Two days after the death of Count Valdemar. Ray summoned the descendants of the four families who had completed the vassal oath.
“I have to leave the family because I have an urgent business, so I will appoint a lord’s deputy.”
“yes?”
“The acting lord is Leon.”
“… … !”
It was a sound like a red bean in the middle of the night. I wondered if the surroundings were barely stable after going crazy, but Ray left?
Even that substitute was Leon, who was on an equal footing with them. The children’s faces were contorted, but no objections were raised.
‘Damn it, I want to tear it off, but… ‘
‘Nine out of ten, it must have been talked about beforehand.’
In the previous confrontation, Leone suddenly cheered for the Count and pushed him into a duel. It is clear that he had a prior conspiracy with Luke.
If so, the appointment of the lord’s deputy this time would be a reward for his merits at that time.
‘Since the promise has been made, there is no possibility that Sir Ray or His Excellency will change their words.’
‘Anyway, I shouldn’t show dislike by opposing what was decided.’
There is dissatisfaction, but no one was stupid enough to reveal it in the current situation. They are those who have become vassals in a half-coercive way.
There’s no way Luke wouldn’t know that, so he would try to set an example. It was best to lie flat for now.
After checking the atmosphere, Ray took out the carrots Luke had prepared in advance.
“However, the distribution rate of trade goods will be divided equally before I leave.”
“… … !”
At those words, the distorted faces of the children bloomed again. Actually, isn’t that the most important issue?
If you wield the right to distribute trade goods in your hands, all the families would have to face Winslow.
However, if Ray decides the stake before he leaves, even Lyon won’t be able to touch it.
“A truly wise decision, Your Excellency!”
“Please take care of me until you return!”
As if they had never had any complaints, the children lowered their heads with smiles on their faces. Since Rion had been informed in advance, there were no major complaints.
Just being able to project a huge influence on Count Herning’s family was a more than enough reward.
‘Even if that’s the case, my sister, no, Sir Luke won’t be able to disobey.’
This bizarre symbiosis is all centered around the elven prince and Luke. In other words, the moment the two of you fall out, everything is over.
Perhaps, if Leon was vainly greedy and tried to take over the Herning family, the elven grand duke would come running and slit his head at that moment.
‘In the end, it’s just dancing on Sir Luke’s hand.’
A bitter smile formed on Leon’s lips. Still, it wasn’t bad if you could get overflowing honey in return.
If you were to become a disaster when you met an enemy, it would be much better to be an ally even if you were considered a subordinate.
* * *
When another two days passed, Luke and his party prepared to leave Count Herning’s family. Ray was also among them.
It was an unprecedented situation in which the head of household left the family behind and went on a knight’s journey, but thanks to Leon’s quick arrangement, nothing major happened.
Ray asked Leon to do just one thing.
“Take your mother to Herning Castle and take good care of her.”
“I will definitely do that.”
“If my father seizes Jung as an excuse, next time I will lead the army to Winslow.”
“It will never happen.”
Leone gave a definite answer several times and lowered his head. It was just Luke’s intention to serve as the acting lord.
Ray didn’t have the slightest bit of trust in his family. Leon knew that all too well.
“If Sir Luke goes wrong, it wouldn’t be strange if the family was torn apart.”
If so, you should have picked up at least the crumbs of trust before it was too late. It should start with treating Ray’s mother with utmost respect.
While Leon was burning his resolve, Luke called Max and said.
“You stay here until we come back.”
“yes!?”
Max’s eyes widened at the unexpected words. No, the Bernsteins brought you all the way here, so why are you here now?
“First, look at the trends here.”
“A trend?”
“Rion, whom I entrusted to you as a substitute, is quite talented, and the guys from other families are not stupid. But there’s only one thing.”
In other words, a watchman just in case. It was like an unspoken threat that if Luke came, he could report everything.
Even if you think that if you do this well, Max’s existence alone can make you start thinking and change your mind.
“It’s a kind of insurance.”
“If it’s the first, is there a second?”
“Yes, the second is because of the destination.”
In fact, this was a more serious reason than the first.
“We are going to the North.”
“Why North?”
“How long do you think you can last if you fight me?”
Max had crossed swords with Luke when he was first mistaken for an assassin. But at that time, Luke clearly strained and fought.
If Luke really decided and tried to kill him, he would have died in an instant. After a rough calculation, Max opened his mouth.
“Even if there were a lot, I would have received three sums.”
“yes?”
“But I don’t really need force.”
“No, I need it from now on.”
If it was a simple northern route, Max’s level of force would suffice. Although the northerners worship strength, even servants don’t have to be strong.
However, the place he was going to now was not an obscure place in the north.
“Because we are going to Yalingrim.”
“… … !”
Max was frightened by the name of the barbaric sacred place that suddenly popped out.
* * *
Upon hearing the circumstances, Max gave up. He was able to protect his body well enough.
However, the place Luke was going to was not at a decent level. It was obvious that Max’s brute force would only get in the way.
-You must not forget it when you return.
Leaving those words, Max saw off Luke’s party. Luke rode his horse and headed north.
Perhaps because the advance of the elves had stopped, the appearance of monsters on the way had significantly decreased.
“What is the North like?”
