Chapter 40 of 42

Chapter 40

Chapter 40: Business (1)

At his confession-like words, Mitchell and Grant frowned.

But when Mitchell thought about it calmly, there was no way Toolgram could have done anything while he was being held captive.

So Mitchell calmly opened his mouth.

“Please tell us in a little more detail.”

“After my tribe was kidnapped, those bastards took me separately and made me search for a mana stone vein.”

However, even after dragging Toolgram around for more than a year, they could not find any trace of a mana stone vein.

Then, perhaps because Braxton had given up on the mana stones, they instead brought iron ore from somewhere.

“They told me to find an iron vein with the same quality as that iron ore.
Judging by the fact that they brought it from near where I met you earlier, this must be the place.”

“There are many people who covet our iron mine.
That’s why I heard there were many attempts in the past to find a new vein around here.
They just never succeeded.”

“Grant, you’re right.
There aren’t any highly profitable iron veins nearby.
But that isn’t why they attacked the Runei family’s iron mine.”

“Then…….”

Toolgram let out a deep sigh before speaking.

“I found traces of a mana stone vein in the iron ore Braxton brought.”

“What?!”

Grant’s eyes widened in shock.

Mana stones were worth far more than gold.

There was high demand for them, while they were even rarer than gold, so their value was obvious.

Simply owning a mana stone mine was enough to become a symbol of power.

“But it was only a trace, so I asked them to bring me more iron ore so I could confirm it.
After that, they started bringing quite a large amount of iron ore at regular intervals.”

“Was that about three months ago?”

“I can’t be completely certain because I was imprisoned, but it was around then.
And just before you arrived, the leader of those bastards came and asked me whether I was certain there was a mana stone vein.”

Mitchell and Grant exchanged glances.

If there really was a mana stone vein, the Runei iron mine was hiding an enormous treasure.

And it was the kind of treasure that many people would desperately covet.

Mitchell nervously looked at Toolgram.

“So what did you tell him?”

“I told him that there was only a small amount of mana mixed into the iron ore.
But I also told him that, at this level, there might be other high-quality iron ore somewhere nearby.”

At those words, Grant looked visibly disappointed.

But Mitchell’s eyes lit up instead.

If there truly wasn’t a mana stone vein, Toolgram would not have said he had told them that.
He would have simply said there was none.

And sure enough.

“But I lied because I was afraid they would kill me after finding the mana stone vein.
I wanted to buy myself even a little time, but that ended up becoming a stroke of luck and led me to meet you.”

“……That means there really is a mana stone vein.”

“That’s right.
It definitely exists.
I’ll have to see it myself to know how profitable it is, but considering traces were found in all the iron ore they brought, it probably isn’t a small one.”

Grant abruptly stood up with a delighted expression.

Unlike him, Mitchell frowned.

There was a mountain of important information that could not be delayed even for a moment.

“Grant, let’s go right now.
Chief, please stay here for the time being.
The two of us will go and return as quickly as possible.
I’ll make sure the martial artists keep their mouths shut, but you might be seen by the workers, so please don’t come outside the tent.”

“Understood.
Compared to the escort wagon, this place is paradise.”

Toolgram nodded at those words.

After getting his promise, Mitchell left the tent with Grant.

Outside, the twin brothers were waiting.

Thanks to the various magic spells placed on the commander’s tent, they had not been able to hear the conversation.

Mitchell briefly explained the situation, leaving out only the matter of the mana stone vein.

“Braxton…….
Understood.
Travel safely.
We’ll protect the dwarf chief properly.”

“Then we’ll be back as soon as possible.”

With those words, Mitchell and Grant mounted the Nok and disappeared into the darkness.

Gale, a Runei martial artist guarding the iron mine office, rode without stopping.

Following Grant’s order to report what had happened to the family, he urged his horse onward at full speed.

Even while riding at full speed, Gale cursed inwardly.

‘What an idiot!’

He blamed himself for failing to protect the office manager and supervisor.

At the time of the incident, he had been inside the office building.

At first, he thought the two had attacked each other and died.

But after investigating, he realized that they had been murdered.

In other words, he had failed to perform his duty as a guard.

How could he have failed to notice an assassin killing two people?

It was deeply shameful that he had simply stood there doing nothing while on guard duty.

The only thing he could do now was inform the family of what had happened as quickly as possible.

His heart was impatient, but the horse he was riding was gradually slowing down.

“Damn it!”

There was still a long way to go.

Thinking that he could not continue like this, Gale went to a nearby village, left his horse there, and immediately began using his movement technique.

Huff, huff, huff—

His breath was already reaching the top of his throat.

Even for someone trained in martial arts, the rough roads of the north were not easy.

But he gritted his teeth and continued running out of sheer responsibility.

Without eating or properly resting, Gale finally reached Ranga in only two days.

“Gale?
What happened to you?”

People who recognized him asked worriedly.

But Gale had no strength to speak.

He simply waved his hand and entered the main family residence.

He had come without stopping because he had important news to deliver.

His consciousness was already hazy, as if he might collapse at any moment, but he had something to report, so he headed straight for the family head’s office.

He flung open the door, forcibly drew in his nearly exhausted breath, and shouted loudly.

“Family Head!
There has been a problem at the iron mine!”

“I heard about it a little while ago.”

“The office manager and…… huh?”

