“Ahahaha! With the nice weather, it feels like a windfall is coming!”

Count Ariant laughed heartily as he gazed at the neatly split mountain range.

When he saw the wave of darkness cutting through the mountains that day, he was startled. He thought someone was maliciously trying to attack Ariant. However, that black wave could not advance any further after splitting the mountains.

If it were others, they would have been relieved to have survived an unexpected disaster. But Count Ariant was different. He was someone who could spot a money-making opportunity in any situation.

“Haijik! Hurry and run to Vermont!”

“Father, it’s at least a ten-day journey. Can’t we take a little time to prepare…?”

“Isn’t there a passage right there?”

“Hey! How can I go that way when I don’t even know if it’s safe?”

“Can’t you just check it out yourself as you go? Depart immediately! Right now!!!”

Only after he had sent his eldest son, Haijik, off with such urgency could the count feel a little relieved. Vermont was a remote frontier on the other side of the mountain range. However, now that the mountains were split, if a road were laid between Vermont and the capital, Vermont would soon transform into a central hub.

The traffic using the road would surge. The profits from tolls would be hard to estimate. If they could secure the construction rights this time, it would mean that Ariant was guaranteed to make a fortune. That was why he had sent Haijik off with the contract in haste to Vermont.

“Aslan Vermont will have no other choice.”

According to the earlier reconnaissance, the outer wall of the Vermont mansion's fifth floor was severely damaged. Moreover, that direction faced the split mountains. Just from this, he could roughly predict what had happened.

“It must have been an accident while conducting dark magic experiments.”

As usual, a rampage occurred while researching evil magic. The black light that burst forth from the building must have struck the mountains directly. Count Ariant could only conclude this, vividly remembering that nauseating and disturbing black light.

When he asked Vermont if he knew about that black light, if Vermont answered that he did, it would mean admitting to conducting dark magic experiments. If he answered that he didn’t, it would mean relinquishing the rights to the passage created by the mountains splitting.

It was, in a word, a choice between hell. Unless Vermont wanted to be annihilated under the suspicion of researching dark magic, he had to meekly agree when they took the road construction rights. But at least it wasn’t an additional fee, so it could be considered some act of mercy.

Just as Count Ariant was stroking his beard and chuckling, he spotted a returning cavalry procession in the distance. His eldest son, Haijik Ariant, was waving toward him, holding a scroll in one hand.

Was that expression an indication that he secured the contract? The count's face brightened, and he dashed outside in a hurry.

“Father!”

“My son!!! Did you do it?”

“Yes! We caught a big fish! We got the road construction rights for free!”

“Ahahaha! Well done, my son!”

“I did add a rather minor additional condition, though…”

“Get down on the ground, Haijik.”

“...Huh?”

The count’s expression soured. This little bastard. How dare he modify the contract without my permission?

“Gg-gghh... Father...”

“If you fall, it’ll be ten lashes. Stay still.”

“I-I’m feeling dizzy because blood is rushing to my head…”

“Stay still! I’m focused on reading the contract!”

As Haijik pressed his head to the ground, trembling, Count Ariant barely suppressed his anger and carefully read the contract Haijik had brought back.

He had urged him to stamp the contract as it was written. How could a mere subordinate change the contract and stamp it? If he had known this would happen, he wouldn’t have sent the stamp.

The count's grip tightened, slightly crumpling the contract.

‘There’s nothing changed in the front part at all.’

At least there were no modifications in the pre-written sections. If so, the problem lay with the ‘additional conditions’… The count tensed as he examined the section detailing the additional conditions and soon wore a bewildered expression.

“What is this? It’s a condition that’s practically meaningless, isn’t it?”

“Right? Right, Father? If I had come to ask if I could add this, you would have been angry and said, ‘Why are you wasting time with such trivial matters!’”

“Shut up.”

The additional conditions were as follows.

First, the amount invested by Vermont would be refunded in full before the end of the construction. This condition would be upheld under any circumstances.

Second, if Ariant abandoned the construction, the rights would transfer to Vermont.

‘Aslan Vermont really was as foolish as the rumors said.’

