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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 6
Chapter Title: Berus's Dilemma
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"You sent a letter saying it's hard to maintain the contract? I came to look into the details."
"What is there to it? It's all the same thing. It's just too hard to keep the contract going anymore. I'm wrapping up the management business and planning to leave this place."
He waved his hand dismissively, as if there was nothing more to say.
"So stop with the pointless thoughts and head back."
Was it because he was being so uncooperative?
One of the escort knights, who must have followed me in unnoticed, placed his hand on his sword hilt and growled.
"How rude! Show some respect! To Master Berus the artisan!"
"Stand down. We're not here to threaten anyone."
He'd kicked the door to splinters, and now he claimed it wasn't a threat. The knights looked incredulous, but I asked calmly.
"Talking a bit won't cost you any money, right? Got anything to offer?"
"Hah."
Berus stared at me in disbelief.
"You smash someone's door to pieces and now you expect hospitality?"
"I guess the days when dwarves were known for their bold generosity are over."
"Wait a moment."
He staggered to his feet and soon returned from the warehouse with a large oak barrel.
"Oh, dwarf-made brew. Nice."
"...You're one unusual human, Young Master..."
"You two."
I called over the two escort knights who'd come with me as guards.
And I told them.
"We've had tails following us since a bit ago. Don't make it obvious—track them back instead."
At my words, both the dwarf Berus and the two escort knights flinched.
"Pardon? What do you...?"
"Act like you're just running an errand. Got it?"
The two knights looked a bit reluctant at my order.
"But we're here on the Young Lady's orders to protect you..."
"Who's going to cause trouble here? It's fine—go. It'll be hard to tail them alone, so I'll stick around until you two get back."
I sent them off with some effort. There wouldn't be much to gain anyway—I just wanted to talk one-on-one.
"You flinched just now."
"..."
"Not unrelated to those tails, are you?"
"Have a drink before you go."
He downed his liquor with the face of someone who couldn't care less.
"Berus, you've been operating in Cascadia County since my father's time—even back when Grandfather was alive, right?"
Dwarves lived longer than humans, but it was true that he'd spent much of his life alongside House Cascadia.
"All that's in the past. With my lord gone, there's no reason to tie myself here."
"Unlike with Father, you don't trust my little sister?"
At my question, he furrowed his brow as if deep in thought, then glared at me through half-lidded eyes.
"What exactly are you trying to say?"
"From our side, the reason for breaking the contract just doesn't add up. And you don't strike me as the type to flip on a promise like that..."
He responded to my prodding with a scoff.
"Hmph. What can two kids who haven't even grown up yet hope to do...?"
He stared down into his glass and fell silent for a long while.
"Won't you talk?"
"The older you get, the more you see. You might call it arrogant, but let me ask one thing."
"What?"
"Does House Cascadia have the capacity right now to pay attention to matters like this?"
His question dripped with doubt.
"House Cascadia has fallen far in just a few months. The mighty forces a Border Count should command have already been halved. Simply put, it's too much for the Young Lady or you, Young Master, to handle yet."
Melissa hadn't deliberately kept the family's key secrets from me.
But changes like that were plain enough to see at a glance.
Recently, I'd noticed the oddly low numbers of soldiers guarding the walls, private troops of the count's family, and knights.
"I'm no noble, but as an elder, here's my advice. With the Count of Cascadia dead and hungry vultures circling, is pride really the issue if you want to survive? The Young Lady could marry into a good house, and you, Young Master, as a son-in-law..."
"Berus."
I cut him off, and he looked at me.
"Let's make one thing clear before I go. My little sister will become an outstanding head of House Cascadia. I've decided that, and not even the heavens splitting in two will change it."
"Hah, young blood runs hot."
"Does this look like mere youthful bravado to you?"
Melissa had received heir training since childhood.
Inheriting the Cascadia Border Count title was her goal—her life's purpose.
I had no intention of taking that position from her now.
And I couldn't stand by while she, who'd worked so hard, was dismissed by the territory's own people, of all folks.
Instead of words, I crushed the glass in my hand with my bare fist. Surprise flashed in his eyes.
"Ha... hahahahaha!"
I couldn't tell what was so funny, but he cackled like a madman.
"A bookish type who's never held a sword says that?"
"You're leaving anyway. So here's the deal—I won't stop you. But for the sake of your ties with my father, tell me everything you know."
I'll handle the cleanup.
He fell silent at my words.
"At the very least, we need to know who's targeting us."
"...It's nothing much. Lately, some nasty types have set up shop around here."
"Nasty types?"
