Chapter 48 : Exchange (2)
The Ork Lord Yul summoned all of the Kazars under his command.
Because the summons order came immediately after he returned from meeting Kyle Ragnar, the Kazars could not relax their tension.
“Lord, everyone has gathered.”
“I will deliver the command.”
At Yul’s voice and gaze, heavy with authority, the Kazars bowed their heads at the same time.
A lord’s command was absolute and had to be followed under any circumstances.
That was the law of the tribe.
“From now on, the language will be unified as Continental Common. Refrain as much as possible from using the tribal language.”
“Yes, Lord!”
“And prepare to relocate the women and children without combat capability to Ragnar’s area.”
At the sudden order, the Kazars’ eyes widened.
Of course, the reason they had joined hands with Ragnar and formed an alliance was for the safety of the tribe.
They had thought it would take quite a long time to be guaranteed the tribe’s safety.
Yet it seemed that discussions had progressed far more quickly than expected.
“Did Kyle Ragnar grant permission?”
“He did.”
“Lord! He may be seeking hostages. Trust has not yet been built, so we must not take it as pure goodwill that he will allow the tribe to leave the mountain range!”
When a Kazar with red skin and sharp fangs protested, Yul’s expression hardened.
“Are you saying you will defy my command?”
“No. I only meant that we must consider any possible situation…….”
“You know that defying a lord’s command goes against the law of the tribe, don’t you?”
Under Yul’s icy gaze, the red-skinned Kazar dropped to his knees and slammed his forehead against the ground repeatedly.
A lord’s command was equivalent to the will of the entire tribe.
Such words were the same as saying that he did not trust Yul.
Only after the Kazar realized his mistake and struck his forehead against the ground until it bled did Yul’s gaze change.
“Do you think I made this decision without even considering that much, when I am the one responsible for the tribe’s safety?”
“…….”
“It is Kyle Ragnar’s goodwill. Do not distort the intentions of one who first extended his hand to us as an ally. And do not sully the honor of warriors.”
“……I am sorry.”
“It is already decided. Also, Ragnar has decided to send knights here.”
On the surface, it looked like an exchange of those who could be taken as hostages, but in reality it was not that.
An exchange between knights and warriors.
It was also a decision meant to establish the minimum conditions necessary to build trust.
“Do not look down on humans. Remember that they are comrades who will fight alongside us, and that they are warriors. Understood?”
“We will follow the Lord’s will!”
The Kazars bowed their heads toward Yul at the same time.
Because Kyle had briefly gone to the Royal Capital, the exchange had been delayed, but from now on they only needed to steadily build trust.
Above all, to preserve the Ork tribe, Kyle’s protection was absolutely necessary.
‘A human with martial power comparable to mine, and Kyle Ragnar, who is even stronger than me. With the strength of those two, they should be able to fend off the lords’ offensive. Joining hands with the Ragnar Family was never a wrong choice.’
He had grasped Kyle’s hand even at the cost of the tribe’s pride.
This alliance had to succeed no matter what, and the Ork tribe had to keep the Ragnar Family as its greatest ally.
Yul did not want history to repeat itself.
“Two hundred years ago, our tribe and the humans killed each other and remained enemies. But the result was that the lords were pushed back, and we ended up trapped in the mountain range for a long time. Now, however, the time has come to break that chain.”
Escaping the mountain range was important, but he also wanted to cut off the vicious cycle of waging war against humans and remaining hostile.
For the sake of the tribe’s future, exchange with humans had to continue.
“From now on, I will select the warriors who will escort the tribe members entering Ragnar’s territory.”
Even if the Ragnar Family protected those without combat capability, escort personnel were essential in case of unforeseen variables.
Negotiations with Kyle were already complete, and the number of escorts was limited to two hundred.
“Ashroom.”
“Yes, Lord!”
“You will select the escorts. But you must devote your utmost effort to protecting the tribe.”
A black-skinned Kazar, Ashroom, dropped to both knees and pressed his head to the ground at Yul’s command.
It was an act of gratitude toward Yul for entrusting him with the important role of protecting the tribe.
