Chapter 94 - As wide as the world (3)

Even though they were appointed to be mayor, Joseph's management style was completely different from that of the previous mayor.

If the former mayor's goal was to keep Soara running smoothly and ensure tax revenue, Joseph was someone who needed solid achievements of his own.

"Do you think this guy named Agge will bow correctly to Vlad?"

"…At least you understand his current situation."

He raised a promising boy named Vlad and gained firm control over the territory called Deirmar.

After achieving such success, Joseph's next plan was to deal with the barbarians beyond the northern border.

"I'm sure he understands that the offer I made was made with the utmost sincerity."

Meanwhile, Bayezid's authority has been questioned by many families, and now is the time to show its response through action.

And before that, Bayezid's first priority must somehow be to eliminate the elements of anxiety that may lurk behind it.

"...So, he probably knows what will happen after he rejects my offer."

After receiving such a strong blow from Mirshea that shook the foundations of the tribe, the Budart tribe had no choice but to take the hand that Joseph extended to them.

And Joseph planned to use them to control the barbarians in the future.

"It would be good if it goes as planned."

"That's right."

It was worth a try, but it wouldn't be easy.

Joseph, who knew this, poured hot wine into a glass and let out a small sigh.

"...I don't know when we started to become so divided."

Although they are from the same northern region, the barbarians and the northerners have been at odds for a long time.

It's unknown when the chain of hatred began, but Joseph didn't believe the current situation was beneficial for the North.

Your world and mine are connected, but they cannot become one.

Because there were so many differences that separated our worlds that it was difficult to even count them.

"I hope it goes well this time too."

Still, the reason Joseph paired Agge with Vlad was because he saw a small amount of potential in the boy.

A boy mounted on a black horse considered sacred by the barbarians.

And the boy who saved the barbarians by riding that horse and hunting the northern dragon.

Vlad, unlike the northerners he had been with until now, felt a bit like the barbarians.

Joseph only hoped that Vlad would show results that exceeded his expectations this time.

***

Since Vlad left that night, Dice's gambling house hasn't been able to open.

On the surface, it was known to be closed for repairs to internal facilities, but in reality, it was because Vlad had ordered a one-week suspension of business.

"Is it enough?"

"Well, it's okay. You'll have to see."

Upon arriving at Bordan's office, Vlad placed the stack of papers he was carrying with both hands on his desk.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"The simple fact of knowing that the words are written is something wonderful."

All the documents Vlad brought with him were financial documents from Dice's gambling house.

They were confiscated to estimate the profits from fraudulent activities, but Bordan, who was actually supposed to do the work, simply set aside the documents in silence.

"...Do you want me to take some away?"

"No."

Although he didn't really know what was written, Vlad knew it was a meaningless document.

For Dice's gambling house to reopen, shiny gold coins would be the answer, not a clear vocation.

"He still doesn't want to receive bribes."

"Who?"

"My friend."

Bordan shrugged upon hearing Vlad's response.

"I don't know who he is, but he's a smart friend. It's the basis of the art of living."

Harven had told Vlad it was time to sow seeds instead of harvesting.

The advice was to aim for the fruit that would be higher up instead of focusing on the gains you have right in front of you.

"Please, visit Sir Gregory later."

"Why?"

Bordan found it admirable that Vlad had managed to find the right path.

The boy who couldn't even read the order correctly had now become a worthy knight.

So it would be fine to provide a little help.

"Because it's exactly what you two want."

"...?"

Seeing Vlad looking at him as if wondering what that meant, Bordan rummaged in the drawer and tossed him a candy.

It truly was a dessert suitable for a child who knew nothing.

"I've told you everything, so go on out."

Seeing Bordan waving his hand while saying strange words, Vlad had no choice but to leave.

"What."

Vlad, who stepped out into the hallway with ambiguous words, just scratched his head.

Jorge remarked that Vlad was the type who would lead any alley, but the problem was that the idea itself was still confined to the alley.

Regardless of whether he was smart or not, Vlad, who had just reached the top, still didn't have enough time to understand the world of knights.

"Vlad, Vlad."

But everything would be fine.

"Sir Gregory?"

Even in unfamiliar environments, Vlad always found what he needed to do.

"Now, take this."

At that moment, Vlad followed Gregory, who beckoned him with a hand gesture, to the end of the hallway and accepted the object he handed over.

An item wrapped in luxurious gift paper.

It was the salted meat from the Kannor family that Portly often gave him during his days as a squire.

