Wolves of Hader

Chapter 88

Thud.

The young lady looked at me as if in disbelief, then sat down.

She sat down very comfortably, folding her arms, and looked at me.

She looked similar.

No, exactly the same.

"So that's where I saw you before. You're one of those big guys who ignored me and tried to enter the construction site, right?"

"That's right."

The young lady gave an incredulous expression.

"Where are you from? That's an accent I've never heard before."

"Kadena empire."

"You came all the way here from that far just to see me?"

Something was odd.

This time, I was about to ask a question, but the young lady spoke first.

"By the way, how old are you?"

"And how about you?"

"I'm older than you, obviously. So, you still wanted to meet me even though you're younger?"

"Age doesn't matter, does it?"

"It doesn't, I guess. I'm just surprised a foreigner, and a younger one at that, wanted to meet me."

This was getting stranger.

When I glanced outside the inn, the two gangsters were still watching. I tried to speak, but the woman cut me off again.

"Forget it. I have a lot to do and no time. I only came out because my father insisted on meeting you."

"What are you talking about right now?"

"Can't you understand? I get it—it's a shame to come all the way here and just leave, but what can you do if I, the person in question, don't want to meet?"

"Young lady, please."

The young lady gulped down water. She set the glass down with a bang and stood up energetically.

"I'm sure you'll find another match. There are plenty of proper young ladies in our nation. Still—you are handsome."

The young lady smiled broadly and walked off energetically. Then, the two men rushed into the inn in surprise.

"Excuse me, young lady!"

The two men blocked her path, and the young lady waved her hand as if annoyed.

"Are you two the ones who introduced him?"

"What will you do if you just leave? He may look like that, but he's from a noble house."

"I've had enough of nobles. Who said I wanted to meet a noble?"

"Pardon? What do you mean?"

"I don't know what my father told you, but I have no intention of marrying. Don't pull this kind of thing again."

When the young lady tried to leave the inn, the men hurriedly blocked her again.

"What are you doing now?"

"There's some misunderstanding! He didn't come to court you..."

"Who said anything about courting? Move aside, will you?"

"Please, hear me out. He's a merchant, here to establish trade with our nation."

"Trade?"

The young lady was stunned.

"My father didn't mention anything about that."

"Then, what did he say?"

"My father just smiled and told me, 'A handsome man has come to see you, so go meet him.'"

"The commander left out that he's a merchant. He didn't mean for you to meet a handsome man for the sake of it, but to help trade negotiations."

"Is that so?"

"No wonder the commander didn't come and sent you instead."

"What did you tell my father that made him leave out such an important detail!"

"We wouldn't know."

"Hmmm..."

The young lady groaned and pressed a hand to her forehead.

I could barely hold back my laughter.

She came back to stand before me and, now in a much more formal manner, greeted me.

"You're here as a merchant from Kadena to establish a trade deal, correct?"

"That's correct."

"May I take a seat?"

"Of course."

The young lady sat down again. A little less bold than before, but still sitting with spirit.

"Let's formally introduce ourselves. I am Roger Hader, co-guildmaster of the eastern merchant guild of Kadena empire."

"I'm Eilin, vice-guildmaster of the Dalin merchant guild."

Eilin.

Hearing her name, my mind went blank again.

Even her name resembles...

"What's wrong?"

"It's nothing. Is it acceptable to negotiate with the vice-guildmaster?"

"Of course. I'm leading the guild now anyway."

Vice-guildmaster Eilin studied me closely.

"You said you're co-guildmaster?"

"That's correct."

"If I may ask, what kind of business do you do?"

"Mining. Construction. Distribution. Banking, and such. We're not large-scale just yet."

"And what do you want to sell to our country?"

"What do you need?"

Vice-guildmaster Eilin thought for a moment before answering.

"Our biggest need is copper. Honestly, all metals are in short supply. Our resources are running out."

I had expected Robe to lack resources.

With their small territory compared to their technological advancement, importing goods was their only option.

But surrounding them were only Tern's allies.

So, they must have barely imported materials through the divine order.

The Tern Kingdom's interference must have been severe as well.

"Getting resources is proving difficult, then."

"No, not really. There are plenty of places to import from, even if it's not from you."

Naturally, importing is possible.

"Mining is our merchant guild's specialty. We can supply the lacking minerals at a reasonable price."

"What do you mean by a reasonable price?"

"You're importing minerals via Kadena merchants now, right? The divine order charges a brokerage fee, too."

"So?"

"So your price is extremely high. It's manageable for a wealthy nation, but it's irrational."

"Irrational..."

Vice-guildmaster Eilin muttered the unfamiliar word, as if it was something a scholar would say.

She spoke again.

"So, your merchant guild could ship minerals without divine order intermediaries?"

"Of course."

"The empire's merchants who trade with us won't stand by. Nor will the order, for that matter."

"They can't interfere. We'll travel via the volcanic archipelago."

"What did you say?"

Vice-guildmaster Eilin was shocked.

"Are you pirates?"

"We have no relation to pirates. We have our own methods."

"Even if you avoid pirates, it's impossible to cross the Cursed Sea."

"To avoid pirates and storms, you'd have to cross the waters dominated by the Tern navy. That's why you relied on the divine order's trading ships. But we have our own sea route."

"If you go east and across to the imperial continent, isn't that way too far?"

"It's very far, and takes a long time, but it's the only way. In fact, it's probably even safer."

Vice-guildmaster Eilin grew pensive again. She seemed more curious about me than the business.

"Then, what do you wish to buy from us?"

"I'd like to purchase drilling machines."

"For underground water drilling?"

"As for water pipes, we can make those ourselves. But your guild is the only one producing the drilling machines."

