Baron Domain
I couldn't help but wonder why this ability hadn't informed me of such a crucial function. Even the Han sisters, whom I'd only been living with for a short time, had picked up on something odd, so maybe I was just too oblivious. One thing was certain: my body showed no damage from ordinary injuries, and I'd never once suffered from indigestion or a cold, so my immunity must have improved as well.
Curious about how far the protection extended, I briefly considered testing it by taking a bullet, but the Han sisters were vehemently against it, and upon second thought, it scared me too much, so I dropped the idea.
"That's one thing, but how the hell do I open the rest..."
I pondered as I stood before the second door on the second floor, turning the doorknob.
One confirmed method was issuing citizenship cards to increase residents. But inviting people into my home wasn't easy, and even taking on more residents offered no guarantee of success.
"Just try it once."
So I had Han Seol gather Im Jui's entire group of eight in front of the house. I planned to distribute citizenship cards to them all and see if anything changed. If it worked, jackpot. If not, I'd just revoke the cards.
"Perfect."
"Brother, thanks for the book."
Kim Min-woo, the youngest at eight years old in Im Jui's group, came up to me holding a book with a bright smile.
"Huh? Oh, yeah. Tell me if you want to read something else..."
I'd prefer the kids drop the "Your Excellency" and just call me brother or big bro. Uncle or mister would work too. Anything but Excellency.
Han Seol stepped forward and announced,
"Today, His Excellency has decided to issue citizenship cards."
The atmosphere buzzed with excitement.
"Oh... Your Excellency."
"Your Excellency!"
"Citizenship? What's that, Jui sis?"
The adults wore expressions of gratitude, while the kids looked confused. I couldn't bring myself to say it was just an experiment.
I'd originally planned to explain and distribute them myself, but Han Seol and Han Byeol insisted that the leader of such a powerful group shouldn't handle such details personally—it would undermine my authority—and volunteered to do it instead.
"Then, everyone, kneel on one knee."
They all knelt before me on one knee. It felt like I was a king who owned a nation of ten subjects. It was so embarrassing I wanted to crawl into a hole.
As the mood turned solemn, even the Han sisters knelt before me.
"Issue citizenship."
Eight black cards dropped at the feet of those outside the barrier.
Han Byeol explained,
"Continue living in your homes as before, but in case of disaster or business, you may enter the barrier. From now on, wait safely inside the barrier for rations."
"Your Excellency! We pledge our full loyalty!"
-Your Excellency, I offer my life.-
"Your Excellency! Thank you!"
"Big bro. Can I take this?"
As everyone looked up at me with teary eyes, my mind was elsewhere.
I stared blankly into space at the message, and Han Seol looked up at me.
"Your Excellency, say a few words to the new citizens."
"Baron? Male?"
"Your Excellency?"
With residents holding citizenship reaching ten, a message appeared before my eyes. I'd had a feeling something was coming, but I had no idea what, leaving me confused. Then Kim Min-woo shouted,
"Brother! The house behind you!"
"House?"
Turning around, I saw my house glowing brighter and brighter. Everyone stared in stunned silence. The light intensified until it filled our vision with white.
"What's happening..."
Then it exploded like a flashbang.
The last thing I saw was Im Jui and the Han sisters throwing themselves toward me.
"Your Excellency, Your Excellency!"
"Master!"
When I opened my eyes, the Han sisters were looking down at me, tears streaming. Im Jui wore her gas mask, hiding her face, but her trembling body suggested she was crying too.
"How long was I out?"
"About five minutes... Master, are you really okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine."
Han Seol had me in her arms. They'd rushed to protect me when the flash hit. Loyalty at 100% indeed. Utterly satisfying.
As I opened my eyes, a massive influx of information flooded my mind.
"I'm okay. Totally fine."
I sat up from Han Seol's embrace and surveyed the scene.
"Your Excellency, this is..."
"Yeah."
The barrier had expanded. This affluent neighborhood had only single-family homes, and now eight ruined ones were inside the barrier. Visually, it was at least ten times larger. Unlike the previous spherical shape, it was now a perfect square with my house at the center, divided into nine smaller squares. My house occupied the central one, with eight surrounding sectors.
In my vision, aside from the neighboring house under reconstruction and my own, blueprints hovered over the other seven sectors. Completing reconstruction via drones would yield nine identical houses inside the barrier, including mine. Of course, given the green drone's glacial pace on the current house, it was still a distant goal.
Two key facts emerged naturally. First, reconstructed houses within the barrier received infinite electricity, water, and heating, just like mine. Second, changes to the citizenship system: Basic citizens could roam all nine sectors freely, but I could issue "sector-specific citizenship" for individual zones. For instance, labeling the top-left as "Sector 1" allowed issuing "Sector 1 Citizenship," restricting access to only that zone. Whether I'd ever need it was another question.
I could also appoint a "governor" per sector, who could issue transit passes like me. Only I could issue permanent residency and full citizenship, and I could appoint or revoke governors at will.
"Your Excellency, are you truly alright?"
"Yeah, a ton of info suddenly poured in, and I blacked out."
