Before dawn, my soldiers and I scoured every corner of the Mallorca territory, sweeping away the criminal organizations. Although the thief Prua was quick to react and attempted to flee, he was an exception; the rest did not anticipate my swift actions and were caught by surprise in their hideouts. Unstoppably, we stormed these dens, capturing the leaders of the criminal organizations as per the information obtained beforehand. We showed no mercy to anyone who dared resist. Establishing order and completely eradicating crime required strict law enforcement over lenient benevolence, which proved much more effective.
Thus, overnight, a great upheaval took place in the Mallorca territory. There were so many criminals that our existing jails overflowed; we had to convert stables and barns into makeshift prisons. Compared to the Kribia territory, the number of captured criminals was staggering, and I was taken aback by just how poorly managed it had been under the previous lord, Horgus.
“Serves you right, you scoundrels!”
“You thought you could rule forever? Accept your fate, you wretches!”
“Long live the new lord! Hooray!”
By morning, the villagers showered me with praise as we escorted the captured criminals to prison.
[The villagers are deeply moved by the large-scale sweep of criminal organizations!]
[Villager loyalty increased by 13!]
[Villagers no longer believe the malicious rumors about Lord Jared.]
A string of gratifying messages followed. Clearing out the crime that the former lord had neglected to address brought joy to the villagers, who were clearly overjoyed.
“Lord, you are truly magnificent! Today, you embody the aura of an emperor! Your decisions were sharp, and your execution swift!”
Rakys wiped the sweat from his brow, expressing his fiery emotions to me.
Emperor.
Why did that word resonate so strongly? Though I only had one territory in hand, along with two smaller ones, these could not compare to a middle-sized fief. The path forward was still long. Yet, hearing the word 'emperor' alone had an invigorating power.
“Thank you. From today, I will increase the forces maintaining order in Mallorca. Ensure that order remains intact for now. I’ll leave the Kribia territory’s peacekeeping to the constable.”
“Yes, my lord. I'll pacify the people of Mallorca and do my utmost to restore order!”
It was at that moment a message appeared for me.
[Rakys' loyalty has increased significantly! Loyalty increased by 50! With loyalty reaching 200, he enters 'First Awakening'!]
‘Oh, finally? Is he to be the first among my vassals to enter the First Awakening?’
My serious and heavy expression brightened instantly. The First Awakening was a system where a vassal who reached the peak of his strength undergoes inner change and growth upon attaining 200 loyalty. Levels would rise substantially, and stats would simultaneously increase. Although Rakys had surpassed the age typical for physical growth, he had mentally surpassed his limits.
‘If Rakys grows further, managing the territory will be much smoother. He’s my loyal right-hand man.’
This pleasant change brought me joy. Noticing something peculiar about his mental state, Rakys bowed to me.
“Vassal Rakys will burn everything for your sake, Lord, sparing no loyalty!”
“Thank you. Because of you, we were victorious in this war.”
I sincerely embraced Rakys. It was affection from lord to vassal. Ever since I awoke in this life, Rakys had shown me unwavering loyalty. I had hoped he’d become a more versatile vassal, especially since he was only at the level of a C-grade warrior before. But having embarked on his First Awakening, he’d reach at least C+ and perhaps even B-. His usefulness would significantly increase; I’d be able to utilize my cherished vassal even more.
“I'll return to the mansion and take stock of the territory's condition. Until I give different orders, focus on eradicating any remaining criminal elements and maintaining the territory’s peace.”
“Yes, my lord. Leave it to me.”
Thus, the plan of action was set. The time had come for the vassals to stabilize and normalize the territory. I headed back to the mansion to inspect the state of this territory, which was a chaotic mess from top to bottom.
Without Hayes around today, I'd have to diligently sift through the documents alone.
“I suddenly miss Hayes.”
With the absence of someone who had always been by my side, I inadvertently murmured my true feelings.
Some time later, I prepared my own meal—since the maids from the Kribia territory had yet to arrive—and after eating, returned to my room to examine the artifacts I had acquired.
[Mahat III’s Tears]
[Grade: 3-star]
[Option 1: Increases all stats by 25]
[Option 2: A key necessary to open the stone doors scattered within Mahat III’s tomb.]
[Option 3: If you soothe the soul of Mahat III and lift the curse, Option 1 will undergo significant change. Time will be required.]
[Clock of Spatial Distortion]
[Grade: 4-star]
[Option 1: Drastically reduces the speed of spells flying in from beyond a 20-meter radius to 20%.]
[Option 2: Distortion needs a specified target to activate Option 1. A maximum of 1 can be specified, and attacks from non-specified targets will not apply distortion.]
[Option 3: Detection of hidden presences - Confirm the silhouette of enemies hidden by stealth or invisibility.]
[Moizel: The Failed 99th Longsword]
[Grade: 1-star]
[Option 1: An anti-magic sword specialized for magic duels.]
‘Mahat III’s Tears will reach a minimum 5-star rating once I tackle the ancient tomb and break the curse. Although the stat boost is currently lacking, it’s akin to obtaining an artifact with great potential.’
I adjusted Mahat III’s Tears to fit as a necklace. Instantly, all stats increased by 25. Later, when Option 3 is activated, the increase of all stats will rise significantly. The synergy effect would far surpass what it is now.
