Chapter 96

Chapter 96: Gold Rush

Chapter 96. Gold Rush

Stefan poured out his passionate words and only then exhaled to take in the air he had been unable to breathe.
His face was drenched in sweat, and drops of perspiration dripped from his clenched fists.
Herman contemplated Stefan in silence.
Herman Pascal, the man who had acted like a tyrant saying he would whip you if you answered even a single question wrong on an exam, and that you should never let your guard down before a fight.
When he opened his mouth again, this was what he said:
— Then do it that way.
— …Yes?
Stefan blinked like a fool.
He had armed and prepared himself to fight, but had the opponent declared surrender?
— Wait a moment, father. Is it truly going to end in such an anticlimactic way?
— Anticlimactic my ass, what else do you want me to do for you?
— It is suspicious precisely because you are ending it like this. If you are planning to plot behind my back…
— As you said, I am just an old man in the back room. What can that old man do? I told you to do whatever you want.
— You acted as if you were going to devour me if I didn’t yield until now, so why do you permit it now?
Herman looked at him with a pathetic expression and asked:
— Back then, you asked me, didn’t you?
— That is correct.
— That is why I told you to yield.
— What makes this moment any different?
— Back then, you asked for an option as an employee. Now, you notified me as the master of this place.
Herman turned around.
— If the master doesn’t like it, what can I do about it?
Herman said those words and disappeared.
The heavy air settled deep into Stefan’s lungs once more.
— Ha.
Everything felt futile.
As if a massive bomb had dropped nearby and struck against his eardrums, his head spun.
— Master… ho.
Stefan chewed over the words his father had spoken.
Suddenly he saw what was placed on his desk.
Two apples that had rolled after hitting the desk.
Two things to hold.
Yet only one hand to hold them.
— Haha…
An absurd thought suddenly struck him.
No, that was not an absurd thought.
It was the wisest and most brilliant thought that Stefan, who had been tightly bound, could ever have had.
Stefan picked up both apples with both hands.
— My hands… originally there were two, weren’t there?
And he placed the apples back onto his fruit tray.
Everything that had been pressing down on him vanished.
Stefan smiled with a light heart.
— —
Herman left the central headquarters and boarded his carriage.
In that carriage sat a muscular man, a fellow who seemed to double Herman’s body size.
It was Merkat Pascal.
Herman looked at him and said:
— Let’s go home.
— Yes.
Merkat gave the signal to the carriage, and it began to move.
He noticed that Herman was different from usual and asked:
— Did the talk with that bastard younger brother go well?
To Merkat’s question, Herman nodded.
— I don’t like it, but it was satisfactory.
— Well, well! So Stefan will become the president now?
— We need to observe a bit more. If I hand it over to him recklessly, he will become careless.
— Haha! In all my life I never thought I would see the day that idiot was recognized by father.
Merkat laughed heartily, and Herman clicked his tongue.
— Seeing him talk back to his father like that is like watching you, who hit puberty late. Unsatisfactory.
— It’s not puberty, it’s just his natural character. Aren’t all members of the Pascal family like that?
— So you’re fine with that?
It was an inquiring question about whether it was fine to hand over the Pascal Company.
Given that the family business is generally passed down to the eldest son, it was an inevitably awkward situation.
Yet Merkat waved his hand and laughed easily.
— The mercenary company alone is enough for me. I have no head for numbers, you know? I am the body, Stefan is the head. If he handles them for me, my head hurts less, right?
— Is that so?
— Even so, it’s not like I have no greed. Seeing my son, he takes after his mother and seems sharp. If I give him successor education, eventually I’ll have to take it back for myself.
— Do you plan to sabotage him so he can’t even get married?
— Gahaha! I wish there were something to sabotage! He has no eye for women and no charm, it’s pitiful! His mother is even asking young ladies from good families to take care of our younger brother!
It was impossible to tell whether he wanted to steal things from his brother or give them to him.
— Still, if that annoying guy would just step aside, I could live a little better. Father, won’t you do something about it?
Herman shrugged his shoulders.
— I have to discuss it with the master. What would I gain discussing it with you?
— Ha, seeing how this idiot has been using his head lately, intimidation won’t work either. As expected, I have to make my son smart enough to snatch it from him without problems.
Herman let out a chuckling laugh.
Regardless, the succession struggle of the Pascals had ended with this.
And so the carriage advanced once again toward the mansion.
— —
— Did you hear the news?
— Seems you came after hearing about the Dandolo Company.
— That’s right. Who in the world would have known that the Dandolo Company would fall into someone else’s hands?
— Rico Dandolo died, and Henri Dandolo handed everything over. It’s an unprecedented matter.
— The one who received it is that Ferda from the Far East, right? He surely concocted some scheme.
— Suspicions exist, but Henri was famous for disliking his work from the beginning, wasn’t he? The shackle called “Father” was broken, so he gave up the company.
