Side Story 15: Two-Arm Scale (6)
"Brother, I know it's normal for you to head off on business all the time, but the fact that you're bringing Bell with you makes me more worried than usual. Is it because this is too dangerous to handle on your own?"
"It's not that dangerous. It's just… I'm being considerate toward Lortel… It seems she's still uncomfortable when it's just the two of us…"
"…Really? It doesn't seem that uncomfortable from my point of view…"
"I'm not sure about that…"
Two days later, the servants of Rothstaylor Mansion lined up at the front gate to bid me farewell as I embarked on my journey to Oldek.
I always told Tanya not to make it a big deal every time I left the mansion, but she always made sure that they gave an official farewell to me every time, as was the procedure.
I would be going to Oldek on official business, inspecting the merchants who supplied the various daily necessities of the Rothstaylor household.
It would also serve as a proper excuse to bring the Head Maid, Bell. Bell was a far more capable person than most would assume. Since she was one of the key people responsible for the mansion's operations, her schedule was always packed with things to manage.
Lortel hid behind Bell, holding onto her sleeve. Just yesterday the two of us were rather close, but after she found out I took and read the notebook she was holding onto so dearly, she suddenly moved away from me.
Yesterday, when Lortel was sleeping—or to be specific, when I made her sleep—I checked what was written inside. I couldn't help but be surprised.
What Lortel had written in her notebook before losing her memory… there were so many embarrassing, yet strangely flattering, things about me in it.
Lortel exaggerated and glorified me quite a bit… In fact, she spoke so highly of me that I could not help but feel embarrassed for her as I read it.
"So, can I ask exactly what was written in it?"
While the other maids loaded the carriage with the luggage, Bell watched Lortel run around as she cautiously asked me about the notebook. She wasn't the type to ask more questions than necessary, but this time, it seemed that there was an answer she was determined to hear.
"Just some embarrassing things, such as fantasized drawings of me… Lortel is a surprisingly good artist…"
"…"
"And before she had lost her memory, Lortel had written out her plans in a rather easy-to-understand way. I think I know why she cherishes that notebook so much."
Lortel's notes detailed the goals for the company and the direction of future business operations—if they fell into the hands of a rival to the company, the Elte Company would surely suffer a massive loss.
Because it was too much information to keep in her head, she had no choice but to write it down in her notebook and guard it carefully.
"After securing the deal with the Holy Father Building, it seemed that she was planning to reorganize the internal manpower of the company."
"Reorganizing the manpower of a company as soon as she claims the seat as the head… It's obvious what would happen."
"Which is why she was trying to use the deal with the Holy Father Building as a means to gain control of the company."
As if she hadn't expected to hear what I said, Bell tilted her head.
"The surest way to hold down a merchant is to gain control of the money, tying them up," I said, after checking that all the luggage was loaded onto the carriage. "Since she was able to attract a major company to do business with her, she became an important connection and resource. Because of that, fellow merchants in her company will have a hard time doing anything against her."
Even though Lortel had proven her authority and skills, she needed to showcase her influence once more to fulfill the final step of becoming the head of the company. The fact that Lortel was the previous head's adopted daughter alone wasn't enough to control those greedy merchants.
"Alright, I understand. The deal with the Holy Father Building was so large that it would be enough justification for her to be the new head… If they can maintain their relationship with the Holy Father Building, it will lead to astronomical profits, after all."
"Correct. And getting in personal contact with the Saint would be difficult for the Elte Company without Lortel, as I can help her."
She was creating an important deal that the other merchants were unable to be involved in. A market that only she could use.
That would be the final decision that would help her claim her seat as the head of the Elte Company.
The heart of the Holy Capital Karpea—the Holy Father Building.
If the Elte Company could personally manage all the supplies necessary for religious ceremonies, daily necessitates, the construction and maintenance of the massive temple… The profits would be incalculable.
The sheer size of the Telos Religious Group, and even the Holy Father Building.
The three buildings that made up the Holy Father Building, where both the Holy Father and the Saint resided, were more than twice the size of Silvenia Academy—and Silvenia Academy was quite massive.
A priest didn't always live a life far away from luxury and extravagance. Rather, it required a large amount of gold to maintain such holiness and elegance, and the place that gold would flow into was none other than the chambers of the Elte Company.
That plan began with me, Ed Rothstaylor, connecting Lortel with Saint Clarice.
Given how much that deal meant to the Elte Company, Lortel was aware of how much I was willing to do for her the moment I offered to introduce her to Clarice for free.
In other words, the moment she stared at me, startled, wasn't acting—rather, it was how she truly felt. Though, at that point, I didn't think we were in a relationship where we had to act in front of each other.
"Slogg definitely wouldn't be happy with that," Bell said.
"Correct. That's why he's moving now."
If Lortel succeeded in signing a deal with Saint Clarice, Lortel's position within the Elte Company would become extraordinary—far beyond anyone else's reach.
Because of that, he had to attack Lortel. If he didn't do something before her plans came to fruition, it would be too late.
"Older brother, as you know… Lortel is always drawing a massive picture that is extremely difficult to do."
Suddenly, Tanya jumped out of the carriage's luggage compartment, brushing off her skirt.
The servants who were putting the luggage into the carriage before departure were surprised. They never imagined that Tanya would be inside the carriage's luggage compartment from the moment they stood by the front gates to say farewell to me.
"You're always popping out of the most unusual places."
"Unfortunately, the compartment in the carriage wasn't my style. It didn't quite feel right…"
I didn't reply.
"Whatever the case, after listening to what you said, I'm starting to understand."
Tanya landed on the ground, playing with her shiny blonde hair.
The servants who had been putting the luggage inside the carriage kneeled in front of her, still in shock. Tanya shook her hands, ordering the servants to not pay any mind to her and to finish their jobs.
"Starting to understand?"
"Didn't you notice it as well, brother? Slogg is an old and sneaky merchant, yet, even in front of us, he acted so boldly. As if there were someone else behind him."
"That's true… But I can't imagine who he has standing behind him with such power…"
"That's true… It's hard to believe they have enough power to subdue Lortel so abruptly. Even giving Slogg enough certainty that he could come all the way to the Rothstaylor Estate to check for himself… Though, whoever they might be, they would still certainly have a hard time if we stepped in…"
Tanya tilted her head and scratched her chin.
"Is there really someone behind him?"
"I'm sure there is. As for how powerful they are, I'm not certain…"
House Rothstaylor was being protected by both the Kroel Royal Family and the Holy Father Building. No one on the continent could hastily mess with House Rothstaylor.
Lucy Mayreel, House Rothstaylor's key force, was recovering at the moment. Their strength may be limited as the family hierarchy hadn't been completely restored yet, but no one could match their authority.
"I think it would be best to move carefully, but… I'm sure you have no intention of doing that, brother."
"Well…"
"I know you're just acting as if you don't know any better for the sake of your little sister, who is busy out of her mind. However, behind me, I already see the box of spears… As well as the bow you cherish so much."
Tanya sat on a wooden box with a nonchalant expression.
"It just seems that you're going to use force this time. From the moment you told me you would be taking Bell, I knew this wasn't going to be like the other times. After all, you're not the type to bring your bow with you like this. Though, I worry about the aftermath."
"Well, it's not that I'm not thinking about the aftermath either. I can justify my use of force…"
"Still… For some reason, this doesn't seem like something you would normally do."
"Well, there are times you need to be aggressive. Sometimes you have no choice but to attack," I responded without a change in expression. "After all, they messed with Lortel."
Lortel Kehelland and I had already promised to be on each other's side forever. I'd said as much many times before, but it wasn't a promise I made lightly.
Tanya was about to say something, but suddenly stopped and smiled brightly for some reason. Perhaps because she was satisfied with my answer, she had a particularly bright expression on her face. From my point of view, I wasn't sure how to feel about it.
"But I still need to ask you this as the head of House. If you do break into the Elte Company and attack Slogg, what are your plans afterward? Lortel said it as well. If there's no reasonable justification… A simple plan of action won't have any meaning."
Despite the title of our House, intruding into the Elte Company and attacking one of the most veteran and famous merchants there was, all because of an internal struggle for the position of head of the company, would certainly cause a mess.
"You know the nature of merchants as well, Tanya. They're the type to sell their own souls for money, and those who don't make money are discarded without hesitation."
"…I understand what you are trying to say."
Tanya brushed the dirt off her skirt. A nearby servant came over to hand her some outerwear, which she accepted and put on.
