CHAPTER 12

Contract

(From Rector’s Point of View)

“Who is this guy?” is probably what you’re thinking.

The person called Cardinal Browrose possessed an incredible kind of power.

“Just a little more. Can’t you lower the price a bit further?”

“My lady, this is already the absolute limit.”

“Hmm… then I’ll buy it another time.”

“W-Wait! I’ll lower it! I’ll lower it more!”

“Thank you.”

The first time I saw her was when she was twelve years old and I was sixteen.

She was haggling in the town marketplace.

As someone with a good eye for value, I could confidently say her negotiation skills were impressive enough to earn my highest praise.

“My lady, would you care to visit my shop?”

People often said that no woman could resist me when I approached them with my friendly smile.

Yet when she glanced at me, she looked completely uninterested and immediately looked away.

For some reason, that made me even more interested in her.

“My name is Rector.”

“…The second son of the Ridrai family?”

“…You know who I am?”

“I heard there was a young merchant’s son traveling around the world and wasting his life having fun.”

Not exactly a flattering rumor, but it was what I expected.

“I remembered it because I thought everyone was blind. If a merchant’s son is traveling around different countries, obviously it’s for business.”

The shopkeeper she had just bargained with burst into loud laughter.

“Hahaha! Looks like Lady Cardinal completely outmatched young Rector.”

“Lady Cardinal? As in the Prime Minister’s daughter?”

“Who else would it be?! Here you go, my lady. Is this acceptable?”

After checking the contents of the bag, she smiled sweetly.

“Thank you. Oh, and this is for you.”

“Huh?”

“A healing ointment. You said you wanted some the other day, didn’t you?”

“Then let me pay for it.”

“No need. I make it as a hobby. Thank you again.”

She placed a small rose-shaped container on the counter and walked away.

“Does Lady Cardinal even realize this medicine is worth more than most rare treasures?”

The shopkeeper opened the container.

A faint scent of roses drifted into the air.

Was there really someone in the world foolish enough to give medicine away for free?

“Old man, let me have some.”

“No chance! Ask Lady Cardinal yourself! She’d probably give it to you for free.”

And so I chased after her.

“Lady Cardinal!”

“Stop that. We’re not close enough for you to call me ‘my lady.'”

“Then… Cardinal.”

She stopped walking and turned around with an annoyed expression.

“What do you want?”

“Why do you dislike me so much? Did I do something?”

“Not really. I just don’t see any reason for us to become friends.”

Why was she so cold?

“You know, if we’re friends, it’ll be much easier for you to get the things you want.”

“How arrogant.”

“…I just want to become friends with you.”

“…Then if I said I wanted False Star Mushrooms—the ones that only grow inside caves—could you get them for me?”

“…Why would you want something that creepy?”

I paused.

“…Actually, I can get some.”

At my words, her deep green eyes sparkled brilliantly.

“How much would they cost?”

Her eyes were so beautiful I nearly got lost staring into them.

While I was distracted, she reached into a small pouch.

“Would you trade them for these?”

My jaw nearly dropped.

Large gemstones rolled around in her palm.

“W-What?!”

“If that’s not enough, I have plenty more at home. Would you like to come and see?”

“Why do you have so many?”

“If you use magical plants correctly, they sometimes produce magic stones. These are failed products. They should still be valuable as jewels, though.”

“…Then I’ll just take one.”

“You can take more if you’d like.”

I picked a gem that matched the color of her eyes.

She looked puzzled.

Did this woman even understand the value of things?

I couldn’t make sense of her.

“When do you need the mushrooms?”

“As soon as possible. And I’d like a lot of them.”

“Understood. I’ll run home and get them.”

“Then bring them to my house.”

“Certainly.”

“…Stop talking so formally, Rector.”

She…

What was she?

Just hearing her say my name made me feel strangely lighthearted.

Her house was enormous.

Almost offensively so.

“I’ve heard about you from my lady. You must be Lord Rector.”

“Y-Yes.”

“This way, please.”

I was led into a reception room.

A short while later, Cardinal entered pushing a tea cart filled with sweets.

The way she handled everything made it obvious she was used to this sort of thing.

“Please help yourself.”

“Thank you.”

“Too formal.”

“…Thanks.”

She smiled.

Cute.

The thought appeared so suddenly that I stuffed a madeleine into my mouth to distract myself.

“Wow! This is amazing!”

“I’m glad. It makes all the effort worthwhile.”

“Huh? You made this?”

“Yes.”

“You should open a shop! I’ll invest the money myself!”

While I devoured the sweets, she calmly poured tea.

The tea was refreshing and delicious as well.

“If my family ever falls into ruin, will you build me a shop?”

“Huh?”

“…Just kidding.”

She laughed awkwardly.

Something felt off.

Was she carrying some kind of burden?

For some reason, I suddenly wanted to protect her.

Just then, someone knocked on the door.

“Big Sister.”

“What is it, Yard?”

“Oh, you have a guest. Sorry.”

“It’s alright. Come in.”

A young boy, younger than Cardinal, entered and politely bowed to me before speaking to her.

“Princess Cocol says she’d like to visit our house sometime.”

“I’ll ask the Queen.”

“Thank you! I wanted to show Princess Cocol the frogs I’ve been raising!”

“…Yeah, let’s not do that.”

“Huh?”

“Frogs are adorable, but let’s not show them to a princess.”

“Would that be bad?”

“She’ll probably cry.”

The boy visibly deflated.

Cardinal patted his head.

“Let’s bake cookies together instead. Frog-shaped cookies would be adorable!”

“Y-Yes, Big Sister!”

What a close sibling relationship.

“I’ll prepare some tea for Yard too. I’ll go get another cup.”

“Yes, Big Sister.”

As soon as she left the room, her brother glared at me.

“Don’t get the wrong idea and think you can have my sister. I’ll kill you.”

“…What?”

This kid was terrifying.

“Every now and then some idiot misunderstands my sister’s kindness.”

He sighed dramatically.

Apparently he put on quite an act whenever Cardinal was around.

“At this rate, your sister’s never going to get married.”

“Who says I’m letting her marry anyone?!”

The fake-smiling little brother looked genuinely annoyed.

“Women are happiest when they marry a good man.”

“Don’t compare my sister to ordinary women. She doesn’t need marriage to be happy. I’ll make her happy myself.”

“What a dependable little brother.”

He stared at me.

“If you ever disappoint my sister, I’ll kill you. Remember that.”

“Siscon.”

The boy smiled proudly.

“That’s right.”

Almost immediately afterward, the door opened and Cardinal returned.

“You two seem to be getting along.”

“Yes, Big Sister!”

“Rector seems like the type who becomes friends with anyone.”

Yard looked surprised when he heard her call me by my name without any honorifics.

“You’re not much different, Cardinal.”

I deliberately called her by name as well.

“That’s true. I tend to become friends with people rather quickly.”

“I can tell. Anyway, let’s talk business.”

“Business?”

“I like your failed products.”

She blinked.

“So sell them to me.”

Looking at her surprised face, I smiled.

“Like I said before, if the circumstances ever require it, I’ll build you a shop. A contract with me is a pretty good deal, don’t you think?”

She laughed softly and nodded.

She really was adorable.

Meanwhile, her brother was glaring at me with enough hostility to kill.

Ignoring him, I finished my cup of tea.

And thus, the merchant’s son—one of the game’s capture targets—finally made his appearance.