Wortenia Senki (LN) - Volume 6 - Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Merciless Hellfire 

“Huh...? Me eyes ain’t playing tricks on me, are they?” The man whispered, looking away from the telescope. 

He couldn’t believe what he’d just seen and rubbed his eyes time and again. His hair had turned bright brown from exposure to the salty winds, and his skin was dark red and tanned from the sunlight. His appearance made it clear he was a seasoned sailor. The same could be said for the man helming this vessel. 

Approaching either of them would fill one’s nostrils with the scent of salt, proof of the countless days they spent at sea. And along with that scent, the metallic scent of blood wafted up from them — proof that they were no ordinary sailors. 

“Naw, I see the same thing... Not that I can believe it, aye?” The man helming the ship replied, glaring at the coastline. 

Their ship was sailing the deeps over two kilometers away from the shore, scouting over the shoreline. But despite the considerable distance, these men had spent years at sea and had gained a name among their fellows for their keen eyesight. 

And yet, the two of them doubted what they were seeing. The cape of the peninsula stuck out toward the sea like a bull’s horns — and sitting between those two so-called ‘horns’ was undoubtedly a settlement. No, not just a settlement — it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call it a small port town. 

Large bonfires were set up to serve both as watch fires and to stave off the darkness of the night, with two of them sitting on each end of the port, as if to keep the coastline illuminated. 

“But, I mean... is that even possible?” The lookout asked. 

“Who gives two coppers about if it’s possible? It’s there, right in front o’yer eyes...” The man helming the ship spat bitterly. 

“Well, aye, but what do we tell the boss? No one’s gonna believe this.” 

They could hardly believe it with the facts staring them in the face. If they were to report the truth, they doubted anyone would trust their report. Everyone would just say they drank themselves to sleep and had some intoxicated dream. 

“But still, man... Whatcha gonna do, lie to the boss? If you get found out, they’ll skin you and feed you to the sharks... Sorry, I’m not sticking my neck out here.” 

It was a rather chilling method of execution, meant to strike fear and make an example to anyone who might consider breaking the rules. And indeed, a number of people were subjected to this severe punishment. The men’s body shivered with terror at the memory of that sight. 

“Then what are we supposed to do?! It’s not like this isn’t yer problem too!” 

The two of them knew full well just how cold-hearted and unforgiving the person they were talking about was, especially when their subordinates lied to them. But if they were to report the facts as they saw them, no one would believe them. 

Shit... Talk about pulling the shortest fucking straw. 

Had he simply been an onlooker, the sailor helming the ship would have snorted at his comrade and told him he was out of luck. But he was involved in this, and that changed things. Namely, his life was equally on the not-all-too-proverbial chopping board. 

“Well, we only got one option here. First thing tomorrow morning we land on the cape and check things out from close up.” 

“Did all the booze finally pop something in yer head? The boss ordered us to scout and nothin’ else.” 

And going against the boss’ orders meant becoming shark feed. Such were their rules. But the man at the helm shook his head. 

“We’ll be shark feed either way now, won’t we? Then we’re better off breaking orders and getting more accurate information. Or do ya want to just turn tail and run?” 

“Don’t be stupid... We can’t run anywhere on a vessel this small.” 

The vessel they were on was one of the small boats supplied to larger ships for boarding purposes. It was more than enough for cruising along the coast, but it couldn’t cross long distances. Not to mention they only had enough food and water for another day — just enough for the return trip to their mother ship, docked to the north of the gulf. 

If this was an ordinary place, they wouldn’t have much to worry about if they ran away, but they were in the no-man’s land that was the Wortenia Peninsula. If they were to land in the wrong place, they’d simply be eaten by monsters before long. 

The fact Wortenia was outside the jurisdiction of any country allowed them, the pirates, to move about freely without any risk of being apprehended. But at the same time, it meant they had limited ways of reaching the outside world. 

“Then we’ve only got one option here. We tell the boss the truth and hope we get treated fairly,” the man at the helm said, shrugging his shoulders. 

“Ya really think he will?” The other pirate asked. 

“Do we have a choice?” 

The lookout pirate fell silent as his comrade replied to his question with a question. He realized that they didn’t have any other choice. The problem was that neither option would land them in a favorable position. He let his gaze drop to the deck and fell silent. 

Shit! We’re screwed no matter what we do... Guess the only thing we can do is ignore the boss’s orders and check the place out. 

He heaved a heavy sigh and looked up. 

“Fine. Let’s take the boat to the cape. We should reach shore before dawn.” 

The pirate helming the ship nodded silently and raised anchor. 

God damnit... 

Lamenting their lack of luck, the two pirates maneuvered their ship silently toward the shore. 

“It wasn’t just our imagination... I can’t believe this! How the hell did this town show up here so quickly...?” 

Upon reaching the northern cape, the two of them snuck through the dark night and climbed up the slope. Upon seeing the town lit up by the campfires, they gasped nervously. 

“A town? No, this place is about as supplied as a small provincial city...” 

The western coastline was entirely paved by flagstones, allowing it to function as a port. There were deep trenches dug in the eastern side that completely cut off the town from the nearby forest. To the south, they could make out the large shadow of what looked like a rampart. It wasn’t perfectly secured, but this settlement was more than capable of functioning as a port city. 

But that alone wasn’t enough to elicit so much surprise from the two pirates. The problem was that this was the Wortenia Peninsula, and this town was only built over the last two months. 

“Is that made out of stone?” One of them whispered, surveying the town through his telescope. “I mean, it’s definitely not made out of wood... How the hell did they build this? Did they carry all this stone from Epirus? That can’t be... But how else could they do it?” 

They were able to get much more detailed information compared to when they saw the town from the sea, but it only served to create more questions. If this entire settlement was made of lumber, that would have still been comprehensible. Putting aside the question of where they got their workforce, the area was surrounded by thick forests. It was perfectly possible. 

But the city was made of stone. And while there were small mountains surrounding this inlet, the terrain wouldn’t allow them to serve as a source of stone. Quarrying stone from the shore was possible, but there was a limit to how much one could take from there. And if that was the case, there would have been a stone pit near the shore, but there was nothing in sight. 

In which case, one would normally assume they carried in their raw materials from a nearby city, but once again, this wasn’t a normal region. The road connecting to Epirus wasn’t maintained, so ferrying raw materials would be difficult. It would have been possible with a large number of guards, but if a convoy like that existed, their allies in Epirus would inform them. 

“Maybe they used a sea route...? No, there’s no way we wouldn’t notice that,” the other pirate mumbled to himself, as if answering his comrade’s question. 

A sea route wasn’t an unthinkable option, but it would take multiple trips to ferry the resources needed to build a city like this. And if a fleet of large ships made multiple round trips, the pirates would surely have noticed that. After all, they kept a tight cordon on the surrounding ocean regions. Any ships sailing nearby would be sighted, and the same held true for any cities built along the shoreline. 

“What the hell is going on?!” The pirate growled, his grip around the telescope beginning to shake. “It’s only been two months since that bastard came here. How did he and his men build a city in such a short time?!” 

It was six months ago that their comrades within Epirus informed them the Wortenia Peninsula had been granted to some noble. Upon hearing that report, the pirates simply mocked the noble’s rotten luck. They knew all too well and from bitter experience that Wortenia was a unique environment, and believed that governing the place was a pipe dream. 

And indeed, the aforementioned noble arrived in Epirus, but didn’t enter the peninsula for some time. The pirates thought it made sense that he wouldn’t. He might have been granted rights to the land, but upon realizing it had absolutely no value, he’d likely chosen to simply stay in Epirus. 

And yet the city spread out before them made it evidently clear just how wrong they were to think so. 

“Let’s head back for now... I really don’t know if the boss’s gonna believe us, but we gotta tell him what we saw...” The pirate said. 

His grip on the telescope was still shaky. Cold sweat was dripping down his spine. But he himself didn’t understand what he was so frightened of. The two of them ran back to the cape, as if fleeing the place, and scrambled onto their boat that was moored against the rocks. They set their course north, toward their mothership. 

But all the while, they were unaware of the presence gazing at them from the darkness... 

Dawn rose and sunlight shone over the town. The bonfires, which were kept lit to stave off monster attacks, had concluded their role and were put out. 

“Good morning, Master Ryoma.” 

