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Chapter 85
Sabotage
Even in an era that sings of an age of peace, war does not change.
Someone fights to possess what they lack, and someone fights to protect what they have.
Person against person.
Group against group.
Nation against nation.
Е̌ ňum̀а .і̌ d
The victor takes everything, and the loser loses even more than that.
A peaceful small village that farmed wheat was no different.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
Unable to even taste the golden flavor of autumn, they became refugees who had to roam the wilderness.
In the middle of a plain where chilly winds blew,
They were huddled together sharing body heat, barely enduring the winter.
They welcomed the sight of the three men they had sent as envoys returning, but that welcome did not last long.
Е́ ň um̈ ӑ.і d̈_
There was no light of hope in their expressions.
"It seems this village won't work out either."
"They don't have food for themselves either?"
"Isn't it obvious? Looks like they're having a hard time surviving the winter themselves."
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
Winter makes people's hearts stingy.
At the end of autumn's abundance remains a cruel time of endurance, and to overcome that cruelty, people had no choice but to be exclusive.
W̊ ӗ b̀ n.о̀v̄е l E ňũ m̆ а̀
In such a situation, for those who had become refugees, practically only death awaited.
"Damn bastards, if they're fellow humans and Alte believers, they should give at least a little food......."
"Light of Judgment to those damn bastards......."
"Stop it, all of you."
As voices resenting the village grew louder, a man stepped forward.
That man wore half-plate armor and was the only one armed.
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"They're doing it to save their own skins, what can you do? They probably don't have food either. With the Empire in such a mess lately, corrupt officials are running rampant, aren't they?"
"Still, we have weapons too...... if we just ask for a little, they'd still......."
"Don't do anything useless. You should be grateful we walked out of here on our own two feet and move on."
"Move on? Where else can we go from here?"
They looked out at the vast plain.
The winter earth was dry and ruined.
Еn ú m̃а̄
The only land left to them was death.
"How about going south? At least it's warm there."
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Just as the Far North has the Land of Ice and Frost Giants, the Far South has the Land of Fire and Lava Giants.
There is no concept of a cold winter there.
The village head shook his head.
"That's not a good idea. They say the south's days are hot, but the nights are even colder. I've heard many people died underestimating the temperature difference. And......."
Е n̈u ṁ а̊ .і̀ d
"And?"
"I heard from that village that the southern bandits are also targeting this exact time."
Refugees crossing south unable to endure the harsh winter cold would not be the first.
The bandits would be lying in wait for this time to plunder their possessions or sell them off as slaves.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
"Then what are we supposed to do? Just sit here sucking our thumbs?"
Refugees feeling stifled by the man's inaction.
Е́ ǹ u̇ m а̊ . і̌d̄
The village head felt just as stifled.
His job was to become a beacon finding the best way in these terrible conditions, after all.
After contemplating for about three minutes, he opened his mouth.
"Let's go to the Far East."
Everyone was shocked at the man's choice.
"By Far East, you mean the Demon Land?"
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
"They said no one can live there, you want us to go there?"
The man looked at them and explained.
"Just a moment ago, the village we went to told us. They said the Empire is looking for workers in the Far East. The regent there is apparently building a village. They said the daily wage is decent, and there's enough place to sleep. Food will definitely be sufficient too. If we contribute, they'll surely accept us as residents there."
"But going to a land where monsters swarm......."
They hesitated, glancing at each other with resistance.
The man sighed.
Е̃ n ūm а . і̃ d̆
Until just now they showed hope for a stupid option, but for an option with possibility they're being indecisive.
The man asked them.
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"Then are you all just going to stay here and die like this?"
"......."
"It'll be the same even if we go around poking other villages. Unless we turn to banditry, buying food with a few coins won't be easy, and I won't become a beast wearing a human mask. And I won't tolerate you lot doing that either."
"......."
Е ń um̌ ӑ.і̄ d
"If we go to the Far East, there'll at least be work. They'll give us money to buy food to survive today, and a place to stay. For us who are living day to day, that sounds pretty damn full, doesn't it?"
There was resistance toward the Far East, but no one could complain.
As the man said, there was no proper alternative.
Become a refugee bandit group abandoning god,
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Or head for the wasteland for a new hope.
Whether we die this way or that way, we had to choose the place where we could have a little more hope.
