#236 In Tarak (1)
Tarak, the great northern city of the Tulk Kingdom, where several avatars had somehow ended up gathering.
Beyond the Steel Citadel farther north lay the Northern Mountains, where resources such as rare monster bodies, minerals, and medicinal herbs could be obtained.
To the southeast, trade routes connected it to the Azerion Empire, which ruled the central continent.
And to the southwest lay the high-quality iron ore mountains that were the pride of the County of Aonia, making this a place that possessed many outstanding artisans. ‘That’s why I chose this place as the starting point for the Hubert Company.’ A blessed location: a city where the mercenary and weapons industries had developed, and which boasted an excellent position in trade as well.
Before anyone realized it, the Hubert Company had grown into one of the foremost great merchant groups even in such a place. ‘Of course, it wasn’t an achievement built purely through fair competition.’ That was only natural, since there was no way a company that hadn’t even been established for more than a few years could grow this quickly by normal means.
“Hmm.”
From the rooftop of the company headquarters, Hubert looked down and took in the people busily moving to and fro below.
It had begun with the immense initial capital he had been able to secure through Hans’s support.
Using that, he recruited talent and pursued aggressive mergers and acquisitions, quickly placing his company on track. Afterward, the rising status of co-representative Harley served as an external shield. ‘It was also significant that I built a friendly relationship with the count’s family, the lords of this land, and showed off my connection with the Church through Heinrich.’ Nor could he leave out the fact that, thanks to the vampires under Heinz II, he had gained the upper hand in the covert struggles beneath the surface.
In the process, there had also been those who had been thoroughly punished and made examples of for scheming behind the scenes. ‘On top of that, the finest spices and rare goods brought over from Earth, as well as high-quality products supplied after controlling their quality with “Appraisal.”’ Furthermore, his bold investments and business moves, carried out while grasping the Immortal King’s attack information in real time, succeeded again and again.
And the Tulk Kingdom’s merchant union faction, which had kept him in check at every turn, had seen its influence shrink in an instant due to the coincidental intervention of the Immortal Army.
A streak of success that continued day after day, as if the heavens themselves were helping him.
Because of that, in Tarak’s business world, Hubert had even come to be called “the man loved by the God of Wealth.”
So it was not particularly strange that he had become the owner of a large merchant group that ranked first in northern Tulk Kingdom and held considerable standing in other countries as well.
And that remained true even at this very moment.
The golden age of the Hubert Company was still ongoing.
“Ah! Company Master, there you are!”
As he was blankly watching the people below, a familiar woman’s voice reached his ears.
Hubert slowly turned his head and looked at the girl approaching the rooftop railing where he stood.
“Diana.”
The small, scrawny appearance she had had when they first met, when she had been unable to eat properly, was nowhere to be found. Now, if anything, she radiated such health that she looked more mature than her actual age.
It was Diana, who had been parachuted into her position yet earned everyone’s recognition, risen swiftly through the ranks, and now worked as his personal secretary.
“There’s a matter you need to approve by the end of today! It’s about expanding the restaurant you proposed, ‘Dances with Orcs,’ to other branches, and this is…”
After coming to his side, she held a file folder in one hand and continued her briefing with the practiced ease of a capable career woman.
She gave off the strong impression of a professional who would look very good in glasses. ‘She said she studied hard even before coming here… No, this isn’t something that can be reached just by studying. Is it effort added to talent?’ At first, he had assigned her work simply with the intention of using that transcendent sense of smell of hers, but she was displaying far more talent in this field than he had expected.
The Hubert Company’s continued advance until recently had likely included a considerable amount of her own struggle as well. ‘I was feeling a little disappointed that Hubert’s own growth seemed to have stopped, but if the expansion of his faction is this smooth, it’s not bad at all. In truth, as long as it helps in some way, that’s enough.’ Hubert, the avatar whose goal was to become a great merchant who commanded the continent’s business world.
He was the avatar created after Harley, but when it came to the development of the individual himself rather than his faction, the situation was not very satisfactory.
He had not expected anything from him in terms of combat from the beginning, but even so, by this point he had thought he would gain at least a few merchant-related skills such as “Bargaining” or “Eloquence”… ‘To think not a single one appeared until the company grew this much.’ Then again, when he thought about it carefully, he felt he could understand the reason.
