Things are heating up. Enjoy.
"Rock salt, huh……How wonderful." (Almis)
I inspect the newly discovered mine.
You can sell rock salt overseas at an unusually high price.
It has a low price in the Adernia Peninsula because of its abundance there. However, there seems to be a shortage overseas.
The various states of Cretia and the Persis empire all have large populations so salt is a necessity.
"Goodness gracious, this is great, am I right?! Really! To think you wind find a salt mine. By the way, there's a method with a high success rate for digging rock salt. In exchange for teaching you that…." (Ains)
Ains approaches me while rubbing his hands.
However, Ismere cuts him off.
"No, my lord. There's no need to partner with this merchant. I am knowledgeable about salt mining after all." (Ismere)
"Haha, an architect knowing mining methods? What the hell are you saying, girl who couldn't find work so she had to flee to the Adernia peninsula?" (Ains)
"How about you? Aren't you just a merchant? You actually wanted to trade in the orient but the competition was so fierce you ended up coming here to procure salt to trade, isn't that right!?" (Ismere)
Tension builds between the two. I can see sparks going off.
"Hey, Qingming. Are mechants doing trade in the Adernia Peninsula losers?" (Almis)
Qingming smiles bitterly.
"I don't know……It's true a lot of people have come to the orient and found their fortune….However, that's not much different for a company the size of the Ainsworth Company. Rather, isn't he a winner if he profits from quickly entering a market with little competition? The international salt trade seems profitable, you know. I heard you could bring the salt from the Adernia Peninsula to the Persis Empire and sell it ten times the price." (Qingming)
Ten times? Even if you factor the transport expenses, it's still quite a profit. I see. It means the only loser here is Ismere, right?
"Ismere. Do you really know how?" (Almis)
"Yes. It's only natural." (Ismere)
Ismere puffs out her chest.
Well, if you know how to, then there's no problem.
"And so, Ains-san. Let's just leave the mining methods for another time…however" (Almis)
I get close to Ains ear.
"I'll favor you as much as possible." (Almis)
"That's…..Thank you very much. I'll consider this time as a service." (Ains)
We laugh together.
"Uwaa, they're making a creepy face…" (Ron)
Ron is taken aback.
"But this is truly good news!! Am I right, older brother?" (Roswald)
Roswald gets excited.
Well, it's true that this is good news but…
"There's a problem, huh…" (Almis)
"What problem is it?" Soyon tilts her head.
"Are you worried about taking a lot of salt? Something like the market price would go down? But we shouldn't be able to gather that much, right?" (Soyon)
Well, if it's something like gathering too much salt to the point that the price would go down, then it could be offset.
As one would expect, we wouldn't be able to gather that much, you know?
"This is originally DeBell Territory.
Tetra declares the problem.
"I've been thinking. Wasn't the eastern part of the Ars territory our DeBell Clan's territory from the very beginning?" (Regal)
Regal inquires after calling over his close aide, Bermet, and his close relative and second cousin, Gilberto.
"Now that you mention it, yes, that was formerly DeBell Clan property." (Gilberto)
"If I recall……It was territory seized by King Ferrum, am I correct?" (Bermet)
The two respond agreeably.
The eastern part of the Ars Territory.
This wasn't Ars Territory from the very beginning.
After seizing the Ars Territory, King Ferrum invaded the DeBell territory and seized this land from them. The territory was subjected to King Ferrum's rule for a long time. Then after that, all the former territories of King Ferrum, including those seized from the DeBell clan, was passed over to Almis.
That's why you could also say that the DeBell clan has a right to the eastern Ars Territory's ownership. Althought this is just a forceful interpretation.
The ownership of a territory, after all, is all about battle and actual effective control after all. It's because of this that nobody speaks of things like territorial disputes.
However, it's a different story when you discover a rock salt mine.
"A lot of our territory's population were taken captive there in King Ferrum's time." Rather than taken captive, they fled there. In this circumstance, it's a problem of the words' nuance.
What's important is that the eastern part of the Ars Territory was DeBell Territory from the very beginning and that a lot of their old citizens live there.
"It was impossible with King Ferrum because he was the one who took it….but, under the present circumstances, do you think we can ask for it back ?" Regal asks the two.
It's been five years since King Ferrum and Regal fought. It was a huge failure.
It was such a huge failure that Regal crapped himself while crying as he was defeated.
By the way, Regal was so embarrassed by what happened that you could get killed whenever he himself heard you talking about the incident. Therefore, that incident became a taboo in Regal's presence.
At that time, King Ferrum signed a secret non-aggression treaty with Regal while laughing his heart out. Should he decide to, King Ferrum could take out Regal DeBell whenever he wanted. However, there's a danger that he could get attacked from the rear. Should Regal DeBell mobilize, then all the little hangers-on would also mobilize.
With that in mind, King Ferrum suggested the treaty.
