Chapter 430 - 307 - 312

The Plight of Dawn Academy

And here's the fifth chapter of the week! I'll be doing one more release tomorrow because there is one chapter that's still left in the queue before the days I started the patron. Since I finally got some more time recently, it's about time I released it.

The span of ten years passed swiftly as the wind. Lorist slowly stepped into Dawn Academy, looking at the various familiar sights while soaking in nostalgia. For the rest of the day, Count Kenmays, Baron Felim and Baron Shazin would be bringing their female family members to shop around at Rotary Street, the most prominent shopping street in the city. The three Dinas had also tagged along, whereas Howard had been allowed leave to spend some time with his fiancee. Lorist refused the offer to join in and said that he had other affairs to deal with, leaving the guards with the three Dinas while he left alone to visit Academy Head Levins and Blademaster Claude.

What made Lorist wonder was how the academy did not change one bit from how it looked ten years ago. He recalled that the glass production method that he gave to the academy head to auction off proceeded successfully according to a newspaper he had read. The academy should have received lots of money as a result. But why did the academy not expand one bit? It had remained the same all this time.

It was then when Lorist realized that the academy that used to be crowded and busy was currently empty like a ghost town. Seeing people dressed in student attire and wearing a badge was uncommon at best. Even if there were people, they would merely pass through in a hurry, making the academy seem all the more empty than usual.

The greyish-green tower looked more worn down as time passed. Even though it was still technically complete, Lorist felt that it was barely holding on, ready to collapse at any moment.

Academy Head Levins was incredibly surprised at Lorist's visit. The 70-year-old man already had liver spots manifesting on his face, with the condition of his body gradually deteriorating. Lorist was dressed in a long-sleeved shirt in the mildly warm weather of the 7th month, but Academy Head Levins merely sat atop a chair wrapped in a fine-wool blanket.

"Little Locke, I didn't think you would come all the way here to visit me," Levins said with obvious effort as he pulled on the rope beside him, causing a chubby maidservant to show up, whom he instructed to boil some water and call for Blademaster Claude to come over.

"There's no need for such pleasantries, academy head. Why has your health degraded so quickly? I remember seeing you just two years back and you looked rather vigorous back then," said Lorist.

"Well, this is what happens when one ages. It's about time I return to the heavenly kingdom of Singwa," Academy Head Levins joked, "Little Locke, I bet you didn't expect Dawn Academy to be closing down soon..."

"What did you say?!" Lorist exclaimed with shock, "Academy head, what's going on? Is the academy lacking funds? If that's the case, I can sponsor the academy and help it persevere through this trial."

"Money? Hehe, Dawn Academy has more money than anything else. The academy has never amassed such a large fortune before in its history. The treasuries underground are filled with gold," Levins said with a chuckle that carried with it a tinge of frustration and regret, "Little Locke, the glass production method and recipe you have given us netted us almost two million gold FOrdse, enough for the development of the academy for the next decade to come. I had wanted to make Dawn Academy one of the top three academies in the whole of Morante, but the coming of the War of Glass and the implementation of the nobility system brought with them unpredictable consequences. The Forde Trade Union used to be deeply entwined with the tens of nations that neighbored it. We touted freedom, openness, and peace, that caused guests from all over to flock here and enrich us. The academy sector at Morante was the haven for scholars...

"But the implementation of the nobility system and the War of Glass destroyed everything. This is an unprecedented and historical setback. Not only did the Union betray the ideals of its founder, Duke Forde Morante, by splitting its subjects into multiple classes of citizens, it also implemented the nobility system which was nothing but divisive.

"Even though the Union has become the nation with the largest territory on the continent, even larger than what the Krissen Empire had been at its peak, the Moranites who were cheering gleefully didn't realize the significance of that which they have lost!

"Formerly, the Union was allies with its neighbors, allowing its trade routes to span nation after nation. All the other nations were welcoming to us merchants and admired our proud history of resisting the Krissen Empire for more than a century. But now, we have taken the place of the Krissen Empire and stretched our filthy hands towards the allies that had helped us out in the past! Broken relationships and trade routes soon followed with the inevitable treatment of the Union as a common enemy by the neighboring nations!

"During the last month, there was a fool at the council of the Union that pushed for even more expansion of our military power so that we can use the might of the Union forces to crush the nations that cut off our trade routes. He said that since money isn't working, we should just use our fists. To think that there would be people who actually supported his motion...

"This is the result of letting merchants run a nation. They lack foresight; their tunnel vision only see the short term profits in front of them. Even if they don the luxurious mantle of nobility, their bones still reek of the stench of vultures seeped in rot and decay. All that is reflected in their eyes are gold coins. They actually think that the Union has finally achieved superpower status without thinking about how long they can keep this situation up! Cough... cough..." Perhaps because of the intensity of his emotions, the old man broke into a coughing fit.

Lorist hurriedly gave his back some patting to ease the old man's coughing.

Academy Head Levins had Lorist push his wheelchair towards the window before he spent some effort to open it and said, "Little Locke, back during the year when you were an instructor here, our academy was so merry. Swarms of people went from one place to another, filled with the vigor of life. Do you recall how many students we had back then?"

Lorist gave it some thought and replied, "I think Charade told me before that more than nine thousand students were registered here at the academy."

"That's right, the students were that numerous back then. It was so noisy that my head would hurt. Funny how that memory is actually pleasant to me now," said Levins as he closed his eyes to reminisce on days long gone.

After a few moments, Lorist heard the old man whisper, "Little Locke, did you konw... Last year, there were only 1400 or so registered students, with only 74 of them being new entrants..."

"What?! There's no way that's possible!" said Lorist. After all, Dawn Academy was ranked number eight among the other academies. There was no way there would be so few people enrolling.

"I forgot to tell you one main thing. All 74 students are citizens of the Union, with more than half of them being Moranites. Also, the total enrollment count of all academies ranked first to third is 325. Our Dawn Academy has fared quite well relative to them. Do you remember Saint Marceau Academy? They only got eight new students last year."

"What you're saying is..." mused Lorist as he began to grasp the situation.

"Last year, of the 27 academies in the academy sector of Morante, four shut their doors for good. Eleven others followed suit during the 5th month of this year. I believe that our Dawn Academy will be joining them during the next year... Sigh..." said the academy head exasperatedly as he sat back down.

"There are no more students," mumbled Lorist.

"That's right. There are no more students, meaning that academies are no longer necessary. During the joint academy council this year, it was suggested that only the three top-ranked academies be allowed to operate, with the other academies absorbed into them. That's why, whether Dawn Academy has money or not, we won't be able to continue operating. Us shutting down next year is already certain. Without new students, there is no point for the academy to exist," said Levins with a bitter laugh.

The academy sector of Morante has always been accepting of people from all over the continent. No matter the nation, as long as one fulfilled the admission criteria, one would be allowed to enroll to further their studies. In all 27 academies of Morante, the students from the Union itself amounted to less than ten percent of the student population; most of the student body comprised of people from all over the continent. Naturally, most of them were descendants of nobles or rich families, but there were quite a number of studious commoners that worked and studied at the same time. It was because of them that the academy sector of Morante gained so much prestige as the holy land for learning.

"Would the Union actually become a new superpower with just a single War of Glass and the implementation of the nobility system? What a load of bull! All I know is that it's ruined the academy sector, all 24 academies within it! Nobody ever comes here to study again. The trade routes are no more and the various faiths are deteriorating. No one wants to come to Morante ever again. The various students we have raised are now enemies with the Union.

"Did you know, Little Locke? Back when the Union's army forcefully annexed the lands of the seven other nations, the Moranites actually cheered to no end while the citizens of the occupied nations cried and despaired. At that time, even more students within the academies from many other nations packed up and left the Union...

"With the war over, all participants received benefits. The Union organized a marvelous entitlement ceremony and handed out titles and dominions. But nobody was aware of the fact that the Union had already stood on the opposing side of the nations surrounding us. Nobody would ever consider the Union as an ally ever again. Instead, they would ally up among themselves and resist the Union like we did against the Krissen Empire so many years ago.

"I had refused the title of the baron the Union entitled to me, as well as the dominion at Callisto Hills. My greatest wish is to make this academy flourish and become one of the best the continent has to offer. However, it is all no more. What use would a title or dominion be?" complained the academy head.

"Academy head, this is all my fault. I shouldn't have gave you the two letters to auction off. If that didn't happen, the War of Glass would never have occurred. I was the one who has doomed Dawn Academy," said Lorist with deep regret. There was no worse thing he could do than to ruin the lifelong dream of a dying old man.

Back then, he had given the letters to be auctioned off to cause friction between the Union and the Teribo kingdom and turn the Union's sights away from the territory that used to belong to the Krissen Empire. That would also allow his household to develop Silowas with lesser pressure. After all, facing only the Chikdor Merchant Guild was far easier than facing the whole Union.

