Chapter 151
Chapter 151
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 151
Chapter Title: Even a Traitor Has Their Uses
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"W-well, I'm not entirely sure how this happened... b-but, in any case, I've decided to side with Neumel. There must be some grand purpose, beyond the understanding of a mortal like myself."
Having lived as a lower noble among the high aristocracy, Beonald knew how to endure and navigate through such dirty situations.
Yes, trying to dissuade her from allying with the Dark God now would be futile. Moreover, having learned in the Magic Tower what it truly meant to bargain with demons, he knew better than to stir things up carelessly. For now, he would endure and wait.
"Good. You seem to know how to conduct yourself. Hehehe."
'...That dense aura. It's clear she has trained the Neumel style more diligently than I have. No, even if that weren't the case, the fact that she possesses the martial prowess to have fought Duke Khemel—even with underhanded tactics—places her above me.'
Observing the faint purple aura shimmering before him, Beonald gauged her level. She had likely spent 500 years desperately honing the 'Neumel Family Sword Style' through any means possible. It was certain she had now reached a higher realm than him. Had he been swept up by clumsy emotions, his head would have rolled already.
"Good. In that case, we'll need a means to communicate. Something better than sending messengers back and forth. Here, take this."
"This is...?"
What Lara von Neumel tossed to him was a small ring. Instead of a gem, it was set with a magic stone, and he could see an incantation engraved inside. He immediately grasped its function.
'A Whispering Ring.'
"It's a Whispering Ring. A relic from the Benofis era, originally a paired set. It allows wearers to converse with each other over great distances. My father used these when he ruled the continent. However, you must charge the magic stone set within with mana to use it. Don't forget to replenish it. If you place it in a metal box with other magic stones, the ring will naturally absorb mana."
"Understood."
This was actually a favorable situation for Beonald. He could exchange information with the Garkan Republic even from afar and potentially feed them false intel to manipulate their movements.
After receiving the ring, Beonald immediately tried it on.
"Good. And now... is there anything you desire? I must pay the price for such crucial information."
"W-well... I could use some funds. With capital, I could gather more information and perhaps uncover clues about ruins..."
"Operating funds, is it? Very well. I shall provide them gladly. But do not disappoint me. Understood?"
"Yes, my lady!"
A moment later, Lara von Neumel threw a pouch of coins to Beonald. Peeking inside, he was greeted by the glint of platinum coins. He had expected some support, but never imagined such a substantial amount. When it came to funds, more was always better.
"Come to think of it, I haven't yet heard your name."
"Ah! That's... um... It's Beo."
"Beo, is it? I see."
'...I came up with it on the spot, but it's a rather crude name. Still, I'm glad it worked.'
It was a name derived from the first two syllables of 'Beonald.' A hastily concocted alias, but he was relieved it was accepted. The plausible-sounding name seemed to satisfy the Neumel Chancellor, who nodded without suspicion.
"W-well then, I shall take my leave."
"Ah, wait a moment."
Thinking he had received his payment and could now make his exit, Beonald was about to bow and retreat when an intense, piercing bloodlust suddenly washed over him from behind.
Startled by her call, Beonald fought to keep his composure and turned around. Her gaze, now filled with murderous intent, was a stark contrast to her earlier composed demeanor as she glared at him.
'What is it? Did she notice something...?'
"One final message. Never again utter the name 'Lara.' That privilege belongs solely to my father. I shall let it pass this time, as you could not have known. But know this: if you dare commit such insolence once more, there will be no forgiveness. Understood?"
"Y-yes! Understood!"
Fortunately, it was merely a matter of address, not something more serious. Beonald bowed repeatedly in a servile manner and only breathed a sigh of relief after finally stepping out of the tent.
In any case, reuniting with his daughter after roughly 500 years was a pleasant feeling. However, the sheer volume of tasks ahead left Beonald's mind in a tangled mess.
***
The surrender treaty negotiations finally concluded four days later.
The terms agreed upon were as follows: The Garkan Republic would maintain its interference in the Barony of Vanilo. In return, the Vanilo family would pay substantial reparations from their assets to the Khemel family, the Valderian family, and the Imperial Household. Additionally, they would formally pledge to ensure future tax payments. With both sides barely reaching this agreement, the war was now completely over.
"Phew~ I'm glad it didn't drag on longer. The thought of waging war in winter... ugh~"
"Actually, war in spring is more dreadful, my lord."
That was the time for sowing seeds and beginning the year's farming. Going to war then meant resigning oneself to a sharp drop in that year's production. Of course, one could wage a scaled-down war with a smaller force, but still.
"Let's see... Cedron, by the way, what are your plans? Will you return to your territory first? Or will you stay in the capital?"
"I have a graduation ceremony next year, so I must stay in the capital for now, Father. And then I will return directly to my territory."
"Of course. My brother Oswald is managing it for now, but the territory is ultimately yours to protect, Cedron. Well then, by the time you return next year, we can appoint this fellow as Chancellor. Good. In the meantime, could I perhaps... request a set of that 'Magi-Armor' for my son?"
"If you cover the costs, I can have one ready by spring. We'll need to take measurements and discuss many details before we part ways, then."
