Chapter 62

Chapter 62

Two years passed since Caron began his probation.

One day, as the last days of summer approached, a young nobleman arrived at the train station near Azureocean Castle.

"Welcome to Azureocean Castle, Young Baron Belrus," an elderly butler greeted him warmly.

Rohan Belrus, the young heir of the Belrus Barony, smiled at the old butler who greeted him and said, "Thank you for the warm welcome, Heinrich."

"The Third Master wishes to apologize for not being able to personally greet you," Heinrich said.

"He's a very busy man, so I completely understand. The fault lies with me for not arranging this meeting earlier," Rohan replied.

"Thank you for your understanding. Please allow me to escort you to Azureocean Castle. We've prepared an automobile for the journey," Heinrich said as he led Rohan to an automobile parked just outside the station.

Automobiles were one of the latest trends of transportation in the capital, vehicles powered by mana engines.

Whoosh.

The engine made a soft vibrating sound, and the automobile began to move. Rohan gazed out the window at the changing landscape of Azureocean Castle's surroundings. Behind the towering castle walls lay the residential district. Though it had always been a populous area, the transformation it had undergone in the past two years was remarkable.

Compared to its somewhat closed-off atmosphere two years prior, Azureocean Castle now bustled with movement. Construction was underway in many parts of the city, and there were many people walking around.

It's changing so quickly, Rohan thought to himself.

This wave of change had begun two years ago, right after Duke Halo visited the capital.

For the previous fifty years, the Leston Duchy had remained isolated, refraining from projecting its power outward. However, after the alarming incident of a succubus appearing in the Imperial Palace, the Leston family had begun to show their strength once more.

Their first step had been to strengthen ties with the nearby territories. Unlike the rich and prosperous estates of the eastern and southern regions of the empire, the lands in the west and north were harsher and more barren.

The Leston family had extended a helping hand to those lands, consolidating them into a single economic bloc. At the same time, they'd expanded their trading networks by engaging in multiple ventures with the Thebe Autonomous Territory. On top of that, they'd dispatched the Oceanwolf Knight Order throughout the empire to increase their influence.

It was a bold and ambitious move.

Through these efforts, the Leston family had grown rapidly, becoming one of the most powerful forces in the capital in just two years. It was a stark contrast to their previous stance of non-involvement in imperial affairs.

Rohan knew well that the man behind all these moves was Fayle Leston, the third son of Duke Halo Leston.

They say great sons come from great fathers... Fayle's success makes sense. His father was no ordinary man either... Rohan thought.

Then his thoughts drifted to Caron, Fayle's son, who had once saved his estate. Caron Leston had been a shining spotlight in the capital for a time, becoming a name everyone talked about. And yet, for some unknown reason, Rohan had heard that Caron hadn't left Azureocean Castle for the past two years.

Still, Rohan could never forget the impression Caron left on him. "Monster" was hardly a sufficient word to describe the boy.

Thanks to the mana stone mine, the Belrus Barony was now enjoying its greatest prosperity in its entire history.

In truth, when Rohan thought back on it, all his good fortune seemed to have begun after the visit from that young boy.

I've been lucky, he mused with a smile as he nodded to himself.

It had already been a year since he inherited the barony from his father. Since passing down the title last year, his father had been enjoying his retirement, spending his days exercising at the castle. Although it meant Rohan had to shoulder all the responsibilities of running the estate, he had no complaints. Watching the barony thrive more and more each day gave him a sense of fulfillment that no meal could satisfy.

Rohan's visit today to Azureocean Castle was also related to his estate's business. He wasn't just focused on selling mana stones; rather, he was preparing to enter the mana stone processing industry.

"We've arrived," Heinrich announced.

Before Rohan realized it, the carriage had passed through the residential district where the citizens lived. Then they had entered the inner section of the castle grounds, where the Oceanwolf Knight Order and the rest of the Leston family resided.

Rohan stepped down from the carriage with a bright expression, saying to Heinrich, "Thank you."

As Rohan looked around, he couldn't help but be impressed. Banners displaying the Azure Wolves' insignia were draped everywhere, and the buildings gleamed with a soft blue light. Oceanwolf Knights stood guard along the walls, their presence commanding and intimidating.

Heinrich bowed respectfully toward Rohan, who was still taking in the view, and said, "From here on, someone else will guide you. Ah, it seems they're approaching now."

"Hmm?" Rohan turned in the direction Heinrich was looking.

A young man was approaching from a distance, his blond hair gleaming in the sunlight. He stood well over 170 centimeters tall, with long, lean limbs and striking features. He waved energetically at Rohan.

"Baaaaron!" the young man called out.

