The Flame Kingdom. The Yusef Kingdom. The Decator Kingdom.
The Atronia Kingdom. These four nations, which faced the great forest of the east, were classified as the continent's weaker powers. It was difficult for them to develop because they spent their national power fighting against the monsters overflowing from the undeveloped wilds of the great eastern forest.
Because these four nations acted as a breakwater, holding back the great forest, the other countries on the continent were able to develop in relative safety. The Atronia Kingdom, to which Patrick belonged, was no different. The nation's productivity was so poor that it could not achieve self-sufficiency in food.
As a result, it was a country that could only be maintained by importing food and necessary supplies from foreign countries at a high cost. In other words, commerce in this country was nothing less than the nation's lifeline. The merchant guild that boasted the largest trade volume in such an Atronia Kingdom was the Elbador Merchant Guild.
And the man who had grown the Elbador Merchant Guild to its current position was the current Merchant Guildmaster, Aaron. During his father's time, the Elbador Merchant Guild was quite large, but not to the extent that it could be called the best in the kingdom.
However, Aaron took the position of Merchant Guildmaster at a young age and, over forty years, expanded his guild in every direction, finally solidifying its position as the kingdom's top merchant guild. It was no exaggeration to say that the Elbador Merchant Guild of today was his creation. In name and reality, the greatest merchant in Atronia.
That was Merchant Guildmaster Aaron. Today, Patrick had come fully prepared to meet that man for an important discussion. All of Patrick’s recent actions were in preparation for this very moment.
Having steeled his resolve, Patrick entered, and the one who greeted him was…
"Big brotherrr!"
"Oh. Jayla. You were home."
It was a cute girl with reddish-brown hair, a shade slightly redder than Matthew's, who came running with her hair flying. The girl, who looked to be in her early teens, immediately threw herself into her brother's arms. Then, she rubbed her head against her brother's chest and said.
"Hehehe, long time no see, big brother."
"You're all grown up, yet you're still acting like a child..."
Matthew stroked his younger sister's head, then gave her a light kiss on the forehead before setting her down. He then introduced the friend he had brought with him to his sister.
"This is Patrick Schneider, a classmate of mine from the academy. Have you heard of him?"
At Matthew's introduction, Jayla looked toward Patrick and covered her mouth with both hands.
And then…
"Awesome."
"Huh?"
"Wow… Big brother, is this person that Patrick Schneider? The Patrick Schneider rumored to be the Holy Star of the East?"
"The Holy Star of the East?"
"It's a name that's been spreading in the capital recently. You didn't know?"
"... How would I know?"
How could Matthew, who lived in the academy's dormitories full-time, have heard the rumors? And Patrick, too, was unaware that such a title had been attached to him. 'The Holy Star of the East, huh.
In this life, I guess I won't be hearing strange nicknames like Mad Dragon.'
Patrick knew.
He knew that in his past life, people behind his back would often change the character for Radiant Dragon to Mad Dragon. Of course, it was a fitting moniker, but Patrick himself felt it was very unfair. However, it seemed that wouldn't happen in this life.
Moreover…
"This is crazy, crazy. Absolutely crazy. He's way more handsome than the rumors, right? So incredibly handsome."
Watching the girl admire him with sparkling eyes didn't feel so bad. 'This child has a good eye for people.' From that moment on, Patrick decided he would dote on this girl very much.
Just as he made up his mind to reach out and gently stroke her head… Jayla smoothly passed by Patrick and spoke to April, who was behind him.
"You're really, really handsome. How can a person look like this? Are you even human? Are you perhaps an angel?"
"…"
Patrick froze, his hand still outstretched. Matthew turned his head to the side, trying his best to ignore Patrick. Seeing his body tremble slightly, it seemed he was desperately holding something back.
Jayla completely ignored Patrick and showed infinite affection toward April.
"Great swordsmanship skills and a handsome face, kyaaa! With a face like that, you must have a good personality and be smart too. Right? I'm right, aren't I?"
