Chapter 509

The soft scratch of a pen tip echoed pleasantly through the study. Ian had been sitting upright for hours, diligently working on a report. His neat handwriting flowed steadily, until the moment he paused briefly to dip his pen into the inkwell.

From outside came the sound of footsteps.

Knock, knock.

“Please come in.”

“Ian, it looks like Duke Baolrek Hollin will be arriving soon.”

“Has he passed the main gate already?”

“Long ago. It seems they’re adjusting the carriage’s pace to arrive right on time. We should get ready.”

Ian glanced at his watch and smiled faintly. Exactly five minutes remained until the appointed hour. It might seem trivial, but such small details revealed much about a person’s character.

He was determined not to lose the initiative by waiting. Even though the duke had come directly to the palace, waiting to meet the Minister of Magic was a matter of pride for him.

Ian stood, straightened his clothes, and then instructed Romandro.

“In that case, I must prepare accordingly. When the duke arrives, please escort him to my study and bring some tea.”

“Understood. I’ll make sure everything goes smoothly. By the way, word from the main gate is that the young lady is accompanying him.”

“The young lady? You mean his second daughter?”

“Yes. Just in case, bring an extra teacup.”

“Very well.”

Click. Ian buttoned his jacket and paused thoughtfully. The letter had clearly stated the discussion would be about the weapons business rights, yet it was the duke’s second daughter, Kayla, who accompanied him—not the eldest son. Perhaps they hoped to leverage a connection with the crown prince, but it also suggested she held significant authority over the family’s affairs.

Ian tidied his hair in the mirror, then caught the commotion in the hallway. The guests had arrived.

Knock, knock.

The clock’s second hand struck exactly two in the afternoon. Ian called out for them to enter and rose to greet them personally.

“Welcome, Duke Baolrek Hollin.”

“Oh, Ian. Do you remember me?”

“Of course. You look well.”

In truth, they barely knew each other. Ten years ago, the Hollin family was just one among many noble houses, and Ian had little impression of the duke, preoccupied as he was with dismantling the seven great houses of the capital.

Still, they exchanged polite greetings, and the duke introduced Kayla.

“This is my second daughter, Kayla.”

“Hello. What a lovely day it is. I’m honored to meet you. My father insisted I come along because you’re such an esteemed figure.”

“The pleasure is mine, young lady. I am Ian Hiel, Minister of Magic. Please, have a seat.”

Kayla gracefully arranged her voluminous dress and settled onto the sofa.

Ian studied her carefully. She was quite beautiful, but her gaze held a certain coldness.

“It must be quite overwhelming returning to work after such a long absence.”

“Not at all. The Ministry managed well while I was away.”

“I see. The entire palace has been in chaos preparing for war with Burgos, but the Ministry seems to be handling things with ease. It’s impressive.”

Ian responded with a smile to the slightly barbed remark.

“We have very capable people. Our efficiency is two or three times that of other departments. Your praise is flattering. Still, I’m glad to see you here. Your sudden message surprised me—I didn’t expect such a quick reply.”

And yet, you came to the palace without difficulty despite the sudden notice. Ian’s words subtly implied that the duke had the upper hand in terms of composure.

The duke smiled, pressing his lips together, then hid his lower face behind his teacup. His beard made it hard to see anyway. Kayla, listening quietly beside him, gave a faint smile—one that seemed to say, “See what I mean?”

“Fortunately, I had some free time. Ahem. Well, since we all have our duties, let’s get straight to the point. What is it you want to discuss about the weapons business rights? It’s unusual for the Ministry of Magic to bring this up, so I’m curious.”

“Yes. As you mentioned, the war with Burgos is imminent. It will be unlike any other—various monsters and non-human races will be involved. Conventional weapons won’t suffice. Therefore, the Ministry intends to develop and distribute new weapons. What are your thoughts on this, Your Grace?”

Kayla’s words were accurate. The duke glanced at his daughter before choosing his words carefully.

“I understand the Ministry’s intentions. If necessary, producing weapons yourselves makes sense. But mentioning business rights implies mass production, does it not? In wartime, our roles differ. Monsters and non-humans fall under the Ministry’s jurisdiction, and you can handle more than a hundred enemies without weapons. I still don’t understand why you wanted to see me.”

He was essentially saying: do whatever you want with weapon development, but it’s not related to the Hollin family’s business rights.

Ian shook his head lightly.

“The war with Burgos is only the beginning. I want every citizen of the empire to be able to defend themselves against monsters. To achieve that, new weapons must be developed under the Ministry’s supervision. The Hollin family owns the largest weapons production base in Bariel, correct?”

From manufacturing to distribution and export, nearly all of Bariel’s weaponry passed through the Hollin family.

“Would you consider selling part of that base to the Ministry? That would allow us to research and produce more quickly and efficiently.”

With that, Ian slid over a map of the palace vicinity, where the Hollin family’s lands were marked in red.

“We thought it best to have production facilities close to the palace, and coincidentally, all those lands belong to you. Impressive. You’ve done remarkably well in business over the past decade.”

