Chapter 813

What should we do with Marquis Median’s territory?

The answer proposed by Duke Bien was incredibly simple.

“Sell it to me.”

“…What?”

At first, it sounded like nonsense, but…

—

“So… in exchange for handing over Marquis Median’s territory, you’re saying you’ll help me swallow up the lands of the nobles adjacent to Landenburg?”

It was an overly summarized expression, so there was a bit of misunderstanding at first, but after hearing the detailed explanation, it became somewhat understandable.

“Precisely, I mean to gift you the justification to punish them.”

“Punish?”

“Indeed. The purpose of bringing minor nobles under my wing has already been achieved… Now, it’s time to purge the pests who thought they could rely on my backing and commit atrocities. I’ll hand over the information and evidence of their misdeeds, so you can use it as justification to judge them and incorporate their lordless territories into Landenburg.”

“Hmm…”

I nodded slightly with interest, narrowing my eyes.

What to do? It was a proposal that benefited both me and Duke Bien.

Duke Bien would gain a vast marquisate, and I, instead of the troublesome Marquis Median’s territory, could secure lands near Landenburg, ensuring enough territory to stand independently.

“…Wait, shouldn’t those kinds of people have been reported to me?”

In other words, from Leopold’s perspective, it wasn’t a welcome proposal.

The territories Duke Bien offered as negotiation chips were originally lands that should have been reclaimed as imperial territory after executing their lords.

“Your Majesty. You don’t have the resources to deploy a punitive force anyway. If you rashly move the army and they all rebel, things will get very complicated. Rather than taking that risk, it’s wiser to entrust Sir Median with the judgment, resolve the territorial issue, and gain the favor of the Astraea Church Order.”

It was a smooth, flowing persuasion.

Who knew Duke Bien could wield such eloquence? Do politicians and administrators become more competent as their foreheads widen?

It was so persuasive that even Leopold nodded in agreement.

“…It’s unlikely that the entire border region of Landenburg is corrupt. What do you plan to do with territories that have no justification for punishment?”

Eleonora, who had been quietly listening, pointed out the flaw in the proposal in a soft tone.

As she said, not all the lords in the east were criminals deserving death.

Since we couldn’t touch the lands of innocent lords, accepting the duke’s proposal would leave small territories scattered throughout the newly acquired lands.

“Don’t worry, Your Highness. Persuading them won’t be difficult. Those loyal to His Majesty will obey his command, and those indebted to me will have no choice but to follow my will. As for those who are neither…”

Duke Bien nodded lightly, showing respect, and explained to Eleonora how he would persuade them.

“I will make them an offer they can’t refuse.”

If they want to preserve their lands, they must swear loyalty to the master of Landenburg and become her vassals.

If they can’t do that, they must abandon their lands and come to me. I will give them a part of Marquis Median’s territory.

For such a confident attitude, the proposal seemed a bit flimsy…

“But when neighboring nobles are being executed one after another, they will tremble in fear and have no choice but to consider. If they refuse my offer, they might be next.”

Duke Bien smiled like a cunning fox. Though he looked more like a balding fox, he still seemed quite reliable.

Who would have thought I’d find Duke Bien reliable?

Just last year, I was considering whether to remove him someday, but I’m glad I didn’t.

He used to seem like a power-hungry old man, but now that he’s achieved the position of being second only to the emperor, he seems disillusioned, realizing that the power he so desperately sought was nothing but a curse causing hair loss.

I guess that’s a good thing.

—

After Leopold and I agreed to Duke Bien’s proposal, things started moving forward swiftly.

Thanks to Duke Bien’s full cooperation, as if he wanted me to become independent as soon as possible.

His attitude reminded me of Or-han’s children, who had actively cooperated with my special admission to get rid of me.

“So… are these the ‘evidence’?”

Astraea’s judge, Adamante Clair, scanned the documents handed over by Duke Bien with icy eyes.

If I allowed it, she looked ready to rush out and skewer the lords on a spit.

Well, even I found the contents unpleasant, thinking, “Are there still such scoundrels in the empire?” So, as a judge, she must have felt even more anger.

Suspicion of heresy worship.

Slave trading.

Illegal brothel operations.

Numerous missing travelers.

Unjustified killings of citizens.

Suspicion of collusion with Isabella’s faction during the civil war.

There were even those who operated secret arenas, feeding captured monsters with their own people.

“That’s quite a lot. What has His Majesty been doing all this time?”

Leonor also frowned, letting out a sarcastic laugh.

Typical Leonor. She’s always had a grudge against Leopold.

While I privately acknowledge his competence as an emperor… that competence must have been a burden to her.

Though she severed ties herself, her mother was Leopold and Eleonora’s enemy.

In fact, if I hadn’t protected Leonor, Leopold would have either locked her in a convent or sold her to the King of Panam.

Rationally, I understand that it’s wrong to hold Leonor accountable for Isabella’s crimes…

But resentment is the first thing to devour reason.

“…So, what are you going to do, miss?”

“What do you mean, what am I going to do?”

I lightly tapped Durandal’s hilt and grinned.

“Burn them all.”

The dragon-reinforced blade shimmered and clinked.

—

The armor I requested from Asha upon arriving in the capital was completed just as we were about to leave for Landenburg.

If it were just my armor, it might have been quicker, but since I requested armor for the entire party, it took longer than expected.

Still, it was worth the time.

Not only was my armor, made by mixing dragon remains with the powder extracted from my previous armor, completed, but the party’s armor was also remarkably enhanced.

“The lining is woven with fairy hair for improved comfort, and the armor parts retain the dragon bone’s magic resistance and corrosion resistance, ensuring sufficient protection against mages.”

“Perfect.”

With less than half the weight of steel but stronger than black iron, the armor felt as light as a feather compared to before. I smiled in satisfaction, praising Asha’s skills.

It wasn’t just the armor. The cloth wrapping my chest and the underwear covering my groin were also incomparably softer than before.

I even considered shaving the heads of any fairies we defeat or capture from now on.

Fabric softer than a child’s skin, yet untearable and stain-resistant. Who knew fairy hair could be so useful? It was luxurious underwear even modern society couldn’t provide.

“By the way… Asha, are you staying here?”

“Yes. The east is too far from my hometown. Unless my family moves to the capital, I should stay here. Besides, nominally, I’m still a student at the academy.”

That’s a shame.

“If that’s the reason, then I guess there’s no choice. Take good care of Damien and Milia. They’ve grown stronger, but they’re still full of flaws.”

I planned to leave Damien and Milia in the capital. Though their nationality would change to that of the Kingdom of Hestela, they would stay at the Heaven’s Sword Order Mansion and act on Leopold’s requests for the time being.

With the 3rd Legion Commander Frederick dead, they would have to protect Leopold, the capital, and nearby cities until a new hero-level knight was recruited.

Well, they’ll also improve their skills in the process.

Hero-level combat power is hard to come by, so I have no choice but to keep them close and nurture them…

But once they reach the realm of heroes, they won’t die easily unless deployed in large-scale wars, so they’ll grow well on their own.

“Leave it to me. Has-hal-leur will visit occasionally when he has time!”

“Sure. When I have the time.”

I nodded readily.

Establishing my own country doesn’t mean making enemies with the empire, so there will be opportunities once things settle down in the east.

—

And so, I finally embarked on the journey back to the east.

With all my forces except Damien, Milia, and Ophelia, along with Adamante, Bethania, and other clerics from the Astraea Church Order, and the coffin containing Ludwig.

It was a journey filled with the smell of roasting meat and the scent of blood.