Chapter 69 – Peddler’s Information

A few days from the absurd drama that Villiers took.

「Dra-dragon knight-sama! Good morning!」

「Dragon Knight-sama, if you’re fine with it, please dine here…」

「Is Dragon Knight-sama married?」

Whenever I walk through the city, several voices call out to me.

Won’t this make my city building slow?

I return the residents’ greetings and come to the adventurers guild.

「Re-Ren-san!」

「Miria! It’s His Majesty!」

The receptionist Miria and Ran noticed me first and raised a voice.

Because of that, all the gazes in the building are focused on me. But I, who was gradually getting used to it, has ignored it and headed for the reception.

「Good morning. Anything happened?」

After hearing that, Miria shakes her head happily.

「No, it’s peaceful! Because the city is guarded by such guards, there are no thievery incident and even brawls doesn’t occur either. By the way, have you heard the rumor?」

「Rumor?」

When I drew my face to Miria’s, she nodded while her face turned red.

「Yes. I heard it a while ago. A peddler from the Galland Empire told me about some disturbing movements in the empire…」

When Miria said that, Run, who’s standing next to her, nodded with a serious face.

「I think the merchant is still in the Merchant Guild.」

「Oh, hey, Ran!」

Miria raised a voice of criticism. It seems that she’s dissatisfied that Ran was the one who said the information.

「Thank you. Let’s go.」

I was curious about the information. I thanked the two gently for their trouble and left the adventurers guild.

Time has not passed yet but, has the Galland Empire already started organizing their invasion troops?

I tilted my head and went to the merchant guild.

「Oh, isn’t that His Majesty? Is something matter?」

Upon entering the merchant guild, Vian, the merchant guild executive who was in front of the reception, found me and smiled.

I approached Vian and opened my mouth while looking around to check if there was a merchant I haven’t met yet.

「I heard that the Galland Empire is showing suspicious movement …」

When I said that, Vian rounded her eyes and looked up at me.

「Well, Your Majesty… Your ears are quick to hear. The merchant who brought in that information has showed his face here a little while ago.」

「Is he here?」

「He borrowed a small meeting room with his peddler friends for business negotiations.」

「Is that so? Thank you.」

After thanking Vian, I headed to the small conference room I made on the second floor of the merchant guild.

「Are you coming with me?」

When I climbed the stairs going upstairs, Vian came behind my escort for some reason.

「Can’t I?」

「Well, it’s up to the other party to decide.」

After my ambiguously vague consent, Vian smiled and continued to accompany us.

Well, we might be able to hear information and ideas from another perspective with Vian.

While thinking that, we arrived in front of the small conference room.

By the way, this is the first room on the second floor. The door on the left is the small conference room and the door on the opposite side is the large conference room.

When I silently knocked on the door of the small conference room, the door opened from the inside after a while.

It was a face I didn’t know.

「…Who are you?」

It was a thin man with sunken eyes. The thin man asked me so.

「I am the king of this country, can I speak with you for a bit?」

「Oh, King…Dragon Knight…sama…?」

I thought that it must be quicker than introducing myself as Ren. It seems that they heard my voice, voices echoed in the small conference room.

「Please come in.」

「Ah, pl-please!」

There was a voice urging me to enter and the fuzzy thin man invites me in a hurry.

There were three merchant looking men inside and the merchant in the middle, Finkle.

「Welcome. Does His Majesty has business with me personally coming here?」

When I, my escorts, and Vian entered the room, Finkle has asked me with a sharp eye.

I opened my mouth to Finkle after confirming that the thin man, who didn’t move from the door, closed the door.

「Well, I just heard a strange rumor that apparently, there are suspicious movements in Galland Empire. Do you know about it, Finkle?」

When he heard that, Finkle widened his eyes.

「How did you know about it? What kind of information network does His Majesty have….? Even I just heard it right now…」

「By chance, is it from the man on the front door?」

When I said that, Finkle, who had an amazed face, nodded.

「Yes, it is. He is from Maeas like me but he seems to have come here after trading in Galland Empire. During that time, it seems that there is a sense of inconguity in the movement of goods.」

「Movement of goods. Do you think it is some sort of preparation for war?」

When I confirm it, Finkle nodded with a complicated look.

「Then, where did the Galland Empire carried their provisions? If there is a large amount it will always leave a trace.」

When I asked, Finkle showed a hesitate gesture. He pulled in his jaw and opened his mouth.

Is it a disadvantageous for me, or ….

「Are they going here in great quantity that cannot be dealt with? Or are they going to attack from multiple places simultaneously?… Or Earl Villiers, no, was there a collaborator from the nobles under Minister Villiers?」

When I told him that, Finkle blew a shallow sigh and nodded.

「It’s only a rumor among the merchants of Galland Empire at the moment. However, it seems that the Galland Empire collects food and slaves in five cities and hires mercenaries. They are in Alda prefecture which is in contract with the border of His Majesty’s country and the central north part of the Rembrandt Kingdom.」

After saying that, Finkle stroked his chin with his finger and turned his gaze downward.

「Surely, there is no way that they’ll be sending soldier to both His Majesty’s country and the Rembrandt Kingdom. The least possible thing they’d do is to keep one in check while invading the other, right?」

When Finkle said so, Vian, who’s behind me, opened her mouth.

「Wa-wait a minute. You’re not a big merchant with a store in Empire or the Kingdom, but just a peddler, right? Even if you have a lot of peddlers friends, how did get information about multiple cities?」

Vian stared at Finkle with suspicion.

Finkle bitterly smiles at Vian’s gaze and spread his hands and raised his face.

「I am a mere peddler. However, I’m a peddler from the major economic power Maeas. Maeas has the largest number of peddlers in the five major powers and also has its own flow of logistics. I believe that we are number 1 in the five major powers in terms of information gathering.」

When Finkle defended, Vian tilted her head and folded her arms.

「Our merchant guild is also a huge organization with an information network that connects across countries. However, the only information we have gathered is the mercenary gathering in Alda and Emres.」

When Vian said that, Finkle nodded in a vague way and took off his gaze from Vian.

「… It’s a fascinating story. Vian, is it not a good time to take your time now?」

「Huh? M-me? I-I don’t have anything scheduled at lunch. Hi-His Majesty can take my time until tonight… No, there is no problem if I go back in the morning…」

When I asked Vian’s schedule for today, Vian tried to hide her cheeks with her while twisting her body.

「Is that so? Finkle, if you don’t have a plan, accompany me.」

I got a brief answer back to Vian and this time I asked Finkle.

「…… I will accompany you.」

Finkle has a slightly dark expression but it soon vanished. He replied and bowed.

「Eh? Finkle too?」

Vian looked at me and Finkle alternately with a face like a pigeon with a pea but I let her be.

I won’t likely to invite you for a date with the current flow of events.

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