The Founding Monarch Became the Mastermind

Chapter 17

Alphmarine was quite a large city.

More precisely, it was the largest city in the northeastern region of the Kingdom of Obla, with a resident population reaching into the tens of thousands.

Considering that major cities in this world typically had populations of around 100,000, Alphmarine was a considerable-sized city.

As expected from such a big city and due to the characteristics of the region, Alphmarine was always teeming with mercenaries, with dozens of large and small mercenary groups present.

Most of these mercenary groups were affiliated with the Mercenary Guild, and clients usually contracted the needed personnel through the guild.

Like other city guilds, the Alphmarine Mercenary Guild was subject to the control of the city administrator (mayor), but it didn’t follow direct orders.

It was more of a loose superior-subordinate relationship.

Si-on thought of the Mercenary Guild as similar to a subcontracted municipal service or a public enterprise subject to annual audits.

Therefore, being the guild leader of a mercenary guild required significant ‘political power’ rather than just personal strength or a strong private mercenary group.

The current leader of the Alphmarine Mercenary Guild, who had smoothly led the guild through two mayoral changes over eight years, was a person of outstanding political acumen.

* * *

“Of course! We have just the personnel you need. They all have over three years of experience, know how to ride horses, aren’t too ignorant, avoid major conflicts with their employers, and are skilled in handling civil issues. They are top-tier mercenaries, haha!”

Si-on subtly smiled as he observed the man in his late forties armed with an overly deferential and friendly demeanor, not quite what one would expect from a mercenary guild leader in a big city like Alphmarine.

But it wasn’t because Si-on was particularly pleased with him.

“Three years of experience in the Alphmarine Guild, capable of mounted combat, literate, strictly adhering to contract terms, and refraining from misconduct like looting—your standards seem to have loosened up.”

Si-on, who usually showed proper respect toward people of a certain social standing or those appearing older than himself, spoke informally within five minutes of their first meeting—a clear warning sign.

And Alphmarine Mercenary Guild Leader Bikau was quick-witted.

Although today was their first meeting, when Lord Salen, supposedly a collateral member of the royal family, switched to informal speech, Bikau became even more deferential.

“I apologize. I didn’t mean to adjust your conditions at will. However, if the criteria are too stringent, it could make supplying personnel challenging, and the cost—”

“The minimum term is three months. After that, we’ll renew the contract in one-month increments, paying 1.5 times the base wage.”

“Yes, yes, I understand what you’re saying. But, Sir, since you seem to be familiar with the situation here, I must say that the high-quality personnel you’re looking for are in high demand. Most are already under contract or in the middle of fulfilling one. Bringing them over would require breaking existing contracts, which would entail considerable penalties.”

“Hmm.”

Paying penalties to bring them over wasn’t particularly difficult.

However, Si-on sensed something off in Bikau’s words.

After all, Si-on was technically an outsider, merely a passing guest, but his ‘status’ was impressive enough that something was being left unsaid.

And the old mastermind quickly realized that the issue lay within the realm of politics.

“You seem to have ties with the mayor or the local lords—perhaps related to territorial disputes.”

“…!”

Bikau was taken aback.

Even though Si-on was supposedly a collateral royal family member, he looked no older than his mid-to-late twenties, and he had hit the nail on the head with just a vague comment.

‘This might be troublesome.’

“Well, it’s just that….”

Just as Bikau tried to continue with a deeper smile, masking his surprise—

“Whatever it is, is the Janstrick Mercenary Group involved?”

“…It seems you’re quite well informed about this region.”

Bikau’s expression changed instantly.

“Janstrick Mercenary Group is well-known, isn’t it? Though it’s been a while, they made a significant impact during the Oak Dispute and achieved the greatest results in the Silver Mine Battle. Anyone with a bit of interest in this area would know that.”

“Haha, true enough. But it’s rare for someone of noble lineage to be that knowledgeable.”

The Oak Dispute referred to a war between two lords who used oak trees as their crests, and the Silver Mine Battle was a large-scale anti-monster conflict involving four estates over a mine.

