Chapter 308

Chapter 308 - Fruits of Labor

"My Lord. The profit split for the mine's development does not merely include the labor of mining. It must also account for the exploration and monster suppression required for development."

Any other Dwarf would have bowed deeply and said, "I am truly in awe of Your Lordship's generosity!" before departing.

But Theodore was among the most proud Dwarf engineers, a man who valued reputation above all.

"If word of this spreads, every craftsman in the Elysium Mountains will laugh at us. His Majesty, the honorable King of the Mountains, would also rebuke us."

"Think of that as the price you're paying. I'm taking your reputation, which is more precious than money, as payment, so you needn't feel sorry toward me."

Eugene's smiling attitude left Theodore speechless.

As one of Rome's greatest mining magnates, he had dealt with numerous nobles. He knew well how absurd the vanity and greed of the aristocracy could be.

The young lord's illogical logic before him had a certain endearing quality that also provoked laughter.

"Maintaining morale is important in every field. Now that we've confirmed the real gold mine, your hearts must be pounding. Am I right?"

"Among Dwarves, no--among anyone alive, who wouldn't be excited about finding a gold vein?"

"I'd have nothing more to ask if that excitement carried all the way to swinging the pickaxe. Here..."

Eugene gestured 360 degrees around. After a brief plain, most of the surroundings were covered in jungle, with the sea visible far to the south.

"As you can see, it's completely unfamiliar territory. There are many sources of stress, but ways to replenish morale are limited. The gold mine, hot springs, local fruits, and perhaps the sea half a day to the south?"

"That covers everything we need. When we lived in the mountains, even our trips to Khazad-dor were more arduous."

Having unlimited access to clear, warm water and a sea free from pirates and bandits nearby was already a tremendous advantage.

Though not a city by any measure, Divide--a fairly large village even by Old Continent standards--was neighboring. Some trade was possible.

"Things don't always go according to plan. Who knows what adversity we'll face while working? My biggest concern right now isn't how much gold we mine. It's how long we can maintain this high morale. I have no intention of doing anything to undermine that, so you may go."

With the ultimate authority taking such a stance, Theodore had no grounds to protest. He bowed as he would to the King of Khazad-dor and withdrew.

'My throat is sticky.'

Eugene touched his sweat-soaked neck. Having fought beneath the mine since dawn, he was drenched in sand and sweat.

Now that the work was done, he wanted to soak in warm water. His faithful Dwarf pioneers had thoughtfully built an exclusive hot spring bath for the lord at the prime spot.

*

The sun was setting. The jungle was painted pitch black, while the river and sea were dyed red by the dying sunlight.

"Now that you've made your decision, it would be difficult to reverse it."

There was one more person who had come to see him about the contract renewal: Cassandra.

-He's a clever man, so he'll handle it on his own.

Rex, Rampage, and Hermann didn't concern themselves with domestic affairs. Hind was a polymath of both letters and arms, but was a yes-man who never opposed Eugene's wishes.

Homi was, as always, Homi. Marbas was on home leave. Alzhar had plenty to say but lacked the seniority to speak up.

That left Cassandra. With Varda absent, supporting Eugene in such matters was her role.

"If I'd known, I would have told you as soon as you returned."

"Even so, I wouldn't have changed my mind."

"Indeed. Every decision you've made without consulting your subordinates has been one of unshakable conviction."

Cassandra scooped water with both hands and splashed her face. The two were soaking together in the lord's exclusive hot spring.

This was a structure of two small ponds side by side, with water naturally circulating. With a little care, a man and woman could converse side by side.

Moreover, situated on a hill, it overlooked the entire area.

"The view here is truly wonderful. The Dwarves are admirable. They thoughtfully created a retreat for the lord."

Cassandra pushed her wet hair back, revealing her straight forehead.

"As expected, an updo suits a Fairy lady well. Beautiful yet with a hint of wildness?"

Eugene leaned his arms on the stone ledge between the two ponds and watched. Her flawless silver-gray skin was like porcelain cast from platinum, a sight that never failed to draw admiration.

