Unbending Tasks And Inviolable Principles (6)

The meeting continued quite tightly thereafter.

Most of the goals were set by assuming the worst regarding things that hadn’t happened yet, and thanks to that, I had to climb onto Demina’s back to build a total of seven fortresses.

The destination was the First Rest Stop, which, to be honest, could be called one of the most important strongholds.

No, it would be more accurate to say that all rest stops were literally important defensive strongholds.

“How do you think the situation will flow?”

“I think they will probably try to impose a somewhat excessive fine at first.”

“Then wouldn’t it be possible not to prepare for war like this?”

I shook my head briefly at Demina’s words and spoke.

“The beginning is important. If we give in once, it is certain that they will repeat this behavior in a more excessive form next time. If that happens, I might even start thinking that solving it with money is easier than war. But, the scary thing is, the domain gradually dries up in this manner.”

If it weren’t for the beastkin race, the construction ability, and the fact that I hadn’t manufactured firearms, the flow would have certainly followed what I said.

To put it bluntly, what the Imperial Court requested was an unreasonable demand, and I thought they would know that I had no choice but to refuse it.

If so, there was a possibility they prepared a fine, and that fine could be at a level that I might consider trivial.

A straw could be stuck in.

Wouldn’t that be better than war?

I could think that, but conversely, what if the size of the straw became so deep and large that it couldn’t be pulled out?

By then, the probability was high that the power of the domain would have hit rock bottom and be struggling. Furthermore, there was even a movement of the Imperial Court’s large army trying to move through the port.

They told me to cooperate, and there was also content about utilizing a certain space within the Ingrad Domain as a temporary operational area. Literally, they were trying to stick in a straw while holding a knife to my throat.

That was why I intended to refuse thoroughly before such a thing happened.

War?

It was scary. Honestly, even now, I felt like wanting to reverse the decision I made countless times. If it was the Empress, she would certainly let it slide as long as I bowed my head. But after that?

All that would be left was being treated like a pushover. I did not… wish for such a life.

‘I have no choice but to hope that Linda spreads the rumors and it becomes an issue….’

It could be said that doing what I had to do first was the priority. And for now, just silently fortifying the rest stops and installing walls was the first priority.

The wind blowing over Demina’s back was exceptionally chilly.

For a few days after Princess Riana returned, I was truly busy beyond belief. The fortification of the rest stops had only been worked on for the First Rest Stop and the Third Rest Stop, and for the remaining rest stops, it was in a state of being postponed until after the fortress production was completed.

Because of our movements, pointless rumors were spreading among the merchants, but rather than catching such rumors, I was currently working while prioritizing the construction of fortresses in the terrain that Linda and Matilda discussed as strategic points.

“As a Master, roughly how high do you think it is possible to jump?”

Demina agonized after hearing my words, and then asked.

“First of all, wouldn’t it be good to maintain at least 10m as before?”

“As I thought… there is nothing else besides that, right? Since it’s a height that’s difficult to climb even with a ladder?”

“No matter how much physical ability Master possesses, even for me, who can be confident in being superior in terms of physical ability, 10m is difficult even in a beastkin-transformed state. So it wouldn’t be an easy height even for Master.”

If that was the case, 10m would indeed be appropriate. After carefully constructing various things that could be used as traps, such as arrow slits and oil-pouring holes that I knew of, I ate a physical recovery agent and asked Demina.

“What does war actually feel like?”

“I have no choice but to tell you that war is a continuation of sadness.”

“A continuation of sadness… why?”

“Because everywhere you turn your head to look, it becomes full of nothing but the corpses of those who cannot help but be sad. Being able to stand above someone has its good points, but it also means having to live while carrying sadness.”

“I don’t know. It’s complicated, and literally, I wish war wouldn’t happen, but that won’t be easy, right?”

“Wouldn’t it depend on what you do, Lord?”

It meant it was ultimately up to my choice. However, I thought that if the situation flowed strangely, a problem would inevitably arise even if I didn’t want it to.

To avoid being swept away by such circumstances, I thought it was time to do what I had to do now. After that, every time my mana was recovered, I began to overwork my body to the point where it could be considered excessive.

It was a judgment made with the thought that I might have greater regrets later if I didn’t go this far, and every time I completed the fortresses one by one, I felt an urgency to the point where it felt like someone was fast-forwarding time, but right when I was about to build the third fortress, someone came to find me.

“I ran along the walls, and it seems that was the correct answer.”

It was Debik’s visit.

“Is something going on?”

“The Dust of Sands Trading Company has arrived. Including the Lilith Trading Company, the ones called the Seven Great Merchant Companies have all arrived as well, but since the Lord isn’t there and walls that weren’t there before have appeared, it seems everyone has many worries. Will you go? Or should I just deliver words?”

