The Duchess was talking with Onsel, ensuring everything was fine. The ship was set to depart soon. Alex asked the crew and Onsel if he could take a ship to his home first. While he left and boarded a ship to his home, the original ship he would have taken was seized by pirates. When Secretary Lu and Dr. Sin got the news, they all breathed a sigh of relief. Alex didn’t get any news about what was happening outside; he only knew that he would be going to the military planet to ensure his safety.

On the other side, the Duke and his group landed on a planet called Echore. "Second in command, we notice some miners and mining stations up ahead," a scout reported. As the second in command heard it, he went inside the Duke's tent.

The Duke looked at him and said, "Any news, Osfeld?"

Osfeld looked at him and said, "We found mining stations, but we should first scout it. It might be enemy territory."

The Duke locked eyes with him and answered, "It doesn’t matter. Our wounded need help. A life is more important than the future right now. Let's pretend to be traveling mercenaries with a malfunctioning ship. Don’t let them know where our ship is, though."

With this plan, the Duke hoped to ensure their safety while assessing the situation on the new planet. They needed to prioritize their survival while keeping their true identities and intentions hidden.

With this plan, the Duke hoped to ensure their safety while assessing the situation on the new planet. They needed to prioritize their survival while keeping their true identities and intentions hidden. As he laid out the strategy, half of them stayed behind, trying to repair the ship, while the wounded and some soldiers went to the mining camp. One of them was Osfeld.

At first, the miners felt distressed upon seeing the newcomers, but then they decided to help the wounded. While everything was going on, Osfeld and some scouts looked around to figure out who these miners were.

A little while later, a man dressed in riches came out and scoffed, "Why are you helping mercenaries? That will be deducted from your pay, peasants. Don’t forget I own you."

His disdainful attitude sparked anger among the miners, but they continued to tend to the wounded, caught between fear and duty. Osfeld watched the exchange carefully, noting the power dynamics and understanding the challenges these miners faced under such oppressive control.

Osfeld watched the exchange carefully, noting the power dynamics and understanding the challenges these miners faced under such oppressive control. He approached a miner and asked, "May I know who that man is?" The miners looked at each other and replied, "That is Sir Frederick. He and his men keep our village safe in exchange for us mining non-stop for them."

Osfeld looked at them and said in a low voice, "So the planet and people don’t belong to him?"

The miners reluctantly said, "Yes. It all started one year ago when we suddenly had an increase in monsters. Some new species we didn’t know how to kill made their way toward our village. Normally, the animals are not hostile toward us, but these were different. What can we do? The only one stopping them is Sir Frederick. They somehow listen to him, so we now work for him. What he pays us is what we need to get food or stay in the village. If we don’t pay, we get thrown out of the village. Not being under his protection leads to death."

Osfeld felt uneasy and asked, "But would those beasts attack you on the way to the mines or in the caves?"

The miner nodded, "Yes, they attack anywhere outside the village. It's why we have to mine constantly; we don't have much time or safety outside."

Osfeld considered the information, realizing the miners were trapped in a difficult situation. Understanding the danger and the possible manipulation at play, he knew they had to tread carefully with Frederick while finding a way to assist the miners and gather more intel on the mysterious creatures.

With that information, Osfeld sent a message to the Duke. The people on the ship prepared for attacks and were ready for anything.

Osfeld then approached Frederick. "Excuse me, sir, what would my stay and my mercenary group cost?"

Frederick laughed, "Finally, someone with respect. That’ll be 1.000 gold a night for the whole group of 100 people. So each man needs to pay 10 gold each night, correct?"

Frederick answered, laughing evilly, "But the medicine will cost you 30 gold each, so now you guys need to pay about 2.560 gold, after all, you have 52 injured."

Osfeld ground his teeth and handed over 25.600 gold, saying, "This is enough for ten days, right?"

Frederick grinned, grinding his teeth. If he had known the mercenaries were rich, he would have asked for more. Meanwhile, Osfeld went back to the miners to help, and they looked at him with wide eyes.

"Normally, we pay 5 gold for a night," one miner said. "He’s causing extra problems for you. Plus, the medicine is from the ores we have plenty of. It shouldn’t be worth 30 gold."

Osfeld nodded, realizing the extent of Frederick’s exploitation. This confirmed Frederick's greed and deceit. It was evident he was taking advantage of the miners and anyone passing through. Osfeld knew they needed a plan to deal with Frederick’s manipulation and protect themselves and the miners in the long term.