Price of Management

Chapter 9. Signs

West of the Kingdom of Leaden.

Along the northern highway, the Rhondga Merchant Guild reaches the border of the Horn Empire.

At the border checkpoint, royal soldiers of the Kingdom of Ledon were conducting a vigorous inspection against the migrants. It is a thorough investigation into whether you are trying to remove a weapon, enchantment book, or other prohibited items, and whether you are not a criminal.

After 30 years of ascension, the merchant Lone Family was steadily waiting for the order. There was nothing against the law, so there was no reason to be anxious.

“Next!”

The swordsmen shout.

A large group of Ronga advance forward.

Ronga stepped up and said,

“Good work, everyone. We are the Ronga Merchants Guild. ”

“What are you selling? ”

“200 Wheat Sacks, 5 Spirit Stones, 10 Sapphire, and more luxury clothing. ”

“Check it out!”

“Old!”

The soldiers begin investigating the wagon belonging to the Ronga Merchants Guild.

Lone family had nothing to worry about because there was no contraband.

Recently, the increasing level of border inspection has been a bit troubling, but I thought it was natural that the relationship between the two countries was not good.

But it was then.

“Cao Cao, look at this! ”

A soldier rushes to the chief inspector with a book. The Chief Inspector, who was in charge of the afternoon inspection, saw the book and his eyes brightened.

“Flame Buster? Oh, the Wizard of the Five Circles. ”

Selling a tactically valuable 5-circle grimoire to the Horn Empire, a preliminary enemy, was a high crime of treason.

Ronga was greatly embarrassed.

“W-what is that?! That's not ours! ”

“Arrest him! If he resists, kill him!" ”

“Old!”

Soldiers surround the Ronga Merchant Guild.

“You didn't mention this, merchant. ”

“We're just hired mercenaries. ”

“I will not resist. ”

The mercenaries employed by the Ronga Merchant Guild surrender with their weapons down. Lone Family yells unfairly.

“I've never seen this before! It's unfair!”

“But this came from your wagon. ”

“That's someone setting a trap...! ”

“I will interrogate and listen to your excuses. Take him away!”

In the Inspector's order, the soldiers confiscate the Lone Street Merchant Guild.

As he was dragged away, Lone Family felt confused.

Who the hell is that? ’

It was a trap.

A grimoire. Even the Wizarding Guild didn't have the skills to get a hold of carefully curated items.

Then…….

Did this inspector personally do this? ’

After thinking about it, Ronga secretly told the chief inspector as he was being confiscated.

“Hey, I think I know what you want. Let's talk quietly together. ”

“What are you talking about? ”

Instead of answering, Lone Eye points to the pocket of money on his waist. The inspector's face was badly distorted.

“Who are you calling a corrupt soldier?! ”

Ronga was embarrassed by the Inspector's anger.

‘Ah, wasn't it?! Then why... ’

If they didn't do it on purpose to rob the money, what is the meaning of English? I was afraid Lone would be sentenced to death.

"No way!"

He was taken to the interrogation room at the border checkpoint.

A dark basement. Only one candle on an old table is gloomy.

The soldiers leave him alone and disappear. Lone Family sits alone in an interrogation room, where anxiety intensifies over time.

Then the door opened and a man came in. He was a young man.

“Ronga. A merchant born on the Baden River. Top management year 30. One son, two daughters, after the wedding. ”

The man wrote in a line about the great Rhone. Ronga realizes that he's been mistaken.

‘You've been after me from the start. ’

The young man opened his eyes and spoke.

“And I'm sure it's the tip of the rebellious Earl Antares. ”

Lone Family was heartbroken.

“Th-that……! ”

“Shut up.”

The young man continued to tell Ronga who was mute and honey eaten by the wind.

“You have symptoms, but no evidence. But they have something much better. Power. If you serve the most powerful man in this country as your lord, you'll be in good hands. It'll take less than five minutes to get the border checkpoint to cooperate. ”

This is the most powerful government in the country.

The Lone Family recalls the young king of the Kingdom of Ledon. However, I shook my head. Then…….

“Oh, are you Baron Evan Taylor? ”

“Yes.”

Evan chuckles.

Earl Caroc Ligand was also widely known as Evan, his henchman, when he was called "The Wise Man of Leaden." Originally, he had a history as the right-hand man of Earl Wolfgang Ranzhel, and was forced to become a topic of conversation.

“I don't need any proof. You are under arrest for smuggling a forbidden item, the Grimoire, into the Horn Empire. True or false, as long as I do so, you are executed. ”

It was close to tyranny. Ronga's body trembles as if it were a thorn bush.

Evan walks behind Ronga's back. He puts his hands on his shoulders and whispers.

“So let's not get ahead of ourselves and play the truth game. There are only two ways you can convince me. You can confess what I want and be absolved of sin or torture to death. ”

“W-what do you want to say? ”

“What did Earl Antares ask you to do? You began your journey to the Horn at the turn of the days when Earl Antones and Earl Lindell turned their backs on the Kingdom of Ledon. However, the prohibited items were not traded, and the volume was small. Then I guess we did a much more important errand than just smuggling. For example, talking to someone. ”

Ronga realizes there is no way out of this place. If there was one thing, it was convincing Evan and wanting to be generous.

Ronga sighs and says:

“There are two things you're wrong about. ”

“Tell me.”

“First of all, I've established the Merchant Guild with safety in mind. We didn't touch any dangerous items, so we couldn't make a big profit, we couldn't make a small profit. I know what people say is most dangerous. ”

“And?”

“I'm not like a servant of the Earl of Antares. And to be precise, it's not that much of a relationship. ”

“But that means there's something involved. ”

“Yes, they did me a favor. I happily said yes, because it would benefit me a lot, and it wouldn't be against national law. ”

“What a favor. ”

“I'll double the price. He asked me to keep procuring one thing. that are not labeled as prohibited items. I'm guessing many other merchants were asked to do the same. ”

“What item? ”

Evan insists.

Ronga sighs and answers.

“...... This is the Spirit Stone. ”

That said, Evan's face was stiff.

Spirit Stone?

It's not a prohibited item, but it's imported in secret.

Evan immediately realizes what the Horn Empire is doing. The most famous figure to be recalled by the word 'Spirit’ was his state troop, Earl Caroc Ligand. We are preparing for a kind of superior animosity in the face of war.

“Well, I've only sold things for that reason. No more associations! ”

Longa said in a pleading tone.

Evan suddenly asked, looking at him like that.

“Tell me everything else you know. ”

“The goods were handed over to someone from the Horn Empire. I didn't know his name or title, but he was definitely a member of the Horn Imperial Court. I don't think he was that tall. ”

“Say it again. ”

“Besides me, I bought a small amount of Spirit Stones from merchants who run small merchants like me. They had to trade in small quantities, and they asked them to go to the Orient Kingdom and get the Spirit Stone. ”

‘If you trade a lot at once, the market price will go up and stand out. In order to avoid the surveillance of the Kingdom of Leaden, it would be better to go to the Orient Kingdom and get a Spirit Stone. ’

Evan is convinced.

“This is it, but how do I...?" ”

“I can release you free of charge. If you promise to cooperate. ”

Rhonda had no choice.

* * *