《The Founder of the Great Financial Family》 Prologue Prologue I somehow ended up in the world of a novel with magic and dragons. Why? I have no idea. I just woke up here. I''ve read a lot of web novels, and you usually would have ended up in the protagonist''s body with outstanding talent or the trash child of some rich and famous family. My situation should have been like that too Isn''t this A little too unfair?'' There were numerous Great Families (1) that existed here too. They all existed, whether it was a Great Family famed for their swordsmanship, a Great Family with outstanding magical talent, or a Great Family of Assassins famed for never leaving an enemy alive. However, the person I possessed was from just anothermoner family. Of all the options, whymoners? Ha.'' Even if I had been pulled into a terrible world, how much better would it have been to be born into a noble family? Even if I had barely done anything, I would have ended up living a life without worries. That kind of happiness, however, was not afforded to me. I''m not a munchkin (2) character or the protagonist, not even letting me be the foolish child of some noble family did I just transmigrate to go and drop-dead?'' It was unfair enough to be born amoner, but there was something even worse. On top of that, I''m the eldest son this would be enough to drive anyone crazy.'' Looking at the state of the family, it was hard to tell whether it was a family ofmoners or serfs (3). The mother had already passed away, and the father was sick, so it fell on the eldest son to raise the younger siblings. Ha.'' If I keep sighing, would breade out, or the answere out? (4) Now that I''ve fallen into this unfamiliar world with younger siblings that call me Hyung (5) and'' Oppa (6) and hang off my arms, I spent a few days thinking about what to do. It wasn''t like I had the confidence to go and die with them, so I had to find a way to carry on living. Yeah, let''s do our best to survive. It''s already unreasonably unfair that I''ve been brought here, but it''s not like I can go and die like this,'' For someone else, being dragged to an X-like (7) world like this, they might have be a swordmaster, or others might have be an archmage that could overturnmon sense. But for me, without any such talent, it was a dream-like story, so I had to find my way to live. Since that''s all I''ve learned A young man in his 30s who had his major in economics and history (I''m sorry for being a liberal arts student) (8) In these 30 years, there was not a part-time job I hadn''t done and I had taken many sses to earn certificates to build up my specs for job-hunting. There was only one way to move forward and live given my background. Yeah. At the end of the day, money is the most important thing. No matter which world, it''s always driven by money,'' That''s when a thought hit me. Do the people of this world know about the history of a financial system developed in the era of global civilization and the bitter taste of advanced finance? No. There''s no way they could know,'' If they don''t know that bitter taste, they should experience it.
  1. The author uses the specific hanja '' which means Great Family'' so I assume that''s gonna show up a lot
  2. A munchkin is Korean ng, it means a super overpowered character
  3. The difference betweenmoners and serfs is thatmoners are considered free people who cane and go as they wish but serfs are tied to a vige or lords estate and have no choice but to work there they might still get paid but they are essentially ves
  4. Just a saying basically nothings going to happen even if he keeps sighing, he won''t get food or an answer
  5. Hyung is the world for elder brother'' used by boys towards other boys
  6. Oppa is the word for elder brother'' used by girls towards boys
  7. X-like is just the author censoring themselves lol insert an appropriate swear word here
  8. There''s a lot of context needed behind this but long story short, it''s a ng word that''s based on STEM subjects being more valued and a sharp decline in employment rates for students who do Humanities based subjects.
Chapter 1 Chapter 1 Rothmedici. This, while it appears to be a House name, is not strictly a family name but rather a surname that amoner can have. What''s the difference? You might ask. There is, in fact, a big difference. ording to imperialw, to be freemoners, a family surname was required to prove ones'' origin, and the surname was usually obtained by paying a specific tax. Then someone could ask, what is the difference between a family name and a surname? There was a difference. A family name was recognised by the highest ruling sses like the imperial family, and a surname was simply something one gained to have the privilege of hearingmon courtesy. If you think about it as positively as possible, I''ve avoided the worst-case scenario,'' Rockefeller Rothmedici. It was the name given to him, who had the spirit of a thirty-year-old young man from the 21st Century, and it was also the token which allowed him to receive, at the very least, the treatment ofmoners from others. That''s fine and all, but If you''ve decided to shove me into this cliche of a novel-like world, couldn''t you have seen it all the way through? The normal cliches that everybody knows were the ones where one transmigrates into the body of a protagonist or at least the foolish child of a prestigious aristocrat!'' Why did it have to be the eldest son of a beggar-likemoner who had no im to even a piece of the house? This is bullshit; there''s nothing.'' From the moment he realised his circumstances, Rockefeller had been searching within himself for some sign of a strange power or anything simr just in case there was some hidden cheat-like force. But there was nothing like that. Nothing. The poor stamina he remembered was still the same, and he didn''t even have the sliver of potential, let alone the temperament to be an archmage. This is bullshit'' So what about the origin story? What was Rothmedici? I don''t think I remember a name like that while reading the novel?'' There were three famous families in this world whom everyone recognised. The Great Family of Swordsman, Tevez The Great Family of Mages, Sinir The Great Family of Assassins, Ismail In addition to them, many noble families were connected to the imperial family or famous in other ways but the origin of the person he had be was a meremoner. Haaaa'' The more he thought about his newly given reality, the deeper his sigh became. At least one fortune among these misfortunes was not a serf or ve family but that ofmoners. Looking at the copsing edges of the house, it was difficult to discern if it was a makeshift refugee shelter or a slum beggar''s home. There''s no answer to this.'' Worst of all, his father, the family''s patriarch, was unwell in bed, and it didn''t appear like his health would improve today or tomorrow. After he passed, the remaining family members would be his responsibility. On top of that, I''m the eldest son the eldest son!'' Rockefeller, who had been crouching outside, near a corner of the house, just sighing to himself without being able to forget the twisting hunger in his stomach, realised someone was approaching him. Wondering about his newfound poprity, he nced up to find it was Joshua, the third son. So he''s the third son Joshua, right?'' Memories of the previous Rockefeller''s life began to flow into him very slowly. Which meant that getting along with this new family which he thought would have been awkward and difficult wasn''t as bad as he imagined. "Rockefeller-hyung, dad''s calling you," The third son, Joshua was 12 years old there was only a 3-year difference between them. "Dad?" "Yeah He wants everyone to gather I''ll go get the Second-hyung as well," Although it wasn''t his birth father, Rockefeller was unable to refuse when he said that he was called by the father of the person whom he had taken over. I have to go since he called but Why is he calling so suddenly? What was the reason? Did something happen? And to think he was calling all of us,'' The third son went to find the more energetic second son who was not in the house. With his previous memories, Rockefeller figured he would be wandering around outside with some of his same-age friends. He should be back soon since he''ll be ying around nearby,'' Leaving the third behind, he entered the shabby house. There he saw his younger sister. She was the youngest in the family at 6-years old and always whining and throwing tantrums, along with the fourth child, the timidest of his younger brothers. Perhaps because of the several days of starvation, his younger sister was whining and especially grating today. As he turned away from her with a grimace, he made eye contact with his fourth brother. He looked especially gloomy today. Probably because, like his sister, he was starving. It is like a beggar''s house in every corner of this ce;.'' It wasn''t long after he became Rockefeller that he learned to endure the hunger but bing the eldest son of his household was still unforgivable. It''s like being told just to drop dead.'' Chapter 2 Chapter 2 Looking around the room, annoyed and seeing the mess, he felt even angrier. His mother, who was supposed to have looked after the household, had died early. As a result, this house filled with this many children was utterly messed up. And he, who had been a stranger until a few days ago, couldn''t easily reach out to do anything about it, which is why the mess just kept growing. It wasn''t a good feeling, but: It''s not my house anyway, so what does it matter,'' Rockefeller, who avoided responsibility by telling himself that, turned away from the dirty house and spoke to his two younger siblings, "Let''s go inside, dad''s calling," The fourth child was quiet and got up without a fuss, but that whining younger sister was different. It was weird of him to expect anything from a 6-year-old child who barely knew anything. Eventually, Rockefeller picked up his little sister and soothed her tantrums. And with that, all of the Rothmedici family members were gathered in a matter of minutes at the request of Rockefeller''s father, Hans Rothmedici. "You''ve gathered, that''s good," he was coughing between long breaths, and it was easy to tell that his condition was not good at all. To Rockefeller''s eyes, his condition looked so severe that it seemed like he had little time left. His seemingly endless coughs came to an end, and Hans sighed. Hey back on his bed and slowly began to speak to his children gathered around his bed, "Your grandfather was a wonderful, capable person. Others highly respected him." Their only pride was their grandfather, David Rothmedici, a doctor. "Your grandfather didn''t learn healing magic as the priests did, but he took care of so many people through first aid and various folk remedies that he learned while watching over the shoulder of others during the war. He was such a great doctor that we didn''t need a priest here." Reminiscent of his childhood, when hecked for nothing, he got absorbed in nostalgia for a moment and then began to talk again. "Even when this father of yours was young. This house wasn''t so bad. Rather than visiting priests who have high fees, people in the provinces would always visit your grandfather for medical treatment if there was an illness. It was perfect back then. Even though we weremoners, we did not live badly," Then he suddenly blushed. "Even your grandfather didn''t keep forcing me to be a mage It would have been really good. I didn''t have the right qualities to be a mage, and we spent money in a useless ce I''m so sorry to you kids." "No, dad, we never thought that," On behalf of his quieter brothers, Rockefellerforted him, but they were words that didn''t even reach Hans'' ears. It was because he genuinely felt that a good household that had been on the rise had been brought to ruin because of him. Even though he poured so much money into the academy, he couldn''t be a mage, and he became sick and used up all his remaining wealth for medicine. After coughing and sighing again for a time, Hans began talking again. "Do you know why we are called Rothmedici?" Everyone, including Rockefeller, remained quiet at the question since they didn''t know the answer. "Your grandfather always wore red clothes, so he was nicknamed Rothmedici. It means red doctor," Hans brought a yellow, dirty rag to his mouth and began to cough for a long while. Rockefeller could see bloodstains on the clothes discarded by the bedside table. Will he die like this? His condition is so serious,'' It wasn''t his birth father, so his weak condition hadn''t affected him that much since he figured a man would die when his time came anyway but seeing his little siblings houghing through their tears, he felt sympathy. It may feel like someone else to him, but this was their birth father, to the kids gathered around him. "The reason I asked you all to gather today is not for any other reason but because it seems like this father of yours doesn''t have much time left. So I wanted to say something to you all before going," Upon hearing those words, the kids who had been barely holding back their sobs now openly wept. The only ones not crying were the second son, who looked red and distressed, and Rockefeller, who calmly epted the situation. Their father''s red-rimmed gaze found his eldest son. "Rockefeller," "Yes, dad?" Hans saw his eldest son, who looked calm andposed in the midst of this and felt very proud of him. "I''m d that you''ll be there," He didn''t say anything but Rockefeller felt like dying right then too. Everything in this household will be his responsibility if it goes like this. It means bing the head of the family and taking care of his younger siblings. "Dad, even just thinking of my younger siblings and me, you should get better somehow," Hansughed lightly while looking at his eldest son, who looked unusually like an adult today. "Rockefeller, if anything too difficultes up, go to the territory lord. Your grandfather helped the previous lord a lot, and I too have done a lot of work for the current lord they won''t overlook you if you ask for help," Rockefeller disagreed. If the territory lord were in any mind to take care of them, he would have done so much earlier. "And this it''s your grandfather''s teachings. Make sure you consider his teachings." Chapter 3 Chapter 3 What kind of teachings were you trying to leave behind in the yard where everyone was dying? "Although our grandfather was well-liked by many for his medical expertise, he was also someone who had to live his entire life wary of the stares directed at him. When you think about it, it wasn''t a smooth life. Healing others might be highly respected by some, but to others, it can be an eye-sore," The younger siblings couldn''t understand their father''s words, but Rockefeller was different. He might have been in the body of a 15-year-old boy, but in his mind, he was a thirty-year-old man with the experience that brings. Of course, from the point of view of the Church to heal someone was to make money, but if an arrogant guy who hasn''t officially learned any healing appeared and suddenly said he would heal people with less money of course, it wouldn''t be fine. If it were me, I wouldn''t have liked it,'' Hans continued his story, "On the weekends, we always went to the parish where there was a worship service and greeted everyone without considering rank. We also paid more donations than anyone else. Even though others respected him, he couldn''t live afortable life. He was always walking on thin ice. He had lived while considering the thoughts of the Church at every step." If his grandfather had lived without considering the Church, what would have happened to their family by now? Probably nothing good. "But one day, your grandfather saw him. Another weekend at the parish''s worship service was when a mage suddenly visited. He was rumoured to be a terrifying mage. There were no good rumours about him. The priests, who had always appeared so out of reach, began to bow from their waists as soon as the mage arrived as if there was nothing more they could do," Listening to the story, Rockefeller could guess what the teachings left behind by his grandfather should be. I can roughly guess what this family''s heirloom is,'' Hans continued his story, "When your grandfather saw that mage, he probably had much thought. He thought it was better to be the object of everyone''s fear, like that mage, rather than being respected. After all, that is what power is. So your grandfather desperately wanted me to study to be a mage but just because you want it doesn''t mean it will happen. In the first ce, I didn''t have the qualities of a mage." He had finished telling the story and began telling him about the teaching, "From now on, listen to my words clearly, and remember them. There is no need to be someone respected." The words that followed were words that had some backbone to them since, after all, they were the teachings of his family. "Rather than being respected, be someone who is feared. You have to be the kind of person people are afraid of. Always" These were thest words left by Rockefeller''s father and the head of the Rothmedici family Hans Rothemedici. That evening, he quietly closed his eyes for thest time. His funeral was held the next day in a cemetery near the castle of the territory lorda day where grey rain drizzled down sluggishly. The Rockefellers'' expression was not great at the funeral, barely put together with the lord''s help. That''s all money too.'' The funeral costs were not part of the lord''s patronage. The coffin used at the funeral and the mourning clothes he and his siblings wore were all paid for with money borrowed from the lord, and it was a debt that had to be paid back to the lord someday. But it wasn''t like we could go without a funeral.'' Rockefeller quietly looked down at Hans'' coffin buried in the cold ground with a chilly expression. It wasn''t his birth father, so he didn''t feel distraught instead, he was more worried about how to live from now on. To begin with, it was a house without substance, but this is terrible how do I live now?'' The money borrowed from the lord to hold the funeral was also a problem, but the more pressing matter was the problem of food and living right now. It''s a real total problem.'' At that time, the words of the people around them began to enter his ear, "Although the grandfather was a useful person Hans, who''s buried here, wasn''t." It was a rather authoritative tone. Rockefeller slowly turned his head, and there stood a man of a sturdy physique who seemed to be in his 30s. Chester de Montefeltro. After the Empire absorbed The Azrak Goldmine, formerly the Dwarven Kingdom''s domain, he changed his name. He was now the owner of the new Montefeltro estate and the lord who had helped with this funeral. "Going to the academy to learn to write, I mean," His expression was almost as bad as Rockefeller''s. He might not have any bad feelings towards Hans, but that didn''t necessarily mean he had good feelings towards him either. It was very lord-like, the way he, without even considering Rockefeller, carried on stating his opinion. "Though it was one thing if he had managed to be a mage since that''s an official appointment," heughed lightly. He was belittling someone who had already died. "But that didn''t happen. He had no talent, but did he think he would be a mage if he went to the academy? Then everyone in the world would be mages. It''s not that easy," Still, it wasn''t good to mock the dead like this, so Rockefeller couldn''t help feeling bad. Does he need to say that? It doesn''t matter how much of a lord he is. He''s talking too much.'' However, it wouldn''t do good to be hated by the lord. So Rockefeller lowered his head, and the lord''s mouth didn''t stop. "He did something truly useless. The thing is, people need to know their ce," Even though Rockefeller was a citizen of his territory perhaps because he was still young, the lord didn''t bother sugar-coating or mincing his words, "A serf should be like a serf. If you are amoner, behave like amoner, and nobles too should behave like nobles." He then turned his gaze to look at Rockefeller, "You, did you learn how to write from Hans?" Surprisingly, the lord had ckened eyes. Of course, as one who would be the lord, there were plenty of learning opportunities, but he was absorbed with his ying, didn''t spend enough time on his studies, and wasn''t smart enough to learn without paying serious attention. Instead, it was more important to him to have a strong body so that when the emperor called them to the battlefield, he would make his family name known through overwhelming strength and power. However, the Rothmedici family was different. Chapter 4 Chapter 4 Under the influence of their well-educated grandfather, Rockefeller''s father was also brilliant. Because he had studied in an academy, he was not only literate but well-versed in different disciplines. So except for their 6-year-old younger sister, all of his siblings knew how to write and read under Hans'' education. "Yes, sir, I learned from my father," The lord sneered. It seemed to hit a sore spot for him that amoner had learned something he had not, and so he continued his mocking, "Going all the way to the academy just to learn to write. Still, it''s good that his children''s eyes aren''t ckened. Not that it would help you live." There was another reason that the lord had not learned to read or write, "Knowing how to read turns people into cowards. The literate ones didn''t help at all in a battlefield full of flesh and blood. Just looking at blood had their eyes rolling back, and they became too busy running away. Useless to everyone." With this rationalisation, the lord had neglected learning literacy for the past 30 years. Of course, it wasn''t just him. Many nobles were illiterate for the same reason. When he finished speaking, he lightly patted Rockefeller''s shoulder, "You, did you understand what I said?" Rockefeller bowed his head and answered, "Yes, sir, I understand," "What I''ve been trying to exin is that people need to know their ce. Like Hans, you can''t go crazy and start acting outside of your position. That''s a mannerless person." After speaking, the lord nced at the younger siblings around Rockefeller. In his eyes, the people of his estate were his property. However, it was difficult to call onmoners, unlike serfs, mainly because the freedom they had was secured by the taxes they paid to him, the lord. "Looking at it, it seems your way forward is unclear. Now stop doing presumptuous things ande under me. You can quietly plough the fields with your younger siblings. I''m sure there''s something we can find for you to do," What he was telling Rockefeller to do, was to abandon hismoner status and work under him as a serf. For Rockefeller, who knew that a serf, unlike amoner, had no freedom, felt that there was no sweetness to the lord''s words despite his kind tone. Even if we starve to death, bing a serf isn''t an option. There''s a reason people say it''ll be fine as long as we aremoners.'' Themon people had freedoms that serfs and ves could not enjoy. For the sake of that freedom, Rockefeller felt that he could endure his current hunger somehow and politely declined his offer. "I am very grateful for your kind words, my lord. However, my grandfather was a doctor who healed the sick. Our father helped the previous lord with the knowledge he learned at the academy and oversaw various administrative tasks for the lord''s estate. We, who have such great predecessors, cannot abandon their will and return to the field. I would be very grateful if my lord would take this into ount," It was an answer that didn''t match his age. When such an unexpected answer came out, the lord looked a little embarrassed, How can a kid like him answer like that? Was the eldest son such a clever guy?'' For a little while, the lord was speechless since nothing he said was incorrect. "Right, your grandfather was a doctor, and your father would serve as an officer in my estate it wasn''t useless but that was possible because it was your father. Isn''t it something you should not be saying by simply moving away from having ckened eyes?" Private tutoring in Korea might have been shit, but where would all the learning even go?'' Rockefeller''s mouth might have itched to argue back, but he decided to be careful and kept his mouth shut. He was well aware of his status right now and shouldn''t act presumptuously before this guy. Here, this guy is the king. I can''t say anything that might piss him off,'' "Then I will try to be a person who is necessary to the lord''s estate. Can you give me a little time until then?" Having said all that, even he, as a lord, couldn''t force him to do whatever he wanted. Of course, considering his position and age, he could have forced Rockefeller, but that would open him up to many potential problemster on. If he fled to another territory with his siblings and lodged aint anyway, dealing with people was a challenging event for the lord. What use yes, that would be better.'' The lord changed his mind. He didn''t have to force him, considering that reality would probably cause him to make that choice. They''re on the verge of starving to death, so what can this guy do? You should juste under me and quietly plough the fields," "You are also the head of a family so I will respect your will. I''m still young, but I too am a somewhat decent head of my family, so I couldn''t just ignore you," The lord continued without pausing, "But be sure to keep in mind that nothing in this world is free. I don''t think there are that many options for you, who is busy trying to put food in your mouth," The lord nced from Rockefeller to his younger siblings, and a meaningful smile stretched his lips. "Keep your younger siblings in mind ande to me if you change your mind. As I said, my estate always needs people to plough. Is there a need to maintain a free status while paying previous money? It won''t feed you," "I would like some to think about it, my lord," "I know, but keep in mind. For someone like you, the most important thing is the safety of a room where you can sleep and enough food to mean you don''t go hungry. As far as I can see, that is how much your te is meant to hold. Wanting more than that is not polite. People shouldn''t live without manners. Always stay within your means. Remember your ce," After speaking about tes and ces, the lord left as soon as the burial was over, followed by the Seer and servants. In this world, a Seer was in charge of the lord''s security and his estate something like a bodyguard. I''m going to go crazy!'' After everyone left, and only he and his younger siblings stood around his father''s tomb, Rockefeller''s expression kept getting worse. Even amoner''s status is maintained by money.'' The house named Rothmedici was only avable because the lord of this ce recognised it. However, in this situation where even eating and living was vague, did they have the money to maintain amoner status? I don''t even have enough food to live right now but to even take away my freedom.'' From the beginning until now, money has been the problem. How do you make money? I need a good idea.'' At that time, something was prickling in the corner of his brain. He was sure there was something in the novel about this. Wait a second, Montefeltro manor'' Among the considerable incidents in the novel, one massive war remained in his memory; The Gold Vein War. This was where the war broke out between the dwarves trying to reim thend and Empire that would not allow that to happen. The former name of the Montefeltro Estate was the Azrak Goldmine. In the past, after arge gold vein was discovered, it was the ce where the dwarves relentlessly mined gold until the vein was cut off. Chapter 5 Chapter 5 Wasn''t there another enormous gold vein discovered where they thought all the gold veins had been cut-off? I remember that.'' The Dwarven Kingdom''s territory was naturally absorbed into the Empire as the dwarves withdrew due to their inability to extract any more gold. However, another gold vein was discovered shortly after that, and it was also the continent''s most significant gold vein. I''m the only one who knows this. There is no way anyone else knows except me. After all, it was long before the gold vein was even discovered.'' While Rockefeller was deep in thought, the third brother, Joshua, who had been quiet until now, began to weep, "Hyung, what do we do now? Are we going to be ploughing the fields as the lord said?" He asked, Commoners didn''t usually plough. Ploughing the fields was the job of serfs who were lower thanmoners on the social hierarchy. "You idiot! Why would we plough the fields?! That''s what serfs do, and we''remoners!" When the third child sobbed, the second child, Andrew Rothmedici, who was next to him, shouted in anger. Going from being amoner to a serf was a genuinely horrible premise for Andrew. "I''m never going to go to the fields! Why would we be serfs!? Why wouldmoners plough the fields!" "Then what do we do? You heard what the lord said earlier if we don''t plough the fields, how would we live? We''ll starve to death." Joshua seemed topromise with the reality far more readily for some reason. Since the only other option would be to starve, he appeared ready to throw away his status and cultivate the fields. However, his status was more important for Andrew, and he would never tolerate throwing it away. He hastily turned to his older brother and said, "Rockefeller-hyung, we''re not going to the fields. Isn''t that right?" Among the kids of his age, he was a child who ruled the alleyways, but even he couldn''t ignore Rockefeller''s decision as the head of the family. No matter how much he might hate it, he would have to follow if his eldest brother, Rockefeller, asked him to do it. When his second brother''s earnest gaze started to be desperate, Rockefeller, who had finally made up his mind, slowly began to open his mouth. "As Joshua said, if we don''t go under the lord right away, it will be difficult for us to eat and survive. However, if we worry about starving to death now and going under the lord, we might be happy for the time being, but the problem wille after that," Rockefeller looked at his younger siblings and asked, "You guys have dreams, right?" At that question, everyone except his younger sister slowly nodded their heads, "If you go under the lord right now, that dream will nevere true. The lord wouldn''t allow it." The freedom to pursue what you want to do. It wasmoners who had that freedom and serfs who didn''t. "And besides, you guys don''t want to spend the rest of your lives ploughing the fields, right?" At those words, Andrew came back to life and, with fire in his eyes, added, "You guys heard it too! Rockefeller-hyung is right! Living as a serf means chasing after the lord for the rest of your life. That''s not living! It''s just being a nameless ve!" It wasn''t like Joshua disagreed with that, so he didn''t argue strongly, but the problem right now was the hunger in their stomachs, "So what do we do then? How do we eat and live." No matter what you did, there were taxes to pay, and everything was under the jurisdiction of the lord. In circumstances like that, it was difficult for children who had no practical skills to make money suddenly. "That" Unable to answer his brother''s question, Andrew trailed off. Rockefeller, who had been calmly watching the scene, stepped forward, "We''ll find a way to make money somehow, so for now, let''s not give up easily," Just then, their sister, who could not stand her hungry stomach, began to cry again. The fourth, Leo Rothmedici, who was barely holding onto his iling younger sister, said, "Hyung, Lucia must be hungry, since yesterday she kept crying," It wasn''t just the younger sister who was hungry. Rockefeller had also starved for several days, and the third and fourth were also in the same boat the only one who''d had something to eat recently was the second child, Andrew, who had probably filled his stomach while wandering around outside somehow. Ah, I''m going crazy,'' How did it get to this point? Though he couldn''t think of a reason, there was no next thing if this hunger could not be solved. Looking at the faces of his hungry younger siblings, Rockefeller felt manyplicated emotions, even as he opened his mouth to speak, "I got a little money from the lord for this funeral. I haven''t used all of it and left a little bit, so let''s try solving it with that today," Except for the crying youngest, the rest of his siblings looked up at Rockefeller with hopeful gazes, "Really?" "Then are we going to eat today?" "Rockefeller-hyung is the best!" The younger siblings felt better instantly and began to chatter, but Rockefeller still felt anxious. Right now, that money can solve our issues for a few days, but the problem is after that.'' If his ns were not possible or even failed, then Rockefeller was even considering the worst-case scenario of having to work under the lord. If I fail, there''s nothing we can do. Even if we don''t like it, we''d have no choice but to go to the fields. It''s not like we can starve to death trying to keep our status,'' After returning home from the funeral, Rockefeller went out to the market to buy some vegetables for a light soup and a snack. Memories were still flowing in from time to time, so preparing a simple meal for his siblings in a somewhat familiar world wasn''t difficult. Before he came to possess the body, Rockefeller taking care of his younger siblings was a regr urrence after all. "It''s so tasty!" "Hey, eat less! Elder-hyung needs to eat too!" "Rockefeller-hyung, aren''t you going to eat?" Since it was their first meal in a while, the younger siblings ate up even the tasteless food Rockefeller made for them with gusto. Even their youngest, who had only cried so far, was filling her empty stomach using both hands. Strangely, Rockefeller, who had been dying to eat, didn''t have an appetite. It doesn''t make sense.'' Chapter 6 Chapter 6 Right now, for Rockefeller, more important than his appetite was the responsibility that came with being the head of a family and making sure these young ones could live. It''s not like I can just say I don''t know them,'' It was a situation where it wouldn''t have been strange to treat them as one would strangers. However, he wasn''t so ignorant and cruel as dismissing these young siblings that followed him around and called him brother. I never liked responsibility, so I didn''t even raise a dog..'' He had never raised any pets before, but he couldn''t just throw out his younger siblings that he had identally be entangled with, so he soon decided to make up his mind. He called himself their elder brother, and now he had to take responsibility for these little things that followed him. But it can''t just be me. As much as I am resolved these kids need to be resolved towards something as well.'' As the thoughts became clearer, he looked to the siblings that had just finished filling their bellies and were finally able to roll around and rest on full stomachs and said, "Hyung has something to say, like dad, too," Since their eldest brother had something to say, his younger siblings began to look up at him with bright, sparkling eyes, "What''s going on, hyung?" "Rockefeller-hyung, is it something important?" Rockefeller, who had just said he had something to say, stepped outside for a moment and came back with a few easily obtained tree branches. Rockefeller handed each sibling a branch, one by one, then said, "Try breaking the stick hyung gave you," With that said, excluding their youngest sister, the three younger brothers were able to break the branch without much effort. Rockefeller handed the brothers the twigs that had been broken back to them and urged them to break it again, then again, and again. Even the second brother, Andrew, who was very strong, couldn''t break the bunch of twigs that Rockefeller handed over, and after whining for a moment, they gave up. Then, Rockefeller asked his younger brothers, "What did you learn from there?" Despite his question, the three younger brothers just stared up at him nkly, "As you saw, one branch was weak weak enough that you could snap it in two easily. But when youbine a bunch of branches, they be stronger," It was only then that the three younger brothers began to nod their heads slowly as if they understood Rockefeller''s will. Rockefeller continued, "I''m sure you guys already know, but our family doesn''t have any talent to the point where it''s a little dire." Andrew wanted to refute the words vehemently but soon shut his mouth and lowered his head. It was one thing that he didn''t want to argue against his eldest brother, but apart from that, he had thought along those lines as well. On the other hand, the third, Joshua, seemed to sympathise with his words quite strongly, and the fourth, Leo, looked like he didn''t want to speak at all. "It might be sad, but that''s our reality. So what should we do? Should we carry on living without any talent?" At that question, Joshua carefully answered, "We have to stick together like the sticks," "Yes, that''s right, like Joshua said, we siblings might be very insignificant by ourselves, but we have to stick together and be strong just like the branches," Rockefeller broke a branch in two in front of his siblings, "It''s really easy to break a branch like this," He then took hold of a few more branches, held them together, and tried to snap them in two however, although the branches bent slightly, they did not break. Once he allowed his siblings to check that the branches had not broken, Rockefeller said, "If this insignificant tree branch gets clustered like this, it will be so strong that nothing can easily break it. So it would be best if you guys kept this in mind. We will be like these tree branches from now on, and we siblings will be one. What''s mine will be my siblings'', and what''s my siblings'' will be mine. That''s our destiny as those born with less than others, and it''s also our strength that lets us survive in this harsh world," To make it easier for his young siblings to understand, Rockefeller added another example, "There are some siblings who will fight a lot with each other over whose bowl has more rice. They might even kill each other. In a way, they might be better than us on their own. One of them might get farther than one of us would. But they can''t bind together like us, because to them, what is in their rice bowl is more important than sticking together with their siblings," Joshua, who had been quietly listening to his words, asked a quiet question, "Rockefeller-hyung, what about the people who are richer than us and have better sibling rtionships as well?" Andrew, who must have had a simr question, slowly lowered his head, Rockefeller shook his head lightly and calmly refuted Joshua''s question, "Joshua, I can guarantee that will never happen. No matter how strong their rtionship is, in the end, each one is their own man. Even if they can cooperate, they wouldn''tst a lifetime. Each one would have their rice bowl, and wanting more than someone else is human nature." At that, Andrew raised his head to look up at Rockefeller, and Joshua, who had these doubts, stared up at him with sparkling eyes. Rockefeller took a breath, then continued with his words, "We must be different. Because we know each other''s shorings so well, we have to untie and stay like that until the end unconditionally. It would not be essential for those who have other things to unite but rather one of the options avable to them. But for us, it''s not an option. Uniting is our only option and a necessity for survival. What your hyung is saying so far did you guys understand?" When Rockefeller asked, the three younger brothers began to nod together, "Yes, Rockefeller-hyung is right. Even if we betray others, we shouldn''t betray each other. Since we''re siblings," the second child, Andrew, responded first. He was followed by the third child, Joshua, "Something others don''t have. I think Rockefeller-hyung is right. Others might betray their brothers, but if we never do that, then I think it could be a big advantage for us in its own way," The fourth child, Leo, didn''t seem to have anything particr to say, but he seemed to agree since he nodded his head, "No matter what happens after today, we siblings will trust each other until the end. That will be the strength and weapon of our Rothmedici family that others don''t have," Chapter 7 Chapter 7 As the head of the family, and the eldest sibling, Rockefeller, who had left admirable teachings behind for his younger siblings yesterday, gathered them all at dawn the next day. The third child, Joshua, who appeared rubbing his eyes, spit out some resentful words to Rockefeller who had called them before the sun had even properly risen. What is it so early in the morning? Im sleepy he mumbled, The fourth child, Leo, appeared holding the hand of the youngest, Lucia, also yawned, rubbing his eyes. For young children who needed a lot of sleep, it was a very early start to the day. Still, for Rockefeller, who had to figure out a means for them to keep surviving as someone who had epted his role as the familys leader, his siblings whining didnt even enter his ears. So just as he was about to say something strict as the eldest brother, the second of his siblings, who had been the fastest to move this morning, began to raise his voice towards the younger siblings who were dissatisfied. If the eldest brother asked you to get together, you have to get together quickly! Why are you so sluggish? Will you guys keep acting like this?! Andrew remembered clearly what Rockefeller had said yesterday. After he had established the premise of brothers having to stick together, their eldest brother said that they would have to move towards making money from today. Rockefeller-hyung, from now on, were going to go and make money, right? Despite being young, Andrew understood that what they needed the most right now was money, so Rockefeller looked at his sparkling eyes and answered his expectations with a slight nod. Really? Are we going to make money? Joshua quickly woke up when he heard that they would be making money. Rockefeller looked at his two brothers, who had suddenly be full of will and said, Yes, do you remember what hyung said yesterday? Lets find some way to make money, starting today. Its only by making money that we can live, Joshua cheered, and Andrews expression brightened. But while he was okay for a moment, with an anxious voice, Joshua spoke, But how do you make money? Its not like making money is easy, Andrew turned to him and answered with a snap, Idiot! Who doesnt know that! Thats why we need to find a way now! Joshua became careful of Andrews reaction and searched for Rockefellers gaze with his eyes again, Did you not have something in mind? At their age, suddenly being told to make money would leave them lost it was daunting after all. It wasnt like there was a job they had done previously, and they couldnt take up the Lords offer, so if Rockefeller hadnt had these thoughts from yesterday to guide him, he would have felt just like his younger siblings. Instead, he said, I have something in mind, but Im not certain about it. Even so, I want to try it. What do you think? Do you want to follow me? None of the siblings refused his suggestion. Instead, they excitedly obeyed Rockefellers instructions without a word of protest, and soon, they left their home, bringing even the youngest sister along. Early dawn. Vigers who had slept through the night, including Bikip, who worked as a beekeeper in the vige, came out early to begin their routine. Bikip was puzzled when Hans kids spilt out of their house at dawn from next door. They werent empty-handed either. Each brought out various tools like they were going out with a purpose. Where are you guys going at such an early hour? He asked, Bikip too, was amoner like them, with the surname, Honeywax. The eldest, Rockefeller, remained silent at his question, but the brightly smiling third child replied with a shout, Were going to make money! They were children who had lost their father and held a funeral just yesterday. Now those children imed they were suddenly going to earn money from early in the morning left nothing but concern and questions in Bikips mind. You guys are going to make money? Through what means? How are you going to make money? was the question he asked out loud, It was the second son who answered his question as he passed by, Thats what were going to find! We havent decided how to earn yet. Right..? It wasnt like Bikip could stop the kids next door from going out to make money. Unless he could help them directly, there was nothing he could do. However, he was a little worried to see the children next door; not a single one of them is of age, moving around trying to earn money from early in the morning. Im sure theres nothing to worry aboutright? Be careful! In the next vige over, a man called Hobbs was done in by an orc the day before yesterday. Dont go too far from the vige, and if anything happens, drop everything and run back to the vige as fast as you can since there are Seers in the vige. Do you understand? Seeing his voice full of worry, the second and third child responded vigorously, Yeah! Dont worry. Well be careful! Dont worry, if we even see the shadow of an orc, well make a run for it! Even after hearing the childrens confident answers, Bikip still felt somewhat reluctant to let them go. However, there was nothing he could do for them right now, so he decided not to get too involved in their business. Since once they got tired, they would eventuallye back home. Children were like that after all. Some time after speaking to Bikip, Rockefeller spoke, You guys made a mistake earlier, It was only after they had moved some distance away from the vige that he began to point out his brothers mistakes, You shouldnt go around telling people that we are going to out to make money, At this, Joshua asked, Why? Is it bad that were going out to make money? Perhaps because he sympathised with Joshuas thoughts, Andrew muttered under his breath, Its not like were stealing it or anything. Rockefeller didnt get impatient and instead calmly exined, You guys are thinking of the world too simply. What will happen if we make money? Would other people close their eyes and move on as if it had nothing to do with them? No. Theyll be wondering where we made money and start questioning whether it could be an issue or not. Thats just how the world is, Joshua still had an expression as though he didnt understand, But why? If its money we made through our efforts, I dont get what it has to do with anyone else, Andrew looked up to Rockefeller and with the same expression as Joshua, so Rockefeller tried to exin it a little more for his younger siblings, Everything we earn here, in the Montefeltro estate is, in principle, not ours. Even if its a result of our effort, in the end, it will end up belonging to the Lord. That means the money we earn on thisnd cant entirely be ours, Only then did the second and third childrens faces change. It was an expression that showed that they hadnt even considered such things. Chapter 8 Chapter 8 Then, did we make a big mistake before? As Joshua looked up at him with teary eyes, Rockefeller smiled gently and shook his head, No, it wasnt such a big mistake. Because were young, adults wouldnt believe you even if you say things like that. Butter on, when we start making money, and it bes more visible the rumours will reach the ears of the Lord. Then the Lord or one of his retainers will probablye asking to try and find the source of the money we make. Thats when we might face some unexpected problems. Then, wouldnt that be a big deal? It might be a big deal, or it might not. So you dont have to worry too much. As dad did and uncle Bikip from next door does. We just need to take a portion of the profits and give it to the Lord. Of course, thats if everything goes down well, Andrew, who had been listening to the conversation between the two, spoke quietly, reflecting on his actions from earlier, Rockefeller-hyung is right. We were too careless before. In the future, we shouldnt tell people where were going or what were doing since theyre strangers that have nothing to do with us. They dont care about us, Maybe it was because he was the second child who often hung out with children his age, but he seemed to have a clearer idea of human rtionships than the other siblings. When the second child said that, the third child also reflected on his mistake, Ill be more careful from now on. I was so excited that I was careless. I acted too rashly before, Rockefeller nodded and decided to drop the issue there. Instead, it was a good lesson for his siblings to learn, which was rather good for him. You just have to be careful in the future. Even if you lose something small, its okay as long as you dont lose something big since what you have left is more than what you lost. Rockefeller continued, Everyone makes mistakes, whether big or small. Never be ashamed of your mistakes. Instead, make sure you never repeat your mistakes since thats what idiots do. Do you guys understand? His younger brothers must have understood, as they all nodded. After that, how long did they walk? Rockefeller and his younger siblings arrived at a stream a long distance away from the vige. Why are we here? Can you make money here? We didnte here to catch fish, right? When the younger siblings expressed their doubts, Rockefeller exined to them their reason foring here, From now on, were going to dig for cer gold, Until they arrived, Rockefeller considered the most effective and promising way to make money. He pondered the course of action which would create the most wealth for his efforts. When hebined the novel contents that he knew and what he had learned and experienced so far, he saw one way. And that was gathering the ore and dust, which would be eroded from the gold vein and deposited in the river. Its been a while, but I went to the cer mining meetings as well, It might be a peculiar hobby for some, but like there were meetings of people who would go mountaineering or biking together, there were also meetings to gather gold. Most of the gatherings were made just for fun because the number of raw minerals you gatheredpared to the effort was minuscule. But Rockefeller had been active in such groups for a time. It was because of this experience he came out here to this steam. cer mining. I saw a few videos on YouBute and got interested, so I attended maybe twice? I only learned the basics and stopped, but who knew it would be a helpful experience here? If hed had no idea about cer mining, then he probably wouldnt havee this far. However, he had some idea about the method, so for Rockefeller, this was a challenge that he had some expectations towards. If the Gold Vein War breaks out here, it means there are huge gold veins in the area then even in a stream like this, there should be some gold mineral deposits. Some might ask, If it was digging for gold anyway, wouldnt it be better to go directly to the gold mine and dig gold ore rather than cer? No. cer mining can be done easily by a non-professional who knows next to nothing but digging for gold ore is entirely different. In the first ce, it was challenging to find the gold veins, and the process of extracting gold from ore wasplicated, so not just anyone could do it. There was also the risk of encountering wild animals or monsters in an abandoned mine. From Rockefellers point of view, collecting gold dust and bits of ore was the best option considering safety and their general unprofessionalism. That is if theres cer gold here, That was something Rockefeller couldnt be 100% sure about. Nothing in his memories nor anything in the original Rockefellers memories suggested that gold had been found here. People here probably wouldnt even imagine golding out this ce, If cer gold doese out of here, on top of that, if a lot of cer gold came out of this ce, then how could you interpret that? Rockefeller used his knowledge of the novel and his understanding of the Montefeltro estate toe to the following conclusion, First, only I know that new gold veins are found in this estate. Its not yet known to other people. A long time ago, thisnd was known as Azrak Goldmine, thergest goldmine on the continent. If it wasnd those childish and stubborn dwarves had abandoned, then it was pretty much considered deadnd already. The Empire wouldnt have ced any expectations on thisnd when it incorporated this pce into its territory. It was pretty much picking upnd that had been thrown away by someone else. If they had any expectations, they wouldnt have just left everything alone, like this. The fact that there were no gold mines in operations right now, and considering that it was pretty much a fact of history that thisnd had once had gold, was an indication of how unrted they considered gold to the currentnd. So did everyone forsake the potential of thisnd? To the point where they thought there was absolutely no gold left? If that was the case, then it makes sense. As he considered this, Rockefeller pressed a hand to his head without realising, Hell, if I didnt know that a gold vein was going to be discovered, then I wouldnt have thought to collect cer gold either. I would have thought that there was no possibility for it, and since this ce is dangerous, I wouldnt havee here. This ce was close to the next vige, and it was also a ce where one might encounter orcs asionally. It was around here that the story of an orc encounter woulde about at least once or twice a year. There werent so many orcs that people had a hard time living with, but asionally, if someone had bad luck, it was a ce where people would encounter orcs. I wouldnt havee here if I hadnt thought of cer mining for gold, Snapping out of his thoughts, Rockefeller began to talk to his waiting siblings, Well find gold here. Did you know that there were a lot of gold mines here in the past? Chapter 9 Chapter 9 It was Andrew who responded to Rockefellers words, I think Ive heard of it! There used to be a lot of dwarves here! And they dug out all the gold, Joshua added, Ive heard of it too! There used to be a lot of gold in the mines. Lots of it! But theres nothing anymore. The reaction of the younger siblings was easy to predict. First of all, since you all have to learn how to do it, Andrew and Joshua, you two need to dig the dirt under the stream, dig as deep as possible and give it to me. Then Hyung will show you how to find the fold in the soil so that you can learn and follow it, The method of collecting cer gold was simple. The highest proportion of gold dust and ore would usually settle deep in the bottom of the stream. So if you dig deep into the stream and ce the dirt into a big te called a panning, washing it would cause all the heavy minerals like ore and gold fragments to sink to the bottom, and only the dirt would float at the top. After that, they just needed to pick out the separated sparkling gold and clean them; that was how to collect cer gold also known as Gold Panning. When I did it, I had to do it so many times just to get a few pieces of ore, but what will happen here? Rockefeller was slightly dubious about the results, but he took the dirt dug out by his siblings and lowered the panning dish into the stream, using the running water to clean the pebbles and dirt away. He quickly picked out the visible pebbles and sanded the third, under was washed away. Joshua, who was watching the panning eagerly, swallowed against his dry throat and said, Is there any gold, everythings is washed down a little impatiently, Idiot. Gold is precious! How can there be loads? Wait while Rockefeller-hyung searches for it! Andrew eximed, even with his eyes glued to Rockefeller, Even Leo, who was always somewhat silent, opened his mouth as he watched the dirt flowing from the panning with his bright, expectant eyes, Is there really gold there? Rockefeller remained silent, focused on the panning te as he looked for gold. Please, please even a little bit let us live too! When the panning work was over, he could see the sparkling gold powder that could be seen right away. It was a lot more than expected. Are you telling me this much came out? It was iparable to the amount he had in the panning dish from when he tried it in Korea. While his younger siblings, who had been collecting cer gold for the first time, were confused because they didnt know what the situation was right now. But for Rockefeller, it was hard to hide his excitement. If its this much then at least we dont have to worry about starving to death. It was at that moment that he saw a beam of salvation for the first time since he fell into the world of this novel and wandered through the long darkness of an unknown end. No, if its this much, then it can change your life. Having this much wouldnt directly change your life, but if we grow based on this? When Rockefeller didnt snap out of his daze for a while. Joshua, who was staring at the panning dish, said, Is that all gold, the sparkly things? Even though the younger sibling knew what gold was, they all seemed disappointed at the amount that was less than they had anticipated. But isnt there too little? How can we eat and live with this? If geological experts had done traditional cer mining, it would have been enough to make them faint, but it was a reaction that came out because they were children who didnt know this. At Joshuas disappointment, Rockefeller spoke, No, a lot of came out, Like Joshua, Andrew had also looked disappointed at the gold dust and said, Is this a lot? I couldnt even imagine we would find cer gold to this extent. Just because you can mine for cer gold somewhere doesnt mean so much wille out, Ah, really? So a lot came out? Wow! Joshua said half-heartedly, Rockefeller already imagined getting out of poverty and living his life as a rich man. If it keepsing out like this, it might not be a dream to be rich. Its a goal! Although he couldnt be a swordmaster or an archmage because he didnt have talent with swords or magic, at least he could be a wealthy man with enough money toy rotting. If we can get all the cer gold from here jackpot! Its a real jackpot! Awesome! While Rockefeller was excitedly thinking about what to do next, his younger brothers were talking, Then does that mean we dont have to starve anymore? Forget starving! Were going to be rich! Right, hyung!? We can be rich, right? Even Leo added his voice in among his excited older brothers, What a relief, Im happy. Their younger sister held on tightly to Leos hand and soothed her hunger by quietly sucking on her thumb without really understanding why the brothers were so excited. Lets make money! Andrew shouted, and Joshua quickly followed. The two of them moved the most passionately, and even Leo began to lend a hand here and there while taking care of Lucia. Ah, thisnd isnt dead yet. In and where others thought it was all over, Rockefeller found the possibility of changing the tedious situation for himself and his siblings instantly. Im getting a little excited. To others, it would have simply been a piece of cer gold, not even pure gold, but Rockefeller saw a dream that could be realised beyond that. To be honest, I didnt want to be a swordmaster or an archmage. Im not that type of person, there was no aptitude or talent, and its a waste of time and money, He wanted to avoid walking that path. However, as a student of History and Finance, there was a challenge he wanted to try in this world to develop his financial system. Yeah, whats so great about archmages and swordmasters? Its all dangerous work. It was the same when he was in Korea, and it was the same at this moment too. The most important thing for him was first money and second money. In the end, money was the best. I dont need anything else. Money is the best. Chapter 10 Chapter 10 Power, fame, you could have it all if you had money. You could buy everything. You can even buy safety. Money is the all-around cheat key that makes everything possible. It wasnt untilte afternoon that the gold dusting that started like that could be finished. Gather everything and lets go, After returning home, Rockefeller sat down with his siblings at the old table and checked the cer gold they had collected. This is the amount we have earned through our efforts today. Its the value we earned for our legitimate work, The amount of gold that could be gained through one panning was small, but when the results were out together, it was sorge that ones eyes would go round in shock. Today, they had gathered enough gold to make one small gold coin. Wow, did we collect that much? There are so many pieces, Ive never seen so much gold. Arent we going to be rich like this? The younger siblings, including Rockefeller, hadnt spoken at all on the way back because they had been tired from working at the stream all day, but they couldnt hide their excitement in front of the gold dust that was beyond anything amoner could typically see. Youve all worked hard today. If we try hard like this every time, we wont go hungry anymore we can even live a richer life than most people, Joshua and Andrew were the most excited to hear that, Really?! Are we really going to be rich?! The younger siblings were getting excited with the idea of getting rich by selling the cer gold straight away, but Rockefellers mind was thinking of other things, The question is how to deal with this. In principle, everything produced in the estate was the lords property. So if you look at it that way, then the cer gold they had collected was not theirs. We cant sell this on the market. There will definitely be problems, Still, it would be stupid to report this to the lord. It would be fortunate if heplimented us. But he would never let this go, It was questionable whether the lord would leave them alone after they had collected this gold. Whether he punished them or rewarded them, it would be up to his mood. If he didnt like it, then he could punish them. While Rockefeller was considering their options, Joshuas excitement began to dampen, and his expression fell, He had started having simr worries to Rockefeller, But how would we sell this? Wouldnt it be a problem like Rockefeller-hyung said in the morning if we tried to sell it in the market? Andrews face fell, Right, if we say we got the gold from the stream, then the word will spread. Even for hunting in the forest, we have to have the permission of the lord, though they do tend to look over little things like rabbits and weasels. Joshua trailed off. Since everything in the Montefeltro estate was the lords property, even hunting beasts living in the forest required the permission of their owner, the lord. Would it be okay to inform the lord of this? Andrew became angry at Joshuas question, No way! What do we do if the lord punishes us!? That Well, if we go and say sorry first, then, wont the lord let us get away with it? How do you know that? If we get punished, will you be able to take responsibility for it?! While the two brothers bickered, Rockefeller also thought about it for a moment. We can either let the lord know or do it ourselves, Suppose the lord showed a favourable attitude after we notified him about this. In that case, it might be possible to do cer mining legally without having to worry about other peoples eyes. If that happened, it would be easier mentally, but we cant bet on his mood, and wed have to give that jerk a big portion of the amount we harvest in the form of tax. Its usually like that. And that was only if things worked out okay. Rockefeller and his younger siblings could be punished if things worked out badly, and there was a possibility that the lord would monopolise the cer gold and put the serfs in his estate to work mining it, and they would be left with nothing. Its very much possible. If itsing from yournd and youre a greedy guy, you wont want to share whats yours with any other. Rather, you would order the serfs and ves under you and take everything for yourself, So the conclusion was, There are too many uncertainties about telling the lord. We cant do that. Plus, no matter how badly or well this worked out for them, giving up a portion of the profits to that jerk of a lord was enough to make his stomach hurt. Its a saying that the bear does the trick and the trainer makes money. I cant foolishly be a bear, I dont think its a good idea to let the lord know about our work. When Rockefeller spoke, his brothers turned to look at him, the first one who voiced his doubts was Joshua, Then what do we do? Theres no way we wont be caught every single time, and if we get caught, it could make things worseter on. Wouldnt it be better to just tell the lord? It was Andrew who refuted his question, Idiot! So we just have to go and quietly mine. Its dangerous near the stream anyway, so people dont go there, But can we keep doing it without being caught? Sometimes we can catch fish as well. That should be enough to trick peoples eyes and stop them from asking questions and its better if more people are watching when we do. After all, were not doing it alone, Yeah, but Rockefeller stepped in and exined to his brothers why he thought they should not tell the lord about cer mining, and soon, even Joshua seemed convinced to some extent. Rockefeller-hyung, youre right. I might have thought about it too simply. It wouldnt be good to tell the lord after all, Andrew sighed softly. After all, they didnt really have an answer to the question yet. But that wasnt the case for Rockefeller, But we cant give up trying to find a way to live because of that, right? So lets do something else, Do you have an idea? So what do we do, Rockefeller-hyung? To his younger siblings, who were looking up at him with expectant eyes, Rockefeller shared his thoughts. Chapter 11 Chapter 11 "cer gold is also gold, but it''s not usually used in the form of cer gold. It''s easier to transport and is usually processed into gold coins to ensure a certain amount of value to each coin. You guys know about gold coins, right?" "Of course, we know!" The third child, Joshua, answered most confidently, "When you say gold, don''t most people usually think of gold coins? But what about them?" "Who would make the gold coins?" It was the second child, Andrew, who answered. "Hmm goldsmiths? Goldsmiths usually make gold coins," Although they were young, they weren''t ignorant. Rockefeller smiled lightly and continued his words, "That''s right. Goldsmiths usually produce gold coins with an imperial license. Silver is a currency managed by the territory''s lord and circted in that area, but not gold. The imperial family standardised gold coins, and only a few cksmiths who have permission from the imperial family can make gold coins. For convenience, a goldsmith is assigned to each province and distribute the gold coins they make to that area," It was then that Joshua, who realised Rockefeller''s intentions, began to react with a bright face, "Then can we sell cer gold to the goldsmith? That person has nothing to do with the lord, right?" "Right. They are master craftsmen with an imperial license. Although they aren''tpletely unrted to the lord of each territory, they aren''t directly managed by them either. So from our position, it''s worth at least trying to sell a portion of our gold secretly," Joshua looked convinced, but Andrew still had an expression of doubt on his face. "Rockefeller-hyung, is there really no problem if you do that?" Rockefeller gazed at him as he shared his concerns, "In the end, he''s also someone running a business in the lord''snd, right? So it''s not like he''s unrted to the lord," "There will be some form of rtionship with the lord. However, from their point of view, they wouldn''t feel the need to tell the lord about a small deal they made with us because those people are extremely profit-orientated. Contrary to popr belief, goldsmiths aren''t sincere and moral people. They''re the type who can even make a deal with the devil if there''s profit in it for them," "With the devil?" When the mention of the devil was made, his younger siblings looked a little surprised and frightened. Well, they are kids in the end,'' Rockefeller was fully aware of the depravity of goldsmiths who were at the same time being viewed as professionals trusted by everyone. Someone had to prove their trust andpetence to the imperial family to do goldsmithing with the imperial license. You have to prove the sincerity with which you have lived and your loyalty to the imperial family a lot of that is based on the tax you''ve made and moral issues. Even in the imperial family, if they think you have moral problems, they won''t let you be a goldsmith. Making and distributing gold coins is a trade based on trust.'' However, the morality in question showed the pure gold content of gold coins and the sincerity in the taxes paid to the imperial family. The imperial family did not interfere beyond that, so there was no need for morality in what happened outside that sphere. And that''s why the first money and finance-rted businesses were born,'' If goldsmiths were as kind and sincere as everyone thought, would they have lent gold coins to others and charged interest as well? ording to the Church''s doctrine, it was sinful to receive interest from others. Ironically, goldsmiths are recognised by the imperial family for their sincerity and trust. Still, they were actually the people who fell to hell by doing an interest-based money-making business. That was why there were very few cases where nobles did such things, and there were many cases where wealthymoners would throw the prospect of hell to the dogs and pursue the profits right before their eyes and make that their main line of business. In the first ce, the people who were goldsmiths were those types of people, so Rockefeller thought it was possible to trade with them secretly. And he exined this thoroughly to his younger siblings. "You understand what your hyung has been saying so far, right? They are not good people, but rather, they are people who fall to hell because they''re in the money-lending business," As he exined this to his younger siblings, they started to worry about strange things. It was the connection between goldsmiths and falling to hell. "Rockefeller-hyung, then aren''t we going to hell too?" Since they were still young children, he realised they believed in heaven and hell and a world after death. Both Andrew and Josh looked frightened, and even the fourth child, Leo, who rarely spoke out, said, "We can''t go to hell," Rockefellerughed lightly and began to soothe his siblings, "Did you know this? Heaven or hell, all you need is money to go," Chapter 12 Chapter 12 "Eh? Why?" When Joshua asked, Rockefeller exined the reason as briefly as possible, "If weter be rich, we can buy the Church''s favour with that money. The people of the Church would pray for us day and night then where would we go?" The Church they knew imed they had to pay a lot of money in tributes to go to heaven. "You guys know it very well, don''t you? That you have to pay a lot to go to heaven," None of his younger siblings denied what Rockefeller said, The idea that you need to pay a lot of money to the Church to go to heaven was something that had been drilled into them for a long time, after all. "In the end, even if we follow God''s will, if the donation to the Church is small, we have no choice but to go to hell. But, if we forsake God''s will for a while, we can still go to heaven if we give the Church a lot of donations," The younger siblings, who had been pacified upon hearing they could go to heaven, were no longer afraid to get involved with a goldsmith. "Okay! We can earn a lot of moneyter and pay donations to the Church. Then we can go to heaven," Andrew said, relieved. "Let''s make a lot of money and go to heaven! They say that if you go to heaven, you can eat whatever you want to eat for your entire life!" Joshua agreed. At the same time, Leo carefully thought about what Rockefeller said. He couldn''t agree with the idea that he would go to heaven just because he had a lot of money. Still, if the Church prayed for them a lot because of the donations, then it might be possible. If you pay a lot of donations, you can go to heaven,'' Rockefeller, who was watching his younger siblings, smiled gently, Since they''re still kids,'' Although they believe in hell and heaven right now, would it still be the sameter? Well, you can believe in it if you like since that''s your freedom,'' Although Rockefeller didn''t believe in the existence of a god, he acknowledged the power of those who believed in God. Even if you be wealthy, you shouldn''t be enemies with the Church,'' If his younger brothers made donations to go to heaven, Rockefeller intended to support the Church for other reasons. Rather than bing friends, we should actively use their authority.'' Rockefeller wasn''t from this family, but he still remembered the words that remained as their teachings and heirloom, He told us to be people who inspire fear rather than respect. I''m 30, but it still made me shiver to my bones- though it''s correct. To live in this harsh world, there is no need to be respected by others. Rather, you should be a person who everyone is afraid of.'' It was a one-dimensional idea that only swords and magic could be the object of fear. There is another terrifying person,'' After thinking for a moment, Rockefeller said to his siblings, "Tomorrow, hyung will go and see a goldsmith. First, I''ll go ahead and see if there will be any problems, and if there aren''t any, we''ll be able to sell the cer gold through the goldsmith in the future," It was Rockefeller''s first goal to solve the issue of their livelihood right away by selling the cer gold. He''s a goldsmithif I do this well, I can write the history of the economy of thisnd with my own hands,'' And once his immediate goal was fulfilled, he could move on to the bigger picture. == Carter Goldsmith. He was a goldsmith who built a nest in the Montefeltro estate with the approval of the imperial family. He was a fat, greedy man who had to eat everythingid out in front of him to feel full. If he had a weakness, then it was that he was too timid. Ha I''m not making enough money. The money really isn''ting in,'' Even today, he was sitting on his chair in the store and thinking about making more money. In the average person''s view, he already had a lot of money and made more in minutes than regr did in days, but since he was greedy, he always wanted more money. That doesn''t mean I can just make money like that rich guy from Lyon,'' To him, who was timid and afraid, the story of the goldsmith in Lyon was just a dream. To think, he was using his gold coins and the gold coins of customers to make money! Then what would happen if the customer suddenly came to you to find the gold coins they had entrusted to you? That would be a huge deal! Then, if you get caught, what would you do to clear the waters then? It''s crazy! It''s stupid crazy! The customers we deal with aren''t just random nobody from the streets!'' And towards his shop, were quiet footsteps. Rockefeller, the eldest son of the Rothmedici family, hade to sell him cer gold. Rockefeller stopped in front of the goldsmith''s shop, which was located near the lord''s castle. Carter Banco'' Banko. Initially, it meant chair or bench, but it also referred to the goldsmith''s shop who sat down on such a chair for most of the day for work. Usually, goldsmith shops are named after their name or family''s name, simr to Carter Banco'' to do business. Please, I hope that you are a greedy person with a simr nature to what I had thought,'' Chapter 13 Chapter 13 Rockefeller cleared his throat and knocked on the shops door before making his way inside. As he entered, Carter Goldsmith, who was sitting in a chair, looked up to greet the customer and paused, What? Its a kid. What brings you here? He asked instead, Carter wondered why a boy that looked to be about 15 hade to see him. Judging from his appearance, it didnt look like he would have much money shabby clothes and hollow cheeks. He doesnt seem to be the son of a noble family either What are you doing here? Thinking there was no way this guy was a guest, he naturally let go of any formalities, and to such a Carter, Rockefeller greeted him politely, Its nice to meet you. I am stopping by with regards to some work, Work? Are you running an errand? Not an errand, sir. Its my job, Although the boys clothes wore old and worn, they were not clothes that a serf or ve would wear. Carter thought this boy would be amoner like him, which is why instead of chasing him out straight away, he decided to hear him out first. Okay, what work did youe for then? How do I say this I want to offer a deal may I discuss the details with you? A deal? A frown took over Carters face naturally as he asked. Its not funny. What kind of deal can this little guy offer? Youve got to be kidding, What deal? Youre not here to y around, are you, kid? He asked out loud, but Rockefellers gaze was infinitely serious. Im not ying, and although I may be young, I am the head of my family. What? Youre the head? Carter looked slightly rmed to think a little one like this was already the head of the family. What about your parents? They passed away my father more recently, Oh dear, what happened? Both of my parents had chronic illnesses, I see Carter fiddled with his beard, trying to think if he had heard any news of amoner who had died recently, I know someone died, but who was it? The name After thinking for a moment, Carter was finally able to recognise Rockefellers identity, as there had only been onemoner who had died recently, Ah, yes, you were the tax collectors son. He said he was the head of the family, so you must be the eldest son. Carter barely managed to recall, Yes, sir, I am Rockefeller Rothmedici, Right, your family name was Rothmedici, I remember now, Rockefeller bowed his head more politely than he had at first and showed him sincere courtesy. Yes, you poor thing. But what kind of deal are youing to me with? Im a goldsmith, so I wouldnt have anything to do with you? Although a goldsmith was amoner, their customers were the wealthiest ofmoners or nobles; however, this young man who came to him boldly did not seem to join the target audience he usually dealt with. He looked shabby and insignificant. Despite facing the doubt on Carters face, Rockefeller began to exin his story, Well.. since the family situation is not good, I had to find a way to live somehow, so I searched for various methods to see if there was anything I could do, Carter didnt respond. He folded his arms and decided to listen to his story quietly, By chance, I happened to meet someone who had been indebted to my grandfather, Your grandfather? He was a goldsmith primarily, but as someone who engaged in the business of money-lending, so he roughly knew what kind of people were in this territory and of course, that included the Rothmedici family. Carter immediately nodded, as he began to recall some things, Yes, I heard the tax collectors father was originally a doctor they say he always wore a red cloak, so they called him the Red Doctor but this person said they were indebted to your grandfather? Who was it? As for him, its a little difficult for me to say. Although I dont know him very well, one of the reasons I came here is to do business on his behalf, What, on his behalf? Yes, sir, Carter couldnt help but frown. He seemed to have realised where this was going, Rockefeller got straight to the point, He said that he would give me a portion of the proceeds if I could do gold trading on his behalf, I was wondering what it could be smuggling, huh? It was illegal to trade without paying the appropriate taxes in the territory. Still, if you were someone who was crazy about making money then smuggling was the way to go because everything you earned was yours the profits were that much higher when you didnt have to pay taxes on them. So in exchange for helping himplete the trade, he will give you amission? Yes, sir, although Im aware this isnt a good thing, my situation is quite bad, you see Ive even starved for several days, If it had been a grown adult who hade into his shop and said something like this, Carter would have been suspicious first and foremost because he wouldnt have any clue if it were him or someone else entirely who was pulling the strings. But Rockefeller was so young that Carter had no doubt he was not in charge. Well, from that guys perspective, its a good deal. Grandfathers debt my foot, it was a convenient excuse the kid is in a bad situation and easy to use, and since the kid is desperate, hell agree to anything to make a living. Thats right, to think you would get involved with smuggling at such a young age. Listen, kid, this isnt a normal transaction. Its against thew, and if the lord ever finds out, he will be furious, As soon as he heard those words, Rockefellers heart rxed, and he felt relief. Good, hes totally deceived, The acting itself was perfect. He faithfully yed the pitiful role of the young and unfortunate head of a household. It would be unreasonable to think that I was in charge of this since Im so young. Being young can sometimes be a great weapon to get others to drop their vignce. Chapter 14 Chapter 14 Carter pondered for a moment as he considered Rockefellers suggestion; Smuggling is risky, but as long as we keep discreet about it, it wont be a big problem and how would the lord know anything anyway? Hes a bastard with ckened eyes that cant even read the store ledger, Although Carter was a timid merchant who wasnt good at making sales the risk he had to take this time was negligible. Its safer than trying to do it on Lyon since its less noticeable. By the way, do you understand how dangerous this is, kid? he asked, Rockefeller showed a bit of fear on his face and faithfully carried out his performance, Yes, sir, I know for sure that this isnt a good thingit is smuggling after all if the lord catches us, something bad will happen, right? If on the small chance that this is discovered, I will tell the lord that this is something I know nothing about. No matter what, its you who brought this deal to me, so dont drag me into your hardship. Yes, I am aware of that, sir. So that person also said he would give me money while entrusting me with this job, Yeah, you seem to understand that very well, Carter acted as if he was genuinely understanding and sympathetic to Rockefellers situation as he tried to satisfy his greed. It would be nice if work like this came in more why do I have so little luck with money? Although I dont like things like this either, because itll be painful if we get caught your circumstances are pitiful, so Ill close my eyes to this just once, Like the fictional smuggler he had scoffed at earlier, Carter tried to win Rockefellers goodwill with a tant lie. As a matter of fact, I didnt say anything before, but I have also received help from your father previously, In reality, as a tax collector, Rockefellers father had been an object of hatred, especially among the poorer viges so what Carter had just said was a tant lie. But he thought that the person he was speaking to was young and could be easily deceived. If such a thing had not happened, I probably would have either just rejected your offer, or I would have reported this to the lord since thats the natural thing to do, Rockefeller didnt show his reaction on his face, but Carters tant lies were too heinous. If youre going to lie, at least make it a little believable. Who is going to be deceived by that? Carter had no idea what Rockefeller was thinking and continued to say what he had to say, This is something that no matter what happens, the lord can never know about. Its smuggling after all the lord may be generous with other things, but when ites to money matters, he can be quite sharp. As soon as he finished speaking, he put a smile on his face and asked, Okay, lets have a look at the item first, shall we? How much did you bring with you? The amount of cer Gold that Rockefeller had brought was quite small, so he decided to add some packing around it, He said that it was unreasonable to trade inrge quantities from the very beginning as this is the first trade I didnt bring much, Ill have a look anyway, Although the amount that Rockefeller bought out was indeed small, Carter was quite satisfied. At first nce, it looks like the highest quality among cer gold. I think it should be quite pure. In terms of quantity, there isnt enough to make a gold coin but even so this is better than nothing. Carter shook his head to himself and wondered if there was any continent where such high quality gold cer could be found? By the way, where did you say this cer Gold came from? Did you hear anything? Rockefeller just replied with a look of ignorance, Ive not heard of anything about that. He seems to be quite careful when talking even when he was talking to me wouldnt he have brought it from somewhere far away to make sure no one noticed? Is that so? Hmm. rather than that, the item is rather. He said that if you dont like the item, he will deal with another goldsmith instead, Carter was taken aback. He was so caught up with the idea of smuggling and getting the best prince of the gold that he hadnt realised he wasnt the one who had the initiative for the deal. I cant let go of this opportunity. I think you misunderstood something, but this item is excellent. If you keep trading, just tell me, Ill keep paying a good price for it. Is it really such a good cer? Rockefeller asked again, just to confirm. Yes, its great. Its top-notch quality. The purity also looks good. Amazing, Why did the Gold Vein War break out? If it were an awkward gold vein, the dwarves wouldnt have fought so desperately with the Empire in the name of reiming their oldnd. Okay, just as I thought, thisnd is still alive. It was located on the outskirts of the Empire, and no one paid any attention to this ce. Yeah, that would be my next goal. Rockefeller, who was able to solve the immediate problem of making a living by smuggling cer gold with the goldsmith, set a new goal now. A reasonable person should always have a big goal because even if you cant achieve the goal, the halfway point is still okay. Although he came to be the eldest son of a poormoner family, Rockefeller was notcent with his life. You cant die as amoner in the ying field where you know about every major future event, It wasnt just goldsmiths who ran after money, Rockefeller too, thought money was the best. If I can earn a lot, I can buy thatnd, His new goal to resolve his hunger was to own thend of Montefeltro the most undervaluednd on the continent. This is where the Rothmedici n will be founded the richest family in the world. Chapter 15 Chapter 15 Rockefeller-hyung, how did it go at Bancos? As soon as Rockefeller returned, the younger siblings who had been waiting at home flocked around him. Looking at their expressions, he could see the nervous anticipation with which they had waited for him. Did you sell the gold? Did you not manage to sell it? Rockefeller responded to his siblings questions with a smile, Things went well. From now on, we can take the cer gold we mine and sell it to the goldsmith there, Really?! What a relief! At Rockefellers words, the second and third children sighed with relief, even if they managed to mine cer gold; if they couldnt sell it, then it would have been meaningless. But how did you sell it? I would have thought the goldsmith would be suspicious if he were suddenly approached with gold to sell? Well, I told him there was a smuggler and that Im ying the middle role of selling the gold I thought if I did that, then he wouldnt ask too much about the source of the cer gold, Did he not notice anything off? Theres nothing to notice. Your big brother is an amazing actor. I think because Im still young, he wasnt too suspicious, Hearing that, it was Joshua who was the happiest, Rockefeller-hyung is the best! Now we can be rich too! Andrew grinned just as brightly, Joshuas right. Now we can be rich too! We dont have to worry about starving anymore! At the thought that he would no longer be hungry, the expression on Leos face also brightened. And watching her older brothersughing and chatting brightly, despite not quite understanding what was happening, Lucia alsoughed happily. In such a bright atmosphere, only Rockefellers happiness was moderate and shortsting. His dream was far too big to be excited with just this. Its just the beginning, to think theyre this excited well, they are still young after all, Rockefeller had no intention of living alone in this harsh world. The motto I taught these younger siblings was not in vain. Weak people like us have no choice but to join forces to survive. If they were strangers who didnt know each other very well, it would have been not easy, but they were a family of the same blood. Blood is thicker than water. While thinking about his dreams, Rockefeller got a little excited, so he decided to calm his excitable brothers for a moment and had them listen to them, Hyung has something to tell you, so calm down for a second. I hope you guys will listen to me, What was their older brother saying all of a sudden? As the second and third children were quietly looking at Rockefeller, waiting for him to speak, Rockefeller started talking about his dreams to his brothers while seated around their old creaky table. You see, I have no intention of staying within this reality. I want to move forwards with bigger dreams. What do you think? Do you guys want to do the same? They might have been young, but they were still old enough to think about their future and discern what they wanted to do. Among the quiet siblings, the first to speak was none other than the third child, Joshua, Rockefeller-hyung, what are you talking about all of a sudden? So, simply put, I want to get out of this kind of life, Rockefeller slowly looked around their shabby house, leaving his brothers staring at him, the household items were old, and the living standards werent very good. Ive always been unhappy with this house. Even though I couldnt be a nobleman, its still too much. This isnt the kind of ce people live. Its a pigsty, Do you want to continue living in a house like this? At Rockefellers words, the younger brothers looked at each other, a little confused and nervous, finally Joshua said, This is our house I like it here. Leo seemed to agree, but the second child, Andrew, was different. He often went out to y with the other children, so despite having the status of amoner, having a home that was always lesspared to others had always bothered him. I I think the same as Rockefeller-hyung, Andrew said, I dont like it here either. If we live in a ce like this, the other kids will ignore us, he added. Does it make you embarrassed? Rockefeller asked. Yeah.., He wondered how was it that his older brother knew his heart so well? Still, perhaps embarrassed by what he had just said, Andrew quietly bowed his head, and Rockefeller began to continue his words with a faint smile on his lips. Andrews feelings are nothing to be ashamed of. Its a natural human emotion. I dont want to live my whole life in this old, dirty house either. I want to live in a bigger, much nicer ce that others would envy, But thats for rich people, Joshua mumbled, Then isnt it fine as long as we be those rich people? Joshua looked up at his eldest brother, whose gaze was sincere. But being rich isnt easy. No, we can be rich, Rockefeller answered firmly, Really, how? All you have to do is listen to me, follow your big brother, and I will make us the richest people in the world, Really? It looked like Joshuas doubts grated on Andrew because he raised his voice sharply, You idiot! We already know how to get rich. Why are you asking stupid questions? he snapped, Still, the third countered, True, but Joshua knew it deep down. Even if they continued to mine cer gold without anyone knowing and secretly sold it, they couldnt be wealthy as long as the Lord was there. Chapter 16 Chapter 16 It wont make us very rich. Havent you thought of that too, Andrew-hyung? That- well thats true, Rockefeller spoke up, Theres nothing wrong with what youre saying, Joshua. You cant be very rich by mining and selling cer gold. It might have been different if we were the owners of this ce but even if it can fill our stomachs, secretly mining cer gold and selling it while being careful of other peoples gazes wont make us rich, No one brought up any objections to his words. They all agreed with that, after all. Then how do we do it? How can we be as rich as you said? Joshua asked, If we cant get rich that way, then we just have to find another way, Another way? What way are you talking about? Do you already have something in mind, Rockefeller-hyung? Actually, there are some ways to get rich, Rockefeller continued to speak to his brothers, who stared up at him with all of their concentration focused on his words, When youre trying to make big money it doesnte from working hard. You cant make a huge amount of money no matter how hard you work for that, you either have to run a business or gamble, Gambling? The younger brothers expressions were enough to express their displeasure at the word gambling, No matter what their eldest brother said, the stories they would hear from their dad when they were bored were enough to let them know they should never be gamblers. Do you mean you want to be a gambler? Andrew asked, concerned. Thats not it. Im talking about Unearned Ie, (He uses Economics jargon here that I had to look up it refers to ie earned without the direct participation in productivebour theres a wiki about it if youre curious) Unearned ie? What is that? Im talking about money that you earn by sitting around doing nothing, rather than from working, Is that possible? ording to themon sense of these young siblings, it was an irrefutable truth that one could only earn money when they worked. So how would you make money without doing that? And a lot of money at that. You guys know about the interest you get when you lend money to others, dont you? Yeah, I know interest. Its money you get from letting others borrow your money, Yeah, its something like that interest. And besides interest, theres also investment ie like dividends and rent or profit from the sale of items or real estate. And the real big moneyes from these things, and its not something earned by just working, The younger brothers fell quiet when difficult words they didnt understand came out. In anything, early education is important, Rockefeller smiled softly and continued his words, You dont have to understand all the difficult concepts right now just remember that the money you make by sitting around is bigger than the money you earn by working hard, Then who works? If you make a lot of money sitting around, there is no need for anyone to do the work, Joshua asked, I dont get it either. If the amount of money we make by doing nothing is bigger, then no one has to work hard, right? Andrew added, Rockefeller shook his head slowly, Thats not it. Not just anyone can sit still and make money. To do that, you have to have a lot of money first but there arent many people like that in the world, right? It seemed like the penny dropped for Joshua first, I get it. If you lend arge amount of money and receive interest, you get more money in interest than when you lend a small amount of money. Do you mean that? He asked, Right, you can think of it like that as well, Rockefeller nodded, Then that person would be able to earn money even if they didnt work, Joshua nodded, And from there, if you lend out arge amount of money? Rockefeller asked, Then you would be very rich, even if you do nothing, Andrew, who had been quietly listening to their conversation, asked another question, Then what if the person who borrowed the money doesnt pay it back? If they dont pay the interest properly, then youd be in big trouble, Rockefeller smiled, Didnt I say in the beginning that Unearned Ie is like gambling? Yeah? It can be quite a gamble if you consider the case where the borrower doesnt pay the interest on time or runs away with the money you lend them, Wouldnt that be bad? Andrew asked, So, in that case, who should I lend my money to increase the odds of me winning and getting my money back? Right.you can lend it to nobles or wealthy people people like that wouldnt run away with the money, Thats right. If we lend money to people with credit, we can enter this gamble with high odds of winning. Ultimately, what we have to consider is the odds of winning. If you keep betting at a gambling venue with a high winning rate, thats how you be rich, Although his younger brothers didnt understand every word, they seemed to understand the concept to some extent, I think I get it? Me too! What I want you to understand is that we cant get rich by mining and selling cer gold, so what hyung wants to do is, after selling for a while, is going to work under the goldsmith, Why there? One of the things a goldsmith does is lending gold coins to others and earning interest. Like I exined before, big money is made by not working? The two younger brothers shouted out in unison, Its earned by sitting around! Exactly. Thats how real money is made. After talking to his siblings, Rockefeller thought about what to do next. In the current situation, gold mining is too risky. Its a problem if they find out about it but if we might still get unlucky and meet an orc as well. So as soon as possible, I should work under the goldsmith and take a seat thats the way my siblings and I will live. Chapter 17 Chapter 17 "I don''t know if you heard, but these days, the orcs are causing havoc. I don''t know why but the frequency with which they appear has been increasing quite a bit. I would have just let it go in the past, but I don''t think it''s at that level anymore. A few days ago, one of the vigers was attacked, and recently it happened again two strong young men at that," "Really?" "So sooner orter, I may have something to ask of you. I''m thinking of hiring a squad of well-known mercenaries with good skills to clean up these orcs," "Mercenaries are a good idea. There is no need for the lord to oversee something like this," "I thought, wouldn''t it be a waste to use my people for that kind of work? If it can be easily solved with money, then it''s not only me who would choose to solve it with money," When the lord who had visited him spoke like that, the goldsmith Carter smiled secretly. There was only one reason the lord had to visit a goldsmith it was because he needed an urgent supply of money. "If money is needed for this work, then I would unhesitatingly lend it to you. It''s all for the lord and the lord''s work, so why should money be a problem?" In cases like this, the lord was the most trustworthy of all the customers Carter had dealt with. He was proud of being a nobleman, so he had little fear when borrowing money. He was the best customer because he could secure a stable ie through the tax revenue collected within the territory. "Yes, well, if it''s money, it''s enough to just borrow it from you," The lord, who slowly worked up to try his luck, looked at the goldsmith. It was said that those who did business with interest were the scum of the world that would go to hell. If he could help it, he didn''t want to do business with him, but he had no choice. "The problem is interest; it''s not like you''ll just be lending me the money, right?" The lord asked, stroking the beard on his chin. "My lord, in a world where one needs money to survive, I cannot live by simply lending money; I hope you''ll consider my situation," "It is said that if you lend money to others and live on the interest, you will go to hell you don''t seem to be too concerned about that?" When he heard those words, the goldsmithughed at the lord internally. How many hundreds and thousands of times does he think I''ve heard those very same words?'' "My lord, that is why we make donations to the church. Even though God may hate me for being in the business of money, won''t the priests pray for me more than others if I donate a lot? People like us lessen God''s dissatisfaction in that way," The lord openly shook his head at that. "But donations aren''t everything," "Even so, faith is not everything either," "You you seem to be getting cheekier with your words," "Oh my, I apologise if my words were a little off-putting to you, my lord. It is simply because we were talking about the Church there is no deeper meaning to my words. I was just saying it in the sense that, if I donated a lot, wouldn''t God look at me with more pity?" Money was power. No matter how much of a lowlymoner he was, even the lord had no choice but to swallow his pride in front of money. That''s why you shouldn''t y with money I want to find a way to put him in his ce, but.'' As the undisputed ruler of this territory, he had his own reasons for not liking the goldsmith, but he could not do anything to him easily. Well, I should be patient with him. After all, these are the kind of people who God abandons.'' No matter how much he disliked these guys who yed with money, there were times when running his estate, he urgently needed arge amount of money. At that time, the only ce where he could easily borrow arge amount of money was at the Banco run by the goldsmith. And since there were only goldsmiths like this one operating the Banco, no matter how much the lord hated them, he couldn''t just let them go. It''s urgent I need it from time to time.'' Also, goldsmiths were strongly connected to the Imperial Family. Since they were a profession that everyone pretty much hated, they had formed strong solidarity among themselves and jointly dealt with any unsavoury affairs rted to themselves. So no matter how much he hated the goldsmiths, the lord could not mistreat them. Money is the problem.'' Money was an essential element for the lord to run his estate, so he had no choice but to carefully navigate the goldsmith''s mood to manage his estate, lest problems arise when borrowing money in the future. Chapter 18 Chapter 18 "Even if I hate you, I shouldn''t hate the money," The lord''s words immediately put a smile on the goldsmith''s lips, "Thank you for thinking that way, my lord," "I''m just saying this because I hate you, but can you give me a discount on the interest for the money I''m borrowing this time?" "Our interest rate is always the same. No matter how much you borrow, a monthly interest rate of 6% applies. This is true for the lord and any other customer. There are no exceptions," After all, it was borrowed money, and it was enough to return with the tax collected from the people. But the lord wasn''t as ignorant as first thought; his father had left some wisdom for him. He told me not to borrow too much money while doing my work here. It''s okay to borrow some, but if you borrow beyond your means, you can''t afford to pay it backter.'' "Can something not be done about that? After all, this work would benefit you too. Imagine if things went wrong and the orcs managed to break into the estate, it wouldn''t do you any good either," The Seers who followed the lord were quiet, but whether they were doing it on purpose or not, their gazes were fixed, ring at the goldsmith, pressuring him. They, too, thought poorly of goldsmiths, but they also believed that the lord''s words were correct. The goldsmith scratched his cheek and decided to take a step back here. After all, he was doing business with thisnd''s lord even he had to watch out for his mood a little. "Ahem! Well, just this time, I will make it especially cheap. We will lower it to 4% interest per month. After all, it''s for the sake of the estate so I can make this much of a concession that is the way people should live after all," The lord had to think about his own pride, so he didn''t push to cut the interest down any further he would look too cheap if he demanded to cut the interest further when the goldsmith had already given him a way. "Okay, let''s do that then," With the deal settled, the goldsmith began to draw up some documents. "Will you be signing the contract then, my lord?" "I guess so. Would you lend me the money without it?" The lord asked sarcastically, "The lord is the best, after all," despite the goldsmith''s bright smile, the lord''s expression was not very bright. He had borrowed money because he needed it in an emergency. It''s not like there was any reason for him to be particrly happy. These money-grubbing people.'' Regardless of what the lord thought of him, there were some things he had to make sure was conveyed; it was rted to the loan''s contract. "I will just rify some things in advance for the lord. You should know that this contract to recover the borrowed money from the lord can be sold to other ces. There''s no need to concern yourself too much about this, but it''s just so you know that the person you may pay the money back to might not be me directly as I may sell that right to someone else," "Would that change the interest rate?" "The interest would remain the same," "Well, the interest rate would not be changing, so do whatever you want. It''s not like I''m someone who would run away with the money, so why would I care? At the end of the day, whether it''s to you or someone else, I just need to pay back the appropriate amount of money," "Then that''s great. First, let me finish off this contract, and I will immediately prepare the amount of gold needed," The lord signed the contract, received the loan and left the shop. Banco was located near the markets, and so the area was crowded with the locals, I feel it every time, but visiting this ce always leaves a bad taste in my mouth.'' It was then that the lord found a familiar face; it was themoner child he had seen a few days ago. That kid is.'' While the lord was still trying to remember his name, Rockefeller happened to meet the lord in front of Banco and greeted him politely, "Greetings to the lord, I am Rockefeller Rothmedici," "Yeah, you''re Hans'' son, right? Did the funeral wrap up well then?" At those words, Rockefeller bowed his head more deeply than before, "Yes, my lord, thanks to your help, my father''s funeral waspleted well," "And have you given any thought about what I said? I told you about keeping your manners and knowing your ce, correct?" "I am still thinking about it, my lord," Looking at him, the lord didn''t see much difference to Rockefeller than what he had seen before, and he wasn''t so leisurely that he could spend a long time chatting with the children ofmoners that he met by chance. "Anyway, the answer is fixed, so don''t agonise over it too much," With these final words, the lord lost interest in Rockefeller and left. Rockefeller simply bowed his head to the lord and shifted his gaze away to Banco, from where he hade out. Did he borrow money?'' As Rockefeller entered the store, Carter, who had been delighted with his loan to the lord, looked started. He carefully looked outside of the store before looking to Rockefeller with a relieved expression, "Right, have youe about the business fromst time?" "Yes, sir," "Then let''s have a look at the item," as Carter lead him into the back of the shop, Rockefeller asked, "I think the lord just came by. Did something happen?" "It''s no big deal, just ignore it," "In that case, can''t you just tell me?" "You''re a curious one because of the orcs appearing near the estate, the Lord came to borrow some money to hire mercenaries," "Orcs?" "A person encountered one, and more recently, two more people got caught," This situation with the orcs; Rockefeller couldn''t act like it was someone else''s business. Chapter 19 Chapter 19 Was it somon to run into orcs? I thought vigers only encountered them by chance, once or twice a year, It was like that, but they seem to be appearing more often recently, Is there any reason? No idea. Its not like Im familiar with the behaviour patterns of orcs, How did the orcs be more active at the very edge of the Empire? After thinking about it for a moment, Rockefeller understood the reason without difficulty. Is it the work of the Goblin Bank? The Goblin Bank. It was thergest bank in the continent a ce where the loan business transcended tribes, nations and species, and in the novel, it was a ce of darkness. The main character had a really hard time because of these guys. Unlike some other novels in which goblins were ssified as dumb or low-level monsters, the goblins in this novel were clever and well-rounded. Besides that, when talking about money these weirdos created a bank even before humans did. Theyre guys who really give you a headache. So when ites to goblins, they are a race everyone in the world points fingers at and hates. It wasnt because of how smart and conniving they were but because they were money lenders who lived on exorbitant interest like the goldsmiths. On top of that, they had an extremely ruthless side that meant they only think about themselves and would never hesitate to do anything to earn money. And the result of that was Its to either cause strife between factions or to promote a war, War meant money, and ces like the Goblin Bank that could lend this money would make huge profits when war broke out. Perhaps they were trying to control the orcs and cause a disturbance with the dwarfs somehow. Then, if it causes war, the goblins would probably dance around in happiness, The recent suspicious movements of the orcs on the borders of the Empire was the work of the Goblin Bank who were trying to instigate a war between the two races. The Dwarven Kingdom bordered the territory near the Empire, and the rtionship between the dwarves and orcs had never been good. And if that is the case then Ill have to be careful about mining the gold for the time being itd be just my luck to encounter an orc at a time like this, Carter had already moved to examine the cer Gold that Rockefeller had brought said, Is that all youve brought? When Carter asked that with a look of regret, Rockefeller just scratched the back of his head because even he knew he had brought too little, Yeah, its not much. He only gave me this much, Although the transactions were still at a stage where trust had not been built up, it was impossible to make a big profit with this much, so Carter could only sigh. The amount is too small. I cant even have fun with this, After muttering alone by himself, he began to try his luck with Rockefeller in his disappointment. You too, if you want to make some money, talk to the smuggler. Wouldnt it be better for you too if he and I did business inrger quantities? It would but hes so careful. After all, its not just a matter of trust between you and him. Theres also me in the middle, right? Thats probably why he doesnt entrust me with arge amount at once, Carter frowned slightly, Still, try and talk to him after all, even he cant make much money with this much, Then Ill try talking; after all, I want to make money, I wasnt going to go this far, but whats left for you after trading this small amount? In that case, it would be better not to do it at all. After all, its not worth the risk to smuggle this amount. Rockefeller didnt miss the sight of the goldsmith who was dissatisfied with the amount of money he was making. This person is just like me after all, In the eyes of ordinary people, the goldsmith was a wealthy man. It wasnt like hecked anything, so why was he acting like he needed to make money? But Rockefeller didnt think like that. If you earn 100 million, you want to have 1 billion, and when you earn that 1 billion, you want to have 10 billion. That was human nature. This person doesnt show it much, but hes very greedy for money. Chapter 20 Chapter 20 But it seems like you need money too, sir? I would have thought youd already have a lot, At those words, the goldsmith shook his head, soullessly, Thats not it its just Im rather sad about this deal. Isnt it smuggling after all? But if the return is smallpared to the risk, then, of course, its disappointing, The lord came by before to take out a loan. Must you not earn a lot with that? Cant you make a lot of money by lending money to the lord since he has good credit? Of course, I earn a lot of money with that, He didnt want to show it, but he seemed to feel difort with Rockefellers words, so he reluctantly agreed. Yes, theres 6% interest there no, it was already reduced to 4%. Youre right, I may look rich to others, but in reality, its really not much, Rockefeller disyed his acting skills and put on a surprised face, But you have a lot of money, dont you? Are you saying its stillcking? Hey, you brat, you should think about my perspective too. Of course, the more money you have, the better, Well, its true that no one hates having money, The thing with money is that no matter how much you have, its not enough. Youre still young and dont know yet but wait until you grow up a little. Youll be crazy about money, Rockefeller had no intention of contradicting him. I know that too after all, Im someone who is crazy about money, just like you. Instead, Rockefeller, acting as though he knew money, threw out a very simple question, But sir, I just thought of this, but you make money by giving other people loans and receiving interest payments, right? What else is he trying to say? Carter nodded and replied dryly, Of course, Then you lend out a lot of money. Wont you earn a lot in interest? Right, Then why dont you lend out lots of money? That way, the interest you receive would increase by a lot, right? To be honest, he didnt expect that even by a childs standard, it was a pathetic question to ask. Who doesnt know that? Right, as you said, if I lend out a lot, the interest ie would increase but theres a problem, Is there? Of course, if I had a lot of money, wouldnt I be able to lend a lot too? But do you think I have so many gold coins in my business in a rural area like this? Rockefeller tilted his head as if he had been waiting for that answer, Isnt there a lot of gold coins here? Although one of your jobs is making gold coins, as far as I know, youre also someone who stores gold coins owned by others, right? Carter frowned as he answered, Those arent my gold coins, right? It belongs to the people who entrusted those gold coins to me. Theyre not mine. Does that mean you cant lend out the gold coins other people have left here? What a fool! Think about it! What would happen if, after doing such a thing, the people who entrusted me with their gold came to me and told me to give them their gold coins right away? Carter thought Rockefeller didnt know much about reality. Listen well. For a goldsmith like me, reputation and trust are my lifelines if such a rumour spreads, would anyone entrust their gold coins to me? Carter clicked his tongue, Tch, you cant do that. Im a big fan of gold coins too, but Im not that crazy. And what would happen if the rumours got to the lord? Getting punished woulde second I would be chased out of this ce first, Carter thought that the silly people who had asked the stupid question would have understood what he was trying to say. If this guy had worked at a Banco like me, he would have run it like those big businesses in Lyon. Different from his first impression, his thoughts are dangerous. But that was his mistake Rockefeller was still facing him in that clumsy way that hid his cleverness. Thats weird, sir. Have you ever experienced it in your life, a time where all the people who had entrusted you with gold coins came to you, all at once and asked you to return their coins to them? Unable to answer the question, Carter was momentarily speechless. He had met an ambush in a conversation he thought he had won. Well, thats. For a moment, Carter paused to think if there ever had been such a case. Not even once. As Rockefeller said, a day where all the people who had entrusted him with their gold coinsing to take them back Such a thing hasnt happened but what if there is such a case one day? After all, its simply being careful and taking precautions, just in case, Rockefellers eyes turned up as he smiled softly at Carter and continued his words, In any case, I dont think there would be a situation where everyone who has left their gold coins with woulde to get them all at once. Then, in that case, if you lend out a portion of those gold coins, wouldnt it be possible to return their money while also making a profit by earning interest? At this point, there was only one thought in Carters mind, Yeah, theres a reason why the guys in Lyon have the guts to do business like that, Not everyone goes to collect their gold coins at the same time. They had the guts to do business because of that. Well, Ive never had an empty safe in my entire career not even once, At that time, Rockefellernded the final blow to nail the hammer. As long as the credibility and reputation youve built up every day of your life until now is in ce, even if the safe in the store ispletely emptied, wouldnt the people who entrusted the gold coins not worry at all? Because they would think that their gold coins are safe and sound at the shop. Chapter 21 Chapter 21 To deceive customers based on the credibility that you had, until now, regarded as your life. It was truly a novel yet fun idea. Hes certainlynot wrong. As long as people believe in me, they will believe that the gold coins they have entrusted to me will be fine. Carter couldnt help but nod his head involuntarily. Now that I think about it, there is logic to your words, Although he agreed, there was something he was a little sceptical about. But how was it that you came up with that idea? It just suddenly urred to me but more than that, what do you think of my idea? It was surprising that the person who had proposed this idea was not a goldsmith or even an adult, but rather a 15-year-old boy. To be honest, there are many goldsmiths in Lyon who do business in that way but I didnt like that. I was afraid that the customers who had deposited the gold coins woulde one to get them back, It turned out that not all the goldsmiths were cowards like Carter. There seemed to be goldsmiths out there with some guts who did business as Rockefeller had thought. I see there are some guys who have gone one step further than here not everyones the same. The loan business of goldsmiths also had its own development process. Here, Carters method of lending only his own money was the most primitive. And the next step, as the goldsmiths from Lyon do, and as Rockefeller suggested, was secretly using the customers gold to run the lending business. The Goblin Bank, which was considered a bank in its own way, wouldnt be much different from the goldsmiths in Lyon at most, it would be a form of profiting from lending the customers money more openly, For Rockefeller, who majored in Economics and History it was a game of money at the level of childrens pranks. People here dont know deception. Real deception. How about now? Are you thinking about doing it now? He asked. Carter seemed to be a little baffled. He had greed, but the problem was his timid personality. I am drawn to it, but Did you not smuggle with me? Is the person who did that acting too timid now? Smuggling at that level is barely noticeable, so it doesnt really matter. But if this goes wrong once, its a matter of destroying all the foundations Ive built so far, so I cant make a decision easily. If he had the guts to secretly lend customers money with a little persuading, he would have done it sooner. Rockefeller saw his inability to make decisions and got a good idea of his timid personality. Hes not without greed, but theres fear too, Rockefeller decided to perform a little trick either way, the point of this conversation was to prove his worth, and the result he wanted was a job. Then lets do this. After all, my goal is to get work under this person, Then how about this, when Rockefeller began to suggest something, Carter raised his gaze in interest, What? I will work under you. What do you think about this? What? Youre going to work for me? Yeah, Although it wasnt like he didnt have work, he wasnt so busy that he didnt have an assistant in a small territory like this. That would be a little difficult. Im not so busy that I need an assistant, and even if I did, why would I hire you, who I dont even know that well? The reason you cant do what I suggested is that youre worried about getting in troubleter, right? Thats right, Then I will take responsibility for that work. Then couldnt you use me as an assistant? It was an unexpected offer. Youre going to take full responsibility for it? What what did you say just now? Its literally what I said. I will take responsibility, Are you saying, if we get caught, youll take the me for everything? Yes, that way, even if its a problem,ter on, you would just be able to me everything on me either way, if you got caught, we wouldnt be able to continue this work anyway, There was nothing to worry about as long as Carter could avoid taking responsibility if things went wrong. As Rockefeller said, if one secretly lent out their customers gold coins, the interest ie would increase several timespared to now. If I dont just lend out my gold coins, but also lend out the customers that I havent been able to touch without anyone knowing, then the interest ie would double from now. If that were the case, it wouldnt hurt to use an assistant No matter how much he calcted in his head, it was a business that could only be left with a profit. So, of course, from Carters point of view, it was tempting. Chapter 22 Chapter 22 Its fine for me, but from your point of view do you really need to go that far? That was when Rockefeller began reciting the answers he had prepared like he had been waiting for the question, Sir, as the head of my family, I have four younger siblings that I have to take responsibility for. Doesnt it take a lot of money to feed all those kids? I cant guarantee how long Ill be able to do what Im doing right now, and if I can find a job here, I would very much wee it, Carter didnt even try to question that because the reason for wanting to work, even with that big risk, was understandable. But there was something else to worry about. Still, the thing here is that its not a work that simply anyone can do. You have to be able to read texts and books and especially being able to calcte is important. Its a work with gold coins, so theres a lot of calctions involved, Even the lord of the territory had ckened eyes. Not everyone was literate, even if they had the status of amoner. But Rockefeller was different. He was someone who had already prepared for this. If thats the case, then dont worry too much. My father was a tax collector, right? What else would his son learn? My God, do you even know how to count? I can solve simple calctions with mental arithmetics, andplex calctions can also be solved without any problems or, would you like to test me? Carter agreed and posed a few simple questions to test whether Rockefeller really knew arithmetics. Although they werent the mostplex questions, they could not be solved without some level of education, but Rockefeller solved all the problems he posed effortlessly and that too with mental arithmetics. Haa how surprising. I didnt know you were such a genius, Im not a genius. I just learned a lot, Can it be to this level after simply learning? Where did you learn it? I told you, from my father, Was that person this well educated? Well I did hear that his background was in the Academy, Contrary to what Carter had initially worried about, Rockefeller was well on his way to bing his assistant. In fact, he had no real shorings. I dont think there will be any problems if I use him as an assistant, Are you confident that you can take responsibility if there is a real problem? Rockefeller smiled easily. He looked as confident as he felt. I assure you, nothing that you are worried about will happen. Didnt you say so earlier, sir? Until now, customers have nevere to visit all at once to retrieve the gold coins they have entrusted to you so will I have any issues? Well, it should be so You dont have to worry about taking responsibility for that matter if you have any problems, you can leave it all to me, In Bancos work, where numerous gold coins were exchanged, the honesty and trust with the workers came first, so Carter was a bit reluctant to have someone he didnt know very well be his assistant because he wanted to avoid any bad situations But his greed was never small enough to throw away Rockefeller for just that reason. Alright, your situation is pitiful, and its not like I dont have any greed towards money, so lets try to form a mutually supportive position. In return, if I run into any problems while doing what you suggested, I will im ignorance since I hired you despite not needing help for that very reason. When Rockefeller was inwardly excited about securing a job, Carter began to look at him more seriously. He began to warn him in a tone different from any other time he had spoken to him. And there is something you should keep in mind. You shouldnt try anything unsavoury while working here. I am someone who, at the end of each day, counts all the gold coins that I have traded and one-by-one makes a record of them in my ledger. Im so meticulous that I will always notice if something is wrong and theres never going to be any money leaking. And if there is such a thing, then I can reasonably suspect you as the culprit, So Rockefeller then decided to tell him about the trust and reputation that the Rothmedici family had built up over the years to show Carter that he could trust him. Sir, my grandfather was a doctor who healed the sick, and my father was also a sincere tax collector who never caused trouble while working for the lord. With such an upstanding grandfather and father, would I dare to fool around here? Like the very same goldsmith who deceived customers on the basis of trust and reputation, Rockefeller also gave him confidence by citing that very same trust and prestige that the Rothmedici family had built up. Of course, I have been involved in smuggling for now to make a living, but if it had not been for the risk of starvation, I wouldnt have touched such a thing, Hearing Rockefellers words, Carter thought for a moment, then smiled and extended a hand out to him. Then, lets do well together in the future. Chapter 23 Chapter 23 A group of priests dispatched from the parish entered a vige near the lords castle and began to tour the houses there as if on a pilgrimage. Knock Knock! Among them, the priest who made his way to the front of someones house and knocked on the door first was, as expected, the youngest one. Knock Knock! When he knocked on the door a second time, a woman came out and looked around at the group of priests with a startled expression on her face. Oh my, what are the priests doing here? When she asked, the young priests gave her a brief exnation of why they hade. The Lambs of God* are always starving, we havee all the way here even with our hunger, so we would ask for even a little of your sincerity, She had wondered why on earth they would havee, but it was because of donations? Whats going on? Theyve never done it like this, If its a donation Im doing so every weekend, Instead of replying to her, the young priest simply smiled. After all, she could not let the Lambs of God who hade all the way to her home leave empty-handed, so she gave them something to show her sincerity. Phew, its just that they arent holding knives but their sharpness is peerless, The young priest bowed and bestowed words of blessing on her while the woman, who could not show her true feelings, smiled awkwardly. May Johannes blessings be with you, The group of priests, who had been visiting each home in the area in this manner, stopped in front of a certain house. Rothmedici This shabby and dpidated home was different from many of the other houses around them as they had a family name. Judging from the unrecognisable name, it seemed to simply be another unremarkablemoners home. If youre amoner then, like amoner, you should pay a lot in donations, The young priest was the one to once again knock on this door. After a while, the door opened and out came a young boy who appeared to be maybe 9 years old. Are there no adults? Child, are your parents inside? While the young priests thoughts were on the childs parents, who would donate generously, the fourth son of the Rothmedici family, who was facing him, shook his head to indicate that his parents werent here. He seemed to be a very introverted kid since he just shook his head without saying a word. Where would your parents be? Although he was dealing with a silent child, the young priest who needed donations for their own circumstances did not intend to resign easily because sometimes there were people who didnt want to donate money and pretended to be absent even if they were at home. I wont let them slip out of it easily, Unlike others,moners paid taxes directly to the lord and were wealthy enough to maintain the family name but to pass this ce by without getting anything? It was a nonsensical idea. If you turn away from the Lambs who worship God without any justifiable reason, you will be severely punishedter. So I ask again, is there really no one inside? Then Leo, who had only shaken his head until now, reluctantly opened his mouth. They passed away, What? Did you say they passed away? Both of them? When the surprised priest asked again, Leo quietly nodded his head. Then a priest who had been quietly watching from behind began to speak with a slightly startled expression, Recently, its been said that a collector who worked under the lord died, the name Rothmedici isnt unfamiliar to me, so I think the collector must have been from here, No matter how well-to-domoners were, if they were in this state, then they could be economically inferior to the average serf. When the bewildered priests did not know what to do, the young priest who seemed to be the leader among them opened his mouth, Let us go on to the next house. It is against the doctrine to force unconditional donations on the hungry and the naked rather it should be given, They were also walking around the estate due to their own urgent circumstances, but they were not so ignorant that they would force a donation on to a child who had lost both of his parents. When the older priest gave the young priest a small note, the young priest took Leos hand and gently stroked his head, Even if its hard, always stay strong, Except for the young priest, the others began to move on in unison, and the young priest who had received the note with instructions gave something to Leo. It was a fraction of the donations they had received before. Johannes has always said, do not turn away from the hungry and the naked. This is a small gift to show sincerity from the church. I hope it will be of some help to you, With his job done, the young priest was ready to turn and leave when Leo grabbed onto his coat. When the priest turned his head to look back at him, the fourth son of the Rothmedici family asked him something, Excuse me I have a question, The young priest was a little sceptical of the question, but he soon faced Leo with a kind smile, What are you curious about? That.well, Leo remembered what his older brother had said yesterday and asked him about his doubts, If you pay a lot of donationscan you go to heaven? I was wondering what he would ask it seems to be a fitting question for a child. Not necessarily. Even if you donate a lot, you cannot go to heaven without faith. The hyungs they said that if you donate a lot, you can go to heaven. Because the Church said that if you donate a lot, the Church will pray more so that we can go to heaven. The young priest thought for a moment, then smiled softly. Leos question was cute to him. I cant believe that that is all there is to it but your hyungs thoughts arent bad either. But just as important as donations is faith, When the young priest finished his words, he again stepped back, preparing to leave. He was the youngest in the group, and he could see the impatience of the priests who had gone ahead slightly and were waiting for him. Or how about you pray for them, he said, Me? Leo asked, surprised, but before Leo could ask another question, the young priest, who was in a rush, delivered his final words, Pray that Johannes protection will always be on Rothmedici, Leo stood where he was and watched the young priest as he left. The words donation, faith and heaven lingered in Leos head. Chapter 24 Chapter 24 "The priests of the parish came to visit?" Rockefeller, who had got a job at Banco, thought about delivering the news to his siblings over dinner, but he got distracted. It was none other than Leo, who was the first of his brothers to report the day''s events to Rockefeller. "Mmhmm," Since it was Leo, who was always passive, who brought up the event, Rockefeller couldn''t help but question the priests'' visit. Why did the priestse? It doesn''t happen often,'' "So, did something happen?" At his elder brother''s worried question, Leo shook his head and after a moment, took out something he had received from the young priest and quietly set it on the table, "What''s that?!" "It''s silver!" There was no one who was not surprised to see the silver coin Rockefeller and his brothers looked at the silver coin in shock. "Did the priests even give you a silver coin? What happened?" The second child, who hade back after hearing many stories outside, raised his voice, "It''s weird. I heard that the priests came to collect donations for the expansion of the chapel." However, it wasn''t like their timid brother would dare to take the priests'' donations, so their doubts were bound to increase, "Leo, can you tell me more about what happened during the day?" At Rockefeller''s request, Leo recounted what had happened during the day in detail, and soon, everyone was in a sea ofughter. Hearing about the self-inflicted loss, Rockefeller thought with a grin, They came to take what they could but emptied their own pockets instead,'' "Not bad," Rockefeller said, and his brothers soon followed, "We should always pretend to have nothing! If we do that, the church will give us more, right?" "Right, we should just act like we have nothing. That''s how you get silver coins, just for being miserable," Rockefeller began speaking to his younger siblings, who were excited by a small silver coin, "Well, what you''re saying isn''t wrong. If we pretended like we had more than we do, or if we hadshed out in pride because we aremoners, then there would never have been small mercies like today. You did a good job, Leo. In our current situation, not even a single silver coin is waste," Since they had started their cer gold mining, they had always taken care to eat dinner, like today, "Come on, let''s have dinner," As soon as Rockefeller had finished speaking, the brothers who had also finished telling him about the day''s events began to chime in with their agreement and devour the modest dinner set before them. It was truly a simple meal with the main ingredients being vegetables and whole wheat flour but it was the best dinner for the young boys who hade home hungry. Joshua, who was enthusiastically digging into the food at the table, eximed in a pleasant voice, "It seems like we get to eat every day now! So good!" At those words, Andrew''s expression darkened. He hadn''t told Rockefeller yet, but he had heard some bad news during the day, "Andrew, what''s wrong? Did something bad happen?" At Rockefeller''s question, Andrew felt like he had been caught and began to open his mouth carefully, "Hyung, did you hear that story?" "Hm, what are you talking about?" "That suddenly the orcs appeared. There''s a riot in the next town, and they''re making a fuss here too. The adults say to never go to those dangerous ces what if we can''t mine cer gold because it''s like that?" Rockefeller had been worried about what he would say, but to think it was a story he had already heard through the goldsmith. "There''s something I forgot to tell you guys before, but Hyung got a job," "Really? Where?" "At Banco. The conversation went well with the goldsmith, so don''t worry about starving in the future. Hyung will earn enough money to feed you all somehow," "Is that for real? Wow! Did you really get a job at Banco?" The sincere look on Rockefeller''s face gave his brothers more confidence than ever before. "Yes, starting tomorrow, I''ll be working for the goldsmith. Of course, even if the ie I get is modest, at least we won''t go hungry like before," Then Joshua, who was full of anticipating, began to spit out words filled with idealism, "Hey, now we''re really going to be rich! If Rockefeller-hyung works at Banco, and Andrew and I do the mining, won''t we get rich soon? Right?" Chapter 25 Chapter 25 It seemed like he was so excited that he would start singing soon, but Andrew immediately scolded him with a frown, "Hey, you idiot! Orcs are roaming around, so how are we supposed to do the cer mining!?" "Well, isn''t it fine as long as we''re careful and Leo and Lucia are here as well to be lookouts, so what are you all worried about?" "Lucia is too young!" "She can still at least be a lookout!" As the second and third child began to bicker once again, Rockefeller, who was watching, began to speak, "Well, I have something to tell you about that," Instantly, their attention was focused solely on him, and Rockefeller looked at these young siblings who only seemed to see him, "I would like to avoid cer mining in the future," It was Joshua who was most disappointed at those words. "Why not? Since Rockefeller-hyung got a job, wouldn''t it be better if Andrew-hyung and I dig up gold dust? That way, the ie would be doubled, right?" At those words, Rockefeller calmly shook his head, "No, I think the rumours circting these days are too bad for that. If you guys run into an orc, it would be a big deal after all. And since I have a job now, there is no need to hang about doing something risky like that," "But isn''t it a waste if we just stop like that?" At Joshua''s reluctance to stop cer mining, Rockefeller began to exin the reasons why, "The most important thing is your safety. We have a way to eat and not starve to death right now, so there is no need to go out of your way to gather the cer gold," "Well.yeah," "And right now, even though we''ve done it for a while and not got caught, I think it''s important to keep the fact that you can get cer gold at the Montefeltro estate a secret," At his vague words, both Andrew and Joshua looked up at him with curious eyes and asked, "Why, though?" "Of course, there is a reason," Rockefeller struggled internally on whether or not to tell his younger brothers since it was a groundless dream that coulde to nothing. Well, it should be alright to tell them,'' "Hyung wants to buy this estate after earning a lot of money since thisnd is so good that you can even get gold from it," At that, his brothers looked surprised, "Really?" "For real?" "But is that possible?" Although there were some doubts, Rockefeller''s answer was simple, "Of course, it is possible. The right to buy and sell theirnd is the right of a lord. So, if you have enough money, you can buy the estate. Whether the lord here sells thend to wealthymoners or not is a matter for ater date, but even that''s just a matter of adding more money until he can''t refuse," All you really needed was money. A lot of money. Although his younger brothers didn''t deny Rockefeller''s logic, they also couldn''t deny that it truly seemed like an impossible dream. "But you have to be really rich to do that" "I don''t think the lord would hand thisnd over for a small amount," "Right, so you''d have to be really extremely rich," "Is that possible?" "I don''t know either," Rockefeller smiled and, to his doubtful little brothers, began to exin his luck, "We will never be able to make enough money to buy this estate if we spend our whole lives ploughing the fields or doing otherbour because that''s impossible in the first ce. But didn''t Hyung exin how to make a lot of money to you guys the other day? How do you make big money?" To that question, the younger brothers answered in unison, "By sitting around!" "Exactly right, big money is never made from directbour. Either through business or some other form of unearned ie in that sense, Hyung has already taken the first step by getting a job at Banco," It would be difficult for the younger siblings to understand or ept the meaning of Rockefeller''s words right now, but Rockefeller made his point firm and clear on his asion. "You and I and the people in our family might have been born without any particr great talent, but that doesn''t mean we''ll be poor for the rest of our lives. If we put in the effort and have the will, it''s quite possible to change our boring lives. So you guys just have to watch Hyung from now on. I''m going to show you how to get rich first hand." Chapter 26 Chapter 26 So youvee on time, Carter nced at the pocket watch in his hand and greeted Rockefeller, who had arrived exactly on time. Good morning, Carter-ajusshi, Yeah, good morning, Carter sat facing Rockefeller before starting work. On the antique wooden table, in between them sat a double-armed weighing scale. You said it was your first time doing this kind of work, right? Yes, Then I should exin a few things before we actually start, Carter tried to exin what he did for work as he couldnt afford to just let a boy who knew nothing start working and make mistakes. First, do you know what a goldsmith does? Vaguely, yes, Hmm, yeah, that sounds right first there are three main things I do, Cough Carter cleared his throat and stroked his beard in a self-important manner as he began to speak, Of those three things, the biggest job is using gold to make gold coins. As youre aware,monly found gold can have different purities and weights, so its inconvenient to use them in trade since there are no standards, Thats why you make gold coins, right? Theyre easy to carry around for transactions, Rockefeller chimed in, You know it well, but making gold coins is not an easy task that anyone can do, Rockefeller didnt deny that. He, too, had agreed that the goldsmith business was not meant for just anyone. In order to do this job, you first need a special permit granted by the Imperial Family and in order to make gold coins, you need the professional skills which take quite a bit of time to learn. Thats why I have no intention of letting you do goldsmithing. Instead, Im thinking of assigning you to a different task, Okay, Take a look at this first. This is a gold coin I made yesterday, Carter took out of his pocket a gold coin the portrait of the first Emperor engraved on its surface and showed it to Rockefeller. This is a Talent, a gold coin of the Empire. Since youre amoner, you must have seen one at least once, but with one of these, youd have enough money to eat and sleep well for one month in another country, I know about it. They say that a farmers wage is about one shilling, and it takes one months worth of wages to exchange the shillings to a gold coin, To be precise, 1 Talent is 32 Shillings but if you do a rough calction then, as you say, a countrysidebourer would need a full months earnings for a single gold coin, Right, Next, Carter took out a silver coin and showed it to Rockefeller. This is the shilling you were talking about. Its also known as just a silver coin. Here, silver coins can be made by craftsmen appointed by the lord, but goldsmiths can only make gold coins with permission from the imperial family, It was once again something Rockefeller already knew, Ive heard about that story too, Actually, in the case of silver coins, there is no set standard, so the size and shape are different depending on the territory. The lords can decide that as they please, so there are cases where the silver coins used here cant be used at all in other territories, Is it like that everywhere? No, most ces tend to follow the rule of 32 Shillings to 1 Talent, but some ces exist where they dont, Then there might be a problem if I use the silver coins here in another territory? Right. Thats why gold coins are so valuable, not only because of their worth but because they are a coin with the exact same value everywhere in the Empire, Then are all the transactions in the Empire made in gold coins? Thats right, If you were to think of it in modern times, then the gold coin was like a Key Currency** such as the Dor and the silver coins, in concept, were more like the currencies of individual countries. Theres something Im curious about, Go ahead and ask, If you need gold coins to trade in the Empire then what happens with trade outside of the Empire? Are imperial gold coins also used there? At that question, Carted stroked his beard and pondered for a moment, Its a bitplicated, first, although its not impossible to trade with imperial coins its just easier to use the goblin gold coin, Ducat. Chapter 27 Chapter 27 Although Rockefeller knew that non-imperial forces favoured using goblin gold over imperial gold, what he wanted to understand was why? Why would they prefer the gold coins made by goblins? Is there a specific reason? In order to exin the reason, the story would have to get a littleplicated, so after taking a deep breath, Carter continued speaking, There are only three types of gold coins in the world. There is the Talent, produced in the Empire, the Sovereign, made by the Dwarfs and the Ducat, made by the goblins. If its hard to remember them all, then its easier to just call it Goblin Gold, Dwarf Gold and Imperial Gold, Is there any difference between those gold coins? Rockefellers question was sharp, A difference well there should be, but technically there isnt. The gold coin standard set by the Imperial Family is actually tailored to match the gold content of the dwarfs sovereign. It was to make it more convenient for trade and the same goes for the goblin gold coin, the Ducat as well. So in principle, the gold content between the three gold coins is the same, so the value should be equal. But in reality, thats not the case, is it? Once again, Rockefeller questioned sharply. In fact, it was a knowledge that wasnt necessary to know while working at Banco, but Carter decided to exin it in detail anyway out of consideration for Rockefeller. Thats right, regardless of the form, if you simply look at the weight of the gold coins, all three gold coins are the same but the other factions dont trust the gold coins made by the Empire at all, Why dont they trust it? Did something happen? That Well, in the past, there was a problem with the Imperial gold coin the Talent. Even now, there are some Talents that have a slightly lower gold content and are mixed with copper, It was then that Rockefeller could finally understand why those outsides of the Empire shunned Imperial gold coins. Well, it makes sense, out of all the races, the ones most likely to deal under the table are humans after all, There was copper mixed with gold? Isnt that bad? Shouldnt gold coins only contain gold? Carter didnt deny Rockefellers words. Youre right. Of course, gold coins should only have gold in them, but with just the little bit of copper, youre saving enough gold to be able to make more coins, But wouldnt that be a huge problem if you got caught? It would but once there was a great war between the Empire and the Lizardmen. It was called the Ember War frictions between minor factions about a Wyvern egg led to an all-out-war, Lizardmen. It was the minority race on the continent that was defeated by the former Empire now only their name remained. As you know, the result of the war was the Empires victory but at that time, the Empire was in great financial trouble they needed to go to war with the Lizardmen, but the Imperial family didnt have any money, Rockefeller could roughly guess how the events yed out from there, was it the war that led them to create gold coins with copper mixed in? Thats how it turned out. Its not like moneyes out of the air, right? Of course, the Empire used a trick. They mixed copper into gold and increased the number of gold coins produced. Thanks to that, the Ember War could be won, but the imperial gold coin lost trust from everyone We call that coin a Bastard Talent. Are there still many fake gold coins around? At the time of the Ember War, the Empire needed a lot of gold coins theres no way they would all disappear, so there are still many circting in the market today, Shouldnt they be trying to thin out the fake gold coins in the market then? Its good to thin them about, but thats only if theres a few of them. At least in the Empire, a Bastard Talent is still being used without any problem I ept them as well, but nothing with a higher copper content than Bastard Talent is allowed, thats the same for everyone. Anyway, as long as youre only using them in the Empire, a Bastard Talent is still eptable, Well, thats a relief, Rockefeller could understand why the imperial gold coin had lost credibility. But the question as to why it was specifically the Ducat that was preferred still remained. But why is it preferred to use goblin gold coins while leaving the good quality dwarf gold coins wouldnt the Sovereign be better for gold content? In the novel, dwarven gold was said to have the best quality while also having the highest purity. However, there was a good reason why such high-quality gold coins were not used. The Sovereign is definitely of good quality I mean, they are dwarven made of all things after all. So, whats the matter with them? Rockefeller asked, The problem is that these dwarves are so childish and rude that its difficult to use Sovereigns all over the continent. Rockefeller didnt raise any questions or issues with Carters words since it was true that there was no one else more narrow-minded and frivolous than a dwarf. There are several different types of Sovereigns, and sometimes when youre trading, you dont get the specific type of Sovereigns you might need at all. And as if thats not enough, they say that if youre caught doing trade with a different group of dwarves that epts a type of Sovereign others dont, then youre treated as aplete stranger by the others from that day onwards. But its not like we cant just not make a trade with dwarves at all, There was no force on the continent that could ignore the existence of the dwarves. Not only were they the wealthiest on the continent, they also monopolised several rare resources, so everyone else had no choice but to try and maintain a good rtionship with them, even if they didnt like them. The dwarves are amazing how can they live with such a narrow mind? Thats what Im saying! Thats why the goblin gold coin, Ducat, is used throughout the continent for trading. Unlike dwarves, goblins will even do business with their worst enemies. They really throw you for a loop sometimes with that attitude, but I reckon theyre better than dwarves, So it makes sense to use the goblin coins everywhere, I get it now, In terms of quality, Ducats arent that different from imperial Talents, but the goblins dont do stupid things like mix in copper. The goblins would never do something like that its not because theyre too stupid to think of it or anything like that rather they are much more clever than humans, so they dont do it, Rockefeller shook his head without realising it, I wouldugh if this were said for any other novel setting, but here at least, Goblin = Credit. The following thoughts were geared towards a distant future It might be worth using the Goblin nameter Credit isnt built up overnight, **A key currency refers to a type of money which is stable, does not fluctuate much, and provides the foundation for exchange rates for international transactions. Because of their global use, key currencies tend to set the value of other currencies. Also, these currencies tend to have a stable valuation over time. A key currency usuallyes from a country that is financially strong, economically stable and developed, and one that is involved in the global market. Also dwarves are such a mood youre not allowed to trade with someone I dont trade with lol very childish and narrow-minded indeed. A lot of this chapter was just exposition and setting the scene so it took longer to trante than normal. Chapter 28 Chapter 28 While Rockefeller''s mind wandered off to other thoughts, Carter nced at his pocket watch and checked the time it was still too early for customers to start arriving, but he liked to double-check just in case. "I think I''ve exined everything about gold coins have I answered all of your questions?" "Yes," "Alright, then I''ll exin what you''ll be doing from now on," He had already exined the first of the three main jobs of a goldsmith, and Carter began to exin the rest. "First of all, the main job you need to focus on is dealing with customers whoe here, on my behalf while I''m busy making Talents. I did mention I had three jobs, right?" "Yes, you did," "Then let me tell you about the rest of the work. I''m sure you''ve heard something about it here and there?" "Holding gold coins for other people, and lending money to others and getting interest from it," "Yes, that''s exactly right," Carter nodded with a satisfied smile. "That''s what you''re going to do in the future. I deal with customers whoe to store gold coins with me, and I pay gold coins to customers whoe because they need the money and earn interest from them," Carter took out his prepared books and showed them to Rockefeller, "These are the ounting books, have a look," Rockefeller opened Carter''s books and looked through them. The books were filled with all the transactions that had been carried out in the store so far. Although he didn''t understand all the contents at once since it was his first time seeing them, as he kept reading and flipping through the pages, he started getting a sense of the contents of the books. The contents were all pretty simr, after all. Since Rockefeller had focused his concentration on the books for a while, Carter asked just to make sure, "Do you understand what is written in the books?" "Yes, I have a rough idea. Since the lord came to borrow gold recently, even his name is written here," Carter asked a few more questions, and Rockefeller answered them faithfully to show that he truly understood the books. Once Carter was satisfied, his mouth curved up in a smile, and he praised Rockefeller, "As expected, since you''ve learned from your father, you''re quick to pick up on things. Well done. That''s about it. It''s a book I double-check every day, so don''t ever think about messing with me," Rockefeller waived those concerns away lightly, "That''s never going to happen. You can trust me," "In this line of work, there should be trust between each other. I don''t think you''d dare to y tricks with the books, but even if you did, there wouldn''t be anything good waiting for you at the end of it. Make sure you keep that in mind," "Please don''t worry, in this line of work, trust and reputation are life, right?" "That''s right, always remember that," Still, since you never knew with this creature called human, Carter was being cautious. Even so, he decided to trust Rockefeller and kept talking because it wasn''t like he would ever be able to let Rockefeller do the work he had been hired for if he didn''t trust him. "Well, next, people wille here to leave their gold coins for storage. They will leave it at Banco, and we charge a storage fee to keep the gold coins safe," "Wouldn''t they prefer to not pay for the storage then?" "Well, it''s up to the customer at the end of the day. But the Sears barracks is right next to the store, and I guarantee the safekeeping of their coins. So if they don''t trust themselves or the people around them, then they pay the storage fee and leave it here," "Fair enough," "You get the gold from the guests and write down the transactions in this book And this is the most important thing," He seemed well prepared for today since he pulled out a certificate on golden paper and showed it to Rockefeller. "This is a gold receipt, a kind of borrowing certificate issued, but I store it to prove that a customer has left their gold with us," It was simply an IOU a document proving that I owe you something''. It was something Rockfeller had expected, so he took the document and scrutinised it carefully. The gold certificate said 5 IOU'', and below that was an additional phrase The Lyon Guild guarantees this IOU''. Is this the beginning of paper currency? It''s so amazing to see something like this in this strange world,'' Rockefeller thought. A meaningful smile spread on Rockefeller''s lips even as Carter began to exin the gold certificate to him. "It says 5 IOU,'' right? That means that if you have that gold certificate, I will definitely pay you 5 Talents from my shop," Carter pointed his index finger at the gold certificate and poked it a few times to emphasise his next point, "And what you need to remember here clearly is that even if a customer leaves a gold coin at this shop, leaves andes back straight after without the gold certificate, you should never give that gold coin to them. Even if they say they''ve lost it even if they say they''ve lost it inside the store you should never ever give them gold coins without this certificate," "Of course," Rockefeller looked like he understood right away. "No matter what they say even if they scream at you, you cannot give them gold coins. Always make it clear to the customers that you can only give them gold coins if theye with the gold certificate and if you lose it, it''s over," "Yes, I''ll keep that in mind. No matter what happens, if they don''t have the gold certificate, I''ll never give them any gold coins," Carter went on to exin why he had such a policy in ce, "They can always pull stunts like trading using the gold certificate outside thening back to tell you they''ve lost it," "I see," "In that sense, it doesn''t really matter who took the gold certificate from here. The important thing here is whether they have the gold certificate or not. If they have this, you can even give gold coins to a beggar it''s the same for all Bancos. It is basically proof of a promise," He already knew all the information, but Rockefeller had to act like a child if he ended up showing that he knew too much about Bancos already, then that could cause suspicion as well. Pretending to be dumb isn''t bad sometimes.'' Chapter 29 Chapter 29 "Hm, it looks like people who leave their gold here are still using their gold certificates to trade?" Carter responded straight away, "That''s right. We don''t care what they do outside. All we have to do is hand out gold coins when a certificate proving that they have a deposit here is shown," "By the way, what happens if someonees in with a fake gold certificate? Wouldn''t that be a problem?" Unlike modern society, there was the power of magic here to achieve everything one set their minds to, which is why he asked. Carter smirked when Rockefeller expressed his doubt, "That''s why we need this," Carter pulled out something that looked like a magnifying ss. It was an artefact. A magic tool.. "This is a special identification artefact made by the Lyon Guild. It''s made to find forged gold certificates." The smile on his face showed his strong confidence, "Have you ever heard of Sinir? Though it might be a family, a country bumpkin wouldn''t have business knowledge," "Of course I know, I don''t think there would be anyone who doesn''t know the Sinir family," Rockefeller replied, The Great Family of Mages, Sinir. There was no way Rockefeller didn''t know the family whose power could rival even that of a country. If I had woken up as a member of the Sinir family, I probably could have been living without any worries right about now,'' Carter continued, "Yes, since it''s so famous, it seems even a country bumpkin like you knows their name. Anyways, it''s an artefact made from a great mage from there specially made for our Lyon Guild. So no matter how mischievous a mage might be, they wouldn''t be able to outsmart this artefact," Rockefeller once again expressed his doubt, "So what if a mage from Sinir tried to y tricks on you?" "Wellthat-" Carter shook his head, "That''s not going to happen. In the first ce, the Sinir family is already so rich, so would that ever be possible?" "There''s always the 1 out of 10,000 possibilities, though," "You''re right, the possibility is there but why would people whock for somethinge to the periphery of the Empire and y such pranks? And then there''s the family reputation who would do such a thing that would disgrace their family name if it was found out?" Leaving behind the what ifs'', Rockefeller shook his head to himself. It was about being stabbed in the back by a trusted axe. Even the Sinir family, one of the wealthiest families in the world, was not rich enough to buy the whole world. Was it around the time they had that war with Tevez the Great Swordsman Family that their gold coins dried up?'' No matter how rich a family may be, money would naturally becking if they fought with a family of simr wealth. There''s no one you can trust in the world.'' Carter, who had finished exining about the gold deposit, was about to start exining the process of loaning gold coins out. "And thest part of the job is about getting interest on the gold coins I loan out. A month''s interest is 6% of the gold coins borrowed. 1 Talent is 32 Shillings, so there are 2 shillings of interest added each month." "It''s not exactly 2 shillings, is it?" (It''s 1.92) "That''s right, but make a rough estimate of 2 shillings. There are so many idiots around who don''t even know how to count I don''t think I''ve ever had anyone raise issue with this," A monthly interest rate of 6% was still considered pretty high. As expected, interest sure is powerful to think it was 6% a month,'' Such high-interest rates were a burden to the borrowers, on the contrary, they were a means of making a lot of money from the perspective of those who were lending. But it wasn''t like it was guaranteed that those who borrowed would pay the interest fully and on time every month. Lending is a risky business.'' What would happen if the guy who borrowed money from you didn''t pay you back? These issues also needed to be considered, so goldsmiths like Carter could not put the interest rate too low. You have to prepare for a bad debtor. The 6% probably wasn''t a random number. It was most likely calcted, taking losses from bad debtors and profits into ount. Still, it seemed a little high. Not that he would refuse it. (T/N For reference, a high interest on a credit card for people with bad credit is about 29-35% APR about 2-3% a month so yeah, it''s pretty high) Carter continued his exnation, "Even if they return the gold coins they borrowed in one day. They must still pay one month''s worth of interest. It''s one month of interest added when they borrow the money. And if it takes them one month and two days to return the money, then they would be paying for two months of interest no matter what do you understand?" "Yes, I''ll keep that in mind," Carter smoothed out his beard, "If you do business here, you''ll find yourself facing a lot of unsavoury truths but I don''t lend gold coins to any cow or dog who walks in the door like those bastards in Lyon, so it hasn''t been any big problems so far. In Lyon, if people don''t pay back the money, they go as far as using thugs and gangsters to get the money from them," "Then what do you do, Ajusshi? If the other person says they have no money, do you use gangsters too?" "I''ve never leant money to those kinds of people, so I don''t know," "Have you never lost out on money?" "Of course, there have been times where I have. But each time that happened, I became more cautious. Now, I never lend out gold coins unless it''s to a credible person like the lord. That''s why I rarely have losses," "I see," "But because of that, I''ve always had less money to work with so I''ve been struggling with interest. You can never be rich with that way of business. But as you said, if we secretlyy a hand on the gold coins that the customers left behind, the interest should be much more fun to see," The loan business was still booming as people who needed money always existed. "If you have gold coins, what should you be worried about? Not only are there bad debtors in the world, but there are also many high-credit customers who need an immediate supply of money," Afterpleting all the exnations, Carter looked at Rockefeller with a greedy smile. "Then let''s work together to make money from today onwards. I have great hopes that things will go well." That''s how Rockefeller felt too. "I, too, look forward to your kind cooperation," However, the dreams the two held were utterly different. Actual money making starts with deception. Carter didn''t know anything about the big picture Rockefeller was drawing. In that sense, shall we begin our deception?'' Chapter 30 Chapter 30 Around a month after Rockefeller had started his job at Banco, a group of people he had never seen before came to Banco. Unlike ordinary people, these outsiders were armed with swords and bows and looked strong and tough even at first nce. Sweat and blood clung to them like they hadnt had a good wash in a long time. Unlike Rockefeller, who became cautious upon seeing them, Carter saw through them at once, Ah, we have guests, The Seer barracks were right next door, and the number of guests they usually had in the day was around three. Since they were far too bold to be robbers who hade to rob Banco, Carter realised they were not robbers but guests. Fortunately, his deduction wasnt wrong. Why so stiff? Were here to exchange money, Unlike their rugged faces, they smiled brightly, whichpletely melted the tense atmosphere of the shop. Despite having frozen for a moment, Rockefeller could soon infer their identity; Are these the merchants hired by the lord?. Due to the increasing number of Orcs loitering around the estate, the lord was rumoured to have hired outside mercenaries to take care of it, so it wasnt hard to guess. I should be right. Are you perhaps the rumours hired by the lord? Its just; Ive never seen you around, One of the men facing Rockefeller scratched his cheek and smiled, Looks like you know the situation well. Hey owner, what are you doing? Im so busy I feel like Ill die hurry and do the exchange, the mercenary said, At that point, Carter left the job with Rockefeller and went straight inside to the back of the shop. You take care of it, Okay, if theres an issue, Ill call you, Although one of the reasons was that he didnt want to deal with troublesome customers, he also left it to Rockefeller to get more experience with the job. When the owner went off, and the little boy stepped up to deal with him, the mercenary, who felt it was weird, tilted his head and gave Rockefeller a long look, Whats a kid who barely learned to walk doing business for? Are you the owners son or something? It was a blunt remark thrown out without much thought. The mercenary didnt feel that the two particrly looked alike. No sir, I am the assistant working under him, Assistant? It wasnt that strange to have an assistant in a Banco, but he recognised that this Banco was small and located far to the outskirts of the Empire. It was somewhat surprising that there was an assistant in a Banco like this it wasnt like the Imperial City or a special location like Lyon, wheremerce was well developed. Unlike how it looks, business seems to be doing well, As he was a very experienced mercenary who had wandered around the entire continent and seen many things, it was very easy for him to take one nce and understand that despite being in such a rural area, business was going well for this Banco. Yes, Ive heard that the stores ie has increased a lot since I came in, The mercenary whistled at the confident words of the young assistant, Oh yeah, contrary to how you look, it seems you have a knack for handling money? At the same time, the two mercenaries behind him muttered a few words to each other; of course, they werent pleasant words. Goblin-like bastards, Being good at ying with interest does he go beyond hell? The first mercenary didnt pay attention to his colleagues words and began to speak once again he threw 3 Talents at Rockefeller carelessly, Change everything to this territorys shillings. Well be here for a while, They were mercenaries who wandered all over the continent, so they preferred keeping imperial gold coins Talents- with them so that they could go to any territory and exchange them for the shillings of that particr territory. As long as they had Talents, they could easily exchange the local currency as needed. Chapter 31 Chapter 31 Three talents then at 32 Shillings a piece, your total exchange will be at 96 shillings. 12 Shillings will be deducted from that as the exchange fee, is that okay? What? 12 shillings? The mercenary facing Rockefeller looked flustered, and the mercenaries standing behind him looked taken aback as well. It seemed their fee was highpared to other ces. What kind of exchange fee is four shillings per Talent? Isnt that just robbery? No, is this the only ce I can exchange money? Youve got a lot of nerve, At the response that was pretty much expected at this point, Rockefeller held a smile around his mouth, We have to make a living too, after all, The mercenary that had been facing Rockefeller looked at him with a crumpled frown, Hey, little kid, you know why were here, dont you? Werent you hired by the lord due to the trouble with the Orcs? Youre well aware, then do you know where were from? Of course, you are mercenaries from Hound, arent you? Montefeltro was looking for a fairly reputable mercenary unit to ensure the orcs were dealt with in one blow. So he hadmissioned the Hound mercenaries whos name was well-known around the continent. Youre aware of that too, then do you know how rough the Hound mercenaries are? Rough? Rockefeller tilted his head innocently, I dont know about that, but I heard youre very credible. Once you take on a job, I heard that you finish it thoroughly. Thats why the lord hired you this time to exterminate the orcs, When the young boy smiled boldly at him, the mercenary looked like he had lost momentum and turned back to his colleagues for help. Still, the two mercenaries behind him seemed to find his position funny and were hurriedly trying to hold back theirughter. Ahh, I heard that even children would hold back their tears if they heard the Hound mercenaries passing, he sighed, Im already past that age though, Rockefeller smiled, Are you going to keep smiling like that? Its annoying! I apologise if my smiling was offensive. In that case, Ill take just 10 shillings for the exchange fee. Thats enough, right? What 10 shillings?! Setts expression looked even worse, Why is it 10 shillings out of the blue! Its usually one shilling for every Talent at most! It depends on the circumstances of the estate, and since were in the outskirts, You have to take into ount the high marginal costs. Do you think this is the only ce to exchange money! I can just go out to some rich guy and get him to exchange some gold with me! Then youre free to do that. However, if youe back wanting to deal with me again, itll be 12 shillings then, Ill take back the discount, This punk! As Sett increased his voice, one of the mercenaries watching the exchange from behind yelled out in caution, It was the signal to remind him that they could not disturb the store because the Seer barracks were next to the store. Ahem, the mercenary, Sett, immediately coughed, clearing his throat and red at Rockefeller, Okay, lets do 8 shillings, No, I cant ept 8 shillings. Ill let you exchange for 9, Oh my god 9 shillings doesnt make sense in the first ce! When the sharply frowning Sett returned his gaze to his colleagues, one of them, who was keeping an eye on what was going on outside, nodded, As the boy said, it meant to trade because there was nothing they could do about it. They had to bear some damage since it was territory on the outskirts of the Empire and had only one Banco to trade with. This is driving me crazy! What kind of exchange fee is 3 shillings for a Talent? Rockefeller just waited silently without saying a word, they needed a ce to exchange money, and this was the only ce they were just unwilling to ept it withoutining first, If you love money that much, youll end up in hell like a goblin, you know, Sett, who had been forced to pay the currency exchange fee of three shillings per Talent, grumbled at him, but Rockefeller smiled at him as if the words didnt affect him at all, Thatll be something to think about after I die, right? Would you look at that boldness, the mercenary scoffed. Rockefeller received three talents from him and checked the authenticity of the talents the way Carter had taught him. They were bastard talents, but that was eptable. All three talents given by the mercenaries were copper-mixed bastard talents, but they were all eptable, so Rockefeller handed him 87 shillings with the fee deducted. There you go, its 87 shillings in total with the exchange fee deducted, The mercenary was still very unhappy with Rockefeller, who still had that mask-like customer service smile on his face. Youve got a lot of goods. If you carry on like this, this shop will go down, you know, If we go down, then who would be there to exchange your gold coins, ajusshi? So we cant go bust, can we? My god, you should know how lucky you are. Were normally not this easy-going do you even know how tough Hound mercenaries are? Rockefeller was still smiling brightly, Please use our shop next time as well. Well be good to you then too, The three mercenaries, who thought there probably wouldnt be a reason to see him again, left the store and Carter. They had been quietly waiting inside, listening to the conversation, and came out to speak to Rockefeller. Chapter 32 Chapter 32 Well done. If I were you, Id have epted 1 shilling per Talent and done the exchange. Thats how it was for the Hound Mercenaries I did business with a few years ago as well, Rockefeller shook his head, We cant do that. We dont have anything to lose, after all, so we dont have to make that much of a concession to them, Nerve was needed for trade sometimes. Those people wouldnt have had anywhere else to exchange money apart from here, and Talents are too big, so they wouldnt ept them in other stores, 1 Talent was the equivalent of a rural workers entire months earnings. Going to the market trying to buy things with that amount of money would be burdensome even the big merchants wouldnt be able to give sufficient change. So thats why we can have this much nerve, Rockefeller exined, And what if they just left? You just have to reduce it down lightly you saw that they didnt leave right away because they were hesitant, right? And what if they decided to get tyrannical? From one nce, you can tell theyre the rough kind who arent afraid to cause a bit of trouble, The Seer barracks are right next door. Do you think they wouldnt have noticed? I saw earlier they were signalling each other not to make a fuss, Well, it wouldnt be good for an outside to make a mess in another territory, and as you said, the Seers are just next door it turns out your way was right, well done, In Carters view, Rockefeller had undoubtedly done a good job, even more so than himself. Im sure youre better at this job than I am. I dont have that kind of disposition I think I was born a coward, Im d you see me like that, I see that jobs need to be distributed to increase ie after leaving things to you, thats how it feels, Thank you, It came to Carters mind that the cer gold trafficking had been quitecklustre these days. But I dont think youve brought me any gold these days did something happen that I dont know about? It wasnt like he could bring Carter gold dust that they didnt have, so Rockefeller lied through his teeth without a single break in his expression, I dont know either. It does feel like weve lost touch recently. Have you heard nothing from him? Yes, I havent really heard anything, Carter, who hadnt ced much weight on the cer gold smuggling and had only thought he would reap as much profit as he safely could, was slightly disappointed. Hmm, well, it was a small amount, but I suppose the smuggler went underground thats a shame. Well, its not too bad since youre doing a good job, though, Well, it was a small deal anyway, wasnt it? I think he might have found another route since he hasnt been in touch with me. After all, this isnt the only ce for trafficking, right? Well, thats true I should have yed it better, tch. What was so disappointing that he quit the deal? Forget about it. Im working hard instead, arent I? Yeah, Im d youre here. If I had known you had such talent, I would have used you as an assistant from the beginning, Still, it was his nature to be sad about the loss of ie. Carter, sighing deeply, began to express regret over the gold coins that slept quietly in his warehouse. By the way, I finally have enough money to do the lending you mentioned before, He would have only leant out his own gold coins in the past, but now, he was willing to secretly lend out even the gold coins his customers had left behind but there was a worry there. The problem is, I dont have anyone to lend that much gold out to. I cant just lend it to any bastard on the road Id like some creditworthy people like the lord toe to borrow gold coins, Rockefeller was also lost in thought, leaving behind Carters regretful sighs. The orc trouble is only just beginning, The frequent appearance of the orcs near the Montefeltro estate was only the beginning. The full-scale war between the Dwarves and the Orcs, which began due to the Goblins pranks, was not due to start yet. If the two forces were influenced into conflict, there were many things for Rockefeller, who worked with money, to look forward to. I can guarantee that things will be more fun if it gets noisier war always brings in a friend called money. Chapter 33 Chapter 33 The mercenary, Sett, who came out of the store after exchanging the Talents, suddenly felt ufortable. He looked around cautiously, wondering whose gaze he felt when he saw a group of armed people looking at them warily. This territorys Seers? Looking at their garb, the familiar costumes let him know they were the Seers in charge of the security of this estate. Sett frowned without realising it. Tch, I didnt even make a fuss, but youvee like ghosts, He hadnt made a fuss or messed anything up in the store, sure he didnt like the little boy he had been dealing with, but even then, all hed done was yell a little. Nevertheless, the fact that their guards were attached means they had been wary of their visit to Banco from the beginning. I guess they arent called Banco for no reason. Well, its the ce where most gold coins are stored. Its no wonder the Seers are careful, The goldsmith ran the Banco that paid the most in taxes among all the people within this territory. Therefore, from the lords point of view, he had to pay the most attention to Bancos safety, and the result of that was the hawk-like gaze of the Seers watching Banco. But its not like were going to dress up for exchanging currency since weve been rolling around outside since we didnt cause a fuss, they should at least try and look at things from our side, Since there was nothing good toe from making a fuss in someone elses area, Sett and his colleagues sped through and immediately went to the market to buy what they needed. Wall, a Banco is a Banco after all did you see the Seers gathered outside? Leave it. Thats the way it is normally, Thats true, Lets go back. If were in a ce like this, we dont get good looks, After finishing their business in the market, they headed to their campsite, situated some distance away from the vige, in the surrounding forest. Setts colleague, Keith, began speaking on the way to the campsite. It was about the situation at Banco, Hey, why didnt you try to cut down two more shillings each while you were at Banco? Three shillings a Talent is too expensive, Right, it was only one shilling for every Talent, wasnt it? What the heck are three shillings about? Even Chris, who hade with him, added his voice to the criticism, and Sett voiced his displeasure, Its the only Banco around what was I supposed to do? From the looks of it, they knew they were being gutsy and had the confidence to carry on what difference would you guys have made? It would have been the same if you were in my ce, Chris recalled some old memories. What was clear was that things were different, I dont think it used to be that expensive? Wasnt it expensive? What are you talking about? I was here once, three years ago. I stopped by to explore the abandoned mines. When I exchanged my money at the store, it was 1 shilling for every Talent. Yeah, Im sure that was it. I remember thinking the exchange fee was cheaper than I thought even though I was in the outskirts, What? The other two looked shocked at the absurd news, But why didnt you say anything earlier? Hm I just figured things had changed in the meantime this was three years ago after all, What? But how can the exchange fee get so expensive in that time? Theres no way it could rise that much, At that moment, all three were able to recall what Rockefeller had said earlier, Come to think of it, that kid did say that since he came, the business was doing well, For gods sake! I think weve been done in I bet we could have gotten it for two shillings, Ha that money was enough to get drunk twice over! Not twice! I could do it three times with that money! However, they had almost arrived at the campsite. It was a littlete to turn around now and the Seers who had been watching them were also problematic. Even if we go back, I dont think well get it back, If it was you, would you give it back? Im sure theyre happy to have ripped someone off after a while, He was just like a goblin I heard goblins do business like that, Honestly, that took a lot of guts, Eventually, the three who couldnt turn their steps back returned to the campsite. They went straight to where the captain had set his ce to report what had happened at the vige. At the captains barracks; Carl, the captain of the Hound Mercenaries, had alreadymunicated with the lords custodian and sent him back to the lords castle, Looking at the bag of gold coins, it was clear he had already received advance payment for the orc extermination. Sett looked at the gold coin bag on the floor and began to report to Captain Carl about the trip to the vige. After hearing their whole story, Captain Carl slowly opened his mouth, It seems the situation isnt as serious here as we thought. Looking at the custodians attitude, they didnt call us because they were desperate they had enough leeway to be calm, We felt the same way it seemed too peaceful in the vige to have called for us, Keith and Chris, who had been quietly listening to their conversation, frowned. It meant this job wasnt at their usual ying level. Were not some local gang shitheads, so why the hell would they call us for this then? Chapter 34 Chapter 34 Did the lord here have no other mercenaries to call? This job isnt at our level, For the renowned Hounds, this isnt exactly the best ce to y, is it? A bloody mess of a battlefield that doesnt let you see an inch ahead of you is more of a perfect fit for us, right? Even for the renowned Hounds, it wasnt necessary to work with such risks all the time. Unlike his whining subordinates, Carl, the captain, who was satisfied with their current job, began to talk. Well, weve received an advanced deposit, and the job isnt that urgent. Lets just take our time, Instead, Carl, who had pretty much guessed the situation that might have soured his subordinates mood, threw out an unexpected question, You stopped by Banco? Yeah, we did, How was it there? Why was he asking about Banco all of a sudden? While Sett was wondering, Keith, who was with him, replied, What do you think? Its just a Banco, Really? What about the size? The size? What about it? While Keith was questioning it, Chris answered his question, Well, its about the size youd expect for a territory like this, This time, his subordinates asked Captain Carl questions as they were curious about his intentions behind asking after Banco. Capitain, why are you suddenly asking about Banco? At the question, Captain Carl lifted the pouch of gold coins from the nearby floor in a wordless answer, then said, I dont have the guts to leave this purse in this wolfs den how can we be sure there wont be an ass likest time? Wouldnt it be safer to leave it at Banco and just pay a small storage fee? The three subordinates exchanged nces at their smiling Capitan, shaking their heads. Whats with those reactions? Since he didnt understand their reaction, Captain Carl questioned them, That might not be a good idea, Why are you here? Its been a while, my lord, When Rockefeller bowed politely and greeted the lord who hade into the shop, the lord couldnt hide his flustered expression. It had been only a month since he had suggested Rockefeller be a serf, so it was ridiculous for him to find such a Rockefeller working under the goldsmith. I am employed here as an assistant, Assistant? Youre working here as an assistant? Yes, my lord, Have you been so busy with your work that you can keep an assistant? When the lord threw the question at Carter, who was sitting nearby, Carter replied with an awkward smile. Yes, well, it has been slightly busier recently, To the point where you need an assistant? That is the case, my lord, It wasnt like this was a major imperial city, nor was it amercially prominent ce, but a small Banco located on the outskirts of the Empire. There was no way it was so busy that one would need an assistant. While the lord was doubting it, Carter had answered the way he had, and there was nothing he could say back to that. The lord who had brooded over the two for a moment had to ept it grudgingly. A month ago, the death of his parent had left them without hope for a livelihood. He had advised Rockefeller to keep to his means as it was impolite for those without the means to reach for more than was theirs. His luck isgood. Hes a fortunate guy, to think he managed to get a job at Banco, with those thoughts, the lord swallowed back his bitterness and said something he didnt even mean, To think you would manage to get a job here well, yes, thats good for you. I suppose it is keeping to the manner ofmoners to live and work like this since serfs cant work here, While he considered how this boy might have got this job, the picture did seem to add up in some ways. Well, since youre the son of the tax collector, it makes sense. I know youre literate did you learn to count from your father as well? Yes, my lord, Yes, well, since you know how to doplex things like calcting, it works out that you work here. I told you the other day that one must know their ce and it is manners to keep to their ce, I dont think thats what you meant though, Rockefeller thought even as he answered, Yes, Right, well, youve found your ce then just as I said. Congrattions, now that youve got a job at Banco, I dont think you or your siblings will need toe under me anytime soon. You should make decent money here since its more expensive here than anywhere else, When the lords gaze moved to Carter, he misunderstood what the lord meant with that look and said something rather air-headed, Yes, Im taking good care of him so that he has no reason to be dissatisfied. And Im giving him separate incentives as well, Is that so? Please take good care of him then. Hes a sad friend who already has to take care of his younger siblings at such a young age, Of course, Im taking good care of him already, Carter answered. To the lord who said things he didnt mean, Rockefeller also responded soullessly, With the grace of my life, I will live well, Rockefeller bowed his head to the lord who kept a bitter smile on his face the entire time inwardly, he was overjoyed at his awkwardness. Chapter 35 Chapter 35 You dont seem to like seeing me here Well, he did want me to plough his fields under him. But what should we do? It seems things didnt go your way, Rockefeller thought. By the way, what brings you here? When he asked the lord his business instead of Carter, the lord coughed a few times awkwardly Rockefeller snickered internally before exining why. Is there any other reason? If Ive borrowed money, then I should pay the interest Im here to pay the interest from the amount borrowed a month ago its time, isnt it? When the lord finished talking, he nodded his chin to the Seers who had followed. The Seer took out a pouch of silver coins and put it down in front of Rockefeller. It should be right, but count it anyway. It should be the right amount since I had the new tax collector do it, Rockefeller opened the pouch of silvers and began counting the Shillings brought by the lord. Carter, who had pasted on a smile that didnt suit him, spoke to the lord since he would be bored waiting. Hows work going these days? Wasnt the loan fromst time rted to the Orc extermination? Its going very well. I called the most reputable mercenaries I could find the Hound Mercenaries, Ah, I see. Come to think of it, yesterday, some people who might have been the Hound Mercenaries stopped by our store, I suppose they must have. They would need some shillings while stopping by wouldnt it be inconvenient to use Talents in this territory? Of course, Did you get in trouble with them? Theyre as wild as the rumours say, They didnt make much noise, but when you look that rugged, I suppose you would get treated like a bunch of vagrants, A bunch of vagrants? The lord grinned andmented, Unlike how they look, you dont know how great they are. They do everything for the right price. Especially on the battlefield, there are so many rumours about them that people would piss their pants from making eye contact, Rockefeller, who had finished counting the interest that he had brought in, suddenly spoke, Yes, thats everything here, when he nced up and met the lords gaze, he bowed again. Carter, who had watched the interaction, began speaking to the lord again he had heard many things here and there that he wanted to talk about. By the way, my lord, When the lord looked at him, Carter raised a question that he had considered. For him, the fact that it had been the Hound Mercenaries that had been hired was a point of confusion it was like hiring a tiger just to catch a rabbit. Ive been wondering, why did you hire the Hound Mercenaries? Arent they famous enough that even I, a goldsmith on the outskirts, knows of them? Wouldnt it have been better to use local mercenaries or more affordable ones if it was simply for the sake of exterminating orcs? When Carter mentioned the economic part of things, the lord smiled, The situation isnt like that, The lord shook his head and went on to say, Yes, as you say, for the sake of subjecting orcs, calling them in might not match their qualifications. Even if it wasnt them, there are many cheaper ways to solve this problem, So why did you call the Hound Mercenaries? Or would there be a deep meaning I wouldnt know? What do you mean by deep? Seeing the lords confident smile, Rockefeller could be sure there was a reason for it. Looks like theres something we dont know. The lord continued, Ive heard that theres a sorcerer in the Orcs pack that we will need to defeat, Carter looked extremely surprised at the answer, What? A sorcerer? So theres a sorcerer in the Orc pack that they are going to subjugate? Orc Sorcerer. In human terms, it was a mage. Since most people would tremble at the thought of a mage, Carter was very surprised when it was revealed that there was a sorcerer among the orcs. And Rockefeller wasnt any different? An Orc Sorcerer? Is that true? He asked quickly, Although we cant be sure, one of the Seers who went out for reconnaissance happened to spot what might have been an Orc Sorcerer. I considered it carefully since we cant take such a thing lightly, Only then did Rockefeller understand why the lord had bothered to hire the Hound Mercenaries. It wasnt a simple case of hunting rabbits, after all. Chapter 36 Chapter 36 Thats why, to make sure that everything ends in one blow, I didnt bother hiring whoever I could. Instead, I spent a lot of money and even took out a loan to make sure I could get the Hound Mercenaries, Carter began to react to the words, As expected, the lords judgement is remarkable. If you hired just anyone and they failed, it would have been a waste of time and money. After all, I hear mercenaries still charge half the price even if the job fails, The lord nodded with a satisfied expression, Thats right, thats why I called them to make sure the job gets done since we can be sure this is within the Hound Mercenaries strength, Although it wasnt his ce to interfere in the conversation, Rockefeller decided to courageously ask something that had been bothering him about the Hound Mercenaries. So, did you mention the Orc Sorcerer to the Hound Mercenaries? The lord looked at Rockefeller with an ufortable gaze. It was because a child had intervened in a conversation between adults. Rockfeller, you have no manners! How dare you pose questions to the lord!? When Carter spoke up and got angry, the lord became more generous. He raised a hand and waved lightly at Carter, Hes young, so he must be full of curiosity. Were you that curious about it? Im sorry if I was rude. I was just concerned since it isnt unrted to us, Unfortunately I havent been able to tell them yet, What? You havent told them? Right, The fact that there was a sorcerer among the orcs was extremely important information, but to think he hadnt told the mercenaries about that yet it was Carter, this time, who raised the question. But why havent you given them such important information? If they unexpectedly encounter an orc sorcerer, wouldnt it be the Hound Mercenaries who get beaten? The lord shook his head and said with a confident face, Theyre not fools, nor are they any random mercenary group even more so, they are the reputable Hound Mercenaries. So even if I dont tell them, they will naturally find the information regarding the Orc Sorcerer while they are collecting information about the orcs, Then Did you do it on purpose? The lord smiled at those words, You tell me, how would they have responded if I had asked them to subdue a herd of orcs with an Orc Sorcerer in the mix? To subjugate orcs that had orc sorcerers included demanded more specialised manpower. They would need to wear magic gear and also would need to bring in a talented mage to counter the orc sorcerers magic. They probably would have refused the request. They would have made some random excuses because it was too much trouble, but once theyve taken on the job, itll be harder for them to give up easily since their reputation would be on the line. There shouldnt be rumours that the world-renowned Hound Mercenaries had given up on a job out of fear of an Orc Sorcerer. So you were aiming for that, The lord did not deny it. Its all for the sake of this Fief. Of course, they will make noise and protest, asking why we didnt mention the Orc Sorcerer sooner, but if we say we didnt know about it, that would be enough. Its their job to deal with these things anyway, Carter seemed to be convinced when the lord exined it was for the Montefeltro Estate since he had thought it might have simply been a matter of payment, and the lord did not seem to feel guilty about it either. Well, if they say the price is higher because of the sorcerer, Im willing to pay a little more. Its a sacrifice thats expected if we want to subdue the orc herd that has a sorcerer among them. Chapter 37 Chapter 37 While they continued chatting, Rockefeller was thinking about something else, If they dont know about the existence of the Orc Sorcerer, then the Hound Mercenaries would havee without any preparation, No matter how renowned they were on the battlefield, they couldnt look down on an orc sorcerer who could perform magic. Theyll definitely need a mage to participate in the subjugation. Without a mage, the subjugation itself wouldnt work, If the Hound Mercenaries didnt want to abandon this job, they would have to hire a talented mage who could respond to the orc sorcerers magic. When the idea popped up, Rockefeller quietly raised the corners of his mouth, If we handle this well, we might have found a ce to give out an unexpected loan. Unlike the one in mercenaries, the price of hiring a mage was sky-high in other words, if they didnt have enough money avable straight away, they would need a loan. Short term loans tend to have steep interest rates. You gave three shillings per talent as the exchange fee? Youre not even some kind of idiot, but you got ripped off. The Captain of the Hound Mercenaries, Carl, arrived in front of the Banco of the Montefeltro Fief to safely store the deposit they had received as the advance for the mission this time. He still couldnt believe that his men, who wouldnt blink in front of the most heinous monsters, had been ripped off by a boy behind the counter of a banco. How much of a dumbass did you look like that you got ripped off by a kid? What can I expect from those who chase the smell of blood? What would they know about bargaining? Carl coughed loudly to announce his presence in the shop. And as he did, he thought, Something like bargaining you have to do it like me, He had entered, thinking things would be different if he were the one talking, but soon, he was hearing some absurd words as well, What? How much did you say?! Rockefeller looked up at the mercenary who looked even taller and more rugged than the ones who hade in yesterday and repeated what he had just said in a dull tone, You want to store 150 Talents, right? The storage fee is 10% of the total amount, so that will be 15 Talents, Carl seemed to be quite flustered by the words that had been repeated without a single change. His face became incredibly red. 15 Talents? No, what nonsense are you talking about? What do you mean 10% of the total amount as the storage fee? Thats crazy! Youve gonepletely insane! Like any other customer before him, he decided that he did not want to continue this ridiculous conversation and tried to bring out the shop owner in person. He thought it would be better to meet the store owner in person and negotiate with them than to talk to the boy who wasnt an owner. Never mind, wheres the owner? I dont think youre the owner of this store? Why are you looking for the owner? Ill bargain with the owner directly, directly. What is wrong with this storage fee? You dont have to do that. Im in charge of loans and gold coin storage here, A kid like you? Are you saying a little thing like you can be the owner of this ce? Well, not exactly, Rockefeller smiled brightly, in a way that didnt quite suit him. Things wont change much just because you meet the owner. I reckon Im better to deal with than him anyway, Carter, who had been making gold coins in the back, frowned a little at those words. No, what kind of audacity is this? What do you mean 10% of the amount entrusted will be the storage fee? In most Bancos, when a customer entrusted gold coins, the storage fee they paid was around 3%. The storage of 3% wasnt small, but it was sometimes a better option for those who wanted to keep gold coins safe or those who wanted to hide them without anyone knowing. It was also a perfect option for those who could not carry a lot of gold coins alone because they could use the IOU certificate for portability. But 10% for the storage fees!? What will you do if the customer leaves at this rate? The amount of money they want to entrust isnt small either. Its as many as 150 Talents! Its an incredible amount of money! While Carter was hesitating on whether he should step out or not, the conversation between Rockefeller and the Mercenary Captain, Carl continued. Chapter 38 Chapter 38 We store your gold coins safely and even produce gold coin storage certificates so that you can visit at any time to get your coins back, right? Then its natural that we should charge a fee for our hard work, Did someone say you shouldnt get a storage fee? Thats not the problem! Its the guts youve got here to charge a 10 percent storage fee for the storage thats the problem! Which Banco in the world charges 10 percent? Usually, its 3 percent at most! And some ces like Hwangdo and Lyon only charge 1 percent! Do you not know that at all?! Of course, I know. I know that might be the case for the Banco in Hwangdo or Lyon, but thats them, and this is us, What? In this fief, theres only our Banco, and the owner is close to the lord of the territory as well, so theres no chance of this store failing so its very safe. So, of course, the storage fee would be more expensive. You get your own premium, What kind of premium are you talking about from this tiny Banco at the border? Of course, its a premium. Our shop is affiliated with the Lyon guild, thergest of the Banco unions. In other words, its a very reliable shop,. You must be joking, Since we belong to the Lyon Guild, you can get the gold coins you have entrusted to us from any Banco belonging to the Lyon guild. So when you look at the various aspects, adding a premium to the existing storage fee is natural, Rockefeller threw out one more word while Carl couldnt respond immediately, Plus, this is the periphery of the kingdom. The prices are higher here, Carl, who was pondering what Rockefeller had said, frowned as though he disagreed. No matter how much the prices go up, taking 10% as the storage fee, isnt it, Leave it then. Id rather take care of it myself somehow than give you a 10 percent storage fee. What the hell do you mean by 10 percent? Rockefeller considered that maybe it was time now and decided to pull back from their little scuffle, and instead began approaching with a different suggestion, Hey, Ajusshi, Rockefeller lowered his voice and nced around the store, checking the back before he began to speak in a low voice; Of course, it was all pre-nned acting, The owner cant find out about this charging 10% was the owners idea after all, Rockefeller carefully watched the changes in the mercenarys expression as he continued, I thought it was too much too. 10% as the storage fee is just daylight robbery. They say Hwangdo and Lyon only take 3% after all, When Carl thought there was a chance he might lower the gold coin storage fee, Carl naturally lowered his vice and asked, So, what are you saying? Without telling the owner, Ill just take 6% as the storage fee. 6% isnt bad, right? An amount that was significantly lower than the 10% he had originally said. 6 percent? Six percent was also a storage fee that didnt make sense, but it was better than the aforementioned price of 10 percent. No, what do you mean, 6 percent? It still doesnt make sense to charge that much, Cant you cut it down any more than that? I mean, at the end of the day, I dont actually have to leave my gold coins here, Rockefeller shook his head at the suggestion, Thats not true, right? If youvee all the way here, doesnt that mean you cant just leave the gold coins lying around? Most people dont want to leave gold coins with Banco because its a waste of money to pay the storage fee, thats why theyll hide it where no one else can find it instead but thates with a lot of risks, For example, what would you do if a weirdo found the gold coins you hid and decided to run away with it? But if you keep your coins safe here, then youll have to pay a storage fee, but the Lyon guild guarantees it, so even if this ce goes down, you can pick up your gold coins from other stores, There was nothing wrong with what he said, but Carls expression was still dark. But I cant just give you that much money as a storage fee. 10% is 15 Talents, and 6% is anyway, its not like you dont know how much money that is, right? If he really thought it wasnt right, then Carl would have kicked open the door and left the store while ranting about how the assistant at Banco was saying some nonsense. However, seeing as he was still in this ce, Rockefeller could be sure of something. That he had no other option. Chapter 39 Chapter 39 He definitely came to leave the gold coins here. Or else he would have just left as soon as he heard the ridiculous storage fee, And there was only one Banco in this territory. Then its worth trying to be audacious here too, Ajusshi, its not like we dig the ground and do business here, but we still have to pay for somebour costs. And I already gave you a big discount from 10%, right? Its already a lot, Carl still looked unwilling. Whatever, lets go with 3% its normally 3%, 6% is ridiculous, To be exact, the 3% storage fee also felt like too much, so most people bargained with Bancos goldsmiths to cut down the gold coin storage fee. So what is the 6% storage fee in this rural area? However, this boy working at the shop wasnt easily allowing it. There arent any other goldsmiths in this fief, so youll have to go to another fief to get a low storage fee, but since everything is real around here, I dont know how much theyll charge for the storage fee somewhere else. Plus, theres no knowing whether they would be affiliated with the Lyon Guild like we are, How could this young boy have the guts to talk with the Captain of the Hound Mercenaries like that? Hes barely learned to walk yet, so where did he learn to talk like that? Only then was Captain Carl able to understand his men who had chewed their tongue and warned him before visiting the Banco. Captain, thats not it. The little one there is so toxic! Why else would they have charged us so much? Sett is right. The little guy is pretty bold. Normally, kids like that piss themselves making eye contact with us, but he didnt even flinch. Boss, why dont you just guard it for a few days, and we can leave it somece else after a few days. Its only a few days, after all. Nothing will happen, His men had repeatedly emphasised be careful of the boy who was working at the store.. He was indeed tough like a goblin. If only I had a subspace pocket where I could store the gold coins separately, If he had such a thing, then he wouldnt have had toe to this Banco in the first ce. It would have been enough to keep the gold in the subspace pocket without paying the storage fee. But even if you can find someone who sells them, the price isnt easy, It wasnt amonly found item, so it was treated like a treasure, and because it was a treasure, it was even more challenging to obtain since people were less willing to sell one even if they had one. The prince was also astronomically high. Alright, lets make it 5 percent. 5% is still me giving in a lot, For him, 5% wasnt a price he was willing to pay at all, but there was no other choice right now. 5 percent? If this had been a normal transaction, Rockefeller would have offered him a 3 percent storage fee from the beginning, and Carl, who would have received the quote, would have bargained about 2 percent or 1 percent because it was a waste of money to just ept 3 percent as a storage fee. Well, 5% is still good business, but when youre doing business with your guts, you have to stick by it. I cant do that. I told you before, right? Its supposed to be 10 percent, but I gave you a big discount and will give it to you at 6 percent. Its hard for me too since I have to be conscious about the owner, Carter, who had been trimming the gold coins inside the store, smiled helplessly. Where on earth did he learn things like that? Captain Carl, who had been fighting with Rockefeller for a while, reluctantly epted Rockefellers proposal. Since he didnt know much about the shop owner, he was worried that Carl would be charged more for the storage fee than what had been offered if he came out to the front. Fine, Im not happy with it, but lets do that. But youre not lying, are you? Lie? How could I lie to someone as tough as you? Carl thought of the subordinates he would be meetingter with a sick look on his face. Iined so much about them getting ripped off, but if I say I paid 6% as the gold storage fee, then it would be a realugh, Instead, theres a condition, Rockefeller tilted his head towards those words, Condition? What is it? This deal, lets keep it between us. Ill pay the 6 percent storage fee, so if anyonees and asks, I only paid 3 percent. Since I have a reputation as well, Alright, but Ajusshi, you cant go around anywhere talking about it either, Dont worry about it. Ill be taking this incident to my grave. Just make sure that if those rough-looking guyse and ask for confirmation, tell them you traded at 3% thats enough." Chapter 40 Chapter 40 Rockefeller asked a question as if to move on from the previous conversation, By the way, where are you from? Are you from the Hound Mercenaries too? Oh, you know it well, Oh, youre from there as well yesterday Ajusshis like you came to this shop too they came here to exchange Talents do you know them? They were my underlings, Your subordinates? Does that mean youre the leader? Yes, Im the Captain I guess I didnt look like one? Yes, its a bit surprising. I didnt think the Captain woulde down personally, Well, its nothing else but depositing the advance payment into Banco, so I shoulde down myself the problem with money is Theres no one else you can trust with it. Thats why I came down myself, When Carl had introduced himself, Carter, who had been eavesdropping on the conversation between the two from inside the shop, looked surprised. The mercenary captain? Then, hed be the famous Hunting Dog, Carl, When it came to Hunting Dog Carl, he was famous and strong enough to be the head of the infamous Hound Mercenaries. Carter stopped his work for a moment to peak outside and look at the Hound Mercenary Captain. As rumours have it, he was a huge man who was big enough to look like he could fistfight a small oak tree he looked vicious and rugged, even more so than the men who had been here yesterday. I cant believe Im actually looking at the person they call Human Ogre. Does this make me lucky? However, the rumoured captain was also unable to ovee Bancos young assistant and had been ripped off. Thats amazing. Even the famous Hunting Dog Carl was ripped off like this. Looking at this, I really seemed to have found a good assistant, Returning to his work, Carter again marvelled at Rockefellers bold way of doing business. The guts to rip off the Hound Mercenary Captain was a talent that not everyone had. Ive been watching him for a few days, and I can tell that guy is someone who will do something big, no matter what he does. From the start, hes different from a timid guy like me, Captain Carl nced at the gap where the store owner had just taken a peek at him and disappeared. Dammit, looks like Im bing aughing stock, Carl, who had be ufortable, wanted to leave the gold coins as soon as possible and leave. But even in his hurry, he became curious about the name of the boy who had so thoroughly ripped him off, By the way, whats your name? My name? Im Rockefeller Rothmedici. Please call me Rockefellerfortably, Rothmedici? When Carl heard the name, he could easily tell that this boy was amoner since he had never heard the name Rothmedici before in his life. So youre amoner? Indeed, anyone who wasnt amoner couldnt work here. Rather than that, hurry up and write up my gold certificate- Im busy, Rockefeller ignored Carls obvious desire to leave the shop as soon as possible and instead began to bring up the story he had heard from the lord, Ill write up the storage card for you straight away. Is everything okay with your work? From what I heard, you were here for Orc subjugation? Rockefeller received the pouch of gold coins from Carl and began writing out the storage certificate as Carl replied, Dont worry. Things are going well. Its just an orc subjugation at the border. Its nothingpared to the work weve done and the reputation weve built so far, Carl slightly raised the corners of his mouth in a show of confidence, I dont know how the people here might see it, but we at least think of it as a small thing to do while we rest for a while. Its not a big deal to cut down some orcs, Oh really? Rockefeller twirled his pen between his fingers as he wrote out the gold coin storage certificate and asked, From the Hound Mercenarys point of view, Orcs are nothing, right? Well, its not like its an Orc army or anything just killing a group of orcs is nothing, Then even if there were a whole tribe of orcs, it would be okay, right? Rather, I hope theres an orc tribe out there. It would make things less boring at least, At Carl, who still looked confident and rxed, Rockefeller began to spill the words he had prepared gently. Thats a relief. It means that theres no problem even if theres a Special Orc or an Orc Sorcerer in the group, right? Whew, Im d. I was worried a lot about the sudden appearance of the orcs, but since Ajusshi is so confident, I dont think therell be a problem, In the meantime, Rockefeller, who had finished writing the gold coin storage certificate, then stamped the seal of the store on the card and handed it over to Carl. There you go, the gold coin storage card. If youe to our shop or any other Banco affiliated with the Lyon Guild, you can pick up the gold coins you left. Of course, you know there will be a fee to collect your coins if you go to another shop, right? Here it is, What Rockefeller had said seemed to have caused a lot of thoughts in Carls head, Special Orc or an Orc Sorcerer? Carl judged that something like that probably wouldnt appear. This was an area at the periphery of the Empire that was considered remote evenpared to other rural fiefs. asionally, orcs would appear, but the Special Orcs and Orc Sorcerers were rare beings that others had little reason toe across unless there was some war that the orcs were involved in. Im not sure about a Special Orc, but its not like the Orcs are involved in some kind of war, so there isnt any reason to see an Orc Sorcerer. Chapter 41 Chapter 41 Carl tried to shake off the unsavoury thoughts that suddenly popped up, telling himself there would be no way an Orc Sorcerer would show up. And Rockefeller, who caught onto his bad mood like a creepy spirit, asked why, Whats wrong all of a sudden? What do you mean? I just thought you looked pale. Would it really be a problem if something like what I said became a reality? As if, its just a simple Orc subjugation. What is said can only be seen when the orcs are at war or about to start a war. Its not something you can see normally, Then Rockefeller, with his excellent acting, pulled a very shocked face, War? Does that mean if theres a Special Orc or Sorcerer, then theres a war? Thats not it. It just means that the orcs around here must start a war for the things you said to happen. I dont know about Special Orcs, but the Orc Sorcerer is really rare even within Orcs, Then what if theres no war and the Orc Sorcerer is in the group you need to subdue? Rockefeller asked him again, Thats If it were like that, then it would be a problem. Right? Carl could not deny it because it was true. Well, if theres an Orc Sorcerer it would be like a mage in human terms. So, of course, there would be a problem. How can we catch a sorcerer without any preparation when we are mercenaries who use swords. Its not like were master assassins like the Ismail Great Family either, that we can pull off targeted assassinations. Then what would happen? I told you it wouldnt happen. And Orc Sorcerer is so rare that they cant be so easily seen, so its a useless worry, But what if there was one? Carter, who was listening inside the store, was a little nervous due to Rockefellers persistent offence. What is he trying to do? The thing about the Orc Sorcerer was supposed to be a secret! While Carter, who seemed to be worried about offending the lord, worried about things silently, the Mercenary Captain Carl felt a spark of annoyance when dealing with Rockefeller, He just thought he was azy boy who persistently asked about useless things. As if it would be a big deal, it just bes more tedious is all, Tedious? How? It seems youve got a lot of curiosity since you keep asking useless questions. All we need is to get a mage who can stand against the Sorcerer and suppress them that way. Either way, a mage will solve the problem, Then is there a mage within the Hound Mercenaries? Do you think mages are thatmon? Well have to bring one in separately, You wouldnt give up, right? If you came across the ambush that was the existence of the Orc Sorcerer, any normal mercenary would likely give up the mission, considering the risk associated with the work. It would be an impossible problem to resolve with their own strength after all, so why bother taking on such a task? However, there were several reasons why the Hound Mercenaries could not easily give up on their mission. Well, even if its just for the penalty, we wouldnt give up easily, There was a penalty they would have to pay under the contract if they gave up on their mission straight away, but for the Hound Mercenaries, there was another reason why they could not give up on their mission easily Their fame. As if wed just give up the mission. Things would just get more cumbersome, is all. Weve never given up on our duties, I dont know aboutpletely irrational jobs, but if its possible to some extent, we tend to go through with it somehow, even if we lose out on money. Since this is the line of business were in it means we can increase our price, Carl continued, You dont know how the Hound Mercenaries got so famous, do you? Is it because youpleted all the missions you were hired for? Thats right, if someone entrusts us with work, we make sure to do everything we were hired to do, by any means, So money is the only problem then, Carl slowly narrowed his eyes. Although the boy he was talking to was not even 20 years old yet, it somehow didnt feel like he was talking to someone that young. Anyway, no matter what, there wont be any giving up on missions easily. Thats the reputation and fame the pride that we, the Hound, have built up so far, Then, the thing I was worried about if an Orc Sorcerer does show up, you would call a mage and finish the mission, right? Carl was silent, but his gaze confirmed it. That they would do exactly that. It looks like our conversation became unnecessarily long. Ille by sometime again to pick up the money I left with you, Rockefeller smiled brightly at Carl, who left with those parting words. They will definitely need a mage, and whether its the Captain or the lord, they will need money one way or another since mages are always paid upfront. Its not like they can pull money they dont have out of the air either. Of course, there was the option of writing a separate contract to promise payment with the Lord or the Mercenaries. Still, a mage wouldnte to a ce like this, just on the promise of money since they would always ask for physical money over a promissory note. Thats why, Theyll being back here to borrow money. Chapter 42 Chapter 42 The mercenary Captain, Carl, who had gone to the Banco to deposit the advance payment they had received from the lord of the Montefeltro estate, returned to the campsite. He returned on horseback, and one of his subordinates approached and walked alongside his horse as soon as he returned. That subordinate was Sett, one of the three mercenaries who had previously warned him about the Banco. Sett approached their returning Captain without hesitation and began talking to him, "How was your trip to the banco?" Seeing him ask so eagerly, Carl supposed they had probably made bets among themselves the contents of the bet were obvious. "Were you ripped off too, Captain?" As soon as Sett asked the question, the group standing not far from them began eavesdropping on their conversation. They were one of the parties who had yed along with this bet. "Nothing happened," Carl responded as calmly as possible, but he couldn''t avoid Sett''s intuition after spending many years with him. "Captain was ripped off, right? Right?" "Kehum!" Carl cleared his throat and avoided answering. Sett immediately whistled, drawing the attention of the group and raised his voice, "Hey! I told you! Even the Captain who went there waspletely ripped off!" Although he hadn''t even said anything, seeing as he couldn''t move past this quietly and even had his subordinate start making a noise like this, it felt very unpleasant. "I''m telling you, nothing happened," "Really? Nothing happened there at all?" When Sett asked again, Carl just nodded with a solemn look. He was one of the most experienced mercenaries here. There was no way he could be aughingstock to his subordinates because he couldn''t manage a little kid. While Carl returned to the barracks, Sett''s expression crumpled. He had thought that the Captain would be ripped off but that didn''t seem to be the case "Ah dammit!" Immediately after returning to the campsite, Carl began preparing for the Orc subjugation. Compared to their experiences so far, the Orc subjugation was nothing to worry about, so they had no intention of spending too much time on this mission. Finishing this mission as soon as possible and moving on to the next job was what he had been nning. "What?" But there was a problem. The men he sent out first on a reconnaissance mission returned with unexpected news. "An Orc Sorcerer?" "We''re certain. There was a Sorcerer among the group," "And the tribe was quite big too not your typical vige level, I''m pretty sure that was several viges untied together," When the two experienced subordinates, who were just as rugged and rough as Carl reported, Carl and the rest of the mercenaries couldn''t suppress how flustered they were. This simple Orc subjugation mission, which they had dismissed as a minor job, had suddenly beplicated. "To think there was a Sorcerer," At that moment, Carl recalled the boy at the Banco who had asked him several questions about all of his useless worries. That boy had certainly been stuck on the idea of an Orc Sorcerer. I had thought it was nonsense at the time but how could this happen?'' At the time of the conversation, Carl had thought it was annoying and simply tried to ignore the exchange itself, saying that an Orc Sorcerer showing up was ridiculous. The chance of encountering one in a normal subjugation mission was pretty much zero. "If that''s true, then it''s a headache, to think there''s a sorcerer," Carl was truly flustered, and so were his men. Soon, his men began to speak up, "If there''s a sorcerer Magic spells are too much for us," "There''s no answer we can give to Orc magic. It''s not our speciality either," "What the heck is this? They didn''t say anything about a sorcerer, to begin with!" More than one or two of his subordinates wereining, and soon, several of them began to question the request. "I somehow thought this job was too easy. Why would they even call us to subdue mere Orcs?" "I thought the same thing, the lord here cheated us," "He hid that and called us here? Is he crazy?" "Maybe. If he had told us everything and called us here, we probably wouldn''t have epted the job," "But what are we going to do now? Are we giving up this mission? Or are you going to do something after all?" "An Orc Sorcerer isn''t an existence we can do something about," In theirmon sense, very few upations could fight against an Orc Sorcerer. "We can''t do this without a Mage or Cleric. There''s no way to block the magic," "Is there a Temr around here? It should work out somehow if there''s a Temr," "Or do you want to try finding a Witch? The Witch-Doctor issue fromst time was resolved with the help of a Witch," "What Witch! What if the Church says something? Do you want to be chased out by the Church for conspiring with a Witch?" "So we should just do it quietly! Who''s going to go around chatting with the whole neighbourhood?" As the voices of his subordinates began to rise, the Captain, Carl, who had been lost in thought alone, raised his hand to quiet everyone. The silence that fellsted for some time. As the gazes of the men gathered on him, Sett finally spoke out, "So, what are you going to do?" At that question, Carl exined his own thoughts, "Well, we can''t just give this job up like this since we have our honour and reputation that we''ve built up so far," When his men were about to start voicing their protests again, Carl quickly continued, "It will work out somehow if we can just get ahold of a Mage. It''s just the fact that there''s a Sorcerer that''s the problem the scale of this mission is something that''s otherwise plenty easy for us to handle," Sett expressed his doubts, "Then you''re going to invite a mage? It''ll cost more than we got paid for this page it''s not like we can just call down a mage with a penny or two," Most of the other mercenaries agreed with Sett''s words, Captain Carl responded to the remark, "The cost of the mage will be charged to the lord who deceived us," Chapter 43 Chapter 43 The next day, the lord had to face the Hound Mercenary Captain and his men who visited him. Of course, the lord didn''t greet them by himself. Several Seers sat behind the lord, who sat opposite the Mercenary Captain and the Overseer, who could be called the Captain of the Seers. Looking at their faces, it seems they''ve realised that this isn''t amon subjugation mission,'' Orc subjugation was one matter, but an Orc Sorcerer was a matter of its own. Thus, the lord, Chester, who hid his slyness, began to talk. "What brought you here today? If it''s about the subjugation, then I believe you should have already started," When he nced at the Hound Mercenaries, their expressions were deste. "I have paid half the money in advance as well. What''s the problem?" When the lord spoke with such shamelessness, the Mercenary Captain became angry, but he knew he had to solve this problem with words. "While we were working, we came across something unexpected," "Unexpected?" The lord scratched his chin, tilting his head curiously, "What is it then?" "There was something you didn''t tell us about," "Won''t you talk clearly?" The lord raised his palms and shrugged, ncing to the Seers around him as though he was dumbfounded, "Was there anything I didn''t mention?" Of course, the Seers, who were on the lord''s side, did not intend to say any nonsense. Instead, they answered, "Was there such a thing? We are unaware of this," The lord, who nodded and looked back at the Hound Mercenaries for their reaction, then asked the Captain, "Did you find that there were more Orcs than you initially anticipated?" "That wasn''t the case. The number of Orcs doesn''t matter to us," "Really? Siron," The lord called for one of the Seers. Overseer; Siron Mark. He was the Captain of all the Seers and the person in charge of all of the territory''s security. "Yes, my lord," "Is there anything you didn''t tell me about?" "There was no such thing, my lord. I tend to include every detail of the estate onto my reports to the lord," The Overseer drew attention to the Mercenary Captain. "If it is the reputation of the Hound Mercenaries, then they should be enough to handle any number of Orcs. I''m sure there wouldn''t have been any problems." He continued, "The Hound Mercenaries wouldn''t havee all the way here just because of the number of Orcs, so it''s surprising to me as well I don''t know why they would havee searching for you, my lord," The Mercenary Captain, Carl, was bing ufortable with them taking off and talking on their own but tried to calm down because there would be nothing good about bing estranged with the lord at this stage. "There was an Orc Sorcerer. We confirmed this ourselves," "Orc Sorcerer?" As if they had only just understood why they hade to see him, the lord and his men began to pour out their reactions as the Mercenary Captain wanted. "The Orcs have a sorcerer if it''s a Sorcerer, wouldn''t that be like a Mage among the Orcs?" "Yes, that''s right. If it''s a mage, it''s definitely. A problem." Chapter 44 Chapter 44 The Mercenary Captain schooled his expression into something more gentle even in the face of such disgustingly obvious acting and directly said to the lord, "So I came back to you because the Unit Price for the job is not right," "The Unit Price doesn''t match the job?" "Yes, of course, the job we took was a simple Orc Subjugation, and there was no mention of an Orc Sorcerer in the job we were hired for," "Hmm" The lord was in a position where he was aware that without a Mage, to subjugate an Orc tribe that had an Orc Sorcerer was unreasonable. However, he had called the Hound Mercenaries specifically because he thought they would still be able to handle the work appropriately somehow. If they had initially put out the job and asked for an Orc subjugation with the Orc Sorcerer included, they could have brought in the appropriate forces. Still, the amount they demanded in terms of pay would have been considerably high. "Well, this has be a rather flustering situation. We would have never thought that there would be an Orc Sorcerer there right?" "Yes, my lord, I had no idea that there would be Sorcerers among the group that I thought were simply Orcs," "Yes, as you can see, we had no idea about this," Carl replied with a crumpled look, "Yes, well, it''s good that you''ve found out about it even know," "Well, is there nothing you can do without your own power?" The lord asked, He was truly shameless. As if he didn''t know. "There''s an Orc Sorcerer, so we can''t do it with our power alone. As you know, Sorcerers can''t be touched with normal weapons as I think we will need to bring in a Mage to fight against the orcs. And the additional costs of hiring the Mage must be covered by the lord," That was when the lord''s expression changed, "And if I said no?" "Then we will take as there was no request for subjugation this time," "Hm, in that case, there might be an issue due to the penalty thates with cancelling the contract," This time, it was the mercenary Captain''s expression that became brutal. "Territory lord, are you nning on going to war against us? If you keep asking for things outside ofmon sense, we will have no choice but to retaliate ordingly," The lord burst intoughter. "Hahaha, I was just kidding. Why are you staring at someone so murderously over a joke? If the wrong person saw it, they would think our rtionship was terrible isn''t that so? Carl?" "We are people who don''t really like jokes," For a moment, the smile disappeared from the lord''s face, "That''s enough, I''ll stop joking, and as you said, I''ll pay for the additional cost of hiring a Wizard. So don''t worry too much andplete the given mission well. These days, it''s chaotic in thend because of the Orcs the headache they give me might kill me," While it was true that he was annoyed, as long as the lord paid for the extra cost of hiring a Mage instead, Carl didn''t have any reason to argue with him anymore. Looking at him epting it, it seems he had expected this much. Well, it''s true that if we went through the normal method, then the overall cost would have been much more,'' "Then that''s alright," Carl nodded, The lord took out a pen and a promissory note, which he seemed to have prepared ahead of time, and ced them on the table. "Alright, how much do you need? There must have been an amount that you had in mind?" Looking at the scrap of paper he took out, Carl frowned again, "My lord, you''re not thinking of paying with that, are you?" The lord, who had been writing, paused his pen and looked up at Carl, "Is there a problem? I don''t have the coins right now, so I''ll write you a promissory note instead," "Mages are paid in advance. And we too prefer visible gold coins to the scraps of a paper that the lord gives," The lord, who tried to settle the matter with the promissory note, had a bitter expression. "It''s not like I''m going to be ruined anytime soon, and I have a steady ie, so what seems to be the problem? With this promissory note, you can get gold coins from me anytime once I write it for you." Chapter 45 Chapter 45 The lord asked once again, Or do you think that this family andnd of mine will be ruined someday? If there is a big war around here, you never know. Who knows if the lord will give up his right to thisnd and run away then? If that did happen, wouldnt any promissory notes written by the lord be worth nothing more than tissue fragments? And its not like anyone will guarantee them instead. Or did the Imperial family guarantee the lords promissory notes? If that was the case, then the Mage might be willing to receive it, Thats its not, Then it will be difficult. The Mage will never trust the lords promissory note. It was a bitter situation, but the lord also knew that the promissory note he wrote wouldnt work well here. Although people in neighbouring territories or merchants who sell within the territory epted promissory notes without problem, outsiders who were not from thends in the area were different. They always preferred gold coins that could be used anywhere straight away, rather than a promissory note that could one turn into useless scrap paper. Then what do you want me to do? These days, thend situation isnt very good, if I had the coins, I would have used them, At that moment, he didnt know why, but Carl recalled the boy from the Banco he had met before. Then you would have to borrow gold coins, The Hound Mercenary asked the lord to pay for the additional expense of hiring a Mage, and the lord did not have to go to the Banco to take out additional loans if he dissolved some of his assets. He hated going to the Banco but I can just borrow the money. Is there any need toy a hand on my property? The phrase that his predecessor and father, Was de Montefeltro, repeatedly emphasised was Be careful of debt. Is there anyone who doesnt know that a lot of debt is a problem? If there was a sudden bad harvest in thend, or if the situation became difficult due to the unexpected problem of war, one might have trouble securing the tax revenue immediately, which can cause problems. But without such things, the additional cost of hiring a Wizard was a problem that could be fully tolerated with additional loans. Its something Ive only just realised, but my father was too afraid of debt. I dont know what he was so anxious about, but if there arent any immediate signs of copse, there is no need to be so afraid. Since he was frequently stopping by the Banco these days, it served as an opportunity to reconsider the legacy left by his father, the previous lord. If there are no big problems in thend, I can pay back the interest and eventually pay off any loans I get. If things do go badly, then as thendowner, I can be a little audacious about it. I, the owner, say I will pay backter, so who on earth would say anything? Perhaps if his Late father knew of his thoughts, he would have been furious, but to the lord, who was already entering the swamp of loans and debt, the legacy left by his father was bing increasingly meaningless. Kehum! Rockefeller, who was working at the banco, looked up when the lord entered the Banco and announced his presence with a loud cough. When Rockefeller, who politely bowed his head in greeting, asked why he came, the lord took a moment before informing him on the purpose of the visit. In this Orc subjugation, I have decided to cover the extra cost of hiring a Mage, Rockefeller, who pretended to know nothing, asked back with a surprised face, Mage? If its a Mage then Is there something wrong with the Orc subjugation? His opponent was a young boy of about 15. On the other hand, the lord had no intention of ignoring Rockefeller too much because he was an assistant at the Banco and the head of a family. Chapter 46 Chapter 46 Its not a big deal, so you dont have to worry that much. More importantly, where is Carter? He, who naturally searched for the owner, was answered the same way Rockefeller responded to any customers who came to the Banco. The owner has some work that he is busy with, so Ive been left in charge of the store. If there is anything you need, you can discuss it with me, my lord, Upon hearing that, the lord narrowed his eyes slightly. How long had it been since he was made an assistant that Carter was already leaving him in charge of the stores work? Carter seems to trust you a lot. I didnt think he was that type of person hes very cautious, Yes, however he trusts me. After all, my father and grandfather were also people of excellent character, Ah, so its the family history then? When Rockefeller looked down with a sad smile, bowing his head, the lord suddenly had a different thought. Rather than that snake Carter, it would be better to borrow money from the young Rockefeller. Id rather deal with the kid. Carter is sneaky enough to be like a goblin, Ahem, well, that means there should be no problems borrowing money from you? Yes, there are no problems, Then I dont have to meet Carter. Ill speak to you instead, The lord immediately continued to speak, The Hound Mercenaries asked for an additional 100 Talents to hire a Mage. Thats why I need 100 Talents right away, 100 Talents? A months wage for the average rural worker was roughly 1 Talent, so paying 100 Talents to hire a Mage for a single mission was an amazing price. A Mages price is truly high, It was the equivalent of hiring awyer or a private doctor in modern times. They were specialist professions with high earning potential. Is a mages wage really that expensive? Of course, not anyone can be a Mage, so the price is higher than normal or else theres no reason to work so hard to be a Mage, As the lord recalled the dead Hans, he smiled faintly, Come to think of it. Your father failed to be a Mage as well. I dont know; maybe if Hans had seeded in his path as a Mage, he would have done quite well. If he was lucky, he might have been able to buy a small piece ofnd and be a noble, His faint smile twisted into ridicule. But of course, he couldnt do that. It wasnt his ce to be a Mage after all, Why was he bringing up a dead person here? And that too in such a malicious way. Rockefeller was upset, but he didnt express it all and instead asked another question, By the way, my lord, this might be a presumptuous question, but 100 Talents is a lot of money for people like us, but for the lord, 100 Talents would not be a huge amount, would it? The lords expression hardened at the implied Why is a man of wealth such as yourselfing all the way here to borrow money?. If he had money in his hands, would he havee all the way here? These days, the problem is that there are too many ces to spend money. Youre asking useless things, Im sorry if it was rude. Im just worried that the money you borrow might cause you trouble, Id get in trouble? The lord smirked, As if, But if you have a lot of debt, wouldnt anyone be in trouble? For a moment, the lord recalled that the Borrowing Certificate he signed could be traded elsewhere, and his expression hardened, but he soon corrected it. Chapter 47 Chapter 47 For this to be troublesome of course, its very much possible for the promissory notes I write to be useless. Theres no need for your useless worries. Im a busy person, so hurry up and get me the Talents, Yes, my lord, Rockefeller immediately headed to the back of the shop to see Carter, who had the key to the safe to get the Lord the Talents he asked for. Carter was sitting at his desk with a sour expression on his face. Rockefeller could roughly guess what he was feeling when he saw the bundle of Lending certificates he was holding. Those are the contracts for the money that is yet to be recovered. In terms of the lords credit, its not a huge amount, but for Carter, it was worth feeling bad about, Those contracts had to be returned to the lord ande back as gold coins. That too with, with interest. However, the lord had only been signing promissory notes and taking gold coins from the shop from some point on. Therefore, as he watched his gold coins turn to scraps of paper, Carters expression was not pleasant. Excuse me, Ajusshi? The lord is here. Hes asking to borrow 100 Talents. What should I do? At Rockefellers question, Carter nodded his head reluctantly, even with the frown still on his face. His opponent was thendowner, saying no wasnt an option. If he wasnt the lord, then I swear I would have gone out there and had a fight, After the usual procedure, the lord took his borrowed 100 Talents from Banco and left, and Carter came to Rockefeller with hisints about the lord. I mean, it feels like he was only here yesterday to borrow money, but why did hee again? Does a young man like himck anything? Whats the problem, Ajusshi? If someone like the lord, with excellent credit, borrows more money from us, then isnt it a good thing? Carter raised his hands that held the lords promissory notes and waved them around in front of Rockefeller. Borrowing should be done appropriately too! Is it a good thing when all he does is borrow money without paying anything back? Rockefeller, this stuff, its just a useless stack of paper at the end of the day, Rockefeller was quite sympathetic to Carters anxiety, Thats right, as you say, those are just pieces of paper with no use, Carter took out a gold coin from his pocket and continued speaking, This is real money, not this piece of paper, Rockefeller opened his mouth with a friendly smile to try and calm Carter down a little, But as long as thisnd doesnt face any issues, I dont think there should be any issues with the lords credit either. If hes paying the interest on time and theres no risk of falling into default right away, its good for us to lend out a lot. Its borrowed money so getting it back isnt an issue, right? Carter was a fairly experienced goldsmith. Therefore, he was very aware of the process in which an extremely good (prime) debtor turns into a defective (subprime) debtor. Rockefeller, you dont know what a bad debtor looks like. Not all debtors were bad debtors from the beginning. Most of them were extremely good debtors with good credit and paid back interest on time, just like the lord, He continued his speech with a look full of dissatisfaction, But if such good debtors start to not pay back their interest on time and only use their credit to carry on receiving gold coins, then theyll turn into exactly the kind of bad debtors we shudder to think of, Carters gut instinct was telling him right now; the lord had the send of a subprime (bad) debtor. If he slows down on principal repayment and then slows down with repaying interest, he will be no different from the people with bad credit. Especially people like the lord, who have power, they are worst debtors than any poor bastard without money, In the future, even if its the lord whoes in, dont lend out money straight away. First, you have to act innocent and tell them theres no money left to lend. And only when they start properly paying back the money they borrowed you can start lending it out to them then. Its not like we get the money off of trees we cant keep lending it to someone who doesnt pay the money back, can we? Rockefeller also understood Carters worries, but his thoughts were different. Carter was worried about the lord defaulting on his loans. On the other hand, Rockefeller saw it as an opportunity to eat him up. I dont get why hes already being so cautious of the guy with no brains. I would properly weave the and neatly take over everything at once if it were me. Carter was flustered and worried because he was afraid he would never get his money back from a debtor with the title of Lord if there were a problem in the future that caused him to default on the loans. The lord was the ruler of thend who had his own forces and held all the authority. How would a goldsmith who pays taxes to such a ruler fight against him? However, Rockefeller was different. Didnt you add in the condition that the promissory note could be traded with other people with the intention of getting the money you lent out back in the first ce? The loan certificate a promissory note signed by the lord was not necessarily traded only within thend. It was a product that could be traded elsewhere with other, powerful people. So it wasnt just a piece of paper after all. It was a death trap that could take everything away from the lord within a single moment. Ive been thinking about how to get a hold of thisnd for a long time. Im finally starting to get a rough picture of it, It was foolish to want to buy a decent piece ofnd at a fair price with his own money. Theres a better way than that not at a fair price, but a way to hit hard properly at a meagre price, Banks didnt lend out money with excessively polite expressions because they were nice. There was something even worse than demons behind the masks they were wearing, and Rockefeller knew how to use them. Killing people with knives is rather primitive and low-level anyway, Those who know how to kill people want to kill them with their own ir. If you want to kill someone gracefully, you shouldy them down in a shroud of debt. Chapter 48 Chapter 48 No matter what Rockefeller wanted, Carter was still the shop owner. It had be important for Rockefeller to persuade him because if he couldnt be persuaded, he couldnt put the lord in more debt. Carter-ajusshi. Isnt it too early to worry about it that much? If he pays back the money he borrowed on time, its beneficial for us to lend out a lot of money unconditionally. The lord is the most trustworthy of the customers we are dealing with, so I think it should be okay to let him more? It wasnt that Carter didnt understand Rockefellers words. From their point of view, it was good to give out as many loans as possible to customers with good credit. I agree with your words that the lords credit is good. Its much better than lending it to someone in a more unstable position. But still, this has never happened before, What has never happened before? The lord has never borrowed this much money in a row before. It doesnt feel good. My instincts arent bad, so Im wary of this, Rockefellers efforts continued, Including the previous loan, the lord borrowed 150 Talents for the down payment to the Mercenaries, and