Translator: AkazaTL
Pr/Ed: Sol IX
***
Chapter 58 : Splendid Vacation (2)
“My Lord, an envoy from Reichart wishes to see you.”
“An envoy? Who did they say ca?”
“It is Sir ‘Bolpar Greymoon’, who oversees the Magic Tower within the territory. He brought a handwritten letter from the Acting Family Head.”
“Is that so? Understood. I will contact you soon, so show him to the guest room. And…….”
Pollak stroked the mustache stretching between his round, wide cheeks and spoke.
“The news that Sir Bolpar has co must absolutely not spread outside. Do you understand?”
“Understood.”
After his subordinate withdrew and he was left alone, Pollak spread out the operation map of the vicinity and fell into deep thought.
‘So, the expedition force departed from the territory early this morning, but the Family Head’s envoy ca to visit. Is that what you an?’
Unlike his seemingly dull appearance at a glance, Pollak was a very sharp-witted and calculating person.
Thanks to spies planted everywhere, the expedition force’s movent path was entering Pollak’s ears in real-ti.
He grasped Hein’s intentions without much difficulty.
‘For areas obtainable by force, he will coerce, and for places where coercion doesn’t work, he will try to appease. That young fellow used his brain quite a bit.’
Recalling Hein’s appearance when he visited him previously, Pollak smiled cunningly.
‘Anyway, if he ca to find in this situation, that old man Bolpar wouldn’t have co empty-handed. Shall I listen to what he has to say? Of course, before that…….’
Pollak called the head servant and gave instructions in a secretive voice.
Then, he leisurely moved his steps toward the guest room where Bolpar would be waiting.
***
“Here, this is the letter our Acting Family Head conveys to Baron Pollak.”
Bolpar, having exchanged formal greetings, imdiately handed over the letter received from Hein.
He judged that it would be better to convey Hein’s intent without misunderstanding rather than chatting about this and that against a cunning person like Pollak.
“Hmm…….”
Pollak, who received the letter Bolpar held out, read the letter repeatedly with a careful gaze.
“I am asking just in case, but will there be any chance that the promise the Acting Family Head made now will be overturned later?”
“Is the Baron perhaps worried about the point that the Acting Family Head of the main family is not the official Family Head?”
“To be honest, yes. Of course, it’s not that I doubt the words of the Young Master of Reichart. However, if Duke Reichart sees this letter by chance…….”
Although he denied it with his mouth, Pollak’s gaze contained obvious doubt.
It was understandable, as the proposal in the letter was exceptionally unconventional.
‘Tax exemption privileges for the next thirty years, and monopoly rights to 30% of the comrcial supremacy in the northern region of Zodiac. If only Reichart wins, it is clear that this will be a trendous opportunity, but…….’
If Reichart just wins the civil war, Pollak could instantly beco the wealthiest man in Zodiac.
Because that temptation was so sweet, Pollak had no choice but to doubt the sincerity of the proposal.
“That won't happen, so the Baron may rest assured. If you wish, the Acting Family Head said he would personally go before the territory’s people and prove this promise by staking the family’s honor.”
“Ho-oh! The Acting Family Head will notarize it personally…….”
Only then did Pollak nod.
If Hein notarizes it personally in front of the territory’s people, even Redin wouldn’t be able to easily overturn that promise, so there seed no need to doubt the sincerity.
“Tower Master, how much trouble did you go through coming a long way? Since I have prepared a guest room so the Tower Master can rest comfortably, please rest easy.”
Pollak indirectly said he would think about it.
Bolpar, grasping the hidden aning, imdiately stood up from his seat.
Clunk.
However, as Bolpar raised his body, the restraints on his hands emitted a dull sound.
The restraints emitted a red light every ti Bolpar moved his body.
“Take Sir Bolpar to his room!”
Click.
After Bolpar disappeared a mont later, Pollak called the subordinate waiting in the next room and ordered.
“He is an old man cunning like a fox, so do not neglect surveillance.”
Even though he had put restraints on him that prevented the use of magic, perhaps he still didn't feel relieved; Pollak ordered repeatedly, twice, three tis, to strictly surveil Bolpar.
“Did you send a ssage to the capital?”
“Yes. I delivered it as soon as the Lord ordered.”
“Is that so? What reply ca?”
“They gave an answer that they would think about it a little.”
“I understand. You may leave.”
Pollak, left alone after the subordinate withdrew, burst into laughter.
After the civil war between the capital and Reichart broke out, Pollak dragged ti without rashly revealing his intentions.
That choice has finally co to shine now.
Now, he just had to sit still and wait for a better proposal to co.
“Hehehe!”
Cunning laughter burst out repeatedly from Pollak’s mouth.
Each ti, his sagging chin flesh shook violently.
***
“Hmm…….”
The morning of the second day since Bolpar visited Adela.
Pollak clicked his tongue while thoroughly scanning the letter that arrived from the capital.
