Chapter 4: I Quit Everything to Sell Cola (4)
Chapter 4: I Quit Everything to Sell Cola (4)
Translation: Godtl
Lily Fontaine was competent.
How competent, you ask?
She was competent enough for the Royal Council to appoint her as acting Minister of Internal Affairs within a week of the previous minister's midnight flight.
Though Britannia prided itself on meritocracy, and though Lily had declined promotions multiple times before, this was an unprecedented rise in status.
The Minister of Internal Affairs is personally appointed by the queen.
Moreover, the position grants the right to request an audience or submit reports directly to Her Majesty at any time.
It was a level of real authority that even most nobles could scarcely approach.
It was no coincidence that whenever Lily walked through the fortress corridors, she was met with gazes mingling envy and resentment, or heard excessive familiarity and sycophantic remarks.
"Minister Fontaine..."
"A correction, please. I am not the Minister of Internal Affairs, but the acting Minister."
"Ah, yes... My apologies."
Lily, who had been gloomily gazing out the window, corrected the administrator's slip of the tongue.
"Haa..."
To her, the title of acting Minister carried more weight—
The meaning behind it felt all the more vivid.
The day Han-bin suddenly left.
Lily had been deeply shocked.
She'd always thought they would be together forever.
She believed they shared the same heart in caring for the kingdom, the same ideals, the same aspirations.
But that wasn't the case.
[Resigning as Minister of Internal Affairs. Don't look for me. — Han-bin Ainsworth]
Without a single word.
He had vanished abruptly, leaving behind only that one-line letter.
At first, she was utterly dumbfounded.
Then came bewilderment, and as more time passed, even a sense of betrayal.
Why did he leave?
Couldn't he have explained his circumstances a little more?
After all the years they'd spent together, couldn't he have shared even a single word?
Did he really have to flee as if casting everything aside?
The bond between them, which she had believed would last forever.
Had it been so trivial to him that a mere letter could sever it?
Lily's heart was muddled like turbid water.
But even the murkiest water doesn't stay clouded forever.
With time, Lily regained her composure.
And what began to haunt her then were her own actions toward him up until that point.
'Of course we should work overtime.'
'Mr. Han-bin. I suggest you stop complaining.'
'The harder we work, the more glorious our homeland Britannia will shine. Conversely, if you take a week's leave, Mr. Han-bin, it means the nation's progress slows by that much. Do you understand me now?'
Her own childishness, believing he would naturally understand.
Her immature complacency, brushing off his complaints as jokes.
These realizations came too late, long after the fact.
Looking back, he had been enduring it all along.
Without a single word of complaint, silently sacrificing, going along with Lily's dreams.
'I have no intention of accepting the position of Minister of Internal Affairs. But as acting Minister, I will shoulder this excessive burden for a time. That seat does not suit me.'
Lily accepted the appointment letter written in the queen's own hand.
It was atonement.
In a way, it was also a wait without promise.
She considered silently filling his vacant seat in this position to be the least she could do to atone.
And somewhere in her heart, there lingered a vague hope that perhaps, someday, Han-bin would return.
"Acting Minister, a report from the Soltera Governor-General's Office."
The administrator's report snapped Lily out of her reverie.
"Soltera... Another emerging cartel, I presume."
"Regrettably, yes."
The Soltera Protectorate in the southern continent, under Britannia's rule.
When people thought of Soltera, three words typically came to mind:
Rainforests, magical crops, and cartels.
Soltera had a tropical climate, hot and humid year-round.
Influenced by volcanic activity, the soil was fertile, resulting in vast tropical rainforests covering most of the territory.
Thanks to the ideal climate for growing crops without greenhouses, Soltera had developed extensive alchemical crop plantations.
Yet alchemical crops hadn't brought Soltera only prosperity.
The plantation industry in Soltera was undoubtedly profitable.
Too profitable, in fact.
So much so that unscrupulous individuals would stop at nothing to sink their straws into it.
Even when Britannia established a governorate to regulate it, there were limits.
The physical distance from the mainland, the vast expanse of tropical rainforest, and the collusion of local nobles with the cartels all obstructed oversight.
That was the full story of how Soltera had become a cartel-themed park, home to all kinds of cartel organizations.
"The organization is called the Montagra Cartel. It's a cartel that has rapidly expanded in recent years, centered in the Montagra region of northern Soltera."
The man leading it was Lopo.
A 5th-Rank Knight, equally ruthless and charismatic.
His organization had grown in power over the past two years by aggressively absorbing smaller rival cartels through hostile mergers and acquisitions.
"The governorate even dispatched a special task force to eliminate them... but they failed."
"That's understandable."
The combat power of a 5th-Rank Knight was comparable to that of a killing machine.
A strength so formidable it was no exaggeration to call them a one-man army.
Even in Britannia, a leading superpower, such individuals were rare—let alone in the backwater of Soltera.
"The real problem is the jungle. If a knight of that caliber engages in guerrilla warfare in familiar terrain, the expected casualties would be even greater."
"Have you found any concrete evidence linking them to the Alkand Empire?"
