Lord of Caldera - Chapter 237

Chapter 237: Chapter 237

The problem was that Bindeln neither offered gratitude nor support to Winslow; instead, they often mocked them.

“Hey, we’re the ones taking on all the sacrifices here. How about a bit of support?”

“Are you kidding? You’re only doing it to save yourselves. Just shut up and use your resources to protect your land. We’ll be enjoying our peace over here.”

“You bastards! Do you even call yourselves human?! At least show some gratitude!”

“Whatever. Don’t like it? Then don’t defend us. Just remember, you’ll be the first to fall if that happens.”

With this level of resentment, it was no wonder the enmity between the two estates ran deep. This tension had persisted for over a century, and it wasn’t limited to the nobles—commoners from each territory would brawl on sight.

“In other words, they’re probably the ones feeling most resentful right now,” Sylas noted.

“Yes, and Leon’s been engaging in a bit of subtle retaliation.”

An outright confrontation wasn’t possible, as Bindeln had sworn loyalty to Rey as well. A full-scale conflict would destabilize the West, potentially leading to Leon’s downfall. However, he could still leverage his authority as the count’s proxy for minor retaliations.

“Of all the houses, Bindeln receives the smallest allocation of trade goods, and their shipments arrive the latest.”

“That must be quite frustrating for them.”

The reduced quantity likely wasn’t a massive loss, as they couldn’t cut it down enough to make a drastic impact. But the delayed timing was a genuine problem. Nobles always wanted the latest and greatest, so having new items arrive last was a significant blow.

‘If they can’t find what they want in Bindeln, they’ll just go to other territories.’

There were likely many wealthy patrons Bindeln had missed out on as a result. While it might not be a direct financial loss, the missed opportunities must have been substantial.

Without realizing it, significant tears of blood had been shed behind the scenes.

“There are so many reasons for resentment against Rion.”

Purely in terms of gains and losses, the profits must have soared to an incomparable level compared to before the trade. The problem was that the family, once on equal footing with the other three families, had now fallen far behind them.

Despite the family’s explosive growth, they must have felt a deep sense of relative deprivation. The grudge against Rion, the cause of it all, was undoubtedly significant.

“Let’s just go for now. Seeing it firsthand should give us the answers we need.”

No matter how much circumstantial evidence they had, it was ultimately just speculation. The quickest way was to confirm it by going there in person.

A few days later, when Sylas arrived at the Bindelern estate, he frowned. Many of the buildings in the city were newly constructed, and the surrounding roads seemed to have been recently maintained.

At first glance, it looked like a beautiful, prosperous city. But the atmosphere pervading the entire estate was the issue.

“What’s with this place? Everyone passing by looks grim.”

“That is strange. This estate usually has a much brighter atmosphere.”

Ray looked around with a bewildered expression. He had visited once when he left his previous family, and the city hadn’t felt this gloomy.

“This is one of the safest estates in the west. In terms of liveliness, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say it was the best in the region.”

“For a place like that, the mood is downright awful.”

“I don’t understand it either. With the current situation, it should be even better.”

With money circulating, wealth naturally grows, and with wealth comes smiles. Yet, there was no such cheer in Bindelern.

It was clear that funds had come in, given the new buildings and repaired roads. But why was there such a gloomy atmosphere?

Despite their perplexed expressions, the group made their way to an inn to secure lodgings.

“Welcome, sirs!”

The innkeeper immediately ran out to greet Sylas and his companions with a bright smile, looking like a soldier finally receiving his pay after months without it.

“Would you like a meal, lodgings, or both? Whatever you choose, you won’t be disappointed!”

“Both. Bring the meal first.”

“Thank you! I’ll bring it right away!”

The innkeeper hurried inside, and shortly after, an array of carefully prepared dishes was placed in front of them.

The food featured rather fine ingredients for an ordinary inn, and Toby’s jaw dropped as he looked at the table filled with dishes.

“This is the basic meal? Isn’t there some mistake?”

“No, sir, it’s indeed the basic meal.”

“How much is it, then?”

“Five silver coins.”

“What? Only five?”

Sylas flinched. It would need to be at least ten to break even. But the innkeeper bowed his head deeply and nodded.

“I actually discounted it because the ingredients aren’t fresh. The taste has diminished since we brought them in some time ago.”

Upon hearing that, Max quickly picked up a piece of lobster and took a bite. After chewing and swallowing, he nodded.

“Indeed, these ingredients have aged quite a bit. They’re not spoiled, but if they had waited a few more days, they would have been thrown out.”

“I swear, I wasn’t trying to deceive you! Honesty is my lifelong principle!”

“Don’t worry; I don’t intend to criticize the food.”

For a mercenary or squire, this was a feast, even if the ingredients weren’t fresh. In a land where many inns lacked any concept of freshness, a meal that came with such transparency was commendably honest.

“By the way, is something going on in this estate? The atmosphere feels terribly off.”

“Something going on?”

“Recently, thanks to the trade with the elves, the entire western region is thriving. But here, the mood seems strangely subdued.”

“Phew!”

Before Sylas could even finish his sentence, the innkeeper sighed. He immediately flinched, realizing he had committed quite a breach of etiquette by sighing openly in front of a nobleman.

“My apologies, sir. I didn’t mean to be disrespectful…”

“It’s fine. Go on, I’m more interested in hearing about what’s going on,” Sylas reassured him.