Bruno asked Luke if he was bored on the way.
“It’s not as damned as the West, is it?”
“well.”
Luke recalled the northern part before returning. Certainly there weren’t that many monsters. Instead, strong entities often appeared.
And those strong individuals were mostly slaughtered by human hands.
“It was a town where people were scarier than monsters.”
“Are you as political as the South?”
“No, rather, the quality of politics is poor.”
It’s not that the North doesn’t have political quality, but compared to other regions, the level was low. The reason was simple.
Because it’s hard to eat. I only do politics when I can afford it, what kind of politics is this when my nose is three.
“Then what are you afraid of?”
“The people who live there.”
“… … ?”
“You will know when you go.”
Luke laughed at the confused Bruno. There is no way to explain this without seeing it for yourself.
Riding for several days, Luke and his party crossed the northern border. And within a day, Bruno shouted.
“Holy crazy, what’s the temperature like here?”
Bruno trembled and rubbed his arms frantically with both hands. Ray also murmured, exhaling white breath.
“It’s cold.”
“Because it’s northern.”
“I’m not at the level where I can finish with just that.”
Bruno looked around. Snow with no sign of melting was covering the ground.
“It’s a region where the snow doesn’t melt even in spring.”
It was a sight too unfamiliar to Bruno, who was from the South. Luke added, enjoying the reaction.
“It’s embarrassing to be surprised like this.”
“Any more surprises?”
“A lot. Like an inn where we’ll be staying tonight.”
The two vassals, not understanding what they meant, looked at each other. And after a while, Bruno, who arrived at the inn, vomited.
“Two silver coins for a night!?”
My mouth dropped open at an unimaginable price. A flashy, high-end inn might not be it, but it is an ordinary inn that ordinary travelers can stay at.
However, the price he received was more than that of most high-end inns. Even Ray, who was dull of bargaining, frowned.
“You’re overpriced.”
“If you think so, you can go somewhere else.”
The innkeeper shrugged with an attitude that he had nothing to regret.
“All other places are the same price. You do not know, but the prices in the north are usually this much.”
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“Sounds nonsense!”
“done. Accommodation here.”
Stopping the two vassals from trying to say anything more, Luke held out a silver coin. The innkeeper quickly took the silver coin and lowered his head.
“Thank you for using it, Nari.”
“I want to eat, too.”
“Just give me half a silver coin.”
After happily paying the balance, the owner rubbed his palms and guided Luke and his party into the room.
The room wasn’t bad, but nothing great either. Bruno sighed in embarrassment.
“There are no cheaters. Why did you let go?”
“It is not a scam. It’s collusion.”
“yes?”
“As the owner said, the price around here is generally low.”
Originally, the price of goods in the north is high, but a murderous additional fee is attached to outsiders. Especially if it’s an article that looks like some money.
Raising prices to wealthy opponents is not uncommon in other provinces. The difference is that in the case of the North, the entire province colludes.
If you’re not going to buy it at this price, you’re just not selling it.
“So it is the same wherever you go. It’s cheaper to pay without saying anything than to move around.”
“Is there no competition?”
Rey asked Luke. No matter how collusive it is, it is a law to sell at least one person at a slightly cheaper price.
It’s better to sell one than to sell nothing. But the North was an exception.
“There is nothing like that in the North.”
“Why?”
“It’s paradoxical, but to survive.”
The North is a harsh land. Except for some crops, few crops grow, and the environment is not conducive to raising livestock.
At least it is a jewel producing area, so it makes a living through trade, but even that is not easy. This is because the imperial family strictly controls transactions.
“You say you listen to the imperial family in the north?”
“Because we hold trade routes that allow us to export grain on a large scale.”
“ah!”
Bruno nodded as if he understood. Of all the neighboring regions, only the imperial family was capable of exporting large amounts of grain.
The East is stable, but divided into several clans. There is not enough scale to facilitate such a large-scale trade.
Needless to say, the West is struggling with monsters. The southern part is not even adjacent, so it is out of the question.
Only the imperial family at the center could export grain on a large scale.
“After all, the imperial family is on a leash.”
And the imperial family has no intention of letting the north grow. As a result, grain exports are adjusted just enough to breathe.
The moment they rebel, they immediately cut off the trade route and die before procurement elsewhere.
“For the northerners, it is to die for. As a result, I desperately scrape together everything in order to somehow survive.”
Price fixing is one of them. Rather, if they compete in the North where supplies are scarce, they all die.
Rather, it was agreed that those who would buy with price unification should buy.
‘Those emperors like trash.’
Luke, who was explaining, clicked his tongue inwardly. As an emperor, it is natural to strengthen the imperial authority and suppress the local lords.
However, if it is to dry up even the common people, the story is different. What kind of madman’s head did this idea come from?
‘So I have to live even more.’
The north is still dissatisfied with the center. If you prevent the birth of the king of the barbarians here, you will surely become a reliable ally.
No, it shouldn’t end with simply blocking the barbarian king.
‘Establish a king of the northerners.’
He is not the king of barbarians. He needed someone who could unite the entire northern part and unite all wills to oppose the imperial family.
Luke’s eyes looked out the window and into the distance. The fate I met before returning was in this northern part.
A person who has enough qualifications to become a king.