The Founding Monarch Became the Mastermind

Chapter 89

– To win someone’s heart, spend a lot of money. If you fail, it means you didn’t spend enough. So, spend even more.

Si-on firmly believed in this adage(?) in this world.

The saying also worked in another way.

– To instill fear in someone, spend a lot of money. If they’re not afraid, it means you didn’t spend enough. So, spend even more.

It will answer with great terror.

Belin of the Spio Trading Company was a woman who understood the fear that money could bring.

After all, who in their right mind would dare raise their head before the person who was practically the real owner of the Spio Trading Company, which was both her workplace and family?

Si-on, Belin, and even Theodor, who created the Hexagonal Seal, all knew one thing.

The reason why Si-on, despite being the largest shareholder of the Spio Trading Company and Yazan’s six major trading companies, had never exercised influence over them or Yazan City:

It was because there was no benefit for him.

They grew well on their own, generating profits without his involvement.

There was no reason for him to interfere or demand they work harder and bow every time he saw them.

The same was true for the six trading companies.

Whether in hard times or good, they had a major shareholder who never meddled in their business and fully guaranteed their management rights.

A saint—no, to them, Si-on was truly the “Saint.”

But at this moment, the Saint was no longer present.

“So, you thought that by influencing Rozin and Fland, you could secure cheaper goods made by the Cheolsan Dwarves and get the quantities you wanted. Not to mention the abundant food from the Duchy.”

In truth, the latter was the main goal.

Yazan was a city-state.

Its territory had grown as its influence expanded, but it still wasn’t large enough to feed its population of 100,000.

To make matters worse, not all of its land was farmland, so importing food was a necessity, not a choice.

But the surrounding countries and great estates, displeased with Yazan’s rapid growth, were not willing to easily export grain to Yazan.

Thus, Yazan had to look for a region that wasn’t hostile toward them, wasn’t far by sea, and had no issues with food production.

That place was the Si-on Duchy.

Why had Si-on been so determined to drive monsters into the mountains early on?

This peninsula, aside from the Brandin Mountain Range in the east, had several large deltas, making it a natural farmland.

The land near the mountains was perfect for growing wheat, and the stable temperature and abundant water supply in the deltas made it ideal for rice farming.

In this blessed and vast farmland, more than 100,000 people farmed, and nearly every year was either a bountiful harvest or an average one.

Yazan, rich in money but always hungry, naturally set its sights on this.

“So, in the end, it’s about monopolizing.”

“Th-that’s right, sir!”

Belin, who had instinctively tried to make an excuse, nodded quickly.

In truth, their ultimate goal was not only to import grain from the Si-on Duchy but also to secure the maritime export rights for all other goods.

“Well, it’s understandable. You didn’t know the owner of the Hexagonal Seal had close ties with the Si-on Duchy.”

“Yes, that’s exactly right! We truly, absolutely didn’t know. If we had known…”

“But does not knowing excuse you from the consequences?”

“……”

Hit by the ultimate trap (an unavoidable blow), Belin felt like the air was sucked out of her lungs.

“You travel by sea a lot, right? If you sail into a storm without knowing it’s coming and lose all your cargo, do your clients forgive you? If you get scammed in a deal, does your company just say, ‘Oh well, it couldn’t be helped,’ and let it go? Is that how it works?”

“N-no, sir…”

“See? If not knowing excused you from responsibility, there’d be nothing to be accountable for in this world.”

“Yes, you’re absolutely right.”

Belin suppressed the urge to close her eyes and lowered her head.

“Then you’ll have to take responsibility, won’t you?”

“Yes…”

As Belin answered, her mind raced with all sorts of thoughts.

Would he demand her head?

Miuran, who foolishly provoked him, would likely die too.

How much would the compensation amount to?

Still, he was the largest shareholder, so he probably wouldn’t completely ruin them, right?

But surely, both she and all of her direct subordinates would either lose their jobs or, at best, be banished to some backwater branch to somewhat appease his anger.

What about the mercenaries?

Of course, they’d have to turn the ships around immediately. But the breach of contract fees for the mercenaries wouldn’t be small either.

What to do? What to do?

Belin’s thoughts spiraled endlessly.

However, after a few minutes—no, after several minutes passed—her frantic thoughts came to a halt.

Why hadn’t he said anything?

Realizing that the owner of the Hexagonal Seal had been staring at her in silence for nearly a full minute, Belin cautiously lifted her head.

The young, handsome man continued to look at her with an indifferent expression.

Belin nervously opened her mouth.

“Um… how should I take responsibility?”

