Episode 161
: “Half of the territory returned from the existing Marquis of Calia and half of the territory returned from the Marquis of Kyle were all granted to the McLane family. The status of the McLane family, which had been margraves at the time of the founding of the country, was restored and the title of marquis was granted. do.”
“Huh!”
“that…!”
An unprecedented award that caused gasps of laughter among the nobles.
By this time, McLane had become a large fiefdom with more than 20 castles stretching from west to south, and became the kingdom’s only marquess, positioned just below the archduke.
That wasn’t all.
“Also, I give individual Logan McLane the rank of earl, separate from the McLane family, and grant him the mansion closest to the royal palace in the capital. He is the burden I have now, and from now on, all the people and nobles of this land will respect him as if they were a burden. do it!”
“Wow!”
The gazes of the nobles in the Great War and all the knights standing guard all turned towards Logan.
A nobleman whom the new king personally ordered to treat as his own.
It was a reward that clearly showed what the king thought of Logan.
Even Logan’s eyes widen slightly and the swordsman looks back at him.
‘I didn’t want it to get this far.’
When Logan shook his head slightly to emphasize that this was not something that had been discussed with him in advance, the swordsman sighed slightly and looked at the new king.
But it wasn’t over yet.
“If the royal family’s circumstances were generous, I would like to take better care of them, but I can’t, so I feel very sorry for the Duke. Prince Logan. Is there anything you personally wish for from the King?”
Are you giving me more here?
I can hear the sound of people gasping here and there.
Logan opened his mouth with a small sigh.
“I have a small request.”
“Hmm? Haha. Okay, tell me anything.”
“If we, McLane, receive the land of the two marquisates, which can be said to be valuable in the western and southern parts of the kingdom, it would be too much land for the title of marquis. I am worried that this will remain as a bad precedent in the kingdom’s history. ”
The king smiled again at those words, but did not back down easily.
“But it would be an even worse precedent to just give a title to the most meritorious person. I hope you don’t reject my heart.”
“If that is so, I would rather be granted the Taren region, a royal territory in the central east.”
“Taren region?”
Taren region, southeast of the capital Grand.
It was once a mining area that produced such enormous amounts of iron, copper, and gold that it was called the center of the kingdom’s mining industry.
Until 200 years ago, roads were built to distribute the pouring resources throughout the kingdom, and it was a valuable land that played a major role in the royal family’s finances.
…until 200 years ago.
“You want that land full of abandoned mines and wastelands? It’s not even adjacent to McLane territory?”
“Yes, that’s right. I understand that there is a precedent for one family ruling over separate regions.”
There is.
When the king of the time divided the land to keep his subjects in check.
Naturally, the king’s expression hardened strangely.
The Taren region is a region where one of the eastern mountain ranges stretches out into the central region and takes root.
The Taren region, which encompasses a wide area between the northern plains, the territory of the capital Grand, and the central plains, the territory of the southwestern province of Harun, was classified into just two terrains.
An abandoned mine area running along a mountain range and the wasteland below.
In short, it meant that it was a large and useless piece of land.
A place where not even a single penny of tax is collected, but rather costs more to maintain.
“Are you trying to make me into an ugly monarch? What would the people think of me if I bestowed such useless land on the most meritorious person?”
“My only concern is that Your Majesty’s authority is being undermined by excessive rewards.”
In fact, it was a land that clearly had a purpose, but he won the king’s heart with appropriate humility.
“I fully understand your feelings. However, since I am not at ease, I will also bestow the northern territory of the Marquis of Kalia, the land that connects McRain and the Taren region, to MacRain.”
Additional income was also obtained.
When the king gave him the bonus with a stern expression, Logan bowed his head without delay.
“Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty.”
There is no softness.
Ground pound pound.
The discussion about Logan’s reward ended with a beautiful conversation in which Logan smiled on the inside and the king smiled on the outside.
“Ahahaha! Yes, I feel at ease because I have a loyal follower like you. Then, with this, I will conclude the reward for McLane. Just like the Grand Duchy of Esperanza, I will delegate the reward for the meritorious servants of the McLane family to Sir.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
After that, rewards continued to be given to neutral nobles who decided to follow McLane’s wishes but actually did nothing.
Since a new force was needed to fill the space where the existing margraves had disappeared, a reward was given under a plausible excuse.
Although the two dukes’ fiefdoms and the seven margraves’ fiefdoms were torn into dozens and distributed.
Neutral nobles who had pledged loyalty to the new royal family could not help but pay attention to the windfall they had received without paying anything.
‘You should think of it as having received payment in advance for the work you will do in the future.’
