Tia’s Letter

I had been dispatched to the frontier.

Anxiety had gnawed at me throughout the journey, my mind churning with dark visions of what bleak existence awaited me at the edge of the world. But when I finally arrived, I found a city so prosperous it could rival the Royal Capital itself.

Looking at the vibrant streets, I could finally understand why the Kingdom had been so willing to recognize its Independence.

This place, the Land of Alf, was a territory hemmed in on all sides. The Beast Kingdom, the Empire, the Demon Race’s domain, the Holy Principality, and our own Kingdom... it sat at the center of a volatile web. Historically, it was a Barren Land, a wasteland so devoid of value that it wasn't worth the blood required to seize it.

Or at least, it shouldn't have been.

"So this is the extent of Yuri-sama’s power..." I whispered.

He had already secured ironclad promises of aid from the Empire, the Beast Kingdom, and the Holy Principality—nations that usually stood on the precipice of war with one another. I realized then that if the Kingdom had refused to recognize Yuri’s Independence, those three powers likely would have invaded us to claim him. From the King’s perspective, it was easier to simply cut ties with a piece of land that seemed destined for ruin without Yuri’s presence.

It was the most pragmatic solution to a potentially catastrophic problem.

Certainly, the Kingdom’s total territory would decrease, but the ministers saw no value in a Barren Land lacking proper resources. They believed it was enough to maintain a cordial relationship for the duration of Yuri’s life. My engagement to him served that exact purpose; as someone with little political standing or influence, I was the perfect pawn to signal to the world that we remained on friendly terms while coordinating with third-party nations.

However, the King and his advisors had made one grave oversight.

This territory was already more than capable of sustaining itself, even without Yuri’s constant intervention. While the Holy Principality still clamored for Yuri’s personal touch regarding new Magic Tools, Great Sage Melty had already succeeded in producing almost everything else.

Apparently, that Slanted Tower served a purpose beyond its eccentric architecture. Yuri insisted that it was merely a matter of the person's own hobby, but I had my doubts about the truth of that statement.

Furthermore, despite this being a Barren Land, crops were somehow growing in impossible abundance.

"This is... honestly, it's more than I ever imagined," I muttered.

I sat at my desk, intending to write a report back to the capital. I needed to confirm that I had delivered the letter to Yuri and describe the state of the city, but I was so overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the prosperity that I didn't know where to start.

"For now... I suppose I’ll just write that it’s an incredible place."

I forced my shaking hand to move, filling the parchment with my observations.

"And then... there is what Yuri-sama said regarding Independence."

He’s surely just being humble, I thought, a small smile playing on my lips. He was the kind of man who could transform a wasteland into a paradise; surely he would achieve the same results no matter where he went.

I finished the letter by mentioning that Yuri seemed to be worrying over the weight of Independence, treating it as a sign of his modest character.

[Report from the Author]

Thanks to everyone's support, it has been decided that Reincarnated as a Mastermind Family, but I'll Ignore the Original Game and Become Independent will receive both a light novel publication and a manga adaptation.

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