My Slain Dragon Bride

Chapter 80: Chapter 80

Chapter 80 - A Breakthrough

As someone who made his fortune from selling human pleasure, Ahmad Hashim was one of the wealthiest men on the Cerdes Continent.

His first impression was surprisingly favorable, nothing like what one would expect from the lord of a city devoted to entertainment.

His bronze-colored body was firm and free of excess fat, and his eyes seemed to shine with a vibrant light.

He was the complete opposite of the absent-minded nobles commonly seen in Halim.

Ahmad personally handed Ferda a cup of tea that a maid had prepared.

"This is Assam tea. I heard that you enjoy tea, so I brought this instead of alcohol."

"I gratefully accept."

"It is an honor to host you in a private setting like this. Although I did not attend the Grand Ducal Council, I heard that you gave a truly impressive speech. I sincerely hope for the prosperity of the Far East."

Anyone could say such things with words alone.

"Even your words are appreciated."

" ’Words alone,’ you say? Do you think I, Ahmad Hashim, would dare do something that would anger Set?"

Set was the god worshipped in the southern desert.

Ahmad stroked his long beard as he spoke.

"I only wish there were some gift I could personally present to Your Excellency the Regent. Ah..."

He snapped his fingers.

"I have just thought of an excellent idea."

Ahmad whispered something into the ear of the female attendant fanning him.

Understanding immediately, she left the room.

Smiling at Ferda, Ahmad continued.

"You are aware that those who visit our city enjoy gambling, are you not?"

"Of course. I even gambled here once."

"For those who find it regrettable to leave after spending only the money they brought, we have prepared something."

"A pawnshop?"

Ahmad nodded.

Although he was called the lord of Halim, only two of the city’s twelve casinos were actually under his direct management.

Instead, every pawnshop in Halim operated under his authority.

That business alone earned him three times more profit than all ten of the remaining casinos combined.

"We accept valuables as collateral and give our customers six months. After those six months pass, I am free to dispose of the item however I wish."

"So you’re saying you’ll give me one of those items."

"Exactly. I believe you’ll find it worth anticipating."

The auction following this exhibition had probably been planned around items gathered from Ahmad’s pawnshops.

The fact that he had brought it up meant he intended to hand over something from that collection.

This goes far beyond the level of an ordinary pawnshop.

Most of Halim’s customers were nobles or wealthy merchants.

Not only ordinary jewels, but also priceless heirlooms treasured by distinguished families found their way there.

Of course, heirlooms like those are usually redeemed by the family, even if they have to borrow money.

Offering up a family heirloom as collateral was little different from dealing with loan sharks.

Realistically, anything left behind would likely be jewelry or mediocre Magic items with only modest effects.

Even so, Ferda found himself growing curious.

If Ahmad was telling him to look forward to it, then it was certainly worth seeing.

A short while later, four female attendants dressed in dancers’ outfits carefully carried a palanquin into the room.

The care with which they transported it clearly indicated that whatever it contained was an invaluable treasure that no one else was allowed to touch.

Even Ferda could not help feeling excited.

Resting atop the palanquin was a long, narrow case.

It was about the size needed to hold a single dagger.

Ahmad personally opened the case and laid its contents upon the table.

"This is..."

Ferda’s eyes widened.

Having devoted his life to pursuing greater strength as a Mage, he recognized it instantly.

"Do you know what it is?"

"A branch of the World Tree struck by the Reverse Heaven Lightning... isn’t it?"

Ahmad looked genuinely astonished by Ferda’s answer.

"Precisely. You recognized it at a glance. Very few people could."

Until they were broken off, branches of the World Tree naturally contained pure Mana.

When struck by lightning, however, that property transformed into one that dramatically amplified its power.

For Mages specializing in lightning magic, it was one of the finest materials imaginable for crafting a staff.

However, ordinary branches struck by lightning were hardly rare.

More than a thousand such branches existed, making them relatively common despite their usefulness.

But the Reverse Heaven Lightning was different.

The lightning that only the First Witch, Lucy Phyliaz, could wield.

Lucy Phyliaz was the witch who defied the natural order and possessed the only power capable of opposing the gods.

Her signature power was the Reverse Heaven Lightning.

Unlike ordinary blue lightning, it was crimson and pierced upward into the heavens.

Only seven branches of the World Tree had ever been struck by that lightning.

One belonged to Erdes.

One was kept in the Blue Eye Magic Tower.

The remaining five had been divided among five renowned mage families.

However, two of those famous mage families had vanished along with the downfall of their houses.

So this is where one of the missing branches ended up?

There were many possibilities.

Perhaps the heir of a mage family had become addicted to gambling, stolen the family heirloom, pawned it, and later claimed he had simply lost it out of shame.

