Chapter 63

In that instant, Izack’s gaze turned razor-sharp.

“You’d better explain exactly what you mean by that, brat.”

The wariness in his voice was palpable.

‘He hasn’t called me that in a while.’

I took a deep breath before continuing.

“Mr. Izack… we haven’t always been on the best of terms, but I like to think we’ve become quite acquainted by now. I trust you won’t misunderstand me. What I want to crush is a version of the lower district that is ruled by someone other than the Lord of Denabi. I’m not saying I want to trample the district itself.”

“I know that much. You believe the people down there are citizens of Denabi just like everyone else. I’ve never doubted your intent.”

Despite his words, the edge in Izack’s voice showed no sign of softening. I could feel my palms sweating.

“Then you must understand my reasoning. Thanks to everything that’s happened recently, Denabi’s finances have improved significantly. It’s hard to call us wealthy yet, but we finally have some breathing room.”

“You’re rambling. Get to the point.”

“The point is that there’s no longer any reason to leave areas like the lower district outside the reach of Denabi Castle’s administration.”

“So, now that your pockets are a bit heavier, you want to bring the lower district back under Denabi’s shadow. Is that it?”

“Exactly. The fundamental cause of the conflict between the upper and lower districts is—”

Izack cut me off. “And what happens when things get bad again? Are you going to shamelessly abandon the lower district all over again?”

“I would never do that!”

“But what if Denabi wants it?”

I flinched. Denabi wants it? What on earth did that mean?

Izack raised his index finger toward me as if accusing me. “By design, the people in the lower district have no choice but to drink the wastewater flowing down from the upper district. Because they are downstream.”

He then raised a second finger. Now, two fingers were pointed at me.

“The people in the lower district have no choice but to live in a place with less sunlight than the upper district. Because they are at the bottom of the canyon.”

“That’s…”

“Conversely, the people in the upper district have lived enjoying things the lower district doesn’t have. They are used to that imbalance—satisfied with it, even. If the lower district suddenly suggests swapping places, what do you think the upper district will say?”

“That’s an absurd hypothetical!”

“Is it? Then how about this? They might turn a blind eye to a few lower district residents coming up to work. But what if all of them suddenly decide they want to live in the upper district? How do you think the upper district will react then?”

Izack continued, “Of course, you’ll tell me that’s another absurd hypothetical. I’ll grant you that; it isn’t the reality we face. But if you truly want to bring the lower district under your rule, you have to think seriously about these ‘absurd’ scenarios.”

“That way of thinking is too radical. Shouldn’t we start by solving the immediate problems down there first?”

“Right. You want to fix the security, the sewers, the mining, the unstable employment, and other public issues. But do you think those attempts will receive a reaction any different from my hypothetical?”

Izack pointed out, “If you tell the people in the upper district that the taxes meant for them are being poured into the lower district, do you really think even one of them will be happy about it?”

I couldn’t argue. I already knew the answer. They wouldn’t be happy. It was a simple, obvious fact.

“You probably find Malik’s existence distasteful. Especially since you might be the next Lord of Denabi. But the lower district has finally found a point of equilibrium amidst inequality and indifference. Even if it’s imperfect, it’s the answer the lower district came up with on its own. Malik is a part of that answer.”

“Are you saying nothing can change just because I want it to?”

“Naturally.”

A fool would have pushed Izack further at this point. They might have gotten angry, shouting something like, ‘Are you taking the side of a puppet government illegally occupying the district!’ It would have been an easy way to vent.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t a fool.

‘I actually have no idea how the upper and lower districts have maintained their balance until now, or whether that method is truly right or wrong.’

I had been thinking simply. Malik and the lower district were variables. I just wanted to clear them out of Denabi. I had to admit that much to myself.

“…I wasn’t thinking deeply enough.”

Izack let out a sigh. “As long as you understand. I’ll find a way to persuade Malik. I’ll make sure there are no more ambushes.”

He stood up to leave, but I grabbed his arm.

“Wait.”

His eyebrows twitched.

“Give me a moment. I’ve been thinking.”

“…About what?”

“You said Malik is the answer the lower district came up with.”

“Yes. For now, he is the optimal solution they’ve found and chosen.”

“Then how about this?” I looked up at Izack. “If we provide the lower district with a new option, and the residents choose it… then perhaps…”

I continued, “Malik might become something Denabi no longer needs.”

The door I tried to close was caught on something and wouldn’t shut. The culprit, of course, was Adele. She strolled into my room, feigning politeness.

“Excuse me.”

“I don’t recall anyone saying you could come in.”

“Why not? You said I could stick to you all day.”

“That was just a figure of speech… even so, following me all the way here is a bit much, don’t you think?”

Adele ignored my sharp glare. She sat down on my bed as if she owned the place and swung her legs.

“You left me standing outside until the middle of the night. Consider this your punishment. How could you keep a lady waiting and not come out until this late?”

