Chapter 11: The Request for Funds

Chapter 11: The Request for Funds

Speaking of Arthur, he’s been busier than a bee in a flower shop these past few months, recruiting all sorts of talents to build his own little crew while also focusing on developing his territory.

That’s right, Arthur has his own territory now!

And it’s none other than a slice of land the Machia Republic snagged from the Georgia Kingdom.

The Machia Republic managed to acquire a border city from the Georgia Kingdom.

Think of it as the size of a standard Count’s domain.

But what Arthur received was only a baron’s territory, so basically just a town.

Sure, he achieved great feats, but land grants come slow and steady. If they give him too much too fast, there won’t be any more to give next time—if there even is a next time.

As for the actual lands of the Machia Republic…

Even though many lives were lost in the war, it’s nowhere near as bad as the Georgia Kingdom.

Most of those lands are still held tight by various families. Getting them to cough up land for a guy like Arthur who earned his stripes is no easy feat—better yet, it’s practically impossible!

They might send troops and funding for the fighting, but when it comes to their lands, there’s no way they’re giving that up unless absolutely necessary.

Despite all this, Arthur was pretty satisfied with the outcome.

Honestly, he wasn’t very familiar with managing a territory.

His life’s been all about clashing swords and painted banners.

He might have the ideas swirling in his head, but putting them into practice? Yeah, that’s a different story.

So, for the time being, just managing a baron’s territory was already enough to keep Arthur on his toes.

Keep in mind, even the most average baron’s lands typically include dozens of villages, each with hundreds or even thousands of people, plus the town populace, which could amount to over ten thousand!

And these people don’t follow military rules and discipline like soldiers in a camp.

Especially after rubbing shoulders with Airael’s ideas, Arthur knows managing lands is a high-skill job!

Conquering is easy, but holding on to what you’ve got? That’s a whole different ball game!

Luckily, his army wasn’t disbanded after the war ended here, plus he has the Republic’s treasury to back him up, which steadies his foundation considerably. The reasons behind this are simple: there’s a bit of behind-the-scenes maneuvering and some objective factors at play.

You see, even though the war in the south has temporarily ended, the Machia Republic and the other human kingdoms aren’t exactly basking in peace.

Whether it’s the remaining orcs in the north or the vampires stirring trouble from the dark world, there’s no time for complacency!

So maintaining a healthy number of troops is crucial, especially with those battle-hardened guys.

The morale in the army is pretty solid, and the commanders have gained enough respect within their ranks—this kind of army could pack quite a punch in future fights.

Although Arthur’s been swamped, he still carved out some time to summon Shadow back to his side.

And due to Shadow’s unique persona, their meeting place could not be too conspicuous, so they settled for a quiet room in a tavern.

When Shadow entered, Arthur couldn’t help but ask, “Shadow, let’s cut to the chase! Do you have news about Ailia?”

“Master, I do indeed have some intel on Miss Ailia,” Shadow replied respectfully, clearly understanding his role now that he decided to stick with Arthur.

“Where is Ailia right now?”

Arthur’s more lovesick than an anime protagonist at this point, but Shadow didn’t mind.

Everyone has feelings as long as they can keep them in check, right?

“If I’m not mistaken, Miss Ailia should currently be in Avalon.”

“Avalon? What does Ailia want there?”

Arthur frowned as his rationality came flooding back.

Ailia is human, and Avalon is the elven territory.

Furthermore, Ailia left him a note saying she was off to handle her own matters.

“I’m not precisely sure. To find out more, we’d need to travel to Avalon.”

Arthur turned his gaze back to Shadow and asked, “Avalon is elven territory; can you maneuver there safely?”

“It might be a bit challenging, but I can give it a shot. Plus, if things go right, it could benefit Master’s future immensely.”

Arthur nodded in agreement with Shadow’s words.

“Then you should go! I don’t need you here doing too much for now.”

Receiving the order, Shadow responded, “Understood, Master. However, this operation will require funding, so I’ll need your support.”

Upon hearing Shadow mention money, Arthur’s expression froze.

He felt like Shadow came back just to ask him for cash.

While he managed to save some funds, he’s already spent quite a bit lately.

His freshly acquired territory hasn’t had time yet to start bringing in income.

So, his finances have been all expenses, no income!

And a baron’s territory isn’t exactly rolling in dough.

What he got isn’t a bustling trade hub with scarce resources; it’s just an ordinary piece of land.

There are people, villages, fields, and some not-so-precious resources.

Think regular wood and stone, nothing fancy!

But considering Shadow is working for him and his efforts could have a big impact on the future, Arthur made up his mind.

“How much do you need for this adventure?”

“For the time being, around ten thousand gold coins should suffice.”

“Alright, I’ll give you ten thousand gold coins. I hope you can make something great happen among the elves!”

Ten thousand gold coins might sound like a lot, but Arthur could part with that amount.

Not to mention his previous savings, this war’s been pretty profitable for him.

After all, he did capture the Dwarf King!

He made quite a pretty penny on the ransom too.

“Your subordinate will not let you down, Master.”

With what he wanted in hand, Shadow looked quite happy.

It showed Arthur’s trust, after all.

Trust—a weighty word, indeed.

After Shadow left, Arthur didn’t follow suit; he remained in the tavern room, standing by the window, staring off into the distance.

His heart felt all twisted up.

Even though he had news related to Airael, he should be happy, but instead, worry started creeping in.

He feared that Airael wouldn’t simply waltz back into his life!

Because when she left, she made her choice clear.

Airael chose her “career” over him!

Just then, Shadow, who had left not long ago, returned all of a sudden.

“Did you forget something?”

Arthur quickly composed himself and turned to look at him, asking.