Ivan trembled as he took out a small piece of mercury from the drawer, the smallest one.
This tiny piece of metal could probably buy the ancestral mansion left by Baron Longna!
Perhaps giving this incredibly valuable metal to the baron could at least make up for the harm he had caused to him and his family.
With these thoughts in mind, Ivan gently placed the small piece of mercury into his shirt pocket.
Descending the stairs and returning to the table, Ivan organized the materials placed on the table, wrapping them in oil paper by category. The bundle of spider silk was the most challenging to handle, so Ivan had to use two thick pieces of cardboard to secure the tangled silk. The items that couldn't be separated were tightly clamped together.
After arranging everything properly, Ivan took the two parchments and left the laboratory.
The Sorcerer's Stone Tablet and the magical puppet were left in the laboratory for the time being.
Stuffing all the items into the front pocket of the saddle, Ivan mounted his horse and galloped towards the road ahead. The short trees in front of him retreated to the sides as he passed through, returning to their original state.
When he was about to reach the main road, Ivan stopped and carefully listened to his surroundings. This was a skill taught to him by Herbert, and it was very useful for him.
After confirming that there were no pedestrians or carriages on the main road, Ivan rode his horse out of the side road.
Behind him, the short trees closed silently like a gate, concealing any trace of the path that once existed.
Galloping on the main road, Ivan pondered how to explain to Audrey and Mr. Hyde. The experiences of this journey were truly unbelievable and difficult to make others believe.
How could he make these two skilled deceivers believe his words? This was indeed a very challenging task.
As he thought about the problem, Ivan rode his horse at a fast pace on the road. However, this was a dangerous endeavor, and Ivan didn't want to risk his life, so he slowed down.
When Ivan first rode his horse on this path, he felt a mix of excitement and anxiety. Now, his heart had calmed down because his identity had changed. He was now a magic apprentice, not a highly trained thief and swindler, nor a shop assistant aspiring for promotion. However, this change in identity left Ivan feeling confused and hesitant about how to face Mr. Hyde and Audrey.
Both of them were not upright gentlemen; upright gentlemen could not become leaders of thieves and swindlers. However, they were completely different from the evil thieves Ivan had imagined.
Mr. Hyde was the most remarkable sailor and explorer Ivan had ever seen, someone he deeply admired and envied.
As for Audrey, she was known as a knowledgeable scholar and shrewd businesswoman, which was not an exaggeration. Mr. Hyde's wealth was managed by Audrey, and as far as Ivan knew, Mr. Hyde's annual income was at least one hundred thousand gold francs.
Both Audrey and Mr. Hyde were figures that Ivan admired.
However, Ivan always harbored concerns about the scheme they were planning. He didn't want to be an accomplice in a scam, especially considering that Mr. Hyde's target was likely a prominent noble.
For someone as wealthy as Mr. Hyde, deceiving the wealthy individuals scattered throughout the South Port was clearly not his interest. He was already wealthier than these individuals, and he could slowly extract their wealth through commercial dealings. Based on Ivan's understanding of Mr. Hyde's genius business strategies, he was certain that Mr. Hyde was capable of all this.
Therefore, the target of the deception could only be those nobles. In Flonshire, vast wealth was concentrated in the hands of noble families who owned numerous estates, providing them with a substantial fixed wealth to sustain their luxurious lifestyles.
These noble families also held vast collections of precious artworks and jewelry, and the most fertile lands in Flonshire undoubtedly belonged to them, with some estates containing rich mineral deposits.
Copper and lead mines could make a noble family worth millions. If a silver mine was discovered, tens of millions of wealth were guaranteed.
Although the ownership of a gold mine would be taken by the king, the mining rights belonged to the landowners. With five percent of the gold mine's income, these noble families could earn tens of millions of Flonshire francs without lifting a finger.
Furthermore, discovering a gold mine, clandestine mining, or tampering with accounts, gold mining, and smelting processes were enough to make these noble families wealthy enough to rival nations.
Therefore, the noble families of Flonshire were undoubtedly the wealthiest group of people.
If Mr. Hyde intended to deceive, it would undoubtedly be aimed at these noble families.
Moreover, it was evident that Audrey was training herself for this purpose, aiming to groom herself into a noble.
However, why train oneself not as an arrogant noble scion but as a mature descendant of a fallen noble family, attempting to revive the family's noble offspring?
Although both were nobles, these two types of nobles were not in the same class. What exactly was Mr. Hyde planning?
Ivan felt somewhat puzzled. The sun rose high and gradually shifted westward. Lost in thought, Ivan rode back to the estate on horseback, and it was already afternoon.
