Chapter 74
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 74
Chapter Title: I Need a Ship (1)
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I Need a Ship (1)
'It should be fine for the time being, at least.'
Starting from the day the market office was ransacked, Karim had pulled an all-nighter to draft a single report.
His fellow administrators worried as they watched him pour everything into finishing it, barely eating or drinking, but he brushed off their concerns, insisting it wasn't the time to worry about his health.
[I've got to work hard. If I want to keep up with that lord, anyway.]
Karim spoke with bloodshot eyes, veins bulging everywhere.
He still jolted awake in the middle of the night now and then.
'It was a shock.'
Dominic had handed him a few sheets of paper, claiming they were in his own cipher, acting like it was no big deal. But the cryptic text on them still baffled Karim—he had no clue how to crack it.
For someone who could instantly unravel the secret codes students used back in his academy math days, this was an unprecedented blow.
[If you could just tell me how to read it...]
[Nope. Can't teach you.]
He'd finally admitted defeat and begged for guidance, only to get a flat refusal, as expected.
Dominic had said it half out of laziness and half to protect his privacy, then casually added, "The word order's different anyway, and the structure's unique—you wouldn't get it even if I explained." Karim was floored.
'It wasn't just some simple cipher. He created a whole new language!'
Karim had pieced together the truth, more or less.
In a way, Dominic had unwittingly snatched King Sejong's legacy midstream—but since he had no idea Karim thought that, we'd let it slide.
Thud.
"...It's done."
To avoid becoming a burden to the market chief, who'd invented an entirely new language just to keep things secure, Karim had finally completed his report. It outlined various directions and measures for bolstering Evergreen's information security going forward.
This 180-page tome would, decades later, become mandatory reading for any politician or administrator.
Entitled Report on Security Management Regulations for the Evergreen Administration.
"You're a real genius, Karim!"
Right after finishing, Karim gifted the original to Dominic—keeping only a copy—and Dominic lit up with joy, clapping him on the shoulder and heaping on the praise.
Feeling all his exhaustion wash away at Dominic's words, Karim got emotional and volunteered to personally train the administrators, plus give special lectures to academy admin students.
Dominic's nonstop applause was just icing on the cake.
"Well, I'll be off then."
"Yeah, go ahead! One more time—Karim, thank you so much for coming to Evergreen!"
"...No, really, it's nothing... *sniff*."
He couldn't quite hide the sniffles as he slipped out the kitchen door. Ian, who'd been eyeing the report, stepped up.
Watching this, Dominic thought Karim hid a soft heart behind that cool exterior.
'He'd get scammed left and right out there.'
Not that he pitied the guy or anything.
After Karim left, Ian—clearly interested in the report—caught his eye.
"Want to take a look?"
"Can I?"
"What's stopping you?"
"Isn't it Evergreen admin property? I'm not part of the administration."
"Do you have to be so rigid? We've spent time together, built some friendship along the way."
"We should separate public and private."
"Ugh, fine, don't look then! I was gonna let you peek since you seemed curious."
"Really okay if I do?"
"Yeah. Read it all and summarize it for me later. I skimmed it—looks super dense."
"...That was your goal."
"Win-win, right? If Karim asks later, I've gotta at least pretend I know something. Man, I can't wrap my head around this. And it's so long."
Even in his past life, Dominic had been miles away from admin or legal stuff.
The old memories of endless paperwork sent a chill down his spine.
"Still, shouldn't we check for flaws while reading?"
"A genius made it—it's gotta be solid. Spotting holes like that? Knights like you are better at it than me. You handled admin work pretty well too, from what I saw."
"...Fine, I'll let you know later."
'A three-line summary would be ideal, but if that's impossible, three pages is okay too!' Dominic thought, flopping onto the cot in the corner of the kitchen.
'What's with the bed in the kitchen? His house is right next door...'
Ian shook his head at the baffling behavior, then dove into the report. He was more curious than he'd let on.
And so another day faded away.
Construction sites were everywhere you looked in Evergreen.
It was basically one massive redevelopment zone.