Taking his gaze off Ashroom, Yul slowly swept his eyes over the Kazars.
“Soon, humans will enter the area where the iron mine is located. Each of you, assign your zones and prepare to protect the humans.”
Now that Kyle Ragnar had returned, the resumption of the iron mine would happen soon.
Yul raised the fist he had clenched, determined to keep the promise he had spoken of protecting the iron mine.
“We will prepare, Lord!”
At that, the Kazars dropped to both knees and shouted in unison.
Seeing that, Yul nodded and turned his body.
‘How will the lords act?’
Once they learned that he had joined hands with Ragnar, the lords would likely be preparing to attack the Ork tribe immediately.
They were not the kind to sit back and watch trust build and an alliance solidify.
It had already been a week since Raina became the steward managing the Chaplin Castle Castellan’s mansion.
She spent almost all of her time persuading and hiring the merchant guild people who had come to Chaplin Castle with her.
‘First, the rubies need to be sold…….’
The rubies Kyle had handed over at the time of hiring were not items that could be sold in Ragnar Territory.
If Chaplin Castle had been active and a place where merchants came and went, selling rubies would not have been difficult.
However, in the current situation, there was no way to sell the rubies.
At that moment, someone who had managed her schedule by her side since her days as a branch head approached.
“Steward, this is a letter sent by Branch Head Lyman from the Royal Capital.”
“Really?”
Raina accepted the letter with a bright expression.
She had entrusted the sale of the rubies to Lyman, who was staying in the Royal Capital of the Daon Kingdom, and the news arrived faster than she had expected.
However, the moment she opened the letter, Raina’s face stiffened.
[Raina, the Royal Capital is currently in great turmoil.
Rumors are rampant that Grand General Kyle froze the Great Hall.
Moreover, it has become known that the Rapid Merchant Guild is operating under the Ragnar Family, so the branch shops belonging to merchant guilds that exist in the Royal Capital are being forcibly shut down.
I could not endure it either and have left the Royal Capital for now.
Fortunately, I safely received both the letter and the goods. I will hasten the sale of the goods as much as possible.
I may end up delivering the payment from the sale in person.
Most of the Rapid Merchant Guild people scattered across the Daon Kingdom are in the process of taking refuge with Ragnar.
I too will likely move to Ragnar after completing the sale of the goods.
In any case, I will do my utmost to ensure we receive a fair price.]
Even after finishing the letter, Raina’s expression did not relax.
The power struggle between the Ragnar Family and the Royal Family was beginning in earnest.
Even though a considerable number of troops were tied down by the Tylers Empire’s 1st Legion, the Royal Family’s hidden strength could not be taken lightly.
“I will go and see the Grand General.”
“Understood.”
Raina rose from her seat, tightly gripping the letter in her hand, and strode toward the Castellan’s Study where Kyle was staying.
By the time she arrived in front of the study, a man she had never seen before was in the middle of knocking.
Raina approached him and asked cautiously.
“Um…… may I ask where you are from?”
“Who is it?”
“I am Raina, the steward managing the Castellan’s mansion.”
“I see. First time meeting you. I am Seros, just arrived from the Lord’s Castle.”
“Yes……?”
There was no way she could not know the name Seros.
He was the next in line after the Saie Castellan.
He was the one who would rule Chaplin Castle going forward, and an extraordinary figure who had reached the Master-level Realm.
While Raina stared at him blankly, Seros casually glanced down at the letter in her hand.
“What business brings you to see the lord?”
“Ah, a letter arrived from Branch Head Lyman, who remains in the Royal Capital. I came to show this to him.”
“Is that so? I will deliver it to the lord.”
Because of the overly confident informal tone, Raina did not even feel any sense of incongruity and ended up handing over the letter without thinking.
Seros immediately entered the room where Kyle was staying, offered his greeting, and closed the door.
Through the closing door, Raina was vigorously shaking her head, but Kyle was absorbed in other matters and failed to notice.
Thus, only the two of them remained in the study.
Seros had many things he wanted to say to Kyle, whom he was finally facing again, but he first handed over the letter he was holding.
