Chapter 59
Chapter 59
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 59
Chapter Title: Negotiating Independence
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Julius the prince's support for Olivia Territory was one thing, but now that things had come to this, there was no need to be bound by the family's framework.
My ultimate goal was to repel the empire's invasion anyway.
I decided to coolly accept my father's proposal.
"Very well. I'll give up on Banten. I've already arranged to receive Olivia Territory from Prince Julius anyway."
"Olivia, huh. Are you aiming for the Punish Archipelago too? That won't be easy."
Of course it wouldn't be easy. Catching that monster was no simple task.
"I'll explain that later. But I have conditions. If you agree to them, I'll make a clean break and go independent."
My father nodded and poured himself another cup of black tea.
A silent approval to speak.
"First, I'll take Sir Beskin and the Blizzard Knight Order with me."
"Fine. Take them if you can."
They had already pledged themselves to me. Father's words were basically approval.
"Second, half the profits from that wheat deal in the past. I'll take those too."
"Starting fresh somewhere new requires startup capital. As your father, how could I possibly withhold that money from you?"
It was my achievement from the start. As expected, Father approved without hesitation.
"Third, for the goods from trade with the elves, give me exclusive rights to trade them in the southern regions."
Elven specialties were priceless luxuries to the southern nobles, which would help me establish myself quickly.
The final condition was more of a win-win strategy for both the family and me, as it was the fastest way to expand the Shield Family's influence southward.
So I assumed Father would naturally approve, but...
"...Hmm."
"...?"
For some reason, Father showed reluctance at the last condition.
"It's an achievement you earned, so it's only right to accommodate you. But... no. What's the point of me saying it? You'll see for yourself once you're there."
I felt a strange unease at Father's lukewarm response, but I had to finish laying out my terms.
"...And the fourth and final one."
"Go on, tell me."
Since he was lukewarm on the third, he'd approve anything reasonable for the rest. That's the kind of man he was.
But my final request wasn't exactly "reasonable."
"I'll reveal that one later too. We still have four years until I receive Olivia Territory."
"You rascal, no fun at all."
Father seemed curious but didn't press me personally on what the condition was.
And so, I reached a dramatic(?) compromise with Father.
I began seriously planning my grand migration(?) operation.
'First, raise Steel to stage three and master Pankration even more thoroughly.'
The Punish Archipelago was an indispensable element in my plans after arriving in Olivia Territory.
To that end, I needed the power to defeat that monster, the king of the archipelago.
Even if I regained my previous life's strength, I couldn't confidently claim victory over that monster. Regaining my power was the bare minimum basics.
'Gonna be a tough four years ahead.'
No matter how familiar the path was to me, reaching that realm required an absolute minimum of time.
And then there were Beskin and the Blizzard Knight Order.
Though they were loyal to me, that loyalty stemmed from being under the family's protection.
I had to redirect that loyalty entirely toward me.
And half the wheat sales profits: 10,000 gold.
I had to endlessly ponder how to invest and grow that money.
'Wish that guy were here right now.'
Just as Kandar's Golden Cross had a financial genius handling the books, our Stigma Mercenary Corps had one too—a master of commerce who managed our finances.
If I'd handed him these 10,000 gold for four years, he could've at least tripled it, or tenfold if things went well.
That was a real shame, but wishing for the impossible wouldn't make it happen.
'Well, if I recall what happened during that time, there should be ways to make money.'
In that case, the most pressing loose end to check right now was...
"Time to go see how the elf trade is progressing and how far along it is."
Beyond the trade itself, I'd left Miron's sister Misha with the elves for far too long.
Miron hadn't said it outright, but he clearly missed his sister terribly.
It had been more than enough time to meet if not for the Spring Festival, so it was frustrating.
"Alright, then. Let's arrange a nice family reunion."
Of course, to let Miron reunite with his sister Misha...
I had to have my own family reunion first.
I planned to head to the Dragon Mountains, where my brother and sister were paving the trade road.
So, right before departing for the Spring Festival...
I'd had this conversation with Saladin.
I'd asked what if our brother and sister stole the delicious soup of elf trade from us.
I'd replied that the Forest Queen, 'Minerva,' was an incredibly aloof woman.
Gaining her recognition was an exceedingly arduous task.
That's right.
I'd certainly anticipated it.
That my brother and sister wouldn't easily gain the elves' recognition.
I'd anticipated that, but...
The scene unfolding was a bit—no, quite different from my expectations.
At the entrance to the Dragon Mountains, on the trade road my brother Ares and sister Mercy were building...
"Ughhh..."
S-Someone... medicine..."
Scattered throughout the tents of the road construction site were Banten's elite soldiers, lying gravely wounded.
"...What the hell is this?"
I'd expected they wouldn't gain the elves' recognition.
But I never imagined they couldn't even pave the road.
They'd suffered setbacks against me recently, but they were fundamentally highly capable people.
Yet they couldn't even build a simple road?
And why were the soldiers sprawled around covered in blood like that?
As I stood there dumbfounded, still grasping the situation, someone who had been treating the wounded soldiers alongside the medics approached and greeted me.
"You've arrived, Third Young Master."
The one addressing me was Kamit, the wind mage and Sister Mercy's right-hand man.
The fact that she had brought a trusted subordinate like Kamit meant Sister Mercy hadn't come to the mountains lightly.
