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Chapter 165: Report from Annemarie

165話　アンナメリーの報告書

Mr. Walter Miller.

ウォルター・ミラー氏。

He is a college friend of Mr. Cain Merlin and has been a business partner with him for a year after graduation at a trading company in Granati.

ケイン・マーリン氏の大学時代のご学友であり、卒業後もグラナティ州の商社で1年間、共に経営を学んだご友人でもあります。

He is the third son of an old baronial family and was said to have pursued his studies with the aim of starting a business.

氏は旧男爵家の三男で、事業を立ち上げるのを目的として学業を修めていたとの事です。

Mr. Cain, who had a student marriage, seems to have interacted with Mr. Walter along with his wife, Lady Leela, at that time.

学生結婚であったケイン氏は、奥様であるとリーラ様共々当時ウォルター氏と交流があった様でございます。

 

Eventually, in 2405, the year their eldest daughter, Karen, was born, they returned to Munanotos, and at the same time, the then head of the family retired, and Mr. Cain became the new head.

やがてご長女であるカレン様がお生まれになった2405年にムナノトスに戻り、それと同じくして当時の頭首様は引退され、ケイン氏はそのまま頭首となられました。

The retired former head… that is, Lady Leela’s father, passed away five years later in 2410.

ご隠居された前頭首……、つまりリーラ様のお父様はその五年後の2410年、ご逝去されております。

 

 

The Munanotos territory, surrounded by mountains, once thrived as a mining area.

山々に囲まれたムナノトス領は、嘗ては鉱山の地として隆盛を誇っておりました。

However, since about 70 years ago, the extraction of the main ores has decreased, leading to a series of mine closures, and the area has not enjoyed the same prosperity as before.

ですが70年ほど前から主となる鉱石の採掘が減って行き、閉山が相次ぎそれまでの様な景気を享受する事はなくなりました。

Even so, it seems that there were still some revenues from mining, albeit modestly.

それでも細々とではありますが、採掘での収益は出ていたようです。

Therefore, it is believed that the county’s management was not in a state of crisis at that time.

ですので当時、郡の経営が行き詰まっていた事は無かったと思われます。

 

In 2416, when Mr. Cain was 34 years old, Mr. Walter Miller visited Munanotos.

ケイン氏が34歳の年、2416年に件のウォルター・ミラー氏がムナノトスへ訪ねて来られました。

This was the year after the birth of Karen, who was 11 years old, and her twin siblings.

カレン様11歳、双子のご弟妹様のお生まれになった翌年で御座います。

The purpose of his visit was to invite Mr. Cain to be a co-investor in a new business venture and to offer support.

用向きは、新規事業の立ち上げに共同出資者としてのお誘いと、支援の申し出です。

The investment amount was about 100a, so Mr. Cain readily accepted it.

出資金自体は100a程でしたので、ケイン氏はこれを快諾。

He was also listed as a co-business partner.

共同事業主としても名を連ねられました。

 

However, a year later, that business failed.

しかしその１年後、その事業が失敗となりました。

Mr. Walter also went missing afterward, and his whereabouts have remained unknown until now.

ウォルター氏もその後行方不明となり、現在までその消息は分かっておりません。

 

As he was a guarantor as a co-manager of the business and the head of Munanotos, the county administration was also targeted for compensation claims.

事業の共同経営者および、ムナノトスの頭首として保証人になっておりましたことから、賠償の取り立てが郡の行政にまで向けられました。

There were moments when several mines were on the verge of being seized, but thanks to his wife’s management, it seems they managed to hold onto the mountains. However, the debt was enormous, and it was said that the county’s management was on the brink of collapse.

幾つかの鉱山を差し押さえられる寸前まで行きましたが、なんとか奥様の采配で山々は手放さずに済んだようで御座います。しかし負債額は膨大で、郡の経営を立ちいかなくさせる寸前だったとか。

At that time, in 2418, an earthquake occurred, causing severe damage that crushed several mines in the Munanotos mountains.

そんな折、2418年に地震が起こり、鉱山の幾つかを押し潰す大変な被害が、ムナノトスの山々を襲ったのです。

 

The cause was volcanic activity from the Rohan volcano.

原因はローハン火山の火山活動。

At that time, neighboring Boltosnan, which also had the Rohan volcano, suffered significant damage.

当時はローハン火山を有する、ムナノトスのお隣であるボルトスナンにも大きな被害が出ていました。

Boltosnan, which relied heavily on hot springs and tourism revenue, took two years to recover from the damage.

火山のお膝元で温泉や観光収益が大きな収入の元であったボルトスナンは、この時の被害から復興するまでに2年の月日がかかっております。

However, it was only through the unwavering commitment and strenuous efforts of the head of Boltosnan that the city of Magnumtor, which was on the verge of destruction within just two years, could be revitalized.

