The Custody Dispute: An Interlude

“Excellent. You did well.”

The labor union created by the village workers would ultimately become a puppet unable to escape Ferda’s influence.

That was the situation Ferda wanted.

“Thank you. Oh, and we’ve also completed all the procedures in the Empire to change Dandolo Trading Company’s registered name.”

From now on, it would officially operate as Hestia Trading Company rather than Dandolo Trading Company.

Even the family crest stamped on the tent would now bear Waldrova’s emblem.

“You’re doing well. I’ll leave the rest to you.”

“Leave it to me.”

Thus ended the council with the provisional labor union.

“Now that everything has been settled amicably, I believe you may return to your other duties.”

Instead of getting up, Ferda shifted his gaze to the documents Isabella had piled up.

“I understand there are several more disputes.”

“That is correct, but they can be handled by proxy under the administrator’s authority.”

“No, since I’m here, I might as well resolve them myself. Now that I’ve come down here, wouldn’t it be better to settle them quickly? And……”

“And?”

“It’s refreshing to resolve things through conversation for once.”

“Hmm, I understand.”

Could this really be called a conversation?

Though she had some doubts, Isabella did not complain.

Isabella moved, and shortly afterward, two men entered.

“These are the stonemasons who need the mediation I mentioned the other day.”

Ferda gave them a cursory glance.

A dark-complexioned man and a relatively fair-skinned man sat side by side.

Their appearances clearly marked them as being from the south and central regions, respectively.

Ferda questioned the darker man first.

“Are you from Halim?”

“Yes. I’ve spent twenty years doing nothing but constructing walls in Halim—”

“And you’re from the Empire?”

“That’s right.”

“I’ve heard the broad outlines. In short, your two construction methods differ, and you’re trying to reconcile them?”

The fair-skinned stonemason spoke.

“Yes. We’re discussing how to build the wall while taking the terrain and its characteristics into account, but this southern bumpkin simply refuses to understand……”

The Imperial stonemason clicked his tongue.

At that, the Halim stonemason snorted.

“You say a wall must take the terrain and its characteristics into account. Doesn’t that ultimately mean it isn’t perfect? The walls we build in Halim are renowned for never breaking, no matter the circumstances.”

“I suppose the winter wind has reached your brain all the way from that hot region. You people have never even suffered an invasion, so what kind of inner strength could you have developed from piling up sand to make walls?”

“If shoving stones into empty holes counts as construction, then my three-year-old son is a master craftsman.”

“You little—!”

“Enough.”

He stopped them before they could turn the hammers made for pounding walls on each other’s heads.

Ferda understood perfectly well what had happened.

It had all started with the two craftsmen’s pride.

“I understand both of your positions. So you should be able to give me a clear answer.”

“You know which method should be used?”

“Do you really think so?”

No matter how intelligent Ferda was, he could not compare with men who had spent their entire lives working with walls.

But this problem could be resolved clearly enough.

Ferda raised his index finger.

“One month.”

“……Pardon?”

“Within that time, build a wall measuring 4M in both length and height.”

The two men wore dumbfounded expressions.

“What do you mean?”

“Are you saying we should decide for ourselves which method to use?”

“Yes. That is your job.”

From the perspective of the people who had come seeking mediation, it was an absurd verdict.

Ferda went further and added:

“Within one month, you will build a wall capable of withstanding my siege magic.”

“What?”

The two craftsmen looked at Ferda in confusion.

They wondered what kind of joke this was, but Ferda’s eyes were shining.

“You wouldn’t understand if I talked about which construction method was better, so I’m offering my own solution.”

Ferda pointed at them.

“You know how to build sturdy walls.”

Then, this time, he pointed at himself.

“And I know how to break them.”

Even the Empire’s walls, which prided themselves on their sturdiness, had crumbled beneath his hand.

“So build the strongest wall you can within one month. I’ll slam a Magic Blast straight into the exact center of it. Understood?”

“What happens if the wall collapses?”

“Simple.”

He drew his thumb across his throat.

The two stonemasons turned pale.

“A-Are you going to execute us because a wall built in just one month collapsed?”

“Since you built a flimsy wall, you will be charged with falsely claiming to be experts and with fraud. It may even be escalated to threatening national security.”

“That’s an outrageous leap.”

“Is it a leap, Administrator?”

Isabella shook her head.

“For those who fail to guard the border, even seeking the death penalty would be letting them off lightly.”

“So I hear.”

The craftsmen realized this was no time to stand on their pride.

The days when they had considered each other enemies seemed laughable now that a genuine, life-threatening enemy had appeared.

As they broke into a cold sweat, Ferda asked:

“Are you thinking of running?”

“Cough!”

“W-Why would we?”

Ferda had seen straight through them.

“You may run. Go ahead and try, if you can. But I will pursue you and bring you back. Of course, by then, it won’t matter whether there is a wall or not.”

Ferda let out a “Hmm……” and casually asked them:

“Have you ever suffered enough to be unsure whether you should beg for your life or beg me to kill you?”

“……”

“If you’re curious about the process, I can tell you all about it.”

“N-No, sir!”

“We wouldn’t run even if we could, so what would we need to know that for? Haha……!”

The two men stood rigid, filled with determination.

Ferda nodded.

“Then I may take it that you understand everything I’ve said.”

“Of course! Naturally we understand!”

“Then go. You have twenty-nine days, twenty-three hours, and fifty-five minutes left. You’d better build that wall as quickly as possible.”

“Y-Yes, sir!!”

At Ferda’s command, they fled as though escaping.

Once the tense atmosphere had settled, Ferda muttered:

“Conversation is a better tool than I expected.”

“If you call that a conversation.”

Though she said so, Isabella looked satisfied.

“At least they won’t keep fighting without accomplishing anything now.”

“If they still fight after this, then I suppose I’ll have to give them credit for that. What’s the next dispute?”

“This dispute is……”

Ferda went on resolving the remaining disputes.

Since none of them had pride as fierce as the two stonemasons, he was able to settle them easily without threats.

“I think that takes care of everything.”

By then, all the documents Isabella had set out had disappeared, so he was about to wrap things up.

That was when it happened.

“There is still one matter left.”

“One?”

Isabella took a document from the file and handed it to him.

“After seeing how you handled the matters today, I thought you were suited to judge this one. This is a complaint I wrote myself.”

Ferda looked at the person she had named in the complaint.

The moment he saw it, his breath caught.

He could already picture what was about to happen.

“……You’re filing a complaint against this person?”

“That is correct.”

Her blue eyes were utterly serious.

She drove the point home with these words:

“I’m filing a complaint against Echidna Philiaz for dereliction of duty.”