Chapter 173

Chapter 173

***

If there was only one truth in this world, it was that everything had an end.

Gloomy times have an end, and happy times have an end too. Of course whether that end was a cold death or a hopeful new beginning was unknown though.

The war ended, and winter ended too. In the south of the Adelorn Kingdom, the snow that covered the highland fields melted and seeped into the ground.

As the frozen ground melted sprouts came up breaking through the damp dirt. And very thin brooks that only flow in spring and summer flowed.

But suddenly, someone stepped on the clear brook splat. And leaving the fine ground alone they purposefully walked stepping on the brook splat splat.

Without any meaning, looking merely like a playing child it was none other than a young shepherd who was walking stepping on the brook.

Where the sheep went wasn't seen, and he seemed to be trying to soothe his boring shepherd life even like this.

The shepherd imagined something in his head. Just as children usually did, he projected himself into the imagination in his head.

The imagination unfolding in the shepherd's head was an anecdote about the Philosopher King Rickart he had heard sometime. That story about swinging his sword like lightning and cutting down enemies, that was.

The story about Rickart, the life he had lived had seeped even to a place this underdeveloped. And it became a dream for someone.

Of course to the shepherd it seemed absurdly impossible, but even if he couldn't achieve that dream it might be meaningful just by presenting a pleasant experience even for a moment.

Exactly as if he himself had become Rickart, the shepherd swung his stick while forcefully stepping on the brook for no reason. Splashing water spray to the extent his clothes wouldn't get wet seemed to make him feel good.

The warm sunlight floated in the sky exactly as if watching the shepherd's cute antics. Whether satisfied by those antics, it shone on something exactly as if reaching out a hand.

The shepherd who had been swinging his stick for a while alone panted out of breath panting, then discovered something sparkling in the brook.

He couldn't help but look at it, and squatting down he couldn't help but reach out his hand.

Holding it in his hand it was exactly like a pebble smaller than a fingernail, but the point different from other stones was that it sparkled like starlight.

A smile naturally spread on his innocent face. Not even knowing what the stone was he felt good just because it was pretty. Exactly like discovering a four-leaf clover, that was.

The shepherd pocketed the sparkling stone in his bosom. And again swung his stick while forcefully stepping on the brook. But he hadn't even taken a few steps before discovering another sparkling stone.

Did stars perchance fall from the sky? The shepherd tilted his head, and picked up the sparkling stone. It was two.

And that day, the sparkling stones the shepherd picked up were 8 in total.

The shepherd showed his father saying he found something fascinating. Thereupon his father frowned his expression at first wondering what useless sound he was making, then his eyes widened seeing the sparkling stones his son held out.

And running straight to the Village Chief's house late at night he showed the sparkling stones his son picked up.

The Village Chief who woke up from sleeping also frowned his brow at first, but soon changed to a serious expression.

The next day, the Village Chief took the sparkling stones and visited the newly appointed Border Knight from the Steel Knights.

And the stones flowed and flowed, passed through people's hands and ultimately entered Rickart's hands.

People like Marie, Bori, Paolo, and Lester huddled together and looked down at the sparkling stones placed on Rickart's palm.

The one who opened his mouth first was Paolo.

"For placer gold the size is big."

"What does that mean?"

"It means there can be a vein. A gold mine."

Thereupon except for Lester the eyes of all the people gathered around widened completely.

"Uh, what do we do, Ricky."

Bori said trembling his voice.

"What?"

"Are we finally becoming rich?"

Bori didn't have greed for money, but he just liked money. Perhaps because he lived without it but he was originally like that since the past.

While going around following Rickart he often viewed large sums of money, but he spent that much too so he couldn't personally save a lot. Even now as King, that was.

"Not yet, Bori. Where, who discovered this did you say?"

Rickart looked at Raimund and asked. Because the one the Border Knight directly reported to was him.

"It is a village called Prava in the Polchen region. A shepherd there discovered it in a brook and the Border Knight sent up a report."

"Where exactly is Prava?"

"It is almost directly straight west from Adelun."

"The terrain?"

"I heard the forests are sparse and high mountain ranges soar up so the places suitable for passing roads are set."

"Fortresses or outposts?"

"There are about watchtowers and beacons, but manpower hasn't been deployed."

