Chapter 8:
Lamesta Fortress
GARM WAS GOING TO HEAD ON AN INSPECTION TO Lamesta, the fortress city bordering the Visus Empire.
Cain recalled that at his social debut, he had met with a viscount named Tris. He decided to ask Garm for permission to join him on the inspection.
“Father, if you’re going to Lamesta, could you bring me with you?”
Garm looked at Cain with a sour expression. Although his tutors had guaranteed he could take care of himself, Garm couldn’t help but worry that something might happen. He didn’t immediately answer. When he remembered saying he would bring Cain along at his social debut, he reluctantly agreed.
“You’re so lucky, Cain! I want to go too!” Reine wanted to join them, but Sarah immediately stopped her.
“You have a lot on your plate already, Reine. You need to study for your entrance exams.”
The word “study” made Reine frown. She turned to face Cain.
“Reine, I’ll get you some souvenirs!”
“Really? You better not forget!” She was still reluctant, but hearing that Cain would get her a souvenir was enough of a compromise.
The city of Lamesta was east of Gracia, roughly two days away by carriage. Garm and Cain were riding, while Sebas drove. Although it was for official business, this would be Cain’s first time visiting another city, and he was bursting with excitement. The road was paved with stone, and to either side were fields of wheat that stretched over the horizon.
Gracia was not only responsible for stopping a potential invasion by the Visus Empire, it was also the source of monster materials, food, and other trade resources. It was an important location in the Esfort Kingdom.
The three of them stopped by a village on the way to Lamesta, and its chief pulled out all the stops to receive Cain and his father. For some reason, the daughter of the chief paid significant attention to Cain. He wasn’t even ten years old yet!
Garm explained, with a big smile, “Cain, even though you aren’t inheriting Gracia, you are still the son of a margrave. If you take a liking to her and marry her, that guarantees this village will be prosperous for years to come. We’re likely to encounter similar situations again in the future, so mind your behavior. You’ll understand better as you get older.”
Garm explained the differences between internal and external affairs. He had never shown this side of himself to either Sarah or Reine. Cain nodded, realizing these were conversations that could only be held between men.
The carriage continued to slowly plod down the road. A pack of wolf-type monsters appeared on the road at some point, but the knights guarding the carriage made quick work of them.
These knights served a margrave, and they kept themselves ready for battle since nobody knew when a war might break out with the Visus Empire. The captain gave accurate and precise orders, and the knights operated in pairs to easily dispatch the monsters, protecting the carriage.
The pack of roughly 20 wolves was eliminated in less than five minutes. Cain planned to use his Item Box to store the monster corpses, then sell them once they reached town. The money they earned could serve as a bonus for the guards, affording them a round of drinks. Garm reluctantly agreed to the idea.
The knights were all on board. They eagerly assisted Cain as he collected and stored the defeated monsters. Perhaps motivated by the idea of enjoying themselves at the bar, the knights worked quickly. It wasn’t long before the task was complete and the carriage was ready to move again.
They arrived within sight of the fortress city of Lamesta before evening. Said to be a military stronghold, there was an enormous fortress on the opposite side of the city.
“That’s Lamesta. If the Visus Empire wishes to enter Esfort, it must go through either here or the Forest of Monsters. There are many dangerous monsters within the forest, and it’s not something carriages can travel through. An army has no choice but to go through here. That’s why there’s such a large fortress.”
Cain nodded at Garm’s explanation.
The city of Lamesta served as the border between the two countries, but it wasn’t like there was no traffic between them. Merchants would go where there was money to be made, regardless of the risk.
Goods sold in the Visus Empire were also being sold to the Esfort Kingdom through Lamesta, and the opposite was true as well. However, only companies that had received permits from both countries were allowed to do so.
Imports and exports were naturally taxed, serving as part of the tax base of this city. Since they were legal, the traders could hawk their wares openly in broad daylight.
“This city has an exclusive marketplace, and there’s a company that specializes in importing goods from the Empire to sell in the kingdom. Goods exported to the Empire have to go through that company as well. Companies from the Empire are allowed to stay in the city, but they aren’t allowed to enter the rest of the kingdom. This helps prevent Visus spies from infiltrating our territories. Since that company I mentioned is also in charge of this city, Gracia itself is safe. This all might be a little difficult for you to understand, Cain.”
Cain was impressed by the system Garm had explained to him. Allowing free movement of trade would result in prices dropping and economic benefits, but it could potentially affect public safety. The ruler of the city operated a company that acted as a middleman for other companies who wished to trade between the Empire and the kingdom. It would purchase goods from Visus Empire companies, then have several companies from the kingdom spread and sell the goods here. The city collected taxes from the trade, and that revenue funded the continued protection of the city.