Chapter 28
Chapter 28
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: Goal
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A week later,
I visited the Gray Mage Tower once more.
"Elwin-nim, forgive me for saying this, but there were no applicants at all."
"I see."
"Instead, how about purchasing some magic items? Our Gray Mage Tower sells the finest products at affordable prices."
With that, he showed me a few items.
They were artifacts capable of casting basic spells like Light, Fireball, and Shield.
Even those could only be used a few times, except for the Light spell.
Things like this wouldn't be enough to conquer and hold the troll territory.
"I appreciate the offer, but I'll pass on the artifacts."
As I turned to leave the room after thanking him,
the Vice Mage Tower Lord grabbed me again.
"You've come all this way—please, at least take a gift."
He handed me a leather bag.
Inside were about a dozen pouches, each containing vials.
"What's this?"
"These are recovery potions made by the Gray Mage Tower. They're 10% more effective than standard potions and 10% cheaper."
Seeing my interest, the Vice Mage Tower Lord explained the recovery potions in detail.
"This is too much."
Recovery potions aren't cheap to begin with.
Even 10% off, they were still expensive.
"Are we not on good terms with your mage tower and me? All we ask is that when you have the time, could you expand the mage tower's farmlands a bit?"
So that's what they wanted in exchange for all this excessive kindness.
"The farmlands?"
"The tower isn't just full of mages—there are staff and students too, so we have quite a few people. The current farmlands are a bit short."
"I understand. I'll expand them right away."
Just as the Gray Mage Tower wanted to stay on good terms with me, I wanted to maintain a good relationship with them too.
So there was no reason to refuse.
Besides, it was work I was getting paid for anyway.
Slinging the bag of potions over my shoulder, I headed to the farmlands near the mage tower.
I managed the contamination levels of the existing fields and cleared the demonic energy from additional nearby land.
Since Alensia had bought up all the land in the area, once the demonic energy was cleared, it could be farmed immediately.
Earth Restoration.
Earth Restoration.
On my knees against the ground,
as I used the Earth Restoration skill,
my mind kept racing.
'No knights, no mages secured.'
'Of course, no priests either.'
I hadn't managed to recruit a single person capable of facing trolls.
'Like the Vice Mage Tower Lord said, maybe use artifacts?'
Even reconsidering it, that wasn't a good option.
Low-level spells couldn't deal proper damage to trolls.
In that case, mid- or high-level spells would be needed, but those were scarce and outrageously expensive.
'To kill trolls, you need at least Sword User level.'
'Then what should I do...'
'To fight trolls...'
By the time I finished clearing the demonic energy from the additional farmlands,
my thoughts had reached a conclusion.
'What about mercenaries?'
The moment the idea hit me, my mind started spinning rapidly.
'First, link up with Russell. By now, he should be...'
When I left River Village, the wheat harvest was nearly done.
They'd sell that wheat and trade it for monster byproducts.
Then head to the continent via Vampire's Bridge.
'Accounting for the time I spent in the duke's territory...'
I headed straight to Vampire's Bridge.
And there, I was able to meet Russell.
"Master, did your errand go well?"
"I didn't recruit a single one."
"I see."
"What about you? Find any solutions?"
Russell shook his head.
"No suitable ideas came to mind."
Among my three subordinates, Russell was the smartest.
If he couldn't find anything, neither could Hans or Isaac.
"What about mercenaries?"
Russell's eyes widened.
Then they returned to normal.
"No matter how wealthy you are, Master, you can't hire that many mercenaries."
The land I needed to conquer wasn't small.
Plus, being Monster Island, there were hordes of trolls.
To deal with them, I'd need a huge number of mercenaries.
"Conquering isn't the end. We have to hold the land too. All things considered... it's impossible."
"What if the mercenaries come of their own accord?"
Hiring mercenaries from the continent to hunt trolls on Monster Island would cost a fortune.
I'd have to pay them even for the travel time.
But if the mercenaries came on their own?
That changes everything.
"Master."
Russell called me with a serious expression.
"Speak freely."
"Have you ever seen mercenaries on the island?"
"Hm... I don't think so?"
Russell nodded as if it were obvious.
"Mercenaries don't come to the island. There's no money in it."
Why do mercenaries risk their lives fighting?
Ultimately, it's for money.
But on Monster Island, it's harder to make money than on the continent.
First, the high costs.
Mercenaries need to eat to live.
Yet grain prices on the island are 1.5 to 2 times higher than on the continent.
Second, low profits.
The main mercenary work on the island is monster hunting,
and the primary income is from monster byproducts.
But those sell cheap.
They can't be consumed locally on the island, so they have to be exported to the continent.
In that process, they pay 30% transit tax to the Callas Viscounty.
In the end, monster byproduct prices on the island are kept low.
"Low profits, high costs. That's why mercenaries don't come to the island."
What Russell said was exactly what I'd been thinking.
"I think the answer lies in that very part."