"If the deal with the Holy Father Building falls through because of an internal political battle, Slogg's position will also be in jeopardy. I think that would be the case as well. It would be hard for the employees to support him if he ruins such a valuable deal for the Elte Company over his own greed…"
Tanya was born with a natural talent for understanding public opinion and how to weigh it in one's favor. She scratched at her nose, contemplating the matter for some time. She had a rather concerned expression on her face…
"Well, there's no way that Slogg isn't aware of that. So, he surely has something planned, but… Ahh…"
Tanya suddenly had a thought. A wide smile began to form on her face as she walked back to the gate, where everyone else was standing, sending me off.
"Well, you best be on your way, brother. Be careful not to get hurt."
"Yes. I'll be back soon. Take good care of the house while Bell and Lortel are away."
"That's what I always do."
And like that, Lortel, Bell, and myself all left the Rothstaylor Mansion in the carriage. It was going to be a long journey, so it was best to get some sleep while we could.
* * *
"The wind is getting chilly. It would be best for us to head inside now."
The old vassal bowed his head. Tanya stood at the gate, watching the carriage disappear further and further in the distance. She then looked sideways at the kneeling vassal.
Said vassal was facing Tanya Rothstaylor, a duchess who held one of the highest authorities on the entire continent. The vassal seemed afraid of making even the smallest mistake in front of her.
"…He seems to be angrier than I thought."
"…Pardon?"
"Never mind. Let's head in."
To anyone else, Ed's appearance in the carriage would have looked calm and collected. His tone was the same as always, but… Tanya has been the head of House Rothstaylor for some time now and knew him better than others. To some extent, she could understand how he felt and what he was thinking.
At the very least, it seemed that there was more than what he said was written in Lortel's notebook. Tanya was certain of that.
That was because Ed Rothstaylor, heading to Oldek seemingly unbothered, looked rather furious in Tanya's eyes.
* * *
Looking at the back of the large carriage, I watched Lortel fall asleep, cuddled close to Bell. As we continued to travel, it seemed she was getting more exhausted. After all, she was at the age where children ran around energetically from the early morning, only to fall asleep shortly after.
I laid back as I put my forearms on the window frame, carefully organizing my thoughts as my body shook with the swaying carriage. I read quite a bit of Lortel's notes. Thinking back on what she had written about the Elte Company, I started to feel upset.
– Re-checking the meat market of Kwellenhelt.
– Recounting the inventory inside the company that doesn't add up.
– Looking into why Countess Rasen's orders have been held up.
– It's been so long since I last visited House Rothstaylor…
At times, she would suddenly sketch me in the corner of her notebook. She even wrote down ideas for what gift she should buy me the next time she stopped by the mansion. Looking at that, I could not help but laugh.
– Creating a new route with the Holy Father Building. Will that old man get in my way?
– It would be best if I don't tell Ed about it as much as possible. I should continue to tell him that everything is fine.
I stood still with my head lowered. The carriage continued to sway.
In fact, Lortel had an easier way to deal with all of this. She could have simply come to House Rothstaylor and bowed her head, asking for a favor. There was no shame for a merchant to lean on those who held power.
Yes. It would have been easier for her to rely on the authority and power of House Rothstaylor while dealing with Slogg.
Nevertheless, Lortel had planned to deal with him herself, with her influence as a merchant. She didn't talk much about the internal politics of the Elte Company in front of me. She only brought up her business plan with the Holy Father Building.
Why?
Righteousness. Faith. Justification. Those incredible words might come to mind, but they were far from Lortel.
In front of me, she simply wanted to act like a regular girl. However, in the world of business, she was known as a terrible and cruel woman who even made contracts with the devil to guarantee her victory.
However, I was aware of that fact. That was why I could be understanding of her.
– Even if he wants to help me with it, I need to tell him that everything is fine until the very end.
A quarrel between merchants was a filthy and cruel battle. When they fought, all sorts of resentment, hatred, and evil thoughts and desires were involved.
House Rothstaylor had only started to regain its former status after the tragedy that occurred in the past… She didn't want to harm them.
Lortel was a ridiculously smart woman, but at the same time, she could be a hopeless fool.
I stared at the floor of the swaying carriage. Even though summer was only starting to end, there was a frightening cold chill going down my back.
-x-X-x-
Side Story 16: Two-Arm Scale (7)
In Oldek, people said that time itself was turned ninety degrees.
It was an expression visitors used for the commercial city of Oldek, which always seemed to run three hours faster than everywhere else.
No one in the world worked harder than a greedy merchant. Oldek, built along the shore, was full of people who woke before sunrise and rushed into the streets for one reason alone—to make money.
While others were only just starting to wake up, the merchants of Oldek were already busy running around. In fact, Oldek's early mornings were even noisier than midday in other large cities.
By six in the morning, everyone was already out working. It was easy to believe that time really did run at a different angle in this city. At the same time, bedtime came much later than in other large cities.
Laziness was the greatest sin there was in the bustling city.
Some didn't hate the atmosphere of the city, where everyone was living diligently every second of their life. Inevitably, there were those who were miserable and struggled to survive in such a competitive, restless environment every day of the year.
It was the exact opposite of Yennekar's hometown, Pulan, which I recently visited.
"We're arriving later than I expected."
Bell stepped out to the carriage, holding Lortel's hand. As the vassals unloaded the luggage, she spoke to me.
We were in the central square of Oldek. Even in Oldek, where there were more than eleven large and small squares in total, it was the most central square.
Behind the large fountain in the center of the square was a government office building that managed all of the administrations in Oldek.
If the head of the Kroel Empire was the capital of Kroelon, Oldek could be considered its heart.
That was because everything within the empire moved through that place like blood through a body. The government office in Oldek boasted a grand scale. The marble walls were of the highest class, boasting elegance and dignity. The large wooden pillars were also quite the spectacle.
"W-wow…."
Lortel looked at the large building with her mouth wide open. Though it was a building she had been to many times before, it did not cease to amaze the naive Lortel.
"Lortel," I called out to her quietly.
Lortel was startled to hear my voice. She clasped Bell's hand tightly, hiding behind her.
"Y-yes…" Lortel said in a timid voice.
It looked as if she was still embarrassed that I read the notebook. She looked up at me, twisting the ends of her hair.
"What do you think of this city?"
"What?
Lortel was taken aback by the sudden question.
I knew about Lortel's past. For Lortel, the city of Oldek was a place she loved and hated.
When she was a child, she had to walk through the slums and backstab others just to survive. Before she realized it, she ended up at the top of the city as an incredible merchant.
Lortel couldn't fully love or hate the city.
That was why I wanted to ask Lortel about it while she couldn't remember the hardships she had experienced.
"This…city…?
"Last time, you left in such a hurry that you couldn't even take a look around Oldek. Right now, we are in the largest square in the city. It's the place where many people come and go."
Even though she didn't seem to understand why I was asking her such a question, Lortel didn't ask why. After all, she wasn't cunning enough to think that far ahead.
Lortel looked around, holding Bell's hand tightly. She slowly blinked as she captured the grand sight of Oldek with her eyes. The scenery of Oldek in the girl's innocent eyes…
Unexpectedly, it didn't make her feel all that uncomfortable. After all, there was no way for her to articulate the complicated feelings she had for the city, even though she had grown.
Lortel looked at the massive stone statue by the fountain in the central square as she spoke. It was a statue of a merchant wearing a robe and lifting a large two-arm scale.
"…I, um…like it. The atmosphere…is lively."
Then, Lortel forced a smile on her face.
* * *
"I'll give you three tasks."
Head Maid Bell Maya was an extremely valuable person to have.
The amount of work she took care of in the Rothstaylor mansion was enormous. The amount she took care of personally in the mansion was nearly half of all the management necessary. If she were to leave the mansion for an extended amount of time, it would have a considerably adverse effect on the management of the estate.
Nevertheless, the reason I brought Bell with me to Oldek was that I needed a reliable person. Not only was she reliable, she had decent combat abilities and would never betray me.
I sat on a bench in Oldek's Square as I addressed her, scratching my chin. Bell quietly looked at me with her hands held in front of her modestly. She carefully listened to each word I said with her usual composed face.
"While I am dealing with business in Oldek, I want you to take care of three things."
"I will do as instructed."
"First, watch over Lortel. The moment we head further into Oldek, Slogg will definitely try and use his people to get ahold of her. You need to protect her until I can finish my work."
Oldek was full of people, all of whom were potential threats to Lortel. However, before I even told her that, Bell was already looking around carefully.
"That's a given."
Bell was a capable magician who not only had excellent skills with a rapier but also knew how to use intermediate magic.
I wasn't asking her to protect Lortel for a few days. Just for a little bit.
