Translator: Cinder Translations
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The night was deep, and even in Niceport—the capital of the Horns Bay and one of the few cities with a vibrant nightlife at this time—silence and darkness had fallen.
In a hotel room on the second floor of the dock district, a single lamp was still burning.
At a table by the window, a young man with a scruffy beard and glasses was furiously scribbling on a piece of paper with a quill.
His face showed no signs of fatigue, instead revealing a look of excitement. It seemed that sleep was elusive for him tonight.
Words leaped onto the page under his pen, the handwriting was rough but conveyed a certain sharpness.
With a creak, the door to his room opened, but the man seemed oblivious.
"Ah~" The newcomer yawned, slightly reproachful as they said:
"Liszt, you're still awake! What time is it? I got up to use the bathroom and saw light coming from under your door. When I pushed it, it opened. I said, you're being too careless. This is a foreign land, unfamiliar territory…"
Liszt, who had just finished the last section of his writing, turned to look at his companion. "Ah, it's you! Haha, sorry to worry you. But I'm just so excited today!"
The companion smiled wryly, "I understand. When I first came to the Bay, seeing such a huge city as Niceport, despite being physically exhausted, I stayed up all night. How was it? Did you enjoy the view today?"
"Absolutely eye-opening!" Liszt clenched his fists excitedly. "I'd only heard of the splendor of the Bay before, but seeing it today, it really lives up to its reputation."
The companion sighed, "Yes, our hometown seems like a small fishing village compared to this."
Liszt waved his hand. "Don't worry, I believe that under Lord Grayman's leadership, Alden… no, even the entire Northwest Bay will eventually match up to the Bay."
The companion looked skeptical and awkwardly walked over to the table. "Let me see what you've written. Haha, you don't mind, do you?"
Liszt handed over the thick notebook, "Feel free to look. It's not confidential."
The companion flipped through a few pages, muttering, "You've noted down all the observations along the way? Prices, taxes, currency… you've covered everything!"
The companion squinted. "I say… Liszt, your true identity isn't actually a spy sent by the Earl to the Bay, is it?"
Liszt rolled his eyes. "Oh, come on. Isn't it normal for business people to focus on these things? Don't you have any professional sensitivity?"
"Ha ha, just kidding!"
Liszt took back the notebook and opened a page. "What I value most here is the tariffs between the various states of the Bay. I think one of the reasons for their prosperity, aside from their advantageous location, is the reasonable tariffs between these countries."
He shook his head. "It's a pity that the lords of the Northwest Bay can't be as enlightened as the Bay. They should give up their immediate, small profits and look towards longer-term planning…"
This time, the companion rolled his eyes. "Hmph, you're a thousand miles away from the Northwest Bay, and you dare to talk about the lords! A commoner daring to comment on the noble lords."
Liszt ignored the companion's sarcasm. "Alas! It's a pity about Lord Grayman's Customs Union plan. It's all because of those ignorant country bumpkins."
The "country bumpkins" he referred to were the local gentry of Alden. When Paul proposed the "Customs Union," it was doomed to failure due to the strong opposition from these people. The business community in Alden was initially excited, but the greater the hope, the greater the disappointment.
Admiration appeared in Liszt's eyes. "Lord Grayman is only sixteen, hasn't left the Northwest Bay, and yet he could come up with such a brilliant idea as the Customs Union. It's truly remarkable for his age."
He sighed. "I really want to have a chat with this Earl."
The companion touched his forehead with a look of exasperation. "Friedrich Liszt, have you lost your mind? You're just a humble employee, and you fantasize about meeting Earl Grayman? When you go back to Alden Town, try it. With your impoverished appearance, let's see if the guards at the lord's manor won't throw you in jail."
Liszt muttered, "Earl Grayman wouldn't be that kind of person. Though he is a wise young lord, he's indecisive in some aspects. He should have insisted on the Customs Union plan and used his authority as a lord to override the opposition. How could he abandon it just because of a few objections? It's rather cowardly…"
"Enough, enough! Never say such things in front of me again. I have a family to support and don't want to cause trouble."
The companion, sweating from his forehead, hurriedly stopped Liszt's comments about the lord.
"It seems you're so excited that you're not thinking clearly. Take my advice, get a good night's sleep. We still have the task assigned by Mr. Todd to handle tomorrow."
The two of them had been sent by the shipowner Bennett Todd to the Bay to recruit shipbuilders. Mr. Todd was tired of waiting for the shipyard to fill his orders and decided to take matters into his own hands.
"Ah~ I'm going back to sleep. You should head to bed too, or tomorrow will be rough."
The companion turned and opened the door, heading outside.
"I'll light your way. It's quite dark in the corridor."
Liszt picked up the candlestick and followed him out.
Unfortunately, when they booked the room, there were no adjacent rooms available, and the companion's room was at the end of the corridor.
Liszt made a trip to the bathroom with the candlestick in hand before slowly returning to his own room.
"Hmm? Did I forget to lock the door again when I left? My memory… But it's a short time, so there shouldn't be any thieves."
Inserting the key into the lock, he could clearly feel it was unlocked. He muttered to himself.
After entering the room and finding nothing amiss, he sighed in relief.
"Time to sleep!" Blowing out the candle, Liszt stretched and walked towards the bed.
Just as he lay down, a commotion suddenly erupted outside.
Liszt was startled and puzzled by the noise, which was accompanied by shouting and crying.
Could it be bandits? Ah, but this is the Bay, so pirates might be more likely!
But this is the capital of the Horns Bay!
Light from outside the window illuminated the street in front of the hotel, turning it as bright as day. The building was surrounded by a large crowd.
Could it be? Are there really robbers?
Liszt's heart raced with worry.
(End of the Chapter)
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