Chapter 74. If You Want
Two hours later, Ferda welcomed his guest as planned.
“President of Escolaya, Bernard Wayne, it is an honor to meet the partner of the great power’s presence.”
“I greet the treasure of humanity and the ruler of knowledge.”
“Thank you for allowing me to step into Valdrova Castle.”
President Bernard Wayne of Escolaya removed his hat and bowed. The flesh-colored plateau between two patches of greenery was still shining smoothly.
“You must have had a hard journey, President. I saw from the window that you brought soldiers.”
“Two mages, two knights, and twenty soldiers. Haha! Now I finally feel like a noble.”
Escolaya had been turned upside down when the plan to frame the president failed. People mocked the position, saying it was just a scapegoat, but in the end, the president was still the face of Escolaya. An assassination attempt was something that could shake Escolaya’s foundation. Because of this, the president had gained power in the council.
“Haha, living in such a grand castle, you must have many important guests visiting.”
“More troublemakers who come to threaten me than honored guests.”
“What? That can’t be. You hold the power that could overturn the entire continent…”
“Even last week, someone came to threaten me again.”
“Ah… I see.”
Not knowing what to say, Bernard decided to change the topic.
“This is the blueprint for the demon detection device I promised to give you.”
Ferda took the paper Bernard handed him. It was made of magically reinforced parchment, so it wouldn’t burn, get wet, or wear out like ordinary paper. Even though it was just a copy, using such precious paper showed that Bernard had no bad intentions.
“Thank you.”
“No need to thank me. But… Can you read this blueprint?”
Of course not. Ferda was not someone who understood designs like this.
“My chief researcher in the castle will take a look.”
“Chief researcher? Who is that?”
“Vernel Marquis.”
“V-Vernel Marquis? That disaster? He’s here?!”
Bernard was so shocked that he kept repeating Vernel’s name.
“I heard he was famous, but it seems he is more famous than I thought.”
“Famous, yes. In Escolaya, there is no one who doesn’t know him. He was someone people had high hopes for… but also someone who greatly disappointed them.”
And one of those disappointed people was clearly Bernard. He sighed deeply before asking Ferda,
“What is he doing now? Did he give up on that ridiculous project and come here?”
“That ridiculous project was successful.”
“As expected, he’s still— wait, what?” Bernard’s eyes widened in shock.
“He succeeded?”
Ferda had expected this reaction. That’s why he had prepared in advance. He took out one of the samples Vernel had made and showed it to Bernard.
“A magic stone. It is processed from the remains of monsters.”
“Oh my… That fool really changed the world…”
Scholars called a revolutionary discovery like this “turning the world upside down.” Bernard’s face showed a mix of emotions—amazement, admiration, jealousy, and regret. He had turned his back on someone who ended up being right. And now, he didn’t know how to accept that.
“What is its efficiency?” Bernard trusted that Vernel must have already done the calculations.
“Right now, it is at 10%.”
“Do you know what the initial efficiency was?”
“He said it was 7.1%.”
“I see…” Even though he was amazed, Bernard still looked uneasy. Ferda wasn’t a scholar, so he didn’t fully understand Bernard’s thoughts.
So, he made a suggestion.
“Would you like to meet Vernel Marquis?”
Bernard snapped out of his thoughts and shook his head.
“No, it’s not necessary… But actually, I have an idea.”
Bernard clapped his hands together.
“Do you remember the Grand Council? I invited you to an exhibition.”
“I remember. You said it would be held in Halim.”
“In 15 days, scholars and nobles from all over will gather there. It will last for three days, with opening, main, and closing presentations.”
Then, Bernard made his proposal.
“I will use my influence to make Vernel the main presenter. Will you attend?”
“President Bernard… made that proposal? He said he would put me in the main spot?”
Vernel’s eyes widened in shock. Ferda had seen him overreact before, but never like this. He was so surprised that his hands froze.
“It seems to be an unexpected offer.”
“In the three-day Escolaya exhibition, the most important part is the main presentation. Even famous scholars struggle to get that spot.”
“Then this is good news for you.”
“It is… good news.”
Despite his words, Vernel had a complicated expression. Finally, he put his pen down and leaned against the table.
“I don’t know. I don’t want to go.”
Ferda could tell that Vernel was overwhelmed by emotions.
