My Slain Dragon Bride

Chapter 96: Chapter 96

Chapter 96 - Gold Rush

Stephan finally drew the breath he had been holding after pouring out everything he wanted to say.

Sweat drenched his face, and droplets fell one after another from the hand clenched into a fist.

Herman silently stared at Stephan.

Herman Pascal—the man who would whip him for getting even a single question wrong on an exam, who ruled like a tyrant insisting that one must never let their guard down when dealing with numbers.

When he finally opened his mouth again, he simply said,

"Then do as you wish."

"...Pardon?"

Stephan blinked like an idiot.

It was as if he had armed himself and prepared for battle, only for his opponent to suddenly surrender.

"W-Wait a moment, Father. Is... is that really how this ends?"

"Whether it’s anticlimactic or not, do you expect me to do anything more?"

"Isn’t it stranger that you’re ending it so easily? If you’re planning to scheme against me behind my back—"

"As you said, I’m just an old man who’s been pushed into the back room. What can an old man like me possibly do? I told you to do as you wish."

"Until now you acted as though you’d devour me if I didn’t step away. So why are you allowing it now?"

Herman looked at him as if he were hopeless.

"Didn’t you ask me back then?"

"I did."

"So I merely told you to step away."

"How is that any different from now?"

"Back then, you asked as an employee seeking permission. Now, you’re informing me as the master of this place."

Herman turned around.

"If the master doesn’t want it, what can I possibly do?"

With those words, Herman disappeared.

The heavy air that had filled the room finally pierced deeply into Stephan’s lungs once more.

"Hah..."

Everything felt strangely empty.

His mind was numb, as though a massive bomb had exploded nearby and shattered his eardrums.

" ’The master’..."

Stephan repeated his father’s words to himself.

Then his eyes drifted toward something lying on his desk.

The two apples that had rolled off when he slammed his hand onto the desk.

There were two things he wanted to grasp.

But only one hand to hold them.

"Ha... ha..."

A foolish thought suddenly crossed his mind.

No—it wasn’t foolish at all.

For Stephan, who had been tightly bound all this time, it was the wisest and most ingenious thought he had ever had.

He picked up both apples with both hands.

"My hands... were always two to begin with."

Then he placed the apples back onto his fruit tray.

Everything that had been weighing him down vanished.

Stephan smiled, feeling lighter than he had in years.

***

Herman left headquarters and climbed into his carriage.

Inside sat a muscular man who looked nearly twice the size of Herman himself.

It was Merchit Pascal.

Looking at him, Herman said,

"Let’s go home."

"Yes, Father."

Merchit signaled the coachman, and the carriage began to move.

Noticing that Herman seemed different than usual, he asked,

"Did things go well with my little brother?"

Herman nodded.

"I don’t like it, but... I’m satisfied."

"Oh? So does that mean Stephan’s becoming the chairman now?"

"We’ll watch him a little longer. If I hand everything over too hastily, he’ll only grow complacent."

"Haha! Never thought I’d live to see that brat finally earn Father’s recognition."

Merchit laughed heartily, while Herman clicked his tongue.

"When I saw him yelling at his own father, it reminded me of you going through puberty all over again. Pathetic."

"It wasn’t puberty. That’s just how my temper’s always been. Isn’t everyone in the Pascal family like that?"

"So... are you really fine with this?"

He was asking whether Merchit truly didn’t mind letting Stephan inherit the Pascal Trading Company.

Normally, the family business was passed down to the eldest son, making the situation an uncomfortable one.

But Merchit simply waved his hand and laughed.

"The mercenary company is more than enough for me. I’ve never had the head for numbers anyway. I’m the muscles, Stephan’s the brains. Better he does the thinking so my own head doesn’t have to hurt."

"Is that so?"

"That doesn’t mean I have no ambition. Watching my son, it seems he inherited his mother’s brains. If I give that kid proper successor training, then in the end I’ll just take everything back myself."

"Are you planning to sabotage that boy so thoroughly he never gets married?"

