《Res Publica: Republic Among Monarchs》 Chapter 1 - Merchant in Linvart Linvart, one of the two major port cities that connects the self-proclaimed island Kingdom of Fortra to the rest of nations across the Sea of Medinan, is under the control of House Lomn. Not a year ago, they ended up selling the land deed and the port to my father in order to keep their coffers fit enough to survive the then ongoing succession war between the two princes for the throne. The first prince, Bildim Hilgan Von Ostraburg, is supported not due to his ability but due to his weak will that if he is to be put in charge. He could be easily influenced by those who supported him. So those nobles who held high ambitions joined him. The second prince, Arwin Linden Von Ostraburg, is the "righteous" successor as he is chosen by his father before his death. Therefore those noble who seek traditions and laws of the land followed him. That war only ended a year ago with the death of the first prince. What follows is a period of civil turmoil as nobles who supported the first prince make their choices. Some ran, gathering their wealth as much as they could and make a journey for other nations. Some fought, their ambition or rejection of the second was so strong that they continued the resistance even after the first prince had failed. And finally, some turned. Just as grass follows the way in which the wind blows, these nobles renounced their allegiance to the first prince and accepted the fact that they might be seen as dishonorable and traitorous by others within the court. Due to the instability of the nation at the time, my father had neglected to expand the trading business in the area; citing it is too risky and the rewards too light compared to other choices. Of course, that does not mean we have not profiteered from the war; it simply means we had no physical expansions. That is, not until now. To my wise and humble son, Leonhard Zieten. My son, your management of Eadral Port for the past eight years had been most exemplary. You have expanded the port enough to double its size, you have attracted merchant far and wide, you have made our presence known within the court of Viceroy Tashina, and you have bared the name of house Zieten proudly. As such, you have been granted the utmost important mission of expanding our trade and relationships in the Kingdom of Fortra. You shall expand our port, Port Isal, within Linvart, turning it into our main base of operation there. You shall then man it to the fullest of your ability; it is of most importance that you adequately man them. Finally, you shall set up trade posts along certain roads where you see profitable. Be mindful, while the war has ended, and stability had somewhat returned. It does not mean it is as peaceful as it is in Eadral Port. Do not mistake peace for safety, face for the heart, and mutual gain for an alliance. Lastly, my son, that you are the only one who truly represents the house Zieten once you are there; and only one of the few representing our Republic. As such, I had also set up a deal with Count Lomn. Once you arrive in the soil of Linvart, the third daughter of Count Lomn, Siara Lomn is to be betrothed to you. You need not thank me. Your father, Head of House Zieten, Patrician Fabio Zieten. This letter had been given to me by one of the carriers when the ship finished docking in Linvart. The letter itself had the seal of House Zieten; a diamond-shaped wax with 4 phrases, "For Trade, For Republic, For Honor, For People", carved on each side and in the center is a decorated wheel with the words "We Arrive". I had confirmed that the carrier was specifically ordered by father to not give me the letter until the ship has docked. "Sly Fox will always be a sly fox until the day he dies." I sighed. I had expressed to my father the wish to stay single to further my own studies. For the past 10 years, it had worked. After all, most nobles will be married within a year or two of becoming an adult, at the age of 15. It seems that my father had enough of me being a free man and not a political piece. He knows that it annoys me and he sure got a good laugh while doing it. I sigh once again before taking the first step into this island. I fought the urge to go straight back to Iodeal and demand an answer from my father about this third daughter of Count Lomn, whom I have never had the pleasure to meet. But I know better, it is not something that is possible to change, not now.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. "What a great start." The Port of Linvart is as one would expect from a major port city. Workers massing around the dock unloading the goods, fisherman arriving with their morning catch, and the usually salty stanch from the mixture of the sea and sweat swarm can be noticed miles away. However, unlike the port-cities which I had familiarized myself to. There are no walls erected to protect the city or restrict the entry to the port itself. The size of the port is also lackluster if it is to be compared to the Port of Iodeal. A large paved road led down to the center of the city; on the side of such a road is two building that is no less than 3 stories tall armed with several double doors the size of a small castle gate. Those storages are not an uncommon sight for most large cities, especially trade centers. "Sir Leonhard are you well?" An all so familiar voice asked me from my right. The person is Ulrike Cole. We found her abandoned by her family 10 years ago in the middle of the road. While it is a sad sight, it is all too familiar in this world. Although now you couldn''t see a trace of the helpless crying child. She is currently wearing the custom version of the Iodeal Heavy Infantry equipment; steel plate with a red surcoat over it, a steel arm guard, a pair of leather gloves, a pair of leather boots, a kite shield on her back, and a flanged mace by her belt. In other words, she is utterly terrifying. Even though she is almost a whole foot shorter than me and not to mention 5 years younger; her posture would suggest I am a puny existence compared to her in combat which is not false. "I am just a bit shocked is all. Apparently, my father had neglected to inform me that the third daughter of Count Lomn is now betrothed to me when he first told me of this mission." I said while shaking my head slightly. "I must agree with you, but it is a good time to get a wife. Is it not? After all, time does not tick back." Ulrike suggested, obviously hinting that if I am not careful; I might let my prime pass me by. "It is hard for me to focus on both love and my studies. I am still well enough to wait another 10 years before getting married." I boasted. "As long as you do not become like that of princes of the Herbonic Empire, I shall support you to my fullest abilities." She replied. Her sharp obsidian eyes pierce through me. Without a doubt, she thinks I will become one of those nobles who marries