Raising the Northern Grand Duchy as a Max-Level All-Master-Chapter 155

155. A Holiday in Bardenheim (2)

Bardenheim’s harbor stretched endlessly, lined with docks and piers. Towering galleons and exotic ships from across the seas were moored here, their sails fluttering in the ocean breeze.

Merchants, sailors, and people of diverse races and cultures bustled together, making the port a vibrant, lively place.

But no matter how free a city claimed to be, some level of control was necessary. At the heart of the harbor stood the Trade Hall, where merchant guilds negotiated deals with foreign nations.

However, as always, there were exceptions.

Under the direct orders of Mayor Damian White, the Rensletian ship arriving today would bypass the Trade Hall entirely. Instead, its first round of transactions would take place directly at the docks.

It was an obvious power play—Damian and his faction intended to monopolize Rensletian goods for themselves.

Because of this, the Rensletian ship was able to dock at its designated pier without facing any restrictions.

"My gods! That ship…!"

"Ironclad… it’s covered in iron?!"

As the Rensletian vessel approached, those who got a closer look stood slack-jawed in astonishment.

Its sheer size alone was already overwhelming, and the dense network of enchantments etched across its hull was enough to make anyone dizzy. But today, they witnessed something even more unbelievable—

The entire deck was made of iron.

Not just that, but intricate magical circuits were inscribed across the metal, glowing faintly with mana.

"Move quickly!"

"Secure the mooring lines!"

Awaiting on the docks, Rensletian embassy staff swiftly secured the ship.

Ordinarily, dockworkers from Bardenheim would handle such tasks, but today was an exception.

"Phew… The manifests are all in order, right?"

"Yes! We double-checked them overnight."

Watching the operation with a tense expression stood Ambassador Gard, his staff beside him, all visibly exhausted with dark circles under their eyes.

"The ambassador himself came out?"

"Something important must be happening."

This was only the third time a Rensletian ship had ever docked in Bardenheim.

Yet, this time felt different.

Not only was the ship’s exterior unlike anything seen before, but the embassy staff had also taken over the docking process.

And most strikingly, the ambassador himself had come to greet the arrival—a highly unusual occurrence.

"Find out what’s going on."

"Understood."

The city’s elite, eagerly awaiting their chance to buy Rensletian goods, grew increasingly curious.

"Did you ask them?"

"Yes, but… they said they can’t disclose anything at the moment…"

"What?! Even the mayor isn’t allowed to know?!"

"M-my apologies, sir…"

"Fine, I’ll ask Ambassador Gard myself—"

Just as Mayor Damian White, looking utterly displeased, took a step forward—

Whiiiiiiiiiiistle—!

The ship had fully docked, and the arrival whistle echoed loudly across the port.

Flutter—!

The Rensletian flag, adorned with the image of the Winter Hawk, billowed in the wind.

Rumble—

From the gangway, Rensletians clad in immaculately tailored uniforms descended in perfect formation.

Step. Step. Step. Step. Step.

Upon reaching the docks, they aligned themselves in precise rows and columns before halting in perfect unison.

Each of them carried musical instruments, making it clear they were a military band—

A welcome ceremony for someone important.

"……!"

The nobles and merchants could only watch, speechless.

"For now… let’s wait and see."

Even Damian, who had been moments away from demanding answers, held his tongue.

Murmur, murmur, murmur—

From afar, the citizens of Bardenheim watched the scene unfold, their curiosity growing by the second.

Woooooooom—♬

Amidst the sea of gazes, the Rensletian military band raised their instruments and began to play.

At the same time, the sailors standing at attention on the deck raised their voices in song.

[Hymn of Renslet’s Glory]

[May the purity of the snowfields grace the High Tower.]

[On a bright and clear day,]

[A season that suits victory,]

[May that season last forever.]

[Blessings of the Eternal Flame upon Renslet and its Lord.]

[Renslet Rune Renslet.]

[Renslet Rune Renslet.]

[This prosperity belongs to Renslet,]

[This glory belongs to its Lord.]

[O King, we shall bear your burden together.]

[May the Eternal Flame watch over Renslet and its Lord.]

[Renslet Rune Renslet.]

[Renslet Rune Renslet.]

[On a bright and clear day,]

[A season that suits victory,]

[May that season last forever.]

[Blessings of the Eternal Flame upon Renslet and its Lord.]

[May the purity of the snowfields grace the High Tower.]

[Renslet Rune Renslet.]

[Renslet Rune Renslet.]

The Rensletian language was quite similar to Imperial Common—the intonation and pronunciation differed slightly, but communication between speakers of both languages was generally possible.

Which meant that anyone who understood Imperial Common, the continent’s lingua franca, could fully comprehend the lyrics of the anthem that had just been sung.

‘I should take notes for my own family’s ceremonies.’

‘When I seize the throne one day, I’ll make sure to do something like this.’