"Hahaha! I’d love it if I even had the chance! The fool has no eye for women and no confidence around them. It’s pitiful! His mother has even been asking daughters from good noble families to take a look at our boy!"

It was impossible to tell whether he wanted to steal Stephan’s inheritance or hand it over to his own son.

"Still, it’d be nice if that stubborn brat would finally clear the path for us. Father, couldn’t you do something about him?"

Herman shrugged.

"You should discuss that with the master. What good would discussing it with me do?"

"Hah. Looking at how that bastard’s been using his brain lately, even bullying him won’t work anymore. Guess I’ll just have to make my son smart enough to snatch it away."

Herman chuckled quietly.

One way or another, the battle over the Pascal family’s successor had finally come to an end.

The carriage continued toward the estate.

***

"Have you heard the news?"

"Judging by your face, you’ve come after hearing about the Dandolo Trading Company."

"That’s right. Who would’ve imagined that the Dandolo Trading Company would end up in someone else’s hands?"

"After Rico Dandolo died and Henri Dandolo gave up everything, it truly is an extraordinary turn of events."

"And the one who inherited it is that fellow Ferda from the Far East, isn’t it? He must’ve pulled some sort of trick."

"People may suspect that, but Henri was already famous for having no interest in the family business. Once the chains called ’his father’ were gone, he simply abandoned the company."

"Even so, didn’t he give up far too much? Why would anyone abandon enough wealth to live comfortably for the rest of their life?"

"There must’ve been some sort of deal among the powerful."

"You can’t ignore Ferda’s reputation either. Every executive voted in favor of him. They must’ve believed they were handing it over to the right person."

"If it were me, I’d support Regent Ferda as well. The western mines and rare earth deposits have already sent things soaring, and now they’ll even obtain that rising star called Magitech Engineering."

"So will they keep the Dandolo name?"

"As if. I heard they’re changing it—to the Hestia Trading Company."

"Not Valdrova?"

"Who would keep using the name of that terrifying evil dragon? People believe carrying that name brings a curse. They’re naming it after the town they’re building instead."

"So the town’s called Hestia? Sounds like a girl’s name."

"That’s exactly why it’s good. Heh."

"But with so many people and so much money gathering in the Grand Duchess’s territory, is the Empire really going to sit back and do nothing?"

"They’ve got the justification of conquering the Far East. Iorga has declared her support, and they’ve announced they’ll build a town to accommodate adventurers."

"Adventurers? What would they even do in a place like the Far East?"

"It seems the Adventurers’ Guild intends to begin a full-scale exploration of the Land of Demons."

"What? They actually have the ability to enter the Land of Demons?!"

"Apparently they’ve found a way to resist the demonic energy."

"Then does that mean there’s finally a way to uncover the mysteries of the East?"

"They say there are legendary medicines and magical arts there—things we’ve only ever heard about in stories. We might finally see them with our own eyes."

"Grr... this won’t do! I’ll have to change this trading route!"

"You’re heading for the Far East?"

"Where people gather, money gathers! How could I possibly stay away? I’ll go sell food and whetstones there!"

"Oh! Then let’s go together!"

"Brother, save me a spot too! I’m coming along!"

***

A wave known as the Gold Rush had swept through Hestia.

It drew people in, pushing even the stagnant winter aside as everyone rushed to secure a place for themselves.

As more people flooded in, the streets grew lively.

"Come one, come all! Only thirty today! Just thirty servings of the western specialty—Grilled Flathead Catfish! Only thirty!"

"Bracelets that bring good fortune! Wear one and you’ll enjoy perfect health, long life, and success in everything! And that’s not all! In just one hundred days, enormous wealth will come your way!"

Every empty space had been filled with street vendors.

Where there were jobs, people gathered.

And where people gathered, money began to flow.

Street vendors who had been ignored in the major cities now set up shop one after another, each earning a respectable profit.

Before long, everyone wanted to become a vendor.

Even when the refugees received wages, they had few places to spend them.

Now, thanks to the stalls, their quality of life had finally begun to improve.

"There are certainly a lot of people coming."

Isabella watched the bustling streets from afar.

Rather than relying solely on written reports, she preferred to see everything with her own eyes.