someone that is the age of their grandchildren if I were to wait. "As much as I would love to continue the discussion of my nonexistent love life, I think it is time to move on," I said as a company of 10 horse riders emerges from the street. Although it is less emerging from the crowd than the crowd gives way for them. "Greetings, Sir Zieten." The leading horseman greeted me as he dismounts his horse. His horse which is armored to the teeth with steel and decorated with carvings and the coat-of-arms of House Lomn, a steel gauntlet in front of snow peaked mountains. The person himself is fully plated just as his companions behind him. However, unlike them, his armor is dotted to the brim with decorations, patterns that will not reduce the ability of the armor but show the importance of the person wearing them. "Greetings, Lord Lomn I take it." I greeted back. The person seemed slightly taken back by the fact I called him Lord Lomn. "No, Lord Lomn is the title of my father, I have yet possessed the honor or ability for such a title. Please call me Kai" Kai explained and it makes sense. Through the raised visor I can clearly see someone whose age is near that of mine. "And I apologize for meeting you in such a state, I would choose a much less aggressive attire, but the security of this nation now isn''t the... best." He continued with narrowed eyes. "Bandits?" I questioned while Kai adjusted his ax on his belt. "Deserters, a bunch of worthless scum who not only run from battle but also turn against their very own countryman. But none of that now, come, let us talk indoors." Kai gesture for us to follow him. As it turns out, the heat is a lot worse in Linvart than Iodeal. The walk to the mansion of the governor, the building which passed down from governor to governor of the city, is perhaps less than 30 minutes. I sweated the whole way; it isn''t even summer. It seems that I am the only one though, Ulrike seemed indifferent as she walks next to me, utterly silent. If Kai or any of his company did sweat, I didn''t notice it and they didn''t complain. Although he did take the time to apologize for being inconsiderate and not preparing a carriage. The governor''s mansion is nothing to write home about, but it does tower over all other building we saw so far. The mansion itself is located atop a hill, overlooking fields upon fields of golden crops. The mansion is one story taller than the storages and by far much more decorated as one would expect. The building can, in estimates, house 100 servants or guards discounting rooms for other uses such as art or dining hall. "We have arrived at the manor. I suppose now my manor." Kai gestured towards the gate guarded by two men who are armed in a less dramatic way than any of my company right now. "Welcome to my humble abode, Sir Leonhard." Nothing and I mean nothing, says humble abode like a 4-story mansion enough for a tiny army. He must be comparing that to the "mansion" of my house, which can be classified as more of a palace than a mansion. "Thank you. But please, refer to me as Leon. After all, what are brothers who are always stiff towards each other?" I returned. Kai simply shifts a small laugh before leading us into his mansion. Chapter 2 - Negotiations The inside of the mansion isn¡¯t as decorated as the outside. The patterns probably left by the previous owners are the only thing that I would count as fancy here. The mansion is loosely decorated with painting, mainly those depicting that of victorious battles and knights swearing oaths, and carpets. I was led to the waiting room before Kai excuses himself to change. His cavalry companions also made their leave when we arrived at the mansion, citing the need to prepare for the next deserter hunt. I was left alone in what I assume to be Kai¡¯s office with Ulrike, who is currently staring with her eyes narrowed at a life-size painting of a blonde female knight, a dame as some might call her. ¡°What do you think?¡± I strike a conversation. ¡°Think about what?¡± She gave me a simple reply. Her bad mood is apparent through her annoyed face. My guess is the weird looks which the populace had been giving her as we made our trip here. ¡°The painting, of course.¡± ¡°Nothing about it.¡± She shrugged. ¡°I simply found the idea of dame or damehood to be ridiculous.¡± ¡°Really? Isn¡¯t it fine and rare? After all, in a feudal nation like this, a damehood is no small achievement.¡± I said as I shifted slightly in one of the chairs provided in the room. Ulrike opting to stand. ¡°Sir Leonhard, you already know how I feel about this kind of things. I can even see it in this painting.¡± Ulrike sighed. It is true, Ulrike never liked the idea of calling the same titles differently between man and woman. She once told me that ¡°if a man and a woman have achieved or inherited the same rank of titles then call them by the same. If not, then they do not have the same power from their titles.¡± She had read her own fair share of books during the time she¡¯s with me. I look at the portrait again but more in detail. The dame is beautiful as painting often depicts lady. She is standing with both her hand on the pommel of a long sword that is standing on its blade. She is relaxed with a faint smile while in her full plate armor. ¡°It sure stands out from the rest.¡± I finally said. Stands out, not in the sense of a dame among knights but in that she is not depicted the same way as other male equivalents. She is beautiful and peaceful, while others are very much depicted with this ruggedness that comes with battles. Ulrike nodded. She has a habit of not talking much in the presence or house of others. It is part of her discipline as a bodyguard. We remain silent until Kai finally returned. He had replaced his combat attire entirely. His plate armor replaced with a simple shirt, belt, and a purple cloak. His helmet replaced by a hat that sports a long white feather and a Bronze Pentagonal emblem that signifies his rank, Baron, among the nobilities - one of the countless leftover cultures from the Lanvastan Empire that ruled most of the known nations centuries ago. ¡°Thank you for waiting, if you don¡¯t mind, I would like to get to business right away.¡± He eyed Ulrike slightly. It is enough for Ulrike to excuse herself to outside of the room. ¡°Well then, Sir Kai, I suppose you want to talk about the food situation?¡± I said as he sat down behind a well-polished wooden table. ¡°Please, just Kai. As much as I strive to follow the ideal of nobility, this I could never get accustomed to it.¡± He explained. ¡°That is not important. I wish to discuss the deal with you.¡± I wanted to argue that I have lived with nobles who will take offense from simply hearing that for a good portion of my life, but I digress. I also have no wish to anger someone who is both in charge and my potential brother-in-law. ¡°Very well, so what part of the deal do you wish to alter?