Gale was confused by Caden’s words.

How had Caden heard the news before him, even though Gale had come without taking a single break?

His vision was blurred from dizziness, but now he noticed that someone was standing beside Caden.

Gale narrowed his eyes and shook his head.

There was a person here who should not have been here.

“Uh…….
I thought the young masters were going to the iron mine…….”

“Something came up, so we came here directly.
You’ve worked hard.
Go and get some rest.”

“Ah, understo…….”

Thud—

Gale collapsed while trying to answer.

Only after sending Gale to the infirmary could Mitchell, Grant, and Caden continue their conversation.

“So, are you certain there are mana stones?”

“Yes.
I don’t think he would lie in a situation like this.”

“Indeed.
His tribe was kidnapped and turned into slaves, and he himself escaped just before being killed thanks to your help.
That makes sense.
But what should we do now……?”

Caden tapped the armrest with a serious expression.

Grant asked as if he could not understand the concern.

“What do you mean, what should we do?
We need to mine the mana stones!
We’ve just developed the mana car, too, so this is an incredibly good situation!”

“It isn’t that simple.
A mana stone mine is something that every family in the entire empire, not just the northern region, would drool over.”

Caden sighed once before continuing.

“Think about the places that own mana stone mines.
They are all powerful families.
Do you think they found and developed those mana stone mines themselves?

They bought them all.

Even if the owners refused to sell, they would drive them to ruin until they had no choice.

And whenever a new powerful family appeared, those families would take the mana stone mine from them again.”

“…….”

“You don’t even have to look far away.
After the war with the Holy Empire ended, didn’t we practically have to sell ours to the Imperial Family?

From the Imperial Family’s point of view, it was better to manage the mine themselves than let it fall into the hands of another family that was drooling over it, so they paid us a high price.

But regardless, we did give away a goose that laid golden eggs.”

Only after Caden finished speaking did Grant seem to realize how serious the situation was.

His shoulders drooped.

At that moment, Mitchell, who had been quietly listening to their conversation, stepped forward.

“First, we need to mine the mana stones.
As Grant said, we’ve just developed the mana car, so it’s practically like we’ve grown wings.
However, we must not let anyone find out.”

“Do you think that’s possible?
Braxton will be watching with their eyes wide open.”

At Caden’s worried words, Mitchell nodded.

“If we mine and use all the mana stones, they’ll discover it quickly.
So we need to purchase a considerable amount as well.”

“Then isn’t it the same even if we mine them?”

“No.
We need to stockpile the mana stones left over after using them.
As the business grows, they’ll naturally be consumed.”

Mitchell immediately answered Grant’s question.

Caden, who had been listening, thought it was not a bad plan.

“If we’re discovered, it’ll be much later.
But in the meantime, we’ll need to grow as much as possible.
Simply expanding the business won’t be enough, though.”

It meant they would inevitably have to dip one foot into the chaos of these troubled times.

But even if they stayed still, it was obvious they would eventually be dragged into it anyway.

If a civil war broke out, the Runei family, which supplied all its iron ore to the Second Prince’s faction, would eventually have to join them.

‘I should think of it as that time simply coming a little sooner.’

While looking at Caden, who had fallen deep into thought, Mitchell decided to mention another idea that had occurred to him on the way there.

“Since the Braxton family might attack the iron mine again to inspect it, how about we place the mana car production factory there?”

“Yes, that sounds good.
Even if they are concerned about the Imperial Family, they probably won’t attack a place with many civilians.

But you’ll have to discuss that matter with Lord Loren.

And…… I’m entrusting you with full authority over this matter.
On the outside, it will be the mana car business and the iron mine, but there are also mana stones hidden within it.
Handle everything thoroughly.”

“What?”

Mitchell was shocked.

Caden was entrusting such a huge matter to him.

It was nothing compared to simply stopping those who attacked the iron mine.

In reality, Caden was asking him to take charge of most of the family’s biggest business.

Mitchell looked at Grant standing beside him.

Grant was smiling as if this were good news, but Mitchell did not feel the same way.

Normally, shouldn’t the heir be responsible for the family’s major businesses?

“I think it would be better for Grant to handle it rather than me.”

“No.
You should handle it.
The person who proposed the idea will know it best.”

“What exactly do you trust me for……?”

“I trust what I’ve seen from you so far, and I trust my own eyes.
Didn’t you say you have no interest in becoming the family head anyway?
Then, since you aren’t the heir, you need something else to take responsibility for so that my son, Mitchell Runei, won’t be looked down upon.
Whether you’re my adopted son or anything else, don’t forget that you are my son now.”

Mitchell was flustered.

He had been the one to ask Caden to accept him as his adopted son first.

But that was because there had been a clear exchange involved.

He would pass Kalian’s martial arts on to the Runei family, while he would gain a comfortable home.

Caden must have calculated things the same way.

Just by looking at how Caden had treated him before, Mitchell could tell as much.

But ever since becoming his adopted son, Caden had treated him like a real son.

He tried to make sure there was no discrimination between Mitchell and his biological son, Grant, and constantly showed consideration toward him.

‘This damn family really is…….’

Mitchell could not understand it.

That was why he could not completely accept Caden’s kindness.

He was grateful when it stayed within reasonable limits, but when Caden went this far, it became too burdensome.