33: Chapter 33 The Dagger of Cost and the Blank Space on the Map

This feeling is actually not bad.

An absolutely rational and calculating subordinate is far more valuable than a hundred brutes who only know how to shout about loyalty.

For such an employee, as long as the rules are clear and the compensation is sufficient, they can unleash the most terrifying execution.

Levi reined in his smile, but the appreciation in his eyes did not fade.

He did not immediately reach into the purse to take out the thirty-seven gold coins; instead, he turned around and jerked his chin at the orc guard standing watch not far below the balcony.

"Go and bring that precision scale and the full set of weights from the castle warehouse to my study. Yes, the one the dwarven craftsmen use to calibrate enchanting materials. Also, bring the original financing agreement and all the accounting ledgers."

The guard looked at the lord in confusion, then at the expressionless succubus lady beside him, not understanding what needed to be weighed in the middle of the night.

But he still gave a low growl and went to carry out the order.

Behind Evelyn's crystal lenses, a hint of imperceptible confusion flashed in her purple eyes, but she asked nothing and merely stood quietly in place, holding the commission list and the purse side by side in her hand, as if they were two pieces of evidence waiting to be examined.

A moment later, the study on the top floor of the castle was brightly lit.

The brass scale, meticulously crafted by a dwarven master, was placed steadily in the center of the long table, its trays as smooth as mirrors, reflecting the faces of those nearby.

Beside it, a full set of mithril weights, ranging from the size of a fingernail to the size of a fist, shimmered with a soft luster under the magic lamps.

All the financing agreements, ledgers, and even the sealing wax used during today's signing were laid out one by one, like an extremely serious audit scene.

Princess Ella Radiance was also disturbed by this commotion and stood at the doorway in her silk nightgown, watching curiously.

Levi paid no attention to the others. He walked to the table, personally untied the purse containing 1,284 gold coins, and poured the golden coins into a wooden tray with a clatter, producing a crisp and pleasant clinking sound.

He picked up a gold coin, weighed it on his fingertips, and then made a "please" gesture to Evelyn.

"Miss Evelyn, in front of everyone here, please repeat your commission calculation method, as well as the specific regulations regarding sales commission in the supplementary clauses of the 'Chief Operating Officer Employment Agreement'."

His voice was not loud, but it carried an unquestionable seriousness.

This was no longer just a simple matter of paying the difference.

Levi was elevating this matter from a private salary dispute into a public institutional lecture with the nature of a precedent.

Evelyn immediately understood Levi's intention.

Her professional training allowed her to instantly enter the zone, without the slightest bit of awkwardness or timidity.

She walked to the table, picked up the agreement, and began to read in a clear, emotionless tone:

"According to Article 3, Clause 2 of the agreement, the Chief Operating Officer's sales commission is based on the final total amount actually received from the financing project they lead, with a commission rate of 0.5%."

She put down the agreement and picked up her calculation list: "For this financing, agreements were signed with forty-seven nobles and two merchant representatives, with a total agreement amount of 300,000 gold coins. Of this, the deposit paid on-site was 278,400 gold coins. After deducting the 5% discount given to the first batch of signatories, such as Captain Barton, the actual amount received was 264,200 gold coins."

As she spoke, Levi personally operated the scale, randomly picking gold coins to weigh, and had the scribe check the figures in the ledger on the side.

The scale's pointer swayed slightly in the center, verifying the accuracy of the accounts every time.

"Using 264,200 gold coins as the base, multiplied by 0.5%, the total commission is 1,321 gold coins. Deducting the 1,284 coins you have already paid, the difference is 37 gold coins. Calculation complete." Evelyn's voice echoed in the quiet study, every number clear and correct.

The room fell into a brief silence. All eyes were focused on Levi.

Levi put down the gold coin in his hand and let out a long breath, facing the mountain of ledgers and the perfectly accurate scale.

He turned around, faced Evelyn, and bowed slightly—a standard noble apology, solemn and sincere.

"Miss Evelyn, I solemnly apologize for my negligence and miscalculation. Your professionalism and rigor are the most precious wealth of Blackstone Territory."

After speaking, he straightened up, carefully counted out thirty-seven gold coins from his own purse, and placed them on one of the scale's trays.

Then, he counted out another four gold coins and placed them beside it.

"This is the difference." He pointed to the thirty-seven gold coins.

Then, he pointed to the additional four gold coins, his voice suddenly rising to ensure everyone present could hear clearly.

"And this is the penalty!"

"I hereby announce that, using this as a precedent, I am immediately enacting and enforcing Article 1 of the 'Blackstone Territory Performance Compensation Distribution and Accounting Regulations': Any employee of Blackstone Territory who has a disagreement regarding their compensation amount has the right to bring their employment agreement and evidence to apply for a public review by the Lord himself or the Finance Department. If the review proves the employee's calculation is correct, the Lord or the Finance Department must, in addition to paying the difference, pay an additional 10% of that difference as a penalty for the error!"