'Since we're building everything from scratch, it's more like a new city development site, huh?'
Dominic arrived by carriage at the planned harbor site, smiling warmly at the diligent workers starting early.
Soon, this area would be packed with hundreds of buildings: logistics yards, a huge trading post, carriage depots, inns, taverns, labor offices, merchant branches—you name it.
"Stonehammer's handling the technical side, so that should be fine..."
This region had been annexed when Evergreen was upgraded to city status, so it was unfamiliar even to Dominic.
He'd sent Stonehammer first to survey the terrain, and thankfully, it passed muster.
'Of course. Would Count Sinclair hand over land without checking?'
The count had surely vetted it thoroughly from the start. Unlike the Old Lord, he was more scholar-official than noble.
"Money and time are the real hang-ups."
Harbors were infrastructure in his past life too.
Nothing like slapping up a few buildings—this required eye-watering sums and years of work just to end up with something decent, if not perfect.
That was why coastal territories didn't just build ports willy-nilly.
"If only we could speed it up..."
Even maxing out magic tools, Stonehammer said it'd take at least five years. Dominic's mood soured at the thought.
The count's tax breaks were temporary—finish the harbor and roads ASAP to fill his coffers, or five years of just construction might mean missing out. Anxiety crept in.
'Land routes have limits when selling continent-wide.'
He sighed deeply without realizing, and Karim approached.
"We could prioritize a small section for a few small-to-medium ships. It'd be less efficient, but doable in months."
"...Huh? That fast?"
"Warehouses, exchanges, shops—those are tricky. But basic loading/unloading? Roads don't need to be perfect for a few ships. However..."
"However?"
Dominic's face lit up at the prospect.
'Medium, no—even small traders work. Porcelain, spices, coffee—high margins per volume!'
As visions of gold danced in his head, Karim doused them.
"But... do we have a contract for the ships?"
"...Huh?"
"No ships, no point in a harbor."
Dominic's expression crumpled.
"Ah, damn it."
A curse slipped out after ages.
"How'd I miss that? Idiot. Ugh."
Too dispirited for work, Dominic lounged at the resort.
The plush top-tier bedding eased his body, but his mind was a mess.
Planning to trade via harbor but forgetting ships?
'Got too used to carriages—lost my sense for vessels.'
Regret now was pointless.
"Don't beat yourself up. You figured the harbor would take ages anyway. The admins probably skipped it for that reason."
Ian, off training with the Old Lord on a non-academy day, had sweat-soaked hair from the session.
"Rumors spread that far already?"
Karim must've mentioned it casually, knowing he was down and wanting to cheer him up.
Dominic's closest confidants in town were Uncle Kallon and Ian—definite request.
"Can't we rush a shipyard now?"
"Not easy. No southern yards build stable long-haul ships."
"Buy from merchant fleets?"
"Even with cash, finding seasoned sailors, navigators, captains is the issue."
"Request ships with crews? Pricey, but..."
"Plenty of merchants would jump—ships and men galore."
"Hm?"
Ian tilted his head at Dominic's words.
Lots of sellers? No problem, right?
But after a moment's thought, Ian sighed in defeat.
"Perfect for spies."
"...Yeah. A hundred percent."
"Hard to monitor at sea."
"Sigh."
People problem, ultimately.
The old fishing co-op guys—now vigilantes—knew coastal fishing, not long-haul trade. Zero experience.
No seasoned sailors in the south without proper ports. Had to rely on outsiders or merchants—but ask hyenas hungry for tech?
'They'd strip us bare.'
Worst case, a full cargo vanishes mid-ocean—no evidence.
"Lotto ticket flying away right in front of me."
"Lotto?"
"It's a thing."
Dominic deflated completely, gloom settling in.
A lethargy he'd never felt as village chief weighed him down like wet cotton. Just sleep it off.
"...Would that work?"
"Hm?"
Ian hesitated before continuing.
"It's a ship, after all."
"Speak plainly. What ship?"
"The desert."
"......!"
I Need a Ship (1) End