As Time Passed

1.

As winter came, the Dwarf Company's situation grew even worse.

“……”

It wasn't that there was a problem with their cash flow. Their funds hadn't exactly run dry, but… the problem was always magic stones.

As more time passed, the supply of magic stones was being maintained by the barest, barest margin.

There were no reserves. They had to immediately process every stone they obtained into powder that very same day.

Most of their supply came from the amount mined in the Belua Mountains. Originally, they should have increased it much, much more than this.

But the Imperial Family had drawn the line not only at additional mining, but even at discussing a contract extension in advance.

And today was the day they had originally agreed to formally discuss renewing the contract.

The format was an auction...