Volume 6 Chapter 46 Post-Processing (Family Dispute)
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Oh? So Lord Shirakaba is into gardening as well?”
I want to call her Yukina. That’s her real name. But with the maids lurking just outside the room, I can’t risk it. To them, Sir Hero is a gallant man. It’d be a disaster if they found out he’s actually a woman.
”It’s not exactly a hobby,” Yukina replied in a soft voice, careful not to disturb Tizzy, who was busy struggling with a mountain of paperwork. “In the countryside, buying vegetables feels like admitting defeat. It’s all about self-reliance and trading with neighbors. With just one aare, you can grow more radishes than you’d expect.”
”Radishes are tough to grow in planters. A full aare… that’s real farming, not some casual backyard project. Rural life sounds appealing.”
”It’s more difficult than it sounds,” she said with a hint of nostalgia.
Yukina had been a vital member of Hero Farm—an agricultural unit that kept entire communities alive. Honestly, that kind of knowledge probably does more good in this world than any overpowered cheat skill ever could.
I’d seen radishes growing in the botanical gardens. Many cruciferous plants were surprisingly resistant to wall barley poison, making them ideal crops. Root vegetables weren’t very popular around here, but I wanted to grow at least enough to feed myself.
”Grated radish with takuan… and the sautéed leaves are great too.”
”Wall barley sprouts from summer through autumn,” Yukina added. “If you burn the land in late fall, you can cultivate it until the following summer. The hard part is getting your hands on radish seeds.”
”I’ve got a few contacts for that,” Auroora offered. “But slash-and-burn might stir up some religious backlash.”
It wasn’t just superstition—misusing those methods had caused serious trouble before. Most summoned heroes didn’t know the dark history behind wall barley.
”The church can be noisy about such things,” she said with a shrug. “We just ignored them.”
”That kind of thinking can backfire. You really shouldn’t make enemies of the Great Temple.”
”You sound like Amada.”
Yukina respected the gods, but she had little patience for religious institutions. She was a paladin, yet maybe that’s exactly why she saw through them. Come to think of it, Tizzy was a saint too… though it never quite fit her.
”Not fair! You two are having all the fun without me~desuwa!”
Tizzy slammed her paperwork shut and joined us with dramatic flair. Our voices must have gotten too loud. That one’s on me. Sorry, Tizzy—but seriously, you’re a lord. Do your job.
”You need to push yourself a little more, Tizzy. I’ll help with the calculations, just bring the raw numbers.”
”You never mentioned that before… Well, fine. Depends on how much work it is, though. I really need to finish up soon.”
She meant the level of detail required. The revenue list was relatively rough. If we had a spreadsheet, we’d be done in under an hour. But doing it all by hand? That could take all night.
If I sold a solar calculator at the capital’s auction, I’d probably be set for life.
The expense list was another beast entirely—full of tiny details that were impossible to keep track of. No receipts, either. Maybe a few contracts for big purchases, but that’s it.
I struggled with this kind of stuff at first too. But once I let go of the idea of precision and adjusted to this world’s customs, everything got easier. The numbers never matched perfectly anyway. As long as the first two digits lined up, it was good enough.
Start by getting rid of the worst offenders—the ones embezzling without even trying to hide it. From there, you could keep things under control.
”These documents are complete nonsense! What’s the point of this mess?!”
Tizzy threw her arms up and tossed papers into the air. As I gathered them, I noticed the formatting was all over the place. No dates, no structure. The only consistent marker was the lord’s name and age, which served as a vague timestamp.
She’d been trying to get a clear picture of the territory’s finances based solely on last year’s reports. A noble attempt… but far too naïve for this world.
”I get how you feel. But a lord is basically a legalized bandit chief,” I said calmly. “Just deal with the ones who go too far. Even the worst documents can be useful if you treat them as evidence.”
From what little I’d seen, Duke Mineley’s territory was already beyond saving. Maybe it’d be better if another nation wiped it off the map. Big Castor had tried to drag in foreign powers for personal gain, but in hindsight, it might’ve been better if he’d lost to Princess Auroora. Was I meddling too much?
”Amada, you’re too lax. These are official records. Even one gold off the mark is a serious issue.”
I passed a stack of papers to Yukina. She could read the local script, though it took time. Once you got used to it, though, a quick skim was usually enough.
Some clerks copied last year’s reports word-for-word—easy to spot thanks to their uniform handwriting.
The metal market fluctuated constantly, yet the mine profits stayed exactly the same every year. Obviously fake.
The ones that looked the most accurate were often the most suspicious. Numbers can lie. If the math checks out too perfectly, that’s when you should be suspicious. Especially when the digits are oddly precise… except the last one.