A skill was, in the end, a supernatural ability in itself.
And a merchant’s techniques generally centered not on special supernatural abilities, but on personal insight, judgment, and interaction with others.
It was of a different nature from training in martial arts or magic, which touched upon supernatural power from the start, and gaining related skills that way. ‘If there were a skill called “Bargaining” that let me lower prices more, that wouldn’t be a merchant’s ability but no different from mind-type magic.’ Of course, perhaps he simply had not grasped it yet, and there might truly be skills meant for those who chose the path of the merchant. But at this point, such assumptions were all meaningless.
The current him was not someone running on the front lines, but the captain deciding the course of the great ship called the Hubert Company. ‘Still, it’s not as if there are no results at all.’ Just a short while ago, though it was not a merchant-exclusive skill, Hubert had finally gained a new skill as well.
To be precise, as the proficiency of “Appraisal,” which he had been using continuously all this time, crossed a certain threshold, it had merged with “Insight,” added through status enhancement, and evolved into a new skill.
“This time, I spoke with my uncle, who handles the ingredients for ‘Dances with Orcs’… no, with Mr. Bolt. There’s a way to adjust the supply prices a little more efficiently…”
And that evolved skill, “Analysis,” was a superior version of “Appraisal,” making possible things that had previously been impossible.
Watching Diana chatter away with visible excitement, he immediately used “Analysis” on her.
-A member of the Hubert Company. Despite her young age, she shows exceptional talent for business. Aware of her own shortcomings, she constantly learns and strives to grow further. She is excited by the thought that she can be of help to the one who saved her. For lunch today, she ate a bacon sandwich.
-Major Traits: Mysterious Sense of Smell, Blind Loyalty, Devoted Familial Love, Genius Business Acumen, Extraordinary Mental Ability, Ordinary Physical Ability, Hopeless Misfortune
-Trust: 98%
The biggest difference.
Unlike “Appraisal,” which had only been possible on objects, the evolved “Analysis” could be used on people as well. ‘It does seem the level of detail in the information differs depending on how well I know the target, but even this much is excellent.’ The reason he had been up on the rooftop looking down at passersby until now had also been to confirm that directly.
The information he had been able to confirm then had only been things like “anxious because he cannot meet the delivery deadline” or “lying to hide the fact that he cheated,” and even the major traits visible had only been two or three at most. ‘On top of that, the trust level of someone I don’t know doesn’t show up at all, and even among our company employees, there are hardly any who go over sixty percent.’ Looking at it that way, he realized anew just how absurdly high Diana’s trust level of ninety-eight percent truly was.
The “Blind Loyalty” included among her major traits must have meant that as well. ‘But leaving everything else aside… Hopeless Misfortune, huh.’ Hubert quietly rubbed his chin while looking at Diana, who was still speaking with a bright expression.
Of course, when he thought of her past, it was an entirely understandable description.
He had heard that even before Aaron was kidnapped, dangerous situations had constantly followed her, and she had only barely avoided them thanks to her sense of smell and desperate efforts.
If she had not met him that day, she probably would have lost her younger brother in the end and been forced to live an unfortunate life alone. ‘But she doesn’t look all that unfortunate now, so why is it still left among her major traits? …Hm? Wait.’ Then, suddenly, he recalled the story of how her family had ended up coming all the way to Tarak.
It was an incident in which her family had fallen into difficulty because of the scheme of none other than the greedy education instructor who had been teaching Diana.
What would have happened if Heinz II had not visited at that time?
The kind uncle and aunt who had warmly welcomed the pitiful siblings would have lost not only their shop and their place to live, but their only daughter Rafi, who had not been able to receive proper treatment, might very well have died.
If things had truly gone that far, could the Bolt family, after learning the whole truth of the incident, have avoided resenting Diana? And could Diana have forgiven herself? ‘…If I had been just a little late, that harmonious family would have been completely ruined.’ As expected, the variable was himself.
To be exact… it would be the intervention of an awakened one from another dimension, shaking even the world’s predetermined flow called “misfortune.”
“…Then, please approve it!”
At that moment, having just finished her explanation, she held out the file and pen she had been carrying and shouted energetically.
Hubert looked at that bright smile for a moment, then slowly nodded and accepted them.
