第１４９２堀：劇場の立ち位置 (Part2)
"Indeed, as Yuki says, this theater may belong to Bamai, but the slaves themselves should be owned by various individual merchants. To interact with the merchandise without going through them first... that would surely be problematic, would it not?"
"Ah, rest assured, I manage all of them uniformly, so there is no issue."
"And that means?"
"If every merchant were to seek an audience with all of you individually, there would never be enough time in the day. The same applies to the tribute offerings, of course."
"Ah—well, we aren't exactly demanding gifts, but I suppose one does have to be mindful of such things."
"Quite right. And with over ten great powers present, not to mention the smaller nations, it would hardly be appropriate for diplomatic relations to offer gifts to only a select few."
Blade and Eupia were right. It is standard protocol for the heads of great powers to seek an audience and exchange greetings before participating in an auction, and offering gifts as a gesture of courtesy is equally expected. But the scale of this event is simply too vast. It is not just one nation, but all the great powers gathered together, joined by a selection of smaller ones. To provide tribute to every single one of them would be a devastating blow to any merchant’s coffers. If handled poorly, it could even be interpreted as an insult.
"Yes. As King Blade and Emperor Eupia have noted, while the merchants are ambitious, they lack the preparation to stand before the heads of state. It was then that I stepped forward to take on the role of coordinator and negotiator. I have already submitted a petition to General Lowell to arrange for such meetings."
"I see."
So that is how it is. As the leader of a major merchant guild, Bamai has taken it upon himself to act as the intermediary between us monarchs. And he petitioned Lowell for it. Ah, now that I think of it...
"Ah, I believe such a report did cross my desk. It was scheduled for after the auction, if I recall."
"Yes. I thought it best to ensure the auction concludes safely first. Given the time constraints, it is more convenient for all parties to conduct these meetings after the purchases have been made. There is always the risk that some fool might see a face and start entertaining foolish notions."
"Hmm. That is a distinct possibility. One could argue that a true merchant is one who seizes such opportunities, but the current climate is rather unfavorable."
"Indeed. With that organization operating in the shadows, the nations are on high alert. Many merchants are wary of overstepping. While there are those who aim to turn this into an opportunity, even for them, the gamble is perhaps too great this time."
That is certainly true. There are far too many uncertain variables. It is not that the kings of the great powers are so narrow-minded, but between matters of prestige and the heightened security due to the dark guilds, they are naturally on guard. Well, overcoming such difficulties is the mark of a true merchant—or perhaps a reckless fool, or one favored by fortune. If one were to judge by standard logic, caution is the only rational path. It is a pity, really, that the scope of their business is limited to small-nation trade; not everyone is capable of grander designs.
"And so, I am serving as your guide in their stead. Thanks to this, I have the privilege of being the first to greet you all—a distinct advantage of my position."
"I see. A shrewd merchant, indeed."
"Yes. So, please, rest easy. I have my own objectives in doing this. One of them is to crush that organization once and for all."
"Understood. We shall leave it in your hands."
"Very well. Please, follow me."
And so, we proceeded to inspect the slaves...
"We look forward to serving you."
Every time, we were greeted by beautiful slaves reciting that same line. Rurua performed her examinations, but they were so perfectly maintained that it felt entirely unnecessary. Well, I had expected as much; this is an auction, after all, so there were no wretched slaves to be found. And yet, there was a certain dullness to them—they spoke only when necessary. I suppose they had been trained that way, and their status screens held no surprises either. Given that Bamai was acting as the intermediary, it was likely more reliable to deal with him than to question the slaves directly.
Had this tour been a fruitless endeavor? I pondered this as we continued our inspection...
Buildings have their own histories. Just like the strange, multi-purpose structures one finds even in the modern age.