"Expand the streets further, and keep traveling merchants under control."

"Yes, ma’am."

"And don’t forget to properly collect stall fees from the street vendors. Since nothing has become entrenched yet, don’t let greed get the better of you."

"Yes, ma’am!"

In other words, no taking bribes under the pretense of collecting stall fees.

An ordinary administrator might have scoffed and ignored the warning.

But Isabella was a Dragon Spawn.

She was meticulous to an almost terrifying degree, and her strength was equally overwhelming.

No one had the courage to line their own pockets while trying to hide it from her.

As the tax collectors dispersed, a man clad in armor stepped before her.

He wore half-plate armor, and on his shoulder was an insignia identifying him as the Captain of Public Security.

It was William, the knight cadet who had led the refugees here.

"Administrator, Captain William reporting from patrol. Aside from three cases of theft, there is nothing unusual to report."

"Thank you for your hard work, Captain. With so many people arriving, I expected more trouble."

"Yes, ma’am. We’ve instructed the Public Security Force to direct traffic so that the influx doesn’t cause problems. Nothing serious should happen."

"Excellent work. Then I have no further orders."

Walking beside Isabella, William hesitated before speaking.

"Um... Administrator Isabella..."

"Yes?"

"Are you really certain I should be serving as Captain of Public Security?"

Adjusting her glasses, Isabella answered calmly.

"Of course. I imagine you’re dissatisfied because it’s a lower position than knight cadet, but the Regent has said he’ll consider granting you a knighthood in the future, so there’s no need to worry."

"No... that’s not what I meant..."

William found the situation bewildering.

Being a knight cadet...

Serving with distinction under Duke Yurei...

All of that belonged to the past now.

He had come to Hestia fully prepared to live as nothing more than a refugee.

’But... Captain of Public Security...?’

What exactly was that position?

It was practically the second most powerful office after the administrator herself.

He commanded the Public Security Force and, when necessary, could legally exercise force within the town.

With such responsibility and privilege, it was far too important a role to be entrusted through ordinary favoritism.

"The Regent personally appointed you. The only authority I possess over you is the power to dismiss you. However, I also believe you’re doing an excellent job, so I have no complaints. And..."

"And?"

"If you resign, I’ll send you straight back to Duke Yurei. So don’t even dream about it."

"Gah... That’s so heartless..."

Though the words turned his face pale, they didn’t make him feel bad.

Isabella, the woman many called the Cold-Hearted Witch, was saying that she needed him.

Embarrassing as it was, he found himself strangely pleased.

"Then I’ll be going to prepare my report. Keep up the good work."

"Yes. You as well."

With the Public Security Force in place, the town was steadily becoming more stable.

But how wonderful it would be if only good things happened.

One person brought one worry.

A hundred people brought a hundred worries.

Suppressing the urge to sigh, Isabella forced herself to remain composed.

"Hey, horned girl."

An arrogant voice grated on her nerves.

"So you abandoned the Magic Tower only to end up cleaning up after humans? Or maybe they kicked you out, and this is all you’re good for now."

Though Isabella was rational, she was no saint who could remain calm after hearing someone insult Dragon Spawn.

"Who dares—!"

Just as she was about to unleash her anger, she turned her head——and froze.

The woman had neither horns nor a tail, yet her elegant appearance was instantly familiar.

After serving beneath her for hundreds of years, there was no way Isabella could fail to recognize that face.

"Lady Erika?"

"Long time no see, Bella."

It was Erika Iorga.

She greeted Isabella with a casual wave.

Isabella slowly looked her up and down before asking,

"Are you... enjoying yourself?"

"’Enjoying myself’? You make it sound like I’m just wandering around for fun."

"Considering how strangely you’re pretending to be human, that’s exactly how it appears."

"Oh, come on... I’m not just playing around, you know. Believe it or not, I’m here as Eri—a Platinum-rank adventurer."

Erika held up her Adventurer’s Guild identification card.

It was a badge granted only to those who had achieved the Guild’s highest level of accomplishments.