"Second, go into the government office and meet with the director in person."
"Would he meet with me?"
I took an envelope from my pocket, handing it to her.
"I am lending you my authority. With the head maid of Rothstaylor Mansion coming to meet with the director in person, he will definitely meet with you."
"It's an honor for someone like me to be able to borrow your authority, Young Master Ed."
"Let's put aside useless pleasantries and just talk about what's necessary."
"Yes. I apologize. It's a habit of mine."
Bell took the envelope, carefully putting it into her pocket.
"But why do I need to meet with the director in person?
"Under the excuse of helping House Rothstaylor with business, you will buy time. When you do that, then your third task will appear."
"Third task?"
"Yes."
Seeing that our luggage had been unloaded, I jumped up and brushed off my trousers.
"Your third task is necessary to take care of the bigger problem. Not just to lift the curse on Lortel, but to make sure we can catch Slogg."
After saying that, I made sure to clearly explain Bell's third task.
Bell nodded with a serious expression on her face.
* * *
The Elte Company's headquarters.
In Oldek, also known as the land of gold, the Elte Company's headquarters occupied the largest amount of land. Its size was incomparable to the Elte Company's Silvenia Academy Branch.
As a massive business that every merchant wanted to set foot in, there was no better place for the greedy to go.
A place where everything revolved around money. As long as you could make money, anything was possible.
The current head of the Elte Company was none other than the old fox, Slogg Keldricks. Under an agreement with Lortel, he was to temporarily hold the position until her graduation.
Inside Slogg's office, two executives of the Elte Company sat with him.
The Elte Company's management structure was split into parts, but there was only one head that controlled the grand scale of the business.
However, there were also the Six Head Merchants—six merchants who were selected as being the most powerful and influential among the people in the Elte Company.
However, it was ultimately the head of the company who had the loudest voice. The Six Head Merchants were only able to stand on similar ground to the head if all six of them were in agreement in one place. They didn't hold any direct decision-making power, only the power to hold discussions with the head of the company.
The Six Head Merchants had become much weaker than before.
Slogg Keldricks used to be one of the Six Head Merchants before being placed as the head. Lortel Kehelland was also supposed to leave the Six Head Merchants to become the new head of the company.
Whether she actually became the head of the company or something else happened… Either way, Lortel would soon be placed in an entirely different position.
Because those two had left the original Six Head Merchants, there were only four left to maintain that authority.
And two of them had already decided to join Slogg's side.
Puelan, a merchant in minerals. Kaldeheim, a merchant in bonds. The two greedy men sat in Slogg's office, questioning him.
"You were confident that Lortel Kehelland had completely fallen into the trap, but you haven't been able to push her out. We are wasting time."
Puelan, who was on the heavier side, sat on the sofa with a look of displeasure on his face as he stared at Slogg.
"I have bet everything on you. If things don't go smoothly, I can't help but get anxious. I need to be absolutely certain that you will remain as the head of the Elte Company."
"I am in agreement, Director Slogg. We can't just sit still and watch the golden daughter of Elte reclaim the position as head of the company," Kaldeheim said.
"I see that you all are worried."
Slogg placed his quill down on the desk as he leaned back. The two merchants looked at him with doubt on their faces. Seeing that, Slogg could only laugh as he continued speaking.
"You are both right. Lortel Kehelland… it is no easy task to get rid of that foxlike girl. Especially with House Rothstaylor standing behind her. It will not be easy, even for me. However… that does not mean it is impossible."
Slogg was a veteran merchant who had survived for decades in the world of business. Both of the other merchants there were well aware of that fact. However, they couldn't help but feel nervous, as they were dealing with Lortel.
"You are supposed to be Head Merchants who have risen from the cruel and unforgiving world of business. How will you ever close a major deal with such impatience?"
"Watch your words, Slogg Keldricks. You may be the director but there's a limit to your influence in the Elte Company without the help of the Head Merchants."
"Oh yes, of course. I apologize. However, it's not like I haven't been thinking at all about how to deal with her."
Slogg Keldricks had personally visited Rothstaylor Estate to see their relationship with Lortel. It seemed as if House Rothstaylor was in a state of panic. That meant they were nearing the end of Lortel's demise.
"It seems that Lortel Kehelland is incapacitated after being struck by the Regression Curse. Right now, no matter what we do, she doesn't have the power to deal with it. Just like how we kicked out Elte, we should create a reason through an embezzlement case, but…we need to make sure to take care of things carefully."
"Careful. You always say we need to be careful. Just how cautious are you planning to be because of that girl?" Puelan insisted.
"Do you think the only one we are going to have to deal with is Lortel Kehelland?" Slogg said, getting up from his seat.
He pushed his chair under the desk and walked over to the coffee table where the two merchants sat. Slogg held up a cup of tea and then poured it over Puelan's lap.
"You bastard! What are you doing?!" Puelan roared.
"You seem impatient, so how about we calm down for now? Getting rid of Lortel will not solve all our problems. Let's not get too short-sighted here."
"Ahh! Fuck! Is anyone out there?! Ice! Get me ice!"
Slogg crossed his legs as he sat back down, setting the empty teacup down on the table nonchalantly.
"Lortel has House Rothstaylor behind her. That is exactly why we need to handle everything neatly and carefully. If we try to finish this hastily, everything will fall apart."
"House Rothstaylor. They are the most powerful House in the empire. I heard that despite still having completely recovered their strength, they are receiving the protection of various influential individuals and houses," Kaldeheim said.
"That's right. Which is exactly why we need to be more careful," Slogg continued with a smirk. "Right now, the house is being taken care of by the children of the former head of House, Krepin Rothstaylor. I went to their estate to see Ed and Tanya Rothstaylor with my own eyes, and to figure out just what kind of people they are."
Slogg's smirk grew wider. "They're definitely talented compared to their age, but the way they behave is easy to read. They're cautious, cunning individuals. They are certainly going to be as careful as possible when dealing with me. They'll try to find out who is behind me and rip them out of the shadows."
"Listening to what you say, this seems bad," Puelan spoke up.
"No, rather, it's much easier to read the movements of these types of nobles," Slogg said casually as he leaned back. "Ed Rothstaylor is rather an influential member of the House, but I've already looked into all his records. He is an honorary professor at Silvenia Academy working in various fields of research. He is also working in management with the school. But do you know the characters of nobles who work in education?"
Puelan and Kaldeheim were quiet.
"They firmly believe that paperwork and politics can solve everything. Unfortunately for him, that's our area of expertise… Though, he doesn't realize that at all."
Even with his authority as a member of House Rothstaylor, there was a limit to how much he could do against the Elte Company without proper justification.
Ultimately, he needed justification and reasoning. Ed Rothstaylor would surely try to take care of that somehow. To do so, he would have to travel directly to Oldek to collect information.
Information warfare, political warfare, and fighting behind the scenes—unfortunately for Ed Rothstaylor, that was Slogg's specialty.
"What we're really afraid of is an unpredictable opponent, but that young master is definitely not such a person."
Slogg smiled as he looked down at the two merchants. He was the ruler who controlled the dark side of Oldek.
"You can never be sure with a man who is unpredictable in every single movement they make. Rather, things are much easier against an aristocrat… It's easier to control and win over such people, after all. The bandits you meet while traveling are much more terrifying. Watching them cut down others' lives right in front of you…"
The two merchants did not dare raise their voices recklessly.
"So as long as we wait slowly… We will catch him making a naive and obvious move, and then…"
Boom!
Booom!
At that moment, a large explosion came from the main gate of the Elte Company. The aftermath of the explosion was a massive gale. The windows shook uncontrollably, about to break at any moment.
"Wh-what?!"
Slogg trembled. The two merchants facing each other also opened their eyes wide as they looked at each other.
Slogg quickly stood up and ran to the window to see the explosion at the front gate. However, before he could look out the window, the outer wall of the office exploded.
Booom!
A second explosion.
A massive arrow made of magic cut through the marble wall like it was a piece of paper. The arrow, which had easily destroyed the outer wall of the building, was engraved with intermediate explosion magic.
Booom!
"Kyaaaaaah!"
The two merchants and Slogg, who were caught up in the aftermath of the explosion, fell to the floor.
Crash!
Thud!
Dust fell to the floor.
Explosions. Heat. Screams. A rising sense of danger.
They were in the land of business, but it felt as if they had suddenly been thrown into the middle of a battlefield.
Slogg lifted himself, breathing heavily. He ran towards the destroyed outer wall.
A sharp wind swept by, making Slogg's gray hair blow in the wind. He looked out towards the main gate, where the explosion came from. When he looked down, all he could do was swear.
