Chapter 101: A Scheme Within a Scheme
The applause had barely faded when a man stepped out from behind the stage.
He had high cheekbones, deep set eyes, and the kind of face that looked refined at first glance, only to reveal calculation and greed the longer one stared. His hair was combed neatly, his clothes were immaculate, and every step he took was measured, elegant, and full of the self assurance of a man used to standing above others.
He walked straight toward Toba.
Toba was not surprised in the slightest.
From the moment the applause rang out, to the moment the man revealed himself, Toba's expression did not change at all. It was as calm as still water.
Because this, too, was within his expectations.
As the man came closer, Toba inclined his head politely.
"Lord Dominic. It is a great honor to have a noble such as yourself attend our humble gathering."
Dominic's face darkened at once.
"Oh?" he said, voice dripping with false amusement. "From where I was standing, it sounded very much like I overheard a discussion that was rather unfavorable to us."
If it had been any ordinary merchant standing there, being accused like that by a noble would have been enough to make him panic. Most would have stammered, denied everything, and lost their footing on the spot.
But Toba was no ordinary merchant.
He remained steady and answered without hesitation.
"There is nothing unfavorable about it. If my plan succeeds, Maturu Island continues to exist, and the Sandersfort Kingdom continues to receive its taxes in full. If it fails, then only we merchants will suffer the consequences."
Dominic obviously did not believe a word of it.
Still, he smiled.
"Then perhaps I misunderstood."
Toba bowed his head a fraction lower.
"No, no. It was merely a slip of the tongue on my part."
Dominic's smile widened.
"Toba, your words are still as pleasing to the ear as ever."
"You praise me too highly, Lord Dominic."
Their exchange looked cordial on the surface, but anyone sharp enough could tell there was steel hidden beneath every sentence.
Toba was deliberately lowering himself.
He was putting on the face of a respectful merchant before a noble, not because he feared losing face, but because face was the cheapest thing in the room. A little humility cost him nothing. If it could prevent an immediate clash, why would he refuse? He was already old. Pride was something for hot blooded youngsters to gamble with. Men like him gambled with things that mattered.
Unfortunately, Dominic took Toba's restraint as weakness.
The greed in his eyes only deepened.
"Toba," Dominic said, clasping his hands behind his back, "your proposal is indeed very interesting. In fact, for a moment, I was almost persuaded."
He paused, then smiled.
"However, why should wealth remain in your hands, when it could just as easily be placed in mine? With your money, I could gain the favor of the royal family. So why not make things easier for all of us and sacrifice a little for my sake?"
The merchants below the stage froze.
A few had not fully grasped Dominic's meaning at first, but the moment those words landed, their faces changed.
Toba's expression remained unchanged.
"What exactly do you mean, Lord Dominic?"
Dominic let out a short laugh.
"You're a clever man, Toba. Don't tell me you truly fail to understand."
Then he lifted a hand.
At that signal, soldiers in uniform poured out from every side of the hall.
They wore the insignia of the Sandersfort Kingdom. Muskets, sabers, and polished armor glinted under the hall's brilliant lights. They moved with discipline and speed, taking positions around the venue and instantly hemming everyone in.
For a heartbeat, the entire hall was stunned.
Then chaos erupted.
"The kingdom's soldiers?!"
"What is the meaning of this?!"
"You damned noble!"
Some screamed in anger. Others screamed in fear. A great many did both.
And then the first cry for mercy rang out.
"I don't want to die! Take my money! I surrender everything!"
That one voice broke the dam.
The room that had just been full of businessmen now looked more like a flock of headless chickens. Fine manners vanished. Elegant masks shattered. Nobles, merchants, and rich men who moments ago had discussed strategy now bent their backs and pleaded for their lives.
Dominic looked down at them and almost laughed.
There was contempt in his eyes, but also satisfaction.
Toba, meanwhile, swept his gaze across the crowd and sighed inwardly.
So weak.
He had always known the people gathered here were a loose collection of profit seekers, but even he had not expected them to collapse this quickly. Not a shred of backbone. Not even the pretense of one.
Still, not everyone was in disorder.
Near the main entrance, one group had not moved at all.
