The King's Proposal (1)
The entire territory lived with the word "faster" constantly on their lips.
The officials were no exception.
They strained every nerve to wrap up the annexation of the Rebion Viscounty as quickly as possible, eager to implement the same development policies in the newly conquered lands.
Jeron’s primary concern was the threat of rebellion in the annexed territory.
While the common folk had no reason not to support Jeron, the local gentry in the conquered lands could raise private armies at any moment to threaten his rule.
For this reason, a massive portion of Dark Moon's forces had been deployed to the former Rebion lands.
Sir Leila was fully occupied, traveling from village to village to proclaim Jeron’s decrees while simultaneously managing Dark Moon's operations on the ground.
“According to Dark Moon's reports, several local lords are preparing a large-scale resistance.”
“How many?”
“The houses of Baronet Byten, Baronet Amur, and Baronet Rajen.”
“Ha... Have these bastards still not learned their lesson? But you said 'resistance,' not an outright rebellion?”
“It seems they intend to mobilize their private forces to force a negotiation with you, my Lord.”
“Tsk. Did they honestly think I would yield to such blackmail?”
“It could have caused quite a headache, regardless.”
“I suppose it's a relief we caught it early.”
“Indeed. It was only possible because Dark Moon's capabilities exceeded our expectations.”
Jeron nodded.
The shadow intelligence network inherited from his predecessor was proving its worth in more ways than one.
Consequently, as soon as vast sums of capital began circulating through the territory, Jeron had reinvested heavily in Dark Moon.
He provided them with weapons and funds to expand their scale, aiming to bring the entire northern region under their surveillance.
In the underworld, underworld mercenaries ruled. By drawing in these mercenaries on a large scale, Dark Moon was able to wage a shadow war while keeping their ears to the ground—a highly efficient organization indeed.
“How shall we handle these lords?”
“How else? Wipe them out.”
“A wise decision.”
Jeron had tried to show some leniency to the local gentry. Talent, after all, usually emerged from established families, so he had hoped to bring them into the fold if possible.
But if they were going to act like this, Jeron had no intention of showing further patience.
“Summon Sir Garcia.”
“Yes, my Lord!”
Shortly after, Sir Garcia entered the room, drenched in sweat from his training in the yard.
Yet, his face remained infuriatingly handsome.
As the maids blushed and cast dreamy glances his way, Sir Garcia naturally flashed a wink and a charming smile at the prettiest among them.
“Kyaaa!”
Jeron frowned at the display.
“Shall I discipline him?” Leila asked.
“I think you should. It seems he's forgotten his place.”
Sir Leila was equally displeased. At the blatant threat of being thoroughly 'disciplined' by her, Garcia immediately snapped into a rigid, flawless knightly posture.
“My Lord! Garcia, loyal vassal of the Farrow family and your devoted adjutant, reports for duty!”
He even dropped to one knee. Jeron clicked his tongue.
“One of these days, you're going to get dragged away by the nose. You need to meet a fierce wife who nags you day and night to finally snap out of it.”
“Aigoo! Marriage is the tomb of man! Such a tragedy shall never befall me.”
“I don't particularly enjoy it, but I need you to go wipe out a few troublesome lords.”
“Has something happened in those lands again?”
“A few local lords are planning to raise their private forces to force a negotiation.”
“Ha! Preposterous!”
“Go crush them. Sir Jenald, Sir James, and Sir Leila are all occupied right now.”
“Leave it to me!”
Jeron granted Garcia full authority. The knight snorted with supreme confidence, prompting Jeron to shake his head.
“Will he be alright?”
“...He will be fine. Aside from his weakness for women, Sir Garcia is a highly capable knight.”
“I wonder if that obsession of his will ever be cured.”
“I believe that lies in the realm of the impossible...” Leila muttered, her voice trailing off with a distinct lack of confidence in her fellow knight.
The response of the fief's residents to the new threshing machines was overwhelmingly positive.
While there was an automated threshing machine connected to the electricity grid near the workshop, three machines were simply not enough to cover the entire territory.
The Farrow territory had now doubled in size. Thus, Jeron had designed manual threshing machines and distributed them widely.
According to reports, even the threshing machines powered by draft animals had drastically reduced the labor required for the harvest.
Once fully tested, these machines would be distributed to the former Rebion Viscounty as well.
However, there was a catch regarding the Rebion territory.
It was still uncertain whether the castle and its lands would permanently remain under the Farrow family's rule.
Of course, Jeron believed this issue would be resolved soon. Seria had bribed the King and built a network of connections throughout the capital, so news was bound to arrive shortly.
The grinders were currently being installed, and the issue of the rebellious lords in the conquered lands would be resolved now that Sir Garcia had been dispatched.
The development of the territory was proceeding smoothly, but the real challenge lay in the subjugation of the Red Orcs.
The Farrow territory had always suffered from the raids of the northern barbarians and the Red Orcs.
While the barbarians had been pacified through trade, the Red Orcs were beasts incapable of reason. Jeron intended to use this opportunity to wipe them out completely.
Inside the Farrow Territory Military Headquarters.
When Jeron entered, the two highest-ranking knights of the territory saluted him. They were Sir James and Sir Jenald, who had been appointed as the commanders of the territory's forces.
“You summoned us, my Lord!”
“Greetings, my Lord.”