"Y-you…unhinged…bastard…"
He'd heard rumors that he was a ruffian, but there was a limit. Oldek was a central city in the Kroel Empire, and the Elte Company was the largest business in Oldek.
No matter how famous and powerful Slogg may be, there was still a limit to how much he could get away with.
Far away, at the main gate of the Elte Company, he could see Ed Rothstaylor standing there with a bow. He was standing on top of a carriage that had the seal of his House on the side.
There was nothing more to see. With the sun high in the sky, there were so many eyes looking his way, yet he still shot a magic power arrow engraved with an explosion spell towards the Elte Company's building.
Near the main gate, several vassals accompanied Ed Rothstaylor and stood by his side, holding weapons.
Ed stood in the center of them, preparing another arrow. Ed was completely emotionless, making Slogg's skin crawl. He looked as if he were doing something normal like it was a regular occurrence for him.
"Th-that bastard… How is he going to clean this mess up?! Without any legitimate reason, he completely destroyed the wall of the Elte Company building…!"
Meanwhile, Ed Rothstaylor had already finished preparing his next arrow. He was aiming at the roof of the building.
The first was at the main gate, the second was at Slogg's office, and the last was at the company roof—to prevent any casualties.
His intentions were clear.
"Get down…! Another is coming!"
Booom!
The entire building shook as the sound of the panicking employees filled Slogg's ears.
"Wh-what is he doing?! How is he going to take care of this…? Th-that…bastard! Has he really lost his mind?!"
Everyone who passed by the company had their eyes wide open, unsure of what was going on.
The Elte Company's Headquarters, which was the largest and grandest building in Oldek, was now in terrible condition. The rising smoke and dust only added to the seriousness of the situation.
Pat, pat.
Holding his bow with one hand, he patted the hem of his shirt with the other.
It was an incredibly well-made bow, but there were many things he had adjusted. He threw the tobacco he had been smoking onto the street.
He then instructed the vassals who were waiting by his side, "Go in."
As soon as the order was issued, the vassals rushed into the building with spears in hand.
-x-X-x-
Side Story 17: Two-Arm Scale (8)
After showing them the letter confirming the authority Ed Rothstaylor had lent her, Bell Maya was quickly escorted by a government employee to the reception room reserved for distinguished guests.
Bell sat in the room holding Lortel's hand tightly, while paying close attention to everything around her.
With the vassals being sent to the Elte Company to help Ed, she was the only one protecting Lortel. Since they could be attacked at any given moment, she could never lower her guard.
"I have heard rumors of the famous vassal of the Rothstaylor Estate that takes care of its internal management on her own. Since the young master of House Rothstaylor has lent you his authority, it seems the rumors were true. You have risen to the position of a mistress of the mansion, despite being a commoner."
An elderly gentleman entered through the doors, speaking in a calm voice.
"It's an honor to finally be able to meet the person who has such impressive rumors going around about them."
He wore a merchant cap, monocle, and perfectly sized shirt and pants. He wore a navy blue coat over the outfit. His appearance looked both elegant and sophisticated, even his gray hairs suited him perfectly.
The director of Oldek's Government Office, which was directly connected to the Empire's Capital, Might.
"Rumors always tend to be exaggerated. It's an honor to meet you, Director Might."
Bell wasn't a vassal of House Rothstaylor, but rather an employee that was hired on. She also wasn't born a commoner. She was born to House Flanchel.
However, it couldn't be helped that such details were skewed because of the rumors.
"I'm surprised. You are much younger and more beautiful than I expected. As you are a messenger of House Rothstaylor, you should be treated accordingly. But I must ask, who is that cute child next to you?"
Bell remembered Ed's instructions as she carefully spoke in a quiet voice.
"This is Lady Lortel, an important guest who is currently being entrusted to House Rothstaylor."
Director Might was more knowledgeable than anyone else about the power dynamics within Oldek. There was no chance that he wouldn't recognize that name.
At first, he thought it was some kind of bad joke. He could only smile awkwardly. However, when Bell's expression did not change, his own slowly began to harden.
Lortel held onto Bell's arm tightly, looking anxiously back and forth between Might and Bell.
Might's expression slowly began to harden.
"There is much to explain. But most importantly, I came to tell you that you will soon need my help, Director."
Bell took the initiative in the conversation. Might was clearly shaken by the sudden situation, but as he listened to Bell, he slowly regained his composure.
Bell glanced at the clock and said, "Before I start explaining the situation to you, it is best you quickly continue with your proper procedures in preparation for a valuable guest. As you do that, I will explain."
* * *
Booom!
The vassals of House Rothstaylor broke down the wooden doors of the building and stormed into the lobby.
Meanwhile, another magic power arrow was sent flying into Slogg's office. Each arrow was like a massive bomb.
"Ahh, shit…!"
Slogg shouted at the two other merchants who were there with him, but they were too shocked to think straight.
"We need to go downstairs, now! All the way underground!"
"Slogg Keldricks!"
Puelann was stuck to the floor. He could barely control his body. He was one of the Six Head Merchants, and the one in charge of the distribution of minerals in the southern part of the empire. Slogg clenched his teeth as he grabbed Puelan's arm, helping him up.
Meanwhile, Kaldeheim quickly managed to stand up on his own.
"This isn't what you said! You said Ed Rothstaylor would be cautious in how he attacks us…!"
"Let's talk about what's right and wrong later!" Slogg yelled with a frown on his face.
It was certainly different than he had anticipated. He knew that Ed Rothstaylor's strength and influence could not be looked down on. Nevertheless, Slogg was able to act strongly against him because he knew his tendencies.
However, seeing him blatantly attacking the company without caring for the aftermath was the exact opposite of what he had anticipated.
Even though he was protected by the imperial family and the saint, it was completely irrelevant to having any justification or grounds to act like he was.
To cut the neck of a famous and innocent merchant without any legitimate reasons… While he could do it, there would be a significant negative impact on his reputation. It would be a great shame to House Rothstaylor's name, which had only recently begun recovering and growing in power.
Not only that, Ed Rothstaylor was a teacher. If public opinion of him deteriorated and his reputation was destroyed, so was his career. The image of a ruffian who casually used violence was fatal to an instructor.
Ed Rothstaylor was a man who had a lot of fame. That meant there was a lot he had to lose. He wasn't someone that could act recklessly. He could only move within the bounds of the law in an appropriate manner.
That was why Slogg was confident that he could drag him into his own battlefield. A world hidden in the dark, filled with backstabbing and scheming. A world where eyes wouldn't focus on Ed Rothstaylor, which could potentially harm his reputation.
Ed Rothstaylor hadn't broken any laws in the past. That was why Slogg was so confident. But…despite everyone's eyes gathering towards him, he was acting as if he didn't care.
What he was doing was the exact opposite of Slogg's analysis of Ed Rothstaylor's actions and tendencies.
"I told you that I put everything into you! What is this…?!"
"It's not that I didn't assume the worst situation either! In the basement of this building is a means to extinguish this fire."
Slogg threw his coat aside as he rolled up his sleeves.
"Puelan, Kaldeheim. You two run underground and grab the supplies from the B-3 warehouse. They're too valuable to leave in the hands of the regular employees."
"Wh-what is it?"
Whatever the case, Puelan and Kaldeheim had already bet everything on Slogg. Through thick and thin, they had to stick to Slogg's side.
"It's something that can overcome this situation. Ed Rothstaylor's purpose is to catch me, so I'll try to stall for time while you two run downstairs."
Kaldeheim swallowed his dry saliva as he looked out the broken exterior wall.
Ed Rothstaylor was standing on the roof of a carriage behind the iron gates of the Elte Company. Seeing Ed slowly step down and walk towards the Elte Company, putting his bow aside and patting his clothes, made him completely terrified.
Mercenaries were guarding the interior of the building, but he was sure that they wouldn't be able to stop him from entering.
"Two people are necessary to bring it. Since we're all on the same boat, cast aside your useless thoughts and come back right away."
Slogg gritted his teeth as he spoke. Puelan and Kaldeheim nodded, breaking out into a cold sweat. They then quickly ran out of the office.
There was no retreat. With Ed chasing after them, there was no point in running away. They needed to find a solution.
* * *
As I entered the lobby of the Elte Company's Headquarters, I saw various merchants who had been overpowered. They lay down on the floor, completely defeated. Some seemed unsure if it was a dream or reality.
They could never have imagined that in the middle of Oldek, the heart of the Empire, there would be such destruction at the headquarters of the Elte Company, the biggest company in Oldek.
