Savage Ascension: Starting with God-Tier Plunder Ability-Chapter 95: The Necessary Evil

'Greedy merchant bastard.'

As Senior Soldier Bulsheben entered the war merchant's military tent, he closed his burning eyes. The heat in his pupils cooled down. War Merchant Panfanel's military tent was ridiculously luxurious. That might've made him even angrier.

'Hmph. The stench of blood reeks from things bought with soldiers' blood.'

He didn't like war merchants. He just saw them as a necessary evil.

Running soldiers costs money. And that was a tough expense for both the lord and the citizens living in the territory. War merchants existed to reduce that cost.

War merchants who got the lord's approval and bought and sold strategic materials from various places had massive privileges. In exchange for giving the lord a portion of their margins, they could move around freely and could even mobilize soldiers or knights stationed in fortresses, cities, or villages if they had sufficient reason in emergencies.

Of course, with knights, they had to pay extra depending on the situation—because they were quasi-nobility. They also had to be deferential in their attitude. Rights you hold can cut like a knife when they meet reality.

The magic-enchanted furnace you could buy with gold coins was putting out fire even without fuel. Didn't belch out a single bit of black smoke.

On one side of the military tent was a wooden box emitting cold, white steam. That was also a magic item. Rowan hadn't been able to come here. He'd eaten dinner outside.

'I know about them, but... seeing such luxurious magic items still pisses me off.'

"Mm."

As he sat down, Panfanel brought him cold liquor and pulled out jerky and fruit. He acted like he was serving a master. Even a war merchant was still a commoner. To make connections with Commander Gesilian Faerun, he needed Bulsheben's help.

"I already gave you an answer about the robber gangs before. So why are you trying to stir things up again?"

After drinking a cup and tearing off some jerky to chew, Bulsheben glared at him.

"How can I just sit still when evidence keeps coming out? I lose sleep at night wondering how many silver coins are going into those rotten bastards' pockets every day."

At Panfanel's words, Bulsheben let out a deep sigh. There it is. That. That goddamn money-grubbing mouth was why he'd refused before.

'Raccoon-like bastard...' 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

He'd explained it thoroughly back then.

It was mobilizing soldiers for the war merchant's profit. Of course, subjugating robbers and bandits in the area under the Kingdom Camp's jurisdiction was definitely the right thing to do, but the moment Panfanel stuck his hand in, it was enough to muddy that purpose.

That's why it hadn't been brought to Commander Gesilian.

Senior Soldier Bulsheben could make up a story that he'd gotten suspicious, investigated on his own, obtained questionable intel from War Merchant Panfanel, and then subjugated the robber gang—but with two mouths involved, the truth was bound to come out.

Therefore, he absolutely couldn't join hands with him.

Bulsheben was Commander Gesilian's shield, who wanted to build military achievements. A collateral member of House Faerun who didn't even have a surname, he was still an excellent senior soldier.

That wasn't just talking about his capabilities as a soldier.

"Are you here to tell me to wait again this time? Then I'm disappointed."

Panfanel poured himself a drink. He knew how Bulsheben saw him. He drank and roughly tilted his head back. Even while doing that, his eyes were looking at him.

'This loyal mutt who doesn't know reality is still trying to get in my way. Pathetic bastard.'

Watching Panfanel smile with his eyes, Bulsheben fiddled with his cup. It meant he was pondering. Body language that made it look like he hadn't made a firm decision even while coming here. Naturally, Panfanel's eyes went to the hand fiddling with the cup.

He swallowed for no reason.

"Mercenary Captain Rowan is a promising person."

Bulsheben started talking about Rowan. He'd begun walking in circles. Panfanel played along. Right now he had to hear his thoughts. He couldn't miss a single thing. This was Bulsheben—the taciturn, uncommunicative guy who just plowed ahead stubbornly or ignorantly.

A born soldier and military man. For such a person to turn around was something to celebrate.

"Just from producing results, he's not some ragtag mercenary group, is he?"

Robbers aren't just ordinarily cunning. They're specialized for survival. Even with fairly large searches at night, you don't catch them. And there was no way a small number of people could pull off a luring operation.

Such tactics didn't fit regular soldiers by nature, and there was plenty of room to be held accountable later. Among the soldiers belonging to the Kingdom Camp, there wasn't a single conscript. There weren't any conscripts to begin with since no war had broken out.

If things went wrong, achievements could turn into punishment. That's partly why they'd recruited mercenary groups. It was Commander Gesilian's choice in his own way.

"What does the Commander think?"

"That's not something to discuss right now."

Bulsheben cut it off sharply. Naturally, Commander Gesilian had already transferred credit for the robbers to himself. Because hiring the mercenary group had been his choice.

"If Mercenary Captain Rowan attacks robber gangs several times, succeeds reasonably well, and brings their plunder as spoils of war, he might get to meet Commander Gesilian at least once someday."

At Panfanel's words, Bulsheben made a displeased face. He realized that Panfanel was planning to use Rowan to go straight ahead and proceed with things, bypassing him.

