Chapter 69

Participating directly in the affairs of state in Fasa was considered an honorable thing.

Moreover, it was a well-known fact that having the protection of the political world was convenient when doing business, regardless of the era.

Therefore, it was unthinkable for a member of the Signori Family, who claimed to be the foremost merchant in Fasa, to be absent from political participation.

Randolfo's older brother, Emilio, was the person the Signori Family had put forward.

Emilio, with the help of his family's power, had advanced to a position on the Fasa state council and had also sponsored the mercenary company from time to time.

That was the reason Emilio could tell me the conversation that had taken place in the state council without any additions or subtractions.

My impression after hearing that story was, that humans were truly creatures of oblivion.

“That's really shitty……”

“……”

“Have these people completely forgotten what happened in the days when there was no mercenary company?”

Emilio was also perplexed.

“That's what I'm saying. I never imagined things would turn out like this. It's not like all the pirates have left the Golden Sea, their activities have just decreased.”

The talk of reducing the mercenary company was something that was bound to come up someday.

They say that a person's heart is originally like a reed.

Several months had passed since the entire city had clung to the mercenary company founding project, and it was plausible that some people would come to their senses after receiving the bill, breaking free from their initial sweet dreams.

The problem was the detached sense of reality.

“What do they think will happen in the future if they really disband the fleet?”

“They thought they could just borrow the Levonan fleet.”

“That's a very naive thought. Levona would never stand by and do nothing……”

Lending an army for money was a surprisingly common thing, so that idea was not impossible.

The real problem was Fasa's status, which had changed drastically after defeating Tospol.

It's a bit much for me to say it myself, but right now, Fasa could be said to have reached a state just below a god-king in Apennia.

But usually, when someone's status rises, they incur the resentment of those around them.

Levona had a strong pride as a maritime nation.

Therefore, they did not like the emergence of a competitor at sea.

By now, they would be recognizing Fasa as a competitor, not an ally.

That was also the reason I had been constantly wary of Levona and Admiral Gian.

So, to disband the fleet at this point was the same as showing a weakness and telling them to stab me.

Besides, the resentment held by the surrounding countries over the captured cargo was not ordinary, so would they be able to handle that?

“We can just terminate the contract and leave.”

“No, but with the investment money, you're leaving?”

“We paid that all back a long time ago. How many ships did we capture? Did Mr. Randolfo not say anything?”

“He's been so busy lately that I couldn't talk to him, so I didn't know.”

Emilio couldn't hide his surprise.

And I was also surprised.

I'm sorry.

I'm the one who pushed that workload onto Randolfo.

Anyway, things had become strange.

Of all times, internal division when we had to keep pushing forward.

“What does the Signori Family think about this matter?”

“We, of course, think we should maintain the mercenary company.”

“That's a relief.”

I leaned back in my chair for a moment, organized my thoughts, and then spoke.

“Who is leading the public opinion right now?”

“It's not specifically mentioned, but it's the Corsini Family, of course. It seems Mayor Rapacio is also involved.”

It's a given since it's common knowledge that Mayor Rapacio is a scarecrow.

Corsini?

“No, the money I've earned for that family is not just a penny or two.”

Emilio gave a bitter smile.

“Those people probably think they earned it themselves.”

“Of course, they would. It's really shitty.”

I seemed to understand what the situation was.

It was an internal political problem of the city, in other words, a fight over the rice bowl.

I had gotten entangled in it.

If the Signori Family was the leader representing the merchant class of the city, then the Corsini Family was the representative of the city's noble class.

From the perspective of the Corsini Family, which was originally the core vested interest of the city, the current situation where the city's leadership was passing to the Signori Family after the founding of the mercenary company would not be satisfactory.

It was a wrong assessment of the situation, but in their eyes, I must have looked like a pawn of the Signori Family.

So they attacked me first, who they thought was a limb of the Signori Family.

“Sigh. I understand. Thank you very much for telling me this important information.”

