Arc 2 - Chapter 42: Rolderhelm's Golden Letters

The previous matches had been played at noon, but since tomorrow was the anniversary of the founding of the Rolderhelm, the final match would be played in the morning.

Before going to the bank, Yu and Yurine had agreed to meet Marino Swann, who was waiting for them at the Swann Postal Office. After picking him up, they would go to the bank together and after splitting the money they had earned, they would say goodbye, never to see each other again.

"We'll raise good money, I feel it."

Denise el Rolder had given them a cash reward after his conversation with Yu. Yu had expected a higher amount, but the three hundred gold pieces Denise had given Yu, or rather helped him, and would have done more than feed an army. It would have been possible to raise a small force in the Mora for two or three months.

He had also rewarded the other heroes of Redchapel, but the reward he gave them was much less than the money he gave Yu. Their share was fifty gold pieces.

"I can't believe that asshole Raul got paid and became a hero without doing anything..."

His payment to Yurine was five gold pieces, and he said it was pocket money and it wouldn't matter whether he gave it to her or Yu.

"So, since I'm the head of the business, I should earn the highest amount. After all, they couldn't have done it without me... They wouldn't have succeeded, but Sivina and Ana got a lot of money... I hope they won't leave us saying 'we've made a lot of money, let's open a flower shop in Rolderhelm.'"

Giving them money was not the only favor Denise did for them. He also saved Yu and Yurine from being tried in court. One letter from Denise was enough to get the case dismissed.

The carriage stopped in front of the company. When Denise's money arrived, Yu suddenly became generous and started to indulge in a little luxury consumption. Sivina and Ana took a vacation in Southelm with their prize money, while Yu and Yurine spent the rest of their days in the capital spoiling themselves with the money from the teams.

"Mr. Valarfin, this is the first time you haven't walked here."

The driver climbed down and opened the carriage door for Marino, who was dressed in formal clothes. Marino got into the carriage and stood in front of Yu, greeting him and Yurine with his hand.

"I get a little spoiled every now and then."

"I am excited and I pray to all the gods whose names I know so that I can soon be blown away with happiness."

"I don't think the gods will help us pull this off."

What kind of a god would help fraudsters to succeed in their fraudulent business?

"I hope we succeeded," Marino prayed again, clasping his hands under his chin.

To avoid confusion, the six thousand two hundred and fifty people to whom they had sent last week's letters were told to deposit their money in the bank at different times and on different days. People were to deposit the money first and then be given their letters by the two bank officials they had bribed in advance.

"Of course we will succeed! I believe in Yu."

Yurine was holding the teddy bear Yu had given her for her birthday in her lap, her right arm wrapped around Yu's arm.

After their emotional speech at the Wizarding Academy, Yurine always stayed close to Yu, only being alone when he went to the restroom.

It didn't bother him, of course, he liked having her love. Every time he woke up he found Yurine hugging him, either with her arm or leg or tail or all three.

During the day, he was not left empty-handed very often. Yurine held Yu's hand as much as possible, asked him to hold her and sometimes asked him to feed her.

And he did, as she demanded attention. She massaged him and chewed on his back whenever he asked for it. She was always praising Yu and didn't hide her jealousy when he was with other girls.

In short, Yurine soon became the founding president of the Valarfin Fan Club.

"Wait here," Yu said to the driver. He had stopped in front of the bank where people deposited their letter money.

When they entered the bank, there were not many people inside, but the tellers were all busy. The tellers who were free wanted to help Yu, but Yu preferred to wait until the last customers had left.

Fifteen minutes later, just before the bank closed, they went to one of the two bank staff they had agreed with. Their total budget for bribes was exactly two hundred gold coins and it had been very difficult to convince them not to keep a ledger.

When Yu bribed them, Marino had no money and had to pay one hundred gold coins of the two hundred gold coins out of his own money. At the end of the job, they would give another hundred to the two tellers and this time the money would come out of Marino's share.

"Mr. Yin, it's an honor." The teller greeted Yu with a big smile. Yu had given him a fake name.

"No one's come and gone yet, right?"

"No, the last people who deposited money into the accounts you gave me arrived an hour ago."

They arrived at exactly the time Yu had specified in the letters.

