How To Suck Honey With Extras [EN]: Chapter 119

131. Just Doing Business (3)

“Even if it failed, it would have been my responsibility, so no harm would have come to Mr. Marlo.”

“Don’t say that. From our perspective, we’d like to see Mr. Aileen around for as long as possible.”

“……Well, it would be nice if it lasted a long time.”

That statement held multiple meanings.

As I nodded and watched,

“Haaah… So, when will this moving of cargo be over?”

The elf, who had casually arranged a few chairs near us and was sprawled out on them, yawned.

Lucel Elbeid.

The protagonist’s companion, and now looking quite carefree.

She seems even more carefree than I am.

“Why don’t you take a nap if you’re bored? It looks like it’ll be past noon before we’re done moving everything.”

I spoke to her informally.

Originally, I could have treated her more respectfully, but Lucel said it was okay to speak casually.

Apparently, if I was too polite, it would make her feel worse.

What a reason.

Anyway, when I said it would take a while, Lucel openly grimaced.

“Ugh, how much is there?”

“Well, we brought as much as we could fit on the ship. More importantly, Lucel, are you really okay with slacking off here?”

“……What else can I do? The Princess was so insistent. She said this was more important, right?”

Lucel shrugged, as if she couldn’t win.

Why is this elf, who should have been asked to guard the Princess, here?

“My role is just to watch those people receive and move the goods properly.”

It seems Lucel was asked to supervise the safe transfer of the goods.

After all, the original cause of the problem was someone setting fire to the supply warehouse.

Asking Lucel to guard was a reasonable choice.

“By the way, if you sell this much stuff… you make quite a bit of money, right?”

“That’s about right.”

“Wow… I’m kind of jealous.”

Lucel had already watched the trading process with the Princess, so she roughly knew how much profit I was making.

Her admiration wasn’t sarcastic, but genuine.

“Maybe I should go into business too.”

“Hey now. What kind of elf talks like that, so tainted by the world?”

“Elves like money too, you know? It’s convenient to have. Ah~ I love money~.”

She’s serious. That’s absolutely genuine.

“Humans don’t understand… Sigh, how hard it is to live without money. Do you even know?”

“Humans can’t live without money either.”

“It’s even harder for us.”

Well, I don’t completely misunderstand what Lucel is saying.

It’s true that it’s hard for elves to live in this world.

Elves are rare.

As proof, Mr. Marlo and the other merchants were glancing at Lucel with curiosity.

“……I never thought I’d see an elf in a place like this.”

“……Don’t say that in front of her. She’ll probably get angry. I’m willing to bet on it.”

I quietly warned Mr. Marlo.

“……I see. I’ve heard rumors, though.”

“……Well, it’s a tragic issue from her perspective. It’s polite not to provoke her if possible.”

Elves are rare here.

It’s not just rare in the sense that they don’t interact with humans.

The treatment of the elf race here is almost akin to that of an endangered species.

‘The original story mentioned that there were less than 300 elves left, right?’

For a race to have less than 300 members is utter destruction.

The reason for this is that the elves’ collective society collapsed once in the original story.

500 years ago, they were attacked by an unidentified person.

The attacker indiscriminately massacred the elves and even cut down the World Tree, their foundation and support.

The massacre happened in just one night.

Later, the elves called it the ‘Tragedy of the Moonless Night’ [a historical event where elves were massacred].

Ironically, it was an ominous day when the moon was not visible.

Anyway, as a result of that tragedy, the elves’ home was destroyed.

Originally, there were 100,000 elves, but only about 1,000 survived that day.

After that, the elves who lost their homes scattered, and they couldn’t exactly say they were treated well.

A race without a home, and elves are strong and beautiful.

It was obvious how other countries would treat such elves.

The existence of a homeland that protects and understands them is that important.

In the end, unable to withstand the harsh world, their population has dwindled to less than 300 in the 500 years since.

It’s a tragedy.

So, it’s best not to mention it if possible.

Lucel may seem like that, but she cares about her fellow elves.

Even though she is one of the very few third-generation elves born after the tragedy.

That doesn’t mean she didn’t experience hardship growing up.

Originally, her dream was to succeed and have a place, even a small territory, where she could live with her fellow elves.

The protagonist promised to make that happen and is acting together with her.

‘Come to think of it, will I encounter that problem someday……?’

That’s also a story that needs to be addressed and resolved in the original work.

It’s not going to happen right away, but it’s good to decide on a course of action from time to time.

‘The work never ends.’

I sincerely hope that the day I can stretch my legs, lose interest in the world, and become a rich and wonderful unemployed person comes as soon as possible.

“Anyway, after sending all the luggage, it would be good to send a letter to Mr. Lowell of Felpuk.”

“Hmm? Weren’t you going to return right away?”

“Of course not. I need to rest, and I still have things to do.”

More than anything, I want to watch the situation until the end of the war if possible.

Putting everything else aside, just watching the protagonist act according to the original flow is enough.

‘I’m not doing anything!’

I’ll quietly do business in the rear.

Just as I was wishing for such a hopeful thing in my heart,

There was a slight commotion.

It seems someone is interfering with the work of moving the luggage.

