Chapter 29
The dawn of the day after eting Yuria.
I was hit with truly unexpected news.
“Pulling out of business? Selling off the ranches and farms, all of them? To whom?”
“To the Brasel rchant Group.”
The farms and ranches of the Level rchant Group were being sold off.
It was the urgent news brought to by that fox tribe man—Yuria’s direct subordinate, who had once secretly visited us.
“Where is the Brasel rchant Group based?”
“They are a large rchant group of the Luda Territory.”
“Ah, another territory. But why are they suddenly winding down business?”
“Well…”
“Yeah?”
“It is because of the horned rabbits. They said that once horned rabbits start being traded, the ranches would also be hit.”
“Huh? Hit that hard just from that…?”
At first, it didn’t sound like much.
But when I thought about the insane breeding speed of horned rabbits, I realized the blow might indeed be significant.
Even if Levelium itself restricted the supply, other territories trading with the local rchants could easily see horned rabbits spreading in.
“Is Haken one of this cartel’s clients?”
“A very important one.”
“Ah, really?”
That made perfect sense, especially since the Haken Territory—the second-choice trade partner we had picked—was purchasing at from here.
“So, right now is the ti they can get the highest price?”
“To the Level rchant Group, it wasn’t that big of a business anyway. After all, their main focus is interdiary trade.”
“As expected of rchants, their calculations are quick.”
“Even the young lady was very surprised. She said it was an uncharacteristically fast decision for soone usually so slow to move.”
“But isn’t it too fast? No, wait. If that’s the case…”
Clicking my tongue at Albert’s quick decision, I suddenly realized sothing.
If the ranches were transferred to another rchant group, there would likely be changes concerning the workers as well.
“What about the workers? What happens to them?”
“They will be transferred to the Brasel rchant Group.”
“Transferred?”
“The Brasel rchant Group’s main business is food sales. They operate massive farms and ranches in the Luda Territory. The workers will be moved to Luda Territory first…”
“Wait, isn’t Luda Territory west of Levelium?”
“Yes, it lies at the far west of Levelium.”
“Damn it.”
This place was a territory east of Levelium.
If one fled east, they would eventually reach the Forest of Illusions, making escape easier.
But Luda was a western territory. Escaping all the way to the Forest of Illusions from there would take far more effort.
For , who was planning to help the rabbit tribe workers escape, this was a very troubling developnt.
“How is the transaction proceeding?”
“The decision-makers have already agreed to it. What remains is just the negotiations by the practical staff. It will likely be finalized within two or three days.”
“Of course…”
–Nothing ever cos easy.
Even if the knights who returned to the territory ca back as quickly as possible, it would still take five days.
Plenty of ti for the deal to close and the rabbit tribe to be sent off to Luda.
Things had beco complicated.
“Would asking for help be difficult?”
“They said manpower support would be impossible. At most, only supplies.”
“I see. That’s troubleso.”
The best course was to extract the rabbit tribe before the deal closed.
But manpower was lacking.
There were 40–50 rabbit tribe children split across three places, and here, including , we had only three knights.
Three knights leading the children while launching a raid on the enemies’ hideouts?
That was realistically impossible.
“For now, understood. If supplies can be provided, then I’ll request a few things.”
“Yes, I will deliver your ssage.”
After asking for food and carts for the rabbit tribe, I sent Yuria’s subordinate back.
I planned to extract them as quickly as possible, and regardless of what happened, supplies were essential.
At least they were offering that much help—better to accept it.
–What will you do, master?
‘That’s the problem. If only I could pull in more troops… Even ten more knight-level n would make it possible to try.’
–And you think that would be enough?
‘The rabbit tribe workers will have to escape on their own. What we can do is rescue the rabbit tribe children.’
Of course, I wanted to resolve both sides with my own strength, but given the situation, I had to deal with the most urgent issue first.
With hundreds of rabbit tribe mbers gathered, saying escape was impossible would make no sense.
And considering they had to flee all the way to the Forest of Illusions, they at least needed that much help.
If it was the rabbit tribe I knew, even a small hint would be enough for them to attempt escape.
‘So the problem really is manpower. If I hire rcenaries… no, that won’t work.’
Levelium was one of the regions with the most rcenaries due to its bustling trade.
Here at Hawrun Castle too, rcenaries could be spotted in taverns everywhere.
The issue was that rcenaries were practically half-bandits.
As in most fantasies, rcenaries were not the kind one could trust.
The system that managed them was hardly systematic either.
‘They say there is a rcenary Guild under the Levelium Alliance, but I heard it’s not well managed.’
If even one rcenary turned to the Level rchant Group’s side during the operation, the outco would be worse than having none at all.
‘So what on earth… huh? What is this?’
–No, this is…
While worrying over what to do, I realized sothing was in my left hand.
The diary.
The diary I had left behind in the territory had suddenly appeared before my eyes.
Moreover, it was flickering rapidly, as if sothing extrely urgent had happened.
“…It’s Lord Bestia.”
–It feels very urgent indeed.
“Exactly.”
I wasn’t sure what this ant, but for now, I decided to check the diary.
‘This is…’
The mont I touched the diary, my vision filled with light, and an illusion unfolded.
