Chapter 470
When meetings happen, they tend to chain. One new person brings another, and before you know it, your circle of acquaintances has grown.
Bringing in orphans through the temple created opportunities to invite even more people. So we added a few. That should ease the labor shortage eventually. Eventually. For now, we're still short-handed. All we've got is a busier, livelier town.
Living like that made me want people who could hit the ground running. I was thinking about taking a risk. Then he showed up.
The man who'd only given his word. The man whose sincerity I couldn't gauge. He walked into Freihait looking travel-worn. A far cry from his first appearance.
"As promised, Bermuda Ortus. I have successfully resigned and come to this land."
"Yeah. How exactly did you manage that?"
Smiling that suspicious smile, the man had thrown away everything. His assets. Everything. A capable man. Experienced. Ready to work. But trust was an issue. He'd come anyway, following my conditions.
The first time we met, he'd led the eastern Duke Marchias's army. Now he came alone. Just to be safe, I had the Entertainers, Dark-san, and the wind spirits check the surroundings. No one lurking. He was truly alone.
His clothes were worn leather armor and sturdy travel clothes. A far cry from his old uniform. When Genjirou reported that he'd arrived looking like an adventurer, I couldn't help saying "no way."
But here he was. In the reception room. Definitely Bermuda.
To be thorough, we made a contract. He couldn't lie during the interview. So I knew.
"I used resources, connections, and my track record as leverage. I could have come sooner using illegal means. But Lord Liberta wanted a clean break."
Bermuda was telling the truth. He'd resigned without Duke Marchias's hatred. Without leaving a grudge. Using methods I didn't know.
"I'd like to hear about those methods."
"Of course. I didn't do anything particularly difficult."
Even knowing he was bound by a divine contract and couldn't lie, I still couldn't accept that he'd resigned peacefully. I'd always known Marchias as someone who didn't let people leave. That was my understanding. Logically, maybe there was a way. Emotionally, I couldn't see it.
Betrayal meant death. That was Marchias's creed. No exceptions. Open or secret, no matter the means. He'd come to kill you.
So even though Bermuda couldn't lie, I wouldn't believe it until I heard the details.
"First, I arranged an audience with the Prime Minister."
"The Prime Minister?"
"I could have approached His Majesty. But openly contacting the king would incur the Duke's wrath. So I contacted the Prime Minister. Connecting through work wouldn't raise suspicion."
I knew this wasn't the game. But even players who followed the Duke Marchias route never found a way to leave cleanly. FBO players knew that breaking with Marchias meant total war. It was considered systemically impossible. Now Bermuda was calmly saying he'd done it. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't interested. I sat up straight.
"Don't tell me the Prime Minister negotiated your resignation?"
The first person he mentioned was a national power broker. It seemed theoretically possible. But I thought it wouldn't work.
"No. The Duke wouldn't accept that. He might pretend to accept, but assassins would come that night. Make it look like an accident."
"Thought so."
Bermuda shook his head. Unsmiling. No.
Only me, the Garden Guards, and Ingrid were in the reception room. It was just the two of us talking. The tea on the table was getting cold.
"What's needed is acceptance."
"Acceptance? That's emotional. Marchias isn't emotional. He'd be理性. Logical. Profit and loss. I can see him approaching it that way. But the 'acceptance' part? Marchias is made of steel. I can't imagine him accepting."
"Being close to him gives perspective."
Bermuda smiled. He picked up his tea. Drank. Held the cup. I knew he had a talent for schemes. Probably the best in FBO. I could only assume he'd found a way I couldn't imagine.
"As you said, Lord Liberta. He has no affection for others."
Detached. Rational. Focused on results. That man's dangerous ideas came from that. His method for a clean break. I was curious.
"So I just had to make him think my resignation would be profitable."
I listened. Waited. He smiled.
"The Prime Minister agreed to three things."
That suspicious smile. He raised three fingers.
"One. The Prime Minister would try to recruit me."
"Oh?"
Right from the start. Provoking Marchias. Recruiting his right hand. Even for the Prime Minister, that was extreme. It could start a war between the ducal house and the royal family. He did it anyway. Or rather, he'd done it. That meant he'd moved the Prime Minister without causing a conflict. I'd have Esmeralda ask her father to check.
"That's dangerous. Could've caused a civil war."
"I prepared carefully. Don't worry. I refused the recruitment. Out of loyalty to Marchias."
"That makes sense."
"Yes. That was the natural response. But the Prime Minister, with our prior agreement, insisted. So Marchias, as a subject, had to give a reason not to let me go."
"...I see."
"Yes. That's where his character flaw shows. Duke Edelgard could refuse. He could cite feelings, bonds, things you can't put a price on. The Prime Minister would accept."
I could see where this was going. The relationship between the Prime Minister and the dukes was delicate. With Bordrinde fallen, the north was being rebuilt. The balance of power had shifted toward the royal family. The Prime Minister wanted capable people. He wanted to recruit Bermuda. Normally, even powerful figures in different factions don't poach each other's subordinates. It causes bad feelings. But the Marchias family couldn't afford to antagonize the royal family. They couldn't just refuse. Not without damaging the relationship. They couldn't even refuse to negotiate.
So?
"But Duke Marchias isn't that kind of man. Everyone knows he values practicality. I served him for years. He kept me because I was useful. Paid me for my work."
You could predict his actions.
"The Duke has no use for emotional arguments. So he'd make impossible demands. Things the royal family couldn't provide."
"That far, I expected."
Duke Edelgard could refuse. Say he couldn't let a trusted, loyal subordinate go. The Prime Minister would have to back down. If he pushed, he'd be known as a man who bought loyalty. And Edelgard would be known as a man who sold it. Their relationship wasn't like that. But Marchias was different.
"So? What did he want? A royal treasure? A princess? A marriage? That could be managed. Impossible demands would be monster materials. Something like that."
"Control of a port on the central continent."
"Ah. I see. The royal family would never give up that kind of vested interest."
If Marchias was going to refuse, he'd ask for something impossible. Something profitable. Bermuda's guess was right.
"Yes. He valued me highly. If I wanted me, give up the port. He had me tell the Prime Minister."
"The Prime Minister refused. Obviously."
"No. He accepted."
"What?"
I couldn't follow. The royal family only controlled one port on the central continent. Its rights were built over generations. The Prime Minister couldn't just give it up.
"...You said it wasn't difficult?"
"Yes."
"It wasn't. It's dangerous. Very."
"Yes. It's dangerous."
So how?
"Second. I have a way to reach the central continent. Safer than current methods. Even Marchias doesn't know. I offered it in exchange for my release."
"..."
"Bermuda."
"Yes."
"You have an ancient relic, don't you?"
"Yes. A repaired airship. For emergencies. You never know what might come in handy."
"Damn!"
He admitted it. An item I wanted. In FBO, ancient relics were randomly held by NPCs at the start. You couldn't target them.
"Third. I arranged to work at the castle for a while. Then officially resign. Then I came here."
Who would have thought Bermuda had it?