Eilin's brow furrowed.

To buy drilling machines meant to buy drilling technology.

I knew what drilling technology was, but lacked the basic knowledge of machine design.

"It'll be difficult to sell drilling machines. While our guild produces them, the rights to use the technology belong to the nation, and the original technology was created by the Dran."

Just as I suspected.

Both drilling equipment and water facilities are powered by electric motors, making them even harder to sell.

"Then I'll have to inquire at the capital. We're not here to buy food or minerals, after all."

"Do you think other guilds would be any different from ours?"

"You never know."

"You're underestimating us. Do you think money can buy everything?"

"Then, maybe I'll buy the core technology from the Dran's ancestral village. You probably bought the technology from them too."

Vice-guildmaster Eilin was at a loss for words.

For that was the truth. However—

"There's no longer an ancestral village."

"What do you mean?"

"Just as I said. 28 years ago, the Dran left their ancestral village and entered our country's territory. At that time, the Dran passed down various technologies."

I hadn't expected that at all.

"Why did they leave the ancestral village?"

"I don't know the specifics. But they've since built a small city in our western region and live there now."

"So that's the ancestral village now."

"There are more humans living in that city. Many of the Dran dispersed into different cities."

"Do the Dran elders still live in that city?"

"Yes. But persuading them won't be easy."

"Why is that?"

Vice-guildmaster Eilin sighed.

"When the Dran took refuge in our country, tensions flared between the young Dran and their elders."

"Over technology transfer, I suppose."

"Exactly. After long negotiations, they agreed to pass technology on, and the elders set up an autonomous district to block human entry. Moreover, they deeply resent humans."

It seems the Robe Republic tried to strong-arm the Dran for their technology, no technology—no asylum.

"Is there a reason the Dran elders couldn't go to another country?"

"Wherever they went, humans would try to steal what technology remained in the ancestral village. So, they preferred to watch closely from the nearest spot."

"That speaks to the urgency of their situation—not even able to take care of their technology."

"It seems so."

What could have happened?

An earthquake, maybe?

Or...

If what I think is right, this might be our chance. We can do what the Robe Republic couldn't.

Even elders who hate humans might listen if we promise to help them reclaim their homeland.

It's different from forcing refugees to hand over technology.

It's not like this country is particularly friendly with the Dran.

Dran's patriarch has no reason to coexist with humans for the sake of their identity and preservation of their technology.

At first, I'd planned to meet a bigger merchant through a local one, but there was no need.

This guild was producing something unexpected.

"If you can't export drill rigs abroad, then sell the machines to our branch here."

"What do you mean?"

"I plan to entrust your contacts—the ones who introduced you to me—as managers of our merchant guild's local branch."

"Do you know who they are?"

"They're the ones throwing their fists at the docks."

"It's surprising you'd hire them even knowing that. You said you'd leave the machines in this city—so you plan to win over our technicians?"

"That would be helpful. We also have several Dran in our group."

"Is that really true?"

Vice-guildmaster Eilin was very surprised.

Looking at her, I continued.

"Your guild has never exported these machines. Nor has it leaked the technology. Our house's Dran developed ours independently."

The vice-guildmaster narrowed her brows, studying me.

Is he always this shameless? She must have wondered.

"That technology belongs to the Dran. It doesn't make sense if the Robe Republic, who pretty much snatched the technology, claims ownership over the Dran."

"That's true, but..."

"So, if I claim this technology was independently developed by our house's Dran, no one can claim ownership."

"You may avoid blame, but our guild could lose everything. We might lose the entire guild."

"That will not happen."

"How so?"

I smiled again.

"There will be some hurdles, but your guild will become the exclusive importer of vast amounts of copper and iron. Forget losing your business—you'll have other guilds watching *you*."

Vice-guildmaster Eilin was left speechless.

She looked at me as if to say, 'Where did this guy come from?'

/ / /

Vice-guildmaster Eilin and Dalin merchant guild's steward came to the inn restaurant.

Urald and Wundbark also came and greeted us, though they had now left.

Even an official from the city hall came to fix our entry issues.

Over the next four hours, we discussed business, and through that process, we made further progress.

That was thanks to the steward convincing Vice-guildmaster Eilin.

It seemed our house had some secret issues we couldn't talk about.

The steward of the Dalin Merchant Guild spoke.

"Then, we will sell two drilling machines and two water pumps. Please be thorough in keeping this confidential."

"Of course."

The steward and Vice-guildmaster Eilin made a bold decision.

Since it would be hard to sanction us if we simply insisted the machines were our own guild's development, they chose to go ahead and sell.

Worry showed on the vice-guildmaster's face. She was a genuinely nice person.

Really, it was just the entrenched powers of Robe who profited off others' technology.

I asked the steward,

"Can we buy a generator as well?"

"Only the massive merchant guild in the capital supplies generators. We only have one ourselves, and the city's electricity comes from a power plant."

"Is it impossible even for Dalin guild to buy a generator?"

"It's very difficult. They'll send someone to check our generator. In truth... our relationship with that guild is strained."

"Then I'll have to meet the Dran elders."

"They'll be even tougher."

"I'll just have to try, anyway."

At that moment, vice-guildmaster Eilin spoke up.

"We'll make one."

That was unexpected.

She had been worried about selling us even a machine just a moment ago.

"Vice-Guildmaster, what do you mean?"

"These people have no practical way to get a generator. Whether we sell them machines or make a generator for them, it's the same in the end. We might as well go through with it."

She looked at me.

"I think I'll trust you on this one. Let's see if you really do make the other guilds watch *us*."

Eilin smiled at me.

Even her smile was the same.

Just like Ailin, who I buried in my heart.