Her beautifully defined abdominal muscles proved her years of rigorous training as a warrior. Moreover, they asserted that not a speck of cold or impact would be permitted to intrude upon the bearing of the lord's seed.

Her shoulders, honed by throwing and archery, were intimidating enough to overawe subordinates, and they looked dependable for embracing a weary partner or standing back-to-back on the battlefield.

If Varda fit the image of a princess perfectly, Cassandra exuded a queen's presence.

"Don't gentlemen avert their eyes in such moments? You're watching without any restraint."

Cassandra, without a shred of bashfulness, flipped her hair while boldly displaying her full chest.

"I won't. Such poverty-stricken behavior. And I was here bathing first, you know? You walked in naked without a qualm, and now you're complaining?"

Both spoke in tones of complaint, but there was no ill feeling between them. Only trust, goodwill, and a few additional sentiments.

"Homi was here while the lord bathed as well. So I assumed it would be fine."

Cassandra pointed to Homi, who was sitting in a nearby rocking chair.

"Someone has to watch over me, doesn't he?"

"Watch over the lord? A man who could punch a Troll to death with his bare hands..."

"It's an exaggeration. When bathing outdoors, everyone becomes vulnerable. You can't wash your face with your eyes open, can you?"

Homi's keen senses didn't miss a single insect. If things went south, he could transform into a water warrior, so being unarmed was no issue. If it came to it, he could let out a mighty roar to alert everyone to danger.

The finest bodyguard, without a single flaw.

"Don't be too disappointed about the mine contract. I have my reasons."

"Can your lordship share your plans with me?"

Cassandra rested both arms and her head on the stone ledge and looked up at Eugene with an expression she would never show before others.

"I plan to establish a mining company based on the Dwarf pioneers and have them manage it. It's essential if we want to manage the additional people who will come to this land."

"The company's shares will follow the contract previously signed?"

"Of course. And this is only the beginning. We need to grow the company and increase the pioneers so that when the time comes for expansion, we'll be ready."

"My Lord. Even though there are no rival nations here, developing the jungle is terribly inefficient."

Cassandra spoke worriedly.

The area near the hot springs and mines was one thing, but this land, filled with jungle, was lacking in value. Repeatedly conquering and developing in a frenzy of conquest could rather erode Eugene's strength.

"I'm not particularly interested in this green desert either. What I'm truly aiming for is over there."

Eugene pointed to the distant sea, then swept his hand northward.

"???"

"...Don't tell me."

Homi, listening with interest, wore a puzzled expression, but the sharp-witted Cassandra had already grasped what he meant.

"This new continent won't be the only one. Countless stories speak of unknown lands beyond the great ocean. Those accounts shared a common thread."

"Immeasurably vast, a land flowing with milk and honey," Cassandra recollected.

She retrieved the words from memory.

Accounts from captains who failed to chart routes, sailors boasting of tales heard from mermaids they'd befriended by chance, legends of unknown authorship.

Each differed slightly, but enormous size and rich soil were perennial themes.

"Look around. It's vast, I'll grant that, but this isn't a land of milk and honey, is it? The places that past explorers and the Promised Land sought weren't originally here either. They were heading much farther north but encountered various maritime dangers and were swept south. This is where they ended up."

Cassandra straightened her posture and crossed her arms. This caused her ample breasts to press together, forming a clear pool between them.

"So the place Your Lordship truly desires is there as well."

"That's another reason we need to establish our base here. It was a stroke of fortune that the Promised Land gave us the blueprint. But hoping for the same luck twice would be reckless."

The sun had now set. Cassandra gazed at the darkened sea with a radiant smile.

"There's no need to risk crossing the open ocean. We can simply follow the coastline northward from the waters ahead."

"When I come back here next time, I'll bring captains, crew, and ships while recovering the mined gold."

Always hugging the coast meant less danger, leaving a name in history, and generous pay. And the one commissioning it all was Eugene.

"Captains will be fighting each other for the opportunity."

The mere thought of those expressions amused Cassandra to no end.

"Even in the newly arrived land, the miners will have plenty of work."

"As Your Lordship says. Right now, we should be working hard just to grow, let alone rest."

