Zahan Alliance.
They were called merchant nobles and had existed for a very long time.
Since a thousand years ago, when humanity declared war on the heterogeneous races, the Zahan Alliance had traveled across the continent, supplying goods.
Even now, they significantly contribute to maintaining the Empire’s land transport network.
Although their territories are concentrated in the southwest of the Empire, that land was of little significance to them.
“They are things that could burn and disappear at any time.”
“We have survived for a thousand years. Our immortality lies in trust and contracts.”
“We are merchants. Let us take pride in that fact.”
The name of the merchant organization that built up trust through steady trading was equivalent to the name of their family.
The branches, warehouses, and shares of ports spread throughout the continent were their territories, and thousands upon thousands of mercenaries and adventurers were their army.
They had steadily stained the Empire, various kingdoms, and even the Eastern Continent across the sea with their color.
“Among the 187 merchant organizations held by the Empire’s court nobles, the shares of the Zahan Alliance account for a total of 61%.”
“They repeatedly invested without touching the management rights, increasing their shares, then incited both the involved family and their rival, weakening the family’s power, before swooping in to essentially seize the organization.”
“Currently, there are over 40 merchant organizations under the Zahan Alliance hiding beneath the names of the Empire’s court nobles in the capital. Since the last incident, their power has grown rapidly, to the point where counting them has become meaningless.”
“We cannot let them take the Empire’s goods and transport.”
“It was they who purchased all the Empire’s treasury bonds and Duke Valencius’s promissory notes while Your Majesty struggles within the magical realms.”
Jeilliris and Valencius had been waiting for today since they received this report last winter.
“I declare all bonds and promissory notes issued during that time null and void.”
The Empire’s subjects and nobles had long sold all the promissory notes they held to the Zahan Alliance.
To be accurate, the Zahan Alliance had purchased those promissory notes at a premium.
The Alliance aimed to pressure the Imperial Family with those promissory notes.
“I must force them to lower tariffs. We must completely engulf the Empire’s economy.”
This was a declaration like a bolt from the blue.
“Let me see His Majesty!”
“What nonsense is this!”
“The Empire’s credit rating will plummet!”
Merchant nobles and branch leaders of the Zahan Alliance staying in the capital and the bourgeoisie who had invested in them, as well as the members of the Imperial Council, all raised their voices in unison.
They rushed wildly to the palace, seeking an audience without reservation.
Even the high-ranking Platinum Knights and guards did not block them.
This was an order from Jeilliris, but the furious nobles did not notice that.
“Solletarass! How could you make such an outrageous decision?”
Hossellon, a merchant noble from Zahan, stepped forward.
He was the head of a renowned family, ranking within the top 40 of Zahan’s prestigious houses.
“A single word from Your Majesty is worth more than gold. We believed in the Empire and the Imperial Family, received promissory notes, and faithfully supplied flour, meat, blankets, and medicines. How can you betray us like this?”
Jeilliris was veiled, and beside her stood the treasurer Hadrian.
Hadrian, with his bright blue eyes, glared at Hossellon.
‘Not just double, but this bastard has ingested ten times more than usual.’
Hossellon met his gaze head-on and bowed his head once more to Jeilliris.
“If the Imperial Family treats us this way, how can we conduct business with you in the future?”
“……”
The usual Jeilliris would not have even granted them an audience.
However, Valencius did not want a single blemish left on Jeilliris’s name, and the tyrannical girl decided to grant her brother’s wish.
The Emperor’s cool voice echoed throughout the lofty audience chamber.
“Since it is not a promissory note issued by me, why should I pay?”
“It is a promissory note issued by Your closest blood relative.”
“I have severely punished him, dismissed him from the position of Commander of Knights, and have not called him even once in the past six months. If your son or wife issued a promissory note in your name, would you pay?”
“Your Majesty, we believed in the Imperial Family.”
“And thus, I am granting you an audience. If you must take even a single gold coin, go seek Duke Valencius. He will be at the workshop near the Street of Learning.”
Jeilliris turned to leave, and Hossellon clutched his nape, feeling his blood pressure rising.
“That, that child dares to—”
“We must find Valencius immediately!”
“We need to seize that flying ship!”
This was not merely pure bad news for Hossellon and his faction.
Though the promissory notes amounted to a staggering sum, it was known that Duke Valencius had amassed wealth beyond that.
‘With the rights of royalty and several shares, it might actually turn out well. I could even get involved in Gremoryus’s mine.’
‘He owns multiple properties. This is, in fact, a blessing. It’s a chance to root ourselves even deeper into the capital.’
‘I’ll devour all the territories he received from Instramentum. I’ll capture the residents, sell them to the southern continent, and extract the mines to the roots.’
It was essentially an authorization for plunder granted by the Emperor.
‘The Emperor seems intent on sacrificing one of his own to settle a debt.’
Hossellon and the merchant nobles boldly summoned their personal soldiers, high-ranking mercenaries, and A-grade adventurers.
“Alright. Proceed.”
However, the bourgeois of the Imperial capital did not easily budge.
“We will stop here.”
“Something feels off.”
“It seems they’ve noticed we’re targeting him.”
They were the ones who, last winter, under Hossellon’s instigation, had spread voices praising Valencius to sow discord between him and Jeilliris.
The workshop leaders, merchant heads, and bourgeois thought Valencius would become arrogant, but instead, he devoured all the land they were coveting.
That was clearly a warning.
Though they hated them, they did not underestimate them.
They knew very well what could happen when those who live by their feelings become strong.
Hossellon swiftly suppressed the rebellion among the capital’s bourgeois.
“Hmm. Then I must confiscate your merchant organization, buildings, warehouses, ships, mansions, and carriages.”
The merchant organizations and markets were clustered near the docks, and that area was the most devastated.