¡± I close in on the other side of the table. ¡°The fact is, I find the price quite high, much too high, for essentials such as grains.¡± ¡°I believe the deal is that you would pay one Fortas for every 3 pounds of grain we deliver, as well as the same for 6 gallons of ale,¡± I replied. The ale is the cheapest kind which is extraordinarily popular with the poor, even though it is weak enough to gain the name of Strong Water. ¡°Indeed, but the regular price is one Fortas for every 5 pounds of grain or 10 gallons of ale. I understood that the situation which we are currently in isn¡¯t our proudest moment, but I still find that price to be unreasonable.¡± He stares at me. ¡°I see, so what would you say to be a reasonable price then?¡± I asked. ¡°I would say in the middle. One Fortas for every 4 pounds of grain or 8 gallons of ale. I understand that you merchants are not here to do charity.¡± He replied quite quickly. I am sure he had prepared for this for when people are asked to give a price that is reasonable; it takes more than a while.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡°... And Kai, what makes you think that I have the power to alter such a deal? This deal is done by both of our fathers.¡± ¡°Because you are here.¡± Kai makes a slight hand gesture towards me. ¡°During your management of Eadral port, I believe that you also took the job of representing your family as well as making deals.¡± He has a reliable information web. I was indeed given the right to discuss deals on behalf of my family. Now, the most tricky part of this whole negotiation is doing a deal which both parties are satisfied to a point that it does not brew many negative feelings. If I did this poorly, I would lose much more than just my current standing in Fortra. ¡°Then you must also know what my reply to this then,¡± I said before laying back on my chair. ¡°You will not agree,¡± Kai answered. ¡°You are correct. This deal, made by both of our fathers, contains what they both believe to be the best or at least an agreeable value for both parties. I found there to be little to no reason to change this.¡± I added. ¡°I think you know the reason why the price is high right now.¡± ¡°The fact that these essential supplies are in massive shortages due to the effect of the war.¡± ¡°Not only so, while the war has ended, but the conflict and the internal turmoil also has not. Many power holders still oppose the current king openly, even violently. As a direct result, there is not only a massive shortage of farmers but also the safety of the merchants is in question. Lastly, the most basic problem of them all, Fortas is a lot less desirable than our Idean. You see, during the time of Civil War due to shortages of rare metals, the Fortas that had been minted became smaller and contain less gold.¡± I leaned my face forward. ¡°Please understand the universal law for merchants, the higher the risk the higher the return.¡± Kai nodded. He had an excellent expression for diplomats; it is completely devoid of anything. As much as I like the fact he is able to understand my logic, he presented himself to be much harder to deal with than your typical headstrong noble. ¡°What do you want?¡± Kai abruptly asked. ¡°Please clarify that,¡± I replied. I am sure he is not trying for a bribe, at least he did not strike me as someone who would attempt it. ¡°What do you want in exchange for lowering the price?¡± He answered. This is quite an interesting proposal. If I can use it well, it could prove to be worth a lot more than it costs. ¡°...¡± I remained silent. The most likely choice would be the land deed to set up a trading post and while I have studied the places which I wish to set up trading posts there is none I wanted in Linvart. Linvart is not only settled on the coast but also next to River Kiam which runs all the way down to Lake Trium, one of the two major lakes in the kingdom, and to the east at the major city of Carrel. This connects Port Isal to a vast majority of cities and trade centers to the south and east, meaning that setting up a trading post in Linvart and most of the subsequent cities to the south and east are essentially much less useful. ¡°Allow me to sleep on it.¡± I finally said. ¡°Of course. Now with that over I would like to hear your opinion about my sister, Siara.¡± He changed the topic. ¡°My apologies, I have yet to have the pleasure of meeting her.¡± I tried to wave it off. ¡°But you must have heard of the rumors of how unruly she is.¡± Kai brought the conversation right back with a smile. ¡°Today is the first day that I am here, as such I am afraid that I lack the time to learn much about anything in this nation that is not in the books.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± He leans back and stares into my face. ¡°For someone who just arrived, you sure know a lot about the power holder of this land.¡± ¡°A merchant must know about where he put his investment. I am no different. I might have an understanding of general events, I wouldn¡¯t have any knowledge of specific person apart from the rulers of the land.¡± ¡°Then let me tell you, not as the governor of this city, not as the commander of my troops, but as the brother of Siara. The rumor about her is in no way flattering. Unruly, wild, and in no way resembles a lady. Those are as true as they are false. She does not follow the courtly ways since she was young. She much prefers riding and running across the field over poetry. However, she is by no way as uncontrollable or self-centered as they say.¡± ¡°She has trouble with people she is betrothed to,¡± I concluded. ¡°The reason why you are explaining this to me now and that she is betrothed to me is that no noble wants to take her in as their bride.¡± Kai was taken back slightly. However, his face shows that he is more impressed than shocked. ¡°Indeed, after all, how would you ever expect her to act as a wife living in a mansion of a house calmly?¡± Kai shakes his head with his eyes closed as if he is reminiscing a good memory. ¡°Anyhow, I assume that you had a lot of experience with those like her in the Republic.¡± ¡°Have I met types like that you describe of, yes. Have I had a lot of experience working or living together with one, no.¡± I specified. ¡°The Republic allows females to take upon the same job that is traditionally male, that doesn¡¯t mean those at the top of the power hierarchy accepts it. Not to mention the Republic itself is a part of the Kingdom of Levania. Though our autonomy is high, we are still influenced heavily by them.¡± ¡°Oh, how about the bodyguard you had there then?¡± ¡°To me, she is practically family. She has been with me long before I took over Eadral Port.¡± Kai nodded in understanding before proceeding to end the conversation. ¡°I will entrust you with my sister then. Ah, just look at the time, I hope you will enjoy your stay here.