Or perhaps a thief had stolen it before wasting everything through gambling and eventually leaving it here as collateral.

Whatever the circumstances, none of that mattered compared to the significance of the branch itself.

1.2 million Golden.

Even most kings would struggle to offer such a price.

The amount was so legendary that Ferda remembered it well.

Among lightning Mages, it was considered one of the rarest and most precious materials.

"There is something I’d like to ask."

"Of course. Please."

"How much was this branch pawned for?"

As though pleased by the question, Ahmad grinned.

"Ten thousand Golden."

One hundred and twenty times its value.

Ferda was reminded once again how completely gambling could ruin a person.

To think someone had surrendered an item worth 1.2 million Golden for such a pitiful sum.

But that wasn’t what mattered most.

Ahmad knows exactly how valuable this item is.

Even if he had not known its true value of 1.2 million Golden, he had certainly believed it could fetch at least five hundred thousand.

It was far too valuable to casually give away as a gift.

Which meant Ahmad considered Ferda himself to be worth even more than that enormous fortune.

Ahmad had already finished making his calculations.

"Are you certain it’s acceptable to give me something this precious?"

"Every treasure eventually finds its rightful owner. Shouldn’t a gift of lightning belong to one who commands lightning?"

The spells Ferda had used during the Wolf Monster incident were Lightning Spear and Lightning Bolt.

Apparently Ahmad had concluded that Ferda specialized in lightning magic.

Still, if I crafted a staff from this, it would certainly help.

It was a material that could only strengthen him, never become a burden.

Ferda accepted Ahmad’s gift.

"I gratefully accept it. After receiving such a generous gift, I almost feel guilty remaining idle."

"There is no need to worry. Shouldn’t comrades in the same situation help one another?"

"The same situation?"

"Indeed. We are both people who must build everything from nothing."

Ahmad rose from his seat and walked toward the window.

Ferda followed him.

Beyond the window stretched a barren wasteland beneath the blazing sun.

"Halim was once just another dying city upon this dry land. When Mages pursued their ambitions, our city became one of their targets as well."

Interference by Mages in local governance was common throughout the south.

Water was always scarce there.

Anyone capable of wielding the water element received tremendous respect.

Those who could go beyond water and command ice were worth whatever price they demanded.

"So my grandfather devoted himself to reviving Halim. He dedicated everything to this land, which scheming Mages manipulated and which even the gods seemed to have abandoned."

Tears welled in Ahmad’s eyes.

His expression carried such profound sorrow that it seemed as though he had personally experienced that suffering.

"Everyone cursed this city and declared that it would perish. Look at it now! Everyone called this an unholy land abandoned by the gods, yet we have grown so strong that no one can dare look down upon us. This is the achievement of human hands!"

A city of prosperity completely out of place amidst the wasteland.

Many small cities had adapted to the southern desert.

Yet none possessed the luxury and civilization that Halim had achieved.

"And my father, Abdul Hashim, always told me never to hesitate when helping brothers who share the same circumstances. The Far East is our brother—a nation that has walked the same road and deserves to enjoy the same prosperity!"

Ahmad spoke with a passion that seemed capable of setting the entire world ablaze.

Anyone listening would have been moved by the sincerity in his words.

But Ferda refused to accept them at face value.

To survive in this land full of madmen, one had to remain sane every single day of the year.

That was not a choice—it was a necessity.

The idea that Ahmad was showing such generosity simply out of gratitude did not make sense.

It seems Vernel left quite an impression on him.

He had recognized the value of Magitech Engineering.

A chance to acquire weapons capable of killing monsters with a single shot.

Ahmad had no intention of letting such an opportunity slip away.

Having reached his conclusion, Ferda spoke.

"As it happens, we are currently constructing villages under Valdrova Castle to prepare for the conquest of the Far East."

"I heard about that as well. I imagine you are severely lacking in both manpower and materials. When is the project expected to be completed?"

"The foundation work and water infrastructure alone will require one year. Including the city walls, the entire project is expected to take at least five years."

"Five years!"

Ahmad stroked his beard thoughtfully.

Then he suddenly held up two fingers.

"Two years."

"...Excuse me?"

"We will provide both materials and manpower so that your construction schedule can be reduced to two years."

The proposal was so extraordinary that it was difficult to believe it was real.

He was offering to shorten the project by a full three years.

The only things they lacked were materials and workers.

If Ahmad supplied both, construction would proceed at an astonishing pace.

"Naturally, such a city will require a direct road leading straight to Valdrova Castle. We will assist with that as well."

"But isn’t there already a road?"

"That road passes through the Empire. It is not a direct route. Taking that path is unnecessarily inconvenient. More importantly..."

