Chapter 149
o8WDominic, just as he had promised, drafted a complete list of all his assets and handed it over to Lucian.tCS
eGlIqFmIt was written in such detail that recovering his entire fortune didn’t seem difficult. If any handwritten document was needed, he didn’t hesitate to write it himself.sHMKJ3
Pd0TpuK“If you need anything else, just tell me. I’ll do whatever you require.”PC37ux
kvFNlf“…It’s surprising you don’t show a hint of hesitation. Merchant’s pride? The idea that a promise must be kept?”HHt7f
0aVAt Lucian’s words, Dominic shook his head and gave a bitter smile.FK3
6UC“What pride could I have left after throwing away my credibility? I simply no longer have any attachment to the outside world.”47Grd
wCCt5“After pulling off a scam like this, even if you regained your freedom, living a normal life would be impossible. You’d be met with scorn and ridicule everywhere, and even getting food would be difficult.”R5D8pdb
hma0XlL“Since I can no longer live outside, I’ll hand over everything I have left.”UZf
auAl“Your Highness is the victor who exposed my scheme flawlessly. Rather than let my fortune rot in storage or be looted by anyone, I prefer to offer it as spoils of war to the victor.”4ANeIaT
tGRADominic’s face, as he said this, was completely calm.WIjK3o
uRyWhether he truly believed it or was just convincing himself, it was a favorable situation for Lucian.8qRE
soptSGHe had managed to recover Dominic’s vast fortune easily and without omissions.r3PXMl
Cpve0iYHowever, aside from that, the mission assigned to the guild leaders to “find hidden assets” continued without pause.zfR1
FShAfter all, that task had been created from the start as an excuse to put a leash on them, whether hidden assets existed or not.QHk4Dt
HPsx74***mnuUT
5VBy8“Guild Leader Hagen, the price of the food we agreed to purchase this time is quite high. Hasn’t it increased too much compared to before?”zjZMnu9
2Yf“Th-the situation is unstable, and prices have inevitably risen! We’re supplying it to Your Highness at the lowest price possible!”fRgMmo
MdjLQkf“Oh, really? That’s unfortunate. So the prices rose, but your profit margin, on the other hand, must have decreased.”EQ4iG
SuQP“I greatly appreciate your understanding.”TQcv
kBIh7“By the way, is the task I gave you earlier progressing well? By now, a chest full of gold coins should’ve shown up, at least.”6angI0Z
gD2“…We haven’t found any gold coins yet, but now that you mention it, I think we could lower the price a bit more.”VE1
BNuWith the leash pulled tight, the guild leaders had no choice but to let Lucian drag them around.Fnw
o8JxExcept for the minimum margin needed to keep the guild running, they had to sell most products at near-cost prices.RywR
ylhvgpLucian distributed these goods, bought at rock-bottom prices, among the foreigners from the tribes.kLMLCI
D8kCSn9They had arrived from beyond the tundra with nothing, so they practically lacked everything.70l
ovGsf80The foreigners, upon receiving the goods given by Lucian, trembled with emotion.SAyDfB
zsZYWIn the tundra, all those items were extremely valuable, yet they were being given away so easily.PQtxje
jHOZCmZ“Every day feels like a dream. No, I’ve never even dreamed of such an abundant life.”Qt2uKW
ND9bovf“We were right to follow the king. If we had kept living in the tundra, we’d be wrapped in furs and chewing bland meat right now.”gpgaSa
p9v“Or maybe we’d be dead from an infected hunting wound. Here, I tasted real medicine for the first time.”HFx
BauNCThe foreigners’ loyalty to Lucian kept growing. Naturally so—he was offering them a comfortable life that no one else had been able to give them.Osp
5pn5xU3However, at the same time, a vague unease began to arise deep in their hearts.0zBTP
adXC“But… is it really okay for us to just keep receiving like this? Shouldn’t we be paying something… like taxes or something?”fZnUL
N3Gp1“That’s what I’m saying. I’m scared they’ll treat us like parasites later. The people who lived here before do pay, apparently.”TSU
h7K“As long as the king keeps helping us, we have to quickly find a way to earn a living. We can’t depend on his grace forever.”HoN
hTMcNo matter if he was the king of prophecy, one person’s personal wealth had a limit.F0cw7Xr
maZ53kuLucian’s aid wouldn’t last forever, so everyone agreed they needed to become self-sufficient before that happened.jYAQmK
u85SnIt was an admirable thought, but in reality, those worries were almost baseless.DnKVi