"So nationalization can wait until we're well on track."

"...?"

Eugene's offhand remark made Cassandra's eyes widen. Homi, unfamiliar with the term, wore a confused look, but Cassandra seemed to grasp the nuance.

"My reputation among the people appears to be quite favorable."

"'Quite favorable' is so modest it sounds almost absurd."

At Cassandra's incredulous expression, Eugene smiled and continued.

"But a ruler can't remain merely good. In my view, a ruler's true capability lies in delaying the inevitable dance of the blade as long as possible. Let kindness flow like water, but gather cruelty and unleash it like lightning! And..."

Leaning toward Cassandra as if sharing a secret, she leaned her long ear close.

Hop.

Homi likewise climbed down from his chair, knelt on the stone ledge, and brought his ear near.

"I want you, Cassandra, to grip that sword hilt and swing it."

"Oh my."

Cassandra looked at Eugene as if he'd lost his mind.

"You want me to play the most despicable villain?"

"Because I think you'd do it better than anyone."

"..."

Eugene smiled and patted Cassandra's back, saying it was a joke.

"I'm sorry, but it's far in the future. Execution won't happen for a good hundred years, and by then, my hand will probably be nothing but bones."

"My Lord."

"I'm going to update this in my will. Don't go telling anyone what you heard today."

Cassandra obediently nodded at Eugene's jesting words.

The sensation of being assigned the villain's role, and something beyond that--an inexplicable lump in her throat. And the realization that she was sharing a secret reserved only for the chosen.

Cassandra grasped Eugene's hand with a complicated expression.

It had been mentioned multiple times, but the current Meyer household was a coalition of various groups united through Eugene alone.

Heir production was an absolutely critical factor for the survival of the faction. Especially the marriage alliance with the core supporters, the Black Hand tribe--it was an event bound to happen sooner or later.

-Eugene. You cannot keep them under your command with loyalty and allegiance alone forever. A marriage alliance through mingling blood is absolutely necessary.

-If Your Lordship permits, I will prepare the ceremony at any time.

Even Varda said this at every opportunity, and Chief Alesa and the elders were merely waiting for a date.

Eugene was delaying it to eliminate any trouble with the succession. Whether son or daughter, there would be no complications only after he had a child with Varda.

*

The following days were busy.

Hermann's Purification Squad and Rampage's warriors, heavily armed, searched additional mines.

No more undead appeared, but most of the creatures displaced by the jungle competition had nested in caves.

Some were occupied by Goblins, and others showed Goblins and Hobgoblins locked in turf wars.

"■■■!"

They attacked the intruders with crude weapons including blowguns, but it was futile resistance.

Stone Age to Bronze Age creatures couldn't possibly stand against an Iron Age civilization's army.

Clan-elder-rank Dwarves, while building the village, debated resource procurement day after day.

"We found an iron deposit. There's some copper too, so self-sufficiency shouldn't be a problem. No coal, but the forest is abundant."

"Salt is the issue..."

"Given the climate here, boiling seawater would be foolish. More hardship than gain."

"Didn't His Lordship stockpile a decade's worth for us? What's the problem?"

"Tch, tch!"

The elder Dwarves looked at the young Dwarf's protest with pity.

Though Eugene would visit periodically, they always had to prepare for contingencies. A community that relied solely on external forces for survival was like living with a bomb.

"We can trade for clay at Divide. I heard there's a fairly large swamp to the east."

"We also need limestone. If we ask the native scouts, we should be able to find at least one limestone cave."

Meanwhile, Theodore was busy building a large gold refining facility on the River of Fury.

"It was a relief that modular parts could be shipped from the Wandering Castle. If we'd had to fabricate everything from scratch here, the suffering would have been unimaginable."

Theodore shook his head at the mere thought.

Steam rising from the river, massive water wheels installed, and gears and pipes transmitting and converting the power lined up.

"Careful, careful, I said!"

"Are you out of your mind?! If this gets swept away, I'll hang you from the water wheel to spin!"

Sharp-nerved engineers shouted here and there.

"Since this isn't the uppermost reach, efficiency will be somewhat reduced."

