Chapter 149

Chapter 149
Chapter 149

Following through on his word, Dominic finished a detailed catalog of his entire fortune and presented it to Lucian.

Whenever a formal signature was required on a deed or ledger, the merchant provided it without the slightest reluctance.

“If there are further requirements, please inform me. I am prepared to comply with your instructions.”

“You are being remarkably helpful. Is this driven by a trader’s sense of honor? The conviction that a pledge, once uttered, must be fulfilled?”

“What honor remains for a man who has discarded his own reputation? I simply possess no remaining ties to the life I left behind.”

At Lucian’s observation, Dominic gave a slow shake of his head, a pained smile touching his lips.

“After masterminding a deception of this scale, returning to a standard life would be an impossibility even with my shackles removed. I would be a magnet for every form of scorn and mockery—to say nothing of the fact that I would struggle to obtain a single crust of bread.”

“So, because the world outside is no longer hospitable, you are turning over your empire to me?”

“Your Highness is the conqueror who skillfully dismantled my gambit. If these riches are fated to crumble in a cellar or be seized by some common mob, I would far prefer to deliver them to the victor as the fruits of his triumph.”

Dominic’s countenance remained entirely tranquil as he spoke.

Lucian was uncertain if the man truly felt such peace or was merely rationalizing his defeat, but the outcome was beneficial regardless. It ensured he could smoothly and comprehensively seize the immense capital Dominic had accumulated.

Even so, the task he had assigned to the various merchant masters—the ‘search for concealed wealth’—did not cease.

The actual existence of further hidden assets was irrelevant; the assignment was a calculated maneuver intended to keep them under his thumb from the beginning.

“Master Hagen, the grain shipment we are securing today strikes me as overpriced. Has the market value truly spiked so drastically since our last transaction?”

“Costs have surged, so it is unavoidable! I am providing this to Your Highness at the absolute thinnest margins imaginable!”

“Is that so? That is regrettable. If prices are climbing while your earnings are shrinking, it must be a heavy strain on your house.”

“I am simply thankful for your patience.”

“By the way, how fares the mission I gave you? I anticipated that at least one crate of gold would have surfaced by this point.”

“…I have not located any gold yet, but upon further reflection, I believe I can squeeze the grain price a bit lower for you.”

The merchant masters, held on a short leash, had no choice but to follow wherever Lucian directed. They were coerced into surrendering the bulk of their inventory at prices near the cost of production, leaving them with only the barest revenue needed to keep their organizations afloat.

Lucian moved the supplies he had obtained at these bargain rates to the settlers from the tribes.

Having traveled from the lands beyond the snowfields with nothing but the rags they wore, they were in desperate want of every basic necessity.

The settlers were moved to tears by the provisions Lucian supplied. These were commodities viewed as incredibly rare in the frozen wastes, yet he distributed them with a lavish hand.

“Every day feels like a fantasy. No, I never witnessed such a life of plenty even in my most hopeful visions.”

“We made the right choice in following the King. Had we remained in the snowfields, we would still be huddled in pelts, chewing on flavorless game.”

“I might have perished before then from a festering wound from the hunt. This is the first time in my existence I have ever received genuine medicine.”

The settlers’ devotion to Lucian climbed to heights never seen before. It was a natural reaction, as he was granting them a standard of living that no one else had ever offered.

Yet, simultaneously, a peculiar sense of doubt began to take root in a corner of their minds.

“But is it truly right for us to keep taking like this? Do we not have to contribute… what is the term… taxes?”

“My thoughts exactly. I fear we will be viewed as leeches at this rate. I am told the original inhabitants are all paying their portion.”

“While the King is acting with such kindness, we must find a way to support ourselves quickly. We cannot lean on the King’s mercy forever.”

Regardless of his status as the King of Prophecy, a single person’s wealth had its boundaries. The general feeling was that Lucian’s charity would not last indefinitely, and they needed to achieve independence before the well ran dry.

It was a noble sentiment, though in reality, the settlers’ anxieties were largely without merit.

‘With the capital I claimed from Dominic, I am not wanting for gold. I might as well spend lavishly to ensure they are properly integrated. Once they are firm, I will be able to harvest several times that investment in short order.’

Lucian was not providing everything for free out of a simple sense of obligation. He fully intended to reap a profit on his expenditure later, so the immediate drain on his treasury did not bother him.

Each of these settlers possessed a physical build and power far exceeding the common citizens of the Empire—every individual was practically on the level of a knight. Whether applied to manual labor or any other task, they were certain to produce more than double the value.

Furthermore, these were folk from the snowfields, where the tradition of the warrior was the standard. Since the notion of being compensated for battle did not even exist to them, he would be able to keep a standing military at a vastly reduced cost for a long duration.

‘At this moment, the goal is investing to cement their loyalty, not collecting taxes. They are the livestock that will soon provide golden eggs; I cannot be so short-sighted by a few silver pieces that I slaughter them now.’

Consequently, Lucian had no issues with his current benevolence for the sake of the years to come.

However, the settlers had no way of grasping their King’s private strategy. Naturally, they strained their minds to prepare for a precarious future.

“How about training as a smith or a woodworker? We have a decent amount of skill crafting blades and raising shelters.”

“Are you joking? You need to be skilled to be a blacksmith or a carpenter.”

“The level of craft here is far too advanced. Everything we have fashioned until now is like a child’s toy compared to this.”