this time he borrowed an additional 100 Talents for a Mage. And adding in the bnce of 150 Talents to be paidter to the mercenaries, the lords recent debt only adds up to 400 Talents. It might be huge money to people like us, but for the lord who controls thend, it cant be that much money its definitely not, (TN That means the lord has to pay 24 Talents of interest a month thats an average farmers 2 year sry on monthly interest alone yikes) You keep urging me to lend the lord money? If we can lend out as much as possible, then its good for us too that way, wont the shops profits increase significantly? It was undeniable that ever since Rockefeller had started working for him, the shops ie had increased. Thats why, even if he was the owner, he couldnt just ignore Rockefellers opinion. Right, I know what youre trying to say. Youre saying that since the money hes borrowed so far isnt too big of an amount yet, it should be okay to lend him more. But the thing is, what Im worried about is whether the lord will form the bad habits, Carter continued to speak, As you said, 400 Talents isnt a lot of money for someone who owns thisnd, but umting debt starts with a small amount. His debt is only 400 Talents, but if he keeps borrowing recklessly, the debt will increase exponentially someday. Thats what Im worried about, If such a situation did ur, what would happenter was like a terrible nightmare for Carter that he didnt even want to imagine. You should never think that everyone in the world will pay your money back on time. If they were some random jerk, it would be easier to get the money back you can just hire some thugs to collect the money, but the opponent is the owner of thisnd. Do you think its an easy task to get money from someone like that? Carter shook his head before Rockefeller could answer. No, its not an easy task at all. Especially with people in power, you have to be careful from the very beginning. We have to adjust things on our end so that our premium debtors dont turn into bad debtors with bad habits, At this point, Carter thought he had said enough and made his point, he thought Rockefeller would understand his perspective fully, but that was his own delusion, What if you could get all the money back? I could get it back? Carter tilted his head curiously without realising, Rockefeller continued to talk, Even then, would you not lend it out? Theres no way that would happenright? Think about it, if you were the lord of thend, would you listen to a person like me who appears and asks the lord to pay back the money? There wouldnt be a problem right now, but if in the future, the lord had a debt level that he himself couldnt handle, then he wouldnt pay anything at all even if it killed him, Thats a little weird, Rockefeller deliberately tilted his head, Why would we be the ones going to get the money? As you said, the lord wouldnt even listen to us, Carter raised his objections, Well, if were not the ones going to get the money back, then who on earth would? Theres this, Rockefeller pulled out a promissory note signed by the lord. Its in the conditions that its for sale to other people. Once we sell it, then that person can go to the lord and receive the money instead of us, Thats If that happens, we dont have to care about the lords debt at all. It will be up to the debt collectors to collect the actual debt from the lord because it bes someone elses responsibility, not ours, Only then could Carter understand the answer that Rockefeller had been guiding him towards this entire time, Then, do you mean you want to hand over the promissory note to someone else? If we have too many promissory notes from the lord, then of course that is what we have to do. Its too big of a risk for us to keep all of them after all. And as Carter-ajusshi said, if the lord lost his ability to repay the debts, then he might respond with some bad ideas, so of course, its a given that we would sell the promissory notes to others, When Carter failed to respond immediately, Rockefeller asked about Carters previous meetings with the lord, Didnt Carter-ajusshi also mention this to the lord? That the promissory note can be traded elsewhere? He had definitely said that. The problem was That is of course, those were just words. Its not like Im an outsider here. I have to live and pay taxes here, so do you think its an easy task to do as you say? I was just saying it to the lord just in case of the worst-case scenario. I have no intention of showing the lord hostility with something like that, If thats the case, why did you get this promissory note? If youre not going to use it to trade with others, then its pretty useless anyway, right? At his answer, Carter frowned. Chapter 49 Chapter 49 Thats why I say that I hate that piece of paper. Its not a gold coin or a certificate but rather just a piece of paper based on a persons credit, Carter continued his words, And others dont want to buy this promissory note either. Who can suddenly knock on the lords door and ask for gold coins? Of course, the owner of the promissory note has the natural right to do so, but the other party is the lord of thend. Its hard work. So if things end up bing bad, then we can end up being on the receiving end of his anger, Amazing! What wrong did wemit that they would direct their anger towards us? Thats what Im saying! Were the weak ones here, they can make a sound in front of the lord, but its not the same for us. The Church is already criticising us for ying with interest. If the public sentiment bes bad here, I could go through a witch hunt. Its so unfair. Who knows, they might even call you a devil child and take you to the square to be burned we have to be careful, Rockefeller, who took a moment to think, lightly clicked two fingers together, I just thought of a good idea. Why dont you do it like this? Did you have an idea? Lend me your ear for a moment, Rockefeller whispered what he had been thinking into Carters ear, and after listening to Rockefeller for a moment, Carter began to nod his head. Alright, thats interesting. How did you evene up with something like that? Rockefeller smiled lightly. Thats how currency is normally made, Well, somehow, Rockefeller shrugged. Money and Currency. Rockefeller knew the exact difference between these two things that the average person might not be able to recognise. Money is usually a deception. And the world Ill make will ultimately start with that deception, If things work out like that, then the lord wont have any choice either, What Carter initially thought was an exciting and brilliant idea had him voicing some anxieties after a moment of thought and because of his timid personality. But wont there be any problems with that? I dont have a clue at all. If theres a problem, itll be a problem for the lord, not us. What did we do wrong anyway? We only used the promissory note that the lord signed for us, Rockefeller answered with confidence, Were not the ones who signed the promissory note anyway. It was the lord. If there are any problems in the future, they should bring it up with the lord, As he listened to Rockefellers calm and confident words, Carter felt more and more convinced. But he was timid by nature andcked the guts to try out new things. I dont know Im still not sure if this is right, Rockefeller was also very much aware of his timid personality. But if you do as I suggested, you can make a lot of money. After all, if a reasonable customer with good credit borrows a lot of money, we can end up making a lot more money from the interest as well, Seeing him still hesitating, Rockefeller told him the most memorable words of his previous life. Carter-ajusshi, shall I tell you my family motto? Of course, there was no such family motto in the Rothmedici family, but Rockefeller continued, To gain something, you must gamble something else. So if you arent willing to ce the bet and gamble, you cant make a lot of money, They were words that left an impact. (Lit Trans: The words had bones) Carter, who had been agonising for a while, reluctantly agreed with Rockefellers idea. However, he didnt want to be the one to take the initiative. Alright. Then lets say youre taking responsibility for this too I dont know anything about this matter, Rockefeller wasnt too upset because it was expected anyway. Instead, he didnt intend to take all the risks unterally. Okay, lets do it that way. Instead, promise me this, What are you talking about? Rockefeller considered his options. What was the best deal he could get out of this situation? I cant ask for too much this is probably the best possible reality. Give me half of the profits from this. Since Ive only taken incentives so far from now on, I want to receive half the profits, Can you find such a bold assistant anywhere else? No matter how good you are at work, how long have you been working here that youre asking for half the profits! That would be quite a lot of money. What is a kid like you asking for so much money for? In response to the clumsy bacsh, Rockefeller pulled on the calm, light smile that was something like his mascot now. Have you forgotten? I may be young, but Im the head of a family. That much money isnt too much for me. Chapter 50 Chapter 50 At the mention of being a young family head, Carter decided to ept his proposal graciously. At the same time, he thought about Rockefellers idea. These are things I wouldnt do even if it killed me. I dont have the guts to do something like that. The same was true this time as well. Unless someone else stepped up to take the lead, it wasnt the type of n that he could even dream about. Carter, who had been struggling for a while, soon decided to ept Rockefellers conditions as though he had no other choice but to do so. Either way, he was someone who was satisfied as long as he was able to earn more money than he had been doing so far. Alright. If it seeds, then as you ask, Ill promise half the profits to you. Instead, I have nothing to do with this. I dont know anything and just got used by you. Never say anything elseter since I only just went along with you, Thank you, Ajusshi, No need for thank you, if this makes money then the thankful one will be me, Rockefeller continued to speak to make sure he could implement his grand n. Mr Carter, with that in mind, for my first pay, Ill ept the promissory note written by the lord instead, Wages from a workce were silver, or for high-earning people, gold coins. Because that was the only thing considered money. So when Rockefeller said he would take the Lords promissory note instead of such money, Carter had to question that decision. Youll take the promissory note instead of gold coins? There was another problem with that. But the promissory note is too big for that. Its a ridiculous amount for the sry youll get, Thats true, so instead, Ill take a promissory note from this store using the lords promissory note as coteral, A promissory note from this store? Yes, How What do you mean? Rockefeller once again showed him one of the promissory notes written by the lord. Okay, so, look at this. Since this is a 100-Talent promissory note written by the lord, we issue 100 promissory notes under the name of this store which is equivalent to 1 Gold using this 100-Talent promissory note as coteral. And out of those 100 promissory notes issued by the store, Ill take a few of them as my wages, Not 1-IOU, but rather 1-Gold? Yes, when someone leaves 1 Talent at the store for safekeeping, we issue a Gold Certificate or a promissory note called an IOU, right? Right, But if we issue the promissory notes using the lords borrowing certificate as coteral IOUs, we would be confused with the Gold Certificates we give out to people when they leave their coins with us. So instead, we issue apletely new type of borrowing certificate in the form of 1-Gold. The difference being, unlike the existing Gold Certificates which the store guarantees, this 1-Gold promissory note is guaranteed by Loan Certificate issued by the lord but our shop does not directly guarantee it, Carter had a look as though he roughly understood the concept. Oh my, and then? So if we also guaranteed the lords promissory note, if people brought this 1-Gold promissory note to the shop, they would be able to exchange it for 1 Talent. That is, only if we at the shop guarantee the lords promissory note, And if we dont guarantee it? If we cant guarantee it, then, in other words, it would mean that, even if you bring the 1-Gold promissory note to the shop, we cant exchange it for 1 Talent. Then, the people who have this 1-Gold, should go and demand the gold coins from this promissory note issued by the lord, right? I see, so if we dont guarantee the promissory note written by the lord, then the responsibility for upholding the new 1-Gold promissory note issued using the lords note as coteral falls on the lords original promissory note, not us, The important thing is that we have to clearly state this on the 1-Gold promissory note. That way, we can avoid the responsibility in the event of any problemster, Let me ask you something, Yes, ask me anything, Carter had another doubt. He couldnt calcte what one could achieve by doing something like that. What do you expect to get by going as far as to issue a mere 1-Gold promissory note, I told you earlier, right, for the lord to be held ountable for the promissory loan notes he has issued without having too many thoughts about it, those promissory notes should be shared by many people, Right, The promissory note signed by the lord is toorge, and its too inconvenient to be able to use it to trade with ordinary people. Were helping to resolve that issue. We share the rights of the promissory notes written by the lord to everyone in the territory, Rockefeller put up his index finger. The important thing here is that, because we hold the original promissory note signed by the lord, we still get the interest payments, but the right to collect the money has already been split and sold to others. However, because what weve given to people is not the gold we have but a promissory paper note called 1-Gold, we can back out of any trouble that shows up in the future, Hooo. I see, but will that be okay? People usually prefer gold or silver to borrowed certificates themselves. Since thats real money, To be honest, its a bit ufortable, but Ajusshi, wouldnt everyone follow after I take the initiative? If I intentionally avoid the 1-Gold promissory note, who else would dare to follow me and spend it like money, Rockefeller smiled with a knowing look in his eyes. And this is just the beginning of this work, From Carters point of view, Rockefellers idea was so ingenious that he stood there for a while, reflecting upon the things Rockefeller had said. No matter how much I think about it, its an ingenious idea how could hee up with something like that? Distributing the promissory note written by the lord indirectly, instead of directly trading it, and even handing over the follow-up responsibility while we still get the benefits of the interest .What a genius idea! Rockefeller had never looked as amazing to Carter as he did right now. It wasnt just ingenious to have such an idea he was a genius! Chapter 51 Chapter 51 Rockefeller-hyung, whats that? When Rockefeller pulled out the promissory note at their dinner table, his younger siblings showed great interest. Whats that? The younger brothers, who were staring at the slip of paper that was the promissory note, had curious twinkles in their eyes and question marks in their voices. A slip of paper with a few sentences written on it. Except for therge phrase 1Gold, the letters were so small that they could barely be seen. It was then that Andrew asked, Did you bring this from the Banco? Since he was the oldest after Rockefeller, Andrew had a clearer memory. He remembered seeing a promissory note from the Banco that their father, who had once been a tax collector, had brought home. However, he didnt know what it was exactly or how it was used. Right, its from the Banco, Banco? Perhaps it was the strong perception of Banco = money the younger brothers forgot about dinner and began to get up from their seats, showing excessive interest in the promissory note. Wow, its from Banco! Then what can you do with this? What can I buy in the market if I have this? If there was a fully grown adult here, they might not have thought in the same direction as his younger siblings. In their view, the piece of paper that Rockefeller had taken out would be nothing more than either a promissory loan note from the banco or just a piece of paper. It was only because of their strong understanding of the Banco being rted to money that his younger siblings reacted like that and not because they understood what the promissory note really meant. This is what I got as my wage, The younger siblings looked even more surprised at Rockefellers words. This is a wage? Wow, so this is what the Banco wage looks like! Its so cool, However, the reaction of the second child was quite different from that of the younger ones. Its its not money, Andrew seemed to know for sure what real money was. Almost like an adult. Did you get scammed? This isnt its not real money, At Andrews anxious words, Rockefeller replied with a smile, Thats right. Its not real money. But in the future, this will be used like money, Really? As usual, Joshua showed strong curiosity towards something he had never seen before. Does this be money? To be honest, Joshua, like Andrew, knew what real money was like. However, because of his strong belief in Rockefeller, he simply epted what Rockefeller said as the truth and instead showed curiosity about something he didnt know before. How can you make this into money? Chapter 52 Chapter 52 Just like he had to the craftsman who had created the 1 Gold promissory note for use in the Banco Rockefeller began to exin to his younger siblings about money and currency and how cash and money differed and how the small promissory note issued by Banco could be used as money. Even after hearing his exnation, his younger siblings made a face to show that they didnt understand it all straight away. And towards his confused younger siblings, Rockefeller showed the same gentle smile. Even if its hard to understand now, you can start learning about this stuff slowly from now on. We have a lot of time anyway, Andrew still seemed a little doubtful, even after hearing Rockefellers exnations. His confidence that it wasnt a scam still seemed only at the halfway point. But will market merchants ept it as money? While the second child doubted such things, the third child, Joshuas thoughts were different. Of course, they would. Didnt you say that the Banco would exchange it for gold coins? Andrew tilted his head, unsatisfied, But its not real money, is it? Im sure theyll find it suspicious, But since Banco will exchange it with gold coins, whats the problem? Leo, who had been listening to their back and forth quietly, finally spoke out, I think itll befortable, When the normally quiet Leo spoke up, both Andrew and Joshua paused, their eyes gathering on him. Comfortable? Yeah its light since its made of paper, Leo answered. Leo said it well. As he said, since its light, more people will like it, and maybe lots of people will be able to use it like money like Rockefeller -hyung said, Really? Andrew was still unsure and scratched the back of his head, unconvinced. I dont know. Rockefeller, who had watched them talk and discuss their opinions quietly, stepped up, Not everyone would feel the same way about this. People like Andrew may doubt and dislike or avoid this method. And there might be people like Joshua and Leo who find itfortable and portable. But, Rockefellers expression became serious, This promissory note has to be used as money. It doesnt really matter what other peoples thoughts are on this, What does it have to be like that? Is there a reason? At Andrews question, Rockefeller briefly exined the reason, but he didnt go into too much detail. Just because he was willing to teach them everything doesnt mean they could not understand everything just yet. And this was one of those things that his siblings were too young to understand properly. Well, just know that if this goes well, I would be able to share half the profits with the store owner. This way, we can make more money and be rich, Really? For real?! Although Rockefellers brief exnation seemed to have flown over their heads a little, they showed quick understanding at the prospect of being able to make money and saying they would be rich seemed to go down well. Awesome! Thats why I hope you guys can help me out a little bit as well, How can we help you? Rockefeller-hyung! Just say the word! Welle forward and help you with anything you need! What could he expect from little kids like them? But what he wanted from them was truly a small task however, Rockefeller didnt doubt that their small efforts would one daye back to them as huge returns. Chapter 53 Chapter 53 Dont lie! What kind of nonsense is that? Im telling you the truth! Andrew said to the children who had gathered around the fences to go weasel catching. They didnt look satisfied. If you worked at Banco, then you should get money! Why are you getting paper instead? I dont understand it! Was it really paper? Not Talent? Yeah, he said it was some kind of borrowing certificate he said that this would be money in the future, Borrowing certificate? Whats that? I havent heard of that before, Andrew, didnt your brother get scammed in Banco? In theirmon sense, only gold and silver were real money, and the promissory note that Andrews older brother, Rockefeller, had brought back was not real money. I feel like he might have been scammed, Me too, You think the same way, dont you? Yeah, But Andrew still looked confident. Its not a scam, so dont worry. If you take this to the Banco, then theyll exchange it for gold, Really? Is that really for real? Yes, Wow, awesome! Thats not a lie, is it? Andrew smiled and replied, My brother works in Banco, of course, its true! Why else would my brother bring back paper from Banco? Wow, thats so cool! If I take that to Banco, theyll change it to a Talent right away? Then its like money, right? Thats right. If you can change it at the Banco for a Talent, then its money! Andrew responded as if he had been waiting for those words. Obviously, its money otherwise, would I have said its money? Youll see. My brother said that people will use that paper like money just watch, and youll find out whether its true or not, Just as Andrew was exining to the kids his own age, Rockefeller, who had stopped by the market, worked hard. However, the difference from Andrew was that he was directly interacting with people to use the gold certificate as if it were money. .. Whats that? Rockefeller, who had just gotten his clothes tailored at the tailors store, paid something in paper. Oh, this? His reaction was so within expectations that Rockefeller began to exin the new promissory note he had given without changing his expression. I got it from Banco as my sry. You said youd take a Banco promissory note instead of Talent, right? In the case of a shop run by a tailor, it was a ce where the money came and went inrger amounts than other stores, so in addition to transactions done with gold coins, a gold certificate was also epted like money. Thats true but. There was a reason why his expression wasnt so good. The promissory note Rockefeller had given wasnt the gold certificate he usually sees but apletely new one. Our shop does ept promissory notes However, this isnt a promissory note Ive seen before. When Rockefeller heard that, he exined the 1Gold promissory note as if he had been waiting for the chance. Upon hearing the exnation, the tailor was taken aback and asked, The lord is guaranteeing this? The existing promissory certificate, also known as a gold certificate, was called 1IOU Banco directly guaranteed it. 1Gold, on the other hand, was guaranteed by the lords loan certificate and would thus be directly guaranteed by the lord rather than the Banco. Yes, exactly. The promissory note given by the lord to our store was issued as the coteral for 1Gold, which means its technically true that the lord is guaranteeing it. Well, thats what Im saying, There was a curious look in the tailors eyes as he stared at the new promissory note. The lord guarantees it? Not even Banco''s guild but the lord? Was there a promissory note in the world that could be guaranteed not by the Banco business but rather by the lord of thend? The tailor was still only half-sure. Youre not lying, are you? Lie? Dont you know I work in Banco? The tailor was one of the best customers of the Carter Banco there was no way he didnt know that Rockefeller worked there. No, I know youre working there, its just that Ive never seen something like this before. It hasnt been long since it came out, Apletely new form of promissory note. The tailor, who had been agonising over it for a while, decided to check first. Like the previous 1IOU, there was no reason not to ept it if the Banco could exchange it for a Talent without any problems. First, Ill go to your shop and check it myself. Its kind of bad to just take your word for it and simply ept it, Of course, do whatever you want. Will you be going to the store with me now? The tailor went to the Carter Banco with Rockefeller and got his 1Gold exchanged for a Talent. Of course, up to here, he faced no issues. Chapter 54 Chapter 54 The tailor was dumbfounded when he saw the Talent ced in front of him. So it was real? Then as the kid said, this is a new IOU? Carter tilted his head and asked the tailor, Did youe to check it out yourself? Yes, the child working here was holding something unfamiliar, so I came here myself to check if it was real, Its a new product. There arent any problems with it, so you can head back, How fascinating to think its a promissory note guaranteed by the lord, Thats not it, to be exact. Its guaranteed by the loan certificate signed by the lord. Everything is properly written on the 1Gold so when you have time, take a look, Its fine. Why would I bother checking something like that? As long as I can exchange it for Talents here, then thats the end of the matter, When he saw his reaction, Carter gently hinted his intentions, Well, now that youre here, are you going to exchange it for a Talent? The tailor looked at the promissory note called 1Gold and then at the Talent in front of him. In truth, carrying around the promissory paper note was morefortable than carrying around the coins. No, Ill just take this one. Even if I take the gold coins, wont I have toe to youter anyway? The storage fee is a waste when this is so easy to carry and store, Then, of the two forms of money in front of him, the tailor picked the promissory paper note and returned to his own shop. Rockefeller, who was watching the exchange silently, smiled lightly, and so did Carter. Carter then spoke to Rockefeller, Your work seems to be going better than I thought. People seem to like the lords promissory note more than I thought thats what it feels like anyway. It seems so. After all, this new promissory note is guaranteed by thendowner, as opposed to the shops promissory notes, Then, Ill get moving again, Are you going out again? Its only when I move around a lot that the people around here will be more familiar with the 1Gold certificate, How many times had he repeated that to Carter already? What about the clothes you bought? Its the same thing Ill go and get a refund, Right, he would get a refund when he got there. Rockefellers goal was to make people feel more familiar with a new promissory note called 1Gold anyway. It wasnt to recklessly spend his wages shopping. Its not like I have the money for that anyway, Then Ill be back. Ill leave the shop in your care in the meantime, Carter couldnt stop theugh that burst out when Rockefeller, with those simple words, left once again. Hes good at acting. Seeing as I dont have that stamina anymore I must be getting old, Although he hadnt known it at the time, it seemed like a stroke of good fortune for him to have brought Rockefeller into the shop. I feel lucky, The announcement of the 1Gold borrowing certificate, which began that way, went smoothly. Some market merchants started using the 1Gold certificate a few dayster instead of the existing 1IOU. This is its a promissory note guaranteed by the lord himself, Oh, I saw that too. I heard its a new thing theyve started this time around, Do you know that the lord writes a promissory note to the Banco whenever he needs money? Of course, I know, It seems like theyre issuing this with the lords promissory notes as coteral. In Banco, their belief in the lord is like iron so they will change the promissory note to Talent for you, The two merchants from the market who had met by chance continued to chat, Ive been thinking about it too I think the certificate rted to the lord is better than the IOU issued by Carter Banco. What the Carter Banco issued if that Banco goes bust, then theres no way for us to get our Talent back, but thats not the case with the new promissory note, right? Thats what I think too. Thats why some of the people I know seem to have already visited the Banco and exchanged their existing IOUs for the Gold certificates, What? Already? Thats right, I mean, think about it, if the Banco fails, all the IOUs are nothing more than pieces of paper, so who would prefer the promissory note issued by Carter Banco? Rather, the promissory note rted to the lord would be safer, Huh. then are you going to do the same thing? Of course, Im going to do that. Itsmon sense, Rockefeller, who had been passing by, listened in on the conversation between the two merchants on the market floor. Things were going a lot smoother than he thought. I thought it would take longer for the new promissory note to be integrated into the market floor, so its a little surprising. The fact that the newly released promissory note reced the existing IOU at a faster-than-expected pace also proves that the lords credit was good. Well, I do understand them. Of course, people would think that a promissory note rted to the lord is safer than one issued by one small Banco. Though thats not the case in reality. Suppose one actually read the small text on the surface of the 1Gold certificate. In that case, it clearly states that the certificate is taking the lords loan as coteral and has no direct rtionship to the lords residence. Nevertheless, market merchants simply moved on from that without much consideration because they were able to receive gold coins without any problems when they visited the Banco with the 1Gold. Thats exactly what I was aiming for. If we were reluctant when epting the 1Gold certificate, peoples thoughts would have beenpletely different from now. They would have thought there was some problem with the 1Gold. The most important factor when it came to the field of finance was the ability to deceive people and for that, what contributed the most was their own ignorance. If everyone knew about my ideas, would they move so well on the ying field I hadid out? Rockefeller smiled without realising it. No. People dont like being used, so that would have never happened. But that didnt matter because people were still ignorant. So he would continue forwards. Thats why the people on this market floor would y his games unknowingly and move well, ording to his ns. Amoners dream is to drown his lord in debt and seize thend he abandoned. The first stage of achieving his dreams was going ahead smoothly. If things carry on like this, maybe its not unfair to have not been born a nobleman. Since itll be enough to be a noble on my own. Chapter 55 Chapter 55 Here you are, The man in a long robe that came down to his knees expressed his doubt, What is this? He had definitely handed over the mana stone and, at this price, was naturally expecting an Imperial gold coin, a Talent, but wasnt the mana stone merchant handing over an unfamiliar piece of paper? He was embarrassed for a moment. The little girl who was with him asked curiously, Is something wrong? She was short and dressed in an oversized hood that hid her face, but the way she spoke implied that she seemed to be in a higher position than the man she was with. Lady Isabe, I was handed something other than a Talent as the price of the mana stone, so I was doubting myself if on whether the deal was right, They gave you something other than a Talent? Yes, mydy, Although she was young, she was not as ignorant of the world as others of her age might be since she had spent time walking around outside. What did he give you instead of a Talent? The man quickly looked over the paper the mana stone merchant handed over. It seemed to be a promissory note issued by a specific Banco from a rough nce. Its a promissory note, Promissory note? As far as the girl knew, one coil sometimes receives a promissory note as the price of an item. Its an IOU from a ce called Carter Banco. Well then, cant you just go to the Banco and exchange it for a Talent? Thats true but. There was another reason why the man was troubled. He had been handed over a slightly different form of a promissory note from themonly seen one. Usually, when a Banco issued a promissory note, the exact amount of gold that the Banco guaranteed was written on it; however, this promissory note only said that it was written with the lords borrowing certificate as coteral. The content is a little strange. There is no guarantee of any gold coins on this promissory note, This man was indeed, a highly educated magic instructor. Therefore, he had strong doubts about the very thing that themoners of the lords territory had simply glossed over. Theres no guarantee? That cant be true, The store owner they were working with hurriedly began to speak out now that he had been thrust into a scenario where he wasing across as a scammer, Oh, Im aware of that, but if you got the Carter Banco with that, the owner of the Banco would give you the talent without any issues. If the Banco doesnt give it to you, please revisit our shop. If that does happen, I will find another way to pay you for the mana stone, To think you could take this strange promissory note to the Banco and exchange it for gold coins without any problems! The two customers looked unconvinced. The banco will really exchange this for gold coins? Yes, its true. There havent been any issues with it so far, Thats strange. Its not very convincing. After all, the credit of the lord here isntparable to that of the Imperial family. Even so, hes our lord. Although this used to be the able ce where gold used toe out, but now, no one is paying attention to this ce. Is there any problem with it? As long as there isnt a war in the Empire, there will be no problem, While the man in the long robe was conversing with the shop owner, the girl, who looked over the promissory note more closely, eventually shook her head. There is nothing on here that guarantees gold coins, The girl looked up at the shop owner. In his expression, there was not a hint of embarrassment or hesitation. He truly believed that there was no single lie in what he had said. He seemed to believe in this strange promissory note. Well. I dont think hes lying, at least. The girl was interested in the Banco he was talking about. Looks like well just have to go and ask. Rockefeller faced the two unidentifiable customers who had visited the shop. One was a tall man with apparent, solid features, and the other was a young girl who looked to be around the same age as his younger brothers. The girl was wearing a hooded robe, so he couldnt see her face, but the man took off his head and clearly revealed his presence. Who could they be? Among the people who came to the Banco, very few were random people off the streets. Most of them were aristocrats or merchants who worked with a rtivelyrge amount of money. Though their identity was unknown, Rockefeller smiled naturally and dealt with them as usual, What brings you here today? When Rockefeller spoke, the old man looked behind him and said, Wheres the owner? The owner? Why are you looking for the owner? The man would have never thought that Rockefeller was working at the shop as an employee. He looked far too young for that. I have something to say to the owner of this shop. When the man replied with an expressionless face, Rockefeller was a little suspicious, There shouldnt be any issues, right? If youre here for business with the shop, you can talk to me about it. Im looking after the shop business, The man looked quite surprised at his words. Chapter 56 Chapter 56 A boy this young was doing an adults work in Banco? The man was too surprised to speak for a moment, and the little girl, who hadnt been interested in the conversation previously, began to pay attention to Rockefeller. Did Bancos hire young people too? She was young too but seeing a boy that could only be a few years older than her working in ce of the owner made her curious. How interesting, The man, who had be flustered for a moment, stared into Rockefellers eyes. He was a mage. It meant he had enough skill to determine truth from lies from ones gaze and recognise any unclean or turbulent energy within people. And that was the same for the little girl with him. Hes not lying. But I dont think hespletely honest either. While the girl was lost in thought, the man said, I dont think you would dare like about something like that, so Ill tell you why were here, The man took out the promissory note that the merchant had given him and showed it to Rockefeller. To get straight to the point, I came here because I want to exchange this for a Talent. It should be possible right? Compared to how they behaved, their reason foring turned out to be very simple. Whats with these people? Rockefeller, who worried they might be trying to cheat him, naturally took out the special artefact that allowed him to separate real documents from fake ones. It looked like a magnifying ss, but rather, it was a magic tool produced by the Sinir family. When he took it out, there was a subtle shift in the expression on both the man and the girls faces. They seemed to have recognised the artefact. After a moment of checking the promissory notes, Rockefeller looked back at the man with a bright smile. Would you like to exchange them all for Talents, or would you like some Shillings from this territory as well? At those words, the man couldnt help but let out a slight smile, He was amazed by the fact that those strange promissory notes could be exchanged for gold without any problems. Is there no problem with exchanging them for Talents? Problem? What kind of problem do you mean? It was then that Rockefeller realised why their expressions had been grim when they first came. It wasnt like there werent people like them after all. Was it because of that? Well, I suppose not everyone is the same. Im sure some of them were pretty suspicious at first. If youre asking about this promissory note, then theres no problem at all, Rockefeller shook the magic artefact in his hand, This is a magic tool made by the Sinir family, and I checked the promissory notes with this. Theres nothing wrong with them at all. No problem Perhaps he wasnt convinced because he stretched out his words slowly. Its weird that there isnt a problem. The same hesitation was true for the girl who followed the man. Theres no problem? Was that possible? In fact, from the standpoint of these two, there was no need to question the strange promissory note as long as it could be exchanged for Talents without any problems. Not only was it not their job it was tedious and nosy. Please change a portion to shillings and the remainder into Talents, Of course, please wait a moment, When Rockefeller disappeared inside the shop to bring the coins in exchange for the promissory notes, the man politely asked the girl, Mydy, what shall we do? He did not make all the decisions but rather her. She was his superior and a member of the most prominent family on the continent. Isabe still looked unconvinced. How can there be no problem with that false promissory note? Are all the people here fools? It cant be that they think this territory or that the territory lord will never fall? From the perspective of the majority of citizens, it was the mostmon line of thinking to believe that the lord could never fall from grace. To the people of thend, that was theirmon sense. However, from her point of view, where the position of such a territory lord wasughably low, the existence of such a lord was by no means an unbreakable power or an eternal being. In the end, a territory lord was another human being and was people who could lose their status when they became wrongly involved in political struggles ormitted wrongs. Which is why she had such strong doubts. Its not like the Imperial family is guaranteeing that promissory note directly, nor does it say that any other family will guarantee it. Its a promissory note that will be a scrap of tissue if the lord here goes bankrupt and hes saying hell exchange it for Talents? The man felt the same way, but he understood themoners thoughts to an extent. In general, people of such territories often believe that the lords power is absolute. So mostmoners do believe that their territory lord will never fall. The people here probably think a little differently from us, That cant be true. How many lords from our territories were pushed away recently? But the people here havent heard of that? Thats true even so, this ce is located on the very outskirts of the Empire, so its rtively more stable than the other territories with various political interests. So if the lord doesnt cause any trouble, I dont think thend should face any issues, Speaking of which, the man had a rough feeling of why the people of this territory trusted that strange promissory note. Just as they believed the Empire wouldst forever, they believed the lord would not perish. Furthermore, if the promissory note was being exchanged for Talents without issues, was there a reason to continue doubting it? I still dont get it. Its not even his Majesty isnt it funny to trust a promissory note that holds the territory lords credit as coteral? I think its possible because its here, Have you already seen it before? No, Ive never seen such a promissory note before. But merchants here are indeed using this strange promissory note as if it were money itself. Everynd has different circumstances, but I think this ce is rather special, simr to Lyon, Lyon was one of the richest cities in the Empire a ce where trade and finance were well-developed. But to think this kind ofnd that was out in the periphery of the Empire could be called simr? This is the outskirts, right? So how can youpare it to the richest ce in the Empire? Hm, it just feels like the system itself is somewhat familiar it just feels like Lyon, I dont know why, Jason, you dont know much about money, do you? If youre talking about the field of finance, then thats not a field that a noble mage takes an interest in at all, Then who would take an interest? Isnt it quite important if its a matter of money? It is important, but generally something that an indulgent priest or a fearlessmoner who knows how to count and isnt afraid of hell takes charge of. Its not something that a noble mage would be interested in, Really? The girl who had many thoughts in her head muttered. Chapter 57 Chapter 57 In the meantime. Rockefeller brought the Talents and shillings they had wanted from within the shop. Feel free to count it. It should all be there, When the man, who checked everything, informed the girl there was no problem, the girl, instead of leaving the store, began to ask questions, If youre working in a Banco, then you must be amoner? I have something to ask you, When the girl suddenly started to converse with him after being quiet in Rockefellers presence the entire time, the man who was with her became a little flustered, but he quickly regained hisposure and said, She is a high-ranking person. Be mindful of your manners,moner. As the girl had spoken to him, others had too so Rockefeller wasnt flustered. This happened from time to time when working at the Banco, so Rockefeller wasnt embarrassed by the mans stern tone and showed courtesy to the girl. Is she a noble? Although he had suspected they were both nobles from the beginning; he hadnt expected that the girl would be the higher ranking of the two. The girl must have been the offspring of some noble family. And the man who was with her was likely her attendant. But where are these people from? I think its my first time seeing them. There were very few nobles and wealthy people within the Montefeltro Territory, and Rockefeller had be familiar with most of them. He had seen them all at least once or twice while working within the Banco. Then are they outsiders? My apologies for not recognising you as such. It hasnt been long since I started working here, so my eyes cannot discern high-ranking people yet. Please extend your generosity and forgive me, When Rockefeller asked for forgiveness with courtesy, the man closed his mouth with satisfaction. Now that an appropriate atmosphere had beenid out to hold the conversation, the man nodded to the girl to continue, and the girl spoke out towards Rockefeller. First of all, whats your name, Something like his name wasnt necessary here. What was important was his surname and his familys name. What the girl was asking, when she asked his name, was to find out where Rockefeller was from and who he might be affiliated with. It was something one could roughly determine from someones surname. I am Rockefeller Rothmedici, Rothmedici? It was the first time she had heard this name. Still, she nced at the man just in case and made sure there were no issues. You can converse with himfortably, When the man said that, it meant that it was okay to do anything when dealing with this boy. It was possible to p him on the cheek or even kill him if she so wished. But she was just curious and had no intention of harming Rockefeller. Rothmedici its my first hearing it. Theres something I want to ask you, as amoner, Of course, Ill answer anything, Rockefeller bowed his head and lowered his gaze. The promissory note you traded earlier, didnt you feel any problem with it? Rockefeller unconsciously raised his head and tried to look at the girl to answer but hurriedly bowed his head again. It was just for a moment, but he felt an icy gaze on him when he raised his head. Its my first time talking like this, so its unfamiliar I think I just made a mistake. Even when the lord came in, they never talked like this, so he had unintentionally raised his head without permission. But the girl didnt seem to care much. I want to look at each other while talking would that be okay? I want to have afortable conversation. When the girl turned to the man asked, the man nodded quietly. Rockefellers existence was so insignificant that there was no problem even if she showed her face to this face. As soon as the man granted his permission, the girl took off her hood and continued, Raise your head. Its okay to look. I want to talkfortably, As Rockefeller raised his head, the girl with purple hair looked straight at him. I think its my first time seeing a nobles daughter. The difference between innocentmoner girls of the same age was obvious perhaps because they grew up as nobility? It was kind of a hard-to-approach air that surrounded her. It wasnt just that she was a noble. Her appearance was exceptionally elegant for someone of her young age. Even so, she looks like a kid. Soon after, Rockefeller, who had the spirit of an adult, quickly regained hisposure and faced the girl calmly. Now answer, did you not feel that there were any problems? Since she was telling him to befortable, he had no choice but to befortable. Yes, I didnt feel there was anything there. Rather, I want to ask you, why do you feel there was a problem? The man narrowed his eyes over the child, whose attitude had suddenly shifted. No matter howfortable they had told him to be, usually, when it came tomoners, they would hesitate to even step in the shadow of an aristocrat. It wasmon for low-ranking people to be restless and nervous when talking to aristocrats, but how dare this meremoner with an unknown family name to speak so calmly against a member of a high-ranking noble family? The man, who was slightly upset, could vaguely guess the reason, Is he not scared because hes still young? Or did he be unafraid of aristocrats because he works at the Banco? Banco was a ce where even high-browed aristocrats rxed their overbearing posture. Thats what happened because you have to entrust the money that was as precious as your own blood and even borrow money. Perhaps it was because this boy worked in such a ce that he could be fearless. How can he look at me like that? Normally we wouldnt even make eye contact properly. The same thing was running through the girls mind who faced Rockefeller. She had wanted to chatfortably, but she had never imagined he would be sofortable. Chapter 58 Chapter 58 The old man thought that perhaps Rockefeller was the most daring and quick-thinking boy he had ever encountered. Youre a strange person, It was the little girl who had led the conversation but now she was the one who felt ufortable. On the other hand, Rockefeller felt no inconvenience in dealing with this little girl as if dealing with any othermoner. What are you so taken-aback about? You told me to talkfortably so Im takingfortably. If you tell me where you felt the problem lies, I will try to answer you sincerely, When Rockefeller tried asking again, the girl begant to react. There was nothing on that promissory note that guaranteed gold coins, nevertheless, you gave me the coins without any problems here. Cant you feel anything weird about that? Yes, thats true, but as written on the promissory note, its guaranteed with the promissory note issued by the Lord as coteral, thats why it can be exchanged for Talents. Do the people here believe that the Lord will never fall? Yes, of course. The Lord is like the sky is he not? It was then that the man who intervened between the two. There is nothing eternal about a Lord or his territory, boy. Even in times like these, there will be Lords who will disappear due to political problems within the Empire or territories that will be invaded by foreign powers, Of course, Rockefeller understood what they were taking issue with. And what Rockefeller wanted was that their line of questioning to not spread to others. I know it all too well but I need to take advantage of the ignorance of those who dont. Weve never thought that the Lord or thisnd might fall. And if youre a Lord, isnt it natural that there wouldnt be a problem? The man pointed out again, Thatcency is the problem. To issue a promissory note that holds no worth beyond the Lords own promissory note a Lord on the periphery of a territory, not even the imperial family! Usually when ites to a promissory note, it should be gold coins used as coteral, not the Lords credit. Excuse me, Im sorry to say in the middle of a conversation, but are there any problems with the Talent we gave you? Why are you asking that? If what you had just said is the problem, of course it would be our shop that would suffer the damage but I was wondering if you were worried about our shop? As you said, if the Lords credit is damaged, the well get the damage since we issued the promissory notes with the Lords credit as coteral and gave out the gold coins, The girl answered shortly, Not only you, but many people will suffer because of the Lord, As you said, that would only happen when if things went wrong, right? The girl waited quietly to see what Rockefeller would say, But our Lords credit status is very good right now. Our Lord he pays his interest on time, and he has never once caused trouble because of debt problems, Rockefeller put on an innocent smile that screamed Im a good person. Thats why we canfortably use the promissory note that puts the Lords loan as coteral. If they Lords credit was bad, would we give out Talents for such a promissory note, that might be more a worthless piece of tissue one day? Of course not, The girl nced at the man behind her when she heard that the Lords credit status was better than expected, and the man was lost in thought for a moment but soon, he gave Rockefeller the reaction he had wanted. If the Lords credit here is sound then I dont think it would cause any big problems, Are there no threats here? As I said, this is a territory on the periphery of the Empire. Its a peaceful ce where no territorial or political issuese to mind, As he thought about it, the man was able to recall the old name this territory had, A long time ago, this ce was called the Azrak Goldmine, and was thend of the Dwarfs." Chapter 59 Chapter 59 Azrak Goldmine? I think Ive heard of that. Yes, it was one of the more well-known gold mines on the continent. But now, I hear that all the gold veins have dried up and died and that this territory had been incorporated into the imperial territory after the dwarves withdrew from it, The little girl pointed out the small possibility of hope, If there was such a big gold vein int he past, wouldnt it still be there? The man however, denied even the small possibility of such a thing, Mydy, the dwarves, who care more for gold than their own limbs, would not be that soft. If there were any gold veins alive on thisnd, there would be no reason for them to abandon it. But they left without any regrets.That means thisnd is already dead. As thought to emphasise his words, the man continued, Theres a good reason for everything in the world, My Lady, The girl lost what she could say when even the idea that there was gold in thisnd that could cause conflict had been dried up. What was clear was that there was definitely a problem with those strange promissory notes issued by this Banco. However in order for those problems to arise, the situation in thisnd had to take a turn for the worse or the Lords credit status had to be disturbed. But since there was no way to point that out anymore, she as an outsider, could not take any further issue with it. Is that so? Well, if there was no specific or immediate problem then getting involved was rather a nuisance. Rockefeller, who watched their exchange closely, judged that the girl would probably not throw out any other issues on the subject and said, Thank you very much for your concern about our shop, but if the Lords credit is strong, there will likely be no problems, She had exchanged her promissory notes for Talents. All of her questions had been answered too. When there was nothing more to see, the girl looked at the man and the man acted quickly, having understood the meaning. Then, shall we go? The girl who turned to follow the man without reply, suddenly turned back and asked Rockfeller and unexpected question, What if what if there was a problem with the Lord credit? It probably wont happen, but what if it does? 1 in 10-thousand. What would you do if that 1 in 10-thousand thing happened? Rockefeller paused at the girls question. Then he answered without a lie. At that time, we would somehow find a way to get the money we lent back no matter what. The girl had asked the question without expected much a response. However, the girl was surprised, and even the man, who was holding the door at the threshold of the shop turned around and looked at Rockefeller. Would such wordse from a 15-year-old boy? At that moment, they could no longer see Rockefeller as the young banco assistant who lowered himself to deal with nobility. Sitting in that chair behind the counter, he looked like a devilish creditor, who would do anything to get his money back. If I am unable to receive money from my Lord, Ill take something of corresponding worth instead. If there is no money to reimburse his debt, then the rights of his castle and his lordship and if he didnt even have that, then thend would do. If he didnt have thend, then I would take the Lords soul. Rockefeller once again smiled the bright and innocent smile at the two, who had yet to move another step. After all, we never do business that causes a loss. Chapter 60 Chapter 60 Was it realistically possible for a rabbit to visit a tigers den and receive money? No matter how soulless a banco was, it was a joke that was too harsh for the two people to hear. Both had forgotten what to say or how to reply. They were unsure whether to let that unreasonable joke slide by as a simple joke. Or should they consider that those unreasonable words were not a joke at all? Youre going to get it back? A banco assistant against the owner of the territory? How? Rockefellers still smiled at the girls response, Well, as long as I get it back any way should be fine right? Your joke seems a little farfetched, The man still at the threshold called out to the girl, as though he had decided to just let it pass. Lady Isabe, shall we go? Rockefeller had said those things so matter-of-factly, that the an was suspicious for a moment, however, no matter what a young boy said, it was impossible for a rabbit to visit the den of a tiger and take back what they were owed. So the man dismissed the boys words as a bold barking of a small dog. At the same time. Rockefeller was thinking of something else entirely. Hold on, did he call that girl Isabe? Rockefeller was supposed to hear the name of the girl who hade to the shop. Was that why she reacted after seeing the artefact before? Although they were very small clue, Rockefeller was able to guess the girls identity to some extent due to the subtle changes in the girls expression, and her first name. How surprising. Well, I suppose not everything that happened would show up in the novels story. Surprisingly that girl was one of the characters whoter became involved with the main character. Night Road Isabe (T/N Could be Night Rod or Night Road its hard to tell when english words are written using korean) She was called a master of magic, a mage belonging to the Sinir family and often flirted with the main character. Then the man she was with was Jason the Hound? During Isabes childhood, she was said to be attached to him as teacher and student. Suspicion soon turned into conviction. They werepletely the same as they had been described in the novel. A mage with a cold first impression and indigo hair. Shes still young but Im probably right. And her teacher, a hunting dog, tall with sharp, pointed features. Both are exactly the same as they were described in the novel. All the magic she dealt with was deeply connected to the dark attributes which meant that the nickname Night Road became attached to her. But that doesnt mean she was a witch. The nature of the magic itself was darkness, but it had nothing to do with ck magic which was rted to demons and necromancy. Even in the novel, she was on the good side. I didn;t know Id end up seeing the novels heroine here. In the story, she was said to have travelled around the continent with her hunting-dog teacher when she was young that must be what this is. Then, why was she, one of the novels heroes along with her familys servant, here? In the very periphery of the empire? No way, are the mages the Hound Mercenaries hired those two? Rockefeller couldnt be sure, but why else would a mage be in a ce like this? It was also worth some doubt, since the rumour was already spreading that the Hound mercenaries had hired a mage for the Orc subjugation. By any chance youre not a mage or anything are you? Isabe was a little take-aback by the sudden question. They hadnt even revealed the fact that they were mages but the worlds most ordinary looking Banco assistant had guessed who they were. Why do you ask? There was a rumour going around that the Hound Mercenaries are hiring a mage for their mission. I just asked since youre outsiders and wearing robes that mages like to wear. Robes are often worn by aristocrats and priests as well, The material of the robe looks very god. Ive met several nobles here, but this is the first time Ive seen someone wearing such a high-quality robe. Even the Lords wife cant wear clothes like that. And most of the priests wear simple robes so thats definitely not it. Then either youre a higher noble than the nobles here or a mage since mages are rich. Isabe, who avoided answering, nced back at Jason, who also seemed a little embarrassed. Despite having taken steps to hide their identities, even going as far as to restrict the flow of mana around them so no one would notice their identity had been revealed, so they became somewhat flustered. Does he just have good instincts? How did he get that right? They usually just take us as being nobles. It was not necessary to inform him that they were indeed the hired mages, but the boys reasoning was not bad in its own way, so it became difficult to deny. Youre asking about useless things, Rockefeller scratched the back of his head when the man showed signs of difort. Well, if youre not then youre not. I was just asking out of curiosity, it doesnt mean much, The boarders of the empire. Jason, who thought there would be no issues even if their identity was revealed here, answered Rockefellers question. Your hunch was right. As you said, were mages, Wow, are you really? So how did mages end uping all the way here? A mercenary we bumped into asked for some help they said it was a difficult situation since they had no way to take down an orc sorcerer. Of course, they didnt care about the remuneration. It would be a good way to teach mydy who is still inexperienced in actualbat. Chapter 61 Chapter 61 The proposed remuneration wasnt bad, so we decided to help, When Rockefeller heard that, his eyes narrowed slightly. They ran into the mercenaries? Well, mages from the Sinir family probably didnt agree because they needed money. The amount the mercenaries offered wouldnt have been right for them in the first ce. Unlike other mages, those from Sinir, the family known for being masters for magic, were worth their weight in gold. So it didnt make sense that the Hound Mercenaries, who were just looking for someone to hold down an orc sorcerer, would be able to offer the appropriate price. Then you are the mages who came for our territory right? For the Orc Subjugation? Still standing at the threshold of the shop with one hand on the door handle, the man nodded his head. While Rockefeller showed an appropriate response to the situation, the girl, who was watching this exchange, still wanted an answer to her question, So, go back to what we were talking about before How are you going to get the money front he Lord? My Lady, its no use paying attention to such things. One banco employee does not dare to exercise the power of a promissory note over the Lord. How could he get the mone? The one hes up against is the owner of thisnd. The man continued, I think it might just be this little boys wish and nothing more, The girl had considered that at first as well, but her eyes were different from others. Her eyes were those of pure magic. They were eyes that could indirectly see into a persons mind, and with those eyes, she understood that the boy had not lied to her when he said he could get the money back. Seeing the innocent energy that swayed around him, he looked very much like those who hid their inner thoughts. In other words, he was hiding something. Tell me. I want to hear it. The desire to reach out and grab hold of knowledge and an innate temperament of not being able to tolerate unanswered questions were defining traits of a mage. She too, was born with such a mage-like temperament and so, she wanted to know what thoughts this boy held. But Rockefeller wasnt someone who would easily scratch her itchy spot for her. When he saw the undivided attention the heroine from the original novel was showing him, Rockefeller reached up, scratching the back of his head in innocent confusion, Well, if youre borrowed money, isnt it natural to pay it back? Thats why I said that, His sly acting was close to perfection. It was like he had learned to act with a theatrepany. The girl showed slight disappointment at the sight, but that was only for a moment. No, Im sure youre up to something. It was clearly visible to her, and the mana she concentrated in her eyes. He was hiding something for sure. Its something he cant say out loud? Is it something like that? How could he get the money that hes lent out the Lord back again? Unable to ovee her curiosity, Isabe took a step forwards towards Rockefeller without realising it. The man who had been watching them, looked surprised. To think she, who was always indifferent, was so interested in something. Youre that interested? But it doesnt make any sense, The power that the little girl possessed was also something that the man possessed. However, it was such a strange idea to him that he didnt have the same doubts as her. Chapter 62 Chapter 62 Mydy, like I said, its an absolutely impossible story, Tell me. How can someone like you get the money back from the Lord? You were saying you could so confidently before, right? The man tried to stop the girl but she continued to question it. Cant you just tell me? It shouldnt matter if you just tell me right? Rockefeller was stuck in a difficult position when the girl who was about to leave, began showing renewed interest in the subject. Ah, she was a Sinir mage wasnt she? The kind who cant stand being curious. The reason why she ended up bing one of the main heroes and entangled with the main character was because of a situation not dissimr to this one. She couldnt hold back her usual curiosity, coincidentally developed an interest in the main character, whichter turned into her liking him. Seeing how persistent she is, she must have used the Eyes of Truth () and saw that I lied. Nevertheless, from Rockefellers point of view, the man with the same power had responded in a way that was theplete opposite to this little girl, which meant that he wasntpletely without options. One says its nonsense and the other keeps asking me to tell them as if Im hiding some great secret but in fact, theres nothing much. Whether she could see through his inner-most thoughts or not, Rockefeller decided to stick to the same attitude until the end. Isnt it natural to just go and get the money back? Thats why I said that, but if you misunderstand it that much, then I have nothing to say The girl looked disappointed and the man thought that it was a waste of time. Mydy, usually those who belong to the Banco are not always honest, even when it seems like they are telling the truth, wearing a smiling mask there is always a deeper lie made of greed behind it. Perhaps the misunderstanding My Lady had might have had some influence on the boys denial. Although we can see through anothers lies with the power of the Eyes of Truth, it is simply the essence we see, we cannot read their minds, The reason that man hade to a different conclusion to the girl despite having the same power, was due to this reason. The Eyes of Truth did not show them another persons thoughts. And besides, those from the Banco were not honest people to begin with. They were those blinded by greed, who smiled while they lied for profit. I think its just the boys one-sided wish to retrieve the money and its probably because he works for the Banco, that he seems shrouded in half-truths. Anyway, The man continued, They are those who dare go against the world of god and receive the gods anger, Gods anger? One of the reasons people from the Banco are criticised is because they receive interest in return for lending out money, Is that a problem? Interest is something one receives across the time theyve lent out money. As you know, time is Gods territory, so to use time a means for self-interest is uneptable. The man expressed his own conclusion, Since they are like that, from the perspective of the Eyes of Truth they might always seem to be lying on the inside and my Lady may havee to a misunderstanding because of that, Really? Im saying that this is what it could be my Lady must make the final judgement, When Rockefeller heard that, he almostughed out loud without realising it. Interfering in the realm of time and receiving gods fury There are people who mug others at sword-point, and people who use magic to put themselves above others but rather than them, were the ones who anger god? Compared to them, Id say were downright saints. Chapter 63 Chapter 63 For a moment, Rockefeller wanted toment on the mans words but he decided against it. What worth was there in arguing with someone who had already made up their mind? He hated tiring himself out. It was fun meeting the novels heroine but I dont think therell be any benefit to this conversation if we continue talking. There were polite question from the older man, who wanted to appease the little girl, So what shall we do? The man felt that he had given enough of an exnation, but still, his position was one that meant if the little girl insisted on remaining in the shop to talk to Rockefeller, he couldnt stop her. As the man waitied, the girl, who agonised for short moment, turned away with a disappointed look. Did I? Did I see it wrong? She was still a young girl. Even if her natural talent was the best of the best, her judgement could still be immature due to ack of experience. Which was why, she considered the possibility that she may have misjudged and took a heavy step towards her teacher, epting his words. I suppose it could be a misjudgement. Would it be so easy for a young boy to get money from the owner of thend he resided in? If you have the power, its possible enough, but you dont, then its an impossible task. The appearance of Rockefeller from a moment ago, who said he would even take the Lords soul of he had to, was still unforgettable to her. How dare amoner show such confidence? It was refreshing in its shock value. We probably wont see each other again Although she still had some hesitation, she couldnt do anything and followed the man on her way. As the two left, Rockefeller sighed briefly. Huu~ At the same time, Carter, who had been watching the situation closely from inside the shop, came out to talk to Rockefeller. Was that the mage just now? Perhaps for the people of this territory, a mage was an even more fearful existence than the Lord. Which was why, Carter, who was hiding to save himself from the ire of the mage, appeared just as they left. Yes, probably. Its a relief they left. We almost got into trouble with mages. Rockefeller couldnt help but smile over at Carter, who had a hand to his chest, breathing a dramatically relieved sigh. Carter turned to ask Rockefeller, They didnt notice anything about our work did they? Dont worry, they just had a few doubts but soon went on their way. Then thats a real relief. If those wizards noticed our ns and tipped off the Lord, we would be in serious trouble. Rockefeller smiled brightly. Why would we get in trouble. It would be the Lords fault, not ours, since the problem would ur if the Lord doesnt pay back his debts. Thatstrue, And dont worry too much. Our n isnt something that can be executed straight away anyway. Enough time needs to pass first. Rockefeller continued, Also when the Lord owes a debt that he stops paying, the structure of this n has been set up in a way where we benefit as if weve hit a jackpot at that time. As Rockefeller said, their ns werent things that coulde to fruition straight away. They might even take years. That was just how difficult it was for a weak person to collect debts against a powerful person. The wizards who just came wont be able to notice our ns. Therell be no problems that will pop up right away and even if problems do pop up, theyll forget about this ce by then. Since a lot of time will have passed from their visit. Right? I thought so too, So dont be so nervous like that. There are no issues to this whatsoever. Haah, I have to make my heart bigger, but this chest is too small. (T/N to have a big heart is to be resolute or calm in the face of adversity hes saying he would like to be calm too but his body doesn''t seem to cooperate) Carter pounded his chest with a fist in frustration as if to demonstrate, then asked another question, Waiting was another problem for him. By the way, I feel like Ill be at the end of my life at this rate for all the waiting were having to do. How long do we have to wait? It seems people are already turning to using the new gold promissory notes that we made, Rockefeller had never once shown any impatience about the wait. Because the ability to wait it out was the most important quality in someone who was seeking a big hit. Chapter 64 Chapter 64 The more boring our wait is, the sweeter the fruit it will bring. Our results will beyond imagining so please keep waiting. Until the people here use our gold promissory notes as if they were money. Rockefeller continued to speak, And something like this isnt done overnight. It will take a few years at least 10 years at the most. Rockefellers age was still 15. Even if this n took years toe to fruition, Rockefeller was at an age where he wouldnt lose anything. Because he was just that young. Even if it takes three or five years here. I dont have anything to regret. Im so young that I need to pass the time until Im an adult anyway. In order to get out of Carters shadow and be independent, it was important for him to reach the age of adulthood. ording to imperial customs, it was only after he became 18 that he could be treated as an adult. And dont worry too much, even if youre disappointed with the money right now. Theres another way we can make money aside from what we have nned already. Carters ears pricked up at Rocekfellers words. What? What did you say? What? I said there was another way to make the money that you love. Carter felt his heart pound. That was just how much he loved to make money. What are you talking about? The money were already making isnt bad, are you saying I can earn more than this? Yes, when the timees, the Lord needs to be in heavy debt fro us to be able to make a big profit right? Thats right, thats right. In order for that to happen, we need a lot of money dont we? That way we can lend a lot of money to the Lord, Carter nodded his head quickly. Of course, but how do we go about earning more? With the knowledge I have, I cant think of a way to earn anymore money. Rocekfeller grinned at those words. We should slowly move on to the third stage. Before now, Ajusshi, youve only leant out your own money and made interest on that, havent you? That was stage 1. Carter nodded, not denying his words. Thats right, After that, we secretly started lending out the customers money and earned interest on that too right? That was stage 2. Right so what are you talking about? That precocious rule of the modern banking model of course Rocekfeller was aware of it too. He smiled a meaningful smile and exined stage 3. From now on, were not just going to lend out customers money were also going to lend out money we dont have. At those words, Carter couldnt erase the the nk expression on his face for a while. What? What was he talking about? What does that mean? How can you lend out money you dont have? Rockefeller was still smiling. Hm, how should I say this? Its the surprise factor of this business. Chapter 65 Chapter 65 Andrew hyung this is kind of If Rockefeller hyung found out about hed get really mad The third child of the Rothmedici family, Joshua was trying to convince the recklessly brave second child Andrew. Andrew on the the other hand, continued to drag Joshua forwards with a fish wrapped around his wrist and yelled at him for his protest, You idiot We cant just let Rockefeller hyung suffer all the time! We should go out and do something as well! It wasnt like Joshua didnt understand Andrews feelings, he felt the same way towards their eldest brother, but even with that, he didnt think sneaking out to go gold cer mining was the right option. Even so, I dont think this is right. Rockefeller hyung said it loads of times, that we shouldnt go cer minding. Thats its really dangerous. Didnt they say orcs were around? I know that too! But Rockefeller hyung is working really hard every day! Dont you feel bad for him at all? Though he did felt bad, this still wasnt right. They both stopped in ce, and Joshua decided to stand his ground. No way. This isnt right. Rockefeller hyung will be super mad. I dont want to go. Andrews expression became fierce, and strength went into his fist that was still holding Joshuas arm. If you dont follow me, Ill hit you? Do you want to get beat up again likest time? Although Joshua was afraid of Andrews fists, he was even more afraid of angering Rockefeller. If we go out there and go cer mining, would Rockefeller hyung even be happy? No way, hes definitely going to be angry. He might even hit us! The Rockfeller before our Rockefeller. The Rockefeller that these two brothers had known all their lives was someone who, once they did something wrong, came out to punish them with a vengeance. The old Rockefeller had been somewhat of a tyrant in his household, to the point where when the brothers had caused trouble, he had brought his own wooden sticks to thoroughly beat them up. Of course Andrew had the same tyrant-like aspect in him as the old Rockfeller, but even he had been thoroughly beaten into submission by him that was the only reason why Joshua, who was at the bottom of the food-chain among the three brothers, dared to rebel against Andrew. Since he was more afraid of Rockefeller who sat as the reigning king of their food chain. Are you really going to be like this? Andrew snapped impatiently. Andrew hyung, you acted like that in the past as well, doing whatever you wanted but I knew Rockefeller hyung beat you up I saw you two out in the rain, didnt you get beaten like a dog that day? Have you forgotten that already? Well that Recalling that nightmarish memory, Andrew faltered a little and Joshua began to convince Andrew with even more strength in his voice, I know Rockefeller hyung has been only using his words these day, but we dont know that for sure do we? What if you actually die from a beating this time around? Andrew hyung, I really dont think we should do this. With his brother stopping him at every turn, some of the fight left Andrews body and the strength of his grip loosened as well. Then what should we do? Because of us, Rockefeller hyung spends everyday working dont you feel sorry towards him at all!? Joshua couldnt reply to those words because he shared the same feeling. In the end, the two brothers, who had given up on the idea of going cer gold mining, wondered around the market square together in search of way to make money and eventually sat down side by side on the stump of a tree that had been cut down. The only real way they knew of to make money was to go mining the way Rockefeller had taught the. Joshua stared up at the blue sky that was clear but for a single puffy cloud floating peacefully by and muttered to himself, Isnt there any way to make money like Rockefeller hyung? Lets go look for gold then, Im saying something other than mining what else could we do? Rockefeller hyung said it right? The only real way to make money was by doing business or sitting around. Didnt he say that about making big money? Not just making any kind of money, Shut up, Afraid of making his older brother angry, Joshua shut his mouth, but then he looked down at his feet in disappointment. Its not like we can make money by sitting around. Truth be told, Andrew agreed with him. How would they even start with making money by just sitting around? Then well have to make money through a business. Or maybe start a shop. We need something to sell if were starting a shop. Thats true, Isnt there anything good? While they were talking, Andrew happened to spot the Hound Mercenaries that hade to visit the market. Hey, look its the mercenaries over there. Mercenaries? where? There. Theyre Hound mercenaries do you know about them? They say that the Hound Mercenaries can even catch ghosts. But why did the mercenariese all the way here? Well, wouldnt they havee to buy stuff at the market? At that moment, an idea crossed Joshuas head. Andrew hyung, I think I found it. Found it? What did you find? A way to make money. Chapter 66 Chapter 66 At his brothers sudden announcement, Andrew was taken-aback. What are you talking about? A way to make money? Those mercenaries over there, arent they camped quite far from here? Ive heard they dont stay near the vige, Those guys? I think so its not near the vige at least, For children who liked to y at war, the mercenaries who carried real swords were a topic of utmost interest. In particr, if they were well-known mercenaries then all the more so. For that reason, groups of curious children had already poked their noses around and found the ce the mercenaries had made their camp. It was knowledge that was well known among children of their age. Right? So why did they decide to camp so far away? Do you know Andrew-hyung? Apparently they dont get along with the Seers here. Since theyre not people of the territory I guess the Seers dont like them. I think the mercenaries are just taking that into ount and keeping a distance of their own ord. Among Andrews friend, there was one fellow who was both brave and friendly, and had mustered up the courage to strike up a conversation with one of the mercenaries passing by, Andrew had been with him at the time and listened in on the conversation. I see, But what were you saying before? Theres a way to make money? If youre talking nonsense, youll get hit, Despite his brothers threat, Joshuas eyes were sparkling. Its true, I have an idea. Andrew-hyung, listen, those mercenaries over there, they stopped by the market to buy ingredients, right? I guess so, Then we can run errands for them! Think about it, they must find it bothersome toe all the way to the market every time they need something too, I think that should be okay? Andrew-hyung, lets go before the other kids think of it, When Joshua pushed, Andrew jumped up from his seat without hesitation, Then Ill go and talk to them. As soon as Andrew said he woulde forwards, Joshua followed him without a word of protest. Inwardly, he praised his brother, As expected, Hyung is the best when ites to things like this. Andrew, who had already reached within earshot of the mercenaries, called out, Hey Ajusshi! The Hound Mercenaries who had lost the bet and were forced toe to vige market had been full of irritation. The vige market was annoyingly far from the website and they had ended up stuck on food duty today. Plus, because of the terrible nature of their colleagues, they had been forced to walk the entire way without exception. It was one of the conditions of the bet. What is it? When a little boy boldly came up to them, calling out, the mercenaries expressions crumpled into something ugly. He thought of the annoying vige children who stuck together, buzzing around like furitflies and begged for money. If youvee to ask for money, then dont bother. Andrew bravely stepped forwards to the mercenary and said, Not that, dont you need someone to run errands for you? Joshua, who was silently watching from a step behind Andrew, silently cheered for his brother, he was more timid, and couldnt boldly talk to adults like Andrew could. Errands? Theres no work, so just go, the first mercenary snapped, trying to chase the children who looked like they would be annoyances away. Another mercenary, who had been watching the exchange, began to show interest in what Andrew was saying. Hm? Did you say errand? When one of the mercenaries showed interest, Andrew opened his mouth again, Yes, I asked if you needed someone to run errands for you? Isnt it annoying toe all the way out here to buy ingredients every single time? If youre going to do that every time, then you can just ask us to do it. Well make sure the ingredients reach you. The second mercenary who had shown interest in Andrews words, blew a long whistle and drew the attention of the other mercenaries. Hey! This kid wants to run errands for us! What errands?! Come over here first! Everyday, some mercenaries were sacrificed to the journey they had to make to the market to buy ingredients. There was the option to buy a lot of ingredients at once but preparing food with old ingredients meant there would be a drop in the taste of the food they had to deal with that anyway when they were travelling, so when they could, they at well. But it meant, someone who lost a bed or lost a drinking game would have toe to the market everyday to buy the food. Either way, well be getting busy soon, we cant do this every single time. Everyone needs to get enough rest as well, so how can wee all the way here every single time? Lets just get these kids to run the errands and solve the food problem this way, When they heard that, the two mercenaries who hade to join them, began to nod. The subjugation operation, which had be a bigger mission than expected due to the appearance of the Orc Sorcerer and the subsequent recruitment of mages would clearly leave them extremely busy. I think thats okay, Me too, When the mercenaries agreed, the second mercenary faced Andrew with a somewhat suspicious but stern look, Hey kid! Yes? If you lie to us, youll die at my hands. You know how scary we are right? What lie? I wont ever lie! Just trust me once and leave it to me, Ill show you! Really? Then can you buy us the things we Ajusshi tell you to and bring it to camp by tomorrow? The price.. The opponent was a child who could probably be paid less than what they would pay an adult, but the distance between the market and camp was quite long so they wouldnt ept too little either Hey, one shilling is enough for them. Thats a lot of money for them. Alright, then, Ill give you one shilling a day as payment. But you have to definitely buy all the ingredients, got it? Yes! Of course! Trust us, you can leave it to us! We wont let you down! And like that, as their conversation came to an end, the mercenaries instructed them to to go the camp tomorrow morning and left with their ingredients. Chapter 67 Chapter 67 Andrew, who suppressed his excitement until the mercenaries were out of sight, turned to Joshua as soon as they were gone with a wide grin on his face. Hey! We can make money! We make 1 shilling a day from tomorrow! Well done, hyung! Hyung is the best! What are you talking about? Youre the one who came up with the idea! That continued for a while, as they yelledpliments at each other, relishing in their sess. Rockefeller hyung will be happy too! Its not even dangerous work! Of course hell be happy! If its 1 shilling then our entire family can eat until our stomach bursts everyday! That evening, while they were having dinner, Rockefeller was surprised with the sudden news from his brothers. What? Youll be running errands? As though he was unable to contain his excitement, Joshua kept wiggling in his seat as he talked, Yeah! From now on, well be delivering the mercenaries their ingredients. The mercenary ajusshi said toe to camp starting tomorrow! Really? Rockefeller considered it for a moment. Although there was quite a distance from the camp to the vige, its wasnt sorge a distance that the two boys would get lost. It was about a two-hour roundtrip by foot. And it was safer than one would think since there were camps for hunters and woodcutters nearby that they could run to for help if anything did happen. Then thats good. Earning one shilling a day by running errands isnt bad at all, Right? You think so too, dont you, Rockefeller hyung? Of course, well done. But since its near the forest, you should go straight to the hunters camp or the woodcutters camp if anything does happen. Hyung is okay with what you want to do, but you know I hate dangerous work. Of course! Joshua answered and Andrew spoke up confidently, Rockefeller hyung, dont worry, thats the ce where I always go to y with friends. Uncle Tompson and Uncle Bill are always there as well, itspletely safe. Dont worry, nothing will happen. Alright, but even so, you never know what might happen so always consider you safety first no matter what youre doing, Got it! Turning his attention away from the two brothers who had found a little job for themselves, Rockefeller looked to the remaining two of his siblings, What about you Leo? How was your day? Did anything happen? It did. It did? Leo, who rarely spoke and spent his days quietly had a different answer than usual. It piqued Rockefellers interest, What happened? Well. I went to the church with Lucia. The priest who gave me the shilling fromst time said to visit, so I did. So you visited the church, Yeah. And they gave us bread. Its the daily bread for young worshipers. The ajusshi said that if we want to eat bread again, we should go every weekend, At the news that Leo had take Lucia and visited the church, Andrew pulled a disgruntled face, Why go to the church? That ce is so boring, Right, the church is boring, you should havee with us instead, it was really good today, Joshua agreed. Just because. As Leos voice began to lose strength, Rockefeller decided to encourage him a little, Its alright, you did well. Going to the church isnt a bad thing. From now, if you get bored, you can go as often as you want, Really? Looking into Leos sparkling eyes, Rockefeller felt a little burdened. Leo was normally quiet, he didnt speak out much and nothing seemed to interest him, he didnt have strong opinions so he didnt fight like Joshua and Andrew did either. This Leo was different from the one Rockefeller usually saw. The only time he had been engaged was when he had talked about the ajusshi from the church who had given him the shilling. He must have really liked the church if he looks that excited to go. Leo, you can go to the church as you like. Theres not a single person here who will stop you going to the church. At that, Joshua mumbled under his breath, as though he was just talking to himself, If Leo goes to the church then itll be hard for me and Andrew-hung to take the ingredients. The priest ajusshi said to visit on weekends. I can help hyungs during the other days, Rockefeller spoke up, No. Leo is always the one looking after Lucia so he doesnt have to go out and work. Its okay for you to stay back, At those words, Joshua and Andrew couldnt protest. Like Rockefeller said, Leo was the only one who usually stayed at home to make sure Lucia was looked after. Right, since Leo looks after Lucia, thats fine, Looking convinced, Andrew also raised his voice to agree with Rockefeller and despite looking a little disappointed that they had lost Leos help with the errands, Joshua too, eventually agreed, I get it. Looking after Lucia is work too, so Leo should take good care of her, Chapter 68 Chapter 68 As soon as dawn came, the two brothers headed to the mercenary camp that was located in the clearing of the forest, some distance away from the vige. The mercenaries had begun preparing from early in the morning because today was the day that the Orc Subjugation mission would begin As they arrived at the mercenary camp, the mercenaries quickly noticed two children wandering closer and reported as much to Set, who was directly below the Mercenary Captain in their hierarchy. The fact that the children would running errands for them had already been discussed with the rest of the mercenariesst night and everyone agreed that once the subjugation was in full swing,bour would be far too precious to send mercenaries to gather food. So youre the kids I got word about itst night, Set greeted them. Wheres the Ajusshi from yesterday? We have to meet that Ajusshi. As Andrew nced around the mercenary camp, looking for the mercenary they had spoke to yesterday, Set scratched the back of his head, You can just speak to me you guys are going to be gathering ingredients for us right? Yes! Leave it to us! Well do a really good job! As the two children responded with vigour, Set led them further into the camp, Then, do you see that Ajusshi holding adle over there? Everyday, if you go to that Ajusshi, hell tell you what is needed, you just need to go to the market and buy everything he tells you to. Before hed even finished talking, the two children were readily walking away from him, so Set had to call them back, Hey, wait a second. What are your names? If were going to be seeing you often, we should at least know them. Our names? Right, what are your names? Im Andrew Rothmedici! And Im Joshua Rothmedici! Upon hearing their bright reponses, Set came to realise that the two children weremoners. Rothmedici so theyremoners. But you guys Set paused, hesitating as he recalled the young boy he had met from the Banco that time. Andrew and Joshuas faces seem to ovep with Rockfellers at ces. Huh theres no way things like that happen. I must be imagining things. Its nothing. Anyway, do well from now on. Head over there now, Levan will be waiting for you there. Yes sir! The two brothers answered loudly, and headed to the ce that Set was pointing to you. They found a tent decorated like a simply kitchen and came to face a chef with a wooden prosthetic leg. Levan. In the past, he too had been a mercenary who stood on the battlefield but after losing a leg in a battle with an ogre, he became a chef in charge of his colleagues meals. Despite missing a leg, he was a very big person and so appeared incredibly intimidating to the two children. Are you the ones? The kids who are going to be getting ingredients from the market today? Yes! Despite their clear response, Levans expression was grumpy and he looked at the two brothers with doubt, They looked a little young to be running errands like this and he had heard it was their first time doing something like this too. But what would they do? It was necessary to find someone to bring the ingredients on behalf of the busy mercenaries, Just looking at them like this, I dont think theyll try to cheat us. When asked to run errands like this, there would asionally be idiots who would buy bad ingredients for cheap and fill their own stomachs with the remaining money. That was part of the reason Levan was making the mercenaries run the errands themselves. But looking at these kids, he thought it just might work better this way too. Thats because he thought the children would be naive. You guys. If you secretly run away with the money after saying youre going to run errands, you know those Ajusshis out there will be going out together to catch your right? Chapter 69 Chapter 69 Despite his threat, the two brothers, who were already too excited about making money, barely registered the fear, We dont do things like scams! Should we tell you where we live instead? Youll trust is if we do that right? Trust us! Im confident we can do well! Rather, they showed even more enthusiasm. Levan cleared his throat, asking with a more natural expression, But by the way, why are you so excited? We can make money! Of course were excited! If we just do the job well, we can earn 1 shilling a day! Was one shilling a huge amount of money? Of course, for rural field workers, it wasnt too small an amount. However for him, who had been a mercenary for a long time, one shilling was not much money. He had lost one leg and was in charge of his colleagues meals, but he was still getting paid simrly to his colleagues, and the sry was quite a hefty amount since the job of a mercenary was difficult and very dangerous. Well, for you guys, 1 shilling must be big. Okay, Ill tell you the ingredients to buy to today. As Levan said so, Joshua took out a small notebook and a portable feather pen from his pocket. They were relics that had once been used by his father. What should we buy? Levan was a little surprised to see that. You guys know how to write? Yes, of course we know, It was quite surprising to see that there was a child in the rural periphery of the Empire who could read and write when eve grown adults didnt know how to. It was even more surprising for him, who firmly believed in that strange myth that one would only be courageous when they didnt spend their time with reading or writing. Since you dont have to memorise it all, its better. Then Ill tell you what we need. As Levan told them which ingredients to buy for that day, Joshua diligently wrote it all down. I dont mind if its more expensive, make sure you bring good, fresh ingredients. Weve had some high-ranking guests show up yesterday so I have to pay more attention to the food, Whos here? Andrew asked, The mage who joined the subjugation. Because of that bastard orc sorcerer. Mage? Really? For rural children like them, mercenaries who wielded swords and knives were of great interest, but a mage was something that was difficult to see even once in their lifetimes. Then where is the mage? When Andrew asked with shining eyes, Levan shook his head. They were already precious guests for the mercenaries, how could he let these kids go over and bother them. No. Theyre high-ranking people. You cant go and see them. Just know that theyre here. Joshua, whos eyes were also sparkling brightly turned to Andrew, Wow! Awesome! Andrew hyung did you know that there was a mage here? No I didn know! How could I know that! There werent even any rumours! Levan couldnt help but smile as the children chatted excitedly like theyd just discovered some kind of treasure. Anyway, move quickly. You wont be able to bring everything back at once with those small bodies so you might have to go back and forth a few times a day. Yes sir! Chapter 70 Chapter 70 After receiving the money, the two brothers, who left the mercenary camp, headed straight to the market. The distance between the mercenary camp and the market wasnt a problem for the two brothers, who were too excited about being able to make money to concern themselves over that despite it being a long way to the markets. They arrived at the vige market with excitement and began to buy the ingredients Levan had asked of them. Once theyd gathered as much ingredients as they could carry between them, they immediately began heading back the mercenary camp. However, even before leaving the market square, Joshua called out to his older brother, who was walking slightly ahead of him, Andrew hyung, What? Wait a second, I have something to say, What is it then? Joshua put the shopping on the ground for a moment and continued, I was just thinking should we take a little bit from here? Take it? What do you mean? Its well, its a little hard to take everything back the mercenary camp, I was just thinking that even if we take a few things from here, it wouldnt be obvious. Andrew responded with a sharp voice, No way! Thats cheating! Joshua, whos words had been cut off sharply, once again began trying to persuade his brother, Even if we stole a few things from here, you wouldnt be able to tell. We cant! That would be scamming them! We made a promise with the Ajusshi'' that we absolutely wouldnt scam! But are you saying youll bring all of this to them? Then we should at least get more money. This is hard work, Were already being paid for the hard work, But we could get more. Are you really going to be like this?! Andrew hyung, try to think a little differently. We dont have to bring every single thing to them like idiots. Andrew didnt like Joshuas immoral side while on the contrary, Joshua was frustrated with his older brother, who was trying to be stupidly honest about this. Even if we take a little from here, they wont know. And if we do take some, that just means our family can eat a little more in the evening. Andrew hyung, you know it too dont you? There are a lot of mouths to feed at our house, so were always hungry at dinner at time. Even so, this isnt how to do it. **** And thats why you ended uping here? Rockefeller said to his two younger brothers who had dropped by to visit him. The two brothers, who were fighting to see who was right while running their errand, stopped by Carter Banco, where their eldest brother was, to get a quick answer for their dilemma. Just beforeing to the Banco, theyd had the following conversation: Since its near the market anway, lets got to Banco and ask Rockefeller hyung, hell be able to tell us what the right answer is. Okay fine, if Rockefeller hyung says Im doing something wrong, then I wont bring this up anymore. But if Rockefeller hyung takes my side, then Andrew hyung wont say anything either? Okay, lets do that. But if Rocekfeller hyung says youre wrong, you wont touch these ingredients. Of course! Carter, who had been working on making gold coins, popped his head to the front of the shop and looked at the two children who were visiting the Banco. Why are your brothers here? Nothing bad has happened right? He asked. No, its not a big deal, just a small family matter, Really? Rockefeller asked Carter for a little time, and took his two younger brothers outside of the shop. Chapter 71 Chapter 71 Then he began to express his thoughts on the subject of the twos arguments. Alright, about your argument, Ill tell you what I think. As if standing in front of a judge, Andrew and Joshua gulped, as they waited fro Rockefeller to voice his opinion, You both got it right, and you both got it wrong. They, who had thought Rockefeller would side with one of them, heard the unexpected answer, the two younger brothers looked a little flustered. Rockefeller hyung, what do you mean? Both of us got it right and wrong? Doesnt that mean neither one of this got it right? It could meant that. Rockefeller began, In cases like these, its really important to build up and maintain trust, like Andrew, especially if want to deal with a lot moneyter on. Andrew was happy to here that while Joshua became sullen, Then, like Andrew hyung said, do we have to be honest and keep their trust? No, you dont have to be too honest. Maintain their trust, but you dont have to be honest. When they heard that, their expressions changed again, as Rockefeller continued to exin, If youre absolutely honest all the time, theres no way you can make a lot of money. But you also cant make money if you lose trust. So you maintain trust, but dont have to be honest. Do you understand? The two younger brothers lookedpletely lost at his strange words. Rockefeller hyung, its too hard, I dont get what that means? Same for me, I dont get what you mean by maintaining trust and not being honest at the same time? At the end of the day, making money is a result of taking other peoples money. Then, how can you take other peoples money? By being honest and good? If youre too good, people will never be willing to pay, since theyre not idiots. So like Joshua said, you wont be able to make money that way. To do so, would be to only deal with fools. Andrew became deted at those words and this time, it was Joshuas spirits that were lifted. Yeah! People arent fools! If you act too good, you cant make money, just like Rockefeller hyung said! But, just because you dont have to be honest, doesnt mean you can cheat people like that Joshua. Once again, Joshuas sprits fell, Joshua, from what I heard earlier, you tried to cheat too directly. Its never a good thing to try and deceive others like that. Its not different from stealing from them. Then what should I do? Rocekeller smiled slightly at Rockefellers question, Hm, what should you do? Cheat as much as you can, in a legitimate way, that wouldnt break their trust. The reason for doing that? It was simple. That way, youll be able to make a lot of money. Virtuous wickedness. The two younger brothers tried to understand those unclear words, while Rockefeller didnt push them to understand any faster than they could. I dont get it. Me too What I said might be a little difficult for you to understand straight away, but you have a lot of time left to think about it. From now on, engrave what hyung has said in your heart and think about it carefully. Then you might end up seeing another path, different from the obvious path in front of you, that might make you a lot more money. As the conversation came to an end, as if to emphasise the point of this, he added, Even if you cant think of a way to deceive them, never, ever betray their trust. Even if you make less money, breaking their trust means youll eventually lose everything. So keep that in mind and think about it again. Im sure youlle up with a good n. Chapter 72 Chapter 72 After they had finished speaking to Rockefeller, the two headed back to the mercenary camp. Their heads were whirring with more confusion now, than they had before they consulted Rockefeller. For Andrew, though he understood that it wasnt necessary to live too honestly, he was more worried that he might lose this hard-won job due to a small mistake so that was the only thought he focused on. On the other hand, Joshuas mind was filled with Rockefellers words as he followed after Andrew in a daze. He said that if we were too honest, we wouldnt be able to make money. I think hes right. People arent fools, and if we behave too honestly, we cant take their money. How can we do what Rockefeller hyung said? A way to make money without getting caught by those Ajusshi He couldnt think of a brilliant idea right away. So Joshua called out to Andrew who was leading further ahead than before. Hey Andrew hyung, At the sound, Andrew, turned to quietly look at him. What? Well what did we do wrong? Rockefeller had clearly pointed out their mistake, but it was up to them to really reflect on that and move forwards in a better direction. Werent you listening? Rockfeller hyung told you you were too direct about scamming them. You shouldnt cheat people like that. What if the mercenariese to the market to check what weve bought? I know that, but if we want to make money, we have to do something more here, dont you think so? Thats thats true. I dont mean to me you but I was more worried that we might lose this hard-to-find job by putting our hands on the ingredients here. But not anymore. Andrews eyes looked up, sparkling. Becasue it seems stupid to be so honest. Then Andrew hyung, do you agree that we should be a little dishonest? Well, for me, as long as we can carry on making money, I dont care. In any case, money is the best. But we cant do it your way, its too direct. Thats true. What I suggested at the beginning was too much. If, like you said, we got caught, then we would have been fired straight away for betraying the Ajusshis trust. In the end, I guess we were both mistaken, So Joshua asked again, Then, what is a way that youll agree with where we can deceive them? Something thats not too direct, like Rockfeller hyung said, So, what is it? The two brothers, forgetting they were in the middle of running their errands for a moment, stood and put their heads together. Whats the difference between scamming them directly and scamming them without anyone knowing? Is it just a matter of whether its legal or not? Probably? Then, its a bad thing to directly take the ingredients here, so besides that, what else can we do to make money on a legal basis? At that moment, there was an idea that crossed Joshuas mind. The problem with the first idea he had proposed was what would happen if it was revealed? But what if couldnt be revealed? Andrew hyung! I just thought of a good idea! What is it? What did you think of? Well, we cant sneak away ingredients from here because the mercenary ajusshi mighte all the way to the market and ask around about how much we bought for what so if they found out we could be in big trouble, Right, So how about this? Were not the only ones who hide it, but well be in league with the ajumma and ajusshi who sell the food in the market! We scam them together! Do you mean you want to get everyone in the market involved? By increasing the price of the ingredients? Right! For example, say it costs twenty potatoes for one shilling we talk to the ajumma who sells them and change the amount so it costs 1 shilling for 18 potatoes. Then there are two potatoes left over right? So then we share the remaining potatoes with the person who sold them? Yeah! What do you think? Isnt it great? Andrew considered Joshuas idea for a moment. I think its possible but As soon as Andrew said it was possible, Joshuas face brightened up even more. Right? You think its possible too right? But what about the people in the market? Do you think theyll agree? I mean, no one will dislike getting a potato for free right? But there might be people who dont like it because its a scam right? Thats true but.. How about this? We only do the deal with people who say its okay we wont do it with those who dont like it wouldnt there be no problem then? Joshua continued to speak, Either way, well just take whatever is left, whether its potatoes or carrots. And since were doing this with the ajumma and ajusshi from the market, even if the mercenariese all the way here, theres no way to find out our secret since thats just the price of the ingredients anyway. Its set by the ajumma at the market. We only bought the ingredients at the price they told us, right? Did Rockefeller want something like this? To deceive others more meticulously? If we just do it the way Joshua said, we probably wont get caught. They couldnt know whether the idea Joshua came up with was the answer Rockefeller wanted, but it seemed clear that it was atleast better than his first idea. Lets do it, we probably wont get caught, but we did get caught, its not like were the only ones who cheated, are we? Chapter 73 Chapter 73 When the children returned, it was farter than he had first thought, so Levan furrowed his brows as he spoke, I thought you had run away or something. Why are you sote? Where were you and what were you doing? Since they had gone to meet with Rockefeller and then went back again to convince the merchants at the market, it was inevitable that the two brothers had returnedte. In the fave of Levans anger, Joshuas voice caught in his throat, so Andrew stepped forwards, You see, we met a pack of wild dogs on the way back, were very sorry. What? A pack of wild dogs? At those words, Levans anger dropped almost instantly, and was reced by shock and worry. Did you guys get hurt? Even if they are just dogs meeting a pack of them is still dangerous. Were alright. We grabbed some big stones and threw them at the pack and they ran away. The wild dogs around here are scared of people so they avoid them. Still, we were careful since you never know. Andrew patted the sack of ingredients as if to show it off, And its not like its just us we had to worry about, so we were even more careful when wereing. Everything in here is safe. It was the children of the vige who would jump up with sticks and stones in hand whenever they saw a pack of wild dogs approach the vige. So the wild dogs were nothing more than a convenient excuse and in reality, held no danger for them. However, for Levan, wo couldnt know that, looked at the two children with eyes filled with concern. Still, Im d nothing happened. Even a wild dog can be dangerous if you arent careful so you did well. Theres nothing to lose by being careful. Still, I hope we arent toote. You can make up for that by working extra hard tomorrow. Dont worry about something like that. Some momentster, Levan took the sack that the two children had brought over and began to check the ingredients. And it was good that he checked. Whats this? He had a strange feeling something was different. Somehow it felt like the amount of ingredients they had got had changed. Its somehow less than what they got normally? Is it just me? He began to organise the ingredients more carefully, checking each item and became more certain as he did so that there was less food here than they would get normally. Kids, why is there less than normal here? You havent taken anything from here have you? Had they actually stolen the ingredients like Joshua had suggested at first, with their young age, they probably would have made some kind of mistake here that would have given them away. But regardless of his suspicions, they had decided to deceive him in different way and so Andrew, who was still stood in front of Joshua, was able to face his questioning without hesitation. And that too, with an iron mask of ignorance on his face. What? Why? Is there a problem? It looks like some food is missing from here. Weve been buying stuff from the markets everyday since weve arrived here but why does it feel like theres less food today than normal? You didnt take any did you? Of course not, Joshua, who had been watching from over Andrews shoulder stepped out too, We would never do that! Its true! So then why is the amount less than normal? The money I have you was the same but just the amount of food you got has lessened. Andrew came forwards to look at the stuff they had bought. Is everything like that? We just went to the market and bought the freshest thing from several different merchants. Although the overall amount had reduced, it wasnt the case for every single item. Among the ingredients, there was some that were the same amount as they had been buying so far, and some that had lessened to the point where the difference was visible even with a cursory nce. Its not like that, but it definitely seemscking in some areas. You guys, did ajusshi not warn you? That you should never try to scam us? We didnt! We absolutely didnt! Andrew even came forward and began looking through the ingredients they had brought. Why is it like this? It really looks like less than normal? We go shopping in the markets too. Like you said, it really does look like they us less than normal. Chapter 74 Chapter 74 You brats! How dare you try and act fast with me. Do you really want to get scolded properly? No sir! We really didnt do anything! We just brought everything as the merchants in the market gave them to us! We can swear it to God! Are you telling me to believe that right now? Yes! Because were telling truth! Levan crossed his arms and sighed heavily. Andrew decided to try and see if he could get him to calm down. Were really innocent. We just brought the ingredients exactly as the merchants in the market sold them to us. And of course, you cant prove that can you? Of course we can! You can? Levan asked, a little flustered at the unexpected response. Yes! Since were innocent, we can prove it! Andrew continued, When we went to the market, we told the merchants that since well be delivering to the mercenary camp, we need the freshest ingredients they have. From what I can tell, with the amount of money they charged, they shouldnt have given such small amounts. Rather, since were buying lots at once, they should have take care to add more just in case. It might be that the merchants did it on purpose since everyone thinks mercenaries have a lot of money anyway. Once again, Joshua spoke up from behind Andrews shoulder, No way! Do you think they charged more than normal because of that rumour that mercenaries are rich? Even though all wed asked from them was that they gave us their freshest ingredients? Something like that? Probably. Rockefeller Hyung did say that mercenaries can earn a lot of money did they do that just because of that? Levan who had been quietly watching the exchange between the two brothers frowned, it kind of seemed like a lie but it was possible for it to be the truth too. Then lets do this. Just for tomorrow, Ill have one of my colleagues go with you just to watch how you do it. You can go around the market exactly how you did today, with the same money, and buy the ingredients. If the amount you bring back is the same, then itll be those b*stard merchants that are ripping us off. At those words, Andrew and Joshua could breathe and inward sigh of relief. They had already made the deals so everything would turn out the same anyway. The Next Day Levan had a hard time believing the conclusion right in front of his eyes. Its exactly the same? Then its those b*stard merchants in the market that were ripping us off? Hey, did you follow them around properly and watch them the entire time? When Levan turned his questions to the mercenary he had sent along with the children, he simply nodded without a word. It turned out that the merchants in the market were openly ripping them off. We were telling the truth right? We didnt try to scam you! We just brought the ingredients straight from the market like we said. Were innocent! When Andrew and Joshua looked up at him with clear eyes, there was nothing more Levan could say. Those d*mn merchants. Trying to rip us off? Because we make some money, is that it? From the sounds of it, the rumours that mercenaries tended to make a lot of money had spread across the market. And since the ones who went to run errands were children who hadnt evene of age yet, those sharp merchants had seen the opportunity to make a little extra money and some of them had agreed to raise the prices. Levan was bing convinced of the story the children had spun. Ill apologise to you guys then. It seems I doubted you for no reason. At his words, Andrew and Joshua smiled with relief. Its alright! Its understandable after all. Yeah! Were okay. So from now on, should we just carry on running the errands like this? Mutual trust was the life-blood of business transactions. And since they had managed to protect that trust, Levan too had no reason to end the deal with the two children. Of course. Ill be relying on you two going forwards as well. Chapter 75 Chapter 75 Carter, who had been trimming the gold coins ording to the standards of the Empire, paused in his work for a moment to speak to Rockefeller. He thought it was time they brought the matter fromst time to a conclusion. Rockefeller, about that matter from before, Since there were no customers around, Rockefeller, who had been rtively free, naturally turned his gaze to Carter. What matter? What we talked about before about lending out money we dont have I mean, Ah, that matter? Before Rocekfeller had be his assistant, Carter had only been lending out his own coins to people and earning interest from that. After Rockfeller started working for him and up til now, he had been to lend out the coins of customers who had not touched their coins for a long time too and now, he had received the suggestion from Rockfeller to lend out coins he didnt have too. If Rockefeller had been the owner of the shop, then he wouldnt have needed Carters permission, but he was merely an assistant, he was limited in what he could do without Carters agreement. So he had informed Carter of his thoughts on the matter and waiting for his permission. However, Carter was anxious even in this current situation, where they were lending out the customers money, so it was even more nerve-wracking to consider lending out, so stepping forwards and going even further than that and lend money that he didnt have was enough t make his heart feel like it would copse in on itself. Which is why after thinking about it for a few days, he had finally decided to bring the matter up to Rockefeller. What do you think? Have youe to a decision? No matter how much I think about it it just seems a little I dont think its good. Rockefeller, who had thought his greed would be enough to ovee his timid nature, and expected him to eventually agree, was disappointed at Carters conclusion. Why are you thinking like that? Even though you already agreed to lending out the customers gold coins? Of course, the fact that they were lending out the customers gold coins was already a concern, but to think that the person who had allowed that, wasnt willing to take things a step further No matter how much I think about it, do we have to go that far? Arent we making enough money already? Ajusshi, arent we doing a lending business? Then isnt it natural that the more money we can lend out, the more profit we get from it? I know that, but still, I wonder if so many loans would be necessary in small ce like this. Plus, Ive been having horrible, strange dreams recently. Dreams? What kind of dreams are you having to be saying that? A dream where the people who have stored their gold coins with me,e in droves to grab me by the flesh ande to take me away. Then the Seerse to take me to the gallows, but I dont die when Im hung, instead I struggle there, hanging by my neck and be aughingstock until I die. So a nightmare then? I have that dream every once in a while. I had itst night as well. Rockefeller let out a short sigh. Huu~ Ajusshi, dont you know the saying that dreams show you the opposite of reality? I do. But its just that the dream was so vivid You know as well as I do that something like that will never happen, dont you? Even so, my personality is like this, so what can I do? You might be the one to take full responsibility for this matter, but its not like I can get offpletely unaffected either, right? So youre saying you wont be able to agree with that idea? Im sorry. If I was as young and bold as you, I think Id want to give things like that a try at least once in myself, but right now, there isnt anything I regret too much in my life so just continuing on like this doesnt seem all that bad to me either. Though it was disappointing, his words made sense. Its alright. Like you said Ajusshi, there isnt exactly a need for us to go chasing profit like that. Right? You think so too? Though it was true that they could generate more profit by lending out money they didnt have, there wasnt really an environment set up in this territory where arge about of money would be needed. If there wererge construction projects and tradepanies in the area, then the banco might have been more sessful, but because this was so far off in the periphery of the empire, the need for money was already low. Even so, its a shame. Even if we did it, there wouldnt have been any major issues. How can you be so sure of that? Its not like we would be making and distributing fake gold coins, but rather just handing out promissory notes guaranteeing gold coins form the banco could that really result in having no problems what so ever? Rockefeller didnt show a single moment of hesitation at that question and and answered, Yes, thats how I think at least. Why? This would be far more dangerous than putting our hands on the customers gold coins. Like we said, this would be gold that doesnt exist? Rockefeller looked amused. Even if we lend out gold in the form of promissory notes, people wouldnte and check that themselves, But what if they did? At his questions, Rockefeller responded with his own question. Carter Ajusshi, do you write your name on your gold coins? Gold doesnt have something like an owner. If someone is worried about their gold andes to check that its still safe in the banco then you all you need to do is take them to the safe and show them the gold coins there. I suppose so but And even if it does be a problem, all that will happen is that the people who have left their gold coins with us wille to the banco but all they can do is check the safe. But something like that wouldnt happen, right? At Rockefellers question, Carter couldnt answer straight away. Even if he wanted to say that something like that could happen, he knew it wouldn''t. No matter where, Bank Runs* are bound to happen. Even if you trust that the bank absolutely wont fail, if all the customers decide to visit the bank at once then you cant avoid a Bank Run. But the reason that happens? Because in the first ce, even the banks that were trusted to never fail would lend out money they didnt have. So no bank would ever have enough money on hand to to be able to give every single one of their customers all their money back. Even the interest the banks are earning from lending out the money wouldnt be enough to cover something like that. It was for exactly that reason that Rockefeller wanted to bring the deception of modern banks to this ce. Alright. Instead, how about, if there suddenlyes a need to lend out arge amount of money, you have another think about my idea? Would the need for that ever arise? As Carter contemted, Rockefeller continued, Since changes like that would be very rare. Chapter 76 Chapter 76 The frontier of the Empire. Once upon a time, it had been called Azrak, thergest gold mine on the continent, but now, it was simply deadnd that did not have even a single gold vein remaining. One might question if there would ever be someone who might need huge amounts of money here. There will be. Rockefeller thought so anyway. Even if its not right now, the ones who need that kind of gold will soone crawling out of the shadows thought Im not telling Carter who. ces like the Montefeltro estate, which were situated at the boardernds and fell in the path of power struggles often became riddled with disputes and conflicts when things went wrong. The Montefeltro estate might be quieter than some of those other ces, but that doesnt mean that peace will be maintained forever because the Dwarves and Orcs would soon go to war and wars required money. That meant that ces which could lend out money would make a killing on the interest namely the Goblin Bank. Within the Empire no within the entire continent, the ce that made the most money from conflict was the Goblin Bank. I think its about time the goblin guys to wrap up with their ns. Right now, the Montefeltro estate was a quiet territory that went pretty much ignored. Even before gold mines had been discovered and it was named the Great Azrak Goldmine, it had been an underprivileged ce that went ignored by both the Empire and the Dwarves. But if arge conflict was to break out around the territory it wasnt as though they could ignore it. And the key to that conflict would be the Totem of the Orcs. Orcs lived in a tribal society and the Totem was considered the most sacred thing to an Orc, looked after by the shaman of the tribe, an elder orc that often had more power within the tribe than even the tribal chief. The Totem was made of animal and monster bones and the goblins and destroyed it, then spread the rumour that it had been the work of dwarves who had historically had a good rtionship with the orcs. Did they end up calling it the Totem War? Anyway when the war begins, the orcs will be in trouble, and with conflict happening all around them, there would be someone who was more anxious than anyone else. A shrimp caught in the middle of whale fights woulde running and Rockefeller expected he would want to take a lot of loans. And Rocekfeller would give him as much as possible. A few dayster rumours began to circte that the Hound Mercenaries that had been hired by the Lord had managed to drive out a group of wandering orcs near the territory. It was said that the mages that had been hired by the Hound Mercenaries had shown exceptional abilities and as a result the whole vige was in a celebratory mood for a while. Of course they would love it. The orcs that had been on everyone''s mind had been driven away. However when Rockefeller heard the news he wasntpletely relieved. He hadnt thought that the mission to subjugate the orcs would end so simply. If Im right about the timing, then things should slowly start getting worse. And he was right, because while everyone was celebrating the rtively easy way the orc subjugation had taken ce, other rumours began to spread from outside the territory, that arge scale orc army gathering near the territory. Of course it wasnt a matter directly rted to the Monterfeltro estate because the army was gathering outside of the Empires boarders but the very existence of arge orc army near the territory was enough to make people anxious. The Lord had been just as surprised to hear the news and when he came to visit the Banco, his face looked thinner than it had been. Carter, are you here?! the Lord asked, he had deep shadows under his eyes as though he had not slept in a few days. What can I do for you, My Lord? The Lord nced at Rockefeller, who served instead of Carter and frowned. Hurry and call Carter, I need to have a chat with him. He demanded. As though already familiar with the situation, Rockefeller called Carter out with great calmness and as soon as the Lord saw him, he did not beat around the bush, Tell me directly, how much can you lend me right now? This is sudden, is something wrong, my lord? Carter asked. I need money urgently. Its incredibly important for the estate and I hope you will help. Possibly is that rumour true? Carter asked. The lord ran a had through his hair and pulled at it, a nervous habit. Its be a headache. It looks like things are going to get messy right outside the territory. The Seers when to scout and said that things were escting quickly on both sides, at this rate itll be an all-out war between two great powers. Even so, shouldnt this be something unrted to us? If youre going to be technical about it, then the entire matter is someone elses business, but that doesnt exactly make one feel safe does it? If things get even slightly twisted, it wont take long for things to spill over here as well. The Lord exined. Has the Imperial Pce said anything? Is this not a situation where you should ask for support from the Empire? The Lords expression grew darker at those words. Maybe its because this estate is out of the spotlight, but his Majesty is following formality when ites to support. To the point that it is disappointing. Even so, we are the Empires people. Would they throw us away like this? The Lord sighed, then decided to save his words, this wasnt something to discuss at the Banco after all. Chapter 77 Chapter 77 Anyway, what is the maximum amount you can lend me? I need as much money as possible. It seemed the situation was quite urgent. While Carter thought about it, counting up in his head the amount of gold coins he could lend right away, he saw Rocekfeller trying to catch his eye and look at him meaningfully, trying to give him a hint. Right now? We dont even know how the territory might end up, but youre focused on making money right now? To the point that it was an addiction, he was a person truly obsessed with money. Evenpared to someone like Carter, who had spent most of his life working with gold coins. Maybe he was even worse than Goblins, who were said to care more about money than any other creature in the world. Hes a really scary guy. What would he be when he grew up? The Lord, who hadnt seen the look Rocekfeller was giving Carter, was looking at Carter, waiting for an answer. He truly looked desperate. Id like to borrow as much as possible. He urged. Along with keeping hold of the Hound Mercenaries, we need to hire additional mercenaries to protect the territory. Ill need even more money to keep hold of the mages who participated in the orc subjugation as well. Although I had no idea that I would end up needed this much money so suddenly, with the situation being how it is, I ask that you cooperate as well. What about viges near the boarder? Well, weve evacuated as much as possible into the fortress. Since I cant protect them from within their viges, the n is to create two bases on both sides to keep an eye on the situation. Until His Majesty sends reinforcements, we must endure as much as we can. The situation is urgent indeed. Then it is only right for me to do my best to help you. If you dont want the territory to be destroyed and lose your ability to do your business then you should help with all your heart. Of course, my lord. Nodding, Carter pulled out the shops log and bought some time pretending to look through it. Lets see Carter even pretended to seriously study the log, as his thoughts drifted back to Rockefellers silent urging. Maybe this is an opportunity. Situations like this donte around often. A goldsmiths main ie was more from the interest earned through loans rather than actually making gold coins. In other words, the more one lended out, the more they earned. As long as you pay me back the gold I lend, I can end up making a lot of money from these loans this time. The Lord was the person with the best credit in the entire territory. If he could lend out just to the limit of what he could repay back with his amount of credit then that would be a great thing for Carter. If you think about the amount of taxes he collected from the territoryst year The maximum amount of money that could be given to the Lord right away was about 2500 Talents. (T/N Thats the annual ie of about 208 rural farmers put together) That was the sum of his own 1000 Talents and the 1500 Talents left by the customers at the Banco for safe keeping. If I really pushed it, I could lend up to 2500 Talents but if I do that then the risk is toorge. As he had mentioned to Rockfeller previously, but Carter was extremely wary of what would happen if the Lord decided to use his authority as the owner of the territory to refuse to pay back the money he borrowed. The Lord was the owner of thend. And though Carter was putting his trust in him while running his Banco, he didnt trust how the Lords attitude would changeter, when he was the one who ended up owning more money than he wanted to pay. That was why Carter decided that instead of saying he could lend the full 2500 Talents, he would tell the Lord he could only lend 1500 Talents. Originally he wouldnt even be willing to lend that much, but the situation in the territory was getting urgent that this was the result of taking as much risk as possible because he truly did agree that he had to try and help. Looking at the books, the total amount of money I can lend my Lord is about 5000 Talents. Before Carter could finish his sentence, Rockefeller burst out with an absurd figure. Upon hearing a ridiculous number spoken out-loud, Carters eyes opened wide as he forgot to control his expression for a moment. Even though I only have 2500 Talents in the safe, why would you even talk about lending twice the amount?! Carter thought Rockefeller had lost his mind. Rockefeller only nodded toward Carter, who was staring at him, without a single shift in his expression. The time for exnations had passed. It was simply that Carter didnt have the guts to do the things he did. Rockefeller turned to the Lord and smiled slightly. That is of course, if my Lord wants to borrow the maximum amount. Did you just say 5000 Talents? The lord looked quite flustered at being quoted an amount that far exceeded his expectations. You. are far richer than I thought. No matter how good a goldsmith was at making money, he never dreamed that Carter would have such wealth. Would a Lord ever be happy if there was something of his magnitude that he didnt know about his own territory. His gaze when he looked at Carter was quite unconformable. Chapter 78 Chapter 78 The Lord had thought that Carter would have maybe 1000 Talents at most and had wanted to quickly borrow that amount to help with the heavy burden that he would have to shoulder. But he had been quoted an amount that was five times more than his expectations. You must have made a lot of money without me knowing hm? I thought you would have about a thousand, who would have thought you would have five thousand in your hands. Carter, who was just as surprised as the Lord to hear that number, waved his hands around, flustered and decided he would try to ask for some time. My-My lord. Would it be possible for me to have a quick chat with my assistant for a moment? Why? Were you going to scold your assistant for being too honest just now? Ah no. There is absolutely no way I would do that. I just wanted to talk to him about any other way that we could lend our help to the Lord. The Lord, who watched him with narrowed eyes, had no choice but to eventually nod and agree. After all, even if they talked a little more, what could they do? He had already heard about the existence of 5000 Talents so he was absolutely not leaving here until he managed to borrow all 5000 Talents. Alright, but make it quick. Thank you, we will be right back. In that way, Carter went behind the curtains that separated the front and back of the store, and conscious of the Lord stood not too far away from them, pressed Rockefeller about the matter in a sharp but quiet voice. What were you thinking! Why did you say that?! 5000 Talents? Dear God! We dont even have that kind of money in our hands! What do you mean? Ive already told you before, how we can lend out money we dont have. Rockefeller continued on to say, And that rare chance to be able to lend that amount of money hase to find us. Didnt Ajusshi say so before? That there wasnt anyone around here who would want to borrow more money that we had? Well now there is. So of course we should lend that money out. Rockefeller eagerly added on, This is a great opportunity! But still, how on earth can we have the nerve to lend money we dont even have?! Carter still whined pathetically about the same issue. Rockefeller looked at him with tired expression. I think Ive already exined it plenty of times, have you already forgotten? Carter of course, had carefully listened to Rocekfellers exnation and remembered it well. But. I did listen to what you had to say that time but- Ajusshi, tell me honestly, have you actually stopped to think about what I told you? Lending out his own money and even lending out his customers money were both things that were still within the scope of Carters knowledge. But making up and lending out gold coins that he didnt have was a concept that Carter only understood but he had never thought he would have to actually apply the idea with his own money and business. Why? Because it was a theoretical concept that waspletely outside of the realm ofmon sense that Carter resided in. To be honest, there was nothing to think about. Wasnt it just a dusty theory from some corner of a library? I thought it was smart but nonsensical to actually do. They dont even lend like that in Lyon. Youre going to make up money and lend it out? Youre overconfident. Do you really think its so ridiculous Ajusshi? Rockefeller asked him without pretence this time, his eyes clear and his face expressionless. Its not like youve ever done this before, do you really think it would work in the real world? Carter asked sarcastically. Ajusshi, out of all the time Ive been here, have I ever done business that has caused a loss? Well you havent. There wasnt right? But your ie has increased a lot, hasnt it? Well thats Do you know why that is? Well, I wouldn''t know it could have been luck. Well. I could be lucky. But this was my talent. Your talent? (T/N Not to be confused with Talents the currency lmao was this purpose? I like to think it was.) Yes talent. In this world, there are people who have talent with the sword, or magical talent. People who have talent for making things or talent for running too, some people are born with a talent for a specific thing. And of course, my talent is my ability to make money. Ajusshi, I, who was born with that talent can guarantee this method. In order to really make a huge amount of profits, you have to lend out money you dont have as well. I can definitely guarantee that Ajusshi will make a lot of money through this method and if it doesnt work then Ill quit my job here. After all, whats the point of a kind without any kind of talent being assistant next you in this kind of ce. It would be meaningless. Just because he was struggling with reconciling with the idea of lending out money he didnt have did not mean he was willing to lose as assistant as good as this. Chapter 79 Chapter 79 As soon as Rockefeller mentioned wanting to quit his job, Carter sprang forwards to pacify him. No, dont talk about quitting. Cant we just go about it normally this one time? And whats the normal way? What else would it be? Just like how weve done so up until now, just lending out the amount of money we have in the safe instead of lending out money we dont actually have as well. Rockefeller calmly shook his head. Carter who was reluctant now, would end up changing his mind as soon as he saw the huge pile of money he would end up making. Rockefeller who knew that very well, decided to push ahead with his own agenda instead ofpromising with what Carter was currentlyfortable with since the results would change his mind anyway. No. There is absolutely no way. If you want to keep me by your side then Ajusshi needs to make a decision now as well. Whether youll trust me again this time, or whether you will go back to your old way of doing things and lose me as an assistant. Rockefeller tried to express his determination and resolve with his eyes, he was not going to budge on this. The final decision will be yours Ajusshi. Haah this brat Carter looked truly flustered when Rockefeller pushed him to choose between the two options. Where else could you find this kind of assistant? What is with this kid? Toe up with an idea like this and actually try to put it into action. If he wasnt apletely crazy then what was he? What was he so desperately trying to prove? What would he be? I dont know. I dont know what the hell Im working with here. As he sighed a few more times to stall for time, Carter realised there was no way of getting around this, and reluctantly agreed. He had decided to go along with Rockefellers crazy words and believe in them once. Things had gone well so far, and if things continued to go well, then as Rockefeller said, they could really make a lot of money with this. To be honest, it still doesnt make sense for me. This matter is something that fallspletely out of my understanding of the world. If you didnt do your work well, I would have never allowed it. At those words, Rockefeller grinned widely. Carter Ajusshi, dont think about it in such aplicated way, just look at the results. Even if you dont get it, youll probably be satisfied. Sure, thats true. As long as there really are no problems. When Carter started speaking his anxious thoughts again, Rockefeller nodded confidently, before he could talk himself out of it. I can guarantee, there absolutely wont be any problem with this. Im sure there are other people in the world who do this to. And if not in this world then certainly in another world. Having finished up their conversation, Carter and Rockefeller returned to the front of the shop where the Lord had waited for them, though he looked slightly ufortable after having waited some time. So I can borrow the 5000 Talents right? With how dire the situation actually was, and the Lord being who he was, he was determined to borrow the amount he had heard the first time. He had thrown out any wisdom passed down from his predecessor and was more concerned with making sure he lived through the present circumstances first and foremost. If problems arose because he had borrowed too much money, then he was someone who was more than willing to use his authority to resolve any obstacles. He was the owner of thisnd. Even if he borrowed an amount that he refused to pay back, what could a mere businessman do to him? Our apologies for making you wait, my lord, Thats fine, Im more interested in hearing your answer. Im sure you arenting back here to tell me you dont have the money? Ah, of course not. So I suppose that means I can borrow 5000 Talents immediately? Well he had some nerve. To think this Lord was so unhesitating when borrowing an amount that was tens-of-timesrger than the amounts he normally borrowed. But, are you truly wanting to borrow the full 5000 Talents? Cant I? We have no idea what might end up happening to the territory, I could easily end up needing that amount of money. It just seems that youre borrowing far more than you normally borrow. Is there a problem with that? Its not that I dont understand the Lords desire to protect the territory Carter nervously kept an eye on the Lords expression as he spoke, Its just that the amount of money youre borrowing this time is sorge its not the few hundred Talents that you normally borrow but rather 5000 Talents I was worried that borrowing such arge amount might cause the Lord more trouble in the future. The Lords gaze sharpened like daggers andnded on Carter. Look here, are you questioning my integrity? I am the master of this territory. Ah, of course not. Of course there is no way I wouldnt trust my Lord. Then you can just lend it to me. What is with all this chatter? The Lord grumbled with a look of great displeasure. Why does it seem from the outside like Im someone who would scam away the money here? Im not someone so shameless. Of course there is no way the Lord could scam us. That wasnt what I meant at all Enough. If you are going to lend it to me, then do it. The situation is urgent and I dont have the time to be loitering around here. Chapter 80 Chapter 80 The Lord who had finished speaking looked pleased with himself and Carter, saw that look, could read some of the darker the thoughts the Lord had in his head. There had been a person like that in the past as well, who had looked pleased with themselves exactly like the Lord had. Hes exactly like that bastard from before. At first, he had paid his money back every month on time, but at some point, he had ended up borrowing a huge amount of money and disappeared. When he thought back to how tough it had been for him to find that guy from back then, it made his blood curdle even now. From Carters experience, not all bad customers were debtors from the beginning.They had all once been people with good credit, worthy of borrowingrge amounts of money. Its always when their situations change suddenly, that they be bad debtors. Ahem It was at this point that Carter truly realised how much he needed Rockefeller. Despite all his experience, when it came to difficult and sensitive customers like the Lord, the only one who could really make things work well for them was his witty assistant and his silver tongue. And with his sharp wit, Rockefeller was able to recognise Carters hesitant for what it was, and intervened between the two. With the situation being what it is, we can lend my Lord the 5000 Talents that we mentioned without any issue. Although it wasnt well mannered of Rockefeller to jump into the conversation like that, since he was giving the short and direct answer that Carter was hesitating to give, there was no reason for the Lord to dislike Rockfellers behaviour. Yes,pared to the frustrating shop owner, the assistant is better to deal with. So youre going to lend it to me? Of course. After all, its not anyone else but the Lord who is asking to borrow that money, we wouldnt dare refuse. The Lord looked pleased with his remark. Thats good to hear. However, my lord, would 5000 Talents be enough? Well, its not like you have anymore that you lend to me right? Of course not, if you wished to borrow more, then we could increase the amount from there as well. What? At Rockefellers words, both Carter and the Lord looked shocked. While the Lord was surprised that there was even more money hidden away in this Banco, while Carters thoughts were more chaotic. What kind of nonsense is he talking about now?! We dont even have 5000 but youre going to lend out more?! Since they were lending out money they didnt have anyway, it wasnt impossible to lend out more as Rockefeller said, but his bold actions left Carter drowning in his own anxiety. The previously pleased expression on the Lords face had been erased as he frowned at the unexpected discovery. Then he once again red daggers at Carter. You, just how much gold have you buried? Could one who made and lent out money truly earn that much? Enough to be able to lend out even more than 5000 Talents? The Lord, who had never even dreamed that one could lend out money the didnt have, pressed Carter thinking he truly had that much money and Carter who had suddenly be the aplice in Rocefellers lie, waved his hands refelvely. Its not like that, my lord, When Carters frightened eyes turned to Rockefeller for help after having said the wrong thing, Rockefeller smiled calmly and began to settle the matter, Thats not it, my lord. The amount of gold you can borrow from our shop is only 5000 gold that Carter Ajusshi has in his personal possession. So how in the world are you going to lend me anymore than that? If a goldsmith secretly lent out money other than his own and got caught, the Lord would have no choice but to treat it as a crime for betraying the peoples trust and punish them. Which was why Rockefeller decided he would bring the Lord into it from the beginning and ask for permission in case the situation became badter on. "My lord is aware that, in our shop, though we can lend out personal money, we cannot lend out the customers money right? Perhaps, are you thinking of lending me other peoples money? The Lord had a rather unpleasant expression on his face. It was because this was something new to him, that was outside of hismon sense of what was right and wrong. That is a crime. Someone elses gold of course belongs to them, why would you lend that out to someone else, thats not up to you to do. But my Lord, with the situation as it is, you need to borrow as much money as possible to ensure the safety of the territory. However with only our money and the existing rules, we can lend you only 5000 Talents. If my lord turned a blind eye to us slightly bending the rules, we could help you to the extent of our abilities. Even as Rockefeller continued to speak, the Lords expression still looked displeased. For a Banco, trust was life. In that sense, people left behind the gold coins they gathered that were as important to them as their lives but to y around with that gold? If it had been a normal situation, he would have expressed his anger at that suggestion first and foremost, however, to the Lord, who was panicked and wanting to get together as much money as possible, it ended up sounding like a convenient suggestion. Ahem! And to such a Lord, who cleared his throat like he was clearing his conscience, Rockefeller made a sneaky suggestion. We will take the risk and help my Lord with this matter, just this once, so could my lord also help us by taking our side? What side? Even if we break the existing rule that we can only lend our own gold coins, we hope that the Lord will quietly overlook this. Then it would also be possible for us to be able to help the Lord in the dire situation and lend you more than 5000 Talents. Rockefeller smiled, That is of course, if my Lord permits it. Chapter 35 (1) Chapter 35 (1) Hey guys, You might know this, but the other novel on this site, "Adopting Disaster", is tranted by me and my friend sharing the work. Now I decided to pick this novel up by myself, and as usual, it''s edited ChatGPT MTL. The previous trantor split the raw chapters arbitrarily, so Chapter 80 was actually a portion of Raws chapter 35, which is where I''m starting from. I also posted a summary chapter on Ko-fi, do check it out. If you notice any mistakes, have feedback, or want to say hi, do drop ament. P.S. The site now has dark mode, find the toggle button on the menu bar... Faith Creates Wealth (3) The lord finished speaking with a slightly strained smile, and Carter was able to sense the negative thoughts hidden within that smile. In the past, there had been someone like the lord who had such a smile towards himself. ''That guy was exactly the same back then. At first, he would pay back well but suddenly started borrowingrge sums and never paid back. Even remembering it now makes my teeth chatter.'' In Carter''s experience, not all bad debtors had been bad from the beginning. They were also once good debtors with excellent credit. But at some point, their circumstances changed, and they turned into bad debtors. "Ahem..." At this point, Carter felt the need for Rockefeller. Only his assistant Rockefeller was able to cleverly maneuver this kind of situation. Then, the quick-witted Rockefeller interjected between the two. "Considering the situation, I think we can lend 5,000 dnts to you, my lord." Carter was not necessarily happy with Rockefeller''s interruption, but since he provided a straightforward answer to the lord''s question, the lord had no reason to dislike Rockefeller. "Good, can you lend me that amount?" "Yes, of course we can lend it to you. Who are we to refuse when someone wants to borrow from us?" Upon hearing this, the lord wore a satisfied expression. "Pleasant to hear." "My lord, so 5,000 dnts will be enough?" "There is no more to lend anyway, is there?" "No, if you need more, we are willing to lend you more." "What?" At those words, the lord and Carter were both surprised. The lord seemed to be surprised at the hidden wealth within the bank, whereas Carter thought otherwise. ''What nonsense is this? Lending more than 5,000 dnts?'' Since they were lending nonexistent money, Rockefeller''s words were not impossible. However, Carter''s anxiety was multiplied by Rockefeller''s bold speech. At that moment, the lord cleared his face of satisfaction and frowned again. Then, his gaze transformed into a de once more and pierced Carter. "How much gold do you have hidden away? Secretly hiding enough gold to lend more than 5,000 dnts?" Unaware of the fact that they were lending non-existent money, the lord pressured Carter, who became a liar in the blink of an eye, and he reflexively waved his hand. "No, no, that''s not it." As Carter''s gaze quickly turned fierce and his speech stumbled, Rockefeller realized the situation and stepped in with a smile to save it. "My lord, that''s not the case. The amount of gold that we can lend from our shop is only 5,000 dnts owned by Mr. Carter personally." "Then where do we get the loans from?" If a bank secretly lent other people''s money and rumors spread, the lord would naturally have to take responsibility for that sin. Therefore, Rockefeller was trying to obtain the lord''s consent in advance in case of that situation. "My lord, you know that we can''t lend other people''s gold when borrowing from our shop, right?" "Don''t tell me, you want to lend other people''s gold?" The lord wore a rather displeased expression. It was beyond hismon sense, which is why he felt that way. "That''s a crime. Other people''s gold coins are naturally others'', so why lend them to others? It''s not even their own gold coins." "But, my lord. Isn''t it the situation? You need a lot of gold coins right now, but as we follow the existing rules, we can only lend up to 5,000 dnts. However, if you turn a blind eye to this, we can also help as much as possible." The lord continued to show an unweing expression. The life of the bank was trust. In that sense, people were entrusting their life-like gold coins, and it''s a joke to y around with those coins. If it were usual, he would have gotten angry, but as someone who urgently needed money, the lord could not ignore Rockefeller''s words. "Hmm!" To the lord who was coughing for no reason, Rockefeller subtly suggested. "We take the risk and help you a lot this time, could you please look after our convenience as well?" "What convenience?" "We hope that you will quietly turn a blind eye to breaking the existing rule that we can only lend our gold coins. Then, it bes possible for us to lend you more than 5,000 dnts this time." Rockefeller finished speaking. "Of course, if you grant permission." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 35 (2) Chapter 35 (2) Changing existingws ording to the situation was precisely the power the lord possessed. "Hmm!" As the lord who was just coughing aimlessly pondered Rockefeller''s suggestion while stroking his beard. In fact, there was nothing to think about. He needed money urgently, and for that money, the existingws could be temporarily ignored for convenience. "So, just do it this one time?" Having brought up the topic, Rockefeller intended to seek definite permission. "Still, it seems difficult to continue following a broken rule. If you also consider the convenience of others, shouldn''t we continue to offer them the same? So, please allow us to secretly lend customers'' gold coins." Upon hearing Rockefeller''s words, the lord slightly changed his expression. The young one''s words. "If you lend not only this money but others'', you''ll probably make a lot of money. It must be nice to make so much money." At the slightly sarcastic words of the lord, Rockefeller brushed them off with a shrewd smile. "Then, of course, the taxes you pay will naturally increase. It seems like a good thing for both you and us." The lord weed the idea that the bank in his territory was doing well. It was because doing well in business meant paying more taxes. "What if there''s a problem lending other people''s money? What will you do then?" It was difficult for the lord to understand the detailed inside story of the n to lend other people''s money without causing problems. So, Rockefeller decided to skip the detailed exnation and simply said this. "If a problem urs, we will take responsibility. So, you don''t have to worry too much about that part." "Can you guarantee that you''ll take responsibility? Is that possible?" "Yes, of course." "Carter." The lord, who had been talking to Rockefeller, called for Carter, the store owner. "Yes, did you call me?" "Can you take responsibility for that?" Carter showed no hesitation at the question. "Ah, yes, of course. If there''s a problem, we''ll take full responsibility." "Okay? That''s a good spirit. It''s great that you can take responsibility so easily. Don''t ever change your wordster." "Yes, you don''t have to worry about that part." Having assured that they would take responsibility for any problems, the lord decided not to talk any further. ''If there''s a problem, they will take care of it. They have a lot of money; what problem would there be? I just need to scrape up a lot of taxes.'' Carter, looking at Rockefeller speaking to the lord, had many thoughts going through his head. ''Solving it like this?'' For a long time, he was concerned about secretly lending other people''s gold coins, but the problem was resolved in this manner. ''He''s really amazing. He can ovee it like this.'' If it were him, he probably wouldn''t have even spoken such words. It was hard to gauge what attitude the lord would take. However, luring the lord by sharing the benefits during the convincing situation made it impossible for him to resist Rockefeller''s scheme; this left Carter in constant admiration. ''What will he grow up to be? He''s truly a scary kid.'' While Carter was deep in thought, the lord pondered how much more gold he could borrow. ''From 5,000 dnts and more borrowed.....'' In fact, the 5,000 dnts he had decided to borrow was quite a lot. Moreover, additional loans. Had his ancestors known about this, they might have jumped up in their graves. It wasn''t something to be taken lightly. ''Debts can be paid back slowly.'' However, the territory''s situation was not good. The full-scale war between the two powers near the border seemed like shrimp''s backs would be broken due to a whale''s fight. ''I''ll have to survive and see.'' "So, how much more is possible?" If he could borrow money from the lord with certainty, it would be better for Rockefeller to lend as much as possible. ''I''ve already figured out how to get it back. The stage is set.'' He still remembered the lord being extremely haughty when his father, Hans Rothsmedici, was buried. ''Indeed, you must return what you received as gracefully as possible.'' Some with a sword, others with a debt. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier($18) For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 36 (1) Chapter 36 (1) Faith Creates Wealth (4) "If you need more gold coins, I think we can lend you up to an additional 3,000 Dnt. Of course, this gold is not ours, but considering your difficult situation and our desire to make money, this is the maximum amount we have considered." 5,000 Dnt plus an additional 3,000 Dnt! From the lord''s perspective, who had expected at most 1,000-2,000 Dnt, there was no better news. The lord, who was told that he could get 8,000 Dnt immediately, did not think deeply about the consequences and only looked ahead. ''With 8,000 Dnt, I can afford to hire additional mercenary units and even build a solid fortress near the border.'' What about the consequences? ''Although the amount isrge, I am the lord here, and what can those people do? They should be grateful to lend me the money and humbly ept it when they receive it.'' However, such a shallow thought was not enough for Rockefeller, who had a n. ''Everyone has a seemingly reasonable n.'' Until they face reality. "So, it is possible to borrow up to 8,000 Dnt. How much would you like to borrow, my lord?" Upon hearing Rockefeller''s question, the lord first cleared his throat. "Ahem! Considering the situation, it''s better to borrow as much as possible. In case of an emergency, I can''te all the way here to borrow again, can I? It''s a hassle." "So, are you going to borrow the full 8,000 Dnt?" The noble couldn''t help but get excited just by hearing the amount of 8,000 Dnt. It was quite a lot of money, enough to try his best to defend his territory and adjacent areas even if a full-scale war broke out between the two forces before the empire''s reinforcements arrived. "I''ll take it all." The lord finished speaking and showed a very satisfied smile. And then, he started to have unnecessary thoughts. ''Wait a minute. With 8,000 Dnt... I can even bring in a Wyvern after building a fortress.'' The roaring Wyvern on the battlefield was one of the powerful monster weapons that the empire was proud of. It was a very expensive pet that even a lord who ruled a territory could not easily afford due to its enormous maintenance costs. It was the coveted dream of every knight roaming the battlefield, a trophy from the me War that gave birth to the Bastard Dnt. ''Let''s see... A fully grown Wyvern would cost about 2,000 Dnt, right? It''s expensive, but I might as well buy one this time. I can afford one with 8,000 Dnt.'' In addition to the Wyvern, there were excellent horses and flying griffins that could be tamed and ridden, but they did not even register in the eyes of the lord who had already set his sights on the Wyvern. ''If I were to be less greedy, a griffin would be more suitable than a Wyvern... No, when else will I get to ride a Wyvern? I must seize the opportunity when ites.'' Even with his eyes closed, he was the same beast that smelled blood on the battlefield. He imagined in his head the scene of brutally ughtering the Orc warriors who had infiltrated his territory with his Wyvern. Just by imagining it, there was nothing more thrilling. Finally, he could own the Wyvern he had only dreamed of! "8,000 Dnt. Lend it all to me." Rockefeller could sense the hidden greed in the lord''s tone. Although he couldn''t know what the lord wanted with that much money, it was clear that he desperately needed it. ''Good, I baited him well. But it won''t be easy. Even though I''veid out the groundwork, it''s better to be more prepared.'' Rockefeller showed a very distressed expression to the excited noble. "My lord, there''s a problem..." "What? Is there a problem?" "We can lend you up to 8,000 Dnt, but..." Rockefeller nced at Carter for a moment. Of course, Carter was not needed in this situation, but Rockefeller nced at him to pretend to check the store''s situation. Rockefeller then continued speaking to the noble. "8,000 Dnt is such arge amount for us." It sounded like they couldn''t just give it to him. The lord frowned slightly. "If you need my promissory note, I''ll write as many as you want, just prepare 8,000 Dnt." He thought that would be the end, but it wasn''t. Rockefeller''s distressed expression remained unchanged. "My lord, your promissory note means that we trust your credit and lend you the money. However, the 8,000 Dnt you want to borrow this time is too much to lend based on your credit alone." "What? So, do you think there''s a problem with my credit?" "It may be very unpleasant to hear, but so far, we have trusted you and lent you money based on the promissory notes you have written. But now, the amount is too difficult for us to handle." At that, Carter, who had been nearby, also nodded in agreement, supporting Rockefeller''s side. ''Yeah, what are we supposed to trust to lend you 8,000 Dnt? Even if you''re a lord, no one would lend you that much money unless they''re crazy.'' "That''s right. This time, borrowing with just your promissory note is difficult." The noble''s expression darkened as he spoke in a sharp voice. "So, what do you want me to do? If my credit is not enough, do you want me to use my territory as coteral?" Upon hearing this, Rockefeller stepped forward as if he had been waiting for it. "It doesn''t have to be the entire territory... but at least if you could provide somend as coteral, we would have no problem lending you the full 8,000 Dnt." Whether it was territory ornd, it was the same thing, wasn''t it? The lord''s expression turned grim. ''Borrow withnd as coteral?'' Rockefeller continued speaking to the lord who couldn''t answer right away. "We can''t lend you 8,000 Dnt without coteral. However, if you lower the amount, some adjustments may be possible." Rockefeller knew that the noble would borrow 8,000 Dnt in any way because he saw the greed hidden in his expression. Otherwise, there would be no need to worry. Land no. What would be of me if I lose thisnd? The lord hesitated. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier($18) For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 36 (2) Chapter 36 (2) The only reason I can act as the lord here is because I own thisnd. If I use thisnd as coteral and happen to lose it, do you think I can continue my lordship on thisnd? Can''t put up thend as coteral? Then, it''s just a matter of securing coteral with something else. Or you can use this year''s harvest produced in this territory as coteral. Use this year''s harvest as coteral? Yes, I think a loan would be possible with that as coteral. He had been receiving a certain amount of harvest from the peasants as a tax substitute. Securing coteral with that was no different than reducing the tax revenue collected within the territory. Tsk You only want difficult things, don''t you? Lord, we must secure something as coteral to be able to lend you the money you need, right? Carter did not join the conversation at this point, but he secretly supported Rockefeller. Perhaps Rockefeller was the only resident of the territory who could push the lord like this. He''s really good at what he does. Even if he was a lord, he couldn''t control a pawnshop owner who was doing business on his ownnd. They had formed a ''Pawnshop Alliance'' to coborate and confront any lord who harmed them or caused them disadvantages. I can''t do anything about those damn pawnshop alliances. If it weren''t for them If rumors spread incorrectly, he would not be able to trade with any pawnshop owners in the future. The royal family, which had a deep rtionship with the Pawnshop Alliance, was also a problem. Since there were many cases where urgent funds were needed while managing a territory, it was necessary for the lord to somehowpromise with the pawnshop owners, who were essential. Hmph! Fine. But I can''t use thend. However, I will allow you to use this year''s harvest as coteral. How much can you lend if you use this year''s harvest as coteral? If you only use this year''s harvest as coteral, a maximum of 4,000 Dnts seems possible. Is that all? This is considering the promissory note you''ve given us. With just the harvest alone, 2,000 Dnts would be the limit. Tsk! Then how much is possible if I use thend as coteral? He got what he wanted. To borrow arge sum of money, he had no choice but to use thend, which had the highest value, as coteral. Rockefeller, trying to suppress the corners of his mouth from rising, continued. "If you use thend as coteral, there''s no need to think about it, and all 8,000 dnts would be possible. Just take the corresponding amount ofnd as coteral, and you won''t even need a promissory note from you, my lord." A mere assistant from a store, who wasn''t even a pawnshop owner, couldn''t dare to talk about taking hisnd like that. Although the lord was very ufortable with hisnd being held as coteral, his rationality was gradually being released with the thought of being able to ride a wyvern. ''If I push a little harder, I can have a wyvern. A wyvern.'' Rationalization? Of course, it was possible. Riding a wyvern was his desire, but this loan was a matter of the survival of the territory. If things went wrong, he could lose the territory itself as a shrimp caught in a whale fight. Fine. I''ll use thend as coteral. But the loan will be avable immediately, right? As if he had been waiting for those words, Rockefeller took out a quill pen and a bundle of his store''s promissory notes from the drawer. Although there were only 2,500 Dnts of gold coins avable as cash, using paper promissory notes like this allowed him to create 5,500 Dnts out of thin air and lend it to the nobleman. This is the magic of paper money. Yes, if the lord wishes, I can lend you 8,000 Dnts right here and now. Seeing this, the lord was momentarily puzzled. Is he giving it all in promissory notes? Well, it doesn''t matter. People preferred to take paper promissory notes rather than real gold coins from pawnshops. With the promissory notes issued by the store, one could go to a pawnshop at any time and exchange them for real gold coins. For this reason, promissory notes with simple numbers written on them were more convenient to use than real gold coins, which were inconvenient to carry and trade. This is how paper money was born. Before the lord could question it, Rockefeller took the initiative. Since it would be very inconvenient for you to take all 8,000 Dnts in gold coins, we intend to give you the amount you need in gold coins and substitute the rest with our store''s promissory notes. With those promissory notes, I can exchange them for gold coins at any time, right? Rockefeller opened his mouth with a faint smile. Of course. You can exchange them for gold coins whenever you want. That''s why these convenient promissory notes are good in many ways. The lord thought for a moment and then spoke again. Fine. But break the promissory notes into smaller denominations of 100 Dnts each. That''s more convenient for transactions. Yes, then I will issue them in smaller denominations for your convenience. Since the nobleman had hisnd as coteral, Carter was able to bring a high-ranking priest from a nearby parish as a witness to this transaction, and thus, Carter''s pawnshop was able to lend 8,000 Dnts, which they didn''t even have on hand, to the lord with hisnd as coteral. After the transaction was over and the store quieted down, Carter expressed his concern. Won''t there be problems? From Carter''s point of view, lending money that wasn''t in his possession would naturally cause problems, but Rockefeller didn''t think so at all. Why? ''There''s already a proven world out there.'' Absolutely no problems will arise. Trust me. Instead. And we will receive 480 Dnts, which is 6% of the 8,000 Dnts, as monthly interest ie from the lord. And this will amount to 5,760 Dnts in a year. The money we had on hand was only 2,500 Dnts, but after a year, it will be 8,260 Dnts. That''s because we''ve earned interest from money that didn''t exist. Is that much? I''ve worked all my life and held only 1,000 Dnts in my hand, but you''re saying you''ll make that much in just one year? The corners of Rockefeller''s mouth stretched long. Carter, sir, money is, well This is how you make it. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier($18) For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 37 (1) Chapter 37 (1) Monopolizing Goods (1) "Excuse me, sir. You wanted the boot sole and the pommel repaired, right?" The mercenary carefully examined the leather boots and pommel handed over by Andrew, and seemed satisfied as he pulled something out of his pocket. "Good job. Here''s your payment." Andrew, who caught the thrown shilling, spoke with a bright smile on his face. "Please call us whenever you need something! We''ll do our best to help you." "Alright. I''ll call you if I need anything." "Yes!" "So, where did you get these repaired? They look really good. You fixed the broken parts so well. There must be a skilled cksmith around here." When the mercenary asked while showing the neatly repaired pommel, Andrew grinned. "I know a cksmith, sir. He once worked in a dwarf cksmith''s workshop." "In a dwarf workshop? Really?" "Yes, it''s close to the dwarf kingdom. I heard that he learned the skill somehow. Dwarves are usually picky, but they don''t care once they be friends. Especially if they are drinking buddies." "Oh, really? I think I heard somewhere that it''s good to be a drinking buddy with a dwarf." The mercenary nodded unconsciously, as if he had learned something new. "Anyway,e backter. I have something else for you to do. Not right now, though." "Oh, of course. Please call me whenever you''refortable. If I''m not avable, you can call my brother. He knows just as well as I do." "Hold on. What were your names again?" "I''m Andrew, and my brother is Joshua!" "Andrew? You said you were amoner?" "Yes! We''re the Rothsmedici family. That''s our family name." "Rothsmedici... Alright, I''ll remember that. I''ll call you if I need anything." "Yes!" The brothers'' work, which began with grocery errands, gradually expanded to cover various errands for the mercenaries in the camp. Even the mercenaries who were reluctant to interact with the residents of the territory began to actively use the two brothers, and as a result, their ie grew day by day. Squeak, squeak. On their way to the vige, pulling the donkey cart they had naturally bought as their errands increased, Joshua, who had a cheerful expression, called out to Andrew, who was pulling the cart instead of him. "Andrew, I earned three shillings today!" Andrew was also in a good mood. "Hey! I earned five shillings!" "Wow! Five shillings, huh? That''s a lot. How did you manage to earn two more shillings than me?" "Well, unlike you, I didn''t just ask the visible men. I poked around everywhere. There are men who don''te out much because they are stuck in the barracks. You need to target them. They find everything bothersome, so they often ask for errands." "Oh, really? Then I should do like Andrew too." Joshua couldn''t hide his joy at their ever-growing ie. "Andrew, are we really going to be rich like this?" "Rich? To be really rich, you have to earn like Rockefeller Hyung. Compared to him, we''re just a drop in the ocean." Rockefeller and his siblings always gathered at dinner to share how they spent their day. For this reason, the two brothers had heard all about how Rockefeller had recently made a fortune. "Rockefeller Hyung said he made 500 dnts from the bank this month. I didn''t know you could make so much money at a bank. Did you know, Andrew?" Andrew shook his head. "No, I didn''t know either." "Right? You didn''t know either, Andrew?" "Yeah, but Rockefeller hyung is really amazing. How can you make so much money just by lending money?" "Rockefeller hyung said that real money is made by sitting down, not bybor." "Even though half of it is Mr. Carter''s profit, it''s still 250 dnts. Wow... We''re nothingpared to that." "But it''s a bit of a shame. It seems like Rockefeller hyung made all the money, but Mr. Carter made 250 ducats without doing anything." "That''s true. But it''s Mr. Carter''s shop. You have to consider that." At Andrew''s words, Joshua felt a little disappointed. "Andrew, should we start a bank or somethingter? Then we don''t have to give the money we earned to someone else." "Idiot! Do you think anyone can start a bank?" "I know. You need a special permit issued by the royal family." "If you know, why are you saying that? You can''t start a bank without it." "That''s why I''m saying we should get the permitter. I heard that many people are reluctant to work in a bank because they say they''ll go to hell even if they make a lot of money. And it seems that evenmoners can do it. But we''re alreadymoners, so isn''t it easy for us?" "Well, that''s true. But is it true that nobody does it?" "No, not really. Anyway, people are a little reluctant. Andrew, haven''t you heard? People don''t like moneylenders." "I know. But they make a lot of money." "But even if they make a lot of money, they still go to hell." The two brothers, who had been talking, paused for a moment to think about the rtionship between moneylenders and hell. "But Andrew, do you really go to hell if you be a moneylender? The church says that all people who lend money at high interest rates go to hell." "Idiot! Didn''t Rockefeller hyung tell you? You don''t have to go to hell if you make a lot of money and do good things for the church." "Then if we earn a lot of money and do good for the church, we won''t go to hell?" "Of course! The priests pray for us, don''t they?" "That''s true. If the priests pray for us, God won''t just send us to hell, right?" "That''s what I think, too." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier($18) For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 37 (2) Chapter 37 (2) Joshua suddenly had a question. "But Andrew, do you really think heaven and hell exist?" "Idiot! Of course, they do." "They do? Have you been there?" "No, I haven''t been there." "Andrew, why are you so sure they exist if you haven''t been there? There''s a chance they don''t exist." "Well... Anyway, they do exist! Otherwise, everyone would be lying, right? That can''t be true." "I guess so...." "Heaven and hell must exist. If we do bad things, we''ll definitely go to hell, and if we do good things and help the church, we''ll definitely go to heaven. That''s the truth." "Really?" "So you should do good things too." "But we''ve already done bad things." "...." Andrew couldn''t refute Joshua''s words and looked sullen for a moment. "That''s... true." "Andrew, we''ve done a lot of bad things. We lied to the mercenaries and bought expensive ingredients to run errands. And we split the remaining ingredients between the market vendors and ourselves." "I guess so...." "Does that mean we''re going to hell?" Unable to answer immediately, Andrew soon denied the reality. "No. We''re definitely not going to hell." "But Andrew, you said that if we do bad things, we''ll go to hell." "If you look at it that way, the vendors at the market also did bad things with us, right? But they''re not all going to hell together." "Then what will happen to us?" Andrew didn''t like that the conversation was getting tooplicated. At this moment, he had only one thought. "As Rockefeller hyung said, we just have to do good for the church. Then the priests there will pray for us every day, even if we do something wrong." "Then can we go to heaven?" "Of course! We''ll definitely earn a lot of money and go to heaven. We just have to be really good to the priests at the church. They''ll definitely pray for us." At those words, Joshua also brightened up. "Right? In the end, as long as we have money, we can go to heaven, right?" "Rockefeller hyung said so! We just have to earn a lot of money." "I think so too! So let''s earn a lot of money. Let''s earn a lot and make generous donations!" "Okay! Let''s do that." In the end, the two brothers concluded that they should earn enough money not to go to hell. So, one question arises here. How can they earn enough money not to go to hell? "Andrew, can we be rich by earning a few shillings a day? Isn''t this a bitcking?" "Of course...." Although they were earning more money than their peers every day, it was nothingpared to the money their older brother brought in. "It''s not enough. So we need to find more work." "But Rockefeller said that we couldn''t make much money by working." "Hey, this is a business. There are different types of making money, and Rockefeller hyung said that our way of making money is a small business. We''re not working under anyone." "That''s true." "Big moneyes from business or sitting back and earning it." "I know that! I always keep that in mind." Before they knew it, the two brothers had bought a donkey cart and were running arge errand business in the mercenary camp. "And we already have a donkey cart! This is quite good, isn''t it?" "It''s still a bit disappointing to make money. We got this thanks to Rockefeller hyung''s help." "That''s true...." "Andrew, is there a way to make more money than what we''re doing now?" "Making more money than now?" "Yes!" "Well... Maybe if we look for it, there might be?" On their way back to the vige. While talking to Andrew, Joshua happened to see the Lord''s daughter, their peer, riding a white horse across the field. "Hey, Andrew! Look, it''s Miss Ste!" Unlike Joshua, who was excitedly shouting, Andrew became quieter than usual when he saw the Lord''s daughter. There weren''t many girls their age in the small vige, and the Lord''s daughter was especially beautiful among them. "Miss Ste is riding a horse. Isn''t a white horse really expensive? I heard that white horses are incredibly pricey." At that, Andrew''s expression slightly darkened as he muttered to himself. "Rockefeller hyung lent a lot of money to the Lordst time. Maybe he bought her one with that money." "Andrew, should we go over there and talk to Miss Ste? She''s always been nice to us, unlike the Lord." Then, Andrew, with a slightly reddened face, scolded Joshua. "Don''t do it! Just leave her alone. Why do you have to go talk to her?" "Why not? We rarely see her, so we should go say hi this time. She''s the Lord''s daughter, after all. It wouldn''t hurt for us to look good, right?" "Don''t do it. Just go. It''s embarrassing." "Embarrassing? What is?" "Ah, just don''t ask." "Andrew, what''s wrong?" While the two brothers were bickering. Ste, who was riding her newly received white horse, happened to see the donkey cart returning from the mercenary camp. If it had been any other cart, she would have ignored it and passed by, but the two people on the cart looked familiar, so she turned her horse''s head and rode over to them. "Hello? Long time no see, both of you." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier($18) For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading!Previous Chapter || TOC|| Next Chapter Chapter 38 (1) Chapter 38 (1) Monopolizing Goods (2) The horse, panting heavily, must have been running in a hurry. The girl sitting on the horse, wearing a ck belt, looked like a beautiful female knight with her hair fluttering in the wind. Her elegance and dignity were iparable to the two brothers sitting in the donkey cart, a noble youngdy who was captivating to anyone who looked at her. Joshua got off the donkey cart and bowed his head politely to her. "Hello, Miss Ste." Unlike the courteous Joshua, Andrew was busy trying to avoid Ste''s gaze. He had treated her quite casually when they first met without knowing anything about her, but now that he knew who she was, he could no longer do that. "Right, nice to see you. Your name was Joshua, right?" "Yes! But where does this lovely scente from? It''s not the smell of wildflowers, what is it?" "A lovely scent? Oh, I changed the perfume I was using. My father bought me a better one." "The scent is really nice!" "Thanks, I appreciate it." "Andrew, what are you doing? You should greet the youngdy quickly!" Ste tilted her head toward Andrew, who was uncharacteristically quiet. She felt it was strange that he had be so quiet, erasing the memory of their previous meeting when they had easily exchanged conversations. "Andrew, was it? Hello, Andrew?" "Uh... Yeah..." "What''s wrong? Is something bothering you?" "No, it''s not that..." Seeing him unable to even make eye contact, she quickly understood the reason for his change in attitude. There were quite a few people like Andrew subtly around her. "Can''t you treat me casually like before? Back then, you didn''t even know who I was and treated me well." "It''s just..." "I don''t care if you''re a noble or amoner because I graduated from a military academy. I even try to make friends withmoners there." Joshua was puzzled by her words. "Why, Miss? You''re a noble, aren''t you? Shouldn''t you only hang out with nobles?" "That''s a misconception. In this world,moners can be nobles depending on their efforts." "Really?" "Yes, you''ll find outter. The world is changing fast." But saying so didn''t change anything. Bing a noble from amoner was as difficult as picking a star from the sky. Andrew held back what he wanted to say, and she kept shifting ufortably in her seat. Seeing her like this, Joshua tilted his head. "Are you ufortable somewhere?" "Well... My father bought me a horse to celebrate me bing a squire, but the saddle doesn''t seem to fit me well. It''s a bit ufortable." "Then why not change it? Your father, the lord, must have a lot of money." "I guess... but it''s not easy to just change it to anything. I think I need a custom saddle that fits me, but as you know, people are very busy these days. I feel bad for bothering people around me because of it. I n to get a new saddle when I go back to the military academy. They make good saddles there, tailored to each person''s style." "Oh, is that so?" "Yep." Ste looked at Andrew again. "Are you going to keep quiet?" "......" Disappointed with Andrew''s continued silence, she gestured to Joshua and left. "See you next time, Joshua." "Yes, and you too, Miss Ste!" "And you too, Andrew." Even after the lord''s daughter left, Joshua was puzzled by Andrew''s silence. ''Is there something wrong with Andrew?'' It was only after Ste had gone a considerable distance that Andrew finally lifted his head and stared at her as she left. ''......'' One thing was clear. Feelings that had not been there before were slowly emerging without him even realizing it. That evening. Rockefeller learned a very interesting fact after hearing Joshua''s story. "Did something like that happen today?" "Yes! It''s wrong for Andrew to be so quiet, even if Miss Ste is kind. Andrew is the one who did wrong." At that, Andrew growled softly at Joshua. If Rockefeller had not been there, he would have been hit by a fist. "It''s not that! It''s just ufortable because she''s the lord''s daughter. It''spletely different from when we first met. I didn''t know who she was back then, and now I do." The lord''s daughter, whom the two brothers had met by chance today, was not someone Rockefeller paid much attention to. ''Lord''s daughter...'' The lord had only one child, and influenced by her father, who loved war and sword fighting, she was raised as a knight at the royal road since an early age. Recently, she had be a squire, one step below a knight, and was taking a short break in the territory. ''She''s a squire at that age... not too fast, but not too slow either.'' Ste de Montefeltro. She must have had some talent as a knight due to the influence of her war-loving lord father, but she didn''t seem to have the strong impact of the protagonists or their heroines in the novels. Was she just a female knight who briefly appeared in the novel? ''I don''t need to worry too much. She''s said to have a good personality, unlike the somewhat irritable lord.'' As Rockefeller was thinking about this, Andrew, who had been thinking about something else since meeting Ste, called out to his older brother Rockefeller. "Hey, Rockefeller hyung." As Rockefeller naturally looked at him, Andrew began to speak. "Um, you know... I was just thinking. If I go to a military academy, will that be alright?" Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier($18) For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 38 (2) Chapter 38 (2) "What are you talking about?" "No... it''s nothing much. I''ve just been thinking for a long time that it would be nice to be a knight." At that, Joshua reacted before Rockefeller. "Andrew, what do you mean? A knight? You wanted to be a knight?" "I''ve just been thinking about it for a long time. It seems like it would be nice to be a knight..." Why was he suddenly bringing up such a topic? Rockefeller, who had tried to lead his younger siblings down the path of money like himself, couldn''t help but be a little flustered. ''I knew Leo had a lot of interest in the church, but I didn''t know Andrew would be like that too.'' But not everyone could be the same. In the end, even if money was the best, he couldn''t force his siblings to think the same way. Rockefeller, who had been quiet for a moment, soon began to speak after finishing his thoughts. "Alright. But if you think there''s no chance, it''s best to give up that path quickly." Using the Tepez swordsmanship family as an example, they were monsters who could easily defeat giant monsters single-handedly at Andrew''s age. It was a realm of talent that could not be caught up to with just effort, and that was why Rockefeller wanted to dissuade Andrew. Because he already knew about the endless frustration he would face at the end, no matter how he went about it. "You can''t ignore the talent a person has. Especially in this world. But I won''t stop you if you want to. If necessary, I can cover the tuition for the military academy." Andrew''s face brightened even more at Rockefeller''s unexpected permission. "Really? I was just saying... but can I really go to the military academy?" Joshua also shared the same thoughts as Rockefeller. He knew that his second older brother loved to y war games and sword fights with his friends, but he was worried that he might end up like their father, who had given up on bing a magician. "But Andrew, what if you end up like our father, not bing a magician and just wasting money beforeing back?" "What are you talking about! You need talent to be a magician, but a knight doesn''t require that much!" It''s true that the world favors knights who can use magic more. However, in the developed empire of alchemy, there was also a special force of dragon knights who used guns with dragon-shaped tes, so it wasn''t like there was no path if they couldn''t use magic. "There''s something called a dragon knight. A knight who shoots a gun called a dragon." "A Dragon?" "No, the gun''s name is Dragon. Not a real dragon." "Oh, really?" "So even if I don''t have the talent, I can be a dragon knight who shoots dragons." "But isn''t the knight who uses magic the best?" "Well... that''s true. But being a dragon knight isn''t bad either." Rockefeller, who had been listening, stepped in. "Actually, it might not be a bad idea for Andrew to attend the military academy. You could make some good connections there. Of course, I won''t stop you if you want to be a dragon knight there. If that''s the path you want and the dream you want to achieve, I''ll naturally support you." "Thank you, Rockefeller! You''re really the best!" "Our family is different now. If we have dreams here, we can pursue them. But if we don''t have those dreams, we can just follow my path. The path I''m taking isn''t bad either." Joshua, who had been listening, chimed in. "I want to make money like Rockefeller Hyung! I''m not interested in things like knights or priests." "That''s good, Joshua. I''m d that you''re willing to follow me." "But I''m going to be a goldsmith! I''ve decided to be a goldsmith so that hyung won''t have to keep working under Mr. Carter!" "I also want to be a goldsmith. That way, we can open a bank with our family name." "Wow, so I''m going to be a goldsmith with Rockefeller hyung?" "Joshua, you can learn about gold coin engraving from Mr. Carter, just like me. It takes quite a while to learn this, too." "Wow, that''s exciting!" Feeling left out, Andrew quietly inserted himself between the two. "But what about me? If I go to the military academy and really think I have no talent, I''lle back here and work under Rockefeller to make money. If there''s really no possibility, that''s the right thing to do." "Andrew, if that''s the case, don''t go in the first ce, okay? I don''t want you to go to the military academy. It''ll be boring." "But I still want to go to the military academy. It''s just... like a dream." Rockefeller, nodding his head as if understanding, wrapped it up. "If you each have something you want to do, then you can do anything. Juste back under me if you think it won''t work out. I''ve already set my path." "Yes!" "Alright." With that, the conversation about Andrew was over, and Rockefeller changed the topic. "So, are you looking for other ways to make money?" The loudest voice here was none other than Joshua. "Yeah! Rockefeller hyung, is there any good work? We want to make big money like you, too. Not just the work we''re doing now." A good business idea. Of course, there was one. War always brought wealth. "Actually, I have one idea in mind." "Really? What is it?" "But this is something that you two are too young to do, and I''ll probably have to move with you." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier($18) For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 39 (1) Chapter 39 (1) Monopolizing Goods (3) Andrew and Joshua perked up their ears at Rockefeller''s words. "What is that? I''m curious." "Me too, I''m curious!" Without hesitation, Rockefeller told his younger brothers what they were curious about. "It''s called monopolizing goods." "Monopolizing goods?" "What is that? I''ve never heard of it before." Rockefeller continued to exin. "Simply put, monopolizing goods means buying up arge amount of a particr item all at once." Joshua expressed his doubt. "Why do that? Is there a need to buy so much?" Andrew was also puzzled. "If you buy a lot of food ingredients, they''ll spoilter, right? That''s not good." "Right. Mercenaries prefer fresh ingredients. That''s why they have to buy the necessary ingredients on the day they need them." "Even for food ingredients, if there''s a warehouse that can store them for a long time, it''s possible. Since there''s magic here, by borrowing the power of magic, you can keep the ingredients fresher and longer than you think." "Really?" "Then what''s the reason for buying so much?" "I''m curious too." "Me too." Rockefeller began to speak to his brothers again. "The reason for monopolizing goods is simple. If the price of that item increases significantly, you can make a huge profit. For example, let''s say there''s an item called A. At first, this item A is somon that it will be traded at a regr price." "Right, because it''smon." "Yeah,mon things are not expensive." "But then, suddenly, that item A bes rare. It bes unavable in the market and even to the people around you. What will happen to the price of item A?" Andrew quickly answered the question. "Of course, it will go up!" "Right. But what if the person who monopolized that item continues not to release it?" This time Joshua spoke up. "Won''t the price keep going up? If the person who has the item doesn''t release it, the price will continue to rise." "That''s right." "Or people might look for other items instead..." "If there are alternatives to item A, the price of item A won''t rise much. But what if there''s no alternative?" "There''s nothing to rece the item?" Andrew said with a thoughtful expression. "Then... you can''t control the incredibly high price." "Right. So what will happen to the person who monopolized that item?" Finally, Andrew seemed to understand. "Wouldn''t they make a fortune?" Instead of answering, Rockefeller just nodded his head. "Yes, they would make a fortune. That''s what monopolizing goods is, and I''m interested in it now." At the mention of making a fortune, Joshua''s eyes sparkled. "So, Rockefeller, what do you want to buy a lot of?" At the question from his younger brothers, Rockefeller asked back in a calm tone. This was also important for educating his younger brothers. "What''s the current situation?" "What''s the current situation? Obviously..." The full-scale battle between the two forces that urred near their territory was well known to the younger brothers. Because of that, the mercenary group that hade to subdue the orcs became busier, and additional mercenary groups were hired. There were also continuous stories of building a huge fortress at the border area connected to their territory. And for a few days now, strange roars had been echoing from the castle, and ording to the adults around them, the lord had bought a huge flying monster this time. It was only recently that they found out it was a wyvern. In this way, the territory was in a situation close to wartime. "Orcs and dwarves are about to fight outside the territory." "Right. That''s why everything is so chaotic right now. If we''re not careful, we''re all in danger, aren''t we?" "The neighbors are also very worried. They wonder if something big will happen to us." At the brothers'' words, Rockefeller nodded lightly. "You''re right. You know it well. The situation is almost like a war now. Although it''s not directly rted to our Montefeltro territory, it''s a situation where we could get caught up in it, just like the adults around us are worried about." Seeing the worried expressions of his brothers, Rockefeller deliberately smiled faintly. "But don''t worry too much." "Why? Aren''t you worried, Rockefeller?" "I''m scared..." Rockefeller was still smiling. "It''s because the lord borrowed a lot of gold coins for this matter. War is ultimately a battle of money. The one with more money always wins." At that, Andrew expressed his doubt. "Is it really true that having more money guarantees a win in a war?" "It''s not necessarily true, but in terms of probability, the side with more money is definitely at an advantage. Why? Because having more money improves the sustainability of the war and allows you to purchase better weapons and equipment than your enemy." "Really?" "War is all about money. To fight the enemy, you need a lot of troops, and to operate those troops, you need money. Don''t you have to pay the hired soldiers a monthly sry?" "Right. If I were a soldier, I''d only fight if I got paid." "Me too! If they don''t pay me, there''s no way. I''ll just run away. Why should I fight?" Rockefeller thought the same. "Some soldiers may fight for patriotism or other good emotions, but that''s very temporary. In the end, if there''s no money, the army can''t be maintained. Why? Apart from the sry, what about food? First of all, you have to eat to live. But that''s also money. Without money, you can''t give the soldiers their sries, food, or even buy them good weapons." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier($18) For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 39 (2) Chapter 39 (2) In this world, powerful magic, gunpowder, and monstrous weapons yed a significant role. Hiring wizards capable of wielding powerful magic required money, as did operating and maintaining heavily armed troops and gigantic monstrous weapons. In the end, money was everything in war. "What do you think? Can you win a war without money?" "No!" "Absolutely not!" "Right, but right now, our lord has a lot of money. Your hyung and Carter helped lend a lot to our lord." "Really?" "Wow, amazing. So our lord is rich?" At that, Rockefeller couldn''t help but smile faintly. Rich? He only appeared to be rich. In reality, he was a hollow shell with nothing. "For now, there shouldn''t be much difficulty in defending the territory. They''re building arge fortress near the border, and theck of troops will be somewhat resolved by hiring additional mercenary forces." "So we don''t have to worry too much?" "I''m relieved. I was a bit worried." "But we can''t bepletely at ease. Nobody knows what will happen in the world. However, the probability of this ce being in danger is slim. For now, the battles outside the territory will have nothing to do with this ce." Hearing Rockefeller''s words, the two younger siblings quickly felt relieved. Then Joshua began to raise a question again. "I get the general situation. But what does Rockefeller want to buy at a time like this?" At that, Rockefeller showed a faint smile. "Usually, in situations like this, people around us would stock up on weapons and food supplies to prepare for any possible situations." "That''s right. This time, the prices of potatoes and carrots went up a lot. It seems like there are fewer supplies for the mercenaries, too. I was suspected of stealing supplies because of that." Andrew asked, "So, do we also buy a lot of food supplies like the people around us?" At that, Rockefeller slowly shook his head. It was a sign of denial. "No, we can''t make a lot of money with that. If we had to, we should have acted in advance." "Then?" At this moment, Rockefeller''s eyes began to shine intensely. "What I''m interested in right now is not ordinary food supplies." "Then what are you interested in?" "Barley and hops." "Barley and hops?" The two siblings knew what they were used for. "Barley and hops are used to make beer, right?" "That''s right. I''ve heard that barley and hops are needed to make beer." Barley sprouts were used to make malt juice, which was then filtered, and hops were added to it and fermented with yeast to make beer, a friend of all. "That''s right. What I''m interested in is the barley and hops needed to make beer, and the beer itself." "Why beer? Beer is not essential right now." The two siblings showed a puzzled expression. Would there really be anyone wanting to enjoy beer in the pressing situation of the territory? There might be, but they didn''t think it was more valuable than potatoes and other food supplies that could fill their stomachs right now. "I don''t know. Why is Rockefeller interested in beer?" "Me neither." "Is beer that important?" "I don''t think so. I don''t think it''s beer in this uncertain situation." As they were talking, something crossed Andrew''s mind. There was an answer in the conversation he had with Rockefeller so far. "Wait... Rockefeller, are you nning to monopolize beer and sell it to dwarves?" Andrew continued. "The war is not only fought by us, right?" At that, Joshua also showed a surprised expression. "That''s right. Dwarves are crazy about beer. I heard that they drink beer every day and can''t live even a single day without it." The younger siblings were notplete fools. At that, Rockefeller confirmed their guess with a wide grin. "You''re right. The war is not just ours, and dwarves are a race that can''t do anything without beer. They even cause riots because of beer. That''s the kind of race they are." Dwarves were different from humans. They were underground dwarves who had to drink beer and die even if they were about to die. They loved beer so much that they were obsessed with it. "And this is a foreignnd. In such a ce, beer can only be bought from nearby areas, other than importing it from their home country." Dwarves were a very wealthy race, holding as much gold as goblins. Being such a wealthy race, they preferred to buy scarce supplies from foreignnds rather than supplementing them from their home country. "Dwarves definitely need beer. However, due to their affluent nature, they won''t import beer from their home country but will buy it from nearby areas. And since beer is as essential as air to them, they will try to buy it no matter what, right?" Here''s a question. "In that case, will they buy beer here, where it''s very expensive, or not?" The answer to that question was already determined. "They will definitely buy it!" "Dwarves are rich! Of course, they will buy it!" Bingo. Rockefeller snapped his fingers, creating a loud sound. "That''s right. They will definitely buy it. So, what will happen to us, who have monopolized that beer?" This answer was also predetermined. "We will be filthy rich!" "We will make a tremendous amount of money!" Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier($18) For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 40 (1) Chapter 40 (1) Guys, if you missed it, I made a recap chapter on Kofi, do check it out. Monopolizing Goods #2(1) On a weekend morning. An elderly priest conducting the Holy Communion service spoke to the believers who participated in the Mass as he distributed the bread. "This is the body of Saint John for you." Then, the old priest holding a chalice of red wine continued. "This is also the cup of the new covenant, sealed by the blood of Saint John. Saint John shed this blood for you." After the Holy Communion prayer ended, the believers who participated in the Mass ate the bread and wine distributed by the elderly priest, finished the ceremony, and left the chapel. The chapel where the Mass had ended. Although the chapel was not veryrge, as it was located in a small ce on the outskirts of the empire, the peaceful atmosphere was not badpared to other chapels. In the now-empty chapel, Leo, the fourth child of the Rothsmedici family, offered prayers for his brothers along with his youngest sister, Lucia. ''Saint John, please help my brothers not to go to hell.'' The only reason the fourth child, Leo, came to the chapel every day, including weekends, was that he was worried about his brothers falling into hell. "Leo, you''re here." A young priest who recognized Leo naturally approached and sat next to him. Hearing the familiar voice, Leo paused his prayer for a moment and looked at the visiting priest. "Father Lucian, hello." There was a young girl sitting next to Leo, and the priest also recognized Lucia. "Hello, Lucia?" Shy Lucia just bowed her head silently. Seeing this, the priest smiled faintly and immediately spoke to Leo. "You came today too?" "Yes, I came to pray for my brothers today as well." "Really?" The young priest was not unaware of why Leo visited every day to offer prayers to God and the circumstances behind it. The younger brother was struggling for his eldest brother, who had joined the bank, and two other brothers who could not resist money. "Father Lucian." In the case of ordinary priests, the title Father was attached, and since Lucian had told him, Leo had been calling him by that title ever since. "Yes?" "You said you didn''t knowst time and would look into it once. So I''m asking again, do people who have done usury even once have to go to hell?" At that question, Lucian shifted his gaze forward. It was a difficult question. "To go to hell unconditionally..." Lucian, who was still a young priest, did not know much. However, he did ask an experienced priest about usury because Leo had asked. And he told Leo what he had sorted out after hearing the answer. "Actually, there is a saying that if you do usury, you will go to hell. There is a separate hell for usurers in the 7th hell." "Really?" Lucian continued in a nonchnt expression to Leo, who asked with a worried look. "Usurers who fall into that hell suffer eternally with a heavy wallet around their necks. That''s why we tell the believers never to take interest from others. Of course, we have to stop it if we don''t want to receive such punishment after death." "Then what about my eldest brother? Is he going to hell unconditionally after death?" "Well." It was true that all usurers who take interest from others go to hell, as everyone knows. That was correct... ''I don''t know why the bishop and the high priest are close to such usurers. If they are people who will eventually fall into hell, it would be right to stay away from them for the sake of other believers.'' The bishop and high priest that he served were the ones who were closest to those who would fall to hell. Although it was a small diocese located in a remote area, there were high-ranking priests here, and they liked the usurers who donated the most money to the church more than anyone else. Usurers should have been avoided by the priests of the church in principle. However, the high-ranking priests in the diocese seemed to like them even more. And they said, If you donate a lot of money, you may not go to hell. A merciful God can lead even the most heinous criminals to heaven in response to many prayers. I heard that if you pray a lot to God, even those who go to hell can be sent to heaven. Upon hearing this story, Leo''s face brightened. "Really? So if I pray a lot, can my oldest brother avoid going to hell?" It was a difficult question. Although it would be funny to say that there is a quality to prayers, in reality, there is. For example, the Pope''s prayer is said to be better received by God than that of an ordinary priest like him. "Leo, do you know who the highest-ranking person in the church is?" The closest existence to God. Leo shook his head. "No, I don''t know." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 40 (2) Chapter 40 (2) "It''s the Pope. He is the one who can best convey his voice to God, more than anyone else in the church, here and including the diocese." Lucian turned his head and looked straight at Leo. "The prayers you and I make are really small and insignificant, but the prayers the Pope makes might be a little different. Maybe even the usurers who fall to hell can go to heaven under his prayers. God is so merciful." Leo''s eyes sparkled. "The Pope? Who is he?" "He is the highest-ranking person in the church. And he is also the closest person to Saint John." "The closest person to Saint John?" "Yes, he is closer to Saint John than anyone else. So he can convey his voice to God better than anyone else." At that moment, Leo imagined himself bing the Pope for his brother Rockefeller, who worked at the bank, and for the other brothers who wanted to follow Rockefeller. "Father Lucian, can anyone be the Pope?" At that question, Lucian could onlyugh. The position of the Pope has been said to be a divine appointment since ancient times. "Of course, not anyone can be the Pope. But if you be a priest and gradually rise to higher positions in the church, you might be able to meet him someday." "Not bing the Pope?" Lucian couldn''t help butugh. "For us, just seeing him is an infinite honor. You don''t be the Pope just because you want to. His position has been determined by God since ancient times." "Really?" "So, do you want to be a priest too?" Leo did not hesitate at all in answering that question. "Yes! I love praying to God here." "Is that so?" Anyone could be a priest unless they had special disqualifications. However, they had to suppress their inner desires, live a very restricted life, and had an extremely busy job that was much busier than it appeared. All the big and small tasks within the diocese were their responsibility. "But this job is not easy. It can be so hard that you might give up halfway. Do you still want to do it?" Leo''s answer remained unchanged despite the question. "I still want to be a priest. As long as I can pray for my brothers, everything is fine." Lucian, who had been nodding his head, stood up from his seat and spoke. "Then can youe back tomorrow? I''ll ask the higher-ups, and if there''s a ce avable, I''ll help you be a priest." "Really?" "But remember this. Bing a priest is really hard work. You always have to fight against another me inside you." "I''m fine! I can do it." "Alright, see you tomorrow then." After finishing his conversation with the young priest, Leo told Rockefeller about the events of the day during dinner that night. "You suddenly want to be a priest?" "Yeah, I want to be a priest and pray for my brothers." It seemed like just yesterday when he was sent to the church, and now he wants to be a priest. ''My fourth brother wants to be a priest...'' While Rockefeller was lost in various thoughts, Andrew and Joshua, who were just as bewildered as Rockefeller, began to talk to Leo. "Why do you suddenly want to be a priest? It''s not fun at all." "Leo, you should make money like us." "Yeah, money is the best. You don''t know because you''re young, but being a priest is really boring. You can''t even get married and have to live alone for your entire life." Despite his brothers'' objections, Leo''s resolve did not waver. "I want to be a priest to pray for our family. Can''t I be a priest?" Could they really stop their fourth brother, who wanted to be a priest for their sake? After thinking for a while, Rockefeller hesitantly opened his mouth. "Leo, is there a specific reason you want to be a priest?" "Yeah! If I be the Popeter, I can pray for you guys so you won''t go to hell." At that, Rockefeller couldn''t help butugh. The Pope was the ruler of the church. Perhaps even higher than the emperor of the empire. Could someone who wasn''t born into a noble family or someone without exceptional divine power, but rather an ordinary person from amoner''s family, really achieve such a position? ''No.'' Then Rockefeller realized he had thought wrong. Was there aw that saidmoners couldn''t be the Pope? ''Maybe it''s a good thing for Leo and all of us.'' "Do you really want to be a priest?" The fourth brother, Leo, did not change his mind. "Yeah! I want to be the Popeter. Then I can pray for my brothers near St. John. Then we won''t have to go to a ce like hell. I''ll keep praying." Although the possibility of realization seemed slim, Rockefeller didn''t just take Leo''s words as a joke. If Leo couldn''t do it on his own, Rockefeller would make it happen. ''I''ve always wanted to get close to the church anyway. The power of the church is absolutely necessary.'' "Alright. If you''re really determined, I won''t stop you from bing a priest. But let''s make one promise." What could that promise be? "What promise?" "No matter what happens, our brothers here muste first. No matter what position you''re in or what situation you face, our family must alwayse first. Then I''ll do my best to help you be the Pope." Although it was a difficult thing for Leo to understand, it didn''t sound bad. After all, the reason he wanted to be a priest was for the sake of his brothers here. "Yeah, I''ll always pray for my brothers." Without realizing it, Rockefeller nodded and continued the conversation they had left off yesterday. "Since it''se to this, it would be good to work with the church on selling beer." Rockefeller smiled brightly at Leo, who was staring at him intently. "Because that will also be a good thing for our Leo." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 41 (1) Chapter 41 (1) Monopolizing Goods #2(2) The previous conversation about bartering beer and its ingredients had been interrupted. There were several issues that Rockefeller and his two younger brothers had to consider before proceeding with the task. Among them, the most significant problem was the issue of taxes. "And we can easily avoid the tax issue since we''re partnering with the church." Inevitably, taxes were attached to all economic activities within the territory. The territory was, in principle, owned by the lord, and since they were doing business on someone else''snd, it was only natural to share a portion of the profits with thendowner. "Rockefeller hyung, is it okay if we partner with the church?" "Is the church different from Uncle Carter?" Rockefeller nodded affirmatively in response to his younger brothers'' questions. "Of course, it''s different. In principle, the church cannot be taxed. To tax the church would be no different than taxing God." In the world that Rockefeller knew, the church held a high position. The head of the church was in a higher position than the emperor, who was the most powerful person in the empire. Perhaps that was why many territories within the empire did not impose taxes on the church. The church''s power was so formidable that even if they wanted to tax them, they dared not. "If the church were taxed for its activities, there would be an uproar in the diocese and the Holy See. They would try to devour the lord here, saying that they had taxed God." Rockefeller was still smiling. "So, partnering with the church is a good thing for this matter. At the very least, we can avoid the tax issue for sure." At that, Joshua muttered in a small voice. "Why can''t we just do it ourselves?" Andrew, who had heard Joshua''s muttering, had the same thought. "Rockefeller, can''t we just do it ourselves? If we work with the church, our profits will be reduced." If they made a lot of money from bartering, no one would want to share their profits with others. The two younger brothers showed a faint reluctance to work with the church because of this thought. However, Rockefeller believed that reality should not be overlooked. "I understand what you guys are thinking. But if we do that, we can''t avoid the tax issue. If we don''t share the profits generated by that business with the church, the lord here will take all the profits in the form of taxes." The thoughts of the two younger brothers seemed adorable to Rockefeller. "We just have to not get caught." "Yeah, like when we secretly mined gold, we can do it secretly among ourselves." Rockefeller couldn''t help but smile faintly. "You can''t avoid getting caught, you know? If we barter something, people around us will inevitably find out. They''re not fools." Rockefeller continued. "They have eyes and ears like us. The same goes for the lord. If we get caught secretly bartering beer, the lord could find various ways to harass us. You have to think about this beforehand." The two younger brothers couldn''t refute his words. Rockefeller then said to them. "Greed can be both a good and a bad thing. So, you need to know how to control your greed so it doesn''t overflow." Only then did the two younger brothers show signs of reflection. They btedly realized that their greed had been too great. "You''re right. We were too greedy, as Rockefeller hyung said. There''s no way the people around us wouldn''t know. Even I would be suspicious." "We stopped mining gold halfway through. But if we get caught secretly doing this... it would be terrible." Rockefeller was still smiling. "And there are two more good things about partnering with the church this time." "Two more?" "What are they?" Rockefeller continued to speak to his two younger brothers, who were looking at him with sparkling eyes. "First, we can build a good rtionship with the church." If the church were to participate in an unexpected event and gain significant profits, they would naturally be pleased. And it would be only natural for the Rothsmedici family, who proposed the idea, to gain the church''s favor. "Our family will be well-regarded by the church since they profited because of us, right?" "Of course!" "Yeah! They made money because of us." After finishing his words, Rockefeller naturally turned his gaze to Leo, the fourth. "And it''ll also be a great opportunity for our Leo, who wants to be a priest." Contrary to what the world knew, the church was not such a pure and clean ce. ''Maybe it''s entirely possible.'' "Because the church''s favor towards our family will naturally extend to Leo." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 41 (2) Chapter 41 (2) Among the various dioceses belonging to the empire, those without a bishop or archbishop were often rtively small in scale or alienated from the church. The reason for being alienated was obvious. There was no gain in paying attention to them. The Montefeltro territory, located on the outskirts of the empire, was also one of the regions heavily alienated by the church, and for that reason, the highest authority in the diocese had to be held by a priest-in-charge rather than a bishop. "We cannot ept him. Just send him back." When Lucian, the youngest priest, went to see the priest-in-charge, Peter, to rmend a new priest, Peter immediately expressed his refusal without giving it a thought. Surprised, Lucian protested. "You cannot ept him? Father, wasn''t it said that anyone could be a priest? Are you saying that God is rejecting this child?" Flustered, Lucian asked as he lifted his shoes, and the priest-in-charge Peter, who had been quietly sitting at his desk doing his work, raised his head and looked straight at Lucian. As Lucian, with a flustered expression, brought up God in his question, Bishop Peter, who had been quietly working at his desk, raised his head and looked straight at Lucian. "Our merciful God does not reject anyone. It is I who reject that child. So this matter has nothing to do with the God you seek." "Why do you reject that child? Weren''t you simply epting others before?" "You were thest one." Bishop Peter said with a troubled expression. "It''s difficult now. We''ve taken in too many priests for such a small diocese. The territory''s situation isn''t good either, and the diocese''s situation isn''t good either. So you should also consider these points." Still, Lucian persisted, so Bishop Peter ryed this message. "Saint John is always merciful. We may not be able to embrace that youngmb in this diocese, but who knows in other ces? Try rmending another diocese." To go to another diocese, one would have to travel quite a distance. Lucian, who thought that if they could not ept the child in this diocese, the situation would be simr in other dioceses with simr circumstances, tried to persuade them once more. "If not here, there is no ce that can embrace that child. Can''t you reconsider your thoughts just once?" Thest priest to be epted was Lucian, standing right in front of him. Bishop Peter, who knew that it was difficult, bowed his head from the beginning. "It''s difficult. It''s a pity, but you have to talk well and send him back." With that, the bishop stopped mentioning the matter. With no choice but to turn away due to the bishop''s stubbornness, Lucian went to Leo, who was waiting with his older brother in the chapel. Lucian greeted the older brother, called Rockefeller, lightly and then knelt down on one knee to be at eye level with Leo. "Leo, I''m really sorry." "Huh? Why? What''s going on?" "Well..." Rockefeller, who had been watching, called out to Lucian, who was apologizing to his younger brother. "Father, what''s going on?" Thinking it would be better to talk to the older brother, Rockefeller, Lucian got up and faced him. They appeared to be of the same age since they had simr physiques. However, Lucian, who was not conscious of this, spoke. "There seems to be no way because the bishop is too stubborn." "Is there a specific reason for rejecting my brother?" Lucian nced at a few priests sweeping the inside of the chapel and continued. "There are too many priests in such a small diocese. God is always merciful, but the bishop seems to have considered the diocese''s poor situation more." Financial problems. It sounded like they couldn''t ept Leo because of it. "Was there such a problem?" "I''ve heard that other dioceses run small businesses to supplement their inadequate finances, but our diocese is barely operating with only the small offerings of the believers." Lucian couldn''t help but let out a sigh. "Ah... I must have been thest one. They said it''s difficult anymore. If the merciful God had helped a little, there would have been no problem." Upon hearing that he could not be a priest, Leo, who was nearby, began to tear up. Then, Rockefeller, who had been watching, stroked Leo''s head and spoke to Lucian. "If my brother cannot be epted due to financial problems, I would like to make a good proposal. Is there any chance to meet with the bishop separately?" At this, Lucian expressed strong doubt. "A good proposal?" "Yes, I think the bishop will like it too. Please arrange a separate seat." After a moment of hesitation, Lucian decided to arrange a meeting with the bishop at Rockefeller''s request, thinking that anything could happen. So, a few minutester. The bishop, who had been suffering from the diocese''s financial problems, brightened at the unexpected news. "A good proposal for our diocese?" "Yes, they said it was a good proposal. I think it might be a business-rted story." "Business..." It might be a funny story that God''s littlembs were doing business, but already in other dioceses, they were running small businesses like vineyards or wineries due tock of finances. So, the bishop, who had no aversion to business proposals, decided to meet the person Lucian was talking about. "Let them in. We should listen if it''s a good story." He allowed the meeting like that. However, the one who came was as young and green as Lucian. ''What, he''s a kid, isn''t he?'' "Come in... They say there''s a good business proposal. Are you here to y a prank?" The bishop frowned and shook his head. "If it''s a prank, then forget it. I''m not in a position to listen, so just go back." At the bishop''s words, Rockefeller smiled and began to speak. "Who would dare to joke in a ce where God is? Although I am young, I am working as an assistant at a bank." When he said he was working as an assistant at a bank, the bishop quickly changed his expression. ''He''s working as an assistant at a bank?'' The only bank here was Carter Bank, run by the goldsmith called Carter. "Ah, so you''re the kid who recently became an assistant? I''ve heard a lot about you from Carter." The bishop''s favorite person in this territory was Carter. Carter was the one who donated the most to the church among the goldsmiths. "Yes, I am his assistant. My name is Rockefeller Rothsmedici." "Rothsmedici! Oh, I see. I didn''t recognize you. I knew Rothsmedici. Your grandfather was an excellent doctor. Please, have a seat here." Seeing his attitude change in an instant, Rockefeller couldn''t help butugh inside. ''It seems he''s really desperate.'' "Alright, then I''ll sit downfortably." And so, the conversation between the bishop, Lucian, and Rockefeller began, discussing the financial problems of the diocese and the potential business proposal that could help alleviate the situation, ultimately leading to the eptance of Leo as a priest. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 42 (1) Chapter 42 (1) Monopolizing Goods #2(3) The two sat facing each other across a shabby desk. The bishop smiled as he mentioned that he had a good proposal. "Speaking of your grandfather, he was indeed a great man." The conversation began with praise for histe grandfather. He, too, was of considerable age and had not forgotten David Rothsmedici, who had made many donations to the church in the past. "Although he did not possess sacred healing magic like the holy priests who could wield magic, he saved countless lives with emergency treatments and folk remedies learned on various battlefields. At the time, I was a young and inexperienced priest, but I always had the impression that your grandfather had a great talent when I saw him from afar. I thought that people could be saved even without magic." The priest''s smile remained. "Since you had such a great grandfather, there is no need to mention the descendants. So, you said you have a good proposal?" As the priest began to approach the main point after talking about his grandfather, Rockefeller reciprocated with a smile that was no less than the priest''s. "Yes, I heard that my younger brother, who wanted to be a priest, was rejected here, so I briefly listened to the reason for the rejection and heard that the financial situation of this diocese is not good. That''s why I took the liberty ofing here to see if there was anything I could do to help, even if it''s small." "Ah, was the child rmended by Priest Lucian your brother?" "Yes, that child is Leo Rothsmedici, the fourth in our Rothsmedici family. I am the eldest." "I see." The priest showed a gentle smile with his hands naturally resting on the desk, wearing his ring. Therge gold ring on one of his fingers caught Rockefeller''s eye, with the ruby embedded in it unknowingly attracting his gaze. ''Even though the diocese''s finances are difficult, the ring on his finger is made of gold and even has a ruby?'' Of course, his gaze on the ring was only for a brief moment. As Rockefeller''s gaze quickly returned, the priest showed a slightly more serious expression than before. "As you know, the situation in the territory is not very good these days. Was it the Redskin? The orcs with red skin and the dwarves from the Thunder Mountains are said to be fighting outside the territory. For that reason, the neighboring territories have be very chaotic. If we''re not careful, we could get caught up in the conflict between the two forces." "Yes, I am well aware that the situation outside the territory is chaotic. The lord has borrowed a lot of gold coins for that matter." "Since you work at the bank, you must know how the territory is managed. The first ce to hear about any issues in the territory is the Carter Bank, where you work, right? Inevitably, money problems are involved in every event." Rockefeller answered by nodding his head lightly. Although he was young, his atmosphere was heavy, and the priest did notin about Rockefeller''s attitude. Instead, he continued the conversation. "Anyway, we can live without problems if the life in the territory is stable." "I heard that the finances here are not very good, is there no other source of ie besides the donations?" "Unfortunately, that''s the case. Unlike other dioceses, this ce operates solely on donations." The priest''s expression remained dark. "So, when the situation in the territory bes difficult, our situation naturally bes difficult as well." The priest let out a short sigh. "Um... That''s why we couldn''t ept your brother. Even the priests in this diocese are already overwhelmed, and we don''t have the capacity to ept new members at this point." Then, looking at Rockefeller with a heavy gaze, the priest continued. "No matter how much they are thembs of God, they have to eat and live, right? You can''t live on prayers alone." Rockefeller felt somewhat pathetic after hearing the story about the financial situation of this diocese, which only operated on donations. What on earth has this diocese been doing with the title of a church, when there are so many things they can do? "Isn''t there any support or anything?" "Do you think there would be any support? It''s amazing that there is even a church in such a small territory located on the border." The priest continued. "The higher-ups don''t pay attention to such insignificant border areas. If there was a holy ce in this area, it might be different. Or if there was something to attract the interest of the higher-ups, that would be nice. But since there is nothing like that, we have no choice but to be neglected." "I see. But I heard that a small vineyard is being operated in a monastery located in the neighboring territory. I heard that their wine is quite good." As if to tell him to listen, the priest let out a deep sigh. "Sigh... If you''re talking about the winery business in the monastery you mentioned, we have something to say about that, too. It also requires money." "Can''t you just borrow the money for a while?" At that, the priest showed a stern expression. "Who would we borrow the money from? A bank dealer?" "Yes, if you have a good rtionship with Mr. Carter, you could have gotten a loan on good terms." The priest shook his head as if to disagree. "No way. We utterly detest interest. Interest is, needless to say, a sphemy against the sacred. It''s something that should only happen in hell." That''s why they had been running the diocese on donations alone until now. From Rockefeller''s point of view, it was almost nauseating to see their duality, loving money but trying to distance themselves from it. ''Listening to this, it''s really an amazing ce. They don''t want to borrow money to do business, but they want to make a lot of money.'' The priest finished speaking and looked at Rockefeller with sparkling eyes. After the priest finished speaking, his eyes sparkled as he asked Rockefeller, "So what''s this great proposal you have? If it''s a good idea, I''m certainly open to it." Would it really be right to extend a helping hand to these stubborn people? ''Even if they don''t like it, they have no choice but to get on board.'' The church''s hypocrisy regarding money was nauseating, but there was no doubt that the church was a unique ce that couldpletely avoid the scrutiny of lord and tax issues. ''And for our Leo''s sake as well.'' Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 42 (2) Chapter 42 (2) "What I am proposing is this." Rockefeller told the priest about the corner store monopoly he had thought of. After hearing the whole story, the priest fell silent for a moment before opening his mouth again. "Hmm... So you want to monopolize beer and its ingredients?" "Yes, if we can just monopolize, we can make a lot of profit dealing with the dwarves." Ahem! After a cough, the priest spoke again. "It''s a good idea, but I know the gold coins used by the dwarves are different from ours. Are you still okay with that?" "Ultimately, they''re all gold coins. If we melt down sovereigns and change them into imperial dnts, there will be no problem. Or if there is a supply of sovereigns elsewhere, we can trade with them and exchange them for imperial dnts." "That''s true. It was a needless worry since you work at the bank." "You don''t need to worry about that part too much." "It''s not a good thing to monopolize something, but it''s a different story if the other party is a dwarf." The ensuing smile contained the cruel appearance of a believer who didn''t care about the dwarves at all. ''Well, that''s true. I knew they wouldn''t refuse. After all, it''s someone else''s business, isn''t it?'' Rockefeller continued to feed the priest''s ego with his words. "The war between the dwarves from Thunder Mountain and the Redskins won''t end overnight. It will take at least a few months, if not several years. During that time, we can make a lot of profit dealing with the dwarves." Rockefeller spoke confidently. "In that sense, I want to not only monopolize the beer and its ingredients currently on the market but also look forward to growing barley and hops directly in this church for the next few years. Of course, it would be even better if a brewery was built and managed separately by the church." "Ah, I see. If we can monopolize the supply of beer as well, we can make a lot of profit dealing with those gold-stackers, the dwarves." Rockefeller subtly raised the corners of his mouth. "That''s definitely the case. As the war between the two factions drags on, the dwarves will need more beer, and they will try to secure the scarce supply from nearby areas. This is a guaranteed sessful business." "It''s a good idea." During the conversation, the priest suddenly had this thought. How could such a young boye up with such an idea? "But how did youe up with such a thought?" "I just saw an opportunity when I heard that the two factions were shing outside the territory." "Really? Wow, that''s amazing. I never thought of that." "Well, it is what it is." "But there''s one problem." Rockefeller tensed up for a moment when the priest mentioned a problem. ''What''s the problem? The church shouldn''t be concerned about the lord''s opinion.'' His nonchncested only a moment. The priest continued in silence. "We don''t have the money to monopolize." Rockefeller was worried about something useless. He quickly rxed and smiled again. "You don''t have to worry about that part too much. I''ll cover the money needed for the monopoly and the expenses for growing barley and hops or building a brewery in the future." "You will?" He was still an underage boy. He looked to be about 15 years old. But when such a boy said he would cover such arge amount of money, it was only natural for the priest to have doubts. "How do you have the money?" "Have you forgotten that I work at the bank? I have the money I''ve earned so far, and if necessary, I can borrow from the bank." Rockefeller followed up with a thick smile for the priest. "Since you despise interest, I''ll bear that despicable burden myself. All you have to do is proceed with this matter using the money I offer." The priest''s eyes became even more serious. "Without interest?" "I wouldn''t dare to think of taking interest from the church." When lending money to others, interest was inevitably attached. But when Rockefeller said he would lend money without interest, the priest couldn''t help but be surprised. "Are you really okay with that? Normally, when you lend money, you naturally receive interest." Rockefeller was not entirely unaware of why the church hated usurers. "Taking interest from the church is not something I would dare to do. Going to hell is enough for me alone, so please pray for me in this difficult situation." "Hehe, I''ve never seen such an irresponsible person." The priest spoke with a stern yet gentle smile. "Hell! Do you think a benefactor of the church would fall so easily into hell? Hell is not an easy ce to go. Even if you want to go, I won''t let you, so remember that." Rockefeller couldn''t help butugh inside at the unexpected response. "Thank you for saying that." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 43 (1) Chapter 43 (1) Monopolizing Goods #2(4) As Rockefeller showed a faint smile, the priest also naturally followed with a smile, and the two looked at each other with pleasant expressions for a while. The priest asked, "But I have one question. Why do you want to do this with us specifically? If it''s just a joint venture, there are many others you could work with. It could be with the lord of this territory, or with other people." Although they could legally avoid taxes imposed in the territory, and it was a good deed for his younger brother Leo, the answer had already been decided. ''I would like to be honest, but this is better than saying that.'' "It''s my intention and consideration to repay the grace of Saint John and the church. I can''t just do this good deed with anyone. Wouldn''t it be better to do it together if it benefits both the church and our family?" The priest seemed satisfied with the answer, showing a content smile. "Excellent. You will grow up to be a great person like your grandfather." "Thank you for your kind words." Still, there was one aspect that needed to be rified. That was the distribution of profits from the business. The priest brought up this matter first without waiting for Rockefeller to mention it. "So, how do you n to divide the profits from this? You wouldn''t donate everything to the church just for our benefit, like your assistant in the bank." Rockefeller replied as if he had been waiting for the question. "I suggest that we split the profits in half, excluding the initial capital." From the church''s perspective, it was a business with no loss. There was no initial investment, and just by participating, they would take half of the profits. The priest responded with a satisfied smile. "Saint John told us to divide even a piece of bread with a knife. I understand. It''s fair to split the profits from this matter in half. That would be fair." "Although I''d like to give more, that''s my intention." Rockefeller''s smile deepened. "I believe the rtionship between this ce and our family will not end here. I hope that this will be an opportunity for us to have a better rtionship." The priest began nodding with a satisfied face. "I have the same thought. If there''s a better opportunity than what you proposed today,e and meet with me anytime. The doors of the church are always open for you." "Thank you for saying that." After having several more conversations about business matters with the priest, Rockefeller was able to return to Leo, who had been waiting for him in the chapel with a gloomy expression. "Rockefeller hyung" There was no strength in the voice calling out to Rockefeller. He probably didn''t have high expectations. Father Lucian, who had led Rockefeller back to the chapel, also didn''t have a good expression. He hadn''t heard the conversation between the two. However, both of them couldn''t help but be surprised by the following words from Rockefeller. "The conversation went well. From now on, Leo can live here with the other priests." At that remark, Leo, who was taken aback, stared at Rockefeller, and Father Lucian also wore a puzzled expression. "What do you mean? Did the priest change his mind all of a sudden?" "Yes, we had a good conversation. The priest said there would be no problem epting Leo as a new priest." "How?" The priest Lucian knew was not someone who would easily bend and change his will. He was a stubborn person in his own way. "Well, I made a good business proposal, and in return, he promised to take more care of my brother. That''s how I saw it." "What was the proposal?" "You can discuss the details with the priest. It''s simply a business matter." "A business? Business Alright, I will ask Father Peter separately." Rockefeller continued to speak with a friendly expression as he looked at Father Lucian. "Father Lucian, I''ve heard a lot about you from Leo. Please take good care of my brother in the future." Rockefeller had heard about Father Lucian from Leo during their dinner conversations. At Rockefeller''s words, Father Lucian blinked his eyes and then bowed his head slightly in a believer-like manner. "Yes, I will do my best to guide him so that Leo can be an excellent believer." "Please feel free to visit the Carter Bank if you need any help. I''ll always be there." "I''ll keep that in mind." * * * Andrew and Joshua, who had almost swept up the barley and hops, the ingredients for beer, in the market, began to visit barley tenant farmers to get more barley and hops. "Excuse me, sir, do you have any barley or hops here? We''re trying to buy some." "The church members came this morning, and now you guys?" "Oh, the church uncles have alreadye and gone?" "Yeah, they''ve already taken everything. They bought it all." "Oh, really? Hey, Joshua. This ce has already been raided." "Really? Andrew, let''s go somewhere else. The church uncles couldn''t have taken everything." "Alright, let''s do that." As the two children who had approached them out of the blue chatted and left, the tenant farmer looked at the departing brothers with a slightly puzzled expression. ''Why are they looking for barley? Are they trying to make beer or something?'' Beer in this situation? His head shook involuntarily. If they had hoarded food instead, he would have understood. If a major war broke out near the territory and they had to evacuate during an emergency, the stored food would be of some help. ''Barley can be eaten too.'' Is that why they''re buying barley like that? Then why hops? ''Considering the way they''re buying, it must be rted to beer I don''t know why.'' The tenant farmer, who was only looking ahead in the territory, had no way of knowing the intentions of the two brothers and the church members. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 43 (2) Chapter 43 (2) Andrew and Joshua, who went around the corners of the territory to find tenant farmers growing barley and hops, bought all the supplies they had by the time the sun set, and piled them up in the warehouse separately managed by the church. The funds used here were all provided by Rockefeller, and the beer and its ingredients were indiscriminately bought by the priests of the church and Rockefeller''s two younger brothers. As days went by, all things rted to beer in the Montefeltro territory became increasingly scarce. Whenever there was any avable, church members or children from the Rothsmedici family would buy it without any consideration, causing supplies to run out. A few dayster. After hearing the situation, the lord, Chester, btedly stepped in and hurriedly visited the church that monopolized beer to ask the reason. However, he couldn''t get any answers from the priests who just imed it was God''s will. "Why beer?" After meeting with the head priest, Lord Chester showed a puzzled expression on his way back to his estate. His overseer, Siron Mark, had a simrly confused look. "What''s the point of doing this?" "Well, I''m not sure about the reason, but it''s true that beer has be scarce these days. It used to be fun to have a drink at a pub after work, but that fun has almost disappeared as supplies have dried up. I never thought the church would buy so much beer. They even took all the ingredients." "They won''t do the same in the neighboring territories, will they?" "If they''re determined, who knows? But why would they?" "If there''s a reason, they would do it. We can''t even guess why, so we just stand by and watch." Monopolizing a particr product was not a good thing from the lord''s perspective. The most important thing for the lord was the stability of the territory. It was an act that jeopardized that stability, so naturally, there was resistance. The problem was that the driving force behind it was the church, which even the lord himself couldn''t easily interfere with. "No matter how much I ask, that snake-like head priest won''t tell me anything. What kind of secret n is this?" The overseer, who was walking beside the lord, also had the same question. "Looking at the situation, there must be something we don''t know. That head priest is a very intelligent person and not someone who would do something pointless." "I just don''t get it. No matter how much I think about it, I can''t understand the reason." Lord Chester sighed deeply, recalling the head priest who had asked for help in the past. Why was a church member so interested in money? If they were church members, they should live in poverty. What''s the point of church donations? As if it wasn''t troublesome enough that they needed money for various reasons due to the wars that urred near the territory, they were also annoying about church donations. ''I don''t want to associate with that person who kept begging for church donations whenever he got a chance.'' "Did they have any separate businesses? Without me knowing?" The overseer recalled the reports he had received from his subordinates and answered. "I heard that the church is starting to cultivate barley and hops now." "What? They bought so much that they almost ran out, and now they''re going to cultivate more? Is their god obsessed with beer or something? Usually, it''s wine." "I''m not sure either. It would make more sense if they were doing a winery business. Why beer specifically?" "They''re not nning to build a brewery, are they?" "Come to think of it, I did hear about a brewery. It''s not very big, but it seems they''re investing a decent amount of money to build a brewery as well." "What? Not only are they cultivating barley and hops, but they''re also building a brewery? What kind of secret n is this? Are they nning to make a lot of beer and sell it?" "I don''t know about that." "Besides, building a brewery would require quite a bit of money. Where are they getting the money to build it? There''s no way a small church like that has emergency funds." "Well, usually they would borrow money from a bank, but..." Taking out loans was one of the things the church despised the most. Because it was deeply rted to the sin of usury, which was sphemy. "Considering the interest, it doesn''t seem like they borrowed money from a bank." "Then what, did money fall from the sky? Or did they build the brewery for free?" "Not like that, but..." Overseer Siron Mark just shook his head with a puzzled expression. "I don''t know. Anyway, it seems certain that the church is trying to monopolize beer for now." "Is there nothing better to do than monopolize beer?" The lord briefly thought about the monastery in the neighboring territory. In the diocese on the outskirts of the empire, which was financially struggling due to the small amount of church donations and offerings, they sometimes carried out small businesses as self-help measures. It wasn''t strange for a church in financial difficulty to carry out its own business, but it was hard to ept that the business was rted to beer, rather than a winery. "If they were making wine, I would have understood. Wine is already being produced in many ces." At that moment. An idea crossed the overseer''s mind. "Could it be... they changed to beer because they couldn''tpete with wine?" "What do you mean?" "Wine is already produced in other ces, right? The neighboring monastery has arge vineyard and a pretty big winery factory." "So?" "Since they can get wine from the neighboring territory, they might have changed to beer. If they produced wine, it would be insignificantpared to the neighboring monastery, so they might have thought topete with beer instead." "Hmm..." It wasn''t apletely satisfying answer. However, the overseer''s words didn''t seem entirely wrong either. If the church, which used to beg for church donations every day, started a small business for survival, it would make sense that the business should have somepetitiveness, which could be epted as basicmon sense. "We can''t stop them since it''s a church matter." Even the lord, who was like the sky, couldn''t dare to act recklessly in God''s domain. They couldn''t easily stop whatever the church was doing. Knowing this, the lord frowned. ''It looks like I''ve been yed.'' Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 44 (1) Chapter 44 (1) Monopolizing Goods #3(1) The monopoly and scarcity of everything rted to beer, led by the church, continued for several months. As a result, a phenomenon of beer scarcity urred in all ces, including the Montefeltro territory and nearby territories. The people, unable to drink beer to soothe their hardships, turned to wine as a substitute, but it could notpletely suppress their demand for beer. And since this was an issue led by the church, no one dared to express theirints towards the church, and this applied to the lord of the territory as well. ''They''vepletely monopolized beer to the point of drying up the supply.'' Due to the outbreak of the Totem War, a full-scale conflict between two forces in the adjacent area. The lord, who had even employed a giant wyvern, once again thought about the beer monopoly and scarcity that had be a hot topic recently, as he stroked his beloved wyvern. ''If they were nning to monopolize and profit from it, they really went all in. There''s no one to criticize them, so they''re running wild like a horse with a loose rein.'' His expression was dark. ''If only it wasn''t led by the church.'' Theints and dissatisfaction caused by the scarcity of beer were, absurdly, directed at him instead of the church. People thought it was his fault for not properly convincing the church, which monopolized beer. Although it was partly due to the atmosphere of not daring to go against the church''s will, people had nowhere else to me and inadvertently dumped their anger on him. ''Why do I have to be med for what the church did? Being a lord is so annoying.'' However, he didn''t take it too seriously, because once the church started to release the monopolized beer, everyone''s dissatisfaction would quickly subside. The only problem was the timing. ''When are they going to release the monopolized beer? It seems like it''s about time.'' But the damn church showed no intention of releasing the beer. It was as if they were waiting for a specific moment. ''It has nothing to do with me anyway. If they''re going to sell it, they should do it quickly.'' The matter of the church profiting from the beer monopoly waspletely unrted to him. ''And it''s not like I can tax it.'' The lord, who could only sigh, flew up into the sky on his wyvern and looked around the fortress that had been under construction for the past few months. The huge defensive facility being built near the border was being constructed very sturdily, enough to withstand a siege from the enemy. And behind it, a mercenary force of about a thousand soldiers was stationed, who would help him defend his territory in case of emergency. It was a force he couldn''t have afforded without borrowing money from the bank. ''The fortress is almostplete. Money really does wonders. I didn''t expect such arge-scale construction to bepleted in such a short time.'' If he had tried to build it with just the territory''s tax revenue, it would have taken years. ''Everything is fine, but...'' The lord, flying on his wyvern above the nearlypleted fortress, darkened his expression. ''The interest is higher than I thought.'' Although it wasn''t unbearable as long as there were no problems in the territory, the interest he had to pay to the bank could be a burden if there were changes in the territory''s annual tax revenue due to good harvests, wars, and other factors. ''It''s okay. There''s nothing to worry about. And even if there is...'' The lord, with a determined expression, turned the wyvern''s head towards the lord''s castle. ''I''m the one in charge here. What can those bank guys do to me? If I''m having a hard time, they''ll have to crawl on their own.'' With that thought, time passed, and beer had almost dried up in Montefeltro and the surrounding areas. As Rockefeller had predicted, a dwarf delegation from Thunder Mountain came to Montefeltro. Their reason foring was simple. The war with the Redskins had dragged on longer than expected, and they needed to supplement their scarce supplies. So they brought their gold sovereigns to the adjacent imperialnds. The visiting dwarf delegation consisted of dwarves from Thunder Mountain, who were subordinates of Grom Stark, known by the fearsome epithet "The Thunder Breathing." The dwarf delegation was made up of 10 members, and as rumored, they were typical dwarves, short in stature with beards. The only distinguishing feature was that, true to their Thunder Mountain origins, their hair and beards were disheveled. The dwarves, who had arrived at the lord''s garden in the Montefeltro territory, immediately requested an audience with the lord. The lord, who had been apprehensive about the sparks from the conflict between the dwarves and the Redskins, could not refuse their request and weed them. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 44 (2) Chapter 44 (2) In thergest meeting room in the lord''s castle, the lord raised his voice towards the dwarf delegation. "The famous lords of Thunder Mountain! Wee. I''m d you''vee to our territory." He was not the imperial emperor, so he didn''t sit on a throne and haughtily greet the dwarf delegation. And he didn''t have the guts to do so. Now that the imperial emperor had turned a blind eye to Montefeltro''s situation. Now that the Empire had turned its back on Montefeltro, the situation was dire. They knew that they couldn''t survive if they were disliked by the dwarves, so they tried to appease them even more. The visiting dwarf envoys also wanted a good rtionship with the territory, so they showed respect to the lord, and thus they were invited to the celebration that the lord had prepared. "Please enjoy yourselves. I hope nothing iscking." The situation of the territory seemed to be quite good. The table was so full of food that it looked like it could break at any moment. Orin, the dwarf representative who hade, looked at the food the lord had prepared and thought, ''The situation doesn''t seem too bad for a human territory on the outskirts. Usually, such areas are left out.'' Although they were not in conflict with any opposing forces, the huge fortress being built near the border alone was enough to indicate that their financial situation was not bad. ''I don''t know where the money ising from, but we don''t need to know that. Anyway...'' As the celebration began and the dwarves filled their stomachs with the prepared food, their expressions gradually hardened. Noticing the strange atmosphere, the puzzled lord Chester asked, "Is there something wrong with the taste? You all look..." At that question, a dwarf named Imri, who was reluctantly drinking the wine, defiantly sshed the wine from his cup onto the floor. To the lord and hispany, it was a very rude behavior, but the dwarf envoys thought that this gathering itself was rude. "It seems like you don''t know much about us." Orin, the representative of the envoys, spoke. "We don''t like wine. Or should I say, we''re not familiar with it?" In his eyes, there was a clear demand for something else. "Then something familiar to us should be brought out. Humans drink it too, don''t they? Or maybe you know that and are trying to y a trick on us." As Orin''s expression soured, the other dwarves began to bang their spoons and forks on the table, looking around. "My throat is burning!" "I''m going crazy with thirst!" Seeing this, the lord wiped the sweat from his forehead and spoke up. "If you''re looking for beer..." "Yes, beer!" "Bring us beer!" "We need beer!" The lord showed a troubled expression at the somewhat rough-speaking dwarves. "That is..." Orin, the envoy representative, spoke with a slightly stiff expression. "Your name is Chester, right? The reason our dwarf envoys came here is to buy your goods with the gold we have. Our tastes are not much different from yours, so we will buy various items, but beer is especially important. If we can''t quench our thirst with beer..." Orin''s expression became even colder. "Our dwarves will soon start a riot. We can survive without food, but we can''t live a single day without beer!" At those words, the apanying dwarves began to shout in unison and bang on the table indiscriminately. Some of the food on the table fell to the floor, but the dwarves did not care and continued to raise their voices. "My throat is burning!" "I haven''t had a drink in a week! I don''t know if I can take it anymore!" "They said humans drink beer too, was that a lie?" "There must be beer here. That''s what we were expecting." Seeing the noisy dwarves, Orin, who had been speaking as their representative, turned to the troubled lord again. "If there''s no beer, there''s no need for us to talk. We''d rather go somewhere else." Orin ced a handful of gold coins on the table. "We''ll have to negotiate with these sovereigns. There must be beer where we''re going." Recently, the lord hade to understand the importance of money. Money was power and authority, and it was everything that drove the territory. ''Even His Majesty wouldn''t mind. If we had the gold they brought...'' "Ahem!" First, the lord cleared his throat and began to address the excited dwarves. "We don''t have beer right now, but we know where it is." "Really? Where is the beer?" "There''s beer?" "It seems there is." "Of course, they''re humans. Our tastes are almost the same, right?" The lord suddenly remembered the beer that had been monopolized by the church. ''Could it be...'' Had they anticipated this and monopolized the beer? The lord didn''t think so. He thought that the nearby monastery, which had a winery business, had monopolized the beer as a self-help measure. And the fact that the dwarves were looking for beer was purely coincidental. ''It must be just a coincidence.'' Of course, he couldn''t deny even the slightest possibility. Anyway, the beer was not his. "That is... the beer is monopolized by the church. If you want, I can arrange a separate meeting with the church''s leader." "The church?" "The church is monopolizing the beer?" "What''s a church?" "It''s a human religion." "Really? They''re monopolizing the beer there?" The dwarf envoys, excited by the news of beer, surprisingly ignored the food on the table and all stood up from their seats. That''s how desperate they were for beer. "Take us to the church right away!" Orin, the envoy representative, defiantly took out more gold coins from his pocket. "We will buy all the beer there with our gold." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 45 (1) Chapter 45 (1) Monopolizing Goods #3(2) As the beer talk began, the dwarf delegation headed straight to the church under the guidance of the lord. They left the celebration without any regret, as there was no beer. There was only one church located in the Montefeltro territory. A ce where a single high priest led several priests to spread the teachings of God, the church had alreadypleted all preparations for mass beer production several months ago. "The scale is enormous." "I can''t believe there''s a ce like this here." Fields of barley and hops spread throughout the church''s jurisdiction. Next to the church, a moderately-sized brewery had been built, and the priests had been producing beer for a month. As soon as they arrived at the church, the dwarf delegation couldn''t help but exim in admiration, as if they had found a treasure trove. "Unbelievable! This ce was a hidden treasure trove!" "How could they hide this so well!" "With this scale, we won''t have to worry about beer for a while." "Very nice!" The leader of the delegation, Orin, stepped forward and raised his voice. "I''ll buy the beer here right away! With our sovereigns!" Unfortunately, the barley and hops grown here, as well as the beer produced in the brewery, had nothing to do with the lord. ''If only everything here were mine.'' "That''s... unfortunate, but this ce is not under my jurisdiction." At these words, the dwarves showed expressions of disbelief. "No, if you, the lord, are not the owner here, then who is?" "Don''t tell me you don''t want to sell beer to us!" "It must be a trick! Bring out the beer right now!" The lord, with a bewildered face, spoke to the excited dwarves. "Although I am the lord here, thisnd belongs to the church, not me. So, naturally, everything here belongs to the church." "What?" "You mean this isn''t yours?" "It''s amazing how it''s not his." "Is that how humans usually are?" "I don''t know. How could we know about human affairs?" "Well, if you''re trying to trick us because you don''t want to give us beer, you better be prepared. We''re not so easygoing." The lord, sweating, tried to calm the agitated dwarves. "It''s a misunderstanding. I really have nothing to do with this ce. That''s how human churches are." And then he suddenly thought. What would happen if the church didn''t sell beer to the dwarves? ''If that happens, the Thunder Mountain dwarves might invade this territory because of the beer here. With their beer-crazed nature, they could do more than that.'' "Let''s go inside the church and talk. I''ll prepare a seat for you right away." The lord hurriedly went inside the church to arrange seats, and a few minutester, the impatient dwarves were guided by the lord to meet Peter, the high priest in charge of the church. The lord could not attend the meeting between Peter and the dwarves, as it was the high priest''s wish. It was the high priest''s intention to keep the lord from interfering in church affairs. So, the lord''s expression was not very good as he watched the situation from outside the church. ''What are they discussing inside that they even kicked me out? Is it just church business and I, the lord, shouldn''t interfere?'' The lord, waiting for the dwarf delegation, nced at the barley and hop fields cultivated widely in the church''s jurisdiction. The scale was truly impressive. It was as if they had been waiting for this day. ''Surely they didn''t foresee today''s events and expand their business like this? No, that can''t be. It''s just that their luck was good and everything happened to fit well.'' As the lord looked over the wide fields of the church, a familiarmoner entered his sight. A boy riding a donkey in the distance was someone the lord asionally met, causing his face to flush. ''Rothsmedici.'' The lord, who recalled the family name before Rockefeller''s name, frowned even more when he saw Rockefeller riding a donkey. ''What brings him all the way here? Surely he didn''te all this way to collect interest from me?'' Carter Bank already had arge debt, and the monthly interest repayments were annoying enough. ''No, I paid this month''s interest, didn''t I?'' Feeling he had nothing to be ashamed of, the lord decided to ask Rockefeller why he came here instead of avoiding him. Soon after, Rockefeller, riding the donkey, saw the lord in front of the church and immediately got off the donkey, bowing respectfully to the lord from afar. Seeing this, the lord beckoned with his hand, and Rockefeller led the donkey to stand in front of the lord. "Rockefeller Rothsmedici, I see you, my lord, as I pass by." As Rockefeller bowed his head and showed respect, the lord immediately asked about the reason for his visit. "What brings you all the way here? Do you have any business with the church?" In fact, the business with the church was a secret between Rockefeller and the high priest, unknown to the lord. The church had its own power, so there was no reason not to ept Rockefeller''s request, and for that reason, the lord still didn''t know much about the rtionship between the church and the Rothsmedici family. "Tell me, it''s not like you have any business with me." "No, I didn''te to see you, my lord." Rockefeller spoke. "I came to talk to the church." "The church?" Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 45 (2) Chapter 45 (2) It was natural for the lord to be suspicious, as the bank was regarded as an eyesore by the church. "No, what business does a bank assistant have with the church?" At the question, Rockefeller bowed his head again politely. "By nature, those who are despised by God must show more loyalty and sincerity to the church. I don''t avoid the church like Uncle Carter does." At that, the lord chuckled. "Do you think people like you who engage in usury can avoid hell just by doing so?" To that question, Rockefeller quietly brushed it off without any change in expression. "That''s why I''m trying harder. Isn''t God merciful?" "Hmph." From the lord''s perspective, Rockefeller''s answer was almostughable. Would the church really pray for them, who are considered thorns in their side, just because they donated money? ''Of course, if they donate a lot of money, I don''t know. But they really have to give a lot. Really a tremendous amount.'' "So, did youe here for something rted to the donation? Then the timing is bad. You''ll have to go back." The lord nced at the officials seated nearby and continued speaking. "There''s an important conversation going on inside right now. Even if you came because of the donation, now is not the time, so it would be better toe back next time." At that, Rockefeller opened his mouth politely again. "Actually, I came in a hurry because of the matter inside." "You came because of the matter inside?" The lord naturally furrowed his brow. There was a strong doubt and suspicion in his voice. "What for?" "A few months ago, Father Peter urgently needed funds for a business run by the church, so he borrowed a lot of money from me. It seems that the results of that matter are about toe out today, so he called me urgently." "What? You lent money here?" "Yes." "What money do you have?" It felt like just the day before that he had lent money to Rockefeller, who had no money for a funeral. Now, Rockefeller was lending money to the church. So, it was only natural for the lord to have doubts. "Did you make that much money working at the bank?" "Yes, that''s what all the work at the bank is like." "It''s amazing. I didn''t know you''d be so capable even though you''ve only been working as an assistant at the bank." "Just the interest I receive from you every month has greatly improved our bank''s financial situation." At that, the lord frowned. "Hmph, I wonder how much money you''re taking from me. Still, it''s a bit surprising. Just a few months ago, you were a young boy who became head of the family. Your luck turned around. After getting a job at the bank, your fortunes have been very sessful." "Thank you. However, I always try to live frugally. Riding a donkey is also part of that intention." The lord, who seemed somewhat displeased, asked the question he had wanted to ask earlier. "So, you''re saying you lent money to this church?" "Yes, that''s correct. I lent all the money I had, the money I didn''t have, and even the money I borrowed from the bank itself to this church." The lord still wore a puzzled expression. "That''s strange. The church borrowed money from a bank owner? From the church, of all ces?" "Yes, of course, I lent it without interest." "Without interest?" "Yes, I couldn''t dare charge interest to the church, so I temporarily lent it in the form of a donation." At that, the lord wore a very perplexed expression. "Why don''t you charge interest to the church, but charge interest to me?" To the lord''s dissatisfaction, Rockefeller answered politely. "It''s a great sin to y with interest against God. However, even His Majesty the Emperor pays interest. That''s the meaning, so I hope you won''t be too upset." Of course, the lord''s expression couldn''t be good. He lent money to the church for free, but he was mercilessly charging interest to himself. ''I shouldn''t have dealt with such people in the first ce.'' But what could he do? If he hadn''t borrowed money from the bank, the territory itself would have been defenseless, and he might have allowed the invasion of dwarves or orcs. ''If it wasn''t for that money.'' Perhaps it was because of the bank that the territory could be safely protected, and the lord himself could maintain his position. In any case, the lord, hiding his ufortable feelings, allowed Rockefeller to enter. "Go ahead. But don''t interfere with the matter inside. If something goes wrong there, you''ll be in trouble too." Of course, the same was true for the lord himself. Anyway, when the lord opened the way, Rockefeller bowed his head once more, showing respect to the lord while holding the reins of his donkey. Then he headed straight into the church. As the lord watched Rockefeller leave, still wearing a bitter expression, Overseer Siron Mark approached and spoke to him. "Come to think of it, I saw those kids from that family helping the church." "You saw the Rothsmedici siblings helping the church?" "Yes." "Why didn''t you report it to me?" At that question, the Overseer was not without an answer. "I didn''t know they had that kind of rtionship. I just saw the two young brothers of the Rothsmedici family pulling a donkey cart and helping the church, so I asked why they were helping. They just said they were helping the church, so I didn''t suspect anything." The Overseer continued speaking. "It''s not strange for them to voluntarily help the church, is it? It''s also what the church wants from time to time." Upon hearing the Overseer''s excuse, the lord had no choice but to ept it. He himself had helped the church several times without anypensation. It was something that had to be done to be well-regarded by the church or to go to heaven after death. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 46 (1) Chapter 46 (1) Monopolizing Goods #3(3) After having a sip of beer and calming the dwarves down, Priest Peter, who had been anxiously waiting for someone, kept ncing at the clock. ''He''ste.'' As soon as he heard the news that the dwarf emissaries had arrived, he immediately called Rockefeller. There was still plenty of time for him to arrive. The impatient dwarves, having quenched their thirst with beer and managed to muster some patience, were waiting for a while when the door to the quiet room opened, revealing the face of the person they had been eagerly waiting for. "Oh, you''re notte. Come in and have a seat." The first to wee him was Priest Peter, who was sharing a table with the dwarf emissaries. Priest Peter had no intention of leading the meeting. There was someone else in charge of this matter, and he didn''t want to interfere and mess things up. Rockefeller also politely greeted Priest Peter and the dwarves as he took his seat in response to the priest''s hospitality. "It''s an honor to meet you. I am Rockefeller Rothsmedici." As Rockefeller appeared, the dwarves began whispering among themselves. They had heard a rough story from the priest, but they had no idea that he would be such a young boy. "What? He''s just a greenhorn." "Yeah, he''s still a kid." "Do we have to talk to a kid like that?" "Something seems a bit off." The dwarves'' reactions were not very positive, perhaps due to Rockefeller''s young age. It was already a stretch to have a conversation with a grown adult, let alone a greenhorn! It was a natural reaction. "First, let''s quench your thirst after your long journey. I think it won''t be bad to have a conversationter." Rockefeller, who had brought another beer to quench the dwarves'' thirst as soon as he arrived at the church, spoke with a smile. Upon hearing this, the dwarves, who wereughing heartily, changed their attitude again. Their gazes toward Rockefeller became somewhat friendly, thanks to the mention of beer. "Let''s at least have a conversation. You never know." "That''s right. You shouldn''t judge a person by their appearance." "Bring it quickly! My throat is burning!" As the dwarves gulped down the beer brought by the priests, their expressions became rxed all at once. Their previously sensitive and sharp demeanor, which seemed as if they could incite a riot at any moment, had changed in an instant to a kind and benevolent one, as if they were ready to ept allints and grievances in the world. Seeing this, Rockefeller thought to himself. ''There was a reason why the dwarves, who have such a filthy and impatient temperament, go crazy for beer. If you don''t soothe them with beer first, you can''t even have a conversation in the first ce.'' It was a story he knew from the novel, but it felt strange to see it with his own eyes. Anyway, Rockefeller was able to join the table prepared by Priest Peter without hesitation. "How does it taste? I tried my best to be careful, but I don''t know if it suits your taste." "It''s just right! And it''s even cool." "That''s right. I thought it was strange, but the beer was incredibly cold!" "I never knew cold beer could be this good!" To Rockefeller, beer was a beverage with excellent foam flowing down the frozen ss. ''I''ve seen it a lot in advertisements.'' So he tried his best to bring beer with that feeling, and the reaction of the dwarves was very good, not just for the taste. ''Right, beer should always be drunk cold.'' The method of storing beer cold was also the result of several months of research. It was only using cold magic, so the development cost of the freezer was not that high. However, the effect was tremendous. "We should also drink cold beer from now on." "That would be nice! It''s a whole different level from the lukewarm one I had today!" "It feels like my throat is instantly cleared!" With such reactions from the dwarves, Rockefeller couldn''t help but smile. "I''m d you like it." Seeing Rockefeller''s reaction, Priest Peter showed a very satisfied expression. ''He''s really good at it. As I thought, I shouldn''t be the one to handle the business talks, but rather leave it to that boy.'' "Just discuss the details with that boy." The grown adults didn''t want to step forward, either they had no rtion or they were like Priest Peter, who wanted to stay out of it. The dwarves, who didn''t understand why, were somewhat confused, but when the elderly priest told them to talk to the young boy, the dwarf representative Orin had no choice but to converse with Rockefeller. "Since you told me to talk to you, I have no choice but to talk to you. I am Orin, a proud resident of the Thunder Mountain Range." "Thunder Mountain Range? I''ve heard a lot about it. You follow the one who carries thunder." "Yes, you''re notpletely ignorant." Dwarves had a lifespanparable to that of elves. And the average lifespan of elves far exceeded that of humans, so Orin judged that Rockefeller was younger than him and spoke casually. "But I heard you came here for a reason. Why have youe?" Rockefeller knew the answer but pretended not to know and yed dumb, and the impatient dwarves didn''t want to drag the conversation on either. As if he had prepared for this, Orin roughly ced a handful of sovereigns on the table from his pocket. ng! As the sound of gold coins shing filled the room, Orin raised his voice. "We''ll buy all the beer here!" Orin recalled the barley and hops being grown outside the church, as well as the brewery. "And we''ll buy all the beer that wille out in the future!" Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 46 (2) Chapter 46 (2) Excluding the dwarves, everyone''s gaze simultaneously fell upon the Sovereigns scattered on the table. Sovereigns. Just as the Empire''s gold coins were called dnts, Sovereigns were a collective term for gold coins made by various dwarves. For reference, while the Empire''s dnts had only one type, the dwarves'' Sovereigns had various types. "You''ve seen our gold coins before, haven''t you? We never engage in deceitful practices like mixing copper, like they do here in the Empire. These can be considered the genuine currency of this world, made purely from gold!" Orin''s words continued. "So, these are the most trustworthy gold coins on this continent. They''re iparable to the ducats produced by goblins." As Orin proudly boasted about the gold coins they made, Rockefeller looked at the Sovereigns thrown on the table and asked. "May I take a closer look?" "Do you think you''ll know anything from just looking?" Despite Orin''s subtly dismissive tone, Rockefeller still wore a smiling face. "I work as an assistant at a bank, so I handle gold coins often. Seeing that the size of your gold coins is roughly simr to our dnts, I''d like to see what''s different." "Bank?" The term "bank" was only used within the Empire. Dwarves mostly borrowed gold coins from kings or great lords, not from loan sharks like banks, as humans did. "Is that ''bank'' simr to Goblin Bank?" "It''s somewhat simr." "So, you''re a person who ys with interest rates, like those cunning goblins." Orin''s expression hardened. He didn''t know much about human banks, but he was well aware of the goblins who revitalized their race through loan sharking. "Looking at their actions, humans are no different from goblins." "At least they''re better than those smelly goblins." "True, humans are better. Goblins are on the same level as elves. Trash." As the conversation shifted towards goblins, the dwarves became noisy for a moment. In the meantime, Orin threw a Sovereign to Rockefeller. "Take a good look. It''s definitely made of pure gold. It''s on a different level than your gold coins." Rockefeller was not unaware that the dwarves'' gold coins were made of pure gold. Nevertheless, he wanted to check them out of simple curiosity. ''This is a gold coin made purely of gold... Indeed, whenpared to the Empire''s dnt, the weight and texture are different.'' Due to the aftermath of the me War, the Empire''s gold coins increasingly contained a subtle amount of copper. There were many ces where gold coins were used, and there were few gold coins avable, so it was a natural result of their cunning. In that sense... ''Maybe, as they said, there might not be much difference between humans and goblins. No, maybe we are an even more terrible race than goblins. So far, only humans have mixed copper into gold coins.'' "It''s a good gold coin. It''s subtly different from our dnts." Hearing that, Orin slightly raised the corner of his mouth. "Of course. It''s iparable to the Empire''s gold coins. We never mixed lies into our gold coins, unlike you." Orin quickly continued. "We''ll buy the beer here with gold coins that are better than the ones you use." Orin''s expression, which was grinning from ear to ear, revealed his pride and confidence in this transaction. "Since this isn''t a one-time deal, the longer the transaction goes on, the more likely you''ll be sitting on a pile of money." Rockefellerpletely agreed that the quality of human gold coins was inferior to those produced by other races. However, that didn''t mean the value of Sovereigns was superior. At least not here, in the Empire''s territory. "Excuse me, but there''s one thing you''re misunderstanding." At his words, Orin showed doubt. "What do you mean? Our gold coin quality is obviously superior." "Of course, if you look at the quality of the gold coins themselves, your Sovereigns are more excellent and better than the Empire''s dnts, as you said. But you should know this." The once innocently smiling boy had disappeared, and in his ce sat a cold-blooded negotiator with no hint of a smile on his face. Rockefeller looked straight at Orin and continued. "This is the Empire. Only dnts are epted in the Empire. So, the beer here can only be bought with dnts." In other words, he dered that he wouldn''t ept the dwarves'' gold coins. Whether the Empire''s dnts were of better or worse quality, or anything else, what they needed was the Empire''s dnts, and he informed the dwarf delegation of this fact. At Rockefeller''s words, the entire delegation that had arrived began to stir greatly. "You want dnts?" "We don''t have dnts, do we?" "Our gold coins are better, so why do we need dnts?" "But as he said, this is the Empire''snd. They might not need Sovereigns." "What kind of trick is this? Usually, people go crazy for Sovereigns." As the noisy dwarves continued their chatter, Orin stepped forward again. "We only have Sovereigns, so how do you expect us to buy the beer here with dnts?" At that, Rockefeller subtly revealed a smile and answered him. "You don''t have to worry too much about exchanging gold coins. The Carter Bank I work at also handles gold coin exchange services." Rockefeller''s words continued. "Of course, we do charge a nominal fee." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 47 (1) Chapter 47 (1) Monopolizing Goods #3(4) Bonus chapter thanks to @SuperLazerBeam Upon hearing about the exchange fee, the expressions of the dwarves who came as an envoy instantly hardened. "Are we supposed to exchange here?" The gold coins mostmonly used in transactions between different factions were undoubtedly Ducats. As Carter had previously exined, the problem with the Empire''s Dnt was its purity of gold content, and in the case of the dwarves, there were political issues. Though Goblin Ducats were used more frequently because they had fewer such issues, the dwarves were left bewildered by Rockefeller''s insistence on using the Empire''s Dnt. "Yes, you need to exchange in order to buy beer here." "What nonsense! We''re supposed to buy beer here with Empire coins whose gold content is even questionable." Orin thought Rockefeller wasn''t in his right mind. Anyone withmon sense would know that their own Sovereigns were better than the Empire''s Dnt. "Do you even know what you''re saying, iming our Sovereigns are better?" "I have to repeat the same exnation again. I acknowledge that the quality of Sovereigns is superior. However, this is the Empire. Dwarf gold coins don''t circte here." It was a lie to say that only the Empire''s Dnt, the imperial gold coin, was epted because it was the Empire. In fact, both Sovereigns and Ducats were equally weed within the Empire because the Empire''s citizens preferred gold coins with higher purity from other factions over their own gold coins mixed with copper. "That doesn''t seem right. As far as I know, even within the Empire, our Sovereigns are more preferred." Orin refuted the statement. "Of course, since it''s not the currency used here, there will naturally be costs to reprocess it into Dnt. But even considering that, the gold content of the Sovereign is so much higher that it''s ultimately advantageous for you guys. And you''re still rejecting our Sovereigns?" Rockefeller''s attitude remained unchanged. "Is it always better to have a higher gold content in Sovereigns? I admit it. When did I not? But as I said earlier, the beer here can only be traded in Dnt. I won''t ept the argument that the value of Sovereigns is better, so there''s no need to exchange them for Dnt." "You''ve been talking nonsense, and now you''re showing off." Rockefeller smirked at that remark. "You''ll need Dnt eventually, no matter what you say to me. We only ept Dnt, after all." Orin furrowed his brow, and the other dwarves who apanied him didn''t look too pleased either. A momentter, the dwarves exploded. "Do you think there''s nowhere else to trade but here? The world is full of beer!" "Yeah! Let''s just go! Don''t waste time arguing here!" "Where did you learn to be so arrogant! You young human!" "Get up now! Let''s go find another ce!" However, not a single dwarf fully stood up from their seat. In their hands were half-finished sses of beer, their eyes scanned their fellowpanions, and their butts were only a few inches away from the chairs. "......" "Why isn''t anyone getting up?" "Let''s go......" "Yeah, let''s go." "I know. But why......" They needed beer, and there was a lot of beer here. They didn''t have to insist on beer from here and could have sourced beer from elsewhere, but the location of this ce was just too good. It was close enough to their camp, allowing for a quick beer supply. "Why are you all like that? If you don''t like it, just leave." Rockefeller knew it all too well. Rockefeller knew well the fact that beer was an absolute necessity for the Dwarves that they couldn''t give up. "Why is that? You guys came here to spend money, so you should spend it." "Go ahead. I won''t stop you." Stunned by Rockefeller''s provocative words, the Dwarven delegation was momentarily speechless. They couldn''t say it out loud, but they didn''t want to give up this opportunity easily. Look outside. The vast fields of barley and hops. And the decent-sized brewery and the workers to operate it. Would there be another facility like this nearby? "Ahem!" "Hmm!" The Dwarves sat down one after another, coughing and whispering amongst themselves. "There isn''t another facility like this nearby." "Right? That''s exactly what I was thinking." "It won''t be easy to find it elsewhere. There wasn''t even a lord here, right? Would it be any different somewhere else?" "Let''s just pay a little more and be done with it. No big deal." "If it''s not totally outrageous, let''s just pay a bit more and not bother moving. Let''s just settle it here." Their initial goal was to relieve their necks with the gold they brought. Depending on the situation, Orin, who thought that the other party could bluff against them, finally opened his mouth after much consideration. "I don''t like it much, but if you insist on using Dnt, we''ll have to exchange it. But how muchmission do you n to charge?" Rockefeller responded as if he had been waiting for it. "The exchange rate is 10 to 7. Here, 10 Sovereigns and 7 Dnt. To put it simply, you need to have 10 Sovereigns to get 7 Dnt." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 47 (2) Chapter 47 (2) There was nothing more to hear. Orin, enraged, mmed his fist down on the table in front of him. "What nonsense! Our Sovereign is better, and you want us to ept that ridiculous rate!" It wasn''t just Orin. The Dwarven delegation, who had followed Orin to the Empire''snd, all stood up and showed their displeasure. "Everyone knows that the gold content of our Sovereign is higher! But you want to exchange it at that rate? No way!" "That''s really ridiculous! What''s with the 10 to 7!" "Maybe if our Sovereign is 7, but 10 is out of the question!" "Right! Even 1 to 1 would be a shame for those lying humans!" As the upset Dwarves collectively rebelled, Priest Peter, who was with them, became slightly tense. ''10 to 7 seems to be too much.'' In hismon sense, the most realistic exchange rate between Dnt and Sovereign was 1 to 1. Considering the copper mixed in the Empire''s gold coins and the usual workmanship, 1 to 1 was the most appropriate. But 10 to 7? ''Even the Empire''s people prefer Sovereigns, so 1 to 1 seems just right...'' Of course, it was just his own thought, and he didn''t bother to say it out loud. But Rockefeller was determined to continue bluffing. From the beginning, he had been stubbornly monopolizing the market and not giving the Dwarves any other options. ''So they have to wear the rip-off hat.'' Rtionship with the Dwarves? ''Once the war with the orcs is over, their next enemy in the war will be us. So there''s no need to look good.'' In the end, their rtionship with the Dwarves was bound to break. So there was no need to look good, and they went all out. ''Of course, we''ll still sell beer at that time. War is separate.'' "It''s 10 to 7, no matter what." Orin said with an angry expression. "You really made up your mind." Then, as if changing his mind, he raised one corner of his mouth and continued. "Alright, fine. If you need Dnt, trade with our Dnt here." Everyone has a seemingly usible n. "There''s no other ce to get Dnt. If it''s all the same Dnt, we can get it from somewhere else, right?" Oh, so you want to try to outsmart us like that? But to Rockefeller, it was a ridiculous idea. "Of course, you can do that. If you want to buy beer from the empire, you need the empire''s currency, Dnt, of course. It doesn''t matter if it''s not the Dnt we exchanged at our store. Isn''t Dnt spread all over the empire?" Upon hearing that, a smile spread across the faces of the Dwarves. Well, that''s true. Your cunning won''t work. But Rockefeller''s words weren''t over yet. You should always listen to what people say until the end. "But it''s a bit special if you want to buy beer here. Unlike other taverns in the empire, you absolutely need this loan certificate issued by our store, no matter what." Rockefeller showed them a new loan certificate issued under the name of Carter Bank. "This is 1 Drum. There are as many as three loan certificates from our store: 1 IOU, 1 Gold, and a new loan certificate, 1 Drum, for the beer here. To get this 1 Drum, you first need to bring Sovereign to our store, exchange it for Imperial Dnt, and then you can get it. The exchange rate is 10 to 7, as I mentioned before." The Dwarves couldn''t hide their bewildered expressions at the mention of the loan certificate. What, what? To buy beer here, we need that loan certificate instead of Dnt? And it''s apletely new loan certificate issued by a specific bank? "Without this 1 Drum loan certificate, or rather, this paper currency, you absolutely cannot buy beer here." "What about Dnt?" "You can take the Dnt and go somewhere else to buy beer. But you can''t buy beer here. Because I made it that way." It was only then that the Dwarven delegation realized there was no way to buy beer here without being ripped off. "You really... went all out." At Orin''s deted words, Rockefeller shrugged nonchntly. "Do you know?" Everyone''s attention was focused on Rockefeller. "When I heard that a war broke out between the Orcs and Dwarves near the territory a few months ago, I had a hunch. If I monopolized all the beer here and in the nearby territories, I might be able to make a fortune. Why? Because a Dwarf without beer is not a Dwarf." Why would he suddenly bring up such a thing? When the seated Dwarves looked puzzled at each other, Rockefeller continued. "Now that the time I was thinking of hase, the church and I have to make a fortune, and you guys have to wear the rip-off hat no matter what." Rockefeller remained at ease. "If you don''t like it, you can just get up and leave. We won''t stop you." What a tremendous bluff. Heid out the entire n like that. "We can get beer elsewhere!" "I guarantee you won''t be able to find beer that easily. We''ve monopolized even the ingredients to make beer. In the end, you have no other choice." Rockefeller''s words weren''t over yet. "If you''re really suspicious of what I''m saying now, you can go somewhere else and look for beer." "Ugh...." "Buy beer elsewhere if you can find it, and if you have no other choice, use our beer. Of course, the price is not cheap." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 48 (1) Chapter 48 (1) Monopolizing Goods #3(5) The dwarves were at a loss for words at the tant demand for an exorbitant price for beer. The same was true for Orin, who came as the representative of the delegation. ''It''s outrageous. I can''t believe they prepared like this.'' It might be possible to find another ce if they looked elsewhere. They hadn''t checked everything yet. However, the other party was very confident. In other words, it meant that there was a high probability of it happening as the other party said. "What are you so confident about? Beer can be easily obtained anywhere." "Then you can go to your side and easily get it. There''s no need to argue with us." Their bravado was too strong. The dwarves who came as a delegation began to stir all at once. They whispered to each other for a short time. As their opinions converged, representative Orin spoke up. "We need to check first. We need to see if there is really only one ce to get beer in this area, as you say. If there''s another ce, then obviously this ce will be at a loss. We won''t trade like that." Rockefeller had no reason to lose hisposure. Whatever they did, the result would be the same. "You can feel free to check if what I said is true or not. After all, time is on our side." The dwarves, upon seeing this, strongly felt that they had no other choice. They thought that if they could get beer from another ce, they wouldn''t have to deal with this unpleasant ce. As the dwarves left, Priest Peter, who had not been involved in the conversation and had just watched, spoke to Rockefeller. "I''ve been watching." Priest Peter had a confident face. "It looks like it will go as you say. They have no choice." At that, Rockefeller briefly smiled. "They will have no other choice. I''ve worked so hard not to give them another choice." "That''s right." "It won''t be long." Rockefeller also spoke with a confident tone. "Just wait a few days." It didn''t take long for the dwarves to return after visiting several territories, including the Montefeltro territory. The expressions on the dwarves'' faces as they sat down at the negotiating table again were not good. After all, they had to overpay just to get beer. Rockefeller, who returned to the church, spoke to the dwarves with a bitter expression on their faces. "So, have you made a decision?" Orin, with a sour expression, muttered an unintelligible sound. He was so angry that he unconsciously let out a sound. "Khuh... We''re not short on beer for now. We still have some left from the supplies brought from the Thunder Mountains." Orin''s eyes were flickering as if to devour Rockefeller. "But once that supply is exhausted, the war with the Redskins cannot continue. As someone said, we live on beer, and we die on beer." The following words were likementations. "I''m a dwarf too, but this nature is too dirty. I don''t understand why they can''t be controlled without calming them down with real beer. I wonder what that damn beer is." It was to the extent that there was a saying called ''the curse of beer'' among dwarves, as beer was like the elixir of life for them. "Let me ask you one thing." "Yes, anything." "We could change our minds and attack here, what do you think about that?" It would have been possible if they were an evil force. Plundering was one of the many ways to secure scarce supplies. "If you were going to do that, you wouldn''t have sent an envoy in the first ce." "Can you be so sure?" At that question, Rockefeller didn''t hesitate at all. "Yes, of course." "How can you be so sure? Do you think we''re too scared of you humans to fight?" Dwarves had a rtively friendly rtionship with humans. Would they break that friendly rtionship and engage in plundering that didn''t suit their nature? If they were orcs, it might be another story. But they were dwarves. Among all races, they were second only to elves in terms of nobility. Of course, their character was mean and dirty, but they would notmit evil deeds without a clear reason. "It''s not that, but you won''t gain much from doing so. Over the years, dwarves have maintained a friendly rtionship with humans. Why would you ruin your rtionship with the Empire by attacking here? Thisnd is not even a gold mine." "Beer would be enough. We''re crazy about beer." "If you can''t solve it with money, it might be possible. But if you have the money, would you really go that far? Anyway, you guys buy the necessary supplies from nearby ces with gold because everything is bothersome." "Hmph!" "And even if you think that way, we won''t be easily robbed." Rockefeller then showed a deep smile. "Our lord here has a lot of money. So the defense here is very strong. He even bought a wyvern and hired additional mercenary troops. And there''s even a wizard from a famous magical family. If you touch us for no reason, you''ll be the one at a loss. The Redskins you''re confronting would be even happier." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 48 (2) Chapter 48 (2) After hearing that, the representative of the envoy, Orin, had another question in mind. What on earth did the lord here do to have so much money? It should be a remote area that is marginalized even within the empire. "Come to think of it, the lord here even had a wyvern..." Where could that money havee from? Could it be? "And he built a huge fortress near the border. Where did all that moneye from?" Rockefeller''s answer was very simple and clear. "It''s all loans." "Loans? It was all loans?" "Yes, what kind of skill would the lord here, in such a remote ce, have to have that kind of money?" Rockefeller quickly spoke so that the dwarves present wouldn''t harbor any other suspicions. "It''s all money borrowed from our Carter Bank. It''s a debt that has to be paid back someday." "Heh, it was all debt." "This lord here. He was a very foolish man. We wouldn''t even have invaded, so why did he go to such lengths?" "The lord probably had no other choice because you and the orcs were making so much noise outside his territory. And even if the dwarves don''t cause trouble, we don''t know about the orcs. They''re a race that loots as a daily routine, so it''s possible that they could have crossed over here and caused problems. It was a precaution, so we can''t say the lord''s choice was necessarily bad." "Well... whatever." During the conversation, Orin changed his mind. The lord they were talking about was the owner of thisnd. In that sense, there could be no problem for the lord who borrowed money from a bank. "No, I was wrong. The foolish one was not the lord, but you." Orin smiled maliciously. "How could you lend so much money and think you could get it back normally? You''re not even a goblin bank, what kind of trick do you have to get the money back from the lord?" Rockefeller scratched his cheek with one finger. ''I''m tired of hearing this. How are you going to get the money back from the lord?'' "We have a n." Rockefeller continued. "Just as you had no choice but to be ripped off by us. We also have a n." Orin''s expression soured. He couldn''t know what their n was, but he thought it might be possible, considering how he had ripped them off. "Hmph, you better know you''re lucky." Orin roughly put a handful of sovereigns on the table between them. "If we didn''t have this much gold, this deal would have been impossible!" Even the grumpy dwarves couldn''t help themselves in front of the precious beer. Rockefeller and the nearby Priest Peter had satisfied smiles on their faces. "Thank you for the deal. I hope this deal continues, even after whatever happens in the future." He had the Gold Vein War in mind, but Orin couldn''t know the hidden meaning. Orin red at Rockefeller with a contemptuous gaze. "You dirty, disgusting human. Do you really like money that much?" Despite the insulting words, Rockefeller showed no sign of caring. "Anyway, I look forward to working with you." "Hmph." Orin suddenly became curious about his name. Although the opponent was still a young human boy, he felt that he needed to know for some reason. "Alright, let me hear your name. I am Orin of the Thunder Mountain, following the one who breathes thunder." In the dwarven world, the one who breathes thunder refers to Gold King Grom Stark. He was a dwarven ruler who literally breathed lightning and was described as quite a threatening ruler by everyone. "My name?" If he wanted to establish a family that was recognized in the empire''s society, it was good to spread his name widely, like other noble families. Even if it was a bad reputation. "Rockefeller Rothsmedici." "Rothsmedici? I''ve been around too, but it''s the first time I''ve heard of such a family." Although he was a dwarf, he knew about several families that were famous in the empire. However, the name Rothsmedici, which he heard at this ce today, was the first time he heard of it. "It''s not a family yet. I''m amoner." "Amoner? What does that have to do with it?" "We have a hierarchy. Commoners are below nobles. So we can''t have a family. Instead, we can have a family name." "Ah, that''s what it was. No wonder what you''re doing is disgusting." The hierarchy of the empire was not that important to him, a dwarf. What was important was the name of the person who had tricked them here today. "Remember that name, and your family name too." It wasn''t a good memory, but it was still an interesting thing that his family name was known. At this moment, Rockefeller was able to reflect on the family motto that he had forgotten for a while. ''It said there''s no need to be respected by everyone. Rather, be a devil and be a fearful existence to everyone.'' "You don''t have to remember it." Rockefeller''s following words were quite meaningful. "Because you''ll hear it again someday." "Hearing that unlucky name again? Hmph, I''ll wake up with a start." "You won''t have much chance to hear my name or our family name in a battlefield that smells of blood. We hate such ces because we are cowards. But in this area, you''ll hear our family name quite a lot." That''s because the path Rockefeller wanted to take was this one. "We specialize in this area." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 49 (1) Chapter 49 (1) War Makes Someone Fat (1) A full-scale war between two forces broke out outside Montefeltro territory. Ironically, the ce that benefited the most from the Totem War was neither the owner of the Thunder Mountain Range nor the Redskin orcs who waged war with them. Then who was it? It was the church located within Montefeltro territory and the Rothsmedici, amoner family who secretly supported the church. "It''s the grace of God." Father Peter looked around the vast barley and hop fields with a satisfied smile today. In every ce he looked, there were new young priests who had recently joined, working hard for the revival of the church. Unknowingly, the church was gradually growing. This was undoubtedly a good thing. "Who would have thought that such a day woulde?" A day without financial troubles woulde. "All this must be thanks to St. John and the young master of the Rosmedici family. I should be grateful." At that moment, Father Peter recalled Rockefeller, the assistant who brought unexpected fortune to him and the church. Without that boy, such happiness would never have been possible. "He''s a very mature child for his age. I would believe it even if he said he was a grown adult." Although his too-adult-like appearance was sometimes out of ce, Father Peter thought of it this way. "Since he became the head of the household at a young age, it''s only natural for him to have such a mature appearance. He just grew up early." As Father Peter strolled through the fields outside the church, he saw a familiar young priest in the distance and smiled again. "There he is." Father Peter had a liking for Leo, who resembled Rockefeller, but Leo''s diligent and kind nature was also one of the reasons why Father Peter liked him. "Leo, you''re here." When Father Peter called out to him, Leo, who was cultivating barley and hops with other priests, responded to his call. "Hello, Father." "Well, there are many people to work, so take it easy. Aren''t there enough people around you to work?" Then Leo, conscious of the surrounding priests, waved his hand first. "No, no, I''m fine." "No, it''s better for you to do something helpful if you''re not going to be here for the rest of your life." "I''m really fine." Father Peter narrowed his eyes and thought. He still hadn''t forgotten the words Rockefeller left behind as if asking for a favor. "Do you want to raise Leo as a believer?" "Yes." Rockefeller, who answered briefly, told Father Peter about his wishes at the meeting where they met alone. "I want Leo to grow greatly as a believer. Even if Leo can''t walk the same path as us." "To grow greatly as a believer..." Father Peter, who had been a believer all his life, had only been able to take the position of the owner of a small diocese in the remote area. The title was Father. Above him was the position of bishop overseeing the surrounding dioceses, but bing a bishop was not a position anyone could sit in. It was important where the family came from, and even within the church, one had to establish a certain position to be able to take the position of bishop. "And you need connections with the Vatican." So, bearing this in mind, Father Peter cautiously began to speak. "To grow greatly as a believer, you have to go to the Vatican eventually. But not just anyone can go to the Vatican." "Well, not just anyone can go." "There is an order to everything. A priest in such a remote diocese cannot be great. First, you have to move to arger diocese with a rmendation from here, and then get another rmendation to go to the Vatican. That''s the most ideal." Father Peter''s words continued. "Otherwise, it''s impossible for a child from amoner family to suddenly go to the Vatican." Rockefeller expressed his gratitude for Father Peter''s honest advice. "Thank you for your words." "First of all, Leo is still young, so I''ll watch him a little more and then try to write a rmendation for the church in Lyon." Lyon was one of the most well-known cities in the empire, second only to the imperial capital, Hwangdo. Its official name was Lyon Special Commercial District. It was a city that had developed greatly inmerce, iparable to the Montefeltro territory located on the outskirts of the empire, and the diocese in Lyon was in charge of all the churches in the surrounding territories. When Father Peter said he would rmend Leo to such a ce, Rockefeller''s face looked somewhat satisfied. "If you do that, I have nothing more to ask for." Father Peter also smiled at each other. "Ha ha, of course, I have to do that much. How much fortune has I and this church received thanks to you? You may not know, but our diocese has received attention from the Church because of this business. It''s a very good thing." Some of the offerings dedicated to the church were flowing into the upper diocese and ultimately gathered in the Vatican. Therefore, the church had no choice but to pay special attention to the dioceses where many donations wereing up, and when a lot of donations suddenly began toe up from the small diocese on the outskirts, which had nothing to see until just a year ago, they naturally began to pay attention. The interest of the church soon led to the promotion of the diocese. No wonder Father Peter''s smile never ceased. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 49 (2) Chapter 49 (2) "It''s all thanks to you. In my life, I never thought I''d even receive a greeting letter from Bishop Verkis. Who would have thought such a day woulde?" Bishop Verkis? It was a name he had heard several times in the novel. "Bishop Verkis, you mean... the one in Lyon?" "You know well. Yes, the one in Lyon. He oversees this area, a higher diocese than ours." "I see. I remember hearing about him." "He''s very famous there. Also, hard to meet." During the conversation, Rockefeller suddenly had a thought. If the priest here bes the bishop of Lyon, wouldn''t it be even better for Leo? ''It''s entirely possible. He is easier to manipte than I thought. He is particrly vulnerable to wealth, unlike other believers.'' Also, the church''s position in Lyon was very important. It was such amercially developed city that sometimes even archbishops were in charge of the diocese. Having finished his thoughts, Rockefeller decided to test him. "Father Peter, may I ask an impertinent question?" "Impertinent question? What is it?" "Do you have absolutely no intention of sitting in a higher positionter on?" "What do you mean?" "Just... don''t you have any thoughts of bing a bishop?" "Bing a bishop?" Father Peter was momentarily flustered by the sudden question. No, bing a bishop? "Are you asking me if I have no intention of bing a bishop?" "Yes, I thought it would be entirely possible for someone like you, Father. I just thought of it and asked impolitely. I apologize if I offended you." Why wouldn''t he think of that? "Hmm..." Father Peter sighed after a moment of silence. "I''ve lived my life as a believer, but I never dared to think I''d be a bishop. If it were as easy as you think, I wouldn''t have hesitated either." Father Peter continued, swallowing his past regrets. "You seem young and don''t know much about the church. Bing a bishop is not an easy position to take. I have no foothold in the church, no power to support me. I''m only in this position because I have experience as a believer." "But isn''t there always a chance?" "Ha... If I be a bishop as you say, there would be no other way." Father Peter finished speaking. "It would either be by growing this ce greatly, receiving recognition from the church as apletely new higher diocese, or by going to Lyon and bing a bishop. But neither is easy. This ce has always been marginalized, so there''s no chance of being promoted to a higher diocese, and in Lyon, the Lyon family has always held the bishop''s position. Would an old priest like me with an uncertain background take over as bishop there? It''s difficult. It''s not even possible. They wouldn''t allow it from above." If it were a position anyone could hold, it would have been done long ago. However, Rockefeller''s thoughts were different. ''From what I see, both are possible.'' As Father Peter said, there were only two ways for him to be a bishop. However, unlike Father Peter''s thoughts, Rockefeller saw possibilities in both. "I''m sorry, Father, but from what I see, neither method seems entirely impossible." "What? You think neither is impossible?" Father Peter''s expression momentarily hardened. What is this boy talking about? "What do you mean? Both are unattainable." "If the status of the Montefeltro territory here improves, the church will naturally have to discuss its promotion to a higher diocese. Then, Father Peter, who has long held this position, will naturally receive the benefits." "But isn''t it only possible if this territory grows greatly?" "Right now, it''s a remote area that is being marginalized by everyone, but who knows what will happenter?" Father Peter seemed grateful even for the words and smiled faintly. "I appreciate the sentiment. I wish it were true." "And I don''t think it''s impossible for you to be a bishop of Lyon, Father. The current power in Lyon is the Lyon family, as you said. But if that family suddenly copses or loses power, it''s possible that you could also sit in the bishop''s position there." "That''s indeed a possibility. But even if that happens, the chances of me taking that position seem slim, don''t they?" "You never know what might happen in this world." "That''s true, as you say. Who would have thought things would go so well here? No one could have known." Father Peter didn''t think too deeply about the question Rockefeller casually threw. On the other hand, Rockefeller, who had thrown the question, was considering the possibility of it happening. ''It''s not impossible at all.'' And if things go as he thought, and Father Peter here bes a bishop, there would be many benefits for Rockefeller. And for Leo, it would be the best thing. In a church without any connections, having someone to pull him up is really important. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 51 (1) Chapter 51 (1) War Makes Someone Fat(3) The full-scale war between the two forces outside the Montefeltro territory. The Totem War was gradually subsiding, with no one''s victory in sight. For over a year, Montefeltro''s defenses were strong, allowing them to prevent Redskin invasions and barbaric looting in advance. Furthermore, the existence of the massive fortress built near the border greatly helped to deter the interest of the Redskins, and there was no shortage of excellent barriers to protect the territory from foreign invasions. "Miss, today is thest day. That is, the period we agreed upon with Lord Chester." Jason, who had been a magician of Sinir and who wouldter be a Knightlord, had been Isabe''s mentor for over a year, staying in Montefeltro''s territory, and had stopped numerous Orc invasions. He spoke to Isabe, who had grown remarkably in the past year. "The promised time is over, so there is no reason for us to interfere in this ce anymore. Our responsibility ends right here." "Time goes by so fast. Has it already been that long?" "Yes, it has." "It''s a bit of a shame." "What is there to be ashamed of? On the contrary, I feel liberated from this ce. I don''t really like the smell of blood on the battlefield. I''ve had enough of it." Isabe soaked in her thoughts for a moment as she looked around the peaceful fortress. "I must have grown attached to this ce without realizing it. It feels strange to leave." At her lingering attachment, Jason shook his head. The world was not so narrow that she would feel attached to such a remote ce. There must be many better ces than this as they travel around the continent, and Jason hoped that she would settle in a more peaceful ce than this. "Miss, the world is wider than you think. As you travel around, you will surely find ces better than this one. If you want to get attached, do it in a better ce." "I know. It was just a thought." Before leaving the fortress she had grown attached to, Isabe briefly recalled the various events that had taken ce during her stay. On ate night full of peace and boredom. There were red orcs who had infiltrated the fortress without a sound. The invading orcs began to shout and wield their heavy weapons in an attempt to upy the fortress. In the ensuing chaos, she confined the red orcs with dark magic, and the mercenaries and sheriffs of the territory who quickly counterattacked managed to barely protect the fortress. The next day, the people who had survived the Redskin raid praised the Sinir magician, and she was able to feel proud of having protected everyone with her power. ''There were many dangerous moments too.'' On another day, she had encountered an Orc hero called the ''Spine Crusher'' from the Redskin while scouting the area with the Hound Mercenary Corps. The monstrous Orc, smaller in stature than an Ogre, was capable of crushing a human head with a single fist. It was a very dangerous moment when the entire scouting party could have lost their lives if something went wrong, but thanks to Jason''s wit, she and most of the scouting party managed to escape safely. After that incident, she realized that she still had a lot to learn. ''It seems like it will be a memorable ce in many ways.'' Montefeltro''s territory was a very important and memorable ce for her growth. ''I wish I could stay longer... but I can''t.'' But there was no reason for her, who was not only a noble but from a great family, to stay in such a remotend for too long. Considering this, Jason had agreed with the Lord to leave at an appropriate time, and today was that day. "Let''s go, Miss. The Lord here must be waiting for us." Before leaving, they decided to meet with Lord Chester. They had to receive payment from the Lord, but it was also a courtesy to greet the owner of the territory before leaving. Upon arriving at the Lord''s castle. The Lord held a grand feast to celebrate the two magicians'' efforts, and after enjoying it lightly, the two magicians soon had a private meeting with the Lord. "Haha, you''ve worked hard during this time. I''ve heard so much about both of your aplishments. You''ve done a great job." The Lord handed them a debt certificate to pay the promised amount. It was a debt certificate issued by the Lord himself. At this, Jason and Isabe, who had expected arge bag of gold coins, could not hide their confusion. They were surprised because the form of the expected payment waspletely different. "What is... this?" As the flustered Jason asked, the Lord looked even more surprised. "What do you mean? This is the payment I promised to give you. Is the amount wrong?" "Isn''t this just your debt certificate?" "Oh, I wondered why you were acting like that. It''s because of this." The Lord continued with a carefree expression. "If you take this to the bank here, they will exchange it all for a bag of gold coins. If carrying a bag of gold coins is too cumbersome, you can take a different debt certificate guaranteed by the Lyon Guild instead. There''s no problem with this debt certificate, so you don''t have to worry so much." "Is there a reason you''re giving us a debt certificate instead of gold coins?" "Aren''t gold coin bags cumbersome to carry? So, I''m giving you this debt certificate out of consideration for both of you." Both magicians could empathize with the cumbersome weight of gold coin bags. However, the debt certificate the Lord handed them now was problematic enough for them to point out once before. ''Is this debt certificate, issued on his own credit, still not causing any problems?'' If the Lord''s credit was solid, it wouldn''t be a problem with the debt certificate. However, from the magicians'' perspective, the Lord''s credit didn''t seem very solid. He had spent so much money on defending the territory during this time. On top of that, there were Wyverns that didn''t fit the theme. ''He even built a fortress.'' Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 51 (2) Chapter 51 (2) Jason coughed briefly before asking Lord Chester a question. "Ahem! I apologize if this is a sudden and rude question, but is the financial situation here alright?" It was indeed a sudden question. "Why do you ask?" "It seems that there are many expenses for territorial defense, and I''m curious if there''s enough funding in such a remote ce." Jason was suspicious. Although it was a territory, it was located in a remote area with a small poption, and there seemed to be no significant business going on. There was no gold mine here, nor were there any magic stone or silver mines. "As far as I know, you don''t seem to have any major business within the territory and you''re not doing any big business with the dwarves like the church does either." "Ahem!" When the church was mentioned, Lord Chester coughed. It was an ufortable topic for him. ''I should have done that.'' "I am well aware of the business conducted by the church. It''s a shame for me as well, but since it''s the church''s work, I decided to think of it in a positive light." Jason asked again. "In addition to the many mercenary groups you''ve hired, maintaining such arge force requires supplies and provisions, among other things, that cost money. Is there really no problem with the territory''s finances in this situation? That''s what I''m wondering." Who wouldn''t know that? Lord Chester''s expression stiffened slightly. "Actually... there were financial problems, of course. Our expenses were much higher than our ie. I struggled for a while, trying to figure out how to handle the interest payments." There was a limit to repaying the bank''s interest with the taxes collected from the territory. So, Lord Chester had been indiscriminately issuing debt certificates in his name to rece the interest payments. It didn''t take long for Lord Chester''s expression to rx again. Instead, he began to speak excitedly, as if he had found a solution. "But you see," A smile appeared on Lord Chester''s face. "Am I not the master of thisnd? I am deceiving those foolish bankers, so you don''t need to worry too much about it." At that, Jason expressed strong doubt. "What do you mean? You''re deceiving the bankers?" "The interest I have to repay the bank every month is quite significant. At the time, I spent a lot of money in a hurry, and now the interest is even bigger than the principal. Butter, I realized that repaying that enormous interest with taxes from the territory was a foolish thing to do." Jason didn''t respond, but listened quietly to what Lord Chester had to say. "Why should I give them real money when just giving them debt certificates in my name is enough to repay the interest?" Lord Chester grinned. "As I create money out of thin air to repay them, how is this not deceiving them?" There was considerable confidence in the smile he wore. "Even if they were to question it, I am the rightful owner of thisnd. What could those moneylenders from the bank do?" Rather, Lord Chester asked a question. "Would those two men at the bank dare toe to me and demand repayment?" Lord Chester shook his head. "Absolutely not. If they had any sense, they woulde to me on bended knees and beg me to repay the interest." Having heard Lord Chester''s answer, Jason and Isabe couldn''t say anything. His words weren''tpletely wrong, but something about it felt off and ufortable. "Moreover, the debt certificates I issued can currently be exchanged for gold coins without any problems. You can go to the bank with those debt certificates and exchange them for gold coins." Although they weren''t entirely convinced, if the debt certificates issued by Lord Chester could be exchanged for gold coins at the bank without any problems, there was no reason for the two mages to make a fuss. However, Jason, who was still not satisfied, asked Lord Chester another question. "Are you aware that the people of this territory are using the debt certificates you issued as coteral for another set of debt certificates, as if they were money? From what I remember, they''re called ''Gold'' instead of ''IOU''." At that question, Lord Chester showed a brief smile. "I am aware of that matter. As someone who has spent their entire life on the battlefield, I don''t know what the bankers'' intentions are, but I can''t touch every single one of those matters since I''m the one issuing debt certificates without hesitation. If I stopped them and the bank stopped epting my debt certificates, wouldn''t that be a bigger problem?" "Is that all you''re thinking about?" "Yes, and I''vee to ept the use of debt certificates as money instead of gold coins. In fact, I can''t understand why people would carry heavy gold coins around. They can simply exchange them for gold coins at the bank whenever they need them. Why would they carry around inconvenient gold coins? I didn''t used to, but now I only carry debt certificates instead of gold coins." Lord Chester, having run out of things to say to the two mages, sent them off with a smile. "Anyway, thank you for your help. If you ever need my help, please don''t hesitate to contact me. Isn''t it right to repay a favor? Especially since it''s a connection with the Sinir family. You can''t buy that with money." After finishing their conversation with Lord Chester, the two mages left the lord''s castle and took their ces. "..." Jason held his tongue as he thought about various things, and Isabe wanted to know the answer. She was curious about the situation. "How will this turn out?" "That... I''m not sure. How this will proceed..." "You don''t know, Jason?" "Such a field is not only outside of my interests, but it''s also quite low-ranking. I doubt anyone in the empire could predict this, as there has never been such a situation in the history of the empire." However, Isabe had a different thought. "No, I don''t think so." "Yes?" Of course, she wasn''t sure either. It was just a feeling. "It''s just... I feel like that person might know how things will turn out here." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 52 (1) Chapter 52 (1) War Makes Someone Fat (4) Who was the person she was talking about, the one he didn''t know? "Who do you mean by ''that person''?" "Don''t you remember? The bank boy we met when we first came here. The one who made us suspicious with the new promissory notes." Jason quickly recalled the memory. If it had been someone else, they might not have been able to remember it. "Oh, you mean themoner boy?" "You remember, right? That person. Somehow, I think he knows something." Even after a year had passed, she still couldn''t forget the strong impression he had left on her. A boy who confidently imed he could get the money back from the lord despite being amoner. "It''s just my intuition." Jason narrowed his eyes and thought about the boy she mentioned. But he couldn''t feel the same way she did. To him, the boy was just a young assistant working at the bank. "Although I don''t really think so, we need to go to the bank for the gold exchange anyway. Let''s go to the bank first, Miss." After finishing their conversation, the two headed to the bank for the first time in a long time. It had been a while since they had visited the bank because there was no business to attend to. "Wee back" Rockefeller, who was in the store, quickly recognized the two customers. It was impossible for him not to recognize them. They were both wizards, and one of them was going to be involved with one of the heroines in the novelter. ''Did theye back from the fortress?'' "It''s been about a year since west saw each other." Rockefeller quickly thought about why they hade. ''Has the contract period ended?'' When he thought about it, that was the only conclusion he could reach. There was no money for the lord, who was currently broke, to pay the two wizards. It would be difficult to even pay the interest. So, it was obvious how the lord, who had been acting strangelytely, would pay them. ''Fake money'' created out of thin air. He probably paid them with paper promissory notes, backed only by his credit. And the wizards, who didn''t need the promissory notes, would want toe to the bank to exchange them for ''real money.'' ''Then the reason they came here is obvious.'' "What brings you here?" Rockefeller asked, and Jason was the first of the two wizards to respond. "Bank boy, long time no see." Despite his rough greeting, Rockefeller bowed to them again in respect. They were not only wizards but also one of them was a heroine in the novel, so he had to be more respectful. "I think you told me your name back then. Your name is" "Rockefeller Rothsmedici." Jason couldn''t remember his name, but she remembered it very clearly. She had a good memory, but the strong impression he had left on her at the time also helped her remember his name. "You remembered my name. Thank you." Rockefeller bowed his head again in gratitude to her for remembering his name, and Jason coughed awkwardly. "Ahem! Yes, Rockefeller Rosmedici. We have business at the bank." Jason wanted to quickly finish the business and leave the bank, as he didn''t want to be associated with those who would end up in hell. He walked up to Rockefeller, who was standing across from him, and showed him the promissory note he had received from the lord. "I''d like to exchange this for gold coins." "Does that mean you''re leaving? The war isn''t over yet, is it?" At Rockefeller''s worried question, Jason replied emotionlessly with a poker face. "Our agreed-upon time with the lord has ended. We have no reason to stay any longer, so we''re leaving now." "Is that so?" The presence of the wizards was like a kind of insurance that made the territory safer. Rockefeller couldn''t help but feel a sense of loss at the news of their departure. "Will there be no problem here even after you leave?" "That''s not for us to know." He gave a cold answer, befitting the family''s hunting dog, but then changed his answer to what the boy wanted to hear. "However, the territory''s defense is so strong that there shouldn''t be any problems like you''re thinking. So, don''t worry too much, boy." Instead of calling him by his name, he called him "boy," and Rockefeller nodded lightly in response. ''He seems cold, maybe because hees from the hunting dog background. Well, it doesn''t matter. This guy is nothingpared to the real power behind him, that woman.'' In just a year, Nightlord Isabe had grown significantly. [T/N: Night road -> Nightlord] The growth mentioned here was physical. Her mental and magical abilities were not something that could be known in this ce. ''She''s grown a lot in that time too. It''s the prime time for growth at that age.'' Rockefeller, who had nced at Nightlord, shifted his gaze back to Jason and showed a sharp smile. "First, let''s check the promissory notes you brought. I''m sure there won''t be any major problems since you both brought them, but it''s still necessary to check." The process of checking the promissory notes was quicklypleted. They had always received them, and the lord''s seal wasrge enough to catch the eye. "It''s definitely written by the lord." In the meantime, Jason, feeling annoyed, asked Rockefeller an unnecessary question. "Will there be any problem exchanging it for gold coins?" In Jason''s view, the local lord relied too much on his power and was too reckless. Promissory notes were a kind of debt document. It was a document stating that a certain amount of money would be repaid someday, but the local lord issued it without much thought, which would cause problems eventually. What worried Jason here was when exactly that problem would ur. It wouldn''t be surprising if problems arose right away, but unfortunately, it seemed that the timing of the problems he was thinking of was not immediate. "Yes, I''ll exchange it for you right away. But are you going to change it all into gold coins?" ''Take a reasonable amount. It''s troublesome for you guys too.'' It was quite a lot of gold coins to change all of it. So Jason decided to exchange only the amount needed for gold coins and change the rest to more reliable ''other promissory notes'' that could be easily exchanged in other regions. "Exchange only part of it for gold coins, and change the rest to other promissory notes that can be used in other regions. I''d prefer other promissory notes guaranteed by the Lyon Guild or the ck Label Union." Hearing the answer, Rockefeller couldn''t help butugh inside. "Of course, that''s what we''ll do. How much gold do you need right now?" "About 100 dnts." "Yes, then I''ll give you 100 dnts and change the rest of the amount to other promissory notes. Please wait a moment." As Rockefeller finished speaking and disappeared into the store, Jason, who was left behind, gave Isabe, who was behind him, a quiet nce. "It seems there are no problems yet." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 52 (2) Chapter 52 (2) Isabe also looked surprised, but they just needed to take care of their gold coins and leave. No matter what happened in this territory afterward, it had nothing to do with them. "I guess so." "Yes, then we''ll start the exchange, miss." "Okay." Rockefeller came out with a pouch of gold coins and ced it in front of them. "Here, it''s a total of 100 dnts." The pouch of gold coins was quite heavy, but it was not a problem for a mage who could store something in their own space. Jason used magic to levitate the pouch of gold coins and moved it into his own space. Maintaining a specific space also consumed a certain amount of magical power. The more items and weight stored in the space, the more magical power was consumed, which was why Jason only exchanged the gold coins he needed right away. The rest of the gold coins could be exchanged at a bank in another territory with the other promissory notes they received here. ''What I wanted to check here was whether the promissory note given by the lord was effective or not.'' "Good job, boy." As Jason finished speaking and was about to leave with the pouch of gold coins, Isabe, who had been quietly sitting, began to speak to Rockefeller. "Commoner, you said your name is Rockefeller?" At her interest, Jason, who was about to leave, paused and nced at her. ''Here she goes again.'' It wasn''t surprising. It wasn''t a bad idea to clear up any curiosity on the spot. However, what Jason found somewhat ufortable was that her interest in this ce was not magic but money games rted to finance. Finance was neither more noble nor more sophisticated than magic; rather, it was a lowly knowledge. ''I wish she''d just ask and be done with it. There''s no need for her to know.'' Jason had no interest in what would happenter here. What did it have to do with him, and what benefit would there be? But she was a very curious person. "Yes, that''s right. You even remember my name, miss." "I have a question." "Please ask. I''m listening." She narrowed her eyes slightly and soon asked what she was curious about. "We''re done with this deal, so we have no more business in this territory, but from what I see, there seems to be a big problem for you in the future... What do you think about this?" At her question, Rockefeller shook his head with a puzzled expression. "Problem? What problem are you talking about?" Last time, he had unnecessarily extended the conversation in front of the heroine and suffered a loss, so this time, he pretended not to know, and her expression hardened slightly. She seemed a little disappointed. "You know what the problem is, don''t you?" "I don''t know what problem you''re talking about..." "The promissory notes. The ones the lord wrote for me, trusting only his credit. Do you think there won''t be any problems with them?" "Yes, of course. The lord is like the sky, right? Can there be any problems with the promissory notes written by the sky?" "The lord... is like the sky?" "Yes, the sky. What could go wrong with the promissory notes written by the lord who is like the sky? There''s no problem." "Really? Do you really think so?" "Yes! Of course, I think so." Although the conversation seemed pointless, she was the owner of the "true eye." Her true eye clearly saw the dark intentions of Rockefeller. However, she didn''t know exactly what that dishonest intention meant. Whether it was a natural greed that came with being a bank assistant, or if there was another intention behind it. It was impossible to tell. "Miss, as I said before..." As Jason tried to persuade her, she noticed and stopped him first by raising her hand to cover his mouth. Unlike before, she had grown in her own way. She clearly knew the power and limitations of her true eye. That''s why she closed his mouth first when he tried to step in unnecessarily. Jason, who received her signal and closed his mouth, slightly frowned. ''It''s a waste of time. It''s meaningless.'' No matter what Jason, who came with her, thought. She wanted to make sure why she came here. "To be honest, from what I''ve seen, you''re not honest at all. I can tell that much with my true eye." Just as she knew the limitations of her true eye, Rockefeller also knew the limitations of her power. ''I know. You couldn''t even read the protagonist''s inner thoughts. What can you know with such a crude ability?'' "Honest? Well, I don''t know. I just said what I thought." As he spoke like a slippery snake, Isabe smiled instead. "I knew you''d say that. I thought about how you''d talk whileing here, and I was sure you''d say that." She nodded her head as if she had found the answer inside herself, and turned her body halfway while keeping her gaze on him. As she pretended to leave, Rockefeller narrowed his eyes slightly and watched her, and she left herst words before leaving. "If my hunch is right, you''ll get the money you lent to the lord back one way or another. If that happens, the lord here will lose his power, and you''ll be apletely different person, one who can''t even bepared to who you are now. That might even be... a noble." As expected of the heroine, she wasn''t a fool. Rockefellerughed inwardly when she continued her words. "But if that''s not the case, you''ll be a beggar in an instant." After assuming two situations, she finally sent a meaningful smile. "If I have a chance toe back here in the future, I''ll be able to see what happened to you. One way or another, the result will be there." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 53 (1) Chapter 53 (1) War Makes Someone Fat (5) Bonus chapter thanks to @Elinis With those words, Isabe quietly left the store with Jason. She knew from the beginning that she couldn''t get the answer she wanted in this ce, but she didn''t force the answer from Rockefeller. She believed that time would tell the answer instead of his words. As she left, she suddenly thought. Would he still look the same when she had the chance to return here in the future? Or would he havepletely changed? ''I''m curious.'' Rockefeller watched Isabe leave quietly, different from before, and narrowed his eyes for a moment. ''Nightlord...'' Meeting the heroine of the novel was more interesting than he thought, but for some reason, Rockefeller couldn''t shake the feeling that this wouldn''t be thest time he met the characters from the novel. There was no force that didn''t involve money. And if he was at the center of it all, wouldn''t he have the opportunity to meet others besides the Nightlord? ''I''ve seen that woman, so I''ll probably see the de Queen and Trinity someday.'' At that moment, another assistant approached Rockefeller. It was Joshua, Rockefeller''s younger brother, who had been helping Carter inside the store, working on the gold coins. Joshua had joined Rockefeller and started learning from Carter Banco, and he was in the process of learning gold coin engraving techniques to be a goldsmith in the future. "Rockefeller hyung, who was that just now? A customer?" Rockefeller smiled faintly at Joshua. "That''s right. A very rare and precious customer." "Who is it?" "A magician." "Really? A magician was just here?" "Yes, a magician." Joshua hurriedly ran outside the store to search for the two magicians who had just left. He looked around the streets. Was he lucky? Joshua could see the two magicians disappearing into the darkness far away. "Wow! A magician! That''s amazing." His excitement at seeing a magician was only for a moment. Joshua returned to the store and began to brag to Rockefeller. "Rockefeller, I just saw a magician! They disappeared in an instant with magic!" As the excited Joshua made a fuss, Carter, who had heard the noise, came out and raised his voice. "What''s going on? Who came and went?" "Carter, it''s amazing! A magician just came to this store!" "What? A magician?" "Yes! A real magician! I just saw them disappear with magic outside!" "Really?" Carter was also surprised, but not as much as Joshua. "I see. A magician came and went... So they leftpletely?" That question was directed at Rockefeller. Rockefeller nodded his head slightly and confirmed it. "Yes, I asked and they said they were leaving." "It must be difficult to keep a Sinir magician here for a long time. The price wouldn''t match in the first ce." "That''s probably true. They must have stayed here for a rtively low price, believing that it would be beneficial for their growth or something like that. The exact details would be known to the parties involved, but I can guess that much." "I think so too. They wouldn''t have stayed here for so long without any reason." Rockefeller was the biggest beneficiary of the Totem War. While the local lord was getting poorer due to debts from the Totem War, Rockefeller, who had lent money to the lord and even traded with the dwarves, had be incredibly wealthypared to before. Carter, who suddenly thought of the church, swallowed his regret and brought up the past. "By the way, looking at how quiet it is outsidetely, it seems like the war near the border will end soon. There was a rumor that the goblins provoked a war with the dwarves to take over the magic stone mines held by the orcs, but we can''t know that for sure." Carter nced at Rockefeller as he spoke. "Once the war is over, it will only benefit us. And you, who have an exclusive deal with the church." Carter finished speaking and paused for a moment before letting out a regretful remark. "I should have been involved in that too. If I knew that they would borrow money for that reason, I would have joined in. What I have left is money..." "It would have been nice if that happened. But I wasn''t sure about that either. It''s something I can fail alone, so there''s no reason to drag you into it and fail together, right?" "Still, though. Have you ever failed at anything? Next time something like that happens, don''t just do it yourself, let me in on it too. Don''t let only you benefit." At that, Rockefeller chuckled. "Carter, it''s not just me who benefited, is it? I did it with the church." "But the lord still doesn''t know about it, right?" "He knows. I happened to meet him before. When I told him that I lent money to the church without interest, he was quite surprised." Lending something without interest. It was a difficult concept for Carter. "What''s the difference between lending money without interest and just giving it away?" "You can''t see it like that. If I hadn''t lent money like that, the church wouldn''t have been able to monopolize the beer-rted business." "That''s true, but..." "That''s why I did it alone. If I fail, I fail alone. But I had some fun with it. I saw it on arger scale." To make a lot of money, Rockefeller had two main methods. One was business. The other was sitting back and collecting passive ie. "Hmm... I guess you do need some guts to make money. It seems like I don''t have that kind of guts." "It''s not necessarily like that. Bringing me in was an adventure for you, wasn''t it?" "Well, that''s true." Carter, who unknowingly nodded his head, suddenly thought of the lord and asked Rockefeller. "By the way, is the loan to the lord going as you said?" A year had already passed since Rockefeller and his associates lent arge sum of money to the local lord. During that time, the lord, burdened by debt, began to repay the interest with worthless promissory notes instead of gold coins, just as Rockefeller had predicted. He began to deceive the two by keeping the "real money" collected from the domain''s taxes and repaying them with "fake money" created with his own credit. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 53 (2) Chapter 53 (2) "He started repaying the monthly interest with promissory notes because he couldn''t handle the interest." "That''s right. It happened just as I said, didn''t it?" Everything was going ording to n, but Carter couldn''t shake one concern from his mind. Their opponent was none other than the lord of thisnd. Because of this, a concern naturally arose the lord''s downfall. "But here''s the thing. With him abusing promissory notes like that, I''m worried if we''ll ever get our money back properly." "I''ve exined it already, haven''t I? We don''t have to worry too much about that." "Can we really not worry?" "Yes, because we''re not the ones who will collect it." Rockefeller emphasized in a voice loud enough for Joshua, who was present, to hear and continued. "Rather than worrying about the lord''s ability to repay his debt, our job is to lend him even more money so that he can never think of repaying it." "Lend him even more?" Rockefeller was a man capable of a crueler smile than expected. "Yes, we have to lend him so much that he can''t possibly repay it. And when the debt reaches its peak." Rockefeller''s eyes were shimmering like those of a predatory animal. "He''ll be devoured by that debt." "Devoured by debt?" "Yes, haven''t you ever seen it? A rich man bing a beggar in an instant because of debt." "I don''t know. I haven''t made anyone go that far." "Then you''ll see it this time. A person devoured by debt." Rockefeller smiled faintly and spoke to Joshua, who was nearby. "People aren''t killed by swords." As Joshua looked at Rockefeller with his bright eyes, Rockefeller continued. "They''re crushed by debt and killed in the most elegant way possible." Joshua seemed to understand and nodded, and Carter, who was nearby, spoke again. "It''ll take some time to grow the debt as you said. When do you roughly see that happening?" "I''ll have to calcte separately, but when the promissory notes issued by the lord be too many, that''s probably when it''ll happen. In other words, the moment we stop epting the promissory notes from the lord, he''ll be crushed by debt and die. He probably won''t be able to handle it. We''re growing the lord''s debt for that moment in the first ce." If that dayes, and everything goes ording to Rockefeller''s n, what will happen? Carter began to voice his concerns as he considered various scenarios. "But here''s the thing. If it happens as you say, great turmoil wille to this domain..." At the very least, the lord wouldn''t be able to keep his position. If he couldn''t handle the debt, it would be better to flee in the middle of the night. "What happens if the lord doesn''t repay the debt and runs away?" "Then we''ll get the domainnd we took as coteral. Have you forgotten? When the lord borrowed 8,000 dnts from us, we took the domainnd as coteral. Since the debtor has run away, the creditor has no choice but to exercise their rights." "I know that. But... my concern is, who will be the lord if that happens? Just because we have thend doesn''t mean we can be the owners here." The lord was not only the owner of thend but also the person who upied that position with the absolute support of the domain''s people. But a mere banker couldn''t sit in such a position. Even if they took thend, the absolute support of the domain''s people was absent. In response to this question, Rockefeller showed a meaningful smile. ''Where does the absolute support for the lorde from?'' "If there''s an empty seat, naturally someone suitable will take it." Carter was still doubtful. "Who are you talking about? If we have thend, and there''s a person who wants to be the next lord, they shoulde to us first to buy thend." Rockefeller''s smile remained unchanged. "I don''t know. But don''t worry too much. When the timees, the right person will naturally take their ce." It wasn''t wrong, but Carter still had a worried expression. It was good to burden the lord with arge debt and make money from it, but he didn''t want the domain''s situation to be extremely unstable. "Alright. There''s no use worrying about it. Either another lord wille and take over, or something." At this point, Carter didn''t have the slightest thought that he could be the lord. Even if they had thend, without the support of a powerful faction, they couldn''t sit in the lord''s position. ''I''m definitely not the one.'' And what about that kid? Carter didn''t think so. ''No way. That kid may have a sharp mind, but no way. What lord? Especially at such a young age.'' On the other hand, Rockefeller had a different idea. Rockefeller had said it himself. If there''s an empty seat, someone suitable will naturally take it. ''There''s no need to give up a seat I can take to someone else.'' The problem to consider here was the support of the person who wanted to be the new lord. Without the absolute support of the domain''s people, they couldn''t sit in the lord''s position even if they wanted to. ''Everyone will support me. Because I''m going to be their savior.'' What exactly was that savior? Only Rockefeller knew the answer to that. ''Everyone will have no choice but to acknowledge me. They have no other choice.'' "Don''t worry. Everything will work out fine." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 54 (1) Chapter 54 (1) The Birth of Deposits (1) 18 years old. ording to the customs of the empire, this is the age considered as adulthood. As Rockefeller reached this age, there were no longer any adults who treated him as a boy. Carter, the owner of the bank, had treated Rockefeller as an adult and respected him since early on, and the majority of the people in the Montefeltro territory who were well aware of Rockefeller''s influence also treated him as an adult from an early age. However, some people still looked down on Rockefeller as a child due to his young age, but even they began to treat him as a respectable adult once he turned 18. It was just a month ago that Rockefeller began to be treated as aplete adult. As the years passed, he turned 18, the age of adulthood. ''Snow is falling.'' Rockefeller, who had been quietly reading something in the store, looked up for a moment and gazed out the window. White snowkes fell peacefully onto the winter streets. ''Has it been two years since Andrew left? Time flies.'' Three years had passed since he started working at the bank. During that time, many things happened, and the biggest event was his younger brother Andrew, who had a big dream, leaving for the capital. Andrew, who wanted to be a soldier after graduating from the military academy, left for the capital two years ago and has been sending letters regrly to Rockefeller and his family ever since. And the letter in Rockefeller''s hand right now was a letter from his younger brother Andrew. Rockefeller, who had been briefly distracted by the window, lowered his head and began to read his brother''s letter again. Dear Rockefeller, Greetings to you, the head of the family and my eldest brother. It is my pleasure and duty to write this letter to you. Two years have passed since I left the Montefeltro territory, where you and our younger siblings are. I have always felt sorry for leaving, but I have not had the opportunity to make up for that feeling of guilt, so I live each day like a sinner who hasmitted a crime. However, as you said, I think that living well as a cadet in the military academy and graduating is the only way to repay my debt to you, so I am doing my best in the tough training every day. Life as a cadet is very difficult and full of frustrations as I constantly face my limits, but I never give in, thinking of you, my big brother, who firmly protects our family and homnd, and our younger siblings. Isn''t that the only way to repay you, even a little? My beloved brother Rockefeller, I am sorry to bring this up suddenly, but the tuition and living expenses you send me every month actually feel a bit, no, quite excessive. Being a cadet in the military academy has allowed me to meet people from various backgrounds, but I have realized that there are limits to what amoner can enjoy. However, considering the money you send me every month, I wonder if I am really amoner, as the amount you send is too much. Would you believe me if I told you that I receive more allowance than Miss Ste? It is true. That is how much your love is overwhelming. I think I would be happy enough even if you reduced that love just a little. (Abridged) I sometimes miss the young and foolish Joshua and the quiet Leo. And I hope the pretty youngest, Lucia, is doing well. Lucia is now a 9-year-old girl, so it seems there is no need to worry too much like before. I miss you and our siblings. When this semester ends, I want to return home with Miss Ste and see you and our siblings. Please take care of yourself until then. After reading the letter again, Rockefeller fell into thought with a strange expression. "Hmm..." It was good to know that Andrew was doing well in a faraway ce. The problem was... ''He doesn''t know how to spend money at all.'' The reason he sent excessive living expenses every month was not only to take care of Andrew but also to teach him how to handle and spend money. ''If he doesn''t have the confidence to invest, he should at least make friends with people from various backgrounds while he''s in the military academy. There must be some nobles or even royal people there, and such connections made during school days are priceless.'' Money was meant to be spent somewhere. What good would it do to save and hoard a small amount of money? Of course, it might be better to save and live frugally than to spend it all recklessly. However, from Rockefeller''s point of view, small amounts of money should never be saved. Saving money was for money that was worth saving, but if it was money that could turn into new revenue, it was much better to use it in another way to make a profit. ''He should just spend that small amount of money somehow. Whether investing it somewhere or using it to meet someone. At least something will be left if he spends it that way, but if he just focuses on training and bing a soldier, he won''t know what''s left.'' With that thought in mind, Rockefeller began to write a letter to Andrew, expressing his thoughts. As Rockefeller wrote the letter for a while, another problem came to mind. ''ording to Joshua, the reason he went to the military academy was because of the lord''s daughter...'' Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 54 (2) Chapter 54 (2) Ste de Montefeltro. Rockefeller knew her as well. She was the bold youngdy who came to him because of her father''s debt. ''Could he still have feelings for the Lord''s daughter?'' There was nothing good about getting involved with the Lord''s daughter. After all, he was nning to have him crushed by debt. If it was simply a matter of debt, they wouldn''t necessarily be enemies. On the contrary, the Lord would have a greater chance of fearing Rockefeller. The Lord was a debtor, and Rockefeller was the creditor who had to collect money from him. However, if Rockefeller were to take the Lord''s position, their rtionship would not be so good. The Lord, who had his position taken away, would never have a favorable impression of the Rothsmedici family. And what if the daughter of such a person and his sibling have feelings for each other? ''I''m not sure exactly what their rtionship is, but I don''t like it.'' Of course, since they were from the same hometown, they could get along well within the military academy. However, Rockefeller did not want their rtionship to develop into deeper emotions. ''I asked about it before in a casual manner...'' Fearing that their rtionship with the Lord would be strained, Rockefeller had sent a letter to Andrew, telling him not to get close to the Lord''s daughter. Of course, Andrew wasn''t unaware of the reason. He had exined everything to him. ''Should I ask again this time? Now that Andrew has grown up, he''ll surely tell me. Whether he has feelings for the Lord''s daughter or not.'' The best scenario would be for Andrew''s perspective to widen and he would find a match with a woman other than the Lord''s daughter. If that woman was a nobledy like the Lord''s daughter, it would be an even better situation. ''I wish that would happen...'' However, things did not go as Rockefeller had hoped. Andrew was still amoner, and as he had written in his letter, there were definite limitations to what he could enjoy as amoner. ''In order for Andrew to get involved with a nobledy, I need to be a Lord first. Only when that happens can Andrew break free from the constraints of amoner and freely meet nobledies.'' The grand n to take over the Montefeltro territory, which had been in operation for three years, was now slowlying to fruition. ''I''ve almost reached the point I had in mind. I just need to get through thisst hurdle.'' Thest hurdle. That was the end of the Totem War. ''When the war ends, many mercenaries here will return to their original regions.'' Most of the funds being used for territorial defense were held by two types of loan certificates issued by Carter Bank. IOU and Gold certificates. These two certificates were being used as ''money'' for territorial defense. ''To be exact, it''s the fake money we''ve printed. People are funny to think that all the gold coins written on those certificates are here. But they''re not.'' The Lord was not using ''real money'' for territorial defense, but ''fake money'' created by Carter Bank, and that ''fake money'' was being used as ''real money'' among the mercenaries. And at some point, that ''fake money'' had to be converted into ''real money.'' ''When the war ends, the mercenaries will want to exchange all their loan certificates for Dnt. If our Gold certificates were usable anywhere on the continent, they wouldn''t need to exchange them, but unfortunately, their certificates can only be used in this region. So they''ll definitely want to exchange them for Dnt.'' If the mercenaries came to Carter Bank to exchange for gold coins, and Carter Bank didn''t have enough gold coins, a problem could arise. If such a problem urred, there was a risk of arge-scale ident called a bank run. ''If there''s a bank run, it''s all over. We''ve been getting by on credit alone without having that much gold, but a bank run means our credit ispletely ruined.'' However, the bank run that Rockefeller feared would only ur when Carter Bank''s credit and trust werepletely shattered. In other words, if Carter Bank''s credit and trust remained intact, a bank run could be avoided. ''The gold coins that the mercenaries exchange and take away can''t be helped. They don''t need these loan certificates here. The important thing is not to have a problem with our credit during that process.'' A bank run was all about credit issues. If the perception that Carter Bank was solid didn''t disappear from people''s minds, the people of the territory wouldn''te to the bank to exchange their ''fake money (loan certificates)'' for ''real money (Dnt).'' If that happened, Carter Bank could continue to deceive everyone with fake money created out of thin air, just as it had been doing so far. And if that deception could continue... ''We''ll be even richer.'' First, to prove Carter Bank''s soundness, a sufficient amount of gold coins had to be secured in advance to prepare for therge-scale exchange that would soone. That way, Carter Bank''s stability would be firmly established in people''s minds. ''So the immediate problem to solve is to secure the necessary amount of gold coins in advance to prepare for therge-scale exchange that wille soon.'' As always. Rockefeller had a n. ''I''ve thought about it all along.'' The next step for the bank, which could be called a bank, always had to be solid andrge in scale. ''Therger the funds you manage, the more effectively you can deal with such situations.'' And if the managed funds wererge, the interest ie that followed would naturally berge as well. In that sense... ''It''s entirely possible to give our lovely customers who use Carter Bank a 3% interest every month.'' Why? ''Loan interest'' was always higher than ''deposit interest.'' At that moment, Rockefeller felt a long smile curling up at the corners of his mouth. ''Should I start growing the size of the bank now? Let''s have some real fun.'' Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 55 (1) Chapter 55 (1) The Birth of Deposits (3) Under the Peaceful Sky, on the Vast ins. In the mercenary camp positioned behind the fortress, the mercenaries who were tired of their monotonous and repetitive daily lives gathered together to chat about various topics. The main topic of conversation was the time for them to leave. "It seems like it''s about time for us to leave. What do you all think?" One of them started the conversation, and the other mercenaries quickly chimed in. "Right. It''s about time for us to leave. There''s no reason for people like us to stay in a ce where nothing is happening, right?" "My body is getting restless." "I agree. It''s so boring that I''m going crazy." "It''s really boring." One mercenary then began to scold those who hadined about the boredom,ughing as he did so. In his view, theirints were absurd. "Hey, why don''t you understand that this is happiness? We just need to peacefully wait while we earn money. Why do you have so manyints? Maybe you need to fight with orcs to appreciate what you have?" "Right, that''s true. Even if we are mercenaries who make a living on the battlefield, human lives are always precious. Although it''s a bit boring, this is the best situation for us. I want to live like this for the rest of my life." Another mercenary, who had been quietly listening to the conversation, chimed in. "Let''s enjoy this happiness while we can, as our mercenary lives can be easily cut off if we be useless. Don''t do anything foolish just because you''re bored." Most of them nodded in agreement. In the midst of this, one of them raised his voice again. "By the way, the lord here must be very rich, right? It''s not just one or two mercenary groups that he has hired from all over the ce. It''s amazing to see that he can maintain such arge force for years." "That''s true, especially considering he''s just a lord of a remote region." "I thought so too." "Is there some hidden gold mine here or something?" "Nah, I doubt it. Thisnd has been left behind for a long time. It must be something else." "Then what is it? How can he afford to spend so much money here?" "Is he running some kind of business? Like trade or something." "It doesn''t seem like that." As everyone''s curiosity grew, a mercenary who had heard some stories stepped forward and answered their questions. "I heard from the overseers here that it''s all loans. He seems to have solved everything with loans from the bank." "Loans? This is all because of loans?" "Yes, all loans." "Wow, that''s incredible. He managed all this with loans?" Upon learning the truth, the mercenaries let out a mix of disbelief andughter. They had thought that the lord of this remote region had some great secret since he had managed to secure his territory so well, but that wasn''t the case. With that, everyone''s thoughts converged on one question: What was the lord thinking when he borrowed so much money? "What kind of confidence did the lord have to borrow so much money? He must have borrowed quite a bit from the bank to expand his operation to this extent, right?" "That''s true." "There''s no particr source of ie either. It''s strange..." "Maybe he''s just relying on his status as a lord? After all, he''s a lord." "That''s possible. People above us don''t usually pay back their debts. They''re even worse than us." "I''ve also heard that the higher-ups don''t pay back their debts. They really don''t pay them back. What''s the point of the underlings making a fuss when the boss doesn''t care? If I were in their position, I''d ignore them too." As the conversation unfolded, the mercenaries began to feel sorry for the bank that had lent money to the lord. In reality, it was not the case at all. "Still, the lord here is a very remarkable person when ites to his love for his territory. Look at the huge fortress he built with all that money. You can see the lord''s determination to protect this ce at any cost." "I heard that the royal family has given up on this ce... But looking at how he''s managed to hold on, money really can''t be beaten." "That''s true. Whether the royal family abandons this ce or not, what does it matter if you have enough money? You can solve everything on your own." "Besides, this ce is really secure. With a fortress like that and this scale of military force... I wouldn''t even bother looking at it if I were an orc." "That''s why it''s so boring." "True." As they were enjoying their conversation, they saw a familiar face running towards them from a distance. Upon closer inspection, it was a fellow mercenary who had been getting along well with them. He had sprinted over, panting as if he had brought some important news. "Hey, did you hear the rumor? It seems that we''re going to start withdrawing soon." "What? We''re withdrawing from here? When?" "Starting today. It seems that they''re going to withdraw from one or two ces at a time, and I happened to overhear the overseer and the captain talking about it earlier. It looks like we''ll be leaving soon as well." The inevitable had finally arrived. They couldn''t stay in this peaceful territory, making easy money, forever. Everyone heaved a mix of relief and regret upon hearing the news, having expected it to some extent. "Well, the war ising to an end." "I knew this day woulde. Time to find another job and get excited about running around again." While the majority of the mercenaries epted the reality, some couldn''t help but feel disappointed. "Will the war really end so easily? Is it already over?" "How would we know what''s going on with them? It''s been quiet for months now. At this point, they probably don''t have the will to fight each other anymore." "What''s so good about war? All it does is deepen the emotional wounds between both sides." "It''s not like one of the dwarves or orcs will bepletely ruined by fighting each other." "Exactly. They just fight each other moderately, and wee to ces like this to make money under the pretext of protection. Isn''t that the best?" It was regrettable, but it couldn''t be helped. Everyone agreed, and the conversation shifted to the uing events. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 55 (2) Chapter 55 (2) "Then we have to collect our gold coins before we leave this ce. We were all paid with these, right?" The mercenary who finished speaking pulled out a paper promissory note from his pocket. It was undoubtedly a promissory note called Gold, issued by Carter Bank. Seeing the promissory note, the other mercenaries around them also began to take out simr promissory notes from various ces on their bodies. Some from their chests, others from their bags, and some from their groin area. They had been hiding their money, which was as precious as their lives, somewhere on their bodies until this day. "It''s really convenient. If we had gold coins, we would have been robbed a hundred times." "Since it''s made of paper, it must have been less likely to be stolen. Because it''s made of paper, it can be hidden somehow." "But how do you keep it there? It''ll smell." "Shut up. What does it matter to you where someone hides it? The bank takes these anyway. Or are you going to exchange it?" "Forget it. Go talk to the bank. I''m not interested." The mercenaries finished speaking and stared intently at the promissory notes they had taken out. Then, suddenly, they had a question. "It''s strange here. They use these like money." It was an unusual usage. "Yeah, it was a bit surprising to me too." "Do you remember when people went crazy when they said they would pay our wages with these instead of gold coins? They said this isn''t money." "That''s right." "Some people epted it after seeing the bank easily exchange it." "But there were still some people who insisted on gold coins. They got robbed in the middle, haha!" "Really? They got robbed?" "Hey, which is easier to hide, gold coins or these? It''s obvious. They just don''t know their ce. If they''re not smart, they deserve it." "But it''s still... pitiful, isn''t it?" "Leave them be, it''s none of our business. All we have to do is take these to the bank and exchange them for gold coins." The convenience of the promissory note. The mercenaries, who were discussing the convenience of paper currency, secretly hoped that the currency system they were enjoying would spread widely. Because it was convenient. "It would be nice if this spread throughout the whole empire, not just here. For people like us, it''s more convenient to carry than gold coins, right?" Then one of the mercenaries started talking about a fatal problem they had known from the beginning but had now forgotten. "Hey, what if these paper scraps can''t be exchanged for gold coins?" At that question, the mercenaries were momentarily speechless. No one stepped forward to answer confidently. "No way." "Hey, Carter Bank is solid. I know it''s safe there, at least." Instead, most of them showed a strong belief in the bank and tried not to consider the worst-case scenario. Why? Because if there were problems with the bank where many people had deposited their gold coins, it would cause a huge issue. So they thought there would be no problem and went through todayfortably. "They''ll exchange 100% of it at the bank. No matter how many promissory notes you bring, they''ll exchange them all. I''ve seen it. They exchanged 500 Dnt on the spotst time." "What? 500 Dnt each?" "Yeah, 500 Dnt." The amount of gold coins they would exchange at the bank would not even reach 500 Dnt. But did they need to discuss the safety of Carter Bank, which had exchanged 500 Dnt at once? "Then there''s no problem. If they can exchange 500 Dnt on the spot." "Hey, I told you it''s safe there. It''s a really big ce if it can lend that much money to the lord. There''s no problem." However, there are always people with many doubts in any group. "Hey, do you know? Honestly, these are just paper scraps. What if they suddenly don''t exchange them?" But even with that worry, everyone shook their heads. Their trust in Carter Bank in this territory was that solid. "If you''re so suspicious, you should try exchanging it first. I''m nning to exchange it safely when we leave." "Me too." "It''s better than being robbed by some random guy while carrying gold coins." "It''s safest here in my groin. No one can steal it here. And since it''s paper, it doesn''t show even if I hide it here. It''s the best." "Stop talking dirty. There are plenty of ces to hide it other than there." Their faith in Carter Bank remained, but one of them suggested something due to the inconvenience of exchanging. "Hey, since we''re leaving, it''s going to be a huge hassle if all these people exchange for gold coins at once, right? Why don''t we just go to the bank tomorrow and exchange them for gold coins in advance? I don''t think we''ll have time to exchange themter. There are so many people here." Since they talked about leaving, they wouldn''t be here for much longer. Once the departure began, it was natural for them to get busy. Many mercenaries in the group began to agree with one mercenary''s suggestion. "So, should we exchange them tomorrow? We''re leaving here in a few days anyway. As they say, I don''t think we''ll have time to go to the bank?" "Okay, let''s all go together tomorrow. We don''t have anything else to do anyway." "Agreed!" "Alright, let''s go get our gold coins at the bank tomorrow." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 56 (1) Chapter 56 (1) Bonus chapter thanks to @Shadessher on kofi The Birth of Deposits (3) Carter started pacing anxiously inside the store. Today, countless mercenaries had visited his store, exchanging their promissory notes for gold coins. He couldn''t even remember how many hade and gone. "Already 1,000 Dnts have left the store today. Are you aware of this?" Rockefeller, who was nearby, nodded subtly in agreement. "Yes, I''ve been keeping an eye on the ledger. It''s not an immediate problem, but it does seem like it might be dangerous in the future." "We might really be in trouble at this rate. We don''t have nearly enough gold coins to give to these mercenaries. We''ve even loaned out gold coins we don''t actually have." Inside the territory and the mercenary camp, promissory notes backed by non-existent gold coins were circting, issued by Carter Bank. These fake coins were created by Carter Bank to earn interest. If all those promissory notes were to be returned to Carter Bank at once, the bank would have no choice but to close its doors. This was because they didn''t actually have that amount of gold coins in the bank. "What if people find out we don''t have enough gold coins? Wouldn''t that be a real disaster?" Unlike the visibly worried Carter, Rockefeller''s expression remained calm. "Of course, it would be." "No, shouldn''t we have some kind of n to deal with this?" "Well, of course, we have a n." Only then did Rockefeller reveal a smile, causing Carter to look baffled. "You have a n?" "Yes." "What kind of n? Are you saying you can prepare enough gold coins for all these mercenaries right away? We can''t even get the gold coins we lent to the lord back immediately." "Carter, I''m going to step outside with Joshua for a bit." "Going outside? At a time like this? Where are you going?" "We''re short on gold coins, so we need to go somewhere we can get them, right?" Rockefeller, grinning, called Joshua, who had been minting gold coins inside the store. "Joshua, let''s go somewhere with your brother." "Where? Where are we going all of a sudden?" "You''ll know when we get there." At Rockefeller''s call, Joshua left everything behind and followed him. Carter, watching them leave, sighed deeply, feeling cold sweat at the thought of the possible situation. ''Where on earth are they getting gold coins from? Are they going to borrow them from somewhere? But do we really need to borrow gold coins...'' At that moment, Carter imagined the angry territory residents and mercenaries, throwing down their now-worthless promissory notes and staging noisy protests in front of his store. It would truly be a nightmarish moment. ''Please, let nothing happen.'' As Joshua followed Rockefeller out of the store, he asked where they were going. "Rockefeller, where are we going right now?" "To the church." "The church? Why?" Carter Bank''s interest business had been running smoothly up until today. However, the lord, who could be considered their biggest debtor, had been paying off his interest debt with his own promissory notes instead of gold coins. Moreover, the beer business with the dwarves had not been as profitable as before due to the end of the Totem War, leaving Carter Bank somewhat short on operational gold coins. ''I need to make sure the store keeps running smoothly. The problem is getting through this crisis.'' If the lord had diligently paid off his interest debt in gold coins, Rockefeller would not have needed to visit the church today. The lord had a lot of debt to pay off, and his cunning tactics had be a problem. ''A considerable amount of gold coins will be needed. It''s not just one or two people; many will want to exchange our promissory notes for gold coins.'' Even a rough calction showed that Carter Bank didn''t have enough gold coins to give to their clients. So, to solve this problem, Rockefeller considered using the gold coins the church had. If they could get those gold coins, they could easily resolve the immediate issue. ''That''s the idea.'' Upon arriving at the church, Rockefeller and Joshua saw the barley and hop fields, which had lost their vitalitypared to before. ''The war seems to be over. It''s surprising how quiet such a busy ce has be.'' As they went further into the church, they were able to easily meet Leo, the fourth child of the Rosmedichi family. "Leo." "Rockefeller hyung, and Joshua, too. What brings you here?" As they visited the church every weekend, meeting Leo wasn''t a novelty, but seeing their younger brother who lived separately was always a joyful asion for them. After exchanging light greetings, they were guided by Leo to the ce where Priest Peter was. "So, you guys have such a problem." "That''s why we want to see Priest Peter. He will probably be satisfied with our proposal." "I''m sure he will be. Priest Peter likes Rockefeller and Carter Bank." Leo could recall Priest Peter''s increasingly somber expression in recent times. ''His expression has darkenedtely. The beer business with the dwarves isn''t going as well as before.'' In Leo''s view, the reason for Peter''s darkened expression was his concern that the church''s finances would be difficult again due to the decline in the beer business. ''Hopefully, everything will work out for everyone.'' Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 56 (2) Chapter 56 (2) Rockefeller and Joshua, guided by Leo, were able to meet Priest Peter without much difficulty. As always, Priest Peter greeted them with a smile. "Please, have a seat." That''s when Rockefeller could quickly notice that Priest Peter''s expression was not as it had been before. The reason was obvious without asking. The beer business was not the same as before. "Have you had any bad experiencestely?" "Bad experiences? No, nothing like that." "You don''t look happy." When Rockefeller broached the subject, Priest Peter let out a deep sigh as if he had been waiting for it. "Whew... As you know, the beer business is no longer profitable. The dwarves no longer want to trade with us. They don''t seem to have any regrets about leaving." "Well, it can''t be helped. The war ising to an end, after all. The dwarves will no longer be interested in our beer. They can get beer anywhere once they return to their homnd." "It was good when we were doing business with confidence back then. It was all thanks to you at that time." "I miss those days too. It was a great time for both me and the church here." Rockefeller made an unexpected proposal to Priest Peter. "Excuse me, Priest Peter." As he caught his eye, Rockefeller began to speak. "If you''re suffering from the church''s financial problems, I''d like to make a proposal that could help the church... What do you think?" "You have a proposal that could help us?" At those words, Priest Peter immediately brightened up. "Do you have another good business item? Is there something like that?" The expectations of Priest Peter, who had only good experiences with Rockefeller, were higher than expected. To Priest Peter, Rockefeller continued with a subtle smile. "I can''t call it a good business item, but seeing your recent deepening troubles, my heart aches too much. So I thought about what could be helpful for the church." "I''m really grateful that you even say that. So what''s your proposal?" Rockefeller began to tell him what he had thought about in response to the question. "It''s not a big deal. I just feel a little sorry for the gold coins sitting idle in the church." "Do you feel sorry for the gold coins here?" The profits from the beer business rted to the dwarves were divided equally between Rockefeller and the church. With the gold coins and the church''s donations received so far, Rockefeller was talking about the gold coins. "Yes, I''m not sure if it''s because of my upational disease. I can''t stand seeing arge sum of money sitting idle." "Hmm..." Even if he was the benefactor of the church, the priest could not look kindly on someone coveting the church''s gold coins. "I''m already worried about what you''re going to say. It''s better not to make unnecessary noise here." As the priest''s expression hardened, Rockefellerughed and tried to break the tense atmosphere. "Ha ha, I don''t mean it that way. How could someone like me covet the heavenly church''s property? I just want the gold coins here to be used for more meaningful things." "Exactly what do you want to say? No matter how much I listen, I don''t understand your intention." The priest cut him off. "Why are you talking about the gold coins here if you''re not trying to covet them? It''s obviously the church''s property that should be left alone." "The church''s property is, of course, the church''s property. But if you entrust that property to our Carter Bank, we will give you a 3% interest every month." As he said that, Priest Peter''s face changed dramatically. "What, what did you just say? You''ll give us 3% interest?" Rockefeller''s face was still smiling. "Yes, if you leave the church''s gold coins in our Carter Bank, we will give you 3% interest on the deposited gold coins every month. This is a very good thing for the church." The priest''s face was still doubtful. "Usually... don''t they charge a fee for storing gold coins?" "Yes, that''s correct. But that''s a thing of the past. Our Carter Bank is growing by the day. It''s all thanks to the church." Rockefeller hoped that the priest would not know the details of this matter. Anyway, even if the deposit interest was 3%, if you calcte the loan interest at 6%, it was definitely a 3% profit for Carter Bank. However, this was a very radical proposal thatpletely broke the previous conventions, so Priest Peter could not even think about the detailed inside story. He was just excited about the fact that he could earn interest like a bank. "Then, isn''t it our duty to repay the church''s grace?" "Really, really. If we deposit our gold coins in the bank, will they give us 3% interest? Then if we deposit 1,000 dnts, we''ll get 30 dnts every month. And in 12 months, that''s 360 dnts." In response to his question, Rockefeller smiled even more deeply. "Yes, that''s exactly what you think. You just take 3% of the gold coins you entrusted to us as interest ie every month without doing anything, Priest. Then you don''t have to work hard, and you don''t have to worry too much about the church''s financial problems in the future." "Hehe... you. You''re really an amazing person. You''re doing all this for our church. It''s unheard of in the world to not charge a gold coin storage fee and even give interest. Will St. John leave you alone? A benefactor like you should definitely go to heaven." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 57 (1) Chapter 57 (1) The Birth of Deposits (4) The two exchanged smiles, pleased with the conversation. However, a concern crossed Priest Peter''s face as he thought of something. Upon reflection, the issue of interest came to mind. Interest was a forbidden matter within the church. That was the problem. "Ahem..." As the intention was good, Priest Peter couldn''t outright reject Rockefeller''s proposal and act coldly. Seeing Priest Peter''s expression suddenly change, Rockefeller quickly caught on. ''Is it because of the interest? Is interest bad for the church?'' Rockefeller had also agonized over this issue for several days. Although he had a good rtionship with the priest, the priest was a devout churchman at heart. He might have his own stance on the matter. No matter how much interest ie could benefit the church, it was fundamentally forbidden. So, Rockefeller came up with a n. Different words couldpletely change the meaning even if they conveyed the same idea. "Is it because of the interest?" As Rockefeller asked, Priest Peter reluctantly nodded. "To be honest, there''s that aspect. Of course, you meant well, but if the fact that the church profits from interest ie bes known, there could be disapproval from higher-ups." It was impossible for a small church in a remote area not to care about the church organization''s opinion. If a church conducts something that could go against the organization''s doctrine, they needed a reasonable exnation and justification. That''s just how the somewhat vertical and ufortable organization of the church was. "I''m worried about that. I''m fine. I''m just concerned about the surrounding opinions." "I see. I didn''t think the church, which dislikes interest, would simply ept my proposal. So, I thought about this." "What do you mean?" Rockefeller brought up the idea he had thought about before. "Principally, the church forbids interest on loans. However, this case is about a reward concept for deposits. I used the term interest when exining it to you, but it''s actually a different concept from loan interest." "Hmm... listening to you, it seems you''re right. It can be interpreted as a reward concept, not interest." After briefly thinking, Priest Peter began to nod. The interest forbidden by the church was loan interest, as Rockefeller said, not any other form of interest. Rockefeller continued. "The church entrusted its assets to me, and I hold them with a sense of duty and gratitude. So, I must give back to the church every month." "That''s right. That''s the right thing to do." "Loan interest is a daring act of profiting using God''s power, but the reward concept for deposits is the opposite. It''s about showing gratitude to God and giving back to the church." Then, Priest Peter suddenly shook his head. Of course, it wasn''t a negative gesture. "That''s not it. If it''s a reward concept, it has nothing to do with God. So, there''s no need to interpret it that way." "But other believers might interpret it differently than you. For their sake, this kind of exnation might be necessary." "That could be the case. But not for me. God probably knows your sincere intentions." Rockefeller couldn''t help but smile inwardly at Priest Peter''s eagerness to interpret the situation positively. Could the church''s attitude toward interest really change like this? Maybe they frowned upon usurers who enjoyed ying with interest. ''After all, the doctrines they uphold can also change depending on their interests and benefits.'' "I am grateful for your exnation." However, the church organization was not so easygoing. Thus, Priest Peter''s thoughts continued to change. ''It''s a bit too much for me to push this matter forward unterally. Depending on how one thinks about it, they could condemn me and the church for charging interest...'' But he was also an experienced believer. Moreover, he couldn''t afford to simply reject Rockefeller''s proposal, and he had spent years in the rigid church organization, so he decided to try his own trick. ''Yes, it''s better to ask Bishop Verkis in Lyon. I don''t know him personally, but I''m sure he won''t dislike this matter. It''s a good thing for everyone, right?'' Having made up his mind, Priest Peter spoke. "If it''s for the good of our church, why would we refuse your suggestion? Depending on how we interpret it, we can either follow your meaning or exin it in my own way." "If I made you ufortable by mentioning interest from the beginning, I apologize. It was an unavoidable matter in order to exin it more easily." "No, since you exined it that way from the beginning, I could understand it quickly. Taking advantage of God''s power for my own benefit is certainly a bad thing, but if it''s for the church, it''s not entirely bad." It all depended on the interpretation. "From another perspective, isn''t it a concept of fattening oneself with God''s power?" "That could be the case." As Rockefeller smiled faintly, Priest Peter also showed a smile. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 57 (2) Chapter 57 (2) "However, I can''t proceed with this matter alone. So I''m thinking of asking for permission from Bishop Verkis in Lyon. If it''s not urgent, can you wait a few days?" There were enough gold coins in Carter Bank that there would be no problem if the church''s gold coins were not immediately taken. ''Even if the mercenaries stationed in the territory don''t leave all at once, we can close the store for a few days with various excuses.'' However, Rockefeller, who couldn''t hide his impatience, just smiled. "Who am I to refuse? I''ll wait." "Thanks to you, I''ve relieved one concern. You''re truly a benefactor of the church. I''m always grateful, so don''t hesitate toe to me if you need help. The church will help you in any way it can." "Thank you for your kind words. I''m just embarrassed that you think so highly of me." "Hahaha!" And a few dayster. At the ce Priest Peter called him back to, there was an astonishingly elderly believer in red vestments. Rockefeller knew immediately who he was. ''Could it be that person in Lyon? The one called Bishop Verkis?'' He didn''t know the man''s face, but only high-ranking clergy in the church could wear red vestments, and the fact that he was wearing the clothes that even Priest Peter couldn''t wear was a very good piece of information to roughly understand his identity. "Could it be... Bishop Verkis from Lyon?" At Rockefeller''s spective question, broad smiles spread across the faces of the two clergymen. "When have you ever met the bishop?" The archpriest asked, and the apanying Bishop Verkis opened his mouth with a bright smile. "You''re right, a very remarkable young man. Yes, as you said, I am that person." After introducing himself, Rockefeller respectfully bowed to the bishop. "I am humbled to meet such an esteemed person from Lyon." As Rockefeller bowed his head and kissed the ring the bishop offered, Bishop Berchis nodded to himself as if satisfied. "Yes, your name is Rockefeller, right? Rockefeller..." As the bishop trailed off, unable to remember hisst name, the nearby Archpriest Peter quickly stepped in. "It''s the Rothsmedici family. Your Grace, do you not remember a doctor named David Rothsmedici?" "David?" "The doctor who wore a red robe. He visited our church and the Lyon diocese several times, attended many services, and made generous donations." "Ah, was there such a person? A red robe?" After a moment of thought, the bishop finally seemed to remember and began to show a strong reaction. "Oh! I remember now. I apologize. There was such a person in the past. That''s right. There was such a brave man. He was a person with excellent medical skills, on par with a saint." "This young man here is his grandson." "Ah, I see. A great person hase from under the tutge of a great doctor." Upon remembering the Rothsmedici family, the two shared a cheerful atmosphere,ughing together. Seeing this, Rockefeller knew at once why the bishop of Lyon hade all this way. ''It wasn''t intentional, but things worked out really well.'' Why would the owner of Lyon go out of his way to visit a remote church? The reason was obvious. He, too, was interested in earning interest like the archpriest here. ''I''m not sure how the conversation went, but it''s a good thing for me, anyway.'' "Excuse me for asking, but for what reason has such a high-ranking person from Lyone all the way here?" At Rockefeller''s question, the archpriest stepped forward first. "Ahem! The reward we talked about earlier, right? He came in connection with that." "Ah, the reward for deposits, you mean?" "That''s right. He came for that. Just as I showed interest, it seems His Grace also took interest in your proposal." "Is that so?" The bishop, who had been listening quietly, stepped forward. "Let''s talk about that interest. I came all the way here to hear that story." At that, Archpriest Peter nearby was frantic. "Your Grace, it''s not interest, but precisely a reward." Bishop Verkis frowned. "Reward or whatever. It''s the same thing anyway." "But doesn''t the meaning differ?" "In any case, it''s all good for the church. What does it matter if it has a different meaning when it''s a good thing for God and our church?" "Well... you''re right." Unlike the archpriest, who had to be mindful of his surroundings, the bishop seemed to have little to worry about. Bishop Verkis immediately looked for Rockefeller. "Go ahead and tell me. I came all the way here because I found it interesting." Would Rockefeller refuse such a great opportunity? ''This is divine providence. There''s no way I can miss this opportunity.'' Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 58 (1) Chapter 58 (1) The Birth of Deposits (5) Rockefeller smiled as he spoke. "I am delighted that Your Grace, the bishop, has shown interest in my proposal. I am d that my desire to repay the church and St. John has been well received." Rockefeller immediately continued. "As I proposed to Father Peter earlier, I would like to guarantee a 3% monthly return on the church''s assets as a token of my gratitude for entrusting them to me." In a world without deposit interest, Rockefeller''s proposal was truly shocking. "3% every month? Hehe... Why would you do that? In most cases, people would charge storage fees for keeping gold, but you''re offering to give us gold instead?" "Other banks may operate on the concept of storage fees, but we live our lives with constant gratitude to God, Lord John, and the higher-ups in the church. So, a general case cannot be applied here." "That''s interesting." Bishop Verkis seemed somewhat satisfied as he nodded to himself. "There are countless banks in Lyon, but none have made such a groundbreaking proposal like yours. This is my first time hearing about a bank taking gold and providing a profit in return. This must be unprecedented in the empire, no, the entire continent." Rockefeller''s smile deepened at those words. "Others do not know how to give thanks to God and the church. How dare they charge storage fees for holding the church''s assets?" Rockefeller shook his head as if to make a point. "That is simply unthinkable." "I wholeheartedly agree. Compared to those who exploit God''s power for usury without permission, you are a person of a different dimension. Your attitude toward God is different." "Thank you for your kind words. I have always believed that this is the right thing to do." "Hehe, but can you really guarantee that profit? 3% is quite a sum." "Yes, of course. We generate profits from various sources such as gold exchange, gold storage, and interest from loans. The more our business prospers, the less you need to worry about that aspect." Bishop Berkes stroked his beard as he spoke. "To be honest, I didn''t quite understand it at first. If you''re keeping gold, you should at least charge a storage fee, but instead, you''re offering a profit? Even now, it''s still baffling to me." "If you''re doubtful, you can entrust only a portion of your assets to us as a test. We will provide the promised monthly profit, and you can observe and decideter." "Is the principal guaranteed?" "Of course. Whenever you need the principal, you cane to our bank and withdraw it." "Hehe... I still can''t quite grasp it. Your offer is too good to be true. You''ll even provide a profit for simply holding our gold." "It''s all out of my desire to repay God and the church. I would be grateful if you could think of it in a positive light without any doubts." As Rockefeller finished speaking, Father Peter, who had been nearby, interjected. "Your Grace, I trust this young man, Rockefeller, and Carter Bank wholeheartedly, so I n to entrust all of our gold to them. You may not be aware of this since you reside in Lyon, but even a passing dog knows that Carter Bank is doing exceptionally well in this territory. And don''t forget about the dwarf-rted beer business, which this young man proposed and initiated." Bishop Verkis was well aware that the beer business had significantly increased the revenue in the area. That was what had sparked his interest in the first ce. "Ah, so this young man proposed that business?" "Yes, Your Grace." "I see. Then you must trust him very much." "Of course. I have great trust in this young man, Rockefeller. At that time, he could have done it alone, but he came to me and proposed that we give back to the church. How noble and admirable is that?" "But is the dwarf-rted beer business still doing well? It seemed a bit quiet outside." "That''s not the case. Lately, we haven''t been able to fully enjoy the beer business. It''s probably because the war ising to an end. So I''ve been worrying about it, but then this man came and made another great proposal the reward." "Excellent. You have a great fortune in people." "Why would you say that? Your Grace has also met this young man today, so wouldn''t that mean you''ve also gained a fortune in people?" "Ha ha ha!" Bishop Verkisughed heartily and then turned his gaze to Rockefeller. "So, your name is Rockefeller? Ross..." "Yes, Rockefeller Rothsmedici." "Right, Rothsmedici. My memory is poor, so I need to keep saying it to remember names." "No, please feel free to call me Rockefeller." "That''s not right. I need to remember your name and family properly. That''s the etiquette. You''re not just anyone; you''re a benefactor of the church. How can I not remember?" "Even just hearing that is an honor." Bishop Verkis, who had been looking at Rockefeller with a good expression, began to speak. "I''ve heard a lot about you from Peter here. So, I''m also a little interested in your proposal... How about it? If I entrust my gold coins to your bank, can you guarantee mepensation like Peter here?" The awaited words hade. Rockefeller immediately met his expectations without any hesitation. "Would there be a reason not to? If you trust me and entrust your money to Carter Bank, I will definitely protect your principal unconditionally and guarantee a 3% return every month." That was the conversation they had been having up to this point. As soon as the desired answer came, Bishop Verkis also showed a smile without hesitation. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 58 (2) Chapter 58 (2) "Ha ha ha! A truly good friend indeed. It''s amazing that I''ve only met such a precious person now in my life. It feels like my luck is finally turning." Feeling satisfied in his own way, Bishop Verkis continued with his next words. This was his own way of expressing gratitude. "Whenever you need my help, send a letter to Lyon. I don''t know about other ces, but I will definitely receive the letter you sent. And if it''s not too difficult a request, I will surely help you. Yes, that''s right." "Thank you very much." "No, I''m the one who should be grateful. I should have more people like you around me... But people aren''t like that. They all fail to control their own greed and neglect the church. That''s not good. It''s a bad thing." The conversation itself was very satisfying. Just as Rockefeller had expected, Bishop Verkis was also interested in the bank deposit interest, and they even went so far as to offer help, showing how grateful they were. ''Should I bring up that story now?'' At this moment, Rockefeller thought about the uing chaos in the fief and decided to win over the two people present. That way, his n would be more perfect. "Excuse me... Your Grace, the bishop." "Why? Do you have something to say all of a sudden?" "You just mentioned that you would help... "Yes, do you have a favor to ask of me?" "That''s... I have some concerns of my own." "Concerns? What are you talking about?" At that, Peter the priest, who had been nearby, was even more upset. "Why didn''t you tell me first if you had any concerns! Have you been suffering alone without saying anything?" "That''s... It''s not something I can easily talk about." "What''s bothering you so much that you look so unhappy?" "It''s nothing else." Rockefeller slowly began to express his concerns. The reason why they hade this far was all due to the fief''s lord, who was avoiding crisis with promissory notes. Of course, that was all part of Rockefeller''s n. "Your Grace, Bishop Verkis, and Father Peter, I''m not sure what you think about this matter." "Go ahead and tell me." "If someone borrows money from us, isn''t it natural to get the money back?" "Of course." "Of course, it is. Who borrowed money and didn''t pay it back?" "It''s not exactly like that, but there''s the lord here, right?" As soon as the lord was mentioned, Bishop Verkis immediately reacted. The lord was like the sky here, but to him, the bishop of Lyon, the lord was a trivial existence. "Are you talking about Chester?" "Yes, the lord has borrowed quite a lot of money from us." "Did Chester refuse to pay it back or something?" "No, it''s not that. It''s just that the lord''s financial situation is getting worse day by day. So, I''m worried that there might be a default at some point." "A default? Chester is not that kind of person... He''s rough, but he does have a sense of loyalty." Rockefeller continued. "Of course, I fully understand the lord''s situation here. The lord must have needed a lot of money due to the Totem War that took ce near the fief. I understand that fully. However, the interest that the lord has to pay back every month is now at a worrying level, even from my perspective. So, I think there will be a default at some point, and I''m worried about how to deal with it then." Peter the priest, who had been quietly listening, stepped in. "Didn''t you secure part of the fief as coteral to prepare for that?" "That''s correct. We did secure part of the fief as coteral in preparation for that." "Then what''s the worry?" Rockefeller argued in a small voice. "We are just a small bank. We are in no position to exert power against the lord, who is like the sky." Then, Peter the priest raised his voice. "Don''t worry too much about that. I''m on your side, after all. Didn''t I even witness it at that time? If he doesn''t fulfill that promise, it would be a deception against me and the church. That''s uneptable." Bishop Verkis, who had been quietly listening, also added a word. "If you borrow money, you should pay it back properly. If there''s a problem there, I''ll raise my voice too, so the lord''s wishes won''t be fulfilled here. Of course, we don''t have too much coercive power. But being disliked by the church means losing the hearts of the people here. Chester is not aplete fool, so he won''t go that far." Rockefeller felt somewhat satisfied with their answers. ''Excellent.'' However, they were also cunning like snakes who might change their words someday. For now, they sided with him because it was in their interest, but who knows what might happen when the lord makes a sweet offer to them. Rockefeller then provided them with a reason, right there, why they had to unconditionally support him. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 59 (1) Chapter 59 (1) The Birth of Deposits (6) "I always live with a grateful heart for God and the church. If the dayes when the lord can repay all his debts, I n to donate a portion of it to the church. This is my sincere intention." "You will donate a portion of what you get back?" "Yes, that''s how I want to repay John." "That''smendable. We need more people like you." "Bishop, didn''t I tell you? He''s truly a person who will seed in whatever he does." "As a small and insignificant believer like myself, all I have is the desire to repay God and the church." Priest Peter began to pour out the dissatisfaction he had umted so far. "The lord here only knows about himself. Of course, he doesn''t interfere much with the church''s affairs, but he doesn''t take care of us either." Bishop Verkis, who had been listening, also stepped in. "It would have been nice if Chester was like you. But he''s not." Although it was a half-joking remark without any particr thought, it felt different to Rockefeller. ''These people are also secretly dissatisfied with the lord. It must be because the lord has been indifferent to the church''s affairs.'' "It would have been really nice if the lord was just like me." Priest Peter, who had sighed, showed a reaction. "That''s right. But what can we do? He was born like that. We just have to ept it." Rockefeller decided to try to cross the line in this conversation while subtly gauging their reactions. ''I wish it would turn out like that.'' "What if someone like me was born as the lord here?" When he said that, there was a moment of silence, but both the priest and the bishop seemed to think it was a joke and did not take it too seriously. "How great it would have been if that happened." At Bishop Verkis'' words, Priest Peter also spoke up. "It would have been better if the lord here was you. You always put the church first. There''s no one like you." Hearing their reactions, Rockefeller faintly smiled. ''The reaction isn''t too bad, is it?'' "As both of you said, I am always thinking only of the church." Although it was still difficult to predict from this alone, Rockefeller thought that if he were to be the lord, their opposition would probably be minimal, given that their reactions to the joke weren''t too bad. ''After all, they won''t say anything if I treat them well.'' Having asked already, Rockefeller decided to try crossing the line again. Since the previous reaction wasn''t bad, he decided to try once more. "But, you know, this is just my thought, but if the lord here continues like this, he will really be a debtor, and then our Carter Bank will own part of the territory. And owning the territory means... can people like us be nobles like the lord?" At this, the two experienced church members began to stroke their chins. "Well, it''s possible. If you havend, aren''t you a noble?" "Eventually, as the family''s castle bes widely known, it naturally bes a family, and if the name bes widely known, you can gain everyone''s recognition and be a noble. To make it more certain, getting the royal family''s recognition would be the fastest way." "Then what happens to the lord here? If we be nobles by owning the lord''snd, he won''t see it kindly, will he?" At that question, Bishop Verkis frowned and replied. Of course, the one he thought ill of here was naturally Lord Chester. "It''s the lord''s fault. Who told him to get into debt? Debt is a sin. He should only borrow as much as he can pay back. If it goes beyond that, it''s not a sin, then what is it?" "I see. If the lord here gets into trouble because of the debt, this ce will be and without a ruler, and of course, we, who only ownnd, don''t think we can dare to take that position." Rockefeller continued. "Originally, a ruler must have a supporting force, right? People like us, who are in the banking business and ownnd, can''t be someone like the lord. We don''t have the support of the people of the territory, do we?" "That''s true. Owningnd alone doesn''t make you a ruler." "Owningnd alone doesn''t make you a ruler. You need the absolute support of the people of the territory." "I think so too." Rockefeller, who subtly gauged their reactions, threw out another question. "But what if someone who owns thatnd and somehow gains the support of the people of the territory appears... That person will be apletely new person, not the lord here." This was what Rockefeller truly wanted to ask them. "Would you be willing to support that person if they appeared?" Bishop Verkis'' expression hardened slightly. "Why are you suddenly asking such a question?" "I just asked out of curiosity, due to my immature curiosity. I''m really sorry if my question was offensive." "What''s offensive about it? If he''s a person who treats God and the church well and has unwavering faith, we have no reason to refuse. Isn''t that right, Peter?" "Yes, Bishop, your words are absolutely correct. As church members, if someone is able to rule a territory peacefully and loyally to us and the church, why would we refuse?" Peter continued. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 59 (2) Chapter 59 (2) "Perhaps it would be better if another lord came to rule this ce instead of the current one. It''s unlikely, but I have my own grievances with the lord here. Someonees to help us with no obligation or duty, while anotherpletely ignores their duty and lets us live or die without a care. He''s a very despicable person, only concerned about his own survival. His faith is also questionable." Rockefeller simply nodded his head quietly. ''So you think that too?'' When all the conversations were over. The atmosphere was warm and friendly. "Then I will assume that both of you have epted my proposal. Thepensation for the deposit will be calcted ording to the period of depositing the gold coins, so please keep that in mind." A message urging them to deposit gold coins as soon as possible. The response to this was also what Rockefeller had expected. "Alright, I''ll send my gold coins right away." "I''ll send mine as soon as I return to Lyon, so please take good care of it." After finishing the church business and returning to Carter Bank, Rockefeller met Carter, who had been anxiously guarding the store. "How did it go? Did everything go well?" At Carter''s question, Rockefeller sent him a broad smile first. "Yes, everything was resolved on their end." "Really? Then the gold coins..." Carter, who had no concept of deposits yet, thought that Rockefeller had borrowed gold coins from the church. "Did you borrow them from there?" "No, sir. I didn''t borrow gold coins, but rather had them deposit their gold coins in our store." "Deposited their gold coins?" Carter responded with a puzzled expression. "As far as I know, those people aren''t the kind to entrust their gold coins while paying storage fees." No one knew better about Priest Peter than Carter. "Did he really say he would entrust his gold coins here?" "Yes, but without any storage fees." "No storage fees? What does that mean..." "Instead, we agreed to give them a 3% interest profit every month." "What, what did you say?" Carter thought he had heard wrong. "What do you mean? Instead of receiving a 3% monthly storage fee for the gold coins, we agreed to give them interest profit?" "Yes, that''s what happened." Carter, who couldn''t quite ept it, took a step forward and asked Rockefeller as if to argue. "What kind of crazy talk is that? Instead of receiving a storage fee for the gold coins, which is already not enough, we''re going to give them interest profit? Are you in your right mind?" Then Joshua, who had apanied Rockefeller to the church, began to speak. "Mr. Carter, it''s definitely a profit for us, so don''t get too excited." "How is this a profit? We''re just giving away our money for no reason." Rockefeller held his tongue, and instead, Joshua stepped forward and exined the rest. Of course, it was all a story he had heard from Rockefeller. "First, our loan interest is 6%. And the 3% interest profit for depositing gold coins is returned to the original owner of the gold coins. If we assume that all of our loans are sound and have been fully disbursed, we continue to profit by that difference of 3%." Carter reluctantly began to ept the exnation as Joshuaid out the calctions with his fingers. "But still, our profit rate will decrease, won''t it?" At the small protest, Rockefeller stepped in. "Our profit rate might decrease for now. However, if we do this, the scale of our funds will change. Simply put, it''s better to make 3% of 10,000 talents than 6% of 100 talents. Why does that happen?" Rockefeller continued. "Other banks suffer a negative return due to gold coin storage fees for gold coin deposits, but we offer a 3% interest as a reward for depositing gold coins. When the news of this reaches the gold coin owners, they wille to us to deposit their gold coins without a second thought. Then our bank will have a muchrger scale of funds than other banks." After that, it was Joshua who spoke. "So, even though our profit rate decreases by 3%, if we look at the revenue aspect, there''s a difference of 294 talents between 6 talents and 300 talents." "Is that a difference of 294 talents? But our profit rate is decreasing by 3%?" "I gave an extreme example for the sake of exnation. It''s easier to understand that way." Joshua asked Carter. "So, Mr. Carter, would you rather make 6 talents with a smaller scale or 300 talents with arger scale?" "Well..." "That''s what I''m saying. Of course, you''d want to make 300 dnts. It''s only natural." Rockefeller narrowed his eyes, thinking that Carter had fully understood. ''In reality, banks make money with other people''s money. Most people don''t know this.'' At any rate, the immediate crisis was averted. Even if numerous mercenaries came to collect their gold coins, Carter Bank''s credit would not copse. "Now that we''ve secured the necessary gold coins from the church, our store won''t close even after the war is over. We have enough gold coins to pay the mercenaries now." Having ovee the crisis once, it was now time to go on the offensive. "Let''s move on to the next phase." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 60 (1) Chapter 60 (1) My Dear, You''re Swallowed by Debt (1) Overseer Siron Mark. As soon as he entered the overseer''s office within the lord''s manor, he brought some good news to the overseers who had been eagerly waiting for him alone. "This month''s sry." In his hand were Gold promissory notes to be used as sry, and those promissory notes were soon distributed to each overseer like a sry. "Again?" "Has it been a while since you''ve seen gold coins?" "These days, this is the trend, isn''t it?" "It''s not the bank, but the lord who guarantees this. There''s nothing more certain than this." "Well, that''s true." "Anyway, it''s really convenient. It used to be inconvenient with gold coins." The overseers who received their sries each made ament, and the overseer, who had distributed the sries to everyone, repeated the same words as he always did. "If you really need Dnts, you can go to the bank. You all must know the situation of the territory well, so you can use it just like gold coins." At his words, the overseers became noisy again. "Isn''t this promissory note only usable within this territory?" "That''s right. Where would you use this? If you present this in another territory, you''ll probably be called a madman." Then the overseer raised his voice sternly. "Have any of you ever left this territory? Those who have no reason to leave have so manyints. If you''re really dissatisfied, go to the bank and exchange it." As the subordinates who didn''t let out any dissatisfaction fell silent, Overseer Siron Mark briefly reported on the progress of the situation outside the territory. "Anyway, the war is over now. Both sides havepletely withdrawn as of today. I received the report early in the morning. Of course, I reported it to the lord first." There was no one who was greatly relieved by the news that the war was over. There had been signs of this for several months already, and hearing such news now wouldn''t be surprising. "Wasn''t the war itself a trick of the goblins who had their eyes on the magic stones of the orcs? Have you heard anything about that, Overseer?" "Where did you hear such a story?" "The mercenaries who heard the stories from various ces told us. They said that the Totem War itself was a war created by the goblins. They deliberately started the war to get the magic stones from the stupid orcs. War inevitably requires money, and Goblin Bank provided the money, taking the magic stones the orcs had in return." As the overseer who told the story took a moment to catch his breath, another overseer interjected. "If that''s true, the orcs were foolishly deceived. By the smaller goblins." "Not just the orcs, right? The dwarves who were wrongly med must be furious too." "But there''s no evidence anyway." The overseer raised his voice. "Enough. It''s not our business anyway. There''s no need to worry about it at all. The important thing is that the war outside the territory is over." "That''s true." One overseer raised his hand and caught the attention of the overseer. "Excuse me, Overseer. Then what about the mercenary troops at the fortress?" "The mercenary troops are already leaving here in sequence. If they all leave at once, the territory will be chaotic." "Is the lord aware of this?" "He knows. It was the lord himself who ordered it." "I see." As everyone nodded in agreement, Siron Mark immediately ordered the dismissal. "Then disperse and thoroughly monitor your assigned areas today. The reason you receive a sry here is for the security of the territory. Do not neglect your duties." "Yes!" In unison. The overseers, armed, began to leave the office. Watching the overseers leave, Siron Mark, who had been staring nkly, had an absurd thought as he looked at the remaining promissory notes in his hand. ''It would be nice if I had the ability to copy this.'' But it was a dream-like thing. The paper used for the promissory notes was made of a special material created by the bank using the power of the Sinir Magic House. In other words, it was impossible to duplicate. ''Well, it wouldn''t be easy. I''m not a magician or anything.'' With a regretful thought, Siron Mark went out of the office and started his day''s work without any problems. The territory was peaceful for another day. There were no invasions from outside, and there were no residents causing trouble within the territory. However, the real big problem came from his wife that evening. "Honey, I went to the bank today, and they said that this promissory note can''t be exchanged for Dant. Do you know anything about this?" "What? What are you talking about? It can''t be exchanged?" What a bolt from the blue? The Gold promissory notes, which had been exchanged for Dant without any problems for the past few years, suddenly could not be exchanged for gold coins. "Did the bank really say that?" "Yes, it was your payday today, right? So I wanted to send some living expenses to Bern, and I tried to exchange it for Dant, but they said it couldn''t be done. It was so arbitrary." As Siron Mark was putting on his armor again, he raised his voice toward his wife. "Did the bank refuse even though they knew you were my wife?" Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 60 (2) Chapter 60 (2) "Yes, they said it was absolutely impossible, whether you were an overseer or the wife of an overseer. What''s going on?" The overseer scratched his head and tried hard to understand the situation, but no matter how hard he thought, he could not understand the reason. "I''ll go take a look. This is suddenly absurd. It has been exchanged for Dant without any problems so far, and now they say it can''t be exchanged?" Considering Carter Bank''s trust, what happened to his wife today was something that couldn''t be exined at all. "Wait, I''ll go and listen to what they have to say." It was getting dark, and the day''s work should have been over. But the overseer, desperate to find answers, went to the bank first. The bank he visited was already in chaos due to the townspeople who came for the same reason. "What is this nonsense all of a sudden! They''ve been exchanging it just fine until now, and now they say they can''t!" "Open this door and exchange it for gold coins right now! I need the Dnt immediately!" "Open the door!" "Carter! Carter, what is this?" There were many angry townspeople in front of Carter Bank. They were holding paper promissory notes and shouting at the bank. "What''s going on?" "Overseer." "Ah, the overseer has arrived!" Recognizing the overseer, the townspeople began to show respect to him. He was of a higher rank thanmoners and was a key figure in charge of the territory''s security, so the townspeople treated him with respect and informed him of the situation inside. "Well, the bank says these promissory notes can''t be exchanged for Dnt." "We don''t know why either. It''s been exchanged for Dnt without any problems for the past few years, and now they say it can''t be. Does that make sense?" "I''m going crazy. I don''t understand why they''re doing this all of a sudden." Most of the people who came for the same reason as him shared the same story. Eventually, the number of people who came had doubled. All of them were townspeople who had hurriedlye after hearing the news. "I''ll ask." "Please ask for us, overseer!" "Yes, please ask for us! We need to know the reason, don''t we?" "I urgently need the money to send tomorrow. It''s really urgent!" As the overseer stepped forward to Carter Bank, it was then that people began to block him, and they were certainly out of ce here. "This ce is like a sanctuary where the church''s property is kept." The person blocking the overseer was a priest with quite a few years of experience. "I don''t know who you are, but if you came here to cause amotion, it''s best to step back. Doing harm here is the same as doing harm to the church." Unbelievable! The church people, who hated loan sharks the most, were actually protecting Carter Bank from the angry townspeople. In this absurd situation, the overseer couldn''t help but feel stunned. ''What is going on?'' Listening to the priests, it seemed that the church''s property was in Carter Bank. ''Why is the church''s property here? There''s no reason for it to be here. I can''t figure it out. What on earth happened?'' Despite therge number of townspeople who hade, the only reason Carter Bank was still safe was because of the priests guarding the entrance. Otherwise, Carter Bank might have been destroyed by the angry townspeople. "Ahem!" Even though he was in charge of the territory''s security, he couldn''t easily confront the churchgoers. In some ways, it could be a bigger crime than being rude to the lord. That''s how powerful the church was. So the overseer had no choice but to hide his difort and speak softly. "I am the one in charge of security in this territory, and I came to hear the details of the situation. As you said, this ce is where the church''s property is, so I have no intention of causing amotion. Please let me hear the story and make way. I promise not to cause any disturbance." The priest who had been looking down on the polite overseer finally gave way, and the townspeople behind him took a step forward to enter the bank, but they were stopped by other priests holding torches. "You have no right to enter this ce. Step back, all of you!" "This is a sanctuary where the church''s property is! Do you dare to cause trouble in the sanctuary!" "Get away from the sanctuary! This is not a ce for you to cause amotion!" While the angry townspeople and several priests confronted each other outside the bank, the overseer who had entered the bank saw the bank staff and Peter, the chief priest, who seemed to have anticipated this. "Chief priest, you''re here too." "You''vee." After greeting the chief priest as a matter of courtesy, the overseer immediately turned his voice to Carter. "Carter, what''s all thismotion?" "Isn''t this Sir Mark? What brings you here?" "Isn''t it obvious why I''m here? It''s chaos outside. Why on earth are you not exchanging these for Dnt?" "Well, that''s..." Carter hesitated to answer, and Rockefeller, who had been watching, stepped out of the shadows of the bank and spoke. "There''s no need to be so excited with us. This is a natural result caused by the lord, not us." "The lord caused this? What do you mean? What did the lord do wrong?" Rockefeller, who hadpletely emerged from the darkness of the bank, was faintly illuminated by the candlelight. Light and darkness. The boundary. Standing on that boundary, Rockefeller continued speaking. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 61 (1) Chapter 61 (1) My Dear, You''re Swallowed by Debt (2) "I assume you''re aware of the war that took ce outside the territory, Overseer. Due to that, our lord has umted a massive debt from our bank. You know about this, right?" The overseer was well aware that the lord had borrowed a tremendous amount of money from the bank. That''s why they had bought the overpriced wyvern and built an unnecessarilyrge fortress. And that wasn''t all. The various mercenary groups operating until today were all funded by the money borrowed from the bank. ''I didn''t expect him to borrow that much. But it''s not my problem to manage the aftermath.'' At the same time, he also thought this: The lord is the ruler of thisnd. And the banker is the one who parasitizes and lives off the ruler. ''But I didn''t think there would be a problem.'' "Of course, I know about that. But so what? What does the lord''s debt have to do with our gold certificates not being exchangeable for Dants? What are you trying to say?" The overseer''s expression was one of genuine confusion. "I don''t understand. What''s the reason? Exin it to me clearly." An exnation was necessary. Rockefeller began to speak. "Of course, there''s a connection. The lord has been using these meaningless debt certificates to pay off our debt. Like this." Rockefeller handed the overseer a debt certificate that had been issued directly by the lord, not by the Carter Bank. "This is the debt certificate that the lord personally issued to us. Please verify it." The overseer briefly skimmed through the bundle of debt certificates handed over by Rockefeller. Therge seal of the lord on it was a clear symbol of the lord''s promise to repay his debt at some point. Rockefeller said, "That is the lord''s credit and promise that he will repay that amount of gold coins someday." "I know. This is indeed the debt certificate issued by the lord, as you said." "You''re well informed. But today, we have been betrayed by that promise." "Betrayed?" The overseer looked surprised, while Rockefeller''s expression was cold. "Yes, the lord has been trying to resolve everything with debt certificates. When we went to the lord to receive the promised gold coins, he said he couldn''t give us gold coins, but instead, he would give us more debt certificates." Rockefeller scoffed as he spoke. "Ha, I was appalled. What we needed was gold coins, not some paper certificates. When will the lord keep his promise? He should repay us properly." At that, the overseer began to defend the lord. He still had faith in the lord and thought there must be a good reason for not keeping the promise immediately. "There must have been a reason. The lord is the owner of thisnd and an excellent leader who leads us. If he didn''t give you gold coins right away, there must have been a reason." Rockefeller shook his head as if to show off. "We thought so too, and that''s why we''ve been deceived until now. But not anymore." Rockefeller continued, trying to get the overseer on his side. "I tried to get the gold coins from the lord this time to exchange them for gold coins with you here and the people outside shouting in the territory. We need gold coins to exchange your debt certificates for gold coins, don''t we? After all, the Gold certificates are backed by the lord''s credit. It''s only natural." At that, the overseer was quite shocked. "So then" "We intended to receive the gold coins for that purpose, but the lord betrayed us. So we decided not to amodate the lord any longer. I don''t know how long the lord will deceive us, but we''re not fools. We have no reason to act like fools." This time, Rockefeller asked him a question. "Now let me ask you. Do we have to give our hard-earned gold coins to you while receiving those meaningless paper certificates every day?" "Well" As the conversation progressed to this point, the overseer finally understood. He understood the reason why the situation hade to this. Unable to answer easily, the overseer listened as Rockefeller continued. "We can''t use the church''s heavenly assets as coteral either. Why should we and the church bear the burden of the lord''s mistakes?" Hearing the conversation, Priest Peter immediately spoke up. "The church''s property belongs to Saint John and cannot be touched by anyone." Priest Peter pointed his index finger at the overseer with a stern face. "So go tell the lord clearly. We cannot touch the church''s property here, so he should resolve his own mistakes. Our church should not be harmed in this matter. Absolutely not." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 61 (2) Chapter 61 (2) Although everything started with the lord''s mistake and he understood it well enough, the overseer couldn''t back down easily. He couldn''t easily give up his gold coins tied to the Gold certificates just because the lord made a mistake. To put it simply, it was unfair. "So what are we supposed to do with this?" As the overseer showed his Gold certificates and protested with a small but strong voice, Rockefeller began to speak with an indifferent expression. "Those Gold certificates are, in principle, not our responsibility to exchange for gold coins." "What do you mean? You''ve been exchanging them just fine until now, and suddenly you say it''s not possible?" Rockefeller shook his head as if to show off. "Look at the content written on it. The Gold promissory notes were issued with the coteral of the excessive promissory notes issued by the lord in the first ce. In other words, it is clearly different." Rockefeller pulled out another Carter Bank promissory note he had and showed it to him. "This is an IOU promissory note issued by our Carter Bank." The overseerpared the Gold promissory note he brought with the IOU, the existing promissory note. The form was the same, but there was one striking difference. "Do you see the difference?" "......" The reason the overseer couldn''t say anything. The Gold promissory note did not contain any content guaranteeing gold directly from Carter Bank, but the IOU promissory note did. "You probably see it. If you had brought us the IOU promissory notes that were used before, we would have naturally exchanged them for dnts. Because we guarantee the IOU promissory notes directly. But the Gold promissory notes are not. We do not guarantee them directly." "But! The lord''s credit... wasn''t it better?" Until now, all the promissory notes used by the people in the territory were IOU promissory notes issued by Carter Bank. When the Gold promissory notes, which were directly guaranteed by the lord, began to appear, people started to use Gold promissory notes instead of the existing IOU promissory notes. Both were exchanged for dnts, and they thought that a promissory note directly guaranteed by the lord was safer than one guaranteed by a mere banker. "So everyone here started using Gold promissory notes? Now no one is using the IOU promissory notes. They all switched to Gold promissory notes." That was exactly what Rockefeller intended. ''I wanted it to happen too. Why? So that our obligation to exchange those worthless promissory notes for real gold would disappear.'' "Then it''s your mistake for not trusting us. Because you trusted the lord more than us. Isn''t that right?" The desperate overseer argued. "Until now, haven''t you exchanged them the same way? Why now!" "If the lord had silently exchanged the promissory notes we took for gold, we would still be exchanging Gold promissory notes for dnts. However, since the lord refused, we are now refusing as well." Rockefeller emphasized his words. "Anyway, the Gold promissory notes were issued with the coteral of the lord''s promissory notes." "......" "No matter what you say here, we are under no obligation to exchange them for gold. This is clearly stated in the Gold promissory notes, so we have nothing more to say." From the overseer''s point of view, he was furious, but he couldn''t vent his anger at Carter Bank. All the fault came from the lord. If he wanted to argue, he had to go to the lord, not here. "So... what do we do now? Are you telling us to just go back with these worthless pieces of paper?" Though it was easier to vent his anger at Carter Bank than the lord, the only answer that came back was this. "It''s not just a worthless piece of paper." Rockefeller pointed to a simr piece of paper. "Don''t you have the promissory note issued by the lord that I gave you earlier? Since it is coteral, we can''t give you gold, but we can give you the lord''s promissory notes." Rockefeller said again. "In other words, I will give you the lord''s promissory notes equivalent to the Gold promissory notes you brought. This is clearly stated in the Gold promissory notes." In other words. Don''t argue here, go to the lord and argue again. "Ha......" With nothing more to say, the overseer sighed deeply, and Carter, who walked over to him, patted his shoulder and offered constion that was not constion. "We''re not just sending you away. We''ll give you the lord''s promissory notes equivalent to the Gold promissory notes you brought, so if you feel wronged, go to the lord instead of us. We think that''s the right thing to do." How could they dare to demand repayment from the lord, who was like the sky? The overseer felt overwhelmed and then thought again. There were many people like him in the territory. At this time, the angry people who came to Carter Bank were shouting to exchange for dnts right now. ''It''s not small at all. It could be everyone in the territory.'' Most of them had Gold promissory notes instead of the IOU promissory notes guaranteed by Carter Bank, which meant they all had something to say to the lord. ''If I can''t do it alone... if I move with all those people outside?'' Moreover, the wages distributed to the subordinates this morning were all Gold promissory notes. ''If the subordinates think the same as me, there''s no need to think any further.'' It was still a mystery how the Gold promissory notes (fake money) came to be used as ''real money'' here and there, but that wasn''t very important in this situation. ''We must get it back in gold.'' The Gold promissory note he clenched tightly was no longer money. It was nothing more, nothing less than a piece of paper. As the overseer''s eyes changed fiercely after making up his mind, Rockefeller''s lips curled up slightly as he watched. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 62 (1) Chapter 62 (1) My Dear, You''re Swallowed by Debt (3) A momentter. The vigers, who had been protesting outside the store without any sess, swarmed around the overseer who had juste out. Their faces full of worry, they began to bombard him with urgent questions. "What happened inside?" "Did the negotiations go well?" "Is the problem solved? Can we exchange this for gold coins?" "Please answer us! Why aren''t you saying anything? You''re making us worry..." "Please don''t tell us it''s not possible." As the barrage of questions became almost deafening, the overseer stopped in his tracks, and the vigers'' attention focused on him. But there was nothing he could say in this situation. What message could he possibly deliver? There was no ideal answer to be found here. "..." His silence was met with moreints from the vigers, and they began to demand a solution from him, the overseer. At that moment, the door of Carter Bank suddenly opened, revealing Rockefeller, the true power behind the store. As Rockefeller appeared, everyone''s attention shifted from the overseer to him. Thinking of his safety, Rockefeller had been hiding among the priests. When the vigers turned their attention to him, he began to speak. "Everyone, please calm down. I will exin everything about the background of today''s chaos." Despite his promise to exin, the vigers continued to shout and could not be easily calmed. However, shouting alone wouldn''t solve the problem, and they needed a reasonable exnation, so one of the vigers took the lead in quieting everyone down for a moment. As the protesting vigers outside the store quieted down, Rockefeller continued to exin the situation. It was simr to what he had exined to the overseer earlier. Once he finished, Rockefeller spoke again. "As I have exined so far, the Gold promissory notes you have brought have no obligation for our Carter Bank to exchange them for dnts." At this, a few vigers became agitated and yelled, but Rockefeller continued unfazed. "That doesn''t mean we don''t ept all promissory notes. The IOU promissory notes that our Carter Bank directly guarantees can still be exchanged for dnts! If you have an IOU promissory note, pleasee to me for confirmation, and then you can enter the store and exchange it for ducats." Hearing this, the majority of vigers who had been checking their promissory notes began to sigh. They had thought that the Gold promissory notes guaranteed by the lord would be safer and had exchanged their IOU promissory notes for Gold ones. However, not everyone was the same. "I have an IOU! I didn''t change it because I was toozy!" Among them, there were vigers who had kept their IOU promissory notes out ofziness or thinking that it didn''t matter which promissory note they had. They shouted as if they had received salvation. "I survived! I''m telling you, I survived!" As a few vigers yelled, the majority looked on enviously, and Rockefeller also showed them a friendly smile. "Yes, those of you with IOU promissory notes can now enter our store and exchange them for as many dnts as you need." Feeling ecstatic at being the only one saved, the minority of vigers didn''t care about the surrounding res and continued to celebrate. "I knew it was a good idea not to change it back then! My gold coins are safe!" Ignoring the cold stares of the vigers, one of them stepped forward and proudly disyed his IOU promissory note to Rockefeller, who responded with a smile. "Pleasee inside. If you go further in, my brother Joshua will exchange it for as many ducats as you need." As soon as he finished speaking, the viger let out a cheer and quickly entered the store. At the same time, Rockefeller''s voice reached the protesting vigers. "As you can see, our Carter Bank has never lost your trust, even to this day!" All of this had been caused by the lord. Rockefeller emphasized that the trust and credit of Carter Bank remained strong even amid this chaos. "We will protect your gold coins even if the world splits in two, and this is clearly stated in the IOU promissory notes you have!" Of course, some vigers disagreed with Rockefeller''s statement. "Then what about these Gold promissory notes! Why are you refusing to exchange them now when you used to do it before?" At this, Rockefeller''s expression turned cold, and he countered. "I have already exined everything. We have no obligation to take responsibility for those promissory notes." And all the me should be directed at the lord, not at Rockefeller or Carter Bank. The viinous debtor disguised as a lord was the one to me. "All the unpleasant events that happened tonight were caused by the lord himself, and I want to make it clear that we arepletely unrted to this!" One of the vigers shouted. "Then what are we supposed to do! Are you telling us to go die like this!" "What about our gold coins!" Despite their outcry, Rockefeller remained unfazed and quickly responded. "I cannot take responsibility for your gold coins on your behalf. However, the Gold promissory notes you have brought are not just worthless pieces of paper!" "Then what are they!" "As stated on them, they are promissory notes written by the lord, and you can directly exchange them. If you need gold coins, you can take the promissory notes from our store and go directly to the lord to demand gold coins." Then, sighs mixed with voices erupted from here and there. "How can we go to the lord and ask for our gold coins..." "You have to make sense." "What power do we have!" Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 62 (2) Chapter 62 (2) Towards such vigers, Rockefeller raised his voice again. It was all to convince them. "If you were a minority, of course, you would have no power, but now you are the majority! There is no lord in this world who can defeat all the vigers. I will give you the lord''s promissory note, so go and argue! Go and get your gold coins! You won''t lose your gold coins like this, will you?" At that, the faces of the disheartened vigers quickly changed. Looking around, most of the people who came for the same reason as themselves. "Yeah, let''s go and argue! I''m not the only one like this!" "Right! Even the overseer here was deceived, and it''s not just us." "Let''s go and argue!" "Yeah, that''s right! Let''s go and argue!" At the edge of the cliff. Desperate vigers joined forces one after another to turn an unthinkable reality into reality. The overseer, who had been quietly watching the vigers, realized the seriousness of the situation. ''It''s not a joke. If the rumor spreads everywhere, the entire territory will be overturned.'' In a normal situation, the overseer, being an overseer, would have to take off his shoes and step in to resolve the situation. He had to calm down the excited vigers and arrest the young man named Rockefeller, who was unknowingly inciting them. However, since he was also a victim, he could not do that. Rather, he thought it would be better to move with the majority of the vigers. ''Rather, it''s good. The lord will recognize the seriousness of the situation.'' Ahem! With a fake cough and a straightened body, the overseer began to move quickly toward the lord''s castle. In the meantime, the vigers'' attention was still on Rockefeller, and only a few officials who hade to Carter Bank for the same reason as the overseer quickly followed the overseer and spoke up. "It''s really not a joke." "Isn''t this going to cause a real riot?" However, none of them thought about stopping the excited vigers. They had the same thoughts as the overseer who went ahead. "If that many people go at once, even the lord can''t just keep his nerve." "I hope it''s resolved..." "Isn''t this going to be a big deal?" The big deal here was not the copse of the territory''s stability. "If this turns into a waste paper..." It was a big deal that urred when the Gold promissory note in their hands turned into waste paper. "It''s terrible just to think about it." At that, the overseer opened his heavy mouth. "It won''t happen. If it does, it''s not the territory but the lord''s castle that will be overturned." Not only himself but most of the officials were receiving Gold promissory notes in the form of wages. Most people in the territory don''t exchange them for gold coins because they are used like money. And this would turn into waste paper overnight? ''Don''t underestimate us.'' "Is there anyone here who doesn''t have that promissory note? The vigers may not know, but we officials should not be underestimated." At that, one official turned pale. "So, are we officials moving together?" "We have to move together and find a solution. The vigers will take care of themselves, but we have to save ourselves first." Everyone''s bowl was important. The officials also fully agreed with the overseer''s words. "Of course." "First, we need to secure our gold coins. That''s the most important thing." The overseer, who had made up his mind, said. "It''s better to flock together at this time since we all have the same idea." In order to protect his gold coins tied to a mere piece of paper, the overseer gave instructions to the officials who followed him. "Call everyone to the lord''s castle, leaving only the minimum number of people. We have to find our way to live." "Yes!" The officials moved quickly and efficiently to find their fellow officials, and in the meantime, the overseer, who had arrived in front of the lord''s castle, could feel the chaos intensifying in the vige adjacent to the lord''s castle. The screaming people and the growing torches one by one. It was apletely different sight from usual. ''It''s all not a joke. Well, of course. My money is flying away now, how can I sleep?'' The overseer clenched the Gold promissory note he had and the lord''s promissory note he had brought from Carter Bank. ''There must be gold coins.'' Please... Please! However, the uneasy thoughts inside him did not easily go away. No one knew the lord and the territory''s situation better than him. ''It shouldn''t be too empty. He''s the owner of a territory, after all.'' He also knew that the lord had been writing promissory notes and taking money from the bank whenever he needed it. He was aware that it was being overused, but he never expected something like today. Why? It was the biggest reason that Carter Bank had been exchanging Gold promissory notes for Dnts without any problems so far. ''Ugh! I should have expected it beforehand.... What can you do now that you regret it? Anyway, he had to fight with the lord tonight. Vigers? He had to prioritize themselves and the officials'' gold coins first. ''It has to be done. Otherwise, I won''t be able to stay here for long.'' Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 63 (1) Chapter 63 (1) My Dear, You''re Swallowed by Debt (4) Late at night, when the moon was high in the sky. Lord Chester received a report from his stewards about a disturbance that urred in his territory. It turned out that Carter Bank was not exchanging the debt certificates brought by the residents for gold coins. As a result, the angry residents went to Carter Bank and caused amotion, ording to the report. ''It''s not my concern.'' Lord Chester had no idea how things had escted to this point. He simply thought that there must be a problem with Carter Bank that prevented them from giving out gold coins, but he never even dreamed that he was deeply involved in the matter. Of course, he was notpletely without suspicion. That very night, before the incident urred, a young man named Rockefeller had met with him. ''There wasn''t any good news... But it must be unrted. This is an issue with Carter Bank itself.'' Rockefeller, who visited Lord Chester, had a serious conversation about debt repayment unlike before. He also asked that the interest be paid in gold coins as much as possible, but Lord Chester was not the one to hear it. Facing Rockefeller, Lord Chester said, "If you''ve been epting my debt certificates so far, then how can you suddenly refuse to ept them? What am I supposed to do?" Rockefeller argued back, "I don''t know when it started, but we have been constantly epting your debt certificates. The debt certificates are your promise to repay the debt eventually. However, we cannot keep epting only your promises indefinitely. Please pay us in gold coins for the interest." "I can''t afford to pay interest like that. As you know, where would I get that kind of money?" "Aren''t the taxes from your territory collected steadily?" "Ah, yes, the territory taxes are being collected. But I can''t give them to you in gold coins, can I? I''m running short on gold coins too. I need to prepare for emergencies, right? Then I have to have a certain amount of gold coins." "I think you''re being too excessive." "Well, I don''t have any gold coins." As Lord Chester tantly showed his defiance, Rockefeller recalled what Carter had said about bad debtors in the past. ''Not all debtors were bad from the beginning, just like him.'' Rockefeller realized at this moment that even a good debtor like Lord Chester, who had been diligently repaying his debts, could turn into a bad debtor depending on his circumstances. However, this was all ording to his n. He was the one who had subtly induced Lord Chester to incur such debts. To crush him with debt. ''It was exactly what I aimed for. Nice to meet you, Lord, no, Mr. Bad Debtor.'' "So, are you saying that you will rece gold coins with debt certificates this time as well?" At this question, Lord Chester began to get defensive. "When did I say I wouldn''t repay? It''s just that I''m having a hard time right now, so I''ll use debt certificates instead." "How long exactly?" Lord Chester was overly confident in himself. ''What can he do if I don''t give him gold coins?'' "Why are you so persistent? You should be grateful that I''m even giving you debt certificates." At that, Rockefeller also threw in a remark. "Lord, as I said before, we cannot keep epting only debt certificates. We''ve already seized thend as coteral, so if there''s a problem, we have no choice but to take thend." At this, Lord Chester tantly snorted. "You dare to take mynd? What kind of trick can a mere banker pull off?" "Didn''t we agree on that?" "We did agree... but how are you going to take it? I''m still very much alive." At that, Rockefeller inwardly mocked Lord Chester. ''He''s too confident that he''s the owner here. That''s how he''ll end up getting a big nosebleed.'' "We already made a promise in front of Priest Peter." Nheless, Lord Chester''s arrogant attitude remained unchanged. "You, be sure to know this clearly. Thend is not given by the church, but by His Majesty. Whatever promise you made with me and the congregation, it is His Majesty who considers it and makes the decision. Just because I''m in debt doesn''t mean you can take thend as you please." There was no mistake in what he said here. Even if the promise with the congregation was valid, in principle, the empire''snd was divided and given by the royal family, and if the royal family did not recognize the promise made here, whatever promise was made here would bepletely null and void. That was the power of the royal family and thend of the empire they ruled. "Still, it''s the promise we made in the presence of God. Even if His Majesty is the sky, God is above him. It''s a promise made in the presence of God. No one can break it." Lord Chester''s voice grew tense for a moment. "How dare you bring up His Majesty!" As Rockefeller hesitated, Lord Chester, with veins popping in his neck, red at him. "You... you''ve grown a lot while I haven''t seen you. You evene to me and talk back." Rockefeller inwardly acknowledged it. That he had grown a lot. ''Anyway, that guy won''tst long. The moment I leave here, I''ll be the first to pull the trigger.'' "It''s a promise made in the church. His Majesty may be the sky, but God is above him. It''s a promise made in the presence of God. No one can break it." The church was the ce Lord Chester hated the most. It was a ce where they didn''t listen to him and didn''t even have to. It had always been a headache, and he didn''t have a good feeling about it even now. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 63 (2) Chapter 63 (2) "Of course, we made a promise in the church." "A promise made is legally binding. His Majesty will surely recognize this point. You, as the lord, should know this better than I do, right?" "Of course. But the thing you''re hoping for also happens under the premise that I don''t repay my debt." Lord Chester openly smiled. "But when did I say I wouldn''t repay my debt and interest? I intend to repay it." Lord Chester took out a bundle of debt certificates with his seal from the drawer of his desk. "And I n to repay today as well. I''ll substitute the interest with these, alright?" Lacking in education, Lord Chester was utterly captivated by the power of the ''money created out of thin air,'' relying solely on his own strength. He believed that with this bundle of debt certificates bearing his seal, he could issue new debt certificates in his name whenever and wherever, and deceive the Carter Bank into repaying his debts. "Now, tell me. How much do you need for the interest? I''ll write the necessary amount right here." He was truly arrogant and ignorant. ''Perhaps it''s because he spent his whole life on the battlefield that his thinking is rather simple?'' Rockefeller decided not to forget the perverted smile Lord Chester wore at that time. "You, my lord, will one day regret this." It was the best provocation amoner could make towards a lord. Despite being taken aback, Lord Chester instead smirked at the audacity. ''He''s young and fearless. How dare he talk like this in front of someone like me?'' "Regret? If there''s any regret, it''s on you for not taking this." Lord Chester, smirking, provoked Rockefeller as if to say, try it if you dare. After all, he believed he would be the winner. "You are nothing more than amoner in my territory. A pitifulmoner who lives and pays taxes on mynd." Lord Chester continued, as if mocking. "Do you remember what I said before?" Rockefeller protested with silence, and Lord Chester sent the next words with a thick smile. "A person, you see, must know their ce." What woulde next? Rockefeller knew for sure. "Peasants must be like peasants,moners likemoners. And nobles must live elegantly as themselves." His words were not yet over. "Always live with manners and within your bounds. How dare a rascal, who''s nothing more than an assistant at the despised Carter Bank,e to a lord like the heavens and demand debt repayment? You should know your ce before demanding debt repayment." Having said all he had to, Lord Chester dismissively sent Rockefeller away. "All I have to say is that. If you have more to say,e back with Carter. After all, even if youe back, I won''t give you gold coins, but these debt certificates." Lord Chester''s smile still did not fade. "I might even make you kneel down first, depending on my mood." This was the limit of a powerless creditor. And the natural confidence of a powerful debtor. "You must have known, right? Even if you lend money while standing, you must naturally receive it while kneeling. Isn''t that the sorrow of a banker like you, who ys with interest? If you understand, quietly go back. Come back with Carter next time." That was thest memory Lord Chester had. ''The matter ended like that, but did they suddenly act on their own? Why don''t they exchange themoner''s debt certificates for gold coins?'' At this point, Lord Chester believed that the primary issue with this matter was with Carter Bank, not himself. He thought it was the bank''s responsibility to exchange themoner''s debt certificates for gold coins. ''Or did my harsh words twist their stomachs? Well, I''m being so bold, they can''t help but be bold too. Human greed is the same, after all.'' Thinking so, Lord Chester began to ponder how to punish Carter Bank. It was only natural for him to think that the issue of Carter Bank not conducting proper business should be corrected. ''Either I should raise the bank tax this time, or give them a stern punishment. That should alleviate themoners''ints.'' Late at night. Unaware that themotion that began at Carter Bank would soone back to him, Lord Chester headed to his bedroom to rest. He nned to calmly resolve the issue with Carter Bank when he woke up the next day. However, a group stood in Lord Chester''s way, and they were people who should not have been there. "You...." Lord Chester trailed off as he looked at the group of overseers that had gathered. "Why are you here?" The overseer, who had brought the excited overseers to find Lord Chester, stepped forward and handed him a bundle of debt certificates he had received as sry. "We came here because of this." "What is that?" "Take a look. We all came here because of it." It was the gold debt certificates of Carter Bank, which had been used as money within the territory since some time ago. Not knowing the reason, Lord Chester took the gold debt certificates from the overseer and asked in confusion. "Why are you showing this to me?" At his words, the expressions of all the overseers, including the overseer, hardened at once. "Do you really not know anything about why we came here sote at night?" Although he was the lord of the territory, he did not know the details of the internal affairs of the territory as he was more interested in the defense and battlefield of the territory. "Isn''t this the new debt certificate issued by Carter Bank a while ago?" "Yes, that''s correct." "Then why did you bring it to me?" "Do you not know anything about this debt certificate?" "Don''t know? Isn''t this just a debt certificate from Carter Bank?" "Not knowing... Please take a closer look at the debt certificate. Then you will understand why we came." Lord Chester, with a puzzled expression, examined the debt certificate he had received from the overseer, as he had been told. Clearly written there were the words he had casually read before and thoughtlessly dismissed. The words stated that this debt certificate was issued based on the ones he had previously granted. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 64 (1) Chapter 64 (1) My Dear, You''re Swallowed by Debt (5) "What''s the big deal...?" The new loan certificate from Carter Bank, with the loan certificate he had written as coteral. Lord Chester seemed to not understand right away. "What''s wrong with this? Is this worthing to see me at this hour?" As the lord, who seemed to be getting angry, red at the overseer who had disturbed his sleepte at night and the seers who followed him, the group of seers who hade hesitated for a moment. The other party was the Lord. He was the master of thisnd. And he was their master as well. When the hesitating seers unknowingly gasped, the one who boldly stepped forward was Overseer Siron Mark, who had led their group. "Did you take a close look at it? It should clearly say this: Lord, you have been using the loan certificates you have been writing as coteral." "Isn''t that what it says? So what''s the big deal?" The lord threw the received promissory note back to the overseer, ready to be furious. ''What on earth are you thinking abouting all the way here? Are these guys all crazy together? Don''t you know who I am?'' The Overseer calmly closed his eyes toward the angry lord and soon began to shake his head. All of this was due to his foolishness. It seemed reasonable that he couldn''t understand it right away. "Really... You''re ignorant. You''re certainly a respectable person on the battlefield, but I''m disappointed in a ce like this." "What? You, what did you just say? Are you in your right mind to say that?" The eyes of the Overseer, who opened his eyes again, were coldly sinking. A stupid ruler deserves a fitting price. The Overseer seemed to have a grasp of what would happen next. "Lord, the reason we dared toe and be rude at thiste hour is all because of your ignorance. The loan certificates you have used as coteral are no longer of any use, so we cannot exchange them for gold coins, and that''s why we came all the way here. Are you still going to deny it?" At those words, the lord looked slightly embarrassed. "My loan certificates... are useless? What are you talking about?" "Carter Bank dered that they will no longer trust the loan certificates you wrote." The power began to be attached to the Overseer''s voice. "So, most of us who used the Gold loan certificates issued with Lord''s loan certificates as coteral, as if they were money, ended up being worthless." "What?" The lord, with a frown, looked at the overseer and the group of seers who followed him. They all had Carter Bank''s Gold loan certificates in their hands. "No... It''s the bank''s job to exchange the loan certificates for gold coins, so why are you ming me?" "We had no choice but toe here because we couldn''t argue there." "You couldn''t argue?" The lord looked puzzled. The other party was a mere banker. Would it be easier to go to the banker and demand gold coins? Or would it be easier toe to the lord himself andmit rudeness at this hour? It wasn''t even worth thinking about. "So, you felt that the bank was so much more important than me that you came to me at this hour andmitted rudeness? Did you guys get into a huge debt there without me knowing? Otherwise, you couldn''t do this to me." At the lord''s attitude, many seers, including the overseer, couldn''t help but feel disappointed. The lord they had been serving all this time was so stupid! "You really don''t know anything, Lord. It''s true that we need to go to the bank to exchange gold coins. But that bank is now like a sanctuary, and we can''t dare to touch it." "Sanctuary? What kind of nonsense is that? What are you talking about!" When the lord asked sharply, another seer who had followed the overseer answered the question. "It seems that the church''s assets are tied up in Carter Bank. So when we went there, the believers who were trying to protect the church''s assets were blocking the entrance." It was the church again! As soon as the church was mentioned, the lord''s expression changed abruptly, and he could finally get a rough idea of the background of how the situation had gotten this far. The responsibility of exchanging promissory notes for gold coins was entirely on the bank, not on him. But when that bank was protected by believers, the group of seers, who had nowhere else to go, came to him. ''It''s really a dog''s situation. I never thought this would happen to me...''. The overseer''s voice began to gain strength. However, there was one point that was hard to understand. It was the church''s attitude towards the bank. Wasn''t it natural for the church to hate the bank, which engages in usury? Moreover, it was unbelievable that the stingy priest had entrusted the church''s assets to Carter Bank while paying a gold storage fee. "But it''s a bit strange. The church has entrusted its assets to Carter Bank while paying gold storage fees?" Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 64 (2) Chapter 64 (2) The overseer answered that question. "We don''t know the exact background between the two. Although it''s hard for us to interfere with the church''s affairs, their rtionship has been going on for quite some time. Perhaps their rtionship with the bank might be deeper than with the lord. Isn''t the bank also the one that pays the most tithes in this territory?" [T/N: tithe - church tax] The lord vaguely knew this. He knew that they had been close since their beer business. Ahem! The lord, who coughed for no reason, looked closely at the group of seers who hade to him. Something... the atmosphere seemed unusual. They couldn''t have thought ofing here without being truly crazy or somewhat prepared. ''These guys are not joking right now. It''s like they''vee to eat me.'' In an attempt to take care of his own people first, the lord calmed his confused mind and spoke. "So, that promissory note is backed by my promissory note?" "Yes, that''s right." The lord, who was looking for responsibility avoidance first, frowned and fell into thought. ''It''s a really dog-like situation. This is what happens when I use my coteral?'' "Then what''s the reason I have topensate for it?" The answer to that question was, surprisingly, his own promissory note that he had written to Carter Bank. "The reason? The reason is right here." "Why... Why do you have this? This is what I wrote to Carter Bank?" "Have you forgotten already? Our Gold promissory notes are backed by your lordship''s promissory notes. So, instead of gold coins, Carter Bank gave us your lordship''s promissory notes, and now all of us here are holding your promissory notes." "......" The lord fell silent, at a loss for words. ''Something went wrong. Why...'' The situation seemed unusual as he looked at the big picture. The lord unknowingly blinked his eyes as he swallowed his saliva. "So... are you saying that all the Gold promissory notes you''ve been using so far have been reced with my promissory notes?" "Yes, it wasn''t our intention, but somehow things turned out that way." At this moment, the lord had only one thought in his mind. ''Damn it.'' His original intention was to deceive the powerless bankers by abusing the promissory notes, which were just pieces of paper. However, it was never his intention for the promissory notes to leave the bank and end up in the hands of others like this. ''I thought it would be fine as long as it didn''t end up in the hands of other lords... but it turned out like this.'' The overseer spoke with a fairly calm expression toward the lord, whose face was turning red and blue as he grasped the situation urately. "So, we have the right to demand the gold coins written here. Fortunately, your lordship''s promissory note has this written on it." This was also intended by Carter Bank a long time ago. The overseer read the dreadful text in a calm tone, with as little emotion as possible. "It is transferable." "Transferable... of course." "So, we had toe to you, rudely,te at night." It might not matter to the powerless people of the territory, but it wasn''t the case for the armed seers who were responsible for the defense of the territory. "We must take the gold coins written here tonight. This is our rightful im, and your lordship cannot refuse." The rest of the seers, including the overseer, were not fools either. The lord was currently in massive debt, and it was evenly distributed among the people of the territory through Gold promissory notes. If things escted, it would be impossible for the lord to fully repay the debt with his ability. Before such a nightmare urred, the group of seers, trying to secure their gold coins first, raised their voices towards the lord. And this was a right that the creditor group could naturally exercise against the debtor. "Give us our gold coins." With those words, the lord unknowingly shrank back and stepped back. ''These guys...'' The eyes of the seers who had gathered to find their gold coins were quite fierce. It was obvious what kind of bloody incident would ur if he did not give them the gold coins they wanted right now. "First, calm down. I will naturally give you the gold coins, so don''t worry too much." The lord, who showed apletely different attitude from when Rockefeller came for the interest, continued his voice in a slightly tense manner to reassure the seers. "If it were someone else, I wouldn''t know, but I have to take care of your gold coins, right?" The overseer, who had been loyal to the lord until now but realized the lord''s ipetence today, was not very pleased with the situation. Although the lord was like the sky, that was when the lord''s authority was still alive. "We will, of course, take care of our gold coins. But I have one question." "What are you talking about?" "Even if you take care of us, what will you do with the rest of the people? Most people in this territory are holding Gold promissory notes. What will you do when they all receive your lordship''s promissory notes from Carter Bank?" "Well..." It was horrible just thinking about it. A nightmare-like event. "Can you handle that?" After finishing his words, the overseer briefly turned his head and nced at the seers who had followed him. Although it was not a small number, it seemed very difficult to suppress all the angry people of the territory who wanted to recover their gold coins with this number. Control would probably be impossible. "With us here, we probably won''t be able to stop the angry people of the territory who want to exercise their ims against your lordship. No, we would be overwhelmed." The overseer''s gaze gradually grew stronger. "Of course, calming us down first would be the proper order of things." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 66 (1) Chapter 66 (1) My Dear, You''re Swallowed by Debt #2(2) Andrew, who had been lost in thought for a moment, expressed his doubts once again. "But do we really have to pay off that debt? I don''t think you would do it just for me." The debt owed by the Lord. Rockefeller had no obligation to pay it off. "Of course not. We''re not a charity, so why would we pay it off?" "Then, why are you paying it off on our behalf?" Rockefeller opened his mouth calmly. "In order to be the Lord here, or more precisely, to win the hearts of the people, it''s unavoidable. And through that process, there will naturally be room for improvement in your rtionship." "Will our rtionship really improve?" "I''m not sure. But if we abandon them, they''ll have no choice but to fall into the abyss. There will be no one in this world to support a powerless, debt-ridden Lord in a remote area." "That''s... true." "If that''s really what you want, then it''s a good thing." "It feels strange." "Strange or not, it''s your choice. I told you clearly, if you want to get involved, get involved with someone else. This is your choice." "That''s... more than I thought." "Then take that girl. I won''t stop you." As the conversation went on, Andrew didn''t feel particrly inclined to do so, but at the same time, he didn''t dislike the idea. "Anyway, you''ve thought about it, Rockefeller." "Yes, that''s my n." Money was the most sensitive and all-epassing issue for people. And the savior who solved it. "All the people here have lost all their gold because of the Lord. Now, their gold is tied up in meaningless scraps of loan certificates." "So, you''re going to solve all that?" "If I do, I''ll definitely win their hearts." Before Andrew, who had unknowingly opened his mouth, could even exim in admiration, someone appeared from inside the shop, and it was also someone who would wee Andrew''s visit. "Andrew, bro!" Joshua, who had been working on goldsmithing in the shop, came out and warmly weed Andrew, who hade without notice. "When did youe? You didn''t even say you wereing!" "It just happened. Joshua, you''ve grown a lot too. I hardly recognize you." "I''m so d you came! I''ve been wanting to see you so much!" After a passionate greeting, Rockefeller got up from his seat and chimed in as they enjoyed a warm atmosphere. "Although it wasn''t nned, since Andrew came like this, let''s have a fancy dinner tonight." "Of course!" The joy was short-lived. Andrew asked about the youngest sibling who was not present. "By the way, is Lucia doing well?" "Lucia has grown a lot too. She''s not the naive girl you used to know." "Is Lucia 9 years old now?" "Yes! She''s good at covering her face now. Soon we''ll have to send her off to get married?" "That''s going a bit too far." "Hahaha!" As Rockefeller watched the two siblings with satisfaction, he was lost in thought. ''Family is indeed a good thing.'' "Andrew, since we''re talking about it, why don''t you go see Lucia? As Joshua said, she''s grown a lot." Andrew asked. "Then what about the shop?" "I''ll take care of the shop. You two go ande back." While Andrew, who hade to Carter Bank, was enjoying a warm atmosphere, Ste, who had returned to her hometown, was quite confused by the unprecedented atmosphere. ''The way people look at me has changed too much. What on earth happened?'' The people in the castle were giving her cold stares, making it hard to believe that she was the daughter of the Lord, and only a few servants who had been loyal to the Lord treated her as the Lord''s daughter. But even that felt different from before, which Ste, not being a fool, could easily notice. Following the servant''s guidance, Ste went to see the Lord and saw her father, who had aged significantly. "What, why did youe without saying anything?" Lord Chester was surprised to see his daughter, who hade without any notice. In response, Ste wanted to hear about the situation here first. "Father, what happened? I heard about it from Mr. Hamilton''s urgent letter. How much debt have you umted?" The Lord frowned. "That Hamilton told you unnecessary things. I should go and teach him a lesson!" "Father! This is not the time for that! What happened during this time?" When her daughter, who should have been at the Officer''s Academy, came down to her hometown and questioned him, the Lord began to exin the past events in a crawling voice. The day the castle was turned upside down because of the loan certificates he had written. The Lord, who had barely won over the seers, was able to suppress the riot of the castle people by force. However, since not all the castle people had moved at that time, it was easy to block, and the continuous riots gradually grew in scale. At its peak, most of the castle people even came to the Lord''s Castle to hold a sit-in. In a situation where the castle was on the verge of copsing, the Lord had no choice but to face the creditor group, consisting of castle people, due to the persuasion of the overseer. The representative of that creditor group was, of course, Rockefeller of Carter Bank, who had lent the Lord the most gold. Rockefeller, leading the creditor group and representing the angry castle people, made several suggestions to the debt-ridden Lord. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 66 (2) Chapter 66 (2) The Lord began to talk about the proposals he had received at that time. "First, I agreed not to collect taxes from those who hold the promissory notes I''ve issued. They told me to slowly repay my debt with that arrangement. I agreed, since it seemed reasonable and no one else would lend me gold coins." "Is there anything else?" "They also told me not to collect taxes from thends held as coteral until all my debts are paid off. I had no choice but to agree to this as well. The debt had be sorge that it was embarrassing to exercise my rights on thends held as coteral. So, I epted that proposal too." "Father." Lord Chester sighed as he finished speaking. "If I hadn''t epted those proposals back then, I might not be here now. The nobles were strongly shaken, and no one knew how things would turn out." Most of the people in the territory held the promissory notes Lord Chester had issued. These Gold promissory notes, issued with the notes he wrote as coteral, were being used like money throughout the territory. In effect, all the people in the territory had be creditors who needed to receive gold coins from Lord Chester. In other words, Lord Chester''s current ie was zero. "Father, if you agree to that, we won''t collect any taxes here, right? You''re not running any separate businesses, so why did you agree to such a thing?" "I know. I understand, but..." Lord Chester had his reasons. "There was no other way. I couldn''t survive without epting it. You didn''t see the group of people from the territory who came to me with their eyes wide open, demanding money. They were really determined to get money from me, no matter what." "So why... did you umte so much debt? Needlessly." "It wasn''t needless. It was all for the territory. Thisnd has been passed down from our ancestors since the dwarves abandoned it. It''s a ce we have a duty to protect no matter what." Even though he was a foolish father, he was still her father. Ste wanted to know the exact state of the territory in order to resolve this situation. "So, Father, does that mean we won''t collect any taxes here at all?" "Taxes? Everyone ising to me demanding gold coins. How could we collect any taxes?" "Thats the only problem, everything else is fine, right?" Lord Chester shook his head without hesitation in response to his daughter''s hopeful question. "No, that''s not it." "You didn''t umte more debt, did you?" This whole situation stemmed from debt. Ste''s gaze became sharper than ever as she red at her father. "Why do you do this?" "No, it''s not that. I didn''t make any more mistakes. I''m not so ignorant as to extend my hand further when I''ve alreadymitted sins." "Then what is it?" "Well, since we''re not collecting any taxes at all, we don''t have any money to pay the interest on the loans. That''s why the interest keeps umting and has be unmanageable now." "Are you serious? Is that really true?" Since they weren''t collecting any taxes, they had no money to pay the interest. And as the interest kept piling up, it turned into more debt, which was now suffocating Lord Chester. "The interest keeps umting, turning into more debt." The high interest rate of 6% per month. It was a hateful existence for Lord Chester. "Since I can''t repay it, morend is being held as coteral. That vicious cycle continues to this day." "Father!" Lord Chester felt ashamed as his daughter called out to him sternly. If he had known things would turn out like this, he wouldn''t have ignored the advice of his ancestors... ''Father warned me to be careful with debt...'' "Anyway, that''s how it is. I really have nothing to say to you." She now understood why the people in the territory no longer looked at her the same way. If Lord Chester had been a powerful figure with teeth and ws, she too would have been treated ordingly. But now, her father was a toothless, wless, andpletely powerless old beast. So everyone openly ignored them. "I''m really sorry. I don''t know how things turned out like this..." He didn''t have the courage to die, either. "I even thought about dying. But if I die, what will happen to you? My death won''t erase all the debts." "How did such an honorable person end up like this?" "I don''t know. It really happened before I knew it." The father and daughter fell silent in the gloomy atmosphere. But they couldn''t just die like this. Unlike her father, who had brought the situation to this point, she wanted to find a way to survive. "I''ll go to Carter Bank and try to negotiate. We have to live somehow." Lord Chester was doubtful. What difference would it make if his daughter went instead of him? "Will it change much if you go? Maybe they, or rather, that child, nned all of this from the beginning. I should have been suspicious from the moment they asked for thend as coteral." "But it was you who borrowed the money, right?" "That''s true..." "Then you have nothing to say. They lent you the money, and you couldn''t pay it back. And you also had bad intentions." "What bad intentions did I have?" "You recklessly issued promissory notes. Did you think I wouldn''t know?" "Well..." Hearing such words from his daughter, Lord Chester felt like dying. "You''re right. If only I hadn''t issued those promissory notes so recklessly..." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 67 (1) Chapter 67 (1) Chapter 65 has been updated for missing content. do check it out. My Dear, You''re Swallowed by Debt #2(3) "Did you have no idea that things would turn out like this at that time?" The lord bowed his head deeply at his daughter''s question. Like a sinner. "I didn''t know back then. I thought things would never get this bad since I had some power." The lord continued to speak, as if he had something to say. "There have been lords who have gone bankrupt by abusing promissory notes." "Why did you do it then, knowing that?" "It waspletely different. The situation I knew was when my promissory notes would go to other lords. In that case, the other party also had power and could legitimately demand gold coins from me. Also, His Majesty would side with the one who lent the money, so there would be some justification for a fight from the one who lent the money." "Did you not think of this situation at all?" The lord answered weakly. "I didn''t. This happened within my territory, not outside of it. I never even dreamed that the entire poption of the territory would be creditors. And the seers too" Listening to his excuses, a sigh came out involuntarily. Then, suddenly, this thought came to her mind. Whose fault was this whole situation? Was it the lord''s fault, who borrowed more than necessary and became a debtor? Or was it the Carter Bank, which lent a lot of money to such a lord andter colluded with the entire poption to demand repayment? Although the saying goes that "the arm bends inward," she tried to make a rational judgment. ''It''s true that my father made a mistake. But I can''t just me the one who lent the money.'' The lord''s excessive use of promissory notes was undoubtedly a mistake and a wrongdoing. However, it was hard to see that her father was entirely at fault. After all, he had spent the money on territorial defense, not solely for personal greed. "Father, it''s true that you made a mistake, but it''s not entirely your fault. You''ve done nothing but sacrifice yourself for the sake of territorial defense, haven''t you? Have you ever spent a lot of money on something other than the wyvern?" "No, I haven''t. It was just excessive, but most of it was used for territorial defense. I''m just not good at managing money." "Then, it''s hard to see this whole thing as entirely your fault. Everyone needs to understand this. Have you fully exined this to the creditors? That the reason for borrowing such arge sum was entirely for territorial defense." Even though things had gotten to this point, the lord still had something to say. "Yes, I protected this ce from the Totem War with my judgment alone. They should acknowledge that. But people don''t. They think the debt incurred at that time was entirely my responsibility." "Isn''t that too much? They didn''t understand that part at all?" "Those people were even angry, saying that they had paid their fair share of taxes. They ignored the fact that territorial defense was obviously my responsibility." "Ah" Anyway, this situation was not very pleasant for the two of them. It was a crisis, to say the least. In fact, it was so serious that there was no denying that they were on the brink. "I think I need to exin that part again. I''ll go to Carter Bank and try to persuade them. Andrew knows it too, and we have to pay off your debt somehow, don''t we?" "What do you mean you''ll persuade that snake-like child? That Rockefeller kid is not someone who can be persuaded. He''s a heartless guy when ites to money." Ste hesitated, but it seemed to be the only way to survive. Since the death of thedy, Lord Chester had been terribly fond of his daughter. So Ste thought it was her turn to repay him. Feeling determined, Ste opened her mouth with difficulty. "Is there no way to borrow gold coins from somewhere else?" "I''ve tried everywhere. Why wouldn''t I? I''ve been to every bank in the area. But there wasn''t a single moneylender who would give me such arge sum. They probably all know. Helping me now would be crazy. We''re not even that close." "What about the church? Haven''t they been helping each other in times of need?" "The church is already in cahoots with Carter Bank. They''re all the same. Trash who only care about making money while talking about God. Don''t even mention the church. It''s infuriating just hearing about them." "Then, haven''t you said anything to His Majesty? Even if everyone else abandons you, His Majesty is still there, right?" The lord sighed openly. "Phew If His Majesty had helped me back then, would I be in this situation? His Majesty doesn''t care much about this remote region. Why would he help me? If I fail, someone else will take over this ce, and that person will offer more taxes to His Majesty to show loyalty. It''s a win-win situation. His Majesty has nothing to worry about. He might even be looking forward to collecting more taxes. I''ve heard that the royal finances are difficult these days because of some madman who''s obsessed with war." The lord shook his head. "It''s all wrong. There''s no way to survive in any way. I''m just" His head drooped even more. "pathetically waiting for the day I die. Even if I don''t know when, if the entire territory is seized as coteral due to the debt, there will be no taxes paid to me, and I will be captured by the creditors whoe and hang me. The seers won''t stop them then." "Are the overseers not on Father''s side? You said they were." "That was when I could pay them. I''m not the one paying their sries now." "What? What do you mean?" Ste wore a puzzled expression. "Who pays the overseers if not Father?" Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 67 (2) Chapter 67 (2) "Who pays the overseers if not Father?" "Who else? The scoundrels who put me in this position." "Who is that? Don''t tell me... Carter Bank?" "That''s right, Carter Bank. They''re the ones taking care of the overseers'' sries now." It had always been the lord''s responsibility to provide for the overseers who maintained order in the territory. But now, a mere banker was taking on that responsibility. Ste couldn''t help but be shocked. "Why would Carter Bank pay the overseers'' sries? I don''t understand." "I had my suspicions too, but it turns out there''s a reason for everything." The lord couldn''t help but recall how his once loyal overseer had been visiting Carter Bank more frequently recently. The power of money. It seemed that, like the people who had been bought off by Carter Bank, the overseer now valued a mere banker more than his own lord. "Ha, that overseer is a problem too. After all I''ve done for him, he''s be a pawn of the bankers because I couldn''t pay him just once. Is this a joke?" It was then that something crossed her mind. "Is the bank paying the overseers'' sries to ensure its own security?" "That seems to be the case. They''re worried that if I can''t pay the overseers properly, they won''t work, so they''ve started paying their sries in full. Thanks to that, I, the lord, have be aughingstock. Now, even if I''m attacked by bandits on the road, the overseers will protect the bankers more than me. Especially that Rockefeller fellow, they''lly down their life for him." While the lord had been away, Carter Bank''s influence in the territory had grown immensely. It wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that Carter Bank was the true owner of the territory. Who would think of the lord as the owner of the territory when the overseers responsible for its security were loyal to the bank? "Ha, ha, ha... How did my life end up like this... How pathetic." Ste spoke to the seemingly resigned lord. "I won''t abandon you, Father. You''ve raised me so well. Even if everyone else abandons you, I''ll be on your side." "Thank you, at least you''re on my side. Everyone else has turned their back on me, but at least my daughter is still with me." The lord, with reddened eyes, stood up and hugged his daughter tightly. In that moment of tender love between father and daughter, Ste brought up what she had been holding back. "Father." "Yes?" "Right now, there''s only one way for you to survive." "A way for me to survive?" The lord let out a small chuckle, as if he found the idea absurd. "Ha, ha... A way for me to survive? I don''t see any." "No, you mustn''t think like that. Your debt is my debt, and my debt will be my future husband''s debt as well." "What are you saying? Are you suggesting... getting married now? You''re not even of age yet." "I''m 16 years old now. I''m of age. Some of my friends already have arranged marriages in ce." It was too soon. The lord had hoped to give her more time, sending her off when she was around 20 years old, but now it was already time for marriage. And it wasn''t a blessed marriage, but one where she was being sold off because of debt. How could a father with such a daughter not be heartbroken? "Child, I don''t want to send you off yet. And where would you go, leaving your father behind? It''s not possible. Absolutely not." The lord shook his head, and Ste looked at him with a resigned expression. "But there''s no other way, is there?" "But this isn''t right." "Then is there another way? If we could borrow money from somewhere else, we could try to survive, but you said that''s not possible, right?" "Well, that''s true..." "Then there''s no other way. I''ve already made up my mind. All you have to do is give me permission." It wasn''t umon for a noble family to send their daughter off to marry in order to survive. However, the lord hadn''t even considered that this would happen to him. "Really... Is there no other way?" "Yes, this is the best option for us." Silence ensued for a while, and finally, the lord reluctantly agreed to his daughter''s request. "Very well... If that''s your choice. Sigh... Because of this wretched father..." "It''s not like that. I''m just repaying you for raising me." "I never thought I''d have to send you off like this. It''s all my fault..." "It''s okay. I''m not going to die or anything. I''ll be fine wherever I go." "I wanted to send you to someone you love. I never thought of an arranged marriage. It would only make you unhappy." "Wherever I go, as long as I''m happy, it''s fine. I''ll be okay." Their conversation went like this, but the real problem was finding a suitable spouse for the marriage. "Then, who are you nning to marry? As far as I know, there''s no suitable candidate." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 68 (1) Chapter 68 (1) Bonus chapter thanks to @Nutbuddy subscribing to Dwarven Sovereign tier on Kofi My Dear, You''re Swallowed by Debt #2(4) A fallen noble family had no poprity. Shouldn''t they have something to offer to the other side that would take their daughter? However, would any noble family be interested in a lord of the countryside with nothing left but debt? Lord Chester had his doubts. "Are you talking about the Bakuna or Brubong family nearby?" The Bakuna or Brubong family was a noble family that wielded power in the area adjacent to the Montefeltro territory. At that question, Ste shook her head from side to side. "That family can''t handle our debt. They might not care if it was just a normal time, but they would probably hate it now." Then where on earth? "Could it be... the Lyon family in Lyon? They could surely handle it... but they wouldn''t be interested in our family." The Lyon family was so wealthy that they could pay off the lord''s debt in one go. The problem was the huge gap between the two families. "If it''s the Lyon family, wouldn''t it be difficult even if my father had no debt? They''re such a big family that they probably wouldn''t be interested in us." Not Lyon either? "Then could it be..." For a moment, Lord Chester''s face brightened, as if he had misunderstood something greatly. "Did something happen between you and a child of a prominent family in the royal capital while I was unaware? Is that it?" A question full of anticipation. However, that hope was trampled one after another. "No, it''s not that. I had no leisure in my life to be interested in romance. And you told me not to date, didn''t you?" "But you never know, right?" "I do have some senior acquaintances, but I don''t think any of them would be interested in our family." The lord asked in a deted voice. "Then what is it? Where on earth are you going? There''s nowhere suitable to go." "There is one ce. It''s not a noble family like you want, father. But they can pay off your debt right away." "What? Where is that?" As if he was not a fool. The lord''s face changed in an instant, and he began to shake his head from side to side. "No, absolutely not! You can''t be talking about that shameless, rootless family, can you?" The lord prayed that it was not the ce he was thinking of. However, reality was often cruel. "Yes, it''s the ce you''re thinking of, father." Regardless of the lord''s wishes. To Ste, this was the best option for her debt-ridden father. Whether she had made up her mind or it was a choice for her father''s sake. She began to speak with determination. "The biggest creditor for my father''s debt problem is from that side, right? So, if I marry someone from that family, my father''s debt problem can be naturally resolved." Ste continued. "Father, you may not have power now, but they are different." "What are you talking about? Are you speaking in your right mind?" The lord was at a loss for words in this unbelievable situation. To form a connection with amoner family, of all ces. And with a ce that could be an enemy. "They''re amoner family. They''re fundamentally different from us, so how can you?" "What does it matter? Is there aw that saysmoners must remainmoners forever?" Ste continued to speak. "Father, evenmoner families can be noble houses depending on their efforts." "What nonsense is that! Commoners will bemoners for life!" "It''s not nonsense. You may not know this because you live in this remote area, but I know many people who were oncemoners and have since risen to the ranks of nobility. Most of them have either made significant contributions in wars or have be wealthy and were promoted to noble houses." "That must be rare!" "Of course, it''s not asmon as you say, Father. But is there a rule that the Rothsmedici family here will remain amoner family forever? Rather, if they seize yournd as coteral, their chances of bing wealthy and rising to a noble house seem even higher, don''t you think?" "Even so!" The Lord was trembling with anger. Of all ces, the Rothsmedici family! "No, it cannot be. Absolutely not." "Then, is there another way? If there is, I''ll follow your wishes and give up." "Well... Let''s look for one. There must be another way if we search for it." "Search? You say you''ll search, but all you do here is drink all day." Unable to respond, the Lord closed his mouth and Ste began to persuade him again. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 69 (1) Chapter 69 (1) Bonus chapter on the milestone of 5th Dwarven Sovereigns tier subscription of Kofi! My Dear, You''re Swallowed by Debt #3(2) Andrew couldn''t believe that the youngest child of the household, whom Leo had practically raised, was already growing into ady. "Lucia has really grown up. Is she about the same age as Leo when I left?" "Leo is personally my favorite brother among all the brothers here." As soon as Lucia finished speaking, the two men suddenly showed an awkward expression and started coughing. Then Lucia quickly added. "Although the difference is very subtle, I hope you two don''t feel too upset." Joshua grumbled. "Hey, I practically raised her after Leo left." "But I was already grown up by then, right?" Rockefeller seemed to have something to say as well. "Lucia, I don''t think I treated you poorly either, did I?" "Rockefeller, you are always about money. You can''t think that just giving me clothes and dolls is enough, can you?" "I was busy with work." "I respectfully decline any excuses." Andrew, who had been surprised and couldn''t close his mouth easily, asked about the fourth person who was not present. "By the way, how is Leo doing? Is he doing well?" Joshua, who had taken the seat next to Lucia, answered the question. "Leo is doing well. He recently moved to a parish in Lyon." "To Lyon? Wasn''t he originally here?" Joshua chuckled. "Don''t you have to y in big waters if you want to be sessful?" Joshua pointed at Rockefeller, who was sitting at the head of the table, with a nod of his chin. "And it was also Rockefeller''s decision." Andrew naturally turned his head toward Rockefeller. "So, Rockefeller, did you send Leo to Lyon?" Rockefeller calmly answered Andrew''s question with a gentle smile. "I have a special rtionship with the Archbishop in Lyon. Our Carter Bank manages some of their diocese''s assets, you know? So I asked the Archbishop for a favor. I thought it would be better for Leo to be in Lyon than here." "So Leo went to Lyon?" "Like Joshua said, whether it''s a priest or whatever, it''s right for a man to y in big waters to be great. And it was something Leo wanted as well. He had his own big dreams." "Big dreams? What are they?" Rockefeller simply responded with a faint smile. "Ah... It seems Leo was more ambitious than I thought. I didn''t see him that way." Joshua, who had been sitting together, reacted to this. "No, Leo doesn''t have the same kind of ambition as us." "Then why does he have such dreams? That''s too much." After a brief silence, Joshua spoke. "It''s all because of us." Joshua showed an awkward smile, and only then did Andrew seem to understand. Leo''s dream was a sacrifice for the family, not personal ambition. ''Leo was definitely kind.'' "Anyway, it''s great to be back in this ce after a long time. It feels like just the other day since I left." As Andrew held back his words while being sentimental, Lucia, who had been watching, suddenly interjected. "I''m so happy to have Andrew here too. Since you''re here, take a good rest. I have a lot of questions for you, Andrew." "About me?" "Yes, I want to hear about the military academy and, more than anything, what life is like in the imperial court." "Are you also interested in life at the imperial court?" "No, it''s just something I''m curious about. I don''t know where I''ll end upter, do I? It could be the imperial court. So I want to hear stories from various ces in advance." Then Joshua raised his voice. "Hey! What''s with the talk of leaving already when you''re still so young? Even when you reach that age, you know I won''t just send you to anyone, right?" "Oh my, Joshua. That''s entirely up to me. I have the right to choose my partner as well." After a light conversation before dinner, Rockefeller picked up his utensils to enjoy the meal. "Let''s stop talking for now. Let''s eat. The food will get cold." At that moment. The sound of the mansion''s bell announcing someone''s arrival was heard. Lucia, the youngest, was the first to react to the sound. "Brothers, it seems someone hase outside?" Joshua frowned. "At this hour?" It was as if someone was spoiling their happy dinner time. Joshua, with a scowl on his face, was about to get up from his seat when Rockefeller, who suddenly felt an odd sensation, stopped him. "Joshua, let me go out and see." "Why? I can just go out." "No, let me go. It could be the overseer." Rockefeller, who stopped Joshua, got up from his seat and headed towards the entrance of the mansion. Lucia, who had been watching, expressed her curiosity. "Who could it be?" Joshua, who was sitting together, guessed since Andrew didn''t know the situation here. "Could it be... the overseer?" Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 69 (2) Chapter 69 (2) The overseer sometimes visited Rockefeller without regard to time. They asionally came when there was an important or urgent matter within the territory. Then Andrew, who had a puzzled look on his face, asked. "The overseer?" "Yeah, the person who came might be our overseer." "No, why would the seere here?" "Well, the local lord here can''t fulfill his duties anymore. So, at some point, the overseers starteding to see Rockefeller hyung." "Is that even possible?" "Of course. Who''s paying the seers'' sries now? The local lord here is in debt. So our bank is taking care of theseers'' sries instead. If the estate bes chaotic, our business won''t work." Hearing this, Andrew immediately knew that the lord''s situation was worse than he thought. How bad must the situation be for the bank to take care of the overseers'' sries? ''It seems they really have gone bankrupt. No wonder his expression was so bad all the way back.'' At the same time, he became worried about her. ''I wonder what she''s doing now. I hope it hasn''t turned out too badly.'' In the meantime, Rockefeller was facing an unexpected guest who hade to his mansion. As he had expected, his intuition was correct. ''I knew something like this would happen.'' "What brings you here at this hour, Miss?" Wearing a deep robe hood anding alone, she was Ste, the lord''s daughter. "The bank is closed. I have a lot to discuss with you about my father''s debt. Do you have time?" Her visit was somewhat expected. Rockefeller decided not to stop her froming. "Of course. Ah, since you''vee this far, why don''t you join us for dinner? Our family was just about to enjoy dinner, and Andrew is here as well." Rockefeller didn''t forget to say this. "You''re very lucky, Miss. If you haven''t had dinner yet, please join us. You can discuss the matter with me at the table." Ste was quite flustered by the sudden dinner invitation. However, considering the timing, she reluctantly epted. After all, she needed to talk to him. "Won''t your family be ufortable if I join?" "There''s nothing to be ufortable about. It''s an honor for us to have dinner with you." "Well... I hope I''m not intruding on your family, but I''ll attend the dinner since I have something to discuss." "Pleasee this way. I''ll guide you." The mansion was a very nice ce formoners to live. No wonder people are crazy about money. Wouldn''t everyone be crazy to enjoy such overflowing happiness? ''It''s more spacious than I thought. The furniture is not ordinary, and everything is luxurious.'' Following Rockefeller''s guidance, Ste arrived at the reception room and couldn''t help but be surprised by the dining table with a prepared meal. They appeared to bemoners on the outside, but they were no different from small nobles. ''It seems they''ve made a lot of money from the bank. I didn''t know Andrew''s family lived like this.'' The prepared dishes were very luxurious. The people here must not have prepared all the food. Even though she didn''t know, it seemed obvious that they had hired someone with good skills. ''How did you get here?'' The most surprised by her arrival was Andrew. He was so surprised that he stood up from his seat and asked Ste. "Why did youe all the way here?" "Well... I suddenly received an invitation." As Rockefeller gave Ste the seat next to Andrew, he said: "I apologize in advance for any shorings in our hospitality since this seat was not prepared in advance for you." "No, I''m fine." When she came, Joshua and Lucia also got up from their seats. "Joshua Rothsmedici, it''s nice to see you again, Miss Ste." "Joshua, you''ve grown so much. I hardly recognize you." "Yes, thank you." Joshua greeted her politely, and Lucia, who was next to him, also greeted her cutely. "You''re Ste, right? I''ve heard stories about you from Joshua. He said you''re kind and pretty. I''m Lucia Rothsmedici. Please call me Lucia." "So you''re Lucia. I''ve heard a lot about you from Andrew." "I''m so happy that Andrew talked about me." Shortly after, they began to enjoy their dinner in a rather awkward atmosphere. However, Ste, who couldn''t eatfortably due to her father''s debt issue, brought up her father''s story during dinner. "I think I mentioned this before." Rockefeller had anticipated this, so he already knew what she would say. He was just waiting patiently. In a manner befitting a representative of his household, Rockefeller responded to her words with the most amiable smile he could muster. "Yes, please tell me." "Is there no way to resolve my father''s debt? No, the debt of the local lord here?" Rockefeller, who thought he had filled his stomach enough, lightly wiped his mouth with a napkin and responded to her words. "The story is the same as before. Our Carter Bank lent gold coins to the lord, and the lord must repay those gold coins properly." "I know that, but the interest is too burdensome. Right now, because of the interest, the rest of thends have been mortgaged as well. Isn''t this a bit too much?" Isn''t it too much? It was a phrase that bank owners hear every day. Rockefeller began to speak with a serious expression in a different atmosphere from before. "The interest issue is our rightful im for lending gold coins to the lord. We also took risks when we lent that much gold, so naturally, we should bepensated for it, shouldn''t we?" Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 70 (1) Chapter 70 (1) My dear, drowning in debt #3(3) "Hasn''t there already been enoughpensation?" To her, this seemed like a case where the cure was worse than the disease. The debt that the lord currently held was so massive due to the overwhelming interest that the principal amount seemed insignificant. "If it goes on like this, my father won''t be able to repay the interest and will go bankrupt. Wasn''t it because of thend coteral that he couldn''t collect taxes? Doesn''t that mean you''re telling my father to do nothing and die?" From the beginning, this matter was due to the lord''s mistake. If he couldn''t repay it, he should have been careful from the start. "Miss. Please think about the excessive promissory notes that the lord has issued. I cannot know what the lord was thinking at that time, but promissory notes are issued to repay them. That means the lord must have had some n. Otherwise, he couldn''t have thoughtlessly issued promissory notes like that." Ste argued. "Wasn''t it all for the territory?" "For the territory... I''m sorry, but I cannot agree with that. Of course, I know that most of the funds were used for the defense of the territory. However, some of them were for the lord himself, and he spent too much on the defense of the territory. There was no need to spend that much, and it''s clearly the lord''s fault for recklessly spending the borrowed money without considering the consequences." "Even so, if this ce became safer because of that, shouldn''t you show some goodwill? The defense of the territory isn''t just the lord''s responsibility, right? You pay taxes, but you also have some obligations as long as you live on thisnd, don''t you?" Rockefeller had something to say about this as well. "Duty... We fulfill that duty by paying taxes. Please don''t belittle the taxes we pay. Our duty ends with that, and the defense of the territory is solely the lord''s responsibility. Otherwise, we wouldn''t need to pay taxes, and we wouldn''t have any reason to be loyal to the lord." The lord imposes taxes on the people of the territory, and the lord provides a safe haven for the people with that money. "That kind of logic... Alright. But people can make mistakes at least once, right?" "Mistakes... Isn''t it more of a wrongdoing than a mistake? It seems clearly intentional rather than a mistake." "Even if it''s a wrongdoing." Rockefeller calmly shook his head. "Miss. In a battlefield filled with blood and flesh, one wrong move with a sword can lead to death. That''s how scary a mistake can be. On the battlefield, one mistake can cost a life, so is it that strange for one person to go bankrupt because of a single mistake with money?" Rockefeller showed a faint smile. "Isn''t that rtively better?" As Ste was trying to find a rebuttal, Rockefeller continued. "Besides, discussing the lord''s debt problem here is meaningless. All the people of the territory are creditors holding the lord''s promissory notes. That means everyone in the territory has a debt to collect from the lord. In other words, even if you persuade me well, it doesn''t mean that everything will be resolved." Ste couldn''t argue with this, so she clenched her fists on her knees in frustration. Seeing her like this, Andrew wanted to say something but held back, considering Rockefeller. How much time had passed? In the quiet banquet hall, Ste slowly opened her mouth. "Is there... really no way? After all, Carter Bank is the biggest creditor, right?" At her question, Rockefeller began to pretend to ponder. ''Of course, there''s a way. The problem is that we have something to gain. Whether we give it or not depends on this conversation.'' "A way. Hmm..." Rockefeller tried to lead her in the direction he wanted. "First of all, due to the lord''s indiscriminate issuance of promissory notes, the people of the territory are suffering endless pain. They are now holding Gold promissory notes, which have be utterly useless, and are furious. Why? Because a promissory note that can''t be exchanged for gold coins is no different from a scrap of paper." "I know... about that." "You speak as if the lord is the only victim of this issue, but in fact, the biggest victims are us, who trusted the lord and lent him gold coins, and the numerous people of the territory who used the Gold promissory notes as if they were real money." She had nothing to say about that either. As she bowed her head in apology, Rockefeller secretly felt satisfied. "The lord hasmitted an unforgivable sin." "..." "He has already made a mistake, has no self-help measures, and shows no will to resolve the situation. In this situation, the only ones who have to clean up the mess are us, the victims. But when you suddenlye to us and criticize us as if we were the perpetrators, we can''t help but feel very disappointed." "Listening to you... I was too short-sighted ining here. The biggest victims of my father''s actions were you, and I only thought of my father and spoke thoughtlessly. I''m sorry if it made you ufortable." "I''m sorry? There''s nothing for you to apologize for, Miss. What did you do wrong? The one who made the mistake is the lord." The atmosphere was extremely tense, and there was no sign of improvement. However, Rockefeller, who knew the solution to this issue, began to slowly guide her in the direction he wanted. "As for a way to solve this issue... Ah, there is just one." Ste raised her head slightly at Rockefeller''s words. "Is there a way? A way to solve this issue?" "Yes, there is just one way." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Previous Chapter|| TOC|| Next Chapter Chapter 70 (2) Chapter 70 (2) She became curious about the solution Rockefeller mentioned. "Could you tell me what it is? I''m curious." "I can tell you right here if you want, but there''s one thing you should know first." "What''s that?" "Even if we know the solution, it can''t proceed without a reason. We have to make a sacrifice, and your side has to make an equal sacrifice for it to work. The gist of it is this, are you willing to hear it?" She didn''t hesitate. "Yes, I''ll listen." "Since you''re willing to listen, I''ll tell you. First of all, your father, the lord, has no ability to handle all the promissory notes he has overused. He has no will to repay, and no way to do so. You should know this already." "Yes, I know." There was no way out. Rockefeller had long cut off the lord''s arms and legs. By the name of a wicked debtor. "But our Carter Bank has the ability to bear that debt." As soon as the anticipated words came out, she began to brighten up. "So does that mean Carter Bank can pay off all my father''s debt?" "Of course. We have the capability." "What a relief...." "But the problem is the reason." At that, Ste''s expression sank. "The reason...?" "Yes, isn''t it a bit ridiculous for us to bear the debt of a lord without any reason? We''re actually creditors who should collect debt from your father. And we''re going to bear the debtor''s debt without reason? Doesn''t that make no sense?" "I understand. It must be hard for you to bear all that debt without a reason." So Rockefeller continued. "Then, how can we bear your father''s debt? I''d like to hear your thoughts on this." Ste began to answer with a prepared mindset. "There must be a fair price. Or else..." "Or else?" "How about I be a member of your family?" "A family member?" Rockefeller couldn''t help but chuckle at the unexpected answer. At the same time, Joshua and Lucia, who had been quietly watching their conversation, began to react. "Miss Ste, are you saying you''d marry into our family? Did I hear that correctly?" "Oh my! Really?" Andrew seemed quite flustered as well. He didn''t expect Ste to say such a thing. As Andrew, with a flushed face, didn''t know what to do, Ste, who was sitting next to him, firmly grasped one of his hands and looked at Rockefeller. "I''ll marry Andrew. In return, please take responsibility for my father''s debt at Carter Bank." "Hey, you..." "Andrew! You''ll marry me, right?" "Uh, well..." As Andrew''s face turned beet red and he didn''t know what to do, Rockefeller, who had been watching them, smiled. ''I didn''t expect the lord''s daughter to be so bold.'' Their marriage was what Rockefeller had wanted. There was no other choice. ''It''s good for me if they get married.'' As Rockefeller nced elsewhere, the other siblings also showed a weing reaction. They all had a favorable impression of the lord''s daughter. "If that''s the reason, it would be enough for us to bear the lord''s debt. But that''s not enough." Wouldn''t it be great if everything was resolved by their marriage? But since that was impossible, Rockefeller began to demand something more. In fact, their marriage was part of this as well. "Hand over all thend rights that the lord owns to us." Ste''s expression quickly hardened at the request for all thend. "I can''t do that." "Why not? What''s the point of marrying into our family if you don''t do that? At least from your perspective, it would be a good thing. It''s not like thend is going anywhere bad." "I don''t care what happens to me, but what about my father?" Ste cut off the conversation. "If my father gives up all thend rights he owns, how can he live?" Thend, the territory, was everything the lord had. To give it all up! Of course, she had no choice but to resist. "Can a lord withoutnd really rule thisnd?" Rockefeller began to nod at her resistance. It was a gesture of understanding. "Of course, I understand what you''re worried about. A lord withoutnd is, in fact, barely a lord." "But what about thend? Not just a part of it, but all of it..." "However, this is a gamble for us as well, with great risks. We will take on all the debts your father currently has in exchange for thend rights. In my opinion, given the amount of your father''s debt, we have the right to demand that much." "Isn''t it enough that I''m marrying Andrew? Is that not enough?" "That''s part of it, but you can''t just end it with you marrying into our family. We need to gain something as well to ept you as our family member, right?" How great would it be if everything ended with just her marriage? She knew better than anyone that it couldn''t be. "Still..." Then she suddenly had a doubt. "But if it''s thisnd, it should already be tied up as coteral, so why do you need to ask for it again?" Carter Bank had all thend the lord owned tied up as coteral. The problem was that the imperialw prevented thend held as coteral from being used freely by creditors. "The research I''ve done shows that under the current Imperialw, it''s impossible to transfer thend granted by His Majesty to someone else without His Majesty''s permission. In other words, even if we reach an agreement among ourselves, ultimately, we need His Majesty''s approval." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 71 (1) Chapter 71 (1) My Dear, You''re Swallowed by Debt #3(4) That was the problem. The reason why Rockefeller wanted to unnecessarily pay off the lord''s debt and wanted the lord''s daughter to marry his younger brother was. "Even if we hold thisnd as coteral, we cannot easily assert our rights, as the imperialw dictates." "But hasn''t the matter already been settled in front of the priest?" "Yes, it is. So if we go through theplex process, we can assert our rights to thend. The problem is the process." Rockefeller continued. "In order for us to im the rights to thisnd, we must suddenly visit His Majesty and seek the rights to thisnd. But would His Majesty or other nobles wee this? It happened because of the debt owed to the bank." Losing thend due to debt? Neither other lords nor the emperor would have liked it. So their opposition was quite predictable. That''s why Rockefeller didn''t like theplicated process and thought of this matter. "Indeed... they wouldn''t like it. Other lords would be cautious about this matter, and His Majesty wouldn''t want to bother seating another owner here." "That''s right. But that doesn''t mean they can ignore us, who have taken thisnd as coteral." "Well... it''s because God has been watching." "Yes, that''s right. Since a pledge was made in front of the priest, the lord cannot fully exercise his rights to thisnd either. So what I''m saying is that thisnd has be quite ambiguous. No one can fully assert their rights to it." And where no one can assert their rights. Wasn''t it as good as deadnd? Rockefeller continued. "Of course, if we go through a lot of trouble, such as providing funds to the financially struggling royal family or buying off strong-speaking high-ranking officials or opposing nobles with money, we can solve this problem since we also have a valid reason. However, in my opinion, that''s not the best way." In the end, it all came down to money. "And I think it''s not quite right to do that." As the conversation reached this point, Ste could understand what Rockefeller truly wanted. Rockefeller wanted to resolve some of the troublesome processes involved in making Montefeltro territory his ownnd through an agreement with the lord. In return, debt clearance for the lord. And as a promise and coteral for that, marrying Ste into the Rosmedici family. That seemed to be what Rockefeller truly wanted. "So, we would like to have an agreement among ourselves to hold the actual rights to thisnd, but not report it to His Majesty. And since such a verbal agreement is somewhat insecure, we think of epting you as a member of our family as a promise for that. That way, the lord will have a child, so you can''t talk nonsenseter." Hearing his words, Ste realized her worth. Thend granted to the lord by the emperor was moreplicated than she had thought. "What do I gain by doing so?" "Of course, debt clearance. We will take full responsibility for that debt. In return, we will have full ownership of Montefeltro territory." She seemed reluctant, and Ste showed difort. "I''m getting married here for my father. Debt clearance is important, of course. But I can''t let my father down like that. Giving up everything because of debt..." What she was worried about. Rockefeller was not unaware of it. "Of course, we will leave the lord''s castle and the surroundingnd as it is. If the lord''s dignity is taken away, how can he be respected here? At least, where the lord lives should belong to the lord, shouldn''t it?" "What do you mean?" Thend was equal to the lord. The lord was equal to thend. Rockefeller changed that thinking. ''I also thought about bing a lord here. Thend is troublesome, but since I have it as coteral, I thought I could buy enough rights to thisnd from the royal family if I invested some money.'' Then what was the problem? ''But I was a little skeptical about the responsibilities and duties thate with bing a lord. What I wanted was the power of the lord, not the work.'' The lord had his own responsibilities and duties. In the end, this was what he hesitated about. "What I said earlier still stands. You will continue to be the lord of this ce. However, since we own the rights to thisnd, we will naturally collect taxes." Ste expressed strong doubt, as if she couldn''t understand. "Is that... possible?" Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 71 (2) Chapter 71 (2) "It''s possible if we agree well." "That''s not what I meant. How can my father manage the territory without collecting taxes here?" "Instead of collecting taxes, we, Carter Bank, intend to fully bear all the expenses required for the operation of the territory. From the sry of the city guards to the maintenance of the territory, and all the money used for defense. And we will also take responsibility for maintaining the dignity and sry needed for the lord''s activities." In other words, they wanted to give the lord control over the territory but separate the financial aspect, turning him into a half-lord. "Does that mean my father has to consult with you for everything?" "More precisely, he needs to ask for my permission." Rockefeller continued. "Without my permission, he cannot receive any financial support." As Ste still showed difort, Rockefeller spoke seriously, as if he couldn''tpromise here. "Your lordship must clearly understand that the debt problem is entirely your responsibility for abusing promissory notes without thought. We can only help you clear all your debts if we reach that level of agreement. There is no other way." "..." Ste remained lost in thought. Whether to ept Rockefeller''s current proposal. Or to find another way to solve her father''s debt problem. ''There is... no other way. I have no choice but to ept that proposal.'' If there had been another way, she would have rejected it without hesitation. Because that was the right thing to do. But nothing could be gained without sacrifice. Ste finally began to nod her head after much contemtion. "If you continue to recognize my father''s position until he passes away, I have no intention of rejecting your proposal. There is no other way to repay my father''s debt." At this point, Rockefeller could finally smile happily. "My proposal is not that bad. Of course, it''s not good for your lordship, but if thedy marries into this ce, your lordship will eventually ept it." Ste continued, considering the person who would most oppose this matter. "My father might disagree, but I''ll try to persuade him somehow. So don''t worry too much about my father''s problem." "If you could do that, we would be grateful. Now that we''ve reached a good agreement, let''s eat. I''m hungry from talking so much." As Rockefeller finished speaking, he firmly established what he had been thinking. ''What I wanted was not power.'' The forces that unknowingly controlled such power from behind. That was what Rockefeller truly wanted to be. ''What I wanted was the ability to achieve everything and true freedom from the interference of others.'' Power and freedom. What could one call a person who possesses all of that? Rockefeller thought. ''A god, in a way.'' As Rockefeller was briefly lost in thought, Ste, who had been about to eat, suddenly asked a question that had been bothering her. "But how are you going to solve the debt problem?" The debt issue. The lord''s debt was not a small sum. Of course, if they had the gold coins from Carter Bank, it seemed possible to solve it to some extent, but Ste worried as the amount was not small. Rockefeller answered with a smile. "Are you curious?" "Yes, I am. It''s not a small amount." Rockefeller decided not to exin himself and threw a nce at Joshua, who was nearby. Upon noticing this, Joshua began to speak to Ste, who had been looking only at Rockefeller. "The debt issue is actually quite simple." As Joshua opened his mouth, Ste naturally turned her gaze to him. "How? It''s not such a simple issue, is it?" "The problem now is the Gold promissory notes held by the lord''s subjects, right? All of them are worthless since they were issued as coteral." "That''s right." "We''re going to revive them. Then everything will end." "Revive them...?" Joshua smiled at Ste, who tilted her head as if she could not understand. "If you''re really curious, just watch. We''ll show you how we solve your lordship''s debt problem." * * * In the market square, where the lord''s castle could be seen in the distance. The lord''s subjects who had heard the rumors were gathered in a noisy crowd. They had been in an uproar since morning, hearing that their lord''s debt problem would be resolved today, but the parties involved had not yet shown themselves. "What the hell are they talking about? They''re going to solve our promissory note problem at the bank?" "I heard that rumor too. How the hell are they going to solve it? This is practically worthless already." "That''s right." "What kind of trick are they using?" "Let''s just wait and see. They said there would be a major announcement here." "I should have really dealt with that lord!" "Lord? What lord? He''s just a debtor!" The market was chaotic with the loud voices of the crowd. The lord, apanied by his overseers, appeared at the market square amidst the angry shouts of his subjects. The lord could not help but feel a headache and wanted to turn his horse around, but he couldn''t because today was the day he would be saved. Upon arriving at the central square, the overseer spoke to the lord. "Please step onto the tform. He will be here soon." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 72 (1) Chapter 72 (1) My Dear, You''re Swallowed by Debt #3(5) When did that scoundrel of a debt collector start addressing him so respectfully? Despite the lord''s hostile gaze, the overseer ignored him and looked away. The overseer was no longer interested in the lord, who had already fallen as far as he could. There was no need to worry about the sry that was now being paid by the bank. He was only pretending to treat the lord with respect because Rockefeller had asked him to do so. "Here hees." As Rockefeller, riding a donkey, appeared, the noisy subjects suddenly fell silent. The cause of this incident was undoubtedly the lord, but Rockefeller, who was involved with Carter Bank, was also a party to it. However, the reason the subjects did not direct their criticism at him was because they knew that he was not only a participant in the matter, but also the only solution to it. Thus, unlike the gaze directed at the lord, their gaze towards Rockefeller contained a mixture of resentment and fear. They felt that if they showed even the slightest dislike towards him, their Gold loan certificates might be mere scraps of paper forever. A momentter. Rockefeller, who had climbed onto the tform, made eye contact with the lord who had been waiting there beforehand. As Rockefeller smiled kindly, the lord cursed him inwardly but could not help but smile awkwardly since they had already made a promise. ''How did I get involved with such a man with no roots...?'' The day after Ste had enjoyed the evening banquet and left. The lord received unexpected news from his daughter. Though going to the Rothsmedici household would help resolve his debt, there was another condition. The lord adamantly refused when he heard the condition, but in the end, he could not defeat his daughter''s persistence and had to ept the absurd condition. ''If it weren''t for my daughter, really...'' And so the lord thought. If Ste had not intervened, he would have refused Rockefeller''s proposal even if it meant his own death. Who would wee a lord who had to cater to the whims of amoner family, let alone one who had be a mere shell of his former self? The only constion was that he had been considering taking in a son-inw since he had no son to inherit his position, and thankfully(?), he no longer had to worry about that aspect. On the tform. Facing Rockefeller, the lord also opened his mouth with an ill-fitting smile. "I want to tear that filthy face of yours apart." Rockefeller was not fazed by this. "You shouldn''t say that. We will be getting closer in the future, so you shouldn''t speak so harshly." "You''ll live a long life. There''s an old saying that those who are detested by others live a very long time." "Ha ha, is that apliment? Anyway, I never intended to be respected by others." Rockefeller smiled faintly and continued. "Our family motto is to choose fear over respect. That was the motto left by my grandfather." Rockefeller nced forward. The subjects who had heard the news ande to see them were holding their breath and staring intently at him and the lord. Their gazes were clearly filled with fear. Otherwise, it would have been impossible for them to be so quiet in the presence of the debt-ridden lord. ''They know my power. They''ll follow my words and experience heaven or hell.'' "Isn''t it funny? People are watching me. This ce is somewhat important, isn''t it?" As Rockefeller whispered in a low voice only the two of them could hear, the lord chuckled in response. "That''s true. It''s a meaningful day. The day my debt is cleared and my power as a lord is halved." Rockefeller replied with a still smiling face. "A half... wasn''t it already nonexistent? That''s what I understood." "Be quiet. If you have something to say, just finish it quickly. They won''t listen to my words anyway." "Still, I will continue to respect your authority as a lord. To lead this territory brilliantly, you must be a lord whomands both fear and respect from your people, don''t you think?" "Enough with the nonsense. It''s disgusting to listen to." Rockefeller began to address the gathered citizens. "Today! The reason we have gathered you here is because we have a major announcement!" At Rockefeller''s words, everyone fell silent, holding their breath. They all wanted one thing from Rockefeller: salvation. And Rockefeller had indeed brought it. "Starting today, our Carter Bank will take responsibility for the Gold promissory notes, which we previously had no reason to be responsible for!" As his words continued, the bewildered citizens stirred. "What does he mean?" "Suddenly taking responsibility for the Gold promissory notes?" "They don''t have to, right?" "Shh! Be quiet and listen!" Ignoring the reactions of the gathered citizens, Rockefeller continued speaking. "This is due to an agreement with the lord. He currentlycks the power to handle the promissory notes issued in his name. Therefore, we have tentatively agreed that our Carter Bank will assume responsibility for his debt in exchange for theplete rights to the territory." At this, the citizens stirred again. "Did the lord sell all the rights to the territory?" "So Carter Bank is taking responsibility for everything?" "It seems that way?" Having finished speaking, Rockefeller looked at the lord. "Please say something. I can''t be the only one speaking here." It was a moment for the lord to confirm what he had said. With a grim expression, the lord began to speak, clearing his throat. "Ahem! I, Chester de Montefeltro, dere today that I will transfer all the rights of thisnd to the Rothsmedici family. In return, I will marry my daughter, Ste de Montefeltro, to the second son of the Rothsmedici family, Andrew Rothsmedici. After the marriage, this promise will have legal effect." Rockefeller continued. "Based on these terms, we have decided to take responsibility for all the Gold promissory notes you currently hold, starting from the moment my younger brother marries the lord''s daughter. Of course, this is from the moment of their marriage." Everyone instinctively held their breath, as a tense quiet swept through the gathering. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 72 (2) Chapter 72 (2) Just as the cheers were about to erupt, Rockefeller continued his speech. "Please refrain from further criticism of the lord, and we have tentatively agreed with the lord to collect the taxes for the territory from now on. This is a duty thates with securing the rights, so those who have not paid taxes in the meantime should pay them again on time. This is an essential aspect of the territory''s operation, so we hope there will be no objections." As he finished speaking, the gathered residents of the territory began to cheer in unison. It must be the joy of the previously worthless Gold loan certificatesing back to life. Watching the residents of the territory hugging each other and shouting in joy, Rockefeller smiled slightly. ''Is this what they mean when they say the masses are foolish?'' The path he was on waspletely different from the desires of the people. Only by deceiving the naive masses could his position be trulyplete. Now, they knew nothing. From the beginning, he had nned all of this, and the damage to Carter Bank and himself from epting the Gold loan certificates, which were virtually worthless, was much less than expected. ''I can just exchange the Gold loan certificates for IOU loan certificates. Then the gold coins I have to pay back right away will be less than I thought.'' Now that he had cooked the lord and gained the rights to the territory, he could be even wealthier with the taxes collected from here. ''On top of that, there''s that thing in thisnd. The gold vein that everyone in the world envies.'' Moreover, the reason he chose the Rothsmedici family, rather than Carter Bank, to hold the rights to the territory was because of an agreement made with the lord. ''Having our family, rather than Carter Bank, be the owner of thisnd is to avoid unnecessary conflictster on.'' Carter Bank was now on itsst legs. There was no need to rush to open a new bank. ''It''s been a while since Uncle Carter let go of his work.'' As Rockefeller took the lead and brought in his younger brother as an assistant, there was nothing left for Carter to do. Both Rockefeller and Joshua could mint gold coins, and since there was work at the church, Carter chose to restfortably rather than work under the watchful eyes of the two brothers. Carter Goldsmith had entrusted his gold coins to the Rothsmedici brothers with a fairly high interest rate as a privilege. Why would he work when he received a high interest every month without having to work? ''That''s how it is.'' In front of the cheering residents of the territory, Rockefeller spoke to the lord, who was standing next to him with a nervous expression. "How do you feel?" "What kind of feeling!" As the lord snapped back, Rockefellerughed and continued. "The feeling of escaping from being a debtor." "Hmph, you ask about everything." "You know, don''t you? If it weren''t for us, you would never have been able to escape from being a debtor." "So what do you want?" "It would be best for you to keep your promise here and now. I''m sure you don''t want to make the family your daughter is marrying into look bad. She''s your only child, and your love. I trust without a doubt." "You..." The lord''s gaze remained cold. "Ever since Hans'' funeral, I''ve always disliked you. I still don''t understand how you managed to rise to this position." "But you trust me, don''t you?" "Trust? What?" "That if we''vee this far, we''ll grow even bigger in the future?" The lord chuckled softly. "Heh, with what skill? You''re too arrogant for fooling me in this backwater ce." "You shouldn''t say that. If we stay like this, your daughter will spend her life with amoner family. Is that what you want?" "Isn''t that why I didn''t give up my rights to this territory? The fact that I''m not saying anything even though I''ve be a half-wit is all thanks to my daughter. If it weren''t for her, I would have never done such a thing." "Anyway, you had coteral, so it wouldn''t have mattered if you were stubborn. It''s just that it was too much of a hassle for me to manage this territory directly, so we both chose the best path for each other." Rockefeller wrapped up the conversation. "Just ept it as a good thing. Cheer for us from the side. If our family grows bigter on, I can give you at least one suitable piece ofnd from the territories I''ve acquired. Isn''t that better than having someone else take it?" Will that day evere? The lord''s attitude remained unchanged. "I doubt it." Rockefeller pped and wrapped up the event in front of the cheering residents. And he thought. ''I''ve achieved the primary goal of obtaining the rights to the territory.'' Although he didn''t be the lord he aimed for, he had acquired all the rights to the territory, which was enough. He could leave the management of the territory to the lord as before, so he didn''t have to worry about it, and even if there were any issues, he had tight control over the finances to exert pressure on the lord. ''Who said that in Earth''s history?'' Politics are conducted in his house. Laws, wars, peace, only he decides. We just don''t call for it.... ''He is the king.'' It was one of Rockefeller''s favorite phrases. ''It''s also my ideal.'' With the primary matters rted to the Montefeltro territory settled, all that remained was to prepare for the Gold Vein War. ''After the Great Upheaval, there will be a huge tectonic shift across the continent. That''s when the gold vein that the dwarves missed will burst forth.'' At that time, countless dwarves, crazed for gold, will flock to this territory. The war that breaks out then is the Gold Vein War. ''It''s a full-scale war between the dwarves and the empire.'' The previous Totem War didn''t have much for the dwarves to gain, but the Gold Vein War was different. Whoever ims thergest gold vein on the continent will cause a significant shift in the bnce of power. It''s an obvious fact. The moment the dwarves im their rights to thisnd, things will getplicated. I doubt there will be any concessions.'' Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 73 (1) Chapter 73 (1) The Lyon Guild (1) The Great Change. In the past, an ancient magic beast, Behemoth, which had existed but was not recorded in history, slept in an ancient ruins. The protagonist of the novel killed the awakened Behemoth and obtained its magic sword, causing a magical power to strike the border region of the empire and create a massive earthquake. Due to this event, several terrains in the border region of the empire changed drastically. Newndscapes appeared overnight, and existing ones disappeared, bringing significant changes. Montefeltro territory suffered much more damage than other ces due to the repeated strong earthquakes, resulting in the copse of numerous houses and buildings. The lord''s castle was also included in the destruction, but the lord, who had already evacuated to another ce due to the ongoing earthquakes, was fortunate to avoid the disaster. "I don''t understand why this is happening suddenly. Did someone use magic?" In the empire''s historical records, there were stories of great magicians who had powerful magic that could shatter and divide the earth. It was the story of the first generation of the magical family, Sinir. "I don''t have any enemies, do I?" The lord sighed deeply as he looked at the copsed castle, which had fallen more than halfway. He felt terrible about losing his home in an instant. "Ah..." "Nothing is going right in this world. My daughter was sold to a family with no roots, and now my castle has copsed." The intensity of the earthquakes was gradually weakening. Even now, a weak earthquake was swirling at his feet, but it was nothingpared to what he had felt before. "I don''t even want to remember that terrible event." The beginning of the Great Change was intense, and it continued to worsen, but it had been much quieter since the day before. "My lord, are you alright?" The overseer, who had been riding a horse, approached the lord and asked. "Did you arrive?" "Yes, it''s chaotic now. I''m looking around just in case." "When will this end?" "Do we not know the cause, or is it just the wrath of the heavens?" "They say so in the church, but who knows." "It''s not like a magician came here and yed a prank." "It''s too severe for a prank. There''s no reason for it." The lord narrowed his eyes and stroked his beard. ''Surely someone didn''t y a prank with magic?'' "Did you look around the area?" The overseer immediately answered the lord''s question. "Yes, I looked around the newly formed paths, and the terrain of the territory has definitely changed significantly." "I suppose so. It would be strange if thend didn''t change after shaking so much for days." "I saw new ridges and valleys, and the streams have changed a lotpared to before. If you take a look, you will be very surprised too, my lord." "Ahem!" Although his residence was destroyed and the territory had suffered extensive damage, the lord did not seem too worried. "Well, anyway, we just need to rebuild what has been destroyed." The reason for his change was one thing. ''Now that it''se to this, it''s a good thing. I don''t have to worry about money anymore.'' "The necessary money will be provided by that arrogant bank. Speaking of which, what is that guy doing now? He didn''t suddenly die in all this chaos, did he?" The overseer replied to his question. "He is currently preparing to leave for Lyon." "Lyon? Why suddenly Lyon? Wasn''t he supposed to go to the Imperial City?" "I don''t know the reason, but it''s probably because of the bank business." The lord frowned. "Although he is practically the owner of the bank now, what will happen here if he leaves?" "Isn''t he not the only one doing bank business? There shouldn''t be any big problems with his younger brother also working at the bank." Since when did it be a family business? The lord''s expression was not good. ''It''s frustrating. Anyone would think it''s not Carter Bank but the Rosmedici family''s bank.'' "Since when did they think it was their bank? Has Carterpletely given up on the business?" The overseer shook his head. It had been quite some time since Carter had stopped working in the bank business. "As far as I know, he is not working at the moment." "It''s still his store, so it''s a waste if he just lets it go." "How can we know their situation? They will take care of it themselves." "That''s true. It''s not our business. It will run smoothly even if we don''t pay attention to it." The copsed lord''s castle. He thought that the situation in the vige would be simr or worse, but the lord actually smiled. "Anyway, the lord''s castle will be restored. He said so himself, so he won''t leave the territory like this." The overseer left a message for the lord and left. "Then I''ll go to the bank." The lord''s expression was dark as he watched the overseer leave. "It''s nice not to worry about money, but I''ve be aplete outsider. In the past, he would have reported to me and finished it." The overseer, who had identally met the lord while touring the territory, headed straight to Carter Bank. As he entered the market, the people of the territory were even more agitated than the day before. Their faces were full of concern. ''Most of them lost their homes.'' He was also worried about the people of the territory since he was human. Over the centuries, losing their homes to a rare event must have weighed heavily on the hearts of themon people. ''I wish I could help with this too. But it''s probably too much.'' That''s what he thought. However, when he actually went to see him, he realized that his thoughts were wrong. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 73 (2) Chapter 73 (2) "Copsed houses can be rebuilt." At Rockefeller''s words, the overseer was a little taken aback. "But don''t you need money to rebuild?" "Of course, a loan is needed." Carter Bank, which he visited, was also in terrible shape due to the earthquake damage, but unlike other stores, it was not copsed due to magical protection. "A loan, you say..." Talking about loans in a ce like this. As the overseer showed his distaste, Rockefeller immediately continued. "Of course, the interest rate is lower than you think. How can themon people who are suffering from earthquake damage get back on their feet if we charge high interest rates at times like this?" "So what interest rate are you thinking of?" "I have no intention of making money from this. However, there must be somepensation for the borrowed money." Originally, Rockefeller nned to significantly increase loans to create profits, so this major change was a very wee event for him. If all themon people end up in debt because of this, he would be even wealthier. "So, if your credit is good, I n to lend at a 3% monthly interest rate. That''s half of the original 6% interest." "3%..." "It''s not 3% for everyone. Depending on the situation, 1% interest is also entirely possible." "You''re going to lower it to 1%?" Rockefeller smiled kindly. "Don''t we all have to live together?" At his words, the overseer was somewhat moved. Normally, a banker would be too busy looking after their own interests to even consider charging higher interest rates in times like this. People who lost their homes had to find money somehow to rebuild them. "You really are a kind person. I thought all bankers were the same." "That''s not the case. It''s better for us, who collect taxes, if the territory quickly recovers and stabilizes." "Anyway, you seem to care more about themon people than the Lord does." "Thank you for saying that. I am always thinking about the territory." "If themon people knew about this, they would be very happy." "I hope so too." The overseer, who seemed to be in a good mood, suddenly remembered something and took something out of his pocket and handed it to Rockefeller. "Ah, this is something I found by chance on the roadside." The overseer went on a patrol around the territory this morning and saw children ying in the greatly changed water stream. Since it had rained the day before, the water had swelled, and with a worried heart, he approached the children. Well, the kids were picking up something shiny like a stone there. "I didn''t think it was necessary to report this, but I thought it would be good for you to know, since you are the actual owner of thisnd." The shiny stone handed over by the overseer was a gold ore with very fine natural gold embedded between the minerals. ''What is this...'' Rockefeller, who could not hide his surprise, calmly asked. "What is this...? It looks like it''s shiny in ces." "Don''t you know? It looks like gold ore to me. Hasn''t the terrain changed drastically recently? It used to be called Azrak Gold Mine, and it was said to be a ce with a tremendous amount of gold. Although I don''t know much about it, it seems that the gold ore that had been forgotten in the past has rolled down the stream due to the recent terrain changes. The children were ying while looking for it, so I took one." The overseer had no idea. That thisnd would be a goldennd after the catastrophe. Well, he couldn''t even guess. But Rockefeller was different. ''I should have hurried more. I won''t be able to stop the gold ore froming out due to the catastrophe. The gold veins must have already been exposed in the overturned terrain.'' The gold veins that had been dormant in thisnd for a long time were now revealing themselves, and it seemed inevitable that the gold ores and gold they produced would spread through word of mouth. Would the gold ore that the overseer had picked up without thinking be just one? If it continues to be noticeable, the overseer will probably be suspicious. If thisnd is really a deadnd. ''I''d better move quickly before the rumors spread further.'' "Ah... I''ve heard that story too. Dwarves used to live here, right?" At that, the overseer nodded. "Yes, I heard that a long time ago. They said thisnd was full of gold mines back then." "That''s right. If this is indeed gold ore, I think some of the gold ore that the dwarves left behind may havee out due to the recent earthquake." The overseer had simr thoughts. "I think so too. What gold ore is there in a deadnd? It must have been picked up by chance because of the earthquake." And he added this. "It would be great if things like this kepting out. Then the value of thisnd would change, and it would no longer be a remote part of the empire, but rather an important area that receives the Emperor''s attention. That way, we could receive help from the royal family when there is a foreign invasion, right?" The overseer continued what he was saying. "Do you know how coldly the royal family turned their backs on thisnd during the Totem War? It was just abandonednd. Whether something happened here or not, the royal family didn''t even care." "Indeed. They probably didn''t help because they didn''t even care. Whether thisnd prospered or not, it would hold little significance to them." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 74 (1) Chapter 74 (1) The Lyon Guild (2) As soon as the overseer left after their conversation, Rockefeller went straight to Joshua and suddenly threw something at him. "Joshua." Joshua barely caught the object and looked puzzled. "What''s this?" "Gold ore. We need to hurry with this job." Joshua looked down at the gold ore he caught. There were spots of shining gold embedded in it. "This is gold ore? You mean the gold ore that dwarves mine in their mines?" "Right. It could be an alloy ore, or it could be silver mixed with gold ore. Anyway, it''s an ore containing gold." Upon closer inspection, there was a sparkle visible in the gaps of the ore. "Where did you get this? There''s no way you mined it yourself, right?" "Of course I didn''t mine it. The overseer brought it. Apparently, some vige kids found it while ying near a stream." Joshua looked puzzled. "Is that possible? This is... gold ore, right? Why was it near a stream?" "There were quite a few earthquakes recently, right? It must have washed out during that time." Rockefeller continued. "If kids can find it while ying, the frequency of gold ore discoveries in this area will gradually increase. Then people will start to wonder. They''ll suspect that there''s a gold vein here again since this ce used to be the Azrak Gold Mine." Joshua naturally bit his thumbnail and immediately reacted. "This is a big problem. If rumors spread that there might be a living gold vein here, wouldn''t that be bad? So far, only we knew about this fact, right?" "It''s going to be hard to keep that a secret any longer. People aren''t fools." "So what''s going to happen?" "Those who can im some rights will start eyeing thisnd like hungry wild animals." "What about the local lord? Will the lord change his mind at that time, iming that thisnd was originally his?" "No, we don''t have to worry about the local lord." Rockefeller seemed quite confident. "Anyway, it seems like Andrew and Ste have half given up on their political marriage. And of course, we have the rights to thisnd. Even if he gets greedy, there''s no chance of winning, so he''ll give up easily." "But the royal family hasn''t acknowledged our rights to thisnd yet, right?" "It''s easy to get that acknowledgement. We just need to bribe them." "I see." "That''s why I made a deal with the lord. Even if that bes a problem, the lord can''t im the rights to thisnd. He already made a promise in front of his followers." "Then... who''s the problem?" Rockefeller spoke in a rather serious tone. "Rather, we should be on guard against His Majesty the Emperor and the lords located in nearby areas. Since thisnd is not yet in a normal state, they will forcibly im the rights to thisnd and rush in. They''ll want to gain something from it." "Ah..." Joshua sighed softly. "But this is ournd, right? Of course, we have the rights." "That''s true. But to firmly im the rights to thisnd, it''s better for us to quickly gain the qualifications to do so. That way, we can shake off any unwanted people." What were those qualifications? Joshua knew right away. "We need to be at least a noble family. At least one with influence over other noble families..." "Of course, that''s necessary. That''s why we need to hurry. We don''t even have the bank under our family name yet, do we?" "So what does Rockefeller n to do? It''s not like we can get it right now just because we want one, right?" "That''s why I''m going to Lyon." Upon hearing about bing a goldsmith, Joshua also learned from Carter. "So, you''re going to Lyon to meet the Lyon Guild leader, not Leo?" "I''ll see Leo while I''m in Lyon, but my real goal is to meet the Lyon Guild leader. That''s the only way I can be a goldsmith most easily." Simply mastering gold coin engraving didn''t make one a goldsmith. There was a faction among goldsmiths. There were two major factions in the empire, one was the Lyon Guild located in Lyon, and the other was the ck Label Union located in the port city of ck Label. One had to belong to one of these two factions to be a goldsmith, and if one didn''t belong to either faction, the royal family wouldn''t acknowledge them, and they couldn''t be a goldsmith. "If the royal family were to select goldsmiths directly, it would be different. But since that''s not the case, you have to have a connection with one of the two factions." Joshua was well aware of this. He had heard it from Carter whenever he was bored. "I heard a lot from Uncle Carter that to be a goldsmith, it''s more important to have a rtionship with the Lyon Guild or the ck Label Union than to learn gold coin engraving." While speaking, Joshua remembered something and expressed his concern. "More than that, have you heard this? Uncle Carter told me that the Lyon Guild leader there is quite picky. I heard it''s difficult to be one of their people if you don''t suit their taste." Rockefeller already knew this. That''s why he had been putting off bing a goldsmith. "I''ll have to meet him first. I''ll leave tomorrow, so I''ll leave this ce to you for a while." Joshua was doing his job as well as Rockefeller. "Got it. Don''t worry too much about this side, I''ll handle it well on my own." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 74 (2) Chapter 74 (2) "People wille here to borrow money due to the earthquake damage. You know exactly how to proceed as we discussed before, right?" "Of course, I know. I''ll keep the interest low, but I''ll be sure to thoroughly check the credit." "You certainly know it well." "And I''ll rece the outgoing money with these promissory notes." This was the most important thing. Rockefeller nodded alone and opened his mouth. "That''s the most important thing. Give promissory notes instead of gold coins, no matter what. That''s advantageous for us." ''Protect the real money'' and lend the ''fake money (promissory notes)'' to collect interest. That was the reason Rockefeller insisted on promissory notes. Then, it became like doing business with non-existent money, so whether the loan interest was 1% or 3%, it was always a profit for the bank. And since promissory notes could be issued infinitely, it was possible to lend more than the amount of gold coins held by the bank. ''It''s the miracle logic of banks.'' "Do you know that?" Joshua showed a confident smile. "Of course I do. That''s how we benefit." "And get the fortress repairs done in advance. It will cost more if you repair itter." Knowing the future, Rockefeller knew when the dwarves would attack. "Enemies inside are important, but the ones we should be most wary of are the enemies outside, not the inside." "Is that because of the dwarves?" "Right. Originally, the owner of thisnd were not humans but dwarves." "Got it. Then I''ll also rece the repair cost for the fortress with promissory notes." Rockefeller smiled brightly at Joshua. "Yes, it''s not too difficult, so you should be able to do it well on your own." * * * Rockefeller, who hurriedly left for Lyon, arrived in Lyon, one of the most prosperousmercial cities in the empire, a few dayster with a guide. Lyon was a metropolis iparable to the Montefeltro territory located on the outskirts of the empire, and there were many people living there. Upon arriving in Lyon, Rockefeller headed straight for the cathedral. It was the ce where his younger brother Leo, who was working hard in a distantnd, and Bishop Verkis, whom he hade to know through Father Peter, resided. ''I should meet Bishop Verkis before meeting the Lyon Guild leader.'' The Lyon Guild leader was also a member of the Lyon family. And Bishop Verkis was also from the Lyon family. For this reason, Rockefeller sought to meet Bishop Verkis before meeting the Lyon Guild leader. Upon arrival at the Lyon Cathedral, the entire building was covered in metal as if it were armored, and the towering spires were quite impressive. In terms of scale, it was truly overwhelmingpared to the small church building in the Montefeltro territory. ''Didn''t they say that an archbishop used toe from here?'' Now it''s just a bishop. The reduced status of Lyon within the church wasrgely due to political reasons within the organization. ''That also changes with time.'' Rockefeller, apanied by a guide, entered the cathedral and first looked for his brother Leo. Leo was not difficult to find, and contrary to his worries, he was doing well as a priest. Upon seeing Leo, who had grown from a child into a respectable priest, Rockefeller broke into a bright smile. "Leo!" "Rockefeller hyung!" Leo, who seemed much brighter than before, hugged Rockefeller and expressed his curiosity about his sudden visit. "What brings you to Lyon, brother?" "What do you mean? I came to see our Leo. Don''t tell me we''ve be strangers just because you''ve be a church member?" "How could that be? Even though I''ve entered the church, I''m always a member of the Rothsmedici family." "That''s right, it''s good to see you doing well." After meeting Leo, Rockefeller quickly finished their conversation and immediately requested a meeting with Bishop Verkis. Since they had a good rtionship, Bishop Verkis had no reason to refuse Rockefeller, and the meeting was quickly arranged. A momentter, Rockefeller, who was alone with Bishop Verkis, spoke. "I''m truly sorry for intruding so suddenly." "No, not at all. I was actually delighted to hear that you hade." "Haha, thank you for saying that." The conversation then moved on to the main topic. "What brings you here? I hope there''s no problem?" When Bishop Verkis asked with a slightly worried expression, Rockefeller immediately shook his head. "No, it''s not that. I came here because I have some business." "Business? What business?" "I came all the way here to join the Lyon Guild." "The Lyon Guild?" "Yes, I want to meet the Lyon Guild leader who is here." Contrary to Rockefeller''s thoughts, Bishop Verkis'' expression was not very good. "Suddenly... why?" "You came here to meet Benjamin? Hmmm..." "Yes. Is there any problem?" As Rockefeller asked worriedly, Bishop Verkis shook his head. "No, not really. It''s just that..." Despite his words, there seemed to be something going on. "Excuse me, but may I ask what the issue is?" "It''s nothing big. The rtionship between the guild here and us has be a little bad because of an incident that happened when you were with us." At that, Rockefeller expressed his confusion. "What do you mean?" "It''s just a family matter. It''s a part you don''t need to know." "But I''m still a family member, aren''t I?" "Well, yes... but you''re only closer than a stranger." Rockefeller couldn''t help but tilt his head at the ambiguous words. ''What on earth is going on?'' Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 75 (1) Chapter 75 (1) Bonus chapter thanks to @Ronald subscribing to Dwarven Sovereigns Tier on Ko-fi! The Lyon Guild (3) This was not mentioned in the novel. So, Rockefeller thought about the reason for a moment. ''Is it because I give interest?'' The concept of giving interest to those who deposited gold coins did not exist in this ce yet. Therefore, it was entirely possible that the issue arose because of that. ''I need to ask.'' "Excuse me... Is the problem caused by me giving interest?" As he asked his question, Bishop Verkis nodded immediately. "I think it''s a good thing, but the people of the same family find it strange. A banker giving interest instead of taking gold storage fees. They think it''s some kind of scam ande to me, unnecessarily worrying. To be honest, I was a little uneasy, but it''s been going smoothly so far, so what kind of scam could it be?" Bishop Verkis asked. "Answer me, is it a scam?" Rockefeller shook his head in denial. "A scam? Absolutely not. Our bank holding the church''s assets is a service to God in its own way. It''s all done to show the church and Bishop Verkis, but if you nder it like that, I will be deeply disappointed." "That''s right. It''s good to think that way. But it seems the people here don''t think so, even though they are from the same family." As the conversation went on, Rockefeller couldn''t help but feel a bit confused. It was different from the picture he had wanted. ''It shouldn''t be like this.'' Rockefeller came here to build a connection with the Lyon guild leader through Bishop Verkis, who is a member of the Lyon family. However, he felt that the Lyon guild leader might have a slightly ufortable impression of him because of what he had done. ''I need to meet with the Lyon guild leader first.'' "Then, I will talk to the Lyon guild leader and try my best to exin." Bishop Verkis nodded. "Yes, you go and talk to him. Our rtionship has been strainedtely because of the gold issue. You might be able to solve it." After meeting with Bishop Verkis, Rockefeller was guided to the ce where the Lyon guild leader was located. In Lyon, the busiest street where many banks were gathered. Rockefeller saw banks densely packed together along a narrow alleyway in Ghetto Nuovo. In the Montefeltro territory, which was located on the edge of the empire, there was only one bank, but in Lyon, which had developedmercially, there were dozens of banks gathered in one ce, and they were doing business in small shops that were less than 4 square meters. ''Is this Ghetto Nuovo?'' There was a brief introduction to Ghetto Nuovo in the novel. In fact, this ce was where those who were abandoned by God lived in istion from ordinary people. However, asmerce developed, people who needed quick cash starteding here more often, and as this continued, this ce naturally became a street full of bankers. ''I can''t believe I''m here. I can already smell the money.'' In Lyon, where the wealthiest people gathered. Following the guide introduced by Bishop Verkis, Rockefeller went to the headquarters of the Lyon guild located in the Ghetto Nuovo area. ''Is this it?'' He thought the Lyon guild headquarters would be an impressive building. However, contrary to his expectations, it was a small, shabby two-story building. And the sign on the building read ''Lyon Bank.'' ''It seems the Lyon Bank is also used as the guild headquarters.'' As they entered the store, the interior looked luxurious and elegant, unlike the shabby exterior. ''Certainly, the inside is different. It all looks very high-end.'' As Rockefeller entered the store with the guide, an elegantly dressed elderly gentleman approached them with a gracious smile. "What brings you here? How is His Grace, the Bishop?" As the guide whispered something to the elderly gentleman, he looked at Rockefeller up and down with a changed gaze. It was not a pleasant look, and there was a wary nce. "So you are the person from Montefeltro territory? You don''t look like the person I know, so you must be the assistant I''ve heard so much about." He spoke in a rather blunt manner. "Yes, I am Rockefeller Rothsmedici, working under Mr. Carter. It''s an honor to meet you." As Rockefeller answered, the elderly man narrowed his eyes and gestured with his chin. "Follow me. There''s someone who wants to see you." Under the elderly man''s guidance, Rockefeller went up to the second floor of the building. The second floor seemed to be a bank office, where a middle-aged nobleman was sitting at a desk, attending to his work. Hearing the footsteps, the nobleman looked up at the visitors and opened his mouth. "Who is it?" At his question, the elderly man politely answered. "Master Benjamin, this is the banker from Montefeltro territory. Judging by the fact that he is not the person we know, he seems to be the rumored assistant." Benjamin pped the desk with his palm. He then pointed his index finger at Rockefeller. "Oh! You are that rumored assistant. So, you were the problem." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 75 (2) Chapter 75 (2) There were continuous unpleasant actions, but Rockefeller did not show his feelings and first greeted him. "Nice to meet you. I am Rockefeller Rothsmedici from Montefeltro territory. Please call me Rockefeller." As he greeted, the elderly man who was with him warned him. "That person is a member of the Lyon family, the leader of the Lyon guild, and also holds the position of a viscount. Behave like amoner and show respect." Rockefeller nodded briefly, indicating he understood, and the old man stepped back and stood quietly. As this happened, the guild leader continued to berate Rockefeller. "I bet you didn''t know this, but I''ve been wanting to meet you. I was really curious about what kind of person you were." Although the ufortable atmosphere persisted, Rockefeller decided not to act rashly, as he had something to gain from the guild leader. After ring at Rockefeller for a while, Benjamin finally cracked a smile and stood up from his seat. "Right! You have a very impressive idea. Paying interest to those who deposit gold!" Guild leader Benjamin dismissed the old man with a wave of his hand. Then he continued his conversation with Rockefeller at the table where only the two of them remained. "Honestly, when I first heard about it, I thought Carter was half mad." Rockefeller decided to listen quietly to what Benjamin had to say. "Did his brain rot from being stuck in such a remote ce, or did he decide to suck up to the church in hopes of going to heaven? I really couldn''t understand how he came up with such a crazy idea. I mean, it''s not logical to pay interest when we should be collecting gold storage fees, right? Why don''t you answer that?" "Yes, as you thought, it''s not a logical thing to do." "That''s right, it''s not logical. Absolutely not." Benjamin''s expression was not good, as if he had many grievances against Rockefeller. "But then a very funny thing happened. Until now, Bishop Verkis, who had been paying me gold storage fees and entrusting me with his gold, left his own family and went to aplete stranger to entrust his gold. What''s that about?" Despite Benjamin''s ring gaze, Rockefeller''s expression remained unchanged. At Rockefeller''s boldness, Benjamin naturally began to nod his head. "I understand why. They get interest when they deposit there. Although I don''t understand it, it''s obviously better for those who deposit gold to receive interest than to pay gold storage fees." Rockefeller could feel a certain hatred in Benjamin''s gaze. "But do you know who got hurt because of that?" Rockefeller answered as if he had been waiting. "I think I have a rough idea." "That''s right, you know well. Because you came up with that idea, I''m the one who''s suffering here. Someone who doesn''t know anything about it is having a hard time because of your strange ideas!" After finishing his words, Benjamin calmed down his excitement and returned to his seat. "Alright. I don''t know why you did such a thing. Maybe it was a mistake. There hasn''t been a single person who has done business like that until now." There was a certain thorn in his continuing words. "But if someone gets hurt because of that, and that someone is a pretty important person." Finally, Benjamin forced a smile. "Isn''t it only natural for a subordinate to reconsider that?" Now it was Rockefeller''s turn to speak. Before answering, Rockefeller thought for a moment and realized that he was at a crossroads. ''Do I choose the unintended connection with the bishop, or do I start a new rtionship with the guild leader here?'' If he sides with the guild leader and withdraws the interest-paying business he has been doing, it was clear that his rtionship with Bishop Verkis would worsen. The church, like the guild leader here, was a ce where old-fashioned ideas were deeply rooted. ''If I withdraw the interest-paying business, Bishop Verkis will probably question my faith. It''s obvious even if I don''t see it.'' Both options were too extreme, so Rockefeller decided to try to persuade Benjamin first. "Now it''s my turn to answer, but before I do, I have one question I''d like to ask." "You have a question?" "Yes." "Go ahead and ask." "Do you, Lord Benjamin, have a negative opinion about the business I''ve done?" "Negative?" Guild leader Benjamin let out an incredulous chuckle. "Do you think it''s normal to pay interest when you should be collecting gold storage fees?" "Well, not exactly, but when Ipare loan interest and deposit interest, I don''t think it''s a loss. Rather, if we collect a lot of funds by using deposit interest as bait, wouldn''t we be able to do bigger lending businesses?" However, not everyone shared Rockefeller''s thoughts. Benjamin shook his head outright. "I don''t think so at all. We''re merchants. As merchants, we naturally think about making more money. There''s now dictating how we do business here, but I am the leader of this guild. From my business perspective, I can''t ept your idea. Instead of paying interest, we should raise the trust in our bank and collect more gold storage fees." "......" Rockefeller couldn''t believe their thoughts could be so different. However, he soon came to understand. The level of finance here was like that of a newborn baby. That''s why he thought that people here wouldn''t understand his thoughts. ''I get it. These people are still ignorant about finance.'' "But doing it my way could be more profitable." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 76 (1) Chapter 76 (1) The Lyon Guild (4) At those words, Benjamin snorted. He couldn''t understand at all. "How would you know that? What are you?" Not a qualified banker, and distrust and contempt for a young assistant under such a banker. And anger at having interfered with his business. Such thingsbined into a strong aversion towards Rockefeller. So no matter what Rockefeller said, it wouldn''t reach his ears. "Let me tell you one thing. You''re really nothing." It was an extremely unpleasant remark, but Rockefeller''s face remained impassive. "You''re just a greenhorn who knows how to use his head in strange ways. You know nothing about this field." "Do you really think so?" "What else could it be?" Rockefeller felt somewhat frustrated. "Isn''t it worth trying at least once? Maybe what I said is right. Giving people interest even at the cost of some loss mayter be the foundation for making bigger money ys." Benjamin still had a negative attitude. "Didn''t you hear what I just said? You''re nothing. Really nothing. The thoughts you have now or the things you''ve done in the past were just coincidences." "......" Rockefeller narrowed his eyes slightly and thought. The person in front of him would not listen to anything he said. "Then... what do you want?" Guildmaster Benjamin immediately reacted. "What do I want? It''s simple. The business you''re currently running. Stop the absurd act of paying interest as a reward for depositing gold coins immediately." Benjamin continued. "I thought it was Carter''s idea. So I sent a letter to Carter. And then I got this reply." Benjamin roughly took out the correspondence he had exchanged with Carter from his desk drawer and ced it on the desk. "As it turns out, it wasn''t Carter''s idea, but some fearless kid didn''t know his ce and interfered. How dare I hold this position! No matter how tempting the church''s property is, it''s too much. Using interest as bait to do such a thing? That was an utterly unreasonable action." Benjamin openly shook his head. It meant denying everything about Rockefeller and what he had done. "I represent the thoughts of all the bankers in the Lyon Guild, as well as being the person who runs thergest loan business in Lyon. And I dare say." Benjamin pointed his index finger at Rockefeller again. "Your idea ispletely wrong. It''s too wrong. You''ll never make money like that. Instead, it will only fuel market confusion. Paying interest instead of gold storage fees. I don''t know how you came up with such a crazy idea." From Rockefeller''s point of view, it was outrageous. How could such a narrow-minded person sit in such an important position? ''He''s supposed to be one of the two leaders controlling the empire''s gold coins as the Lyon Guildmaster. I can''t believe someone so inflexible and narrow-minded held that position.'' Rockefeller thought. The reason for the low level of finance in this ce might be because such a low-level guildmaster was upying an inappropriate position. ''Pathetic and even pitiful.'' How could such a person hold that position? ''It must be the power of his background. He''s from the Lyon family, after all.'' "What happens if I refuse to withdraw from the business?" Although he already knew the answer, he asked just in case. As expected, the answer that came back was exactly what Rockefeller had anticipated. "Refuse? Ho, you''ve got guts. In that case, it''s very simple. Your Carter Bank can no longer be with us. In other words, expulsion." Being expelled from the Lyon Guild meant that people''s trust in Carter Bank might be shaken. It was one of the things that should never happen. ''I have to join the ck Label Union if I don''t like that...'' At this point, it was unknown what kind of attitude the ck Label Union representative would have. Perhaps the other representative might have the same opinion as the narrow-minded Lyon Guildmaster. Paying a certain amount of interest to customers who deposit gold coins was a somewhat unusual idea for the current bankers. ''I don''t think it''s right for me to go to that side, not knowing what kind of reaction wille out.'' In addition, Rockefeller needed a special permit from the royal family to show well to the Lyon Guildmaster. To be a goldsmith. ''It''s a headache.'' "Expulsion... I see." Guildmaster Lyon spoke with conviction. "I know you have no other choice. How can any banker continue their business without belonging to a guild? Of course, you can continue your business without belonging to a guild. Instead, you''ll be forever left as a small, insignificant bank located in the remote areas. People won''t trust a bank that has been expelled from the guild." Rockefeller thought. ''Neither option is easy to choose.'' What was certain was: There was no given answer sheet, so it was impossible to make a decision on the spot. Bishop Verkis had been watching when he decided to follow the guildmaster''s wishes. "Guildmaster Benjamin, I''m extremely sorry, but it''s very difficult for me to give you an answer right away. Can you give me more time to think?" At those words, Benjamin snorted again. "What did you say? You want more time to think?" His expression soured. "Are you in your right mind? There''s nothing more to think about, and you''re asking for time here." It was outrageous, but from his point of view, he had to stop Rockefeller''s current business somehow. Although the church funds were being drained and the loss of gold storage fees was not insignificant, Rockefeller had tried to end things as best as he could. ''I tried my best to wrap things up nicely.'' "This person is hopeless. I didn''t know someone could be this stubborn. I must havepletely misjudged them." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 77 (1) Chapter 77 (1) Bonus chapter thanks to @Elinis monthly subscription to Dwarven Sovereigns Tier on Ko-fi The Lyon Guild (5) Bishop Verkis''s face showed doubt. "Help?" "Yes. If I continue to hold the church''s property, pressure from the guild will begin in some way. First, I would be expelled from the guild." "I can''t stop you from being expelled from the guild. That''s not something I can do." "I''m not asking you to stop me from being expelled from the guild. I know very well that you can''t stop it." "Then how do you want me to help?" Rockefeller had thought about it earlier. If he were to join hands with one of the two, he might have to wage war with the other one. ''Maybe this was the path I should have taken.'' As a result of giving up the path to bing a remote lord, Rockefeller''s current status was neither more nor less than that of amoner. However, the position of the Lyon Guild Master, which held one of the two alliances in Banco, was not overlooked by the Empire. In any case, they could provide arge amount of money to the empire and the royal family, and for that reason, they had a deep connection with the royal family. The empire also gave some courtesy to the Lyon Guild Master. That was the treatment of nobility. ''There are different ranks among the nobility. The Lyon Guild Master is equivalent to the fourth-ranked baron among the five ranks of the empire.'' In the hereditary noble ss, the highest was the Duke, and the lowest was the Earl. The baron''s position was not badpared to the expectations. ''Amoner can''t be a duke overnight. It might be the most realistic rise in status.'' If Rockefeller had driven out Lord Chester and be the lord of the Montefeltro territory, he would have probably had the status of an Earl. ''Even if you are a lord, if the position of the territory is low, the ss must be low as well.'' In most cases, when a territory was acquired, one would be a viscount, the third of the five ranks, but that was only possible if the territory had a certain status. In the case of a very insignificant territory located on the outskirts of the empire, which could be lost at any time, it stayed in a lower position than the baron. However, not all remote lords received the same treatment. In some cases, the remote territory was considered very important, and it was called a change-back and received treatment higher than a viscount. This meant that the treatment of the ruler of thend varied depending on the value of thend, even though it was thend on the outskirts of the empire. ''That''s why the saying, "Thend is the lord, and the lord is thend," was born.'' In other words, the Montefeltro territory had a significantly lower importance in the empire, and for that reason, the Montefeltro lord had to remain an earl. In fact, the Montefeltro lord had the status of an earl, higher than a knight. ''If you break down the noble ss further, there is the knight ss lower than the earl and the grand duke higher than the duke, but there is no need to think that much.'' Anyway. If he became the Lyon Guild Master, he could be a higher-ranking noble than a remote lord, and Rockefeller began to think about taking the position. ''I didn''t think about it, but this was a position I had to take eventually if I wanted to control the empire''s finances.'' Fortunately, the position of the Lyon Guild Master was not hereditary. Traditionally, the Lyon Guild Master was chosen by gathering all the Banco operators belonging to the Lyon Guild, holding a meeting, and voting. So, if several Banco operators belonging to the Lyon Guild strongly supported him, it would be no problem for Rockefeller to take the position of the Guild Master. ''And I can''t work properly under such a guy. How can I make money if he''s so tight? I can''t make it.'' With that in mind, Rockefeller continued. "In order to make the interest payment on the gold deposit a matter of course, I have no choice but to change the thinking of the Guild Master here. However, after talking with Guild Master Benjamin, I concluded that interest payment on gold deposits is absolutely impossible as long as he exists. You probably know this as well. You know more about the Guild Master here than I do." "You''re right. The guy is too greedy for money and will try to rip off the gold storage fee. He''s not the kind of person to give interest." "Then what do you think is the right thing to do in this situation?" Bishop Verkis''s face tightened slightly. "So... what do you want to say?" Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 77 (2) Chapter 77 (2) "What I''m trying to say here is that he should not be in that position." However, Guild Master Benjamin was from the same family as Bishop Verkis. So, Bishop Verkis couldn''t help but show displeasure at his words. "Heh... No matter what, he''s from the same family. I roughly know what you''re thinking, but that''s not it. No matter what, how can I abandon a family member? Even if I have my own greed, I can''t do that." "Then the interest payment on gold deposits bes absolutely impossible. They will try to stop us in any way, and if they push for expulsion from the guild, how can we continue to hold the church''s property?" Rockefeller continued to speak toward the silent Bishop Verkis. "And he is trying to turn the church''s property into his own Banco in any way. That way, he will receive the gold storage fee from the gold deposit." "Hmm..." "I know it''s difficult for you to make a decision because he''s from the same family. But in this situation, you should carefully consider who is more beneficial to you." At that, Bishop Verkis''s showed doubt. Something felt strange. "So... what do you want to say?" "To be honest, what do you think about me taking Benjamin''s position? I''m asking for your opinion, Bishop. I''ve always been on the side of the church, and on your side as well." "What?" Bishop Verkis looked surprised. He hadn''t expected Rockefeller to say something like that. "You''re saying now..." "From what I can see, you''ve always been dissatisfied with the Lyon Guild. They hold church property but dare to think of charging a storage fee for gold coins. But if you say anything, you can''t do anything because they''re from the same family. Wasn''t this your true feeling?" "Um..." Bishop Verkis, who had been coughing awkwardly, reluctantly admitted it. "Honestly, you''re somewhat right. I''ve always hadints about the guild. But I couldn''t say anything." "Is it because the guild leader is from the same family?" "That''s right. If it weren''t for that, what would stop me from saying what I want to say to him? I am the church, and the church is me. My words are the will of God." "I think so too. Your words are indeed the will of God." "But he does have some influence as the guild leader here. He holds all the money in this ce, so his words be thew here. So, I''ve been discreetly watching him." "Even so, the words of a guild leader cannot be higher than the will of God." "You''re right. There should be more people like you here, but there aren''t. Everyone is watching the guild leader." "It''s a shame. Everyone should have the same thoughts as me." After a brief silence. Rockefeller repeated what he had said. "So, I''m saying this. How about cing someone who agrees with your intentions and is loyal to the church in that position? Wouldn''t it be better for you to have someone loyal to you in that position rather than someone else?" "But he''s still from the same family." At that, Rockefeller smiled briefly. "Has being from the same family ever benefited you? On the contrary, isn''t Benjamin blocking the church from benefiting?" "Um..." Bishop Verkis, who had been constantly clearing his throat, frowned and asked Rockefeller another question. "But can you take that position? Aren''t you not even a Goldsmith yet? How can you take the guild leader''s position when you''re not even a Goldsmith?" "That''s true. I''m not a Goldsmith or anything yet." "I heard that to be a Goldsmith, you have to be a member of either the Lyon Guild or the ck Label Union. You''re not affiliated with either of them, so shouldn''t bing a Goldsmith be the first step before you talk about that?" "I''ve thought a lot about that too. So, what do you think about this?" "What are you saying?" "Since my rtionship with the Lyon Guild is not good due to the interest payment issue, it seems that the path to bing a Goldsmith by joining that guild will be blocked. Benjamin will not allow me to be a Goldsmith unless I withdraw my interest-paying business." "That''s true." "So, it''s not certain that I can go to the ck Label Union and talk to their representative. They might also have strong opposition to my thoughts." "That''s possible." "So, I''ve thought about this." Bishop Verkis sat quietly and waited for Rockefeller''s next words. "First of all, bing a Goldsmith is only possible with the permission of the royal family. However, the royal family finds it bothersome to select Goldsmiths one by one, so they have delegated that task to the two banking unions. In practice, any banker belonging to the two unions is automatically recognized as a Goldsmith." "So, what are you going to do?" "The situation is as follows, so I would like to make a proposal to you, Bishop. Bing a Goldsmith ultimately only requires the permission of the royal family, not the approval of the guild leader." Rockefeller immediately continued. "Please help me, Bishop. Then, no matter what happens, even if our bank fails, I will continue to hold the gold coins you entrusted to me." It wasn''t a difficult task from his standpoint. It was much easier than rejecting a family member. "So, you only need the royal family''s permission to be a Goldsmith?" "Yes, you don''t need toplicate things, just the royal family''s permission is enough. And I don''t think it would be difficult for you, as a bishop, to make such a request to the royal family. Besides, being a Goldsmith isn''t such a great job that the royal family would refuse your request." Bishop Verkis also began to nod, convinced to some extent. "That''s true. My influence isn''t that small, so the royal family won''t ignore me. No, they can''t. The moment they ignore me, it''s a big deal. They''re belittling me." "I will do my best for you, so please make me and my brother Joshua Goldsmiths first. Then I''ll handle the guild leader-rted issues here." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 78 (1) Chapter 78 (1) Bonus chapter 2/2 via Kofi subscriptions The Lyon Guild (6) "Really, if Ijust do that, you''ll handle everything on your own?" "Yes, what I need first is to be a goldsmith. That way, I can avoid the guild leader''s attention more easily." "It doesn''t seem like that alone will solve everything, though?" "You''re right. That''s not all. I have to put in my own efforts as well." Rockefeller cut his words short. "Also, the bishop must make his own decision." "What decision are you talking about?" "Whether to choose someone from the same family or to seat someone else who is beneficial for the church and the bishop in the guild leader position. That''s the decision that needs to be made." "Hmm... That''s difficult. You only make difficult requests." Blood is thicker than water. It wasmon to take care of the same family members. "I know that it''s difficult. They''ll probably take care of someone from the same family more than me. That''s the right thing to do. But I believe that the bishop knows better who would benefit him more without me saying it." "I need some time to think about that part." "Yes, but please make my brother and me goldsmiths. This ispletely separate from that matter, so it shouldn''t be too difficult for you." "I understand. Don''t worry too much about bing a goldsmith. If I request it, the royal family must naturally ept it. Who dares to question it?" "Then I''ll trust the bishop and move ording to my n." "Have you thought about how to move?" "I have a rough idea. For now, I n to pretend to listen and buy time. If I want to be a guild leader, I have to stay in that guild, right?" "That''s true." "Although it''s clear that I''ll need the bishop''s helpter, I''ll try to move on my own for now." "I understand. I need some time to decide who to seat in that position, soe back when the timees." "Yes, for now, I''ll withdraw and trust you. Oh, I think I''ll stay in Lyon for a while, so if you need me for anything, please call me anytime." "I got it. If there''s anything you need, I''ll call you through Leo, who is working as my personal secretary. Make sure to tell Leo as well." "Thank you. Lastly, when can I know the result of the request to the royal family?" "It won''t take more than a week at most. I''ll make you a goldsmith within a week, soe back after a week." "Then, I''ll visit you again in a week." After finishing his meeting with Bishop Verkis, Rockefeller was able to meet Leo right after leaving the room. "Were you here? Were you waiting outside?" "Did you have a good meeting with the bishop?" "Somewhat. Leo." "Yes, Rockefeller." "I think I''ll stay in Lyon for a while. Something came up." "Really? In Lyon? Didn''t you say you''d stay in Lyon for a while and then go to the capital?" "Something unexpected happened. It''s quite a headache." Leo, who showed a puzzled expression, asked again. "Did something happen?" "It''s not going well. So, I''m going to stay in Lyon for a while and take care of Leo." At this level of conversation, Rockefeller took Leo for a walk in the hallway. On the way to the cathedral entrance, Rockefeller smiled lightly, and Leo looked worried. "If things didn''t go well... is there anything I can help with?" "No, not really. Just be aware of where I am. You''re working as Bishop Verkis''s secretary, right?" At those words, Leo nodded. "Yes, it seems like the bishop is taking care of me. I''m not a personal secretary yet, but I''m learning various tasks under the personal secretary." "So you''re not an official secretary yet." "Yes, I''m still young and have a lot to learn." "But being in that position at that age is something. Others can''t even imagine being in that position, so you should be proud of yourself." It wasn''t that Rockefeller couldn''t understand why Leo became Bishop Verkis''s personal secretary. ''Well, thanks to me the church''s property is growing. That''s only natural.'' As they almost reached the cathedral entrance, Rockefeller patted Leo''s arm and said goodbye. "Then, I''ll go. Don''t worry too much about me, and you have to do well on your own. I can''t take care of you forever." "You don''t have to worry about me. I''m not a child anymore, and I can take care of myself." "That''s a relief. Anyway, I n to stay in Lyon for a while, so Ill let you know as soon as a location is set." "Yes, please let me know as soon as you find a ce to stay. I''ll visit you whenever I have time." "Alright, see you next time. I have to get going because I''m busy." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 78 (2) Chapter 78 (2) After finishing his meeting with Leo, Rockefeller took out his pocket watch and checked the time. ''I need to hurry...'' More time had passed than he thought. Rockefeller, who had been resting near the cathedral for a while, took the guide and hurried back to the Ghetto Nuovo area. Then, he went to Lyon Banco, where the guild headquarters was located, and met Benjamin, the guild leader who was waiting for him. "How did it go?" Rockefeller showed a kind smile to him, who asked about the result right away. ''I probably won''t get the result you want. But I''ll have to follow your lead for a while. I need some time to prepare, too.'' "As expected, the bishop''s reaction was simr to what I had expected." Rockefeller continued. "He mentioned faith and told me to monopolize the church''s property." Benjamin, the guild leader, responded to the conversation with a sneer. "All the believers are like that. They are such narrow-minded people, and you want to indulge them?" "Nevertheless, my only intention is to be seen favorably by the church and God." At this, Benjamin frowned. "You''re just trying to get expelled from the guild in a roundabout way. So, you decided to side with the church?" Rockefeller still had a smiling face in response to the question. "Benjamin, sir. I said I wanted to look good to them, not that I would pledge loyalty." "You little rascal." "So?" "Unfortunately, I have decided to withdraw the interest-charging business for now. I can''t continue the bank business without being a part of Lyon Guild, so it can''t be helped, right?" Finally, Benjamin showed a somewhat satisfied expression. "That''s right!" Benjamin habitually mmed the table and stood up from his seat. "No one can continue the bank business without being a part of this guild. This applies even to God. Trust is the life of a bank. But a bank that doesn''t belong to the guild cannot gain trust from everyone. What will you do when it goes bankrupt? Where are you going to find the entrusted gold coins? It''s all because our guild is here that the bank operators can continue their business with peace of mind." Benjamin, who had been shouting excitedly by himself, sat back down and turned his chair slightly. He then began to nod vigorously. "I see. I understand, so go back now. Oh, since you decided to withdraw, do so promptly." "So, does our bank remain in the guild?" At that question, Benjamin unknowingly stroked his own beard. ''He''s quite annoying. But he''s not my own boss.'' "Since you listened to me, I don''t n on expelling you right away. If you hadn''t listened, I would have considered kicking you out, but since you said that, I changed my mind a little." Benjamin continued to think. ''I should tell Carter to just fire that guy. Somehow, it feels right. I don''t know what he''ll doter because he''s annoying.'' "For now, I won''t expel you and I''ll leave you be. Later on, as long as you don''t mess around, we''ll need at least one bank in your territory." Rockefeller also hid his true feelings. ''He''s rolling his eyes all by himself. He won''t be in that position for long. If an ipetent person like you continues to sit there, all the bank operators in the guild won''t have any fun.'' The Bank Union. It was a gathering formed by usurers who were once persecuted by everyone, in order to protect themselves and survive. Now, the meaning has changed a lot, and it has be a profit group that seeks more benefits than simple survival. If someone can give more benefits to all guild members, Rockefeller thought that it wouldn''t be difficult for that person to overthrow the current guild leader and be the new leader. ''The position you''re sitting in now is not just for you. It''s a position where only those who can truly indulge the greedy bank operators in the guild can sit. In that sense, you''re a zero-point leader. You''re a disgrace.'' "It seems we haven''t been expelled from the guild yet. I''m really relieved." Whether it was his original personality. Or whether the position made him that way. Benjamin, who started meddling on his own, continued to speak arrogantly. "Since it''se to this, I think it''s best to hold a guild meeting hosted by the guild leader and make sure it''s nailed down. That your idea was definitely wrong. You will testify to that at the meeting." "A guild meeting?" "Yes, it''s a ce where we call all the bank operators belonging to the guild for a meeting whenever there''s an issue or every few years. There, we elect a new guild leader, or we can issue new guidelines and force them on all guild members." Benjamin continued. "It''s already noisy in the guild itself because of the interest issue. They''re arguing with each other about whether it''s right or wrong. You have to say it clearly there. Your idea waspletely wrong. And I n to ban interest payments on gold deposits forever as a guild guideline. What a ridiculous idea. Even a passing dog wouldugh." You''re digging your own grave! Rockefeller had a hard time holding back his rising smile. ''He''s trying to bury my ideapletely by holding a guild meeting. That won''t be it. On the contrary, that meeting will be your grave.'' "That''s not a bad idea. I want to testify for sure that my idea was wrong at that ce." Benjamin, who was intoxicated with satisfaction, spoke. "Then just know that for now. It''s probably difficult to gather right away. Considering the time it takes to inform all the scattered guild members and for them to gather... the meeting will be held at least two weekster. Do you have time?" "What time are you talking about?" "Can you wait quietly here in Lyon until the meeting?" "Yes, of course." "Then I''m relieved. Stay here for a while before the guild meeting. I''ll arrange a ce for you to stay." Not only digging his own grave, but also providing a bed for the person who will stab him in the backter! "I didn''t know that Sir Benjamin would take care of me so much." Rockefeller tried his best to hide his true feelings and smiled kindly. "Thank you very much." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 79 (1) Chapter 79 (1) The Lyon Guild (7) "It''s not that big of a deal. Just rest until the meeting is held. I''ll call you when it''s time." Rockefeller suddenly thought of something and spoke again. "Oh, I almost forgot. The reason I came to Lyon was to join the guild and be a goldsmith." "That''s right. You''re not a goldsmith yet, are you?" A strange smile appeared on Guild Master Benjamin''s face. It wasn''t a very pleasant smile for Rockefeller. "To be a goldsmith, you need a special permit from the royal family, but to get that special permit, you need to join the Lyon Guild or the ck Label Union, as far as I know." "That''s right. You need to belong to one of the two banking union to get a special permit because the royal family doesn''t review it directly." Benjamin continued. "Why would the royal family issue direct orders for something as trivial as a goldsmith? They''re already dealing with hellish matters." "So, I''d like to join the guild." At that, Benjamin subtly started to make excuses. "Hmm... It''s not difficult to that extent, but from what I see, you seem a bit inexperienced?" "I''m confident in gold coin forging." "Confident in gold coin forging... Well, wait for now. Depending on the results of the meeting, I might be able to make you a goldsmith." To Rockefeller''s ears, it sounded like he would be used during the meeting and then discarded. ''You''re so obvious, you know.'' Goldsmith. In fact, it was a trivial job when you really looked at it. But even that trivial thing could only be achieved with the approval of one of the two alliance representatives. "If you were my acquaintance or the child of a guild member, it would have been done right away. That''s a bit unfortunate." All that was in Benjamin''s head was resentment towards Rockefeller. ''I don''t like this guy from the start. Even if this matter is resolved, I don''t know what he''ll doter on, so I need to nip it in the bud from the beginning.'' Goldsmith? ''It''s absurd. You won''t be able to set foot in this field.'' "Anyway, don''t worry too much about that and focus on the guild meeting for now. I''ll take responsibility for making you a goldsmith." Rockefeller, who knew the words were false, didn''t show any reaction. "Then I''ll trust Master Benjamin and wait quietly until the guild meeting." "If you stay here doing nothing, you''ll be bored, so take a look around. This ce is much bigger than the Montefeltro territory you were in, so you won''t be too bored during your stay." "Thank you for your advice." After finishing the conversation, Rockefeller immediately went down to the first floor of the guild headquarters. As soon as he arrived on the first floor, the old man approached and spoke. "How did it go with Master Benjamin?" Rockefeller informed him of the agreement he had made with Guild Master Benjamin. Hearing Rockefeller''s story, the old man also nodded his head. "That''s right. Following Master Benjamin''s instructions will be good for your reputation. He''s not only the leader of the Lyon Guild, but also a member of the great Lyon family. You, a country bumpkin, can''t win against him without fear." Afterpletely leaving the guild headquarters, Rockefeller looked up at the shop sign. The name "Lyon Bank" was written inrge letters. ''Lyon Guild...'' A momentter, Rockefeller turned his gaze and scanned the narrow alleyway. There were countless banks crowded in the Ghetto Nuovo Street. ''Now that I have a goal, I should take some action.'' Two weeks remained until the guild meeting. It wasn''t time for Rockefeller, who was aiming for the guild master position, to stand idly by. First, Rockefeller decided to listen to the opinions of other bank merchants doing business in Ghetto Nuovo. He was curious about their thoughts on the interest business he had done. ''If most of them are positive, I''ll have an advantage in the guild meeting.'' Rockefeller visited a nearby bank. "Wee, sir." A banker, who mistook the well-dressed Rockefeller for a minor noble, greeted him with a bright smile. The bank he visited was a small shop of a few square meters, and the owner appeared to be a middle-aged man. "What brings you here? Are you here to deposit gold coins or borrow them?" "No, I wanted to ask something, so I took the liberty ofing here." The owner showed strong curiosity. "What do you want to ask all of a sudden?" "Do you know about a small bank in the Montefeltro territory called Carter Bank?" "Carter Bank?" Rockefeller didn''t expect much when he asked, but the response was more than he had imagined. "Oh, I know Carter Bank very well. There''s a lot of talk about it among the bankers these days, especially about themotion caused by that incident." Seeing the banker show so much interest, Rockefeller asked again. "What incident are you talking about?" Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 79 (2) Chapter 79 (2) "Well, they say that a young assistant working there led an operation to capture a local lord." "Capture the lord?" "Yes, they turned the lord into aplete debtor and put him under their control." The candid expression was pleasing to Rockefeller. "So, how much do you know about this?" "I only know that much. It''s unbelievable that a powerless banker like us could capture a lord. I thought it was a lie when I first heard it." "But has the story already spread this far?" "Of course! A simple banker captured a lord, so it would be even stranger if the rumor didn''t spread." Until now, bankers had been nothing more than powerless subjects. But one of them suddenly captured a lord, so it would have been strange if the rumor hadn''t spread. "The young assistant, who is said to have juste of age, fearlessly carried out such a feat." The shop owner, who had been talking excitedly, began to notice that the rumored assistant''s appearance ovepped with the young man standing before him. "Where are you from?" Faced with the question about his identity, Rockefeller hesitated for a moment. ''Should I tell him?'' His identity would be revealed soon at the guild meeting in two weeks anyway. But there was no need to reveal it here, so he decided to listen to the objective evaluations of himself circting among the bankers first. "I''m just a passerby. I was interested in the rumor and happened to stop by your shop. I wanted to confirm if the rumor was true." "I see. There are quite a few people like you. Although the territory is located in the outskirts, people are curious about how a simple banker captured the lord, so theye here to ask. Anyway, it''s a story about a banker, so it spreads quickly among us." He continued. "Our circle is quite small. We are just a few connections away from knowing each other. Well, we''re all in the same guild, so it''s possible." Rockefeller asked him what he had been curious about. "So, what do you think?" "What do I think?" "I''m curious about your thoughts on the assistant." "Well, I can only say that he''s incredible. I don''t know exactly how it was possible, but now that bank is in a great position. They don''t have to worry about anything anymore, and unless a sudden group of thieves attacks, what big problems could they have? We, the other bankers, are just envious." "I see." The banker suddenly opened his mouth as if he had remembered something. "Oh, there was that incident too." "What are you talking about?" "It''s not a recent event, but... there are quite a lot of rumors about it." Rockefeller roughly guessed what he was trying to say, but decided to pretend he didn''t know for now. "What is it?" "Well... this is more of an internal issue among us." "Can you not tell me?" The story of paying interest to the person who entrusted the gold coins. The banker seemed to consider it quite sensitive and tried to hold back his words. "This is a rather sensitive issue, so it''s not appropriate to discuss here. It''s a very sensitive matter that could potentially affect our business and other businesses." "Is that so?" "It''s difficult to say what it is here, but our opinions are divided among the bankers. Some believe it''s right, others are fighting over it." It seemed to be a story about paying interest. Rockefeller, pretending to know nothing, asked him again. "What do you think about that issue?" "Ha ha, are you asking me without even knowing what it is?" As he asked with a smile, Rockefeller responded with a gentle smile. "I''m just curious." "Well... I''m not sure yet. It would be crazy if it was just a crazy act, but the result is good. So I''m in a dilemma." "Is that all?" At this point, the shop owner frowned. "Why are you so persistent in asking? Did someone send you? You don''t look like an ordinary person." When he became suspicious, Rockefeller decided to be honest. After all, his identity would be revealed when he saw the guild meeting. "I am his assistant." "What? What did you just say?" "I am the rumored assistant." At this, the shop owner showed a quite surprised expression. "So... you are that..." Rockefeller, still smiling, pointed to himself. "Yes, that''s right." "But why did youe all the way from the remote territory?" "I briefly visited Lyon to be a goldsmith. I''ve already met the guild master, and I''m curious about how the story of my business is being heard by the existing bankers, so I came to visit." "Oh... Oh, I see. You were his assistant. The one who caught that lord..." The shop owner, who was rambling in surprise, regained hisposure and began to treat Rockefeller. He was also interested in the rumored assistant. "First, have a seat here. Do you need tea?" When he met the guild master, he was beaten with a cane instead of tea. But here, he was treated fairly well, and Rockefeller felt a strange feeling. "No, I''m fine." "No, I''ll feel bad if you don''t. Do you want ck tea? Or I also have herbal tea. Both are delicious. We only use the highest quality in this store." "Then I''ll have the herbal tea." After a while, the shop owner brought the herbal tea and sat downfortably opposite Rockefeller. "You were the rumored assistant." The shop owner''s gaze changed 180 degrees as he learned Rockefeller''s identity. "Yes, I happened toe to Lyon. But the guild master seems to have a lot ofints about me." At that, the shop owner began to nod vigorously. "It''s natural. The losses caused by you must be significant." Rockefeller, who thought there was no need to be too cautious with the friendly shop owner, continued. "What do you think about the business I started? I''m curious whether you or other bankers think the same as the guild master here." "To be honest, I''m fifty-fifty. As I mentioned earlier, I really don''t know. Plus, wasn''t there a precedent where you caught a lord? So I''m even more unsure." Rockefeller nodded alone. ''It seems that the rumor of me catching a lord is working quite positively here. It''s natural since there''s already a sessful case.'' Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 80 (1) Chapter 80 (1) The Lyon Guild (8) "I see." The shop owner facing Rockefeller began to speak. "Opinions are divided among the merchants here too. Some people think that if a customer entrusts their gold coins, they should naturally collect storage fees and make a profit, and they get angry about paying interest. There are also people like me who don''t know much, and those who think it''s right, and they are considering giving it a try." If any bank tried to pay interest, they wouldn''t be able to focus on the umting gold coins. That''s because ordinary people would prefer a bank that pays interest over one that charges storage fees, and gold coins would only pile up in such a bank. Furthermore, people who have been storing gold coins on their own because they didn''t want to pay storage fees would all entrust their gold coins to the bank, creating a structure where gold coins naturally umte. "It seems that the opinions of bank merchants are also divided." "More importantly, how did youe up with such an idea? In my opinion, it could just be a coincidence, or maybe you" He was an extraordinary bank assistant who had even captured the lord. It was almost like a rabbit catching a tiger. Although it was obvious that he would soon be a goldsmith, the fact that an assistant had done such a thing was very impressive in his eyes. "I thought you might be a genius in this field. There are geniuses everywhere." "Ha ha, I''m not a genius. I''m just an ordinary bank assistant." What genius? He had simply applied the knowledge he already had here. It was a trivial matter for Rockefeller. "Anyway, the guild master was furious about that. As you know, the guild headquarters is right next door, right? He screamed so loudly that I thought my ears were going to fall off." "I can see why. The guild master seemed to have quite a temper when I saw him briefly." "It''s understandable that the guild master would be furious, as all the gold coins that Bishop Verkis had entrusted were taken out. I would have been angry too. But whose money is that? The entrusted gold coins can go anywhere at any time." He cautiously continued speaking, watching the guild master, who wasn''t even in this ce. "To be honest, I was a bit jealous. It was annoying to see him monopolize all the church funds just because he''s from the same family." "Do you mean that all the existing church funds were managed by the Lyon Bank?" "Benjamin was the one who did it all by himself. It''s a lot of money for church funds. He must have made a fortune from the monthly gold coin storage fees. There''s no better business than this. Bishop Verkis, who entrusted the gold coins to a family member, must have been secretly dissatisfied as well, as the money was constantly being taken out of the church." "Of course, it''s all blood money." "So the bank merchants here were also secretly dissatisfied. He was eating up all the church funds by himself." "I would be dissatisfied too. It''s natural to get indigestion if you''re too greedy." "So when I heard that the funds were leaking out to unexpected ces, it honestly felt like a ten-year-old grudge was lifted. It was refreshing." Other people''s misfortunes are my happiness. The shop owner that Rockefeller met by chance was also not deviating from the typical human nature. "But there''s one thing I''m curious about." This time, it was the shop owner facing Rockefeller who asked a question. "How can you still make a profit by paying interest like that? Is the loan business doing that well?" At that question, Rockefeller first smiled. "The structure generates revenue from the difference between loan interest and deposit interest. At that time, I offered a high interest rate of 3% to look good in the eyes of the church, and generally, if you only pay 1% interest, everyone will be scrambling to deposit gold coins." "I see That''s right. Which of the numerous bank merchants would have thought of not charging gold coin storage fees? It was an innovative idea. I''m also considering it." The shop owner nodded his head alone. In the meantime, Rockefeller continued to speak. "Unlike here, there is only one bank in our territory, and indirectly inheriting the lord''s position, the loan business is always smooth." "Who are you lending to?" "We lend to our territory''s residents and nearby aristocrats, up to the maximum amount they can afford to repay." Rockefeller, who had a lot to say, paused for a moment to catch his breath and continued. "Recently, arge natural disaster urred in our area, and everyone is desperate for gold coin loans. We are also subtly increasing profits by lending them enough money not to die from debt." "Ah, I heard there was a lot of trouble recently. They said the terrain changed due to frequent earthquakes?" "Yes, it was an unfortunate event, but the lord and the residents were able to minimize casualties with good response." "Hehe Anyway, listening to you, it seems like your business is going well." "Moreover, by depositing church funds and receiving the church''s protection, the business is thriving day by day." Once he met the person involved in the rumor. Even the shop owner, who had been half-doubtful of the rumors, couldn''t help but have his ears perk up. "I envy you." "If you''re envious, why don''t you try it like me? It''s not that difficult." When Rockefeller subtly suggested his own way, the shop owner, whose name he didn''t even know, began to shake his head. There was a good reason for this. The existence of the guild master, who considered Rockefeller a thorn in his side, was right there. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 80 (2) Chapter 80 (2) "It''s not as easy as you think. We inevitably have to watch the guild master''s mood here, even if it''s not the case on your side. Some merchants tried to do it like you, but they ended up in big trouble for falling out of the guild master''s favor. He was outraged, questioning if it was right for him to have such crazy thoughts. You should have seen it." What Rockefeller felt throughout the conversation was that the guild master had more problems than he had thought. "From what I''ve heard, you must have a lot ofints about the guild master here." "Of course, there are manyints. There''s a lot I want to say besides that, but there''s nothing we can do, so we just let it be." Rockefeller expressed his doubts. "Despite having such an unsatisfactory guild master, are the Banco merchants and guild members here not thinking of driving him out?" "Drive out the guild master? Huh..." His reaction was not casual, as he judged it to be not an easy thought. "To be honest, I want to drive out that stubborn guild master too. He''s so stubborn that he doesn''t listen to others, and he eats up all the sessful businesses by himself, so the Banco merchants here are also dissatisfied. But even if there are manyints, we can''t do anything. We can''t drive him out." Rockefeller had a rough idea, but he asked just in case. "Is there a good reason for that?" "Isn''t he from the Lyon family? As you know, Bishop Verkis of the Lyon family is in the church. Even if we don''t care about him, we inevitably have to watch the church''s mood. It''s because the church knowingly or unknowingly turns a blind eye that we Banco merchants can do business sofortably. Otherwise, we wouldn''t be able to do business at all." The reason why the guild members belonging to the Lyon Guild had quietly refrained fromining so far was because of the existence of the church here. "Since the Lyon family began to be interested in Banco business here, the ce has rapidly risen as the center of imperialmerce, knowingly or unknowingly. In fact, the city of Lyon was not such a great city in the past. But people who want to do various things need money to do something right away, don''t they? This is the ce where you can borrow money more easily than you think, so it has developed into amercial city." His words continued. "And in the Lyon family, there are both Banco merchants and church people, so they help each other grow. Banco merchants make money, and church people need money unknowingly, so the church secretly turns a blind eye to what Banco merchants do, and they both grow together." He asked back. "Can people like us dare to raise a banner against the Lyon family, which is the real owner of this city, just because we haveints about the guild master? Try telling them." Instead of answering, Rockefeller just shook his head. "By the way, you must pay a lot of church money." "Of course, we have to pay church money. If we don''t pay church money, we can''t do business. That''s obvious." Church money was also an unwanted expense in the end. Is there a way for Banco merchants not to pay church money obligatorily? ''It might be possible. If the Banco merchants here hold church funds like I do and inte them in the form of interest, the church won''t want church money unconditionally. In that case, the church won''t be able to favor the Banco merchants who inte their property.'' Rockefeller continued to think. ''And at some point, they will have to rely on Banco merchants while watching their mood. Then, the church money can be a little off the coercive form.'' "I heard you well." Rockefeller, who thought he had a rough conversation, began to think about this conversation. First of all, it was about the guild master. ''Anyway, the position of the guild master here is more solid and immovable than I thought. The biggest problem is that he is from the Lyon family, the real power in this ce.'' Is there no way out? That wasn''t the case either. ''But the rtionship with Bishop Verkis has be estranged due to the interest issue, and on the contrary, my rtionship with him continues to improve, so it''s worth trying a gamble. If Bishop Verkis supports me, then Guild Master Benjamin won''t be able to keep his position. The guild members have been watching the church''s mood rather than the Lyon family''s mood in the end.'' "This is a separate question, but I heard that the guild master is elected through a guild meeting." When Rockefeller mentioned what he had heard from Carter, the shop owner quietly nodded. "That''s right. It''s an old tradition that has been handed down since the early days of the guild. At that time, the power of the Lyon family was strong, and they could also receive support from the church, so the Banco merchants gathered together and voted for the Lyon Guild Master. And that tradition continues." "Is there no election every few years? Is that correct?" "There''s no fixed rule. It''s just a form of electing a guild master naturally when the guild members'' intentions are gathered. Besides, only those from the Lyon family can be guild masters, so who would be interested in voting for a guild master?" "Has there been anyone other than the Lyon family who has be a guild master?" "Haha, not a single person. I wonder too. Will such a person ever appear? It''s probably difficult." He thought it would be difficult. Because arms bend inward. Since the bishop of Lyon had also been in charge of the Lyon family for generations, the Banco merchants, who had to watch their mood, thought it was impossible to seat a guild master from another family. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 81 (1) Chapter 81 (1) Bonus chapter thanks to @Shadesher''s subscription to Dwarven Sovereign Tier on Ko-fi! The Lyon Guild (9) "Most guild members probably think that way." "Why? Are you interested in being the guild leader?" Rockefeller chuckled and replied. "I''m not even a goldsmith yet." "That''s true. You''re not a goldsmith yet. Yeah, I was having a silly thought." Although he said that, Rockefeller was genuinely considering bing the guild leader. He could easily give up the position of lord, but the position of guild leader was different. ''It will be a significant position. The moment I be the guild leader, all the moneylenders in the guild will develop into a more evolved form than they are now.'' That is, into banks. "From what I''ve heard, it seems that the guild leader is someone who is elected to help all the guild members." The shop owner did not deny it. "That''s right. The original purpose of the Lyon Guild was for weak moneylenders to join forces. You may not know this, but just a few decades ago, moneylenders were practically trapped in this Ghetto Nuovo. At that time, they couldn''t even be treated as people." Why? Because they were engaged in usury, and everyone despised and oppressed them. "Only recently has that perception softened a bit, and it''s all thanks to the help of the bishop. The church also needed money, you see. And since the moneylenders had the money, the church showed favor. It''s funny, but the bishop here needs this to move up to a better position." "You mean money?" "That''s right. Even in the church, you need money to secure a position. If you look at the political struggles within the church, it''s all a war of gold." "A war of gold..." "His Holiness the Pope knows that he needs money to spread the teachings of John the Saint, so he especially cherishes the diocese that offers more donations. That diocese is considered to have a strong faith. Anyway, it''s a well-known fact that His Holiness the Pope cherishes the diocese that offers more donations. And he takes special care of the owner of that diocese." The arm bends inward. Through a casual conversation, Rockefeller found a way to win over Bishop Verkis. ''I remember the bishop here used to be an archbishop. But now he''s just a bishop. That means...'' Rockefeller unknowingly smiled. ''Either he doesn''t have a good rtionship with His Holiness the Pope, or the donations from this diocese are smaller than before.'' "So, I heard that there used to be an archbishop here, but now there''s only a bishop. Is there a reason for that?" A story about a city not mentioned in the novel. When Rockefeller asked, the shop owner sighed briefly. "It''s probably all about money, isn''t it? People are like that. If you give them one thing, they''re happy, but if you give them two and then take one away, they hate it. Lyon is in that situation." "I''d like to hear more about it." At Rockefeller''s request, the shop owner began to speak. "As Lyon developedmercially and money became avable, Verkis, who was a priest at the time, became greedy. At that time, as it is now, if you bring a lot of donations to the Papal Court, the Pope and the Papal Court would pay more attention to you. So, he sent an excessive amount of donations to the Papal Court." "It seems that Bishop Verkis was doing very well at the time." "He was. There was even a time when the Pope himself visited, and he was called an archbishop." "So when did things go wrong?" "Rather than going wrong, as I said before, he pushed himself too hard. It''s not like money keeps falling from the sky." "So, did what you mentioned earlier happen?" "That''s what happened. Initially, the Papal Court was happy, but as the donations here continued to decrease, they became discontent. In fact, they were still giving more donations than anywhere else." "I see." "People can be so cunning. When they became dissatisfied with the donations, the Papal Court began to question the faith here." "It''s a funny story. After all, it''s still quite a bit of money." "To appease them, Bishop Verkis tried to somehow raise money and asked Benjamin for help, but as I said earlier, it was too much from the start, and he failed." At this point, Rockefeller asked a follow-up question. "Did the rtionship between the two be a little strained at the time? I''m talking about Bishop Verkis and Benjamin." "Still, they were from the same family, so they knew each other''s situations. Bishop Verkis eventually gave up, realizing it was too much." "I see. So, the result was..." "Obviously. The Holy See gave Archbishop Verkis the position of Archbishop, but when the church funds decreased, they demoted Verkis by one rank just because there are many moneylenders here. Unfortunately, it was because of the moneylenders that he reached the position of Archbishop, but his greed held him back and he was demoted to Bishop again." "It''s a pity." "There wasn''t anything particrly wrong with Archbishop Verkis, but if he hadn''t been so greedy at that time." "He could have had better results if he climbed up step by step." "But I don''t know this very well, but there was a rumor that the rtionship between Archbishop Verkis and the Pope was not very good at that time. I don''t know the details of the church affairs, so I''m not sure." Rockefeller''s ears perked up. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 81 (2) Chapter 81 (2) "Was there such a story?" "Anyway, that''s how he became the current bishop. It''s all about money." As the conversation was about to end, Rockefeller tried to wrap up the conversation. There was nothing more to discuss. ''I roughly understand what the moneylenders here are thinking.'' As Rockefeller was about to get up from his seat, he suddenly remembered something and asked onest question. "Just in case." "What do you mean?" "About the guild leader story earlier. If there was a better candidate than Benjamin, would you be willing to choose that person?" "Well... but is there anyone better than Benjamin? He''s from the Lyon family, after all." The shop owner gave a faint smile. "Moreover, he has a special rtionship with Bishop Verkis, so realistically, there is no better guild leader than Benjamin. I haveints, but I endure it because of those reasons." "What if?" "Of course, I would choose. But there is no such person." "I see. I''ve heard you well." "Did you ask all the questions you were curious about?" "Yes, I''ve heard you well. I hope we can meet againter." "I''m just happy to see the rumored assistant. Feel free toe by anytime. You''re wee." As Rockefeller finished the conversation and left the shop, the shop owner quietly watched him go. The impression he got of the young man named Rockefeller was that of a well-dressed young gentleman, other than being the rumored assistant. And he seemed more ambitious than expected. ''Does he have an interest in bing a guild leader here? He keeps asking, so it seems like it. But he''s just an assistant, so maybe I''m overthinking it.'' In the moneylending business, where gold coin processing and loans are the main tasks, he was like aet that had appeared. Although he was a remote lord, he dared to catch a tiger like a rabbit and even took over the church property that the guild leader had monopolized. ''Come to think of it, if the loan business goes well, it wouldn''t be bad to pay interest to the church. After all, it''s a profit.'' In terms of results, it was definitely the young man''s victory. However, the current guild leader wasn''t an easy opponent, and the business the young man was involved in didn''t seem to go smoothly. Would the guild leader just sit still after having his livelihood taken away? ''He definitely won''t just sit still.'' As he thought about it, the shop owner began to worry about the young man named Rockefeller. ''Benjamin is not an ordinary person. He has a fiery temper, so he won''t let it go easily. He''ll find a way to harass him somehow.'' The first thought that came to mind was expulsion from the guild. And it seemed difficult for the young man to be a goldsmith as well. ''It might be difficult to be a goldsmith. The guild leader won''t like someone who took over his livelihood and make him a goldsmith.'' While the shop owner, whose name was unknown, was thinking about it. Rockefeller visited other shops and discussed the same topic with the owners. After visiting several moneylenders and talking to various owners, Rockefeller stood on the street called Ghetto Nuovo, known for its moneylenders. ''I have a rough idea of how they feel.'' After talking to several moneylenders, Rockefeller''s face was full of confidence. ''The people here also have a lot of implicit and explicitints about the guild leader. Comints about his personality, behavior, and especially in business. But they can''t do anything about it because he''s from the Lyon family.'' Rockefeller, who was nodding to himself, thought as he got up from his seat. ''First of all, bing a goldsmith is a priority.'' Rockefeller''s top priority now was whether or not he could be a goldsmith. ''That must be done first to move on to the next step.'' The possibility of bing a goldsmith? ''The royal family can''t ignore the church''s opinion, so it won''t be too difficult to be a goldsmith.'' The real problem was what came next. ''How I speak at the guild meeting will be the most important thing. There will be no moneylenders who don''t know about me, and if I am someone who is in their interests.'' The possibility of bing a guild leader? ''I don''t know yet.'' Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 82 (1) Chapter 82 (1) Guild Meeting (1) Approximately a weekter, Rockefeller received an unexpected call from the church. It was a summons from Bishop Verkis, and Rockefeller, who knew the reason, quickly left his residence in thepany of Leo, who hade to fetch him. "Have you heard anything about the result?" he asked Leo. "No, I was only told to bring you, but I didn''t hear why they wanted to bring you, Rockefeller Hyung" Leo admitted. They reached Lyon Cathedral. There, Rockefeller was able to meet Bishop Verkis again after about a week. "You''ve arrived. Please sit down." From his bright expression from the start, it seemed like the result must have been positive. However, Rockefeller asked a bit anxiously, just in case, "Has the resulte out?" "Haha, isn''t the result obvious?" The Bishop began to boast proudly, as if it were nothing. At the good news, Rockefeller''s face naturally brightens too. "It seems the results turned out well." "A goldsmith isn''t such a big deal, anyway. You requested for you and your younger brother, wasn''t it? I don''t know him, so I told them to make all of your family at any rate, all of you are now goldsmiths. Unless it''s a big problem, it wont be an issue." Guild Meeting (2) Rockefeller smiled faintly and said, "The royal family might find it strange. They were asked to make an entire family of goldsmiths in an instant. Even I would have thought it was strange." "Ha ha, it might be strange. It''s funny that I have to step in for such a thing, but who''s request is it? The royal family has no choice but to listen to whatever is asked." "Of course. Who would dare refuse the request of the church?" The oue turned out well anyway. Rockefeller, who was finally able to rx, started to speak about what he had been thinking for the past week. "Your Excellency the Bishop, there will be a guild meeting hosted by Benjamin in about a week." "A guild meeting?" Bishop Verkis was not unaware of the guild meeting where all the bankers gathered. "What''s going on with them that they have to hold a guild meeting all of a sudden?" "Your Excellency must not know anything yet. I guess that''s possible. You''re not a banker, so no one would have told you." "Even if it''s a guild meeting, what could it be?" Rockefeller continued in a rather serious tone toward Verkis, who seemed to think it was not a big deal. "In fact, that meeting is quite important to us." "An important meeting?" "Yes, they n to announce a new decree there." "What kind of decree?" "It''s about the interest payment issue. Benjamin ns to ban all interest payments for gold deposits at the meeting he''s hosting." "What?" Bishop Verkis furrowed his brows. "Are they going to ban it by making a decree?" "Yes, Your Excellency knows well, right? How Benjamin thinks about the interest business I''m running." "Right, but that''s not the point. Who benefits from that? And he''s going to ban it just like that?" As Verkis showed his displeasure, Rockefeller was secretly satisfied. ''Of course, that reaction is natural. The one who will suffer the most from this is none other than the church.'' "It seems that Benjamin is not so friendly to the church. He''s a different person from me." With a frown on his face, Bishop Verkis asked, "Then what will happen to the interest business you''re running?" "It''s definitely going to be difficult. We, the weak bankers on the outskirts, have absolutely no strength to resist the guild decree." "But didn''t you promise me?" "That promise was valid only when the guild decree was not issued. If I were to force it for Your Excellency, not only would our bank be automatically expelled from the guild, but the trust in our bank would decrease, and we might have to stop all the businesses we are currently running." "But you promised me. Are you nning to break your promise with me like this?" Instead of getting angry at Bishop Verkis, Rockefeller calmly began to persuade him. "Your Excellency, you wouldn''t want to keep the church''s funds tied up in a bank that''s not doing any business. This is a concern I have for the church''s property in the Holy City." "That''s not possible. That''s a different kind of money." "I feel the same way. If it were money entrusted by someone else, I would have been greedy and continued to lie that it was okay. But I can''t dare do that with the church''s property." "Heh..." "Your Excellency, I am extremely sorry to say this, but I don''t think it''s fair to say that I broke my promise. It''s just that something unexpected happened and I couldn''t do anything about it." Bishop Verkis said, "So, you''re saying that you can''t keep your promise with me because of the guild decree?" "For now, yes." "Ha..." Who should he me for this? It was hard to me Rockefeller, as his words made sense. A bank not belonging to the guild could not do well in business. So, fortunately, Bishop Verkis''s target of criticism was directed at Benjamin, the guild leader who was pushing for the guild decree, rather than Rockefeller next to him. "How much have I done for that guy so far? No matter how much we are from the same family, is that how it should be? Does he have to block it like that?" "This is purely my thought, but it seems that Benjamin really hated it." Bishop Verkis thought that if he could just block the guild decree, things would work out somehow. "Can''t I stop it?" "Are you saying that Your Excellency will personally step in?" "If you can''t stop it, I''ll have to step in and try to stop it." Then, Rockefeller shook his head in disagreement. "Your Excellency, I think it would be difficult for you." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 82 (2) Chapter 82 (2) "Why do you think so?" "The power of the guild leader in the Lyon Guild is absolute. Your Excellency''s power is also tremendous, but the guild leader is also a person from the same family as Your Excellency. Would the guild leader blink an eye? I think this is obvious to other guild members as well." "Even so! Who am I!" "And if you go that way." Rockefeller smirked inwardly. This meant that all the conversations so far had gone ording to his intentions. "Even if you are from the same family, you may end up embarrassing each other. Who knows if it will turn into a mud fight and both of you will end up worse off than others?" Bishop Verkis, with his brow furrowed, mmed the armrest of the chair with his clenched fist in anger. "How much have I done for that guy so far! Who''s the one who protected him from all the nonsense he''s been spewing at the Papal Court! And he''s trying to do this to me just to save his own bowl!" Still furious, his clenched fist trembled violently. Bishop Verkis, who was ring at the absent guild leader Benjamin with zing eyes, spoke. "How could I have put up with that guy for so long? I should have gotten rid of him quickly when I had the chance!" Rockefeller, who had been cautiously watching Bishop Verkis'' mood, cautiously chimed in. "I''ve heard many stories while staying here. One of them was that the growth of the Lyon Guild was only possible because of Your Grace''s power." When Bishop Verkis looked at him, Rockefeller continued his words. "But it seems that Benjamin does not have much intention of repaying that grace." "That damn guy, even if he''s from the same family, it''s too much!" "Didn''t Your Grace defend the Lyon Guild and, in the process, lose the position of Archbishop against your will because you fell out of favor with the church?" "How did you know that?" "I just heard it here and there." Harrumph! After a fake cough, Bishop Verkis spoke. "Well, that''s not exactly it, but it''s a bitplicated. But to some extent, it''s true. I tried to defend that loan shark who is from my family, and that''s what happened." Rockefeller took his side. "It seems that Your Grace has done so much for him, but in my opinion, Benjamin is making a big mistake." Unable to say anything and just suppressing his anger, Bishop Verkis listened as Rockefeller subtly suggested. "In my opinion, if Your Grace continues to be with such a person, it will be difficult for the Pope in the end." Bishop Verkis reacted strongly to Rockefeller''s words. "What... What are you talking about now? The Pope?" Although his reaction was unpredictable. Rockefeller confidently continued his words to persuade him. "Yes, just as I said earlier. There is no reason why Your Grace, who is notcking in any way, should not be the Pope, right?" It was so unexpected. Bishop Verkis didn''t know what to say, and silence flowed between them for a moment. Harrumph! After a short cough, Bishop Verkis opened his mouth. "Being the Pope is not something anyone can do. Only those chosen by heaven can dare to take that position." "Where is it that heaven chooses? It''s when someone around you pushes you up that you be the Pope. And that person is the one chosen by heaven." Bishop Verkis'' gaze, which had be mysterious, turned to Rockefeller. For a while, not saying anything, Bishop Verkis spoke again after looking at Rockefeller''s serious face. "Your thoughts are... interesting." However, he soon shook his head as if something hade to mind. From his perspective, it was something he thought was impossible from the beginning. "No, it''s difficult for me. My position in the church is low, and my rtionship with the Pope is not very good. In order to get to that position, I need the Pope''s blessing, and that won''t be easy." Then, Rockefeller smiled faintly and spoke. "Where is the impossibility in the world? If it doesn''t work, make it work." "I envy your way of thinking. But when you get to my age and be somewhat indifferent to worldly affairs, your ambitions naturally wane." "But isn''t Your Grace also trying to increase the church''s wealth by collecting interest, which is also somewhat ambitious?" Rockefeller''s words seemed to subtly draw Bishop Verkis'' heart. "Well... So what do you want to say? What are you trying to say by talking like that?" At this moment, Rockefeller spoke with an extremely serious expression. "Then let me be blunt. Change your running mate at this opportunity." "Running mate?" "Yes, the running mate." Bishop Verkis questioned. "What running mate are you talking about?" "May I ask you something? Are you dissatisfied with the current situation you are facing? In my opinion, if you change your surroundings a little, you may be able to rise to a higher position in the church, even if you are not the Pope. I''m curious about what you think about that." Rockefeller''s question now seemed to ask whether he was content with the given reality or whether he had other dreams. "So, if I make you my running mate, do you think my current situation will improve a little?" In response, Rockefeller continued with a confident tone. "I can assure you that at least it can be better than the current situation." "Hmm..." "There are many cases where you are tied up with blood and end up being held back, even if it''s a family member who benefits." Rockefeller continued his words to the silent Bishop Verkis. "At least, how long will Your Grace be tied up with blood? Shouldn''t you now break free from that yoke and go higher than you are now?" What Rockefeller wanted to say next was what he truly wanted to say at this moment. "I am a person who can run with Your Grace to that ce. I am not a selfish person who only cares about my own bowl, like someone who abandons the same family member." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 83 (1) Chapter 83 (1) Guild Meeting (3) As he seemed to be deep in thought, Rockefeller continued speaking. "Your Holiness must be the Pope this time. After all, a position is not determined by heaven but by the person who sits in that position, who is chosen by heaven." It was a position too high to even dare to climb. Now, one of his assistants was subtly suggesting something he had never considered before. At this moment, all that upied Bishop Verkis'' mind was this thought. Is it really possible? In fact, he had not made such efforts before. He knew from the beginning that money was more important than anything else to gain attention in the church. So, he supported the bank owners, who were the most despised in the church, and paved the way for them to do businessfortably. As a result, the bank owners began to make a lot of money, and a lot of offerings were collected in his diocese. Bishop Verkis began to recall the past. "It was really good back then. I pushed the bank owners differently from other believers, so the offerings were collected well, and I could show off to the church with those offerings." The offerings collected from the Diocese of Lyon naturally flowed into the Papal Court, and with the full support of Pope Felix III, who was the Pope at that time, he rose to the position of Archbishop. "At that time, my rtionship with His Holiness wasn''t that bad... It was the meddling forces that were the problem." However, movements to contain his sudden rise began within the church, and the church forces trying to find faults in him began to question his support for the bank owners. "They''re in cahoots with the bank owners. Why did you save those who are going to hell? They talked a lot. They knew exactly where the offerings came from. They just didn''t like me. A priest who suddenly became an archbishop. But His Holiness was on my side." It was clear that you had to hear rumors directly from the person involved. "Weren''t you in a bad rtionship with His Holiness at that time?" "Yes, it was really good at that time. It was because of the reduced offerings that it went wrong." He frowned with bitterness and continued speaking. "Anyway, after the offerings decreased, his attitude toward me changed, but I''m not sure if it''s because of the decreased offerings or because of the meddling forces. It could have just been a coincidence." "Your Grace had such experiences." "Even if I had tried a little harder to increase the offerings at that time, it would have been better. No matter how much the meddling forces tried, they couldn''t say anything if I gave them so much money." "Couldn''t you increase the offerings to the Papal Court at that time?" Bishop Verkis naturally shook his head. "It was difficult. Even then, it was a stretch. The offerings were made by squeezing out the bank owners... Anyway, since that day, the offerings have not continued to increase and have remained at this level after decreasing to a certain extent. There is no progress. So the church began to lose interest." Bishop Verkis spoke to Rockefeller. "I''m sorry for suddenly talking about useless things. I didn''t know you would talk to me like that. You asked me if I had no intention of bing His Holiness... To be honest, I used to have such ambition. What kind of position is that? It''s not a position that anyone can sit in, and in some ways, it''s even higher than the emperor." "That''s true." "It''s a position closest to St. John than anyone else. But... " As he swallowed his words with regret, Rockefeller spoke with a strong tone. "It is possible." Bishop Verkis reacted to his words. "Is it possible?" "Yes, if you are with me, it will be more than possible." "So you think it''spletely hopeless now?" Rockefeller smiled faintly at the question. "Don''t you know better than me, Your Grace? What do you think? Do you think it''s possible?" Bishop Verkis'' silencested for a long time. Indeed, as Rockefeller said, the reality given to him now was just gloomy. "If the bank businesses here go well, it might be different. If the bank owners make a lot of money, they will give more offerings because they don''t want to go to hell. But I don''t know when, but those businesses are not growing at all. In my opinion, in order for those businesses to grow more than they are now, they need more money to lend... But it''s not easy. There are no signs of it happening." He continued speaking. "There are many reasons why the amount of money lent does not increase significantly, but there is also my position to receive offerings from those businessmen and appease the Papal Court, and the guild master here is trying to make money by ripping off storage fees. So the iing offerings don''t increase and it''s like this." Rockefeller spoke strongly to him as he sighed. "If you join me, things will definitely change." "You''re saying it could change if I join you?" "Yes, I guarantee it. At least, it will be significantly different from now." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 83 (2) Chapter 83 (2) Bishop Verkis clicked his tongue briefly. "Look here. I don''t trust people who just talk. There are many people around me who just babble about making me His Holiness like you. I see people like that when I''m bored. So tell me specifically about that so I can trust you. Exin it so I can understand how you''re going to help me." Rockefeller felt a sense of urgency at this point. He realized that the oue of this conversation could potentially determine Bishop Verkis'' fate. "First and foremost, what you need most, Bishop Verkis, is unfortunately church donations. Some may argue that donations from the congregation aren''t that important." Bishop Verkis interrupted Rockefeller''s statement. "Enough. Don''t bother sugarcoating it. I know that church donations are the top priority." "Right! Donations are crucial. But they won''t be collected by force. The right environment must be in ce for donations to naturally follow." "So, what exactly are you proposing to do?" "At the moment, Benjamin is not helpful to the Lyon Guild at all." Seeing Rockefeller''s determination, Bishop Verkis was slightly surprised. "What do you mean? Are you saying that Benjamin is not fit to be the guild leader?" "Yes, in my opinion, Benjamin is actually a significant obstacle to the guild''s growth. Just look at the fact that he blocked the interest-paying business following the gold coin deposit." "That interest-paying business is just a simple matter of personal interest between you and him. How does that reflect on his qualifications as a guild leader?" "Do you really think so?" Bishop Verkis wasn''t fully aware of the bank situation. Nevertheless, he wanted to hear Rockefeller out, so he gestured for him to continue. "Continue." "As you mentioned earlier, if the bankers here want to expand their lending business more than before, they need more gold coins to lend to others." "That''s true. The more gold coins you have, the more loans you can give." "So, let me ask you this. Would people entrust their precious gold coins to a bank that charges a storage fee, or would they rather entrust it to a bank that pays interest as well? Assuming both banks are equally trustworthy." The answer was obvious. "Of course, they would choose the one that pays interest. If both banks are reliable, that is." "Exactly. In this way, the interest-paying business is actually more beneficial to our lending business. Though I may not know all of them, if the bankers here start an interest-paying business, all the hidden money in Lyon will eventually flock to the banks. Then, there will be more money avable for loans, and the lending business will prosper." Bishop Verkis, intrigued by Rockefeller''s words, stroked his beard. "I see. I didn''t know that." "Of course, you might think that paying interest is a loss for the bankers, but that can be adjusted by controlling the interest rate. We receive a 6% loan interest every month when we lend gold coins. And I had offered you a 3% deposit interest." Bishop Verkis nodded. "That''s right. It was 3%." "In that case, you can offer others just 1% interest, or even 0%, if necessary. After all, they would still benefit from not having to pay the gold coin storage fee." Only then did Bishop Verkis fully understand. "I see. I didn''t know that." "By doing so, the bank will be able to lend more gold coins than before, and the resulting profits will also significantly increase. The interest ie from lending is much greater than the meager storage fees." Rockefeller continued. "Bishop Verkis, please don''t forget that the bank''s main source of ie is the interest from gold coin lending. There are many people who feel repelled by the gold coin storage fees, so it''s impossible to make a fortune from that alone." Bishop Verkis nodded in agreement once again. "You''re right. I was also quite annoyed by those gold coin storage fees." "If you agree with my thoughts, then Benjamin is not helpful to the guild''s growth at all." Bishop Verkis, somewhat regretful, asked Rockefeller. "Did you exin this to Benjamin thoroughly?" "He refuses to understand even without my exnation. In fact, he advocates for the old system of collecting storage fees. And if someone like me starts an interest-paying business, the existing storage fee business wouldpletely copse. So, out of concern, he even issued a guild decree to prevent the interest-paying business." There was no break in Rockefeller''s words. "I''ve met with a few bankers during my stay here. They all have different opinions, but some were willing to work with me on the interest-paying business." "Really?" "However, they couldn''t dare to do so due to the guild leader''s watchful eye. How many people in Lyon could stand up to a person from the Lyon family?" "None. No one would dare to oppose our family." "That''s exactly what Benjamin is doing right now. At least in Lyon, he is an absolute authority. And who would go against his wishes when even you, Bishop Verkis, are from the same family? No one." Listening to Rockefeller, it seemed that the Lyon Guild had no chance of growth due to the guild leader''s closed-mindedness. "Sigh..." Still, Benjamin was a member of the same family. With a heavy sigh, Rockefeller continued to press on. "I understand that this is a difficult matter for you, Bishop Verkis. It may be better for a member of the same family to hold the position of guild leader rather than someone like me, who has no blood ties or roots." At this moment, Rockefeller''s gaze became infinitely sincere. "But you must know this. As long as Benjamin Gong remains in that position, my interest business will be stagnated, and Bishop Verkis will also have to continue to be content with the current situation. How can the bishop think of regaining his former archbishop position and even going further to the Pope''s position when the surrounding environment does not change at all? That is an impossible task." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 84 (1) Chapter 84 (1) Guild Meeting (4) The leader of the Lyon Guild. No one knew Benjamin de Lyon better than Bishop Verkis. Being from the same family meant that they were close, and indeed, Bishop Verkis had been watching him closely since they were young. ording to his judgment, Benjamin was not a man who would easily bend to Rockefeller''s will, as he had said. He was not only stubborn but also as obstinate as a bull, and he did not care about the church''s opinions like others, so from Bishop Verkis''s point of view, Benjamin felt like a sore thumb. He had no choice but to keep him close because they were from the same family, even though he wanted to get rid of him. "As you said, Benjamin is not someone who helps me. He''s like family, so I''ve had to leave him alone even though I didn''t like it." Rockefeller calmly waited for his next words. He couldn''t know what choice he would make after that. He could insist on a family member to rece him, bending his arm inward. "When I think about it, he''s only been a hindrance." Bishop Verkis recalled the past and said, "If someone other than Benjamin had been the guild leader at that time, I would have pushed them with all my might to crush the forces that plotted against me with the church''s money. No force in the church can be above the tithe." The more money that was donated to the higher diocese, the more interest the church would gain. It was entirely due to the power of the church''s money that he, once a mere priest, could rise to the position of Archbishop, and the various factions within the church were also determined by the amount of money donated. The power of the church''s money was indeed tremendous. So his thoughts had to be in line with that. "But at that time, because Benjamin was the guild leader, I couldn''t push the money-making guild too hard. I told Benjamin that even though it''s difficult now, if I reach a higher position than the Archbishop, I can push for morefortable business, so please help me this one time." Rockefeller listened quietly to his words, and Bishop Verkis, recalling the events of that time, shook his head. "He didn''t listen at all. He just kept repeating that it was difficult like a parrot. It was really a matter of just a little more effort. I could have aimed for the position of Chambein, but I couldn''t help it." His words were filled with frustration. Rockefeller offered him some nd words of constion. "It must have been difficult for you." "Is that what you call it? Of course it was difficult. It''s been downhill for me ever since. Everyone in the church knew I was close to the Banco Alliance. I was someone who could bite if I decided to bite. On top of that, my close rtionship with the Pope made it impossible for others to leave me alone." To Rockefeller, it seemed that Bishop Verkis had aimed for high risk, high return at that time. Being close to the Banco Alliance in a church that despised banco dealers was a double-edged sword. "I don''t think my choice was wrong at that time. Even now, I''m sitting as a bishop, and it''s partly because of the banco dealers who are doing business herefortably. And because of the tithe they give me, I can still hold this position. I just regret that time. That time." Bishop Verkis, who had been staring into the void with a weak gaze, opened his heavy mouth after a short silence. "Sometimes it''s good to be from the same family. But in my opinion, it''s rather ufortable. Especially that guy. He''s even using the money line to pressure me subtly. He''s sitting there doing such things when it''s all thanks to someone." What would follow next was important. Depending on his words, Rockefeller would go between heaven and hell. Ahem! After a short cough, Bishop Verkis unexpectedly asked a question. "What would you have done if you had been in the guild leader''s position at that time?" It was an obvious answer, but Rockefeller conveyed it with as much sincerity as possible. "I would have pushed you forward, Bishop, without any hesitation. We would have had to see it through anyway, right? We can''t always be watching the church''s opinion." "Ha ha... you should have been the guild leader back then. No one knows what would have happened. Maybe I would have received the Pope''s blessings and gone all the way to the position of Chambein." The Chambein was a position simr to the Pope''s secretary, with immense power and influence within the church. The Chambein oversaw the church until the next Pope was elected, and was sometimes called the Pope''s deputy. Another short silence followed. Judging by the different expression on Bishop Verkis'' face, he seemed to have made up his mind. "Even now, you should take over as the guild leader." At that single sentence, Rockefeller almost involuntarily let out a sound. The arm that bends inward was just a saying. ''Fortunately. I was worried. He could have insisted on that person instead of me. After all, he''s from the same family.'' Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 84 (2) Chapter 84 (2) Bishop, are you sure it''s okay for someone like me to sit in that position? Wasn''t that seat always for the Lyon family? Bishop Verkis, who had made up his mind, didn''t seem to have much interest in taking back his words. "I came to that conclusion after much consideration. As far as I can see, it seems right for you to take that position. You''re still young, aren''t you? And I''ve heard about the Montefeltro territory issue, so I know it well." "Do you mean the story of our Carter Bank taking over the rights to the territory?" "Yes, that''s right. When I heard that story, I thought you were a very clever person. I never imagined that a mere bank would take all the rights to the territory." "I am grateful for your kind words." "And even though things turned out that way, there hasn''t been any trouble so far, has there? That''s because you used your head wisely. If you had foolishly ousted the lord and taken his ce, both Peter and I would have been in a very awkward position. Although that matter is not under our jurisdiction, it''s not entirely unrted to us either." "I thought there would be various storiesing out from here and there, so I prioritized taking over the rights to the territory. I thought it would be best for us to guarantee the lord''s rule as it was." "That was a wise decision. Most people would have been blinded by greed and messed things up. It may not seem like a big deal, but there''s actually nothing more sensitive than that." "Well, looking at the situation so far, it seems there have been no major issues." "From what I see, you''re the right person for the job. So shouldn''t someone like you be the leader of this guild here? At least you''re much better than that stubborn guy who only cares about what''s right in front of him and doesn''t know how to think big." The words that followed were what he really wanted to say. "And by being with someone like that, wouldn''t a second chancee to me, who has entered the downhill path in my life as a member of the Order? So it''s right for you to take that position." Faced with the bishop''s earnest request, Rockefeller never refused. "If you allow me that position, I will do my utmost to serve you, Bishop Verkis." Satisfied, Bishop Verkis nodded his head as he looked at the young man named Rockefeller. ''This young man is very ambitious. I used to think of him as just an assistant at a bank, but now he''s even convincing me, trying to take a seat that would be impossible for an ordinary person.'' Facing an ambitious opponent, he could feel his long-lost passioning back to life. ''I used to have that kind of passion, too. That passion must still be alive, even if I don''t know it.'' "The position you''ve held so far, as an assistant at a bank located on the outskirts of the Empire, will be quite overwhelming for you. That position requires you to skillfully control all the bank merchants with thick bones." Rockefeller nodded his head in agreement. "I am well aware of that point." "The one thing I''m worried about is whether you have the ability to control them." At that moment, what Rockefeller showed was not humility, but confidence. ''If I show humility here, I will only arouse more resentment.'' "Bishop Verkis, you do not need to doubt my abilities. Of course, due to my youth, there may be some resistance from a few guild members. However, as long as you stand by my side, no one will be able to challenge my position. And if I, as the guild leader, bring them even greater wealth than before?" Rockefeller''s eyes shone more intensely than ever. "They will have no choice but to ept my existence." In response to his confidence, Bishop Verkis showed faith, not doubt. Everything he had shown so far had been faith, and his current appearance was very trustworthy. "Excellent. You look very trustworthy. I will definitely remember this moment." "Please trust me. I assure you that you will never regret it." As Bishop Verkis nodded in satisfaction, he suddenly raised a question. "But even if I support you, can you be the guild leader? It''s not my ce to appoint the guild leader, is it?" In truth, the position of the Lyon Guild leader was beyond his authority. So when he asked, Rockefeller showed another confidence with a subtle smile. "You don''t have to worry too much about that. As you know, Bishop Verkis, the guild leader is traditionally determined through a guild meeting. And that guild meeting will take ce in a week, right here in Ghetto Nuovo." "Just because a guild meeting is held doesn''t mean you''re guaranteed to take that position, right?" "There''s no guarantee, but I n to prove the ipetence of the current guild leader directly in front of all the guild members at the uing guild meeting." "In what way?" "Benjamin is openly dering that paying interest on gold deposits is an absolutely uneptable act and a very foolish thing to do. But this is just talk. In reality, if I testify in another way, Benjamin position will be very difficult." Bishop Verkis nodded his head. "I see." "If I argue for the ipetence of the current guild leader at the guild meeting and expel him, then proceed to elect a new guild leader?" Rockefeller slightly curled the corners of his mouth. "In a situation where there are no suitable candidates, who else would be elected as the new guild leader?" "Of course, it would be you, whom I support." "Which is why this conversation was so important to me. Because without your help, Bishop, I could never take that position." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 85 (1) Chapter 85 (1) Bonus chapter thanks to @SuperLazerBeam''s continued subscription to Dwarven Sovereigns on Ko-fi! Guild Meeting #2(1) With only a week left until the guild meeting hosted by the guild leader, an unwee guest visited Benjamin, the owner of the Lyon Bank and the leader of the guild. "Um..." "That is the intention of Prince Ryan. He made it clear that if you support someone other than him in the uing Crown War, you will have to pay a hefty price for it." The person who unexpectedly visited Benjamin was an imperial military officer dressed in a neat military uniform. He was a follower of Ryan Tepez, the first prince of the empire, and his purpose for meeting the leader of the Lyon Guild was to deliver a direct warning from the first prince. "Now, look here. How am I supposed to respond when you suddenlye to me with such words? Everyone knows that the Lyon Guild receives the protection of the Sinir family." "That doesn''t matter to Prince Ryan. What he cares about is the uing Crown War, and everyone involved in it should take his warning to heart." The imperial military officer continued. "And as you may have heard, Prince Ryan has no mercy." "No mercy, you say..." "Have you not heard any rumors about Prince Ryan?" "I knew that the Tepez family was originally cruel and ruthless. It has always been such a family." "He is a true heir to that family''s blood. So, it would be best for you not to support the third prince in the uing Crown War." Benjamin, who found himself in a difficult position, naturally argued. "Then what about the Sinir family''s opinion? What should I do about that?" The visiting imperial military officer smiled faintly. "That''s not our concern." "Not our concern, you say..." "I am only here to convey Prince Ryan''s warning. The decision is entirely up to you, Benjamin." ''This is crazy. I never thought it woulde to this.'' The Crown War was an age-old tradition of the imperial family, which valued the survival of the fittest and the strong preying on the weak. The war was their unique way of selecting the crown prince from among the princes who inherited the emperor''s blood. Only one prince could survive and attain the status of crown prince and the title of emperor. ''Why should we be involved in the Crown War? All we need to do is quietly do our business.'' Benjamin could not simply ept this and tried to show some backbone. "Look here. Do you think I''ll just blink at that? We''re under the protection of the Sinir family. If you mess with us, the Sinir family won''t stay quiet either." The visiting officerughed, seemingly finding Benjamin''s bravado amusing. "Haha, depending on the oue of the uing Crown War, Prince Ryan maypletely eliminate the Lyon Guild." "What? Eliminate the guild?" "Isn''t the bank already ostracized by the church and the academy? It''s a ce with a notorious reputation for usurious practices and is despised by the citizens of the empire. Even if all such ces were closed down, it wouldn''t be a problem, would it?" "Wh-who says! We''re conducting our business ording to proper procedures!" "If Prince Ryan bes the emperor, there''s nothing he can''t do. It''s the imperialw, after all." The imperial military officer, who seemed to be smirking, continued. "Isn''t it all ording to the emperor''s will?" "Ah..." Benjamin couldn''t help but sigh at the situation. Ryan Tepez, the first prince, was one of the strong candidates for the next crown prince among the various princes. Therefore, the words of the visiting imperial military officer did not sound light to Benjamin. ''I can''t ignore the Sinir family''s opinion, but he''s not wrong either.'' The first prince, Ryan Tepez, received full support from the swordsmanship family Tepez, while the third prince, Calman Sinir, received support from the magic family Sinir. If both princes participated in the Crown War, the position of the Lyon Guild, which received the protection of the Sinir family, would be very difficult. "Give me some time to think. We''re also under the protection of the Sinir family, so it''s unreasonable toe out of the blue and tell us not to support the third prince. Our guild has its own position." The visiting imperial military officer did not seem to be in a hurry. However, that did not mean he was considerate of Benjamin''s position. "We will give you plenty of time to think. Prince Ryan will likely visit Lyon soon for matters rted to the magic stone tanks, so you can think until then." "Wait. Prince Ryan ising to Lyon soon?" "Yes, the schedule hasn''t been set yet, but he''ll be visiting soon. It will probably be right after the suppression of the Yormungand Revolutionary Army." "Heh... I heard that the suppression of the Revolutionary Army is almost over." "That''s why he''ll being soon." The visiting imperial military officer, seemingly satisfied, delivered his final words to Benjamin. "Then, I believe Benjamin will make a wise decision. If Benjamin and the guild members want to continue doing business as they have been, that is." After the imperial military officer left and Benjamin was alone in his office, he began to ponder, wrapping his head in his hands. ''Damn it! To hell with...'' However, all that came to mind were curses about the current situation. ''The world ising to an end with that madman, warmonger Prince Ryan visiting Lyon? If the suppression of the Revolutionary Army is over, that means he''ll being soon.'' In the midst of preparing for the guild meeting, the visit of Ryan, the first prince, who was a strong candidate for the crown prince, also became a headache for Benjamin. ''I know he''s a merciless person like the rumors say. After all, the Tepez family is known for that.'' A swordsmanship family notorious for its cruelty andck of mercy. Historically, members of the Tepez family were described as madmen who were consumed by madness, ughtering their enemies and reveling in the carnage. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 85 (2) Chapter 85 (2) ''Damn it... Should I contact the Sinir family about this? No, that would be foolish. Of course, the Sinir family would tell me not to listen to such nonsense.'' Doing nothing was also a ridiculous option. The First Prince was said to be visiting soon, so the situation was urgent. ''I didn''t expect this from the First Prince... It''s like they''re telling me to choose between the two.'' The First and Third Princes were mentioned as strong candidates to participate in the uing Crown War. ''I don''t know if the Second Prince will join or not, as his support is weak. The chances of the First Prince winning the Crown War are slightly higher than fifty percent... Should I switch to the Tepez family line at this opportunity?'' As Benjamin was deeply pondering which side to take, Sebastian, who was looking after the store on Benjamin''s behalf, approached him. "Lord Benjamin, who was the visitor earlier? They mentioned being an imperial officer." "They''re from the First Prince''s side. They warned me not to support the Third Prince in the uing Crown War." "Isn''t that a problem? We are under the protection of the Sinir family." "Of course... We can''t follow their wishes. As you said, we have a deep connection with the Sinir family." Sebastian expressed his concern. "But I heard that His Highness the First Prince is very aggressive. If we continue to support the Third Prince, won''t the First Prince cause a scene?" "It''s obvious, isn''t it? The Empress is from the Tepez family, so where else would her blood go?" "What will happen to our guild''s original n to support the Third Prince?" After much thought, Benjamin spoke. "We''ll have to bring this up as a guild issue. It''s too big of a problem for me to decide on my own. Since there''s a guild meetinging up anyway, we should discuss the permanent withdrawal of deposit interest and the uing Crown War with the guild members." It seemed like a good idea to share the difficult problem with the guild members. Sebastian nodded unknowingly. "It is indeed a difficult problem. I don''t think I coulde up with an easy answer either. It''s best to decide through a guild meeting." "However, we can''t have the First Prince visit here before the guild meeting." At that, Sebastian immediately raised a question. "Did you say His Highness the First Prince ising here?" "They said they''reing here regarding the magic stone tanks. There''s a magic stone tank factory here in Lyon, isn''t there?" "Oh, it seems that His Highness the First Prince is very interested in the magic stone tanks." The industrial development in Lyon allowed for the establishment of factories like the magic stone tank factory due to therge amount of funding avable. "Magic stone tanks are great, but..." Magic stone tanks. In the battlefield dominated by giant monster weapons like orcs, lizardmen, and the undead, the empire developed powerful firepower weapons like magic stone tanks to counter them. "Recently, there have been many issues with the magic stone tanks. There are many problems with them since they''re in the early stages of development." "I am well aware of the many problems with the magic stone tanks." "Recently, Count Frank asked to borrow money again. I wonder how much money goes into that scrap heap." The person who developed the magic stone tanks and built a factory in Lyon was Count Frank, a renowned magician from the Valen family. The Valen family was originally a lowly baron family, but they rose to prominence as a count family due to their contributions to the development of the magic stone tanks. "Did they ask to borrow money again?" "The magic stone tank itself is aplete money pit. They always ask for research funds for improvements. It''s hard to tell if the money is being used properly." "That''s a problem too. It''s still iplete." "I''m worried that we''re just wasting money on something useless. Right now, the military is buying magic stone tanks out of urgency, but if it bes known that they''re just a faulty waste of resources, they could go bankrupt in an instant." "Then it would be a problem for us, who lent money to Count Frank." "It would all be bad debt." Benjamin''s expression was not good as the magic stone tank was also a headache. "It seems like we could make a fortune if things go well..." If matters rted to the magic stone tanks were resolved, making a fortune would be no problem. In a battlefield ruled by giant monster weapons, the only power that the empire had against such monster weapons was the magic stone tanks, which moved using magic stones and unleashed powerful firepower. "But it''s not easy to make a decision. I''m not a developer. I''m just a banker who lends money." "Still, if His Highness the First Prince is visiting personally, doesn''t that mean the magic stone tanks have some value?" At that, Benjamin spoke with a bitter expression. "What would the First Prince know? He''s just an ignorant brute who only knows how to wield a sword. He''s probably visiting to encourage us, as it would be a waste not to use the tanks now. He wants us to make them usable somehow." "It seems like there really are a lot of problems." "I heard it''s a miracle that they even move." Anyway. "I''ll have to think about this too. I can''t predict the future. If I could know the future like a god, I could decide whether to invest more or cut my losses. But it''s not easy." Sebastian agreed wholeheartedly with Benjamin''s words. "That''s true. If only we knew the future of the magic stone tanks, as you said, Lord Benjamin, we could really make a fortune. Count Frank''s situation is not good, so if we help him well, we might even be able to get a share of the factory." "Exactly. The important thing is the shares. If things really go well, then how much of the factory shares one owns will be more important than the money lent right away." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 86 (1) Chapter 86 (1) Guild Meeting #2(2) The day before the guild meeting. A wee guest visited Rockefeller. It was Carter, who had heard about the guild meeting and came from Lyon. Carter, who had traveledfortably by carriage to match his aged body, knocked on the door of the small mansion in Lyon where Rockefeller was staying after getting off the carriage. As the guild meeting was scheduled for the next day, Rockefeller naturally expected Carter''s visit and happily greeted Carter as he went outside to meet him upon hearing the knock on the door. "Carter, sir, you''ve arrived." "Have you been well?" "Yes, nothing special happened since I came here." "I heard about the meeting and hurried to find you. I got the news from Joshua." "First, let''s go inside. It would be better to talk indoors." Inside the mansion. The ce, neither toorge nor too small, was provided by Benjamin, the guild master, for Rockefeller to stay temporarily in Lyon. With even a servant to attend to his personal needs, Carter looked around the modest mansion interior without feeling any inconvenience. "Your home is better than this. It seems Benjamin doesn''t know what kind of person you are. If he knew, he would have given you a better ce." "This is more than enough. Carter, sir, please take a seat here." Rockefeller led Carter to the living room, offered him a seat, and then sat down next to him. Carter, who entrusted his body to the soft sofa, opened his mouth with a small cough. "Opening a guild meeting over the interest issue. The guild master is quite a problem. He should know what''s right and wrong by trying it himself, but he doesn''t even try. Tsk, tsk, tsk." "Rather than that, I guess he''s more upset about not receiving the gold storage fee." "That''s true, but he doesn''t know what kind of person you are. He doesn''t know anything." Before the conversation deepened, Rockefeller sent the servant, who was attending to matters inside the house, on an errand and had him leave. As soon as the servant left the mansion, Carter started talking. "Are you being cautious?" "Yes, he might be working for me, but he''s not my person." "I see... You said this ce was provided by the guild master, right?" "Yes, it''s a ce he gave me to stay temporarily." "Then it''s right to be cautious." Carter, who had been nodding alone, continued the conversation. "So, what''s the n? You''re not going to raise a banner against the guild master''s thoughts, are you?" "No, I''m not." "You''re not?" Carter showed a puzzled expression. "Then are you going to raise a banner in agreement with the guild master''s thoughts?" As far as Carter knew, there was only one course of action Rockefeller would take at the guild meeting scheduled for tomorrow. To agree with the guild master''s thoughts and admit his wrongdoing in receiving deposit interest in front of everyone. However, the reality was different. "Yes, we will expel the guild master at the uing guild meeting." "What? Expel him?" Carter''s eyes widened in surprise. "Is that... even possible?" To Carter, who was well aware of the rtionship between the guild master, the Lyon family, and even further, the rtionship with Bishop Verkis, Rockefeller''s words sounded like a very unrealistic story with no possibility of realization. "Yes, I''ve already obtained the guardian''s consent beforehand. There won''t be any major problems if the guild master is expelled now." Rockefeller responded with a faint smile, and when Carter still showed doubt, he exined the events that had urred so far. After listening to the exnation, Carter reacted. "Heh... So that''s what happened." Carter paused for a moment, leaned his waist against the backrest, and began stroking his chin beard. "Actually, I also received a separate letter from the guild master besides the news of the guild meeting." Carter, who had finished speaking, took something out of his pocket and handed it to Rockefeller. "The content is roughly like this. It says that you were a useless assistant contrary to the rumors, and it asks me to testify to that at the uing guild meeting. If I don''t, he threatened to expel me from the guild. It''sughable, really." Rockefeller, who had quickly skimmed the contents of the letter Carter handed over, nodded his head. "I can use this to my advantage in tomorrow''s meeting, exposing the guild master for trying to frame me like this." "The guild master went as far as sending this." Carter chimed in. "As you know, I''m undoubtedly on your side. You''ve brought me so much profit. Why would I support him and be afraid of being kicked out of the guild?" Rockefeller, who had put away the letter Carter handed over, smiled faintly. "Mr. Carter, aren''t you trusting me too much?" "Of course, I trust you. You managed to defeat that cunning lord, so I have no doubt you can take care of the guild master here. You must have a prepared n." Rockefeller became curious about Carter''s recent activities, as he had stepped back from the store''s affairs. "What have you been up totely? I heard from Joshua that you never show up at the store." "I let go of the store''s work a while ago. You guys are making money on your own, so there''s no need for me to struggle, right?" Rockefeller simply nodded in response. "It''s a long-awaited break. I''m enjoying it leisurely. Lately, I''ve been picking up small hobbies. I honestly didn''t want to attend this meeting. Why would Ie when I''m not even working anymore? It''s better to stay home and rest." "But you still came." Carter looked at Rockefeller as he spoke. "The only reason I came to this bothersome ce is to help you. When that guild master sent me that ridiculous letter, I decided toe here and give him a piece of my mind. How dare he try to frame my golden assistant! I really came here to speak up." "I''m simply grateful that you care so much about me." "No, I''m the one who''s grateful. If things go well here, I can live without worries for the rest of my life." Rockefeller, who seemed to agree, said, ''I feel the same.'' "Your testimony in tomorrow''s meeting will be quite important, Mr. Carter. I''ll take the lead, and then you can help me." That was what he intended to do anyway. "Don''t worry about that. I''ll be on your side no matter what." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 86 (2) Chapter 86 (2) On the day of the guild meeting. In Lyon''s Ghetto Nuovo, an unusual procession of carriages started to stir. From expensive thoroughbreds leading carriages to fascinating carriages moving on their own with magic. Various carriages gathered chaotically in front of the meeting hall where the guild meeting was to be held. Those who got off the carriages were all Lyon guild members, mainly bankers who hade from afar to attend the meeting hosted by the guild master. "You''re here." "Oh, Chris. It''s been a long time." "Has it been a year? Oh! There''s Larsen too. Larsen! Over here! Come this way!" Bankers in the guild were quite close, gathering to chat before attending the meeting. "Have you heard about that rumor? The one about... not charging a gold coin storage fee, but rather paying interest." "Yeah, I heard. They say this meeting was called because of that." As one person started, other nearby bankers quickly joined the conversation. "There''s a lot of talk about it. Some think it''s true, others think it''s false. There are so many stories." "Chris, what do you think?" "I don''t know. That''s why I came all the way here, isn''t it?" "I heard Benjamin is nning to prohibit it." "Prohibit it?" "Yeah, I heard he''s going to ban it by establishing a guild rule. If someone here does business like that, the rest will suffer losses, right? From the people''s perspective, a bank that pays interest is better than one that charges a gold coin storage fee." "That''s obviously true, but..." "We should just keep charging the gold coin storage fee as we have been. We shouldn''t interfere with other people''s businesses. And when such rumors spread widely, we won''t be able to charge the gold coin storage fee anymore. Even if we want to, we won''t be able to." One of the bankers then began to express a different opinion. "But if you can deposit a lot of gold coins, it wouldn''t be so bad to give interest. Most people don''t entrust their gold to the bank unless it''s a special asion because they''re reluctant to pay the gold storage fee. Rather, if we take a little interest and expand the loan business, that would be more profitable." "You''re right. People usually don''t entrust us with their gold because of the storage fees. Only those who have some special circumstances or feel insecure about keeping it at home use the bank." The guild-affiliated bankers, meeting after a long time, excitedly chatted about the uing meeting agenda. "What''s the right thing to do?" "Well, that''ll be decided in this meeting. Our opinion is that we can''t break the guild rules, no matter what." "True. No one has the guts to risk being expelled from the guild to run their business." Their conversation also clearly involved Rockefeller. "Wasn''t it a banker''s assistant who first came up with that idea?" "Oh, I heard that too. It seems that his assistant is quite talented. From what I heard, there are many rumors about him. He turned a lord into a debtor and took over the entire territory." "I''ve heard the rumors, but where exactly is that ce? What territory had such an incident?" "I think it''s Mon... Mon something." "Ah, it must be Montefeltro territory." "Right, that''s the ce." A territory located on the outskirts of the empire. Some people didn''t even know about the territory because it was so remote. "Montefeltro? Where on earth is that? I''ve never heard of it before." "It''s a remote area. It''s practically abandoned by the country." "Ah! No wonder I haven''t heard of it." "Even the dwarves abandoned it. The royal family doesn''t seem to care if anyone touches it." "But it''s still a territory. Just by holding it, taxes woulde in regrly. Why bother giving it up?" "You don''t know how difficult it is to manage and care for such and. The royal family might even consider it a loss." "Well... it must be annoying for the royal family to keep getting requests for help from the lord of such a trivial ce." As everyone nodded in agreement, one person changed the subject. "Anyway, that''s why the lord was taken advantage of, right? If it had been a decent territory, the royal family would have definitely said something. They don''t look kindly on us bankers either." "But would they only target the church? We always watch out for the church''s eyes, but we don''t pay attention to the royal family when they asionally ask for loans, do we?" "We do watch out for the royal family. They''re the rightful owners of thisnd, after all." "But not as much as the church. The royal family can''tpete with the church. The emperor would immediately cower if the Pope said a word." "Well, we have to go to heaven when we die." "No, it''s because following the church''s words keeps the country peaceful. The emperor knows that too, so he''s very submissive to the Pope''s words." "Listening to you, it seems like you''re right. Oh, oh!" The banker who finished speaking suddenly looked surprised and pointed with his index finger at someone. "Look, that''s him. As far as I know, that young maning with Carter is the rumored assistant." "Ah! Looking at himing with Carter, it seems like you''re right. He looks like the assistant." "So, that neatly dressed young man is the rumored assistant?" "It seems so." "He looks quite decent." Despite everyone around him whispering about him, Rockefeller, unfazed, entered the meeting room with Carter where the guild meeting was being held. "Let''s go in too." "Yeah, the rumored assistant has arrived. We should go in and listen to what he has to say." "Let''s go quickly. We need to get a good seat." As soon as Rockefeller entered the conference room, the bank operators who were chatting outside the door also began to swarm into the conference room. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 87 (1) Chapter 87 (1) Guild Meeting #2 (3) Catbes. Even if the church shuns me, my faith will not change. It was not that the usurers who were persecuted by the church in the past did not believe in God. Rather, the majority of them wanted to cultivate their faith in order not to go to hell, and the ce built for this purpose was the Catbes Church, which became the origin of the Lyon Guild. In fact, this ce, which could be seen as a small church, had a structure simr to a chapel, and although they now visit the Lyon Cathedral, in the past, they could not openly go to the church, so they gathered here every week to pray to God and hold meetings among guild members for the development of the guild. That was the starting point of the Catbes Guild Meeting. This is my first time in the guild conference hall. Is this the Catbes I''ve only heard about? The conference hall was simr in form to a general chapel. There was a pulpit at the front where the Mass and guild member speeches took ce, and behind it were church chairs arranged in a row for the congregation and guild members to sit. Rockefeller, who entered the conference hall, followed Carter and sat down in an appropriate ce, and he could see the guild members around him whispering about him. It seems they are aware of me. Not long after Rockefeller sat down, The guild members who entered the conference hall also began to sit down in a noisy atmosphere. They were subtly paying attention to Rockefeller, the subject of the rumors, and kept talking to each other in low voices. That''s the guy. Ah, is that the guy from the rumors? That''s right. It''s rumored that he not only caught his own lord but also embezzled all the church property here to pay interest. After a while, Bishop Verkis, who hade from the Lyon Cathedral, began to preside over the Mass. Offering worship to God before the guild meeting was a long-standing tradition of the guild meeting. However, what was different about today''s worship from usual was that it was not an ordinary priest, but Bishop Verkis who came to preside over the Mass. But since Bishop Verkis of this ce was a member of the same family as the guild leader, the guild members thought it was possible and did not have much doubt about Bishop Verkis presiding over the Mass himself. As soon as the Mass was over, the long-awaited time for the guild meeting came. Benjamin, who took the ce vacated by Bishop Verkis, began to speak to the guild members who were still holding their seats. Ahem! Now, let''s start the guild meeting. There were coughing sounds here and there, but overall, the inside of the conference hall was quiet. In such an atmosphere, Benjamin continued. The reason I have gathered you all here today is that there are several important issues that we need to discuss together. Benjamin''s words continued after a brief pause. First of all, the first issue we will discuss is the uing Crown War. As the story of the Crown War came up, the entire conference hall began to stir. Quiet! The story is not over yet. Benjamin informed everyone attending the meeting about what had happened a week ago. He told the story of how the First Prince''s man hade to visit him, the guild leader, and threatened him without leaving out any details. As such, the 1st Prince told us not to support the 3rd Prince at all. He even said that if we disobey this, we should be preparedter. I guess being prepared here means that we shouldn''t be doing business. Despite Benjamin''s words not being finished, the angry voices of the guild members began to follow. What kind of nonsense is that! It''s a well-known fact that we are on the side of the 3rd Prince! No way! The 1st Prince seems to have no fear! Who will he borrow money fromter? Do you think the Sinir family will just be there! Benjamin''s expression did not change even with the angry shouts of the guild members. After several rounds of high-pitched voices, Benjamin opened his mouth again. So, I gathered you all here to hear good opinions. Any good opinions? When asked for a good opinion, several guild members simultaneously raised their hands, asking for the right to speak. Benjamin roughly nced over and pointed to a familiar person. Why don''t you speak up? Ahem! With a cough, an unnamed guild member stood up from his seat and began to speak to the gathered guild members. "As you all know, we must soon ept the protection of the Sinir family, even if the 1st Prince spouts nonsense. We cannot abandon the 3rd Prince, whom the Sinir family supports. That would be like betraying our loyalty." His opinion was as follows: Regardless of what the 1st Prince says, we should maintain our loyalty to the Sinir family. In other words, he was essentially saying to only support the 3rd Prince. Then, opposition erupted from another corner. "What if the 1st Prince wins the Crown War? What will we do then? Will we still only seek the Sinir family''s support? Tell me!" Benjamin stepped in to mediate. "Whoa, whoa, only those I designate can speak in this conference room from the start of the meeting. Please follow the conference rules." The guild member who had objected raised his hand. He wanted the right to speak. Benjamin pointed to him and granted him the right to speak. "I will give you the right to speak. Please share your opinion." The guild member stood up and spoke confidently. "The most likely candidate to win the uing Crown War is His Highness, the 1st Prince Ryan. We know that His Highness Ryan, known as a mad war enthusiast, is supported by the famous Tepez family and has a very aggressive temperament." Rockefeller, who had been sitting quietly, unknowingly nodded his head. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 87 (2) Chapter 87 (2) ''Ryan... I didn''t expect to hear that name here.'' As he said, the 1st Prince of the Empire was a very aggressive person. He never avoided a fight and always paid back what was done to himan owner of such a personality. He was a typical prince who inherited the blood of the Tepez family. "If His Highness Ryan wins the Crown War, those of us who did not support him could be abandoned in an instant. Do you really want to take such a risky gamble?" No one answered his question. "I''m not one for ambiguous gambles. Of course, there is a possibility that the 3rd Prince we originally wanted to support will win. But if we look at the momentum, His Highness the 1st Prince is quite formidable." With that, he concluded his speech. "So, I don''t want to support the 3rd Prince by making various excuses. Instead, we should avoid the risk of closing our business if the 1st Prince wins the Crown War, even if the Sinir family is displeased." As the guild member sat down, another guild member raised his hand. When Benjamin pointed at him, a chubby guild member began to speak to everyone. "I''ve listened to both of your opinions. I also empathize with and respect your thoughts. We are in a crisis now. We cannot fully support either side. So, I have a suggestion." As everyone''s attention focused on him, he continued. "We secretly support both. Then there will be no need to worry, right?" Another guild member objected. "Do you have the confidence not to be caught?" "That''s why I''m saying we should support both sides as secretly as possible. Then there won''t be any problems, right? No matter who wins, we''ll have a say." Another guild member stood up and shook his head. "It takes too much money. It''s already a tremendous amount of money to support one side, let alone both." His neck veins bulged. "Do you think money falls from the sky? We do this to make money! No one thinks we''re doing this to give money away!" His shouting continued, and as voices joined in, the conference room became chaotic. "Quiet! Be quiet!" Naturally, it was Benjamin''s job to deal with themotion. "Be quiet!" After he shouted several times, the conference room finally quieted down. "I didn''t even give you permission to speak, and yet you suddenly interrupt and cause amotion? If you keep doing this, I''ll use my guild master authority to forcibly expel you from the conference hall. Just remember that." Ahem! After a short, fake cough, Benjamin raised his voice towards everyone. "Does anyone have a better suggestion? If you have a good idea that everyone here can ept, don''t just keep it to yourself. I''ll give you the opportunity to speak up in front of everyone, so give it a try." A good suggestion. Everyone in the room just exchanged nces in silence, as if there was no such thing. Watching the guild members like this, Benjamin couldn''t help but feel frustrated. He himself didn''t have a proper solution either. Then. ''What''s going on?'' A young man, who was hard to ssify as a guild member, quietly raised his hand. Benjamin involuntarily frowned upon seeing the raised hand. ''What is he trying to say?'' Although Rockefeller raised his hand quietly, Benjamin ignored him for now. He waited a moment for another guild member to speak up, but there was none. ''He keeps being annoying. What is he trying to bber about?'' As reluctant as he was, Rockefeller was a necessary person for the second agenda item. His testimony was needed to convince the guild members and enforce the new guild regtions. ''I have no choice.'' "You''re not even a guild member here. But I''ll still listen to your opinion." Upon being granted permission to speak, Rockefeller, who had stood up, began to address everyone. "I know it might be presumptuous for me to speak up since I''m not a guild member yet, as the guild master said. But I feel that I must say this for everyone here, so I took the opportunity to speak." As Rockefeller stood up, the majority of the guild members who recognized him began to whisper among themselves. It was because the rumored assistant of Banco had obtained the right to speak. Rockefeller continued to address the guild members. "I don''t have any amazing solutions. However, I am extremely disappointed in all of your attitudes." At Rockefeller''s words, the entire conference hall began to stir. Benjamin, who had slightly contorted his face, asked Rockefeller. "Why do you think that? Do we look foolish to you, being caught up in the Crown War?" Benjamin then subtly mocked Rockefeller. It meant, what would a youngster like you know? However, Rockefeller shook his head and denied everything that was happening here. "Money is power and, in fact, everything. And we are the real powers holding that. Yet, our opponents underestimate us and only provoke us further. And we!" Rockefeller''s eyes burned with emphasis as he continued. "We cowered before them and even bowed our heads. We showed only the typical appearance of the weak without even knowing the power we possess. This is a serious problem. Since when have we been weak and powerless? Wasn''t it to grow this power that we formed this guild and united together?" There was no guild member who could refute his final question. They, too, secretly wanted to be strong, not weak. "As far as I know, the power difference between the 1st and 3rd Princes in the uing Crown War is not significant. So, it''s natural that everyone here has different opinions. If one side had an overwhelming advantage, there would be no need to even bring up this issue." Rockefeller continued to speak on his own, facing everyone who agreed. "Then, if we strongly push one side in this awkward bnce, what will happen?" In the silence, Rockefeller gave the answer. "The side we push will be the Emperor." Only then did murmurs begin to spread throughout the conference hall. With just a slight change in thought, Rockefeller''s words were somewhat urate. "In this way, we are the ones who can decide who among the two princes will be the Emperor. And yet, we bow our heads to them? Does that make any sense?" Rockefeller shook his head, as if outright denying that they had done something wrong. "You all made a mistake." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 88 (1) Chapter 88 (1) Guild Meeting #2 (4) Indeed, he was the assistant of Banco, who had caught the lord. Daring to have such thoughts. In the turbulent conference room, the guild members began to nod in agreement. "Look at that young man. His way of thinking ispletely different from ours." "It''s no wonder he caught the lord. There must be a reason for it." "There are people who think like that too." "Listening and seeing, it''s true. We do have that much power. If it''s not the emperor we''re pushing for, then what is it?" "Even if the 1st prince is talented, he can''t win the crown war without money. Frankly, if we support one of the two princes properly, that person will be the next emperor, right?" At this moment, Rockefeller''s words continued. "That incident was the result of the 1st prince underestimating us. How trivial a group must he have thought we were to ignore us like that? If he had known our true strength and continued to act ordingly! The attitude the 1st prince would have taken towards us would have beenpletely different from now." Rockefeller''s words implicitly implied that the Lyon Guild had been on the wrong path until now. And those words indirectly revealed dissatisfaction with the guild leader who had led the Lyon Guild in that way. "Quiet! Be quiet!" After the conference room became noisy, the guild leader, with a more hardened expression than before, quieted the room and spoke to Rockefeller, who was looking at him. "What does that ignorant kid know to babble like that?" "You, my friend. I felt it back then too, but you''re really an ignorant kid." Benjamin''s hardened expression was only for a moment. He forced a kind look on his face and continued. ''I need it for my testimonyter. I''ll have to bear with it until then.'' "I understand. If youck experience, you can naturally think like that. But, it''s not that easy. On the contrary, if we show that kind of courage, we could be ruined. We might even see a very dangerous situation where a Banco merchant dares to set us up like that." However, not everyone shared the same thoughts. Several guild members who strongly agreed with Rockefeller''s words stood up and continued to shout at the guild leader. "Why are you doing this when he''s right!" "Right! It''s all true! How much of a pushover were we for them toe out like that!" "Let''s show them how scary we can be this time!" "Right!" The conference room stirred again. The voices of opposition, which did not even agree with his thoughts, were very unpleasant noises to the guild leader. "Quiet! Be quiet!" Once again, Benjamin, who had quieted the conference room, found Rockefeller, who was still holding the floor. ''If you''re nning to stay in this guild, you shouldn''t talk like that. What are you thinking? Don''t you have any intention of getting along?'' "Since the topic hase up, why don''t you tell us? Do you think I''ve been running the guild wrong up until now?" In fact, there weren''t many guild members who had the guts to say that in such a ce. Most of them couldn''t dare to raise a rebel against Benjamin, except for a few guild members with considerable power or close ties with the upper echelons. But Rockefeller was different. ''You don''t fit in there at all.'' "My opinion remains unchanged. I believe the attitude the guild has taken so far is wrong. It''s time for a change." Change. At that single word, the entire conference room began to stir again, and Benjamin''s expression could only grow sour. In the midst of the noise, the guild leader, who had been quietly chewing on Rockefeller''s words, spoke in a low voice. "You don''t seem to care about my feelings at all. To say such things. Haha......" At the end, even an absurdugh escaped from him, and Rockefeller changed his attitude for a moment. "Why would that be? I was just angry at what the 1st prince said, and I just made some nonsense out of it. It''s purely my personal opinion, so I hope you don''t get too swayed by it." "Is there anything to be swayed by? It''s just a babble from a kid who doesn''t know anything about the world." Rockefeller''s gaze remained unchanged. ''He''s definitely annoying and unlikable.'' A goldsmith? A guild member? ''No way. I''ll kick him out of this industry forever. It''s not difficult with the power I have.'' "Now that you''ve said that, let''s move on to the next agenda. In fact, the next agenda is more important for this meeting." Then a guild member objected. "Are you already discussing the next agenda when the first agenda hasn''t been properly resolved yet?" "That''s a matter for me to decide, so I''ll move on at my discretion. You don''t have any good opinions anyway, do you?" "We still have to look for it! Or what the young man said earlier isn''t bad either!" "If there had been a good opinion, of course, I would have epted it. And the reason I brought up that story as this meeting''s agenda was to ask if there were any good opinions among you, but ultimately, it''s a matter for me to decide." Benjamin continued. "If you have any good ideas, feel free to consult with me at any time." When no more words came out about the first agenda, Benjamin began to exin the subsequent agenda. "Next agenda. In fact, it''s no exaggeration to say that this guild meeting was held to discuss this issue. You''ve probably heard the rumors already. That young man over there had a ridiculous idea." Benjamin pointed to the ce where the young man named Rockefeller was sitting. "In fact, that young man is neither a goldsmith nor a member of this guild. He''s just a young assistant hired by Carter." Benjamin, who didn''t know that Rockefeller had be a goldsmith with the help of Bishop Verkis, continued to chatter. "But he had a rather absurd idea and greatly disrupted our ecosystem." The guild members, who were somewhat familiar with the rumors, listened quietly to Benjamin''s words. Members of the guild, who had some knowledge of the rumors, continued to listen intently to Benjamin''s words in silence. "Is there anyone who objects to this? Speak up if you have any. God is watching." "In a situation where even the gold storage fees were insufficient, he came up with the absurd idea of not taking them and even paying interest instead. And there must be a few businesses that have suffered because of this." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 88 (2) Chapter 88 (2) Of course, it was his own story. The guild members knew roughly what was going on, but they didn''t bring it up here. "So, as the guild leader, I called the author and had a long conversation with him. I asked him why he had done such a thing, out of curiosity. And that young man said this. He was blinded by the church''s wealth and made a wrong judgment. He confessed to me that it was all a mistake." Then the entire conference hall began to buzz again. It was because the rumor''s assistant had gone to the guild leader and said such things. Guild members sitting in the conference hall chatted in low voices, with incredulous expressions. "Did he really do that?" "Haha... he said it was a wrong judgment." "He must have felt strange after trying it. It''s better to receive gold storage fees than to pay interest." Benjamin, who had been making eye contact with Rockefeller all this time, soon showed a friendly smile. "Isn''t that obvious? No one here had ever thought of giving interest to customers, so how could an inexperienced assistant like him, who is not even a goldsmith, have done such a thing? He must have just tried it without knowing what it was like. And then he regretted it." Benjamin, who was mocking Rockefeller without realizing it, continued. "So, today, in this ce, I want you to hear directly how foolish this young man was in what he did." Then he opened his index finger as if to emphasize it. "And from this time on, we will announce the guild rules andpletely ban the payment of interest ording to gold deposits. This is not a gain for us, but rather a harmful act. It''s not enough to encouragepetition between each other, but topletely withdraw from the gold storage fee business that has been going well so far. Does this make sense?" As Benjamin pointed at Rockefeller, everyone''s attention focused on him. "Then let''s hear what this young man has to say." After finishing his speech to the whole, Benjamin also told Rockefeller this, so that he wouldn''t have any other thoughts. "Although your experience is still verycking now, you should show deep reflection on your mistakes in order to get along well with us when your experience umtester. I''ve prepared this ce for you out of consideration for you, so feel free to speak your mind. Tell us what you did wrong at that time, and what kind of wrong judgment you made." Rockefeller, who was given the right to speak, stood up from his seat. "My name is Rockefeller Rothsmedici. I have been working as an assistant at Carter Bank in Montefeltro territory for several years, and I am also a goldsmith recognized by the royal family." At his words, the conference hall began to buzz again. "What? He said he''s not a goldsmith?" "That''s right. I heard he''s not a goldsmith either." "Wasn''t he just an unqualified assistant?" "Well, it doesn''t seem like that." "Then did he be a goldsmith in the meantime?" "That doesn''t make sense. As everyone here knows, you need the guild leader''s approval to be a goldsmith." "The guild leader wouldn''t know..." ording to the guild leader, he was not a goldsmith, but there was chaos when he said he was a goldsmith himself. Benjamin, who was also confused in the noisy conference hall, asked. "What the hell are you talking about? Goldsmith? You''re not even qualified yet." At his words, Rockefeller raised his voice again toward the buzzing conference hall. "As you all know, in order to be a goldsmith, you need the approval of the two famous bank unions in the empire. However, even this is nothing more than the royal family delegating the selection and appointment of goldsmiths directly because it is troublesome. In other words, as long as you have the approval of the royal family, you can be a goldsmith." In the buzzing conference hall, Benjamin asked Rockefeller. "What are you, ignoring even me, the guild leader, and saying that you have received the approval of the royal family?" Everyone had the same thought. The young man named Rockefeller was just an insignificantmoner''s son and a bank assistant. It was impossible not to question how such a person could have be a goldsmith by ignoring the bank alliance and having a connection with the royal family. Then. At this moment, an unexpected person intervened. He was a person who had been quietly sitting in his seat waiting for his turn since the beginning of the meeting. "Let me see. I made him a goldsmith." Bishop Verkis, who had been quiet, suddenly spoke up, and the conference hall became even more noisy. "Your Grace... what do you mean? You made that young man named Rockefeller a goldsmith?" It was so unbelievable. Benjamin asked with a pale face, and Bishop Verkis replied in a nonchnt tone. "Isn''t it impossible for me to do that when he''s trying to increase the church''s wealth by giving interest to the bank''s customers?" The atmosphere was strange. This ce was supposed to be a ce to let everyone know that the business of giving interest to bank customers was very wrong. However, the bishop''s attitude waspletely opposite, which caused confusion for everyone. "What are you talking about..." "From the standpoint of a believer who wants to serve God, isn''t it only natural to reward him for trying to take care of the church''s wealth and increase it? So I sent a letter directly to the royal family. I asked them to make that young man and his family members all goldsmiths." It was so unbelievable that Benjamin lost his words. Bishop Verkis, who still had a grudge against Benjamin, decided to further tease him using his power and position. "Well, since it''se to this, I think it would be nice to do this as well. I''ve been quietly watching from the beginning, and you guys are constantly trying to exclude that young man just because he''s not a fellow guild member. Well, let''s see how powerful I am. From this time on, let''s ept that young man as a guild member here." Bishop Verkis'' gaze turned to everyone. "Is there anyone who objects to this? Speak up if there is. God is watching." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 89 (1) Chapter 89 (1) Guild Meeting #2(5) Benjamin couldn''t help but be flustered by the sudden attitude of the bishop. ''What is he trying to do? Coming all the way here.'' No matter how much he thought about it, Benjamin couldn''t figure out the reason and wanted to ask Bishop Verkis, who was addressing everyone. "Why are you doing this?" "What are you talking about?" "Well, there''s nothing to do here now that the service is over, right?" "I have something to say, so I stayed here." "What do you mean you want to say something?" "Have you been listening? If your ears are fine, you should have heard everything I said." Annoyed, Benjamin let out a sarcasticugh. ''Really, what is he trying to do?'' As Benjamin was contemting how to respond, Bishop Verkis, who had been addressing everyone, continued. "You all know that you are doing business thanks to me, right? So, you won''t object if I make that young man a guild member here, will you?" As the guild members were whispering amongst themselves, Benjamin stepped forward with a twisted expression. No matter how much of a bishop he was, he was still a member of the same family. Therefore, there was no need for Benjamin to be too intimidated by him. If he had aint, he could just argue it out. "Excuse me, but what are you doing? Coming to someone else''s establishment and causing a scene. If you''re done, just leave. You''re just getting in our way." But Bishop Verkis was not one to back down easily. "What are you doing? Who do you think you''re doing business thanks to? Have you already forgotten what I''ve done for this guild?" "Haven''t Ipensated you enough for that?" "Whatpensation! What exactly have you given me?" "Do I have to list them all?" "Is that why you even made this gathering, so you can''t pay the church interest?" "Why are you bringing that up here!" As the voices of the two grew louder, the guild members became quiet, watching the two. On the other hand, Benjamin, who had been ring at Bishop Verkis as if he wanted to devour him, thought without holding back his twisted expression. He realized the reason why the bishop came out like that. ''I get it. You''re still upset about that.'' He wondered why he had stayed here so far, and it seemed that there was still lingering resentment about the withdrawal of the interest-paying business. "Anyway, this matter is our business, so I would appreciate it if Your Grace would not interfere with our affairs any further." "Why shouldn''t I interfere? If you do that, both I and the church will be harmed! Do you want to be so hated by God?" "Isn''t it more urate to say that I am hated by Your Grace rather than by God?" "sphemy!" "Ah... what sphemy is this? If you are dissatisfied with this matter, I willpensate youter. Isn''t that enough?" "What exactly are you going topensate me for?" "Haven''t I already paid you enough in donations? Have you forgotten all the donations I''ve given?" "What about the donations! Are you trying to show off by giving them as donations! And if you were going to show off like that, you should have helped me back then!" "Why are you bringing that up again! And didn''t I tell you clearly back then that I was having a hard time too! I told you several times that I couldn''t do it anymore because it was too hard." As the quarrel between the two intensified again, Rockefeller, who had been standing there, cleared his throat and made his presence known to the two. Then, Bishop Verkis, who had been getting angry, barely calmed down and stopped arguing with Benjamin. "Anyway. I have to do my part, so I''ll ept that young man as a guild member here. If not, I won''t stay still." "I can''t do that." "Why not?" "Well, I just can''t." "Why can''t you, tell me?" "He''s not even a goldsmith... no, that''s not it." With the bishop''s gaze burning like fire and no other excuses, Benjamin twisted his expression and continued. "Anyway, his experience is insufficient, so it''s difficult to ept him as a guild member immediately." "Now that he''s a goldsmith, what do you mean hecks experience? If he''s done that much work, his qualifications and experience should be more than enough." Then, Rockefeller, who had been watching, stepped in. "Guild Master Benjamin. Didn''t you say you would ept me as a guild member? Isn''t this different from what you saidst time?" At Rockefeller''s sudden words, Benjamin was flustered. ''What''s with this guy? When did I say that?'' Just as he was about to respond, Benjamin, who had recognized the need for Rockefeller, swallowed his words again. He realized that if he displeased Rockefeller, who would soon testify to everyone, things might not go in the direction he wanted. ''Why is this happening? Well, epting him as a guild member isn''t a big deal. I can just fire himter.'' Unwanted guild members could be firedter by making various excuses. With that thought in mind, Benjamin reluctantly spat out the words he didn''t want to say. "Fine. From this moment on, I will ept you as a guild member of the Lyon Guild. This is a rare case, but since His Grace the bishop is staring at me like he wants to eat me, I have no choice." epting a guild member was at the discretion of the guild leader, but since everyone was gathered, Benjamin threw a meaningless question to everyone. "Is there anyone who objects to epting that young man as a guild member? If so, speak up. Then, I won''t ept him as a guild member." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 89 (2) Chapter 89 (2) To that question, the entire guild members silently agreed. From their perspective, there was no reason not to ept it. After all, this was also up to the guild leader''s discretion. It was a matter they didn''t need to worry about. "Are we good now?" When Benjamin asked, Bishop Verkis said no more. As the bishop became quiet, Benjamin''s gaze naturally fell upon Rockefeller. "Well, you''ve be the guild member you wanted. You must know what to say in that position." "Of course. I swear to tell only the truth here, in front of everyone and God. I promise that there will be no falsehood in what I say from now on." "Good, I like that. Now, tell everyone about the foolish and stupid acts you''vemitted. Tell them how ridiculous it was." Everything was in ce. With the guardian''s consent already obtained, all that was left was the major operation to remove the ipetent guild leader. Having prepared himself, Rockefeller began to speak to everyone. "Everyone here knows as well as I do. Our main source of ie is the interest ie from gold coin loans. Of course, there are other sources such as exchanging gold coins and charging storage fees. We also charge separate fees for gold coin processing. But ultimately, our biggest source of ie is the interest ie from gold coin loans. You can''t deny that." The guild members gathered in the conference room agreed with Rockefeller''s statement and continued to sit quietly, waiting for his next words. Rockefeller continued speaking in the quiet atmosphere. "So, how should we expand this loan business? Obviously, we needed a lot of gold coins to lend. The more gold coins we lend, the more interest ie we get, right?" At this point, Benjamin''s expression became slightly distorted. ''What are you doing right now? Something seems off.'' However, since Rockefeller''s speech was not over yet, Benjamin decided to hold back and listen more patiently. ''No, let''s listen a little more. It seems like he''s exining the background of giving interest first.'' While Benjamin was exercising unnecessary patience, Rockefeller calmly proceeded with the major operation to oust the guild leader, capturing everyone''s attention. "So I came up with a n to pay interest to those who deposited gold coins. By doing so, we would lose the storage fee revenue we had been receiving, but in return, we would be able to expand the loan business and generate higher profits due to our strong belief in the n." At Rockefeller''s words, the majority of the guild members began to nod in agreement. As the person who had conducted the interest-paying business, their trust in him was strong. "And the result is this. Our bank was able to generate higher profits than before, and our rtionship with the church, which received interest ie from us, became even more special. I believe you can see this clearly, as the bishop who just had a dispute with the guild leader on my behalf." With the conference room buzzing, the guild leader could no longer hold back and raised his voice. "What are you doing right now? Who told you to say that? That''s not what you''re supposed to say there, is it?" Rockefeller stopped the guild leader''s words for a moment by extending his index finger. Then, as if he had more to say, he continued speaking. "Of course, if we continue to pay interest, we may no longer be able to charge gold coin storage fees as we have been doing. If some people receive interest and others receive storage fees, where would people choose to deposit their gold coins? Obviously, they would choose the ce that pays interest. It''smon sense." They say you should listen to a person''s words until the end. The guild leader, who had raised his voice for a moment, decided to be more patient and wait a little longer. ''Let''s listen to the end. He wouldn''t be talking nonsense there, would he?'' As Rockefeller continued speaking, the guild leader tried to be patient. "I believe there will definitely be victims from this matter. Why? Because with the emergence of interest-paying banks, we will no longer be able to charge gold coin storage fees as we have been doing. People will no longer visit banks that charge storage fees. Naturally, banks without customers will suffer significant damage. So, I sincerely ask you all." Rockefeller''s eyes were burning more intensely than ever. "From today, please withdraw the outdated business practice of charging gold coin storage fees." The entire conference room was shocked by the unexpected statement. It was because Rockefeller''s testimony waspletely opposite to what the guild leader had said before. "That is not only a cumbersome shackle blocking our growth, but also, if we continue to insist on that method, we will be the victims I mentioned earlier and won''t be able to avoid falling into poverty." As Rockefeller finished speaking, the entire conference room began to buzz, and Benjamin, unable to bear it any longer, began to raise his voice. "What is this nonsense! Who told you to say that?" But Rockefeller showed no signs of backing down. "And today! I have one more proposal for you all. From now on, please remove that ipetent guild leader! Remove him from that undeserved position right away!" "What, what did you say? You want to remove me? Who do you think you are! What are you talking about!" "Guild leader Benjamin is like a frog in a well. He''s a foolish and naive person who can''t see the bigger picture, only chasing after immediate profits. His only reliable support is his powerful family backing! He has nothing else to offer. As long as someone like him remains in that position, there will be no further growth for the Lyon Guild!" Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 90 (1) Chapter 90 (1) Bonus chapter thanks to @NutBuddy''s continued patronage to Dwarven Sovereigns on Ko-fi! Guild Meeting #2(6) Rockefeller''s shout turned the entire conference room upside down. In the midst of chaos. The guild leader, with his face red with anger, kept raising his voice at Rockefeller, who insulted him, and Rockefeller, who was unfazed, also raised his voice against the guild leader. "Quiet! Everyone, be quiet!" "We are still in the middle of a meeting!" "Please, be silent!" When even the guild leader could not mediate the meeting, several guild members stepped forward to try to quiet the noisy conference room, but despite their efforts, the excited guild leader''s voice showed no sign of calming down. "Who is going to drive me out of here? No one! And now this kid who just became a goldsmith dares to try to drive me out? This inexperienced brat!" "You, who are more ipetent than a cow, no longer belong in that position. Please step down quickly for the sake of everyone here. It''s for everyone''s benefit." "So, there''s no one to drag me out of here, right? Why do you keep saying that?" The guild leader, whose face was changing colors, quickly scanned the guild members sitting in the conference room. "Is there anyone here who is dissatisfied with me holding this position? If so,e out!" There was no guild member who came forward hastily. In the first ce, even if they didn''t like Benjamin, they couldn''t easily step forward because they were wary of the Lyon family. "See! There''s no one, right?" Gaining confidence here, an excited Benjamin barely managed to calm down and even showed a smile of victory. "No one! This ignorant..." Then. Bishop Verkis, who had been silently watching everything, opened his heavy mouth, cutting off Benjamin''s words. "I agree." Everyone seemed surprised. It was natural, as they thought that this person would never throw a vote of approval. "What now? The bishop agrees." "Hey, the two are from the same family, right? Does that make sense?" "Is something wrong? It''s a bit strange." "No matter how emotional you are, that''s too much. Even if it''s a slip of the tongue, it''s too far." "Does he really agree?" "I don''t know." The guild members'' reactions were quite natural. Even if they hated the guild leader, they thought it was impossible to reject a person from the same family like that. So, some who were still confused thought that Bishop Verkis might have made a joke for a moment. However, the bishop''s expression, which was ring at Benjamin without knowing it, was infinitely serious, and there was no sign of any joke mixed in. "Why are you all like that? Am I not allowed to throw a vote of approval here as a believer? You know how much I''ve done for this guild so far. I think I can throw at least one vote of approval." Benjamin, with his eyes wide open, asked the bishop in a trembling voice. "Your Grace... What did you just say? You agree?" "What did I say? I said I agree to you stepping down from that position. Why are you asking again when everyone heard it? Are you hard of hearing?" "Is that... what you really meant? You''re driving me out? Not someone else, but me?" "What? Really?" The guild leader''s words made Bishop Verkis angry. "Let''s see, so I look ridiculous because this person is from the same family! No matter how much we''re from the same family, how dare you to y with that dirty mouth of yours! Are you in your right mind now? How dare you insult me in front of the God who watches over us!" "But that''s too much! How can Your Grace do that to me! We''re not strangers, how can Your Grace do that to me!" "I''d rather ask! You''re not a stranger to me, how can you do that? Are you a stranger to me? Are you from another family? Then how can you do that to me! Wasn''t it you who was wrong from the beginning?" "Was I wrong from the beginning? What did I do wrong?" "You did everything wrong! Isn''t it the same now! Why did this meeting happen! What did you think of me and the church that you even held such a meeting! Was it so hard to pay interest to the church! Were you that greedy for church property!" "Ha... That''s our business. It''s not something the church should interfere with." "That''s why I agree! You are not a suitable person for that position! Step down from there right now!" "That''s not for Your Grace to decide! It''s a matter for us guild members to decide!" "Who made it this far thanks to who! And yet you dare to say that in front of me? You''re spouting such nonsense in front of the God who watches over us! Do you want to be punished by God!" Only then could the guild members who had been watching the fight easily ept it. No matter how much they were from the same family, if the emotional gap was so deep, it would be no better than a stranger, right? In that case, it was understandable that Bishop Verkis wanted to drive out Guild Leader Benjamin. "Anyway, I agree! Drive that person out of that position right now! Or you all know how I''lle out! You know better than me that you can''t do business here without me." With a mocking smile. Benjamin, who openly snorted, spoke to everyone sitting in the conference room. "Don''t listen to what His Grace says here. He has nothing to do with us anyway. And there will be no problem even if this position ends." Like the other guild members, Rockefeller, who had been quietly watching the situation, stepped forward. "I also agree." As Rockefeller confidently raised his hand, the guild leader''s eyes shot daggers at him. ''That bastard!'' Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 90 (2) Chapter 90 (2) "Come on, there''s no one else here! There''s no one who can kick me out of here!" But that was his own misconception. Guild members who had been dissatisfied with the guild leader began to raise their hands one by one. "What the hell are you doing! What are you doing!" As the guild leader''s voice grew louder and louder in his excitement. One by one, the guild members who had turned their backs on him raised their hands confidently toward the sky of the conference hall, and the number of them exceeded half. Initially angered by the sight of the guild members who didn''t trust him and were even trying to expel him, Benjamin eventually became engulfed in a feeling of emptiness. He hadn''t realized until now that he was such an insignificant existence. ''How... can this happen? This is... too much.'' Just a few days ago, they wereing to him with friendly smiles and ttering words, but now they were casting their votes to kick him out! With the majority of votes in favor, the guild leader could do nothing but stare nkly as Rockefeller spoke calmly. "ording to the majority rule, it has been proven in front of everyone that you are not fit for that position. If you have anything to say, say it. Everyone is listening." This is wrong. Something is terribly wrong. He tried to appeal to the seated guild members, but it seemed like no one was going to listen to him. With his eyes blinking, the guild leader began to speak in a low tone, as if clinging to hisst straw. "Look, guys. My way is the right way. That''s the right thing to do. Instead of paying interest to the person who holds the money, it''s right to receive a storage fee for the money." He tried to exin calmly, but the response was cold. "Why? Now, the inexperienced neer who has just be a moneylender is swayed by a single word. That''s not it." As he tried to persuade them somehow. Rockefeller just shook his head. "How can you be so sure about that?" "What do you, an inexperienced neer, know for sure?" "Me? Haven''t I already proven everything in front of everyone?" "What have you proven!" At the end of Benjamin''s gaze, Rockefeller stood with Bishop Verkis in the background. "Are you still asking that after seeing everything so far? I haven''t said anything wrong. You are not fit for that position at all. Please step down from the guild leader''s position as soon as possible for the development of the guild and for everyone sitting here. That position should be given to someone who is more progressive and better than you." Benjamin had nothing more to say to that. What else could he say when the result was proven in front of everyone? "If I leave here, then the church''s support will be gone. Are you guys still going to kick me out knowing that you can''t do the Bango job without the church''s support?" At that, Bishop Verkis, who had been watching, stepped forward. "Don''t worry too much about that. Even if Benjamin leaves, I probably won''t harm this guild." Bishop Verkis emphasized in his next words. "Of course, as long as my man continues to hold the position of guild leader here." As the somewhat meaningful words continued, Benjamin couldn''t help but raise his voice toward Bishop Verkis. His index finger pointed at Rockefeller. "Are you saying that you''re going to entrust this ce to that inexperienced neer there?" At his question, Bishop Verkis showed a cruel smile. "Why not? At least he''s better than you." "That guy hasn''t even been a moneylender yet, and he''s the most inexperienced among those who have only been assistants to moneylenders! What do you trust in him to entrust this position to such an inexperienced neer?" "That young man will prove it step by step from now on. I already have faith in him. I n to watch him slowly." "Ha..." Benjamin sighed openly and asked the guild members sitting there. "Do you all think so too?" Of course, there were some guild members who did not raise their hands in favor of his expulsion, but that didn''t mean they were defending him. They were just taking a neutral stance, not knowing how things would turn out. The rest were also dissatisfied with him. "Nobody has anything to say. It seems like you all think it''s best for me to step down from this position. After all I''ve done." Then one guild member spoke up. "What have you done for us, guild leader? All you''ve done is manage the church''s property by yourself and collect storage fees. When have you ever allowed us to use the church''s property?" He shook his head outright. "Other than not paying attention to the Lyon family and the church, there was nothing helpful about you being here. Rather, haven''t you been using your position as guild leader to take care of your own interests?" At his words, the majority of the guild members present began to nod. In fact, he was right. "So is it right for me to step down?" Another guild member spoke up in response to Benjamin''s question. "Since it''se to this, we hope you will step down from the guild leader''s position. That position should be upied by someone who can help both the guild and all of us, as that young man said earlier. Ask yourself if you were really the right person for that position." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 91 (1) Chapter 91 (1) Guild Meeting #2(7) Although Benjamin wanted to continue to argue about the church, he could no longer do so since Bishop Verkis supported Rockefeller. In a moment when everyone''s gaze felt so intense that it seemed to burn his skin, Benjamin had no choice but to admit his situation. As they said, he had nothing to offer in his position. "At some point, I became a person who is no longer needed." Yet, his dissatisfaction did notpletely disappear. Even if he stepped down from this position, he was not pleased that the young man named Rockefeller would take over the spot he left behind. "Fine, I''ll leave this ce. It''s all good. As you all said, I haven''t done anything for you except for bringing the family''s prestige. But you all should know this. Do you really think that young brat can lead this guild well?" At Benjamin''s question, the guild members began to stir once again. They were well aware of the unbelievable rumors about Rockefeller, but they still had some resistance to the idea of him bing the guild leader. This was a matter of trust. In fact, he had only be a guild member today, and it was only a few days ago that he had gone from being an apprentice in a remote bank to a goldsmith. As the guild members stirred, one of them stood up and addressed everyone. "There will be people whopletely agree with that point. I''m one of them too." As he spoke, his gaze swept across the conference room, and many guild members who agreed with him nodded their heads. Seeing this, he continued to speak. "The young apprentice of a bank in a remote area devoured a lord. He also greatly expanded the loan business by bringing in church funds. We''ve all heard the unbelievable rumors, but we can''t just put someone with less experience and younger age in the guild leader position. That young man was just an apprentice of a bank in a remote area until a few days ago. That''s why our trust in him is extremelycking." As the majority who agreed with him nodded their heads and showed signs of agreement, Benjamin secretly felt satisfied. Even if he was driven out, if the guild leader position became vacant again, his dismissal would be meaningless. After all, there were only a limited number of people who could sit in the guild leader position. ''What do they trust in that greenhorn to put him in the guild leader position? This will be the same for all of them.'' As the public opinion about Rockefeller turned unfavorable, Carter, who had been silently watching the situation, suddenly stood up and addressed everyone. "My name is Carter. As some of you may know, I am the person who worked with that young man named Rockefeller at a small bank in a remote area. I''m standing up now because it seems like you all don''t know much about him. I, who have been close to him, would like to say a word, so I''m standing up with an apology for the interruption." As the bank owner, who imed to have worked with the rumored apprentice, began to speak, everyone''s attention was focused on him. At the same time, Benjamin, who was staring at him with a suspicious gaze, frowned. ''What is he going to say?'' By any chance? ''That''s right. I sent a warning letter. I told him to testify against that guy unfavorably. Otherwise, I would cut him off from the guild.'' That''s why Benjamin could harbor a glimmer of hope. ''Please, it has to be like that.'' But that was just his wish. Carter boldly began to speak in front of everyone. "Long words won''t do any good, so I''ll cut it short and say it." Carter quickly followed up with his next words. "I can confidently say..." Carter''s voice was filled with strength, giving a strong sense of belief to those who heard it. "Among all of you here, there is undoubtedly no one with better business acumen than Rockefeller." Carter''s gaze met with Rockefeller''s. The young man had already grown so much that he was aiming for the guild leader position. Carter, who had been nodding his head alone, continued to speak. "That kid was a genius from the moment he entered. Although he was under me, he took the lead in all the work, and as a result, the lord could not interfere with us, and the store''s ie increased so much that I, the owner, became very wealthy. Money makes money. I never knew I could livefortably just by receiving interest in my life." None of the guild members had anything to say against his words. In such an atmosphere, Carter continued to speak. "So, I can be sure. Just as I am livingfortably now, you all canpletely escape from a life of hardship and live in apletely new way. Why don''t you trust me and give him a chance? When I talked with him, he said he would only show results. It won''t be toote to judge after seeing the results." At the suggestion to judge by the results, the guild members once again made amotion in the conference room. And after a while, one of the guild members stood up and looked for Rockefeller. "Do you really intend to show the results?" At that question, Rockefeller answered as confidently and boldly as possible amidst the chaotic atmosphere. "Yes, of course. If you trust me and give me the guild leader position, I will repay you with results alone." The young candidate''s promise to repay with results caused the guild members to make a fuss in the conference room again. After some time, another guild member stood up and addressed everyone in the still-chaotic conference room. "Anyway, the guild leader position requires a close rtionship with Bishop Verkis, so the candidates are extremely limited. It seems that the only candidate to rece Benjamin is that young man there. How about trusting him and giving him a chance?" In response to these words, most of the guild members began to show signs of agreement. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 91 (2) Chapter 91 (2) Although the young man named Rockefeller was younger and had less experience as a goldsmith than the other guild members, the extraordinary rumors that followed him were the reason they agreed. Furthermore, he had a close rtionship with Bishop Verkis, so they thought it would be okay to give him a chance, even if he wasn''t perfect. "Since Benjamin cannot continue to serve as the guild leader, I will take the initiative to conduct a vote for a new candidate. Please quietly raise your hand if you support the young Rockefeller for the position of guild leader. ording to the established rules, a new guild leader must have more than half of the votes." As everyone held their breath, they began to raise their hands one by one. Bishop Verkis and Carter were the first to raise their hands, followed by guild members who supported Rockefeller, either taking cues from their surroundings or making a quiet decision based on their personal judgment. With the growing number of affirmative votes, Benjamin, who had been watching, eventually hung his head. There were more guild members supporting the young Rockefeller than he had expected. ''How could this happen...'' Having nothing more to say, Benjamin maintained his silence. On the other hand, Rockefeller, who received more than half of the votes, unknowingly revealed a satisfied smile on his face. ''I didn''t even need to bring up the letter Carter received. Things have gone smoother than I expected.'' "Thank you, everyone. I will prove that your choice today was not wrong by showing you the results." As the young and unique new guild leader was elected, Bishop Verkis, who had been watching, was the first to apud, followed by the guild members who had upied the conference hall, greeting the new guild leader with warm apuse. Amidst the noisy apuse, Rockefeller spoke with a sense of mission. "I don''t think it''s a coincidence that I came to this position today. I think it might be fate. Why? Until now, we have been going in the wrong direction. As Imented earlier, we have been groveling before others even though we have the power. We were nothing but weaklings being pushed around by the strong without even knowing our own strength." Rockefeller''s gaze unintentionally turned toward the former guild leader, Benjamin. "If we had turned things around sooner, things would have been better." Feeling a resentful gaze, Benjamin sneered openly. Rockefeller took his gaze off Benjamin and continued. "However, the past is the past. What''s important is the present and the uing future. From today on, we will." Rockefeller''s gaze met Bishop Verkis. "With faith in God, the church, and our firm belief, we will enter apletely new era, different from the past." Rockefeller raised his index finger. "In order to wee such an era, we must first grow our strength even more." Wherever Rockefeller''s gazended, the guild members nodded in agreement. "In that sense, we will enforce new guild regtions from today onwards. This is something that all guild members must participate in without exception, in order to have meaning." Everyone just listened with their ears open, waiting for Rockefeller''s next words. Rockefeller continued after catching his breath. "We will abolish the gold storage fee business we have been receiving so far and enforce guild regtions that provide a certain amount of interest on gold deposits. This will be enforced on all banks belonging to the Lyon Guild." At that, a few guild members who had been watching started to grumble among themselves. The reason was their resentment towards the deposit interest. Before Rockefeller could continue, a guild member raised his hand to draw Rockefeller''s attention. "I will grant you the right to speak. If you have something to say, please say it." As Rockefeller pointed, a guild member who stood up began to express his difort with what Rockefeller had enforced. "We''ve been living well by receiving gold storage fees so far. And now you''re telling us to abolish it overnight? And if it''s a guild regtion, there''s no way to avoid it, right?" "Of course, there will be dissatisfaction with this. It''spletely closing a business we''ve been doing well. But you have to know this. By giving up something small, you gain something bigger." Rockefeller continued. "I promised you one thing when I was elected as the new guild leader. I told you I would repay you with results. And to achieve those results, you have no choice but to follow me." "Do you have the confidence to handle it if you''re wrong?" "Confidence, you say? Of course, I do. Rather, this will be an opportunity for all of you here to trust and rely on me more." Rockefeller confidently continued. "Everything is determined by the results. If this goes wrong, I will leave this position cleanly, so please trust me and follow the new guild regtions I have announced." "By enforcing this, won''t new victims be created?" At an unexpected question from a guild member, Rockefeller responded without being flustered. "Of course, there will be new victims. But it won''t be us. Why? Because we won''t be receiving gold storage fees ording to the guild regtions." "Then who is the victim? I thought that one of us who doesn''t do that would be the victim." "You''re wrong. The victim is not us, but the ck Label Union, who, like us, have formed a bank alliance." Rockefeller subtly smiled at everyone. "Watch and see. Whether there will be any gold left in the banks belonging to the ck Label Union. From today onwards, their gold will be ours." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 92 (1) Chapter 92 (1) Bonus chapter thanks to @SuperLazerBeam and all other supporters on Ko-fi! Guild Meeting #2(8) At Rockefeller''s words, the conference room began to buzz again. Rockefeller''s speech was relentless towards the noisy conference room. "Who would entrust their gold coins to a bank that charges storage fees? Unless they''re a fool who can''t even count, no one would do that. So, after today, all the gold coins in the empire will be monopolized by our Lyon Guild." The new guild mandate would not harm the banks that didn''t follow it, but rather the separate banking alliances unrted to themselves. The guild members seated in the conference room began to react one by one. "Hmm... should I say it''s ingenious or that it''s gutsy?" "It''s good for us. We''ve had problems with not having money to lend, but if we can attract gold coins like this, our existing loan business will expand significantly." "Maybe we''ll even build connections with ck Label''s clients." "Still, I''m not thrilled about the interest on deposits. Isn''t it a bit stingy?" "Let''s give it a try first. Nobody knows what will happen." "It''s obvious that customers will flock to us. It''s better for them to entrust their gold coins to us and receive some interest than to stash them at home." One of the guild members who had been deep in thought raised his hand and caught Rockefeller''s attention. "If you have something to say, please stand up and speak." "ck Label Union is a banking alliance like ours, but they''re under the influence of the Assassin Family. Even if things go well, won''t there be problemster on? Like issues with personal safety." It was a valid point. Rockefeller nodded and addressed his concerns. "Yes, you''re right. The alliance is indeed under the influence of the Assassin Family, unlike us. But everyone here knows that the power of Ismail is not what it used to be." Before Rockefeller could continue, Bishop Verkis stepped forward. "The Ismail faction has already decayed long ago. The sin of daring to establish a heretical religion and deceive the gods is not a light one." As the bishop''s words ended, Rockefeller continued. "As Bishop Verkis has said, the Assassin Family Ismail is barely maintaining its name after the war with the two families in the past. They would not dare to touch us, who are under the protection of the Sinir Family. I believe you all know that as well." "But they''re still an Assassin Family, aren''t they? If they kill us secretly and y innocent, that''s the end of it. Honestly, I''m worried, and what I''m most worried about is you. What are you going to do about that?" A confident smile appeared on Rockefeller''s lips. It was the confidence that came from knowing the entire content of the novel. "You''re right. As long as they exist, I may be constantly exposed to the threat of assassination. Confronting them would be no different than walking defenseless through a dungeon full of monsters. So, I n to make a deal with them." "A deal? What kind of deal are you talking about?" "ck Label Union itself is not Ismail. They are just one of the many factions under Ismail''s influence. However, if ck Label Union is harmed by us, Ismail, who shares the same interests, will try to do something about it." Rockefeller''s words continued. "Perhaps they might want to assassinate me as an example to show the resurgence of their once-infamous family." The guild members were waiting for Rockefeller''s next words, buzzing with anticipation. "But what if I make them a sweet offer first? Would they still be able to harm me?" "What kind of carrot are you going to give them? I don''t see anything to negotiate with them." "There is. The 2nd Prince''s wife''s family is the Ismail Family. However, they can''t even dream of a crown war due to theirck of support. But if we support the 2nd Prince, the Ismail Family won''t be able to touch us, who are harming ck Label Union. They would want to regain their former glory by siding with the new source of money rather than securing their existing money source. So, I n to make a deal with them in this way." At Rockefeller''s words, the conference room buzzed again. Then, as they watched, Bishop Verkis spoke with a displeased expression. "I''ll be the first to oppose a heretical prince sitting on the throne, regardless of anything else." His words were scolding, directed at Rockefeller. "How can you support a prince of heretical origin?" Rockefeller countered. "Bishop Verkis, Prince Christian is no longer a heretical prince, contrary to what you know." "Prince Christian is not a heretic? Even though he was part of the Blind Sect and deceived us until recently? How can you be so sure without even seeing Prince Christian?" "Of course, as you said, Bishop Verkis, the Ismail Family as a whole has notpletely escaped from the shadow of heresy. However, from what I''ve gathered, Prince Christian is a devout follower of the Cross Sect, not the Blind Sect. Aren''t you, Bishop Verkis, better informed about this?" "Isn''t that just an act to save himself? If it wasn''t, he would have already been killed by the church''s iron hammer." "But so far, there has been no verification of any connection with heretics, right?" "Where would that blood go?" "If Prince Christian is indeed a true believer of the Cross Sect, there''s no reason we can''t support him, right?" Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 92 (2) Chapter 92 (2) Bishop Verkis frowned and replied. Leaving that aside, why specifically the 2nd prince? There''s the diligent 1st prince, and also the 3rd prince, who has a deep connection with the Lyon Guild. It would be better to support them instead." "Those sides already have forces attached to them, so there''s not much benefit we can expect. And the most important thing is that whoever it is, eventually the one we push will sit on the throne." Upon hearing that, Bishop Verkis reluctantly opened his eyes. As he nodded his head, it seemed as if he somewhat agreed. In the meantime, Rockefeller''s words continued. "Currently, the 2nd prince is almost devoid of any support. Due to past wars with two families, he cannot hope for Ismail''s support. If we approach the 2nd prince first and extend our hand, won''t we have a lot to gain when he ascends the throne?" "It''s a gamble. That''s a very dangerous gamble." "Yes, your Grace. This is a gamble." But this wasn''t a gamble. Because there was a protagonist in the novel, the winner of the crown war was almost predetermined. "But if we can win that gamble, it''s high risk, high return. Won''t we also gain a lot? Especially since your Grace could greatly benefit from it." At those words, Bishop Verkis showed a different reaction than before. "Why do you think so?" "I think you can probably guess how this can be beneficial to your Grace without me saying it." "Hmm..." Still, Bishop Verkis''s expression remained displeased. "It''s difficult. It''s a very difficult task. Not anyone else, but the 2nd prince. Tsk tsk." However, Rockefeller''s words had made Bishop Verkis stop questioning further. Perhaps a miracle might happen for him, just as Rockefeller said. ''Yes, the greater the risk you take, the greater the rewards that follow.'' "You handle that yourself. I don''t think I should keep arguing about it here." Rockefeller bowed his head lightly. "Thank you for your consideration." Then, he raised his head and addressed everyone in the room. "As such, I n to support thepletely unexpected 2nd prince, not the existing 1st or 3rd prince. This way, we can naturally reduce the threat from Ismail as well." "What are you going to do about the Sinir family, who has been helping us? They will ask for help with the 3rd prince." Rockefeller was as sharp as a knife in response to that question. "I n to maintain the minimum level of loyalty." "Will that work? They won''t sit still." "You seem to be misunderstanding something. From now on, we will take a different path. From today onwards, we shouldn''t be looking at anyone''s face." "We don''t have that kind of power." "If we don''t have it, we''ll create it." Rockefeller, who had finished speaking, took out a loan certificate from his pocket. "I want to ask you all a question. Where do you think our poweres from?" Answers came from all directions. "Money." "Gold coins." "You''re asking the obvious." Rockefeller shook his head at these words. "You''re all wrong. Our power wille from this in the future." Everyone''s eyes focused on the loan certificate Rockefeller was holding. "That''s not just an ordinary loan certificate." "Do you n to make everyone in the world indebted?" "What are you thinking?" Rockefeller smiled at them. "This is no longer just a loan certificate. Of course, it is a loan certificate. But from now on, it will be apletely different concept." "A different concept?" "What concept?" The following words were enough to shock everyone. "Paper currency." The term "paper currency" was unfamiliar, and everyone looked at each other''s faces with expressions of iprehension. "Until now, the currency we knew was made of metal materials like gold coins and silver coins. But you all probably know this already. At some point, people have been using these gold storage certificates, or loan certificates that promise to return your gold coins someday, as money." Rockefeller''s words continued. "And some of you have even secretly lent out non-existent gold coins and collected quite a bit of interest." At this, several bankers coughed awkwardly. It seemed they had their own tricks. Rockefeller smiled as he nced at them and continued. "I am not trying to me those who have fallen into moral decay. What I want to say here is that it''s time for us to move on to a more advanced form. That is, paper currency." It was still a concept that didn''t quite hit home. Most guild members wore bewildered expressions. Of course, as Rockefeller said, loan certificates issued by banks were used as money in some ces. However, it wasn''t used throughout the entire empire. "From now on, we will be a different concept called a bank, a union of banks, and we will unify all the loan certificates that have been issued separately so far and create apletely new paper currency that will rece the Empire''s Dant." The guild members were buzzing. "The name of the currency that we will create anew and spread infinitely on thisnd is..." Like the Federal Reserve, which appeared as a mere scam in the novel and deceived everyone as a national institution. Rockefeller also devised apletely new paper currency that seemed to be based on the credit of goblins in order to deceive everyone in the world. "It''s Goblin Dor. After all, Goblin''s credit is better than ours." Rockefeller didn''t forget to say that. "Perhaps the other factions will think that this paper currencyes from Goblin Bank. After all, it was named with that intention in mind." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 93 (1) Chapter 93 (1) Guild Meeting #2(8) The emergence of the Goblin Dor. It was the moment when credit certificates, which had been unknowingly used like money among people, finally took on theplete form of a currency. Until now, currency had only been coins made from materials with intrinsic value, such as gold and silver. However, due to the deception of greedy bankers, traditional metal currencies were disregarded, and an entirely new form of currency was born. While conventional currencies required actual gold and silver to create new money, the paper currency that Rockefeller now proposed only needed credit and paper, theoretically enabling the creation of an infinite amount of money. "Goblin Dor?" "It seems like he''s suggesting unifying all the credit certificates we''ve been using." "But if we do that, we''ll have to take responsibility for the credit certificates issued by others." "Well, we were already taking responsibility for them to some extent, regardless of where they were issued." One of the guild members who had been debating raised his hand and caught Rockefeller''s attention. When Rockefeller granted him the floor, the man stood up and began to voice his concerns. "Are you suggesting that we should integrate all the credit certificates issued by various banks into one?" "That''s correct." "Then let me ask you this. If that happens, there might be cases where one bank would have to take full responsibility for credit certificates issued by another bank. Of course, this would not be an issue if the credit certificates were based on actual gold, but it would be very inconvenient and troublesome for us." He asked Rockefeller, strongly questioning his proposal. "Do we have a reason to unify the various credit certificates issued by each bank, even if it means enduring such inconvenience?" In response to his question, Rockefeller answered with a smile. "You seem to have misunderstood something. The Goblin Dor I mentioned earlier is no longer a concept like a credit certificate. As I exined earlier, it is a new currency." Rockefeller then asked him a question. "Let me ask you this. Why do people return credit certificates to us and take gold coins?" "Well, that''s because they need the gold coins." "Why do they need them?" "Well... it''s because they are money." Rockefeller immediately responded to that. "That''s right. Gold coins are money, and people needed them, so they returned the credit certificates to us and took gold coins. But if the credit certificates we issued were used like money, would people really go through the trouble ofing to the bank to exchange them for gold coins? What they''re already using is money, right?" "Well..." "If the Goblin Dor were to be used like gold coins, at least some of the concerns you initially had would be resolved. There would be no need to exchange them if people didn''te in the first ce." "Heh..." "I understand your feelings. You might still find it strange to think of credit certificates being used like money." At that point, a guild member spoke up without waiting for permission. "That''s not true. Credit certificates are already being used like money here, albeit unofficially." Rockefeller, who didn''t bother to point it out, continued the conversation. "Then you should find it easier to understand what I''m saying. What I proposed earlier is to maximize that practice." "So, do we gain anything from doing this?" "Of course, we gain something." What could be gained from this? As everyone expressed their doubts, Rockefeller subtly revealed the true trick. "Gold coins require gold to be minted, and silver coins also require silver to be minted. However, our new paper currency only requires the Lyon Guild''s credit and paper." It was apletely new concept. Being able to mint money with paper. A few bankers who understood this began to nod vigorously. It wasn''t that they hadn''t thought of it like Rockefeller. They justcked the courage. "From now on, we''ll do it openly. And that will make us even richer. Who canpete with us, creating wealth out of nothing?" Then, a guild member expressed his half-believing, half-doubting concern. "I have one question. Will people use it? They''re not fools. Instead of using real money like gold coins, will they use the scraps of paper we''ve minted?" Rockefeller still smiled at the question. "Didn''t I say it earlier? The two things needed for that paper currency are credit and paper. We can ignore the paper, which is abundant everywhere, and focus on the important thing: credit. A firm belief that we will return the gold coins whenever and wherever the loan certificates are brought, and trust. Only then can things go our way." "That credit is..." "How can we create that credit? Will it be created by each bank issuing its own loan certificate? No. When we have the trust to unconditionally ept something they believe in, only then will the Goblin Dor''s credit beplete." A guild member suddenly asked. "But why the Goblin Dor? I understand the name Goblin, but what on earth is a dor?" Would any of them here know about the dor? Rockefeller didn''t think so. "Dor is just a name I came up with. Since it''s the world''s first paper currency, isn''t it okay for me to name it?" As the new guild leader arbitrarily named it, the majority began to ept it. "With paper money... we can just print it out randomly." "Are we creating something from nothing?" "It''s not just ingenious, but a terrifying idea, isn''t it?" "It''s scary, but it''s definitely good for us." Rockefeller informed them of the direction they should go before concluding this meeting. "And the Goblin Dor is also our grand n on the extension of deposit interest. If deposit interest is activated, most of the gold coins in the empire wille to us. Then, inevitably, arge amount of loan certificates, the gold coin storage certificates, will circte, and we n to activate the Goblin Dor using that as a catalyst." Rockefeller''s words were not over yet. "I sincerely pray that in the new world we are about to enter, everything will go our way." As he finished speaking, Rockefeller''s gaze turned to Bishop Verkis, who was still in his seat. As their eyes met, Rockefeller respectfully bowed. "And we will always share our profits with the church." Upon seeing this, Bishop Verkis seemed somewhat convinced and nodded his head. There were some unpleasant aspects in the content of this meeting. However, since he said that the profits would be shared with the church, he epted it on his own. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 93 (2) Chapter 93 (2) Goblin Dor (1) A few days after a new guild ordinance was strongly implemented in the Lyon guild. Lyon started bustling with foreigners from all over the country, bringing gold coins to earn interest ie based on gold deposits. Themoners and nobility alike, indifferent to their social standing, have discontinued their dealings with the preexisting bank and are solely focused on the interest ie guaranteed by the Lyon guild. "Hey, have you heard the news?" "Ah, of course I heard. They say if we deposit our gold here in this bank, they''ll give us interest, right?" "The bank here is in chaos right now. On top of a crisis where they should be charging for storing gold, they are actually giving interest. Are they still sane?" "They must be mad. Definitely." People on the street who looked down on the bankers of Lyon soon began to jeer. "Aren''t they fools? Why would they provide interest? I fear they might go bankrupt." "But how much interest are they going to give?" "I hear they are going to give 1% each month. That means if you have 100 gold coins, you get 1 gold coin every month. 1 coin!" "1% in this world? This is madness. Those guys have clearly lost their minds." "But if you think about it, didn''t they used to deduct 1% if we stored gold in a bank in Lyon in the past?" "That''s right." "So actually it''s like they''re paying for storing gold, isn''t it?" At that, they both pped their hands in realization. "They must be insane." "Yes, clearly insane! This isn''t something a sane person would do." Then one of them expressed a question. "But why would they pay us interest? There was no such thing before, right?" "You didn''t seem to catch the news." "What news?" "There''s a rumor that the guild leader there changed." "What? The guild leader there changed? Originally, it was Benjamin, a member of the Lyon family." "Right. But it seems that the guild leader has changed." "Who did it change to? As far as I know, only those from the Lyon family could be a guild leader." "It seems differently now." "What? You mean the Lyon family just let it happen?" He shook his head as if he didn''t believe it. "No way! You must have got it wrong." "No, seriously. The newly elected guild leader isnt from the Lyon family. It was... someone from themoners, I heard." "What? Amoner?" He retorted with a frown. "Hey! Stop talking nonsense. How could amoner sit in that position?" He continued confidently. "You must have it wrong. That''s not a ce where amoner can sit. And besides, the Lyon family has their eyes locked on it. Most probably, its someone from their family." "No, I mean, that''s not it. I clearly heard that he''s actually from themoners. That... what was it... Ro, Ros... Ah, right! It said it was amon family called Rothsmedici." "Rothsmedici? What''s that? I''ve never heard of it. Are they nobles?" "No, what did you hear? I just said it was amoner family." "What? Amoner family? You should talk sense!" "No, really! Amoner, I said! Amoner became the guild leader!" "Stop talking nonsense! Do you think I''ll believe that?" "Wanna bet? I clearly heard it, okay?" "Alright, fine! Let''s bet. I have nothing to fear. You are definitely talking nonsense. How can amoner be a guild leader overnight? Its a position recognized by the royal family as a noble position once you sit there." "Really. Dont change your tune after losing!" "That''s what I should say!" After having an intense argument, the two made a bet and headed straight towards the street where the new guild leader was reportedly elected. When they arrived at Ghetto Nuovo, it was crowded as usual, with throngs of people making it densely packed. The narrow streets were even filled with carriages the nobles had ridden in. How chaotic could it be? After pushing through the crowd and the carriages, they finally reached the bank. It was the bank that Benjamin de Lyon, who had previously been the guild leader, had operated. However, when they went there, the owner of the shop had changed. And of course, the shop sign also, "Where did the Lyon bank go...." "Bank of Rothsmedici? Is this the bank?" "Isn''t ''bank'' a typo for ''banco''?" Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 94 (1) Chapter 94 (1) Bonus chapter thanks to @alckrn subscribing to Dwarven Sovereigns Tier on Ko-fi! Guild Meeting #2(9) Upon inspection, the store''syout was simr to before, confirming that they hade to the right ce. Only the store''s atmosphere and sign had changed. One of them raised their voice after checking the store sign. "I told you! A guild leader came from amoner family called Rothsmedici." Another one immediately argued, thinking that they couldn''t be sure just by the sign. "What are you talking about! It''s probably just an unknown noble family or a fallen noble family." "Are you still insisting that it''s amoner family? Have you ever heard of the Rothsmedici family? Stop being stubborn without even knowing." "Let''s just be quiet for now. We can ask when we go inside." The two bickering men finally entered the store and met the new owner. "What brings you here? The store isn''t open yet." Rockefeller asked them again, as if he remembered something. "By any chance... did youe here after seeing the store''s recruitment advertisement?" As Rockefeller, who was busy tidying up the store, asked them while rolling up his sleeves, one of the two visitors cautiously asked him. "Um... I heard that the guild leader changed recently. Is that... Rothsmedici ce really amoner family as rumored? Or is it an unknown noble family?" They didn''t know. They didn''t know that the young man, Rockefeller, who was busy organizing the store, was the new guild leader. They thought Rockefeller was just an assistant hired by him. Rockefeller then smiled and answered their question. "That''s the third time I''ve been asked that question today. The Rothsmedici family you mentioned has been amoner family until now." One of the visitors was satisfied with the answer. "See! I was right! I told you that the guild leader came from themoner family called Rothsmedici." "How... How can that be? This ce has been managed by the Lyon family for generations. How can someone from an unheard-ofmoner background... Sigh..." As he sighed deeply, feeling a strong sense of defeat. The one intoxicated with a sense of victory asked Rockefeller another question. "Where is the new guild leader, by the way?" As he asked, looking over Rockefeller''s shoulder, Rockefeller replied with a smile. "It''s me." "Excuse me? What did you just say...?" "I am the new guild leader, Rockefeller Rothsmedici." The two visitors couldn''t hide their surprised expressions. They couldn''t believe that such a young man was in charge of the entire Lyon guild! "How...?" "I don''t understand. How can someone so young be a guild leader?" "I feel the same way." One of them asked again, just in case. "You''re not lying, are you?" Rockefeller just smiled in response. "Many people don''t believe it. I understand, though. I''m quite young." "How old are you, if you don''t mind me asking?" Rockefeller hesitated to reveal his age because he was so young. It was quite surprising that he became the leader of a group at an age not even reaching twenty. "I''m still young. That''s all you need to know." "You''re not lying, right?" "What''s there to lie about? It''s all true. I''m the new guild leader, and as of yesterday, I''ve taken over this store." "What happened to the previous guild leader?" "I''m not sure. I only know that he''s at home. He must have been quite betrayed." "Home?" Another one interrupted. "Well, it makes sense. If I were him, I''d be too embarrassed to go out after being removed from the guild leader position." The previous guild leader, Benjamin de Lyon, became listless right after the guild conference, where the guild members voted to oust him. Rockefeller went to find Benjamin to inherit the guild headquarters, but Benjamin, who didn''t want to see Rockefeller, only gave him the store key through a servant. "Anyway, that''s the situation." As the two visitors were about to leave the store, Rockefeller couldn''t let them go just like that. "Did you two juste here because you were curious about the rumor?" At his question, the two visitors who were about to step outside turned their heads back. "Yes, do you have something to say?" "Since you''re here, why don''t you have a consultation with me? The store is not in the best shape to receive customers, but I can still handle pawnshop business." One of them, seemingly having thought of something, asked Rockefeller a question that had piqued their curiosity. "Come to think of it, the sign for your shop says ''Bank'' instead of ''Banco.'' Is this a mistake?" "Ha ha, no, it''s not a mistake. In the future, all Bancos belonging to our Lyon Guild will be integrated into a single Bank. This will give us apletely different image from the existing Bancos." "Exactly... how will it be different?" "Whereas the existing Bancos have been operating independently without any connections, from now on, all Bancos belonging to the Lyon Guild will be one and be called a Bank." Since the new Guild Master said it, the two did not doubt and began nodding their heads. "That''s pretty innovative." "I think so too. Bancos integrated into one? Heh... well, then, can we repay the gold coins borrowed from other Bancos here?" It was an offhand remark, but the answer that came back was truly surprising. "Yes, it''s possible. That''s the meaning of bing one." Having finished speaking, Rockefeller asked again. "By the way, have you not heard this rumor recently?" "What rumor are you talking about?" "The one about us giving interest if you entrust us with gold coins." At this, the two visitors began to show great interest in what Rockefeller had said. They had been unsure about the rumors they had heard. "Is that true? Do you really give monthly interest if we entrust gold coins here?" "I was curious about that too. If it''s true." Rockefeller showed a deep smile. "Of course. The rumor is true. If you entrust gold coins to any Banco belonging to the Lyon Guild, we will give you 1% interest every month." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 94 (2) Chapter 94 (2) "So, it was true. It really was." "But, how does a Banco have the money to pay interest to those who entrust gold coins?" For them, it was something they couldn''t understand right away. Originally, Bancos charged a fee for gold coin storage, so it was even more so. ''Of course, there''s a reason. That way, it''s profitable for us.'' "We also invest the money we have in various businesses, so it''s only natural that we return thepensation for the borrowed money to you. It''s simple when you think about it." The two passers-by, who knew nothing, were simply delighted by the news of the interest. "It seems like a good idea, doesn''t it? Then there''s no reason to leave gold coins at home, is there? It''s not safe, and it doesn''t even earn interest." "You''re right. What else can you do with it lying around at home besides getting it stolen? It''s better to entrust it here." To the two of them, Rockefeller tried to poke further. "Since we''re talking about it, why don''t you leave your gold coins here? If you use our shop rather than others, I''ll give you a little more than 1% interest every month." "Really? Is that true?" "Hey, he''s saying he''ll give us more interest." "Can we trust that?" "No, man, look. That person is the Guild Master here. Then, of course, there''s no need to doubt. Right?" He asked Rockefeller while looking at him. "We don''t have to doubt, do we?" To such a question, Rockefeller simply smiled. "Of course not. We, like other Bancos, value credit and trust as our lives. There''s no problem at all, so if you have gold coins, you can entrust them to me. You won''t regret the interest we give." Swayed by Rockefeller''s words, the two immediately ran to their homes, gathered all their money, and came back to Rockefeller''s shop. Then, they entrusted the money and received something unexpected from Rockefeller. "What is this...? I''ve never seen it before." What Rockefeller handed over was none other than Goblin Dors. Unlike the traditional gold coin deposit certificates (loan certificates) that only indicated the entrusted amount, the Goblin Dors Rockefeller now handed over had small units, making it easy to use like money. Like 1 Goblin Dor, 5 Goblin Dors, 10 Goblin Dors. "These are Goblin Dors. From now on, if you entrust gold coins to a Banco belonging to the Lyon Guild, you will receive this new currency called Goblin Dors instead of the traditional gold coin deposit certificates." "A new currency? So, this is money?" "Hey, looking at the small units, it looks like we can use this as money." "Then, if we bring this here." Before he could ask, Rockefeller answered right away. "We''ll return it to you as gold coins exactly. In other words, we''ve changed the traditional loan certificates into a form of currency that''s easier for you to use." "Oh, this is quite innovative, isn''t it?" "So, if I bring this, you''ll exchange it for gold coins here?" "Yes, you can think of it as the same as the existing promissory notes. However, the difference is that it''s easier to use like money because it''s divided into several units. If you entrust us with 10 ducats, we''ll give you 10 Goblin Dors in return." Rockefeller''s words continued. "And if you suddenly need gold coins and give us back 10 Goblin Dors, we will immediately give you 10 ducats in return. There are no fees here, only convenience." Did they know? That behind Rockefeller''s smile, there''s a devil of his own. Then one person expressed a doubt. "Then, this Goblin Dor is as good as gold coins. Who would be foolish enough to use heavy and inconvenient gold coins when there''s something so convenient?" Rockefeller justughed at the question. "That''s right. I''d use Goblin Dors as money instead of gold coins." Amazed by the Goblin Dors, the two who had been examining them left the store shortly after. ''If the n ispleted, we''ll be able to print money from nothing. People don''t know the details anyway. They will only discuss our stability and trust.'' Watching the two leave, Rockefeller stood still for a moment and then began to move busily again to finish his work. How much time had passed? Another customer visited Rockefeller''s store. Long, curly silver hair and deep eyes like ake. He was as young as Rockefeller, and a beautiful young man with distinct and sharp features. He quietly looked up at the newly changed store sign. Instead of the previous Lyon Bank, there was a new store sign called Bank of Rothsmedici. Seeing this, the unidentified young man with wide eyes entered the store. As soon as he entered the store, Rockefeller reacted immediately. "What brings you here? The store isn''t ready yet, so it''s a bit chaotic." He was a customer who didn''t fit well with the store. Would you say he was more suitable for a host bar? As Rockefeller continued to stare intently at him without answering, the other person kept piercingly staring back at Rockefeller with deep and profound eyes. Rockefeller asked again, just in case. "Did youe from somewhere else? You didn''te from the Sinir family, did you?" Not all visitors could be store customers now that he had be the new guild leader. Since he was in charge of one of the two bank alliances of the empire, it was only natural that some valuable guests might visit. One thing was certain, no matter how they dressed, the dignity and feeling that emanated from a person''s body did not deviate much from that of a noble. ''It doesn''t seem like he''s from the Sinir family?'' Long, curly silver hair and deep eyes like ake. And an incredibly handsome man. There was one person who came to Rockefeller''s mind. However, he wasn''t certain. "Or did youe from somewhere else?" As the questions continued, the man who didn''t want to reveal much about himself lifted an advertisement he had been holding with his fingertips. It was an ad for a job opening. "Ah..." Rockefeller asked again with a short sigh. "Did you see the job advertisement by any chance?" As the other person just nodded, Rockefeller reacted. "I''m sorry, but I don''t employ people without sociability as my assistant. To do this job, you need to smile well and talk a lot." Then the visitor showed Rockefeller his first smile. With his white teeth exposed, the stylishlyughing man finally opened his mouth. "I can adapt to any role you want." The once cold demeanor was gone, leaving only the smiling handsome young man. As the atmosphere changed in an instant, Rockefeller could solidify the thought he had from the beginning. Beautiful silver hair and deep eyes like ake. And the one with a thousand faces. ''Ricardo Ismail.'' Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 95 (1) Chapter 95 (1) Bonus chapter thanks to @Nagataro subscribing to Dwarven Sovereigns Tier on Ko-fi! Guild Meeting #2 (10) Ismail. Well-known as one of the three great houses in the novel, was quite famous for its clean assassinations and murder. It was also a strong supporter of the ck Label Union, one of the two bank coalitions in the empire. ''I didn''t expect the head of the family toe in person.'' In the past, Ismail, which had a notorious reputation as an assassination family, was incredibly powerful, enough to stand shoulder to shoulder with the other two famous families for their swordsmanship and magic. However, due to their rtionship with the heretics called the Blind Order, they had been severely suppressed by the alliance of the two families and had lost their former prestige. ''If it''s Ricardo, he became the head of the family at a young age when the previous head died.'' Rockefeller, who is sure that the person who came to see him is the head of the assassination house, speaks with a hidden expression. "Seeing you smile, it''s not that bad." If he is indeed the head of the Ismail family, why did hee to see me? Rockefeller could easily guess the reason. ''It must be because the ck Label Union was damaged by the interest payments.'' Many people have beening to Lyon in search of interest ie from gold deposits. Among them, there must have been people who had been trading with the ck Label Union in the past. But the problem is that they took out the gold they had entrusted and went to the banks in Lyon, so it seemed that the Ismail family, who were their sponsors, intervened directly. ''Is there any other reason why they woulde to me? I don''t know, but if he is the head of the family, I must be right.'' On top of that, the head of the family moved directly. This meant that the matter was more sensitive than expected. ''Either way, being cautious wouldn''t hurt.'' "Do you know about goldsmithing or other things?" Ricardo Ismail. He was the owner of an assassination house far from goldsmithing. However, as befitting his nickname of "A Man of Thousand Faces," he was very talented and could easily learn and imitate any task. The work of a goldsmith? It wasn''t a difficult task for him. It wasn''t perfect, but he can easily imitate it to some extent. "Yes." To his short answer, Rockefeller asked again. "How skilled are you?" "I''m not perfect, but I don''t think you''ll be too disappointed." Rockefeller, who had been nodding lightly, stopped what he was doing and began to move to greet him. ''For now, let''s pretend to be fooled. After all, he didn''te here thinking of bing a real assistant.'' "Let''s go upstairs first. What kind of tea do you prefer?" To his question, the unidentified guest replied with a fake smile. "Whatever you feelfortable serving." "Then herb tea would be nice. Please wait a moment." Even though he knew that he would not drink it. Rockefeller served tea as a courtesy and sat face to face with him. "Now, let''s drink. It''s best to drink tea before it cools." As Rockefeller had expected, he didn''t seem to want to drink the tea he had served. The probability of poisoning the tea would be slim, but it''s still a precaution. "I''ll drink the tea slowly." Rockefeller had no intention of forcing it on such an opponent. ''I bet he has poisoned many opponents like this. Well, even if he''s done it all along, can he really drink the tea someone else serves?'' Instead, he threw a formal question at him. "I didn''t ask your name. What is your name?" "Thomas Martel. I''m amoner." "Thomas... Is there a background to your involvement in this matter?" "Not much. I needed money, and I heard people were needed, so I applied for this job." "I see. Do you really need a big reason? If you need money, you can do this job." After that, very formal questions and answers about assistant recruitment began to go back and forth. In fact, since they had little meaning to both of them, Rockefeller did not attach much importance to asking. During that time. The first strike came from the other party. "I heard that you pay interest ie to those who deposit gold." "Yes, it is now mandatory by the guild''s charter for all banks belonging to the Lyon Guild to pay interest ie." At Rockefeller''s answer, the other party narrowed his eyes and continued. "Have you ever thought it was wrong?" "Wrong? In what way?" "I also agree with the idea of generating ie through it. The results prove it. But if people are harmed by it, will they really stay still? I''m asking about that part." At his words, Rockefeller pretended to think. "People who are harmed will not stay still... Are you talking about the bankers belonging to the ck Label Union, by any chance?" "Yes. I said that because I thought they wouldn''t stay still since they were harmed." Rockefeller pretended to think for a moment and then answered with a kind smile. "Aren''t we all living in a world ofpetition? If there is a good side, the bad side will naturally be eliminated. This is thew of nature." After hearing Rockefeller''s answer, the other party seemed to think for a moment and immediately threw the next question. "Even if it''s thew of nature, wouldn''t there be cases where those who have suffered hire thugs to make things difficult for you? Depending on the situation, they could even hire assassins from Ismail, as the ck Label Union has a good rtionship with them." What he just said was a kind of warning. A warning to be cautious as they had a close rtionship with the assassination family. However, Rockefeller showed no sign of backing down. He knew that things would go his way anyway. "That''s a dangerous statement. Of course, I think it''s entirely possible. After all, the power struggles of adults are different from children''s games, and there may be bloodshed." Rockefeller emphasized his point by raising one index finger. "But the tide of change has already begun. Regardless of what happens to me, the interest payment method has already shown its results, and it can never go back to the way it was before." Rockefeller smiled again. "Can the guild members here, who have tasted the money, really go back to the way things were? I think it''s difficult." Rockefeller''s words had a point. Just looking at the current atmosphere, the effect of interest payments from gold coin deposits was truly tremendous. Almost all the gold coins in the empire were being sucked into Lyon. So, it seemed very difficult for guild members who had experienced the effect to return to the past when there were no interest payments on deposits. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 95 (2) Chapter 95 (2) "Also, we are being sponsored by the Sinir family. If I were to be assassinated, the Sinir family would not stay silent. The bankers in Lyon Banco would demand an investigation, and in doing so, the Ismail family and the ck Label Union could be suspected and suffer damage. What do you think about this?" The young man who introduced himself as Thomas had no choice but to nod lightly, as there was no wrong in what was said. "You''re right. This ce and you are under the protection of the Sinir family, so as you said, they won''t be able to move easily." "Even if they move, they must be prepared for some damage." Then, Thomas, the young man, delivered a chilling statement with a dark expression. "But I know that Ismail does not fear retaliation. Whoever they target, they will meet death in some way. That''s why they are scary." Rockefeller also began to nod, seemingly convinced. "I''ve heard that too. So I have no intention of keeping them at arm''s length." This meeting was essentially a ce to decide whether the Ismail family would kill or spare Rockefeller. Knowing this, Rockefeller began to speak his prepared words. "I don''t n to ignore them just because I''m under the protection of the Sinir family. What kind of people are they? They are one of the three great families in the empire. No one has survived after being targeted by them. This is a well-known fact, so I won''t say any more." "So, what are you thinking?" Somehow, the atmosphere turned cold. A feeling that if you yed your tongue just three inches wrong, you could be dismissed from the world. However, even in such a threat, Rockefeller''s words were unhesitating. "I n to provide them with a reason not to harm me. Isn''t everything about interests? So, I n to offer them the revival of their family, which could be considered their greatest desire." Ismail had been a less prestigious ce than before due to past problems with heretics. So it was a ce that wanted the revival of their family more than anywhere else. Rockefeller offered an irresistible carrot to such a ce. "In what way?" "We will work together to push for the second prince, His Highness Christian Ismail." Christian Ismail. The second prince of the empire was a member of the Ismail family. Thomas showed a slightly surprised expression when Rockefeller said he would support the second prince. It waspletely unexpected. "Do you n to support His Highness the second prince while the Sinir family is watching?" "Yes, this is a secret conversation between us. I n to do so." Thomas asked again with a puzzled expression. "I don''t understand why. Is there a reason to push for His Highness the second prince just because Ismail is watching?" Of course, if the oue was unknown, it would be foolish to support the second prince. The most likely candidate for the crown war was the first prince, and if not, it was more logical to side with the third prince. However, things in the world did not always go as expected. ''Especially when the protagonist is involved.'' The protagonist of the novel. His name was Lee Han. He was very close to the second prince. So, he overturned all the situations and eventually made the second prince win the crown war. ''So, I''m going to join them too. And this matter just happens to fit well.'' "I''ve heard about a man named Lee Han. I don''t take him lightly even if others do. As long as he''s there, the Second Prince won''t be easily defeated. He might even win the crown war. So, I''m thinking of secretly helping the Second Prince without the Sinir family knowing." Thomas narrowed his eyes slightly. "It''s surprising that you know about a man named Lee Han." "There are many rumors to hear when you''re in this position. Lee Han, he''s a very interesting person. I don''t know why, but I''m also keeping an eye on him. But how do you know about Ihan?" "I heard it through rumors as well." "Rumors" Rockefeller had nothing more to say, as it was the same excuse. "Anyway, I n to avoid their threats in this way. I might even have to meet them soon. Since my life is also on the line, I need to be careful." The young man who introduced himself as Thomas. Ricardo Ismail could decide whether to let him live or die at this meeting today. Beforeing here, he had met with a former guild leader Benjamin, and the Rockefeller he met here was apletely different person from what he had said. ''I thought he was a useless person, but it seems he wasn''t.'' Those who lied for their own sake did not have a good end. Especially those who were involved with Ismail were even more so. "Ismail is known to have many ears everywhere. If you had such a thought, they would surely know." At those words, Rockefeller chuckled. "How can they know when I haven''t even told them yet?" "I don''t know. But if it''s the rumored Ismail, maybe they know?" "Hmm... I still need to contact them. Since meeting you, who came to be my assistant, I''ve had a lot of thoughts. No matter how much I like money, it can''t be better than a person''s life." The silver-haired man who came to be an assistant left the store after exchanging some meaningless small talk with Rockefeller. Recalling the departed Ismail family head, Rockefeller narrowed his eyes as he stood in his seat. ''Ricardo Ismail... I never thought I''d see the head of that famous assassination family here.'' Seeing that he was still alive and breathing, it seemed that he had escaped the threat of Ismail. They were people who didn''t hesitate much. ''Maybe it would be good to have that person as an assistant.'' Why? "Because, for them, I am a person who must be saved unconditionally." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 96 (1) Chapter 96 (1) Goblin Dor (4) As Rockefeller was thinking about this, Ricardo, who had already left the ghetto Nuovo area, decided to meet a few more people to gather more information. They were all rted to the Lyon Guild. As time passed, Thest ce he visited was one of the prominent mansions in Lyon. Ricardo, who secretly visited the owner of the ce, suddenly spoke to Benjamin, who was sitting anxiously in the study. "I met the person you mentioned." Since his voice came out without any sign of presence, Benjamin replied with a surprised expression. "You startled me! No, how did you get in? You scared me!" Benjamin, who was surprised, patted his chest several times and turned his head towards the direction of the voice. However, there was no one there. "What, what? Where are you now? Where are you talking from?" Ricardo didn''t seem to have any intention of showing himself to him. "It''s a bit different from what you said." "Different? No, what''s different?" Benjamin, who couldn''t see Ricardo''s appearance, recalled the appearance when he visited earlier and continued the conversation. "Listen, young friend." Although he felt a chilly sensation running down his spine, Benjamin tried to shake off the thought and continued speaking without showing any difort. "You seem to be ignorant. That person is not helpful to you guys." Originally, Benjamin''s n was this: If the Ismail family moves due to the issue rted to the deposit interest, secretly contact them and eliminate the young man named Rockefeller. He thought that the character named Rockefeller would be a thorn in the side of the Ismail family anyway. "Who is suffering now because of the unnecessary deposit interest? Wasn''t it the ck Label Union that has been supporting you guys so far?" "That''s right. Due to that, the ck Label Union is suffering significant damage." At those words, Benjamin''s mouth curved into a wide smile. "That''s right! That''s what I''m saying. But did you just let that person go? What did you do? Did you deal with him? You guys should be able to eliminate your opponent like a ghost." Ricardo, who looked cold-hearted, replied to Benjamin, who was full of expectations. "No, I just left him." "What? You just let him go?" Benjamin had an expression that he couldn''t understand. "Why did you just let him go? I don''t understand. Did you have a reason to keep him alive?" "You have many questions. This time, I will ask." For some reason, Benjamin felt uneasy and unconsciously swallowed his saliva. "What do you want to ask?" "You told me. That person is an unnecessary person for us." "Yes. Unnecessary. Isn''t that obvious? Aren''t you saying that because you don''t know your current position?" "I heard you attended the guild meeting." "Guild meeting?" "The guild meeting that took ce this time." "Of course, I attended... it." "Then you must have heard what he said at the meeting." Benjamin, who was alone in the room, rolled his eyes around and replied. "What did I hear? And why aren''t you showing yourself? Come in front of me first. It makes me nervous when you talk from an invisible ce." Behind Benjamin, who was sitting in the study, Ricardo stood with an eerie expression. His expression was infinitely cold. "If you heard what he said at the meeting, you must have known that he was going to support the Second Prince during the Crown War, right?" "That''s..." Surprised, Benjamin quickly turned his head and looked behind him. But there was only silence there. "..." For a moment, Benjamin realized the presence of cold sweat running down his temples. Something... felt extremely uneasy. ''It''s dangerous.'' His opponent was from the Ismail family. If he was caught, he would be eliminated without anyone knowing. As soon as he felt that, Benjamin suddenly jumped up from his seat and tried to shout outside. "Hey! Uh..." At that moment, Ricardo grabbed Benjamin''s back and covered his mouth, slowly bringing a dagger to his neck. Feeling the cold metal touch his neck, Benjamin was startled and stiffened, and Ricardo whispered softly in his ear. "Shh~ It''s noisy outside, so you can''t be loud." Benjamin nodded several times and Ricardo, who had sat him down, began to speak unterally. "If you had simply entrusted us with a one-sided request, this wouldn''t have happened. We would have understood then." Benjamin''s eyes widened as he swallowed his dry saliva with difficulty. He didn''t know why, but it felt as if the Grim Reaper had appeared before him. "But this way, we''re in trouble too. The crime of trying to deceive us for your own petty gains. That price is never light." Despite his mouth being blocked, Benjamin tried to scream for his life, but for some reason, his body wouldn''t listen. Then, he felt a sudden loss of strength throughout his body. His eyelids were so heavy. As Benjamin slowly lost consciousness, Ricardo gently released his blocked mouth. "And it seems that keeping you alive will only cause more trouble. You are unnecessary to both us and them. Please quietly exit from our affairs." With those final words, Benjamin''s eyelids closedpletely. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 96 (2) Chapter 96 (2) Unexpected news reached Lyon, which was crowded with foreigners like a rising tide. It was the suicide of Benjamin, the former guild master of Lyon. Not long ago, Benjamin, who had been expelled from the guild master''s position, had hung himself in his study, unable to ovee his shame. No one doubted that Benjamin hadmitted suicide since there was even a handwritten will. The reason was obvious, and there was a will, so who would doubt it? However, it was different for Rockefeller. He was in a strange mood inside his shop as he learned of the news, knowing better than anyone that it was not a suicide. ''Did he take care of it?'' At that moment, Rockefeller could recall the mysterious assistant who hade to him. He was a young man with a charming appearance and wavy silver hair. ''It could be. The head of the family has moved directly.'' As expected, the Ismail family, known for their assassinations, was a scary ce. They were the ones who could easily kill or save people depending on the need. ''It seems that they judged me to be more valuable than him. Otherwise, I would have been the one tomit suicide.'' The news that he would support the Second Prince in the uing Crown War must have sounded very sweet to the Ismail family. Why else would they let him go after he had harmed the ck Label Union? ''Of course not.'' After finishing his thoughts, Rockefeller was about to immerse himself in his work again when an unwee guest appeared. "You came again." It was the same person who hade to be his assistantst time. Introducing himself as Thomas Martel, the head of the Ismail family, he was Ricardo. "Yes, I saw the help-wanted advertisement still outside. I thought I''d try again. Did you find someone to work with?" No one else hade to learn from Rockefeller, and he found no suitable applicants, including Ricardo. However, seeing that Ricardo hade twice, he seemed to have a purpose. ''Could he be here to monitor whether I will truly support the Second Prince in the Crown War?'' That thought crossed his mind, but another thought urred to him. ''No, why would the head of the family personally monitor me?'' That was the question. Usually, he would have someone else do it. ''Was the Crown War that important to him?'' "No, I haven''t found anyone yet. I''m just picky when ites to people." Rockefeller hesitated for a moment. He wondered whether to make up an excuse to send Ricardo away or to ept him as is. ''Even if I want to send him away, it won''t be possible. He''ll be around me one way or another.'' Might as well. Rockefeller thought for a moment about keeping Ricardo by his side. ''If I think about it positively, it might be safer to have him by my side. There will be many people threatening me in the uing Crown War.'' What if someone who bears a grudge against him secretly sends an assassin? It would be like sending a puppy into a tiger''s den. With that thought, Rockefeller couldn''t help but smile at the corner of his mouth. "Would you like to give it a try? I don''t think waiting any longer will bring us a better candidate." At that, Ricardo also replied with a delighted expression. "I will do my best if given the opportunity." "You can learn the work at your own pace. First, we have someone to meet today, so follow me." It seemed Rockefeller had some business to attend to. He stepped out of the store with his newly hired assistant. The assistant, who was suddenly brought outside the store upon being hired, expressed his curiosity. "Where are we going all of a sudden?" This was a matter that Rockefeller could have handled on his own. But why would he not bring along the strongest bodyguard he had? "We have someone to meet today. Do you know about Baron Frank?" Baron Frank. He was the developer of the Magisteel Tank. "I''ve heard the name." "He''s the developer of the Magisteel Tank. I heard that the factory''s situation has been quite badtely." "Is there a reason for visiting them because of their poor situation?" Could he be considered an assistant? In any case, Rockefeller thought it was okay to inform him since he came on his own ord and answered his question. "Their situation is bad because theyck money. To run the factory, they need to cover research expenses andbor costs. If they can''t afford it, the factory won''t operate. We''re going there to solve that problem." "You''re not going to help them for free, right?" "Of course not." The Magisteel Tank was the empire''s unique firepower weapon against the monstrous weapons of other races. There was no weapon as important as the Magisteel Tank in the war. ''The Magisteel Tank is important in many ways. It''s necessary for the uing Gold Mine War.'' "We will demand a share in their business in exchange for helping them. Then we will be the owners of the Magisteel Tank, just like Baron Frank." Rockefeller, who knew the oue of the Magisteel Tank, was confident, but Ricardo, who had heard various bad news rted to the Magisteel Tank, showed a slightly skeptical attitude. "Are you sure you''re not wasting money? I''ve heard about the Magisteel Tank, and it''s said to be just a pile of scrap metal." "It may be like that now. But if development goes well, no one knows what will happenter." "It''s just that the rumors are too bad." "We''ll find outter. After all, it''s our business." Rockefeller smiled slightly. "We have a lot of money, so there''s not much to lose even if we spend it there. Even if it fails, it''s not a big deal." Having a lot of money? Of course, as the head of the Lyon Guild, it wasn''t wrong. "But it seems like quite a lot of money will be needed, right? I''ve heard that the cost of the Magisteel that goes into it alone is quite high." To that, Rockefeller confidently replied. "We can afford all of it. Why? Because we have this." When Rockefeller took out Goblin Dors from his pocket, Ricardo narrowed his eyes slightly. Lately, in the Lyon Guild, that strange paper money was being used like real money. Thanks to the convenient paper money, gold and silver coins had gradually disappeared. ''In the past, some promissory notes issued by the bank were used as money among a few people, but it wasn''t as widely used as it is now. But after he became the guild leader, itpletely changed. Everyone is using Goblin Dors.'' The Goblin Dors, which reced gold coins, were spreading throughout the empire at a terrifying speed. Since Goblin Dors were exchangeable for gold coins, no one had any problems with it. To be precise, they didn''t know the reason, so they left it alone. ''I''ve heard that he printed promissory notes with nonexistent gold coins... Is this an extension of that?'' It was a matter unrted to him. But he still had that thought. The Rockefeller he was with might be deceiving the entire empire. ''He may be a person with scarier thoughts than he appears.'' "What does that have to do with it?" When Ricardo asked about the Goblin Dors he had taken out, Rockefeller still had a smiling face. "No matter how much Baron Frank wants." If he had intended to lend gold coins, there would have been a limit. After all, the amount of gold coins he had was limited. But there was no limit to the Goblin Dors issued with that coteral. As much as the other party wanted, he could just print and give them. That was the terrifying aspect of Goblin Dors. ''This is truly Show me the money.'' "Everything can be reced with this. It''s the magic we possess, after all." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 97 (1) Chapter 97 (1) Bonus chapter thanks to @Boomjoni subscribing to Dwarven Sovereigns Tier on Ko-fi! Goblin Dor (5) At that, Ricardo expressed his doubts. "Are you saying that you''re creating nonexistent money and giving it to Baron Frank? Is that what you''re saying?" His counterpart was Ismail, the leader of one of the three great noble families of the empire. And his temporary assistant to help him with his work. Since there was no need to hide what had already been openly discussed at the guild meeting, Rockefeller replied with a smile. "More or less, yes. That''s why I said that." Ricardo couldn''t hide his astonishment. Creating money out of thin air. And deceiving everyone while doing so. ''I was right. They nned to create nonexistent money and help Baron Frank with it.'' "Are there no problems with doing this?" Ricardo''s financial knowledge was only slightly better than that of an ordinary person. So he couldn''t easily predict the oue of Rockefeller''s actions. Because his financial knowledge was insufficient. At that question, Rockefeller burst intoughter. "Hahaha! Of course, there are problems. How could there be no problems if we''re printing nonexistent money and spreading it in the market?" "What kind of problems will arise?" "Are you curious?" "Yes, a little." Rockefeller, who had been stroking his chin for a moment, smiled and exined what Ricardo was curious about. "If you remember what changes came to the empire after the War of mes, you''ll probably find the answer you''re looking for." When the War of mes broke out, the imperial royal family created Bastard Dants to supplement their insufficient war funds. They couldn''t create the money they wanted with just gold, so they mixed in copper and created counterfeit gold coins. And the result was a rise in market prices. "Are you saying... the market prices will rise?" "Simply put, yes. Before the War of mes, it took one Dant to purchase a steel sword at the cksmith''s. However, after the war, the price of steel swords increased due to the cirction of Bastard Dants. Do you know why this happened?" "No, I don''t know the details." Rockefeller continued. "The actual value of the steel sword was fixed at one pure Dant, but when copper was mixed into the Dants, the value of the Dants decreased rtive to the steel sword. So how would the two change to equalize their value, since the value of the steel sword was fixed?" "Well, more Dants would be needed. If they were pure Dants, there would be no problem, but they''re not." "That''s right. That''s why market prices have risen overall. The market prices have risen in proportion to the number of Bastard Dants that were created." Ricardo finally seemed to understand, nodding his head. "I get the general idea." "Simply put, the value of the existing Dants has decreased. And if you apply this to my work, you can easily predict what will happenter." Ricardo thought to himself as he nodded. ''The prices will skyrocket. Depending on how much the bankers, including the interest, have deceived the empire.'' "I have a question." Rockefeller didn''t avoid the question. "Please feel free to ask." "If we continue like this, there will be too many Goblin Dors in cirction. Won''t that create even bigger problems than before? I know that Bastard Dants only contain 30% copper, but Goblin Dors..." Rockefeller shook his head. "The problem won''t be that bad. From the beginning, there''s a limit to the amount of Goblin Dors that can be issued." "A limit?" "Yes, there''s a limit." Rockefeller continued. "Goblin Dors are an extension of the promissory notes we''ve been using. However, these promissory notes aren''t just printed on any paper; they require a special paper made by the Sinir family." "Ah... then there would be a limit." "Of course, the supply of that paper is limited. That''s why there''s a limit." Rockefeller then showed a meaningful smile. "And the one who monopolizes that paper is me. All the paper used for the promissory notes is exclusively traded between the Sinir family and me, using my authority as guild leader." "That means you monopolize the Goblin Dors..." "That''s right. So the situation you''re worried about probably won''t happen. You were just worried about that, right? What would happen if there were many bankers like me, recklessly printing Goblin Dors? Wouldn''t market prices skyrocket?" "Yes... Honestly, I was worried about that." "There''s no need to worry about that at all. I have to provide that special paper in order for other banks to recklessly print Goblin Dors. But if I don''t give them the paper, they won''t be able to print Goblin Dors. Because I already have a monopoly on it." The more they talked, the scarier he seemed. He alone could control the supply of Goblin Dors circting in the market. "Even so, won''t problems eventually arise?" "Of course, problems will arise in proportion to the amount of Goblin Dors I''ve created excessively. The value is created out of thin air and diluted with the actual value, so of course, prices will rise. However, since I control it, the problem will not be immediately apparent and will appear very slowly." The following words were important. "And that level of problem will pass without incident due to the ignorance of the public. Andter, they will think, ''Why did the prices keep going up?''" Rockefeller shook his head. "There''s no fault with them. The fault lies with us, who deceive them." "Is it okay to deceive them?" Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 97 (2) Chapter 97 (2) At the question, Rockefeller smiled and replied. "The development of the magic stone tank is good for everyone. Even now, dozens, hundreds of people are dying every day at the empire''s borders due to friction with other forces. If magic stone tanks are deployed in such ces, the sacrifices will naturally decrease." As Ricardo slightly narrowed his eyes, Rockefeller continued. "For the greater good, some sacrifices from the public must be epted. Wasn''t it the same with the me War? If Bastard Dant hadn''t been born, the empire would be in a different state now." "We could help with gold coins instead of Goblin Dors." "I wonder if you''re really the assistant I hired." "......" Not knowing what to say, Ricardo remained silent, and Rockefeller eased the tense atmosphere with a faint smile. "Money is something that should never run out. In that sense, we intend to help Count Frank with Goblin Dors instead of gold coins. Goblin Dors won''t deplete our money no matter how they are used. But gold coins aren''t the same. Gold coins are depleted as they are used. It''s best to save them." Rockefeller''s expression was quite serious. "And one thing to keep in mind. If you want to work with me on this, you mustpletely change your previous thoughts. Will you stand with the public and represent their position, or deceive them and work with me?" He knew that Ricardo was the head of an assassin family. But Rockefeller acted as if he didn''t know, perfectly pretending. "Will you rule over them?" What Ricardo thought when he saw Rockefeller''s appearance was only one thing. ''A dangerous but beautiful person.'' He, too, was the head of one of the empire''s three great families, the Ismails. A person who longed for the word "rule" more than anyone else. If the emperor sitting on the throne and other family heads tried to rule over the public with power and authority alone. This person, despite being amoner by birth, was trying to rule over them with somethingpletely different. Ricardo felt a lot in this position. ''This is the first time I''ve met such a charming opponent.'' For him, others were just meat pieces standing on two legs and moving. Those who could be killed and saved ording to necessity. But for the first time, someone appeared who he wanted to keep alive. His thoughts were too beautiful and intense. "I seem to have made a mistake. If my words were rude, please forgive me." "It''s not that serious. But I hope you change your mind from now on. That''s what I''m saying, to think from our position, not the public''s." "I understand your thoughts, Lord Rockefeller. I seem to have been very ignorant." "Wait a moment. I am not yet a formal noble. Yet you call me Lord Rockefeller......" "It''s just a matter of time. The royal family will soon appoint you as the head of the Lyon Guild. And I am your assistant. It''s only natural for me to show respect to you, the guild leader." Although it was a bit ufortable, Rockefeller let it pass. "Then do as you please. But it''s quite awkward. Lord Rockefeller......" "You''ll get used to it soon. And you don''t have to be so formal with me, your assistant." Rockefeller then waved his hand. "I''mfortable with this, so I''ll do it this way for now." The two resumed their halted steps. During that time. Ricardo, who suddenly had another question, asked Rockefeller. "About the Goblin Dors you mentioned earlier. I suddenly thought, if they were to issue them using ordinary paper that can be obtained in the market, not the paper from the Sinir family, wouldn''t that also be a problem?" It was a thought that could be done. However, Rockefeller knew that it was impossible and shook his head before answering. "That''s impossible." "Why?" "Since Goblin Dors are issued with gold coins as coteral, if some banker issues them indiscriminately without considering that, there won''t be any gold coins left due to the returned Goblin Dors." "Couldn''t it be exchanged for gold coins at another bank?" "Each bank has the ability to distinguish counterfeit promissory notes. I can do it too." Rockefeller took out something like a magnifying ss from his pocket. It was a special artifact for identification made by the Sinir family. "With this, there''s no need to exchange counterfeit Goblin Dors for gold coins." Ricardo nodded his head. "I see." "In my opinion, the chances of bankers affiliated with the guild creating counterfeit Goblin Dors are low. Rather, it''s the ignorantmoners who will try to deceive us and everyone else with counterfeit Goblin Dors." "That would be a problem." Counterfeit Goblin Dors had been a problem Rockefeller had been thinking about since he first conceived of them. "But there''s a solution." Rockefeller was not from here. Therefore, he could also bring a solution to the problem of counterfeit Goblin Dors from there. "Although not immediately, if Goblin Dors be poprized, I n to solve all counterfeit issues through magic called blockchain." "Blockchain?" "You probably haven''t heard of it. I only know the concept. But since there''s magic, I don''t think it would be too difficult to implement what I had in mind." Thepletion of Goblin Dors through blockchain. [T/N: Cryptocurrency in the medieval era?!] That was the ultimate currency Rockefeller wanted. And when that is achieved. We will no longer need to consider the Sinir family when issuing Goblin Dors. Then, the paper woven with blockchain magic will be safer than the paper they provided. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 98 (1) Chapter 98 (1) Goblin Dor(6) Upon hearing Rockefeller''s words, Ricardo naturally had a question. It was about blockchain. "What is this blockchain you speak of?" "It''s hard to exin, but simply put, it''s about embedding a public transaction ledger in each Goblin Dor using magical power." "A public transaction ledger?" "Yes, making each Goblin Dor a ledger that records all transaction history. So, even if a counterfeit one appears, other Goblin Dors can identify it, making it impossible for fake Goblin Dors to circte." "How will they differentiate?" "I''m still working on it, but I''m thinking of using color as a distinction. For example, making real ones not react when theye into contact with fake Goblin Dors, allowing the authenticity of Goblin Dors to be determined." "That''s fascinating. Being able to distinguish counterfeit Goblin Dors like that. Or what about putting in some hard-to-recognize markings?" Rockefeller shook his head at Ricardo''s suggestion. All the existing currencies he knew of were determined to be counterfeit in the way Ricardo mentioned. "That''s a good idea too. But what I mentioned is a more advanced form. It''s very difficult for anyone who is not an expert to determine the authenticity of a specific currency. Of course, it would be nice to have such a mechanism as well. I''m also nning to devise that." "Putting a magic spell on the Goblin Dor to determine its authenticity..." "It''s a mechanism that is not necessary for existing gold or silver coins. But in the case of easily counterfeited Goblin Dors, such a mechanism is essential. "That''s true." "The issue of currency forgery is extremely important. It''s one of the things that should never be overlooked." "I have another question. How do you n to devise such a magical mechanism? It doesn''t seem like something that can be easily implemented." Although there was the Sinir family, known as a magical lineage, they could not be fully trusted. If they had ulterior motives and tampered with the blockchain magic they devised, it would be a problem in its own right. "I don''t trust just anyone. This also applies to the Sinir family, who are currently sponsoring our Lyon Guild." Ricardo showed a surprising reaction to his words. "You don''t trust the Sinir family?" "How can I know how they will turn outter? Especially since I''m nning to help the Second Prince." Rockefeller retorted with a faint smile. "Can you trust them forever? What if they find out that I''m trying to help the Second Prince?" "Well..." Rockefeller nodded as if it were a matter of course. "Since our rtionship with them may not be good, we cannot fully trust them. And who can guarantee that they are 100% honest? What would happen if they tampered with the blockchain magic I devised?" From Ricardo''s perspective, Rockefeller was a 100% ordinary person. He had no magical power, and he was not an ordinary person who had trained his body to the limit. "As you know, I have no way of knowing anything about magic. I can only be deceived." "That''s a problem." "So, I''ve thought of a way around that." "What is it?" Rockefeller smiled faintly and told him. "You''re too curious. I still don''t know you well. I''m not sure if I can say this to you." Ricardo seemed to agree with that. He was just a second-time visitor to his store as an assistant applicant. He was somehow selected and set out on a journey with him. "I apologize if I was rude." "Well, it''s not a top-secret matter, so I''ll tell you." Ricardo then showed great interest. He was curious about how the magic would be implemented. "I n to entrust it to someone more reliable and certain than the Sinir family." He would entrust it to someone other than the Sinir family? "I''m curious who will implement the magic you devised." "There is one person." "Just one person?" Ricardo tried to think of some possible candidates. There was no magician more talented than the magicians from the Sinir family, which was known as a magical lineage. ''There''s no way there is...'' Then, by sheer coincidence. He thought of one name. The one who recently pulled the Demon Sword from the Behemoth ruins. Due to him, the whole continent underwent a huge change, and he had shown his presence. His name was... ''Lee Han.'' At the moment when he doubted if it could be him. Rockefeller seemed confident in his words. "I think I can trust that person." "Do you trust him?" His skills might be better than those of the Sinir-affiliated magicians. But it was not clear whether he could be trusted. He had heard many rumors about Lee Han. Judging from those rumors... ''Difficult to trust, right?'' Ricardo''s question made Rockefeller shake his head. He seemed to agree. "I can''t... trust him, of course. That''s why I''m thinking of approaching him in a different way. But do you know who he is?" Ricardo quietly shook his head at the question. "I don''t know. I can''t even guess." Rockefeller didn''t believe his words. ''Why are you acting like that when you know it.'' "Anyway, I n to ask him." Even so, he was trying to get involved with the rumored person. Although it was not certain whether the person Rockefeller mentioned was the one he thought, if it was, he was very curious about what he was thinking about getting involved with Lee Han. However, he couldn''t ask directly, so he diverted the topic. "More importantly, how did youe up with that idea?" "What idea are you talking about?" "The idea of distinguishing counterfeit Goblin Dors." An idea? It was just something he brought from where he lived. "Well, I had a lot of time to think by myself, so I thought about how I could distinguish counterfeit currency on my own." He thought about it on his own. Well, he''s a person who tries to print money out of thin air, so why wouldn''t he think about that? Ricardo epted it and walked in step with Rockefeller. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 98 (2) Chapter 98 (2) Magic Stone Tank (1) Where their footsteps halted was before a factory, said to be the only ce in the empire that produced Magic Stone Tanks. "So, this is the ce. The ce where Count Frank produces the Magic Stone Tanks." Considering it was a factory producing the most powerful weapon in the empire, its small size was disappointingly small. It was frustratingly small. ''It looks like a local industrial workshop. I wonder if they can properly manufacture tanks in this way.'' "The size is... somewhat disappointing." Ricardo, who followed, seemed to be without much thought. Precisely, he had no interest in the Magic Stone Tanks. The Magic Stone Tank was a weapon weed by those in the imperial army or those who loved war, but for a professional assassin like him, it was an out-of-interest item. "Exactly." Rockefeller asked him without enthusiasm. It seems you are not interested in this matter. It''s a unique firepower weapon of the empire against monster weapons held by other forces. Even though the factory is like this, the rumors about the Magic Stone Tank are tremendous. A lot of people are interested in it like me." "There might be interest." Ricardo continued the conversation with a flowing voice. "If there''s something usable built inside." He had heard a lot from here and there, so he knew quite a bit about the magic stone tank. ''It would be a wonder to see it roll on the battlefield.'' "It''s still iplete, and there''s no promise when it will be finished. It breaks often, and it doesn''t roll well. However, the cannon fire is very powerful." ording to rumors floating in the corridor, the first prince known as a war maniac was supposed to have a huge interest in the Magic Stone Tank. The reason was the powerful deluge delivered by the Magic Stone Tank. No monstrous weapon the size of a house could withstand the firepower delivered by a Magic Stone Tank. "Apparently, orcish spider tanks can''t move a bit in front of the Magic Stone Tank." Rockefeller reacted withughter at Ricardo''s casualment. "That monstrosity retrofitted to act like a tank, akin to a giant spider? Orcs ride on it and shoot arrows, how would it withstand the power of a Magic Stone Cannon? It''s a given." Ricardo gave Rockefeller a subtle look. "It looks like you know about the Spider Tanks as well. Are you quite interested in them?" "I have a vague understanding. You hear so much when you''re in the money business." "They say that despite the Magic Stone Tank''s powerful nature, their mobility is practically zero. While managing to repel the spider tank squadron, the Magic Stone Tank could not move and failed to chase the enemy. "That''s a pity. If only the Magic Stone Tank could move properly, such an incident wouldn''t have urred." A littleter, the two entered the factory and saw the busy workers in action. Many workers were bustling about, making a tank without an assembly line process. Seeing this, Rockefeller naturally shook his head. ''If they continue to produce in such an archaic way, there won''t be any development.'' The moment he entered the factory, Rockefeller started noticing several problems. The biggest issue was the method of production. Regardless of the quality of the magic stone tank, the process was so inefficient that it would inevitably cause problems in manufacturing the tanks. "How did you find us?" An individual hurried over upon hearing of the sudden visit. He didn''t look much different from the other workers, except his hair was sparse and his body was covered in grime. "I have an interest in the magic stone tanks and came to check on them. "Oh, is that so! Sorry, but may I know who you are and where you''re from?" Frank was taken aback when Rockefeller revealed his identity. "You came from the Banco? Are you saying that the guild leader sent you directly?" "Yes." "But you aren''t who I thought..." "Oh, there''s been a recent change. I''m the guild leader now." "What happened to Benjamin, the previous guild leader?" "Rumour has it hemitted suicide. What? Suicide? He took his own life? Yes. Thats what I''ve heard. "Its a sad news. The passing of such a person..." Despite their discussion about Benjamin, Ricardo, who was with them, showed no reaction. His face was practically expressionless. In the meantime, Frank scratched the back of his head. "I''m so out of the loop, I didn''t even know the former guild leader hadmitted suicide." "More than that, I came here today because I have an interest in your magic stone tanks. How''s the project going? I heard your funds were quite low recently." At that remark, Frank stepped aside to reveal the workers diligently crafting in the background. "We''re producing the magic stone tanks just like this." As soon as he finished speaking, one tank waspleted and entered for a test drive. With a loud mechanical noise, the magic stone tank moved. But it hardly covered a meter before sinking heavily to the ground. The workers rushed over to the copsed tank, yelling out. ''There are indeed many problems.'' The magic stone tank was indeed problematic as it failed to function properly. Frank started exining as if to justify the situation. "It''s still in the developmental stage. Oncepleted, the Imperial Army will want to buy our tanks, no matter how costly." Ricardo shook his head as he watched Frank boast. Regardless of how powerful the weapon might be, if it kept malfunctioning like this, it would be useless in the battlefield. But Rockefeller was different. He showed keen interest in the magic stone tank, unlike Ricardo. "It''s astonishing. Even a small movement of that gigantic iron mass astounds me." While others were busy criticizing it as a faulty piece, the new guild leader seemed to perceive it differently. He appeared to be as interested in the magic stone tank that he had developed as the rumored ''First Prince.'' "I''m d you like it. There are many areas to improve, but with sufficient investment, all these can be resolved. We''ve had to leave it like this due tock of money, but there are many things to test in multiple ways." There was nothing more to be said. The magic stone tank would be finished under his supervision and would certainly be the main weaponry of the Imperial Army. ''It''s all known information though.'' "I want to invest. How much do you need?" Seeing Rockefeller smile affably, a smile also bloomed on the face of Count Frank across from him. The previous guild leader had made excuses to avoid lending money even when Frank exined the circumstances, but the current leader offered to invest himself what could be happier news than that? "Really?" "Yes, I don''t go back on my word." "We need 10,000 Dants right away. We may need moreter, but roughly 10,000 Dants should suffice toplete the magic stone tank." 10,000 Dants. Ricardo, who came along, unknowingly shook his head. Probably, no one would want to invest 10,000 Dants in that piece of junk. But that was his misconception. "10,000 Dants? That''s not arge amount. If I give you 10,000 Dants, are you confident you canplete the magic stone tank?" Upon hearing that outrageous statement. Ricardo unwittingly turned his gaze to Rockefeller. ''Is he in his right mind? He''s offering 10,000 Dants to someone to make that piece of junk?'' Then, he thought of the Goblin Dor and instantly changed his mind. For Rockefeller, 10,000 Dants wasn''t really considered money. ''If he can simply hand it out, then'' In short, There was absolutely no chance for gold coins to be involved in this matter. Why? Because Rockefeller would surely use Goblin Dors instead of gold coins. ''No matter how I think about it.'' At this moment, Ricardo''s gaze was still fixed on Rockefeller. ''It''s scary. To create something out of nothing.'' Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 99 (1) Chapter 99 (1) Bonus chapter thanks to @Elinis subscribing to Dwarven Sovereign Tier on Ko-fi! Magic Stone Tank (2) Baron Frank was so happy that he felt like jumping up and down on the spot. Even after seeing the newlypleted Magic Stone Tank copse, he still wanted to invest 10,000 dnts! He was apletely different person from those who treated his creation as a mere waste of time. "Ah, of course! Just trust me and leave it to me. I will somehowplete it." Baron Frank showed satisfaction in his expression at Rockefeller''s response. ''It seems he was really desperate for money. I didn''t expect him to be so happy about it.'' "Don''t worry about the money. If you need anything, juste to me anytime." Baron Frank replied with a bright expression. "No, that''s more than enough help. I will take care of the rest myself." "Very good. Excellent." It was time to get to the main point. There would be almost no one willing to invest such a huge sum of 10,000 dnts for the scrap metal that was right in front of them. So, it was clear what Rockefeller wanted in return for taking such a risk. "How much stake in the Magic Stone Tank can you give me?" "Stake?" "I am an investor, after all. I''m giving you 10,000 dnts, so I should get something in return. You didn''t think I would just lend you the money and get interest in return, did you? No, I am investing in the Magic Stone Tank because I believe in it." Despite what he said, Rockefeller had a kind smile on his face. A good-natured impression. However, it wasn''t a pleasant thing to hear from the listener''s perspective. "Asking for a stake is like..." Rockefeller was the first person to ask for a stake while investing in his project. Others would simply lend him money and be satisfied with getting back several times the amount, but now, he was asking for a stake. "I am not giving out stakes." Baron Frank made a difficult expression and tried to seek Rockefeller''s understanding. ''I just need to pay back several times the amount I borrowed. Why would he ask for a stake?'' "Instead, I will repay you several times the amount you lent me." But Rockefeller wasn''t going to ept that. He had a clear reason why he had to be the owner of the Magic Stone Tank. ''I need the stake in the Magic Stone Tank for the uing First Prince as well.'' There was nothing more urgent for the mad war enthusiast than the Magic Stone Tank. Therefore, he had to obtain it in order to stand up against the imminent First Prince without bowing. ''As long as I have the Magic Stone Tank, the First Prince won''t be able to do anything to me. He needs the Magic Stone Tank, after all.'' "You seem to be misunderstanding something. I am investing a whopping 10,000 dnts here. 10,000 dnts is not a small amount, and with such an investment, I think I should be able to receive a stake." "But the stake..." To give a stake meant to share the fruits of the Magic Stone Tank that he had worked so hard toplete. Baron Frank, who had confidence in his creation, still didn''t like Rockefeller''s proposal to take a stake. ''I can''t give up the stake...'' "Why do you want a stake?" Rockefeller''s response was firm. "I can only give you 10,000 dnts if I get a stake. Otherwise, I cannot invest in the Magic Stone Tank." As they argued, Ricardo, who was watching from the side, couldn''t help butugh. One side was pretending to lend money they didn''t have, and the other was being greedy with a piece of scrap metal that didn''t even work properly. How could he notugh? ''I can''t even say anything because it''s so ridiculous.'' On the other hand, Baron Frank, who was driven by greed, still didn''t like Rockefeller''s proposal. ''Fine, I give up.'' "Ah..." Baron Frank let out a sigh and erased the happy expression from his face, lost in thought for a moment. ''But I can''tplete it without money...'' No matter how much he thought about it, his reason told him not to give up the stake. Rockefeller, who had given him some time to think, began to speak. "Are you still having trouble deciding? If you make a decision, you cane to me anytime. I won''t have any regrets." Rockefeller could easily counter the offer for the Magic Stone Tank that everyone was hesitant to invest in. There was no one crazy enough to invest in the Magic Stone Tank except for him. With only one exception. ''Well, there is one. Ryan Tepez.'' In the original novel, the Magic Stone Tank, which had many problems and obstacles, was only able to take shape due to the help of the First Prince, who was known as a crazy warmonger. If it weren''t for the First Prince''s help, the Magic Stone Tank would have remained a useless pile of scrap metal forever. ''But since I made my move first, it''s unlikely that the Magic Stone Tank will bepleted with the help of the First Prince.'' Rockefeller finished his thoughts and turned around to leave without any hesitation, showing that he was ready to move on. Ricardo, who had been watching, also followed Rockefeller, but just as he was about to leave... Rockefeller, who was walking a few steps ahead, suddenly turned around and threw ament at the still-conflicted Frank. "From what I see, you don''t seem to have much intention ofpleting your work, which othersugh at and ridicule." Upon hearing this, Frank stared at Rockefeller, who continued. "If it were me, I wouldplete it by any means necessary and show them. And then I''d say, ''The one who was wrong was not me, but you.''" "......" Rockefeller turned his back again, still showing no regrets, despite his inner thoughts. Frank remained silent. ''Did I strike a nerve?'' Just as he was about to leave... There was a voice calling Rockefeller. It was Frank. "Um, excuse me." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 99 (2) Chapter 99 (2) Rockefeller, who was about to leave the factory, stopped and turned around. "Did you call me?" "How much of a stake... do you want?" Barely holding back a smile, Rockefeller answered the question without emotion. "A stake? If I''m investing 10,000 Dants, I should at least get half, shouldn''t I?" "Half? Half is a bit..." Seeing Frank hesitate, Rockefeller decided to show him what true money mania was like. "If you give me half of the stake, I''ll help you expand this factory. And if you need more moneyter, whether it''s 10,000 or 20,000 Dants, I''ll give it all to you. All I want is thepletion of the Magic Stone Tank." "You''ll lend me more moneyter if I need it?" Finally able to smile openly, Rockefeller responded with a grin. "Yes, of course. All I have is money, so why wouldn''t I help you with that? I''ll help you in any way I can, so please, Your Excellency,plete the Magic Stone Tank by any means necessary. That''s all I ask." If Frank hadn''t heard that, he might have thought differently. However, upon hearing Rockefeller''s words about further support for the factory and readily helping with evenrger funds if needed, Frank couldn''t help but be greatly swayed. ''This is too good of an offer. I don''t have the courage to refuse...'' If he epted the offer, thepletion of the Magic Stone Tank could easily be achieved in a matter of weeks, depending on how determined he was. ''What should I do? What should I do?'' As Frank pondered, Rockefeller showed only a rxed demeanor, careful not to reveal his true intentions. "Come find me whenever you make a decision. I''ll always be at Ghetto Nuovo. Oh, since the name has changed, you cane to Bank of Rothsmedici. The reason the store''s name is not a banco is because our future direction is to be a bank." Just as he was about to turn his back and leave... Frank called out to the departing Rockefeller. "Um, excuse me! I''ll give you a stake." The Magic Stone Tank was impossible to build without investment. So Frank had no choice but to give Rockefeller a stake in order toplete his beloved creation. "I''ll give you half, so please help meplete the Magic Stone Tank." With the conversation over, Rockefeller and Ricardo headed back to the store. Ricardo felt that he had learned a lot from the previous encounter. In reality, Rockefeller had managed to secure half of the rights to the Magic Stone Tank without spending a single penny. Of course, he didn''t invest nothing, but the money he gave was indeed Goblin Dors, as Ricardo had expected, not gold coins. "W-What is this?" Ricardo couldn''t forget the bewildered look on Frank''s face when he received the Goblin Dors. "What do you mean? It''s the money I''m lending you." "I was expecting Dants..." "Ah, if you take that to my store or another bank, you can get 10,000 dnts. It''s a certificate that guarantees the dnts." Only then did Baron Frank seem to understand. In the time he had been socializing and living his life, the form of promissory notes had changed significantly. "I thought it was a promissory note. I don''t go out much, so this is the first time I''ve seen something like this. It looks like... it''s not a promissory note, but more like money." "It was made recently. It''s not just a simple promissory note, but an improved version that allows people to use it like currency." "But I''m very sorry to say this... why are you giving it to me like this? I was expecting gold coins." From the perspective of the naive Baron Frank, only gold coins were considered real money. Of course, he had seen people using promissory notes like money, so he was somewhat less resistant to the idea, but it was not the direction he had wanted, so Baron Frank was not immediately enthusiastic. However, the answer to that was firm. "Ha ha, can''t I carry around 10,000 dnts worth of heavy money in this ce? It''s actually more convenient, so just use it like that. Once you start using it, you probably won''t even bother looking at dnts anymore." "That''s true, but..." When he thought about it differently, Rockefeller''s words made sense. 10,000 dnts was an enormous amount, enough to fill a wagon. And to think that money could be reced by a bundle of paper. ''How ingenious.'' "Actually, this is probably better. Alright, I understand. I don''t think there will be any problems, but if there are, can Ie to you?" At that, Rockefeller justughed. "Problems? What problems could arise? Our Lyon Guild''s credit is recognized by everyone. Anyway, please do your best toplete the Magic Stone Tank. I''m looking forward to hearing good news soon." Recalling the events of that time, Ricardo still had many thoughts. ''It''s amazing. No matter how much I think about it, it''s really amazing.'' With that, Rockefeller, who had been walking quietly beside Ricardo, suddenly spoke up. "You seem to have felt a lot from the earlier incident. You''re not saying anything." "No, it''s not that. It wasn''t that shocking because I had anticipated it anyway." "From now on, there will be more such things. We lend out money we don''t have, and they live on that money. And because of that, we will grow even more." "I have a question." "Go ahead." "Did you invest in the Magic Stone Tank with some confidence? Most people are quite negative about the Magic Stone Tank. And no matter how much you invested with Goblin Dors, if that person goes to the bank, you have to give them the equivalent amount of gold coins unconditionally. In the end, that means you helped because you had confidence in the Magic Stone Tank... I''m curious about this. How much confidence did you have in the Magic Stone Tank?" Regardless of his intentions, Rockefeller was able to answer with a faint smile. "Whether or not I had confidence in the Magic Stone Tank. In the end, it was a necessary thing to deal with the First Prince, so I did it. I don''t know if you know, but the likelihood of the First Princeing to me is very high due to the uing crown war. It''s only right to increase my influence on the Magic Stone Tank to prepare for that." At those words, Ricardo narrowed his eyes slightly. He never thought Rockefeller would have seen that far ahead. "So, did you invest in Baron Frank for the Magic Stone Tank without any confidence in it, just to deal with the First Prince?" "Roughly, yes. After all, I have money left over." Rockefeller''s words continued. ''There''s no need to insist that I had confidence.'' "That much investment is not regrettable at all. Isn''t that right?" At that question, Ricardo silently affirmed with his silence. ''Well, if it''s such a gamble, I can understand the investment in the Magic Stone Tank, which has many words and defects.'' Then Ricardo thought about the First Prince that Rockefeller had mentioned. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 100 (1) Chapter 100 (1) Woohoo! 100th vhapter! The Magic Stone Tank (3) ''1st Prince...'' Prince Ryan, who had the full support of his wife''s family, the Tepez, was the prince with the highest probability of winning the uing royal session war. His onlypetitor was 3rd Prince Kalman, who was backed by the Sinir family, known as one of the three great noble families of the empire, along with the Tepez. ''Only Kalman, who has the support of the Sinir family, can fight on equal terms with Ryan.'' Among the princes, 2nd Prince Christian Ismail was one with a very slim chance of participating in the royal session war, as his wife''s family, the Ismail family, had almost fallen and he hardly had any proper supporting forces. That''s why people were talking like this. The only prince candidates to participate in this royal session war were the 1st and 3rd princes. And only one of those two would survive and sit on the throne to be the new master of the empire. ''Christian...'' The majority of people couldn''t be sure whether the 2nd Prince, who was already in a state where his limbs were severed, would participate or not. That''s why Ricardo had strong doubts about whether Rockefeller really intended to support the 2nd Prince. "When Prince Ryan arrives soon, he must have a purpose." Rockefeller, who knew what he would ask, replied with a smile on his face. "Of course, the purpose is obvious. He must be thinking of putting pressure on our Lyon Guild, which has the full support of the Sinir family. Since his chances of winning the uing royal session war are very high, he will warn us not to help 3rd Prince Kalman, even if it''s for the sake of the future." Since it was something Ricardo already knew, he couldn''t help but nod his head. "So, what do you n to do? I heard that Prince Ryan is a hot-tempered person. He has inherited the typical blood of the Tepez family." That''s why Ricardo thought it would be difficult for Rockefeller to handle Prince Ryan''s hot-tempered personality. "In my opinion, no one would be able to handle that personality. Can you dare to stand up to such a person?" Ricardo still had negative thoughts. He was sure that Rockefeller, no matter how great a person he was, would change his attitude when the situation came to a head. Looking at Ricardo, Rockefeller thought this: ''Does he doubt that I will really support the 2nd Prince?'' Ricardo was from the Ismail family. So, if he didn''t support the 2nd Prince, it seemed highly likely that he would receive negative points. Minus points. That meant death. "You seem to have doubts because the 1st Prince is such a great person." "Honestly, yes. And even if things somehow go well with the 1st Prince, there''s still the Sinir family. Isn''t it too difficult to realistically push for the 2nd Prince, ignoring these two forces? I really doubt whether you really intend to support the 2nd Prince when the situation arises." "Contrary to your worries, my thoughts haven''t changed." Rockefeller stood up and continued speaking. "The wind is blowing a bit. I''m not a god, so I can''t predict when it will rain. But I''m pretty good at predicting how people''s lives will turn out. People say that I have a good intuition." Ricardo listened quietly to his words, wondering what he was talking about. "My intuition tells me that I should definitely support the 2nd Prince in the uing royal session war." It was nonsense. Where would such intuition exist in the world? "You''re quite absurd. I don''t understand why you think differently from others." Ricardo continued. "People predict that either the 1st Prince or the 3rd Prince will ascend to the throne. But do you think the 2nd Prince, who doesn''t even have clear supporting forces, can ascend to the throne?" "Yes, it will probably be difficult." "But are you still going to support the 2nd Prince?" "It will be difficult, but my intuition says so. The 2nd Prince will definitely participate in the royal session war and cut off the necks of the other princes to ascend to the throne." "That''s too vague. Did you invest in the Magic Stone Tank in the same way?" At that question, Rockefeller showed a smile. "Would you like to bet with me? Whether the Magic Stone Tank issue will be resolved or not." "A bet?" "I told you. I can''t predict when it will rain, but I have a good intuition when ites to people''s lives." "..." As Ricardo remained silent, Rockefeller continued. "It''s not a big bet, so you don''t have to worry too much. However, if the Magic Stone Tank issue is resolved, you must admit that my intuition is like a ghost." A bet out of nowhere. Ricardo didn''t like jokes very much. Unlike the hot-tempered Tepez family, the Ismail family members were generally expressionless and quiet, like assassins. "I don''t really like bets..." And even if it was a joke, they would always keep their promises, which was the principle of the Ismail family. That''s why Ricardo didn''t want to bet with Rockefeller, even as a joke. Even if it was just a joke, depending on the oue of the bet, he would have to fulfill his request unconditionally. But did Rockefeller not know this? ''He knows and that''s why he''s doing it.'' "Is it just a small bet? Why are you so scared? Don''t you trust my intuition?" If his intuition was like a ghost, the 2nd Prince would eventually ascend to the throne. It was a very unlikely story. However, even if it was a slim chance, if it could be realized, Ricardo thought that he could keep even a yful promise he made here. ''As long as Christian can ascend to the throne, a bet like this is nothing.'' "Alright. I ept the bet. What do you want if the Magic Stone Tank issue is resolved?" As soon as he agreed, Rockefeller''s mouth twisted maliciously. When Ricardo narrowed his eyes slightly, an extremely difficult promis, different from what he had said before, came out of Rockefeller''s mouth. ''It would be too random to ask him not to kill me. He hasn''t revealed his identity yet, and I have no reason to make such a request. So this must be the right way.'' "What I want is just one thing. Since you''re going to be my assistant anyway, please keep this one thing in mind." "What is it?" "Don''t betray me." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 100 (2) Chapter 100 (2) It was a more meaningful promise than it seemed. Asking not to be betrayed meant that he would have to stand by his side unconditionally. And if he thinks about it more deeply, he would not be able to betray him even if their interests divergedter, so he wouldn''t be able to kill him either. ''Does he know how important that content is?'' The bet''s content was very light, but the two''s inner thoughts were veryplicated. It was that important of a bet. "The bet''s condition seems a bit weak, doesn''t it? I don''t even know what kind of person you are, so what''s the meaning of this? But I need someone I can trust and rely on as my assistant. I don''t know if you''ll betray me or not." "No, I think there will be some meaning to it." Rockefeller smiled subtly. "Is that so?" "If I win." The following words were quite ominous. "I''ll do the opposite for you." "Ha, that''s great. To openly say you''ll betray me..." Although he said that, Rockefeller''s expression tightened slightly. It was because he could be in danger if he made a mistake. ''Well, it''s a sure thing, but it''s kind of scary.'' From Rockefeller''s perspective, the matter rted to the Magic Stone Tank was a very certain story. It was a confirmed story from the novel. However, the thought that his life would either be free from the threat of Ismail or assassinated before he could even unfold his will depending on the oue gave him chills. "So you''re saying I shouldn''t use you as my assistant?" "It seems like a small bet you''ve made, so what''s the big deal? I''m just saying it for fun." When Ricardoughed, Rockefeller couldn''t help butugh as well. "That''s true. It''s a bet I made without much thought anyway." "That''s what it is. So don''t take it too seriously. Would I betray you for that?" "Ha ha, yes, that''s right. You wouldn''t betray me." With that, the two continued their conversation as they moved back towards the store. Of course, the topic of conversation was about the uing 1st Prince. Ricardo was the first to ask a question. "Do you know about the de Queen?" The de Queen, Trinity Tepez. She, like Nightlord Isabe, was one of the heroines who became involved with the protagonist, Lee Han. "The de Queen... The name itself is scary. Yes, I''ve heard of her. I''ve heard she''s from the Tepez family and has been making a name for herself on the battlefield alongside Prince Ryan." "She''s with the 1st Prince. It''ll be hard to handle if the 1st Princees looking for you." "More than that, I have a question." "What is it?" "How do you know all these stories so well? The de Queen... It''s difficult for ordinary people to know about her if they''re not soldiers." At Rockefeller''s question, Ricardo replied without any change in expression. "I''ve heard a lot while traveling around. So I know even useless stories." It was a versatile answer that Rockefeller often used. ''It''s simr to how I answer. I also dodge around saying I''ve heard a lot here and there.'' "I see. I thought you knew a lot." Ricardo continued the conversation. "And the de Queen really wants Prince Ryan to seed the throne. They''re from the same family and share the same blood. She might even be the Empress by marrying Prince Ryan someday." Incest. It was a not-so-umon urrence in noble families who did not want their power to leak out. "They must know that incest is bad, right?" "But there are cases where they have to resort to incest to protect their family''s power. Of course, they also asionally ept outside blood to minimize the damage caused by incest. Of course, they only choose good blood. Mediocre blood can''t surpass the Tepez blood." The de Queen bes the Empress? Rockefeller wanted to shake his head outright. ''It''s almost impossible when she''s already in sync with someone else.'' Why would the protagonist be the protagonist? Isn''t it because he''s a heroine killer? ''Besides, if they stick together, I''ll see that woman soon. The main heroine.'' "That''s right." Ricardo''s words continued. "It''s that difficult of a situation. Whether it''s the 1st Prince or the de Queen, you''ll have a hard time. If you cater to them, the Sinir family won''t stay still. Do you know about the Nightlord ? That scary magician mighte looking for you." Rockefeller nodded as if he understood everything. "Everyone will think that way. What power do we have? We''re just a bunch of guys with nothing but money. The ones whoe looking for us, as well as those who have been in a rtionship with us, will all think that way." Rockefeller''s expression then became quite serious. "But all those thoughts will change with this opportunity. From the moment I be the guild leader, I n to announce to the whole world that our Lyon Guild is no longer weak." This was also a promise that Rockefeller had made to his guild members when he became the guild leader. "The first sacrificialmb might be the one whoes looking for me." The following words. "Are we powerless? Isn''t power something you can buy with money? Just watch. Let''s see if the 1st Prince whoes looking for me can really put up a fight in front of me." Ricardo had doubts about his words, but Rockefeller had a n. ''Soon I''ll have to meet that guy. Hes a difficult guest to invite, but there''s nothing money can''t do.'' "I can assure you. It''s probably impossible." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 101 (1) Chapter 101 (1) Magic Stone Tank (4) Rockefeller''s words were filled with strong confidence. What could he have been thinking when he said that? ''What is he thinking?'' "In what sense do you mean that?" To that question, Rockefeller merely smiled. "Just watch from the side. You''ll see how I handle it." Just watch...? Despite the strong doubts, Ricardo decided not to ask any further questions and quietly observed him. However, realistically, it seemed impossible. If there was the protection of a noble family, maybe. ''Could he be relying on the Sinir family?'' The thought suddenly urred to him, but he couldn''t be sure. Only Rockefeller knew what he was thinking right now. ''I''ll find out by watching. It won''t take that long anyway.'' Birth of a Noble Family (1) " He became the guild leader? And he took over the position that the Lyon family has always held?" The lord of Montefeltro, Chester, was dumbfounded by the unexpected news. ''How could such a thing happen? It doesn''t make sense. How could a meremoner be the leader of the Lyon Guild?'' "Ha It doesn''t make any sense, does it? The Lyon family has always held that position. How could this happen" On the other hand, the overseer who delivered the news seemed quite calm. He too had initially harbored strong doubts when he first heard the news. It was not something that could easily happen, so he had doubted the information he had received. However, when he realized that the person in question was Rockefeller, who had turned the local lord into a half-wit, he began to think that such a thing might be possible. And since the news from Lyon couldn''t be wrong, he eventually epted it. "Isn''t it entirely possible for him? Honestly, my lord, you too" The overseer decided not to continue his sentence, as it would be impolite. However, the lord, who roughly knew what he was trying to say, frowned and let out a fake cough. "Ahem! Anyway, that happened. I don''t really ept it, but there''s no way this is false." As the lord shook the letter in his hand, the overseer who had been talking to him continued. "Well, that''s what happened over there. To find out more urately, we''d have to go to Lyon directly, but do we really need to go that far? If the content is true, isn''t it unconditionally good news for us?" "Good news?" The lord''s expression soured. "How is that good news?" "What else could it be?" "What?" "Honestly, if the leader of the Lyon Guild is the one who holds the rights to our territory, isn''t that even better?" "No, you..." The person who wouldn''t even talk back before he lost his power had be very talkative now that he had be a half-wit lord. So he even thought about trying to suppress him, but since he was no longer the one paying him, he hesitated to do so. ''Damn it. I can''t say anything without power. And if I get on his bad side, he might not listen to me at all... Ugh!'' Whether he knew the lord''s inner thoughts or not, the overseer continued to say what he wanted. "We should send him a congrattory message now that it''se to this, shouldn''t we?" "What? A congrattory message?" "Yes, it seems that you, my lord, are not pleased that he has be the leader of the Lyon Guild." Everything he did and said was being reported to the Rosmedici family by the cunning overseer. So, the lord had to be careful with his words and actions, and he showed an unconvincing smile while hiding his true feelings. "No, it''s not like that. After all, it''s where my daughter got married, so why would I do that? It''s just that the news was so sudden and unbelievable." "Then you should definitely send a congrattory message. He would surely appreciate it if you did." He really wanted to flip the desk in front of him. The news of the man who had made him a half-wit lord doing well was not very pleasant. ''What kind of damn congrattory message! I''d rather curse him.'' But with his daughter married into that family, he couldn''t just sit still. ''Damn it... How did I get involved with those people?'' "Ahem! I''ll have to ask the secretary to take care of thatter. I don''t know how to write." The overseer suddenly started to mumble while touching his chin. "Come to think of it, since he''s now the leader of the Lyon Guild, it''s been a tradition for the royal family to bestow the title of baron... So, from now on, we might have to call him Baron Rockefeller." "What? Baron Rockefeller?" Although the lord didn''t like it, he couldn''t deny the fact that the leader of the Lyon Guild was in a higher position than himself. The overseer, who had always held Rockefeller in high regard, continued to speak without much emotion. "Yes, since he''s risen to the position of a baron, it''s only proper to address him with a fitting title, isn''t it?" "Just a while ago, he was amoner... And now, a baron?" "He may have been amoner, but didn''t he have a significant position here?" Then the lord scoffed. "What position? He was just a moneylender." "That''s not true. He definitely had a significant position. He practically took over most of the rights to this territory. How can you say someone like that has no position?" "Alright, you''re right. He had a position." A disgusting position. An unlucky position. The overseer continued. "I may not know much, but he''ll probably receive a title from the royal family soon. Since he''s the leader of the Banker Union, the royal family will surely treat him ordingly, won''t they?" Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 101 (2) Chapter 101 (2) The lord couldn''t help but feel displeased by the overseer''s words. ''He was amoner, after all...'' Since ancient times, it was almost customary for the position of a baron to be handed down to the Lyon Guild Master. The problem was that the other party was not from a noble family, but merely amoner. "Would they suddenly bestow the title of a baron upon amoner?" The lord shook his head. This was not because he disliked Rockefeller, but because the nobles had always thought so. ''I don''t really like this idea.'' The sudden rise in status of amoner. This was what the nobles were most reluctant about. "I''m not sure. Of course, the position of the Guild Master is not low." The overseer also seemed to agree with that statement. It was truly exceptional for amoner to suddenly be a baron. "Maybe so." Nevertheless, the overseer was confident. The Guild Master had traditionally received the title of baron, and he thought that nothing would change even if amoner took that position. "If the position of the Lyon Guild is low, it may not be impossible as you say, my lord. But the impoverished royal family cannot ignore the leader of a guild alliance either." The overseer continued. "Most of the moneylenders are ofmoner origin. There are no nobles here. Yet, they appointed their leader as a baron because it had its own significance. So, my opinion is a bit different from yours, my lord." The overseer''s words made sense, and the lord nodded in agreement. Although they were just a group of moneylenders, their power couldn''t be ignored if they controlled the empire''s gold coins. "You''re right. It''s not an easy position, after all. So, the royal family can''t ignore it either." The lord then thought to himself. What kind of trick did that cunning child use to get that position? ''I''m sure he pulled some kind of scheme, like how he dragged me down. I''m not exactly sure what he did, though.'' The overseer then unexpectedly congratted the lord. "Congrattions, by the way." The lord expressed his doubt at the sudden congrattions. "What are you talking about?" "Isn''t it true that you have now established a connection with a baron''s family?" The lord was a viscount. Just slightly higher than a knight. Originally, Lord Chester''s goal was to marry his daughter to a higher-ranked family. But now, without intending to, he had achieved that goal, which is why the overseer congratted him. "..." The lord remained silent as the overseer continued. "Wasn''t it your lifelong wish to marry your daughter to a family higher than yours?" "..." "I''m congratting you because you''ve achieved that, albeit unintentionally." The lord, seated at his desk, blinked his eyes. The overseer''s words were not wrong, but the lord''s feelings were mixed. Perhaps it was because he couldn''t believe that Rockefeller and his family had suddenly be a baron''s family. ''Is that... how it''s going to be?'' Still, he didn''t feel great about it. "You don''t seem too happy?" "What do you mean?" "Your expression says so." "No, it''s not because of that. I''ve just had a lot on my mindtely." The overseer knew the lord''s half-hearted feelings, but ignored it as it wasn''t necessary to pay attention to. Then, the overseer remembered something else and called the lord. "My lord, there''s something unusual going ontely." The lord expressed his doubt as another story was about to unfold. "Unusual?" "Yes, you remember when we went to survey the territory that had turned into a mess?" After the great change, Montefeltro''s territory began to show different appearances than before. The changedndscape was one thing, but there was something even more surprising. "Don''t tell me you''re talking about the gold ores that have been continuously discovered recently?" "Yes, my lord, don''t you find it strange too?" The overseer took out a shiny stone from his pocket. It was another gold ore discovered this time. "I''ve been thinking about this... I''m suspicious that..." The lord could roughly guess what the overseer was about to say. "Are you saying there''s a gold vein here?" "Yes, didn''t you think so, my lord?" "Well, it''s possible. It''s said that dwarves used to mine gold here in the past." However, there was nothing good for the lord if a gold vein was discovered in his territory, which had already transferred its rights. What would be good about such a thing happening while he was receiving a sry and working as a lord? The only ce that would be happy about it was the one that had taken over the rights to the territory. The Rothsmedici family. No, it was now the only ce that had be a noble family. "But even if it''s there, it won''t benefit me. And it won''t benefit you either. It''ll just be a nuisance." The lord''s words were negative, but the overseer disagreed. "That''s not true. Why would it be bad for us? If the territory bes wealthy due to the gold vein, our position, who are in charge of the territory, will naturally rise as well." Depending on the importance of the territory, the owner of the territory could be a baron or even receive a higher title. "Do you think I would be happy if a gold vein was found here when I''m already crippled?" "You could receive the title of an earl. Aren''t you the nominal owner of this territory?" "..." "Nothing bad woulde from the discovery of a gold vein. On the contrary, it would be a good thing." Still, the lord seemed reluctant. "You don''t seem to know. And full of gold is too much for a lord like me to handle." The lord continued. "Suchnd must be managed by someone powerful to be safe. Otherwise, it would naturally be taken away by others." A gold vein in the territory? If it was a small amount of gold, it would naturally be a good thing, but if it exceeded that, it could be a disaster rather than a blessing. "Do you know about Blood Gold?" Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 102 (1) Chapter 102 (1) Magic Stone Tank (5) "Blood gold, you say..." "Gold soaked in blood. There was an incident like that before. A small territory discovered a gold vein. At the time, the lord of that territory was very happy. He was overjoyed to find gold in hisnd." The lord continued. "But he didn''t know that it was the beginning of a disaster. At first, it was good. The territory''s financial problems improved, and it became easier to borrow gold coins just because a gold vein was discovered. But as the rumor spread far and wide, even strange people came to show interest in the gold produced in the territory." The overseer could roughly guess the continuation of the story. "I think I''ve heard of Blood Gold somewhere. So that''s what it was called." "It can''t be a good story. Why would it be called Blood? There''s a reason for it." The lord went on. "An untimely storm of blood blew through that territory. Suddenly, people appeared iming rights to thend. When thend wasn''t a goldmine before, they didn''t even care about it. But as soon as it was discovered that there was a gold vein there, they suddenly showed up and caused a ruckus, insisting on their rights to thend." The lord shook his head calmly. "Excessive wealth can rather be a disaster. If you can''t protect it, it''s better to give it away." The overseer expressed doubt at that statement. "Give it away just like that?" "Don''t you know that story? When you encounter a gang of thieves. It''s better to give them what they want and run away immediately." The overseer straightened up with a fake cough and fiddled with the sword belt at his waist. "I would fight back." "Well, you have the skill to say that. But what would someone who can''t even use a sword do in that situation? Would they find a way to live knowing their ce, or would they fight fearlessly against the angry gang of thieves to avoid losing what they have?" "In that case... it would be wiser to give it away and run away. The gang of thieves would not be ordinary." The lord nodded and continued. "Yes, if you mess with them recklessly, you might not even be able to save your own life." The lord knew very well about the gold ore that continued to be discovered after the great change. And the following words were his decision. "Whether there''s a living gold vein here or not, there''s nothing good about this matter being known to the outside world. So let''s start cracking down on the citizens'' loose lips now. That''s our way of living. And let''s inform the prestigious Rothsmedici family about this matter. If they''ve be guild masters, it''ll be easy to station a mercenary force here. Anyway, it''s not just my concern." The overseer expressed concern. "I''ll crack down on it, but I can''t stop the rumors from spreading. Even the neighborhood kids are making a fuss about picking up gold ore. Will the crackdown work properly in this situation?" "Still, shouldn''t we try our best? At least until those proudndowners take proper action, we have to move. What can we, who receive sries, doter when the matter explodes?" "First, I''ll take all possible measures." The lord didn''t like getting involved in troublesome matters either. "If we had the power, this matter would have naturally been a good thing. But we don''t have the power to protect what we have." There were many hyenas in the empire who would covet this matter right away. But there were others who were even more frightening. "And the original owners of thisnd were the dwarves. The other lords may not move easily because they are now under the royal gaze, but the dwarves are different. To be honest, I''m curious how they will react. They are a race that goes crazy for gold and beer." As the dwarves were mentioned, the overseer chimed in. "I agree with that. If there''s one thing the dwarves don''tpromise on, it''s gold and beer, right? If they want thisnd..." The lord finished the sentence. "They would go as far as to wage war. Even if they maintain a friendly rtionship with the empire, they may change when ites to the issue of gold." "Will the royal family help?" The lord was 100% confident in his answer to that question. "When the Totem War broke out in the past, they didn''t care about this matter, but if there''s trouble with the dwarves because of the gold produced here, the royal family will help in any way they can. I can guarantee that." "Well, the royal family wouldn''t just watch when gold is being produced." "Why would they abandon a goldennd? We may not have the power, but the royal family does." Having finished their conversation, the lord gave the overseer instructions. "Anyway, inform the Rothsmedici family. There''s no point in talking to me about this anyway, since the moneyes from them." "By the way, if we go to war with the dwarves, it would cost a fortune." At that, the lord chuckled. "Why should we worry about that? They said they would take responsibility for the money issue anyway." The overseer seemed to agree with that. "That''s true." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 102 (2) Chapter 102 (2) After finishing their conversation with the lord, the overseer informed Joshua, who was in the territory, and the news was soon passed on to Rockefeller. Rockefeller, who was working at the store, checked the two letters he received. One was sent by the lord, and the other was a letter from his younger brother working in the Montefeltro territory. Both letters contained congrattory messages on bing a guild master and stories about the recently discovered gold ore. As he read the letter from the lord and chuckled, his assistant Ricardo approached and spoke. "What''s the good news?" At that question, Rockefeller looked up at Ricardo. "Not exactly good news, but... just funny, I guess?" "Who sent it?" "The Montefeltro lord sent it. It says he congrattes me on bing the guild leader." Ricardo was also well aware of matters rted to Montefeltro territory. "If he sends a congrattory message to the person who made him half of what he is, I guess the rtionship isn''t too bad." Rockefeller smiled faintly at his words. "Well, we have a rtionship. My younger brother married their daughter." "Marriage, huh..." "I didn''t want it originally, but my younger brother really liked that girl. And when I looked into it, it seemed like it would be beneficial for me too." Ricardo, who had heard rumors, asked casually. "Why did you refuse to be the lord of that territory when you could have? I''ve heard rumors that you put the lord in debt and took over the rights to the territory." Rockefeller answered honestly. "I almost did. I could have be the lord if I wanted to, but I didn''t want that." "You refused to be part of the ruling ss?" "Even if I wanted that position, it would probably be best if I didn''t. The royal family wouldn''t put amoner like me in the lord''s seat." Ricardo felt more positive than negative about that statement. "I see." "So you gave up that position knowing the royal family would oppose it?" Rockefeller nodded slightly. "You could say that, but I also found being a lord to be troublesome. So I just let the person who was already doing it continue and decided to hold the reins instead." "In what way?" "I control the money. We manage all the finances of the territory. Joshua is probably managing it now, not me." Controlling a territory''s ruler by controlling the money. Ricardo had his own feelings about it. ''Did he subdue the lord with money instead of power? It''s not impossible, but it feels different.'' Rockefeller changed the subject. "More importantly, this is a problem." Ricardo showed interest, and Rockefeller told him the contents of the letter. ''Even if I don''t say anything, he''ll somehow find this letter and read it without anyone knowing. It''s better to just reveal it openly and gain his trust instead. "Recently, arge amount of gold ore was discovered in Montefeltro territory." Ricardo wasn''t unfamiliar with stories about gold. ''I''ve heard such rumors.'' "That happened, huh?" Rockefeller continued. "If gold ore that hasn''t been mined flows out after a great upheaval, it seems that thend isn''t dead yet." Shining gold. Who could resist it? It was the beginning and end of all greed. "Since ancient times, gold has been called the daughter of the sun, and silver has been called the tears of the moon." That story. Ricardo had heard it somewhere before. "The daughter of the sun... I remember hearing that somewhere." "It''s a happy thing that ites from thend where I practically have the rights, but..." Rockefeller''s expression wasn''t entirely bright as he spoke. That''s why Ricardo questioned him. "You don''t seem too happy about it even though you have most of the rights. Is there a particr reason?" Rockefeller had the same thoughts as the lord who wrote the letter. "It''s not certain yet. Thatnd used to be of interest to the dwarves. It was called Azrak Goldmine, and it was one of the top gold mining areas on the continent. Now, it''s been abandoned, and its former reputation has faded." "But there''s still a possibility, isn''t there?" "The possibility is there. But whether the gold reallyes out or not isn''t the important thing." Rockefeller immediately continued. "If I don''t have the power to protect it, it doesn''t matter if ites from mynd or not." Ricardo agreed with that statement. ''If you don''t have the power to protect it, it''s not yours.'' "I agree. If the Tepez family or Sinir family find out about this, things could get ugly." The Ismail family wasn''t even mentioned here. Why? Rockefeller knew why. ''The family with all its limbs cut off can''tpete with the two families with good momentum right now.'' That''s why. ''Since I can''t show interest even if I know about it.'' "There''s that, and it''s not even certain, so it would be a problem if I got excited and ended up disappointed. And..." People eyeing the gold veins? Tepez? Sinir? Or the royal family? No, the real concern was elsewhere. "The biggest concern is the dwarves. I don''t know if you know this, but thatnd was abandoned by the dwarves in the past." "I heard that it used to be dwarf territory." "But they never handed it over to the empire. The empire just took thend they abandoned." The following words could be roughly anticipated. "Since the dwarves are crazy about gold as much as beer, if they suddenly appear and assert their rights, trouble is bound to arise. We won''t give up easily, and they''ll cling to it because of their cursed greed engraved in their blood." If the Montefeltro territory was indeed not dead, as the letter said, Ricardo could be sure of one thing. ''A war with the dwarves is inevitable.'' Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 103 (1) Chapter 103 (1) Magic Stone Tank(5) While Ricardo was deep in thought about the possible war with the dwarves, Rockefeller unfolded another letter that hade to him. The letter, more luxurious and fragrant than the ones sent by the lord and his sister, was unfortunately not from the royal family. The Sinir family crest was stamped on the letter. ''It seems the Sinir family is congratting me on bing the guild leader.'' A rough nce at the contents of the letter sent by the Sinir family showed a message congratting him on bing the new guild leader, along with a statement that they respected the choice of the Lyon Guild. "It seems I am being congratted by the Sinir family as well." Ricardo responded to his words. "Of course. Hasn''t the Lyon Guild always had a deep connection with the Sinir family?" "It seems they will send someone soon, ording to the letter." It seemed that the Sinir family didn''t n to end it with just congrattions now that a new guild leader had been elected. "They would want to continue the rtionship that has been passed down since before the new guild leader was elected. They will probably bestow favors materially or in some other way when they send someone from their family." Rockefeller didn''t deny it. "Perhaps that''s the case." However, seeing the slight narrowing of his eyes, it seemed he had his own thoughts. Seeing this, Ricardo asked about something else. "Still, there is no news from the royal family?" In fact, the most important thing was the letter from the royal family, more than any congrattory message or letter. Only with the royal family''s permission to appoint Rockefeller as the head of the Lyon Guild could he truly act as the guild leader. "Yes, there''s no particr news yet." Rockefeller also seemed a bit worried. He thought that the royal family would appoint him as the guild leader, but he couldn''t be sure since he was originally amoner. "If I were not from amoner background but from a regr noble family, the royal family would not have hesitated so much." Ricardo knew better than anyone about the noble society and the royal family. In his judgment, the fact that Rockefeller, amoner, was appointed as the guild leader might cause some discord among the royal family and high-ranking officials, but it seemed difficult to deny the appointment itself. "There probably won''t be any problem. Even if you are amoner, neither the royal family nor the bureaucrats can ignore the Lyon Guild. The same goes for other nobles." His words continued. "And since the Sinir family respects the choice of the guild, wouldn''t the royal family be the same?" "I hope so." "Please be patient and wait a little longer. The royal family will send good news soon." Rockefeller, who was sparing with his words, put down the letter from the Sinir family and looked through the other letters as well. They all contained congrattory messages. ''These things are meaningless.'' Having put down all the letters addressed to him, Rockefeller, sitting at his desk, spoke up. "I was thinking of putting out an advertisement." When Rockefeller brought it up, Ricardo gave him a look. "An advertisement?" If it was a recruitment advertisement for an assistant, it would be meaningless since he already had one. "What are you looking for?" "A person." "Are you looking for another assistant?" At his words, Rockefellerughed and replied. "No, it''s not that. I''ve already hired an assistant, so there''s no need to hire more." "Then who are you going to hire?" "Since the First Prince ising soon, we need to prepare for him." Only then did Ricardo understand why Rockefeller was trying to ce an advertisement. "Do you n to find an escort knight?" "Yes, if we want to stand up to the First Prince, we have to." Who could they possibly hire as an escort knight that could hold their head high even in front of the First Prince? ''There are a few...'' However, even those few were not easy for Rockefeller to hire. In fact, they were impossible. They were people who couldn''t be dealt with even with money. ''It doesn''t seem like there''s any.'' No matter how much he thought about it, Ricardo couldn''t think of a suitable escort knight and raised a question. "Who do you have in mind? A half-hearted escort knight won''t be enough." "I am aware of that. That''s why I n to temporarily hire a very powerful person as my escort." "Is there such a person?" "There''s only one." At the mention of only one, Ricardo tilted his head for a moment, but soon was able to pinpoint one person. "You don''t mean... Lee Han, do you?" Most of the people Ricardo thought of were ones that Rockefeller could hardly call or even dare to call. The only one with a possibility was the man of rumors, Lee Han. However, even Lee Han was not an easy opponent to call. "Yes, that''s right. I n to have Lee Han as a temporary escort knight. Then the First Prince won''t be able to do anything to me." Ricardo asked with a reluctant expression. "Can you even bring Lee Han? It''s probably hard to buy him with money, right?" In response to that question, Rockefeller answered with some confidence. "That''s why I n to use something he needs as bait." "Bait?" "I heard that he''s been raiding various dungeons for magic stones." The Behemoth''s magic sword. There was a rumor that it grew by consuming magic stones. "If I offer him the magic stones, wouldn''t Lee Han move for me?" It was true that there were rumors that Lee Han was moving busily because of the magic stones. "Magic stones..." "I''m sure he''ll move." As Rockefeller spoke with a confident tone, Ricardo naturally expressed his doubts. "How can you be so sure?" "Didn''t I tell you? My intuition is quite good. Lee Han will definitelye looking for the magic stones I have." "Well... if he needs magic stones." Rockefeller thought to himself. ''It''s the time when he''s desperate to grow the magic sword, so there shouldn''t be a big problem.'' Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 103 (2) Chapter 103 (2) "Anyway, please make the advertisement big. No one knows where Lee Han is right now." Ricardo asked. "As for finding Lee Han, we can ce ads in as many ces as possible. But what about the magic stones? How do you n to get them?" Rockefeller still had a smiling face at the question. ''Hey, you''re my assistant first of all. I should be able to boss you aroundfortably.'' "I''ll leave that to you too. As the guild leader, I have my own duties, and it would be a bit funny for me to personally move around to gather magic stones, wouldn''t it?" If the head of the Assassin''s House were to collect magic stones, it was certain that many stones would be gathered in a short amount of time. Moreover, they had plenty of money to purchase them, so what could be the problem? "Alright, I''ll do my best to gather as many magic stones as possible." Since Ricardo''s desired direction was the same as Rockefeller''s, there was no particr reason for him to cause any problems. Thus, Rockefeller, who would soon be busy, offered some encouragement to him. "Then, I''ll count on you." * * * Bloodstained ground. A man stood in the midst of a battlefield littered with corpses all around, without any particr emotion. Wearing bloodstained armor and letting his red hair blow in the wind, he was Ryan Tepez, known as the First Prince. "......" A female knight, who also possessed the distinctive features of the Tepez family, approached him. She, too, was a bloodstained figure, and if there was anything remarkable about her, it was the numerous swords falling from the sky as soon as she took her position to report. Ignoring the loud crash of the falling sword rain, she spoke to the First Prince with a discontented expression. "Did you really have to go this far?" It was a fight without pleasure or excitement. A one-sided massacre would be the most fitting description. The leader of the Revolutionary Army had long ago lost his head, and the First Prince had ignored the surrender of the revolutionaries, ending the war with nothing but ughter. That was the Tepesz way. Standing on the corpses of the revolutionaries, the First Prince turned his head to look at the female knight who hade to him. Although they shared the same blood, she was an incredibly beautiful sister. Finally, the First Prince, whose expression had changed, spoke. "There was no fun in it at all." "Did you expect any fun in something like this?" "There should at least be some pleasure in trampling on something. I thought they would resist more desperately when cornered. It''s my mistake to think that it would be this boring. It was too one-sided, wasn''t it?" Born from the same womb, she didn''t particrly like the First Prince''s way. "They had surrendered; you could have just let them live, couldn''t you? Even if they were wrong, you could have given them a chance to repent." At her words, the First Prince shook his head. "That''s not the Tepez way. And if we show such mercy, people will take us lightly. They''ll think it''s okay to make mistakes. That''s not right. We can''t let that happen. We must be fear itself." Ryan reached out and lifted his sister''s face. Surprised by his sudden action, she stopped talking and looked at him. "What are you doing?" It was something the brother did when he was bored. As her expression hardened, she roughly pushed away his hand, and the First Prince chuckled. "I don''t particrly like you either. It''s just that you''re the only person who can handle my blood." Her expression remained stern, and the First Prince continued speaking to her. "Or introduce me to a nice woman, preferably stronger than you. Then I''ll leave you alone." "Instead of paying attention to me, why don''t you prepare for the uing Crown War?" The Crown War. It was an event that couldn''t be better for a war-crazy man like him. "That''s right; the Crown War will bepletely different from this punitive battle. That arrogant Calman will appear." Excited at the thought of cutting off the head of Calman, a prince from a different mother, Ryan couldn''t hide his enthusiasm. "But don''t worry. Calman will never be able to beat me." "Calman isn''t such an easy opponent, is he? I heard that unlike Christian, he has the support of the Sinir family." The Sinir family. They were not an easy opponent to overlook. However, he seemed to have some kind of n, as he was even smiling. "Don''t worry, I''ve got it all figured out." "You''ve got it figured out?" She couldn''t help but feel a sense of foreboding. "What exactly have you figured out?" "I''ve blocked his source of money. Without money, he can''t win in a war. After all, in war" With confidence, he continued. "Money is everything." At that moment, a soldier hurriedly ran towards him. He was a messenger with news. Receiving something from the soldier, the First Prince unfolded it immediately. It was a royal letter. "What''s the content? Is it bad news?" As his sister Trinity asked out of curiosity, the First Prince, who had slightly narrowed his eyes, opened his mouth. "His Majesty is about to grant a title to a new guild leader. They say he was originally amoner... That''s why the title was a bit dyed." The new guild leader of the Lyon Guild. From the perspective of the First Prince, who had previously dealt with the former guild leader, it wasn''t a very sweet piece of news. "Read it. That''s what it says." Handing the received letter to Trinity, the First Prince looked at the corpse-filled battlefield with a dissatisfied expression. ''Did the guild leader change in the meantime?'' While the progress wasn''t to his liking, he didn''t think there would be much difference. ''I don''t need to worry about it. It might even be a good thing. If the new guild leader is from amoner background, it''ll be easier to deal with than the previous one.'' Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 104 (1) Chapter 104 (1) Magic Stone Tank (6) Around the time when the new guild leader was elected in the Lyon Guild, and the guild regtions he had been promoting began to see the light of day. A letter bearing the royal seal arrived at the Ghetto Nuovo area in Lyon. Rockefeller, sitting in his chair, calmly read the letter addressed to him in front of Ricardo, who was watching. Ricardo, who had been closely observing Rockefeller''s expression, soon spoke with a calm expression. "Congrattions." Although it was a dispassionate tone, Rockefeller responded with an unconcerned face. "It seems there were no problems. You have sessfully taken your ce as the guild leader." "As I mentioned before, the royal family must have respected the guild''s choice, just like the Sinir family." "Of course. What could the royal family say when the Sinir family acknowledged it?" There was no surprise here, as everyone had expected this, and Rockefeller had probably thought it would happen. ''Is this how I shed mymoner status and be a noble?'' "It''s a great development. I, who was once a meremoner, am now receiving the royal family''s seal and officially bing a noble. I heard that even with a baron''s status, one must pay taxes diligently to the imperial royal family for decades to be officially recognized... And now I''ve secured such a position." Rockefeller''s expression brightened. He thought of his siblings who would be happy to hear this news. "Not only me, but my siblings will also be very happy. After all, they have be members of a noble family by following me, no matter how the process went." After finishing his words, Rockefeller could think of his youngest sister, Lucia, among his siblings. There wouldn''t be much of a difference for his grown-up brothers if they suddenly became nobles frommoners. But it was different for young Lucia. "It will undoubtedly be a good thing for Lucia, the youngest among my siblings. Now that we''re not a wealthymoner family but a proper noble family, she''ll be able to marry into a good ce." Seeing Rockefeller, who was happy about his family''s affairs as if they were his own, Ricardo had a lot to feel. Even if they were from the same family, there was always a certain line between them. "It seems you, Lord Rockefeller, are happier about your family''s sess than your own." "Of course. My siblings and I have been through cold and hunger together since we were young. My affairs are my siblings'' affairs, and my siblings'' affairs are my affairs." That appearance. Why couldn''t he find it in his own family? Even though they were brothers who shared the same blood. ''What''s the reason?'' It didn''t take long for him to figure out the reason. The word petition," which was nonexistent in Rockefeller and his siblings, existed in his family. Since birth, he had been in constantpetition with his blood-rted siblings, living in a hellish environment like walking on thin ice. Only by enduring that hell and bing the best could one be recognized as a member of the family and upy the main positions of the family. Survival of the fittest and thew of the jungle. As long as those virtues existed, even blood-rted brothers would eventually be strangers. ''It''s enviable. At least to be able to think of their siblings in such a way.'' "Have you never fought among your siblings?" At that question, Rockefeller chuckled. "A lot. You think there wouldn''t be such a thing? When I was young, I treated Andrew, the second child, very poorly. But such things are memories of our childhood." Rockefeller continued. "My siblings and I decided not to fight each other and to join forces unconditionally. We promised never to betray each other, no matter what happenster." Ricardo had an expression of not understanding. "Why did you do that?" From the beginning, the premise of trusting his brothers was ridiculous. "What will you do if you are betrayed?" He said. "Betrayal by others is something that can happen. So I don''t get betrayed much. But betrayal by family is different. Since I trust them, even when I am betrayed, I would be greatly affected." So he had been steadfast in this principle throughout his life. "That''s why I never trusted anyone and lived my life. Not family, friends, or anyone. I never trusted anyone. I always lived in doubt. So I''ve never been betrayed." Betrayed? In fact, there was one. However, since there was no way for rumors to spread about the deceased, he had lied in his own way. Rockefeller didn''t bother to deny it. "That''s the same for me. I don''t trust anyone either. I just make an exception for my family." "Are you sure they will never betray you, Lord Rockefeller?" There was no hesitation in Rockefeller''s answer. "Of course. Do you know why?" "No, I don''t understand at all." Rockefeller replied. "Brothers trusting each other. This is the unique power and everything of our Rothsmedici family, which cannot be found in any other family." Trust is power. Ricardo couldn''t understand that, but he didn''t want to argue. "Is that... like a family motto?" "A family motto... Well, you could say it''s simr. At least it''s something I''ve emphasized to my siblings since I was in a tough situation. Unlike other families, we siblings must trust and rely on each other no matter what happens. I''ve probably said it so many times that my siblings are almost brainwashed." "..." What was the meaning of this conversation? If anything, it could be seen as the unique characteristics of the Rothsmedici family, which was different from other families. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 104 (2) Chapter 104 (2) "Anyway, congrattions on bing an official noble. Your siblings must be very happy." "I need to tell my siblings this news as soon as possible." Rockefeller quickly picked up a pen and spoke. "Anyway, since it''se to this, I think it''s better to bring my youngest sister Lucia over to our side. It''s not just about men, but women too, that they need to y with good water to attract good fish. We can''t have our pretty youngest sister matching eyes with a stern guy in a remote countryside." Rockefeller''s love for his sister was just a passing remark from Ricardo''s perspective. "I''m sorry to bother you while you''re busy, but was there any other news in the letter from the royal pce?" When Ricardo asked Rockefeller, who was busy writing letters to his siblings, Rockefeller stopped his pen and looked up. ''What did he hear?'' "There was. The letter said that the 1st Prince will being soon." The news that the Yormungand Revolutionary Army had recently beenpletely suppressed had already spread widely. With the suppression of the revolutionaries, the 1st Prince''s attention naturally had to be focused on the crown war, and Ricardo, who had been listening to various news for that reason, asked Rockefeller just in case. "It''ll be tiring in many ways. When is His Highness the 1st Princeing?" "It''s not specified, but he''s said to being soon." "Is that so?" "What about the advertisement to find Lee Han?" The most important thing when the 1st Prince came was to have a knight to protect him. So when Rockefeller asked about the job advertisement to find Lee Han, Ricardo calmly replied. "I''ve spread the ads everywhere Lee Han might go. If he''s interested in magic stones, he''ll surelye to us." At that, Rockefeller asked. "Are the magic stones prepared?" Getting the magic stones? It was all about the money. "You don''t have to worry too much about the magic stones. We''re gathering as much as we can from here and there, so we''ll be able to gather enough for the amount Lee Han wants." "The problem is Lee Han..." It had been quite some time since they had spread advertisements all over the continent. It was impossible for Lee Han not to see the advertisement. ''He''ll definitelye if he needs magic stones...'' But they couldn''t be sure. The hardest person to predict among the characters in the novel was the protagonist, Lee Han. ''Since he''s been trapped in the Infinite Library for a long time, moving with long-distance magic would be nothing to him.'' "I thought he would appear in front of me right away, but there''s no news. It seems he wasn''t that interested in magic stones." At that moment, Ricardo subtly scanned the empty surroundings as if he had felt something. Rockefeller couldn''t sense the change, but Ricardo could detect it to some extent. ''The mana residue suddenly became dense. Could it be?'' "I feel like someone hase down there." Rockefeller expressed doubt. "A guest?" "Yes, I''ll go check ande back." While Ricardo went downstairs for a moment. Rockefeller stared intently at the stairs that Ricardo had gone down. Who hade, and who was it? Maybe? At that moment. A voice he had never heard before came from Rockefeller''s side. "You were looking for me openly." He looked surprised and saw someone sitting there as if they had been there all along. It was his first time seeing the face, but judging from the hairstyle, eyes, and the unique atmosphere that person had. ''Lee Han.'' It seemed that he was indeed the protagonist of the novel. "I thought you were a banker." Clothes stained with blood and dirt. A sword full of ominous energy. And the owner of ck hair and ck eyes that didn''t quite fit in this world. Rockefeller opened his mouth, pretending to be surprised. ''I did expect it to some extent, I wasn''t that surprised.'' "Wh-who are you?" At that question, the unidentified man answered rudely. "Who am I? You''ve been looking for me, and now you''re asking who I am?" "Could it be... Lee Han?" The corner of the unidentified man''s mouth curled up. "You guessed right. Well, I''m the only one with ck hair here, so it wouldn''t be hard to guess my identity." Rockefeller nced towards the stairs and Lee Han shook his head. "If you''re looking for the assistant I was with, he''s probably chasing something irrelevant on the street right now." From Lee Han''s perspective, the man who had been with Rockefeller was quite annoying. "So you don''t need to look that way. He''s probably happily chasing my wee by now." Lee Han paused. "What''s the reason you''re looking for me with the bait of magic stones?" After finishing his words, Lee Han took off his boots and shook off the dirt inside. It was a natural action since he didn''t need to be on guard around him. Seeing Lee Han like this, Rockefeller thought. ''He doesn''t seem to be on guard at all. Well, it can''t be helped.'' He was just an ordinary person who couldn''t even handle a sword, let alone magic. So it was understandable that Lee Han''s guard was down. "I was honestly surprised when you suddenly appeared like this. As you can see, I''m just an ordinary person, so if youe like that, I''ll be startled." The banker, who had been stuttering with surprise just moments ago, suddenly became rxed, and Lee Han nced at him with a cocked head. "However, since I called you, it''s natural that you woulde like this. There''s no need to drag out the story by calling a busy person like you, so I''ll get straight to the point." The tense Rockefeller continued with the rest of his words, now nowhere to be found. "I''ll give you as many magic stones as you want, so please take care of my escort for a while." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 105 (1) Chapter 105 (1) Magic Stone Tank (7) Have you ever seen such a bold ordinary person? Lee Han was so dumbfounded that he could hardly speak. He had put up advertisements everywhere looking for himself, and then he had the audacity to make a proposal when he found him. And he did it very ''arrogantly''. Is there really anyone in this world who can make a ''normal'' proposal to him? Lee Han had lived his life as he pleased, and that was the same for the future. He had promised himself to live as he pleased since he escaped from the hellish ce called the Infinite Library. "What if I refuse?" "Refuse?" Rockefeller had not failed to consider the possibility that the protagonist, who lived as he pleased, might reject his proposal. ''Please don''t. Please, let''s make this easy, my friend.'' "Refuse..." Lee Han smirked. "How about this instead? It seems like you have a lot of magic stones. I could just threaten you and take them, right?" There were probably no readers who disliked the protagonist who lived as he pleased. Such a protagonist was the embodiment of vicarious satisfaction that fulfilled their wishes. Of course, the same was true for Rockefeller. ''It was fun to read, but now that I''ve summoned him and am trying to make a deal, he''s a bit of a strange person.'' How did the various characters in the novel feel when they faced the protagonist? They must have been frustrated and annoyed by being pushed around by such a self-centered guy. ''I guess they all felt the same way as I do.'' "Ahem!" Even if he didn''t like Lee Han, he had to find a way to get along with him. Only then would things flow ording to the picture he had drawn. "I suppose that''s one way to look at it from your perspective." Lee Han very naturally pulled out a small knife stained with ck blood. "Do you know what this blood is?" Rockefeller looked down at the small knife he had pulled out. The dried blood on the de had a ck hue, but how could he possibly know what it was? "I don''t know. What is it?" "It''s the blood of an Arachne. Most people think that only the monster''s venom is poisonous, but that''s not true. People like you would die without even being able to withstand the spider''s blood. Think about it. How long do you think you canst if you''re poisoned by this blood?" The protagonist, no, the gangster-like guy was subtly intimidating him. Rockefeller grinned without showing any sign of fear and replied. "You threaten me and take the magic stones... Why do you keep going the long way around when there''s an easy path? I don''t understand." "Going the long way around? In my opinion, this is a shortcut." "A shortcut? Then let me write a novel for once." "A novel?" Wondering what he was talking about, Lee Hanughed sarcastically. "Go ahead and bber. I''ll listen." The protagonist was truly an artist with his words. "First of all, whether you threaten me or torture me, there''s no way to know the whereabouts of the magic stones. Why? Because I haven''t ordered them through my assistant yet, so they''re not in my possession. Then, in a fit of anger, you kill me? In that case, you won''t get the magic stones, and you''ll have to pay the price for killing me." "Why do you think that? Who would know if I killed you?" "Well, because the only person who could have killed me after pushing away my assistant anding here is you." "No, people wouldn''t think that way. They might think that another guy took care of it, right?" At that, Rockefellerughed and shook his head. "That''s impossible." "Impossible?" "Yes, impossible. Why? Do you know who the person you pushed away earlier is?" At that, Lee Han narrowed his eyes slightly. If it were someone else, he wouldn''t know, but the person he had just pushed away was an extremely annoying guy who had thought through several steps beforeing here. "I don''t know. But he wasn''t ordinary." "That''s right. He''s not ordinary. Why? Because he''s someone with top-notch skills in the field of assassination." Hearing that, Lee Hanughed. "Top-notch skills? Is he the head of Ismail?" "I will make noment on that question. I''m not sure myself. However, he''s probably on a simr level. You''ll know that without me having to prove it. You''re better at knowing what kind of skills your enemies have than I am." "Hmph." "And you''ve tantly pushed away someone like that, do you think he''ll assume that some random person killed me? At least he''ll assume that someone with the skills to push him away killed me. Then there''s only one candidate." "......" "You, the protagonist of the rumor. And the advertisement looking for you was ced by me." Rockefeller, having finished speaking, smiled kindly. "So, will you still kill me in this situation?" Rockefeller knew better than anyone that Lee Han would not kill him for no reason. Why? Although the readers wanted a protagonist who acted as he pleased, they didn''t like a psychopathic murderer who killed people for no reason. And Lee Han possessed the exact personality of that protagonist. Lee Han, who was grinning, put away the knife he had pulled out and spoke to Rockefeller. "You make a good point. To me, it doesn''t seem like you''re lying." Lee Han looked at Rockefeller with interest and continued. "You see, I have a knack for telling whether someone is lying or not." Is there really an ability to judge someone''s lies? Of course, it would be an impossible story for ordinary people. This was also true for Rockefeller. But if the other person was a protagonist from a novel, it wasn''t such a surprising story. "So, did I pass?" Although he didn''t like the constant smile, there was no need to show his guard against an opponent who posed no threat, so Lee Han also smiled back. "Let''s say you passed for now." "Phew~ I passed. I feel like I''ve saved my life. I''m really lucky." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 105 (2) Chapter 105 (2) As he finished speaking. The sound of a bell rang from the lower floor of the shop. It was Ricardo, who had been tricked by Lee Han and went outside, returning. Lee Han''s eyes narrowed slightly, thinking of his quick-witted assistant who had returned faster than expected. ''He''s definitely an annoying guy.'' "Looks like your assistant came back quickly." Ricardo, who had returned to the store, quickly went up to the second floor and saw the two facing each other. ''Was what I saw downstairs a fake? I almost fell for it.'' He hadn''t revealed his identity to the two of them yet, but he had been prepared to fight Lee Han if necessary. However, that n was thwarted by the swift intervention of Rockefeller. "Although this gentleman came in quite rudely, he is the one I''ve been looking for. I''d like to offer him some tea first, if you don''t mind." Ricardo, who had been ring at Lee Han, seemed to understand and went downstairs. Lee Han, who had been secretly on guard against Ricardo, looked at Rockefeller to say something, but soon closed his mouth. Rockefeller had silently ced his index finger on his lips. ''What''s going on? Weren''t they acquainted?'' The guild master, who seemed to have a rough idea of the assistant''s identity but was hiding it. It looked strange to Lee Han. That an ordinary guild master would have an assassin as an assistant. And knowing that as well. "You live a tiring life." At Lee Han''s words, Rockefeller removed his finger from his lips and smiled again. "When you''re in a position like this, all sorts of things happen." For the first time, Lee Han became interested in the man named Rockefeller. He felt that he was more interesting than he had thought. "You''re an interesting person. I''m Lee Han. What''s your name?" "My name is Rockefeller Rothsmedici." "Rothsmedici?" "I should tell you in advance that I''m not amoner. I became a nobleman today." "Ah... a nobleman." It wasn''t surprising that the guild master of the Bank Alliance was a nobleman. Lee Han casually continued talking. "So, what was it you wanted to propose to me? You said you''d provide me with magic stones and in return, I''d protect you?" At that, Rockefeller nodded lightly. "Yes, that''s the deal." "Why?" "Before long, the Crown War will break out. You''re aware of this, right?" Although Lee Han wasn''t close to Ricardo Ismail, he was quite familiar with Christian Ismail, the second prince. For this reason, he was not ignorant of the impending Crown War. "I know roughly. Only one person survives and ascends to the throne, right?" "Yes, that''s correct. Due to the Crown War, the first prince wille to Lyon to restrain us, who are trying to help the third prince. He probably won''te alone. The first prince is always rumored to be with his army." "So?" "The first prince will pressure me. He''ll tell me not to help the third prince." The Crown War. In fact, it was a story that Lee Han didn''t care about. Why would he care when he wouldn''t be the emperor himself? "It seems you''ve gotten involved in a troublesome matter." "Yes, I didn''t want to either. But I''ve heard that the first prince is quite remarkable. He has the typical Tepez bloodline and is said to be very fiery." "Just give in. Wouldn''t life be easier then?" "Would the Sinir family, who has a deep connection with our Lyon guild, stay still?" At this point, Lee Han had several questions but decided not to ask. He didn''t need to bother. "I don''t need to know the details, and all I need to do is collect the magic stones." "I don''t ask much of you either. If the first prince tries to suppress me with force when hees to Lyon, you just need to step in and stop him." "It sounds like you''re asking me to protect you for a lifetime?" "No, you just need to protect me when the first princees to Lyon." "Really?" "After that, I have the Sinir family and a lot of money, so I can manage somehow. But it''s dangerous when the first princees. I need to protect myself from the rumors rted to the first prince." "Alright." Lee Han seemed to understand and began nodding his head, which didn''t suit him. Just when Rockefeller was feeling tense, thinking that things were going smoothly, Lee Han blurted out his concerns. "Everything is fine, but you''ve got one thing wrong. Whether it''s the first prince, the emperor, or everyone in the world targeting you, I can protect you. It''s not a problem for me. But do you know what the problem is?" "What''s the problem?" "It''s my price. It''s very, very expensive. Protecting you is no big deal to me. But the price will be more than you can imagine." His words sounded uneasy. "One magic stone per second." I never thought he would say such nonsense. Rockefeller''s expression stiffened for a moment. ''One magic stone per second?'' Even though he had a lot of money, one magic stone per second was an unreasonable price for Rockefeller. ''He''s taking advantage of being the protagonist.'' "One magic stone per second... Isn''t that too expensive? I think maintaining a dragon would be cheaper." At that, Lee Han shook his head. "I guarantee it. Whether you pluck a hair from the nose of a legendary dragon, or strike the neck of the emperor, you can survive anything. As long as you can afford to hire me. But the price is as I just said. I''m not that cheap of abor." Why would he be the protagonist? It was because of that attitude that he didn''t be the protagonist. However, he wasn''t intimidated by the protagonist''s bravado. He could show bravado too. "I''d rather rent a dragon from Goblin Bank. They''ll lend it to me if I pay, and it would actually be cheaper." Look at this guy. At the mention of renting a dragon instead of himself, Lee Han chuckled. ''Renting a dragon?'' After thinking for a moment, Lee Han, who seemed to think that his previous demand was excessive, soon made a concession. "Fine. One magic stone per minute. I can''tpromise any further. And there''s one thing I don''t understand." With full confidence, Lee Han continued speaking. "I''m better than a dragon." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 106 (1) Chapter 106 (1) The Birth of a Family (6) Whether it''s one Mana Stone per minute or one per second. As long as the Mana Stones don''t decay, hiring him was almost an impossible task. ''Or maybe hire him temporarily.'' If he was hired temporarily, it would be difficult to specify the time he would be active, which was also a problem. ''But he is not someone who will negotiate well ording to my wishes. He might have intended it from the start.'' So, Rockefeller came to this conclusion. "Even if you''re better than a dragon, hiring a dragon would be much better due to the cost. Hiring you is too expensive. It''s way too expensive." As if giving up, Lee Han''s expression changed when Rockefeller spoke. "Hey, you were just talking about hiring me, and now you''re suddenly like this?" "Please think about it. Where can you find a ce that pays one Mana Stone per minute? Even the emperor of the empire wouldn''t pay that much." At that, Lee Han smiled. "No, if you want to hire me, you have to pay that much. I''m not some local thug knight, I''m the owner of a well-known magic sword." As Lee Han subtly showed off the magic sword he had, Rockefeller calmly lowered his head. ''Even if he''s the protagonist, his price is too high.'' "Or can you hire me for just a few minutes when you need me? If so, I''ll think about it." Rockefeller thought that he would need Lee Han for a maximum of one or two hours, as he wouldn''t have to face the 1st Prince forever. If he paid one Mana Stone per minute, he would need a maximum of 120 Mana Stones, and Rockefeller had the ability to pay that much. ''I have the willingness to pay about 120 Mana Stones, but he won''t ept that.'' Lee Han was a selfish person who didn''t know how to consider others and only knew himself. "That''s one Mana Stone per minute, but only for the time I need?" "If you agree, I''ll think about it." "Heh, do you think I''m a fool? If you want to hire me, you have to think about at least two days. And that''s the reasonable thing to do." As expected, that annoying sound came out again. Rockefeller sighed shortly and spoke immediately. "Who do you think you''re fooling? If I pay one Mana Stone per minute for two days, it will be 2,880 stones. If I were a fool, I would hire you. With that amount, I could rent an army from the Goblin Bank instead of a dragon." Lee Han''s expression changed. "No, you''re saying you can''t afford that much to hire me? You''re hiring me, not someone else." "It seems you don''t think the cost of hiring you is too expensive." "If the cost is too high, you can pay it off in small installments. I''ll give you a very cheap interest rate, so don''t worry too much." This time, Rockefeller couldn''t help butugh at the absurdity. "Ha ha, that''s a tactic we often use. Have you already forgotten who I am? I''m not a mere loan shark, but a guild leader representing those loan sharks. And you''re saying that to me. It seems you''re underestimating me way too much." Lee Han red at Rockefeller and soon smirked. "Well, there''s nothing more important than a person''s life. Think of it as a good deal. I''m giving you a discount." Rockefeller thought. The man facing him right now wouldn''t easilypromise. He was the protagonist of the novel. He was not easy to deal with and was more difficult to handle than any other character in the novel. ''But I can''t end it like this.'' But soon he regained hisposure. As the saying goes, if you know your enemy and yourself, you will win a hundred battles. Rockefeller was an avid reader of the novel, so he knew more about Lee Han than anyone else in the world. ''Hey, I know exactly who you are. You may not know me here, but I do. I know what you''re thinking and how you''ll act.'' "Anyway, the picture you want won''te out here. I''m not a fool, so I won''t do as you wish." Before Lee Han could respond, Rockefeller quickly continued. "But that doesn''t mean you''ll back down easily either. It seems you need the Mana Stones, and I have them. I''m telling you that it''s better for you to stick with me and rip the Mana Stones off than to go around multiple dungeons for no reason." Before Lee Han could reply, Rockefeller quickly continued his speech. While Rockefeller continued talking, Ricardo brought tea from the lower floor. Lee Han, who had no interest in the steaming tea cup in front of him, opened his mouth. "I have no regrets. Magic stones are everywhere in the world." Rockefeller was not to be outdone. "I have no regrets either. Even if it''s not you, there are countless people I can hire." Ricardo, who had been watching the sharp confrontation between the two, held his tongue. It wasn''t his ce to step in, and he couldn''t find apromise even if he did. How much time had passed? When Lee Han refused to give in, Rockefeller took the initiative. "Please escort him out. It seems like our intentions don''t match." At that, Lee Hanughed alone. ''What kind of guy is he?'' Usually, at this point, most people would have given in. Why? Because he was an irreceable existence. ''He''s got nothing but money and a big mouth.'' When Lee Han showed no signs of budging, Rockefeller spoke again. "What are you doing? Do you still have more to say?" Lee Han stood up from his seat, pointing at Rockefeller with his finger. As Ricardo stood beside Lee Han, preparing to escort him out. Suddenly, Lee Han sat down and spoke to Rockefeller. "100 a day." Now the conversation seemed to be getting through. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 106 (2) Chapter 106 (2) However, Rockefeller shook his head. "That won''t do. I''ll consider 50." "50 is absolutely not possible. When I raid a dungeon, I can expect an average of 40-60 magic stones." "Then let''s do 60. I think 60 magic stones per day is a reasonable price." "I have my pride too; 60 just won''t do." "Then 65." "80. 80 seems pretty clean." 80 magic stones per day wasn''t too much of a burden for Rockefeller. However. "Let''s do 70. And if the job is done well, I''ll give you a bonus." It was an offer he didn''t like. Considering the intensity of thebor, it was an inevitable choice for Lee Han, who thought it would be easier to escort the guild master of some Banco alliance. "Fine. Let''s do that. But the bonus has to be hefty." Lee Han conspicuously rubbed his thumb and index finger together. "You know you need this, right?" As Rockefeller had to maintain a good rtionship with Lee Han afterward, he intended to make sure the bonus was substantial. ''A bonus? Let him get excited over such a trivial amount. It doesn''t mean anything to me.'' "Don''t worry too much. It''s not a big deal." Lee Han responded curtly. "And you. You better know you''re lucky. I''ve been going to dungeonstely and was thinking about taking a break somewhere for a few days. So, I took this job as a side job. Next time, don''t think I''ll do this. I won''t, even if I die." At that, Rockefeller justughed. ''Next time, I won''t be betting on magic stones. By then, you won''t be so obsessed with them either.'' "By then, I''ll be able to work with you on better terms than now. I haven''t fully established my position yet." Lee Han sneered. "Better terms?" Lee Han shook his head outright. "Listen, it''s not just about magic stones. How can you know what I''ll ask for when the timees?" Rockefeller''s lips curled into a long, meaningful smile. ''Really? Next time, I''ll offer you an amount of money that''s close to infinite.'' Printing and printing, and still printing. An endless supply of money that never dries up. Goblin Dor. "Let''s see about that. Who knows, next time there might be better conditions waiting for you?" The more they talked, the more subtly ufortable he felt. On the surface, it didn''t seem like there was anything special, but it seemed like there was some sort of hidden agenda inside? Lee Han did not give a good evaluation of Rockefeller, but he decided not to think too deeply about it, as he judged that it was not a rtionship that wouldst long. "So when do you need me? Or is it starting today?" "Not today. The day when the 1st Prince arrives. It will be about two days from then. It''s likely to be that way." The city of Lyon was not a ce that the 1st Prince, known as a mad war enthusiast, liked. It was just a brief stop for the 1st Prince due to matters rted to the magic stone tank. If there were no major issues, Rockefeller thought that the 1st Prince''s stay in Lyon would be extremely short. "It seems like you don''t know when the 1st Prince ising either?" "I''m not a royal person, how would I know how the 1st Prince will move? It''s just that if hees this way, things will probably go that way, so I''m preparing in advance." Lee Han smiled. "Be happy. If I protect you, you''ll be safer than anyone else in the world." It was exactly what Rockefeller wanted. "If that''s the case, I couldn''t ask for more." Lee Han took out a ruby pendant from his pocket and threw it to Rockefeller. "It''s a summoning stone from Tamir. It''s not originally for this purpose... Anyway, if you hold it and think of me earnestly.." Lee Han took out another pendant from his pocket. It was a ruby pendant identical to the one he had thrown to Rockefeller. "This will also react on its own, so when the timees, I''ll find you myself." As Rockefeller held the ruby pendant, the ruby pendant in Lee Han''s hand began to emit a red light. "It works like that. No matter how far apart you are, if your longing for the other person bes desperate, it will react on its own. It''s an artifact like that, so cherish it like a precious item. I n to retrieve it as soon as the job is done." After finishing his words, Lee Han disappeared like a ghost. As if Lee Han had never been there, only silence remained in his office. Rockefeller fiddled with the ruby pendant that Lee Han had left behind for a while. "Tamir... I remember hearing about the twin artifacts that lovers used to share. It''s originally meant to be shared between lovers, so the usage is a bit different, but well, it seems useful enough." As Ricardo broke the silence, Rockefeller looked up at him. "He was indeed a mysterious person, as the rumors say. I didn''t expect Lee Han toe to me like this. Without any warning, he just showed up." It was Ricardo''s first time meeting the rumored Lee Han. ''I can roughly see why everyone is wary of him. He''s a person whose depth is impossible to fathom, unlike his appearance.'' "It was dangerous. He''s not a person with a good reputation." However, Rockefeller, who knew Lee Han well, shook his head in denial. "It''s just the rumors that are like that. Although it was brief, talking to him didn''t seem that bad. I managed to have a conversation with him, even though it was somewhat unpleasant." That was the end of the matter with Lee Han. Now all that was left was to wait for him. Rockefeller imagined the 1st Prince, who woulde to see him, and thought, ''Even though I don''t know, since I''m of humble origin, the 1st Prince whoes here won''t think too deeply about this matter. Rather, he might think it''s easy to manipte.'' He had deceived Lee Han too. Rockefeller, with nothing more to fear, was now full of confidence. ''But if hees with that mindset, he''ll really be in for a big surprise. To begin with, it''s a position that amoner can''t sit in.'' Rockefeller spoke with a friendly expression. "Let''s just wait for the 1st Prince with ease. We''ve already finished our preparations." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 107 (1) Chapter 107 (1) 1/2 Bonus chapter thanks to @SuperLazerBean''s continued patronage to Dwarven Sovereigns Tier on Kofi! Ryan Tepez (1) Inside a carriage adorned with the phoenix symbol representing the royal family, a man from the Red Crown grumbled with dissatisfaction. "Lyon..." His expression was not pleasant, and he sat with his arms folded. "I really came to a boring ce." What he truly desired was not a peaceful ce like this, but a battlefield where blood and flesh were rampant, and the soldiers'' cries pierced the sky, even giving him chills. "Why did Ie all the way here?" As the 1st Prince grumbled, the woman sitting across from him broke the silence and spoke. "Why are you like this? Wasn''t it your wish toe here?" At that, the 1st Prince furrowed his brow. "Who said I wanted toe here? You know, right? I really hate this atmosphere." His gaze fixed on the people of Lyon who hade to cheer him on. They were all boring people. "I wish this ce had be a rebel hideout. Then I could sweep them all away as soon as I found them. Then it would be fun again." Trinity didn''t respond, thinking there was no point, and just lowered her head. Ignoring his sister, the 1st Prince began to focus only on one thing that piqued his interest. "Magic stone Tank..." The Magic Stone Tank that remained in his memory was a powerful new weapon of the Empire. The tank, armed with iron armor, moved by consuming Magic Stones, and the power of the Magic Stone Cannon was truly awe-inspiring. The problem was that it was still in the development stage and could not be fully utilized on the battlefield. "It had quite a power. It wasn''t as powerful as a warship with numerous cannons, but the power of the Magic Stone Cannon was so great that I couldn''t ignore it." At the 1st Prince''s words, Trinity reacted. "That''s just junk." Unlike the 1st Prince, from Trinity''s perspective, the Magic Stone Tank was merely a shy new weapon. "It didn''t even move properly. Why are you interested in such junk?" The 1st Prince openly clicked his tongue. "Tsk, tsk, if it''spleted, it will be the Empire''s strongest weapon. A tank armed with iron armor." His eyes, which had lost interest in the peace, began to regain their vitality. "Imagine such a tank roaming the battlefield. Doesn''t your heart race already?" Although they were inside a carriage, the 1st Prince''s mind had already gone to a battlefield where the smell of gunpowder was terribly strong. "With just one shot of the Magic Stone Cannon, the enemy''s troops disappear into screams. And that''s just from shelling." That wasn''t the end of it. "And it can move, too." "It''s slow." "Why are you so negative? It wasn''t that slow when it moved properly." At the time, the Magic Stone Tank that was shown to the 1st Prince had moved a significant distance without breaking down, whether it was lucky or not. He couldn''t forget that sight, and he intended to meet the developer of the Magic Stone Tank today. "I heard that Count Frank recently had financial troubles." If Rockefeller hadn''t helped, it would have been created by a lunatic that everyone called a warmonger. "I''m sure I could put it to good use if I helped." But since the Magic Stone Tank was such a piece of junk, Trinity refrained from saying anything. Ignoring Trinity, the 1st Prince closed his eyes again with his arms folded. "Call me when we arrive. I''ll endure it until then." This peaceful atmosphere filled with cheers was like torture to him. Trinity, who had been looking at the 1st Prince, closed her eyes again, seemingly dissatisfied with something. When they both opened their eyes again, they had already arrived at the ce the 1st Prince had longed for. Amidst everyone''s hospitality, the 1st Prince, who had just gotten out of the carriage, was able to meet Count Frank, who had been waiting for the news. "Are you the developer of the Magic Stone Tank?" Unlike when Rockefeller visited, Count Frank was dressed nobly, having heard the news of the 1st Prince''s visit. "Yes, Your Highness. My name is Frank Valen." "Count, you said?" "Yes, I was granted the title of Count by the royal family in recognition of my contributions to the development of the Magic Stone Tank." "I heard you were originally a viscount." "Yes, that''s correct." From the 1st Prince''s perspective, it didn''t matter much whether the other party was a viscount or a count. As long as they were not a powerful lord with their own troops under hismand, they were simply people beneath him who didn''t require much attention. "Anyway, I want to see the Magic Stone Tank. Is the development going well?" "Of course. Please follow me. I will show Your Highness the new tank model I am developing." "A new model? Well, there were a lot of improvements needed." Following Count Frank''s guidance, the 1st Prince stepped into the surprisinglyrge Magic Stone Tank factory. The size of the factory producing the Magic Stone Tanks was muchrger than expected. There were also countless workers working inside. "I heard the financial situation was quite bad..." The 1st Prince was puzzled as the story progressed, contrary to what he had heard. "The factory seems to be running very well. There are quite a lot of workers, too." Trinity, who had been scanning the factory with curious eyes, chimed in. "Is the situation here really difficult? From what I see, it looks quite good." It didn''t make sense for the busy factory to be running if the financial situation was bad. The Empire''s army wasn''t even buying the Magic Stone Tanks, so what kind of profit could there be for the factory to be running so vigorously? That''s why the 1st Prince expressed his doubts. "It seems that a new investor has appeared since the story is different from what I heard." Count Frank didn''t hesitate to answer the question. "Yes, I unexpectedly gained a new investor." It was surprising that someone saw the Magic Stone Tank, called a piece of junk and ridiculed by everyone, with the same vision as him. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 107 (2) Chapter 107 (2) The 1st Prince, secretly amazed, became curious about the identity of the person who boldly invested in such a ce. "Don''t hide it, tell me. Who invested here?" Could he, who was only a baron in status, dare to lie in front of a member of the royal family? He confessed without hiding anything. "Lord Rockefeller invested in me." "Lord Rockefeller?" Attaching the title of Lord meant that he was a noble atleast of the baron status. ''Who is he? It seems like I''ve heard of him for the first time?'' Of course, there were more than one or two nobles in the empire, so he might not know, but the 1st Prince wanted to know who he was. "It seems quite unfamiliar. What is his family of origin?" "Rothsmedici." "Rothsmedici?" The 1st Prince immediately frowned. It was a noble family he had never heard of. How could he, a member of the royal family, not know about a noble family belonging to the empire? "Have you ever heard of it? Really, for the first time. Have you heard of it?" When the 1st Prince asked his sister, she just shook her head. "Rothsmedici? No, I''ve never heard of it either." Then, by chance, she thought of the guild leader she would meetter. ''Wait a minute. Isn''t it that person, Rockefeller Rothsmedici?'' "Oh, isn''t it that person who became a guild leader this time? Thatmoner-born guild leader. The person we''re going to meet next." Hearing his sister''s words, the 1st Prince''s expression quickly soured. Despite being amoner, he had taken an undeserved noble position and even invested in the Magic Stone Tank with the same vision as him. ''Something about him doesn''t sit right with me.'' "Was it that person who became a guild leader from amoner background this time?" His expression remained grim. The 1st Prince revealed his true feelings without a filter. "He''s too arrogant for amoner." "He''s not amoner anymore, is he?" "Still, his roots aremoners. It will take a lot of time for him to mingle with us. Isn''t that right, Count Frank?" Count Frank could only grovel under the pressure of the 1st Prince. "Yes, Your Highness''s words are absolutely correct." Nevertheless, the 1st Prince felt the dirty feeling inside him did not wash away easily. ''Why do I feel so dirty? Is it because the investment in the Magic Stone Tank was taken away by someone else?'' Or was it resentment toward his social background? Either way, the 1st Prince looked at the newly developed Magic Stone Tank with a dissatisfied expression as he was guided by Baron Frank. ''This one looks pretty decent. I have a feeling it will move properly.'' The majestic Magic Stone Tank, unlike the previous Magic Stone Tanks, emitted a roaring sound and vibrated as if it could run at any moment. When the steam spewing from the Magic Stone Tank filled the factory, Count Frank quickly spoke up. "With a few more tweaks, it will be able to perform well in any battlefield, unlike the Magic Stone Tanks that were made before." It was not the 1st Prince who first showed interest in his words, but his sister. "Does it move properly?" "Of course! This time, we only focused on improving the mobility. You shouldn''t think of it as the same as what you saw before. You know how much money went into it. I went through a lot of hardships too." As soon as Baron Frank gave the order, the tank driver, who had been waiting for hismand, immediately demonstrated the Magic Stone Tank''s movement. It definitely moved more naturally than the previous Magic Stone Tanks, and it looked sturdy as well. "It moves well, doesn''t it?" Quickly evaluating it, Baron Frank stepped forward. "Look! You can''t underestimate my creation just because it moves now." Contrary to the rumors, the 1st Prince looked quite satisfied with the well-moving Magic Stone Tank. ''It''s really impressive.'' With the tremendous firepower of the Magic Stone Tank, the enemy''s troops could be wiped out in an instant. "When can we supply it to the army?" "If Your Highness ces an order today, we can start production immediately." "Is the firepower the same as the previous Magic Stone Tanks?" "Yes, of course. In fact, the uracy has increasedpared to before." The 1st Prince, immersed in satisfaction, briefly turned his body and nced around the spacious factory. Workers waiting for their tasks were visible. ''It''s not a method where several people assemble one unit.'' "Do they each have their own field?" Count Frank answered the question lightning-fast. "Yes, that was also suggested by Lord Rockefeller. By dividing the work like this, our production capacity has improved significantlypared to before." At the end of what he liked, there was always Rockefeller. The 1st Prince, hiding his distorted expression, spoke to Baron Frank. "Do you have any ns to receive additional investment?" "Investment? We need to receive orders now, not investments. We already have the production capacity, and all we need is Your Highness''s order." "Is that so?" Although he didn''t like it, the 1st Prince found constion in the fact that the long-awaited Magic Stone Tank was almostplete and ready for mass production. "Excellent. You''ve done a great job for the empire." "It''s nothing, Your Highness." "So, how did you decide on the price of the Magic Stone Tank? It would be nice if the price was reasonable since it''s for the empire." It was finally the first order. However, there was one problem here. "That''s... the price hasn''t been decided yet. It''s a matter to discuss with Lord Rockefeller." "He''s just an investor who provided money, do you really need to worry about it?" "Well... he didn''t just invest, he took a stake in the Magic Stone Tank from me. So I can''t handle matters rted to the Magic Stone Tank alone." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 108 (1) Chapter 108 (1) Ryan Tepez (2) What on earth are you talking about? The developer of the magic stone tank can''t set the price? And the reason was very annoying. "What did you just say? You gave the share of the magic stone tank... to that person?" "Yes, that''s correct. So, although I developed the magic stone tank, the rights to it are currently shared between me and Lord Rockefeller." "Why...." "To be honest, the improvement of the magic stone tank to this extent was only possible due to the full support of Lord Rockefeller. Therefore, I don''t have muchint about the rights to the magic stone tank being partially given to Lord Rockefeller." Prince 1, who was carefully observing the situation, had also heard the story from Rockefeller beforehand. If Prince 1 came to visit, he was told not to talk about the price of the magic stone tank. "By the way, Lord Rockefeller said something like this. If Your Highness shows interest in the magic stone tank, he would personally negotiate the price himself, as he thinks I would be clumsy in negotiating. I agreed to this as well. I thought Lord Rockefeller, who works in the bank, would be better at bargaining than someone like me." It was natural for the party that negotiated well to set the price if the rights were shared. So, Prince 1 thought to himself with a rather displeased expression. ''I don''t know who this Rockefeller person is, but it''s been a long time since I''ve been this excited to meet someone.'' "Where is this Rockefeller person now?" He was the person they were going to meet anyway. As Prince 1, who had given up on Count Frank, now turned his attention to the person named Rockefeller, Trinity, who knew him well, gave him a look. Her expression seemed unhappy, so it appeared that the next person they were going to meet would be quite embarrassing. Considering his fiery personality, it was more than enough. "Lord Rockefeller is probably at Ghetto Nuovo. As the guild leader, he must be at the guild headquarters." Although his position was better than Rockefeller in terms of nobility, Count Frank did not have much intention of looking down on him. He had received great help from him, but since he was the one holding the money, his position did not seem lower than his own. "Hmph." As Prince 1 turned around and left the factory, Trinity followed him outside. Then she suddenly had a thought. How did thatmoner be the guild leader? Traditionally, only the Lyon family could take the position of the leader of the Lyon Guild. The guild''s position, which had to consider the church''s opinion, and the interests of the Lyon family, which ruled everything in Lyon, coincided perfectly. But that position was taken by amoner, not by a noble family. It was natural for her to have doubts. ''Maybe we got it wrong?'' Beforeing to Lyon, Prince 1 had told her openly. The new guild leader is amoner, so it would be very easy to cook and eat him. However, looking at the situation today, she realized that it was wrong. ''On the contrary, he might be a difficult opponent.'' The two who left the magic stone tank factory headed straight for the Ghetto Nuovo area where Rockefeller was said to be. As they were traveling by carriage, Trinity spoke to Prince 1, who was sitting opposite her. "You said he was originally amoner." As Prince 1, who was looking out the window with a hardened expression, turned his head and gave her a look, her words continued. "How did such a person be a guild leader? I heard that position was only for those from the Lyon family." "How would I know that?" Prince 1''s expression was still not good. He didn''t like the person he was going to meet from the start. Prince 1 spoke sharply. "He just happened to be in that position." "That position. As far as I know, only those from the Lyon family can sit there." "So what do you want to say?" "He took that position even though he was a meremoner. Doesn''t it feel strange?" At that, Prince 1 snorted. "Well, so what?" "There are a lot of interesting stories about him and the guild. Since he became the guild leader, the ie of the banks belonging to the guild has increased tremendously. There were rumors that he did such a good job that the rival ck Label Union was hit hard. And I heard that his rtionship with Bishop Verkis is very good. The bank operators originally don''t get along well with the church people. They usually dislike each other unless they are from the same family, but he seems to be an exception. Isn''t it strange?" "Anyway, the bank operators have to watch the church''s opinion, so they naturally be close by offering donations." "But amoner did that? I have a bad feeling right now. It may just be my feeling, but I feel like we won''t be able to get whatweI want." At that, the prince frowned. "You seem a bit strange too?" The prince''s sarcastic words began. "I am a prince. And I''m also a militarymander whomands an army. Are you saying that I can''t get what I want from such a bank operator?" Outside Lyon, countless imperial soldiers followed him, waiting endlessly for hismand. "I think it''s stranger that you think like that." "It''s just my feeling. Honestly, isn''t it?" "Just think about it rationally. No matter how great he is, he''s just a moneylender who can''t even protect himself in front of me. What''s so great about him?" The prince shook his head proudly. "What can he do against me? No, he can''t do anything. Like the Count Frank I met earlier, he can''t do anything but tter me." Seeing her own brother who had gained a position and even an army, she had no more words to say. But deep down, the uneasy feeling would not go away. It was her own intuition. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Previous Chapter|| TOC|| Next Chapter Chapter 108 (2) Chapter 108 (2) Shortly after. The two arrived at the guild headquarters where Rockefeller was. The security team from Lyon, who had arrived earlier, began to control the people of Lyon in the narrow alleys, and the two who got off the carriage met Rockefeller and his assistant who had been waiting for them. Ricardo Ismail. After the Ismail family had fallen due to the stigma of heresy, almost no one knew his face urately. As the nickname "A Thousand Faces" suggested, he disguised himself with a different face whenever he revealed his power or tried to kill someone, so the two royals did not recognize him when he was with Rockefeller. Even if they had met in the past, Ricardo''s face would have been different from now. "Wee, Your Highness. I heard you wereing, so I came out to greet you." Despite Rockefeller and his assistant''s courteous greeting, the prince sneered and headed straight into the guild headquarters. At the same time, Rockefeller, who straightened his bowed waist, identally met the eyes of the woman who had been staring at him. ''Trinity?'' The de Queen. Among the heroines of the protagonist, she was the most important character. Like her brother, she had red and blue eyes, and her appearance was naturally perfect without any ws. ''I knew we''d meet someday, but I didn''t expect it to be here.'' "Your Highness Trinity, it is an honor to meet you. I am Rockefeller Rothsmedici. Please feel free to call me Rockefeller." She seemed a bit surprised by the much younger man than she had expected. ''I thought he was older by the stories I heard.'' She was about to say something but eventually closed her mouth tightly. ''No, there''s no need for us to get along. We won''t have a good rtionship anyway.'' Since the prince looked down on Rockefeller, she decided to take the same attitude as the prince. After all, she was on the prince''s side. So, she left only a cold impression and followed the prince who had gone ahead into the guild headquarters. Rockefeller, left alone in front of the guild headquarters, smiled faintly. ''It''s quite a spectacr start. Well, they have no reason to treat me kindly. They probably came to threaten me in the first ce.'' The price of the not-yet-determined magic stone tank was prepared for today''s meeting. ''I wonder if they know that if they''re mean to me, the tank price could easily double or triple.'' Probably not. Rockefeller chuckled and headed to the guild headquarters with his assistant, Ricardo, when he suddenly had a thought. ''It seems they didn''t recognize Ricardo.'' A Thousand Faces. However, contrary to his nickname, his real face was not disguised when they first met. ''His real face poses no threat, isfortable to live with, and only reveals his identity in ces where there is no worry about being exposed... Disguised faces must be ufortable anyway.'' "Let''s go in, too." Rockefeller entered his shop and guild headquarters and began to treat the two visiting royals with utmost care. A short whileter, in the prepared seat. The somewhat arrogant prince stared at Rockefeller and began to rhythmically move one leg crossed over the other. In the awkward silence. Rockefeller, who took a sip of the tea brought by his assistant, coughed lightly and began to speak. "Ahem! I never expected both of you to visit such a humble ce. I hurriedly prepared upon hearing the news, so I hope you understand even though I have nothing prepared." Before starting. The prince, with a mocking smile, opened his mouth. "We don''t usuallye to ces like this. Isn''t this a ce where people who are destined for hell do business?" It was a well-known fact that the perception of moneylenders was not good. But to say it so openly. "Ha ha, that''s why my heart is always with the church. This is a job to make a living, but to go to heaven after death, we must always keep Saint John in our hearts, right?" "So where do you think you''ll go when you die? Hell? Or somewhere worse than hell?" As Rockefeller smiled without answering, the prince casually continued. "You know why we came. I openly warned the previous guild leader, and you probably know about it." The prince''s words continued. "I''ll just say it simply. If you want to continue your business, whether you go to hellter or not, cut off your ties with the Sinir family. And from now on, support me. Then everything will be fine." The prince finished speaking and leisurely waited for the response. And he thought. The response would be quite obvious. But that was his mistake. Rockefeller gave the least likely answer he had expected in this situation. I''m terribly sorry, Your Highness. But I cannot do that. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 109 (1) Chapter 109 (1) 2/4 Bonus chapter thanks to every supporter on Ko-fi! Ryan Tepez (3) As an unexpected answer came out, The 1st Prince, momentarily taken aback, blinked his eyes and looked at his sister who was sitting nearby. Seeing the astonishment on her face, it was clear she had received a simr shock. It was like a mere rabbit daring to show its ridiculous teeth in front of a predator while nibbling on a carrot. The 1st Prince, too dumbfounded, closed his mouth for a moment, unsure where to begin. However, that silence did notst long. "Now, if I didn''t hear it wrong, you seem to have outright rejected my proposal." Rockefeller, as if he had been waiting, caught his words. "Yes, you heard it right. I outright rejected it." "Ha ha..." The 1st Prince couldn''t help butugh at the absurdity. What should he even call this situation? But that was only for a moment. The 1st Prince''s expression turned fierce as his anger grew. "Are you crazy right now?" Since the other party was rude, the 1st Prince decided not to hold back any longer. "How dare you!" On the other hand, his sister, who had momentarily lost her senses like the 1st Prince, found it fascinating that he dared to reveal his intentions so fearlessly. What kind of courage did he have to say such a thing? Did he have two lives? Or... ''Does he have something to rely on?'' Even in this situation. Rockefeller showed no intention of changing his attitude. ''I have nothing to fear.'' "Did you just ask me if I''m crazy? I''d rather ask you, what were you thinking when you said that to me? Our Lyon Guild has maintained a deep rtionship with the Sinir family for a long time. And you''re asking us to sever ties with the Sinir family." Rockefeller burst into outrightughter. "I really can''t believe it." The 1st Prince, who had been ring at Rockefeller, finally smirked. ''He must be crazy.'' "You don''t seem to have grasped the situation properly." At those words, Rockefeller reacted sarcastically. "What situation are you talking about?" Where should he even start exining? The 1st Prince, without much thought, reminded him of the first thing that came to mind. "I''m not unaware of your and the guild''s position." While speaking, the 1st Prince couldn''t help but let out an absurdugh in between. "But do you know what''s outside this city?" "Are you talking about your army outside the city?" "Yes, you seem to know it well. Yet you dare to wag your arrogant tongue in front of me. If this isn''t crazy, what is it?" Rockefeller immediately countered. "Then let me ask you, do youe to me with such absurd threats knowing that the Sinir family and the 3rd Prince, who have a deep rtionship with them, are behind us?" Now, the 1st Prince was sure. He seemed to be crazy from the beginning. "I can''t believe it." "It''s not that the words don''t make sense, it''s that your highness is making demands that are beyondmon sense. And yet you argue aboutmon sense with me?" The 1st Prince, with a murderous expression, looked at his sister who was sitting nearby. "Just kill him?" At that, Trinity shook her head calmly. It meant not to cause trouble by stepping forward unnecessarily. Then, Rockefeller, who had been watching, secretly grabbed the pendant he had received from Ihana and steeled his resolve. Since he was going to disappear in the Crown War anyway, he decided to confront him more boldly. ''How dare you.'' "Your Highness, what did you just say? You''re going to kill me?" What''s wrong with him? Can''t he understand the situation? The 1st Prince, at a loss for words, stared intensely at Rockefeller, and his expression showed an anger that was not there before. "It''s very unpleasant even if you''re as high as the sky, Your Highness. I said that I couldn''t help you because I have various interests, but I didn''t expect you to discuss killing me or sparing me in this ce. How ridiculous must I and the Lyon Guild look for you to be able to say that?" Seeing this, the 1st Prince became even more bewildered, and Trinity, who had been with him, became curious about the background behind Rockefeller''s bold stance. In the end, Ricardo, who had been mingling with them unknowingly, felt incredibly proud of him for not bending his will and speaking his mind in front of the royal family. Of course, he knew that there was a reason to believe him, but even so, acting like Rockefeller was incredibly difficult. Could he dare to say such a thing, knowing who would win the Crown War? ''It''s more than amazing, it''s even admirable. Being able to speak so unwaveringly in such a situation.'' When everyone was thinking that way, Rockefeller continued to speak more boldly. "Your Highness seems to be greatly mistaken. Who do you think should truly bow their head at this moment? Do you see yourself, who will soon participate in the Crown War and aim for the throne? Or do you see me, who can help or hinder such a person?" "Your arrogance pierces the sky." Unable to hold back his anger any longer, the 1st Prince''s hand reached for the hilt of his sword, but Rockefeller, who noticed it first, clutched the pendant he had received from Lee Han tightly. ''I knew it woulde to this. There''s no way Ryan Tepez would stay still in this situation.'' Instant execution. It was a story that asionally came up in episodes rted to the 1st Prince. The 1st Prince would use his status to kill those who displeased him on the spot. "The crime of insulting the royal family is not light. Only death can repay it." As the Prince finished speaking and tried to draw his sword, an uninvited guest appeared between them. Lee Han. He had appeared at Rockefeller''s call. "I was wondering when you''d call." As the uninvited guest suddenly appeared, the two royals who had not expected it were surprised. On the other hand, Rockefeller, who had summoned him, spoke to Lee Han with a faint smile. "You don''t have to stand between His Highness and me, juste to where I am." Lee Han, who had arrived, nced briefly at those seated and chuckled. "I get it. Why you called me." The sudden appearance of Lee Han caused the 1st Prince to react. "Why have you...e here?" Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 109 (2) Chapter 109 (2) "Why have you...e here?" "Why did Ie? I have business, so I came." It seemed that they were not strangers, as Lee Han casually replied and stood next to Rockefeller. Trinity, who recognized him, began to lick her lips as if she had something to say. But she couldn''t say anything, and in the meantime, Rockefeller stepped forward. "I hired him in advance, knowing that Your Highness would threaten me. You surely didn''t think I would greet Your Highness without any safety measures, did you?" The 1st Prince, who tried to draw his sword but restrained himself, swallowed his anger. Lee Han... was a very troublesome man. During the suppression of the Revolutionary Army, he had been a nightmare when employed by the Revolutionary Army. ''Why is he here...'' "I knew there was a reason you trusted him." At that, Rockefeller openlyughed. It was a behavior that came from not needing to look good. In the meantime, the 1st Prince''s gaze was on Lee Han. "Thanks to you, I had a lot of trouble. I never thought I''d see you again in a ce like this." Then Lee Han yfully rubbed his index and thumb together. "Just give me money if you need it. I don''t take sides." "..." The 1st Prince clenched his teeth, remembering how much time had been wasted and how many subordinates had been lost due to Lee Han during the Revolutionary Army''s suppression. "I wish I hadn''t seen you in the Crown War." "Fortunately, I''m busy with other things these days. Don''t worry too much about the Crown War. I''m not interested." "You seem to show up a lot for a busy person." "It''s an exception for this side. I agreed to receive magic stones as payment." "Magic stones..." If he could, he would have caught him right here. But since he had learned the hard way during the previous suppression of the Revolutionary Army that it was impossible, the 1st Prince decided not to take any action. The 1st Prince shifted his gaze from Lee Han to Rockefeller. "I understand that you trust Lee Han. But remember this." Sincerity was evident in the words that followed. "If I win the Crown War, there will be no ce for you and your guild. Even if you change your position then, you won''t be able to do business from that day on." "You''re threatening me again with something that doesn''t make sense." The 1st Prince, who didn''t pay much attention to Lee Han, focused solely on Rockefeller. "Don''t you think so? My will will be the will of the empire." Then Rockefeller openlyughed. "Your Highness, your thoughts are quite short-sighted." At those words, the 1st Prince''s eyes twitched. He wanted to draw his sword immediately, but the presence of Lee Han was too annoying. "Isn''t it rather you who has no thoughts?" Lee Han would know. And he would know the predetermined future. With nothing more to lose, Rockefeller boldly crossed one leg and satfortably, then curled his lips. "Do you really think so? Even if Your Highness ascends to the throne, not much will change. You will naturally need money for your love of war, and that money will surelye from us." "Heh, do you think so?" "Then where do you n to get the money? Will you pull it out of the sky? Or will you dig it up from the ground?" "Money... I''ll find a way. There are many ways. I can raise taxes." "Ah, you''ll raise taxes? In the new reign, you''ll raise taxes and make the people''s hearts uneasy..." Rockefeller openly mocked him. "Go ahead and try. I won''t stop you. But it will surely be a problem for Your Highness, who loves war so much. With the country in turmoil over tax issues, can you fightfortably outside?" Unable to respond, the 1st Prince began to bite down on Rockefeller''s attitude. "Don''t you think your actions and speech are too arrogant?" Rockefeller did not deny it. "If you think I''m arrogant, then you can think so. After all, we have nothing to lose." Then Rockefeller, who had uncrossed his legs and leaned forward, looked straight at the prince. "Do you know why?" In response to the silent prince, Rockefeller threw a rather cruel remark. "Whoever we support will be the next emperor. So, we have nothing to lose." To suffer such humiliation from the mere leader of the Bank Alliance! The 1st Prince, barely containing his boiling anger, red at Rockefeller while his sister, known as the Queen of des, aimed at the openly mocking Rockefeller with a sword she had drawn from thin air. However. The sword flying through the air disappeared into thin air, regardless of her intentions. It was Lee Han''s intervention. "Hey, you shouldn''t use that much force against a civilian." Lee Han shook his head as if to show off. "That''s cheating." It was indeed Lee Han. Satisfied in his own way, Rockefeller said to the 1st Prince. "It''s truly unfortunate. From the beginning, your attitude towards me was the problem. You shouldn''t have threatened me here." With a kind smile, Rockefeller continued. "Instead, you should have pleaded with me. Then, my heart might have wavered a little. After all, Your Highness''s chances of winning the Crown War are not very high, right? Of course, that''s assuming we help you." The 1st Prince''s expression was not good. Apparently, he had thought of mobilizing the military. Noticing this, Rockefeller hastily offered a carrot to control him. "However, I don''t want to be your enemy either. After all, everything I said was hypothetical, and it''s not impossible that what Your Highness warned me about will happen. How could I, a mere creature, predict the world''s events?" The 1st Prince, who had nned to mobilize the army, decided to listen quietly to hisst words. And those words seemed sweeter than expected. "So, I will not support the 3rd Prince as Your Highness wishes." What? The 1st Prince and his sister were taken aback by the unexpected words. They had been arguing about that issue so far, and now he said he would not support the 3rd Prince, so they couldn''t help but be surprised. However, one should always listen to people''s words until the end. "Instead, I don''t n to support Your Highness either." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 110 (1) Chapter 110 (1) Ryan Tepez (4) An unexpected silence fell for a moment. Then, the one who broke the silence was the 1st Prince, who had found Rockfeller''s words intriguing. "You won''t support Calman?" As the desired reaction came from the 1st Prince, Rockfeller crossed his legs again and took a rxed posture. "Yes, wasn''t that exactly what you wanted?" It was indeed what he wanted. However, the following condition was the only thing that bothered him. "So you won''t support me either, is that what you''re saying?" Rockfeller nodded slightly and replied. "That is the best choice we can make." At this, the Prince snorted. "Heh, the best choice would be to go all-in on supporting me." "I''m sorry, but that is not the best choice for us. If we did that, the Sinir family wouldn''t stay still, and who would benefit if we support Your Highness and you lose in the war for the crown? Then, we would be like ducks floating on a river, are we fools?" "So, the best choice is not to support either of you?" "That''s correct." The 1st Prince frowned slightly, seemingly dissatisfied. ''Not supporting me? It''s a good thing not to support Calman, but...'' As he thought it was a decision that could not be made easily, the 1st Prince''s gaze naturally turned to Trinity. However, she was already looking at someone else. ''Who is she looking at now?'' When he looked at who she was staring at, it turned out to be none other than Lee Han. ''Damn...'' "What do you think?" As the 1st Prince asked grumpily, Trinity, whose mind was momentarily elsewhere, turned her head and gave him a nk look. "What?" "Didn''t you hear what we were talking about just now?" Before she could feel embarrassed, Rockfeller stepped in to help. "Just now, I said that we would not support both Prince Ryan and Prince Calman." As Rockfeller finished speaking, Trinity finally began to think about it. ''Not supporting either of them?'' The thought that immediately came to her mind was that it didn''t seem so bad. As Rockefeller had mentioned earlier, there was a high possibility that the next emperor would be the one backed by the Lyon Guild, which held the financial power of the empire. If such a ce with powerful influence were to remain neutral, it seemed certain that it would end up being a battle between the 1st Prince and the 3rd Prince on an equal footing. "It doesn''t look too bad... But can we trust that?" At her words, the 1st Prince also looked at Rockfeller with the same thought. "I have the same thought. You say you can do that, but you already have a connection with the Sinir family. Can you really do as you just said?" "Before that, if I do as I just said, are you willing to cleanly give up on us, Your Highness?" "Give up cleanly?" "I''m asking if you can stop bothering us. Of course, even after the war for the crown." The 1st Prince paused for a moment to think. ''If they don''t support Calman and me here, the war for the crown will be a battle between the Sinir and Tepez families.'' Whenparing the wealth of the two families, It seemed that the Tepes family, which he belonged to, had the upper handpared to the Sinir family. The Sinir family''s wealth was not bad, but part of that wealth came from the Lyon Guild. ''So it would be advantageous for me. If they really stay neutral, that is.'' Having finished his thoughts, the 1st Prince still seemed suspicious as he stared intently at Rockfeller. He doubted the sincerity of his words. Then, Rockfeller, who had been watching, smiled faintly. "Do you doubt my words?" "And if I do?" Rockfeller began to nod sympathetically. "Of course, I fully understand Your Highness''s suspicion. Who would believe us if we suddenly said we wouldn''t support the Sinir family after working with them for so long?" "You talk well." "But we are not the dogs of the Sinir family. At least, since the moment I became the leader of this guild, everything has changed, including our existing rtionship." The 1st Prince decided to listen to his words more carefully. "From now on, we n to break away from the shackles of the Sinir name and grow as an independent force, coborating with the Church and the royal family to control all the financial resources of the empire." "Control all the financial resources of the empire?" Rockefeller smiled faintly. "That''s right. That''s why our target is not Your Highness." "Then who is it?" "It is the ck Label Union, who, like us, is building power in a simr manner." "The ck Label Union is your enemy?" The 1st Prince shook his head as if he didn''t understand. "Do you know they are connected to Ismail?" "Yes, of course." "Then you should also know that if you mess with the ck Label Union, you will be in danger, right? Even though Ismail has be a toothless Lyon, he is still not weak enough to not be able to handle the leader of a mere Bank Alliance." "That''s why I n to help His Highness Christian, the 2nd Prince, for the revival of the Ismail family." The 1st Prince frowned at the absurd statement. "What? You will help Christian?" "Yes, isn''t His Highness Christian also a prince? Then he can naturally participate in the war for the crown." The 1st Prince, who knew better than anyone that the Ismail family had fallen, could onlyugh. "Hahaha, continue speaking." "If we help His Highness Christian, Ismail will also remain quiet. And it might even be possible that they will tacitly approve of our attacking the ck Label Union." "So you will support Christian?" Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 110 (2) Chapter 110 (2) "We have the justification to control all the financial resources of the empire, so even if we help His Highness Christian, both of you will have no objections. We can even use this to cook the Sinir family." "Will the Sinir family remain quiet?" "That''s why we have a good justification, don''t we? To control all the financial resources of the empire. In any case, we will soon enter the war. Not the war for the crown, but the war with the ck Label Union. Will we even have the spare capacity to help the Sinir family? Honestly, we can find plenty of excuses not to help them. So don''t worry about that. It''s a matter I''ll handle myself." Rockefeller asked the 1st Prince directly. "In that sense, I will ask Your Highness. If we were to support His Highness Christian, would Your Highness Ryan try to stop us?" The 2nd Prince Christian winning the war for the crown instead of himself and Calman? The prince of the Ismail family, which is now barely maintaining its prestige? He was a hopeless man who had even been abandoned by the Order. "How foolish. So you''re saying you''ll stick to the 2nd Prince no matter what? The Church doesn''t even look favorably upon him. Even if he wins the war for the crown, the Pope will not permit it." "Your Highness Ryan, do you really not understand my intentions?" "Hmph." The 1st Prince, who did not reply, turned his gaze back to his sister and asked. "What do you think? This crazy guild leader here wants to support Christian instead of me and Calman." Trinity, who had been focusing on their conversation earlier, immediately replied. "That''s not what he meant, right?" "Well, it might not be what he meant. He says he has a reason for doing so." From the 1st Prince''s perspective, there was no reason to stop Rockefeller''s decision to support the dead 2nd Prince instead of himself and Calman. Of course, it was somewhat ufortable that one of the empire''s biggest sources of money was going to support the 2nd Prince, but he saw no chance of the 2nd Prince winning the war for the crown due to the fallen Ismail family and the Church branding them as heretics. And he thought that the reason for the Lyon Guild supporting the Ismail Prince had some persuasiveness. ''If it were the old Ismail, it might be different. But not anymore. Ismail is already over.'' To encourage the 1st Prince, Rockefeller also conveyed these words. "And if we manage to control all the imperial funds like this, no matter which prince bes the emperor, we n to help them make the empire the best on the continent. If Your Highness Ryan ascends to the throne, don''t worry too much about the war funds." The following words were the most pleasant for Ryan to hear when he met him. "We will support all the funds without having to raise taxes. All you have to do is lead the imperial army and expand across the continent." Could there be better words for a warmonger? ''It sounds good.'' The 1st Prince, who had been thinking about Rockefeller''s words for a while, suddenly smiled. "It seems that you are not very interested in this crown war. All the other nobles are busy lining up." Rockefeller, who took the prince''s smile as a positive signal, also smiled simrly. "Why should we take that risk by taking sides? From our point of view, it doesn''t matter who wins the crown war, as long as we can work with them." The 1st Prince seemed to agree and began nodding his head. "You''re lucky. Originally, I didn''te here with this intention. You really won''t support Calman?" For that question, Rockefeller only responded with a smile. "Who would dare support Prince Calman, knowing who would win the crown war? If Your Highness wins, it''s obvious what would happen to us." "It''s obvious. You can look forward to that. If I hear that you support Calman, I''ll kill you first for deceiving me, no matter what happenster." "Haha, don''t worry unnecessarily. As I mentioned earlier, we n to support Prince Christian. I''ve briefly exined the reason, so I guess you won''t ask." As Rockefeller said, the 1st Prince did not bother to ask. He thought it was an impossible thing in the first ce. "At first, I wasn''t very impressed." Was he tempted by his words that he would lend war funds without limit in the future? Or was he moderately satisfied with the words that he would not support Calman? The 1st Prince of the Empire, Ryan Tepez, who was thinking not only about the uing crown war but also about the future, decided not to be an enemy with Rockefeller here. Isn''t it true that there are no eternal enemies or eternal allies in the world? For the sake of the future, this heartwarming conclusion was a good thing for the 1st Prince as well. "Talking with you, I see you''re a thoughtful person. I apologize first for the rudeness Imitted at the beginning. I didn''t think much of the leader of the Lyon Guild." Who would have thought that such words woulde from the mouth of the 1st Prince? The power of money seemed to be quite amazing. "No, I am the one whomitted a greater rudeness to Your Highness. I am also sorry." "Since the unpleasant things that happened earlier were misunderstandings between us, today''s events will be easily forgotten." The 1st Prince, who seemed to be about to leave, stood up from his seat and reached out to Rockefeller, who was also standing up. "I look forward to the time after the crown war. Your name is Rockefeller, right?" "Yes, Your Highness. My name is Rockefeller Rothsmedici." "I don''t know whether the integration with the ck Label Union will be an integration or absorption. Anyway, I will support you. Just keep your promise not to support Calman." "Don''t worry too much about that." Rockefeller''s following words were also sincere. "I will never support Prince Calman even if the sky falls. Who would support him for whom? In the future, I could be with Your Highness, right?" "I hope there will be no unpleasant things between us." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 111 (1) Chapter 111 (1) 3/5 Bonus chapter thanks to @Shadesher on Ko-fi! Ryan Tepez (5) After shaking hands with Rockefeller, the 1st Prince nced briefly at Lee Han nearby before leaving. Trinity also alternately nced at Rockefeller and Lee Han before immediately following the 1st Prince. As the two left, Lee Han, who had been quietly watching them, spoke. "Money must be nice. I never expected that guy, who was so determined to devour you just a moment ago, would change his attitude so quickly. I didn''t even see iting." Thest impression the 1st Prince left was only considering the aftermath of the Crown War. Rockefeller, who knew this well, smiled at the thought of the departed 1st Prince. ''I never thought his favorite thing in the world would be war funds.'' "Money is nice indeed. Aren''t you here because of money as well? And you protected me, aplete stranger. It''s all thanks to the power of money." At those words, Lee Han shook his head. "It''s not money. To be precise, it''s magic stones. What I need right now is magic stones." "But in the end, can''t you buy those magic stones with money? So, it''s money." "You''re skipping the middle part. What I need right now is magic stones to raise this guy." Lee Han tapped the sword belt on his waist. At that moment, an indescribable, profound energy briefly flowed out before being hidden again by Lee Han''s interference. Lee Han spoke again. "Anyway, it seems like the job ended rather ndly." Unfortunately, the 1st Prince left quietly, and Lee Han couldn''t enjoy the fun. It would have been really fun if there had been amotion here, or if he had brought the army outside the city. Seeing Lee Han genuinely regretful, Rockefeller gave a faint smile. "Well, you still earned a day''s wage, so it''s not a loss. As promised, I will give you 70 magic stones. I have no intention of ripping you off, so please be at ease." At that, Lee Han retorted bluntly. "What about the bonus? Weren''t you going to give the bonus as well?" "Isn''t the job too nd for that? If you just show your face and take 70 magic stones, anyone would think it''s a good deal. And you''re still talking about a bonus?" As Rockefeller said, Lee Han hadn''t done much since he came. "Still, you should take care of me a little. I''m not that cheapbor, you know." "Next time, there will be an opportunity for you to get a big bonus. I''ll consider it then." "Next time?" Lee Han tilted his head. "Where''s the next time? It seems like our meeting is over with this." "There''s no way our meeting would end so easily. I don''t think our encounter will end like this." Rockefeller showed the pendant he had received from him and continued. "In that sense, I will treasure this. I''m thinking of calling you whenever you''re needed." At those words, Lee Han shook his head. "Hey, you seem to be greatly mistaken. I''m quite a high-ss worker. I''m not a cheapborer who can be easily ordered around like a neighborhood dog." "As long as the conditions are the same. Even if the job ends ndly like today, I will immediately give you 70 magic stones. You must havee a long way, so I should at least give you some travel expenses." "What if I don''t need magic stones by then?" "Don''t worry too much about that. If it''s not magic stones, I''ll just give you something else of equal value. After all, it''s not like you''reing for free." Lee Han,ughing lightly, pointed at Rockefeller with his raised index finger. "Remember, I''m not a cheapborer who can be easily bossed around like a neighborhood dog. It''s up to you to call me, but the price must be certain." Rockefellerughed deeply. "Isn''t that obvious? Of course, I''ll take care of you properly when I call you." "Then, it''s settled." As Lee Han was about to leave, Rockefeller called him. "Ah, hold on. I might have to call you for another job soon." At those words, Lee Han expressed doubt. "Another job? What do you mean by another job? It won''t be rted to escorting, right?" "It''s not that." "Then, what is it?" In order toplete the Goblin Dor and topletely break free from the shadow of the Sinir family, Lee Han''s power was essential. "I''m nning something very interestingtely. It''s rted to that." "Interesting n?" "Yes, simply put, it''splete independence. You probably know very well that we are associated with the Sinir family." Lee Han didn''t reply and decided to keep listening to Rockefeller''s words. "We even use a very special paper provided by the Sinir family for the promissory notes we use in our Banco Alliance to prevent forgery. Without that paper, we can''t issue promissory notes in the first ce, and if we don''t use that paper, we can''t determine whether it''s a forgery, which would be a huge problem." Rockefeller''s words continued. "Who knows? So far, I don''t think there have been any such incidents. The Sinir family could forge our promissory notes whenever they want. Honestly, who can tell? They provided the special paper and the magical tools to distinguish it. So if they want, they can y with us as much as they like." "That could be possible. It would be a headache if the rtionship turns sour." "So." Rockefeller finally told Lee Han what he really wanted. "In order topletely break free from the influence of the Sinir family, I want to try a very ingenious project, and your power is needed for that." What could that be? Lee Han was filled with strong curiosity. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 111 (2) Chapter 111 (2) "But, what does that have to do with me?" "Of course, I don''t know much about you, but I''ve heard that you''re better than those from the Sinir family when ites to magical abilities. Not only can you freely implement unique magic that doesn''t exist in this world, but you can also easily achieve miraculous feats that even the magicians from the Sinir family cannot aplish. Honestly, isn''t it because your magical knowledge is higher than the Sinir family that such rumors circte?" Lee Han didn''t particrly intend to deny it. Compared to himself, those who imed to be from the Sinir family were nothing more than weaklings. "I won''t deny it. I''ve struggled a bit to get to this point. I''ve spent a lot of time rotting in a hellish ce like a prison." The prison he spoke of was the ''Infinite Archive,'' where vast amounts of knowledge were stored. "I researched in various ways to escape that hellish ce. Magic was one of them. You probably don''t know how much trouble I went through to escape that hell." Rockefeller smiled. "Recognizing your abilities, I also need your power to break free from the Sinir family." "I''m not quite sure what you want specifically." "There''s something called the Goblin Dor. It''s a new currency that our Lyon Guild is pushing for." "Goblin Dor?" Come to think of it, there were strange paper bills being traded among people instead of gold or silver coins. Lee Han, who remembered this, asked: "Do you mean that paper money that they say can be exchanged for gold at the bank?" "Yes, you seem to know it well. I want to establish a magical defense against counterfeiting on the Goblin Dor using your power." "So the paper money was called Goblin Dor? The name is impressive. It''s funny to attach the name ''Goblin'' to a currency made by humans. The guys at Goblin Bank will be thrilled, as they''re using their name without permission." "Perhaps only high-level magicians from the Sinir family or a unique magician like yourself with unparalleled skills can implement this." "That''s probably true. No one else would bother to undertake such a troublesome task. I might be the only one who could even attempt it." Rockefeller''s smile remained unchanged. "That''s why I want to ask you. If the Goblin Dor I''vee up with ispleted, we no longer need to pay attention to the Sinir family. We can grow as an independent force in our own right." At that remark, Lee Han frowned. "I don''t quite understand your intentions. Why should I help you with your task?" In response to that question, Rockefeller decided to make an offer he couldn''t refuse. "Because there''s a good reason." As if something had urred to him, Lee Han began to smirk. "I just thought of something. Don''t you think it''s foolish not to trust the Sinir family, who you''ve been with for a long time, and instead trust me? Why would you trust me? It''s a bit stupid." There were many rumors about Lee Han. A trustworthy person? No, Lee Han was one of the most untrustworthy people in the world. "I''ve heard the rumors about you. People say you''re an untrustworthy person." "Heh, you know it well." "Of course, I''m the same. I don''t trust you very much. You don''t seem very reliable either." Lee Han chuckled. "You, don''t you think you''re a bit foolish? You don''t trust me, yet you ask me to do such a task?" As the question continued, Rockefeller''s lips curled into a long smile. "Do you know why I make such a request?" "No, I have no idea." "That''s because you''re allowed to counterfeit as much as you want." "What?" The following words were, of course, what Rockefeller had to ept in order toplete the Goblin Dor. "As I said before, you can counterfeit as much as you want and use it. Just tantly counterfeit and use it. However, others can''t do it. Only you can." Only he could do it, and Lee Han was at a loss for words. Lee Han, who had lost his wits for a moment, decided to ask about the reason. "Why am I an exception?" "Because you''re the one who came up with it. Think of it as a reward for your efforts. Counterfeit as much as you want, and use it as much as you want. The guild and I won''t interfere at all. However, use it only for yourself. That''s the condition I ask for." "Ah... so I can counterfeit as much as I want, but only for myself?" "Yes, isn''t that quite a good condition? You can spend an infinite amount of money." From Lee Han''s perspective, it was an irresistible offer. "Then, if that paper money spreads all over the world, I can print and use an infinite amount of money." "Yes, that''s what will happen. However, others cannot counterfeit it. Because you''ll make it that way." Rockefeller asked. "Do you want to share what you enjoy with others?" "No, are you crazy? Why should I?" At the returning answer, Rockefeller justughed. ''In this world, I might be the only one who knows you best.'' A person who lives only for himself. That was Lee Han, the protagonist of the novel. ''I perfectly understand your consumption patterns and even your future. You''ll spend some money to achieve your goals, but that''s nothingpared to the money I''ll be printing in the future. And in the end, you''ll end up like that. So it''s even more meaningless.'' "In my opinion, you are the perfect candidate for this task. How about it? Would you like to try implementing the magic I''vee up with? In return, as I mentioned earlier, you''ll receive an endless supply of money. Use it as much as you need for your entire life. However, you mustplete the goblin dor I desire. I''m asking you to create an absolute currency that no one else can counterfeit." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 112 (1) Chapter 112 (1) Ryan Tepez (6) Absolute Currency. Lee Han was deep in thought for a moment at the request to create an uncounterfeitable currency. ''Is that even possible? There''s magic that can perfectly duplicate things.'' Implementing magic that didn''t exist in the world was not as easy as he thought. In particr, Lee Han couldn''t figure out where to start with the absolute currency that Rockefeller mentioned. "So, how do you want me to create it?" "I''ve roughly set up the framework. Each Goblin Dor will record a public transaction ledger and connect them to each other. In other words, all Goblin Dors have the same transaction ledger." "Record the same transaction ledger on all Goblin Dors?" "Yes, if a counterfeit Goblin Dor is inserted, the existing Goblin Dors will distinguish it. Since all transaction ledgers are the same, wouldn''t it be easy to spot the one with a different transaction ledger, even if it looks the same?" "If it''s the same transaction ledger... I guess we can make them show the same reaction to each other." "Even if arge number of Goblin Dors with fake ledgers appear, as long as they don''t take over 51% of the market share, we can make them all identified as fake." "51%, huh..." Rockefeller went on to exin the perfect Goblin Dor created with blockchain for a long time. It was a new concept, but from Lee Han''s point of view, it seemed easy to determine the authenticity of the currency with that concept. "It''s a bit of a hassle... but how did youe up with that idea?" "I just thought about it. Is it possible for you to implement it?" "It would have taken some time if I started from scratch, but since I roughly know the framework, implementing it won''t be too difficult." "Then it''s settled." Creating the absolute currency that Rockefeller mentioned was not a difficult task for Lee Han. However, he had this question. "But, is that paper money really usable like money? I''ve seen people use it like money, but..." "Are you talking about the Goblin Dor?" "Yeah, I''m talking about the Goblin Dor. It didn''t look like money to me." Lee Han was the protagonist of the novel, but like others, he was ignorant about finance. Lee Han took a handful of gold coins from his money pouch and showed them to Rockefeller. "This is real money. This is the real deal, not that paper money. It''s just..." Seeing Lee Han''s expression, Rockefeller justughed. "Do you know what money is?" "Money? Money is just money." Rockefeller calmly shook his head and denied it. "You''re wrong. Money is trust. It''s faith." "Faith?" "Yes, faith. On what basis do you think that metal currency you''re holding is money?" "This? Well, it''s been like this since a long time ago..." Rockefeller''s long-winded speech continued. "That''s faith. It''s an essential element for something to be money. Think about it. Why would people go crazy over something heavier and yellow-tinted than paper money? In terms of practical use, the Goblin Dor made of paper is more convenient." "But this is gold. It''s gold!" "That gold has been given meaning by people since ancient times, and eventually became a valuable item. If it weren''t for that, gold would have been just another mineral that could be mined from the ground." Rockefeller was right. "The same goes for the Goblin Dor. At first, it might not have any meaning. But if the perception of the Goblin Dor as money continues to be embedded in people''s minds, eventually people will think of the Goblin Dor as money, not gold coins. At that point, the Goblin Dor will take the ce of the current gold coins." Lee Han shook his head, not understanding. "I don''t think that''s going to happen. In the end, people use that Goblin Dor like money because the bank exchanges it for gold coins, right?" "Correct. But if the situation I mentioned continues and people don''t bother to go to the bank to exchange the Goblin Dor, which is used like money, for gold coins, what will happen then? We may not think that way because our perception of gold coins as money is ingrained in us. But what about a child who has been using the Goblin Dor as money since birth?" Rockefeller asked. "Would the child think of money as gold coins hidden in the bank, or as themonly used Goblin Dor?" Lee Han couldn''t answer that question easily. He wanted to say gold coins, but that was just his own opinion, and it seemed obvious that a child who had used the Goblin Dor as money since childhood wouldn''t think that way. "I think you''d agree with me. For that child, money would not be the rarely used gold coins, but rather the Goblin Dor. It''s not because the Goblin Dor has true value, but because it has been perceived as money all along, creating a newfound faith. The faith that the Goblin Dor is money." His continued speech was quite meaningful. "And making that happen is my job. Whether it''s linking the Goblin Dor to gold coins or other valuable items, or having a solid background where a nation or a trustworthy organization guarantees it, people will perceive the Goblin Dor as genuine money, right?" "But I can''t do that." "Who told you to do that? That''s what I and the Lyon Guild have to do in the future. You have your own job to do, which is toplete the Goblin Dor." As Lee Han seemed to understand, Rockefeller continued with his next words. "Please make sure toplete the Goblin Dor I proposed. Then, with money created out of thin air, wouldn''t only you and I be able to live a life of luxury for the rest of our lives?" Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 112 (2) Chapter 112 (2) epting that devilish proposal, Lee Han sincerely smiled. "That''s a brilliant idea. Turning something worthless into money and living luxuriously for the rest of our lives. That''s what I want too. And that too, with money that you and I can create infinitely." Conscience? Lee Han had none. He was only focused on the bright future ahead. "By the way, how did youe up with such an idea? You must have a good head on your shoulders." "It''s not that. It''s just that when you''re in this line of work, such thoughts naturallye to mind." "I''ve never seen a banker like you in my life. I thought you were just a loan shark." "Consider me evolved a few steps beyond that." "Evolution, huh? That''s amusing." Lee Han grinned and pointed his index finger at Rockefeller. "You, I really like you. I think you and I will get along well. Let''s see each other more often." "By the way, when will you create the Goblin Dor I proposed?" "I should start working on that soon. It seems interesting, don''t you think?" "Is that so?" "Don''t worry and just wait. As you said, we will create an absolutely uncounterfeitable currency that no one else can possess." "Then I will trust you and wait." Before hiding his tracks, Lee Han left these words. "Though I will be the one to create the perfect Goblin Dor, it is you who will create the world where we can freely spend it. Please don''t disappoint me. That way, both you and I can live without any money worries for the rest of our lives." After Lee Han left, Rockefeller looked at Ricardo, who was still guarding his position. Then, with a relieved smile, he said, "Phew, it was a tiring day. Fortunately, both matters were resolved sessfully." At this point, Ricardo thought about the conversation between Rockefeller and the First Prince. Previously, Rockefeller had mentioned that he intended to put the Second Prince on the throne. But to the First Prince, he mentioned using the Second Prince as a pawn to unite with the ck Label Union, causing confusion. Seeing Ricardo''s confusion, the rxed Rockefeller casually said, "I wonder what the First Prince, who will be wandering in the afterlife, will think when the Second Prince ascends the throne. I can''t believe they let their guard down just because they thought the Ismail faction was dead. Well, I understand. The Ismail family situation is so bad that they might think that way." As expected, his concerns were unfounded. Rockefeller''s intention to ce the Second Prince on the throne remained unchanged, and the reason for his previous words was to persuade the visiting First Prince. ''But it''s still a question. The First Prince isn''t wrong.'' Ricardo thought that the Second Prince''s situation, which was deemed hopeless, was not entirely wrong. Even if the Lyon Guild supports them, if the Church''s stance on associating the Ismail family with heretical forces does not change, the Second Prince would have no chance of ascending the throne. "The Church will not leave the Second Prince alone either. Then the chances of the Second Prince ascending the throne will be extremely low, regardless of our support." "Of course, that''s the case in the Church now." Rockefeller''s lips curved into a long arc, as if he had something in mind. "But if the ruling forces in the Church change, that will be a thing of the past." The death of Pope Felix III, the current Pope, was already scheduled. The cause was poisoning. However, the reason made public was a natural death due to old age. Since the Pope''s body could not be autopsied, that was the story. Rockefeller, who knew the truth about the incident, continued as if to say, ''Listen.'' "If the Second Prince goes to war for the crown, won''t the Ismail side also move against the most annoying Church for them? And if something big happens... there is a possibility that the Church''s position will change." The following words were also Rockefeller''s wish. "And if Bishop Verkis, whom I will push forward, fills that vacancy, then roughly the picture I want wille out." Ricardo decided to continue listening to what Rockefeller was saying. "But to raise Bishop Verkis to that level, a lot of money is needed. A reallyrge amount of money is needed." Rockefeller started to openly talk about the reason why the Ismail family must condone their attack on the ck Label Union. ''Listen carefully. I''m saying this for you to hear.'' "And to raise that money, we need to take control of all the money lines in the empire. To do that, the ck Label Union must either disappear or unconditionally join us. That''s the only way to monopolize the market." Rockefeller resumed speaking after a brief pause. "So, we need to get parental consent before surgery... Do you know any way to contact the Ismail family?" From Ricardo''s point of view, the ck Label Union seemed like a card that had to be discarded. It was an inevitable choice in order to ce the Second Prince on the throne. "I will look for a way." "Thank you. It''s not something I can do." After finishing speaking, Rockefeller closed his eyes and rxed. ''I wonder if they''ll send someone from below without revealing their identity. Well, they''ll figure it out.'' Anyway, the big picture was being drawn well. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 113 (1) Chapter 113 (1) 4/6 Bonus chapter thanks to @ on Ko-fi! ck Label Union(1) Immediately after the 1st Prince and his army left Lyon. A guild meeting hosted by the guild master was held in Ghetto Nuovo. Attending the guild meeting was a natural duty for guild members, so the members who hurriedly came after hearing the news began to talk about Rockefeller, who had met the 1st Prince, from in front of the meeting hall. "Hey, did you hear the news?" "Of course, I did. The 1st Prince just left? Does it make any sense that Tepez left without any demands?" "That''s what I''m saying. I couldn''t believe it at first either. It''s not just anyone, the 1st Prince just left." "There was an army outside the city, but what did he do? Does he have the heart of a beast or something?" "This guild master seems to have no fear in the world. Otherwise, it''s inexplicable." "I thought he was just young, but he''s actually quite gutsy." "Having guts is a good thing. We could never do that because we''re cowards." "That''s true." "This guild master is the real deal. In my opinion, he was chosen very well. Don''t you think?" "Business is better than before, right? It''s definitely better to make a profit by expanding the loan business with the money we''ve saved. It''s strange, isn''t it?" "I''m the same. I''ve been having funtely." "Do you think it''s just you? I''ve been enjoying doing businesstely. In the past, I''ve had trouble not having enough money to lend. Now I can worry less about that, of course, it''s good." "More importantly, I heard that Benjamin Gongmitted suicide." "Well, that''s possible. He could have hung himself out of embarrassment, right?" "True. Business has been better since he left. If I were him, I would have hidden in a mouse hole. He insisted on the gold storage fee, tsk tsk." "Honestly, it''s good that he''s dead. He was a guy who tried to eat everything on his own, relying on his family." Among them, a guild member with a bulging belly shared a regret about the loan business. "My business is doing well, but there''s nowhere else to lend more money. It would be nice to do business in the area controlled by the ck Label Union. I heard there''s a lot of chaos there due to the opening of new trade routes and trade with the new continent. If we make a big hit, we can make hundreds or thousands of times more." ck Label. It was thergest port city in the empire and a prosperous ce due to trade with the new continent. And it was also the base of another Banco Alliance called the ck Label Union. "Well, no matter how much we want to, we can''t touch that area. The ck Label Union has a tight grip on it." "If we identally touched it, they wouldn''t stay still, would they? They would definitely say something." "Ismail would move for sure. Oh, it''s scary. Would you dare to go near there? I wouldn''t even go near there because I value my life." "That''s true. That''s why it''s a shame. I heard there''s a real shortage of money to lend there. We need to do business in such a ce...." "That ce is really a gold mine." "There''s no better ce to do business with money. If there were no problems, I would want to go there and do business." Bang, bang, bang! As the bell rang loudly to signal the start of the meeting, the guild members who were bustling outside the meeting hall began to enter the Catbs Guild Meeting Hall. "Let''s go in quickly. The mass will start soon." "What''s the reason for the summons?" "I don''t know. I heard there''s a major announcement." "A major announcement? What is it?" "I don''t know. Let''s go in and see. We''ll know when we listen." Immediately after the mass held by the church priest before the start of the meeting. Rockefeller opened his mouth for the guild meeting. "I have called all of you busy people here because there is a major announcement." What on earth is that major announcement? What kind of announcement is he going to make, considering that the matter with the 1st Prince has been well resolved? Everyone was harboring such doubts. Rockefeller spoke up. "From today, our Lyon Guild will." Rockefeller paused briefly, then spoke in a slightly strong tone toward the guild members staring intently at him. "Dere a full-scale war against the ck Label Union." At Rockefeller''s words, the entire meeting hall began to buzz loudly. And amidst that, Rockefeller''s speech continued. "The imperial market doesn''t seem that big. We have been sharing the market with them so far. Sharing this narrow market with them will ultimately weaken our power in the empire. Especially from the perspective of the cash-strapped imperial family, our dependence on them will inevitably decrease since they have other options besides us." The buzzing in the conference room continued, and Rockefeller''s words towards them were relentless. "So, I intend to either kill them or absorb them into our side." After finishing his statement, Rockefeller calmly stood and waited for questions to be directed at him. A momentter. Some guild members raised their hands, requesting the right to speak. Rockefeller pointed to one of them. "I will give you the opportunity to address everyone." A nameless guild member stood up and began to address the crowd. "Ahem! That''s a good idea. I agree!" Cheers and shouts erupted from various ces at the mention of agreement. "We''ve been fed up with them since before! Let''s just crush them!" "Let''spletely crush them this time! The imperial market is ours!" "No, what nonsense is this! If there''s a problem, will you all take responsibility?!" Towards them. Rockefeller asked in an unusually loud voice. "Is there anyone else with a different opinion?" When another guild member hesitated, Rockefeller pointed to him and granted him the right to speak. "I will give you the right to speak. Please feel free to speak." "My name is Gibson, and I run a business in Brubong. Going to war with the ck Label Union means dragging the Ismail family into it." As he turned his gaze to the conference room, most of the guild members seemed to nod in agreement. "You all know that they are the best assassins in the empire, right? Despite this, do we really need to provoke the ck Label Union?" He then asked Rockefeller. "Or do you have any countermeasures?" In response to the question directed at him. Rockefeller silenced the noisy conference room and spoke. "Of course, I do." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 113 (2) Chapter 113 (2) The meeting room buzzed briefly at the mention of a countermeasure, but it quickly quieted down to hear Rockefeller''s words. "First of all, as I mentioned in the previous guild meeting, our Lyon Guild intends to support the 2nd Prince in the uing Crown War. As you all know, the 2nd Prince is a member of the Ismail family. Supporting him would earn us significant points with the Ismails. Think about it. Can the Ismails easily confront us when we are pushing for the 2nd Prince?" At Rockefeller''s words, the guild member who introduced himself as Gibson asked another question. "I heard that you, Lord Rockefeller, resolved the meeting with the 1st Prince well. The problem now is the 3rd Prince... As you all know, the 3rd Prince is from the Sinir family. And we have been allied with the Sinir family for a long time. In this situation, if we support the 2nd Prince in the uing Crown War, will the 3rd Prince or the Sinir family just stand by?" At his words, several guild members who agreed with him shouted and made the conference room chaotic. "Of course they won''t just stand by! Are they fools?" "They are mages! Anything could happen at any moment!" "People should keep their loyalty!" Towards the conference room. Rockefeller first showed a sign of agreement. "That''s true. I can fully understand your point." "What do you think, then?" "That''s why we must enter the war with the ck Label Union even more urgently. The reason to support the 2nd Prince is precisely the war with the ck Label Union." "What about the Sinir family?" "If we show that we are focusing on the war with the ck Label Union, not the Crown War, they will have nothing to say. Also, the reason why the 1st Prince came to see me and left without incident is because we agreed to support only the 2nd Prince." "What do you mean?" Rockefeller exined the entire story of his meeting with the 1st Prince. The Lyon Guild decided not to support the 1st and 3rd Princes and instead promised to support only the 2nd Prince. He informed everyone of this agreement. "Thus, since we have made a promise with the 1st Prince, we must support only the 2nd Prince. If not, the 1st Prince, who has no problem this time, wille back and cause trouble." Rockefeller spoke to everyone. "I''m sure you all understand the fear of Tepez. So, we have no other choice. We must support the 2nd Prince with a just cause and convince the Sinir family that our goal is not the crown war, but to eliminate the ck Label Union." It seemed that each guild member had a lot on their minds. Unlike before, the meeting room began to quiet down. During this, a guild member who did not have the right to speak raised their voice. "We can exin the reason, but won''t the Sinir family be disappointed?" He continued. "They might even withdraw their support for us. What if the 3rd Prince wins the crown war? If they don''t support us in the first ce, we can''t even make a promissory note." Rockefeller retorted to him. "Then what will you do if the 1st Prince wins this crown war? Will you all close your businesses as the 1st Prince threatens?" Unable to answer, Rockefeller addressed everyone. "I''m sure everyone agrees that any choice is difficult. In this way, this ambiguous attitude is the best choice we can take. We will not bet on either the 1st or 3rd Prince. Of course, the Sinir family will be disappointed. They definitely will be. But don''t we have to live as well? And if the 3rd Prince wins the crown warter, we can repay them well." Although each guild member had different thoughts on this matter. As Rockefeller said, perhaps not taking anyone''s side was the best choice. After all, they knew that the 2nd Prince could not win the crown war, so they were more inclined to do so. In the quiet meeting room, guild members who agreed with Rockefeller''s thoughts began to speak up. "Then it would be best to focus on the war with the ck Label Union and create a just cause for our side as much as possible. After all, the Sinir family won''t say anything to us for supporting Ismail, who has no hope, right?" Another guild member who sympathized spoke up. "It''s right to help the Sinir family out of loyalty. But if we do that, the 1st Prince will make a fuss again. This is not about loyalty, we have to survive and see, don''t we? Since the 1st Prince left quietly, the Sinir family probably won''t make a big issue out of it." When no more words came out. Rockefeller asked everyone for confirmation. "Are there any other opinions?" It seemed that everyone was silently agreeing. "If there are no other opinions, we will proceed with the full-scale war with the ck Label Union as nned." At his words, one guild member hesitated. Rockefeller gave him the right to speak, and he stood up and expressed his doubts. "The war is fine. But how exactly do you n to fight them, Lord Rockefeller?" Rockefeller grinned. "We, like soldiers going to war, will not fight with guns and swords. Fortunately, it''s not like that." At his words, the guild members filling the meeting roomughed faintly. "Then what kind of method is it? If it''s not fighting with guns and swords." "I''m thinking of doing business right in the middle of enemy territory. I''ve heard that it''s quite hot over there these days. They need a lot of money for pioneering new routes and trade with the new continent, right? The loan business is also booming... How desperate must they be for people who couldn''t borrow money there toe all the way to Lyon?" Rockefeller smirked. "Since it''s such a ce, isn''t it only polite for us to go there and do business?" Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 114 (1) Chapter 114 (1) 5/6 Bonus chapter thanks to @ChocteChipCookie and other supporters on Ko-fi! ck Label Union (2) The entire guild was stirred by the proposal to conduct business in the heart of enemy territory. "Rockefeller, are you saying you''re going to the ck Label to do bank business?" Rockefeller had no hesitation in his response to the repeated question. "Of course." Then, a guild member expressed doubt. "Do you think the people there will abandon their existing trade partners and do business with you, Rockefeller?" Rockefeller replied confidently. "Of course. If we lend money at a lower interest rate than the ck Label Union, why wouldn''t they do business with us? Moreover, I heard that they are still charging a gold storage fee and have no interest on deposits. So, if the Ismail family remains idle, all the banking funds in the ck Label Union will be attracted to our side." Rockefeller then spoke with certainty. "If things go that way, the bankers who were peacefully doing business in ck Label will all be left with nothing but flies. Then it will be our victory." "But isn''t it possible that their clients will remain loyal to their existing trade partners?" At that remark, Rockefeller shook his head calmly. "There is no loyalty in money matters. I can guarantee that such loyalty will copse under the interest rates I offer." The conference room was in turmoil for a while. The guild members discussed the proposal among themselves. After a long time had passed, Rockefeller raised his voice. "Any objections? If so, please raise your hand quietly." When a guild member raised his hand, Rockefeller granted him the right to speak. "I don''t object, but are you nning to go alone, Rockefeller?" "No, if anyone else wants to do business in the heart of enemy territory like me, I''m willing to go together." Rockefeller continued. "There may be no better ce for a lending business. If you want to make a big profit, join me. Wouldn''t it be better to go with all of you here rather than just me?" "What if Ismail acts differently than we expect? Someone might get hurt then, will you take responsibility for that?" When an unnamed guild member asked, Rockefeller replied with a rxed smile. "Even if Ismail moves differently than we expect, the first target will be me. So, the rest of you can just follow me. I will be your sturdy shield. Any other opinions?" As if they had multiple lives, no more guild members asked questions to the daring guild leader. "It seems there are no objections. Then, is there anyone who wants to go to ck Label with me? Please raise your hand now." At that, several guild members eagerly raised their hands. These were people who had money but had no proper ce to lend it and had been troubled about it. "Any more?" As he asked again, several more guild members who had been looking at the situation quietly raised their hands to express their intention to participate. They were greedy for money in their own way. When over twenty guild members expressed their intention to participate, Rockefeller revealed satisfaction at the corners of his mouth. ''That''s not too bad.'' "Good. Then I will dere a full-scale war with the ck Label Union. Even if you did not express your intention to participate today, I hope you will support us from the sidelines as we jump into the heart of enemy territory and wield our weapons. After all, the battle of the banks is a battle of financial strength." Rockefeller continued. "And if this goes well and the ck Label Union disappears or gets absorbed by us, our Lyon Guild''s status will be higher than before. We might even rise to be an unrivaled power like the Tepez or Sinir families, controlling the entire empire." Rockefeller''s expression was filled with great confidence. "Then, let''s pray earnestly for that day toe." After finishing his speech, Rockefeller happened to make eye contact with his younger brother Joshua, who had heard about the meeting and hade to attend. Rockefeller smiled faintly, and Joshua smiled back. In this way, they were able to confirm each other''s well-being after a long time. When the meeting ended, Rockefeller was able to meet Joshua, who hade to see him. With a delighted expression, Rockefeller spoke first. "Why did youe sote? I wanted to see you before the meeting." At Rockefeller''s words, Joshua scratched the back of his head and exined why he waste. "Lucia is very curious, you know. She''s excited about leaving the countryside and has been looking around everywhere, so we were dyed." "Didn''t Uncle Cartere with you?" "Uncle Carter said he wouldn''te. I guess he doesn''t care much since he thinks you''ll handle everything well." "I see. But where''s Lucia? You said she came with you, right?" "She''s waiting in the carriage outside. She couldn''t attend the meeting since she''s not a guild member." Rockefeller went outside the conference room with Joshua to see Lucia, the youngest sibling. The outside of the conference room was very noisy as the guild members were dispersing, but in the midst of it all, Rockefeller was able to spot the carriage his siblings had arrived in like a ghost. "Rockefeller oppa!" As the carriage door opened, Lucia, who had matured more since theyst met, ran to Rockefeller and hugged him. "Lucia! You''ve grown so much! You''ve grown this much in such a short time?" Seeing his youngest sibling, who had grown much heavier than before, Rockefeller could feel the rapid passage of time. "And you''ve be much heavier too?" "Oh my! That''s rude!" Rockefeller let go of the hugging Lucia and looked for Joshua, who wasughing nearby. "By the way, how is the Montefeltro territory? What is the lord doing?" Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 114 (2) Chapter 114 (2) "The lord is just there. But we''ve had a problemtely." "A problem? Don''t tell me it''s a gold mine?" "Yeah, that''s the problem. The lord doesn''t want the rumors to spread, so he''s started to crack down on the people in the territory, but the rumors will spread anyway." "I suppose so. The fact that gold was found there... And it used to be the most famous gold mining area on the continent." It was not yet time for the war with the dwarves. The Gold Vein War was an event that took ce after the Crown War. That''s when Lucia, who was looking around with her bright eyes, spoke to Rockefeller. "Rockefeller oppa! This ce is really big! There are so many people too. I want to live here as you wish!" Lucia seemed to bepletely captivated by the city of Lyon, not having heard the conversation between the two. It was natural for Lucia to react this way, havinge from a small territory on the outskirts of the empire to a city that had grown significantly in terms ofmerce. Then Joshua grumbled. "How am I supposed to handle this if you want to live here too?" "Joshua always nags! I like it here better. There are more people, and the city is bigger. From now on, I want to live with Rockefeller oppa." At Lucia''s words, Rockefeller smiled. "It would be good for Lucia too. Lucia will eventually get married, and she can''t just stay in a rural area, can she?" "Sigh... She''s leaving me behind. I''ve been changing her diapers since she was little." "That was Leo oppa!" For the sake of the youngest left alone in his hometown, Rockefeller said. "Just bear with it a little longer. I have to take care of things over there once I finish my work here." Rockefeller put his hand on Joshua''s shoulder. "Take good care of it until then. It''s not even the lord''snd, it''s our own. The gold thates from there belongs to us too." "Don''t worry. I was just saying." "You never know, we might have to switch cester, so just bear with it even if it''s boring until then." "I got it. Don''t worry too much about the territory. Even if it''s not me, the lord seems to be doing a decent job." * * * After the guild meeting, Rockefeller returned to the guild headquarters with his siblings and introduced them to Ricardo, who was guarding the store. "These are my siblings. Their names are Joshua and Lucia." As soon as Rockefeller''s words fell, Joshua and Lucia greeted Ricardo. "We''ve heard a lot about you through letters. I''m Joshua Rothsmedici." "Hello. I''m Lucia Rothsmedici." Ricardo was momentarily taken aback by the sudden appearance of the siblings, but soon hid his expression and opened his mouth to introduce himself. "I''m Thomas Martel. Feel free to call me Thomas." Rockefeller had not informed his siblings about Ricardo''s true identity. In case the siblings made a mistake, it would cause a headache. "Now I have to go see Leo oppa." "I''ll go with you. Is Leo doing well?" At Joshua''s question, Rockefeller just smiled and nodded. The meaning was to omit a detailed exnation. "Then Lucia and I will go see Leo together." "Don''t forget about dinner tonight. I''ve prepared it with care." "Got it!" When the siblings left, Rockefeller sighed and looked for Ricardo. "I''ve been so busy meeting my siblings for the first time in a while. By the way, how''s the request I madest time? I''m talking about the Ismail family." "I barely managed to contact them. They sent a message saying they would visit soon. Here it is." "You''ve done a lot. But how did you contact them? It''s not an easy ce to get in touch with." At that question, Ricardo dodged the issue appropriately. "They contacted me when I put out an advertisement." "Is that so? Hmmm... They have a lot of ears, too. They don''t seem to care how we''re moving." At that, Ricardo fell into thought for a moment. ''Do I have to discard one of the two in the end?'' The family''s source of money? Or the revival of the family? Ricardo, who had to choose one of the two, had already made that decision. ''At this point, I think I''m half crazy. Betting on a ce with no possibility.'' "Since we''ve made contact, all you have to do is wait. They won''t just sit still. They say they have a lot of ears to listen, after all." Then, Rockefeller informed Ricardo about the content of the meeting. "Still, we can''t postpone the schedule. We''ve decided to go head-to-head with the ck Label Union starting today." Ricardo, who slightly narrowed his eyes, listened to Rockefeller''s next words. "We''ll soon be moving to the ck Label side to open a bank business there. It''s a war." It was a great gamble. To do business openly in the heart of enemy territory. And that was even before meeting with the Ismail side. "Don''t you care about the Ismail side at all?" At that question, Rockefeller replied with confidence. "Isn''t the result already determined?" "But you can''t rule out the possibility that they mighte out differently, can you? Predicting them... is arrogant." Rockefeller thenughed deeply. "Didn''t I say I have a good intuition? That intuition tells me that the Ismail side will probably stay still. You can ignore it, it''s just my feeling. As you said, they mighte out differently. But I trust my instincts." "......" Rockefeller continued his words to the silent Ricardo. "Soon, we will need to open a store in the ck Label, so please go to the ck Label first and find an empty store for me." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 115 (1) Chapter 115 (1) ck Label Union (2) Inside the carriage heading to the ck Label. Rockefeller took in the sight of the harbor city through the carriage window. Numerous ships filled the harbor, which was the home base of the ck Label Union and thergest harbor city in the empire. ''There are a lot of ships indeed.'' Most of the ships docked in the harbor were trade ships built formerce. ''If you make a good profit in one trip, it''s said that you can not only recover the cost of building the ship but also sit on a money cushion.'' For this reason, many people were investing their all in trade ships. ''I heard there''s a big fuss because there''s no money to lend here.'' Despite this, there had been a reason why the Lyon Guild had not been able to step in until now. ''If it weren''t for Ismail, we would have taken over long ago.'' The ck Label Union, another bank alliance, had been monopolizing the profits of ck Label alone without anypetitors, relying solely on the power of the Ismail family, whom they had as their backers. But that was only until today. ''From the beginning, it''s not going to work. With such an old-fashioned method, they can''t help but be caught by our professional interest-utilizing approach.'' With that thought, Rockefeller went to the ck Label and met up with Ricardo, who had been sent ahead. "You''ve arrived. I''ve been waiting for you." Ricardo had arrived a few days earlier and had already checked out the store where they would do business. The fact that the head of the Ismail family had looked for a store for the Lyon Guild leader had its own significance. ''The decision seems to have been made for sure.'' Rockefeller realized that Ricardo had made a decision to some extent after meeting him. If he had no intention of cutting off his family''s money source, he wouldn''t have done as he was told. "Where did you find the store?" "To avoid friction with existing bank operators, I found a store in Hnt." "Hnt? If it''s Hnt..." "It''s quite close to the harbor. It''s a ce with a particrlyrge floating poption, so the location won''t be too bad." The ce where the people of ck Label went to borrow money was called Ranstadt, a bank street. This ce was simr to the Lyon''s Ghetto Nuovo, where numerous bank operators were actively running lending businesses. "Well, it might be better not to see each other''s faces." When Rockefeller seemed to agree, Ricardo led him to the store he had found. "Here it is." Rockefeller got out of the carriage and inspected the store Ricardo had found for himself. It was of a moderate size and in a good location. After looking around the store, Rockefeller asked, "I heard that the ck Label is all involved with the Ismail family. Did you get their permission?" "There was no particr difficulty in obtaining it. Perhaps... it was an implicit approval?" "Implicit approval..." "And when I was asked about the purpose of the store and said I would do banking business here, they openly scoffed. It seems to be because the location is different." "Usually, they do business in Ranstadt, so that makes sense." Rockefeller finished speaking and looked at the street above, which was closely connected to the harbor and had many peopleing and going. From merchants and sailors to ordinary people. As Ricardo had said, it was an area with a considerable floating poption. And he noticed general stores, clothing stores, and shoe repair shops doing business nearby. "There are many people on the street, so there should be no difficulty in doing business. It''s actually a good thing. We don''t need to insist on being in the bank street when we''re not criminals." Rockefeller''s words were met with silence and a slight nod from Ricardo. "Then let''s put up the store sign and start our business." At this, Ricardo expressed his concern. He was flustered, as it seemed like they were suddenly starting a business when they weren''t even prepared yet. "Do you want to start the business before the other guild members arrive?" "Yes, we can''t wait for them forever. And once I start the business and establish my ce, they''ll feel morefortable doing business by my side, won''t they?" Ricardo looked at the carriage Rockefeller had ridden in. There was only one carriage they had brought, and it seemed they had not brought much from Lyon. "Isn''t the capital you brought too small to do banking business here?" Usually, you needed a lot of capital to start a money business. "Do we really need to go through the trouble of bringing a lot? After all, people like us do business with other people''s money, relying on credit." Ricardo also felt a lot from those words. ''Doing business with other people''s money... how should I interpret this?'' Rockefeller smiled and continued speaking to Ricardo. "First, let''s trust the guild leader title and give it a push. If we really need money, we can borrow it from the guild members who wille soon, or we can bring it from Lyon. But I have a feeling that we won''t even need to do that. This ce has so much money rolling around that I think we can do business with that money?" Thus, the sign ''Bank of Rosmedici'' was raised, and Rockefeller and Ricardo started their bank business in apletely new ce called ck Label. People began to be curious when the bank, which yed with money, suddenly opened its doors in a ce where there were only everyday stores like general stores and clothing stores. Moreover, when it was said that the person who opened the store was a fairly well-known guild leader in Lyon, the rumor could spread throughout the entire Hnt region in no time. "Hey, have you heard that story?" Bel, who was running a clothing store in Hnt, heard a strange rumor and went to Bob, who was running a shoe store nearby, to talk about the rumor he had heard. "What story? What are you making a fuss about?" "You know, the bank that opened here instead of Ranstadt." "Ah, there? What about it?" "Well, it seems that they give interest if you deposit money there." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 115 (2) Chapter 115 (2) Interest on deposits was a very unfamiliar concept to those who had been dealing with the ck Label Union. "What? They give interest? Why would they give interest? Originally, we should be the ones to give storage fee, right?" "Well, it''s not like that. If we deposit money, they seem to give interest in return. It''s a system of giving interest because we lent them money." Bob doubted the unusual story. "Isn''t that a scam? What do you mean they give interest? Who would give interest if they weren''t crazy?" He continued to speak. "Usually, when you deposit gold coins in a bank, they charge a storage fee and don''t give interest." "What kind of scam! Haven''t you heard who''s doing business there?" At Bel''s question, Bob began to talk about the rumors he had heard. "I heard it''s some kind of guild leader?" "That''s right, you know it well." "No, is it really the guild leader? I thought it was just a scammer opening a bank here because I didn''t know some crazy guy opened a bank here." "No, it''s the Lyon guild leader! Don''t you know the Lyon guild leader?" "No, I know. Why wouldn''t I know that person? I''ve seen him once before." "He''s the one doing business here now?" "Really? But why? No, if it''s the Lyon guild leader, it''s enough to do business in Lyon, why did hee here?" "I don''t know. How would I know that?" "Isn''t it really a scam?" "No, it''s really the guild leader. This is all confirmed information. Not just me, but many people seem to have gone to check, and they say it''s really the guild leader." "Is it really the Lyon guild leader?" Unable to shake off his doubts, he went straight to the rumored bank, looked at the store owner''s face, and immediately came out. Then, he raised his voice to Bel, the clothing store owner who had followed him. "Hey, you! I know the guild leader''s face, and that''s not him. These people are all scammed, they''re scammed." "What? What are you talking about? Hapto and Chris both said it was right." "Hey, that''s just Hapto and Chris getting it wrong. The guild leader I know doesn''t look like that. He''s not such a greenhorn." "Are you talking about the previous guild leader whomitted suicide?" "What? What are you talking about? The previous guild leadermitted suicide?" "You! If you''re talking about the previous guild leader, hemitted suicide a long time ago! He''s already dead and not in this world." "Did he reallymit suicide? When did that happen?" "I don''t know exactly, but it seems like it''s been a while since hemitted suicide? Since the current guild leader is doing so well, it seems that the previous guild leader couldn''t stand the shame andmitted suicide. That''s what I heard." "Is that so? But what happened to the Lyon guild? How can such a greenhorn be a guild leader?" "Well, it seems like he''s doing a great job. I heard that the ie increased significantly after the guild leader changed." "What kind of skill does he have to make it work?" "I don''t know. How would we, ordinary people, know anything about bank business?" "Huh...." Then he suddenly had this question. "Wait, if that guy is really the guild leader, what kind of guts does he have to do business here? Isn''t it impossible to do business here unless you''re a banker affiliated with the ck Label Union?" "That''s why he''s doing business there. He can''t enter Ranstadt." "Is he trying to openly fight the ck Label Union?" "Probably. Why else would a guild leadere all the way here to do business?" "Haha... His guts seem too incredible, don''t they?" "What does that have to do with us? Anyway, I heard he gives interest if you deposit money. So, Chris seems to have deposited money with the intention of at least earning interest before the guild leader gets kicked out." "What? He deposited money there?" "Yes, if they give interest for depositing money, there''s no reason not to. Honestly, who would deposit money in Ranstadt when all you get is a storage fee? Everyone will deposit here." The two conversing soon began to think as Rockefeller wanted them to. "Well, if he''s the guild leader, his credibility must be solid. Even if he gets kicked out of here, the money deposited will be taken care of by the Lyon Guild, right?" "That''s why Chris boldly deposited his money. He''ll be able to find the deposited money somehow." "Ha... What are you going to do then?" "I''m considering it. I came to discuss with you about what to do." "Getting interest... It''s too wasteful to miss out on this, right?" "In Lyon, unlike here, everyone seems to get interest. No, I heard that all banks affiliated with the Lyon Guild give interest. It''spletely different from here." Their dilemma didn''tst long. Bob, the owner of the shoe store, asked again as if to confirm his decision. "Is he really the guild leader?" "Yes, he is. How many times do I have to tell you? And apparently, bankers affiliated with the Lyon Guild are nning toe over here en masse soon. That''s the hot rumor." "Really? Hmm..." "Why? Are you thinking of depositing some money?" "No, if he''s really the guild leader, there''s no reason not to deposit, right? There''s no need to let the money rot when he''s even giving interest." "That''s true..." "Let''s deposit a little and see for ourselvester if he really gives interest." So, the two gathered a small amount of money and went straight to Rockefeller''s store. When they returned, they found Rockefeller talking with a customer who had arrived earlier. The customer they saw was someone they knew. He was a nobleman who was running a ratherrge business in this ce, Hnt. "I don''t mind not going all the way to Lyon. But aren''t you doing business too boldly, Mr. Rockefeller? The world is so dangerous." As the customer, who was depositing a muchrger sum than the two shopkeepers, asked Rockefeller, he simply responded with a smile. "Nowhere in the imperialw does it say we cannot do business here. In that sense, what problem would there be if we decided to do business here?" "I''m not worried about my money since your guild guarantees it, but I am worried about you. Isn''t this ce under the jurisdiction of the Ismail family? You must know about the Ismail family, Mr. Rockefeller." "I fully understand your concern, Lord Frederick." Rockefeller then continued with a confident tone. "But have you ever thought this? That our very act of doing business here already has the implicit approval of the Ismail family?" It was a surprisingly persuasive argument. So, the customer who hade began to nod in agreement. "If that''s the case..." "Don''t worry too much, and I n to stay here for a while. If you need anything, feel free toe find me." "I will support you." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 116 (1) Chapter 116 (1) 6/7 Bonus chapter thanks to @Nutbuddy from Kofi! ck Label Union (3) As the conversation ended and he left the store, one of the two shop owners who had been watching also went outside. Bel, who came with him, was surprised and asked Bob, who suddenly went outside. "No, if you''re going to deposit money, why did you suddenlye out?" Bob looked at the aristocratic businessman walking away and said. "I''m going to entrust it properly. Didn''t you see just now? Count Frederik entrusted his money here and left. I don''t know about that guild master, but I know Count Frederik very well. That person is not someone who spends money recklessly. He must trust this ce." "No, this person! I kept telling you. It''s really the guild master, isn''t it?" "So, I''m saying I''ll try it properly. With just a few Dnts, who can stick to anyone''s nose? If they really pay interest, I have to entrust them properly." Bob, who returned to the shoe store, brought all the money and visited Rockefeller''s store again. Rockefeller calmly greeted them without any unpleasant expressions, even though they kepting in and out. ''It seems they kept doubting. I understand. Everyone acted like that.'' "Wee. Is there anything I can help you with?" As Rockefeller pretended not to know, the shoe store owner who brought the money suddenly spoke. "Is this the ce where you get interest if you deposit gold coins?" It was the customer he wanted. A smile quickly spread across Rockefeller''s face. ''A precious customer hase.'' "Yes, that''s correct. If you deposit gold coins in our store, we will give you 1% interest every month." A smile bloomed on Bob''s face, who came to earn money. "1% every month? So, if I deposit 100 Dnts..." "You get 1 Dnt for free every month. If it''s 1,000 Dnts, it''ll be 10 Dnts per month." The shoe store owner, who roughly counted on his fingers, gasped in surprise. ''With a 1% interest on 200 Dnts... Oh my goodness, I get 2 Dnts for free every month?'' 2 Dnts was an amount that was at least twice the minimum living expenses for a month. "Wow! Is it really okay?" "Yes, we are doing that in our Lyon Guild." "I''m asking just in case, but there''s no risk of losing money, is there?" At that question, all Rockefeller could do wasugh. "Hahaha, not at all. Even if ck Label copses, the money you entrusted will be safe. As long as our Lyon Guild is alive." Bob suddenly had a question. "Then, where does the moneye from to pay us interest?" "Don''t we do various businesses too? We give back a certain portion of those profits. Anyway, didn''t you lend us money?" "Ah, so I lent money to this ce?" "Yes, that''s right. Otherwise, why would we take care of the interest for you?" Bob, who seemed to be convinced, entrusted 200 Dnts to Rockefeller and went outside the store. Bob, who came out, spread the strange loan certificate above his head. It was a strange loan certificate with a portrait of a goblin drawn on it. "It seems that the Lyon Guild gives this as a gold coin storage certificate." Then, the clothing store owner Bel next to him recognized the Goblin Dor that Bob was holding. "Is that so? It''s different for each ce here." "I guess it''s not there. They all seem to be using it." "Looking at the numbers written here, it seems like I can use this like money?" "It should be usable like money? It''s not like the owner''s name is written on the gold coin storage certificate, so what''s the problem?" "Oh really? It''s quite interesting." "Everyone says that. I have a feeling, but I feel like the Lyon Guild is more systemically advanced than the ck Label Union here. It seems more developed." "You''re right. I felt the same way." Bob, who was delighted to receive 1% interest every month, led Bel, who was nearby. "Let''s go. I''m in a good mood today, so I''ll treat you." "You must be spending since you are so happy about making free money." "Is there anything better in the world than free money? I don''t know, but free money is the best." "True, but now the Ranstadt side will be in trouble. Since we''re giving interest here, all the people who used to pay the gold storage fee and deposit their gold will flock to us, right?" Bel''s words met with Bob''s strong agreement. "Everyone''s not a fool, so it''s bound to happen. Who in the world would pay the gold storage fee and deposit their gold? Whether it''s the ck Label Union or the Lyon Guild, it''s the same thing. I''d rather see it as a good thing. Those who have been relying on the Ismail family and doing business here deserve it. I just wish they''d all go bankrupt or change the bank system like this." "I think so too." As a few days passed, rumors brought customers, and Rockefeller''s shop became packed with people. Since the ck Label Union didn''t offer deposit interest, everyone went to the Ranstadt bank to get their gold and flocked to Rockefeller''s shop. "Is it true that you give interest?" "Yes, of course. We give 1% interest every month." "Really? That''s quite fascinating. Some ces couldn''t even make money from gold coin storage fees. Those money-hungry Ransstad people. I don''t know why no one has stopped them." "Haha, we don''t do business like that." Rockefeller spoke with a smile to the customer he faced. "Because we are always on the side of our customers." As he nodded his head and made way, the next person behind him faced Rockefeller. "I heard the rumor and came. If I deposit my gold here..." "Yes, we give interest. It''s 1% interest per month." He looked around the shop and spoke with a suspicious voice. "I heard... the owner here is the Lyon Guild Master. Is that true?" The people who came were all like that. Although the repeated questions might have been annoying, Rockefeller only showed a smile without changing his expression. "Yes, I am the Guild Master. My identity is certain, so you can trust and leave it to me." If the rumors were false, there would be no reason for so many people to flock. The seemingly convinced man soon entrusted his brought gold and took the corresponding Goblin Dors out of the shop. So, Rockefeller received gold from the visiting people, and Ricardo, who had been watching, couldn''t help but be impressed. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 116 (2) Chapter 116 (2) The man who brought nothing but his body from Lyon, iming to be the Guild Master, gathered a tremendous amount of gold in no time. ''It''s gold to be returned anyway...'' The problem was that there would be no asion for so many people to flock at once to pick up the gold they left in the shop. ''If you collect money like that and then grow the loan business...'' Deposit interest is 1%. Although the loan interest is unknown, assuming it''s 5%, lower than the existing 6%, they will make money from the difference. ''Hmm...'' As Rockefeller said, it was a breathtaking and stuffy business, using other people''s money. ''It''s just amazing.'' Rockefeller''s shop, which was bustling with customers who came to get deposit interest that day, could only be quiette at night. Now in the quiet shop, Rockefeller wiped the sweat from his forehead and spoke to Ricardo, who was tidying up the shop. "It''s been a long time since I''ve dealt with so many people, and it''s been quite tiring. It''s been as busy as yesterday." Quietly tidying up the shop, Ricardo thought about therge amount of gold in the vault and opened his mouth. "At first... when Lord Rockefeller said he was going to do business with other people''s money, I was half-doubtful. I doubted whether it was possible to do business with other people''s money." As Ricardoined, Rockefeller showed a grin in response. "So, what happened?" "It was surprising that it was possible." With a curved smile, Rockefeller spoke to Ricardo, who looked proudly at him. "What we need is not money for business but trust and credit. What do they know? They can''t know how much we have in our vault anyway." Rockefeller asked about the next step to Ricardo. "It seems like there''s a lot of gold piled up in the vault, when are you nning to start the loan business?" Considering the deposit interest, the money in the vault couldn''t just stay idle. Somehow, they had to move the money and generate profits in order for Rockefeller''s business to seed as well. Upon hearing this, Rockefeller went to the safe in the store and took a rough look at the amount of deposited gold coins. Then he returned to his seat and opened his mouth. "ck Label is different from Lyon in that the loan business is more prosperous here. That''s why you can''t run a loan business with mediocre financial power. If you step in without knowing the subject, the safe will be empty after a few high-value loans." Ricardo could wholeheartedly agree with that. ck Label was a ce full of big businesses like shipbuilding costs and new continent trade, so the loan amount itself was different from other ces. Therefore, the ce where a banker with mediocre financial power could not easily run a loan business was ck Label. "But after a few days of effort, looking at the gold coins piled up in the safe, it seems that there will be no big problem even if we start a loan business from tomorrow. So we should start hiring soldiers from tomorrow and officially start the loan business." Rockefeller finished speaking. "And soon, the guild members will join us here. It will be really fun then. I''m still alone, so the bankers in Ranstadt don''t seem to be moving yet, but that won''tst long. If they don''t move quickly, they''ll wither away." He was truly a fearsome person. Havinge out of nowhere, he had already grown to the point of threatening the bankers of Ranstadt. Ricardo thought that no one could follow him in this field. ''He is truly unique. In terms of money, more than anyone else...'' * * * A few dayster. The owner of the clothing store, Bel, heard some news and went to visit Bob, the owner of the shoe store. Bob, who was visited, sighed deeply with a worried expression. Bell, who came to Bob, spoke. "Hey, man. Just a few days ago, you were so happy to receive interest. Why are you so miserable?" "Huh... Don''t even mention it. I''m so stressed right now." "What stress? Did the bank go bankrupt?" "No, it''s not that." "No, then won''t they give you interest? Why all of a sudden?" "It''s not that. It''s not about the bank there." "Then what is it? What''s going on?" Bob, who sighed again, told Bel about what happened the day before yesterday. "I was having a drink at the bar a few days ago. You know, right? These days, I''m so excited about receiving interest." "Of course, I know. You even treated everyone that day, feeling good." "Yeah, I was like that back then. I didn''t know anything and was just happy." There is always someone better. Suddenly, someone better appeared to him, who was happy with receiving interest. "What on earth happened? Tell me in detail. People are curious." "Do you know Sam?" "Sam? The shoe polisher who was kicked out of your store?" "Yeah, the shoe polisher. I was drinking happily, and the guy sat next to me. He was even wearing an expensive outfit that didn''t suit him." "What? Expensive clothes?" "Yeah, expensive clothes. So expensive that only nobles wear them. You know, those fancy silk ones. Can you believe that he showed up wearing that?" "No, what happened? Did he hit a jackpot?" "That''s right. It looks like he hit the jackpot." "Did the ship he invested in hit the jackpot ande back?" "That''s what I''m saying? If you invest in a trade ship and hit a jackpot, you''ll earn at least four times the profit. But he invested in a more dangerous ce and apparently got twice as much, eight times." "What did he invest in?" "Magic Powder? Anyway, it''s incredibly rare, but it seems to have been discovered a lot on the new continent. He invested about 20 Dnts, even pulling his soul into it." "20 Dnts? That''s all his fortune, isn''t it?" "Yeah, that must have been all his assets back then. But that investment worked out well, and he made 8 times his investment twice. And he invested in various ces, so now it seems like he has thousands of Dnt." "What? Thousands of Dnt? Is that possible?" "That''s why I can hardly stand it, having to be satisfied with just 2 Dnt." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $15 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 117 (1) Chapter 117 (1) 7/8 Bonus chapter thanks to @Laurence from Ko-fi! ck Label Union (4) Life is unpredictable. Bob, feeling this truth deeply, beat his chest in frustration and said, "It''s all pointless. It''s all pointless." "What do you mean? So you''re not doing business because of this?" Bob raised his voice. "Does the shop even matter now? One of the guys who used to work under me has be a sudden millionaire!" "No, but if you''re like this, it''s a waste. You should still run the shop." "It''s all pointless. I saved up 200 dnts by working so hard, and the guy who used to work under me became a bigger millionaire than me with just 20 dnts! How can I find the motivation to work?" "Well, that''s true." During their conversation, Bel had a question. It was about the amount Sam, the shoe polisher, had invested. "But it''s a bit strange. Did the trade ship investment really only cost 20 dnts? From what I remember, it should have cost at least a few thousand dnts." At that point, Bob stepped in to answer the question. "It used to be like that. That''s what I knew too." "Yeah, that''s right. If it wasn''t for that, I would have invested too. Everyone knew that trade ship investments were high-profit." "But it seems that the method has changed dramatically since a few years ago." "The method has changed?" "It''s changed. In the past, only the really wealthy could invest in trade ships, but because it was such a gamble, the wealthy didn''t want to take full responsibility." "That''s true. If the invested ship is wrecked or the captain runs away, it''s all over, right? There''s no way to get the investment back." "So they lowered the investment amount to share responsibility." "They lowered the investment amount?" "Yes, they lowered the investment amount." "Then how do they make the ship? It''s not a small amount of money." "That''s why the method changed from investing alone to investing together." "Oh, so it changed to a shared investment method?" "Yes, that way everyone shares responsibility." "I see." "So that''s how it changed. Since then, they''ve been epting investments from anyone without discrimination." "And that''s how shoe polisher Sam got in?" "Yes, that''s right." "No, but I thought only people who know about money could get into that kind of investment. I thought they wouldn''t let amateurs join." Before answering, Bob let out a long sigh. "Phew... It seems that after the method changed, it doesn''t matter how much you invest. They say you share the profits ording to the amount you invested. I heard they give you some kind of certificate?" "A certificate?" "Yes, a certificate ording to the amount you invested. People call it stocks." "Ah, I think I''ve heard of that." "Anyway, because of that, Sam, who I thought would be a shoe polisher for life, hit the jackpot... Life." Bob sighed deeply, as if the ground was sinking. At that moment, Bel, who couldn''t stand it anymore, spoke up. "Hey, instead of just sighing like that, why don''t you try investing too?" "What? Investing?" "Yeah, Sam became rich by doing that, right? Then what can''t you do?" At those words, Bob shook his head. "Ah, still. I know there are many people who have lost their entire fortune doing that." High risk, high return. Trade ship investment was such a thing for them. "Didn''t Lue, who used to run a general store, run away in the middle of the night because of that? Are you saying that without knowing?" "Then what are you going to do? You can''t make money without investing in ships. Are you just going to keep sighing like that?" Instead of replying, Bob just sighed. Then, suddenly having a thought, he jumped up from his seat. "Right,e to think of it, you''re right. If that sniveling Sam could make a fortune with just 20 dnts, then I should be able to do the same, right? Since small investments are possible anyway. There''s nothing I can''t do." Watching Bob, Bell thought to himself, ''He''s going to lose all his savings like that. He talks about Lue himself, and then he goes and does that. He must think 20 dnts is just a doghouse name.'' Bob, unaware of Bel''s thoughts, was just lost in the fantasy of instant wealth. "Instead of living like this! There''s now that says I can''t be like Sam. Today, I''ll make the turning point of my life!" With that shout, Bob closed the shop and headed straight to the bank where Rockefeller was. Bel, who had been watching Bob, just clicked his tongue. ''If he wants to fail, there''s nothing he can''t do. If trade ship investment was such a light thing, everyone would be rich.'' "Tsk tsk tsk." A littleter. Bob, who had visited Rockefeller''s shop, tried to retrieve the gold coins he had deposited just a short time ago. Rockefeller asked him the reason. "If you withdraw your money now, the interest period hasn''t fully passed, so it''s difficult to pay the normal interest. Do you still want to withdraw your money?" "I intend to do so. What''s so great about getting such a small amount of interest? Just give me back my money." "Returning your money is not a big problem, but may I ask where you n to use it?" "I''m thinking of investing in a trade ship. I heard I just need to buy stocks." "Ah, you''re thinking of investing in a trade ship. I heard that if you hit the jackpot, it''s really big." Rockefeller spoke, hiding a subtle smile. "So how much do you want to withdraw?" "Hmm... For now, I think 60 dnts should be enough..." Shoe polisher Sam had hit the jackpot with just 20 dnts, which he had gathered with all his soul at that time. Of course, investing now wouldn''t guarantee the same sess as Sam, but it seemed like it would be fun if he invested a little more than Sam did. ''If I invest 20 dnts in three ces, at least one shoulde back. Then it''s a minimum of 4 times profit, as long as it seeds.'' Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 117 (2) Chapter 117 (2) Then his thoughts changed again. ''No, if that''s the case, I might as well...'' Why? Human greed has no end. ''Since I''m doing it, let''s bet my life on it. If he could risk his life, why couldn''t I?'' "Just give me back all 200 dnts." When Bob returned all the Goblin dors worth 200 dnts to Rockefeller, he checked it and returned the full 200 dnts to Bob. And he said this. "You have a lot of guts. If you want to make a bigger investment, feel free to consult with me anytime." "What do you mean? A bigger investment?" Rockefeller spoke with a kind smile. "I''m talking about loans." "Loans? The interest is high. I know it''s 6 percent per month." "No, it''s 5 percent for us." "5 percent?" "Yes, we have to charge that low topete with the Banco operators in Ranstadt." "Well, that''s true..." "Of course, 5 percent isn''t a small interest. But whether you invest with that money or do something else, we don''t care. We just collect the interest." "Well, that''s obvious." "And this is just my personal opinion." What he was about to say was the whisper of a devil. "If you''re really aiming for a huge sess, I think it''s not a bad idea to try big by borrowing loans as well." Loans. At the dangerous word, Bob tilted his head. ''I heard that there are more than one or two people who got screwed by touching that.'' "Isn''t it true that if I fail, I''m really screwed?" Rockefeller did not deny it. "Ship investment is a gamble in the first ce. The risk is so high that it changed from unlimited liability to limited liability. But the fruit is so sweet that it''s heavenly. That''s right. The bigger the risk, the bigger the fruit thates back." "Hehe..." "I know that the usual waiting time for the invested ship to return is at least 6 months and up to 2 years." The continuing whisper seemed quite sweet. "I''m not sure how you''ll invest. But if you can endure by just paying interest for 6 months to 2 years, and if the shipes back, you''ll be left with at least 4 times more, so I think it''s not bad to try investing like that." Bob, who thought that Rockefeller''s whisper was not bad if he was going to aim for a huge sess, showed a slightly conflicted look. Then Bel, the owner of the clothing store who was watching from the side, made a fuss. "No, man! Are you trying to take out a loan now? Are you out of your mind?" "Stay out of it! Are you the one taking the loan? I''m the one taking it." "No, still, this is not right. Even 200 dnts is already a huge amount. Your life savings are that much, and you''re taking out a loan on top of it?" Watching, Rockefeller threw in this remark for a proper push and pull. "In case this investment fails, you''ll have to bear some responsibility. We don''t take responsibility for the investment." Then Bob stepped up. "I know that! I mean, am I a fool who doesn''t even know that and wants to take out a loan? Don''t worry unnecessarily." Bel thought Bob had gone crazy. "Really, man! You''re in big trouble! Even if you lose the money you earned, you can''t get a loan! Are you going to run away like Lue?" Hearing that, Rockefeller intervened again. "We only lend as much as you can handle after checking your property details. So don''t think we''re lending you too much money. We''re just lending you the right amount." Rockefeller emphasized the word ''just right'', and from Bob''s perspective, the word stuck in his head. ''Yeah, they''re only lending me the right amount. If something really goes wrong and I run away, what will they do then?'' "So how much can I borrow?" Although Rockefeller rmended the loan, it was ultimately up to the borrower to decide. ''Youve got caught.'' "First, we need to know all your property details. Do you have a lease on the nearby store? Or do you own it directly under your name?" Bob spoke confidently. "That''s my store. I don''t have much, but I do have a house and a store." "First, I''d like to check all the registration rights for the house and store. And since we need to check the local market price, an immediate loan is difficult and it will be possible in a few days." "I know the market price well." "Ha ha, I''m sorry. But we need to verify the real estate market price ourselves. And the loan amount will be determined at a lower price than the market price. We don''t want to bear the risk either." "I understand. I''m not taking out a loan right now. I just want to find out, so please wait a little." After finishing his words, Bob left the store with Bel, who tried to dissuade him. Having confirmed that the two had left, Rockefeller chuckled, and Ricardo, who had been watching from the side, spoke up. "It''s too optimistic for an investment in a trade ship that''s not even certain. If they fail, it seems like they won''t be able to handle it..." Rockefeller opened his mouth as well. "But if they make a diversified investment in multiple ships, the return on investment is so high that I don''t think it''s a loss. Even if only one of themes back safely, it''s not bad... Well, I can''t guarantee that either." "If they seed, the return on investment... I heard it''s possible from 4 times to even more." "However, the chances of failure are also quite high. Isn''t that why stocks, which are limited investments, were created? Because the investment amount is sorge, it''s scary to do it alone, but it''s also a shame not to do it." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 118 (1) Chapter 118 (1) ck Label Union(5) Ricardo suddenly had a question. Rockefeller was also a money-hungry person. Was he not interested in investing in trading ships? "It seems like you could hit the jackpot if you do it right. Will you not invest in trading ships at all?" Rockefeller faintly smiled and answered his question. "I won''t deny that trading ship investments can be a great way to make money here. The return on investment is quite high. However, trading ship investments are a sort of gamble. You could be wealthy in an instant, but on the other hand, you could also lose everything in a moment." A ship could be wrecked in the middle of its journey, or the captain could run away. Unlucky encounters with pirates were also possible. Various reasons could lead to a trading ship not returning with its cargo, which would result in a failed investment. "I, for one, prefer a surefire way to make money over such ambiguous gambling." Rockefeller emphasized his point by raising his index finger. "I would be willing to grow a profit that has even a 1% confirmed return. However, I do not favor risky ventures like trading ship investments." Rockefeller mentioned his previous statement to avoid any misunderstandings. "Well, it might be worth a try if I have a good intuition. But for some reason, my intuition is quiet here." He continued with a smile. Seeing his smile, Ricardo asked with slightly narrowed eyes. "You don''t seem to like gambling as much as I thought. I thought you would enjoy it since you supported the Second Prince." "The Second Prince''s case is an exception. It''s also a gamble, but I had a good feeling about it." "A good feeling..." It was a convenient excuse. The pretext of intuition. Rockefeller spoke to Ricardo, who seemed displeased. "Personally, I don''t really favor gambling. Of course, there may be times when gambling is necessary. If it''s an unavoidable gamble, I''ll give it a try, but if I can avoid it, why would I gamble?" "I agree with that." "I prefer certainty over gambling. I would rather lend money to those whoe to borrow from us, like earlier, and earn a stable interest ie." Rockefeller truly wanted to pursue a smaller but more certain profit. "If the loan business goes well, you can earn a substantial ie. It''s a much more stable business than trading ship investments. Even if we set the loan interest rate lower than the current 6%, people desperate for money will swarm in like bees. Then we can enjoy the profits." Ricardo expressed doubt about the profit difference between loan interest and trading ship investments. "Still... wouldn''t the profit from trading ship gambling be much greater than the profit from the interest rate difference?" As he spoke, Ricardo thought of something. If trading ship investments were worth considering, and their financial strength was not bad, wouldn''t it be possible to diversify investments to pursue high profits, as Rockefeller had mentioned? "Didn''t you say earlier that trading ship investments might be okay if you can reduce risk through diversification?" "That''s right. That''s an assumption, and it seems likely." "Then wouldn''t it be worth trying?" However, Rockefeller shook his head. "There may be some certainty, but it''s not absolute. I only thought about it, but I can''t be sure it will really happen. Who can guarantee that?" "That''s true. We can''t be sure. The ships we invest in could all return, or..." In the off chance. If such a thing existed, what he said could indeed be possible. "Or they might not return at all." "That''s right. If you''re lucky, all the ships you invest in could return. But they might not return at all. It depends entirely on luck." "You really don''t like gambling." At that, Rockefeller retorted. "Is there a need to like it? We can just focus on making surefire profits." Rockefeller exined further for a simple understanding. "Let''s assume an easy case. We set the loan interest rate at 5%, and the deposit interest rate at 1%. Then a fixed profit of 4% is generated. To put it more simply, if someone deposits 100 dnts and another person borrows those 100 dnts, we will earn a fixed profit of 4 dnts every month." "4 dnts... that''s smaller than I thought." At Ricardo''s remark, Rockefellerughed deeply. "That''s why we need to scale up. We won''t just be doing business with 100 dnts, right? If we increase the scale to 10,000 dnts, 4% of that, or 400 dnts, will be confirmed as our monthly ie." Ricardo chose to listen quietly to Rockefeller''s words. "If we further increase the scale and the amount of deposits and loans reaches 1 million dnts, we will earn a whopping 40,000 dnts per month just by putting up a store sign." "40,000 dnts... that''s definitely a lot." "That''s right. That''s why we need to scale up. Therger the scale, the better for us." Rockefeller began to speak again to give another example. "Now, let''s consider trading ship investments. I don''t know much about it, but I know that the investment cost for one trading ship is about a few thousand dnts. This varies depending on the size of the ship, so let''s assume an average of 2,000 dnts, with an investment period of 1 year. And let''s simply calcte the huge profits based on a 400% return excluding construction costs." Rockefeller, who had been speaking at length, took a short breath before continuing. "In this case, if we assume an investment of 2,000 dnts, the expected monthly profit is around 666 dnts. If you fully consider the risk of the ship not returning, the expected profit will be much lower. However, I won''t deny that it''s still a high-profit business. Honestly, there''s nothing else like it." "If only it seeds." "Yes, that''s right. If only it seeds. But there''s a stark difference between such a business and the loan business I''m running. Do you know what that is?" Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 118 (2) Chapter 118 (2) Ricardo could roughly guess what that was. Both could yield high profits, but they were definitely different in terms of risk. "Something that can never fail and... something that could fail. Is it something like that?" "Exactly. On one hand, as the scale grows, the risk seems rtively smaller, and it is possible to generate a more certain profit. On the other hand, the risk is so great that it is very difficult to expect a certain profit. The fluctuations are toorge." Rockefeller''s question continued. "If both can yield high profits, which one would you prefer?" "Well, I''d prefer the stable one." Only then did Rockefeller show a deep smile. "That''s why I''m not interested in direct trading ship investments. People who aim for a windfall will take care of that gamble anyway, and I just need to trade as safely as possible with those people." The point was the risk. Although trading ship investments were so hot that Ricardo was tempted to invest again, he had no choice but to side with Rockefeller when it came to stable profits. "I have a fickle mind. While I think Rockefeller''s view is right, I''m still somewhat attracted to the trade ship investment with its potential for a big payoff." Rockefeller still had a smiling face. "Do you like gambling?" Ricardo couldn''t answer the unexpected question. To Ricardo, Rockefeller began to speak about his own thoughts. "Oh, of course, I won''t just do loan business here. I am also a money-crazed guy, so I can''t be satisfied with just loan business." The biggest profit for a banker was the loan business. But Ricardo was curious about what other business he was nning to do since he said he wouldn''t just do that. "Are you preparing for something else?" "Yes, but it''s not a direct trading ship investment." "Then what are you preparing for?" "Isn''t trading ship investment quite hot here?" "Yes, it is." "Then, wouldn''t it be good to proceed with a business that matches it?" "I don''t know what business it is. I can''t grasp it." Rockefeller talked about what was happening here. "From the beginning, trading ship investments were not done alone by individuals because the investment amount was toorge." As Ricardo knew this content, he nodded and showed a convincing appearance. Rockefeller''s words continued. "At first, there was an unlimited liability, where an individual invested everything and took all the responsibility. However, this had a high risk, so limited liability was created. As the name suggests, investments are divided and the risks are shared." What kind of business was Rockefeller thinking about? Ricardo began to try to find the answer from his words. "But there is one problem here. You need to share the profits as much as you invested, so you need a way to indicate this. From here, securities indicating that right came out, and the investors will share them ording to their investment. When the ship returnster, you will need proof of how much you invested, right?" "That''s right." "But this security is a certificate of investment rights somewhere. When an investor withdraws his investment due to personal circumstances and tries to change it back to money, a problem arises. If the necessary investment funds are collected and some of the funds are withdrawn, there will be a problem in proceeding with the business, right?" "Of course, there will be a problem. The shipbuilding cost and the sry to be paid to the crew are already fixed." "So the empire allowed the securities to be sold to other investors instead of changing them into money. This way, the investment funds are preserved, and the ship can sail as nned, and the investors who need urgent money can sell the securities they had to others and collect money." Rockefeller asked. "Is this ce ck Label where such securities transactions are possible? Since it''s such a ce, I can think of an interesting business that I can''t do anywhere else." "What specific business are you talking about?" "Didn''t I say? The empire has allowed securities transactions between individuals. Then, where are those securities transactions usually done?" As far as Ricardo knew, there was no official ce to buy and sell securities. Most of them were in the form of passing them on to others through acquaintances. "Was there such a ce? I thought it just ended with personal transactions." "That''s right. There is no such ce yet. It''s just that when someone you know wants to buy it, you sell it to them. Or someone your acquaintance knows. It was like this." Rockefeller continued with a subtle smile. "So, people would think that securities transactions are quite cumbersome. Even if you want to quickly dispose of the securities you have, you have no idea where to find someone who wants to buy them. On the other hand, those who want to buy securities are also puzzled about where to buy them." Ricardo finally understood the business he was nning. "Are you thinking of opening a ce where securities transactions can be made easily?" "You finally guessed it. Yes, that''s right. What''s missing here is a stock exchange. The system itself is so inadequate that even though securities have emerged, the exchange has not yet been created. But as securities transactions be more and more active among people, the demand for a ce to trade themfortably will inevitably arise." Ricardo showed a convincing appearance without denying it. It was obvious that it would happen. "If there is such a demand, it would be reasonable for people like us to step up and solve it, right? And of course, we have to take a smallmission from the transactions that ur there. We''re not digging the ground to do business." The next words were most consistent with Rockefeller''s profit-making style. "Creating a stock exchange here in ck Label will not only make it easier for people to trade securities, but we can also benefit from themissions we charge for the transactions. It''s a win-win situation for everyone involved." "Furthermore, the risk is zero in this case." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 119 (1) Chapter 119 (1) 8/9 Bonus chapter thanks to @alckrn on Ko-fi! ck Label Union (6) "Zero risk... I see." Trading securities in the stock exchange was a form of gambling. No one could predict whether the securities someone sold would return with a fortune or not return at all, leading to a loss. Therefore, investors faced their own risks. However, there was no reason for the stock exchange, which facilitated the buying and selling of securities, to take on such risks. No matter the oue for the traders, the stock exchange only needed to collect their fees in the middle. Ricardo spoke up, considering this. "Although no one knows what will happen to the traded securitiester on, the stock exchange won''t go bankrupt as long as they collect their fees, especially if someone continues trading." A deep smile appeared on Rockefeller''s lips as he heard this. "Wait and see. How the securities trade will be in this ck Label. As long as the transactions are made easily, my stock exchange will be packed with people who like gambling." Do humans have a natural inclination to gamble? Ricardo narrowed his eyes, thinking about this. ''Is it really human nature to enjoy gambling?'' Do humans truly enjoy gambling? As these doubts grew stronger, Rockefeller stepped in to exin. "Do you doubt that people enjoy gambling?" "Yes... a little. I''m somewhat skeptical that people enjoy gambling so much." "Haha, actually, people don''t think of buying and selling securities in the stock exchange as gambling. There''s a more sophisticated term for it." With that, Rockefeller''s smile deepened. "It''s called ''investment.''" "Investment..." "I assure you. Ordinary people won''t think of trading securities in my stock exchange as gambling. They''ll consider it a kind of investment. And isn''t investment a good thing? It''s a nice word for someone who naively invests and gets scolded by their spouse." Rockefeller''s teasing words continued. "Ultimately, whether it''s gambling or investing, the losses and gains are the same. So, do you know what the fundamental difference is between the two?" "The difference?" "Yes, I''m asking if you know the difference between the two." "Well, the word ''investment'' does sound better. Other than that..." "Exactly. That''s where people get fooled. Investment is a very appealing term. It sounds professional, and it seems qualitatively different from gamblers in casinos." Rockefeller raised his index finger to emphasize his next point. "But their fundamental natures are ultimately the same. Just because it''s an investment doesn''t mean you won''t lose, and just because it''s gambling doesn''t mean you''ll lose every time. There are still winners." "So, in the end, they''re the same?" "Yes, that''s right. But people are captivated by the word ''investment'' and jump into the gambling scene themselves." Rockefeller confidently continued. "Who would think of the stock exchange I established as a casino?" "..." "Casino owners seem to be doing something bad, while the stock exchange I set up doesn''t have that image. But their natures are the same. After all, the thoughts of people whoe to either the casino or my stock exchange are all the same." "They''re thinking of making money." "Exactly. They''re all thinking of making money and not losing it." Ricardo couldn''t help but agree with the idea that people would be captivated by the word ''investment'' ande to the stock exchange set up by Rockefeller. Rockefeller asked Ricardo again, who remained silent. "Do you know who really makes money in a casino? Skilled gamblers? Or gamblers with extraordinary luck on that day?" Upon hearing Rockefeller''s sudden question, Ricardo didn''t have to think for long to figure out the answer. "It seems like it would be the casino owner." Rockefeller, still smiling, responded. "Correct. Among the gamblers in the casino, the number of people who make money is either extremely small or non-existent. That''s because they try to put in their own money and take others''. It''s like a zero-sum game. What I lose is what someone else wins, and what I win is what someone else loses." Rockefeller continued. "But the casino owner only needs to gather those gamblers andy out the table. Then, they''ll collect their cut from there. Eventually, as time goes by, people will realize that the one who makes money in that ce is the casino owner. But by then, it''s already toote." "Because they realized toote." "Exactly. What''s the point of realizing it when your pockets are empty? The casino owner''s pockets are already full by then." And thest point was the most crucial. "In the end, if you want to make money, you shouldn''t be a gambler, but rather someone like a casino owner." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 119 (2) Chapter 119 (2) ck Label Union #2(1) Warren, who was the captain of the Dragoon Pirate Crew and held the executive position in the ck Label Union, doubted his ears at the unexpected news. "What? What did you just say?" Once a notorious pirate captain, he had received a noble title from the royal family who couldn''t deal with him. He was now a peaceful ouw who guards the ck Label. The news he heard this time was simply mind-blowing. "The Lyon guild leader came here? And he dares to run a business on my territory?" The person bowing before him now was Joseph known as ''Turtle Ship'' among pirates, who used to be Warren''s right-hand man. "Yes, I heard he audaciously opened a shop in Hnt and is doing business. And because of that fearless guild leader, our side has been suffering a great amount of damage recently." "Is he out of his mind? Where does he think he is!" Warren, the representative of the Union, wore an expression of disbelief. "No, what sort of nerve does their guild leader have to mess around in someone else''s ce of business! Where has the courtesy toward others gone!" Joseph, standing by his side, continued. "He offers loans with lower interests than us, and also gives out deposit interests if they deposit their gold coins. So, all the bank operators in Ranstadt are in chaos. Customers who heard the rumor all came to take out their gold coins. There''s an uproar that just because of an audacious guy, we may have to close our business." Warren spoke with a scrunched-up face. "Even though the ie is problematic, I was nning to increase the loan interest this time, but what? He has lowered his loan interest too for his business?" "Yes. That''s what I heard. It''s hard to believe though." "But how can he have the guts to do that? If the loan interest is lowered, their ie would naturally decrease, right?" "That, that''s true." "Have you ever seen such a crazy fellow? In addition to doing business here, he''s even lowering the interest rate on loans, is he trying to kill us all? What is going on? Moreover, hepletely disregards who runs the union here. What a mess?" The union boss ms his fist onto the table next to him, splitting it in two. "Just because I''ve been the union boss, it doesn''t mean that my pirate blood has gone anywhere. To what audacity does this insane persones here to do business, especially in my territory!" Compared to the weak vendors who started the Lyon Guild, ck Label was stronger because of the pirates. Hence, their representative was a pirate captain who had a sixth sense for money. The man sporting a stylish moustache grumbled in a threatening tone, "I heard there was a change in leadership on their side." "Indeed, a very youngd, barely of age, is what the rumor is." "Got it. Being so young, he has yet to understand the world, behaving so brashly. He is willing to show up like this, without knowing who I am?" Warren stood abruptly, his voice booming, "Call the troops and prepare the weapons! We should annihte them entirely. How had they perceived me, Warren Dragon? Even the admiral of the Imperial Navy bowed his head in front of me! I cannot tolerate this humiliation! I need to imprint my existence in his mind." Stunned, Joseph jumped in, "Mr. Warren, that''s not advisable." "What! Why not?" "The guild leader has apparently hired a ton of soldiers in anticipation of this. Their guild members are also doing business here and didn''te alone, but brought something akin to mercenaries. If we act rashly, we may face a counterattack. We need to proceed in a calm manner." "Are you serious?" "Yes, why would I lie about such a thing here?" "You mean they came prepared?" "That... appears to be the case." "Ugh, my blood pressure..." Clutching the back of his neck, Warren Dragon sat down, massaging his pulsating head. "Those insignificant ones, do they think I''ve be a gentleman just because I''m not a pirate anymore? This blood of mine would still boil even if I went to the ocean." "Mr. Warren, please calm down. How about talking things out first?" "Talk? What talk! What can you possibly talk about with people who show up prepared to fight!" "But we still have the Ismail family, don''t we? And this is originally our territory. Shouldn''t we at least attempt to speak to them first?" "What? Do these people take us for fools? If it were like the old times, I wouldnt even be having these discussions." The past thoughts of running wild,wlessly, startled Joseph making him start to persuade Warren. "Mr. Warren, you must show patience. We''re no longer pirates looting seas, right? We''ve bend people now; shouldnt we maintain some decorum?" Decorum... Hearing this crap, the union leader could only smirk. Decorum, my foot . Those are only for times when the world is in our favor.'' Meanwhile, Joseph continued. "And isnt Mr. Warren a noble now? Having be not just and dweller but a noble, shouldn''t you at least try to handle this matter in a noble manner, unlike before? Didn''t you promise me you would bury your pirate temperament?" And so, remembering his promise to stay patient, the union leader, with his loyal followers, sought out Rockefeller, who was doing bold business in their domain. As the infamous former pirate and current union president made his presence known, their patrons bewilderingly ran for the door, leaving the shop empty. In this deserted ce, the union leader, with his harshly creased brow, addressed the fearless Rockefeller, "Are you the newly elected Lyon Guild leader?" There was no need to ask who this visitor was. Rockefeller himself knew well who the union president was. Just like the one in the novel. He was quite the infamous pirate in the past, wasn''t he?'' "Arent you Mr. Warren, the representative of the union? I''ve heard quite a lot about you." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 120 (1) Chapter 120 (1) 9/10 Bonus chapter thanks to @Soah from Ko-fi! ck Label Union #2(2) The young man with an innocent face was a guild leader, looking straight at Rockefeller with his head held high. The Union representative unleashed his ferocity from the past, without holding back, towards the young guild leader who seemed to have lost his fear. "You don''t seem to understand the current situation, do you?" Facing the Union representative, Rockefeller just showed a faint smile. "No, I fully understand why you came here, and I don''t not know why you''re angry with me." The Union representative began to tremble, thinking about his soldiers outside the store. "If you''re getting arrogant with those insignificant soldiers outside, it would be wise to change your bad thoughts quickly." "Is that so?" "That''s what I''m saying. In the past, I would have just grabbed the heads of people like you and crushed them with my bare hands. Then, I would have disyed the headless corpse in a reef area where ships pass by frequently, along with my symbolic g." His infamous title as the Pirate King was well-known within ck Label. However, even with those words, Rockefeller didn''t even blink and just continued to smile. "I see. I don''t know why someone like you, who used to do that, is now leading the Banco Union. You should have just continued what you were good at." "What? This brat is really something." Ignoring Warren, Rockefeller walked over to a nearby sofa and sat down. "Come and sit down. How long are you going to introduce yourself?" He was too arrogant. In front of the once-called nightmare of the sea, the Pirate King, the Union representative''s anger reached the top of his head, and he began to move to take care of Rockefeller himself. ''Does he think I''m a pushover because I''m onnd now? This young brat. I will show him what happens when he messes with the wrong person...'' But blocking the guild leader''s path was none other than Rockefeller''s assistant, Ricardo. "Who are you?" Facing Ricardo, who had somewhat arrogantly blocked his path, the Union representative growled in anger. Ricardo thought to himself. ''Before I met Rockefeller, I thought all Banco Union representatives were like this, spoiled brats. After all, it''s only natural for flies to swarm where there''s the smell of money.'' "Please have a seat across from me, and I will serve you some warm tea soon." Tea in this situation? To the Union representative, it was like a sound he couldn''t even hear. "What kind of tea! Do you think tea can pass through my throat right now?" Rockefeller, who didn''t even bother looking at the angry Union representative, lowered his head. ''You don''t recognize your master... Well, if youre wanting to die, I won''t be able to do anything.'' As expected? The Union representative, who had just been blocking his assistant''s path a moment ago, suddenly had his pupils dte. In his head, the voice echoing brought back memories of his previous nightmare. ''H-How...'' Ricardo spoke again to the Union representative. "Please have a seat. I will bring the tea shortly." The Union representative, trying his best not to show any emotions, cautiously followed Ricardo''s instructions and sat down facing Rockefeller. And he felt relieved inside. ''Sure enough, it''s Ismail. He''s been watching everything from nearby.'' Although he couldn''t tell where the whisper hade from, one thing was certain: Ismail was involved in this matter. ''Then I didn''t need toe all the way here and intervene, right? Ismail''s side will take care of everything anyway.'' As far as he knew, the ck Label Union was a great source of money for the Ismail family. Would the Ismail family really sit still when their source of money was in trouble? ''Of course not. Absolutely not.'' "Ahem! I apologize for causing amotion just now. Due to my background, I sometimes unknowingly show my old habits." Suddenly, the Union representative changed his attitude, and Rockefeller didn''t seem to care much about it. Rockefeller remained unfazed even as the Union representative suddenly changed his attitude. ''It was just a matter of cost. If it had been a real problem, I could have called Lee Han. Besides, what kind of problem could arise with the Ismail family watching from the sidelines?'' "As expected of a union representative, your actions aren''t all that low-ss. If you were like your old self, I wouldn''t have even bothered dealing with you at this table." Although it was somewhat provocative, the Union representative unexpectedly wore an ill-fitting smile. ''No need to worry about someone who''s going to die soon anyway. Might as well y along since I''m here.'' "I''ve been off the boat for so long. I can''t keep fooling around like a fool forever. So, your name is..." Rockefeller kindly informed the Union representative, who didn''t even know his own name, with a smiling face. "Rockefeller Rothsmedici." "Ah, it''s Lord Rockefeller. I heard some kid became the guild leader out of nowhere, so I didn''t bother remembering the name." The Union representative looked at Rockefeller with a grin, as if to ridicule him. ''This young brat has no fear.'' "You''ve reached such a high position at a young age. That''s truly impressive." Rockefeller replied with a smile. "What''s so remarkable about me? Someone like me is nothingpared to our Lord Warren, who spent his whole life smelling the stench of fish and engaging in piracy. You became the union representative thanks to the title bestowed upon you by the royal family when it seemed impossible to handle you. Youre much more remarkable, isn''t it?" "Ha ha ha..." Warren tried his best to not care andugh, but at this moment, his eyebrows fiercely twitched. ''This bastard has quite the art of talking. I wonder what he relies on to do that. At least I know he''s not normal.'' Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 120 (2) Chapter 120 (2) "Did you not know that this is our territory when you came here? You wouldn''t have done that if you were in your right mind." "No, on the contrary, I knew very well and set up my shop here. This is your territory, right?" This brat. "Ha ha, you''re either fearless or you''ve lost your mind." "Still, be grateful that we''re not doing business directly in Ranstadt. If we started there, your shops would have closed down." "What makes you say that with such confidence?" "Do I have to tell you for you to know?" Rockefeller began to speak with a smile. "Look around. See what''s happening to the Banco stores affiliated with the Union." Ah, my blood pressure. However, he had to keep a smiling face at all costs. The Union representative, who forced a smile, suddenly burst intoughter. "Ha ha ha ha ha!" The inexplicableughter didn''tst long. "Do you have two or three lives?" "I only have one life, but why do you ask as if I have two or three?" "No, think about it rationally." The Union representative, who sat leisurely on the sofa, raised his hand with a full expression of rxation and lightly swept the surroundings. "Do you know that all of this is ournd? We''re just the shell, and the real owner is elsewhere. Have you ever heard of Ismail?" It was so unbelievable. The Union representative shook his head as if it was unfortunate. "You''ll even piss your pants if you know. Anyway, that face. Do you know how long it''s going to stick around?" At that moment. Joseph, who had followed him, quietly whispered something into the Union representative''s ear. Upon hearing this, the Union representative, who had been shaking his head, suddenly lifted one corner of his mouth. "Ah, so that''s what it was. I was wondering what kind of guts you had toe here and do business." Rockefeller didn''t reply but decided to listen quietly to what he was saying. "Did you rely solely on the Sinir family ande here with such guts?" The Union representative''s words continued towards Rockefeller, who showed no reaction. "So that''s how it is. Honestly, I was curious about what kind of guts those guys had to do business here like madmen." He continued, shaking his head. "That Sinir. Ah, the Sinir family is quite impressive in its own right. Still, isn''t it a prestigious imperial family that stands shoulder to shoulder with the Tepez family? With such a family backing you, you might have lost their fear." He let out a sneer. "But do you know? Even if Ismail has be a toothless tiger, they should still have some ws left. You''ve underestimated them too much." Rockefeller maintained the same expression, sparing his words. "There''s no need to even mix words here anymore." Rockefeller was itching to say something to him, but he decided to watch until the end to see how he would act. The Union representative, who suddenly got up from his seat, quietly ced a silver coin with a sea serpent drawn on it on the table in front of him. "It''s the fare for the journey to the afterlife. You''ll be going there soon, and I have nothing else to give you. This seems just right." His followers, who had apanied him, began tough loudly. Giving the fare for the journey to the afterlife to someone about to die was a long-standing tradition among pirates. As their lowughter filled the store, Rockefeller was finally able to open his closed mouth. "Fare for the journey to the afterlife... It seems like you''ve given it too early. Are you just leaving? You have nothing more to say?" The Union representative, who had taken care of his fare and was striding out of the store, sent a thick smile to Rockefeller, who was still in his seat. "What''s the point of mixing words here when you''re about to die soon?" The corners of his mouth turned up, symbolizing his own victory. As the Union representative was about to leave like that. Rockefeller also got up from his seat and threw a gold coin at him. ''I guess he''ll go the same way as the previous guild master.'' Ismail had never dealt with things carelessly. If they hadn''t had their tacit approval in the first ce, he wouldn''t be here, or he wouldn''t have been able to do business at all. "Well, you should take mine too." The Union representative looked puzzled as he saw the gold coin that had hit his waist and rolled away. "What is this?" "What do you mean? It''s your fare. It seems like you''ll be sightseeing in the afterlife soon too. So I gave it to you first." Seemingly taken aback, The Union representative, who had beenughing alone, picked up his fare, unlike Rockefeller. "You''re young, but you have a big heart. Usually, it''s customary to throw just one silver coin. To throw a gold coin like this." "That''s the fare for the journey to the afterlife. It seems like touching it would bring terrible luck, are you really okay with that?" Regardless of what Rockefeller said. The Union representative, who had no intention of going to the afterlife in the first ce, was rather worried about Rockefeller''s safety. "I''ve survived through countless storms and encounters with naval warships so far. Why would I suddenly die? There''s someone else who''s going to die, after all." The Union representative, pointing at Rockefeller with the gold coin in his hand, let out a defiantugh. The yellow teeth and gold teeth between his lips were somewhat charming in their own way. "I''ll use this for a useful purpose, as my gratuity. Normally, I wouldn''t even bother looking at such small change, but if it''s a gold coin given by Guild Master Lyon, it''s different." Joseph chimed in, fueling his excitement. "Sir Warren! The taste of alcohol tonight will be amazing!" "Yeah, tonight''s alcohol taste will be amazing! Guild Master Lyon even took care of my gratuity!" "Hahaha!" He never expected them to take the fare he had given so openly. Rockefeller could only shake his head. ''Gold coins must indeed be nice. Seeing how he takes it with him like that, even if he''s going to the afterlife.'' Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 121 (1) Chapter 121 (1) ck Label Union #2(3) As the Union representative left, Rockefeller suddenly wondered about the Ismail family, who hadn''t shown up yet. ''By the way, it''s quiet for the Ismails who were supposed toe on their own.'' The Ismail family was different from other families; they were secretive and quiet. Even the members were not well known, and apart from the prince who was openly exposed as an Ismail descendant, there was almost no information about where and what they were doing. They were like ghosts. ''They must have made a decision by now.'' From the beginning, it seemed that the Ismails were involved in this matter without their knowledge. Otherwise, the Union representative, who was rumored to be a failure and a former pirate captain, couldn''t have been so confident and quietly left. ''They must have intervened in the middle. His attitude changed suddenly.'' Rockefeller, who had paused for a moment, spoke to Ricardo, who was keeping watch nearby. "Phew, the Union representative has a nasty side, huh? I had a rough idea since he was a pirate, but I didn''t know he was such a fool." As if nothing had happened. Ricardo calmly opened his mouth. "I''m d nothing major happened." "Anyway, there''s no news from the Ismails. Did you contact them properly?" There was almost no change in Ricardo''s expression at the question. "Their family is so quiet that it seems that way. I might have made a mistake, but I think it would be good to wait patiently." "If they didn''t like us doing business here in the first ce, they would have moved sooner" "I''m sorry I have nothing to say." "No, there''s no need to apologize." Rockefeller stood up from his seat and said again. "They''ll contact us on their own. So far, we''ve just been waiting patiently." As Rockefeller finished speaking and moved to attend to his work, Ricardo, who had been watching him, stood in his ce for a moment and then began to clear away the teacups in front of him. That night. Rockefeller, who had been dozing off in the store for a while, woke up due to a chilling sensation. The night air was quite chilly. He got up from his seat and went to the window, wondering if he had left it open, and found it wide open. ''I thought I closed it?'' At that moment. "Shh" Something cold touched his neck, and someone grabbed him from behind like a ghost. "" Who could it be? An assassin hired by the Union representative? Or them? Rockefeller swallowed nervously and asked hesitantly. "By any chance are you from the Ismail family?" There was no answer from the other party. Rockefeller remained standing, frozen, and soon realized that the metallic sensation tormenting his neck had disappeared. ''What?'' Startled, he touched his neck and found nothing there. He looked back in confusion, but no one was there. He was alone in the room. ''Was it an overreaction?'' No way. The metal feeling that had touched his neck earlier was real, and the eerie voice that reached his ears was also not a lie. They were all experiences he had gone through. ''They''vee. I wondered when they would show up.'' Finally feeling at ease, Rockefeller walked over and sat down in his usual chair. Then, in a much more rxed posture than before, he called out to someone in the room. "You''ve arrived. I was wondering when you''de from Ismail''s side." Unfazed and rather bold, the mysterious figure emerged. "..." After a brief silence, the enigmatic presence spoke up. "I''ve been watching quietly for a few days, and you really are extraordinary." The owner of the voice was, of course, not Ricardo. Was he called a thousand-faced person for no reason? ''But why does it sound like a woman?'' However, that didn''t mean he could be sure that the person who hade now was Ricardo. ''Changing voices freely is something everyone from Ismail does....'' "You sound like a woman just by your voice." The person who hade could have been Ricardo, or someone else from the family. But that wasn''t particrly important to Rockefeller. Ricardo''s will was the family''s will, and the will of the family was the will of the person who hade. ''Either way, it doesn''t matter whoes. The conversation will be the same.'' The previously closed window flew open, letting in the cold night air. As Rockefeller''s gaze turned toward the window, the mysterious voice continued. "Is that important?" "You''re right. It''s not important." Rockefeller quickly erased the fact that the other party was a woman from his mind. He couldn''t be sure if she was really a woman or just a man imitating a woman''s voice. "Ahem! I have a rough idea why you came." "Then the conversation will be quick." Rockefeller took the initiative. "Our position remains the same. I don''t know if you attended the guild meeting and heard what was said, but we intend to support the Second Prince regardless of the Sinir family." "..." "And as for the matter here, our power must grow in order for the Second Prince to receive strength. In many ways, it should be a good thing for those on Ismail''s side." "Will it really only be a good thing?" Rockefeller began to nod as if he understood. "Of course, we''re not ignorant of what the ck Label Union meant to you. It must have been a great source of money." "You know well." "Then this is how it should be. We will consume the it without any trouble. That way, the existing money source will remain valid. And our power, which is trying to push the Second Prince, will grow even stronger." "..." While waiting for the other party''s response, Rockefeller suddenly had a thought. ''Something doesn''t feel like Ricardo?'' If it''s not Ricardo, then who? Someone from the same family? ''It''s just a feeling, but... it might be someone else.'' Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 122 (1) Chapter 122 (1) 10/10 Bonus chapter thanks to @Boomjoni and others ck Label Union #2(4) ''What''s going on? How on earth...'' Rockefeller was momentarily flustered but soon regained hisposure. ''I can''t panic. The novel''s content is not wrong. What I know is everything.'' He was firm in that thought. ''Even if I don''t understand something right now, I shouldn''t panic and should only think ording to the facts I know. In that sense, it''s correct that Ricardo''s twin sister, the head of the Ismail family, died a long time ago.'' Then how should he view this situation? Rockefeller thought only of the facts given in the novel. ''He has a thousand faces, so he must be very free to cross-dress or dress as a man. So, if he appeared separately, it would be correct to see him as the same person. But...'' The problem was that both Ricardo and his sister were present at the same time. ''What on earth is the case when they''re together? Surely one of them must be Ricardo?'' Rockefeller had no doubt that the person he took as his assistant was the head of the Ismail family. He was exactly as described in the novel, and the events that had happened so far could only be exined if he was the head. ''But even if he wasn''t the head, if he was from the Ismail side, it would still exin everything.'' "Come in for now. I came looking for you because I have something urgent to say." Then Ricardo spoke to his sister, who had brought him. "Wait outside. It''ll be over soon." "Okay, then I''ll wait outside." Rockefeller, who had been quietly listening to their conversation, stepped forward. "You don''t have to do that." At his words, Ricardo reacted. "Is it really okay? It seems that Mr. Rockefeller would be somewhat ufortable..." "I''m fine. It''ste at night, and it would be rude to have thedy wait outside." "There are soldiers outside the store, so it''s safe." "Still, she''s your lovely sister. I can''t treat her like that. It''s not a big deal, so please wait here for a moment." At Rockefeller''s kindness, Ricardo''s sister spoke. "Then I''ll wait here." With Ricardo''s sister left on the first floor, the two of them headed straight to the second floor. A momentter. Rockefeller, who had settled separately, temporarily put aside his doubts about them and began to talk about his meeting with Ismail earlier. "I met with Ismail earlier. They* suddenly came looking for me." [T/N: Since that persons gender was not rified expect for a womans voice Ill be using they] "You met with Ismail?" While speaking, Rockefeller checked his reaction just in case. He didn''t think his inner thoughts would be revealed here since he was good at managing his expressions, but he still wanted to check just in case. ''But looking at his reaction, it doesn''t seem like he''s too worried... Then is the person I met earlier really from the Ismail side?'' "Yes, but there wasn''t much talk there. They just said that they would watch from the side to see how things go with Sinir. That was all the conversation, and there was no other talk." At that, Ricardo showed a rather dull reaction. "I see." Rockefeller, who seemed to have found him for a rather trivial reason, opened his mouth again to quell the situation. "But I was a bit confused about whether the person who came was Ismail. So, I came to talk about itte at night." "Oh, I see. No wonder... But I''ve already talked to several ces, so if someone came, they must be from Ismail." "Is that so?" "I can''t be sure, but probably?" "Well, if you say so. After all, there''s no one else toe looking for us." "Do you know how they approached you?" "How did they approach me? Honestly, I only heard their voice. I didn''t see who they were." "Then it''s not Sinir''s way. And it''s not Tepez''s way either." "That''s true. I''ve heard that such a method is always Ismail''s way." "Then wouldn''t it be the people from Ismail''s side? I don''t think anyone else would approach like that. At least, Sinir and Tepez are ces that insist on their own ways." "Then I guess that''s the right way to see it." Through the conversation just now, Rockefeller was able to somewhat confirm the identity of the person he had met earlier. "Besides, it seems like I made a fuss over nothing. It wasn''t that big of a deal when I think about it." "No, depending on the situation, it''s a matter of life and death, so I can fully understand your sensitive reaction." Taking advantage of the situation. Having met like this, Rockefeller decided to ask about the sister he had brought. ''I just met someone from Ismail''s side. So, who is that girl? She can''t really be his sister.'' "By the way, I just found out that you have a twin sister. Why didn''t you tell me? She''s such a beautiful woman." Ricardo replied with a dry expression. "I didn''t mention my sister. I have only one sister." "She''s quite a beauty. I was surprised when I saw her earlier." "Are you interested?" Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 122 (2) Chapter 122 (2) Worried about any misunderstandings, Rockefeller shook his head immediately. "No, it''s not that I''m interested, but... how should I put it... you two look so much alike." As he spoke, Rockefeller carefully observed Ricardo''s expression. However, there seemed to be little to gain from his dry expression. "It''s because we''re twins." "But do you usually live together with your sister?" "No, we usually live apart. This time, she came to see me because she wanted to see the sea." "Is that so?" This time, Ricardo asked with a smile. Ricardoughed and asked, "You seem to be unusually interested in my clueless younger sister. I thought you weren''t interested in women like others." "No, it''s not like that. I''m just curious." "What about working with my sister? If you really like her, that is." "What? All of a sudden? What..." "As I said, my sister can''t just y around all the time, she needs a job. From my perspective as her older brother, it seems better for her to work as a secretary here rather than in a more troublesome ce." Rockefeller spoke seriously to Ricardo, "I think you''ve misunderstood something. I wasn''t particrly interested in your sister." "I wasn''t serious either. I was just asking if you could try my sister as a secretary if you have the time." Ricardo continued, "Wouldn''t a female secretary who acts more efficiently than me be better? And you''ll need someone to help you when I''m not around." What was his intention? Rockefeller''s mind began to race. ''Is he trying to nt someone else beside me because he wants to focus on other matters as the head of the family? Is that why he''s keeping his sister''s true identity a secret?'' The most annoying thing was that he couldn''t determine the true identity of Ricardo''s sister. ''What on earth is her true identity?'' "Hmm... I''ve been short on helptely. It''s not because your sister is beautiful or anything. It''s just that I need more hands." Getting closer to her would be the best strategy to find out her identity. ''If she''s from the Ismail family, it wouldn''t be bad to have her by my side to protect me.'' "But does your sister know anything about our business?" Ricardo replied with a smile, "Since I''ve been working in this field, my sister has naturally taken an interest in it. She''s not an expert, but she knows enough to be useful right away." "Is that so? Then I guess we''ll have to interview her. I don''t know if it''s rude at thiste hour." "It won''t be rude. As her older brother, I''ve always been worried about her doing nothing all day. If it''s not a problem, I''ll go downstairs and bring her up." When Rockefeller agreed, Ricardo went downstairs and brought his sister. "Is it true that you''re looking for a secretary?" Rockefeller alternately looked at Ricardo and his sister, carefully examining their builds. ''Their body shapes are quite simr. Ricardo was said to have a small frame for a man.'' Ricardo, the head of the Ismail family, was different from ordinary men. He had a small stature, a slender figure, and a delicate appearance, making him look like a beautiful young man. In another way, he could perfectly disguise himself as a woman. ''If he wore a chest pad made of slime powder and put on makeup... It''s no wonder he''s known as the man with a thousand faces...'' "I heard you were looking for a job." While speaking, Rockefeller looked at Ricardo''s sister again. She was taller than other women, had an appropriate chest size, and had hair and eyes that were identical to Ricardo''s, as they were twins. If she were to dress as a man, it wouldn''t be too difficult to transform into someone like Ricardo. ''Since she''s a tall woman, it wouldn''t be too much of a stretch for her to dress as a man. After all, the people of Ismail disguise themselves as others as naturally as eating.'' "Let me ask you simply. How much do you know about our business?" At Rockefeller''s question, Ricardo''s sister seemed momentarily flustered. She was undoubtedly a woman. "Your business? I don''t know much about it..." At that moment, Ricardo gave her a hint, and she closed her eyes tightly and said, "I don''t know much, but I''ll do my best!" Rockefeller frowned, unsatisfied. ''If she''s from the Ismail family, that must be an act too.'' "What you said ispletely different from what I expected. But I was hoping you knew a little more." Ricardo reacted to his words, "You may not see it now, but she will definitely impress you if you give her a chance." "Really?" "She learns quickly, just like me. So you don''t have to worry too much." "Hmm... It''s not that I''m particrly impressed, but I am short on help. She can start working here tomorrow." At that, her expression brightened, and she sped her hands together. "Really?" "Yes, you can starting in tomorrow." As Rockefeller watched her reaction, he suddenly had a thought. ''Now that I think about it, it was Ricardo who revealed that his sister had died. Maybe Ricardo might have been lying in the novel. After all, the novel didn''t go into much detail about Ricardo''s family.'' Who lived and who died at that time wasn''t very important to Rockefeller. Whoever lived there, Ismail''s intent to spare him had been already confirmed. Speaking of which, in Ismail''s world, it is said that to impersonate someone, you even need to tailor your thoughts to the person being impersonated. They say you must go to such lengths to never get caught. Rockefeller''s gaze turned to the two siblings standing in front of him. One certain thing was that one of them was a fabricated fake. ''And the other is the real Ismail family head, just as I thought.'' Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 123 (1) Chapter 123 (1) ck Label Union #3(1) Since Lyon Guild Master dered an all-out war against the ck Label Union and opened his own shop in the ck Label area, a month has already passed. In the meantime, Lyon''s guild members who followed him to the ck Label area began to open their own Banco shops in the Hnt region, gradually threatening the existing Banco businesses. The Banco merchants of Ranstadt, who once relied on the union representative, a former infamous pirate, couldn''t just stand by and watch Lyon''s influence spread like cancer. Eventually, they banded together and sought the union representative. "No, Warren. What is this? Weren''t you supposed to chase them out right away?" "Yeah, didn''t you promise that in front of us?" "Those cancerous bastards are taking all our customers!" "Don''t we need toe up with extraordinary countermeasures?" "Then at least let us adjust the interest rates as we please! If this continues, all our existing customers will be taken away! We have to survive too!" Watching the union-affiliated Banco merchants swarm in, Warren Dragoon, the union representative, felt a headacheing on. ''No, why is Ismail still letting those guys go? What are they waiting for?'' Even as the union-affiliated Banco merchants cried for help, the only thing the union representative cared about was Ismail''s hidden intentions. "Now, now, calm down." The union representative tried to calm the union-affiliated Banco merchants, but they didn''t seem to want to back down easily. "Come up with countermeasures right away! Aren''t you our representative?" "No, if there''s no way to chase them away, then use your strength, Warren!" "Where did your past of being a pirate go?!" At that, the fed-up union representative stood up and drew the massive pirate sword from his waist. "Look at you all!" The union-affiliated Banco merchants, who seemed ready to pounce on the union representative, quickly backed off. "Don''t treat me like a fool! You all should know your limits. I''m stressed enough because of those guys." After showing his temper once, the union representative sat back down with a rough snort. One of the Banco merchants stepped forward to speak. "If there''s no immediate solution, then at least let us adjust the interest rates ourselves." The union representative shot him a sharp look, as if his request was preposterous. ''What nonsense is he talking about? Why touch the interest rates? That''s our source of ie.'' The look seemed to say, ''Dare to say it again.'' How could he not understand the union representative''s displeasure? However, it was a matter of life and death for him. "Since we can''t adjust the interest rates ording to the market situation due to being tied to the union, we''ll lose all our existing customers to Lyon''s forces in Hnt." The union representative scoffed and asked without listening to his request. "If you''re going to adjust the interest rates on your own, why are you in the union? Just go and do business by yourself." "We can''t do business without being in the union in the first ce! What are you talking about?!" "So, is this aint now?" He exined his situation. "No, Warren. It''s not aint, but we need to find a way to survive. If this continues, we''ll really starve to death!" A few Banco merchants agreed and began to speak up. "He''s right! There''s nothing wrong with what he''s saying! Please do something about the interest rates right away. Nine out of ten customers leaving are all because of the interest rates!" "And it''s not just that! They don''t even charge a gold coin storage fee. Who would continue to entrust their gold coins to us when they don''t charge a storage fee and even give deposit interest?" He continued. "It''s a losing game from the start. If we want to fight against them, we have to follow their methods at the very least, right?" The union representative scoffed and looked at them. "Heh, you guys are really crazy. What, lower the interest rates? And not charge gold coin storage fees? Haha... What madness." The union representative stood up and pointed at everyone with a finger. "With such foolish thoughts, you''re still talking about dying there! Following their methods means we''ll be throwing away our own predetermined profits. Why are your thoughts so short-sighted?" The union representative continued. "As you know, lowering the interest rates will obviously be a loss for us. And giving up on the gold coin storage fee business we''ve been doing for a long time means we''re throwing away that profit too. How can we do such foolish things?" One of the Banco merchants stepped forward to refute. "So, what''s the result now? They''re taking away all our existing customers. If we leave things like this, all Banco merchants doing business in Ranstadt will only see losses!" "That''s right! We''re only seeing losses right now!" "Come up with countermeasures! Aren''t you our representative?" The union representative spoke to calm the shouting merchants. "Heh, just wait and see." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 123 (2) Chapter 123 (2) The union representative, frustrated, scratched the back of his head and let out an irritated voice. "Anyway, this situation is not under my jurisdiction but the Ismail family''s. So, I''m not in a position to do anything about it." "Then what the hell is the Ismail family doing! We''re starving to death here! What have they done so far!" "Ah, well! They must have their reasons for staying quiet, right?" "What kind of cold-hearted reason! We''re dying of hunger here!" A few other merchants, agreeing with the angry merchant, raised their voices in anger. "What''s the point if we all die and they start moving then!" "How long do you n to trust the Ismail family! They don''t even seem to have any intention of moving!" "It''s been a month already! If the Ismail family had acted, that shameless Lyon guild leader should have been kicked out long ago!" "Isn''t this the Ismail family giving up? They seem to be just letting it go." "No way." Then, one merchant spoke of a rumor he had heard. "There''s a rumor going around that Lyon''s guild is trying to win over the second prince this time. If that''s true, isn''t it somewhat usible that the Ismail family is turning a blind eye to the situation?" "I''ve heard that too. There was such a rumor." "I''ve heard it too. I mean, backing not the first prince, and not even the third prince they were originally backing, but the second prince? What kind of crazy talk is that?" The union representative had also heard of the rumor. "Who the hell would believe that crazy talk? I''ve heard it too, but what kind of idiots are the Sinir family to just leave those guys alone." "But what if it''s true? What do you n to do then?" "You people. There''s no way that''s true..." The union representative''s expression showed that he wasn''tpletely free from worry. ''Damn it. I''ve heard that rumor too.'' He had tried to ignore the absurd rumor. But if it was true, theck of action from the Ismail family so far would make some sense. ''But even so, we''re their source of money, and they''re just standing by?'' "We''re the Ismail family''s cash cow. No one can deny that fact. But would the Ismail family cut off their own cash flow?" One merchant, who seemed to find that statement pitiful, refuted it. "Then they must have found a new cash cow! Are we the only cash cow? If Lyon''s guild is supporting the second prince, it means they''re trying to get on the Ismail family''s side instead of the Sinir''s! Then it would exin why the Ismail family has been quiet so far!" The union representative''s face darkened, unable to argue. ''Is this... really the case?'' But he still seemed reluctant to believe it. ''Still, we were their original cash cow. Would they abandon us and collude with a new cash cow? Especially with those they can''t trust because they''ve been siding with the Sinir family for so long? That''s strange too.'' At that moment, his subordinate Joseph, who had been quietly observing the situation, approached him and whispered in his ear. "Sir Warren, in my opinion, there''s a possibility that the Ismail family is watching a dogfight between the two dogs they''ve raised, waiting to see whoes out on top." "A dogfight? But we''re the dog they raised. How can they just watch us fight with another dog?" "Who knows? Maybe they''re nning to tame the winning dog again." "What about the other dog''s owner?" "If the dog has run away from home, why would they care? They''d just consider it lost." "What?" "Think about it. If a runaway dog gets into a fight with another dog, would they care?" "Still, it''s a dog they''ve cherished and raised, and they just leave it alone? And even if they take it to the hunting ground, it''s still a good worker." "Well, maybe the owner thinks the dog bit them and ran away." "You have a big mouth. Who told you to babble like that?" "If I''ve overstepped my boundaries... I apologize. I just wanted to offer some advice to Sir Warren." "Then talk about dogs? Shut up and go away. Don''t scratch my nerves with your nonsense." "Yes..." As his subordinate left, the union representative looked at the frustrated merchants who hade to him, yelling. ''Everyone is so anxious because they can''t do anything. There hasn''t been a quiet day since those guys came.'' Before bing the union representative, he was the captain of a notorious pirate ship that roamed the seas. A world where betrayal and backstabbing weremonce. He had survived through numerous hardships in that world, and his instincts were telling him something. ''I seem to have be too ustomed to a peaceful life onnd. If I were still roaming the seas, I would have smelled thising.'' "Well... it might not be certain." As he sighed, everyone quieted down and waited for his next words. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 124 (1) Chapter 124 (1) ck Label Union #3(2) "By any chance. If Ismail doesn''t step forward and just watches, we shouldn''t be treated like this. We''re not some fools. We can''t just stand by and watch those bastards doing business openly on our turf." The Union representative, who had been rxed about the Lyon Guild, seemed to change his mind as the visiting loan sharks informed him of the current situation. "In Hnt, they''re openly increasing their number of soldiers. It seems they''ve predicted how you will react." "Physically driving them out would be difficult, considering the surrounding circumstances. There''s a high chance that the Chancellor would say something." "Rumors say that the Guildmaster frequently meets with Chancellor Austin. It''s pretty obvious what they would be talking about." As the Chancellor''s name came up, the Union representative''s expression darkened. ''I don''t really want to get involved with the Chancellor.'' Due to his past as a pirate, his rtionship with the Chancellor wasn''t particrly good. Would it be appropriate to describe their rtionship as that of a dog and a monkey? ''Although we have some agreements and keep a distance, if something goes wrong, he''ll definitely side with them. Austin is that kind of person.'' "I''ve heard such stories. I don''t really want to get involved with the Chancellor." The loan sharks, who knew about the rtionship between the Union representative and the Chancellor, looked slightly upset. "That''s why we''re more worried. Union representative isn''t particrly close with Chancellor Austin, is he?" "If Chancellor Austin gets involved in this matter, it''s obvious which side he''ll take. He''ll definitely support the Lyon guild over us." Everyone nodded in agreement. However, the Union representative shook his head, denying it. "If Austin had any sense, he wouldn''t openly support their side. Who am I? With just one word from me, the entire sea in front of us could turn into a sea of blood! Do you think the Chancellor wants that?" It was because of him, the infamous pirate captain, that ck Label could develop into the empire''s top trading port. He had stopped his looting and plundering activities and switched to extorting taxes from ships entering the harbor under the guise of protection fees. "If I''m not here, no ship can safely dock at this harbor. What kind of guts does the Chancellor have to show me such hostility? If he had any sense, he''d be looking out for my mood. If he doesn''t want to see the old days return." The Union representative''s words made sense, and some of the loan sharks agreed. "That''s true." "At least in ck Label, the influence of Warren is so strong that the Chancellor probably can''t do much." "If the Chancellor also has to watch out for Warren, he might at least maintain neutrality. They''re not on good terms anyway, right?" The Union representative, who had been frowning in thought, suddenly had a whimsical idea. ''It''s annoying, but should I just take the guys and sweep them all away? It seems like we could just push them out if we really put our minds to it.'' His contemtion on this was short-lived. "How about taking this opportunity to sweep them all away?" The suggestion split everyone in half. Some agreed that if they could drive them out by force, they should, but they also had to consider the consequences if their n failed. "No, that approach is..." "I''m in favor. It''s not a bad idea to hire soldiers and push them all out at once, rather than letting our businesses be taken away like this." "But if they hire more soldiers and attack us, what will we do then? If we attack first, we''re giving them justification as well." "Even if the chancellor remains passive, it will be a situation where we fight among ourselves. Eventually, the city will be chaotic, and the chancellor will have no choice but to intervene. Then, a few troublemakers will be caught and jailed as an example, and I don''t particrly want to be among them." "Isn''t there any other way?" The Union representative could only sigh at their weakness. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. You''re all so weak. How can you protect your own interests like this?" His scolding silenced the visiting moneylenders. "What will you gain by acting like this? It''s pathetic." One of the moneylenders then expressed his concern. "Even so, for us to directly hire mercenaries and start a fight... That seems a bit excessive. Maybe if it were outside the city, but fighting openly in the city would greatly irritate the chancellor. It''s even doubtful whether he would condone such an act." "So what will you do? Those bastards are openly doing business in our establishments, and you''re just going to stand idly by and watch?" "Why don''t we go to Ismail and seek a definitive answer? After all, it was Ismail that Warren believed in, right?" At this suggestion, the Union representative stroked his chin with an unenthusiastic expression. He had no way of meeting with the Ismail family unless they themselves came due to a major incident in the past. "If it''s not directly from Ismail, there''s no other way to meet them. Besides, it''s not like Ismail wouldn''t know about the situation here." "Do you n to keep waiting like this?" "Sigh, stop pestering me and making my head hurt." The Union representative scolded them. "If you have a better idea, why don''t you speak up? Why do you always bother me?" At the request for a good idea, One of them, who had been silent, suddenly began to speak. "Lord Warren, how about this?" All eyes turned to him. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 124 (2) Chapter 124 (2) "Isn''t it true that the calm seas here are all thanks to you, Lord Warren? Then use that to pressure Chancellor Austin. If he doesn''t want to see the old situation return, he should drive out those who are overstepping their bounds and doing business here. Would the chancellor risk not driving out the guild''s influence?" Everyone seemed to have the same thought upon hearing this. "That''s a great idea." "Isn''t the chancellor also keeping an eye on Lord Warren because of the calm seas?" "We''re not some gangsters, after all. That approach might be better." The Union representative was also somewhat positive. ''Not bad. The chancellor here can''tpletely ignore my opinion. It seems like a better approach.'' "That''s a good suggestion." As the atmosphere improved, Joseph, who had been watching from the side, approached the Union representative and whispered. "Lord Warren, I agree. It''s a great idea." ''What a useless subordinate.'' Warren frowned and said, "Why are you bothering me? Go to the side and be quiet. Don''te near me and scratch my nerves." "Yes..." "No, wait. I''m going to see the chancellor soon, so go prepare the carriage." "Yes! I''ll prepare the carriage right away." After sending Joseph away, the Union representative stood up and spoke to the visiting moneylenders. "I''m going to meet with the chancellor right away. Please wait at ease. I''ll bring back good news soon." At this, the faces of the Union-affiliated moneylenders brightened. A short whileter, Union representative Warren Dragoon rode his splendid carriage to the ck Castle, where the de facto ruler of ck Label, Chancellor Austin, resided. The ck Castle was a fortress-like castle built on a cliff by the sea, a ce with a deep history, as his pirate fleet once bombarded it relentlessly in an attempt to take control. ''Back then, who would have thought that I would ride a carriage here peacefully? It was a fight to the death between you and me.'' Without any hindrance, the Union representative entered the castle and went straight to meet with Chancellor Austin. Since they were not on good terms, the chancellor''s reception was rather cold. Without a word of wee, the chancellor was moving model ships on a map spread out on a wide table. "Ahem!" The Union representative loudly cleared his throat as if to announce his presence. Only then did the chancellor turn and nce at him. "Why are you here when we agreed to pretend not to know each other?" The Union representative naturally frowned at the sharp remark. "Do you think I came here because I wanted to? I have things to discuss." As he approached, the chancellor pushed away some model pirate ships that had increased since theirst meeting. "These damn pirates. No matter how much I get rid of them, they never disappear. I don''t know where they keeping from. I should catch them all and throw them to the kraken." The Union representative''s expression darkened at the unfavorable remark. "Did you say that for me to hear?" "It''s for you to hear. But pirates? Why are you so upset when it''s not even about you?" The chancellor smirked, making the Union representative want to punch him, but he held back and forced a smile. ''I have to endure. I''m now a respectablendlubber.'' "What pirate am I? I quit that a long time ago. Now I''m a Union representative. A nobleman of the Empire, in a way." It was as if the chancellor didn''t hear him at all. "Ah, the former pirate hase a long way. So, why did youe here? A mere nobleman visiting me rudely without making an appointment must have urgent business, right? Though I bet it''s a trivial matter." The chancellor started organizing the documents piled near his desk, indirectly showing that he was a busy man. Ignoring the chancellor''s indifference, the Union representative bluntly said, "I heard some riffraff appeared here." "Riffraff? What riffraff are you talking about?" Pretending not to know. "You know, the guild guys. They have no manners. They dare to do business here, knowing whose ce this is." While the Union representative was fuming, the chancellor remained calm. "What manners? In this era of infinitepetition, even businesses canpete with each other." As the Union representative mmed a stack of documents with his palm, he narrowed his eyes. "What are you doing!" "Competition? That''s for others! This is our business! Peoplee here to do business in our ce, and you, the chancellor, just stand there! We need to drive them out right away!" The chancellor frowned and replied. "Is that my business? As long as I get my taxes, I don''t care who does business here." "Are you really saying that now?" How could the chancellor not know his past? But unlike the past, he was now just a retired pirate who had adapted to life onnd. "Anyway, I have no intention of getting involved in your affairs. If you have a problem, deal with it yourself, and if you keep causing trouble here, I''ll take action in my own way." "Ha ha...." The Union representative grinned, revealing his yellow teeth. "Just because I''ve been quiet like an idiot doesn''t mean that the blood from the past has gone somewhere. Are you saying that I''ll let this slide?" "Are you threatening me now?" Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 125 (1) Chapter 125 (1) ck Label Union #3(3) Sparks flew from the eyes of the Union representative. He looked ready to devour the Chancellor on the spot. "Threat? When have you seen someone like me make threats? Threats are for useless people, and I don''t bother with such things! You better remember this. This is a warning. A warning!" He was defiant. The Chancellor, too, red fiercely at the Union representative, refusing to back down. "You! Where do you think you are! Who are you to dare warn me! I am the Chancellor here! You are merely the head of the Bank Union! Know your ce!" The Union representative raised his voice again. "If I decide to! This ce will return to how it was before! Do you know what you''re talking about!" "No! We agreed to change, and now you want to go back to the past? Are you out of your mind!" The time they were referring to was a nightmare-like past for the Chancellor. The atrocities of the Dragon Pirates were beyond imagination. Of course, the Union representative, who had grown ustomed to life onnd, did not have fond memories of that time either. "I''m not incapable! If you keep this up, I won''t stand idly by!" "Sigh..." The Chancellor grimaced at the sound of the Union representative''s threats. ''Damn pirates. They''ve be so brazen because I''ve been catering to their whims all this time. They''ve lost their minds and are trying to climb over my head.'' At that moment, the naval soldiers, who had heard themotion, rushed into the Chancellor''s office. As the soldiers who came tried to arrest the Union representative, the Chancellor stopped them with his hand and spoke. "It seems you don''t quite understand the situation. I''m not the same person you used to chase around when we were young. A lot has changed since you crawled ontond." "What?" The Union representative had a massive physique and was quite strong. Pushing the naval soldiers away with his strength, he raised his voice again. "We really need to go back to the past toe to our senses!" The Chancellor shook his head at the Union representative''s futile disy. He wondered if the pirate had be too ustomed to the smell ofnd, or if he had been the leader of the Banking Alliance for too long, that he waspletely unaware of the changed maritime situation. "It''s frustrating. Look out there." The Chancellor moved to a window with a clear view of the sea. "If you have eyes, look closely at the sea." Beyond the window, countless warships floated on the blue sea. It was the empire''s fleet, which had grown silently over time to ensure safe maritime trade. "Do you see my warships? They''ve grown quite a bitpared to before." The Chancellor grinned confidently. "While you were getting used to life onnd and ying money games with the bankers, my warships were growing in size every day." The Union representative had lost interest in the sea while he was sorting out his pirate life. He was too bothered by matters onnd to even care about maritime affairs. Therefore, he had no idea how much the navy had grown. ''What? When did it get so big?'' If he only thought about the past, the current navy warships had grown several times in size. ''It used to be simr, but now...'' All of his previous confrontations with the Chancellor had been based on his past self. If he had seen the empire''s fleet floating on the sea like this, he wouldn''t have dared to speak like that. "..." Towards the silent Union representative. The Chancellor, sensing victory, sneered and continued his words. "With that fleet floating out there, do you think I''ll even blink an eye if you go back to the sea?" The Chancellor clicked his tongue as if it was ridiculous. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. Don''t even think about it. If you really want to be fish food, I won''t stop you. However, since you broke the agreement first, you won''t be able to set foot on thisnd again. Of course, the same goes for your subordinates who followed you ontond. If you don''t like it, just live quietly onnd as agreed." Although he wanted to say something. He had no confidence in defeating the empire''s fleet floating on the sea. The Union representative could only grit his teeth in response. ''While I was away, things have really gotten out of hand. Damn it, if I knew this would happen, I would have just stayed at sea.'' Meanwhile, the Chancellor walked to the door to see the Union representative off, opening it for him personally. With the Chancellor''s gaze fixed on him, the Union representative''s mind became moreplicated than ever. ''This is aplete loss.'' It seemed difficult to intimidate the Chancellor and drive the Guild forces out. ''Damn it.'' "This time, I''ll let you go. But don''t ever think it''ll happen again." At those absurd words, the Chancellor only snorted. "Hmph, don''t even think about it. And I''m the Chancellor here. You''re not the kind of person who can just barge in without an appointment." The Union representative, who wasn''t listening, dered as if to notify him. "Let''s meet again next time." "I''d rather not see you again." With the situation resolved and the Union representative gone, silence returned to the Chancellor''s office. The Chancellor then began to speak to another hidden guest. "They arrived just as I feared. I didn''t expect them toe so rudely." A voice came from the room connected to the office. "Well, their methods are obvious. It''s easy to predict." Towards the guestsing from the next room, the Chancellor continued nonchntly. "I''m d there was a ce to hide. Although it wouldn''t have been a big problem if you hadn''t." The person who came out of the room was none other than Rockefeller and his secretary, Ellis. "Even so, if we had met in a ce like this, it wouldn''t have been a pleasant conversation. It would have caused more trouble." The Chancellor nodded as if he agreed. ''He really loves money.'' Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 125 (2) Chapter 125 (2) "Knowing thatdy was here, he would have made a scene even if it was enough. He''s that kind of person." The Chancellor looked at the secretary standing next to Rockefeller with a sultry gaze. She was quite a beauty. The young Rockefeller, who had her as his secretary, was enviable. "Given the background of the Union representative, I understandpletely." Rockefeller always had a rxed smile on his face, like any other aristocrat, and the Chancellor was able to engage in conversation more leisurely than before. "To be honest, from my point of view." The Chancellor began to speak again, continuing the conversation he had cut off earlier. "I''d rather have someone like you, who knows some manners, take care of this area than that rude guy." The Chancellor was not unaware of the rumors about the young guild master. He had heard that the young man was not from the Lyon family but the eldest son of amoner family, and that he was very skilled in business, gaining the trust of the guild members and being elected as the new guild master. However, a few things bothered him: the young man''s age and hismoner background. ''He''s not as pleasant, but he''s still much better than that rude guy.'' "What would those ignorant pirates know? If they don''t like it, they juste and make a mess." The unppable Rockefeller agreed with him. "You''re right. In that sense, it would be best for you, Chancellor, to maintain a good rtionship with us. We''re not as rude as them." The Chancellor looked at the smiling Rockefeller. He was an unmistakable cunning snake, despite his young age. Even though he looked like that, he was as dark as any other moneylender. "Well, to be honest, I can''t decide on this matter here. Especially when ites to moneylending, I can''t do anything." Rockefeller roughly grasped what he was trying to say. "I''m aware of the Ismail family situation." "You really came here without any fear, knowing that." The Chancellor then thought: Is it because he''s young and fearless? Or is it because he doesn''t know the ways of the world? But that thought soon disappeared. "The fact that we continue to do business here safely is already their permission." The Chancellor narrowed his eyes for a moment and thought about the young Rockefeller. ''He''s not a guild master at a young age for nothing, is he?'' The Chancellor, who had been silent for a moment, opened his mouth again. "If the Ismails implicitly approve, then it will eventually be a battle between the existing moneylenders and you neers. Hmm..." He narrowed his eyes and imagined the ensuing events. "A fight between the Union and the Guild... It''s something that was unthinkable in the past. I never thought that the moneylenders, who used to avoid each other, would fight for power here." "The winner of that fight will be us." The Chancellor questioned his confident words. "Why are you so sure?" "The reason? Isn''t it right in front of me?" As Rockefellerughed and looked at him, the Chancellor tilted his head. "Are you looking at me now?" "Yes, Chancellor, you will be with us. Of course, we will win that fight." The Chancellor tilted his head again. "Why is that?" "Isn''t that obvious? The ruler of this ce is you, Chancellor. If the Ismail family does not intervene, who will decide on this matter?" "......" It was true when he heard it. If the Ismail family remained silent, the one who would decide on this matter was himself. "Hehe... I never thought about that. The Ismail family was so deeply involved that I never dared to think about it." At his words, Rockefeller smiled faintly. "It''s your business here, Chancellor. Who says anyone can interfere?" "Well, that''s true, but..." The Chancellor, who knew well about the influence of the Ismail family, hesitated to speak. ''If you don''t want to die quietly like a rat or bird, it''s best to be careful with your mouth regarding them.'' "Ahem! So why do I have to join hands with the Guild? Regardless of the goodness or badness of each faction''s leader, what real benefits do I get? That''s what I''m asking." Despite the blunt question, Rockefeller was still smiling. "Ah, of course, there are benefits. If you join us, Chancellor, you will be able to get loans at better conditions." "Loans?" Rockefeller moved to the window. Then, pointing to the scenery outside the window, he continued speaking. "Even now, there are many variables on that sea that you, Chancellor, cannot predict. In the past, the problem was the Dragoon pirate group, but now there are undead pirates made up of only undead, which remain a huge headache." The reason why the Chancellor of ck Label continued to increase the number of navy warships even though the Dragoon pirate group had be quiet was because a more powerful force was dominating the sea. "To have a full-scale war with them, I heard that the naval force is stillcking. Then, more navy ships need to be built, but where does the moneye from?" "So you''re saying we should get a loan?" "Of course. We''re not digging the ground to do business. Instead, we can give you much better preferential treatment than the Union." "How much interest are you going to cut to say that?" "We''ll only take 3 percent." At the mention of 3 percent, the Chancellor''s eyes widened. "Did you say 3 percent just now? Wasn''t it originally 6 percent?" The Chancellor had also tried to negotiate with the Union representative to increase the number of naval warships. However, the problem was the high interest on the loan. The Union representative, who had been living on piracy, knew very well that the Chancellor was a very solid debtor and did not give up his thug-like nature, trying to get more interest than the original 6 percent loan interest. Since the Chancellor would never default on his debt, he was determined to charge a higher interest rate. "Yes, but you must give the monopoly on moneylending in ck Label to our Lyon Guild only." Rockefeller''s proposal of a low loan interest was very attractive, but the subsequent condition was quite annoying. "Are you saying you want a monopoly?" "Yes, we''re asking for our Lyon Guild to have exclusive rights to do business here in ck Label. In return, we can lend Chancellor Your Excellency the amount you desire at a low-interest rate of 3 percent." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 126 (1) Chapter 126 (1) ck Label Union #3(4) "Hmm..." The chancellor''s silence continued for a while. During his deep thoughts, Rockefeller spoke up. "That''s an excellent condition. I don''t see any reason why you, Chancellor, would refuse?" "The one thing that bothers me are the bankers belonging to the Union. If I grant the monopoly of the bank business to the Lyon Guild alone, there will undoubtedly be bacsh from the Union side." Rockefeller smiled faintly. "I''m curious as to why you''re concerned about that. Can''t you, as the chancellor, exercise your discretion to grant a monopoly to a specific faction?" "Well, that''s true, but..." "The reason we''re offering such a generous deal is solely to obtain the monopoly of the bank business. You won''t find a lower loan interest rate of 3% anywhere else." "I''m not unaware of that." "You''ll probablye to the same conclusion after more thought." As Rockefeller spoke with certainty, the chancellor''s inner conflict deepened. ''Granting a monopoly to one side meanspletely severing the previous rtionship with the Union.'' "Will I experience any shorings if I work with the Lyon Guild?" Rockefeller''s smile remained unchanged. "We''re notcking in any way. Would you, Chancellor, be inconvenienced by dealing exclusively with us? After all, our business is merely lending money and getting it back with interest." "Hmm..." After waiting for a while, the chancellor seemed to agree and began to nod. However, he had his thoughts as well. "Alright. Let''s do that. But there''s one condition." "What''s the condition?" "The monopoly will be granted to the side that offers the lowest interest rate." The chancellor made an unexpected proposal. Rockefeller slightly narrowed his eyes. ''If the Union reacts, we''ll end up in a bloodypetition.'' Rockefeller thought further. ''Due to the deposit interest, a considerable amount of the Union''s funds havee to us. If there''s an interest rate battle between us, ultimately, we''d be in a better position in terms of stamina.'' "Then, since we proposed 3% first, will you grant the monopoly exclusively to us?" Finally, the chancellor answered with a smile. "That''s right. For now, I''ll grant the monopoly to the Lyon Guild. However, if the Union side proposes a lower interest rate, the monopoly I granted to you will return to the Union." The chancellor had thought it through. Rockefeller decided not to argue further. He had yed his own trick, so what could he say? ''After all, everyone has seemingly usible thoughts.'' Until they''re proven wrong. ''Once the Union is dead and we''re the only ones left, we''ll have to lower the 3% interest rate even more.'' "Alright. Let''s do that. Since we now have the monopoly of the bank business, you, Chancellor, should prevent other bankers from doing business in the ck Label who are not affiliated with our Guild. Since they don''t have a monopoly, it would be illegal, wouldn''t it?" Although it wasn''t exactly what he wanted, the chancellor agreed without any objections, as he himself had led to this situation. "I was nning to do that anyway." After finishing the conversation with the chancellor, Rockefeller left the chancellor''s office with his secretary, Ellis. "Do you think the Union will propose a lower interest rate?" As Ellis asked, Rockefeller nodded affirmatively. "Since the monopoly is at stake, they probably will." "Isn''t that bad for us? If they propose a lower interest rate, we won''t be able to do business here, right?" To that, Rockefeller answered without any worry. "That won''t happen. They don''t have the financial power to do that anyway." Rockefeller continued. "Although the chancellor''s debt is quite solid, its scale is sorge that it''s impossible to tackle it with mediocre financial strength. While they clumsily lower their interest rates, we''ll secure enough financial power and deliver a fatal blow to them." What could that fatal blow be? Ellis wondered but decided not to ask at this moment. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 126 (2) Chapter 126 (2) ck Label Union #4(1) When the monopoly of the banco business was granted to the Lyon Guild at the discretion of the Chancellor, the empire''s soldiers swooped in on the Union''s banco dealers in Ransadt City. They bluntly ordered the banco dealers to close their shops immediately, using them of breaking thew. Thus, the banco dealers hurriedly found their leader in the Union and started to discuss their ns. "What does this mean? Only the Lyon Guild can do business in ck Label from now on?" "But the imperial soldiers are telling us not to do business here! It''s the Chancellor''s order!" "What on earth did we do to the Chancellor to make him do this to us?" "It''s you who has ruined everything! We''ve just been losing customers, because of the guys from the Lyon Guild! What are we going to do now?" The Union leader was on the verge of losing his patience because of the uproarious Union banco dealers. "No matter how much you hate me, is that the way you treat me like this? I won''t leave this Chancellor just like that!" He stood up abruptly and headed straight to where the Chancellor was, fending off the Union banco dealers who were frustrated that they couldn''t tame him. As before, he mmed the soldiers following him with strength and raised his voice. "What is this about! Why are we told to not do business! And what is this nonsense about only the Lyon Guild being allowed to do business?" The Chancellor, who knew the Union leader woulde with an angry face, weed him with a calm appearance. "Nice to see you. I have been waiting for you toe like this." "What? You''ve been waiting? Is that what you''re saying right now!" "Whoa, whoa, calm down. I know everything." The Chancellor struggled to calm the excited Union leader and informed him about the incident with Rockefeller. Then, the Union leader''s face turned red and he could not contain his anger. "So you''re saying you gave the monopoly to the Lyon Guild because of that guy? After all we''ve done for you! Who did you borrow money from when you needed it urgently!" "Whoa, whoa, calm down. I just granted them monopoly because they kept asking. But think differently." The Chancellor''s continuing smile was disgusting to even the Union leader. "If someone proposes a lower interest rate, who do you think I would give that monopoly to?" There was no need to think deeply rationally. How can there be rationality when you can''t even open your shop right now? The slightly emotional Union leader shouted. "Then we''ll offer 2.5% interest! We''ll lend you all the money you want at a 2.5% interest rate!" Thus, the monopoly of ck Label''s banco business was transferred back to the Union. This time, the imperial soldiers visited bancos of the Lyon Guild operating in Hnt and immediately issued a business suspension order. Rockefeller, who heard the news, brought his secretary and went to see the Chancellor without any confusion. The Chancellor, who anticipated Rockefeller''s visit, already had a long smile on his face. "Wee. I knew you would offer a lower interest rate than that pirate. It is so predictable." "The reason for your visit is predictable; just tell me your purpose simply." Rockfel already anticipated this situation and got straight to the point. "This will be thest time. Even if they lower the interest rate over there, they probably won''t have any money to lend anyway." "If they propose 2.5 percent, we will propose 2 percent," Rockfeller said confidently. The chancellor a satisfied smile. "Alright then I will the monopoly back to you." The chancellor, who seemed to enjoying this situation, immediately ordered his soldiers to enforce business suspension on the Banco merchants in Ransadt. Meanwhile, Rockfeller returned to his own shop and gathered the nearby guild members to increase the deposit interest rate from the existing 1 percent to 2 percent. It was a deliberate move to raise the stakes. As result, even the hidden money that had been sleeping in ck Label and the gold merchants who had not thought of moving from Union Banco to another were all gathering at the Lyon Guild''s Banco shop. There was no reason to leave their money at the Union Banco shop, which only charged a gold fee, when the deposit interest rate was a whopping 2 percent. Meanwhile, the Union representative, was struggling with the reduced loan interest of 2, made up his mind when he saw Banco merchants screaming in front of him. "Since it hase to this," he thought, devoid of any thinking. The logic of boldly proposing a 0 percent interest rate went like this: "Let''s just kill them a 0 percent interest rate. We''re 0 percent, so what can they do?" A Banco merchant raises his concerns. "Wait, then how are we supposed to make a living? If the rate is 0 percent, there will be no profit." "Why would there be no profit? Do we only lend money to the chancellor? We also have the interest ie from customers, as well as gold storage fees. Plus, there''s amission for converting gold into silver." The Union representative spoke up. "Let''s endure a little longer. What can those guys do?" However, his thinking was too short-sighted. Due to the flood of customers who came to Banco and exchanged gold coins, Union-affiliated Banco merchants were practically on the verge of bankruptcy. "The chancellor probably doesn''t even want a small amount of money from us. Do you have confidence in being able to gather that much?" The Union representative looked at the gathered banco merchants and spoke. "How many are people here? How much is the cost of building a warship?" "That''s all in the past. We don''t have any money even if we go to exchange gold coins and there is no money left in the vault. How can we lend such arge sum of money?" "That''s right, even if I want to lend, I don''t have any money." The Union representative clicked tongue. "Tsk tsk, with promissory notes, it should be possible." "Do you think promise notes can solve such arge sum of money? They probably still demand a certain amount of gold coins from over there." "Then where can we borrow from? If we can just resolve this situation now, everything will be fine, just like before." "What about before! They came here deliberately! Do you think they will go back unless they die?" There was, however, a more realistic alternative. "Wouldn''t it be better to hire an assassin and kill the guild leader over there?" All eyes were on him. "That seems like a realistic option. If we are already spilling blood, our funds are already flowing to the other side, and a long-term war will be difficult. If it were the beginning, it might be a different story, but now we can''t fight. Besides, we..." His gaze turned towards the Union representative who had been staring at him intently. "Its because of this representative here that we not only take deposit interest, but also charge gold storage fees. Will we be able to fight against those who give deposit interest? Anyway, people would prefer the Lyon Guild over us." Another Banco merchant echoed his words. "That''s right, The previous guild leader of Lyon over there raised a fuss about the gold storage fees and ended up losing everything. We shouldn''t bete either. Let''s immediately follow their example and get rid of the gold storage and even give deposit interest." At that moment, the watching Union representatives expression grimaced and he spoke with a contorted face "What the damn deposit interest! If we win this fight, we won''t need to give deposit interest forever. We just need to get rid of him instead..." As he was about to continue, a strong earthquake urred in the Union representative''s office, obscuring his words. Someone''s voice echoed clearly in his head. Warren... Why are you suddenly acting like this? "Uh... Uh... No, it''s not... No..." The Union representative involuntarily grimaced. ''Is Ismail betraying us? They told us not to solve the matter like this...'' But that wasn''t the only thing. ''And a warning... Whats this...'' Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 127 (1) Chapter 127 (1) ck Label Union #4(2) There was no reason for Ismail to let the ipetent union representative''s actions slide. With the union representative in a daze, the gathered union-affiliated moneylenders were in an uproar, trying to figure out how to survive. "I agree. Let''s just kill him. It''ll be easier on our minds." "If Ismail doesn''t interfere, we can just hire a skilled assassin to take care of it." "I agree!" But there were opposing voices as well. "No, you people! What are you thinking? If we fail, who''s going to take responsibility?" "That''s right. Let''s avoid getting our hands dirty. We''re not magicians, are we? We''re people who can''t even protect our own bodies, so we should avoid that kind of approach." "Is there any other suggestion? I don''t think that''s the way to go." Of course, there were good suggestions among the uproar. They just couldn''t say it in this situation. ''I''m done here. I don''t know why I''m still sticking around when I have no loyalty left. I should have left long ago.'' Up until now, they had been part of the ck Label Union to do business in a good ce called ck Label. But with the new option of the Lyon Guild, did they really need to stick with the union? ''This... No matter how I think about it, that seems to be the right choice.'' "Do you have any good ideas?" The leader, with his questionable background, was too stubborn and ipetent. Pathetic to the extreme. ''This isn''t the right ce. The ship I''m on is sinking. If we stay together, we''ll all die together. So, before we all die, shouldn''t I try to save myself?'' "Hmph! There''s no answer. If they at least gave us decent interest on our deposits, I''d try something. But in this situation..." Seeing the union representative''s frustration, it seemed everyone felt the same way, as they all turned their gazes toward the silent leader. ''I don''t think that foolish pirate can do anything.'' They didn''t say it out loud, but the union representative wasrgely responsible for the situation getting this bad because he didn''t act quickly. If he had dealt with it quickly from the beginning, the situation wouldn''t have deteriorated so much. ''That idiot relied on brute force to take that position, so there''s no way things would go well. From the start, it''s better to act quickly and get out of here if there''s nothing to gain.'' "I''m leaving. If a decision is made, please let me know." As one person left, the gathered union-affiliated moneylenders began to leave one by one. The union representative, who had been watching them, suddenly felt a sense of unease, but the bigger problem was Ismail''s sudden change in attitude. ''Why...'' Joseph, his subordinate, approached the silent union representative. "Sir Warren, the atmosphere is quite unsettling." He too had felt the unsettling atmosphere among the union-affiliated moneylenders. "Although there''s no one like that right now, I''m not sure if these snake-like moneylenders won''t join the Lyon Guild if there''s no chance of winning." Would the Lyon Guild have a reason to block the union-affiliated moneylenders whoe to them? "There''s no reason for them to block them, and since they''ve already picked a fight with us, they''ll probably wee it." Joseph couldn''t shake off the uneasy thoughts in his head. "Then... is it all over?" Hearing that, the union representative''s mind was filled with nothing but the warning from Ismail. ''That''s not the problem. If Ismail abandoned us from the beginning...'' "I don''t understand. Why did they abandon us?" At the sudden question, Joseph showed confusion. "What are you talking about right now?" "Ismail interfered with our business here. They told us not to deal with it like that." "Like what?" "When I said, let''s just kill him." "Oh... But did Ismail stop that?" Joseph knew that the Ismail family itself was quite mysterious, so their method of contacting them was through a telepathic-like method. It wasn''t that the union representative had kept it a secret, but he had asionally mentioned to Joseph about their involvement. "Then is it all over?" "Ugh... Why did they abandon us? We haven''t done anything to make them hate us." The union representative, wrapped in an inexplicable rage, clenched his fist, and Joseph made a face where the leader couldn''t see. ''I know why they abandoned us, but if I tell the truth, my tongue might be ripped out.'' "What should we do? If even Ismail is acting like that, isn''t it more dangerous for us?" At that, the union representative snapped back to reality. ''Yes, it''s dangerous. I''m in danger.'' He couldn''t not know Ismail''s way of handling things. He had to either pack his bags and flee to the sea immediately or stop doing anything that would provoke them. ''What should I do? At this rate, my head is really going to fly off, isn''t it?'' The union representative, who was trembling without realizing it, was startled by the sound of footsteps nearby and turned his gaze to the source. There, one of his subordinates was slowly cleaning up the chaotic room. ''Damn it...'' The union representative remembered the gold coin he had received from Rockefeller. The gold coin he had received as a fare for the afterlife. Fortunately, he still had it. ''Why did I bring this unlucky thing?'' The union representative took the gold coin out of his jacket pocket. "Sir Warren. Why are you suddenly doing that?" Joseph looked at the union representative, who was acting strangely, with a puzzled expression. Then, the union representative threw the gold coin away in anger. "Damn it. I must be crazy to carry around a fare for the afterlife." What kind of thoughts do sailors have about superstitions? At least for him, who had been a pirate for a long time, superstitions had their own meaning. Seeing the union representative throw away the gold coin, Joseph also felt something and continued speaking. "Sir Warren. If Ismail abandons us, shouldn''t we act quickly?" At that, the union representative reacted. "What should we do? If Ismail abandons us, we''re already finished." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 127 (2) Chapter 127 (2) "Lyon Guild members have been too confidenttely," he said. "We have to find a way to survive. I''m not kidding, we need to find a way to survive right now." Joseph quickly racked his brain. What would be the best course of action in this situation? ''Even if we give up on this and go back to sea...'' Joseph was not unaware of the significantly strengthened naval forcespared to the past. He also knew very well about the navy''s battleships, which had grown to an iparable sizepared to their heyday. ''No, there''s no chance there now. And now I have a family.'' "I don''t think going back to sea is a good idea." The union representative agreed with his words. "We''ve finished our business on the sea. We went to see the former governor just to try our luck, and it''s toote to go back to sea. We''ve be too ustomed to life onnd." "So what should we do? Even if we fight the guild here, it''s not like we have a chance to win. And if we try to do things the way we used to..." "Ismail will stop that. They''ll kill me before I can twist that kid''s head off. Poison or whatever." "Then, isn''t this a big problem?" "That''s why we''re looking for a way to survive right now, you bastard!" Joseph continued to search for a way to survive with a serious expression, as if it was his own business. ''What''s a good move... That''s right. If it''s already a lost cause, that might be better.'' "Warren, what about this instead?" When it seemed like Joseph had a good idea, the union representative quickly showed interest. "Do you have a good n?" "Actually, it''s more of a..." "Stop beating around the bush and tell me straight. If we don''t find a way to survive soon, it''ll be the end for both of us." "Well, if we can''t go against the trend anyway." In Joseph''s view, this was the best option they could take. "How about joining the guild? Then we can continue our bank business as before, and since Ismail has already sided with them, they won''t kill us." "What? You have a loose tongue!" The union representative grabbed Joseph''s cor at the absurd suggestion. "Hey, you bastard! How can you say that now? Who''s going to crawl under whose feet now?" "But Warren, there''s no other way for us to survive! And even if you don''t like it, some of our members are already thinking about joining the guild. There''s no answer here, and we have no chance of winning if we fight, so they''ll abandon us and join them." "Do you think I''ll let those traitorous bastards go? Do you think I, Warren Dragoon, will let them go?" As his voice grew louder, Joseph frowned and lowered his head. "That''s why I didn''t want to tell you. I thought you''d be against it anyway." "But still! How can you say that? How can I go under that blue-blooded brat?" The union representative shouted again. "I have my pride! How can I, who was once called a great pirate, go under that little brat!" "What are you going to do then? You know very well that there''s no chance of winning even if we fight, Warren. And it''s not like you''re going back to sea either, is it?" "You bastard!" Unable to contain his anger, the union representative pped Joseph''s face hard. He raised his voice towards Joseph, who was staggering on the floor. "I can''t do that even if I die! I''ve bowed my head to someone once in my life, and that was enough with Ismail! And I, Warren Dragoon, am originally a sea person. I''ve been onnd for too long as a sea man." There was no chance of winning on the sea either. However, remembering the past when he dyed the waters of the ck Label in blood and me, he decided to go to sea once again. ''Yes, that chancellor was also very annoying. This time, I''ll go back to sea. Then Ismail won''t interfere. This has nothing to do with the bank business anyway.'' "It''s time to end this damned life onnd. I''ve forgotten that I was originally a sea man. A sailor is always a sailor. What the hell is this life onnd?" Warren, who was swaggering, yelled at his subordinate lying on the floor. "I''ll finish up here soon and head to sea. You go and find a ship that can go to the pirate ind. I need to gather brave pirates to fight under my name again. And I''ll buy a lot of pirate ships with the money I''ve made here. I''ll be the old me again." The union representative could not contain his excitement at the thought of bing a pirate again, and Joseph, lying on the floor, looked up at him in silence with a mix of emotions. A few days passed. Warren Dragoon, who had converted all the assets he had umted as a union representative into gold coins, left for the harbor with several carriages loaded with the coins on a dark night. The city was dark without a single light, and the union representative, looking at the city, smiled lightly. ''I don''t feel much even though I won''t see it again. Yes, this wasn''t my hometown.'' "Is the ship ready?" In the carriage he was riding, his subordinate Joseph was also there. "Yes, everything is prepared as you ordered, Sir Warren. A smuggler will be waiting for us at the harbor now." At those words, Warren''s expression soured. "Warren, what are you talking about? Now that I''ve be a pirate again. Just call me as you used to. Captain." "Yes... Captain." "Well, it''s time to say goodbye here. I probably won''te back again." As they arrived at the harbor, their carriage was suddenly stopped by the appearance of imperial soldiers. Warren, taken aback by the unexpected event, looked out the window with a puzzled expression. "What, what is it? What are those soldiers doing?" At that, Joseph quickly went outside and started running somewhere. ''What is that guy doing now?'' Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 128 (1) Chapter 128 (1) ck Label Union #4(3) The torches held by the imperial soldiers illuminated Joseph as he ran. The ce where Joseph ended up was none other than the chancellor''s side. As Joseph seemed to be reporting something, the expression of the union representative who finally realized everything began to distort severely. ''That bastard!'' But it was toote to recognize Joseph''s betrayal. A momentter. The union representative, who was confronted by the chancellor in a restrained state, appeared to be the winner and the loser. The chancellor, who had a triumphant expression, spoke on behalf of the union representative, who was just ring with narrowed eyes. "I''m sorry, Sir Warren. I''m not that weak, but how could you think of going back to the sea?." "How dare you, you bastard..." "If you had quietly stayed onnd as the union representative, I wouldn''t have done this." Despite this, Warren''s burning gaze was directed at his subordinate who was firmly guarding the chancellor''s side. However, Joseph, who easily ignored Warren''s gaze, spoke to the chancellor. "I said I would buy a shipter with the gold coins loaded there. If the chancellor had missed it here, you would have regretted it for a long time. Because all the ships that Warren will buyter will be pirate ships." The chancellor, who smiled lightly, asked the restrained union representative. "Do you hear what your subordinate is saying?" The union representative, who didn''t even look at the chancellor, yelled at Joseph, who had betrayed him. "You bastard, who are you betraying now! Even in hell, I''ll make you...ugh..." As the Union representative, who couldn''t finish his words after being hit hard in the stomach, copsed weakly, the chancellor, who had been watching, sneered and stroked his mustache. "Unfortunately, it seems like you''re out of luck going to sea alive. And the gold coins loaded in that carriage." When the chancellor signaled, one of the soldiers guarding the carriage opened the box full of gold coins with all his might. The amount of gold coins visible under the torch was considerable. "Since it was intended to be used illegallyter, I, the chancellor, will recover it and use it very conveniently to eradicate the pirate bastards. I thought that as a union representative, you would have a lot of gold coins, but you''ve collected quite a bit without any regrets. It must have been quite a hassle" The union representative, whose eyes were bloodshot, red fiercely at the chancellor. Unfortunately, that was all he could do. "Then go well, Sir Warren, no, the pirate fool." A few dayster. Warren Dragoon, who was sentenced to death, died with his neck hanging on the gallows. And his subordinate Joseph came to Rockefeller on behalf of the vacant union representative position. "I came here as a union representative on behalf of thete Warren." Joseph, who hade all the way to Rockefeller''s store, seemed to have made a decision, as he had been lowering his tone from the beginning. Rockefeller opened his mouth quietly towards Joseph. "It''s a pity to hear about Sir Warren. I didn''t know he would be caught by the chancellor while fleeing at night and stand in court. Besides, I didn''t expect him to be hanged." It seemed that the money for the afterlife did its job properly. ''So why did you pick it up?'' "Anyway, it''s a pity." Joseph waved his hand at the words. "Oh, no. It''s not a pity. It''s rather a good thing that our tyrant-like representative is gone. Everyone is not talking about it, but the atmosphere is secretly weing the death of the representative." "Is that so? But he was in the representative position... The union people are too harsh." "That''s why he should have done well in the first ce. To me or to the union people. Anyway, I had a favor to ask, so I came here like this." Although the reason foring was obvious. Rockefeller, who pretended not to know, expressed doubt. "So, what''s the matter with the union? I don''t think we have such a friendly rtionship." "In fact, after the death of the union representative, I took the initiative to go to the union people and share various stories. Everyone judged that there was no chance of winning in this fight. And with the representative dead, there was no need to stick to the union anymore." "Is that so?" "So the thing is." The following words were what Rockefeller truly wanted. "Since things havee to this, can''t you ept us as guild members? We''re all doing the same job anyway, so what''s the point of blushing each other?" At that, Rockefeller pretended to ponder for a moment, then nodded his head and showed a convincing appearance. "I didn''t know that I would be one with the union. I knew that the fight here would be a mud fight, but I didn''t know that I would reconcile with the union so quickly." Rockefeller continued to ask. "But there must have been a lot of dissatisfaction on the union side. Were there any objections to joining us due to this?" "There were a few, but what''s the point of insisting on the union side when there''s no chance of winning in the first ce?" Joseph continued. "And after the election of the new guild master at Lyon, I heard that the ie of the guild members increased. Please make us rich with that wisdom as well. The only wish of our union is that." To make them rich. Rockefeller justughed. "Rich... that''s a word I like. All right. From today, the union people will be epted as our guild members. In the future, union people, please act ording to the guild guidelines and regtions, and I would appreciate it if you could follow the direction I lead sincerely." And at this, Ricardo, who had been silently watching from the side, was lost in thought. ''So the two banking alliances have be one. I didn''t expect this to happen.'' Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 128 (2) Chapter 128 (2) Afterwards, the two, who shook hands, officially announced the integration of the two banking alliances, and this story became a big issue within the empire. Thus, Rockefeller, who integrated the two forces into one, held a guild meeting as the guild master in Lyon''s Ghetto Nuovo a few weekster. And he officially dered the integration of the two forces into one, and spoke of their vision for the future. "Until now, all the banks in the Empire have been divided between the guild and unions, diluting their power. But from today onwards, all the banks in the Empire will be united under the name of the guild, forming a single force. We will fearlessly branch out across the Empire like soldiers unafraid of death, in order to rise as a central force in the Empire. And after today, any forces that threaten us or try to oppress us will be met with a heavy price." The following words were quite meaningful. "They will pay dearly." With the guild leader''s deration, both the excited existing guild members and the newly joined members rose from their seats, sending cheers and apuse. "Long live the Lyon Guild!" "Long live Rockefeller!" After returning to ck Label, Rockefeller worked hard to sort out the chaos caused by the merger of the two forces. A few weekster, once the chaos hadpletely subsided, he was able to visit the ck Label chancellor. "Why are you visiting the chancellor?" On the way to see the chancellor, his secretary Ellis, who was riding in the same carriage, asked him nonchntly. "I need to finalize some business with the chancellor." "The finalization is it about that matter you mentioned before?" "Yes, the interest rate is too low." Now that there was no need to ask the chancellor for exclusivity, Rockefeller decided to be bold. "We don''t really need exclusivity anyway. So I''m going back to settle the old matter." "Ah" Rockefeller, who was looking out the window, brought up another topic. "It''s about time to wrap up things here. I think I should leave this ce to Joshua." ck Label was one of the wealthiest cities in the Empire. It wouldn''t be bad for Rockefeller himself to stay in this prosperous ce, but he was the guild leader, so he thought it would be better to be in Lyon. And to give his third sibling, Joshua, a lot of experience. He thought it would be a good idea to send Joshua to ck Label. So he told his secretary. "Who is Joshua?" At that question, Rockefeller looked at Elise. ''Why are you asking when you know everything?'' "He''s my third sibling, and among my siblings, he has the most simr temperament to me. I think it would be a good experience for him toe here. There will be a lot of work to do, and as he deals with more money, he will develop a sense of responsibility." After that, Ellis didn''t say anything but subtly looked at him and asked another question. "Can I go with you when you return to Lyon?" "Yes, if you wish." A momentter. Rockefeller, who had gone to the ck castle, was able to meet with the chancellor. "Oh, Lord Rockefeller. Wee." The chancellor, who was now much more hospitable to Rockefeller, offered him a good seat and sat across from him. "I''ve heard the news. After the union representative died, you merged the forces with the union, right? Everyone''s talking about it." "Yes, things happened that way." "It wasn''t my intention, but well, good things are good things. Congrattions." "Thank you." "But what brings you here?" The reason for the visit? ''You were the only one who benefited from our fight.'' However, he had no intention of being too harsh on the chancellor of ck Label. ck Label was an indispensable gold mine for Rockefeller. If it was well managed, the securities transactions would be more active in the future, and he could make a lot of profit from the securities exchange he had established. So he opened his mouth with the intention of slightly modifying the existing conditions. "Honestly, I think I offered you too low an interest rate due to the bloodypetition with the union. I came here to revise it." At that, the chancellor''s face changed. "What? Now you''re changing your words?" "Even so, it''s only 3 percent. It''s not 6 percent, so I hope you can understand our position." The interest on the loan itself was a lot of money for the chancellor. "But still." "And we''re also nning to lower the deposit interest rate, which was set unusually high for ck Label, back down to 1 percent. With the loan interest rate being so low, having a 2 percent deposit interest rate is honestly a bit excessive." "No, I entrusted my money based on that interest rate. Are you saying you''re going to lower the deposit interest rate now?" As the chancellor''s displeasure grew, Rockefeller continued to speak on behalf of the guild''s position. However, their opinions did not narrow down easily, and when apromise was needed, Rockefeller used his wits to secure an exclusive right for the future. "Fine. Then I will offer the chancellor a 3 percent loan interest rate and a 1.5 percent deposit interest rate exclusively. However, please grant our family the right to have a monopoly on securities trading. If you take a smallmission from that, the 0.5 percent deposit interest rate we offer you should be more than bearable." "A monopoly on securities trading? What do you mean?" The chancellor didn''t fully understand what Rockefeller was saying, as the concept of a securities exchange did not exist yet. "Yes, usually securities transactions are done through acquaintances. Since most people don''t know who owns which securities, securities transactions usually take ce through acquaintances. However, if a securities exchange is established where anyone can buy and sell securities, everyone wille to the exchange to trade securities. And we can make some profit from the fees generated in the process." Rockefeller exined. "We are willing to give you those conditions, so please grant us the exclusive right to that business." The chancellor''s hesitation didn''tst long. "Very well. Let''s do that. I will grant your family the exclusive right to open a securities exchange, but in return, don''t ever change the interest conditions." At those words, Rockefeller smiled faintly. "Of course. As long as you grant us exclusivity, you won''t have to worry about interest issues at all." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 129 (1) Chapter 129 (1) Bonus chapter thanks to @Shampun from Kofi! People Who Don''t Know Their Limits (1) Since receiving the exclusive rights to securities trading from the ck Label chancellor, Rockefeller began building a stock exchange under his family''s name. The Rothsmedici Stock Exchange. As a ce where securities could be easily traded emerged, people watched it with curiosity. And before the stock exchange was built, Rockefeller began to encourage lending for the expansion of the guild''s business, offering loans to many people at much lower interest rates than before, as long as their credit was solid. Then one day, Bob, the owner of a shoe store who was anxious about his trade ship investments, was astonished when his friend Bel, the owner of a clothing store, showed up with a new carriage. ''What is that?'' He had arrived in a luxurious carriage, which only nobles would ride. "Hey, what''s that carriage? Whose is it?" Bel, who tried to get off the carriage as elegantly as possible, had a proud look on his face. It was quite difficult for ordinary people to afford such a carriage. The intricate patterns and luxurious interior of the handcrafted carriage alone looked quite expensive. ''Just as I expected. I knew you''d react like that. That''s why I got this.'' "Hmm! I made up my mind and bought one this time." Bob, who was already struggling with money, began to admire the inside of the carriage Bel had brought. "Wow... look at this interior. This is so nice, isn''t it?" But then, an obvious question came to his mind. "Wait, is this yours?" "Of course, it''s mine. Who else would you think it is?" Bob couldn''t understand. "How on earth could you afford this?" "With money?" In fact, it wasn''t easy for Bel, the owner of the clothing store, to afford such a carriage. He might be able to manage it if he put everything he had into it, but then what about the aftermath? "Well, I used a loan." "A loan? You got a loan now?" "Yeah, Banco is offering carriage loans." "Really?" Bel informed Bob about the loan program that Banco was offering. "Ah, well, they say if you buy a carriage, they''ll lend you money at a low-interest rate. Of course, they only offer that kind of loan to people with solid credit, but since the general store owner next door changed his carriage, I decided to change mine too." "I had no idea there was such a loan. I didn''t know at all." "You''re busy with trade ship investments, so of course, you didn''t have any interest in this. You''re worried about the trade ships that left every day, how could you pay attention to this?" "Well, that''s true..." To them, a carriage was a symbol of wealth. Since the value of a carriage didn''t preserve but rather dropped significantly after a few years of use, most people tended to choose a carriage that suited their status. This led to those who could easily ride expensive carriages being recognized as wealthy, which in turn became a measure of wealth. "The interior is so extravagant, huh? This must have cost a fortune." "Well, I did kind of splurge on it." "Looking at the four horses, I bet the maintenance cost is no joke, right?" "Of course, it''s not a joke. Ordinary people wouldn''t even dare." "Hehe... You don''t like gambling, but you do indulge in luxury quite well." Bel grinned and told Bob about what had happened the night before. "There was a masquerade ballst night, right? When I went there in this carriage, the attention around me definitely changed." "You went to the masquerade ball? How did you manage that?" "When did the times change? Is there aw that only nobles can go to a masquerade ball? People like me can go there too if we have money. After all, money is the best." "That''s true." "That''s why I decided to get this with a big heart, thinking about having fun there. When the masquerade ball was over, the girls were all eager to ride in my carriage. They said they couldn''t stand riding in a carriage with only two horses because it was too slow. You should have seen thempeting to ride it. It was so funny to watch from the back." "Of course, it would be! A slow and boring carriage is nothingpared to this. So, did you have funst night?" "Of course, I had fun. Ahem! So I''m going to go there and y again today." "Again today?" "Of course. What''s there in life? Even though I don''t like gambling, I do like ying. It''s better than wasting all my fortune on trade ship investments. It''s better to spend my life enjoying it like this." "Hehe..." After pondering for a moment, Bob asked Bel. "But that carriage loan thing, would they give it to me too?" "You? Didn''t you already get a big loan?" "Well, I did get a loan, but..." "I don''t know either. Go to Banco and ask. They say carriage loans are different from regr loans." "Really? Then it might work for me too?" "You''ll have to ask to find out." So the two went straight to Banco, which Rockefeller was operating. "I borrowed money from herest time. Can someone like me also get a carriage loan?" Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 129 (2) Chapter 129 (2) Rockefeller recognized Bob, who hade to see him. Not only did he run a business nearby, but he also came to his store with his friend from time to time to chat. "Didn''t you borrow money from our store before? You said you were going to invest in some securities..." "Yes, I did." "A loan, huh. Let me check. We don''t lend to everyone." After a while, Rockefeller flipped through the ledger and shook his head. "It doesn''t seem possible. The limit is full, so there''s no more money to lend. It''s a shame." "Hehe... I guess it''s not possible." Bel, who was standing next to him, smirked. "See, I told you. I told you not to do it back then. If you hadn''t borrowed back then, you would have been able to get a carriage loan now." "Anyway, it''s still a jackpot if it justses back. At least four times. Four times." "It''s only four times when ites back." "Still, the atmosphere isn''t bad with the Union representative dead these days. And this time, arge number of warships were built, right? There''s a rumor that the pirates who used to poke here are moving to other ces. This is really good news for those who went all-in on trade ship investments." "Buting back is another problem. What about the storms? You can''t just think about pirates. There are also issues with conflicts with the locals when you get there." "That''s true, but..." Rockefeller, who had been listening, interrupted. "Then you can sell the securities you bought at that time to us." "Securities?" "Yes." Rather than expecting the trade ship to return, which he didn''t know when it would return. Seeing Bel enjoying happiness right now, Bob''s heart began to waver. ''What should I do? As Bel said, it might nevere back if it''s unlucky. Then everything I have is just waste.'' "So... How much are you going to buy?" Rockefeller answered with a smile to his question. "Of course, I won''t buy it at face value. If it''s a quarter of the face value, I might consider it." "No way! Who''s going to sell it at that crazy price? If I''m crazy, I''ll sell it at that price." Rockefeller nodded as if he understood and said something else. "Yes, that''s right. Selling it at a quarter of the price is a bit much. But some securities with asional bad news have fallen to one-tenth of their face value. Some people try to salvage a few pennies rather than holding onto securities that will be waste." Hearing that, Bel, the owner of the clothing store, said. "See? It''s all gambling. If ites back, it''s a jackpot. If it doesn''t, it''s a failure." "I knew that. Hey, I should''ve said yes. I was so bored these days that I was going to draw a carriage." Belughed and said. "If the trade ship you invested ines back well, consider it then. That would be nice." "Yeah, it''s definitelying back. Whether the storm hits, or the pirates mess around. It''s going toe back someday." As the two were about to leave the store, they ran into someone they knew near the entrance. It was Sam, who had made a fortune from trade ship investments. "Sam?" Shoeshine Sam was a young man dressed very differently from them. Should we say he looked like a young noble? Sam bowed politely to Bob, whom he met. "Mr. Bob, it''s been a long time since I''ve seen you." "What are you doing here?" "Oh, I came to check on a loan." "A loan?" "Yes." "Are you also trying to get a carriage loan?" As far as Bob remembered, Sam, who made a fortune from trade ship investments, rode a more splendid carriage than Bel. It was not onlyrge in size but also a six-horse carriage pulled by six horses. At that question, Sam firstughed. "Haha, I''m not interested in carriages." Another level. For Sam, a carriage was just one of the luxurious items that had long lost its meaning. "Then, did youe here not to get a loan for a carriage? Then why did youe all the way here to get a loan?" "Oh, I''m looking for a house now. It seems like there''s a good deal, so I came to see if I could get a loan." "Ah, is that so?" Hearing that they were buying a house, Bel and Bob exchanged nces. ''It''s not going to be a small house, is it?'' ''It must be a big house. He''s the guy who rides a six-horse carriage, he''s going to buy a fancy and big mansion like a noble. And with a huge garden attached.'' The two unknowingly threw envious nces at Sam. Sam, who now took their gazes without feeling, apologized to them. "Then, I have something to do." So, Sam left the two men staring at him and met with Rockefeller, the owner of the store. Rockefeller immediately recognized him. The young man who had amassed the most wealth in the ck Label area recently. "Sam, is it? It''s nice to see you again." "Mr. Rockefeller, it''s been a long time." "What brings you here this time?" "Haha, this time I came to consult about a house loan." "Oh, you''re buying a house this time." "Yes, it''s not a small house but a very big one. Actually, it''s more appropriate to call it a mansion." Rockefeller smiled kindly. "I thought so. A person who rides a six-horse carriage wouldn''t get a loan to buy a small house, would they? That wouldn''t be right." "Yes, so I want to change the house I live in this time." "Please wait a moment. I have a few things to check." Rockefeller opened the store ledger and looked through a few things before nodding his head. "I''m sorry, but it may be difficult to get arge loan without a fixed ie. It''s a pity." At those words, Sam also showed a regretful expression. "Is that so?" "We provide loans to our customers because we anticipate their future ie to some extent and take that into ount when providing loans. If there is no definite coteral for the future, it is difficult to get a loan." For Sam, the area of interest now was not trade ship investment but real estate investment. If you buy it well, you can create more profits than trade ship investments, so Sam had some confidence and started to speak on behalf of the situation. "Mr. Rockefeller, how can you not do it? I really need this loan this time." As Sam pleaded, Rockefeller, who had been watching him, opened his mouth again. ''Real estate can also make a lot of money if done well. It''s worth pushing if it''s not an average house but a mansion.'' "In that case, there are two ways. I heard that you have invested a lot in securities. If you entrust the securities you hold to us as coteral, a small loan can be considered." Seeing Sam''s reluctance, Rockefeller offered another alternative. "Or, in the case of a mortgage loan, if we hold the house you want to buy as coteral, the loan for the remaining amount is fully possible. However, the loan is only possible for a part of the amount, and the house ownership must be held by us until the loan is fully repaid." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 130 (1) Chapter 130 (1) People Who Don''t Know Their Limits (2) Sam pondered over Rockefeller''s proposal and spoke up. "So, once the loan is fully repaid, I can get back the ownership of the mansion?" "Of course. But until then, we need to hold the ownership." Sam, who wanted to invest in real estate, soon showed a convincing attitude. There was no other choice. "Alright. I''ll take the loan with the mansion as coteral." "Good choice. I hope your real estate investment goes well. That would be good for both of us, wouldn''t it?" There were people silently watching their conversation. It was Bell and Bob, who were feeling a bit of stomachache. Seeing Sam taking over the mansion through a loan, the two had a lot to feel. The sessful guys do well in whatever they do. Who would have thought that a mere shoeshine boy would now take over a mansion? ''He''s really doing well.'' ''It feels like just yesterday when he was working under me. When did he grow so much?'' A momentter. Bell, who came out of the Banco store, spoke to Bob. "Sam seems to be doing really well. I''ve heard the rumors, but..." At Bell''s words, Bob immediately reacted. "Yeah, he must be. I heard he made a fortune investing in trade ships. His carriage is different from ours. How can ordinary people like us evenpete with a six-horse carriage? It''s ridiculous." "But investing in a mansion seems to make some money? I didn''t know that." What can you do if it makes money? They didn''t even have the means to invest in the first ce. "What can you do if it makes money? It''s not a ce that costs just a penny or two. It''s a different world altogether. We don''t need to pay attention to it." "Yeah, that''s tLou... But the shoeshine boy Sam suddenly became sessful overnight. You never know what''s going to happen in the world. Who would have thought Sam would turn out like this?" The two, who came out, saw a six-horse carriage parked in front of the store. The carriage, drawn by six well-fed horses, looked more splendid and expensive than Bell''s. Bell felt his own carriage shrinking inparison to what she assumed was Sam''s six-horse carriage. ''Standing together, my carriage looks pathetic. And it''s not even cheap...'' "Let''s get going... Staying here will only make usment our lives." At those words, Bob quickly agreed. "Let''s do that. What''s the point of staying here? Besides, I''m so jealous. I should be sessful too..." A few dayster. An unexpected visitor came to Rockefeller''s store. It was a man named Lou, who had previously taken a loan from Rockefeller''s store to buy a carriage. He was stimted by the fact that Bell, the owner of the clothing store, bought a simr carriage and came to buy a bigger one. "Where did Mr. Rockefeller go? I want to have a long talk about the carriage loan." Secretary Elise hurriedly called Rockefeller and arranged a meeting. In front of Rockefeller, Lou quickly asked about the loan. "Can I get a loan to rece my current carriage with a bigger one?" He was already riding a four-horse carriage. It was a somewhat burdensome carriage for ordinary people to ride and had a considerable maintenance cost. When he wanted to change to a better carriage, Rockefeller naturally questioned him. "No, you came here before and got a loan rted to a carriage. And now you want to change your carriage again? It doesn''t seem like much time has passed." At that, Lou, the owner of the general store, reacted. "No, well, how long has it been since I bought a four-horse carriage? Everyone is riding a four-horse carriage now, and I''m embarrassed to ride mine." At that, Rockefeller couldn''t help but smile faintly. When he allowed ordinary people to take out carriage loans, they all began to ride four-horse carriages that were beyond their means. And that wasn''t all? A fewmoners with good ie or credit started moving to bigger houses or building new ones, all using loans from the bank. Lou continued speaking. "I could understand if it were just one or two people, but when I saw Bell, who runs a shop next door, change to a new carriage, I thought something was off. My ie is better than Bell''s, so why should I ride the same carriage?" It would have been better if they had used the bank loans to buy a house. However, the carriages were nothing more than expensive consumables. Luxury items with high maintenance costs. "Recently, I see more and more people riding in two-horse carriages. So, if I can get a loan, I''d like to change to a six-horse carriage. Is that possible?" "I see." If Rockefeller were a good person, he would have advised Lou to know his ce instead of encouraging a loan. But Rockefeller had no intention of doing so. ''If I don''t give him a loan, he''ll get one from another bank anyway.'' So, isn''t it better to let him borrow from his own bank rather than sending him to another one? ''If he really wants a six-horse carriage, there''s no need to stop him.'' "Alright. Let me check the ledger first. I need to see if an additional loan is possible." At that, Lou said, "I n to sell my current carriage, so I only need a little more money." "Then you''ll be at a loss, won''t you?" "I have to ept that. I''m not going to ride two carriages." After checking Lou''s ledger, credit, and ie, Rockefeller informed him that he had some leeway. "It seems possible ording to the ledger." However, he couldn''t help but think: He could get a loan, but does he n to live in the carriage from now on? If not, the six-horse carriage would be too much for him. "Do you really n to buy a six-horse carriage? It seems a bit... excessive." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 130 (2) Chapter 130 (2) At that, Lou, the owner of the general store, answered with a smile. "If I can''t afford it, I''ll sell my house and live off of it. Everyone leaves the ball in their carriages. I can''t have fun in a two-horse carriage anymore, so I need a six-horse carriage, right? Hahaha!" He seemed to be obsessed with the ball. How could the women who came to the ball know the wealth of the men they had never met before? At least if they rode an expensive carriage, they could guess. ''Appearances are important. Especially for carriages, ordinary people can''t even imagine owning one.'' "I see. But remember, this will be yourst loan. Anything beyond that would be too much, so please think carefully." Lou, who was not listening, was excited to change his carriage today. ''Great. I''ll definitely have fun from today. Now I''m a man who rides a six-horse carriage.'' Thinking about going to the ball in a six-horse carriage. Lou was so excited that he felt like dancing. "A carriage is best when pulled by six horses. And these days, women have higher standards, so it''s hard to attract them with a two-horse carriage. Isn''t that right, Miss Secretary?" When Lou asked Alice, who was with Rockefeller, she just smiled. A whileter. After receiving the loan, Lou left excitedly. Elise, who had been watching him with concern, asked Rockefeller, who was nearby. "From what I can see, he seems to be trying to use an excessive carriage... Isn''t it too much?" Rockefeller responded. "Of course, it''s too much. Even a two-horse carriage would have been enough, but going up to a six-horse carriage is a bit too much. With that, he''ll have a hard time living a normal life." "Then why did you give him the loan?" "At that." Rockefeller looked at her and smiled deeply. "Of course, I intended it that way. From the very beginning when I first introduced the carriage loan, I fully anticipated that something like this would happen. To be honest, I intentionally put out that product." As Elise looked at him curiously, Rockefeller''s words continued. "Most people want houses and carriages that are beyond their means. This is true for the majority of people. There may be those who deny it, but unless they own a house and carriage without a loan, they are mistaken. And we subtly help their greed. With an excellent product called a loan." Elise expressed her doubts. "Is that really a good thing? It will surely be a burden for them, won''t it?" "Of course, it will be a burden. But that''s their choice. We simply helped them with that matter, so they shouldn''t me us." Rockefeller asked. "Rather, don''t you think they''ve be happier because of people like us?" "Happiness?" Elise recalled the man''s departing figure. His face was still beaming with excitement at the thought of riding a six-horse carriage instead of a four-horse one. ''He''ll surely regret itter, but...'' "He did look happy when he left." Rockefeller smiled with satisfaction. "That''s enough. After all, didn''t they buy their immediate happiness by putting their future value as coteral? We just helped them with that. That''s all it takes." At that, Elise asked another question. "If there are more people like that, won''t you, Lord Rockefeller, make a lot of money? You don''t really lend money recklessly, do you?" "That''s right. As long as I can collect the loan money, I can make a lot of money by filling their desires unknowingly. That''s what I do." Rockefeller continued. "Right after I merged the two banks, the first thing I started was to expand the loan business. You know that the main source of ie for banks is the loan business, right?" "Yes, but I didn''t expect you to do it this way. You''ve been lending money so aggressively..." "Houses and carriages. They are essential for people. But they are expensive and not easily achievable. So, I started from there. People will definitely need loans to buy those two things anyway. And even if they can achieve that without our help, they can''t easily suppress the inherent desire within them." Alice was not unfamiliar with that desire. "Is that desire something that doesn''t match one''s means? Is that what you''re talking about?" Rockefeller answered with a smile. "Yes, people naturally love things that are beyond their means. Even if they can buy a house without our help, they will definitely want to live in a bigger, better, and more desirable area. But this is often difficult to achieve without a loan." In conclusion, everyone takes out loans. "I will lend them as much money as they can handle. Then, they will have to keep working to pay off their debts. It''s inevitable because they wished for things beyond their means. It was their choice." Elise suddenly thought. Wouldn''t someone who knows their exact worth be able to live morefortably in this world? "But if someone knows their worth, it''s different, right? That person would have little or no debt, so they wouldn''t have to work constantly, right?" Rockefeller did not deny it. "That''s right. That person would be rtively free." Rockefeller''s words continued. "But there are very few people like that in this world. Most people probably have debts. And they will work hard to pay off those debts for the rest of their lives. In the end, the reason they work like ves all their lives is because they want things that are beyond their means." Rockefeller emphasized by raising his index finger. "Furthermore, we make money thanks to people who don''t know their limits. The more they take out loans, the more profit returns to us," said Rockefeller. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 131 (1) Chapter 131 (1) Bonus chapter thanks to @Talosfanboy from Kofi! A Different Path (1) There were two carriages heading toward ck Label. They were just ordinary carriages, with no fancy patterns or expensive decorations. However, the people riding in the carriages were far from ordinary. They were members of a prestigious family in the empire. "ck Label will being into view soon, Miss." Jason. He was called the Knightlord, Isabe''s mentor, and her protector. At his words, the woman in the robe slightly pushed aside the silk curtain and looked out the window of the carriage. In the distance, she saw the endless ocean and the huge port city beside it. The view was beautiful, but the journey had been quite boring for her. "I thought we might run into a band of thieves along the way, but it seems we didn''t have any issues." As the mature woman with silky purple hair spoke, Jason responded. "Perhaps the thieves were deterred by our in-looking carriage. They might have been more interested in shy carriages that draw more attention. But we''ve traveled rather quietly." "It''s still been too uneventful. Even if they hade, it wouldn''t have been a problem. In fact, it might have been more fun." "No, Miss. Boring is always better. The world is an unpredictable ce." "You''re right, Jason. It''s not wrong to say that." Since the Crown War began, they had been ordered by their family to head straight to ck Label. The reason they were heading to ck Label was simple. It was because the Lyon Guild leader was there. "Jason, I heard that the Lyon Guild and the ck Label Union have merged?" Even though they were from different fields, they had heard about the general news rted to the guild. "Yes, I heard that the newly-appointed guild leader is quite ambitious. Right after taking office, they waged an all-out war with the ck Label Union." "Does the new guild leader enjoy fighting?" "I heard that they are very talented and quite young." "Is it because they''re young?" "It''s possible. People tend to be more conservative as they age." "Was the previous guild leader named Benjamin?" "Benjamin de Lyon. He was from the Lyon family and only took care of his own interests. However, he treated us well. He was a decent and good person, from our perspective." "What good does it do if he''s only good to us? He was ipetent within the guild and was driven out." "That''s true." She suddenly became curious about the new guild leader. "But do you know anything about the new guild leader, Jason?" Jason couldn''t raise his head, seemingly apologetic about not knowing more. "I''m sorry. The order came so suddenly that I haven''t been able to find out more about them." "Really?" "I think what you know and what I know won''t be much different." "Right. For both you and me, the most important thing right now is the Crown War." The reason they came all the way here was also rted to the Crown War. Jason said, "To be honest, I never expected the guild to cause problems. They''ve been loyal to us for so long that I didn''t think they would suddenly change their attitude." Isabe seemed to agree. "Is there someone else they trust?" "I don''t know. But even if there isn''t, they should change their position once we arrive." Mages were the most fearsome and frightening beings under the sky. So it was natural that a mere bandit leader would bow their head when they approached. "What if they don''t?" "Then they must have someone else they trust." However, Jason didn''t seem too worried. "Even if they have someone they trust, they won''t be able to easily abandon us because of their own limitations. We are indispensable to them." Isabe knew better than anyone what this meant. "Without the special paper provided by our side, their whole operation would be a forgery paradise, wouldn''t it? They can''t make it themselves." Jason seemed to agree with her and spoke again. "Yes, so there''s no need to worry too much. Only the Sinir family can make that paper." She then asked about the new guild leader again. "But I heard that the new guild leader is from amoner background." "Yes, I heard that as well. Their background is so humble that their name isn''t even well-known." "So neither you nor I know anything about them?" "In my opinion, other members of our family might know their name. There must have been someone more suitable for this task. However, our lord entrusted it to us." When the lord was mentioned, Isabe''s expression darkened slightly. ''He''s trying to protect me. Direct involvement in the war is too dangerous.'' "It''s probably because of me. He''s trying not to involve me in dangerous situations." Jason nodded slightly. "Well, I don''t me him. Personally, I''m grateful that he only gives us easy tasks." With no information about the new guild leader, they couldn''t help but be surprised when they met him at ck Label. "Banco... boy?" Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 131 (2) Chapter 131 (2) The first one to recognize Rockefeller was none other than Jason. Of course, the girl who followed him was just as surprised. ''Was that boy the new Guild Leader they were talking about?'' Jason thought with an incredulous expression. ''How is that boy here?'' Back then, the boy was an enigmatic, hardworking bank clerk. A boy who recklessly overused promissory notes. And heter heard about the oue. The lord went bankrupt. ''So that''s what happened.'' Although somewhat bted, Jason was able to recognize who the newly appointed Guild Leader was. The bank clerk boy he had met back then had silently grown up to be the leader of the Lyon Guild. "Arent you the boy I saw in Montefeltro territory? Do you remember me?" When Jason spoke, Rockefeller seemed somewhat surprised as well. He expected someone from the Sinir family toe, but he didn''t expect them to visit among so many family members. ''Is it a coincidence? Or...'' Rockefeller quickly hid his surprised expression and smiled. "It''s been a while. We met once before, right? In Montefeltro territory." Rockefeller nced at Isabe, who had matured significantly since theirst encounter. ''She''s grown up quite a bit. She was just a child back then.'' "Nice to meet you." As Rockefeller greeted her casually, Jason, who hade with her, became stern. "How dare you! To be so disrespectful..." But Rockefeller, who intercepted him, was no ordinary person either. "I am now a noble, not amoner." Seeing him, who had be somewhat arrogantpared to before, Jason felt many things. ''People... change. If that''s his true nature, was he hiding his true colors back then?'' "..." When Rockefeller said he was a noble, Jason had nothing to say. Different etiquette applied between noblespared tomoners. And he was officially the leader of the Lyon Guild. The girl he escorted also had to show some respect to him. As Jason quieted down, Isabe stepped in. "I am Isabe Sinir." She still remembered his name. "Rockefeller, right?" Seeing her remember his name, Rockefeller responded with a smile. "You remember my name. Nice to meet you, Miss Isabe. It''s been a long time." "Have you be the Guild Leader since west met?" "Yes, a lot has happened since west saw each other. I am now the leader of the Lyon Guild." As they conversed, a youngdy came and stood next to Rockefeller. It was his secretary, Elise. "Are they your guests?" When Elise, pretending to know nothing, asked, Rockefeller replied yes and seated the two visitors in the nearby reception area. Of course, he did not give them the head seat. Indirectly, he sent a message to them that he would part ways with the Sinir family. Feeling that they were treated differently than before, both Isabe and Jason feltplicated. ''I understand why he changed his attitude if he''s the Guild Leader here.'' As far as Jason remembered, the young bank clerk he had met back then was a boy with a n. Although it didn''t seem like much at first nce, didn''t his actions eventually lead to the bankruptcy of a lord? ''He probably has a n for cutting ties with us.'' Although he had many thoughts, Jason had no intention of making a big move in this situation. He knew that he was not the one to step forward in this situation. A littleter, when tea was served, Isabe, who tasted it, nced at Rockefeller, who was sitting arrogantly with his legs crossed. There was only one thought in her mind. ''It won''t be easy.'' "I heard that you suddenly changed your position in the Guild. Is there a reason for that?" When she spoke, Rockefeller, who was sitting somewhat arrogantly, began to speak with a smile. "If you''re asking about the Crown War, we''ve already made our position clear." Isabe decided to just listen quietly to what he had to say. "We have no intention of helping the First Prince or the Third Prince. And this means we will not help the Sinir family." Daring to say that in front of a Sinir family member? Unable to listen any further, Jason, who grimaced, tried to step forward, but Isabe gently stopped him with a gesture. "Isn''t it going to be difficult for the Guild if you break off like that? And haven''t we been close friends for a long time?" At the mention of friends, Rockefeller gave a faint smile. "That was all in the past. Since I took office, the Lyon Guild has..." Rockefeller emphasized as he continued. "Been reborn under this sky." Reborn, he said. The two magicians, who came to visit, looked at each other in disbelief. They both suddenly wondered. What was he relying on to act so arrogantly in front of the two magicians? "Do you not know who we are?" When Isabe asked, Rockefeller still maintained the same expression and brushed it off. "I know. You are the two magicians from the Sinir family." "Yet your attitude is disrespectful." At her words, Rockefeller did not deny it. "Since we''re not on good terms to begin with, what''s the point of making a fuss about it here?" Rockefeller continued. "What I''m doing is indirectly letting you know our Guild''s position. There''s no other meaning to it, so don''t misunderstand." Unable to bear it any longer, Jason stepped forward. "What are you relying on to act like that?" At his words, Rockefeller still replied with a smiling face. At that, Rockefeller still smiled and brushed it off. "Of course, there''s a lot to trust. I have someone named Lee Han behind me, and the Ismail family, who isn''t present here, is also involved in one way or another. I''m sure you all don''t know everything, but if something happens to me, it would be best for you all to be prepared." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 132 (1) Chapter 132 (1) A Different Path (2) The two visiting magicians held their tongues. They knew that he wasn''t just bluffing. "I thought the Lyon Guild and the Sinir family were... on good terms, but I guess that''s not the case." As she expressed her disappointment, Rockefeller responded. "On good terms... yes, we were once. We were their loyal supporters. But not anymore. The situation has changed. At least from now on, it will be apletely new rtionship." "A new rtionship? What kind of rtionship are you talking about?" "I think it''s appropriate to describe it as a horizontal rtionship, where both parties are on equal footing." "So it wasn''t like that until now?" "Are you asking me, someone who knows well? Wasn''t it obviously a vertical rtionship until then?" To desire an equal rtionship with the prestigious magic family of the empire. And that''sing from a group of money lenders. Jason''s anger was boiling, but he couldn''t find an opportunity to interrupt since she was having the conversation. Meanwhile, Isabe continued speaking. "If we part ways like this, it won''t be good for you either, right?" Rockefeller did not deny it. "Perhaps. At least we''ve had some help so far, so there would be more than enough left. But even if it''s difficult now, I don''t think this willst." Seeing that he seemed prepared for something, Jason and Isabe quickly exchanged nces. The Sinir family was not as hot-blooded as the Tepez family, but they were a group that neverpromised when it came to their interests. Sometimes they didn''t hesitate to use force, so when Jason asked her if it was time to show his strength, she quietly shook her head. The atmosphere in the room was too cold. ''It''s that feeling from back then. It''s exactly the same as when I faced Ismail.'' She had a faint idea. There was something else watching in this ce, besides them. "No." She eventually stopped Jason, who was about to do something. "Miss. Why are you stopping me?" As he protested, she continued in a calm tone. "There''s someone else in this room. Jason, don''t you realize it yet?" "Someone else?" Jason looked around the room again. As she said, there was a subtle current flowing through the room. ''This is Ismail''s energy.'' "Ah..." It seemed that the direct descendants of the family were indeed different. She never missed the parts that he had overlooked. As a result, Jason, who had no choice but to suppress his strength forcibly, found Rockefeller again with a twisted expression. "You had a hidden trust." Rockefeller shook his head as if he was pathetic. "As I mentioned earlier, Ismail''s family is involved here, whether we know it or not." Rockefeller''s words continued. "Do you know why there was no interference when we initially waged a full-scale war with the Union and absorbed them?" Isabe answered his question. "Did you get their permission?" "Exactly, they gave us their permission. Why? Because our interests aligned." Rockefeller continued. "The Ismail side was longing for their past glory. And we wanted to grow into arger group. So, with these interests aligned, we were able to absorb the Union without any problems." Rockefeller stared straight at her and continued. "Considering that we are closely tied with Ismail''s forces, would they want something to happen to my safety here? Probably not. So, if you cause trouble here, it might not be good for you either. That''s how desperate Ismail is." Ismail was once one of the prestigious families of the empire, even if they had be a toothless tiger. It was burdensome for the Sinir family to establish another confrontation with the remaining Ismail forces when they were already busy worrying about the uing crown war. So, she tried to find a way to resolve this matter wisely. "Why do you need to continue being tied to the Ismail family when the Union''s forces have also weakened?" She continued. "And the Ismail side is not on good terms with the Order, so you''ll have to keep some distance from them if you want to continue your banking business." Rockefellerughed. "So, are you telling me to betray them? And if I die quietly without anyone knowing, will you take responsibility?" "If you feel threatened, we can help you." Rockefeller shook his head. "That''s not the point." The threat to his safety. That was merely a choice. "You seem to be misunderstanding something. My insistence on the Ismail family is my choice. If we''ve been with the Sinir family until now, from now on, we''ll be with Ismail." Isabe couldn''t understand his attitude. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 132 (2) Chapter 132 (2) "I can''t understand. What kind of power do they have that you would abandon us and continue to insist on them? I would understand if it were the Tepez family. But Ismail..." In response to her question of why he insisted on the fallen Ismail family, Rockefeller replied with a subtle smile. "Isn''t there a crown waring up soon? If the 2nd Prince wins there, who knows what will happen?" Isabe was taken aback by his unexpected remark. The 2nd Prince in the crown war? "His Highness Christian in the crown war?" It sounded like news to her. There was not even a rumor that the 2nd Prince would participate. When Isabe looked at Jason, he also shook his head as if he had the same thought. It meant that it was unlikely. "Unlikely." Rockefeller sat back in a rxed posture, crossing his legs and smiling. "Would you like to bet with me? Whether or not the 2nd Prince will participate in the crown war." "Even if he participates, Prince Christian would lose his life, right?" The crown war was a long-standing tradition of the royal family, and only one prince could survive and ascend to the throne after participating in this battle. So, princes who valued their lives couldn''t participate in the crown war. "Losing his life? If he participates and wins, that''s it." "How can he win? There''s no way he can." "Sorry, but the issue of winning and losing in the crown war is decided by people like us. To be honest, what power do the princes have to win in the crown war? Isn''t it the forces that support them that put them on the throne?" At that point, Jason, who had been silent, stepped in. "You don''t think the 2nd Prince will win, do you?" "Of course. In the uing crown war, the 2nd Prince will definitely win." It was a confidence so great that one could stick out their tongue. Even looking at the current situation, the 2nd Prince was initially uncertain about participating. "Foolish. Abandoning us for a hopeless cause and choosing Ismail." "That''s my choice. It''s not a problem for others to argue about my choice." The idea of pushing the 2nd Prince was such an absurd idea that Isabe thought more about it. ''Although it''s unlikely. If they push the 2nd Prince and he wins, they''ll gain a lot.'' It was natural for the prince who ascended to the throne to help the forces that supported him. Especially for the 2nd Prince, who has no supporting forces, it would be even more so. ''The guild''s financial power is sufficient, so the 2nd Prince won''t have trouble because of money. The problem is the order...'' "Are you not worried about the order issue at all? Ismail has already been branded as a heretical force, so even if the 2nd Prince wins the crown war, he cannot ascend to the throne. The empire will never part with the order." "I have a separate n for that." "A n?" Rockefeller still looked rxed. "I end up saying the same thing again. Putting someone on the throne is the work of people like us. Does the order see the 2nd Prince unfavorably?" Rockefeller nodded as if he understood. "Well, that''s possible. He was involved with the heretical forces, so I think it''s quite possible. But that''s all in the past." Rockefeller''s smile contained various meanings. One of them was confidence. "Just wait and see if the 2nd Prince can ascend to the throne or not. Even if the world is divided in two, I n to put him on the throne." As he spoke, Rockefeller could imagine someone being moved by his words. ''Doesn''t he even bow down to me when I say this much?'' "And when that happens, the world I''ve supported from the beginning will unfold. I have a lot to ask of him, at least. And he will grant my request, even if it''s difficult. Loyalty is not something that can be easily discarded, right?" He was a guild leader with great ambitions. Jason almost let out a hollowugh, thinking it was too far-fetched. "Amazing. Instead of such passion, why not join us and push for the 3rd Prince?" At Jason''s words, Rockefeller immediately shook his head. "The 3rd Prince already has many attached supporting forces, so there''s not much to gain even if I join. I intend to continue my gamble in my own way, so you can understand that." A guild leader who bet on an impossible ce. Jason had a lot to say, but he held his tongue because she was with him. On the other hand, she thought differently. He was so confident that she considered the possibility. ''Why is he so sure? He''s not a fool who doesn''t know how the world works.'' He was a man who had been an ordinarymoner and became the leader of the two Bancos. He had aplished some significant things, so she couldn''t just ignore his thoughts. ''But he must have some faith in it, that''s why he''s doing that, right?'' She considered various possibilities for a while and then informed him of another possibility to persuade him. "What if the 2nd Princeter betrays your loyalty?" "Betrays loyalty?" "It could happen. You never know what will happen in the world." "Hmm..." The 2nd Prince that Rockefeller knew was not the type of person to do that. He was a devout believer, always carrying his faith in his heart. "To be honest, I don''t trust anyone. Who knows what will happen and the 2nd Prince will change his words?" "Isn''t it too optimistic for someone who thinks that way to look at the world?" "That''s why I intend to have insurance." "Insurance?" Even if she hadn''t asked, he had already thought about it. No matter how loyal a person is. Insurance was still necessary. "Yes, I have a very pretty younger sister who I adore." Hearing his following words, she had nothing more to say. "I''ll have to take my sister with me. Then the possibility of changing his mindter will be even more unlikely." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 133 (1) Chapter 133 (1) Font size change buttons should be working properly now! You won''t need to set it for each chapter, your preference will be remembered too! A Different Path (3) At the mention of marrying the 2nd Prince to his sister, she was left speechless. If he kept his word, it would be difficult for the 2nd Prince to go back on his promiseter. Moreover, the 2nd Prince she knew was a devout and sincere person, who didn''t seem to have any significant issues. Although he had been overshadowed by the 1st and 3rd Princes and had lived quietly, when she thought about him, the events she had anticipated seemed very unlikely to happen. ''It was all nned from the beginning.'' However, there was one thing that bothered her. It was the existence of the guild. ''Does that mean the guild also has some considerations in mind?'' If so, it wasn''t entirely impossible for the 2nd Prince to participate in the royal crown war, defeat the two powerful candidates, and seed to the throne, just as he said. That is, if the guild''s attitude changed significantly from what it is now. ''I don''t know. I don''t think they''ll tell me everything just by asking.'' "What are you nning to do with the important guild? It seems like you have everything nned out." Rockefeller remainedposed. "As I said earlier, we have our own ns for that as well. So, since we have decided on our course, it seems difficult to work with the Sinir family in the future. You''vee a long way, and I''m sorry to send you back empty-handed." He was overly arrogant. Unable to bear it, Jason stepped forward. "So, you''re only scared of Ismail, and not us?" At that, Rockefeller immediately retorted. "Rather, I''d like to ask you. Are you not afraid of us? We are the group with the strongest financial power, excluding the two noble families of the empire. Depending on our attitude, the oue of the uing royal crown war might be determined." His following smile was somewhat provocative. "Do we still look like a joke to you?" Feeling humiliated, Jason nced at her again. It was a silent question about what to do with him. However, Isabe had a high opinion of the man named Rockefeller, unlike Jason, who was about tosh out. There was no chance of winning in the first ce if they caused trouble here, and there were too many things he trusted. ''He predicted everything, even our arrival here.'' "It''s my first time seeing a daringmoner against a magician. Usually, they''re busy trembling." At Isabe''s words, Rockefeller still had a smile on his lips and casually agreed with her. "Most people would be like that. They''d be scared to death of a magician, especially if they don''t have any faith like me." "If we were to approach this in a different way than this peaceful conversation, wouldn''t it be very difficult for you?" "If you''re confident, give it a try. I''m curious about how it''ll turn out. However, you''ll have to take responsibility for what happens afterward." If any unpleasant incidents were to ur, Ismail wouldn''t just sit idly by. He would risk revealing his identity to confront them. ''In the first ce, there''s no way that could happen with the Lord of Ismail, who has been holding out here without many people to confront.'' "Moreover, I also received threats, so I intend to pay you back ordingly. Look forward to it. How our guild will show up in the uing royal crown war." She red at him for a moment, feeling ufortable. ''He''s too audacious. I don''t know what he''s relying on to act like that.'' "Do you think there''s someone here to protect you if something happens?" His opponent was the talented Knightlord of the Sinir family. "Don''t you know that better than I do?" "......" From her perspective, it seemed that Rockefeller was certain that Ismail''s forces were involved in this ce. Otherwise, he couldn''t have been so audacious. Jason also began to subtly be on guard, sensing the sharp atmosphere. The surrounding air was too prickly. ''It''s a bit annoying. I guess he had some trust in them.'' Perhaps for the two wizards, this ce was like a trap. What they saw right in front of them was a prey left defenseless, but they couldn''t help but notice that it was actually bait. The two who came to find Rockefeller exchanged nces for a moment. When she shook her head, Jason soon seemed to agree and quieted down. Isabe, who had been pondering Rockefeller for a while, opened her mouth for a final warning. "Even if we quietly withdraw from here, the guild will have to prepare itself. We are just as ruthless as the Tepez. Please keep that in mind." "If it''s a threat involving the exclusive supply of special paper from the Sinir family, I want to make it clear that the threat won''t work on me." At those words, Jason was taken aback. ''A mere moneylender who ys with money is too pretentious.'' Magic was essentially an absolute power capable of achieving anything. And everyone knew how powerful the Sinir family, which held a monopoly on it, was. That''s why Jason stepped forward with confidence. "Even if you look down on Sinir, you look down too much. Without our help, you will soon face ruin. If we can forge the loan certificates that are circting in the market right now." Jason shook his head as if to show off. "It''s over for you." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 133 (2) Chapter 133 (2) Then, Rockefeller pulled out a Goblin Dor from his pocket. It was the loan certificate he mentioned. "Oh, are you talking about this?" The two recognized the loan certificate that Rockefeller pulled out. It was the strange paper money that had been increasing recently. "That is......" "This is called the Goblin Dor. It''s going to be the new currency of the empire." Isabe, who was looking at Rockefeller showing off the Goblin Dor, gave Jason another nce. The two exchanged subtle nces in midair, and after a while, Isabe, who removed her gaze, spoke to Rockefeller. "With the power we have, you won''t be able to achieve your dream." The following words were important. "Don''t underestimate magic too much." Then, Rockefeller, who caught the words, was just as great. "Miss Isabe, you''re actually saying what I wanted to say. That''s right. You shouldn''t underestimate magic. Never." Then, Rockefeller sent a farewell greeting to the two. "It seems like our conversation is roughly over with this. Take care, and I hope next time we meet, we can have a conversation on equal terms." For the two wizards, it was an unpleasant and upsetting encounter. They never thought the guild, which had followed them like a loyal dog, would change like this after weing a new leader. Now, it was embarrassing to call them followers, as they growled at them. Isabe, who stood up to leave, stared at Rockefeller, who was still standing in his ce. "Do you have anything else to say?" When Rockefeller asked, she shot a subtle nce at him and soon turned her back. Then she followed Jason, who had left the store. Rockefeller, who saw the two leave, stroked his chin in the quiet store. ''They left more quietly than I expected. Probably because they were worried about Ismail.'' In the uing royal crown war. Rockefeller could envision the bloody battle between the two families. ''Soon, the Tepez family, with the two princes, and the Sinir family will have a full-scale battle. And then...'' At the climax of the fight between the two families that bloomed in the crown war. The cash-strapped Sinir family ends upmitting the crime of forging loan certificates. And Rockefeller knew about it. ''Even though they''re a family of wizards and act all noble, they''re still human, and there''s nothing they can do when their situation bes dire.'' Until now, the promissory notes used in the bank were exclusively issued on a special paper supplied by the Sinir family. That''s why the financially struggling Sinir family resorted to something they shouldn''t have done. It was the forgery of promissory notes. ''I''m sorry, but I don''t think that''s what they want. Not before this Goblin Dor.'' The one to be created by Lee Han. ''It will be an absolute currency that cannot be counterfeited.'' Meanwhile, the two wizards who left the store got back on their carriage. As soon as they got on the carriage, they started talking about the guild leader they had just met. "I''ve heard about the recent change in the guild''s attitude, but I didn''t expect them to be so tant. And I never thought that the guild leader would be that boy... No one really knows what''s going on in the world." When Jason spoke, Isabe, who had been pondering, also agreed. "I feel the same way. I didn''t expect the guild toe out like that." "Anyway, the decision is up to the head of the family. But at your level, you could probably handle the guild." "No. If we cause a problem here, Ismail will step in." The assassination family Ismail. Although they were a fallen family that had practically retired after losing all their limbs, they were once a prestigious family with a high standing, on par with them. So it wasn''t something they could take lightly. "We have the royal crown waring up soon, and it''s not a good idea to mess with Ismail. We''re already busy dealing with the Tepez side." "But leaving the guild like this isn''t a good thing either." "That''s true." There was a good reason why they were concerned about the guild''s attitude but didn''t take a firm stand. "But why Ismail? If it were me, I would have chosen Tepez or us." Jason seemed to agree with her words. "That''s what I''m wondering. He''s boasting that the person he chose will ascend to the throne, but he doesn''t know the reality." Jason was quite confident in this part. "It was the church that pushed the once prestigious Ismail family from the beginning to the end. The church is still holding on, so what can a mere guild leader do to put the prince he supports on the throne?" Jason shook his head as if he couldn''t understand. "I couldn''t understand it at all. What can''t you say?" "Still, when you hear what he''s saying, don''t you think the 2nd Prince, who has no support, won''t win the royal crown war?" "Do you really think so, Miss?" At that question, Isabe, who had been thinking for a short time, answered in a small voice. "No. It would be difficult." "I feel the same way. It''s unlikely." Jason thought. If heaven were to split in two. Maybe the 2nd Prince, Christian Ismail, who inherited the blood of Ismail, would ascend to the throne. ''Only if heaven permits.'' Then suddenly, he had this thought. The newly appointed guild leader. He wasn''t someone who would just talk nonsense. In that case... "Miss. Maybe." When Isabe looked at him, Jason told her what he had been thinking. "Maybe the Ismail thing is just an excuse, and they''re nning to side with the winner between us and Tepes, depending on the situation? Even if they say they support Ismail, which doesn''t make sense, if they end up siding with one of us and Tepez in the end. It''s not a big loss for them. It would be more troublesome if they pushed us and Tepes ended up winningter." When Jason expressed his thoughts, Isabe, who had been considering it, couldn''t quite agree. When she thought about the man she had met earlier... ''I don''t think that''s it. He seemed sincere.'' But that was just a thought. She couldn''t be sure either. "I''m not sure. That would be the best option for him, though." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 134 (1) Chapter 134 (1) Bonus chapter thanks to @SuperLazerBeam and others from Kofi! The Stock Exchange (1) Gudut''s restaurant owner, Bob, was restless due to the recent news he had heard. ''How... does that mean it''s all going to be worthless?'' Before hearing that news, he had always been immersed in happiness, thinking he would hit the jackpot. The minimum profit was four times the amount of his investment. Depending on his luck, the dream of a jackpot that could reach five, eight, or even ten times was possible. However, that dream was shattered after yesterday. ''My house... my six-wheeled carriage...'' Why did this happen? The trading ship he had invested in had been captured by pirates. ''Damn those pirate bastards. If they were going to mess with a ship, they should''ve messed with another one! Why did they have to mess with the ship I invested in?'' It had been more than half a year since he had invested in a trading ship heading to the new continent. In the meantime, a stock exchange, which had never existed in the world before, was established in ck Label. Since the establishment of the exchange, Bob had visited it daily to check the value of the stocks rted to the trading ship he had invested in. Just the day before, the value was four times the face value, but after the news of the capture spread, the price plummeted to a tenth of the face value, and there was no one willing to buy it. Everyone knew it would soon be worthless. ''It''s already a tenth of the face value. It even went through the floor and into the basement.'' This feeling was undoubtedly the same as seeing his wealth being cut into a tenth in an instant. Most of his wealth had disappeared into thin air without him doing anything. "Sigh... my luck." As Bob sighed deeply in his shop, he heard the familiar sound of a carriage approaching. Shortly after. A familiar figure visited Bob''s shop, his friend Bel, the owner of a clothing store. "Hey, did you hear the news?" Bob barely had the strength to answer, but he squeezed out what little strength he had to reply. "What news?" "Well, you know, the Morning Glory that you invested in." "I already know it was captured by pirates. Damn those pirate bastards. I hope they get punished and die." "Did you already know?" "Of course, why wouldn''t I? As soon as the news spread yesterday, the stocks I had became worthless." Bob took out his stocks, which were now as good as toilet paper, and showed them to Bel. "How can this be a tenth of its value overnight! And that too in just one day!" Bel felt sorry for Bob as well. If only the trading ship they had invested in had returned safely. If only the ship had returned safely, they would have been able to secure at least four times the profit... Seeing Bob sighing deeply, Bel was grateful he hadn''t followed Bob''s investment in the trading ship. ''That''s why you should''ve listened to me when I told you not to do it. You even brought all your house deeds and took out loans, tsk tsk tsk.'' "What are you going to do now?" Bob could only reply weakly. "I don''t know. I haven''t even told my wife yet. If I tell her, I feel like I''ll be kicked out naked." "You still have to tell her. It doesn''t seem like an ordinary problem." At that, Bob became angry all at once. "Who doesn''t know that! What can I do by telling her? Should I go and tell her that I''m about to lose my house and shop all at once? Do you want to see someone get beaten to death by their wife during the day?" Bel couldn''t say anything, feeling sorry for Bob. Especially since Bob''s wife had been bedridden since the day he invested in the trading ship. Although they had the dream of hitting the jackpot, his wife had known about the risks of the investment beforehand. ''Well, there are more than one or two people who have been ruined by investing in trading ships. Considering that, Sam the shoeshine boy is really amazing. How did he manage to avoid the sinking ships and only invest in the ones that returned safely? Well, that''s why he lives in a mansion like a noble.'' "I''m sorry. I should''ve stopped you back then. I did warn you, though." At that, Bob stood up and looked at Bel with a resentful half-re. "That''s why you should''ve stopped me by force back then! If you knew I had never seeded in anything, you should''ve stopped me no matter what!" "No, did you even listen to me back then? You were the one who ignored me and went all-in on that ship." "Sigh... What should I do now? What should I do..." Seeing Bob slump down again, Bel couldn''t help but feel uneasy. "How much is it now? How much has it fallen?" "I don''t know. Thest time I checked, it was a tenth of the face value. And there were no buyers, so it seemed like it would fall even more." Bel, who had heard various stories, opened his mouth to console him. "Don''t be too discouraged. I heard that the pirates who captured the Morning Glory are in a big fuss trying to get back their captured deputy captain from the navy." "Do you think the chancellor would listen to their demands?" "You never know, right? They might release all the captured ships as a condition for the hostage exchange." How great would that be? ''There was such a story, but...'' Perhaps the reason why his stocks didn''t immediately be worthless yesterday was because of the possibility that the captured ship might return safely, as Bel had mentioned earlier? ''But there''s no way that would happen. The chancellor here is such a ruthless person. He''s a man who has nailed it down that he will neverpromise with pirates.'' "Sigh..." Bob reluctantly stood up from his seat, feeling like he was grasping at straws. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 134 (2) Chapter 134 (2) "Let''s go to the trading exchange just in case. I don''t think it''s likely, but like you said, there''s a chance, right?" "That''s what I''m saying. It''s too early to give up. Depending on what the chancellor does, who knows if the seized ships will be released by luck? Then it would be a jackpot! Or at least we could get the ship''s value back." "But do you think the pirates will just leave the seized trade ships alone? Even if they return the ships, it seems like they won''t leave the cargo untouched." "I don''t know about that. But if they want to safely return the deputy captain, they''ll have to leave the cargo alone too, right?" "Yeah, I guess so." "Let''s hurry and go. You never know." "Right, right, you''re right. Let''s go check it out." And so, the two headed to the only ce in ck Label where they could trade securities, riding in Bel''s carriage. Upon arrival, the ce was bustling with people hoping to invest in new trade ships or those who had already invested in ships and wanted to check the market price daily. ''What kind of people are sticking around here every day without doing any work?'' Bel, who had followed Bob into the trading exchange, thought to himself. ''How pathetic.'' "Let''s go check it out." The two headed straight to the bulletin board where the security prices rted to the Morning Glory were listed. Just like yesterday, the price of Bob''s security, which had been shed to one-tenth, was disyed on the board with real-time trading prices. ''Damn it, it''s still the same.'' "Nothing has changed since yesterday." Bel, who was looking at the ce Bob pointed, could not continue his words in frustration. Who could have imagined that the security price, which was traded above the par value just a few days ago, would be a fraction of its value with the news of the seizure? ''At that rate, no one would buy it. Who would enter such a situation? It would be hard to get in there even with a dragon''s heart, not just a beast''s heart.'' "What are you going to do? Are you going to hold on for now?" At that moment, an employee working at the trading exchange began to modify the trading prices rted to the Morning Glory. Without even answering Bel''s question, Bob stared intently at the bulletin board disying the trading prices. ''Please, please!'' However, his hopes were soon shattered. The security price, which had been one-tenth just a moment ago, was halved again. "Ah..." Oh my god. In the brief hesitation, the security price that had been shed to one-tenth was halved again. Denying the harsh reality, Bob turned his head to the side at the loud noise and saw an investor who had invested in the same trade ship as himself sitting on the floor in front of the trading exchange employee. He was a nameless investor who used to stare intently at the same ce with him. ''That person must have been ruined like me.'' The investor sitting in his seat had a nk expression, staring nkly into the air. That miserable, if not pitiful, state of mind. Bob knew it all too well. ''It''s going to be a scrap of paper.'' In the brief conflict just now, someone had sold the security, which was about to be a scrap, and managed to secure some of the principal. ''Yeah, it''s a game of nerves. If I leave it like this, it will really be a scrap of paper.'' Perhaps the reason why the security price, which had fallen to one-tenth, held on for a while was because of the foolish investors who were captivated by the vain dream that the seized ships might be released? ''I have to sell it somehow while those foolish guys are still holding on! I have to save at least a little bit before it turns into a scrap of paper!'' With the intention of saving at least a little of his invested principal, Bob went straight to the trading exchange employee. And he sold the security, which had been shed to one-twentieth, right away. "......" It''s a fleeting life. After selling all his securities, he began to feel pathetic for having dreamed of a vain dream with his investment in the trade ships. ''It was all just a dream. It was all just a dream.'' A jackpot, what a joke. What kind of jackpot could there be in this situation? "Ah...my luck." Bel, who had watched the security price halve, couldn''t stop Bob from selling the security, and could only ask after everything was over. "Hey, did you sell it all?" "Didn''t you see just now? It''s really about to be a scrap. I have to save at least a little bit." Bel had nothing to say. If he had been in the same situation as Bob, he would have done the same thing. At that moment, the security price that Bob had sold began to rise again. When the two looked at the bulletin board, wondering what was going on, the security price, which had been shed to one-twentieth just a moment ago, was revived to one-tenth by some brave investor. ''Who is the crazy guy entering that?'' Bob was also dumbfounded. ''Is he really going in? That''s going to be a piece of paper in a few days.'' Who would have thought that there would be a beast''s heart to enter such a situation? Bob and Bel saw a young man recklessly buying the securities of the Morning Glory, which was about to be a piece of paper. A familiar face. "Hey, that''s him, right?" "I know. The Guild Master''s younger brother." It turned out that he was Joshua Rosmedici, the younger brother of Rockefeller Rosmedici, the owner of the Rosmedici Trading Exchange in this ce. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 135 (1) Chapter 135 (1) Bonus chapter thanks to @Nutbuddy from Ko-fi! Stock Exchange (2) He became the new owner of the ''Bank of Rosmedici,'' remaining at the ck Label on behalf of Rockefeller. "What the hell is he thinking? Buying those stocks..." "I don''t know. Why is he doing that all of a sudden? Does he want to lose money?" Curious, the two watched closely to see what Joshua would do next. "Look at that. Now he''s buying different ones!" "Is he crazy? Those ships are..." Joshua''s actions did not stop there. He began indiscriminately buying stocks of several trading ships rumored to have been captured by pirates. "From what I can see, they''re all ships that have recently been captured by pirates, right?" "Yes, all of them are stocks on the verge of being worthless, but he''s buying them." "Why is he buying them? They''ll be worthless soon..." Then, the two suddenly thought of something and wore surprised expressions. Could it be... That the ships rumored to have been captured by pirates would return? "He''s the guild leader''s younger brother. Maybe he heard some news? Like the captured trading ships are returning." "I just thought of that too. He shouldn''t be doing that unless he''s not nning on losing money." "Right. He definitely shouldn''t. There must be something." It wasn''t just the two of them. Many investors in the stock exchange began to take an interest in Joshua, who was indiscriminately buying stocks of trading ships rumored to have been captured. "What''s going on?" "I don''t know. He''s the guild leader''s brother, but he''s buying all those worthless stocks at a cheap price." "He''s just collecting trash." "Why is he doing that? I don''t understand." "I don''t know either. I don''t know why he''s doing that." As they watched closely. Joshua was able to buy all the heavily discounted stocks like scooping them up with a hook. Some of the stocks on the verge of being worthless quickly rose in price, but most people just stared nkly as they were known to be hopeless. However, a few quick-witted individuals began to follow Joshua and buy the same stocks, but they could only buy them at a higher price than Joshua. As the price of the stocks, which had be worthless, began to rise sharply. Bob, who had been watching, spoke up. "Hey, you''re just going to stand by and watch the price of the stocks you sold rise like that?" "I know. I''m thinking about it right now." "The price has risen four times more than what you sold them for. You''re not just going to watch, are you?" "Ah..." Bob was on the verge of exploding with anger. Just a few minutes ago, his stocks had been worth 1/20th of their face value. Due to the antics of the guild leader''s brother, they had risen back to 1/5th of their face value. ''Why did I sell them when they were going up like this?'' "Why does the world mess with me? Where did St. John go?" At that, Bob reacted. "No, why are you looking for St. John when youre perfectly fine?" Frustrated, Bob hit his chest. "I''m frustrated. I don''t know why this is happening when I sell!" "So, are you going to buy? Or not? The price is still rising." "I don''t know. How am I supposed to know that?" Bob couldn''t ignore what Bell said. However, there was one thing that bothered him. He didn''t have the courage to buy at a higher price than he had sold. "What if it gets cut in half again... Ah..." Bell, who was unable to grasp the situation, began to whisper in Bob''s ear. "Look. Everyone there is trying to buy those worthless stocks." "So what?" "You should buy some before it''s toote! Look at that. The price is rising again!" In the meantime, the stock prices that had risen due to Joshua were showing signs of rising again. "It''s rising again!" Bob, who was holding his head in pain for a while, eventually rushed to the exchange employee to buy back his stocks at a higher price than he had sold them. ''Why did I sell them then?'' If only he hadn''t sold them at that time! The thought wouldn''t leave his head, but it was already spilled water. Bob, who had moved quickly to buy back his stocks before they rose even higher, returned to Bell with an unhappy expression. As Bob returned, Bell hurriedly asked. "How did it go? Did you buy them back?" "I did. At an unbelievably high price." How could he exin this unreasonable situation? In a short time. He had suffered a huge loss due to a wrong judgment. "Still, it''s a relief. If the ships return like this, you''ll at least recover your initial investment." Although it was unfortunate, Bob foundfort in that and headed out of the stock exchange with drooping shoulders. Then, the two saw Joshua Rosmedici boarding a carriage outside the stock exchange. ''I should at least ask, right?'' His entire fortune, no, his life was at stake. He would probably be sure, but... Just in case, Bob stopped Joshua, who was about to board the carriage, and asked for a moment of conversation. "Is the Morning Glory returning safely?" Joshua looked at Bob, the owner of the small store who had called him. "The Morning Glory?" "Yes, didn''t you just buy the stock?" At that, Joshua began to show a lukewarm reaction. "Well, I''m not sure about that?" Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 135 (2) Chapter 135 (2) "What do you mean? You bought them knowing everything, didn''t you?" "No, it''s not that. It''s just..." As he spoke, Joshua remembered his meeting with the chancellor. Upon receiving Rockefeller''s summons and leaving for ck Label, Joshua took over the vacant position left by Rockefeller. "Are you the younger brother of Lord Rockefeller? I heard you''re the third child." It was the first time he met the chancellor. Since there was no harm in getting along with him, Joshua replied with a pleasant expression. "Yes, I am Joshua Rothsmedichi, the third child of the Rothsmedichi family. Unlike my second eldest brother and fourth younger sibling, I am following my eldest brother and taking care of the bank''s affairs." "Is that so? I look forward to working with you. I''ve heard a lot about you from Lord Rockefeller. They say you''re quitepetent." "Haha, that''s not true. My eldest brother is much better at it. I''ve only learned by watching him." The chancellor, who seemed to be somewhat convinced, nodded his head and continued the conversation. "You''ve probably heard about our rtionship?" "Yes, I heard that our side will lend you the shipbuilding costs at a low interest rate." "You must also know about the monopoly on the stock exchange." "Yes, of course." The conversation that started like this led to other stories to strengthen their friendship. "Recently, some trading ships have been captured by pirates. It''s a headache." Joshua had not been at ck Label for long, but he had heard many stories because he had work to do. Especially since he took charge of the stock exchange, he knew almost everything about the pirates and trading ships. "I''ve heard that story too, and I''m curious about what the chancellor will do." The chancellor''s expression as he continued the conversation was not very good. "If I were the same as before, I would have ignored whatever they said and swept them away." The reason why he couldn''t do it like his old personality. There was a good reason for it. "Is there a separate reason why you don''t do that?" "Yes, there is. Among the captured ships, some of my acquaintances and family members have invested. That''s the problem." It was then that Joshua finally understood the reason why the chancellor was racking his brains. "I see." "So it''s hard to ignore their demands, and it''s a real headache." Joshua, who had been nodding his head, had a somewhat absurd thought. ''If I use this well, I can make some money, right?'' When the rumor that a trading ship had been captured by pirates spread, the securities rted to the trading ship were usually worthless. What would happen if he bought those worthless securities andter the story of the captured ships being released circted? ''The worthless securities would skyrocket in value.'' If the chancellor changes his mind and epts the pirates'' demands, it''s obvious that all the captured trading ships will be released, and the worthless securities will return to their normal prices. At that point, Joshua smelled money. ''The problem is whether that person is willing topromise with the pirates.'' "So what are you going to do?" The chancellor still seemed to be undecided. "I''m still considering it. If I do it like before, the amount invested by those around me is sorge." As he spoke, the chancellor let out a deep sigh from time to time. "I''ll probablypromise. It wouldn''t have been like that in the past, but it''s not like that now. There''s no end to the investment in that damn trading ship, everyone''s invested in it." After reminiscing, Joshua looked at Bob, who was holding him. "I also bet that the chancellor would make a deal with the pirates to save the captured ship." "Wasn''t it certain?" "Certain... Is there such a thing in the world? Only the chancellor would know the answer." Bell, who was nearby, stepped forward. "No, then, did you buy it without any confidence?" "Not that much. I thought he would do that." "What about the cargo on the ship, even if the pirates let it go? You didn''t think about that at all?" Joshuaughed and replied to that. "Anyway, I''ll profit as long as the ship returns safely." Bell and Bob had nothing to say to that. Even if the captured ship returned without cargo. From Joshua''s point of view, who had bought the securities at a very low price, it was always a profit. "Oh dear." Bob, who had finished talking with Joshua, slumped down. He was swayed by something that was not even certain. "Oh dear! My fate." Watching Bob copse, Bel felt drained. ''That''s why you shouldn''t invest in stocks. Never.'' "Hey. Can you just sit here like that? People are watching, so get up quickly." However, Bob''s ears did not hear the sound. "I''m ruined. What now? How many times have I bought and sold?" Joshua, who had been watching Bob quietly, left aforting word. "Still, I think there''s a high probability that the ship will return, so don''t be too upset. And who knows if there''s cargo on it? The pirates want the captured captain right now." "But aren''t you worried? I saw that you bought a lot of stocks." At that, Joshua remembered what Rockefeller had said. ''Rockefeller said that if you''re not prepared to lose, you can''t win.'' "I think there''s a chance from my point of view." Although he said that, Joshua did not think his bet would go wrong. Why? ''Even if the chancellor thinks otherwise, I can make a deal with the pirates.'' If he offered money in exchange for releasing the ship. Would the pirates have a reason to refuse from their point of view? ''In any case, I don''t think I''ll lose.'' "Cheer up. Everything will work out." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 136 Chapter 136 Stock Exchange(3) Even after Joshua left after giving words of encouragement, Bob remained slumped on the ground, not thinking about getting up. "Why did I have the guts to do that when it wasn''t even certain? I fell for it and ended up losing." Bell reacted differently to his words. "What are you talking about? It seemed like you were pretty confident." "Is that confidence? I just bet on the shiping back. And that guy would profit just by the ship returning. For me to make up for the loss, the cargo must be on board without fail." "Well, he''s the guild leader''s younger brother. Let''s trust him a bit." "Ugh..." Bob, who had been sighing deeply as if the ground were copsing, began toment himself. "I''m the one to me. What was I thinking, investing in a trade ship to make a fortune overnight? If I hadn''t invested, I wouldn''t be like this now." "What''s the point of regretting it now? It''s not toote, so let''s salvage what we can." Bob had no courage to sell back his shares. All he could do was hope that the ship would return safely. ''Please! Please! Let me live!'' "It has toe back. Otherwise, I''m finished." Bell, who hadn''t seen Bob in good shape since he invested in the trade ship, was able to make a resolution once again. Never invest in stocks. ''If I don''t want to see that kind of situation, I must never invest in trade ships. Yep, that''s right.'' How much time had passed? Bob, whose life or death was uncertain, suddenly came to Bell''s clothing store, pulling a carriage. "Ahem!" Bell''s eyes widened at the sight of Bob, who appeared with a grand carriage sound and a pompous entrance. ''What''s that?'' Wasn''t the carriage he rode better than his own? It looked quite expensive, even though he didn''t know much about it. Bob had been missing for a while, so what had happened during that time? Bell greeted the surprised visitor. "Hey, what''s with that carriage? Did you borrow it from somewhere?" "Borrow? No way. Ahem! I bought one this time." What on earth was he talking about? Just a while ago, he was sighing as if the ground was copsing, but now he suddenly became rich and came to visit? The clothes he was wearing looked like he had recently spent money on them. "What on earth happened?" Then something crossed Bell''s mind. It was the trade ship investment. "Did the Morning Glory return safely?" At his words, the corners of Bob''s mouth stretched into a wide grin. "Hahaha! As I lived, it turned out like that." Bob, who had gambled his life on the trade ship investment, suddenly became rich and came to visit, which made Bell suspicious. "Wait, how exactly did that happen? Did the ship return safely?" "It did. And it came back with a full load of cargo." "A full load of cargo?" Bell had a question here. Even if the cargo was fully loaded, ording to Bob''s words at the time, it was barely enough to break even. But the current situation seemed too far from what he said back then. "Didn''t you say that even if the ship returned, you''d only break even? How did this happen?" At that, Bob nodded his head in affirmation. "That''s what I thought. I thought I''d be really lucky just to break even. But it turned out not to be the case." Bob started exining the reason to Bell. "Well, I thought the profit would be about four times, but it wasn''t." "So, you made more profit than that?" Bob grinned. "That''s right. Thanks to our pirates working so hard, the price of magic powder skyrocketed. So it didn''t just jump four times, it jumped twenty times." "Heh..." If it was four times, it would be just enough to break even, but with the magic powder''s price jumping twenty times, Bob made a profit five times greater than breaking even. "If I hadn''t messed around in the middle, I could''ve left at least twenty times more." Painful memories of the past. It''s all in the past. What mattered to Bob was only the present. "It''s a shame." "Wow... So you made five times the profit now?" "That''s right. That''s how it happened." It was hard not to feel envious when others were doing well. Bell, who had been buying Bob food and drinks out of pity just a few days ago, somehow felt a headacheing on. ''How did it turn out like this? No matter how unpredictable life can be, isn''t this too much? How did it lead to a twenty-fold profit...'' "It''s great. You did well." Bell, who didn''t really mean it, congratted Bob, who was holding his head high and speaking with a booming voice. "Hahaha! I''m in such a good mood today. I''ll buy the drinks tonight. Let''s have a fancy drink!" With augh, Bob disappeared, leaving Bell with mixed feelings. He had been squandering his wealth on things that didn''t suit him, while his friend Bob had be several times richer than him by betting his life on a trade ship investment. Just looking at the carriage Bob rode made Bell''s stomach ache, and he couldn''t concentrate on his work. ''Ah... life. St. John...'' Now it was Bell, who had be rtively poor, who had to find his life, not Bob. Bell spent a few days without appetite and suddenly made up his mind. That''s right, it''s a life that you only live once. He would also try investing in a trade ship. ''Yeah, I''ll try it too. Why should Bob be the only one to seed? If St. John hasn''t abandoned me, I can hit the jackpot too.'' And so, Bell invested all his remaining wealth in the Morning Glory, which was about to set sail for the New Continent again. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 136 (2) Chapter 136 (2) The One Closest to God (1) Joshua, who was sent to ck Label, intended to wrap up his work in Lyon before returning to his territory in Montefeltro. "I did entrust the Montepeltro territory to Mr. Carter for now, but...?" Once the Crown War is over, the Gold Vein War will soon erupt. With various matters keeping Rockefeller busy, he couldn''t find peace of mind. "More importantly, Joshua, who was sent as a ck Label, seems to be doing well." In his private room in the Ghetto Nuovo area of Lyon, Rockefeller read a letter from Joshua. "I''m not particrly good at this kind of thing, but it seems Joshua enjoys it." Joshua, who made a fortune by investing in trading ships seized by pirates, sent a letter to Rockefeller, mentioning that this time luck was on his side, as he didn''t invest in a trading ship that was stranded in a storm. "That can only be attributed to good luck." Considering the circumstances of trading ships being seized by pirates, there was a high likelihood of various oues. However, in the case of the trading ship that left at a very inconvenient time, the probability of encountering a storm was too high, so Joshua said he didn''t invest in that ship. "Joshua is wise. No matter how much profit it brings, if you don''t manage the risk properly, it can disappear in an instant." The name of the trading ship that Joshua didn''t invest in was Morning Glory. It had been seized by pirates before butter came back like a miracle, bringing enormous profits to the investors who eagerly awaited its return. "Luck? There''s no such thing as eternal luck in this world." But human''s terrible greed goes beyond that luck. In the end, the lucky ship met a tragic fate, being shipwrecked in the storm. "What is this Marsepauder? Anyway, it''s unrted to me since Joshua didn''t invest in it." After reading the letter that Joshua sent, Ellis, who serves as his secretary, was standing in front of him. She seemed to have something to say to Rockefeller. "If you have something to say, please go ahead." "Well... Bishop Verkis insists on meeting with you, Rockefeller, to continue searching for the Marsepauder." The reason he had returned to Lyon was also rted to matters involving the clergy. Upon Ellis'' words, Rockefeller stood up and prepared to go outside. "Let''s go together. I was actually nning to meet Bishop Verkis anyway. After all, the reason I came back to Lyon is to meet him." "Yes." The two of them immediately left the shop and headed to Lyon Cathedral, where Bishop Verkis was located. Upon hearing that Rockefeller hade to see him, Bishop Verkis , who had been eagerly waiting for him, weed him warmly. "I didn''t expect it to be so difficult to see your face! If someone sees us, they''ll think we''re lovers." "I apologize for neglecting you, Your Grace, due to guild matters. I deeply regret it." "No need. Union integration can keep you busy too. It''s all fine." Bishop Verkis, who smiled, seemed anxious. In the first ce, there was a reason he had expelled his own family members and installed Rockefeller, an outsider, as the guild leader. "So, is the ck Label''s work going well?" "Yes, the work there has been sessfullypleted. Currently, my third younger brother, Joshua, is managing that area." "As expected, family is the best. Can''t trust anyone else." "Yes, and to be of help to Your Grace in various ways, I have expanded the business in many directions. Now I can assist Your Grace without hesitation." Upon hearing those words, Bishop Verkis couldn''t hide his joy. "It''s truly a joyful sound. I have been waiting for this for a long time." Rockefeller also had things to be grateful for about him. He silently waited for him without saying a word while he was busy with various matters. Even though he could have gotten annoyed if I kept him waiting, I''m really thankful that he trusted me and waited until the end. "By the way, I heard you were looking for me." Once Rockefeller finished speaking, Bishop Berchis Verkis him a seat and sat down facing him. "Well, as you know, the situation within the church is rather unsettling these days." Upon hearing the story, it seems that the Pope''s health is not in a good state. Though it wasn''t something immediate, for Bishop Verkis, who has big dreams, this seemed like thest opportunity for him to make aeback. "I recently corresponded with His Holiness, and it doesn''t seem like our rtionship has deteriorated that much. It would be really good if things could be resolved at this moment, don''t you think?" Bishop Verkis held a rtively low position within the church hierarchy. Instead, bishops and archbishops from other dioceses were receiving more attention. "So, I wanted to have a talk with you. By now, shouldn''t I also show something? There might be a big opportunitying soon, you know." Rockefeller showed a moment of contemtion upon hearing those words. Then he spoke, "Of course, Your Grace. It would be a very good thing if you were to receive recognition within the church at a time like this." "What good coulde out of it?" Rockefeller was able toe up with a good idea upon hearing those words. Anywhere in the world, it ultimatelyes down to being noticed easily through money. So, Rockefeller shared his thoughts with him. "Your Grace, how about building a new church to spread the will of St. John widely? Let''s build it even bigger and grander than now." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 137 (1) Chapter 137 (1) The One Closest to God (2) At Rockefeller''s words, Bishop Verkis showed a slightly surprised expression. "Build it anew?" "Yes, build it anew. To be more precise, I think it would be an expansion." The ce where the two were was the central church of the Lyon Diocese, called the ''Lyon Cathedral.'' It was a ce with no major ws, as it was built more splendidly and magnificently than church buildings in other dioceses. "Do we really need to go that far? Even if we expand, it won''t be a small expense." Rockefellerughed as he spoke. "Haha, if money is the problem, you don''t have to worry." Money? To Rockefeller, money was his power and authority, which he could print as much as he wanted. "While you, Bishop, have been waiting for us, I and the Lyon Guild have grown greatly as one alliance. All the guild members are united in supporting me, and the ck Label''s affairs have been resolved well, so expanding the Lyon Cathedral here is nothing." From Bishop Verkis'' perspective, expanding the cathedral was not an easy task. It was all about money, after all. However, when Rockefeller told him not to worry about it, he had no choice but to change his mind. ''If we expand at this time, we will definitely attract the attention of the church.'' Somewhat convinced, Bishop Verkis opened his mouth. "If you''re going to help that much, I have no reason to stop you. But are you really okay with it? It''s not a small business." At that, Rockefeller responded only with a smile. "What''s the big deal about money for the sake of Bishop and St. John? Don''t worry about money at all, and I hope you will build the Lyon Cathedral even bigger and spread the fame of your Excellency the Bishop." Bishop Verkis, with a satisfied smile, nodded. "If that''s your wish, I''ll do it." "Proceed with the expansion right away. It''s not difficult to raise funds from the guild." At that moment, something came to Bishop Verkis'' mind, and he asked Rockefeller for another favor. "If you don''t mind, while we''re expanding, I''d like to have a mural painted with St. John in it... What do you think?" "Why would I object? I wee it." "I heard there''s a very talented artist named Andro in the Empire. He''s deeply religious, and there are many rumors about him being a master of the empire who has produced numerous masterpieces. I want to call him and ask him to work on the mural." "I think I''ve heard about him too. They say he''s a polymath in various fields with the talent given by God. If we hire such a person, I think we can better express St. John." "The believers here will love it. How happy would it be to see St. John, who is in their hearts, in person?" "That''s right." Then, Rockefeller came up with an idea and suggested it to him. ''Where did I see this?'' "Your Excellency the Bishop. I just thought of this, but how about this? When painting the mural, put the mural on the ceiling and include St. John leading to heaven, you, the Bishop, and ordinary believers like me." Bishop Verkis seemed to like the idea. "That''s a good idea. Putting mural paintings all over the ceiling... It''s a wonderful idea. Let''s do the mural work like that." While Bishop Verkis was enjoying himself, Rockefeller was nning the next step. ''In fact, there''s a reason for giving so much.'' It was none other than the fact that raising the Bishop''s position within the church would greatly coincide with his own interests. ''You have to be the leader of the church for the picture I''m drawing to be more perfect.'' Andro, the painter, woulde to the Lyon Cathedral and paint a ceiling mural, but Rockefeller was already picturing the imperial society after the Crown War in his head. ''I''ve given enough carrots without a stick. Shall we get to the point now?'' "Your Excellency the Bishop. The Crown War ising soon. Although the church will have nothing to do with the uing Crown War, if Your Excellency rises to a higher position, I have a favor to ask." As Rockefeller mentioned a favor, the momentarily happy Bishop Verkis gave him a questioning look. "You have a favor to ask if I do well?" "Yes, that''s right. It''s not too difficult for me to help Your Excellency to this extent, but there''s one thing I can''t change in the current situation." Bishop Verkis became curious about what he was trying to say. ''What on earth is he asking for?'' "What is it?" It seemed like it wouldn''t be an easy request. Well, he wouldn''t have offered to cover the church expansion costs so easily otherwise. ''It doesn''t seem like an easy request. I''ll have to listen first.'' After taking a moment to catch his breath, Rockefeller began to order what he wanted. ''Honestly, you should do this much, right?'' "Depending on the situation, it could be a big deal, but in some ways, it might not be a big deal." Rockefeller continued. "I would like you to stop the suppression of Ismail, who is currently branded as a heretic by the church, and help restore their honor within the church." At those words, the expression of Elise, the secretary who hade with Rockefeller, wavered for a moment. Her gaze lingered on Rockefeller for a moment. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 137 (2) Chapter 137 (2) Bishop Verkis wore a somewhat troubled expression. "Hasn''t that matter already been settled? The church''s persecution ended long ago, and as far as I know, the war between the families was resolved long ago." Rockefeller''s request was somewhat difficult for Bishop Verkis. "In this situation, I don''t think there''s anything I can specifically do to help." "Do you really think that matter ispletely over?" In response to Rockefeller''s question, Bishop Verkis still wore an unpleasant expression. "I''ll be frank with you since it''s you. Even if I were to rise to a higher position, that is something I cannot do." Bishop Verkis knew very well that what Rockefeller wanted was realistically difficult. "Do you know what kind of ce the church is? It''s a ce with absolutely no mercy for heretical groups like that. There''s nothing I can do for you just because you want it. It''s a difficult task. No, it''s absolutely impossible." "Is it still absolutely impossible even if you were to be the Pope?" "..." He didn''t expect that question. "It still seems difficult..." It didn''t take long for him to change his mind about what he had said with uncertainty. "Well, if I rise to that level, there would be nothing impossible to begin with." Bing the leader of the church meant receiving strong support from everyone in the church. Since it meant having that many factions following him, it seemed like even the impossible could be easily pushed through. Why? Because the will of the Pope was the will of the church. "Honestly, if I rise to that level, I''ll have a considerable amount of support, so even if the church is stubborn, it won''t be that difficult." "So, if Your Excellency bes the Pope, it would be entirely possible?" "Well, for now, yes." Even as he spoke, Bishop Verkis wore a reluctant expression. "But isn''t it not an easy task for me to be the Pope in the first ce? From what I see, it seems more difficult for me to be the Pope than for Ismail to shed his heretical status." "There''s nothing impossible in this world." Rockefeller asked again for confirmation. "Then, let me ask you again, Your Excellency. If I can make Your Excellency the Pope, will you restore the Ismail family to its former position as I wish?" Before answering, Bishop Verkis had another question. ''It doesn''t seem like they have any connection.'' "Do you really need to save the Ismail family?" Rockefeller didn''t hesitate in his response. "Of course. The revival of the Ismail family is absolutely necessary for me. First of all, only when the Ismail family is revived will the Second Prince, whom I support, be able to ascend to the throne without any hindrance from the church." Bishop Verkis, who recalled his previous memories, wore a somewhat intrigued expression. "Are you still nning to support the Second Prince?" "Yes, my thoughts on that have not changed. Please think about it, Your Excellency. How much real benefit would we gain if either the First Prince or the Third Prince, who already have the strong support of Tepez and Sinir, were to ascend to the throne?" After briefly considering, Bishop Verkis nodded as if he agreed. "I see. You have a point. But can the Second Prince, who has no support, really win the Crown War against the two powerful princes?" At that question, Rockefeller sent a deep smile. "Why wouldn''t he have support? I, the head of the Lyon Guild, am here, and in the future, Your Excellency, who will rise to a high position, will also support the Second Prince like me, right?" Taken by surprise by thispletely unexpected idea, the bishop could onlyugh. "That''s interesting. Me, supporting the Second Prince? And from an even higher position than now?" "Yes, it is entirely possible. As you know, Pope Felis III is not in good health, Your Excellency." Before Rockefeller could continue, Bishop Verkis interrupted with an unhappy expression. "I know that, but I don''t have any support within the church. No, it''s more urate to say I have none." "You don''t need to worry about support." "How can I not worry about that? Are you nning to forcibly create support for me?" At the joking question, Rockefeller replied quite seriously. "Yes, of course. I intend to create support for Your Excellency within the church." "How?" "Don''t worry too much about that, Your Excellency. All you need to do is keep your promise with me." "Change the church''s entire stance on Ismail? So that Ismail can revive as it was before." "Yes, that''s right. That way, the empire I want can be created." "Hmm..." After pondering for a short time, Bishop Verkis nodded and answered. "Alright. If that''s possible, I can''t refuse. I''ll swear an oath before the Lord with you. If you can bring me to that position, I will also use my power for you." While the two were conversing, Rockefeller''s secretary, who was quietly eavesdropping, had her own thoughts. She never thought that someone unrted to Ismail would work so hard for the revival of Ismail. Of course, he had his own desires, but even apart from that, he was certainly the benefactor of Ismail sent by heaven. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 138 (1) Chapter 138 (1) The One Closest to God (3) While riding in a carriage with Rockefeller on their way to Banco, she expressed her doubts about the conversation he had with Bishop Verkis earlier, as she sat in the seat in front of him. "Lord Rockefeller, you must have your own thoughts, but I wonder how you''re going to help Bishop Verkis." It was a subject that she, as a secretary, shouldn''t dare to ask. However, Rockefeller, who didn''t mind, smiled and epted her question. ''She''s not an ordinary secretary. She could be Ricardo himself, or this woman could be the real one. I can''t know the answer. This isn''t even mentioned in the novel.'' "You looked ufortable throughout, were you curious about that?" She nodded her head lightly, affirming her curiosity. "Yes, it''s generally a difficult task. So I kept thinking about it, but I couldn''t find an answer." Just as the Ismail family was shunned by the church. Bishop Verkis was also a figure whose influence had greatly diminished within the church in rtion to Banco''s affairs. "There probably aren''t many churchgoers in the church who support Banco. If there are any, Bishop Verkis would be the only one." "I think so too." "Moreover, Bishop Verkis was critical of Banco''s operators, and it eventually turned out bad for him, right? As far as I know, he was demoted from Archbishop to Bishop." "Yes, that''s correct." "Considering the situation, I''m curious about what Lord Rockefeller has in mind." Before answering, Rockefeller asked her another question. It was a question that could naturally arise if one did not know her identity. "You know quite a lot. Women of your age usually aren''t very interested in these matters." "I just picked it up here and there." Picked up here and there... It was a convenient excuse. ''Well, I can make good use of it too.'' "I see. It''s understandable since you have an older brother who''s interested in worldly affairs. It''s natural for you to be curious since you know a lot." Rockefeller answered the question she was curious about. "I see. You must be wondering how I will help the bishop?" "Yes, I can''t figure it out no matter how much I think about it. I can''t see the answer." Rockefeller nodded his head, as if he understood herpletely. "That''s because I haven''t shown my actions yet. So it''s natural for you to be doubtful." "Do you have a good n?" "Rather than a good n, it''s just... something that everyone naturally has." Before continuing, a broad smile spread across Rockefeller''s face. "I n to exploit their primal desires." "Primal desires?" "Yes, their greed for money." Greed for money was something that churchgoers should definitely avoid. However, it was not easy for those born as humans to stay away from it. "Greed for money... But isn''t that something devout churchgoers should definitely avoid?" "Yes, that''s true. But there''s no one who hates money. Even if they are devout churchgoers." She pondered over what Rockefeller had said. Indeed... ''Even if they try to stay away from it, they must know that money is needed to run the church.'' Even if they hated money, it was a contradiction that churchgoers needed it. Rockefeller continued speaking. "Not only Bishop Verkis but also some churchgoers have started to show interest in the interest provided by Banco." It was the churchgoers who detested interest the most, but recently, they had started to show interest in it within the church. She asked with a surprised expression. "Really?" "Yes, honestly, even from a believer''s perspective, if interest is good for them, that''s all that matters. It used to be different, but now it''s just good." Recently, there had been high-ranking priests from the church among the guests who came to visit Rockefeller. "How did that happen?" "It''s simple. In the past, interest was only beneficial to loan sharks running Banco businesses. So, from the church''s point of view, they must have seen them as an eyesore, daring to do business with God''s power. But times have changed. Interest is not just a bad thing, it also has a good side, like deposit interest." "So the church''s opinion changed because of deposit interest?" "Not entirely. Some believers still have negative thoughts about interest. But some believers have begun to show interest in running the church with interest ie." Rockefeller continued. "Do you know about Archbishop Haman, who came to see me when I was in ck Label?" "Archbishop Haman... Yes, I know he visited at that time." "Archbishop Haman was very interested in the deposit interest I offered. If I hadn''t convinced him with deposit interest at that time, the church''s power would have been a huge obstacle in the integration with the Union. There''s nothing more annoying and difficult than the church''s intervention." From the past to the present, the amount of money donated to the ck Label Diocese by the Union must have been enormous. Yet, Archbishop Haman supported the guild instead of the Union, which meant that the power of deposit interest offered by Rockefeller was tremendous. "And there are more and more people like that. Honestly, who would refuse free money? Even I would want to entrust the church''s property from a distance. Trust has already been verified, so it''s best to entrust it as soon as possible." She expressed concern at his words. The church was such a stubborn ce. "But won''t there be any talk in the church? They used to hate interest, even terribly so." "Who would say anything when ites to helping the church with God''s power?" "..." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 138 (2) Chapter 138 (2) "Honestly, depending on how believers interpret it, it can change a lot. Anyway, deposit interest is good for them too." No matter what she said, the current situation was telling. Even if it was Bishop Verkis, the fact that Archbishop Haman, located in ck Label, showed interest had its symbolic meaning. And the number of such people increased. Rockefeller, who held deposit interest, could only grow stronger. And so would his influence. "I intend to make all the believers whoe to me ves to deposit interest. No matter what anyone says, I set the interest rate." Rockefeller''s words continued. "If someone looks unpleasant to me or disagrees with my intentions." Rockefeller asked. "Would I offer high interest?" Rockefeller shook his head. "In the end, to receive high interest, they cannot take my words lightly. And this is my idea." Hearing Rockefeller''s words, she became deep in thought. ''Maybe...'' If the church, which she had considered a problem until the end, could be resolved in the way Rockefeller described. Could it be possible for Christian Ismail, the second prince from the Ismail family, to win the crown war? Her subtle gaze lingered on Rockefeller for quite a while. 34. The One Closest to God #2(1) Late at night. A mysterious guest appeared at the Banco where Rockefeller was working. The man, wearing a deep hood and apanied by someone who seemed to be an assistant, came to the Banco, and the strange thing was that Ricardo, Rockefeller''s assistant, was not surprised at all. "Rockefeller is on the second floor. Follow me." Ricardo respectfully led the mysterious man to the second floor where Rockefeller was. Soon, the two were able to stand in front of Rockefeller, who was with his secretary. "Who... are you?" As Rockefeller expressed his doubt about the unidentified guest who came to see him without any prior notice, Ricardo, who had brought him to the second floor, bowed his head and apologized to Rockefeller. "I''m sorry for deceiving you, Rockefeller." "What? What are you talking about...?" After finishing his words, Ricardo stepped back respectfully, and the hooded man took his ce. With wide eyes, Rockefeller continued to look baffled. Perhaps thinking it was time to step in, the woman who had been guarding Rockefeller''s side suddenly began to speak. Her voice was definitely different from before, heavy for a woman. "I''ve been watching you all this time." As even the secretary began to speak strangely, Rockefeller stared at the woman who introduced herself as Elise. ''Could it be... she''s revealing her true identity here?'' It was surprising. The Ismails trusted no one. So revealing their true identity to someone was a rare event. Yet the fact that she revealed it to him must have had significant meaning. ''It can''t be...'' It was an unbelievable moment. However, it seemed they were trying to reveal the identity they had been hiding so far. Otherwise, how could they say such things? "What''s going on all of a sudden? And you, my secretary, have been watching me all this time...?" Rockefeller, pretending not to know anything, stared at Elise, who had said strange things to him, with a flustered expression. "Elise, why are you suddenly acting like this?" Her expression remained unchanged in response to his question. Or rather, it was urate to say she had no expression. "I''m sorry for thete introduction. I am Sylvia Ismail. I am the current leader of the Ismail family, taking over for myte brother Ricardo, and the real owner of the Ismails." Even though he knew, Rockefeller pretended not to. "Sylvia Ismail? Who is that? It''s a name I''ve never heard before." At that moment, the hooded man who hade to see Rockefeller began to speak in a gentle tone. "When a big problem arose in my maternal family, the Ismails, a long time ago, my sister, who survived with great difficulty, was born from different parents. However, since the same Ismail blood flows in both of us, we have relied on each other as siblings and lived together until now. I suppose the people of the family think she is Ricardo''s twin. It was an inevitable choice for us to maintain the family''s reputation. After finishing his words, he took off his hood and revealed his face. Pale white skin. Long silver hair and deep eyes. ''Could it be...'' He was a beautiful young man who seemed to havee straight from a romance fantasy. And with all the characteristics of the Ismails, he was the second prince of the empire, Christian Ismail. ''Is he the second prince of the empire, Christian Ismail? With that silver hair and deep eyes, he looks just like an Ismail family member.'' Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 139 (1) Chapter 139 (1) The One Closest to God #2(2) Rockefeller couldn''t recognize him right away. It was because they were meeting for the first time. "...But who are you? It seems like we''ve never met before." "Nice to meet you for the first time. I am the second prince of the empire, Christian Ismail. I have heard a lot about the Lord Rockefeller from Sylvia and the people around me." Rockefeller, who was acting appropriately, stood up from his seat. "Could it be Prince Christian? It is even more of an honor for me to meet you in such a ce." As Rockefeller shook hands with the second prince, he suddenly turned his attention to the woman who had been guarding his side. "Then, who is this...?" "You can think of her as the current owner of the Ismail family. She is my poor younger sister, who is leading the fallen family on my behalf." Rockefeller, who was busy acting out his expression, turned his gaze to the other side and asked. It was a question about Ricardo, who could not fit in this ce. "Then who on earth is that person? It seems like I picked him up as an assistant." When he asked about the identity of his assistant, who he had thought to be Ricardo until now, Sylvia answered on his behalf. "He is from the same family as us. He is taking on the role of thete Ricardo, my older brother, on my behalf from time to time." "Then... that person is not your real brother?" The man called Ricardo kept his head down without any movement at this point. "Yes, my brother passed away a long time ago." The second prince stepped in on behalf of her, who couldn''t continue her words. "Ismail is a ce with many secrets. And anyone can impersonate someone. Sylvia, depending on her will, can also impersonate Ricardo." "But she is a woman?" "It''s not difficult for a woman to act as a man. It is a natural talent that the Ismail family possesses." "Ah... I see it''s actually possible. I didn''t know that." "You don''t need to know too much about us." "Yes, I think so too. If I find out more about Ismail, my life will only be in danger, right?" Rockefeller asked, looking back and forth between the two. "But what is the reason foring out like this? Suddenly revealing your identity and making it burdensome..." Rockefeller''s gaze lingered on the woman who introduced herself as the head of the Ismail family. Then she answered honestly. "I''ve been watching you. And now I''ve judged that I can trust you enough, so I called my brother Christian here. To achieve both your aspirations and our long-standing wishes." Rockefeller couldn''t help but know what she was talking about. "I never thought this day woulde. I never expected this at all. Who would have thought I would meet Prince Christian like this? And that you, who used to be my secretary, would be the head of the Ismail family... But isn''t this a problem for my safety if things go wrong?" "No. There probably won''t be anything to worry about." "How can there not be a problem when I know you, the family head?" Then she answered with a slightly awkward smile. "You made a bet with me back then. Don''t you remember? We bet that if I lost, we would never betray each other." Rockefeller could recall the bet he had made with Ricardo in the past. "Do you mean the bet you made with Thomas?" "Yes." "But Thomas is..." "That person was me." "Really? Is that possible? You were definitely a man..." "My nickname is the Face of a Thousand. I can transform and act as anyone. Even if that means a man." "Ah... So that''s what happened." Here, Rockefeller had a question. Was she really a woman? Or... ''Honestly, I don''t know. Who would think that what she said just now is true? It''s just that a woman has been disguised as a man until now.'' While Rockefeller was thinking about something else, she spoke. "I''ve prepared a ce for you to my best ability, so why don''t you two have a conversation now?" Christian also spoke. "I also wanted to meet the rumored you. I''ve heard various stories from Sylvia, but I didn''t know what kind of person you were." Rockefeller asked. "Then how did she introduce me when you heard my story from her...?" In response to his question, Prince Christian answered honestly. "I heard you were a very cunning person." Although he knew that nothing good woulde out, it was too frank that it was a problem. ''Didn''t you package it?'' "You introduced me too honestly. Well, it''s somewhat correct. At least I don''t lose." Rockefeller sent a slightly resentful gaze at her, but her expression seemedpletely unconcerned. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 139 (2) Chapter 139 (2) "Please sit down first." Still, Sylvia, who was fulfilling her secretary duties, brought warm tea for the two of them. Looking at the steaming teacup, Rockefeller, who was facing the second prince, began to speak cautiously. "I can roughly guess why you came. Are you going to participate in the Crown War?" In the uing story, the second prince would enter the Crown War without any support forces. The only thing he believed in was one thing. ''Only Lee Han.'' Because he believed in Lee Han, the second prince, who had no support forces, was able to win the Crown War and eventually take the throne by repelling even the intervention of the organization. ''There were many unpleasant incidents with the organization afterward. But not now. I''ll catch the organization.'' "If you go to the Crown War, the reason foring here is obvious, isn''t it? Isn''t it to know my intentions clearly?" Prince Christian could not deny it. "Exactly. I wanted to hear the thoughts of Lord Rockefeller before participating in the Crown War." At that moment, Prince Christian''s gaze turned to Sylvia nearby. "And Sylvia rmended this time. She said that even if I go to the Crown War, I should meet with Lord Rockefeller at least once." Sylvia exchanged nces with Prince Christian without responding. Meanwhile, Rockefeller spoke. "Wee. I''ve been wanting to meet Your Highness." "Are you really considering supporting me?" "You must have heard it through her? My intentions are obvious." "Yes, but I''ve been wondering. There are other candidates besides me, so it''s hard to understand why you chose me." Prince Christian continued. "As you know, my chances are not that great, are they? Or... were you just afraid of us?" Rockefeller cut off the absurd question. "Absolutely not. I also wanted to support Your Highness because I had something to hope for. But only if the conditions between us match." Prince Christian knew that there was no such thing as a free lunch. He started to speak with a worried look. "Then I''ll ask you bluntly. If you push me, what do you want when I winter?" Finally, Rockefeller could smile. ''There are many things I want. But the core is just one.'' "First, I know that Prince Christian is not a person who speaks with two mouths. Is that correct?" Prince Christian responded immediately. "If there is a promise with you here. I will definitely keep it, even if I have to bet everything." "What can''t people do with words? So I want to bet on this condition first." "What... are you saying?" "I have a precious younger sister who I wouldn''t trade for the world. Although she is still young, she is notcking in any way to be a part of your Highness''s entourage." Prince Christian could not help but understand the meaning of Rockefeller''s words. ''I expected it.'' After a moment of silence, Prince Christian nodded and opened his mouth. "If that is God''s will, I will dly ept it." He epted Rockefeller''s proposal without question and did not ask about Rockefeller''s younger sister at all. Even if she was half-paralyzed, he intended to take her unconditionally. ''I hope she''s a good woman.'' When Prince Christian nced at Sylvia nearby, she didn''t say anything as if she agreed. In order to revive Ismail, she thought it was enough to endure that much. Rockefeller spoke, watching the two of them. "It may not be desirable for Your Highness to take my younger sister, who was once amoner." "I don''t think so. If this is truly God''s will, I am willing to ept your sister as my wife." "Then I''m d. I was worried that Your Highness might be a little dissatisfied." "You don''t have to worry about that at all." Rockefeller didn''t even ask about Lucia''s intentions, who was not present. There was nothing better than bing the empress of the empire in his sister''s life. ''That man is not ugly, and he will be the emperor in the future. There''s no reason for Lucia to dislike it. It will definitely be a good thing for Lucia.'' "And there is one more condition." When it was said that there was another condition, Prince Christian and Sylvia showed a somewhat tense appearance. The opponent was Rockefeller Rothsmedici. He was a man who started from nothing and came up to that position. It wouldn''t be an easy condition. "Is there another one?" "The condition I put forward earlier is for building trust between us. And what I really want hasn''te out yet." What is he going to ask for? Prince Christian, who was tense, waited for Rockefeller''s next words. And he prayed that it would not be a difficult request. ''I hope it''s not an absurd request.'' It didn''t take long for Rockefeller to open his mouth again. ''This is important. This will be the final touch toplete the Goblin Dor.'' "If Your Highness wins the Crown War, you will surely be the next emperor. Then the will of the empire will be Your Highness'' will." Rockefeller said. "What I want here is just one thing. The authority to issue and control the currency of the empire." At this moment, Rockefeller''s eyes were frighteningly alive. "Give it all to me. So that our Rosmedici family can have that authority in the future and forever." At that, both Prince Christian and Sylvia were surprised. What he said was, in other words, no different from asking to rule the empire on his behalf. "Granting the authority to issue and control the currency of the country is... a difficult request. No, it''s absolutely impossible." Then Rockefeller insisted on his position as if he would not back down. "Then it''s a pity, but I can''t help Your Highness either." There was a problem here. Sylvia, who had been watching quietly, stepped forward. "Are you saying you want to control the entire empire''s currency? It sounds like you want to rule the empire instead of the emperor." Rockefeller smiled at her. "Of course not. I''m simply asking for the authority to control currency. When did I ever say I would make thews of this country? Laws are made by His Majesty the Emperor. It''s not someone like me, who runs a money-lending business, can do." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 140 (1) Chapter 140 (1) 1/4 Bonus chapter thanks to @Shampun from Ko-fi! The One Closest to God #2(3) Rockefeller took out a Goblin Dor from his pocket and showed it. "What I want is for this Goblin Dor to rece the Empire''s Dnt as the new currency. And this will be good for the Empire as well." "You say it will be good for the Empire?" "Yes, would you like to know why?" The 2nd Prince nodded his head instead of answering. Rockefeller continued. "The current Dnt system cannot adequately respond to major financial problems that may arise. Let''s consider this situation: a great crisis befalls the nation. You need money immediately to summon the army and wage war. But if you don''t have the money, what would you do?" The 2nd Prince pondered for a moment and answered. "We would have to print more Dnts." "That''s right. If you need money, just print as many Dnts as needed. But let me ask you again, what would you do if you don''t have the gold to print those Dnts?" "If there''s no gold..." The 2nd Prince''s expression hardened as he thought briefly. If there was no gold, they couldn''t print the Dnts. "It would be difficult. We could mix in copper, but..." Due to the aftermath of the me War, the Empire''s Dnt had already be a currency rejected by other races. It was no longer a normal currency. If they mixed in more copper, they might be able to hold on for now, but the soaring prices would inevitably cause unrest within the Empire. As the 2nd Prince fell silent, Rockefeller looked at Sylvia and asked. "Prince Christian can''t seem to answer. How about you, Lady Ismail? Do you have any other ideas?" Sylvia had no choice but to remain silent as well. When neither of them could answer, Rockefeller finally revealed a smile and showed them the Goblin Dor again. "That''s why we need this Goblin Dor. And the only one who can perfectly control this Goblin Dor is not the Imperial Royal Family, but me." The 2nd Prince expressed his doubts. "So, you''re saying you have a solution in such a situation?" "Of course. All I have to do is print as many Goblin Dors as needed." Rockefeller asked again. "Do you think I need gold to print this?" The 2nd Prince pointed to the inscription on the Goblin Dor. "But isn''t the Goblin Dor circted based on the Dnt as coteral?" "Yes, that''s correct. As you said, it is based on the Dnt. But there won''t be any problems." "Why is that?" "It''s simple. People don''t necessarily want to exchange it for Dnts. And as the credit of the Goblin Dor bes stronger, this phenomenon will only intensify." "So, are you saying to print and circte Goblin Dors even without Dnts as coteral?" "Yes, you''ve hit the nail on the head." The 2nd Prince''s expression darkened. "Are you suggesting we deceive everyone, Lord Rockefeller?" "Prince Christian, it''s difficult if you take my words in such a negative way. In the current currency system, there''s no way to properly deal with the crisis I mentioned." Rockefeller needed someone to empathize with him, so he looked at Sylvia nearby. "Isn''t that right? You''ve been with me all this time, so you know exactly what I mean, don''t you?" Fortunately, she was notpletely ignorant about the mary system. She had learned from Rockefeller during their time together. "It does seem that a currency system based on Goblin Dors would be more efficient than one based on Dnts in such a crisis. Deceiving others isn''t always bad, is it?" However, the 2nd Prince still had negative thoughts. "But if there''s no such crisis, you could print money as you please, and that could cause great confusion in the Empire. What do you think about that?" Rockefeller spoke firmly. "You''re mistaken. I don''t want the credit of the Goblin Dor I created to copse. Of course, I can print as much money as I want and use it in any way. But this is all for the national interest. Personal greed? Of course, it''s possible. However, if the target is very limited, its influence would be quite insignificant. And I would also pay attention to that." "How can you be sure of that?" "I don''t understand. Do you think that''s a privilege only I can enjoy?" "So you''re saying it''s not?" Rockefeller chuckled. "That privilege is shared by all of you. You don''t think I''ll just print money and use it for myself, do you?" Rockefeller nodded his head emphatically. "Anyway, there will be an Emperor in this country. And wouldn''t I pay attention to his wishes? If His Majesty asks for money, I''ll dly print it and offer it." Rockefeller asked the still-silent 2nd Prince again. "Then, when you be His Majesty, you won''t have to worry about money. I really don''t understand what the problem is." The 2nd Prince replied with an unpleasant expression. "Isn''t that deceiving the rest of the people? At least those who don''t receive the benefits will definitely be angry when they find out." Rockefeller shook his head as if to show off. "Prince Christian, I''ve heard that you''re upright and devout in your faith. But a ruler must sometimes be ruthless." Rockefeller continued. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 140 (2) Chapter 140 (2) "The happy world you''re hoping for - I can assure you that such a world will never exist. Someone bes a king, someone bes a noble wielding power under them, and the rest who don''t belong be excellent ves for them. This story has never changed since the beginning of world history and will remain the same forever. And the most effective currency system for such a society is the Goblin Dor I devised. It''s a revolutionary currency system that can legally plunder their wealth." Rockefeller asked the 2nd Prince, who had a bad expression. "You''re not denying everything I''ve said, are you?" "No, I''m not." "Your Majesty, the world is cruel. I don''t understand why someone like you, who knows this well enough, is trying to reject the Goblin Dor system, which has nothing but advantages." Then someone refuted that statement. It was Sylvia, who had been quietly listening to Rockefeller''s words. "I trust your intentions to work with us, but I can''t trust you, who only has a bright smile. Rather, I''m afraid of you. I have no idea what might happenter if I give such privileges so easily." For Rockefeller, it was morefortable for her to speak honestly like that. ''Yes, you should have said that. What kind of prince has no sense of privilege? If it had been the 1st Prince I met before, there would have been no problem.'' "So, you don''t trust me?" The 2nd Prince also spoke ufortably. "The right to control currency belongs only to the royal family. It''s not something a single family can have." "So isn''t that why I''m asking for this? Or do you think I''m pushing for you, who has no chance of winning?" Rockefeller''s gaze lingered on Sylvia. "As someone said, I''m a person with only a bright smile." No matter how much they thought about it, both the 2nd Prince and Sylvia had the same thoughts. They could agree with what Rockefeller said, but they couldn''t trust the person Rockefeller. Moreover, Sylvia had told the 2nd Prince several times that he was a much scarier person than he looked. That''s why, after thinking it over several times, the 2nd Prince decided that he couldn''t ept Rockefeller''s request and shook his head. "The right to control the empire''s currency is... a difficult request to grant. Such a thing will never happen." Rockefeller showed no signs of backing down. "Then Your Highness won''t be able to ask for my help either. Without such a price, why would I take on such great risks to help you?" As Rockefeller finished speaking, Sylvia hesitated, contemting whether to call for help due to the threat to her safety. After much thought, Sylvia reluctantly opened her mouth to speak. "Is there really no other way?" Contrary to Rockefeller''s belief, it was Sylvia herself who had called the 2nd Prince to this meeting. The person who wished for Ismail''s revival more than anyone else in the world. That''s why she needed this meeting to have meaning. Seeing her desperation, Rockefeller couldn''t help but relent. "Shouldn''t you at least grant me that much, so I can wholeheartedly support Prince Christian? Or do you think I''m doing all this just to send my younger sister to marry the prince, who might even die miserably in the crown war?" "..." "I truly love my younger sister. I''m sending her to Prince Christian to prove that my intentions are sincere." In the end, what was needed in this situation was mutual trust. But that trust could not be achieved through the marriage of Rockefeller''s sister and the 2nd Prince alone. That''s why, after much deliberation, Sylvia had no choice but to make a decision. "Alright then. But we have a condition as well." A condition? Rockefeller never expected her to propose a condition to him. He thought about it with interest and then opened his mouth with a smile. "What is it? Let''s hear it." He believed himself to be a man with nothing but money. What kind of condition could she possibly propose to such a person? However, the 2nd Prince seemed to have a vague idea of what the condition might be. "Sylvia... That''s..." "It''s alright, brother. In a way, it might have been fate that it turned out like this." "But..." "I said it''s fine." What was she saying was fine? Rockefeller couldn''t grasp the situation at all. ''What is it? What condition is she talking about?'' "What''s the condition? I''m just a man with nothing but money." Rockefeller had no idea what condition she was proposing. After a moment of hesitation, Sylvia opened her mouth with difficulty. "You said earlier that in order to build trust between us, your sister must marry Prince Christian, right?" "Yes, that''s certain. A verbal promise can easily be changedter, can''t it?" "Then we have no choice but to ask this condition of you as well. Not only must your sister marry Prince Christian, but you must also marry someone from our family." It turned out that the condition was about Rockefeller''s own marriage for the sake of building trust between them. ''Marry someone from the Ismail family?'' Fortunately for Rockefeller, this wasn''t a difficult condition. Marriage was just a formality. ''It''s nothingpared to gaining control of a country''s currency. I just hope she''s not too ugly...'' "If that''s the condition, I can''t refuse. Isn''t the current issue ack of trust in me? Then I have to ept it." As he spoke, Rockefeller suddenly had a doubt. "Who am I supposed to marry? Is there someone suitable in the Ismail family?" "It''s me." Caught off guard by her unexpected words, Rockefeller could only blink in surprise. "..." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 141 (1) Chapter 141 (1) Bonus chapter thanks to @kim sung yong from Ko-fi! The One Closest to God #2(4) Rockefeller, who had finallye to his senses, stared at her intently and asked, "Were you really... a woman?" Even though she had revealed her true identity beforehand, Rockefeller couldn''t believe her words and couldn''t be sure. "Did I not look like a woman to you?" "It''s not that... I thought you were disguised as a woman. How could I know whether Rardo is alive and pretending to be a woman? You''ve been deceiving me all this time." Even though she had told the truth, he still couldn''t believe it. She had prepared herself for this conversation, but she couldn''t hide the rising feeling of difort. "I am a woman. And I feel quite ufortable. I never thought you would think of me like that." "Ah... I see. I unintentionally offended you. I am truly sorry if I made you feel ufortable." Her expression slightly twisted. The second prince, who had been watching the situation, stepped in to help. "Rockefeller must have misunderstood because Sylvia often disguises herself. Sylvia is indeed a woman." "I misunderstood because you yed the role of Rardo so perfectly. I apologize once again if I made you feel ufortable." Only then could Rockefeller realize that he had been mistaken all along. ''So she didn''te to me in her true form from the beginning. That''s right... thinking about it, she started to appear in her true form only after she became confident about me.'' "So..." Rockefeller gestured as if connecting himself and her with his hand. "Are we going to be like that?" She replied in a calm tone. "Yes, if you ept me as your wife. Ismail ns to allow you to control the empire''s currency. There''s no other way to trust you. And I believe Christian Orabuni here will agree." As she looked at the second prince, he also showed a consenting expression. It was to respect the choice she made for the sake of her family and herself. "If that''s Sylvia''s wish... I have nothing more to say. I will give you control over the currency. However, you must take Sylvia with you, Rockefeller." Sylviaforted the somewhat sad-looking second prince. "You don''t have to be too heartbroken. I''ve observed Rockefeller for quite some time. He may not be perfect for me, but he''s not acking person either." "If that''s your choice, I''ll respect it." Regardless of their conversation. Rockefeller was not greatly dissatisfied. ''Fortunately, she''s beautiful and the real owner of Ismail, so I won''t be assassinated by some random person.'' He was certain of at least this. Now that he would be her husband, whether he liked it or not, he would receive Ismail''s protection. ''She wouldn''t want to be a widow, would she? If she doesn''t, she''ll desperately protect me.'' "I didn''t expect to be involved with you like this either." Rockefeller stood up and looked straight at her. At least at this moment, Rockefeller''s eyes were filled with warmth. "If this is truly God''s will, I will dly ept you as my wife." * * * Around the time when rumors spread that the guild leader of Lyon and his working secretary got married with everyone''s blessing. The expansion of Lyon Cathedral, which began under the support of the guild, was sessfullypleted. Moreover, the empire had invited a painter called Andro, who was called a master, to draw a huge mural on the ceiling of the chapel. This work waspleted as soon as the expansion of Lyon Cathedral was finished, and it was immediately open to the public. Worshippers who finished their prayers admired the huge ceiling mural, which seemed to be drawn by the brush of God, and continuously eximed in admiration. "I can''t help but admire it. I never thought such a mural would exist in this world. Look at Saint John there. He looks so holy that I don''t know what to say." Hearing this, other worshippers who were looking at the same ceiling mural began to speak. "About that ceiling mural. It seems that Master Andro painted it day and night." "Andro... I''ve heard the name at least. He draws so well that even the nobles who have Goblin Dors are impatient to have their portraits painted by him." "I''ve heard that story too. But they say that even ordinary nobles can''t afford to hire him because calling him is so expensive." "The guild must be incredibly wealthy to have not only a portrait but a ceiling mural like this in the world." "Really, they must have spent a fortune on that painting." It was a ceiling mural that could be called a masterpiece. However, not everyone was satisfied. Some worshippers were dissatisfied with one figure that was drawn ufortably close to Saint John. "Is that really the right position for the guild master in that painting?" "I''m not happy about that either, but what can we do? That person who paid for the painting is the one in it." "Who would''ve thought that the person the church hates the most, a usurer, would be drawn so close to Saint John? I wonder if Saint John knows this." Moneylenders were despised by the church as those who would be forsaken by God and fall into hell. But now, a moneylender was drawn in the closest ce to God, overturning theirmon sense in an instant. "It seems like these days, if you have a lot of money, you don''t go to hell. Who would say usurers go to hell after seeing that painting?" "I thought the same thing." "Are the church and the usurers supposed to hate each other?" "I don''t know. It used to be that way, but now, isn''t Bishop Verkis''s favorite person the Lyon Guild Master? The church even expanded with their help, and they even painted the ceiling mural." "Come to think of it, didn''t the Lyon Guild pay for all the costs of the expansion here?" Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 141 (2) Chapter 141 (2) Everyone looked at the believer who said that. "You mean they paid for everything, including that?" "That''s right. There''s a rumor that they paid for everything, from the ceiling mural to the expansion costs." "They must have a ridiculous amount of money. I thought the church''s expansion costs would be covered by the church''s finances." "Where does the church get the money?" "Still, the Lyon Diocese should have some money." "More importantly, the Lyon Guild has be too powerful since they merged with the ck Label Union. Now, we see those Goblin Dors more often than Dnt." A believer took out a Goblin Dor he had. "Are you talking about this?" "Yeah, that''s what I''m talking about. That''s money these days." "But is there no problem with those Goblin Dors? I''m using them without much thought, but it feels a bit off." "Even if there''s a problem, what can we do? The Bancos exchange it for Dnt when we go to them." "That''s true." "Still, there are quite a few people who insist on using only Dnt." "Are there people like that?" "Yes, I guess so." "No, why would they use Dnt when Goblin Dors are so convenient? It''s inconvenient." As everyone''s attention focused, he exined the reason. "I don''t know much about it, but maybe they don''t trust the moneylenders?" Distrust of the guild or moneylenders. Some could sympathize with that. "Actually, I think so too. The Goblin Dors weren''t officially recognized by the royal family, and in the end, they''re just IOUs issued by a guild, right? This isn''t money, strictly speaking. Real money is Dnt." "But since many ces ept it, it''s convenient when using it. It''s also easy to carry around because it''s paper." "That''s true, but Goblin Dors aren''t perfect yet. People who don''t trust the guild insist on using only Dnt until the end. You know, some shop owners only ept Dnt. They''repletely disgusted by Goblin Dors." "Oh, there are a few ces like that. They only ask for Dnt." "Come to think of it, some of those people even tell others not to use Goblin Dors at all. They say the guild could print an infinite amount if they wanted to." "Infinite?" Someone was surprised by that statement and asked. "Is that even possible?" "Honestly, who knows? If the guild decides to print it, who would know except for the guild master and members?" "Well, if everyone who uses Goblin Dors went to exchange them for gold coins, it would be a problem right away. Would the guild really do something that stupid? I don''t think so." "I feel the same way. The guild must have thought it through." "Right, the guild must have its own thoughts as well. It''s been growing in size and gaining trusttely. In the past, it would have been difficult to choose Goblin Dors from the Lyon Guild due to the existence of the ck Label Union, but now there''s nothing like that." "Right, that''s true." The worshippers who had been excitedly chatting about the ceiling mural and Goblin Dors left. Shortly after, Rockefeller, who had been summoned by Bishop Verkis, arrived at the Lyon Cathedral. Before meeting with Bishop Verkis. Rockefeller looked up at therge mural painted on the ceiling. He was able to find his own figure drawn closest to Saint John in the mural. ''Excellent. Not only the painting, but also the position it''s drawn in is art.'' It was significant that he, who should have fallen into hell, was drawn closest to the divine. As Rockefeller nodded his head in satisfaction. Someone came to see him. It was Bishop Verkis who had called him. "You''ve arrived." Bishop Verkis did note alone. He appeared with Rockefeller''s younger brother and his own secretary, Leo Rothsmedici. "Bishop, did you call? Leo is here too." Now that his youthful appearance had mostly faded, Leo stood firmly by Bishop Verkis''s side as a dignified priest. Upon being summoned by the bishop, Leo respectfully greeted Rockefeller. "Rockefeller hyung, you''ve arrived?" "Yes, are you doing well?" "Yes, thanks to the care of you and the bishop, I''m doing well without any difficulties." "Haha! Leo, don''t worry. I''m closely monitoring you. Since I''m always looking after you, no one can say anything." "Thank you, Bishop." Rockefeller asked him why he had called. "By the way, why did you suddenly call? Is there a reason?" "I have something important to discuss with you, so I called you like this. Let''s move to another seat first." "Alright." So the two moved to a separate seat. Facing each other, Bishop Verkis began speaking. "Thanks to you, my position within the church is rising very quickly. I''ve heard some stories, but to think of such an idea. Archbishop Colman, who used to be so arrogant, came to me and asked for help." "Haha, did that happen?" "You did that, didn''t you? You said you''d raise the interest if he supports me." "Yes, I thought it would be good for you, Bishop, so I did that." At that, Bishop Verkis showed a satisfied smile. "I didn''t expect you to go this far for me." "No, if you do well, Bishop, I''ll do well too, won''t I?" "Um... That''s true. This time, I''ve been called to the Papal Court. It seems the Pope needs me. Whether it''s because of the vacant position of the Papal Secretary or because of the increased church funds recently, I don''t know. I''ll find out when I go." "I see." "If, by any chance, it''s about the church funds. Then I''ll need your help. Surely the expansion of the Lyon Cathedral must have stimted him. Maybe he wants to go back to the old ways." "If His Holiness asks for something, you should ask for something appropriate in return. Maybe you could take that vacant position of Papal Secretary?" At Rockefeller''s suggestion, Bishop Verkis, who had already thought about it, began to nod. "I''ve thought about that too. However, I need power to do that." At that, Rockefeller just smiled. "What are you worried about when you have enough money? Go and get what you want. And if you need anything, feel free to ask me." The following words were the reason why Bishop Verkis couldn''t help but like him. "Do I have anything more than money?" Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 142 (1) Chapter 142 (1) The Crown War (1) No one had expected the participation of the 2nd prince, Christian Ismail, in the Crown War, which began to determine the empire''s next ruler. Many who had not anticipated the 2nd prince''s participation searched for any faction supporting him, but aside from the rumored support of the Lyon Guild, there was no ce that had dered their support for the 2nd prince. Since it was impossible to win the Crown War without the support of any faction or army, everyone predicted that the 2nd prince had joined the battle out of pride. Indeed, the actual Crown War proceeded with a power bnce between the 1st and 3rd princes, ignoring the 2nd prince. "How pathetic." At the beginning of the Crown War, the 1st prince, considered the most likely sessor to the throne due to the massive support of the Tepez family, uttered these words after hearing the news of the 2nd prince''s participation. "The guild may provide financial support, but how does he n to win without an army? And what will the church do?" The 1st prince recalled the 2nd prince, Christian, whom he had met only a few times. Although he didn''t know if Christian was trying to erase his heretic image or if he was truly a devout believer, he was not a foolish younger brother who couldn''t tell right from wrong. ''Or does he really have something up his sleeve?'' However, no matter how much he thought about it, he couldn''t see anything like that. ''No, Christian has nothing. Even if he does, he wont be able to do anything about the church.'' One thing seemed certain: as long as the church didn''t change, they would never allow the victory of the 2nd prince, who was rted to heretics. Even if he ignored the church and ascended to the throne, it could lead to an all-out war with the church. ''So why did he participate? He''s not a fool who wants to die.'' "I can''t figure it out no matter how much I think about it." Trinity Tepez, who was with the 1st prince, spoke up. "He must have some n. He wouldn''t have joined without any n, right? Especially since he knows more about the Crown War than anyone else." The 1st prince, narrowing his eyes slightly, continued to think about what he might have missed. Then, he could think of one thing: the matter rted to Lee Han. ''Come to think of it, there was intelligence that he and Lee Han had a special rtionship.'' A special rtionship. Perhaps he trusted Lee Han? ''But he can''t win without an army. Even if Lee Han is great, he won''t go all out unless he wants to make the entire empire his enemy. He may be rough, but he''s not thoughtless.'' "Could it be because of Lee Han?" When the 1st prince asked the question, Trinity agreed. "It might be." "True... Lee Han is a headache. But there''s no way I''ll lose because of Lee Han." At that time, one of the staff members in the room offered advice. "Your Highness Ryan, why don''t you send some people to quietly deal with Prince Christian just in case?" He didn''t disagree, but it was already too nerve-wracking to focus on the confrontation with Calman. Every single soldier was precious. "Christian must have hidden himself if he had any ns. And if Lee Han is with him, it''s difficult to deal with him that way. We''re already busy dealing with Calman." In front of him was a terrain model with his own army and the 3rd prince''s army. It was difficult for the 1st prince to pull something out from this power bnce and go after the 2nd prince. "Maybe we could agree with Calman and go together to catch Christian. But it doesn''t seem like Calman would do that." Trinity also agreed. "They must be thinking the same thing. They might even secretly want us to do that." "Anyway, this Crown War will be a battle between me and Calman. No one would think that the 2nd prince, who no one supports, would be a problemter on, right?" The 1st prince asked the staff in front of him for confirmation, but they only silently agreed. ''The only thing that bothers me is the guild''s influence...'' The 1st prince couldn''t help but have a bitter expression as he remembered the young guild leader he had met. In fact, if the guild decided to fully support the 2nd prince, they could get caught in unexpected events. "Is the guild still quiet?" The one who answered his question was someone who knew the guild situation well. "I haven''t heard of them doing anything in particr. Oh, I heard they recently helped with the expansion of the Lyon Cathedral." "It would be a headache if the guild pushed for Christian..." Trinity spoke. "They said so themselves. They wanted something from supporting the 2nd prince." "But I thought the matter with the ck Label Union was already over?" "Still, it''s better if they stay quiet. They haven''t made any other moves yet." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 142 (2) Chapter 142 (2) The 1st prince, who had thought of something, asked his staff. "Has there been any movement from the surrounding mercenary groups?" The staff all shook their heads in response to the 1st prince''s question. How could the mercenary groups dare to do anything to offend both him and Calman? At most, if the 2nd prince had a chance to win or if the guild offered an irresistible amount, they might consider it. However, since neither of those things were happening, the 1st prince couldn''t help but continue to see the 2nd prince''s participation in the Crown War as pathetic. ''If there''s no movement from the mercenary groups, then it doesn''t seem like the guild is determined to push for him. If I were the guild leader and really wanted to support Christian, I would have looked into the mercenary groups first.'' "The fact that the mercenary groups are quiet seems to indicate that the guild doesn''t have much intention of stepping in." Trinity expressed one concern. "But what if Ismail helps out of fear?" At that remark, the 1st prince shook his head. Lee Han was close with Christian, but from the beginning, Lee Han had been protecting the Lyon guild leader, for money. "It''s difficult because of Lee Han. If Lee Han takes the side of the wealthy guild leader, neither Christian nor Ismail will be able to do anything." When the conversation turned to Lee Han, Trinity had no choice but to agree. "That''s true. He definitely sided with the guild leader back then." "Maybe it''s more urate to say that the guild doesn''t care about Christian''s opinion. If they trust Lee Han, they could do that." "Then was what we talked about back then true? They pretended to help because of the union and integration." "That would be a good thing." At that moment, a military officer hurriedly ran and shouted to inform everyone inside the tent about the situation outside. "Prince Ryan! The opposing camp has started a preemptive attack with magical bombardment!" Indeed, the 3rd prince, Calman, who was growling and confronting him directly, was the problem rather than the 2nd prince, who was hiding like a rat. ming himself for paying attention to the wrong ce, the 1st prince began to raise his voice to refocus everyone''s attention on the 3rd prince. "First, we catch Calman. As we discussed earlier, start shaking andunch an all-around siege attack. We need to seize the initiative here to have an advantage in the next battle." * * * "Are you just going to sit here and do nothing?" In response to his wife and secretary Sylvia''s question, Rockefeller answered. "It''s best for us to quietly gather strength. There''s no good in provoking them unnecessarily. Besides, they''re wasting their strength fighting each other without us intervening, which is definitely a good thing for us." Only one prince could survive and ascend to the throne in the Crown War. That''s why Sylvia, who was worried about the 2nd prince, opened her mouth with a restless look. "Waiting isn''t the answer. Right now, the battle may not be decided, but if the bnce of power quickly shifts to one side, the oue will be determined quickly." "Don''t worry. It won''t end that easily." Rockefeller spoke with confidence, and she questioned him. "How can you be so sure?" "Like I said before, I have a great intuition. That intuition tells me that this Crown War won''t end so easily." She then gave him a look of disdain. "Just because your intuition is good doesn''t mean you can predict everything in the world." Rockefeller responded firmly. "No. My intuition is absolute. The reason I got to this position in the first ce is all because of that intuition." Although she wasn''t fully convinced, she had no choice but to trust and wait for him. In any case, for Rockefeller, the guild leader, to achieve the world he wanted, the 2nd prince had to win the Crown War. "You''re not waiting for the Church''s position to change, are you?" Rockefeller didn''t deny it. "That''s right. That''s part of it." "Can the Order change its position so easily?" Rockefeller thought of Bishop Verkis, who had gone to the Papal Court and sent good news from time to time. Verkis, who had be financially wealthy, had regained his once-good rtionship with the Pope and was getting along well with some high-ranking officials who had once discarded him. It was all thanks to Rockefeller holding their interest tightly. ''They can''t even dream of high deposit interest if they are not liked by that person.'' The surprising thing was. There were many believers within the Church who were obsessed with money and were corrupted. ''I already knew from the novel that the Church was corrupt. But I didn''t expect them to reveal so much greed about money. After all, people are all the same.'' Especially, the believers who were swayed by high deposit interest forgot the doctrine that rejected interest and used the excuse of a few who had already received the benefit toe to Rockefeller. And all of them, one by one, were manipted by Rockefeller, changing their positions to praise or support Bishop Verkis'' will. For this reason, Bishop Verkis'' position in the Order was rapidly rising day by day. He even formed his own power. ''His Excellency the Bishop said he was positive about the position of the Secretary, so we''ll know if we wait a little longer.'' "Wait and see. There''s nothing to be solved by just tapping our feet." Her husband, who was soid-back about something that wasn''t his family affair, irritated her. "Don''t forget why I married you." "Don''t worry. Everything is going well." Rockefeller, who was slightly red at by his wife, had no choice but to bow his head. ''You don''t trust people very much. Well, I wouldn''t look kindly on someone who relies on their intuition either. But what can I do? My intuition is true.'' He was notpletely ignorant of what was going to happen in the future and knew it very urately. The world that would unfold. ''Everything is in my hands.'' Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 143 (1) Chapter 143 (1) 3/6 Bonus chapter thanks to @RewindThis from Ko-fi! The Crown War (2) As time passed, the battle between the 1st Prince faction and the 3rd Prince faction intensified in the Crown War. Rockefeller received a letter from the Papal Court. Upon reading the letter, a wide smile spread across Rockefeller''s face. ''It''s over.'' The most important position in the Church was the Pope, and the next most important position was the head of the Pce Secretary. The letter he received today contained the news that Bishop Verkis had finally received the Pope''s blessing and had ascended to the position of head of the Pce Secretary. As Rockefeller smiled upon receiving the letter, his wife, who had been quietly watching him, spoke up. "Is it good news?" Rockefeller looked up at her, who was watching him with expectant eyes, and said, "Finally, the fruit has borne. Bishop Verkis has ascended to the position of head of the Pce Secretary." "Really?" "Yes, really. It''s written right here." Rockefeller, who had gotten up from his seat, handed the letter he had been reading to his wife. As she read the letter, she soon showed a relieved expression. "I''m d. I was worried just in case." Rockefeller, who had anticipated this from the beginning, spoke confidently. "I told you, didn''t I? Money is everything, and the Church can''t resist it." "But there''s always a chance, right?" "There is. But not this time." Rockefeller took the letter back from her and continued. "Besides, I think the Church will move as I expected. The winds of change will blow. At least you won''t have to worry about the things you''re concerned about." "I hope it turns out that way." "But there''s one problem." Rockefeller had honestly struggled with this statement. ''It''s supposed to happen, but it feels a bit wrong. But there''s no need to feel guilty since it''s already been decided.'' She expressed her curiosity. "What''s that?" "The Pope remains the same." In the case of the current Pope, Felix III, it was clear that he would not change his attitude towards the Ismail family until his death. After all, he was the one who had branded the Ismail family as a heretical group. "If the Pope remains the same, even if Bishop Verkis builds his own independent power, he cannot surpass the Pope''s will." She couldn''t help but agree with that. "That''s true." "So, I''m worried. Everything is going ording to my n, but this one thing depends on luck." In the novel, Pope Felix III dies at the hands of an assassin sent by the Ismail family. However, no one knew this fact other than the Ismail family. People thought that the Pope had died of old age because his health was not good. ''That''s how terrifying Ismail is. They assassinated the Pope without anyone knowing.'' Then his wife, who was the true master of Ismail, uttered a chilling statement. "Do we need luck for a person''s death?" Rockefeller knew what she meant. "Are you going to take care of it?" "It''s not impossible. Fortunately, I heard that the Pope''s health is not good. If we use the deadly poison we have, people will think that the Pope died a natural death." "Hmm..." He wasn''t particrly keen on the idea, but it was part of the original novel, and it was his wife''s decision as well as Ismail''s, so there was nothing Rockefeller could do to stop it. ''I don''t feel like stopping it either. Since it would be good for us if it happened that way.'' If Rockefeller had been a devout believer, he might not have dared to do anything to harm the Pope. However, Rockefeller did not believe in God. ''Honestly, I don''t even know if I''ll go to hell when I die. After all, death is death.'' "If it''s your decision, then we''ll have to do it that way. What power do I have to stop it?" That was thest thing Rockefeller said about the Pope''s assassination. A few days after the master of Ismail decided to assassinate the Pope, news of the Pope''s death spread, and the entire empire was plunged into sorrow. The two princes, who had been engaged in fierce battles in the Crown War, temporarily ceased fire and mourned for the Pope, as they were aware of the Church''s influence. However, the peaceful time did notst long, and the two princes once again led their armies onto the battlefield, fighting even more fiercely. Meanwhile, a new wind blew in the Church. The assembly was hastily convened to elect a new Pope, and following the long-standing tradition of the Holy Order, Bishop Verkis, the Pope''s secretary, became a candidate for the next Pope,peting with several other rmended church members for the position over several weeks. However, no candidate could follow the already firmly established support base of Bishop Verkis, and church members, who were concerned about their deposit interest from the guild, silently affirmed Bishop Verkis with their silence even if they had opposing opinions. Thus, Bishop Verkis was able to be elected as the new Pope, seeding Felix III, in a different way than the original novel Rockefeller knew. And Bishop Verkis took the name Francis II, following the name of the saint he admired the most. Upon bing Pope, the first thing Bishop Verkis did was send a letter to Rockefeller, informing him of his ascension. As Rockefeller read the news in the letter, he clenched his fist and was intoxicated with a deep sense of victory for a moment. ''As I expected! I made it that way.'' Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 143 (2) Chapter 143 (2) It wasn''t just Rockefeller who was happy about this. His wife, Sylvia, was also delighted, and all of Rockefeller''s other siblings sent congrattory messages to him as well. It was just before the dawn of a new era. ''Not long now, and my world will unfold.'' If the Pope and the Emperor were his friends, the world would naturally be favorable to him. ''This way, I can easily gather an army for the uing Gold Vein War.'' The royal family could not ignore the defense of the Montefeltro territory held by the Rothsmedici family, and the Church could also raise an army to protect the diocese from the invading Dwarves. ''Either way, it''s definitely good for me.'' Rockefeller immediately went to the Papal Court at the invitation of Bishop Verkis, who was elected as the next Pope. There, Rockefeller was able to meet Pope Francis II, who was formerly Bishop Verkis. "You''ve arrived!" No one was more weing to Rockefeller than Pope Francis II. "Congrattions. You''ve finally achieved what you wanted." "What have I done? It''s all thanks to you." Pope Francis II began to speak about the facts he learned while exchanging letters with Rockefeller. "Your wife is pregnant? You will soon be a father of a child. Congrattions in advance." "Thank you, Your Holiness." "Ha ha, it''s still awkward. I''ve been called Bishop all this time, and now I''m hearing the name of His Holiness. I can''t tell you how awkward it is." "It''s a good thing." "Yes, it is a good thing. I really don''t know if this is a dream or not. I can''t believe I''vee this far. Just a few months ago, I couldn''t even imagine it." Pope Francis II, who didn''t know the truth, couldn''t help but feel sorry for the sudden death of the previous Pope. "Due to the sudden departure of the previous Pope..." It wasn''t without guilt, but it couldn''t be said in this ce. "I also feel deeply saddened by that." "It''s a pity, but what can we do if that''s heaven''s will? At least he went to be with St. John, so we should be happy." After some more conversation, Rockefeller began to get to the point. "I''m here because Your Holiness called me." Pope Francis II knew what Rockefeller was trying to say. He had pushed for it with all his might because it had a purpose. "I know what you''re trying to say. But don''t worry. Didn''t I promise you too?" That''s what he said. "A person should keep their promises. If you''re asking about the Ismail family, don''t worry too much. I''m nning to gradually change the Church''s stance on Ismail from now on." "Isn''t that difficult? It''s been shunned for so long that I don''t think it''s easy to change the Church''s stance right away." At that, Pope Francis II smiled. "It''s difficult. But who would dare say anything with you around? Even the believers who supported me were more attentive to you than me." Rockefeller couldn''t help but smile inwardly. The reason why Bishop Verkis was supported within the Church was because they were afraid of him, who could determine the interest rate. "Is that so? But now they''ll pay more attention to Your Holiness. How important could a banker like me be?" "But aren''t you the one giving the interest? Even if they''re watching me now, they''ll still be watching you because you''re the one giving the interest." As Rockefeller bowed his head modestly, Pope Francis II continued. "Anyway, don''t worry too much about the 2nd Prince. As far as I know, the Crown War isn''t over yet. What''s the current progress? I''m so busy with this side of things that I can''t focus." "Both Princes are currently fighting fiercely. It''s a situation where no one knows who will win. However, due to the long battle, both Prince factions are greatly exhausted." "What about the 2nd Prince?" "The 2nd Prince is hiding for now, avoiding the fight between the two Princes. He''s waiting for the right time." "What kind of time are you talking about?" Rockefeller subtly smiled. "To be honest, it''s now. Since the Church has clearly taken a stance, I can also wholeheartedly support His Highness the 2nd Prince." "Hmm..." Pope Francis II, who was deep in thought, spoke. "Throughout history, the Church has intervened in the Crown War. That way, the royal family could watch our moves, and we could also say what we needed." "I''ve heard that the Princes who won the Crown War with the help of the Church were greatly influenced by the Church." Rockefeller asked. "Are you thinking of supporting His Highness the 2nd Prince?" "Shouldn''t I be in agreement with you? If you''re pushing for the 2nd Prince, it''s only right for me to support the 2nd Prince as well." "I see." After thinking briefly, Rockefeller began to nod his head. ''With the Pope''s backing, it''s guaranteed.'' The Church itself could also summon an army for military purposes. In this case, everyone was afraid of the sacred army that received the blessing of God. ''It''s a winning game anyway, but it''s going to be more fun like this.'' Originally, in the novel, the Church was a force that opposed the 2nd Prince until the end. However, as Rockefeller intervened and changed the Church''s position, the Church and the Pope became the staunch allies of the 2nd Prince, unlike the previous content of the novel. "Great. Let''s dere our support for the 2nd Prince together. And if we push for him wholeheartedly..." If he could make a Pope, why not an Emperor? Rockefeller continued with that thought. "Will His Highness the 2nd Prince not be the next Emperor?" Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 144 (1) Chapter 144 (1) The Crown War (3) The entire empire was shocked when the church dered their support for the 2nd prince in the War of the Crown. Until now, the church had condemned the Ismail family as a heretical group and had been secretly suppressing them. However, they suddenly changed their stance. Moreover, when the church formed the papal army to support the 2nd prince, chaos broke out among the two prince factions participating in the war. Up until now, the 2nd prince''s faction, which was thought to be insignificant, suddenly rose to prominence. On top of that, the Lyon Guild, which had left the 2nd prince alone, suddenly hired a massive mercenary army to support the 2nd prince, making the situation even more critical. The 1st prince, who had already reached his limit due to his extreme opposition with the 3rd prince, couldn''t hide his bitterness as he looked at his desperate staff. ''How could this happen...'' "Why did they change their position now?" The most iprehensible thing was the church. Although it wasn''t surprising for the Lyon Guild, who had long dered their stance, the sudden change of attitude from the church, which had been suppressing Ismail, raised questions for the 1st prince and everyone else. "What on earth did they do...?" Then, one of the staff members informed him of the information they had gathered from various sources. It was about the Lyon Guild, which had close ties with the church. "Come to think of it, I know that the Lyon Guild was the one who supported the construction of the Lyon Cathedral. At that time, we thought it was just the guild''s power supporting their local diocese. However, looking at the newly elected Pope, it seems like this was all part of the guild leader''s grand n." Although it made sense, the 1st prince still couldn''t believe it. "How could this..." If he had known that things would turn out this way, he wouldn''t have fought so fiercely against the 3rd prince. For the 2nd prince, who had been hiding, to suddenly emerge like this... This situation was like two prey fighting each other, and a suddenly appearing hunter reaping all the benefits. ''What should I do?'' The situation was truly dire, as if a fire had been lit under their feet. If they continued like this, the 2nd prince would win the War of the Crown with the support of the papal army and the mercenary army. "What are we going to do?" Trinity was also extremely fatigued from frequent battles. Although she had been fighting against several generals from the opposing factions, the main reason was that she had used a lot of her strength in the battle against Isabe, the magician from Sinir, a few days ago. The 1st prince couldn''t immediately answer Trinity''s question. He raised his head and slowly scanned the faces of the staff members who had been staring at him intently. Their faces didn''t show any viable solutions either. ''Even if I form an alliance with the 3rd prince now, I don''t know if he''ll ept it. Considering our rtionship so far...'' The situation didn''t look good. No one could have expected to taste such a defeat in this Crown War, which they thought would be a fight between himself and the 3rd prince. However, they couldn''t just ept defeat. If they were to lose here, it would mean death for the 1st prince, so he desperately thought about how to ovee this difficult situation. ''To turn the situation around, I have to change the church''s stance again.'' "First, let''s have a ceasefire with the 3rd prince and I''ll personally meet with the Pope." That was the best course of action the 1st prince could take. It seemed that the staff members agreed, as no one raised their voice in opposition. They all silently affirmed the n. Then, one of them spoke up. "If that''s Your Highness''s will, we''ll immediately propose a temporary ceasefire to the 3rd prince''s faction. They must be worried about the sudden rise of the 2nd prince''s faction, so they''ll definitely ept our ceasefire request." "That has to happen. And if the church changes their position again..." It still looked like a mess. First of all, both his and the 3rd prince''s factions were exhausted, and the 2nd prince had the wealthy Lyon Guild backing him. If it became a long-term battle, the 2nd prince''s side would undoubtedly gain more strength. "And instead of me, you go meet the guild leader." At the 1st prince''s words, Trinity showed a negative reaction. "Will anything change if we meet? We''ve already met him before, haven''t we?" "Are we just going to stay like this? We have to do something." "What exactly do you want me to do?" It would be best to deal with the guild leader, but since he was already under the protection of Lee Han and Ismail, it seemed impossible to do so. ''What should I do about that guild leader? It''s difficult to physically deal with him. Assassination is probably difficult too.'' "Killing him would be difficult, right?" When he asked directly, Trinity shook her head in denial. "That would be difficult. You know, right? He even called Lee Hanst time." "He''s a headache. But we have to do something about him. If we can''t cook or boil him, we have to find another way." Then, one of the staff members who had been watching suggested a n. "What if we take a family member or someone close to the guild leader hostage? I heard he got married recently." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 144 (2) Chapter 144 (2) "Marriage? The guild leader got married?" The 1st prince wasn''t interested in the guild leader''s marriage news. So when he asked about the unknown information, the staff member who had shared the news replied immediately. "Yes, that''s what I know." "That''s good. If the guild leader himself is difficult to deal with, we can take his wife hostage." At that, Trinity, who had been quietly listening, showed her displeasure. "Do we really have to go that far?" From her perspective, it was an unpleasant task, but from the 1st prince''s point of view, the situation was desperate enough to resort to such underhanded tactics. "If I lose here, my life is over. I can ept the criticism for thister." If they kidnap the guild leader''s wife, there would be issues with the rtionship between the guild leader and the prince after the Crown War. However, what was more important to him was to win this war first. "But winning this Crown War is more important to me." Just in case, she asked her staff about the woman the guild leader had married. If she was from a famous noble family, that would be another problem. "Which family did he marry into?" "As far as I know... she''s amoner." "Amoner? He married amoner?" "Yes." She couldn''t understand his expression. Although the guild leader was amoner, there was no reason for such a wealthy person to refuse a noblewoman. "Is she really amoner?" The 1st prince also had doubts about this, and asked again to confirm. "Yes, she is amoner. That''s what I heard." "Really? That''s unexpected. He could have easily married someone from a baron''s family." "Oh, I remember now, she was his secretary." "Secretary?" Trinity offered ament. "They must have fallen in love while working together." It didn''t matter to them who the guild leader married. "Ismail probably won''t care about the guild leader''s wife. So, I''ll leave that task to you." [T/N: lol] It was a despicable act, but she had no choice from her perspective, wanting victory in the Crown War. ''I really don''t want to do this...'' "Alright, I''ll do it. But we can''t kill her, not even for the sake of the future." The 1st prince agreed to her words. "We''re just trying to scare them, we don''t want to make enemies with the guild leader." "Then I''ll take responsibility for this." The 1st prince seemed to have found a breakthrough, imagining his meeting with the Pope in his head. ''If only these two things work out, the 2nd prince will return to his old self.'' The next day. A temporary truce was established between the 1st and 3rd prince''s factions due to the sudden rise of the 2nd prince. When the news of the truce reached the 1st prince, he hastily went to the Papal Pce to request a meeting with the Pope, but the new Pope kept refusing the meeting. The 1st prince, who had wished for a meeting with the Pope for days, eventually had to return empty-handed. ''If they don''t even want to meet, it means they have no intention of changing their mind.'' Rumors said that the 3rd prince had also sent someone to request a meeting with the Pope, but like the 1st prince, they kept getting rejected. ''Even if I went personally and they didn''t want to meet, would they really want to meet someone lower? There''s no chance.'' Anyway, the 1st prince, who returned without any results, pinned his hopes on the guild leader''s wife as hisst card. ''It''s a headache if the Pope''s faction joins, but in the end, the change in the Church''s stance was all because of that guild leader.'' Although he couldn''t meet the Pope and change the Church''s stance, if he could kidnap the guild leader''s wife and threaten the guild leader, it seemed possible to change the Church''s stance. ''Please, let it be that way.'' A few dayster. The news that reached him was nothing but shock and horror. His younger sister, who would be his wife in the future, had gone to kidnap the guild leader''s wife, but instead ended up being taken hostage by them. The 1st prince, who received the report, could not understand it at all. "What... What are you talking about? Trinity was captured?" Trinity Tepez. She was an unparalleled expert from the Tepez family, who had inherited the same blood as him and was even known as the de Queen. But she not only failed in her mission, but was also captured! It would have been impossible without Ismail''s intervention. "That... The guild leader''s wife..." The person reporting to the 1st prince was one of those who had gone to Lyon to kidnap the guild leader''s wife along with Trinity. "The guild leader''s wife was from Ismail''s family." "What did you just say?" "The guild leader''s wife was from Ismail''s family. Trinity couldn''t avoid a tough fight and eventually lost to the guild leader''s wife." The shock was undeniable. Who would have known that the wife of the guild leader, who was said to have married amoner, was from the Ismail family? "Is that true?" "Yes, and when the guild leader''s wife released me, she told me to tell you this." The officer, who was about to report something, looked like he was about to die. Instead of bringing the guild leader''s wife as a tribute, he had no choice but to deliver a threatening message. "If you don''t give up the Crown War, they''ll kill Her Highness Trinity." "..." It felt like the sky was falling. Both of the breakthroughs he had thought of had failed. "..." The 1st prince stood silently in front of the officer reporting on the events in Lyon. After a while, he unknowingly swallowed his saliva and dropped his head. His expression seemed to have given up on everything beyond serious. ''How...'' His mind turned white, and all he felt was a deep sense of defeat. It was the first defeat of his life. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 145 (1) Chapter 145 (1) The Crown War (4) That night. A proposal from the 3rd Prince reached the desperate 1st Prince. Neither the 1st Prince nor 3rd Prince had any answers. In a gathering of all the advisors. A soldier sent by the 3rd Prince delivered the 3rd Prince''s intentions to him. "A temporary alliance?" "Yes, His Highness Calman suggests a temporary alliance to stand against His Highness Christian." At that, the advisors present began to stir. "Even after such a fight, Calman proposes an alliance with me?" They had fought fiercely against each other. At one point, it was only natural for one of the two to be considered the winner of the war for the crown. "Yes, His Highness Calman''s proposal is sincere." After the failure of the meeting with the Pope and losing Trinity, 1st Prince found the 3rd Prince''s alliance proposal like a lifeline from heaven. However, it was impossible to tell whether it was rotten or sturdy. "It''s not possible. His Highness Calman cannot be trusted." "But if we don''t ept the alliance proposal, we''ll be swallowed up by the army led by the 2nd Prince." "I''m not sure. I don''t know what his intentions are..." "Didn''t we almost catch His Highness Calman in the Howl battle, but let him slip away? There might still be resentment there." The opinions of the advisors were divided. As a result, the 1st Prince''s agony over not knowing the true intentions of 3rd Prince deepened. ''What should I do?'' If there were no regrets, he would have definitely refused the proposal. However, with so many regrets at the moment, the unintended temporary alliance was inevitable. "Go and tell him I ept. There''s no other choice right now." "If you ept, early tomorrow morning, bring only the minimum escort forces to the Wolf Valley in Hasman Forest, as he instructed." Then the advisors present strongly objected. "That''s an absurd proposal!" "You must refuse. It''s obviously a trick." "If it''s a trick, we''ll be done for." "But the 3rd Prince is just as desperate as we are, so would he really propose an alliance and then try to trap you?" Thinking that Calman might do it, the 1st Prince asked the soldier who brought the news. "Why did he ask me toe like that?" "He said it was to confirm the trust between the two of you. If there is no such trust, you cannot be together." The 1st Prince understood what he meant. They had been enemies for a while. Even if he and Calman formed a temporary alliance, it would be a fragile one without trust between them. ''I have no choice but to make this choice to stand against Christian.'' "Is there no other way?" At that question, the soldier firmly answered. "Yes, His Highness Calman said that this is his final offer." As the 1st Prince fell into deep silence, the nearby advisors began to speak again. "It''s too reckless. If you get caught or run into trouble..." "But it''s not wrong. How can we form a temporary alliance without trust between us? Don''t we have to show that level of trust for His Highness Calman to believe in us and join forces against His Highness Christian, who has united the Papal Army?" "I think so too. But I also agree that it''s dangerous." The choice was up to the 1st Prince. ''There''s no choice left now that Trinity has been captured.'' "Even if Calman set a trap, considering Christian, who is gaining power right now, he won''t be able to take me down easily." At that, a few of the advisors strongly objected. "Your Highness Ryan! It''s too dangerous." "I also think it''s dangerous." Stopping them with his hand, the 1st Prince continued his words. "If I don''t join forces with Calman, I have no future. I''ll just wait and eventually face Christian." The 1st Prince was fed up. How had thingse to this? However, reality was cruel, and in this reality, he had to find a breakthrough. Even if it was Calman''s trap, he had no choice but to face it. "I''ll go where Calman called me tomorrow. Go and tell him. I''ll be waiting there." The soldier who brought the news returned to Calman, and the 1st Prince had no choice but to spend a sleepless night. Before the dawn was over. The 1st Prince, who had left the pce, went to the Wolf Valley in the Hasman Forest, where he had agreed to meet with Calman with minimal troops. Upon arriving at the destination, 1st Prince let his restless horse loose and briefly scanned the foggy forest. ''The feeling...is not good.'' Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 145 (2) Chapter 145 (2) Even as a person of Tepez blood, known for their lion lineage, he could not ignore the eerie atmosphere surrounding the area. ''I wish my intuition is wrong.'' On his way here, 1st Prince had been sleepless, constantly pondering Calman''s intentions. Whether he really called him for an alliance. Or if he intended to capture him and enter a confrontation with the 2nd Prince. ''There''s no answer, and it should be the same for Calman.'' Just then. The sound of noisy hoofbeats and the movement of soldiers came from the other side of the fog. It seemed like a movement to surround the 1st Prince and his troops. ''The feeling...'' And shortly after. What came to find the 1st Prince were the overwhelminglyrge number of Calman''s elite troops. They hade all the way to Wolf Valley in Hasman Forest to capture the 1st Prince. Calman, who appeared on horseback, approached the 1st Prince, who was with minimal troops. "It''s been a while, Brother Ryan." The man with long hair, sporting red and blue odd eyes, wore a thick fur coat as he approached. Although his intuition wasn''t good, the 1st Prince looked up at the 3rd Prince, who didn''t even dismount from his horse. The 3rd Prince and his elite soldiers revealed their true colors, threatening 1st Prince and his soldiers with lowered spears. Among the forces led by the 3rd Prince, there were also a considerable number of magicians. Seeing this, the 1st Prince, dumbfounded, asked Calman again. "In this case, only Christian will benefit." "That won''t happen." Unlike the 1st Prince, who had no way out, the 3rd Prince seemed to have some confidence. "Why do you think so? Christian has the backing of the Pope''s army, and the richest guild in the Empire, the Lyon Guild, supports him." The 1st Prince also knew about the situation of the 3rd Prince and the Sinir family. "Even though you and the Sinir family have suffered losses fighting against me, you''re going to face Christian alone without joining forces with me?" "We did suffer a lot fighting against you, brother. But we found a way to ovee it." "A way to ovee?" "Don''t forget that our maternal family consists of magicians." "What does that have to do with anything?" "Guild promissory notes can be created only with the paper we supply." The power of magic was absolute. "Are you nning to forge guild promissory notes?" "There''s nothing we can''t do. The dog we raised can''t even recognize its owner and acts like this. How can I, the rightful owner, just stand still? I''m going to show them the power of the Sinir family, as I warned them." "Well... if you''re determined to forge them, you won''t have any money problems, at least." "That''s how it will be." To the 1st Prince, it seemed like a mistake in his judgment. The thought that the 3rd Prince, just like him, would have no answer, ultimately led to the wrong decision. ''So this is how it ends.'' It was virtually impossible to escape from the encirclement with only minimal troops and without his closest aide, Trinity. ''I never thought I, Ryan Tepez, of all people, would end up like this.'' "The heavens are heartless too." At the words spat out by the 1st Prince, the 3rd Prince bid him farewell. "I''m really relieved that you came like this, Brother Ryan. If you had also acted troublesome, it would have been even more difficult for me." Fearless even in the face of death, the 1st Prince threw hisst words at the 3rd Prince. "I hope you lose the war for the crown. I''ll be going ahead, so take your time following." At those words, the 3rd Prince only lightlyughed. "I''m sorry, but the next person to follow you won''t be me, but Christian. Please rest in peace." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 146 (1) Chapter 146 (1) 4/6 Bonus chapter thanks to @RewindThis The Crown War #2(2) The perfection of the absolute currency. It was possible due to Lee Han''s power. "I did some research on my own on how to easily produce money, and this is what I came up with." When Lee Han flicked his finger, several metal discs were summoned in mid-air. The detailed shape of the discs was not yet determined, but it was clear that they wouldter take the form of Goblin Dors that Rockefeller wanted. "Everything printed with this will be connected to the blockchain magic you mentioned. Then it would look like this." Lee Han took one of the floating discs and stamped it onto something like paper. "As soon as the magic engraving is created, the virtual ledger will be shared. And when these are brought together." When the two stamped papers were brought close together, they both began to emit a blue light. "Fascinating." Rockefeller looked at the blue glowing paper with curiosity. It was not much different from the design he hade up with himself. "If you process these discs into the shape of the Goblin Dor you want, make sure to give one to me, alright?" A promise is a promise. Rockefeller intended to keep this part clear. "Of course. But please use that disc only for yourself. That''s my condition." "Well, that''s a given. But what if I print out a huge amount?" "Think of it as a kind of reward forpleting the Goblin Dor." "A reward, huh? It would be quite a lot." "Print and use as much as you want. You might get tired of using it, and then you won''t want to print anymore. At that point, money will be meaningless." "I wonder if that will really happen?" "You''ll naturally find out when you try." Before leaving, Lee Han asked about another matter. It was about anti-counterfeiting measures. "Is there no other mechanism besides the blockchain? I''vee up with a magical mechanism, but wouldn''t it be good to have another mechanism to distinguish counterfeit currency?" Rockefeller, as if he had been waiting for this, answered. "I have looked into various aspects and n to apply a special dye to the new promissory notes. In addition to that, I have already devised physical devices to distinguish counterfeit promissory notes. And this is also a result of a guild meeting thatbined the ideas of several guild members." "I see." "Don''t worry too much about this part since we can filter out counterfeit promissory notes in multipleyers." A few dayster. The work of recing the existing promissory notes with new ones was carried out throughout the Lyon Guild. Existing promissory notes could be exchanged for new ones at the banks affiliated with the guild, and the exchanged promissory notes were actively circted in the market again. The Lyon Guild announced that promissory notes not exchanged within the designated period could be invalidated or ignoredter. People lined up in front of the banks to hand over their existing promissory notes and receive new ones connected to the blockchain. As a month passed, only new promissory notes circted in the market, and as more time passed, the issue of counterfeit promissory notes began to emerge. The counterfeit Goblin Dors, unknowingly produced by the Sinir family, had reached a bank. "I''d like to exchange these all for Dnt." An unidentified man visited a bank located in the Imperial Road with Goblin Dors. The bank owner, who was also a member of the Lyon Guild, carefully examined the Goblin Dors handed to him and then held up his own Goblin Dor to check its authenticity. ''It looks exactly like the real one, but something feels off.'' He habitually held his real Goblin Dor to the one handed by the man. At that moment, his Goblin Dor started to emit a red light, indicating that it was counterfeit. The funny thing was that, on the contrary, the man''s Goblin Dor began to emit a blue light, indicating that it was genuine. "Where did you get that?" "Is there a problem?" "They''re all fake." "Fake?" The man looked confused. ''That can''t be. These were taken from the Sinir family.'' "That''s impossible. This is genuine." "Genuine?" "Yes." The man, who firmly believed in the magical power of the Sinir family, became even more confident in this situation. "Something seems to be wrong. The fake one is the fake one." The bank owner raised his voice at the man, who was making ridiculous ims. "The fake one is the one you brought! We don''t ept such fakes here, so go somewhere else and find out." Confused, the man stood in the store without knowing what to do. When the store owner picked up a broom and started to use violence, the man hurriedly ran out of the store. ''What the hell? What happened?'' That day. That day, the 3rd Prince''s minions, who had tried to obtain Dnt by using fake bonds from various banks in the empire under the 3rd Prince''s orders, had no choice but to return empty-handed. As the battles with the 2nd Prince intensified every day, the 3rd Prince found it hard to believe that his expected minions returned empty-handed. "What are you talking about? All of them are counterfeit currencies, so they can''t be exchanged for Dnt." "We don''t know. We thought they were almost perfectly counterfeited, but at the bank, they immediately recognized them as fake when we brought the real Goblin Dors." "Why, even though they emit the same blue light?" "We don''t know." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 146 (2) Chapter 146 (2) The idea that came out in the situation where there was ack of military funds to lead the army was to counterfeit the Lyon Guild''s bonds and make up for the insufficient military funds. However, it was the 3rd Prince who became troubled if he couldn''t utilize counterfeit currency like this. "Call the family members." At themand of the 3rd Prince, several magicians belonging to the Sinir family soon came to him. "I heard it was perfect, so what''s the problem?" The magicians brought magnifying sses and carefully examined the real and fake ones. However, the fake Goblin Dors they made were indistinguishable from the real ones at a nce. "As you can see, what we made is perfect. The appearance is not almost, but 100% perfectly matched, and the blue light emitted when exchanged is also the same." They thought that the real Goblin Dors only emitted blue light. "But why does the real one emit red light instead of blue light when the real and fake ones are attached?" "That is." "Tell me the reason. If this isn''t resolved, I''m the only fool who sent my brother away trusting you guys." If counterfeiting Goblin Dors was impossible, the 3rd Prince would never have sent the 1st Prince like that. With the power he has now, it was almost impossible to deal with the 2nd Prince''s army. Only by counterfeiting Goblin Dors could he find the meaning of his betrayal of the 1st Prince. It was enough to refill the insufficient army with counterfeit currency. However, even the famous magicians couldn''t grasp how the real Goblin Dors worked. Would they even know the meaning of the term blockchain? "Prince Calman. We don''t know how this is manifested. To exin this, we have to bring the magician who implemented this directly." They had nothing to say either. "But the counterfeit currency we made is identical to the real one in appearance. The only thing that''s bothering us is that the real one easily distinguishes the fake one when the real and fake ones meet. But we don''t know the principle well." "Is it enough to say you don''t know? If we can''t solve this problem right away, the army will copse." The magicians who only sighed eventually found their own way. "How about calling Miss Isabe, who is the best in this field, and asking her?" "Call Isabe here?" She was in a direct confrontation with the papal army for the revival of the Sinir family on the front lines. There would be a considerable loss of power on the front lines if she was gone. However, the 3rd Prince, who had a fire on his feet, had no energy to worry about that. "Bring Isabe. We have to solve this problem somehow." Isabe, who was fighting fiercely in the vanguard of the 3rd Prince''s army, which was struggling against the papal army and the mercenary forces hired by the guild, hurriedly stopped the battle and came to the barracks where the 3rd Prince was. "I heard you called me urgently." "The counterfeit failed." "What?" The 3rd Prince told Isabe about the story of counterfeiting bonds yesterday and today. Isabe, who thought that the magicians of the family would solve it themselves without her intervening, couldn''t help but be confused by the unexpected news. "Are you saying that counterfeiting is impossible now?" "Yes, counterfeiting ispletely impossible now. No matter how perfectly we replicated it, the real one easily recognizes the fake bond." "How is that possible?" "I don''t know either, so you take a look." The 3rd Prince gave Isabe the real and fake Goblin Dors. Isabe, who had been looking at them for a long time, was reminded of the conversation she had with Rockefeller in the past. ''At that time, that person was too confident.'' Sinir family was the best in the magic. The fact that he could smile like that against a family of magicians meant that he had something to believe in. Isabe quickly realized who had helped Rockefeller. "It seems that a person named Lee Han helped." "Lee Han?" As soon as the story of Lee Han came out, the 3rd Prince''s expression hardened. Lee Han was a man who was active in the 2nd Prince''s camp. He was as much of a headache for him as the 2nd Prince. With a dumbfounded expression, the 3rd Prince asked. "Did Lee Hane up with that?" "Yes, it seems so. At that time, the guild master was too confident. So I just let it go, but he trusted Lee Han." "Whether it''s Lee Han or not. Anyway, we have to counterfeit those Goblin Dors to survive." The 3rd Prince was really desperate. ''If I had known this, I wouldn''t have sent my brother like that! Darn...'' "We must find out how the magic works unconditionally. That''s the only way to make counterfeit bonds." Then Isabe informed him that it was impossible. "It''s going to be difficult. If Lee Han intervened and helped in the first ce, they might have created a perfect bond that is absolutely impossible to counterfeit." "Is counterfeiting itself impossible?" Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 147 (1) Chapter 147 (1) 5/6 Bonus chapter thanks to @ima from Ko-fi! The Crown War #2(3) "If Lee Han used magic, then it''s definitely possible." Magic was an absolute power capable of achieving anything. "But how did he do it?" "I don''t know the principle behind it. If I were one of his people, I might know, but at the moment, I have no way of finding out." "......" As the 3rd Prince''s expression hardened, she opened her mouth again to help him. "If the reason for the forgery is ack of military funds, it would be best to find another way to get the money." There was only one ce that came to mind. Goblin Bank. It was the only ce that could rival the financial power of the Lyon Guild. ''But using their funds would go against the traditions of the Crown War.'' "If we borrow money from the Goblin Bank, the Emperor will be furious. Even if we win, it would be meaningless." The 3rd Prince, aware of this, had a hardened expression. In the Crown War, borrowing money from any race other than humans was strictly forbidden. This was because it could lead to interference in internal affairs by other races in the future. ''Damn it...'' He hated the moment he thought he could forge Goblin Dors and stand against the 2nd Prince''s army. "Is there no way to find out?" "If it''s not magic that my family or I havee up with, but a magic that Lee Han independently created, then it''s almost impossible to figure out how the magic is implemented." "Is Lee Han that great?" The 3rd Prince was of the Sinir lineage, but he only had magical talent, not the magical knowledge that other mages possessed. He had called her for advice, but the response was close to despair. "Yes, you could say he''s great if he''s great. Because he implements magic in apletely different way than we do." "Heh..." It seemed impossible to utilize the power of magic to forge Lyon Guild''s promissory notes. ''How could this happen?'' Magic was an absolute power. He had always thought that it could achieve anything in the world. Today, for the first time, he learned the limits of magic. "Then..." With aplicated look in his eyes, the 3rd Prince spoke to his subordinates around him. "Does anyone have any other suggestions? A better way. If forgery is impossible, isn''t there another way to make up for theck of military funds?" At his question, a general of Sinir origin opened his mouth. "There''s no immediate money avable. We could try to get money by pledging the future of the family, but I''m not sure if the head of the Sinir family would allow it, given the current state of the world." "I think the same way, as it''s close to gambling from the head''s perspective." "Any other suggestions?" "If the Union was still alive, we could have revived our money line through them, but that''s impossible now. They''re gone." "There are a few noble families who have that much money outside the Union, but since the 2nd Prince''s forces are doing so well, they''ve all turned to a wait-and-see attitude, so it''s doubtful they''ll help us." "Your Highness Calman, how about secretly asking the Goblin Bank for help?" At that, everyone''s eyes were on him. "How can you tell if we borrowed money from the goblins? If we hide it well, we''ll get through without any problems." But that wasn''t what everyone wanted. In particr, Isabe, who was invited to this meeting, insisted that it was impossible for the sake of the future of the empire. "I disagree with that. When the Crown War is over, everyone will be loyal to one emperor. I also hope that Emperor Calman will be the one, but I don''t want him to be controlled by the goblins. Rather, it would be better for Christian to inherit the throne." Calman seemed to have the same thought, as this was a matter of his own future and life. "You can''t lead an army without money. You''re telling me to die when we urgently need money?" "Or..." In the history of the empire, the princes who participated in the Crown War, except for the winner, died. However, some princes were afraid of death and either fled far away from the empire or surrendered to the winner and lived a lifetime in captivity in exchange for their lives. "Prince Christian, although not as violent as Prince Ryan, is said to be gentle and obedient. If you ask for mercy from Prince Christian on the condition of surrendering before the fight gets any deeper." She, too, was one of those who worried about the security of the empire, just like Trinity Tepez. "We may lose this Crown War, but it may be a good thing for both you and the empire. The longer the Crown Warsts, the more pleased the races that are hostile to us will be." "Do you think Christian will spare my life?" "Only Prince Christian would know that. Or at least ask him before the situation gets any worse." "......" After that, the 3rd Prince fell into deep thought alone. And the next day. The 3rd Prince sent a letter containing his intentions to the 2nd Prince''s camp. And not long after. After reading the returned letter, the 3rd Prince agreed to be confined to a specific territory for the rest of his life, on the condition of receiving life insurance from the 2nd Prince, along with an unconditional surrender. With the victory of the 2nd Prince, Christian Ismail, the Crown War came to an end. In the empire, everyone was happy, saying that a new era had opened, and among them were the two who had supported the 2nd Prince both materially and morally. Rockefeller, who had somehow known that the 2nd Prince would win, read the letter containing the news of victory in his office. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 147 (2) Chapter 147 (2) ''He gave up right after failing to forge Goblin Dors.'' The scenario where the 3rd Prince surrendered did not exist before. As far as Rockefeller could remember, the 3rd prince Calman was a more despicable person than he had thought. He had forged the guild''s loan certificate excessively, maintaining his army until he ultimately reached his limit and lost in the Crown War. ''Back then, I remember the 2nd prince mercilessly killed him, which is quite unexpected.'' Not leaving any princes who participated in the Crown War alive was to eliminate any future threats. But Christian didn''t kill Calman, perhaps because he needed the power of the Sinir family for the new era that was toe? Rockefeller thought so. ''There would be no need to keep him alive otherwise.'' Anyway, the princes from the three major families of the empire participated in the Crown War, and the winner, contrary to everyone''s expectations, was the prince from the Ismail family, who was supported by the Chruch and the Lion Guild. ''Well, it''s a good thing for me.'' In the first ce, Rockefeller''s family, the Rosmedichi, could only gain control over the empire''s currency if the 2nd prince won. Ordinarily, they wouldn''t give it up, but he was already married to a woman from the Ismail family. So there was no reason for the Ismail family not to give it up. Rather, not giving it up would be a loss for them, so he was in a worry-free state. ''Maybe marrying Sylvia was a divine move in my life.'' However. She was from a prestigious imperial family and beautiful, but there was just one thing that bothered him. "It seems we have won." She appeared like a ghost without warning, which was creepy even though she was his wife. "Didn''t I clearly warn you not to appear behind me?" "I''m sorry. It''s already a habit, and it''s not easy to change." "Tell me honestly. You just didn''t tell me, but you often quietly watch from behind, right?" "I''ll be really careful from now on." "It''s not about being careful, just never do that again. Sometimes it scares me. Do you think I''m a Swordmaster or something? I''m just an ordinary person. An ordinary person who just handles money." "I''m sorry." Rockefeller, who had been bickering with his wife for a while, handed her the letter he had received. "It looks like the emperor''s coronation ceremony will be held soon. And it seems he ns to take my younger sister as his bride, as promised." Until now, the Rothsmedici family, which had been nothing, had be a very famous family in the empire, known to all the nobles. Not only did they have close ties with the Church and the new Pope, but they were also the only family that supported the 2nd prince Christian Ismail, the winner of the Crown War, and their younger sister was chosen as the new emperor''s empress, so their influence showed no signs of waning, even if they were a newly emerged noble family. Some said that. A new family that could rival the three great families in the history of the empire was born. It was the ''Financial House of Rothsmedici''. "Congrattions." "What''s there to congratte? If I''m happy, you''re happy, and if you''re happy, I''m happy." "Did you really not know that things would turn out like this?" She threw her long-held curiosity at him. Then he lied very cunningly. "Of course I didn''t know. I just thought it would happen, but how would I know?" After finishing his words, he picked up a letter from Montefeltro territory among the letters in front of him. ''It''s a bit early.'' Even if it was early. The schedule was unchanged. ''Soon, they''ll start moving.'' The dwarves had already moved their army, andter dered war on the empire. It had been theirnd for a long time, but the empire had been illegally upying it, they said. So the dwarves, who had seized the initiative before the Gold Vein War, had won. Before the empire could prepare, the dwarves moved their pre-positioned army and captured Montefeltro territory outright. The famous Gold Vein War broke out due to the empire''s counterattack after realizing the value of Montefeltro territory. ''Is thest thing left the Gold Vein War?'' The Goblin Dor could bepleted by the new emperor''s ession and the transfer of all control over the imperial currency to the Rothsmedici family. However, for the credibility of the Goblin Dor to be maintained continuously, a sufficient amount of gold coins had to be backed up. ''An enormous amount of gold coins is absolutely necessary for the maintenance of the hegemony of the Goblin Dor, not itspletion. In that sense, Montefeltro territory is and that cannot be given to anyone.'' Rockefeller''s dream was not small. He was just over twenty years old. He could easily build his power in a country called the Empire, but the numerous other races and forces spread throughout the continent were not those he could deal with. ''In order to make all races, including the dwarves, elves, orcs, and goblins, kneel before me, the Goblin Dor must have an eternal hegemony.'' All races except humans used their own unique currency. Here, the race that stood out the most was the goblins. They used a gold coin called Ducat, which had a high gold content, and exerted a strong influence throughout the continent. The influence of the Goblin''s gold coin, the Ducat, was so enormous that it became themon currency of the continent. ''Soon, the currency hegemony that the goblins have wille to me. And everyone, including the empire.'' Rockerfeller''s grand dream. He was neither a Swordmaster nor a great magician. But he knew very well how to rule the world without being such a person. ''Eventually, the world will be ruled by finance, not by the throne.'' Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 148 (1) Chapter 148 (1) Establishment of the Currency and Finance Department(1) After winning the Crown War, Christian Ismail inherited the emperor''s title from the previous emperor and ascended to the imperial throne with a new name, Christian Constantine. On the day of his ascension as emperor. All the divided imperial families and forces gathered together in one ce to congratte the new emperor at the coronation ceremony held in the imperial capital. In order to fulfill his promise with Rockefeller, Christian ignored the opposition of some nobles and weed his younger sister, Lucia Rothsmedici, as his wife and empress of the empire. He established a new department called the Currency and Finance Department to hand over control of the empire''s currency to the Rothsmedici family. And he handed the position of the first chief minister of the department to Rockefeller, who was also his financial advisor. In the imperial pce located in the imperial capital. In a gathering where all the nobles of the empire gathered to meet the new emperor. The new emperor announced to everyone the prepared statement, once again conveying the status of the Rothsmedici family. "From now on, all the currency of the empire will be issued by the Rothsmedici family, who will also control it. I will transfer the position of the Currency and Finance Department, which will be responsible for this role, to Rockefeller Rothsmedici. I will bestow upon him the title of Chief Minister, fitting for his position, and he shall swear loyalty to the empire and contribute to its prosperity as before." Standing in front of all the nobles, Rockefeller, who now looked directly at his sister, the new emperor and empress, confidently spoke up. "I, Rockefeller Rothsmedici, consider it an honor for our family that you have entrusted us with the authority to control all the currency of the empire. From now on, our Rothsmedici family will swear to Your Majesty to support the imperial revival by assisting the imperial family." Soon after, there was amotion among the nobles. Although they knew that their rtionship was deep and his status was extraordinary, they still thought it was too much to give him the authority to control all the currency of the empire. So some influential nobles dared to speak up. He was Eliezer Tepez, the head of the Tepes family and a living legend. "Your Majesty, he was just a guild leader running a loan shark business before he took that position. How could he possibly manage the entire empire''s currency?" Then, the one who refuted this was none other than Rockefeller. "I''m better than some swordsmen, at least." At that remark, everyone stirred once again. There was no one in the empire who had the guts to say such harsh words to him, who was also the head of the Tepes family. Eliezer himself seemed taken aback, blinking his eyes and ring at the insignificant money-grubbing man. It was so unbelievable that he couldn''t even speak. "Is it not? If not, why don''t you say something?" As he remained silent, Rockefeller shifted his gaze to the other nobles nearby and asked again. "So I''ll ask you again. Would someone like me, who has been ying with money all his life, manage the empire''s currency well? Or would someone who has just been handling swords do a better job? Isn''t the answer obvious?" There had never been such a tant disregard. Eliezer, who had never experienced humiliation in such a ce in his entire life, raised his voice with a distorted expression. "Your words are harsh!" To this, Rockefeller calmly responded. "Harsh words? Do you know who started the quarrel in the first ce?" "Who wouldn''t oppose you taking control of the nation''s currency? I just made a natural objection." "Of course, there will be opposing opinions. But me taking that position is not for my own family, but for the prosperity of the empire. Wouldn''t His Majesty know this and entrust me with the position?" Instead of the grim-faced Eliezer, Sinir, who had been watching, stepped forward. "Your Majesty, we cannot agree with a single family having the authority to control all the currency of the empire. Please reconsider your decision." Never before had the two great families'' leaders agreed on the same opinion in such a ce. If they agreed on something, one side would remain silent, and if they disagreed, they could always fight by taking sides. But this was an extremely rare case in the history of the empire. These two hostile families were joining forces to restrain a newly emerged family. "From our perspective, we cannot understand why Your Majesty would hand over control of the empire''s currency to him. Do you really want to reduce your control over the empire?" When his words reached the new emperor, Christian looked at Sylvia Ismail, who was the head of the Ismail family and also Rockefeller''s wife, and opened his mouth. "That matter has already been promised to him before the Crown War. He knows more about finance and treasury than I do, and it''s also my wish. I hope you all have no moreints." The control of the imperial currency seemed to have been taken by the Rothsmedici family on the surface. But in reality, it was no different from being shared with the Ismail family. ''Sylvia''s identity should remain hidden. If word gets out that she''s the real owner of Ismail, those two families won''t sit still. This is not about Rothsmedici''s power, but about the growing power of our Ismail family.'' Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 148 (2) Chapter 148 (2) "I have already made up my mind, so I hope no more objections are raised." "Emperor, I still cannot understand the words you have spoken." The heads of the two families still had a look of disbelief on their faces. No matter how great the influence of the Rothsmedici family was, it was impossible to ept that they would push the situation this far unless they were fools. So, Tepez''s head, Eliezer, even thought this: ''Is it a puppet?'' If the Rothsmedici familypletelyplemented the 2nd prince, who had insufficient qualifications. Then, what happened now could be exined. ''No. I have never heard that the 2nd prince is socking. Of course, I didn''t pay much attention due to Ismail''s downfall, but that doesn''t mean he would act like such a fool.'' "Please reconsider your thoughts once more. Tepez and I do not want to burden the Empire and His Majesty." As the head of the Tepez family, who possessed the strongest power in the Empire, he dared to say this. What he said was no different from saying that he would turn his back on the Empire if he didn''t reconsider his thoughts. Among the restless nobles. A word that could not be dared came out of Rockefeller. "No matter how great a Tepez person is, there are things that should and shouldn''t be said ording to their ce. Aren''t you being too arrogant?" "What? Are you calling it arrogant?" Angry Eliezer tried to show his strength, and the whole venue shook, causing several nearby nobles to faint on the spot. It would have been a real disaster if he had lost his self-control. However, Rockefeller, who was protected by a magic shield, had no hesitation because he believed in his wife and his subordinates, who could be called at any time. "What''s wrong with calling it arrogance? Are you saying that you dare to wage war against the Empire with that remark?" "What can''t I do when you insult me like that?" "You should know your ce! What kind of ce is this for you to utter such nonsense?" Rather than being intimidated, Rockefeller stood up against him, and Elizer had thousands of thoughts in his mind. Of course, it was understandable that he acted like that as the head of the fearless Rothsmedici family, but he couldn''t understand why he was doing this, knowing what could happen at this moment. ''Does that loan shark dare to insult me like that?'' But he was also the head of a family. So he couldn''t easily let go of his rationality, and moreover, there was Sinir, the head of a family who wanted his downfall so much, in this ce. Eliezer, who was more conscious of Sinir than Rockefeller, nced at Sinir, who was nearby. Looking at that twisted smile, it seemed like he was secretly hoping that he would cause a mess here. ''Damn Sinir. Not only can''t he help, but he''s hiding there andughing. I should have torn his lips off.'' Cold reason was needed in this situation. He began to quickly suppress his agitated emotions. "Ahem! Your Majesty, it seems I have lost my self-control for a moment and acted rashly. Please forgive my rudeness just now. Our Tepez family is always on the side of the Empire and Your Majesty." When the head of Tepez bowed his head politely and asked for forgiveness, the emperor, who had been watching, generously let it go as if he understood. ''I knew there would be some bacsh, but this is a bit too much.'' "Be careful next time. I''ll let it go just this once." Eliezer replied. "Yes, Your Majesty." As the Tepez family backed down, the Sinir family, who had been hiding and watching, stepped forward. "Changing the currency of a country is never easy. It seems that you, Rockefeller... are trying to circte the Goblin Dor issued by the Guild in the market and make people use the worthless Goblin Dor, aren''t you?" Rockefeller gave him a look. "Worthless? The Goblin Dor we issued can be exchanged for valuable Dnts at any time, anywhere." Then, Sinir''s head raised one corner of his mouth as if it were funny. "Ha ha, you must think I''m a fool. I''ve heard your story. The Guild issues Goblin Dors with non-existent gold coins as coteral, right?" At that, several nobles began to stir greatly. They didn''t know that the bank would print Goblin Dors with non-existent gold coins as coteral. And if that was true, the bank wasmitting a crime that should never bemitted. "That is a clear crime. Do you see everyone as a fool, Rockefeller? Do you think it''s okay to deceive them? We will never forget the heinous acts you havemitted." He then appealed to the emperor. "Did Your Majesty know this fact? That he tried to deceive all of us with a scam. What would people''s reactions be if this fact spreads throughout the empire? I hope Your Majesty will deeply consider this matter." At that, Rockefellerughed as if it were amusing. "Did you, such an awakened person, try to forge our Goblin Dor so cheaply?" Again, there were nobles stirring. It was their first time hearing such a story, so they were surprised. Sinir''s head, with a twisted expression, replied very shamelessly. "There was no such thing... that happened." "Perhaps your mouth has gotten the better of you, for you seem to tell lies quite skillfully. It must be because you are such a person that you can lie so well." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 149 (1) Chapter 149 (1) 6/7 Bonus chapter thanks to everyone on Ko-fi! Establishment of the Currency Finance Department (2) It was difficult to maintain a calm expression, but recalling the humiliation that Tepez had suffered earlier, he managed to suppress his anger. ''I must endure. I cannot fall for such low provocations.'' As he consciously looked around at the nearby Tepez family head, he noticed the discreet sneer directed at him. Well, of course. If he were to be humiliated in this ce, the person who would be most delighted was none other than him. ''I will never let them see me like that.'' "What lies? Do you have any evidence?" Rockefeller then pulled out a fake Goblin Dor that he had prepared in advance. "This is a counterfeit Goblin Dor that Prince Calman had made, thinking that he would not be able to win the Crown War and wanting to turn the situation around." Next, he took out a real one. "And this is the Goblin Dor that we made. Some of you may not know, but the real Goblin Dor has a magic power that can distinguish it from the counterfeit. If it''s real, it turns blue, and if it meets a fake, it turns red." Rockefeller then held the real and fake Goblin Dors close together for them to see. At that moment, the real Goblin Dor began to emit a red light. "Did you see? Our issued Goblin Dor is impossible to counterfeit, and even if a fake is made, it can be easily distinguished. It is impossible to counterfeit, no matter how clever or resourceful the people who think themselves awake may be." After organizing the Goblin Dors in his hand, Rockefeller turned to address the Sinir family head, who was present at the scene. "Evidence that the Sinir family tried to counterfeit the Goblin Dor? There is a living witness." The nobles present at the gathering stirred at the mention of a living witness. "Do you know who it is? It is none other than Prince Calman, who ordered the act." The nobles began discussing Calman. It was a long-standing custom to kill the defeated emperor in the Crown War. However, Christian had spared Emperor Calman to maintain friendly rtions with the Sinir family, and now that act had be the Sinir family''s disgrace. "If you knew that Prince Calman was still alive, you would know how foolish it would be to lie in this ce. Now, let''s hear the excuse of the noble person. I''m curious about what you have to say." "......" Unable to answer, Sinir looked around for cues and soon began to make an unconvincing excuse. "If it was Calman''s order, I might not have known." The nobles stirred once more at his words, and Sinir, who knew this, shamelessly continued his speech with an impervious face. "Being a family head doesn''t mean I know everything about the family. But if a mistake was made by someone in the family, I would like to apologize to Lord Rockefeller." It was an insincere apology. So, Rockefeller also epted it insincerely. "It''s because the family head is ipetent that such things happen." The extremely provocative statement made Sinir''s forehead tense, but he quickly controlled his anger and returned with a pleasant expression. "I am deeply sorry if my ipetence has caused you any trouble." Although he bowed his head while speaking, it was inevitable that he would feel incredibly bitter. And Tepez, who had been watching from afar, chuckled briefly. He had felt terrible when it happened to him, but seeing the detestable Sinir admitting his mistake and bowing his head was too delightful. "It is true that in the past, there were cases where banks belonging to the guild issued loan certificates backed by non-existent gold coins. However, that was never eptable, and as Duke Austin of Sinir mentioned earlier, it was a clear criminal act." As Rockefeller raised his voice, everyone stirred once again. Then, one noble, driven by curiosity, opened his mouth to question Rockefeller. One of the nobles, curious about Rockefeller, opened his mouth to speak. "Rockefeller... Your Grace." Seemingly unfamiliar with the title, the noble hesitated for a moment before smoothly starting to speak. "I have a question because I really don''t know. If not only our promissory notes but also those held by othermoners all go back to the guild, can we get back the gold coins we entrusted without any problems?" It was a genuine question. Rockefeller then lied to them without batting an eye. "Of course. Your promissory notes are absolutely safe. Everyone here must know that our Lyon Guild is involved in various businesses. We have given you promissory notes backed by as many gold coins as we have. So you can rest assured." At this, the majority of the nobles who did not know the situation well, like the ignorantmoners, began to feel greatly relieved. "After all, it''s the ce with the most gold coins in the empire." "It''s the Lyon Guild. They''ve merged with the Union and gotten bigger. Our gold coins must be safe there." "Of course. If there is a problem, we just have to quickly go and exchange them before the problem explodes. I don''t have any ns to do that now because of the interest, but who knows what will happenter?" However, not all nobles thought that way. A few of them doubted Rockefeller''s words. That''s because they knew to some extent about the deceptive practices the bank had been involved in. And the person who knew this best was none other than Austin, the head of the Sinir family. "Hahaha, this time, Your Grace Rockefeller is quite good at lying." Thinking that this was the right moment, he chuckled and began to speak confidently to everyone. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 149 (2) Chapter 149 (2) "That''s a tant lie! If you just call a few bank agents and ask them about their past disgusting deeds or the current situation of the guild, you''ll see that it''s aplete lie!" Rockefeller also raised his voice in response. "I am aware of such immoral guild members. I also know that some bank agents acted that way in the past. However, since I became the guild master, I have been slowly erasing that shameful past." "Lies! If we exchange all the promissory notes we have for gold coins right now, can your guild provide all those gold coins? You know better than anyone that it''s impossible!" Rockefeller just smiled at this. "Why do you think it''s impossible? If you''re really suspicious, you can juste to us and take back the Dnts you''ve entrusted." Sinir''s head also raised his voice, as if he couldn''t lose. "It''s not just one or two people who should go, but everyone here! Going alone is meaningless! The same goes for themoners who deposited gold coins!" At that, Rockefellerughed and spoke to him. "Well said. Why worry about a few peopleing to exchange gold coins when it''s meaningless? Surely, everyone here won''t be swayed by Duke Austin''s words ande to me to exchange their gold coins, will they? What about the interest you won''t receive during that time? Will Duke Austin pay for thatter?" One of the restless nobles asked Duke Austin a question. "Duke Austin, if what you said turns out to be wrong, are you willing topensate us for the lost interest during that time?" Duke Sinir thought to himself. There was no reason for people to go through the trouble of going to the bank and getting all their gold coins back. The Lyon Guild''s credit was stronger than ever, who would doubt their solvency? The experiment was doomed to fail from the beginning, and it was obvious that the participating nobles would end up paying a hefty interest to each other. "It''s not that... He is deceiving everyone! Don''t fall for that nonsense. That man should be in hell..." It would have been a valid argument in the past. But with the newfound close rtionship with the Pope and the increased status of the bankers, that argument no longer held any weight. "I want to say that he''s a very cunning usurer, deceiving others while ying with interest." Rockefeller clicked his tongue and shook his head, as if he thought the man was pathetic. "Tsk, how pitiful. I wonder how someone with such a mind became the head of a family." "Who are you talking to right now? I''m warning you, you better watch your mouth." "Duke Austin, why did you start a fight that you couldn''t win from the beginning? Do you think the people here will listen to you ande to me with the trouble of taking their gold? Then what do you n to do about the interest you won''t receive during that time?" "..." Sinir, the head of the family, swallowed his anger and felt suffocated. He couldn''t believe that these so-called nobles were so ignorant about finance and banking. ''Even if people don''t know about banking, they know too little. They would be shocked if they knew how those people make money.'' "I know everything about how you work on your side." It was aughable statement. Rockefeller, with a light smile, began to address everyone. "In fact, we always try to be honest. But for the peace and prosperity of the Empire, sometimes it''s better to deceive the public a little, as Duke Austin suggests." The nobles stirred at the sudden remark. "What are you talking about?" "Is it good to deceive?" "I don''t know either." "Let''s just listen for now." Rockefeller continued. "Of course, that doesn''t mean your gold will disappear or your interest payments will cease. Your money will remain the same, and if we issue Goblin Dors backed by non-existent gold, we can use that money to hire an army to defend the empire, build bridges, or erect cathedrals." At this point, someone with doubts asked a question. It was a thought shared by almost all the nobles present. "So, there''s no problem with doing that?" Rockefeller had an argument. Except for a few people, the rest were ignorant about finance and believed that the less they knew, the better. ''It''s funny that I''m the expert in this field. So here, my word isw.'' "Yes, there''s no problem." Everyone was shocked by Rockefeller''s words. There was no problem even though he was creating money out of thin air. But there was hardly anyone who could immediately refute Rockefeller''s words. At best, it was the Sinir family, but they didn''t know more about finance than Rockefeller. In fact, Rockefeller, who was to be the emperor''s financial advisor and the minister of the newly established currency ministry, was the only expert in this field. ''Why wouldn''t there be a problem? Of course, there''s the issue of intion. But you don''t need to know that. Don''t even try to know. I don''t really want to tell you either.'' "I''m sure you all know that I have unparalleled skills in this area. I dare say that as long as we properly control the quantity of currency at an appropriate level, there won''t be any major problems." Rockefeller knew exactly what they were most concerned about. "And even if I issue more Goblin Dors backed by non-existent gold, your gold will be absolutely safe. So, Your Majesty." Rockefeller looked at the emperor as he spoke at this moment. And this was something they had already agreed upon beforehand. "Please ensure a legal guarantee under imperialw that allows us to issue Goblin Dors backed by non-existent gold. That way, we can avoid such unnecessary arguments, wouldn''t you agree?" Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 150 (1) Chapter 150 (1) Hi guys, I picked up a new rofan novel, Can we be a family?, do check it out! Establishment of the Currency and Finance Department (3) At that remark, the startled people began to mor loudly. Asking to create Goblin Dors out of non-existent money. And to do so legally. The shocking proposal did not seem to calm themotion anytime soon. Amidst the chaos, Rockefeller continued to speak. "As I have exined to Your Majesty beforehand, if we only rely on gold coins to solve the empire''s financial problems, we won''t be able to obtain the necessary funds in case of a major crisis." Someone raised their voice in opposition to Rockefeller''s words. "What do you mean? Isn''t it enough to simply print more gold coins?" "Then where do you n to get the gold needed to mint those coins?" "Well..." Only then did the nobles realize the problem with the currency system based on gold coins. They began to sympathize with Rockefeller''s argument. "However, Goblin Dors do not require such gold, so if we issue and circte them as needed during a crisis, we can immediately obtain the necessary funds. And with that money, we can ovee the crisis." Rockefeller emphasized and continued. "But as everyone here knows, this is an illegal act not permitted by the country. In a way, it could be seen as deceiving everyone, just as Duke Austin said. However, there is no better currency system in times of crisis for the empire. We wouldn''t need to resort to dirty tactics like mixing copper into gold coins during the me War. Isn''t that right, Your Majesty?" Now, everyone''s attention was focused on the emperor. ''I don''t have much financial leeway due to the Crown War. Tepez and Sinir are struggling as well. And the royal finances are not as strong as expected due to various domestic and foreign issues. If orcs or other species cause problems, it would be a major crisis for the empire. In that sense, it''s crucial to have money prepared for sudden situations.'' So where could that money be made? From the sky? From the earth? ''I have no choice but to ept it. I must protect something bigger than guarding against the greed of a single family.'' The emperor had already decided to grant the currency control rights to the Rothsmedici family, but he made the rtedws himself. After some contemtion, the emperor spoke. "If I grant permission for that, are you and your family willing to risk everything and help the empire in times of great crisis?" Rockefeller replied, hiding his cruel greed behind a smile. "Of course, Your Majesty. What I am asking for is not for my personal benefit but ultimately for the entire empire. Please consider this carefully." Before this gathering, Rockefeller had briefly exined the reserve requirement ratio to the emperor in a separate meeting. The reserve requirement ratio was a regtion that determined how much of the gold coins entrusted to the bank should be legally held. Originally, banks had to hold 100% of the gold coins entrusted to them. Only then could people immediately withdraw the gold coins they had deposited. However, the deposited gold coins didn''t have names on them, and most of the coins were left unused inside the bank. Therefore, the reserve requirement ratio allowed banks to hold only a certain percentage of the deposited gold coins as determined by the country and use the rest of the gold coins. ''I don''t know how many times more virtual money I can create with the gold coins I have.'' For example, if the reserve requirement ratio was 10%, a bank owner could legally hold only 10% of the gold coins entrusted by customers. The remaining 90% of the gold coins could be lent out to make profits through interest. ''I probably won''t have much influence on this part. At most, it would be two to three times the amount.'' The emperor continued after a moment of contemtion. "Very well. However, the details should be discussed separately between you and me. Also, this special permission must not be leaked to the outside. It would be best for all of you present here to remain silent about this matter in the future. This is an imperial decree." At the mention of the imperial decree, all the nobles present were frightened. They were openly nning to deceive, and they were told to keep it a secret. Although it was a crazy and desperate situation, they had no choice but to ept it since it was led by the emperor and the most influential family in the empire. The emperor informed them of the background of his decision to gain their understanding. "The reason I made this decision is because it is necessary for the security of the empire. If you have anyints, is there anyone who can provide such money when the empire is in crisister? If there is such a person, I will also stop deceiving everyone." In fact, the Lyon Guild was the only ce with enough financial resources to save the empire. Since there was no noble familyparable to the Lyon Guild, all the nobles had no choice but to agree with silence. Upon confirming this, the emperor spoke again. "Then I understand that there is no one who opposes this matter. Please pay special attention to ensure that this story does not leak out in the future. If this story spreads among the people of the empire, I will strictly punish the person who spread the story for viting the imperial decree." At the emperor''s stern warning, some nobles swallowed their saliva with their throats dry. Watching such nobles, the emperor thought. ''This is my best.'' The emperor needed money for the security of the empire, and Rockefeller also wanted to do legitimate business within the framework of thew. This event could be seen as their interests perfectly aligned. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 150 (2) Chapter 150 (2) "Thank you, Your Majesty." As Rockefeller smiled pleasantly, Sinir, who couldn''t bear to see it, stepped forward. "Do you really trust that man, Your Majesty? He is trying to satisfy his misguided desires by mentioning a crisis that has not yete to the empire." Then, Empress Lucia, who had been silently guarding her seat until now, sternly rebuked him. "Are you still doubting my husband''s sincerity?" Although she was young, the empress, who was thought to be nothing, spoke like that. Even if it was Sinir, he had no choice but to bow his head for the time being. ''I''veid the groundwork very well. I forgot that the empress had such a personality because she was so unnoticeable... I was too careless. I never thought it would go this far.'' "Your Majesty, the Empress, if my words have offended you, I apologize first. I just..." Lucia was as relentless as Rockefeller. "Be quiet." Aware of his bold young empress, the emperor also raised his voice to protect his wife. "The person next to me is my wife and the empress of the empire. Since she is in the same position as me, I will not tolerate any rudeness to the empress from now on." No matter how much Rockefeller was disliked, there were too many mountains to cross to attack him. It was unprecedented for the mighty Sinir to be so pathetic in the history of the empire. However, the times have changed, and he had to adapt to the changed world. "I seem to have been too rash. Please calm your anger." As Sinir lowered his head, Now it was Rockefeller''s world. In a ce where no one dared to argue with him, Rockefeller confidently raised his voice. "Your Majesty, I have a humble request. The Goblin Dor is still being ignored by some of the empire''s people despite my numerous efforts." Some of the empire''s people who did not trust the Goblin Dor were still stubborn about using Dnt. But Rockefeller wasn''t the one to allow them. If they don''t need Goblin Dors, then make it necessary for them. "So, I have a proposal for Your Majesty. To activate Goblin Dors, please allow all taxes in the empire to be paid with Goblin Dors from now on." Thest step toplete Goblin Dors was to give value to Goblin Dors for everyone in the world. "From now on, taxes should only be paid in Goblin Dors?" "Yes, if you do that, Goblin Dors will have greater value and be widely used in the empire." Some nobles opposed this, but they had no ce to step in, as the Tepez and Sinir families were already in a difficult situation. Furthermore, with the young empress who had just scolded the head of the Sinir family, only the voices of Rockefeller and the emperor echoed in the room. "Will there be any problems?" "Haha, Your Majesty. What problems could there be? Goblin Dors are already fully exchanged for Dnts by our Lion Guild. There will be no problems derived from this. Rather, it will be an opportunity for Goblin Dors to be widely used." The emperor hesitated a bit, but he had already married the head of the Ismail family. He decided there was no need to worry, as the Ismail family would be there even if problems arose. Reluctantly, he approved. "Very well. Let it be so. From now on, all taxes in the empire shall be paid not in Dnts but in Goblin Dors. Announce this widely and implement it." Rockefeller, who barely held back a smile as permission was granted, showed a hypocritical courtesy to the emperor. "Thank you, Your Majesty. I, Rockefeller Rothsmedici, once again pledge to contribute sincerely to the prosperity and peace of the empire as your loyal servant." The nobles, who could not even open their mouths, finally acknowledged the birth of a new prestigious family. In just a few hours, the Tepez and Sinir families, who had been dominating the empire with their absolute positions as sword and magic families, were pushed down, and the Rothsmedici family, a financial family, rose above them. ''Really amazing. I heard he was amoner not long ago...'' ''I''ve heard ofmoners rising, but I never thought someone of such humble birth could be like this.'' ''He''s practically at the level of a Grand Duke. I used to think he wasn''t a big deal because he didn''t have a fief, but now I''m ashamed of myself for thinking that. His influence is second only to the emperor.'' The nobles stared at Rockefeller, lost in various thoughts. However, their final thought was this: ''We must definitely look good. If we get on his bad side, it''s over.'' ''With control over currency, he''s practically no different from the emperor.'' ''I mustn''t show any hostility. Should I send him a valuable gift on this asion?'' ''He looks young... Is he married? My daughter is pretty, so I might have a chance...'' Of course, Rockefeller knew what the nobles were thinking. ''It''s better for them to act ordingly and not be annoying in front of me. My power here is absolute.'' Among those watching Rockefeller as he left his seat was Eliezer Tephez, the head of the Tepez family and who had a brief dispute with Rockefeller earlier. He watched Rockefeller very interestingly. ''At first, he didn''t seem very impressive.'' But as he saw him wielding his power in front of the emperor, he naturally changed his initial thoughts. ''Now that I keep looking, he doesn''t seem that bad. At least he seems much better than those Sinir fellows.'' Unlike the hostile Sinir family, he was a man of outstanding financial ability. In other words, there was much to gain from being on good terms. In other words, it seems there''s nothing to lose by getting along well. After all, there''s absolutely no reason for our martial-focused family to be hostile to a money-oriented family like theirs. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 151 (1) Chapter 151 (1) 7/9 Bonus chapter thanks to @Snowwhite44, @Seele and others from Kofi Establishment of the Currency and Finance Department (4) Money was absolute. With enough money, one could have many allies, which would undoubtedly be a great help on the battlefield that the Tepez loved. ''Then... that''s how we should proceed.'' In the general imperial tradition, after the Crown War, the three noble families would send their female members of noble birth to the new emperor. The new emperor would also ept the women from the three families as his wives to unite the divided imperial factions after the Crown War, a long-standing tradition and custom that had always been observed. Thus, Eliezer had intended to send Princess Trinity, the most beautiful and strong-willed member of the Tepes family, to the new emperor ording to the existing custom. That is, if he hadn''t seen Rockefeller today. ''The emperor is not powerless, but if the empress is that man''s younger sister and has a good rtionship with the pope, the real power in the empire will probably be him, not the emperor. The emperor will have to watch the pope''s mood, but that man won''t have to.'' Then, who should he give his family''s most beautiful woman to? Is it right to give her to the seemingly unimpressive emperor? Or is it right to give her to the young man who could be considered the real power in the empire? The answer was clear. ''Since the emperor has already broken the existing custom by seating a noblewoman from another family, not from the three noble families, as the empress, it''s only right to see the following customs as already broken. There''s no need to adhere to them strictly.'' Having finished his thoughts, Eliezer called out to Rockefeller, who was about to leave the banquet hall with his wife. "I made a great mistake earlier. Our family members are not so friendly to strangers. I would like to ask for your forgiveness before this event ends, Lord Rockefeller." Rockefeller couldn''t have missed him, approaching like a snake. ''It seems he''s changed his mind about me, realizing that he can''t do without me. After all, I''m the source of their money, so why would the Tepez people want to distance themselves from me? There''s absolutely no reason for them to dislike me. If they really harbored ill feelings, it would be different.'' Rockefeller had no reason to turn away the head of the Tepes family who hade forward first. They were one of the empire''s most prestigious noble families, and there had never been a family that regarded the Tepez as enemies. And soon, the Gold Vein War was approaching. In that war, the most needed people were the members of the Tepez and Sinir families, so Rockefeller weed them with a smile. "Ah, isn''t this Duke Eliezer, who said something to me earlier? Haha, I had already forgotten about the unpleasant argument we had. The Tepez are the empire''s sword, so who would dislike and make an enemy of the sword that protects our country? I''ve forgotten about what happened earlier, so feel free to treat me as you please." Both of them had hidden motives. In a world where allies and enemies changed based on necessity, such urrences weremonce. Eliezer, too, erased his previous ill feelings and offered a smile. "If we are the sword that protects the empire, then the Rosmedici family is the empire''s financial lifeline, isn''t it?" "Is that so? Then it seems clear that both of us are necessary for the empire. I would like to get along well with the duke in the future." "Rather, that''s what I want to say. We want to maintain a good rtionship with the Rothsmedici family." As the two exchanged insincere jokes, There was someone who watched them intently from afar. It was Duke Austin of the Sinir family, who had been scrutinizing Rockefeller just a few minutes ago. ''What is he doing now? Is he really trying to get along with someone as lowly as him?'' Austin couldn''t help but change his mind because he also had an argument with Rockefeller just a while ago and couldn''t think well of him and his family. But now, seeing the snake-like Tepez duke extending his hand to the odd Rothsmedici family with a bright financial future, Austin couldn''t help but change his mind. ''The Tepez lot always had money problems. They had a lot, but they were also notorious for squandering it.'' From Austin''s perspective as the Sinir family leader, the rtionship between the two was quite ufortable. ''If they be that close, our position will only shrink.'' Imagining the Tepez family bing even more powerful by getting close to the Rothsmedici family made him feel sick. ''I don''t know about other things, but I can''t stand that.'' So what could be a way to prevent that? ''At least, we shouldn''t be enemies with that now-powerful family. If we just maintain a friendly rtionship, the Tepez won''t be able to act recklessly on their own.'' The most effective way to maintain that friendly rtionship was through marriage between the two families. Originally, both the Tepes and Sinir families strictly protected their bloodlines and had strictws against letting their blood flow out. What they feared the most was someone with both Tepez and Sinir blood founding a new family and establishing themselves as a dominant family in the empire. However, the Rothsmedici family seemed too ordinary to be vignt about protecting their bloodline. ''Although I don''t like it. If I leave it like this, it will be a problemter. It''s better to maintain a rtionship, even if I don''t like it.'' Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 151 (2) Chapter 151 (2) Having finished thinking, he looked for a suitable woman among the women in his family. ''The only one thates to mind is my daughter.'' Is it really right to give his precious daughter to that young man? But it seemed more appropriate to give her to that influential figure in the empire rather than the emperor. ''It''s better to keep someone like that on our side. If that''s difficult, at least maintain neutrality.'' With his thoughts concluded, Austin, the Duke of Sinir, quietly left his seat. He intended to meet with Rockefeller separately when he had the chanceter. Until then. The conversation between Rockefeller and the Tepez family leader continued. "Your Grace is still young, and if you have any thoughts, how about taking a woman from our family as your concubine to strengthen our rtionship? If you permit, I will choose and select the most suitable woman for you." "Ahem!" Rockefeller coughed, ncing at his nearby wife. Fortunately, she didn''t seem to have any expression. "I appreciate the offer, but I am already married." Eliezer looked at Rockefeller''s wife. She looked like a typical Ismail person, but he never thought that she would be the leader of the Ismail family. "In the empire, there is no better way to connect two families than marriage. Please take a woman from our family, Your Grace, for the sake of our two families'' friendship. And it is also the most effective way to restore the chaotic atmosphere after the Crown War." He continued. "I myself have been married four times on my way to this position. It was all for the empire and our family. People in our position are supposed to marry multiple times." It wasmon for people from prestigious families to marry multiple times due to various interests intertwined with their families. In the empire, the number of wives was said to be a man''s power. "Do I really need to marry multiple times when I''m not causing any trouble?" Rockefeller''s wife, who had been thinking about many things in this ce, began to dissuade Rockefeller from rejecting the offer. "It will surely be a good thing for you and the family. It doesn''t look good to refuse just because of me." The one who smiled broadly at her words was rather the Tepez family leader. "It''s amon thing in the imperial aristocratic society. If your wife permits, please take a woman from our family, Your Grace. It''s good for both families and the empire." "I''ll think about the duke''s offer for now. It''s a bit difficult to make a decision right here." "Sorry if it seems like I''m only doing this because of the other person''s eyes. Since I''ve already given permission, there shouldn''t be any big problems. I''ll contact you again soon, and we''ll meet then. I''m busy, so I''ll leave now." As the head of the Tepes family left, Rockefeller, seemingly curious, asked his wife and her, "Is it okay? That I''ll have another wife besides you?" Surprisingly, she was a woman of noble birth. "I don''t mind. If I reject the proposal, it''ll be a headacheter on because of the Tepez family. It''s better to just ept it and sacrifice myself. For everyone''s sake." Having barely survived the downfall of Ismail in the past, She knew well how painful it was to be at odds with several families. That''s why. "Once is enough for the nightmares I had when I was young. But I am the first wife. I hope you remember that fact well." "If you say so. It''s better for me not to worry about the Tepes family and to ept their daughter." "It''ll be a good choice for you, me, the family, and the empire. I have no intention of stopping you, so please ept the head of the other family''s proposal." "If that''s what you want." A littleter. Rockefeller and his wife, traveling by carriage to escape the imperial city, encountered an unintended person. It was Austin, the head of the Sinir family, who had had a major dispute with Rockefeller earlier. Austin still didn''t like Rockefeller, but this was a separate matter for the sake of the family. "Can we have a brief conversation? It''s not a bad thing, so you don''t have to be so wary." At his words, Rockefeller gave his wife a nce. She tactfully stepped aside and got into the carriage first. In the meantime, the head of Sinir, facing Rockefeller, opened his mouth. "First of all, I want to apologize for the unpleasant incident earlier." "Do you have anything to apologize for? If anything, I should be the one to apologize for offending you, Your Excellency." Although he still didn''t like the situation, Austin decided to forget everything and be faithful only to reason and reality. ''I really don''t like him, but there''s nothing I can do.'' "You were having a pleasant conversation with Duke Eliezer earlier. Is there another reason?" Why did he call him out? He roughly guessed the reason, but. Pretending not to know, Rockefeller answered the question. "It''s not a big deal. He just talked about giving me a daughter of the family. Why would the Tepez people have a bad rtionship with us, who are dealing with money? It''s a talk for mutual friendship in that sense." "I see." It didn''t take long for him to open his mouth again after a brief pause. "If you''re taking their daughter, it seems right to take ours as well. What do you think about that?" To receive such a proposal from two families in one day. "I already have a wife, and receiving such a proposal is embarrassing." "If you only take the daughter of the Tepes family even though you''re already married, it will be a problem in its own way. If you''re going to take them, it''s better to take them all for both of us." Even as he spoke, the gaze of Duke Austin was not pleasant. "To be honest, I don''t like you as a person." "Is that so?" "There was the earlier dispute, and the Lyon Guild has been under our control since ancient times. However, this ufortable rtionship doesn''t seem to be good for you or me. So I''m thinking of giving you my daughter, and I hope you don''t refuse." "Daughter..." "Please think carefully and make a decision. I don''t like making this decision either. But in another way, it means that I recognize you and your family." As he disappeared splendidly like a magic family, he hid his whereabouts with thisst word. "I hope we can see each other with smiling faces next time." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 152 (1) Chapter 152 (1) Azrak Goldmine (1) The story of the goldmine, which had only circted within the Montefeltro territory, began to spread throughout the continent, and soon reached the wealthiest race on the continent, the goblins. At the roundtable meeting where only key figures and major members of the Goblin Bank could attend, an agenda rted to the Montefeltro territory was brought up. Only three goblins who owned shares in the Goblin Bank could attend the roundtable meeting, and the one with the most powerful influence among them was Goldman. Wearing thick sses, Goldman read the contents of the report rted to an imperial territory and fell into deep silence. "Hmm... Is this even possible?" The other two goblins, who were also reading the same report, began to speak. "Wasn''t thisnd already dead?" As Morgan spoke, JP immediately opened his mouth. "No, it wasn''t. It''s amazing that such a barrennd has survived until now." They were the center of the world''s movement through the roundtable meeting. And they were also shameless goblins who wouldn''t hesitate to do anything for the revival of their race. It was their scheme to instigate a war between the orcs and dwarves. "If we do this right, there might be something to gain?" "It''s imperialnd, though. Technically, it''s the empire''snd, so what can we get from it?" "Hey,e on. Look, this is the Azrak Goldmine. Don''t you know? The Azrak Goldmine?" "What is that?" "It used to be a dwarf ce." "What? This used to be dwarfnd?" "Yes, it was dwarfnd. Didn''t you know?" "How could I know?" After skimming through the entire contents of the report, Goldman put it down and immediately opened his mouth. "Let''s work likest time. Like when we instigated a fight between the stupid orcs and dwarf guys. Let''s try to find a gap here too." Hearing that, Morgan spoke up. "But this isn''t about stupid orcs. It''s about humans and dwarves. It would be great if their rtionship was bad, but it''s not like that, is it?" JP agreed with Morgan''s thoughts. "That''s right. They are allies, at least. Well, I can''t say their rtionship is very good, but during the Totem War, the dwarves went to the humans to get beer. That means they are close to each other." Goldman started to click his tongue at the two of them. "Tsk, tsk, tsk, so are you going to give up on this barrennd?" "No, it''s not about giving up. It''s just that it''s harder to work on than we thought." "What do you think?" At Goldman''s question, JP thought for a moment and then opened his mouth. "But these dwarf bastards are also crazy about gold. Especially since this is the Azrak Goldmine, which used to be dwarfnd. Even if they''re allies, I don''t think the dwarves will just sit still if this much gold is discovered, right?" Goldman agreed. "I think so too. This is definitely a war. No matter if they''re allies, neither the human guys nor the dwarves will ever give up. Both are crazy about gold." In the end, the three of them agreed that the human empire and the dwarf kingdom would split up and wage war. "So, what are we going to do here...?" "The fight will be quite fierce. There will be no concessions between them. Especially since they''re fighting over a gold vein like this, they''ll be hitting each other viciously until one side falls." "I think so too." For a while, the three of them, who had fallen silent, continued to think about how they could at least gain something from this situation. Then, something crossed Goldman''s mind. "If the fight drags on, they''ll run out of money. So let''s take advantage of that." "Are we going to lend them money?" "Yes. Especially since I heard that the empire''s financial situation is not good. They recently had a crown war. But will the empire just sit still without money? They will try to protect theirnd in any way they can." The two goblins'' gazes gathered on Goldman. "So?" "So, they''ll do something when they run out of money." At that, Morgan, who was nodding his head, spoke up. "I see. In that case, they''ll issue national bonds. There''s no other solution for theck of money than issuing national bonds." "Exactly. We''re going to buy all those bonds. And if the empire wins, we can use the national bonds as an excuse to gain some rights to that barrennd. Or, we can turn them into our ves with those bonds." "Oh, so that''s your idea!" "How about that? Isn''t it quite creative?" But JP expressed doubt. "What if the dwarves win?" Goldman replied with a twisted expression. "The dwarves must not win." JP seemed dissatisfied and spoke with a frown. "The dwarves also have a lot of money. Would they lose the war so easily?" Morgan also raised his voice. "If the dwarves win, the empire will be ruined, right? Then, the empire''s bonds will be worthless, so why are we doing this business?" But Goldman''s thoughts were firm. "The dwarf bastards can''t win. Their race isn''t united, and if they don''t have beer, they''re like madmen causing riots. So if we act well, the empire will have no choice but to win." The meeting was long, but the answer they came up with was to buy all the bonds from the empire that issued national bonds during the war. Only then could they exert influence using the bonds as an excuse. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 152 (2) Chapter 152 (2) "Although it''s not recent, I heard that there was such a case in the human empire. A human bank put a lord in debt and took over his territory." Goldman''s words were immediately reacted to by Morgan. "Isn''t that Montefeltro territory? That''s what I heard." "Ah, was that the ce?" "Yeah, that''s what I know." "That guy has good luck. To be able to take over such a goldennd instead of the lord. Anyway." The greedy light flickered in Goldman''s eyes, trying to end the roundtable meeting. "When the war breaks out, buy up all the bonds issued by the empire. That way, we canter exert influence against the empire." * * * Montefeltro territory. The ce where he was born and spent his childhood. By the time Rockefeller returned there, he was already a married young man. Inside the carriage heading to Montefeltro territory. Rockefeller looked at the vast golden fields outside the window. ''Goldmine war...'' Rockefeller was determined to protect this territory, which would be the endless source of money for the Rothsmedici family in the future, by any means. ''In the end, the winner will be the empire, but... that''s not the important part.'' Rockefeller knew all too well about the impure forces that were behind this war. ''The problem is the guys who will get a huge amount of national debt that the empire will produce in the war.'' Rockefeller knew exactly how the goblins would move in this goldmine war. ''War is always about money. And there are two ways to raise money in a country: national debt and plunder.'' But the empire was a bit distant from plunder. Plunder was the exclusive property of orcs and some barbaric races, and in ces like the empire, where the framework of the country was somewhat established, bonds were often issued by the country to make up for theck of money. In this case, the empire was thetter, issuing bonds. ''The lord here also failed like that. And so did the empire.'' The empire will win the war against the dwarves through issuing national debt, but due to the huge amount of bonds produced, it will eventually fall to be a puppet of the Goblin Bank. And this was a predetermined future. ''It can''t be like that. Does it make sense for humans to live while looking at such goblins?'' So, what Rockefeller was currently focusing on was not the victory of the Goldmine War, but protecting the empire from the Goblin Bank. ''First, I need to know the situation of the territory. And I have to involve the church forces differently from the novel.'' Upon arriving in Montefeltro territory, Rockefeller went straight to see the lord. Seeing Rockefeller, who had returned after a long time, the lord''s mood was not very pleasant. On the other hand, Overseer Siron Mark, who was with him, treated him with much more respect than before. "It''s been a long time. I knew you would return to your hometown someday." Unlike the naturally bowing Overseer, the lord was standing stiffly and throwing a sullen look at Rockefeller. "Whatever position you are in the empire, don''t think you''ll be respected by me. If you do, I''ll bite my tongue andmit suicide right here." The lord was sincere, and Rockefeller could onlyugh at that. ''Well, I wouldn''t want to do that either.'' At the funeral of his father when he was young. He had been a brazen man, discussing etiquette and status. Anyway, Rockefeller said. "It''s been a long time, Lord." "You look healthy. Well, you''ve lived well in Lyon, so your health must be good." "Lord, you haven''t changed a bit." "I''m only half a lord anyway. What do you want from someone like me?" "Ha ha, I don''t expect you to treat me with respect either." Rockefeller smiled and continued. "Anyway, I have more than enough people to respect me in the empire." "Heh, you speak well. Alright, you came at a good time. I roughly know why you came." Lord Chester was notpletely unaware of why Rockefeller hade to this remotend. Although he was the lord of this ce, the real owner of the territory was the Rothsmedici family. The lord took out the gold ore he had and handed it to Rockefeller, saying, "To be honest, I was just waiting for you toe here. I may be the lord here, but it''s been hell every day since this came out. It''s fortunate that you''ve been sessful. If not, I might have had dozens of fights with others. Maybe it''s already a mess." Rockefeller carefully examined the gold ore handed to him by the lord. It sparkled here and there. "It''s fortunate that I was sessful, indeed." "Weren''t you the financial advisor to His Majesty? And what... was it a minister?" "Yes, I am in a position to control all the currency of the empire." "You''ve done well. If a peasant like you has been promoted to that level, it''s really a bravo, isn''t it?" "More importantly, what about the movements outside the territory? Have there been any suspicious movements recently?" For that question, the Overseer nearby answered. "Fortunately, it doesn''t seem to be the case. However, we, like the lord, are also uneasy. It feels like we have enemies all around us." At that, Rockefeller nodded his head, understandingly, cing the gold ore on the lord''s desk. "I understand. I would feel the same way." The lord asked Rockefeller. "So, what are you going to do? It''s yournd anyway, so you''ll do whatever you want." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 153 (1) Chapter 153 (1) 8/9 Bonus chapter thanks to @Desum from Ko-fi! Azrak Gold Mine (2) In response to the lord''s question, Rockefeller first wanted to take a look around the entire territory. "First, I''d like to examine the territory. I''d appreciate it if you could be my guide, my lord. Shall we take a walk together?" As it happened, there was nothing better to do. He might be a cold-hearted fellow, but he is still a powerful figure in the empire. Since there was nothing good to show off, the lord reluctantly agreed with a smile. "Who am I to refuse such a request? Alright. I''ll lead the way. You follow me." At the lord''s call, the overseer quickly responded. "Yes, of course." So, Rockefeller, the lord, and the overseer went out for a walk on horseback to the outskirts of the territory. As they rode around the outskirts, they soon stopped at a ce where a vast in stretched out and dismounted from their horses. They were then able to see the drastically changed terrain of the territory. Hills appeared where there were none before, and existing hills disappeared. When Rockefeller, who had dismounted from his horse, scanned the surroundings, the lord and overseer followed suit. Like Rockefeller, the lord, who was also scanning the surroundings, spotted a gold ore rolling nearby and opened his mouth. "It seems to have been washed down here during thest torrential rain. Take a look at this." The lord threw the gold ore in his hand to Rockefeller. "This is something you like." Rockefeller, who caught the thrown gold ore, looked at it and saw it shimmering here and there. "Is this gold ore?" "Yes, it''s been discovered quite frequently in this territory since the great upheaval. If you had stayed in this territory like us, you would have been able to pick up a few a day while wandering around. That''s how much they roll around." Gold was the most fatal metal to captivate humans. "Has there been no interest from outsiders regarding this stone?" "Wouldn''t there be? Of course, there was." "Well, with such a discovery, people wouldn''t stay still, would they?" "Still, it''s safe since it''s yournd. If this was mynd, would there have been a quiet day for this territory?" "It''s fortunate, indeed. It''s because thisnd isn''t the lord''snd, but mine." The overseer who was with them also joined the conversation. "My lord is not speaking in vain. After the rumors of the gold ore spread, many people came and went to the lord." "There were all sorts of crazy people too. Well, they were all trying to find a way to take advantage of it somehow. But since it''s not mynd but yours, they just epted it and left. They probably didn''t get the right size." Rockefellerughed and spoke. "It seems that way when I was doing well." Rockefeller opened his mouth while tossing and catching the gold ore in his hand. "Do you know the cost of producing 1 ounce of gold?" What a strange thing to say? "Cost? How would I know that? It just takes a lot, I guess." The lord knew that quite a bit ofbor and chemicals went into producing gold. With a subtle smile, Rockefeller said. "To produce 1 ounce of gold, on average, 37 hours ofbor, 5,300 liters of water, and several liters of cyanide are needed. This is like a form that has hardly changed, whether in the past or now. Besides, there are separate methods used by alchemists, but since that''s their secret, we have no way of knowing. However, they also use a considerable amount ofbor and various chemicals." At Rockefeller''s words, the lord stroked his beard. "Did it take that much trouble to get gold? Well, it''s that expensive because it takes that much effort. Did you know that?" In response to the lord''s question, the overseer just shook his head. "I didn''t know it took that much cost. It seems like quite a lot of effort is needed to obtain gold." The lord chuckled. "That''s why everyone goes crazy for gold, isn''t it? If making gold from such stones were easy, who would attribute such value to it? Isn''t that right?" "That''s true, my lord. If it had been moremon, it wouldn''t have been valued that much." In this way, it took a lot of cost to produce 1 ounce of gold. However, Rockefeller was able to print the goblin dors he wanted based on such gold. ''In a way, I''m the real magician.'' But the goblin dor was not perfect either. First of all, it was based on dnt, so the more gold that served as the basis for dnt, the more goblin dors could be printed. ''If there isn''t enough gold to back it up, goblin dors won''t gain trust from everyone in the first ce.'' In that sense. ''The fact that thisnd came into my hands is, in a way, a blessing given to me by heaven.'' "I''ve always been suspicious. Does God really exist? I''ve always asked myself that question." The lord was annoyed by his words. "Are you going tomit sphemy just because we''re equal?" The overseer who was with them felt the same way about Rockefeller''s words. ''If there were a priest here, it would have been a big deal.'' But on the other hand, it meant that Rockefeller''s power was strong. ''But if you don''t have to worry about the church''s opinion...'' "Please be careful when mentioning the church. What good would it do if such rumors spread?" Despite their concerns. Rockefeller, who knew his own strength well, justughed. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 153 (2) Chapter 153 (2) "Both of you seem to be worrying too much for me. Still, I believe that I am so blessed because of God''s will. Even though I doubted the existence of God itself, it seems like my work in the church had some meaning since things are going so well." The lord said with a dismissive expression. "So you poured so much money into it, and do you think Saint John would just sit still? If I were the Pope, I would have done something for you without even having Saint John step forward. I heard that you built the Lyon Cathedral as well?" "Technically, it was an expansion. I provided all the money needed for that." "If you have so much money, why don''t you use it here? This ce is so remote that people don''t care, and it needs Saint John''s teachings more than any other ce." Rockefeller''s smile deepened. "That''s exactly why I came down here, to make this ce my base. In the future, the Montefeltro territory will be as prosperous as Lyon or the Imperial Capital." At that, the lord and the overseer were surprised. "What do you mean?" "Didn''t you just hear? It''s exactly what I just said." "So you''re going to do something here?" "Of course. First, as the lord wished, I n to build a grand and magnificent cathedral here. Even though I don''t know, if I build a cathedral that is just slightly inferior to the Vatican, the church will separate this ce from the Lyon diocese and appoint it as a new diocese." If that were possible, it was clear that the Montefeltro territory would change overnight. The surprised lord asked for confirmation. "Are you really going to do that?" "Why would I lie for no reason?" "Do you really need to go that far? This ce is... a neglected frontier." "The reason is clear. It''s also where I was born. And..." Behind the smile that Rockefeller was building, there was a hidden agenda. "It''s easier to receive the protection of the church if thisnd bes a sanctuary. Who would dare to mess with a ce where Saint John is? If there is such a person, then." Rockefeller''s words continued. "They will have to face the stern judgment of the church. So, for that reason, I n to build a veryrge cathedral here, and this will undoubtedly be a good thing for the lord and everyone else." Even if he was only a half-hearted lord. It was impossible not to be happy as a lord if such a thing happened in his territory. ''If we receive the protection of the church, it will certainly... greatly reduce our concerns about the defense of the territory.'' "I don''t know about anything else. It seems like I really sent my daughter to a good marriage. If I had known this, I would have sent her to you instead of your younger brother." At that, Rockefeller shook his head as if he was tired of the idea. ''Marriage is now disgusting. I already have three women tied to me or something like that.'' "That''s not it. I wasn''t even interested in the lord''s daughter in the first ce, and now I find women disgusting." The lord was curious. "Is there a problem?" "I will soon have to bring two more women. How can I like women in this situation? They are both not in bad condition, but... somehow it''s disgusting." "Originally, men with good abilities get married several times. Would the other families just sit still when there''s a young and capable man like you?" As he spoke, the lord thought of the two other powerful families in the empire that could be considered real powerhouses. ''Wouldn''t Tepez and Sinir have shown interest in him?'' "Anyway, marriage is just a formality, so ept it quietly for your sake. Love? Do you think there is such a thing? Even if there is, that good feeling will disappear within three years. I guarantee that." Rockefeller just let the lord''s words pass by and got back on track. ''It feels like it''ll disappear in a few months due to fighting over favoritism.'' "I''ve looked around enough, so let''s go back now." The lord asked Rockefeller about the answer he hadn''t given earlier. "Didn''t you not answer a question I asked earlier? Building a cathedral here and receiving the protection of the church seems to be part of your n. Do you have any other ns?" "Of course. Receiving the protection of the church is a natural thing. We have to defend this ce in our own way. Just as we prepared for the previous Totem War, we n to expand the fortress to make it stronger, and also buy arge number of magic stone tanks from Lyon." Money was indeed the best. Seeing him push forward with something he couldn''t have even imagined, the lord felt his power once again. "Magic stone tanks... it''s not just a small amount. Well, with your money, it''s probably just pocket change." "I have shares in that side, so I won''t bring them at the usual price. I''ll bring them at a discounted price." "Well, that''s that." "I''ll spend the money, so please look around for me, Lord. If there are good mercenary groups, don''t hesitate to call them all. I mean, mobilize all the connections you know and don''t know." It would not just be a hole in the treasury, but the entire treasury itself would disappear. "Can I really do that?" At that question, Rockefeller was rather serious. "Do I look like I''m joking?" "No, but... do you need to be so anxious when there''s no enemy yet?" It was a matter of time before it exploded. Rockefeller told him honestly, without any lies. "I guarantee it. Dwarves will soon invade thisnd." "Dwarves?" "You''ve been in thisnd for a long time, so you must know. This ce used to be called Azrak Gold Mine, and it was and that the dwarves abandoned." "I''ve heard that story... but are the dwarvesing?" Gold was irresistible to both humans and dwarves. "Dwarves are all about two things." Rockefeller continued the conversation. "It''s gold and beer." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 154 (1) Chapter 154 (1) Azrak Goldmine (3) Gold and beer. Both were symbols of the dwarves. "There is gold in thisnd. Even if we have an alliance with the human empire, will they really leave thisnd alone? It was once their territory. They can create any justification they want." The lord had also thought about this, but he couldn''t be as confident as Rockefeller. Who could predict how things would turn out in the world? "Dwarves..." As the lord trailed off, Rockefeller spoke. "You can be sure of this part, so please keep it in mind and prepare in advance, lord." "I''ll prepare somehow. But aren''t the dwarves wealthy? If they invade, it won''t be easy." Rockefeller couldn''t deny that the dwarves had a lot of money. "They do have a lot of money. The problem is that their unity as a race is not as strong as we thought. But you don''t have to worry too much. There are many famous generals in the current empire. And now that the crown war is over, there will be no better time for the empire to unite. Lastly, I will be the real owner of thisnd, so there will be less discord than expected." "If the Church joins and the royal family actively helps... It won''t be too bad." "So, my lord, you just need to focus on the defense of your territory. I''ll take care of the support." "Alright. This is my territory, so I''ll do as you say." A few dayster. Large-scale construction projects were underway in Montefeltro territory. A building asrge as the cathedral built in Lyon with the support of the guild began to be constructed, and the fortress located near the border was expanded evenrger and more magnificent than before. That wasn''t all. Mercenary troops spread across the continent, including the empire, flocked to Montefeltro territory at the call of money. At the site of the new cathedral''s construction, Rockefeller met a very familiar face. It was Priest Peter. "I never thought I''d see you again like this. But more importantly, you look great. What have you been eating to have such a goodplexion?" "Priest Peter, it''s been a long time. You look great too." Priest Peter couldn''t hide his joy as he looked at the new cathedral being built on the outskirts of the empire. "Did you think of this?" "I thought the power of the Church was not reaching my hometown enough, so I asked His Holiness to establish a new diocese here." "Hahaha..." Priest Peter could onlyugh. Who in the world would care about such a remote ce? It was only possible because he was from here. If it wasn''t for him, it would have been absolutely impossible. Tears filled his eyes as he spoke to Rockefeller. "You are the treasure of thisnd. With you, thisnd will prosper forever." "Haha, no. What are you talking about? I just did what I had to do." "I''m truly grateful. Thank you." "Ah, this isn''t decided yet, but..." Rockefeller continued with a smile. ''The more people I have, the better for me.'' "If a new diocese is established here, I''d like to ask His Holiness to make Priest Peter the owner of this diocese. What do you think about that?" Priest Peter''s eyes widened in surprise. "Me? Is that true?" "Of course. Do you think I would joke with you about this?" Bing the owner of a diocese meant that he would no longer be a priest but a bishop. "If it''s God''s will, I''ll ept it. If you do so much for me, I''ll do anything for you." "I''m not doing this with that intention. I just wanted to repay you." "What have I done for you?" "And didn''t we make a promise before? Considering that, I thought I should do at least that much for you." "The donation you gave me is more than enough. This is too much of an honor." "But it''s not confirmed yet. So please don''t think too much about it." "Even if it doesn''t happen, it''s still a nice thing to say." "If nothing special happens, His Holiness will probably approve." "I hope so. I really do." As they shared various stories, they began to discuss the uing crisis. "You said you hired a mercenary troop?" "Yes, it seems the news has reached the Church." "Hmm..." Priest Peter was not unaware of the rumors circting in the territory recently. After the great change, thend suddenly became a goldmine. "I don''t know why that gold ore suddenly appeared." "It can be seen as a bad thing or a good thing." "That''s true. But aren''t you the real owner of thisnd?" "Yes, I am. I could take it all now, but I n to take it slowlyter." "If you want it, you can just take it. I''ll take care of that part, so don''t worry too much." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 154 (2) Chapter 154 (2) With the new developments, Rockefeller and Priest Peter discuss the possibility of profiting from their beer business during the potential conflict with the dwarves. They consider reviving the beer business, changing its name, and improving the recipe to sell it to both sides during the war, hoping it may give them an advantageter on. "You seem to not have any other thoughts, so it looks like there won''t be any problems." "It would be a big problem if there were. I wouldn''t let it go if it were someone else." "Thank you for your kind words." "Anyway, you must be busy. You have to take care of things here and also pay attention to the fortress. It''s as if you need two bodies." "Fortunately, the women I''m going to marryter are experts in that area." "Speaking of which, you got married, didn''t you?" "It seems the news has reached here." "I heard about your marriage through Carter. Congrattions, although it''ste." "Well, marriage... I think I''ll be doing it again soon, so it doesn''t mean much. Anyway, thank you." "Again?" "Yes, two families insisted on it. It was hard to refuse, so I just agreed for now." "Hmm..." After a brief contemtion, he gave some advice-like words. "For someone like you, it''s fitting to get married multiple times. Think of it as something for the family and the country rather than love." "That''s how I think of it. In the end, it''s also for my own sake." Having finished speaking, the high priest looked in the same direction as Rockefeller and happened to recall the Totem War that took ce long ago. Back then, they could have made a huge profit from the beer business with the dwarves. "Speaking of dwarves, didn''t you rmend a beer business back then?" The high priest''s casual words reminded Rockefeller of the beer business they had done before. ''This time, if there is a war, they''ll want to get beer from somewhere else.'' Would there be a name for the beer? If it''s sold in the empire, it''s imperial beer. If it''s sold elsewhere, isn''t it beer from that ce? ''This is separate from the war. And if we can subdue them with this, it will have its own significance.'' "Ah, I remember that time. We had a lot of fun selling beer to the dwarves." Priest Peter couldn''t hide his regret. "It would be nice to have fun this time too... but that''s difficult. They''re obviously going to be our enemies." At that, Rockefeller shook his head. "That''s not the case." "Really?" "Is the beer production facility still alive?" "The production facility is still alive. We''ve been making beer asionally to support the church''s finances. We haven''t done it as big as when we were dealing with the dwarves, but it''s not too bad." "Then let''s start again since it''s been mentioned." At that, Priest Peter asked with a surprised face. "No, are you suggesting we produce beer again?" "Yes, we''ll have to sell it again when we go there, right? If there''s a war with the dwarves, they''ll want beer anyway. If we supply that beer, we can make money again." Priest Peter didn''t seem to understand. "It sounds strange. Aren''t we enemies if we go to war with them? Are you saying we should sell beer to our enemies?" "If we don''t sell it, the dwarves will buy beer from somewhere else. That''s a loss for us, of course. We could sell it, but why should others benefit?" "I don''t quite understand. It''s like doing something good for the enemy..." "It''s not about doing something good for the enemy, it''s about making money separately from the war." "Hehe... I kind of understand what you''re saying, but it''s still a bit confusing for me, who has to protect thisnd, to hear you say that." "You shouldn''t look at it that way. War is war, and business is business. Everything must be seen separately." "What if the power of the dwarves doesn''t wane?" "I don''t know what will happen to the beer business here, but if we can boil them down with this beer, it might work well when the war intensifiester." "I agree with that. If we subdue them with our beer, we can just stop supplying it when the numbers turn against us." "Then there will be great confusion. That would be good for us." "But will the dwarves be able to ept our beer knowing where it''s from? They probably wouldn''t trade if they knew." With a sly smile, Rockefeller said. "The dwarves may not like imperial beer. But is there a name written on the beer? If we change the name and sell it outside the empire, the dwarves probably won''t know. How could they?" "That''s true." "Besides, haven''t you developed a new beer since you continued the beer business?" "Fortunately, we''ve developed a better beer than before. The taste has improved since then." "That''s good. If we did business with the same beer, the dwarves would recognize it right away." "The taste has changed a bit, so they probably won''t know. Our beer has improved quite a bit." "Is there a separate name for the beer?" "Beer name?" Scratching his cheek, the high priest answered Rockefeller''s question. "No, there isn''t a specific name. It just came out of the Montefeltro territory, so we were selling it as Montefeltro beer." "That name won''t be enough to boil them down." "Do you have a good name?" After some thought, Rockefeller came up with a name. "How about ''Kyas''?" "Kyas?" "Yes, it''s just a name thates to mind." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 155 (1) Chapter 155 (1) "Kyas..." It wasn''t a particrly good name, but no better alternatives came to mind. "Anyway, we have to change the name, so I''ll bear with it for now." "You can use a better name if you have one." Still, it was a name that someone hade up with, right? Priest Peter quickly changed his words. "No,e to think of it, the name you came up with sounds fine. Kyas... Yes, the beer produced here willter be called Kyas." Seeing him ept the name he hade up with on the spot, he felt sorry for Peter. ''I think I... gave a bad name. Well, it doesn''t matter.'' "Anyway, I''d like to ask you to expand the business as you did before." Priest Peter asked again for confirmation. "Then, do you n to sell the beer produced here outside the Empire with only the brand changed?" "Yes, that''s the n for now." "Then we''ll need a middleman to sell it for us." "In that case, elves would be better. Orcs wouldn''t make and sell beer, and dwarves would obviously think that beer produced by orcs has no taste." How well could the ignorant orcs brew alcohol? "I have a question. Did elves originally brew alcohol? I haven''t heard of it because my knowledge is limited." "They do brew it. They just don''t sell itmercially. But those who have tasted it can never forget it." "Well, if it''s alcohol brewed by elves... it would be mysterious. Alright, I got it. For now, I''ll prepare the beer business as you said, like before. If it''s going to expand into the diocese, I''ll need to recruit more young priests." Rockefeller did not forget to say this. "If you need anything in the meantime, feel free to ask me. I''ll help you with anything I can." "Haha, don''t worry. If I need anything, I''lle straight to you." "Then, I''ll leave the beer-rted matters to you." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 155 (2) Chapter 155 (2) Joshua, the third son of the Rosmeditch family, who had been exchanging letters with Rockefeller from time to time, heard the news that his elder brother, Rockefeller, returned to the Montefeltro territory and started the beer business again. Holding the letter sent by his elder brother in his hand, Joshua thought for a moment and then smiled broadly. ''That''s a good idea.'' When the Totem War broke out before. He had had fun dealing with mercenaries with his second brother, Andrew. ''Back then, I couldn''t make as much money as Rockefeller.'' That was so frustrating. But not anymore. ''This time, it will be different. I n to make more money than Rockefeller.'' In a way, this was an opportunity. Moreover, he was located in ck Label, the wealthiest trading port in the empire, which was financially veryfortable for him to do anything. ''I''m going to buy up all the beer this time. I''ll buy every beer on the continent. Until there''s not a single seed left.'' Since he had heard about the uing Goldmine War from Rockefeller, Joshua knew to some extent what would happen to the dwarves in that war. ''If they need supplies, they''ll try to buy them nearby. They have a lot of money, so they won''t bother bringing them from their homnd. As Rockefeller said, dwarves also like to solve problems with money.'' It was difficult to monopolize food here. Dwarves had a simr taste in food to humans, so there were many things they could use as food. But beer was different. Unlike food, beer was a luxury item, and its quantity was limited to some extent, so it was possible to monopolize it. ''If they''re not careful, they''ll be caught off guard.'' Did the dwarves know that there would be a shortage of beer to be consumed in the uing Goldmine War? ''No, they wouldn''t know. Who would have expected the dwarves, who are allies of the empire, to dere war?'' So, this was something that could only be done by someone who had predicted the future or knew the future urately. ''Anyway.'' Rockefeller hyung said that life was a bet. Joshua, who had engraved those words deep in his bones, got up from his seat and ordered the people he was leading to buy up all the beer on the continent. He also started buying up the beer in ck Label indiscriminately. After a few days, not only ck Label but also the surrounding areas were running out of beer. As a result, Bel, the owner of a clothing store who had been in disgrace and had been drinking only alcohol, became rmed. As usual, he went to the tavern toment his life and looked for the rtively cheap beer among other drinks, but the tavern owner said that there was no beer. "What do you mean there''s no beer?" So Bel thought to himself. ''No, I haven''t run a tab or messed around. Isn''t this too much?'' "Are you picking and choosing customers now that I''ve gone bankrupt?" Bel argued with the angry tavern owner, who made an awkward expression. "It''s not that, it''s really not there! I''ve been going to the brewery since yesterday to order beer, but they say there''s none. What am I supposed to do?" "Stop talking nonsense and bring me a beer." "No, it''s really not there!" "No, you bastard!" Enraged, Bel jumped up from his seat and grabbed the cor of the tavern owner, Buckan. "When did I ever run a tab or mess around! Why are you saying there''s no beer! Is that even possible in a tavern? Then what are you doing business with?" "I have a lot of things to sell. There''s wine and other alcohol. There''s even poison." Buckan, who had barely escaped Bel''s grip, nced at Bel and continued. "But it''s expensive." "Are you really doing this to me, too? I''ve spent so much money here! Even if I''m bankrupt, you shouldn''t be doing this to me!" "Calm down, first listen to me. It''s true! They said there''s no beer for sale at the brewery. Someone bought it all up." "What nonsense is that! Who would buy up all the beer like that? Who on earth?" At that moment. Someone hurriedly rushed into the tavern. It was Bob, the owner of a small store who had lost half of his assets due to a bad investment in a trade ship, though not as much as Bel. "Ah, you''re here!" Bob, who had rushed in, immediately started talking to Bel. "Did you hear that news?" Bel, who was in a bad mood because of the beer situation, replied gruffly. "News? What news. I was already in a bad mood because of that guy picking a fight over some nonsense." "Ah, well, there''s the guild master''s younger brother. They say he''s buying up all the beer around here." Bel immediately showed his doubts at the tavern owner''s attitude. "What? What nonsense is that? He''s buying up all the beer here?" Bob, who had hurriedlye to ask, checked with the tavern owner, Bukan. "Do you have no beer here either? They say it''s not avable anywhere else now." As if to appeal his injustice, Bukan spoke, ncing at Bel. "Of course not. I mean, how can I have it when they don''t even sell it at the brewery?" Bel couldn''t help but question. "Why is there no beer? How can themon beer suddenly be gone?" Bob exined to Bel, who was tapping his chest out of frustration. "That''s what I was telling you earlier. Right now, that guild master''s younger brother is buying up all the beer around here." "Why is he doing that? Is there something going on?" "How should I know? I don''t know, that''s why I''m like this." "But how did you find out?" Bob had lost half of his assets due to the never-returning Morning Glory, but he couldn''t give up the taste of capitalism he had experienced once. Unlike Bel, who waspletely ruined, he frequented the stock exchange every day. He was aiming for anothereback. In doing so, he naturally became friends with the exchange employees, and by chance, he heard about the guild master''s younger brother who was currently hoarding beer from them. "I don''t know what it is, but the brewery''s stock price has doubled because of that. I was curious, so I immediately asked the exchange employees." "So, the guild master''s younger brother is buying up all the beer here?" "Well, that''s what they say. That''s why I''m doing this now. I ran all the way here to confirm if it''s true." Bel still had doubts. "Why?" "I don''t know either." "Ha ha... What can you do with beer... It''s not even something you can drink all at once." "That''s true. I mean, why would such a rich person care about the beer thatmoners drink? If he drinks, he''d probably drink expensive liquor." "Then what is it?" "I don''t know, okay?" Soon, the gazes of the two turned to the tavern owner, Bukan. "Do you know anything?" "Tell us if you know something." Bukan was just as frustrated as he didn''t know the situation. Beer ounted for half of his sales, and without it, he was on the verge of exploding. "It''s been cut in half for days because of that. I''m curious too. I mean, why are they messing with the unrted beer? Is it because there''s nothing to gain from doing that?" "What about other liquors?" "Well, there are other liquors." "Is everything the same?" "Everything is the same. There''s no problem with other liquors. It''s just the beer that''s causing trouble. It''s all about beer." "Heh..." The three, who couldn''t find an answer, just drew a picture of the guild master''s younger brother, who was doing something inexplicable, in their heads. "What on earth are they doing..." "I have no idea. Are they trying to do business with that?" "Hmm... But why are they only targeting the cheapest beer and leaving other liquors alone?" "That''s what I''m saying, I don''t know." "Did they suddenly develop some kind of mental illness?" "Hey, that person is the guild master''s younger brother. The guild master is now a real power in the empire." "Ah, has ite to that?" "Look at this guy. So ignorant of the world''s news, tsk tsk tsk." When the three of them couldn''t find an answer and were talking nonsense, A familiar face entered the tavern after a long time. It was Sam, the most sessful shoeshiner among them. "Hey, it''s Sam!" "What are you doing here in broad daylight...?" "Didn''t you move to the other side? You don''t live in a ce like this anymore, you live in a nice ce." "They say it''s a mansion..." Sam, who hade close to the tavern owner, asked him something. Bob asked the same thing. "Do you have no beer here either?" "Beer? Yes, we don''t have beer right now." "Of course, there''s none here either. Okay, I got it. Take care." As soon as Sam confirmed the fact and went outside, Bel and Bob, who had been watching him, nced at each other for a moment. And the two of them followed Sam as if they had made a promise. Bob, who had barely caught up with Sam before he got on the carriage, politely asked the former shoeshiner. "Hey Sam, what brings you here? We haven''t seen your facetely." Sam had no intention of even pretending to greet Bob now that their situations had changed, but he still nodded his head out of courtesy. "Bob, it''s you." "Yeah, what brings you here?" "I just stopped by to check. I heard some interesting news recently." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 156 (1) Chapter 156 (1) At Sam''s words, Bell and Bob''s ears perked up. "Interesting news? What is it?" As Bell and Bob showed excessive interest, Sam regretted what he had just said. ''This is quite high-level information.'' "Well... it''s something that only I should know, so it''s difficult to tell you." Seeing Sam''s reluctance to share the mysterious story, Bob became impatient. "What, are you ignoring us now because you think you''re better off than us?" "No, it''s not that. It''s just..." "Then what is it? Are you saying you don''t want to mingle with people like us?" "Well..." "Just tell us straight. Are we strangers to you? Do you think I''m going to gossip about what we talk about here?" "Sigh..." Sam sighed deeply and, after a long moment of contemtion, finally opened his mouth. "Well... this isn''t confirmed yet, but we have our own spection about why the guild leader''s brother is moving like this." "Our own spection?" "Well, I recently joined a club. It''s a social gathering for people with a certain level of wealth." As expected. Rich Sam''s social circle was different. As he mentioned being part of something grand, Bell and Bob felt a sense of inferiority. ''Who is he hanging out with? Could it be nobles? If they''re really nobles, Sam hase a long way. A really long way.'' If they were nobles, they would surely have good information. Bob quickly jumped in. "Share that information with us, too. We''re not strangers, are we? We''re not." Seeing him poking his side with his elbow, Sam reluctantly decided to tell them. He thought it would be fine to tell them since it wasn''t confirmed yet. "It seems that the reason for monopolizing beer is rted to the Montefeltro region." "Montefeltro region?" Bell and Bob had never heard of this before. "What''s happening there?" "Recently, there''s been talk of gold ore being discovered there." "Gold ore?" Bell suddenly reacted as if something had urred to him. "Wasn''t the Montefeltro region an incredibly rich gold mine in the past? That''s what I know." "Really? Was there such a story?" "But I knew it as a deadnd. So gold ore was discovered there?" "What''s gold ore?" "What do you mean? It''s ore with gold in it. Didn''t you know that?" "Really? So there''s still gold there?" As their gaze returned to Sam, he quietly nodded. "Yes, it seems so. The lord of the region seems to be keeping it hushed, but the rumor has already spread, so I think everyone who should know about it knows." The gold mine was still alive. For the two who had experienced a bitter failure due to the Morning Glory incident, it felt like being introduced to the goldennd of El Dorado. "If there was such a ce, you should have told us sooner! Life has been so difficulttely." "This seems like an opportunity? We should go and make a big hit." Watching the two, Sam shook his head. "Anyway, there''s an owner, so it won''t be that easy." "An owner?" "Yes, the current power in the empire, Guild Leader of Lyon, is said to be the de facto owner of the region." "What do you mean?" Bell and Bob both questioned simultaneously. "If it''s a region, then it''s the lord, of course. What do you mean by guild leader?" "Well... actually." Sam exined in detail how the lord''snd hade to be in the hands of a mere guild leader. After hearing the exnation, Bell and Bob naturally nodded. "So that''s what happened." "I never thought the lord would be a debtor. Well, that''s why he lost his goodnd." "Exactly. But what does that have to do with beer?" Sam said. "It seems that thend originally belonged to the dwarves. So, looking at how the guild leader''s brother quickly monopolized the beer, we think that a war with the dwarves may be imminent." "What? They''re going to war with the dwarves?" Bell and Bob couldn''t understand. "No, is that even possible? Weren''t the dwarves originally our allies? Weren''t they?" "Right. They are allies. They''re not on the best of terms, but they''re still closer than orcs." Sam shook his head. "But if gold gets involved, the story changes. You know how obsessed dwarves are with certain things." "But what does that have to do with beer?" "Monopolizing beer is a strategic move in anticipation of a war with the dwarves." "Ah..." Bell, who had heard about it somewhere, told Bob. "I remember there was a time when orcs and dwarves fought near the border, and a certain church made a lot of money through a beer business." "Really? Was there such a story?" "I heard it too. So are they monopolizing beer because of that?" "It seems so. Otherwise, it doesn''t make sense to stubbornly monopolize only beer." "Heh..." Having said all he had to say, Sam tipped his hat to them and climbed into his carriage. "Well, I''m busy, so I''ll see youter." As Sam hurried away, Bell and Bob began to think. Their business had already been closed for a long time. Bell had experienced a disgraceful failure due to a single investment, and Bob had long since be a full-time investor, only frequenting the stock exchange. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 156 (2) Chapter 156 (2) "Hey, doesn''t this situation smell like money?" At Bob''s words, Bell''s shoulders slumped. Whether it smelled like money or not, what could they do? Even though he''s already ruined. "So what? I''m already going bankrupt, and I can''t do anything about it." "Really, did you lose everything?" Bel tried to send Bob away, even waving his hand. "I lost everything. What the hell was that investment in the trading ship?" He threw a resentful gaze at Bob. If only that guy hadn''t seeded in the trading ship investment. His belief in never investing in stocks would have been maintained. Feeling that gaze, Bob made a suggestion. "Still, we''re friends. Don''t just waste time here drinking. Rather, let''s try to make it big in the beer business together." "Beer business?" "Yeah, remember when the dwarves and orcs went to war, and some church made a fortune with the beer business?" "What''s that got to do with anything?" "War doesn''t end overnight. I''ll invest in this, so let''s work together and try the beer business once." Then Bell waved his hand. "No, you need a foundation to start a beer business. What are we going to do about the beer business now? Rather, go there and pick up a pickaxe. If gold orees out there, won''t the mines open?" At Bell''s words, Bob burst intoughter. "What mines! Are you a miner? You''ve been selling clothes all your life, and now you''re saying this. Stop talking nonsense. If you go there, you''ll run away in a few days." "So what do you want?" "Just do business with me. What''s the point of just drinking?" "Ah..." It was good to do business together, but he thought it wasn''t right to suddenly start a beer business. "Rather, like the guild leader''s brother, why don''t you buy some beer? You''ve made some money, so you must have some." "Monopolize beer?" "Yeah, that''s better. We''ve never made beer in our lives, so now we''re going to make and sell it. I would just go around like the guild leader''s brother and buy beer." "Hmm..." Bob started to think positively, as it wasn''t a bad idea. "That''s a good idea." Then Bell had another thought. "No, all the beer has already been taken." Bel was smarter than Bob. He was just unlucky. "Rather, let''s buy hops or barley instead. Don''t you need that to make beer?" "Buy hops or barley?" "Yes, you need that to make beer." "Oh, that''s a good idea." The two finally agreed and decided to monopolize hops and barley together. "Is there a rule that says you have to fail twice if you fail once?" At Bell''s words, Bob had a terrible smile on his lips. The feeling was very simr to when he was in the stock exchange and the price of the stocks he invested in suddenly soared. "Yeah, I''ve messed up once, but I need to make aeback this time. Let''s do well this time." "Of course, of course. We''re not strangers, are we? At least we didn''t share blood, but we''re still good friends." "Yes, that''s right! Let''s be rich like Sam now!" "Good! Let''s go!" * * * "Someone bought all the beer?" Joshua, who had been buying up all the beer in the empire, couldn''t help but be surprised at the unexpected news from a brewery. There were people who hade before him and bought all the beer. "Who are they?" He thought there would be no one faster than him. That was just Joshua''s delusion. "I don''t know. There were two of them, and they looked like wealthymoners, judging by therge wagon they were driving." "Weren''t they nobles?" "Isn''t that something nobles wouldn''t do?" "That''s true." "Ah, those people also bought hops and barley." "They bought hops and barley too?" "Yes, looking at the wagon, it was loaded with a lot. It seems they bought more hops and barley than beer." "Hmm..." It seemed that there were people who noticed his n. Still, he had already bought a considerable amount of beer, so he didn''t feel too regretful. ''Well, I can give that much. Compared to the amount I''ve secured, it''s just a drop in the bucket.'' "Okay, I see." Then the brewery owner expressed doubt. "But what''s going on? They say it''s so hard to get beer these days. Honestly, the current beer price is ridiculous. It''s more expensive than wine in the world." Due to Joshua and a few others buying up all the beer, it became as difficult to find beer in the empire as it was to pluck a star. So, the price of beer soared sky-high. "Is this even possible?" Based on the very naturalw of supply and demand. Joshua thought it was a very natural phenomenon. "There''s no beer in the market, so it''s possible." "I never thought beer would be so expensive. Later, nobles might drink beer instead of wine. Speaking of which,tely, there have been nobles inquiring about beer." It seemed that beer had be very precious, thanks to him. "Noble tastes are high-end..." To Joshua''s eyes, it seemed quite possible that nobles would attach value to beer if it had some rarity, as the brewery owner said. "But if they can''t taste it easily, they might also give value to beer that they''ve never dealt with before." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 157 (1) Chapter 157 (1) Despite the cheap image of beer, the brewery owner was skeptical of Joshua''s words. "Even so, the idea of nobles drinking beer instead of wine... I can''t really imagine it. There have been inquiries from nobles recently, but it must be a temporary phenomenon." The brewery owner knew more about beer than anyone else. For now, someone buying all the beer they had made was one thing. But if they were to produce that much beer again soon, who would give beer its rarity value? "Beer is just a popr food formoners." Joshua just thought to himself at the brewery owner''s words. ''It might have been like that in the past, but not anymore. At least not until the time I release it.'' "Anyway, it seems there''s no beer. Alright." After leaving the brewery, Joshua visited a few more breweries in the area. Fortunately, some ces were not affected by the hoarders, so it was not too difficult to get beer. And because of the stories he had heard earlier. Joshua btedly began to hoard barley and hops as well. He swept up all the beer and the ingredients needed to produce it at every brewery he visited. * * * A few weeks after the beer hoarding began. Now, getting beer in the empire was as difficult as plucking a star from the sky. As a result, the price of beer, which had been a favorite of ordinary people, soared sky-high, rising up to five times the original price. "What? There''s no beer?" "I told you there''s none. Just drink wine or something else. We have rum, how about that?" "How can there be no beer?" People who had found their only pleasure in drinking a ss of beer after finishing their daily work were puzzled by the beer shortage. Just a few days ago, beer was easier to get than water, but now it had be more valuable. "Is there really none?" "You knew there''s been none for the past few days, right?" "What''s the brewery doing? They''re not selling beer. Didn''t you say the price of beer went up?" "That''s the bigger problem. As the price of beer went up, these damn brewery bastards started hoarding it and not selling it." "What? The brewery isn''t selling beer?" The tavern owner, who seemed to have heard a recent story, whispered to him. "I heard that these days, it''s even hard to get the ingredients to make beer at the brewery." "What do you mean?" "You know, to make beer, you need barley and hops in the first ce." "I know that." "But it seems like someone swept up those ingredients along with the beer. So the brewery owners can''t make beer even if they want to." "So they''re not selling beer because they can''t make it?" "Well, that''s part of it, but more importantly, the price of beer skyrocketed overnight. Which crazy brewery owner would sell beer at this price? They''re holding onto it, and when the price goes up even more, they''ll sell it." Never had they expected to hear such a story. People who had intended to shake off the hardships of the day with a ss of beer were simply dumbfounded. "What nonsense." "Anyway, even if there was beer, it would be more expensive than this rum, so just drink rum." So, with no other choice, people started drinking rum instead of beer. "Ugh, what kind of price is that for beer? If it''s that expensive, I''d rather drink rum. Give me a ss of rum. I''ll drink it and get up." And this phenomenon was not just a story of the poormoners. Among the nobles, those who managed to obtain beer started showing off to other nobles at social clubs. "Isn''t that the beer that evenmoners don''t drink much?" An elderly nobleman expressed his displeasure to another nobleman who offered him beer, and the one who brought the beerughed slyly and began to boast. "You don''t know, do you? It''s very difficult to get this beer these days." "What do you mean? It''s hard to get beer?" "They don''t sell it at the brewery, and if they do, the price has gone up five times. And no one knows what will happen when they wake up tomorrow. The price of beer keeps going up, and it''s getting so precious that someone says it''s worth the call." "Really?" It was initially a popr food formoners. But as it became more scarce, the nobles began to change their minds about beer. "Ahem! Let''s have a drink. It''s been a while since I''ve experienced themoner life." "Please try it. Oh, and I heard this somewhere. It''s really good to drink beer when it''s cold enough to have a thinyer of ice. The bursting sensation when it goes down your throat is amazing." Hearing that, the nobleman who drank the beer quickly was intoxicated by the carbonation that burst out afterward, unconsciously narrowing one eye. "Phew~ It''s my first time tasting it, but it has a unique vor. I usually drink strong alcohol more than this. This doesn''t have much alcohol, so it doesn''t get you drunk, right?" "That''s why women like it so much. Women don''t usually drink strong alcohol, do they?" "Oh, is that so?" "But since it does get you drunk, when you give them a drink or two, they get tipsy. It''s perfect for making a move at a ball or something." "Really? That''s interesting." After drinking a ss of beer, the nobleman who examined it carefully asked the nobleman who had offered it. "How much is this? It seems like it would be fine to buy a few." "Ha ha, are you interested now?" "It''s just amoner''s drink, how expensive could it be? I''m just curious and want to buy some." "But you won''t be able to get it that easily." "What do you mean? Can''t we easily obtain this?" "Didn''t I tell you earlier? Obtaining this is like plucking stars from the sky." "What are you talking about? Isn''t this something you can easily get at a brewery?" At that, the noble who served the beer shook his head. "Oh, that''s nonsense. If anyone could easily get it at a brewery, would I have served it like this? And if it were that easy, the price wouldn''t have gone up like this." The other party began to show curiosity at the mention of it being difficult to obtain. "That''s interesting. An elusivemoner''s drink..." "I heard that the scarcity is temporary due to the approaching war with the dwarves." "But what''s the background? A war with the dwarves? Who are the dwarves fighting with?" "Didn''t you know? It''s the Montefeltro territory. Recently, arge amount of gold ore has been discovered there, and wasn''t thatnd once belonged to the dwarves?" "Ah, was there such a thing?" "Yes, so people are worried that the dwarves might invade because of that, and they say the beer prices have gone up. I don''t know if you''ve heard, but the dwarves are so rich that they don''t need to supply their war materials from other ces, right?" "That''s true." "They can manage food supplies simr to ours, but as beer bes more scarce, the dwarves who want to buy it will also be in trouble. So, the price skyrockets." "Hehe..." It became even more interesting as they listened. "So, is there no beer at all now? Are beer seeds drying up?" "That''s right. At least from what I''ve heard, it''s be too difficult to obtain beer. So recently, people like us serving this precious beer to each other has be a new trend." The first fashion-conscious noble. Always be sensitive to trends. The noble who reminded them of this said, "I thought someone was joking when they kept inviting me to drink beer. But that wasn''t it. I never thought beer would be so precious." "If there''s a ce nearby where you can get it, I''d like to ask for your help too. Since the price changes every time something like this happens, I''ve be interested." "Is it like a new investment opportunity?" "Well, that''s what I''m thinking for now." "Hahaha, that''s interesting. Who would have thought beer would be like this?" The noble who served the beer joked, "Even though the price is high now, if the dwarves really wage war on us as rumored. I don''t know, but this beer price will go up insanely. We don''t have to buy it, but." He continued with a smirk. "The dwarves say it''s not that. They can''t have a war without drinking beer." "Hahaha, what kind of people are they?" "Would there be a beer curse that the dwarves have for nothing? It must be something like that." "Hahaha, that''s interesting. The curse of beer... It doesn''t seem like humans have that." "Anyway, if you can find a way to get it, please try to get it somehow. At least it doesn''t seem like a loss." "If I can get it, that would be great." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 157 (2) Chapter 157 (2) In a pub located in the Montefeltro territory. Bel and Bob, who had hidden beer, barley, and hops in a gloomy cave in the suburbs, came here to unwind after a long time. "Look over there. It''s Sam. He must havee here to sell beer like us." They could recall the day they ran into Sam by chance. No matter how rich Sam was, he couldn''t be faster than them. Sam, who had joined the beer-buying frenzy btedly, had no choice but to turn back empty-handed after finding the ce they had already upied. Sam had seen the two of them and came over to them with a ss of rum, perhaps to pretend to know them. If it had been before, he might not have even acknowledged them, but he came over to talk about beer-rted matters. "I didn''t expect to see both of you in such a far-off ce. How have you been?" "Sam, huh?" "Oh, you came? I saw you going around trying to buy beerst time. What happened?" At that question, Sam began to sound regretful. "I thought I was moving quickly, but it seems there were some people who moved faster than us. How about you two? Weren''t you there to buy beer that time?" Bel and Bob replied to his question. "We did move quite quickly." "We were faster than others, but the unfortunate thing was the money. So I mortgaged my house and shop and borrowed more money." Despite having all his property mortgaged and taking out loans. There was no worry on Bob''s face. That''s how well things had worked out. "Beer prices have almost jumped tenfold now, right?" "Insane prices." "So, we took out loans, but it hasn''t been that difficult." Hearing that, Sam felt sick to his stomach. He had inadvertently created an unexpectedpetitor by mentioning it back then. ''I shouldn''t have said that then...'' "Anyway, I''m really d things worked out for you. Nowadays, it''s hard to get hops, so the price of the seeds has skyrocketed." The scarcity of hop seeds was a recent story. Nevertheless, he told them because there was no way to obtain them, and they were in a semi-giving up state. "Was it that hard to get hops too?" At Bel''s question, Bobughed and replied. "It could be. We swept up all the hops." "Haha, that''s true." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 158 (1) Chapter 158 (1) Who would have thought they''d not only buy up all the beer, but even the hops that go into making it? Sam began to have many thoughts. ''I never expected them to buy up even the hops...'' He felt like he had lost, as he waste to the game. "Congrattions. With the rising price of hops, you''ll soon be rich." Despite Sam''s words, Bel and Bob, who didn''t seem to care, talked to each other. "Did you know there was someone who bought up everything before us?" "That guild master''s younger sibling is really scary. Somehow, they were steps ahead of us and took control of both hops and barley." "Speaking of which, isn''t the guild master nning to produce beer in coboration with the church this time? They have the ingredients that their sibling supplied, so they sent it to the beer factory on this side. It''s true." "We should buy beer from there, but they''re not selling." As the two discussed, Sam''s ears perked up. ''There''s a ce that hasn''t sold beer yet?'' "Where is that ce? I''ve never heard of it before." Bell and Bob looked at Sam and said, "Even if you go, there''s not much to gain. We''ve been there several times, but they have no intention of selling. Maybe they''re nning to sell it themselvester." "But you never know, right?" "Then go and see for yourself. I don''t think they''ll ever sell, though." "You never know." As Sam left the bar with determination, Bel, who had been watching him, spoke. "What will he achieve by going there? They don''t seem to sell to anyone anyway." Bob frowned and said, "If you were in their shoes, would you sell? The price of beer is going to rise again tomorrow." "But it''s really strange. What''s so special about that beer? We can''t even find it now, and the price is just getting higher." "Someone said that their wish is to taste that beer." "They must have hoarded a lot of it." "Should we be the ones to say that?" The twoughed and began to joke around. "Hahaha, there''s only one thing left now." The people who had hoarded beer and its ingredients were eagerly waiting for one thing. The deration of war by the dwarves. Only waiting for that, Bel and Bob were still in high spirits. "Here''s to the war!" As Bell raised his ss, Bob, who clinked his ss with Bell''s, shouted again. "Long live the dwarves!" "Long live the beer!" The next day. Sam, out of curiosity, went to visit the brewery that was said to be run by the church. The entire road to the brewery was lined with fields of barley and hops, and the scale was enormous. ''At this rate, it''s almost...'' Although he didn''t know for sure, it was definitely thergest brewery he had ever seen. And the brewery he visited was also supported by the guild master, with dozens of buildings lined up. The scale was enough to handle all the beer consumed throughout the empire. Seeing the breweries, Sam had many thoughts. ''Money should be earned like this.'' It wasn''t a joke; this was the right way to make money. Compared to the beer produced here, hoarding a few barrels of beer circting in the market was like a drop in the ocean. Moreover, the price of beer was skyrocketing day by day, and Sam couldn''t even estimate the revenue this brewery would earnter. ''They''ll really make a huge fortune.'' After a while, Sam met a man named Priest Peter, who was actually managing the brewery, after asking the priests. He tried to secure a certain amount of the beer produced here by exining various circumstances, but... Priest Peter, who had already colluded with the guild master, simply snorted at the small amount of money Sam offered. So, Sam had no choice but to return empty-handed and saw Bel and Bob, who were already drinking at the bar. ''Is this really a drinking party?'' When Sam greeted the two, the intoxicated and cheerful Bell and Bob weed him warmly. "So, how did it go?" "Judging by your expression, it doesn''t seem like things went well?" The two asked, and Sam answered in a deted voice. "Yes, the trade itself seemed difficult. Not just me, but several nobles tried to get beer as well. But there wasn''t much beer avable other than the ones for simple consumption." Bell reacted to his statement. "The ce is affiliated with the church, so even the nobles can''t easily interfere. And who''s the head there? Isn''t he the real power in this empire? So there''s no chance." Bob also supported Bell''s words. "That''s what I said, right? Going there would be meaningless." "I think I''ll have to be satisfied with this much." "So how much did you collect?" "Not much, about 500 barrels. I secured about 50 carts of hops." Upon hearing the number 500, Bell and Bob, who were clinking their sses andughing, quickly hardened their expressions. For some reason, Sam, who had moved slower than them, had more beer than they had secured. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 158 (2) Chapter 158 (2) ''What? This isn''t something tough at?'' "No, when did you collect so much?" Sam answered Bob''s question. "You couldn''t have collected less than me, could you?" "So how did you do it? Didn''t you move a little slower than us?" "Yes... I was a little slow, but I had some extra money, so I bought it at an expensive price anyway. It seemed like the price would continue to rise." It turned out to be a difference in money. Sam moved slowly, but only the beer price had increased. In the end, if you had more money, you could secure more beer. Sam continued speaking. "Honestly, I wanted to buy more if I could afford it. But I have a principle not to go all-in on any ce. So I thought this was the best I could do." How much is 500 barrels of beer? Bell and Bob, who had been looking at each other, nearly spat out the alcohol they were holding in their mouths. ''It''s really a different size. 500 barrels without going all in?'' ''I thought something was strange. He''s rich, so he can just buy it at any price, right?'' Soon after, Bell and Bob looked at Sam with envious eyes. "I''m so envious. 