CHAPTER 51 – FLUTE OF A DRAGON TAMER?“Alright, it’s a success.” (Wendelin)
“Are you again experimenting on a new seasoning?” (Hermann)
A little less than 3 months pa.s.sed since I came to this Baumeister territory.
I, who got out of bed today at the same time as usual, was taking my breakfast in the living room of the mansion.
As I’m sitting on the chair of the master, there is Paul-nii-san, who’s the manager of the guards, and Hermann-nii-san, who came to the mansion on business, on both sides.
Also, Erw and Ottmer-san’s group are sitting in their respective seats.
The maid, Dominique, Elise, Ina, Luise and Wilma are in charge of cooking and serving the food.
If this scene was publicly shown in the Heisei j.a.pan of my previous life, without doubt there would be complaints tossed at me by all those, who call themselves feminists.
However, in this world this is an accepted practise.
Me, who is a Baron and the master of this mansion, Paul-nii-san, who is currently an appointed Knight and Hermann-nii-san, who is our guest, are sitting at the high-ranking seats.
Erw, who is the Junior Commander, Ottmer-san, who is planned to become the Junior Commander of Paul-nii-san, and the other guards are sitting on the adjoining seats.
It’s not a question whether that’s good or bad. This is simply common sense and thus it should be only me who is pondering about this.
The difference in seating order is dictated by the social position, but if I recall it now, even at the year-end party of my company in my previous life the big-wigs were seated at the head of the table.
It might only be the difference between being great as person with a high social standing or being great as n.o.ble.
I feel like even I finally got used to sitting at the seat of honor every time.
“Wend, what’s this?” (Paul)
“It’s a new product, Paul-nii-san.” (Wendelin)
“Are you developing merchandise even at this place?” (Paul)
During his time as guard in the royal capital, Paul-nii-san had known for a fact that I was inventing seasoning and cooking during my stay in the capital.
There is also the matter of me having given him a few times a complimentary ticket for the shop managed by Artur-san. It seems he went there to eat taking his subordinates along once in a while.
“It’s a new friend of mayonnaise!” (Wendelin)
“Again?” (Erwin)
“Well, then it means that Erw won’t get any.” (Wendelin)
“The new product looks delicious.” (Erwin)
For Erw a n.o.ble, who concentrates on cooking and seasoning, might cause a feeling of anxiety.
But with only this much, it was impossible for him stop me since this is my hobby.
“So, will you put it up for sale again?” (Paul)
“For now it’s only a prototype. If you included the production costs, it would wouldn’t be payable easily…” (Wendelin)
This time’s prototype was my favorite food from my previous life, 『Mentaimayonnaise』.
The way to make it is simple, but the problem is in the point whether cod roe is existing in this world.
As a matter of fact there are trouts, who go up streams due to the mild climate, called 『Southern Sea Trout』 in the rivers of the Savage Lands, thus it was possible to obtain salmon roe from there.
I’m constantly preserving these within the magic bag being properly pickled in soy sauce.
And although there was cod roe, I have confirmed that it is eaten in the north.
Immediately I decided to order it at the fish dealer managed by the family of the female staff member, who works at the Sorcery Guild and who became my acquaintance some time ago, but with the fish eggs, including cod roe as well, being a local delicacy and with the costs for transport and import taxes being ridiculously high, it ended up having an expensive price.
Furthermore, this cod roe is indispensable for making mustard-seasoned cod roe.
As result of requesting this from the fish dealer, the price turned out to be even more expensive than curry powder.
“However, it’s a great idea you’ve come up with.” (Paul)
“Certainly. Especially if you consider the contents of the meals of our family’s home…” (Hermann)
Although neither Paul-nii-san’s nor Hermann-nii-san’s expression of curiosity broke apart, the reason for me being well-accustomed to such things as making seasoning was owed to my work in my previous life.
Tentatively it was a trading company with a known name, but we were treated as second-rate by the industry, which had elite employees receiving orders for infrastructure projects with a big amount of money involved after having negotiated with the local governments overseas and who was constructing cutting-edge industrial plants.