It was dawn, but the time was a bit after five in the morning, perhaps too early to wake up. And yet, Ryoma answered Laura’s visit clearly, as if he’d expected her. 

“Oh, good morning, Laura. What’s up?” 

“Sakuya has returned.” 

“So the smallfry finally took the bait, huh?” 

Laura’s words alone gave Ryoma a clear image of the situation. Or rather, he’d prepared this bait for months. If his ‘prey’ wouldn’t bite, all that effort would have been for nothing. 

“It is likely.” Laura answered in a detached manner. 

Ryoma, by contrast, curled his lips up in a vicious smile. 

“It’s time to clean this peninsula up, then.” He whispered, to which Laura nodded silently. 

“I see. Small wonder that those cretins had the gall to crawl back here,” the woman said, taking a swig from her jockey. 

Her hair was a pale shade of blonde, dulled by exposure to the sun. One couldn’t call her ugly, but her facial features were extremely plain. She was short, and on top of that she wasn’t very endowed in terms of her bosoms, either. As such, she was quite a homely-looking woman. 

And yet, not a man in this city dared look down on her for this reason. This woman had a confidence that allowed her to survive in a man-dominated society, and it manifested in the way her eyes glinted like blades and the sheer pressure her gaze gave off. 

Her name was Luida. She was also known by the pseudonym ‘The Sea Serpent,’ and was one of the rulers of this city, alongside Henry. 

“I guess the sharks are gonna be full tonight, considering they have the balls to bring up this story here...” The bald man sitting opposite of Henry whispered, agreeing with Luida’s words. 

This man’s name was Andre. His pseudonym was “The Tidal Wave,” and he was something of a hulking giant, boasting upper arms as thick as a woman’s waist. He tapped his cleanly shaved head and turned a questioning glance at Henry. 

The three of them sitting around this round table were the rulers of this city, and each of them was a captain that led a crew of pirates. They each had a galleon as their flagship, as well as medium-sized ships — caravel- and carrack-type ships — plus a collection of small-sized vessels. Together, the three of them and their crews laid waste to the seas around the Wortenia Peninsula. 

That day, they held their monthly meeting. And this time it was an important meeting, one that would decide the fate of their city. The biggest point of concern was the actions of the peninsula’s new owner, Ryoma Mikoshiba. The pirates made their base in this land because it had been abandoned by the Kingdom of Rhoadseria for many years. But now, there was a new entity with legislative authority in Wortenia, and this wasn’t something they could ignore. 

“You really think so?” Asked a low, collected voice. 

Henry wasn’t one to usually remain silent after being told such an implausible story, but today he was different. 

It makes sense they’d be suspicious. I wouldn’t believe it either if I was them. 

Henry himself couldn’t believe his subordinates when they gave their report. Only after he tore the skin off their backs a few times and they screamed in agony did he agree to let them take him there to see the thing for himself. Seeing that their report was undoubtedly real, he had no choice but to accept they weren’t lying. 

“Lemme ask you again. Do you really think what I just told you is some kind of stupid horror story?” Henry asked. 

Luida shrugged, while Andre simply held his tongue. It was a hard story to swallow. No one would believe that a city was built within a mere two months in a cursed place like the Wortenia Peninsula. But on the other hand, the two of them knew of Henry’s abilities. 

He was one of the bosses that operated this barren city with force, and they knew better than to doubt him. He wasn’t protected by being born into privileged, noble status. If Henry were to show any sign of weakness or ineptitude, he would immediately be gutted and cast into a watery grave. The fact he was still alive was all the evidence they needed of his capabilities. 

“I did everything I could given the situation. I considered landing and checking it out myself, but there was always the possibility of it being a trap.” 

Henry glared at the other two sitting down at the table, as if asking if they had any complaints about his judgment. The gazes of the three intersected across the round table. 

“A trap, huh... Yeah, I can see that.” 

“The fact he’s prepared shows just how serious this Mikoshiba bastard is.” 

“Exactly.” 

With Henry’s final word, the three of them fell quiet. Andre and Henry had looked into what kind of person Ryoma Mikoshiba was. A long silence hung over the room. The critical question their lives depended on was what were they going to do going forward. 

“I say we go for an all-out offensive,” Andre, the most aggressive and assertive of the three, suggested. “There’s around three or four hundred of them. But put together, we have over five hundred men. We should be able to brute force through them.” 

His title of ‘Andre the Tidal Wave’ was given to him for the way he staged assaults. He tempted the enemy into range like a receding wave, and then crushed them with overwhelming force. It was more than just a simple charge of brute force. He studied the enemy carefully before launching a surprise attack —a tactic that wasn’t at all simple to perform. It was Andre’s ability to successfully stage such attacks that made him one of the rulers of this city. 

Henry shook his head in denial of this suggestion, though. 

“No, messing with them for no reason would be bad... If they were unprepared it would have been one thing, but they might be ready for us. They’re no match for us in numbers, but they have some experienced mercs there.” 

Henry would normally be on board for Andre’s suggestion, but things were different this time. 

“There’s just too many unpredictable factors... And yeah, fighting on land isn’t our specialty, either. But what do we do, then?” 

Andre himself had his doubts, and didn’t seem bothered or annoyed by Henry’s denial. True, the pirates had the numbers advantage and were experienced fighters. But that experience was mostly in fighting on the sea. They had won countless battles against countries or other pirates in naval combat. But when it came to combat on land, their experience was limited to raiding villages, where the objective wasn’t to fight, but to steal. 

And on top of that, their greatest weapon always was the element of surprise. They were used to attacking careless citizens, but lacked the military prowess to stage a frontal assault on a city that was prepared to defend against them. 

“Then, what? Decide to go with non-interference and stay here?” Luida spoke up, having watched over the conversation silently so far. 

They might have been on the same peninsula, but the inlet where Ryoma’s base and this town were located was separated by a dense forest swarming with monsters. Their city was also built on an inlet surrounded by cliffs, and it was built so it wouldn’t be easily detected. Luida’s idea was a passive one, but not at all a wrong one. ‘Luida the Sea Serpent’ was a tenacious woman, and knew how to bide her time. 

“And wait for a chance to present itself, huh...?” Henry muttered. 

Luida smirked and nodded. Most people would choose to act and strike assertively, but few would consider waiting. Luida reigned as a superior to others because she knew to bide her time until those who were in power during her generation would grow weaker. 

And she didn’t just wait. As she built up her strength, she also sabotaged her opponents, making sure their moment of weakness would come that much faster. Like a poison that gradually spread through one’s body... This was why they called her the sea serpent. 

But Henry once again shook his head and gave his own answer. 

“Yes, those are both options. But I think that in this case, we’d be better off if I negotiated with Baron Mikoshiba.” 

Andre and Luida eyed Henry suspiciously. What he’d just said struck them as all too unexpected. 

“Negotiate with him...? Like, lull him into a sense of safety so we can attack him?” 

“It’s not a bad idea, but we should probably assume Mikoshiba’s gonna be wary of us. ’Sides, he doesn’t strike me like the kind of man who’d let down his guard just because we invited him to cooperate... Assuming the rumors about him are true.” 

While it was said brutes are never graced with wisdom, Andre was more intelligent than most. That was perhaps to be expected given his past as a trader who traveled across the different nations. Had that large, out-of-season storm not sunk his trade cog and left him in massive debt, he never would have become a pirate. 

Of course, no one would really sympathize with him given that he killed three of the men who came to collect on his debt with his bare hands. But that just went to say that even if he wasn’t shying away from solving problems with brute force now, it didn’t change the fact he’d once built up a large fortune with nothing but his silver tongue. Of the three of them, he had the keenest eye when it came to discerning the nature of others, honed from countless business exchanges and negotiations. 

According to what Andre’s spies had pieced together, Ryoma Mikoshiba was a man skilled in strategy who fundamentally didn’t trust other people. On top of that, he was cautious enough to not make himself appear too dangerous to those around him. Andre’s experience told him that Ryoma would have made for the best ally imaginable back in his merchant days. But conversely, opposing him meant putting one’s life on the line. 

Earning the trust of a person like him with the hopes it would make him lower his guard wouldn’t be easy. At worst, their attempt to trick him would result in them being tricked instead. 

But Henry shook his head yet again. 

