I Resign From the Coin Mercenary Knights

The Imperial City, Codana Exchange.

The stout, round-faced Bingo entered the exchange building.

His attire alone made him seem out of place frequenting the Codana exchange – most investors were nobles, after all.

Indeed, the moment Bingo set foot inside, whispers arose from all directions, though not out of suspicion at a shabby commoner’s presence.

“That short, plump fellow… What was his name? The agent who handles real estate for Eric, right?”
“Not an agent, he’s an investor too. Heard he’s holding around nine units.”
“Nine? Heh, a bold one. Where did he even get the funds to purchase them? Did he take out a life mortgage loan or something?”
“He must have gotten in early.”

Bingo was reminded once again of how well-informed Codana investors could be.

‘They immediately recognize even me thanks to Eric?’

Eric had been rather renowned within the Imperial City for some time – one of the top experts among the Imperial Knights’ rank-and-file members, and a former hero party candidate to boot. More relevantly, he had been a massive Codana whale holding 108 units.

In contrast, Bingo was a mere commoner without any notable background.

Not all commoners lived in abject poverty, but Bingo was truly from the dregs, the son of a low-wage laborer.

He had not even received affection from those impoverished parents, as evidenced by the name “Bingo” itself.

Having taught himself literacy while being denied proper meals, working odd jobs to attend a public school, passing a simple exam to join the Imperial Knights as a lowly administrative clerk – there was no menial task he had not undertaken, from delivering the deputy commander’s desserts to managing rations.

Codanas represented his first true opportunity in life.

‘Perhaps my last chance as well.’

Bingo gazed wistfully at the nine Codana units clutched in his hand.

After repaying the loan taken out for his initial purchase and associated fees, around 3.3 billion rir would be deposited into his account.

‘I had hoped to sell them at a slightly better price…’

But it seemed further delay was impossible, urged on by Eric’s forceful advice.

In truth, Eric had not explained the reason for the urgent disposal timing, only mentioning his audience with the hero at the Imperial Palace.

For Bingo, however, that alone was sufficient cause.

It wasn’t that he blindly trusted everything Eric said, but rather, the hero’s secretive return to the palace carried certain implications. A being who could boast of subjugating entire orc tribes with each achievement.

‘Right, time to sell.’

Bingo resolutely decided to list his Codanas on the market.

“I wish to place a sell order at current market rates.”

“Please sign the non-rescindable contract…”

“I shall do so, provide it to me.”

With everyone tentatively assessing the situation, both buying and selling momentum had weakened.

But there seemed sufficient liquidity to absorb his nine-unit offering.

Some might be surprised at a commoner selling such a volume, but Bingo judged it unlikely to significantly impact prices.

However, events unfolded contrary to his expectations.

Despite Bingo’s supply hitting the market, there was no mad scramble to claim it. Everyone simply continued observing warily.

“Tsk. First Eric, now his associate is dumping their holdings too? Come to think of it, there have been rumors of unexpectedly tough resistance in Lancart.”
“With the goblinoids and lizardmen joining forces? That’s hardly surprising.”
“Originally, when a Demon Lord – especially the Humanoid Lord – is slain, their forces were supposed to scatter…”
“Ehey, but the situation is different now, isn’t it? The Demon King will be defeated soon anyway, after which we’ll be free to systematically exterminate the humanoid races we can see. They must be lashing out in desperation, realizing that. To us, they’re all just beasts in the end.”
“I suppose so…”

The very exchange that had effortlessly absorbed Eric’s massive whale holdings was now expressing reservations.

Many of the noblemen loitering inside had folded their arms, content to merely observe. Some even subtly pressured the exchange staff, as if questioning why prices weren’t being adjusted when there were no buyers.

‘This is rather odd.’

Bingo furrowed his brow from a distance, unable to shake a sense of unease despite his lack of impatience.

Fortunately, no further sell orders followed his own.

One of the cautiously observing individuals seemed to muster his courage, rising to his feet – a lateral member of the Imperial family, around sixth in line to the throne.

“Well, I suppose it’s time to get in on this.”

“Oh, you’re purchasing?”

The lateral prince boldly acquired 10 Codanas, including the entirety of Bingo’s offered volume, with just an hour remaining until market close.

It was a moment that reaffirmed Bingo’s gratitude towards the Imperial household. He should have conveyed his utmost respect then and there, but –

Bingo lacked such leisure.

The unease stemmed from the earlier nobles’ murmurings.

‘If not for that nobleman…’

He might have been forced to sell as low as 37 or even 36 million.

It could have been nothing significant – merely human nature to hope for a 1-2 million rir adjustment from the 38 million price level.