‘As expected, it is much more ager than Reichart’s.’
Is it because they believe they have the upper hand in objective power?
In any case, the capital’s proposal was more ager than Reichart’s.
‘For now, I should be satisfied with this much. Anyway, I ca to see this benefit thanks to both sides fighting.’
Pollak, finishing his thoughts, nodded with a satisfied expression.
‘Actually, I had no intention of making a dangerous gamble.’
In Pollak’s view, the probability of the capital and Reichart winning the civil war was about 65 to 35, respectively.
Depending on whose hand he raises, there will probably be about a 5% fluctuation.
In other words, even if he raises Reichart’s hand, Reichart’s win rate is rely around 40%.
On the other hand, if he sides with the nobles……?
‘The probability of us winning is 70%; this is a safe figure.’
Although Pollak thought of himself as a rchant, he didn't think of himself as a gambler, so not much contemplation was needed to make a decision.
“Guards, bring Bolpar here right now!”
From Sir Bolpar to Bolpar.
The title Pollak used to call Reichart’s envoy changed drastically in two days.
“Can’t you kneel quickly!”
And the way Pollak’s subordinates treated Bolpar also showed an even more dramatic change.
“Even if the proposal was rejected, is treating an envoy like this the etiquette of any place?”
Pollak’s escort knights forced Bolpar to kneel while his hands were bound.
Bolpar, who lost the ability to resist due to the restraints, had no choice but to endure the violent acts.
“My, this has beco sorry. Tower Master.”
To Bolpar who was glaring fiercely although he lost freedom of movent, Pollak made a sly sneer.
“Please go to the capital and receive the apology for the disrespect I committed to the Tower Master. Since there will be very many people waiting for the Tower Master there.”
“Not enough to bind an envoy, but to send him to the enemy camp? Do you call yourself a man who knows the honor of doing that!”
“Hehe.”
Pollak, laughing off Bolpar’s fierce rebuke, beckoned with his hand and shouted to the knights waiting outside the door.
“Guards! Co here and bind this old man. He has quite a strong temperant, so you must be careful not to inflict injury!”
Since the capital demanded Bolpar’s capture alive, fatal wounds should not occur in the process of binding.
Click!
A mont later, the door opened, and two knights with burly physiques approached Bolpar’s side.
Large iron clubs were held in their hands.
“Knocking him out is fine, but you must control your strength well.”
Pollak ordered while fiddling with his mustache.
Soon, the two knights who newly appeared raised their clubs high.
Thwack!
“Guek!”
A suppressed scream burst out from the mouth of the person directly hit by the club.
“Kkeuk!”
However, the scream was not one.
The place where the knights’ rcilessly struck clubs headed was not Bolpar, but the crowns of the escort knights who were making him kneel.
“Ptoo! Things that aren't even worth a fist.”
“Commander, we have secured the Tower Master.”
The knights, who turned the two escort knights into bloody sses in an instant, inford soone outside the door.
“Tower Master, are you physically alright?”
And between the open doors, a young knight with a slender build wrapped in black light armor revealed himself.
“Young Master!”
Confirming the knight who revealed himself, Bolpar and Pollak’s reactions were clearly divided.
“H-Hein Reichart!”
Unlike Bolpar who was making a truly moved expression, Pollak showed an expression as if he t a Grim Reaper.
“H-How are you here!”
Pollak scread without realizing it.
Befitting his usually ticulous personality, Pollak reinforced the fortress gate security doubly and triply since the civil war broke out.
Thanks to that, Pollak was certain that even if Reichart used force to break through the fortress gate and enter, infiltrating secretly into the castle would be impossible.
But how could Hein be here, and reveal himself so suddenly at that?
‘Spatial movent? No. I blocked all coordinates!’
Clang!
Bolpar, freed from the restraints with Hein’s help, also asked in an urgent voice.
“Young Master! Did you perhaps break through Adela’s walls?”
“No way. If I did that, wouldn’t the reason the Tower Master suffered such harsh trouble and the worth of coming here all disappear? Adela’s walls don't have a single brick broken, and the rchants are also diligently engaged in their main jobs.”
“No, then how on earth did you co here?”
“Gabriel will explain later how I ca here.”
“Gabriel? If it is Gabriel, do you an that alchemist young man who serves the Young Master?”
Hein nodded.
‘Since he fell fast asleep, he cannot explain right now.’
Smirk.
A faint smile ford on Hein’s face recalling Gabriel, who fell fast asleep after finishing hard labor that spanned a whole week.
The thod Hein and the Haken Knight Order entered inside Adela Castle was through spatial movent magic.
Of course, Pollak did not know the existence of that spatial movent magic circle.
Because the place where the magic circle was ford was the very laboratory Gabriel used.
That constructing a spatial movent magic circle is not easy was a proposition proven among mages.
It required various tricky conditions such as mana amount and similarity of coordinates, and also needed a long ti.
‘But if it is a magic circle that a small number of people will use once and be done with, it is a little different.’
