Chapter 64. Shall We Talk Business
Radel brought an imperial map and spread it out.
On the estate tax paid to Radel's name each year, it was written thus:
Raviedel.
It was highly likely to be the name of the territory.
As Radel looked at the imperial map, the Chief Attendant asked from the side.
"Your Highness, may I ask what you are looking for?"
"Is there a place called Raviedel in the empire?"
The Chief Attendant nodded at Radel's words.
"You mean Your Highness's territory."
"You knew?"
"Yes, I was briefed by my predecessor."
After the incident where Radel fell down the stairs, all the attendants in the 8th Prince's Palace were replaced. The current Chief Attendant was also appointed after that incident.
Before remembering his past life, Radel had not thought of talking to the attendants. After his mother's death, his ties with his maternal family, the Silvert family, were also severed.
Therefore, he had no way of knowing about the territory.
"I see. I had no idea."
"Those who inherit a territory at a young age are usually like that. They often find out after they become adults."
The Chief Attendant did not mention the fact that Radel had no family elders to teach him about the territory.
The 8th Prince had not received any lessons in accounting or as an heir, yet he was someone who could check the ledgers on his own.
Sometimes, there are people who grow up on their own without adults.
"As I recall, it was a territory inherited from the late Imperial Consort."
"......From my mother."
The Chief Attendant carefully observed Radel's expression as he murmured quietly.
He was also aware of the rumors that the 8th Prince had shut himself in the Prince's Palace after the death of his mother, the 5th Imperial Consort.
He was worried that Radel might recall unpleasant memories, but Radel's expression was calm.
"I'm grateful."
Radel turned his eyes to the place the Chief Attendant pointed to on the map.
Raviedel was a small city located on the coast.
'It's a bit of a stretch to call it a city...'
In other words, it was more of a small village by the sea than a city. Since it was small, the estate tax that had come in so far was not very much.
Radel guessed that the agent in charge of the territory was a rather diligent person.
Otherwise, there was no way they would have paid taxes steadily every year from a territory whose owner didn't even know of its existence.
Now that he knew he had a territory, he was curious about what kind of place it was.
But now, while attending the academy, he had no time.
'I should visit during the vacation.'
Anyway, even if it was small, a territory was a territory.
A proud smile hung on Radel's lips.
* * *
"So this is the 8th Prince's Palace."
Grandal Spear, the owner of the Spear Guild, the third largest in the capital, was a middle-aged man.
He had just arrived in front of the 8th Prince's Palace at the call of the 8th Prince.
"Giddy-up, giddy-up!"
Several carriages were entering behind him. They were all various types of carriages to be shown to the 8th Prince.
In fact, although he led the third-largest guild in the capital, he had not yet built up enough connections to make the royals his regulars.
To captivate the royals and nobles, one needed rare goods that could attract their hearts, but the Spear Guild did not yet have any such notable items.
The other guilds, which were competing for the first and second places in the capital, were good at obtaining exotic ceramics and spices and supplying them to the imperial family and noble houses from time to in time.
However, Grandal Spear had the ambition to expand the market with his own developed products, not just those brought in through trade.
That was Grandal's real goal.
It was his dream that he had not yet proudly shown to anyone.
The product he was developing with all his heart to achieve that goal was the carriage.
'Everyone should think of carriages when they hear the name Spear Guild.'
Grandal waited for the 8th Prince, lining up the newly made carriages and the existing best-selling ones in front of the 8th Prince's Palace.
Although he held the title of Baron, this was his first time entering the 8th Prince's Palace.
He was also curious about what kind of person the 8th Prince, who had been the subject of much rumor recently, was.
"Baron, I'm nervous. Isn't this the place where the 'Saint of the Thirsty Land' resides?"
The coachman, who had worked with Grandal for a long time, fussed beside him.
He was a devout follower of the Supreme Deity Order, and had been in this state ever since he heard they were going to the 8th Prince's Palace.
Through the coachman, Grandal learned that the 8th Prince was quite popular among the followers of the Supreme Deity Order.
According to them, the 8th Prince was humble, polite, and a rare individual of character who knew how to serve the Supreme Deity.
'From a powerless prince to a saint overnight. And after entering the academy, he even became the 1st-year representative.'
Which rumor was the real 8th Prince's true self?
It was now Grandal's turn to find out for himself.
* * *
Radel was watching the attendants change the curtains.
With the bright-colored curtains hung, the once gloomy 8th Prince's Palace felt brighter.
'It's different just by changing this.'
The atmosphere of the main hall's staircase also brightened after laying down a carpet. The chandelier, which the attendants had changed in the morning, was also shining elegantly.
Radel smiled contentedly as he looked at the 8th Prince's Palace, which was finally beginning to look like a prince's palace.
Just then, the Chief Attendant approached and informed Radel of a merchant's visit.
"A carriage merchant has arrived? I'll be right out."
