After deciding on the amount of money we needed for Tiermina’s and the kids’ wages—and for any necessary expenses—we decided the rest would be deposited into my card.
Since we’d figured out how we’d do things moving forward, I left the guild. If I needed to do anything else, I could come back again later. I gave Milaine the eggs I’d brought in today for free so the guild’s valued clients could try them. I needed to sink some cost in first before I could start seeing returns.
With the guild behind us, we headed to the orphanage in order to introduce Tiermina and talk about our next move. Basically, I asked the headmistress to manage the orphanage like usual. I’d hand over the wages the kids earned to the headmistress and would have her make the arrangements for their necessities. I asked Liz to take care of the kids and, of course, figured out what I’d be paying her. I asked Tiermina to manage the eggs and money. I wanted her to be the face of operations when dealing with the merchant guild.
As for me?
I wouldn’t even lift a finger.
I made the henhouse and the walls, caught the birds, and made the contract with the guild. I didn’t have a role anymore, except to catch more birds. Since it’d be an issue if I caught them all near the village, I’d go further afield to procure the others.
Because of that, we increased the number of kokekkos we had to three hundred and even had some chicks born from the eggs to raise.
Then one day, the lord Cliff paid me a visit.
“Welcome, Lord Cliff. What brings you by?”
I at least welcomed him politely.
“Yuna, I have something I want to ask you.”
“What could that be?”
“Why will you not sell eggs to the Fochrosé family?”
Chapter 46:
Cliff Follows the Mystery of the Eggs
MY BUTLER RONDO came into my office in the middle of the reprieve I’d rightfully taken from the morning’s mountain of paperwork.
“I apologize for intruding, sir.”
“What is it? Something urgent?”
“No, it’s nothing dire, but I think it’s something you should hear.”
If Rondo said so, then it probably really wasn’t that important. Regardless, it seemed to trouble him.
“Recently, a large number of kokekko eggs have started to flood into the town, under odd circumstances.”
“Odd in what way?”
“First of all, we do not know where they are coming from. In addition, they refuse to sell them if I use the Fochrosé house’s name.”
“Wait, what?”
“Every time I inquire with our suppliers about the eggs, they always speak in riddles. When I tell them they may take their time explaining the situation, they never give me a response. However, when I go to shops as a normal person would, I am able to obtain eggs, but when I ask that they be delivered to the Fochrosé house, they tell me that they are out of stock, and that making an advance order won’t be possible for the foreseeable future.”
“What is the meaning of this?”
Now it was starting to trouble me.
“The only thing I am certain of is that they refuse to sell eggs to the Fochrosé household. Even when I inquired at the merchant guild, they claimed to have no knowledge of this.”
I didn’t particularly mind not being able to eat eggs, but it didn’t put me in a good mood.
“I don’t have any urgent work for the afternoon. I suppose I’ll head over to the merchant guild.”
I cut my break short and headed to the guild.
I’d made no appointment, but I was still able to secure an immediate meeting with the Guildmaster.
“Why, Lord Cliff! What brings you all the way to the merchant guild?”
Milaine gave me a suspicious grin.
“I’m not here to talk business today. I came to ask about something personal.”
“What could that be?”
“It’s about the kokekko eggs.”
“Kokekko eggs?” Milaine’s expression didn’t budge.
“That’s right. Apparently no one intends to sell them to me.”
“We’re doing no such thing.”
Milaine had always been upstanding with me; what moved her to lie to my face now?
“The information that’s worked its way up to me says otherwise.”
“Are you sure that it wasn’t just that the eggs sold out or advance orders filled up because they’re so popular?”
“The people selling the eggs said the exact same thing.”
“Then that’s how it must be.”
“Do you really think I’d accept that explanation?”
“It wouldn’t kill you to go without eggs to eat.”
“I’m offended that I have no idea who is doing this to me. Also, I’d like to have eggs for my daughter.”
“Well then, would you like to take some home for her?”
“What about some for me?”
“I’m afraid we don’t have any for you.”
Milaine grinned at me. What an irritating woman. There weren’t many people around who could stand up to me.
“So you just won’t tell me at all?”
“That’s the arrangement—don’t sell eggs to Lord Cliff.”
“Do you intend to keep that promise even if it means damaging your relationship with your own lord?”
“That’s right. If you weren’t the bad guy in this situation, I likely would have been on your side. This time around, I’m with her, though. I rather like her.”
I was the bad guy? And who was this her? Who could Milaine be talking about?
“You’ve made many children suffer. She rescued them.”
Suffering children? Who in the world was she talking about? I didn’t remember torturing anyone.
“I recognize that you’re a splendid lord, but I mean to support her so long as she’s plainly in the right.”
“It’s rare for you to back someone to that extent.”
“She intrigues me. I’ve met my fair share of people up until now, but I’ve never met any other person whose strength, behavior, and philosophies I haven’t been able to figure out.”
“Hearing that from you, I’d like to meet her, regardless of the egg situation.”
“I’m not planning on connecting you two.”
“Could you at least tell me what it is I did?”
“No. If I told you, you’d put two and two together, and figure out how she’s connected.”
“Then
