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Chapter 68 : Corruption Purge (1)
Edward stared at the treasurer, Roberto.
‘Not getting caught with the gold bars hidden under the floorboards of his house.’
That was Roberto’s greatest desire right now.
After Occam’s downfall was certain, he had taken advantage of the chaos to get his hands on his master’s property.
Since the military force he had taken with him was too small in the first place, Norman had no choice but to focus on seizing military power. He would not have had the capacity to care about the embezzlement of an official.
Ěn u ḿ ӑ
“I heard Occam was wealthy, but I didn’t know it was this much.”
Roland, who knew nothing, was satisfied just by looking at the amount written in the ledger.
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The property owned by Occam was approximately 2.5 million gold. Even after spending a huge amount for the war, it was still that much.
Two million gold was in a secret safe that only Bernard knew about, and 500,000 was stored in the mansion’s safe so that it could be used at any time.
But Edward knew that there was another 500,000 gold that was not written in the ledger.
“If the gold mine operates normally, you can become even wealthier.”
Е̂ ṅ ǔ ḿ а̀
The treasurer, Roberto, said with a smile.
Since Griffith had freed all the mine slaves, the mine was currently in a state where mining had been suspended.
Roberto was subtly encouraging his master’s greed. Because his own pockets would also become full only when the mine was running.
“Your Lordship.”
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Edward said.
“What is it?”
Е̂n umа.і̇d̀
“Since they are people who will work hard for Griffith from now on, how about treating them to a meal? And having them stay here tonight.”
“That’s a good idea. What do you all think?”
“Thank you for your hospitality.”
Roberto, who had mistakenly thought that the new master liked them, smiled brightly and bowed his head.
“Then, I’ll see you at dinner.”
After the officials had left, Edward first returned to his room. And using the experimental tools there, he created a single reagent.
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This time too, the knowledge of the alchemist king, Paolo, was helpful.
“Father, it’s Edward.”
Edward, with the completed reagent, went straight to find Roland.
“What is it?”
“May I take a look at Occam’s ledger?”
“Occam’s ledger?”
Е̃ñ u̇m â . і̊ ď
“Yes. There’s something I need to check.”
Roland, who happened to be looking at the ledger, handed over the book. Edward dropped a drop of the reagent on the most recently entered entry, the entry right before it, and the entry entered a few years ago.
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The black letters and numbers turned bluish.
“What did you sprinkle?”
“It’s a reagent that tells you the time the ink has dried.”
“What? Where did you get such a medicine?”
W̃ е̃b̆ ṅ ov́е̊l Е̃ n u̇ m̀ ӓ_
“I made it myself.”
“When did you learn such a thing?”
“I learned it from an alchemy book. Look.”
Edward pointed to the letters stained with the reagent.
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The most recently written letters had changed from black to blue, but the one written right before it and the one written a few years ago were both sky blue.
“This reagent changes the ink that has dried within 12 hours to blue, and all the ones written before that to sky blue.”
Е n̄ u̇m̆ а̇. ì d̊
“…”
“It means that it has been less than 12 hours since the ink of the most recently entered entry has dried.”
“…You mean Bernard didn’t write it?”
“That’s right.”
It was written that he had spent an additional 500,000 gold for war expenses a week ago. Even though he had already made a large expenditure to hire mercenaries and siege engineers before that.
“Someone must have embezzled the money and then manipulated the ledger. Taking advantage of the chaos when the lord was captured and the domain was in turmoil. It’s probably the person who manages Bernard’s money.”
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“I’ll have to call Roberto and ask.”
“Before that, may I ask Sir Norman to run an errand?”
Although he had followed Edward’s command during the war, Norman was strictly Roland’s knight.
Now that the war was over, he was not a person Edward could order around as he pleased.
“Go ahead.”
Edward summoned Norman.
Е́ nu_m̂ а̄ .i d̄_
“I have a favor to ask of you, Sir.”
“Please speak.”
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“Go to Occam right now with the knights and search the treasurer Roberto’s house. Check under the bed and in the closets, and tear out all the ceilings and floors. Something will surely come out. Check the yard too.”
“Yes, Young Master.”
“I’m sorry to ask you to do this again when you’ve just returned.”
“Not at all, Young Master. Please leave it to me.”
W̆ е̂ b̂ n̂ оv е̌l Еn ü m ӑ
Norman bowed and then left.
“In my humble opinion, I think it would be good for Sir Norman to take the position of vice-captain of the knight order.”