"That's fine. Go any higher and the current will be stronger, but the water will start boiling. Every time we do maintenance, people will be getting burned left and right."

"You seem to worry about us more than we do about ourselves."

They were finally getting used to it, and Theodore chuckled.

As was fitting for a world that treated life cheaply, Dwarves too prioritized efficiency over a few broken bones or singed skin. Theodore and the moderates were actually in the minority.

In times like these, when the ruler clearly set the course, work proceeded smoothly without unnecessary trouble.

And while he didn't interfere with the process itself, he provided generous funding and supplies--it couldn't be more reassuring.

Thus, the prototype gold refining facility was completed and began its first operation.

*

Moo-!

Cows are humanity's friends.

"Just a little more! We're almost there!"

Under the Dwarves' encouragement, the cows diligently pulled the loads.

With no maintained roads and treacherous terrain, using carts was impossible. Thus, they stacked bags of gold ore on sledges and had the cows transport them.

A line of mud-caked cows advanced along the unpaved road. The Dwarves didn't even need to pull the reins.

Moo-!

Cows are intelligent creatures with a sense of community. Following the companions ahead, they silently pulled the sledges forward.

Hooves and legs alike caked in mud, with drool dripping from their mouths. Yet they moved their heavy steps without a single complaint.

"Better than people."

"Not stupid at all. Just dependable."

That stubbornness resonated with the Dwarves. The Dwarves drafted as porters had only ever raised chickens and hunted; this was a novel sensation. They fell in love with the creature called a cow.

Upon arriving at the gold refinery, every cow plunged into the downstream river without exception.

"There, there, sweetie. You worked so hard."

The Dwarves followed them in, wiping their faces with cloths and splashing water on their backs.

"Don't go too dee--"

Glug.

One cow, excited to swim, accidentally submerged the Dwarf who had followed due to the height difference. It quickly turned around.

"Bravo!"

Applause erupted from all around as it carried its master on its back to safety.

The bags of minerals hauled by the cows were fed into Theodore's automated machinery.

"In with it!"

"Pour it slowly!"

The machinery consisted of three water wheels. First, the first water wheel powered a millstone.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

A massive hammer continuously struck the ore. Chunks ranging from fist-sized to as large as watermelons were broken and crushed into small fragments.

Incidentally, the hammer struck a steel grate with gaps the size of a pinky fingernail. Fragments small enough to pass through the grate fell below.

The fragments were ground by crushers powered by two water wheels. Terrifying steel rollers mixed the stones with water, grinding them into mud.

That mud traveled through waterproof wooden pipes to a rectangular processing area that looked like a salt pan.

Here, through a special process that expelled lighter materials like water, sand, and soil, the heaviest gold settled at the bottom.

The final step was firing this crystallized mass in a forge-like furnace at high temperature. This eliminated residual impurities, leaving behind pure gold.

Eugene observed every step of the process.

"A far more complex process than I imagined."

"Before a gold coin reaches a noble's hand, truly much blood and sweat flows."

The sweating miners spoke with pride to their admiring employer.

At last, a palm-sized, flattened nugget emerged.

Gulp.

Not just the miners, but everyone who had gathered to watch swallowed hard.

Despite being heated red-hot in the ultra-high-temperature furnace, its yellow glow was incomparable to any iron. A small sun began to rise within the furnace.

"It's done now."

Theodore gripped it with tongs and plunged it into cold water.

Ssssss.

The flattened nugget steamed and rapidly cooled. As the heat was driven away, the orange hue vanished swiftly, and from the edges, a brilliant golden color spread.

"My Lord. Please."

Theodore, with trembling hands, presented the water-glistening gold nugget.

"Hah..."

Eugene felt an indescribable surge of emotion as he received it carefully.

"I came to the other side of the world and endured all that hardship just to obtain this small piece."

Held between thumb and forefinger, the gold nugget was worth perhaps ten gold coins.

But it was a treasure beyond compare to the countless bags of gold coins Eugene had earned before.

Holding the gold nugget between thumb and forefinger, Eugene held it up to the sun. All who stood nearby knelt in reverence.

It was the sight of the first gold rush succeeding.