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Chapter 25
“I don’t see how you plan to revive a deal that’s already fallen through.”
“Just answer the question. How much will you pay me?”
Avalkin crossed his arms and thought for a moment.
With this much confidence, maybe Belaxina really had a way to fix the mess. And if there was even a chance…
Saving money isn’t the point here.
Winter was just around the corner.
Having enough food was a matter of survival for the people of the territory.
And even if he was a terrible housekeeper, Avalkin still took his responsibilities as a lord seriously. So there was only one answer:
“If you can get us the grain we need without any extra spending, I’ll give you everything we save.”
“Promise?”
“I do. Now tell me—how exactly do you plan to get more grain from Mantova? You have some genius idea?”
“I do.”
Belaxina smiled and lifted her left hand, showing off the unicorn-horn ring Avalkin had given her.
“This is a genius idea.”
“…Just because it’s made from a unicorn horn doesn’t mean it’s a sharp idea.”
“I’m not joking.”
Belaxina pouted slightly and jumped right back in. She didn’t want him to think it was some dumb joke.
“If you were Giovanni Desiderio of Mantova, what would you want the most right now?”
“Hmm… Probably gold coins to pay the tariffs?”
“You really don’t get it.”
Belaxina placed her hands on her hips and shook her head like she was scolding a child.
“Try seeing it from Giovanni Desiderio’s perspective. How do you think he feels right now?”
“…Feels?”
“Who do you think he’s blaming for all this?”
Avalkin had never thought about problems this way—thinking about feelings and grudges in a business matter. He needed a second to process it.
Still, once he considered it, the answer wasn’t hard to guess.
“…The imperial family?”
“Exactly. Western nobles already dislike the imperial family. The capital keeps delaying railroad construction, and they won’t even allow factories. Sure, farming is important to the empire—but getting rich is something everyone wants, east or west.”
Belaxina gave a sly grin.
“Just when tea and tobacco finally became popular and profitable, the Emperor slammed him with huge tariffs. I’d bet he’s grinding his teeth in rage.”
Avalkin nodded, remembering the Duke of Mantova, Giovanni Desiderio, from society events.
He recalled how the man constantly lobbied for railroads, even buttering up underlings to help his cause.
He hadn’t liked it at the time—but now he saw it differently.
Maybe that was the mark of a responsible lord after all.
Belaxina crossed her arms with confidence.
“So, what do you think Giovanni Desiderio wants the most right now?”
“…A way to get back at the imperial family?”
“Exactly. And I’ve got just the thing.”
She grinned like a cat plotting something sneaky.
“Mantova has to pay so many tariffs because most tea and tobacco buyers live in the capital, Ricresa. They’re luxury goods, and Ricresa is full of rich people. And the higher the price, the higher the taxes—because the tariffs are based on sale price.”
Avalkin nodded again.
“But what if Yeshken got in the middle of the deal?”
That’s why Belaxina had her eyes on Yeshken.
“An undeveloped land with zero taxes. No farming, no trade, no industry—but when it comes to taxes? A gold mine.”
Zero times anything is still zero.
If Yeshken became the middleman, all those taxes Mantova owed would basically disappear—like magic.
“You seriously think that would work?”
Avalkin was skeptical.
“If Mantova sells tea and tobacco to Yeshken, and then Yeshken resells it to Ricresa, anyone can see it’s just a tax dodge. Yeshken doesn’t even have rich people who would buy luxury goods like that. It would just add shipping costs.”
“That’s exactly the kind of small-minded thinking that makes Yeshken poor.”
Belaxina shook her head like it was pathetic.
To her, Yeshken’s economic system was far too simple.
They sold monster parts, bought grain, and used it all up each year. How could anyone plan for next year—or the year after—like that?
“Profit takes lightning-fast ideas, needle-sharp instincts, and the drive to push forward like a bull. If you spend all your time finding reasons something won’t work, like you do, you’ll never get anywhere.”
“…Hmph.”
Avalkin shrank a little at that.
Maybe she was right.
He always thought he was being careful and realistic—but maybe he was just being pessimistic and scared. After all, failure wasn’t an option in Yeshken.
Is Yeshken poor because I’m not good enough?
It was a thought that had never occurred to him before.
With such harsh conditions, it had always seemed natural that the land stayed poor.
And he was a respected lord—one who worked harder than most.
But still…
“That kind of simple thinking is why Yeshken’s poor.”
What if it wasn’t the land’s fault at all?
Avalkin looked at the woman in front of him—someone who understood wealth better than anyone.
The only daughter of the Duke of Outbayan, whose family was richer than even the imperial family.
Not asking for her advice would be irresponsible at this point.
“So you’re saying you could help Yeshken escape poverty.”
“And why exactly would I want to do that?”
Belaxina scoffed.
“I’ll help with this grain deal because I’ll get a cut of the profit—but beyond that? Why should I bother? It’s not like I’m the lady of Yeshken.”
“I’ll pay you performance-based bonuses.”
Belaxina’s attitude changed instantly.
“Alright. Listen carefully.”
Avalkin blinked at the sudden shift, but nodded obediently.
****
Western Continent – Duchy of Mantova
Duke Giovanni Desiderio of Mantova had expected a huge profit from this season’s exceptional harvest.
But lately, he was learning the true meaning of “Nothing is going the way I planned.”
“Rudiger! That bratty emperor… how dare he!”
Giovanni’s black mustache quivered with rage, and he ground his teeth furiously.
His attendants all kept their heads down, nervously glancing at each other. But deep down, they shared his anger.
“We were one step away. One step from getting that railway!”
The late Emperor, Arsen Kalhorn, had been supportive of the western provinces.
Not just because his beloved empress came from the west—but because he believed embracing western nobles would strengthen the empire.
He had even made a firm promise:
“As long as you can cover the construction costs, I’ll approve railroads in the west.”
But when Rudiger Kalhorn took the throne, that promise vanished like smoke.
And instead, he slapped them with ten times the tariffs—like a thug!
“Calm yourself, Father. It’s bad for your health.”
Giovanni’s eldest son, Aurelio, handed him a cup of tea, carefully cooled to the right temperature.
“Huff… huff…”
Giovanni’s mood eased slightly as he looked at his handsome son—with bronzed skin, sleek black hair, and a face anyone would call attractive.
“I’m sorry, son. I wanted to leave you a land with railroads…”
“Don’t say that, Father. How could the old emperor’s death be your fault? Whatever you couldn’t finish, I will. Leave it to me.”
“Aurelio…”
Giovanni gazed at his son with pride and emotion.
Of all the crops grown on Mantova’s rich lands, his son was the greatest harvest of all.
“I swear, I’ll find that wicked girl and bring her to you. I’ll search the entire empire if I must. I promise you that.”
Aurelio smiled warmly.
“Of course you will. I believe in you, Father. Now, please—have your tea.”
“Yes, yes.”
Giovanni took the cup to calm himself.
Just then—
“Duke Desiderio, a call from Yeshken.”
