Chapter 407
Episode 407: See You at the Festival
“You’re going to crawl into that place yourself?”
When Arthur said he would personally move to Reruze, the heart of Prime Root, Karl frowned.
“No way. That’s too dangerous.”
“I’m not going there to fight.”
“You say that while carrying bombs? Aren’t you going to drop bombs on Reruze?”
“It’s similar, but not quite. I’m only going to apply pressure.”
“Isn’t that the same thing! What if you get caught?”
“Then it’ll look like the Allied Forces broke the ceasefire first. In the worst case, it could spark a war.”
“You know that, and you still want to go through with this? Do you really have to? We’ve already established a truce with Prime Root.”
“This festival isn’t just about eating, drinking, and having fun. It’s a crucial ritual to solidify the unity of the Allied Forces. In fact, Tobaron’s army and the Ordor Forest Alliance are both currently joining up in the city of vagrants. Do you think the Sword Demon will take kindly to that?”
“Neither the Sword Demon nor Grand Duke Clarke are fools. This festival could pose a major threat to them. They’ll either try to sabotage it, or use it as an opportunity to stir up serious trouble. We can’t give those two factions any breathing room.”
With a resolute expression, Arthur held out his hand to Karl.
Karl sighed, then pulled a small violet pouch from his coat.
It was a subspace pouch.
“Warehouse No. 7 of the Black Market, I think? Got it from there. The security magic on that place was way over the top.”
“Subspace pouches are expensive magical artifacts.”
“This one’s extra special. It’s got massive capacity.”
“That’s a relief.”
After learning how to use the pouch from Karl, Arthur carefully placed the bombs inside. Even after storing all the bombs from the crates, there was still plenty of room left inside.
“Only you and I should know about these bombs I’ve taken.”
“If you’re going to sneak into Reruze and return without getting spotted by the Sword Demon, yeah. But can you get there before the festival? Even if you’re going alone, it’s a long way off, and the route’s not easy.”
“I’ve already sent Samuel. A portal to Reruze will open soon.”
“What? Samuel?”
At the mention of Samuel, Karl’s mouth dropped open slightly. After a moment, he shook his head and asked:
“W-Wait a minute, then what about the spatial portal inside the city warehouse?”
“It’s closed.”
“Ah, that’s not good...”
“What’s the problem?”
“Natasha. She headed to the warehouse district saying she’d return to the World Tree as soon as she arrived in Aintrier.”
“So it was a wasted trip.”
“Yeah. A real waste.”
It seemed Natasha’s plan to quickly return to the World Tree through Samuel’s spatial portal had hit a snag.
“When did she leave?”
“Before you arrived. She’s probably staring at an empty warehouse right about now.”
“Then she’ll come back here.”
“Probably? And I bet she’s gonna throw a fit with that pissed-off glare of hers.”
“Better get ready in advance, then.”
“Ready? Ready for what?”
Arthur looked around at the vast piles of goods inside the ship and smiled.
“We’ve confirmed the stolen goods, so now it’s time to distribute them. Let’s head to the dock.”
It looked like the night along the Kenline River would be a long one.
Just past midnight.
The two Ship Gridments floating in the darkness slowly came together, docking side-by-side.
This was to transfer the stored goods from each ship to their designated destinations. A temporary bridge was laid across the ships, and Leafs moved busily between both cargo holds.
Arthur stood at the dock, looking up at the scene.
Leafs hurried to move boxes full of treasure.
Arthur nodded as he looked around the Ship Gridment.
Not bad.
He’d been worrying about how to secretly move such a massive amount of stolen goods, but the Ship Gridment had solved the issue in one stroke.
Karl, watching the gold-filled boxes being distributed evenly, turned to Arthur.
“You’re sending one of them to the city of vagrants, right?”
“That’s right.”
“Transport will be quick. We can use the usual route.”
“Just contact Notura, the person in charge there, before it arrives. I’m sure they’re already preparing a storage facility.”
“You’re thorough as ever. But...”
Karl pointed to the other ship, clearly dissatisfied.
Its destination was Demtor—the Ivory Tower Alliance. And the amount of gold headed there was staggering.
“I know we promised support to the Ivory Tower Alliance, but don’t you think that much gold is overkill?”
Arthur had the gold divided evenly between the two ships.
Both destinations had been given instructions to prepare for gold deliveries.
The city of vagrants was preparing for a massive festival, and a wide defensive wall would soon be built, so the need was understandable.
But Demtor wasn’t.
They were on the other side. And he was giving too much. It was generosity on the level of a pushover.
“We’ve already supplied the Tower with critical information via the Black Market and poured hundreds of millions of gold into it. Do we really need to give them more?”
“What do you think the Ivory Tower will do with all that gold?”
At Arthur’s question, Karl furrowed his brows in thought.
Mages are rational beings.
When they choose sides, they typically prioritize logic and benefit over emotions.
And the sheer amount of gold aboard that ship could become a decisive factor in swaying many mages to the Ivory Tower’s side.
Karl acknowledged that much, but still thought it was too much.
He turned to Fenry, hoping for support. He was sure that someone as money-conscious as her wouldn’t just stand by.
But—
“If spending gold means less blood spilled by our own kind, then it’s a worthwhile investment.”
“...Fenry?”
“What?”