Though they were somewhat stiff compared to the younger knights, these two were the true pillars supporting the territory.
Jeron checked the status of the operation first.
“Sir James, is there any issue with tomorrow's deployment?”
“A subjugation force consisting of one thousand infantry and thirty knights is on standby. All leave has been canceled, and final resupply is underway.”
“Sir Jenald, what is the status of the supplies?”
“Everything is proceeding smoothly, my Lord. Thanks to the grace of the ancestors, the annexation of the Rebion Viscounty has brought in a massive amount of spoils. We are, in fact, overflowing with supplies.”
As expected, everything was going well. Leaving the rebellious lords to Sir Garcia was only possible because of their current abundance of resources.
The increase in their overall military strength also played a major role.
Currently, the total military force of the Farrow territory stood at two thousand. One thousand were preparing for the subjugation campaign, while five hundred were to be deployed under Sir Garcia to deal with the rebellious lords.
The remaining five hundred would maintain public order within the territory.
“This Red Orc subjugation is a campaign, but it is also a demonstration.”
“Pardon?”
“It seems you have a deeper plan, my Lord.”
“The goal is to strike fear into the hearts of the barbarians, the newly integrated soldiers, and the knights.”
“Oh.”
The eyes of the two knights gleamed.
It was true that the Farrow territory was currently in a somewhat unstable position. While the northern barbarians were quiet for now, the possibility that they might change their minds if the Farrow territory appeared weak could not be ruled out.
They could not afford the complacency of assuming peace with those uncivilized tribes would last forever.
The same applied to the newly integrated troops. With a thousand new soldiers added to their ranks, a rebellion was entirely possible if they willed it.
Of course, with the backing of the central nobility, a rebellion would not easily occur, but it was crucial to nip any such thoughts in the bud.
“We will wipe out the main camp of the Red Orcs in a single strike using the protection of the Guardian Dragon.”
“I will ensure the soldiers witness the spectacle as clearly as possible.”
“Good. What about the barbarian mercenaries?”
“They are scheduled to arrive this evening and will camp outside the territory.”
Jeron intended to kill three birds with one stone with this campaign.
First, to instill fear in the barbarians and the newly integrated troops.
Second, to boost the morale of the original Farrow soldiers.
Third, to eradicate the threat of the Red Orcs once and for all.
On the outskirts of the Farrow territory.
It had been three days since the express carriage from the capital, Brancia, had reached the Hanes territory.
After stopping to deliver gifts to Count Hanes, Seria had immediately boarded a carriage and traveled non-stop, finally arriving at the Farrow territory today.
She could not hide her admiration as she looked out at the neatly organized, grid-like farmland.
“It has developed this much in just a few months?”
“It is proof that the New Territory Movement is yielding great results.”
“And look at those walls!”
Seria and her adjutant, Lilith, gasped in awe. The Farrow territory was changing by the day.
While this rapid transformation seemed natural to the locals whose mindsets had been reshaped by the New Territory Movement, it was a source of constant astonishment to occasional visitors.
Waterways drawn from Lake Baikal branched out evenly across the well-ordered fields. The days of ruined harvests due to water shortages were officially over.
In addition, reservoirs were being constructed in various locations to prepare for both floods and droughts.
Observing the scene, Seria deduced Jeron Farrow’s strategy.
“While the Lord values commerce, his ultimate goal is complete self-sufficiency. Relying on external grain means that the moment supply is cut, starvation follows.”
“You are entirely correct.”
It was only this year that the Farrow territory had begun to develop at such a breakneck pace.
Until last year, bodies had to be cleared from the slums daily due to starvation. Plagues were common, and with constant raids from barbarians and Red Orcs, the territory had been in a state of absolute ruin.
Yet, since Jeron Farrow had taken over as Lord, the land was transforming at a speed that defied belief.
“The problem is that if the territory develops too quickly, the other lords might become wary.”
Having spent months in the capital, Seria had grasped the nature of the central nobility. Though they called themselves nobles, they were driven entirely by greed.
While Jeron had used bribes to build connections, those allies would vanish the moment the gold stopped flowing. For now, they had to grow as much as possible while minimizing the tribute sent to the capital.
Seria arrived before the main gates of the castle. The walls loomed over them, standing at an imposing height of at least twenty meters.
What was even more surprising was that the walls were still incomplete. Cranes were installed at various points, hoisting massive stone blocks one by one.
The workers atop the walls moved with a speed that looked almost precarious, working as if their lives depended on it.
With the people working this hard, it's no wonder the territory is transforming so rapidly.
She was already looking forward to seeing what kind of territory would emerge once the development plans were fully realized.
The guards standing at the gate were also highly disciplined. This was the result of a system where the performance of the soldiers was evaluated daily.
These evaluations directly affected their promotions and salaries. Since a higher rank meant better pay, the soldiers carried themselves with absolute precision.
Recognizing Seria, the guards saluted her first.
“Loyalty! We greet Lady Seria.”
“Oh... Why are you addressing me so formally?”
“The Lord has issued an order officially appointing you as a formal vassal of the house!”
“Wow! Really?!”
Escorted by the guards, Seria entered the castle. The development inside the walls was even more staggering.
Taking in the revolutionary changes around her, Seria gently patted the King's secret letter, which she had kept carefully secured until now.
“Could things really turn out the way the King said?”