Disciple of Immortal

Act 5: Chapter 24: Great Merchant's Past (Side: Philia)

「Soon, the kingdom knight will clash with the golem I secretly created in this commercial city of Polorock. Then, I'll use this opportunity to declare my independence from the kingdom… and rule this city as its tyrant.」

Greed spoke swiftly.

Philia’s eyes widened upon hearing his words.

「T-That’s a joke, right… Uncle? I mean, that’s im—」

「It’s possible. Research into enhanced soldiers and black magic has made leaps and bounds in the darkest corners of this city. Though I wanted to wait until the kingdom's economy fell under my control… it seems the kingdom knights are moving far earlier than I expected. The number of allies I have is nothing more than a paper tiger anyway. What’s most needed to conquer this kingdom is overwhelming individual power—quality over quantity. I reached this conclusion decades ago. My golem army will overwhelm the Hundred Demon Knights and even S-rank adventurers.」

Greed spoke as though it were a matter of fact.

「… No need to be on edge. I have no intention of harming you, little miss. But I advise you not to leave this place for the time being either. Right now, this mansion is the safest place amidst the chaos engulfing the entire city.」

「I can’t stay still. Philia has to go to Pomera and the others. Moreover… Philia won’t forgive Uncle if you do bad things too.」

「Doesn’t seem like a bluff… I suppose you managed to escape from 《Bloody Gold Coin》 for a reason. Good girl, you’ve got a strong sense of justice. Or is it just how you’re made?」

「It has nothing to do with this situation! Kanata and the others are important to Philia, and Philia is also important to them! We’re friends!」

「Brave girl. Don’t you think they’re just using you? Humans are creatures driven solely by greed, after all. Trust me, I know them better than you. There’s a reason the kingdom bans homunculi. Creating a distorted life form that acts only as a pet… ptooey.」

「… Homunculus this, homunculus that. Don’t call me that—I hate that name. Moreover, Philia isn’t made by Kanata and the others.」

「If you don’t want me to harm them, I can promise not to. But, little miss, I suggest you stop meeting Kanata and the others. Ordinary humans can’t understand homunculi.」

「They’re not like that… What do you know about them, Uncle?」

「I know them better than you. I’ve seen countless filthy sides of humanity in this city.」

At that moment, screams and explosions echoed from outside. Philia clenched her teeth as she looked out the window.

Just as Greed had said… The battle between the golems and the kingdom knights had begun.

「Be at ease. The current kingdom knights are small fry. The ones who manage to escape this city will report the matter… That report will erode trust in the kingdom and plunge the entire realm into chaos. The safety of Polorock's citizens is guaranteed as long as they don’t resist. Nevertheless… This time…」

「… Why are you doing this, Uncle? You have so much money, live in a palace, are envied by so many, and can eat delicious food whenever you want… Why are you still not satisfied? And you… seem lone—」

「You wouldn’t understand; you’re too pure, little miss. If everyone could be content with a simple life, there wouldn’t be disparities in wealth, competition for it, or any development. But… this is also my revenge against the world. Nothing can stop me as long as I’m alive. No matter what.」

「Philia will stay by Uncle’s side so that he won’t feel lonely. Isn’t that… enough?」

Greed’s eyes widened in shock at her remark before letting out a chuckle.

「You really are a pure girl. Would you like to hear the story of a certain man? As long as you stay here, my subordinates will lose their edge without me as their leader, the golems will lose control… and eventually be defeated, ending the riots.」

Philia simply stared at Greed’s face in silence.

Greed opened his mouth and began to narrate.

「That man… was born in a poor village. The village was plagued by famine, leaving his family to perish from starvation, conflict, or accidents. One day, the man met a traveler—a sage. After begging the sage to teach him daily, the sage finally imparted various knowledge to him. The man then left the village, as if running away. From that point on, he worked as a peddler in the most dangerous places avoided by others.」

「… Is this story about you, Uncle?」

Greed didn’t reply to her question.

「Despite the danger, the man amassed a fortune and knowledge. Among his knowledge was how to turn routes deemed perilous into safe paths. That knowledge saved his life more than once. Meanwhile, the people in his village did nothing to change their plight and continued starving. The man, however, kept gaining knowledge, pulling himself ahead of others… and changing his fate.」

Greed stood from his chair and began pacing the room.

「Perhaps the will to take that first step determined his success… or maybe it was his merciless, cruel nature toward others. The man kept climbing the ladder of success. Perhaps destiny was on his side. Eventually, he found himself in Polorock—a literal mountain of gold and a city of dreams no other merchant dared to touch. He turned it into a commercial hub. The man who achieved such historical success in one generation was eventually recognized by the kingdom as the city’s lord and given the moniker ‘Great Merchant.'」

Greed continued walking as he told the story. Philia listened in silence.

「But the man was never satisfied. His greed was bottomless. Without that greed driving him, he might have remained an average merchant. Instead, he set his sights on becoming the ruler of the kingdom. He secretly established the Dark Ward, labeling it an unlawful area as a cover. There, he amassed materials and wealth for weapons to fuel his rebellion. Beyond simple weapons, he delved into forbidden black magic, created golems outlawed by law, and even researched chimeras—creatures fused from various monster parts…」

He stopped in front of a painting and turned to face Philia with a self-deprecating smile.

「… And homunculi. But in the end, the man’s greatest regret was his research into homunculi.」

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