LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 26: Bolta’s Evil Scheme
“You’re banned from this place. Pack up and leave immediately!”
Will issued this ultimatum to Bolta and the members of the Tarclay Trading Company, who were preparing to open their stall.
“What? Banned?”
“Mr. Bolta?”
But Bolta only grind his teeth in frustration.
“Get moving! Fold up your stall quickly! If you trade without permission, both your goods and money will be confiscated!”
“Y-yes…”
Reluctantly, Bolta’s subordinates began loading the goods they had spread out onto the wagon.
“Oh? The people who came with you are missing. Where did the others go?”
Will asked one of the men who was loading the goods.
“Huh?”
“I’m talking about the large number of people who came with you.”
“Oh, they’re not merchants.”
“Then what are they?”
“They’re carpenters. Your lord requested the replacement of the burnt waterwheel, and since there was no deadline, they began the construction—”
“What?! What the hell are they doing without permission? Hey! Stop the people who went to the waterwheel site! They need to be removed too!”
“Understood!”
At Will’s furious command, the town’s militia rushed towards the location where the waterwheel used to be.
“Hmm? Is this the place?”
“This seems to be it.”
The men carrying various surveying instruments arrived at the site where the waterwheel used to stand. They were the craftsmen Bolta had hired for the waterwheel installation.
One of them, Edgar, who was the leader among the craftsmen, approached the spot where the waterwheel once stood.
“Ah, this is probably where the waterwheel was. The waterway is still intact.”
“Mr. Edgar, you’re right. I heard about the fire…”
“Look, this is the burnt area.”
“It’s true. A fire in a crucial waterwheel is such a shame.”
“Have the culprits been caught? It would be a disaster if it burned down again after we rebuild it.”
“Well, as long as we have work, we’re fine.”
“Exactly.”
The craftsmen continued their conversation while efficiently starting the survey.
Then, suddenly…
“Stop!”
The town’s militia, looking furious, stopped the craftsmen.
“Huh?! What’s the matter? Don’t get in our way! We have to finish this quickly, especially with how short the deadline is!”
“You’re banned from this place! By order of the Ladyship, leave Scarletford immediately!”
“What?!”
The craftsmen, taken aback by the sudden ban, confronted the militia men.
“What’s going on?”
“We have to repair the waterwheel destroyed by the fire before harvest season, right?!”
“Bolta went through a lot of trouble to get us here!”
“We’re working under terrible conditions and a short deadline!”
“Silence! You’re the ones who started the fire!”
“What?!”
“You brought a guy named James who set the fire!”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Moreover, Bolta’s magical tools for igniting fires were found at the scene.”
“…Then why hasn’t Bolta been executed?”
“I don’t know! Anyway! You’re banned! Pack up and leave, or you’ll be considered criminals!”
“…Tch. Fine. Either way, we need to confirm this with Bolta. Alright, everyone, let’s withdraw.”
Edgar said this, and the other men packed up their tools and headed back towards Bolta.
Afterwards, Bolta and his group were surrounded by the town’s militia and left through the main gate of Scarletford.
“Don’t ever come back.”
“Tch.”
Bolta clicked his tongue but did not retort to Will and left without further confrontation.
As they slowly traveled down the road, Edgar spoke up.
“Bolta, what’s going on? We came all the way here because you insisted we do so.”
“Hey, why the silence? Anyway, you owe us for the waterwheel parts, labor, and travel expenses. It’s 200 Scherangs. Not a penny less.”
“What? We won’t pay for the days we didn’t work!”
“Huh? The price was fixed regardless of the time frame, remember?”
“Besides, the story doesn’t match.”
“What do you mean?”
“The fire at the waterwheel. The people in that village think you started it.”
“That’s a false accusation. I agree that James is suspicious given the situation, but he’s missing. I was staying in a shabby inn when the fire happened, and I never issued any orders to start it.”
“Who’s this James? Your subordinate?”
“Former subordinate. I’ve dismissed him now.”
“…But he was your subordinate at the time, right?”
“Yes. But he’s highly likely to have committed the crime, and he disappeared during his duties. He’s no longer my subordinate.”
“Then you hold some responsibility too.”
“Yes. Therefore, though it’s quite unreasonable, I was trying to offer a significant discount on the latest waterwheel setup so that even that poor, remote lord could afford it. And yet!”
Bolta’s face twisted in anger, but Edgar looked at him coldly.
“Well, that’s not our concern. Pay us the 200 Scherangs in full.”
Bolta glared at Edgar, but Edgar remained unfazed. Edgar walked away from Bolta.
A little while later, Bolta muttered to himself.
“Damn it. It’s all her fault. But that person… Wait a minute. She was quite a beauty, wasn’t she?”
Bolta grinned wickedly.