The Merchant Association who went to the North, has returned.

“You mean you haven’t even met Count Jordyn?”

Marquis Luden asked sharply. The Head of the Merchant Association bowed his head.

“Even though there is a stalemate, Evron’s stronghold has not allowed in any outsiders, saying that the fight with Karam is not over yet.”

“I can’t believe it. You are a foreigner who has been doing business with them for over 15 years.”

“At least, we were able to enter the village because we had been trading with them for a long time.”

“Have they ever been like that before?”

“The new Count Jordyn is a very strict person. And I think…….”

Negil said,

“Unlike Sir Aaron, they don’t seem afraid to be told that they are wary of southerners.”

Marquis Luden closed his eyes for a moment.

Negil is not just a merchant. In the past he worked as a central treasury official, and after his retirement he succeeded in setting up the Merchant Association.

He was capable of both sides, and was particularly good at making unfair situations fair and hoarding money.

Marquis Luden enlisted him.

The two conspired to monopolize the northern leather and fur trade.

On the central, Marquis Luden pressured the other leather merchants, preventing them from opening a deal with the North. In the North, Negil took advantage of Aaron’s lack of trade knowledge and forced the price down.

Even if there was a person with commercial talent, they wouldn’t be able to find another leather merchant besides Negil in the North with ease.

Leather merchants do not come directly to the North, and they would be worried to look for another Merchant Association from this side, it would be like reaching out to the central.

From the point of view of Marquis Luden, it wasn’t something he did for money.

He was trying to obtain information as it became Evron’s main trading channel and even a little bit of economic influence.

The latter was not very successful, though. Rather, they only took control of the leather dealers in the central and made great financial gains.

“It’s a word with multiple meanings. They are no longer afraid to be openly wary of southerners…….”

It may have to do with a change in Cedric’s attitude.

“By the way, aside from that, isn’t it true that we have completely given up on our leather sales this year? With the Merchant Association?”

Marquis Luden asked, thinking that there must be another Merchant Association behind it.

Negil sighed and said,

“The Grand Duchess was said to be in full control, so I was told to go there and negotiate.”

“…….”

Marquis Luden put down the pipe. An unpleasant feeling slowly crept up.

“Well, that’s right. The Grand Duke and his wife are both in the capital, so there’s no reason for an agent to manage exportation in the North.”

“I’m sorry. I’ve been doing it for a long time, so I thought it would be the same again this time.”

“What are you sorry for? I didn’t even think about it. Even if the Grand Duchess is a young girl, she is not an ordinary person. The Grand Duke is still staying in the capital, unlike before.”

He felt frustrated.

After the naming ceremony, Leticia’s presence became a thing that was no longer negligible.

So he was hoping to get some information from the North that could be Cedric’s weakness, but he was wrong.

“You must have spent only traveling expenses to come this far.”

“It was not completely without merit.”

Negil spoke quietly and placed a small box in front of Marquis Luden.

“What is this?”

“There seems to be something unusual going on in the North.”

Unlike before, there were too few permitted areas, so it was difficult to obtain information.

However, there were connections that he had built up while going back and forth with the North for over 15 years. Negil said,

“It is said that one of the priests died suddenly. Additionally, he had an object that was not worthy of a priest.”

Negil pointed to the box. He meant that the thing was in it.

“It is a seal made entirely of silver. The altar server stole it, kept it, and sold it to me.”

Marquis Luden opened the box. Inside the box was a seal with a rose pattern.

Marquis Luden with his gloved hand lifted it up and turned it around, pressing and twisting the decorations in turn.

Click.

As the pattern changed, a poison sting came out of the handle.

Marquis Luden knew these things very well. He would never get stabbed.

He put down the seal. After about 20 seconds, the sting came back in.

“It’s a pretty well-made thing.”

“We also investigated the poison applied to the sting.”

“You don’t have to tell me.”

Negil looked at him with a puzzled face.

Marquis Luden frowned and looked down at the seal. Then he lifted the pipe and took another long sip.

“For the time being, let this be done quietly.”

“Understand, Marquis.”

“We take care of the leather trade. I cannot interfere with your business.”

“Yes. Thank you.”

Negil bowed his head.

Marquis Luden remained silent and smoked until all the tobacco in the pipe had burned out.

He knew about this seal.

This type of assassination tool has been around since ancient times. However, the seal itself was designed by Marchioness Camellia.

It was also useful when changing Marquisate Camellia.

Marquis Luden’s mind became complicated.

‘She was always paying attention to Grand Duchess Evron. Has she prepared a plan in advance to plant people in the North and self-destruct if they fail? Or, did she give this seal to Grand Duchess Evron?’

Either way, it was unacceptable for Marquis Luden.

If she wanted to extend her hand to the North, she should have asked him for permission first.

