Black Chain - Chapter 17
That day, the scribe of Röttingen was instructed to meticulously record the damage and the deaths of the enemy. The Margrave of Röttingen, who had appeared to do nothing since arriving, finally took his seat and began moving the entire town into action.
“Repair every weak point revealed by this incident, without leaving anything out. Start with that. Don’t worry about the cost; use the castle’s funds.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“And overhaul the port. Check customs and trade routes again. Call for the customs officer and have him bring all inspection logs and ship records for the past five years.”
That was a simple ‘start.’ Akellance continued issuing instructions, and Lieutenant Hunts and the scribe, who were nodding their heads and saying “Yes, yes,” were left with blank, overwhelmed expressions.
“Y-Your Highness,” Lieutenant Hunts stammered. “That… the workload from inspections and repairs alone is overwhelming, not to mention the costs, and reviewing the Northern Army’s logs would make it… it seems impossible.”
Lieutenant Hunts was never one to use words like “seems,” but he had no choice, struggling to soften his words.
“Why?”
But Akellance’s genuinely baffled reaction left him even more speechless.
“The Nemantel tribe is in no position to launch another attack; their losses were devastating. Only three survived, and the rest were all killed. In other words, we can assume there won’t be any more invasions for the time being. With the news spreading, the other tribes will likely remain quiet.”
Akellance assessed the situation quickly and accurately, laying it all out.
“Given that Röttingen has bought itself some time, wouldn’t it make sense to focus on inspecting the facilities, training the soldiers, and securing safe trade routes? We have the time and plenty to do, so why is it impossible?”
His expression was one of pure confusion.
“I will try.”
“Not ‘try,’ you will do it.”
“Yes, Your Highness!”
The lieutenant saluted like a soldier should, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that this task would be impossible, no matter how hard he tried. As soon as he passed on the Margrave’s orders to the Northern Army command, the place would erupt like a fire had broken out.
‘Is this even humanly possible?’
He couldn’t see how.
***
Hasolan could guess what was happening when she saw the scribes of Röttingen running around like their feet were on fire.
‘So, it’s really starting now.’
Everyone inside Röttingen Castle would soon be frantic with activity—or perhaps they already were. Hasolan was the only one without anything to do. Even Sir Gidmont, alternating with another knight, was stationed by her side, guarding her. Akellance was an emperor who couldn’t stand seeing his officials working leisurely.
“Miss, where are you going…?”
“Into town.”
“Town? Dressed like that?”
The maid was aghast, but Hasolan said no more. She had taken a job but hadn’t shown up due to unfortunate circumstances, so she needed to visit the knitting shop to apologize or ask for understanding. She adjusted her shoes and began walking, ignoring whatever the maid had to say.
“Miss!”
The castle was still in disarray following the invasion. Repairs were underway, and the emperor’s gifts were finally being distributed without hesitation where they were needed. Bodies were being cleared, and bloodstains scrubbed away. Amid all the busyness, Hasolan quietly walked out. The people she passed bowed their heads respectfully. How strange it all was.
‘This doesn’t make sense.’
“Miss, you can’t go like this!”
The maid was speaking sense, and Hasolan knew it well. After the invasion, word had spread about her, so she knew she shouldn’t be doing this. But she had lived her life doing exactly what was expected of her, right until the moment she died. Did she have to keep living like that?
“Oh, Miss!”
“Don’t follow me. I’ll be fine on my own.”
“That’s out of the question!”
Inside, Hasolan thought, ‘Yes, you’re right,’ but her actions were the opposite. She left Röttingen Castle behind. Near the castle, she saw soldiers and nobles, faces grim, rushing inside. It seemed Akellance had summoned them. She even saw someone dragging a cart piled high with documents.
“Out of the way, out of the way!”
The maid must have given up because Hasolan no longer heard her calling. Or perhaps she had gone to report to Akellance. It didn’t matter either way, and Hasolan kept walking. Röttingen was cold. The cold days were long, and the warm days didn’t last even half the year. She wrapped her clothes tightly around her and continued walking.
“Are they repairing the walls?”
“I heard all the stonemasons were summoned this morning.”
