Chapter 47
Chapter 47
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 47
Chapter Title: Mine
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Somehow she knew, because the maid Marie was waiting at the entrance of the mansion.
"Hello, Lord Elwin."
"Is Lady Alensia in?"
"I'll show you the way."
The moment I entered Alensia's room following Marie,
'Why is she angry?'
Anyone else might say she looked the same as always,
but it was clear to me.
Alensia was angry.
"Have you been well?"
Alensia crossed her legs the opposite way while seated in her chair.
"How long has it been since we last met, and you're greeting me like that?"
"Ahem... I'm glad you look healthy."
I raised my head to meet Alensia's eyes.
I was lower because I was on one knee.
"Do you need money again?"
"No, that's not it. However..."
"However?"
"I have a small favor to ask."
At the word "favor," Alensia's expression shifted subtly.
She uncrossed her arms and placed both hands on the chair's armrests.
"What kind of favor?"
I began the prepared explanation.
- Considering building a forge recently.
- No issues with constructing the forge building.
- No issues hiring forge workers.
- Issues with sourcing raw materials.
"So, what kind of help do you want?"
"Information."
"Information?"
"I want information about mines."
Alensia leaned forward and rested her chin on her hand.
"There are no mines on the island?"
"Everyone thinks that. But a land this vast can't possibly have no mines."
The enormous Monster Island.
Humans occupied only a tiny fraction of it.
"There probably are some. So? You planning to fight monsters while searching for mines?"
I couldn't do that.
Mines were hard to find even without monsters around.
"If it's the duke's family reports... wouldn't they have that information?"
The duke's family reports.
A place containing 300 years of history.
The spot with more information on the island than anywhere else in the world.
It had to be there.
'If it's not there, no one knows.'
Alensia didn't answer right away.
A brief silence settled over the room.
A few minutes passed,
"You know the value of those reports, right? You want me to show you?"
"I just need to check the mine information."
Alensia clearly looked conflicted.
A few more minutes passed.
"If I show you..."
'Did it work?'
I looked up at Alensia.
She was looking at me too.
The few seconds as Alensia trailed off felt like an hour.
"Can you grant me a favor?"
'A favor?'
"Any favor at all?"
It was hard to answer readily.
How difficult could the favor be for her to act like this?
I weighed it in my mind.
Mine vs. Alensia's favor.
Finding a mine without Alensia's help?
It would require massive capital, manpower, and time.
"Elwin, answer me."
"As long as it doesn't greatly violate human decency, I'll grant any favor."
I added one safety net: human decency.
I'd agree to most favors, but just in case it was impossible.
I cautiously gauged Alensia's reaction.
What if she wasn't satisfied with this answer?
But...
'She's smiling?'
A thick smile formed on Alensia's lips.
One even others could clearly see.
'What kind of favor could it be...'
"Good. Let's go to the reports right away."
Alensia rose from her chair.
Then headed straight for the door.
"Lady Alensia."
"What is it?"
"Aren't you going to tell me the favor?"
"Favor? Nothing comes to mind. I'll let you know if something does."
What?
Why put out such a condition if she had no favor in mind?
Even building up the atmosphere?
I stood and followed Alensia.
Finding the mine was the priority now.
The duke's family reports.
The reports were a place that suited the saying "they have everything."
Books to accessories.
Weapons, armor.
Even stones and monster skeletons were on display.
"What monster is that..."
"Elwin, look only at what you need. I didn't permit anything else."
"My apologies."
I went to the area with the books lined up.
I opened one there.
'Is this the incident from 300 years ago?'
The incident from 300 years ago.
Even though it was a massive event, there weren't many records.
Because so many people died, and the first Vampire Duke, who was the supreme commander, kept silent.
'Such records are here...'
"Elwin."
At Alensia's voice, I turned the page.
After that, there were records of appointing the Frontier family as viscounts.
Appointing the Aquano, Aer, and Kent families as barons, and so on, but I couldn't read them in detail.
I examined several books,
and the content I'd been waiting for appeared.
It was a book made of maps.
'They expanded this far 300 years ago?'
300 years ago,
I knew the human alliance had advanced north.
But I hadn't known they'd expanded this far west too.
'Even further west than Terra.'
I checked the important points marked on the map.
And one of them had iron drawn on it.
'This is it. Iron ore is buried here.'
