Chapter 66.2

“If you’re so confident, feel free to enter the north with just 19 mercenaries. But I can’t promise you’ll come out alive.”

The official’s blatant hint that they intended to rob the Imperial merchants was unmistakable.

At that point, the Imperial merchants realized that any further conversation would be meaningless.

“Do you think the North will get away with this?!”

“Oh my, has the North ever not gotten away with it?”

“If that’s how you want it, then northern merchants won’t be allowed to operate in the Empire either!”

“They haven’t been able to operate freely for a long time. They’ve only ever faced discrimination, contempt, and persecution.”

“We’ll petition the Imperial Court! We’ll demand the expulsion of all northerners from the Empire!”

“Go ahead, see how that works out for you. Who do you think will suffer more? If northern mercenaries and adventurers leave the Empire and head to the Kingdom Alliance instead, who do you think will profit from that?”

“Y-You…!!”

In the past, such threats from the North would have been met with laughter.

If anything, the Grand Duchy of the North’s bluffs would have been welcomed. After all, it meant they wouldn’t have to travel to the cold, harsh North.

But now, those same threats stung bitterly.

“What in the world is the Imperial Court doing?!”

“They gorge themselves on taxes and bribes, but they can’t even handle a bunch of northern savages?!”

“The Emperor’s health is failing, and invaders from the east and west are threatening the Empire. We can’t afford to make things worse by antagonizing the North.”

“Looks like the Crown Prince, who’s acting as regent, is still too inexperienced.”

“Shh! He’s the future Emperor!”

“Damn it…”

The frustration and dissatisfaction of the Imperial merchants continued to build until finally—

“I’ll go myself!”

A man stepped forward, representing the Imperial merchants.

“I’ll go alone, without an escort or any attendants! I’ll confront the Northerners and prove my sincerity!”

The man was none other than Entir Bishop, one of the great merchant lords of the Empire.

“Master Bishop, it’s too dangerous!”

“Without risk, there is no reward.”

“But if something happens to you, what will become of us?!”

“Then my in-laws will have a field day, I’m sure.”

“…Pardon?”

Despite the pleas of his subordinates, Entir set off for the North with a cold sneer.

Of course, in truth, he was practically dragged there by Balzac, but the public story was different.

***

Two months and fifteen days passed.

The season had shifted from early winter to late winter, according to the Empire’s calendar.

Most people had already assumed that Entir Bishop was dead.

At House Havana, his in-laws, preparations for his funeral were quietly underway. Various merchant groups were already moving to carve up the Bishop Trading Company like vultures.

But then—

“I, Entir Bishop, have returned!”

The man who had walked alone into the depths of the North had come back.

“From now on, we are no longer a trading company. We are a company!”

No one knew what he had seen in the depths of the North, nor what he had witnessed at the High Tower.

“Buy up large plots of land outside the city, and build on them! Start hiring workers immediately! I don’t care if they’re beggars or vagrants — as long as they have intact limbs, hire them!”

Whatever had happened, one thing was clear — he had been profoundly changed.

As soon as Entir returned to the Empire, he began making earth-shattering moves one after another.

“What kind of mess is this? It looks like my in-laws were planning to take over while I was gone. Well, too bad for them. I’m back now, and the interim management is over.”

As soon as he returned, Entir rapidly restructured the Bishop Trading Company.

He reestablished control over the company, which had been on the verge of being devoured, and reorganized it into the Bishop Company, a new system entirely.

“Don’t want to cooperate? Refusing to obey?”

During this restructuring, some executives and branch offices influenced by the Marquess of Havana displayed rebellious behavior.

“Then kill them.”

Utilizing elite mercenaries and skilled operatives from who-knows-where, Entir swiftly crushed any signs of rebellion.

“We’re seeing signs that the southern branch is moving toward independence.”

For regions that were too distant for Entir to handle directly, he didn’t resort to brute force.

“Don’t sell a single shard of northern porcelain or a drop of Mary’s Blessing to them. Same goes for Arad Salt. Send word to every other trading company as well.”

Entir had secured an exclusive, near-monopoly contract with Renslet.

“Pass this list to the northern merchants in Haven. Tell them not to sell to any of the listed trading companies. They’ll understand since it’s an order from the High Tower.”

This meant that Entir had essentially seized control of the supply and pricing of northern porcelain, Mary’s Blessing, and Arad Salt.

His influence in the Empire had grown so enormous that it was practically absolute.

Imperial Northern Central City: Solasis

Inside the Bishop Company’s northern-central branch, which was on track to become the company’s new headquarters—

“Hahaha! Hehehehe! Hihihihihi!”

Entir Bishop clapped his hands like a man who owned the entire world.

“Feeling that good, huh?”

A mercenary with brown hair and brown eyes asked him with a smirk.

“Of course! I’m so happy right now. I’m so glad I didn’t kill myself. I don’t think I’ve felt this kind of joy in over ten years.”

“Well, as long as the employer’s happy, that’s all that matters to us mercenaries.”

The mercenary, whose appearance was ambiguous enough to make it difficult to tell if they were a man or a woman, chuckled.

‘Still, it’s shocking. I always knew that Elisha had a thing for men, but I didn’t expect her to have that kind of relationship with the Imperial Crown Prince.’

The mercenary idly fiddled with the necklace that allowed them to maintain their transformation.

This mercenary was none other than Carpe, leader of the Red Wolf mercenaries.

The necklace allowed her to change her appearance at will, letting her move unnoticed.

Elisha von Havana, the Marchioness of Havana, was a Swordmaster known as the Flame Sword.

Carpe had crossed paths with Elisha many times while working in the southern and western parts of the Empire.

They weren’t particularly friendly — it was a purely professional, business-like relationship.

If anything, Carpe felt a sense of rivalry toward her.

“Ahem… By the way, Mercenary Queen…”

“Shh! You know I’m being hunted by the Dark Grand Duke, right?! Call me Phil!”

“Oh, right, right. My bad, Phil.”

“So, what do you want?”

“I heard you’re a master-level fighter, almost like a Swordmaster, right? How strong are you, really?”

“?”

At the sudden question, Carpe could immediately tell what Entir was getting at.

“Don’t worry. I can handle Elisha just fine. She’s too predictable in battle.”

“R-Really?!”

“Yeah. Not all Swordmasters are the same, you know.”

“What about the Dark Grand Duke?”

“That’s impossible. The moment I saw him at the Grand Wall, I knew it for sure. That man isn’t called the strongest in the Empire for no reason.”

“Ah… I see…”

“Why do you think I’m going through all this trouble to stay hidden?”

Carpe’s words made Entir feel like he was riding an emotional rollercoaster.

“But you probably don’t need to worry too much. Balzac… that old man is about as strong as the Dark Grand Duke. I could tell the moment I saw him at the High Tower.”

“Ohohoho!”

“Besides, the Dark Grand Duke is too busy to leave the wall just to kill a mere merchant. If a figure like that made a move, it would be impossible to hide.”

“Thank goodness… Thank the heavens…”

Feeling truly relieved, Entir let out a long, deep sigh.

“Ahem! It’s almost time to head to the outer district. Phil, get ready.”

“Alright. Dain, Hamel!”

“Yes, Captain! We’re ready!”

Two mercenaries with mismatched arms and legs responded.

They had lost their limbs at the Grand Wall, but had been given prosthetics at the High Tower.

“Alright, let’s head to the First Factory in the outer district.”

Carpe and her Red Wolf mercenaries surrounded Entir’s carriage like an iron wall as they moved.

By the way, all the horses they were riding had been “acquired” from the Grand Wall as “compensation.”

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