Chapter 60: The Trial
Jade Territory.
Greed was processing the final stack of documents. Every dossier recorded the early-stage resource surveys, population statistics, and urban planning for the newly annexed Jade Territory.
Lust leaned against the windowsill, her gaze sweeping over the humans outside who had been effectively domesticated.
"Is there truly a need to record these things so meticulously?" Lust's voice was laced with a certain feline laziness. "They eat, they breed—that should be enough."
Greed didn't look up, merely lifting another document. It was a collection of intelligence he had gathered and organized from human settlements over the past few days.
"Human currency is... fascinating," Greed remarked, his voice flat and analytical. "One hundred coppers for a silver. One hundred silvers for a gold. A seemingly equitable system of exchange."
"It's just arithmetic," Lust replied, bored.
"No." Greed finally ceased his work, looking up at her. "It is Rule. He who holds the power of mintage holds the power to define wealth itself. They can determine the value of a gold coin, or they can render it worthless overnight. It is a weapon far more subtle and invasive than any blade."
Greed stood up, walking to a massive sand table displaying the topography of Iron Fortress and Evernight.
"Our Empire is expanding. The lands of Iron Fortress and the Valley will soon be saturated with our endless subjects. When that time comes, where will these newborn skeletons and loyal soldiers go?" Greed's finger tapped the region representing Jade Territory. "This fertile soil cannot be used solely for wheat. It must become our next barracks, our next bastion. I will bring the human currency system back to the capital. We will use their rules to establish our order. Wealth will flow through the Empire's veins like blood."
At that moment, Greed's soul core received a pulse from Kaito.
A human merchant named Hans.
He has been granted the Master's permission.
The corner of Greed's mouth curled into a nearly imperceptible arc.
"My work here is done," Greed said, turning to Lust. "Jade Territory is yours. Execute the plan as outlined. And do not... 'experiment' on the residents indiscriminately. Remember: every human is a valuable asset."
With those words, Greed's form dissolved into a swarm of tiny bats that surged through the window's gap. They converged into a single dark streak, hurtling toward Iron Fortress at a terrifying velocity.
Lust watched the horizon where he had vanished, then looked at the mountain of paperwork on the desk and let out a soft sigh. She picked up the report on currency.
"Ruling, is it? Perhaps it will be an interesting experiment after all."
Iron Fortress.
The moment Greed returned to the Lord's Mansion, he accessed the files of all newly registered residents.
Hans.
Sunflower House.
Six children.
And... The Sunflower Merchant Guild.
When Greed saw the guild formation agreement certified by the Logistics Bureau, he fell silent for a long time. Every clause was a minefield of traps and predatory legalities. And there, in the signature line, Grog's messy, uneven name sat like a stain.
An interesting human indeed.
"Guards," Greed's voice echoed in the empty study.
A Skeleton Knight standing at the door entered and knelt.
"Go to East Sector 3. Bring a human named Hans to me."
"Understood."
The knight rose and departed, the rhythmic clack-clack of bone echoing down the corridor.
At that moment, Hans was in his new home, working under the light of an oil lamp to refine the "Manifesto of Action" for the Sunflower Guild. His next step was a thorough market analysis of Iron Fortress to determine the residents' primary needs. Then, using the prestige of an Imperial Merchant Guild, he planned to return to Jade Territory to source supplies and profit from the margins.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
A heavy pounding at the door shattered Hans's train of thought. He frowned. Who would be here at this hour?
Hans opened the door to find a towering Skeleton Knight. The Soul Fire in its sockets burned with a ghostly light against the night.
"Human: Hans," the Knight intoned in a flat voice. "Lord Greed summons you."
Hans's heart skipped a beat.
Lord Greed?
He knew he had already met the Supreme Monarch of this Empire. So, who was this "Greed"? The City Governor? A high-ranking General?
Daring not to delay, Hans straightened his clothes and followed the Knight into the darkness. This was his first time walking the streets of Iron Fortress at night. The Knight led him through the city and into the Lord's Mansion without resistance. The corridors were long, lined with flickering torches that cast dancing shadows across grotesque wall reliefs.