“Would you give up the honor of standing in the spot that all scholars dream of?”
“Honor or not, President Bernard obviously set a trap for me. Why would I walk into it?”
“A trap?”
“He hates me. I can’t accept his so-called kindness after all the insults he gave me.”
“What did he do?”
“He mocked my research.” Vernel clenched his fist tightly.
“In the academy, second-year students must participate in an academic conference. It’s a place to share ideas, even if they seem impossible. But he publicly humiliated me there. It was like pulling down my pants and exposing me in front of everyone.”
Some might think that wasn’t a big deal. But Ferda didn’t. It showed that Vernel had truly believed in his research. And having that belief crushed was painful.
Ferda only knew that Vernel had gone from top student to the worst in the academy. And that he had barely graduated before moving into magic engineering. He had no idea his feud with Bernard ran this deep.
“If he insulted you, isn’t that all the more reason to go?”
Vernel turned to Ferda in surprise.
“How does that make sense?”
“You were right. So stand tall and prove it.”
“Getting back at him sounds nice… But what if this is really a trap?”
“Then will you run away forever?”
Vernel couldn’t answer. He wanted to avoid this, but deep inside, he knew running away wasn’t the right choice.
“Whatever happened before, you are no longer an academy student. You are my chief researcher. If Bernard tries anything ridiculous—”
“…”
“He will have to deal with me, not you.”
Hearing those words, Vernel looked at Ferda. Yes. He wasn’t alone anymore. He had someone strong backing him now.
“Alright. I will face him.”
Then, he noticed the papers in Ferda’s hand.
“May I ask what you’re holding? It looks like a blueprint…”
“It’s Bernard’s precious child.”
“Child?”
“A blueprint for a demon detection device. Can you take a look?”
“Oh, I see. A demon detection device… I’ll check it.”
While Vernel was examining the blueprint, the door suddenly opened. Stefan entered. Ferda was just about to say something to him, but… His face looked terrible, as if he was about to deliver bad news.
“Uh… The thing is…” Stefan stammered.
A few days ago, Stefan was traveling in a carriage. He was wearing an expensive tunic—so luxurious that he was afraid to even move in it. But despite his fine clothes, his face was full of worry.
“Sigh…”
“Are you alright, sir? You look pale. You might collapse.”
“I feel… a little unwell… Sigh.”
“Shall I loosen your collar?”
The servant reached to undo the necktie, but Stefan shook his head.
“Tie it tighter. Make sure it doesn’t come loose.”
He had to stay composed. He would rather choke than show weakness. Because the place he was headed to… was a battlefield.
A massive mansion stood before him. It was the home of Herman Pascal. Founder of Pascal Trading Company. A great merchant. And Stefan’s father.
…A Family Dinner
Despite his great reputation, the old man looked just like an ordinary, frail elder.
“You’re late, little brother.”
The man sitting on his right scolded him. He had a strong, sturdy body, more like a mercenary than a merchant. He was the eldest son, Murchit Pascal.
“Sorry. It’s a very busy time, and I had to finish some work…”
“Oh, it’s understandable. The company is more important than family, right? You are such a hardworking servant, dear brother.”
The woman who spoke with a bright smile, wearing thick makeup, was Tilda Pascal, his younger sister. At first, her words sounded like a compliment. But her smile said something else:
‘That’s all you’re capable of, isn’t it?’
This is why he hated this house. Even though he had returned to his family home, he felt like a stranger.
“Sit down.”
With all the seats already taken by his nieces and nephews, Stefan had no choice but to sit at a distant spot. All the family members had gathered.
“Now, let’s eat.”
At the sound of the butler’s bell, the maids entered. As expected from the wealthiest family on the continent, the aroma of rare spices filled the air. It was a rare chance to taste such luxurious food, but Stefan couldn’t taste anything at all.
Just then, Herman, the head of the family, spoke.
“How is everyone doing these days?”
At that moment, Murchit and Tilda immediately put down their forks and wiped their mouths, as if they had been waiting for this.
The eldest son, Murchit, spoke first.
“I am expanding our business into the southern region. You’ve heard of Colosenia, right? One of the biggest entertainment cities, famous for its gladiator battles. We signed a contract to supply mercenaries to the gladiator training center there.”