Currently, the vice-captain of the Griffith Knight Order was Catherine Bernstein. As the daughter of the knight captain, Keldon, she was also the second-in-command of the knight order in terms of skill.
But after Roland had canceled the oath of allegiance, she had left Griffith and had not yet returned. Since he didn't know where she was, he couldn't even send a letter.
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“He’s a friend who has no shortcomings.”
Roland also nodded his head.
Е̄nu m а̄.
Not only was his skill as a knight outstanding, but he also had the ability as a military commander and an administrator.
Even now, he was acting as the de facto vice-captain. He had also proved his ability by completely taking control of Occam in Edward’s stead.
Excluding the mercenaries and the freed slaves, the Griffith army was only ten knights and John. Norman had successfully controlled Occam, which had thousands of people, with just that number.
“There’s the knight captain of Occam, Walter, isn’t there.”
If they accepted the Occam knights, it was right for their captain, Walter, to sit in the position of vice-captain. Because he was ahead of Norman in both skill and experience.
“I don’t think that person will come over to our side.”
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“Why?”
“Because he’s a decent person among the Occam knights.”
Although Walter’s skills were not very outstanding, he was a person with a good personality. He would surely try to keep his loyalty to the Occam family.
“That may be so. Let’s check it out as soon as the body collection work is over.”
Late in the afternoon, the work of loading the washed bodies onto the carts was all finished. Roland summoned all the Occam knights to the great hall.
The total number was 28, including the captain, Walter. Compared to before the war, it was almost half.
Е̄ńu m̆a.їd̄_
They had already been disarmed. Although he was scheduled to be executed soon, Bernard was still alive. In case of an emergency, Edward, William, and the Griffith knights also gathered in the great hall.
‘Why did that guy come?’
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Venom, who had not been called, also followed the Occam knights.
For some reason, he did not step forward and was just watching from the back.
“We greet Your Lordship.”
The knights bowed with a stiff posture.
Е n u.m̄а
The relationship between officials and a lord was an economic transaction. They would not be criticized for serving the person who had ruined their former master. Because it was just a change of employer.
On the other hand, the knights had sworn to protect their master with their lives. If they couldn't even protect that and served the one who had ruined their master as their new master, they would not be able to avoid criticism.
“You’ve come at a good time. I have called you to discuss your future course of action.”
The Occam knights glanced at each other. There were not many among them who were skilled enough to be taken in by another family.
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Even if they abandoned their pride as knights, transferring to Griffith would be the best.
“Your Lordship, I would like to step down from my position as captain as of today and leave the knight order.”
Ĕńũm̀ а
The knight captain, Walter, stepped forward.
“You have no intention of serving Griffith?”
“I’m sorry. I am a knight who serves Occam, and I was also Herbert’s teacher. I think it would be a dishonorable thing for me to serve Griffith.”
“Are you going to become a wandering knight?”
“That’s right.”
“It’s a shame, but I can’t help it. I understand your will. I wish you good luck.”
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“Thank you.”
Walter turned to his subordinates.
“I am no longer your captain. Don’t mind me and decide for yourselves.”
There were very few among the knights who chose the path of wandering like Walter. The rest, as expected, chose to transfer to Griffith.
“We swear our allegiance!”
Although their voices were loud, Edward remembered how those guys had acted when Herbert had been cornered.
Е̌nu m̂ à
But if he kicked them all out and expanded the knight order with only new members, it would take a lot of time and money.
‘Beating them is the best for rehabilitation.’
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Although they were lacking in both skill and personality, hellish training would solve everything.
“We greet Your Lordship.”
As the knights’ oath of allegiance ended, Venom, who had been waiting, stepped forward.
“What is it?”
Еǹum̊а.і ḋ
“I would like to make a request to Your Lordship.”
“Speak.”
“Please allow me to take the two young masters to the empire.”
* * *
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“The empire?”
Everyone in the great hall was dumbfounded. Since it was a natural reaction, Venom was not flustered.
E ǹũ_m̊а̌
“I formally propose that Young Master Edward and Young Master William join our Snake Mercenary Corps.”
“That guy seems completely crazy. Did you hit him in the head, brother?”
“No. I didn’t.”
“Hey, one-eye. Let’s say I’m fine with it, a hundred times over. Unlike someone, I’m an illegitimate son with dirty blood mixed in. I could be a mercenary.”
As William emphasized the word illegitimate son as if for him to hear, Roland frowned.