Never would he have expected that the two letters would cause such a huge chain reaction, resulting in an all-out war between the Union and the Teribo kingdom. Even though most of it was due to the simple-mindedness of Teribo VII, who involved seven other nations in a war of eradication that could have been settled diplomatically, that result was far beyond what Lorist had predicted. Currently, Dawn Academy was naught but an unfortunate casualty of all that had transpired.

"This has nothing to do with you," Levins said while shaking his head, "You acted with good intentions to give the academy funds it needs to develop. It's a shame that things happened beyond our imaginations. All of us didn't think that the Teribo kingdom would actually use such extreme measures, causing the whole situation to dissolve into mindless chaos beyond our control. Add to the fact that the Union wanted to start having a nobility system, which riled up the ambitions of many lying in wait, it was no surprise that things cascaded far more than we thought it would. The responsibility of the state of affairs is not yours, so don't feel burdened by it."

Lorist lightly pushed the academy head back to his office desk and made some macks with the water that had just boiled for him. He still remembered that the academy head liked it straight without milk or sugar.

A knocking could be heard before Blademaster Claude entered the room.

"Eh? Locke, when did you arrive?"

"Only just now. I had a talk with the academy head about the current state of the academy."

"You already know all about it?"

Lorist nodded and said, "Instructor Claude, how many people are left in Dawn Academy? Also, what plans do you have with Instructor Anfya?"

Claude took a deep breath before he said, "Well, what plans could we have? Both Anfya and I don't wish to leave Dawn Academy. As the academy head doesn't have any children, it is up to us to take care of him. Even if the academy closes down the next year, we will continue to remain here. Perhaps, in the future, we will have another opportunity to rebuild the academy. Most of the instructors have already left the academy, with only less than ten remaining teaching two classes that are about to graduate this year. When that happens, Dawn Academy would no longer have any students."

Lorist fell into deep thought for a good moment before he looked at Levins and said, "Academy head, did you hear this saying before? 'Rooted trees die in a fire; humans simply walk away'. Since Morante is no longer able to support Dawn Academy, why don't you just move it away to another nation?"

Blademaster Claude laughed out and said, "Locke, things are not that simple. It's not like we haven't considered our options. Not one of the neighboring nations are willing to allow an academy from Morante to move over to their lands. Saint Marceau Academy had already tried asking around and received only refusals. Starting an academy is not something that can be decided by the words of only one. We still require land, buildings, and lots of funding on an annual basis. Small nations won't be able to sustain that kind of cost, and neither are they willing to bear a burden like that."

"Then, will you be willing to head to The Northlands? Start an academy in my dominion. We can move the whole of Dawn Academy there. Leave the land, buildings, and funds all to the Norton house. Not only that, we will also give research grants so that you only have to focus on conducting lessons and research. All the academy has to provide is capable and talented researchers. Those who wish to head to The Northlands will receive beneficial treatment; I will provide those instructors with comfortable residences and not inconvenience them one bit," offered Lorist sincerely.

"Hehe, Little Locke, this has nothing to do with you. Don't put the matter of Dawn Academy on your mind and try to make it up to us," Levins said as he shook his head, "The Northlands is rural and only has a small population. How many people there would actually come enroll in our academy? We would only just be a burden on your house. I think it's best we forget it."

It was now Lorist's turn to laugh. "Academy head, you look down on The Northlands and the House of Norton far too much. Merely the population within our own dominion number around 1.2 million, all of whom live decent, prosperous and stable lives. We already have Nico Academy within our dominion, which was launched by the daughter of the famed scholar of the former empire, Lady Nico Albess. They don't take in many students given their stringent admission requirements, so the dominion still requires a more general-purpose academy. If Dawn Academy is willing to move over, I believe there will be lots of room for development.

"As for funding, that is not something you have to worry about either. You should know that my house has mobilized our troops against the Hanayabarta kingdom and successfully eradicated it. The wealth we obtained there is enough for the house to sustain development for more than two decades. Taking a small chunk out of that annually is definitely no burden to the house. Perhaps, for the first few years, the students will only number around the hundreds, but I believe that the academy will definitely grow far more as time passes.

"Of course, you don't have to take my word for it. How about this, when I head back to the dominion, you can send someone to come with us to check the situation there out for yourself. The trip back will take two months at most. Will that be alright?"

Academy Head Levins and Blademaster Claude gave each other looks before nodding. "Little Locke, since you already made your offer, do inform us when you want to head back. I will send someone to go with you. Thank you for this."

"It's my pleasure, academy head. I have always been a member of Dawn Academy after all."

Nostalgia

This release is a bonus chapter that was in the queue for far too long since before the Patreon page was launched. I only found the time recently to make this release. This last donation chapter was brought to you by Emmanuel E. from the USA. Enjoy!

After finishing their discussion to send people to check out The Northlands with Academy Head Levins and Blademaster Claude, Lorist talked to them more about the condition of the Union before taking his leave. He did take a stroll around the academy sector and found that the academy head's words rang true. More than half of the academies there had already closed down, with only a few people left behind to guard the premises.

Even the food street at the sector that used to be full of students was incredibly quiet. Many shops were closed down with signs hung outside indicating that they were up for rent.

So, is this what the butterfly effect is about? thought Lorist as he stroked his chin. The two letters containing the secrets of glass production were like the wings of a butterfly that ushered in one of the largest changes on the whole of Grindia -- the rise of the Union into the largest nation on the continent ever to exist. Despite that, all that was only on the surface. From within, it did not look so good.

To Lorist, that result should have been ideal. It had given him the opportunity to take in the eighth-ranked academy on the whole of the continent into his dominion. Not only did the academy hold a special place in his youth, its establishment in The Northlands would raise the educational standards of the citizens there. Lorist was considered to be rather emphatic about the importance of basic education, given the number of basic learning centers he had opened within the dominion. If Dawn Academy does move to The Northlands, it would fill out yet another educational void.

The more Lorist thought about it, the more excited he got. He decided that he would support them in terms of both land and funding to ensure that their venture to The Northlands was a success. Even though the dominion looked rather prosperous, it was still in its initial development stage and still lacks any notable talent. Thinking back at the small number of literate officials he hired over the years, Lorist could not help but feel troubled.

By the time Lorist realized that he had walked aimlessly while immersed in deep thought, he found himself in a rather familiar place. Oh, I know, this place is two streets away from the mercenary guild. Back then, I would go there often to take up missions. Perhaps, I should go there for old times' sake.

The mercenary guild was quiet as expected. Lorist took a look around and did not find a single person he recognized. One round-faced female clerk came over to ask Lorist what he needed, making him reflect back at the indifferent attitudes of female clerks at the guilds so many years ago. Back then, the guild was filled with people to the point that one could not quite hear each other. Nowadays, all that occupied the hall were three cats. It was no wonder the clerk was so eager and sincere.

Lorist waved his hand and entered the hall, ordered a cup of ale at the bar and began sipping. Back then, every time after he completed a mission, he would get some drinks with friends and listen to the other mercenaries spout their tall tales and experiences. The bar was filled with mercenaries back then and the price of ale was rather high due to the demand. Even so, the mercenaries did not hesitate to get a good drink after a mission.

Now, however, only Lorist sat among the dozen tables in the hall, enjoying his drink alone. The round-faced clerk looked intently at Lorist, perhaps because of how relaxed Lorist look and the rarity of his long-sleeved robe. Maybe she thought that Lorist was there to submit a mission request to the guild. After all, one wearing clothing embroidered with platinum patterns around the sleeves' cuffs would definitely not be a rough mercenary. The price of the robe Lorist donned would be worth a month of busywork for the clerk.

Lorist raised his cup towards her and said, "Lass, you're making me embarrassed with your intent stare. Should I treat you to a drink?"

The young clerk blushed before she turned around and pretended not to hear Lorist's flirtatious comments.

Ah, at least it's better than before in this regard. Back then, anyone who flirted with the clerks would be rushed out by the guards of the guild. Lorist had seen his fair share of people getting into fights over the most trivial of things like that.

A mercenary in his fifties rushed into the guild hall noisily, submitted a mission report, before clutching a few silvers and heading towards the exit.

"Hey, Brother Gudd, where are you rushing to? Come here, let me treat you to a drink," greeted Lorist with a smile. That middle-aged man was one of his acquaintance who was a two star silver rank. During one of the man's missions, he had fallen rather gravely injured. While he recovered in time, the time it took to do so harmed his body and caused his battleforce to no longer be able to progress. So, he could only work as a low-ranked mercenary. Lorist recalled when he made and sold rucksacks that Gudd was one of the people who supported his business quite well, being a trustworthy and decent man. He even joined in on several missions with Lorist and Charade and taught Lorist many of the tricks of living the mercenary lifestyle.

The middle-aged man stopped in his tracks, looked at Lorist and said gingerly, "You are?"

"Hehe, Brother Gudd, have you forgotten me? I'm Lorist. Locke, remember?"