It wasn't hard to overpower the merchants. Since they want to keep their lives, they wouldn't fight back much in the first place.
The problem was the mercenaries who signed contracts to protect Elte's headquarters and branches.
"Wh-what's happening…? I-it's him…!"
"R-run! We're being attacked!"
Mercenaries who had been on guard outside and upstairs began to gather in the lobby, shock on their faces.
Daggers, swords, crossbows, wands…they were holding various weapons. However, it wasn't easy for them to attack us.
That was because they were unsure of how to react upon seeing the symbol on my chest.
"Wh-what are you doing?!" A merchant, who was lying on his stomach, shouted in fear. "S-Shouldn't you be making time for us to escape?!"
They were trusting their lives to the mercenaries. Since they signed a contract with the Elte Company, it was only right for the mercenaries to protect the Elte Company—no matter who the opponent was.
The mercenaries rushed in, shouting in unison.
Fwooosh!
I concentrated magic power into one hand, casting all of the mercenaries aside with beginner wind magic.
I didn't want to hurt them more than necessary, so I lowered my strength as much as I could. Either way, my goal was Slogg. It was better for me if they chose to run away rather than fight.
Gathering magic power in my body, I started to use Elementalism.
Fwooosh!
Like I told the vassals in advance, they quickly pushed everyone in the building into the hallways.
The large amount of magic power that filled the lobby started to get bigger and bigger. It began to tear apart the ceiling and destroy the pillars.
Merchants and mercenaries fell to the floor, their eyes wide open. After gathering my spiritual resonance, I cast it outside.
Fwooosh!
Suddenly, a giant lizard's eyes looked inside the building from the main gate. From the lobby, all you could see was its massive eyes. That was because the lizard was larger than the entire building itself. The scorching heat was a characteristic of that fire spirit.
The sound of burning flames spread throughout the building…
The high-ranking fire spirit, Takan.
A high-ranking fire spirit that a large number of mid-rank magicians would fail at even scratching its skin.
Not only the merchants of the Elte Company, but even the passersby around the building started to scream and run. It was like a bomb had exploded in the middle of the city. The sheer size of a high-ranking spirit was enough to make people run away in fear.
"Sh-shit…! Wh-what…the hell…!"
The mercenaries began to panic. Their bodies began to tremble, unable to stand back up. They could either face an opponent they could never win against or run away.
"Th-the back gate… Run towards the back gate!"
Those who chose their lives over their pride as a mercenary ran away.
The merchants watched them run away, dumbfounded. At the same time, they couldn't blame them. That was because they knew that if they were in the same position, they would also run away.
The mercenaries no longer even thought of stopping the vassals I had brought with me. They simply clenched their teeth, running away. They likely had never imagined seeing a high-ranking spirit in the middle of the city.
"First, we need to find Lienna. I will chase after Slogg myself," I ordered my vassals.
Lortel's chief secretary, Lienna Clemson, was probably being detained by Slogg. From what I know, Lienna would not betray Lortel.
However, Slogg had said he found information about Lortel from Lienna herself. Whether he tortured her or used blackmail, he surely did something cruel to force Lienna to open her mouth.
He definitely kept Lienna within his reach. I was sure that if we scoured the building, we would find Lienna.
After the vassals responded in unison, they ran around the building searching for her. I gathered magic power once more, destroying the lobby's ceiling with the intermediate fire magic, Point Explosion.
I had no intention of wasting any time. We were in the middle of the city. The longer I dragged things out, the worse it would get. I needed to finish things in twenty minutes.
The hole in the ceiling made from the explosion led to the upper floors of the building, all the way to Slogg's office.
The merchants were completely overpowered and lost all sense of fighting spirit. The mercenaries had also fled to save their lives.
There was still some time left before the government office heard of the situation and intervened.
I cast wind magic, jumping up to the very top of the building. Slogg was a merchant. He was not capable of fighting. In a situation where one must fight for their life, he was not even an opponent.
When I jumped up to reach Slogg's office, the only thing I found was a destroyed wall and an open door leading to the hallway. He must have run out into the hallway from there.
I ran out through the open door, looking down the hallway. At the end of the hallway, I saw Slogg running away for dear life. I gathered magic power at the tip of my fingers. It wasn't regular magic power. It was Celestial Magic Power.
Celestial Magic, Forced Collection.
Celestial Magic had the characteristic of being completely irrational. The moment something was in my sight, I could force it to come towards me without any way to stop it.
As I cast my spell, Slogg was suddenly forced back over to me despite having run far away.
"Aghhh!
I then grabbed him by the collar, shoving him into the wall.
Crash!
Thud!
"Argh!"
Slogg fell onto the floor as he cried out in pain. However, in that short period of time, Slogg pulled out a magic engineering device from his pocket. It was a shock-wave emitter.
Since merchants normally didn't have combat abilities, they held onto magically engineered devices for self-defense. However, I was already well aware of that.
Unfortunately for him, magic engineering was my specialty. I had already made the device that Slogg pulled out hundreds of items. All I needed to do was stare at the device to cut its internal magic power circuit. That was because I could clearly see the internal structure of the device.
Click, clunk.
"Th-this damn thing… Why isn't it working…?! This…cost me so much…!"
I grabbed the device Slogg was holding, throwing it aside. The device then broke into pieces as it rolled across the floor. Slogg looked up at me. He quickly tried to move away from me, but the wall was stopping him.
Though struggling, Slogg spoke with a smirk on his face. "Young Master Ed… You're making a mistake right now."
I remained quiet.
"You may think that I am terrified and in a panic to fix this situation, but let me tell you something. Honest to god, this isn't even something I need to worry about. So, take your vassals and leave. Can't you see that this isn't going to help Lortel Kehelland? This is only going to hurt her in the long run."
Slogg clenched his teeth as he raised his voice.
"Didn't Lortel tell you already? A battle between merchants is a battle of justification and legitimacy."
I continued to listen to him without saying a word.
"For you to use force to push me aside and hurt me, do you really think this will help Lortel Kehelland…? Do you think the other merchants here are going to follow her? Unfortunately, they won't. Rather, they will only be in constant fear of her, as you may show up at any given moment."
Slogg slowly stood up with his hands against the wall. All he could do was run that tricky mouth of his.
Slogg was a merchant who made a living with that mouth, after all.
"Merchants are people that act on efficiency and rationality. They may lower their heads as if they follow Lortel at first, but they will soon realize that this isn't a business based on economic logic and rationality. Rather, it is a business based on power and fear."
Merchants acted on money, not on power. While the two were together often, they were fundamentally different.
"How long do you think the merchants will continue to follow Lortel when she only has House Rothstaylor's prestige backing her? It won't take long before crucial personnel choose to leave. They need a leader that is good in business, not one who reigns with political power and force."
Lortel's efforts to make a deal with the Holy Father Building was a move to win over the merchants of the Elte Company. After all, it was a place where merchants gathered to make money. The best way to win them over was with 'business.' So, once the deal was set, she would have a leash on them.
"If you kill me now, I will be remembered as the innocent merchant who was killed by House Rothstaylor, forced to leave my position unfairly. And Lortel will be remembered as the one who was at fault. The one who claimed her seat through force."
"Is this really what you want? Is this something you can handle? Something like this… It's totally basic. I thought you would know at least this much."
Seeing me stay silent until the very end, Slogg began to speak more drastically.
"I thought you would know better than others that power earned without justification and legitimacy will eventually collapse… I never imagined you would end up making the worst possible decision. But it's not too late…"
"Slogg Keldricks."
I gathered magic power into my hand as I brought it to his face. Slogg gulped down on his dry saliva.
"The one without justification is you."
"What…? What are you saying…? I took the position of the Golden King Elte fairly and…"
"You said it yourself, merchants only care about gold coins."
There were a few things that Slogg had said that were true to some extent, but there's no chance that I didn't think about them in advance.
"Do you think they'll recognize a man who tried to ruin a massive project for the Elte Company just to protect their position as the Head?"
"…Are you talking about the deal with the Holy Father Building?"
Slogg lowered his head as he laughed in vain.
"That hasn't even been approved yet…. You think you can act like this just because of something that hasn't even come to fruition yet?"
The deal with the Holy Father Building Lortel was working on hadn't fully come to light yet.
Rather, it wasn't the time to talk about it coming to light. After all, I had only promised to connect Lortel with the Holy Father Building.
No one could guarantee that it would develop into a proper deal.
"Even if she's in contact with the Holy Father Building, until that deal is made, it holds no political significance. And there's no sign of it being made anytime soon. Do you think us merchants will believe in something without a visible contract as proof?"
"Even if I guarantee it myself?
