How to Use Fiene

Although Leo and I had been assigned missions, that didn't mean we'd be leaving the Imperial Capital immediately.

We had preparations to make, and in my case, it depended on my elder sister.

In the meantime, we each did what we could.

Leo met with influential figures and brought them over to our side.

I dealt with the representative of the demi-human merchant guild.

"What kind of person are they?"

"The representative's a good person."

"Fiene's judgments of good people aren't reliable."

"What!?"

Fiene cried out as if shocked.

But it was true. If Fiene or Leo were made to sort humanity into good and bad, they'd probably classify almost everyone as good.

These two looked for people's good sides rather than their bad ones.

Unlike me. When they look at Trau, they first search for his good qualities. I first think, He's fat. This must be what they mean by the difference in human qualities.

Sadly, the world seems designed to make life easier for people who have the latter sort of reaction.

That's why I feel like supporting them, though.

"We have been expecting you. Your Highness, Fiene-sama. The representative is waiting for you."

"I had heard about you, but an elf as a secretary? How did you come to work for the demi-human merchant guild?"

The person who greeted us at the door was an elven secretary.

I'd heard about her from Fiene and the others, but it was still unusual.

Elves lived in settlements in secluded villages scattered throughout the various regions.

They were insular, often putting up barriers around their villages and rarely venturing outside. Many people had probably heard the word elf, but not many had actually seen one.

They were long-lived and beautiful. Apparently, some of their elders had lived for a thousand years.

It was surprising enough that such an elf interacted with so many people outside her village. But serving as a vampire's secretary at a merchant guild was almost unbelievable.

"We elves are insular. That is a characteristic of our race. However, I wanted to see the outside world. I was an outlier among elves. So I left my village and ventured into the outside world. But the outside world was far harsher than I had imagined. That was when the representative took me into the guild. This guild serves as a refuge for demi-humans like us."

"That's a lovely story, Al-sama."

"If it isn't a made-up story."

I deliberately put it that way.

Fiene reproached me with her eyes, asking why I would say such a thing, but I ignored her.

Hearing my words, the elven secretary narrowed her eyes slightly. She seemed somewhat displeased, but merely said, "Believe it or not, it's up to you," and stepped back.

It seemed to be a true story after all.

"Excuse me."

I entered the representative's room.

But what happened next was different from what I had heard.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Prince Arnold. My name is Yulia, and I serve as the representative of the demi-human merchant guild."

Her silver hair fell in gentle waves and was trimmed to around shoulder length.

Her ruby-red eyes regarded me with evident interest.

Like any vampire, she had beautiful features. Her pale skin and overall appearance reminded me of the vampires I had encountered in the east. Thinking of them inevitably made me remember Fiene's falling form as well.

I must have looked somewhat displeased, because Yulia gave a wry smile and bowed her head.

"This is completely unrelated, but I sincerely apologize for what my kind did. I'm very sorry."

"...Pardon me. I am Arnold Lake Adler, the Seventh Prince."

There was no point in ruining the relationship Fiene had worked so hard to establish.

I apologized at once, then took a seat with Fiene.

"Now then, Your Highness. What brings you here today?"

"I'll get straight to the point. How do you intend to use Fiene?"

I wanted to borrow Fiene's name.

That was the condition she had set.

If my guess was correct, she intended to use Fiene to launch a product in a way that had never been done in the Imperial Capital before.

"The way you put it makes it sound rather sinister."

"Drop the formalities. Just speak naturally. The way you talk feels unnatural."

"Oh, really? I went to the trouble of switching into customer-service mode for a prince."

"I'm not a customer. I'm your business partner. Stop talking like you're hiding your true intentions."

"Well, if that's what you want, I'll stop. This is easier for me too."

Saying that, Yulia smiled in a way that made her instantly likable.

Merchants were usually like that, but she had a talent for winning people over.

They wormed their way into people's good graces, and before anyone realized it, slipped into their inner circles.

Yulia was no exception.

"As for how to use Fiene... how do you think I plan to use her?"

"Don't answer a question with a question."

"Why not? I'm curious how much the dull prince can do."