"Aha! So it's you, Brother Locke!" the middle-aged mercenary mused with joy, "Long time no see. It must've been ten years already. I really didn't think that I would see you over here. Back then, you became a legendary figure in Morante and the last I heard about you was how you were returning to your dominion to inherit the title and the land. I never thought that we would have a chance to meet again."

Lorist stood up and hugged the man warmly before ordering him a cup of ale.

The middle-aged man gulped his drink down, wiped the froth off his mouth and said, "Ah, it's still the same familiar taste. It's just a shame that I haven't been able to drink like that for more than half a year."

Lorist laughed and said, "Don't hurry. You can drink all you want. Boss! Can we have two more cups please? It's my treat, Brother Gudd, so make sure to drink to your heart's content."

"Thanks, Brother Locke. You're generous as usual," said the mercenary. He was not about to hold back either, finishing what remained of his cup of drinks. Lorist pushed the drinks that just arrived before the huge man.

"Well, why did you show up here today? Are you here because you have a mission request for the mercenaries?" asked the man.

Shaking his head, Lorist said, "Well, it's nothing important. I came to Morante for a trip a few days ago and thought back to the past. I still remember that I have a mercenary badge here, so I came over to hang out for a bit and have some of that good old ale. But I didn't thank that this place would become so desolate. It's completely different from the crowded hall I remember. Fortunately, I was able to meet you here, so my visit wasn't in vain."

"Sigh," Gudd muttered before taking a few more gulps, "Brother, we're still rather lucky. Good thing you came over here right now, because it will be closing down in the next year. There is no more mercenary guild. I, on the other hand, lucked out from being able to meet you and getting treated to some delicious drinks."

Gudd burped and said, "The mercenary guild no longer has any future in the Union. Brother, I bet you didn't expect that mercenaries will be gone completely from the Union. Well, even if some remain, they definitely won't be around Morante. There are no missions for us to do here, and even if there were, it's not something we can handle. At the subterranean caverns within the Urubaha duchy that's now the dominion of the Chikdor Merchant Guild, a new mercenary will be formed to facilitate expeditions into those caverns. I heard that the pay there is rather good. Most of the independent mercenaries have moved over there."

"Oh? The closing of the guild? What's with that? Wasn't the Union known as the nation of mercenaries? What happened to all those mercenary bands and the tens of thousands of mercenaries?" asked Lorist curiously.

"Nation of mercenaries? Haha, every mercenary has already gone their own way. Most of them have pledged their service to nobles. Did you know, Locke, the leaders of the top ten mercenary bands have all received a noble title, with the weakest of them being a viscount. The others are mostly counts. The leader of the fourth-ranked mercenary band called the Dragon's Talon, Lexinba, was even made a duke. He really lucked out over there. All mercenary bands have already dissolved, with most of the lackeys of the band leaders becoming knights. The lowest of them even have jobs as garrison soldiers.

"Did you know that the Union gave out 451 titles all in one go? Those who were capable were also enfeoffed land and the mercenaries that remained were recruited by nobles to become knights. Only less than a hundred of us mercenaries are left who all don't feel like lowering our voices and bowing our heads to others and only want to rely on ourselves to make a good living. Even so, I only got a large silver and three small silvers after working for half a month. I won't be able to feed my family with that, given the ridiculous prices of things lately," complained Gudd.

"No way, that's too many titles," Lorist mused with shock, "But at least that means that there is no more competition for missions, is there? Isn't that a good thing?"

"A good thing my ass!" Gudd yelled, "Back then, the merchant guilds in the Union from the neighboring actions would come over frequently to lodge requests with us. Everyone got their share of work. But now that the trade routes are no more, mercenary requests have gone with it. We have no choice but to secretly cross the borders for missions, and those who are captured would be either whipped or be accused of being a spy and hanged without trial.

"And that's not even the worst of it. We could just not take missions from other nations. However, there are only few missions left that originate from within the Union. Apart from the Falik Plains, every other piece of land of the Union has become the dominion of someone. If anything happens over there, they would just send people from their household to deal with it instead of lodging a request over here., The worst of it is how mercenaries like us have to pay a toll to cross into their dominions for a mission..."

Gudd downed a few more gulps, wiped his mouth, before pointing his finger at the guild and saying, "Brother, do you remember the boss of this guild, that old bastard Schlok? Even that stingy freak got made a viscount, with his dominion located within the territory formerly belonging to the Teria duchy.

"The mission I just finished was from within that bastard's territory. I hunted for a rabbit in the wilds for sustenance like the old times only to be caught by one of that man's subordinates who claimed that the firewood and prey I got was the property of their dominion and asked for reparations, forcefully taking two large silvers from me. Had I not said that I was on a mission from the guild, they would have paraded me around in public as a criminal too."

It appeared that some merchants had far fewer standards than most nobles. No matter how frugal a noble was, they would at least care about their reputation. But all merchants worried about was how much coin they had. Lorist wondered how much the citizens would be left with should a merchant noble apply their business practices on them. But there was nothing he could do about it apart from sympathizing with them.

"What are you going to do in the future, then?" asked Lorist. He knew that Gudd already settled down and had two sons and a daughter. When he left Morante, Gudd's children were only four to five years old, with the daughter being a newborn. His eldest son was only aged around 15 right now, living in a most troubled time.

Gudd said with eyes full of grief, "I don't really know. There's no more point in being a mercenary. Perhaps, I will work as the guards of those merchant guilds. All I need is a salary that I can raise my family with."

Lorist got up and stuffed a gold Forde note into the despairing man's pouch. Gudd was already half asleep, given that the ale he just finished was his seventh cup.

"My gift to your son is inside your pouch. Take a look at it when you get back. If Morante is no longer the place for you, you can come to The Northlands to look for me. Just go to the Peterson Merchant Guild and say that you're a friend of mine and they'll send you and your family to my dominion promptly."

Following that, Lorist got Gudd a carriage and told the coachman his address. He also paid for the fare and was confident that the family of the mercenary would take care of the rest after that.

When he went back inside the guild, Lorist told the round-faced clerk, "Get the person in charge over here. I want to purchase the Burning Blood Battleforce."

At least, that will be a good souvenir for my visit to Morante. Lorist still remembered that he once thought the hereditary battleforce of his house to be a fire attribute one. After he lost contact with his house and was unable to obtain a copy of the silver-ranked section of his technique, he spent lots of money purchasing many other fire attribute high-ranked battleforce manuals, only to realize that they were completely different from the technique of his house. After that, he bought many other manuals of different attributes but was still unable to continue his training. In the end, he started to work on the Aquametal Technique of his past life in desperation and ended up becoming Iron Locke, the Silver Undefeated.

The Burning Blood Battleforce was one of the most precious treasures of the guild, being priced at 15 thousand gold Fordes. It was one of the most expensive manuals in the whole of Morante. While Lorist did have an interest in the manual, the price was a little too high for him back then. Other than that, he did not even consider that his technique would be a blood attribute one. In retrospect, if he had purchased that battleforce manual, he could probably have broken through to the silver rank and would not ending training in the Aquametal Technique.

If Lorist had went down that path, he would not be able to fight enemies beyond his abilities and had to train slowly from the silver rank to the gold. Maybe he still would not become a blademaster even at his current age. The Norton house would not be as prominent as a result, unlike how mighty and prosperous it was in reality.

Lorist decided to buy that book because of what it could have meant to him. With 30 thousand gold Fordes on his person, that manual did not strike him as being too expensive. The person in charge had wanted to recommend a few more high-ranked battleforce manuals to Lorist, only to be rejected. Currently, the House of Norton had hundreds of different kinds of high-ranked battleforce manuals and that was more than enough to be awarded to the household knights. The extermination of the Hanayabarta kingdom alone netted them more than 50 manuals, so there was no point in buying extra copies of them. The Burning Blood Battleforce was different in that it was the second blood attribute the household had, apart from the Crimsonblood Battleforce which was passed down in the house for generations. The extra manual would serve as a good reference for his descendants for their training.

After leaving the guild, Lorist called for a carriage and headed to Selliguea District to see the crimson four-storey building. Lorist still remembered the girl that danced naked in the moonlight. It was her who had let him experience the wonders of first love and made him a man. Similarly, it was also her who had caused him heart-searing pain. Seeing her leave with another man was ever so disheartening an experience to recall.

Faced with the old building that was filled with rooms for rent, Lorist realized that he was much calmer than expected and was not shaken as he was before. There was only a fleeting feeling in his mind as he wondered how the girl that used to be the most important person in his life was doing.

Time flowed on, indifferent to the woes of man. At that moment, the memories that surfaced within Lorist's man was his finest and worst. The fairy-like girl and her two energetic maidservants were no longer there. Giving the crimson building one last look, Lorist sighed before he turned and walked into the alley.

The fruit stall at the opening of the alley was no more, replaced by a grocery shop. But the owner was still the sharp-tongued Uncle Girald, whose hair had whitened over the course of ten years. It seemed that his days were troubled ones as well.

