Chapter 6: Keep the Fla Alive (2)
The situation in the Ragnar Territory changed drastically in a single day.
Contrary to expectations that they would not be able to stop the invasion of the Orc Legion, the Ragnar Territorial Army suffered no damage whatsoever.
Moreover, they even succeeded in executing the elders who had been gnawing away at the territory.
The wealth that the elders had diligently amassed was confiscated by the territory, and even counting the riches throughout the entire night was not enough ti.
However, Pramo’s expression, which should have been screaming with happiness, was stiff.
Saphiro repeated the sa story in an attempt to persuade Pramo, who had his eyes tightly shut.
“Head of the Family, this is absolutely not a matter that can be glossed over.”
“……Chief Administrator Saphiro.”
“The scale of the breeding pens discovered beneath the elders’ mansions is enormous. And secret passages leading underground are being found everywhere throughout the territory.”
At Saphiro’s report, Pramo’s head began to overload.
He had no idea how on earth he was supposed to clean this up.
Just as Pramo was wracking his brain to find a solution, the door to the Head of the Family’s Office opened.
“Young Master Kyle has arrived.”
Pramo did not keep a personal secretary or servants.
Whenever guests arrived or important matters of the territory had to be reported and handled, Elise always took care of it, and as usual, she announced Kyle’s visit.
At that, Pramo rose from his seat and looked toward the door.
Soon after, Kyle appeared behind Elise and spoke calmly.
“This is not sothing you can solve by turning your head.”
“Brother…….”
“Pramo, has the rchant Guild Head of the Rapid rchant Guild changed?”
The Rapid rchant Guild was a place inseparable from the Ragnar Territory.
They had traded and supported each other for nearly a hundred years.
Yet the mont Pramo heard Kyle’s question, his complexion stiffened.
“It has not changed.”
“Then why did you unilaterally cut off trade with the Rapid rchant Guild?”
“……Brother.”
“Speak the truth.”
Startled by Kyle’s sharp gaze, Pramo flinched and lowered his head deeply.
“Brother Reni passed away here in the Ragnar Territory.”
“……Reni is dead? What do you an by that!”
Reni, the son of the rchant Guild Head of the Rapid rchant Guild, was soone they had associated with since childhood.
That was why Kyle could not help but be shocked by Pramo’s words, widening his eyes and raising his voice.
Pramo, perhaps lacking the face to look his brother in the eye, continued speaking with his head still lowered.
“He ca to the territory to deliver supplies in the early stages of the monster invasion and t with misfortune. After that, I had no face to see the rchant Guild Head, so I unilaterally cut off trade with the guild.”
“……Was that a decision Father made?”
“Yes, it was.”
“Haah…….”
Kyle grabbed his forehead with his hand.
Still, there was a chance.
Perhaps he would co running at his call.
“Send a letter to the rchant Guild Head of the Rapid rchant Guild. But you must be sure to write my na.”
“Brother, but…….”
“Regardless of what happened in the past, what matters now is saving those who were dragged away by the Slave rchant Guild. And do you not know that without food, the people of the territory could starve to death?”
At Kyle’s resolute words, Pramo lightly bit his lip.
As he said, right now they needed the help of the Rapid rchant Guild.
“I will send the letter as you say, Brother.”
“I will take care of the relationship with the Rapid rchant Guild. You focus only on what is happening in the territory right now.”
Watching Kyle’s back as he said what he had to say and turned away to leave the Head of the Family’s Office, Pramo let out a deep sigh.
“……It would have been better if Brother, not I, had beco the Head of the Family.”
Such an outstanding brother.
In contrast, Pramo himself had a body that could not even learn swordsmanship.
A cursed body that could not accumulate Aura.
Because of this, Pramo had to devote himself desperately to his studies.
To beco a good lord, for his late father and himself, and even for the brother who had left the family, he wanted to do his best.
But the thought that he was not doing as well as he had resolved to kept holding him back.