Logan made eye contact with each of the nobles who received the award and reminded them of the warning he had given them in advance.
Of course, their smiles did not disappear.
“…With this, I declare the launch of a new cabinet meeting!”
Those who will lead the newly launched Cabinet meeting.
The appointment ceremony for the new ministers is over.
“I’m going to be in the palace again… I’m devastated, Your Majesty.”
After Count Palman Terich, the representative of the old government officials who returned after being pushed out of office due to factionalism in the past, was already shedding tears of joy, saying that the army was successful.
“Come on! Let’s all raise a toast. And bless the beginning of a new Grandia!”
The festival began with the king’s singing.
* * * The festivities celebrating the new king’s coronation were scheduled to last a week only in the capital.
Since it was an event meant to clearly inform the people that the war was over, it was judged that at least that much should be done.
As the royal family’s budget was released to distribute food to the slums outside the outer walls, voices praising the newly crowned king filled the interior and exterior of the palace.
Even after the war ended, Logan ordered the knights and soldiers who could not rest for several weeks due to their mission to take control of the royal palace to take leave.
Of course, this was after announcing the achievements received as compensation after the war and gifting the knights with shining jewels and the soldiers with gold coins so large that they could not be held in one hand.
All of those riches were obtained through search and seizure of the mansions of margraves and dukes.
From Logan’s perspective, it was almost like he was condescending to own something that belonged to someone else, but the reaction was bound to be positive.
“Long live the Archduke!”
“Now you’re not Confucius! Long live the Count!”
“Long live His Excellency!!”
In this way, McLane’s troops left to enjoy the festival in the capital, leaving only the minimum number of people to guard the newly granted mansion.
There were some problems among them.
“Well… Your Excellency. Are you not resting?”
“Just call me Sir Eilen as you normally would.”
“…Yes, Prince Logan. Don’t you rest?”
Logan seemed to know what that worried expression meant and smiled softly.
“I need to inform the entire territory of the results of the coronation ceremony. It would be better to tell it in person.”
It was a reply to Eilen, but Ronian suddenly intervened.
“Brother, then I and you… Huh? Uh, what’s wrong? Victor… Ah? Ahaha. That’s right. Brother, sister-in-law. Have a good time… Ah, I got it! Let’s go!”
Logan sighs slightly as he sees his younger brother being dragged by Viktor.
Looking at Logan like that, Eilen asked with a still worried expression.
“You continued to overexert yourself even after coming to the capital. Wouldn’t it be better to take a break for a little while?”
“Huh? There’s nothing too unreasonable, right? It’s okay.”
“Well… he’s been looking a bit bad since that incident at the palace…”
At Eilen’s words, the image of the ‘young’ royal grandchildren dying appeared in Logan’s mind again.
Logan’s eyes closed tightly as the memory of the time he personally swung his sword in place of some hesitant knights came back to him.
‘It was necessary. must. Yes, it can’t be helped.’
I pretended to be calm at the time, but in my previous life, I was working as a mercenary for 10 years.
After that, even when I joined the resistance for 20 years.
Never before have children been killed like that.
Even though he was a mercenary, he still had pride in himself as a noble noble and thought that he could not fall to the bottom.
During the Resistance era, the imperial troops who were the targets of revenge were all saints, so they avoided such ‘dirty’ work.
– When these guys grow up, all imperial soldiers will become knights! Are you just trying to pretend to be clean?!
The moment when the radical voice of a comrade who went to extremes with a different meaning from your own plays in your mind.
‘okay. Now I too am dirty. It’s going to get even dirtier in the future. So, if I could change the future… what should I do?’
It may be a cowardly excuse, but thinking about it like that made me feel a little calmer.
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
“…It’s really okay. Thank you for your concern. By the way, shouldn’t Lord Eilen stop by the house as well? If I don’t send it even in this peaceful situation, I think my father-in-law will really scold me.”
At those words from my father-in-law, a blush appeared on Eilen’s cheeks.
“That’s it… Together later…”
“Of course I should stop by too. After I finish everything I have to do.”
“…yes.”
Only after sending Eilen away was Logan able to quietly establish communication with the territory.
* * *
“…So it happened.”
[Huh… heh heh heh. Hahahahaha! marquis?! A marquis! Hahahaha! Yes, good job! Well done!]
The cheering father, Dwayne and other retainers appearing behind him, and even the stepmother.
The communications room, which usually had only one or two people in it, was crowded today, and fortunately, everyone was cheering, which brought a smile to Logan’s face.
The smile seemed brighter than expected, so Logan hinted at a question he had never been able to ask before.
“Is Lord Heinkel awake?”
