Just as Karlan wanted to avoid the territories of existing lords by building a road through the Tonneburg Woods, it would not be at all strange if Eve and the Winfiel Kingdom’s wool merchants who worked with her wanted to secure a new place to sell their wool and where they could purchase lumber, a place that did not rely on Kerube, which was a tough trade partner. And this plan to develop Karlan was a valuable chance for them to make that happen.
“When you have two towns that share commercial interests, then it’s almost inevitable that one city will flourish, and one will fail. It isn’t a simple turf war. The losses are all too real.”
When Lawrence said that, Holo released her tail as though she had enough, then curled up on the bed.
“I know it’s a bit hard to understand with trade, but you’d understand wheat fields, right? Let’s say there’s a field that’s just scarcely managed to support a village of a hundred people, but the neighboring village takes half of it. What do you think would happen to the first village?”
“Mm…”
Holo’s ears both flicked nervously in every which way.
“You can’t expand on your fields forever. That’s the heart of the problem. The size of the field determines how many villagers get fed, so if you want everyone to eat their fill, you either make the fields bigger or you lower the number of mouths you need to feed.”
Terrible talks of sending people away or selling people off into slavery was not something that ever came up during Holo’s time in her old village, but not every farming community out in the world had been as lucky.
So why did conflict never cease?
“It’s the same with trade. People who don’t work don’t get to eat, and if goods aren’t transported, then no jobs are created. And all goods in circulation are limited. More product means more jobs, and more jobs means trading companies will take on new hires and help apprentices who worked long and hard to start their own businesses. But if that doesn’t happen, then they can’t bring in new blood, and apprentices are kept on much longer than they’re supposed to. The master artisans would feel ashamed being unable to reward the people who’ve toiled at their sides. If business slows down because of this, then even keeping their apprentices employed can become a challenge. And that’s when they all start looking for new territory.”
The reason Matthias agreed to have the forest cut down was likely an extension of that line of thought. Though Meyer feared that with the loss of all the forest had to offer, the surrounding wheat fields would not be as productive, Matthias still believed that cutting down the forest would, in the long run, be more beneficial for the people.
That was because expanding anything—be it a forest or a field—required land, and it was unlikely he would ever get more land without war. What options remained open to him depended on how efficiently he could make use of the forest.
Running a road through it and building smithies might dramatically deplete the forest, but thinking about Tonneburg as a whole, it might end up keeping the people better fed in the long run.
Upon hearing Lawrence’s explanation, the hairs on Holo’s freshly combed tail stood on end, making it seem much bigger than normal. That was not because her ignorance had been pointed out, but because she was angry at how cruel this world could be.
“So it isn’t really anyone’s fault.”
Every camp had their excuses, and every camp had people worth protecting.
“But there is a difference in size.”
There might be a way to save a hundred people by making ten people suffer.
Holo immediately frowned and got up from the bed, her desire to sleep gone.
When she came to stand by the window, she gazed out upon the peaceful city of Karlan.
Though a trade war would most certainly transform the forest, the conflict itself was invisible to the eye, unlike a bloody war.
Holo finally realized that this lively, yet peaceful city stood at the crossroads of its own fate.
“Can you not do something about this?”
He was flattered that she thought so highly of him, but he could not find anything nice to say in response.
Though he had drawn the line in the matter—his request that she not be angry with him no matter what the outcome—that still did not make her feel any better about it.
“It’s a merchant’s job to make both parties walk away happy after a deal has been struck, but trading bread for bread doesn’t help fill our bellies. That would be magic,” Lawrence sighed and looked to the ceiling. “I have a feeling that’s what Eve is trying to get me to do.”
Holo turned around to look at him.
“We didn’t talk so much last night because it reminded us of old times, or because we’re particularly close. She wants me to talk to Lord Tonneburg and ask if he’ll have a change of heart. And—”
“You are an errand boy,” Holo said, as though displeased someone else was using her own errand boy.
