Crimson and Merchant 1
In the dimly lit room, a man draped in a robe stood rigidly, his entire body drenched in cold sweat. The opulent interior was scented with incense, and a well-dressed man sat calmly on an elegant armchair. This man, dressed in fine clothing, maintained his composure in front of the robed figure.
"I had high hopes for you," he said.
"———"
Despite the room being at a comfortable temperature, the robed man's face was contorted with fear and covered in sweat. Meanwhile, the man in the armchair spoke as if discussing the weather for the next day.
"To the best of my recollection, you were quite confident in your undertaking."
"Y-yes, but, sir, that was truly—"
"Do you know that I do not tolerate excuses?"
At once, the robed man fell silent. He had been nervously clutching the hem of his robe, possibly to wipe away his sweat. The seated man snorted in apparent boredom at the sight.
"Since then, I haven’t heard much about any monster stampedes. I hope you haven't wasted the materials I provided."
"No, of course not—"
The robed man desperately shook his head in denial. The seated man cast him a final, disdainful glance and issued his ultimatum.
"I expect the final touches to be complete. — Don’t expect another chance to make up for this."
The man's chilling, low voice made the robed man turn pale, and he bowed deeply in utmost respect. With a dismissive wave of his hand, the robed man crawled out of the room. The man, his face devoid of any visible emotion, watched him leave and then snapped his fingers. Instantly, an elderly butler appeared from behind. The butler silently poured hot wine and presented it to his master.
"How are the mechanisms in the underground chambers progressing?"
"They are loosening as planned."
The butler replied calmly. The man nodded in response.
"Good. I was concerned when I heard that a young mage had interfered—"
"It has been reported that there is no suspicion of tampering."
Satisfied, the man nodded again. As he swirled the wine in his glass and enjoyed its aroma, he murmured contentedly.
"It has been a long time. It will still take some time to finalize the final stage, but—finally, the time has come to revive the hero."
The butler remained silent in response to this monologue. He knew well that his master preferred solitude and disliked any intrusion into his private world. He erased his presence and focused solely on his duties.
"For that to happen—every obstacle must be eliminated."
The low voice echoed eerily through the dark room.
*****
Duchess Liliana Alexandra Clark blinked as she read the letter she had received.
(Well, it's unusual—no, it should be described as peculiar.)
The letter from Crown Prince Riley, which would normally detail recent events or upcoming tea parties, instead extended an invitation to join a field inspection. The destination was the Clark Duchy, and the accompanying party included Riley and Liliana's brother, Clyde. The invitation suggested that Liliana join them as well, and it seemed that her father, Duke Clark, had already given his approval. There were no oversights.
(The accommodation will be at our duchy’s estate—the one where my grandparents often stay. It is concerning that my father is aware of this.)
The last time Liliana saw her father was on the return journey from Clyde's debut in the Fortia Territory. During a monster stampede, Duke Clark had caught a glimpse of Liliana from the carriage and said, "Oh, you’re safe after all." Since then, her impression of her father had been significantly tarnished. However, Liliana knew there was no point in dwelling on her father now and turned her attention back to the letter.
It seemed that Riley's interest was in the dyeing district located at the southernmost tip of the Clark Duchy. In this world, dyeing fabrics requires clean rivers. However, it is impossible to dye both blue and red in the same river. Using blue dye will turn the river blue, and red dye will turn it red. The dyeing district at the southernmost tip of the Clark Duchy was responsible for dyes not permitted in other regions. While it also handled yellow dyeing to some extent, its specialty was red dyeing. The deep crimson hue, known as Crimson, was highly popular both domestically and internationally for its beauty. The raw material was a rare type of cochineal called Kermes, which was scarce even in the Slibegrad Kingdom.
Furthermore, the availability of alum in another area of the Clark Duchy was significant. Alum is used to fix dyes to fabrics, and like Kermes, it is difficult to obtain. Thus, the Crimson dyeing of the Clark Duchy had even greater value. However, alum is not used for dyes that do not require enhanced value; tartar, lime, and wood ash suffice for those.
(Kermes seems to be common in southern countries, but it's much cheaper to produce domestically than to import.)
Although expensive compared to other dyes, it was still a valuable source of income for the Clark Duchy and an industry that needed protection for the Slibegrad Kingdom. In fact, Crimson-dyed fabrics from the Clark Duchy, adorned with luxurious gold and pearl embroidery, had been presented to the royal family.
Given this, Riley’s proposal to inspect the region wasn’t so surprising. It also made sense for Clyde, the heir rather than the Chancellor Duke Clark himself, to accompany them, considering the current state of the royal court. However, Liliana was puzzled about why she was included.
(What could he be thinking—oh, but)
Liliana suddenly had a thought. Marianne had turned sixteen this year and would be making her debut in society. While the dress would likely be tailored at home, she wondered what fabric would be used—if it hadn't been decided yet.
(If she would be pleased, it might be a good idea to present her with Crimson-dyed fabric.)
Though the inspection with the Crown Prince and her brother was a burdensome proposal, the thought of Marianne made her spirits lift somewhat.