[Ah… so I didn’t tell you. Fortunately, I came to consciousness a few days ago. However, my body is so damaged that I don’t think I can do any more knightly work. He himself requested retirement. Instead, he plans to become an instructor for soldiers.]
“…Instructor?”
[I guess he wants to help the family in some way. That friend too. Now, I want to let you rest in peace, but I guess I should give you a title at this point.]
Among the rights I gained this time was the right to appoint a title of nobility, which was given to reward my own meritorious service.
The right to appoint as many as three viscounts and nine barons. He meant to use one of them.
It seemed like a fitting reward now that he had not only recovered his old title but had also achieved victory.
“I think that would be good too. But I’m glad you haven’t lost your motivation.”
[okay. I’m so glad. So, I think I’ll leave it to the instructor as I wish. Of course, Kaisolon has that friend, so I wonder if he could take on an advisory role.]
No, I meant what you said, father.
Heinkel was seriously injured, and many of the middle-aged knights who had been with him for a long time lost their lives in the Battle of McLane.
So I was worried that my father might be disappointed, but fortunately, it seemed like my concerns were still for nothing.
“Hehe… You’ll do well, but please make sure to take good care of the case. Not only to Lord Heinkel, but also to the families of the dead knights and soldiers. Even though I feel sad, I don’t hold any grudges… Hmm. You may not be able to do it, but you must compensate by using all the remaining budget to minimize it.”
[Yes, of course! If we don’t take care of those who sacrificed themselves for our territory, who will be loyal?]
“This includes vigilantes. You must be treated the same as a soldier.”
[Same as a soldier…do you mean that?]
As expected…
Although it has largely disappeared, my father could not completely abandon his old aristocratic thinking.
It just ranges from knights to soldiers. It could be said to be an expanded level.
At least, this was the result of explaining the causal relationship between public sentiment and national power several times.
So, I had no choice but to adjust the explanation to that level.
“Yes. The future battle will not be just between knights and wizards. Haven’t you seen the benefits with your own eyes? You have to do at least that much.”
[Hmm. Yes, that’s right. But the future battle? You again…?]
“Absolutely! no. That’s just a metaphor. Don’t make a big deal out of it, Your Excellency the Marquis. People around you hear it.”
[Hehe, you were surprised. I understand. I’ll treat the vigilantes as you said. It’s harvest time soon, so we can squeeze all the remaining budget. Um, what? Logan Dwayne has something to say… Ugh?!]
Dwayne hurriedly put his face in from beyond the communication port.
[Prince! If you waste the reward money like that, what about the remaining knights?! How are you going to give the reward money? Just giving it to the families of the dead soldiers and vigilantes is the budget. This will be destroyed! You’re not trying to say that I don’t have to pay compensation because I survived, right?]
“I already gave you everything.”
[Yes?]
“It’s some of the wealth I gained in the capital. Don’t worry, there will be enough to give rewards to the remaining knights and soldiers in the territory.”
[Wow! Really? Is this really true?!]
Logan, who saw Dwayne’s face wide open, answered with a smile without realizing it.
” okay. It’s true.”
[Wow, I survived! Phew, then that’s enough…]
“What is it? If you have something to say, do it quickly.”
[Well… I didn’t fight it myself… I created and executed the budget, and our administrators also had a hard time… Hey…] I’m
shy.
I can’t help but make a bold request. I burst out laughing at the sight of Dwayne, who couldn’t help but twirl his words around.
“Of course, I have to take care of them as much as the knights.” Don’t worry and take care of your work!”
[Woohwahahaha! I knew you would! Long live the prince! No, you said you are now a count. Long live the count!]
“Father. I’ll tell you again when I see you face to face, but about the new territory…”
[Take your time, take your time. There’s nothing so urgent.]
“Yes?”
Padric spoke in a warm voice with a soft smile.
[In the meantime, quietly. Didn’t you try? At least enjoy this moment. Can’t you handle the rest yourself when you return to the territory?]
“Uh… well…”
[You should take your time now. You’ve already done too much. . Be proud and enjoy reality.]
For some reason, I was dazed by my father’s words.
And then the voices that followed.
[Rest, Princess! I heard there’s a festival in the capital. Please spend some time with Princess Eilen!]
[ That’s right! Take a good rest and come back slowly!]
[We’ll clean up after you!]
“Ha…haha.”
The friendly commotion warmed my tired heart.
It felt like the burden on my chest that had felt so heavy had been lifted a little.
That feeling. It soon turned into a relieved laugh that washed away the depths of his heart.
“Ahahahahaha!”
Okay, let’s take a break for a while.
There is still a lot of work to do in the future.
Only then did Logan’s heart finally come to a complete rest.
