Chapter 302
"Ahh, I'm tired."
Somehow, I managed to successfully form a united front with Clarice.I understand the Duke's reasoning that external forces are needed to weaken the power of the three dukes from the East, West, and North.Considering the effort involved, gaining Clarice and 100 elite Elves as allies is a more than satisfactory result.
"......"
But this became a trigger for me to think that lately, I've been getting too caught up in these political discussions.After the meeting, we discussed the specifics of the cooperative framework, future leveling plans, and how to handle the Eastern and Northern Heroes who would arrive next.Before I knew it, while doing that, dinner time had passed, and I just got back to the mansion, finished eating and bathing, and dove into bed.
I do it because it's necessary.I understand that, but lately, I often feel, "This isn't it."Leveling up and becoming stronger themselves are things I want to do, but the current situation of being constantly tossed around by troubles isn't the environment I'm seeking.Maybe I had more fun when I was moving around stealthily to avoid attracting the nobles' attention.There was certainly freedom back then.What about now?Trouble comes, so I deal with it.Because of that, I have to become strong quickly, so I have to prioritize efficiency and manage somehow.At first, I thought since I came to this world, I had to face reality, but冷静に思い返せば冷静に思い返せば, I was someone who also enjoyed leveling up.But what about my current life?A hero who obeys the gods and saves the world from crisis.Is that really the life I wanted?Is that what I wanted to do in this world?
"No, that's not what I thought."
I had forgotten my初心初心.Thinking about that made me restless, and I got out of bed and walked over to the desk.
"What do I want to do?"
I pulled out some paper and started simply writing down everything I wanted to do, one thing after another.The bullet-pointed items were all忠实忠实 to desire, things my former self would have scoffed at, saying it's not the time for such things.But for the current me...
"This is it, this."
They were all things that made me grin.Combat quests, gathering quests, escort quests—I listed things necessary to adventure in this world.I had no time to do them, thinking 'I'll do them after I get stronger,' and kept putting them off. Lately, I felt there was no element of enjoyment at all.The reality was that I was busy, kept putting things off, and ended up being constantly manipulated by my surroundings.
"Ah, I see, that's right."
It's my fault for not abandoning everything just because people were in trouble.It's my fault for not compromising because it left a bad taste.
"It's my fault for not having fun, isn't it?"
I have power, so I'm relied upon. I thought if I left things alone, no one could do anything, so I had to do it myself, and I acted accordingly.But that's not right.
"I need to learn to enjoy these hardships too!!"
Make it so anyone can do it.And create an environment where *I* can enjoy myself.I know what's needed for that.
"I was hooked and delved deep into this in FBO too, wasn't I?"
I took out a new sheet of paper and started making a flowchart of what I should do to have fun.
"The nobles are noisy? Then, I'll create a position where they can't interfere."I had been restricting my own actions for reasons like public image or not being able to move freely.Worrying about common sense and struggling—what's the point?
"Trouble keeps coming? Then, just make it so others can handle the trouble besides me."
Discard self-restraint and disrupt this world's power balance.Make it so no one can interfere with me.I thought a foundation was needed for that, but...
"Good. If I defeat Azhdaha, I should be able to get that foundation, right?"Beyond the current hardships lies the land I can acquire for that purpose.The northern lands are prime territory for advancing into the central continent.You can reach other continents via the inland sea.Thinking that obtaining it is within reach makes me feel my motivation to subdue Azhdaha rising.
"Once I get it, where should I build it?"
The FBO quest 'Pioneer Village.'It was a quest where players cooperated with various NPCs to create their own original town.This highly free-form quest tested the player's individuality.You could create anything from orthodox fantasy towns with various default designs, to recreating modern places like Tokyo's Shibuya, to sci-fi-esque near-future cities, or even towns with civilizations inferior to the villages of this world, like the Paleolithic era.
"So much trouble keeps coming my way.""Then, it should be fine to deal with that trouble and create a base for my own independent faction where I can act freely, right?"
His Majesty and other nobles might complain, and maybe the Duke would try to stop me, but I don't care.There's a feeling that if I defeat Azhdaha, I'll be saddled with the northern territory and forced to do reconstruction, but I have no interest in managing a territory.I can secure the necessary land and produce what I need independently.Knowing how to build a town with such a system, there's no need for me to take on extra work.
"What's needed is farmland to secure food, mines and forests to secure materials, a water source for living, workshops to produce tools, and an administration to manage it all."The system should be simple and, moreover, comfortable.My pen flew across the paper as I created the town's blueprint based on ideas that came one after another.
"Military strength to deal with trouble."
I wrote the number of personnel needed next to it, and the outline was complete.The time taken so far was a mere 10 minutes.
