Swiss Arms Chapter 137

Swiss Arms

Chapter 137

-VB-

Anton Luhr

It's been roughly half a year since he, his family, and his guild found their way to Fluelaberg and settled down.

During that half year, he learned a lot of things, a lot of which ca from the so-called "library" that sat next to Fort Fluelaberg. This library offered knowledge free of charge, but no one could take the books out of the library; if he wanted to read a book that belonged to the library, then he had to read it within its premises.

But there were plenty of books even outside of the library. Thumal's Bookshop was one such place.

He bought quite a number of books from the library, including the "Basic Macroeconomics." It was such a good book, too, explaining how the world's trade and finances functioned in details that he had experienced but hadn't been quite able to put into flowing lectures like the book showed. His most favorite book, however, was his own copy of the Bible. Bibles were rare and expensive. Even monasteries possessed very few Bibles, spending a lot of ti not only copying them but also copying other holy texts.

And all of this was because Fluelaberg had broken the secret of papermaking, not parchnt, and of "printing," whatever that was. That secret was one that he hadn't been allowed near or even view.

While books have been his favorite about staying up in these mountains, his true passion of being able to provide and expand his family and the guild was what kept him here instead of moving on.

And it was here that he could cultivate connections that he never could at Munich.

rchants ca from as far as Ro to Fluelaberg in search of the dyes, porcelain, and knowledge. He t an "English," a "Moroccan," a Greek, a trio of Turks, many Jews, a Danish, and even an Irish, though she was a slave being freed by the count.

And speaking of which, yes, the baron was now a count. It was announced shortly after the war ca to an end. He knew about it before, of course. Information like that was considered basic for soone of his class and profession.

To his surprise, though, most of the people knew just like he did. They took great pride in seeing the fledgling noble rising up the ranks while also growing this "Compact."

The Compact was … it was still a nebulous subject for him. Yes, he understood that there were many "mber states" of the Compact, but because the "constitution" of the Compact was written when all mbers were villages, even the smallest of villages that entered the Compact as a founding mber counted as a "state."

But there were also states that exceeded a village's population, wealth, and power by many folds. The County of Fluelaberg was one such state, but there were others like the Prince-Bishopric of Chur, Abbey of St. Gallens, and the County of Toggenburg-Sargans. At the sa ti, those villages grew in size because almost all of them laid in the newly established trade routes between Fluelaberg, Chur, and Lindau. But they didn't grow fast enough in wealth or population to have a great say in the affairs of the Compact.

Indeed, despite what began as a defensive organization between villages during a hard ti, the Compact has beco a sort of a noble republic.

When the Mayor of Maienfeld spoke, people thought about it.

When the Count of Toggenburg spoke, people nodded along.

When the Count of Werdenberg spoke, people hesitated.

When the Prince-Bishop of Chur spoke, people prayed..

When the Count of Fluelaberg spoke, people followed.

Because the fact of the matter was that the newfound riches ca from Fluelaberg, the military might of the Compact ca from Fluelaberg, and everyone in the upper echelons of Compact's society owed sothing to Fluelaberg.

And that ant that his eting with the count was sothing closer to talking with a duke, because the Compact was a true duchy-sized territory.

The guard outside the count's office knocked on the door.

"Milord, rchant Luhr and Terrena are here."

"Let them in."

The guard opened the door and stepped aside.

Anton glanced at the ex-smuggler, who was busy looking forward and gulping. He obviously felt terrified about eting the count.

Why wouldn't he?

The count was a killer of n. Has been for years.

Looking away from the ex-smuggler and facing forward, Anton took a deep breath in and stepped in first.

The office was warm like the last ti he'd been here. Books and notes in their shelves, a light brown desk, a table, and couches on either side of it that allowed visitors and owner to relax if they wanted to.

"Co. Take a seat," the count said without looking up, and they did. The door closed behind them as Anton took a seat, followed hesitantly by Terrena. The count scribbled sothing down before he finally looked up.

And then Anton knew that he hadn't been called up for another business opportunity.

The count's eyes were hard and flaky.

Angry.

"Welco back, Luhr. Terrena."

"It's a pleasure to et you again, milord," Anton bowed deep while seated before slowly raising himself back up. "How can we help you?"

The count didn't say anything for a while before looking to Terrena.

Then the count pulled a paper off of the desk and held it out just outside their reach.

Anton quickly stood up, took the paper and sat back down.

After a glance to the count who nodded his head, he looked down at the paper.

Numbers.

Numbers everywhere.

Nas. Nas associated with numbers.

Numbers that … looked wrong.

'Oh.'

Soone's been stealing from the count.

'Oh shit.'

He handed the paper over to Terrena, who looked far more anxious than Anton felt, and when the ex-smuggler read the paper and ca to the sa conclusion, he paled dramatically.

