Chapter 37: The Return of the Real Deal (1)

Henry finally returned to the outside world after a year.

He didn’t have any strong feelings in particular, besides a bit of regret from not being able to achieve all the goals he had set out for. Still, he felt relieved that he was able to break away from his regular routine. The day had been perhaps the last moment of leisure that he could enjoy.

‘But first, money.’

He was no longer bound to a time-consuming job in the military. He had wasted over a year already, so he immediately decided to execute his next plan.

Having obtained his freedom, the first thing Henry set his sights on was none other than money. The reason he chose money as his primary goal was simple: nothing else had the fundamental power of wealth.

‘First, I should head to Vivaldi.’

Vivaldi was the largest entertainment place in the Empire. Being an entertainment city, it was directly managed by the Empire and not under any aristocrat, and most of the income earned in the city was collected through the Empire’s taxes.

“Let’s go.”

Neeeeigh!

After spending a year comfortably in Iselan’s stables, Jade had grown even bigger. But that didn’t make him any duller. On the contrary, thanks to eating and resting well, his stamina had improved significantly. The horse sprinted across the country, carrying Henry for a long time before it even began to feel tired.

Slowly, the huge outskirts of the city began to emerge.

‘No matter how many times I look at it, I’m still in awe at its size.’

The Empire invested generously in Vivaldi, since entertainment generated huge income. As a result, Vivaldi had been able to rise as one of the most luxurious cities in the Empire.

Henry soon arrived at the entrance to the city. In front of its huge gate, soldiers wearing high-quality armor were checking the people entering and leaving the city. The queue was very long, as expected. Many were drawn to the City of Pleasure.

However, Henry didn’t stand in line like everyone else. Instead, he skipped the line and rode right to the front of the queue, as if it was his right. Seeing this, one of the soldiers gestured toward him.

“Looking at your outfit, it seems like you’re a member of the imperial army. However, you still don’t get preferential treatment here, so go back and queue up like everyone else.”

This was the greatest entertainment hub in the Empire. For that reason, it was also a place where the wealthy and powerful, like the Nobles and bureaucrats, flocked to. Since pretty much everyone here was privileged anyway, special privileges were seldom granted.

The slogan of this city was that everyone was equal in the pursuit of pleasure.

Henry took out his identity tag without saying a word and showed it to the soldier.

“Ah, well, no matter what you try to show me… H-huh?”

All the soldiers in Vivaldi belonged to the imperial army. Therefore, they had no reason to feel belittled even in the face of most Nobles. Disrespecting the soldiers was basically a challenge to the entire imperial army. However, as soon as Henry held out his silver identity tag, the soldier’s eyes widened.

“T-three stars?!” His posture immediately stiffened in a formal salute. “I have made a terrible mistake by not recognizing you, sir!”

“It’s okay. Now, may I enter?”

“Of course! Oh, please take this. It will greatly assist you in your stay!”

The soldier who hastily saluted Henry then held out a small card.

‘Ah, the Black Card.’

Benefits were rarely given out, but that didn’t mean that there weren’t any at all. Exceptional benefits were given to the most powerful, the very wealthy, or to decorated people like Henry. Proof of that was the Black Card, also called the ‘Vivaldi Free Pass.’

“Well then.”

After a brief silence, Henry rode into Vivaldi.

* * *

Boom! Boom!

“We have Vivaldi’s special golden skewers!”

“We have Zelna’s whisky over here!”

“The greatest fireworks show! Starting now!”

As soon as Henry received the card and entered the city, he immediately felt the vivid vibrancy of the city. Numerous street vendors, performances by bards and clowns, and various public gambling houses were on full display. All of these were ‘specialties’ of Vivaldi.

‘This place is still the same as ever.’

Henry was one of the pioneers who had built the Empire. Therefore, it was only natural that his relationship with Vivaldi was also different. When he entered the city, the first thing he searched for was a clothing store. After all, he couldn’t go around wearing a military uniform forever. After looking around, Henry walked into the largest and most glamorous clothing store he saw.

“Welcome.”

The manager of the store was a skinny woman with sharp, pointed glasses. As soon as the woman spotted Henry, she greeted him while giving him a quick scan.

‘A soldier? Judging by the uniform, it looks like he’s an officer… he seems young, so he must be a junior officer.’

.

Most of the imperial merchants adopted an incentive system for their employees. In other words, giving an employee a bonus relative to their sales figures. However, junior officers tended to be poor, so selling clothes to such customers resulted in close to no bonus for finalizing the sale. With that in mind, the manager immediately called for another employee.

“Camie, go and serve that guest.”

“Yes, manager.”

At the manager’s order, Camie, the youngest employee in the store, put down the clothes she was organizing and hurriedly approached Henry.

In a store, customers with no money were called ‘waste,’ and the youngest employees of the store were usually tasked with handling them.

“Welcome! Is there anything you’re looking for?’

‘The youngest employee?’

Henry knew about this discriminatory practice, but he did not let it show, and did not hesitate to speak to the employee who had been assigned to him.

“Is this the biggest clothing store in Vivaldi?”

“Yes! Our Shuzume is the largest clothing store in Vivaldi.”

“You sound proud of it.”

“Of course! Working at Shuzume is something I’m proud of.”

The young lady had large eyes and was full of life, and Henry liked people who were proud and passionate of their own work.

‘So much shit coming from a junior officer,’?

the manager thought as she clicked her tongue.

In her eyes, he was nothing more than a dreg of a guest pretending to be stylish.

