Chapter – 84
The head of the Lauren family had two children: the firstborn son, Caldor, and the second, Alicia.
However, Caldor and Alicia were half-siblings with different mothers.
Caldor was born from the legal wife, while Alicia was born from the second wife.
Thus, Caldor and Alicia had been on very bad terms since childhood.
Moreover, although Alicia’s mother was the second wife, she was not a commoner but a noblewoman from a powerful aristocratic family, so even the legal wife and her son, Caldor, couldn’t treat them carelessly.
Naturally, the relationship between the half-siblings worsened, and now, as adults, they were engaged in a covert struggle over the succession structure of the Lauren family.
That was also the reason Alicia had volunteered to come to Decaron.
She was determined to secure the successor position, even if it meant joining hands with Decaron.
But who would have thought that Christian, aide to Grand Duke Guntram, was a spy planted by Caldor’s side…?
However, that thought was brief.
“How foolish.”
Alicia sneered at Christian with a cold smile.
“How can a spy so easily expose their identity?”
“You needn’t worry about that.”
Christian smiled as if finding it ridiculous.
“The Grand Duke’s trust in me is absolute. Even if you expose me, would he believe it?”
“……”
“You must have been quite desperate. To even think of joining hands with Decaron. Keuk.”
Christian chuckled.
“…Insolent bastard.”
Alicia glared at him as if she wanted to kill him, but Christian didn’t even bat an eye.
“And if you expose my identity with the goal of taking the successor position, do you think the family head would be pleased?”
“……”
“So, give up on trying to gain something from Decaron and just stay quiet until you return. Understood?”
“You…!”
Alicia trembled with humiliation.
To think she had come all the way to Decaron, only to be played by Caldor from the very start…
Furthermore, who would have thought that she, a noble lady of the Lauren family, would be mocked by a mere spy like Christian?
“When I become the family head… I’ll have your head first.”
“That will never happen, so please stop with the empty threats. Before threatening me, I suggest you consider your own standing and situation.”
“How dare you…!”
“Then, I’ll take my leave.”
Leaving Alicia shaking with anger behind, Christian leisurely disappeared.
“I’ll get my revenge, no matter what… somehow…”
Staring at Christian’s retreating back, Alicia gritted her teeth in vengeful fury.
***
Decaron’s engineering corps supplied the dwarves with food and water and helped rebuild the village.
No matter how good the dwarves’ skills and labor were, many hands make light work.
Once the 500 engineers got to work, the village, which had been little more than ruins, regained its vitality in an instant.
Meanwhile, Carlisle sat face-to-face with Grand Duke Guntram to discuss future matters.
“So, you’re saying 10 percent of the total profits generated from the Merrel Mountain Range is your share?”
“Is it too little? Should we raise it to 20 percent?”
“……”
“No? Perhaps 25 percent is better.”
Grand Duke Guntram was at a loss for words watching Carlisle seriously ponder his own share.
This guy, supposedly the second son of the Sigurd family, was trying to do business with Decaron.
“Wasn’t this for Decaron’s sake?”
“It is, yes?”
“But you’re demanding your own share?”
“Did you really think it was free? That’s a bit disappointing then…”
Carlisle’s face scrunched up in displeasure.
His expression clearly showed he was genuinely annoyed.
“You seem to be misunderstanding something; you are a Sigurd.”
“So?”
“Demanding a share for work meant to benefit Decaron is a bit much.”
“So, do the Sigurds dig in the ground to make a living?”
“All a Sigurd needs is a single sword.”
“Ugh.”
Carlisle covered his face as if tired.
‘This is insane. How can we negotiate if we can’t even communicate?’
From Carlisle’s perspective, it was a maddening situation, not because Grand Duke Guntram was ill-intentioned, but because the impasse in negotiations wasn’t about who gets how much, but because of beliefs tied to bloodline.
Grand Duke Guntram was a man who believed that a Sigurd should prioritize Decaron over personal greed, and most Sigurds thought the same way.
Naturally, he couldn’t understand Carlisle’s desire to take a share ‘at all.’
“Your Grace. As I mentioned before, didn’t you agree to make a deal with the young master?”
Unable to stand it any longer, Marranello whispered into Grand Duke Guntram’s ear.
“That’s right.”
“Please consider this also a deal.”
“Hmm.”
“While it might be disappointing that he, as a Sigurd, wants to take his share, you must admit that from a general perspective, it’s a legitimate demand.”
“That… is true.”
“Please think of it as dealing with a third party, not a Sigurd.”
“But no matter what anyone says, the boy is a Sigurd.”
“……”
“Alright. I’ll do as you say.”
Seeing Marranello’s expression, Grand Duke Guntram nodded as if surrendering.
“Fine. I’ll give you 10 percent of the total profits from the Merrel Mountain Range.”
“Thank you.”
“But what do you plan to do with that much money?”
“Well.”
Carlisle shrugged his shoulders.
“Wouldn’t there be uses anywhere? Money is better the more you have. And I need to prepare for my retirement too. I can’t keep mooching off the family forever, you know?”
“What kind of talk is that?”
“I’ll leave Decaron someday.”
“Why?”
“Because I don’t want to spend my life fighting barbarians until I die. And I don’t want to live being exploited by the royal family either.”
“What about your brothers then?”
“They’ll manage. However close brothers are, we’re all grown adults; why would I worry about that? They’ll live as they wish.”