ですが、僅か2年で壊滅間際だったマグナムトルの街を再興できたのは、ボルトスナンの御頭首様の復興にかける並々ならぬ想いと、血の滲むような努力が有ってこそなのだと思います。

 

The mountains and peaks connected to the Rohan volcano in Munanotos suffered the collapse of several mines due to the earthquake’s impact.

ローハン火山に連なる山々や峰が伸びるムナノトスの鉱山は、この地震の影響で幾つか潰れる事になりました。

With the loss of income from the unusable mines, it seemed that funds for recovery were becoming scarce, and just when it appeared that the finances were about to collapse, a proposal for financing and an offer for mine redevelopment came in.

鉱山が使えなくなった減収により、復興に割く資金もままならず、いよいよ財政が立ちいかなくなると思われた矢先、融資の提案と鉱山再開発の申し出があったとの事です。

 

The counterpart was Mr. Lawrence Niven from Grusmil.

そのお相手が、グルースミルのローレンス・ニヴン氏。

Mr. Niven suggested the possibility of a mithril vein in one of the mines in Munanotos.

ニヴン氏はムナノトスの鉱山の一つに、ミスリルの鉱脈がある可能性を示唆しました。

 

He proposed permission for a large-scale survey of the ore vein and expressed his desire to be listed as a co-developer upon its discovery. Furthermore, he requested to be fully entrusted with the sales channels, and he approached Mr. Cain with a contract.

大規模な鉱脈の調査許可と、それを発見した暁には共同開発者として名を連ねたい。更に、販売経路は全面的に任せて欲しいとの条件で、ケイン氏に契約を持ちかけたのです。

 

Mr. Cain accepted the proposal, and the contract was soon concluded.

ケイン氏はそのお話を受け入れ、契約は程なく締結されました。

 

Eventually, large-scale mining was to begin upon the discovery of the mithril vein.

やがてミスリルの鉱脈が発見されたとして、大規模な採掘が開始されることになりました。

However, before the mining commenced, when Mr. Cain and his wife, Lady Leela, visited the mining site for an inspection, an unfortunate collapse accident occurred, and the couple became lost to the world.

しかし、採掘開始前にケイン氏と奥様のリーラ様が視察にと採掘場に訪れた際、運悪く落盤事故が発生し、それに巻き込まれたご夫妻は帰らぬ人となったのです。

 

Currently, the business has been taken over by Mr. Niven, but it seems that there is no prospect of starting the mining operations yet.

現在、事業はニヴン氏が引き継がれましたが、採掘開始の目途は立っていないそうで御座います。

 

 

◇

 

 

I closed the thin bundle of reports I had in hand and let out a long, quiet sigh.

手に持っていた報告書の薄い束を閉じて、静かに長く息を吐く。

This report, prepared by Annemarie, was handed to me when I returned to the academy from the Bouncer Association, and although it was not the first time I was reading it, I couldn’t help but sigh after going through it.

アンナメリーが用意してくれたこの報告書は、バウンサー協会から学園に戻った時に渡された物で、読むのはこれが初めてではないのだが、目を通した後はつい吐息が漏れてしまう。

 

 

Now we have been waiting for nearly an hour at the county border checkpoint to obtain permission for our carriage to pass.

今わたし達は郡境の関所で、この馬車の通行許可を貰う為に、もう一時間近くも待たされている。

 

At the county border, such checkpoints are usually established.

郡境には、大抵こう言った関所が設けられている。

The town of Masom in Amukam is also a checkpoint.

アムカムのマソムって町も関所だしね。

However, due to the peculiarities of Masom, it is far more stringent than here.

もっともマソムはアムカムの特殊性故、こことは比べ物にならない位厳重だ。

Compared to that, this checkpoint only requires a document check, so I have no complaints.

それに比べれば、ここの関所はただの書類チェックだけで通れるのだから何の文句もありゃしない。

 

But this report, I picked it up thinking I had some time to spare, but I realize again that it’s not something to look at just to kill time.

でもこの報告書、つい時間があるからと手に取っちゃったけど、時間潰しで見る物ではないよなと改めて思う。

 

 

This report also contained various details about Mr. Lawrence Niven.

この報告書には、件のローレンス・ニヴン氏についても色々記されていた。

 

The Niven family was originally one of the vassals that inherited a fallen earldom.

ニヴン家は、元々は没落した伯爵領を引き継いだ寄子のひとつだったそうだ。

Grusmil, which had no particularly notable local products, was a land that sustained its economy through trade with foreign countries.

特段目立った地産品も無かったグルースミルは、外国との貿易で収益を得る事で経営を成り立たせていた土地だった。

 

Amidst this, Mr. Lawrence was brought into the Niven family due to his business acumen.

ローレンス氏はそんな中、経営の手腕を買われニヴン家へ婿入りした人物だ。

However, shortly after he was registered, the then head couple died together in a maritime accident, and Mr. Lawrence inherited the position of head.

しかし、籍を入れて早々に当時の頭首夫妻が海運事故で共に急逝された為、ローレンス氏がそのまま頭首を継承した。

 

Immediately after becoming the head, Mr. Lawrence reorganized the existing trading company and established what is now known as the “Afitrina Trading Company.”