"I was already planning to come see you."

"Yes?"

It was said that he would follow Bordan's words, but Gregory seemed to have interpreted it a bit differently and began to show great enthusiasm.

"Good. I thought we'd get along."

"Is that so?"

Gregory is Portly's uncle.

In other words, he was a person with close ties to the Kannor family.

"You said black bear? An organization that runs a meat packing business in an alley."

"Yes."

The Kannor family was famous for its livestock industry in Bayezid County, but its territory was limited to Sturma and nearby villages.

"It seems that Mr. Joseph doesn't like those guys either. What do you think? Shall we take care of it together?"

"..."

For the Kannor family to smoothly expand its influence to other regions, it would be better to occupy existing commercial areas.

And in the city of Soara, it turned out there was a young knight sponsored by the Kannor family.

"That was the story."

"Eh?"

A knight is a sword, and a sword is strength.

Knights who pave the way with a just cause were always followed by people who wanted to profit.

"Excellent. I was just trying to fix it anyway."

Vlad smiled and nodded, holding the salted meat Gregory handed him.

"Are you going to lend me people?"

"Of course. If you want, I'll introduce myself."

Dice at the gambling house and Captain Hoover in the smuggling business are fine, but black bears aren't.

Because it was someone who crossed the line.

And knights were people who had the authority to punish those who crossed the line.

Vlad thought he could finally complete his revenge for Anna's death.

***

Squeak! Squeak!

In the temporarily covered white alley that concealed dirty things, Vlad breathed quietly.

The path from the dock to Harven.

And the alley leading to the blacksmith's shop.

As Vlad walked these two paths, he could momentarily forget reality.

Although the reality in which he found himself was dizzying, he could have thought that the way to these two places was a straight line.

Bang!

Finally, Vlad opened the door with a rough sound and entered a dark and unlit forge, accompanied by the cold winter wind.

"..."

The first thing he saw upon entering was the dusty work surface and the small, cold brazier.

There should always have been fire in the furnace in a blacksmith's shop, but now it was only filled with pale ashes.

"I guess I arrived too late."

The snow outside the door, which had not been removed for a long time, had accumulated and turned into a hard block of ice.

It stood there blocking the rickety door, as if to show that no one had come in for a while.

"I had a favor to ask you."

Vlad came here because he had something to ask the old man and something to show him.

However, the old blacksmith remained motionless on his old bed despite the arrival of the guest.

Seeing him motionless, Vlad pulled up a chair and sat down.

"I came to ask you to place this on the pommel."

Vlad held in his hand the yellow amber stone given to him by Alicia and looked down silently.

He thought the old man would like this.

Although he could never escape the alleys all his life, the old man, who longed for the outside world, always enjoyed Vlad's stories told with his sword wounds.

"..."

And Vlad also liked the sound of the old man's laughter accompanied by the sound of a hammer.

Vlad suddenly raised his head and looked up at the ceiling of the forge.

A wooden pillar deeply dented by something.

It was the place where the sword always hung.

It's been a while since I last saw you, so it looks strange again.

The dream of the old man has been hanging in the alley for a long time, and the young man was able to keep hope alive by seeing that dream.

Perhaps the old man had been saving Vlad even before the night he escaped to Soara.

"I actually came to give you this."

Vlad stood up with a deep sigh and pulled out an object that had been carefully wrapped in cloth in his arms.

A sword.

A sword from an alley that only has a handle that can no longer be called a sword.

Vlad placed his sword in the arms of the cold lying old man.

"Thank you."

He wanted to tell him this a lot, but in the end it would just be a word.

He said he was grateful for having been saved.

Vlad lit the embers of the old man's brazier one last time and stood up.

The warmth spreading from there eased Vlad's heart a little.

"Have a good sleep."

The cold winter wind entered with a squeak and soon the door closed, and the boy's back receded further and further away.

The boy leaves and the old man stays.

Thus time passes and no one will complain.

"..."

A dilapidated forge where no one was left after the boy left.

There, the old blacksmith held the sword handle as Vlad had told him.

He was dreaming of a sword.

In his dream, he saw a white snowy mountain he had never been to before, and a dragon he had never seen before ran through the field.

Now that he was out of the alley, there seemed to be a small smile on his face.

A sword that began with an old man's dream but was completed in the hands of a boy.

The star that had been hanging towards the sky finally returned to the old man's arms.

Shining brighter than anyone.

____

Join the discord! 

https://dsc.gg/indra

____