”Small-scale embezzlement has basically become a tradition. It’s considered a perk of the job in some places,” I explained.
Shockingly, some low-ranking officials weren’t even paid. Instead, they got hand-me-down noble outfits as compensation. It was practically volunteer work. Naturally, they had to fund their own supplies—if they didn’t, everything would grind to a halt.
My country was still new. I made it a rule to pay wages properly and crack down hard on corruption. Of course, bureaucratic salaries counted as official expenses.
”In the Holy Kingdom, corrupt officials are executed~desuwa.”
”But criminals judging criminals doesn’t solve anything. Shouldn’t we implement separation of powers?”
”That’s not feasible right away. We need to start with something like absolute monarchy. People won’t follow otherwise.”
Separation of powers… yeah, I’d thought about bringing in that kind of modern internal politics cheat. But right now, it’s all about making money. Mercantilism. If people are eating well, they’ll be happy. That’s the first step.
Most bureaucrats embezzle because they’re trying to one-up each other. Whether noble or commoner, everyone’s fighting for status in this narrow world.
Encouraging waste might stimulate the economy, but with limited resources, that approach backfires.
I want people to spend freely, but I also want to preserve resources.
From a ruler’s perspective, it’s easier and cheaper to reward people with honor. Designing cool medals is fun, too.
Medals are the ultimate status symbol. Everyone wants one. And the truly honest officials deserve them most.
”We’ll purge every last corrupt official. Anyone who can read, write, and do math can be a bureaucrat. There are plenty of replacements!”
Tizzy had fire in her eyes. Judging by the state of Duke Mineley’s territory, even replacing the officials with five-year-olds might be an improvement.
”We’ll confiscate all illicit wealth—family, servants, even slaves~desuwa!”
”Tizzy, keep your voice down. The maids are listening.”
Yukina was always mindful of that sort of thing. Maybe it’s just another form of diplomacy… though it helps that she’s stunning.
”I don’t care anymore. I won’t tolerate traitors. Even the ladies-in-waiting have gotten sloppy! And that dragon Schulz… Orlan’s daughter demanding sacrifices? Absolutely unacceptable.”
”You mean that girl who swore loyalty to you? If she’s one of your attendants, she’ll probably come around.”
There was a big misunderstanding here. If she’s Orlan’s daughter, then… she’s currently in my magic bag. I need to explain before people start throwing around kidnapping accusations.
”Just so you know, all those daughters were brainwashed and enslaved by Castor’s gang. Some of my people have rescued and protected them.”
”Castor… did something like that? Then it all fits. Why didn’t anyone notice sooner?”
”Amada… you didn’t do anything to those girls, did you?” Yukina leaned in, her voice sweet—but her eyes were dead serious. “Look me in the eyes and tell the truth. I won’t get mad.”
She was teasing me, probably. But her eyes weren’t smiling.
Do I really come off that much like a playboy?
…Okay, maybe I do.
”They were drugged, trained to obey. We’re still looking for a cure. And for the record, I’m innocent.”
”If they were manipulated with drugs, the Great Temple is probably behind it. That’s likely where the cure is hidden too.”
That made sense. Of course! Classic game logic. Why didn’t I realize that sooner? Looks like I’ve got another errand in the capital.
I needed to stop by Nina’s place anyway. And before that, recharge the magic stone with Uno.
While organizing the growing list of tasks in my head, I noticed something strange on the Radar Scan—a man approaching, radiating a bizarre aura.
Not an enemy, probably. But still, I warned Yukina and the others just in case.
”Messenger! Urgent report!”
The door slammed open. A soldier staggered in, soaked in blood. Normally, such disrespect would be unacceptable—but messengers were the exception.
He looked like he’d crawled out of hell.
Blood poured from a gash on his forehead. His skull looked badly damaged. He needed treatment. Immediately.
”Report! The Castor family has escaped! The Duke and Ashlot are with them!”
Ashlot, Tizzy’s good-for-nothing older brother… So, Duke wasn’t actually taken hostage by Castor. They escaped together?
Just what are they thinking? What could’ve driven them to act like that? What kind of people would choose this path?
”You’ve done well, messenger. Go get some rest.”
As Tizzy’s body began to shine softly, a warm light cascaded over the messenger’s injuries. His shattered skull, crushed and caved in, was swiftly restored.
A miracle. That’s what she was—a saint. It’s no wonder the man looked up at her like a devout worshipper gazing at a guardian angel.
Once the message had been delivered, military officers quickly gathered. Or at least, they were supposed to—yet nearly an hour passed before they finally convened. In that time, of course, Castor and his group had already made their move.