Even to the Bardenheim citizens, who prided themselves on their advanced civilization, the scene unfolding before them was unfamiliar. Yet, it was grand, elegant, and full of dignity.

‘This is completely different from the last time they docked.’

‘What’s going on? Did someone really high-ranking from Renslet come this time?’

Meanwhile, the elite figures of Bardenheim, gathered at the docks to welcome the Rensletians, were growing visibly tense.

‘At least royalty!’

‘But Renslet has only one royal—Arina Rune Renslet.’

‘Then… Don’t tell me! Is Renslet’s Duchess here in person?!’

As the anthem and music concluded, the long-awaited guest of honor finally appeared at the top of the gangway.

"Huh? W-wait, what—?!"

"By the heavens…!"

A young man in a Rensletian-style coat made of Rian Fabric, and a white-haired woman with deep gray eyes, clad in an impeccable uniform, stepped onto Bardenheim soil.

"Arad Jin Renslet…"

Bardenheim’s Mayor, Damian White, muttered in a trembling voice.

"My gods…! The Northern Sorcerer has come in person?!"

In some ways, this man was far more significant than the Duchess of Renslet.

Arad Jin Renslet, the Northern Sorcerer, had suddenly arrived in Bardenheim.

‘Ahem!’

Damian White quickly checked his attire.

‘Why was this kept secret even from me, the mayor?! Was it purely for security reasons?’

Even as he pondered over the mystery, he hurriedly adjusted his appearance.

"Quick, bring me a mirror!"

"Damn it! If I had known, I would have worn more jewelry!"

The nobles and officials accompanying him also began calling for their attendants, rushing to straighten their attire and composure.

"Ohoho! Just in time! What a relief!"

And then—

A distinctly unwelcome voice rang out from behind them.

"Phibes! You—?!"

Recognizing the speaker immediately, Damian White’s face contorted in frustration as he turned around.

"Why is the Merchant King here?!"

"Weren’t we supposed to buy everything first? That was the agreement!"

The arrival of Altair Phibes caused the grand nobles of Bardenheim to scowl and glare at their mayor.

"I—I did give orders to block him!"

"Tsk!"

Damian protested in frustration, but the only response he received was the exasperated looks from his allies.

As if to say, "Typical Damian."

"Oh, were you all planning to enjoy the profits by yourselves again?"

Altair Phibes sneered at the gathered nobles and merchants.

"Damian, this is why you always fail. You’re always fumbling these half-baked schemes."

"Grrr…!"

"Instead of wasting time on cheap tricks, why don’t you improve your intelligence network? Looks to me like you had no idea that the Northern Sorcerer was coming."

"W-wait, you knew?!"

The source of this c𝓸ntent is frёeweɓηovel.coɱ.

"Obviously. That’s why I forced my way in~."

"…!!"

Damian gritted his teeth in humiliation.

But that was all he could do. This wasn’t the time for petty arguments.

There was no chance to punish the guards for disobeying his orders—

Not when an esteemed guest from afar had to be welcomed immediately.

"Your Excellency, how was your voyage?"

"It was quite pleasant. And please, Lord Gard, just call me Chairman."

By the time Damian had recovered himself, Ambassador Gard was already greeting Arad Jin Renslet.

"Lord Gard, embassy staff, have you all been well?"

"Very well, Your Excell—Ahem, Chairman. The southern regions are quite pleasant. Hard to believe it’s the dead of winter when the air is this mild."

"That’s probably just mild by Rensletian standards. Judging by how bundled up the locals are, they’d disagree."

"Indeed. But there’s no helping it. It’s common knowledge that Southerners are weak to the cold. Ah, and Sir Domi—ahem, Sir Dominic is here as well? And even your high knights!"

"I heard this city’s situation wasn’t exactly ideal, so I brought them along."

"A wise decision. That ensures we have no security concerns."

I have to step in!

"Hahahaha! Lord Gard! Might I ask—this young, brilliant gentleman here… would he be none other than Arad Jin Renslet, the Northern Sorcerer and National Envoy of Renslet?!"

Bardenheim, the Jewel of the South, Greets the Northern Sorcerer

Damian White forced a warm, genial smile as he hurried to insert himself into the conversation.

"My, my! The National Envoy of Renslet has arrived, and yet we weren’t informed at all? I must say, I feel quite hurt! Hahahaha!"

The grand nobles accompanying Damian mirrored his smile, their expressions just as practiced and diplomatic.

"Chairman Jin! A pleasure to meet you! I am Altair Phibes, a humble merchant!"

Phibes, the last to join the gathering, made sure his voice was the loudest, eager to draw attention to himself from Arad and the Rensletians.

His sharp ears had already caught the conversation between Arad and Gard, so he immediately addressed Arad as "Chairman" rather than the more formal "Your Excellency"—a calculated move to appear well-informed.

