Chapter 112

Hundreds of transport ships docked at the riverside terminal.

Beyond the terminal was a large stone gate, and from there, soldiers and administrative officers were rushing out with greedy, glinting eyes.

“Duke Seberic. What is the meaning of this? Don’t you have quite a distance to go north to reach your territory?”

The response came not from Seberic but from Lady Lysena.

“I wasn’t originally asking you,” she snapped back, but that was not an option.

“If we go further north, we will pass through a wide swamp, and the river flows again.”

“Sounds similar to the lake we passed through on our way here.”

Seberic’s face twisted in disgust at the mention of tolls.

“Yes. That is correct. The problem is that the swamp is shallow, and the transport ships can’t pass through it.”

“Wouldn’t there still be transport ships that came down from the north? How did they get here?”

Lysena moved closer to Seberic and spoke.

“Empty ships can pass through the swamp easily.”

“Then…?”

“Yes. We would need to transfer the grains overland, then take a detour to pass through the swamp and load them back onto the ship.”

….It seemed that Jeilliris wasn’t just randomly suggesting to dig a canal.

It was more surprising that no imperial emperor had ever dug one until now.

“And now that lord is demanding a toll?”

“It seems so.”

I dispatched a small boat and called for Tenitia and Rudi.

I needed to hear how much it was.

Demanding tolls from those passing through one’s land is a noble’s legitimate right.

No matter how much Seberic and I might be dukes, or rather because we were dukes, we needed to respect that even more.

“If you do not clear the way, I will kill you all!”

We pushed through the tax collectors that had crowded the terminal and advanced to the gate.

Aside from one tax collector attempting to pickpocket Rudi and ending up with a twisted wrist, nothing else occurred.

Upon hearing the news that two dukes had come, the gate’s knight rushed out in a panic.

“Kind Earl Delusiato demands a toll of 10% of the goods.”

“…….”

Is this a noble or a bandit chief?

Even a bandit chief wouldn’t be so brazen.

Having people tied to the sails and causing a fuss on our way here was one thing, but I couldn’t offer dozens of ships worth of tribute.

I openly grimaced, and Seberic’s expression hardened.

The knight spoke hurriedly.

“However, he said he would not collect any dock fees at this location and at the other terminal on the opposite side of the territory. It will take quite some time to find carts to transport this many grains, so he is doing us a favor. It’s not a bad deal.”

I scoffed.

“You say it’s not a bad deal? How do you count numbers? Do you even know the current price of grain?”

The knight’s eyes flickered as he heard that.

In reality, simply keeping one’s composure in front of Seberic was a notable feat.

But he seemed to have received orders from the lord to collect grain and was clenching his teeth as he blocked our path.

“I’m just following orders.”

I gestured to Lady Tenitia.

“Lady, turn this bandit’s den into a flat land.”

“!”

The appearance of the platinum knight serving the emperor caused the countryside knight, lacking even a full suit of plate armor, to pale.

At that moment, Seberic casually raised a hand.

“Duke Valencius. It’s alright.”

“What do you mean? It’s not alright at all!”

“If the imperial court were to construct a canal, they would inevitably build it here. No, they would definitely build it here.”

“!”

“Even if the imperial court were to provide some funding, there’s no way a count in this remote area could undertake such a grand project.”

“And so?”

“In the end, the grains to be used for digging the canal going to our north are the ones I am willing to provide.”

He seemed to be looking at the impoverished people gathered outside the gate.

Lysena gripped her nape, and Tenitia supported her.

I thought I could hear the sound of a crack in the monocle.

I firmly denied his statement.

“No. All of it will go into Earl Delusiato’s pocket. The canal construction won’t be done in spring because of sowing, nor in summer because of harvesting, nor in fall because of the ghostly winter awareness about the ground freezing.”

One of my jobs before my return had been to behead nobles that behaved like that.

“It’s as clear as day. If you’ve made it this far, aren’t we still in the north? Instead of being grateful for the protection from monsters and outsiders, how dared they try to suck our blood, it’s nothing short of insufferable.”

The knight looked as if he might faint as he stood in front of me.

I struck first before he could even open his mouth.

“Lady! Guide me to your lord! Duke Seberic, please wait here for a moment. I will surely finish the negotiations and return.”

Lysena looked at me with a strange expression of both delight and unease.

Duke Seberic asked me.

“Duke Valencius. Are you planning to haggle like a merchant?”

“No. Duke Seberic, I am saying I will negotiate like a knight.”

“Negotiate like a knight?”

“I will have to beat him senseless until he begs me to negotiate. I thwarted the wicked scheme of the sages at the Ivory Tower in the same way, so it should work this time too.”

“Eh?!”

A crack appeared on Seberic’s face.

* * *

Delusion, the city of Earl Delusiato, was a large city with a population of 80,000.

It could not compare to the splendor of Silentalouon or the grandeur of Purioaito, but the rugged stone buildings carried a unique romance.

Since it was close to the north where Seberic was, there was little chance of warring against large hordes of monsters.

Surrounded by rivers and assured of safety, many merchants gathered there.

As long as taxes were paid, the lord hardly interfered with merchants, and the territory’s military strength depended on a select few knights.

‘They certainly have a lot of knights. They must be spending most of their territory income on that. Don’t they have any disdain for it?’

Valenciaunos figured that out while heading towards the lord’s mansion after entering the city.

“Duke Valencius Solentalouon wishes to meet with Earl Delusiato.”

“Ha, daring to impersonate royalty… Platinum Knight?”

The steward of the mansion, accustomed to dealing with merchants who came to offer bribes, turned dazed upon seeing Tenitia in her full plate armor.