Uncle Girald was surprised when he realized who Lorist was. He went on a long lecture about the changes to the area and people here, like the girl Lorist frequently bought fruit candies for, LIttle Loney, and how her grandmother passed away when she was ten. She had left the place with her father, who seemed to have become a knight of some duke.

Lorist chatted for almost an hour with Girald before he left, giving him a gold Forde note as a gift.

"Coachman, get me to Red Grace Inn," instructed Lorist.

Dauslyke Hotel

Enjoy the first release of the week!

Lorist and his allies stayed at the most famous hotel in Rotary street, Dauslyke, during their trip. It was one of the most luxurious establishments in Morante and was naturally the most expensive as well. Lorist did not want for funds, however, so he reserved the whole fourth floor to accommodate all of them.

Count Kenmays had brought two maidservants, four attendants, two household knights and ten guards with him. Baron Shazin brought all five of his concubines -- he did not exactly have a choice -- none of them were willing to give up the chance to go shopping in the Union's most prosperous city and begged to be brought along. Baron Shazin ended up being the one who had brought the most people along, a total of 24 people including the maidservants for his concubines, guards, and servants.

Baron Felim brought only one concubine and two maidservants, as well as his daughter Katrina and her four bodyguards. Lorist brought his two disciples, Reidy and Howard, Blademaster Shuss, Divine Marksman Josk, who had once again left his unit, as well as the three Dinas who were served by three maidservants and 20 guards. The whole group was 89 people.

Prior to the War of Glass, Dauslyke was the place where the foreign nobles who visited Morante would stay. There were always parties or balls being held, which provided an opportunity for the elites of the Union to mingle with the nobles and discuss business. Dauslyke was no longer as merry as it used to be. Lorist's group was one of the largest there.

When Lorist arrived at Red Grace, he was surprised to see Reidy sitting there with the owner, Charlando, drinking and chatting. Seeing Lorist approach, Reidy hurriedly stood up to greet him.

"Eh? Why are you here? What about the others?" asked Lorist.

"They have all returned to Dauslyke, Milord. I came over to see pops since I had some free time," answered Reidy.

As Lorist sat down, Charlando gave him a white-eyed look.

"Locke, now I really regret letting Els and Reidy follow you to The Northlands..."

Stunned, Lorist asked, "Why's that, old Char?"

"There were so many chances this time around... If Els were here, I would definitely get him to form a mercenary band and head to Teribo for a run. I bet he'd have returned with at least a viscounty to his name and could have become a noble right away. That would've been far better than going with you to the desolate Northlands fighting high and low," said Charlando before he sighed.

"Hehe, Reidy, do you regret following me?" asked Lorist without bothering with the old man.

Does that fellow really think that being a Union noble is that easy? Even though they gave out many titles, many of those are just for show. Apart from some who have always been regarded highly by the Union, such as Academy Head Levins, there is no doubt that the other entitled nobles made a bunch of other under-table dealings.

"Milord, I have never had an ounce of regret! Being able to follow you is my honor!" replied Reidy steadfastly.

Charlando pointed at Reidy and yelled, "You... To think that you've learned how to kiss ass! Look at yourself... You've followed him for ten years already... You were a two-star bronze rank back then, and now you're only a one-star silver rank! It's obvious that he neglected training you! Els only attempting to breakthrough to the gold rank now is only usual, since the dark attribute battleforce passed down in his family is harder than most. But for you, if you had stayed here at Morante, you would've already reached the peak silver rank and perhaps even broken through to the gold rank! After all, your constitution is far better than most normal people's!"

"I don't want to run the inn with you..." retorted Reidy.

"You... Stupid brat, pissing me off so much... Even though you've already botched your future, you still don't repent... I'm only worrying for your sake!"

"Hey, hey... old Char, how could you say that? What's that about me botching his future? Oh, I forgot to tell you that Reidy will stay at the one-star silver rank for good and won't be able to break through anymore. That's because he's training in my special technique, not battleforce. Even if you're a one-star gold rank, you are no longer Reidy's match." interjected Lorist.

"There's no way that's true! I'm a gold rank and he's a one-star silver rank. I can easily suppress him based on only the difference in rank. Come on, Reidy, have a match with me right this instant! If you lose, I won't let you follow him no more!" yelled Charlando, angered.

Reidy looked at Lorist helplessly.

"Go ahead, Reidy. Be sure to hold back."

Charlando's mood worsened even further when he heard Lorist's comment.

"Aren't you going to watch our match?" asked he.

"What's the point? The result was clear the moment you challenged him. My being here won't change anything," answered Lorist.

The old man turned and left, followed by Reidy. The match ended rather quickly; when Lorist just finished ordering some dishes from the maidservant of the inn, Reidy came back.

"How many strikes did it take?"

Reidy stretched out five fingers.

"Huh, five strikes? You need to work harder. I thought you would only need three," said Lorist, dissatisfied.

"That's not it," Reidy explained, "We had two matches. I defeated pops with two strikes in the first. He wasn't convinced and challenged me another time, which he lost after three strikes."

"Ugh," Lorist groaned before he turned to look at the rear of the inn.

Not seeing Charlando, he asked, "What about old Char?"

"He's sulking," said Reidy.

"I didn't mean that. What is going on with him tonight? He seems like he swallowed a whole barrel of gunpowder," said Lorist.

"He's embarrassed himself badly," Reidy laughed, "He had been gambling with maze cards at the old street. Just when he was in the heat of it, Madam Louise asked him to watch the two children when she went shopping. He agreed but didn't take it to heart. The kids drank alcohol secretly and ended up getting drunk. Madam Louise used an iron wok to pummel him quite a few times whilst he was still in the middle of the game and chased the other players away. She even had him kneel in the corner of the room and forbade him to leave while she brought her drunk children home."

Lorist could not help but laugh uncontrollably. Charlando had married Louise ten years earlier. Back then, he was still in rather good shape and managed to get Louise pregnant twice. He now had one ten-year-old and another seven-year-old. Perhaps because they were raised in an inn, the two children loved to drink and would do so the moment they were not supervised. Louise blamed it all on Charlando who had let them taste alcohol back when they were still feeding on nothing but milk.

But even Lorist did not expect Charlando to grow so fearful of his wife. The moment Louise's anger flared, Charlando would shrink up like a turkey about to be slaughtered. He completely lost the proud air of a gold-ranked swordsman.

"No wonder I felt the inn weird when I entered... Louise wasn't at the counter and I didn't hear the noise of the children," said Lorist.

"When I came in here, pops was kneeling in the corner over there. When I asked the maidservant what happened, he heard my voice and came over to vent on me. Fortunately, you came here in time. Otherwise, I would've been nagged to death..." sighed Reidy.

At that moment, the maidservant served the food Lorist had ordered.

"I guess we came at a wrong time. Let's leave after we finish the food. Help me eat some of this," said he.

"Alright, Milord," Reidy agreed as he poured Lorist a cup of blackcurrant wine, "Milord, we ran into some arrogant nobles when we were shopping at Rotary street just now. Some of them came over to flirt with the younger Dina sister and Baron Shazin's five mistresses. It ended with one of the nobles having a broken leg. The guy left barking some threats."

"Oh?"

Lorist was surprised that something like that could happen at Morante. Only an idiot would provoke or flirt with female nobles at Rotary street. He had never heard of something like that happening during his ten-year stay at Morante. However, given the number of new nobles that had just been entitled by the Union, Lorist supposed it was nothing surprising. Perhaps, they were the relatives of such nobles. Even after bearing a title, a merchant would always be a merchant, they lacked a sense of the proper etiquette and behavior expected of a noble.

"Alright, I doubt it'll be an issue. Next time, make sure to break all four of his limbs. If he doesn't learn, cut off his trouble-making member. House Norton doesn't have to tolerate such crap from anyone," said he, nodding.

Lorist and Reidy walked back leisurely after finishing their meal. About half an hour's walk later, they could see Dauslyke's facade behind a few buildings. The moonlight was rather bright and the majestic buildings along Rotary street looked all the more magnificent for it.

Eh? Something's wrong. Why are there so many people gathered in front of the hotel? Something is definitely going on.

Lorist and Reidy gave each other a look before they hastened on. They quickly arrived at the entrance and saw just over ten guards standing at the entrance. On the plaza opposite the hotel were hundreds of badly dressed mercenaries waving their weapons around, demanding the hotel hand over a murderer.

Reidy pulled Lorist along.

"I think those people are here for us, Milord."

"Oh? Then are they the men of that noble you guys broke the leg of earlier today? Did anyone die from the conflict?" asked Lorist.

"Haha, while we did break the noble's leg, he brought quite a number of guards with him. Even though a few guards were lightly injured, almost two-thirds of the rest had to be carried back. Even I don't know if there are any who were injured too badly and died before they could be helped," answered Reidy.

"Oh, so that's the case. Let's circle around and go in through the wall behind," suggested Lorist as he pointed at the walls surrounding the hotel.

