Chapter 54
Chapter 54
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 54
Chapter Title: Betting (5)
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Once again, the officials gathered in the conference hall before Balua II.
A solemn elf mage stood up.
"After thoroughly verifying Lian's abilities, we have confirmed that he possesses an extraordinary talent for perceiving magic."
"It feels like you're skirting around the issue a bit."
"Indeed. By strict standards, it would be difficult to define him as a mage. However, there is not a shred of falsehood in his reputation as a mage hunter."
"In other words, he's practically the natural enemy of mages. Quite intriguing."
For the elf mage Luern, this was a fact he couldn't easily admit due to his pride.
There was no room for doubt in his words.
"Therefore, we believe it is true that Lian detected the Parasitic Tree Curse in advance and worked to prevent the situation from escalating. He has the power to do so."
"Rather, Lord Leon drove such a man away and tried to imprison him. There's nothing more to discuss."
"Yes. In the end, he only made things worse by trying to cover up his own mistakes."
This further amplified Leon's crimes.
However, with no one left in the world to punish him for those crimes, the repercussions would fall entirely on his young son and wife.
"Does anyone object to commending Lian, the mage hunter, for his efforts in resolving the Parasitic Tree Curse incident?"
The officials exchanged glances and nodded repeatedly.
"Then, with no objections."
Thud thud thud—
The sound of the gavel striking echoed alongside the rustling of papers being flipped.
Now, the real substance of the meeting was about to begin.
"Lian. Before deciding your reward, I ask you first. Is there anything you desire?"
"I have little interest in wealth. No matter the amount, I can earn that much myself."
It was a statement that could be seen as arrogant, but it was an undeniable fact.
"If you don't need wealth, then perhaps status? Creating a position for you here wouldn't be difficult."
"With my large family, I cannot remain in the capital indefinitely. Such an important role would be punishment for me."
"You refuse many things. Understood."
"My apologies."
After speaking so plainly, surely they wouldn't tie him to the capital.
Lian quietly sighed and glanced at Firka's expression.
Meeting his eyes, she blushed faintly and looked away.
"First, the titles of the Monteir family, the main culprits in this incident, shall be permanently stripped, and their assets confiscated into the national treasury."
"A wise decision, Your Majesty."
"Indeed. Only then will justice prevail."
"Furthermore, from this moment, Madella Territory is demoted to a royal demesne. Administrative reorganization will be discussed later."
Murmur murmur—
A major stir began among the officials in the conference hall.
It was tantamount to the king declaring he would monopolize Madella.
This was his intent to further solidify his already strong royal authority through this opportunity.
"Your Majesty, you must consider public sentiment. There will undoubtedly be significant backlash."
"Rather, it would be proper to divide the territory appropriately and grant fiefs according to past contributions."
"Yes. There are not a few families who earned great merit in the Madella campaign but have yet to receive fiefs. You should do so now."
This was an issue the officials could not yield on.
Madella needed to be fragmented and distributed to their collateral families, serving as fertilizer to bolster the parliamentary faction's power.
Even Balua II couldn't push through arbitrarily against the officials' opposition.
But Balua II lightly ignored those voices and continued.
"And to Lian, who contributed to resolving this incident, I grant noble status and appoint him as Governor of Madella. However, this comes with a grace period."
Silence fell over the noisy conference hall like a bucket of cold water.
"Hey, civil servant. Did I just hear that right?"
"Seems like it..."
It was something no one, including Lian, had anticipated.
At this point, whether Madella became a royal demesne or not was no longer the major issue.
"Th-this is absurd!"
Starting with one official's shout, everyone began to speak up.
"Your Majesty! We acknowledge his merits, but this is excessive!"
"Please reconsider! This violates equity!"
"Indeed! Above all, you must not forget he hails from Bordia! To place such a man in that pivotal role...!"
"Your Majesty, commerce and politics are entirely different! There must be other suitable candidates!"
The owner of the kingdom's wealthiest merchant house.
A being whose very existence restrained mages.
To hand such power to Lian—no one would think this was a sane decision.
"I have decided after thoroughly investigating everything."
But Balua II showed no intention of yielding.
"No castle, however sturdy, can be built upon a swamp. Thus, the late king taught me to examine the very foundation first."
Bringing up the late king silenced the officials for various reasons.
Frankly, Balua II's actions were far removed from the late king's virtuous character.
"Yet, in the capital's remote alleys, beggars and vagrants live covered in filth, and it's not uncommon for the starving to kill over a single piece of bread."
"Those are shadows inevitable in any place where people live since ancient times."
"True. The problem lies in their laziness. We can't whip them like livestock, so there's no solution."
"But what if someone had already solved it?"
The officials' gazes followed Balua II's to Lian.
"They say poverty and hunger are gradually disappearing from Madella's South Harbor. They even have the luxury of dressing slaves in clean clothes and teaching them to read—truly a dreamlike state."