"I know the power of House Rothstaylor, but your voice alone cannot influence the entire Holy Capital Karpea.
No matter how powerful a duke was, they couldn't move the entire Empire alone. There was no way that Slogg wouldn't know that. That was why Slogg kept trying to convince me otherwise. He was no idiot. He was well aware that Lortel had no real justification for dragging Slogg down.
"I'm sorry, but the Holy Father Building and the Elte Company have already finished a contract. However, you burned it up. To keep your position, you were willing to burn the Elte Company's profits. Even if that might not be true, that's what we'll say."
"Slander. That's a decent strategy but… Even if you say that yourself, no merchant will believe it."
"Yes, you are right. Slogg Keldricks."
Slogg grunted in pain despite the grin on his face. At the moment, it was clear that we didn't have any justification to drag Slogg down.
"Which is why we need to have someone who is even more influential than me say it."
Slogg laughed as he listened to me. He slowly lifted his head, and his eyes widened. However, after thinking for a moment… he let out a quiet, trembling voice.
"What…did you do…?"
* * *
Slam!
An employee stormed into the room, quickly apologizing. That was because they had to meet with the director urgently, despite him being in a meeting.
The director, who had been talking with Bell, listened to the quiet whispers of the employee.
The director's eyes started to widen. As he listened to the employee, he stared at Bell. Bell sat there quietly, closing her eyes.
Director Might quickly stood up from his seat as he flipped through the various reports in the desk drawer.
It was a list of official meetings scheduled with various influential figures in the empire. It was reported to him every morning, but as he looked down at one of the papers, he began to wipe his eyes in disbelief.
Bell, who was watching him, then began to speak slowly. "It seems an important guest is coming."
Bell remembered the question Ed had asked Tanya.
"If we send a letter to the Holy Capital Karpea now, how long do you think it will take to arrive?"
The Holy Father Building publicly announced the Saint's schedule every month.
As the Saint was someone who was praised and treated highly by the people in the Holy Capital, her schedule was publicly announced…and she was always accompanied by escorts.
That was why most people in their line of work were at least somewhat aware of Saint Clarice's schedule.
"This is…"
Merchants called Saint Clarice a "walking city." Wherever she went, large crowds of believers followed. They all crowded her, praying to hear advice or even just a word from her mouth. Crowds that were large enough to fill three to four large squares in the biggest of cities.
There was no one in this world who had enough influence to casually ask such a Saint to go somewhere.
But the Saint was coming to the city of Oldek herself, completely disregarding her official schedule… He couldn't believe that fact in the slightest.
When he woke up that morning, it was like a bomb had suddenly been dropped on the city he was in charge of.
In the silent reception room, only Lortel, who was unable to grasp the situation, was looking around with a puzzled expression on her face.
-x-X-x-
Side Story 18: Two-Arm Scale (9)
It was a memory from her childhood that Lortel wanted to forget.
A girl walked down the streets of a slum, holding onto her adoptive father's hand as she entered a grand and large building.
Walking into the lobby of the large building, she saw merchants all over the place, murmuring to themselves.
She was the adopted daughter of Elte Kehelland, the Golden King.
The girl he adopted to become his right hand.
People said that after she was taught numbers, she learned multiplication and division on her own.
She was shown the ledgers of the company. Just two days later, she had completely mastered the double-entry bookkeeping method.
When shown the analysis of market trends, she came up with a new business plan within the week. Her idea was even used in the actual business plan.
Elte Kehelland, her adoptive father. He was the one who received the attention and respect of all merchants. He had brought her along with him and taught her the ways of a merchant for a few weeks.
One day, when Elte Kehelland brought her to the office, all the other merchants and employees lined up and bowed.
The head of bookkeeping, management, finances, trends, market analysis…
Lortel watched as countless talented and respected individuals with outstanding abilities in their respective fields bowed their heads to greet Elte. To Lortel, it looked like a faraway dream she could only hope to one day reach.
He introduced each person to Lortel, sincerely telling them that she would one day be one of the key people in charge of the company. In that amicable atmosphere, Lortel learned how to fake a smile. Even though she was inexperienced at wearing a mask, she adapted surprisingly quickly.
After walking down and meeting each experienced veteran of the company, they finally reached Slogg Keldricks, who lowered his head toward them.
"This is Slogg, the man I have been working with the longest. He has always assisted me in everything I did. He is not only the one I trust the most but also one of the most capable people there is."
Elte Kehelland spoke with a greedy smile on his face.
"There is still much you need to learn, Lortel, but as your father there is only so much I can do. I hope that, in the future, Slogg will also be of great help to you."
"That goes without saying," Slogg said.
After a brief exchange of words, Elte and Lortel entered the office. Lortel turned around for a moment, looking at Slogg's expression. He had an extremely cold look on his face.
"Listen, Lortel. The senior employees you just met are the ones you should be most wary of."
Unlike when he closed the door, with a satisfied smile on his face, Elte Kehelland now had a cruel and unfriendly expression on it.
"Once you live in this world for long enough, you will naturally realize these things. You must not trust anyone. Even with your closest partner, you've worked with for decades. They're all greedy bastards, waiting for the chance to stab a knife into your back. All they think about is stealing your wealth. Bastards filled with jealousy and greed…"
A place where trust was nothing more than a sin, especially for those seated at the top of the Elte Company.
Those merchants she met when she was a child were individuals who were covered with scars from their countless failures. No matter how hard they tried to climb up the chain, they failed. Their position was proof that they could not make it any higher.
"With all of those new faces that join the Elte Company, that is the first thing we teach them. You can't trust anyone. Friends, peers, family, even teachers. Everyone in this world is alone. You can never trust another. There is no such thing as a relationship based on honesty and kindness. Man is a creature that was born to weigh the pros and cons."
A large picture of a two-arm scale was on the wall in the office. It was like the symbol of the Elte Company.
Normally, it was a symbol of justice, fairness, and truth. However, among the employees of the Elte Company, it was a symbol of hypocrisy and deceit.
Looking up at the large two-arm scale, Elte Kehelland spoke.
"There's no such thing as a perfectly balanced two-arm scale. You must always remember that fact."
His voice was heavy.
* * *
The Elte Company's main building was already in a state of chaos.
From the outside, you could see smoke pouring out of the destroyed building. It was a sight that was hard to believe.
The Elte Company's headquarters had always been there. It was only natural. Like the Emperor's Castle in the Capital, the watchtower in Silvenia Academy, and the Holy Father Building in the Holy City, it was like a landmark that had always been there.
The sight of the building as a complete wreck was hard to believe. At the very least, that was how it seemed to the citizens of Oldek.
The appearance inside the building was not much different from the outside.
The lobby on the first floor was filled with debris that had crashed down. Merchants were running away as the walls and ceiling collapsed. Countless people were in a hurry, taking care of themselves.
House Rothstaylor's vassals were searching throughout the building. Merchants were running away, trying to survive. Among them, a few veterans were trying to come up with the best plan of action for their own benefit.
Puelan and Kaldeheim, who were both completely on Slogg's side, were running underground.
The other merchants of Oldek were trying to figure out the situation that was taking place in the Elte Company and getting help.
Chief Secretary Lienna opened her eyes in a dark room.
Slogg, the current head of the company, was trembling in front of Ed Rothstaylor. Ed Rothstaylor, the one at the center of this situation, was quietly holding Slogg up by his collar.
Slam!
However, Slogg didn't get caught. He had a hidden magic engineering device in his back pocket. With a loud explosion, Slogg fell onto the floor.
Crank!
Ed Rothstaylor was a master of magic engineering. Just by looking at the device, he could quickly identify and neutralize the internal structure. That was why Slogg had triggered the explosive device while it was still in his pocket.
Booom!
"Ackkk!"
A sharp pain came over his body. Slogg had fallen downstairs, rolling onto the floor. He could barely raise his body from the dust. He had the bitter taste of iron in his mouth. Still, he was able to distance himself from Ed Rothstaylor.
Slogg ran down the hall with a limp.
Ed jumped down the hole in the floor. He slowly turned his head towards Slogg, who was running away.
Even for a warrior, let alone a merchant, it wouldn't have been easy to withstand such an explosion. Nevertheless, Slogg continued to flee. Ed Rothstaylor made his way through the dust in pursuit.
Slogg struggled to make his way across the hall with his injured body. He continued to limp with his hands against the wall. As he ran away, he would knock down pieces of furniture and decorations to hinder Ed Rothstaylor's pursuit. However, for Ed Rothstaylor, such things couldn't be considered an obstacle. With just a small amount of magic power, he was able to send all of them out the window.