"Well... we haven't uncovered any definitive proof yet."
"Tell them to refrain from hasty responses. This could easily escalate into a diplomatic issue."
"But if the Montagra Cartel, backed by the Alkand Empire, grows too powerful, we could lose control over the entire Soltera Protectorate, leading to security concerns—"
Lily pressed her throbbing temples firmly as she listened to the administrator's report to the end.
Yet, by the time the report concluded, no decisive solution had come to mind.
Northern Soltera bordered the southern territories of the Alkand Empire, their enemy, and stationing troops there would itself violate the armistice agreement.
In the end, the conclusion of this tedious meeting was to "monitor the situation for now."
"Understood. We'll proceed as instructed."
Once the administrator left, Lily buried her delicate face in both hands.
"Haa..."
She felt Han-bin's absence all over again.
Had he been by her side, wouldn't he have provided some clear answer, one way or another?
Today, his absence weighed on her more than ever.
Today, she hated her own incompetence more than ever.
Starting from nothing, it had taken him three years to seize control of Montagra.
He had beaten down the rabble of thugs and grown strong enough to name his organization after the region itself—Montagra.
The Montagra jungle was Lopo's domain, and Lopo was the king of the Montagra jungle.
In this jungle, he was confident he could take on any enemy.
"Hah...! Hah...! Hah...!"
Lopo ran.
The slippery rocks, slick with moss and moisture, shattered beneath his sprinting feet.
Each time, his body shot through the jungle like a cannonball.
But this awe-inspiring sprint was not the charge of a jungle king hunting his prey.
No, it was the desperate flight of prey consumed by terror.
"What the hell?! What the hell is this?!"
Lopo recalled the scene from moments ago.
It had been an ordinary, peaceful day.
Until the man in the rabbit mask suddenly appeared.
"How do you do? I'm here to buy some coca leaves. How much?"
"State your terms first."
"I'll buy them at a penny per ton."
"A penny per ton? Do you think that makes any sense?"
"Well... I can't exactly pay money to criminals who leech off the kingdom, can I?"
Rather than anger, Lopo felt sheer disbelief.
To march into the heart of the cartel and spout such nonsense—
Just as he stood there, mouth agape, wondering what kind of absurd situation this was—
The man in the rabbit mask pulled out a mysteriously glowing cube from his pocket and muttered:
"Material Creation—"
In response, particles burst and scattered from his fingertips, accompanied by an overwhelming surge of mana.
The air trembled from the surge of magical power.
And then, as if a miniature universe had been born, a great miracle blossomed from the man's grasp.
"——Gravity Element."
Swirling particles of pitch-black darkness spread like a curtain, engulfing everything in sight.
'Wh-what the hell?!'
Lopo, still bewildered, looked out the window—only to see an enormous black shroud.
Not just covering the mansion.
Not just the gardens.
Not just the coca fields.
The undulating black veil stretched even further, swallowing the distant hills—until even Soltera's scorching sun was completely blotted out.
By all accounts, this was no miracle a mere individual could conjure.
And yet.
What followed next left Lopo even more horrified.
—CRRRRRRRRUMBLE!!!
The magnificent mansion was torn from its foundations with a deafening roar.
Then, light as a leaf caught in a whirlwind, it soared high into the sky.
—KABOOOOOM!!!
Before being slammed back into the ground at an unnatural speed, as if crushed beneath the palm of a colossal giant.
Even then, Lopo couldn't fully comprehend what had just happened.
All he could assume was—some monstrous bastard just lifted the entire mansion and smashed it back down.
Barely managing to scramble out of the wreckage, Lopo chose to flee without looking back.
"What the hell?! What the hell was that?!"
He knew the rabbit-masked man was an alchemist.
But he had never heard of magic powerful enough to hurl an entire mansion into the sky.
And he didn't want to know.
"Hahk! Hahk! Hahk!"
Who is he?! Who sent him?!
He'd never heard of an alchemist this monstrous.
The Soltera Governor-General's Office? Britannia's mainland? Or—the Alkand Empire?
No matter the answer, there was only one course of action now.
Escape beyond the boundaries of that unfathomable black shroud enveloping the world.
"You made it this far already? You're quite the sprinter."
Just as Lopo was frantically pushing through the jungle, the rabbit-masked man dropped down in front of him as casually as a falling leaf.
"Fucking hell!"
"Now, now—no need for profanity. I'm much older than I look. Doesn't it feel unpleasant to be cursed at by someone decades your junior?"
Lopo skidded to a halt, stepping back as he channeled his mana.
A cerulean blade aura flared around his machete, radiating an intensity that was anything but ordinary.
Yet instead of battle intent, it brimmed with sheer indignation.
"I don't know who you are or where you came from, but do you have some kind of grudge against me?!"
"No particular grudge, no."
"If a lunatic like you shows up just because I ran a little cartel, how the hell are small-time operators like me supposed to make a living?! Just let me go this once! Please?!"
"'Small-time'? Didn't you monopolize Montagra?"
"That still counts as a small business! Head further south, and you'll find scum way worse than me!"
"Thanks for the tip. I'll bury you here, then go meet them."