After a moment of thought, as Debik said, it could be said that the big shots had flocked in. I thought that perhaps those quick with news had moved first.

To put it bluntly, if our domain entered a war, the prices of our domain-branded medicines, which could previously be obtained cheaply, would skyrocket, so there would also be an intention to preemptively secure them.

Unlike previously buying medicines through subordinate merchant companies, I wondered if all those called the Seven Great Merchant Companies had barged in to secure a large quantity at once through a big deal this time.

That was how much the pot of desire was rattling.

“Let’s go. I had errands in the domain anyway.”

Replenishment of medicine was needed.

Upon returning to the domain immediately, the atmosphere of the domain was busy to the point of being hectic. Some of the merchants who had previously settled here were packing their bags and preparing to leave, while another group arrived with a load of goods and could be seen haggling to try and leave a profit.

It felt as if I could simply see how many changes war brings.

Matilda greeted me. Behind her was the Princess of Briden, and it seemed she intended to bother me at a time like this.

“It has been a long time, Viscount Ingrad.”

“You were still in the domain? It seems quite a while has passed since you stayed.”

“It seems your nerves are sharp. I just happened to be on my way to say goodbye as I was leaving. I received contact that you would return within a few days, so I was waiting since I thought you would happen to return.”

Indeed, if the Lilith Trading Company came, it would be time for the Princess before my eyes to leave as well.

“I, Onellia de Briden, have received a great favor from Viscount Ingrad, and I will carve this deep in my heart while waiting for the day to repay it anytime. May glory be with your future… Since I cannot hold a busy person for long to bother them, let us conclude the greeting with this. I hope… next time we can have a longer time together.”

It was the Princess of Briden who bid farewell quite cleanly and withdrew.

Besides, it was the first time I heard her name. Onellia, I thought it was a decent name, and after seeing her off as she left with Matilda, I immediately went to find Linda.

It was for the purpose of hearing in advance what the merchants wanted, and as expected, she seemed to have prepared the documents first and was waiting.

“It is this, Lord.”

“You know my mind well.”

“Because that is what my job is.”

It was a slightly strange comment to hear. This was because it could be her saying she was assisting me. Knowing her dreams and ambitions, I thought it sounded that way too, and it was certainly a well-organized document.

First, the Dust of Sands Trading Company and the Lilith Trading Company had the same items requested and brought as before, and the documents were organized in a way that they would deliver through the sea in the future.

Instead, for the goods they were taking this time, they seemed to have inquired whether the quantity could be increased.

“For now, we must continue to maintain trade with the Dust of Sands Trading Company, so let’s grant their requirements. But… what is this?”

It was a question asked while pointing at a black file folder that stood out particularly among the documents, and Linda carefully opened her mouth.

She spoke with a face that seemed like it would be a big problem if heard nearby, and that content made me immediately open the file folder.

“The sale of Black Gold has been completed, and thinking of the risk of being followed, it seems they gathered and returned all at once. The whale beastkin were boasting that they moved while maintaining a thorough surveillance network by spreading out over a wide range.”

Thinking that Ulde had likely put on airs, I examined the contents, and I couldn’t help but be surprised because an unbelievable amount was written.

“Does this mean it was really traded for this much?”

“At first, even I thought it was a lie or the calculation was wrong, but when I actually went and checked, it was indeed wrong.”

“In what way?”

“The quantity was even more.”

In the quantity written in the document, a huge sum of 900,000 Large Gold Coins was written.

Setting aside small units, 900,000 Large Gold Coins was a massive amount. However, the unusual part below that was the story of the whale beastkin that they also traded with the ‘Demonic Tribe.’

‘Even if it is said that whale beastkin come and go without boundaries… I never dreamed they would pull off a trade… The amount sold to that side is quite a lot.’

The interesting part was that the Demonic Tribe also possessed the Large Gold Coins used in human areas, and here, a big difference occurred between the records of sales to humans and trades at the Demonic Tribe’s ports.

While the minimum unit in human areas was a gold coin, in the Demonic Tribe’s area, they accepted only Large Gold Coins unconditionally, and a quite large amount at that.

Because to them, human Large Gold Coins were nothing more than slightly larger and heavier lumps of gold with no value, they brought a large amount as if it were cumbersome to keep and traded with us.

Accordingly, it seemed the whale beastkin, who were somewhat open-minded, began to demand even more quantities and went around several ports.

The amount earned that way was substantial, and it felt like I had found another possibility.

‘Is human money to the Demonic Tribe… just fancy trash?’

If so, what would be valuable to the Demonic Tribe as currency?

I suddenly had such a thought, but Linda said to me.

“Lord, don’t have strange thoughts, and let’s send the Black Gold out to be sold again!”

Linda’s expression, which looked like money symbols were floating in her eyes, was quite a sight.