“…”

Well, that was…

“I’m sorry about that part. But what could I do? The conversation regarding work ran long. Just as watching me is your job, I have to do mine, don’t I? I had to finish the discussion.”

“So, did you finish it?”

“…”

‘I didn’t.’

I hung my head low.

Adele spoke up. “From what I heard, it sounds like you want to bring that neighborhood called the lower district under government control. And get rid of that ‘Ruler’ person while you’re at it.”

“What?! So you were eavesdropping after all?!”

She reacted a beat late. “Oops.”

“Don’t ‘oops’ me! Seriously!”

Good grief. What would have happened if I’d brought up the Sword of Four Seasons? I felt a wave of relief wash over me that I hadn’t mentioned it.

This woman is truly thick-skinned.

She spoke up. “Ahem. Anyway… if that’s what you want, should I give you a hand?”

“And how exactly would you help?”

She raised both hands and made a slicing motion through the air with her palms.

“Just a quick snip-snip, and then…”

“This isn’t some brainless brawl, it’s politics!”

“Well, wouldn’t a politician find it a bit inconvenient to do politics once their head is gone?”

That’s a refreshingly creative solution…

And honestly, I was tempted. But unfortunately, the world doesn’t work in a way where things are solved so easily.

“Far from being ‘inconvenient,’ a second and third Malik would just sprout from that severed neck. The lower district would spiral out of control, and things would be even worse than before the ‘snip-snip.’”

“How picky. This young master is a nightmare even when someone offers to help.”

‘That’s because your idea of “help” is absurd…!’

I barely managed to suppress my surging irritation. However, Adele didn’t seem to have any intention of containing her curiosity.

“So, have you decided on a plan of action?”

“…You certainly have a lot of questions for someone who barged into a man’s room.”

“I’m curious about everything regarding you.”

“Could you please direct that interest elsewhere?”

“Who knows? Maybe if you tell me a more interesting story, my interests will change.”

Dammit. She’s persistent. Really persistent. Left with no choice, I laid out the story.

“I do have something in mind for now…”

“Oh, already?”

“What do you mean, ‘already’? I was thinking about it the entire time I was arguing with Mr. Izack.”

“What is it?”

I looked back at Adele as she asked. “Adele, didn’t you say you have an eye for people?”

“?”

The following evening.

Someone flung the dining hall door open. It was Avenger. I set down the spoon I was about to put in my mouth and stared at him.

‘Finally, the moment of truth.’

“Young Master!”

Avenger marched toward me with long strides. Adele was sitting beside me, shoveling food into her mouth like crazy, but Avenger didn’t even give her a glance. He was looking only at me.

His gaze was piercing. I avoided his eyes.

“I heard that recruitment notices for technicians were posted all over the lower district starting this morning. Were you aware of this?”

“Ah, that… so that happened…”

Avenger cut me off, his voice laced with fury.

“Of course you were aware! It was your doing! How could you decide on such a matter without a single word of consultation?!”

“Since when was I the type to consult well? Shouldn’t you be used to it by now?”

I spoke shamelessly. Though, I lacked the courage to actually look him in the eye, so I just acted nonchalant.

“I can overlook other things. But this involves the lower district! Especially when…”

Oh, he took the bait. I quickly jumped in.

“Malik is being a problem, isn’t he?”

“How did you—”

“He nearly had me kidnapped yesterday.”

“Whaaat?!”

Goodness, he’s easily startled. I made a calming gesture and said, “Well, it’s a hassle to repeat that story, so let’s set it aside for now. Yes, I’m the one who put out the recruitment ads.”

Avenger placed a hand on his forehead as if he had a migraine. He answered me with extreme reluctance. “…And why did you do it?”

“We’re going to need more people going forward. Beer distribution will expand, and we need to start making fruit wine with the harvest from the orchard. To do that, we’ll need plenty of new barrels and equipment. We’re already short-handed on the current sites. Hiring people from the lower district was something that was going to happen eventually anyway.”

“But reaching out to the lower district so directly will provoke Malik! If that happens…”

“That is exactly the goal.”

-Snap.

I snapped my fingers. Cut off mid-sentence, Avenger tilted his head at me.

“Pardon?”

“Provoking Malik, I mean.”

I continued as if it were nothing. “He has already provoked me. I’m not going to say something cliché like ‘I’ll make him pay.’ I intend to send a warning to this Malik character.”

“A warning… sir?”

I nodded. I looked at Avenger, but spoke as if I were addressing the invisible Malik.

“If you want to compete with me, show your face and fight fair. If you don’t, I’ll take every single one of your precious lower district citizens away from you.”

“…!”

This wasn’t a brainless brawl; it was politics. I had no intention of capturing and judging Malik.

I was going to steal all of his supporters.

The residents of the lower district—I would make it so they no longer needed Malik. Instead, I would offer them myself.

When that time comes, even if I don’t kill him, Malik will wither away on his own. Just like a plant that never sees the sun.