Chapter 272
Chapter 272
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: EP.61 - The Knight Fears Humans More Than Ghosts 2(1)
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There was a thing called a million-dollar night view.
Once, to Lee Han, it had been like romance and a symbol of success. He too, back in his twenties in his previous life, had vowed that someday he'd make it big and go see a million-dollar night view.
Unfortunately, that resolve never came to pass. And in this life, as he lived far removed from any success, he had concluded he had no fate even with a million-dollar view.
Yet...
'If there's a ten-million-dollar view, this must be it.'
Confirming that an even grander sight than a mere million dollars lay before his eyes, Lee Han deeply realized why people say you never know what life has in store.
Whoosh!
A rare blazing sunny day in fog-shrouded Wales.
As the mist cleared, what emerged was Wales' pride: a massive waterfall. A light veil of fog enveloped it, resembling clouds, and piercing through those clouds was a rainbow.
It was so breathtaking it could only be called a spectacle. Gazing at it from prime seats atop the towering castle walls, the phrase "ten-million-dollar view" naturally sprang to mind.
An exclamation of awe escaped his lips. And just as he thought that with a steak and some wine here, he'd truly be living like a massively successful man...
"Santa, sir. In case you might be hungry, I've prepared some lamb rib steak. It's from a young lamb, so no gaminess, and it'll be tender to chew. For the garnish, I've lightly cooked seasonal vegetables foraged from Wales' pristine environment. The sauce is made by simmering a wine with just the right acidity together with the meat juices, premium butter, and spices. For the wine, I've selected Wales' famous cherry wine. Please enjoy."
"...Pardon?"
"Ah, if meat isn't to your liking, I can prepare a trout steak right away. As for poultry, quail or pigeon are in season and delicious this time of year. How would you like it prepared?"
"......"
"Santa, sir?"
"...I'll just eat what you've prepared."
"Oh, no need for formal speech. Just relax! Be casual with me, please!"
"......"
What could this feeling be called?
'Feels kinda weird?'
Half envy toward Santa Ri Han, who had achieved the success his true self never could, and half...
'Feels like I'm a regent wielding power through a child king?'
...No, not "feels like." It was exactly that.
"It's really just how I like it, huh?"
"Pardon?"
"No... I mean, this is exactly the doneness I love, haha..."
"That's a relief! Sir Santa prefers medium-well! I'll remember that for next time."
"You don't have to...?"
In this overwhelmingly burdensome hospitality, Lee Han was fortunate not to get indigestion.
Because to get indigestion...
'This is insanely delicious...'
...the steak was simply too damn good.
Lee Han was reveling in an unexpected authority beyond his wildest dreams, but in a way, it was only natural.
After all, he was the one who had normalized Wales, which had been descending into chaos and power struggles.
No harm to the common folk, and only screwing over the nobles—that was probably a big factor in his popularity.
'Making this many enemies in just five years? That's a talent.'
He had learned during the unification war: after the border barons—former ones included—left their posts vacant, nobles who exploited the people had sprung up everywhere.
Thus, Wales' nobles had steadily accrued resentment. And the moment they crumbled...
"That rotten bastard!"
"Useless noble scum—ptooey!"
"Spit’s a waste. Just throw rocks—no, shit and piss!"
...it turned into that.
They were nobles getting cursed for collapsing so satisfyingly. Thanks to that, support for the new lord was quite high.
...Completely unexpectedly.
'This is why you shouldn't make enemies of people.'
"Urgh... brr!"
"Ugh...!"
For reference, the ones tied to pillars getting beaten included nobles, but also criminals guilty of corruption or assault.
'I figured the ones bullying kids weren't normal, but these guys are worse than I thought.'
It was one reason the eight-year-old youngest border baron enjoyed such support. Better a pure child than greedy, insatiable beast cubs.
...Watching made the commoners seem truly pitiable.
However, this whole sequence of events was helpful.
There was no major resistance or chaos amid the sudden shift in power.
Bloodshed was minimized, and stabilizing Wales proceeded swiftly.
Of course, behind this rapid stabilization was...
"K-Knight, sir? You're here?"
"...You've worked hard, secretary."
"H-Hard work? Th-This is all for the guild, right...?"
...the guild union's help.
The guild was helping with administrative tasks far more diligently than expected. No joke—they were working themselves to the bone.
Even that secretary over there had been in that exact pose for a whole week, nothing but work.
No time for sleep, barely time to eat.
