Chapter 142
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 142
The concept of full-body armor does not exist in the snowfields.
For one, iron is scarce, and metallurgy has not advanced enough to produce full-body suits. Furthermore, wearing such armor over thick cold-weather clothing severely restricts movement.
Combined with metallurgy that lags behind the Empire’s and the extreme cold of the snowfields, metal armor is a liability; if it touches bare skin, it freezes instantly, making it nearly impossible to remove without tearing flesh.
In an environment where even leather armor is a luxury, the very idea of metal armor was unlikely to take root.
And yet, strangers referred to as "foreigners clad in white iron" had arrived in these very snowfields.
"Those foreigners—where are they now?"
"They are waiting a short distance away for your response, my Lord. We found it difficult to bring unidentified individuals directly inside..."
"They are acquaintances of mine. Bring them in immediately. I will personally vouch for their identities."
"Yes, Sire!"
At Lucian’s firm tone, Einar hurried out.
Even among full-body armors, the White Armor was an exceptionally rare sight. Lucian knew of only one group where multiple members would be equipped with such distinctive gear.
A moment later, as expected, a group of figures swarmed in and knelt before Lucian.
"Zinovi Clover of the Blue Rose Knight Order greets His Grace the Duke!"
"Moritz of the same order! I greet His Grace the Duke!"
"I as well...!"
Lucian nodded at the greetings from the Blue Rose Knight Order. The armor they wore was undoubtedly the Northern Royal Family's Legacy he had personally handed to them before departing for the snowfields.
Lucian personally helped each of the kneeling knights to their feet.
"Welcome. I would like to say it is good to see you after so long, but I fear a reprimand must come first."
"We crave your forgiveness."
The knights of the Blue Rose Knight Order all flushed red with embarrassment.
Lucian had left on this journey promising to return, entrusting them with the armor to protect Asagrim in his absence. Yet, the moment the unnatural cold ceased, they had rushed after him, still clad in the very armor he had lent them.
In a way, it showed a lack of faith in Lucian and was an unauthorized use of the treasures he had entrusted to them.
"Well, no matter. Since there was no news for a long time, you must have wondered if I was dead or alive. I am not without fault myself, so let us let it slide."
"We thank Your Grace for your ocean-like mercy!"
"By the way, how did you get all the way here? The cold only stopped five days ago... Surely you weren't waiting at Raugrad the whole time?"
"To be precise, some of the knights were waiting in shifts. As soon as we received word five days ago that the cold had broken, we set out on horseback immediately."
The path from Raugrad to the Blue Dragon Tribe was neither long nor particularly rugged. Even so, it had previously taken fifteen days to arrive because of the insane cold. If one mismanaged their stamina even slightly, they would freeze to death, necessitating frequent stops for safety.
However, that cold had been completely dispelled by Lucian recently. Without the need to worry about freezing, a rider on a flat path could have arrived in three days, let alone five.
Piecing the situation together, Lucian narrowed his eyes.
"Reckless. Did you charge ahead without knowing what lay beyond the path?"
Lucian had been guided by Helen, so he had been certain of his safety from the start. But the Blue Rose knights had charged into a completely unknown world without a single guide. If there had been natural traps like cliffs hidden under snowdrifts, they could have been wiped out.
"Claiming you were certain of safety because it was the path I took is no excuse. Unlike me, who had a guide, you had no idea how to respond to unexpected situations."
"Your Grace is absolutely right. We have no excuse. However, there was news we had to deliver, even if it meant risking our lives and disregarding our honor."
"What news?"
"The Acting Family Head of Asagrim is in a difficult position."
Lucian’s expression hardened. He hadn't expected much from Hans, but he had thought things would remain quiet for at least six months out of fear of his return. To think trouble had already brewed so soon after his departure.
"What exactly happened?"
At Lucian’s question, the knight bowed his head in shame and answered.
"The merchants have colluded to force a choice upon the Acting Family Head."
No single territory can be entirely self-sufficient. Whether for luxury goods or daily necessities, trade with other territories is indispensable. And the ones who connected these trade networks were the merchants.
In a way, they were vital to the operation of a territory, but no lord truly respected them.
‘Why should I show respect to people who only trade for their own profit?’
This wasn't mere contempt; it was a sentiment rooted in reality. Ultimately, the merchants were the ones who profited most, and if those profits dipped, they were the first to abandon a territory regardless of the lord's circumstances. Why should a lord feel grateful to someone who only looked out for their own bottom line?
If anything, the lord was the absolute power, capable of unilateral tyranny over the merchants.
"The territory's situation is poor, so I shall collect a bit more in taxes than usual. No complaints, right?"
"You can't do this! Do you know how much I've offered to Your Excellency until now?"
"I know you're still making a profit. If you don't like it, pack up and leave."
"..."
