Wolves of Hader

Chapter 69

Standing in the count's study, I looked out the window.

Perhaps because winter was approaching, but reflecting the situation of the territory, even the distant atmosphere of the capital looked desolate.

"Young master! We admit our faults! However, the compensation is excessive. I've lost half my troops!"

"I lost my brother too! You know well the situation of a baron's house!"

The voices rose up from below.

I told them to stay if they wanted to negotiate, and to leave immediately if they refused.

But for three hours now, instead of negotiating, they were holding a sit-in.

Thanks to that, only Russell was suffering.

"Do you not realize that compensation is the price of your lives? The main house has no intention of reducing the payout by a single coin! I'll grant you time for a cup of tea, so either negotiate or leave!"

I sat down in the count's chair.

The steward of the Lansen merchant guild was sitting at the parlor table.

"So, what did the guildmaster say? Is there anyone suitable to take charge of this territory?"

"The guildmaster suggested that I should give it a try."

"That's good for us, but what do you think, steward?"

In truth, ever since the steward received a letter from the guildmaster, he had been deep in thought.

"To be honest, my desire to lead the guild is strong. I've spent my life as a merchant."

"Then this will be a good opportunity."

"Pardon?"

"You won't just be a steward at the Lansen merchant guild, will you?"

"In about five years, I'm thinking about starting my own, even if it's small. I'd handle goods that wouldn't overlap with Lansen's."

"That's excellent."

The steward didn't understand what I was talking about. Our house's affairs were always shrouded in secrecy.

We'd consistently disguised ourselves as Goose's merchant guild.

"Lansen mainly deals in precious metals, the finest porcelain, and luxury goods, correct?"

"That's right. The empire's noble families are our biggest clients, and even Beltern's royal families are important to us."

"I heard you're also close to the lord of Tris."

"Yes. The guildmaster and Count Mals have strong ties. Our guild isn't large, but since our clients are mostly nobles, that's how it is."

The Lansen merchant guild is based in Tris.

Tris, in the western-central part of the continent, is the empire's greatest port city and trade port.

The distance from here to Tris is about the same as from the capital to Tris.

What pleased me most was that Count Mals, Lord of Tris, was close with the Lansen merchant guild.

Count Mals is family to us anyway, and there are plans to cooperate on future ventures.

We could exchange various kinds of assistance with the Lansen merchant guild, and our businesses don't even overlap, as they focus on luxury goods.

And now, the steward of that Lansen guild was here as a candidate to become one of our people.

"Please help manage this territory for a while. In a short time, not only will you stabilize the finances, but you'll make them wealthier than ever before."

The steward was quick-witted.

After a long bout of suspicion, he finally seemed to see the connection. As expected, the brains of a merchant guild were different.

"Could it be... have you invested in Goose's merchant guild, or perhaps worked together?"

I nodded.

At that, the steward's face brightened instantly.

"I was wondering what you were getting at—now I understand. You're planning a business here."

"Something like that. I'd like to appoint you as both the manager of this territory and the branch manager of our house's business division."

"Me?"

"You're more than qualified."

He looked uncertain.

Understandable, since we had never worked together and only met a week ago. We hadn't even talked much.

But I had learned plenty about the steward's character. I'd sent Count Mals a letter and received an enthusiastic recommendation in response.

Most important, the Lansen steward and the steward in the merchant guild that once worked with House Hader had trained together.

"Please take charge of the territory. When your wife has gained more experience, you can hand over management to another proxy and focus solely on the business. I guarantee, you'll lead the finest merchant guild in the central region."

The steward couldn't reply immediately.

Because of his loyalty to the Lansen merchant guild.

And because my words might seem hard to trust.

"Let me tell you something. To the southwest of the territory, isn't there a place called Mount Ote?"

"Yes. It's the only part of the central mountain range that hasn't turned to wasteland. There's also a large lake nearby."

"We'll build a resort there. And in that mountain, there are sizable raw crystals of transparent gems."

"Pardon?"

The steward's eyes and mouth dropped open.

Not gold, nor just any gem—it was diamond. It was natural to be surprised.

"We'll mine those gems. Aside from that, there's a vast underground water source, and beneath the farmlands, there are abundant natural resources."

The steward's mouth was still hanging open, as if he'd completely forgotten to ask how we knew all this.

"So, we'll build a lakeside resort, mine gems, and use the aquifer for agricultural irrigation. That's just the territory business. The trade is separate."

"Is that really possible?"

"Do you remember the kinds of goods Goose's guild has dealt in?"

"How could I forget? Red gems, iron ore... They even traded magic stones, making a fortune to the point that other guilds became suspicious."

"All the minerals mined by House Hader were sold through Goose's guild."

"Ah!"

It was as if a new world dawned in the steward's eyes.

It wasn't greed, exactly—more like the grand ambition unique to veteran merchants.

"If you'll have me, I'll gladly work with House Hader."

"It's late for introductions. I am Roger Hader, the third son of House Hader."

"I'm Aldo, steward of Lansen."

"It's a pleasure to work with you. Steward Aldo of Urada territory."

I reached my hand out to Steward Aldo.

He glanced between my face and hand, then, quick on the uptake, he shook it.

Always, this was the true start of every partnership.

/ / /

Three days passed.

For the time being, I planned to leave this territory in Russell's hands.

While I was packing, Russell entered.

"It seems they've finally left."