"So I ask the question, are you ready?" he asked Yurine and Marino.

"Yes!" Marino exclaimed. He couldn't control his excitement.

Yu asked the question when Yurine just nodded.

"How many people deposited in total?"

"The total number of deposits into the two accounts is four thousand five hundred, Mr. Valarfin."

Yu burst out laughing and Marino was on the edge of his seat with excitement. When he started running inside the bank, other staff and security guards looked at him with puzzled eyes.

"Mr. Yin! Hahaha! With this money I can pay off my debt and build a new life!"

Marino's joy was funny to him, and it was surprising that he remembered Yu's nickname even in his ecstasy, but Yu was in no mood to be surprised by him.

"Hee-hee-ha-haha-haha-hahaHAHAHAHA!" He let out a horrible laugh, he looked like a real villain now. "I'm so fucking smart! I'm fucking awesome! I'm fucking awesome! How do people who are not as smart as me live? HAHAHA!"

Marino asked to see the coins as Yu went into another fit of self-congratulation. The teller kept smiling and took them behind the teller and led them to the safe. The other teller joined them and they opened the safe door with the different keys they had. Then the two of them together brought the bags, each containing five hundred gold coins, in front of Yu and Marino.

When the pouches were placed on the floor, the gold inside was visible. To make sure the bright yellow metals were real, Yu put his hand into the gold and when he pulled it out, he watched the gold spill down his palm.

Then he grabbed Yurine by the armpits, lifted her up in the air and shouted in Akasya Durağı Sinan accent as he spun her around!

"Yurine! We are ri~ch! Ri~ch! Hahaha!"

"Yu, I understand, but you have to let me go, I'm gonna throw up. Yu! Don't turn me around!"

Yu hugged Yurine tightly as he continued to laugh. Yurine was hitting her shoulders to get down and catch her breath. When Yu let go of her, she was so dizzy that she could hardly stand straight and started to sway.

"Yu, you fool. Hold me."

He took Yurine's hand to help her stand up straight.

"Okay, the other job is done, right? The one about the notebooks." He spoke in a low voice so as not to attract the attention of the other staff.

"Yes, your name is not in any of the books. Here, take a look."

Yu checked all the notebooks and made sure that their names were not written down.

"Good, even though it's a pseudonym, it's good that there's no record. Although Yurine and I did say each other's names, but I guess just a name won't do anything... Even if it does, no one can do anything after tomorrow."

Once they got through tonight and tomorrow, they wouldn't have to worry about matters concerning Rolderhelm.

"As we agreed, we don't know you and you don't know us. Now come and help us."

The tellers helped them carry the gold to the carriage, where they took the rest of the bribe.

Yu had also taken the paperwork for the gold he had withdrawn from the bank, which only he had. It was drawn in the name of Yin, but it didn't matter that it was a fake name because they were going to İlonya for the first time. The papers would be useful for getting the gold into İlonya.

***

"Four thousand four hundred ninety-five, four thousand four hundred ninety-six, four thousand four hundred ninety-seven, four thousand four hundred ninety-eight, four thousand four hundred ninety-nine, four thousand five hundred... Here's all the money!"

There was a sum of four thousand five hundred gold coins, including copper and silver coins.

"Forty-nine percent for you, forty-nine percent for me and two percent for Yurine. That's a total of two thousand five hundred and ninety-five gold pieces for this side and two thousand two hundred and five gold pieces for you."

Yu distributed the money with his hand.

"But I also paid the bribe to the bankers out of my own pocket, so now I will take a hundred gold coins from you, so your money is two thousand one hundred and five gold coins and my money is two thousand six hundred and ninety-five."

After sharing their earnings, Marino invited them to the table he had prepared. He must have been confident of his money because it was a feast. Yu thought he could even find bird milk if he looked for them.

"Thank you, but don't spend too much money on such things."

"It's a special day, no problem. Would you like a drink?"

He was about to pour wine into Yu's empty glass when Yu stopped him by putting his hand on the glass and said that he wanted to drink the juice brought for Yurine.

"I try to be an ideal father to my daughter."

In fact, the reason he didn't drink was because alcohol had caused the death of her older sisters.