“Not at all. I will let you know as soon as new information comes in.”

“I'll see you again next time.”

Although I saw Emilio off politely, my mood was not good.

Corsini, Rapacio, you petty bastards.

How have you managed to sit in that position with such short-sighted thinking?

Now that they've caught the rabbit, they must be itching to boil the hunting dog.

Who do they think can get out of this relationship on their own?

Isn't that too naive a thought?

Did they think that after things had come this far, we could part ways amicably, saying let's go our separate ways?

No!

Absolutely not!

The day I am ruined must be the day of Fasa's ruin.

Before that, no one can get out without my permission.

I laughed my head off and then became serious.

It was time to teach them who the master was.

“So, what now?”

***

I tried to recall everything I knew about the Corsini Family.

The Corsini were city nobles and a prestigious family whose name had been recorded since Fasa began.

Considering that it was not easy for a family to last for hundreds of years, and that it was not easy to maintain wealth, this was a tremendous thing.

What supported that was the feudal order and land.

The Corsini were connected to various families in Fasa through political marriages and had considerable influence through the land they owned outside the city.

Therefore, normally it would not have been difficult for the conspirators to take my head,

but now the situation had changed.

Because the power I had was greater than all the military power of the city combined.

Moreover, since I even learned of the conspiracy they were plotting in advance, it was not difficult to deal with it either.

“If I had my way, I'd like to summon the mercenary company and hang both Mayor Rapacio and the Corsini Family together.”

Still, I can't really do that.

The arm bends inward.

As long as I have the label of a foreigner, it's difficult to get the support of the people of Fasa if I do such a thing.

Or, as I told Emilio, I could terminate the mercenary company contract and go find a new contract.

Since the investment money has already been repaid, there is no problem with terminating the contract.

However.

Honestly, thinking about all the work I've done so far, it's too much of a waste.

Fasa is too small, so even if I wanted to eat and run, there's nothing to eat.

As I was contemplating, my inner conscience whispered to me.

‘How about you just get rid of Mayor Rapacio and put someone friendly to the mercenary company's existence as a figurehead president?’

Yes.

That would be much better.

Let's take this as an opportunity to change the political landscape of Fasa in my favor.

In order to take control of the Golden Sea, Fasa also needs to strengthen its internal affairs.

And there's a suitable person named Emilio.

Since Emilio has also entered public office, he would want to become mayor someday.

Yes.

I've decided.

Let's swallow Fasa.

Shall we take countermeasures first?

“Theo, Selvi.”

“Yes.”

The two people who were waiting in the next room came in.

“You heard the whole conversation, right?”

Selvi answered.

“Of course. But you don't seem very flustered even though this has happened, Captain.”

“Did you want me to be flustered?”

“No. I'm just saying it's amazing.”

“……”

It's because I've been through it once before.

“It doesn't feel good, but it's something I expected. I knew something like this would happen someday.”

“Aha.”

“Put surveillance on the Corsini Family, and grasp the status of their mobilizable private soldiers and personnel. Those guys will surely be plotting a conspiracy.”

“I will select trustworthy people and increase the security.”

“I will also take appropriate measures. But still, do you really think they will try to harm the captain? I think that might be going too far.”

Theo answered coolly, but Selvi tilted his head as if he couldn't believe it.

“You don't think they can?”

“It's a bit unlikely. Unless they're crazy.”

My eyes met Selvi's displeased face.

Yes, it's natural that you can't believe it.

I was like that too before I experienced it.

But that experience was not something that could be explained, so I gave a plausible reason instead.

“Didn't your family elders always teach you to be fully prepared?”

At the light provocation, Selvi puckered his lips in surprise, then soon chuckled.

“You are right. I will put surveillance on the Corsini Family and Mayor Rapacio.”

“Yes, please go through some trouble. Wouldn't it be better for the living mercenary captain to give you a salary than the new patron saint of Fasa, Leonius?”