¡± I did not know what I have said invoked him to entrust his sister to me and I don¡¯t believe I would find out for a long time so I bid my farewell before joining Ulrike outside. It seems that this marriage is more set in stone than I had hoped. Then again, the whole situation here is messier than I wanted. Chapter 3 - Morning Walk I am tired, no, exhausted today. It has been some time since I had to deal with something that exhausting. Not because of how troublesome they are, no. Merchants live between nobility and the common folks, they deal with them both almost all the time. But of how sudden that trouble arises before the prior ones have been solved. ¡°Still needs 200 or so personnel to efficiently man Port Isal. I have at least 2-3 trade posts I want to acquire which also needs to be manned. Now I also have a potential marriage partner as well as family to deal with.¡± I murmured under my breath in this candlelit room provided to me by Kai. It is quite late in the night; I can see the moon high in the sky through my window. Kai had graciously given me and the 10 people who I brought with me all with rooms reserved for the nobility. ¡°If those rooms aren¡¯t used they are going to waste away anyhow.¡± Kai had said when providing the rooms. Sitting in this chair that faces the window, I wished I had brought more people, just finish manning Port Isal in day one. But that is impossible, father had decided to expand across all ports, manpower is low everywhere. Rumor has it that the King of Arphin travels around with two thousand of his retainers. I held back a laugh as I imagine my father meeting the King and his two thousand retainers in our main house and in a smile tuck them all into the ¡°house¡± of ours. ¡°I should go to sleep. Long day¡­ days ahead of me.¡± I remove myself from the chair and the table with the map of Fortra on it. Blew out the candle and returned to bed. The heat is as bad as ever, but the exhaustion is enough to take me to sleep. Sweet dreamless sleep.
I wake up early as usual. I have never been much of a sleeper. Rubbing my eyes slowly, it seems that the roosters have yet to crow and the sky outside is still as dark as ever. Slowly and carefully I took some of the dried wood chips out of the box on the table and sprinkled it inside of the tinderbox. Narrowing my eye so I don¡¯t catch the house on fire, I aimed the fire steel and lights up the tinderbox then transfer the flame to the candle. Instead of going back to staring at the map and wondering how to fix this mess, I took one of the few books that I have brought with me. The title of the book, The Rule of the Masses, written by a philosopher named Bellphas more than ten centuries ago. I have read this book more than I can count and yet, I can never truly put this down. The concept of the book is centered around the idea of letting the masses rule called ¡°Democracy¡±, let all the men within a nation, a county, barony, make the decisions that would affect them. That should an event affect the whole nation then those who lived within the nation should all should take part in dealing with problems; a system of voting. If it only affects the county then all those who live in that county shall vote. ¡°The power of law and rulership should be left to the people for this will eliminate corruption and incompetence brought by Monarchs and Oligarchs.¡± The book claims. ¡°Only an idealist would truly believe in this.¡± I closed the book. There are way too many problems with the proposed system. From ignoring the fact that the strong and rich will always try to gain control and power to the fact that most of the populace is uneducated in the affairs of the world, thus making this nothing more than mob rule. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. Then I opened another book, a book which I have read only once and for some reason have the urge to bring with me on this trip. The Make of a Nation, literature that comes into contact with us during the time of Mass Rebellion that broke apart the Lanvastan Empire. The time when food becomes scarce and bandits were everywhere; a time when it is common for a village to be devoid of life. It wasn¡¯t until the powerful claim themselves as kings and install law into the land did it get better. The book described the need for order and the prosperity of nation above all else, for if there is no order there is no nation and people will suffer. The idea of legalism. Unsurprising this is what come to be extremely popular among the nobles, especially the ruling classes in the current world. Using it the nobles can claim to do many things ¡°in the name of future prosperity¡± and people like Kai who I can see so devoted in the idea to actually act upon it which make it hard to dismiss for many. ¡°As always, each book only stress the good part of the ideology. Mentioning little if not ignoring the negatives.¡± I closed this book as well. Decided that I have had enough of sitting in a room thinking, I prepare to go on a small walk for a change of pace. ¡°Good morning.¡± Ulrike greets me as soon as I take a step out of my room. She knows me too well. ¡°Good morning, how was your sleep?¡± I returned. ¡°No doubt better than yours. You should really change that habit.¡± We shared a laugh. It had become somewhat of an inside joke between us. I wake up way too early, she would tell me to change, and I stay the same anyhow. ¡°What¡¯s on your mind?¡± Ulrike asked as we approach the backyard garden. ¡°Things to take care of.¡± ¡°You will go bald under all the stress and pressure.¡± ¡°It has been over a decade, I still have my hair. I think I have surpassed it long ago.¡± Although it is a backyard garden, it occupies and hosts enough red and orange flowers for one to feel as if they are stepping into a pit of fire. They are easy to see even at night. ¡°What do you think of Kai?¡± I asked. ¡°A by the book noble person. Generous and charitable to his people. He is the pinnacle of nobility in the best way possible. That is also his flaw, he cannot and will not learn to forgive.¡± Ulrike replied after a few thoughts. ¡°I believe his father is the very same. Seeing that he idolized his father. And the most important part, when have you ever seen the ruler pass out food to the citizen?¡± ¡°Never, in fact, that is unheard of.¡± Ulrike decided. ¡°They are currently buying from our merchants in order to help their citizens recover. This, in fact, made them extremely popular with their citizens. Not only so but people are also moving from other areas of Fortras to the County of Timei in hopes of finding new life.¡± I sighed. ¡°You need to tread around them even more carefully.