Chapter 269: Chapter 269

Damn it.

I just stood still.

Shall I run away like this?

Yes, I’m sure I’ll be caught in no time.

Is there any other way?

Thoughts were rushing through my head.

"Hey, can’t you hear me?"

When I did not respond, the soldier of Sushou spoke in a more ferocious voice.

I can’t help it.

I looked up at the soldiers and asked.

"What’s going on?"

"Take off your hood for a moment. There’s something I need to check."

"...I will."

I nodded my head softly and lowered the hood that had been covering me deeply.

"Done?"

When you are questioned or interrogated, you have to go out more confidently.

"Oh."

One of the two soldiers approached and gazed through my face.

But somehow he didn’t compare my face with what he had in his hand like any other soldier I had just seen.

As if I wasn’t the one they were looking for in the first place.

It was the moment that I felt bad about the increasingly blatant gaze.

"Let’s go."

The other soldier spoke as if to hurry the soldier.

But the soldier who was looking at me laughed and quivered as if he was having fun.

"It doesn’t metter. It’s nice to the eyes while we’re at it, right?"

This asshole.

"Well, it looks like it’s definitely not."

It was time for a soldier with such a bad smile to turn around.

"Hey, can I ask you something?"

Where are you just going?

If you offended me, spit out some useful information.

When I called him myself, the soldier raised one eyebrow as if it was unexpected.

"What?"

"Is there something going on in Arcadia? I came on a trip, and the atmosphere was terrible..."

I continued speaking with a frightened performance.

"If something bad happened, I think it would be better to move on to the next city right away."

"Oh, no big deal."

The soldier replied, waving one hand.

"I just got information that the wanted person is traveling to Sushou, and I’m looking for him."

"Wanted...?"

Are you looking for me?

I think it’s a bit crazy to mobilize soldiers just to find me, but it’s quite possible if it’s Chanton Sushou.

I asked with a worried face for more information.

"That person must have committed a terrible crime..."

"Not really, but if he’s bad, is he a bad person? The truth is..."

"Hey, let’s go."

The other soldier, who seemed to have had his mind straightened up, frowned and cut off his words.

Sheesh, what a shame.

"You don’t have to worry too much, so have a good trip and go back home. Let’s go."

The two soldiers moved to another place, and I, left alone, sat on the bench and began to ponder.

"He must not have noticed that I and Perez were not in Lombardi."

No way.

But the clever black bear was so quick-witted that nothing could be said for sure.

If it wasn’t me, who was it that he was looking for while mobilizing all the soldiers like that?

But there was nothing I could do right now.

It was an act that would expose the status of the management of the Pellets Corporation or Lombardi Top.

For now, I just hope that I am not the one they are looking for.

"That’s too much!"

I turned my head towards the sudden loud noise.

It was a checkpoint where people were lined up.

"You must have heard that His Majesty the Emperor ordered us to stop the reckless inspection of our Pellet Corporation! What kind of case is this because it’s a detailed checkpoint again!"

Now I see that the clothes of the person who protested loudly were embroidered with Pellet Merchant’s emblem.

"It’s just that we all carry out the same inspection, why are you so talkative?"

"Can you swear to have the other top go through two or three checks like us and wait a few days each time?"

"Oh, my God..."

The line between the soldiers at the checkpoint and the person in charge of the Pellet Corporation continued for a long time.

And as I watched the fight, I gradually regained my composure.

It’s not a trip.

The reason I left Lombardi in secret was to prevent the construction to narrow the river in the Tamal region conducted by Chanton Sushou.

But for a moment, I forgot the reason.

My head, which had been excited about Perez’s work, gradually cooled.

The childish jealousy that had made my face blush was also pushed aside.

"Let’s go back to work."

I got up from my seat and muttered.

And before turning around, I didn’t forget to keep an eye on the angry Pellet people.

***

"Welcome to Chesail."

A soldier dressed a little brighter than Arcadia smiled as he returned my ID card.

"The atmosphere is quite different from Sushou region."

Perez spoke as if he had read my thoughts.

"Yeah. It’s really different."

After a few days of traveling, our carriage finally arrived at Chesail.