"Yeah. Loan sharks, from what I hear. At first, they came in pretending to be upstanding merchants, settled down, and lent money at low rates all over."
"Hmm..."
"The trouble started after that. Right after the Count passed, they jacked up the interest like they'd been waiting."
"They raised the rates on their own? Did you report it to the guards?"
He sighed at my question.
Then shook his head.
"You know what? More than half the guards are in on it with them. Slip them some coin from behind, and what can't they do?"
He spoke with a weary face.
"Heard about that big territory war in another fief lately? After the Count died and Cascadia's forces shrank, we signed a contract to supply weapons there to find a way to survive."
It was the occasional side gig we handled alongside regular business—nothing new.
"So you borrowed money for raw materials?"
"Exactly. The contract was solid, and the interest was manageable, so we took it."
The rates weren't too high, and with the family's military shrinking, we had to expand business to keep the smithy afloat.
But after borrowing, the other territory delayed payments endlessly, and that's when the interest ballooned.
And not just that. The loan sharks dodged meetings with Berus under excuses while inflating the interest further.
The amount he owed had already far exceeded the principal.
Close to ten times over in total.
A truly vicious scheme. Scum like that never changed, whether in my past life or this one.
"It was a rigged game from the start."
"Not just us. Most businesses with shares from House Cascadia are in the same boat. I've managed them for the Count for ages, but I've hit my limit."
A sudden doubt arose.
"Melissa just let this happen?"
"Let it happen...? Not wrong, but not quite. The lenders claimed the current House Cascadia lacks authority without a proper head."
"Authority..."
I swallowed hard.
With Father gone, the Border Count position sat vacant.
Melissa handled territory affairs as acting head, but she hadn't yet received royal permission to fully inherit the duties.
What she'd been granted was successor status.
It might overstep in other houses, but in Bata Kingdom, Cascadia held a key position.
Someone exploited that gap.
"So someone spouted nonsense to usurp the count's family's authority."
A chill ran through me as my voice dropped low.
Interfering in Cascadia County from another territory was possible enough.
There were those who wanted to weaken the count's power.
But this required inside help—someone with partial authority.
"Who allowed this?"
"That's..."
"No need. Anyone who could wield House Cascadia's authority is already obvious."
Within the count's household, only Melissa could pull this off so brazenly.
But one other with claim to authority existed outside the main estate.
Same Cascadia blood—the branch family.
Father's brother, Tibel Cascadia.
Our uncle. Even when Father lived, he'd never hidden his greed for the Border Count's power.
Melissa hadn't mentioned him much to me.
Six months felt long, but in a whirlwind of work, it flew by.
I extended my hand to Berus.
"The IOU. Can I see it?"
"Sure, here."
He pulled a document from an old box and showed it.
It was cleverly manipulated to exceed the kingdom's maximum legal interest rate.
Traces of legal maneuvering to dodge punishment were evident.
But solutions existed.
The count's family could intervene anytime to roll back the excessive rates.
Knowing that and still planning to leave pointed to more than just debt.
"We can handle something like this."
"No need. I've made up my mind..."
"Let's be straight. You're not leaving because of the debt. It's just an excuse."
He dodged my question. But I noticed a cracked picture frame on the wall where his gaze drifted.
The eyes often spoke volumes.
It was a habit—reading enemies' glances to predict moves in battle.
A grinning dwarf—Berus—and a young dwarf beside him.
The background looked like Berus's forge.
Here, but someone who should be there wasn't.
Instinct hit.
"That photo—is it your son?"
"Yes."
"Where's that son now?"
He flinched at my question.
Bingo.
All the talk of lenders and money woes was cover.
His son had been kidnapped for blackmail.
"That..."
"Kidnapped... I see. They've gone that far. So that's why the tails. A bite's coming soon."
"I haven't said a word..."
"Was I wrong? It is kidnapping."
He let out a hollow chuckle at my confident probe.
"Not just a bookworm after all. Yes, it was all an excuse. But a 'bite'?"
That was when it happened.
Clatter! Clatter!!
"Young Master Leon, Count Tibel wishes to see you. You'll come with us."
Uninvited guests barged in while the escort knights were away.
Berus looked shocked, but I'd anticipated this while talking to him.
"Count? Since when did Uncle become a count?"
I shot back without turning, and as if waiting, the sound of swords drawn rang out.
Open intimidation.
"Young Master, it'd be wise to come quietly."
I smirked at his words and whispered to Berus.
"See? Here's the bite."
"What in the...?"
"From their view, who's the juiciest hostage?"