Chapter – 83
“Ah, it’s nothing special.”
“What’s it about?”
“It says this shrine contains magical data that was stored in the Great Academy Elkarim. It seems it was moved here to the academy for the purpose of demon research and then sealed.”
“What kind of academy researches demons?”
“Don’t ask me that. That’s just what they say.”
“I see.”
“Wasn’t this area where the Great Academy of the Magical Civilization was located?”
“Hmm.”
Carlyle pondered for a moment.
The Magical Civilization of Hadiyatt?
It was a civilization not even mentioned in the game [Overlord].
‘This is a bit of a variable.’
A civilization from a full 5,000 years ago…
“Young Master.”
“Yes?”
“How about reporting this to His Grace the Grand Duke and proceeding with an excavation?”
“Excavate?”
Carlyle frowned at Maranello’s question.
“Do we even know what’s inside?”
“Of course, it’s dangerous, but it could be an opportunity to elevate Dekaron’s magical level by several stages.”
“It’s true that our magic is pathetic.”
To put it nicely, it was pathetic; the Sigmarud family’s level of magic was almost at a stone-age level.
Not a single mage had been produced in the family’s history, and it was no exaggeration to say that most of the vassals were knights, with no mages to speak of.
Only swordsmanship, and more swordsmanship.
As a family focused solely on martial power, it was inevitable that their magical level would be low.
Compared to the Belmark family, a prestigious magical family among the 12 great houses excluding the royal family, they were no different from monkeys.
“I’ll talk to Father about it once.”
“A wise decision, Young Master.”
“Is there anything else to see?”
Carlyle asked Borodin.
“No, Young Master. There are no more peculiarities.”
“Then let’s head outside. It’s been two days stuck in this mine shaft, it’s a bit stuffy.”
“At your service, Young Master.”
Carlyle and his party promptly took a cart and headed out of the mine shaft.
***
That afternoon.
A force of nearly 500 soldiers and the Sigmarud family’s Royal Guard Knights visited the village of the Unbreakable Hammer tribe.
“Unbelievable.”
Grand Duke Guntram looked around, unable to hide his astonishment.
He had never even dreamed that there would be a Dwarven village in the Morel Mountains.
“You’re here.”
“What is the situation?”
“I assume you heard the report, since you came after receiving it?”
“That’s true.”
“That’s all there is to it.”
“I see.”
“Ah, and this is…”
Carlyle introduced Borodin to Grand Duke Guntram.
“Pleased to meet you. I am Borodin, chieftain of the Unbreakable Hammer tribe. We are indebted to your son.”
“I am Guntram van Sigmarud, ruler of Dekaron.”
“I offer my endless gratitude for coming to aid our tribe.”
“Don’t mention it.”
“From now on, our Unbreakable Hammer tribe will cooperate with you fully and serve you for generations to come.”
“Hmm?”
“Since we owe a great debt to your second son, it is only right. We Dwarves are not a race that forgets favors.”
Grand Duke Guntram, uncharacteristically, was extremely flustered.
He never thought he would receive thanks from Dwarves in his life, and the reason was because of his good-for-nothing second son…
“It’s still surprising as I don’t know the details, but I shall accept it as such. From now on, our Dekaron and your Unbreakable Hammer tribe will share a friendly relationship.”
Although bewildered, Grand Duke Guntram treated Borodin and the Unbreakable Hammer tribe with great courtesy.
And for good reason. Being able to cooperate with Dwarves meant achieving immense economic and technological development.
Dwarves were natural-born master craftsmen.
They were a race with outstanding technical skills and labor power in almost all fields, including metallurgy, alchemy, magic, craftsmanship, architecture, etc. Receiving their help was no exaggeration to call a great blessing.
“Sir Maranello.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
Grand Duke Guntram whispered to Maranello.
“Is it really true that all this is the boy’s achievement?”
“Could there be any doubt?”
“To be honest… I can’t believe it.”
“They say people change after facing death, don’t they?”
“There is such a saying.”
“Wouldn’t Young Master Carlyle be such a case?”
“Hmm.”
“I advise you not to doubt and instead praise your son for his accomplishments as is proper.”
“Understood.”
Grand Duke Guntram trusted Maranello completely, so he acknowledged Carlyle’s merit.
Moreover, having seen it with his own eyes, he had no choice but to accept the facts.
“You’ve worked hard.”
Grand Duke Guntram approached Carlyle and placed a hand on his shoulder.
“I never expected it, but you’ve accomplished something great. Thanks to you, Dekaron will be able to breathe easier.”
“It was nothing.”
Carlyle gave a slight nod as if it were no big deal, then showed him the map marking the location of the vein.
“This is where we are now, this is the gold mine. And this is where a large deposit of Mana Coal is located.”
“What are you trying to say?”
“The price of Mana Stones has risen a lot, hasn’t it? The quantity demanded by the Royal Family has also increased.”
“That’s right.”
“How about replacing the Mana Stones used for heating with Mana Coal, and using the surplus for sale or as tax to be sent to the Royal Family?”
“……!”
“The deposit seems considerable, so it would be good to completely replace heating with Mana Coal instead of Mana Stones. We can export it to other territories too. Roughly calculating…”
Carlyle picked up a twig and listed on the ground Dekaron’s Mana Stone production, the tax to be paid to the Royal Family, the amount of Mana Stones used for heating each winter, and the deposit and production volume of Mana Coal.
“As you can roughly see, the Mana Stones for heating can be completely replaced by Mana Coal, right? Looking at the deposit, even if we export to other territories or the Royal Family, we wouldn’t need to burn Mana Stones for at least 200 years. This way, we can save a tremendous amount of Mana Stones consumed each winter… Why are you looking at me like that?”
