Chapter 247
Chapter 247: Let’s Get Some Investment. (1)
Dududududu!
The soldier relentlessly rode the horse.
It was sprinting across the vast northern plains. As it dashed down the straight road, it began to pick up speed that was incomparable to other horses.
If the distance was too far, one could simply switch to another horse at each waypoint. So endurance was not a problem at all.
Currently, it could only operate within the territory, but as the road network expanded and more waypoints were added, more places would become accessible for delivery.
The delivery soldier, who had set off in the morning, arrived at the Forest of Monsters’ guard station around that evening.
“This… this is what my mom sent this morning?”
“Yes, our Penris Arrow Delivery operates on the principle of maximum speed in delivery.”
Ricardo eyed the delivery soldier suspiciously, scanning him from top to bottom.
‘Even for a close territory, does it really make sense to arrive this quickly?’
Typically, sending such correspondence requires hiring merchants or mercenaries.
Thus, the cost is steep and it takes quite a while. It wouldn’t move this quickly for one person unless a tremendous price was paid.
‘Come to think of it……. the Grand Duke was making a fuss about starting a delivery service.’
Roads had been laid out in Perdium, and telegraph offices and various facilities had been built. Ricardo had heard snippets of how the delivery business was being heavily promoted.
‘Well, no one would bother to pull a prank like this on me.’
It didn’t seem like a joke. The delivery soldier was covered in dust and drenched in sweat.
He was too earnest to be mistaken for someone playing around.
Ricardo unfolded the letter. His mom couldn’t write, so she must have dictated it, but he was confident he could understand the content.
[When are you getting married? Stop meeting women and please just get married quickly. Mom’s friend’s son is already married and has grandchildren…]
‘Ah, this really does seem like my mom’s writing.’
The scolding he heard each time he visited his mother was identical to the contents of the letter. It was filled with her sincerity and frustration.
How desperate must she have been to send a letter using “Arrow Delivery,” which no one even uses?
“Then I’ll be off now. Please sign here to confirm receipt….”
“No, just a moment.”
Ricardo needed to verify this truth. He hurriedly wrote a letter and handed it to the delivery soldier.
“Is this still free? Can you send this to my mom?”
“Yes, it’s currently the free period. I will deliver this to your mother.”
Although he could use the telegraph office, Ricardo wanted to confirm it quickly. He wrote in the letter about a childhood incident that only his mom would know.
He wanted to find out if it was truly possible to exchange letters with his mother, and if Arrow Delivery was real.
Once he received the letter, he would ask someone nearby who could read to help him, or he would use the telegraph office again.
The next evening, Ricardo received his mom’s letter. His letter had been delivered in the morning, and his mother had replied immediately.
“Wow, this is real? The speed is insane?”
The letter truly contained something only his mom would know. There were no issues at all.
Having tasted the greatness of Arrow Delivery, Ricardo excitedly shared the news with the Forest of Monsters’ guards. He didn’t forget to boast to the ladies of the friendship group as well.
Ricardo’s parents in Penris also actively informed those around them, marveling at the service.
Initially, those who were doubtful soon began sending letters to their relatives in the territory and praised the service without restraint.
“Wow! This is really as fast as an arrow, right? I’ve already exchanged letters and gifts with relatives in Perdium several times!”
“Is it because the roads are well constructed? It arrives in a day or two!”
“Have you ordered items? They really deliver right to your doorstep!”
As rumors spread, more people flocked to the telegraph office. The existing staff alone couldn’t handle it, so they hired more employees, and extra telegraph offices were built in busy cities and towns.
Particularly popular was the goods delivery service. When ordering hard-to-find items at the market or bulk goods, people would use the telegraph office.
While readily available items were limited, if one saw the available goods and quantities within the telegraph office, they could request delivery right to their homes.
People began to get excited about that service.
“I can’t live without Arrow Delivery now!”
“The items you can order are increasing, you know? The lord said he would expand it further.”
“Can you believe something like this is happening in our territory? Our lord is truly amazing!”
The more people praised it, the prouder Ghislaine became. He raised his chin arrogantly and told his retainers,
“How about it? Did you see? People naturally pursue speed and convenience. That’s why I always insist on doing things quickly.”
“……”
The knights, including Claude, stood speechless. More and more people were indeed using Arrow Delivery.
Thanks to this, the administrators became even busier. This was not a private enterprise; it was a business operated within the territory.
Checking the inventory of the logistics warehouse daily and quickly filling the goods needed for each town and city was all part of the administrators’ duties.
“Hmm, if it has progressed this much within the territory, think about how it would expand kingdom-wide. The amount of goods we can deliver and the people using Arrow Delivery will only increase.”
The retainers nodded in agreement, contemplating.
‘And we are going to be more exhausted.’
