I Married the Dragon I Killed
Chapter 80
Since he traded in human pleasure, Ahmed Hashim was one of the wealthiest men on the continent.
His first impression was so favorable that one wouldn’t have guessed he was the lord of such a den of vice. His bronze skin was firm and lean, and a radiance seemed to emanate from his eyes. He was the polar opposite of the bleary-eyed nobles commonly seen in Halim.
Ahmed personally handed over the tea prepared by a maidservant as he spoke.
“It is Assam tea. I heard rumors that you enjoy tea, so I brought this instead of alcohol.”
“I shall enjoy it, thank you.”
“It is an honor to host you in private like this. Although I did not attend the Grand Council, I heard you made a very impressive speech. I am sincerely praying for the development of the Far East.”
Talk was cheap.
“I appreciate the sentiment.”
“Sentiment? Would this Ahmed Hashim ever do something to incur the wrath of Seth?”
Seth was the god of the southern desert.
Ahmed stroked his long, flowing beard and continued.
“Beyond that, it would be wonderful if there were a gift I could present directly to the Regent. Ah.”
Ahmed snapped his fingers.
“I have just the thing.”
Ahmed whispered something to the maidservant fanning him nearby. She nodded and left the room. Ahmed then turned to Ferda with a smile.
“You are aware that those who visit our city enjoy gambling, yes?”
“Of course. I have placed a bet here myself.”
“For those who find it regrettable to end their game simply because they have run out of cash, we have something prepared.”
“A pawnshop?”
Ahmed nodded.
While Ahmed was called the Lord of Halim, he operated only two of the twelve casinos. Instead, all the pawnshops were run under his direct command. From that alone, he earned three times the revenue of all ten other casinos combined.
“We take collateral and grant a period of six months. After six months, I am free to dispose of those items as I see fit.”
“Meaning you intend to give me one of those items.”
“Precisely. You may look forward to it.”
The auction held after this exhibition was likely intended to feature items from Ahmed’s pawnshops. Mentioning this meant he was going to hand over an item currently held in one.
It goes beyond a mere pawnshop.
Most of Halim’s clients were nobles or wealthy merchants. They pawned everything from simple jewels to rare heirlooms, depending on the situation.
Of course, most families would recover heirlooms even if they had to take out a loan.
Pawning an heirloom was essentially high-interest lending. In reality, the remaining treasures would mostly be jewels or magic items with mediocre effects.
However, Ferda felt a flicker of anticipation. Since Ahmed told him to look forward to it, it was worth seeing what it was.
A moment later, four maidservants dressed as dancers entered, carefully carrying a palanquin. The care with which it was brought suggested it was a precious item that no one was allowed to touch. Ferda couldn’t help but feel intrigued.
Placed atop the palanquin was a long box. It was about the size of a dagger. Ahmed personally took the item out and laid it on the table.
“This is….”
Ferda’s eyes widened. Having spent his life pursuing strength as a mage, he recognized it instantly.
“Do you recognize it?”
“A branch of the World Tree struck by the Lightning of Defiance… is it not?”
Ahmed looked surprised by Ferda’s guess.
“Correct. You recognized it at a glance. Most people wouldn’t have a clue….”
A World Tree branch holds pure mana until it is broken, but if struck by lightning, its properties shift to amplify power. For a mage who specialized in lightning, it was a material for a staff that they absolutely had to obtain. However, there were over a thousand World Trees that had been struck by ordinary lightning and fallen, so those were relatively common.
But the Lightning of Defiance was different.
The lightning that only the first witch, Lucy Filiaz, could wield.
Lucy Filiaz, the witch who defied providence and possessed the only power capable of opposing the gods. Her signature power was the Lightning of Defiance. Unlike common lightning, which was blue, this struck toward the heavens in a brilliant red.
There were only seven World Tree branches in total that had been struck by the Lightning of Defiance. One was held by Erdes, one was in the Blue Eye Magic Tower, and the remaining five were divided among famous magical families. However, two of those famous families had vanished along with their downfall.
So this is the one whose whereabouts were unknown?
There were several possibilities. Perhaps a magic family’s heir, addicted to gambling, had stolen the heirloom and pawned it, only to claim it was lost out of shame. Or perhaps a thief had stolen it and wagered it here after losing everything gambling.