“Then let us attempt to be hunters. If there is one thing we are skilled in, it is the hunt.”

“I have heard the hunting territories are regulated, and you face penalties if you hunt without a permit.”

“You require a permit to hunt? Truly, what a bizarre collection of laws.”

The settlers held intense debates daily, but no practical answer surfaced. No matter what path they considered, their lack of cultural knowledge and technical expertise compared to the Imperial residents made their concepts little more than fantasies.

After weeks of these unproductive gatherings, some settlers grasped the central issue and shouted in exasperation.

“Curse it, we cannot begin anything this way! We have no foundation; we must master the fundamentals first!”

“Master them…? That is it! Let us find someone to instruct us!”

“What?”

“Since it has come to this, let us study under the people who lived here originally. I believe they refer to it as an apprenticeship? They say the practice here is to work for meager wages in exchange for being coached in skills like a student.”

“I have heard of that as well… but will they take us? We are grown, and it is as if they would be coaching their own rivals.”

“Let us simply try asking first. If they turn us away, we will devise another plan then.”

To some, it might have appeared as a degrading request, but to the settlers, it was trivial. In the snowfields, dying because you lacked the nerve to seek guidance was simply a cause for laughter.

The settlers quickly picked spokespeople and dispatched them to the artisans who had established themselves in the land first.

The artisans, upon hearing the settlers’ request, congregated in a state of alarm. They had not anticipated such an inquiry, and the nature of the request itself was completely preposterous to them.

“Friends, have you heard the demand sent by the savages from beyond the snowfields?”

“I have. It is so arrogant I am at a loss for words. To openly demand we teach them our livelihood!”

“Precisely! If they wish to learn a trade, should they not start by bowing? How can they be so presumptuous?”

A trade was a man’s very survival, something that could keep a person fed for a lifetime once perfected. Conversely, instructing others in that trade meant one’s own position would be weakened as the field became crowded.

Naturally, the industry functioned strictly on personal ties and family lines. Without such links, one had to demonstrate immense sincerity and service just to be offered a chance to study.

And yet, they were insisting on being taught with their chins held high, without a hint of modesty?

“This is why savages are beyond hope. They do not even understand the most basic social rules!”

“Is there even a point in having a discussion like this? Let us just say no and send them packing!”

“Tsk, tsk.”

A clicking tongue sounded through the rowdy assembly of artisans. It was Igor, the man who had convened the group and the most seasoned smith among them.

Igor surveyed the room before drumming his fingers on the table.

“Have you all gone mad? Send them packing? Do you still believe this is the same province we used to inhabit?”

“What!?”

“Ninety percent of Asagrim’s residents now consist of people from beyond the snowfields. If you play the arrogant master in front of them, what do you imagine will happen later?”

“This is Asagrim, the Holy Land of the North! If they attempt anything reckless just because they have the numbers…!”

“I do not know what you mean by ‘anything reckless,’ but keep one thing in mind. Every single one of them is a potential buyer. They are not merely outsiders.”

The artisans fell into a hush at the biting reality. No matter how excellent a craftsman’s work was, if there was no one to purchase it, he would go hungry. Even accounting for the items sold to traders for export, the main buyers would ultimately be the inhabitants of the same region.

And yet, they were contemplating isolating and showing disdain toward their main consumer base based on race and roots?

“If it were me, I would not buy a single nail from someone who insulted me like that. You will perish of hunger long before you are run through with a blade.”

“B-but even if we instruct them, nothing changes, does it? Since we are outnumbered, once they master the craft, the power will shift entirely to them.”

“Why do you continue to think so narrowly? Look toward the horizon! Do you honestly believe Asagrim’s growth stops here?”

“What are you implying?”

“Asagrim was already renowned as the Holy Land of the North, but recently its populace, industry, and commerce have all been expanded. Everything that was missing is now present. What do you think comes next?”

It was certain that commoners, who had been cautious until now, would swarm to Asagrim to find a home. Just because the area within the fortifications was occupied did not mean the inhabitants outside would not increase. Great metropolises always spilled past their walls to house a growing crowd.

“In time, the number of buyers will grow past what we can manage by ourselves. We will require students just to keep up with the orders.”

“So you are suggesting we agree to their request now to earn their gratitude in advance?”

“No, I am suggesting we instruct them correctly and form a guild.”

“…!”

“They are all people who lack fundamental knowledge because they have not lived in the Empire for long. If we become their mentors and form a guild, who do you think will hold the seats of power?”

The artisans’ eyes grew wide. As he argued, as the city expanded, the number of craftsmen would naturally rise, and guilds would be established. The command of a guild was usually given to those with the most standing, rather than just raw talent alone.

In other words, if they coached students now, they would be very likely to become the heads of the future organization.

“Our backs are stooping and our vision is failing; how much longer do you believe we can work at our best? It is time we begin cultivating students so we can spend our twilight years in ease.”

“Hmm, you are not mistaken, but…”

“I am concerned about whether they will honor their mentors in our tradition.”

Some artisans agreed with Igor but could not abandon their worry. These were people who currently did not grasp the weight of the trade and were coming to them without proper manners. Once they knew everything, would they not just cast their mentors aside?

“Do not fret. You all know how customs are created, do you not?”

Igor grinned at the other artisans’ fears. People who have labored under the weight of custom once never attempt to stray from them. The reason was basic.

“Once those who toiled as students become masters themselves, they will be the ones most determined to uphold custom.”