Chapter 43 - Volume 3 (2/2)
Mazelan shook his head after hearing Isaac’s casual remark. It took a few deep breaths for Mazelan to regain enough composure to speak again.
-First thing to know is that this problem, which is an embarra.s.sment to the Empire, was neglected out of necessity.
“Now you’re getting me even more curious.”
-Port City wasn’t always absent of their own merchant guild. It’s impossible that such a thing would happen in a thriving trade city. Back then, Port City truly was the centre of transportation and culture matching its fame, fit for its unofficial t.i.tle as the ‘Second Capital.’ But the problem was that they got too greedy.
“… How can that become a problem?”
-They sought to profit by changing the map.
“The map? I see. It’s the Grand Ca.n.a.l.”
Long term projects are a monster of its own when it comes to devouring up its funds. Digging a tunnel through a mountain is hard enough, but digging a tunnel and a ca.n.a.l large enough for s.h.i.+ps to travel through would have cost a significant amount of funds even with the technologies of the previous world.
Isaac wasn’t sure about the technological level of this world in terms of construction techniques, but even with the aid of magic, digging a ca.n.a.l starting from Port City and ending near Gabelin would have been impossible for a single city to fund, no matter how much profit they were making through trade.
-Unlike the initial estimates, the cost for ca.n.a.l’s construction increased dramatically as it went through many delays. One by one, those who invested in it began to drop out.
“Sounds like the situation got to a point where they would ask for government intervention.”
-That’s right. They requested for aid from the government, but the officials from the Department of Finance realised that setting foot in the situation was like stepping into an endless swamp. Between a rock and a hard place, the Department of Finance made the worst possible decision. They delayed intervention on the grounds of further negotiations that were in truth, meaningless. And in the meantime, the construction went on.
“I can imagine it right now. Since there was a rumour of government intervention, those already invested couldn’t pull out even if they wanted to.”
-Yeah. The situation was just in perpetual decline as the cycle of negotiations went on. They would get collateral to receive a loan for further investment, and use that loan as another piece of collateral to receive more loans. The rumours of negotiations with the government spread, and it acted as a catalyst for other prominent n.o.bles and merchants to invest in the scene, who believed the rumour to be trustworthy and that the government would act as insurance. As time went on, it became obvious that the situation was like pouring water into a broken pot, but leaving the scene at this point would lead to millions of unemployed labourers. This led to more government departments getting involved in this scene. Naturally, more opinions arose in the negotiations as different outlooks clashed and caused even more delays. And this cycle kept on going.
“Since the ca.n.a.l was constructed purely through civilian funding, I a.s.sume the government gave up eventually. I’m amazed the ca.n.a.l actually finished completion.”
-The government did intervene. While all of the departments were in a frenzy looking for a solution, Central made a suggestion. They wanted to use Port City’s geographical position and status as a thriving trade city to run a smuggling business to provide the funds for the construction.
“Wait. So it was the Central that suggested smuggling?”
Isaac responded with great surprise. He never thought that Central would be involved in this. The situation was even more complicated than he first perceived.
-Yeah. Back then, Central’s suggestion sounded like an excellent solution to solve all of this complicated mess. So the Departments of Finance, Administration, Supplies, the Seven Grand Merchant Guilds, Port City, and Central became interconnected in this smuggling business.
“But it’s been so long since the Grand Ca.n.a.l finished construction. I don’t see the reason why you are still ignoring this smuggling activity.”
Mazelan made a deep sigh.
-This is the reason why this information is cla.s.sified. Even through smuggling, it wasn’t enough to supply all the funds required for construction.
“So what did you guys do on top of smuggling?”
Mazelan hung his head in embarra.s.sment as he asked Isaac a question.
-What do you think is the best product to smuggle in terms of profit?
“That’s obviously…”
Lists of goods went through Isaac’s mind. Then Isaac looked to Mazelan in disbelief.
“… Weapons?”
-Strangely, there was an increased number of wars between n.o.ble families during the construction of the Grand Ca.n.a.l.
“Ha! So you guys instigated more wars?”
-It’s possible with the power Central has. Plus, they also extracted very useful intel out of the whole situation.
“Useful information? Ah!”
-Did you find out?
“If you control the flow of weapons, it means you control the flow of war.”
-That’s right. Central was pleased with the fact they could choose the winner of the war while profiting from the weapons smuggling.
“Plus, by following the tracks of the smuggling route, you can easily find out and suppress anyone with ulterior motives. So that’s why they allowed the weapons smuggling to go on? I can see why you would treat it as cla.s.sified information. If this truth was leaked, even Central would be in peril.”
