“Do you know Hildir Schunard?”
Myuri glanced over at Moid, who in turn replied to Lawrence.
“Diva’s financial secretary, the owner’s right-hand man.”
“According to Holo’s ears, that was who we just met.”
Holo’s ears might as well be infallible. She was ancient, and her ears had never failed her. Myuri stared at the towel in his hands like it was a sword covered in blood.
“My sources tell me Diva’s having some kind of trouble. Internal trouble.”
Myuri’s attendant reached out to take his towel, but Myuri let it hang over his shoulder after wiping his face.
“Issuing a new currency is no mean feat, and the profits involved are dizzying. I can’t help but feel like we’ve been used, and expertly so, but still..”
“Word is that the company head and most of his supporters are being kept in their headquarters.”
Moid and Myuri froze still, with an expression on their faces like someone had just hollered that food was on sale.
“But their ambition can’t be contained.”
Myuri laughed when he heard that, but he was laughing at them.
“Fools. Did they think they were bears just because they wore their fur? Or maybe they figured they could act like southern nobility just because they had the money? Well, not here in the north. Even the Church has to bow its head here. They don’t even know what they’ve started. Did they honestly think they could contain a war that easily? What a bunch of bumpkins.”
The roads on the map hanging on the wall looked almost like a spider’s web dangling between the mountains. And that wasn’t even counting small roads like the one Lawrence had taken on the far south of the Ploanian plains. The map only marked the main roads in the north, those important lines that cut through forests and mountains. It was the kind of map used to decide how to allocate up one’s forces when they would be spread so thin that even a traveling merchant like Lawrence would feel isolated.
“And that’s all he told you?”
Lawrence wondered if Myuri and Moid were contemplating who else they should tell. Perhaps they were already planning ahead, and trying to determine which directions the war might take. They were looking at one another while Myuri spoke with Lawrence.
“No, he also asked for my help to turn the tide.”
Myuri finally looked at Lawrence.
“Your help?”
One’s choice of allies would determine whether they would survive the coming war.
“All I can do, though, is give him a powerful tool, something which should be in Lenos right now.”
“Hmm..”
Myuri crossed his arms, but Moid looked up.
“And what powerful tool might that be?
“Something I came across while trading. A banned book about special mining techniques.”
Their faces were still stony, giving off the impression that they never flinched while discussing important news. It was the kind of mannerism of someone who felt that showing their nervousness would be their downfall, no matter how silly they looked trying to hide it.
“Originally, Holo and I wanted that book dealer to hide it on a shelf in the south forever, but right now it should be on its way to Kinisen in the east.”
“Kinisen? Even with the fastest horse it would take us a week to get there..”
Myuri spoke as if talking to himself, but it was obviously directed at Moid.
“However, I was just handed the bag of one of the persons who was traveling with that merchant. Hildir told us he was given the bag after talking with their party, but the truth is never so straightforward. That was how he asked for our help.”
“In other words, he is threatening you.”
“And yet, he did so to show his determination. He is doing this knowing that he too may die, so it is quite unlikely that he is lying.”
Myuri nodded. He knew Holo’s true form.
“I see.”
He looked up and continued.
“Then Hildir isn’t human either..”
“Exactly.”
Lawrence nodded, considering Myuri worthy of his trust, but Myuri’s face remained stony for quite some time.
“Really..”
He whispered and cast his eyes downward after hearing that from Lawrence. He stared at the edge of his desk as if trying to come to terms with everything.
“We’ve decided to hand the book over to him. Tonight we will tell him so.”
“Does he have any chance of winning?”
Myuri’s immediate question made it clear just how sharp and practical he was.
“I believe he does.”
The larger an organization was the harder it was to control their greed. Given how quickly they were moving, it was clear that they never expected to be in a position to control the network of barons and issue a new currency. It all came down to money, which could make even the smallest person have grand dreams. It was only the people who could still sincerely say something like “please think it over” who deserved consideration in the first place.
“Then you want us to run, Mr. Lawrence?”
A gear would turn the others around it, and Myuri’s mind was now spinning furiously. Lawrence nodded.
“Yes. If Hildir fails, we will all be in danger. Even someone as unimportant as I have things they want to protect and, well, let’s just say that it will take longer to convince your group to head in another direction.”
There was absolutely no way to call it “retreat” in front of the leader of a mercenary band.
“True. It does take time to change our direction, and even more to retreat.”
Myuri smiled.
“I’ll try to not be stubborn.“
Lawrence’s choice of words just made Myuri feel worse.
“Heading in another direction..”
He smiled as he repeated the words.
“But then, what if we poured cold water on this fire? You’ve been in molding refineries, haven’t you Mr. Lawrence?”
Lawrence could only say no. He’d seen many a mold at blacksmiths’, but never the kind that Myuri was probably talking about that were like small hills unto themselves.