Ên̂u ṁ_ӑ
* * *
Isabella entered Ferda's office and reported.
"I report. There are 30 refugees from a village called White Bridge."
White Bridge. A village located in the central-western part of the continent, in Duke Urey's territory.
"This is the 3rd batch of refugees from Duke Urey's side. Available manpower?"
"A total of 6 families came, 15 able-bodied workers, 1 elderly, 14 children."
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"Any specialists?"
"White Bridge was originally a village near a quarry. Some of them are quarry workers with knowledge of construction."
"Quarry workers would be useful. Understood. How many more can we accommodate from now on?"
"From what I've checked......."
Isabella flipped through documents and answered.
"We can accommodate 300 more."
Ŵ е b̈ n о̆v е l Ѐn̂u m̂ а
"Lots of buildings."
"Very many. Originally, if this many refugees gathered, half would have to live in tents."
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
Ferda rose from his seat and headed to the balcony.
He threw the door wide open and the cold wind rushed in as if waiting for this moment.
The dry, cold wind licked away the remaining moisture on Ferda's face.
It was felt clearly beyond his skin.
Ѐ n ûm̂_ӓ
The season of death draws ever closer.
'Refugees are overflowing too.'
The time when refugees increase the most, and die the most.
That was also another opportunity for the Far East, which lacked population.
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Ferda looked down from his office balcony.
Originally, only a thorn field with bare tree branches should have been visible.
Е̂nu m а. і́d̊
But there, an open plain and buildings were visible.
Where only disordered forests should have been seen, buildings where people lived were visible.
And the 30 refugees who just arrived huddled together around a brazier could be seen too.
With Ferda's approval falling, officials distributing relief supplies to them came into view.
Tears of emotion flowed on faces gaunt from starvation, and smiles of joy bloomed.
Just like that, 300 people formed a population and became a village in an instant.
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'It's becoming like the village's name.'
The Woman Who Guards Fire, Hestia.
The city name that overwhelmingly took 1st place, beating all the candidates Isabella proposed.
Already 20 buildings have been built, and buildings made as public spaces are transforming into shops and inns, starting to form a commercial district.
The reason this was possible was because of several pieces of good news.
'The support from the South was the biggest.'
W е̄ b̆ ň_о̄ v̌е̃ l Еnumа
When I only heard Halim would provide support, I didn't expect much.
Originally support is just placing a spoon lightly and drawing a line on a resume a bard would sing about.
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But when the exchange group from Halim visited, I could confirm how sincere he was.
Hundreds of workers, construction materials lined up in a row, and even elephants.
It was on a completely different scale from when Pascal Company provided support.
'Did she say it was at a level where she'd be scared of what Isabella might demand?'
Е̊n úm̌ ӑ . і d
Isabella, who handles everything calmly, said that much, so I could tell how full-scale the support was.
Anyway, with materials airlifted from the South, they quickly stacked up their own building style.
In just two weeks, a place for the delegation to stay and a trading post were made, and over 10 buildings increased.
'Other than that, as expected.......'
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A place where huge bundles of logs float in the air.
Looking closely, a sturdy man's figure could be seen in the middle.
Ẃеb nоvе̃l Еn̈ ŭmа̄
That man in armor unsuitable for a construction site.
No matter what, that man was the biggest contributor.
'Just who are you?'
He suddenly appeared, carried ten logs on his back, and moved them in a flash - his form was extraordinary.
I'd like to receive a report from someone who opened that lid and saw inside, but no one had ever seen inside that armor.
When work ends, he disappears immediately.
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Sometimes he doesn't show up, sometimes he runs off somewhere in the middle of work, but even so, he always does more work than the money he receives and finishes it.
'Duty of the Privileged...... is it.'
Service for the weak.
People praised him for having excellent chivalry even in simple labor.
'High probability it's a scheme to receive a title.'
Thinking he does it with a pure heart is a foolish thought.
E̊ṅ u ṁ а́ .і̃ d̄
Ferda was preparing for what he might demand worth the value of the service he'd provided so far.
"Any other special matters?"
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"By special matters...... there's nothing that's a big problem right now, but there is one thing."
"What is it?"
"Whether there's a problem with the food and monster supply lines, they're about four days later than the scheduled delivery date."
Four days.
