Chapter 754: Those Who Remain (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 754: Those Who Remain (4)
The family’s former head butler…?
“Luntia Runcandel, my sister and the 3rd Flagbearer, and Ruet Damiro Yul, the 1st Patriarch’s head butler, are each trapped in different subspaces. I intend to find them as soon as the public statement is finished.”
He had to find Luntia first.
Now that the Evil God was dead, there was a high probability that the soul energy sustaining her had also become unstable.
However, what Jin feared most was that Luntia had already grown horns. Because of that physical mutation, the current purifiers would be unable to restore her.
I’ll only be able to properly rescue her once the Fighting God Union is possible, or after Brother Ban emerges from his seclusion.
Still, as long as she was alive, there was a way to bring her back eventually. Jin held onto that hope.
“Great-grandfather and Sir Alphen, from this moment on, please take charge of the Black Sword Council and the Guardian Association, respectively.”
During the appointment ceremony, Jin had confirmed that Telot Runcandel, the Chairman of the Homin Association, had survived. For now, Balas and Alphen were the best choices for the remaining two chairman positions.
[I shall do so.]
[I take it you mean for us to manage them while designating and training successors in advance.]
“Precisely, Sir Alphen. And Sir Tasha, please take the position of Chief Cadet Instructor.”
‘Chief Cadet Instructor’ might seem like a position lacking in prestige for a former Patriarch. However, Jin believed that nurturing new talent was more urgent than ever, and the former Patriarchs felt the same.
[I consider it an honor.]
“Once it’s known that Sir Tasha is teaching personally, not only cadets but active-duty knights will flock to the training grounds.”
They needed to replenish their manpower, both for the future wars against the other great powers and to protect the people who had flocked to Runcandel because of Jin.
[Indeed. However, my standards are very high, and the selection process will be strict. Be aware that recruitment might be slower than you expect.]
“Of course. That is exactly why I entrusted the position to you, Sir Tasha. Please show us the discerning eye of a former Patriarch.”
[The responsibility is great, but you may look forward to the results.]
As the former Patriarchs stepped back, Jin headed straight for the Patriarch’s office. Waiting there were Mary, the Tona brothers, and various butlers and scribes.
Jin sat down immediately, without a moment to savor the feeling of stepping into the office for the first time as the Young Patriarch.
“Young Patriarch, I tried to filter them, but there are still so many reports.”
“They’re still pouring in from all over. If you give us your criteria today, we’ll do our best to minimize the number of reports we bring to you in the future,” Mary and the Tona brothers said. Since this was an official setting, their demeanor toward Jin had shifted accordingly.
Jin smiled at his siblings for a moment, feeling another wave of relief that they had all survived the war.
Among the butlers, there were familiar faces, but the two who likely knew the most family secrets were nowhere to be seen.
“Are Head Butlers Heinz and Howard dead?”
“…Yes, Young Patriarch,” Petro answered.
“What about the documents they held?”
“While you were away, Lady Valeria conducted a search, but they could not be found. We only found records stating the documents were destroyed even before the Evil God’s death.”
Jin decided not to dwell on it. The most important secrets of the past would have concerned Cyron, anyway—the reason he had devoted himself to the Black Sea since his youth and the reason he eventually formed an expedition and left…
Jin felt he understood those reasons a little better now.
Father went to the Black Sea because he didn't want to become a monster like the Evil God.
He had felt certain of this when he last met Cyron in the Inner World, and it was a suspicion he’d held ever since learning the nature of the power known as ‘Creation.’
For a while, Jin silently reviewed the reports. Like his siblings, he was moved every time he confirmed the number of survivors.
“Petro.”
“Yes!”
“Lease all the masterpiece swords currently gathering dust in the family vaults to our allied families and the Empire. Sir Picon will handle the appraisal of the lease fees. The contracts will be in five-year increments, with a clause transferring ownership if the lease exceeds twenty years. Invest all the money generated into the stabilization of Huphester.”
Petro wanted to ask if he was serious, but he held his tongue and bowed his head.
“However, do not force the leases. Only offer them to families willing to open their private coffers to borrow those swords.”
“Understood.”
“Everyone must be surprised. The family’s masterpiece swords have never been utilized like this in the last thousand years. But right now, we need money. Along with the stabilization of Huphester, we need a massive amount of funds to build a fleet in the future. We can always forge more masterpiece swords.”
“Forging them, you say… Hmmm, Young Patriarch. Even in these times, it is highly likely that the Minche Blacksmith Association will not swallow their pride. Furthermore, since most of the weapons our family would be leasing are their own works, they will be even more stubborn once that becomes known.”
