Steel, Explosives, and Spellcasters

The representatives in the first meeting room were about to discuss a matter that would change the fate of many:

Unifying the commercial laws, currency, and measurements of the various republics, abolishing checkpoints, transit taxes, and consumption taxes, to achieve the free circulation of goods within the Alliance, and to reach the ultimate goal — the establishment of the "Grand Senas Customs Alliance".

...

Twenty-one years ago, on an ordinary autumn day.

At the tavern of widow Airen, Poltan, Paulo Vinius, and Peter Ganchalov were brooding over their drinks.

"Mejery, you have to come up with a solution!" Paulo Vinius broke the silence, slamming the table and shouting, "We all listen to you."

Poltan shook his head.

Peter Ganchalov silently sipped his beer.

This was Poltan Mejery's ninth year since he arrived at the Newly Reclaimed Land.

Little widow Airen had become widow Airen, and a silver hair or two had crept into Poltan's temples.

Six years earlier, Poltan had moved his Forge to a new site at the foot of Tie Feng Mountain, by the St. George River, and since then his business flourished more each day.

Paulo Vinius and Peter Ganchalov were no longer Poltan's assistants; they had their own forges, assistants, and apprentices, but the three friends still did business together.

Specializing in iron smelting, the three men sold the iron directly to other blacksmiths to avoid the hassle.

At first, blacksmiths from nearby villages and towns traveled a long way to buy their iron. Later, to save on transport costs, some blacksmiths simply moved their forges next to the workshops of Poltan and his friends.

Around Poltan's workshop, the population gradually thickened. Because there were many forges, the local farmers called this cluster of blacksmiths' villages "Forging Village".

Poltan liked the name, but he didn't know how much longer the name would last.

He drained his cup and, with a grave face, began to speak, "The iron ingots of Forging Village are not selling in the neighboring counties anymore, and the iron we smelted last month is still lying in the warehouse today. The barrier iron from Steel Castle is about to crush us. If we continue like this, we are just waiting for death."

"Isn't that obvious?" Paulo Vinius retorted impatiently, "All thanks to that damned treaty!"

Due to the refusal of the various republics to make concessions, the effort to establish the "Grand Senas Customs Alliance" ultimately failed. However, the stillborn Customs Alliance plan left behind some legacies.

For example: Under the strong recommendation of General Antoine-Laurent, the republics agreed to unify measurements at an official level — of course, unifying currency was out of the question.

And: The republics, in principle, agreed to lower tariffs and unanimously agreed that for the time being, the "Bilateral Tariff Treaty" would serve as a substitute for the "Grand Customs Alliance".

After Paratu and Monta signed the Bilateral Tariff Treaty a year earlier, Steel Castle's iron and iron goods flooded into Paratu like a dam burst.

For the Paratu People, being able to buy cheaper ironware was a good thing. But for iron smelters like Poltan, the situation couldn't be worse.

Were the good days from just six years ago over already?

"If I have a method," Poltan gritted his teeth and asked his two comrades in a deep voice, "Would you be willing to support me?"

Peter Ganchalov blinked but said nothing.

Paulo Vinius agreed impatiently, "Just tell us!"

"A guild! We need to set up our own Iron Peak County Blacksmiths' Guild Alliance!"

...

At this moment, on an ordinary winter's day.

"Your Excellency, please allow me to keep you in suspense." Facing the Montaigne Civil Protector who visited late at night, old blacksmith Poltan struggled to sit up, "Do you know what the core of the guild is?"

Winters smiled, not quite smiling: "Monopoly."

"That's right." Old blacksmith Poltan sat in the recliner built by Winters, his speech calm and slow: "The core of the guild is democracy within and monopoly without. Then do you know why I dragged the blacksmiths of Iron Peak County to form a guild twenty years ago?"

"I guess." Winters chuckled lightly, "You wanted to monopolize the iron supply of Iron Peak County, keeping Steel Castle's bar iron out."

"That's right." Old blacksmith Poltan did not deny it: "Quite despicable, isn't it?"

"No, quite normal." Winters shook his head with a smile: "That's what guilds are for. If you hadn't done that, it would have been strange. I'm more curious about why you failed."

Old blacksmith Poltan fell silent.

"The fortress is easiest to breach from within." Winters stroked the handle of his knife, "There must have been a traitor."

"One of my business partners chose to stand on the other side." Old blacksmith Poltan managed a smile, "That's the guild for you, internal democracy. I didn't realize this until the vote."

"Mr. Ganchalov?"

"Yes."

Winters laughed lightly.

Old blacksmith Poltan laid back in his chair, looking up at the ceiling and saying, "The problem you're facing now is really just two methods to solve it: a quick and a slow. You don't need me to explain the quick method. But I can assure you, not a single blacksmith from Forging Village would dare to openly oppose you. However, the guild is the foundation of the city. If the blacksmith's guild is moved, the other guilds will feel insecure."

"If I had wanted to take the quick way, I would not have come to seek your advice. If there is a method, please speak freely." Winters smiled, ready to use the old blacksmith as a weapon against the blacksmith's guild if he was intent on seeking revenge.

"May I ask you another question?" Old blacksmith Poltan changed the subject, "Do you know why Peter Ganchalov opposed me twenty years ago?"

"I don't know." Winters played along with the old blacksmith.