Approaching the estate's gate, before Ivan could ring the doorbell on the porch, the gate opened automatically, and the butler walked out with a smile.
"Our little magician has returned. Did you have a pleasant journey?"
This greeting shocked Ivan. How could the butler know all this? Perhaps Lavash had visited Mr. Hyde.
Certainly, Lavash and Mr. Hyde, as well as Mr. Dofen, should be familiar with each other. They must have worked together for a period of time and understood each other well.
Moreover, Lavash cares deeply for Ivan. He deliberately visited Mr. Hyde and mentioned the matter of taking Ivan as his apprentice to Mr. Hyde in person, it must be like this.
Ivan speculated.
He took out something tightly wrapped from the front pocket of the saddle.
Guided by the butler, Ivan went to the upstairs lounge.
Upon opening the door, Ivan froze in place. Sitting by the fireplace was a middle-aged man with a slender figure and a pair of gold-rimmed glasses, who was none other than Baron Brown.
Why would Baron Brown appear in this place? Ivan felt puzzled.
"Ivan, come in and sit down. Tell us about the exciting experiences you had on this trip. I am very interested in it," Mr. Hyde greeted with a smile.
In the luxuriously decorated lounge, Mr. Hyde, Baron Brown, and Audrey sat in a circle.
Seeing Ivan come in, Audrey and Baron Brown each shifted slightly to the left and right, leaving the middle seat for him.
"Ivan, let me introduce you. This is Fis, whose full name you are already familiar with, Joseph Brown - Baron Brown. But here, we call him Fis," Mr. Hyde introduced.
"Fis has told us many interesting things about you. You must have had great gains on this journey, right?" Audrey asked.
"Oh, yes, Mr. Hyde, I was just about to ask you, do you know a magician named Lavash?" Ivan asked.
"Lavash? So, he took you as his disciple. You are indeed a lucky guy," Mr. Hyde said. "He took you as his disciple, but didn't tell you about his identity?"
"Isn't Lavash a magician?" Ivan asked.
"Not just a magician, you will know this later. Lavash is a strange fellow, even among magicians. I worked with him before, when I was young... at least not as old as now. At that time, Lavash was already a very old magician. It's been so long since we last met, I didn't expect him to still be alive. Magicians are long-lived, being a magician is really good!" Mr. Hyde sighed with emotion.
"It seems that Mr. Dofen and Lavash have always been in contact," Ivan said.
"Yes, Mel and Lavash are good friends, they are very close. If it weren't for Mel's lack of talent in learning magic, Lavash would have taken Mel as his disciple long ago. Ivan, you are quite lucky," Mr. Hyde said. "Ivan, if I'm not mistaken, Lavash should already know about the plan I'm working on. He didn't tell you anything?"
"No, I only know that Mr. Mel Dofen is also involved in this matter, and Lavash is quite certain about it," Ivan replied.
His words obviously caught Audrey and Fis off guard, but Mr. Hyde remained unfazed. He nodded and said, "Yes, I have long suspected that Mel is behind all this. Ivan, now is the time to tell you everything. You are Lavash's disciple, and we cannot force you to participate in this matter. However, since Lavash did not oppose our actions, it seems that he does not see anything wrong with it."
"Ivan, after spending such a long time together, if I tell you that this time we have carefully planned for so long, taking such great risks, it is not just to make a big fortune. In fact, a large part of the reason is not for ourselves. Can you believe it?" Mr. Hyde asked.
Ivan pondered for a long time before nodding. Although he couldn't imagine how thieves could take such great risks without seeking benefits, and thieves seemed to be a profession not possessed by noble individuals, Ivan did not doubt what Mr. Hyde said. The reasons behind it were beyond Ivan's own understanding.
"Ivan, you should be well aware of the history of struggle in Nangang and Lai'er. Originally, Francia did not have these two counties. Unlike other cities, Nangang and Lai'er were established by order of the king, and it was through the hard work of generations of residents living here that these two originally barren lands were developed into the prosperous places they are today."
"Do you remember the stories I told you? When I was your age, Nangang was just a small fishing village, and Lai'er was just a slightly larger town. After countless efforts and half a century, this place has become the most prosperous and developed area in all of Francia. Do you know why? Because we want to live better, and aren't you also striving for the same reasons?"
"But who doesn't want to live a happy and fulfilling life? Are people in other places so foolish, so unaware of the value of hard work? Would they rather live in poverty and hardship?"
"It's not that they don't work hard, but because no matter how hard they try, it's futile. Nangang and Lai'er have unique advantages, and it's not just because Nangang is by the sea. There are many coastal cities in Francia, not just Nangang, but the scale of trade in other places is small and never able to grow. Do you know why? Because there are no nobles, no lords, and the king's authority is extremely weak."