“Are you only going to sell meat?”
“Of course not. That region is so hot that even the moon shines like the sun. The spices there are exceptionally strong, almost as good as the empire’s finest.”
“Yes, luxury goods are more valuable than gold.”
Herman nodded calmly. Murchit let out a quiet sigh of relief, as if he had barely passed a test.
Then Tilda Pascal shared her update.
“I am working in the western region with my dear husband. It’s a mysterious land of magic, but even they have needs, don’t they? The moment we open trade routes, Pascal Trading Company will become a storm sweeping across the land.”
“That sounds a bit unrealistic.” Herman gave her a sharp look. But Tilda seemed prepared for that reaction.
“I thought so too at first. But what if I told you that I secured a contract for a crystal mine? You know how much wizard’s love those, don’t you?”
“Hm…” Herman withdrew his sharp gaze. Tilda had also proven her ability by securing valuable contracts.
Now, only one person remained.
“Stefan.”
“Y-Yes?”
“Why are you staying silent?”
“I… I thought you wouldn’t be interested in what I’m doing…”
“Don’t make me say it twice.”
There was no way to avoid it. So Stefan had no choice but to report his situation.
“I… am trying to expand into the eastern region.”
“The east?”
“Oh my, dear brother. I heard you were focusing on the north, not the east.” Tilda acted as if this was completely new information. She was trying to stir up trouble.
“The northern region is stable. As long as we maintain our current business there, there won’t be any problems. So I decided to take a bold investment and try the east.”
“Hah. Brother, I was taught that a ‘bold investment’ and ‘throwing money away’ are two different things.” Tilda’s words were sharp.
“What do you mean by that, little brother?” Murchit joined in, agreeing with her.
“You can make good profit just by selling alcohol, smoked meat, and leather to the northern barbarians. If you just follow Father’s strategy, you’ll never have losses. So why take such a foolish risk?”
The answer was simple. To survive in this family.
“I just want to explore new opportunities.”
“Opportunities? Look at the eastern lands. The Cursed Land is still spreading, reducing the habitable areas. Are you planning to dig up soil and make poison weapons?”
“Oh! That’s a good idea. It smells less than throwing dung, and it’s more effective. If you want, I’d love to invest in that, dear brother.” Tilda’s mocking words were worse than Murchit’s.
“Enough.” Herman, who had been silent, finally spoke. He scratched his thin hair with a tired expression and then looked at Stefan.
“Stefan.”
“Yes, Father.”
“I know you’re not a fool. In fact, you understand me the best among your siblings.”
This was not going to end well. Stefan could feel it.
“But tell me, how do you convince people?”
“…By showing them proof.”
“Do you have that proof?”
“I am not using company funds. I invested my own personal money first…”
“So, you don’t have proof.”
“That’s not true! I just don’t want to reveal it yet—”
“You’re talking about magic stones, aren’t you?”
“!!” Stefan’s eyes widened in shock.
Herman gave him a disappointed look.
“Why are you so surprised? This company is still under my control, you fool. Your brother and sister have already figured it out too.”
Even though he had tried to keep it a secret, they already knew. That meant someone on his side was leaking information. But more importantly—
Even though they knew, they were just watching him dig his own grave.
Before Stefan could recover from the shock, Herman asked,
“Tell me. What made you take this risk?”
“I… I simply saw the future.”
“A gut feeling? So you’re trusting Regent Ferda, is that it?”
“Yes.” Stefan answered without hesitation.
“How certain are you?”
“If you want…” His tongue moved on its own. “I am willing to bet the entire company on it.”
Silence filled the room. Stefan realized what he had just said and quickly shut his mouth. His mind went blank, and he had accidentally spoken his true feelings.
‘I really messed up.’ But he didn’t regret it. Because that was exactly how he felt.
“So, instead of a woman, you’ve fallen for a man and staked your entire fortune on him.” Herman sighed, and his words stabbed Stefan’s heart.
“You have one hand, but you must hold two things. Yet you can only grasp one. Greed brings disaster, so you will soon have to choose.”
Stefan immediately understood what he meant. Would he abandon the Eastern lands and choose the company? Or would he abandon the company and choose the Eastern lands?
“Think carefully.” That was the final warning from Herman Pascal, the man who built this empire with his bare hands.