— He gave up too much for that, don’t you think? Why would he give up money to play and eat for life?
— There was definitely some deal between high-ranking individuals.
— Personal connections can’t be ignored either. All those executives agreed unanimously, so it must have passed to the right person.
— I would also support Regent Ferda. He’s on a roll discovering Western ore veins and rare earths, plus he can obtain that rising star called magitechnology.
— So the Dandolo name remains?
— How could that happen? They say they will change the name. To Hestia Company.
— Not Valdrova?
— They believe keeping the name of that terrifying evil dragon invites a curse, so how could they keep using it? They say they will name it after the town they are building.
— The town’s name is Hestia? Sounds like a girl’s name.
— So that’s good, isn’t it? Good grief, good grief.
— But with people and money gathering in the Archduchy like that, is the Empire just standing by and watching?
— There is the pretext of the Far East Conquest, isn’t there? Iorga declared support there and said they would build a town to house adventurers.
— Adventurers? What would they do in a Far East like that?
— Seems the Adventurers Guild side planned to seriously explore the Demon Land.
— Ha! Do they have the power to enter that Demon Land!?
— Seems they have a means to resist that magical energy.
— Then a means to unearth those Eastern mysteries has appeared!
— There are strange things in medicine and magic too, so we’ll be able to verify with our own eyes things we only heard in legends.
— Good heavens… this won’t do! I have to change my sales route!
— Are you thinking of going to the Far East?
— Money gathers where people gather! How could I not go? I’ll try selling grain and whetstones over there!
— Oh, then let’s go together!
— Brother, make room for me too! I’m going!
— —
A wind called the Gold Rush was blowing in Hestia.
It guided the people, and even the stagnant winter moved to find its place.
As people gathered, the streets sprang to life.
— Step right up! Only 30 today! Only 30 portions of Western Region specialty, grilled flathead catfish! Only 30 for sale!
— Selling bracelets that bring good fortune! Put on this bracelet and gain eternal youth! All wishes granted! That’s all! Just wait 100 days and enormous wealth will come rolling in!
The stalls that should have been empty were packed with street vendors.
There were jobs there, and because there were jobs people gathered, and because people gathered, money moved.
Peddlers who were ignored in big cities set up their stalls one by one and took their cut, so everyone began turning into street vendors.
The refugees had nowhere to spend money even when they received it, but now they could improve their quality of life at least a little through the street stalls.
— A lot of people are gathering.
Isabella watched from afar as she spoke.
She was not only confirming through documents, but judging with her own eyes.
— Expand the streets a bit more and keep the street vendors in check.
— Yes.
— Do not forget to properly collect stall fees from the peddlers. Since it has not been settled yet, I hope you are not greedy and useless.
— Understood!
It meant they should not accept bribes under the pretext of stall fees.
If it were just a regular administrator, they would snort and ignore the order, but the opponent was a Dragon Spawn.
Her meticulousness was enough to leave anyone jaw-dropped, and her martial prowess was also outstanding, so they did not have the courage to line their own pockets while avoiding her gaze.
The collectors moved, and an armored man stood before her.
He wore half-plate armor, and on his shoulder was an epaulet reading “Security Captain.”
The knight cadet who led the group of refugees, William.
— Administrator. Security Captain William, reporting patrol status. Aside from 3 theft cases, there are no special matters.
— Good work, Security Captain. With people gathering it seemed there would be trouble, but nothing happened.
— That is correct. I ordered the security team to direct traffic so no issues arise from overcrowding, so no major problem should occur.
— Well done. Then there is nothing else to order.
William walked beside Isabella and inquired:
— Um, Administrator Isabella…
— What is it?
— Is it truly all right for me to be the Security Captain?
Isabella adjusted her glasses and replied:
— Of course, since it is a rank lower than knight cadet, I imagine you have many complaints, but the Lord Regent said he would consider a knight position later, so you do not need to worry too much.
— No, I don’t mean that…
It was a difficult matter for William.
Being a knight cadet, or the fact that he achieved great merit under Duke Urey.
All of that became matters of the past that he had already let go.
William came to Hestia prepared to live as a refugee.
‘But Security Captain…’
What is a Security Captain?
It is practically the second-in-command with the highest authority after the Administrator.
He commands the security force and, if necessary, can legally exercise force within the town.
Due to that responsibility and privilege, it was a heavy post that could not be obtained with simple ordinary trust.
— Since the Lord Regent appointed you directly, the only thing I can exercise against you is dismissal authority, but I also believe your work capability is good, so I have no complaints. And…
— And?
— If you resign, I will send you straight back to Duke Urey, so don’t even dream of it.
— Whoa… what heartless words…
It was the sound of his face turning pale, but it did not feel bad.
They were also the words of the woman called the Merciless Witch saying she needed him, so it was rather an embarrassing matter.
— Then I will go write the report. Good work.
— Yes, good work.
The town was stabilizing as the security force took root.
Yet if there were only good things like that, how wonderful would it be?
