Chapter 53 : Chapter 53
Chapter 53
Mogul, who was watching the situation wrapped in a large robe next to Shendelzar, swallowed a groan.
"Heh heh……."
Mogul was well aware of his own stupidity.
Some called him taciturn and straightforward upon seeing his foolishness, while others described him as thoughtful and serious, but in reality, he was just slow and foolish.
That was why he had been sincerely loyal to the duke who had given him a chance, and he had never doubted him for a single moment.
When the duke had come to him before he went missing and asked him to hide his strength, he had replied that he would do so.
- There is an enemy hidden in the domain that you cannot handle, so you must not show your strength until that enemy reveals itself.
To the foolish him, the duke's last request was no different from a command, and from that day on, Mogul had locked the gates of the count's castle.
To prepare for the enemy who would one day reveal itself, to build up his strength.
Less than a year after the duke disappeared, many people came to the count's castle.
Some asked him to become the duke, some asked him to find the duke, and some asked him to keep the newly appointed Regent in check, but Mogul protected his position.
At the same time, he moved his knightly order to monitor the duchy, and even found out that the kingdom and the empire were involved in the downfall of the young lord, who was like a nephew to him, but he could not find the enemy that was said to be hiding in the domain.
That was why he had not believed Ian when he had suddenly come to him and spoken of a demon.
He had only come to this place out of curiosity about Ian, who had punished the three domains that had been pressuring Moner.
"To think it was really a demon……."
He looked at the remnants of the Regent rolling on the floor with a dejected expression.
Every time the bizarrely swollen remains twitched, an ominous black liquid stained the floor.
"Didn't I tell you?
That I would show you either a demon or a White Mask who hunts demons today."
"Yes, you did."
The young lord had spoken the truth, but he had not believed it.
To think that he had almost lost a child who was like a nephew to him to a demon, his own foolishness enraged him.
'No matter what the duke's orders were, I should have protected his bloodline at all costs!'
He wanted to make an excuse, but he could not bring himself to speak.
What kind of excuse could he make to this child?
That he had to watch him fall apart because of the duke's request?
That he was afraid of the hidden enemy and could not show his strength?
Even if he had known of the demon's existence, Mogul would not have revealed his strength.
The duke's request was to hide his strength until the enemy appeared.
"I'm sorry."
Thus, the only words that came out of his mouth were an apology.
* * *
The moment Mogul bowed his head and apologized, a notification popped up in front of Ian.
[The Knight of the Iron Wall, Mogul, supports you.]
- You can now rule Central Hold and Lier.
- You have gained control of the capital defense forces and the knightly order.
[You have temporarily become the ruler of Central Hold.]
- You can now rule Central Hold.
[You have temporarily become the ruler of Lier.]
- You can now rule Lier.
[The Domain Management function has been activated.]
As it was a result he had already expected, he spoke calmly to the bowed Mogul.
"There is no need to bow your head, Count."
In a world where strength was everything, the fact that a count with strength had bowed his head and apologized gave him an idea of what kind of person he was.
He must have had his own reasons for not being able to move.
"Thank you for saying so."
Mogul did not make any excuses and just stared blankly at the remains of the Regent scattered on the floor.
"To think that a demonkin was hiding in our domain……."
"To be precise, the Regent was not a demonkin.
I think he received something from a demonkin."
"He had an aura full of malice, yet he wasn't a demonkin?"
At Mogul's surprised voice, I smiled bitterly and replied.
"In front of a real demonkin, it was difficult to even breathe."
I was certain that if it had been a real demonkin, it would not have been easy, even with Shendelzar's holy magic and Mogul.
"Hah… a being more dreadful than this, it's hard to even imagine.
The darkness he used would not have been easy to block, even if I had used all my strength."
Ian let out a small sigh and added.
"I should have kept him alive and interrogated him……."
I never thought he wouldn't be able to be saved even with the saintess's holy magic and a stimpack.
I had never imagined that a human could use a demonkin's mana.
"First, I have to finish the inauguration ceremony."
* * *
Shendelzar, who had offered a brief congratulation, busily left, saying she wanted to examine the remains of the demonkin, and the prince, who had been staying for a while, also followed Shendelzar, his curiosity piqued by the unprecedented event.
After the outsiders had left, Ian gathered the surviving vassals and officials immediately after the inauguration ceremony and proceeded with the lord's meeting.
In the grim meeting room, which felt like walking on a razor's edge, only Ian's sighs filled the air.
"How on earth could this have happened?"
The domain, which had been fine on paper, was in a much more wretched state than he had thought when he checked it through the system.
<Central Hold>
- Population: 12,000
- Food: Insufficient
- Finance: Insufficient
- Military: Weak (Standing army 200, knights 6)
<Lier>
- Population: 25,000
- Food: Insufficient
- Finance: Dangerous
- Military: Weak (Standing army 150, knights 4)
It was surprising that the population of the ducal family was only 30,000, but what was even more surprising was that there were only 350 soldiers left in the military family.
"To think that all the defense forces were sent to the front lines……."
The military was depleted because the defense forces had been sent to support the front lines, which had been suffering from a chronic shortage of troops for the past seven years.