I recalled the current map and pinpointed the iron ore deposit.
'North of the coast. Not goblin territory, orc? Troll? Around the border?'
With this much, I could find the iron ore mine.
But I was curious about the next page.
Considering the previous content, there had to be another map on the following page.
Knowing the geography was a huge advantage.
Especially for me, expanding into monster territory.
Gulp.
I swallowed and slowly gripped the paper.
The moment I tried to turn to the next page,
Alensia's hand wrapped around mine.
"No further."
"My apologies."
I closed the book and put it back where it belonged.
As we left the reports,
Marie was waiting with an anxious face.
"Madam, you have to go to your next schedule."
"Next?"
"It's about the successor competition..."
"I see. Elwin, don't forget our promise."
I bowed deeply in gratitude.
"Don't worry, Lady Alensia."
Alensia and Marie walked away.
'The duke is too harsh.'
Under the pretext of selecting a successor, he was forcing Benia and Alensia into fierce competition.
Once this competition event ended, he'd assign another mission.
Then another, and another.
"I'm not in a position to worry about Lady Alensia."
My own successor position wasn't safe either.
After confirming the iron mine's location at the duke's family,
I began full preparations.
I gathered people with mining experience.
I invited continent experts in mining.
I prepared supplies needed for the mine search.
Even with these preparations, we couldn't depart.
Because the Alf project hadn't finished.
West River.
Elwin's office.
Knock. Knock.
"Come in."
The door opened, and Aine entered.
"Sir Hans contacted us that the Alf construction is complete and he's departing for Terra."
"Good. The mercenaries?"
"They've been on standby since three days ago."
"Tell them we depart tomorrow."
"Yes. And... the new year is coming soon."
"So?"
The new year wouldn't change anything.
If I had to find meaning, it was the year of Gibson's coming-of-age ceremony.
"You should send gifts to your parents."
I looked up from the documents.
"You know my relationship with my parents."
"You still have to send them. For your public image and to lull the enemy into complacency."
This wasn't a Confucian world, but filial piety was still good.
Sending parents new year gifts positively affected one's image.
'Lull the enemy...'
"Not a bad idea. If I send now, it'll arrive around the same time as others' gifts."
"You already prepared gifts?"
"Well... I am the gift, but I don't know if the recipients will like it. Anyway, pick appropriate gifts and send them. Oh, and send one to the maid Anna too."
"Brilda's personal maid?"
"Yes. That bastard was rude to her."
Men harassing women was common here.
Mercenaries caused a lot of such issues especially.
If not made an issue, it ended as a mere incident.
But it stuck in my mind because of my Earth memories.
"Understood. I'll send appropriate gifts to the maid as well."
The next day,
the mercenaries, mining experts, and wagons loaded with supplies departed for Terra.
Tera Village.
Central Square.
Over a thousand people had gathered in the square.
I stood on the platform looking down at them.
They all looked tense.
"Today, I will name the castle lord candidate as promised!"
"Woooaaah!!"
"Woooaaah!!"
"As the top-ranked Innocent Mercenary Corps has decided on the contract, the castle lord of Tera shall be the Innocent Mercenary Corps for the duration of the contract! Captain Eonon, come up to the platform!"
"Woooaaah!!"
"Woooaaah!!"
Eonon, who had been waiting below, came up.
Then knelt on one knee.
The cheers filling the square quieted.
To the mercenaries, Eonon's appearance probably didn't look good.
The castle lord contract was just that—a contract, not a loyalty oath.
"I coordinated the contract details with Eonon in advance. This is the agreed-upon contract!"
I held the contract high.
"The contract takes effect the moment both parties sign."
I signed the contract in front of the watching mercenaries.
"Woooaaah!!"
"Woooaaah!!"
The night of the castle lord appointment ceremony.
I met Eonon at Tera's temple.
"My lord, I want to join the mine search too."
"No. You're Tera's castle lord now. You can't leave on the first day of your appointment."
I placed my hand on Eonon's shoulder and patted it.
"Three teams from the Innocent Mercenary Corps are already participating. That's enough."
"Understood, my lord."
"And besides, don't you need to report the contract details to Brilda?"
"Do I have to tell her?"
"The new year is coming soon. Shouldn't we send a gift?"
Eonon made a puzzled face.
"Is this the gift?"
"That's for the recipient to decide."