Chapter 108

Chapter 108:  Maritime Blockade (2)

The port authority office at the heart of Mudside.

“Y-You can’t go in there!”

“Get out of the way, you bastards!”

“How are you going to compensate for all this damage!”

Mikkelsen, Manton, and the other knights were desperately holding back the crowd rushing toward the office.

It would have been fortunate if they were merely pushing forward.

“Argh! Crap! There’s crap on my face, brother!”

“S-Stay away from me!”

Throwing vegetables or stones was one thing, but some people even hurled animal dung.

Most of them were outsiders.

They had been stranded in Mudside because of the Count of Tread’s fleet, and this chaos was the result.

Amidst this turmoil, on the second floor of the port authority office, in the meeting room...

“W-What kind of nonsense is this? A port closure?”

“You’re saying the Count of Tread made such a demand?”

As the retainers shouted in disbelief, Hardin responded with his arms crossed.

“Yes, I’m telling you exactly as it was said, not changing a single word.”

At that moment, the former Commander Mulgybson, who was seated beside the Lord, spoke up.

“Third Young Master, is what the Young Master said true?”

“...Yes.”

When Malion nodded with a grim expression, Viscount Cobalt asked with a grave look, fingers interlocked.

“Malion, have you determined exactly how much damage was done to them?”

Malion picked up the bundle of parchment in front of him and replied.

“We only gathered this information hastily, so the numbers aren’t precise, but it seems there were around ten contracts transferred from the Count of Tread.”

“Ten contracts... How much does that amount to in gold?”

“Roughly 700,000 gold. That’s assuming the full duration of the contracts was fulfilled.”

Which meant the actual damages were likely much lower.

“They demanded the closure of the port over something like this?”

How absurd...

As Viscount Cobalt rubbed his face with a troubled look—

Clang!

A window shattered, and a rock came flying into the room.

At the same time, shouting could be heard.

“Our ships can’t leave the port!”

“Compensate us!”

The near-wailing cries echoed through the meeting room.

“......”

Everyone’s expressions grew more serious.

Cobalt sighed and opened his mouth again.

“Can we ask the clients for understanding and reassign the contracts back to the Count of Tread? Or at least offer compensation of equal value...?”

Malion shook his head firmly.

“If they were only trying to extort money, they would’ve started by negotiating. They wouldn’t have needed to resort to such extreme measures.”

Viscount Cobalt furrowed his brow and responded.

“Couldn’t it be a tactic to gain leverage in negotiations? Are you saying the only thing they want is the closure of the port?”

“Yes. At least, that’s how it seemed to me.”

“......”

The retainers’ faces were filled with bewilderment.

“Isn’t this just coercion?”

“There’s absolutely no justification for this...”

It was absurd.

Just the construction alone had taken a full year, and over ten million gold had been poured into it.

Every drop of the family’s sweat and blood had gone into building that trade port.

And now, they were being told to shut it down over something so trivial?

As the confusion deepened—

Thud!

“T-This kind of demand... I believe we must never accept it! Never!”

A shout rang out from one corner of the meeting room.

As everyone turned their heads, they saw Engelmann, the quartermaster, standing up, face flushed red as he shouted.

“Engelmann?”

“My Lord, this is outrageous. You know better than anyone how hard we—and everyone in the family—worked day and night to build this port.”

The retainers nodded in agreement and chimed in.

“Y-Yes, that’s right!”

“I also believe we must not give in so easily!”

The trade port’s construction.

Though Hardin had been the one who initially launched the project, and the knight order and the princess played key roles in the process, the retainers hadn’t just stood idly by.

They had all worked tirelessly, night and day, for the success of the port, and the family.

And now, their efforts were about to vanish into thin air…

‘Everyone... feels humiliated.’

At that moment, Viscount Cobalt slowly opened his eyes and spoke in a heavy voice.

“I agree. I have no intention of shutting down Mudside, and I believe we absolutely must not do so.”

“In that case...”

“But this isn’t something we can think about lightly. The one making this demand is the Count of Tread.”

“......”

At that one sentence, silence once again fell over the meeting room, and despair spread across the retainers’ faces.

‘Damn it, why them?’

‘Of all people... why them?’

The Count of Tread.

The most powerful force in the Luden Shire region, armed with a young and capable lord, a mighty knight order, and a powerful fleet.

If it’s them...

“If it’s Tread, then everyone knows they have the power to push through even the most unreasonable demands.”

“B-But...”

Even as he spoke, Viscount Cobalt’s body trembled slightly, as though he were suppressing his anger.

“For now, let’s set aside our emotions and try to come up with a realistic countermeasure. If anyone has a good idea, speak freely. I’m ready to hear anything.”

“......”

But unlike just moments ago when they had been shouting in anger, now everyone looked troubled and stayed silent.

Their opponent was the Count of Tread.

With not a single proper ship to their name, how could they possibly drive out a fleet? Even if they resisted... the outcome felt obvious.