Glancing around theatrically like a sly conspirator making sure no one was listening, Ahmad lowered his voice.

"I simply can’t trust those people in the Imperial Capital."

Ferda silently agreed.

Despite Ahmad’s exaggerated gestures, the depth of his thinking exceeded expectations.

Still... can he really afford to make such an incredible offer?

Offering to reduce construction by three years while also building a direct road far exceeded the usual noble promise of "supporting development".

Just as all roads lead to the Empire, every road in the south leads to Halim.

As the continent’s greatest entertainment city, Halim was also its busiest commercial hub.

It would not be an exaggeration to say that the finest goods from across the south were all brought here to be sold to the nobles who gathered from every corner.

In other words, Ferda would gain direct access to trade with the entire south.

Vernel has been an even greater help than I imagined.

Without him creating this opportunity, such a meeting would never have taken place.

The progress brought about by the winds of innovation naturally brought a smile to Ferda’s face.

Even so, he did not lower his guard until the very end.

Ahmad’s true intention finally emerged.

"Everything I’ve mentioned so far is merely what I wish to offer. Now, allow me to make a proposal."

Ahmad extended his hand.

"How would you feel about forming a partnership with Halim?"

***

After finishing his conversation with Ahmad, Ferda returned to Stephan.

"HAHAHAHA!!!"

Meanwhile, Stephan was clutching Vernel’s hand while laughing like a madman.

"What’s gotten into you?"

"Hahaha! We hit the jackpot! The jackpot!"

"...What?"

"Look at this!"

The stack of documents Stephan spread across the desk consisted entirely of investment proposals.

The offers ranged from one hundred Golden to ten thousand Golden, with the highest reaching as much as one hundred thousand Golden.

"Not only merchants but nobles from all across the region are showing interest in our products!"

"Is that such a good thing?"

"The fact that they’ve handed us documents like these means we already have the upper hand! The fact that they’re making such bold offers instead of half-hearted ones is incredibly significant!"

"So we hold the initiative."

"Exactly!"

Having been completely forgotten, Ferda quietly watched the scene before finally speaking.

"So, what’s your plan?"

"Ah, Your Excellency the Regent, you’re back. As if we’d simply accept these offers! Only fools would do that when they want us this badly! There are much better strategies available right now. Would you like to hear them?"

Brimming with excitement, Stephan handed Ferda a business model proposal.

"The major investors are after us! Since our Magitech Engineering weapons have attracted attention from all sides, I’ll discuss things with the new administrator and work out strategies involving real estate auctions and investment!"

Everything he talked about was money.

Money.

Money.

These were exactly the means that Administrator Isabella had been most concerned about securing.

"W-With this much money, we could even establish a brand-new trading company. We could make the Far East its headquarters—"

"A new trading company?"

Ferda interrupted him.

"Yes. Rather than relying on the Pascal Trading Company, we’d establish a completely independent trading company in the east. The ownership would be divided as follows: thirty-one percent for Your Grace, twenty percent for Mr. Vernel, twenty percent for me, and the remaining twenty-nine percent would be distributed among outside investors."

"It’s our company. Why would we need outsiders?"

"To secure favorable trade agreements with the major trading companies, they usually demand a percentage of the company’s shares. In return, we also purchase a percentage of their company, so it’s more like an exchange. It really isn’t a major issue."

Their side consisted of professional merchants, and so did the people they dealt with.

The discussion was far more complicated than it appeared.

As a result, Ferda had no intention of involving himself too deeply in those matters.

"What do you think?"

"I have no objection if it helps develop the town... but I don’t understand why you’re so excited."

Once again, Ferda carefully reviewed everything Stephan had handed him.

However, many of the strategies Stephan proposed struck him as rather strange.

Although Ferda was no expert in economics, even he could sense that something was off.

"Many of these proposals feel as though we’d have to build everything from scratch."

It felt like digging a brand-new well despite having one right beside you.

As though they intended to start over from nothing.

Ferda’s intuition was correct.

"Yes. There are things we’ll have to build from the ground up."

"Why?"

"Because then we can control the trading company without relying on the Pascal Trading Company."

"In other words..."

Ferda’s gaze sharpened.

The look in his eyes made Stephan tense up for no apparent reason.

"My question is this."

"Why do you intend not to rely on Pascal?"

"That company... still isn’t mine. It belongs to my father. And..."

The words would not come easily.

But under Ferda’s unwavering gaze, he found himself forced to confess.

"There’s no real reason it has to become mine, either."

"I see."

Thud.

Ferda tossed the documents he had been reading onto the table.

To Stephan, the sound was like being slapped across the face.

Ferda’s blue eyes seemed colder than ever.

"Then it seems you are of no use to me."