"If you know that nickname, there's no need to ask. I'm the dull prince because I'm incompetent."

After this exchange, Yulia smoothly shifted her gaze to Fiene.

This was bad.

By the time I realized it, it was too late.

Yulia grinned.

"You're supposedly incompetent, yet Fiene doesn't look flustered while you're talking. If anything, I sense that she trusts you."

"Huh? Oh, um..."

"I'll use Fiene in our advertising. We'll advertise the products as ones Fiene has used and, if possible, display a portrait of Fiene in the shops."

Since Fiene's reaction had given me away, there was no point trying to hide it.

To move things along, I explained the plan I had come up with.

Yulia looked a little surprised when she heard it.

"I'm surprised... I thought you were pretending to be incompetent, but you're sharper than I expected. They say a capable hawk hides its talons, and that certainly seems to be true of you."

"I'm not pretending, and I'm not hiding anything. I simply showed no interest in doing anything, so people around me started calling me that."

"Not anymore?"

"I've decided to make my younger brother the Emperor. He's like Fiene. He's too honest to get by in this world. That's why the people around him have to protect him. Deception and maneuvering are my job. Anyone who tries to deceive Leo or Fiene, I'll crush them."

"...I'll keep that in mind."

I glared at Yulia, warning her off with my eyes.

Perhaps she sensed an inexplicable menace, because Yulia answered with a slight tension in her voice.

Seeing that, I relaxed my guard and asked again in my usual tone.

"So? How do you intend to use Fiene?"

"...More or less the same way you do. At first, I plan to sell cosmetics. If we say they're the cosmetics that the Azure Gull Princess uses, they'll fly off the shelves."

"I thought so. And that will dispel the negative image of the demi-human merchant guild, allowing you to enter the Imperial Capital openly."

"Don't make it sound like we're the only ones benefiting. We'll do our part properly."

"That comes a little later. First, cripple the merchant houses supporting the opposing faction. Cut off their sources of funding, and they won't be able to make any flashy moves."

Yulia let out a small sigh at how casually I said it.

Her reaction was reasonable.

After all, all the merchant houses supporting the opposing faction were major organizations with deep roots in the Imperial Capital. Destroying them was practically impossible.

"You mean I should hit them hard enough that they can't support the opposing faction... Would leaving them half-dead be enough?"

"No, a little more than that. Aim for three-quarters dead."

"They'll practically be dead... Well, I'll do my best. As for funding your side, how much do you need?"

"None at the moment. When you need it, have as much as necessary ready."

"Do you think money just springs from the ground? The larger the amount, the longer it takes to prepare."

"I know. I'm still telling you to do it."

Yulia shook her head in exasperation at my harsh demands.

But all Yulia could do was nod.

If she couldn't meet demands this harsh, I couldn't loan Fiene to her.

"Honestly... I've ended up helping an absolutely terrifying faction."

"If you want someone to blame, blame Fiene."

"No thanks. I won't hold it against a cutie. I'll blame you instead."

"Do as you please. Now, let's go, Fiene."

"Ah, y-yes!"

Fiene had been savoring the tea cakes we'd been served, but she hurriedly finished them and began preparing to leave.

Seeing that, Yulia pouted.

"You could stay a little longer."

"I'm afraid we have a lot to do. You start preparing the products on your end. I'll contact you again when the time is right."

"Hmm. Hey, Arnold. If you really insist, I could give you my full cooperation, you know? If I put in a word, nearly every demi-human would cooperate."

"I may ask when the time comes. But now isn't the time, and I don't know what the price would be, so I'll pass."

I declined Yulia's offer as she gazed at me with a seductive expression.

There was something bewitching about this woman.

I didn't have a bad impression of her, but neither did I have a good one.

What was it? She was like a cat bursting with curiosity.

I felt as though she might poke her nose into places I didn't want her to.

It would be fine if I had nothing to hide, but unfortunately, everything I had was something I'd rather keep hidden.

There was no doubt she was a capable merchant, but for now, I would keep my distance as much as possible.

Having made up my mind, I left Yulia's office.