Volume 13 Chapter 24 Appreciation Party
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
*Yaalan’s Perspective
”Kent’s still playing with monsters in the Southern Region, I presume?”
”Yes. While Sir Yaalan steadily expands his territory, Kent’s busy with large-scale monster hunts in the South District, oblivious to it all.”
Time had passed since the Gwain campaign ended.
To secure funds for opposition purges and war expenses, I’d deployed troops to maintain order in the newly acquired territories—former Gwain lands and parts of the northeast.
Thanks to Felia, once Gwain’s subordinate, we avoided economic collapse. Still, the war-torn Gwain territory and northeast remained exhausted.
Yuri excelled at gathering intel but was a novice in politics and economics. Gaining Felia, another of Gwain’s former subordinates, provided a competent administrator to handle governance.
”Sir Yaalan’s prestige is spreading even into new territories. The people of Gwain are stunned──taxes have gone down more than ever before. And in the northeast, where famine looms, they’re happily accepting Sir Yaalan’s support.”
Sitting at the edge of the bed with Yuri, Felia eventually snuggled up beside me.
”You’ve got to treat your people with kindness. As long as they’re alive, you can collect taxes. Once they’re gone, there’s nothing to take. Kent’s too soft──people get nothing if you kill them off.”
”Sir Yaalan’s right. Giving the people too much power just fans the flames of unrest. Even the smallest dissatisfaction can tip the scales, turning their anger toward the Lord himself. That’s why Kent’s way──while compassionate──is a double-edged sword. Honestly, I’d say he’s failing as a ruler.”
Felia scorned Kent, but considering his enormous wealth and the fact that the people rarely feel discontent, his power keeps growing.
It’s only getting stronger, not weaker.
”Felia’s points are valid, but the intelligence network is struggling more than ever. Compared to Miriallia’s days, enemy spies are being hunted down relentlessly. The local organizations are almost completely shattered. The information from traders is increasingly cloaked in false reports, making intel unreliable. As for the Margrave South District, it’s like the information’s been cut off entirely… We’re also reaching out to the organizations Gwain sent, but they’re close to collapse too. I apologize──our efforts are barely holding.”
Yuri looks genuinely sorry, but it seems the Margrave South District is building a proper organization, just like Miriallia’s successor did.
Still, they haven’t been able to secure trustworthy inside sources like the Dream Demon Clan anymore, which makes gathering intel even harder.
”There’s no helping it. After all, that Dorman household guard is watching over them. Even with the Dream Demon Assassination Squad involved, outsmarting that organization won’t be easy. But we must keep gathering intel ── depending on Kent’s moves, this whole continent might flip upside down again.”
”Is that so? With Sir Yaalan’s strength, I believe they could crush them effortlessly…”
”Felia, listen. That man defeated Gertroud ── the tyrant who spread chaos and terror across the land. I don’t see him falling easily. He’s my lifelong enemy, after all. His exile only fanned the flames of [Soul of the Overlord] within me. That’s the kind of fulfillment that keeps me alive.”
I’m grateful to Kent ── he’s dragged out the dreams I’ve kept buried inside.
Without him, I’d still be hiding away with my father, aging in peace.
But thanks to that divine joke, I get to spend time with a hero candidate like Kent.
I’ll burn through the power of [Soul of the Overlord], use every ounce of cunning and strength I have, and seize the Demon Continent ── make it mine.
”Kent… I think only one thing will settle this ── a fight to the death.”
”Let’s put Kent aside for now. Our urgent issues are the border dispute with Nokin and the insurrection brewing in the Black Dragon Dukedom.”
Felia, who had been silently standing nearby, cut off Kent’s name and shifted the focus to those 2 critical problems threatening the Dukedom.
”Let Nokin do as it will. They’re not seriously itching for war on either side. Both nations hide bombs within. I’ll order Yuri to stir Alonsa ── if Hendric and Alonsa turn against each other, their strength will plummet by more than half. Once that happens, they’ll be no threat at all.”
While Nokin, the proud leader of the Eastern Garuda Principality, is undeniably a fearsome swordsman, wars aren’t fought alone.
They’re won by teams, by collective strength.
Gertroud proved that──break the group’s unity and even the mightiest can be brought down easily.
”Understood. We’ve got spies deep undercover in the Eastern Garuda Principality──close to Alonsa herself. Whispering Hendric’s name into Alonsa’s ear? That’s a simple task.”
”Leave it to me.”
”As for Nokin’s situation──Sir Yaalan’s orders, I’ll pass along to Lynthia, Lyla, and the others exactly as instructed.”
”The northern campaign is due to maintain peace, after all. Keep pressing the rebel forces.”
”Yes, sir.”
”And what about the Black Dragon Dukedom? Have you managed to get close enough to Ugno’s trusted aides yet?”
”We’ve finished laying the groundwork. Ugno’s allies──a noble who once served him──along with the Lords on our border──have all formed a secret alliance against the king. Ugno still has no idea. He’s kept in the dark, so the plan should stay safe from Fabulanova’s spies.”
Ever since the chaos after Gertroud’s uprising, the nobles from the West who took refuge in the Black Dragon Dukedom have grown restless. They’re discontent with Nord Dracul’s centralization policies pushed by Fabulanova.
Meanwhile, Ugno’s forces also clash with Nord’s supporters. The mood among his men is increasingly against Nord.
All that’s left is to forge those factions together──use Ugno as a figurehead. Then the Black Dragon Dukedom will plunge back into chaos and civil war, no doubt.
”I’ll ask even more of you──please, handle this carefully.”
””Understood.””
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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