Carlyle frowned at Grand Duke Guntram.
“You, boy.”
“Yes?”
“Are you really my son?”
“……”
“If not…”
Carlyle’s heart nearly sank, but he gritted his teeth and decided to act brazenly.
“It would be better if I weren’t, right? Then I wouldn’t have to fulfill the responsibilities and duties of a Sigmarud.”
“…I’m sorry.”
Perhaps feeling he had spoken too harshly, Grand Duke Guntram apologized to Carlyle.
“If your feelings are hurt, I apologize. It’s just that you’ve changed so much, it feels a bit unfamiliar.”
“So you dislike it?”
Carlyle made a slightly pouty, sulky expression.
“Should I go back to living like before?”
“Are you threatening me?”
“Of course not. I’m trying to live quietly for a change, but it seems you’re not pleased with it.”
“That’s not it.”
“Then from now on…”
“I’ll be careful not to speak like that again. Are we good now?”
“Hmm. Then we’ll see.”
“……”
Grand Duke Guntram tightly closed his eyes.
*Flutter…*
Seeing the slight tremor at the corner of his eyes, it was clear he was struggling to hold back.
“You have it tough, Your Grace.”
“I knew long ago that it’s a blessing to have no children, but I didn’t know it would be to this extent.”
In response to Maranello’s whisper, Grand Duke Guntram replied as if his teeth were chattering.
However, even Grand Duke Guntram had no choice but to exercise patience in the face of his good-for-nothing second son’s threat.
If Carlyle were to revert to his old self and start causing trouble everywhere, he might end up becoming a parent who kills his own child with his own hands…
“Shall I continue, or not?”
“Go on.”
“First, let’s quickly increase Mana Coal production. There’s the tax issue, and the Royal Family must have a reason for increasing their Mana Stone reserves.”
“Hmm.”
“You never know. What if an historically harsh winter comes this year and hundreds of thousands freeze to death?”
“Are you talking about abnormal weather patterns?”
“Yes.”
“Is that why the Royal Family is increasing their Mana Stone reserves?”
“In a way, yes. I can’t be certain, though.”
“I’ll consider it positively.”
“Okay.”
Grand Duke Guntram didn’t make a hasty decision, and Carlyle didn’t find that strange.
He was the ruler of Dekaron.
He couldn’t just buy and sell Mana Stones based solely on the words of a mere youngster.
***
“How utterly rude.”
Alicia was dissatisfied with everything.
She had visited as a sort of advance party for the Loren family ahead of Dekaron’s Victory Anniversary celebration.
The Royal Family had intervened regarding the recent incident where Carlyle was falsely accused, and the content was that the Loren family should show sincerity to the Sigmarud family.
The reason the Loren family, sworn enemies and arch-rivals of the Sigmarud family, were attending this Victory Anniversary event was also due to the Royal Family’s recommendation—or coercion.
But upon arriving, the Northerners, the Sigmarud family, thoroughly ignored her.
Even putting aside the person involved in the incident, Carlyle, who could have expected that Grand Duke Guntram, the ruler of Dekaron and head of the Sigmarud family, would refuse to meet her and thoroughly snub her?
As a result, Alicia was stuck holed up in the quarters provided by the Sigmarud family.
And that wasn’t all.
The maids, attendants, and even soldiers thoroughly ignored and snubbed her and the knights from the Loren family, treating them as if they didn’t exist.
They gave short answers to questions, avoided eye contact, and if they occasionally made eye contact, they would only glare with eyes full of hostility.
The problem was that Alicia couldn’t even show her dissatisfaction.
For her, this Dekaron was the heart of enemy territory; one wrong move and she could really lose her head.
Of course, it wasn’t likely that the Sigmarud family, unless they were fools, would neglect her security detail, but still…
‘Did I make a mistake by volunteering to come? I should have just not come.’
Alicia deeply regretted her choice to volunteer as the advance party.
‘If only they would talk to me, I could at least do something.’
Alicia was sighing with such thoughts when…
“Miss.”
“Speak.”
“Sir Jeffrey requests to see you.”
“Jeffrey… the Grand Duke’s adjutant?”
“Yes, Miss.”
“Let him in.”
Jeffrey was Grand Duke Guntram’s adjutant, renowned as an outstanding knight possessing immense martial power and strategy despite his young age.
“Welcome, Sir Jeffrey.”
“I greet the young lady of the Loren family.”
Jeffrey gave a slight nod towards Alicia.
“So, what brings you to see me? All the Northerners have been treating me like a disease.”
“I came to deliver a message from His Grace the Grand Duke.”
“What did His Grace have to say?”
“Yes, Miss.”
“Please speak. I will listen.”
“Could you ask those around us to leave for a moment?”
“Very well.”
“You all, step outside for a moment.”
Jeffrey had not only the Loren family knights but also the Dekaron knights and attendants/maids all step out.
“Then, I shall deliver His Grace the Grand Duke’s message.”
After checking several times that no one was around, Jeffrey spoke.
“Young Lady.”
“Please speak.”
“He says that since you have come, you are welcome, but please exercise restraint.”
“Just to say that…”
Right then.
*Whisper*, Jeffrey whispered into Alicia’s ear.
“This is His Grace the Grand Duke’s message, but it is also a message from your older brother.”
“Older brother…?”
“It is also a message from your brother, Young Master Caldol.”
“……!”
“My apologies for saying this, but I can say with certainty that there is nothing you can accomplish here in Dekaron.”
“Impossible.”
Alicia looked at Jeffrey with disbelief.
‘Th, that’s impossible. The Grand Duke’s adjutant was my brother’s man…?’
Alicia shuddered with a feeling as if she had been struck hard on the back of the head.
