Chapter 2.1 - New Spark

A few days after their discussion, Wallace brought his son to Duke Sjogren’s mansion.

「Eseria-sama, this is my son Milan. Please take care of him from now on.」

「Nice to meet you Milan.」

「Nice to meet you Eseria. Please let me tell you various stories.」

Eseria smiled and nodded as Milan bowed before her. Wallace, who’s watching over them, felt relieved.

「Then, I’ll talk to Cartas-dono so please excuse me. I have told my son to go home after he finished telling stories to Eseria-sama.」

「Yeah, thank you for your hard work.」

When Eseria nodded and gave him permission to leave, Wallace bowed lightly and left. Then, one of the two maids standing near the door follows him out while the other one stays in the room.

(Fuun? As expected of a noble princess. She wouldn’t want to be alone with a commoner.)

When he was thinking something that ironic, Eseria picked up the paper placed on the table and placed it between them.

「Then, Milan. Quick, there’s something I want you to see. I want a third party’s honest opinion.」

「Yes, I….I’ll take a look.」

After accidentally responding in his casual tone, Milan quickly changed into polite language and nodded. He put his gaze on the paper as if to escape from awkwardness. At first, he was confused with the unfamiliar drawings he’s looking at.

「This is….」

「I’ll explain to you how to use it. Listen while reading. Ehto….do you know how to read?」

「…yes, I can desu」

(Do I look like an idiot!? However, this is…..)

Milan was infuriated in his heart but immediately focused his attention on the document on his hand.

「How is it?」

After her brief explanation, Eseria asked for Milan’s impression. Milan raised his face and expressed his opinion openly.

「I think it is quite interesting. It is similar to a novel and the way it was utilized is good. Is this the new prototype?」

「Yeah.」

(She is indeed an extraordinary person.)

Eseria smiled in relief while Milan smiled at her back. However, Eseria changed the topic there.

「Come to think of it….aside from this, there’s something I want to ask you.」

「What is it? I(boku), no, I(watashi) will answer to the best of my ability.」

「From what I heard from Wallace last time, though I’m just curious, I have completely forgotten to ask others about it. When commoners want to borrow money, who do they usually borrow from?」

「Yes?」

「Does money lending business not exist?」

After being asked with a completely unexpected question, Milan stopped thinking for a moment but quickly regained his composure and answered.

「Ano…..this “money lending business” you are saying, are you talking about merchants who lends money as livelihood?」

「Yeah, that’s right」

「There are people like that but….they are worthless bastards are profiteering devourers.」

When Milan said that with disgust, Eseria was a little surprised so she asked again.

「I see, so they are the so-called loan sharks?」

「Loan shark? Those words perfectly describe them.」

Milan laughed sarcastically but Eseria continued to ask.

「But why do you call them profiteering devourer?」

「It’s because they can just increase the interest rate on their own.」

「Are you saying that the country doesn’t put a cap on interest rates?」

「Yes, there’s no law for that. Therefore, the only way to evade them is to personally borrow money.」

After hearing all of those, Eseria made a difficult face.

「So, you can’t borrow money unless your friends or acquaintances are wealthy and have surplus money, is that it? And if you don’t have any, you can only run to a stranger that will demand high-interest rates and you’ll be done for if you failed in your business.」

After hearing those, he nods.

「That’s right. That’s why his excellency lending a large amount of money to father, who’s just a son of an ordinary craftsman at that time and was working for a merchant family, can be considered as an exception. Even if anyone wants to start a company, he won’t have the ability to. A farmer’s child will stay as a farmer and a craftsman’s child will stay as a craftsman.」

「Haa….I see. The fact that it is difficult for money to circulate indirectly narrows the freedom of choice of profession. That will end up to hindering the discovery of excellent human resources and ultimately leads to economic and cultural stagnation….」

「Yes?」

(Eh? Did I say something that exaggerated? Also, will a noble lady really say something about the freedom of choice of profession? Moreover, isn’t “economic and cultural stagnation” too big of a topic!?)

When he heard what Eseria murmured with a serious expression, Milan was upset in his heart. However, she ends up their talk there.

「Maa, there’s no need to worry for now, everything is temporary okay. I’ll think about it in time. There’s no point if I get too greedy.」

「What…..are you thinking about, Eseria-sama?」

「However, as expected, I should at least do something for now….」

「Wha? W-what is it?」

She’s thinking deeply with her elbow on the armrest. Milan was at lost first but when Eseria suddenly sighed gloomily. The person in question murmured in a complaining tone but she’s not a bit impatient.

「I’ve been making various games and toys but it’s only an extension of a child’s play, right? Or course, adults can play them too but that’s only for a family.」

When she said those words, Milan’s confusion deepened.

「Haa….but since novel is something that both young and old can enjoy, I think you’re not in the wrong direction…」

「That’s right but….it’s slightly different from the otome entertainment I envisioned….」

(Otome entertainment? What is she suddenly saying….)

Seeing her like that, Milan was honestly stunned but since their conversation was not progressing, he tried to call her out.

「Apologies for being uneducated but, what are the necessary things and conditions for “otome entertainment”? Compared to the past games, is the structure too simple? Is it the rules? Or are the past games too cheap?」

「That’s not it. It only requires “moe”.」

「“Moe”?」

Milan clearly frowned after hearing a word that’s completely beyond the category he can understand. Eseria, on the other hand, seemed to be overflowing with various thoughts and started to talk.

「That’s right. Hara hara, doki doki, non-everyday life, situation one can relate to, realistic attractive character, and….AAAAAHHHHHH!!」

「W-what’s going on!?」

「I’ve been too occupied with games I forgot it until now! Right, return to what you originally want to do, Eseria! If you’re already decided on doing it, act immediately!!」

「Ano!! Eseria-sama, what is!?」

When she suddenly stood up, screamed, and ran towards the door after realizing something, the dumbfounded Milan tried to speak with her. She looked back at him and said something with a smile.

「Ah, Milan, my apologies. You’re excused for today! See you next week? I’ll be finished by that time!」

「Ano, finish….Eseria-sama?」

She ran out of the door leaving the stunned Milan. Then, the maid, who had been silent until then, walks up and bows to the much younger Milan.

「My apologies. Ojousama has a personality of not stopping once she decided to do something….I think she already shut herself in her room doing something.」

「….Is that so? I understand. Excuse me.」

「Thank you for your hard work.」

And Milan, after deeply sympathizing with the maid who would probably stay with her, quietly left the duke’s mansion.

「Father, I’m back.」

When Milan returns to the store, he calls out to his father and Wallace asks for the result with a smile.

「Oh, Milan, how was it?」

「She got a new idea. I’ll tell you everything later.」

「I see. You’ve worked hard. By the way, what do you think of Eseria-sama?」

Hearing that question, Milan thinks for a moment before honestly saying his impression.

「She’s certainly competent and extraordinary but…..pretty weird too.」

「If you feel that way, you still need to learn more. Her business ability, it’s regrettable. If she’s not born as a duke’s daughter, she would have become a rare merchant…」

After hearing his father’s evaluation of her, he finally understood why he wanted him to associate with her. He went to his room in the inner part of the store.