“Since the Margrave showed up, things have gotten strange.”
“I heard Philip died yesterday.”
“That guy?”
People chatted as they headed to work, their voices mingling with the cold air. Hasolan took a deep breath of the crisp air and walked through the market district. The shop was in one of the stalls. They sold various yarns, lace, and, most importantly, fabrics.
“Welcome.”
The shopkeeper, who had spoken out of habit, straightened up when Hasolan entered and then started in surprise when she recognized her.
“I’m sorry. There was an attack yesterday, and I wasn’t able to come in.”
Had she been fired? Hasolan apologized first, just in case. After all, she really hadn’t been able to move yesterday.
The owner looked her over. “Were you hurt?”
“Oh, no. I’m fine. Looks like the shop didn’t take any damage.”
“Thankfully, no, we weren’t.”
The shop owner, who appeared to be in her mid-30s, nodded as she continued, “That’s good. Come on in. There’s work to do.”
“Yes.”
“You came alone today?”
“Yes.”
Hasolan quickly removed her coat and began learning her tasks. The owner’s name was Lisa Taylor. She spoke in a straightforward, crisp manner and didn’t bother with unnecessary matters.
“Call me by name. Only customers call me Mrs. Taylor.”
“Okay.”
“How much do you know about fabrics?”
Hasolan blinked. What flashed through her mind were the numerous luxurious fabrics she had seen in the imperial palace of Impel when Akellance was emperor. In the palace, uniforms, robes, and casual wear for the emperor were all crafted from beautiful fabrics offered from all corners of the empire. Thinking about it, that shouldn’t have been something the Grand Duchess of Solaris needed to worry about.
‘I used everything I could, didn’t I? And for free.’
Hasolan inwardly gritted her teeth, cursing her own foolishness.
“I know about as much as anyone else.”
“Then let me show you our shop’s most popular items.”
Over the next two hours, Hasolan learned how to cut fabric, store it properly, distinguish different types of thread, and keep the inventory.
“Today probably won’t be a busy day.”
Lisa was a calm and composed woman. It was surprising that someone like her managed to run a shop catering to chatty noblewomen, given how little she spoke. Some might even find her cold.
“There was an invasion yesterday, so people are likely busy with the aftermath.”
She muttered this while bringing out thick ledgers, receipts, and order forms.
“It’s better to organize the paperwork today. You said you can handle accounts and bookkeeping, right?”
“Yes.”
“Finding someone who can read and write isn’t easy. This town has a bit more of that thanks to the port, but still.”
Lisa handed her a pencil as she asked, “You said you used to work in administration. Why did you quit?”
“It didn’t suit me,” Hasolan answered simply.
The two women worked together amicably, catching up on the backlog of records and organizing receipts and order forms. Occasionally, they opened the window, but there were no customers outside, only workers busily carrying construction materials. After the previous day’s brutal invasion, this was to be expected.
“It’s quiet,” Hasolan muttered.
“People will be back out soon enough. Life goes on, after all. I opened my shop, didn’t I?”
“Does this town get invaded often?”
“About five or six times a year.”
“That’s quite a lot.”
“The port usually takes the brunt of it, but this time, the attack was on the castle instead of the town. So this side was relatively quiet. I heard there was a fire at the mill on Carriage Street.”
That must have been where the thick smoke came from. Hasolan thought of the fierce Nemantel tribesman who had charged at her.
“They’re making an effort to recover quickly,” Lisa said, glancing out the window.
“They didn’t use to move so quickly after an attack.”
“Really?”
“We used to handle things ourselves, but you only saw large-scale repairs like this after a report was sent up to Impel.”
Hasolan remembered the damage reports that had come up from Röttingen. Once or twice, Akellance had grown so frustrated that he’d personally led a campaign to clean up the northern border. Of course, Hasolan had accompanied him.
‘His temper…’
She shook her head slightly. Just then, the door opened. Both women glanced at the entrance, and Hasolan stood up.
“Solan.”
How had he known she had cursed him? His handsome face sought her out, and upon seeing her frown, he thought:
‘She hates me.’
The moment she saw him, her brow furrowed. Nevertheless, Akellance persisted in speaking to her.
