Chapter 83
"So what did you reply to the other side?"
Leaving the astonished man alone for the moment, I ask Zoe.
"I accepted the offer. I thought the master might take advantage of it."
"Umu."
As expected from someone who has followed me for so long, Zoe knows me so well.
This time, combined with the fact that the whole store disappeared, it will be most troublesome for them to go underground and not come out.
I can only be thankful that they tried to bribe Zoe, meaning that they emerged as close to the surface as possible.
It was a fine play by Zoe.
"What did you say about our identities?"
"I replied that we were sent under the secret orders of the Emperor to investigate."
"Eh?"
The man was even more surprised.
"Well, good job, Zoe. That's almost a perfect reply."
"W-What do you mean ...?"
The man was half-lost for words, and Zoe was wondering as well, though slightly more so.
If it had been just the man, I would have let it pass, but I decided to explain to Zoe.
"Those who tell a bunch of lies to fool people are third-rate.'"
The man said, "I see," and Zoe gave a 'yeah, right' kind of look.
"Second-rate people tell the truth and lie only when the time comes."
"Yes. And First-rate?"
"They only tell the truth."
"They only tell the truth...."
The man examines my words carefully and rolls them in his tongue.
Zoe, on the other hand, was a little quicker to understand than the man.
"As expected of Master."
She said.
"Your reply is also moderate. So far, no lies. The other side will be convinced that this is a natural development."
"What should I do now?"
"Tell them every move I make. Now that they've come out into the open, I'm going to let them swim for the time being."
"Understood."
Zoe nodded.
She would have no problem handling something like this.
I thought.
It's another reason why I brought Zoe with me on this trip.
To nurture her and train her further.
I turned my head to think about what I should do to make this happen, and how I could make the most of this opportunity.
Zoe didn't interrupt my thoughts and stood still while waiting for my next words.
In the meantime, I formulated a plan and asked Zoe first.
"Can you get in touch with these guys?"
"Yes, I've been given instructions on how to contact them in case of an emergency."
"Good, then go meet with those guys. Yeah, and give Kate those 3,000 reens. Once we get back to the capital, I'll make it up to you."
"For master's sake 3000 reens is.... ... but why do that?"
"Go over there and ask for more money. The reason, as I just said, is that the 3,000 reens were used to bribe Kate."
"..."
"W-why would you do that?"
Zoe's face was drawn into a thoughtful expression, whereas the man asked me the same question he had.
"What do you think? Zoe."
" ... to take more from that side, right?"
"You're half right."
I smiled and reached over to pat Zoe on the head.
If she could figure that out, that was enough for now.
"That's right, demanding more at a time like this has the effect of reassuring the other person and making them trust you. However, if you just ask for more out of greed, the other side will think you are cheap."
"I bribed Kate to not look cheap ...?"
Zoe's thoughts seem to have connected well, but they don't seem to reach beyond that point.
I didn't want to be mean, so I told her the stuff.
"And also gauge their ability to handle it. If they are somewhat competent, they'll evaluate you in a certain way when they see that you've spent a lot of money to accomplish a task."
"Evaluation."
"Money is, after all, only a tool. Only those who can use it more effectively can acquire more wealth."
"….. yes."
Zoe with a straight face nodded quietly.
"It's a way of gauging how good they are by whether or not they'll give you additional money."
"I see. ... As expected of Master!"
"To put it bluntly, the same story as before?"
"Eh?"
"You reported to me that you were bought out for 3,000 reens, and I gave you 30,000."
"Ah, ..."
"It's essentially the same thing. Only the details and the way the money flows are slightly different."
"I see!"
Zoe looked fully convinced.
Well, this is the second time she's notified the acquisition to me, so I guess it was easy for her to understand.
And she was suddenly very motivated.
She was motivated to contact the other party and try to get more money for the bribe.
Frankly, it was quite risky.
What Zoe was going to have to do was to be a double agent.
It's different from what she's done in the past, and it comes with a high risk for her.
But I let her do it.
I brought Zoe here to further nurture her.
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I sincerely hoped that by letting her take some risks, she would grow even more through this one experience.
The next day, I left the inn with Zoe and wandered around town.
Of course, I fed information to the other party in advance via Zoe and Kate.
The time and route to go out to investigate.
I let them know about these things.
"No, ..., the economy is in a slump these days."
"We're just trying to make ends meet, you know."
"If only the economy would come back. ..."
Everywhere I went, people in the city were bemoaning the recession.
The clothes worn by residents became more frugal, and the merchandise in the stores was less well-stocked.
Overnight, the city was transformed drastically.
It looks completely different from the town I sent Fuwawa to see last night.
"Fu, ..., this is overkill."
"Overkill, sir?"
Zoe tilted her head and asked.
"You remember when we came into this town, don't you? And suddenly it's this. Even if you're trying to hide something, it's overkill."
I turned to Zoe and made eye contact with her so that no third party could see.
This exchange was also an eye contact to tell the other side.
Zoe didn't shake her head either way, she just looked at me and responded, 'Roger that'.
Gabel Salt Guild, main building.
In the parlor, Zoe was facing two men.
Both men were dressed in lavish outfits.
In Zoe's eyes, their clothes were as fine as those of the emperor.
Both men were quite young for their titles as merchants, one in his mid-thirties and the other just shy of thirty.
Zoe told them both exactly what Noa had said.
"The master said it was overkill."
"Overkill?"
"Yes, sir. I remember the first night we came to Dussel, it was prosperous and crowded even at night. And to see it suddenly go into recession like that ..., it's no wonder the master found it overkill."
" ... I bet. It was overkill, you idiot."
"Who's an idiot?"
The younger man protested.
Zoe understood that this was the man who had done it.
"Did you not hear what she just said? I've seen it in person, it's such a sudden change that anyone would notice the change if they were to look at the city on a regular basis for once. What else could it be but overkill?"
"Gu..."
"Cut it a little slack. And ... yeah, I know. And let's do a little smuggling."
"What!?"
"The other side doesn't believe that there is zero smuggling at this point. Prepare a scapegoat and have that person take the blame."
"... I see."
Zoe watches as the two men devise a plan.
She is secretly impressed.
(As expected of the master ... I just told them the obvious response and they let their guard down.)
Zoe was convinced.
That Noa had targeted this matter and made her do it.
Because Noa told her to tell them everything.
And Noa said himself that it was first-rate "not tell lies".
Noa never said what she couldn't do.
In other words, Noah wants Zoe to 'try to do without being told' as well.
That must be this, or a lot more.
(Master ... Sugoi...)
Zoe felt sure of this.