Karl widened his eyes in disbelief at Fenry. A moment later, he took a step back and shook his head violently.
The penny-pinching Fenry just said that?
“W-Who are you and what have you done with the real Fenry?!”
“Shut it.”
As Karl and Fenry bickered, the distribution of the cargo between the two Ship Gridments came to an end.
The ships slowly began to separate.
Arthur pointed toward the ship heading to Demtor and made eye contact with Karl.
Karl let out a dry laugh and pointed at himself.
“You want me to do something again, don’t you?”
“I’d like you to handle the transport to Demtor.”
“…You’re seriously asking me to go to Demtor? On that ship?”
“It’s not a small amount of gold. I’d feel uneasy sending it off unescorted.”
“Why me? There are others.”
“Lady Natasha and Fenry have been away too long and need to return to the Ordor Forest. They’re vital to guarding the World Tree. I can only rely on you, Karl.”
“But I also want a break…”
“If you visit the Ivory Tower, you’ll receive special treatment. Have a pleasant trip and enjoy the experience. Mages are famous for their exquisite hospitality, aren’t they?”
“…Special treatment?”
At that phrase, Karl’s expression shifted, piqued with interest.
“You’re transporting that much gold. Do you think the Tower Masters would treat you lightly? Every Tower Master will welcome you with the utmost respect.”
“Every Tower Master…”
Images of the Ivory Tower, Radiant Tower, and Blue Tower flickered in Karl’s mind.
Judging by his face, he was clearly intrigued.
“Enjoy that hospitality—and while you’re there, assess Demtor’s situation. Being close to a Tower Master should give you access to valuable information.”
“So basically, you want me to trade that gold for intel from the Ivory Tower Masters?”
“You understand perfectly. I want you to see the current state of Demtor with your own eyes. What matters most is information on Grand Duke Clarke and Gram Seraphim.”
“Sounds like a headache… but could be fun. Can I take the ghosts with me?”
“Take them all.”
“All of them? What about the other ship? Shouldn’t we have someone guarding it until it reaches the city of vagrants? Leafs won’t be enough.”
“You don’t have to worry about that.”
Arthur smirked as he glanced at Fenry—and soon after, a woman quickly approached from behind her.
A grumbling voice came through the thick woods.
“Why did that bastard Samuel disappear without a word?!”
A red-haired witch—Natasha—appeared behind Fenry.
Arthur greeted her and said,
“Looks like you’ll need to board the ship.”
“Ugh… I hate boats. This is gonna suck.”
The plan was to send Natasha and Fenry aboard the ship to guard it until it reached the city of vagrants. Upon hearing of Samuel’s absence, Natasha muttered a curse and looked up at the enormous ship.
“A week, huh… Damn it, I get the worst seasickness.”
“You get seasick?”
“I just hate the way it moves.”
“It’s a magic ship—it should be fine.”
“It’s still a boat.”
Apparently, Natasha really didn’t like being on ships.
Bwoooooo—!!!!!
A strong signal horn echoed, and the red light of dawn began spreading beyond the horizon.
As the long night ended and warm sunlight touched the dock, the two Ship Gridments began gliding downriver.
Arthur lightly waved at the ship heading toward Demtor.
“Karl, be especially careful with Gram. She’s like a snake.”
“She’s not my type, don’t worry.”
Arthur was certain it wasn’t that her charm wouldn’t work on Karl—rather, women simply had no interest in him.
Still, he smiled and sent Karl off.
After moving to the city of vagrants, Fenry and Natasha would then head to the Ordor Forest.
“See you at the festival.”
After seeing them off, Arthur turned and left the dock as the Ship Gridments disappeared from view.
Creak— Creak—
The silence around him sank into heaviness.
Having used his authority to restrict access far from the dock, Arthur walked the area alone.
With a major task completed, his steps felt light.
As the two ships vanished from sight, Arthur headed back to Aintrier.
When Italus, who had handed Arthur the lord’s seal, saw him return, he let out a relieved sigh.
“Phew… Now I can finally leave without pressure.”
“You look quite happy about it. Was the acting lordship uncomfortable? I heard you once wanted that position during your time as the second-in-command.”
“Well… when Azonne held the reins, it did seem desirable. But not anymore.”
Though Arthur had practically forced Italus to take over as the acting lord, Italus’s mind had long been on the city of vagrants.
While managing Aintrier briefly, he had come to clearly understand just how immense the flow of wealth from Hell Grime was into the city of vagrants.
“If I miss this opportunity, I’m not a real merchant.”
Each passing day made him more anxious.
He planned to head to the city of vagrants and reorganize the Lenon Workshop in line with the Allied order.
“I’ve already finished the handover.”
“They’re already here?”
At Arthur’s question, Italus smirked and pointed upstairs.
It seemed the Black Market executives had arrived early and taken seats.
“What do you plan to do with them?”
“I plan to use them.”
“For Demtor? Or Prime Root?”
As expected of a merchant, Italus had accurately grasped the use of the executives.
Arthur smiled and answered:
“The Black Market will be focusing on just two individuals.”
“Just two? Who could be worth that?”
Arthur glanced toward the office and slowly opened his mouth.
“Azolett, and Rengua Field.”
Two individuals with the potential to become future catastrophes.
Arthur was watching closely—waiting for the right time to dispatch the hunting party.