A Late-Night Message

Now I can finally see Agniele again.

That was the first thought that crossed Ensi’s mind the moment he saw his hives vanish. Having confirmed the potion’s efficacy, he didn’t hesitate to strip off the veil entirely. He meticulously applied the liquid to his still-blotchy cheeks, forehead, the bridge of his nose, and his chin—anywhere even a hint of a breakout remained.

“Did you just completely ignore my instruction to wash your face first?”

“Oops.”

“Don’t say that with a tone that isn’t sorry at all. I’m starting to get genuinely annoyed.”

Luke, his face contorted in a deep scowl, pressed his index finger against the space between his eyebrows—a spot that rarely had a chance to smooth out. Instructions existed for a reason; he couldn’t understand why the man was being so impatient.

He didn’t exactly fail to sympathize with Ensi’s heart, but surely washing one’s face didn’t take that long.

“Sorry. In exchange, I’ll grant you one thing you want. Tell me.”

Gently stroking his tingling skin with his fingertips, Ensi turned up the corners of his mouth as he watched Luke gasp in surprise at his words.

“Did you think I wouldn’t find out?”

Luke had repeated his questions several times to the people Ensi reached out to, almost as if he were begging Ensi to notice.

Recalling how he had heard of Luke’s activities in less than a day, Ensi waited for the stinging sensation to fade before quickly lifting the mirror to check his face.

The skin that had been covered in hives just moments ago was now miraculously clear. Even upon closer inspection, it was smooth without a single blemish. The effect was far better than Ensi had vaguely imagined, causing his smile to deepen.

“No, I naturally assumed it would reach your ears. It’s just that since you didn’t say anything…… I was about to give up, thinking it was too difficult even for you.”

“Taming and paving roads is certainly no easy task.”

Especially in this era, it was an incredibly grueling endeavor. After all, road maintenance wasn’t something that could be solved with just money and manpower. While paved roads offered the advantage of active inter-regional exchange, they also created the disadvantage of military vulnerability.

Even aside from that, establishing infrastructure was an issue tangled with various interests. Since the merchant group was already well-established, Ensi, who preferred to avoid complicated affairs, usually wouldn’t have been interested in such a field.

“Since my father gave his permission, promoting the road maintenance project isn’t hard. The problem is the money.”

“Manpower would be a problem too, wouldn’t it?”

“……The title of nobility is something you use at times like this.”

Despite his reluctant expression, Luke didn’t back down. It was an uncharacteristic attitude for Luke, who often seemed uncomfortable enjoying noble authority, perhaps due to his memories of a past life.

Setting the mirror down and resting his chin on his hand, Ensi tapped his cheek with his index finger. It meant Luke was that desperate, but the problem was that Ensi didn’t have a single clue as to why.

“The reason and the price. Even if we’re friends and you’re working hard on the Utia disease…… I suppose I can ask what you’re preparing for?”

“I have no intention of playing dirty by holding your treatment research over your head. As for the reason—I’m sorry, but I can’t explain in detail. However, I have something to offer as a price.”

I suppose it’s a reason related to the original story. If the future leaked, the narrative might change, so it wasn’t strange for him to hide it if that were the case.

Above all, considering Luke’s nature as a reincarnator and a possessor, it wasn’t strange at all for him to have suspicious corners. Back when they first met, he had shown even more dubious traits than this.

Perhaps because of that, Ensi accepted the refusal to explain without much thought. More importantly, the reason wasn’t even that important to him.

If it was just a matter of providing funds, he could simply hide the name of the Eclipse Merchant Group, launder the path of the money appropriately, and hand it over.

“Can’t you even explain the price?”

“Of course not. There is a mana stone mine near the area where the road is planned. It’s currently being surveyed, but since the scope is narrow, we’ll be able to pinpoint it soon. I’ll give you the distribution rights for thirty percent of the amount mined from that mana stone mine for the next five years—”

“No.”

Ensi’s expression, which had stiffened at the word ‘mana stone’, completely crumpled the moment ‘distribution rights’ came out.

“Forget the mana stones. Keeping them only increases the workload.”

Ensi already owned one mana stone mine. That alone caused frequent headaches; why would he want another? Even if it was distribution rights rather than ownership, just thinking about it made his head throb. And thirty percent at that.

Just imagining it made him feel as if a bundle of chores was rolling toward him. When Ensi showed blatant disgust, Luke blinked blankly.

“Then…… I have nothing else to give.”

He hadn’t expected Ensi to reject mana stone distribution rights. It wasn’t just any gemstone; mana stones were a resource that provided significant power just by holding the distribution rights.