The dyeing district was located at the far southern tip of the Clark Duchy, making it a considerable journey. Liliana decided to summon Marianne and prepare for the inspection.
*****
Though Liliana Alexandra Clark had met Crown Prince Riley Williams Slibegrad about half a month ago, it had been a full year since she last saw her brother, Clyde Benito Clark. It seemed that Clyde had also been in the capital and had traveled with Riley in the same carriage. A year during childhood felt long, and twelve-year-old Clyde had grown taller and looked somewhat more mature. Clyde seemed to think the same, as he smiled warmly at Liliana.
"You've grown more beautiful, Lily."
Liliana responded with a bright smile. Both Clyde and Riley were unaware that Liliana’s voice had returned. Riley’s expression briefly twitched, but he maintained his composure. Liliana tilted her head slightly, sensing something odd, but chose to ignore it.
Marianne, Gild, and Olga were busy loading luggage into the carriage. Although Liliana had hesitated, it was decided that initially, she would share the carriage with Riley and Clyde. While traveling alone with Riley was problematic, the presence of her real brother Clyde seemed to make it acceptable.
"Your Highness, I will sit next to Lily," Clyde said.
Liliana climbed into the carriage following Riley. Riley urged Liliana to sit beside him, but Clyde insisted on sitting there himself. Although Clyde’s expression was friendly, his eyes showed no sign of yielding. Riley, in response, furrowed his brow in displeasure.
"Are you not willing to give up your seat to my fiancée?"
"She is a fiancée candidate, Your Highness," Clyde corrected.
Riley, evidently defeated by Clyde's unwavering stance, let out a deliberately exaggerated sigh and turned to Liliana.
"Fine, I’ll concede this time. Liliana, will you sit next to me next time?"
Clyde, the last to enter, still wore a pleasant smile, but his eyes remained serious. Liliana took her seat next to Clyde, maintaining a vague smile. Riley, noticing the communication bracelet on Liliana’s left arm, seemed pleased. Although Clyde’s presence made it seem unnecessary, it was evidently good that Liliana had worn it.
"If you start feeling unwell, make sure to let me know right away, Lily," Clyde said, showing concern.
Though not lacking in stamina, Liliana looked fragile compared to the two, who practiced swordsmanship and martial arts as part of their education. She smiled and nodded, understanding Clyde’s concern.
With monsters still being reported frequently, Liliana hoped for a safe journey. In the worst-case scenario, she could use her magic to resolve any issues, but she wished to avoid raising unnecessary suspicions with Riley and Clyde.
As the long journey stretched before her, Liliana sighed inwardly. Using teleportation would be instantaneous, but traveling by carriage felt long and endless.
After the carriage had been moving for a while, Riley turned to Liliana.
"As I mentioned in the letter, the purpose of this inspection is to evaluate the dyeing district of the Clark Duchy. Given your knowledge, I assume you know that Kermes is a specialty and Crimson dye is highly valued."
Riley seemed certain that Liliana was aware of this. Seeing her nod in confirmation, Riley continued.
"The primary purpose is to demonstrate the kingdom's prestige and emphasize its importance by having me, the Crown Prince, conduct the inspection. The second purpose is to investigate the traders from the Yunitian Empire who have recently been frequenting the area."
While the first purpose was immediately clear, the second was vague. Liliana blinked and tilted her head in curiosity. Riley, with a gentle smile, elaborated further.
"Do you remember the discussion we had with Austin about the Yunityan Empire traders? The one who frequented the Tanner Marquise?"
Understanding now, Liliana recalled the traders and realized there had been concerns about their connections. Yunityan Empire traders had obtained permits to operate in the Slibegrad Kingdom, but it was peculiar that they were primarily connected to neutral nobles. Neutral factions—such as the Baron Kennys and Baron Calvert—were not typical partners for expanding business. Other than that, there were no other unusual reports at present.
"Yes, I remember. Is this trader visiting our Clark Duchy’s dyeing district? Does he have a permit?" Liliana inquired through the bracelet, realizing that Clyde would not hear her question.
Riley's eyes glinted with amusement, but he continued speaking as if nothing had happened.
"I heard that the trader is visiting the Clark Duchy’s dyeing district. While he seems to have a permit, obtaining one is straightforward—anyone can get one with a reliable sponsor or guarantor. Therefore, we need to verify this in person."
Liliana understood Riley’s concerns precisely from this explanation. Riley was worried about the potential leakage of dyeing techniques or even the smuggling of Kermes itself. Given that Crimson dyeing was unique, it was possible Riley was also concerned about the use of alum, which could have applications beyond dyeing, such as in extinguishing agents, tanning agents, and precipitating agents.
"By the way—"
Clyde spoke up. Liliana turned her face toward him. Clyde, now showing a touch of youthful mischief, smiled playfully.
"The second purpose is something even Father does not know. You must not tell anyone, Lily."
Liliana nodded firmly in response, understanding that both Riley and Clyde seemed to be diverging from the control of Duke Clark.
Chapter 64