The request for the right to collect fees instead of constructing roads to the royal family had not yet been approved, and they hadn’t received funding for their business.
Once everything wrapped up, the entire Crown Prince Faction’s territories would engage in Arrow Delivery.
The problem was that no matter how much investment was gathered, the entity running the business was still Penris territory. Ultimately, it meant that the administrators of Penris would have to spread out, hire people, and do the work. Clearly, they would be spread thinner.
Around this point, Claude, who wanted to put a halt to it, interjected slightly.
“However, we are operating at a loss. It seems we need more funds than expected to build the infrastructure. Even after the free period ends, commission rates will still be quite low for a while, making it difficult to turn a profit.”
“That’s fine. It doesn’t matter if we’re in the red for now. What’s important is establishing that foundation. Eventually, we will make enormous profits. We’ll be the ones monopolizing it, right?”
‘Ugh, it’s futile.’
Claude felt disheartened as he listened to Ghislaine recite his predictions verbatim.
If they built an overwhelming logistics infrastructure, other merchants would have no choice but to use Arrow Delivery.
If they didn’t like it, they could pay road usage fees.
‘Still, something feels off. It’s too confident to be mere predictions. Is he dreaming of the future or something?’
Most of what the lord had done so far had created concepts where none existed, making it even stranger.
Initially, it seemed he was just bravely displaying baseless confidence due to youthful enthusiasm, but upon hearing what he said, he actually had a lot of knowledge and logic behind it.
It was clear that success wasn’t merely due to luck.
As Claude observed Ghislaine with suspicion, Penris territory was rapidly advancing.
Thanks to the construction of roads and additional horses, bulk-produced meat and food, as well as various resources, were being transported throughout the territory at an astonishing rate.
Ghislaine smiled contentedly as he received daily reports about the situation.
“Things are running very smoothly. Yet, there is still much lacking, so we need to move even faster.”
Facilities needed for transportation, such as telegraph offices, stables, and logistics warehouses, were not everything. More facilities were needed for the territory to grow stronger.
Although the administrators were worn out from Ghislaine’s urgencies, the pace of territory development had accelerated beyond comparison to before, and people’s conveniences began to rise steadily.
There probably wouldn’t be anywhere on the continent as comfortable as this territory to live in.
Ghislaine approached the next task with the thought of rowing when the tide comes in.
“Now, let’s head to Marquis Branford. We need to get the right to collect fees and some investment.”
*
Claude and the retainers prepared a business plan to maximize efficiency.
It was a venture that encompassed half the kingdom. This scale must have been unimaginable even for the royal family.
The right to collect fees? If Marquis Branford says he’ll give it, he will.
The Crown Prince faction could never refuse this offer in the current situation.
Once they obtained the right to collect fees, everything would be over. Perhaps other lords would refuse to pay later, but… then Ghislaine would surely march the army on them.
If there’s a justification, it becomes easier to take from others.
Claude inspected the business plan while wearing a meaningful smile.
“As the lord mentioned, it doesn’t matter if we suffer some losses. More important than a few coins is that our territory’s influence will grow immensely. If we play it right, we’ll be able to control the nobles and merchants.”
If they could merely obtain the right to collect fees, they’d have a firm grip on logistics distribution and the movement of people. Once a proper system was established, no one would dare covet Penris.
Of course, not every vision that lay ahead was rosy. To exert that kind of influence, they needed powerful military strength. Otherwise, no one would dare challenge their roads.
In that respect, they were still lacking, but for now, with Marquis Branford backing them, they could at least breathe easier.
“Anyway, the top priority for our territory is a strong military force. It’s growing quite rapidly too. Crowns offended by Crown Prince nobles… the upcoming civil war is the problem.”
The duke was targeting the Crown Prince faction. If they got caught up in that, this territory might be in real danger.
But if the Crown Prince faction managed to win the civil war? Or, even if the Crown Prince faction lost, but Penris survived? If during that time, the lord could build a formidable military force as he wished?
“Perhaps… instead of the duke family, we could rule the kingdom…”
That had slipped out unconsciously. Claude was taken aback and quickly covered his mouth.
Did he have such ambitions? He hadn’t realized it recently due to the overwhelming strain. He merely thought living a life of leisure would satisfy him.
When he made eye contact with Wendy, she tilted her head in curiosity.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, nothing.”
Being with the lord seemed to infect him with reckless ambition. Claude shook his head several times to rid himself of such thoughts.
The civil war and all that was important, but what lay immediately ahead was more crucial.
After several days of meetings with his retainers, they crafted a detailed business plan. Now, all that was left was to send it to Marquis Branford.
The issue was that Ghislaine was too busy focusing on territory development.
Even after Claude asked several times, Ghislaine remained steadfast.
“Are you really not going to the capital?”