Because Ensi had been so horrified, Luke hadn’t mentioned it, but he had even planned to hand them over at ten to twenty percent below market price. Doing so would yield profits that couldn’t be defined simply by money.

He thought it would be a tempting price. Thanks to Ensi showing not just distaste but even a hint of loathing, Luke ended up making a dumbfounded sound.

Understanding Luke’s reaction, Ensi opened his mouth while rubbing his throbbing forehead in circles with the hand he’d used to prop up his chin.

“Forget it. You don’t have to give me anything.”

“What do you mean ‘forget it’? It’s not forgotten at all.”

“I’ll just support you. The other friends have done as much, so it’s not difficult.”

Unlike the others, the scale of support would be astronomically larger, but this was the first time Luke had asked for help. As such, Ensi hadn’t intended to be stingy from the start. He waved his hand with a nonchalant attitude.

The only reason he had brought up a ‘price’ in the first place was that he knew Luke preferred clean transactions. It was just that the offered price involved mana stone mines, which caused his interest to cool into horror.

“I’m not comfortable with just receiving, though.”

As expected, Luke immediately scowled at the statement that he wouldn’t be paying a price.

Strictly speaking, Ensi was the one who had received much from Luke, especially regarding the Utia disease. Luke would usually snort and ask if he thought he was that petty if Ensi tried to count every single thing, but the help he had given was immense. Considering that, Ensi could easily pave a road for him.

However, considering Luke’s temperament, instead of saying he didn’t need anything at all, Ensi voiced a condition that had just crossed his mind.

“It’ll be enough if you grant me a toll exemption for the next ten years once the road is completed.”

“Come to think of it, there would be a toll. A toll, for ten years…….”

Luke trailed off, quickly running the numbers in his head. The weight of the help he would receive from Ensi versus a ten-year toll exemption. The moment he placed both on an imaginary scale, it naturally tipped toward the help he would receive from Ensi.

“No matter how I calculate it, you’re at a loss. Any other conditions?”

“Have I ever calculated profit when helping you guys?”

Since this could go on forever, Ensi cut off the conversation with a firm voice. He had no desire to continue a tiring debate.

Luke, who hated leaving debts unpaid, stared at Ensi. When Ensi met his gaze without flinching, Luke touched his throbbing head and let out a voice that sounded like a sigh.

“……I’ll go consult with my father again.”

“Sure. Thanks for the medicine. I’ll let you know when I find a priest.”

Since it was a family matter rather than a personal one, Luke couldn’t decide on his own. Since it was something he had internally expected, Ensi let Luke go without lingering regret. He waved his hand lightly at his friend, who was exiting the room with a brisk pace, and then rang the handbell to call a servant.

At the clear sound, a servant appeared through a small door in a corner of the room.

“Did you call, Young Master?”

“Is there anyone in the mansion who can ride a horse?”

“There are none among the servants currently remaining in the mansion.”

“Is that so?”

Then should I ask Anje instead? Even if one couldn’t ride fast in the city center, it was better than a carriage or going on foot.

……No, that won’t do. It was proper to refrain from sending someone trained in martial arts to another mansion when they weren’t even a knight.

Snapping back to his senses, Ensi puffed out his lips with a somewhat grumpy face but soon gave up. Sending someone like Anje was rude, so even if he felt momentarily tempted, he had to endure.

“I need to send word to the Lacius family.”

“Shall I prepare stationary?”

“No, I’ll send a verbal message. The content is—”

The servant, knowing that the method of contact Ensi mentioned was somewhat informal for another family—especially the Lacius family—quietly etched the sentences flowing from Ensi’s lips into his mind.

Within the short message, there was a deep-seated desire for the news to reach them as quickly as possible. Since Ensi didn’t hide his intent, the servant intended to pass the task to someone fast of foot.

“Wait.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

“Take a carriage.”

—No matter how fast a person is, they can’t beat a carriage.

He wondered why the person who had implicitly urged him to move quickly was holding him back, but there was a reason. Though flustered, the servant nodded and left the room, saying he would follow Ensi’s will.

Even though he had been leaning against the backrest when Luke left the room, Ensi was now lying sideways on the sofa. He smiled as he watched the servant scurrying out of the room, his hand propping up his head twitching.

How will the recipient react to the message? Will he come right away? Perhaps he won’t come, using the late hour as an excuse.

The sun, which had begun to set when Luke visited the room, had already disappeared. Since it was a time that could be called rude to send word, the probability of Agniele coming here wasn’t high.

Even knowing that full well, Ensi couldn’t hide his anticipation and waited only for the other’s arrival.