“Because,” said Reynevan, carelessly interrupting in mid-sentence, “Sigismund Korybut or Wołoszek might assert their rights to that building. The Poles who are about to enter Silesia might stake a claim. For, I believe, the building is on lands that have been divided up in advance and already allotted to somebody.”

The clerk’s gaze was steady this time, too. He didn’t respond, but merely smiled.

“It’s clear as the day to me,” said Scharley. “One fire more, one less. What is this about?”

“About a lead glance mine. Also known as galena, it’s an ore used for smelting lead. The mine is called Bleiberg and is in the southern suburb of Bytom.”

“You suspected correctly,” said the penitent, glancing at Reynevan. “Konrad the White’s property. Which Wołoszek is making a claim for. And which he would no doubt prefer to seize with other working mines.”

“The mine in Bleiberg is not being worked,” said the Fuggers official, adjusting the cuffs of his doublet. “Galena is not being extracted from it at present, owing to groundwater having flooded the galleries. At this moment, expert miners specially brought over from Flanders are working on removing the water from the shafts. You will drive them out, burn the winding gear and destroy the pumping equipment—”

“And the water will then flood the mine irreversibly. And it will be permanently unworkable. Is that everything?”

“No,” said the clerk. “There is another target. The village of Rudki on the Kłodnica. There is an officina ferraria on its western border. An iron furnace, smithy and lime kiln. You are to burn it all down. To the ground.”

“To get to the places you mention,” Scharley observed, “we would have to stage a raid deep into enemy territory, passing through their positions and patrols. That’s risky. Extremely risky.”

“That has been calculated into the lucrum on offer. And proportionally, I believe.”

“We’ll be the judge of that. When you state the sum.”

“The sum is not the thing.”

“Ah. What is, then?”

“The lucrum I refer to is being transported in a black wagon. Which may even be the same one as previously.”

“Once again, please.”