And then—

Flash!

Hardin raised his hand and spoke.

“I’ll take care of it.”

“Huh?”

“Young Master?”

Everyone turned their surprised eyes to Hardin.

Viscount Cobalt asked again.

“Hardin, you’re saying you’ll take care of it?”

“Yes.”

Hardin’s confident face made Cobalt hesitate for a moment before asking again.

“S-So what exactly are you planning to do, Hardin?”

What else could he be planning?

If those bastards had blocked off the coast and weren’t planning to move their ships...

‘I’ll just make them move.’

Back in the old days, he would have stormed their ships right away, smashed everything up, and sunk those bastards into the sea.

That would’ve been the easiest, fastest, and most straightforward method.

But now, the situation was a little—no, a lot—different.

‘We wouldn’t be able to deal with the aftermath.’

Sink ships belonging to House Tread outright?

Whether or not that was even feasible, if he actually did it, it wouldn’t be strange for a territorial war to break out with Tread.

And if that happened in the current situation, the family would be crushed instantly.

So the remaining options were extremely limited.

He needed a method to get rid of those five ships without them realizing it was sabotage...

‘I’ll just punch holes right through the bottom.’

Then they’d either quietly sink... or, at the very least, they’d have to pull the ships out of there.

Either way, one outcome was guaranteed.

You bastards, I’m Varlach.

A man confident enough to take down even ghosts if they showed up on the sea.

‘You messed with the wrong person, you bastards.’

As Hardin clenched his fist without realizing it, full of tension—

“Hardin?”

“Ah, yes?”

“So, what exactly are you planning to do?”

In response to Cobalt’s question, Hardin slowly shook his head.

“It’s a little difficult to explain right now. Things could get complicated.”

“Complicated?”

“Yes. But I’ll tell you this—if you leave it to me, I can drive those bastards out of the coastal waters in just three days.”

“Are you serious?”

How the hell?

Everyone in the meeting room looked at him with doubtful eyes, but Hardin nodded confidently again.

“Yes, I promise.”

“But at least tell us what method you’re going to use...”

Cobalt sighed in frustration just as—

Hardin suddenly stood up and patted Cobalt on the shoulder.

“Oh, and I have one favor to ask.”

“What kind of favor?”

“Make sure the Tread bastards don’t suspect anything—keep their attention diverted.”

“Divert their attention?”

“Yes. Just for three days.”

That would be enough. It would be a tight schedule, but he could prepare everything for sure.

Hardin raised one corner of his mouth in a smirk.

“But how exactly are we supposed to divert their attention?”

While Cobalt fell into thought with a troubled expression—

“Then, I’ll leave it to you. I’ve got work to do.”

“H-Hardin! Wait a moment! The meeting isn’t over yet...!”

But Hardin didn’t even look back and walked straight out of the meeting room.

‘Just what is he planning to do...?’

‘…What is this?’

Everyone who stared at the door Hardin had disappeared through wore deeply uneasy expressions.

---

Midday. A beach slightly away from Mudside, where the port was out of view.

Daphne’s knights stood on the sandy shore.

Everyone looked worn out, with pieces of eggshells and such clinging to various parts of their bodies.

“...I can’t even think straight.”

“This is exhausting. Really exhausting.”

From the appearance of the Count of Tread’s fleet to holding back the crowds at the office—

They had been worn ragged from yesterday to today, to the point of feeling like their souls had left their bodies.

“Damn it! This is crap, total crap. What right do those bastards have to boss us around like this?”

Smack! Smack!

Mikkelsen kicked at the sand with frustration, grumbling.

Beryl scratched his head and responded with a gloomy tone.

“Ughhh, you’re not wrong.”

“Beryl, aren’t you mad at all? I mean, we worked our asses off to build this place, and who the hell are they to tell us to shut it down?”

“C-Calm down, Mikkelsen.”

“Calm down? Calm down my ass! I swear, I’m gonna snap those Tread bastards’ necks!”

As Mikkelsen’s complaints grew louder, Beryl tried to calm him down.

“I’m angry too. But what can we do? Our opponent is the Count of Tread.”

“So what if it’s the Count of Tread? And come on, you’re a unit commander—what are you doing talking like such a coward?”

“It’s not cowardice, it’s just... realistic...”

“Agh, talking to you is useless! Hey, Unit Commander Manton. What do you think?”

Mikkelsen pounded his chest and turned to ask. Manton, who had been pointed out, stared at him for a moment before taking a deep breath and speaking.

“I agree with you one hundred percent.”

“Right?!”

“Of course. This port is the heart of our house, built with everyone’s blood and sweat! And to destroy it over something so absurd... As a knight of this house, how can we possibly accept that?!”

He clenched his fist and ground his teeth as he spoke.

His deeply furrowed brow showed how truly angry he was.

“Now that’s more like it! Finally making sense for once!”

