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Chapter 41: Rewards of the Wager (2)
Shing!
With a cold, tallic sound, the drawn sword was pointed at the viscount.
A brief but heavy silence fell over the surroundings.
No one dared to speak, and then,
The viscount spoke with disbelief,
"Are you doubting ? It seems you've gone completely mad. Do you have any evidence?"
It was an unexpected situation, but thanks to it, the atmosphere beca even more heated.
The tension between the two groups was palpable, and everyone's nerves were on edge.
All thanks to Hal drawing his sword.
Hal, whether aware of it or not, simply asked back with an unreadable expression,
"Evidence?"
"Yes, evidence. Don't tell you're accusing without any proof? You didn't think I would just let this insult slide, did you?"
The viscount was full of confidence.
After all, he had left no trace of the request.
The one he had commissioned was the Pale Cord.
He didn't know why Hal was still alive, but there was no way the 'Laughing Fox of Maron' would fail.
Even if, by any chance, he had been captured, those people would rather be torn to shreds than reveal their secrets.
But things didn't always go as expected.
"Of course not."
Hal shook his head and turned to look at Benjamin of the Lawrence Trading Company.
Benjamin bowed respectfully and then brought soone forward.
A man in rags, bound in chains, was revealed.
This ti, the steward's face turned pale, whiter than white.
'No way. But... how?'
The viscount's thoughts ground to a halt.
anwhile, Hal continued without stopping.
He approached the captured man and said,
"Now, tell them."
"Uhhh..."
The man couldn't keep his eyes still, rolling around anxiously.
Hal whispered softly to the hesitant man,
"Co on. Or will you co with to my territory?"
"Ah."
The man's pupils dilated.
At the sa ti, his pants started to get damp.
His body trembled as if struck by lightning, and he shook his head violently, shouting,
"N-no! No! I'll talk! So please..."
"..."
Others frowned at the pitiful sight.
But the steward and the viscount couldn't believe the current situation and just gaped.
Wasn't this man a mber of the infamous assassination group, the Pale Cord, the 'Laughing Fox of Maron'?
'What in the world happened...?'
He didn't look like he had been severely tortured.
But his terrified face looked haggard, as if he had aged decades.
Sothing was seriously wrong.
Starting with the rcenaries,
And now the assassin.
All the cards he had prepared were being thoroughly dismantled by Hal.
Just as the viscount swallowed nervously,
"Who are you?"
"I-I am a mber of the Pale Cord, the Laughing Fox of Maron."
"...!"
Everyone was shocked the mont the Fox answered Hal's question.
Even Conrad was speechless, as if he hadn't expected it.
Hal continued his questioning.
"Then who commissioned the request?"
At the question, the Fox raised a trembling hand and pointed at soone.
Everyone's eyes turned towards the person.
"N-no..."
The viscount's steward.
He stamred, flustered by everyone's gaze directed at him.
He had been trembling with anxiety for a while now and was sweating profusely.
Conrad, who had been watching him silently, stepped forward and asked,
"Viscount Ramsey, it seems an explanation is needed. Were you aware of this?"
"No, how could I be? I know nothing about it."
The viscount shook his head without a mont's hesitation.
The steward's eyes widened as he realized he had been abandoned.
"M-my lord! I..."
"Shut up!"
Just as the steward was about to speak, the viscount shouted like thunder and swung the hamr he was holding.
Crack!
With a crushing sound, yellow brain matter and blood splattered everywhere.
The popped-out eyeball rolled near the horse Hal was riding.
"..."
A brief silence fell, and the viscount put down the hamr and smiled obsequiously.
"Baron Hal, I apologize. I mismanaged my subordinate. I truly didn't know. I apologize."
Hal simply watched the viscount silently.
The viscount, finally realizing what Hal wanted, hurriedly added,
"Of course, an apology alone is not enough. I will forgive all the debt your family owes. Please forgive ."
"Alright. Let's do that."
Hal nodded readily.
The viscount smiled brightly.
"Really? Thank you for understanding. Now that I see it, you have a manly side..."
"However..."
"...?"
Hal interrupted.
Then he turned his gaze towards the Blue Mane Tribe behind him and continued,
"The compensation for the Blue Mane Tribe is separate."
"...The tribe?"
"Yes. Due to the request made by that steward, they have lost their ho of hundreds of years and the god they served. They must leave their holand and settle in a new place, so according to Imperial law, it is only right to compensate them."
At Hal's words, Viscount Ramsey gritted his teeth.
To wash his hands of the matter and pretend he had nothing to do with the steward, so sacrifice was necessary.
Viscount Ramsey laughed awkwardly and nodded.
"Alright, I will. Will thirty thousand marks suffice?"
"No."
Hal shook his head and replied calmly,
"You'll have to pay three hundred thousand marks."
"That's preposterous...!"
