Two days after that……on the fifth day since I had started secluding myself in the inn, Alf returned.

He was making his usual gentle smile, not at all giving off any sign of fatigue.

"……how did it go?"

"The funds will be returned to the Baskar Ducal House tomorrow."

"Hou……you"ve done well, safely completing the task with such a strict schedule. Though perhaps saying that is mere foolishness."

"I gladly took it upon myself. Duke Baskar"s finances were probably in quite the precarious state……he almost immediately accepted the request to meet from the Earl Talbot House. One of the administrative officers is bringing a letter from Earl Talbot and the funds to them, and should arrive by tomorrow. Naturally, I have confirmed the contents of the letter. As for the details, they should be something on the lines of: [We have taken charge of the funds given to the Nord firm by Duke Baskar in order to ensure pa.s.sage through my domain. As your people had pa.s.sed through my territory without causing any particular problems, we should have returned the funds, but due to my family growing busy with the new head taking over and the lack of request for its return, we are terribly apologetic regarding its belated return. With this, we have returned all of the funds that had been entrusted to us.]"

It was not that common, but prominent mercantile houses and n.o.bles would give extra money as a deposit on top of the toll they paid when entering another"s domain. 

It both acted as a guarantee that they certainly had an ident.i.ty, and in the event that they got involved in some sort of problem, the money acted as an insurance that they would be accomodated.

And if nothing happened by the time they left the territory, the extra deposit would be returned.

The funds that Earl Talbot had accepted would be dealt with by treating it as a deposit.

"……well, that should be fine."

"If I may…….Romel-sama"s talks with Duke Sligar are arranged for tomorrow. Again, there are plans with the Crow Ducal House prior to meeting with Duke Sligar, so I have included a discussion with them as well."

"Got it……I"ve troubled you with this time"s matter."

"By no means have you done such a thing. Well then, Romel-sama. That is all I have to report, so I will excuse myself."

"Sure. Rest and take it easy tonight."

And then the next day, we headed towards the Crow Ducal House during the morning.

From the very start, a sense of nervousness was conveyed from the stiff expression of the current head, Chester Crow, but that soon melted around the time I brought up the topic of a mutual non-aggression treaty between our countries, and I managed to safely have him agree to having discussions with Tasmeria Kingdom. 

After obtaining his agreement to the discussions, I temporarily returned to the inn to have a quick rest before heading towards the Sligar Ducal House"s estate.

While being jolted around by the carriage, we soon arrived at the mansion.

Before entering the mansion, I stopped for a moment and looked up at it.

"What seems to be the problem?"

Alf raised his voice in inquiry, having seen my state as he walked behind me.

"……no, it"s nothing. Let"s go."

I gave a small smile at his question and once again started to walk.

Alf did not ask any further and simply followed after me silently.

"Welcome, Romel-sama."

Soon after going through the entrance, an elderly man wearing butler uniforms ushered us in.

After making a welcoming smile, he displayed a beautiful bow.

"My master is waiting. Please, this way."

However, after seeing that man, I let out an internal sigh while labelling him [someone you cannot let down your guard with].

It was not like I had seen that elderly butler make any particularly suspicious movements.

Rather, he seemed like a gentle person, making such a kind hearted smile.

However, with that flawless smile in front of me, and having sensed a similar atmosphere to Alf"s from him, I unconsciously held a sense of wariness towards him.

In the hallway with a red carpet laid out in it, an elderly butler walked forward with his footsteps not making a single sound.

Following after him was Alf and I, as well as Kuroitsu and the rest of our guard troupe.

"Now then, please wait here for a minute. The guards may stay in the adjoining room."

I sat down on the sofa he pointed out in the room that we were led to.

Behind me was Alf, standing in wait.

Not long after that, the elderly butler once again appeared together with the sound of a knock.

This time, a person who seemed to be his Master was accompanying him.

I stood up.

"……It is nice to meet you. I am Kurtis Sligar. Welcome, you"ve come a long way…….are you feeling better healthwise?"

"Please excuse my discourtesy on this occasion. I am not very accustomed to travelling, so it seems my fatigue had built up. I"ve completely recovered now…….thank you very much for receiving me today."

As Kurtis sat down in the seat opposite from me, I also sat down once more.

"So, Romel-dono…….why has the busy you gone out of your way to come to this country?"

He"s really started off with some rather sarcastic words, I thought to myself while letting out a sigh internally beneath my smiling facade. 

"Is it not natural as a Prime Minister to try and deepen the relationship with one"s neighbouring country?"

"Hou……and that is why?"

The corners of Kurtis" mouth rose slightly. However, his eyes were not smiling at all.

"Romel-dono really is diligent. Since in the past, your country and ours had never had any relationship-like relations after all…….ahh, now that I think of it. It does seem that a portion of our country and a portion of yours are having some small interactions."

As expected, he"s alluded to that point. I smiled.

"Yes……I have heard of such matters. Earl Talbot from my country and Duke Baskar from your country had some interactions. Before leaving the inn, I received a report that a messenger from Earl Talbot came today to visit Duke Baskar, so around now they may have already finished talking though."

Kurtis" expression changed for the first time at my words.

"……so that happened? It would be nice if they became a good bridge between our countries."

However, he soon fixed his expression and once again made a sarcastic smile.