Upon entering the hotel, Lorist met with the manager, a polite man who had greying hair. When he saw Lorist, the manager let out a breath.

"Sir, are you the one who got into a conflict with Marquis Bejisanro's son?" asked he politely.

"Marquis Bejisanro? What's the deal with that? That's not a noble surname at all," chortled Lorist.

The name was far too weird to be the name of a noble house.

It was common knowledge that there were two sources of family names on Grindia. One of them was hereditary, a name passed down from a heroic ancestor. For example, the Norton family name was translated to Raging Bear in the language of fairies. Another source was a given surname, a surname granted to a person from another of status, like Baron Shazin's. A name like Bejisanro meant 'lowest of the alley'. It was a typical commoner surname.

The manager was also embarrassed by a name like that. Being someone who had tended to many nobles from various nations, he was also well-informed about the names of noble houses. He had no choice in the matter, unfortunately. It was no surprise given the sudden entitlement of more than 400 nobles in the Union, many of whom did not really understand what it meant to be nobility and only thought they would be able to act as they pleased.

While a name like Bejisanro sounded rather unique, those who understood the history of nobles knew that names like that were used before the magi of the magical civilization invented Grindia's current lingua franca. Following the introduction of the new language, many surnames were made using the language of fairies for those of magical heritage. Names like Bejisanro denoted that their ancestors were of the lowest social class that were not given names in the new language.

However, it was a miracle in itself that a surname like Bejisanro managed to be passed down for so many generations. Currently, the chief speaker of the Union's sub-council was none other than Marquis Bejisanro. It was rumored that the man was one of the ones who advocated for brute force expansionism. He had pushed for the Union to use their invincible force to destroy the nations that cut off their trade routes. He even proposed for a 100-thousand strong army to be formed to teach the nations that were unwilling to submit to the Union a harsh lesson. That kind of brainless rhetoric was surprisingly welcome to Morante's commoners, however.

After the manager introduced the background of the marquis, Lorist snorted.

"This afternoon, our ladies were harassed by the son of that asshat of a marquis during their shopping trip. He dared to have his guards forcefully take our ladies away! This is ridiculous. Since when did Morante become such a lawless place? That was the reason we gave him a little lesson. I was just about to make a complaint to the Union. Are all the nobles of that bearing? What an embarrassment to the other noble houses on Grindia they are!"

The manager laughed awkwardly.

"Lord Count, the nobility system was implemented only recently. Some rough spots here and there are to be expected. I should let you know that even if you make a complaint now, it would be pointless. Marquis Bejisanro is the current chief speaker of the Union's sub-council and he wouldn't bother with the complaint at all."

"Doesn't the Union have another high council?" asked Lorist.

"Lord Count, the high council members are the presidents of the big seven guilds. They aren't in Morant any longer. They are in their own dominions, so Morante is controlled completely by the sub-council. That's why Marquis Bejisanro's son is so arrogant and even dares to harass noble ladies at Rotary street. It doesn't help that he is not fearful of causing trouble or conflict, given how his father is in the expansionist faction."

Good Sol, to think that the Union has their own version of fascist skinheads, thought Lorist, stroking his chin. He looked at the raging crowd outside on the plaza.

"So those people want you to hand us over?"

The manager nodded awkwardly.

"That's right. But don't worry, Lord Count, since you have chosen to stay at Dauslyke, we will guarantee your safety. We only hope that no other incidents occur during your stay here in the next few days, so I hope you will watch over your guards and make sure they don't provoke more conflict."

"Alright then, we'll just rest here for three days. If the marquis still doesn't let up by then, don't blame me for not giving them any more chances," said Lorist, revealing the slightest hint of killing intent.

President Bejisanro

Here's this week's second release.

"Are the people from House Mireitas still not willing to let us into Dauslyke?" asked a fat man from the side to a tall and slim middle-aged man beside him as he used an intricate silver knife to cut into a juicy, fatty piece of beef.

"It is so, Lord Speaker," the middle-aged man replied with a bow, "Marquis Mireitas said that anyone who lives in their hotel is their guest, so those who cause trouble for guests are causing trouble for him. They are even willing to a conflict. They also sent for Blademaster Mike and 300 guards."

The fat man enjoying his meal was the chief speaker of the Union's sub-council, Marquis Bejisanro. He was currently the president of a rank eight merchant guild in the Union, the Rosanji Merchant Guild.

The Rosanji Merchant Guild controlled all the businesses relating to ale production. Following the War of Glass, the rising food prices had caused the price of ale to increase several times over. The guild had not just made a great profit from the situation but had captured a sizeable share of the market for wheat-related products.

As the personal attendant of President Bejisanro, the tall, thin middle-aged man knew his master's intentions: to control the Union's food market. This put them in direct competition with the Forde Merchant Guild, whose strength was in the food business. President Bejisanro wanted to occupy at least half of the Union's market.

Wandering bards had sung about the prosperity of the Falik Plains around Morante, but they had forgotten that the farmlands could not sustain a population of two million people. The Union had one million people living in Morante alone The seven other cities across the plains each had roughly 500 thousand citizens. Around 100 towns, villages and hovels dotted the plains as well. The most crucial factor was that many of the crops weren't edible.

The Forde Merchant Guild controlled Falik Plains and offered guarantees to their farmers that they would purchase their crop in exchange for being their exclusive dealers. Without the guild's permission, the farmers would not be able to sell their produce to other merchants. Within the monopoly, the farmers had to plant according to the requirements and choices of the guild, so their crops were usually those that had a higher price in the market, for instance, Falikean long rice. Other than that, the guild had to import large amounts of food to sustain the population.

However, apart from Falik Plains, the Union also controlled Callisto Hills. Compared to the plains, Callisto Hills was far more desolate and rural. The farmers planted mostly wheat, potatoes, and other foodstuffs. The guild did not care for crops that were not worth much, so the Rosanji Merchant Guild controlled all of Callisto Hills' produce and used them to make ale.

Many of the Union's alcoholics thought that the ale they drunk was brewed solely from the crops of Callisto Hills, but that was not the case. The guild imported food from different neighboring nations, most of it expired. Such wheat was not worth much and cost only around 30 gold Fordes per 5000 kilograms. Such wheat was occasionally used to brew ale instead of proper, more expensive, crops.

The War of Glass caught the Forde Merchant Guild completely off guard. They did not have much food stocked up, which lead to the sudden inflation of food prices in the Union. With the neighboring nations closing up their trade routes and putting embargoes on food products and many other goods that were of strategic significance, the guild could no longer purchase food even if they had the money for it. Even if they did manage to purchase some, there was no way they could ship it to the Union.

The Rosanji Merchant Guild fared a little better. The mossy wheat they dealt with was worth rather little, and they had also managed to close a rather large deal before the war ended. Of their purchase, they were able to transport 3 million Pors (1 Por = 50 kilograms) to Morante. As they were worried that the fact that half their shipment was old mossy wheat, the guild used a smuggling troupe to transport their goods and evade the Invincible Fleet's checks at Hidegold Bay. With the food in hand, along with their already existing stockpiles, the guild's president, Bejisanro, decided that the volatile nature of the market was the heaven-given grace that would give him a chance at controlling the low-tier food market. As for the high-tier foods, he would leave it to the Union.

While President Bejisanro was rather ambitious, he was no idiot and had never yearned for the seat of one of the big-seven. All these years, he had managed his guild with care to never step out of hand. His years of experience left him clearer the most on what befell guilds that encroached on the big-seven's interests. As the Union's chief speaker, he had never spoken against the big-seven's wishes. Even if he did not follow their instructions down to the letter, he never directly disobeyed them. He made sure the guilds never had a legitimate reason to kick him from his post.

However, in the nobility system, the president saw an opportunity to become a member of the high council. Since he could not replace any of the big seven guilds, he could ask for a promotion instead and have his seat on the high council. Even Duke Lormo managed to join the high council after he joined the Union; there was no reason President Bejisanro could not. It was especially the case given the good opportunity that had landed in front of his guild.

President Bejisanro opined that the Forde Merchant Guild, being the largest distributor of agricultural products in the Union, had made a crucial mistake. They had overlooked the food demand of Morante's population. Without enough food, its price would rise without fail. The Forde Merchant Guild had already become the target of criticism for many citizens, and this was a good opportunity for the Rosanji Merchant Guild to take control of Morante with the food stock they had in hand.

Add to the fact that the big-seven guilds were busy dealing with matters in their own dominions, the sub-council managed to become the highest power within Morante. Bejisanro drafted a simple plan to make use of his position as the head speaker for the sub-council. First, he would use the food his guild possessed to win the hearts of the Moranites and raise his reputation. He would simultaneously use the Moranites' adamant xenophobia and hatred for the closed-off trade routes to push a forceful foreign policy.

As long as he could pull off these two components of his plan, he could suggest the formation of a Union army in the next council meeting with the support of most of the other representatives from the second and third rate merchant guilds. The other smaller guilds had also been driven to the brink by the closed trade routes and were desperate to do something, anything, about it.