“Ah, it’s troublesome. I’m really busy right now, you know? I have to check on the status of territory development, train, and inspect the training situation… so just send someone. The marquis will definitely approve.”
“……”
Of course, they could send a letter and it would get delivered.
But the receiver was Marquis Branford, the most powerful figure in the kingdom. It wouldn’t suffice to just send anyone.
‘I don’t want to go…’
Claude still vividly remembered how his life had hung in the balance when Ghislaine had recklessly made a move to treat Rosalyn. Honestly, the marquis had terrified him. Just the thought of him made him feel like he might wet himself.
Even aside from that, he had too much on his plate.
So Claude postponed sending the letter through another person. He called Lowell over and, building up the mood, said,
“You go to the capital.”
“Me?”
“Yeah, go explain our business to Marquis Branford and get the right to collect fees. Ask him for investments for Rosalyn and Meriel too.”
“Such a big task, how could I possibly do it! Ah, no! I’m scared! I’m busy too!”
“You can do it. So go quickly. Otherwise, I’ll tell Wendy to have you killed.”
Wendy, who had been listening from the side, shot a disdainful glare at him, but Claude pretended not to notice. He began to understand why the lord was so forceful in pushing people.
‘Just do it when I tell you to! Why do you keep arguing? It’s so annoying!’
Under Claude’s insistence, Lowell reluctantly set off for the capital, tears welling up in his eyes. He was already busy, and going there meant more work piled up for him upon return.
It felt like being ordered around by either a lord or a chief officer; he felt like he was going to die.
*
Marquis Branford, holding the business plan, stared coldly at Lowell standing in front of him.
“Road business? Right to collect fees?”
“Y-yes… it’s necessary… and it would be a great help to the Crown Prince faction,” he stammered.
Even the eloquent Lowell trembled and replied in front of Marquis Branford.
The atmosphere surrounded by the knights, retainers, and soldiers made it feel almost impossible to breathe under the pressure.
It was a completely different vibe from the casual atmosphere of Penris territory. It felt as if he were standing on a sharp blade.
After tapping his chin a few times, Marquis Branford spoke with disdain.
“Do you seriously think a mere lord of a border territory can attempt a business that spans the kingdom?”
“…I-I think that’s what it seems like.”
Lowell trembled and nodded his head.
Ghislaine was the type who would push through if he wanted something. So it was pointless to ask him.
‘Why would you ask me that? You can’t stop him either, can you?’
As Lowell sulked inwardly, Marquis Branford fell into deep thought.
‘A shrewd fellow. He’s planning to take advantage of this opportunity to earn money and increase his influence. He’s clever enough to think of that.’
Other nobles would never consider such things. They thought paving roads in someone else’s territory would only be a loss for themselves.
The resources required would be immense, none would dare even imagine it. It was a business that seemed fit for the royal family to undertake directly at the kingdom level.
To think that a mere lord would attempt such a grand enterprise. If it were anyone else, it would have been met with derision, but in front of him stood Ghislaine, who had a firm hand on food and therefore, on money and people. That changed the narrative drastically.
‘That’s a good idea. If it comes to fruition, it will be a great help in battling the duke family.’
Ultimately, a civil war was now unavoidable.
To face the duke family, the strongest single faction, the royal family and the Crown Prince faction lords must unite.
When someone is attacked, support from surrounding territories with troops and supplies is essential to endure.
Of course, if multiple territories are conquered, it leads to giving a pathway to the enemies, but that was a risk that had to be taken.
If there is absolutely no route for advancement, the Crown Prince faction will not be able to move quickly and will crumble no matter what.
‘This kid seems to be thinking about what will happen once the civil war is over. Is this unshakeable confidence in winning? What an arrogant brat.’
That kind of confidence was not unpleasant to behold, but he was wary of it growing to a size he could not control.
‘But this business cannot be conducted by the royal family.’
The repercussions of famine had not entirely disappeared yet. Other lords were struggling just to maintain their military strength.
Such a large-scale enterprise could only be attempted by the one who has overflowing food and money. If he stepped in, the other lords would only need to provide labor.
Still, the burdens of undertaking this alone seemed to necessitate a large investment as well.
‘Well, no matter how much money he has, it’s not a venture a single lord can accomplish.’
After pondering for a while, Marquis Branford slowly opened his mouth.
“Alright. I will approve the business and instruct the lords to cooperate. I will also grant the right to collect fees to Count Penris in the name of the royal family.”
‘Oh!’
Lowell was astonished. He had not expected Marquis Branford to make such a decision on the spot.
‘As expected, the lord’s predictions were right. This is fascinating.’
But Marquis Branford wasn’t done speaking yet.
“However.”
“…?”
The marquis glared at Lowell with cold eyes and continued.
“I believe we need to increase our stake a bit.”
