[You have assigned Rakis as the new Chief of Security for the territory.]
[Congratulations! Rakis's special trait, 'Orderly', has been activated!]
[Due to the 'Orderly' trait, the security level of the territory will never fall below 70!]
[Due to the 'Orderly' trait, the security level increase rate will be tripled!]
"Indeed, the Chief of Security and the Orderly trait are a perfect match! Excellent!" Jared thought to himself, feeling a surge of joy, though he maintained a dignified exterior to uphold his authority.
This was a moment where Jared's experience from the game <Paradiso>, where he maximized efficiency by understanding his subordinates' traits and placing them in the right positions, was clearly evident.
As time passed, Jared noticed a peculiar sense of awe in the expressions of his subordinates. The dismissive or disdainful looks they had when entering the meeting were nowhere to be seen. In fact, one of them was on the verge of tears, and Jared immediately recognized him.
"Avila."
Avila, who was in charge of agriculture, seemed to have come straight from the fields, as his clothes were covered in dirt. Jared approached Avila, who seemed surprised and stepped back slightly, then bowed his head and wiped his tears.
"Yes, my lord. I'm sorry. I couldn't help but shed tears..."
"You've worked hard. It pains me to see you in a position that doesn't suit you, especially seeing your clothes covered in dust. Now, stay still."
Jared cast a Level 3 Clean spell.
Shhh.
The dusty clothes became clean and looked like new. However, Jared wasn't completely satisfied and knelt down, frowning slightly. Avila looked down in surprise to find his shoelaces untied, and Jared was tying them himself.
"My lord!"
"Subordinates are the face of the territory... You've had a hard time with an incompetent lord."
"My lord, what do you mean by that!"
"This is my way of showing you my apology, respect, and gratitude. It's also a promise not to repeat the same mistakes."
Jared's apology was sincere. He believed that the mistakes of the previous Jared were his own, so he felt it was his responsibility to apologize. He thought it was right to address past mistakes clearly, so he had no regrets.
After tying Avila's shoelaces, Avila was at a loss, shedding tears of loyalty befitting a long-time subordinate of the territory. Jared stood up, breathing heavily – his weight made kneeling and bending over difficult for his breathing. He checked Avila's status with his mind's eye.
[Avila - Lv. 12]
[Strength: 13]
[Stamina: 15]
[Magic: 3]
[Wisdom: 33]
[Agility: 8]
[Charm: 35]
[Physical Defense: 3]
[Magic Defense: 3]
[Special Trait: Specialty Development A]
[General Trait: Health, Writing]
'Avila is at best a D-rank subordinate. Useful only for commercial administration. It's unfortunate, but there's no choice. I have to make do with the subordinates within the territory for now.'
Jared sighed inwardly. Unfortunately, Avila seemed to have a maximum potential limited to raising commercial administration scores and developing and managing specialties. Entrusting him with the territory's trade or large-scale deals with other territories would likely result in significant losses. It was something that must be avoided.
So, Jared decided to clearly define Avila's role, allowing him to focus solely on specialty development. That much was achievable.
Jared gave the order immediately.
"Avila, from today, you will be responsible for the commercial sector of the territory. Do you remember the proposal you submitted for the territory's direct specialty promotion?"
"Of course, my lord. How could I forget? My thoughts on the Krivia magic stones remain unchanged."
"As expected, my prediction was correct."
"But I thought it was presumptuous of me to voice my opinion as someone in charge of agriculture..."
"So, you held back. I understand that. I will support the territory's finances, so proceed with the specialty promotion."
"What?"
"That will be the first project you undertake after your appointment. I have high expectations."
"Then who will take over the agriculture sector?"
"Sir Obren will handle it. Although he hasn't arrived at the meeting yet, I'll speak to him directly when he does, so don't worry."
"Sir Obren is a trustworthy person! I've heard he's been dedicated to developing farmland even after his retirement."
"That's a brilliant idea, my lord!"
"I wholeheartedly agree, my lord!"
Opinions quickly aligned. Jared swiftly sorted things out. Today, only those who were negligent and corrupt, like Glagas and his faction, had their positions revoked. The rest were reassigned to positions deemed suitable by Jared. There were no complaints. Most were grateful to be assigned tasks they had wanted to do for a long time!
And that wasn't all. Jared could smile with satisfaction at the continuous stream of messages, pleased with his subordinates' reactions.
[You have assigned Avila as the new commercial officer for the territory.]
[Congratulations! Avila's special trait, 'Specialty Development', has been activated!]