"To get the personnel needed to build this town, I'll create an academy and train them."What I placed in the center of this town was an academy.Rather than bringing necessary personnel from elsewhere, it's better to train motivated mob characters from scratch and form an organization that can handle future troubles.An educational institution for that purpose.In short, an isekai academy city, I suppose.Academies exist in this world too, but they've become social hubs for nobles, so frankly, they're just environments for obtaining continental travel permits.It can be a place to meet named characters if you time it right, but if I create such a meeting place myself, it doesn't matter.I'll absolutely secure the continental travel permit as a reward for this Azhdaha subjugation, no matter what.If necessary, I might even claim the right to issue travel permits myself.There's also the matter with Clarice.Cases of interacting with people from other continents will likely increase in the future.Getting permission from the country every time would be a hassle, and it might lead to detours like this time.It's also bothersome to have my weaknesses probed with 'You need this, right?' every time.Making it a self-sufficient situation where I can obtain a kind of extraterritoriality might be a future goal.It wouldn't be bad to consider possessing military strength capable of winning even if it came to war with this country, as a worst-case scenario.Currently, the only one who can probably beat me is Claudia.Her combat sense combined with my serious training.Only she, with these two overlapping, can be a threat.I don't intend to raise a banner of rebellion against the state, but I wonder if she would stand in my way if it came to that. However, I'm not too worried.When it comes down to it, she doesn't have much positive feeling towards those who make unreasonable demands of me.She just doesn't say it because I'm actively helping, but she seems somewhat exasperated by the unreliability of those around us.Considering that, I think it'll be fine as long as I don't start saying things like 'I'll destroy the world!!'In fact, if I said something like 'I'm building a town to get stronger!!', I have a feeling she'd help me while being exasperated.In that case, the first person to persuade would be Claudia.Next, Nell and Amina.Ingrid... hmm, I have a feeling she'd follow me without saying anything.The problematic Lady Esmeralda... I have a feeling she might even cut ties with her ducal house and come to my side.If that happens, would the remaining Edelgard Duke house revert to its original dark path?Well, I'll just maneuver so it doesn't come to cutting ties. I'd like to maintain a good relationship with the Edelgard Duke as a check on the indecisive King.
"I'll make the farmland as large as possible... I should also draft plans for farming golems. Next is securing a water source and preparing dam facilities. The workshops will likely require significant investment, but it's a necessary expense, right? Blacksmithing, crafting, tailoring... ah, I need to train Amina's juniors too."
My hands wouldn't stop creating the presentation materials.The more I thought about the details, the more ideas came to me about needing this and that, and my nostalgic youth has arrived here at my fingertips.Ah, I remember.When I got FBO and learned about this Pioneer Village quest, I clung to my PC day and night, creating town blueprints.Hearing that I could use the necessary materials and NPCs to create my ideal town in my favorite game was more than just 'fun'—that's too gentle a word.I was completely hooked.I closed my eyes for a moment, but my hands kept accurately writing the presentation materials, consuming sheet after sheet, threatening to become a massive project.
"Phew, that should do for now."
A labor-of-love document detailing the blueprint and the advantages for future life.As I turned my neck and reviewed it for mistakes, I found myself picking up the pen again, wanting to add more here and there.
"Liberta-sama.""Ah, what is it, Ingrid?""Nothing, I saw a light leaking out, so I wondered if you were still awake."
As I was writing, the door was knocked, and when I answered absentmindedly, it opened to reveal Ingrid holding a lantern.It seemed she came to check on me because she was concerned I was still up.
"What is that?""A town blueprint."
Noticing I was writing something at the desk, she entered the room.I wanted her to see the finished presentation, so I practically thrust it towards Ingrid.
"A town blueprint? Did you receive a request to build a town, Liberta-sama?""No, it's just that work has been piling up lately, so I thought maybe I should create an organization to handle it all to secure my free time. If I defeat Azhdaha, I can probably get various rights and interests, but I don't want a noble title."
Taking it, Ingrid set the lantern on the desk and began reading.I was experiencing the same excitement I felt when posting my FBO town blueprints online, wondering what reaction my masterpiece would get, and she misunderstood it was another request.While thinking I must have made quite a good document for her to think that, I explained the reason for creating it, and Ingrid nodded in understanding.
"Indeed, if you manage to defeat the enemy Liberta-sama mentioned, it might be possible to receive part of the territory. And with Liberta-sama's knowledge, building such a town should be possible.""Right?"
Hearing my rationale made the ideal town I envisioned feel even more realistic.As I explained a bit proudly, I thought I saw Ingrid smile.
"Did something happen?""No, I just thought I saw you smile a moment ago."
Her iron-faced expression had changed.I told her honestly that I had been staring intently, trying to catch that moment, and she tilted her head.
"Perhaps the joy of seeing Liberta-sama enjoying himself for the first time in a while was contagious."
She wrapped herself in that gentle atmosphere.