Beginning Of The End (2)

***

Iron was the solution.

Givens and Yusen should have taken the technicians from Aquitania and secured the iron supply route.

While the other's I sent should be founding new villages in the territory and erecting new craft shops wherein Aquitania's industry can flourish.

As things stood, the management of the territory and the training of the troops were going well.

If that was the case, what I needed to do now was to gather information about the Visigoth Kingdom.

The only reason I was able to win so far was because of the information I had learned in the game.

However, Visigoth's re-invasion is something that never happened in the game.

It would be dangerous to challenge the powerful army of Visigoth without any information.

The king of Visigoth is an S-class that I can't match even with my Perk Blade and skills.

If I plan my strategy carelessly without accurate information, it will become a war where many lives will be lost.

There is a saying, "If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles."

This is a phrase left by a famous Chinese strategist.

If you know the enemy, you can win.

Of course, that is a difficult thing to do.

"I'm going to Visigoth." <Julius >

"What's the matter with you all of a sudden?" <Yuri >

When I mentioned the idea, Yuri asked back with a dubious look.

"It's for information. I have some things to look into with the Doro Trading Company." <Julius >

Yuri stares at me.

"I see. Then let's prepare well." <Yuri >

That means she's planning to go with me.

"I think it's better if I'm alone this...time. You're too conspicuous...unsuitable for an infiltration." <Julius >

"What exactly makes me stand out?" <Yuri >

She seemed to be sulking when she was told not to come.

"You yourself, your soft blond hair, white skin and breathtaking beauty. You stand out too much. Everyone's eyes would be one us when we want them to not even take notice we're there." <Julius >

"..." <Yuri >

Yuri stared at me for a while with a puzzled look on her face.

"How dare you! It's too embarrassing! Don't...!" <Yuri >

Then she turned away, blushing.

Isn't it too late to react?

"That's how conspicuous you are. So I have no choice but to go alone. I've made sure that the territory will run without me. In exchange, I have a favor to ask of you." <Julius >

"A favor?" <Yuri >

Yurasia asked shyly, holding her hands up to her face.

"Can you move Roserun? I want you to go to Roserun once for that." <Julius >

Yes.

It was fine to infiltrate Visigoth and obtain information, but in order to use that information, I needed to move Roserun.

"You want me to move Roserun?" <Yuri >

"Yes. If Roserun wants to survive the coming war they'll need to ally with me and not the Lunan kingdom, I need your help to make that happen to save your people." <Julius >

"Of course, they'll choose you. If the choice is between you and Lunan, the decision is easy." <Yuri >

"I see." <Julius >

The answer was immediate.

She gave me a firm look that said there was no need to worry.

"Yes, because the Lunan Kingdom is a sinking ship. No, it's more than that..." <Yuri >

"More than that?" <Julius >

"I would even rather choose you than Roserun." <Yuri >

"What happened?" <Julius >

"I don't know anymore!" <Yuri >

Yuri walked out with a really angry look on her face.

***

- A few days later -

Near Lunan's capital, the fortress of the Doro Trading Company.

The soldiers guarding the fortress were replaced by Aquitanian soldiers instead of slavers.

The fortress was kept alive with prisoners of war who were well known to the branch chiefs of Visigoth.

Ironically the slavers had themselves become slaves.

The captains, who rarely visited the fortress except to pass on orders, saw no change, thereby falling into the trap, and being enslaved as war criminals.

I took off the nobleman's clothes I usually wore and changed into some Gensema's clothes.

"They are coming today from Cassis, the capital of Visigoth, right?" <Julius >

"Yes. According to the schedule, it should be today." <Slaver Slave>

The head of the slave trading branch in Visigoth's capital, a very important person in this situation.

"You're sure they've never met the branch manager in person?" <Julius >

"Yes. I wouldn't lie, because my life depends on it. This damn mark prevents me from lying to you as well. We've been sending messengers to the branch office to deliver orders." <Slaver Slave>

The prisoners flinched and nodded.

The sight of their comrades dying so mercilessly made them unlikely to conspire, even if they could be free from the slave crest.

If they did, they would die.

Visigoth is not a decaying country like Lunan.

Therefore, unlike Lunan, they were at a higher risk of being wiped out.

That's why he took the non-face-to-face approach, not wanting his face to be exposed in case the branch was wiped out.

This is possible because they are a criminal organization, but not a normal organization.

It would be difficult to wipe them out all at once.

"Then pretend I'm Gensema from now on. Understood?" <Julius Gensema>

"Yes, sir!" <Slaver Slave>

Just as I was giving him instructions, the person I had been waiting for arrived.

His name was Martin, and his ability level was not that great.

"I'm Martin, head of the Cassis branch! You're a representative? I didn't expect you to be so young...." <Martin >

"I inherited it from my father." <Julius Gensema>

"I see...By the way, what the hell are you doing calling us to the headquarters fortress? Isn't this not in keeping with the principles of the Trading Company?" <Martin >

He seems to be very cautious, being the head of a branch of a criminal organization.

"That's how important it is!" <Slaver 1 Slave>

Then a prisoner next to me interjected.

"Oh, is that you? You've been to Cassis a few times to deliver messages, haven't you?" <Martin >

"You remember me?" <Slaver 1 Slave>

Perhaps because of this, Martin nodded, as if he had stopped doubting for the moment.

