Volume 8 Chapter 2 The Revival Of Kent Blackdagger
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
I was walking towards the authentication room, leaning on Annabella’s shoulder.
* * *
Upon reaching the authentication room deep within the palace, I was greeted with a taunt from my father-in-law.
”Hey there, Kent. The kingdom’s supreme military commander has been waiting, and you’ve been quite the busy bee, cavorting in the side rooms. Heh heh heh.”
What a fool, Feria!
I’m totally busted!
”Don’t worry, I’m keeping Milly awake at night too! I’ll make sure to deliver the good news to our father-in-law before the year is out.”
”Hahaha! Still the same old pervert. I’m looking forward to the child you’ll have with Milly becoming my grandchild. But I wonder if His Majesty Shifa might regret not making you a king when he hears about this.”
After the war, my father-in-law was appointed as the kingdom’s supreme military commander by Shifa, taking control of the kingdom’s military, but it seems the reorganization of the kingdom’s forces has been a rough sail.
The nobles who sided with Gwain have either fled to his new domain in the True Demon Dukedom, taking their assets from the capital, or the lords in the east have been decapitated or died in the Battle of Gertroud.
Moreover, the western vassals have sworn allegiance to the Black Dragon Dukedom and seceded from the kingdom, so the so-called kingdom’s army is nothing more than a ragtag assembly of noble forces around the capital.
”Father-in-law, is it really okay for you to be selling oil at my place during such a busy time?”
”Well, you’re my shield. Without your military strength, my opinions would be dismissed by the nobles in the capital. So, even if I’m busy, I believe spending time with you is not a waste.”
My father-in-law was embroiled in a heated debate with the capital’s nobles over the reorganization of the kingdom’s military.
Ever since his time in the South District, he had lamented the weakening of the kingdom’s military, and his intention in taking the post of supreme military commander this time was likely to rebuild the beleaguered forces.
One of the causes for the weakening of the kingdom’s military was the corruption among the officer class, which traditionally only nobles could join.
My father-in-law abolished that custom and appointed many commoner officers, whom he had pulled from the Kingdom army during his time as Margrave of the South District, to the posts left vacant when the Gwain faction’s officers fled.
This seems to have angered the nobles of the Capital City, and word has it that the road to reforming the Kingdom army is becoming bumpy.
My father-in-law’s “support” for me means being a strong arm to intimidate the nobles into limiting their private armies and restructuring the Kingdom’s standing army.
In fact, the nobles around the Capital City were shaken by the strength of the South District army displayed in the Gertroud war, and no one dared to challenge them head-on.
”Personally, I don’t really want to fight… I want to avoid casualties on our side. It would be a shame.”
”There won’t be a real battle. Those Capital City nobles are all talk and no action. If we show a little strength, they’ll gladly contribute troops. I’m not asking for freebies, mind you. Even Aldo the Chancellor said the Kingdom will pay nobles a stipend based on their rank, even if they don’t manage their estates. It’s easier to get paid a decent sum without having to work hard yourself, isn’t it?”
My father-in-law, along with Aldo, was restructuring both the Kingdom army and the nobility.
Essentially, he plans to give nobles a fixed monthly sum based on their rank, keep them under control in the Capital City, and hire competent individuals as officials, regardless of their background, to manage the royal estates and serve as officers.
By the way, this official recruitment exam will be open to commoners as well, so competent individuals from any background can be hired.
This also became a reason for the father-in-law to deepen his conflict with the nobles of the Capital City.
From the nobles’ perspective, not only were their ancestral lands being seized, but they also had to prove their ability to obtain an official position rather than relying on connections.
However, some nobles supported this proposal.
They were the low-level nobles with small territories.
Even though they were lords, many were actually neck-deep in debt, only governing villages with populations of 2 to 3 hundred.
For these small-scale lords, the proposal meant that the state would take over their debts, and if they could demonstrate their abilities, they might even secure profitable official positions, so they were all for it.
On the other hand, opposition continued to come from nobles with large territories.