Rather than rejoicing right away hearing a gold mine was discovered, Rickart asked for rough information about the surrounding terrain.

Because, if it was a gold mine it would be a place with mountains and mountains were mainly Adelorn's border regions. A border region meant there was a neighboring Lord.

"Who is the Lord beyond the border on that side?"

Rickart looked back at Paolo and asked.

"It is Duke Frederia. More accurately it is the Rothenburg County under the Duke. For reference the Duke is a neutral faction like Your Majesty. It's been almost 1 year since he convened his military force, but over the meantime there have been no particular movements."

Duke Frederia's diplomatic stance, to summarize simply was I won't touch you guys so you guys don't touch me either. He clarified the meaning that if you thoughtlessly touch me, it won't be fun.

"Shouldn't we first investigate whether there is a vein or not?"

Marie said. Dropping the gold grains trickling onto the table, Rickart answered.

"If you decide after finding out whether it is there or not, it's late. You have to decide in advance and then check whether it is there or not."

"What are you saying to decide?"

"Whether we have to fight in the worst case, or whether we have to mobilize diplomatic methods. If we find out that side will find out too. Because the stream formed from the snow piled up restricting winter melting won't flow only towards our side. Even if their response is later than ours, investigating the vein they can't help but notice."

Rickart was always faster than the opponent. Whether moving the army, or taking some measure. The secret of that speed wasn't thinking fast, but because he thought in advance.

Looking at the returning situation honestly doesn't it smell. If there was something humans lose their eyes over unable to even recognize parents and children it was precisely power and money.

It wasn't a matter to just laugh haha and persuade with good words.

Because most of the people who fail turn away even smelling that scent. Because they treat the matter with complacent thoughts like 'Would we really even did war?', they had no choice but to fail.

Of course it didn't mean he would did war right now immediately. He meant let's firmly set the policy.

"However Your Majesty, although your words are extremely right, to issue a mobilization order now the Kingdom has just entered a stabilization period. An army is exactly like a sword that once drawn does not enter the scabbard without seeing blood. I think there is a need to be careful."

Paolo carefully gave his opinion. As always, he never said wrong words.

Rickart unconsciously glanced at Bori. Their eyes met.

However he couldn't keep relying only on easy methods, and right now the opponent wasn't a street crime syndicate but a person at the level of a Duke or Count so he couldn't thoughtlessly send Bori either.

After thinking for a moment, Rickart said like this.

"We will reward first for now. I will bestow rewards starting from the Border Knight to the Village Chief of the relevant village, to the shepherd. Paolo organize the degree of the rewards well and hand it over to Ray. And form an investigation team and investigate whether the gold vein is certain."

"Understood."

Rickart waved his hand expressing his intention to end the meeting. Thereupon the advisory council members poured out rumbling, and only Bori and Marie remained.

"What are you going to do?"

Marie who now had a slightly swollen belly sat on a chair and asked.

"If we do war because of gold it is a bit like that right?"

"It's not just gold it's a gold mine."

"Isn't it not certain yet?"

Bori said sweeping up the gold grains swish swish himself.

"Right. It's not certain yet. So it's truly difficult."

Rickart hadn't turned hostile with Duke Frederia. Even when Adelorn was in a civil war, Duke Frederia didn't bother them from the side for no reason or keep them in check trying to obtain interests.

For that reason he was reluctant when it came down to striking first, and even if he did strike first deciding the level of that was hard.

Would he truly did war? If he won't did war will he seek diplomatic methods? Should he hope they don't know there was a gold mine? Or even assassination.

"How about discussing it with Paolo?"

Marie recommended. Paolo was a figure Rickart kept by his side and used usefully, but they didn't interact that closely.

They had never shared private stories either. He was doing so on purpose, but for this matter as much he might have to discuss it.

Because Rickart was specialized in fighting openly, but for plotting conspiracies from behind or doing so-called behind-the-scenes work he was a non-expert.

If there was light there was bound to be a shadow too. A King had to understand both of those and know how to utilize them.

Moreover being Rickart who had already used the means called assassination from behind, if necessary he had the intention to use dirty tricks too. Well he would have to see how dirty to know though.

Rickart said to Roy who was looking at the gold grains next to Bori.

"Go and call Paolo back again a bit."