"Are you going to Elhaven after this?"

"Yes. I don't want to go back to Qrath and İlonya is too close. Besides, there are good opportunities for new investors in Elhaven. If you don't have a plan, you can go there too, but I think you've already decided what to do."

Qrath was an island country in the east of the map, south of the Brahatul Empire, and the homeland of Marino Swann.

"I've heard Elish people were kind of racist, you know…"

"I don't think it'll be a problem, they looking for investors and I am one."

Life had taught him that things don't always go as planned. Still, he wished Marino to be happy.

"After this we will go to İlonya."

İlonya was Yu and Yurine's stopover before heading to the Mora. Yu learned that İlonya was the most livable country after Rolderhelm and was competing with Rolderhelm economically.

Elhaven, where Marino was going, was Sivina's hometown.

The island where the country was located was far from the mainland and other countries on the island were constantly at war with each other.

Due to its location, it was closed to invaders from outside, but at the same time, it was far from the route of traders and investors due to its distance from trade routes.

The king of Elhaven had decided to offer new opportunities to those who were willing to bring money into the country in order to fix the failing economy.

They had no problems with citizenship, they received tax breaks and their businesses were helped by the state.

Elhaven, the capital of the Kingdom of Elhaven, also had one of the strongest fortifications in the world and people felt safe there.

"I hope you have good luck."

They could not find a ship for the Mora tomorrow. So they would first go to İlonya, and from there they would proceed to the Mora by land.

"I wish you good luck, Mr. Valarfin. Thank you again, you saved my life and the lives of my family. If there is anything I can do for you, I will be happy to do it."

"The best thing you can do after tonight is to forget all about us." He put his left hand to his chin and thought. "And maybe I can get an N-Pass."

"What's the N-Pass?"

"I can't tell you until you give me the N-Pass, you just have to say you are giving it to me."

"I do. What does that mean?"

"A destructive power that I can only apply when I need it."

Marino thought he was being made fun of and laughed. After their celebration they parted, promising to forget each other.

***

"Well... Two thousand six hundred and ninety-five gold coins we got from the letters, two hundred gold coins we got from Denise... It's a good sum of money."

"Yu, what are we going to do with this money?"

"After we make you Cardinal of Virgo, we will use you to gain power. To get into Nekonozwei in Ethalot, we will first try to make a deal with the king of Ethalot, but if things don't go smoothly, we may have to use military force. Of course, we'll also need the power the money will bring us to solve your mother's case. Our opponents are no longer just a few fugitives."

They were waiting in the waiting room for Barney Loyd, the president of the Betting Company. They stopped talking when they heard Barney's footsteps.

Yu stood up with a smile on his face as Barney entered the room. There must have been at least four thousand punters.

And Barney seemed very happy with his deal. He had made more money than he would ever make in a normal match.

"The bookmaker has never won such a large sum from the sword game before. I didn't expect such a success."

"It's against the laws of the universe for me to fail. Anyway, we're in a hurry, I'd like to settle our matter without further ado. How many bookies did we get?"

Barney spread his arms and spoke proudly, "We got five thousand eight hundred and fifty punters."

"Holy shit, dear readers," Yu said.

The number of bettors was much higher than four thousand five hundred. Yu was about to win an incredible amount of money.

"The money that's been rolling in this last week is enough to go down in the history of the country, and I want to give you your share right now, but..." Barney pointed a finger at Yu. "When we underestimated fifteen hundred punters, we didn't specify whether we were subtracting the last or the first."

"Let's take the last ones off."

He gave his answer without thinking. The reason he chose to leave out the last ones was that when he tracked the number of people coming to the bank day by day, the last two days were the least busy.

"So be it..." Barney said as he went into his office. His face fell a little. When he came back from the office, he was holding the account book in his hand.

"The total money wagered is forty-five thousand gold coins."

"The commission you got here was ten percent, right? That leaves you four thousand four hundred and fifty gold coins, and half of them would be mine. So two thousand two hundred and twenty-five."

"Yes, it is."

Thus, the total money they earned at Rolderhelm amounted to five thousand one hundred and twenty gold pieces.

"Can you tell me how you get so many bookies?"

"I'm sorry, but it's a trade secret."