‘With the Clock of Spatial Distortion, battles against mages will be much easier, especially one-on-one.’
The Clock of Spatial Distortion was satisfying as well. Its hidden presence detection would be frequently useful. In dungeons, there are often entities that use invisibility or magic to hide themselves. Being able to identify them without magical or auxiliary assistance brought considerable advantage.
‘I’ll give Moizel’s sword to Lena as a gift. Moizel, we must meet someday.’
Seeing Moizel’s name engraved on the longsword, a smile broke across my face. Moizel is a renowned blacksmith I desperately want to bring to our territory. Jokingly, if you gave him a rusty piece of iron, he would transform it into the finest sword on earth. He has immense pride in his abilities and a strong commitment to his craft, so using money alone won’t persuade him to join us.
Conveying sincerity from the heart is necessary, but begging or pleading won’t suffice. There are essentially two methods. Either create a large-scale workshop within the territory that can be recognized across the continent as the best. Or join Moizel under his tutelage as a silent apprentice, showing genuine sincerity through actions. Players—lords—who succeeded in recruiting Moizel in <Paradiso> utilized these methods.
The first method would cost a million gold, equivalent to 1 trillion won by previous life's standards—a facility currently beyond our territory's means. Even if things improved, it would be a long time before we could even dream of it. The only viable option is the latter, yet with no spare time, I cannot abandon my duties to become his apprentice.
For now, there are two things I plan to do in Mallorca territory. First, to conquer the ancient tomb to gain more power. Second, to find a specialized technician to mine ‘Keldia’, a subterranean resource. Keldia is a metal with tensile strength slightly higher than steel and has yet to appear on the Nas continent. It requires delicate mining work from skilled technicians and is surprisingly difficult to process, explaining why no one has discovered it.
The timing of its appearance is quite far off, three years after the outbreak of the Holy Devil War, still 13 years away. However, if I manage to produce weapons using Keldia, it means having weapons stronger than steel. Even troops similarly equipped with swords would have an advantage due to the weaponry's superior quality.
‘Since I know the refining techniques, first, let’s find a mining technician.’
Before production, raw mineral extraction is key. I'll inquire everywhere to secure the necessary personnel.
Morning.
“Everything’s a mess! How much did Horgus try to embezzle the territory's finances into his personal wealth to have empty appointments and unfilled positions everywhere?”
I had been reviewing territory documents all night, and I couldn’t contain my shock.
At first, seeing so many positions created in the territory, I wondered if Horgus had managed the territory somewhat. But it was not so. They were all phantom roles—false names with salaries erratically dispensed monthly. Those records were included in public documents, making it appear as though Horgus managed the territory diligently.
[The dissatisfaction of the agricultural officer has reached its peak! The territory’s agriculture governance rating drops by 5 immediately.]
[Internal Affairs - Agriculture: 006 / 050]
[No commercial officer has been assigned for 3 months! Once again, the territory’s commercial governance rating drops by 5 immediately.]
[Internal Affairs - Commerce: 022 / 050]
“Ugh.”
Seeing the territory's governance ratings fall before my eyes, my mouth hung open. Boosting those numbers takes weeks, months sometimes! Watching those carefully built stats plummet felt like a knife in my heart.
“Unbelievable.”
A frown deepened my features involuntarily. I couldn’t bring O'Brain or Avila from the Kribia territory, as they focused on governance affairs there. Meaning, I needed a replacement for talent. Yet, having gone through the documents, I couldn’t find a single decent vassal. Anyone that seemed promising had the words ‘Deceased’ or ‘Exiled’ stamped on the final page.
Killed or banished by Horgus, apparently.
“Let’s head out.”
I stood up abruptly. There being no prospects within the documents, the only option was to inspect the field personally. Using my eyes and intuition for judgments was quicker and more accurate than relying on paper scraps.
Six hours later.
“Is this a forsaken land?”
I inspected every nook and cranny of Mallorca and its people, but there were no satisfactory results. I started with the current internal affairs officials in charge and examined their subordinates. The conclusion was dismal.
No individuals placed appropriately, akin to Avila or O'Brain, were to be found. On top of that, some had abandoned both territory and position, fleeing in the dead of night. Most likely beneficiaries of Horgus’s favor who had, therefore, made their escape.
“Hmm…”
A low groan accompanied my complicated thoughts. Just then, Rakys, who happened to be patrolling the territory, hastily approached upon seeing me. Sprinting even after dismounting to deliver some news urgently.
“What’s the matter?”
“Lord, there’s a village in Mallorca territory named Divani.”
“The village towards the southwest?”
“Yes. There’s an official assigned there recently who completely neglects his work. A villager tearfully begged me to restore normalcy to the village…”
“Someone who mismanages the village and still dares to retain his position?”
“Not only that, but he spends his days drinking and drawing lewd paintings. Enter his office, and it’s filled with indecent images, they say.”
“We must strictly punish him and restore propriety to the territory. Lead the way.”
“Yes!”
I followed Rakys, leading me towards the office where a deranged official was likely drinking leisurely. Severe punishment awaited! A rosy future could not exist for an official who forgot his duty.
End of Chapter 44