"NO!"
At the man's casual threat, Lopo immediately dropped to his knees.
Indignation was one thing—but he had no desire to be buried alive.
Besides, judging by the man's tone, there might still be room to negotiate for his life.
"I'll give you anything you want! The coca leaves, everything! Just spare me...!"
"Oh? You did say anything just now."
The sudden shift from solemnity to delight sent a chill creeping up Lopo's spine—an inexplicable, primal sense of danger.
Like the survival instinct of a beast.
As the rabbit-masked man ambled closer, Lopo wrestled with one last dilemma.
This alchemist was undoubtedly strong.
But Lopo was a knight, and his opponent was an alchemist.
If he could close the distance—there might still be a chance to turn the tables.
Alchemy was, at its core, still magic.
No matter how formidable the alchemist, if a knight—whose body was honed to its absolute peak—got within striking range, even the greatest practitioner would show an opening.
"If I strike his neck with this machete in a surprise attack..."
Would he really be able to react?
Come a little closer.
Just a bit more.
Lopo kept his head bowed, calmly gauging the timing.
Right now!
"Uragh!"
Lopo's body, which had been coiled tight like a spring, surged forward like a beast pouncing on its prey.
He swung a full-powered strike at the alchemist, who seemed utterly carefree.
No—he tried to swing.
—Grrrroooaaar
"Gyaaaaah!!!"
But before Lopo could even fully raise his upper body, an immense weight crushed down on his entire frame.
It was as if the sky itself had pressed down on his back—no matter how hard he struggled, he couldn't move an inch under that overwhelming force.
—Craaack
He felt his body being slammed into the ground, the earth shattering beneath him from the invisible pressure.
"Best not to entertain such reckless thoughts. Wouldn't it be a shame for a promising young man like you to end up with a broken spine?"
"B-Brother! Brother! I was wrong! I messed up—!"
"Why call me 'brother'? Spare me the pitiful whimpering."
"Th-Then... you'll spare my life...?"
"Spare you? Of course. But first... here, sign this."
"Wh-What is this...?"
"Didn't you say you'd do anything? Consider it a business contract."
A contract lay sprawled beside Lopo's head—the man who had foolishly acted tough only to narrowly escape death.
It wasn't even a proper document.
Just a white napkin with messy, scribbled handwriting.
"Sign your name in the blank space. As a courtesy, I've generously made you Party A. Oh, no need to thank me so profusely."
"Th-This... this...!"
As Lopo skimmed the contract, he felt the blood drain from his head.
"Have you no conscience?!"
"Tsk. A criminal lecturing about conscience—how amusing."
"Listen here! What kind of contract is this, filled with nothing but predatory clauses?!"
The contents of the contract were nothing more than an elaborate, highbrow way of saying, "Everything you own is now mine!"
This wasn't just robbery—it was robbery without even the decency of a weapon.
"Paying farm workers full wages while selling crops at rock-bottom prices? That's just throwing my money away! I can't do this!"
"Why insist on exploiting farmers? Why not grow the crops yourselves? You've got plenty of men in your cartel, don't you?"
"I have my pride! You expect a cartel to turn into farmers? That's absurd! Just kill me here instead!"
A brief silence.
Lopo glared at the rabbit mask with wide, defiant eyes.
Truly, the unyielding spirit of a cartel boss.
But his resolve crumbled in an instant.
"Let me give you some advice, out of the kindness of my heart..."
—Grrrrrooooooaaaaar!!!
The rabbit mask flicked his wrist lightly.
Only then did Lopo finally see the true nature of the force that had brought him to this state.
It was... something like...
Black particles.
Unimaginably heavy.
A downpour of dark grains swept past the rabbit mask's back like a storm.
And in that moment, the jungle that had loomed in the background vanished.
No exaggeration.
The dense wilderness, where even a machete was barely enough to forge a path, had been flattened into smooth, open land.
Leveled so perfectly that a palace could be built there without further preparation—wide and solidly compacted.
Lopo gaped stupidly, witnessing a feat of power akin to that of a god.
"Don't even think about ignoring the contract and running. I'll find you no matter where you hide. And then... well, we'll just repeat today's events."
"..."
Lopo had only just met this monstrous rabbit-masked man today.
But he understood with bone-deep certainty:
There are people in this world who always keep their word.
And the man before him was one of them.
He understood perfectly.
He'd messed up—badly.
"Under... stood."
Lopo had no means left to refuse.
With trembling hands, he had no choice but to stamp his seal on what might as well have been a slave contract.
Jurgen smiled, satisfied with the deal, and shook Lopo's hand.
"Pleasure doing business."
"Go to hell."
The cartel boss was happy to keep his life. Jurgen was happy to secure coca leaves at a bargain.
A satisfying business transaction for all involved.
About a week later.
"M-Minister Fontaine, acting Minister of Internal Affairs! Urgent news from the Soltera Governor-General's Office!"
"What is it this time?"
"The Montagra Cartel has voluntarily disbanded!"
"...?"
"Th-They've all become farmers now!"
"????"
Lily received the bizarre report from the administrative officer.