“It takes five or six men to fan the flames for the furnace alone, which is like some great siege machine. It roars and sighs like the Devil himself, and the flames shoot up into the sky. Even if someone were to pour cold water on those flames, it wouldn’t go out.. it would just burst into an even greater explosion of flames.”
True, throwing water onto flames didn’t always extinguish them; the more extreme a situation was, the more extreme the blowback could be.
“They’re too far gone, so of course stopping them won’t be easy. You feel the sting of it too, right? This is beyond even the hottest stove. I have nothing but respect for anyone who wants to try pouring water on those flames, but the price of failure is just too great.”
Myuri looked up again.
“I understand, Mr. Lawrence, I wasn’t trying to convince you, just talking out loud. We’ve already been preparing to leave anyway, so we’ll just end up doing so a bit sooner than expected. Besides, there are still so many wines I haven’t sampled.. it’s too soon for me to settle down.”
That was quite a Holo-esque way to put it. Lawrence wondered if everyone from Yoitsu was a heavy drinker. They shook hands firmly.
“I’ll leave some of my best men to watch for you, so look for them as you run. They’ll wait for you on the way to Yoitsu, so you can find the best paths to take eastward.”
So he had been planning on delivering them to Yoitsu - he really was a chivalrous sort for a mercenary. Lawrence spoke his thanks and tightened his grip on their handshake.
“We’ll have to move quietly, while it’s still calm. We still have to pack. Moid, how’re we doing for goods and such?”
“We’ve enough for at least two days.”
“Gather up for five days as fast as possible. We’ll need to make them last for sev
en. Pay in silver, not gold.”
Given that the new currency was linked to Trenni silver coins, they would be expensive right now. Gold coins would be cheap, so only a fool would use them by comparison. Myuri was right on the ball; clearly he wasn’t just a simple fighter. In fact, Lawrence would love to work with him if he ever quit being a mercenary.
“The Myuri Mercenaries will move with the morning fog.”
He smiled, and Moid followed suit.
“Roger.”
* * *
Lawrence stretched. He’d at least ensured the safety of the mercenaries who had succeeded the name of Holo’s friend. If Hildir failed, Lawrence might end up being exposed and killed. When war began, people often slaughtered pigs to rouse their anger. If mercenaries were the ones doing that, everyone else would tremble in fear.
“Now it is all on you.”
Having just then cried madly, her face was swollen and rather unbecoming. And yet, she was stuck to Lawrence as she nibbled on some bread, listening to him and feigning disinterest. In spite of her appearance he could tell she was embarrassed, but he had no idea how to reconcile that with the lovely image of her he had in his mind.
“Oh, what?”
Her eyes pierced his, staring right through him. He was now embarrassed as well, knowing what the question marks on her face implied.
“What will you do about the shop?”
She finally managed to ask the question that had to be asked.
“I don’t know how things will turn out.. but you’re the one who’s always saying that adversity breeds character.”
He didn’t say that he finally understood what was meant by the phrase “those who find something worth protecting are doomed to be in sad stories.” If Hildir failed, it was just too risky for him to keep the shop. Holo had also come to understand just how tricky and expensive it was to open a shop, which was why she was fussing so much.
“You paid your money to achieve your dream.. and no one loves money more than you do.”
She was clearly worried, but she couldn’t hide the tinge of spite in her voice at the last part. A familiar smile crept onto his face, but it wasn’t due to displeasure.
“Well, I only paid a deposit.”
When they sat next to one another like this, the difference in their heights was all but gone. That made it difficult for him to be on the receiving end of her glare, so he ultimately crumbled and gave her a clear answer.
“I can really only sell it.”
Selling the store wouldn’t be a problem if Hildir succeeded; Lawrence might even end up with two shops in the end. But if Hildir failed, and Lawrence somehow survived, this town would be a shadow of its former self. No one would pin their wartime hopes on a place with no wall. A mythical king might be able to emerge from such a thing unscathed, but Lesco was far from such glory.
The barons weren’t opposed to the war, because it could only earn them more. It was ridiculous for them to imagine it going so smoothly, but Lawrence couldn’t join them in their gamble - he stood to lose what he treasured the most if he failed. There was no other way to put it.
Holo had made up her mind when she let him buy his shop. She wouldn’t overthink things or act brashly any more, even if the northern lands were in trouble. It was the least Lawrence could do to follow her lead.
“That said..”
“Hmm?”
She peeked at him to urge him on.
“It feels quite indescribable to sell my shop before I ever even opened it.”
With Lesco changing, his plan to begin a new adventure as a town merchant had fizzled. He couldn’t be part of those changes. All he could do was cut his losses and move on. It wasn’t disappointment or shame that he felt, but a bucket of cold water dowsing his hopes.
“I regret that as well, but you know to not be tied down by the past.”
It was rare for Holo to say something that hit so close to home for her. After all, she was always looking behind her to find signs of her past, and had learned many lessons from doing so. To hear her saying that meant she hoped he would indeed move on. He realized all of that, of course, but there were still things that puzzled him.