“That’s not what I meant... The negotiations are just a starting point. By the end of this, I want to make us work under Baron Mikoshiba’s wing. For real.” 

“...Did you go crazy?” Andre asked. 

Henry shook his head silently. 

“I’m sure the two of you already know...” 

Henry didn’t specify exactly what it was that they supposedly knew. This was something everyone who lived in this city knew in the back of their minds, and it was a much larger problem to the three bosses than Ryoma Mikoshiba was. 

“Yeah... We don’t have much of a future right now. But still...” Andre let out a heavy sigh. 

“I dunno about this,” Luida gave a small nod. “How do we know Mikoshiba will even be willing to negotiate with us?” 

Henry met their skeptical gazes directly. 

“But you both see where we’re going with this pirate business, right?” 

The two fell silent. This was proof enough that Henry’s words had weight to them. In practice, they didn’t make much profit from pillaging. Looting a village could earn some money in a short amount of time. Despite being exploited by the nobility, commoners were capable of saving up some money, which was the prime target of any raid. 

In terms of agriculture, it was like what happens when one sows all their seeds without leaving anything for next year, consuming all the crops. Nothing was left in the end, which meant this wasn’t a source of constant income. 

So what were the pirates to do? One option was to pillage a village or town and leave it in shambles, only to extort tax from surrounding cities. Pirates were merciless, and would kill, rape and sell off to slavery any woman or child they might run into. That image would weigh down on the hearts of the powerless civilians and make them bend to the pirates’ demands and pay up. Anything to be safe... 

The same could be said for attacking merchant ships. Any ship that crosses the sea routes could be attacked. Pirates appear out of nowhere, and take both one’s life and their cargo. But people rarely crossed those sea routes, since pirates often took a good share of each trade ship’s cargo as ‘tax’ for safe passage. And any refusal to pay meant that ship’s current trip would also be its last. 

Of course, periodic sacrifices were necessary to keep up that menacing image, but pirates didn’t always plunder until nothing was left. But the pirate crews led by Henry and the other two left only scorched earth in their wake. Whenever they attacked villages, they stole everything and killed everyone, and the same was true when they attacked ships. Any surviving passengers were sold off to slavery, and they took all the cargo for themselves. 

They’d been acting as such with a quickening pace for the last decade, and whenever they came across new prey, they plundered it until nothing remained. 

“Yeah, I know... Recently we have to sail too far to find prey.” Andre spit bitterly, to which Luida nodded. 

Ships sailing from the northern regions of the western continent had stopped using the northern sea routes. At present, the only ships periodically sailing through those waters were ships from the port town on the eastern tip of Helnesgoula. From there almost all the traders went via land route to the center of the continent, and from there on to the trade city of Pherzaad. When it came to ferrying a large number of supplies, going by land was much more bothersome and cost much more in labor costs compared to taking a ship. But it was still preferable to being robbed blind by pirates. 

All of that could be attributed to Henry and his cronies’ vile methods. 

“Still, we can barely get by with the profits we make right now... We can’t live as good as we did before.” 

There weren’t as many citizens in this town as there were before. The population only increased by several people a year, and hardly ever by more than ten people. But people wandered into the city over the course of some ten odd years. 

The reason for it was rather clear. The Empire of O’ltormea consolidated control over the center of the western continent and assertively invaded their neighbors. As a result, fighting became more rampant across the continent. 

Following O’ltormea’s example, the other large countries had also begun increasing their territories, absorbing the smaller countries that once dotted the western continent as a result. In the process, many people were forced to flee their homes. Of course, a large portion of those chose to live on as subjects to their conquerors. But many others refused to bend the knee to the invaders and sought their fortune in new lands. 

In fact, many who were once in the privileged classes were forced to pick between exile and execution, and chose the former, effectively becoming vagabonds. Many of them died far away from home, but a few fortunate ones managed to reach new regions and make a new life for themselves. 

And of those, a few of them wandered into the untamed lands of the Wortenia Peninsula, forming this nameless city. 

“Our assumptions at the time were wrong. Looking at the situation, I don’t think there’s any arguing against that...” Henry said begrudgingly. 

“Admitting that now isn’t gonna get us anywhere.” Luida told him in an attempt to come across as comforting. 

At the time, they only had one choice they could take. And looking at it now in hindsight, when the conclusion was in plain sight, made it clear they’d made a mistake. One could understand their zeal at the time. Numbers meant strength, and even one or two more citizens meant their city was that much more resilient in the face of a monster attack. 

Little by little, their population grew, and they naturally rejoiced at seeing their city grow and flourish. All the more so, when considering that it was hidden from the eyes of other people. At first they only accepted those who managed to get through the forest, but things gradually began to escalate. They sent their ships across the different ports, and invited promising people to join the pirate’s life. 

At first, everything went well. The numbers of the pirates grew, and the scope of the towns and ships they could attack grew. They no longer had to fear the units occasionally sent out to exterminate them. The seas around the Wortenia Peninsula quite literally became the pirates’ territory. 

But Henry and his comrades had no way of knowing that their actions would go on to pry Hell’s gates open. 

Their city’s population grew. Thanks to that, the attacks from the monsters infesting the area started to decline. Their population grew further. The scope of the cities they could raid grew. They were on cloud nine. And for that reason, they forgot one simple fact. 

That they themselves did not produce anything. That their tolls and the taxes they collected from many towns were not bottomless. 

And as they haphazardly let their population grow, the funds they received from tolls and took from the towns became incapable of supporting their numbers. And once the balance was broken, things would never be the same again. 

They increased their numbers for the sake of gaining more profit, but having more people meant they needed an even larger income. And so their life as pirates became a cycle of barely being able to claw to life. 

Their only choice was to go on raids more frequently. They built their hideout in Wortenia, a region in which being self-sufficient was exceptionally hard, and this left them with no other way of getting by. 

“We went too far. No one passes through these waters anymore, except for a few brave fools, and we already took everything we could from any port town we can reach.” 

Andre and Luida were silent, but their eyes shined bright as they realized the meaning behind his words. 

“But that’s exactly what gives us the edge we need to negotiate with Baron Mikoshiba. We can sell him our strength.” Henry said. 

“Negotiations, huh...?” Andre said, stroking his beard. 

His senses as a merchant told him Henry’s idea had merit to it. He could hire them as a navy, or use them as guards for when he traded with merchant ships. But the question was whether Ryoma Mikoshiba was the kind of man who would realize the profit to be had in this. Pirates were a hated profession, after all, so it would require a great deal of magnanimity to tolerate the idea of employing them. People with hard-rooted perceptions of good and evil were hard to negotiate with. So it all hinged on just how capacious his mind was... 

We’d have absolutely no chance if this was any other noble... But it might be possible with him, depending on how we handle this. Andre thought. 

“We’ll need to give him something as a gesture of goodwill... And who knows if that bastard’s gonna give us the time of day even if we do.” Luida, who said little so far, gave her piece on the matter. 

Henry nodded in response, as if agreeing that her doubts were natural. Normally they’d need some kind of mediator, but pirates like them naturally didn’t have that kind of leisure. So if nothing else, they’d need to hand over some kind of gesture or present that would improve their image. 

“What kind of gesture, though? Gold?” Andre asked. 

The others couldn’t immediately offer an answer. It wasn’t a bad choice in and of itself. It was as unsophisticated a gift as they came, but everyone was always in need of more money and would always be glad to have more on their hands. One could use money however they saw fit, after all. 

But on the other hand, the side that sent the money didn’t leave much of an impression. Andre, who had come up with the idea, knew this very well from the many bribes he’d given in the past. Money had immediate effectiveness, but it didn’t last. If they were to send him bribes on a regular basis it might have been different, but money wouldn’t do as a gift for a person they’d never met before. 

“We need something that’ll leave a lasting positive impression on him and make him see how useful we are. And it needs to be curious enough to draw his attention, too.” 

Something that was both respectable and carried high monetary value, and preferably hard to come by; something not consumable that would preserve its form. That thought had mingled into Henry’s voice. 

“Something rare that would leave a favorable impression...” 

“Well? Do we have something like that?” Andre asked. 

Their warehouses had all sorts of trinkets and treasures they’d plundered from trade ships. This Earth lacked the logistics for worldwide distribution, and goods brought in from other continents were fairly expensive. But on the other hand, many of the curios slumbering in their warehouses were rare, but didn’t have much use in this situation. 