I’ve been tracking them with Radar Scan, but instead of heading toward Hollowvale, they’re taking a hidden mountain trail—a path only beasts or locals would know. Each of them is being carried by muscular men equipped for the task.
Those men came with Princess Auroora. They’d claimed to be here to assist with repairing the damage I caused to the town, but clearly, that was just a cover.
That princess… Maybe she wasn’t even aware of what was going on. Still, this entire move smells of the Totoana Empire’s involvement.
Tizzy, as always, proved to be shrewd. She must have anticipated Castor’s flight. By assigning Castor’s loyalists to handle security, she practically opened the door for their escape.
Even the father fled—now that was unexpected.
”You absolute fools~desuwa. Apprehend the rebels before they cross the border! I don’t care if they live or die!”
”But… they’re your actual family!”
One of the armed officials spoke, sneering without shame. If Tizzy had been the shy type, maybe that would have rattled her.
”A lord who abandons his people to flee abroad is a traitor. And those who helped are no better. The national army is far less forgiving than I am.”
”The national army is on the move!”
”Ridiculous!”
The moment the words dropped, the faces of certain people changed. Their hesitation betrayed their guilt. So transparent.
Bringing in foreign soldiers and playing rebellion… Did they think the nation would sit idly by? It was Tizzy herself who disclosed the incident. She didn’t try to cover it up—she went public. Naturally, that stirred the government into action.
Inciting conflict with foreign powers is one of the gravest crimes a noble can commit. No amount of status can shield them. If anything, the higher their station, the harsher the judgment. Betraying your homeland… that’s what it means.
And now, those who acted without preparing for consequences are panicking.
Some fled. Others collapsed. Many just stood around in confusion, not fully understanding what they’d gotten into.
So many foolish subordinates… Poor Tizzy. If it were me, I’d surrender governance to the state and spend my days in peace, living off a modest stipend. One generation of luxury would be enough.
”Capture them!”
At Tizzy’s command, Orlan sprang into action. Others followed quickly, some purely because they saw which way the wind was blowing. Neutrality was no longer a viable stance.
A few loyalists tried to resist, but with Ms. Shirakaba standing in their way, it was hopeless. Like hamsters trying to topple an elephant.
And yes… that powerhouse is my wife. A fight between us? Out of the question.
The Castor faction crumbled quickly. With Ms. Shirakaba enhancing her abilities, she and the others overwhelmed the opposition. She’s exceptionally good against enemies who hesitate—an ideal ally when things turn chaotic.
The purge happened in a flash. Whether by design or chance, Tizzy’s forces secured victory. Had it all been part of her plan, she’d be truly terrifying.
Once the tide turned, officers aligned with Tizzy raced to finish the job. Organized resistance had effectively ended.
From this point forward, all we could do was observe. Even if they were kin of traitors, it still hurt to imagine what would come next for the women and children left behind.
If Tizzy’s side went too far, they’d have to face justice too. Still, I doubt she’d falter. Rulers can’t afford to wear their hearts on their sleeves.
When we returned to the office, the maids had vanished.
”Those with sharp instincts flee before the traitors have a chance to trap them.”
Though Radar Scan still tracks movement, only a few have a real chance of escape—namely Castor’s family and Duke’s group.
They’re aiming for the natural border. There are no checkpoints there, but the terrain itself is treacherous. That’s why the border exists—because crossing it is a challenge.
Even our pursuers are struggling. This was a strategic win for Castor, who laid his groundwork well in advance.
Personally, I’m worried about Castor’s daughter. She’s still just a child. Even with someone carrying her, it’s too harsh for a sheltered heiress. She’ll remember this for the rest of her life.
”Castor and Duke may actually succeed in escaping. Is that alright?”
We’ve kept Radar Scan a secret from them, but I have a hunch they’ve caught on.
”I never expected to catch them anyway.”
”Wait, didn’t you say to capture them no matter the cost?”
Ms. Shirakaba is a straightforward person. Deceit isn’t her strong point.
”If I didn’t say that, the ones helping them wouldn’t have been punished, right?”
”That makes sense… But if we let Duke go, won’t the enemy just turn him into a puppet? It could lead to something far worse down the line.”
”True. If that happens, I’ll abandon my title and flee with the villagers who still believe in me. Is that acceptable, Your Majesty?”
Was that a joke? Because it didn’t sound like one. Still, she clearly expected me to approve.
The barley harvest is set to begin after summer, so we won’t be short on food. But would the villagers really abandon their homeland so easily?
Honestly, if they’re willing to work in the new concrete factory, I’d welcome them. As for housing… maybe I’ll build a residential block.
