Everyone nodded at the explanation, and then one of the men at the table spoke up.
“So approximately how much money will they have to pay?”
Even if they were brilliant, a group of elder merchants who’d been away from their businesses for so long would need a better analogy than a simple number of coins.
“It’ll probably only be partly in coins.. I’d say ten to fifteen crates of about this size.”
“In such thick snow, it would even be difficult to move them on a sleigh, so I’m guessing they’ll make it a team expedition.”
No one would butt in when a traveling merchant was offering his insights on issues of transportation.
Lawrence continued.
“I doubt they’d use a team small enough to completely obscure.”
“I see.. so if we were to reveal our awareness of the tax decree, they’d be incapable of taking any action. If we offered them a helping hand at that point to evade the taxes, they’d probably be open to negotiations.”
The man used a tone of voice one might use when considering which direction a cornered rat would try to flee. Lawrence recalled being manipulated like such a rat back in the port town of Gerube. By comparison, his mundane existence selling and buying in trade seemed as peaceful as a life in a remote village.
It wasn’t that Lawrence had strong opinions about any particular business methods. But this discussion was an entirely different kind of gamble that he’d experienced, which made it possible for him to somehow keep a clear mind.
“If we’re going to make a move, we’d best do it soon. If we make them panic too much they might do something drastic and lose it all. After all, no matter how desperate they get, they’re still God’s servants.. they might just opt to die in God’s name rather than live on in shame.”
“And there are still those among them worthy of our respect. We’re not thieves, so we have to handle this situation carefully.”
There was a saying, “the castle atop the hill cannot escape the eye.” It was meant to convey that a person of high status should act in ways befitting that status. At the very least, the four men seated at the table didn’t need to hear those words.
“Then let’s reveal the truth to the monks who’ve gathered here. Is that unpleasant duo still lingering around here?”
“I’ll go find out. If we can’t find them, should we tell the others?”
“No, let’s not. Those two are the main branches’ minions. Tell the Prior. He should be performing his daily rituals right now, and at least he’s capable of mounting a horse.”
A brief round of laughter swept across the room, since this place was full of monks too fat to ride on horseback.
“Very well.”
Pisky lowered his head and replied politely.
“I do doubt that slow-acting sanctuary council’s ability to reach a quick decision and move the crates immediately, but for the sake of caution let’s have men posted in each of the main inns and buildings when day breaks.”
“The royal court does have blood relatives of a few high-ranking monks. With such connections the monastery might be anticipating things somewhat, so we mustn’t let our guard down.”
“Exactly right. However, things should work out in our favor.”
“May God grant us His blessing!”
And with that, the meeting came to a close.
* * *
It was like the entire branch had fallen into a sea of flames. In fact, it was so chaotic that even that description no longer felt adequate.
The Prior, named Roy, had accidentally dropped the Bible he was prayerfully clutching when he heard about the King’s decree, and then accidentally knocked over a candle stand while picking it back up. His anxiety was just that obvious.
Given that the blizzard had already stopped, Prior Roy immediately arranged for horses and had five stable handles and two monks join him on a torch-lit night ride speeding over the snow to the main monastery.
The monks at this branch certainly had the calculating minds one would expect them to have. They had already gathered in the rooms of the alliance’s officers to appeal to them in case there was an emergency.
Pisky and his comrades swiftly discussed and drew up a list of demands they had for the village they wished to create, as well as all other matters related to the planned immigration. They had all banded together to work hard toward their common goal. At least, that was the impression they gave Lawrence.
For his part, he was to reveal every little detail he knew about the wolf’s bones, and handle the evaluation of that information. The connections from D’Jean Company all the way to the Diva Company, the flow of cash, negotiated merchandise, and how the legend of the wolf’s bones was received in Gerube.. even Holo and Cole pitched in all they had learned over their journey.
Everyone was knee-deep in preparation for the ensuing battle with the monastery. The whole branch was shrouded in a mysteriously thrilling atmosphere. Holo left in the middle of their discussions to inform Huskins of the situation.
It was late and Lawrence was already quite fatigued when she returned with Huskins’ message that he was sorry he couldn’t be of help.. but that news only made it impossible for Lawrence to sleep if he wanted to.
“We truly do not possess power any longer.”
Dawn was already breaking when Holo uttered those words of self-ridicule. Every person present had completed the task assigned to them, and been enlightened as to the situation. The people who were able to make the best use of all those results were also present.
Holo’s voice sounded a bit forlorn, but frank. Even her sharp fangs and razor-like claws probably weren’t powerful enough to stem the tide of this immense gathering of minds. Humans had a knack for harnessing the enormous potential of people of various ethnicities and background in the name of a common cause - something that no other animal attempted.
A faint smile crossed her face as she watched the members of the alliance scattered throughout the room, all overcome with fatigue and soundly asleep. She might even be feeling a bit envious.
“Heh. The moment I grow weary I become sentimental.”
