Internal Affairs VII
"Hmm..."
Selen was a knight who, even among Irene's faction, maintained connections with the nobility.
Unlike the others who had risen from commoner status to knighthood by Irene's choice, she possessed a decent grasp of administrative duties—tasks typically reserved for the nobility.
"Ugh..."
Consequently, the moment their journey for peace concluded, Selen found herself immediately assigned to administrative duties. Though she had initially resented Irene upon hearing the news, she could no longer find it in her heart to blame her after witnessing the chaotic state of the territory's administration.
It was dreadful. Selen was far from an expert in the field, but even to her untrained eyes, the situation was critical.
She worked and worked, without even a spare moment for basic training.
Then, reinforcements arrived. Though they weren't exactly welcome faces, they were reinforcements she could not afford to reject in her current state.
Pushing aside the stack of documents, Selen let out a deep sigh and stood up.
There was still a mountain of work left, but with her head spinning, she felt incapable of accomplishing anything more right now.
"Up we go..."
Stepping out of the office, she tilted her head in confusion as she spotted someone who, by all accounts, had no business being there.
It felt as though she were looking at a mirage.
"Good work. Is there anyone else inside?"
"Wh-What?"
Edrin stood right before her. In his hands, he held a tray laden with warm tea and refreshments that looked mouthwateringly sweet.
It was late at night—hardly an appropriate hour for a man to visit a woman. Selen felt her heart flutter wildly.
"They... they have all gone home. Since it is late, you see."
"I see."
He offered her a warm smile.
"I cannot force you, but please rest when you can. Do not overexert yourself."
His voice was so warm. It brought a sense of comfort so profound she felt tempted to throw herself into his arms.
"Yes..."
Taking a sip of the tea, Selen felt its soothing warmth spread throughout her body.
"You must have had your hands full lately, especially with the new arrivals. Has it been difficult?"
"Oh, no, not at all!"
Of course, it wasn't as if Selen's workload was actually light.
The administrative work itself was highly demanding, and collaborating with the newly integrated vassal faction was no easy feat.
The vassal faction despised the knights, and the knights loathed the vassals.
"It is going... much better than I had feared."
Yet, the two factions managed to narrowly avoid a head-on collision.
The knights did not want to pressure the nobles unnecessarily and risk driving them away.
For the knights had realized through their recent work just how incompetent those who had spent their lives wielding swords could be when it came to administrative affairs.
"The knights seem to acknowledge them to some extent, and the policies proposed by the vassal faction aren't things we can blindly reject..."
It wasn't as if the people of Irene's faction were corrupt or driven by self-interest.
Still, there were areas they had overlooked.
"They have been pointing out things we failed to consider... for the sake of the commoners."
They brought in the poor. It was a proposal so rational it was hard to believe it came from the mouths of 'nobles.'
Rather than the self-serving policies they so often favored, these measures were genuinely for the benefit of the territory and its commoners.
"And... they are people chosen by you, my Lord. Whether it is the vassal faction or us knights, there is no way we could fight among ourselves."
Selen had witnessed his deeds. She had seen how desperately he had crawled through the dirt, and how he had, like magic, persuaded other lords and averted war.
Thus, she could not help but believe. No matter how wicked or suspicious those people might seem, she trusted that they could never succumb to evil as long as they followed Edrin.
"It is a bit difficult, but things are running smoothly somehow."
"I am glad to hear that. After all, this is the only sort of thing I can do for you."
"You can put your mind at ease, my Lord. You have... already done everything in your power, haven't you? Now, it is our turn."
Selen clenched her fists tightly.
Everyone was giving their all. The knights training the soldiers, the second daughters and bastards of noble families handling administrative tasks, the commoners, and even the Lord and the daughter of the lord's family.
That was why she could not afford to rest.
It was unrealistic. Such research, such magical achievements, should not exist in reality.
The mage of Arcteria walked toward the Lord's quarters, his heart swelling with exhilaration.