”As a ruler, the more labor we have, the better. But the existing residents might not like it. To avoid unrest, we’d have to build a new town just for them. Don’t expect luxury right away.”
There are already tensions between the former Toyata villagers and those from the capital. I underestimated how insular these communities are.
”Even if I were to become queen?”
”Huh? You’re breaking the engagement? Haha. I always wanted to try that. Fine, I’ll marry Amada for real.”
It’s a serious matter, but Ms. Shirakaba can’t read the room.
Still, an official marriage between Tizzy and me might help unite the people. A political marriage, huh?
Though even with that, conflict might continue. Shea-Shea and Sar-Sar are also engaged to influential families, but that hasn’t stopped division. If peace were that easy, we wouldn’t be in this mess.
Different upbringings, different values—it’s no surprise they clash. Forcing harmony only stirs more conflict. Competition might be healthier. That ancient Roman guy who said “divide and conquer” really knew his stuff.
”A political marriage may bring unity, but the underlying conflicts will remain.”
”I support the marriage,” Ms. Shirakaba said. “But Amada, you should let people choose where they want to live. Dividing them by birthplace is basically discrimination.”
She has a point. I’ve thought about that too. But in this world, people wouldn’t understand such freedom. They wouldn’t even want it.
”No, trying that here would just make things worse. The people here are deeply wary of outsiders.”
The Chicken Ham strategy helped earn their trust, but that was partly thanks to Mr. Zenom backing me. Most summoned heroes end up clashing with the locals.
”All we have to do is enlighten the masses! Like the Meiji Restoration, or the French Revolution!”
With the maids gone, Ms. Shirakaba was letting loose. She was getting carried away, but I understood what she meant. Tizzy, on the other hand, looked completely lost—maybe Mind Communication had reached its limit.
”Rapid civilization is impossible when literacy’s this low. And if the surrounding nations catch wind of it, they’ll crush us.”
”Right! That’s why Napoleon worked so hard. Let’s just summon everyone who’s been brought to this world and conquer it! We’ll make it a better place!”
Her words made a strange sort of sense—but I wasn’t convinced.
”Napoleon lost, didn’t he? I’m no Napoleon. And if we start conquering other lands with cheat powers, wouldn’t that make us the Demon King?”
”True, true. You’re way too cautious. Oh, by the way, Tizzy—I’ve got a question for you too. It’s nice to flee with the villagers and all, but handing over Duke Mineley’s rich mines to the invaders feels a bit off, don’t you think? Shouldn’t we make them suffer just a little?”
Make them suffer, huh? Is Mind Communication working right?
”‘Make them suffer,’ is it? We can’t just cave in an open-pit mine. Then… how about returning the mine to Dragon Schulz? That land belonged to him originally.”
”Ugh, that guy’s so hard to beat. He uses magic, so I’d need a barrier, armor that blocks his breath attack, something to withstand physical blows… and of course, a dragon-slaying sword.”
”Wait… if Schulz is that easy to take down, my plans fall apart. Isn’t the Dragon Slayer supposed to be legendary?”
”There are a few who have it. If we gather fifty elite players and form a raid team, we might be able to defeat him. But the losses would be brutal.”
Ms. Shirakaba… she’s got the mindset of a hardcore gamer. Not necessarily a bad thing—but it’s a little unsettling when applied to real-world monsters.
Especially Schulz. He’s not a bad dragon, really. I just want him to live out his days peacefully, playing with clay for the next thousand—or ten thousand—years.
Notes:
• Shirakaba – A paladin who seems to be a skilled fighter. He’s introduced as someone with a strong defense and healing abilities.
• Tizzy – Claims to be Duke’s daughter, a noble with advanced magic skills. MC and Ms. Shirakaba lover.
• Holy Kingdom – Located on the east of the continent.
• Schulz – A male dragon who collects human women and holds the rank of Duke within the Anti-Magic Alliance.
• Nina – Doll Princess (Auroora 217), renamed by the protagonist. Beautiful blonde, ~168 cm, slim waist. Wears adventurer attire. Made from artificial parts and wooden limbs, resembling a princess. Knowledgeable, can read, write, and use basic healing magic. Reliable partner, often saves the protagonist with her skills.
• Shea-Shea – Mauro’s daughter. Hurt by Alexander. Became an eager fiancée after advice from protagonist.
• Mr. Zenom – Tough dwarf blacksmith from Toyoata Village. Repairs weapons, improves accuracy. Charges 100 gold/arrow. Becomes protagonist’s strict master. Assigns hard tasks like pre-dawn cleaning, firewood, water pumping. Owns well-equipped forge. Challenges protagonist to prove ideas.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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