Chapter 43
Translator: True Detective
Chapter 43. Post-War Processing
The person who ends the war, and the person who settles the war.
The former becomes a hero, the latter gets a herniated disc.
Lucia Von Astellia was the latter.
One week after the Monster Wave ended.
Documents were piled up in Frostgard's office.
Wall Damage Report. Wounded List. Lost Material List. Emergency Ration Request Form. Monster Carcass Disposal Approval Form.
……
And behind that mountain range of documents, the blonde Princess was moving her quill pen restlessly.
1st Imperial Princess Lucia Von Astellia.
Current Title: Temporary Leader of the North.
Actual Title: Frostgard's Administrative Slave.
"Priority reset. 1st, wall repair and wounded classification. This is a survival issue. 2nd, securing food and herbs. This is a sustainability issue. 3rd, patrol system reorganization. This is a future issue."
Originally, the party is short and the cleanup is long.
Bards never deal with the truth of this labor hidden behind the flashy battlefield.
Because it’s not fun.
But someone had to do it.
The role of a monarch is to handle that boring and miserable backstory.
Scratch scratch.
Lucia moved her quill pen.
Scratching sound cut the silence of the office.
"Ueeeeeeek……."
No, correction.
The office was not silent.
Across the desk, pink twintails were melting like slime on parchment.
"Ughhh…… Eri dying……."
"Not dying. Pick up the quill."
"Eri-nim's noble fingers are wearing out…… This is human rights violation…… Child abuse……."
"Last time you said Eri is an adult."
"Eri is eternal beautiful girl so eternally baby……"
Leap of logic.
Naturally expecting consistency in Eri's logic is unrealistic itself, so Lucia ignored it.
"If you organize just three more documents, I'll give you pudding."
Eri's twintails twitched.
There is a reaction. Still alive.
Eri's upper body rose about 0.5 centimeters.
Still slime state, but germination of will observed.
However.
"No…… Numbers dancing in front of eyes…… Eri's brain wants sugar…… Sugar insufficient…… Impossible impossible impossible……"
Eri melted down again.
This time slipping completely off the chair and flowing half onto the floor.
Eri is a genius. Calculation ability far exceeds Lucia.
Problem is Eri's mental strength cannot keep up with Eri's brain.
Overheating is severe and discharge is fast.
"Eri."
"Ue……."
"Just three more and today is over. Then can eat pudding and rest."
"……Big pudding?"
"Big one."
"Caramel sauce?"
"A lot."
Eri lifted her head from the floor.
"……Really? Really end with three?"
"Really."
"If Sister lies stick hundred thorns?"
"Won't lie. Really."
Eri crawled up from the floor.
"Ughhhh…… Eris-nim is not born to do such trivial work… Eri is precious…"
Grumbling but picked up the quill pen.
Scratch scratch.
Continued work for quite a while like that.
"……Done."
Eri put down the quill pen with a thud.
And melted again.
"Pudding…… Eri's pudding……."
"Got it. I'll bring it."
Lucia took out the pudding prepared in advance from the drawer.
"……Feed me."
Nom nom nom.
The moment the first spoon entered her mouth, Eri's expression became peaceful.
As if all the child abuse talk until just now was illusion.
Mystery of a girl where all pain is nullified in front of dessert.
Lucia watched that appearance for a while, then turned her gaze to documents again.
"Want to run away."
But no place to run.
Outside blizzard, inside documents.
And somewhere in the castle, there is a monster in black armor calling her 'Mine'.
Peace brought by that monster.
Price to maintain that peace.
If that is labor, should she think it’s cheap?
No, expensive.
Youth, freedom, sleep time.
Grinding everything into it.
Next day.
Knock knock.
Knocking sound.
"Your Highness, Merchant Guild Representative is requesting an audience."
Lucia fixed her posture immediately. Straightened hunched back, erased dull eyes, equipped smile mixing dignity and gentleness on mouth corners.
Switch to Princess Lucia Mode.
"Come in."
Door opened, and a middle-aged man with bulging belly followed in. Greasy hair, shiny face, expensive fur coat.
Merchant Guild Representative, Werner.
"Oho, Your Highness. It is an honor to call this humble old man. I fear Your Highness's jade body might be harmed while tending to war wounds."
Words are slick but eyes are not smiling.
"Thank you for coming amidst busy schedule. Nothing else, have something to discuss regarding material supply issue."
"If material…… do you mean timber and herbs?"
"Yes. Looking at report, price jumped nearly three times suddenly compared to before. Isn't it absurd profiteering?"