When one of the strategists hesitantly spoke up, Jin looked around at his retainers. The three leaders of the Blacksmith Association—‘Moru,’ ‘Bul,’ and ‘Hammer’—had a history of rejecting even the exclusive contract Cyron had once offered.
“From now on, when you offer an opinion to me, speak confidently. Don’t walk on eggshells. As long as it isn’t complete nonsense, I will never reprimand you. It is important that you all continue to offer your insights.”
“Understood!”
“I have already considered the matter of weapon production with the Minche Blacksmith Association. As some of you may know, the legendary blacksmith Picon Minche, the progenitor of their association, is a member of the Barmul Alliance. He is even the current God of Blacksmiths, succeeding Groller. Sir Picon will personally lead the negotiations with the Association.”
It was no exaggeration to say that the Minche Blacksmith Association was composed entirely of Picon’s most ardent admirers. To put it bluntly, if Picon told them to hand over the position of Association President, they would likely comply immediately.
The reason Jin had held Picon as his trump card was for a moment precisely like this.
“Do not see it as a waste to lease the masterpiece swords. Our allied martial families will grow stronger, while we earn money and forge even better weapons. Furthermore, we will distribute those new swords to cadets and knights who show a certain level of achievement.”
Jin believed that in chaotic times, what moved most people was not a grand cause, but personal goals and a sense of accomplishment.
“Petro, by now you can probably guess my next order, can’t you?”
“I shall dispose of all treasures within the family, excluding those with historical significance.”
“Excellent. Coordinate that with the Golden Cloud Merchant Group. Sell them all to the Lutero Federation and the Land of the Beastmen through secret black market deals. Remember, we can never have enough funds.”
“Yes, sir!”
“Also, for the time being, only five high-ranking butlers and scribes, including Petro, will remain in the Garden of Swords. The rest are to be dispatched across Huphester immediately to report frequently on the local situation. The 7th Flagbearer will handle the assignments.”
“Yes.”
“That should settle our internal financial matters for now. The next problem to solve is manpower.”
High-level personnel for fleet production—magic engineers. Securing them was the key. An era had dawned where a war without a fleet was unimaginable, and the presence of magic engineers was essential to create the ‘Golden Fleet.’
“We can secure some through the magic families in Huphester and the Empire, but it’s not enough. Does anyone have an idea to attract magic engineers?”
“I do.”
Surprisingly, the voice belonged to Valeria. She had heard Jin’s voice as she entered the office just moments ago.
“Valeria?”
“I heard from the former Patriarchs earlier that the Young Patriarch has decided to put me in the spotlight from now on. Though there wasn't much consultation with me. Now that you’ve become the Young Patriarch of Runcandel, I can’t even get properly angry…”
“Ahem, I was going to ask your opinion,” Jin replied in a forced, dignified voice.
Mary and the Tona brothers held back their laughter until their faces turned red, while the butlers shifted their eyes awkwardly. Valeria now treated Jin and her comrades with a genuine sense of ease.
“Anyway, since you’ve decided to reveal my existence, we can use that to secure quite a few magic students. As you know, there are plenty of mages in this world who are obsessed with the name Hister.”
People like Kidad Hall were prime examples. To mages, ‘Hister’ was a true legend, a myth. This was especially true for mages who had received ‘higher education’ from Zipple and had visited their secret library even once.
At any other time, Zipple would have caused an uproar the moment Jin recruited mages using Hister as an advertisement, but not now. If anything, Zipple was the one who had to walk on eggshells around Jin.
“The higher the level of the mage, the stronger their yearning for Hister tends to be, so high-level personnel will naturally come seeking us. If Yuria handles the background checks, we can also filter out any spies sent by Zipple.”
“That’s a good idea.”
“However, I hope my face doesn't appear on those giant billboards that were plastered with the Young Patriarch’s image.”
“I’ll mention it to the Golden Cloud Merchant Group, but you shouldn't get your hopes up. Those guys believe there’s no advertisement more effective than that. And it actually worked quite well.”
Valeria grimaced but didn't protest further. Jin let out a small chuckle at her reaction.
The meeting continued for about two more hours, all of it regarding Huphester’s finances and reconstruction. It was the first time in the current era that a meeting had proceeded with such a smooth, cooperative atmosphere—a scene that could never have been witnessed when Cyron and Rosa ran the family.
“This should settle the main points. Announce the public statement for noon tomorrow. The location will be the Imperial Capital.”
Just as Jin stood up to conclude the meeting, Mary caught his eye.
“Young Patriarch.”
“Speak, 7th Flagbearer.”
“You should pay a visit to the underground prison.”
“…The underground prison?”
Currently, the former 10th Great Knight, Padler Runcandel, was being held in the underground prison.