The business of processing mana stones and crafting various artifacts was extremely lucrative, but it required two key things. The first thing needed was a stable supply of mana stones. Fortunately, the stones mined in the Belrus Barony were of exceptional quality, sufficient for artifact production. Supplies weren't the issue. The real challenge was the second requirement.

"The problem is finding skilled craftsmen, magical engineers and processing experts..." Rohan trailed off.

Technicians capable of refining mana stones weren't easy to come by. They were the best of the best, and their skillset was highly specialized. Most of the talented engineers in the empire were already employed by noble families who had long-established mana stone processing businesses. Or, they were hired by the Magic Towers. Those experts were beyond the reach of Rohan's connections.

That was why he had come to Azureocean Castle to seek a solution.

"I've been trying to secure professionals, but it's proving difficult. Even the informants in Thebe have struggled to find any leads," Rohan admitted with a sigh.

"They're highly sought-after professionals, so it's only natural that they'd be hard to find," Fayle said thoughtfully, rubbing his chin as he began to consider the issue more deeply.

But before Fayle could say more, Caron, who had been quietly listening until now, spoke up. He asked, "Baron, why are you focusing on finding people from within the empire?"

It was generally seen as impolite for someone as young as Caron to interject in a conversation between adults. However, Fayle didn't reprimand him. Instead, he listened carefully. Caron had earned the right to participate in such discussions. He had both the intellect and the insight to back his words.

"What do you mean by that?" Rohan asked, his curiosity piqued. His eyes sparkled as he looked at Caron. He had a feeling Caron would come up with something clever.

"There are already plenty of established mana stone processing companies in the empire, aren't there?" Caron continued as he leaned forward. "It's not easy to lure away top-tier craftsmen from those places. Of course, if you really wanted to... There's always the option of using force."

"Using force? What exactly do you mean?" Rohan asked.

"Well," Caron said casually, "you could march into one of those companies, draw a sword, and demand they hand over their workers. It'd be controversial, sure, but could they really refuse us?"

"That's far too extreme. If that's what it takes, I'd rather rethink the whole business. I have no intention of dragging the Leston Duchy into a mess because of my ambitions," Rohan replied.

"Oh, come on, Baron. The Belrus Barony is like our precious..." Caron began, grinning, but quickly faltered when he met Fayle's gaze. He coughed awkwardly, then continued, "Ahem. What I mean is, we're all in this together trying to make money, so it's not just for yourself. We'd all benefit, right?"

"Still, I don't think using force is the answer," Rohan insisted.

"Don't worry. I've got a more peaceful solution," Caron offered as he spread out a map on the table, showing the geography of the continent. The empire lay in the north, but Caron pointed further south before suggesting, "If we can't find the workers we need domestically, why not look beyond the empire?"

"...Are you talking about the southern kingdoms?" Rohan asked.

Caron nodded and replied, "Yes. They might not be as skilled as the craftsmen in the empire, but we can train them. It's not a big deal."

The kingdoms south of the empire had been embroiled in constant wars for the past few years. Conflict had caused a steady stream of refugees to flow into the empire's southern regions. The situation there remained dire.

"We can send people to recruit mana stone processing experts from the southern kingdoms. If we promise them safety and better wages, it'll be more than enough to convince them," Caron explained.

"Mana stone processing is a core skill. Do you really think the southern kingdoms would just let their experts go?" Rohan asked doubtfully.

Caron grinned and replied, "Obviously, we'd need to be discreet. The kingdoms are so caught up in their wars, they won't notice a few people slipping away."

Rohan frowned, clearly still unconvinced. "It won't be easy to persuade them."

"That's why you send a direct heir," Caron replied smoothly. "If someone with the blood of Duke Halo goes, they'll trust us."

"Caron," Fayle interjected, his tone stern, "Just so we're clear, you're still under probation. Don't even think about leaving Azureocean Castle."

"Father, I never said I was going! Why would I bother going all the way to the south?" Caron exclaimed, wide-eyed.

Fayle sighed heavily as he eyed his son with exasperation. He was wondering what on earth his son was planning now.

"We've got that cousin of mine who's just been lounging around the castle doing nothing, right? We'll send him," Caron suggested, grinning.

"Your cousin... You can't mean...," Fayle began, although he already knew.

"Of course, I'm talking about Leo. He's nearly eighteen years old, and it's about time he did something useful for the family. Plus, he's got a stake in the Belrus Barony, so maybe he'll have some sense of ownership," Caron said.

"Caron, you are absolutely..." Fayle began, unable to finish his thought.

Caron laughed and said, "It's perfect! Leo does the hard work, we all reap the rewards, and everyone's happy! Well, except for Leo, I guess."

Listening to the conversation between father and son, Rohan couldn't help but chuckle bitterly to himself.

Still the same lunatic... he thought.

Indeed, even after two years, Caron hadn't changed one bit.