Henry began to explain what he was looking for.

“I’m looking for a white shirt and black pants right now. Oh, the pants must be slim.”

“How about these?”

Camie immediately suggested some pieces nearby. They were a little pricey compared to regular clothes.

“Well, I don’t think they’re to my taste.”

‘But of course,’

thought the manager.

Seeing Henry reject the more expensive products, the manager looked at him with disgust.

But at that moment…

“Forget about these. Do you have any clothes made by Sylvia?”

“Sorry? Who?”

“Sylvia, the designer. Surely a store this big carries her products?”

“A-ah yes, of course! Please wait a moment!”

Sylvia.

She was a living legend in the designer world, and the clothes she designed were said to be the most sophisticated in the Empire, enough to make even slaves look noble.

“S-Sylvia?” the manager muttered to herself in disbelief.

Sylvia’s products were the most expensive in the store. Just selling one piece of clothing from her lineup would mean receiving a huge bonus.

“Camie! Can you come here for a moment?”

“Sorry, me?”

“Yeah, you. I’ll take care of him, so can you organize the clothes here?”

“Organize…?”

“Why? You don’t want to do it?”

“N-no…”

These were Sylvia’s products they were talking about.

Contrary to her initial judgment, the manager, now blinded by the potential bonus, immediately snatched Henry away from Camie as soon as she smelled the jackpot. After sizing Henry visually, the manager appeared in front of him with the clothes he requested.

“Thank you for waiting. Here is the white shirt and slim pants that you requested.”

“Has the staff in charge been changed?”

“

Hoho

, she’s busy right now, so I’ll be serving you instead.”

“Is that so? Well, that’s fine. I’ll take these. I can wear these right away, can’t I?”

“Excellent choice, sir!

Oh-ho-ho!

”

The manager had deliberately picked out the most expensive pieces. However, Henry decided to make the purchase without even closely inspecting them.

The manager was grinning from ear to ear.

Henry took off his uniform in the dressing room and immediately changed into Sylvia’s branded clothes.

“Wow! They suit you so well! No wonder they call these pieces ‘befitting of an angel’!”

“Really?”

“Yes~ It’s been five years since I started working here and it’s the first time I’ve seen anyone who suits Sylvia’s clothes so well!”

“Thank you. I’ll make the purchase right away.”

A single piece of normal clothing worn by commoners usually costs less than one silver. However, Sylvia’s clothes were considered masterpieces even among luxury goods, and cost a whopping ten gold for a shirt.

After completing the payment, Henry checked the receipt.

“What’s the name again?”

“

Hoho

, I’m Manager Schlibiatz.”

“No, not you, I mean the first employee who assisted me.”

“...Excuse me?”

“Ah, there she is. Hello?” Henry gestured at Camie, catching her attention. “Your name is?”

“M-me? I’m just an employee, my name’s Camie.”

“I like the clothes that you picked out. I’ll give you the receipt.”

“Huh? Me?”

Employees collected receipts from their customers and received bonuses based on those receipts. Therefore, receipts for expensive products were considered a treasure for every employee.

Manager Schlibiatz was bewildered.

“E-excuse me, sir? I’m the one who picked out the clothes for you, not Camie.”

“I know.”

“Huh?”

“But I requested it specifically from Miss Camie over here.” Henry said as he wrote down Camie’s name on the receipt before handing it over.

“Thanks for the clothes. See you.”

In truth, it didn’t matter who had chosen the clothes. What made Henry unhappy was the way that the manager had looked at him when he had entered the store.

‘Next, shoes.’

Having gracefully gotten his revenge, Henry carried on to the shoe store. And when he finally found a pair of shoes that he liked, Henry finally had a smile on his face.

‘Now that’s much better.’

To buy the clothes that he was wearing, he had spent an entire year’s worth of salary, as well as all the treasure that Klever had accumulated. He was now completely broke, but he felt that it was all worth it. In fact, he was highly satisfied that he was finally wearing some proper clothes.

Having finished his shopping, Henry stood in front of a huge bulletin board labeled ‘High Score’ in the center of the city. The High Score showed the champions and their respective high scores for all the spectacular events taking place all over Vivaldi.

‘Let’s see… don’t tell me the record’s already been broken, eh?’

Henry busily scanned the High Score board.

‘Found it.’

His eyes stopped at one particular spot where ‘Chess’ was written.

‘As expected of the champion. To think that he’s kept his seat for all this time.’

The name recorded under the ‘Chess’ category was Vant Larson. Vant Larson was the best chess player in the Empire, having played over three thousand chess games without losing a single one.

‘Officially, that is.’

Confirming that the chess champion was still the same person that he remembered, Henry disappeared into the crowd again.

* * *

“Mayor, a Noble of the Black rank would like to see you.”

“Black rank? Who is it?”

“He identified himself as Henry Morris, and he said that he’ll discuss the details when you meet him.”

“H-Henry Morris?”

Receiving the news just as he was about to begin his dinner, Vant Larson jumped out of his seat, startled by the name ‘Henry Morris’.

“No, no. Henry Morris is dead. Perhaps it’s just coincidentally the same name?”

“That’s right.”

“You surprised me! I’m busy now, so tell him to come back later.”

“That is… he said that should you deny meeting him, he’ll expose what happened in Baguess.”

“W-what!?”

At the mention of Baguess, Vant almost fell out of his chair. As soon as he got back on his feet, he commanded in a trembling voice, “W-what are you doing! Get ready, now!”

At Vant’s command, the secretary got busy.