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The commander of the garrison guarding the northern border of the Baroque Kingdom furrowed his brow at his subordinate’s report.

“Did you see them wearing imperial armor or any insignia?”

“No, sir. We only assumed because their search methods and the tools they used were commonly used by imperial soldiers.”

A mysterious group had suddenly appeared near the border.

The border guards of the Baroque Kingdom suspected that this group might be soldiers from the Empire.

“Why would they be skulking around our border?”

“That much… I’m sorry, sir.”

The subordinate bowed his head, his voice filled with regret. Then, suddenly—

“Perhaps it’s something like this?”

“…Who are you?”

“The Empire is currently at war with the Spanian Kingdom. However, there are rumors that after dealing with Spanian, they may have their sights set on our kingdom as well…”

The sudden statement made the commander leap to his feet.

“What? Are those madmen seriously thinking of invading us?”

No matter how powerful the Empire was, they couldn’t afford to make enemies of all the kingdoms.

Currently, the Spanian Kingdom and the Empire were at war over a neutral zone near their border.

It was a war with a semblance of justification.

Thus, the surrounding kingdoms were merely watching the conflict unfold.

Unless they received an alliance proposal, they had no reason to get involved in the war.

“Are you suggesting the Empire plans to declare war on the entire continent?”

“That’s uncertain. But if they defeat Spanian and the smaller neighboring kingdoms fall under their control…”

The Empire would grow significantly in size almost overnight.

With the power and confidence gained from defeating all those foes—

“They could turn their swords on us, is what I’m saying.”

“…Does the higher command know about this?”

“Not yet.”

The man shook his head.

The commander let out a small sigh and collapsed into his chair.

*Tap… Tap… Tap…*

The commander tapped his fingers on the table, deep in thought.

Then he spoke.

“For now, let’s confirm this ourselves. First, we need to verify if they are really imperial soldiers.”

“Yes, sir.”

“From this moment on, tighten the security around the border. If you see any suspicious figures, use any means necessary to apprehend them!”

“Yes, sir!”

The commander watched his subordinate run off, then turned his gaze back to the man with a strange smile standing in front of him.

—

Damian began to recount to Diel everything that had happened since he arrived in Erkal.

The current situation of the Neokalitz unit and the events that transpired in the Bronselian Forest.

“…That’s incredible.”

“It was quite a struggle. But thanks to it, we secured exclusive rights for a year.”

“But isn’t the Bronselian Forest famous for Amancho? The locals here must have a tight grip on Amancho distribution.”

Specifically, they likely have their own suppliers and aren’t reliant on the official distribution channels.

Damian nodded.

“Of course. But the Bronselian Forest isn’t just about Amancho.”

Until now, they had mainly focused on Amancho because of its special characteristics and Erkal’s needs.

Erkal, being a place of frequent battles, had high demand for Amancho among the soldiers of the Erkal garrison and the Neokalitz unit.

Naturally, they harvested a lot of Amancho, especially since it was commonly found at the forest’s entrance.

“If we venture a little deeper, we can find other herbs, including ingredients for elixirs. We plan to focus on those. Also… local herb gatherers will not be allowed into the Bronselian Forest for a year without my permission.”

Baron Wilkis, the leader of the subjugation team, had issued a stern warning before leaving.

No sane herb gatherer would dare ignore that.

Moreover, the Erkal garrison acknowledged Damian’s achievements, which only bolstered his authority.

Understanding the situation, Diel nodded.

“So, the gatherers will need permits to enter the forest. We’ll meet them and establish contracts.”

“That should streamline things. Also… please release this item in limited quantities and store the rest.”

“…What is this?”

“It could become a powerful asset for us, so handle it with care.”

Diel glanced at the herbs listed on the paper.

“Understood.”

After agreeing, Diel continued.

“And there’s something you should know; the current situation on the continent is starting to get a bit unusual.”

“…Unusual? How so?”

Damian’s expression hardened.

Diel elaborated.

“You’re aware that the Empire is currently at war with the Spanian Kingdom, correct?”

“Of course.”

The war was sparked by a neutral zone near their border.

Soon, the Spanian Kingdom would declare defeat and cede the neutral zone.

‘Then, in a similar manner, they’ll force the smaller neighboring kingdoms to surrender… and four years later, they’ll start acting like tyrants.’

This marked the beginning of the era of war.

The Empire would declare war on all the kingdoms of the continent, initiating a campaign of conquest with overwhelming military force.

Diel continued.

“But reports are coming in that imperial forces are crossing into the borders of other kingdoms. Although it’s not confirmed yet, this information is considered highly classified.”

Which meant very few people knew about it.

Damian asked.

“Are they preparing for war against other kingdoms?”

“Not immediately, but I believe it’s time we start paying attention to the Empire’s movements.”