"The lineage of a tribe as old as the Empire itself was nearly severed. It's hard to see that as excessive."
Conrad, who had been listening silently, also nodded.
"I don't think it's unreasonable either."
"But three hundred thousand marks is three tis my annual inco!"
"Such values are often difficult to convert. If necessary, I'll summon a priest to oversee a trial."
At Conrad's reply, the viscount faltered.
"A trial... you an..."
As the viscount mumbled, Conrad nodded as if it were obvious.
"A trial by combat. If Viscount Ramsey's claim is true, Batu, the God of War, will favor him."
Viscount Ramsey turned his stiff neck to look at Hal.
As if he had expected it, Hal nodded leisurely.
At his composure, the viscount's mind went blank as if he had been hit with a hamr.
The viscount recalled the fact that Hal had defeated even a mber of the Pale Cord.
'I was wrong from the start.'
He had thought Hal was just a young lad who had luckily beco the next lord after being a priest of the church.
A young priest who could, at best, catch monsters.
But he was wrong.
"I accept."
Hal nodded with the sa expressionless face as before.
That expressionless face felt unbearably terrifying.
Just how far had he been played by Hal?
In the viscount's eyes, he was no longer a lucky young lad.
No, he didn't even feel human anymore.
His last remaining pride broken, he nodded weakly.
"...Alright. I will compensate for three hundred thousand marks. But I don't have the money now. Give five years."
"I'll give you one year."
At Hal's words, the viscount opened and closed his mouth as if searching for sothing to say, then nodded feebly.
His expression seed empty, as if he had given up everything.
***
"Safe travels."
"May you be safe until we et again."
After exchanging farewells with Conrad, Hal and his party departed for their territory.
They had gained everything they sought.
Food,
People,
And even power.
'Dragon language...'
The dragonkin training thod that Tarkasi had imparted.
Thanks to it, Hal was able to learn dragon language.
It was a simple but effective technique from the Dragonkins who served Daeorycia, the Earth Dragon.
A technique to overturn the earth by borrowing the power of Daeorycia.
Currently, its limit was a radius of a few dozen ters, but if he gained power similar to a true dragon, it was a power that could cause earthquakes.
Of course, there were significant limitations to its use.
It was impossible in his current state and would require the power of dragon blood.
'The problem is that it's difficult.'
Hal groaned softly.
He was fine for now, but the madness of the dragon blood would return soday, so he couldn't overuse it.
More importantly, he only had two bottles of dragon blood left from the mansion.
"I need to find a way."
Hal muttered softly and shook his head to clear his worries.
It wasn't a problem that could be solved by worrying about it now.
Hal did what he could do at the mont.
"Benjamin."
Hal approached the trading company's carriage and called out quietly.
Benjamin opened the carriage window and poked his head out.
"What is it?"
"I have a favor to ask."
At Hal's words, Benjamin nodded without hesitation.
Because of the debt he owed Hal, he intended to help without considering his own interests.
But what Hal said was completely unexpected.
"As soon as we arrive at the territory, please sell the food to us and head back to Sorn."
"Why Sorn...?"
"To purchase weapons."
"...!"
Benjamin's eyes widened, and he clicked his tongue.
He understood what Hal ant.
Viscount Ramsey would start selling the weapons and armor he had prepared to repay his debt.
But there were no suitable buyers for such a quantity in the surrounding area.
Eventually, the weapons would beco dirt cheap, and Hal intended to buy them.
It was an opportunity to buy weapons cheaply and strengthen the soldiers of his territory.
"Did you set the deadline for one year with that in mind?"
"Since my life was in danger, I have to get compensated."
Hal said with an expressionless face and added,
"We're short on cash in the territory, so I'll give you salt instead. I'll leave the details to you."
"I think I can make a significant profit."
With the money from selling the food to Hal and the salt combined, he would be able to purchase a considerable amount of weapons.
It was expected to easily cover the losses incurred in the Sorn territory and then so.
"Thank you for this great opportunity. Apart from the agreed amount, thirty percent of the profit I make will be yours, Lord Hal."
At Benjamin's polite offer, Hal fell into thought for a mont.
As if it was too much of a burden.
But he soon nodded slowly.
"I won't refuse. My territory needs a lot of money."
"No, no. It's nothing. Haha."
Benjamin found Hal quite amusing, as always.
He quietly cleaned his monocle while imagining himself next year.
It seed he no longer wanted to remain as a leader of the Lawrence Trading Company.
"Lord Hal... there's sothing I'd like to tell you."
"Go ahead."
"I've had a dream for a long ti."
"A dream?"
Benjamin spoke with an expression full of passion that belied his age.
Hal listened calmly to his proposal and fell into thought for a mont.
But it didn't take him long to make a decision.
Hal nodded and extended his hand to his new contractor.
"I look forward to working with you, rchant Leader."
This was the mont a new trading company under Heidern was born.
[Translator - Prøks]
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