Path to Independence

About a month had passed since Fritz and the others departed for the Royal Capital.

Thanks to the influx of people, the territory had begun to function as a living entity even in my absence.

First, the residences. The mercenaries were handling the construction for the local inhabitants. Since they were also the ones sourcing the timber and stone, the process was slow, but eventually, there would be enough housing for every soul under my care. I noticed a few mercenaries sneakily trying to build houses for themselves on the side, but I turned a blind eye. Building a permanent home here meant they intended to stay and work in the vicinity. Given our desperate need for manpower, that was hardly a net negative. We had more than enough surplus land to go around, after all.

As for the smithy, Dozul had finished it ahead of schedule. He had driven the mercenaries so hard that even the CEO of a black company would have turned pale and fled in terror. Seeing the hollow, dead-eyed expressions of the workers once the job was done, I felt a pang of guilt. I ended up promising that Dozul would apply magic enchantments to any iron weapons he forged as part of his initial trials before handing them over to the men.

Ironically, that promise turned Dozul’s chores into highly sought-after contracts. Do these people really want to work in a sweatshop that badly? I have no intention of raising the rewards any further, you know.

The inn had also opened its doors, though it was still plagued by rookie mistakes. Still, considering it was being run by children who had never held a real job in their lives, I figured I should take the long view. The dark, hopeless expressions they had worn back in the Royal Capital were gone, replaced by a lively, joyful energy as they hurried about their tasks.

Fortunately, we didn't have any customers who would snap at a child for a mistake. On the contrary, the guests watched them with warm, indulgent smiles. The kids were the main attraction, drawing crowds day after day. Though, it probably helped that this was the only inn for miles...

Furthermore, the sewerage and water systems I had commissioned from Sasha were finally operational. The territory was now relatively clean. Water could be accessed freely throughout the area, and wastewater was properly purified before being discharged into the river. With the improvement in hygiene, the risk of disease would plummet. No longer needing to haul buckets from the river was a massive quality-of-life shift for everyone.

However, not everything was going smoothly. There were still glaring issues that needed refinement.

First and foremost was the food problem. We were barely scraping by. We were only surviving thanks to a massive stockpile of Wolf meat and the supplies Alan purchased for us; it was a precarious tightrope walk. Since this was originally a barren wasteland, crops were difficult to grow despite our constant experimentation.

The remaining children were tending the fields, but even with proper tilling and sowing, the plants refused to bear fruit. This was an area that desperately needed improvement. We were cycling through different fertilizers and seed varieties, repeating a grueling process of trial and error. I had to believe we would see results eventually.

The other issue was the demographic of the territory itself. Since the Beastmen had departed—leaving Elu behind—the population consisted almost entirely of children and the elderly, excluding the mercenaries. This severely limited our capabilities. The manpower shortage remained an unresolved headache. To fix it, I had no choice but to make this territory even more attractive to outsiders.

And then, there was the core problem.

Considerable time had passed since we arrived, yet there was still no clear path toward achieving formal independence as a noble. Is independence even possible? I had lost count of how many times I considered asking Elu to let me seek asylum in the Beast Kingdom. It would certainly be the easiest way to protect myself.

But there were too many children here who relied on me. I couldn't just abandon them and run. In the end, my various maneuvers to secure independence had actually made it harder for me to move freely.

"Well, it's not like I can actually run away..."

It would be a long time before the misdeeds of the mastermind—my father—came to light. Until then, I had to grow this place into a formidable territory of the Kingdom. That was the only thing I could do.

Besides, having just bypassed the major event of an attack on the Princess of the Beast Kingdom, I predicted that no other world-shaking events would occur for a while. This was a brief moment of peace.

"Alright, maybe it’s time I started building my own house."

Completely unaware that Elu and Emilina were secretly maneuvering behind the scenes to establish an Independent State, I spent the entire night obsessing over the blueprints for my future home. I had gotten carried away, and by the time I looked up, the sun was already rising.

"Lord Yuri, didn't you sleep again?"

Fee, who had come to wake me, looked at me with an exasperated expression.

