Chapter 609: By Way of Greeting
On the way to his new territory, Tauro sought an audience with a neighboring lord.
In other words, he was a newcomer stopping by to greet his future neighbor, much like someone introducing themselves after moving in.
The man he was to meet was Viscount Jogo.
He had purple hair and blue eyes and was about as tall as the already tall Ankh. With his refined, gentle appearance, he looked to be around twenty-six—slightly younger than Ankh.
Although Tauro also held the rank of viscount, he was the newcomer and still only fifteen years old. It made sense for him to show respect and treat the other man as his senior.
Keeping that difference in mind, Tauro attended the meeting accompanied by Aeris.
“So, you requested this meeting to greet me as the new lord of the neighboring territory granted by the royal family… What was your name again?”
Viscount Jogo had assumed Tauro was a count because the neighboring land had once been a count’s domain. Even though Tauro was still a child, Jogo spoke to him with a degree of politeness.
“Allow me to introduce myself properly. I’m Viscount Tauro Giro Sugar. And this is my fiancée, Lady Aeris.”
Tauro introduced both himself and Aeris, whom he had brought with him.
“Giro Sugar, you say? So you’re also a viscount… Ah, my apologies. I’m only a provincial noble from the south, you see. But I feel as though I may have heard that name… or perhaps not. I pride myself on knowing the noble families of the kingdom, yet I can’t recall House Giro Sugar. If you don’t mind, could you tell me about your family?”
Viscount Jogo was probing, assuming Tauro might be the child of some high-ranking noble who had been assigned this remote and undesirable former count’s domain.
“It’s only natural that you wouldn’t recognize the name. I was directly ennobled by the royal family only a year ago. If you’ve heard anything similar, it’d be the name ‘Giro Sugar’—perhaps as the creator of the special-edition Reversi boards, or the inventor of magical tools such as the magic lantern.”
Tauro laid out his credentials openly without holding anything back.
This was someone who would share a border with him. Whether they became allies or rivals, Tauro wanted to make sure he wasn’t underestimated.
“…Huh?”
Faced with an overwhelming amount of information, Viscount Jogo could only mutter in confusion.
Directly ennobled by the royal family?
The legendary craftsman who made the special-edition Reversi boards every noble coveted?
The inventor of the magic lantern, a magical tool now considered indispensable?
All these thoughts swirled through Viscount Jogo’s mind, yet he couldn’t reconcile them with the young boy standing before him.
“I was granted my title a year ago in recognition of those achievements. And now, the royal family has entrusted me with the neighboring territory. As fellow viscounts and neighbors, I hope we can get along well.”
Tauro pressed forward, fully aware that the other man was still processing everything.
“Y-yes… of course…”
Viscount Jogo could barely respond, completely swept up in Tauro’s pace.
“Oh, and one more thing—my father is Count Graunewald, and my fiancée, Lady Aeris, is the daughter of Marquis Van Dyne. I’d appreciate your consideration toward them as well.”
Normally, Tauro would never lean on connections like these, but this time he deliberately invoked his adoptive father’s and fiancée’s family names as well.
Considering that he was still a child, there was a good chance he would be looked down upon. Among nobles, authority was best countered with authority.
“C-Count Graunewald… and Marquis Van Dyne!?”
Viscount Jogo was utterly overwhelmed by Tauro’s barrage and could only repeat the names in disbelief.
These were major figures—names that carried undeniable weight.
“I also brought a small gift. It’s nothing special, but please accept this—a special-edition Reversi board crafted by Giro Sugar.”
Tauro took an intricately carved, highly artistic board out of [Magic Storage] and presented it.
“!”
This was effectively the finishing blow.
After all, a Giro Sugar original was a legendary item, nearly impossible to obtain even for high-ranking nobles. Its value was immeasurable, and simply owning one brought prestige and envy.
“For my part, as I take up my post as the new lord, I expect more merchants carrying goods from my territory will pass through yours. I’d appreciate it if you could show them some leniency.”
“O-of course! As neighboring lords, we must maintain good relations! There will be no interference. They’re more than welcome to pass through my lands freely! And to think I’d receive such a magnificent gift…”
Overwhelmed by the situation, Viscount Jogo stopped thinking and accepted everything without hesitation, his attention now captivated by the splendor of the Reversi board.
Seizing the moment, Tauro immediately took the agreement documents out of [Magic Storage] and had Viscount Jogo sign them.
After signing them as well, Tauro shook his hand.
“Viscount Jogo, I’m glad we had the chance to meet. We’d like to proceed to our new territory now, so please excuse us.”
Without ever relinquishing control of the conversation, Tauro concluded the meeting before Viscount Jogo could regain his footing.
“The pleasure was mine. I regret not being able to host you properly, and I look forward to a long and prosperous relationship, Viscount Giro Sugar.”
After one final handshake, Tauro and Aeris left the manor.
“…Honestly, I’m amazed. You practically scammed your way into that trade agreement,” Aeris said, sounding half impressed and half exasperated.
“Haha, well, our trade goods will have to pass through this territory to reach the main highway and head to the Barriera Duchy. If they blocked us, we’d have to take a long detour. That would be a problem, right?”
“That’s true, but still… your methods. Though I suppose we did learn what kind of person Viscount Jogo is.”
In the end, the outcome was entirely favorable for Tauro, so Aeris accepted it.
“Alright, we’ve cleared what I thought would be our biggest hurdle. Let’s head to our new territory!”
With that, Tauro took Aeris’s hand and used [Teleportation] to return to the inn where Ragune and the others were waiting.