"The only ones left are fledglings who are an embarrassment to be called soldiers.
Can you even call this a domain?"
"Young Lord─ no, Duke.
It really couldn't be helped.
If we didn't support the front lines where soldiers were dying every day, how could we protect the Demonic Beast forest?"
The Moner he had finally obtained was a domain with only a reputation, lacking population, food, and resources.
He could squeeze finances and food from the three domains, but he couldn't see a solution for the dwindling population.
"My lord Count, how many people can be conscripted from within the domain?"
At Ian's sudden question, Mogul showed a troubled smile.
"Well, seeing as the number of volunteers has drastically decreased since the year before last, it seems difficult to increase the military unless we resort to forced conscription."
Of course, you couldn't create an infinite number of troops with a nonexistent population.
No matter how loyal the domain was, there was a limit to the number of people who would volunteer to be soldiers.
"Hoo… For the time being, we will have to focus on increasing the population."
The initial plan was to head to the front lines with the Black Noble Troop, but this was impossible now.
"The Black Noble Troop will remain in the domain and continue with new recruit training and recruitment.
The Golden Goblin Merchant Guild should spare no expense, even if it means using all the money received from Obsol and Merchen, to find more people."
Whether they were beggars or slaves, they had to increase the population first.
"As for the Count, please focus on maintaining security as more people come in from the outside.
The Head of the Auditor's Department will bring in the needed administrative personnel, so let's all just hold on until then.
Only Count Mogul and Merchant Guild Master Rylae will remain, and that will be all for today's meeting."
The officials, who had answered Ian's words vigorously, hurriedly got up from their seats and left the meeting room.
* * *
Ian, who had been lost in thought for a while, looked at those who remained and opened his mouth.
"I will go to Front Hold."
In that instant, Mogul's brows furrowed slightly.
With so many officials and vassals dead, Ian was a more important existence to the domain than anyone else.
"I know what you are worried about.
However, the current problems of Moner are not something I can solve by remaining in the domain."
Increasing the population and raising elite troops were all things that time would solve.
Knowing that personal martial strength was as important as developing the domain, he could not remain in the domain.
"So I will tell you what you have to do while I am away."
Ian raised his head and looked at the individuals who could be called the core of the domain.
Although Bain, the Head of the Auditor's Department, was not present, he had left a letter, so he would understand as well.
"Lina, you will focus on training the soldiers with the Black Noble Troop.
Gather the people of the domain at a set time every day and teach them the secret art and swordsmanship."
"To the ordinary people of the domain?"
"Yes.
You can say that we will give a little food to the participants or reduce their taxes.
They won't be able to learn like the Black Noble Troop, but you can train them as if they were soldiers."
"Is it okay to teach such a precious secret art carelessly?"
"It's fine as long as we don't teach it to outsiders.
It's not like the people of the domain can leave Moner.
We can also gather those with outstanding skills and recruit them into the Black Noble Order or use them as training instructors."
The Resistance Army's secret art was a secret art created from the beginning for the militarization of the entire population.
I had no intention of distributing this secret art to the continent, but I had no intention of saving it either.
In the first place, I was planning to teach the Resistance Army's secret art to all the troops of the domain.
Although it had no effect in the game due to lack of time, if I prepared it from now on, it would become a trump card in an emergency situation.
"Merchant Guild Master Rylae, please find herbalists and apothecaries while you are looking for people."
"Oh my, apothecaries?"
"Since the only specialty of the domain is monster byproducts, let's try to create some specialty products."
"Apothecaries… I will do my best to find them."
Rylae nodded her head with a thoughtful expression.
I knew that in this continent where magic and holy power existed, apothecaries were treated as ominous as witches.
It was unavoidable since pharmacology was not developed and there were more people they couldn't save.
The negative perception of folk medicine would gradually change once effective medicines began to appear.
I turned my head from Rylae, who still had a reluctant expression, and looked at Count Mogul.
"As for you, my lord Count, I entrust Moner to you while I am at the front lines.
If you don't have a suitable adjutant, you can use Bain, the Head of the Auditor's Department."
I could contact them anytime through magic communication or messenger, so I wasn't too worried.
"Still, staying here until the domain is stable……."
I slowly shook my head at Mogul, who had been contemplating for a while.
"It won't change much whether I am here or not.
Perhaps it would be more helpful for managing the domain if the infamous me were not here."
The count, who had been thinking for a moment, nodded his head.
The vassals would prefer him over the young lord who had covered the inauguration ceremony in blood.
"I will contact you as soon as I have time, so if there is anything urgent, you can tell me then."
"…I understand.
Then when are you thinking of going?"
"Since all the urgent matters have been taken care of, I was thinking of leaving tomorrow morning."
Since there was no teleportation magic circle in the front lines where there was no Lord's Castle, he would have to travel for a full week.
"You will not be welcomed there."
Mogul said carefully, as if worried, with a serious expression.
"I have already anticipated that.
As long as I am not recognized by the soldiers of Front Hold, I cannot call myself the true master of Moner."
Ian, who had risen from his seat, looked at the faces remaining in the meeting room and declared.
"I hope to be able to meet you all in this place next time as the true master of the Moner family."
With those words, Ian left the meeting room.