Moreover, though hidden by his robe, even Sir Kamit was covered in minor wounds.
"...Sir Kamit, what in the world is...?"
Speechless at the absurd reality, he sighed and led me along.
"Come with me first. Seeing it yourself will be faster than any explanation."
Kamit instructed the medics on treatments, then led me to the largest tent.
There...
"Haha. You're here, little brother."
"What are you doing here? You're annoying. Get lost and go lick the elves' asses or something."
Ares and Mercy were lying side by side on beds in the tent, amiably recuperating.
I was at a loss for words at the sight.
"...Brother, Sister. What the hell happened?"
"...Hmph. None of your business."
At my question, Mercy shamefully turned her head toward the wall.
Ares gave a wry smile as he watched her.
"Haha! Look at us, what a ridiculous mess. We wanted to finish the road to the elves before you got back."
Ares wiped the wry smile from his face, organized his thoughts for a moment...
And then began recounting what had happened.
The day Jerome left for the Spring Festival.
Ares and Mercy immediately set out to pioneer the trade road through the Dragon Mountains.
"Brother, is this really worth it? What if we just end up doing all the hard work like dogs and handing everything to Jerome on a platter?"
Mercy grumbled as she slashed through obstructing branches at the mountain's edge.
"Haha. You think we can't earn the Elf Queen's recognition?"
Ares countered as he similarly cleared branches while walking.
"Tch. Don't test me. I'm not so dim that I can't handle that much."
While Jerome had been conversing with Saladin, predicting how difficult it would be to gain Queen Minerva's recognition...
Ares and Mercy were fully aware that without her approval, they'd just be doing Jerome a favor.
But they proceeded anyway because...
First, even combined, they might not finish the road before Jerome returned.
Second, they had confidence they could persuade Queen Minerva.
Just like Jerome, they too had their hidden trump cards.
On the day they agreed to join forces, they had decided to build the road together, then each win Minerva's favor in their own way.
"Heh, then quit whining. It'll get hotter soon, and the forest bugs will swarm."
"Ugh, fine. Quit nagging like some old geezer...?"
Rustle!
Mercy, plugging her ears against Ares's usual lecturing, whipped her head around at the sudden presence.
After a brief moment, a small shadow emerged.
"Kikikikiki!"
The laughing shadow with its grating high-pitched cackle was a goblin.
"What?"
Mercy's eyes widened upon spotting the goblin.
Not because it was some unbeatable foe she couldn't handle.
She could dispatch a goblin in a second.
The reason for her surprise was elsewhere.
"We're barely at the mountain entrance—why's a goblin showing up already?"
The Dragon Mountains were indeed included in the area for expanding the trade road.
And clearing monsters along the way was essential.
But they'd only entered the forest a few hours ago.
Even for the Dragon Mountains, monsters appearing this close was extremely rare.
"Eh, probably just got lost."
Ares nodded along to Mercy's baffled comment and signaled the scout clearing the path ahead.
Shing!
The scout, catching Ares's glance, slowly drew his sword and approached the goblin.
Goblins were weak monsters even an untrained adult could beat.
There was no reason a Banten elite scout couldn't handle it.
But...
Pfft!
"Grk...?!"
With a small sound, the approaching scout frothed at the mouth and collapsed.
"Kikikiki!"
"Kikikiki!"
A horde of goblins began emerging around the fallen scout.
"...What is this?"
Ares and Mercy could no longer laugh it off.
A lone goblin was easy prey for civilians, but a goblin horde was tough even for decent troops to exterminate.
And for such a horde to appear right at the mountain's entrance...
This was far from normal.
"Kamit, check for hobgoblins nearby."
Mercy called out to Kamit in the rear as she drew her gladius and shield.
Identifying the hobgoblin leader was key to wiping out a goblin horde.
"Yes. Search by Wind!"
Winds swirled around chanting Kamit, then scattered in all directions.
After a moment, Kamit pointed to a spot.
"Over there."
"Hakarren."
"Yes, First Young Master."
As Kamit pinpointed the location, Ares looked to Hakarren, the Flame Knight.
Hakarren dashed to the indicated spot.
Moments later, he returned holding a hobgoblin's head.
"Kiki?!"
"Kiii!"
With their hobgoblin leader gone, the encircling goblins panicked and scattered chaotically.
The poisoned soldier was slowly recovering with treatment, so no casualties.
But Ares and Mercy's faces remained grim.
"Mercy. Didn't you clear monsters from the Beast Forest all the way to the mountain entrance last winter?"
Ares asked in a tone that sounded almost accusatory, and Mercy scowled as she grumbled.
"Yeah, sure. I get why you'd grill me now that shit's hit the fan."
Mercy glanced around as she spoke.
"I didn't half-ass it. Botching it like this could affect Banten too."
"Hm, fair enough. Sorry. I apologize."
Ares nodded at Mercy's words.
His little sister might have a rough mouth and manners...
But separately from that, her love for Banten was genuine.
"I was surprised too. Monsters at just the mountain entrance? What the hell is going on?"
"Eh, maybe they flipped out over fresh human meat after so long."
Though they'd encountered unexpected monsters, Ares and Mercy didn't think much of it.
If anything, it was like the annoyance of finding trash left in a room you'd thought cleaned.
Leaving the goblin corpses behind, Ares and Mercy pressed onward.
And before long, they realized...
This situation was far more serious than mere leftover trash in a room.