But Hein, no, Alexar knew that if it is a disposable simple magic circle for about fifty people to use, installation is possible relatively easily.
Moreover, the atmosphere of the laboratory was naturally rich in mana due to being exposed to magic experints Gabriel had done for a long ti.
With this level of conditions, if a very competent magical alchemist put in a ‘considerable level’ of hard work for about a week, it was possible to install the magic circle.
Hein, recalling that fact, imdiately taught Gabriel the magic circle installation formula and then infiltrated him inside Adela right away.
Gabriel, receiving Hein’s order, imdiately went into installation work, and after a week passed, Hein and 50 elites of Haken were able to secretly infiltrate into the castle through the simple spatial movent magic circle.
Of course, in exchange for that…….
“Haha…… Young Master, have you co? I completed what you ordered. Hic!”
Although Gabriel had to greet Hein with red eyes and a fatigue-soaked appearance.
Like that, Hein and the mbers imdiately started a secret advance toward the center of the Inner Castle where Pollak resided.
“To give such a grand welco to the envoy I sent, I don't know what to do with myself.”
Clunk.
Stroking the chains that were binding Bolpar, Hein smiled.
“Y-Y-Young Master! I dared not to recognize the Young Master’s g-great will and…… committed a cri deserving d-death…….”
“No need to be sorry.”
The tip of the sharply honed family sword was already aiming at Pollak’s thick Adam’s apple.
“Because I intend to repay you properly for the welco.”
Thud!
And right when Pollak fell on his buttocks while wrapping his Adam’s apple without realizing it.
“Commander, contact ca from Sir Timon and Sir Larmus.”
Ismael inford that contact ca from the expedition force.
“Viscount Sono, Baron Natal, and Baron Ramis decided to accept the Commander’s conditions. They declared they would maintain neutrality until the war ends.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. According to Sir Timon’s ssage, the role of the letter the Commander personally delivered was decisive in persuading Viscount Sono.”
Bolpar, who was watching this blankly, asked back with a surprised expression.
“You received a declaration of neutrality? Young Master, was the expedition force’s dispatch not to subjugate them?”
Hein smiled instead of answering.
Only then could Bolpar know the true aning of the words that he would take what needs to be taken and step on what needs to be stepped on.
‘From the beginning, his thought was to persuade the lords occupying strongholds to draw out neutrality, and to step on Pollak to obtain Adela!’
Only then could Bolpar understand. Dispatching him as an envoy was rely to make Pollak let his guard down.
From the start, Hein had no thought of appeasing Pollak.
“D…… Did you intend this from the beginning?”
Pollak asked Hein with a bewildered face.
Although an and cunning, he was a quick-witted fellow, so he could grasp the situation quickly.
“Well. But one thing is certain.”
Hein took a step closer to Pollak, who had fallen on his buttocks, instead of answering.
“The fact that if I cut out only you cleanly, I can neatly take over this city.”
Anyway, there was no way the likes of Pollak had the trust of the territory’s people.
If he could remove only Pollak’s group without causing physical damage to the city and without agitation, the people of Adela would accept the new ruler without much resistance.
Because that is the rule of a free city.
“Wouldn’t I have so use? If you just spare my life, I will serve the Y-Young Master with loyalty.”
Pollak pleaded with a desperate voice while clasping his hands fat with flesh.
“Don't need it. I decline a rat that only knows how to read the room like you.”
Hein, rejecting Pollak’s proposal in a single stroke, sheathed the sword he was aiming.
Seeing that, Pollak let out a sigh of relief for a mont but…….
“I will obey the order. Commander.”
Pierce, understanding Hein’s glance, approached Pollak with long strides while holding a large club dripping with blood.
“S-Save !”
Hein did not forgive Pollak; he just didn't feel the need to lay a hand on him personally.
Click.
“Aaargh!”
As Hein closed the door and stepped out, Pollak’s tearing scream rang out.
“How is the situation?”
“We succeeded in eliminating all the groups that stuck to Pollak’s side and parasitized him.”
“Friendly casualties?”
“Thanks to the raid being so successful, it is at a level where you can say there are almost none. There were not many groups resisting in the first place either.”
“Right, good work.”
Hein, having heard the situation report from Ismael, nodded once and headed to the window.
“What is it? Is there sothing happening?”
“Well. There is nothing happening on the walls.”
Unaware of the fact that the lord who ruled them until this morning was eliminated just a while ago, the territory’s people gathering in twos and threes under the window sharing stories were visible.
Trudge, trudge.
Hein turned his steps toward the administration office.
Since the work was done, he had to proclaim the notice announcing that the owner of Adela had changed.
***
At noon the next day after the notice announcing that Reichart occupied Adela was posted on the wall.
“We depart!”
“Punishnt will be brought down on the villains who betrayed Your Majesty’s grace!”
News was conveyed that the Subjugation Force to occupy Reichart departed from the capital.
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