"People can open shops or engage in maritime and land trade without any restrictions, as long as they pay taxes, there are no problems. There are no privileges here, and trade between parties is fair."
"To achieve this, Mel has put in a lot of effort. He persuaded the lord of Sether Castle, who manages this land, and through this nobleman, he bought off every important department in Sether Castle. Most of the annual taxes collected in Nangang are used to subsidize the expenses of the various departments of Sether Castle, while also enticing the wealthy nobles of Sether Castle to invest in Nangang, making Nangang a real source of wealth for them. It can be said that Sether Castle has long been a solid piece, firmly controlled by Nangang's coins."
"However, the wealth of Nangang has long been known throughout Francia, and for both the king and other nobles, Nangang is a piece of fat meat. The empty treasury needs a large amount of coins to fill it. Although the total amount of taxes paid to the treasury by Nangang each year is huge, the king is not satisfied. The expenses of the treasury are too high, and these taxes are not enough to cover the increasing budget expenditures. In the king's view, Nangang should make a greater contribution to the treasury."
"However, unilaterally increasing taxes is fundamentally ineffective. Merchants can easily transfer their assets to other countries, rendering tax hikes meaningless. Therefore, the only viable solution is to exert complete control over Nangang, ensuring every family is tightly held in check, much like dealing with individuals from other regions of Francia. Whether it be the king or other nobles, they all share the same strategy.
The primary obstacle hindering the realization of their plan is that the management rights of Nangang belong to Sether Castle, a hereditary territory deemed sacred and inviolable. From Lai to Nangang, this land once considered barren can only have its property decisions made by the Meding family. Anyone seeking to control Nangang must first strip the Meding family of their control over it.
However, as a hereditary territory sacred and inviolable, forming the foundation of the kingdom, no one dares to ignore or modify this system. Additionally, the Meding family possesses substantial economic power, making it impossible to transfer or sell this territory. Thus, controlling Nangang is nearly an impossible task. Unfortunately, the Meding family has a fatal weakness – a lack of heirs. While they are considered the foremost noble family in the south of Francia, their number of heirs pales in comparison to other noble families.
As a result, a conspiracy to assassinate members of the Meding family was devised. The old Count Meding and his two sons passed away successively, leaving behind only his sister at Sether Castle, an unmarried old maiden. This Miss Meding adopted an orphan girl as her ward. Since women in Francia cannot inherit lordship positions, stripping the Meding family of their hereditary rights became an undeniable fact.
However, the schemers overlooked a crucial individual, or rather, an unexpected event that thwarted their plans. The Count Meding had a daughter who had a falling out with the old Count over marriage issues and eventually left home. This Count's daughter married a wealthy nobleman from Westby in Nangang, but both perished in a plague several years ago, leaving behind a son.
In reality, the child also succumbed to the plague shortly after. However, the steward, coveting the vast wealth of the nobleman, concealed the truth and continued to manage the nobleman's fortune in the name of the young master. Therefore, the news of the deceased property owner must never be disclosed.
To this end, he enlisted his brother, who conducted business in Inith, and hired a group of distant relatives to pose as mercenaries, concealing the news of the young master's death for several years. However, with the Count's demise, the young master became the sole hope to preserve Nangang. Even someone as conventional as Maerl would resort to extreme measures. It remains unknown what methods he employed to compel the steward to confess everything.
The steward is deeply fearful, as the exposure of this matter could lead to a tragic fate for him. However, Maerl evidently sees a glimmer of hope in this situation, hence he sent the steward to seek my expertise, as I am an expert in this field.
While I may not be a noble person, I do not wish for everything I have painstakingly built to be lost. I have also dedicated effort to the prosperity of this region. The more prosperous Nangang becomes, the greater the benefits I can reap. It is for this reason that I do not condone any wrongdoing by my subordinates in Nangang. No one would appreciate a port filled with thieves and swindlers. However, in other ports, these professions thrive. Do you know why? Because I am present here, and I will not tolerate the emergence of another thieves' guild."
"Not only nobles and kings covet the wealth of Nangang, but also thieves. However, Maerl's methods in Nangang have left those who are isolated and vulnerable with no place to stand. Yet, there are individuals whom even he cannot handle, and I assist him in dealing with them. We have collaborated in this manner for decades. Just like this time, Maerl needs my help."
Mr. Hyde recounted everything to Ivan in a calm, gentle, and serene manner, as if an elderly man in the twilight of his life was reminiscing about his past."