"I see... so Rodel is dead."
A month had already passed since Marquis Eiger’s rebellion had been suppressed.
Sitting on his bed in the Marquis Rosemary townhouse, Rest felt a strange sense of melancholy when he heard the news. Even though summer was in full swing, a cold shiver ran through him, and he let out a heavy sigh.
If he was going to die anyway, perhaps I should have killed him on the battlefield?
For a man as proud as Rodel, spending a final month simply waiting for the end must have been agonizing. Rest wondered if a soldier’s death might have been more merciful than the poisoned cup.
Rodel Aiwood had been a loathsome individual. In many ways, he was uncannily similar to Rest’s foolish half-brother, Cedric, and Rest had initially pegged him as the type of person he could never truly like.
And yet, when they had crossed blades on the battlefield, Rest had felt a mysterious sense of empathy. He couldn't help but think that if Rodel had been just a slightly better man, they might have stood side-by-side as brothers-in-arms. It was a vague, fleeting sentiment, but it lingered nonetheless.
So, Rodel’s remains won’t be laid to rest in the royal tombs. He'll be taken to some frontier monastery as a nameless corpse. In that case, maybe I’ll build a temple for him somewhere—a proper grave.
Even if Rodel was a villain of the century, Rest felt it was unwise to treat the remains of the powerful with such neglect. He had no desire for Rodel to return as a vengeful spirit, haunting the world like the legends of Taira no Masakado or Sugawara no Michizane. Their duel on the battlefield had forged a connection, however thin. Rest decided that once he officially established his own domain, he would claim the prince's body and build a temple in his honor.
Still... to think I’m actually a Count now.
The past month had been a whirlwind for the Aiwood Kingdom, and Rest’s life had changed just as drastically.
First, the purge of the Queen Dowager’s faction began. Any noble who had directly participated in Marquis Eiger’s rebellion was sentenced to death without exception. Those closest to the mastermind were sent to the execution platform alongside their entire families.
Those who had belonged to the faction but hadn't joined the actual uprising faced their own share of misery. Their lands and assets were seized, and they were stripped of their titles, reduced to the status of commoners. Even those who had deserted the faction at the last moment—specifically when the Marquis first raised his banners—were not spared. While they were granted clemency from the executioner, their ranks were lowered and their domains were confiscated.
As for the lands once held by the Queen Dowager’s faction, strategic strongholds were brought under the direct control of the crown. The remaining territories were distributed among the royalist nobles who had assisted in the subjugation.
The Marquis Rosemary House had seen a significant increase in its holdings, leaving Albert—the head of the house—constantly traveling between the capital and their new territories.
Then there was Rest. For his distinguished service in the war, he had been granted the rank of Count, a prestigious medal, and a substantial monetary reward. At the investiture ceremony, the King himself had offered personal words of praise, and the Crown Prince had treated him with newfound familiarity.
However, the ceremony hadn't been entirely pleasant. Rest had been exhausted by the sheer number of nobles who tried to corner him, desperately pushing their daughters onto him as potential wives. Viola and Primula, who had been standing by his side throughout the event, had been visibly fuming.
The Royal Academy had resumed classes after being closed following the disaster at the Monster Hunting Festival, but Rest had hardly attended. On the one occasion he had shown his face, he was swarmed. Female students begged to be his wife or even just a concubine, while male students pledged their loyalty in exchange for being appointed as magistrates in his new lands.
Though the territory Rest received was mostly uncultivated plains, it was a sleeping giant of potential wealth and influence. This potential acted like a flame to moths, drawing people from all over. At its worst, prospective retainers had even begun swamping the Rosemary townhouse to beg for positions.
"And now, Rodel’s inheritance on top of all that. It feels like my troubles are just going to keep doubling..."
Rest lay back on his bed and opened the official letter from the palace. According to the final will of Rodel Aiwood, Rest was to inherit his entire estate.
Specifically, Rodel had left behind the Queen Dowager’s secret fortune—a massive hoard she had likely spent a lifetime stashing away. It was said to contain missing national treasures and a total value that rivaled the kingdom's entire national budget.
The Royal Family had reclaimed the art, vases, and sculptures for the crown, but the direct assets—the gold coins and gemstones—were all being handed to Rest. Along with the mountain of wealth, he was also "entrusted" with a collection of obscure magic books and title deeds for various lands in the frontier.
Having money was good, but having enough wealth that he couldn't spend it in a hundred lifetimes was just a burden. A man with that much money is eventually forced to use it; otherwise, the economy stagnates and the vultures never stop circling. It was no different from a lottery winner being hounded by investment scammers and "friends" they hadn't spoken to in years.
If the attention is that annoying, I suppose the best thing to do is just spend it all. But having a project worth that much money is its own kind of headache.
"...I guess I have to do it. I’ll develop the magical wilds."
Normally, a project of that scale would be led by the Royal Family, but it was probably better for him to take the initiative on his own lands first. In fact, he suspected the King was pushing all this money onto him precisely for that purpose.
"I should go talk to my father-in-law."
Rest sat up and made his way toward Albert’s office to consult him about the development of the Subnock Plain.