The steward dismissed the merchants who had been waiting in line and guided the three of us into the reception room.

The moment Valenciaunos saw the landscape of the reception room, he realized something was amiss.

‘A perceptive one indeed.’

Four knights clad in court of plate armor, armed with swords and flails, stood nearby, and the lord himself was also wearing a breastplate beneath his elaborate silk garments.

Though he was hefty, he was tall and sturdy, and his eyes carried the sharpness gained from dealing with merchants.

Bringing four armed knights to meet a duke was an absurdity from the very start.

Valenciaunos crossed his long legs and thought.

‘Will we be able to communicate well?’

“I am Valenciaunos.”

“I am Igor Delusion, of Delusiato, Your Grace.”

“We seem to know enough about each other, so let us hasten our words.”

“I think so too. Your two honorable and dignified dukes would surely preserve my honor while entering my city.”

“Indeed. Rest assured, for I have brought a plan that will protect the honor of both of us.”

His bear-like eyes gleamed with interest.

“What is that?”

“By your showing the noble compassion of a lord, granting a toll reduction or exemption to the northern duke who fights to protect the empire and your territory, the word will spread like wildfire…”

“Eh?”

“Of course, the reality will be quite different.”

“Based on that reality, Your Grace’s honor would surely be compromised, no?”

He was quite adept with his words.

Valenciaunos shrugged and replied cheerfully.

“It’s already been tarnished too much to endure any further insult.”

“If you have been caught trying to threaten a rural count and are instead being ridiculed, surely it ought to have suffered enough.”

Our eyes met.

He wore a smile on the surface, but it seemed as if a deep rage was about to spill out.

Valenciaunos unfolded his crossed leg and murmured.

“Shall we verify that?”

The next moment, Rudi drew two pistols from his waist.

His green eyes shone dazzlingly through the sight glasses.

Taang! Taang! Taang! Taang!

A clean rapid fire without the slightest tremor of the wrist.

These knights here had also inscribed battle circles on their breastplates for reinforcement or weight reduction, but theirs was not of the quality to deflect arrows as seen in Marquis Sigmain’s armor.

“What is this… some kind of magic?!”

“Cough!”

They staggered in pain as if struck hard in the solar plexus.

At that moment, Tenitia leaped forward.

Bang!

The sound of steel boots kicking an unprotected head echoed.

“Since there are four of you, don’t blame me too much!”

One knight collapsed like a puppet with its strings cut.

Valenciaunos flipped over the marble table towards Igor and leaped atop it.

“Mad!”

As an unexpected situation unfolded, he let out a colorful stream of profanities.

“Ugh!”

Igor held onto the underside of the table and managed to catch Valenciaunos’s leap.

He, too, had the strength that towered far above that of mortals as a descendant of giants.

“You are lighter than I expected?”

He hurled the hundred-kilogram table into the air.

Valenciaunos rolled away quickly and escaped from the near-miss of being crushed between the ceiling and the tabletop.

As Valenciaunos fell, Igor charged at him with his hands extended forward.

A style of martial arts from the north incorporating striking and grappling.

Once caught, one could easily end up with a broken back, no matter who the opponent was.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The loud sounds rang out thrice.

Tables slammed against the ceiling and broke down, and Igor tackled Valenciaunos.

Crack!

Valenciaunos was shoved against the wall, his back hitting hard, and groaned.

“Cough!”

As Igor smiled in victory and tried to seize him, he felt a scorching pain in his hands.

“Flames that burn like a furnace.”

Valenciaunos’s robe had become as hot as glowing coal.

“What kind of nonsense is this!”

It was originally a magic that northern folk used exclusively for capturing ice golems or for use with swords or harpoons.

It was astounding that he knew about it, but it was even more astonishing that he could apply it to his clothing.

He had prepared a liquid “metal” armor, “Aquateg,” to incorporate into his uniform, which Igor was unaware of and completely baffled by.

Valenciaunos smiled sadistically at him.

“Flames that tightly embrace.”

A piece of fire flew like a butterfly and enveloped Igor’s face.

Although he adjusted the temperature enough so as not to burn the giant’s skin, it was suffocating enough.

Igor panicked, swiping at his face, but the flames, extinguishing, rekindled.

Royal magic did not easily quench.

“Lady Tenitia can hold her breath for half an hour; I wonder how long you can last?”

No matter how much the temperature was adjusted, it was still fire.

Holding one’s breath in calm water was entirely different from doing so with a burning face.

Igor wanted to cry out if that was even possible, but he remained silent for fear of igniting his mouth if he spoke.

Valenciaunos smirked wider as he heated his white uniform further.

“I’ll make sure to keep you entertained.”

Wrapping his flaming garment around the suffering count, Valenciaunos locked in a joint lock.

* * *

“As a gesture of respect and reverence to the Septentrion family, who guard the north from outsiders and monsters throughout the year, all tolls will be exempt, except for the cart rental fee. Should a canal be constructed in the future, the northern duke’s fleet shall pay only half the canal tolls.”

Delusiato declared in front of Seberic.

Somehow, a burnt odor was rising.

The crew members burst into cheers and began unloading the bags and boxes of grain onto the carts.

Igor hurried back, and Seberic quietly asked Valenciaunos.

“What kind of trick did you pull to make him smile like that despite the situation?”

“I promised that 70% of the canal construction costs would be borne by the imperial court. Originally, he thought it’d be a 50-50 split. I’ve even received a promise that the remaining budget’s half, which is 10%, will be used for itinerant aid.”

“Is the duke… still fine with this?”

Seberic asked while looking at Valenciaunos’s neck.

Valenciaunos answered while snickering.

“I originally planned to bear 75% of the cost.”