[Due to the 'Specialty Development' trait, the average basic grade of Krivia magic stones produced in the territory increases by one level. Expected sales revenue of magic stones increases by 30%.]
[Avila is very satisfied with his new duties. The 'Great Awakening' state will be maintained for one year.]
Jared's expression brightened even more.
"Unintentionally, I've ended up using the Great Awakening trick. Good. Let's actively use this from now on. If I find subordinates placed in the wrong positions, the effects will be dramatic."
The Great Awakening state refers to a person displaying 100% increased ability in their primary field. It was one of the tricks Jared often used in <Paradiso>.
The method involved deliberately assigning someone to a position that didn't match their traits to increase discontent, then later transferring them to a desired position to trigger the Great Awakening. However, it required having them handle unwanted tasks for over a year, making it tricky.
In any case, with Avila's special trait activated and entering the Great Awakening state, the synergy effect would be significant. Over the next year, expected revenue would likely increase far more than 30%, and the grade of magic stones might even rise by two levels at times.
"Alright. The subordinates may not be top-notch, but I can at least put out the urgent fires. Let's monitor things for a month while pursuing both weight loss and magic increase tricks simultaneously!"
Jared simplified his thoughts. It was time to address the issue of his heavy body and prepare extraordinary means to recruit talent for the territory.
Thus, a month swiftly passed in the territory of Krivia. The morning of February 1st, year 1414 of the Nas Continent calendar, dawned.
"Why are you suddenly arresting us when we've been living well all this time? What crime have we committed?"
"No crime? Do you think we don't know about the bribes you took from merchants and the kickbacks you gave to Glagas?"
"Well, that was just an unspoken practice..."
"Practice? I, the lord, never approved such practices. What are you waiting for? Arrest all these scoundrels!"
"Yes!"
With my command, the security forces arrested every member of the criminal organization.
"Hooray!"
"Long live the lord! Long live Chief Rakis!"
"It feels so refreshing! I've been waiting for the day they'd be caught! Haha, serves them right!"
The residents of the territory, who witnessed the arrest of the criminals, all applauded. My name and that of Chief Rakis were always included in their cheers.
Then Rakis approached the residents and spoke loudly.
"The lord has honestly acknowledged past mistakes and vowed to prioritize the lives of the residents! The eradication of criminals is just the beginning. Never forget the lord's care for you, and always live with gratitude!"
"Hooray! Long live the lord!"
"Thank you so much! Just capturing and punishing those evil ones makes us happy!"
"Hooray! Hooray!"
The cheers of the residents continued.
[The pride and satisfaction of the residents regarding the lord and the territory are increasing.]
[The residents' reactions to malicious and negative rumors are becoming more composed.]
[Develop the internal affairs of the territory to meet the residents' expectations.]
The system messages also welcomed me, matching the mood. Since appointing Rakis as Chief of Security, the security of Krivia territory had improved remarkably. The criminal organization was thoroughly dismantled, and all colluding forces faced strict legal judgment.
The residents, who had lived in fear due to Glagas's neglect and the criminal organization's tyranny, cheered. They also began to see me differently, acknowledging my clean admission of past wrongdoings.
Punishing corrupt officials who engaged in corruption and restoring discipline in the territory was evident to everyone.
"It's truly satisfying, my lord."
"I'm ashamed I didn't realize how much you love the territory, my lord."
"I'm proud to be a soldier belonging to the territory."
The security soldiers all praised me. They all seemed to take great pride in being part of the territory and the security forces.
Rakis, with a proud expression, bowed to me and then continued speaking to the soldiers with a smile.
"This is all thanks to the wise lord who assigned me to a position that suits my aptitude. Everyone should naturally hold respect for such a discerning lord!"
Rakis's voice carried sincerity, and the soldiers all nodded in agreement.
I was happy. Who would have thought that paying a little more attention to the territory would lead to such dramatic changes?
Then Rakis approached me with reddened eyes and a trembling voice.
"My lord, thank you sincerely. I feel like I've finally found the perfect fit for me after waiting for so long. I'm truly happy."
"If you are satisfied, then I am too. I hope you'll continue to take charge of the territory's security."
I replied calmly. As far as the position of Chief of Security was concerned, Rakis was an excellent talent. Of course, further promotion was difficult at the moment. But since he wasn't particularly ambitious for higher positions, I believed he wouldn't be dissatisfied.
"My lord, thank you so much. Even if it costs me my life, I will ensure Krivia territory maintains the best security state."
Rakis passionately vowed, and I responded by patting his shoulder in encouragement.
Just then.
"My lord, I have a report!"
A soldier came running hurriedly, urgently delivering a report.