Chapter 145
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 145
“They say the Duke is on his way back to Asagrim.”
Hagen, the master of the Herta Merchant Guild, muttered with a pale face.
It was an expected turn of events, but the thought of actually facing the Duke made his knees shake. His opponent was a man of such power that he could have Hagen’s head rolling with a mere flick of a finger.
“What should we do now?”
“…”
“…”
The other guild masters gathered for the meeting remained silent, turning their heads away. They, too, had no idea how to overcome this situation.
Frustrated, Hagen pounded the table and shouted.
“Say something! There’s a blade at our throats; we have to find a way out!”
He wasn't wrong, but badgering them wouldn't suddenly conjure a solution out of thin air. As the silence stretched on, Hagen’s gaze shifted toward the man sitting in the center.
“Listen here, Guild Master Dominic. What do you intend to do about this?”
“…Why are you asking me?”
Dominic, the master of the Dominic Merchant Guild, let his eyes flash coldly.
Normally, such a look would have made Hagen cower instantly, but it didn't work this time. No matter how great Dominic was, he was nothing compared to the Duke. If anything, Hagen snapped back sharply, irritated by the man’s composure.
“You’re the one who lured us in! You were the one who gathered everyone, saying we should make a killing and run! Are you planning to back out now?!”
“Back out? That sounds like you’re trying to shift the blame onto me.”
“And why shouldn't I? If we all get our stories straight…!”
“Straight? Do you think you lot would be safe then?”
Hagen flinched at the chilling tone. Despite being old enough to be hunched over and covered in age spots, Dominic’s presence was enough to overwhelm any grown man. As Hagen took a step back, Dominic warned him with a growl like a predator.
“Watch your tongue, boy. A wolf might not be able to defeat a dragon, but tearing a rabbit’s throat out is child’s play. If you keep acting out of turn, you’ll die by my hand long before the Duke gets to you.”
Not all guild masters were created equal. Before a tycoon like Dominic, a mid-to-small-scale merchant like Hagen was an insignificant existence—someone he could have eliminated by hiring an assassin at a moment's notice.
Belatedly remembering that fact, Hagen nodded frantically, his face turning white.
Having re-established the hierarchy, Dominic clicked his tongue and looked around.
“Pathetic. Making such a fuss over something like this. How have you managed to stay in business this long with such cowardice? Do you call yourselves the heads of merchant guilds?”
“…This isn't exactly something that can be dismissed as ‘something like this,’ is it?”
At Dominic’s rebuke, another guild master spoke up hesitantly, his face clouded. The matter was far too grave to be taken as mere seasoned advice.
“Who is the acting family head we offended? He is the Duke’s closest confidant, someone who has served him since he was the third son of the Valdek family. To the Duke, he’s practically family.”
“So, you think the Duke won’t leave us be for touching his proxy? If you were so afraid of retaliation, why didn't you flee sooner? Why did you stay here, even going so far as to provide goods on credit?”
“If we had just run away blindly, the knights would have chased us down and cut our heads off immediately. By providing credit, we at least have a bit of an excuse.”
For a mere merchant to pressure the Duke’s closest aide was already a capital offense. But to ignore the Duke’s own proposal and flee just because things went south? Even before the Duke could act, the knights would have lost their minds and hacked the merchants to pieces.
Dominic let out a deep sigh, looking disappointed by the guild master’s answer.
“So, in the end, the only thing in your heads was saving your own skins? How pitiful.”
“Stop scolding us and tell us if you have a plan. What do you want us to do?”
“You really can’t see an inch in front of you. Why do you think the Duke left us alone after we harassed his proxy? If he wanted to, he could have thrown us all into the underground prison and tortured us.”
“That’s because…”
The guild masters were at a loss for words and looked at each other. They had wondered about that themselves. It seemed too elaborate a scheme just to avoid paying, yet calling it forgiveness felt wrong since the goods were taken on credit.
Dominic explained in a calm tone, as if teaching a child.
“The Duke has just brought a massive number of immigrants from across the snowfields. In other words, he needs an enormous amount of food, clothing, and daily necessities. What would happen if he rounded up and killed every merchant in the vicinity under these circumstances?”
“…!”
“Above all, what the Duke needs most right now is his own standing army to replace the troops he borrowed from the Imperial Palace. After basic necessities, what he needs is military procurement.”
Military procurement wasn't something just anyone could handle. Given the scale, no one but a tycoon like the Dominic Merchant Guild could even touch it. The costs involved were so astronomical that a small or medium guild could go bankrupt instantly if they mismanaged it.
“Of course, the Duke could find other guilds if he wanted to. But he has caught our weakness. In this situation, why would he bother looking for other guilds that he has no leverage over?”
Even for a noble, money didn't grow on trees. If they could reduce expenses even a little, they naturally would. Furthermore, this wasn't just any expense; military procurement was a massive financial undertaking. Any noble with a shred of sanity would prioritize using the leverage they held to save on costs rather than indulging in petty revenge.