“Get out of the way! Get out of the way! Where is the person in charge here!”

It sounded familiar, and it had to be that guy.

I can recognize him just by looking out the window!

Nelvis Mel Falgentania.

The current Duke’s nephew and the traitor who will fail magnificently in the future.

That guy has come all the way here.

“……L, Lord. What brings you here?”

“Shut up! More importantly, what are you doing? Who gave you permission to unload cargo from that ship!”

Nelvis shouted and questioned the merchant who quickly came out of the ship and prostrated himself.

Unsurprisingly, he seems quite displeased with the fact that we are unloading cargo from our ship.

Well, he had firmly interfered with me and rejected me until recently, so he must be frustrated that I’m calmly unloading cargo from the ship.

“You must not value your lives! What are you doing! Arrest those impudent bastards immediately.”

He’s even using the guards he brought to threaten our people.

“Ah, that looks a little… dangerous.”

Even Lucel muttered, looking fed up.

It wouldn’t be strange if someone got hurt.

“……Tch, that idiot.”

I never dreamed he would be so incapable.

‘Could it be that the fact that the deal was made wasn’t conveyed to him?’

Anyway, I can’t fathom his stupidity any more than in the original story.

I can’t help it.

“Lucel, stay here.”

I stopped her in advance as she was already stepping forward.

Oh no, how dare you step up.

“I could talk to that human for you, you know?”

Maybe that’s why Princess Elnea sent Lucel here on purpose.

“No need.”

I refused immediately.

I’ll take care of this problem myself.

More than anything, it’s not polite to leave it to someone else when they’re picking a fight with me.

‘There’s no reason to be looked down on anymore anyway.’

Last time, I reluctantly backed down because I was half annoyed and didn’t need to, but now there’s no reason to do that.

I opened the window and jumped out.

Using gravity control and Sylph’s wind in combination to slow down and float my body in the air.

‘……Well, it’s working somehow.’

It’s a little unstable to balance, but it’s not a full-fledged flight and it’s just a bluff, so it’s okay.

“Then, shall we go commit a little rudeness?”

I flew straight to where the commotion was happening.

And with a light gust of wind, I gathered everyone’s attention.

“……Wh, what?!”

“A person is floating!”

With everyone’s attention gathered, I boldly landed in the middle of them.

And Nelvis, who had been momentarily stunned by the sight of me, soon pointed at me.

“Y… You!”

“It’s been a while, Lord Nelvis.”

You were looking for the person in charge, right? So, I’ll present myself here.

With that feeling, I greeted him with a calm smile on my face.

I don’t immediately throw a punch just because I’m annoyed.

“I would like to apologize first for the rudeness of flying here to see Lord Nelvis in such a hurry.”

“Th… That’s good. It’s just as well! You’re the person in charge, right? Who gave you permission to unload cargo here!”

He questioned me as if he had found a good prey.

That’s what I wanted.

“Surely Lord Nelvis told me to go back then.”

“Yes. I warned you, but you’re brazenly showing this behavior, do you think the Falgentania Dukedom is a joke?”

“……Of course not.”

The only one who looks like a joke is you.

“This is also the will of the Dukedom.”

“What nonsense……”

“Well, please take a look at this first.”

I took out a piece of paper and handed it over.

A document proving the deal made with Princess Elnea.

The contract for this deal.

“……Elnea? Elnea?!”

Of course, there’s no way he wouldn’t recognize it.

It was the moment when Nelvis’s eyes were filled with confusion.

“H, how did this happen!”

“Through a strange connection, the Princess took notice of our products, and we successfully completed the contract.”

“Th, that can’t be! There’s no way!”

He denied it first.

It seems he wasn’t acting up knowing about it.

How strange. Did no one tell him?

“How dare you tell such lies!”

“Then, it’s also possible to request confirmation from the Princess. More than anything, her guest is here.”

He probably knows Lucel’s face too.

“I swear on my life that there is not a single lie in that contract.”

“……”

The reason he can’t refute is that he can tell the authenticity of this.

More than anything, there are two copies of the contract.

Even if he gets rid of this one, Elnea will obviously have the other one, so it’s meaningless.

‘Now, how will you come out?’

I’m personally hoping that he’ll choose the dumbest option possible.

But he couldn’t answer.

Is his head not working properly yet?

‘Then there’s a way.’

Even if there are no detailed descriptions, I know something about that guy.

This should be enough.

“This is all thanks to Princess Elnea, who recognized the value of our contract.”

I deliberately said words of gratitude in front of him.

Because that guy has expressed inferiority to Princess Elnea.

More than anything, the decisive reason he colluded with the Empire in the original story is because the Duke favored Elnea.

The inferiority of someone who wanted to be the successor but couldn’t.

Of course, it’s very easy to provoke.

“How dare you! Who are you trying to deceive with such a fake contract!”

Unsurprisingly, he really exploded easily.

Nelvis, whose face turned red in an instant, pointed at me with a rough breath and then at the guards.

“Arrest all of them, including that guy! It’s okay to cut them down if they resist!”

“……H, but.”

“What are you doing! Hurry up!”

As he urged, the soldiers had no choice but to draw their swords and approach the merchants.