Expensive spices, ornaments, outfits and assorted armaments were things with a clear use and high demand. On the other hand, antiquities like portraits and books would fetch a fortune from an enthusiast, but would be worth nothing to a person without interest in them. In other words, they had less demand compared to more general wares. Things were different if one had the connections to see those items sold to those who wanted them, of course, but this wasn’t the case in this situation. 

And most of the things remaining in their warehouses were indeed the latter type of antiquities — items that were hard to sell. 

“If he’s in the middle of developing this peninsula, I don’t think he’d have much use for pieces of art...” 

These treasures might have value to Ryoma Mikoshiba once he’d finished developing Wortenia, but any antiquities they sent him now, when he was still in the middle of building his land up, would only serve to take up space and collect dust. And what was the point of sending him a gift that wouldn’t please him? 

Silence settled over the room once again. Henry and Andre knew full well their fates hinged on the negotiations with Ryoma. 

“I swear, you two have a way of turning dumb when it matters the most...” 

A mocking voice broke the silence. Henry’s sharp gaze turned across the table, where Luida was resting her chin on her hands with a smirk plastered over her lips. 

“What are you saying?” He asked with a low, suppressed voice. 

There was clear enmity to his tone. The three of them shared three things in common. A staunch will, a powerful body and the ability to overwhelm others with their sheer anger. They weren’t ones to let another mock them and walk away whole. 

“Hold it, Henry,” Andre held up an arm in front of his comrade, who glared at her with murder in his eyes. “What do you mean, Luida?” 

Andre’s own gaze made it clear he was trying to understand her intentions. 

“I mean, we’ve got just the thing, don’t we? Something that’ll make that bastard see just how much we’re worth. A real treasure, and the kind you can only find here in Wortenia.” 

Andre and Henry exchanged a glance, pondering over Luida’s words. 

“Something we can only find in Wortenia?” Henry whispered, mulling over it. 

And upon hearing his whisper, Andre’s eyes lit up in understanding. 

“Oh... You mean that.” 

“Yep. I don’t think there’s any man who’d complain over getting that as a gift.” Luida said with a crooked, vulgar smile on her lips. 

“You little... Do you have any idea how much we had to go through to get our hands on it...?!” Henry flared up at Luida. 

His anger was understandable, as what they were talking about was indeed hard to come by. It took a great deal of effort, and more importantly, luck. Had they lacked any of those elements, they never would have gotten their hands on it. 

“Of course, I am well aware. And that’s why it’s worth sending him that. A man would be happy to get that as a tribute.” 

Luida was originally a slave who was brought into this nameless city as a prostitute. But since her appearance didn’t attract customers, she was given the role of overseeing the other prostitutes, which made her talents blossom. 

Her true strength lay in her power to manage and manipulate people. And through her management of the other prostitutes, she gradually increased her influence. After all, this world had little by way of pleasure and entertainment. Controlling women meant that the countless pirates who couldn’t help but long for a woman’s body were also under her control. And so she clawed her way up, all the way to her current position as one of the three leaders of the city. 

“Fine... I’ll take your word for it,” Andre said. “It’s not like we were going to find a buyer any time soon. Selling it here might be the right idea.” 

“Tch... Whatever.” Henry clicked his tongue and nodded. 

It was a priceless thing that no amount of money could replace. And if they were to send him that, Ryoma might give the pirates a chance to say their piece. That belief drove all three of them. 

As morning sunlight streamed through his window, the sound of wooden mallets hammering reached Ryoma’s ears, followed by the lively sound of countless shouts and conversations. In terms of total population their settlement was the size of a small village, but the lively voices outside gave the impression they were in a city. 

That was the sound of people driven by a strong sense of purpose working and building something up. As Ryoma looked over the people, he could see the hope brimming within them. 

The city’s coming into shape. We have a paved road and a harbor that can accept large ships, and our walls are mostly ready to block most attacks... The only thing that’s left is that issue. Simone’s cargo is ready. We just need to wait for Sakuya to give us her report. 

They’d already begun building houses to accept immigrants. Once the final problem was resolved, the Wortenia Peninsula would be ready to be reborn into its new form. They were done with the preparations. All that remained was to wait for the right time... 

A knock on the door jolted Ryoma out of his absentminded stare at the city, and he turned around to face the entrance. 

“May I come in, Master Ryoma?” 

“Oh, Laura. Sure. What’s up?” 

“I have a report.” 

Ryoma opened the door, only to find Laura with an expression of doubt and surprise on her face. Whatever it was that happened, it must have been unexpected to draw pause from her. 

What could it be...? 

Ryoma silently nodded for her to continue. And upon hearing her report, Ryoma’s own features were overtaken with surprise. 

Ryoma’s room was very much on the shabby side of things. The walls and pillars were made of wood, and while they were sturdily built, it certainly didn’t give the impression that it was a noble’s room. It was fairly large, however, as this was still a noble’s official office. Still, the coarse wooden furniture and the desk and chairs devoted to the office only served to make the shabbiness of the place stand out. 

This was perhaps to be expected, as Ryoma only used this room once or twice a day, for when he received his morning and evening reports. There were of course on occasion other matters to attend to, like confirming the catalogs and invoices for Simone’s supplies. But matters like those didn’t happen all that often, and Boltz and the Malfist sisters often handled this detailed work for him. Ryoma only had to confirm what few documents they alone couldn’t afford the payment for. 

Ryoma’s everyday activities consisted mostly of going out every morning to manage the scene as his men worked on this city. He would encourage them and actively took part in the building work. 

He willingly moved his body. And while this was something of a crafty play, this was extremely effective in this world’s hierarchical society. After all, nobles were mostly seen by the people as rulers and exploiters. Of course, the nobility had their own heavy responsibilities and prices to pay, but those under their rule didn’t see those aspects. 

And despite being part of that ruling class, Ryoma willingly mingled with them and engaged in physical work. Those ventures went a long way to diminish the distance between Ryoma and his soldiers. He would shed sweat and exchange words with them. Eat from the same pot as them, and sleep in an equally plain wooden bed. 

Ryoma’s attitude bought the soldiers’ unyielding trust. Everything went smoothly and as planned. At least, until Laura brought him that report... 

Dammit. What do I do...? Ryoma clicked his tongue bitterly as he glared at the parchment sitting on his table. 

He’d repeated this question many times over already that day. It was already nightfall, and ever since hearing the report from Laura, Ryoma had shut himself away in his office. He kept questioning himself back and forth, without even bothering to eat. 

The truth of the matter was, he had already come to his answer. The question simply remained, how was he supposed to make that answer a reality. 

A demi-human... 

The letter he’d received was a request for negotiations from the pirates. And the gift included with this letter as a gesture of good will was what tormented Ryoma for half the day. 

Demi-humans. A race that was presumed to be long since extinct, but was still rumored to exist on the Wortenia Peninsula. And that morning, a small ship arrived at their dock, and upon it sat a single demi-human carrying this letter. 

Her skin was a glossy, dark brown, and her hair was a shining argent shade. Her ears were pointier than a human’s. She was what Ryoma knew his world’s stories referred to as a dark elf. A woman so beautiful she could be described as a living gemstone. Her fairness was enough to captivate any man, and perhaps even women weren’t exempt from her charms. 

Sara and Laura were of course subject to it, and even Lione, Boltz and the other people in their midst who were graced with life experience were taken aback by her beauty. She was, indeed, a gift unique to the land of the Wortenia Peninsula. And being a man, Ryoma was hardly displeased with the idea of receiving a fair dark elf as a gift. And in that regard, perhaps the pirates’ judgment was sound. 

But they made one fatal mistake. And that mistake would serve to throw the gears of fate out of order... 

I can’t abandon her... 

Ryoma came to his decision, knowing full well the danger it contained. 

“Sorry. Can you call Gennou for me?” Ryoma asked Laura. 

She nodded silently and quickly left the room. 

Several galleons entered the dock’s wharf, and soon lowered their anchors and folded their sails. 

“Thank you for coming over, Baron Mikoshiba.” 

As Ryoma got off the galleon and onto the wharf, he was greeted by some ten odd men. Leading the group were Henry, Andre and Luida, and behind them were their deputies. 