Though these were sizable battles, there had been dozens of similar conflicts in the Kingdom of Obla over the past few decades, and there were probably more unfolding somewhere even now. It was unusual for a young royal noble to be aware of such matters.

“So, is Janstrick involved?”

“Yes, they are. Or, to be more precise, they are on the brink of becoming involved.”

Knowing that hiding it would likely lead Si-on directly to Janstrick, Bikau decided to tell the truth.

Of course, even if Si-on went there directly, it wouldn’t change much, but hearing it from the guild rather than directly from Janstrick carried a significant difference.

“Strange. From what I’ve heard, Janstrick Mercenary Group had a principle of not participating in territorial disputes in this region since the Oak Dispute. I thought they specialized in monster extermination, escort missions, and guard duties.”

No wonder, since Si-on himself had established that principle.

“Since the Silver Mine Battle, the threat of monsters has significantly diminished, and escort and guard duties alone aren’t sustainable. It’s been over 20 years since the Silver Mine Battle, and there were over a thousand participating mercenaries. Where do you think those mercenaries, and the groups they formed, ended up? Most settled in Alphmarine. I was one of them, but the competition was fierce.”

Briefly displaying the Silver Mine Battle commemorative pin awarded by the city of Alphmarine on his lapel, Bikau continued.

“Moreover, competition has only increased over the past 20 years. Even the most skilled and renowned mercenary groups find it difficult to sustain themselves on escort and guard missions alone. Janstrick Mercenary Group has over a hundred combat personnel, making them one of the top five largest in Alphmarine. They can’t avoid operating at a loss without participating in territorial wars.”

“I understand.”

Si-on got the picture.

And he reaffirmed that avoiding a direct visit to Janstrick, a mercenary group he had practically built from the ground up, was the right decision.

When a client goes directly to a mercenary group, the group won’t disclose unfavorable circumstances or conditions to the client unless they’re fools.

They might even take advantage of a first-time or transient client.

Of course, if that happened to Si-on, he had dozens of ways to educate the offenders, but if a conflict arose with a prominent mercenary group in Alphmarine, the mayor and other high-ranking officials would get involved.

More importantly, Alphmarine was a city included in Si-on’s broader plans, and there was no need to sour relations.

“Present these terms to Janstrick.”

When Si-on reverted to polite speech, Bikau responded with a smile.

“Haha, Sir. As I mentioned—”

“The base wage will be doubled, and for renewals, I’ll pay 1.5 times the increased wage. I’ll pay 30% of the base contract term upfront.”

“…!”

This offer made participating in the territorial war less appealing, even in terms of income.

Moreover, 10% of the total value of all contracts handled through the guild went to the Mercenary Guild, which meant the guild’s income would double as well.

And.

“All 30 members… including the support staff?”

“Including the 10 support staff, all 40 members.”

“I’ll contact Janstrick immediately.”

Bikau made his decision quickly.

Of course, there were still many ‘political’ issues to resolve.

‘Even as a collateral, he’s still royalty. I’ll find a way to make it work.’

There would be challenges, but having royal backing was a huge advantage, and Bikau was confident in his ability to leverage it.

* * *

“I apologize.”

“….”

Si-on and Bikau fell silent at the words of the bear-like man who rushed to the guild less than an hour after being contacted.

Of course, their reasons were different.

“Stelman, this is troublesome. That contract was brought in through the guild. Are you really going to conclude it privately? What if something goes wrong?”

Bikau was more perplexed than angry.

The unspoken rule was that any proposal brought in through the guild must be handled under its management.

Breaking this rule could result in expulsion from the guild, a severe consequence.

However, Bikau had no intention of expelling the Janstrick Mercenary Group, and his concern was more for Stelman Janstrick, the current leader of Janstrick Mercenary Group, who stood before him.

“And it’s not even with the Volphart Estate but the Jetman Estate? You know what that lord is like, don’t you?”

“I do. He’s known as an immature brat with a nasty reputation. But we had no choice. Money is one thing, but they promised to employ our men as estate guards if they win. You know our situation. Without this, I can’t take care of my men.”

“Why not just send them to other mercenary groups—”

“The men won’t go. And the Jetman lord guaranteed up to twenty positions, with the estate seal stamped on it. They can’t back out now; we’re bound together.”

