13 – Elena
＜Chapter 13 – Elena＞
Justice’s Summit was found once again.
It was because the merchant slave recommended this place.
“Please come in, sir. Master.”
Credit.
It sounds good to hear, but in the end, it’s borrowing money.
In other words, it’s incurring debt.
To be honest, I felt a little hesitant.
“You’re right. But I don’t know your name.”
“I am… called Russell.”
“All right, Russell. Show me that my choice wasn’t wrong.”
“Of course. Master.”
We entered Justice’s Summit.
The merchant who rejected me yesterday greeted me warmly.
“Thank you for visiting again, sir.”
Taking a seat in the elegant reception room,
Russell got straight to the point.
“The merchant must have investigated you as well, Master?”
The merchant smiled at Russell’s confident tone.
“It must be difficult to deceive someone who worked in the same industry. That’s correct.”
Even though he hesitated at first, the merchant used honorifics when referring to Russell, despite him being a slave.
It seemed that he considered the fact that Russell was a customer more important than his own status.
“That’s fortunate. It will be easier to talk then.”
Russell thought there would be some trickery between merchants, just like there would be with nobles.
But it wasn’t the case for Russell.
He explained our situation thoroughly and spoke without reservation about what he wanted.
“So, what benefits does the Justice Upper Class gain from this?”
Russell spread out two fingers.
“We will repay the debt within two months. Additionally, we will purchase slaves from the Justice Upper Class in the future, double the amount of the debt.”
The merchant looked at me and nodded, indicating his agreement.
Everything was settled in an instant.
We drafted the contract and received the money.
“Is it really this easy?”
The Justice Upper Class even hinted that they could lend us more money in secret.
Of course, I declined.
The exemption from tolls was Kalas’s consideration.
We can’t transport a massive amount of grain using that.
Literally, it’s at a reasonable level.
Calas’ self-made plan was just sufficient to be acceptable.
“It went as planned, Master.”
“Easier than I thought.”
Traders had a different mindset compared to me.
They had no aversion to the word ‘debt.’
Instead, they seemed accustomed to actively taking on debt.
“It means that traders highly evaluate you, Master.”
“Well… I see.”
If they were traders, they must have understood the significance of farming on Monster Island.
They could probably estimate the profits coming from there.
“Good job, Russell.”
“I will continue to dedicate myself to you in the future, Master.”
With borrowed money, they purchased grain and headed back to Monster Island.
Unlike the first time, the size of the procession had increased.
100 households of slaves. Over 400 additional individuals.
***
Except for a minor incident at Calas’ self-made checkpoint, they returned to River Village without any major events.
Upon seeing the carts filled with grain, the checkpoint knight detained us.
Of course, Russell stepped forward, and it was resolved amicably.
Born as a merchant, he was adept at conversing with the checkpoint personnel.
“Sir, this is River Village.”
“Yes, this is where my wife and daughter live. And you are…”
Russell bowed his head.
“I know. I’ll transform the monster byproducts into grains in the Frontier Territory and then go to the continent to buy livestock.”
“We’ll gather the villagers for you, so be careful on your journey.”
After arriving at River Village, a few days later.
Russell left the village.
“Is it acceptable to use slaves as merchandise?” the old man asked with a worried tone.
“It should be fine.”
His wife and daughter were in River.
By his side was someone from River Village.
Lastly, a slave brand was engraved.
A triple security measure.
With this, Russell wouldn’t easily change his mind.
“Grandfather, we need to expand the agricultural land.”
“hahahahaha! I knew you’d say that. Do you have a plan?”
“Of course!”
First, he mixed the existing slaves with the new ones and divided them into two groups.
I plan to operate two cultivation sites, one and two.
Each cultivation site will be divided into A, B, C, and D zones according to the Norfolk 4-field system.
“Each cultivation site will be made to the scale of 100 households for farming.”
However, it becomes difficult to manage when combined.
If it’s too small, the economy of scale won’t work.
That’s why the decision was made to group them in units of 100 households.
‘And… if we select a person from each household to form a militia…’
We can obtain both financial and military power.
Of course, we are not considering forming an army yet.
We will operate at the militia level.
Monitoring monsters and dealing with them as needed, just to that extent.
And as we did with the existing slaves,
We told the new 100 households of slaves that they would receive wages,
And by saving money, they could be liberated from slavery.