“…When you say ‘base,’ what exactly do you mean?”

“Simply put, the entire process related to manufacturing. If it’s too much, even a portion would suffice. The important thing is for the Ministry to succeed in producing high-quality weapons.”

The duke studied the map silently. Though Ian’s words were polished, it boiled down to asking him to sell the business rights for money.

‘A portion? What kind of trick is this?’

There was a huge difference in quality and value between swords meant for butchering meat and those capable of slaying monsters. The business gap would only widen, and eventually, the Hollin family would be completely pushed out.

This was a serious matter. It couldn’t end with a simple refusal; the Ministry had to prevent this from happening.

“Sir Ian, I have a question.”

Kayla smiled slyly and lowered her fan.

“Go ahead, young lady.”

“Is it really necessary for the Ministry to produce and manufacture the weapons themselves? It’s complicated and troublesome. Why not outsource to the Hollin family? We have the best blacksmith guild in Bariel and, as you said, a perfect production base. Wouldn’t sending your magicians to us be more efficient?”

She was basically saying: don’t take what’s ours; give us what’s yours.

Ian shook his head firmly.

“The quality and marketability of weapons capable of fighting monsters will be revolutionary, not just excellent. This must be led and managed by the palace, not a single family.”

At the mention of “a single family,” Kayla’s lips curved slightly, masking her displeasure.

“And the price?”

“Kayla.”

The duke startled and cautioned his daughter. Asking about price implied a willingness to negotiate.

Kayla covered her mouth with her fan and whispered to her father.

‘Weapons that can stand against monsters will be recognized differently from ordinary weapons.’

The Hollin family’s business rights covered only “ordinary weapons.” All combat blades used by soldiers fell under this category and could only be produced and distributed under the Hollin name.

But weapons against monsters? They might be classified differently, possibly separating the business rights. It wasn’t certain, but given the Ministry’s ties to the royal family, it was plausible.

“We will pay double the original price you paid for the land. As for the production base, we’ll offer about one year’s worth of the Ministry’s budget.”

“One year’s worth? I’m sorry, but I refuse installment payments.”

“Don’t worry. I prefer to pay in full as well.”

This wasn’t a household budget. How could the Ministry pay a year’s budget all at once? Unaware that other departments owed the Ministry money, the duke frowned and pressed his lips together.

“What do you think? I believe it’s reasonable. One year’s budget would be about a tenth of your entire production base. Given the scale of your business, it wouldn’t even be noticeable.”

Ian joked lightly, but the duke sipped his tea silently. He needed a reason to refuse, but there was none.

What could possibly oppose the noble cause of protecting the empire’s people? The only way forward seemed to be steering the business toward the outsourcing option Kayla suggested.

The duke cleared his throat, and Kayla carefully set down her cup.

“But here’s the thing.”

“Yes, my lady?”

“Blacksmiths make up a large part of our production base. The Hollin family has long maintained close ties with them throughout their business. Though the enterprise only recently flourished, its foundation has been intertwined with the family’s history for generations. Now, if we suddenly sell part of it to the palace’s magic department, I’m not sure they’ll welcome it. Don’t you agree, Father?”

Exactly. That’s it. The duke quickly chimed in.

“Being affiliated with the palace is surely a greater honor than belonging to a mere family, but these blacksmiths have stood with us through countless generations. Ha. I’m not sure how smoothly this will go.”

“Oh, there’s no need to worry about that.”

“What do you mean? Without blacksmiths, nothing can be done.”

“The blacksmiths are the backbone of the Hollin family’s craftsmanship, aren’t they? We’ll leave them be. Instead, we can transfer the apprentices. Surely not all the blacksmiths have been passed down through generations. You said the business only recently prospered, after all.”

Ian countered by revisiting Kayla’s point, effectively shutting down the objection. But Kayla, still uneasy, furrowed her brow.

How could they entrust palace projects to just any blacksmith? If this was merely an attempt to undermine the Hollin family by throwing money around, it wouldn’t make financial sense. Could it be—

‘Are they trying to question the quality?’

As if reading her thoughts, Ian responded.

“There will be no issue with quality. We have other blacksmiths prepared for this.”

“…But I pride myself on the fact that all the renowned blacksmiths in Bariel belong to the Hollin family.”

“The world is a vast place, my lady.”

At that moment, a familiar voice came from outside. Ian smiled, saying the timing was perfect.

“Have they arrived?”

“Y-yes.”

“Excuse me, Duke, my lady. Here is the blacksmith who will be working with the magic department. Shall I introduce you? You might be a bit surprised, so please be prepared.”

The duke nodded, curious to see just how impressive this blacksmith could be. The door opened.

“Pim. Thank you for coming all this way.”

“Well, seeing you here, you must be from the palace indeed.”

“…!”

Pim, a Derra from Rajasan.

The duke coughed as if choking on his own pride at the sight of this unexpected mole-like figure, while Kayla calmly shielded her face with a fan and quietly poured tea for her father.