Chapter 68

Although no one called it by its official name, the happiness index of Fasa had been at its peak since the founding of the Fasa Free Company.

The city's finances drew a rising graph day by day, the government officials received hefty bonuses, the citizens were happy that there was no end to the work, and the merchants were happy to be able to buy the captured cargo cheaply.

Of course, there were also people who were jealous of this.

The original owners of the captured cargo.

“Whose money do those bastards think they're using?”

“My money! Give me back my blood-like money!”

From their perspective, they had ordered something from overseas, and there had been a delivery accident in the middle.

Even worse, the lost item was being sold openly on the second-hand market.

Because of this, they would protest with dissatisfaction to the Fasa government and claim their rightful ownership.

And the people of Fasa united as one and ignored their claims.

Unless the opponent was someone like Levona, there was no reason to listen to the demands of other small and medium-sized countries.

“Don't you know maritime law? According to this, the captured cargo is our rightful property.”

“No, we can't give it back. Go back.”

“Hey, you gave it back to Levona, so why are you doing this to us?”

“Well, you're not Levona, are you?”

“You son of a bitch!”

There was only one reason Fasa could be so bold.

Military superiority.

Fasa had a powerful mercenary fleet that had defeated the notorious Tospol.

They also had a military pact with Levona.

Since the scale of the countries was all similar anyway, Fasa could be said to be the strongest nation in southern Apennia.

They say the scenery changes when you stand in a different place.

It was quick for Fasa to forget its sorrowful past.

“Ah, legally it's our property now.”

“If you're wronged, let's solve it with war. But are you confident you can win?”

“Aww, you dirty bastards.”

“So cheap. Ptooey, ptooey.”

“Those bastards are pirates, not merchants. You guys should change your name to a pirate republic, not a free republic!”

Because of this, the victimized countries could only complain and could not take action, even if their merchants went bankrupt and fled and their economies were ruined.

While everyone was happy like that.

Suddenly, the pirates disappeared.

“What kind of bullshit is that?”

“They say the pirates have really been wiped out.”

“So what kind of nonsense is that? There's no way the pirates would disappear from the Golden Sea.”

The number one export of the Golden Sea was not silk or fish, but pirates.

As long as there was something to plunder, pirates were endlessly born.

That was the logic and truth of the sea.

But that was gone now.

The natural cycle had been broken.

The destruction of the ecosystem inevitably affected other areas as well.

For example, Fasa.

Mayor Rapacio, who heard the news, was horrified and at the same time went berserk.

“Do you want to see someone ruined? The next election is just around the corner! Come up with a countermeasure!”

“No, how can we……”

“Shut up and just do it!”

Currently, the Fasa government was covering its tax revenue by selling the captured cargo at auction.

Since the city hall was in charge of the auction, Mayor Rapacio had been secretly giving favors to the influential figures of the city who participated in the auction.

The mayor of the Republic of Fasa was elected by the government, which was composed of the city's nobles and merchants.

Therefore, to be elected mayor, it was necessary to cater to their tastes.

Mayor Rapacio was dreaming of the next mayor's seat based on the friendships and connections he had built up like that.

It was not an impossible task.

Until the pirates disappeared from the sea.

“I'm ruined. I'm really ruined.”

The disappearance of the pirates meant that Fasa's mercenary fleet had no way to acquire captured cargo through legitimate means.

And without captured cargo, the city's financial income would be ruined, Mayor Rapacio would not be able to give favors to the influential figures, and the mayor's seat would also be out of reach.

Then it would become impossible to sit in the mayor's seat and take bribes.

The future became uncertain.

The future became uncertain.

When fear dominates the mind, a person does things they would not normally do.

That was the reason Mayor Rapacio accepted the invitation of the Corsini Family.

“The head of the Corsini Family would like to see you, Mayor.”

“Why would someone who only asks for things without ever giving anything want to see me?”

Mayor Rapacio did not hesitate for long.

Although their influence was said to be declining these days, the Corsini Family was a family in Fasa that was often compared to the Signori Family.

It was worth meeting them to be elected in the next mayoral election as well.