"Hire some more hands. There's plenty of nobles' slush funds."
"E-Even with money, finding people isn't easy, heh heh..."
"You're working to eat—how's it feel like the world's upside down for you guys?"
"...W-We know, but we have to wrap it up before the capital notices. H-Honestly, I'm scared to death..."
"No need to worry, I told you. Why won't you believe me?"
"Still..."
"......"
The capital—those high officials—wouldn't ignore Wales' upheaval forever.
No matter that Mordred was a great noble with autonomy, as a noble on Pendragon's rolls, external pressure could come anytime.
In other words, once they learned of this incident, the royals might intervene directly.
Of course, they couldn't touch Lee Han or Louise.
Louise was Mordred's direct blood kin, and Lee Han was her proxy regent.
But everyone else was fair game.
Especially the guild.
If the capital took against them, a massive crackdown could follow.
Including that hollow-eyed secretary, the guild union must feel like tightrope-walking over a pit of fire.
That's why they were working so desperately and hastily.
'No need to go that far...'
Still, to Lee Han, they seemed a bit over-dramatic and overrated the capital.
'They're too busy infighting to care about the borders...'
Lee Han knew.
The capital nobles were preoccupied with what they called political strife or shadowy power plays.
Honestly, the greedy ones getting pelted with stones up there were nothing compared to the capital nobles.
He'd bet that even in a year—no, ten years—they wouldn't properly grasp what happened in Wales.
Sounds like a joke?
'I'd love for it to be a joke...'
Lee Han gave a wry smile, knowing the true nature of his former workplace.
'If anyone's sharp enough to notice, it'd be big sis, but even she probably won't care much.'
If other nobles were too busy fighting each other to notice, his "big sis" wouldn't intervene even if she knew.
Unless Mordred tried seceding from the kingdom.
'No matter who's in charge, she'll think she can dominate them anyway—that princess.'
She was the epitome of "only child" syndrome.
So Lee Han casually advised the guild union not to rush so much...
'But they won't believe me.'
They even took it as a joke to ease their tension.
Frustrating for Lee Han, who was telling the truth, but the guild couldn't fathom the capital being that incompetent.
It was the line between common sense and absurdity. Lee Han wanted to advise that the capital lacked common sense entirely, but let it go.
'The harder they work, the less I have to do. More playtime for the kid baron too—win-win.'
So while he cautioned them, he didn't push hard.
'Sorry, but keep at it.'
Just staring at paperwork gave him vertigo.
With that faint guilt toward them, Lee Han fell silent.
Of course, he had no intention of just freeloading off them.
'I'll help where I can.'
Mainly with heavy lifting. Or heavy lifting.
'Heavy lifting...'
...Frankly, loath as he was to admit it, was there much else he was good for besides brute force work?
'Kinda depressing.'
As that self-deprecating feeling washed over Lee Han, he spotted someone running up from the side.
"Lee Han—no, Sir Santa!"
"...We're alone. No need to call me that."
"B-Better safe than sorry! Huff, huff. We mu-must be thorough, haah, haah...!"
"...Get some exercise, man."
Out of breath from a short jog, barely able to speak.
Lee Han looked exasperated, but Simon ignored it, adjusting his crooked glasses as he spoke.
"A-Anyway, Sir Santa. Big trouble!"
"Quit the fuss."
"It's not fussing—it's real big trouble. A 'ghost' appeared!"
"?"
"...I'm not crazy, so don't look at me like that. Actually, right now, I'd almost prefer I was crazy. Damn it! Why the hell does a ghost show up at a site we're busy working on, of all places...!!"
"...Sounds like split personality. Go see a priest first."
"......I'm serious."
Lee Han gave sincere advice laced with concern, but Simon shook his head indignantly.
And added:
"It's out 'right now.'"
"?"
"Come see with me."
"What're you on about..."
What ghost appears in broad daylight?
'Say a tiger showed up instead.'
"...Why is this real?"
Lee Han was dumbfounded before the scene unfolding live before him.
Broad daylight, no less—and around Wales' castle under rare full sunlight...
...a real ghost was flying around. And in an instant,
Whoosh!
the ghost charged at Lee Han threateningly, as if to engulf him.
Slap!!
"Whoa, shit—that scared me."
"......?"
"Why'd it lunge like that all of a sudden?"
"...What did you do?"
"Huh? I smacked it."
"...How?"
"......With a slap?"
"??"