These conditions were absurd. To ask for a full refund without even adding interest? The intent behind the second condition was clear and even more ridiculous.

“They plan to hire thugs around the time of completion and force us to abandon the project, don’t they? Tsk tsk.”

It was a scheme that a third-rate villain might devise. They would create a situation where we had no choice but to abandon the construction and eagerly swallow the ongoing construction site.

“But what can they do? We’ve had enough of such lowly tactics, and we’re planning to station mercenaries at the construction site.”

As the contractor moving around various jobs, Ariant had encountered all kinds of characters. Clients who insisted they couldn’t pay. Competitors telling us to get lost because this was their territory, and so on.

Having experienced all that, Ariant had accumulated an immense amount of know-how. Therefore, it was only natural to deploy mercenaries to respond to emergencies at the construction site. Even if Vermont brought in an army, they would have forces ready to fend them off at all times.

“Ahahaha! Well done, Haijik! Well done!”

“Hahaha.”

The count laughed while patting his son’s back. This road construction would yield the highest profit rate ever. Just thinking about the income from tolls made him beam with joy.

“Lord Deputy! Why on earth this absurd contract…!”

“What is it?”

“Isn’t it obvious that Vermont has the construction rights because the mountain is located in Vermont territory? How can you just give it away for free? Is there something I’m not understanding? Please, tell me there is!”

“Why should we bother when they’ll build the road for us? Isn’t that convenient?”

“Argh!”

Screaming, Silvia clutched her head. It was a reaction akin to a fool meeting someone even more foolish than herself.

“Don’t worry. The construction rights will eventually come back to us.”

“If you intend to interfere with them and make them abandon the project, that will fail. Ariant operates its own service company, and thugs are guarding the construction site.”

“Am I a scoundrel? To interfere with people who are constructing properly?”

“Then what is it…!”

Silvia’s expression seemed like she would burst from frustration at any moment. Of course, I had nothing to respond to other than the same answer.

Ariant would have no choice but to abandon the construction.

‘This is information that can’t be known unless one truly saw the future.’

Even if I explained further, she wouldn’t understand anyway. It would be a miracle if she didn’t think I was crazy, calling it nonsense.

The urgency to start construction as quickly as possible, perhaps to suck in more tolls, seemed evident. As if being chased by something, Ariant hastily began the road construction.

They first leveled the ground and seemed to be working on cutting back the slope of the corridor to expand the area.

When I went to observe the construction site, mercenaries swarmed in, and the atmosphere grew tense.

Did they think I would cause trouble? Of course, I was just there to check on the construction status. I truly did nothing but observe.

A week passed since then. Charlotte and Yulia made rapid progress. In Charlotte’s case, as she brandished the Strongest Sword, mana automatically flowed in, and aura was about to be released. But now Charlotte could suppress and control it.

“It’s working! Look, Uncle! Little flames!”

“That’s called aura.”

“It’s hard to pronounce! I’ll call it little flames!”

“…”

Thus, what was completed was the aura that swordmasters typically wrap around their swords. Not the abnormally gigantic aura capable of splitting mountains, but she was now able to maintain a small aura.

As for Yulia…

“What have you done to these kids? The spirits really dislike you.”

“…”

“…yes.”

She had become able to converse not only with ghosts but also with spirits. Recently, she seemed to feel distant from me, based on what the spirits were telling her. Damn it. Yulia was better off not understanding what the spirits said.

“How much do you understand what the spirits say, Yulia?”

“Hmm. I think I understand everything unless they all talk together. …yes.”

“Good. Then we’re ready.”

Of course, Yulia’s ability to communicate with spirits was also part of the plan. It was an essential condition that couldn’t be missed. By now, it was about time we heard news...

“Lord Deputy! At the construction site...!”

“Slow down. Calm your breath and speak.”

“There’s been an accident at the construction site!”

That day, the awaited bad news arrived. There were reports of continuous earthquakes occurring at the construction site.

“The Great Spirit of Earth has become angry.”

“Y-yes?”

It seems our great spirit is quite upset.