Chapter 76 Interlude – Kapon Rüdel
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
“He’s more capable than I expected… that foreigner.”
Kapon Rüdel, Governor of Livonia City, sat in his office, quietly satisfied with the work Sanai Ayumu had accomplished. The reason was obvious: his superior, the notoriously incompetent Duke Ralka, had demanded the impossible just days earlier—“Build the canal as cheaply as possible within a year!”—and Sanai had succeeded in only one week.
Even better, he had almost entirely used up the old Yugan Empire military stockpiles of stored magical explosives. For Kapon, this was a relief.
Duke Ralka, famous for his incompetence and greed, had a habit of hoarding useless items, much to the frustration of his subordinates. Thanks to Sanai, those dangerous bombs were finally gone. Warehouses could now store new supplies, and the canal had been completed at a shockingly low cost. Choosing him had been the right call. Kapon could only feel gratitude.
Still, a twinge of disappointment lingered. That fool, Lord Ralka, had told the citizens working on the completed canal, “The canal’s completion is commendable… but if we’d kept citizen wages lower, it could have been even cheaper.” As a result, minor nobles who had already disliked Sanai spread rumors: “That foreigner wasted state funds for his own glory—he’s a traitor to the nation!”
It was ironic. Thanks to the foreigner’s use of funds in public works, money had circulated, and everyone profited—but some simpletons still struggled to understand.
(That foreigner… he’s exceptionally capable. Best leave him be… I cannot risk someone destroying him on their own.)
So Kapon returned all assets and buildings owned by the foreigner at his sole discretion. He wanted the young man to bring even greater profits, for he was the last beloved disciple of Eva Rhines.
Eva Rhines, born in the Kingdom of Elandric during the old Yugan Empire era, had been a difficult, prideful woman. Like many Elandrics, she clung to the old empire’s glory, caring more for honor and reputation than practicalities.
But this young man was not Elandric. Yugan was now a multicultural, commercial nation. Kapon, though born in the Caesaran Empire, knew firsthand that honor and morality alone could not feed one’s stomach. His parents had died in war before he could remember, and he had grown up an orphan, constantly on the edge of death and exploitation until finally reaching this country as a refugee.
Fortunately, Kapon possessed a natural talent for administration. Duke Ralka, by contrast, lacked any administrative skill, leaving Kapon in charge of governing Livonia City. Now, he held his position and authority—but if roles had been reversed, he would have died young. Success required both talent and luck.
In that regard… he sensed the same talent in this foreigner. A kindred spirit, one capable of seizing fortune with his own hands.
For that reason, Kapon resolved to support him—for as long as the young man remained beneficial.
Notes:
• Rhines – A weary apothecary who serves as the protagonist’s mentor at the Alchemist Guild.
• Kingdom of Elandric – A nation mentioned on the map.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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