"Master, the barrier's grown enormously."
"As expected... Your Excellency."
They all gazed at me with awe, like I was the post-apocalyptic messiah.
"Let's call it for today."
"Yes, Your Excellency."
After Im Jui's group left, the Han sisters and I took in the view.
"Master, are you perhaps a god?"
"What god rolls down stairs after coffee?"
The Han sisters laughed at my words.
"I'll explain the details inside. Got something to check too."
Thinking I still needed rest, Han Seol and Han Byeol each grabbed an arm.
"I'm fine now... but let's head in."
The first thing I checked upon entering was the drone rack on the second floor. That odd sensation was this: the remaining slots for blue and green drones had opened. Now I could operate four blue drones and four green ones.
"Put the green drones straight to reconstruction."
I now had a rough guess for opening the second room: secure more citizens or kill more people with drones. One or the other.
A month passed since the barrier expanded. The Crossroads faction and Jeong Su-hwan were shocked by the new size but continued trading as usual. When the Crossroads group pried about the expansion, I countered with, "Why so many questions?" and they shut up.
The weather turned properly cold. Im Jui scoured ruins daily for wood planks or chopped trees for firewood. When I asked how she chopped them, she said she smashed them with her fist, then split them by hand. Lee Kyung-min had installed the wood stove after reading the manual.
House reconstruction progressed steadily. I'd worried it would take three or four months with two drones, but now they were framing the skeleton and adding flesh. Once complete, I'd appoint Im Jui as governor of the neighboring sector and move her group there.
It might seem cold, but her absolute martial prowess as the Ragged Wanderer was essential. The other seven didn't matter as much. Im Jui wouldn't budge without securing her group's safety, so I'd relocate them immediately upon completion. The wood stove would go back in storage, but I didn't mind. I regretted not issuing citizenship sooner.
It was a morning that seemed set for peaceful days.
"Do-hyun! You need to come out!"
"What's up?"
"Reconstruction Government folks are here..."
"That Seo Su-yeon minister?"
"No, hardliner soldiers."
"Sigh..."
I got out of bed and headed outside.
"Your Excellency!"
Im Jui's group stood at the entrance. Thank goodness. Having them come for morning rations was a godsend. Otherwise, they'd have been outside the barrier—dangerous.
"Master, let me talk to them."
"No, I'll handle it. Everyone inside. Just grab one folding chair."
Han Seol looked worried.
"Your Excellency! But!"
"All inside. That's an order. If I need help, I'll call via drone."
"Yes..."
After ushering everyone in, I dragged the folding chair alone to the barrier edge.
"Whoa... a lot of them."
About thirty heavily armed soldiers stood before the barrier. They'd already pitched tents and were distributing ammo and supplies from bags—not leaving soon.
I set up the chair at the barrier and sat.
"Who're you?"
A man in a beret stepped forward. His beret and epaulets bore one star.
"After major comes lieutenant colonel, right? Manners."
The major general squinted.
"What're you saying?"
"Never mind, talking to myself. State your business."
"The deserter's intel underestimated this glass wall's size."
One of the deserters must've been caught by the hardliners too. Did Seo Su-yeon know? If not, she was incompetent for missing soldiers heading my way. If she did and allowed it, trust shattered.
The major general seemed irked by my attitude and casual speech but had more patience than Gwak Dae-hoon.
"Not here to fight. To negotiate."
"Negotiate?"
"Intel says infinite water and power here. True?"
"Who gave you that intel?"
"I asked if it's true."
"Did you shove a tool in your ear...? I'm asking who told you."
A colonel beside the major general flushed red and yelled,
"How dare you! Do you know who this is? Stand up and fix your attitude!"
The major general raised a hand to stop the colonel and feigned affability.
"Calm down, O Jung-ryeong."
"General, sorry."
"Bullshit... Not even officers' school grads—mostly sergeants and public servants playing lieutenant and colonel."
I poked at the major general like with Gwak, but he exuded a veteran aura Gwak lacked.
"Apologies for my subordinate's rudeness first. I'm Heo Kyung-tae, Major General, Intelligence Director of the Republic of Korea Reconstruction Government's 1st Operations Command."
Heo Kyung-tae might be reasonable.
"First, tell me where you heard about the infinite water and power."
"From the group called Crossroads."
Time to deal with Crossroads next trade.
"Fine, what do you want to negotiate?"
"Pay taxes to the Republic of Korea Reconstruction Government in water and electricity. On the way here, we saw a group clearing roads. Negotiate with them to clear paths, then use those roads."
"Negotiate? You threatened them."
Heo Kyung-tae's face hardened slightly.
"Once roads are cleared, we'll send water tanker trucks and high-capacity batteries. Fill the tanks and charge the batteries. Do that, and we guarantee protection in the government's name."
"That's not negotiation; that's a notice."
My hope for dialogue vanished. Hardliners fundamentally didn't communicate.
I took a deep breath and asked Heo Kyung-tae,
"I've got one question too. Answer, and I'll consider your proposal seriously."
"Ask."
"You wouldn't happen to be orphanage buddies with Captain Gwak Dae-hoon, would you?"