However, when he actually visited the Corsini Family, Mayor Rapacio had no choice but to look at the well-dressed man sitting on the other side with eyes of worry and vigilance.

Because he couldn't tell what he was up to.

Albe Corsini was smiling slyly.

Leon's impression was somewhat correct.

Albe was the type to promote the city's corruption, like a mafia.

“Don't look at me like that. Today's meeting will be a good thing for the mayor as well.”

“Yes, I hope so too. But I don't have much time, so I'd like to hear the main point first.”

“Then I'll say it simply. Let's join hands and attack Leon Gryph.”

“Pardon?”

***

There exists a law of balance of power in the world.

In short, it is the law that if you see a guy who is good, annoying, and showy, you should first beat him up.

Most talented people are bound to be envied and jealous of by those around them.

Recently in Fasa, Leon Gryph was occupying that status.

The story that the master of the Corsini Family, who was said not to be inferior to the Signori Family in terms of honor, brought up when facing Mayor Rapacio was also that.

“Leon Gryph has grown too big these days.”

Mayor Rapacio did not immediately agree or disagree.

Since it was famous that he had benefited from Leon, he did not want to look like an ungrateful person.

And Mayor Rapacio did not want to offend the master's mood in a place where he was being treated to a meal as a guest.

“Do you have any good ideas?”

It was a question of what he wanted to do.

Albe said as if it were no big deal.

“Let's speak frankly. What's the use of a mercenary company if the pirates disappear from the Golden Sea? Are we going to go on a war of aggression against a foreign country? At most, we'll just be engaged in trade and making money. In the first place, it was too much for a country like ours to have a mercenary company.”

“Hmm, there's a point to that, but Sir Gryph has done so much for Fasa.”

“Honestly, you must have imagined it once too, Mayor. That mercenary captain pointing his sword at Fasa.”

Does a foreign mercenary captain dream of overthrowing the state?

This was always an important political topic in the countries of Apennia.

As they were entrusted with the military power of the nation, ambitious mercenary captains were beings who could at any time suddenly go crazy and fall into the ambition of wearing a crown.

The citizens who protected the traditions of the republic had a standing army to counter this, but in fact, it was only a standing army in name and was at the level of a militia.

Compared to experienced mercenaries, it was vulnerable in many ways.

So it was natural for a sensible citizen to be wary of mercenaries.

Still, Mayor Rapacio hesitated to answer.

Leon had brought him money, and he wasn't such an ambitious person.

If Leon had wanted to draw his sword, he had had many opportunities before.

Rather, hadn't he only shown a willingness to work without complaint even when given a small budget?

These days, the mercenary company headquarters even had the nickname of a lighthouse…….

As the mayor hesitated, Albe continued to persuade him.

“Let's look at it in the long run. The mercenary company is a money-eating hippo. Most of them are wanderers, beggars, clowns, and swindlers, and I don't see any reason to give our precious taxes to such people. Even their captain is a foreigner.”

“Hmm.”

“You feel it too, honestly, Mayor. That the atmosphere of the city has become very vulgar these days. Even the poorest people in the city carry coins, and they no longer show respect to the citizens who participate in politics. Rather, they admire mercenaries. That is all the harm brought by that foreigner.”

“Hmm.”

“Mayor Rapacio, as long as the mercenary company is in the hands of Leon Gryph, it is a dangerous existence that can harm the order and peace of the nation.”

“I can understand the family head's thoughts to some extent. However, as the mayor, I must consider the possibility and risk that angry mercenaries might destroy the city if we lose the captain.”

Mayor Rapacio still hesitated.

It was a sign to raise the price a little more.

Then Albe took out his final card.

“Don't worry about that at all. The focal point of the mercenary company is Leon Gryph. Without him, the mercenary company will naturally disband.”

Then Albe handed over a wallet full of gold coins.

The key to a deal is not the speaker or the words.

It is the weight of the gold coins that are exchanged underneath.

Mayor Rapacio, who had weighed the wallet, was ready to listen to the opinions of the citizens at any time as the representative and elder of Fasa.

Especially compared to a mercenary captain of unclear origin, the master of the Corsini Family was a person who could be called a citizen among citizens.