¡± Ulrike nails the point. ¡°Indeed, the moment the ruler got the undivided support of people is when the ruler gains the supreme power over his land,¡± I said. I decided to put the trade deal on the back of my mind for now. Kai doesn¡¯t seem to expect much out of it, and as long as I don¡¯t make a move the deal goes on as normal. Of course, if I wait long enough then the point of changing the deal would be gone. That is when the rooster crowed. One, then two, then three, then all of them; coming from everywhere. The sky slowly turns blue, then orange, then flaming red, blending with the flowers. It almost seemed like that I stand in the center of the sun. I didn¡¯t get to enjoy it long. Lia, one of the two maids which I had brought with me found me. ¡°Sir Leonhard, Lord Lomn is looking for you.¡± Chapter 4 - Brotherhood of Carrel The outskirt of Inlan, a small village of less than 800 located only half a day walk from Linvart, is where I stand currently alongside Kai, Ulrike, and 1,000 of Kai¡¯s personal troops from Linvart. I decide not to bring anyone else since I am forbidden to get involved; if the battle breaks out. ¡°It is disgraceful of me to let my guest fending for his life in my land¡± as Kai put it. The day is bright but not as hot as yesterday. As I had hoped, the outskirt of Inlan like the majority of the County of Timei is flat plains and the wind that blows across it feels extraordinary today. ¡°You have only one chance. Understand I do this only for the people who live here and not the cowards.¡± Kai growled. He is back in his battle armor. I must say that he hasn¡¯t grown more fond of me since our last talk in Linvart about the current situation. Inside the village is what to be assumed as around 1,000 deserters who had banded together under the name of Brotherhood of Carrel, Carrel being the city where the vast majority of the deserters originated from. Once again, I was able to see how much Kai hates them. There is no reason for him to bring a professional army that size against the deserters; he even brought his 200 riders with him. Riders whose only difference from knights is the decoration of their armor. Without a doubt, he wants more than to disband the group. He wants to run them down, hunt them, and send a message to all who trouble the land; that those who disturb order will be destroyed. The field is awfully silent consider there is about 1,000 men in heavy armor and an entire village ahead of them. There is no sound other than the occasional neigh from the horses, armors clanking against each other, and the grasses whistling in the wind. ¡°Alright, forward!¡± Kai called. Soon, the marching sound of 800 people and 200 horses overwhelmed all other. According to the details, these deserters are made mainly of Loaned Equipment Infantry. An interesting classification that I haven¡¯t seen. Apparently, they are people of a lower socio-economic class, those who lack the ability to supply themselves with armor and weaponry which one a noble or influential merchant would bring; in other words, the common folks. So the local lord loaned them the equipment, for the price of half of their wages in the army. A price to pay for their lives I guess. The main reason for that is the lack of mainline infantry, the poor usually goes to archery. Cheap, effective, and in a way safe. However, the toll of the war had made the infantry line lacking so they were created. Their duty is unique, their duty is noble, their duty is to protect their brothers-in-arms. So I have been told by Kai who added: ¡°It is inevitable for every army to not include criminals, cowards, and traitors¡± at the end of his explanation. The good thing about this is that the standard equipment of the deserters should not be much different from what they left with: close-combat only. From what I heard, there is no reason to expect any archers as they are mainly farmers. The hunters got the preferred choice in archery. As if answering the advancement of Kai, the deserters emerge from the village. Not like a pack of an unorganized bandit, but a neat line of shields. They have decided to take this to the field. A strange choice considers the riders will be much less effective in the tight streets. ¡°Perhaps there is still a shred of bravery left in them,¡± Kai commented. ¡°But too little too late.¡± I fidget slightly, not remotely used to plate armor that I was convinced that I need to put on and this feeling that Kai is not going to appreciate what I am about to do. Ulrike probably senses it, because she quietly moves her head next to my ear and whispers, ¡°do what you need to.¡± I turn to look at her. Her face is devoid of expression as usual, but she gives me a confident nod. And it is true. For once, my position as the child of house Zieten might gift me something that is not pain. ¡°Halt!¡± Kai yelled. The entire army stops. The opposite did the same after. We are probably about 500 feet or so from each other. Kai waves at me from his mount. It is my turn. ¡°Raise the banners!¡± I shouted. One of Kai¡¯s bodyguard raised the universal, at least for the those who used to be under Lanvastan Empire, a banner for negotiation. Two golden feather pen crossed with each other on top of a white hue. Then two more banner went up. The banner of my family, the familiar wheel and the diamond with its 4 phrases centered upon a purple banner, and the banner of House Lomn, the gauntlet in front of the snow peaked mountains.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. Taking a deep breath, I lead the way to the center of the field. Hopefully, it does not become the battlefield soon. Ulrike naturally follows by my side. The banner carriers formed a triangle, with the banner for negotiation at front and houses behind. They are flanked by Kai, who dismounted to show his share of respect for this talk and his own bodyguard. As we made our way to the center, a group also emerge from the other side. 5 figures with the leading figure tower over the rest and an unarmored man following behind. They did not have any banners raised which are to be expected. When no nobility is presented, a banner of the liege of the land is used instead. In this case, it would be House Lomn if they were not in the current predicament. ¡°Sir Leonhard, how do you feel?¡± Kai suddenly struck a conversation. We have agreed that formality in calling each other¡¯s name to be omitted in private, but in public it is simply a matter of what the world sees as appropriate. Things such as even a humble king should never bow his head. ¡°I would be lying if I were to say that I am not nervous in the least,¡± I replied, glancing at Kai. ¡°Your first time on a battlefield?¡± ¡°I never had the luck.¡± ¡°It must be quite a blessing then, living in such a peaceful nation.¡± ¡°I wish I can enjoy the peace as it seems to the world. I spend too long in the presence of ambitious nobles.¡± I sighed. ¡°The intrigue of the Republic Patricians eh?¡± ¡°Indeed, the game of power in the Republic is all about reputation. But the underlining of it is wealth.¡± I shake my head. At some point, a house even tried to bamboozle the port out of me. ¡°Anyhow, shouldn¡¯t we focus the task at hand?¡± ¡°I like to prioritize my tasks. I do not want this to come across as insulting. But I find the talk with these traitors meaningless.