Fundamentally, people from the continent have an aversion to the island.
Three hundred years ago, so many died there, and in reality, living standards on the island lag behind the continent.
But mercenaries are different.
I formed a circle with my thumb and index finger.
"Mercenaries don't care about the island's image. Only money. They're moved by money alone."
Russell looked like he had something to say, but he listened to me first.
"First, the costs..."
Costs include many factors.
Clothing, food, and shelter costs, plus repair fees and consumable equipment expenses.
"I can't lower food prices. But I'll cut the other costs."
For clothing, buy slaves experienced in garment making.
For shelter, that is, inns—build new ones and supply them cheaply.
Repair fees can be done cheaper than the continent by slave blacksmiths.
Consumables were already cheaper on the island originally.
Lots of wood meant cheap timber, hence cheap arrows.
"Potions will be cheap too."
I opened the potion bag I'd received from the Vice Mage Tower Lord.
The potion production process is like this:
Monster byproducts → Gray Mage Tower → Potions
This path doesn't pass through the Callas Viscounty.
In other words, no 30% transit tax is added to the production cost.
Thanks to that, potions can be bought cheaper than on the continent.
Despite my long explanation, Russell remained skeptical.
"Even saving like that only covers the expensive grain. What about profits? We can't raise monster byproduct prices."
Monster byproduct prices are set by market principles.
I can't change them.
But there was another way...
"I'll give subsidies."
"Pardon!?"
Russell reacted to the unfamiliar term.
"In other words, I'll pay the mercenaries extra money. To boost their profits."
Change 'Continent profits > Island profits'
to 'Continent profits < Island profits + subsidy'.
"I'll make it so they can earn about 20% more than on the continent."
"20%? Then the costs would..."
"Money's meant to be spent. The key is whether we can afford it."
Russell closed his eyes, deep in thought.
A moment later,
when he opened them again, they shone clearly.
"It's possible. As long as we pay the subsidies, we can handle it. Assuming the mercenaries come to River Village voluntarily..."
**
Callas Territory.
Mercenary Guild.
While Russell sold the monster byproducts,
I visited the Mercenary Guild.
"So, you want us to establish a branch of the Mercenary Guild on Monster Island?"
"That's right."
The guild branch chief pondered with a grave expression.
Then he explained why a branch couldn't be set up on Monster Island.
It was similar to the reasons mercenaries don't go there.
"I'll bring mercenaries from the continent."
"You can commission that from here."
"I want to commission them directly from Monster Island."
"There are no mercenaries there, are there? Even if you bring a few, there won't be enough fees to maintain a branch."
"I'll cover any losses."
The branch chief looked incredulous.
"There won't be any staff willing to go to Monster Island."
"I'll pay them more than on the continent."
"Why not just establish it yourself?"
"Myself? Can I do that?"
According to the branch chief's explanation,
the Mercenary Guild was one, but also not one.
"The core operations are controlled centrally. But each branch is also an independent entity."
The central Mercenary Guild operates on tribute from each branch.
Mercenary Guild branches run on fees from mercenaries.
"So, as long as I pay the tribute, I can operate autonomously?"
"Well, you could see it that way, but there are many rules to follow."
Mercenary registration & management
Mercenary rank assessment
Mercenary badge issuance
Mercenary party recruitment brokerage
Mercenary group registration & management
Commission acceptance & brokerage
And so on.
There were key duties of the Mercenary Guild, each with manuals to follow.
But everything else, the branch chief could handle autonomously.
"So, I can set up a mercenary branch?"
"Of course, you'd need central approval."
"Hard to get?"
"Your status is solid, so..."
The branch chief thought for a moment before continuing.
"You'll probably get approval. More branches mean greater influence for the guild. However, if the branch runs at a loss, you'll have to cover it yourself."
I asked the branch chief to request the permit and returned to the inn.
Conveniently, Russell was at the inn too.
"The monster byproducts?"
"All sold."
"Once we get approval from the central Mercenary Guild, we'll establish a branch in River Village."
"Excellent."
"That said... we need to reduce the number of slaves we're buying."
"You mean...?"
The next day.
I visited the Justice Merchant Group slave traders.
"500 general slaves for farming. 200 for garment making. 50 blacksmith slaves. 50 cook slaves. 200 for miscellaneous labor. Is that correct?"
The merchant asked in a slightly disappointed tone.
My slave purchases had ramped up quickly, but now they were dropping.
"Yes. Any issues?"
The merchant hurriedly composed his expression.
"No, none at all. We'll prepare them immediately."
I'd requested 1,000, but buying in family units brought the actual number to 1,500.
We arranged to take custody on departure day and left the slave traders.
"Now we'll hire mercenaries?"
"We have to."
The system I envisioned was mercenaries coming to Monster Island voluntarily
and hunting monsters on their own.
But to make that happen required massive funds.
To that end, I'd cut back on slave purchases to save money.