Chapter 816

After a month of thoroughly trampling the eastern nobles, we finally arrived at our intended destination.

The edge of the Empire. The borderlands facing the Great Plains of Ka`har, Landenburg.

“Welcome, Your Excellency. Landenburg pledges unwavering loyalty to serve you as our new lord.”

As I entered the Lord’s Castle, receiving the interest and attention of the local populace, the neatly lined-up servants on both sides of the corridor bowed respectfully, expressing their loyalty.

From Joshua and the knights of Landenburg to the administrators, servants, and maids—all of them either bowed deeply or knelt on one knee, their gestures more befitting of welcoming a king than a mere lord.

They must have already heard the rumors that Landenburg would soon declare independence from the Empire. The way they treated me like a king made that clear.

“Unwavering loyalty, huh… Not bad. I appreciate the hospitality.”

I accepted their pledges of loyalty with a smile. Though I couldn’t help but wonder why they bothered with such formalities during such a busy time.

If they had the leisure to gather in the castle corridors to wait for me, they might as well have used that time to work instead.

“Alright, everyone, disperse and return to your duties. Sir Shane, stay behind. I need to have a word with you.”

“Yes!”

The servants bowed once more before scattering in all directions, leaving only Shane, Ludwig’s closest confidant, behind.

—

“It’s been a while, Your Excellency. You’ve changed quite a bit since I last saw you.”

Shane, now alone, approached me and offered a polite greeting.

“Ah… You’ve changed a lot too. Looks like you’ve been through a lot.”

I shrugged, responding with a nonchalant expression. He said I had changed, but from my perspective, Shane was the one who had transformed beyond recognition.

His hair had turned completely white, his wrinkles deepened, and his forehead had broadened. The death of Ludwig, whom he had served loyally, must have taken a heavy toll on him. His once somewhat aged face now looked like that of an old man.

Though he still carried a sword, suggesting he hadn’t retired from knighthood, his appearance made him seem like he should be sitting in a rocking chair, watching his grandchildren play.

“Compared to what Your Excellency has accomplished, my hardships are nothing.”

I doubt your muscles would agree with that.

“Your fame has reached even the far eastern edges of the Empire. The Holy War of Order and Justice… Quite an interesting tale.”

“That’s quite the grandiose description.”

Calling it a “holy war” feels a bit much. At first, it was just about skewering nobles and their lackeys like kebabs, but later, it turned into a forest of skewers dripping with flesh and organs.

But then again, war is always accompanied by cruelty, and since a holy war is a type of war, its aftermath is bound to be gruesome.

“Anyway, let’s set that aside for now. Could you guide me to the Border Lord’s office? I have a lot to ask you.”

“Of course. Please follow me.”

I followed Shane as he led me to the Border Lord’s office.

The extreme courtesy shown by everyone I passed was quite impressive.

When I first arrived here, the looks I received were a mix of hostility and confusion. Now, such people were nowhere to be found.

—

The Border Lord’s office—or rather, Ludwig’s office—remained exactly as it was. Despite its owner being long dead, the dust-free windowsills were a testament to the meticulous care of the maids.

– Creak.

I pulled out Ludwig’s chair, sat down, and lit a cigarette, exhaling a puff of smoke.

Come to think of it, this was the first place I smoked a cigarette after arriving in this world.

It hadn’t even been two years, but recalling it now felt like reminiscing about a distant past.

If someone had told me back then, “You’ll be ruling this place as queen next year,” how would I have responded?

Probably with a “What nonsense are you talking about?” A wry smile escaped me.

The story has twisted so much, it’s hard to believe how it got to this point.

After experiencing so much, I can barely remember the original story… but the current world is so different from the original that I don’t feel the slightest bit of regret.

…Well, half of it is my own doing.

“Take a seat.”

Perhaps lost in old memories, Shane stood silently, his face filled with nostalgia.

I gestured toward the sofa as I spoke to him.

Finally snapping out of it, Shane said, “Excuse me,” and leaned back against the sofa.

Now then, let’s get down to business.

“How is the situation in Landenburg?”

“The situation in Landenburg… I’m ashamed to say, but could you be more specific? Financial status, military strength, public sentiment, progress on barrier repairs, administrative organization, relations with other territories… There’s so much to explain, I don’t know where to start.”

Shane scratched his chin awkwardly, asking for clarification. My question was too broad. To get a proper explanation, I needed to ask more detailed questions.

“Well… I need to hear it all, but let’s start with this. Are there any who oppose my succession as Border Lord or my ascension as queen instead of remaining a vassal of the Empire?”

The maids and servants didn’t seem to have any objections, but others might feel differently.

From a certain perspective, it looks like an outsider is swallowing up the territory and trying to establish a nation on a whim. It would be strange if there were no complaints.

Unless they have eight or nine lives, they wouldn’t dare show any displeasure in front of me, but who knows what they’re thinking behind my back.

“Don’t worry about it. The executioner of Or-han, the knight who slayed dragons, the great noble who wiped out thirty families in just a month—who would dare harbor hostility toward you? That would be recklessness, not courage or conviction.”

So, no one opposes me, huh? That can’t be right.

“Even so, there must be a few, right? Those who suspect I allowed the previous Border Lord’s death to seize his position…”

“Hmm. Yes, that’s right. There were indeed such people.”

See? When five people gather, there’s always one troublemaker. It’s impossible that no one holds a grudge against me.

“Just as I thought. So, do you think it’s better to persuade them or expel them?”

If they’re expendable, we can just drive them out to another territory, but if they’re essential, we’ll have to try to resolve their grievances.

Not sure how well that will work, though.

“Hmm… I think you misunderstood me slightly. What I meant was not that such people exist, but that they *existed*.”

“Ah.”

So that’s what you meant.

It seems that Shane and the other administrators of Landenburg are more decisive and resolute than I expected.

“Those whose lives have been cut short can neither be persuaded nor expelled, so Your Excellency need not concern yourself with them.”

Looks like they’ve already buried everyone who showed any animosity toward me.

I recalled the soldier who was hung on the outer wall of Pailoon Castle and froze to death for spreading rumors about me.

“Ah… I see. Then I guess there’s no need to worry about it.”

Not sure if I should praise them for this or not. I sighed, exhaling a puff of mint-flavored smoke, and gave a slight nod.

—

Two hours had passed.

With the help of a sip of black tea, I regained my composure and asked Shane various questions about the state of the territory. Shane answered my questions to the best of his knowledge.

The financial situation isn’t great, but with the recent expansion of the territory, it shouldn’t be a major concern in the future.

The infantry and archers are intact, but the loss of the cavalry is significant, and while the individual skills of the knights have improved, their numbers have drastically decreased.

Thanks to my various achievements and the image of a saintess, the people of the territory have welcomed me.

Repairing the damaged parts of the barrier will require a massive amount of money and time, but fortunately, the Imperial family has agreed to cover more than half of the restoration costs.

And then…

“The Chief Administrator resigned and fled? What’s that about?”

“Hard to believe, but it’s true. He said that while he could handle being the Border Lord’s proxy, acting as the queen’s representative was too much for him.”

The proxy who was supposed to handle administrative duties on my behalf—the Chief Administrator handpicked by Ludwig—ran away, saying that acting as the queen’s proxy was too burdensome.

It was so absurd that it made my head spin.