Chapter 89
Chapter 89
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 89
Chapter Title: Spend Big Money
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- To win people's hearts, spend big money. If you can't win them over, it means the amount was insufficient, so spend even more.
Sion had unwavering faith in this maxim(?) from this world.
The maxim also worked in another way.
- To instill fear in people, spend big money. If you can't instill fear, it means the amount was insufficient, so spend even more.
It would respond with immense terror.
Bellin of the Spio Merchant House was a woman who knew well the fear that money could bring.
Of course, there was no way any sane person would hold their head high in front of the de facto owner of the Spio Merchant House, which was both her workplace and her family.
It was a fact that Sion, Bellin, and even Theodor, who had created the Hexagonal Aptitude, all knew.
The reason Sion, as the largest shareholder in the Spio Merchant House and Yajan's six great merchant houses, had never used that position to exert influence over them or Yajan City until now.
It brought him no benefit.
They grew on their own and provided profits without any intervention, so there was no reason to meddle and tell them to work their asses off (work to death every time they bowed).
The six great merchant houses felt the same.
A largest shareholder who never interfered in their operations, whether in good times or bad, and fully guaranteed their managerial rights?
An angel—no, just as they called Sion, a 'Saint.'
But in this moment, the saint was no more.
"So, I thought that if we could gain influence in Rozin and Frland, we could obtain Iron Mountain Dwarf-made goods at lower prices and in the quantities we want. Along with the abundant grain from the Dukedom, of course."
In truth, the latter was the main goal.
Yajan was a city-state.
Though its influence had expanded regionally to cover a considerable area, sustaining a population of 100,000 in a territory the size of a small fiefdom (like a Korean township) was difficult.
Especially since not all of that land was farmland, importing food was not optional but essential.
However, the surrounding nations and great fiefdoms, which viewed Yajan's rapid growth unfavorably, had no intention of easily exporting grain to it.
Thus, Yajan sought regions that were not on bad terms with them, accessible by sea rather than land, and had no issues with food production.
That place was Sion's Dukedom.
Why had Sion been so earnest in the early days about driving monsters into the mountains?
This peninsula, excluding the eastward-slanting Brandin Mountains, formed several vast deltas—natural bountiful farmlands.
The mountain-adjacent areas were ideal for wheat, while the delta regions with stable temperatures and abundant water were perfect for rice paddies.
In these blessed expansive farmlands, over 100,000 people farmed, yielding bumper crops or at least average harvests nearly every year.
For Yajan, rich in trade wealth but always hungry, it was enough to make their eyes spin.
"In conclusion, it's a monopoly."
"Th-that's... yes, exactly!"
Bellin, who had nearly tried to make excuses, nodded at light speed.
In truth, the ultimate goal was to secure maritime export rights for all goods produced in Sion's Dukedom while importing its grain.
"Well, since the owner of the Hexagonal Aptitude has deep ties to Sion's Dukedom, I can see how that might happen."
"Yes! That's right! We truly had no idea. If we had known, we never would have..."
"But does ignorance end a merchant's career?"
"......"
As the ultimate unblockable technique landed, Bellin felt her breath catch in her throat.
"You sail often, so you should know. If you set sail unaware of an incoming storm and lose all your cargo, does your trading partner understand? If you trade with a fraud without knowing and lose your deposit, does your merchant house just say, 'Oh well, unavoidable,' and move on? Do they?"
"N-no, they don't..."
"See? If ignorance ended it, no one in the world would ever have to take responsibility."
"Yes. You are absolutely right."
Holding back the urge to squeeze her eyes shut, Bellin bowed her head.
"Then, you take responsibility, right?"
"Yes..."
As Bellin answered with difficulty, a whirlwind of imaginations swirled in her mind.
Would he want her head?
Miuran, who had dared to overstep without knowing her place, would die too, probably.
How much would the compensation be?
As the largest shareholder, he wouldn't completely ruin them, right?
But she and her entire direct line would have to step down, or at least be banished to rural branches, to somewhat appease his anger?
Oh, what about the mercenaries?
Turning the ships around immediately was a given, but the contract cancellation fees for them wouldn't be small.
What to do? What to do?
Really, what to do?
Thoughts chased each other's tails in Bellin's mind.
But the endless worries and hypotheticals halted after just a few minutes.
No, they halted after taking a full few minutes.
'Why is there no response???'
Realizing that for nearly a full minute, the owner of the Hexagonal Aptitude had simply stared at her silently without a word, Bellin cautiously lifted her head.
The young, handsome man was still gazing at her with an impassive expression.
Bellin carefully parted her lips.
"Um... how should I take responsibility?"
Sion, who had been tight-lipped, tossed out a single phrase.