From the merchant's perspective, it was infuriating enough to drive them mad, but there was no other way. Setting aside the difference in social status, the loss of trading rights was too devastating. The moment they were barred from a territory, they lost a waypoint at best and a major client at worst. Furthermore, hyena-like competitors were always lurking, waiting to snatch up any vacated interests.
‘Even if it’s dirty and unfair, I have no choice but to follow the lord’s word. If I pick a fight, all my trading rights will just go to my rivals.’
Even after the era of chaos began, the situation for merchants did not improve. If anything, their treatment became several times worse than during times of peace. Lords were in a position where they could lose their lands and their heads at any moment. If a merchant wandered around with urgent supplies while the lord was desperate? It was common for the merchant's throat to be slit and their goods seized in the blink of an eye.
But now, with the signs of chaos looming, the merchants had not only attempted collusion but had gone so far as to threaten the Acting Family Head?
"Tell me the details. What did the merchants do?"
"They have raised the prices of essential goods for the commoners to several times the normal rate, and they are demanding exclusive trading rights for certain items."
"And the Acting Family Head? Did he accept those demands?"
"He hasn't accepted them, but he is stuck between a rock and a hard place. The merchants are taking a hard line, saying there will be no trade unless their proposal is accepted."
"Ah."
Lucian tapped his forehead. He finally understood what the merchants were aiming for.
‘They realized Hans lacks experience and deliberately orchestrated an extreme situation.’
If the Lord himself were ruling the territory, such an attempt wouldn't have stood a chance. If the Lord simply closed his eyes and endured a few months of loss, the merchants would be the ones fearing for their lives. The problem was that Hans was only the Acting Family Head.
‘There is a world of difference between me personally accepting a loss and Hans making a decision that causes me loss.’
A trusted aide, out of a desire to repay that trust, cannot bring himself to make a decision that harms his master. Hans likely knew roughly how to deal with merchants acting that way. But because the one suffering the loss from that response would be Lucian, not Hans, he was simply unable to act.
The merchants had accurately struck at this fundamental limitation of an 'Acting Family Head.'
‘They’re sharp... but wait, this is strange. Do these bastards not plan on staying in business for long?’
He acknowledged their skill in identifying and striking Asagrim’s weakness. If Hans, as the Acting Family Head, accepted the terms, Lucian—who had given him full authority—would have no choice but to honor it. But that didn't mean the resulting resentment would just vanish. Even if they made a huge profit once, a bloodbath would follow once an enraged Lucian started swinging his sword.
"Who is the ringleader? The merchants wouldn't have suddenly gone mad as a group. There must be someone leading this."
There is a vast difference between being able to do something and actually doing it. No matter how much profit was at stake, no merchant in their right mind would dream of such blackmail. The fact that they went through with it meant someone must have pushed them, promising to take responsibility.
"Even a guess will do. Who is acting as their representative?"
"It is the Dominic Merchant Group. They claim they are all equal, but the Dominic Group is always the first to step forward in major matters."
"Dominic? Surely you don't mean the Dominic Merchant Group led by 'Dominic of the Iron'?"
"That is correct."
"Ha."
He wondered what madman it was, and it turned out to be that Dominic.
The seven-forked tongue, the one cursed every time he breathed, the target of every assassin. Was that piece of trash, who had been infamous across the entire continent in his past life, squirming again, unable to break his old habits?
‘No, this is actually for the better. If the opponent is Dominic, I don't have to hold back.’
The corners of Lucian’s mouth curled upward. If the opponent didn't care about the future, Lucian didn't need to care about it either. Naturally, the response was simple.
"I have a general idea of how things are going. However, I have work left to do here, so I cannot return immediately. Instead, deliver my words to the Acting Family Head."
"Please, speak."
"Tell him to accept the merchants' proposal, but make all transactions on credit until I return. However, ensure that all exclusive trading rights are funneled to the Dominic Merchant Group."
"...!?"
The knights looked horrified at Lucian’s command. He finally had the chance to give a direct order, and he was telling them to accept the merchants' demands? He was even telling them to hand over the exclusive trading rights—a card that could be used to divide the merchants—to a single group?
"Y-Your Grace. I do not know what plan you have in mind, but this is too dangerous."
"Dangerous? In what way?"
"The matter is too grave. Even if the opponents are mere merchants, if Your Grace personally proclaims such a significant matter..."
The knight trailed off, but Lucian could easily guess the rest. This wasn't a matter of a temporary whim; it involved astronomical profits. No matter how much of an absolute power a lord was over a merchant, a contract of this scale could not be easily overturned. The moment it was broken, the lord’s reputation and credibility would hit rock bottom. While the merchant whose contract was voided would be ruined, the lord would also spend the rest of his life trying to pick up the pieces of his shattered honor.
However, Lucian dismissed the knight’s concern curtly.
"Do not worry. I have no intention of breaking my promise to them."
"You mean you intend to grant all of their demands!?"
"No."
Lucian gave a smirk at the gasping knight and said, "Before I even have to lift a finger, the Dominic Merchant Group will be the first to break the contract."