Chapter 60: Things you can obtain in someone else’s territory (end)

 

The Royal Palace of Lunan.

“Ha ha ha ha! You did really well!”

The King of Lunan greeted me with a joyful face.

“Well done Erhin.”

Duke Ronen was also full of praise. The problem was that he only offered praises. He didn’t seem to have the slightest intention of giving out any rewards. It was a bit too obvious that he treated people like fools.

“Your Majesty, won’t the entire Bridget Kingdom belong to Lunan soon?”

“Well, yes. It seems that the troops we sent in later are doing well. Hahahaha!”

“I don’t care what anyone says, it was me who made it possible.”

I declared to the king’s smiling face. The king and Ronen looked at each other as if the time had come. The smiles on their faces disappeared. It was as if they had already decided to get rid of me when they were done using me in the war.

“Hmm, I’m not so sure about that. You never know the outcome. It might have been possible even without you. Maybe even with Fihatri alone.”

The king started with his nonsense. Anyway, they are greedy people.

“Your Majesty, I don’t want much. Besides, I am destined to continue fighting for you. But could I have a small reward?”

When I mentioned another war, the king gave a light cough and nodded. He looked as if he had no choice, because he still had places to use me for now.

“That’s true. I’ve got to give credit where credit is due. What’s the reward? Just gold, right?

Don’t be silly. I have enough gold. More than Lunan’s treasury, that’s for sure.

“Isn’t gold an asset you should be using, Your Majesty? I only want one of your coastal territories in the Bridget Kingdom?”

“A coastal territory?”

“Yes, there is a place called Loctoin. I hear the coast is beautiful.”

“Loctoin? Bring me a map right away!”

As soon as the King of Lunan heard about it, he spread out a map in front of the audience room. Then he pointed directly to the territory.

“Why a coastal territory?”

Then Ronen asked a sharp question, as if he was not willing to give me that small territory.

“I’ve always wanted a piece of land along the coast, a quiet little seaside. I plan to use that territory as a vacation home, to play with women.”

“Oh, I see. Come to think of it, you’re quite a womanizer. Well, if it’s this big, I’ll give it to you……”

“Then can I have the imperial document with the Imperial Seal affixed right here and now?”

“Your Majesty, I don’t think there’s any hurry. Erhin, why don’t you just come back tomorrow?”

Ronen is a greedy man. He wouldn’t give up a single piece of land easily so I had no choice but to nod my head. The next day, I had another audience with the king.

What Ronen had been doing that night was well known. He must have thoroughly investigated the land that I wanted. I’m sure he has no intention of handing over any land where I can expand my influence.

“I’ve discussed the coastal territory you mentioned with His Majesty.”

Ronen said and pointed to a spot on the map.

“I’ve found a place that’s even better than the one you mentioned, a territory called Berthaquin. It’s really in the middle of nowhere, so you can enjoy all the relaxation you want without the world knowing about it. It’s a territory completely surrounded by mountains, the coast is blocked all around. No matter what you do, it’s not an easy place for anyone to escape, don’t you think?”

The place he pointed to was a corner of the Bridget Kingdom, a flat land that is not even a city, to be honest. It was a territory with nothing but mountains.

“Will you give me that territory?”

“Yes. I’ve already prepared the imperial document with the Imperial Seal on it. I had a hard time finding a better territory for you. Don’t you like it?”

No, I don’t……!

They both saw my expression turn cloudy and looked at me at the same time.

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

“Well, well, I’m glad you like it. Hahahahahaha!”

The king, thinking that he had been able to substitute a useless piece of land for a reward, burst out laughing. I scoffed at him in my mind as I received the royal decree and came out of the palace. Yes. I ridiculed him. Berthaquin, this empty territory was exactly what I had been aiming for from the beginning.

I knew that if I asked for a place to rest, he would suggest this land, which was the most useless land in Bridget’s territory. Ronen probably chose this land while laughing at my mistake of calling it a resting place. He seemed to think that since I said the word “resting place,” I would not be able to refuse Berthaquin, which was the best place for it. Of course, I had no intention of refusing from the start.

Berthaquin has the most iron mines on the continent. Aintorian does not have much iron, we import it but the royal family is in charge of managing it. Therefore, it was something of a challenge to get iron because iron is a war material; all countries have strict control over it. To be able to obtain iron under such circumstances is an enormous profit.

Of course, the iron of Berthaquin is not known even in Bridget. In the game, after I obtained the Berthaquin territory and started developing it, the iron began to overflow. So, at this point, I’m the only one who knows about it. That’s right, what I wanted more desperately than Bridget Kingdom in this war was the iron.

