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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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“They sold better than I expected.”
“Hee hee, they’re flying off the shelves! Just a moment ago, I was sifting through a mountain of custom order requests!”
The merchant’s beaming face told me the prosthetic arms were a resounding success. My commission would be substantial. I ignored the merchant’s expectant gaze and picked up the heavy pouch on the table.
“This is my share?”
“Wow, that’s a lot…”
Sif, sitting quietly beside me, couldn’t help but comment on the sight of the bulging money pouch.
“Precisely! Divided exactly as agreed!”
“You’ll regret it if you’ve tried to cheat me.”
I glared at him, channeling my most intimidating expression. My rugged appearance seemed to work its magic. The merchant paled, instinctively shielding his groin.
“I-I would never! I’m an honest businessman!”
“Did you watch the martial arts tournament?”
“It’s one of the few forms of entertainment in this area. Of course I watched. You were…amazing…”
Was he referring to the… ahem … groin strike, or my overall combat skills?
I was curious, but decided not to ask. His reaction had already provided the answer.
“Why don’t you check it?”
At his prompting, I opened the pouch.
As he had boasted, a dazzling light spilled from within. It was filled with gold coins—no, small gold bars. A truly beautiful sight.
So this was the allure of gold.
“Well? 5,000 gold coins’ worth of gold bars. Too much to carry in coins.”
“I’ll only accept custom orders from select clients. I’ve been busy, and my time is limited.”
“Of course. How many…specifically?”
“…Ten a month. Ten should be sufficient.”
Each custom order would only take a couple of hours at most.
“Ten?!”
This merchant was truly dramatic. I chuckled at his exaggerated reaction, leaning back in my chair.
“You arrange the meeting location. I can’t allow unauthorized personnel inside the academy.”
“O-of course. Then…”
“And you provide the materials. I’ll craft them on the spot.”
“…On the spot?”
The Bern merchant stared at me, wide-eyed, his gaze filled with disbelief.
I shrugged.
“If you doubt my abilities, I’ll have to reduce the number of orders. Five a month.”
“N-no! I believe you! I’ll select ten clients and contact you immediately! But how…?”
“I’ll send my assistant in two days.”
“Your…assistant?”
“Assistant? Me?”
“Who else?”
“My workload seems to be increasing… I expect a raise.”
“Depending on your performance, I’ll provide additional compensation.”
“Consider it done!”
The gleam in her eyes at the mention of money was… reassuring. Trustworthy individuals were rare. I had effectively appointed Sif as my assistant.
She, of all people, knew the consequences of stealing from me.
“…Understood! I’ll send the list through your assistant in two days!”
“I have other matters to attend to, so I’ll be going.”
“Of course! I’ll have a carriage escort you! Hans! Prepare the carriage!”
A carriage would be welcome. I readily accepted his offer.
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“…So, they took down an entire branch?”
“Indeed. Quite a profitable operation, it seems.”
I chuckled at Principal Merlin’s report.
Success, finally.
The impromptu plan had worked surprisingly well. A favorable outcome.
This would set back the Halphas Cult, giving me time to prepare for my confrontation with Halphas.
“Profitable? What kind of profit?”
“They located what they believe to be the Halphas Cult’s main headquarters.”
“Where?”
“The wasteland west of the empire. I didn’t realize they were hiding so close…”
A fitting location for Halphas. He favored vast, open spaces, ideal for waging war. He was probably already preparing for his next war game.
A war-crazed crow, that’s what he was.
“West of the empire… That’s quite a journey.”
“What do you mean?”
Principal Merlin looked at me, puzzled. I wasn’t sure if he was genuinely confused or testing me, but I had no intention of concealing my purpose.
“I’m going to eliminate Halphas.”
“The cult?”
“No. Halphas himself.”
“…Not the cult, but Halphas himself?”
Principal Merlin stared at me as if I had grown a second head. Even a great mage couldn’t comprehend the idea of directly confronting a demon. I set down my teacup and offered a brief explanation.
“To win a war, you must take down the king. The war doesn’t end until the king is dead.”
“War? Isn’t that a bit…extreme?”
“I’m not joking.”
I didn’t make jokes like that. Principal Merlin, taken aback by my statement, walked over to the window.
He stood with his back to me, then turned and asked,
“Do you believe you can wage war alone?”
“There will never be a better opportunity to strike at the Halphas Cult. And…we have the Holy Knights.”
“Do you believe they’ll follow your lead?”
“If they don’t, I’ll make them.”
The people of this world hadn’t played the game, so they were unaware, but Halphas was planning an invasion with his monster army. The original story’s second semester concluded with the Halphas Cult declaring war.
There were a few minor incidents before that, but…I would deal with those when the time came. I reiterated the necessity of war to Principal Merlin.
“This is our only chance. They’re trapped. If we hesitate… the beast will escape and turn on us.”
If events followed the original story, the war with the Halphas Cult would begin at the end of the year. The protagonist and his companions wouldn’t join the fight until the second semester of their second year.
During that year, the empire would suffer heavy losses, at the mercy of Halphas’s strategies.
In the original story, we hadn’t been able to target their branches like this. They had been operating in secrecy. Now that they were exposed, this was the perfect time to strike.
[You plan to take down a demon? Bold.]
“I’ll…relay your message. But I doubt they’ll agree. Mobilizing forces takes time.”
“Which is why I’m informing you now.”
We needed to begin preparations immediately if we wanted to be ready in time.
“You seem exceptionally confident…”
“…I have…my reasons.”
Principal Merlin’s gaze met mine, attempting to discern my thoughts. He was clearly curious about the basis of my confidence. I didn’t flinch.
“One thing is certain. As long as they hold the Saintess’s heart, we will have to fight them.”
“…Hmm. Your concern for the Saintess is…touching.”
Why the sudden warm and fuzzy expression?
I was curious, but I refrained from asking. It wasn’t important right now.
“The opportunity has arisen to eradicate the vile creatures who cursed the Saintess. I will sever the head of the demon who dares to claim the name of God and present it to her. Deliver this message and call for a holy war.”
“…I’ll…convey your message. But I doubt the Church leadership will heed your call.”
The Church leaders would likely object.
As Principal Merlin had predicted, they would hesitate.
They would probably try to ignore my request.
But I wouldn’t allow that.
“I’ll handle them. Just deliver the message.”
“Very well… I’ll contact them immediately.”
That matter was settled.
“Principal Merlin. There’s one more thing.”
“What is it?”
“There’s someone I need to find…”
I informed Principal Merlin about the key to defeating Halphas.
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