man who is good with money and accounts. It’s a waste to just leave him there.

 

He was a pain in the ass, but I put him in charge of train operations.

 

Well, it was Rimuru-sama that was the root of all evil.

 

He just comes up with stuff, and then makes me do all the work.

 

But, well, that’s okay.

 

It’s my job, and I don’t deny that it’s a very attractive plan.

 

But I would also like to remind him that I have only one body.

 

And unlike Rimuru-sama, I am a very ordinary person and need a good night’s sleep. It’s hard to refuse when he says, “Please, Myourmiles-kun!” but the reason I forgo the project is for my health.

 

But that excuse wouldn’t work either, especially now that I’ve started earning this much money.

 

It was at this time that I was lucky to have Gabbana working for me.

 

Gabbana said, “I’m thankful, but I’ve got a lot of work to do! I didn’t expect it to be this hard!” He complains every day, however I was also ridiculed by Rimuru-sama for that job, so if he has a grudge, he should take it to him.

 

But I felt a little guilty about it, so I thought I’d give him better pay.

 

Arlecio was left in Gobemon-dono’s care.

 

Because of the history with Bydd, Gobemon-dono wanted to straighten things out with a match.

 

Arlecio didn’t have the right to refuse, but the match was agreed on the condition that if he won, he would be picked as an executive.

 

The result was, of course, a landslide victory for Gobemon-dono.

 

“Now you understand. There’s always someone better than you. Even I’m at the bottom of the heap back home. Strength is not something that’s openly displayed, but rather something locked inside. It must be exercised correctly to protect what is absolutely essential. That’s what I was taught. It’s not too late for you to take another good  look at yourself.”

 

Arlecio must have been awakened by what he said to me. He volunteered to become Gobemon-dono’s younger brother.

 

Thus, Gabbana and his friends were dealt with amicably, but the official announcement was different.

 

“The Three Drunk Sages must be used to mark the spectacular debut of the Four Nations Trade Federation. At the same time, we must find a way to prevent the Three Drunk Sages from being taken for a fool.

 

That’s why we crushed the mansion we had purchased for the Ingracia branch of the Four Nations Trade Federation to smithereens. I had the workers evacuated so they would be safe, but this is sure to have a huge impact on the public.

 

The reporters under Diablo-dono wrote a really good article about it.

 

And so, I was featured in the article as well as the horror of the Three Drunk Sages, but I was not deterred by it. I’m the Finance Minister of the Monster Country, and that explains why I do not succumb to unwarranted violence.

 

The breakup of the Gabbana family was also a big story, and I was able to show that the Four Nations Trade Federation is a much bigger organization than people thought.

 

In addition, rumors were spread that the Three Drunk Sages and the Four Nations Trade Federation were splitting up. This was accepted by the public, and the dispute was settled safely.

 

The Four Nations Trade Federation is now up and running without a hitch and when I saw the profits from each branch, I was at a loss for words.

 

If I were to speak frankly, I could make dozens of gold coins in an hour, and more than my annual income in a day.

 

The annual income in this case is equivalent to my salary as a minister in the Monster Country…so in the eyes of the average person, I’m a man who makes more money per hour than they do in a whole year.

 

By the way, Benimaru-dono and Souei-dono are also paid by Three Drunk Sages. It’s about fifty gold coins a month.

 

I’m sure Souei-dono’s subordinates in the Three Drunk Sages should be paid a great deal more than that, including necessary expenses.

 

Well, it’s hard to show the men under my command that the executives are poor. Glenda and Girard, playing the boss, were getting paid handsomely.

 

We also get a fine, but Rimuru-sama, older sister, and I each get two percent of all the profits. The money is paid yearly, and I’ve heard that we’ve accumulated an astonishing amount so far.

 

I consider myself a fortunate man, but this is too unrealistic to the point of being scary.

 

However, this isn’t the end of my ambitions. This is not the time to dream big and be content with small successes.

 

My name is Myourmiles.

 

A man whose fate was changed when he met Rimuru-sama.

 

I will do my best to see how far I can go in this life so that I will not regret it.

 

My challenge will not end until I am at the brink of my final death.