Then, a beautifully dressed woman came in after Negil, who had left first.

Marquis Luden then glanced at her.

“Marquis, you’re smoking like this again. It is not good for your health.”

The woman sat on her knees in front of Marquis Luden, and with both her hands took the pipe from his hand and stashed it away.

It was almost completely burnt anyway, so the Marquis let the woman take the pipe.

“Are you going to sleep?”

The woman rubbed her cheek against the Marquis’ thigh.

After a small exhalation of his last smoke.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve been here, but if you leave like this, then what should I do?”

“Okay. I get it.”

Marquis Luden answered.

It was already late at night. Since the stress has piled up, it would be good to get rid of the hustle and bustle.

At some point, the woman sneaked up and loosened Marquis Luden’s cravat. Marquis Luden reached out his hand and wrapped it around the woman’s waist.

It was that night that Negil’s house was burned.

＊＊＊

“Haha!”

Upon hearing the report, Count Brennan laughed softly.

A woman in a black veil sat in front of her with her head bowed.

“Doesn’t it hurt?”

“It hurts.”

The face inside the veil was half burned. The woman was wearing a sleeveless dress. It was because she couldn’t wrap her arms through the sleeves, even with bandages.

The safe house was burned down.

Marquis Luden, who had been sleeping deeply drunk, did not wake up in time.

Marquis Luden’s bodyguards jumped into the fire to rescue the Marquis. However, when he came out on the back of the bodyguard, the Marquis was already utterly paralyzed.

No one doubted the woman. Not to mention that Marquis Luden was so drunk that he couldn’t wake up even after the screams, and that he suffocated, as the fire started from deep inside.

Her beautiful face and pearly skin were all scorched with terrible burns. The woman ran out of the house alone, naked.

No one believed that the beautiful woman could have done it herself.

‘If beauty is a means, throwing it away can be a means enough.’

So Count Brennan did not dare to say anything of consolation to the woman.

The woman was Negil’s mistress.

Marquis Luden liked the woman, so Negil no longer touched her.

He did let go of her. But he kept the bribes clean for Marquis Luden.

“Are you satisfied with the results?”

“It will depend on whether the Count pays me properly from now on.”

The woman answered Brennan’s question calmly.

Brennan gave the woman an envelope. Inside the envelope were bundles of bonds from various small shops and a key.

The key was to a small boarding house in the center of the capital. What it had were pieces of gold.

It was the woman who wanted to receive such a price.

Smaller shops were not able to track down the debtor, even if they knew the debtor had changed.

No one pays a constant attention to these tiny bonds. Even if she collects a lot of small debts and gathers a lot of money, no one will notice.

It was the same with the gold pieces. The broken corners and ornaments are inconspicuous, unlike gold bars and jewels.

It was to prove how long she had been crafting the plans in her mind, hoping for an opportunity like this.

“If it is not the promised amount or if I can’t meet the person I was promised after a week, the accuser will run to Marquisate Luden with a confession.”

“I know. As long as you’re not trying to double your payment, I won’t need to make a fuss.”

Count Brennan said.

The woman checked the inside of the envelope. And she stood up from her seat, bowed and went out.

The secretary who had been hiding behind the veil came out.

“Shall I track her?”

“Don’t mind her. That woman is going to disappear. I’ll see if she’s hiding properly, I’ll check it out in a few days.”

Count Brennan was a powerful person, but she was a woman, so she understood that the woman’s purpose was not just money. She shouldn’t have to worry about it.

“Marquis Luden?”

“Still breathing.”

“Tsk.”

Count Brennan clicked her tongue.

Then she noticed that the secretary was looking at her with an anxious face.

“Why? Don’t you understand?”

“Yes. Can’t I just say that things are not good right now? The Princess of Evron was given her third name by His Majesty the Emperor……. Grand Duke Roygar’s position is dangerous, so if internal strife arises…….”

The secretary said in a confident manner.

“But there is no time to get rid of Marquis Luden other than now.”

Defeating Marquis Luden is not the most urgent task. But once Grand Duke Roygar ascended to power, there would be no chance.

“Remove it while you can, right?”

“Yes. And, in my opinion, it is already difficult for Grand Duke Roygar to inherit the throne.”

The secretary looked nervous.

Count Brennan turned her gaze away and looked out the window.

“In such a case, the answer is to become His Majesty’s loyal servant.”

There is an imperial family where God had granted favor and the Emperor gave a third name. Princess Leticia has won the will of the Emperor and the temple, and the people will follow her blindly.

But that means for Leticia, not Cedric. There is plenty of room for digging.

Aren’t parents supposed to just play the role of agent for the young emperor? It’s something that even the father’s uncle should be able to do.

And it would be even better if that was the limit of the power that Grand Duke Roygar could have.

Even better if there were no relatives to support him.

Count Brennan laughed.