The Biography of Albrecht - Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Translator: Nezu
Editor: Daed

This world was known to be greatly divided into the Western Continent and the Eastern Continent. No one knew what laid beyond the known land. There was also a huge jungle across the center of the Western continent. This jungle was known to house hordes of goblins.

It was said to be impossible to traverse this huge jungle by land due to its hot and humid climate as well as the threat of high-level goblins. Thus, with this Great Jungle as the boundary, the Western Continent was divided into the Northern and Southern Continent.

The continent to which Albrecht belonged to was the Northern Continent. Because the trading business between the Eastern Continent and Southern Continent was done indirectly, there was not much information in the South except that it was also inhabited by humans. However, it was well-known that silk produced in the Southern Continent was more expensive than gold.

Though there were a few people—so rare that they were even considered as legends—who had succeeded to do direct trade business in the Southern Continent, it was still considered suicidal to travel there by ship with this era’s technology. The continents were named as ‘South’, ‘West’ and ‘North’ within the Northern Continent.

The Kaltern Estate was in the northeast, while the Anglia Kingdom was situated in a basin surrounded by a huge mountain range in the west. Certainly, it was a bit far. However, since there wasn’t a satellite map here in this world, it was impossible to know how far away it was.

There was a place called Dragon Land located in an ocean northwest of Anglia Kingdom. It was an unchartered territory; it was unknown whether it was an island or a continent.

The royal family of the Anglia Kingdom claimed to be the descendants of dragons. Their kingdom was known for its expertise in archery and for producing high-quality gems.

The tragedy of these merchants started here.

“Our business is run by a merchant family called Silvio. Its headquarters is located in the southern coastal city of Lucrezia. This city has a very active trading business with the Eastern Continent due to it being the closest coastal city. It is known to be the largest city in the Northern Continent. However, as in cities, conspiracies between merchant groups run rampant, even going so far as to carry out assassinations.”

Elena sat with her knees wrapped in her arms, still unable to look straight at Albrecht. She remained looking at the floor as she recalled.

“One day, the head of our family was assassinated. The successor, Vincenzo, immediately succeeded the family. Yet, because the family had so many rivals, avengence could not be achieved. The reputation of a nobleman who cannot exact his revenge is fated to decline. Everybody thought that that Silvio family would perish. Thus, many workers left. To add fuel to the fire, the rival families worked together to ban our ships from departing. With the family slowly dying, Mr. Vincenzo decided to import gems from Anglia Kingdom as his last resort. He was trying to obtain an investment and secure import channels then start a new business if he succeeded. It was ridiculous.”

Even Albrecht thought it was ridiculous. He wanted to secure an import channel across the North. Aside from bandits, there are only a few individuals who could pass through. Even if some lords didn’t rob them, there was still the cost of toll fees that needed to be paid. Vincenzo must have become mired in a sense of crisis that he couldn’t even make a normal judgment.

Vincenzo used up all his family’s fortune and resorted to peddling. He employed the remaining workers, then hired ten people to help with the journey and another ten as mercenaries.

A peddling business made with thirty people was considered to be quite a large scale in this world. To live normally while crossing the continent was no easy task. It would take three years to get to the Dragon’s Spine mountains surrounding the Anglia Kingdom while repelling bandits, paying tolls on every territory they pass by and procuring supplies from cities and villages.

Boundless steep and treacherous mountains surrounded that kingdom, and routes to enter inside were very limited. Although the Anglia Kingdom was restricted from outsiders, people from the East showed curiosity towards it. It was an entirely different place once one passed through its five famous gates and reached Anglia’s structural basin.

The wind from the mountains and the ocean separating them from the west helps maintain a refreshing weather even in the height of summer. The residents were all pure and kind; their streets were clean and the surrounding landscape was a sight to behold.

On his way to meet the kingdom’s king, Vincenzo unexpectedly met the kingdom’s young queen who seemed to be no more than ten years old.

Her hair that seemed like it was coated with melted silver, her silver eyes that were as bright as the starry night, her skin that was as white as milk, and her cheeks that were yet to be rid of baby fats—all of that summed up to her matchless cuteness.

She would undoubtedly be an unparalleled beauty across all the continents when she grew up.

This dazzling young queen was assisted by ten knights and retainers who were all upright and loyal. The young queen didn’t act like her age. She was very dignified and compassionate. But she had once been a lively and cheerful girl, playing with the old Knight Commander when not at work.

The gem stones, which were so outstanding that they could not be seen in other parts of the world, were only sold at a price five times lower than the lowest grade gemstones in Lucrezia.

The problem was Vincenzo’s greed. He invested everything in buying gemstones, leaving only a small amount of expenses for their return.

After staying for ten days, they departed once more for Lucrezia from the Anglia Kingdom. When they had left Lucrezia, everyone was worried and anxious. On the contrary, when they left the Anglia Kingdom, their hearts held on to the hope of becoming rich.

“Everything started okay for a year on our way back home. But those stupid mercenaries would always talk about exaggerated stories about Anglia, turning it into some kind of tale. After a year, the quality of our food gradually became poor and then was cut down. Everyone started to feel apprehensive. After two years, the food supply finally ran out. Then some lord with soldiers attacked us. A lot of people died. We barely fought back, and we didn’t even know when we would get attacked again. With our supplies exhausted and us being on the run, the mercenaries made their own group. They planned to kill Mr. Vincenzo to share among themselves all the treasure. But after they killed him, they fought among themselves and eventually, one of them led us here.”

Albrecht, who was listening to the story, asked her.

“Why didn’t you sell the gems to furnish your supplies?”

Elena, whose gaze had been fixed on the floor, turned to Albrecht with a miserable smile.

“They were all blinded by the treasure. We couldn’t sell it. It would have to be sold to a big city to get the price it deserves.”

Albrecht asked again.

“Why did you follow that mercenary?”

“Because he had the treasure.”

The lords who had their eyes on the treasure were looking for them. The mercenaries who ran away from the previous fight might have been looking for them too. They were in a helpless situation. They did all kinds of things to provide for themselves, even targeting people who passed by and robbing them. They couldn’t just come out of the area unlike the other bandits. As they lived in isolation, they gradually started to live like wild animals. The mercenaries started having persecution complexes and began exercising strong domination over them. The women became their sex toys.

That was how they lived for six months. Then Albrecht came.

“You weren’t captured, then. And the reason you trembled and acted scared was because you thought I was here looking for the treasure.”

The women said nothing.

Albrecht quietly gazed at the fireplace as he pondered. After a while, as if he had finally made up his mind about something, he spoke.

“Let’s get out of here first thing tomorrow.”