ローレンス氏は頭首になって直ぐ、それまであった貿易会社を再編し、現在ある『アフィトリナ大商団』として立ち上げた。

The trading company steadily increased its performance and expanded its scale several times within a few years.

商団は着実に業績を上げ、数年でその規模を何倍にも拡大したという。

His eldest son was born around that time. However, his ailing wife passed away at the same time as the birth of their son.

長男が生まれたのはその頃だ。だが、病気がちだった奥方は長男の出産と同時に亡なっている。

A few years later, he remarried a cousin of his late wife. This woman is said to be the mother of the second son.

何年か後に、前夫人の従妹に当たる方と再婚をした。この方が例の次男のお母さんだそうだ。

However, this woman is also in poor health and is currently recuperating in a sanatorium.

でも、この方も病気がちで、今は療養地で静養中だとか。

 

 

Mr. Lawrence is reportedly known for his rather aggressive business practices.

ローレンス氏の商売の仕方は結構強引な事で有名らしい。

Transactions that are close to intimidation and forceful mergers are commonplace, and he is said to be a person who is constantly surrounded by dark rumors.

脅しに近い取引や、強引な吸収合併。そんなモノは当たり前で、常に黒い噂が絶えない人物なのだとか。

When an incident occurred where the family of a rival trading company was attacked by robbers, resulting in the entire family being wiped out, it was whispered that Mr. Lawrence was pulling the strings behind the scenes…

アフィトリナ大商団の商売敵の商会主の家が強盗団に襲われ、一家が全滅したと言う事件があった時は、ローレンス氏が裏で糸を引いていたと、まことしやかに囁かれていたそうな……。

In the end, the perpetrators were caught and punished, but there was no evidence to prove a connection to Mr. Lawrence, so it remained merely in the realm of “rumor.”

結局はその犯人も捕まり処分されたが、ローレンス氏との繋がりは立証されず証拠も無いので、あく迄『噂話』の領域から出る事は無かったそうだ。

 

 

Indeed, the more I investigate Mr. Lawrence, the more suspicious he seems.

やっぱりこのローレンス氏、調べれば調べる程胡散臭さがプンプンして来るんだよね。

It feels like there are an unusually high number of accidental deaths and illnesses around him.

やたら周りに事故死や病死が多い気がするよ。

Several owners of rival trading companies also died of illness around the time they were involved with Mr. Lawrence.

嘗てのライバル商会のオーナーも何人か、ローレンス氏と関わるタイミングで病死している。

Afterward, those trading companies were all absorbed into the Afitrina Trading Company.

その後その商会は悉く、アフィトリナ大商団に吸収されていたりするのだ。

 

The icing on the cake is that the accident involving Karen’s family coincided with a sharp rise in the performance of the Afitrina Trading Company.

極め付けはカレンの実家の事故と前後して、アフィトリナ大商団の業績が急上昇しているって事。

Normally, if they were co-managing or providing financial assistance, wouldn’t there be some losses if that business stagnated?

普通なら共同経営だとか資金援助をしていたなら、その事業が停滞したらそれなりに損失が出るもんじゃないの？

 

Are all these just coincidences?

これらは全て偶然なんですかね？

 

 

When we arrived at the checkpoint, we lined up at the end of a long queue, but before we knew it, we were almost at the front.

関所に到着した時、長い列の最後尾に並んだけど、いつの間にかわたし達の番までもう直ぐの所まで来ている。

A carriage displaying a unique emblem passed by our carriage.

そのわたし達の馬車の脇を、独特の紋章を掲げる馬車が通って行く。

It depicted a grotesque figure with the upper body of a woman and the lower body of eight arms.

女性の上半身に八腕目の下半身を持つ異形の姿。

This represented one of the sea goddesses Afitrina, known for capturing and devouring the ships of the disrespectful with her eight arms.

それは、不敬な者の乗る船を、その八本の腕で捉えて喰らうと言う、恐ろしい伝説を持つアフィトリナと言う海の女神の一柱の姿を現した物。

 

That carriage was coming from Karnaflemer. It seemed to be heading toward Dekkenbel, in the opposite direction of us.

その馬車はカルナフレーメルから出る馬車だ。わたし達とは逆にデケンベルへと向かう様だ。

From what I could see, it looked like they were passing through the checkpoint without any document checks, as if they had a free pass.

見ていた限りでは、関所では書類審査をしている様子もなく、顔パスで出てきた様に見えた。

 

I leaned my elbow on the carriage window, watching the passing carriage, and unconsciously let out a small sigh.

馬車の窓に肘をかけ、そのすれ違う馬車を見送りながら、我知らず小さな溜息が漏れて出た。

 

Thank you for reading.

お読み頂き、ありがとうございます。

 

Thank you for your bookmarks and evaluations! They are always a source of encouragement for me!!

ブクマ、ご評価もありがとうございます！いつも励みになっております！！

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