“I go by Andre,” Andre took a step forward and bowed. “I am one of this city’s leaders. This remote city of ours cannot offer much in terms of hospitality, but we will do whatever we can to entertain you.” 

As a former trader, he was experienced with these kinds of negotiations. Contrary to his rugged appearance, he spoke in a fluid, articulate manner. The others behind him followed his example and bowed. Apparently he’d instructed them ahead of time. Despite being pirates, they greeted Ryoma with perfect manners. 

“No, thank you for sending a ship especially to collect me... I hope we can have good business today.” Ryoma bowed his head lightly in response. 

In Japan, his gesture may have come across as slightly rude, but given the class system in this world, the fact he bowed at all left Andre and his group confused. Ryoma was a noble with a title, while they were mere commoners, and criminals at that. There was no formal reason for Ryoma to bow his head to them. 

Andre’s expression turned suspicious for a moment, but he wasn’t foolish enough to comment on it openly. Instead, he regarded Ryoma with a pleasant smile and stood ahead of the rest of the group so as to guide Ryoma through the city. 

“If I may, it seems to me you’ve brought very few attendants with you.” Luida asked, cocking her head toward the ship. 

There were only twenty or so soldiers standing there. They were, however, all clad in black-dyed leather armor and armed with spears — perfectly armed for battle. But there were still very few — indeed the bare minimum — of them. 

“Yes, but not too many, either.” Ryoma said as he passed her by. 

“Huh...?” Luida was puzzled. 

The fact he didn’t bring too many guards wasn’t a disadvantage for the pirates, of course. But it felt off. They didn’t plan to fool Ryoma, as they truly wanted to work under him. But those were the pirates’ concerns, and the question of how Ryoma would interpret things was a different matter altogether. 

If she were to take what Ryoma said at face value, it could perhaps be interpreted as him not seeing any need to bring many soldiers when speaking to someone he was in cordial relations with. But Luida felt like there was more to it than that. 

Ryoma and his guards walked through the city as Andre led them to where the talks would be held. Luida watched their backs as they left as she stayed behind on the wharf, and then asked Henry. 

“So what do you think?” 

“Huh? About what?” 

“What do you think, asshole...? About him. I got a bad feeling about that man.” 

“Do you? I don’t think anything’s off. If anything, I think it’s going well so far, wouldn’t you say? He’s treating us like equals, and I don’t see any other noble doing that. Guess he really is a commoner who rose to noble status.” Henry said, stroking his beard. 

Most nobles wouldn’t bat an eyelash at having people lower their heads to them, but Ryoma was willing to greet Henry and the other pirates that way. That came across as a shock, but didn’t leave a bad impression. If anything, they saw it as refreshing and admirable after being looked down upon by every other noble they met. 

“Yeah, well, that’s what bothers me... Why would he go to the trouble of cozying up to us?” 

“Well, because he knows he can use us. Didn’t you say we should send it to him because it’ll leave a good impression? Besides, what’s bad about having him approach us nicely?” 

“Well... I mean, doesn’t it feel too convenient?” 

That was where Luida’s doubts lay. Everything was going too well for them, and that applied to Ryoma’s attitude, too. Since he was a noble who rose from the common people, it would make sense for him to act overbearing toward them, to ensure they didn’t make light of him. But he didn’t show any signs of that. 

“Huh? What are you saying? We sent him the prettiest demi we have just to make sure we get on his good side... If getting her gave him a bad impression then we’re at a total loss here. And it was your idea to do it in the first place.” 

Right now, Henry had captured a total of three demis. They were all black-skinned dark elf females, and they sent Ryoma the youngest, most fair of the three. They were exceedingly rare, though hard to liquidate into funds, but demi-human females were easily worth several hundred golds at the cheapest. 

They were attractive and aged slowly, which meant they could be savored for decades. Henry couldn’t imagine how a gift like that would do anything to sour Ryoma’s impression of them. 

“Well...” Luida fell silent. 

“I’m not against healthy paranoia, but pick the right time and place, will you? Everything’s going well for a change. What’s the point of us stressing out over something trivial and making him angry?” 

With that said, Henry left the wharf while shaking his head in exasperation. 

“I suppose...” Luida muttered. 

Everything was going as they imagined. Ryoma Mikoshiba showed up for negotiations, and judging by his attitude his opinion of them wasn’t bad, and the fact he brought few guards meant he trusted them. 

Left behind on the wharf, Luida swallowed her anxiety. Like Henry said, everything was going well for once. Saying something here might just ruin everything. That fear kept her heart bound. 

“Go on, take a seat. We’ll fetch you something cold to drink in a moment.” 

“Yes, thank you.” 

Prompted by Andre, Ryoma took a seat at the sofa. Just as he did — as if aiming for that moment — there was a knock on the door. 

“Come in.” Andre said. 

The door opened, and a woman entered the room, holding a tray with drinks and light snacks. She looked to be in her mid thirties, and while she wasn’t unattractive, something about her appearance gave off a vulgar impression. They likely took some woman working at a pub and hastily taught her basic manners. She placed the drinks on the table in a clumsy, inexperienced manner and then gave a stilted bow before leaving the room. 

She was probably desperate not to leave a bad impression on me... Poor thing. Ryoma stifled the cold smile rising up within him. 

“What about your escorts? We can prepare something cold for you, too.” 

“No, thank you.” Laura rejected Andre’s request with an expressionless face. 

The Malfist sisters stood at attention behind Ryoma. The only ones in this room were Ryoma, Andre and the Malfist sisters, who assumed the role of bodyguards. 

“I see... My apologies, then. We’ll have your other escorts rest in another room.” Andre said. 

With the sisters curtly declining his offer, he resorted to a statement that was meant to signify he was in control of the situation. It was him that said everyone wouldn’t fit the room he’d be negotiating with Ryoma in, and that was why they had to be moved. 

“Yes. I apologize for the trouble.” Ryoma simply smiled lightly and lowered his head, though. 

“Not at all, we’re happy to offer you our deepest hospitality... Incidentally, milord...” Andre trailed off, as if wondering how to bring something up. 

Ryoma’s smile deepened as he cut straight to the chase. 

“You want to talk about your suggestion from the other day, right? The request to have your group join my forces.” 

The letter he’d received the other day detailed the pirates’ wishes. Ryoma knew full well what they wanted, and today’s meeting was meant for Ryoma to inform them of his decision. There wasn’t much need for pointless banter. 

“Y-Yes, milord. Exactly. The demi-human we sent you was a gesture of our good will toward you.” 

“Good will, you say... Hmm, I see.” 

“We know this might come across as presumptuous, but one such as her is hard to come by. Their village is surrounded by a powerful barrier, and the only way to capture them is to wait for them to go outside the barrier on their own...” 

And waiting for them to leave the barrier was difficult in the Wortenia Peninsula. It was infested with powerful monsters, so lying in wait for their prey to leave the perimeter of their barrier was a tiring task. 

“I see, I see... So you sent me something you went to great lengths to obtain. My, is that so...” 

To make doubly sure Ryoma would be inclined to accept, Andre stressed the effort they put into the gift they sent him. Presenting the danger they went through would improve the impression they made. This was something Andre experienced many times in his past as a merchant. If one were to sell something for a high price, explaining the rarity and difficulty in obtaining the goods in question was a common way of convincing them. 

“Oooh. In that case?!” Andre smiled gleefully at Ryoma’s words. 

He was clearly confident the result they wanted was within reach. 

It’s like Luida said, he’s just a man... Sending him that woman was the right choice. 

Andre was already convinced they’d won. Had Ryoma’s answer been negative, he wouldn’t come all the way here. But he did, and the meaning of that was clear. 

But Andre’s hopes would soon be dashed. 

“Yes. I’m going to make the lot of you disappear,” Ryoma said, a chilling smile on his lips. 

The moment those words left Ryoma’s lips, Laura and Sara lunged from behind him and swung their swords at Andre. Caught by surprise by Ryoma’s unexpected words, Andre was helpless to resist. 

“Then let’s begin. You remember the plan, right?” Ryoma asked the question as he coldly looked down at Andre’s corpse, which still had its eyes wide open in disbelief. 

“Yes.” The sisters nodded silently. 