The schedule for the Chancellor's appointment became concrete. As Beonald received his duties for the interim period, he finally felt he was stepping into a new phase.
Chancellor to the Valderian family, a High Noble house. It was an immensely heavy position for someone in their late teens, and there would likely be much opposition. Yet, Beonald showed not a hint of burden.
After all, he had not only done this before but had played with an entire continent in his grasp. Moreover, having gained the Valderian family's trust and surrounded himself with people who would move like his own limbs, his preparations to ascend to that seat were already complete.
A few days later, immediately upon returning to Valderian territory with the army, merit awards were distributed.
Naturally, the greatest contributors were Heidi and Beonald. Their achievements were recognized: using the new magical artifact, the 'Magi-Armor,' to single-handedly manage the supply of numerous knights and annihilate the White Rose Knight Order.
Heidi officially became a knight of the Valderian family and received a small territory. Beonald received an official bureaucratic position under Oswald, who was acting as territorial lord, as a step just before assuming the Chancellorship.
'Hmm, I thought there would be opposition... but none, as expected. I even prepared justifications, so it's fortunate.'
Outwardly, it looked like a meteoric rise for a teenager. The nobles under the Valderian family likely saw no reason to oppose, thinking it would be easier to scheme if someone seemingly manageable held the position.
He had even prepared a justification: to directly oversee the production and mass-production research of the 'Magi-Armor.' But it seemed that worry was unnecessary.
"So, we've finally made our nest here."
"Is there a problem with that?"
"I would have preferred to establish ourselves in the capital... but well, this place isn't bad either. Besides, Heidi's territory is right next to Valderian lands. It's an optimal position, all things considered. Good. Everyone, gather around and listen. I'll explain what we need to do moving forward."
Beonald assembled everyone and began calmly outlining his blueprint for Valderian territory development to Sane, Selina, Heidi, and Veshia, as if he had been contemplating it for a long time.
One advantage of working in Valderian territory was that Beonald had personally developed it once, 500 years ago. He was intimately familiar with its topography, buried resources, and ley lines.
"Valderian territory is quite good land. The mountainous terrain is a slight drawback, but it has iron ore deposits and borders plains to the east, making it resource-rich. However, due to the chaos of troubled times and monsters, development to the west has been impossible."
Five hundred years ago, as the Neumel family's closest confidants, Beonald had personally selected and surveyed the land for the Valderian family to use. He chose an optimal location with resource-rich mountains, rivers, and even the sea to the west, confident that the Valderian family's loyalty would endure for generations.
'Looking at the map now, I can really feel how poorly this excellent land is being utilized.'
Seeing the map he received, Beonald was dismayed at how underutilized the land was, far beyond his expectations. On the other hand, from his revived perspective, the abundance of potential tasks ahead was a happy dilemma.
"Anyway, we must all work together on many things for prosperity, but the first and foremost task is undoubtedly the maintenance of 'roads.' Roads are the blood vessels of a nation. So, our first task this winter is to procure stone materials. We need to build roads, so we need as much as possible."
This was a natural policy born from his experience and knowledge, having once governed the Unified Empire in the Emperor's stead.
The easier and safer the flow of goods, the smoother national management becomes. Military movements also speed up, making interventions easier. Therefore, the maintenance of 'paths' and 'roads' was always the primary task for development in any era.
"Our first tasks are to improve the road to the capital and to open two roads leading to the sea in the west... To begin this first project, we'll need to use the military under the pretext of fortification work, or prioritize stone quarrying."
"Um... Lord Beonald, are you planning to pave the roads with stone right from the start? Even if we cut labor costs, the expense will be astronomical. The estimate... ugh~"
Having learned about construction and manual labor, Veshia could roughly anticipate the project cost. She raised her hand to advise Beonald. It was certainly a valid point. While essential for Valderian prosperity, ideals always face real-world constraints. It wasn't that the Valderian family disliked the idea of road-building; they likely hadn't pursued it due to limitations.
"Hmm~ A good question. Indeed, even the best plan is useless without feasibility. And if I propose such a large-scale project to Lord Oswald or the Count, they'll know the terrifying amount of capital required~"
"Right?"
"And territorial finances have their limits. But devising solutions to that is ultimately the Chancellor's job."
Battling numbers was something he had done before. Even with the Imperial Treasury's seemingly limitless funds under his control as the Empire's power-holder, the amount was still finite. To increase the siphoned funds, Beonald had racked his brains until his blood vessels felt like they would burst.
"Anyway, busy days lie ahead again. Just keep this blueprint in mind. Practically speaking, it'll be hard to make major moves during winter."
"So what will you do this winter? Focus solely on crafting the Magi-Armor?"
"That too, but there's something more important."
"More important?"
"We are now fully part of the Valderian family. Heidi has a territory, albeit small. I am set to work as the Chancellor's successor. Some among the Valderian vassal nobles will welcome this, but others will not. We must deal with that first."
This winter, before the road construction, the task was what could be called 'cleaning house.' Beonald intended to complete this 'reorganization project' within winter: identifying the dispositions of the vassal noble families, eliminating those who would obstruct their work in advance, and subduing or securing cooperation from the rest.