How the Villainous Consort Avoids His Death Ending - Chapter 80.2
At that moment, Tristan, who was standing beside me, spoke in a low voice.
“Wilhelm is right. If it had not been for you, I would not have been able to endure.”
“Please do not say such things, Your Highness…”
Hearing that, I wondered what I had become… My conscience kept raising its head and crying out in pain. Not knowing how to respond in such a situation, I could only let out a small, awkward cough into the air.
❖ ❖ ❖
For several days, we finally took a leisurely rest. Tristan had recovered from his injury, and I was beginning to shake off the fatigue accumulated from the long voyage. We decided to visit the glass workshop, a place we had not been able to go to for a long time.
The afternoon sunlight in Hezekia shone warmly between the castle walls. A still-chilly breeze brushed our shoulders but felt refreshing. After walking lightly through the streets as if on a stroll, we arrived at the glass workshop. When we opened the door, a small bell rang clearly.
The smooth light pouring in from the window reflected throughout the workshop, making it shine brightly. On the display shelves, the glass products were of a surprisingly high standard. Due to the limitations of time and manpower, they were not as intricate or ornate as the items sold in Belforte, but their refined, clean, and dignified designs drew attention.
Small teapots with delicate handles, wine glasses with elegant curves, and bright flower vases adorned with tasteful decorations. I examined the products with satisfaction.
“This is really impressive. I did not expect they could produce something like this in such a short time.”
As I held up a small wine glass to the sunlight and genuinely admired it, Tristan standing beside me nodded.
“Yes. It is thanks to your hard work.”
“…It is not me, but the artisans and workers who labored that made this possible. In any case, it is now possible to produce these kinds of items in Hezekia.”
However, I sighed softly as I set the product down. It was an achievement I could not help but be happy about, yet there was still something that bothered me.
I hesitated, glancing toward the artisans engrossed in their work. Their foreheads were glistening with thick beads of sweat, and I felt both grateful and guilty.
“The problem is… the path to selling these right away is somewhat unclear. When we first opened the workshop, we had the North Continent market in mind, did we not?”
“That is correct.”
Tristan nodded in agreement. He seemed to have guessed what I was about to say. The quality of these glass products was sufficient to sell at a good price in Kalhaven Harbor on the North Continent. But… we had already succeeded in opening trade routes to the Eastern Continent.
I furrowed my brow and voiced my concern.
“We cannot go to Kalhaven just to sell these glass products. We do not have enough quantity to move the entire new fleet, and other trade goods are no longer as profitable. Moreover, even a single trip to the Sarr Empire yields immense profits…”
I trailed off, looking up at Tristan with a troubled expression.
“Over in the Sarr Empire, there would be no buyers for these basic glass items. No matter how well made, that market is already flooded with superior products. It feels wasteful.”
Because of the high opportunity cost, trading at Kalhaven Harbor on the North Continent had become a secondary concern. It was not that our ships were falling apart… but back when we had to cram those vessels across to the North Continent, we never would have anticipated this situation. It was a situation so ambiguous that I did not know whether to laugh or cry.
Then Tristan, who had been quietly fiddling with his lips in thought, suddenly looked at me and spoke.
“I do not know what the Grand Consort might think… but how about this approach?”
“Do you already have something in mind?”
“Of the seven ships we previously owned, four were impossible to use, so I dismantled them last time. However, I judged the remaining three could still operate, so I kept them stored in the dock.”
“Really? You have not dismantled them yet…”
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