"It wasn't magic this time, I swear. I was just planning out my mansion."

"But you were using magic too. There are Magic Stones rolling all over the floor."

She was right. I had been unconsciously imbuing Magic Stones with Magic Power while lost in thought. Since these were vital for Alan’s business, it was a productive way to raise funds while organizing my ideas.

"That... must be your imagination."

"Yes, yes. Magic is forbidden for today."

"Ugh... fine, I get it."

As Fee gathered the stones from the floor, she peered curiously at the blueprints on my desk.

"Aren't all Lords' mansions the same?"

I suppose from the outside, they just look like a collection of many rooms and excessive luxury. But in my case, I wanted a place where I could actually relax. I didn't care much for keeping up appearances.

"Not at all. The rooms might serve similar functions, but every house has its own character. Besides..."

"I didn't know that. Oh, Lord Yuri. Fee’s room isn't here. I want you to put it right about here."

She casually pointed to a spot right next to my private quarters. Given that she was my personal attendant, I suppose it made sense.

"Fair enough. Let's make this your room then."

"In that case, could I have this room?"

"And this will be Elu's room... wait. What?"

I had been so distracted that I actually started sketching it in before the voice registered.

"Elu? Why are you in my house?"

"I have something to report."

Elu looked like she had made a full recovery. The fact that she had walked here herself was proof enough. Now that she was healthy, there was no longer a need to keep her sheltered here. The Demon Race assassins who had targeted her were already dead. That meant she would be returning to her own country soon.

"I see. I figured this day would come."

"Ahaha, as expected of Lord Yuri. Nothing gets past you."

With a smile, she handed me a letter. It was sealed with the heavy wax of the Beast Kingdom.

"What is this?"

"It is the only thing I can do for you."

That wasn't an answer at all. But looking at Elu’s radiant smile, I had a sinking feeling that opening this letter might be a mistake.

"Right... I’ll read it carefully later."

"No! You have to read it right now! Right here!"

My attempt to procrastinate failed immediately. Elu grabbed my sleeve, her eyes desperate as she urged me to open it.

This is it, isn't it? The quest flag for 'Save the Beast Kingdom.'

It wasn't in the original game, but because I wasn't making a move, she must have gone to the trouble of asking the Beast King to prepare a letter to hook me. My best course of action was to read it and then politely decline the trip to the Beast Kingdom. If she thinks a veteran player like me is going to fall for a blatant trap like this, she's being naive.

I broke the seal with feigned confidence and read the contents.

Yuri Lousouth. I leave my daughter in your care.

That was it. That was all it said.

Given that I was sheltering her, it was a natural sentiment for a father, but did that really require the official royal seal? I tried to ask for more details, but Elu just kept smiling at me.

I felt like I had accidentally triggered some poorly written event. But since it wasn't in the original game, I figured I shouldn't worry about it.

Just as the feeling of a small bone stuck in my throat began to settle, Fritz and his party finally returned.

"We're back!"

"We have returned."

Fritz I expected, but Emilina’s home was the Church, not here. I gave her an exasperated look as she waltzed in as if she owned the place.

"...So, how did it go? Did you get the Dragon Slayer title?"

"Yeah. Thanks to you, I got the Medal and the prize money too."

"Well, that's good news."

"Also, I’ve got a letter for you from the King."

"For me?"

Was it because I had skipped the summons to the Royal Capital? But if he intended to punish me, he wouldn't have sent a formal letter. I took the parchment from Fritz and opened it.

Yuri Lousouth. I command you to cooperate with the Hero and subjugate the Demon Lord. Upon the completion of this task, I promise to grant any wish you may have.

Any wish? Could this be my path to a Knighthood? I looked at Emilina, who gave me a knowing, beaming smile. It seemed she had her hand in this.

I felt a surge of genuine gratitude toward her. A golden opportunity for independence had just fallen into my lap.

I was completely oblivious to the truth: that the letter from the Beast Kingdom was actually a formal acceptance of a marriage proposal to Elu, and that the King of Inraku’s promise was his way of agreeing to recognize my territory as a sovereign Independent State.