Werner made a feigned troubled expression. Acting skill is decent.
"Oh my, Your Highness. It is a misunderstanding. Profiteering. Simple market principle. As you know trade route became unstable due to this wave, didn't it? Danger allowance bringing goods through snowfield where monsters might pop out anytime, and scarcity…… Considering all that, this price is set bearing loss too."
"Danger allowance."
Lucia's eyes sank.
"Certainly dangerous. The North."
"That is right! Teeming with monsters……."
"Not just monsters."
Lucia cut him off.
"People are dangerous too. Especially, to people running wild without knowing their place."
"……Yes?"
"This timber is stock already brought into the castle before the wave. Transport is over. Adding danger premium to goods never risked danger. Don't think of deceiving. I manage all material receipts and payments of Frostgard."
Werner's expression stiffened.
Lucia took out another document from desk drawer.
"Law of North is simple. 'If don't give what is needed, the strong takes it'."
"Y, Your Highness? Are you threatening right now……?"
"Fortunately I like negotiation. Unlike someone."
Lucia smiled brightly.
As if imitating the Black Knight.
"Because I am a civilized person."
Meaning of that smile is existence of 'Uncivilized alternative'.
Cold sweat formed on Werner's forehead.
"I don't want to make Merchant Guild an enemy either. Because merchants' cooperation is essential for North's recovery. And Werner-nim can continue business only if Frostgard is stable too."
"Of course that is so but……"
"So I will give one proposal."
Carrot and Stick.
Lucia pushed one prepared document in front of Werner.
"Please return timber and herb prices to pre-wave level. Instead——"
Lucia pointed at an item on document.
"Will give Merchant Guild 1st purchase right for byproducts of monsters dead from this wave."
"R, Really?"
"Of course. Because our North values loyalty. Do not forget friend who helped in crisis."
Werner's eyes grew big. Sound of calculator running seemed to be heard.
Monster byproducts fetch whatever price called if taken to Empire. Moreover, this wave was especially large scale.
In other words, volume is enormous.
Transaction incomparable to profit gained from timber and herbs.
"Will serve with all sincerity, Your Highness! Will open warehouse for timber right today! Herbs too! Price…… Will supply at cost entirely!"
"Cost. Should leave profit."
"No! If for North's peace will help even cutting my flesh……!"
Stance switch is fast.
Lucia sent Werner out.
With this material problem solved.
As soon as door closed she sprawled on desk.
"Ughhh…… Scared. Thought heart would burst."
Fingertips still trembling.
'People are dangerous in North too.''If don't give what is needed, the strong takes it.''Because I am a civilized person.'
What Lucia recalled saying those words was red glint.
That tone when black armored man says 'Lower eyes'.
Unconsciously imitated Black Knight.
And it worked.
Sometimes one line of fear is stronger than perfect logic.
Lucia learned that fact with body.
"……If result good all good."
This is politics. This is leadership. Probably.
"I am different from that person."
Lucia drew line firmly.
"I didn't threaten. Negotiated. There is difference. Definitely."
What is difference?
"……Don't know."
Thump.
Lucia banged forehead on desk.
That afternoon.
Lucia inspected wall repair site directly.
Warriors lifting broken stones, laborers filling gaps, medics carrying wounded.
Previously when Lucia appeared on wall, warriors' reactions were largely two.
First, stiffening back showing courtesy to 'Black Knight's Woman'.
Second, sympathizing saying 'Pitiful Highness……'.
Lucia knew that too.
That reason she can command these people is because of Black Knight behind Lucia.
Princess borrowing Black Knight's power.
But now was different.
"Little Boss-nim!"
One warrior working saluted seeing Lucia.
"Good work. How is injury part?"
"No problem! Heals if spit once!"
"Lie. Go to medic and get disinfection. Order."
"Tch. Understood."
Warrior retreated with smile on mouth corners despite grumbling.
Not only that.
Foreman approached and held out blueprint.
"Little Boss-nim, which to fill first between East Section 3 and 4? Seems have to prioritize one side due to material shortage."
Lucia looked at blueprint for a moment and answered.
"Do from Section 3. There ground is weak so risk of additional collapse. Section 4 crack not deep so can hold with temporary reinforcement. Told Eri to fill with thorn vines."
"As expected! Understood!"
After warrior returned, Lucia stood blankly for a moment.
Took few seconds to recognize what happened just now.
If before question would have asked Black Knight or gone to Brynjolf.
But that person followed Lucia's judgment.
Corner of chest tingled.
Being acknowledged always feels good.
Of course no time to be sentimental yet.
