Chapter 33
Chapter 33
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 33
Chapter Title: War Clouds (2)
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It was decided.
The Meursault House would maintain an army befitting a count family.
The first change was to the soldiers' pay.
The amount doubled, but so did the training intensity.
These men, already elite troops, emerged even stronger after enduring the grueling regimen.
And with pay doubled, enlistment applications naturally surged.
The Meursault army had more than doubled in size in less than a month.
Normally, talented individuals disillusioned by the impoverished, rotten state of the Meursault territory would have all left to become mercenaries elsewhere...
But that wouldn't happen anymore.
The Meursault House training grounds now rang daily with the clash of swords and shouts.
It was a sight unimaginable in the old days.
A deep night with no moon, when the owls hooted in the dead of night.
Federback summoned Rorschach to his chambers.
Rorschach approached Federback's bed in clothes so thin her skin showed through.
"So this moment has finally come. This girl has already received thorough instruction from her parents. To please the master she serves..."
After a brief pause, Rorschach spread out a stack of documents on Federback's bed.
"These are 3,021 revision proposals concerning administrative supplies and logistics transport. With these as a foundation, you can create a territory that is even more prosperous and powerful..."
"Something's missing."
Federback sat up, half-naked.
Rorschach's ear tips flushed red for a moment, but Federback paid it no mind.
"One more thing. I'd like to propose an additional revision."
"Is that why you called a grown woman to your chambers in the dead of night?"
"I didn't exactly say come right away. If you didn't like it, you could have come tomorrow morning."
"......"
Rorschach's lips puffed out at Federback's indifferent response.
It would be a lie to say she felt no fear or anticipation at being summoned here late at night...
'But this is too much.'
She pouted, unaware herself what she felt so slighted by.
Regardless, Federback got to the point of why he'd called her.
"We need mages."
"......!"
Rorschach's eyebrow twitched slightly.
This was something she had long considered as well.
"Repairing walls, subjugating beasts, transporting supplies—magic is essential for all of it. Especially in this harsh Northern Region."
"But they belong to the Magic Tower organization."
"Send donations to the Magic Tower. Then borrow personnel under the pretext of public service."
"No telling if they'll agree so readily. They're such eccentrics."
Federback couldn't help but chuckle at Rorschach calling them eccentrics.
"Mages are prickly. That's why some can't fit into the Tower and end up wandering as freelancers."
"And they're weak to money."
"Good thing we have a bit of spare cash."
Rorschach nodded at Federback's words.
Mages.
Those who take in the energies of nature and defy the laws of causality.
As such, many were stubborn and eccentric.
Their training methods were utterly bizarre.
Standing in a swamp all day meditating, lying on hot gravel reciting incantations, or smearing honey all over and dancing while letting bugs devour them.
They were freaks who indulged in acts no normal person could comprehend.
Rorschach asked,
"Why the sudden need for mages? If you give me a little time, I can handle the fields you mentioned."
She puffed out her chest, as if hoping Federback would rely on her more.
But Federback shook his head.
"No time. We're starting a merchant company."
"A merchant company?"
"We need one that can encompass the entire Northern Region's distribution network."
"You mean one operated by the Meursault House?"
"Why ask the obvious."
Federback nodded.
To liquidate the seized assets so far, a merchant company was essential.
And one more thing.
'We need a way to handle the treasures from the Secret Vault too.'
Federback needed a merchant company for various reasons.
Rorschach diligently reviewed the documents.
"We should have enough manpower. The troops have expanded greatly this time anyway."
"The newly hired administrators are all experienced from commercial guilds."
"Understood. But what will we specialize in?"
Rorschach asked with curiosity.
And Federback answered firmly.
"Military supplies."
"!"
Rorschach's eyes widened.
Federback interlaced his fingers and continued.
"Wars will break out everywhere soon. Many of them."
"......"
"We'll make money selling them weapons."
Lord of War.
Federback lowered his gaze languidly.
A map of the Northern Region lay spread out there.
"I'll make wars break out wherever I sign."
"You're aiming to become a death merchant."
"Peddlers who sell everything for profit are no good. We'll pour in massive capital, focus on select items, and dominate one peak."
Federback looked at Rorschach and continued.
"I'll buy up every death in the North."
At those words, Rorschach let out a small laugh.
"No one will be able to die without Young Master Federback's permission."
"......"
Federback made no particular reply.
But even Rorschach, who had said it, didn't know.
That the line she'd just spoken was exactly what Federback truly desired.
