<Author's Notes>
Today is the release date of the manga adaptation’s Volume 10! Please check the official URL and other details in the Activity Report.
I get into the carriage with Anne-san as the coachman and start moving. Maybe because this city is a trade city where all sorts of businesses are thriving, the roads feel quite wide. It might be because they transport big cargo, but either way, the view is wide and the scenery from the carriage is nice.
[There are quite a lot of shops huh.]
[Yes. It’s not as bustling as a major trading city that serves as a logistics hub, but several merchant associations have their headquarters in this city, and festivals and events are also held frequently.]
[Hehh, so if a lot of trading companies have their headquarters here, that means there are advantages to putting them here, right?]
[There are several factors. The biggest factor is that before my father’s time, the head of the Sharon County wanted to build this city up through commerce and reduced or exempted many trade-related taxes. That attracted many trading companies and led to this city’s development.]
[I see, I’ve heard the Sharon County also owns a big trading company, so your family must have been strong in business for generations.]
[There was also luck in being the very first to start doing that. Nowadays, similar tax reductions are done in various regions, so it’s not like the tax rate here is uniquely low anymore.]
Indeed, I think things like that are like a head start, being the first to do it gives an advantage. If you succeed in gathering trading companies first, this trade city becomes convenient for trade with other trading companies, giving value beyond just the tax rate and leading to prosperity.But still, being the very first to try something like that and succeed is amazing, and that’s probably why the Sharon County became such a wealthy noble house in Archlesia Empire.
[……Unn? What’s that big building?]
[That is a concert hall. It’s a relatively new building, constructed a few years ago because the current city representative is focusing on music-related things. The city has always been strong in commerce but was somewhat lacking in tourism, so they probably wanted something that would create buzz in that area. It’s one of the largest concert halls in the country, built with a considerable budget.]
[Hehh, so bands play there?]
[Yes…… please wait a moment.]
Cornelia-san gives me a quick word of excuse, opens the small window inside the carriage…… the one that allows speaking with Anne-san on the driver’s seat, checks something with her, and then turns back to me.
[……Thank you for waiting. It seems that today, a group called the Allegra Symphony is scheduled to perform. They are a new band and not very well-known yet, but they are very skilled and rumored to become a popular band later.]
[I see, I’m kind of interested. Well, there are concert halls in Symphonia Kingdom too, but they’re almost all in the Northern District, so I haven’t gone much. I’ve been to see plays a few times, but I haven’t gone to listen to a band much.]
Honestly, I am a bit interested in a band performance. I imagine it would be something like an orchestra, and listening to it in a concert hall sounds amazing, so I do want to hear it.
But since I don’t have much experience with places like that, I feel a bit hesitant.
[That sounds nice. But since I have almost no experience watching that kind of performance, I feel a little uneasy about going alone…… if it’s convenient for Cornelia-san, would you like to go together after the introductions?]
[……O- Of course, if it’s an invitation from Kaito-sama, I’d be delighted…… I also have no plans after guiding you, so there’s no problem but…… um, will that be okay? I mean…… just the two of us……]
[Yes. If Cornelia-san's fine with it, then I’d very much like to go together with you.]
Cornelia-san clearly seems knowledgeable about things like concert performances, so having her come along with me feels reassuring. If I were to go alone, I’d probably just end up getting more nervous about it being my first time in a place like that, but with Cornelia-san there, I feel like I could relax and enjoy it.
[……There’s no…… hidden meaning to this, right? Considering what Eris-sama said…… this isn’t that kind of invitation……]
[……Cornelia-san?]
[Ah, no, I’m sorry. I was just lost in some personal thoughts…… We’ll be arriving at Victor Company soon.]
Cornelia-san had been muttering something in a small voice, but when I called out to her, she responded a bit flustered. Her reaction felt a bit strange, but since we were almost at our destination, I didn’t press her about it and instead turned my gaze back to the window.
<Afterword>
Serious-senpai : [Indeed, from Cornelia’s point of view it might have felt like "Arehh? Wait, am I being hit on right now?" but no, that’s not it…… That devil just came to make sure the future where your stomach gets punched by one of the Four Great Demon Dragons is set in stone……]