"I- I- I had nothing to do with any smuggling since settling down, milord!" the ex-smuggler quickly defended himself.

"I know," the count replied with half-lidded eyes. "If you had been, then do you think I would have called you up to my office?" The morning sun cast a shadow over the count's front, but his eyes seed to shine with an unnatural light.

An emotional light.

A shudder ran down Anton's spine.

"When I initially called for you to et today, I didn't think too much about this. Cris happen, I know," Count Hans said with a slow gesture toward the paper. "But the more I thought about it, the angrier I beca." A pause. "Did I not provide a better life for all? Did I not accept the lowliest of the low? Did I not limit predation of the nobles against the rchants and commoners alike?" He paused again before clasping his hands in front of his face and eting their eyes. "Answer . Did I not?"

Anton imdiately bowed. "You have, milord! The people of Fluelaberg and Davos are blessed to have you." He knew that despite the fact that he's only been here for six months. The people here were happier. Richer. Calr.

Babies survived fevers that should have killed them, assuming they got a fever in the first place. That alone was more than what most could ask for.

"Then why are there smugglers who decided to be greedy with what is mine?" he asked quietly. Calmly.

He pulled his hands away and set them down on the table slowly.

And the wood cracked.

Anton froze.

There was no slap down on the table.

The man just rested his hands on the table and the table's surface shattered.

"Both of you are connected enough with the rchants and workshops. I've seen it. At the sa ti, neither of you have intertwined yourself with the community here yet. It gives you a certain … distance, should I ask you to investigate. And that is exactly what you are here for. Both of you will work together to find these smugglers for . Smugglers that are obviously people who work and live in my city and not so peddlers sneaking out a few plates without paying the tax and tariff. I want them found and I want them kneeling in front of . Do you understand?"

They both nodded frantically.

"Good. The rangers have been told to cooperate with you. The only thing you will not do is torture."

They nodded again.

"Dismissed."

They hurried out after bowing, and, after so walking, found themselves alone around the corner of the corridor.

It was only then that Anton allowed himself to stop holding himself up. His trembling legs collapsed under him and he slid down the wall he'd braced against at the last second.

Terrena, on the other hand, was holding his head.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck…!"

"Please don't tell you're involved…" Anton begged.

"I'm not!" Terrena replied with a snap with wide eyes. "Don't even insinuate that!"

Anton let out a weak chuckle. "He's scared us both, eh?"

"I'm fucking terrified."

Anton didn't know how. But rely being in that room had morphed the initial anxiety they felt upon entering into outright fear, especially after he'd seen the wrath glinting in the count's eyes.

"... Do you have any idea who might be behind this?"

"... A few."

-VB-

[Skill LvL up!]

[Terrify] LvL.3

Causes the target to gain [Fear] debuff. Higher the target's Charisma, less likely it is for them to be affected.

Debuff: Fear

Reduces stat effectiveness by [sqrt(Cause.Charisma - Target.Charisma)].

Causes Target to seek distance with Cause.

May cause Target to beco violent if left with no option of Retreat.

[Character Status]

Na: Hans von Fluelaberg

Age: 22

Title: Count of Fluelaberg-Rheintal

LvL: 50

HP: 1090

MP: 690

ST: 545

STR: 140

END: 109

AGI: 89

DEX: 69

INT: 69

CHA: 29

My Charisma was 29. Most people had a Charisa of 8 to 12.

Both Luhr and Terrena had Charisma 11, so their stats had been reduced by 4 while the [Fear] debuff was active.

For most people, this would an going from normal adult capabilities to a young adolescent. Dumber, weaker, slower, repugnant. A man who could negotiate through normal business deals would beco a fool incapable of understanding the logic and even so of the longer words.

It was a good tool for to use, but as I had just seen with Luhr and Terrena, using it would have to be limited. If my own subjects beca fearful of even without my bullshit Gar power's debuff being applied to them, then they would … well, aside from the fact that they would have trouble interacting with , they would beco less efficient.

I disliked thinking about people like that, though, but I had to. If I made emotional choices, then I would end up like Duke Rudolf when he attacked . He acted on his emotions instead of acting logically. The end result of that particular fiasco was running my sword through a bunch of his knights and n-at-arms.

That single disaster caused several decade's worth of damage. So knightly houses within Bavaria weren't expected to recover for at least two decades, if at all.

No.

Even if soone was actively stealing from , I needed to be careful in how I treated my own investigators, my collaborators, and the pace at which I operated.

… As much as I hated to think it, if limiting the damage ant the perpetrators got away, then I might just let them.

(But if my rangers wanted to chase after them after I let them go, then, well, PTO was a thing for those under my service.)

I looked back down at the papers on my desk and the ruined table, and let out a sigh.

Yeah.

Allowing myself to indulge in emotions, especially destructive ones, was not going to get anything productive except regret.

Because now, I needed a new desk.