He worried the era of war might come sooner than expected.

‘Phew, not yet, thank goodness.’

Damian sighed in relief, looking at Diel.

Finding Diel had been a masterstroke.

To think she was already aware of the continent’s shifting dynamics at this stage.

Damian nodded.

“Let’s finish discussing the exclusive rights for the Bronselian Forest first. We need to gather as much as we can within the next year.”

“Don’t worry about that.”

Diel replied with a confident expression.

Damian grinned and continued.

“As for the profits from the goods collected in the Bronselian Forest, we’ll split them 50:50. Since I was the one who secured the exclusive rights, I think this split is fair.”

“Hmm… 50% seems a bit much. How about 40%? After all, we’re the ones doing all the work.”

Diel hesitated slightly as she spoke.

Damian shook his head.

“If you don’t agree, you won’t even get that 50%. If I sign a contract with another merchant group, I could easily get 60% or more.”

“…Understood. I can’t argue with that.”

Diel conceded without much resistance.

Damian held all the leverage, and Diel knew it.

In fact, Damian’s offer of a 50:50 split was quite generous, considering the circumstances. Understanding this, Diel didn’t push the matter further.

Damian smiled and added.

“Also, I’ll be reinvesting half of my share of the profits.”

“Reinvest? How so?”

“I’ll use the money to place people throughout the Empire to gather intelligence on their movements.”

“…You seem to know something. Can I ask the source of your information?”

“No, you cannot.”

“I apologize if I overstepped.”

Diel quickly apologized, and Damian shook his head.

The reason he couldn’t reveal the source was simple:

‘There is no source.’

That’s why he couldn’t provide an answer.

Diel looked at Damian and said.

“Then… it seems I’ll be here for the next year. I look forward to working with you.”

“The pleasure is mine.”

Damian nodded with a small smile on his lips.

—

The Hamel Merchant Guild established a branch in Erkal.

This was the first branch the Hamel Guild had ever set up.

Every day, many people were bustling around, busy with their tasks.

“Alright, let’s go! Let’s give it our best today!”

“Yeah! Let’s work hard today!”

“Hey, rookie! Make sure to bring some snacks for the herb gatherers while they work!”

“Don’t worry, I’ve got it covered!”

Diel had signed contracts with all the herb gatherers in Erkal.

To enter the Bronselian Forest, they needed Damian’s permission, which the Hamel Guild was in charge of managing.

“…Wow, this is impressive.”

Damian watched the herb gatherers and merchants heading to Erkal, clicking his tongue in amazement.

To think they could get this organized in just a few days.

“Ah, Damian.”

“You look very busy.”

“I should be even busier. We only have a year, after all.”

“Well, in a year, the profits will need to be shared, but you should still have another year of good business. After that, we’ll have to pull back a bit.”

“We’ve already signed one-year contracts with all the herb gatherers in Erkal. We plan to renew them quickly before the exclusive rights expire. That way, the other merchant groups that come later will waste time trying to recruit herb gatherers.”

“…That’s a good plan.”

If she was already thinking that far ahead, there was no need to worry.

Damian checked the important items with Diel once more.

Diel nodded.

“We’ve already stored as much of the items you mentioned as possible. And here’s something we found recently…”

Diel retrieved a small box from the storage area where the herbs were kept.

When she opened the box, there was a reddish herb inside.

“This is called the Red Dragon Herb, named because its leaves resemble a dragon’s mouth.”

“Oh? You’re right. The Bronselian Forest had Red Dragon Herbs too?”

“Yes, are you familiar with it?”

“Of course.”

Dragon Herbs are generally divided into two types: blue and red.

The blue type is highly effective for boosting magical power and improving skin elasticity.

The red type, on the other hand, is highly prized among middle-aged individuals for its benefits in enhancing stamina and vitality.

To think that the Bronselian Forest had Red Dragon Herbs.

“This needs to be sold at a high price to the nobility. Especially make a secret client list of male nobles who are active in high society.”

“…What are its effects?”

“It’s good for vitality.”

“Ah.”

A short exclamation.

Diel’s thoughts were all captured in that single sound.

Diel nodded.

“I’ll make sure to secure as much as possible.”

“Good luck with that. Oh, and…”

Damian glanced around before taking a step closer to Diel.

“Also, make sure to meet with the captains of the Erkal garrison and the Neokalitz unit. You know what I mean, right?”

“I’ve already arranged to meet them tomorrow.”

At her words, Damian raised his thumb slightly in approval.

Nothing in this world is free.

If they were reaping this much profit, they needed to give something back.

Diel understood Damian’s implication and nodded in agreement.

A few days later—

“Damian, the captain is calling for you.”

As expected, Tarion had summoned him.