Chapter 165 : A Dwarf Called Roger
Chapter 165: A Dwarf Called Roger
Steal away artisans and technology?
Berje let out a hollow laugh. It was truly, truly utter nonsense.
“Explain it slowly, and in detail.”
So that it made sense to him.
『This morning, an executive of the Black Toad Merchant Company formally visited our merchant company.』
The executive, accompanied by guards, arrogantly requested a private meeting with Aman, but Aman had been busy with other matters at the time, so Zetoson took his place.
『At first, we didn’t even know why he had come.』
They guessed he might be there to buy mana cannons, but honestly, that made no sense at all.
The Black Toad Merchant Company was a major merchant company that supplied military goods to the Imperial Army while owning dozens of workshops.
The mana cannons they had produced alone numbered over a thousand.
However, it was true that the matter concerned mana cannons. Of course, it was not a purchase.
* * *
“So the merchant company head does not come out. Is this the will of the Golden Moon?”
“You didn’t have your merchant company head come out either, so why would it be strange for ours not to?”
“Do you think the Black Toad is on the same level as the Golden Moon?”
“They are both ‘merchant companies.’”
“...Fine. In any case, I can hear it directly through you.”
The executive of the Black Toad Merchant Company went on at length, explaining why he had visited the Golden Moon Merchant Company.
Zetoson frowned.
“I don’t quite understand, so what exactly did you just say?”
“I said that the rights to those mana cannons belong to our merchant company.”
He twisted his rat-like mustache.
Zetoson snorted.
“That’s an interesting thing to say. Then all the rights of your merchant company belong to me.”
“What did you say?”
“You covet what belongs to others without any reason, so it stands to reason that we can covet things just the same, doesn’t it?”
“We are asserting our legitimate rights over what was stolen from us!”
“Which is why it’s nonsense.”
“No, nonsense?”
“The mana cannons were items independently produced in our merchant company’s workshops, and they even received royal notarization from the Kingdom of Iasince.”
“Hmph, royal notarization is something you can get as long as you grease them with enough money, isn’t it?”
“At the very least, it costs more than your tantrum. Aside from spraying saliva everywhere, it doesn’t require any effort at all, does it?”
“Is this the Golden Moon Merchant Company’s answer?”
“We always treat others according to their standing. With politeness toward those who are polite, and with nonsense toward those who spout nonsense.”
“For an executive of a merchant company, your mouth is exceedingly vulgar.”
“Of course. I came out to face someone like you, after all.”
“You bastard...!”
The executive, who had been bristling at Zetoson’s words, forcibly steadied his breathing and continued.
“You say the mana cannons were independently produced in your workshops? Have you not considered that that itself is the problem?”
“I have not.”
“The people in those so-called fine workshops are artisans of our merchant company! They were individuals who belonged to our workshops and went missing about half a year ago!”
“Haa.”
Zetoson let out a deep sigh.
“The artisans in our workshops were selected exclusively from artisans of Iasince, and their identities were thoroughly verified through cross-checking. Moreover, they were all voluntary applicants. What kind of ridiculous nonsense is this?”
Zetoson knew this well, as he had been partially involved himself.
“You can claim that much, I suppose.”
“Do we have to respond to nonsense with more nonsense?”
“Nonsense? So the Golden Moon has truly seated a swindler as an executive. The Golden Moon Merchant Company clearly siphoned away the artisans of our merchant company.”
“Well, let’s hear the story first.”
Zetoson crossed his legs and leaned back. He shrugged his shoulders, as if telling him to go on and see how far he would take it.
“Half a year ago, several artisans from the royal workshops disappeared without a sound. The workshops searched for them for a long time but could not find them.”
“Oh dear, is that so?”
“And then suddenly, the Golden Moon Merchant Company built workshops and began producing and selling mana cannons. A merchant company that had nothing whatsoever to do with mana cannons.”
“So you’re saying that it must have been your merchant company’s artisans that we kidnapped. Is that it?”
“That’s right.”
“This is absurd. A giant merchant company acting like common street thugs. Even the way you force things is exactly the same.”
“...Are you done speaking?”
“Not yet.”
Zetoson leisurely savored the aroma of his coffee.
“Mana cannons are not something you can just decide to make and then produce. It’s even more impossible for a mere merchant company with no foundation whatsoever to develop them from scratch in just a few months.”
“Unless you took away our artisans who had already been involved in mana cannon production from the beginning?”
“Now we’re finally having a conversation.”
“By that logic, all mana cannons in this world belong to the Berfht Kingdom, so you would all be thieves as well, wouldn’t you?”
“I won’t be led around by wordplay any longer.”
“Who knows? Maybe your artisans were simply overworked and ran away.”
“Are you going to deny it to the very end?”
“It’s not denial. It’s the truth.”
The executive of the Black Toad Merchant Company ground his teeth.
“Very well. I will formally request a full inspection of the Golden Moon Merchant Company’s workshops and artisans.”
“Ha? Listen here. This isn’t your merchant company. Who do you think you are, doing as you please?”
“A formal letter has likely already been sent from the Empire to the Kingdom of Iasince.”
Before long, knights of the Kingdom of Iasince visited the merchant company. They demanded that the workshops be shown to prove their innocence.
In the end, it went beyond what Zetoson could handle, and Aman had no choice but to accept.
“...Very well. However, if this turns out not to be true, you will have to pay an appropriate price.”
“Of course.”
Aman was confident.
It had not even been a few months since they had begun recruiting artisans and building workshops in the first place, and all of them had undergone thorough identity checks through cross-verification.
And above all else, the mana cannons themselves had not been made in the workshops, but received from Berje.
Since the workshops themselves were merely for show, there were no artisans in the workshops who handled the core technology of mana cannons.
But.
“L-Lord Gallio!”
