“Phew, finally, we’ve got some security now.”
After swapping pieces, Keishia breathed a slight sigh of relief.
Although it felt like she’d suddenly inherited a debt out of thin air, at least the amount wasn’t large. In any case, she could finally go to school!
This was a necessary investment!
“Get ready to move. We’re at too much of a disadvantage where we are now. We have to head straight east and secure Musen Cliff’s evacuation point before anyone else does.”
Russell drew out a route on the map:
“Ibuki, there will be a lot of beast-mutated plants along the way. I’ll be counting on you to lead the vanguard.”
“No problem.” Ibuki Mei tossed the King to Russell. “But don’t forget, I’m not working for free.”
“Of course, I’ll offer you a very tempting project with lots of promise.”
“Project?” Ibuki Mei had never even heard this word before.
“It’s a business plan,” Russell offered a hint. “Why do you think I need the King? Just to go to school and draw attention?”
Credits!
Ibuki Mei instantly understood what he meant. “I get it now. What you’re planning is actually something I’m very interested in!”
“Oh? How do you understand it?” Russell was curious about how much this game character knew about the Academy.
“If I’m not mistaken, you want to build a system centered on credits, don’t you?”
Ibuki Mei spoke quietly, glancing at Keishia.
“The lending just now was a demonstration.”
“So, we need to use the King’s credits as our principal, keep recruiting talent, open up the market, and when we have enough users, follow the Academy’s trends to complete the capital cycle.”
Indeed, the Duchy’s alchemy card system was unparalleled, far surpassing other nations’ promotion channels.
And the only issue was… economics!
Without money, how do you upgrade?
Just like in the Academy, without credits, there’s no room for advancement!
A solid economic foundation brings strength, and with increased strength comes access to more resources!
“As expected of the second daughter of a merchant guild.” Russell nodded slightly. After agreeing, he felt a rush of satisfaction inside.
He had bet right on this card!
In the future, he could completely entrust troublesome… important matters to her!
“Your sources of information are really something else,” Ibuki Mei said softly in admiration.
She, too, knew about the tradeable nature of credits.
Just after entering the Academy, she’d spent plenty of resources to clarify the rules. That information was practically exclusive!
School had just begun, and someone else had already grasped this aspect?
Had he befriended an upperclassman right from the start and pried it out of some senior?
Or was there actually a whole organization backing his noble companions?
No matter which it was, just his insight alone was enough to make Ibuki Mei deeply interested!
“I’ll honor the contract until the agreement is fulfilled.”
“Reliable,” Russell smiled, stepping forward. “It’s time to go.”
*****
With Ibuki Mei at the head and Annie bringing up the rear, the group set out immediately, moving according to Russell’s guidance.
“Stop. Let’s circle around to the right first.”
“Go straight here. There’ll be a fork up ahead—choose the right path.”
“Quiet for five minutes. Someone’s getting close.”
By following his memories, Russell led the team past the other squads with almost no obstacles, arriving directly at the base of Musen Cliff.
“Um, Debt Collector bro… are you a hunter too?”
Russell turned back and met Keishia’s curious gaze. “Why? Are only hunters drawn to profit and avoiding harm?”
“No, no, it’s just your perception is crazy. How come whenever another team even gets close, you spot them instantly?”
Recalling the previous situation, Keishia truly couldn’t figure it out.
She’d seen several strong contenders for the King pass less than fifty meters in front of their group.
It was clear they’d activated some sort of concealment card, yet under Russell’s directions, they had managed not to run into anyone!
Insight surpassing the effect of items?
Besides a high-level hunter’s ‘Eye of Truth,’ who else could do something like this?
“Just study the map and think about the logic behind others’ searches.”
“That’s not something easily done,” Kalenina said, also marking out a route on her map.
“This is my projected path. Please take a look.”
“Alright, let me see.” For once, his companion was asking for help, so Russell was secretly pleased.
This was a royal’s request, after all!
Didn’t this prove he was truly skilled at the game?
“Most of it’s correct, but here… If we don’t take a detour and someone is already lying in wait at the evacuation point, with traps or surveillance magic set up, we’ll be at a disadvantage.”
“Given the value of the King, it’s very likely multiple squads will mount another siege. That would be a problem during the cliff stage.”
“I see. You even accounted for surveillance magic… I’ve learned something new.”
Though she’d received intense military theory training, Kalenina could barely keep up with Russell’s thinking.
“The Duchy’s strategies are nothing like Russell’s. They’ve got far more dirty tricks. If you don’t understand that, it’s only a matter of time before you stumble.”
Ibuki Mei nodded as well.
“Alchemy cards can really do anything. Back then, they made my life miserable more than once.”
“Recording, snapshots—those little things might seem useless on the battlefield, but at the negotiating table, they’re deadly weapons.”
“That’s true,” Kalenina had to agree. “Most Russell magicians manipulate ice and snow, with varying degrees of strength, but they’re nowhere near the Duchy magicians, who can combine cards and multitask like that.”
“Ibuki, you seem quite versed in business?”
“Not at all, just did a few little things for my family when I could.”
As she spoke, Ibuki Mei’s mind flashed back to that now unfamiliar home and to herself, chasing after her older sister’s shadow. Her eyes dimmed a little.
“All that’s in the past now. I just hope my abilities will help the team from now on.”
“They definitely will,” Russell nodded.
Otherwise, why would I have gone through so much trouble to bring you in?
Outstanding talent!
Kalenina was genuinely surprised.
A warrior and a merchant—two completely different natures—coexisted in one person?
No wonder Russell had made her recruitment a ‘prize’ for weathering the beast tide.
“Annie is calling me.”
Russell saw Kafnir frown slightly, as if stung by something.
“There’s time. Stay hidden and careful.”
“Alright.”
Nodding slightly, Kalenina got up and walked to a tree a little ways away.
“Your Highness.”
In the shadow of the tree, Annie’s figure suddenly appeared, her expression gloomy as she displayed the glass bottle in her hand.
“Please have a look at this.”
The shattered glass bottle gave off a faint scent, like it had been refined from the hide of a wild beast.
It was hard to describe—instinctively repellent.
“An aphrodisiac?”
Kalenina recognized the pale yellow liquid.
Russell was known for its fierce people, the royal family no less so. During royal hunts, the prey was not livestock but genuine wild magic beasts.
This was the basic tool for luring beasts.
“I found it at the windward edge of the beast tide earlier.”
Driven by anger, Annie gripped her dagger tightly.
“He only wants you dead. This so-called test is nothing but a sham! Why do you still trust him?”
“If you just give the order, I will seize the King for you!”