After obtaining Abbott Norte’s assistance, I headed for Miredo City.
I had just visited the bustling trade center Miredo City in Cashew recently. Arriving at lively Miredo City, I went straight to the Yelmark Company trading house.
Since I had notified them beforehand, I was promptly led to a reception room. Before I could even take the served tea, a slender-eyed man entered.
“Thank you for waiting, Miss Grahm. I am the manager of this trading house, Serule.”
“A pleasure, Serule. Please call me Romelia. As you likely know, I’ve been cast out by my family, so I’m somewhat averse to giving my household name. Moreover, I hope to grow closer with Manager Serule.”
“How delightful. Now then, what business brings you today? Whatever the young miss desires, I can procure it. While this may be the frontier, we always have the latest information. Fashionable dresses, jewels – I guarantee the same selection as the capital.”
Serule smoothly emphasized his shop’s extensive inventory.
“Dresses and gems are lovely, but I’ve come not as a customer but a business partner.”
I loosed the first of my three prepared arrows.
“You may be unaware, but I am currently purging Cashew’s demons to stabilize public order.”
“If so, I am aware. No, that you would devote yourself so for the populace here brings me to tears of gratitude as one living in this land.”
Serule exaggeratedly asserted, but I saw no brimming tears in his eyes.
“But it’s still insufficient as is. Demons run rampant everywhere, and shadows of the Demon Army lurk. Recruiting new troops and equipping arms is imperative, but our budget is quite tight. I ask Yelmark Company to kindly provide some funds.”
At my overture, Serule didn’t even twitch a brow, simply shaking his head.
“Public order is critical of course, but it’s too heavy a burden for a small company like ours. Nor is it for one exiled to the frontier like me to decide.”
Serule’s pretense of a reply made me smirk.
“Is the far-reaching Yelmark Company with trading houses all over the nation really a small company?”
“But of course. Our history is short, vastly inferior to Selor Company and other majors.”
The Yelmark manager downplayed his own company. It was true Yelmark differed from other big players, boasting just over thirty years of history.
“History matters little for merchants, doesn’t it? The most crucial thing is business acumen, nothing more.”
I thought highly of Yelmark Company. Thirty years ago, the owner Yelmark had been an unassuming peddler. Now he had numerous trading houses. If I recalled correctly, they were derided as upstarts in the capital, excluded from dealings with the royal family or top nobles. But Yelmark was undaunted by adversity, seizing opportunities in the provinces to broadly expand.
“I hear Master Yelmark is gifted in commerce, and I don’t take you for any average manager either.”
Though stationed on the frontier, I did not look down on Serule. He had come here five years prior when this trading house was non-existent. In the following five years, he had established the trading house, growing it to dominate half of Miredo’s business. He was known as Yelmark’s right hand man.
“You flatter me, but I must apologize. I am but a lowly manager without authority to draw on vast funds.”
Serule continued his modesty.
“Please be at ease. I have no intentions of coercing money from you.”
I first dispelled Serule’s misunderstanding. Many regional warlords would intimidate merchants for security funds. But we shouldn’t demand money from merchants, rather have them profit together.
“We’re considering recruiting new troops for patrols on Cashew’s major roads. We hope you will sponsor the costs. Naturally, we wouldn’t ask only Yelmark Company but invite investment from all merchants.”
I handed him the plans I had prepared. After feigning thought, Serule nodded.
“I see. For restoring order to this land, I will mention it to everyone.”
Serule readily agreed. Of course, I already knew he would consent.
Having soldiers periodically patrol and merchants follow them was obvious elsewhere. Just not here due to negligence so far.
The face of former Governor Zelbeck surfaced in my mind. That man. He likely intentionally didn’t bother. He planned to wait for order to deteriorate before marching troops into the city and extorting merchants.
“Now then, though we’ve just concluded the first matter, I must apologize as I actually came here for another reason as well.”
Next I drew my second arrow. How would Serule respond?
“And what might that be?”
“Actually, I’m currently considering subjugating the demons inhabiting Kilie Ravine.”
In response to Serule’s question, I stated the plan currently being advanced.
At the mention of Kilie Ravine’s name, Serule’s eyebrows twitched slightly.
“Serule, have you heard? It’s said to be a place with gold veins.”
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In the past, soldiers had been dispatched many times to subdue Kilie Ravine in search of gold. But they were blocked by powerful demons. This time, I would obtain that land by any means.
“For gold mining? That does sound attractive. Are you seeking investors?”
Contrary to his words, Serule didn’t seem very interested.
“No, if we’re mining gold, we’ll have to negotiate with the royal family after all.”
I indirectly declined his offer of funding. I knew Serule wouldn’t care for it either. Gold mining wasn’t very profitable. No, it could be profitable, but because its appeal was plain to see, everyone would demand concession rights once mining began.
