The King's Proposal (2)
Jeron welcomed Seira warmly in front of the lord's castle.
When even the vassals, who had been busy handling the fief's affairs, gathered to greet her, Seira was utterly dumbfounded.
"Uh... Hello, my Lord!"
"Welcome back. You've worked incredibly hard."
"Sir Seira! Welcome!"
"This is a bit overwhelming. I didn't really do anything grand."
"Hahaha! You turned the capital upside down and you say you did nothing?"
"As expected of the Carbine family, always so humble."
In truth, Seira genuinely believed she hadn't done much in the capital.
All her achievements were thanks to the outstanding gifts, and winning over the nobles hadn't been particularly difficult.
However, this was by no means a feat achieved through mere luck.
Luck played a part, but it was the combination of Seira's charm, eloquence, and skill that had brought about this result.
Jeron, well aware of this fact, formally accepted Seira as a vassal.
It would be a waste not to employ a talent like her.
Seira did not just possess business acumen; she was also highly skilled in diplomacy.
Although there was no dedicated diplomatic post in this era, Jeron felt that Seira was more than capable of handling all foreign affairs.
"Come, let us head inside. Now that Lady Seira is here, we must hear the tale of her success in the capital."
The vassals' faces brightened.
They had been working so tirelessly that they desperately needed a break, and Seira had just provided the perfect excuse for one.
Light refreshments were prepared in the castle's conference room.
Jeron would have liked to throw a proper banquet, but the current situation did not allow for it.
They had to subjugate the Red Orcs tomorrow. If the commanders spent the night guzzling alcohol, it was obvious how they would look in the eyes of the soldiers.
Jeron offered Seira his apologies.
"I apologize for not being able to hold a banquet."
"Oh, no! Why would you apologize to someone like me, my Lord?"
"It seems you still do not fully grasp your own worth, Sir Seira."
"I believe any vassal would have achieved the same results had they gone."
"That is absolutely not true."
The results Seira had achieved were not simple.
Even if the quality of the bribes was exceptional, how they were packaged and what results they yielded depended entirely on the person presenting them.
Seira had maximized the outcome.
"Not only did you secure the support of various figures in the central government, but you also established a connection with the King. Without the King's influence, we wouldn't have been able to annex the Levion Viscounty so quickly."
"That is true."
"Humility is a virtue, but do not underestimate yourself so much, Sir Seira."
"Yes, my Lord..."
"Sir Seira, you will be in charge of our foreign affairs. You are now the fief's diplomat."
"A diplomat?"
"In addition, I appoint you as the deputy director of the Fief Development Agency."
"T-thank you very much."
She was still dazed.
As the vassals showered her with praise, Seira, feeling out of place in such an atmosphere, quickly changed the subject.
"I had an audience with His Majesty the King while in the capital, correct?"
"Indeed."
"His Majesty made a proposal and asked me to deliver this letter to you, my Lord."
"...!"
The smiles on the faces of Jeron and the vassals stiffened slightly.
A proposal from the King?
A proposal from the ruler of the nation, rather than a mere noble, could not possibly be ordinary.
While being close to power was advantageous for a noble, getting entangled with the high nobility in the wrong way could ruin a family in an instant.
Relationships with the powerful had to be managed with extreme caution.
Jeron accepted the letter, which was sealed with the royal crest.
The handwriting was elegant.
It was a letter written by the King's own hand.
My dear Lord Farrow,
Thanks to your recent exploits, the northern region of the kingdom has stabilized, allowing us to plan for the Great War.
Movements toward war are accelerating within the kingdom, and I expect hostilities to commence around next spring.
A declaration of war will be made this winter, so once the harvest is complete, prepare your troops and ready your march for the Great War.
...[omitted]...
The reason I send you this letter is to propose a transaction.
If you donate relics to the royal family, I shall establish a mutually beneficial relationship with you in recognition of your merit.