“But my brother, unlike me, is a legitimate son with a high-class bloodline. Are you telling a pure-blood noble to become a mercenary?”
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“That’s right. I will give the position of captain to Young Master Edward, and the position of vice-captain to Young Master William. I will assist the two of you as the chief team leader.”
“…”
“…”
“Are you serious?”
“Of course, Your Lordship. The members also actively agreed.”
“Why are you making such a proposal?”
En̈ ũm̂а̀
“I have clearly seen through this war. The two of you are not people who should be in a backwater small country like this. How about playing in the big leagues with me?”
At that age, he had shown a performance comparable to a Sword Master. At a time when he was starting his career, he had reached a level that others would struggle to reach even if they tried for their whole lives.
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When he thought of the image the two brothers would show when they had fully grown, his whole body tingled as if he had been hit by lightning magic.
He was sure that the history of the continent would be changed by them.
“You mean the empire is the big leagues?”
Edward asked as if he were arguing.
Ë ńuḿа̃. і̊d̄
“That’s right. Because it’s a place where all the wealth and honor of the continent gather. Even now, wars do not cease in the empire. To the extent that domain wars break out even during a war of conquest. As such, the treatment of mercenaries is also on a different level. There are many among the famous mercenaries who have become greatly wealthy. You would be mistaken if you think of the money that the mercenaries of the kingdom receive.”
“We have a gold mine.”
“I guarantee it, you will touch a much larger sum of money than you can earn with a gold mine.”
“There’s a contradiction in your words. You, who say that, also came to this backwater place for money.”
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“It’s not for me to say this, but I’m not as great as you think I am here. It’s true that I’m doing well in the northwestern part of the empire, which is close to the kingdom, but I haven’t made a name for myself in the bigger leagues yet.”
“So you need us?”
Е́ n.um а
“That’s right. Even if the young masters are active in the empire, the gold mine will not disappear. It’s not just about making money. There are countless people who have received a title for their great service as a mercenary. Do you know that a baron of the empire rules a larger domain than a marquis of the kingdom?”
Although Venom spoke with great passion, the young masters of Griffith had a bored expression.
He had boasted to his members that he would definitely recruit them, but he was in a difficult situation.
“If you make a name for yourself or receive a title in the empire, your prestige in the kingdom will also rise.”
“Do you know that the kingdom was once hostile to the empire?”
“They are allies now. There will be no problem even if you are active in the empire. It’s a matter that can be easily resolved if I ask the nobles who are backing me.”
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Young geniuses who did not yet know how great they were. Venom was a warrior who worshipped martial arts before he was a mercenary.
When he saw Edward and William fight, his blood boiled. It would be a great stimulus to him, who was becoming dull as he got older. Perhaps he could grow one step further through the two of them.
He had heard that after the war, Edward had trained the knights and William had trained the soldiers. The martial prowess that the Griffith army had shown on the battlefield was not inferior even when compared to the imperial army. Not only did they fight well themselves, but they also had the ability to make others fight well.
Just by introducing the two to influential nobles, his own price would double. Perhaps Venom could also leave his name in the history that the Griffith brothers would change.
He had to take them to the empire.
“I appreciate the offer, but I refuse.”
Е̌n̄ü m̄ а̂
“Me too.”
“Wh-why…”
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“I have things to do here.”
“I don’t like the strange smell of the empire guys. No, I just don’t like them.”
* * *
“It wasn’t a bad offer.”
Е ñu m̄а
Roland said after the disappointed Venom had left.
“You experienced the war with the empire, Father. Is it still okay?”
“I can’t ruin my children’s bright future because of an old grudge. Don’t tell me you refused because of me?”
“It’s not particularly like that.”
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Edward also wanted to experience the country that Charles had made.
But revenge on Garrison and Hornet was the priority. It would not be too late to establish a foothold by being active in the empire later.
Е n_u m̀a . і̂d
“William, what do you think?”
“I told you, I just don’t like the empire guys. We can’t even communicate.”
It seemed it was because he had seen a lot of the evil deeds of the adventurers from the empire.
“Sir Norman has arrived.”
A servant announced Norman’s arrival. He had returned in three hours after receiving the order. It was at a level where he had gone and had come back right away.
“We greet Your Lordship!”
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Norman was unusually excited.
“You’ve worked hard. Did you find something?”
“The Young Master’s words were right. When we tore up the floor of the treasurer’s house, we found gold bars.”
“Gold bars?”
“Yes. A whopping 500,000 gold’s worth.”
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