The fact that the bourgeois of the capital could live as bourgeois now was thanks to Hossellon’s investment.
Hossellon turned his back on them, humming a tune.
‘After all, it’s practically my organization. Now I can enter management. Perhaps it’s time to target the grain market first?’
Other nobles of the Zahan Alliance were also dreaming hopeful dreams.
‘Valencius. A powerful mage, huh? Regardless, he’s a frail mage. He must have been puffed up just because he has some soldiers. Today, I should show him the bitter taste of life.’
‘A fool who became royalty by being born to the right parents, and who became the elder brother of twins. My subordinates are reverse warriors who crawled up from the bottom.’
“Let Duke Valencius know that life is real combat!”
Hossellon boldly shouted, and hundreds of mercenaries and adventurers charged down the street towards the general workshop.
It was an unusually cloudy day for early summer, and pedestrians could not be seen on the street.
“Waaah!”
“Uhhahaha!”
“Let’s go!”
The high walls built of gray bricks seemed like they would crumble before their momentum.
Creeeeak!
At that moment, the iron gate of the general workshop opened.
The sharp sound of metal echoed eerily, shaking the ground.
“……”
“……!”
The mercenaries running like mad suddenly stopped one by one, and the adventurers exchanged tense glances as if entering a cave.
Swoosh—
A figure walked out from the main entrance of the general workshop.
Hossellon had not seen Valencius yet, but he could tell that he was the rumored bandit.
With a shiver, he noticed the ominously flickering yellow eyes and the haphazardly styled white hair.
The extravagant white suit adorned with red trim and jewelry confirmed the rumors of lavishness.
The non-human energy felt even through the translucent white gloves.
“Your Grace! I have come to collect a debt.”
Hossellon stepped forward, arms wide open, while Valencius smiled as if waiting for him.
“A debt? What do you mean by that?”
“The promissory note you issued, Your Grace. It amounts to a total of 384,000 gold coins.”
Valencius glanced at the overcast sky once, then nodded.
“I had that thought from the beginning.”
“Pardon?”
“You and I must have been thinking the same thing.”
“Seize—”
“Then, feel free to blame me as much as you want!”
Boom!
The sound of a magic rifle echoed in the street.
Hossellon’s head burst like a melon, and red droplets splattered across the road.
The magic rifle unit stood up in unison from beyond the wall, aiming their rifles, while armored knights rushed past Valencius.
Thud!
Leading the charge was a knight clad in armor even larger than the other mechanical knights.
Thud!
Among the mercenaries, there were a few who recognized that armor decorated with a white base and red patterns.
“That’s an enemy knight!”
“An enemy knight?”
“Does he still serve that bandit?”
Swish!
Crimson mana blades intertwined with the mechanical knight’s greatsword, and in a single strike, four mercenaries and adventurers rolled on the ground.
For Tenitia and the mechanical knights, the fight resembled slaughter.
Chihihih!
They did not even need to use techniques.
One punch sent the opponent rolling, and a single swing of a sword cleaved them in half.
The mercenaries and adventurers of the Zahan Alliance also had decent skills.
“Fight!”
“They intend to kill us all! Don’t run!”
“Protect the ladies!”
At least it was someone with a sword user level, and several had reached the wall of Sword Experts.
Outside the Empire, their skills would be sufficient to be knighted.
However, the Empire was a country where the wall of ‘knighthood’ was as high as the sky.
Both Tenitia and the mechanical knights had already broken through the wall of Sword Experts.
Wham!
Blades of various colors—red, blue, orange—danced with mana.
Clang!
The swords of the sword users shattered.
“Huh?”
Their bodies were severed along with them.
“Ugh!”
Even if they somehow exploited their numerical advantage and struck from behind.
Clang!
“Damn it!”
Their weapons bounced off with sparks flying.
Over 800 mercenaries could not withstand a dozen knights.
“Surrender! I will surrender!”
“Enough! We will return to Zahan!”
“I will only accept 80% of the promissory notes. No, 50%!”
The merchant nobles from the Zahan Alliance all hurriedly raised their hands.
I raised one hand to signal the magic rifle unit.
They were also armored and held massive magic rifles.
Clang!
The sound of a hundred loaders filling a hundred rounds was quite pleasing.
I looked at the Zahan Alliance merchants with a grin, as nasty as the rumors suggested.
“You should have known your place.”
Conversations occurred between those who formed similar forces.
The most important thing in diplomacy was knowing how many Sword Experts the opponent had.
“If ants come into the house, you must kill the ants and bugs with magical medicine.”
As I thought of sweeping away those parasitic beings, I felt a pang in my chest.
“If left alone, they will gnaw down to the roots.”
They likely also had beloved families and organizations to protect.
“……How dare these vermin scheme against someone!”
It would have been better if they had only amassed power enough to protect them.
If they had asked for three times as much, I would have thought of gradually repaying.
So this was all their doing.
I resolutely lowered my hand, and the hundred magic riflemen pulled their triggers in unison.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
One pellet instantly transformed into over a hundred iron beads, and a dazzling shower of sparks swept across the cobblestones.
Tens of thousands of pellets mercilessly beat down on the adventurers, mercenaries, and merchants as they spilled out blood and rolled on the ground.
“Aaah!”
“Gugh!”
Among the mercenaries at sword-user level, many escaped death, while the mechanical knights gladly relieved their pain.
Thud!
Thud, thud.
Raindrops began to fall one by one, wetting the ground.
Swoosh—
Soon, summer rain poured down, staining the streets red with blood.
The magic riflemen moved all the bodies into the workshop.
They intended to wash them away into the underground sewer to provide slime food.
I stood quietly for a while, staring at the blood spreading across the crimson road.
“All properties are to be confiscated. They will belong to the Imperial Family.”