"Huff… Huff… Huff…!"
Slogg was well aware of the fact that Ed Rothstaylor could easily catch him. He could never outrun that man.
Ed Rothstaylor was taking his time as he simply walked over to where Slogg was. He needed to determine who was behind Slogg.
Rather than destroying Slogg, he intended to get rid of that person instead—and with them, the reason Slogg could act so confidently. To do that, he needed to figure out who Slogg was relying on.
With that in mind, Slogg had no choice but to run away with all his might. Reaching the end of the hallway, he came across a flight of stairs. He quickly ran down the stairs before twisting his ankle and rolling down the rest of the way.
Slogg clenched his teeth and groaned. It seemed as if his body was going to collapse at any given moment. He looked up at the top of the stairs to see Ed Rothstaylor slowly walking down towards him.
The murderer and the victim. The pursuer and the fugitive. The hunter and the game.
"Y-you bastard… Do you really think you can fix everything by acting like this?!" Slogg swore at him, no longer treating Ed Rothstaylor like an aristocrat. "Are you that confident you can get rid of me like this? Do you really think that's going to happen?"
"Like I told you, I have already taken the necessary measures. So just stay still."
"I'm sorry, but you already messed with me, so—!"
Too-too-too-toom!
Suddenly a loud trumpet was heard from outside the walls of the collapsed stairwell.
It was the ceremonial music that Oldek's Government Office prepared for distinguished guests. The moment he heard it, Slogg looked outside with trembling eyes.
Looking beyond the broken wall, he could see the large iron gate of the Elte Company. There was a magnificent carriage of the Holy Father Building. All of the residents of Oldek who were present were in complete shock, their eyes wide open.
The same was true of Slogg. He stuck his head out of the wall, staring at the scene taking place outside.
It was the carriage of the Holy Father Building's Saint, a person that was difficult to ever meet in one's lifetime.
"This…is…crazy…"
Too-toot.
Boom! Boom!
The carriage slowly approached as the loud musical performance continued. Then, it parked upon reaching the Elte Company.
The number of people in front of the main gate of the building was massive. With the sudden appearance of a saint, the already chaotic scene fell further into chaos.
The door of the carriage opened…and Clarice, the Saint of the Holy Father Building, appeared.
She was a human who was treated like a divine being descended from heaven. If expressed through colors, she would be pure white.
White hair, white clothes, white skin. She also had red eyes and a red butterfly hairpin.
The way she gently stepped down the stairs of the carriage was like a beautiful butterfly landing on a flower petal.
This was truly Saint Clarice. No one would dare impersonate her—doing such a thing would be a death sentence.
She stepped off the stairs, delicately putting her feet on the ground.
Familiar faces stepped down behind her—Bell Maya, the head maid of House Rothstaylor, and the young Lortel, who was clenching Bell's hand, followed by numerous escorts from the Holy Father Building.
Seeing them, he pieced together what happened. The reason Saint Clarice suddenly showed up was because of Ed Rothstaylor. Upon seeing his vassal Bell Maya, it was a natural conclusion to come to.
Ed Rothstaylor had sent Bell Maya to the government office in advance to finish the preparations so that Saint Clarice would be guided to the Elte Company.
However, how was such a plan realistic? No one in the world could have thought to bring the Holy Saint Clarice directly to the Elte Company.
"Why do you think Saint Clarice came to the headquarters of the Elte Company? Ed Rothstaylor spoke as he looked down at Slogg in the stairwell. "She's here to approve the contract that was in the works with the Elte Company. However, she's finding the Elte Company in chaos instead."
She was never in talks over such a contract. Nevertheless, if Saint Clarice were to say as much, it would become true.
There was no other viable reason for her to travel such a long distance. The distance between the Elte Company and the Holy Father Building was great, and there was no particular relationship between the two.
There was no better way to prove that there were talks of a deal between the Elte Company and the Holy Father Building other than the Saint's appearance.
It was only a matter of time before Slogg would be seen as ruining the contract between the Elte Company and the Holy Father Building for his personal interests.
Too-too-too-toom!
The grand trumpet let out a triumphant blast, as if declaring Slogg's defeat.
Justification—the last card Slogg had up his sleeve disappeared.
"I hope the person behind you has more authority than the Saint of the Holy Father Building," Ed Rothstaylor said calmly as he slowly descended the stairs. "Otherwise… you won't be able to keep your position much longer."
He wasn't speaking out of confidence, nor was he ridiculing him. He was just stating the facts.
But what was the point of saying that? When it came to the number of people who had more authority than the Saint of the Holy Father Building, there were only a few.
Slogg lowered his voice as he looked at the Saint from the broken outer wall. "Yeah… with the Saint personally coming here like this, there's nothing I can say… Not only that, but Lortel Kehelland is now in a perfect position to become head of the company without any repercussions…"
Then, as if in vain, he turned back to look at Ed as he spoke. "Haha… Yes, you must be curious as to who is behind me…"
He put his back against the wall as he exhaled heavily. It was the appearance of a rat that was pushed to a corner.
Slogg slowly raised his lips as he bled. The sound of his bitter laughter was mixed with groans of pain. He looked despondent and exhausted.
"Huff… Huff…" Slogg breathed heavily. He then raised his back as he spoke. "Do you think I'll tell you that easily?!"
Boom!
At that moment, Slogg's last magically engineered device exploded.
By triggering another explosion despite the miserable state of his body, he was clearly risking his life.
Nevertheless, Slogg was ready to embrace the explosion and used the device without hesitation. He descended to the lowest floor of the Elte Company.
* * *
Dust rose all around.
It was a sudden explosion, but I didn't suffer any damage due to quickly casting defensive magic.
I fell to the bottom floor of the building with Slogg but landed safely, patting the dust off of my clothes. When the rising dust started to fade… I saw Slogg lying there in a completely battered state.
His gray hair was a mess and his face was covered in blood. Because of the explosion, his body was burnt all over. His uniform was completely ruined, no longer the luxurious item it once was.
Looking around, I could see that it used to be a conference room of sorts. There were several tables lined up, but because of the explosion, more than half were blown away.
Once the dust had completely settled and I could get a full look at Slogg…I could only frown.
"Keuk… H-heuk…"
There was an iron bar that had gone through his waist. It had completely gone through him due to the impact of the fall. It seemed to be a piece of debris, fallen from the outer wall or ceiling as it collapsed.
He bled onto the floor.
Slogg forced himself to sit up with an unbelievable amount of tenacity, trying to pull the iron bar out. However, unable to gather any strength to do so, he eventually lowered his hands.
"K-keuk… Huff… Heuk… Ha…hahaha…"
He was breathing heavily, completely exhausted. Despite that fact, he suddenly started to laugh. He tried to stand up and walk away, but he only fell on top of the tables.
He grabbed the iron bar stuck in him, but couldn't pull it out. He put his hand on the table to lean against it, but slipped on his own blood, falling back down onto the ground.
Nevertheless, he continued to stumble forward and stand up again and again, even though he knew there was no point.
"For now… I need to run… I need time…need time to figure out what happened…and help… I need to get help… K-keuk…"
I didn't have a single scratch on my body as I stood behind Slogg, looking down at him.
Slogg was in terrible condition. At that moment, I could completely end his life if I wanted to. But I didn't move.
"D-don't come any closer…! L-leave me alone…! K-keuk…!"
Slogg barely stood up by clutching the table with his trembling hands. He continued to shout at me, unable to control his trembling body.
"I-I'm sorry…! Yeah… I didn't imagine you would use such violent means…but…just give me some time, and…"
"Slogg Keldricks."
"Y-yeah…! Y-you can't touch me! D-do you know who is behind me?! Do you think I would have gone to the Rothstaylor Estate like that without insurance?! I survived here in Oldek for decades! Do you think you know more than me?!"
I was quiet as I watched him.
"You think this is the end?! I can assure you, if you touch me here…you'll regret it…!"
Slogg didn't have any more room to step back in retreat. Blood continued to flow from his wound, but he acted as if it didn't matter. Right before he raised his voice once more…
"Let's stop this act already. I did everything you wanted, Slogg," I spoke words that stabbed him through his heart.
Seeing Slogg suddenly stop speaking, I slowly continued to speak.
"I know that there isn't actually anyone behind you. You did this all on your own."
Slogg remained still for some time, his expression grave. Looking at me, he began to cough up some more blood. He started to laugh as if he knew his end was near.
"Is that so…? So you knew everything from the start…"
He started coughing again.