"Your Majesty, such facts alone cannot confirm it as Lian's achievement."
"Everyone there praises Lian unanimously, leaving no room for doubt."
The officials exchanged lost looks, speechless.
How could a mere merchant, not even a lord, accomplish that?
'Huh? Is this about me?'
Even the person in question felt dazed hearing it.
Seeing Firka blushing and avoiding his gaze, he realized she was the source of that information.
No wonder she'd been lingering around South Harbor for the past month.
'But I don't remember doing anything special?'
Of course, regarding street filth, he had some idea.
The secret was investing in a fertilizer business, buying up household waste for pennies.
This even led to occasional mishaps of neighbors stealing each other's toilet contents.
The resulting fertilizer was bought in bulk and sold to contracted farms.
Of course, it was practically forced sales.
Consequently, crop yields surged, supply soon outpacing demand.
Food prices were on the verge of plummeting, so he'd reinvested in countermeasures...
'Huh? Thinking about it, it really is because of me?'
Thanks to Lian's myriad ventures, South Harbor now overflowed with jobs.
Beyond that, due to past-life trauma, he'd arbitrarily imposed nonexistent labor laws, squeezing workshops.
In many ways, it had certainly become a place where commoners could make a living.
"Even if true, it might be a temporary illusion. It will surely rebound as a bigger problem later."
"Fruits that look appealing on the outside often harbor rot within."
Lian nodded slightly to himself at the officials' words.
South Harbor's changes were temporary effects of rapid economic growth.
Once population swelled from current prosperity, problems would arise again.
History from his past life proved it.
"Of course, I fully understand your concerns. That's why I'm granting a grace period."
Lian began to feel uneasy.
The day he could return home kept getting postponed.
"Therefore, Lian. I attach one condition to you."
"...What is it?"
"Prove your loyalty. Plant the kingdom's flag in your homeland, ensuring no one can ever question your worth."
He knew full well this was a poisoned chalice.
But he couldn't let Madella become a chessboard for political infighting.
Ultimately, it was a choice between a minor retreat or risking it all for greater gains.
In that case, even if he couldn't eat it, it was still pudding.
"I shall obey the king's command."
Countless glares pierced Lian painfully.
The hall was deathly silent, but whispers of suspicion reached his ears from all sides.
Everyone was plotting schemes in their minds to check him at this moment.
The sun was beginning to set.
Lian followed a royal attendant to a room prepared in the annex.
"Hey, civil servant. Why are you following me?"
"His Majesty ordered me to monitor you."
"Oh? Now you're saying it outright."
"Hmph! What nefarious plot could I be hatching behind your back? I should have just written all the malicious rumors in the report!"
Even as she said it, Firka cautiously watched Lian's reaction.
After all, it was a fact that she'd contributed to him becoming a pawn in political strife.
And now he might even be dragged to the battlefield because of it.
"Fine. Thanks to you, I've risen high, so should I bow in gratitude?"
"H-honestly, isn't it good for you? The governorship isn't hereditary, but it's practically lordship!"
"But the word 'governor' stirs a bit of revulsion from the soul."
"What nonsense..."
What truly concerned Lian was being branded the king's frontman in Madella.
South Harbor had little resentment toward the center, but...
North Harbor was still sensitive.
"For Madella's future, it is right for Sir Lian to take that position a hundred times over."
"Pablo. You seem much more deferential than before."
"Oh dear! Please speak comfortably to me now, future Governor!"
Was Pablo always so susceptible to power...?
Lian newly felt the terror of authority.
"Then, please rest comfortably in this room. If you need anything, ring the bell in the corridor anytime."
After the attendant who showed him in withdrew.
Firka scampered to the sofa and flopped down.
"Anyway, I don't want to work for a while! No, I can't!"
"Rest while you can. If you're my monitor, you'll end up dragged to the battlefield with me."
"Ugh... Why does His Majesty always assign me these tasks! What did I do wrong!"
"From my view, plenty comes to mind."
"What? What did I do!?"
Lian recalled Firka casually addressing the king.
She'd likely been tolerated as a valuable mage and non-human.
Deep down, the king probably resented her insolence.
"But seriously, are you okay with this?"
"With what?"
"What if you run into someone you know from home on the battlefield? Didn't you consider that possibility?"
Unaware of the life Lian had lived.
Firka asked with genuine worry.
"It's fine. That will never happen."
"Hey, don't say it so definitively. You never know with people's fates."
"Really. Everyone I knew from home is already dead."
"Eh...? S-sorry..."
Realizing she'd brought up something unnecessary, Firka slyly hid behind a cushion.
"Actually, there is one guy I'd rather run into on the battlefield."
Lian leaned on the terrace railing and gazed at the northern sky.
The chill in his eyes was far colder than his homeland's winter.