”You can’t go around making such bold threats. Hasty reforms will only cause unnecessary friction.”
”I don’t mind personally. It’s better to lance the boil of the Kingdom now. If you want a fight, let’s have one. I’ll crush them.”
Yikes!
This guy’s a fighter!
Is that really okay?
Hey, isn’t anyone going to step in and hit the brakes?!
”Father-in-law, you shouldn’t stir up too much trouble with the nobles of the Capital City, or Kent won’t be able to settle down and have children.”
Milly, unable to bear it any longer, offered her advice to the father-in-law.
”You’re right, Milly. No fighting! Peace is what we need.”
”Well, I understand that if I start a fight now, I’ll only be handing Gwain an advantage. But once things stabilize around His Majesty Shifa, I’ll push for reforms all at once, just so you know.”
”These are indeed trying times for the nobles…”
”It should be a given, considering the duties of a noble, but we should be grateful for His Majesty Shifa’s kindness. Anyway, today’s business was about reissuing Kent’s identification papers.”
”Reissuing identification papers?”
I was told the purpose of the father-in-law’s visit, but I couldn’t quite grasp its significance.
”I heard from Milly that you’ve gone back to being unemployed. As your father-in-law, it doesn’t look good for my son to be unemployed. I came here today to help you with the reissue process.”
Oh, that reminds me, I had poured all my jobs and skills into defeating Orphée Bleu, so I had forgotten that I lost my job.
”Speaking of which, that’s true. I am currently unemployed…”
”Honestly, I don’t mind you being unemployed. But my stepfather believes that a king who is unemployed doesn’t set a good example for others, so I have no choice.”
Milly looked at me and shrugged her shoulders.
As my father-in-law says, even if it’s just for appearances, now that I am the king responsible for a nation, I need to demonstrate some level of ability, or I’ll just become a laughingstock to the populace.
Especially since I already lack the dignity of a lord; if it gets out that I’m unemployed, my reputation would plummet.
”You’re right, father-in-law. I think an unemployed king is not ideal.”
”Exactly. You should quickly regain at least a basic job (birth).”
He had me stand in front of the Authentication Stone (Job Check) and guided my hand to touch the stone pillar.
”I hereby acknowledge you, Kent Blackdagger, as a citizen of my Kingdom, under the authority of Arbalest Haydon!”
The space for authentication was being filled with light.
When the light faded, a familiar red card was floating on the back of my hand.
──You have been registered as a resident of the [True Demon Kingdom].
──Job acquired [Royal].
──Skill point: 1 point acquired.
──Job bonus: Physical Strength [Greater] increased.
The log flowed past the edge of my vision.
”Wait! Kent, why are you [Royal] now? You were supposed to be a [citizen]…”
My father-in-law was surprised to see the basic job (birth) I got.
That’s because the [Royal] title, which should only be obtainable by descendants of the Demon Lord and the Royal Family, was attached to it.
I also looked twice when my father-in-law pointed it out.
”Whoa, you’re right. Why is that… I mean, there’s no way I’m a [Royal] born. This must be broken.”
When I switched through the card’s screens, I found other strange things.
Kent
Race: Majin Clan
Age: 16
Card Color: Red 1/∞
HR: 84
Remaining Skill Points: 35
Combat Job:
- None
General Jobs:
- Royal: Level 35
Modifier Skills:
- Handsome Guy (Gift)
- Protective Instinct (Gift)
- Woman Killer (Gift)
- Sexual Prowess (Gift)
Combat Skills:
- None
General Skills:
- None
Equipment:
- Right Hand: None
- Left Hand: None
- Armor: Silk Clothes
- Accessory: None
Languages:
- Western Language (Fluent)
- Reading Comprehension: Western Language
Titles:
- B-Class Hunter
- Exceptional Commander
- Beast Monster Hunter
- Kingdom Count
- Great Lord
- South District Margrave
- Savior of the Nation
- Harem King
- God Slayer
The job level for basic job (birth), which should equal age, was 35.
”Kent. Why is your Royal job level 35? You’re 16 this year, right?”