One person has one worry, a hundred people have a hundred worries.
Isabella forcibly suppressed the urge to sigh.
— Hey, you, horn girl.
A cheeky voice provoked her.
— Did you abandon the Magic Tower and all you do is clean up humans’ messes? No, were you kicked out of the Magic Tower which is why you’re doing that kind of work?
She was rational, but she was not a noble who would not get angry upon hearing words insulting a Dragon Spawn.
— What insolent bastard dares to…!
The moment Isabella tried to unleash her anger, she turned her head and changed.
Although she had neither horns nor tail, that elegant appearance was a familiar face to Isabella.
She had worked under her command for hundreds of years, so there was no way she would not know her.
— Lady Erica?
— Long time no see, Bella.
Erica Iorga.
She waved her hand lightly and greeted her warmly.
Isabella scanned her entire body and asked:
— Are you enjoying a hobby?
— Hobby? You make it sound as if I were just slacking off.
— You appear human in an unbefitting manner, so it seems like it.
— You leave me speechless… Do I do nothing but fool around? Even if I look like this, I came as a Platinum-rank Adventurer, Eri?
Erica showed her adventurer badge.
It is a badge granted only to those with the highest achievements in the Adventurers Guild.
— Aren’t you embarrassed that the Wisdom of the 12-Person Expedition acts like this among humans? In today’s terms, it is an act called civilian slaughter.
— Anyone watching would think you are a terribly rotten bitch. I only solved difficult problems and naturally it ended up like this.
Contrary to her words saying it was not intentional, intense pride was felt in the hand holding the badge.
Erica felt a bit embarrassed and decided to change the direction of the conversation.
— How have you been lately?
— I’m fine. Listening to the groans those old men spit out, and then listening to fresh things.
— Fresh? Do you call the maid of Valdrova fresh?
— Is there any problem?
To Isabella’s return question, Erica said with a dumbfounded expression:
— Has that child lived hundreds of years too?
— Isn’t she younger than me?
— Does she also hold the title of Nightmare of the Frost Giants?
— It makes sense. That pitiful beauty is enough to die of brain death.
Isabella murmured with an ecstatic face:
— Haah, if only I could hug her tightly once, this accumulated fatigue would disappear.
Erica contemplated her with a perplexed face.
There was something strangely striking in her words that she could not let pass.
— But did you say “things”? Is there someone else? That… fresh thing?
— It’s a child named Mori. A beautiful girl who seems to have jumped out of a painting.
— Don’t you touch that girl?
— That damned witch residing in the castle seems to be managing her.
Isabella had a face full of jealousy.
It was a moment when even Erica, who had spent hundreds of years with her, saw joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure together that were difficult to see.
— …Does the Lord Regent know that side of you well?
— He seems to know vaguely, but he doesn’t seem to care.
— Then it’s fine…
— Anyway, let us have a constructive chat.
Isabella shifted the topic of conversation away from the fresh things.
— Did Lady Erica come here as an adventurer?
— Regardless, I wanted to check the Adventurers Guild side as an adventurer. How are they? The adventurers who came here?
— The absolute worst.
Isabella sighed.
— Those who think they have spirit are just immature, and adventurers of the ranks actually needed don’t even seem to think of coming. They seem to have come to do alleyway thuggery.
— Since they earned those ranks through dog-like suffering, it is logical.
Building merits is hard, dying takes an instant.
So it was natural to be prudent once one climbed high enough.
— I need to make a suggestion to the Central Guild. I need to wake up those Gold bastards.
— Won’t they rebel?
— Let them rebel. I risked my life countless times fighting and contributed to saving this continent, so do you think I can’t even raise my voice?
Erica bit her lip and spat curses.
— Dog-like bastards. The money I give is not for them to sit on their asses eating expensive food.
— Lady Tower Master. Please maintain your dignity.
— Whatever, I’m not Erica, I’m the Platinum-rank Adventurer Eri, so I don’t need dignity. I can say vulgar things anytime, anywhere. Want to hear? Eri’s vulgar girl talk?
— This is a moment where I am truly proud of myself for having left the Magic Tower.
Erica laughed mischievously.
— Is the Lord Regent there?
— He is probably sitting in his office today as well. Shall we meet? I will ask via telepathy.
— I didn’t make an appointment, so showing my face is a bit awkward, but there is some good news, so it will be fine. Can you relay it?
— Understood. I will inform him in advance so he can be ready.
Just as she was about to prepare telepathy.
Ding, ding, ding!
The alarm bell installed in the center of town was ringing loudly on its own.
Everyone stopped moving and looked over there.
Erica also looked up toward that alarm bell.
— What is that? Why an alarm bell?
— …That is an alarm bell connected to the Monster Spawning Prediction Device. It rings automatically when one is detected.
— That means…
— If it is not a malfunction, it means a monster has appeared.
The alarm bell showed no signs of stopping and echoed loudly.