Radel had chosen a guild to purchase a carriage from, referring to the opinions of the Chief Attendant and Inette.
Baron Grandal Spear of the Spear Guild, whom he was scheduled to meet today, was said to have an unusually large variety of carriages among the guilds that sold them.
They said he was recently pulling ahead of other guilds in the carriage category.
When Radel went outside, several carriages were lined up. They were all different in color, size, and shape.
It was clear that Baron Spear had put a lot of thought into bringing them.
"It is an honor to meet you, Prince Radel Silvert Cretian. I am Baron Grandal Spear of the Spear Guild."
A middle-aged man approached the revealed Radel and offered a handshake.
As the owner of the third-largest guild in the capital, he exuded a sense of experience despite his ordinary appearance.
Radel also shook his hand and greeted him.
"Thank you for coming all this way, Baron Spear. The 8th Prince's Palace is in a remote location, so it must not have been easy to visit."
"When Your Highness calls, of course, I must come, wherever it may be."
His words were befitting a seasoned merchant.
Radel looked around the carriages, following his smooth explanation.
"First, please look at this carriage, Your Highness. We have put special effort into the exterior decoration. With a beauty that sets it apart from other carriages, it will be noticeable anywhere."
Grandal first showed him a magnificent carriage. It was a typical noble's carriage, painted white on the outside and finished with red velvet on the inside.
The delicate carvings on the outside were particularly eye-catching.
"These are decorations carved by top-class artisans contracted with our guild. They can be changed to suit Your Highness's taste."
"The artisans' skills are excellent."
However, a carriage with many such decorations did not appeal to Radel.
Grandal, noticing this, immediately introduced the next carriage.
"Then how about this carriage? This is a very practical carriage. You can store luggage not only on top of the carriage but also in the space under the seats. And yet, it is light so it can run fast. It is made of northern oak wood, which is said to be the lightest and strongest in the empire."
However, carrying a lot of luggage was not a priority for Radel.
It would be nice if the carriage was fast, but since there was a gate stone, there was no need to ride a fast carriage.
"It's nice that it's fast and light, and can carry a lot of luggage."
At first glance, it sounded like a compliment for the carriage.
But Grandal, who was born into a merchant family and had been running the guild until now, was not fooled by Radel's soulless response.
'But the next carriage will be different.'
Without delay, he moved on to the carriage he had prepared with the most confidence.
"This carriage is the flagship product of our Spear Guild. A carriage has many uses, but this product was planned and produced as a travel carriage. It is made to be very convenient, especially for long-distance travel."
This explanation had a corner that piqued Radel's interest. Because what Radel wanted was a carriage suitable for long-distance travel.
He especially hoped for a carriage that he could ride when going to subdue monsters or moving to a dungeon.
"If you look here, the seats are made of a very soft material. We paid special attention to the fact that you have to sit for a long time when you travel. Would you like to try sitting down?"
At Grandal's suggestion, Radel got on the carriage and sat on the seat.
It was certainly soft.
As soon as he sat down, his waist sank in so much that it was difficult to get up again.
"How is it, Your Highness?"
Grandal waited for Radel's words with expectant eyes.
"The seats are soft, but for a long-distance travel carriage, I think there are more important things than this. I have a question about that."
"Yes, by all means."
A customer's question was always welcome.
However, Radel's following questions made Grandal flustered.
"How many minutes can it withstand a monster's attack? Is it prepared for a sudden attack? If a protection spell is cast on the windows, how many times can it be stacked?"
Grandal was dumbfounded hearing the sharp, realistic questions.
He had seen nobles looking for fancy or comfortable carriages, but this was the first time he had met someone looking for a practical carriage prepared for battle like this.
"And for a long-distance travel carriage, if the seats are this soft, it will actually hurt your back. It will also be uncomfortable when sleeping. Right, is it prepared for the cold season? It would be better if the seats had heating elements."
"Pardon? Heating elements? What do you mean by that...?"
Grandal asked Radel in surprise.
"In winter, it's cold when you sit on the seats, so you make the seats warm. In other words, you install a device in the seats that generates heat..."
Radel answered nonchalantly, then came to his senses.
Come to think of it, isn't that a concept that doesn't exist in this world?
"......Never mind. I misspoke."
Radel shut his mouth, realizing his mistake, but Grandal's eyes had already changed. His intuition was telling him that there was more to Radel.
Besides, Radel was right. He had been hearing that the soft seats were uncomfortable when traveling.
Radel's insight in pinpointing that was by no means a coincidence.
Grandal was already betting the future of the Spear Guild on carriages.
Grandal clung to Radel with a desperate heart.
"If you have an answer, please tell me, Your Highness. If you help me, I will repay you in any way."
It was the moment when Radel's eyes, which had been trying to gloss over it, shone.
"Is that so? Then shall we talk business now?"