It was a scene I rembered.
When I was young, I had once gone on an expedition to the Monster Mountains with my father.
Because it was my first expedition, it had remained in Iron’s mory, and I rembered it as well.
‘Right, it was during this expedition that I first t her.’
The diary’s vision showed a certain girl.
A beastman girl with fluffy lion ears and a lion’s tail.
A girl of the lion tribe—‘Reisha’.
‘Huh? That’s it?’
And surprisingly, the illusion in the diary showed only up to the lion tribe girl, Reisha, before returning back to reality.
As if to say, it had shown everything I needed to see.
“I really don’t know what this ans.”
–Wasn’t that a lion tribe mber just now? A black lion, no less.
“You know of them?”
–Of course I do. Among beastn, the lion tribe has always been the bravest.
“Is that so? Well, they are strong indeed.”
If you follow the Monster Mountains northward and then head west, you’ll co across the lion tribe’s village.
They were like close neighbors, separated only by one branch of the Monster Mountains.
So during expeditions into the Monster Mountains, it wasn’t unusual to encounter lion tribe expeditions as well.
“Our relationship with them is fairly good.”
Even before the Great Cataclysm, the lion tribe had maintained a relatively friendly relationship with us, and that continued afterwards as well.
If we ca across them fighting monsters during expeditions, we never hesitated to join in.
And they did the sa for us.
Even on the expedition where I first t Reisha, we had fought side by side with the lion tribe.
–Still, to think that the black lions remain.
“Black lions?”
–That girl we saw just now—wasn’t she a black lion?
“Ah, right. Her ears, tail, and hair were all black. But isn’t that normal for the lion tribe?”
–The lion tribe’s other na is the Golden Mane Tribe. Blond hair is the standard. Black lions are mutants, created by the Empire’s greed and arrogance.
“Really?”
Back when the Empire enslaved beastn, they had carried out a large number of experints on them.
The Empire’s goal was world domination, and for that, they wanted stronger slave soldiers.
Beastn were the perfect test subjects.
Through countless experints and research, many beastn had been sacrificed.
The only significant “success” ca from the lion tribe—giving birth to the black lions.
–It was a half-success. They succeeded in creating stronger beastn through bio-manipulation, but they failed in the brainwashing process.
“Ugh.”
–As a result, the black lions fought at the forefront of the Beastman Independence War and contributed greatly to beastman independence. They ended up handing victory to their enemies.
“That’s pretty satisfying to hear.”
Still, human experints… The Empire was truly rotten.
In this world, the Empire could be thought of as a mix of the “big country next door” from my past life and the most hated nation.
If there was a problem in the world, it almost always originated from the Empire.
Whether kingdoms, beastn, or even the naval alliance across the southern sea—everyone hated the Empire.
They were nothing less than the Axis of Evil.
“Whether black lions or whatever else, I don’t understand why the diary showed this. What could it an?”
–That’s true. Aren’t the lion tribe settled near the Johnson Territory?
“Exactly. And if the diary showed this now… could it be?”
Could the lion tribe actually be here?
“Dr. Nickel!!”
It felt like a spark went off in my head.
Maybe the lion tribe had co to visit this place.
If that were true…
‘I might really have to build at least a small temple for Lord Bestia in the territory.’
If He cared for this much, then I would, without question, build Him a temple.
“They really are here!”
“What, they are?”
“Yes, there is a rcenary band ford by the lion tribe. Quite famous, too. They are called the Black Lion.”
“Heh, so it’s true. They really are here.”
Dr. Nickel, unintentionally acting as my informant, revealed that a beastman rcenary band was indeed in this territory.
And it was the lion tribe, with whom I was very familiar.
An unexpected stroke of fortune.
I had never imagined that beastn would be working as rcenaries.
“But.”
“But?”
“They are very selective about the requests they accept. And their price is enormous.”
“Well, that makes sense for them, doesn’t it?”
Of course it did. These were warriors that even the battle-hardened Johnson Territory had no choice but to acknowledge.
‘Now then, in that case…’
I needed to et them first.
This could turn out better than expected.
“Then quietly summon the Black Lion. Tell them I want to make a contract.”
“You an the Black Lion?”
“Yes. Call them discreetly to where the rabbit tribe are hiding. Make sure no one else knows.”
“Understood.”
The lion tribe. Now that was soone I could truly trust.
In this situation, beastn were more reliable than humans, and if it was the lion tribe, there could be no better choice.
We could definitely communicate with each other.
And since they were already working as rcenaries, all I needed to do was provide proper paynt—clean and simple.
–But do you have sothing to pay them with? They are said to be extrely expensive.
‘Of course. Beastn may be grouped together, but that doesn’t an they’re all bound by the sa ties.’
–So tribes are outright enemies, after all. Though the lion tribe isn’t on bad terms with the rabbit tribe. Regardless, paynt will be required.
‘Naturally. If you hire rcenaries without paying them, that’s just scummy.’
If the lion tribe, who lived near the Monster Mountains, had co all the way here as rcenaries, then their reason was obvious.
I planned to reward them handsoly—so much so that they would have no choice but to nod their heads.
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