"Welcome. Is this a report from the Magic Tower?"
"Yes. We have achieved a breakthrough in our research."
Edrin looked at the mage with gentle eyes.
They were warm yet resolute eyes, giving the impression that it would be utterly impossible to ever deceive him.
"That was rather quick. It has not been long since Roselyn and her companions arrived, has it?"
"Since the facilities required for their research have not been fully set up yet... fortunately, our mages had plenty of time to learn from them."
"Hmm."
"More importantly, there is a matter of greater urgency. I would like you to read this."
Edrin Silverline was undoubtedly an outstanding individual, but he was no mage. He would not be able to fully comprehend the sheer magnitude of the research detailed in the document.
Yet, that was more than enough. A lord's duty was not to understand and marvel at the intricacies of magical research, but to put its results to practical use.
Edrin slowly read through the report. The mage grit his teeth, suppressing his mounting excitement as he awaited the Lord's response.
"How did you make this possible?"
"Lord Edrin. Lady Roselyn is... sigh, I do not even know how to explain it. She is, well..."
The mage struggled to find the words to express what he had felt upon reviewing her research. No matter how carefully he chose his vocabulary, it seemed impossible to do it justice.
"She is someone from an entirely different realm."
"A different realm?"
"The level at which she perceives things is fundamentally different. An achievement that would make one of Arcteria's mages declare, 'I will dedicate my entire life and abandon everything else just to prove this single law'..."
The mage's eyes stared blankly into space.
"...she hands over to us, whom she has only just met, as if it were completely worthless information."
"I see."
"It defies reason. It feels as though she belongs to an entirely different species. Honestly, I would readily believe it if someone told me Lady Roselyn is actually a dragon or a lich who has studied magic for centuries, merely masquerading in human form for a brief moment."
"Is it truly that profound?"
"It is."
However, the priority was not to sing praises of Lady Roselyn's genius.
"We will be able to commercialize it within two months. Within three, we can secure its economic viability and deploy it in actual combat."
Like most of his peers, the mage of Arcteria knew little outside the realm of magic.
He possessed no tactical foresight, nor did he understand the ways of the world or the realities of war.
Even so, he was not so foolish as to fail to grasp just how monumental this research would be for the war effort.
"And this is just the beginning. Once they begin their research in earnest, and the new recruits you hired arrive, we will be able to churn out research of this caliber continuously."
This was a revolution.
The mage of Arcteria could not hide his excitement. All this territory needed now was time.
No matter how many soldiers or weapons a rival lord possessed, none would dare covet this land.
"Ensure security is tight."
"Security is being managed with the utmost care. Since Lady Roselyn's direct involvement is required for the core adjustments of the technology, you need not worry about any leaks."
"What about safety?"
"It is not something that will detonate unless an explosion is intentionally triggered. Barring any sabotage in the warehouse or during transport, accidents will not occur."
"Very well. Even so, remain cautious."
"Understood."
"...You have done well."
The mage looked at the Lord of Arcteria with eyes full of deep respect.
This was something no one else would have dared to attempt. It was something everyone else would have deemed impossible.
Even if the mage standing before the Count had somehow ascended to the position of lord himself, he would never have been able to make such aggressive and decisive investments.
Yet Edrin Silverline had acted with absolute conviction. He had invested boldly, and success was already guaranteed.
"Continue your hard work. There is much to be done, so ensure the mages take care of their health—both those under your command and Roselyn's mages."
"Naturally, we shall obey your command, Lord Count."
The territory was changing. The mage could feel it.
The expressions on the people's faces were changing. Hope for the future was beginning to blossom.
They harbored expectations for tomorrow. They trusted that if they worked for Arcteria today, Arcteria would reward their efforts tomorrow.
This was the work of the man standing before the mage right now—Edrin Silverline.
"The next time I come, I will bring a prototype. I am certain you will be pleased with it."
"I shall look forward to it."
The mage felt a rush of exhilaration fill his chest.