Chapter 71

Rental of a community hall, one of the neutral places used by the residents, was secured, and Sora waited for his trading partner.

"Make sure everything is in order."

While watching Lazzette wipe the table, Sora spoke. The preparations had already begun. After finishing wiping the table, Lazzette put away the cloth and took out black ink, the commonly used squid ink. She placed a purple-blue ink next to the squid ink. Seeing this, Sora ordered Lazzette to close the curtains, and as the room darkened, the purple-blue ink appeared almost black.

"We wouldn't know if we hadn't seen it beforehand."

"That would be a problem. It's not an issue if the color is revealed, but I want to avoid raising suspicion."

Just as they finished the preparations, the Earl and Leul arrived. The Earl had a sword at his waist, and his hostility was palpable. He had not brought his successor, Salon Kleinzelt, likely out of caution against assassination. Sora was also interested in his brother, whom he had never met, but now was not the time to dwell on it.

"Welcome, I apologize for the sudden summons. I'm glad to see you in good health, Father."

"Don't say things you don't mean."

The pig lord snorted and looked down on Sora. Ignoring this, Sora turned to Leul and extended his hand with a smile that erased any hostility.

"Leul, it's been a while. I didn't expect you to come."

"It's an honor to meet again, Sora 'Lord,' famous for your eccentric inventions."

Leul, who still held the title of viscount, showed a disrespectful attitude. The Earl, with a dirty smile, seemed to be enjoying the situation, but Sora, who had no interest in the dignity of the nobility, did not flinch.

"Please, have a seat."

The Earl, seeing Sora offer the seat of honor, was about to sit down without hesitation, but Leul intervened.

"Let's rearrange the chairs."

Sora accepted Leul's suggestion without hesitation. Seeing this, Leul concluded that there were no tricks with the table or chairs. After checking for magic arrays on the underside of the table and chairs, Leul sat down. Playing with his golden hair, he became even more cautious, realizing that Sora would not show his hand so easily.

Just as Sora had been meddling in the Earl's territory, Leul had been extending his influence into the viscount's territory, but all of his efforts had been thwarted by Sora. While Leul was known as a monster of convention, to him, Sora was a monster of the unconventional, whose tactics and strategies had repeatedly frustrated him. This direct confrontation, this deal, would determine the outcome. Leul observed Sora without letting his guard down. Despite the rude and scrutinizing gaze, Sora smiled without flinching.

"What kind of child is my brother?"

"Are you concerned about your successor? He's a good son, unlike you."

Sora shrugged and said, "That's unfortunate," causing a vein to throb on the Earl's forehead. Before the Earl could lunge, Leul interjected.

"Sora, this is not the time for small talk. Shall we proceed with the deal?"

Leul, realizing that the Earl's position would worsen if he attacked Sora, quickly moved to conclude the deal. It was too late to regret bringing the Earl.

"This is a rare chance for father and son to catch up. I know you're busy, Leul, but can't we take a little more time?"

"No, the Earl is also busy. If Sora loses his viscount title, there will be plenty of opportunities to talk. Save it for a toast over good wine."

Sora smiled, as if to say, "I see through everything," and Leul returned the smile.

– I won't let you have your way.

Their mutual understanding was a moment of alignment. The Earl, unaware that he was being used as a pawn, snorted.

Lazzette, seeing that Sora and Leul's exchange could go on indefinitely, cleared her throat loudly to end it. The two, who had fought a preliminary battle to a draw, smiled at each other in acknowledgment of their efforts.

"Shall we begin?"

"I appreciate that. Sora, you mentioned a deal. Do you have anything to offer?"

As Leul asked, the Earl leaned in from the side.

"Hand over the viscount's technology. That's all we want."

"That's not a price that can be expressed in mere words."

Sora chuckled at the Earl's words, and even Leul, who had also chuckled, received a brief sympathetic glance from Sora. However, the Earl, oblivious to the atmosphere, slammed the table and leaned in to intimidate Sora.

"Hand over the technology. It's an order!"

"Show some respect, Father. Whether you boil or roast me is up to my mood."

Sora's calm response to the Earl's roar was unflinching.

"What did you say!?"

"– I'm saying I'll storm the palace with a sword right now. Try to think with that empty head of yours, pig father."

As soon as Sora hurled the insult, he grabbed the Earl by the collar. Leaving the stunned onlookers behind, Sora pushed the Earl away.

"You, a mere son, dare to—"

"Earl, please wait."

Leul hurriedly stopped the Earl, who had stood up and clenched his fists.

"Leul, you've noticed, haven't you? You are indeed perceptive."

Leul turned back with a bitter expression.

"Sora, are you prepared for a mutual destruction?"

If Sora stormed the palace, he would be immediately executed as a traitor. This would suit Leul just fine. However, Sora was still a member of the Kleinzelt family, and the Earl, as the head of the family, would also be held responsible. The successor, Salon, would also face repercussions. The Earl could not escape this deal. By emphasizing his own expendability, Sora had placed himself in a position of overwhelming advantage. This shifted the conditions for Leul's victory from maximizing his gains to minimizing his losses. He had been forced into a defensive position. If Sora rebelled against the royal family, it would only delay Leul's plans. But if the Earl defected, the plan would fail. Leul recognized the situation and made his decision. He needed to extricate himself from this situation as quickly as possible.

"I would like to hear Sora's demands."

Leul asked in a calm tone. The Earl, who had been sitting confidently, now looked pale, realizing that his seat was about to be destroyed and that falling from it meant certain death.

"Father, I require you to swear to protect the churches and believers within the Kleinzelt territory and not to strip me of my inheritance rights. Leul, I want you to swear, in the name of the high priest, to make me and my vassals believers and to guarantee this position forever."

Leul narrowed his eyes at Sora's demands. While they were accompanied by threats, they were essentially a plea for mercy. Under the protection of the church, Sora and his vassals would be untouchable by Leul and his allies. Moreover, they would be permanently protected, as they would not be excommunicated. This would also prevent the Earl from executing Sora. In the Kleinzelt territory, the church and its believers would become a privileged class that could not be executed. By not limiting the protection to just Sora and his current vassals, Sora was likely preparing for future allies. Leul narrowed his eyes, realizing this. While it would mean harboring a monster, it would also be a step forward in taking over the Kleinzelt territory. In the future, political battles within the church would be inevitable, but as believers, they would form a united front against external threats to the church. This would indeed be a formidable force.

– This is indeed a deal.

Leul swallowed hard. He was confident he could tame the unconventional monster, having just forced a concession.

"I am convinced that I have won the succession struggle by a narrow margin."

"...Understood. I will accept your demands."

Sora nodded and prepared six sheets of parchment. He gave two to the Earl and two to Leul, keeping two for himself. He wrote down the conditions for each person on the parchments.

"Sign and seal them."

After verifying the text on the parchment, Leul signed and stamped it with the high priest's seal. The Earl also completed his task. Sora then compared the six sheets, signed them with the purple-blue ink, and they each received two copies of the contract, finalizing the deal.

Revised on February 8

Revised on June 16