"Because we don’t have time to look around. Shall we take a look at the scenery?"

Rather than head straight to the marina, we parked the carriage on a small hill.

"Come on, buy semi-acid coals which can’t be sold these days!"

"There’s seafood that just arrived from the East Coast by speedboat!"

The lively voices of the merchants solicited could be heard up to the top of the hill.

"Sushou’s greed has reduced the quantity, but the market is still active. Thank God."

I said relieved in my heart.

The merchants of Chesail didn’t seem as free as the people of Arcadia a while ago.

It wasn’t just that.

"Do you see those big warehouses over there? It was originally all farmland."

"Yeah, I think I remember. Much better than the last time I came here, Chesail."

"Right? You think so, don’t you?"

I kept smiling without realizing it.

Ever since my father became the Lord, and since he started trading in the East, Chesail has been growing day by day.

Who can imagine that this large city, now filled with people in every alley, was once a poor manor where people starved for food during famine.

"Lord Gallahan is praised for being a very talented lord."

Perez said to me, who was smiling proudly.

"But seeing Chesail in person, I feel like I can even feel the affection for the estate of Lord Gallahan."

I totally agree with Perez.

My father wanted Chesail to grow up like Lombardi.

May it become a place of life where the people of the territory can live in peace without being swept away by years of famine and abundance.

Therefore, the difficulties of the local residents, which were discovered by opening ports, lowering taxes, and running on their own, were reflected in the management of the estate.

And in just a few years, this kind of change has been achieved.

"Shall we go to the dock now?"

Perez asked me, reaching out his hand.

"Yeah, we need to get on board before it’s too late."

We held hands and headed slowly towards the carriage.

In the meantime, I suddenly got an idea out of my mouth.

"Someday, when my child inherits it, I hope that Chesail will become a better land."n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Tuk.

"Uh, Perez, are you all right?"

"......yes."

Perez, who had suddenly tripped and almost fell while walking, answered with a low voice.

Then, with his mouth shut, he looked at me with trembling eyes.

"What are you looking at like that? Isn’t it obvious?"

"I’m surprised when you say that all of a sudden, Tia."

Anyway, he’s very shy!

"I’m just saying the obvious, right?"

I spoke more boldly.

"I’ve told you before. At least three should be born."

"Whoa."

Perez began to wash his face dry.

I didn’t care.

I continued to speak.

"The Lombardi family, the Lambrew Empire, and here in Chesail. We have a lot to pass on."

"That’s true."

"So let’s do our best, Perez."

"Gasp..."

Perez’s face, which covered his mouth with one hand and barely nodded, looked very tired.

I patted him on the back and laughed.

"Aren’t you a little weak? That’s why. Hang in there a little longer, because once you get on board, you will be able to rest."

"...if I take a cruise, I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep any better." (TN: ... Perez, where your mind go now?)

"Huh? What?"

"Nothing."

Perez shook his head and smiled faintly.

Then he held my hand tighter and said.

"Let’s really travel next time, Tia."

"Travel?"

"At that time, I will make you travel slowly. There are many places I want to show you."

Perez, who says so, looked like a little child.

"Look more places, and you’ll see if I’m the master of the empire as good as the Lord Gallahan."

He sounded like a child who wanted to be praised for his hard work.

I looked up at Perez for a moment and then gently stroked the guy’s head.

"You are already a good emperor. That’s what I know best, even if I don’t look at the Empire."

"......"

Perez didn’t respond.

He was just resting his head in my hand like a gentle beast.

He’d be offended if I scratched his chin.

I said, holding back the momentary impulse.

"Come on, let’s go for a cruise."

"We still have time. You don’t have to hurry, Tia."

The carriage that took us again headed straight to the marina.

Perez said it was okay to go slowly, but he didn’t know how long it would take for passengers in a non-high-class regular room to check-in.

It was when we arrived at the dock in such a hurry and showed cruise crew our ’regular room’ tickets.

"Congratulations on winning the event! You have received a special room accommodation voucher for our cruise!" (TN: It seems it’s a fraud event. The winner has been decided from the start. Haha...)