“You could at least call me an assistant.”
Kieman, who was apparently running Kerube now, and Lawrence did know each other, of course.
And so Eve, who had occasionally gotten herself in trade quarrels with Kieman from across the strait, had decided that it would be much better to send Lawrence instead of going there herself.
At the end of their meeting the night before, Eve had asked him to be her assistant and negotiate with Kerube on her behalf.
“It’s not like I can give up on this now anyway. I have to do it.”
If they traced events back to the original cause of all this, then it led right back to the moment Lawrence ventured to Salonia to settle a little matter he had been asked to take care of. And now, he was negotiating on behalf of a town and region. Life often took people in unexpected directions, and things were connected in unexpected ways. It was surprising that the bonds he formed once as a traveling merchant had now left such a big mark on the world, yes, but following those lines would naturally allow the past to catch up with him.
Lawrence had left behind the life of a traveling merchant, become a bathhouse owner, and had watched his reckless daughter grow old enough to set off on a journey of her own. Perhaps he felt somewhat obligated to look back and clean up any messes he had left behind.
“It’s weighing on me, of course.”
It was not just because he could see this was going to be a very involved negotiation. Kieman was a member of Lawrence’s old haunt, the Rowen Trade Guild. He was essentially an extended family member, making this a bit more complicated than a simple trade deal.
When they were building the Spice and Wolf bathhouse in Nyohhira, Kieman had helped out when they needed a loan from the Rowen Trade Guild, and even when Kieman’s business was in danger of failing, he did not go back on his word.
Though Lawrence was no longer an official member of the guild since he had retreated to Nyohhira, bonds forged with fellow guild members were not so easily dissolved, much like those with blood relatives.
And because of all that, Lawrence was, quite frankly, not looking forward to negotiating with Kieman, and by extension, Kerube, in an official capacity.
Lawrence was very aware of how soft he was.
“If only either were obviously evil, then you could have simply used my fangs,” Holo said, sensing what was on Lawrence’s mind.
“You’re right. In this kind of situation, the worst possible outcome is letting either side have a one-sided win.”
Lawrence rubbed at his ticklish nose, possibly due to how Holo had been tending to her tail, and then his hand drifted up to his forehead.
“Our goal is to make this a draw, but Karlan and Kerube are just so different in size and history.”
“What do you mean?”
“It’s a matter of face.”
As Holo was about to bite into a burnt slice of meat, she frowned. They had both experienced how old-timers treated newcomers at the Nyohhira bathhouse. And when it came to cities, whose histories stretched back for generations, the scale of it only grew.
“And the nobles of Kerube betrayed Eve during the narwhal incident in Kerube. They’re probably wary about what she might do to get her revenge.”
Lawrence wondered if Karlan actually knew this and decided to go along with it regardless. Maybe it was because they were aware that there was no love lost between Eve and Kerube that they were confident she would never betray them.
“I suppose we cannot speak too arrogantly about digging up the past, either.”
Holo winced as she said that, while Lawrence shrugged.
“Eve doesn’t seem to bothered by whether or not they hold a grudge.”
“Hmm?”
“People around her might make assumptions, and I wonder if Eve’s planning to use that to her advantage.”
Lawrence sat up, recalling the ways trade wars were conducted—something he never got a taste of in Nyohhira.
“If Kerube thinks that Eve is siding with Karlan for revenge, then she has the advantage in negotiations.”
It seemed like it was complicated, even for the self-professed wisewolf.
“In their minds, it would no longer be a matter of trade, but revenge. The natural conclusion would be that Eve isn’t thinking about profits and simply wants to take Kerube down even if it means ruining herself. It would be incredibly unwise to face her in a stand-up fight. Anyone who doesn’t want to be dragged into a quagmire will have to make some sort of compromise. That means Eve would win without having to fight at all. That’s what makes her a formidable merchant.”