The two of them, fired up with rage.

“Right on!”

“Well said!”

A few knights chimed in agreement.

But...

“Even if we’re mad, what can we actually do?”

“We just have to endure it. After all, we’re up against the Count of Tread...”

The rest wore gloomy expressions.

“Wanna keep whining like cowards?”

“Getting mad doesn’t solve anything, though.”

“You little...!”

As the knights’ reactions split sharply down the middle—

“Ah, the Young Master’s coming.”

“Hm?”

At a knight’s shout, everyone turned their heads in that direction and quickly calmed down.

“Young Master, what exactly are you going to use all this for?”

“You don’t need to know that.”

They then saw Hardin and his attendant, Gadolph, walking side by side.

“Get them as fast as you can. And buy from multiple places, mainly the free cities in the south. Make sure to leave as little trace as possible.”

“At least tell me why. I mean, I’ll do the rest, but why do you need so much gunpowder...? What, planning fireworks or something?”

Gadolph questioned him while glancing at the parchment in his hand. Hardin grabbed his shoulder with one hand, turned him, and replied.

“I’ll explain later. I’ll give you plenty of money for expenses, so just get going.”

“How much exactly?”

“100 gold.”

“......”

As Gadolph cursed silently with his eyes, Hardin cleared his throat and added.

“200 gold. Or... 250?”

“Sigh, if you want me to do all this, you’re being way too stingy for how many people need to go.”

“What? Stingy?”

Hardin narrowed his eyes.

“No, no. I’m going. I’m going. I’ll take care of it ‘with my own money,’ so don’t worry.”

“What, you sulking now?”

“Forget it.”

Gadolph let out a deep sigh, shoved the parchment into his coat, and disappeared.

The knights who had been watching this exchange blinked.

‘Did he just say... gunpowder?’

‘Fireworks? What, is there a festival or something?’

As the knights tilted their heads in confusion—

Hardin, scratching his head with a sheepish expression, walked over to them.

“Pheww, everyone’s gathered, huh?”

“Yes, sir!”

The knights who had been sitting stood up naturally and lined up.

‘What’s going on now?’

‘Why does this feel nerve-wracking?’

Everyone wore tense expressions, focused intently.

Hardin crossed his arms and spoke.

“Why do you think I called all of you here?”

“Well...”

No one could give a straight answer, just glancing around nervously.

At that moment, Mikkelsen raised his hand high and shouted boldly.

“To utterly wreck the Count of Tread’s bastards, right?!”

“Haahhh... Mikkelsen.”

As Beryl let out a long sigh and shook his head in disbelief, Hardin nodded and replied.

“Correct.”

“...Excuse me?”

“What you said is right. I called you all here to completely wreck those bastards out there in the sea.”

At Hardin’s calm declaration, confusion swept across the knights’ faces.

‘What did he just say?’

Was he seriously planning to go to war with the Count of Tread? And even if he was... how?

As the knights couldn’t hide their puzzled expressions, Hardin continued.

“Anyway, because of that... from now on, you’re all going to undergo special training under me.”

“Special training?”

“That’s right. We need to finish this as fast as possible, down to the last second, so keep your heads straight and follow properly.”

“...Training? What exactly are you planning to do?”

Beryl asked cautiously, a sense of foreboding creeping up on him, but Mikkelsen suddenly cut in and responded cheerfully.

“Whatever it is, just give the order! If it means protecting the port, I’ll do anything!”

“I’ll give it my all, too!”

Manton immediately joined in, shouting with conviction.

Normally, the two of them would start bickering just by making eye contact, but today, for some reason, they were perfectly in sync.

Seeing this, Hardin exhaled a deep breath through his nose and raised one corner of his mouth slightly.

“Alright then, let’s get started.”

Step. Step.

Hardin began walking toward the sea.

Then—

Flick!

Without warning, he started taking off the top half of his training uniform.

“...W-What are you doing?”

“S-Suddenly stripping...?”

Some knights furrowed their brows, and a few turned their heads as if they’d seen something they shouldn’t have.

Hardin let out a snort, as if finding their reaction ridiculous.

‘What’s the fuss?’

Having finished undressing, Hardin twisted his body in various directions for a brief stretch, then closed his eyes.

“Phew... Haaa...”

He controlled his breathing and slowly drew mana from his lower abdomen.

Vmmm...

Soon, it gathered in his lungs and began activating his body.

A blue gleam shone in his eyes, his breath steadied, and the sensitivity of his skin heightened all over.

And when it reached its peak—

‘Let’s do this.’

Countless blue lines surfaced on Hardin’s body.

They took the shape of something like a web or net.

Then—

“Huh?”

“What’s that?”

The watching knights widened their eyes.

What had appeared on Hardin’s body was beyond comprehension, even when seen with their own eyes.

‘Perfect.’

Hardin’s eyes snapped open as he lifted the corners of his mouth high into a grin.

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