“Then you’re not saying it’s impossible to succeed?”

“Correct. The Palatio dukedom is well-located and often frequented by merchants.”

“Even so, the merchants didn’t come around as often as you’d think.”

“Probably because, up until now, there was no particular reason to visit the dukedom, so they might have preferred to visit other estates a bit farther away.”

“Is it because of the local products?”

“Yes, indeed. The surrounding estates do have their own special products.”

Alexion’s response was straightforward.

Alon admired him inwardly, thinking, ‘This is why business really should be handled by those who are skilled at it.’

He nodded without realizing it, watching how Alexion understood the situation of the estates better than he did.

Strictly speaking, Alon hadn’t really focused on developing his estate.

But it was true that Alexion had exceptional business acumen.

‘Should I invest?’

At first, when Alon found out Alexion owned the auction house, he’d thought he should reconsider any investment.

Alon knew how dire Alexion’s true nature could be, even though he had seemed mild-mannered when they met through Radan.

But after talking further, Alexion had seemed quite normal.

No, more than normal—he seemed extremely intelligent.

‘...Was Alexion originally normal, but something happened before the player arrived at Raksas? ...No, I heard he was always like that.’

It was puzzling.

‘Well, he seems fine for now.’

Alon wrapped up his inner judgment and asked,

“If we proceed as I described, how much would we need?”

“Um, it seems like it would cost a fair amount.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. Initially, setting up the foundation alone will require a substantial amount of money.”

“I’m prepared to invest a reasonable amount—of course, in you as well.”

Alon was considering a significant investment in the business.

He hoped to earn money without exploiting the local people.

“So, I’d like to have an open and comfortable discussion... What are you looking at?”

However, Alexion seemed a bit off.

Ever since their serious conversation had begun, he had been quietly looking not at Alon, but somewhere behind him.

Following his gaze, Alon turned his head.

‘A tree?’

Only an ordinary tree was in sight.

“Ah, nothing serious. I have a habit of staring into space, which might have caused some unintentional rudeness.”

“That’s alright.”

Everyone has their habits.

As Alon nodded, Alexion, forcing a smile, looked past him at a woman holding a video screen.

On it, Radan was—

‘If caught, just like that.’

Mouthing those fierce words, clearly enunciating every syllable as if to make absolutely sure Alexion understood, he held back the scream he wanted to unleash.

Alexion knew.

He knew Radan was capable of such things.

To survive, one had to manage oneself well.

Maintaining his poker face, Alexion began to give practical advice.

Normally, he might have suggested keeping a “bit more” profit for himself, but with Radan watching, that plan was off the table.

He did not want to die over a slip of the tongue.

“For the scale of business you envision, initially, this much funding will be necessary.”

“...That’s quite a lot.”

“It can’t be helped. First, building the structures will require a large initial investment, and gathering the merchants will cost money as well. Furthermore—”

“What about?”

“The key is to make the merchants feel it’s more important to stop here because of the benefits we offer, even if there are special products in other estates. That will also require more money.”

“...If we operate that way, wouldn’t the merchants stop coming if the benefits were removed?”

“No. By gathering the merchants and boosting the auction house and surrounding tourist industries, once the auction house becomes a major draw, merchants won’t easily exclude this dukedom from their routes.”

“What if—”

After a lengthy discussion, Alexion suddenly...

“...So, originally, we would need about 250% of the proposed amount—”

...stopped talking.

Because Radan was staring intently at him from outside, shaking his head.

“However, if I make an effort, perhaps 200% would suffice—”

Even as he felt Radan’s menacing glare from afar, Alexion smoothly adjusted his statement.

Shake—

Radan shook his head once again.

“It’s possible, and I might even be able to reduce it to 180%,”

Alexion said, reluctantly lowering the figure and feeling somewhat wronged.

However, as Radan slowly shook his head again, Alexion finally blurted out, “Perhaps it might even be feasible to go down to 150%...”

He said it while screaming inside with frustration.

Honestly, he had padded the initial rate a bit out of greed, but it wasn’t as if that left much profit anyway.

Yet, despite this...

Shake—

Seeing the devil continuously shaking his head through the window, the smile on Alexion’s face began to stiffen.

‘Isn’t this too much?’

They say even a cornered rat will bite a cat, and faced with such unreasonable demands, Alexion’s expression unconsciously turned venomous.

‘I’ve done everything! Everything!!!’

He had obediently gone to the Pirate Peninsula when asked. He had withdrawn from illegal businesses when told to stop his underworld activities.

He had come to the dukedom without complaint when asked, and he had already reduced the investment proposal from about 200% to 150%.

Was it still not enough?

Countless memories of humiliation and oppression intensified his resentment, and finally, with emotions surging, Alexion declared,

“...100%.”

“What?”

“I will do it with the originally proposed investment amount,”

he conceded, swallowing tears of blood as he lowered his head.