¡± Kai stated flatly. And it is true I suppose. For him, if the talk went sour, he leads the army and destroys the deserter. He might take some losses but it is for his ideal. If it went well, the fight is avoided. He avoids losing anyone but he also cannot stress the length of how far he can go for his ideal. ¡°I rather not have them dead. After all, dead men do make terrible customers.¡± ¡°Once a merchant, always a merchant. However, I would like you to think about things above the plane of materials.¡± By the time Kai finished his sentence, we had stopped. On the opposite side, the other group is but 10 feet away, close enough for me to make out the finer details. The leading man is as tall as me, which shouldn¡¯t be common as I do stand a head taller than most. 3 men who are in full plate armor stood by him, just like the regular man-at-arms from Lomn¡¯s army, their helm covered any expressions. The last one is an old weaponless, armorless old man. His hair and long beard had become as white as snow but his eyes betrayed my expectations as it is one with shine and sparkles similar to that of a young squire working towards knighthood. ¡°What do you nobles want?¡± The tall man demanded, looking straight at Kai. It is evident that he assumed the one while the most decorated armor is the leader, which is the norm. ¡°I want to get rid of you disgraceful bunch. Be thankful, if not for Sir Zieten here, you¡¯d be dead where you stand.¡± Kai replied with a tone so cold it can probably freeze water in the middle of summer. ¡°Zieten is it?¡± The man ignored the rest of Kai¡¯s comment and turned to me. I nodded. ¡°Before I start, I would like to know your name, unless you would like me to refer to you as Tall Guy.¡± ¡°A rare one, a noble who jokes. Call me Toric.¡± Toric said. ¡°And the one without arms?¡± I asked. I had guessed him to be a hostage or sorts, but upon closer inspection, he isn¡¯t bound or threatened. ¡°Allow me to introduce myself, Sir Leonhard. I am the Hinder, Elder of Inlan.¡± He said with a tired bow. Without anymore, it is understood that he represents the interest of the village. It is not uncommon for small villages like one of Inlan to be governed by an Elder rather than a mayor. ¡°Elder Hinder, I assume you had something to tell us.¡± ¡°Indeed I do, I have come to plead for forgiveness.¡± The Elder let out. Chapter 5 - Blood Silver ¡°What the hell do you mean by that?¡± Toric glares at the Elder, demanding for a reply. The Elder, however, ignored his outburst and continued. ¡°Lord Lomn, I plead for your forgiveness for their desertions.¡± Hinder bowed once more. ¡°These men, though they had deserted the army they have not forgotten their sense of honor and duty. You must understand that all men make a mistake, and they all make one major one during their lifetime.¡± ¡°You say their honor and duty is still intact? I must say that I see little proof of it.¡± Kai waves it off. ¡°Sir, you probably didn¡¯t know as you are busy with other tasks but not 2 weeks ago this little village was enduring continuing harassment from other deserters. Those who had nothing but wish to murder and pillage, loot and rape. Many, many good men and women had perished. With this small village, everyone that is lost is another friend or a family member lost. It is not until this traveling band did the harassment ended. Please reconsider, a band who will fight not for money, not for life, but for the innocent, for the suffering, for those who cannot fight back. Is this not an act of honor and of duty?¡± ¡°... Toric is it? Tell me what do you plan to do if you survive today?¡± Kai looks at the scowling man. ¡°It is none of your-¡± ¡°Answer or die.¡± Kai spends no delay in interrupting Toric. ¡°You have one chance. Speak your answer or die branded as a traitor.¡± ¡°Return home to Carrel, Tinwart, or where ever we are from and return to the simple life it used to be,¡± Toric responded reluctantly. ¡°So what now? Are you fighting us or not?¡± ¡°Huh, that depends purely on Sir Zieten,¡± Kai stated, clearly no longer interested in talking and all eyes on me. ¡°Thank you, Sir Lomn.¡± Sending the message that I am definitely not amused to have the attention. ¡°So Toric, let me ask you something. What do you know of the current situation, or rather, what reason did you use as a base to answer ¡®return to the life it used to be¡¯ to Sir Lomn¡¯s question?¡± ¡°The reasons?¡± Toric asked, apparently bewildered by what he heard. ¡°Yes, the reasons why you would think that this ¡®life it used to be¡¯ still exists,¡± I stated as naturally as possible. ¡°What kind of question is that? Would anyone think about a reason to go home? Do you think about a reason to return and meet your family? If it is a thing for noble to do then count me out of it because the stories of family killing nobles are endless.¡± Toric scowled. Before Kai can draw his sword and signal the beginning of a thousand men slaughter, I took the chance to reply. ¡°Indeed the story of family killing nobles does exist but so does family killing commoner. Nobles are written much more often because poets found it much more amusing and interesting to write and sing.¡± That seemed to calm down Kai a bit as he hasn¡¯t made a move to grab his sword on his side, yet. ¡°And let me continue. Although I am no noble of this land, I did study much of this nation and the war which had just ended. Members of your merry band are made up mainly of those who are drafted from Carrel as the name suggested. Then you should know that Carrel is very much at the far East side of this nation. Do you know that during the succession war that most barons in the County of Ingran decided to support the first prince?¡± ¡°County of Ingran¡­ you mean-¡± Toric and his few bodyguards seem to have a revelation just as I hoped. ¡°Yes, the county that is directly South of Carrel. You have fought in the war and you should know from experience that the majority of fighting is done in the Western half of Fortra as that is where the capital Ostaburg is located but that doesn¡¯t mean Eastern front has not seen its fair share of the war.¡± I said cautiously. It is always hard when I try to poke at the nerve of someone I have never met before because it is hard to predict how they will react.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. ¡°Of course, the fight in the East is nowhere near the scale of the West but Carrel, the city, is, by my understanding, quite a target even now,¡± I added. ¡°Why are you telling us that?¡± Toric asked after a moment of silence, thinking. ¡°When you first mentioned your name, it didn¡¯t click, but now you express you are not a noble of this land I recognize it, the name ¡®Zieten¡¯. Although the Republic of Iodeal has¡­ was distant in both name and influence. The family name Zieten is completely different. The head of one of the largest merchants guild, the ¡®Red Gold¡¯. So why are you here and what reason have you doing things here?