After seeing the signs of a fight, Calian immediately sent Kyrie to the lordâs castle.
Kirie went to the lordâs castle pretending to volunteer as a mercenary and handed several silver coins to the soldier who looked the most formidable. And then I heard about the fact that five immature elves were huddled together in the temporary lodgings and about the cause of this war.
âThe top of the Briesen is the cause.â
Top of Briesen.
âItâs Lennon Brissen again.â
Calian let out a laugh.
This is because I was wondering if it might now be the cause of the fight between territories.
âThe only merchants that come into this area are Brisen, but due to the Latran territory, the Brisen merchants have said that they will stop going to this area.â
Kirieâs next words were as follows.
Both estates were in areas where wheat farming was impossible, so they were purchasing wheat and rye from the Brisen Merchants. In the meantime, the Brisen merchants arbitrarily cut off the deal. Fortunately, there was wheat stockpiled in the Nerica territory, so Sting asked to sell some of the wheat, and Nelica charged an exorbitant amount. The resulting conflict led to preparations for war.
When Calian heard about the situation, as soon as the words âwheat and ryeâ were mentioned, he made a face saying that it was nothing to worry about.
âThis fight will not last long since we are fighting in a situation where food is scarce.â
Itâs natural.
Since they hired not only soldiers but also mercenaries, how could they continue the fight for a long time without wheat and rye?
Calian, who had a rough understanding of what was going on, returned to the elf village without doing anything further.
âDid you have a good trip?â
When I arrived at the room and opened the door, Jan, who was sitting on a chair, stood up in joy. Calian nodded at the greeting and took out the princeâs seal and said.
âPlease bring me some stationery.â
âYes, prince.â
Jan went out with the answer and immediately came back with several sheets of stationery and pen sealing wax. Kalian wrote two letters with the same content in front of Jan.
It said, âI will be visiting soon, so please make arrangements so that I can stay without any inconvenience.â
Yan looked a little confused when he saw that.
Because Iâm not the type of person to write a letter asking to be treated like that, even putting my own seal on it. However, because Calianâs expression was not so good, Jan first quietly stood next to him and waited.
Calian said as he folded the completed letter, put it in an envelope, and sealed it.
âIt looks like Sting and Nerika are going to start a war within a day or two. I think the elder wanted to prevent that, so he asked me for a favor. He asked me to find five elves.â
âAre you saying you tricked the prince?â
âThatâs right. I was fooled.â
Yan, who understood the situation, acted like the dukeâs son for a moment.
Kalian, who was surprised, covered Yanâs mouth and stopped him from swearing, and then quickly said something else.
âThe two lords seem to be preparing for a fight because they think I have already passed by here, so they will stop once I tell them I am coming. Everyone will know that the knight Kaera has come to Latran, so they will also know that provoking me would not be good. â
Jan asked, understanding what Kalian was thinking when he wrote such a snobbish letter.
âThen what about after that? Even if we put the war on hold after receiving the letter, if the prince doesnât visit after some time, we will try to fight again.â
âThe five elves will return.â
Calian smiled at Jan.
âThe terms of the deal were not to prevent war, but to find an elf. Itâs either a fight or not.â
After saying this, Calian walked to Jerâs house, holding the two letters he had just written.
* * *
When Calian held out two letters, Zer looked at them and asked.
âWhat is this?â
âItâs a letter.â
Calian answered, sitting down in a comfortable position across from Zer.
âSend one to Sting and one to Nerica. Then the war will be delayed for about a month. Of course, the elves who left home will return. After that, you take care of them so they donât go out again.â
After answering like that, Calian continued speaking while tapping Jerâs desk.
âIf only we were still here.â
âThen warâ¦!â
Zer closed his mouth and Calian laughed when he saw that.
âBut heâs an elf. Thatâs why I thought it couldnât be possible. I knew the two lords would fight, but I faked it.â
Calian tilted his head crookedly.
A crooked voice that seemed to fit that image followed.
âme.â
I learned firsthand that just because elves canât lie doesnât mean they canât hide the truth and not tell it. It took a long time for Gerâs mouth to open as he explained it properly.
âAre you sure youâre going to leave like this?â
âYou asked me to find five elves? Thatâs why I found them.â
Zerâs long ears turned red, perhaps because he was angry or embarrassed. Ger tried to coax him a few times, but he couldnât speak.
Calian stood up without further delay.
He then pointed to his letter on the desk and said.
âThatâs the cost of what we ate and slept during. Weâll leave right away tomorrow morning. Thereâs no need for a forest path or anything like that.â
Zerâs ears turned a little more red as he saw Calian turning around and walking away. When Calian arrived at the door, Jerâs voice came out.
âAre you saying you are okay with war in your country?â
âThereâs a reason, so weâre going to fight. Weâre going to fight like that.â
After saying that, Kalian raised his finger and pointed at the floor.
âIf this place is that important, protect it yourself. Donât play tricks.ân/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
After that, Kalian opened the door and left.
Zer was staring at the door Calian had left through, speechless for a moment. This is because something very different happened than he expected.
* * *
Meanwhile.
Kalian, who returned to the room, sat quietly in his seat. The expression on his face didnât seem very refreshing, so Yan, who was standing next to him, looked worried.
âHas something else bothered you?â
âLennon Brissen. I donât like the fact that Brissen has a monopoly on food trade, but youâre behaving like this.â
âBecause of the breakup of the wheat trade?â
âYes. If something like that happens, itâs not like a lord to starve.â
The area around here had many mines and was not fertile enough for large-scale farming. Therefore, it was clear that food was unconditionally dependent on trade.
âYou shouldnât be careless with food.â
As Calian muttered this, a knock was heard on the door. It was obvious who was coming, so Calian gestured toward Jan to open the door.