As a result, they started working diligently, just like the existing slaves.
The unfinished area D of cultivation site 1 has been completed,
And now we are cultivating cultivation site 2.
In the meantime, the crops planted in cultivation site 1 are growing vigorously.
When everything is progressing smoothly,
A letter has arrived in the River Village.
“It’s almost time for Elena’s coming-of-age ceremony.”
I read the letter again.
It contained the request for attendance at Elena’s coming-of-age ceremony, along with the location and date.
“A vampire duke? Why not at the Frontier, but at the duke’s residence? Why?”
Elena Frontier, my younger sister.
Considering the importance of the coming-of-age ceremony, it would have been appropriate to hold it at the Frontier mansion.
“Is it another Briden?”
Elena was born from the same mother as me.
In other words, Elena was also the child of the former wife to Briden, just like me.
“I must attend this.”
I took the letter and went to find my grandfather.
***
Vampire Duke’s decree.
The Gray Tower.
Elena Frontier had lunch alone again today.
The large restaurant in the tower.
Not only wizards, but also many employees working in the tower dined here.
Through Elena’s ears, she could hear the sound of people laughing and chatting.
She lowered her head even more and read the note placed next to the plate.
A note filled with earth magic spells.
After reading it repeatedly a few times,
the meal was over.
Cleaning up the plate,
just as she was about to leave the restaurant,
she encountered a group of people coming in.
Elena lowered her head, avoiding eye contact.
They were classmates.
No, they used to be friends.
When she first entered the Tower, their relationship was good.
She was a part of that group.
No, she was at the center of them.
The name “Frontier” held weight in Monster Island.
But when it was revealed that her brother had no magical talent,
and rumors spread that he would be expelled from the Tower,
that’s when it started.
Her friends distancing themselves from Elena.
Now, they wouldn’t even exchange glances.
She walked out of the restaurant.
People were resting outdoors.
Some sat on benches and chatted,
while others gathered on the grass, enjoying a pleasant time.
Elena deliberately ignored such scenes
and returned to her room.
And there, a familiar face awaited.
“Alencia unnie!”
Elena hugged Alencia tightly.
“How have you been?”
“Unnie, what’s going on today? You’ve been visiting quite often lately.”
Alencia’s smiling face stiffened a bit.
“There’s a little problem.”
“A problem? Is it because of my coming-of-age ceremony?”
Coming-of-age ceremony.
Important to everyone, but even more crucial for the nobility.
Usually, parents prepare for the ceremony.
In the absence of parents, grandparents take on the responsibility.
However, Elena’s parents showed no interest in her coming-of-age ceremony.
Her father was busy guarding the frontier territory.
Her mother, too, was not someone to take care of such matters.
So, Alencia helped.
She arranged the adult ceremony venue and invited people.
On the day itself, preparations, including food, were to be made, including Aksa.
“The adult ceremony will be held at the Frontier Mansion on that day.”
“What!? On my adult ceremony day? Then people will…”
“They won’t come. Those who went to the Frontier will attend the reception prepared by Bree.”
No matter how much of a stepmother she was.
Is it really necessary to be this cruel?
Elena tightly closed her eyes.
If the most celebrated adult ceremony is empty?
It was no different from life in Matap.
“Sister… What about my brother?”
At the word ‘brother,’ Alencia’s eyebrows trembled.
“I sent a letter. He’ll probably attend.”
“Yes….”
Still, it was fortunate.
She had a brother born to the same mother.
With neither father nor mother coming to the adult ceremony.
At least one family member will come.
***
I gathered skilled slaves.
I had them make wooden dolls.
Father, mother, my younger sister, and me.
A family doll representing the four of us.
I planned to give this doll to my younger sister.
Additionally, I searched the clover field.
In search of a four-leaf clover for good luck.
A family of four.
And a four-leaf clover.
The numbers fit perfectly, making me oddly happy.
It wasn’t just me busy with Elena’s coming-of-age ceremony.
Grandfather was in a hurry too.
Leading the villagers, he crossed the bridge to Serrivere.
He mentioned having seen an old tree there and planned to cut it as a gift.
Perfect for use as a magic wand, he said.
So, each of us prepared our gifts,
and headed towards the Vampire’s Duchy.