As for the citizens' representatives, they would not dare to object to his motion given the fiery rage of their constituents. In truth, Bejisanro's goal was not to launch a military campaign against the other nations but to obtain a standing army that answered only to the sub-council and was under his direct control as the council's head speaker.

With such an army in hand and his newfound reputation among the citizens, the big-seven would not be able to do much to the guild even if they turned their attention back to the city. By then, all he had to do was push for a seat on the high council and he would be formally inducted.

However, the incident he was currently trying to address posed quite the problem for him. His good-for-nothing animal of a son actually dared to flirt with noble ladies in broad daylight on Rotary street and even had his leg broken, not to mention the many injured guards. The president knew that his son had gotten what he deserved.

Hmph, does he really think that, just because I'm the chief speaker, he can do whatever he wants? If word of this spreads, it'll reflect horribly on me. The name of nobles within Morante would also be tainted all over the continent... The big-seven will definitely not let my son off lightly...

Fortunately for him, none of the big-seven were present at the moment, and, given the Union's isolated state, few nobles actually remained within the city. There was no need to worry that this matter would spread.

The offended party this time looks to be bumpkins from The Northlands, purchasing luxury goods here like they've never seen any in their life. They must be some low-class house that happened to earn a bit of money lately...

Bejisanro had already been informed in detail of the proceedings and knew well that it was his son's lust that had gotten him in trouble in front of so many people. Many shop owners had already expressed their displeasure, their sales to nobles had dropped as a result of the incident already.

Well, they're just a few nobles from the backwater Redlis anyway... No matter how rich they are, they can't afford to mess with the Rosanji Merchant Guild, can they? And with Iblia in its current condition -- its king captured and killed by Andinaq's king-- they are in an even worse spot.

The matter had been reported in the Morante Daily and many thought the capture of Second Prince Iblia was the result of Second Highness Auguslo's actions so that his father's burial would be followed by that of his traitorous brother.

I doubt anything will happen if I deal with these nobles.

Bejisanro already had a method in mind. First, he would compensate the shop owners at Rotary street for their lost business -- in essence, buying their silence. He would then spread rumors about how Iblian nobles had been causing trouble for the merchants and shops in the area and claim that his son had actually been trying to stop their disrespect, only to have one of his legs broken and have many of his guards killed or severely injured.

Since the matter could no longer be kept quiet, all he had to do was use the rich commonfolk's xenophobia and envy. All these years, Moranites had a sense of pride, of being above others, especially after the War of Glass had ended with more than half of Redlis' territory swallowed up and allowing the Union to become one of the largest nations on the continent. It had only served to reinforce their pride.

The entitlement of hundreds of nobles after the two conflicts further whetted the Moranites' appetite for a noble title. Thus the incredible outrage when the trade routes were cut off. This mentality and these attitudes were what allowed Bejisanro to garner the support he now had.

He had decided to deal with the ignorant Northlander nobles since no matter how useless his son was, he was still his flesh and blood. If he did not pursue the matter, surely he would become a laughing stock. Only by harshly teaching them a lesson would everyone shut up. There was a saying: 'a lie uttered a thousand times becomes a truth'. Similarly, if he did not 'punish' the Northlanders for what they had done, there would be a logical dissonance with the narrative of his son's heroic actions he was about to spin.

After finishing off the last piece of his beef, the fat man wore a calm expression on his face. He put down his utensils and used a white cloth to wipe his mouth.

"Hmm, House Mireitas dominates the Union's hotel business. Even though their guild is rather small, they are not to be overlooked easily, they are backed by too many powerful factions for that. We should give them face and only encircle their hotel to prevent those impudent nobles from leaving. Don't enter the hotel itself or step onto their grounds."

"Yes, Milord," the middle-aged man replied respectfully, "But whether they understand that we're showing them goodwill is still not certain. Others might also misunderstand that we are not acting because we fear their house. We cannot allow that to happen."

Bejisanro tossed the cloth away and snickered.

"Just because we're giving them face by not barging into the hotel doesn't mean they can act as they please. Didn't House Mireitas have Blademaster Mike moved to the hotel? He's only a rank 1 blademaster. We can simply send Blademaster Danhema to deal with him. I believe a rank 2 blademaster like him will be able to give Blademaster Mike some pressure. Additionally, send 500 guards over to intimidate them. Let's see who has more men under their belt."

The Rosanji Merchant Guild easily had far more military power than the other small guilds. They had hired three blademasters, one rank 2 and two rank 1s. As none of their blademasters were allowed to participate in the War of Glass, not a single one was injured or dead. The Rosanji Merchant Guild's force was almost comparable to the big-seven after the war. This gave the president more leverage to demand a position in the high council.

"Also, send some people to rile the commoners up to cause trouble for Dauslyke. Everyone who does so will get 2.5 kilograms of food every day. I'd like to see how long Dauslyke can continue shielding their guests. If a carriage leaves the premises, have the commoners check it. If the carriage won't allow us to check them, don't let it leave. I want to see whether House Mireitas has it in them to act against the commoners..."

"A wonderful plan, President," the middle-aged man praised, "I bet House Mireitas won't dare to touch the commoners."

"Hahaha, I think so too. If they do act against them..." Bejisanro said with a smile, "Well, it won't be pretty. All we have to do now is see whether House Mireitas will succumb to pressure or the Northlanders will finish spending their money during their stay at the hotel and be chased out. There's no rush. We can play with them for as long as we want."

"I believe after this matter your reputation in Morante," the man said as he brought his hand up in a thumbs-up gesture, "will be grand. I will have your instructions carried out right away. Please await the good news, Milord."

Preparations

The third release of the week is served!

Sol, I brought my friends to Morante for fun, not to be trapped inside a hotel! This is ridiculous!

Lorist was currently on the hotel's fourth-floor balcony, watching the angry crowd that circled it.

That guy is far too sinister. He not only he spread lies, he also paid the various publications in Morante to spread word that this matter was because of us acting shamefully and harassing the merchants… He's spinning the story that his son was being heroic. Darn, to think the commoners would be completely fooled by a story with that many holes. I bet most of them were intentionally riled up by others to surround the hotel and call out for our deaths. And the numbers just keep growing after the Rosanji Merchant Guild said they would give 2.5 kilograms of food to any who attend, so even those who see the flaws in the story are willfully ignoring it... Guess I can't blame them for doing so since the Moranites don't have much to do nowadays anyway. There won't be a better deal than getting a few potatoes for a day of standing around...

At the very least, they're being very ordered about this and haven't come into the hotel at all. They're nothing more than a nuisance, honestly.

Lorist looked at the supply carriages stopped by the citizens. The coachman and some workers were suffering a harsh beating after saying something Lorist couldn't hear.

Sheesh, do they want us to die here? It's already been three days, and the situation grows direr by the day. Even with so many citizens surrounding the place, the hotel's carriages are still allowed to travel around, but not without being checked by the citizens.

Perhaps, the other merchants will stop supplying the hotel with food and other resources in a few more days to force the hotel management's hand.

Hidegold Bay Chronicles was a business-oriented publication that focused on trade and market prices but the headlines of the day read, 'Northland Barbarians Must Pay with Lives -- Restore Morantian Pride!'. The article that followed was filled with the seething arrogance the Moranites were so well known for and a hint of hatred and killing intent as if the arrival of the foreign nobles to their city was a sin in and of itself.

Very well, I'll remember you, Hidegold Bay Chronicles.

Lorist rolled the paper in his hands into a ball and tossed it into a trashcan nearby.

"What's wrong?" asked Count Kenmays, coming onto the balcony.

"I think there's more today," said he with a pale face, "What's going on with the Moranites? This is completely unlike what I expected them to be."

"Nothing," Lorist said, clicking his tongue, "Those that come all have something wrong with their heads! After the second highness' defeat and the occupation of much of Redlis following the War of Glass, the Moranites believe that the Union is the strongest nation on the continent and look down on everyone, even nobles. It must be due, in part, to their inferiority complex, given their mercantile background.

"Now that the Union has implemented the nobility system, many of them are nobles as well. It's like they've transformed. They've been given instant status above others. Their arrogance stems from thinking that a small title makes them nobles without question. Given how a matter like noble ladies being harassed in broad daylight can happen, it goes to show how low the character of the Union nobles is."

Count Kenmays nodded.

"'Tis true. You have no idea how shocked I was about the incident in Rotary street. House Bejisanro's young master actually dared to do what he did there. My first impression of their house is that they are noble imposters. No noble should ever behave that shamelessly, especially with how the young master ordered his guards to take the women away forcefully after his advances were refused. Heavens, is that something nobles are allowed to do?

"Even in messy Iblia, women of two noble houses with a death grudge would greet each other politely if they meet. That is the culture of nobility. I didn't think I'd actually run into something like this. How embarrassing this is for other nobles! I will definitely publicly refuse to acknowledge these fake nobles when I return home. Being associated with them as nobility feels so disgusting that I feel like puking."