¡± I myself have little experience in term of organizing or managing ¡®Red Gold¡¯, so I couldn¡¯t say much about them. All my interaction with them had been simply logistic works on transferring and arrival of goods in the port that I managed as I was in one of the subsection of Red Gold, Clear Silver. It seems that they are famous for what their name stands for. Red Gold, or Crimson Gold or even Blood Gold as some would call them. It represents how Gold is acquired, no matter who you are. All Gold is acquired through blood, be it clear or red. ¡°If you want to know why I am here then you have just as good of a guess as I. I am telling you because I am a merchant. But not just any merchant, I would like to call myself a fair merchant as well. After all, buying and selling is but a choice and all beings would without fail have at the very least 2 choices in a trade. Therefore with more information the better decision the¡­ clients made for themselves.¡± I said. I actually have a great range of guesses of why I am here and I would imagine that the majority of them to be right. ¡°What do you want from us?¡± Toric finally stated. His expression is now quite dull compared to the constant changing state before. When one shows you this face, it means the person is really to make a legitimate deal. ¡°I shall save the exact details for when you accept it. But my offer is as such. Your band shall no longer be considered the citizens of Fortra thereby nullify all obligation to serve the local lords and the crime of desertion shall no longer hold power against you. Your band and those family members whom you wish to claim shall gain all the rights and protection which a citizen of Iodeal will enjoy. Iodeal being a part of the Kingdom of Levania, you shall also receive protection under Levania. In return, I expect that the band known as Brotherhood of Carrel is now disbanded. All former member of the Brotherhood of Carrel will become a member of Blood Silver, the Fortra area subsection of Red Gold.¡± I declared. Kai didn¡¯t show many reactions since I had already talked the talk with him beforehand but I can feel through his helmet that he wants to talk after this. Of course, at the time I simply stated to him that ¡®I will find a peaceful way to disband this band of deserters¡¯. Toric and his party are stunned by this deal since this kind of dealing where a group renounce their nationality and join another, especially for deserters, is simply unheard of. ¡°I say you take it, Toric.¡± Elder Hinder suggested. ¡°A deal like this doesn¡¯t make a second come around.¡± ¡°But what of Inlan? This village has housed deserters. Though we will be wiped off the so-called ¡®crimes¡¯, I doubt this village can get out free.¡± Toric stared at Kai. ¡°I can assure you that the village will be freed of it as well for even after this deal is done, most of you will stay in this village. As per a previous deal, Inlan will become one of the centers of storage for the Republic of Iodeal.¡± I replied. ¡°Is that true?¡± Toric directed towards Kai who nods in response. He then scans across the rest of his party who all also nods. ¡°How would I know that the moment we put down our weapon that you won¡¯t retract the deal and brand us as traitors nevertheless?¡± ¡°Because I now talk to you as a merchant, not a noble. As much as that displeases Sir Lomn, I, in the end still find dead customers making some of the worst customers.¡± I replied naturally. ¡°So for profit?¡± Toric eyed me. ¡°Indeed.¡± ¡°Very well, I will take the deal. But do not expect everyone from my party to agree with you. I am only their temporary leader.¡± Toric finally took it after my response. In this world, words back by honor, glory, or other nonphysical things held little power to people like Toric because they are in the end, immaterial. Therefore the best deal and perhaps the most trusting one is one which both side profits from the same result. ¡°But you will do what you can to convince them I held no doubt. After all, they trust you enough to let you decide their future.¡± I said with a grin. ¡°Then, with the blessing of Goddess Laviera, this meeting is thus concluded.¡± Chapter 6 - Message from Timei It has been about 2 weeks since that deal, or rather, deals. Toric has successfully convinced his brother in arms to accept the deal, which is to be expected. My request to begin a subsection of Red Gold and the acceptance of a total of 897 men Brotherhood and their family that was sent to my father also has been replied. The Republic of Iodeal also enjoy much autonomy than other subjects of the Kingdom so this deal only needed to be approved by the head of one of the major patrician house. In the short letter, he congrats me on my progress to build up a stable trade route and in his own word ¡°we will always accept those who wish to work into the Republic¡± even though one of the restrictions which I have placed upon them is that they must live in Fortra as long as their work is in Fortra. Not much people complained, after all, I am forcing them to stay at their homeland. Though some do want to settle their family to the much less unstable and more peaceful Iodeal before returning for work. I had moved out of Linvart to Inlan a week after the deals. Using the former town center as my base of operation as offered by the village elder. A much smaller building than the halls of the lords, but enough to house my office and bedroom. As I had suspected beforehand, the village itself is struggling to survive. Not only because business is hard to find and crops untended due to danger and lack of manpower but also to feed the Brotherhood had taken on quite a toll for the village. It won¡¯t be long before starvation strikes if they try to hold out. The office they had provided me with is much smaller even to the sleeping quarter that Kai had provided me with; the only thing which I managed to fit there is a table and chair set. The room is off to the side on the second floor, the wooden wall ran down, and the only thing that can be considered to be a decoration that is here is the solid wooden window. But oddly I feel much comfortable here with the only thing on my table being the ink bottle, my quill pen, and the wax stamp of Blood Silver which my father had sent me along with the letters. ¡°Hey, boss, the shipments have arrived.¡± Toric bust into my office with a grin on his face. The guy sure has familiarized with me since that incident. I had made him the Steward of Blood Silver soon after to keep the others in check. Unlike the time we met on the field, his plate armor is missing and replaced by simple tunic though his sword is still by his side. ¡°Right on time as promised. Has the counting finished?¡± I asked. This shipment is one of the first steps to cement my position in Fortra. ¡°Yes sir, enough grain to feed everyone for quite some time along with some drinks. Just need you to sign the papers.