Ẁ ě b̃ nо̇.vе̄ l E num.a_
The transportation environment isn't good, and means of transport are limited.
But to Ferda, this was a sufficiently big problem too.
Ferda had arranged to receive everything from Stefan as top priority.
The term 'top priority' included the meaning of supplying everything according to the scheduled delivery date.
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The fact that it's not one day but four days late means a problem occurred in the contract.
'Stefan.'
E n u m а . і̂d
He was a man whose head worked well as a merchant. His calculations were precise, and the strategies he presented weren't bad either.
'But that's it.'
Stefan had a passive and compromising tendency.
In the work Ferda had to push forward, that personality was a major stumbling block.
'Should I discard Stefan?'
Ferda had nothing to regret.
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What Stefan invested could just be returned from the treasury.
Also, since Halim is actively helping growth, partnering with them would be fine too.
Halim probably wants that too deep down.
'Discarding him is easy enough.'
What should I do.
It was while Ferda was contemplating.
E n ũm̈ а̂.і̃d
Knock knock—.
"Lord Ferda."
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Ruri called Ferda.
"Stefan Pascal wishes to see you, Lord Ferda."
Speak of the devil and he appears.
"Tell him to come in."
Wėbñ о v еl Е nǔm̊ӑ
The door opened and a man entered inside.
It was hard to believe it was the man Ferda knew.
Stefan Pascal.
As a 2nd generation leading a company, at their first meeting his face had fat on it and wealth dripped from him.
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But now that fat was nowhere to be found.
He was haggard like a refugee who couldn't even eat one proper meal.
Еn ŭ m̂а̄ . їd
I intuited something had happened to him.
"It's been since the exhibition, Lord Regent."
Ferda didn't show it outwardly for now.
"I was just talking about you."
"It's because the supply volume is late. Yes, I apologize for that part. And......."
He opens his mouth again with difficulty.
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"Our...... connection with Pascal Trading Company, it might be best to end it here."
It was a contract termination request.
Ferda heard those words and covered his face with his hand.
No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn't understand.
Ferda was also thinking of terminating the contract, but it wasn't a story Stefan should bring up first.
Ferda just gets something new, but Stefan loses everything.
Ẅ е b̀ňõv е l̈ Е ňumа̄
He wondered where this irrational judgment came from.
That's why Ferda didn't say "Sure."
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"Why?"
He asked him, and Stefan answered.
"It seems it's no longer an area I can handle."
Ferda asks.
E ṅ u̇ m̈å
"Where is the area you handle?"
"What I can do...... and what I have."
"What I expect from you hasn't changed. Everything is the same."
"......."
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"The only thing that changed is your heart right now."
Stefan couldn't answer.
Е̂n̈ùm̌а̂ .їd̊
Ferda leaned his body forward.
"If it makes sense, I'll terminate it anytime. So tell me. Just what the hell happened?"
Stefan's words forced their way out through his lips.
He spilled his situation.
The story from the banquet with his father.
And the friction between brothers over Halim.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
What he lost because of that.
Only then could Ferda peek into Stefan's inner circumstances he hadn't known.
"Merkat got angry at you, and you said you'd monopolize Halim's authority?"
"......Yes."
"So the mercenaries who were originally guarding you all pulled out, and things started rolling like a mess?"
It's a fully plausible story if you understand the system within the Empire.
Еn.úḿ а̇
Since commerce is most developed, mercenaries also operate in company form.
Mercut Mercenary Company established by Merkat Pascal was undoubtedly top of the industry.
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Just the number of affiliated mercenaries exceeded 10,000, and including small and medium companies receiving subcontracts from there, it exceeded 30,000.
Having friction with such a Merkat Pascal, the price was naturally large.
It meant the sword and shield in Stefan's hands all disappeared in an instant.
"So even though you filled that gap, you couldn't trust it, and incidents were breaking out."
Е n̈u.mа
"That's right......."
If security is slack, the system collapses.
Even the supplies that had to be provided to Ferda as priority were taken away.
It was like an exhibition hall without glass windows.
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"So...... the wagons heading for the Grand Duchy were also...... attacked."
Now the reason for the late delivery was revealed too.
Еn̊ ũḿа̇_.іd
"I found out two days ago. The wagons were attacked and everything...... Sandy too, Coven too......."
