Re:START/If {Book 1.0}
Chapter 31: The Girl’s Reason and Path for He (Part 03)
After the crowd in the hall was finished and the room was reorganized, everything left the place. The merchants went into their rooms to clean their bodies with a warm cloth wipe provided by the servants of the inn. Unlike the rest of them, Odo, Porzan, Fiola, and Aprilo moved to have a serious conversation about what the black-haired boy had to offer.
Their talking place was Aprilo's special room on the third floor of the inn. When entering and looking at the contents of the room, Odo was surprised and stopped footsteps. Unlike the room he and Fiola rented, it contained more stuff and was more like a private room. Observing all that, the child smiled lightly as it got other useful information from observation.
“Don't hesitate, come in, Mr. Luke.”
“Ya ..”.
Inside the spacious room, the four of them sat in front of a round table in front of the bed. Table and chair models are not much different from what is in the hall, only the color and embroidery of the tablecloth is a little more luxurious. When Odo touched the surface with his palm, he knew it was made of silk.
A subordinate of the Executive Guard closed the door, then stood there as a guard. He was the man who had been on the jury, now dressed as Butler and showing his status as the Executive's companion.
“Then, let's start the conversation,” said Aprilo while smiling kindly. That fake smile was very similar to what Odo often showed, that was what Fiola felt from the middle-aged man with those blue eyes.
“Wait, before that can I ask?” sela Porzan's. “Actually who is the little girl who always follows Master Luke? Last time in the hall, you also asked her as a judge ...”
“Sorry to introduce yourself late, gentlemen ...” Fiola got up from the seat, took a few steps away from the table and slightly bowed his body. Standing up straight again, he said, “My spirit is one of Shieal as well as the Chief Servant in Luke's Family Mansion, Fiola. Greetings, gentlemen ...”
Everyone except Odo was wide open to hear the name, even the man standing by the door was so shocked his mouth was gaping. Aprilo and Porzan got up from their seats and bowed respectfully to the woman with black brown hair.
Back sitting in their respective places, the atmosphere became a little awkward because of the introduction of Fiola earlier. To break the mood, Aprilo clapped one time and said, “Igra, please bring us tea and snacks.
“Ya, Milord.” The man opened the door and walked out of the room.
When the male servant came out, Odo opened his mouth and just spoke, “May I go straight to the point?”
“Ya, please,” replied Aprilo.
“How did you get that ingredient from the empire? I mean, that soy sauce .... ”
The question made the two men flinch, starting to unsettle and cold sweat came out profusely. Glancing simultaneously towards Shieal in the room, the two men started staring at each other and gulped heavily.
“I am a trader, of course from buying and selling. What else is ...?”
“Hmm, sell apparently. Hah, I don't know that .... Selling with a country in conflict? After all, isn't this city's trade route in trouble?” Odo raised his three right fingers, then said, “You know, even the government wants to export goods out of town is also difficult because of the actions of bandits, monsters and now there is also a storm.”
Lowering both palms onto the table, the boy put on a flat facial expression and began to look at the two of them with a suspicious gaze that was clearly emitted. Smirking flat, he said, “Bandit ..., yes .... Hmp, bandit ..”
Aprilo and Porzan trembled at the word, turning even more paled and as if not warting. In a room with Shieal and having such conversations, they were like being interrogated by the boy. Of the two men, the one who was most afraid was Porzan. The chef took off the hat, then hugged it and began to bow his face speechless.
“A-What are you talking about? Why are you suddenly talking like that? Aren't we here to talk about cooperation?” aprilo.
“Ya, cooperation .... Therefore, will you confess what you have done? Oh, O Merchant Executives of the Mylta City branch and its partners, how?”
Aprilo was completely silent to hear the boy's words. He threw away a heavy glance, then murmured softly, “What is this finally, yes ...”
“Stay only, this is not the end.” Odo heard that. Smiling lightly, he said, “If you tell me the truth, I promise not to report this to the government. You know, I'm not a government person.”
“Although you do not, but Shieal there has authority that is even equivalent to or higher than the Mayor .... It's the same you threatened us ...” Aprilo stared in annoyance, feeling trapped by the boy.
Smiling lightly, Odo pressed back, “Tell me, I promise I won't report it and won't let Fiola do anything to you. Is that right, Miss Fiola?” Staring at that Huli Jing, Odo smiled lightly.
“Yes .... I don't really care about such a problem. As long as nothing threatens Madam's life, I won't do anything with the authority I have. What else ..., if that's the request of the child Mrs.”
Despite having heard that, the two people still looked anxious and incredulous. But when I understood that I had no other choice, Aprilo spoke, “Alright, I will speak. Instead, if I get caught don't take my wife and son .... What I did has nothing to do with my family.”
“Sa-I too! Please don't touch my family and this place!” porzan panicked.
“Temperature, I will not do such a cruel thing,” Odo said with a friendly smile. Taking a light breath, he began to ask, “So are you in contact with the bandits?”
“Iya ...,” Reply Aprilo. “We pay tax on them for safe routes without monsters and looting ..”
“Tax?”
“Hmm, since what Marquess Dart did by slaughtering most of the bandits present in the forest and mountain, they started thinking of surviving and stopped plundering blatantly.
Odo instantly understood what the man was saying. In order to secure the existing route, the merchants preferred to believe in the bandit group from the government. The reason is simple, Luke's territory fundamentally does not think too much about the United States and policies are always detrimental to them. Dart Luke is very generous and his wife is known to be very wise, but it is only a good person. As a leader, the two people do not think too much about the cause and effect of the good they are given can cause a fire of hostility in a corner they do not know.
“So, yes .... Wild levies, if those who do not want to pay they have to give up their lives,” Odo said while nodding his head.