Si-on, who had remained silent, finally spoke one short phrase.

“Make an offer.”

“…Pardon?”

“This is my first time dealing with a situation like this, so I’m not sure how much or what kind of responsibility to demand. So, you make an offer.”

“…….”

Belin’s face turned even paler than when she had imagined the worst.

She had only ever heard stories about the dreaded “offer from the weaker party,” and now it was happening to her.

* * *

“Ugh… sniff! Sobs…”

Miuran, finally regaining his senses, opened his eyes, feeling like his insides had been torn to shreds.

“B-Belin? Belin?”

Even amidst the intense pain, Miuran immediately searched for his lover.

“I’m right here.”

Fortunately, Belin was right beside him.

“W-what happened? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, or I wouldn’t be standing here. Though it seems we’re totally screwed.”

“What do you mean… wait, where’s that bastard? That damn…!”

Thud!

“Ow! What was that for? Damn it, that really hurts!”

“Shut your mouth! You and I barely escaped with our lives today.”

“What are you talking about…?”

Miuran, who was about to lose his temper as usual, froze.

Though they had been lovers for five years, he had known Belin for over ten, and he had never seen her with this expression before.

“W-what’s wrong with you? What happened?”

Belin was trembling, biting her nails so hard that her fingertips bled.

The sight was not just unfamiliar—it was terrifying.

“Honey.”

“Huh? What?”

“Please, I beg you. Don’t ask or say anything. Just know that we were halfway on our way to the afterlife but barely made it back. Understand? Got it?”

“But what do you mean…?”

“I’m begging you! Don’t ask anything! Just do as I say! If you don’t want to die, just do as I say!”

Miuran wasn’t one to lose his temper easily.

But he couldn’t say anything in response to Belin, who was screaming as she tore at her hair in a near-panic.

His lover was crying.

And her face was clearly filled with terror.

“I don’t want to die. I want to live. That man… that person spared our lives. So, do as I say. Okay? As soon as we get back to the inn, turn the mercenaries around. Write up a list and a confession.”

“A list? A confession…?”

“Yes. A list of the officials we bribed and a confession of what we planned to do with them. No, I’ll write the confession. You just sign it with me. I’m begging you, don’t ask why. Just do it if you don’t want to die. Got it?”

“…O-okay.”

Miuran, still bewildered, stared at Belin, who spoke rapidly without taking a breath.

After a moment, he nodded.

Luck had played a part, but Miuran hadn’t survived as a pirate and mercenary all these years for no reason.

There were beings like that.

Creatures who, despite transcending all standards and common sense, existed nonetheless.

That man, who had knocked him out in the blink of an eye, was undoubtedly one of those beings.

Miuran felt a chill run down his spine.

Just as Belin said, he had taken a step toward death today and was dragged back to life thanks to her.

And that being who had taken him halfway to the afterlife could just as easily drag him all the way back.

* * *

The next morning.

Various posters appeared in the plaza of Rozin City.

“What’s this?”

“Did something big happen?”

“Is it monsters? Don’t tell me it’s monsters!”

Fearing it might be news of a monster horde approaching the city, the citizens hurriedly read the posters, and their eyes widened.

The first part wasn’t much.

It was just a list of names.

The problem lay in the text written directly below the list.

– The individuals listed above received bribes from Spio Trading Company officials, representatives of Yazan City.

– They conspired to push for opinions and policies that benefited Yazan rather than Rozin, misleading the mayor, the representative and highest decision-maker for the residents, into making poor decisions.

– Due to these individuals, the mayor nearly made decisions contrary to the will of the Si-on Ducal Family.

– The accuracy and truth of this letter and the list are guaranteed by Belin Spio, a special envoy from Yazan City.

And at the very bottom were two blood-red seals and signatures.

“You damn traitors!”

“Traitors!? Where are these scumbags now!?”

Even though time had passed and the higher-ups had wavered, the residents of Rozin all considered themselves “Si-on’s people.”

Their identity as citizens of Rozin was secondary to their pride in being residents of the Si-on Duchy, whose mascot was none other than the legendary hero, Duke Jang Si-on.

It was the same as how Koreans, who might bicker amongst themselves based on regions like Seoul, Gyeonggi, and Gyeongsang, would unite against outsiders like Japan or China.

In the end, the citizens of Rozin, already anxious due to the monster threat, rushed to city hall, their anger inflamed by the city’s poor response.

“Gyaaaah!”

The screams of (bribed) city officials echoed throughout city hall as they reported in for an emergency meeting with Mayor Calbert and Belin that morning.