“What is this?”
“The woman called a steward said it was a letter from the Royal Capital and wished to deliver it to you.”
“Hm…….”
“By the way, who is that woman?”
“She was a branch head of the Rapid Merchant Guild. She volunteered to become the steward here.”
At Kyle’s words, Seros nodded as if it were nothing of note.
Then he took out the letter of appointment Pramo had given him from his chest and placed it in front of Kyle.
“My lord, I am not fit to be a Castellan.”
“Seros.”
“You know it, don’t you? The reason I abandoned my family and entered the Special Operations Unit.”
“I think it was simply that you were never given a chance. So do not try to run away because of what happened with your family.”
At Kyle’s words, Seros shook his head.
The position of Castellan, who had to bear responsibility for and lead countless lives, did not suit him.
He preferred simply staying by Kyle’s side.
“For the first time, I intend to go against my lord’s will.”
“Hoo…….”
Kyle let out a deep sigh, uncharacteristic of him.
In truth, when he recommended Seros for the position of Castellan, he had fully expected resistance.
Knowing all of Seros’s past, it was not something he could force.
Even so, Kyle did not want to readily accept Seros’s wishes.
“Seros, this is not only for me, but for you as well.”
“I understand your feelings well. However, I prefer to fight by your side with sword in hand. A position where I must take responsibility for others does not suit me.”
Seeing Seros refuse so stubbornly, Kyle scratched his face.
Honestly, if Seros did not become Castellan, many issues would arise.
First of all, the alliance with the Ork tribe would begin to creak.
“……Is it that difficult to simply hold the position as Castellan?”
“If I take the Castellan’s seat, I will not be able to assist you. Above all, I do not wish to be bound to Chaplin Castle.”
Kyle shook his head slowly with his eyes tightly closed.
“One of the two of us must be stationed at Chaplin Castle. If the lords move, the Ork Lord alone will not be able to hold them back.”
“…….”
“I could remain here without leaving Chaplin Castle, but circumstances are always fluid. There will be times when the Ragnar Family cannot do without my help until it becomes the Royal Family.”
“My lord.”
“If that is your will, I will not entrust you with the Castellan’s seat. However, you must accept that you will be stationed at Chaplin Castle.”
At Kyle’s words, Seros bit his lip.
In the current situation, there was nothing he could refute.
Only if either Kyle or Seros was stationed at Chaplin Castle would defense be possible.
The moment the lords moved, the iron mine they had struggled to reclaim would inevitably be taken again.
Moreover, considering the safety of the miners who would soon be deployed, it was an unavoidable situation.
“Then perhaps Acacia or one of the others…….”
“Acacia must take responsibility for training the Ragnar Knight Order. And the others are not strong enough to defend Chaplin Castle.”
“Haa…….”
“I will entrust the Castellan’s seat to someone else. While I am stationed here now, there will be no major problems, but once the time comes for me to step in on matters of the kingdom, the likelihood of problems will increase.”
Seros gently closed his eyes.
Bearing the responsibilities of a Castellan was burdensome, but there was already a resolve he had made to himself.
The resolve to protect together the things Kyle wished to protect.
And to keep that resolve, he had to make a choice.
“……Then may I ask you to promise me just one thing?”
“Whatever it is, I will agree.”
“I will fulfill my duty as Castellan, but I cannot take responsibility for trivial matters such as administrative work.”
“I accept.”
“And the period I will bear responsibility as Castellan is two years. Within that time, will you make Ragnar the Royal Family and return?”
At Seros’s conditions, Kyle let out a short laugh.
It was not one condition, but two.
However, since they were conditions he could fully accept, he nodded.
“I will do so.”
Hearing Kyle’s answer, Seros bowed his head.
‘Deciding to follow my lord was the greatest fortune of my life. That will not change even in the distant future. Therefore, for now, I will take one step back for my lord.’
How much time had passed like that?
At last, Seros raised his head and took a deep breath.
“……I will become the Castellan.”
“Thank you.”
Kyle looked at Seros with a faint smile on his lips.