“Do it!” Ryoma ordered them sharply. 

“Fragments of sunlight, ye heaven-sent children of fire, sinful descendents of the God of Fire who were cast down to the earth. Sublimate thy sins and return to the heavens.” 

Their chant reverberated in Ryoma’s ears like the reciting of a holy poem. With their chakras revolving as they chanted, prana rushed through the Malfist sisters’ bodies. 

“Burning pillar!” 

And with those final words, the sisters slammed their hands against the ground. At that moment, a pillar of flames burst through the estate’s roof with a rumbling sound. A massive fire pillar raged up from the center of the nameless city. This was the signal everyone that waited around the cliffside settlement waited for. 

Men covered in black face masks silently rushed through the night. Sakuya sensed their presence and turned around. 

“I know. Are you all prepared?” 

The black shadows nodded at her words. They rolled up their sleeves, revealing leather belts that were tied against their arms. Attached to each of those belts was a small vase. It was a rather inconspicuous vase, with a roundish torso and a thin neck portion. An ordinary vase one could find anywhere. 

But it was unusual in a few ways. Firstly, the vases didn’t contain flowers, but instead had a piece of cloth stuffed into it. And secondly, the sheer number of the vases was unusual. There were roughly two hundred of these odd vases there. 

They were set up so as to not impede the black-clad men’s movements so they likely had some kind of purpose, but anyone who would look at them would likely burst out laughing at how they looked. And yet, none of them showed any shame at their appearance. 

Quite the contrary, in fact — their gazes were like cold blades. They knew full well what they were about to do, and why they were about to do it. 

At first I didn’t know why he gave each of the low-ranking ninja an individual explanation... 

Explaining the details of the operation to the operatives carrying it out was a bothersome, time-consuming task. In fact, when Sakuya was ordered to take part in this job, she was not given any details herself. The elders simply told her to do it, and she had neither the reason nor the privilege to ask questions. 

But this time was different. Ryoma used Sakuya, Gennou and Lione to clearly explain the objective and necessity of this operation. And Sakuya thought the ninja would not be any more anxious than they otherwise would be. 

But their resolve is clearly different... 

The way they cloaked their presence and retained their calm was no different from usual, but the clear sense of purpose heightened their mental condition and drove them to fight. 

Perhaps that much is obvious... Our town is coming into place, and they refuse to let someone interfere with our new home... Even if that someone were the ruler of this land, Queen Lupis... 

Sakuya thought back to their conference the night before. Seven men and women surrounded a round table as the sound of wooden hammers rang out from outside. Most of the people present listened to Ryoma’s explanation with an expression of confusion. 

“This is why I’ve called you all here...” Ryoma said. “I’m sorry I had to distract you while you were busy. Especially you, Sakuya.” 

“Ah, not at all,” Sakuya shook her head. “It’s understandable, given the circumstances... And not to worry, I’ve left a few men behind as lookouts.” 

Sakuya was ordered to wipe out the pirates, and had discovered the pirates’ hideout a few days ago by stealthily tailing the pirates’ recon unit as they returned. She then performed a thorough reconnaissance of the area, researching the number of ships and personnel they had as well as the city’s topography. 

Her only remaining task was to set the groundwork for when Ryoma would give the order. And just when she’d completed those preparations, she received orders from Ryoma to return to their city. 

“So... What do you intend to do, Lord Ryoma? Will you accept the pirates’ fealty?” Sakuya asked. 

“That’s... a bit of a tall order,” Lione replied. “The little ones might be loyal now, but if we do that, they’ll become disgruntled and turn on us.” 

“That much is obvious...” Boltz nodded deeply. “For the children, pirates were the ones that burned down their hometowns and sold them and their families to slavery. Even if they’re freed from that slavery now, their grudge toward the pirates wouldn’t disappear that quickly.” 

Everyone nodded wordlessly at Boltz’s explanation. The slaves became Ryoma’s soldiers in exchange for being freed from slavery, but that didn’t erase their past. If anything, their more fulfilled lives now only served to highlight how terrible and painful their time as slaves was. 

“Still, refusing the strength of the pirates is a missed opportunity,” Gennou said. “We only acted to wipe them out since we assumed they wouldn’t obey us. Can we not find a use for their strength given that they wish to swear their loyalty to us?” 

A silence fell over everyone at Gennou’s question. There wasn’t any true basis to deny his suggestion. The pirates’ value didn’t boil down to just their strength on the sea. Securing control over the waters was one advantage, and they could even help with trade. There were countless uses for the pirates. 

Putting aside future prospects, farming and fishing weren’t existing industries in the Wortenia Peninsula at the moment. Their only plausible source of funds was to sell reagents harvested from the monsters or by selling demi-humans to slavery. 

But while the practical part of their minds realized this, they couldn’t emotionally accept this. 

“That’s right, but... What, are you gonna spit on the little ones’ feelings?” Lione asked, with a dangerous edge to her voice. 

If they were to only consider their immediate profit, accepting the pirates’ offer of fealty wasn’t a bad idea. But from a long term perspective, it was clear that they could expect some friction between their soldiers and the pirates. And even if it wouldn’t blow up immediately, it certainly would sometime in the near future. 

One of Ryoma’s few strong points in this overwhelmingly disadvantageous position was the quality and loyalty of each and every one of his soldiers. Their freedom from servitude and the positive and personal treatment they’d been given since was meant to solidify their loyalty to Ryoma. 

The problem was that should Ryoma accept the pirates’ proposal, a crack could run through that otherwise firm loyalty. This was something that Lione and Boltz — who were in charge of managing the soldiers — were greatly suspicious of. 

Ryoma quickly cut that suspicion in the bud, though. 

“I don’t intend to accept their oath of fealty.” Ryoma’s deep voice echoed coldly through the room. 

“Are you sure, milord?” While everyone fell quiet, Gennou fearfully sneaked a gaze at Ryoma’s expression. 

Gennou didn’t intend to insist on his opinion there. Ryoma had the final word in the end, and Gennou only brought up a point for consideration to help Ryoma come to the right decision. Everyone present understood this. Gennou did think, however, that Ryoma would normally place more importance on his opinion. 

Ryoma’s next words, however, would go on to wipe away everyone’s apprehensions. 

“Yeah, it doesn’t matter what their intentions are; we can’t accept them. They’re vicious criminals, after all.” 

That was an issue that was even more fundamental than anything else they brought up so far. As light as the cost of human life was in this world, the law did exist. Putting aside how pertinent the rule of law might be in each individual country, one couldn’t establish a nation in an entirely lawless environment. 

And the Wortenia Peninsula was, legally speaking, territory belonging to the Kingdom of Rhoadseria. And it went without saying that piracy was deemed illegal in Rhoadseria. And in every country on this Earth, the sentence for piracy was death. And that extended to not just the pirate committing the crime, but their family as well. 

This was an even heavier sentence than ordinary murder, of course, but there was a reasoning for that. Pirates pillaged in the name of their own profit, which hurt many people on a daily basis. In addition, the punishment was to set an example and maintain the civil order. And most importantly of all, it satisfied the masses, who were often directly or indirectly hurt by pirate activity. 

Ideas of mercy and ethics could greatly differ depending on the era one lives in, the education they receive and the environment they live in. And while this law may have come across as barbaric in modern Japan, in this world it was simply a natural conclusion. An act of mercy could easily result with the one showing pity to another attacked for their weakness. 

The people of this world would likely not care at all if the pirates had reformed or changed their ways. And they would spare no mercy for their families, that lived off of a bloodstained fortune. 

Of course, Ryoma could ignore the law thanks to the right to autonomy he’d gained from Queen Lupis. But it would create needless friction between him and the surrounding nobles and their subjects. Had Ryoma been in absolute power this wouldn’t have mattered much, but it was risky at this point, when he was still an emerging noble of Rhoadseria. 

“The Wortenia Peninsula was given to me as my territory, and that means maintaining the law and order here falls to me. No one’s saying anything right now, but if we leave the pirates as they are, people might demand I take responsibility for the pirates, even for things they did in the past.” 

It was clear how hard it was to settle and govern a land that was left unattended for years, and so no one bothered Ryoma with the matter right now. But given time, surrounding nobles might begin demanding he handle the pirates, or even take responsibility for their past raids, too. It only made sense that they would. No one could punish the pirates so far since the land was abandoned, but now Ryoma was its governor, and handling the law and order was part of his duty. 