Such ○ farming-like story was the primary reason for us being weak.
After I finished the training as new employee, I was a.s.signed to the department mainly in charge of buying up things related to foodstuffs.
Furthermore, with me being primarily responsible for local foodstuff, I occasionally directly went to locally producing farmers and fis.h.i.+ng harbors to test the ingredients.
I offered these to manufacturers and stores where these were needed.
I didn’t realize that a member of a trading company as imagined by society might be a slightly different existence. At least I think that I was dealing with many ingredients used for high-quality products.
Even the clients were soy sauce warehouses, miso storehouses and sake breweries, who were fixated on the traditional way of manufacturing.
It was small to medium food companies making products by only utilizing good-quality native ingredients.
Naturally, in relation to making deals with the people of such companies, it’s impossible to say that you don’t know basic way of manufacturing.
I learned those by studying and experience.
Anyway, there were many moody people among the artisans and managers fussing about the techniques of the makers in this way.
During my time as newcomer I invoked their anger by exposing my stupidity and the deals were s.n.a.t.c.hed away by rivaling companies. There was also the experience of getting yelled at by my superior close to losing all my vigor.
Since I’m even now persisting in gathering experience on how to cook during my off-days as it is my hobby and a process of learning, I don’t know whether it has proven to be fortunate for my life.
“At any rate, let’s sample it.” (Wendelin)
With wanting to test the taste, I immediately put the 『Mentai mayonnaise』 on top of cooked rice and sample it after that.
Even everyone else began to sample it by putting it on cooked rice and bread.
“Delicious.” (Paul)
“Ah, gradually my tongue is indulging in luxury.” (Hermann)
If it was only cod roe, it wouldn’t match with cooked rice, but if it’s Mentai mayonnaise, it will even fit with bread.
Even in my previous life I made it for trial purposes given that it was usually sold in bakeries.
However, I think it fits best with cooked rice after all. It’s probably because my inside is that of a j.a.panese person.
Thanks to cod roe being imported good, the production cost was high, but if it’s the current me, anything’s possible.
I don’t even have any intention to stop eating meals with cooked rice. I don’ want to eat the dry and crumbling brown bread eaten in the Baumeister territory anymore.
Certainly this means that my tongue became accustomed to extravagance.
“By the way, although the talks have veered off, will you go to inspect the Savage Lands today?” (Hermann)
“Yes, I want to advance the development special ward.” (Wendelin)
I answer with a 『Yes』 to Hermann-nii-san’s question.
Given that it’s a secret agreement, no one opens their mouth, but it has already become the prescribed course of disinheriting Kurt and having Hermann-nii-san inherit after father.
Besides, as compensation for his cooperation, it will become possible for Hermann-nii-san to at least obtain the t.i.tle of Baron with his allocation of the Savage Lands and it has been decided that he will receive help in developing that soil.
On this occasion I considered to carry out an inspection of the location as it will border in the neighborhood of my territory.
“I see. However, the lot from the central government is scary.” (Hermann)
“That’s the world we live in. There is no other way but to call that common sense.” (Wendelin)
Once again Burkhart-san’s figure couldn’t be seen, but recently he has been always monitoring Kurt.
Also, he has been called to go report to Margrave Breithilde before, though I sent him with teleportation.
It seemed that he had been given a magic tool for communication at that time.
There are only few people who currently use this magic tool, which is known as portable communication device and cellphone in my previous life. It was an item discovered in historic ruins with quite the high ratio of being common.
Originally it takes quite a bit time and labor to produce it. Since the majority of the produced items had been seized by the military and government offices, it doesn’t come around often to a countryside n.o.ble, even if he is an important n.o.ble.
Of course it’s not possible to measure its worth. The matter of him entrusting it to Burkhart-san was proof of the situation in the Baumeister territory to have gathered the attention of the n.o.bles.