"You're thinking of going around me. Is that your choice?"

Bulsheben said in a growling tone. He'd come here to stop him, but looking at how things had unfolded, the ship had already sailed. Just with a mercenary group producing decent results, Panfanel had gained the momentum to push things forward.

He just had to cross a very small threshold. That threshold had been high when the Tracking Mercenary Group didn't exist, but now it was just a threshold.

Panfanel's eyes narrowed to slits. He smiled with his eyes, but it was a smile that couldn't be taken well at all.

"I gave you plenty of time. You told me to wait, so I didn't visit even once. What more should I do?"

The two men looked at each other silently before reaching for their drinks. The conversation didn't progress easily because they both felt the other was hiding something. They chipped away from the outside.

That was the end of the talk about Rowan. Bulsheben had completely ignored Rowan's report, but inside he felt differently. Four people had captured six robbers at night. Four captures. For an ordinary mercenary group, their combat power was pretty impressive.

Both men's assessment of the Tracking Mercenary Group was correct. They saw it as a solid card for this business, and Panfanel, who'd moved first, had won. Of course, that victory was one he had to throw away himself.

"The water's already been spilled. Captain Rowan had quite the ambition to get ahead. Even if I tried to stop him, he'd do it. In the end, he's not the one who'll take down the robber gang."

"To talk that way about something you set in motion..."

Bulsheben wanted to slap Panfanel across the face right then and there.

"...So now it's time to cooperate. Go see the Commander now, or when Mercenary Captain Rowan arrives."

"Do you have other proof?"

"Same as before. But still, it's enough to mobilize troops. The trade volume is more substantial than you think. The robbers might be making all sorts of things as side jobs."

"That's ridiculous."

The senior soldier cut him off, thinking it was absolutely impossible, but he had an uneasy look in his eyes. Panfanel pulled out the ledger he'd shown before and displayed it.

He knew well that seeing it before versus seeing it now felt different.

For Senior Soldier Bulsheben, sparks named Rowan had landed on his feet.

"Fine. But I question whether we really need the Tracking Mercenary Group."

At that, Panfanel rubbed his hands together.

'He's planning to monopolize the credit. Fine by me.'

For Panfanel, money was more important than achievements. He had little interest in military merit. He wasn't nobility, but he was living like one. Right now he could eat ice whenever he needed it even in midsummer, and could dip his feet in it.

"He won't be able to say anything."

Rowan had two mercenaries as subordinates. There was no way he could raise a single complaint to the senior soldier and a war merchant clinging to vested interests.

"Talk about me too. These days there are quite a few merchants eyeing the position of war merchant. They're forming trading companies and pooling their wealth together..."

Bulsheben nodded.

"You've provided major intelligence—do you think Commander Gesilian will just let that slide? If this subjugation campaign he's launching ends successfully, you won't have to worry about that."

"Good."

Rowan was cast aside in an instant. War Merchant Panfanel had used Rowan to draw Commander Gesilian's attention while simultaneously pressuring Senior Soldier Bulsheben. And Bulsheben's resolve broke immediately.

If the subjugation had to happen anyway, it was better to take credit for it himself. Even though he seemed upright, Bulsheben was Commander Gesilian's only senior soldier and adjutant. His capabilities had to be high.

And that wasn't just talking about his capabilities as a soldier.

After hearing Panfanel's plan, Bulsheben kept nodding along. He'd become taciturn without realizing it. As soon as Panfanel finished talking, Bulsheben stood up.

"I'll go see the Commander first thing tomorrow morning. Wake up early. He always does dawn training and physical conditioning, so his sense of time is pretty different from others."

"I'll be waiting."

Returning to his military tent, Bulsheben endlessly organized what he needed to say to Commander Gesilian. There couldn't be a single mistake. He had to be an excellent adjutant.

"Huff! Huff!"

The sun hadn't even risen, but darkness was lifting in the dawn. Commander Gesilian Faerun scooped up water the soldiers had prepared in advance, washed his face to clear his head, and then immediately threw himself into dawn training.

He was a commander, but also a military officer, and also a knight.

He broke out in a sweat just practicing various secret techniques. Commander Gesilian used two types of weapons—a claymore with a wide blade and heavy weight, and a longsword. He didn't use a shield. His armor was excellent enough.

He warmed up with the longsword and worked up a good sweat with the claymore. Feeling refreshed, he dumped cold water straight over himself.

"Hah!"

Making a satisfied sound, his training ended. The knight's conditioning he'd started at age six continued even now at twenty-seven.

"Hm? Bulsheben. What brings you here so early in the morning?"

Seeing Bulsheben carefully approaching from behind, Commander Gesilian spoke.

'Doesn't look like something urgent.'

"I have something to report."

As Bulsheben began speaking, Commander Gesilian's expression grew serious. And by the time he'd heard everything, he was wrapped up in a rather strange excitement.

"The opportunity has finally come."