176: Checking the goods is important, right?

The next day, we were told the audience with the living god Muten Ingrum was still being arranged, so for now we’d proceed with whatever the Three Great Houses decided.

Shingen Wilhelm, the one-eyed, bearded giant, greeted us as usual with a hearty, boisterous laugh.

Today’s group was Kyle, me, Persia, Leifan, and Camille. The rest should be touring the city under Nobuna’s guidance.

We’d been deemed sufficient with just Persia and Camille as guards.

Beside Shingen stood Hanbee, looking just as worn out as ever, and two other warriors.

One was an older man with sharp eyes, watching us closely.

The other was a young warrior around my age.

He pushed his bangs up, trying to look cool in a way that was nothing like the others.

Remembered it.

A kid struggling against a kraken—me, a kid too.

He was one of the Three Houses, always trying way too hard to impress Nobuna, but totally useless. Today he’s sneaking glances at Persia and Camille.

No scruples at all, huh!

Gwahaha! You made it, Kyle! Today’s the day the three families are all here—let me introduce you!

Shingen slapped the young warrior’s back with a smack. The youth staggered forward, then smiled faintly, brushing his fringe aside. If you’re such a bother, just cut me down already.

I'm Kagetaka of the O'Brien family—the third great house. Kagetaka O'Brien! I've come in place of my father, Motonari. Well, nice to meet you, Kingdom...

I am Kyle Goldendown von Eriksil.

"Damn, he's young for a lord."

"Your Majesty's praise is far too generous."

"...Hmph. Well, whatever. You've come a long way. Must've been rough."

"Thank you."

Man, he's acting all high and mighty.

The other warrior, sharp-eyed and standing back, steps forward before Shingen can push him out.

"...I am Masamune, head of the Three Great Houses, Saint Claire."

"Nice to meet you."

This warrior just gives the bare minimum of greeting. Watching, I guess?

Anyway, introductions done, Shingen suddenly barks. Or maybe he just has a loud voice.

"Alright, Kyle! What've you got for us today? Did you bring that building we talked about yesterday? The one with easy access from the main road and perfect defenses?"

Looks like Kyle's been doing his part in the banquet plans. Though, honestly, Hanbee's the one who's actually been handling it.

"Didn't think you'd have everything ready in just one night."

"Gwahahaha! Nothing to it at all!"

"Then I'll set up the equipment I mentioned to Lord Hanbee last night."

"What!? Why does only Hanbee know about this!?"

"Just because my father was too busy drooling over the kingdom’s sweets to pay attention... that’s all."

You don’t bring gifts like that as a token. If you bring sweets, he’d be too busy stuffing his face. The food quality is better in the Mizoho Shrine Nation, but the kingdom’s clearly ahead when it comes to desserts.

Humans are cramped in their survival space. Right now, there’s barely any room for anything other than staples outside the kingdom. Even in the kingdom, we only got the luxury after Goldendown was developed. Thanks to alchemical fertilizer, we’re harvesting all sorts of things in just a short time.

The kingdom’s prosperity must’ve been showing in ways like this—Hanbee jumped on Kyle’s suggestion and decided to set up the equipment today, the very next day.

“Will take a little time to install. Leifan. Please look after it.”

“Yeah. Leave it to me! Craft—once it’s done, I’ll call you.”

“Got it.”

We’re keeping the setup hidden from Mizuho’s side, so I pulled out the storage from the spatial pocket in the prepared warehouse and handed it over to Leifan.

“Then, until it’s finished, I’ll need you to keep an eye on this. Craft… sir. Please.”

“Understood.”

My job’s just explaining the alchemical hardening stone.

I don’t know if raw materials like volcanic ash are available in Mizuho, but the alchemical reagent for the hardening stone can be mass-produced. If we can export it, it’ll bring in a serious profit, Kyle said beforehand.

I set up a simple frame using a few planks in a corner of the garden where it wouldn’t get in the way, poured the alchemical hardening stone into it, and explained to the watching samurai.

“Let it sit for a few days to dry and drive off the moisture—but we don’t have time, so we’ll use a vaporization reagent.”

I mixed the reagent into the still-soft stone. *Juoooom*—steam rose instantly, and in seconds it hardened completely. I pulled off the wooden frame and showed them.

