It had been 23 days since that day. June 1st had arrived, marking the beginning of June in the 1414th year according to the Nas Continent calendar.
[Acolyte 'Mia' has mastered the 1st-class spell, Magic Missile. As a reward, 5 distributable stat points are granted to the mentor.]
[Acolyte 'Lena' has mastered Shield Defense. As a reward, 5 distributable stat points are granted to the mentor.]
[Acolyte 'Isabel' has mastered Illusion Sorcery. As a reward, 5 distributable stat points are granted to the mentor.]
Since morning, pleasant messages announcing the achievements of the three acolytes, connected through the master-student system, streamed in one after another. They say the achievement of an acolyte is the joy of the master as well, and it couldn't have been more accurate. As always, I allocated all the additional 15 stat points to Magic Power.
[Jared – Lv. 30]
[Strength: 35]
[Stamina: 35]
[Magic Power: 1582]
[Wisdom: 210]
[Agility: 35]
[Charm: 205]
[Physical Defense: 135]
[Magic Defense: 212]
[Remaining Stat Points: 0]
Wisdom had broken past 200. In the early phase of stats, when Wisdom rises from 100 to 200, the expected damage value doubles. Of course, after that, the expected value gets adjusted, changing the ratio slightly. If Magic Power is the raw material, Wisdom is the firepower. The fact that increasing the Wisdom stat is challenging is a pitfall in itself. I felt pleased to see it growing steadily and soundly.
Knock, knock. I heard someone knocking on the office door. I had called for two guests to meet me that morning, and it seemed they had arrived right on time.
"Come in, both of you."
The door opened right away, and two men came inside. It was Julian and Aki. Unlike Julian, who was dressed neatly, Aki had a striking style from head to toe. Calling it a trendsetter would be an understatement; his attire seemed far ahead of its time.
"Aki, why are you dressed like that?"
"Lord, they say this fashion is trending among the noblemen of the Sinders Kingdom lately. So I decided to try it out in advance. Doesn't it look nice?"
"Well… Beauty standards vary from person to person."
I couldn't immediately agree and made an ambiguous sound of contemplation. Aki's outfit, to describe it in past life terms, consisted of a long oversized T-shirt reaching down to his thighs, leather leggings, and flat shoes. It was an outfit that exuded a distinctly feminine vibe, almost as if he dressed like a woman.
"Not just in manufacturing or mass production, but I wanted to lead the trend in fashion within our territory. Hehe."
"That's a good thought. It's a good thought, but... the pants clinging so tightly that the thighs are visible is a bit too much. You do have a slim build, though."
"What do I look like to you, Lord?"
"Can I be honest?"
"Yes, of course!"
"You look like a pervert. I'm completely against it."
"Geez…."
Aki drooped his head in disappointment, and I chuckled quietly upon seeing him. Julian then asked Aki, "Aki, how did the sale of the erotic picture collection I asked for last time go?"
"Oh, that? It's sold. I forgot to tell you."
"Who bought it?"
"Red Goblin it is. To be precise, Lord Ivaniba of the Red Goblin bought it."
Surprised by the unexpected name of the buyer, I asked again, "Huh? Lord Ivaniba bought it?"
"Yes, when I showed it to him sneakily during the Nightmare Stone transaction last time, he said he'd buy it all. He even asked us to keep selling it to him in the future."
"I see, even the noble-looking king of the Red Goblins... Well, being a king doesn't mean one lacks desires, but hearing the name of the buyer feels strange."
Nevertheless, finding a regular buyer meant Julian had some pocket money. "Let's hear Aki's report first, shall we?" I changed the subject.
I called the two to receive progress reports on the various projects that had been initiated throughout the territory right after tackling the ancient tomb.
"Yes, Lord. Currently, the Krivia Territory is seeing more than 20 times the hunter visits compared to the same month last year, and thrice as many compared to last month."
"That’s good news. What about the supply?"
"Fortunately, the automatic production process you established is still ahead of the demand. We're steadily building up inventory, and we foresee no supply issues for the next three weeks!"
"Until I give further orders, allocate half of the net profits from the merchants to military funds and focus the rest on improving infrastructure near the Forest of Nightmares. Delegate the military spending to Sir Lakis."
"Understood."
The commerce part was satisfactory. It was smooth sailing, in fact. Healing potions and magic potions were selling like hotcakes, and the reaction to the pesticides and land mines recently added to the sales lineup was also very positive.
"Oh, Lord. Last night, we received an official request from the Sinders Kingdom's military. They want a long-term contract to supply land mines."
"The price?"
"Weren't we offering them at 50 gold each?"
"Yes."
"They proposed increasing it to 80 gold if we promise not to supply them to any other country exclusively."
Calculating the costs excluding my labor, the production cost would be around 20 gold each. It was a tempting offer, leaving a margin three times the cost price, but I wasn't too keen on it.
"Refuse. Tell them there won't be any exclusive negotiations and that we won't sell beyond the designated monthly supply."
