Wolves of Hader

Chapter 89

The next morning.

I met again with Vice-guildmaster Eilin and the steward.

The steward asked after the meal.

"Are you leaving immediately?"

"Our two ships are at sea. Please help us bring them into the harbor. We also need to resupply for the voyage."

"Of course. I'll do everything to make sure there are no problems."

I took out a pouch and placed it on the table.

"We came here all of a sudden, so I brought some valuable items. I'd like to use them to pay for the machinery and parts, and I hope you can also look after our convenience."

"What is this?"

"Check for yourself."

The steward picked up the pouch and looked inside. Immediately, his eyes and mouth gaped.

Vice-guildmaster Eilin reacted the same way.

"These are transparent gems, aren't they?"

"I thought a few of these would be better than bringing a bunch of minerals, so I brought some."

The two of them were truly shocked.

It seemed they'd expected gold coins or other gems, never this.

"Are there many gems in Kadena?"

"They are just as precious for us."

"I see. Even among gems, transparent multi-faceted gems are truly rare. I heard only the Dran tribe can mine them."

If I mentioned that these transparent gems were found in my house's Urada territory, they might faint on the spot.

"We're heading to the capital today. After that, we plan to go to the Dran tribe's main city. It'll probably take about fifteen days."

"I'll accompany you. In the capital, just a travel permit may not be enough to pass through."

"Uncle, I'd like to go."

As the steward opened his mouth to object, vice-guildmaster Eilin smiled and interrupted.

"Uncle, you're busier than I am. There's no one in this country with as clear a status as me."

"That may be true, but—"

"Just explain things well to Dad. Younger uncle's also been asking when you'd come."

Vice-guildmaster Eilin smiled.

Watching her, I spoke.

"This isn't just a trip."

"I know."

"Why go through all this trouble?"

A hint of disappointment appeared in Eilin's eyes.

Did she expect me to be pleased?

"Are you uncomfortable if I go?"

"It won't be an easy journey for the vice-guildmaster."

"I'll be fine. I may not look it, but there's nothing I haven't experienced. Uncle knows how patient I am."

"That's just what you think. Do you know how many rough and harsh things there are in the world you haven't gone through?"

"I can go through them this time."

"No."

"Please give me permission, uncle."

"I said no. Do you think things end just because you move? If your father finds out, you'll face his wrath."

"Steward Leon. As the merchant guild's vice-guildmaster, I order you to authorize me to travel to the capital with these people."

"You only act like this when you're at a disadvantage."

"Uncle!"

"I'm not deaf."

Watching the bickering uncle and niece, I took a sip of water.

Vice-guildmaster Eilin seemed to have returned to her original self—the way she treated even strangers so bluntly when I first saw her.

/ / /

Two large carriages sped down the corridor.

The road was wide, and with springs on the carriages, the ride was very comfortable.

In my carriage were Urald, Wundbark, and Eilin. In the carriage behind rode ten Dran tribe members.

Donnie and the other members followed on horseback.

Eilin, amazed at traveling again after five years, didn't stop talking the entire way.

"In our country, nobles only live in the capital. There's a king, but most of the governing is done by the council of noble elders."

"The king doesn't have much power?"

"That's not so. The king holds military command. Other state affairs are handled by the elder council."

At first, I thought it was a constitutional monarchy, but it seemed different.

A council composed of nobles is also not quite a parliament.

"That merchant guild that produces generators—were they originally nobles?"

Eilin squeezed her eyes shut, as if she disliked even mentioning them.

"They're not nobles. But they hold such immense power, even the king can't act recklessly toward them."

"So you were more worried about their retaliation than the technology leak itself."

"That's right. It could serve as a pretext for them to attack us."

Eilin sighed.

"I always thought there was no choice, but after hearing you, I realize it was just their trickery all along."

"You mean the technology usage rights."

"Yes. They took Dran's technology and monopolized and controlled it as if it were their own."

Had she not realized the contradictions in that merchant guild's tyranny? Or perhaps they simply had no way to resist.

"What's the name of this merchant guild?"

"Laiza Merchant Guild. They hold this country in their grip so tightly even nobles are at their mercy."

There was no need to hear more.

They didn't just bribe the nobles; they stood above them. They must have some leverage over the nobles.

Thus, while the nobles and the Laiza Merchant Guild are in a symbiotic relationship, each treats the other as a possible target for elimination.

"Did the Laiza Merchant Guild ever do anything to your house?"

At my question, Eilin shook her head and looked out the carriage window. After a moment's silence, she spoke.

"At the time, my father was the supreme military commander. Then one day, after an accident, my mother passed away and we moved to the fishing village, Vera."

"So Vera used to be a fishing village?"

"Twelve years ago, it was. Over those twelve years, my father poured all our house's assets to build it up into a city. Together with the residents."

That's why the Dalin merchant guild enjoys such respect from the citizens of Vera.

Even the thugs behave like local youths in front of Eilin.

When I first met her, she was supervising construction. That showed how close her ties to the people were.

She continued.

"Later, I found out my maternal grandfather, who was the chief justice, was being threatened by someone. And during that time, my mother died in the accident."

"So it wasn't really an accident."

"I don't know the truth. All I know is, the defendant in the case my grandfather oversaw at the time was the son of the Laiza merchant guild's master."

Urald muttered,

"No matter the society, power and money are always the same. There's no difference between an empire and Robe."

Wundbark added,

"After that, a bloody wind must have blown."

"That's right. Many elders resigned from the council then. I don't know all the details, but it's said the situation was so bad, it nearly sparked a civil war. The current elder council is virtually a puppet of the Laiza Merchant Guild."

The process of being pushed out of power is mostly the same. It wasn't just our house and the Dalin house that went through it.

"Do you want revenge on them?"