-Correct.
“I don’t understand though. Central must have been managing the whole smuggling scene until now, so why are they leaving Port City alone despite how much trouble it’s causing?”
-Central cannot intervene directly in any of the Empire’s inner workings. They always send out a representative or a puppet. The current four who hold the rights to the waterways are the sons of those that bought over all the bonds and pieces of collateral through smuggling. Those idiots are completely oblivious that their fathers were puppets of Central. They think they were born with power over the waterways. That’s why they are trying so hard to create their own merchant guild.
“I would have thought Central would have more than enough power to suppress and control their representative’s descendants.”
Mazelan grit his teeth when Isaac made his remark. You could clearly see the anger building in Mazelan, but he quickly fixed his posture and spoke in a serious tone.
-When our current Emperor ascended to the throne, he sought the attendant who was tasked with teaching him when he was young.
Isaac listened keenly while Mazelan seemed to speak some completely unrelated thing.
“Who was that attendant?”
-He briefly taught our Emperor about manners, but despite being just a low n.o.ble, he had the audacity to use physical punishment in his teachings. He was that old-fas.h.i.+oned of a man.
“Wow. He hit the Emperor when he was young? I think it deserves respect in some sense.”
-He was too old to work anymore, so he retired and went back to his homeland. But his homeland happened to be Port City.
“I’m guessing his family screwed themselves over?”
-The n.o.ble’s son delved into the Ca.n.a.l construction only to throw away all of the family’s fortune and commit suicide. The man, now penniless and homeless all of a sudden, met a death that matched his n.o.ble status.
“A death that matched his n.o.ble status?”
-Yeah. He neither begged nor asked for help, saying it would tarnish his honour. He simply starved to death next to his wife’s grave.
Isaac was at a loss for words.
-Do you understand now? That an attendant who served the Emperor in his youth died of starvation? Can you imagine how furious the Emperor was when he heard of this news? The Emperor ordered Central to investigate further, and Central confessed to everything.
“I imagine that the palace was turned upside down.”
-Not just the palace, but all of the Departments too. Here they were, thanking the Central for solving the situation, but it turns out it was Central who started the fiasco in the first place.
“Wait. It was Central who started the Ca.n.a.l construction?”
-They initiated the plot to hinder Port City since it was growing too powerful, but the situation grew out of their control. They acted innocent at first, and then acted as if they were trying to help out those in need. All of this happened in the previous generation, so there was no one they could place the blame on to, but it naturally led to all of the Departments being uncooperative with Central regarding this situation. Central also needed to show some form of penance and took their hands off the smuggling business.
“The government has to do something since they can’t let this smuggling scandal be exposed, but with Central out of the scene, there is nothing stopping Port City. For the Seven Grand Merchant Guilds, their reputation would plummet if the information that they profited from Port City’s dire situation was released, so they are desperately lobbying.”
-Do you understand the situation now? The reason why Port City can’t lay a hand on you isn’t just because the College badge is acting as your s.h.i.+eld but also because Port City can’t give Central an excuse to intervene.”
“Smuggling huh….”
Isaac fell to a deep thought as he folded his arms. He couldn’t understand why they were solving this issue in such a complicated way when they could just a.s.sa.s.sinate the troublemakers and replace them with another candidate.
His head began to process the details. Use everything he can. That’s why it may be more beneficial to go through the situation the hard way this time.
“If…”
-Hm?
“If I can get my hands on the rights over the waterways, what will you do?”
-Is it really possible? It’s true that there are constantly calls for Central to clean up their own mess, but Central is also aware of this and is just lying low throughout it all. There is serious political infighting, since both sides want the other to yield and lower their heads first. So if it becomes possible that you can take the rights, all of the Departments will cooperate with their full support.
“Does that mean you won’t care if some of the people were to die?”
Isaac stared at Isaac with his mouth shut.
-What are you thinking?
“I’m just trying to struggle for my dear life.”
-No matter how problematic this is and how desperate we are for a solution, no Department would fail to uphold their original duty.
“So you will turn a blind eye as long as n.o.body dies?”
-Huh? Is that how it goes?
“There’s just one thing I want. I will give you guys the rights over the waterways. In return, I want you guys to ignore anything that happens in this place for some time
-… I’ll send the message at least. So what’s the plan?
Isaac smiled as he spoke.
“Do you know why people fall for gambling?”
-…
“Because they believe they can change their lives through just one game.”
<script>