Chapter 31
Episode 31
The reason Count Tesron had stubbornly instigated the territorial war.
In his past life, the truth had only been revealed over a year after the war ended.
At that time, Tesron Territory had begun exporting gold.
The source was a newly established mine in the hills that originally belonged to MacLaine Territory.
That alone had allowed Tesron of the past life to build a power surpassing that of an ordinary count's family.
At least, until Ronian MacLaine, an Aura User burning with vengeance, slaughtered his entire household.
How Haman Tesron had discovered the gold vein in his past life remained unknown, and even now, Logan couldn't confirm the process.
The only clue he had was stumbling upon a group of self-proclaimed mining experts in Tesron Castle's dungeons during its occupation.
"We're innocent! We merely extracted gold from the ores Count Tesron brought us as per his request, and that mad noble locked us up here!"
Regardless of the details, it meant Haman Tesron had indeed found the gold vein—and Logan knew its location.
So, what did he need now?
"Only the technicians to establish the mine and extract the gold."
Finding experts with specialized mining knowledge, not just ordinary miners, was difficult.
But Haman Tesron had already done the hard work.
Logan simply promised them slightly more money than Tesron had offered, and the contract was swiftly finalized.
"Let's go check it out first."
Without delay, Logan, Hamar, and the five mining experts rode westward for half a day.
Their destination, unsurprisingly, was the hill Logan had claimed as his reward.
"Alright, there's a gold vein in this mountain's midsection. I want to extract it and establish a mine. How much would the estimate be?"
Logan turned around and asked casually, as if it were no big deal, but the listeners all wore expressions of disbelief.
"Are you certain there's a gold vein here?"
"Even if there is, we'd need to know the estimated reserves—"
"Construction costs vary depending on the depth of the stratum."
"The tunnel's positioning would also differ."
"In some cases, expenses could multiply by dozens—"
The moment the topic shifted to their field of expertise, opinions poured out rapidly.
Ultimately, what they all meant was the same:
—How can you be so sure there's a gold vein here? And even if there is, we won't know if it's profitable until we dig. What's your proof?
But Logan's answer was simple—and utterly absurd.
"I'm sure. I've seen it. Just dig."
The faces of the five mining experts—who were promised over 1,000 gold per month for this ludicrous gamble—and the unpaid dwarf who'd have to roll his hardest, twisted simultaneously.
Since secrecy was crucial, Hamar and the five mining experts—six in total—had to conduct the drilling themselves.
Naturally, their reactions weren't positive.
"You want six people to handle the drilling?"
"Are you trying to kill someone—?"
"Even with a dwarf, this is—"
Moreover, they didn't trust Logan's claims from the start, so progress was inevitably slow.
But...
Not long after, they discovered an already excavated tunnel—likely dug by Haman Tesron—and the work became miraculously easier.
Within just half a month, the small team of six miners (?) extracted trace amounts of gold from the ore they dug up.
Immediately calculating the projected yield, they unanimously agreed:
—Minimum 10 tons of gold extractable per year. Reserves immeasurable.
Only after hearing this news could Logan finally cheer wholeheartedly.
"We can extract over 100 grams of gold per ton of ore! With this purity, there's a high chance of finding concentrated gold nuggets deeper in the stratum!"
"100 grams... per ton?"
"Usually, even 30 grams makes a mine profitable!"
Everything was better than expected—though the costs were slightly higher than anticipated.
"The initial investment will be substantial. At minimum, you should expect to spend 5 million gold."
This included extraction equipment, smelting furnaces, labor for digging tunnels, support beams, footholds, transport equipment, and more.
If the territory had many serfs or slaves, they could've been deployed to cut costs.
But MacLaine Territory was mostly populated by freemen, so hiring labor meant spending proportionally more money.
"Master, the family likely doesn't have funds to spare right now. What if we disclose the truth to other noble families or merchant guilds and seek investment?"
Hamar's suggestion sounded reasonable to anyone.
Even the mining experts nodded in agreement, but Logan flatly refused.
"Let outsiders stick their spoons into the gold mine on my land? No way!"
"...Then what do you plan to do?"
"I have that much money."
"Huh? What—?"
Such a fortune shouldn't exist in a remote territory like MacLaine's.
The listeners were dumbfounded by his outrageous claim, but Logan's expression remained unshaken.
Because he had something to rely on.
Click.
Clatter.
As the private vault opened, dazzling gemstones gleamed brilliantly, welcoming their owner.
These were treasures that didn't belong in the vault of a mere baron's son in a backwater territory.
Logan couldn't help but smirk at the sight.
"Good thing I kept these."
These were the jewels Haman Tesron had tried to flee with.
Anticipating the mine's development, Logan had killed him and confiscated—no, safeguarded them for the greater good.
Though why Tesron had hoarded so many gems remained a mystery.
"I'm grateful, though."
The sheer quantity meant Logan could skim off gems worth nearly 4 million gold without it being noticeable.