Lost in thought, Pramo lowered his gaze.
Saphiro stared straight at Pramo with eyes full of conviction.
“Please do not say such things. You are doing very well as Head of the Family.”
Pramo had held his position excellently as Head of the Family, enduring well even under the Grand Elder’s checks and the monster invasion.
Kyle becoming Head of the Family and Pramo becoming Head of the Family were clearly different matters.
Of course, in terms of sheer martial power, Kyle was overwhelmingly superior.
But when it ca to overall managent of the territory and information, Pramo had more talent.
“……Chief Administrator.”
“That is how I see it. What you cannot do, Young Master Kyle can do, and what Young Master Kyle cannot do, you can take charge of.”
At Saphiro’s words, Pramo wore a bitter expression.
As he said, Kyle had already driven the nail in.
There would absolutely be no change of Head of the Family.
Given Kyle’s personality, once he spoke words, he would keep them no matter what.
Even though ti had passed, Pramo was certain that personality had not changed.
Having reached that thought, Pramo soon changed his expression and looked at Saphiro.
“Thank you for the advice.”
Seeing Pramo’s face, which looked as though he had made up his mind, Saphiro was finally able to smile.
---
After leaving the Head of the Family’s Office, Kyle looked at the subordinates who had been waiting for him and opened his mouth.
“Aron.”
“Yes, my lord.”
“It seems we will have to use the pigeons we have prepared.”
“I understand.”
“Leave only so of the pigeons that exist in the Tylers Empire and transfer all the rest to the Daon Kingdom.”
“I will finish the transfer within a week.”
At Kyle’s order, Aron bowed his head.
“If necessary, ask Adrian for help. And tell him that in return for the help we receive this ti, we will give him what he needs.”
“……My lord.”
Aron lifted his head and looked at Kyle with a worried expression.
That was understandable, as they had not yet fulfilled the conditions from the negotiations with Adrian.
If they negotiated again here and the conditions increased, it could cause problems later.
Kyle was not unaware of that.
However, now was not the ti to be picky.
“Now is not the ti to think things through before acting. There is a high probability that it is related to Those Who Worship Darkness.”
“……It has not even been a full year.”
“I definitely felt it. Faintly, but what was contained within their presence was unmistakably demonic energy.”
“My lord.”
“Trust .”
At Kyle’s unwavering gaze, Aron let out a deep sigh.
“I will move imdiately.”
“Deliver it as quickly as possible and proceed with the negotiations.”
---
Not long ago, the war between the Tylers Empire and The Holy Empire of Ru ca to an end.
It was a war that had dragged on for fourteen years.
From the beginning of the war to its conclusion, the Tylers Empire had no choice but to lose countless talented individuals.
However, they replenished as many talents as they lost, and thanks to the reparations received from The Holy Empire of Ru, they were rapidly recovering from the damage.
Now the hegemon of the continent, the Tylers Empire, and its ruler, Adrian Tylers.
Looking at the man standing upright before him, he let out a scoff.
“Count Jamie, did you not say you would return to that fellow after concluding the negotiations?”
“Your Majesty, a matter requiring renegotiation has arisen.”
“Did you co with that fellow’s permission?”
“……He told
to convey that he would accept any conditions.”
“That impudent fellow. When he left his sword behind, and now he only cos looking for
when he needs sothing.”
“……I will apologize in his stead.”
“That will do. It’s not as if I don’t know that fellow’s personality. So then, what negotiation have you co for this ti?”
Under Emperor Adrian’s murderous gaze, Aron took a deep breath.
“Before that, may I use the compensation for the favor as a negotiation card this ti?”
The price Kyle had offered to leave the empire.
At the words that he wanted to change that price, a strange light flickered in Emperor Adrian’s eyes.
“So you an the negotiation card I was firmly rejected over last ti?”
“That is correct.”
It was a tempting proposal.
The card he had first presented to Aron.
