How the Time-Stop Villain Develops the North
I became the Northern Duke for the sake of swift territory management. No matter how many improvements I pointed out, without decision-making authority, responses were always slow. Three days to fix this issue, three days for that one. And if new problems cropped up in the meantime? It was just an endless loop.
But...
Once I actually took over and started looking into things, there was nothing to fix. Not a single speck of military corruption. The reports from each noble-managed fief were transparently flawless. Every single one was exceptionally well-run. All of it was the legacy of Antus's father.
Horus, you bastard. Aren't you some kind of regressor? Fights like a demon, manages the territory like a pro. Total cheat character.
I scrutinized everything for ages, desperately hunting for any hook to grab onto, but came up empty-handed. It was happy. Peaceful. A true golden age.
To develop the territory from this state, I'd need some kind of revolutionary innovation.
Unfortunately, I had zero knowledge in that area. So I turned to the scribe helping me sort documents nearby.
"Scribe."
"Yes."
"Where's Astia right now?"
"The lady is probably in her room."
"I'll be right back."
I didn't need to invent anything myself. I just had to employ someone who already knew the knowledge.
Astia Khan Berius. Daughter of the Northern Duke, and in the novel, the villainess who constantly obstructs Serena. After Antus's death, the war that broke out actually favored the imperial side far more. No matter how strong he was, the emperor's forces had way more monsters—Swordmasters, grand wizards, sages, you name it.
Yet the North managed to hold a roughly even footing in the war thanks to Astia. She soothed the anxious territory folk, invented all sorts of conveniences and facilities. And in the end, she even developed a cannon that made even Swordmasters tremble in fear.
Looking at it now, the North is full of crazy bastards. Antus was unhinged too, but purely in terms of ability, he's way stronger than the Northern Duke.
Tap tap.
I cautiously knocked on the door of Astia's room, guided by a maid.
"Who is it?"
"It's me. Your brother."
"...Come in."
Saying "brother" out loud myself was way more goosebump-inducing than I'd imagined. Gotta hold back from now on.
Astia had apparently been reading a book. The sweet aroma of red tea lingered thickly in the air.
"What brings you here?"
"You've heard I beat Father and became the Northern Duke, right?"
"Yes, I heard yesterday."
"News travels fast. I need your talents. Help me develop the North."
I didn't know what kind of relationship Antus and Astia had. But the novel made it crystal clear how much she cared for the North. No way she'd refuse my request.
"No."
My prediction missed the mark spectacularly.
Astia continued coldly, looking at me like I was some kind of bug.
"I guess you've completely forgotten about trying to lay hands on my body?"
"...What?"
"And now you expect help from me... Do you really think I'd assist you?"
Antus, you insane bastard. He even groped his own sister?
"I never imagined you'd beat Father with the sword. The North's tradition of valuing martial prowess has backfired here."
"Astia, hear me out first."
"No. I won't listen. As long as a horny monkey like you lords over the North, I won't contribute a thing."
Astia didn't even give me a chance to explain. Fair enough—if it were me, I wouldn't want to deal with trash who tried to touch family either.
But the real problem was this:
Seems like by becoming the Northern Duke, I've actually made it impossible to get Astia's help.
If I'd known, it might've been better to just sit back and do nothing. But the water was already spilled. I had to try something.
"Astia. I'm sorry."
"Ha! Now? Not a word for ten years, and suddenly you're sorry? No, no way. That's impossible. Now that you're Northern Duke, you figure you can do whatever, right? Some shallow thought like that."
"All I want is what's best for the North."
"Father and the retainers might've fallen for it, but not me. Don't try to sweet-talk me with honeyed words. I know your true intent—base lust for women. You only came here not for my skills, but to take my body again—"
Boom!!!
"I'm sorry. Truly."
"..."
I bowed my head to the floor and apologized again. I knew this wouldn't melt her heart, but I had to do it anyway.
"I was a fool. I won't force myself on any woman again, and I'll atone to everyone I've hurt."
"Heh, you'd go that far in your act just to get my body?"
"All I can say is I'm sorry. Sorry."
"...Fine. Whatever you do is pointless. If you really want my help, cut your own throat. I might forgive that much."
"..."
I had nothing to say.
Fuck. Why do I have to clean up after Antus the monkey bastard? Of all people to mess with, his own sister...!
I was racking my brain with my forehead glued to the floor, unable to think of how to appease Astia, when—
Creak!