“And, well, there’s all these other reasons you brought up, but honestly speaking? I just don’t like them.” Ryoma cracked a smile. 

He understood the pirates’ position, and knew they didn’t become pirates because they wanted to. Perhaps they were even victims, in a way, and there was room for sympathy. But they could only demand the justice they were due as victims against the assailants that hurt them. There was no justification to them having turned their blades on unrelated civilians. 

Both emotionally and practically, Ryoma couldn’t accept their proposal of fealty. 

“And to that end, I’m going to have to wipe them out. Any objections?” He regarded everyone around the round table with a cold, stabbing glare. 

At that moment, the pirates’ fate was sealed. 

“Your orders, Sakuya.” One of the men said, snapping Sakuya out of her recollection. 

No good... I have to stay focused. 

In Chess terms, they already had the king cornered. The pirates had no means of escaping. But that didn’t mean Sakuya could afford to be reckless. Sakuya nodded silently and raised her hand to the air. 

“It is time to greet your noble deaths. We haven’t much time. Half of you will regroup with Grandfather and quickly secure the target! The rest of you will follow me and light the fire. Make sure that our Lord’s path of retreat is not severed until the next signal comes!” 

At Sakuya’s order, the ninjas set forth like arrows fired from a bow. Given their careful planning and preparations, Sakuya’s explanation was perhaps unnecessary. The ninjas simply nodded and tied a rope around a thick tree’s trunk. They then grabbed onto the rope and dived off the cliff. 

The nameless city Henry and his cronies made was indeed a natural fortress. It was surrounded in three directions by several-dozen-meter-tall cliffs, with the ocean spreading out on its north end. There were only two staircases across the cliffs, hardly wide enough for two people to pass through together. It was likely designed this way to defend themselves from the monsters, but in times of war the cliffs also served as walls. 

The only way to lead a frontal charge into the city after coming out of the forest was to cross a narrow staircase cut into the cliff-face. But that was only if one were to attempt a frontal charge like a monster might. Humans could come up with a multitude of other ways into the city. Like rappelling down the cliff using a rope... 

This world didn’t have anything like a carabiner, which would otherwise be seen as the perfect solution in Ryoma’s world. And so, the ninjas had to hang their lives on this literal lifeline, relying on the rope as they slid down the cliff. 

“I leave the rest to you, Sir Boltz.” Sakuya whispered as she secured her body to the rope and dove into the open air. 

“Milord... You’re finally here.” 

Gennou appeared after they’d finished off Andre. He was clad in a black bodysuit and a black hood. His ninja attire made his facial features indistinguishable. But the sharp gaze emanating from a small gap in his mask and the low whisper of his voice made it clear it was Gennou. 

“Did you find it?” Ryoma asked. 

“Of course,” Gennou nodded curtly. “I’ve also secured them, and made sure guards would escort them to the harbor.” 

Gennou’s task was securing the captured demi-humans. Gennou and his men swam into the bay from the western cape. Given it was their primary occupation, the Igasaki ninjas perfectly tackled their tasks. They snuck in under the cover of shadow and the darkness of night, and were able to infiltrate the nameless city through the sea. 

Gennou discovered the prison where the demi-humans were held, and waited for Ryoma’s signal before moving in. 

“Good job. Then let’s head for the harbor and move on to the next phase. Looks like Sakuya’s group is already moving in.” 

Outside the window, flames were rising from each direction, and the streets of the nameless city were falling into a state of frenzied chaos. 

“Sir Boltz has the cliff’s staircase sealed... So long as we capture the harbor, the people of this city will have nowhere to run.” 

“Right. So everything’s going as planned.” Ryoma said, his lips curling up in a cold smile. 

Ryoma didn’t enjoy murder in any way, but he was more than willing to resort to it if the situation called for it. 

Let this sinful city burn...! There’s no good or evil here. Everything will be reduced to dust... 

It was a city that developed through the weak trampling on the weak. That could only be occupied by people who live that way. Ryoma couldn’t imagine a more distorted idea. 

To him, this city was a place that never should have existed. No one should live in a place like this. This was all just a stepping stone in Ryoma’s journey. 

I’ll grow stronger... I swear it! 

Hatred flared up in Ryoma. Bottomless, righteous wrath at this unreasonable, maddened world. 

With the Malfist sisters following him, Ryoma ran through the streets as black smoke and screams swirled all around them. He was doing this to put an end to everything. Angry shouts and howls were echoing from every direction. 

“Shigesuke, regroup with Sakuya. Koutarou, come with me. We hunt down the stragglers.” Gennou quickly gave orders, and the shadows around them quickly dispersed in different directions. 

Ryoma and the Malfist sisters slew Andre, one of the three pirate leaders. The problem was the remaining two. 

Now, the question is where they run to... 

The Igasaki clan had already seized most of the city in their initial attack, so escaping would be difficult. But the enemy wasn’t foolish enough to think they’d walk away with their lives if they surrender. 

In which case, they had only two paths they could take to escape. The cliff staircase — which was guarded by Boltz — or the sea, and by extension the harbor. 

“Master Gennou... We found the other two. They are headed for the harbor.” 

One of the people Gennou sent ahead returned, prompting the old ninja to run toward the harbor as well as the city burned around him. And as the blue, sparkling sea came into view, Gennou could hear the sound of clashing weapons. 

“That’s...” He murmured to himself. 

Apparently, their soldiers were engaging the pirates. Gennou sent the ninjas that followed him a hand signal, and the next moment, kunai flew through the air, piercing the pirates’ backs. 

The citadel city of Epirus. A man walked through the filthy back alleys, and entered a love hotel. The large man wordlessly threw a silver coin onto the reception counter. He was wearing a hood, as if to hide his identity. The owner of the establishment, who was currently cleaning through the kitchen, simply regarded the man with his eyes and nudged them upwards, signaling the second floor. 

He didn’t ask who the man was. The whole affair was arranged ahead of time. 

“Room 204.” 

As the large man headed up the staircase, the hotel’s owner whispered at his back. Having said what he needed, the owner then looked away and returned to his business. His attitude made it clear that in his line of business, adopting a see-no-evil, hear-no-evil, speak-no-evil approach was necessary. 

Many customers visited the establishment with the intent of not being seen here. And while this was a love hotel, some people didn’t necessarily come in with people of the opposite gender. For all the owner was concerned, so long as he was paid the details didn’t matter. He knew that the secret to a long life was keeping his nose out of other people’s business. The demon of curiosity could take away a person’s life with swift fickleness. 

And so, the owner simply took the coin the man left on the counter, put it into his wallet and returned his gaze to the kitchen. If one were to ask him what he saw on that day, he would likely reply thus: 

“An inn like mine doesn’t get any customers.” 

“It’s been too long, Lord Mikoshiba. I’ve heard you disposed of the pirates not too long ago. Congratulations.” 

When the man entered the room the owner had mentioned, he was greeted by Simone, who rose from a chair and bowed her head respectfully. She was clad in a red dress with a deep cleavage, and her lips were dyed a glossy crimson with lipstick. The skirt of her dress was open along the sides, granting Ryoma’s eyes a good view of her white legs. 

That day, Simone showed herself with an outfit that was as sensual and degenerate as what the prostitutes walking the streets were wearing. Even those who knew her would hesitate to say she was the same person as the woman who led the Christof Company. 

“Yes, it’s been a while, Simone... News reaches you as quickly as ever.” 

He’d only just reported of his success at subduing the pirates to Count Salzberg and his wife, and yet Simone already knew of it. Ryoma took off his hood, revealing a bitter, somewhat exasperated smile. 

“The rumors have been circulating for a month or so already. The sudden drop in the pirates’ activities was all the proof I needed. And then I heard you returned to Epirus.” Simone finished her explanation and regarded Ryoma with a smile. 

After a certain day a month ago, she’d stopped hearing stories of how people were hurt by pirate raids. Naturally enough, the more quick-witted merchants rapidly began gathering information, and Ryoma saw Simone as both a purveyor and a spy. Between all the information she had gathered so far and Ryoma’s return to Epirus, she quickly came to the right conclusion. 

