Chapter 29 - Volume 2 (1/2)
Isaac took his time to enjoy his meal, finis.h.i.+ng it off by sipping the last drop of his tea. He lit a cigarette and got off his seat.
“I’m done eating. Let’s head back.”
“Are you not going to the City Hall?”
Soland asked Isaac. He had thought the original purpose of this visit was to see the Mayor and Administrator of Port City. Isaac smirked as he replied.
“It’s fine. I think I’ve done my part for the greeting.”
There was no point in meeting a puppet Mayor. None of the City Hall’s officials had come to visit Isaac despite the amount of time he had spent sitting here. Isaac deduced that the Mayor was too busy appeasing and following orders from those who truly ran the city.
His original purpose was to test the waters by annoying someone in the city, but thanks to the fata.s.s, Isaac was able to send an unexpected but proper greeting. With this, his enemies from both outside and within wouldn’t try to bother him for a while.
“Are you really going to abandon Foxt like this?”
Soland carefully asked the question, watching his tone as he spoke.
“I never had talent of throwing away something I never had.”
“Then what will you do with Foxt’s territory?”
“Well, I haven’t given it a thought.”
“If you leave his seat empty, the power vacuum is sure to bring bloodshed in the district.”
“Hm, that would be an annoyance. Who would be suitable to run the place? How about Ratt?”
“There would be bitter outcry from other syndicates if it’s the Vice-Captain of the police force, despite your recommendation.”
Isaac glimpsed at Soland when he made his reply. He could clearly see the greed possessing Soland’s eyes.
“What, you want it?”
“If you leave it to me, I won’t leave you disappointed.”
Soland bowed and Isaac patted Soland’s shoulders with a smile.
“You’ll get sick if you eat too much.”
“I’ll try to watch myself.”
Soland tried to hide his disappointment as he replied. They were the only people who knew of Foxt’s arrest. If he moved his subordinates the moment he arrived back at New Port City, he would be able to take over Foxt’s entire district before anyone else. He considered going through with that plan at first, but Isaac’s presence deterred him.
This was the first time he had seen someone from Campus. The Campus had been placed on a pedestal in his mind all his life. He even dreamt of entering it when he was a child, like a child dreaming of a fairy tale. But Isaac must have done something in that special place for the two who came from Campus to run away the moment they saw him. They were afraid of Isaac, and Soland didn’t know why.
At first, he considered Isaac to be only a nuisance, but now he was afraid that he would turn out just like Foxt if he were to act in any way that earned his disapproval.
“Ah! Dumba.s.s also ran a loan shark business, right?”
“Financing is one of the main business projects for all the organisations.”
“I guess loan sharking could be called a type of financing.”
Isaac nodded by twisting the logic in his head and then turned to meet Soland with a beaming smile.
“Sometimes, you can run into a stroke of luck in your life. Right?”
“…”
“You too. You never thought you’d have the chance to take over an entire district like this, right? People call it a stroke of luck.”
“Yes, it was truly unexpected.”
Soland carefully chose his answer for Isaac, trying to figure out the meanings behind Isaac’s words.
“When you have a lucky day, it makes you really happy. Right?”
“Yes.”
“Of course. You could pick up a coin on the street, or get help from a stranger. Maybe a shop you just visited happened to run an event which you are the winner. You could take over an enemy syndicate as a whole, or the contract and the account book which records all the debt that had been breaking your back could suddenly disappear somehow because the man behind it is now behind bars, making you free of all responsibilities. Events like these can really spice up your life.”
“…”
“Huh? You’re rather silent? I guess making a man from another district b.u.t.t in to their problem wouldn’t be fair for Dumba.s.s right? I guess finding a subordinate of his that actually listens to me would be the fairer choice right?”
“I guess you have to have some good luck in your life to spice things up.”
“Right?”
*Isaac’s promotion
Once a month, there is a meeting where the highest officials of the Empire gather to discuss their actions and policies. The fact that the candidates in line for the Commissioner position managed to join this fierce battle of power, factional infighting, and creations of connections guaranteed a successful rise in power. Many young officials who craved power dreamt of attending this meeting just once in their life.
“How could you spout such nonsense?!”
Slam! Mazelan pounded the table as he violently stood up from his seat. No one in the meeting seemed disturbed however, possibly because not only was he royalty, he had proven his worth to act such way through his magnificent accomplishments he made as the future Commissioner of Department of Supplies.
“Ha, I don’t understand why the Department of Supplies is rejecting it.”
Mazelan looked as if he was ready to bite into Kainen’s face, along with his cheesy att.i.tude.
“I can say the same to you! Why is the Personnel Office getting involved in this?”
Kainen shook his head to Mazelan’s reb.u.t.tal.
“I believe it is completely in our jurisdiction. As you know, New Port City has always been on the list as one of Empire’s worst cities. The Personnel Office’s duty is to send an appropriate person to an appropriate location in need. Yes, it’s embarra.s.sing to admit, but our department have always failed to select the ideal candidate to change New Port City’s situation. Ever since it had been founded.”
