After some time, the business discussion ended, and n.o.buhide and the wolf tribesmen left the building.

After Elsa saw them off, she breathed out heavily, as if a huge load had been lifted from her shoulders. Then the next moment, unable to control it anymore, she burst into wild laughter.

The business talk with n.o.buhide was a success. Not only that, the things n.o.buhide presented were something outside of her expectations. In response to these unexpected items, Elsa was somehow able to demand a reduction in price. After all, if the value was too high, if anything goes wrong, she may become bankrupt immediately.

n.o.buhide accepted the reduction in price positively too. But because the demand was accepted easily, Elsa was a bit overwhelmed. Well, there was not much of a difference since it's still a huge amount of money.

In addition, compared to what n.o.buhide had presented, the funds which Elsa brought wasn't enough at all. However, should it be said that he’s generous or not? Saying just paid him later if the amount wasn’t enough. He gave her all the sugar and spices that he brought over.

“Now then, let’s return back to the room.” Elsa ordered the two swordsmen.

Reina was still discontented and continued to sulk after she had demanded an explanation from n.o.buhide about helping the beastmen. Reina was still not convinced by his answer.

But, Elsa thought that it couldn’t be helped. Lyle and Reina were siblings. They were fallen n.o.bles. They were innocent, but their parents had committed a sin. In this world, a parent’s sin was also their children’s sin. The only salvation was that they weren’t beheaded together.

These two have lost their social positions as they were demoted to commoners. Their fortune was also lost. They were n.o.bles who don’t know how the commoners live their life. Naturally, they were forced to live a harder life than other commoners.

“Reina.” When they returned to the room, Elsa called out her name.

“...What is it?” The swordswoman mumbled.

“It isn't that I don't understand your feelings. Regarding the kindness that Fujiwara-san has shown towards the beastmen... If it was showered onto humans... No, if it was given to you, your dream to revive your house would not just be a dream any more.” Elsa stated gently.

Upon hearing Elsa’s words, Reina cheeks were dyed red in embarra.s.sment. Deep inside her heart, she was envious of the beastmen, and Elsa was able to guess it.

That was why Reina vented at n.o.buhide, and asked the question she had asked. However, the true words hiding inside Reina’s heart were different.

‘Don’t just help the beastmen. Please help my unfortunate self too...’ was what she had wanted to say.

“This world is unfair. The king, n.o.bles, commoners, and people of a lower cla.s.s... The moment you are born in this world, your social status has been decided for life. Even though I am a commoner, at the very least I was blessed to be born in the house of a merchant. Well, as you know, I can't inherit the store, so I ran away from home.” Elsa sighed.

Elsa was from the Youju Empire. It’s a country located in the lower part of the Dragon’s Jaw Continent. Born in the merchant’s house as the eldest child, but not the eldest son. Because she was unable to take over her family's business, she ran away from her home together with her younger sister. Then, while she was peddling, she reached the Kingdom of Sandra, and opened her own store there.

It was at that moment that she met the siblings Reina and Lyle. When both of them tried to rob Elsa, Elsa was able to convince them to work for her as escorts.

“Well, just say what you want to say, alright? I will step on everything and take what is at the top of the ladders from now on. There are countries where you can buy n.o.ble status if you have money. You guys also don't have to be escorts anymore. How about you guys also learn how to manage a business soon?” Elsa smiled at them.

Elsa laughed heartily because they only had to study to do that. If they still had lingering affections regarding their previous status, then they should grasp it with their own hands. That was what Elsa had meant.

“... Let me think about it for a while.” Reina lowered her head gloomily and left the room without waiting for Elsa’s answer.

“I am sorry, Elsa-san.” The one who apologized for Reina’s ignorance was her younger brother, Lyle.

“Don’t worry about it. Well, it is a good opportunity for Reina to break out from her sh.e.l.l. Besides, I don't think I will have enough human resources I can trust from now on. I will also need your help, Lyle.” Elsa stated.

“Yes, I understand.” Lyle nodded his head.

Unlike his sister Reina, Lyle had already given up on his status as a n.o.ble already. So, in order to become a merchant in the future, he had been learning by watching Elsa till now. Elsa was aware of this as well.

“Come here for a little bit and look at outside of the window.” Elsa stopped near the window, and called Lyle over.

There were several hundreds of buildings lined evenly across the window, and the sound of the laughter of the beastmen children could be heard from everywhere.

“Don’t you think that this is wonderful?” Elsa asked offhandedly.

“That’s right.” Lyle replied.

To humans, beastmen were an existence that’s far different from them. However, when you look at them like this, both of them felt that there was no difference between humans and beastmen.

“...The talk just now... Will it be really okay?” Lyle asked timidly.

“Hmm? What is it?” Elsa turned to look at him.

“The war... Will it really happen?” He elaborated.

“It will certainly happen. First of all, our country will certainly start attacking again. That's why, to prolong the time before the war is our job. The prolonged time will become our profit.” Elsa answered seriously.

“......” Lyle wasn’t able to say anything.

War will happen in this peaceful town. When he thought like this, Lyle felt pain run through his chest.