"Sigh... Still, it's a shame to spend almost all of this."
Not just these gems, but most of his existing funds would have to be poured into the mine's development.
—If you're willing to grind through workers and pave the tunnels with blood, you could save about 2 million gold... Interested?
Logan immediately waved his hands at Hamar, whose gaze was laden with implications.
If you do that, I'll stop seeing you as human.
He wasn't that desperate to develop the mine—and there was another reason he couldn't resort to such methods.
Morality aside, ruining his reputation for short-term profit would jeopardize his future plans.
'The key is the war with the Empire. That's not a fight we can win with just noble power.'
Whether he became a minor variable or the central figure, he'd need the entire kingdom's strength.
So now, he had to consider public perception.
...With that resolve, he entrusted the jewels' liquidation and mine development to Hamar.
But—
"For stable mine development, we must prioritize safety from the initial tunneling phase. It'll take some time, so please be patient."
According to Hamar, the preparation alone would take half a year.
After that, another half-year would be needed before profitable extraction could begin in earnest.
'Right. Tesron took a year too. I expected this.'
He tried to console himself, but the thought of his available funds drying up still left him uneasy.
The relief he'd felt after surviving the territorial war was replaced by renewed urgency.
"One year of mining will yield profits dozens of times over. I can't give up."
A full year of extraction could produce 10 tons of gold—roughly estimated at 100 million gold.
So the investment was unavoidable.
But until the mine became operational, he needed funds to strengthen his territory's forces.
'Ah... If only I could sell that now—'
His other asset—Karok meat—remained untouched.
But selling it would require waiting until the year after next.
By next summer, the neutralizing agent would be developed, making Karok meat edible. Then rumors would spread, and demand would rise—a process that would take time.
From then until the civil war broke out, he could sell like mad—and if supplies ran short, even export to the Empire...
"Hm? Wait—do I really need to wait?"
As he pondered further, he realized he'd overlooked something.
The neutralizing agent, due next summer—he'd used it countless times as a mercenary. He could make it himself.
The only issue was the quantity required.
'Then I'll just produce it myself—'
A flash of inspiration illuminated a new path.
It was as if a bright light had appeared before him.
He imposed strict confidentiality on the five mining experts and Hamar.
He couldn't trust the experts, so he spent 50,000 gold on a magical contract to enforce silence.
For the laborers recruited during initial development, he promised relatively high wages and even built barracks for their lodging.
As funds drained, Logan grew increasingly restless.
'What if this fails? Should I just wait for rumors to spread like in my past life?'
Each time such thoughts arose, he steeled himself.
'No problem gets solved by waiting. Whether it works or not, I'm doing it!'
Gritting his teeth, he tightened his resolve again.
[News of the war's outbreak and conclusion arrived simultaneously here. I'm relieved you're unharmed—why do you look like that?]
"No, it's nothing. Any updates?"
[The tasks you entrusted are progressing smoothly. We're now gathering significant quantities of Karok meat, so you should receive a large shipment soon.]
Though Philip's face was blurry through the communication orb, his confident expression was visible.
"Well, I'll leave that to you. There's something else I need."
[Go ahead.]
"Purchase and send these herbs to MacLaine Territory: Moonlight Grass, Plot Herb, and Riky Weed. A 1:1:1 ratio, totaling around 500 kg."
[Huh? Why such cheap herbs?]
"Just do it. You'll find out soon enough."
[Sigh... You never change.]
"Did you write it down? I'm cutting the connection."
[Wait! At least explain—]
"Shut up! I'm not wasting expensive magic communication time on explanations. I'll tell you in person later."
[...Fine.]
"Good. Contact me at these coordinates if anything comes up. I've gotten permission from the family, so it's fine."
[Your reputation really has improved—]
Click.
Bzzzt.
"At least let me finish—"
Dwain, who had been listening, clicked his tongue, but Logan didn't react.
"No need to waste 1 gold per second on obvious small talk."
"Haha. Young Master, you're wealthy enough—why be so stingy?"
"Shut up. I'm completely broke right now, so don't provoke me."
"Huh?"
"No amount of money is ever enough. The future's uncertain."
"...What?"
Officially, Logan was estimated to possess over 1 million gold in personal assets—making him the wealthiest individual in MacLaine Territory.
Dwain was at a loss for words.
A week later.
The herbs sent from Kyle began piling up in the southern villa's warehouse.
And Logan immediately began crafting the neutralizing agent.
"What are you making?"
"Shut up and just help."
"At least explain—"
"It's not some shady drug, so stop worrying. Have I been doing pointless things lately?"
"...Well, no."
That single remark slightly eased Rick's sullen expression.
Logan could still sense his lingering concern, but Rick was the only one he could fully trust with this task.
Together, they ground the three herbs in equal ratios and packed them into wooden barrels.
After mixing in half the volume of water, they stored the barrels in a dark corner of the warehouse, away from sunlight.
Meanwhile, the massive shipment Philip had mentioned arrived in MacLaine Territory.