7V8‘With the fortune I took from Dominic, I’m not short on money. Since we’re at it, better to spend freely and make sure they settle in well. Once they’re established, I’ll earn back that investment many times over.’fLPDT
5FJCXLucian wasn’t giving everything away for free out of pure duty. He had plenty of plans to recover that investment in the future, so he didn’t mind spending now.qblN
atyWZsEach one of them was larger and stronger than imperial citizens; individually, they weren’t inferior to knights.AF9DE7
VsvTAXIn any job requiring manual labor, they would clearly generate at least double the profit.Z9S
Bez8Moreover, the foreigners came from the tundra, where warrior worship was natural.de0L5vD
jfMaThe idea of getting paid for fighting didn’t even exist, so even if a standing army was created, it could be maintained for a time at extremely low cost.vvRlF
8jt‘The important thing right now isn’t taxes, but investing to increase their loyalty. They’re golden geese about to lay eggs—I won’t gut them for a few coins.’vAonM
o06OIn this way, Lucian felt no dissatisfaction with the current situation, where he was giving everything away thinking of the future.ofjn
EtYPgzBut the foreigners had no idea what was going on in their king’s mind.aSdDYM
GBBNaturally, to prepare for an uncertain future, they began racking their brains.4CNR
uAqHuzd“What about blacksmithing or carpentry? We also have quite a bit of experience making weapons and building houses.”JGe
tlQ“Are you kidding? The skill gap is way too big for that.”4rXV
j9VLOqz“The technical level here is too high. Everything we’ve done so far feels like child’s play.”5Jpql
9UNaN“Then let’s try being hunters. At least we’re confident in hunting.”LaQJ
jjc1“I heard that hunting grounds are regulated here, and you get punished if you hunt without permission.”BOM
PNPkYW“You need permission to hunt? What strange laws.”AH7ygT
XDH1NThe foreigners debated intensely day after day, but couldn’t come up with a good solution.iOrqJ9
kXdOR8eCompared to the citizens of the empire, they lacked too many basic skills and technical knowledge, so most discussions ended fruitlessly.nFfk8P4
t2oaczAfter several weeks with no progress, some of them finally realized the root of the problem and shouted in frustration.lhyQAqy
8sJq“Damn it! We can’t start anything like this. Without the basics, we need to learn them first.”gtB
Q16Kaa“Learn…? Right, let’s start by getting trained!”N1MH1BR
a8EEJ4U“What?”18Gnhl
GSg“If that’s how things are, let’s learn from the humans who lived here before us. What do they call it… apprenticeship? They say you can learn a skill as a disciple for a small fee.”m3R
Mjj8o“I’ve heard of that too… but would they accept us? We’re old, and it’d be like raising competitors.”LnO
t9BL“At least let’s try asking. If they say no, we’ll think of something else.”bL2Yt1
LqXC3AgFor some, that proposal might have seemed humiliating, but for the foreigners, it wasn’t a big deal.xMPHXE
vAlIn the tundra, dying because you lacked the courage to ask to be taught was simply a reason to be mocked.l0x1oD
UZB5Without wasting time, they chose representatives and sent them to speak with the imperial blacksmiths who had already settled there.4gK
lD1JbJx***YJo5R
G2e3BThe blacksmiths who received the foreigners’ proposal were alarmed and gathered immediately.SH8
0T85Not only had they never expected something like that to happen, but the proposal itself seemed utterly absurd to them.5so
DVMj“Have you heard the proposal those barbarians from beyond the tundra sent recently?”2LEUYwP
WEV“Of course. It’s so absurd I’m left speechless. Asking us openly to teach them our techniques!”gG7
cbF“If someone wants to learn a technique, they should kneel first. Where do they get such nerve?”7OnRg
rrpA technique, once mastered, was the livelihood of a lifetime. In other words, the more people you taught, the less room there was for yourself, and the more competitors appeared.7yp09
Qsq0iUyThat’s why, normally, the transmission of techniques was strictly based on personal or blood ties, and those without connections had to show extreme devotion to learn anything.kvWw0
j5NuqAnd yet, without the slightest bit of deference, they expected to learn while holding their heads high.pYEhIeh
4up“That’s why barbarians are useless. They don’t even know the basics!”PMD
w8Omt“Was it really necessary to call a meeting over this? Let’s just reject the proposal and kick them out!”YZMj3g