"What a shame. The fact that we weren’t even given prior notice of the Rensletian National Envoy’s arrival truly speaks to how unstable Bardenheim’s current political situation is. One has to wonder what exactly the mayor is doing… Tsk, tsk, tsk."

Of course, he didn’t forget to take a jab at both the city and its mayor while he was at it.

Meanwhile, at the massive piers, more Rensletian ships were steadily arriving.

"The ones coming in now aren’t ironclads?"

"They’re the same ships we saw last time."

"So, only someone of the National Envoy’s rank gets an ironclad, huh?"

Among the arriving fleet, only the first vessel had been armored in iron. The rest matched the ships from previous visits.

But even without metal plating, their immense size, elegant design, and majestic presence remained unchallenged.

Their wooden decks shimmered with magical runes, signifying powerful enchantments.

Towering above, massive golden-embroidered sails gleamed under the sun, etched with luminescent magic circles.

At the bow, the Rensletian flag—a white hawk on a blue field—flapped proudly.

At the stern, a black flag adorned with a golden carriage was raised high.

"Look at that! That’s Snowflower Wood!"

Throughout the docks, Renslet’s presence was unmistakable.

Snowflower Wood, one of Renslet’s national symbols, had been used for decorations.

"Ah! Isn’t that one of the main ingredients for Arad Salt?"

"It’s beautiful… I’ve only ever seen it in powdered form. Seeing the actual tree for the first time, it’s surreal. It really does bloom in winter."

"Even the docks are decorated like this… The Northern Sorcerer must truly be visiting the city himself."

"What kind of place is Renslet, really?"

Unlike their Imperial counterparts, the southern continentals harbored no ill will toward the Northerners or Renslet.

In fact, their feelings leaned overwhelmingly positive.

"If we maintain a strong relationship with Renslet, the Empire won’t be able to threaten us anymore."

"The Empire? It’s already finished. Cutting ties with Renslet backfired so spectacularly that it literally split in half! That’s why our city is in the middle of an assassination war right now."

"That doesn’t mean we can let our guard down. Even divided, the Empire’s population, industry, and resources make it a formidable threat."

The Empire itself had played a major role in shaping the continent’s positive perception of Renslet.

Even Solred the Advancer, the previous Emperor, had never dared to invade Renslet.

A land where people thrived between the harshest cold and the Demonic Realm.

A realm home to the feared Northern Witches, Druids, and Knights.

A wise lady ruler at the helm.

And a Northern Sorcerer who created extraordinary inventions daily.

A place of mystery, strength, and innovation.

"Wow… No matter how many times I see it, those subspace storage containers are amazing."

"They’re called containers, right? I’ve never heard that word before. Must be a Rensletian term."

The spectacle only intensified as crane-like machines lifted container after container from the ships to the docks.

Each container was not only imbued with subspace magic but also weight-reducing enchantments, making it possible to transport them with ordinary cranes.

As they were unloaded, a seemingly endless supply of Northern goods spilled out—

Far exceeding what their visible size should have allowed.

"Container 4 is empty! Move it to the west harbor for grain shipments!"

"Containers in the 50s are enchanted with freezing magic, so load them with perishable food!"

High above, Rensletian dockworkers meticulously organized the cargo flow.

"We’re hiring dock laborers! Daily wage is 5 Ren (50 Copper)! Payment is in banknotes!"

"Me! I’ll do it!"

"Pick me!"

The local dockworkers of Bardenheim, eager for extra earnings, jumped at the chance to assist with minor tasks.

"Gah! How does all that grain and fruit fit into a single ship?!"

"That’s enough food to sustain an entire marquisate for a year!"

Even as they reloaded the empty containers with new supplies, the sheer volume was staggering.

It was no coincidence that just seven of these ships had completely eradicated Renslet’s food shortage crisis.

"The one who invented these containers is also the Northern Sorcerer, right? Arad is truly a genius."

The citizens of Bardenheim unanimously praised Arad’s brilliance as they observed the subspace containers in action.

"Calling him a genius just for this seems a bit much. Subspace storage already existed before. It’s just never been used on such a massive scale."

"That’s exactly why he’s a genius! Look closely at those containers—their size and shape are perfectly uniform!"

"So what?"

"You idiot! He’s successfully standardized logistics! Do you realize how big of a deal that is?!"

Among them, a few keen-eyed observers focused not on magic, but on the revolutionary concept of logistics standardization.

"If something trends in Bardenheim, it spreads across the United Kingdom within a year. And to the Empire within a year and a half."

"Which means… Soon, the entire continent will be using these containers."

"Exactly. And for now, Renslet is the only place that can mass-produce them."

"……!"

They were in awe—not just of Arad’s magical prowess, but of his business acumen.

Thus, from Bardenheim, the wealth of the southern continent began to flow rapidly into Renslet.