To him, dividing his thoughts was as natural as breathing, so even while thinking about something else, he had not missed a single word she had said. ‘In any case, this “Analysis” ability is quite useful. You could call it the best for managing subordinates.’ With this, he would be able to easily select loyal and capable subordinates.
And if he continued to develop it, then later he would likely be able to learn more details about Diana’s sense of smell and misfortune as well.
Until then, it seemed best to keep her by his side so she would not be swept up in needless misfortune.
“Then I’ll proceed with it as is, Company Master!”
“Mm, do that.”
After all, this obedient, hardworking girl, the first connection he had made after coming to this world, was quite meaningful to him as well.
***
The only workshop located in Tarak’s central district, where land prices were high.
Unlike the other workshops located in the industrial district, this was a private workshop prepared by the lord’s order solely for one person, Zaonic Steelstone.
Clang—! Clang—!
Naturally, not only the facilities but also the equipment scattered here and there were all top class, and not a single one of the prepared materials was of poor quality.
And moreover, was Zaonic not a dwarf, one of the race known as craftsmen?
“Well now, it’s astonishing every time I see it. What kind of monstrous…”
However, the owner of that workshop now had his hands idle, looking somewhere and letting out hollow laughs.
Because of the absurd growth shown by the fellow whom, until not long ago, he had needed to teach from the very basics. ‘I knew from early on that the boy was a genius, but still.’ Should he say that when taught one thing, he understood ten?
He had not even been holding a hammer for very long before receiving the blessing of the furnace, so his talent went without saying.
Had he not even been using branches of the World Tree, said to be so difficult to obtain, as freely as common firewood?
On top of that, his stamina was so tremendous that there had been countless times when Zaonic himself had collapsed first while trying to match his pace. ‘Tch, I was that lively too when I was in my prime.’ Zaonic recalled his beautified past, then shook his head.
Because even comparing it to that beautified standard, this was a bit too much. ‘And his will goes without saying.’ Once he began working, the way he eliminated all distracting thoughts and moved while looking only toward the completion of his piece was so mechanical that he seemed not like a living being of the same kind, but rather like a golem.
Of course, devoting oneself solely to work while forgetting food and drink was common among craftsmen, but even by Zaonic’s standards, who was accustomed to such things, Howard’s appearance felt exceedingly alien. ‘He was already showing monstrous growth as it was…’ But starting a few days ago, that had finally exceeded the limits of what he could understand.
The second hammer blow after the first was like the twentieth strike, and the third hammer blow developed even further, as if it had been corrected another dozen times from there.
As though he alone were living within time that flowed dozens of times faster.
Yes, rather than growth, it would be more accurate to call it evolution.
After that incomprehensible phenomenon continued for several days, from some point onward Zaonic stopped teaching him and reduced his interference to merely watching from behind and occasionally offering advice.
At last, Howard had risen from the apprentice stage, where he had to receive instruction, to the stage of a full-fledged craftsman whose path deserved respect.
In terms of skill itself, Zaonic was still far superior, but once one reached this stage, the differences in their methods were not “wrong,” merely “different,” so instruction no longer held much meaning.
“Whew—!”
And after another round of work ended.
Howard, finally emerging from his immersion, wiped away his sweat with a towel along with a deep sigh.
Before him, an armor part for one arm, still retaining its hot heat, reflected the flickering furnace light along its smooth curves and gave off a bewitching metallic gleam.
“Isn’t it about time you told me what you’re making? For ordinary armor, the internal structure looks complicated. Good grief, where in the world did you learn such a strange design?”
Once it seemed Howard’s work had ended, Zaonic, who had been quietly watching from behind, grumbled in a low voice.
It was obvious that he was frustrated because, despite having asked several times already, he had not received a clear answer.
“Uhoho! This, you mean?”
At that, Howard smiled in satisfaction as he stroked the smooth part, paying no heed to the lingering heat.
Until now, he had been half in doubt, but after completing at least one arm just now, he had become certain of its possibility. ‘I hadn’t said anything because it might not work.’ Of course, it was still only a simple prototype, and even after completing it, it would have to go through extremely frequent upgrades before it could be used in actual combat…
But if he could complete it, such hardships were nothing at all.
Because this was precisely—
“Iron… ahem.”
The crystallization of the romance he had sworn he would make without fail from the very moment he resolved to walk the path of a craftsman.
“A multipurpose full-body combat suit.”
That was exactly what it was.