“It’s not as if I have no love for this forest. The Tonneburg family has done what it can to protect it for generations. And as my people have probably explained already, these woods play an important part in supporting the wheat fields of this region. I understand its value better than anyone. But our account books are full of red numbers, we are suspected of heresy, and the continued existence of my dominion itself is in now in question.”
Left with no other choice, Matthias had taken on a bet knowing full well the risks.
But now he had started to doubt the capabilities of the plan’s masterminds.
There was no way he was telling Lawrence every detail of this story just because he wanted to vent.
Matthias, as though waiting for Lawrence to arrive at that conclusion, suddenly looked at him with the expressionless face of a leader.
“I want you to fight on my side. Act as my proxy and carefully investigate this plan of Karlan’s. Try and see if they’ve taken on a disadvantageous deal with the Church, or…” He lowered his voice, though no one else was in the woods with them. “I hate to dwell on it, but it’s possible they’re trying to dupe me.”
That was likely the one thing he had been wanting to ask Lawrence the most.
Matthias had ignored the villagers’ efforts and pleas to stop and pushed ahead with the plan with Karlan. Even if he had started having doubts about Karlan’s plan, he had no one to help him change course.
There was a powerlessness about Matthias that was obvious—Lawrence knew that even if he refused, he would not be cut down by the sword hanging at the lord’s waist.
Matthias was a good leader.
And because he was a good leader, he was bound by a great many things.
At this point, Lawrence felt it unlikely that he would be able to help with Meyer’s request of keeping the forest intact. That was not because Matthias had found out about his secret maneuvers, but because Matthias had little option.
Since Matthias’s territory was under suspicion of heresy or paganism, they were at risk of being consumed by the growing rift in the Church and being ground to dust in the ensuing power struggle if they did nothing. And due to the lord’s ongoing debts, it was likely that his territory would be shattered into tiny pieces by those who hungered for coin.
“If I may confirm something with you,” Lawrence spoke up. “Are the debts owed to Karlan?”
If they were, then that would make Matthias’s position all the more difficult. It would be even more likely that the city was taking advantage of that leverage and dragging him into a dishonest plan.
“No. It’s the greedy merchants from Kerube.”
There was good reason for his strong tone—the unpleasant interactions involving debt they had been shouldering since his grandfather’s time.
It seemed Matthias decided to work with Karlan because he, too, had a bone to pick with Kerube.
Lawrence was starting to see the pieces on the board.
If there was anything he could do for the sake of the forest, it was side with Matthias.
“I have a request as well,” he said.
“Money?” Matthias asked.
The expression on his face told him that Matthias wondered if this merchant was also just after coin in the end; Lawrence only shrugged in response, disrespectful as it was.
“Promise me you’ll let Meyer off the hook. He’ll be invaluable in ensuring the forest continues to exist.”
Matthias stared blankly for a moment before donning a troubled smile. “Why would I ever punish him to begin with? I hadn’t even considered it.” He gave a coarse cough of a laugh, as though telling Lawrence it was an absurd idea. “Meyer loves the forest more than anyone. Even me. All he ever thinks about are the trees. That’s why I’ll need him by my side when the people from Karlan come to build their road. Those sea dwellers will have no idea what sort of foolish mistakes they’ll be making.”
Perhaps Meyer had spared no effort to protect the Tonneburg Woods, the ones Matthias’s family had worked hard to preserve over generations, precisely because he knew Matthias trusted him so.
“I need to reward Meyer for bringing you here.”
“……”
Lawrence looked at Matthias.
The conflict was evident on his face.
“Back to the matter at hand. I believe you just mentioned the possibility of Karlan trying to dupe you. Have there been any signs of that?”
“…No. My doubts are not that strong, nor do I wish to doubt them so. I just believe it’s more likely that the Church is unfairly taking advantage of them, rather than the city actively exploiting my weakness.”
The reasoning behind that hunch came from hearing rumors about a passing merchant who happened to foil their plans in Salonia. Which meant that even if they were able to intercede on Matthias’s behalf with the Church, it was questionable as to whether they would be able to hold proper negotiations.
“Do you think they’ll be selling off the forest for cheap, then?”
Reluctantly, Matthias nodded. The fate of his land hinged on the outcome of this deal, yet he had no choice but to leave it in the hands of others. Lawrence could tell by that gesture alone that he was beset by helplessness.
As he took notes in his mental account book, Lawrence realized a necessary column had been left blank.
“One more question.”
“Go on, then. You already know about our most humiliating circumstances; you may as well ask about everything else.”
Lawrence had a feeling that if Matthias were one of the guests at his bathhouse, he would have been a lovely patron to have.
“Which faction of the Church do you personally side with?”
Matthias’s eyes fell shut at the question; Lawrence realized belatedly, as the question left his mouth, that this was not a question to be asked lightly. Because if Matthias was on the side of the Church’s old guard, that meant he would be working with Col’s enemies.
And along that same logic, it was a sharp fork in the road that might show Matthias which side Lawrence belonged to.