Someone burst into the room. A drenched-in-sweat administrator.
"Uh... S-sorry! I heard His Grace was here, but this is urgent..."
"Never mind. What is it?"
I slowly stood, smoothing my clothes as if nothing had happened, despite being in full prostration before my sister.
"A monster stampede has broken out at Wilhelm."
"Oh?"
"What!? Wilhelm—the central stronghold on the northern border—has a stampede?!"
It was Astia speaking. Her excited demeanor was a total one-eighty from the woman who'd just ripped me apart point by point.
Guess she can't hide her love for the North, no matter what she says.
I felt a bit relieved. Seeing her like that, getting her help didn't seem impossible.
"Your Grace! Why are you so calm?! It's a stampede! The people of Wilhelm could all die!"
"I know."
"You know and you're still so nonchalant? Hurry and lead the capital knights or summon mages from the Magic Tower...!"
"Calm down, Astia."
"How can I calm down?!"
A stampede—a massive monster surge triggered by some cause. The numbers weren't fixed, but judging by the administrator's face, this one was no joke. Normally, it'd raze one or two cities flat—a guaranteed catastrophe.
But the North had me now.
"Administrator. Prepare."
"The knights? Or the Magic Tower...?"
"No."
You know what? Killing monsters drops valuable mana stones.
"I'll go myself."
Just like that, I found a way to develop the territory without Astia's help.
"Your Highness, this seems unnecessary."
"Don't go soft on me, Serena. And you're the one who first said we had to kill Antus."
"That's true, but..."
After failing to assassinate Antus, the Crown Prince sought out a Wandering Tribe shaman. He commissioned them to gather monsters across the vast northern plains and attack Wilhelm. He handed a fat stack of cash to some beggar to deliver the message.
For some reason, right after the hunting festival ended, Antus became Northern Duke almost immediately. That meant he'd bear responsibility for the stampede damage—and the prince planned to summon him to the imperial capital on that pretext.
Antus's father, a Swordmaster? Having handed the seat to his son, he wasn't the type to rush to the front lines. Not until Wilhelm was in ruins, at least.
No matter how strong the North's military was, perfectly stopping a stampede with zero warning was a long shot.
"Innocent northerners will die like this."
"They were gonna die anyway once Antus awakens his power. A little sacrifice is necessary."
"..."
Wilhelm had roughly 10,000 residents. Serena couldn't comprehend how he said it so lightly.
"This is wrong. Let me find another way."
"...Even you don't trust me, Serena?"
"Pardon? No, what are you suddenly—"
"You, Antus... everyone looks down on me..."
"Your Highness, I've never disrespected you."
"If that's true, do as I say this time. This is the only way to stop Antus."
"...Yes."
"Thanks for understanding."
Watching the prince smile so happily, Serena felt an indescribable revulsion.
Wilhelm, perched at the North's northernmost edge. A bulwark against Wandering Tribe invasions and the wall shielding the North from monsters.
A cataclysm was brewing there now.
"That black cloud... it's all monsters..."
"At least a hundred thousand. Maybe more."
"Can we hold them?"
"Don't question it. We do what must be done. Even if we stack our corpses into a wall."
Dialogue between the wall guard captain and his squad. Facing the oncoming monster horde, they steeled themselves for death.
"Captain. What about him?"
"Mind your tone. That's our new lord of the North."
"Sigh... I know, I get it. But what the hell was he thinking, coming here alone? You were shocked too when he showed up with no troops, just himself."
"...He must have a plan."
The man atop the wall, gazing at the horde. The new Northern Duke, Antus.
The distance from the capital Arzenfeld to Wilhelm wasn't far, so he'd figured relief forces would arrive quickly after the request. But he hadn't expected just one person.
Antus called down to the guard captain below.
"Guard captain. Is that all of them?"
"Yes! That's it!"
"Hmm. That many mana stones should more than cover territory development."
"Pardon? What was that?"
"Nothing. Just hold the wall. I'll be right back."
"Right back from wh— Your Grace? Your Grace!"
Before the captain could finish, Antus leaped from the outer wall.
Rumble rumble rumble...
This stampede that wasn't in the original story? Gotta be that crown prince bastard's doing.
The monster herd filling the plains marched like an earthquake. Visually, aurally— no one could stand unmoved before that sight.
Except Antus, of course.
Snap—
Next time they pull this shit, I'll hunt down the crown prince and end him, prince or not.