Cole was completely spent and had tucked up into a ball against a wall, so Lawrence wrapped an arm around Holo’s shoulders and pulled her head in close. The clear blue sky outside the window had an almost magnetic beauty to it. If there was ever to be a day where everything would go smoothly and according to plan, this would surely be it.
Holo soon dozed off as well, and before Lawrence realized it, he too was asleep. Yet someone was calling out loudly from the monastery’s entrance, so Lawrence wasn’t sure if he was dreaming.
“They’re here! The main monastery’s representatives are here!”
The main monastery was constructed on a grassy plain ideal for building. Anyone could tell when a group was spotted heading in from the direction of that plain, and that it meant they were from the main monastery.
Once Lawrence lifted his head and realized he wasn’t dreaming, he jumped up and ran to the entrance. Many merchants were already there on both sides of the path, all staring off into the vast grassy plain along the road extending straight to the main monastery.
“..They’re still not here?”
“Shh!”
A few such exchanges were repeated in the crowd before they all fell silent. Then the heavy sound of a horse trotting was heard, and the alliance officials exited inn one after the other, looking like they’d been waiting forever.
Though Lawrence and the others cleared a path for them, they were still almost entirely surrounded by naturally-curious merchants. The sound of the approaching horses’ hooves kept getting louder until they suddenly halted. They had stopped in front of the inn.
A large horse led by two men stood before them.
“I am a messenger representing the Abbot.”
The large man spoke from atop the horse’s back, dressed in a robe embellished with fur patterns that even covered his feet.
His hood was pulled so low over the face that it was barely visible. But his outfit wasn’t the issue.
What struck everyone as odd was the fact that he was alone with his two drivers, yet spoke with such a lofty attitude from atop his horse’s back. Everyone present, including Lawrence, had expected all of the monastery’s officials, including the Abbot, to show up blue-faced.
“Thank you for coming. Let us move inside first.”
In contrast to the other merchants who were clamoring endlessly in the area, an elegantly-dressed man addressed the messenger with an etiquette that was obviously well-practiced over the years. In fact, the inn was already preparing to receive their guest. The smells of food that drifted out from the inn was enough to torment those who had stayed up all night on empty stomachs.
“No need.”
He replied firmly before their very eyes, then he pulled out a letter, affixed it to the riding crop fastened to his saddle, and handed it over to the alliance members as if was a royal order.
“This is the Abbot’s reply: As God’s servants, we shall not submit to foreign heathens. Never! We shall pay our taxes to the king, and continue praying to the Lord as always.”
The moment the confused alliance representative received the letter, the Abbot’s messenger struck his horse with the riding crop. Seeing his mount turn about, his drivers gripped hastily on the reins. He didn’t even bother bidding farewell.
All Lawrence and the others heard was the casual trotting of the horse’s hooves, and all they were shown was its rear. In their shock they had all fallen silent.
“What in the world is going on?”
It was unclear who murmured that, but it didn’t matter. It was echoed exactly what everyone present was thinking. The letter that had been passed to the four men of the round table was opened before their very eyes. Once one man read it, it was passed to the next until they had all done so. All that was left on their faces after reading it was pale confusion.
“How would it be possible.. for them to still have funds left over, even after paying the tax?”
That was all anyone needed to hear to guess what the letter said. A commotion stirred up as everyone began speaking with the people next to them. But no useful conclusion came from this clamor. Everyone knew that that monastery was just putting up a futile struggle.
“It’s not possible.. what are they thinking? Do they believe the king will protect them so long as they pay his taxes willingly? Of all people they should know he won’t grant them the least bit of protection..”
The king had been extorting the monastery all along, though it hadn’t been in order to pave the way for his latest decree. Surely they wouldn’t willingly put their faith in him now.
Like a drop of oil that had fallen into water, chaos was now gradually spreading. There was a distinct possibility that they hadn’t purchased the wolf’s bones, but still had a stash of money with which they could cover the taxation.
Even so, under the circumstances they had no reason at all to be so unyielding in front of the alliance. Having more sources of emergency funding was the wiser course. Could they have come up with some clever new strategy, or had they reached some sort of agreement with the king?
Everyone was busily predicting the possibilities when a merchant overlooking the chaos from one remote corner suddenly raised his voice.
“Since they’ve just indicated they’ll be paying the tax, doesn’t that mean they’ll be transporting the money? If we’re sure they’re unable to pay the tax, all we have to do is confirm whether or not they have the coin, right?”
Most of the people gathered there were convinced the monastery couldn’t pay the tax, but even if they really did pay it the potential problems they would suffer were plain to see. They would probably have to fill crates up with pebbles, and so if the alliance was ready to take a gamble then betting on that likelihood seemed the wisest course.
“Or maybe they’re planning on faking an accident while we’ve been thrown into chaos?”
Another merchant added his thoughts.