What in the world was the correlation between face, personality, and intelligence? He couldn't understand the heart of a teenage girl, but one thing was certain: this girl had completely fallen for April.
"How can one person be so perfect? What's your secret? Do you have a young lady you're courting right now? You like cute younger girls, don't you? Right?"
She was too aggressive. April broke into a cold sweat, unsure how to respond. And Matthew, who had been holding back his laughter, stepped in.
"Jayla."
"Ah, what?"
"Can you look at your brother for a moment?"
"Don't talk to me, you're interrupting my admiration."
"…"
Now she had cast aside the brother she hadn't seen in a long time. A fearsome child. Jayla stared at the sublime beauty before her with wide eyes, as if to engrave every second of it onto her retinas.
It was quite scary. Looking at his sister, whose whites of her eyes were bloodshot, Matthew said.
"My friend, Patrick Schneider, is this one over here."
"Huh? This one... oh? ... There was a person here?"
"…"
"…"
Due to April's excessive beauty, Patrick's very existence had become faint. Like a useless candle lit in broad daylight, Patrick was no different from a non-existent light to the girl. 'Ah, I've never been ignored this badly before.'
In that moment, Patrick quietly added 'young girls who only care about faces' to his list of things he disliked, at number fifty-five. It had been quite a while since the list was updated. Just then, Matthew cleared his throat and spoke to his sister.
"Ahem, is Father inside?"
"Yes. He's waiting."
"Alright. Then I should greet him first. Patrick, you're coming too, right?"
"Of course."
The very reason Patrick had come here was for this meeting. The group went up to the second floor. Matthew led the way, with Patrick following, and April behind him, but…
"What are your hobbies? What do you usually do? By any chance, are you thinking of changing jobs? We're hiring a private tutor for me."
"…I have no intention of changing jobs, my lady."
"Kyaaa! He called me ladyyyy!"
"…"
Pretending not to hear the girl's shrieking voice, Patrick and Matthew arrived at a room on the second floor. Matthew knocked on the door first.
Knock, knock.
"Father, it's me."
"Come in."
After hearing the reply, he opened the door and went inside. There, a middle-aged man could be seen sitting at a desk, handling documents. His completely white hair and the wrinkles on his face showed the passage of time.
'I thought he'd be younger since he's Matthew's father, but was this guy a late child?'
That's right.
As Patrick had guessed, Matthew was a son born to Aaron after he married late. Originally, he had neglected his personal life to focus on growing the merchant guild, marrying only after he turned forty, and Matthew, his first child, was born several years after that.
So now, with Matthew enrolled in the academy, the Elbador Merchant Guildmaster, Aaron, was over sixty years old.
"Wait a moment. I can't take my eyes off these documents right now."
"Yes, I understand, Father."
Even though his son had arrived, Aaron seemed to focus more on the documents in front of him for the time being. Matthew waited, as if he were used to this side of his father.
However…
"…"
"Hey, Patrick?"
"Hm? What?"
"Looks like we'll have to wait a bit."
"We can wait. What's the problem?"
"... I didn't know you knew how to wait."
"…"
'Just how did this bastard see me?' Patrick was hurt. Though he had brought it upon himself.
Fortunately, they didn't have to wait for a long time. Aaron was a competent man, and the stacks of documents that had been piled up were quickly approved and disappeared. And ten minutes later, "Hooo…"
Aaron finished his paperwork and rose from his desk.
And then…
"Oh, my beloved son. Welcome."
"Ah... Father. It's been a while."
"Yes. My boy, you must have suffered so much at the academy for your face to have become so thin. Are you eating properly?"
"I am. I'm eating well."
"You seem to have lost a lot of weight..."
The competent merchant who had been reviewing and signing documents with a cold gaze just moments ago had vanished. In this moment, there was only a doting old fool of a father who was silly about his child. 'My, he's a person who can switch gears completely.'
Patrick watched Aaron silently and assessed him. Matthew then slipped out of his father's embrace and introduced his friend.
