“……Tax revenue is down?”
While Viktor and the others were preparing for the Crawler assault.
In the town of Alfado under Wiesel’s rule, things were slowly going wrong.
Last month’s tax revenue had declined — slightly, but noticeably.
Hearing the report, Wiesel made his displeasure plain.
“What’s the reason? Is trade sluggish?”
“Most likely the effect of Roneit Trading relocating their headquarters. Several other firms have also announced they’re moving out of the town.”
“Ridiculous. Alfado’s tax rate is still the lowest in the entire earldom. Why would merchants be leaving?”
The tax rate in Alfado had risen somewhat from when Viktor was governing.
Even so, it was still quite low compared to other cities.
There should have been absolutely no reason to go elsewhere.
The secretary reporting to him looked apologetic as he continued.
“……The town’s public order has deteriorated of late. Merchants appear to be hiring large numbers of mercenaries to protect their assets. That cost seems to be the burden.”
“What are the guards doing?”
“Their work has been somewhat……lacking……”
Wiesel grimaced at the report.
He’d vaguely known that the staff Grace Trading had supplied were poor quality.
He’d simply chosen to overlook it because they were cheap.
——Perhaps he should spend a little more and at least get proper guards.
Just as that thought crossed his mind, a knock came at the door.
“Lord Wiesel, Lord Laporte has arrived.”
“Send him in.”
The butler opened the door, and a heavyset middle-aged man entered, his belly bouncing as he walked.
This was Laporte, head of Grace Trading.
“Lord Wiesel, a pleasure as always. I’ve come to report that the painting you commissioned has arrived.”
“Oh, has it! In good order?”
The lord’s manor had been stark and bare — the previous lord Viktor having no taste for art.
Wiesel had commissioned Grace Trading to procure paintings to adorn it, and apparently they had finally come through.
“Yes. I had to search quite extensively.”
“Good, well done. And the price?”
“Three hundred gold coins in total.”
Wiesel frowned at the figure — higher than he’d expected.
Not beyond his means, and not quite highway robbery.
But not the kind of amount you could casually produce right after hearing gloomy news about revenue.
Laporte sensed the shift and spoke carefully.
“……Has something happened?”
“Nothing serious. I’d just received a report about the town’s tax revenue declining.”
“Declining revenue, you say?”
“Yes. You’d know about this already with your ear for news, wouldn’t you? Several trading houses have relocated.”
Laporte nodded as if this was no surprise.
As the head of the domain’s foremost trading house, the information had clearly reached him.
“I am aware, yes. Their stated reason is that deteriorating public order has increased security costs.”
“Then let’s solve it quickly. A little more expense is acceptable — could you raise the quality of the guards somewhat?”
“Hmm……to raise the guards’ quality to a level that gives merchants peace of mind……you would need to expect somewhere between three and five times the current cost.”
“……!?”
Wiesel’s eyes went wide at the number.
Laporte shrugged with a look of genuine apology.
“Reliable mercenaries are exceedingly expensive.”
“Even so, this price is absurd!”
“The market rate has gone up somewhat lately. That Sage is to blame.”
“What does she have to do with it?”
“You haven’t heard? She’s said to be mounting an expedition to the Great Forest — and she’s been hiring large numbers of mercenaries and adventurers at premium rates.”
The day the golem sale fell through.
When the Sage learned that Viktor had been exiled to the Great Forest, she’d left the manor without a word, looking exasperated.
And all this time, she’d been assembling forces to go there herself.
“Nonsense — Viktor can’t possibly have survived in the Great Forest.”
“The word is that a capable adventurer party has been serving as Lord Viktor’s guards. There’s a chance he managed to survive after all.”
“What……?”
Wiesel leaned forward at the unexpected information.
Everyone in the earldom had assumed Viktor was certainly dead.
But this was extraordinarily convenient for him.
He knew that golems crafted by Viktor could generate enormous wealth.
“When does the Sage intend to leave the city?”
“Very soon, I’d expect. The A-rank party she’d been waiting for has reportedly arrived.”
“……Then immediately — recruit the best operatives available and work them into the Sage’s force. Send them to the Great Forest, and when the opportunity arises, have them take Viktor.”
Even Laporte flinched at the instruction.
It was illegal, of course — and tantamount to picking a fight with a Sage.
Grace Trading was hardly a spotless organization, but even they had some hesitation here.
Sensing that hesitation, Wiesel pushed him.
“Once Viktor is successfully brought in, I’ll give your firm exclusive rights to sell the golems he produces. A Sage offered a hundred gold coins per unit — there are others who’d pay just as well.”
“……Understood. To be absolutely certain, let us reach out to the Ashcat.”
“Ohhh, that infamous cat! Then it’s as good as done!”
The worst criminal organization lurking in the kingdom’s shadows.
Hearing the name, Wiesel felt certain the plan would succeed.