"I thought it was strange as well… Keuk… Heuk…"
Then, Slogg lost all strength in his body as he collapsed onto the table. His whole body was covered in injuries and his clothes were torn apart.
Covered in his own blood with eyes losing their tenacity, he looked more like a beggar on the street than the wealthy merchant he used to be.
-x-X-x-
Side Story 19: Two-Arm Scale (10)
"It's been a long time since the Golden King Elte left this world. It's about time to get rid of the name 'Elte Company'…"
Slogg remembered the declaration he had made in that same conference room.
It was now time to carry out that resolution.
"The sun…is so bright."
It was a voice that occasionally lost strength. Slogg struggled to speak, holding onto the table with a pale complexion.
Slogg closed his eyes as he spoke quietly, "Yeah… Whatever the case… The sun will always rise. The days of Elte Kehelland are gone, so it's now time for the old generation to leave."
He seemed to be acknowledging that the next head of the company was to be Lortel Kehelland.
His calm felt completely unnatural. The wealthy merchant who had once struggled for survival by screaming, swearing, and spitting out lies to deceive me… was now whispering.
In that quiet voice, he continued to speak.
"How much do you know, Ed Rothstaylor?"
"I know that you never had the intention of being the head of the company."
"I thought I hid it well, but you're rather quick-witted…I even managed to trick that foxlike Lortel…"
Slogg was a merchant who had survived Oldek for decades. He knew better than anyone else what would happen if one attacked a prestigious aristocratic house.
Nevertheless, he pushed ahead with his ridiculous plan. He tricked everyone, even his closest allies, by claiming that there was "someone behind him" who never actually existed.
With blood pouring from his waist, Slogg opened his eyes again for a moment. As he opened his mouth to speak, blood started to pour out.
"It seems…you have a lot to ask me…"
The blood flowed across the table and then splattered onto the floor.
Throughout the whole ordeal, something strange had been gnawing at the back of my mind. It had taken too long to gather each clue one by one. The pieces had seemed scattered and chaotic. It was no easy task to bring them together and make sense of them. But when I thought back on it… there were quite a few clues I could piece together.
"Ummm… To be honest, it's not an efficient spell. There are too many things to prepare, and there are many conditions to use it… Though, I'm sure you know those basic details already…"
"In any case, it doesn't seem like her life is in any danger."
What Lucy had said after looking at Lortel's curse…
Why use such a non-dangerous and inefficient curse to suppress Lortel? There were so many more certain and effective ways to silence her, such as assassination and kidnapping.
"Did he just come here to provoke us? Why did he come all the way here? He could have just written to us…?"
"But we won't just give her up. Slogg should know that as well, so why did he come so far…?"
These were the questions Tanya had after Slogg had come all the way to the Rothstaylor Estate.
Why go to the enemy camp to provoke us as if to make it obvious that he was the enemy? There was no reasonable return for such a risk.
Not only that, but it was the same even after arriving at Oldek. I had Bell stay next to Lortel to protect her, but Slogg took no action to secure her himself. Despite knowing that Lortel was unable to do anything, he didn't try and do anything against her, like claiming embezzlement.
It seemed reasonable to take action only after confirming that Lortel was incapacitated. It seemed as if he was, strangely enough, taking his time… As if he was waiting for something.
All of his seemingly contradictory actions eventually led me to ask one question.
"There is only one thing I haven't figured out. Why would you suddenly act like this? You are a veteran merchant of Oldek… So why would you do something so reckless?"
To keep his fellow merchants and allies on his side? To make sure they never doubted his actions?
Slogg smiled at my words. "I can't say… I…am just trying to end my generation."
He looked up at the bright blue sky. He was still laughing, a smile on his face.
"The days of Elte Kehelland, the Golden King, are now over. For decades, I have been helping him on his journey, but now it's time to close the curtains on his stage."
I listened without responding.
"All of the people that Elte left behind, I will take them all with me. Tell Lortel Kehelland that."
His grave tone made it seem as if he had suddenly turned into someone else.
"Congratulations. It is now your time."
The puzzle pieces were falling into place. Slogg Keldricks intended to hand over the seat to Lortel… But he would clean up the remnants of the old generation first.
He gathered everyone in the company who wanted to betray Lortel. He made sure to hold hands with the disloyal Head Merchants before falling into hell together.
The more urgent the situation became, the better. The more Lortel was pushed into a corner, the better it was. If her situation got worse, more people were likely to betray Lortel. Slogg made sure to find every single one who had the possibility of betraying her and bring them to his side.
"I didn't realize you thought that much about Lortel."
"Keuk… That's hilarious. I hate that girl. She's been blessed with money ever since she was a little kid."
Slogg took a quick breath, exhaling deeply, and closed his eyes slowly.
"I've been a middleman all my life. And now… I'm just finishing the job."
Decades before Elte, the Golden King, brought Lortel to the company and raised her to become a merchant, Slogg had been helping Elte as his henchman. That meant he was also part of the inner circle, and watched Lortel grow up.
He had seen the girl from the slums survive under such a strict and cold-blooded merchant, only to be reborn as a merchant herself.
He had seen her try to keep her sense of humanity while being taught the knowledge of a merchant from her father, who never once acted like one.
A girl who started with nothing, struggling to survive… How did Slogg feel about the girl who had survived while working underneath the Golden King? That was something that only Slogg knew.
Slogg had always been a middleman. He had lived his life by fulfilling his duty with his head lowered and knees bent.
"Yeah. I thought it was strange. The moment Ed Rothstaylor, the careful and experienced aristocrat, attacked the headquarters in such a splendid and unpredictable fashion… I should have realized."
Slogg Keldricks hoped to fall to the bottom as splendidly and grandly as possible. Only then would he be able to ensure everyone against Lortel was brought down with him.
This was why the Saint was called before the citizens of Oldek as the Elte Company's building crumbled down.
"I thought it was going to be a slow bureaucratic battle. I never imagined things would wrap up so nicely like this…" He coughed again before he could finish.
What a troublesome man. The fact that he had tried to keep it all secret until the very end…
"If you had been honest with Lortel, you wouldn't have had to endure so much. Since this was all part of her becoming the next head of Elte, she would have cooperated."
"That's something you can say because you don't know the Elte Company," Slogg said. "In the Elte Company, do you know what everyone memorizes like verses from the Bible? From the newly hired to the most executive members?"
Slogg went into another fit of coughs before speaking. "In this world…there's no such thing as a perfectly balanced two-arm scale."
This was what relationships were like. For Lortel to become the new head, he needed to gather everyone against her and have them fall. To do so, he needed Lortel to be completely incapacitated for some time so that he could weed out those who opposed her.
If Slogg had told her that, would Lortel have trusted him and followed along?
"Merchants live an extremely exhausting life."
Even after decades of working together, they still could not trust one another. They tried to stay in each other's good graces, but never truly cared for one another. They were like parallel lines that would never meet. That was why Slogg had moved on his own.
Pretending to support Persica. Pretending to help Dune betray Lortel. Showing his hostility towards Lortel by gossiping with the other merchants. He occasionally expressed his desire to be the new head of the company. He continued to suggest that one day, they would get rid of her.
Perhaps it was after seeing Lortel get rid of Elte Kehelland that he had come up with his plan. The timing seemed to match.
The Elte Company was full of merchants who were like snakes. Even just a moment's hesitation was seen as weakness and would be enough to get yourself betrayed.
He needed to make sure to deceive everyone. That old fox, Slogg Keldricks, was well aware of this.
"You still seem to have a lot to ask…" Slogg struggled to laugh, as his body was in tremendous pain.
"When will Lortel's curse be lifted?"
"The effect will fade soon. One day, she will simply wake up free of the curse."
"Why would you use such a cumbersome curse…?"
"Perhaps…"
From the vacant space in front of the building, we could hear the sounds of people praising the Saint. Slogg listened to them as his eyes closed once again.
"Perhaps I was just a little curious…what that girl was like before becoming a merchant…"
* * *
Puelan and Kaldeheim went into the underground warehouse that Slogg had mentioned.
After kicking the door open, there was only a dark, empty space. They were told that there was definitely a means of overpowering Ed Rothstaylor there, but there was nothing in sight.
At that moment, two strong men hiding in the dark grabbed Puelan and Kaldeheim's arms, bending them back and shoving them to the floor.
The two men who were on Slogg's side were now unable to move thanks to the help of mercenaries hired outside of the Elte Company.
The two merchants were shocked, looking at each other with trembling eyes. They slowly recognized the person who seemed to be in charge of the two mercenaries.
Lortel's chief secretary,Lienna Clemson.
Only at that moment did they realize they had fallen into a trap.
-x-X-x-