At Dominic’s explanation, the gloomy guild masters all brightened up at once. Since they had committed the same crime, it was unlikely the Duke would punish some and forgive others based on need alone. If even one person was forgiven, there was a high chance the rest would be forgiven by association.
“Wait, but wouldn't that mean only you stand to lose, sir? If you don't provide the military supplies at a price the Duke finds acceptable, he really won't let you off this time.”
“Don't worry about me. I have my ways.”
Dominic trailed off, dodging the guild master’s question. In truth, he had a way to not only avoid a loss but to squeeze out an incredible profit. But why would he share that method with them? It was enough for Dominic alone to profit from this deal.
‘The Duke thinks he has leverage over me, but no matter how this deal goes, I will be the winner.’
A cold smile played on Dominic’s lips. The Duke’s wrath had long since faded from his mind. He had survived far too much in his life to be frightened by a crisis of this level.
“Wh-what on earth is that?”
“It’s beautiful…!”
As Lucian led the tribespeople into Asagrim, cries of awe erupted from all sides. The tribespeople, who had been stunned just by the sight of a proper wall, looked upon the flawless White Walls as if they were the work of a god.
“His Grace has arrived!”
“Open the gates!”
Atop the walls, the soldiers began moving busily upon confirming the return of the Master of Asagrim. A moment later, as the massive gates swung open, the retainers who had come out to meet him appeared.
At the very front was Hans, whom Lucian had left in charge as the acting family head.
“Your Grace, congratulations on your safe return.”
“…Hans? Are you okay?”
Lucian blinked blankly at the sight of him. Hans had lost so much weight from his hardships that Lucian worried he might collapse if someone so much as poked him. Hans smiled weakly at Lucian’s concern and nodded.
“I am fine. I will recover after some rest. Now that Your Grace has returned, I can finally breathe a sigh of relief.”
“…I’m sorry. I left you in charge thinking nothing much would happen, but I never imagined such nonsense would take place while I was away.”
“There is no need for Your Grace to apologize. It happened because of my own lack of capability. If anything, I should be the one apologizing.”
Hans smiled bitterly, saying he had realized his own inadequacies once again. However, perhaps because he had grown through the ordeal, he carried an air of maturity that hadn't been there before. It seemed that if the current Hans were to face the merchants' demands again, he wouldn't be pushed around so easily.
“Now, please come inside. The housing for the immigrants has already been decided, so please leave them to the other officials and get some rest.”
“You’ve finished all that already?”
“Yes. Would you like to check?”
Hans handed Lucian the documents he had organized. As Lucian scanned the data quickly, a short exclamation of admiration escaped his lips. While there were slight differences from his initial vision, most of it was similar. Even those slight differences served to complement areas Lucian hadn't considered.
“This is good. There’s nothing to add or take away.”
“I am glad you are satisfied.”
“Alright, I’ll leave this matter to you. But before that, I have something to do.”
As Lucian handed back the documents and turned around, the gazes of the tense tribespeople focused on him. Lucian spoke the words they had been waiting for with all their hearts.
“This is the Land of Salvation! This is where you will put down roots and live from now on!”
“…!”
“No longer shall you wait for death while shivering in the cold! Rejoice! You and your descendants shall prosper in this land!”
—Waaaaaaaah!
The moment he finished, an explosive cheer shook the White Walls. Some jumped for joy like madmen, while others embraced each other and wept. It seemed they had finally realized that they were truly going to live in Asagrim.
Lucian decided to leave the excited tribespeople be until they calmed down and headed into the city. By the time the cheering ended, the officials Hans had assigned would begin guiding them to their designated residences. For now, it was best to let them fully enjoy the joy of escaping the thousand-year cold.
“It’s changed a lot.”
A short exclamation escaped Lucian’s lips as he headed toward the White Castle. Despite the short time, Asagrim had developed even further. Not to mention the massive increase in population, various amenities were much more established than before. Even the shops opened in densely populated areas seemed to have been placed with deliberate planning.
“Did you design all of this?”
“I simply handled things according to the advice of the other officials. I have also recorded the minutes of the meetings where those opinions were voiced, so please look through them when you return to the castle. There were surprisingly many capable individuals.”
Lucian’s eyes widened at Hans’s calm words. Even if he had received advice, the ability to utilize that advice properly was a talent in itself. Fools often ruined things by trying to mix their own opinions into others' just to claim credit.
But to not only accept advice but also to keep detailed minutes that could potentially be used against him—it was impossible unless he had the confidence that he had handled matters reasonably.
‘…This guy, if he goes through one or two more trials, won't he grow even more?’
The guilt he had felt moments ago was nowhere to be found as Lucian’s eyes sparkled, and he began searching for a new trial to bestow upon Hans.
Hans, who had been continuing his explanation, suddenly shuddered at an inexplicable chill creeping up his spine.