Chapter 22 : Give And Take
“Young Master, a guest has come.”
“A guest?”
“Yes. Sir Bolpar says he has something to say to you, Young Master.”
“Is that so? Show him inside.”
I, who was lying on the bed reading news about the situation of the continent, raised my body from the spot upon hearing the news that Bolpar had come to find me.
‘That heavy-bottomed old man came to find me?’
Since it was a quite rare occurrence for Bolpar to leave the Magic Tower and go out, I felt curious and tidied up my attire.
“Have you been well during that time? Young Master.”
“It has been a long time since I saw you. Tower Master.”
Around the time I had finished tidying up my attire, Bolpar visited my room still sporting his white beard.
“I heard you went on an outing recently?”
“That is correct.”
“Right, did you achieve the purpose you went out for?”
“I just went for a short while to get some fresh air. Since there was no particular purpose to speak of, I have nothing to tell you.”
“Then let us say that is the case. May I sit here for a moment?”
“Ah, please do. Would you like a cup of tea?”
“If you give it, Young Master, I will drink it gratefully.”
A short while later, the two people sat facing each other with teacups placed in front of them.
“Recently, I had a few occasions to converse with the Family Head, and the Family Head spoke of you often, Young Master. I heard you sparred with the Family Head recently?”
“Rather than a spar, I merely received teachings from my father. As you also know, there is an indescribable difference in skill between my father and me.”
“Hehe, just when did you become this humble? Is this why they say people should live long to see everything.”
“It is not humility, I merely spoke the facts.”
Bolpar’s attitude toward me still had an eccentric side, but his expression and tone were clearly different from before.
“Anyway, since they say you have achieved quite a significant accomplishment in swordsmanship, Young Master, this old man is just happy. Only now will the Family Head finally be able to let go of some worry.”
While praising me, Bolpar’s eyes were carefully examining the surroundings.
I, who grasped Bolpar’s intention from that appearance, said to Emily.
“Go out for a moment.”
“Understood, Young Master.”
Squeak.
A short while later, Bolpar, who confirmed that Emily’s figure had disappeared, smiled as if satisfied.
“Ho, your wits have also become very, very quick.”
“Because it seemed like you had something you wanted to say to me. Fortunately, it seems my guess was not wrong.”
“In fact, that is so. Young Master, as you are well aware, the family’s Regular Personnel Meeting is scheduled to be held in three days.”
The Regular Personnel Meeting was an important event of the family that decided the figures who would handle positions large and small within the territory.
Bolpar’s expression as he spoke these words could only be serious.
“In fact, this person had many worries one way or another. You must also know, Young Master, that recently those guys are pulling all sorts of tricks to touch the Family Head’s inherent territory.”
“Those guys. Haha, you use quite an interesting expression, Tower Master.”
Although he did not directly mention names, it was not that difficult to guess who ‘those guys’ Bolpar mentioned a moment ago.
“The Family Head and this person are doing our best to stop their tricks, but it is true that it is beyond our power.”
“I suppose so. Anyway, Vispon has the support of the capital nobles on their back, and on top of that, they control a significant part of the family finances.”
“Since they say you have achieved enlightenment regarding the sword in these times, Young Master, this old man feels very reassured. Young Master, please listen well to my words.”
Even though there was no one listening, Bolpar looked around and spoke with a lowered voice.
“Since you are also an adult now, Young Master, shouldn't you relieve the heavy burden the Family Head is carrying?”
“By saying I should relieve the burden……?”
At Bolpar’s proposal, my brow narrowed.
Bolpar was currently proposing to me to formally perform a position in the family.
“Just in time, thanks to you exposing the faults of Alain and his father to the whole world, Young Master, there is scheduled to be a personnel change inside the Knight Order. No matter how shameless those guys are, they cannot commit such a big mistake and still occupy that seat.”
That there would be Belkent’s downfall at this Regular Personnel Meeting was practically an open secret within the territory.
Bolpar had a plan to appoint me to a heavy responsibility in the family using this opportunity.
“Did you share this conversation with my father?”
“Since the Family Head is originally a gentleman with very heavy lips, he did not say much. But don’t you also know, Young Master? Regarding such issues, the fact that the Family Head does not say much means he will not oppose it.”
“…….”
I was lost in thought for a moment.
In fact, I was also feeling the necessity of a position.
Anyway, since less than a year remained until that incident occurred, it was true that I also needed a direct military foundation separate from my personal strength.
“So which place are you thinking of, Tower Master?”
“Is there a need to go the long way around? As for my mind, I would like you to take charge of Harm immediately, Young Master.”
“Me, take charge of Harm immediately? It seems your thoughts are too hasty, Tower Master.”
“It is not only my thoughts. The Family Head also said he was a little worried about your lack of experience, Young Master, however…….”
“However?”
“He only said he was worried, he did not seem to think it would be impossible altogether. It looked like he was greatly impressed by the achievement you accomplished recently, Young Master.”
“That is undeserved praise.”
The stage Belkent achieved was early 5th Circle. And my current stage was roughly mid 4th Circle.
One could say the face value was slightly higher on Belkent’s side, but considering that the secret sword technique I learned was superior swordsmanship, it could be said the current stages were roughly similar.
Redin also seemed to think that, having seen through that point, he could seat me as the Commander of Harm somehow even if it was somewhat unreasonable.