“Too true.. but still..”
“..what?”
He gently slid his hand across her face, which still betrayed how many questions she wanted to ask. He ignored her fidgeting - from her tail’s happy wagging it was clear she wasn’t angry - and hugged her like he would never let her go.
“..we’re always turning around to face the past.”
He remembered how she had crawled into his wagon on that fateful night. This wolf had told him she wanted to go back to Yoitsu, and if she hadn’t he would never have come this far.
“Then fortune will never come to you. Fool.”
With that she broke free of his arms. She was right, of course, but it went both ways.
“Just like pain will never stop following you.“
She laughed, and as he rested his chin on her head her tail began to happily wag again.
* * *
That night, after Lawrence had sold his shop without any regrets, Hildir appeared in their room. Right on schedule. He had again assumed the form of a rabbit, this time with no clothes at all. In a town with such a hectic and celebratory atmosphere, a rabbit would have less chance of survival than in a forest.
“I’ve been looking forward to your reply.”
He seemed thinner, and his dry-sounding voice was now positively hoarse. It was clear just how hard he was working to manage the conflict in his company. It felt like this chapter of his life would be the longest one in his book. Lawrence looked straight at this un-rabbit-like rabbit and replied.
“We have decided to give you the book.”
A shiver ran through Hildir’s tiny body.
“..”
His red eyes were locked onto them, but he was frozen and couldn’t speak. Even his ears were motionless. Lawrence was concerned that he might have been shocked to death. Maybe the situation really was that hopeless.
Lawrence had no idea how cruel fate had been to Hildir and his compatriots, but he was getting the image of Diva plotting and scheming away in their building, much like Eve had done. He felt happy to be able to help them, and doubly so that he might earn something for it. Those thoughts were swimming through his mind as Hildir took a breath much larger than his tiny body should be able to contain.
“You have my utmost thanks.”
Hildir spoke like a light was now shining on him from above. His efforts to convince the others might finally work with the book.
“Having said that, the book dealer who has it doesn’t live by the same code that we do.”
What became of the north might not matter to Lou Loah in the slightest. Just because Lawrence chose to help Diva by giving them the book didn’t mean that they could cry or beg Lou into caring.
“I can pay in cash.”
Hildir was cutting to the chase.
“How much?”
“Three hundred Lumione. I have it set aside at my place in town.”
Not even Holo would be able to tell if that was a lie. Still, Hildir was the financial officer of a company capable of challenging even the northern barons, so it wasn’t a stretch for him to have that much. In fact he seemed the type to have set aside such money in case the owner of the company was beset by such problems. Even royal families declined, and sometimes relied on the help of an excellent supporter who had prepared like that.
“Well that’s more than enough, but there’s one other issue.”
“Which is?”
Despite being a rabbit, Hildir enunciated clearly and elegantly. Lawrence wondered if he assumed that form so he would feel more comfortable talking to him. Under all of that fur, he was probably actually quite confident.
“What to do if your plan fails, and the book has lost its intended purpose.”
Lawrence carefully enunciated his reply, to make sure it was clear. Hildir looked him over,
as did Holo. She was the one who would feel the most responsible if the book was misused, after all. Lawrence had to make sure he could prevent that.
“Very well then. Should I fail, we will try to take it back. If necessary, I will even return it to you in secret.”
Holo breathed in deeply when she heard that.
“You have our thanks.”
Lawrence replied for her, knowing that she really didn’t want Diva to have the book in the first place. To her this cause was worth what a thousand Lumione would be to him.
“Then, how do we get the book in Kinisen?”
“That book dealer is cunning, and values righteousness. He may be the toughest person to ask for kindness.”
Hildir nodded, his red eyes clearly showing that he had no intent to stupidly beg for someone to save him.
“A letter would take too long; we are almost out of time. This may be our own internal affair, but the barons have been scheming to try to find a successor.”
“Then they mean to replace your boss soon?”
“Yes, they will seize power by any means.”
For power, parents could kill their children and vice versa. Some people had an affinity for such things, to the point where they might even be able to frighten God Himself. And yet, their behavior could be rationalized. Nobles were always trying to seize control of companies.
“One of my friends is a bird. I believe his wings would be fastest, but he could at most carry that bag, perhaps.”
Suddenly it made sense; if that bird were to snatch Cole’s bag as they rested on the plain, it wouldn’t seem like it was out of the ordinary at all. It happened all the time.
“I am hoping that Miss Holo can run.”
Finally, Hildir had turned his attention to Holo. She only sighed in response.
“..And your other choice?”
“Please don’t take it so badly.”
While in their human forms they might seem like equals, but not all of Holo’s contemporaries had the powers she had. Hildir clearly did not, nor his avian friend.
“I do not intend to. I do sometimes wish to run free on the land in my true form, after all..”