“You really are…”
“But while I’m part of the family, I’ll try to fulfill at least the minimum of my responsibilities and duties, so don’t worry. I know you’ll force me if I don’t.”
“That’s true.”
“Then I’ll have a formal contract drawn up and sent to you soon; please sign it.”
“I shall do so.”
The baby dragon, who had been listening, asked Carlisle.
“Are you rich now, Butler?”
“Not yet. It’ll take at least a year for the money to come in. I guess I’ll become rich in a few years, though.”
“Phew. That’s a relief.”
“What is?”
“I was getting worried thinking you were a penniless butler.”
“……”
“A butler with no money. That’s just too dreadful.”
The baby dragon shuddered as if the mere thought was unpleasant.
***
Carlisle’s group headed towards Decaron with Grand Duke Guntram.
Borodin, the chieftain of the Unforgettable Hammer tribe, also accompanied Carlisle’s group.
The reason was simple: to examine the Sigurd family’s succession swords and repair them if necessary.
Inside the carriage.
“By the way, I don’t see Corporal Cudo?”
“Cudo didn’t come.”
“He was lazy and just sent us, that guy.”
Marder and Wilson answered.
“Ah.”
Carlisle nodded.
No wonder he wasn’t seen; he just stayed behind.
‘He followed on his own and leaves on his own too, that guy.’
Of course, it wasn’t particularly problematic behavior, so there was no need to pick on it.
“You know what.”
“Yes, young master.”
“Once my leave is over, I’ll go around various places in Decaron with Marranello.”
“Like the other day?”
“Uh-huh.”
Carlisle nodded.
“We need to see if there are other resources.”
“Yes, young master. Leave it to me.”
“Take good care of the kid.”
Carlisle turned to Marranello and urged him.
“You know how precious an Earth Spiritist is, so you’ll need to be even more particular about her guard.”
“Would there be any question? Please just leave it to this old man.”
Marranello readily nodded, accepting Carlisle’s request.
Although he had retired as a knight, his patriotism for Decaron and loyalty to the Sigurd family remained unwavering.
It was unthinkable that such a Marranello would be negligent in guarding Evangelin, Decaron’s treasure.
‘I hope the Grand Duke accepts my proposal.’
Carlisle was very curious about what decision Grand Duke Guntram would make.
‘He’ll probably decide well on his own. I’ve done my part. The rest is up to the Grand Duke.’
The ball was already in Grand Duke Guntram’s court.
Carlisle had essentially provided the answer sheet regarding the royal family’s tax hike and the approaching [Winter of the End].
However, Carlisle only hoped that by accepting his advice, Grand Duke Guntram would ensure that the Decaron soldiers serving in Kuverin wouldn’t be unnecessarily thrown into magic stone mining operations.
Like the recent surge in casualties…
Like Gwen, whom he had started to get close to, only for her to die tragically in battle…
“So, what will you do, Corporal Marder and Corporal Wilson?”
“We have to meet up with Cudo once we arrive in Decaron.”
“Things should have calmed down by now, so we plan to go to the tavern and drink ourselves silly.”
It was a model answer worthy of soldiers on leave.
“By the way, do we really have to attend the Victory Memorial Day event?”
“If you really don’t want to, there’s no helping it, but if you intend to get something from His Grace the Grand Duke, it would be better to attend.”
“Get something?”
“You could demand something from His Grace the Grand Duke as a condition for attending the event.”
“Hmm.”
Carlisle thought for a moment before speaking.
“Should I ask him to send a mage to the unit or something?”
No sooner had he finished speaking than Marder and Wilson jumped up and shouted.
“Right on!”
“That’s the one!”
The reason Marder and Wilson were so excited was that the presence or absence of a mage made a world of difference in a unit’s capabilities.
However, mages were not common in this world either, and while the Sigurd family was renowned for swordsmanship, they were outsiders to magic.
Furthermore, there were no proper magic educational institutions in the North, so even those with magical talent had no choice but to leave Decaron and study in other territories.
For example, to the prestigious magic family, the Belmark family…
“That’s a good idea, young master.”
Marranello also spoke as if he agreed with the idea.
“How about asking for a mage to be assigned to your unit on this occasion?”
“A mage… Not bad. I’ve made quite a bit of money too, so I should probably donate some to the unit’s operating budget. Replace all the equipment and weapons, maybe bring in some cannons too.”
“Gasp!”
“C, cannons too?!”
Marder and Wilson were almost on the verge of worshipping Carlisle.
“As expected from a rich family’s son!”
“Please!”
Marder and Wilson’s reactions were natural.
The stronger the allies and the better the equipment, the more their survival rate would increase exponentially.
“Alright, then. I’ll talk to my father about it. He probably won’t grant everything, but we still have to ask. If it doesn’t work out, we can always hire a mercenary group or something.”
“Ooooh!”
Having earned an astronomical sum of money, Carlisle had no intention of going to the battlefield empty-handed.
“By the way, you’ll soon be commissioned as an officer; how do you feel about that?”
“I’m not particularly keen on it, but I’ll give it a try.”
Carlisle answered Marranello’s question.
Having talked with Helen, and all, he thought he’d try it first, and if it really didn’t suit him, it wouldn’t be so bad to give up his officer status and return to being a regular soldier.
‘Can I really bear that weight? The lives and deaths of others determined by a single command of mine.’
Carlisle couldn’t be sure.
From what he had seen so far, being a commander wasn’t a job just anyone could do.
