Kays Translations

Chapter 131: The Golden Signpost

A horse-drawn carriage moved along a forest road, filled with the scent of damp earth. Knight Gwen, who was acting as their guide, sat in the driver's seat. On the carrier seat were Lutz, Claudia, and Ricardo.

First, they went to greet the chief of the Arahne tribe, who was responsible for trade. Despite trade being at the behest of the royal family, ignoring the person in charge on-site might lead to unnecessary troubles. In the worst case, it could even serve as a pretext for betraying the royal family.

For the people of this country, having their prestige crushed was a sufficient reason to defect.

The elderly man with white hair and a smiling face happily agreed to the proposal of increasing the participants in the trade. They were worried that they couldn't gather enough trade goods with just their group, and that the Marquis Eldenberger in the Walscheid Kingdom might withdraw from the trade.

While they couldn't monopolize the trade, a larger scale was more than welcome.

However, the old man continued with a sharp look.

The lands of the Arahne tribe were adjacent to the lands of two other tribes. They were fine with bringing in the Saligari tribe as allies, but they were specified not to have any dealings with the Mirumigi tribe. When asked why, it was explained that the Mirumigi tribe had been in a feud with them for generations.

Claudia nodded in agreement at the scene, but later she asked Gwen if there was a way to work around this issue.

"It's impossible," 

he flatly rejected.

As the carriage leisurely advanced toward the Saligari tribe's village, Gwen continued speaking, still looking straight ahead from the driver's seat.

"There's a deep-seated resentment that's accumulated over hundreds of years. It's not something that can be resolved by strangers saying, 'Let's get along.' In fact, even if you try to interfere without knowing anything, you might end up being resented. They might see you as someone tarnishing their clan's pride."

"Does each of the hundreds of tribes have such circumstances?"

"There's no more malicious puzzle than human relationships."

"Shouldn't we just be satisfied with getting permission to bring in the Saligari tribe?"

"That's true. But remember, making someone an ally also means you're earning someone else's enmity."

Whether it was advice or self-deprecation, Gwen was becoming hard to understand even for himself.

"In this state, we'll perish. That much is clear. If we don't unify our will, we'll eventually be swallowed by larger nations... Hey, what do you think we should do?"

While it wasn't the kind of conversation you'd have with people from another country, Gwen lacked close advisors for matters of politics. This was a good opportunity to consider the opinions of others. He possessed an uncommon flexibility for a knight of the Allied Nations, and his sense of duty as an Allied Nations knight compelled him to worry about the nation's future.

"If you could just brush off the merchant's idle chatter..."

Claudia began by firmly declining. It was better to pass it off as mere small talk; otherwise, meddling in another country's politics would lead to unnecessary trouble.

"Sure, call it idle chatter. Just passing the time. Tell me."

Despite the casual words, Gwen's tone was resolutely serious.

"Other than becoming significantly stronger than anyone else, what else can the current royal family do?"

"Should they perhaps recruit a large number of formidable soldiers?"

"After the war, displaying strength through military force is quite difficult."

"Perhaps organizing large-scale exercises involving tens of thousands?"

"The only ones who would consider that a threat are the neighbors. For tribes far away, it's not their concern. Moreover, the effect of threats through military force diminishes over time."

"Then, what should they do?"

"Gwen-san, you're asking even though you know the answer."

"Never mind that. Just put an end to my uncertainty."

I've been forced into a role I don't like, Claudia said with a furrowed brow.

"You might have to focus on making money."

"Oh..."

Sighing deeply, Gwen looked up to the sky.

The Allied Nations were a nation of warriors, and they had always taken pride in that. Of all people, he was now the one who had to steer the country in the direction of being economically dominant. Did he have to eventually gain an audience with the king and offer his advice?

He wasn't oblivious to the value of money. After the war, the fact that they were able to establish systems to accommodate veteran soldiers was thanks to the hidden fortune of the executed Third Prince Weneg. Without that, the chaos in the country would have worsened.

Money was important. However, the painful part was that in the process, he had to negate his own life and values.

"To get money, you need trade. To trade, you need the support of many tribes. To unite the tribes, you need money. What a puzzle this is... Ku."

He didn't know where to start. Yet, Gwen reminded himself to avoid desperation and foolish actions. He had seen others succumb to that, and he was determined not to fall into the same pitfall. Personally, he absolutely loathed that possibility.

Was Claudia's proposal to expand her trading partners beneficial for Gwen and the others? Perhaps it could become the catalyst to untangle this complex situation.

Suddenly, Gwen emerged from his deep thoughts and looked up. He felt a presence. The next moment, several men emerged from a side path, blocking the road. They weren't so much wearing clothes as they were wrapping themselves in tattered rags.

"Are they bandits?"

Lutz popped his head out from the cargo bed and asked.

"Ah, regardless, we need to stop the carriage or the horses will be slaughtered. These guys aren't kind enough to let us force our way through."

"These bandits are quite determined in this country."

"A nation of warriors, huh? It's moving."

Gwen halted the carriage and shouted towards the man who seemed to be the leader of the bandits.

"I am Knight Gwen from the pioneering village. I wish to meet the chief of the Saligari tribe!"

There was no reaction. The bandits were looking at Gwen with expressions that seemed to say, "What is this guy saying?" Lutz shared the same sentiment.

"...What was that just now?"

"I thought they might be Saligari warriors disguised as bandits, but it seems I was mistaken."

As Gwen had mentioned before, there had been incidents where carriages from the capital were attacked by bandits. Lutz decided it wasn't a topic worth delving deeper into.

"In any case..."

A man stood up on the carrier.

Despite coming as escorts, they hadn't done anything until now. Being an escort meant being idle when there was nothing to do, and if there was nothing, that was even better. However, the young hero was feeling restless with unused power.

"If they're just ordinary bandits, is it fine to just beat them all?"

Ricardo leapt off the carriage with a sardonic grin. He didn't understand money matters or political matters, but now that his turn had finally come, he was excited.

"I don't know about his abilities, but is he reliable?"

When Gwen asked with an anxious tone, Lutz nodded and affirmed.

"He's a dependable guy, though he's a bit obsessed with a demonic sword."

It was questionable whether that was something that could be considered unproblematic, but the current task hadn't changed. Gwen also grabbed his beloved sword and descended from the driver's seat.

Lutz smiled kindly at Claudia and said, "Just wait a bit," before joining his comrades with an axe in hand.

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