“Kurt-aniki wants to be the leader of this territory, including the Savage Lands. I guess he wanted to inherit it.” (Hermannl)
“Such a pipe dream.” (Wendelin)
“He likely thought it would be possible, if he exploited it from Wend. Thanks to that, it turned out like this.” (Paul)
As Paul-nii-san says, because of the secret activity of Burkhart-san, who is capable of locating the current position of his opponent due to minuscule quant.i.ty of mana, all of Kurt side’s movements were leaked to us.
Just three days ago it seems that they held an a.s.sembly gathering only the influential people of the main village.
“That meeting, huh… ?” (Hermann)
“Have you been aware of it, Hermann-aniki?” (Paul)
“You also heard about it only by rumors, I guess, Paul?” (Hermann)
“I have heard of it, but only as sort of previously arranged meeting. There’s nothing but disagreeableness, if you go by what the folks of the other villages say.” (Paul)
“Well, don’t say that. It was a plenty useful meeting back in the old days.” (Hermann)
At the time when the reclamation of the Baumeister territory just begun it was a valid policy by the ruling Baumeister household to treat the main village favorably.
Being in the sticks, where you can’t expect any support from somewhere else, for the feudal lord’s household to have a firm grip on preserving its sovereignty, there was no other way if they wanted to avoid their downfall due to a rebellion.
“However, it has become ill-fit for the current times. Even I wasn’t allowed to attend until I became the head of the branch family. Even if only a few of their wishes come true, they will profit. That lot is only producing pet.i.tions with unreasonable demands.” (Hermann)
Also, as the majority of the members attending the meeting are old people, the cause for the meeting has apparently become obsolete.
The elder have been thinking that it’s fine for them to continue their lives of favorable treatment in the current main village until they die.
Therefore, when Hermann-nii-san suggested a proposal on how to not discriminate in the treatment of the three villages, they ended up laughing scornfully.
Also, if Kurt became the de-facto proxy working as feudal lord, it would result in the craftsmen of his generation partic.i.p.ating in that meeting.
Hermann-nii-san apparently expected a reformation due to the new generation, but the fact is that they are attached to their vested rights, no different from the elder lot, and were only advocating the favorable treatment of the main village.
“Even Kurt-aniki laughed at it with 『Immature idealistic thoughts』. What do you think, Wend?” (Hermann)
“In short-term the maintaining of the status quo is effective. In long-term, won’t it be the first step to a slow decline?” (Wendelin)
“Right. That’s what I think too.” (Hermann)
Above not being able to develop the peculiar Savage Lands, it will become a suicidal act to increase the population of this territory in the future.
If it becomes like that, the young people will naturally leave the territory, if the lot of the main village gets favorable treatment.
“Or maybe they will do something like forcing the troublesome second and third sons of the main village’s population on the families in other villages that have only daughters?” (Wendelin)
“They will definitely refuse that, no?” (Hermann)
“There is the possibility of the Baumeister household forcing it by commanding it.” (Wendelin)
Additionally, there was also the possibility of them confiscating newly cultivated land for the sake of benefiting the main village, which would result in the declined villages becoming victims.
“As expected, going that far…” (Hermann)
“The money for cultivating new land is given out by the Baumeister household though.” (Wendelin)
“No, the labor has been put in by the fief’s population though…” (Hermann)
Or rather, if they did such thing, the inhabitants of the declined villages would get disgusted and leave.
I wonder how they are planning to develop the Savage Lands this time?
“As I said. They are holding onto the dream of 『If we develop the Savage Lands, any generation after that will at least be an Earl』. As for concrete plans, they don’t really know well.” (Hermann)
“There is. Aren’t they saving funds and want to exploit money from Wend?” (Paul)
Hermann-nii-san as well as Paul-nii-san were shocked by Kurt, who doesn’t mention anything but vague plans such as 『If I become the feudal lord, our sovereignty will be firm』 and 『I will become a great feudal lord by developing the Savage Lands in the future without fail』.
Even the kids around here can say such things, if it’s only at this level.