“…”
“That is why we looked to College for help: to recommend someone that could change New Port City. It was not us who picked Isaac, but the College that recommended him to us.”
“How shameless of you.”
“Shameless, you say? It has been nearly a year since Isaac had been the Administrator of New Port City. I’m sure he has adjusted well to his new environment. All we want from the College’s recommendation is one thing: to revolutionise New Port City and drop its unemployment and crime rate, which it had been leading in throughout the entire Empire.”
“That’s what I don’t understand! If he fails, he will be summoned back to his manor for a period of reflection? How can we believe those blatant lies when we clearly know the situation your family is in!”
“Dear me, I believe your trust is misplaced. Your faith should be in that Hubae you are so proud of, not us. Isn’t that right, Sunbaenim?”
Kainen and Mazelan’s glares met midair. While everyone looked to each other, unable to make a move in this fierce atmosphere, a middle aged man raised his hand to halt the fight between the two.
“Stop. It seems everyone is troubled. A fight between the Department of Supplies and Personnel Office… Are you two trying to make a new tradition?”
Mazelan and Kainen turned their eyes away from each other. That man was Brolen. Not only was he the eldest in this meeting, but he was their Sunbae and the next Commissioner of Department of Finance, and he had already taken over all of the responsibilities of Commissioner in his stead.
“We shall end our meeting here. Well done, everyone. I want the Department of Supplies and Personnel Office to stay here. The rest of you may leave.”
Everyone else seemed happy to hear those words from Brolen, and only three people remained in this meeting room. Brolen tapped his finger on the table as he pondered. Soon, he fixed his posture and began to speak.
“I approve of the Personnel Office’s proposal.”
Kainen made a bright smile when Brolen took his side.
“But!”
Brolen stopped Mazelan from trying to make a stand.
“Since he was a.s.signed the duty with the honour of College behind him, he must make an accomplishment that matches its fame. There are many Sunbaenims who are enraged that a man who isn’t worthy bears the name of the College. If Isaac can truly change New Port City, it may change their opinion as well.”
‘But I’m doing this because it’s impossible.’
Mazelan thought to himself as he tried to think of a way to come back. But this was a proposal that came so suddenly in this meeting, and there wasn’t enough time to think of a plan.
“But because this is such a difficult mission, he deserves the authority and reward matching it. At this moment, I declare New Port City to be a special financial district and give its Administrator, Isaac Rondart, the authority identical to that of a Lord’s.”
“W, what?!”
Brolen’s declaration put not just Kainen but also Mazelan in shock. They looked at him as if questioning his sanity. A Lord had the same authority as a King of his territory, which meant that he could change the province’s laws as long as there weren’t any rebellions. This was why people strove so hard to become a Lord themselves.
But what would happen if Isaac held the same authority? Already, Mazelan could think of Isaac sending the city into utter chaos with a sinister smile.
“But we will limit the time period to three years, and if he cannot reduce the unemployment or crime rate to below 1% or raise the average earnings of his citizens to the Empire’s average, we will take away his status as a College graduate, along with its honour.”
Kainen’s head was in utter chaos, scrambling to calculate if this was good or not.
“In addition! If he were to succeed, we will officially proclaim Isaac to be the official heir of Rondart family and make him the Lord of Baron Rondart’s province.”
“That is beyond your jurisdiction!”
Kainen stood up against Brolen’s words. This entire façade was to take over the Rondart Province for himself, and giving Isaac himself the possibility of taking it over wasn’t something he was going to stand.
“Beyond my jurisdiction, you say? The court officials of Empire have already accepted Isaac Rondart to be the official heir. Do you really think I am oblivious to the fact that the reason why he hasn’t inherited his claim is because of Count Milros constantly lobbying us? Isn’t that what’s truly beyond jurisdiction?”
“…”
“I warn you now. If you try to use the Empire’s authority for your petty family feud, I will carve into your bones what it truly means to abuse the Empire’s authority. Are you rejecting this proposal in fear that Isaac could change New Port City in three years? Then I must invalidate your proclamation as a whole.”
“We will accept.”
Kainen dropped his head as he backed off, and now it was Mazelan who was in Brolen’s eyes.
“You too. Are you already trying to make your own faction and connections? I understand you are trying to protect your friend, but don’t mix business with pleasure.”
“I understand.”
“You two may leave.”
Kainen and Mazelan bowed to Brolen as they left. Once they left, a man emerged from the shadows. It was the same man who brought Rivelia into Central.
“Do you think it’s possible to change New Port City in three years?”
“Who knows.”
“Even Central will find that difficult.”
“It matters not. We’ve suffered too much when the last Gate opened, and we have no room to care about each individual Surveillance Target. There’s bound to be a response if he has that much power and time. Send some agents for close monitoring of the situation.”
“Yes sir. But what shall we do with Kainen?”
“Does he still not know?”
“Yes. We’ve kept him in the dark, since he was related by blood with the target.”
“I think it’ll be fine now. Since the day for Gate’s reopening is near, send him in along with the rest. Once he learns the truth, he will quiet down.”
“Yes sir.”