He himself had fallen from being a n.o.ble to nothing, so he always thought about the relations.h.i.+p between people and status. If a king lost his country, he can just become an ordinary citizen. On the contrary, if a slave was able to catch ahold of a chance from heaven, depending on his path, he might be able to become a king, or so Lyle thought.

That’s right. In the past, there existed a person who eventually became the king of a large country despite his original position of a shepherd.

Lyle was a far-sighted person. That’s why he never had any disdain towards the beastmen, and only knew of the beastmen from his prior knowledge. But now, after looking at the life of the beastmen from the window, Lyle knew that there was no difference between humans and beastmen.

The beastmen live happily in this town, but their happiness may be destroyed by the war.

Once, Lyle didn't know anything, and was living happily with his family. Suddenly, everything fell apart. Now, in Lyle’s mind, he was thinking that the beastmen resembled the him of the past.

“Are you worried? About this town and the beastmen?” Elsa asked.

“Yes, well....” Lyle sighed.

“You are kind. But, I don’t dislike it. Frost-han also said that it was inevitable for the Red Dragon Knights to lose. For example, look at this house.” Elsa and Lyle averted their eyes from the window, and paid more attention to their room. “The architecture style is totally different from anywhere else. It is splendid. Frost-han also said that this was made by Fujiwara-san for the beastmen.”

The technology wasn’t from this continent. Thus, it's natural to think that there was something else besides architecture

“It's not ordinary for hundreds, no, thousands of beastmen to follow only one human. Only Fujiwara-san is able to do something like this. Well, we should just think about what we can do. He seems to want to do business on top of understanding everything.” Elsa smiled.

“...That's right.” Lyle nodded quietly.

After their talk finished, Elsa sat down, and began to drink the alcohol that n.o.buhide had left behind.

Lyle simply continued to look out of the window while hearing the happy voices of the children with a warm feeling permeating his chest.

◆

The night after the business negotiation finished…

At the house of Chief Jiharu, the people who had served as the guards of n.o.buhide gathered.

“――then, Fujiwara-sama said this. ‘The beastmen are my irreplaceable family, friends, and comrades. Do you need a reason to help your family, friends, and comrades?’” One of the guards reported.

“Hmm...”  After the guards finished their report, Chief Jiharu closed his eyes, deeply impressed.

The room became dead silent. They were even able to hear the voices of the orphans in another room clearly. Before long, Jiharu opened his eyes, and opened his mouth slowly.

“...Once again, tell me the words of Fujiwara-sama.” He commanded.

“Not again! We’ve already told you those words so many times!” The man from the wolf tribe complained.

That would be because they had already recited the line ‘because the beastmen were-’ more than ten times. To be told to repeat it so many times like a tape recorder, even the good-natured man of the wolf tribe became fed up.

“Isn’t that fine? It’s not like you are losing something.” Jiharu rolled his eyes.

“Tsk... This is really the last time. I will never say it again.” The man sighed.

But, even while complaining, he imitated the voice n.o.buhide enthusiastically. The man seemed to like that line very much as well.

“Family, friends, and comrades... Those are good words. As expected of Fujiwara-sama. He is completely different from other humans.” When Jiharu heard the words which n.o.buhide had spoken once again, he folded his arms while thinking deeply.

“So, what should we do? The problem is that Fujiwara-sama is talking about doing business with humans. The goods seem to be quite valuable among humans too. Moreover the humans will attack again! Don’t we need to advise Fujiwara-sama?” The man asked worriedly.

On the other hand, Jiharu shook his head and said that it wouldn’t be necessary.

“Fujiwara-sama was able to fend the human army by himself. Everyone should already know this. However, we need to prepare so that we can fight against the humans any time too. Severe punishment will be given to those who skip the training.” Jiharu looked at the man and scowled.

“Y-Yes...”  As a man of the wolf tribe, he didn’t intent to skip training. But still, to be asked if he always put his spirit in his training or not... He can't deny it. When they were being stared and scowled at by Jiharu this way, their stomachs which originally didn’t have any pain seemed to scream sharply immediately.

“Now then, let's write the previous words onto paper and place it in various places.” Jiharu ordered.

“Oi, oi! Only the chiefs of the tribes and their kids are able to read!” One of the men reminded.

“Hmm, I guess that’s true.” Jiharu hummed, deep in thought.

Because he thought that it would be useful, n.o.buhide taught Jiharu how to read. Of course it’s not j.a.panese, but the letters of this world.

The results gradually showed itself, and Jiharu recently became a teacher who taught the children how to read.

“Then, gather everyone tomorrow, Let’s convey the words of Fujiwara-sama to everyone!” Jiharu changed his orders.

“Oi, it can’t be that I have to recite it again...” The man complained.

“That’s right. You should feel honored.” Jiharu grinned.

After that, Jiharu let the children who came to learn how to read recite ‘this’ often, and n.o.buhide, who came to the neighborhood by chance, blushed deeply.

[TL: brainwas.h.i.+ng, this is brainwas.h.i.+ng!]