The next dawn.
Federback was preparing for his morning training.
As he grabbed his sword and shield to head to the training hall,
"Federback."
Another visitor opened Federback's door.
Cardina had come to see him first, for some reason.
"What is it, Sister?"
"Your speech has gotten awkward again while I wasn't looking."
"What's up, Sis?"
Federback thought casual speech didn't suit him at all.
But Cardina smiled faintly, as if Federback's awkwardness was amusing.
"Heading to the training hall?"
"Yeah."
"Skip it and spar with your big sis for old times' sake?"
"?"
Federback furrowed his brow.
Cardina tapped the two swords slung diagonally over her hip in sequence.
"If it won't interfere with your training, that is."
"Sure."
He'd been wanting to test the effects of the secret swordsmanship manual he'd given her last time anyway.
Federback followed Cardina straight to the training grounds.
The sky was still dark blue, with the sun not yet risen.
Cardina struck a match and lit the torch stands.
Torches that seemed either too early or too late illuminated the training grounds.
"Wooden swords? Or real steel?"
"Whatever's easier for you."
As Federback shrugged, Cardina laughed once more.
"Real steel it is."
She tossed one of the two swords from her waist toward Federback.
Federback caught it.
"Nice. I just left my old one at the smithy."
"Why?"
"Dulled from killing too many people."
"Cuts through bone and the human grease from skinning wears it down. Can't ignore that."
The siblings' affectionate conversation had a slightly grotesque topic for such talk.
But neither Federback nor Cardina minded.
"Come to think of it, it's been a while since we've stood like this on the training grounds."
"Hm. Last time was about a year ago? We used wooden swords then."
"You remember when you took three hits, cried, and ran away?"
"I was young."
"That was just a year ago."
Cardina smirked and assumed her stance.
The perfect Meursault sword form.
To achieve that without the secret manual meant true prodigious talent.
Federback felt a twinge of regret inwardly.
'If Sis had inherited even a bit more of the Meursault blood, history might have changed.'
But regret was just regret. With extra effort, one could overcome bloodline limits.
Cardina could surely do it.
"Let's see what you've got, little brother."
A rare affectionate term.
But the rising aura was anything but.
Sharp sword intent began emanating from Cardina's blade tip.
Federback's eyebrow twitched at the pressure like a mountain bearing down.
'As expected. A genius is a genius.'
Cardina was in her early twenties.
A harsh Northern environment combined with innate talent could forge such a swordsman.
'But she's got a long way to go.'
Federback didn't dodge but met Cardina's sword tip head-on.
And then.
Screee—
Cardina's sword slashed down from above toward Federback.
A straightforward path, but clean, without excess, and blindingly fast—hard to evade.
Claaaang!
Federback blocked it with his left-hand shield.
Cardina opened her mouth in surprise.
"You blocked that? Impressive..."
But her praise didn't finish.
Shiiiik—
Federback's sword thrust up from below, snaking like a serpent.
"!?"
Cardina hastily jerked her head aside.
But that was Federback's aim.
...Whoosh!
Federback hooked her leg to unbalance her, then shoved with his shield.
"Tch."
Cardina leaped back.
Federback pursued immediately.
Clang—claaang—clang—kagagagagak!
Dozens of exchanges flashed by in the blink of an eye.
"......! ......! ......!"
Federback extended his sword tip toward Cardina, whose eyes were wide open.
'Losing to an inferior opponent once in a while is good stimulus.'
Cardina was a genius.
Thanks to the North's harshness, even as a noble lady, she had plenty of real combat experience.
......But still just an early-twenties greenhorn.
Compared to Federback, who had weathered every battle of the Great Demon War, she was dragon versus worm.
Federback's combat experience overwhelmed her.
Movements transcending mana quantity.
Cardina was relentlessly pushed back by Federback's blade flickering front-back-left-right, every direction.
Moreover, the occasional shield edge swings or sand kicked by his military boot were major vision-obscuring threats.
The moment Cardina tried to counterattack.
...Thud!
She felt something hot touch her back.
'Oh no!'
Turning her head, she saw the torch stand.
The torches lit for the grounds blocked her rear path.
And as expected.
Baaam!
Federback charged shield-first.
Cardina was sent tumbling across the ground by his body slam.
Scattering embers.
By the time she looked up.
"......Over."
Federback's sword tip was already at her chin.
She gaped in disbelief.
"Unbelievable."
Federback replied with an uncharacteristically bright smile.
"These things happen."