Hanbee wasn’t the only one staring in shock. Masamune of the Three Great Houses, Saint Claire, leaned in wide-eyed.

“Impossible… this stone wall in just minutes…”

“With a frame, we can shape it however we want…”

“Since we can carry it in small amounts, unlike stone walls, we can build anywhere—even up high—without trouble.”

Hanbee and Motonari, both clearly the thinking type, immediately started discussing how to make use of the hardened rock’s advantages. Shingen and Kagetaka, though, were more fascinated by the hardened rock itself.

“Wow! Who’d think something so dull as mud could harden like this!”

“Hmph. Probably just looks tough, that’s all.”

Kagetaka yanked his bangs back, drew his Mizuho blade, and swung it down hard at the hardened rock.

A high-pitched clang rang out—then Kagetaka dropped the sword with a yelp.

His hand was numb. He clutched his wrist.

“Uwah! W-what?! The sword! The sword’s chipped!”

The rock was chipped too, but the point was clear enough.

“Hmph. The heir of the Obrayen family, and you’re this weak… Your sword’s crying, I tell you. Let me see….”

This time, Shingen dropped his stance and placed a hand on his blade. A draw stance—but not the kind the kingdom’s swordsmen usually use.

Chin.

All I registered was the ring of the guard. Exactly the same as last night. Which means…

I poked the hardened rock with my finger. It slid with a dull scrape, then tumbled to the ground. The cracked surface, split clean in two, was unnaturally flat, like it had been polished smooth.

“Hmph. If you built a wall out of this kind of strength, it’d be a nightmare.”

Shingen’s praise made me blurt out something stupid, forgetting my manners entirely.

“No, no, no! It’s splitting like butter!”

“Gwahahaha! That’s because it’s me! If even the eldest son of the Three Great Houses is struggling, it’s as solid as a mountain of stone! Even I can’t do anything if it’s thick enough! Hanbee couldn’t break this thing even if he tried his hardest!”

Shingen laughed uproariously. Hanbee just shrugged in silence.

So it can be broken.

Shingen’s a master. Hanbee’s probably got skill close to Alphard or Persia. The top brass of Mizuho are all freaks.

That’s why they’ve held this little nation together all this time.

After finishing up the questions about hardened rock, Kyle stepped forward.

“This moisture-evaporation agent we used on the hardened rock can also be applied like this.”

He shoved the evaporation agent into a barrel pre-filled with seawater. Steam erupted violently. When the smoke cleared, salt crystals clung to the barrel’s inner walls.

“Amazing! So easily, salt!”

“Yes. We plan to keep the price of this alchemical agent low when we ship it out.”

Masamune narrowed his eyes.

“I see. So in exchange, you’ll export salt cheaply… is that it?”

“Glad you understand.”

“Figuring out Mizuho’s strengths and weaknesses in just a few days, then riding that into negotiations. Makes one wonder— is it the kingdom we should fear, or you, Kyle?”

“Take that as a compliment.”

Kyle smiled. For the first time today, Masamune’s lips twitched into a faint smile. Seems even Hanbee wasn’t the only one from the Three Houses who’d finally given him a nod.

"Then, about the alchemical elixir of salt and hardened rock—let’s say the Saint Claire family takes charge of it—"

"Wait, Masamune. That’s our Wilhelm family’s responsibility—"

"Wilhelm’s good with swords, isn’t it? Let Saint Claire handle the ledger work at least."

"But—"

"No, no—"

Somehow, the two of them started arguing over rights. Smiling at each other, but their eyes? Not smiling at all. Scary!

"Who handles what’s irrelevant to the kingdom. Both of you—just move on with the overview!"

"“Yes, sir!”"

The air settled with a single word from General Shingen.

At that moment, Leifan peeked his head in from the entrance of the building.

"Craft! The final touch, please!"

"Ah! Right!"

I bolted into the building like I was running away.

"Still hot under the collar, huh?"

"If it gets serious, I'm just gonna throw the whole thing at Akindō."

Leifan chuckled, "Yeah, right."

He was secretly thrilled—this was the biggest trade deal yet.

Except for Kagetaka, of course.