"Make a preemptive proposal."
"...Pardon?"
"Since this is my first time dealing with something like this, I don't know how much responsibility to demand or how to go about it. So, you propose it first."
"......"
Bellin's face grew even paler than during her worst imaginings moments ago.
The 'preemptive proposal from the subordinate's perspective'—something she'd only heard of—was utterly terrifying.
* * *
"Ugh... hngh! Kk... "
Regaining consciousness with difficulty, Miuran felt a pain like his guts were shredded to bits and widened his eyes.
"B-Bellin? Bellin?"
Even amid that excruciating agony, Miuran sought his lover first.
"I'm right here."
Fortunately, Bellin was right beside him.
"Wh-what? Are you okay?"
"I'm fine enough to be like this. Though it seems we're fucked now."
"What... Anyway, what about that guy? That fucking bastard who dared..."
Thwack!
"Ow! Why'd you hit me? Fuck, that hurts like hell!"
"Don't flap your mouth recklessly. Both of us barely escaped death today."
"What do you..."
Miuran, about to snap back as usual, froze.
Bellin, whom he had known for over ten years since becoming lovers five years ago, wore an expression he had never seen before.
"You... what's wrong? Did something happen?"
Bellin was trembling violently, biting her nails until blood seeped out.
"Darling."
"Y-yeah? Yeah?"
"Please, I beg you—don't ask anything, and don't say anything. Just know that you and I barely clawed our way back from halfway down the road to the afterlife. Okay? Got it?"
"But what the hell..."
"No, fuck, I'm begging you! Don't ask anything! Just do exactly as I say!"
Miuran was no slouch in temper.
But he couldn't utter a word to Bellin, who was tearing at her hair and screaming like a banshee.
His lover was crying.
Her face was unmistakably contorted in sheer terror.
"I... I don't want to die. I want to live. That man... that lord spared our lives. So do as I say. Okay? First, as soon as we get back to the inn, send all the mercenaries back home. Then make a list and write a confession."
"List? Confession...?"
"Yeah. A list of the officials we bribed, and a confession of what we planned to do with them.
No, I'll write the confession, so you just sign it with me. Please don't ask why. Just do as you're told. If you don't want to die for real. Got it?"
"......O-okay."
Staring at the breathless Bellin with a confused face, Miuran nodded for now.
He'd been lucky, but Miuran hadn't survived this long as a pirate and mercenary for nothing.
There were such beings.
Beings that transcended not only ordinary people's standards but even the common sense of those like him and Bellin, who had lived 'unusual' lives.
Cliché as it was, the man who had floored him in the 'blink of an eye' was undoubtedly one such being, one Miuran hadn't encountered in a long time.
Miuran felt a chill crawl up his neck anew.
Just as Bellin said, he had taken half a step toward the afterlife today, only to be dragged back to the living world by her grace.
And the being who had pulled him that half-step toward death could drag him all the way there anytime.
* * *
The next morning, early.
Several posters appeared here and there in Rozin City's square.
"What's this?"
"Did something big happen?"
"Monsters? No way, monsters?"
Fearing news of a monster horde approaching, citizens hurriedly read them, only to widen their eyes.
The first part was nothing special.
It was just a list of names.
The problem was the content right below that list.
- The above individuals accepted bribes and colluded with personnel from the Spio Merchant House, Yajan's special envoy.
- They promoted opinions and policies benefiting Yajan over Rozin, sowing confusion for the mayor—the residents' representative and highest decision-maker—to induce wrong decisions.
- Because of the listed individuals, the mayor nearly made a decision contrary to the intentions of the House of Duke Sion.
- The authenticity of this report's contents and the list is guaranteed by Bellin Spio, Yajan's special envoy and the author.
And at the very bottom, two bright red seals and signatures.
"Those fucking noble bastards!?"
"Nobles my ass! Where are these traitorous scum!"
No matter how much time passed or how the upper echelons tested the waters, Rozin's residents all considered themselves 'people of Sion.'
Their pride in being residents of 'Sion's Dukedom'—with its legendary hero and warrior Duke Sion as mascot—outweighed any mere 'Rozin resident' identity.
It was like Koreans from the capital region, Jeolla, Gyeongsang, Gangwon, or even within Seoul—Gangnam, Gangbuk, Gangseo, Gangdong—bickering endlessly day in and day out, but uniting fiercely against Japan or China, telling them to shut their mouths.
In the end, with tensions already high from monsters and dissatisfaction mounting over the city's response, the residents swarmed the city hall.
"Gyaargh!?"
Mayor Calvert and Bellin's emergency meeting led to screams echoing from the officials (who had taken bribes) who had arrived at city hall early that morning.
(To be continued in the next installment)