Vjh5Gsm“Exactly! We can’t hand over techniques passed down for generations so lightly!”z35t
fFPqW“Tsk, tsk.”XroqVw
np6o4In the middle of the blacksmiths’ uproar, a tongue click was heard.KWPJYn
RPeMZjIt was Igor, who had called the meeting and was also the most experienced blacksmith among them.Jyn
MwHpVkIgor scanned the room and slammed the table hard.nIvSc
LH2Z0oW“Do none of you think at all? Do you really believe this is still the same territory as before?”nm3
a8qNSj9“What are you talking about?”GQ27Y
0eimR“Right now, the majority of Asagrim’s population comes from beyond the tundra. If you puff yourselves up in front of them, what do you think will happen next?”LCuq7r
mXvvy“This is Asagrim, the sacred land of the north! They’d better not try anything just because they outnumber us!”LHZzf9w
O6hw“I don’t know what you mean by ‘trying anything,’ but there’s something you’d better remember. All of them will be our customers. They’re not just outsiders.”sxQYL
MkUUaVtAt those words that hit the mark, the blacksmiths all fell silent at once.hgXsJ
U5DNo matter how extraordinary their products were, a blacksmith without customers was destined to starve.yPhXWP
2xlFxEven considering what they sold to merchants as trade goods, in the end, their main customers would always be the inhabitants of the same territory.R0rlCl
xn9And yet, they were trying to divide and look down on those who would be their main buyers just because of where they came from.fJdF
0QWu“If I were treated like that, I wouldn’t buy anything from someone who insulted me either. I’d starve before I let myself get stabbed.”z8Bq
xkyh“B-but even if we teach them the techniques, what will change? Once they learn, with the numerical advantage they have, we’ll lose all control.”BgUNDH
eCCVZ2“Why are you still thinking so short-sightedly? Look further ahead. Do you really believe Asagrim’s expansion ends here?”KcjJhn
rtnAdhu“What do you mean?”QWHOEa
K6U“Asagrim was already famous as the sacred land of the north, but recently its population, production base, and trade network have expanded. There’s nothing lacking anymore. So, what do you think comes next?”Csz
1NCCtXIt was obvious that, up to now, the free men who had only watched cautiously would start settling in Asagrim.5OPI0jy
ZJGoOB8Even if the walled city was full, the population would continue to grow outside the walls.bLfMq
zG2That’s how large cities worked—when they couldn’t hold everyone, they expanded outward.hfC
F8KtBH“There will come a time when there are too many customers for us to handle alone. To meet the demand, we’ll need apprentices.”Pp6pE
0aDZ“So you’re saying we should accept their proposal now and sell them that favor?”9gQH
Seha“No. I’m saying we should train them properly and directly establish a guild.”aZ2ka
El6bz7“…”6V0
b9nMrN“All of them have only been in the empire a short time and lack basic knowledge. If we become their teachers and found a guild, who do you think will take the leadership positions?”aXRO4xr
ZRfqThe blacksmiths’ eyes lit up.eW6gH
LwwXWnIf the city grew, the number of blacksmiths would naturally increase, and with that, a guild would form.1eUuL
Gcd0And in a guild, those at the top usually weren’t the most skilled, but the ones with the most influence.ctRNR
htuASIn other words, if they trained apprentices now, the chances of becoming the future guild’s leaders were high.pWiex
fVACR“Our backs are already bent, and our eyesight’s starting to fail. How much longer do you think we can work at peak level? It wouldn’t be a bad idea to start training apprentices and enjoy a peaceful old age.”r0gAaIp
TPDGLQ“Hmm that’s not a bad argument…”ZohZ5qQ
74aorE“I’m just worried if they’ll respect their masters like we do.”90tiHCZ
eOLJqkSome blacksmiths agreed with Igor but couldn’t shake off their concerns.iINe4
PKWVThey didn’t even understand the importance of techniques now and showed up without manners.IrRRZ
0QQWouldn’t they just ignore their masters once they learned everything?EQt59wP
oVZc“Don’t worry. You all know this yourselves. How are traditions born?”jlCUh
Wda43Igor smiled slyly at the others’ doubts.NmSD
LDvThose who suffer under a tradition rarely try to break it afterward. The reason is simple.vVBDb
cwige“When the apprentices’ turn comes to be treated as masters, they’ll start respecting tradition more fervently than anyone.”qUze
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