But for some reason, perhaps due to Eric’s prior words, the situation felt like an ominous portent.

Fortunately, Bingo’s concerns were short-lived, as the payment was promptly processed.

Over 3.3 billion rir after deductions – a staggering sum that would take centuries of frugally saving his administrative clerk’s salary to amass. No need to dwell on vague apprehensions when the funds were now a reality.

And even if some true crisis did arise, it would be unrelated to Bingo. He had already successfully realized his gains.

While he would continue monitoring market movements, he intended to distance himself from active trading going forward, if only by force of will.

‘Time to figure out how to spend this money.’

After depositing the payment at the Imperial Bank near the exchange, Bingo strode off with a lighthearted gait, contemplating relocating to Eric’s affluent third district as soon as suitable property became available. He planned to acquire a house with grounds and decorate it lavishly, naturally with hired servants as well.

There would be no difficulties. He was now a wealthy man.

After the exchange’s closing bell, within the Imperial Palace.

“Haah. That useless bastard Eric.”

The hero grumbled a stream of curses, venting his vexation.

Admittedly, the hero had misspoken.

It seemed Eric, having been expelled from the Imperial Knights, had suffered a wounded pride. So it was hardly surprising that he had reacted testily when the hero had insensitively brought up hush money and the like before such a person.

“But to reject a money-making opportunity over that? There are limits to foolishness.”

“Hero. To be precise, you weren’t offering him a money-making opportunity – you were trying to shove him into a pit. Mind your words.”

The Second Prince’s curt rebuke drew a reluctant nod of acquiescence from the hero.

“…In any case, my apologies, Your Highness.”

Though clearly reluctant, the hero lowered his head towards the Second Prince.

His original plan had been to gently reel in the Church Empire’s leadership and Eric, saddling them with the Second Prince’s Codana holdings – 150 units to the former, 70 to the latter. But Eric’s defection had derailed that scheme.

‘Perhaps the Church Empire would have refused as well.’

Of course, they weren’t the only potential dupes in the world, but time was now perilously short to find alternatives.

If the Church Empire had also declined, he would have been forced to flood the Codana exchange itself in desperation. But given how some astute nobles had already grown suspicious due to the situation unfolding in Lancart, that path hardly seemed smooth either.

“Your Highness? If it’s not too much trouble, could you perhaps spread a rumor that I’ll be departing for a victory campaign soon?”

The hero proffered a concession in his mind, resigning himself to some losses.

But for some reason:

“No, there’s no need for that.”

The Second Prince shook his head without any apparent displeasure. In response, the hero cocked his head quizzically, unable to believe the same man who had just been berating him could now act so magnanimously.

“Your Highness? What’s this about?”

“Unlike Eric, the Church Empire acquiesced. They took 150 units… Of course, I had to offer a steep discount – just 31 million each. But in exchange, I secured ‘the Holy Grail’ and other sacred relics His Majesty has long coveted.”

The Church Empire had already shouldered the burden, with the payment fully processed through the Imperial Bank no less. It was the largest off-market Codana transaction in history.

“I suppose that’s a relief.”

“They not-so-subtly threatened to withdraw some of the holy knights still accompanying you unless I offered a discount. I feigned haggling for a while before accepting.”

Only after the Second Prince’s explanation did the hero finally heave a sigh of relief.

He hadn’t expected the Church Empire to part with sacred relics predating the Empire’s very founding. And the detail about leveraging the long-dead holy knights’ withdrawal as a bargaining chip didn’t even elicit a chuckle – it had simply allowed the Second Prince to extricate himself.

“So you’ve more or less recouped your investment capital. What of the remaining holdings?”

“I’ll have to offload them on the market tomorrow. No other choice.”

“Haah. We’ll have to endure until then.”

The hero and Second Prince exchanged glances, both betraying a certain distaste – not merely from failing to achieve a perfect escape, but an indescribable unease weighing heavily upon them.

…That evening, the Imperial Court Administration tasked with assisting the Emperor’s rule received an unsettling report from Lancart.

In the midst of the Imperial Knights’ and Black Iron Knights’ offensive to annihilate the humanoid forces, a lizardman covered in grievous wounds had appeared, singlehandedly breaching the encirclement to open an escape route for his kin before withdrawing.

The humanoids had immediately fled en masse, resulting in a technical victory despite heavy losses. The operation itself had been a success.

Yet there were no smiles upon receiving this report.

For there was only one lizardman in existence capable of such feats – the Humanoid Lord, whom the hero had previously reported defeating, and supposedly none other. Unless he was an undead, which seemed unlikely, there was but one possibility:

The Humanoid Lord’s survival, and the hero’s false report.

It did not take long for this news to spread across the Empire.