I Alone Regress in a Hero Party That Was Annihilated - Chapter 92

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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#92. The Scent of Money (2)

Featherback immediately shut himself in the Training Hall upon returning to the Castle.

When the sweat he shed while swinging his Sword was enough to fill an entire jar, Rorschach came to visit the Training Hall looking for Featherback.

“Does this Cave have a Hot Spring flowing through it? Every time I come here, it’s always this steamy.”

“Perfect timing. I have something for you to do.”

“I haven’t even given you my report from last time yet?”

“I’m busy, so handle this first.”

When Featherback suddenly approached, Rorschach flinched and took half a step back.

Featherback spoke bluntly to her, whose ear tips had turned red.

“Among the Merchants who entered the Castle Interior today, there should be a Woman named ‘Portia’. She seems to be selling apples, so bring her to me.”

“Portia? That’s a Southern Region name. A new Woman?”

“That’s a question based on the premise that there are non-new women.”

At Featherback’s response, Rorschach frowned with displeasure.

“Just where do you go around meeting all these women, Young Lord?”

“I saw her for the first time today in front of the Castle Gate.”

“Oh, is that so? Love at first sight? I’m an Administrator, not a matchmaker. Have another Servant bring such women. I’m already barely getting 2 hours of sleep a day just handling the Trading Company work you assigned me…”

“I’m telling you to bring her because of that Trading Company work. Stop complaining and bring her.”

“Ah! It was for business. Then I’ll do that. You should have said so earlier.”

Rorschach’s expression brightened again after hearing Featherback’s response.

She wrote down the name ‘Portia’ in her Notepad and asked.

“You said she’s a Merchant? Name is Portia, and she deals in Fresh Produce. Specifically apples. Is that correct?”

“Correct. Age is early twenties. Short hair, and she’s dressed as a man, so keep that in mind. She’s sharp with business, so don’t carelessly say too much.”

“…So she’s a heroine with that kind of setting. After making her gain weight, now it’s cross-dressing? Another one of Young Lord’s preferences has been revealed.”

Featherback completely ignored Rorschach’s comment as he gathered and pulled at his slightly protruding belly.

‘But to think I’d meet Portia at this point in time, that’s a bit unexpected.’

What Featherback was searching through were his memories from before the regression.

Portia, the Golden Queen.

That was the name of the Great Merchant who had shaken the entire continent before his regression.

‘It’s still several years before she makes her name known in the business world.’

She would successfully complete trade with the Northern Region over twenty times—something even veteran Great Merchants could hardly accomplish once or twice in their lifetime.

After that, having become a major player in the Empire’s economic circles in one leap, she would sweep up the world’s wealth with her god-given Investment Sense, luck that seemed beloved by the entire world, and Business Acumen that inspired admiration.

A new saying emerged: ‘If Portia buys and sells it, even dog dung becomes more expensive than gold’—that says it all.

Before his regression, during his days as a good-for-nothing who hadn’t yet awakened, Featherback had learned of her existence while purchasing numerous Art Pieces, and they had built quite a friendship.

Portia had recognized Featherback’s excellent Artistic Sense and Discerning Eye, bringing him numerous expensive Art Pieces, which became the catalyst for creating a huge hole in Mörsolt’s finances.

‘Of course, it wasn’t Portia’s fault. I was truly a naive fool who knew nothing about the world back then.’

Featherback let out a light sigh as he recalled the times when he had embezzled the family’s money to buy Paintings, Sculptures, and Musical Instruments.

But it wasn’t Portia’s fault that she had made Featherback a regular customer and sold him Art Pieces.

Merchants simply sell goods, and purchasing them was the customer’s free will.

Above all, every Art Piece that Portia had sold to Featherback was genuine and possessed excellent value.

‘Sometimes there were even pieces that turned out to be forgeries, but in those cases, she provided full refunds plus double compensation.’

That’s how reliable a dealer Portia was in terms of credibility.

Featherback stroked his chin.

‘But at this time, she should still be going around cross-dressed, gathering her initial capital. Why did she come to the Northern Region so early?’

Of course, there was something he could guess.

The changed status of the Northern Region.

The Northern Region’s economy, which had begun to stir, might have created new currents that reached even the Central Region.

Sure enough, Rorschach reported on exactly this point.

“With successive commercial ventures all succeeding, countless merchants are flocking here. There were occasionally those who tried to take excessive profits, but they were naturally sorted out by market logic. Prices are gradually stabilizing, and with the variety of goods increasing, I feel like the territory residents’ consumer discernment has also improved.”

“That’s a good trend. By the way, did you deliver the research materials to Quinbits?”

“That’s not under my jurisdiction, so I wouldn’t know.”

“How surprising that there’s something about the territory’s affairs you don’t know.”

“Why should I know about Miss Quinbits’ affairs? This quarter’s research funds were definitely provided, and that woman who knows nothing about worldly matters doesn’t know the value of money and has been generously buying up massive quantities of magic tools and alchemy materials, so funds are almost depleted. As for the new research material that Lord Featherback sent through the knights this time… Habu, was it? That person’s corpse was delivered without incident, and Miss Quinbits was so delighted she nearly fainted—that’s all I know.”

“If you understand it that well, why did you say you didn’t know?”

“Anyway, I don’t know.”

Rorschach turned her gaze away with a sulky expression.

Featherback nodded.

“The reason I can go outside with peace of mind and swing my sword is all because you, Rorschach, protect this place. Thank you.”