Princess Ella's eyes widened sharply; she couldn't believe what she had just heard.

A lord, actually setting a penalty clause for himself because he miscalculated the accounts?

This was simply unheard of!

Evelyn took the forty-one gold coins, feeling the heavy weight in her palm, but her face still showed no joy.

To her, this was merely the inevitable result of enforcing the rules.

The satisfaction brought by the gold coins was far less real than the sense of urgency brought to her by another document.

She put the gold coins away meticulously, and then, almost seamlessly, pulled another document marked with several striking numbers in red ink from her leather briefcase.

"My Lord, since we are on the topic of finance, I must submit this report to you." She handed the document to Levi. "The 'Blackstone Territory First Quarter Financial Expenditure Warning Report'."

The smile had not yet fully faded from Levi's face when it stiffened slightly at the word "Warning" on the cover.

He took the report and began to flip through it quickly.

Evelyn's voice, like a cold carving knife, precisely dissected the fatal hidden dangers beneath the appearance of prosperity: "Although the financing was successful and solved our production capacity expansion issues for the next stage, our cost structure is deteriorating rapidly. According to financial model analysis, the logistics costs for raw material procurement and finished product transportation have soared from 28% a month ago to 60% of our total costs today! And it is continuing to rise at a rate of 0.5% per day."

She pushed up her glasses; the lenses reflected the light, appearing somewhat cold.

"This means that for every gold coin we raised, more than half is being spent on 'walking'. If we don't solve this problem immediately, according to my calculations, by the middle of the second quarter at the latest, our financial report will show a deficit. At that time, let alone expansion, everyone's salary, including your income as the Lord, will shrink significantly."

The air in the study seemed to freeze instantly.

The excitement from enacting the new decree vanished, replaced by a cold and heavy pressure.

Late at night.

At the map table in the castle study, only three people remained.

Levi, Evelyn, and Princess Ella, who looked grave and had been forced to stay and listen.

Spread out on the table was a crude map of Blackstone Territory and the surrounding areas, drawn on animal hide.

On it, mineral veins, forests, and verified trade routes were marked with different colored ores.

Evelyn's finger pointed to a thin red line on the map representing a trade route.

This red line wound its way, eventually merging into a narrow pass drawn as a blood-red skull.

"All land transportation to the outside world, whether going east to the Royal Capital or south to the Commercial Province, cannot bypass this place—the Blood-Throat Pass." Evelyn's voice was as calm as if she were stating a mathematical axiom. "The controller of the pass, Baron Todd, united with three small surrounding lords a week ago and, under the guise of 'maintaining roads and clearing out bandits,' increased our caravan's transit tariffs by a full three times."

"Three times?" Ella exclaimed. Although she had heard of these sordid affairs between territories, such blatant extortion still made her feel angry. "This is open blackmail! Baron Todd's actions have violated the Imperial Noble Act! Levi, you can file a complaint with the College of Heraldry in the Royal Capital. I can testify for you in the name of the Radiant family; the Royal Family will definitely issue a ruling!"

Levi did not speak, only tapped his fingers lightly on the map, his gaze crossing that blood-red pass and casting toward the large expanse of white space beyond the pass, representing unexplored territory.

He finally spoke, his voice low and steady, yet carrying an unquestionable decisiveness: "Ella, file a complaint with the Royal Capital? How long would the College of Heraldry's ruling process take? Three months? Half a year? Or are we waiting for Baron Todd to earn enough money and have a change of heart to lower prices? Our transport teams are bleeding at the pass every day, and every cart of goods is burning gold coins. Why should we entrust our fate to someone else's efficiency and so-called charity?"

His words were like a basin of cold water, extinguishing Princess Ella's innocence and anger.

She opened her mouth, but found herself unable to refute.

Yes, water from afar cannot quench immediate thirst.

By the time the Royal Capital's ruling came down, Blackstone Territory's capital chain might have already broken.

Levi's finger suddenly moved from the location of Blackstone Territory on the map, passing through that vast blank area, and drew directly toward the mark on the edge of the map representing the commercial provincial capital, "Golden Olive City".

It was a nearly straight black line, forcefully imprinted onto the rough animal hide, like a sharp blade cleaving through chaos.

"There has never been only one road."

He raised his head, looking at Evelyn with burning eyes, and issued an order that sounded nearly insane.

"Evelyn, I don't care what method you use—through your channels, or by going to the black market, the slave markets, or anywhere you can find people. Go and find me someone who can fill in this blank space."

His voice was very low, yet full of power.

"Someone who can use their own two feet and a broken ruler to draw a new road in this no-man's-land. A madman who can tell us how high the mountains are, how wide the rivers are, where the swamps are, and where the cliffs are."

A glimmer of near-paranoia flashed in Levi's eyes.

"Even if he is a heretic being hunted all over the world by the Church, as long as he can draw this road for me, I dare to use him."