“It’s Lord Gallio...!”
Those who recognized the executive of the Black Toad Merchant Company were clearly artisans of Iasince. Or so it seemed.
“One day, when I opened my eyes, I was here...khk.”
The man who claimed he had been kidnapped while shedding tears said that he had applied because he wanted to devote his life to the Golden Moon Merchant Company.
“There they are. The artisans of our merchant company.”
The eyes of Gallio, the executive of the Black Toad Merchant Company, sank coldly.
“No, why are these people here?”
Zetoson averted his gaze. Aman answered with a hardened expression.
“They are citizens of Iasince who voluntarily applied to our merchant company. There must be some misunderstanding—”
“They kidnapped us!”
“They threatened to kill us if we didn’t hand over the mana cannon manufacturing technology!”
“Greedy swindler bastards!”
“So they say.”
Will you still deny it?
“This is strange!”
“I clearly checked myself, so this shouldn’t be possible....”
“Excuses are unnecessary. I received two letters from our merchant company head. One is a letter stating that if our claim is wrong, we will formally apologize and promise compensation.”
But it seems that won’t be necessary.
Rip—
One of the letters was torn to shreds.
“And the other is what you must do if our claim is correct.”
The letter was handed to Aman. As he unfolded it, Gallio recited its contents.
“First, return the kidnapped artisans.”
“Second, in order to prevent technology leakage, cede all artisans who learned mana cannon manufacturing technology to the Black Toad Merchant Company.”
“Third, pay compensation to the merchant company and the artisans who suffered damages as a result.”
“Fourth, confiscate all profits earned from selling mana cannons and all mana cannons made with the merchant company’s technology, and return them to our merchant company.”
That is all.
“If you refuse, our merchant company will not hesitate to resort to force, so we trust you will make a wise choice.”
And do remember that the Empire stands behind our merchant company.
Aman’s complexion turned deathly pale.
* * *
『...That’s how it happened.』
“...It’s unbelievable.”
“It feels like a well-designed trap.”
At Ernan’s words, spoken as she listened alongside him, Berje nodded.
They had secretly planted spies when the Golden Moon Merchant Company recruited artisans, and then had those spies make their revelations.
“When the Golden Moon Merchant Company recruited artisans and built workshops, it was before even the word ‘mana cannon’ had been mentioned.”
All he had done was verbally tell Aman that he would send mana cannons.
“This is a scheme deliberately designed to bring down the Golden Moon Merchant Company.”
“What would the Black Toad Merchant Company gain from this?”
“That’s something we need to find out from now on. We need time.”
Berje nodded.
“For now, learn more about those so-called artisans. Send people to the nobility and the royal family and ask for help.”
『Yes. I will do so.』
Even as she answered that way, everyone present knew.
That it would not be easy to receive help from Iasince.
And that a great dam was originally brought down by a single small hole.
* * *
It began with the Iasince royal family.
“If we had known that the Golden Moon Merchant Company used such corrupt methods, we would never have invested in it in the first place.”
“It’s a misunderstanding! We have been wronged!”
“The evidence is clear, yet you persist. No lengthy words are needed. His Highness wishes for the recovery of all invested funds.”
The Iasince royal family’s investment was the first to be withdrawn.
Once the royal family pulled out, other investors followed one after another, demanding repayment of their investments.
“Please, just a little more time! We will surely clear our name!”
“With the Empire stepping in like that, what do you mean, ‘clear your name’? Just return the money.”
“Your Excellency, the Count!”
“Let go of me!”
Money began to drain away like an ebbing tide, and in order to repay the investments, they had to shut down the businesses they had spread out one by one.
Naturally, fear grew even greater and spread from the executives down to the employees.
The merchant company’s operations were nearly paralyzed, and they struggled day by day under debt collectors.
The one saving grace was that Hilderan had not demanded the return of its investment.
However, most people thought the same thing.
That it was merely a matter of time, and that the timing would be the moment the Golden Moon Merchant Company collapsed.
* * *
『You truly did not do such a thing?』
“Of course not, Your Highness. If it were that kind of merchant company, I would have stepped in first.”
『Then what about the mana cannons? Mana cannons are not something that can be produced that quickly.』
“...Your Highness. From this point on, can you swear that you will not tell anyone what I am about to say?”
『...So there is something, then.』
“As Your Highness said, it makes no sense for a merchant company with no foundation to produce mana cannons in just a few months. But wouldn’t it be different if there were something?”
『You intend to tell me?』
“If Your Highness helps me, that is certainly possible.”
『....』
The reply came only after a long while.
『This is my brother’s doing.』
“...Your brother, you say?”
『The Black Toad Merchant Company belongs to the Osrian Ducal House.』
『Since the Osrian Ducal House fully supports my brother, it would not be wrong to see this as his will.』
“...!”
“...Why?”
『My brother showed particular interest in you. Do you remember?』
“...Is that all?”
『He likely did not like that you were closer to me. While he was at it, he could swallow up the merchant company and reap enormous profits as well.』
Martin muttered.
『If I help the Golden Moon Merchant Company, it means I would have to fight my brother in earnest. Is the secret you possess worth that much?』
“It is.”
『Not a moment of hesitation.』
“There is no need for it. I can even stake the name of Hillan Cargill.”
『The value of your name is extremely high....』
Martin fell silent once more. After a long while, he spoke again.
『You would have no reason to speak nonsense to me.』
『Very well. If that secret is as valid as you say, I will help you.』
“Thank you!”
『Nothing has been decided yet. So then, what exactly is this secret?』
Hillan carefully lowered his voice. At the suddenly heavy atmosphere, Martin swallowed his dry saliva without realizing it.
And then.
“Your Highness, do you know of a dwarf called Roger, who once made the entire continent buzz?”
『...!』