Lorist chuckled.

Count Kenmays, aren't you from a mercantile family yourself? Then again, your father was given a title, if only honorary, in the last days of the empire. You were no doubt educated in the ways of nobility. It would explain your effortless integration into the society of proper nobility when you were given a fief.

"Do you think you can even make it back, my old friend?" Lorist said in an effort to give the count a scare, "Look at the crowd. They want to make us stay here and spread word of this matter according to their lies. Didn't you read the report in the newspapers yesterday? The one about how the heroic young master is still recovering from his broken leg?"

As he expected, Count Kenmays' face paled even more.

"Will... Will it really turn out like that? My friend, you aren't messing with me, are you?" asked he, jittery.

"Do you see the new guards that arrived this morning?" Lorist asked, pointing at the hotel's fully-armed guards on the ground below, "Dauslyke is one of the many businesses run by the House Mireitas. They've always controlled the hotel business in the Union. If they did not feel the situation was dangerous, would they have sent for 300 additional guards and another blademaster?

"You should be thankful that you're living in Dauslyke right now. It's your lifeline. House Mireitas won't allow any of their guests to come to any harm. They will guarantee your safety as long as you are in the hotel. Do you still think we're paying more than we should?"

"No, it's definitely worth every coin! I brought more than 100 thousand gold Fordes' notes with me. If all of us spend around 200 in total, we can stay here for a whole year. Let's see if those outside can afford to wait that long," said he, sighing in relief.

Lorist laughed bitterly, thinking, This fellow's going to use his money to slap others for the sake of his safety again... There's no way those outside will let us stay here for a whole year. Besides, even if you can stand being kept here for a year, others can't.

"How stupid can you be?" Lorist said, glaring at him harshly, "There's so much that needs to be done in my dominion. There's no way I'm staying imprisoned here with you! What we need to do now is think of a way to break out and leave Morante by ship. There are roughly 20 thousand people surrounding the hotel and I doubt it'd take much for them to become violent. Do you think those guards will be able to stop them?"

"You do have a point." agreed Baron Felim as he came to the balcony with Baron Shazin.

Looking at the dense crowd, Baron Felim said with a solemn look, "Brother Kenmays, you were away from the frontlines for the duration of the empire's civil war. You've never seen how scary a violent crowd can be. I have seen a crowd of tens of thousands of starving refugees barge into military camps that had 3000 or so soldiers. Even though half the crowd perished as a result, the gold-ranked and silver-ranked knights, and all the troops they led were completely wiped out.

"Locke, I've been paying attention to the crowd these two days. They're acting in an orderly fashion. Someone's organizing them. There are people that come and go almost like they're changing shifts. In the afternoon, they are also people who bring food and drinks for them.

"The commoners are being rallied to surround the hotel. The moment more of them come together, they might just be instigated to charge into the hotel. The blademaster and the 300 guards won't be able to protect themselves, much less us. We must leave this place soon, or we won't have a good end."

"You're right. This is urgent," Lorist agreed, "We must notify the manager and have them provide us with a carriage. Apart from the women and maidservants, all male servants and guards should be armed and guard the carriage. I'll find a way to head to the port and check if anything has happened to Northsea. If everything's fine, we can board right away. As long as we set sail, we'll be safe."

Count Kenmays asked hesitantly, "Can you actually make it out there? There are so many people and they will be checking every carriage that goes through."

"It's fine. I lived in this city for a decade. I'm familiar with their accent and habits. Also, I wasn't there with you at Rotary street, my face shouldn't recognizable. There is no more suitable candidate. Don't worry, I'll be back soon," said Lorist, smiling.

However, Lorist did not expect the manager to refuse his request.

"Lord Count, I really don't think you should head out. It's far too dangerous outside. As long as you stay in here, we can guarantee your safety. There's no way the people outside will rush into the hotel with Blademaster Mike here," retorted the manager.

"I am incredibly thankful for all your house is doing for us. There is truly no one better in terms of hospitality and service. However, I wish to put an end to this farce myself as soon as possible. The Peterson Merchant Guild and Chikdor Merchant Guild have some ties with our house. Even though their president is not here, I want to send a letter to them so they can send someone here to mediate," said Lorist.

The manager pondered hesitantly for a moment. Lorist's proposal was rather reasonable, and he also wanted the situation to be resolved as soon as possible. If what Lorist said was true, the Peterson and Chikdor Merchant Guilds would definitely be more capable of handling the matter than House Mireitas. While Marquis Bejisanro could afford to ignore his house, they definitely had to take a step back in front of the two big-seven guilds.

"Sir, I'm afraid we aren't able to escort you. Given how messy the crowd outside is, it's incredibly difficult for us to bring you out of here; almost impossible, in fact, with the presence of the Rosanji Merchant Guild's rank 2 blademaster, Danhema," interjected Blademaster Mike, brows furrowed.

"I believe both of you misunderstood me. I never intended to have you rush out with me. All I want is to borrow a set of servant garments so I can disguise myself as a coachman and drive a carriage. I can blend in and leave easily in such a manner," smiled Lorist.

"Oh?" the manager mused, "Do you know how to drive a carriage?"

"Hehe, of course. I studied at Dawn Academy for ten years and am also very familiar with the city. I didn't think that bringing my friends here would land us in such deep trouble, though. Morante has changed too much over this last decade," said Lorist wistfully.

"Oh, no wonder I felt you were a little different from your friends. It's no wonder you're like us Moranites. So you grew up here. If you don't mind the trouble, we can lend you the clothes and wish for your successful endeavor," acquiesced the manager.

As expected, Lorist faced some trouble leaving. Not only was the top and bottom of his carriage given a thorough check, his whole body was searched to make sure he wasn't carrying any letters. Even the small silvers in his pocket were taken. He was even kicked a few times before he was allowed to leave.

Lorist eventually arrived at the headquarters of the Peterson Merchant Guild with his carriage. He gave the door a few knocks before entering. Once inside, he soon understood that the guild's higher-ups were all absent, they had gone to their dominion. They were currently sorting out the noble hierarchy there. President Peterson was at the top, no doubt, and he wouldn't return for some time. Given that the trade routes were cut off, the big-seven used the opportunity to set their dominion up. Most would probably only return to struggle for power in the city much later. Their dominions were of incredible importance to them, a kind of packup plan.

Since the Peterson Merchant Guild was not able to offer any help, Lorist left the carriage and used another, one of the guild's, to head to the port. Northsea was still docked, but the captain and sailors were filled with worry. They had heard of the situation. Had it not been for Lundmorde's orders, the sailors might have already armed themselves to slaughter their way through the crowd.

"If you had really done that, not only would you be charging to your deaths, you would also needlessly expose Northsea. How would we leave if we do break out in that case? You guys are trained for naval combat, so don't be reckless on land. All you have to do is make sure we have a means to leave. Your duties will start when we board the ship!" rebuked Lorist.

Once he felt they'd had enough lecturing, he ordered them to prepare for departure. They were to be on alert at all times and leave the moment Lorist's group finished boarding.

"Milord, this is some information about the Rosanji Merchant Guild and Marquis Bejisanro. He is the chief speaker of the sub-council and is also the Rosanji Merchant Guild's president. This is the declaration of his intent to form an army to deal with the neighboring nations, and here are the twisted reports about the mess his son caused," reported Lundmorde.

As the chief intelligence gatherer of the house, the information he collected was incredibly detailed.

Lorist read the reports and quickly determined the location of the guild's warehouse.

"Lundmorde, I need you to have something prepared for me. We'll go there for a trip tonight."

"Yes, Milord."

Arson

Sorry for the late release. Here's this week's fourth chapter.

"Is this the Rosanji Merchant Guild's storage area?"

"Yes, Milord. This entire circle of buildings is the guild's food storage area. It's said that there are over 500 of them. The one that has a lamp up there is the main entrance to the storage area. The guild's brewing area isn't far from here either. The Union's ale is mostly supplied by them. They are the largest brewers around," replied Lundmorde.

"Weird, why is there no security? I only see a few patrolling guards. With food prices as high as they are, isn't the Union worried about people stealing from the silos?" asked Lorist curiously.

"Perhaps these warehouses are empty? Maybe there's no longer anything to guard," suggested Lundmorde.

"Well, that could be. Let's go check."

The two scaled the walls, entered the storage area, and hid behind the dome-shaped stone building. It did not have doors or windows and was roughly 5 meters tall, the standard food silo design on Grindia. Besides the part visible above ground, the building stretched a further 3 meters underground. A single silo could store near half a million kilograms of food.

"I think I smell moss," said Lundmorde as he pinched his nose.

"I do too, the stench is quite noticeable. Let me go up and check."

"Wait, Milord, making a hole in the wall is much more convenient," interjected Lundmorde, pulling on Lorist.

