Exiled Young Girl's Territory Development Record: The Result of the Villainous Young Lady Who Was Exiled Before the Scenario Began and Did Whatever She Wanted for the People. - Chapter 40: The Exiled Young Girl Engages in Diplomacy

Upon arriving at the town hall, I was greeted by a large, burly man with a beard and brown hair, leading a group of servants.

This imposing man seemed to be the town mayor, and his expression was rather stern, as if he was scrutinizing me.

“Yes, I am Olivia of Scarletford, the Baroness.”

“And I am Edward Harrows, the mayor of Bitterley,” he said, his voice carrying the weight of authority.

“Harrows… So you’re related to Earl Razlow?” I asked.

“Yes, Earl Razlow is my father.”

“I’m honored to meet you, Lord Edward.”

“The honor is mine, Baroness,” Edward said, bowing deeply before me. I extended my hand, and he kissed the back of it.

“Shall we proceed?”

“Yes, please.”

Edward guided me inside the building.

The interior was… aptly described as sturdy and unadorned. I had expected a lord’s residence to be filled with artwork and luxurious furnishings, but there was none of that here.

There were some flowers here and there, but they were the only splash of color. The place was clean and well-maintained, but otherwise plain.

“Please, come this way,” Edward said, leading us to what appeared to be the reception room. We sat on the sofas, and soon a maid brought out tea.

“Now, Baroness, what brings you to our town, especially without prior notice, and having crossed the Demon Forest?”

“I apologize for the lack of prior notice. However, we had our reasons. The situation is as follows—”

I explained how we had a conflict with the Tarclay Trading Company in Clarington and no longer wished to buy goods from there.

“I see. But, if I remember correctly, Baroness Scarletford was under the protection of the Southberry Marquisate. In such a case, how could you prioritize merchants over nobles—”

“Of course, the merchants would be prioritized.”

“What?”

“Oh, I should have introduced myself properly. I am Olivia Ainsley.”

“Wha—! The Ainsley family!?”

“Yes. And my father is Adolph, the Southberry Marquis. For what it’s worth.”

“What!?”

“For what it’s worth.”

“For what it’s worth?”

“Yes. My father was quite displeased with the color of my hair and eyes.”

“…Black, you mean?”

“Yes. He considered it a curse. The only time I met him was when he exiled me.”

“That’s… hard to believe.”

“Yes, it might be. But isn’t it something Earl Razlow could verify?”

“…Indeed.”

“So, the reason for my visit to you, Lord Edward, is—”

“Yes?”

“I plan to create a trade route through the Demon Forest connecting here and Scarletford. I came to make the formal introduction.”

“What!? You plan to do that!”

“Well, we did manage to cross the Demon Forest to get here, didn’t we?”

“Well, yes…”

“And if the road is built, wouldn’t it make it easier for the people of Bitterley to deal with the monsters?”

“…But is it really possible to build a road through the Demon Forest? It seems like it would be immediately rendered useless by monster attacks.”

“If we diligently continue to exterminate the monsters, it will eventually stabilize.”

“But who will be responsible for that?”

“Well, it should be decided based on the territorial boundaries, right? The Razlow territory will handle its section, and of course, Scarletford will handle its section. The only issue is determining the boundary.”

“I… don’t have the authority to decide the territorial boundaries. I’ll need to confirm with Earl Razlow. Is that acceptable?”

“Yes, of course. It’s not a road that will be completed overnight.”

“Understood. I will confirm it.”

“Thank you. Is there any issue with the trade?”

“No, there is no issue with the trade. Our town would benefit from tolls and trade taxes. Besides, if we refuse, someone else will surely offer this deal.”

“Yes, that is true.”

“In that case, we have no reason to refuse.”

“That’s good to hear.”

“By the way, what do you plan to sell?”

“…Well, things like timber, charcoal, surplus crops, and perhaps monster materials?”

“I see. But we have enough of those here.”

“That’s true. Also, I can offer the use of my skeletons as labor.”

“Skeletons? What do you mean?”

“Oh, you haven’t been informed? I’m talking about the moving bones I arrived on.”

“Moving bones?”

“Yes. I use my magic to animate the bones of animals and monsters. They can understand commands to some extent and work tirelessly all night.”

“All night? Without rest?”

“Yes. Though, since the skeletons I brought are Forest Deer bones, they can’t do anything too complex. But they’re good at carrying loads and plowing fields.”

“Interesting. Could they be used for monster hunting?”

“Skeletons alone can’t handle it. However, they can be useful for patrols or as support.”

“That’s excellent! Having them for dangerous night patrols would be very helpful. Anything else?”

“Yes, indeed. Skeletons made from bird bones can serve as messenger birds.”

“Bird bones? They can fly?”

“Yes, it’s quite strange, but they do fly. See for yourself.”

I took out a bird skeleton from my bag.

“…It’s moving.”

“Bi-2, fly around the room.”

*Clank clank.*

Bi-2 flapped its wings, flew around the room, and returned. Edward watched in astonishment.

“W-w-w-what…”

“As you can see, such services could be quite lucrative.”

Edward stared in wide-eyed amazement, nodding repeatedly.

“…Isn’t it a bit too surprising?”