“Bound together, my foot….”

“You’re throwing around the phrase ‘bound together’ too easily.”

At the sudden interjection, both Bikau and Stelman turned their heads simultaneously.

Stelman, who already looked intimidating just standing still, furrowed his brow slightly, exuding a menacing aura that would have made an ordinary person’s knees shake.

But Si-on, taller and bulkier than most in this world, coldly stared at Stelman, who was even taller by about ten centimeters.

“People who fight together and shed blood together—those are usually considered bound together.”

“You noble types might not understand, but we’re fighting alongside Jetman.”

“And if the Jetman family loses, will the lord lose his head? Or at the very least, any of the nobles there?”

“….”

“And does Jetman even have about a hundred real soldiers?”

“They have 500 soldiers and five knights—”

“I mean real combat-ready troops, not the rabble.”

“….”

It was highly unlikely.

Jetman probably claimed to have 500 men, but they were likely young, robust-looking farmers pressed into service.

The number of real soldiers skilled with weapons would be less than a hundred.

Considering Jetman’s reputation and the estate’s financial situation, the ratio of proper soldiers would be less than half.

“And five knights? Be honest with me, mercenary leader. How do you think those knights would fare against your best men? I haven’t seen those knights or your subordinates, but my bet is on your men handing those knights their asses. Am I wrong?”

“Pfft! Cough! Cough!”

Bikau, who had been taking a sip of his drink with a serious expression, sprayed it out like a sprinkler and began coughing violently.

Stelman, too, stared at the ‘noble’ member of the royal family with a look of disbelief.

“I guarantee that the Jetman family doesn’t see you and the Janstrick Mercenary Group as being bound together in any way. At best, they view you as disposable pawns. They probably hope you’ll all die after fighting decently enough.”

“What are you—”

“It doesn’t even matter if you don’t all die. Let’s say half of your hundred elite fighters, as skilled as knights, are thrown into the fiercest battlefields. If half of them fall, Janstrick’s purpose ends there. By then, the opposing forces would also have taken a hit, and the two families would enter negotiations. No need to argue. I’ve seen it happen countless times.”

It didn’t occur to them to doubt his words, despite his apparent youth. After all, both Bikau and Stelman knew how these things worked.

“And will the Jetman family hire the survivors of Janstrick as guards or knights? Do they even have the money? Do they have land to offer? Have you assessed the number of households and farmland available in their estate? If they had the funds, they wouldn’t be penny-pinching by directly contracting with mercenaries. And this is the most crucial point.”

“….”

The two veteran mercenaries, who had been through countless battles, stared at the handsome young royal before them as if mesmerized.

For reasons unknown, the two were filled with the foreboding sense that everything would unfold exactly as he said.

“Is there any guarantee that the Jetman family only contracted with Janstrick Mercenary Group? What if they contracted with another group as well? What promises do you think they made to them?”

“…!”

Si-on’s icy gaze sent a chill down their spines.

“No matter how I think about it, the rewards would likely be similar. But what can you do? Janstrick, being the superior group, will find itself fighting on the most dangerous frontlines in the fiercest battles, losing a significant portion of its forces, while the other group won’t. If it were up to me, I’d pit the two against each other. The winner takes it all.”

“That’s outrageous!”

“Sir, in such a case, our guild wouldn’t just stand by. Isn’t that a bit of an exaggeration?”

Unable to contain his emotions, Bikau frowned as he joined Stelman’s protest.

But Si-on remained unperturbed.

“Guild Leader, what did Stelman just say a moment ago? Didn’t he say they were disbanding the mercenary group?”

“…Oh!”

As expected of someone perceptive and politically astute, Bikau grasped Si-on’s point within ten seconds.

“There’s no reason for you or the mayor to look after a mercenary group that’s no longer affiliated with the Alphmarine Mercenary Guild. And Janstrick broke the guild’s rules by signing a separate contract and leaving. Meanwhile, the other mercenary groups are still part of the Alphmarine Mercenary Guild. So, Guild Leader, how should you judge and decide this?”