Eilin gave a bitter smile at my words.

"For twelve years, they nitpicked every single thing we did, hindering our business. When Dad was in the military, they didn't dare do anything."

She smiled again.

"But I don't want revenge anymore. I want to make them kneel before us. Even if it's only with our own strength, without needing your help. One day."

That's what motivated her to decide to sell us machinery. Rather than being helpless and ruined, she chose to fight.

That's why Eilin was so conflicted, and the steward decided and persuaded her the moment he heard my proposal.

But the road to revenge is not easy, as Eilin thinks. Even more so if it's just them alone.

"Vice-guildmaster Eilin."

"Please, just call me Eilin."

"Alright, Eilin. Then you need to brace yourself."

"I'm expecting as much."

"The Laiza Merchant Guild will interfere with or try to trade with us."

"I'm sure."

"Since we won't deal with them, they'll likely try to ban our trade altogether. So, we'll need to work with a faction as large as the Laiza Merchant Guild."

"A force to protect us, you mean?"

"That's right. Is there another large merchant guild opposing Laiza?"

Eilin shook her head.

"There is no large merchant guild. There's a federation of small guilds, and together, they're about as large as Laiza."

"Do they have enough political power to fight the elder council?"

"In truth, only His Majesty the King does. Since the court and the council have always been in conflict, the royal family will likely support us."

In this country, even the king finds it hard to intervene in politics; if things go wrong, the monarchy itself could be endangered.

"No nobles at all?"

"There are thirty-three nobles in the elder council—all are with Laiza's side. The others have only honorary titles. My father, myself too."

"You have a title?"

"Yes, but... I'd rather not say. It's a little embarrassing."

I wondered what kind of title could be so embarrassing.

It was puzzling what Eilin and the steward were relying on to take on the Laiza Merchant Guild.

"Is there a faction you can trust?"

Eilin gave a vague smile.

Then shook her head.

"I'd rather not say. I'll have to find out myself once we get to the capital."

Her father had been the supreme military commander.

Perhaps there was a hidden faction loyal to him, or some secret the Laiza Merchant Guild had over the elders.

"Well, there's no other way. We'll just have to ally ourselves with people the Laiza Merchant Guild and the elder council can't touch."

"And who are they?"

I just smiled, without answering.

Who knows what will happen?

But there's a chance—it's worth giving it a try.

Let them try to suppress us with law; it won't work if they can't.

The Robe Republic isn't a country that draws the sword lightly just because it doesn't like someone.

In Robe, law comes above power.

/ / /

It was a comfortable, pleasant journey. From the port of Vera to the capital was barely sixteen hours by carriage.

Sometimes guards inspected us, but as soon as Eilin showed her identification plaque, we always passed right through.

I wondered if it was something special about Eilin's house, or all nobles.

The capital's busy district was simply amazing.

Most buildings were over ten stories high, and the population was enormous.

They say half the country's population lived in the capital region.

We stayed at a large inn in the bustling district.

Dran tribe members were also seen in the city, so those who accompanied us attracted no attention.

After eating at the inn, Eilin went to her room, and we headed to a clothing shop for new attire.

We changed right away and gathered the team.

"Look into Mart's whereabouts. Find out about the Dran tribe's main city, and why they fled their village."

"Understood."

Donnie and seven members scattered.

Since noble houses in this country have no knights, our members stood out for their builds.

Seeing such people in stylish suits made them look really impressive. Even women couldn't help but turn to look.

I sat at an outdoor tea shop next to the inn, sipping tea leisurely.

It had been a while since I enjoyed such a leisurely afternoon.

It was a bit hot, being a country below the equator.

But when I saw the wheels of the carriages going by, I laughed silently.

To think they had tire wheels on carriages! They weren't air-inflated tires, of course.

On the way to the capital, I'd seen endless groves of small trees—turns out they were rubber plantations.

The main material for cable insulation was also natural rubber.

"May I join you?"

Eilin stood before me.

"Of course, have a seat."

Eilin sat down beside me, and watched the passing citizens.

"The tea tastes good."

"It ought to. These tea leaves only grow in our country—they're so good even Tern smuggles them in."

After that, she only stared at the street, unusually silent for someone so talkative.

"That suit looks great on you."

"Thank you."

The conversation ended again.

As I began to bring up some trivial topics, she spoke first.

"By the way, how old are you?"

"Eighteen."

"I see."

Why was she suddenly curious about my age?

Maybe because the way I drank tea didn't seem my age.

Looking out at the street, Eilin said,

"I was honestly a little surprised."

"At what?"

She glanced at me, then back at the street.

"You seem very mature for your age. The look in your eyes, the way you carry yourself."

"I just have a lot of experience."

"I'm curious what kind of experiences those were. Even now. Only your clothes have changed."

My face and body might be eighteen, but perhaps I looked like a dignified gentleman while drinking tea.

It can't be helped unless I purposely acted my age.

Eilin also looked different now. She used to be a tomboy and chatterbox, but now she seemed like a calm young lady.

Maybe it was just how I felt, but I sensed a subtle, gentle warmth about her.

No one before Eilin had stirred my heart like this. I'd never had such a long conversation with a woman before.

Maybe that's why.

A gentle wave stirred in my heart. The unfamiliar but welcome thrill in my chest came for the first time in ages.

But nothing beyond that. The fact that she resembled Irene isn't reason enough. She is herself.

Let things flow as they will, as life intends. Follow where my heart leads, as long as I don't deceive myself.

"Shall we take a walk?"

"I'd like that."

I walked side by side with Eilin, exchanging small talk about the weather and the scenery.

Being alone felt good right now.

Even so, I decided to clear out that one corner of my heart. The place where longing always lingered—it was finally time to let go.

Whatever fills that place in the future—