Finally, they stopped before a pair of massive wooden doors.
"Enter," the Knight commanded, assuming a sentinel's stance by the frame.
Hans steadied his breathing and pushed open the heavy doors. The study was enormous, lined with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves packed with scrolls and tomes. A wide desk sat in the center, illuminated by a soft, magical lamp.
A figure stood with his back to Hans, staring at a giant map on the wall. He wore a suit of exquisite tailoring, his long silver hair tied back with meticulous precision. Hans couldn't see his face, but he could feel an invisible weight pressing down on the room.
Hans offered a deep bow. "Hans the Merchant offers his respects."
The figure didn't turn. A smooth, calm voice drifted through the room.
"The Sunflower Merchant Guild. A name full of... youthful vigor. However, a guild founded upon the deception of a countryman through a predatory contract... does its future truly look as bright as a sunflower?"
Cold sweat instantly drenched Hans's back.
He knows.
He knows everything.
Hans's mind overclocked. He couldn't deny it, and he couldn't apologize. Denial was foolish; apology was weakness. Hans lifted his head, staring at the back of the silver-haired man.
"My Lord. The essence of commerce is a game of information. Mr. Grog's confidence in his apples outweighed his patience for the fine print. I merely utilized that imbalance. It was not deception—it was a component of the trade."
"Sophistry," the figure remarked.
He finally turned around. It was a face of terrifying perfection, with a pair of crimson eyes that studied Hans with chilling stillness.
A Vampire.
"However... it is an entertaining brand of sophistry."
Greed walked to the desk and sat, interlacing his fingers. "The Master thinks highly of you. He says you require an opportunity."
"Yes, My Lord! I need that opportunity!" Hans blurted out. "Iron Fortress possesses gargantuan potential! I will liquidate that potential into circulating wealth!"
"Wealth?" Greed's fingers tapped the desk. "I have just returned from the human world. I have studied your copper, your silver, and your gold. Using worthless bits of metal to measure the value of all things—including life itself."
Greed's gaze seemed to pierce through Hans's very soul. "Tell me, Hans. How do you intend to use this metal to bring genuine value to the Empire?"
This was the trial. Hans knew his answer would dictate whether he walked out of this room or became part of the carpet.
"My Lord, currency itself has no value. But the Credit it establishes... that is priceless. Your subjects—skeletons, humans, ghouls—currently fight for glory and commands. But once the Empire expands, commands will suffer from delay, and the thrill of glory will grow thin."
Hans took a step forward, his voice growing passionate. "When that happens, you need a new tool to drive the gears of the Empire. Currency is that tool. We can pay a Skeleton Soldier a wage. We can allow him to use that wage to purchase a sharper blade, or to upgrade his own frame with sturdier bones. When every undead begins to work for the sake of acquiring currency, the productivity of the Empire will be fully liberated!
"We will no longer need overseers, because Poverty is the greatest overseer ever devised. We will establish banks, issue bonds, and control prices. We can use economic means to dismantle a human kingdom without spilling a drop of blood. We can let their grain rot in their silos and their iron rust in their streets. We only need to manipulate the flow of gold."
Hans grew more excited as he spoke, already seeing the birth of a financial leviathan in his mind's eye.
The study fell into a deep silence. Greed listened, his crimson eyes showing no ripple of emotion. After a long pause, Greed spoke.
"Your conception is bold. And quite amusing."
Greed pulled a badge from a drawer and tossed it onto the desk. It was engraved with a skull superimposed over a set of scales.
"From this day forth, the Sunflower Merchant Guild shall serve as the officially designated trade arm of Iron Fortress. You are responsible for the establishment and operation of the Empire's commercial framework."
Greed stood up and walked toward Hans. "The Authority has been granted. I do not care to see the process; I only demand the result."
His voice was soft, yet it carried an irresistible weight. "But remember: if you fail..."
Greed left the sentence unfinished, but Hans understood the subtext. There was only one end for a failure.
Hans's heart hammered against his ribs. A mixture of absolute terror and soaring joy filled him. He knelt on one knee, taking the badge with both hands.
"Yes! My Lord Greed! Hans shall not fail your expectations!"
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