“True, that kind of.”
“Why don't you report it to the government?”
Odo was stunned to hear the Executive's words. He did not really understand what his father had done as a leader, the boy named Odo Luke basically spent more time locked up in the library or wandering in the forest to improve his magic. He began to really care about what his family took care of just a few months ago.
Aprilo began to look annoyed, clenched both his hands onto the table and firmly said, “More, Your father was so outrageous .... Though it had abandoned the territory for several years and handed it over to Mr. Rein, but when he had just taken over again he immediately asked for such a thing. Indeed, ever since he took over his rights, Luke's territory has become more united. But, it was because those who were oppressed and the remnants of the war were forcibly suppressed...”
“What ... You hate my father?”
“Not really .... However, I prefer it when Mr. Rein governs this territory. My late father also said something similar ...”
Odo knew what the word meant. Respecting the privacy of the man, he chose not to further ask the meaning behind it. Sighing lightly, the boy said, “To be sure, I have absolutely nothing to do with my father for what I am doing here.”
“I know .... Dart Luke, that man is indeed that type of person .... He has a high ego and is a bit temperamental. Well, it's not strange that a military family like Luke has such traits.”
Odo put on an overwhelmed face, smiled knotfully and said, “Eng, Mr Aprilo, can you please not talk too bad about my Father? I'm his son, you know.”
“Sorry, I seem too disrespectful. I understand You are not that kind of person, from your conversation in the hall earlier also I have understood that Tuan— May I call Mr Odo only?”
“Please.”
“Ehm, Mr. Odo can resist emotions and think logically like a level-headed leader. Master is very similar to your father, even your attitude is very similar to Saint Mavis.”
“Saint?” Odo was a little surprised, a little widened his eyes, he asked, “Are you close to the religious party?”
“Yes, that's it. Although a merchant, I am a devout believer.”
The pieces in Odo's head seemed to gather perfectly. Smiling lightly, he began to lower his level of alertness. “So, yes .... Funds that he said often go to the Main Church so from you?” said the boy in a relaxed manner.
“Do you also have a relationship with the Main Church of this city?”
Odo took the Rosary out of his pants pocket, then placed it on the table. The three men in the room were again startled by the boy, really feeling like a hunted animal that had been snared. In the same way that he persuaded the interim Mayor and the Religious, talks went as smoothly as the boy had hoped.
They talked about Odo's goal of changing the city's economic conditions and making the place better. From that, a distributor office needs to be built by him to flatten goods from other places and sell the results of the city's economy.
This collided with the function of the Trade Union office in the city of Mylta. From that, Odo asked for details about what goods are sold by the Trade Union so that the goods to be sold do not collide and there is a price war later. In that case, Aprilio did not talk too much because he was interested in the goods that Odo would sell later. The reason is because he has felt the difference in taste of food from different ingredients. In addition, the man can also sell the unique items that the child talks about to other traders through existing relationships.
Continuing to the next conversation, they began to discuss the problem of internal conflict of the city about the problem of the radical who want revolution. Trade Unions themselves are disadvantaged because of this, because many workers began to strike and participate in such groups. At the talk that Odo offered, he informed the man of his plan to use the Religious Party as an incoming pacifier because of the actions of the Moloians.
Hearing the fact that the trust of the townspeople to the government would be reduced, the Executive man agreed quickly. It strongly signaled his disbelief with the government and Odo just smiled grimly got that quick answer.
On their last conversation, Odo asked the two men a question, “How do the bandits think you are?” ask in a very deep tone. It was not easily answered by them, momentarily thinking and earnestly looking for an answer.
Putting on a slightly sad face, Aprilo replied, “Kurasa ..., honestly this is very sad. When I saw the kidnapped village children and women at the headquarters of the bandits, the pain in my chest made me want to stop cooperating with those barbarians. Imagining my son and wife being treated that way, it felt like a dignified person to me.”.
Hearing the answer, Odo smiled lightly and said, “Thank God, you still have human nature ...”
The words seemed to save Aprilo from the guilt that always haunts her, her eyes glazed over the boy and truly felt admiration for him. Although Odo was still a child, Aprilo truly respected him as a man of dignity.
Smiling lightly, the boy said, “I suggest you better cut off your relationship with the bandits, right now. It was for your good ...”
“But ... if such market conditions in this place can fall again.”
“Don't worry, next month all paths will probably open. No, it's definitely gonna open. I promise it ..., you can hold my word as his guarantee.”
.
.
.
After they had finished their talks and made a temporary contract that was only verbal, Odo and Fiola left the Executive's room. After bowing respectfully to each other, the door closed and the conversation completely ended.
Without a word coming out of the boy's mouth, Odo quickly walked down the inn corridor and down the stairs to go to his own room. Fiola was surprised, calling, “Master! Mr Odo!” But the boy did not turn his head at all and kept walking quickly.
Arriving in front of their room, the boy leaned against the door and sat on the floor. Head down, made Fiola panic and ask, “You why?” Blood suddenly hatched from the child's nose, his eyes turned red and from the ears also began to bleed.
“Tu-Master Odo?! Why and—!”
“Please do not be noisy ...”
The boy held his own forehead, lowered his head and his face looked like he was enduring the excruciating pain in his head. The symptoms of vitality that dropped to a minimal limit were clearly visible from the boy, making his face even paler and the moment Fiola touched his arm, it was extremely cold.
“Akh, from more than 578 possible routes, only one is the most suitable for this condition? Seriously? Before the Dragon acted I could freely see the choices in my head and just use them, but doing so much for the sake of just getting this result was outrageous .... I got to be a cook, you damn ..” the boy's mind while staring at the drowning Fiola who looks anxious.