"I broke the rules because it was such an important job." <Julius Gensema>

I said and clapped my hands.

Then the soldiers brought the gold in front of us.

Four boxes of gold, enough to cover five years' worth of sales for the Doro Trading Company.

When he opened the box, the gold sparkled and Martin approached the box with a gleam in his eye.

He had joined the organization for the money.

It was only natural for his eyes to shine.

"This is...." <Martin >

"It's an advance on that important order I was telling you about." <Julius Gensema>

"Advance….?" <Martin >

"Yes. We're promised to double it if we're successful." <Julius Gensema>

"Double? Are you sure?" <Martin >

Martin turned to me with an incredulous look on his face.

This money alone was enough for him to quit everything and live like a king.

"Where in the...world did you get all this money from...? How dangerous is this job?" <Martin >

The danger level increases with the amount.

That's a matter of course.

"We need to infiltrate Visigoth's aristocracy and investigate. This money is for that information." <Julius Gensema>

"No way!" <Martin >

"All you have to do is take the money upfront and help us infiltrate Cassis. I'll do the rest. My client is a great man. If this job is successful, we, the Doro Trading Company, will be able to expand into Mateen. This is important enough to violate our principles. However, since you've broken the rules, you'll be transferred to another branch after this job is done. Or you can retire. That includes a bonus for your service." <Julius Gensema>

"I can't believe we're going to Mateen!" <Martin >

Martin looked at the box again.

"By the way, doesn't that mean that...I could be in danger?" <Martin >

"Not at all. I'll take care of all the risks, you just help me get in." <Julius Gensema>

"If that's the case, I'll do it! I really want this money...!" <Martin >

"Okay. The money is yours. Once you have me undercover, you can return to the fortress and take it from here as the leader and the funds will be waiting for you. But I have to infiltrate first. Do you understand?" <Julius Gensema>

Martin's eyeballs glazed over in thought.

From the point of view of a villain, he would be worried about the fact that the money had not been handed over here and now.

It was a dark organization, so it should be natural for him to feel uneasy that he might not get any money and might be killed when he did his job.

Above all, this is an impersonal organization, bound by money rather than loyalty.

"So all I have to do is sneak you in? And then I'll really get this money, right?" <Martin >

"That's the deal. If you snitch on me, I'm dead. So, of course, I have to give you the money. And besides, I'm going to need the help of the Cassis branch to escape, and you think I'm going to mess with you?" <Julius Gensema>

"...Sure. That's right." <Martin >

Martin said with a nod.

He seemed to be planning to betray me once he had the gold.

With that much money at stake, of course, it could happen.

But until he had the gold, he couldn't snitch or run away.

Martin must have smelled the danger of this job, but the temptation of the gold in front of him must be great.

"Then we'll head to Cassis through the merchant channels." <Julius Gensema>

"You're not taking Luthrie with you?" <Martin >

"It's a covert plan. We must not add to our numbers, besides he already has a mission in Roserun, seems things are heating up all over for Lunan." <Julius Gensema>

"I see. So you'll be working alone in Cassis?" <Martin >

"That's right." <Julius Gensema>

Martin smiled softly, as if the words had convinced him.

The Gensema he knew was weak, Luthrie was the strong one.

Cassis was his sphere of influence which meant that if Gensema didn't pay and killed him, he would move his men to snitch on him.

It was a lucrative deal that he would have to accept with the safeguards in place.

As long as Luthrie was not with him, he realized that it was possible.

***

- Few days later -

A branch of the Doro Trading Company located near Cassis.

This one was also a fortress, with a prison in the basement.

It's a facility where they keep people who are trafficked and enslaved locked up.

The children who remain unsold are handed over to assassination organizations and undergo high-intensity training from an early age.

If they survive, they become assassins; if not, they die.

Of course, the unsold adults are disposed of.

That's how it was at the Doro Trading Company.

"So, how do you plan to sneak me in? You must have some sort of plan, right?" <Julius Gensema>

Martin nodded at my question.

"Of course. Visigoth has an organization called the Ten Warlords, though we heard their down to nine as one died in the war not to long ago." <Martin >

"That's right. You think I don't know about the Ten Warlords?" <Julius Gensema>

"Actually, there is a customer in the Ten Warlords." <Martin >

Really?

"The Ten Warlords are the only organization that exists in Visigoth, all power runs through these supreme beings who act as the limbs of the king himself." <Martin >

It was clear what Martin was trying to explain.

The nine warlords of Visigoth, that meant the nine strongest people in Visigoth.

Every time a strong being appeared, the lineup would change, that was the Ten Warlords.

In addition, the Ten Warlords were chosen from among the commoners.

In other words, it's a system that is thoroughly based on strength.

A commoner who is chosen as one of the Ten Warlords stands above the nobles.

They do not have a title, but while they are Ten Warlords, the nobles cannot touch them.

This includes all nobles except for the royal family and Valdesca from the Twelve Families of the Continent.

Naturally, it was a great honour to produce the Ten Warlords among the nobility.

The Ten Warlords, which had existed since the founding of the country, were a sacred responsibility of Visigoth.

The loss of even one was a crippling blow to the kingdom, hence why at the loss of one and the injury of another Visigoth stepped back for month's to regroup before trying to launch another offensive.