Do they say a person’s mind goes blank when they hear something completely absurd? That was exactly how Shatien felt right now.
“Wh-What do you mean by that?”
“What do I mean?! Do you still intend to deny your fault and wiggle out of it!”
Shatien broke into a cold sweat at the reprimanding shout.
Looking at the reaction of the man before his eyes, what he uttered seemed to be true. Moreover, seeing how he called Shatien's name correctly, it did not seem like he had mistaken him for someone else.
Then, he suddenly realized that the man in front of him was a cat beastman. And he realized the fact that he excessively resembled someone.
“Ah...?”
“Ahhh? Are you acting the fool now? Hohoho. What a waste of such a reputation!”
“By any chance, are you the Guild Master of the merchant company?”
“Yes. I am the Guild Master of the merchant company who has a daughter named Marhen, whose path to marriage has been blocked because of you!”
“Oh boy....”
Shatien squeezed his eyes shut at this cat beastman’s self-introduction. At the same time, the words Branch Manager Marhen had said in the past brushed past his ears.
— You will experience something troublesome. I’m just warning you to be careful. Hehe.
Was that what those words meant?
Damn it! Shatien felt at a loss for where to even begin explaining this misunderstanding.
* * *
“Hmmmmm. Is that so?”
“Yes! It is a misunderstanding. Guild Master Mohet. Ask around. Everyone will tell you the same story. Why would I tell a lie that would be caught so quickly?”
“If you say so....”
Guild Master Mohet looked at Shatien with a suspicious gaze, but that was all. It was as if he had his doubts but would not press further.
‘Phew. Thank goodness.’
Only then did Shatien let out a sigh of relief inwardly. It was worth breaking a sweat for nearly an hour to open his mouth.
In particular, this Guild Master Mohet was very sensitive and suspicious, as expected of a cat beastman. Every time Shatien said something, he would fire off a suspicious look while asking, “Is that so?” Every time he scanned Shatien's body with those sharp pupils unique to cat beastmen, it was so chilling that he was an extremely tiring opponent.
“Ahem. At any rate, is the misunderstanding all cleared up now?”
“Since the renowned Sir Shatien says so, I must believe you.”
Why did it feel like there were thorns in his words? Shatien ignored that fact and smiled brightly.
“I am glad it is cleared up. Haha.”
“I suppose you could say that. Hohohoho.”
“Hahaha....”
“…….”
“…….”
Then, only a brief silence circled for a moment. Shatien shook off the awkwardness and spoke as if shouting.
“By the way.... Did you perhaps hear the story from Branch Manager Marhen?”
“Oh? The story that she found someone she likes? Hohoho. I’m just kidding.”
“...That is a funny joke. It was not that, but the story related to the supply of the northern region.”
“Ah! That.”
Only then did Guild Master Mohet wipe away his smile and look at Shatien with a serious expression.
“The content Sir proposed is certainly a fairly good proposal.”
“It is a proposal that benefits both sides. A stable supply network for the Mercenary Office, and stable protection of the trade network from the merchant company's perspective. Does it not fit perfectly?”
At Shatien’s words, Guild Master Mohet shrugged his shoulders.
“It fits perfectly, but that sounds like the calculation method of a knight like Sir.”
“A knight’s calculation method...?”
“Yes. Originally, a merchant’s calculation method is a bit different. Hohoho.”
Guild Master Mohet stroked his beard while wearing a genial smile.
“Sir, you built the Mercenary Office in the central region, and now you intend to greatly expand the Mercenary Office in the northern region, do you not? If the agreement with me is handled properly this time, you will be able to command a large number of mercenaries exceeding 10,000. This is a number that even a typical great lord would find difficult to command.”
“Haha. They are just on paper belonging to the Mercenary Office....”
“I know. Since they are mercenaries belonging to the Mercenary Office, they are not Sir Shatien’s personal private soldiers. However, does the current Mercenary Office not run without Sir Shatien?”
Guild Master Mohet continued his words while his pupils, unique to cat beastmen, sparkled.
“Sir Shatien, you have received notarization from Viscount Ragnarsson in the north, Count Bellua in the central region. And to the south, you seem to be working hard to receive recognition from the Holy See.”
“The recognition from the Holy See is a bit of a misunderstanding....”
“Yes, yes. Well, I suppose you would say that. I will believe you. Hoho.”
No, it was the truth, so why was he saying he would "believe" it! Shatien felt wronged. The Holy See was truly an unexpected turn of events.
“In this situation, if the merchant company helps Sir Shatien and makes the settlement in the north perfect.... Sir, you effectively become another giant power. A very attractive one in the chaos that will break out in the future.”
‘Hmm...?’
Shatien paused for a moment at Guild Master Mohet’s words. This guy.... It felt like he roughly knew with what intention Shatien had been busily moving around to expand the Mercenary Office.
Guild Master Mohet laughed boisterously and stroked his beard again.
“The Holy Empire’s Emperor is still burning with ambition, and the north has still not suppressed the peasant rebel forces, so the embers are writhing. On top of that, the Rostingia Marcher Lord, who must mediate this situation, is on his deathbed.”
“…….”
“Shall we look at the central or southern regions? Count Bellua won a victory by breaking the Emperor’s military force once in the central region, but that is all. He is by nature a Count of the Kingdom of Ellang. There is no King who would be pleased with the birth of a great noble who could threaten the royal power internally. What about the south? The Holy See’s power is strong, but the power of the unique free cities across the mountain range is formidable. Since they have been loyal to the Emperor for generations, the Holy See will not be able to move easily either. The east... is the land of those barbarians, so there is no need to even talk about it, right?”
