"That is fascinating. So, you are exploring the idea that things can have spirits now?" Alex asked, genuine interest evident in his voice. The possibility captivated him, as the question of what could develop consciousness and what could not was something he would find genuinely interesting to investigate. There were countless implications to consider, ranging from the nature of consciousness itself to the moral responsibilities that came with interacting with such entities. Of course, morality had already become somewhat complicated in their current circumstances, particularly since he doubted that everyone had followed the Geneva Conventions during the trial, although he was certain they had not been designed with other races attempting to enslave humanity in mind.
"Maybe, but as I said, we have not figured out any patterns yet," Arin replied, bringing the discussion back to the limits of their current knowledge. "We have only really gained the ability to investigate these things since we officially became mortals, so everything is still quite confusing." He hoped that their journey would help them develop at least some understanding of the phenomenon, although he was not particularly optimistic about discovering clear answers so quickly. There were simply too many unknowns, and even the most experienced researchers were still trying to understand the consequences of the world's transformation. "Hopefully, this trip will help us form some ideas, but you were saying something about the improved road?"
As he spoke, Arin gradually reduced his bloodlust before taking a seat in the office, allowing the oppressive atmosphere he had created to fade. The rest of his group entered shortly afterward, their expressions hardly welcoming as they looked toward the pig sitting inside the cage. None of them seemed particularly inclined to offer the imprisoned man any sympathy, especially considering the condition in which they had found the town and its operations. Whatever explanation he might provide, the damage had already been done, and the Sonnenbergs were not accustomed to treating deliberate interference with their interests as a minor inconvenience. Arin, however, was willing to hear the details before deciding how much blame the man deserved.
"Yes, he had the idea to improve the road because it seemed quite inefficient on the map," Luckes explained, his expression twisting with disgust as he recalled the former overseer's plans. "Apparently, instead of simply claiming credit for making transportation more efficient, he intended to sell the extra mana stones to buyers on the African continent." He paused briefly, allowing the implications of the scheme to settle before continuing. "He already had buyers lined up, which would explain the increase in piracy attacks against our ships lately." The revelation made Luckes even more irritated, as the scheme threatened not only their mining operations but also the safety of the vessels carrying their goods.
Luckes belonged to a Great House that had established itself in England many generations ago, and his family had spent centuries building its commercial influence. Piracy was therefore more than a distant security concern to him, since attacks against their ships could disrupt established trade routes, increase operating costs, and endanger the people responsible for transporting valuable cargo. The idea that an incompetent official had helped create such an opportunity for pirates was infuriating, particularly when the man had apparently done so for his own financial benefit. Luckes glanced toward the cage with open contempt, making it clear that he had little patience left for the former overseer. As far as he was concerned, the man had demonstrated that he was a complete waste of space.
"Right, and let me guess," Arin said, his voice carrying a note of disdain as he began to piece together what had happened. "He decided to draw a straight line from this attempt at a village directly to the mine, rather than follow the existing route." He leaned back in his chair, looking between Luckes and Alex as he considered the obvious problems with such a plan. "So, where exactly did he run into trouble? Was it the massive wolf pack that claims the territory between the first curve of the S-shaped road, or did he encounter difficulties with the massive valley filled with poisonous creatures near the second curve?" His tone suggested that he already knew the answer, and that the former overseer's supposed improvements had been doomed from the beginning.
Although the Sonnenbergs had indeed constructed a much longer road instead of taking the shortest possible route, their decision had not been made out of ignorance or a lack of concern for efficiency. The winding road had been designed to preserve the balance of the forest while avoiding several dangerous areas that could threaten both the workers and the mine's long-term operation. The wolf pack was one such obstacle, while the poisonous valley was another, and neither could be dismissed simply because a map made the direct route look more convenient. In fact, the Sonnenbergs had considered the dangers carefully before deciding where the road should pass, since they understood that the forest was not an empty space that could be reshaped without consequences.
Of the two obstacles, the poisonous valley was perhaps the more obvious reason to avoid the direct route. Anyone familiar with the creatures inhabiting the area would understand that sending ordinary workers through such a place would be an unnecessary gamble, particularly when the mining operation already depended on a limited workforce. The wolf pack, however, presented a different kind of problem, because its territory could not simply be crossed without provoking a potentially costly confrontation. Arin knew that Europe had been at war with wolves for thousands of years, and that the history of those conflicts had not ended merely because humanity had begun to expand its settlements. There had even been active bounties on wolves until 1960, with the practice dating back to Greece around 600 BC.
Now that wolf populations had begun to recover, the consequences of disturbing an established pack could become serious very quickly. The Sonnenbergs lacked the manpower to fight such a large group of predators while simultaneously defending the territory they would leave behind, and defeating the pack would not necessarily solve the problem permanently. Other wolves might move into the abandoned territory, forcing the miners and their escorts to deal with another dangerous group later. From Arin's perspective, the longer road was not a waste of resources but a practical investment in the continued safety of the operation. The former overseer's decision to ignore those considerations demonstrated how little he understood about the environment surrounding the mine.
"You are giving him far too much credit," Alex interrupted, his disgust becoming more apparent as he shook his head. "He only managed to get about twenty kilometres of road cleared before the workers quit because they weren't being paid for the work they had already done." He gestured toward the documents scattered across the office, as though the terrible state of the records offered sufficient proof of the man's incompetence. "Currently, half the town is on strike, waiting for the boats to return so they can get the hell out of here." His expression hardened as he considered how much time had already been wasted dealing with a situation that should never have been allowed to deteriorate this far.