第１１５７堀：雑談で濁しはしません (Part2)
As, upon hearing our request, blinked in genuine astonishment.
"Pardon? Yuki-sama is looking for a slave? And for what reason, might I ask?"
Indeed, his eyes were wide with shock. It was only natural; the idea of Yuki—the consort of Weed, a man known to all as a paragon of capability—seeking out a slave was, to say the least, unexpected.
"As Aslin mentioned, we are looking for someone to assist Yuki-san with his work," I clarified, stating it clearly once more.
After all, such a request was so far beyond the realm of common sense that he likely assumed he had misheard us entirely.
"…It seems I did not mishear. But why a slave? And frankly, I doubt there is a slave capable enough to assist Yuki-sama… I apologize."
As seemed to grasp the level of competence we were demanding and stated plainly that such talent simply didn't exist. He was right; even for a slave merchant officially sanctioned by Weed, it was a tall order to find someone capable of handling state-level affairs. If such a person existed, they would have already made a name for themselves in Weed long ago, or would have been eagerly snatched up by another nation.
In the current climate, with the Rogali and If continents centered around Weed, a "war for talent" was effectively underway. With the cessation of major conflicts, nations were pouring their resources into development and agriculture, leading to a desperate labor shortage. People who had acquired wealth were traveling through the gates, spending money, and further fueling the demand for labor.
But I digress.
"It doesn't have to be someone immediately capable," I explained. "In fact, our goal is for us and Yuki-san to educate them ourselves."
"Exactly," she added. "We’re looking for someone with potential—someone like Ria."
"I see. Though, if I may be so bold, while Ria-chan has been taken in as a consort to Yuki-sama, she is hardly suited for… administrative tasks."
"Actually, Ria is doing just fine," Yuki-san finally stepped in to explain. "The problem is that Ria alone can’t keep up with the workload. You see, the number of nations we’re dealing with has grown. While we have the personnel to handle state-to-state relations, we’re struggling with the general public."
As finally seemed to resign himself to the situation.
"I understand. However, when you say 'general public,' that includes merchants like myself, does it not?"
"No, Ratz handles the business dealings, so that shouldn't be an issue."
"Ratz-sama oversees all merchants in Weed. I worry that she shouldn't be bothered by every random individual who decides to contact Yuki-sama out of the blue."
"She’s right," I agreed. "Under normal circumstances, it would be unthinkable to petition the consort instead of the sovereign. It’s practically an insult to the Queen."
As Dressa noted, bypassing the sovereign to petition the consort usually implied that the sovereign was incompetent. While it was understandable for a consort to act as a proxy when the ruler was busy, the sheer number of people seeking Yuki-san out specifically had become impossible to ignore. It was a testament to his popularity and reliability, but it had reached a point where it could no longer be overlooked.
"Regardless," Yuki-san continued, "any business brought to me still has to go through Ratz for formal processing, so that’s fine. More importantly, I intend to train this person myself."
"I understand what you are saying, but… I am skeptical that any slave I could introduce would be capable of becoming a pillar of Weed."
"That’s fine," Yuki-san replied. "Even if they don't work out, they can just live a normal life here."
"I trust your judgment on that. Very well, let me show you what I have."
As stood up, ready to lead us to his stock. Would we find someone who caught the eyes of Yuki-san and the rest of us? Shera had become quite shrewd herself; she still seemed to harbor a distaste for slave merchants, but the fact that she was working to overcome it showed how much she had grown.