It was unreasonable to ignore such a person's opinion.

Leon Gryph?

It's a bit much to say this, but…….

Isn't he a foreigner?

If he's wronged, tell him to get citizenship.

Though it would take several generations even if he applied now.

Albe and Mayor Rapacio, who had finished their secret agreement, smiled triumphantly.

“Do you have any good ideas?”

“Of course. Let's enthrone him as a saint. We will bless him in the name of Saint Rainerius.”

“Then he would probably become something like Saint Leonius.”

“Saint Leonius. Wonderful.”

“Leon will not have much complaint, as he will enjoy the honor of being canonized as a saint.”

When the fate of the city was in crisis of being overthrown by an ambitious mercenary captain.

The traditional effective medicine used by the people of Apennia was a dagger.

Whether they separated the head and body or made a hole in the heart, anyway, if they sent him to heaven, he would not be able to dream of the ambition of becoming a dictator.

Leon Gryph would not have much complaint either.

Wouldn't Saint Leonius be cooler than the mercenary captain Leon Gryph?

***

Thus, it was not at all strange that the topic of disbanding the mercenary company came up in the state council.

However, the topic was mentioned a little out of the blue.

During a break in the state council meeting.

The state council members shared refreshments and brought up the biggest topic of recent times, the issue of the disappearance of pirates.

“It's hard to believe that the pirates are leaving for another sea, but it's good news. If the trade routes stabilize, commerce, which has been stagnant, will also be revitalized.”

“It must mean that the military pact we made with Levona was that effective. Still, I thought we were going to get some honey for a while, but it's all over. A shame.”

“Well, still, there's no one here who has lost much, right? We've already recovered our investment.”

“Hehe, who doesn't know that. I'm just saying it's a shame.”

Most dreamed of a hopeful future with the disappearance of the pirates, but there were not a few who felt it was a shame.

The captured cargo that Leon had taken from the pirates went into the hands of the merchants at auction for less than half the market price.

So the merchants could make a huge profit just by winning anything at the auction.

But if the pirates were wiped out, wouldn't the income that came into their pockets also decrease?

Naturally, everyone was sad that those good days were coming to an end.

It is human nature to want to get things for free rather than working hard.

Amidst the faces full of regret, someone muttered.

“By the way, if the pirates have disappeared, isn't the mercenary company useless now?”

“What are you talking about……”

The people looked at each other with blank faces and soon came to a realization.

It was a truly groundbreaking idea.

As he said, if there were no pirates, there was no need for mercenaries.

“That's a good idea.”

“Yes, it's about time we cut costs.”

“No, who knows what will happen in the future, and you want to get rid of what we've painstakingly built? Are you all in your right minds?”

“Well, it's not wrong. Isn't that mercenary company a money-eating monster? Fasa isn't that big of a country, but the size of the fleet we have now is too large in comparison.”

A few people with common sense brought up a cautious argument, but the atmosphere in the room was already leaning towards disbandment.

Moreover, the people Albe had bought were setting the mood.

“Let's reduce the size of the mercenary company. We're short on merchant ships as it is, so what's with the damn warships! The more merchant ships we run, the more money we can make!”

“If something happens, we can just ask Levona for help. Isn't that why we made the military pact?”

“No, still, we have our own national sovereignty, so does it make sense to ask Levona for help?”

“Still, we have to cut unnecessary costs. I'm not doing this just for my own good.”

“Disband! Disband!”

It was not particularly strange for the state council members of Fasa to advocate for reduction.

The political participants of Fasa were mostly of the noble and merchant classes.

And the majority of Fasa's tax revenue came from land rent and trade.

Therefore, the state council members, more than anyone else, shared the common thought that the state was not yours, but mine.

So in their eyes, the mercenary company, which was clearly going to be only an expense instead of an income in the future, had no reason to exist.

As the public opinion for disbanding the mercenary company was successfully created, Mayor Rapacio and Albe looked at each other with the faces of conspirators.

“If we just keep going like this, it'll work.”

“Of course.”

However, there was one pair of eyes quietly watching them.

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