"I did say that. I thought you might say as much."
What I like about Aki is that he understands my intentions better than anyone. It seems due to our similar styles of persistently pursuing profit and steering the game favorably. Aki added a remark as if he had missed saying something.
"Oh, Lord. It seems interest in you among the nobility of the Sinders Kingdom is rising."
"Interest in me?"
"I recently visited the Sinders Kingdom regarding the potion supply, and the merchants there said your name is continually coming up among the nobility."
"For the products, I assume?"
"Yes. Pesticides, the Ronella disease cure, magic potions, land mines, and even the Krivia Magic Stones. You hold all the recent hot commodities, don't you? Plus, you've annexed the Mayorca Territory."
"There is indeed an issue coming up in the Sinders Kingdom…."
"Excuse me?"
"Never mind, I understand. I'll keep that in mind."
The current king of Sinders Kingdom, Deckard IX, would soon meet his end. The reason I remember the king's death so precisely is one. Later, during the Holy Demon War, the Sinders Kingdom becomes a stronghold for the Demon King’s army.
After the death of Deckard IX, a 'War of Princes' breaks out in the Sinders Kingdom, with four princes vying for the throne. Eventually, the second prince quells the rebellion and ascends the throne in the name of Deckard X, bathing it in blood.
The problem here is that he was a follower of the Umbra Sect, one of the cults of dark magicians. Named after the Latin word for shadow, Umbra, this religion is the organization that sparks the Holy Demon War. In the long term, it was a sect with a high potential of becoming an enemy.
Since I'm aware of the future situation, I planned to wait and see. As a local Lord, I couldn’t interfere with the kingdom's affairs prematurely. There would be a suitable moment.
I turned my attention to Julian. "Julian, shall we hear your report?"
"Yes, I will report the overall situation regarding territory management. First, we completed the projects you prioritized as instructed, Lord."
"Were there any problems?"
"No. The effect of the magic stone street lights installed around the central roads and crime hotspots of the two territories is outstanding! According to reports, the crime rate has dropped by nearly 90% compared to before."
Magic stone street lights were devices crafted by engraving a magic circle of 1st class Light Magic into a magic stone, using the mana inherent in the stone to emit light. Carving such solid objects like magic stones, as opposed to softer surfaces like earth or paper, was a very challenging task. However, thanks to a magic tool I acquired as a relic from King Mahat III's tomb last time, the carved engraving process became much easier.
[Magic Tool of Artisan Bullet]
[Classification: 1-star]
[A magic tool made from Stellard, a rare mineral with a higher hardness than magic stones. It can cut magic stones or engrave permanent marks or magic circles on them.]
Stellard, classified as an ultra-rare mineral, is so scarce that even if you search the entire continent, you might barely be able to craft five such magic tools. Its value far exceeds that of diamonds from a past life.
Using the magic tool, I tirelessly crafted magic stone street lights for a week and installed them throughout the territory. Julian continued his report.
"Though some blind spots remain, at the current rate of supply, it seems installation of the street lights will be completed by the end of this week, excluding forests and wastelands outside the territory's boundaries."
"How do the residents react?"
"They unanimously praise you, Lord! Everyone, regardless of age or gender, feels safe walking at night now. If the technology becomes more widespread, it's expected to significantly reduce the amount of deforestation."
"As the use of torches for night watch or patrols decreases, I suppose."
"Yes, that's correct."
"That's delightful news. The street lights seem to be more effective than I anticipated."
"Everyone, from the landholders to the retainers, finds them fascinating! They wonder how you come up with these things so effortlessly, Lord. Isn't the automatic production process for potions and cures the same? It feels like a product of a civilization ahead of its time."
Julian nodded. Although not publicly disclosed, the video equipment had already been secretly utilized in the military. Due to the high importance of the equipment, I supplied it only to elite scouts whose utmost loyalty I had already confirmed through my discerning eyes.
"Development, commerce, public safety—all seem to be thriving. I'm satisfied, very satisfied." I wore a content expression. There's nothing more delightful for a Lord than witnessing the seamless progress of their territory without any incidents. Promising talents were growing on their own, and I, too, had achieved considerable growth.
At this current level, I felt confident I could hold my own against Count Capri, the Lord of the Miseria Territory. As for Lord Bartman of the Ronella Territory, following the armistice we agreed upon, he was now clearly one or even two levels below me.
Knock, knock.
Just then, I heard the sound of knocking on the door, though I hadn't called for anyone else.
"Hayes, what's going on?"
"Lord! A letter from His Majesty of the Sinders Kingdom has arrived!"
"What? A letter from the king?"
"The Fourth Prince is on his way to visit us directly! They've apparently just crossed the territory's border!"
"The Prince himself?"
"Yes! I checked several times, and it's true!"
"..."
At that moment, I sensed it. Along with the Fourth Prince's visit, a formidable storm, one that would not pass quietly, was beginning to brew.
An invitation to central politics. That moment had come to find me much sooner than expected.