"This is Patrick Schneider, who is studying with me at the academy."
"Right. I heard about him in your letter. So this friend is that Patrick Schneider."
Patrick was now a celebrity. Aaron gazed intently at Patrick. The boy genius who had recently caused a stir in White Town.
He did not take lightly the fact that this boy had requested a meeting with him. Patrick paid no heed to Aaron's gaze, which seemed to be appraising him, and spoke.
"I am Patrick Schneider. Thank you for making time for me on such short notice."
Neither disrespectful nor servile. Matthew was slightly surprised by Patrick's calm and natural way of speaking.
'What's this?
He looks like a cultured person who has actually learned manners.' Usually, at the academy, Patrick didn't show such courtesy to his seniors, let alone the professors. If one were to pick on that and force him to greet them…
[Heeeey, how's it goooing.]
He would offer a crooked greeting with an attitude that seemed to have gathered all the delinquency and nonchalance in the world. That was why Matthew thought Patrick had some strange conviction inside him like, 'I don't bother with things like courtesy.' 'He should act like this normally.
That damn guy…' Matthew made a sour face, but his father, Aaron, did not see it. He was too busy appraising the young man before him.
'Hmm, so this friend is that Patrick Schneider.' He looked at Patrick with an intrigued gaze and said.
"So you're the man who achieved the greatest feat since the founding of the academy."
"Yes, that is correct."
"Does it not displease you? A mere merchant like me is speaking down to the Holy Star of the East?"
"Not at all. You are my friend's father."
"Hahaha. Is that so?"
Aaron laughed heartily. But even as he laughed, his eyes never left Patrick's face. He was continuously 'watching' Patrick so as not to miss even the slightest change.
Those who say pleasing things with their mouths but think the opposite will show signs on their faces. Moreover, his opponent was just a child who had not even had his coming-of-age ceremony. There was no way his eye, trained by tens of thousands of consultations, would miss such a boy's changes.
"... What is it?"
"Ahem, no. It's nothing."
'At least he doesn't seem like the type to say one thing and think another.' Aaron could find no trace of awkwardness in Patrick's expression. He corrected his posture and said to Patrick.
"A pleasure to meet you. I am Aaron."
"I am Patrick Schneider."
"Right. First, let's have a seat."
The group sat in the prepared seats in the reception room. And Aaron began to brew tea himself right there. At this sight, Patrick asked, sounding slightly surprised.
"You have servants, yet you brew the tea yourself?"
"Tea is one of my few hobbies. From choosing the teaware to selecting the tea leaves and brewing it, I do it all myself."
"So you're a tea connoisseur?"
"A tea connoisseur? I've never heard that term before."
"Well, it's a thing."
Come to think of it, his master in his previous life was also deeply into the art of tea and used to brew it himself. He didn't use particularly expensive tea leaves, but the tea his master brewed was… 'Uh, it wasn't anything special.
It was just tea. Anyway, my master wasn't good at anything.' What an ungrateful disciple.
In any case, after a short wait, the tea brewed by the greatest merchant in the Atronia Kingdom was served.
"Here, have a drink."
"I will enjoy it."
Patrick's movements as he savored the tea were perfect. From lifting the teacup and appreciating the aroma, to taking a sip, slowly drinking it, quietly setting the cup down, and exhaling, there was not a single flaw. At this sight, Aaron spoke in a voice tinged with gentle admiration.
"You've learned your etiquette well."
"I am merely presentable."
"Hahaha. And humble too. I didn't know the Holy Star of the East, famed as a spirited genius, was such a well-mannered young man."
"I am simply grateful for your kind words."
Matthew, who was listening to the conversation between Patrick and Aaron, shook his head and spoke. 'What is this? It feels like I'm watching my family get scammed with my own two eyes.
And this guy Patrick knows how to observe such refined etiquette? Why would a guy who thinks most of the world's problems can be solved by beating them up learn etiquette?'