Thereupon Roy smoothly dressed as a King's Chamberlain scurried out of the meeting room. A moment later Paolo entered again.

In the meeting room there were only Rickart, Marie, Bori, Roy, and Paolo. It looked like an exactly appropriate number of personnel to plot something, but the spring sunlight entering through the window was too clear.

They were just staying comfortably as they wished each, they weren't sitting in their seats like during a formal meeting. Standing by the window, Rickart flicked his finger and called Paolo. And then placing his hand on his large back, he said.

"Have you not felt disappointed that I subtly kept a distance over the meantime?"

"No. You are doing well."

"Really?"

"Yes?"

"I'm asking if you have anything disappointed about."

"From the moment one harbors a disappointed heart toward a King, they hasten their lifespan. Sincerely helping and giving advice, but not harboring personal emotions is the secret to living long, and would be a benefit to the merchant guild too."

Paolo had never once hidden his inner thoughts. He openly revealed that he moved for profit.

Doing so while his abilities were outstanding too he perfectly seemed to confidently present his price asking were you not going to buy a product of about my level.

That part was subtly not great, but it was true that he definitely had never disappointed even once, and had brought great profits to Rickart and the Kingdom too.

"This time just once I intend to trust you a bit and entrust a task, would that be okay?"

"I will do my best."

"The gold mine story from earlier, you would know since you heard it too but would it be better to leave Duke Frederia alone, or would it be better to strike first in advance?"

"Your Majesty would know too, but a great commander wins in advance and then fights the battle. Business is the same. A person who leaves it alone and expects the matter to proceed well is not a businessman."

"Then would it be better to mobilize diplomatic methods, or would it be better to gather soldiers and openly threaten?"

"Try estranging them. Duke Brumbaer is of the 5th Prince faction but since being defeated in the previous battle his faction is in a weakened state. Have Duke Frederia strike his back. Then he won't have the spare energy to pay attention to the gold mine. During that time if we erect a fortress on the border and defend, even if he notices later he won't be able to do anything."

Just listening to the words it was a plausible plan. The problem was how he would estrange them.

"He's a person who gathered soldiers for a year and is staying still, would estrangement easily work?"

"The method to move a coward is stimulating their pride. He is the type to make foolish decisions after agonizing. However, what I pay attention to is another part."

"What is that?"

"Stormhearts."

"Why that?"

"The Caldebern County is a vassal of Duke Brumbaer, and the Caldebern family of the Stormhearts line follows the County right. Yes exactly Your Majesty's father. Previously the battle with the 2nd Prince was fought in another region but if the estrangement succeeds Stormhearts could become a battlefield."

Rickart turned his head, exactly as if to cut off the conversation for a moment. The hand placed on Paolo's back also fell. As if lost in thought his eyes were still looking at the wall where the sunlight settled.

Marie and Bori heard Paolo's words, but kept their silence without presenting any opinions.

Rickart didn't blush, frown, or get angry. He was merely looking at the wall still. In the white light entering through the window dust could be seen quietly floating.

Chasing that dust with his gaze for a moment, he opened his mouth.

"I will ask one thing. When you make a decision Paolo what do you consider importantly?"

"It is value. Things visible to the eyes, things not visible to the eyes, I price everything. War materials, labor, time, expected future, profits when doing other work, and the price of lives are also included. People I have absolutely no acquaintance with, people close to me, even family too. After pricing like that, I choose the side that sees the least loss, or becomes the most profitable."

Hearing it somehow it was a somewhat shocking story. Hearing Paolo's cold-hearted words silence flowed for a moment.

"......Are you confident you will succeed if I entrust the task?"

"As I have always said, I merely do my best. However, I have never failed in business."

"Understood. Withdraw."

Without even looking at Paolo, Rickart bowed his head and said. Paolo bowed his waist toward Rickart and withdrew again.

Bori who was sitting crookedly with his legs crossed said.

"One thing is certain."

"What?"

Marie asked.

"A person to keep closely and use but shouldn't get close to."

That was a fact both Rickart and Marie already knew. Merely, should it be said they felt it anew again. Leaving aside good or bad, right or wrong, the figure named Paolo had a different grain.

"Will you do it?"

Marie asked. Rickart stayed still for a long while and then answered dryly. Of course anyone who heard could know there were complex feelings under the shell called dryness.

"Yeah."