It was the condition to reveal Ian Kailers’s true na and identity.
“Explain in detail.”
“The place where my lord currently resides is the northern Ragnar Territory of the Daon Kingdom.”
“……Why all the way to such a remote frontier?”
“His true na is Kyle Ragnar.”
At the fact he had learned for the first ti in fourteen years, Emperor Adrian could not suppress a scoff.
The na Kyle Ragnar ant bloodline of the Ragnar Family.
Now understanding why Kyle had been so strong, Emperor Adrian nodded.
“What help do you need?”
“There is a Slave rchant Guild running rampant in the Ragnar Territory. Already, a considerable number of the territory’s people have been sold to the Slave rchant Guild.”
“……Slave rchant Guilds should have been strictly prohibited under continental law, should they not?”
“May I convey what my lord anticipates?”
“Speak.”
“He said that Those Who Worship Darkness seem to be involved.”
The smile that Emperor Adrian had not lost since hearing about Kyle instantly twisted.
“……Is this bait to make
move?”
“Your Majesty knows better than anyone that he would not say such things even as a joke.”
At Aron’s solemn voice, Emperor Adrian gave a small nod.
The reason he had first proposed conditions to Kyle.
It was to prepare for the stirrings of Those Who Worship Darkness.
They were dangerous.
And the natural enemy of those who worship darkness was Ian Kailers.
Because he was there, the Tylers Empire had been able to block Those Who Worship Darkness with minimal damage.
If they stirred again, he believed that even the Tylers Empire would find it difficult to stop them.
The counterasure for that had been the first negotiation with Kyle.
“That fellow has brought sothing very interesting. He’s my close friend, but wherever he goes, he causes upheaval.”
“……I agree.”
The mont Kyle returned to his holand, he handled many matters all at once.
Blocking the Orc Legion and purging the useless mbers of the family, accomplishing all of that in a single day.
Even in Aron’s eyes, Kyle was always soone who brought anomalies with him.
Shaking his head, Adrian looked back at Aron and asked,
“Other than looking into the Sinoah rchant Guild, do you have any other requests?”
“I wish to transfer the pigeons to the Daon Kingdom.”
“I will permit it. Furthermore, I will mobilize all of the empire’s intelligence networks to thoroughly dig into this place called the Sinoah rchant Guild as well.”
“Thank you.”
With the negotiations concluding smoothly, Adrian honestly voiced a thought that suddenly ca to mind.
“I should avoid even looking at the Daon Kingdom. I don’t want to beco enemies with that fellow.”
“As long as they do not invade Ragnar, my lord will remain an onlooker.”
Though he was the ruler of the Tylers Empire, with nothing to fear, there was soone he avoided.
That person was Ian Kailers.
The one all Imperial Knights revered without end.
Bearing the title Guide of the Sword, and having even claid the rank of Duke, a title originally granted only to direct imperial bloodlines, he was the greatest knight in history.
Although it was now known that Ian Kailers had died in the final battle against the Holy Empire, Adrian, who knew the truth that he was alive, had much he wished to say.
Before being the greatest contributor who had placed him upon the imperial throne, he was his friend.
“That fellow left without even a final farewell, yet he has so many things he wants.”
At the emperor’s words, Aron bowed his head in his stead.
“I apologize.”
“I am not seeking an apology from you. Do not worry about the Sinoah rchant Guild and withdraw now.”
“Then I shall take my leave, Your Majesty.”
After sending Aron off, Adrian sat alone upon the imperial throne and did not move for quite so ti.
Then, in a low voice, he muttered to himself.
“……You returned to your family as you wished, so live well.”
Ian Kailers, the pillar and Guardian Sword of the Tylers Empire.
The hero who had lifted the empire back up whenever it stood on the brink during the fourteen-year war against the Holy Empire.
He was soone Adrian did not want to let go of, but even so, Adrian sincerely wished for his friend’s happiness.
Reviews
All reviews (0)