"Yes. They dragged things out for two days outside the castle saying they wanted to renegotiate, but in the end, Captain Donnie stepped in. It's been three days, just as you warned, young master."

"I never really expected to get all the compensation. I doubt they'll pay it all."

"The three heads of house will try to retaliate somehow. But their finances are already poor from waging unreasonable war."

"They should be able to last three or four years with what wealth remains, so it'll be a few years before any retaliation. Like Count Urada. Even for them, retaliation would be the last resort."

The viscount's and baron's houses won't last five more years.

Their financial condition and the issue of having thrown their soldiers into ruin would lose them the support of residents.

And if we struck now, we'd have to manage their lands, which we don't have the manpower for.

So all we need to do is continue collecting compensation steadily.

If they make a reckless move, they'll be finished. By then, their own people will be supporting us.

And we'll have people to manage those territories.

The trouble is the Goro merchant guild.

The Goro merchant guild was, in fact, one of the two major gangs of Tris.

The other was the gang we fought back in Tris.

Goro has far more money than those two houses, and is close with the divine order.

It seems they do clandestine trade with Beltern merchants, and there are hints of human trafficking.

Presumably, the master of Goro tried to arrange a marriage of his daughter as a political move—likely to a magnate of Beltern or a kingdom power.

That could be why his wife took their daughter and left home. After all, her husband was trying to sell their only daughter for business.

So, the Goro merchant guild may prove tough, but it could also be surprisingly easy if we find evidence of their crimes—since we might catch a true big shot in the process.

"The strike squad and Deputy Hans's berserkers will stay, so Commander Russell, please look after the territory for now. Steward Aldo will bring quite a few people."

"Understood. Though—won't Grand Duke Syren be on the move?"

"I received word this morning—the mages have finally confessed."

"Was it good news?"

"Grand Duke Syren has a secret combat force. From the perspective of the imperial family, one could call it a treasonous group."

Russell's eyes widened.

It was hot off the presses, so I hadn't had the chance to tell Russell yet.

"I didn't think it was the imperial army—surprising."

"The mages said they weren't from the army or the Magic Tower, which means they're Grand Duke Syren's hidden military. Even the mages didn't know the size or headquarters, since it's a secret organization."

"The grand duke must know we captured his mages. And that private ownership of mages is forbidden."

"That's why he can't touch us now. It's an issue on which the imperial army can intervene, and the military high command isn't made up of just the grand duke's faction."

Russell smiled broadly for the first time in a while.

"The prisoners will be recruited as Urada's garrison troops under House Hader. They may be hostile now, but with time, things may change."

"Right. Pay them at the same rate as our own soldiers and provide various benefits. We'll start by overhauling the territory's infrastructure, so have things ready for when the steward arrives."

"Understood."

"To this day, the people of Urada have lived off farming, but from now on, they'll live off construction and tourism. Russell, I'll be relying on you."

"Of course. Then—"

Russell left the study.

I finished packing.

This incident turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

I gained Urada territory and bound the Syren family tighter.

The exposure of the mages by the grand duke.

At first glance, it might look like a reckless move on the grand duke's part, but it wasn't.

The grand duke must have received word from a messenger that I and the berserkers had gone to the western mountains.

To be sure of finishing off our fortress, he'd mobilized another house's troops and even sent mages.

It took us fifteen days to reach the western mountains.

In those fifteen days, the grand duke sent troops to our fortress.

Even at best speed, it would take us twenty days to return. He must have been certain he was exterminating House Hader.

Yet those who should have been in the western mountains appeared, ignoring physical distance and time. On giant wolves, no less.

Even if the grand duke knew about the uncivilized route of the north, he couldn't have predicted it.

You can't ride a horse along the arctic coast.

In other words, we could travel through the arctic, but the grand duke could not send troops that way.

Now, he has to worry about the capital's northern approaches.

Thus, he has no choice but to consider a truce with us.

The Secret Council investigator's report will reveal our motives. What does it mean that we didn't mention the mages?

If we reveal the mages, the grand duke will be in trouble. He might try to manage it, but his secret organization could be exposed.

So, for now, he can't move against us. And having seen our forces, it won't be easy to attack anyway.

Thus, if we don't move, the grand duke won't either. Urada is not worth targeting now.

Aside from losing the central gateway, there's nothing to gain.

So we both pretend nothing happened, implicitly entering a truce.

The Syren family will need time to recover its weakened power.

And the mages we captured become an unspoken promise between us and the grand duke.

If you don't reveal them, we won't act either.

/ / /

I returned to the fortress.

The fortress and barracks within Urada Castle were now perfectly organized. Destroyed buildings were being repaired.

They were also building a retractable device to cover the bomb depots in the fortress wall.

This was to prevent bombs from exploding from magic fire attacks.

Wundbark presented the blueprints.

"It'll not only block off the bomb depot, but also serve as a shield to block the stairs below. You can thrust spears through the holes, too."

"Indeed. Even if they climb the fortress wall, it'll be hard to break through this shield. Let's also reinforce the gate and the passage leading to the village."

"We must. If the head of house hadn't blocked the passage, it might've ended badly."

"I blocked it with the two elders and the guardian knights."

Ross, who had come to greet me, broke into a bright smile and hugged me.

After hugging me, he stepped aside.

I wondered why he was smiling.

A familiar face stood before me.

The man who had fled into the northern mountains.

"I'm glad you're safe."

"It's thanks to you."

It was Duke Mart.

Along with over twenty of his subordinates.