“…Eh?”

In an instant, Rorschach’s face turned red like a ripe apple.

She turned her face, from which white steam was rising, away from Featherback.

“Why such sudden praise…”

“So, I need you to inquire about the dwarves’ whereabouts.”

“Wait, what does that have to do with dwarves?”

At Featherback’s immediate work instruction, Rorschach turned her head back to its original position with a bewildered expression.

“But anyway, dwarves? Why dwarves…?”

“I’m going to have them smelt mithril and orichalcum. They are skilled miners and smiths, after all.”

“I understand that dwarves haven’t appeared in humanity’s history books for quite some time.”

“How glorious. You will be the one to make their names appear in humanity’s history books once again.”

“…Sigh.”

Rorschach pressed his hand to his forehead.

Featherback extended his finger as if something had just occurred to him.

“There’s a city called ‘Dverberg’ in the northeastern Empire. Focus your search on the folk tales of that place.”

“Do you know something about it?”

“Well. I’m not certain.”

Featherback continued, searching through his memories from before his regression.

“Anyway. If you go to the elders living in the mining village there and ask around, you should be able to find some clues.”

“I see. Since I can’t go myself, I’ll send some trustworthy soldiers.”

Just as Rorschach was nodding his head.

“Featherback!”

Someone came running into the training hall.

Quinbits, she called out with a bright expression.

“The physical analysis of Shedyoldis is complete! That guy Habu too… Hmm!?”

She who had been bouncing toward Featherback stopped in front of Rorschach.

“….”

“….”

Rorschach and Quinbits stood facing each other.

The atmosphere inside the training hall became subtly tense.

“…So Mage Quinbits does come out of the laboratory sometimes? I thought you were someone difficult to see.”

Rorschach was the first to speak.

Quinbits answered.

“…I’m not as sociable as Administrator Rorschach. I only talk with Featherback.”

“…You think I’m sociable?”

“…Yes. I really only talk with just one person, Featherback.”

“…Ah, yes. You’re talking with me right now though.”

“…Hohoho.”

“…Huhuhuh.”

Rorschach and Quinbits faced each other and smiled faintly.

However, the atmosphere inside the cave was growing increasingly cold.

Cold enough to remind Featherback of when he fought Ice Dragon Adara.

* * *

“…I never learned how to make subordinates get along well.”

Featherback thought while lying in the hot spring bath.

In the final war when he faced the Demon King, all the party members got along well with each other.

Since no living beings survived except the Demon Race, there was no need to hate each other.

So Featherback couldn’t understand the psychology of Rorschach and Quinbits engaging in their war of nerves.

He didn’t even know why they were growling at each other in the first place.

“They’re like a kitten and puppy growling at each other. They’ll gradually become friends as they grow up.”

Featherback read the report while soaking his body in the hot water.

It was the result of investigating Shedyoldis’s activities before she joined the Purosange Family.

From what he could see, Baron Thoroughbred, the former Family Head of Purosange, had also conducted quite thorough background checks before accepting Shedyoldis as a retainer.

Featherback read the contents of the report aloud.

“Name: Shedyoldis. Gender: Presumed female. Age: Presumed mid-forties. Realm: Estimated to be 4-Star, or around 4th Class level… It’s all just estimates.”

However, when it came to her movements, the information was quite accurate.

“A person discovered and brought back by Viscount Thoroughbred Purosange three years ago when he visited the Central Imperial Capital on business. No external contact for the past three years. Lives alone in the Star Tower she was given, providing various advisory services. Mainly prophesies the near future through magical crystal orbs. Notable characteristic: Eats a strictly carnivorous diet five to six times a day, consuming more than ten servings at a time.”

There was no other significant information.

Featherback quickly flipped through the pages of the report.

Soon, one noteworthy fact caught Featherback’s eye.

“There was exactly one instance of Shedyoldis receiving a letter from outside. The letter came from the Haraldskrvedi Trading Company in the Central Imperial Capital. The Haraldskrvedi Trading Company is a financial organization under the Marquis Berserkir family.”

Once again, the name ‘Berserkir’ was mentioned.

Featherback read the next page of the report.

“The contents of the letter are unknown, but Shedyoldis, who received it, immediately filed for a long-term business trip the next day. The destination address was ‘Free City Caucasus.’ She departed for Caucasus on a business trip for about six months. However, only records of her departure remain; there are no records of her return.”

The once-hot bathwater was growing cold.

Featherback spoke the name of a city.

“Caucasus…”

Free City Caucasus.

Like Dverg City, where Featherback had pressed Rorschach to find dwarves, it was a free city located at the far northeastern edge of the Empire.

“The place where the ‘Graveyard of Mad Kings’ is located.”

Featherback stroked his chin.

Caucasus was a terrifying city.

So much so that there was an old saying: ‘When a king goes mad, he goes to war in Caucasus.’

The blazing sunlight was hot enough to melt iron into a soft mess, and the endless desert contained nothing but salt and sand.

The climate, terrain, and vegetation were harsh enough to rival the Northern Region.

Moreover, the countless races living in this place are all warrior peoples specialized in combat, preserving the savagery and belligerence inherited from their ancestors since ancient times.

“It’s the perfect place to scheme something fishy.”

Featherback tightened his grip on the fingers holding the report.

Crack— Crack— Crackle—

The report froze solid.

…Crash!

Then shattered into pieces.

“I can see what those bastards are trying to do.”

Featherback’s eyes slowly closed as he sank into the hot bath.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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