* * *

Zint had a rare smile on his face as he looked at Aintorian.

“You’re in a very good mood. I can’t believe Zint is laughing.”

He was a man who didn’t care what you gave him, but when it came to Mirine, he was different. There were many things that I found in the treasure room of the Royal Palace of Bridget and I let Zint choose a gift for her from among them.

There were so many treasures that I could have gave Mirine as many as she wanted. However, receiving so many treasures at once is not very inspiring. A man returns from war and hands over one beautiful treasure, wouldn’t that be cooler?

“I’m not smiling! I was just managing my facial expressions.”

What’s that?

“More importantly, I still can’t get the bandage off, so that’s a problem.”

Zint’s chest wound was still healing and he was wearing a bandage.

“It’s fine. If a man goes to war, he’s bound to get hurt. What are you talking about?”

“Oh, I see. You talk big in front of me, but you can’t say anything in front of Mirine.”

“That’s not true.”

Zint adamantly denied it but I imagine him being dragged away by his ear. Anyway, that’s how Zint and I got back into the territory.

“Master! Welcome home!”

When we arrived at the gate of the territory, we were greeted by the chamberlain and all the retainers, who had gotten the information from who knows where.

“Your Excellency!”

The vassals kneeled but right now, I wanted to rest. To be honest, I’m pretty tired. I’m not an iron man; I’m just an ordinary modern man. So I’m going to get my vassals to their feet, give them their orders, and then I’ll be on my way.

“I’m heading to the lord’s castle for now. Haddin and Yusen will report to me tomorrow.”

“Yes, my lord!”

“Zint, you go and see Mirine.”

“Okay.”

I got on the carriage right away. I’m going to sleep; I’ll organize my items and everything else after I wake up. When I arrived at the lord’s castle and went inside, the maids bowed their heads in unison.

“Don’t worry about it. Everyone go back to work. Chamberlain I’m going to my room.”

I told the chamberlain that, and started to walk up the stairs.

“Master, you have a visitor.”

“A guest?”

All of a sudden I have a guest?

“I’m tired today. Can we do this tomorrow?”

“Yes, sir.”

“So, who is it?”

I stopped walking up the stairs and asked. There were no guests scheduled to come.

“That’s…….It’s a woman. She calls herself a princess…….”

“What?”

I stopped at the royal capital of Lunan. So, I’m sure she’ll be able to get to Aintorian faster than I can.

“She’s here, isn’t she?”

“Yes. I’m here.”

I was supposed to ask the chamberlain, but the reply came unexpectedly from the second floor parapet. There is a guest room on the second floor for visitors.

“Why are you……?”

Yurasia tilted her head as she gracefully came down the stairs.

“Aren’t you too surprised? You’re the one who said you’d welcome me as a friend, aren’t you?”

“No, I did.”

Yurasia then looked around. She seems uncomfortable because there are so many people.

“Let’s go to the study first.”

“Yes. Let’s do that.”

I told the chamberlain not to come in and then went to the study with her.

“Wow, that’s a lot of books.”

Yurasia said as she looked around the study.

“Still, it’s less than a study in the palace, isn’t it?”

“It doesn’t matter. You were right.”

“Hmm?”

“As soon as I got home, I was in constant trouble. There was a group of nobles who pestered me.”

“Oh, you mean that?”

Yes. It can’t be helped.

“They asked if I was planning to become the king. I’m not kidding. That’s not all they wanted me to give up the position of general of the kingdom’s army to my brother in order to take away my military authority. It was getting ridiculous so I ran out and said that I would cut them all down if they threatened my brother’s royal authority. I would go and help if Roserun would be in trouble but I don’t want to think about it now.”

“Oh, my God.”

“That was a joke.”

“What did you say?”

“It seems that my power in Roserun is stronger than I thought. My brother also asks for my advice when something is wrong, and that seems to be more of a problem than anything else, so I’ve decided to leave Roserun for a while.”

“But……”

Yurasia wrapped her hair around her fingers then she chuckled. It was unlike her. In all the time they had been together in Roserun, she had only smiled twice, once in the dark and once for a brief moment.

“There’s another reason I’m here.”

“Another reason?”

Yurasia took another step closer in front of me.

“There was something I really needed to hear. That’s why I’m here.”

“Something you needed to hear?”

“You’ve come all this way just to ask me a question?”

When I asked her back in dismay, she slowly opened her mouth with a straight face.

“You said I’m not your type, right? Then what is your type?”

Martial force 92 – [89+3].

Command 97 – [95+2].

This person with extraordinary abilities unexpectedly asked me what kind of women I like.