“If only you firm up your resolve, Young Master, this old man, and the friends who share the will with this old man, will somehow try to create the atmosphere. Since it is a board laid out thanks to the mistakes of those guys, wouldn't it be too wasteful to miss this opportunity?”
Bolpar recommended with a subtle voice that I challenge for the position of Harm’s Commander.
“I thank you for your consideration, Tower Master, but it does not seem like a very wise thing for me to challenge the Commander of Harm right now.”
However, my thoughts seemed different from Bolpar’s.
“Why do you think so?”
“Vispon will hold out. Don’t you also know, Tower Master? What meaning Harm holds for them.”
“Hmm…….”
A groan burst out from Bolpar’s mouth.
As I said, the meaning ‘Commander of Harm’ had for the Vispon Family was truly great.
Compared to seizing a significant portion of ‘Administrative Power’ and ‘Financial Power,’ Vispon’s influence inside the Knight Order was relatively insignificant.
In this situation, the position of Harm’s Commander was worthy of being called Vispon’s greatest achievement and medal.
So, in a way, it was self-evident that their resistance to protect that seat would be fierce.
“Vispon will try to hold out by mobilizing all sorts of means. They will commit all kinds of atrocities to push through their will, and then in that process, the people of the territory will suffer damage.”
“Mmm…….”
“And if things go like this, damage will go to my father’s reputation as well, and that is not what I desire.”
Of course, the culprit of the pain the people of the territory would suffer would be Vispon’s atrocities, but the people will blame the nominal leader, Redin, without distinguishing such rights and wrongs.
Because people are originally such existences.
“That is true but…….”
“And even if Belkent falls, they still have brother Helkane.”
“Grand Young Master Helkane…….”
“Brother will return from the capital soon, and surely Vispon will try to arrange Harm as a seat for brother Helkane who will return.”
‘Helkane,’ the son of Redin and Rishu and the Grand Young Master of the Reichart Family, was currently in the capital to receive education, and was scheduled to return to the territory after finishing education in about 6 months.
“Vispon will try to defend the current position with all their might. To push out such people, we would also have to endure much damage, but I do not think the current Harm has that much value.”
“Why do you think Harm does not have that much value?”
“It has already been well over 10 years since Belkent took charge of Vispon. The current Harm is in a state where it is stained by Belkent as much as it can be, so one cannot expect a dramatic change just because the head changes now.”
Even if Vispon’s backlash was not fierce, I would not have made Harm my foundation.
‘Harm is too weak and heavy to go with me. What I need are not lazy half-baked knights like well-fed pigs, but wolves hungry for honor and victory.’
In fact, I had a target I had in mind since a long time ago, but Bolpar, who had no way of knowing that fact, asked me.
“Then what kind of plan do you have, Young Master?”
“It is fine to hand over Harm. Instead, I intend to take something else from them.”
“If you take something else, what would that be?”
“We have to receive what they have in overflow but we lack. Didn't you also say so a moment ago, Tower Master? That since it is a board opened by the mistakes of those guys, we should take what we can take.”
I took out a document prepared in advance from the drawer and held it out to Bolpar as I spoke.
“As you also know, Tower Master, currently all long-distance Trade Rights connecting with the capital are held by merchant groups based in the capital. And the merchant groups based in the capital are practically satellite merchant groups that are parasitic to Vispon’s influence.”
Bolpar nodded with a bitter expression. Allocating Trade Rights was the authority of the Finance Department, and the Finance Department of Reichart was already in a state significantly encroached upon by Vispon.
“Wouldn't these guys be pulling tricks knowing that already? They know clearly that if the scale of merchant groups based in the Reichart territory grows, the independent economic power of our territory will grow, and if that happens, their influence will decrease.”
“That is correct. So I intend to receive a part of these Trade Rights using the guys’ fault as a pretext.”
“How much are you thinking of?”
“Two-tenths. Among the 10 merchant groups handling long-distance trade, I will replace 2 with merchant groups based in our territory.”
“Hmm…… Two-tenths of Trade Rights instead of maintaining the Commander of Harm…….”
Bolpar, who heard my plan, was lost in thought while stroking his beard.
If only this deal was concluded, it was never a loss for the Family Head’s side either.
Anyway, the greatest Achilles' heel of the Family Head’s side was the point that there was no money.
If it proceeded according to my words, the Family Head’s side would also have at least a minimum financial breathing room opened up, even if not abundance.
“Would Vispon try to accept it? Don’t you also know well, Young Master? How viciously those guys behaved to not give us a money line somehow until now.”
“If it was another time, they might have refused. But as I told you, the position of Harm’s Commander is an arrangement for brother Helkane. Don’t you also know, Tower Master? What kind of existence brother Helkane is to them.”
“Haha…….”
Bolpar burst into a hollow laugh.
Right, if things proceeded according to my words, he could also be satisfied in his own way.
But what weighed on his mind was, after all…….
“However, if things go like this, wouldn't the original plan to entrust a duty to you go awry, Young Master? If they give us the Trade Rights, those guys would not even allow your debut, Young Master.”
“There is nothing to worry about that either. I will take on a duty through this meeting.”
“Take on a duty? Where are you planning to take charge of?”
And the words that came out of my mouth were sufficient to make Bolpar turn pale with shock.
Bolpar ended up shouting without realizing it.
“Young Master, are you out of your mind right now?”