Regardless of the process, it was nothing compared to the shock of the branch’s existence.
1.2 million Golden.
It was a price that even most kings would find difficult to offer. Because the price was so legendary, Ferda remembered it. It was an incredibly rare material for mages who dealt with lightning magic.
“I have a question.”
“Yes, yes. Please, ask.”
“How much was this branch pawned for?”
Ahmed grinned, as if he had been waiting for the question.
“Ten thousand Golden.”
A 120-fold difference.
Once again, Ferda realized how gambling could ruin a person. To hand over something worth 1.2 million Golden for such a pittance.
But that wasn’t the important part.
Ahmed knows this item is important.
He must have thought he could get at least 500,000 Golden for it, if not the full 1.2 million. It was a burdensome item to simply hand over as a gift. That meant Ferda was worth more to him than that massive sum of money. Ahmed had clearly finished his calculations.
“Is it really alright for you to give me such a precious item?”
“An object naturally finds its true master. Is it not fitting to gift lightning to one who commands lightning?”
The spells Ferda had used during the wolf monster incident were Lightning Spear and Lightning Bolt. Because of that, Ahmed seemed to think he was a lightning mage.
Still, if I have a staff made from this, it will be a help.
It would be a help, and certainly never a hindrance. Ferda accepted Ahmed’s gift.
“I accept it with gratitude. Having received such a gift, I wonder if I can simply sit still.”
“There is no need to worry. Should comrades in the same situation not help one another?”
“The same situation?”
“Yes. Are we not both in the position of having to build something from the ground up?”
Ahmed stood up and walked toward the window. Ferda followed him. Stepping out onto the balcony, he saw a wasteland stretched out under the scorching sun.
“This Halim was once just one of many common cities failing on parched land. When the mages were expanding their ambitions, our city was one of their targets.”
Interference in internal affairs by mages was common in the south. Water is always precious in the south. Therefore, anyone with the power to manipulate the water element is treated with respect. If they can manipulate ice beyond water, they can name their price.
“So my grandfather worked tirelessly to revive Halim. He devoted himself to this land that mages plotted against and that everyone believed God had abandoned.”
Ahmed’s eyes welled with tears. He wore an expression filled with deep-seated resentment, as if he had personally felt that sorrow.
“Everyone cursed us, saying we would fail, but look at this outcome! Everyone called this a profane land, a place abandoned by God, but we have grown so strong that no one can ignore us. This was achieved through human strength!”
A city of prosperity, completely at odds with the nature of the wasteland. While there were many small towns adapted to the southern desert, none were as decadent and civilized as Halim.
“And my father, Abdul Hashim, always told me never to hesitate in helping a brother in the same situation. The Far East is our brother. It is a brother nation that walks the same path and deserves to enjoy the same prosperity!”
Ahmed displayed a passion that looked as if it could set the world on fire. It was impressive enough to move anyone.
However, Ferda did not take his words at face value. To protect this insane land, one had to stay sane 365 days a year. That was a necessity, not a choice. It made no sense to offer such a favor simply out of gratitude.
It seems Bernel made quite an impression.
Ahmed must have realized the value of magical engineering. The chance to get his hands on items that could kill a monster in a single blow—Ahmed did not want to miss that opportunity.
Having made his judgment, Ferda spoke.
“In fact, we are currently constructing a village under the jurisdiction of Valdrova Castle for the subjugation of the Far East.”
“I heard about that as well. I imagine labor and materials are in very short supply. When is the scheduled completion date?”
“I am told it will take a year for the foundation work and the water and sewage systems, and even by a short estimate, it will take five years to fully surround it with castle walls.”
“Five years!”
Ahmed stroked his beard, thinking. Then, he suddenly held up two fingers and said:
“Two years.”
“Pardon?”
“We will provide materials and labor so that you can reduce the construction plan to two years.”
It was so extraordinary that Ferda couldn’t even tell if it was realistic. He was claiming they could cut off a full three years. The only things lacking were materials and labor. If Ahmed filled those gaps, the city’s construction would accelerate tremendously.
“For such urban planning, we must also clear a direct road to Valdrova Castle. We will support you in that area as well.”
“Is there not already a road?”
“That is the road through the Empire; it is not a direct path, is it? Going that way is a hassle. Above all….”
Ahmed suddenly mimicked a sycophant, pretending to check his surroundings.