“Why did you come alone? It’s dangerous.”
“I’m working. If you’re not going to buy something, leave.”
“Of course I’m buying something. Something that suits you.”
She hadn’t planned on accepting any clothes from him, but if it helped the shop’s sales, that was fine. Hasolan glanced at Lisa, who subtly gestured for her to attend to him without concern.
“What would you like to see?”
He stared at Hasolan intently as he answered, “Fabrics for a warm coat.”
What kind of fabric is typically used for a coat? Usually, fur was involved. Did this shop sell fur? She started pulling out some thicker materials, but Lisa moved much faster, bringing out a selection of winter fabrics.
“…I’ve ordered the repairs to begin,” Akellance said, speaking as though they were having a casual conversation.
“But everyone keeps complaining. Saying they can’t do it, that it’s too much to finish in a day…”
This color didn’t suit Hasolan. Maybe the next one would?
“I didn’t expect the people of Röttingen to act this way. You weren’t like this.”
As he browsed through the fabrics, Hasolan picked up the ones he discarded and returned them to their places.
“Right, I wasn’t,” she replied absentmindedly, but kept an eye on Lisa. The shop owner, however, seemed entirely disinterested in their conversation.
“You were always so capable.”
“Was I?”
Her tone was cold, to the point of being icy.
“I never knew that. You always scolded me for not doing enough, and then, when I did more, you’d smile and say, ‘Can’t you do better?’ I always thought I was incompetent.”
Hasolan checked the prices and laid out the most expensive fabrics in front of Akellance.
“I worked myself to the bone to meet your expectations, but in the end, you never really expected anything from me.”
Akellance was left speechless. His chest felt tight, and it was as if a blade had lodged itself in his throat.
“You just used me once I became good enough, and I was too foolish to see it.”
She even brought out the fur fabrics.
“The total is 280 florins.”
Lisa, who had momentarily been distracted, snapped her head around in surprise at the hefty sum Hasolan had calculated. Hasolan glanced at Akellance without emotion.
‘I should have wrung even more money out of him.’
After all those years of loyalty, all she got in return was the title of Grand Duchess and an estate. Of course, it was a huge title and fortune, but she felt it was far too little for her efforts. She should have gotten more. More.
She should have earned the position of empress with her loyalty, even her heart. In retrospect, the affection she had for Akellance had been far more than he deserved.
“Buy it if you want, or leave it if you don’t. But don’t expect me to do anything for you anymore. I’m done working.”
She had been far too easy to use. One compliment, one insincere smile, and she would work even harder. Akellance had known that, and he had used it. He had squeezed every last drop out of her for 14 years. The bastard.
“…I’ll buy what you like.”
“I don’t need anything. Besides, do you even know what I like?”
He didn’t. He had no idea. All he knew was that Hasolan always dressed gracefully and calmly.
Hasolan smirked. “You never cared enough to know. But now you’ll have to start caring. Most people aren’t like me. The people of Röttingen are quite competent, so stop complaining. If you’re not going to buy, leave.”
She no longer cared that he was emperor or Margrave. She wasn’t holding back anymore, and if he pushed her further, she might even start cursing at him.
“…I’ll figure out what you like myself.”
Akellance’s voice wavered slightly at first, but he regained his composure by the time he finished speaking.
“So I’ll buy one of everything here. As I make clothes for you, I’ll learn what you like.”
Hasolan’s gaze was still as sharp as ever, but Akellance held firm. He had to. Just as Hasolan had done in the past.
“I’ll send someone to deliver the fabrics. Prepare everything you have in the shop.”
“While you’re at it, buy some knitting supplies. There’s plenty to choose from.”
“I’ll leave some behind so I have an excuse to come back and buy more. And to see you.”
He matched her nonchalance with his own.
“So prepare everything. And…”
Akellance stared intently at her as he continued, “I’ll come to pick you up when you’re done.”
As if he would never let her go again.
Hasolan had never received that kind of gaze from him before. It was the first time, but she dismissed it as irrelevant to her. So much so that her attention wandered. That’s when she noticed something strange—the yellowish bruise peeking out from the collar of Lisa’s clothing.