With the wedding reception day fast approaching, we are busy preparing the shipment of the wine. All the wine has been bottled, and we are now inside the cellar (the big hole we found before) packing the wine into the crates while attaching labels in them. The bottle must not be damaged during transportation, so we took great care in packing them.
“If Lucio is tired, Char will pull it!”
It takes three days to get to the Capital, so I’m grateful for Char’s presence. No matter how much she pulls the wagon, Char never gets tired.
However, since she looks like a five-year-old, I am afraid that I will be suspected of child abuse.
There’s also a worry that Char might get carried away and go too fast. This is also a reason why we put plenty of cushioning material in the crates.
We will finally leave for the capital tomorrow. The plan is to arrive two days before the reception, but we are still running on a tight schedule. We have to finish packing by the end of the evening.
While I am busy working with Medoc and Pino, a pale-faced Mary rushed into the cellar.
“Young Master Cedie, it’s bad! Alexei-sama is here again!”
“Huh? He is here again?”
Oh dear, what could he want at a time like this when I’m so busy?
Don’t tell me…. Is it the matter of selling the island again?
This is no longer Dantes’ territory, so please don’t say anything capricious. Sigh. I didn’t want to waste time entertaining him, but I had no choice but to see him.
I left the work to Medoc and Pino and went back to the cottage. At the cottage, Alexei-oniisan was waiting for me in a standing position with his arms crossed. He is even tapping his feet, indicating his impatience.
And there it came, his greeting is an incomprehensible remark.
“So, Cedie, have you learned your lesson well?”
“Huh? Learn from what? I don’t really get what you mean……”
“I’m talking about business. You must have had some trouble getting a trade in the Dantes territory, right?”
“Well, that’s true….…”
I couldn’t deliver the product to Emma, who has been kind to me.
Perhaps satisfied with my answer, my brother smiled broadly.
“Hmph, it’s your fault for being stubborn! But you’re still my lovely little brother. I’ll even let you do business in the Dantes territory again if you like. And I’m not asking you to sell the island again.”
“Really?”
I don’t remember being fond of him, but I have no complaints if I could resume my business with Emma.
—However, his next words were very unacceptable.
“In return, you have to sell me the management rights of the winery.”
So it was that huh……
Alexei-oniisan must have heard rumors of Gandalcia’s vintage wine somewhere. And that’s why he started asking for something so outrageous.
“I decline.”
“What!?”
My brother was surprised.
Goodness! He did not even think I’ll refuse?
That’s more surprising, you know!
Well, now that our father has passed away, my brother can do whatever he wants. In this country where the nobility has a lot of power, even the king wouldn’t go against a wealthy earl head-on.
“I’m not asking you to give up the whole island, I’m just asking you to sell me the rights to the winery.”
“No thanks. There’s nothing in it for me.”
When I refused outright, my brother threatened me in a low voice.
“Are you sure? If you don’t sell me the management rights, I’ll not only stop you from doing business in Dantes territory, but I will also ban you from entering Dantes territory in the future.”
“What do you mean?”
“I will have you arrested the moment you enter Dantes territory. I have already set up a checkpoint at the entrance to the island. Once you cross the bridge, you are already in Dantes territory.”
What the hell are you trying to do, brother?
The graves of father and mother is in Belucca!
Plus, it will be difficult to run the auberge if he does that!
Gandalcia’s food self-sufficiency rate is high, but not everything can be covered on the island. If this will be the case, we have no choice but to take a boat to Lebon for the time being then.
“Oh right. By the way, we’re also going to have a blockade in the sea as well.”
“How tyrannical of you!”
“No, no. I’m just sending out a warship to protect my territorial waters. If any of your boats come in, I’ll fire at it, so be prepared to be sunk.”
Oh my God!
What a lunatic!
I never thought he’d go that far.
“So, are you willing to sell the management rights to me now?”
“……Let me think about it for a while.”
Alexei-oniisan nods with a relaxed smile.
“Okay, think about it carefully. There’s only one answer to it anyway. Hahaha!”
With his shoulders shaking as he laughs, Alexei-oniisan walked out of the cottage.
Hmmm, this is going to be a big problem….
The main problem is that if things continued like this, we wouldn’t be able to deliver the wine to the Royal Palace. If we could use a boat, we could have gone to the port of Lebon and rent a wagon there, but I never thought that the sea would be blockaded as well.
There was a sound of thumping footsteps and Dawsill came rushing in.
“Young Master! The entrance to the bridge has been blocked!”
Lulu also came.
“There’s a big ship moored off the coast and it’s watching us.”
Although her tone is as laid-back as usual, I know Lulu is frightened.
My brother really wants to take the winery away from me.
| 「 Status 」 |
| Cedie Dantès: Level 5 Points: 32 Happiness: 44% Island Level: 3 |
Ugh, I’ve broken the record for the lowest level of happiness.
I have to deliver the wine for the wedding reception at all costs, but I can’t come up with good idea on my own.
Alright, I’ll ask for everyone’s opinion.
“Dawsill, Lulu, please help me call everyone on the island and have them gather in the Auberge’s dining room.”
We split up and went around to call the islanders.
This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.
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