“The people in the Imperial Capital cannot be trusted.”
Ferda silently agreed. Despite his exaggerated gestures, the depth of Ahmed’s thoughts was beyond imagination.
Still, is it alright to make such a radical proposal?
Building a road in addition to the three-year completion was a level of cooperation that went far beyond mere ‘collaboration for development’ among nobles.
Just as they say all roads lead to the Empire, all roads in the south lead to Halim.
Halim was as active in commerce as it was famous as a den of pleasure. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that the finest goods of the south came here to be sold to the nobles gathered from all over. In other words, Ferda would succeed in establishing direct exchange with the south.
Bernel was more helpful than I thought.
An opportunity that never would have been created if they hadn’t arranged this meeting. The progress brought by the wind of innovation made Ferda smile in spite of himself.
However, Ferda did not let his guard down until the very end. Ahmed’s true intentions came out after that.
“Those were the things I am offering, and now, I have a proposal for you.”
Ahmed reached out his hand.
“How about forming a partnership with our Halim?”
After finishing his conversation with Ahmed, Ferda returned to Stefan.
“Hwahahat!!!”
Meanwhile, Stefan was laughing like a madman while holding Bernel’s hand.
“What is the matter?”
“Hwahahat! We hit the jackpot! The jackpot!”
“Pardon? Yes?”
“Look at this!”
The stack of papers Stefan pulled out and placed on the desk were all investment proposals. They ranged from 100 Golden to 10,000 Golden, and the most expensive one was even 100,000 Golden.
“From merchants to nobles, people from all over are showing interest in our products!”
“Is that a good thing?”
“The mere fact that they gave us these documents means we hold the upper hand! Throwing out such radical offers without hesitation means a great deal!”
“You mean we have the initiative.”
“Yes!”
Ferda, who had been pushed to the background, watched the scene quietly before speaking up.
“So, what do you plan to do?”
“Ah, Regent, you’re here. Of course! They want it this much, so only a fool would just accept it! I have some good strategies for this situation; would you like to hear them?”
Excitedly, Stefan handed Ferda a business model plan.
“The big players want us now! First, since there is interest from many places in magical engineering weapons, I’ll consult with the new administrator to devise a strategy for real estate auctions and investments!”
He spoke of money, money, and more money. These were the means to fill the coffers that Administrator Isabella had been most concerned about.
“Um, with this much money, we could even establish a new trading company. We could make the Far East our headquarters and—”
“A new trading company?”
Ferda cut him off and asked.
“Yes. Not the existing Pascal Trading Company, but planning a completely autonomous company in the East. The Duke would hold 31%, Bernel-ssi 20%, I would hold 20%, and the remaining 29% would be for outside investors.”
“It is our company; why do we need outsiders?”
“To break through trade conditions with large companies, they usually demand a certain percentage of the company’s shares. In return, we would buy a percentage of their company, so it’s more like an exchange; it’s not a major issue.”
Since their side consisted of professional merchants and the people they were dealing with were also professional merchants, it was a complicated story. Thus, Ferda did not try to delve deeply into the matter.
“What do you think?”
“Since it’s a direction that revitalizes the village, I have no objection… but I don’t see why you’re so happy.”
Ferda looked through the details Stefan had provided once more. However, among the strategies Stefan introduced, there were several that felt strange. Although he wasn’t an expert in economics, he could sense something was off.
“Among the things you’ve proposed, many feel like you’re trying to start from scratch.”
It felt as if he were digging a new well even though there was one right next to him. It was as if he were trying to start everything anew from the ground up. Ferda’s hunch was correct.
“Yes. There are parts that we need to start from the beginning.”
“Why?”
“Because we can seize a company without relying on the Pascal Trading Company.”
“So….”
At those words, Ferda’s gaze grew sharp. Stefan found himself becoming nervous under that stare.
“My question is why you are not relying on Pascal.”
“That company… is not mine yet; it belongs to my father. And….”
The words were not easily spoken. However, Ferda’s gaze forced the truth out of him.
“There is no reason for that company to necessarily become mine.”
“I see.”
Slap!
Ferda tossed the documents he had been looking at onto the table. To Stefan, the sound was as sharp as a slap to the face. Ferda’s blue eyes seemed to glow even colder.
“Then you are of no use.”