As expected, it was Zer who entered Calianâs room. To be precise, it was Ger whose expression had truly changed.
âYou wouldnât have thought that someone as big as a prince would just leave a war happening right under his nose.â
Zer hesitated for a moment, looking at Calian.
After waiting for a long time and seeing no word come from Zer, Calian frowned.
âDid you come to see my face?â
Jer lowered his head.
âIâm sorry. Let me explain. Please just listen.â
âKeep it short.â
Zerâs mouth opened.
It was a very cautious voice that was clearly different from when we first met or when we saw him in Gerâs room a little while ago.
Zer told about the events of the Briesen Merchant Marine, which Calian had already heard about. Then he bowed his head again and said.
âI knew that you were involved in Latranâs affairs because of Luca. But since the start of this war happened in Latran, I couldnât bear to tell you first. I hid it because I thought Luca wouldnât help me if I told him he was involved. âIâm really sorry.â
Calian did not answer.
âShameless, but we need your help. We canât solve that problem.â
Calian did not give an answer right away.
I kept my mouth shut for a while, lost in thought. Zer looked nervous and was only looking at Calianâs mouth.
Calian kept repeating only one name in his mind.
âLennon Brissen.â
He caused trouble by switching sides to Randel, and then arbitrarily cut off the deal, provoking a war. Before that, it was Lennon who tried to eliminate Melphyr Fallun over diamond trading rights, and it was Lennon who gave Tacrimosa, the poison Calian drank, to Silike.
Keep going, keep going!
Grab your ankles.
After a long time had passed.
Calian spoke low and fast.
âI havenât been to Nerika yet. Itâs probably similar. Go and see if theyâre preparing for a fight there too. If so, you can give me that letter and come back. And I know what other things you need besides wheat. Then Iâll meet the lords. â
âAre you saying youâll help me?â
âIâm not helping the elves, so donât be mistaken.â
I said this because I thought it was time to catch Lennon Briesen.
In any case, there was a welcome look on Jerâs face. Either way, Calian continued.
âI just hate playing on someoneâs palm. And I donât do business with people with their own agenda. So do it right this time.â
âI understand.â
After answering this, Ger said thank you several times and walked out.
* * *
Sunlight came out the window.
Kalian spent the night with his eyes open. And I contacted Alan. Because it was early, Alan was probably still at home and answered right away.
â Did you stay up all night?
Calian secretly slept a lot in the morning.
Therefore, whenever I was awake like this at dawn, it was always after I had stayed up all night.
â yes. I did some thinking.
â You tell me.
Calian nodded and conveyed the contents. I could clearly feel Alanâs surprise when he heard this. Calian, who thought it was worth it, nodded.
â Are you really saying that you will do that?
This is the first time Alan has asked this question. Calian laughed. Even without looking, it was obvious what Alan was doing right now. Youâre probably sitting back on your bed or sofa and massaging your temples.
â yes. Please tell your Majesty. Please inform the Marquis of Briesen of Lennonâs betrayal.
â Are you sure you know what it means to convey the circumstances of Lennon Brissenâs dealings with Tensil to the Marquis of Brissen?
After some time had passed, Alan said this.
â I know there is a risk of a civil war and a risk of a fight between princes starting. And I know that the Marquis of Briesen likes money.
This is what I learned while watching Hail Latran. Didnât Hale say that after giving the money he earned to Marquis Briesen, he decided to receive a piece of land as a gift?
â So, are you saying that the prince will also bribe the Marquis of Briesen?
â no.
After saying that, Calian recalled once again what he had been thinking all night and continued his explanation.
â Please convey the information to the Marquess of Briesen and tell him that if he ousts Lennon quietly and without any problems, I will buy you a Briesen top.
Alan said nothing again.
I am thinking about what Kalian is saying now. Kalianâs explanation continued.
â When there was a rumor that Sillike used poison on me, the damage to the top of Briseen was the greatest. Hale, who was dealing with Lennon, suffered a blow because of it, so the damage to Briesenâs upper division must have been beyond imagination. Thereâs no way the Marquis of Briesen would want to keep hugging that troublesome top.
To begin with, Briesen was a knightly family.
Lennon, who was not good at swords, started by making the Brissen top.
Lennonâs father, the Marquess Evan Briesen, may have kept Lennonâs business running because it made money. But now there was no way he would be happy with the top, which did not make money and did not fit the name of the knight family.
â Anyway, Kairis is the best. Even if the deficit is severe, how can you buy it?
â Arenât there already the right people for operation? If you are Baron Fallun, the owner of the Fallun Merchant Marine, you will be able to run it well. If the name at the top is changed to Fallun, the nobles will resume trading and the deficit problem will be solved.
â Itâs not a question of whether there is someone to run it. Currently, we are preparing to purchase land for use by the Wizard Vulkan and erect a building. In addition, the cost of maintaining the Balkan is considerable. No matter how difficult the situation has become and the value has fallen, it will not be easy for the royal family to come up with enough money to purchase the top.
Calian said, realizing what Alan had misunderstood.
â Master. You havenât opened my safe yet.
Lemain loved Freya very much.
After the death of Randelâs mother, Queen Aisha, Lemaine took his concubine Freya and gave her a very nice estate. Silike later became queen.
After her death, Freyjaâs domain was inherited by Calian.
And old Kalyan did not spend the proceeds of his fiefdom. Old Calian did not spend a single penny of that money, so much so that Briesen did not wonder how much money had accumulated in the treasury. All the money just piled up.
â Lennon Brissen. Please clean it up now, Master.
Whitlin, located in Kairisâ largest wheat producing region.
Calian, Lord of Whitlin, said so.