He pierced into the silo's wall with his blade-glow. As they were situated behind it, nobody noticed anything. Lundmorde traced a huge circle before pulling his sword out, making a hole in the warehouse. Grains started pouring out through the hole and spilling onto the floor.

"It's wheat," said Lundmorde as he picked some up.

He quickly tossed it away and he jumped in shock.

"It's old and grassy... All this wheat is moldy as feck..."

Fanning the air in front of his nose, Lorist grunted, "The smell is too strong. I can't stand it."

"Ah, I know now. No wonder I've seen the guild bringing in carriage after carriage of lime. I thought they were using it to for sterilization and cleaning, but they were using limewater to wash the moldy wheat. Curse their ancestors... I won't drink their ale ever again," cursed Lundmorde.

"SO that's there aren't any guards around," Lorist said after some thought, "Nobody would steal moldy wheat. The guarded warehouses must be where they store the editable, sellable food. Lundmorde, make more holes in the other warehouses so the moldy wheat can leak out. I'll go to the front and set fire to the place. When people come to deal with the fire, they'll surely notice the moldy wheat on the ground and the matter will be exposed for all to see."

"Understood, Milord. Please be careful."

"Don't worry. You should be wary as well. I remember seeing these silos labeled 'wheat' on the roof, and there are around a hundred. You better act fast."

They two were currently in Morante's southern suburbs. The Rosanji Merchant Guild had built a large storage area with more than 300 permanent stone silos and 200 temporary mobile wooden warehouses. Together, they could store up to 300 million kilograms of food, which was what fueled the guild's ability to fight for the food market at Morante.

Lorist and Lundmorde had gone to set fire to the area to prevent the guild from paying the crowd that was gathered in front of Dauslyke. While there was the option of escaping by force, Lorist had to consider the safety of his allies and the women that came along with him, so he had no choice but to resist the burning urge to lash out. He would finally be able to teach the guild a lesson by burning the food stores.

So you have too much food to spare, huh? Let's see how you pay the crowd when I burn it all!

"Hey! What are you doing? Someone's setting a fire!"

It did not take long for the smallest embers to attract the guards' attention. They noticed Lorist pouring fuel on the warehouses in a casual and unhurried manner.

A huge wave of shouting guards leaped towards him. But, in a few flashes of the sword, all the guards collapsed on the ground, struggling in their last moments while Lorist continued pouring fuel just as casually as before.

After the third wave collapsed on the ground, the remaining hundred or so coachmen, transporters, and guards quickly crumbled into chaos. A few unlucky ones, who were using wooden buckets filled with water to try and douse the fire, were cut in half by Lorist's sword. Those who survived cast away whatever they had and scrambled for the entrance. Lorist, disguised in black pants, shirt, and scarf, looked like a demon of slaughter. He casually dispatched more than 200 guards in the most relaxed manner without showing the slightest bit of mercy.

Lorist was not interested in chasing people down. Besides, the guards he killed had allowed him to vent most of his pent-up anger. All that remained was to set the rest of the warehouses on fire before returning to the hotel to bring the rest away. He believed the fire would be visible to almost the entirety of Morante, and the chaos that would inevitably ensue might help increase the chances of their escape.

"Milord, I've only managed to make holes in 60 warehouses. Why is the fire this big already?" asked Lundmorde as he stared wide-eyed at the flames that consumed the silos behind Lorist, causing smoke to billow towards the skies.

"Let's go, that's more than enough. If we stay here, we'll be burned alive," said Lorist before he grabbed Lundmorde and ran.

The air had already begun to heat up as occasional embers fell on his body. The pair scaled the walls and took to the carriage. It was quickly turned around, and they left.

"Lundmorde, come steer this thing. Just send me to the area near Dauslyke. Check if the preparations are finished after you drop me off. We will begin our escape the moment I get back."

"Alright, Milord," said Lundmorde before he spurred the horse into a gallop.

They quickly arrived near the hotel. The crowd stared at the southern skies, where signs of smoke and fire could be seen.

Lorist jumped off before pretending to stumble around as he shouted, "Everyone! Go put out the fire, quick! The food storage area is ablaze! If we don't put it out, we'll run out of food! Quick!"

The crowd was originally waiting for their day's pay, they had been promised 2.5 kilograms of potatoes which they had yet to receive. The fire only served to unnerve them, and Lorist's cries confirmed their fears. The commoners panicked and thought their day standing around would be wasted if all the food burned up. The frontmost people began rushing to the storage area immediately, followed closely by those behind them.

"Go put out the fire! We can still take some food out of it and help our families last a few more days!" continued Lorist.

The rest, who originally did not intend to go, snapped out of their trance. They thought it would be a good opportunity for them to get more free food before the inevitable rise in food prices because of the fire. Most of the people surrounding the hotel ran south, only around 500 Rosanji guards remained.

Lorist snuck into the hotel quietly. Once inside, he immediately rushed to the back.

"Reidy, go prepare the carriages. As many as you can. Have everyone begin packing. We leave in thirty minutes!" instructed he.

There were seven carriages in Dauslyke's backyard, but only a dozen horses. Lorist had the three Dinas assigned to the first carriage. The second carried Count Kenmays and his two maidservants, the third Baron Shazin and his five concubines, and the fourth Howard, his fiancee, Baron Felim, and his concubine. The final three carriages were for the other maidservants and the luggage. The coachmen were the attendants that followed them. Since Northsea was docked at the Peterson Merchant Guild's port, they could have the guild send the carriages and horses back to the hotel.

Blademaster Shuss was seated atop the first carriage and Josk on the luggage rack of the second. Lorist believed that the marksman would be able to protect the other four carriages in front. Should their escape go wrong, the three rearmost carriages with the maidservants and luggage could be abandoned. Reidy was in the third carriage. As for Baron Shazin and Baron Felim, since they were gold-ranked knights, they were tasked with protecting the flanks of the third and fourth carriages. The guards that came along followed them from behind.

Just as Lorist was preparing to rush out of the hotel, he saw Blademaster Mike standing in front of him with a solemn look, saying, "Were you the one who sparked the fire?"

"So what if I am? Do you want us to be stuck here forever?" retorted Lorist, furrowing his brows.

"I only want to tell you that you'll have nothing to do with House Mireitas the moment you step out of here," Mike sighed, "I've already checked outside; Blademaster Danhema is still here. He's a rank 2 blademaster. Your blademaster can take care of him, but bare in mind that there are around 500 guards behind him. It's best if you stay here and wait for the big-seven to return and help you out.

"Additionally, with the food storage area set ablaze, there's no need to worry about the crowd surrounding the hotel anymore. As long as you stay here, House Mireitas will ensure your safety. I hope you don't act recklessly and rush to your deaths with so many of your family with you."

"Apologies, nobles from The Northlands don't have the habit of leaving their fates in the hands of others. We come from the wilds and it is in our nature to battle. Dying on the battlefield is a source of pride for us. House Norton asks not the numbers of the enemy, only where they are!" declared Lorist as he drew his sword.

Blademaster Mike looked at Lorist intently before sighing and waving his hand to the side. The guards by the gate opened it in response.

Blademaster Danhema had already made his preparations and instructed the 500 guards to get into five neat rows, blocking the road in front of the hotel. He realized that something was off when he saw the smoke billowing up from the south, especially when the crowd dispersed to put it out, and figured that the Northland nobles would use the chance to escape. However, being a rank 2 blademaster, he swore that he would disappoint those bumpkins.

Lorist burst out of the gates on horseback and rushed straight for the enemy formation. The bearded man at the front manifested his gold blade glow and yelled, "Dismount and kneel to surrender!"

"Who's doing the sparing here?!" shouted Lorist in reply, before he kicked both his legs to spur his mount forward.

Assailed by the pain, the horse neighed and jumped straight into the enemy formation. The guards at the front did not think that Lorist would pull such a move and hurriedly ducked to both sides. The bearded man positioned his blade glow and attempted to cut Lorist in half from his mount.

Lorist revealed a smile and pulled his horse in a circle while holding his sword out with his right hand, causing the blades to clash. A bearded head went flying, still wearing an expression of disbelief, as blood gushed out of the stump of its neck. Lorist continued to cut into the crowd and slaughtered away, causing the guards to cry out for their parents as they scrambled around in chaos and confusion. Not only was their formation heavily disrupted, more than 40 men had already fallen under Lorist's blade.

A flash of a blade traveled in an arc towards Lorist's back.

"Despicable scum!" cursed Lorist as he thought, this shameless rank 2 blademaster actually hid behind his iron-ranked guards to launch a sneak attack! However, he had long taken into account the presence of the blademaster and wondered where he had gone since the start of the battle and increased his alertness. If the blademaster had attempted to escape, he might have survived. But now that he had shown himself, there was no escape.

Clang clang clang!

The sound of clashing blades resounded throughout the area. After ten or so strikes, Lorist had already dismounted and stood in front of his assailant. With an insidious smile on his face, he said, "Rank 2 Blademaster Danhema, I presume?"