Still have to check West Section too, check wounded status too, schedule tomorrow patrol too.
Evening.
Office again.
Lucia was organizing day's routine.
Wall repair progress 15%. Food securing complete. Herb supply smooth. Merchant Guild cooperation confirmed.
Perfect.
This level no shame called God of Administration.
Then, noisy sound heard outside window.
"Oho! Look at that! Look at that size!" "As expected Black Knight-nim!" "Hero-nim amazing too?"
Lucia approached window.
Procession entering castle gate.
At lead massive figure in black armor. Black Knight. Next to him silver-haired Hero. Leona. And huskies pulling carts following behind.
On carts were monster corpses piled like mountains.
Loot retrieved today.
Those will be dismantled immediately, meat to food, leather and bones to material, magic stones to funds.
But suddenly, image flashing through Lucia's brain.
Lucia manages housekeeping inside castle, Black Knight earns materials from outside.
Outside work husband, housework wife.
"Hiek!?"
Lucia fell from window startled.
Face burned hot.
"C, Crazy? Lucia? What thinking!"
She shook head violently. Hair hit cheeks slap slap like whip.
"No no no. This is efficient division of labor. Rational role division utilizing each merit. Survival strategy! Might be eaten if become useless! Right, I am working to live!"
Excusing to whom.
"Wake up, Lucia. You are Princess. Must reclaim Empire. That man is just a tool. Very high performance, sturdy, sometimes cooks, gives gifts, protects me……"
Persuasiveness drops as speaking.
"Doomed."
Ear tips were dyed red.
Night deepened.
Folded couple delusion for a moment, faced data.
Lucia shook head shake shake, took out damage report from document pile again.
Monster distribution map of this wave.
Combat Horned Rabbit. Frost Bear. Frost Scorpion. Blizzard Eagle. Glacier Worm…
Types too various.
Combat Horned Rabbit are guys like weeds inhabiting entire North. Frost Bear is Frost Bear. Frost Scorpion is predator of Ice Wall tundra zone. Blizzard Eagle is territory defender of Ice Wall upper cliff.
Habitat different. Food chain different. Activity area doesn't overlap.
Monsters with no reason to overlap originally moved in one direction simultaneously.
Crossing Ice Wall, towards Frostgard.
"This is……"
If invasion there is pattern.
Moving south chasing prey, expanding territory, or aggression rising in breeding season.
But in such cases same species moves in group.
Only one case where different species abandon habitat and pour in same direction simultaneously.
"Not invasion but evacuation?"
Chased out.
Things ran away to live, chased by something.
Existence enough to make these ferocious Northern monsters run away in herd.
"What exists enough to chase out all these monsters?"
Lucia stood up from seat and stood in front of Northern map on wall.
North of Frostgard. Ice Wall of Lamentation. Beyond that was white blank space.
Written 'Unknown Land'.
Blank space with no information.
Map maker not lazy. Couldn't draw because place cannot go.
Cannot record because no one returned from beyond Ice Wall.
One who didn't return. Northern Grand Duke Valter Grombalt.
From place maternal uncle disappeared, monsters are running away.
Coincidence?
Lucia didn't live optimistic life enough to believe coincidence.
'Something is there.'
Something that chased out monsters.
Something that swallowed maternal uncle.
Nape of neck was chilly.
'Nothing certain yet. Search reconnaissance record beyond Ice Wall again, organize monster movement pattern in time series, compare with past record——'
Listing things to do was Lucia's way of controlling anxiety.
Not scary if have work. Because head stops if hand moves.
Lucia took eyes off map and returned to desk.
Document mountain range still healthy. Rather seems higher than day.
Freya joked once documents are living things so breed at night, seemed really so.
'……By the way.'
Lucia's quill pen stopped.
'Eri?'
Thought suddenly occurred.
Retraced today.
Merchant negotiation morning. Wall inspection afternoon. Report organization evening.
Didn't see Eri's face.
Eri is child catching eye well. Because pink twintails stand out in Frostgard's white scenery.
Voice loud, action noisy, child always with excessive presence.
Such Eri is quiet.
'……Made work too much?'
Lucia's conscience pricked poke.
During Monster Wave period Eri evacuated wounded with thorn vines, installed barricades, made aerial footholds for Leona. Until magic depletion.
And used Eri's administrative ability fully in post-war recovery too.
Material ledger basic data organization, damage report cross verification, supply route calculation.
Plus made repair wall even.
Although gave snacks, too insufficient as carrot for labor exploitation.
'Should bring big cake tomorrow morning. And…… let rest about half day.'