"Don’t you feel ashamed? One of the Great Twelve Rulers’ ’Wisdom’ mingling among humans like this. These days they’d call it bullying the weak."

"Anyone listening would think I’m some horrible woman. I just kept solving troublesome problems, and before I knew it, I ended up like this."

Despite claiming it had all happened unintentionally, the way she held the card radiated unmistakable pride.

Feeling slightly embarrassed, Erika decided it was time to steer the conversation in another direction.

"How have you been lately?"

"I’ve been doing quite well. It’s refreshing listening to lively youngsters instead of those old fossils whining all day."

"Lively? Are you talking about Valdrova’s maid like that?"

"Is there a problem with that?"

At Isabella’s question, Erika looked at her in disbelief.

"That girl has lived for several hundred years, you know."

"She’s still younger than I am."

"And she even has the title Nightmare of the Frost Giants."

"I can understand why. Her pitiful beauty is more than enough to captivate anyone."

With an utterly blissful expression, Isabella murmured,

"Ah... if only I could hug her tightly just once, all this accumulated fatigue would disappear."

Erika stared blankly at her, dumbfounded.

Something Isabella had said caught her attention, and she couldn’t let it pass.

"Wait a minute. You said ’youngsters,’ didn’t you? There’s someone else too? Another... ’lively one’?"

"A girl named Mori. A beautiful young lady who looks as though she stepped right out of a painting."

"And you don’t bother that girl?"

"It seems that damned witch living in the castle keeps a close eye on her."

Jealousy was written all over Isabella’s face.

Even Erika, who had spent centuries together with her, was witnessing such an obvious display of emotion for perhaps the first time.

"...Does the Regent know you have this side to you?"

"I believe he has a vague idea, but he doesn’t seem to mind."

"Well, if he’s fine with it..."

"Putting that aside, let’s discuss something more constructive."

Isabella shifted the topic away from the "lively youngsters."

"Lady Erika, have you come here as an adventurer?"

"I figured I should inspect the Adventurers’ Guild here as an adventurer. So, what do you think? How are the adventurers who’ve come here?"

"They’re the worst."

Isabella let out a sigh.

"Those who think they have spirit are simply immature, while the adventurers of the ranks we actually need don’t even seem interested in showing up. Most of them look like they only came here to act like back-alley thugs."

"They worked themselves half to death to earn those ranks. It’s only natural."

Building up achievements was difficult.

Dying only took an instant.

Once someone had climbed high enough, it was only natural for them to become cautious.

"I’ll have to make a recommendation to the Central Guild. It’s time those Gold-ranked fools got a wake-up call."

"Won’t they object?"

"If they want to object, let them. I’ve risked my life countless times to help save this continent. Do you think I don’t even have the right to speak?"

Erika bit her lip and cursed.

"Those damned bastards. I don’t pay them so they can park their asses in chairs and stuff themselves with expensive meals."

"Tower Master, please mind your dignity."

"What are you talking about? Right now I’m not Erika—I’m Eri, a Platinum-rank adventurer. Adventurers don’t need dignity. I can say vulgar things whenever and wherever I want. Want to hear them? Eri’s filthy girls’ talk?"

"Moments like this make me truly proud that I left the Magic Tower."

Erika burst into playful laughter.

"Is the Regent here?"

"He’s probably in his office as usual. Would you like to meet him? I can ask through Communication Magic."

"I didn’t even make an appointment, so showing up out of nowhere feels a little awkward. Still, I’ve got some good news, so it should be fine. Could you let him know?"

"Understood. I’ll inform him in advance so he can prepare."

Just as Isabella was about to use Communication Magic—

Ding! Ding! Ding!

The warning bell installed in the center of the town suddenly began ringing loudly on its own.

Everyone stopped what they were doing and turned toward it.

Erika looked up at the bell as well.

"What’s that? Why’s the alarm ringing?"

"...It’s connected to the Monster Appearance Prediction Device. Whenever it detects something, it rings automatically."

"You mean..."

"If it’s not a malfunction... then it means a monster has appeared."

The bell continued ringing without any sign of stopping, its shrill alarm echoing throughout the town.