Axel and the others.
Kenneth's legs were shaking so badly he looked ready to collapse.
"Skinny," he whispered hoarsely, "I think I got you killed. I really got you killed. My legs are gone. They won't move. Quick, drag me over there so I can kneel properly!"
Yves was not doing much better. Sweat rolled down his face, and his lips had lost all color.
"I can't move either," he hissed. "Why are there so many guns? Why are there always guns when things go bad? If I'd known it would end like this, I'd never have run all the way here!"
Kenneth looked miserable.
"I regret it! I regret everything! I'm still a virgin!"
Yves turned and stared at him.
For a second, even his fear was interrupted.
Back on the stage, Dominic slowly spread his hands.
"There is no need to panic," he said, sounding almost benevolent. "So long as everyone hands over their assets honestly, I have no intention of making things uglier than necessary."
Toba suddenly smiled.
A real smile this time.
"Lord Dominic," he said softly, "did you truly think I would come to this gathering without any precautions at all?"
Dominic's expression shifted.
Before he could react, Toba raised a hand and made a simple gesture.
The next instant, another group surged into the hall.
But these were not soldiers.
Their clothes were sloppy. Their faces were fierce. Their eyes were sharp with the violence of men who lived by steel and blood rather than law. Compared with the kingdom's troops, they looked like a pack of wolves thrown into a sheepfold.
Pirates.
Or men so close to being pirates that the distinction hardly mattered.
Dominic's face finally changed for real.
"You old bastard!"
Toba's smile did not waver.
"Lord Dominic," he said mildly, emphasizing the title, "please watch your manners. It makes it rather difficult for me to associate you with nobility."
Dominic's composure cracked.
"Attack!" he roared.
But Toba had been waiting for that exact moment.
Before Dominic's own soldiers could fully react, Toba shouted the same command first. His hired men moved faster than the kingdom's troops. Steel flashed. Gunfire boomed. Several of Dominic's guards dropped before they could even bring their weapons to bear.
The hall descended into even greater chaos.
Dominic stumbled back, face pale.
"Toba! You... you...!"
"What?" Toba asked evenly. "You came here intending to rob us clean. You drew your sword first. If so, surely you were also prepared to pay the price."
Dominic no longer cared about dignity.
He was afraid now. Truly afraid.
"You can't do this!" he barked. "If you kill me, this becomes treason! The World Government will issue warrants! You will all die!"
Toba's expression cooled.
"That was already true the moment you brought soldiers into my gathering."
Dominic's mouth twitched.
Then, in desperation, he changed tactics at once.
"Spare me! We can still negotiate! Didn't you want the royal family to reverse that policy? I can help. I can gather the other nobles. I can persuade them to oppose it!"
Toba looked at him like he was looking at a rotten piece of fruit.
"Too late."
He knew exactly what kind of man Dominic was. If he let him live today, Dominic would only retreat for a moment, then return later with a deeper grudge and a sharper knife. Men like that were never satisfied, and never forgiving.
Toba then turned toward the crowd below the stage.
"You all heard him," he said. "He came here intending to strip us bare. If you wish to live, then do something useful for once."
His gaze swept over the trembling merchants.
"Kill him."
Those two words froze the hall again.
Toba understood this group better than anyone. They were cowards. Opportunists. Fence sitters. If he wanted them bound to him, then he needed to make sure they crossed a line from which they could not retreat.
Blood on their hands would do nicely.
When no one moved, Toba narrowed his eyes and signaled subtly to one of his own people hidden among the guests.
A man stepped out of the crowd and began walking toward the stage.
At the same time, from the main entrance, another rough looking figure sauntered in and shouted from a distance, "Toba! When exactly are you planning to pay what you promised?"
He swaggered over with a knife in one hand, all show and bluster.
Then, as if trying to make himself look important, he planted the blade against Issho's shoulder, angling it toward the blind swordsman's neck. With his other hand, he pressed down on Axel's head, grinning wildly at the room like he'd just seized the most valuable hostages in the world.
Axel went still for a beat.
Then he almost laughed.
Scheme within a scheme.
And now, apparently, idiocy within a scheme too.
…..
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