“Could be.. it would explain why they came to their decision so hastily: they don’t want to give us time to think.”
A chorus of voices in the room rang out, “that must be it.” Lawrence looked at the officials standing at the far end of the crowd; they didn’t seem to agree with the crowd. And neither did Lawrence.
“Does the letter state when they plan on paying the tax?”
It wouldn’t be a surprise if they had written a precise date, if they were plotting to confuse the alliance with a brash attitude while they made their winning move. In fact, that seemed to be what was happening.
The officials were still holding the letter with bitter looks on their faces, and Lawrence knew exactly how they felt. The monastery probably wanted them to read out the date. But there was no way the men could hide it now, with the situation being this out of hand.
“Today at noon, following the path Saint Hironus walked through the snowy plains.”
“Like I said! They’re practically daring us to come after them!”
“We can’t hesitate if they’re planning on leaving at noon. The area around the Sirelli hill is rife with marshes - the ideal place to fake an accident.”
“Let’s go! It takes daring to win profit!”
A wave of cheers brought the din to an end; perhaps everyone was just giddy from not having slept in order to complete their tasks.
Lawrence hadn’t noticed when, but Holo had already come to his side and was clutching a corner of his sleeve. But he had no idea what to do. Even the alliance officials wore confused looks, and he wouldn’t have had any better ideas.
However, he was not a member of the alliance and so he was able to somewhat objectively view the situation. And as he did, it quickly became obvious what was likely going on: the monastery had set up a trap for them.
If the heat of the moment led them to confuse daring with the pursuit of profit, then they might just waylay the monastery as they transported the crates, banners held aloft. At best they would discover that the crates were filled with rocks and rejoice.. but if the crates were filled with money, what then?
The alliance would be cast into despair. Worse, since the monastery had no obligation to them to reveal the contents of their crates, a dispute would surely follow. The monastery could easily claim the alliance had planned to steal the money meant for the king - an unforgivable act.
Or, they could simply claim that the alliance had stolen the money as it was being transported to the king’s palace, and the situation would then escalate with each party clinging to their own stories. Any bloodshed would simply be indisputable evidence which further bolstered the monastery’s claims.
The king, who would be the one passing judgment, could view this as his chance to be rid of the alliance that was economically interfering in domestic affairs. Obviously he would rule in favor of the monastery. They would essentially corner the alliance and leave them with no choice but to cave into their demands.
The alliance would be forced to pay the tax for the monastery and purchase their wool at a high price. It wouldn’t matter how the monastery chose to extort all the money they could from the alliance. Lawrence also knew why alliance officials had to keep quiet about this. Unless they opened the crates, it would be a show of opposition to their membership that could only cause disunity.
And so, the monastery had reversed the alliance’s move to force them into a dead end, and wait for them to buckle. But the alliance officials had to stay inactive on the sidelines, since they too were members of the alliance. They couldn’t divide their ranks, because they all shared the same goal.
Since that was the case, shouldn’t Lawrence - a non-member with a different goal - raise his voice? He had his reasons to fear them falling into a trap. He would be troubled if the monastery had planned this trap for the alliance and they fell for it.
Maybe the monastery thought they could lead them by the nose if t
hey grasped their weakness, but the alliance was an organization of merchants who prioritized profit above all else. The very moment they decided the gains weren’t worth the effort, or the ends didn’t justify the means, they would bow out.
Judging from the fact that their top brass - who journeyed in all-black carriages - weren’t present here, it was obvious that this deal wasn’t a priority for the alliance. That meant that the moment they realized this was a trap, they’d haphazardly deal with the consequences and beat a hasty retreat.. and probably never return.
If that happened, who could possibly protect the monastery? They might gain some temporary stability, but without the alliance all they had left was sheep’s wool to sell, and no buyers. If they optimistically thought the price of wool would inflate once more, it made sense for them to take this action. Anyone would believe that a drop in prices was temporary when merchandise had always sold well, so of course they’d be optimistic.
But it probably wouldn’t take long for them to collapse after that. And when they did, the king would expropriate their land and disband their membership. It wasn’t tough to see that the land would be carved up between the various aristocrats to buy their support, and that wars would inevitably break out over the sizes of those allotments.
In the outbreak of war, those who fled were always the people who lived in the area. And so, it was people like Huskins who would be left with no choice but to evacuate when that time came.
Holo and Cole were also looking nervous as they stood next to Lawrence. Holo could trounce anyone with her sharp fangs and claws, but relying on such an out-dated force wouldn’t change modern trends. So Lawrence had to speak up against this group of men, who had already teamed up in order to march off through the snowy plains.
“This may well be a trap set up by the monastery.”
The people who had been thinking the same thing, but staying silent, looked extra-nervous when they heard him.
“And if we go now, we’ll be playing straight into their hands.”
Upon adding this second line, everyone stopped what they were doing and directed their attention at Lawrence.
Spice & Wolf X (DWT) Page 22