The royal family wouldn’t stay silent first of all, and Father would also reach out. But whether profits meeting calculations could be generated was unknown until excavated. It could also readily run dry.
While the risks were high, the earnings were quite mediocre. That was why Serule lacked enthusiasm.
“Though the royal family and earldoms take the lead in gold mining, funding will be needed to construct a village for the miners. Are you willing to invest in developing the village?”
Hearing my second arrow, Serule finally revealed his merchant face.
Once gold mining commenced, dreamers hoping to strike it rich overnight would gather there. Naturally, tools, food, lodging and such would be needed for the incoming miners. Unlike the uncertain gold, business in those areas would be more certain.
“While it does sound attractive, will there really be enough gold dug up to warrant building an entire new village? After finally establishing a village, if the vein runs dry at once turning it into a ghost town, wouldn’t the invested funds be wasted?”
Naturally, Serule was very prudent. But my aim was further ahead.
So I decided to loose my final arrow.
“Please look at the map I’ve brought.”
I spread the map before him. Cashew was a remote region with little flat land. Especially past Kilie Ravine lied Mount Gaelle, presenting a sheer cliff-like mountain range forming the northern heights. And beyond the perpetually snowbound Mount Gaelle was the vast Mibeum Inland Sea.
“Though not marked on the map, there is a bay past Kilie Ravine.”
When I mentioned the secret bay unknown to all, Serule’s expression changed.
“Truly? I’ve never heard of any bay ships could sail into in that region.”
As expected, Serule was smart. Just saying bay and he noticed the implications of ships.
“It’s true. The bay is surrounded by cliffs, hard to spot from the sea, so ships sailing there likely don’t know of its existence. But it’s a place ships can dock.”
I affirmed the bay’s existence, pointing at the map.
“How do you know about that bay? It’s filled with demons so there couldn’t have been a proper survey, could there?”
Serule’s skepticism was only natural. For me to know of a bay no one else did was baffling.
“Actually, I once sailed the inland sea by ship. When I traveled with Prince Henry, we intended to cross by ship but were shipwrecked by a storm. The Prince and I drifted to that bay by chance.”
It had been truly dangerous then. We would have died if not for drifting to that bay.
“After that, we crossed Kilie Ravine and arrived in Cashew.”
I told him what happened and Serule clapped as if recalling something.
“Ah, I think I have heard the tale. They say when the Prince set out to defeat the Demon King, he stayed around this region for a time.”
The Prince had likely felt the shipwreck shameful and omitted the bay from his accounts of arriving here. But his visit was common knowledge, so many probably still remembered.
“The other side of Mount Gaelle is sheer cliffs with nowhere for ships to dock. That bay is the sole route from the Cashew side to access the inland sea.”
The Kingdom of Lionel where I’m from lies at the center of the continent, eyed greedily by surrounding nations. But its sole weakness was the lack of access to the sea, hampering foreign trade.
While it controlled a vital land route, to sail out to sea, one had to follow the winding Manole River.
The issue was tariffs were demanded at each stretch of river, driving costs up.
But possessing a port removed the need to pay unnecessary tariffs. Opening trade through Kilie Ravine could instantly elevate Cashew from a borderland to a trade center.
“If the gold mining succeeds, that would be ideal, but even if not, the village could serve as a transit point, with roads built to the bay for constructing a port. With rock everywhere, materials won’t be lacking either. Using the miners whose dreams were crushed would prevent waste.”
Hearing me, Serule laughed.
“While people call me a cold-hearted man who thinks money is everything, Lady Romelia is rather shrewd herself.”
“How rude. I’m merely helping them find employment again after their failure. If anything, I’m too kind.”
Hearing me, Serule couldn’t help laughing.
“But some investigation will still be needed.”
I agreed with Serule as well. What we discussed today couldn’t be blindly accepted in full. Surveying the bay’s safety and accessibility was also necessary to judge its viability as a port.
“Of course, I plan to dispatch an investigative team with the Karulus Fortress soldiers.”
“Very well. Yelmark Company shall sponsor the investigation team’s costs, at least partially.”
Without saying full sponsorship, Serule was a true merchant. He would bargain at the chance. But he seemed to trust me enough to contribute somewhat. More funds would come if things progressed smoothly.
“However, regarding the immediate issue…”
“You mean determining if the demons inhabiting Kilie Ravine can be driven out, correct?”
Serule stated the fundamental problem. I concurred as well. Without subjugating Kilie Ravine’s demons, gold mining and port construction would just be pipe dreams.
Al’s group should have reached the ravine by now.
Thinking of the difficulties awaiting them pained my heart, but I didn’t show it on my face.
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