“?”

I have to avoid another crypt enshrinement ending, that's what I meant.

But for some reason, Selvi looked at me with a strange expression and went outside.

Even Theo had a disgusted expression.

“What's wrong?”

“No, well. It's nothing.”

“But why?”

“It's true that the Young Master has accomplished a great thing, but no matter how grateful they are, the people of Fasa won't canonize you as a saint.”

“What?”

“You've been a bit of a narcissist for a long time, Young Master. I would usually just let it slide, but I felt I had to tell you. Then, if you'll excuse me.”

“……”

Theo left me dumbfounded and left the room.

“What's with them? Why are they like that to me?”

There was no answer.

***

Due to the distance, the rumor that the ogre Tospol was dead inevitably reached Levona late.

But that did not lessen the joy the citizens would feel.

The city of Levona, which had heard the news, was in a festive mood, and the citizens praised Admiral Gian.

Tospol was a notorious existence for the people of Levona as well.

However, the atmosphere in the Levona Governor's Palace was not good.

It felt as if a cold wind was blowing.

In the Levona Governor's Palace, Governor Canella looked down on the city streets with a firm face.

Admiral Gian stood next to him.

“It is not a pleasant thing to be deprived of the glory that we should rightfully enjoy.”

The people of Levona paid no attention to the likes of the Black Company, which had recently started to make a name for itself.

Because they were proud of the fact that their country was a maritime power.

But that was a story that only worked in Levona.

After the subjugation of Tospol, the name of the Black Company was firmly imprinted in Apennia.

Naturally, Governor Canella and Admiral Gian did not welcome this.

“We are the ones who went through the hardship, so why is the news spreading as if Fasa did everything? Not one or two of Levona's sons shed blood in this matter. We did not form a military pact just to become a mere sidekick.”

Governor Canella, who did not know that Selvi had deliberately spread the rumors diligently, was concerned about the spread of this distorted conventional wisdom everywhere.

He could not tolerate the praise that Levona should rightfully receive going to Leon.

All the honor must belong to our Levona.

That was Governor Canella's thought.

Admiral Gian also agreed with that.

“That is correct. From our perspective, the best result was for the Fasa mercenary company and Tospol to be destroyed together, but they luckily escaped.”

“But it's not over yet.”

Governor Canella looked at Admiral Gian with cold eyes and made a decision.

“Admiral Gian, withdraw the navy from Fasa. By any means necessary. Is it possible?”

“As it happens, there is a suitable pretext. If we say that we need to supplement the losses we suffered in this battle, they will have nothing to say. But.”

“But, what?”

“Did the Grand Committee also agree to that?”

“Of course. They rarely agreed to annul the pact by unanimous vote.”

“That's a relief.”

“Everyone will have the sense to understand what this decision means. They will also know that there will be no next chance.”

“They will surely understand.”

He had never expected the pirate bastards to avenge Tospol out of loyalty.

If they did, they would be saints, not pirates.

But fortunately for Levona, there were quite a few people among Governor Canella's political enemies who were angry at Fasa's behavior.

On that, everyone was united.

“Let's reaffirm our position to the people of Fasa and Apennia.”

It was not a simple childish and impulsive decision.

All of this was to establish the dignity of Levona.

The tradition, history, and fame as a maritime power were the intangible assets that Levona had built up.

He could not let a kid who was just playing mercenary in a southern backwater take that away.

“It may be a regrettable thing for the people of Fasa who have suddenly been hit by a thunderbolt, but isn't diplomacy originally about prioritizing one's own country's interests?”

“That is correct.”

It didn't matter whether a conflict actually broke out as a result or not.

It was enough if a room for Levona to intervene was created.

As Levona's future diplomatic direction was decided, the atmosphere in the Governor's Palace also softened a little.

“That being said, I have one thing to ask you, Admiral Gian, and I want you to answer honestly.”

“Yes?”

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.