Chapter 54: Contract and the Trap [2]
Evil beings were not demons, but they worshipped demons and borrowed their power.
Naturally, it was a task for the hero certified by the prophecy book, who was almost the antithesis of them.
"Hmm...?"
At that moment, there was a commotion outside the ship.
When Gerhard and Hyde went outside, a company employee approached, breathing heavily.
"Young Master, I heard you were here and came running."
"What happened?"
"A letter from the Duke has arrived."
"Oh, finally."
Gerhard received the letter with a smile on his face.
[I will spare no cooperation as you wish.
I will give you the right to use the family’s facilities and craftsmen, and the money to purchase the water dragon’s carcass.
In return, you must explain in detail how you obtained the mithril and adamant.
And calculate the promised amount exactly, without even 1g of error, according to the contract.]
[Honestly, I don’t see any business potential in the warship business within the Academy.
Nevertheless, if you judge that it must be done and is a viable business, go through the formal reporting system and come with a more detailed report and possibilities.
This aspect is a business conducted as a company, and you are not simply my son but the branch manager of the Golden Turtle Company’s Academy branch.]
"...It’s done!"
The Duke was someone who believed that guarantees shouldn’t be given even between parent and child, and that financial relationships should be clear.
This matter, too, was not a son using his father’s people and facilities, but a transaction between merchant and merchant.
Because of this, he had to give some mithril and adamant in return, but it wasn’t a bad outcome.
’For the warship business side, I can’t do anything immediately as expected.’
It was also unavoidable since he couldn’t claim to see the future.
’But the justification will soon arise.’
After the incident at the Yacht Club, the Academy will be startled and establish a naval combat course.
It wasn’t far off.
"It seems His Grace has approved?"
"Yes. I’ll have to return to the main house during the break."
Demons be damned, I’ll need to shut myself in the workshop throughout the summer break.
Well, that’s for later, but for now...
"I need to meet Luina Berchef."
It was time for the next step.
***
Perhaps because a small error as a merchant could determine great loss or profit.
Gerhard Goldenheim tended to prepare thoroughly for everything.
Since unexpected events could occur at any time, his principle was that preparation could never be too thorough.
Battle with monsters at sea, prophecies about evil beings.
The unfamiliar battlefield of the sea, the future slowly changing due to Gerhard.
No one knew how the synergy of these two would alter the original future.
It would be nice if it were in a positive direction, but well, the possibility of it being negative had to be considered too.
That’s why.
"Luina Berchef, take this."
"What is this?"
"An invitation to the Yacht Club."
He handed the invitation to Luina.
She was currently one of the most reliable cards Gerhard could trust.
A card that could sufficiently cover the situation even with some variables.
Of course, Gerhard had various students receiving support from his family besides Luina, but when it came to usable cards, the more the better.
"By the Yacht Club, do you mean what I think it is?"
"Yes. The one only the top 5% of the Academy can enter."
It wasn’t explicitly stated as the top 5%.
However, since those lacking in ability or family background weren’t accepted, it came to be called that implicitly.
Originally, Luina Berchef was more than qualified to be a member of the Yacht Club.
Second in the Academy, a bloodline of the Margrave family Berchef.
Even though they had half-fallen, the foundation built over a thousand years hadn’t disappeared.
Nevertheless, the reason she had been distant from the Yacht Club until now was entirely because of Gerhard.
’I was trying to pressure her subtly.’
He had been trying to slowly drive Luina into a desperate state using debt as leverage.
Preventing her from entering the Yacht Club was one of those measures.
"Why suddenly the Yacht Club? Didn’t you prevent me from entering?"
"...You knew?"
"Bella is also a member of the Yacht Club."
Now that he thought about it, that was true.
Although she had shown some carelessness related to demonic energy, Bella Hoenne was excellent in both ability and family background.
"...If you’re too immersed in the past, you can’t move forward."
"That doesn’t seem like something you should say, but."
"I thought it might be fine since I’m giving you an invitation now. We’ve even become partners."
Gerhard cleared his throat and extended the invitation again. Luina looked back and forth between it and Gerhard.
"Indeed, there is a clear difference between our relationship before and now. It’s not particularly strange that you’re giving me an invitation now."
"That’s right."
"But I can hardly believe you’d hand this over without any reason. What is it?"
"Does a person need a reason to treat another person well?"
"Isn’t it stranger that there’s no reason?"
It was an irrefutable statement.
"Perhaps you really..."
"Absolutely not. I swear on money, it’s not that."
Gerhard firmly shook his head at Luina’s half-closed eyes.
"If it’s not that, then there must be another reason."
"I told you. Investment in talent."
"Do you really think I’d believe that?"
Under her piercing gaze, Gerhard finally confessed.
"I’ve discovered traces of evil beings. It seems they’re planning something at this Yacht Club."
"...!"
"I’m thinking of setting a trap to catch them, but I thought it would be more certain with a reliable helper..."
"The priority of our conversation is wrong."
Luina cut off Gerhard’s words.
"You should have told me that first."
"So you’ll go?"
"Of course."
She accepted the invitation.
"I can never forgive the evil beings who infected Bella. Even apart from that, I have no intention of leaving evil beings plotting something alone."
"Good attitude."
It was indeed the mindset of someone worthy to be a companion of Aint, who would become humanity’s hero.
As expected, reaching out to Luina first as soon as he confirmed the prophecy book was the best decision.
"Oh, by the way, has Bella woken up?"
"Bella? Not yet..."
Unconscious for a whole day. That Janice guy, how much did he burn inside her?
"How about getting Bella to join us? As the direct victim, won’t she be quite angry when she wakes up?"
The more reliable allies, the better.
"...Well, it’s not someone else’s business for Bella anymore."
After pondering for a moment, Luina nodded.
She seemed to think that while it was unpleasant to drag a friend into a dangerous place, it was unavoidable at this point since she was already involved.
"I’m sure you’ll handle it well enough on your own, but if she refuses because she’s afraid of the evil beings, try this."
Gerhard suggested a direction for persuasion.