It was true. The chaos that would break out in the future. Guild Master Mohet had also already guessed that a massive war would break out.
The current peace was an extremely unstable peace. Everyone was unable to move only because of their own advantages and disadvantages, but if there was just a minor catalyst, war would writhe and explode immediately.
“If such an era comes.... The Mercenary Office held by Sir Shatien will become very valuable. Especially if you establish 5,000 in the north, 5,000 in the central region, and a branch in the south by receiving the Holy See’s command.... Indeed, I cannot estimate how great that prosperity will be. Is the current era not one where battle scales are merely in the tens of thousands?”
At Guild Master Mohet’s words, Shatien unintentionally thought of the distant future. The final form of the Mercenary Office he had roughly envisioned was taking shape. The future of exercising influence through the power of the Mercenary Office while balancing each power on the continent.
“Therefore, the weights of the scale don't match. Originally, a merchant’s calculation method is to balance the weights of that scale. Can you put a weight on it that suits my taste?”
Guild Master Mohet’s pupils were flickering and sparkling with longing. A primal desire. And that strange heat that those who have read the times can show.
“Ver well.”
This was the same for Shatien as well.
* * *
“Phew....”
Leaving the meeting with Guild Master Mohet behind, Shatien came outside and let out a long sigh. They had shared a quite serious and in-depth conversation.
Guild Master Mohet was not someone who wanted to simply stop at a merchant company. As the practical head of the Hanseatic League, the alliance of northern free cities, he wanted to materialize the influence they possessed. In other words, he meant he wanted to become another perfect, independent northern power.
To do that, military force was needed, and Shatien could sufficiently fill that need.
“An alliance, huh....”
It was difficult to call it a complete power yet, but Guild Master Mohet wanted it.
“It will be quite hard to receive complete recognition.”
He had built up quite a reputation in the northern region, but this was still not enough. The number of Mercenary Office members who moved in the northern region was ultimately small. At least a large-scale mercenary force in the thousands must move to show that power. If he wanted to firmly engrave that power onto the powers of the continent.
“It seems it is time to return.”
He had been in the north for too long. Conveniently, people from the Mercenary Office had already been dispatched to the north, so let’s leave the remaining work to them and return. And he felt he should reorganize the mercenary company in Sauerland and leave to find the next job.
“Good! Then I should start moving gradually.”
The north, which had many troubles and many gains. Now it was goodbye. Shatien thought so as he moved his body.
* * *
“You are saying you will return now? No, why? The feast has not ended yet.”
“I am sorry, Viscount Ragnarsson. I have been away for too long. The mercenaries under my command are all in an uproar saying they want to go home. Haha.”
“Huh.... You are a very warm person. To take the whining of the subordinates under your command so well.”
Indeed. If it had been Viscount Ragnarsson’s style, he might have used the whip.
“It is a pity, but well... I must let you go. Still, please know. The north is always open. Speak anytime you need. I will give you help.”
“Thank you even just for the words!”
Of course, just because he spoke to Viscount Ragnarsson like this did not mean he could depart immediately. Was the unit currently in operation small? There was much to do in many ways, such as preparing supplies to use while moving and selling all the spoils obtained so far to change them into money.
Only after moving busily for nearly ten days was Shatien finally able to finish the preparations to lead the mercenary company south. Of course, included here were....
“It makes me feel light for some reason to return to the branch after a long time, does it not? Hehe.”
Our heavy burden Branch Manager Marhen and the merchant groups under her were added.
“It must be nice to be light. I suffered so much thanks to you.”
“N-Nyahang. I told you in advance.”
“You should have told me properly. Branch Manager Marhen.”
Then Branch Manager Marhen turned her head slightly as if embarrassed.
“Sigh, it is fine. A matter that is already finished. But thanks to that meeting, I was able to form a quite good relationship.”
“Hnng? I guess the talk with my father ended well?”
“Yes. Thanks to you. But I feel a heavy burden because he left me a quite large homework assignment. For a while after returning, I will likely have to reorganize the Mercenary Office.”
Since he planned to participate in a big war in the future, it was necessary to restructure the Mercenary Office accordingly. In particular, it was necessary to expand the organization that showed powerful strength in this northern expedition to the entire mercenary company and unify the armament and supply lines.
‘It is a bit of a pity that there is no cavalry power, though....’
He was confident he could overcome facing a typical army with the combination of pike squares and halberdiers, but still, the flower of the battlefield was the cavalry.
Especially the powerful lance charging of knights. It was perfect for finishing a war. Was it not difficult to smash a fleeing enemy with only infantry? Even running while holding a long pike was not easy.
‘Meaning cavalry power is essentially required to annihilate the enemy....’
Where on earth was he supposed to obtain that.
While he was thinking like that,
-Neighhhh!
The rear of the column suddenly became noisy.
“Whoa, whoa.”
“Now, now, move aside! You commoners.”
“Do you block me now knowing who I am? I am a comrade-in-arms who roamed the battlefield with your master, Sir Shatien.”
“?”
They were elf knights. Some were familiar faces who had been with Viscount Ragnarsson since the rebel suppression, and some were faces who had been together during Count Joberham’s suppression of the heathens.
But why were they here?
“Oh! Sir Shatien!”
“Sir! I will also join Sir’s adventure!!”
“You are not planning to leave us behind, are you?”
“For a glorious and honorable battle!!! Now, now, let’s go together.”
“???????????”
It was certainly very random.
Chapter 142: To the South Again (2)
11 min read