My father-in-law also seemed confused by my card display.
”Kent… Is this the curse of Orphée Bleu…”
Milly looked at me with a worried expression.
However, I had a hunch about the job level number.
That’s because that number represented my age in that other world.
When I met Sazukrain, I was presented with the option to return to that other world, but I chose to stay here without a second thought.
Perhaps, during that time, my soul from the other world fused with my body here, Kent, leading to the current job level displayed.
Also, being born Royal may have been due to the certification ceremony taking place in the Demon Lord’s palace, which might have led them to determine I was Royal.
”Maybe, that’s not it. The job level is my actual age. Milly and my father-in-law know that I’m a ‘Lost One.’ I was 35 years old in that other world. Plus, I believe the change to [Royal] happened because of the certification ceremony held here. Only someone with Demon Lord blood could hold a ceremony here, right?”
”Ah, I see… this is Demon Lord’s palace after all. Besides, such a certification ceremony, once done at adulthood, doesn’t just disappear. Kent is truly someone special. Still, you continue to surprise me.”
”My son is 35 years old… No wonder you have been acting so grandfatherly. Kent, I suddenly feel like I’ve aged a decade. I can’t wait to see my grandchild…”
My father-in-law suddenly started talking about grandchildren when he found out I was 35.
I had to change the topic quickly to avoid setting off any death flags.
”More importantly, father-in-law, please keep this conversation confidential.”
”Aldo and Shifa probably know Kent’s secret, right? What will those 2 do?”
”They have their own network, so they’ll eventually find out. For now, I’d rather not be treated as an outsider by the other nobles, so please call me the lovelorn king or something.”
”Well, since most nobles are watching Kent’s battle against Gertroud, I don’t think they see him as just a fool in love. His recognition as the foremost Combat Commander in the Kingdom is well-established. With such a remarkable display of military prowess, he’s bound to raise eyebrows.”
”It’s a troubling matter. I’m a powerless and harmless individual… sigh, I wish to go back to the South District…”
I was growing tired of life in the Capital City and planned to return to the South District once I regained my health.
”It’s fine to return, but since this is the embassy, I’d appreciate it if a certain number of troops could be stationed here. For now, having Kondrad and a thousand soldiers would be great. And just a few Dragonewts as a rapid response unit would also be helpful.”
My father-in-law suggested a stationed army when I expressed my desire to return home.
I really didn’t want to keep too many soldiers in the Capital City, considering the costs of garrisoning forces, but it seemed my father-in-law saw through my intention to keep the loyal Kondrad as a check against any rebellious nobles.
That said, I didn’t expect my father-in-law to even demand Dragonewts, but I’d have to hold off on my response since it depended on the moods of Ludmila and Dee.
”I’ll lend you Kondrad and a thousand soldiers, but what’s in it for me?”
”To ask for a return for my father’s request… you’re a shrewd son. Well, if there’s a beautiful and young competent female officer around, I’ll make sure she gets assigned to Kent’s military. The longer the stay, the more introductions I can arrange. I hold the power of personnel in the military, hehehe. By the way, if a Dragonewt comes along, it’s a bonus that the quality of introduced women will improve.”
Upon hearing my father-in-law’s proposal, I grasped his hand in enthusiasm, ready to respond right away.
”Absolutely, please make use of the military! I will do anything for you, father-in-law!”
”That’s very Kent of you. But don’t be too eager. Make sure to get my mother’s approval first; otherwise, you might face the music later. I have no problem as long as Kent is satisfied.”
Milly, though taken aback by her stepfather’s proposal, merely prompted me to get the approval from Chancellor Lila without getting angry.
”Kent. You’re lucky to have a good wife; normally, you’d be in hot water!”
”For me, Milly is number one! To confirm that Milly is the best, I need to see other girls too!”
”Well, it’s tough to judge as a father, but I suppose it’s alright to say that…”
Her father wore a wry smile, but it seemed he felt relieved to receive military support from me.
With that, I successfully pulled myself out of the unemployed status once again.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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