500 barrels..." How much was 500 barrels? It was a veryrge sum of money, so much that it was difficult to estimate even with all fingers folded. "If a real war breaks out, you''ll be really rich." "I didn''t know you''d have as many as 500 barrels." Sam consoled the two, whose voices had be lower than before. "What are you worried about? If a war breaks out with the dwarves like this, everyone who has beer now will be rich." But there was a degree. To some extent, rich. Really rich. Beyond that, even richer. And beyond that, the untouchable, called the final king. Bell and Bob thought of the first rich person here. To some extent, rich. "That''s true, but..." "It''s still a shame." "Anyway, I hope the war with the dwarves will definitely happen. The price is still rising, but if the war doesn''t break out, I don''t know what will happen to the beer price in the future." "Then we''ll have to dispose of it quickly." "Right. Of course. What''s the big deal with beer? There won''t be anyone looking for it." "Then I''ll go first. I have something to do." "Okay, go ahead. Let me know if you have any good news." "Yes, I''ll do that." After Sam left, Bell and Bob felt as if the taste of alcohol had cooled down for some reason. "Damn it, we didn''t even know the subject, and we got wrinkles in front of the stinker." "I thought something was strange. Sam''s not a beggar, so if he secured more beer than us, he secured it. There''s no reason for him to have less than us, right?" "That''s why the rich get richer, and people like us keep living likemoners." "But the beer price is still rising, so let''s keep an eye on it. If we have this, it seems like it''ll go up several tens of times?" Bell had some doubts about Bob''s words. "But it''s already risen so much, will it really go up even more?" "If there''s a war, won''t it go up?" "Well, yeah... but I''m not sure how much it''ll go up. It''s not like it''s going to shoot up a thousand times, right?" "A thousand times?" They thought that even if the price of beer increased, it would be difficult for it to reach a hundred times, let alone a thousand times. "No way, a thousand times is ridiculous. At most, it''ll be a few dozen times. It''s already gone up, but if a war breaks out and it goes up further, maybe 30 times?" "30 times? It''s already gone up 10 times, hasn''t it?" "Still, if it goes up three times from now, that''s 30 times the original price. Yeah, I think it''ll go up that much." "I think so too." "Let''s just wait and see. We don''t know how far it''ll go, but there''s no beer on the market, so eventually the price will be called, right?" "Yeah, I guess." "We can live off selling just one can of beer right now, so let''s hold on for a few more months." "I think so too. Let''s see where it goes." A few months passed. Finally, the dwarves'' deration of war they had been eagerly awaiting began to shake the empire. As news of gold mines being developed in the Montefeltro territory spread across the continent, The dwarves, who were once the owners of thend, fiercely protested and dered war against the empire. While the majority of people were taken aback by the sudden deration of war from their ally, the dwarves, a very small number of people who had anticipated this event let out cheers as soon as they heard the news. "The dwarves have dered war!" Like Bell and Bob. Beer hoarders who had been waiting for the dwarves'' deration of war while practically living in a tavern in Montefeltro territory all began to cheer loudly, apanied by shouts of hurrah. "Yeehaw! Let''s shake it up like crazy! We''re rich now! Incredibly rich!" "Barkeep! Pass around a rum for everyone! I''m treating today!" Bell and Bob, who had been partying in the festive tavern, encountered some staggering news the next morning along with a terrible hangover. "What, what did you say?" Barely regaining consciousness after drinking heavily the night before, Bell heard some unexpected news from the tavern owner. The price of beer, which had risen by as much as 20 times over the past few months, had increased by another 3 times following the dwarves'' deration of war the previous day. That meant it had gone up a whopping 60 timespared to the old price. "The price of beer has gone up another 3 times?" "That''s right. Now, the nobles are throwing money around trying to buy beer, it''s chaos!" Nobles who had heard the news btedly also hurried to secure beer, but with no beer circting in the market, they had no choice but to buy it at a very high price, which eventually led to the unprecedented event of the beer bubble. "Really? It was 20 times just yesterday, wasn''t it?" "I guess it jumped to 60 times after the war broke out." "60 times? So it went up 3 times more than yesterday?" "That''s what happened." Unable to believe the unbelievable news, Bob copsed on the spot. He couldn''t tell if this was a dream or reality. ''What''s going on? The price of beer went up 60 times? Haha...'' He had never seen a stock that had gone up 60 times its face value even though he had been in and out of stock exchanges countless times in the past. But it wasn''t even a stock, it was just beer! In the blink of an eye, it had transformed into a high-end delicacy that even nobles couldn''t easily taste. "I''m rich now! Incredibly rich!" Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 159 (1) Chapter 159 (1) Bonus chapter thanks to @Talosfanboy and others from Ko-fi! It wasn''t just Bell and Bob who were excitedly shouting in joy. Others who had gathered at the tavern and hoarded beer were also screaming in happiness. "What are we going to do after selling the beerter?" "Well, with that amount of money, we should buy somend and be lords!" "Hahaha! Who would have known it''s so easy to be a lord?" "Indeed, money is the best in the world. Money is the best!" "With money, anything is possible." While everyone was overjoyed, A certain noble, who had heard the news, came to the tavern. He hadete to invest as he heard that the beer prices were soaring. Ahem! Clearing his throat to announce his presence, the unnamed noble, who had several servants with him, opened his mouth towards the beer hoarders who were staring intently at him. "I heard that there are many people here who have beer." As he tucked arge, jewel-studded cane under his arm, he raised his voice again towards the unresponsive crowd. "Is there anyone here who wants to sell? I''ll buy everything at the current market price. I''d like you to sell me everything you have." It seemed like he was another buyer who had heard the news and was trying to invest. However, what to do? Who would be willing to sell beer that could potentially rise in price again tomorrow? Inside the noisy tavern with the arrival of the noble, Bell and Bob began to whisper in low voices. "Hey, it''s gone up 60 times already. Should we sell now?" At Bell''s pathetic question, Bob red at him, his eyes bulging. "Are you crazy? The war news broke today, and it''s gone up three times. What are you going to do if it goes up again tomorrow?" Isn''t there a guarantee that it won''t go up again? So Bell tilted his head. "But you never know." "Ugh, you. Don''t be so timid." Unlike Bell, Bob was a person who had dabbled in stock exchanges. "I''ve done a lot of stock trading. Looking at how the bids are going now, it''s going to go up even more tomorrow. Trust me and just wait. Even if we can''t do it now, it will go up several times more." "Several times more? Is that possible?" "Trust me. Although I didn''t make a fortune with stock trading, I''ve got some experience in it." "Well, you know better about that." "Trust me and wait. It will definitely go up more than it is now." "Alright. So we should just wait and see, right?" "Ah, of course. Never sell. Don''t sell even if you die at this price." And this wasn''t just Bell and Bob''s thoughts. The majority of the hoarders in the tavern ignored the offer of the noble who had suddenly appeared. Then, the unnamed noble felt embarrassed. "Ahem! Is there really no one? I''m willing to buy at that price!" At that, one of the hoarders who had been looking at him spoke up. "Do you think you would sell if you were in our shoes? Everyone here knows that the price will go up again tomorrow." As if everyone agreed with that, they began to nod vigorously. "If you want to buy, try offering more money." At that, the noble narrowed his eyes and thought for a moment before speaking again. "Alright. Then I''ll buy at twice the current market price." At that, some people began to waver. To be honest, the beer price was so crazy that they couldn''t guarantee how long it would keep rising. ''Now it''s twice the current price? That doesn''t sound too bad. But then again, we don''t know. With this trend, it could go up three or four times more tomorrow.'' However, as everyone remained silent, The noble raised his voice once more, as if he had considered it further. "Fine. I''ll buy at three times the market price. That''s the best I can do. If anyone wants to sell, sell it to me now." Three times the current market price meant that it had risen a whopping 180 times from the old price. Finally, a few hoarders got up from their seats and walked towards the noble. It seemed like they were nning to sell all the beer they had gathered with difficulty. Seeing the hoarders, Bell quickly sought out Bob. "Hey, it''s three times the price. Are you still not going to sell? If you calcte it, it''s 180 times the old price. This is really a crazy price!" Bob hesitated for a moment but still had no intention of selling. "Ah, well, it might still go up four times, so let''s just wait and see." "If we sell now, we can sell to that noble at three times the current price. We don''t know how long that noble will buy beer, but wouldn''t it be better to sell now?" "Hey. No, just wait for now. I''m sure it''ll go up more than three times. If we sell here, we''ll be the only fools." "Hehe..." Bell wanted to dissuade Bob from his gambling spirit, But remembering the time when Bob had seeded, he tried to suppress his feelings. ''Right. Bob pushed through with Morning Glory too. Let''s trust him this time.'' Then, after a few weeks passed, The beer price had incredibly risen to 240 times the old price, just as Bob had predicted. It had risen four times since the war with the Dwarves began. ''It really went up four times.'' "Hey, it''s four times! Just like you said!" Bob was also pleased. To be honest, he had been anxious for a few weeks, wondering if the price would really go up four times. "It''s really crazy. I can''t even tell if this is beer or alcohol made of gold now." "Can you believe the beer price has risen 240 times in this period? This is really crazy!" Only then did Bell and Bob begin to empathize with the insane beer price. In addition, Bob had experience in the stock market, so he couldn''t help but think that this price was the highest peak they would never see again. The well-rising beer price had stopped rising or falling at some point. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 159 (2) Chapter 159 (2) While Bell was conflicted about whether to sell the beer now or not, Bob spoke seriously. "I know from my experience in stock investment that there is no stock that keeps rising forever. Eventually, after a certain rise, it reaches a peak and falls back down. That''s what stocks are." "Right? That''s what I thought too. So this is the peak?" Bob, bragging about his seemingly insignificant experience like a medal, continued the conversation. "Definitely. It''s about time it crashes down after eating this much. Look at it now. The price isn''t going up and just stays still. This is a sign of a price drop." "You''re probably right again. You seeded with the Morning Glory stocks too. I failed, though." "I failed on the second one too." "But you still made a profit." "Well, that''s true." "Then it''s settled. Ipletely lost everything." "Anyway, let''s keep an eye on it and sell it all. There are still plenty of people who want to buy it at this price." But human greed has no end. They couldn''t dispose of the beer supply they had to the nobles who wanted to buy beer that day. As evening came. Bob and Bell, who ended up drinking again, started talking about what happened during the day. "We should have just sold it to that person. If this is the peak, as you said, what are we going to do now? If the beer price drops tomorrow, we''ll be the ones in trouble." "Well, that''s true..." Despite the insane price, spectors aiming for a jackpot with beer continued toe and buy beer without a break. Watching them, Bob suddenly thought. Do those crazy people think it''s natural to buy at this price? Didn''t they ever doubt the skyrocketing beer prices? Or is it enough for them that there are fools who will buy at even higher prices after they bought at this crazy price? ''Well, I''m not selling at this price either, so what can I say about them?'' So Bob couldn''t help but be conflicted. "No, I''m trying to sell it at a reasonable line, but they keeping. Then it''s only natural for the beer price to drop, right? It''ll go up more than it is now." Bell knew what Bob was thinking. But she was also worried about the price that had risen too much. No matter how crazy the Dwarves were about beer, it was nothing more than a favorite food of themon people. Logically, the current beer price has gone crazy to the point of reaching the moon. "Well, that''s true... But you said it''s risen too much. Honestly, I''m happy that the beer price has gone up, but I''m too nervous. We''re already rich enough to settle at this point, so why not be satisfied here? Think about it. No matter how rich the Dwarves are, would they buy beer at this insane price? This is really crazy." At Bell''s words, Bob recalled an episode from when he and his wife were investing in stocks. At that time, the stock price he invested in had risen three times. "Honey, isn''t it time to sell now that the price has gone up so much? It''s risen too much." "Hey, you can''t be so timid. When will we get rich by eating that kind of small money? Sam, who used to work under me, now lives in a mansion-like ce with a servant. He''s practically a noble, not just amoner. We should at least be at that level, right?" "But it''s gone up a lot. It''s enough, so just sell it." "No, it''ll go up more. Let''s just watch for now." Ignoring his wife''s words, Bob saw his stock be a worthless scrap of paper after being captured by pirates a few dayster. "I should have sold it then..." Bell was puzzled by Bob''s mumbling. "What did you just say?" "I should have sold it then. I had an experience like that before." Bob told Bell about what happened in the past. Then he mentioned the conclusion he hade to. "There''s always a visible precursor before a stock price crashes. There''s a time when the price doesn''t go up anymore and suddenly drops. Then you have to sell it unconditionally before that. I learned that through numerous stock transactions." "Really?" "Let''s just watch the price trend for now. And if it seems suspicious, let''s dispose of it right away." "Okay, I don''t know anything about it. I trust you and follow you." A few dayster, amazingly, as Bob had predicted, the beer price that had been sluggishly moving sideways plummeted by a whopping 50% in just one day. The Dwarves, who had just entered the war, revived their old memories and brought in beer from another ce, and the beer price in the empire, which had be useless, was cut in half in an instant. "What do we do now? If we had sold it then, we could have settled at 240 times the original price." "It''s still dropping. The nobles who are buying beer over there are just beaming." There were still movements to buy the plummeting beer. Bell stuck out her tongue and said. "Isn''t it crazy? The Dwarves may or may not buy beer from here in this situation, is it right for them to buy like that?" After thinking for a moment, Bob was able to find the reason. "I see. If the war drags on, the Dwarves will have such a high beer consumption that they might run out of beer and buy it from here. They''re probably aiming for that..." "But that''s gambling, isn''t it? Who knows how long the war willst?" "Well, that''s true..." "What do we do now? Isn''t it better to settle now?" Bob, who had been conflicted for a moment, recalled his previous memory and said. ''Right. I should have sold it then.'' "We have to sell it now. If we stay like this, it''ll be worth nothing." Then Bell suddenly pointed somewhere. There, Sam was with several nobles, trying to buy the copsed beer. "Look there. It''s Sam. Sam''s trying to buy at this price right now. Isn''t that crazy?" Bell pointed out the ce, and Bob looked too. It was definitely Sam. ''What is he up to? Did he even anticipate that the war would drag on?'' An iprehensible action. But he couldn''t stand having the beer that had plummeted to half its value. Besides, there was the bitter memory of the previous crash. So Bob, with a determined mind, said to Bell. "It''s a good thing. Let''s sell it to Sam." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 160 (1) Chapter 160 (1) "To Sam?" "Yeah, Sam''s over there. Let''s get moving. We need to sell quickly before Sam changes his mind." The two quickly moved and soon found themselves in front of Sam. "Sam, you''re not buying at this price, are you?" Sam immediately understood why the two hade to see him. "Are you selling beer?" "Of course we''re here to sell. The price has dropped by half. Who would want to hold onto it?" At a time when everyone was moring to sell their plummeting beer stocks, Sam was trying to buy back the temporarily copsed beer using the high-quality information only he knew. ''Given the size of the Rothsmedici army and the dwarf army, this war is bound to be a long one. And neither side''s main forces have even arrived yet.'' On top of that, the empire and the dwarves had a clear reason they couldn''tpromise with each other. ''It''s thergest gold mining area on the continent after the great upheaval. It''s ridiculous to think they''d just hand it over to the other side.'' "Yes, I actually think this is an opportunity. As long as I have money, I can monopolize the supply." At Sam''s words, Bob was dumbfounded. ''Is he saying this is an opportunity? He can''t be serious, can he?'' Sam looked at the panic buyers who were all trying to sell their beer before answering. Just yesterday, these people were boasting about not selling their beer. ''This is just a temporary phenomenon. When beer bes scarce again, the price will rise even higher. I''m sure of it.'' "If you''re selling, I''ll buy it all." Bell and Bob could not empathize with Sam''s actions at all. "No, it''s not just about the war. The beer prices are insane. It''s already expensive, and we have no idea how much it''ll drop, but you''re still saying that?" "Isn''t life a gamble, after all?" And so, Bell and Bob hurriedly sold their beer to Sam, securing a profit of 120 times their original price. "Phew... at least we sold it at this price. Honestly, it was a crazy price. I mean, what kind of beer price jumps 240 times? It''s just insane." Feeling disillusioned with the crazy beer prices, Bob spoke, and Bell could not help but strongly agree. "Of course. Who would think that price is right? It''s just beer, after all. Even if it''s be harder to find recently." "No matter how cursed the beer is, as long as the dwarves don''t get shot in the head, buying at that price isughable." "We sold it well. Honestly, this is our victory for selling at 120 times the price. Sam will definitely regret it." "Right. We sold well. With 120 times the profit, we can livevishly now. We''re rich!" "That''s right! Our lives are just beginning!" After that day, Bell and Bob packed up and left the Montefeltro territory to return to their hometown of ck Label. On their way back, they asionally checked the fluctuating beer prices, but for some reason, they never strayed far from the price they had sold at. "The beer prices aren''t dropping as much as I thought. This can''t be going up, can it?" "What nonsense are you talking about? It''s going to rise even more? No way, man. That''s not it." "Right? I''m just thinking wrong, aren''t I?" "Of course. Just forget about it. Stocks are the same. They seem like they''ll rise, but they don''t. In my opinion, this is a fake. It''ll drop soon, so just forget about it." They tried to forget about the beer prices, but as soon as they arrived in ck Label, the prices started to skyrocket as if it was a promise. This was due to the short-lived Gold Vein War turning into a long-term conflict due to the upromising positions of the empire and the dwarves, which caused the issue that had lowered the beer prices to fade, and the suppressed prices to rise again. "Is this... even possible?" Upon arriving in ck Label and checking the beer prices with the locals, Bob was dumbfounded. Just a few days ago, the beer prices had been stagnant, but now they had jumped threefold overnight. "Is, is this crazy? It''s just beer, after all. But why is the price going up?" The 120-fold price they had settled on was already insane, and now the beer prices had jumped to 360 times. "It seems Sam was right. The prolonged war caused the beer prices to skyrocket again." "No, no matter what, that''s not it. The price is crazy, and people are still buying it? Are all these people shot in the head?" What Bob couldn''t understand the most was this. "We raised the price through spection, so I understand that. But if the dwarves don''t buy at that price, it''s over, right? And yet they still raise the beer prices?" "The beer prices have risen not only in the empire but also across the continent. I mean, honestly, because of people like us, beer has be extremely scarce." "That''s true, but... still, this isn''t right." Bob couldn''t help but shake his head. "It''s too expensive. At this rate, it''s no different from alcohol brewed with gold." Bell couldn''t help but agree on this matter. "Yeah. Honestly, at that price, who would buy beer when they could just brew alcohol with gold instead?" As the price had increased threefold, Bob, whose heart was shaken, soon regained hisposure and spoke to Bell. "No, this is temporary. The price is already crazy. It''s really ridiculous to think it''ll go up even more." "That''s right. It''s ridiculous, right?" "Of course, it''s ridiculous. Let''s just ignore it and live our lives while doing what we need to do. We''ve already made a ridiculous 120-fold profit, right? That''s enough. We can livefortably from now on." "I think so too. How much more can it go up? It won''t go up by much." "Right. It''s definitely a bubble. Let''s ignore it, forget about it, and move on." That''s what they said, but... They were sick to their stomachs every day as the beer prices soared. Before long, the price of beer showed a phenomenon of jumping up to 700 times the original price, and now beer could secure a position as a kind of faith. Even among nobles, beer became a measure of wealth in the empire, to the point where they were distinguished by those who could drink it and those who couldn''t. "700 times... what is this..." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 160 (2) Chapter 160 (2) Every day was a series of miracles. Just looking at the soaring beer prices, there were people talking about it. "Seriously, 700 times... just buying a single can of beer is hoarding. Who would have thought that the price of beer would go up 700 times?" At a pub they frequented. When someone said that, Bell and Bob, who were drinking, couldn''t help but think about it. What they sold was at 120 times the price. But now, the insane price has reached 700 times and is still showing signs of going up. "This doesn''t seem crazy." Bob said, and Bell started talking about something he had heard somewhere. "It seems that there are nobles who buy at that 700 times price. Anyway, won''t the price of beer keep going up as long as the war continues?" "Does that make sense?" "It doesn''t. Honestly, dwarves can''t wage war without beer, but how can people like us ept that?" "Ah... if I had known this, I wouldn''t have sold it to Sam, I should have just held on." "Yeah, that''s right. That''s the right thing to do." Then the two secretly overheard a conversation between two customers talking about beer next to them. "Hey, did you hear that the price of beer has gone up again?" "Now rum has be apletelymon drink. Who would have thought that ordinary beer would be a high-ss drink that even nobles can''t drink?" "Even nobles can''t drink it unless they''re royalty or dukes?" "That''s only for a penny or two." "Honestly, even the nobles wouldn''t have known that beer would be like this, right?" "By the way, is it the Rothsmedici family or something that has monopolized the beer?" "Oh, I heard that story too." "They say that the reason the price of beer keeps going up is because that family is buying it all up. I need to check if it''s true, but anyway, the price of beer will only go up. It doesn''t seem strange to go down." "Even though it''s a crazy price..." "Rich noblewomen are said to even bathe in beer." "Wow, bathing in it? How much money do you need to do that?" "People like us can''t even dream of it." "Ah... if I had known this, I should have definitely bought a can of beer, damn it." Bob, who had been listening to their conversation, put down the drink he was holding and looked at Bell nearby. "Hey." It seemed like a determined feeling. Bell expressed his doubts. "Why are you suddenly like that?" "We have beer." "Yeah." "I think it''s going to go up more." "What? What did you just say?" "I think it''s going to go up more." When he said it would go up even more from a 700-fold increase. Bell thought Bob was crazy. "What will you do if it falls?" But Bob didn''t say it without thinking. "That''s not important. The price of beer has never fallen in the first ce." "It happened once." "No, did it really fall? It just adjusted for a moment. And do we have anyone around us who has beer? It''s all monopolized by the Rothsmedici family, and until that family releases the beer they have, the price of beer will never fall." "Will it go up more from here?" "It was already a crazy price, but it went up more, didn''t it? Trust me. It will go up more than it is now." "Then what do we do? We''re already here." "What do we do? What do you mean what do we do? We have to go back to that pub in Montefeltro territory. The hoarders must be all fighting there." At Bob''s determination, Bell pondered for a moment. Whether Bob''s choice was right. Or if he was thinking wrong. "Yeah, it went up more than 5 times the crazy price. Honestly, it''s not strange for it to go up more from here." Bell finished thinking and began nodding. "Right. I also think the price of beer will go up more than it is now. Think about it, there''s no beer around, right? And the dwarves can''t give up thatnd. Then it''s definitely a long-term battle. Can they continue fighting without beer?" "That''s why beer will definitely be valuable. Even if they don''t like it, they have no choice but to buy beer at that price. It''s the dwarves." "Right, that''s true. In a way, the Rothsmedici family might have monopolized beer knowing that." "It was said to be thergest gold mining area on the continent. The Gold Vein War will never end easily. The price of beer will definitely go up. And the dwarves will definitely buy it at that crazy price. They will make up for their losses by digging out gold mines anyway. It''s thergest gold mining area on the continent." "Right. If we were wrong, the price of beer would have plummeted already." "Let''s go! To Montefeltro territory." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 161 (1) Chapter 161 (1) That evening. Quickly packing their bags, the two rode the luxurious carriage they had acquired as a symbol of their newfound wealth, leaving ck Label with full speed. And a few dayster. When they arrived at a tavern in the Montefeltro region. Beer was actively being traded at a price that had risen 900 times. The price had gone so insane that even St. Johan seemed to give up. Yet the fact that people were still buying it meant that there was still room for the beer prices to rise further. "See? Wasn''t I right? I told you it would go up even more, didn''t I?" "Yeah, you were right again. It did go up." The two didn''t find it odd that the beer price had risen 900 times higher than before. Rather, they thought the price would rise even more, but never thought it would go down. "Let''s buy as much as we can. If we leave it, the price will rise again." "Sam''s over there." "Sam?" Unlike the two, Sam had been feeling extreme fear due to the skyrocketing beer prices and had been agonizing for days, eventually deciding to sell everything at a price that had risen 900 times. "Hey, Sam! Are you selling beer this time?" "Yes, it''s been a while." Sam didn''t know why the two hade back. There were still many spectors willing to pay extra to buy beer at such a crazy price. Continuing to hope for even higher prices. ''Could they really think the price would go up even more from here?'' Of course, it could go up more. It had been doing so until now. But even the dwarves were rational beings. No matter how cursed the beer was, this price was the highest they could ept. Buying beer at this price? ''At this price, the dwarves might give up on the war, right?'' "Do you really think you''ll buy it?" At Sam''s question, Bob confidently nodded. "Of course! When has the beer price ever gone down? It''s always been going up." The beer price, which had skyrocketed through the ceiling and went straight to the moon, had given everyone the belief that it would never fall, just like faith. "Seeing that there are still people trying to buy at this price, the beer price will go up even more." "I do think it''ll go up more, but... I have a lot of stock right now, so I want to sell it first." From Bob''s perspective, Sam was a coward. ''Tsk, tsk, that''s why you can''t make money.'' "Then give it to us. We''ll buy as much as we can." If a fool was willing to buy at a higher price, why would Sam refuse? "Alright, let''s do that." So, Sam was able to ''Exit'' from the hellish tavern after selling all of his beer barrels to the spectors, including the two. Someone once said. Buying is a skill, and selling is an art. ''I sold it well. Don''t look back even if the price goes up.'' Having freed himself from the curse of beer that had been suppressing him, Sam nced back at the spectors who were struggling to be even richer in the hellish pit. ''I have a principle. I never buy something I''ve sold once. I must always remember this.'' Even if the beer price goes up more than it is now. Even if it hurts. Sam swore to the tavern that he would never buy beer again, ording to his principles. ''Well, good luck. I''m out of here.'' Adios. * * * Rockefeller, who had started a beer business with Priest Peter in the Montefeltro Diocese, found out that his family member and younger brother Joshua had ventured into beer hoarding. ''It seems Joshua has a talent for this kind of thing.'' If hoarding or monopolizing supplies was sessful, it was natural that beer prices would skyrocket. ''Besides, I have thergest supply chain, so if I do it right, beer prices could rise to an absurd level.'' Rockefeller never imagined that beer prices would rise 900 times higher than before. And when it reached 900 times, Rockefeller was engulfed in an inexplicable sense of anxiety. For now, beer prices were soaring, but that was only for a moment. ''Once the enthusiasm breaks, it will tumble down just as much as it has risen. I don''t know what the trigger will be, but this is dangerous.'' So, Rockefeller hurriedly met with Joshua to dispose of the monopolized beer. Joshua didn''t know why his older brother hade to see him after such a long time. "What brings you here? Don''t tell me it''s about the beer?" Rockefeller nodded. "I heard the news. You''re monopolizing all the empire''s beer, right?" "Of course. I lost to you, Rockefeller, in the Totem War, but not this time. You know the current beer price, right?" He didn''t want to me it, but the problem was the beer price that had gone so insane that even Lord Johan had gone on a trip. "Joshua, don''t you think the beer price has risen too much?" "What''s wrong with it rising? It''s a good thing." Who wouldn''t know that it''s good for the price to rise? The problem was the exit. Buying was a skill, but selling had to be an art, right? Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 161 (2) Chapter 161 (2) "Of course, it''s good when it rises. But as you said before, there''s nothing in this world that keeps rising. If you were at the stock exchange, you''d know what I''m trying to say, right? Everything has a peak." "Of course, I know that. So, you''re saying the current price is the peak?" "No one knows the peak. But it can be influenced by someone." At Rockefeller''s words, Joshua expressed doubt. "Who''s going to influence that?" Rockefeller just nced at Joshua without answering. "Think about it. Who can determine that?" After a moment of contemtion, Joshua btedly realized it was them. "Is it me? And Rockefeller?" Rockefeller gave a light nod. "For now, yes. But there may be other factors that determine the peak. Like if the dwarves suddenly withdraw from the war and return to their home country. Or if the dwarves can get enough beer from somewhere else. There are many other factors, but the most influential among them is us." Joshua, who had been scratching his chin, took Rockefeller''s arrival as a signal. Now it''s time to stop running and slowly get out. ''We''ve raised it 900 times. Well, this isn''t so much raising as it is...'' "Will there be another event like this in the history of the empire? Like beer jumping 900 times?" At Joshua''s question, Rockefeller shook his head calmly. "That''s unlikely. Beer at 900 times?" The current beer price was enough to make Rockefeller tilt his head. "Joshua, of course this price is our creation, but haven''t you thought that it''s a bit too much?" "Well, it''s excessive, but it''s not bad, right?" "It depends on whether we can quietly get out. The important thing is us. We must never lose." Rockefeller had never dreamed that there would be such a bubble in beer while carrying out this beer business. ''You can never know what will happen in the world.'' "Let''s wrap things up and start tidying up. This is enough, and it will take quite some time to release the supply we have to the market." Joshua began to agree with the suggestion to slowly dispose of the beer. The price of beer had risen too much. "But how do you want me to dispose of it? If we dump all our supply at once, the price of beer will copse." At that, Rockefeller reacted. "That''s why we have to gently let go, like appeasing a child. That way, there won''t be a copse." The current beer price was soaring. If they release the supply here, it would be difficult to rise further. "Now, if we release our supply, the beer price will be maintained at a reasonable level, as I said before. It may drop sharply at some point, though." "Then we just have to raise the price to revive the market and sell again." Joshua expressed one concern. "But if we sell like that, we won''t be able to dispose of all our supply at the current price, right?" "Of course not. We''re different from ordinary people. We can''t sell all of our stockpiled goods at that price." "So what do we do?" "What do you mean? We still have to pass it on. We''re profiting anyway." If the price had been reasonable, they would have been able to control the dwarves with beer. But holding beer at this crazy price was no different from holding a bomb. "The important thing is how much we''ve earnedpared to the amount we''ve invested. Since the beer price has risen 900 timespared to the past, even if we can dispose of everything at half the price, 450 times, we''re still profiting." "Are you telling me not to think about 900 times?" "Of course. If we can sell all our supply at the current market price, that would be divine. But realistically, we can''t. If we release arge amount of supply, the beer price will either be t or copse at worst. And if there''s no supply, it''s over." "Hmm... That makes sense." "First, since the market is good, release as much supply as possible and when the price seems to drop, buy back to revive it a little." "Do you mean just revive the price? Not buy back?" "Right. Just give a slight rebound." The following words were the key. "That way, the fools who think of themselves as spectors will eagerly take the beer we have at that price. There was a good example before. Remember when the beer price dropped significantly? Those were the early days." "There was a time like that. I was scared at the time. I never thought the beer price would drop by half." "Since there''s such a good example, people will be easy to deceive. Even if the price drops more than half from this price, if we give a slight rebound, the fools will continue to stick." Rockefeller emphasized his next words. "Never miss those fools and gently, like appeasing a child, pass on all the supply." Joshua nodded, seeming to understand. "Got it. So, starting now, we''re going to dispose of all the beer?" "Sell it slowly. Don''t throw it all at once." "You should sell slowly too." "I''m fine even if I can''t sell it. I can boil and steam dwarves with that, so it''s okay. Just do well. Honestly, the inted beer price is your work, not mine, right?" Joshua couldn''t deny that. "That''s true." "Anyway, get out well. No matter how we get out at this price, it''s definitely a profit, but it''s better to earn more for the family, right? Isn''t it?" "Of course!" Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 162 (1) Chapter 162 (1) Bel and Bob were only happy for a few days after investing all their wealth into beer, the price of which had risen 900 times its original value. For a few days, the beer price, which had soared up to 1,000 times its original value, seemed to have met resistance and fluctuated around 900 times its original value. Belined about the stagnant beer price. "Why isn''t it going up all of a sudden? The beer price was going up well, and now it''s hesitating?" Bob was also dissatisfied with the stagnant beer price. "Is someone releasing a supply somewhere? It should keep going up to be normal." Bob looked around the quiet bar. It used to be crowded with nobles who came to buy beer. "Come to think of it, I haven''t seen any nobles for a few days. Where did they all go? The current price is still worth targeting." "Maybe something happened? Like the dwarves suddenly retreating their army." "No way. The dwarves aren''t stupid enough to give up this goldennd and leave. Right?" "Yeah, that''s true." "Let''s find out what''s going on first. I don''t know why it''s so frustrating when it looks like it''s going to keep going up." After finishing their conversation, the two met with other spectors in the bar and exchanged information. They didn''t know much, but one of them shared a story he had heard from outside. "The Rothsmedici family started selling beer?" "They seem to be releasing it little by little. That''s probably why the nobles went there." "Ah... I was wondering why the price wasn''t going up." The spector who shared the news continued. "They probably won''t sell all of it. But it seems like there won''t be any increase in beer prices for a while. It would be strange if the beer price kept going up while they were selling it." "True. If there''s a supply, the price can only be maintained." "But I''m curious. Why are they selling the beer now?" "They might think it went up too much. But the Rothsmedici family would know too. That it''ll go up again someday." "This beer, not only the dwarves but also the imperial nobles have a huge demand. Just thinking about the nobles I know, the beer price won''t drop that easily." "Looking at the fact that the price is maintained even though the Rothsmedici family is selling beer, it must be true. I think so too." "Anyway, that''s it. I heard it from someone I know, so it''s almost certain." After finishing their conversation, Bob went to find Bel. "Hey, I found out why the beer price isn''t going up." "What happened?" "The Rothsmedici family is selling beer." "What? The Rothsmedici family is selling beer?" "Yeah, I don''t know why they''re selling it, but it''s not strange for them to sell it. The beer price has gone up a lot in the first ce." At that, Bel expressed his concern. "Do we have to sell too? I mean, the Rothsmedici family has almost all the beer." "Hey, they''re only selling a portion of it. They won''t sell all of it, will they?" "Still, the nobles are eager to buy from each other." "Even if the Rothsmedici family sells, other nobles will take the beer. And they''ll raise the price again. Let''s just watch for now." Bel decided to agree with Bob''s decision for now. "Alright. Let''s just go with what you said for now." A few days passed, and the beer price eventually dropped to 700 times its original value due to oversupply in the market. As the beer price continued to drop, the only thing that increased was their alcohol consumption. Bob, who had been sighing deeply, said to Bel, "How much stock do they have that they still can''t dispose of it and the price keeps dropping?" "How much loss is this? Should we just get out of here?" At that, Bob raised his voice. "No way! How can we cut our losses here! Beer will go up again if we just wait a little." "Will it go up again?" "Did you already forget? It went down to half its value and then soared again." Bob continued, pounding his chest. "I really want to cry just thinking about that time. We should''ve held on no matter what. Why did we panic and sell?" Bel could sympathize with that. If they hadn''t sold and had held on back then, they would be even richer than Sam by now. "Ah... that''s right. We should''ve held on no matter what back then. We panicked and suffered a loss for no reason." "So this time, let''s not panic and just hold on. From what I''ve heard, this war won''t end overnight. It''s still going on. Does it make sense to sell beer here?" "Well... if we just wait a little, the dwarves will run out of beer and buy beer from everywhere. Then the price will skyrocket again." "Now it''s a bit down, but when the reboundes, it''ll go 2 times, 3 times in no time." "I know. Of course, when the reboundes, the beer price will go to the moon." "So let''s just hold on no matter what." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or till the end with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 162 (2) Chapter 162 (2) A few more days passed, and the beer price dropped to 600 times its original value. It was almost cut in half. Then, several spectors who had been waiting for the beer price to rise in the bar began to waver. Is this going to end in a crash? Bel and Bob were no exception. Bel, who had be anxious, said to Bob. "We can still save more than half if we sell now. Are you going to keep it?" "Let''s just stay still for a bit. It went down more than half before and then went up. This is definitely a fake. It''s a fake." "But what if it really goes down while we''re waiting? Honestly, the beer price didn''t make sense." "Hey, it was the same back then. It was a crazy price back then too. But what happened? Did it eventually go up, or did it go down?" Well... it did go up. We can hold on even if half of it is gone, so let''s just wait and see. Unable to break Bob''s determination, Bel reluctantly agreed. Alright, since it hase to this. Let''s go all the way, like you said. And so, a few more days passed. Surprisingly, just as they had hoped, the plummeting beer prices suddenly began to skyrocket. The wealthy Rothsmedici family, who had been selling beer like crazy, suddenly began to buy it inrge quantities. As a result, even the taverns, which had no one but beer sellers, saw aristocratsing in to buy beer again, and this nted an absurd belief in everyone who had bought beer that the price would only go up. See? What did I say? As the beer prices that had dropped to 500 times their original value recovered to around 800 times, Bob''s voice regained its strength. Didn''t I tell you it would go up if I held on? I said it would definitely go up if I held on. Since reality proved him right, Bel, who had been urging Bob to sell the beer for several days, had nothing to say. Just as Bob had said, by holding on and holding on, the copsed beer prices were already returning to their previous levels. Alright, I was wrong. I''ll only trust your words from now on. That''s why I told you it would work if I held on. Just wait and see. It''ll break the highest price soon and set a new record. At that moment, Bel suddenly had a question. Just how high would the price of that mere beer go? It''s amazing when you think about it. It''s just beer, right? But now, even wealthy aristocrats can''t buy it, and it''s be a drink made of gold. Hey, you. A drink made of gold? Even if there was a drink made of gold, beer is the best. Beer is faith! That day, when they even made the absurd statement that beer is faith, was theirst day to escape from hell. From that day on, for some unknown reason, beer prices began to slowly drop again. However, despite the price changes, neither the spectors nor the aristocratic investors who had bought beer had any intention of selling it. They held on to their barrels of beer, along with the vain hope that the prices would rise again, and went straight to hell. How... how could this happen? The war hasn''t even started yet? The beer prices, which had soared up to 1,000 times their original value, had nowpletely copsed, returning to normal levels. Bel and Bob, who had be beggars in an instant,y down on the floor of the tavern in a daze. All around them were people who had made huge investments like them, only to be ruined by the great scam called the beer bubble. Some evenmitted suicide by pointing their self-defense guns at their heads. How could this happen? Bel had no words. Even though they had seen the beer prices plummet. Because of the hope that they would rise again someday, and because of their faith in Bob and beer. In the end, they did nothing. What do we do now? We''repletely broke. Sigh... Bob, who had been sighing, looked around. He saw spectors who, like him, had been utterly ruined. Just a month ago, they were shouting, ''Let''s go for beer!'' ''We''repletely ruined. Completely... ruined.'' Everyone in the tavern, including the two of them, seemed to have lost the will to live. Then, as time passed, the old customers who had been absent for a while began to return to the tavern. And they called the tavern owner and ordered beer for the first time in a long while. Ah, I can''t believe I haven''t tasted this in so long. The man who had tasted beer in the tavern for the first time in a while frowned at the pathetic people lying on the floor. It''s because of those guys that I couldn''t drink this beer. Serves them right. I don''t get it. What was all the fuss about this? I really don''t understand. When they thought about it, what they had invested in was just beer, a favorite amongmoners. It''s just beer. It''s not even a drink made of gold. How could it have jumped a thousand times its value? It''s just a bunch of crazy people causing a ruckus. At that, one of the spectors who had been lying on the floor got up and approached the man who had just spoken. You have a big mouth. What''s it to you? What''s the matter? The nameless customer, who hadn''t been able to drink beer because of them, was also angry. The burly man also stood up and red at the man who had approached him. Did I say anything wrong? I couldn''t drink my favorite beer because of you guys, and I had to drink rum, which I didn''t even like! How would you feel, huh? You deserve to fail! You son of a... You''re talking nonsense because it''s not your business! You''re going to die today! Who''s scared? Bring it on, you bastard! Soon, the fight between the two turned the quiet tavern into aplete mess. In the midst of all this, the dazed Bel and Bob could only sigh deeply as they thought about their entire fortune that had vanished in an instant. If they hadn''t rushed over from ck Label that day... By now, they would be living a rich life. Sigh... Life. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 163 (1) Chapter 163 (1) After the Great Cataclysm, a massive gold vein was discovered in the Montefeltro territory, and the news spread across the continent. There was a race that reacted most sensitively to the news. They were the former rulers of the Montefeltro territory and the race that loved gold and beer the most - the dwarves. The dwarves were displeased when they heard that a huge gold vein had suddenly been discovered in thend they had abandoned, and various rumors began to circte among them. If it had been and taken from them by the empire or willingly handed over, there would be no such talk, but thatnd had been left alone because they had found it too troublesome to manage. In other words, it was abandonednd. On thatnd, the empire suddenly arrived and nted its g without asking for permission. At the time, the dwarves were too busy dealing with the disputes of the three kingdoms and had no time to look after thend they had neglected. If there had been a gold vein, they would have managed it somehow. But since it wasn''t such and, they left it alone. Now, time has passed, and the empire has effective control over thatnd, and from the dwarves'' point of view, it is and that the empire has upied without permission. Thunderspire Mountains. A ce where thunder constantly struck, and one of the three dwarven kingdoms was located. In the royal fortress located there, Gold King Grom Stark was furious upon hearing the news about the Montefeltro territory. "A gold vein was found there?" The dwarven soldier who had delivered the news bowed his head, kneeling on one knee. "Yes, that''s what they say." "That used to be ournd" Grom Stark, gripping his long beard, frowned, and his loyal subordinate, Orin, who had been close by, spoke up. He was Grom Stark''s faithful follower and had been the one to supply beer to the empire in ce of Grom Stark during the past Totem War. "Currently, the empire is effectively controlling it. But if you think about it, we never handed over thatnd to them." Grom Stark spoke with a grim expression. "Why did a gold vein appear there? Wasn''t it a deadnd?" "After the Great Cataclysm, there were significant changes in the terrain there, and it seems that the hidden gold vein was exposed." "This is a headache." Thend they once called the Azrak Goldmine was now effectively controlled by the empire. They could go and start a quarrel, but humans, unlike the noble elves, were a race that went mad for gold just like them, so it didn''t seem like the situation would be easily resolved. "They won''t just give it back if we ask, will they?" At that, Orin shook his head. "It will be difficult. The humans love gold just as much as we do." "" Grom Stark pondered for a moment with a grim expression before raising his voice. "We can''t just give it up like this. It used to be ournd." "Indeed, we never gave thatnd to the humans. They just took thend we neglected." As much as the humans were crazy about gold, so were the dwarves. "No, we can''t give it up. If it were just any othernd, it wouldn''t matter how it turned out. But this is different." Orin agreed with the king''s words, but it didn''t seem like the humans would back down easily. "It''s true, but the humans don''t seem like they''ll give it up easily." Grom Stark. He was the King of the dwarves, the one who breathed thunder. His mana vibrated the surrounding air, and a massive lightning bolt struck the top of the royal fortress. Following the thunderous sound that shook the fortress, Grom Stark, with his eyes flickering, rose from his throne and raised his voice. "Tell the Emperor of the empire this. If they don''t kindly return thend that once belonged to us, our long-standing alliance will be shaken." A few dayster. As the representative of the delegation, Orin visited the empire and met with Christian Constantin, who had recently been enthroned as the new emperor. At the meeting, Orin, who showed respect, ryed the words of the master of the Thunderspire Mountains. Upon hearing this, the emperor and many nobles began to buzz loudly. To return the Montefeltro territory, which could potentially be the empire''s source of money, to the dwarves was a shock to them. Amidst the buzzing, the emperor raised his voice towards the representative of the delegation. "That is not possible. Thatnd has been under our effective control for a long time. Although you may have been the owners of thend in the past, it is now strictly an imperial territory. And you ask for it to be returned." Orin stood his ground. "We dwarves have never once given thatnd to the humans. So, it''s no different than saying that humans are upying ournd without permission." At the words of the delegation representative, the nobles began to buzz again. It seemed that the dwarves hade prepared. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or till the end with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 163 (2) Chapter 163 (2) As the emperor hesitated, not knowing what to say to persuade them, Rockefeller, who had been watching, stepped forward. "You''re making outrageous ims." At his words, everyone''s eyes were focused on him. Of course, Orin recognized him as well. He remembered buying beer from him in the past. "Ah, you are" "It''s been a long time." "Why are you here? You used to be" "Back then, yes. Now, I am the Minister of Finance of the empire." "Minister? That''s a high position, isn''t it?" "Yes, it is. It''s quite high. And I am also the emperor''s only financial advisor." "Financial advisor?" Orin tried to recall his name. ''Yes, that''s right!'' "Rockefeller Rothsmedici! Yes, that was the name." Rockefeller sent a deep smile to Orin, who clearly remembered his name. "I''m d you still remember my name." "I could never forget that name. Especially not when you, obsessed with money, are involved. How could I forget you?" "First, I''d like to thank you for that. It could have been a passing acquaintance, but you still remember my name." Orin''s expression changed as soon as he faced Rockefeller. There was definitely no good event when they were entangled back then. ''What trick is he trying to pull now?'' "Yes, you would know if you were on thatnd. Thatnd belongs to us dwarves. It''s thend you humans are upying without permission." Rockefeller shook his head outright. "That''s not true. On the contrary, it is strictly imperialnd, and you are the ones causing trouble bying to us." Rockefeller asked. "Let me ask you one thing. If there was nothing on thatnd, would you havee this far?" "No, I wouldn''t." "Then why are you iming the rights to thatnd now? Wasn''t it abandoned anyway?" "Well..." The watching nobles began to whisper again. Rockefeller was right. "Why are you making a fuss over abandonednd now? Dwarves are a bit strange. We were taking good care of thend you abandoned, and now that gold is found on thatnd, you want us to hand it over?" "It was originally ournd." "Then let me ask you again. Are we idiots?" Orin was at a loss for words at the direct question. He himself was a dwarf, so there was no reason not to speak harshly. That guy was even worse than him. "What?" "I''ll repeat what I said. Are we some kind of idiots? To be robbed of what we have. Especially when it''s and with gold." "Ugh..." When Orin couldn''t say anything, The dwarves who followed him began to whisper in his ear to help. "If we back down here, it''s war. The king will surely do so." "We need to scare the humans a bit." "Stand strong. We have nothing to lose, right? No matter what they say, thatnd is originally ours." Orin regained his strength and raised his voice. "Still, the fact that you upied thend without giving it to us doesn''t change." "upying without permission? We simply took thend that had no rightful owner." "We never gave it up." "That''s what you dwarves think. We absolutely don''t think so. And most importantly, we are the ones in effective control, and if you cross thatnd, we will consider it a challenge to the empire." The Emperor remained silent, and the Prime Minister did not blink an eye, saying everything he had to say. Orin, who lost his senses, found the Emperor. "Is Your Majesty of the same opinion? The Prime Minister keeps talking, but isn''t this country ultimately Your Majesty''s will?" However, the Emperor''s thoughts were not much different from Rockefeller''s. ''I can''t just give up such a goodnd like this.'' Even if the real owner of thend was the Rothsmedici family, As long as it was imperialnd, the royal family was only gaining from collecting taxes. Moreover, it was and where gold was found, so the taxes alone would be enormous. The Emperor had no intention of backing down either. "I cannot give up thatnd. My will is the same as that of the Minister, so go and tell your king. The empire will never bow to the threat of the dwarves." Rockefeller smiled lightly in response. ''It would be strange to just hand over such a valuablend. If the royal family thinks about the taxes that wille from there, they definitely can''t give it up, no matter what.'' He knew it all along, but Rockefeller was able to confirm it here. War with the dwarves. It was an inevitable fate that couldn''t be avoided. ''Let theme if they will. Everything is prepared anyway.'' "Your Majesty has said so. Do you have anything more to say?" Orin clenched his teeth. He had tried to intimidate them, but these humans were not scared. ''It seems that we dwarves are being taken lightly. Have we ever had a major conflict with them before?'' They were the ones who had been active in the Totem War. ''It will be as troublesome as the orcs.'' "Since it''s Your Majesty''s will, I will go and tell our king. But you must remember this. We dwarves will never yield when ites to gold." The Emperor could sense that their rtionship with the dwarves would be strained, but he couldn''t give up thend easily either. It was a determination made in this ce. ''I never thought we''d be at odds with the dwarves like this.'' What was it about that gold? ''No, gold is important to us too.'' "The empire will never bow to any threat. If you have confirmed our will, go and tell your king. The empire has absolutely no intention of retreating from thatnd." Since the Emperor said so, Orin had no choice but to leave empty-handed. Thus, Orin returned to the Thunder Mountain Range and conveyed to his king, Grom Stark, everything he had heard from the imperial emperor. Then, with a thunderous roar, Grom Stark, who rose from the throne, informed the start of the Gold Vein War by looking for the other two dwarf kings. "Go and tell the kings of the two mountain ranges! Ournd has been taken by humans. It''s time to reim what''s rightfully ours." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 164 (1) Chapter 164 (1) Early release for the weekend, enjoy! After the dwarven delegation left, the Emperor called for his financial advisor, who also held a personal rtionship with him. In contrast to their public roles, the Emperor treated the advisor with a hint of respect in private settings. This was the Emperor''s courtesy to someone who had recognized his position in the empire. "Do you think the dwarves will give up easily? What''s your opinion?" "As I mentioned before, a war with the dwarves is inevitable. It''s bound to happen." "It does seem that way." The Emperor recalled the dwarven delegation that had left with a scowl. ''If they consider our long-standing alliance, there might be a chance to avoid war... but if it''s a conflict of interests intertwined with gold, it''s probably going to be difficult. War seems unavoidable.'' "So, it''s a war. As you know, we''ve had the Crown War, and myte elder brother left behind various issues, so the imperial family currently doesn''t have the resources to wage a full-scale war against the dwarves." The Emperor continued with a deep sigh. "But we can''t give up thatnd easily either. It''s quite a headache." "You don''t need to worry too much about the money." "Are you nning to support all of it?" The advisor, Rockefeller, smiled faintly. "Even if our guild and family are the wealthiest in the empire, we can''t be richer than a nation''s royal family. Even if we help to some extent, there will be limits." The Emperor raised a question. "What do you mean? Didn''t you say earlier that we don''t have to worry?" "Of course. That''s why I''m going to propose another suggestion." The Emperor listened intently to what he had to say. "Please, go ahead." "First of all, there are two ways for a nation to fill its financial gaps." The Emperor opened his mouth, recalling one method. "Two... I know at least one. War. My elder brother always provoked wars, plundered and stole what others had. The imperial family, which worships martial arts, also considered war as a virtue. When in financial need, the empire always preyed on weaker enemies." Rockefeller nodded in agreement without denying it. "That''s correct. The two methods I mentioned are issuing bonds and plundering through war. However, thetter is quite an outdated idea." The Emperor quietly listened to Rockefeller''s words. "There is a way to fill the nation''s financial gap without going to war." "Are you suggesting that I issue bonds?" "Haven''t we been doing that already?" "Well, yes, but..." It wasn''t something they did frequently. Like any other noble family, the imperial family issued bonds (borrowing certificates) to banks or guilds, or other races when they needed urgent funds, receiving gold coins in return. However, since these bonds eventually came back and the imperial family didn''t want to repay them, there had always been friction between the imperial family and other powers. As a result, the imperial family began to hesitate in issuing bonds. They would rather wage war and plunder enemy territories morefortably. "I don''t really like bonds. It''s good when they''re issued, but when it''s time to repay, it always causes trouble." "Isn''t that trouble caused by not having the money to repay?" "There''s also the reluctance to repay." At that, Rockefeller spoke sternly and seriously. "But that cannot be the case with government bonds. If the nation cannot obtain the money it needs in dire situations, won''t it copse?" "I agree with that... That''s why the imperial family doesn''t really favor bonds. They think it''s better to invade enemy territories and plunder their gold morefortably." "But that''s not your way, is it?" If the First Prince had be the Emperor, plundering would have been the first method to fill the empire''s financial gaps. The First Prince was known for his love of war. "The sword pointed at others will eventually turn back to oneself, so I am also against plundering." "Then there''s only one way left." "Government bonds..." Rockefeller rxed his expression and spoke. "Fortunately, there have been no issues rted to government bonds in the empire so far. As you mentioned, the imperial family has been reluctant to issue government bonds." "Yes, I''m aware of that too. So, issuing government bonds right now shouldn''t be a problem." "Plundering is a barbaric act that even orcs would do. It''s not suitable for educated people like us." "I agree. The empire''s way of doing things needs to change." The Emperor, who had grown up under the influence of two families, was even more determined in this regard. "I want to live in a more peaceful and quiet world. At least during my reign." "Then you should issue more government bonds to cover the financial shortage." It was ridiculous to discuss the importance of the Montefeltro territory in this situation. The discovery of thergest gold vein on the continent exined everything. "So, are you suggesting that I issue arge number of government bonds?" "The risks associated with issuing government bonds can be easily resolved by winning the war. It''s very simple." "But what if we lose that war?" Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or till the end with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 164 (2) Chapter 164 (2) The Emperor continued. "Our opponents are the dwarves, who are said to be rtively wealthy on the continent. We don''t know if they will attack together or if only the Thunder Mountain Range''s owner will attack. If it''s the former, defending the Montefero territory won''t be easy." Rockefeller agreed with the fact that the dwarves were wealthy. If it had been the orcs, this conversation would have been unnecessary. If it were only those big dumb brutes, they could have been crushed by a magic tank, and that would have been it. "Perhaps this time, the dwarves will unite andunch an attack. The three dwarf kings may not get along well, but they have always moved together for the benefit of their race as a whole. We may not know it, but they will likely form an alliance by agreeing to split the golding from the Montefeltro territory into three equal parts." All the despicable dwarves united and attacking? As someone who knew a fair amount about dwarves, the Emperor found it hard to imagine such a difficult situation. "Is that really going to happen? From what I know, they don''t get along well..." "Why not? It''s a well-known fact that dwarves are obsessed with gold." "Still, they have... deep-rooted hatreds intertwined with each other." "But that hatred can also be momentarily overshadowed by dazzling gold." "It''s hard for me to anticipate as someone who knows dwarves well." "Trust me. They will definitely unite and attack. But if we can''t stop such an alliance from the beginning, the Montefeltro territory will fall into their hands in an instant. Then, it will take a considerable sacrifice to reim thatnd." The Emperor pondered for a moment. No matter how much he thought about it, he didn''t like the idea of the three dwarf kingdoms joining forces. However, as Rockefeller spoke so strongly, the Emperor began to doubt his own thoughts. ''It could be possible. If there''s gold, then...'' "What should we do then? Should we issue arge number of government bonds and prepare for war?" Rockefeller immediately responded to his question. "This is an all-out war. Knowing that the enemy will attack, should you hesitate? Issue government bonds first and use the money to assemble an army and send them to the Montefeltro territory. I will also personally request the Pope to see if we can get the support of the church." The Emperor knew the church only cared for itself more than the empire. There was no significant benefit to the church even if gold was discovered in the empire''snd. Would they really help? So he asked Rockefeller about it. "Would the church help? It''s not theirnd even if there''s gold." "I have already established a new diocese there. So the Pope would not neglect the new diocese. Also, my rtionship with the Pope is still good. Why do you think he would refuse to help?" "If the Pope''s army helps again?" "There''s no need for you to worry about it. Since I''m the one requesting it, even if the Pope makes a fusster, it''s a matter I requested, so why would he say anything to you?" "In that case." The Emperor seemed convinced and nodded his head. Rockefeller spoke again. "The Montefeltro territory must be defended at all costs for me, the empire, and you. So please don''t treat this as someone else''s problem and wholeheartedly support me. That way, I can pay you a fair tax on a stablend, right?" "Will your wives also participate in the war?" "Of course. And Lee Han will also participate in this war. It will be a tough battle without him." "But they need a sizable army to show their prowess on the battlefield." "Then we will provide that army." The Emperor, who had been thinking about something, began to express one of his concerns. Everything was fine, but there was one thing that bothered him. "It seems like a considerable amount of money will be needed... I''m not sure if there is a power that would buy government bonds even if they were issued inrge quantities." Rockefeller knew better than anyone about the involvement of the Goblin Bank. "They exist. They absolutely do." "Who are they?" "It''s the Goblin Bank. They will definitely intervene in this war. And they will side with the empire." "The Goblin Bank... Shouldn''t we avoid issuing government bonds then?" The Emperor expressed his concern. "I don''t like being controlled by the Pope, let alone being controlled by mere goblins." "I understand your feelings. But realistically, the only power that can absorb such government bonds is the Goblin Bank." "Will the goblins really be on our side?" "It''s certain. From the Goblin Bank''s perspective, supporting the empire is an inevitable choice. The dwarves are a wealthy race and won''t need to issue government bonds, so the goblins won''t have any chance to get involved in this power struggle." "Hmm..." Seeing the Emperor pondering, Rockefeller made a suggestion. And it was a proposal the Emperor could never ept. "Since you''re going to issue government bonds, why not issue them with the intention of selling the empire? Then the Goblin Bank will definitely try to buy those bonds at any cost." The Emperor was surprised at his words. "What are you talking about? Issue government bonds with the intention of selling the empire." The Emperor frowned with displeasure and continued. "Then, if there''s a problemter, the Goblin Bank won''t stay still. They''ll have the bonds and might use that as an excuse to interfere with our internal affairs. They might even jeopardize the entire empire by meddling with our taxes." The Emperor thought it was not a good idea. "I absolutely oppose that idea. There has never been a single instance in the history of the empire where we have been shaken by goblins. It was possible because we never epted their dirty money." To such an emperor, Rockefeller slowly shook his head, letting him know that his thoughts were wrong. "Your Majesty, I have a n. This may be the only legitimate way to obtain their money." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 165 (2) Chapter 165 (2) As the goblin bank aggressively started buying up the empire''s national debt, the imperial nobles who had a problem with this went to the emperor to inform him of the dangers. "Your Majesty, the goblins are buying uprge amounts of our national debt. Although this may cover our immediate financial needs, it could be a problem when ites time for repayment." The emperor was not unaware of the problem. However, money was desperately needed to prepare for the uing war. "We need money for the war right now, so we''ll think about that partter. Or will you solve the empire''s financial problems?" "Not that, but..." "It''s good to worry about me and the empire. But I have a n. So don''t worry too much about this part." "Is that so? If Your Majesty says so..." The convinced nobles left, and the emperor recalled Rockefeller''s n. It was certainly a dangerous gamble. But from another perspective, it could be seen as a legitimate way to plunder the goblins'' money. ''Quite justifiably, indeed.'' As the goblin bank indiscriminately bought up the national debt issued by the empire, Rockefeller sought the help of the church and visited the Papal Court. No matter how special his existence was to the pope, the pope was a symbol of the church and a son of God. So, while waiting for a meeting with the pope, someone came to Rockefeller. It was Leo, the fourth in the Rothsmedici family. "Has Rockefeller hyung arrived?" As Leo politely greeted him, Rockefeller greeted Leo with a smile. "Ah, Leo. You seem to be enjoying your life here, growing stronger every day?" "Not really. It''s only because my hyung takes good care of me, nothing else." "Is that so?" Despite his age and experience, Leo held a high position in the church much earlier than expected. Chambein. Leo sat in a position that could be considered the pope''s secretary. Of course, many in the church strongly opposed the idea of a young, inexperienced priest suddenly taking a position as Chambein, second only to the pope. But his brother was the most influential person in the empire, and he had been the pope''s secretary for a long time, so the opposition quickly subsided. And most importantly, his brother was holding the church''s assets and manipting believers with the interest on their deposits, so even the most dissatisfied believer couldn''t dare to say anything. So, a young priest could sit in the position of Chambein, second only to the pope. "Anyway, it''s a position where you can learn a lot, so behave well." "Yes, Rockefeller hyung." A short timeter, Rockefeller was summoned by the pope for a meeting. "Oh, you''ve arrived? It''s great to see you after such a long time." "It''s a pleasure to see Your Holiness again as well. I''ve missed you." "Any problems?" "Well, to be honest, there is one." Rockefeller didn''te here without a reason. In a separate ce, Rockefeller began to plead for help. "Didn''t we establish a new diocese in the Montefeltro territory?" The pope nodded silently in response. "That diocese is now being threatened by external forces." The emperor could legally plunder gold from richnds in the form of taxes. So why couldn''t the church do the same? No, it couldn''t. The church could use the name of God to demand religious donations and do the same thing as the emperor, so Rockefeller wanted to emphasize this point. "I had intended to establish the diocese in that goodnd to help the church''s finances to some extent, but if things go this way, it will be difficult, won''t it? So I came here to ask for Your Holiness'' help." "The dwarves are trying to take over the Montefeltro territory, which they don''t even effectively control, with ridiculous excuses." "How dare those audacious creatures covet the sacred territory of St. John. This cannot be allowed." "Please help us, Your Holiness. We cannot let that goodnd be taken away by others, can we?" "Of course not. Don''t worry. This matter is not just the empire''s concern." The pope also knew that Rockefeller had intentionally established a diocese there. But it was still a good thing for the church. So the pope quickly made a decision. "In that case, we will send a holy army to thatnd to restore order and uphold the authority of St. John. How dare those insignificant creatures from other races even think of challenging our sacred diocese. It''s preposterous." "We will dispatch a holy army to thatnd to restore the chaotic order and uphold the authority of St. John. How dare those insignificant different races even think of encroaching on our sacred diocese. Such a ridiculous notion." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 165 (1) Chapter 165 (1) Bonus chapter thanks to @RewindThis from Ko-fi! Rockefeller''s words were enigmatic. "How can that be possible?" As the emperor expressed his doubt, Rockefeller lowered his voice and exined the method. The emperor''s expression after hearing the story was strange. Could it really happen? "Do you think that will happen?" "Anyway, the goblin bank is not a group we can just leave alone. It wouldn''t be bad to weaken them when we have a good opportunity." "Hmm..." "And if we''re going to dig, they might be interested in other ces as well. Just dig without worrying about the consequences. If you think about selling the country, quite a lot of money will be gathered." "Is this a gamble involving the country?" "Think of it positively. If you think about the power the empire has, it won''t be destroyed so easily." Gambling. The emperor didn''t like it. However, the only way to cover the financial deficit at once was what Rockefeller had said. ''Maybe this could be an opportunity.'' "Then I''ll listen to your advice and give it a try. Honestly, I don''t like the idea of gambling with the country, but if it''s an unprecedented event in the history of the continent." Is it worth trying once? The n didn''t look too bad after hearing it. "The possibility is high." "If we seed, Your Majesty will be somewhat relieved from financial problems. Usually, when a country bes unstable, it''s often due to financial issues. On the other hand, if the finances are abundant, the country can maintain a stable and peaceful rule." Rockefeller''s words continued. "What kind of empire do you want to lead, Your Majesty? A financially affluent empire or a financially impoverished one? I think you already know the answer without me asking. But to gain something, betting is always necessary. There''s nothing free in this world. Please don''t forget how you got to where you are now." After finishing the conversation with the emperor, Rockefeller went to find his younger sister Lucia before leaving the imperial pce. Lucia, who had been with the pce maids, ran and hugged Rockefeller when he arrived. "Rockefeller oppa!" "Lucia, what do you do when you suddenly do this?" "What''s wrong with it, oppa?!" "Even so, you should maintain your dignity as an imperial person." The maids stepped back, and in the ce where only Rockefeller and Lucia remained, Rockefeller wanted to ask about her married life. "Lucia, how have you beentely?" "I''m fine. How about you, oppa?" "I''m just..." Rockefeller, who had hesitated for a moment, wanted to apologize to Lucia. "Lucia, I''m really sorry for arranging your marriage without your consent." "No, not at all. I''m really happy!" "Really? Then... that''s good." He apologized just in case, but it turned out to be an unnecessary worry. Lucia was very satisfied with her married life with the emperor, and there seemed to be no problems. ''Well, I''m holding on like this. At least there will be no problems as long as my power and position are maintained.'' Even if a problem arises, Rockefeller, who knew the emperor''s temperament, didn''t worry much. ''The emperor is a kind person too.'' "Lucia." At Rockefeller''s call, Lucia looked at him with sparkling eyes. "What is it, Rockefeller oppa?" "Always be dignified as the empress of the empire. Our family doesn''t have to bow down, so just think about me and live as you please." Rockefeller really wanted to tell his youngest sister, who had unknowingly married into the royal family, to live as she pleased. "However, don''t make a mess. You know what I mean, right?" At his words, Lucia responded with the most innocent smile in the world. "Yes, I know." Since that day. The empire began to issue arge amount of national debt to prepare for a full-scale war with the dwarves. As the rumor of the empire''s issuance of national debt spread, there was movement among the big yers to buy the national debt, including the goblin bank. At the round table meeting leading the goblin bank. Goldman, wearing round sses, opened his mouth after hearing the news of the empire''s issuance of national debt. "Good. The empire has started issuing national debt as we expected." National debt is, in other words, a loan certificate, which means a debt document. Unlike other loan certificates that can be exercised at any time, national debt required a certain amount of time to repay the borrowed gold coins. And depending on the repayment period, there were short-term national debts within one year and long-term national debts that exceeded one year. The longer the borrowed period, the higher the interest rate. Thus, investors who wanted stable high returns bought long-term national debts issued by the empire. "It''s quite arge scale. The empire seems to be frightened by the uing fierce war, so they''re issuing national debt that they haven''t even issued before." Goldman''s smile deepened. "Foolishness leads to the suffering of the country." At Goldman''s words, Morgan responded. "That''s right. That''s why the country''s leader must be smart." "First of all, buy the issued national debt unconditionally, even if you have to pay a premium." "That''s how it should be. What''s the point of having national debt halfway? They''ll justugh at us." Goldman emphasized. "Then, when the national debt repayment period approaches, cause trouble so that the empire cannot repay it. Another war. Then they''ll issue national debt on their own. They''ll have to repay the issued national debt anyway, right?" What would be the end of that vicious cycle? "So, they''ll be our loyal ves, hehehe..." Goldman''s smile grew even more sinister. "They''ll spend their whole lives just printing out national debt until they die. And when they reach their limit, everything in the empire, including the Montefeltro territory, will naturally be ours." At Goldman''s words, Morgan and JPughed along. "Great n. Let''s proceed with it." "Start buying up all the national debt you can. Buy up the entire empire if possible." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or till the end with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 166 (1) Chapter 166 (1) To reim their ancestralnds, the three Dwarf kings, who were located in the three mountain ranges, gathered in one ce. The ce where continuous lightning struck was the Thunder Mountain Range, which had the closest rtionship with the empire among the three Dwarf kingdoms. Kugugung! In the midst of terrifying lightning strikes, One of the three kings opened his heavy mouth. "In the past, the Azrak Goldmine was the pride of us Dwarves." As Gold King Togk of the me Mountain Range began to sing, Gold King Hocken of the Storm Mountain Range spoke. "Gold was produced endlessly. Until the gold veins suddenly ran out. But now, humans have taken over thatnd?" Thest one to speak among the three was Gold King Grom Stark, the ruler of the Thunder Mountain Range and the organizer of this gathering. "That''s nonsense. We were the owners of thatnd in the past, and we are still the owners now." The three kings nodded their heads and decided to momentarily forget about the trivial old stories. "I know that many things haven''t been settled yet. But at least we can''t let those human bastards take our things." "I agree. The Azrak Goldmine must belong to the Dwarves in the past, present, and future." "If we reim thatnd, we''ll divide all the gold thates out of it into three equal parts." Each of the three kings said a word and looked at each other''s faces. If more words were spoken here, the three would return to a state of war without agreement. However, since no one raised an objection, The three kings reached a tacit agreement, and soon after, they each began tomand the armies they had brought. * * * The Goldmine War broke out in the Montefeltro territory following the Dwarf''s deration of war. However, there was no major chaos. Thanks to Rockefeller''s quick response, many imperial troops, including the Papal Army, had already gathered in the Montefeltro territory. Rockefeller, who arrived at the Montefeltro territory at the time the Dwarves dered war, was able to meet Andrew, the second inmand, who joined the imperial army to reim the Montefeltro territory. "Andrew! You''ve grown so much. Now anyone can say you''re an imperial officer." Andrew Rothsmedici, whom Rockefeller had not seen often since he graduated from the military academy, was now a distinguished officer. Seeing Rockefeller, Andrew quickly got off his horse and hugged him. "Rockefeller hyung! I finally see you! I''ve been so busy that I couldn''t pay attention to my family, and I''ve been worried about you for a long time." Rockefellerughed and said, "What''s there to worry about? I''m the one who''s been more worried. So, how''s military life? Is it bearable?" "I''m doing alright. But you, hyung, have really changed. I can hardly recognize you." Andrew looked at Rockefeller''s luxurious clothes, which were now fit for a nobleman. "If I had known this would happen, I would have followed Joshua and learned about the bank business under you. I regret choosing this path back then." "It''s not toote now. To be honest, I wish you would quit the dangerous military life ande here to help with the family business. It''s better to have a family member help with the work than an outsider, right?" At that, Andrew smiled and replied. "Then I''ll think about it. I thought being an officer would be fun, but it''s not that enjoyable here at the bottom." "That''s right, it''s a relief to see you looking healthy. What about Ste? Weren''t you with her?" "Oh, Ste went to see the lord. She''lle to see you with meter." "Don''t worry too much about it. You have to act like a soldier if you''re a soldier." "No, I still have to greet you at least." Afterwards, Andrew, who was talking with Rockefeller, saw the troopsing from various parts of the empire and asked Rockefeller. "By the way, are all those troops your work, Rockefeller? I''ve seen troops being mobilized while traveling through various battlefields, but I''ve never seen so many gathered like this." Andrew was amazed at the sight of even the Papal Army, realizing the power of his elder brother. "I called them all. We can''t let the Dwarves get away with dering war like this, can we?" "That''s true. But there are so many magic stone tanks. I''ve seen so many on my way here." "That''s my work too. As I mentioned in the letter, I own 50% of the magic stone tank factory." "50%... My peers would be surprised if they heard that. Having just one is enough to turn the enemy''s camp upside down, and if our family holds shares in the factory that produces them, it''s truly amazing." The imperial army couldn''t even afford that many magic stone tanks at once. In other words, the power of the Rothsmedici family was that great. "Recently, I''ve been wondering why themander has been strangely looking at me, who is nothing... But after seeing your power here, it''s quite convincing. Hahaha!" Rockefeller, who alsoughed, said the same thing as always. "That''s why I''m telling you to quit the military life ande back here. I''ll take care of you so much that you won''t be able topare it to your meager sry. You can learn the missing parts by following me, right?" "I''ll think about it. Lately, my qualifications have been bothering me, but I have to do my best until the end." "Alright, I''ll respect your choice." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or till the end with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 166 (2) Chapter 166 (2) In the middle of the conversation, Andrew seemed to remember something and asked Rockefeller for permission. "Rockefeller hyung, I think I need to leave first. I have something to do. I have to urgently gather the captains of the mercenary troops nearby by themander''s order. I think the Imperial Army will probably assign roles to the hired mercenary troops." "Alright, I understand. Let''s see each other again when we have time. Or talk to me. I can get you out of there easily." At Rockefeller''s words, all Andrew could do was smile. "You don''t have to go that far. Well, I''ll go ahead then." Andrew quickly left, and Rockefeller, who had been watching him leave, became lost in thought. ''I wish Andrew would give up his dangerous officer life ande work here...'' However, he didn''t think his brother would want to work under him. ''As a soldier, he definitely has some shorings. Our family ispletely talentless on that side.'' Nevertheless, Andrew was treated better than other officers because he was a direct subordinate of themander, and that was due to Rockefeller''s powerful influence in the empire. ''If it weren''t for me, he would have been dismissed or sent to a dangerous battlefield by now.'' Rockefeller didn''t worry too much about Andrew bing an officer because he had made various efforts to ensure Andrew''s safety. ''Anyway, it''s a relief he looks healthy.'' As the Goldmine War began and some time passed, the price of beer began to rise unexpectedly. The price of beer, which had been showing signs of skyrocketing even before the Goldmine War, soared to an unprecedented level along with the Dwarves'' propaganda. So, it was a great boon for Rockefeller, who had been nning to continue his beer business with Priest Carter. The problem was that the price of beer had risen too high. ''Who would have thought we''d encounter a beer bubble in a situation like this?'' The only bubble Rockefeller knew of was the Tulip Bubble. But who would have thought there would be a bubble in beer, of all things! It was truly surprising, but there were more than a few suspicious points. ''No matter how I look at it, something is strange. I can understand that the price of beer is rising due to limited supply, but there''s absolutely no reason for the price to jump this much...'' So, after looking into it from various angles, he found out that his brother Joshua was buying up beer indiscriminately. And he was doing so whilepeting with some other force. ''I can understand Joshua buying beer, but...'' Joshua was aggressively buying up beer, which wasn''t a big problem for Rockefeller. After all, thanks to Joshua, his beer business was thriving. However, the problem was that there was another giant force buying up beer on an evenrger scale than Joshua. ''Who the hell are these people? Who on earth...'' So, through his wife and the intelligence of the Ismail family, he secretly investigated those who were buying uprge quantities of beer besides Joshua. And the result was truly shocking. My goodness! He never would have thought that they would be involved. ''It''s truly surprising.'' Only then did Rockefeller understand why the price of beer had risen so absurdly. It was partly due to Joshua, but in the end, they had also yed a significant role. ''They really do anything that makes money.'' * * * The Goblin Bank, which had bought up almost all of the bonds issued by the empire, began to take an interest in an intriguing event that had urred in the empire before the outbreak of the Goldmine War. It was the soaring price of beer. The beer they knew was nothing more than a cheap, popr food enjoyed by humans, dwarves, and a few other races. But now the price of that beer had risen to an unbelievable level. "Did you hear about that? The price of beer has risen incredibly." There had been people who had profited from the beer business during the Totem War with the dwarves, and it seemed that someone was now hoarding beer using that as a model. "Is that true? The price of beer has risen that much?" "It''s amazing. But even so, it''s just beer. No matter how much it rises, how much could it possibly be? Right?" "Still, it''s risen quite a bit. Look, this is how much the price of beer has risen." "Hehe..." It was an unbelievable figure. An unprecedented event in the history of the continent. "Is this even possible? This is just beer, after all." "But the risen price doesn''t lie." "It seems that some people in the empire are hoarding arge amount of it, causing the price to rise like this." As the beer talk went back and forth, someone brought up the idea. "Hey, if we do this right, the price of beer could rise even more. Since it''se to this, why don''t we buy some up and give them a taste of it?" "Give who a taste?" "Who else? The fools who are investing in this beer craze." As Morgan chuckled, JP and Goldman began to smile as well. "True, there hasn''t been a single thing we''ve touched that didn''t work out." "There''s no one richer than us in this world. If they sell, we just have to grab it all and raise the price even more." It would have been impossible for anyone else. But for them, nothing was impossible. They were the richest on the continent, after all. "How about meddling with beer while we''re dealing with bonds? Not just the beer in the empire, but buying up all the beer held by elves and other races as well. Then we can control the price." "That''s a good idea. I''m in favor of it. We need to show those foolish humans the bitter taste of beer. Hehehe." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 167 (1) Chapter 167 (1) As Goblin Bank began to absorb all the beer on the continent, those who had hoarded beer in the empire to profit from the price difference were in utter chaos. The soaring beer prices made them dream sweet dreams. But was there anyw that said others shouldn''t dream the same dream? Althoughte, nobles and wealthymoners also dreamt of hitting the jackpot as they saw the skyrocketing beer prices. ''It''s not toote even now. Beer prices are changing daily.'' Those who dreamt of turning their lives around sold all their assets and ventured into beer hoarding. The already sky-high beer prices began to run even wilder. Beer prices overturned everyone''s expectations and soared up to 500 times the original price. People started to seek Joshua''s bank, willing to take on excessive loans. As long as they bought beer, the price increased, and the risks associated with loans seemed invisible. "You came too?" "You came as well. Is it for the beer?" "No need for long talks. I''m also trying to buy some beer this time." "I''ve already put all my assets in, and now I''m taking out a loan to buy more." "Ah, really? That''s simr to me." "Beer is faith. It''s like an unbreakable fortress." "Yeah, right. Beer''s the thing that goes up as long as you buy it. You know, it''s getting harder to get beer, like picking stars from the sky." "You have to hold onto beer no matter what. It''s going to go up 1,000 times, even 10,000 times soon." Joshua looked at the spectors who filled the bank, talking only about beer. ''It''s nice, but...'' The beer prices he had raised himself. Seeing people willing to take loans due to the crazy prices made him have various thoughts. ''Right now, I''m the one driving up the beer prices. As long as I keep this position, they won''t be ruined. But...'' Nothingsts forever. What would happen to them if he started disposing of the beer he had? He didn''t know for sure, but Joshua could easily predict at least that much. ''They''ll probably have secret meetings near the nearby river.'' There was no ill feeling or any other emotion here. After all, they were spectors. They enjoyed gambling with their own money and feasting on others'' money. Would Joshua pity those spectors who came to his gambling den? ''It''s a bit wrong to pity people who lose money at a gambling den.'' Spection, another name for investment, was mostly a zero-sum game. If someone won money, someone else lost it. ''Rockefeller said that if you want to take other people''s money, you should do it as legally as possible.'' What exactly was legal? Joshua roughly understood what Rockefeller meant while causing this incident. "At least these people won''t me me when the beer bubble bursts. Instead, they''ll curse themselves for forcing risky investments." Perhaps what Rockefeller wanted to say when he was young was this? ''Yes, that''s right. Rockefeller must have wanted me to make money like this when I grew up. This is legal in its own way.'' Then, to Joshua, A customer asked something. It was about loans. "I''d like to take out a loan for the beer, how much is the maximum amount possible?" Joshua looked at him with his thin eyes. His appearance was not shabby, and he had an adequate amount of flesh, looking like a typical wealthymoner. Like the other spectors here, he seemed to havee to buy the recently skyrocketing beer. "The maximum?" "I want to borrow as much as possible." "So, you want to borrow up to the limit?" "Yes." Joshua suddenly became curious about the thoughts of the man who wanted to invest in beer up to the limit. What would he do if the price of beer dropped? ''It''s a question I wouldn''t normally ask.'' There are many people who will lend to him anyway, and they will continue lending regardless of what he says. So Joshua asked the man, who was staring at him desperately, again. "You said it was because of beer earlier. What will you do if the price of beer crashes after today?" At that question, the spectorughed softly. "What are you talking about? The price of beer crashing?" He shook his head. "Come on, it''s nonsense. I''ve been that kind of person. I''ve ignored the strange rise in beer prices since the beginning, thinking it would definitely fall. But the price of beer just won''t drop. It seems that everyone buys it no matter how expensive it is because of the curse of the beer held by the dwarves." He continued. "The war doesn''t seem to end soon, and the price of beer will definitely rise. Then I have to buy it all with my entire fortune." "But there''s still a chance, right?" "A chance? Well, it could happen, but..." He looked around the noisy bank and seemed confident. If they all borrow money to buy beer, can the price of beer really fall? ''It will never fall. Never.'' "I don''t think so. Can''t you see all the people in here?" As he pointed to the customers in the bank and asked, Joshua also briefly scanned them. The man who faced Joshua continued. "They all came to buy beer. Do you think the price of beer will fall?" Joshua almost agreed. If it weren''t for Rockefeller''s warning. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or till the end with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this el. Happy reading! Chapter 167 (2) Chapter 167 (2) ''Rockefeller said there''s nothing eternal. This must be the same for beer.'' "I see. I''ll check the books for now. If there''s coteral, more loans will be avable." Hearing that loans were possible, the man who came became excited about bing rich. Joshua then gave him a word that seemed to pour cold water on him. "But you must never forget that the responsibility for all investments lies with you. Even if the price of beer crashes, we have no intention of giving you a break. Even if everyone here dislikes it, we will silently proceed with debt collection." This was a warning. But it didn''t reach the ears of those who were thinking of bing rich with beer. ''Even now, the price of beer is soaring.'' "Stop nagging and lend me the money quickly." There were more than one or two such people. The next customer was the same, and the next customer was the same. Joshua thought about the beer bubble he had created while lending money to those who were greedy. ''I never thought making money would be so easy.'' He felt good lending a lot of money to them, and it was even better that they bought the beer he had stockpiled in advance. ''Not only can I make hundreds or thousands of times profit from the beer I bought in advance, but I can also enjoy the money they borrowed.'' They couldn''t intend for the moment when the beer price would crash. But Joshua was different. If he released all the beer he had in the market, it would be the starting point of the crash. At this moment, Joshua had only one thought. ''I need to lend more aggressively.'' If there was coteral to seize, Joshua would lend to anyone and everyone, encouraging them to ride the wave of the beer craze by taking on debt. "Why not create a loan product for beer investments?" The idea soon became a reality, and Joshua aggressively lent tomoners and nobles alike during the beer bubble. As a result, beer prices soared even higher, and Joshua smiled at his own sess. One day, Rockefeller, the elder brother and pir of the family, came to visit. Rockefeller warned Joshua about the skyrocketing beer prices, and Joshua, having anticipated this, couldn''t help but agree. "Beer prices could copse not only because of me but also due to other factors. The prices have risen too much now." With that thought, Joshua became fearful. The insane beer prices had now be a source of terror. "Maybe it''s time to start winding down?" With that thought, Joshua began to dispose of his massive beer holdings. At that time, the demand for beer still existed, so even though Joshua sold arge amount of beer, the prices didn''t immediately plummet. "Thankfully, there''s still demand. If the supply had died, the prices would have crashed right away." As the beer prices that had risen 1,000 times fell to 800 times, then 500 times, screams starteding from a ce other than Joshua. They were the Goblin Bank, who had also engaged in beer spection just like Joshua. "Hey, something''s wrong. Why did the prices suddenly drop like this?" The goblins were puzzled by the sudden copse of beer prices. "Why did this happen? The prices were rising well, and then suddenly..." Morgan, with a grim expression, spoke up. "We can just buy more. We can handle it all on our own." JP shook his head at that statement. In the past, they might have been able to forcibly control the beer bubble. However, having bought a massive amount of government bonds issued by the empire, it had be impossible to catch the falling beer prices and throw them back up again. Goldman, whose expression was also grim, spoke up. "We don''t have the luxury to do that. We''ve invested so much in government bonds that we could practically buy the empire itself. We don''t have the means to invest more in this insignificant beer market." "Damn it! Who the hell caused the beer prices to drop?" "Come to think of it, I heard that some humans bought arge amount of beer. Did they dump it all?" There was only one conclusion they could draw from this situation. "Damn it..." "Let''s sell it all. We need to move quickly." "That''s the best option. We need to salvage what we can before it''s toote." "But if we dump our beer, the prices willpletely copse. Are we okay with that?" They had bought as much beer as Joshua. "Damn it. What choice do we have? We have to cut our losses as quickly as possible." Unlike individuals, institutions andrge whales couldn''t easily dump their assets at the desired price. Since they held so much, it would take a considerable amount of time to dispose of it all, and ignoring that time to dump their assets would lead to tasting the bitter aftermath of a crash. However, this was the first time in the history of the continent that a bubble had urred. The goblins couldn''t even estimate how much damage they would suffer if they dumped all of their assets at once. "Let''s dump it all! Everyst bit!" The steeper the rise, the steeper the fall. From that day on, beer prices experienced a series of crashes, ultimately creating a legendary tale of Bel and Bob''s downfall among the empire''s investors. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 168 (1) Chapter 168 (1) The skyrocketing price of beer plummeted at the same time, and countless nobles and wealthymoners who had spected on beer fell into debt overnight. In particr, a certain lord who had bought beer recklessly, like the Montefeltro lord, had most of his territory pledged to guilds and banks. And that''s not all. The majority of investors who had spected on beer, including such lords, became debtors in an instant, and the status of the Rothsmedici family, who had lent them money, rose another notch. After the beer bubble. The citizens of the empire began to rank the Rothsmedici family, who had amassed immense wealth, alongside or slightly higher than the empire''s three great families. Even as the status of the Rothsmedici family grew day by day, the Gold Vein War continued, and Rockefeller, who had enjoyed the beer bubble, began to paint the next picture. ''The finale of this fight will probably be the goblins taking back the national bonds they bought.'' At some point, the goblins who had taken the bonds would demand debt repayment from the empire. And in doing so, they would cause problems in the background to prevent the empire from repaying the debt, and it was highly likely that the empire, facing the repayment deadline, would issue more bonds in haste and give them to the goblins. ''In the end, the empire will only be heavily indebted. Even if they win the war and own the gold mines, the wealth will inevitably return to the goblins.'' Thus, the goblin bank''s goal was to continue issuing bonds to the empire and ultimately be the empire''srgest creditor. ''I have a favorite saying. Everyone has a usible n. Until they get hit.'' Rockefeller''s n was as follows. To make the bond prices held by the goblins worthless, forcing them to sell the bonds at a loss. And then to buy up all the worthless bonds and restore the bond prices to their previous levels was the n Rockefeller had in mind. ''It''s a beautiful thing to buy the expensive bonds the goblins bought at a low price.'' After the beer bubble, most of the lords and nobles were watching the Rothsmedici family''s moves. This was because the Rothsmedici family was their biggest creditor. Then what would happen if the Rothsmedici family monopolized the bonds issued by the empire? ''We can achieve what the goblins wanted.'' Bonds were considered invible, and if their credibility was damaged, there could be strong bacsh from the bondholders, causing serious internal and external problems. ''The biggest problem is that if the credibility of the bonds is damaged, they can''t issue bonds again. Even if they do, who would be stupid enough to buy them, knowing they won''t be repaid?'' So if the empire wanted to maintain the credibility of its bonds, they would have no choice but to be servants of the Rothsmedici family. Why? Because the Rothsmedici family would hold the majority of the bonds they issued. And no matter how much tax they took, it would ultimately return to them. ''That tax will ultimatelye back to us.'' This was the final picture Rockefeller had in mind. Obtaining the bonds issued by the empire at a low price and using them as a basis to make the entire empire a ve to him and his family. ''In the end, if things go as I want, my family and I can live without worrying about money for the rest of our lives. We won''t have to work because the debtor nation will feed us.'' The taxes paid by all citizens of the empire, whether nobles ormoners, would ultimately return to the Rothsmedici family and fatten them further. And this was the most beautiful ending Rockefeller could hope for. ''So, shall we make the bonds issued by the unknowing empire worthless?'' Bonds issued by a country could not be repaid until the redemption date, not even the principal or interest. So if someone needed cash urgently, they could sell the bond to someone else and raise money, which is why bond prices were not fixed and could fluctuate. To give an extreme example, if country A, which issued bonds, suddenly copses due to an invasion by country B, the bonds issued by country A will be almost worthless at the point of copse, because they won''t be able to repay the principal or interest even when the redemption datees. Rockefeller knew this well, so he knew exactly what position the empire needed to take for the bonds they issued to be worthless. ''First, we need to pretend to be on the verge of copse.'' Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or till the end with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this el. Happy reading! Chapter 168 (2) Chapter 168 (2) The situation was such that the imperial army and even the papal army had joined forces to defend the Montefeltro territory. Considering the mercenary forces independently hired by the Rothsmedici family, it would not be an easy task for the dwarven coalition to invade the Montefeltro territory. ''That''s why the bond prices soared so foolishly.'' At the time of the beer bubble. The bond prices of the empire also soared. Since the empire had amassed a considerable force, people had predicted the winner of the Gold Vein War to be the empire, not the dwarves. But what if the situation changed? ''Perhaps the soaring bond prices of the empire will be worthless again.'' Before the Gold Vein War, the empire was in a very difficult financial situation due to multiple wars, including the Crown War. ''Although the discovery of gold mines in the Montefeltro territory caused the bond prices of the empire to rise for a moment, they could not receive their true value before that. The situation in the empire was so difficult that people felt deep skepticism. Doubts arose whether the bonds issued by the empire would be properly repaid.'' So, if the winner of the Gold Vein War were to be the Dwarves, it was clear as day that the value of the empire-issued bonds would plummet. ''Fortunately, the Goblin Bank bought arge number of bonds at a high price.'' Despite the higher price than usual, the Goblin Bank aggressively bought the empire''s bonds. It was for the purpose of exercising their rights when the empire eventually won. ''So, shall we make the bond prices plummet again?'' Rockefeller first visited the Pope at the Vatican. "Ask for the Holy Army to withdraw temporarily?" "Yes, just for a short time." "But then the territory will be taken by the Dwarves, and that''s not what you want, is it?" Rockefeller didn''t deny the Pope''s words. "Of course, it''s not a good thing. But I have a goal, and I need to create a situation where the empire loses, so I''m asking for your help." It was an iprehensible statement. What could the n be? "No matter how I think about it, that doesn''t seem right. If we let them take thend like that, it''ll be even harder to get it backter." "I know. But I''m almost certain about who will be the winner of the Gold Vein War. So you don''t have to worry too much." "Hmm... What''s the reason?" The Goblin Bank''s intelligence was more formidable than expected. So, Rockefeller decided to ask for the Pope''s understanding. "Can I exin it after everything is over? I know that your mouth is tight-lipped, but what if someone hears our conversation?" "Would that happen?" "I''d rather be cautious. It''s because I have a goal." Although the Pope couldn''t understand immediately, he trusted Rockefeller and eventually nodded. "I see. I don''t know what your intentions are, but I guess you have your own thoughts." "I really appreciate your understanding. If everything goes well, I will be a more loyal person to you and the church." "Hahaha, thank you for the words. Alright. For now, I''ll have the Holy Army withdraw as you requested." "Ah, if you need a reason, please tell the people around you that the Holy Army withdrew temporarily due to discord between me and you. It''s necessary. That way, people won''t doubt the withdrawal of the Holy Army." After contemting Rockefeller''s words, the Pope nodded as if understanding. "Alright, it seems like you have something. I''ll do as you asked. But after everything is over, tell me why you did that." "Yes, I''ll exin everything to you once it''s over." Following Rockefeller''s visit to the Vatican, the Holy Army stationed in the Montefeltro territory suddenly began to withdraw. People who didn''t know the reason tried to find out, and soon heard from the clergymen at the Vatican about the discord between Rockefeller and the Pope. They didn''t know the details, but they knew there was a fight. And the news of the discord quickly reached the Goblin Bank. "What? The Holy Army is withdrawing?" For the goblins who aggressively bought the empire''s bonds, believing in the empire''s inevitable victory in the Gold Vein War, this was shocking news. "Damn it. We put so much money into those bonds that no one wanted. But why are they suddenly withdrawing?!" The goblins, true to their nature, had foul mouths and were quite flustered by the sudden change in the empire''s situation. "Does this mean the empire could lose?" "No, not necessarily. The Holy Army is not small, but the imperial army won''t lose immediately. The empire may be broke, but they have a lot of battle experience. Didn''t they just have the Crown War? That experience won''t go anywhere." "No, why did that guy fight with the Pope? Did he get shot in the head or something?" They were talking about Rockefeller. "I don''t know. Why did it suddenly happen like that...?" "Is there any way to find out more? This is important." "We have some connections in the Vatican, but looking at theck of news, it seems that the rumor is true." "Then, if the Holy Army withdraws, the empire will have to defend itself?" "That would be difficult..." "Let''s watch for now. Or maybe we should step in and help." "Us?" "We have the Wyvern squad, don''t we? If it doesn''t look good, we should move before the bond prices plummet." "Right, we have money, don''t we? If it doesn''t look good, we can deploy our army to help." "Ugh..." After the Holy Army withdrew, Rockefeller''s next destination was the imperial capital, where the Emperor resided. Upon arriving at the imperial pce, Rockefeller immediately had a private meeting with the Emperor. "You''re asking for the imperial army to withdraw?" The Emperor''s reaction was simr to that of the Pope, not different at all. "If we withdraw our defensive forces now, the Montefeltro territory will be immediately taken by the Dwarves." "I have a mercenary army I hired, and there are also magic stone tanks, so the Dwarves won''t be able to upy it right away." "Is there a separate reason?" Rockefeller briefly exined to the Emperor what he had already told the Pope. "Didn''t I tell you before? We have to lower the bond prices that the goblins bought. If we leave it as it is, they will forever be a parasite on the empire. So we have to catch them before that happens." Only then did the Emperor understand why Rockefeller was asking for the imperial army to temporarily withdraw from the territory. It was to deliberately lower the bond prices that the goblins had bought. "But there is no justification, is there?" Rockefeller''s answer to this was quite clear. "We can create a justification." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 169 (1) Chapter 169 (1) Bonus chapter thanks to @Seele and @RewindThis from Ko-fi! "Justification... It seems like we don''t have a proper justification." As the Emperor pondered, Rockefeller also tried to think of a good excuse. ''It''s not there, but we can just stick anything to it anyway.'' "What about this? Arge number of orcs have appeared in the border area. Then, wouldn''t the imperial army dispatched to protect Montefeltro territory have enough reason to withdraw? No matter how much they like money, they can''t just watch the country fall." Although it was a hastily made-up story, Rockefeller thought it was quite good. ''In a full-scale war with the dwarves, if orcs get involved, the price of national bonds issued by the empire will definitely be worthless. This is definitely a good thing.'' The Emperor narrowed his eyes and thought. ''It''s not the right time for trouble with the orcs...'' In the winter, there were cases where orcs crossed the imperial border due tock of food. At that time, there were many battles with the orcs and there were excuses to be made, but the Emperor expressed concern that it was not the right time now. "I don''t know if it''s winter, but if it''s not winter, there''s no reason for the orcs to be on bad terms with us. I don''t know how to package this." At that, Rockefeller showed a faint smile. "Orcs are simple. If you just break the totem they have, they''ll make a big fuss." "A totem?" At that, the Emperor recalled the previous totem war and expressed his aversion. "That won''t work. What if it leads to a war with the orcs? Didn''t they have a full-scale war with the dwarves over that issue before?" The totem was the most sacred thing to the orcs, and touching it was no different from a deration of war against the orcs. Rockefeller also showed sympathy for the Emperor''s concern. "I fully understand the part you are worried about. It''s not good for us if we identally start a war by using the orcs." "What do you suggest then?" "That''s why we need to set up a mechanism in advance." "A mechanism?" Rockefeller knew very well about the people who could handle this job perfectly. ''There are suitable people for that job.'' "We capture orc scouts in orc territory, and in front of the captured orcs, our magician disguised as a dwarf breaks the orc''s totem. Then the captured orcs will think the dwarves are the culprits. But we don''t release them, so the orcs can''t tell their tribes about what they saw." Rockefeller''s words continued. "Then the orc tribes near the empire will think this: humans broke the totem. Then they''ll prepare for war, and naturally, we can move our troops there." "That would give us a proper reason to move the imperial army." "That''s right. And by then, the empire will face a huge crisis. They have to deal with both the dwarves and the orcs in full-scale wars." It was not a bad idea. "So, you release the captured orc scouts at that time?" Rockefeller answered with a smile. "Exactly. Then the released orc scouts will go back to their tribes and tell them in detail what they saw. What do you think will happen?" The orc tribes that formed an alliance to fight the empire would definitely change their target and start a conflict with the dwarves. "You had such a n." The Emperor nodded as if he understood, and Rockefeller said. "In that process, the goblins will throw away our national bonds at a cheap price. All we have to do is buy back those bonds at a low price." "At what price do you think the goblins will throw away the national bonds?" "I can''t say for sure, but I''m sure they''ll think it''s better than paper at 1/10 of the face value." "1/10 of the value..." They issued bonds and received 100 gold coins from the goblins, and they would return those bonds and give them 10 gold coins... The Emperor once again thought that his financial advisor, Rockefeller, was amazing. ''He''s a really scary person.'' "Only the unsuspecting goblins will be deceived." At that, Rockefeller just smiled. "Of course, if things go well, that''s what will happen." "I don''t know why, but I feel sorry for the goblins." "Having been a rabbit and messing around in a tiger''s den without knowing their ce, it''s time for them to know their ce and spit everything back out." Rockefeller''s smile deepened even more. "Now that I''m here." From the emperor''s perspective, Rockefeller''s proposal was quite interesting. Being able to repay borrowed money at a low price by arranging things like that. "But how did youe up with that idea?" Honestly, it was no different from applying something he already knew in a different way. ''There was a time like this in Earth''s history. It was a slightly different case, but in the big picture, it''s the same.'' "I just happened to think of it." The emperor decided to ept Rockefeller''s proposal. If the national bond prices remained the same, it was obvious that the Goblin Bank would use the bonds they held to harass him and the empire somehow. "But who do you n to have do that job?" "I happen to know a suitable person for the job." "A suitable person?" "Yes, I seem to have some connections." The emperor couldn''t help but tilt his head at that statement. * * * After parting with the emperor, Rockefeller decided to visit his wife, Isabe, who was also a Sinir mage. ''I don''t really want to see her, but I can''t not go either. Honestly, she''s the most suitable person for this job.'' There was one more person who was suitable for the job. However, Rockefeller was very negative about that. ''I can''t go with him. Hisbor cost is too expensive.'' Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or till the end with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this el. Happy reading! Chapter 169 (2) Chapter 169 (2) It wasn''t that Isabe''s price was cheap either. However, since she was his wife in name, Rockefeller decided to ask her for help rather than someone else. ''Besides, how long does she n to stay here? It feels like she''s really just a wife on paper.'' She wasn''t living with Rockefeller in the same mansion because she didn''t like being married to him by her father''s push, and she was staying at her family''s home, making various excuses. Looking at the Sinir family mansion, which was built as grand as the family''s prestige, Rockefeller got off the carriage he had ridden. ''It seems a little bigger than where I live... I''ll have to move or expand my ce soon. It doesn''t make sense for me, who has nothing but money, to live in a smaller ce than this.'' When Rockefeller visited without any notice, chaos ensued in the Sinir family. The news spread quickly, and even the head of the family who was in the family library was urgently summoned. The head, Austin, who revealed himself using magic, recognized Rockefeller surrounded by the servants who rushed out. "This man. What should I do if youe without any notice like this?" But he was still a son-inw. Although they had a bad rtionship before, Austin had no intention of being hostile to him now that he had taken his daughter away obediently. Rockefeller also considered his rtionship with Austin and lightly shrugged his head. "I didn''t have toe. I just happened to drop by because I have some business." "I was wondering when you were going toe. My daughter has been looking for you so much. How much did she nag me?" Did she really? Rockefeller didn''t believe it, but he didn''t show it outwardly. "I''ve been too busy to pay any attention to my wife." "I can understand that you''re busy. How busy have you been with the Montefeltro territorytely? It''s important that you came here despite that." "Where is Isabe now? I need to see her." Upon hearing that, the head thought this: Now that he had never paid any attention to her before, he finally had the idea to take his daughter away formally. ''You should have taken her sooner.'' "Right now, she''s inside. I''ll take you to the door, and you can handle the rest." He didn''t forget to say this. "And please take her with you when you leave. She is now your responsibility, after all. If she keeps staying here, people will talk." Rockefeller seemed to agree with the head''s words. ''Now that I''m here, I should take her. I don''t know if she''ll follow me obediently.'' "Yes, I''ll take her with me so that His Highness the Archduke doesn''t have to worry." There was nothing better than that. "Please, I beg you." Thus, with the help of the head, Rockefeller hesitantly arrived in front of Isabe''s room and knocked on the door. Rockefeller hesitated for a moment before arriving at her door with the help of thendlord, and then knocked on the door. However, there was no response. As Rockefeller was about to knock again, the door opened and she, who was his wife in name, appeared. "......" "......" The two stared at each other without saying a word. Then it was Rockefeller who broke the silence. "May Ie in for a moment?" She did not answer but just opened the door wider. Upon entering, Rockefeller looked around the living room, which was quiterge for a single woman to use, and sniffed. ''It smells good.'' "Even though we''re married, it''s not very weing, it''s too nd. Of course, I know it wasn''t the marriage you wanted. But on paper, I am your husband." He said with a smile, but she seemed to be in no mood tough, her expression stiff. Feeling that bringing up more conversation would only make things more awkward, Rockefeller decided to get straight to the point. "Ahem! I''ll just tell you my business and leave. You must have heard about therge purchase of national bonds issued by His Majesty at the Goblin Bank this time." Without any reply from her, Rockefeller continued his speech. "I have a favor to ask because of that, but you remain silent." "It''s because I have nothing to say." "I didn''t want to marry you either. I just did it because I was forced to." Her expression softened. Rockefeller, who couldn''t understand the reason, was just frustrated. "Why do you do that? Just speak up." "Why did youe here?" "Why did Ie? Of course, I came to ask for a favor." "A favor? Is there anything else?" "Nothing else. I just came because I have something to ask." "......" She couldn''t hide her disappointed expression and finally epted it. What could she expect from a marriage that was not based on love in the first ce? With a resigned look, she asked again. "What do you want me to do?" Finally feeling like they were having a conversation, Rockefeller smiled and got to the point. "It''s something only a mage can do. Honestly, I''m reluctant to use someone else for this task. I think you''ll have no problem solving it since you probably have a lot of experience." Rockefeller went on to exin what she would need to do. After listening to the whole story, she had one question. "You said you''re going to buy back the national bonds at a low price, but whose bonds will they be?" No one had asked that question before. Everyone just thought they would be the empire''s. At that question, Rockefeller showed a rather cruel smile. "Of course, they will be mine." "......" "I''m buying them with my own money." "So......" From the empire''s perspective, the creditor just changes from Goblin to him. She didn''t see much difference. "Nothing changes." Rockefeller shook his head, denying it. "No, there is a difference, of course. Wouldn''t it be better for me, who pays taxes to the empire, to have them rather than the Goblins?" "You''re not His Majesty." "I''m not. I don''t want power." What he wanted seemed very dangerous to her. "You say you don''t want power, but you''re trying to control them with money." "Yes, you''re right. You''ve seen it very urately. That''s exactly what I want. Not sitting in power, but controlling them. This way, I can avoid the gaze of others and be free and safe. And most importantly, I can have unbridled power like them." She didn''t know what to say to him, who spoke openly and honestly, and hesitated for a moment. However, Rockefeller himself knew very well what kind of conclusion she woulde to. "There is no other ce like this in the world. Ordinary people might think like this. Everyone thinks that His Majesty is above all." Rockefeller slowly shook his head as he finished speaking, as if to show off. It meant denial. "In my opinion, it''s not. Neither I, nor you, nor anyone else is above His Majesty. There is just this." Rockefeller took out a Goblin dor from his pocket and showed it to her. "And I am the one who controls this." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 170 (1) Chapter 170 (1) Having run out of things to say, she stared intently at Rockefeller. What should she say here? He was always like that. "You''re going to be my wife like that. Do you dislike it?" As Rockefeller asked while looking at her expression, she hesitated for a moment before answering. "Since it wasn''t the marriage I wanted, if you don''t like it, we can consider divorce. It will be difficult, though." "Thank you for even saying that." "Or you can live separately for the rest of your life. I won''t be disappointed either way." He really meant it when he said he wouldn''t be disappointed. "I will respect whatever choice you make. However, that''s only if you listen to my request from earlier." "Your request... Are you talking about what you mentioned earlier?" "Yes. If you handle that matter well, I will respect whatever decision you make afterward. Be it divorce, living separately for the rest of our lives, or even living together. Do whatever you want. Is there anything better than this?" After hesitating for a moment, she decided to agree, given the freedom of choice she was offered. "Alright. But please respect whatever decision I maketer." Rockefeller, who showed a light smile, didn''t hesitate. "Of course." As Rockefeller finished talking to her and was about to leave, Sinir approached him. "Did you persuade my child well?" Seeing him alone, it seemed that the persuasion had failed. He wanted to say something, but given his position, he couldn''t. Rockefeller said to Sinir, "I''ve talked nicely for now. You don''t have to worry too much about your daughter. And we will be moving soon, so please bear with it. Everything is for her and me." "A matter? What kind of matter did you ask of my daughter?" "What''s the point of having a good wife if you can''t borrow her strength when needed?" "My daughter won''t be so easy. You''ve really asked her to do something." After saying their goodbyes, Rockefeller got into the carriage and left Sinir''s mansion. Sinir, watching Rockefeller leave, immediately went to find his daughter. "Why didn''t you follow him?" At that moment, Isabe seemed quite busy, as if she was about to go out. "Did you meet him?" "Of course I met him. I was expecting him to take you, but he just left alone. Did you refuse?" "No, I didn''t refuse. It''s just..." From her perspective, there was no reason to talk about the promise she made with him. "It''s just a matter between us. You don''t have to worry, Father." "Is there really nothing going on?" "Yes, there''s nothing going on." "What are you going to do then? What is it?" "He asked me for a favor, so I''m going to try to do it." "There are many others, why would he ask you?" "You know what kind of person I am, Father. There''s no better magician than me, so please understand." Sinir''s expression became serious. "He''s not trying to use you, is he?" "Father, he''s not that thoughtless. It''s just that I''m the only suitable person for this task, so he asked me. And there''s also something I''ll receive if I seed." "Something to receive?" "Yes, it''s good for me, so please understand it like that." "Can''t you tell me what it is?" "It''s not a big deal. It''s just... I think it''s better if you don''t know about this. There''s no benefit in knowing." "No benefit in knowing?" The man who founded a new family that could be called a financial powerhouse at a young age and held unparalleled power in the empire. His intentions were inscrutable, and his actions were nothing short of miraculous. If such a man asked his daughter to do something, it was bound to be a matter of concern for him. ''I should say something.'' "Listen, our family is no longer hostile to him because you married him. You should know this." She was not unaware of what the head of the family was trying to say. "I know. He''s someone we can''t be distant from. I know this better than anyone." "It''s better to have such a person on our side than as an enemy. And if we distance ourselves, Tepez will be the only one to benefit." There was no use saying more to his grown-up daughter. "Since you know this, I still hope you''ll make some sacrifices for the sake of our family. This is not a request from your father, but as the head of the household." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or till the end with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this el. Happy reading! Chapter 170 (2) Chapter 170 (2) Upon receiving Rockefeller''s request, she headed to the bordends with the people who had trusted and followed her since before the Crown War. As per Rockefeller''s request, she transformed into a dwarf and captured orc scouts. She then proudly destroyed the orcs'' sacred totem and imnted false information in them. A few dayster. The orcs, whose totem had been destroyed near the empire''s border, immediately dered war on the empire, assuming they were responsible. The empire quickly reacted, moving the majority of their forces from the Montefeltro territory to the northern bordends. This became a huge blow to the goblins, who had hoped for the empire''s victory. "Why the hell did they break a perfectly good totem?" At the round table meeting of the Goblin Bank. An enraged Goldman fumed at the empire''s ridiculous mistake. "Are these foolish humans capable of thinking at all? Are they determined topletely ruin everything at this point?" Even though the empire was specialized in warfare, they didn''t have the luxury to wage full-scale wars against both races simultaneously. Moreover, touching the totem, which the orcs held sacred, was equivalent to provoking their wrath. No matter how much they desired gold, the imperial army had to move near the northern border to stop the orcs'' southern invasion. "Damn it." The goblins had their reasons for being furious, even though it was someone else''s business. Due to the empire''s foolish actions, the bond prices they had invested in suddenly fluctuated. And not in a good way. "The bond prices have dropped by 30% because of the empire''s nonsense." "Why did they touch the totem? Did someone who got shot in the head really do such a thing?" "I don''t know that either." "That being said, has it already dropped by 30%?" There was no reason for the bond prices to drop so much solely because of the war with the dwarves. After all, the dwarves'' goal wasn''t the destruction of the empire, but simply to reim their ancestralnds. But the orcs were different. Since their sacred totem had been touched, they were determined to fight the empire to the death. If the war tilted in favor of the orcs, the bonds issued by the imperial family would lose their value, as it was clear that the empire would suffer huge losses. That''s why the bond prices, which had been good until yesterday, suddenly plummeted. "If the situation gets worse, we don''t know how much further they''ll fall. If the empire goes bankrupt, the bond prices could be worthless." "Even so, will they really copse?" "They won''t copse. The empire is still good at fighting, after all." "Ah... damn it." The three gathered at the round table meeting began discussing the future with serious expressions. "Isn''t Montefeltro territory in danger now?" Without the orc invasion from the south, the empire had a high probability of winning the Gold Vein War. The empire had responded swiftly, but problems had also arisen among the three dwarf kingdoms, which had originally been enemies. However, everything changedpletely with the retreat of the Papal Army''s cavalry and the orc invasion from the south. "Damn it, what do we do?" "Should we sell the bonds now? We''ll suffer losses, but we can''t just leave it like this." "No, we''ve already invested so much money. If we pull out now, the already falling bond prices could elerate even more." The goblins, who had already tasted bitterness from the beer bubble, had no intention of foolishly dumpingrge quantities of bonds on the market like before. If they did, the bond prices would plummet in an instant, and they would suffer severe losses. "No, we can''t. We''ve already tasted bitterness once. If we throw them away like beer, they will bepletely worthless." "Then what should we do?" "Let''s first watch how the empire handles this situation." "I don''t think that''s a good idea. Think about it. Even if they stop the orcs, losing in the Goldvein War would be a problem too." "Damn it." "Is there no good solution?" They tried to find a good solution, putting their heads together. But no solution was in sight. That''s why the bond prices of the empire hadn''t been reflected yet. ''Damn it. In this situation, there''s no other choice.'' "I didn''t want to use this method, but we have no choice. I''ll go to the Emperor and offer to lend our army to him." At Goldman''s words, the two goblins reacted. "You''re not nning to lend it for free, right?" Goldman''s veins bulged in his neck. "Free? What do you mean free? Just the cost of feeding the wyverns alone makes me want to puke. How can we lend it for free? No way. There''s no such thing as a free lunch." "That''s right. Nothing is free." "Nothing in this world is free. Okay, let''s do that. If they don''t want to copse, they''ll have no choice but to use our army." The following words were crucial. "For a fee, of course." As the round-table conference ended. Goldman, who could be considered the head of the Goblin Bank, went to the empire as a special envoy. Leading dozens of wyvern riders, Goldman went to meet the emperor and saw the emperor and many human nobles who had been waiting for him. They all looked like worthless, poor creatures. ''Such foolish humans. They can''t even clean up their own mess, and they just keep rolling around like this. Tsk, tsk, tsk.'' In the presence of the emperor. The bold head of the Goblin Bank, who dared to hold his head high, began to speak arrogantly. "I hear some foolish guy messed up and now your situation is not good." Goldman continued with a mocking expression. "Do you have any countermeasures?" The only race weaker physically than humans among all races. However, they monopolized almost all the wealth of the continent, and there was no race that didn''t owe them money. Therefore, they were the most hated and feared beings on the continent. And this was the same for the emperor. ''Do they trust the bonds they took and act like this?'' The empire had not issued bonds even when it was short of money because they did not want to see those faces. However, they had already issued bonds, and the goblin who came now was a terrifying creditor that the empire had to deal with. "There''s no problem, so you can just go back." "What? No problem? Why is there no problem? The orcs are already turning their eyes anding down." In fact, the one who was angry in this situation was none other than the head of the Goblin Bank, Goldman. "If you guys copse, we copse too! So do it right!" The goblin, who dared to be arrogant in front of their emperor. Not a single noble stood up. The wyverns that he had brought were already roaring wildly in the imperial pce, and if anything happened to him, no one could predict what woulde from the Goblin Bank. At that moment. As if he had been waiting, someone spoke up. The only financial advisor of the emperor and the most powerful person in the empire. "You''re too arrogant in front of the owner of a country. Anyone would think this is your living room." "What? Who are you?" Rockefeller smiled lightly and drew everyone''s attention. "Nice to meet you. My name is Rockefeller Rothsmedici. I am the emperor''s only financial advisor and the prime minister in charge of the empire''s currency and finance." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 171 (1) Chapter 171 (1) Bonus chapter thanks to @Desum from Ko-fi! Once Rockefeller introduced himself, Goldman had no trouble recognizing him. He was the one who quickly grasped the financial lifeline of the Empire and rapidly rose to the core of power. ''So that''s the guy. The head of the Rosmedici family or something like that.'' "Ah, I see. You''re the one from the rumors. I''ve always been curious about what kind of influence you had, and now I see that you''re just a greenhorn." Despite the provocative words, Rockefeller simply let it pass with a lightugh. ''Nice to meet you, Goodfood.'' "It''s an honor, in a way, to meet the head of the Goblin Bank at such an asion." Despite Rockefeller''s words, Goldman responded insincerely. "At least you have manners. If a nobody like you didn''t have manners, it would be a big problem. I''m the biggest bondholder of this country, and if I set my sights on you, it''s not going to end well." "More importantly, what brought you here? We''re doing just fine." At that, Goldman snorted. "Hmph, what do you mean, what brought me here? I came to check if you can repay the borrowed money properly." Rockefeller responded with a lightugh to Goldman''s blunt statement. "Ah, I see. But what about this? We''re doing really well. You made an unnecessary trip." "An unnecessary trip?" Goldman''s mood soured. He didn''t like Rockefeller''s arrogant tone. "This guy has a loose tongue, bbering nonsense everywhere." Goldman''s voice grew increasingly menacing. "Hey, you! Watch who you''re talking to when you spout nonsense! If I thought you would pay back the borrowed money properly, why would I bothering here in the first ce?" At Goldman''s deafening roar, Rockefeller didn''t frown but rather marveled at the power of the head of the Goblin Bank. From another perspective, wouldn''t it be quite a sight for someone to say whatever they wanted in someone else''s home? ''Really, what a remarkable nerve. Even though he''s the biggest bondholder of the Empire, I didn''t expect him to have the audacity to say that much. Especially since he''s a powerless goblin who can''t even protect his own body.'' In a different light, Goldman could be considered Rockefeller''s role model. ''That appearance. That will be me someday. But I won''t be as rude as that. It''s a lower ss.'' "Ah, I see." Rockefeller continued with a smirk. "You really have no words for such an extraordinary debtor. Since we''ve been in the same industry for a long time, I believe you know what I''m about to say in this situation." "What are you saying?" Goldman didn''t care, but he still listened with a frown. Rockefeller continued speaking to Goldman. "When a creditor lends money, they stand and lend it." Rockefeller''s smile was more sinister than expected. "But when it''s time to collect the money, they have to lie down and take it. You''re acting too bold in front of such an extraordinary debtor." "What, you, what did you just say?" Rockefeller, too, didn''t hold back with his crude words. "Why are you asking again when you''ve heard everything with your wide-open ears? Do you want me to say it again? Behave yourself in front of an extraordinary debtor." Goldman had received multiple reports on Rockefeller, but he didn''t know he was this audacious. ''Is this guy really talking with a clear mind? Does he know what I can do and still bber like that?'' "Are you in your right mind?" Rockefeller tilted his head. "Am I in my right mind? I''m perfectly fine. Completely normal." Then, Rockefeller asked the nobles present. "Do I look like I''ve lost my mind?" Even if they thought he had lost his mind, the nobles who knew his position well didn''t dare to step forward. At best, the people from the prestigious Tepez and Sinir families might have said something, but they were already tied to Rockefeller through marriage, making it difficult even for them. If there were any issues at this gathering, they had no choice but to support Rockefeller. "No answer, I see." Rockefeller looked back at Goldman. "The people here say I''m normal." "This guy really has a big mouth. Fine, you stand and lend money, and as you said, I''ll lie down and take it when it''s time to collect!" Goldman furrowed his brows and scolded them. "Do you really think you can say that in front of the bondholders who hold the clubs? With just one word from me, this ce will turn into ashes! Are your ears properly open that you can''t hear the wyverns'' cries outside?" True to his warning, the inside of the castle was extremely noisy due to the wyverns'' howls outside. However, Rockefeller stood firm and confronted him. "Then just burn it all and leave. What''s the big deal?" "What? Burn this ce?" "Yes, considering you''vee all this way to worry about us. If we fall, you''ll fall too, right? Then let''s just all fall together. Why make it soplicated?" "What is this guy saying?" "Did I say something wrong?" "This guy is really something." Ah, the blood pressure. Goldman, who had almost lost his grip on reason for a moment, quickly regained hisposure. One of his characteristics was that he could quickly find his reason when it came to money matters. Even if he didn''t like someone, if it was in his interest, he could quickly change his stance. ''No, I''ve gotten caught up in this guy''s pace.'' As expected, the young man described in the report was truly remarkable. He seemed to be bluffing as a debtor with an impossible attitude, but Goldman couldn''t help but notice. "Ahem! I got a little too excited. Well, dealing with guys who asionally show off after borrowing money, I sometimes lose my reason too. I can''t deal with this guy with a club, nor can I not deal with him." Goldman, who had calmed down for a moment, opened his mouth towards the quiet audience. "Anyway, do you have a n?" Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or till the end with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this el. Happy reading! Chapter 171 (2) Chapter 171 (2) In fact, there was only one reason Goldman hade to this ce. It was to lend the army they had gathered to the ipetent Empire for a fee. Goldman''s goal was to take the costs incurred from the Empire''s national debt. However, Rockefeller had already seen through all of Goldman''s intentions. He knew how the goblins would interfere with the Empire''s affairster, so their actions were also obvious. ''They''re nning to lend the army they have and take the additional national debt issued by the Empire as payment. But what to do? It''s so obvious.'' "Of course, we have a n." Rockefeller was quite a cruel person. He kept smiling, but even a devil, not an angel, could easily do that much. "We have our own thoughts, so you can just hold on to your worries. We have a n." Rockefeller''s inner thoughts were like this: ''Since we''ll fall together if we fall, you have no choice but to help us even if it''s for free. Knowing that, do you think we''ll y the fool?'' A wicked debtor was just as scary as a wicked creditor. And Rockefeller yed the role of a wicked debtor very well. "So you can just go back without worrying." Goldman was about to turn his stomach at those words. He came knowing they couldn''t do it on their own, but the debtor was showing off instead? ''Do these guys really want to fall together?'' Still, Goldman, who reminded himself of his purpose, decided to show off in this ce. "Hmph! If we fall, we fall together. We''re willing to help a little." This kind of talk wasn''t meant to be with a mere merchant. Goldman had already turned his gaze to the Emperor and continued talking. "If you have a n, borrow the wyvern troops." The Emperor met Goldman''s gaze but deliberately ignored it. He had a simr thought to Rockefeller. ''If we fall, they have no choice but to help us. Then there''s no need for us to pay the cost.'' Rockefeller had also given the same hint, so when the Emperor deliberately avoided Goldman''s gaze, Goldman''s face showed confusion. ''What, what is this?'' "Are you really going to fall? Why are these reactions so dry? Don''t you know anything about the wyvern troops we operate independently? It''s the strongest army on the continent. I''m offering to lend it to you." No matter what Goldman said. Rockefeller''s attitude remained unchanged. "We''ll do well on our own without that. Please don''t worry about it." "Orcs have flipped their eyes and formed arge army, and now you''re talking about that? And if you take the Imperial Army out of the Montefeltro territory, you''re giving the territory to the Dwarves." Goldman, who was rather incredulous, pointed at Rockefeller and spoke to the nobles of the Empire who were nearby. "Do you humans have no thoughts or what! That fool over there is trying to ruin the country. Block it somehow! Otherwise, say something!" It''s like a dog barking. From the beginning, the nobles of the Empire, who had strong resentment towards him, remained consistently silent. "Sigh..." Watching the nobles of the Empire who had no answer, Goldman felt frustrated inside. ''Are they really determined to fail?'' That can''t be true. Only then did Goldman realize what they really wanted. ''These bastards aren''t really hoping that we''ll help them for free, are they?'' How did he know that? Rockefeller, who was smiling slyly, began to speak to Goldman, who looked confused, with the silent nobles of the Empire in the background. "If you''re really worried about us. How about the Goblin Bank, which has the most government bonds we''ve issued, helps us for free?" "What, what did you say?" "Are you pretending not to know after hearing everything?" Rockefeller''s gaze then turned to the nobles present at the scene. "Isn''t that right? If we fail anyway, the government bonds we issued will be worthless. The Goblin Bank, which owns them, won''t just sit still either. So, should we make unnecessary sacrifices and hope for the Goblin Bank''s help? Let me ask you all." The ones who answered that question were the most authoritative nobles among the nobles, the people of the Tepes and Sinir families. "We agree with Rockefeller''s thoughts. We don''t need to pay the cost and hope for the Goblin Bank''s help. If they think we''re going to fail anyway, the Goblin Bank wille forward on its own, right?" "We also agree. There''s no need to spend unnecessary costs." These rotten human bastards. Do they really want to fail because they''re crazy? Goldman, whose lips were trembling, red at the shameless nobles of the Empire and thought about various things. ''I really want to burn them all. These bastards are like beggars. They''re as patient as beggars, and they think they know the bondholders like fools.'' If he had taken a fair share of the government bonds issued by the Empire. Whether the Empire fails or not, he could have actually stood up to the Goblin Bank. However, since the Goblin Bank had almost swept up the government bonds issued by the Empire. Goldman had no other choice. ''You dog-like humans. See if I ever buy this crap government bond again. If it wasn''t for the Montefeltro territory, I wouldn''t have even bothered.'' "Fine, do it yourself. I don''t know anymore." As he turned his back towards the head of the Goblin Bank. Rockefeller began to give a loud order as if to make sure he heard it. "Then we''ll trust you and wait. Ah, our forces are currently focusing on the northern side where the orcs are moving southward, so if you think about us, please pay attention to the Montefeltro territory." Upon hearing those words, Goldman stopped momentarily, then shook his clenched fist and began to move again. ''Damn them. Especially that bastard, I hope he goes to hell even if he dies.'' As Goldman poured out curses and bad words in his heart and left. Rockefeller, who knew he would curse him in his heart, gave him a lightugh and thought this. ''I don''t know what curse he poured on me. But I''ll never go to hell.'' Why won''t he go? ''I''ve already received an indulgence.'' Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 172 (1) Chapter 172 (1) When Goldman returned from meeting the Empire''s Emperor without any results, fellow Round Table members Morgan and JP expressed their doubts. "Why did you juste back? That wasn''t our n, was it?" "Will theye to their senses only when the price of government bonds bes worthless?" Goldman exined the meeting with the Emperor to the two goblins who were unaware of the situation. As he told them about Rockefeller, who was with the Emperor, the two goblins finally understood the situation. "Damn it. So there was a rotten bastard like that." "A scumbag of the world. You should have told him to go to hell when he dies." Goldman responded to their words. "I almost did. But it felt like bad luck." "You should have just gone for it. What''s so regrettable that you couldn''t even say that?" "If it were me, I would have yelled a lot of curses." "Anyway." Goldman cut off the two goblins and began to speak about his thoughts. "The Empire is starting to show off. It seems they know that if they fall, we will fall too. No matter how you look at it, we have to help those bastards for free. Otherwise, we''ll be the only ones left out because of the orcs with their eyes turned upside down." The three goblins'' expressions were not good. "Wretched bastards." "If it weren''t for the Goldvein, we wouldn''t have even looked at such shitty government bonds." Sighs were heard everywhere. In any case, they had only one choice. "What can we do? We can''t even clean up the fallen government bonds now." "What do you mean clean up? If the Empire gets through this crisis, it will be worth calling." "That''s true." As their intentions aligned, Goldman, who had an unpleasant expression, began to mention the following events. "Let''s save those bastards first. It''s disgusting to save them with our money, but we can''t turn the government bonds we bought into paper in an instant. Dwarves are fine if they upy Montefeltro territory, but those damned orcs will keep pushing until the Empire is ruined." No goblin raised any objections. Shortly after the goblin bank''s decision was made. The wyvern army, which was operated by the goblin bank itself, was urgently dispatched to Montefeltro territory. It was to help Montefeltro territory, which had a gap in its defensive forces due to the orcs'' southward march. As the sky was filled with the roars of wyverns, Lord Chester, who had not expected this, was stunned. "I never thought I''d see the day I''d receive help from goblins. It''s truly breathtaking and suffocating." The overseer guarding the lord was also equally bewildered. The infamous goblin bank''s wyvern riders hade to supplement the power that had be scarce due to the Imperial Army''s withdrawal. "I''m also quite bewildered. I don''t know what''s going on. The goblins of all things..." Lord Chester looked at the wyverns in the fortress, roaring so roughly that his ears became deaf. They were the strongest force that could not be dared without an enormous amount of money. ''In this case, do I really need to execute the n to retreat and abandon the fortress?'' The fortified border area that was adjacent to Montefeltro territory was the front line of defense. If this ce copsed, it would be nearly impossible to defend Montefeltro territory from the heavily armored dwarf army. ''It''s a real relief. I was even considering giving up the territory itself in the worst case.'' "Anyway, it''s a good thing. I guess we can postpone the n to retreat today." The overseer also felt an indescribable sense of security as he looked at the wyvern riders, known as the strongest on the ground. "With so many wyverns, even if the three kingdoms unite as a dwarf army, they won''t be able to easily overlook this ce." "By the way, why did the goblin bank''s main forcee here?" The lord began to wonder about the possibilities as he expressed his doubts. ''Did they call for money?'' "Did they spend money on them? No matter how much money they have, it would be difficult for them to bring in the goblin bank''s main force as mercenaries." The overseer immediately responded to his words. "How can people like us know the details? We should just be grateful that we have more troops to defend the fortress." "That''s true, but... Did they agree to share the gold produced here?" "I don''t know about that. But..." The overseer lowered his head. "It doesn''t seem likely." The lord, who was scratching his chin, also thought the same. ''If they do that, they won''t tolerate it with their personality. Honestly, even if gold is produced, if it''s spread everywhere, what will they eat?'' There were already the royal family and the church involved in the interests rted to Montefeltro territory. It would be overwhelming to just deal with these two ces, let alone bringing goblins into it. ''It might be possible if they want to eat a little. But it doesn''t seem right.'' "Anyway, let''s focus on our own work." Thanks to the sudden participation of the goblin bank, Montefeltro territory, which was expected to fall easily, was barely protected by the new reinforcements. However, the constant retreat of the Imperial Army, which had hurriedly moved to the northern border of the Empire, made the goblin bank nervous. The goblin bank was in chaos due to the continuous retreat of the Imperial Army. In a hastily convened Round Table meeting, the three goblin elders discussed countermeasures with serious expressions. "Why can''t they defend and keep retreating? When did the Imperial Army be such a neighborhood drum?" "Isn''t there a problem?" "They''re just retreating without a single victory... This is a real problem." "Damn it..." Under normal circumstances, the Imperial Army, which had quickly turned its forces south due to the southern movement of the orc army, should have been stopped. However, looking at the current situation, the Imperial Army seemed to have no strength to stop the orcs'' southward movement. "No matter how crazy the orcs are, isn''t this too much?" "The orcs'' momentum is truly tremendous. Well, their totems have been disturbed twice from the outside, so if they overlook this, rumors will spread that they are neighborhood pushovers. They know this too, so they have no intention of backing down." "Let''s watch for a few more days. Surely the Imperial Army won''t be pushed back all the way to the capital?" "Yeah. Let''s calm down and keep watching the situation. No matter how experienced the Imperial Army is, it doesn''t make sense that they keep copsing like this." "You''re right. Let''s just wait a bit longer. There will be good news soon." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or till the end with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 172 (2) Chapter 172 (2) However, their hopes were shattered when the Imperial Army was pushed back all the way to the capital. The goblin bank leaders, who had been eagerly awaiting news of the Imperial Army''s victory, were at a loss for words at the crumbling state of the Imperial Army. "What are these guys... idiots? I mean, if they''re going to be pushed back, they should do it moderately. I can''t understand why they''re retreating so tantly. The capital is already within reach. This is... just a total failure." If the capital fell into the hands of the orcs, the Empire would be on the brink of copse. The rapidly falling price of government bonds was also a clear sign that they would be worthless. "I heard that the situation in the Montefeltro territory isn''t looking too good either." As the dwarves joined the offensive due to the Empire''s unfavorable situation, even the Montefeltro territory, where the world''s strongest wyvern army was stationed, could not avoid the crisis. As the dwarves'' offensive intensified day by day, there were rumors circting within the fortress, which was the front line and thest line of defense of the territory, about abandoning the fortress. "It seems that the Montefeltro territory might give up the fortress and hand over the territory itself to the dwarves." "We''re only helping them out. If we hadn''t, they would have been ruined long ago." "Ah... what should we do?" The copse of the Empire meant their own copse as well. The investment they had made in imperial bonds was no small amount. "How about selling off the bonds before it''s toote?" This was something they could never have imagined when they had bought the bonds inrge quantities. But the situation was so bad that they were considering selling the bonds they had bought at a low price. It was better to sell them at a low price than to hold onto them and have them be worthless when the Empire copsed. "No, if we sell them at that price... we''ll just go bankrupt. How much did we buy them for?" As the price of the government bonds issued by the Empire plummeted due to the full-scale war between the two powers, even trading at one-tenth of their face value was difficult. If they were to dump the government bonds they had bought inrge quantities in such a situation, it could lead to the bonds bing not just worthless, but mere paper. "Are there people who would buy them if we sell?" "Well, there is a price, so there must be someone willing to buy them." "If we dump the bonds like that, we''ll go bankrupt too. You know how much we bet on that." "Ah... damn it. I never thought I''d taste such bitterness in bonds after beer." "If we end up losing like this, let''s never touch the Empire side again. We''re really going to go bankrupt at this rate." Although they thought they could control the world as they pleased, strangely enough, things did not go as they had nned this time. "Damn it. We screwed up this time. Wepletely bet on the wrong side. We should have bet on the dwarves instead..." "Those trashy Imperial bastards. I hope they die and go straight to hell." "What can we do? We have to salvage at least a little. The bonds will be paper if the Empire copses, right?" In the end, their intentions could only converge in one direction. "Let''s just sell them. Let''s sell everything and get out of here." "At least it''s better than paper." "Yeah, a little money is better than paper." "Please, let those imperial bastards die and go to hell." * * * Inside the Empire, many words were being spoken due to the Imperial Army being pushed back to the vicinity of the capital. There were increasing talks that the Empire might copse due to the southern orcs, and the resentment of the nobles towards Rockefeller, who repeatedly ordered meaningless retreats, grew day by day. Especially, the emperor, who had to endure the resentment of the nobles, was in a very difficult position. "Your Majesty, I heard that our brave Imperial Army, which has never been timid in any battlefield, is continuously retreating meaninglessly. Due to this, the orcs'' momentum is sky-high, and we continue to give them favorable positions. The fact that the Imperial Army has meaninglessly retreated all the way to the vicinity of the capital is clearly a problem." No matter how powerful Rockefeller and his influence were, if the Empire was on the brink of copse due to the war with the two forces, even the nobles who couldn''t stand it any longer dared to criticize Rockefeller. "From what I''ve learned, all of this happened due to someone''s orders." His gaze was fixed on Rockefeller, who was standing closest to the emperor. His ring eyes were quite fierce. "I don''t know what he was thinking when he gave those orders. But if this situation continues," He seemed to be prepared for something. "We will have no choice but to take extraordinary measures." The nobles then began to stir, and their opinions also began to flow unfavorably towards Rockefeller, who had no choice but to intervene and try to calm them down. "I know what you all are dissatisfied with. But if you wait a little longer, I will surely bring you good news." "When will that good newse? The enemy is right in front of us. In this situation, shouldn''t we take some action immediately?" Rockefeller was not unaware of the resentment bursting out from everywhere. ''The goblins seem to be holding on quite well... but they must be at their limit now. In a situation like this, they have no choice but to sell.'' Just then, Rockefeller heard something from a hastily approaching subordinate and began to smile at the corners of his mouth. ''It''s over.'' Finally, the long-awaited goblin government bond sell-off began. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 173 (1) Chapter 173 (1) ''I knew they would eventually sell.'' If the empire were to copse, the bonds they held would be worthless. ''They must have been thinking of saving even a little money. But if they had known the power of the empire, they wouldn''t have sold like that.'' "During this time, there was a reason why we didn''t properly counterattack and kept retreating the imperial army." Rockefeller, who had been quiet, spoke up, drawing everyone''s attention. "What do you mean? There was a reason?" "Do you think we only retreated without a reason?" "Of course there must have been a reason, but can''t you see the current situation? The orcs have advanced all the way to the vicinity of the Imperial Pce. They have already taken all the advantageous positions, and it will take quite some time to drive them out. And we will have to pay a considerable sacrifice as well." At that, Rockefeller shook his head. "That''s not it. The orcs will simply withdraw." As Rockefeller confidently dered, the nobles stirred and asked for the reason. "Why are you so sure?" Now that the goblins had thrown their bonds, Rockefeller had nothing more to hide. "It''s because of the orcs'' southern advance. It was nned from the beginning by me. So, I can take care of sending them back myself." Upon hearing this, the nobles stirred even more. One of them looked at the silent emperor and asked, "Your Majesty, did you know about this story as well?" As the nobles'' gaze turned towards the emperor, he silently nodded his head. Rockefeller''s voice then reached them. "Before executing this matter, I asked for permission from His Majesty first. So, of course, His Majesty knows." The nobles questioned with an iprehensible expression. "Then why didn''t we know about this until now?" "Did you not tell anything to Tepez or Sinir? They have been loyal to the empire for a long time. You should have informed those two families without fail." To their questions, Rockefeller replied, "I wanted this matter to be kept secret at all costs. That''s why I didn''t tell anyone except His Majesty." The murmurs of the nobles didn''t stop. Then, one noble stepped forward and asked what I had been curious about. "Of course, you must have had your own thoughts to do so, but was there a need to go that far?" "Yes, there was a need." "What exactly was the reason you kept it so secret?" "It was to solve the issue of the bonds issued by the empire for this Gold Vein War." "Bonds?" The nobles were not unaware of the fact that the royal family had issued bonds to make up for theck of finances. "Didn''t the Goblin Bank buy all the bonds?" "That''s right. They bought all the bonds and we pretended to lose to the orcs until now to buy back the bonds at a low price. That way, the goblins would sell the bonds cheaply, wouldn''t they?" At Rockefeller''s words, the nobles finally began to show signs of eptance. There had been a reason why the imperial army had not fought properly and retreated all the way to the Imperial Pce. "We didn''t know anything. We''ve been misunderstanding you and feeling very sorry." "No wonder. They retreated without fighting." "Hahaha! The goblin fellows must have learned a big lesson this time." "So when are we going to counterattack?" When the topic of counterattack came up, Rockefeller smiled lightly. "Why counterattack? If the enemy retreats on their own, there''s no need to counterattack." "No need to counterattack? Then what were you talking about earlier? Did you really n the entire southern advance of the orcs, Rockefeller?" "Yes, but I didn''t n everything." In case the story went wrong here. Rockefeller decided to avoid the issue to avoid problemster. ''In such cases, it''s best to talk ambiguously.'' "Originally, there was a misunderstanding, and I''ve been dragging it along without resolving it." The murmuring nobles raised their doubts. "What exactly was the misunderstanding?" Simply put, the reason the orcs headed south this time is because their totem was destroyed by someone. And since the location was near the border of the Empire, the orcs assumed that it was done by the Empire''s people and dered war on us. However, it wasn''t our people who destroyed the totem. At these words, the nobles were surprised once again. Then who was it? Who else could it be? Who would be happy if we were in trouble? Indeed, who could it be? The restless nobles were able to identify the culprit without much difficulty. Don''t tell me... the dwarves? The dwarves did such a despicable thing? Rockefeller smiled as he got the answer he wanted. Honestly, who knows? The truth is unknown to anyone. Just like how the previous totem war started. Yes, the dwarves did such a disgusting act and kept it a secret until now. After all, if the Empire''s forces are dispersed or weakened, it naturally benefits them in capturing Montefeltro territory. The nobles gathered at the scene scowled and began to curse the dwarves. Despicable dwarf bastards. We knew they were cunning, living like rats underground, but we didn''t expect them to be this disgusting. They really don''t care about anything in front of gold. Can you believe that they were once rted to the elves? I thought that dwarves, at least, had some conscience, but they''re no different from the endlessly disgusting goblins in front of gold. Rockefeller spoke again to the nobles. Now that the misunderstanding is cleared up, the orcs will soon turn their spears to the dwarves. Why would they bother advancing to the Imperial Pce when they have no ill will towards us? The orcs'' deration of war and invasion were all because of the destruction of their totem. However, if it bes clear that the culprit was not a human but a dwarf, the orcs would reflexively turn their spears to the dwarves. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or till the end with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 173 (2) Chapter 173 (2) Rockefeller''s voice continued to the convinced crowd. And the Imperial Army will no longer have a reason to retreat, so they will immediately go on the offensive. Then, if the orcs have any sense, they will attack the dwarves who destroyed their totem. They''ll do it out of anger. Weren''t the orcs the most instinctive of all races? Rockefeller''s smile deepened as if he was hammering in the nail of victory. And if things go as I expect, defending Montefeltro territory will be much easier. The crisis of the Empire has ended, and now the cornered ones are the dwarves who touched the orc totem again, aren''t they? Thus, the meeting that began in fear ended in joy, and the Emperor''s order led the Imperial Army tounch a massive counterattack. At the same time, Isabe, who received a signal from Rockefeller, released the orcs they had captured, and they soon joined the orc army and contributed to reporting the fabricated facts to the orc chieftain. The orc chieftain, who was already furious about the destruction of the totem, unknowingly poured out his anger on the dwarves and began to turn the orc army towards the mountains where the dwarves were. As the orc army quickly retreated, the Imperial Army hurriedly divided its forces and advanced north, while the main force returned to Montefeltro territory. In addition, the Pope''s forces, which had been stationed outside Montefeltro territory due to his orders, returned to Montefeltro and began to help defend the fortress. Thus, the Empire, which was on the verge of copse, miraculously revived. The soaring price of imperial bonds was a bonus. The three leaders of Goblin Bank, who had been busy profiting from the various forces, were left dumbfounded as the price of the bonds they sold skyrocketed due to the sudden change in the orcs'' attitude. What is this? What is going on? No, that... how did it revive? The goblins, who had been busy inciting various forces to take care of their own interests, were ironically wrapped up in the Empire''s scheme and suffered a huge blow. "Something''s definitely off. This doesn''t make any sense. How could the dying Empire recover like that?" "It really doesn''t make sense." "I''ve thought about it, but it''s just weird. I mean, the orcs are moving like that?" "Initially, it was the totem that made the orcs move." "Could it be...?" All three denied it simultaneously. "No way. That''s not possible. Would the Empire have done such a thing like us back then?" "Would those worthless beings have strategized like us?" "But they could have, right? We''ve done so much until now." "Ugh... What should we do? This loss is too huge." Nothing had gone right since their involvement with the Empire. Just cutting their losses in the beer bubble would have drained their blood, but they werepletely ruined in the bond spection, making it difficult to even be called the richest in the continent. They were just slightly better than a mediocre force. "The dwarves are also hopeless because the orcs are invading their base." "Damn orcs, they''re robbing empty houses like that..." "Ugh..." Since they had cut their losses on the bonds, the Empire and the dwarves'' story had be someone else''s problem. "Who''s going topensate for the wyverns that died protecting that cursed territory?" "Since the Empire never agreed, it just means we screwed up, right?" "Damn it!" Then Goldman remembered a very arrogant man who had confronted him in the Empire. "That''s it. I understand now. It''s all that devil''s doing." Having deceived many, he wasn''tte in realizing that he had been deceived. "What do you mean? That guy orchestrated it?" "It''s all his doing. That guy." "Who are you talking about?" "That Rockefeller or Rothsmedici guy. It''s all the Empire''s doing." "What? Is that true?" "What''s your evidence?" There was no evidence. It was just a feeling. "It''s just my intuition." Fire began to flicker in Goldman''s eyes, which were crinkled in anger. "These damn bastards. They think we''ll back down like this. Fine, let''s show them what we''re made of." * * * "What brings you here? We don''t even have your bonds anymore, so you''re not a creditor, just a bystander, right?" When the winner of the Gold Vein War was almost the Empire. Goldman, who led the wyvern forces to find the Imperial Emperor, was blind with rage. He had suffered astronomical losses in the beer bubble and bond spection and was determined to make up for that loss by causing trouble at the Imperial Pce. Especially when he saw Rockefeller, who dared to talk back to him without fear, he could feel rage welling up inside him. "Why is there nothing to pay? We''re not some charity volunteers. We sacrificed our army to protect Montefeltro''s territory. We need to getpensated for our efforts." The roar of the following wyverns echoed into the Imperial Pce. Goldman had brought the wyvern forces with the intention of overthrowing the pce if necessary. "Ahem! I see." Rockefeller, along with the Imperial Emperor, couldn''t be unaware of Goldman''s intentions. Almost all of the Empire''s forces were focused on the Montefeltro territory, where they were confronting the dwarves in the Gold Vein War, and if there was a problem here, the Empire would have no choice but to deal with it. "Depending on my mood, I couldpletely overthrow this ce." Goldman, who didn''t bow down even before the Imperial Emperor, relied on the wyvern forces he had brought. Seeing this, Rockefeller, who didn''t like the situation, began to fiddle with the pendant he had received from Lee Han earlier. ''I didn''t want to use the cheat key.'' However, depending on the situation, there was no choice but to use it. ''They must have suffered astronomical losses from the beer and bond spection failures. That''s probably why they''re acting like thugs here.'' If the wyvern forces, which were their entire fortune, were ughtered by a munchkin, what would their fate be? ''From today, they''ll probably have to take down their sign.'' Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 174 (1) Chapter 174 (1) "Are you threatening us now?" Despite Rockefeller''s question, Goldman remained unyielding. "Threat? Threat or not, what does it matter? I''m just asking for a fair price right now. Do you think we''re fools who helped you out for nothing? The cost of feeding the wyverns for a month alone is enormous. At the very least, we should get the cost of the food back." "No, you should at least choose the right ce to threaten. What is this? Some kind of useless threat?" "What? Fine, I never liked you from the beginning. You still don''t seem to grasp the situation, do you?" Rockefeller shook his head lightly. "I guess not. I never liked you from the start, and if you keep acting like this..." His following words were quite ominous. "We have no choice either." Goldman scoffed at the sarcastic remark. Then, Rockefeller touched his pendant, and a familiar face suddenly appeared before them. "You, you!" The one who recognized him first was none other than Goldman. With his eyes wide open, Goldman was dumbfounded by the sudden appearance of Lee Han. "How are you here?" Rockefeller spoke cruelly with a smile on behalf of Lee Han, who hade without knowing the situation. "Ah, you didn''t know. If you knew even a little about the rtionship between Lee Han and me, you would never have done this." Lee Han, who hade because of the wyvern roars from all directions, frowned. "Hey, Rockefeller, what''s going on?" Lee Han, who was in no position to treat Rockefeller with respect, was probably the only one in the empire, and on the continent, to do so. Rockefeller greeted him with a smile. Lee Han, wee.'' "You''re here. I called you because there''s something I need." Lee Han could roughly guess the reason why Rockefeller had called him. The leader of the Goblin Bank and the roaring wyverns outside. Rockefeller wouldn''t have called him, who has an expensivebor cost, for trivial reasons, so the reason for calling him was obvious, wasn''t it? ''I roughly get it.'' "What do you want me to do?" Now that he trusted Lee Han, Rockefeller became more unyielding. "Well, some goblin tried to make an unreasonable threat, so I thought I''d ask for your help, the one who ims to have no rival in the world." "You know mybor cost is very expensive, right?" "If you help me this time, I probably won''t have to call you for a while. Didn''t I take good care of you?" "I''ve benefited a lot from you. You can ask me for any favour." Lee Han nced at the emperor and the nobles who were buzzing around the hall. Among them, there were a few who had a bad rtionship with him. When did their rtionship change from enemies to this ambiguous one? ''It''s certain that I just need to consult with him about my work in the empire.'' Lee Han was quite calcting. All he had to do was ask Rockefeller for help if he needed something in the empire. In that sense, Lee Han was willing to listen to Rockefeller''s request. The little lizards outside are just a piece of cake. It''s nothing. "Just wait a little. I''ll stretch my body ande back." As Lee Han disappeared, the flustered Goldman looked around for the missing Lee Han. "Uh, where did he go?" At that moment. The roar of the wyverns outside the imperial pce became even more violent, and a series of ear-splitting noises began. Then, something huge seemed to collide with the pce, shaking it greatly. However, since the pce was built so sturdily that it could withstand hundreds of years, the only thing that happened inside was dust falling from the ceiling. In the noisy pce, Rockefeller calmly addressed the emperor. "Your Majesty, it seems there will be a littlemotion outside. If there''s any damage, our Rothsmedici family intends topensate for it all, so please don''t worry too much about this." The emperor, who had been listening to the conversation, silently nodded his head. It meant he understood. Rockefeller''s gaze then turned to Goldman, who was left in the room, restless. "You''ve been quite silent." As Rockefeller yfullyined, Goldman, who had unknowingly been stepping back, stumbled and fell. Theughter of the human nobles filled the room, and the armed knights blocked Goldman, who was trying to escape amidst the ridicule. "You, you guys! Don''t you know who I am? Get out of my way!" But shouting loudly was a thing of the past. His image was already not good, and the behavior of the knights who caught him was quite rough. Rockefeller walked up to the captured Goldman, his lips curling into a smirk. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or till the end with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 174 (2) Chapter 174 (2) "I may not know." There was no barbaric act of killing the opponent. Goldman was one of the three leaders of the Goblin Bank. If they were to do that, they would have to be prepared for a full-scale confrontation with the Goblin Bank. So, Rockefeller decided to use him in a better way. "I don''t think we''ll cause any harm to you, the leader of the Goblin Bank. We''ll treat you well while you''re captured. However, in order to be released from here, the Goblin Bank will probably have to pay a significant amount of money." Rockefeller was the one who controlled the Goblin Dor he had created. And while the Goblin Dor held immense power within the empire, it wasn''t the case across the entire continent. So, one could see this as part of his n to dominate the entire continent with the paper currency he had created. "And we only recognize the Goblin Dor as currency." "What are you talking about? You guys were using Dnt." "Dnt is nothing more than a foundation for producing Goblin Dors." "What? When did that start?" "Recently." "What do you mean recently! Who are you to decide that?" "Are you already forgetting my position? I oversee the empire''s currency and finance ministry. I manage the currency system of this country. So, if I say so, it is naturally the case." He was asked to pay money to be released. That was something he could ept. However, it was outrageous for Goldman to be told to pay in Goblin Dors, a currency he didn''t possess. "Fine, you can do what you want with that. But only Goblin Dors can be used for release?" "Yes." "But we only have Ducats?" "So, to put it simply." Rockefeller''s continuing smile was quite a sight. "When you want to be released, you''ll have to pay in Goblin Dors, not your gold coins." "So what are you saying! We only have Ducats!" From Goldman''s perspective, it was truly absurd. "We need to have Goblin Dors to..." He couldn''t help butugh while speaking. Why on earth was the empire''s currency called Goblin Dor? ''But why is it called Goblin Dor?'' It was a really funny name when he thought about it. ''What does it matter.'' "We don''t have Goblin Dors. What kind of nonsense is that?" At his words, Rockefeller responded. "Ah, I see. It''s surprising that you don''t have Goblin Dors, themon currency of the continent." "Common? Themon currency of the continent is our Ducat, and what is this Goblin Dor you''re talking about? It''s just a piece of paper you made! How dare you call it a currency!" "Anyway, you can''t be released with Ducats. So, if you really want to be released, you should deal with our Goblin Dors at the Goblin Bank." Rockefeller continued. "And we are printing Goblin Dors based on gold coins. So, you can get Goblin Dors with Ducats at the Goblin Bank." Goldman couldn''t help but know that Dnt was a cheap gold coin. "Our Ducats are better than that! What kind of absurdity is this! If there''s anymon sense in the world, they would just ept our high-quality Ducats! What kind of nonsense is it to demand that we produce Goblin Dors!" Rockefeller''s response was very predictable. "That''s none of our business." "What? It''s not your business?" "Of course it''s not our business. In any case, we only ept Goblin Dors. If you don''t have Goblin Dors, you''ll have to rot in jail forever. And as formon sense." His following words were the final blow. "Find it in your own home. This is not your living room, but the empire. Follow thews of the empire. Don''t you even know that?" "You damn dog! What kind of nonsense are you spouting!" Goldman red at everyone and shouted. "Where is this trickerying from!" "Whether it''s trickery or not, that''s none of our business. Anyway, if you don''t have Goblin Dors, you''ll never be released. If you want to be released, please consult with your people." The conversation ended there. Rockefeller casually dismissed Goldman with a nod of his chin, and the hall became noisy again with Goldman''s screams as he was dragged away and then quieted down. Then, one of the nobles opened his mouth to Rockefeller. "But, Sir Rockefeller, do you intend to make the Goblin Dors we use themon currency of the continent?" The nobles stirred, waiting for Rockefeller''s answer. It didn''t take long for Rockefeller to respond to the question. "Yes, as you heard. My n going forward is to make the Goblin Dors we use themon currency of the continent." At his words, all the nobles began to stir. Then another noble added. "Is that really possible? Other races, besides us, use their own currencies. The dwarves use Sovereign, the goblins use their own Ducats, and the elves use Denarion, a silver coin, as their currency. If there is any currency that is recognized as themon currency of the continent, it would be the Ducats produced by the goblins. Would everyone really use our Goblin Dors as amon currency?" To that question, Rockefeller just smiled. "Of course, it won''t be easy. But that doesn''t mean it''s impossible." "If it''s not impossible, do you have a n?" Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 175 (1) Chapter 175 (1) "Of course." For Rockefeller, making the Goblin Dor themon currency of the continent was not as difficult as one might think. ''First, you need to have gold, which serves as a store of value.'' And the ones who had the most gold on the continent were the Rothsmedici family and Rockefeller. ''Both the dwarves and goblins had a considerable amount, but the goblins had already failed in their investments, and if the dwarves lose in the Gold Vein War, they will never be able to beat us in gold reserves. That''s because we will have thergest gold vein on the continent.'' "I can''t exin everything here, but I think it''s entirely possible if we use our gold reserves and the Goblin Bank." The nobles began to buzz again. "Can you tell us specifically what ns you have in mind?" Rockefeller was sharp in answering that question. "I cannot." "You cannot?" "Yes, this matter must be conducted in secrecy for my sake and for the empire''s sake." The nobles had expressions of iprehension. Why should such a thing be kept secret? "I see." But even the most powerful nobles had no choice but to ept Rockefeller''s authority. They wanted to ask questions, they were curious, they wanted to challenge him. In the end, it was impossible. "Understood. If that is the will of Lord Rockefeller, we will humbly ept." As the meeting came to an end. Rockefeller was summoned by the emperor. ''I know why he called me. He must be curious about what I said earlier.'' The nobles might be looking out for Rockefeller, but the emperor was not. The emperor was determined to call Rockefeller and hear his thoughts. In a private meeting with the emperor, Rockefeller had always been prepared. "Your Majesty, you called for me?" The emperor greeted Rockefeller without being too arrogant and informed him of the reason for the summons. "I wanted to hear more about the conversation we had earlier, so I called you." As Rockefeller''s prediction proved urate, he couldn''t help but smile lightly. "I see. I had a hunch. You were curious about it." "You mentioned earlier that you would make the Goblin Dor, which we are currently using, themon currency of the continent. Is that really possible?" Rockefeller answered the emperor''s straightforward question without hesitation. ''If it''s something only the emperor knows, it''s okay to tell him. He''s going to be on our side anyway.'' Power and finance were inseparable in a mutually cooperative rtionship. That''s why Rockefeller decided to answer the emperor''s question sincerely. "Yes, of course. As I mentioned earlier, it won''t be easy, but it''s not too difficult either. We have met some of the conditions anyway." The emperor raised a question. "Can you tell me?" "Haha, don''t worry. What would I hide from Your Majesty? Moreover, I am Your Majesty''s only financial advisor. If you have any questions, I should always be there to answer them." "Then can you tell me?" "Yes, I will. First, for our Goblin Dor to be themon currency of the continent, it must be widely used, as it is in the empire. Do you agree on this?" "A currency must be widely used." "Exactly. It must be widely used to be amon currency." The Goblin Dor was rapidly recing the Dnt in the empire at a frightening speed. This was partly because the Goblin Dor could be exchanged for Dnt at any bank belonging to the guild, but also because the Goblin Dor was essential for paying taxes in the empire, causing its rapid spread due to demand. "There are two reasons why the Goblin Dor has reced the Dnt in our empire. What do you think they are, Your Majesty?" "Trust and... necessity, I suppose." "That''s correct. You''re absolutely right." Rockefeller, with a pleasant smile, continued. "Then, what do you think is needed for the Goblin Dor to be used as themon currency of the continent, like in the empire?" "Trust and necessity, I suppose." "You''re absolutely right. That''s why I said it''s possible." The emperor was doubtful. "Will the whole continent be simr to the empire?" "What''s impossible about that? Trust can be built somehow, and necessity can be created." "Will that trust be built? I have doubts." The Dnt, as far as the emperor knew, was not a gold coin trusted by the continent. It was because the purity was lower than other gold coins due to the mixing of copper after the me War. "As you know, our imperial Dnt contains copper, making it rtively less desirable than other gold coins. And isn''t the Goblin Dor backed by the Dnt?" Rockefeller did not deny it. "That''s right. The Goblin Dor is based on the Dnt. So it''s true that its trust is lower than that of the Goblin Ducat when viewed across the entire continent." "Given that situation, is it possible to establish trust in the Goblin Dor outside the empire?" Rockefeller''s voice was resolute. "Yes, it is possible." "How is it possible?" "First of all, if we abandon the Dnt and use the Ducat, it will be more than possible." "Use the Ducat? So you''re saying we should abandon the Dnt, which has been used in the empire for a long time?" Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or till the end with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 175 (2) Chapter 175 (2) "Yes, we are sacrificing the existing one for a greater purpose. That way, the Goblin Dor can be themon currency of the continent based on the Ducat." To abandon the Dnt. It was something the emperor had never even thought of. "Do we really have to give up the Dnt?" In response to that question, Rockefeller answered confidently. "Dant has already lost its trust. Instead of rebuilding that trust, we can simply take the existing trust and use it for ourselves. That is the Ducat." "......" Dant had be rather ambiguous as the empire''smon currency at this point. It was because the Goblin Dor had already reced much of its position. ''Indeed, it has be more difficult to see Dantstely. You can only see them in the royal warehouse or at the bank.'' "So, going forward, the Goblin Dor will be..." Before the emperor could finish his sentence, a slightly smiling Rockefeller spoke on his behalf. "It will be issued with the Ducat as coteral." "......" "There is no other way. And the Ducat is a gold coin that has gained some trust from all races on the continent. We must use it." "I never thought the Ducat would be used as coteral... So what happens to the existing Dant?" "Most of the Dants that were in use are now rotting in the vault. Since people do not go after all the gold coins, we can secretly rece the Dants with Ducats." Rockefeller continued his exnation. "I might be exaggerating a bit, but everyone knows that the Ducat contains more pure gold than the Dant. If we encourage the use of Ducats within the empire, no one will prefer Dants with less pure gold. Then, we can separate the Dants into pure gold and copper using magic and alchemy, and create Ducats with the pure gold obtained." "Will there be no problems in doing so?" Rockefeller replied with a confident smile. "Would there be any problems? After all, Ducats are made of gold, and who would object to us making Ducats with the gold we have? Especially when the pure gold content is identical to the existing Ducats. I doubt anyone would raise objections." "......" The emperor pondered. Even if the Ducats produced in the empire had the same pure gold content as the existing Ducats, wouldn''t they be considered the same Ducats? ''And the empire has thergest gold reserves.'' The empire was solidifying its position as the winner of the Gold Vein War. So the emperor naturally nodded his head. "I see. Anyway, what does it matter where they are made? In the end, the important thing is the pure gold content of the Ducat." "Yes, that''s correct. I have no intention of undermining the trust in the Ducat either. If I did, I would lose trust from everyone." The emperor found it absurd that Rockefeller, who was trying to deceive the whole world with the Goblin Dor, was talking about trust. However, he did not show his feelings and asked another question. "If the empire allows the use of Ducats, more Ducats may be needed than expected. Do you have a n for that?" "Yes, of course." Rockefeller''s words continued immediately. "Recently, the Goblin Bank has suffered astronomical losses due to two investment failures. So, who do you think has the gold coins, the Ducats, that they lost?" Two investment failures. The emperor knew that they were beer and government bonds. "It must be the empire." "That''s right. Recently, the amount of Ducats circting in the empire has increased tremendously. That means a lot of gold coins lost by the Goblin Bank have been released into the empire''s market. So, we can take advantage of this situation and secretly rece the Dants with Ducats." "Will there be no other problems during this process?" Rockefeller shook his head lightly in response to that question. "There shouldn''t be any problems. Since the Goblin Dor system is in ce, Ducats won''t be traded much among people. Like Dants, Ducats will be stuck in the vault and move only on paper. So no one will know that their gold coins are being exchanged from Dants to Ducats." "I see." "And when the timees, you can announce that the empire will use only Ducats instead of Dants. Then we will naturally switch to using Ducats instead of the untrusted Dants. And this is the first step for our Goblin Dor to be themon currency on the continent." The emperor began to nod as if he understood. ''If the Goblin Dor is based on the Ducat rather than the Dant... not only the people of the empire but also others may prefer the Goblin Dor. After all, the Goblin Dor can be exchanged for Ducats within the empire.'' It seemed that one issue had been resolved. Now, thest problem remained. It was the necessity. "Even if we establish the trust of the Goblin Dor with the Ducat, will everyone in the world use it?" Rockefeller''s confident smile continued here as well. "If there was no need to use it, why would the Goblin Dor be used somonly in the empire instead of the Dant?" "That''s because... taxes can only be paid in Goblin Dors." "That''s true, but actually, the Goblin Dor has been used quite a bit even before that. It''s just that some people were avoiding it because its trustworthiness was not certain." The emperor, who expressed doubt, began to be convinced. ''Well, it''s much more convenient to use the paper Goblin Dor than the cumbersome gold coins.'' "Still, it seems verycking. Can''t we make all races on the continent prefer the Goblin Dor more?" "There are several ways to do that. One of them is this." Rockefeller continued his exnation. "Since we have the most gold in the continent, we will force all races to conduct gold transactions in Goblin Dors. In other words, if you want to buy gold, you must have Goblin Dors," Rockefeller exined. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 176 (1) Chapter 176 (1) "Are you saying that they would need goblin dors to buy gold?" "Yes, wouldn''t that create demand for goblin dors?" After all, it was the empire''s decision on how to sell the gold they had. If the empire only epts goblin dors for gold transactions, other forces have no choice but to follow the reality. "Indeed, since we have arge amount of gold reserves, there is no other way for others. They have no choice but to ept goblin dors." "Moreover, goblin dors can be exchanged for ducats, so they won''t have much resistance in epting them." The emperor nodded as if he understood. "That''s a good method, but is there a better way? Like collecting taxes only in goblin dors, for example." "There are many other ways besides forcing gold transactions to be in goblin dors." There might be many ways to activate goblin dors when you look for them. Rockefeller decided to mention this one. "One of them is this. Currently, the financial business of the continent is monopolized by the Goblin Bank. I may be a pivotal figure within the empire, but the Lyon Guild and I are just bank operators of a single country when looking at the entire continent." The emperor didn''t deny his words. Indeed, when looking at the entire continent, the goblin''s financial business was vast, as Rockefeller said. Rockefeller continued. "The scale of funds they have lent to various forces is enormous. And all those forces are paying interest in ducats." The goblin''s lending business also contributed to the goblin currency bing themon currency of the continent. That''s why Rockefeller nned to use that point. "Just make it possible to pay the principal and interest in goblin dors from now on." "Ah... I see there''s such a way." Then the emperor expressed his doubt. "But will the Goblin Bank ept goblin dors instead of ducats?" "Goblin dors can be exchanged for ducats at any time. We, who hold the most gold on the continent, guarantee it. If they still insist on using their own ducats rather than the more convenient goblin dors, then we will force them." "Force them?" The emperor was still doubtful. "How can you force them?" Would the Goblin Bank necessarily listen to Rockefeller''s words? "I don''t know. Do goblins have any reason to listen to our demands?" Then he thought of a method. "Do you n to use the imprisoned goblin leader as a hostage?" At that, Rockefeller shook his head. "That''s not it. It''s not easy to manipte goblins who are cunning and calcting in that way. They would only harbor strong resentment against us." The emperor recalled Goldman, who had cursed at Rockefeller and left earlier. "He didn''t seem to have good feelings either. What exactly are you thinking?" In response to that question, Rockefeller first smiled. "Your Majesty, do you know the characteristic traits of goblins?" "Characteristic traits?" Goblins were known for being quick-witted and calcting, more so than humans, giving them the impression of ruthless moneylenders. "Are you talking about their quick-wittedness when you mention characteristic traits?" "Of course, that''s part of it, but more importantly, they prioritize rationality over emotions when ites to money." "Ah..." In front of money, they had neither enemies nor allies. That''s why the Goblin Bank could maintain its position as the continent''s top bank, as they did not act emotionally in transactions. "If they had refused to give out money entrusted by a client today because they had a bad experience with a client yesterday, or if they had erased all existing transaction records because they became the ruler of the whole world, would the Goblin Bank have remained the top bank on the continent?" "Listening to you, it seems that goblins are good at distinguishing between public and private matters, even though their personalities are not good." "That''s one of the big distinguishing features that goblins havepared to other races. Even if they had a bad experience with someone yesterday, they strictly exclude emotions and only prioritize rationality and calction when ites to money-rted matters." The emperor nodded as if he agreed. "It seems so. But what does that have to do with anything?" "Earlier, the leader of the Goblin Bank cursed at me. But even Goldman would drool over the proposal I am going to make. And he will definitely do business. That''s why I''m going to visit Goldmanter and make a proposal." "A proposal?" "Yes, an irresistible proposal." What kind of proposal would it be? The emperor couldn''t guess. "Do you have a proposal for them?" "Yes, I do. Currently, the Goblin Bank has suffered astronomical losses due to two investment failures. On top of that, they have to pay us a considerable amount to get the captured leader Goldman back." Rockefeller continued without pause. "If that happens, what will happen to the Goblin Bank''s situation?" "Well... It will be difficult." As if it was the correct answer, Rockefeller''s smile deepened. "That''s right. It will be difficult. Then there will be problems with the lending business they are running. You need money right away to lend money and receive interest, don''t you?" "Ah..." The emperor finally had a rough idea of what kind of proposal Rockefeller was going to make. "Do you n to lend them money?" "Yes, that''s correct. I n to lend goblin dors to them and receive interest in goblin dors as well." Most of the banks under the Lyon Bank were borrowing money from the ''Bank of Rothsmedici,'' which was operated by the Rosmedici family, who held the most gold on the continent. In other words, it was no different from Rockefeller saying that he would bring the goblin bank under his control. "But will they borrow money from here?" At that question, Rockefeller smirked. "Your Majesty, they can''t do lending business without money, so do they have any other choice?" "But from other ces..." Up until the Gold Vein War, the goblin bank was undoubtedly the number one bank on the continent. If there was a ce that could lend money to such a ce, it would most likely be the Rothsmedici family, who had be the wealthiest on the continent after the Gold Vein War. "I see. It seems they have no other choice but to borrow from here." "That''s right. They have no other choice. They are not some small neighborhood store, so where would they borrow such arge sum of money to conduct their lending business? In the end, the goblins will have no choice but to borrow money from a big moneylender like me." A moneylender above a moneylender. That was Rockefeller. The emperor had many thoughts as he looked at Rockefeller. ''What kind of wealth does a person who lends money to those who y with debts obtain?'' It was hard to estimate. The emperor, who had been lost in thought for a moment, erased that thought and asked Rockefeller. "So, you n to make a proposal while lending them the money?" "You have seen it correctly. I will lend them the money and make a proposal. From now on, they should conduct their lending business with goblin dors. And they should repay the interest only in goblin dors." Rockefeller''s words continued without pause. "If they still cling to ducats, I can say this: If they bring goblin dors, there will be no problem exchanging them for ducats." "Will they not doubt it?" At that question, Rockefeller drove the nail in. "Your Majesty, our family holds the most gold in the empire. If our gold reserves werecking, the goblins would certainly have doubts. But that''s not the case, so they have no choice but to trust us." The emperor narrowed his eyes and thought. Whether it was true or not. It was an undeniable fact that Rockefeller, who printed goblin dors, held the most gold on the continent. "That''s true. But there is no certainty in this world." The emperor''s words continued. "Do you n to meet with the leader of the goblin bank?" "Yes, I will visit and make a proposal. There will likely be good results." "I have my doubts, but I hope for a good oue." Although they didn''t know, if the goblin bank actively epted goblin dors, it was as clear as day that goblin dors would be themon currency of the continent, recing ducats. ''I hope that happens.'' Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or till the end with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 176 (2) Chapter 176 (2) After parting with the emperor, Rockefeller immediately went to visit the imprisoned leader of the goblin bank. Goldman, the leader of the goblin bank, who had been roaring angrily, gritted his teeth when he saw Rockefeller. "What are you doing here! Did youe tough at me or what?" To Goldman, who was ring at him, Rockefeller replied without expression. "That''s not it. I just thought we needed to discuss some business matters, so I came to see you." "Business discussion? Spit! Who locked me up here and what business discussion!" Goldman continued to shout. "Get lost if you have nothing to say! Just looking at your face makes me want to puke!" Rockefeller shook his head gently at Goldman, who was getting louder. ''He''s really hopeless.'' "Please listen to what I have to say first. There''s no harm in listening." But Goldman''s attitude remained bad. "Take your nonsense to your own room! If you don''t get me out of here right now! Then everything will be overturned!" "Your wyverns are all dead, so do you still have that much to say?" "What?" Goldman was flustered by the news that the wyverns were all dead. "What are you talking about? Are they all dead?" "Didn''t you know? Well, you were caught, so how could you know what''s going on outside? Lee Han cleaned it up neatly. Of course, we also suffered some damage, but we n to im that ourselves, so you don''t need to worry about it." "..." It was unbelievable that the world''s most expensive army had evaporated so futilely. Goldman was at a loss for words. ''How could that be...'' "What nonsense is this? How much money did we spend on that..." Rockefeller shook his head again at Goldman, who was still in disbelief. "Why did you do such a pointless thing in the first ce?" "Is that something for you to say? We suffered that loss because of you!" "Isn''t that a bit harsh? Why are you ming us for your investment failure?" "You were the ones who threw the beer first during the beer bubble, and we suffered a loss because of it." "That''s true, but that doesn''t mean you should ask us forpensation for your loss, does it?" "You bastard!" "Enough of that. Since the investment failure is your responsibility, why don''t you listen to my proposal?" Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 178 (1) Chapter 178 (1) Even though Goblin Dors were not immediately trustworthy, as long as they could be exchanged for Ducats 100% of the time, it wasn''t a bad deal for Goldman. ''If we clearly specify it in the contract... we won''t lose much. After all, trust is life in this business.'' Moreover, as the winner of the gold vein war, the empire was solidifying. Of course, borrowing Goblin Dors instead of Ducats was a repulsive idea, but Goldman didn''t think that Rockefeller would lend them Ducats either. ''I don''t know if it will be a poison or an antidote.'' Goldman made up his mind. ''I have no choice but to do something or die.'' "Alright. Those Goblin Dors. If you can guarantee that they can be exchanged for Ducats, we have no reason not to borrow them." Rockefeller emphasized this point. "I hope you remember my purpose well. From now on, interest payments must be made in Goblin Dors." "I''ll need Goblin Dors to do business. How am I supposed to get Goblin Dors to pay the interest?" "Then you''ll have toe to me and take Goblin Dors. After paying the appropriate amount of Ducats." "......" Although it was awkward to be dependent on Goblin Dors, Goldman had no choice due to his two failures. ''I don''t like it, but I have no choice.'' "Alright, let''s do that. But you have to guarantee the Ducats for sure." At that, Rockefeller, who was grinning, replied. "It''s a pity for someone who knows that trust is life to us to say such a thing. Don''t worry. Our Rothsmedici family has the most gold on the continent, so we can exchange Ducats for you without a problem." 46. Continental Common Currency (1) With the winner of the gold vein war being the empire and Goldman, who had paid a huge indemnity, returned to the Goblin Bank and received a massive amount of Goblin Dors from the empire. At first, there was strong opposition within the Goblin Bank for epting the strange paper currency of the empire instead of Ducats, but as the details of the negotiations with the empire were revealed, the dissatisfaction gradually subsided. And they soon began to expand their lending business on arge scale, using Goblin Dors instead of Ducats. "What is this? It''s not gold, and it doesn''t seem like a promissory note either. What is it?" Marion, the leader of the Dark Elves who were short on money due to the war with the High Elves, visited the Goblin Bank to quickly secure war funds. But would you believe it? The Goblins were offering strange paper money instead of the Ducats he wanted. "Ha ha, this is a new promissory note. It''s called Goblin Dors, and you can think of it as a kind of currency concept." "A currency?" "Yes, like gold coins. They say that in the empire, they use this like money. The entire continent will probably use this promissory note like money like the empire does." Marion couldn''t help but frown when he was offered the strange paper currency instead of the gold he wanted. Bang! With his clenched fist, he mmed the desk in front of him and yelled at Goldman, the head of the Goblin Bank who was facing him. "Are you joking right now? What is this? Are you giving me this as money?" His reaction was natural. All those who came to the Goblin Bank to borrow money had the same reaction. "Why are you so upset? It''s the money you''re going to borrow." "Are you lending me this as money right now? What I need is gold Ducats. Not these paper scraps, but gold coins made of gold, Ducats! Give me Ducats. I won''t take anything but Ducats." At that, Goldman frowned. ''I knew he would be like that. Well, I would have hated it too. But what can I do? We don''t have many Ducats. So just take this.'' "I understand. I understand everything. It must be very confusing to suddenly lend you something like this." Marion''s mood was very bad, and the dark and negative energy began to rise from his body as he faced Goldman. "Of course! Just lend me the Ducats properly. Or else you''ll be in big trouble." Lend him Ducats? I''d like to do that too. If I had enough Ducats in my hands. "Hmm... but do you know this?" What was he trying to say? Marion reluctantly responded with an ufortable expression. "What are you talking about?" "The reason we''re offering Goblin Dors like this is because we want Goblin Dors to be widely used across the continent. Why? Because from now on, we n to do business with Goblin Dors at our Goblin Bank." Before he could say anything, Goldman continued. "And these Goblin Dors. Surprisingly, they can be exchanged for Ducats anytime, anywhere. You can exchange them at our Goblin Bank or at any guild bank affiliated with the empire." At the first mention of this, Marion asked with a frown. "What are you talking about? This paper scrap can be exchanged for Ducats anytime?" Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or till the end with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 178 (2) Chapter 178 (2) "You heard it right. Borrowing these Goblin Dors is the same as borrowing Ducats." At that, Marion snorted. "Then I should take the Ducats even more. If they are going to be exchanged for Ducats anyway, why would I take those Goblin Dors?" If he borrowed Ducats, he could use them immediately as war funds. However, if he borrowed Goblin Dors instead of Ducats, which he had never seen before, he would face various difficulties because he couldn''t use them effectively. It was too annoying to introduce it as money to others. ''How can I use that? I don''t even know if others will ept it or not.'' "Isn''t that right?" At his words, the head of Goblin Bank, Goldman, smiled. "Yes, I honestly agree with you. If it''s going to be exchanged for Ducats anyway, why would you take Goblin Dors? But you should know this." At this moment. There was only one reason why Goldman actively rmended Goblin Dors. It was because it was difficult for them to provide as many Ducats as he wanted. ''We have to lend money to do business as before, and we have no choice but to use Goblin Dors since that''s all we have.'' "The interest rates are different." Only then did Marion be quiet. To be honest, what was important to him was the war funds. But repaying itter was also quite important. "Interest?" As Marion showed interest, Goldman''s grin grew even wider. ''Good, he''s hooked. Well, guys like you are all the same.'' "If you borrow Ducats, the interest rate is 6.5%. But if you borrow Goblin Dors instead, we currently have a special promotion period where you can get a golden interest rate of 5.5%." Goldman''s words, eager for victory, continued. "What do you think? Do you still dislike Goblin Dors?" The fact that the interest rate difference was a full 1% was quite an interesting proposal for Marion, who was borrowingrge amounts of money. "Are you saying that the interest rate difference is 1%?" "That''s right. Why else would people borrow Goblin Dors instead of Ducats?" Goldman recalled a mercenary captain who had visited before and continued. "I don''t know which mercenary group it was, but their captain also borrowed money here and took Goblin Dors. They called us fools." Goldman still smiled. "Do you know why they called us fools? Whether they take Goblin Dors or Ducats, it''s the same as taking Ducats. But there''s a full 1% difference in interest rates, so they looked at us as fools. We are working hard to activate Goblin Dors throughout the continent." The other party was Goblin Bank, a trusted institution based on credit. Although Goblin Dors were unfamiliar and strange, Marion, who had dealt with Goblin Bank several times before, didn''tpletely dislike Goblin Dors. If the interest rate is low, why take the more expensive Ducats? "Is it okay to borrow Goblin Dors and immediately exchange them for Ducats?" "That''s not possible. The interest rate is only low when you borrow Goblin Dors. If you immediately exchange them for Ducats, the original loan interest rate will apply." "How do you know that?" "That''s because we only ept the principal and interest in Goblin Dorster. If you return it in Ducats, the original 6.5% interest rate will apply. So, remember this. The 5.5% golden promotion is only applicable when you borrow Goblin Dors." "Hmm..." Introducing Goblin Dors as money to everyone for a 1% difference in interest rates? That kind of inconvenience was entirely possible in front of a 1% difference in loan interest rates. ''1% is huge. Especially since I''m borrowing arge amount of money.'' "Okay. But I want to make one thing clear." The following question was something Goldman could easily predict. "Is it true that Goblin Dors can be exchanged for Ducats anytime, anywhere?" At those words, Goldman smiled more confidently than anyone else in the world. "Of course. Even if it''s not us, the Rothsmedici family of the empire, who boast of being the richest on the continent, guarantee it. You can try exchanging it there. If they exchange it, I''m right, and if I''m wrong, we''ll have to close our business here today." It was a well-known fact that the winner of the Gold Vein War was the empire and the Rothsmedici family, which belonged there. So, Marion was able to have more confidence in Goblin Dors rather than doubt. ''There''s no reason for them to lie here. But it''s a little strange that the empire also guarantees Goblin Dors to be exchanged for Ducats. The empire originally used Dnts... Even they dont want the copper-mixed gold coins.'' As he left Goblin Bank with a loan approval, Dark Elf leader Marion chuckled as he looked at the Goblin Bank building standing behind him. ''Goblin Dors... These goblin guys always attach their names to their things.'' Where he was looking, there was a big sign that read ''Goblin Bank.'' Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 179 (1) Chapter 179 (1) Bonus chapter! Happy New Year. "Life, you know. It''s really fleeting." Bel and Bob, who became penniless in an instant after suffering huge losses from the beer bubble, couldn''t return to their hometown and ended up staying in the Montefeltro territory. There was nothing to go back to. They had nothing left and had be destitute. The only fortunate thing was that after the Gold Vein War, there was an abundance of job opportunities in the Montefeltro territory. It was mining work. "Yeah, you''re right. Life is indeed fleeting." Bob''s grumbling was echoed by Bel, who had also suffered the same fate. The two spent another day working like dogs in the mine and came to a tavern to wash away the exhaustion of the day. And they did it with the very cause of their downfall, the people''s favorite, beer. "I don''t know why we were so crazy about it. It was just beer after all." As Bob looked at the beer ss in his hand, Bel sighed, looking at his own ss. "Sigh... You''re right. It was just beer, like you said. We were crazy,pletely crazy." In the historic beer bubble incident. The two were the biggest victims. "We should have gotten out when we could have..." "No, we should have stayed in ck Label. We shouldn''t have left no matter who tried to beat us up. We left for no reason... and ended up ruined." "Ugh. Why did we get stuck at the peak? We really should have gotten out at that unbelievable price." "Looking back, we were really foolish." "Sigh..." If they had gotten out when they could have, they would be living as wealthy men with several wives in a mansion by now. The lingering regret kept the two drinking every day. "At least it''s fortunate that there''s work here. If not, we would have be beggars on the streets long ago." "Who knew working day by day for money would be this hard? Life was so much better when we were shop owners." Mining work was so hard that many people quit, so it was conducted on a daily wage basis. It was like a dayborer, working one day and earning for that day. "What a disgrace at this age. We''re getting old, and we''re stuck in a mine doing hard work that even young people don''t do. Oh, my poor body." "What can we do? It''s our fate." "I wonder how Sam is doing. He must be living well, right?" "Sam?" When they were caught in the beer bubble''s peak, holding a hell party with other retail investors. Sam had sold all his beer and effortlessly escaped the hell party. It was art in a way. In another way, he was the son of a god. "Was Sam really possessed by a ghost? How did he think of selling and getting out at that point?" "I know, right? It''s as if a ghost was attached to him. How did he think of getting out at that price?" "I really think Sam''s sess is amazing. It feels like just yesterday when he was shining shoes at our shop." "You''re right. I saw it a lot too. I never thought that snotty kid would be a wealthy man with nothing to envy in the world." Perhaps because of the alcohol, Bob was bing more honest. "When I first heard that Sam seeded in investing in a trade ship, I was really upset. And I was jealous. Who wouldn''t be when a shoe shiner from our shop became sessful?" Bel seemed to agree with that. "Were you the only one? I was also secretly upset when I saw Sam''s sess. Think about it. It''s unbelievable. How could that guy..." "Now that I think about it, I remember that saying." "What saying? Which one?" "Do you know that saying?" "What is it?" Bob hesitated for a moment and then told Bel about the saying he had heard before. "They say when someone is living 10 times better than you, you feel jealous and envious." "Yeah? Now that you mention it... it does seem that way." "And when someone is living 100 times better than you, you don''t feel jealous but envious." "It sounds right. Honestly, when Sam was even more sessful, I felt more envious than upset, right?" "That''s right." Listening to it, it was their own story. At first, when Sam seeded in investing in a trade ship, the two felt jealous of Sam''s sess. And when Sam became wealthier, they looked at Sam with envy, not jealousy. "That''s exactly our story, isn''t it?" "That''s right. And there''s one more thing." "There''s another one?" "Yes, maybe my current thoughts are the same as that." "What is it?" "You know, when someone is living 1,000 times better than you, what do you think then?" Bel thought about the question. ''Living 1,000 times better? 1,000 times better...'' Although they didn''t know for sure, it seemed like Sam''s story. He had hit the jackpot with a trade ship investment, tried his hand at various other ventures to be even wealthier, and in the end, became a wealthy man living 1,000 times better than them by cashing in on the beer bubble. "I''d be really envious, but that doesn''t seem like the answer... I don''t know. What happens when someone lives 1,000 times better than you?" Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or till the end with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 179 (2) Chapter 179 (2) In response to Bel''s question, Bob continued. "When someone lives 1,000 times better than you, you''re no longer envious but willing to work for them." "What? When someone lives 1,000 times better, you work for them?" Yeah, that''s exactly how I feel right now. If Sam showed up now and asked me to shine his shoes, I would dly shine Sam''s shoes. "Hey, man. Anyway, it''s something to say that you''d polish Sam''s shoes." "It''s weird for you to say that. Do you think Sam would ask us to polish his shoes for free? He''d probably pay us for it." "Still, that''s true." "If he pays a dor for each shoe polishing, would you not do it?" "A dor each?" "With Sam''s ability, it''s definitely possible." "Then... it might be worth trying?" "That''s what I''m saying. People are like that. I''m like that right now, too." "I''d rather be Sam''s horse keeper or something instead of polishing shoes? If Sam wants to go around, he''ll need a horse keeper, right?" As they looked at each other, they both burst intoughter. "We''re talking all sorts of nonsense after a few drinks." "That''s right. In the first ce, why would Sam look for people like us?" "Of course, he wouldn''t. Why would Sam miss us and look for people like us? Sam is now a tycoon, so he must be living without any worries." The two of them drank andughed untilte at night and then slept in a warehouse-like ce. The next day. To make a living, Bel and Bob naturally went to work at the mine, where they coincidentally met Sam, who hade to visit the mine. "Isn''t that Sam?" "No way, Sam? What are you doing here?" The two shabby miners recognized him, and Sam, who had visited the mine with several nobles, almost didn''t recognize them. "Who... is that really Bel and Bob?" "That''s right, it''s us. It''s us." They looked like genuine miners with pickaxes on their shoulders. Sam, who had been mingling with the nobles, asked them for a moment of understanding and had a brief conversation with the two. "What are you doing here? What about the store?" At Sam''s question, the two answered in a crawling voice. "Well... we failed." "You know, we lost everything because of the beer investment." "Oh... I see." Sam understood immediately. He had seen many people like them, who had ventured into beer investment and became penniless in an instant due to the historical bubble. "I managed to get out well, but it''s really unfortunate for you two." Since they met anyway. Bob decided to ask Sam how he had thought of getting out at that price. "How did you think of getting out of there?" Sam had no honest answer to that question. He just got out because it was too high, and luckily it was near the peak. "I just... I can''t exin it other than being lucky." "Really? Well... it was too high. But what are you doing here?" When they asked about their real curiosity, Sam nced at the nobles murmuring behind him and soon told them why he hade here. "Well... it''s nothing special. The gold veins here are sorge that it seems the Rothsmedici family is having a hard time managing them all. So they gave people like us a chance. If you find other gold veins here, they will give you a certain share of the profits." "Really?" "Was there such a thing?" "Maybe mediocre people couldn''t participate in this business. They must have given this opportunity only to those with a certain scale of funds." Bel and Bob could empathize with Sam''s wealth. "I see. That''s what happened." "Anyway, the gold veins here are so strong. Even the old miners are surprised." "Gold ore flies out just by digging with a pickaxe. I don''t know, but the owner here must be a rich man who can build a castle with gold, right?" Sam, who didn''t know much about the situation here, felt that he needed the help of the two who had been working here. ''It''s just as well. It''s much better to have someone I know than to have someone useless here.'' "Do you two need a job, so you''re working here?" At that question, Bel and Bob stared at each other. Somehow, the conversation they had yesterday came to mind. ''If someone lives a thousand times better than me.'' ''I''d dly work for that person.'' After finishing their conversation with their eyes, the two turned their eyes back to Sam and said, "Well, yeah. Why do you ask?" "We''re short of money, so we''re working as miners here. We have no choice but to work hard. We lost all our property because of the beer." That''s right. Sam immediately made a proposal to the two with a smile. "I''ll give you triple the daily wage here. How about working with me from now on? I have many businesses going on here and there, so I need someone to manage this work separately." Sam continued. "It''s better to have someone you know than a stranger, right? And you two have store experience, so managing money and such should be easier than others." That proposal. Bel and Bob never refused. "Oh my! We''d love that." "Love it, you say. Just tell us, and we''ll throw away this pickaxe right away." "Ha ha, I''m d. Then I''ll ask for your help from now on. It looks like I''ll be in charge of one area here." "Oh, really?" "Then we''ll have to follow you starting today." "Ha ha ha! That''s right. We''ll follow you from today." Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 180 (1) Chapter 180 (1) Late at night. Rockefeller was working in his office when he looked up at the open window. The night breeze was chilly. Getting up from his seat, Rockefeller approached the window and happened to see the moon in the sky. The moon was unusuallyrge and bright tonight. "......" After gazing at the moon for a moment, he closed the window and turned around to return to his seat. That''s when he unexpectedly came face-to-face with a visitor. "......" Seeing the flowing hair from beneath the robe hood, Rockefeller could vaguely guess the identity of the visitor. ''What brings her here at this hour?'' "Isabe?" As he addressed her, she removed her hood, revealing her pale face. "It''s been a while." Despite her visit, Rockefeller''s reaction was rather sullen. "What brings you here?" As Rockefeller returned to his seat, Isabe stood in front of his desk to face him. "You promised me something. I came to see if you would keep that promise." The promise... Rockefeller recalled the promise he had made with her. From his perspective, it was one of the most ridiculous promises. "Oh, right. We made that promise back then. If you solve that issue, I''ll grant you freedom. So have you made a decision?" "You''re still cold towards me." At her words, Rockefeller spread his arms and showed his palms. "Or is there something you want from me?" "I''ve been traveling the world for a while. Although it was short, it was a rather enjoyable journey." Rockefeller decided to silently listen to what she had to say. "Not much has changed... but there was one difference." After a brief pause, she told him what she had been meaning to say. "Congrattions. The world you desired has finally arrived." At this, Rockefeller showed his confusion. "The world I desired? What world are you talking about?" "The Goblin Dor. Now, not only the empire but also the elves are using it." "Ah..." From Rockefeller''s perspective, it was old news. Once the Goblin Bank began handling Goblin Dors, the elves started freely using them as well. As if it was not a big deal, Rockefeller began to coldly treat Isabe, who hade to visit. "Well, it''s an obvious story. I knew it would happen from the start, so it''s not that impressive." "You created a world where you can print and use as much money as you want, and you don''t think that''s impressive?" Hearing this, Rockefeller stopped his pen and looked straight at her. "Well, there are still things that money can''t do. If you consider that impressive, it''s a bit awkward for me." "What can''t you do? Isn''t it a world where everything is possible with money?" "For example... controlling you as I please." He then lowered his head and focused on his work, speaking casually. "Or dealing with youing and going as you please. These are problems that money can''t solve." "......" After a moment of silence, Isabe asked the busy Rockefeller again. "What do you want?" "I don''t want anything." "Really, nothing?" From Rockefeller''s perspective, he needed Isabe to avoid being at the mercy of the Sinir family. So, Rockefeller decided to be honest in response to her question. "If I had to say something, I wish you would stop wandering around and quietly settle down at home, focusing on household matters. That would be good for me, your father, and also..." Should he say this? It doesn''t matter. "It would be good for you too." "Why would that be good for me? Why?" "What do you mean, why?" As he focused on his documents, Rockefeller said something that any ordinary woman would be delighted to hear. "Normally, if a husband is rich enough to have money rotting away, any ordinary woman would be thrilled. But I guess you''ve had an overflowing life so far, so it might seem a little mundane to you. Anyway, any ordinary woman would be thrilled." Seeing no change in her expression, Rockefeller admitted that he had said something unnecessary and decided to focus on his documents again. "But not everyone would feel the same. This is, after all, my own wish. If you want to force me to keep the promise I made with you, feel free to ignore it. But we should still keep our promises." "In my opinion, you seem quite insensitive to emotions." Rockefeller raised his head and retorted. "Emotions... are they important?" "..." "I''m not sure. If they''re important or not. They''re not something you can sell to make a living, they''re just fleeting feelings. To me, what''s important is life itself. A prosperous life is more important to me than those emotions." After a brief silence, she asked onest question. "If I stay with you, will something good happen to me?" At that question, Rockefeller chuckled. "Are you asking that? The first things thate to mind are money, honor, and inner peace." Isabe expressed her doubts. "What do you mean by inner peace?" "Isn''t it about not having to worry about others'' opinions and livingfortably without any worries about the world? That''s what I mean by inner peace." Even so, there was something more important to her. "What about you?" "Me? Why?" "Do you mean nothing to me?" At that question, Rockefeller put down the pen he was holding and looked at her with a strange look in his eyes. "Don''t tell me... you want love from me?" Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or till the end with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 180 (2) Chapter 180 (2) "I''ve been living separately from you because I didn''t feel anything. Why should I live with you if I don''t feel anything even when I''m with you?" "Um..." It was something he hadn''t thought about. Trinity Tepez, who came from the Tepez family, was living well with Rockefeller as his second wife, unlike the emotional woman. ''Trinity is apletely different person. Although she doesn''t seem to care about me.'' "Then, if I love you, would you be willing to live with me?" She immediately answered his question. "Yes, if it''s sincere." "Then it''s fortunate." Rockefeller stood up and showed her a bright smile. "I''m a little clumsy at expressing myself, but the truth is, I''ve always kept you in my heart." He smiled kindly, but Rockefeller didn''t have any feelings for her. "I''m sincere." "What kind of person is sincere... when they don''t even visit once after getting married?" "That''s because I was busy with work. Don''t you know? I can''t take care of every little thing like this because of my work." Rockefeller, who had approached her at some point, began tofort her. "It was because I was busy with work. I hope you can let go of your anger. At least now, I''m d to know your feelings." Could she believe those words? She didn''t believe it, but she had no other choice. Her heart was already here, so even if his words were lies, she had no choice but to be deceived for now. ''Could it change?'' That foolish thought came to her. * * * A few dayster. In the same ce, Rockefeller felt an inexplicable dj vu in the same atmosphere as a few days ago. "..." The window by the window was wide open that night as well. The moon was full. Sitting at his desk, lightly organizing the documents, Rockefeller was reminded of what had happened before. ''At least that incident ended well.'' Why did he feel that if he closed the window and returned to his seat, the same thing would happen again? ''That''s ridiculous.'' Rockefeller got up from his seat, closed the window, and sat down again. He then began to review the documents. ''Yeah, it''s nonsense.'' Then. He unknowingly raised his head due to the feeling of someone''s presence nearby. Although he knew well that no one could assassinate him under Ismail''s protection. His confidence had been shaken a lot due to the Isabe incident a few days ago. As expected, when he looked around, there was a man looking at him and sitting down. Rockefeller couldn''t help butugh at the sight of him. "Hey, Rockefeller." There was only one person on this continent who dared to address him without honorifics. ''Lee Han, wee.'' "When did you arrive? You should have at least told me." Lee Han, who had been sittingfortably with his legs crossed, smiled at that. "Did I ever tell you when I wasing? I juste whenever I feel like it." "What brings you here? You came without even telling me." "Not really here for any particr reason. Just curious." "Curious?" Lee Han had a lot of thoughts about what was happening across the continent, including the empire. People all over the world are using the Goblin Dor he can print without limit! Isn''t this a real utopia in reality? "It''s the Goblin Dor you created." "Ah, you came all the way here to ask about that?" "I thought it was only used in the empire... but now I see goblins and elves are using it too." At those words, Rockefellerughed heartily. "Isn''t that a good thing?" "A good thing..." "You''re not denying it, are you? You''re the one who can print as many Goblin Dors as you want." As expected, Lee Han knew Rockefeller well. Heughed lightly and said, "Of course, it''s a good thing. I''m just amazed. I had no idea it would go this far." "It''s a good thing, then. Just enjoy it." Watching Rockefeller focus on his work, Lee Han was amazed at his ability to work even in front of him. Usually, people would be too busy watching his every move and feeling awkward. It seemed that Rockefeller was the only one on this continent who could treat him so lightly. "I wanted to say thank you." Rockefeller, who hadn''t expected such words from Lee Han, looked at him with a surprised expression. "What? What did you just say..." "Thank you. My expression might be a bit clumsy, but I really wanted to say thank you. Things seem to be going well in the empire because of you. And it''s helping with all the little, annoying things happening outside." Lee Han took out a Goblin Dor from his pocket. "Most things are solved with this. I can just print it and solve it, so there''s no need to bother moving around, right?" "Well... that''s true." "Although I did contribute to this a little. Still, the very idea of it is really amazing." Lee Han finished speaking and got up from his seat. "I may not see you for a while." Rockefeller knew the meaning of those words. Lee Han''sst. It was about leaving this world. ''Has the novel''s time alreadye to this?'' "Where are you going?" Instead of answering the question, Lee Han just smiled lightly. "I have a ce to go. Somewhere far higher than here. Maybe when I get there... I might find the answers I''ve been looking for. I''ve talked nonsense. Anyway, thank you." Lee Han disappeared suddenly. Although the remnants of mana were still strong in the surroundings, Rockefeller couldn''t feel it. Because he was an ordinary person. ''Has he left...?'' Lee Han''s departure. Although it was somewhat bittersweet, it was a good thing for Rockefeller in another way. ''Is itpletely my world now?'' The protagonist of the novel left, leaving a single reader in the novel. And he became the founder of the continent''s most prestigious financial family. ''Honestly, the most important thing in living in this world.'' Rockefeller''s idea of truth. ''It''s money.'' And a world where you can print it infinitely. The owner of that world was Rockefeller. Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. ess 5 advance chapters with the Imperial Dnts Tier ($10) or 10 advance chapters with Dwarven Sovereigns Tier ($18) or 20 advance chapters with Goblin Dors ($35). For every $25 collected on Ko-fi, I will release an extra chapter. Choose your tier by clicking the ''Support me'' button! Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Happy reading! Chapter 181 Chapter 181 What is money? Is it truly the most valuable thing of all? And does it really bring endless happiness? Of course! ''Money is really important. More than anything else in the world. Think about it. If you''re sick, you can use it to treat your body, and if you want something, you can buy it with it.'' Because he had money, he could seed, and his siblings could also climb to good positions. ''I helped Andrew a lot too.'' The second, Andrew, was thriving in the military''smand, unprecedentedly due to the influence of Rockefeller, the empire''s most powerful man, and recently had his first child. ''The most important thing is that he is living well in a mansion that he couldn''t even dream of with a military sry, with the daughter of a lord he had a crush on since childhood. There probably isn''t anything happier for Andrew than that.'' What did Andrew do? ''Did Andrew do anything to achieve that happiness? If he did, it was thanks to meeting me well. Some say you should meet good parents, but that''s not the case for us. My siblings really met me well.'' The third, Joshua, was greatly contributing to the increase of the family''s wealth by helping Rockefeller. Especially in the field of investment, he was showing his prowess, and at some point, he was earning enough money to surprise Rockefeller. ''Joshua is the most suitable person for this family among my siblings. The amazing thing is that he has a better sense than me. He knows incredibly well when and where to invest. As long as he doesn''t take too much risk, he will continue to bring good results. Or it''s okay to lose a little. Investment is like that in the first ce.'' And the fourth, Leo, also became the Chief of the Papal Secretariat, gradually expanding his position within the church. ''Leo is doing well too. Like Andrew, he is solidifying his position within the church, so the next pope is likely to be Leo, who is the Chief of the Papal Secretariat. Or I can take that position. I made the current pope, so it wouldn''t be difficult to do it twice, right? In the end, that position can also be taken with a money frenzy.'' Lastly, the youngest, Lucia, became the empress and the mistress of the empire. ''All of that was achieved through money. If there was no money, all of that would have been impossible.'' In this way, money was everything and everything to Rockefeller as he lived in the world. Is there no meaning in such money? ''It''s a funny story. Money is everything. Everything.'' Some say that money is not everything, and there are things that cannot be solved with money. ''I can understand. They have never had inexhaustible money. Or they should question themselves.'' To those who say they can''t be happy with money. Rockefeller suddenly wanted to ask this question. Was the money you had at that time enough? ''It definitely wasn''t. It wascking, so there was regret, and it was alsocking, so it couldn''t be achieved.'' Ah, except for one thing. ''Yes, there''s one thing that''s right. There is only one thing that money cannot buy.'' What is that? ''It''s health. There are times when a dying or old body cannot be solved with money.'' Rockefeller, who admits only that one thing, unknowingly twisted the corners of his mouth. ''But can''t you prepare for all of that with money? Well, anyway.'' Even though he had climbed to a position where he could create something out of nothing by printing money in midair. The ce where Rockefeller mainly worked was the small guild headquarters in Lyon. If someone asks why the most powerful and wealthy person in the empire is working in a narrow Banco street, Rockefeller would probably answer like this. ''It''sfortable here.'' Then someone might ask again. Wouldn''t it be better to work in a better environment if you have so much money? If there is such a question, Rockefeller would obviously chuckle first. ''I''m not the one doing the work. I''m not the one making the money either.'' At this very moment, countless Banco traders belonging to the guild and those who borrowed money from them were working like dogs to umte the wealth of the Rothsmedici family. ''Money makes money. All I do is lend money. Then the money works on its own and brings in money.'' A suddenmotion urred in the quiet Ghetto Nuovo street. Rockefeller got up from his seat and stood by the window. What happened? "You damn bitch! If your father borrowed money, you should sell your body to pay it back!" "I''ll pay the interest somehow next month! Please, just this once!" "Interest? What about the principal?" "I can''t afford the principal. Please! I''ll beg you like this!" "No way, you bitch! If you don''t have the money to pay right now, go to the brothel and sell your body!" A poor girl from the slums was seen holding on to the Banco trader''s pants, pleading. Seeing that, Rockefeller couldn''t help but feel awkward. ''It seems like something went wrong.'' The fact that he makes money. It was an extension of such an incident. He lends money, and the Banco traders conduct loan businesses with that money. And in order to make a certain profit, they start usury businesses, and the poor people who receive those loans suffer from unreasonable interest rates, work to death today and tomorrow, and are sometimes insulted like that. ''It''s something I see when I''m bored, but it''s always ufortable.'' However, he had no intention of going out and helping. Finally, his wife, Isabe, stepped in to help the girl by paying her debt and offering her a job. Rockefeller remained detached from the situation, focusing on his own wealth and the growing influence of Goblin Dors. He acknowledges the exploitation of the currency but feels no empathy for those affected, as it benefits him and his family. If I help such a thing once or twice, all the debtors on this street will probably disappear. But he had no intention of going out and helping. If he helped out with such things once or twice, perhaps all the debtors on this street would disappear. Or they would borrow money and not repay it. That was what Rockefeller hated the most. ''If you borrow money, you should repay it properly. Whether it''s in any form, if you borrow money, it''s only right to repay it.'' Rockefeller tried to ignore what was happening outside. Until a familiar someone stood in front of the angry moneylender. "How much is the total debt?" "Mrs. Rothsmedici." "I''m asking how much money this girl''s father borrowed in total." When one of Rockefeller''s three wives red fiercely, the powerless moneylender could only bow his head. "That''s... if you include the overdue interest... it''s 5 Goblin Dors." A young girl was almost sold to a brothel and nearly ended her life for a mere 5 Goblin Dors. She barely held back a sigh and instructed the maid who came with her to repay the money. When the matter was resolved and the young girl was freed from the moneylender''s grasp, she dusted off the dirt on her clothes, stood up, and bowed deeply to the woman. "Thank you, ma''am!" But if she let her go like this, he would surely not like it. "You don''t have to be thankful. Just work and pay it off." Not only did she repay the debt for her, but she also offered her a job. The poor girl couldn''t straighten her bowed waist easily towards the mistress of the Rothsmedici house. "Thank you so much, ma''am! My name is Cecilia!" "Okay." She turned her head and could make eye contact with Rockefeller, who was standing by the window. When Rockefeller avoided her gaze, she spoke to the poor girl who was still bowing. "Wait here for a moment. I have some business inside. When the work is done, let''s go home together." "Yes, ma''am!" Isabe, who went into the guild headquarters, confronted Rockefeller shortly after meeting him. "You saw everything, but you didn''t help again." He didn''t really care. Rockefeller casually replied, trying to ignore it. "Whether it''s the father or the child who borrowed the money, if you borrow it, you should repay it properly." "You could have repaid it for her, you know?" "Who''s the good one?" "That child." "I don''t care about such troublesome things. And if I do such things, it means I''m interested in that child." Rockefeller asked. "Do you want that?" "You know I don''t think so, right?" "How do you know whether or not you have such thoughts? I''m already being careful with everything because I have three wives to watch out for." "Are you good at making excuses?" "Anyway, if you solved it, that''s enough. Why are you nagging me? Stop it." She started talking about the reason she came, holding back her anger inside. "Mayer wants to see you." Mayer was a boy born between the two. "Mayer? Okay, I''ll visit him in the evening." "You still take care of your child." "Of course. He''s my child." "See you in the evening." "Okay. See you in the evening." This marriage was definitely a mistake. It was a problem that she was deceived into getting married, but sheter found out that people don''t change. Everything rted to him was aint, but she decided to just endure it and live. It''s toote to stamp a divorce. "I''m leaving." "Be careful." When she left, Rockefeller got up from his seat and stood by the window. Then he stood for a long time, watching Isabe''s carriage leaving with the poor girl taken care of. ''Tsk tsk, I wonder how many maids she''s taken in like that. Well, it doesn''t matter.'' Whether they have a hundred maids or a thousand. It was a trivial concern for Rockefeller. All he had to do was print Goblin Dors and give them their wages. Would a financial crisise to this world because of that? ''It''s still a long way off if that''s going to happen. As long as our family holds gold, the demand for Goblin Dors will continue.'' Goblin Bank was now massively expanding its financial services using Goblin Dors, and at some point, Goblin Dors began to be widely used as their currency even outside the empire. The world that Rockefeller truly wanted hade. ''They probably don''t know anything. How they''re being deceived.'' Standing by the window, Rockefeller looked at the people bustling around on the street. Do they really know? That their wealth is being slowly stolen from them within the ''currency system called Goblin Dors'' that he created. ''If only gold coins were circting in the market, and if those gold coins were 100% pure gold coins. They could have kept the value or wealth they earned safely no matter how much time passed. Gold doesn''t increase over time. But Goblin Dors are not. Goblin Dors increase in quantity as I print them, and their value bes crap over time.'' Despite such thoughts, Rockefeller did not feel anypassion for them, feeling pity or the like. Why? Only if they are ignorant and foolish. Because the family he founded, Rothsmedici, will rule over them forever as a continental financial powerhouse. ''You guys should never try to find out. How you''re being deceived.'' The ensuing thought was sincere. ''Because that''s good for me.'' - The Founder of the Financial Empire, The End -
Hi guys! It''s been a long ride, and we are finally at the end. Hope you enjoyed the series as much as I did. Now that we are at the end, do rate and review this novel on NU to help future readers find this novel. I''m not sure if you know but I have picked up two new series and they already have more than 40 chapters: /p/cwbf-can-we-be-family.html Hope to see you all there!
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