“But really, Simone, you certainly picked an interesting place for a meeting.” Ryoma said with a wry smirk as he sank his body into the sofa. 

Simone returned his smirk with the whimsical smile of a child who had successfully pulled a prank. The two of them meeting face to face at this point ran the risk of arousing Count Salzberg’s suspicion. With that in mind, Simone brought up this hotel as a place that would allow them to avoid drawing attention to themselves. 

While he was in the lowest rank of Baron, Ryoma was still a noble. Simone, as well, was the acting president of a large company which, despite being on the wane right now, once served as the leader of Epirus’s trade union. This place was far too shabby for people of their positions to meet. 

“It’s a perfect place for a clandestine rendezvous, though.” 

But it was indeed a fine place to avoid unwelcome eyes. It was an area of the city that wasn’t so much dubious as it was outright illicit, but one could get away with anything here so long as they paid a handsome fee. 

And so, it was the right place to avoid the spies Count Salzberg placed on the two of them. Even if Ryoma was worried, he could always just shrug any accusations off by saying he had spent his time with a prostitute. Going out to buy a woman’s services was as good a reason to hide one’s identity as they came, after all. Incidentally, Simone was supposedly shut off in her estate, recovering from illness. 

“Well? How’re preparations on your side going?” Ryoma cut to the heart of the matter, while internally being struck dumb by Simone’s appearance. 

There was a limit to how much he could look at her straight on while she was dressed like that, but there had to have been a reason she asked for them to meet personally like this despite the danger it presented. 

“We’ve already bought two ships, which are currently docked in Myspos.” Simone took a map out of a leather bag she carried and spread it out on the table. 

Myspos was a port town on the eastern tip of the Kingdom of Helnesgoula. While it couldn’t quite match up to Pherzaad, which was the largest port on the western continent, it was still one of the largest ports available. 

While Ryoma built a stronghold in Wortenia, Simone began preparing her ships in Myspos. 

“Two ships, huh...? How large are they?” 

“Two galleons, the largest I could find on sale. Their crews are all seasoned sailors that are also experienced in naval combat.” 

“I see. Well, a bit drastic, I’d say.” 

“I kept the possibility of converting them into war vessels in mind.” Simone answered Ryoma’s implicit question flatly. 

It was a way of saying that despite the fact those ships were purchased using the Christof Company’s funds, she didn’t mind Ryoma using them as a naval war force if need be. Ryoma eyed her with a slightly exasperated smile. 

“That’s a crazy gamble you’re taking here.” 

Ryoma knew he’d already thrown his lot in with Simone, which meant they would either sink or swim together. Even still, he didn’t expect this much consideration or graciousness out of her. Those trade vessels were by no means cheap, so telling Ryoma he could use them for war if he needed to was a show of great resolve. 

Simone regarded Ryoma’s words with a silent smile and directed a questioning glance toward him. 

“And what of the port?” 

Upon deciding to cooperate, the two of them clearly defined each other’s roles in the agreement. Simone was to secure ships and a stream of goods for the peninsula, while Ryoma was to remove the pirates and establish a port in the Wortenia peninsula. Ryoma already dealt with the pirates, but Simone hadn’t received any reports regarding the port. 

She didn’t doubt Ryoma’s abilities, but it had only been a few months since he headed into Wortenia. It was only natural she would feel anxious. But Ryoma’s smile remained composed. 

“Yeah, it’s all good. We’ve got stores and houses, and even a wall. We just need more people,” he said. 

At that answer, Simone fell silent and eyed him fixedly with unflinching eyes. 

It looks like he really is ready... 

She could tell he wasn’t lying, and heaved a deep sigh. In the few months since she met him, this man created an infrastructure in that cursed land. 

This man... 

If she were to put a name to the feelings filling her heart, it would be fear... No, awe. Fear was linked with rejection, while awe was linked with obedience. His facial features weren’t quite those of a handsome man, and while his physique was impressive, he otherwise looked like an average young man. 

But Simone knew. He had exterminated the pirates. She only had fragmentary information so she didn’t know the details, but she assumed that none of the pirates or their families were among the living. She used one of the merchants in Myspos to send people into Wortenia and check. That town, which was hidden in an inlet, was burned to the ground, and the charred buildings and corpses were left as they were. 

That man described the image of the birds pecking into the burned corpses as a hellish sight. Simone thought the pirates’ fate was a ghastly one, but she did think it was their just deserts. Her take was that while she didn’t believe in adhering too closely to the law, she didn’t think it was to be ignored either. 

True, there were some unreasonable and illogical laws, but as a whole, laws were necessary for government. And had Ryoma and his comrades shown mercy to the pirates, Simone may have elected to stop cooperating with them. The pirates were useful as a fighting force, yes, but some of her subordinates had their family members abducted by pirates and would never forgive them. 

Had Ryoma chosen to ally with the pirates, it was clear to see it would have resulted in a major problem sooner or later. And yet, Ryoma chose to wipe them out. She thought him to be a bit soft since he’d liberated the slaves he bought, but apparently he was fully capable of ruthlessness when the situation called for it. His heart was capable of coldly discerning risk and merit. 

My judgment of him... was correct. The thought crossed Simone’s heart. 

She took his hand as if grabbing onto straws in her attempts to keep the Mystel Company afloat. But as it turned out, his hand wasn’t a straw, but a firm rope. A person who was only kind or only ruthless could never govern over people for long. Only a man that was graced with both those qualities could stand at the summit. 

A hegemon... 

The word surfaced in her mind, and a jolt ran down her spine. 

“What’s wrong?” Ryoma asked with a hint of concern. 

Apparently she’d kept her gaze fixed on him, which flustered him somewhat. 

“Nothing, my apologies.” 

“You all right?” 

“Yes.” Simone bowed her head. 

Ryoma looked at her, not quite convinced, but continued speaking. 

“Well, our city’s pretty much built, so we just need residents.” 

They’d already had buildings ready to accommodate people, so all that remained was to bring people into this town he’d built. 

“Understood. We’ll bring in the slaves from Myspos as fast as we can.” 

“Yeah, did you pick them according to what I asked you?” 

“Yes, a thousand healthy boys and girls, aged ten to fifteen. We have them secured on site already.” 

Purchasing slaves from Xarooda and Helnesgoula as opposed to in Epirus meant they were less likely to be noticed by Count Salzberg. It was for this same reason that Simone purchased her ships from Myspos. 

“All right. The monsters’ fangs and skins should do well enough for the fee, right?” 

Simone nodded wordlessly. Fangs and skins collected from the monsters living in the Wortenia Peninsula sold for a fairly high cost. They had to be hunted periodically, and so their skins and fangs made for important local export products. 

“By the way... Rumor has it you’ve encountered some demi-humans. Is that true?” Simone asked. 

It was a casual question asked out of curiosity, but Ryoma’s expression changed upon hearing it. 

“Who told you that?” He glared at her sharply, which elicited a sharp intake of breath from Simone. 

He wasn’t looking at her as he might at an enemy, but the cold, sharp light emanating from his eyes was real. A silence hung between them for some time, after which Ryoma’s gaze softened. 

“Ah, sorry... It’s just that that’s a bit of a complicated issue.” Ryoma apologized with a smile, realizing he was pressuring Simone. 

He didn’t intend to intimidate her, but the mention of that subject made him glare at her despite himself. 

“Just what happened? Did you really meet the demi-humans?” Simone asked, taking a deep breath in an attempt to steady her breath. 

For all Simone was concerned, the demi-humans were an extinct species. In fact, that was what all people on this continent thought, with the exception of a select few. There were occasional rumors that they still existed in the unexplored regions of the continent, but it was all in the realm of gossip. 

Simone didn’t truly believe Ryoma met any demi-humans. She thought it was just a groundless rumor, borne from crossing an existing theory that the demi-humans had a hidden community on Wortenia with the fact Ryoma was made governor of the peninsula. 

She only brought it up as a conversation subject and didn’t mean anything deeper by it, but given Ryoma’s reaction, she realized it was probably more than just a rumor. Exposed to Simone’s questioning gaze, Ryoma explained, though not without heaving a sigh. 

What he’d told her was a story that was by no means vague or ambiguous. And the more Ryoma told Simone, the darker her gaze became. 

Because it was the story of the demi-humans, and the dark hatred they harbored toward mankind...