After all, he did not want to die.

Nod—

Radan nodded in satisfaction through the window.

Alexion’s face was the very picture of despondency.

And Alon, standing opposite him, was—

“???”

He couldn’t help but be completely puzzled.

In fact, a proper negotiation hadn’t even started before it was unilaterally concluded.

After a moment of bewilderment, Alon finally spoke up.

“...Let’s settle on 150%.”

“What?”

“If what you say is true, that seems to be the necessary investment,” he said.

His voice was calm. However, Alexion’s eyes widened in disbelief. Although 150% was still not exactly generous, everything is relative. Seeing Radan ruthlessly haggling from ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ afar, only for the Marquis to offer to add an extra 50%, Alexion felt tears prick his eyes.

‘The Marquis is truly a saint...!’

Objectively, he was not a saint, but after dealing extensively with Radan, Alexion was overwhelmed.

“Thank you...! Truly, thank you!”

He bowed deeply, holding back the tears that were about to spill.

Alon thought, ‘Is this a midlife crisis?’ Watching Alexion’s emotions rise and fall all on their own, a rational doubt surfaced in his mind.

*****

King Carmaxes III of the Colony was recently less busy than the other monarchs of the allied kingdoms, because his desert kingdom had not been affected by the recent Outer Gods crisis. Aside from the initial meeting, he hadn’t been much involved in the recent major events. Instead,

“Did another seismic event occur?”

“Yes, the Manna estate suffered significant damage.”

“Hmm.”

King Carmaxes III was concerned about the recent seismic events.

“How many does this make?”

“The fifth.”

“How strange. What about the wizards?”

“It seems the wizards from the Tower are investigating, but they haven’t identified the cause yet.”

These seismic events, which usually occurred around the magical Towers, had begun happening more frequently everywhere.

“Hmm...”

King Carmaxes thought for a moment, then decided not to dwell on it. The estates were suffering, but not yet excessively. Instead,

“...What is Karsem doing?”

“He is learning magic today as well.”

He inquired about the second prince, who had recently piqued his interest.

“Again today?”

“Yes.”

“And does he have talent?”

“Yes, quite a bit. He’s already reached the first tier.”

“Already?”

“Yes. It’s said he is very talented and also puts in considerable effort.”

The advisor continued, “Recently, the court’s opinion of the second prince has improved significantly. Most say he has gained a lot of respectability since that incident.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. There are even many who say he has recently become more respectable than the first prince.”

“That much?”

“It seems so—possibly more noticeable due to the contrast with his past behavior.”

The advisor paused briefly.

“I also think the second prince has changed a lot,” he added, giving his personal impression.

“Hmm...”

“Just recently, he saved a maid who nearly fell while cleaning the railing.”

“Karsem did?”

“Yes. It’s said he commented, ‘If it were Marquis Palatio, he would have done the same...’”

“That’s a bit cringeworthy.”

“I agree, but it seems his temperament has genuinely softened.”

Hearing this, King Carmaxes III involuntarily stroked his chin. Truthfully, the second prince was not the son he had been most concerned about. Of course, he loved his family, but he had not seen the second prince as a suitable heir. Although the first prince did not entirely meet his standards either, he was considerably better compared to the second, so King Carmaxes had marked him as the successor.

However, lately, the first prince was gradually falling out of favor with King Carmaxes III. Despite having been instructed in heir-appropriate behavior from a young age, he was still quietly causing various troubles—not as blatantly as the second prince, but still. Of course, the first prince believed he had kept everything hidden, but King Carmaxes knew it all. There was nowhere in the palace beyond his reach.

Therefore, ‘Who exactly is Marquis Palatio?’

King Carmaxes III admired the man who had single-handedly reformed the notorious Karsem as he pondered.

‘Karsem, Karsem...’

He murmured the second prince’s name, his gaze growing stern. His look was not that of a family man, but solely that of a king evaluating someone. That gaze perhaps foreshadowed a struggle that should never have to happen.

*****

A month later, when winter had fully passed and a warm spring day had arrived—

[Marquis, how have you been?]

“It’s been a while.”

Alon received a periodic report from Duke Zenonia, which arrived every few months. And—

[By the way, I heard you recently established an auction house in your estate.]

“Yes, I’m thinking about managing the estate a bit.”

[Shall I help you a little with that?]

“Feel free not to hold back.”

It had just been a brief conversation after the report.

...Or so it had seemed.

“Marquis, how about exclusive auction rights for the premium specialties produced in our estate?”

“Marquis, our guild would like to establish a regular relationship with—”

“Hello, Marquis Palatio! I am leading a guild called ‘Salman’ in the Kingdom of Ashtalon.”

How had it come to this?

“Evan.”

“Yes.”

“...How many more people am I supposed to meet?”

“About seventy-four people are waiting.”

...How is this a ‘little help’...?

Alon held his head, feeling overwhelmed.