While he's at it, he also aims to agitate King Rosyth's distrust of Regal and his happy little followers. They weren't mobilizing soldiers even though they border the enemy after all.
At any rate, Regal was afraid of King Ferrum.
However, King Ferrum suddenly dies.
The one in the Ars Territory now might be the son of the Griffon, but he's nothing but a teenage greenhorn with these stupid rumors that he's the son of the God of War.
Taking the territory back would be a walk in the park.
"Alright! Let's file the protest, Lord Regal!! Why, it's probably fine to just invade and take it back when they decline! They are illegally occupying our territory after all!!" Gilberto requests in a large voice.
It might be a little high-handed but the rock salt mine was too valuable to ignore. Regal, too, was about to get on with that plan but….
"Please wait a moment!!"
Bermet puts a stop to it.
"Please calm down and think it over. That is the new territory invested to Almis Ars by King Rosyth himself. Therefore, it can also be considered that our connection to that territory has already been severed. So they too have a claim they can flex. It is Almis Ars who has effective control of the territory so it's plain to see that King Rosyth will favor him in territorial dispute arbitration. I think it would be best if we don't send a protest. Furthermore, we will lose credibility if we use force." (Bermet)
Fundamentally speaking, there's a tendency that the first to resort to force would be the one perceived as bad, no matter how just their reason might be.
It's common to hear small disputes turn into full-scale armed conflicts. Two villages bordering each other would dispute a watering hole, then that dispute would turn into a skirmish between the two villages' respective feudal lords, then, before you know it, everyone is killing each other.
Nonetheless, the custom in the Rosyth Kingdom states that territorial disputes should, in principle, be talked over and be settled under the arbitration of the king. The use of force is a poor plan.
Furthermore, while disputes in using watering holes can happen between two parties (TL Note: since they're small and ambiguous), there's no way you could argue that somebody stole your rock salt mine.
"Besides, I think that we should avoid having a hostile relationship with Almis Ars. (Bermet)
"Your reason is?" Regal asks Bermet. He thinks that they should just destroy Ars after all.
There are a lot of clans harboring dissatisfaction at Almis' sudden rise after all so there's no way they'd be defeated.
"You should think of it this way. Once you become king, this country's foremost clansman would become Almis Ars. Establishing cordial relations is more desirable. Luckily, Almis Ars doesn't seem to have much ambition. He seems to be trying his best not antagonize us as much as possible." (Bermet)
"So we should watch out for him?" (Gilberto)
Gilberto looks at Bermet as if he's stupid. He has always thought of Bermet as a coward.
But Bermet just ignores Gilberto and presses Regal on.
"Do you understand? By the time you've succeeded to the throne, the country would be, without mistake, in a state of disorder. It's unavoidable but….there's a high risk that at that moment Almis Ars would invite King De Morgal inside the country. Therefore, Almis Ars should never be antagonized. On the contrary, it would be a very big plus for us if he becomes our ally, am I right?" (Bermet)
Regal becomes troubled.
For Regal, the plan he agrees the most with is Gilberto's plan. He is confident that he won't lose to Almis Ars. Although it's without basis, Regal firmly believes that he will win.
Having said that, Bermet has supported him up until now since the very start. Regal also acknowledges his skill. Bermet has never been wrong.
However…
"Those guys sheltered the refugees. Wouldn't you call that time an act of hostility?" (Regal)
"Certainly, that is correct but…" (Bermet)
"I cannot become friendly with that guy. That guy is an enemy. Therefore, I want to weaken him. By all means, I want to take back that rock salt mine but…does anyone have any good ideas?" Regal declares so.
Bermet lets out his inner thoughts with a huge sigh.
In politics, it's important to be able to be open to associate with various types of people. You also need to associate with someone you don't like.
Actually, when King Ferrum invaded, King Rosyth just left the DeBell Clan alone even if they never given even a little reinforcement.
This time, taking in just 200 refugees, should just be a small matter.
If you can find fault at something of this level, he wonders just how many enemies amongst the clansmen Regal will be stuck with after he becomes King….
Besides, it's not that simple to take away the mine.
They will most certainly lose in arbitration. Should they try to take it away by force, they will just be criticized and made to relinquish it.
Nonetheless, Regal could not be made to concede.
This should be the next best plan to do.
"If we ask for arbitration with King Rosyth, would the chance of success be low?" (Regal)
Bermet answers Regal's question.
"It's hopelessly low…Should we ask for arbitration, our reputation would most certainly fall." (Bermet)
"As far as we're concerned, the best method after all is nothing but taking it by force, huh." Gilberto triumphantly declares. He looks as if he's going to lead the troops at this very moment.
However….
"In that case, we will completely become violators of the law." (Bermet)
"Then what do you suggest we do!!" (Gilberto)
Bermet answers the question.
"It's fine if we make them shoot the first arrow."