Chapter 305: Two Worlds, and a Point of Contact

Pirates, you say? Thats terrible

Indeed. The trade season is just about to start. We will suffer a great loss if we miss it. Really annoying.

Alba-san the merchant grumbles an idle complaint while his fox ears twitch.

Having dropped by Brunhilds Strand company for a short visit, I was invited by Alba-san who happened to be present, and now were having a tea break in the back room.

Although the Strand company is quite a large-scale commercial business, the head office is located in the capital of Misumido, Bellju.

As Alba-san isnt a state merchant of Misumido, he has been predispositioned to able to trade with various countries, and the transportation of products seems to be done mainly with ships.

Countries like Belfast, Regulus, Ramisshu, Rodomea, Lail, Ferzen, and Restia are connected through the Great River Gau, so he dispatches the ships via that route. The other countries like Referees, Rynie, Paluf, and Elfrau have no such connection, so the ships are said to proceed via sea routes.

The aforementioned routes became occupied by pirates recently, he said, and numerous merchant ships had already fallen victim to them. It really was something troubling.

Though its assumed that their hideout is on the island in the coastal waters of Reefrees, they are quite the cautious guys about not getting themselves be caught by the tail

Does Reefrees take any countermeasures?

The navy is tightening their surveillance, but. its not like they can guard our ships all the time

I take the smartphone out from my pocket, and display the map of the sea area from Rynie till Misumido.

Search. Pirates hideout

Searching Search completed. Displaying

Suototototooo the pins drop onto several islands. Six, huh? Are those six places are the bases of a single pirate band, or are there multiple pirates bands?

This is

All of the pirates hideouts. I cant imagine that they even considered installing a protection barrier, so those are probably all of them

I take a photo of that map by using the camera function, and make a call to the Monarch of Reefrees.

Ah, Moshi-moshi. Is this His Majesty The Monarch? I have something to talk, its about the pirates. Yesyes, thats right. O-of course. Ive discovered a few of their hideouts, so Ill send their locations through an attached email. Not at all, please dont mind it. Is that so? Then I will gladly receive it at a later time. Yes. Then, excuse me

There, the case is closed.

It seems Reefrees Navy will head for all the hideouts immediately. This should make things a little safer for us, right?

Ah, well I give up. To solve a problem that troubled us greatly in only a couple of minutes. Oh dear, you are just as usual

Alba-san sighs with a slightly amazed face. Ive already become accustomed to such reactions, so I just drink the tea while feigning ignorance.

By the way, I have a tempting proposition to Alba-san

Hou-hou. Any discussion with his majesty is never a miss ~after all. Its a delight to be able to cooperate with you

I play the video on my smartphone, showing the image of the Dverg from the other day. Of course, the machine was the one that Rosettas and her group repaired.

Under Rosettas control Dverg walked with slow steps, lifted a big rock and carried it around.

What is that? Frame gear but it doesnt seem to be one?

It is a magic worker machine called Dvergthat the dwarves made. Though its inferior to the frame gear, I believe it could be used for public works, and although its still on the experimental stage, I actually want to discuss whether Alba-san can become its investor

An investor you mean that I will provide the funds to be used in the development, right?

In exchange, the sales of the final product will be entrusted to the Strand company. I believe it is not a bad deal

I came with the dwarves in regards to those negotiations. I told them that there was plenty of market in the land, but they said that they werent concerned with money, and that their aim was to spread the the craft bearing dwarves pride throughout the world.

Did they not amuse the thought that a single country could monopolize their technology if they handed it to them?

The condition they set though was to sell the machine to any person or country for the same price.

Oh well, the price will become quite high because of the raw materials alone, so no one should be able to mass produce them that easily, since only I possess Workshop.

It may happens so that the dwarves living in other countries will try to create something similar as well if Dverg becomes known throughout the world.

Umuuu this will certainly lead to a big profit if we are the only ones entrusted with them

Alba-san leaned forward from the chair, and gazed earnestly at the video of Dverg.

I understand. Ill consider it in a positive light. However, I am worried about just how much is the development cost

How about you talk about it with the other party? The dwarves are staying in the second inn of Silver Moon right now. Since I already told them about Alba-san, they should mee