¡± Toric searched around a bit before pulling out a scroll out of his bag. ¡°54,000 pounds of grain, 12,000 gallons of ale¡­¡± I sorted through the list before something interesting catches my eyes. ¡°10 barrels of wine?¡± ¡°Ah yes boss, I ordered that when you placed the other orders since you get much better deals than I ever will. You see, I thought we do have a little celebration for the occasion since the last 3 weeks have been quite busy. Don¡¯t worry, we will chip in part of our weekly wage.¡± ¡°Just tell me about it in the future. I really dislike things placed in my name without my approval. As for the cost, I will cover it. Just this once.¡± I said. I will just add the wine cost with the rest of the food. These expenses will be paid for by my house. In exchange for these, I have gained the ability to use the warehouse that is now being built without any obligation of rent. ¡°Thanks, boss, so when can we¡­¡± Toric trails off while staring at me with his grin that had yet subsided. ¡°We can talk about that when you are finished with your duty¡¯s today.¡± I extend the signed scroll to him. ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll tell the boys to move the goods.¡± Toric dashed out of my office just as fast as he had arrived. ¡°What do you think?¡± I asked Ulrike who had found herself a spot on the side of the room. ¡°I supposed he is not as dense as he liked to act. He also does make a good practice dummy. Most importantly, his men trust him.¡± Ulrike said with total seriousness while checking her mace.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°I would agree. He probably knew that I would cover it when he acted. As for the practice dummy part¡­ how did that went?¡± I shift a glance at Ulrike. Ulrike had a duel with Toric when they are introduced to each other. Let¡¯s say that they had some different view upon the world and how it operates under the current kings. The duel itself had been approved by Kai, who had also provided the practice gears. I had missed the duel due to some heavy workload on my side, but Toric returned with a bruised chin and sullen shoulder so I can guess the result without much problem. ¡°He relies too much on instinct and raw strength, a complete novice in terms of swordplay. He might as well been wielding a stick, perhaps that would be more effective.¡± ¡°You really can¡¯t fault him for that. He is mobilized and sent to the front at a moment¡¯s notice.¡± I replied to Ulrike¡¯s harsh judgment. ¡°Then he should do himself some good and learn to fight properly.¡± As soon as she finished her sentence, there are 3 soft knocks on the door. A maid walked in slowly with a letter on her hand. ¡°Sir Leonhard, there is a message from you from Timei.¡± She bowed her head slightly before placing the letter on my table. ¡°Thank you, Kwann.¡± ¡°If you would, excuse me.¡± She exits the room gracefully, almost like she is nothing but air. It is the normal teaching of servants. They are supposed to never do more outside of their job. They are to act like air, to never disturb their masters. I found that it provides peace when I needed it, but at times I also find such teaching a bit lonely. The letter she handed me is seal with the red wax as all noble letters are accustomed to. What interest me is the seal of the wax. I had expected to see the seal of House Lomn. However, the seal is not of that. In fact, the seal seemed foreign to me. The design of the seal involves a gauntlet holding up the head of a lion. To Sir Leonhard Zieten ¡°The Merchant¡± of Iodeal, from Marguerite of House Bertillion, liege of Tillbert, Greeting Sir Zieten, though we have yet to formally introduced to each other, your achievements have already arrived in Timei, where I have stayed to meet Lord Lomn. I must congratulate you on not only solve the problem without bloodshed but also turn your enemy to your ally. However, the purpose of this letter is not only so. After hearing your achievement I could not help but wish to have a conversation with you. As you might know, the County of Ingran, which had been under the control of House Helprin and their partisans before the war, is now separated by 6 Barons and Baroness with House Bertillion the youngest and of common origin. Though it is somewhat of shame for I could not extend my hospitality to you in Tillber, I would like to invite you to Timei, I have been led to believe that Lord Lomn should also extend an invitation similar to this one. Should you find the time and care for a discussion of the world and people, I shall patiently await you in Timei Castle for as long as I will stay. Perhaps, we could even establish a mutually beneficial agreement before the day¡¯s end. And, as a gift to celebrate your recent accomplishment, rumor has it that the third son of House Ridder has landed in Kidan. For now, I await your visit and wish you good health that you are deserving of. I do not like any part of the letter. I have nothing against the paper and the ink which had formed the words and given meaning to it. I do, however, hate the fact that House Ridder had decided to muddle in my business, quite literally. It doesn¡¯t help that House Ridder had always been in a rival position with my house. The Republic is divided into 6 major houses, being the most influential and held the backing of many District Magistrates of the Republic. Currently, the Doge of Iodeal is from House Sabisch, the ¡°true rival of House Zieten¡± as my father so kindly described, who had the backing of House Ridder. Though that being said, House Ridder is one of the more limited houses in Iodeal, being much smaller in size of operations regarding trade. Even so, their wealth is nothing to scoff at, and if I am not careful I could find myself losing my foothold in Fortra. I am not familiar with House Ridder, but from where he decided to land it is not hard to see what he is trying to do. Kidan is the port city located in the North West of Fortra, considerably closer to the capital Ostaburg than Linvart. Without a doubt, they are trying to appeal to the king of this land. Otherwise, there is little reason to start there as the West being much less resource-rich than the East, lacking the mines in the Tilesi Mountain range present in the East. As for the House Bertillion¡­ her goal is hard to grasp. A major factor of how a noble will act is depended entirely upon how ambitious they are, how far they are willing to go. Though at the moment, she sounds as she wants to establish House Bertillion in Tillber permanently, she might very well aim to reunite the County of Ingran in the long run. Which then means she will have to deal with 5 other Barons or Baroness. She does speak truly in some parts. I had already planned to visit Timei for various reasons. Fine-tune the deals, greeting old Count Lomn and meeting Siara. Just thinking about it gives me a headache.