Building a Kingdom and Conquering the World - Chapter 224

Chapter 224: Olaro is in the West
The western region of Stahl, where the sea of mountains stretched endlessly and the sea beyond remained obscured, was now teeming with life. Mehis, the region’s central city, had become the heart of the West. The demand for new hands was constant and strong, causing many villages to be abandoned as their residents were drawn to the promise of work and stability within the city’s expanding walls.

On one of the city’s main roads, where merchants shouted their prices and inhabitants and workers bustled between stalls, a brown-haired man stood with a broken pickaxe in his hands. His face was streaked with dirt from the mines, slowly eating away the last remnants of nobility.

“Seven iron coins?” he asked, his voice a mix of disbelief and desperation. “That’s everything I have earned this week. Can’t you lower the price?”

The merchant took the pickaxe, running his fingers over the fractured metal before sighing. “I’m already cutting you a deal,” he said, tapping the broken edge. “This is useless as it is. I have to send it to the capital, have it melted down, and reforged. If not for the Sun God Company paying me for every broken tool I bring back, and making sure miners aren’t left empty-handed, I would be charging you double. You can ask around.”

The man didn’t argue, he had already searched the market and knew the price was fair. He stood in silence, staring at the pickaxe in the merchant’s hands, feeling the pitiful weight of the coins in his pocket. It was just enough to buy the tool, nothing more. He would have to work more to feed himself.

Not long ago, as a noble of Luak, he could have purchased hundreds of these without a second thought. Now, he came to understand the difficulties of commoners, like a rock meeting the hazardous waves of the ocean. Poverty clung to him like dirt beneath his nails, a constant reminder of how far he had fallen.

“Well?” – The merchant’s voice cut through his thoughts, impatient – “Are you buying or not? If not, move along. There’s a line behind you.”

The worker pulled seven iron coins from his pocket and handed them to the merchant. The man counted each one carefully before passing him a new pickaxe, a satisfied grin on his face.

“Good luck in the mines” – The merchant said, recalling the recent accidents that had claimed the lives of several workers.

“Thanks,” the worker replied, forcing a weak smile.

As he turned to leave, a conversation between two miners caught his attention. They were walking right in front of him.

“They say General Olaro ordered another mine to be opened. That makes it the third one this month” – the speaker’s voice carried a hint of awe, as if speaking about a legend rather than a man.

“I heard the Darus Family has lost a lot of power since the General came” – another voice responded – “Ever since the king appointed him as governor, he is the one calling the shots in Mehis. But thank the ancestors, we are not being exploited by those bastards anymore.”

Indeed, Henry had wasted no time after noticing the drop in Cold Iron production from the West. He had appointed two governors across Stahl, starting with the East, where Iosif was leading development toward the sea, and the West, where Olaro was tasked with stabilizing the mines and uncovering the cause of the slowdown. Within a week, Olaro had found his answer.

The Darus Family, one of the wealthiest merchant families in the region, had been draining the miners dry. Their patriarch, the Iron Agent responsible for trade in the West, had raised the price of pickaxes to a staggering thirty iron coins, making it impossible for many miners to replace their tools. Without proper equipment, ore production had plummeted. However, it got worse, the Darus family had neglected the mines’ infrastructure, leading to multiple collapses that buried workers alive and stopped the production.

The brown-haired worker listened in silence to their conversation, following their tracks towards the path leading to the mines – “Forget it…I need more coins” – He said, gripping tighter his pickaxe.

He followed the road, stopping momentarily when a bald man with a long red beard rode past on horseback. He recognized him instantly, Olaro, the man responsible for capturing him and his family, tearing apart his old life.

Yet, there was no hatred in the worker’s eyes. No desire for revenge. He simply watched as the General passed by him, following the path to his new, but usual life.

-x-

Following the path of the mines and entering the city, Olaro and Benjamin kept riding on their horses.

“General, should we not deal with the Darus Family?” Benjamin, the scribe, rode beside Olaro, his voice calm yet firm. He had been personally selected by the General as his right hand in administration.

Olaro scratched his bald head, his brows furrowing. “I would like nothing more, but the king ordered patience. The Darus Family helped forge the Sun God Company, and that’s played a huge role in stabilizing the kingdom. He also mentioned something about casting a wider net to catch more fish.”

Benjamin nodded in understanding. “The king is likely waiting to see if they will continue acting against the throne for their own gain or if they will try to redeem themselves” – he thought out loud – “More than that, the might need the right justification to act against them. He is waiting for them to make a mistake.”

Olaro shot him an impressed look. “Your logic matches the king’s words exactly. And if Leier’s people are right, it will not be long before we catch them in the act.” – He couldn’t help but shudder, remembering the cold, lifeless gazes of the maids who had infiltrated the Darus household.

“Good,” Benjamin said, dismounting his horse as they reached their destination. He flashed a teasing grin. “How about a drink tonight, General? Maybe a few rounds of cards? I think I can win back a few more coins from you.”