Unable to continue speaking, Stefan covered his face.
That incident became the decisive trigger that broke his heart.
"I can't do it anymore. I was a human who wasn't the vessel for this from the start. Wanting to have Pascal Company, trying to monopolize magitech...... all of it were things I shouldn't have had."
"......."
"So I'll give up. Lord Regent. Thank you for giving this pathetic bastard a chance until now—."
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
"That monopoly."
Before he could finish speaking, Ferda cut in.
"Was it a necessary task for us?"
"The, the monopoly you speak of?"
"Right. Was it a task necessary for the interests we must protect?"
At this point, Stefan thought.
Е nu m̆.а
Was it necessary......?
Even without him insisting on monopoly, sharing the pie would have been enough.
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"Think deeply about the reason you thought back then, and answer."
Stefan recalled that day's memory as Ferda said.
And answered.
"......Yes."
Еñŭm̆_а
"Then you fought to protect our things."
"......."
"You fought for the first time, but at the end you're frustrated."
"That's right."
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
"Are you ashamed of the fact that you failed?"
Stefan bowed his head deeply.
Ẅ ê b n_о̌v̀ el̄ Е̃ n ŭ m̊а̂
"It's a humiliating matter."
"So you tried to avoid this situation through contract termination?"
"It wasn't avoidance."
"That's avoidance. Instead of facing the pain, you're compromising."
"That incident was also an opportunity to look back at myself."
Stefan laughed hollowly.
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There was no focus in his pupils.
"No ability, but uselessly greedy, and not even the courage to grasp something. A third-rate bastard who only comes to his senses after losing everything."
Self-loathing and self-hatred.
It showed how many burdens were pressing down on his bent back.
Ferda, having had such experience himself.
"So you couldn't reach out to me?"
Е̂ nu̇ ḿ а
"......Yes."
Afraid only his incompetence would grow.
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Afraid he'd show his shameful parts, and they'd be despised.
Fear grew and grew, pressing him down until finally both knees knelt.
"Stefan."
"Yes, Lord Regent."
Е̂ ňu̇ m а̄
"What I demanded was exactly one thing. Do you remember?"
He knows.
Because it was said clearly enough to be vividly stuck in his brain even at this moment.
"You said to become the owner of Pascal Company."
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"That was the contract we made. What did you do for that contract? You supplied goods."
"That's right."
Еn um̆ а̀
"You filled the lacking supplies throughout the Grand Duchy, and opened the way. Those processes were never easy. Yet you endured."
"......."
"To become the owner of Pascal Company."
Stefan didn't answer.
Afraid he'd reveal this welling emotion, he keeps his mouth tightly shut like an idiot.
Ferda's words continued.
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"I'll say it again. We made a contract."
"......."
"You supply us goods, and I make you the owner of Pascal Company."
It was the word that pressured Stefan.
But at this moment, strangely, no pressure was felt.
"That means if you fight to become the company owner, I'll gladly take your side."
Wеb́ n̄ о̂ ṽ е̇ l̃ Е̇n u m̃а
Instead, he feels the weight that was pressing on his shoulders fall away.
"So I'll ask just one more time at the end."
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Ferda asked for the last time in a calm voice.
"Do you truly want to give up everything?"
Life began to return to Stefan's corpse-like eyes.
Everything he came to abandon and let go started to become visible again.
Ėṅŭ m̄ a. і̊ d̃
Stefan is a merchant.
Where is there a person who likes losing everything?
He didn't want to feel the happiness of having nothing.
His wish was to use failure as a stepping stone and leap to success.
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"Keuheuk......."
Stefan shed tears.
Е n̊üm ǎ. і d́
Along with this sorrow rising up his throat, he took out his true heart that had been with him since childhood.
"I want to become...... the owner of Pascal Company."
Stefan pressed his forehead to the marble floor and sobbed.
He wails in a state where he can't say any more words.
Ferda looked down at him and opened his mouth lowly.
"Administrator Isabella."
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Isabella, who had been watching the whole situation, pushed up her glasses.
"Speak."
"Summon all nobles of the entire Far East Grand Duchy as the Far East Front Alliance Chairman."
"Understood. How shall I record the reason for summons?"
Ferda spoke calmly.
"Sabotage against the entire Grand Duchy."
Еn̂ u m̆ а .ǐ d̊
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