You may hear the details from Sir Seira.
May eternal glory be upon you and the Farrow family.
"Hah."
Jeron let out a soft exclamation.
The tone of the letter was remarkably polite, almost unbefitting the ruler of a nation.
The vassals were dying of curiosity.
What could possibly be in the letter that the King had sent it through Seira?
Jeron shared the contents of the letter.
As the vassals read through it, their eyes widened in shock.
"My word."
"Sir Seira! What kind of proposal is this?"
Everyone reacted similarly to Jeron.
As all eyes turned to Seira, she offered a charming smile and explained.
"It seems His Majesty was highly pleased with the masterpiece you sent him, my Lord. He defined it as a relic-grade item, and proposed that if you donate such relics to the royal family, he will bestow upon you the title of Earl after the Great War."
"What!?"
"He promised to restore the family's former glory!?"
"Of course, that is under the condition that you accept the proposal, my Lord."
Crazy! That cheap printed canvas passed off as a relic, and now it's going to restore my family's glory?
Even Jeron, the party involved, was astonished.
Kang Yu-jung also spoke up, looking surprised.
"You don't mean the Mona Lisa, do you?"
"I think so."
"If he wants relics, we can just bring him the replicas gathering dust in the warehouse."
"And the title is guaranteed."
The room buzzed with excitement.
Though they spoke in Korean, the sheer positivity of the situation was palpable.
"Seira, how many relics did His Majesty specify?"
"Fifteen."
"Securing fifteen relics for the royal family would indeed be a massive achievement for the King. Since His Majesty does not have much time left, he likely wishes to leave behind a legacy before he passes."
Sir Leila clearly summarized the situation.
Jeron decided to accept the proposal.
If he could borrow the King's authority using mere junk from his warehouse, he would gladly do so as many times as needed.
They were called relics here, but on Earth, they were nothing more than cheap replicas.
"Let's offer him twenty."
"That sounds like an excellent trade!"
"Congratulations, my Lord!"
The vassals were overjoyed.
Becoming a high noble meant they could have vassal lords under their command.
Their territory would expand, and as long as they could populate it, the Farrow fief would easily regain its past glory.
"Sir Seira, were there any other conditions?"
"Of course. He added a condition that you must achieve great merit in the upcoming war."
"Great merit... That's rather vague."
"A level of military achievement that no one can deny. If you build such achievements, His Majesty will personally make his move."
"Hmm."
The vassals began to calculate the odds.
Was it beneficial to accept the King's terms?
If they failed to achieve merit in the Great War, the promise would be void. In that case, it would be a one-sided loss for Jeron.
However, Jeron thought differently.
"We will undoubtedly achieve great merit. Do not worry."
"He also mentioned that we must mobilize at least three thousand troops for this war. Only then can he entrust us with a section of the front."
It seemed the King intended to involve them deeply in the Great War.
Having made up his mind, Jeron immediately gave orders to Sir James.
"Sir James, recruit one thousand troops immediately and begin their training."
"Yes, my Lord!"
There was no issue.
With vast funds flowing through the fief, it was time to spread their wings and soar.
***
Late at night.
The fief was wrapped in deep slumber.
Since the march to subjugate the Red Orcs was scheduled for tomorrow, everyone had finished their preparations early and concluded their daily routines.
Sharlen was no exception.
She had risen from a special operative of the Dark Moon to a key position in the intelligence department.
Now that she was an intelligence executive, her workload had increased accordingly.
Tomorrow, she would be deployed for the subjugation, tasked with scouting and various other duties.
Just as she blew out her lamp and was about to sleep, a visitor arrived.
"Sir Sharlen."
"Sir Leila? What brings you here at this hour?"
"The Lord has planned a special operation for tomorrow. If you wish to participate, follow me."
"I will get ready immediately."
Sharlen prepared herself without a word.
The Lord was giving her an opportunity.
Judging by Leila's tone, if Sharlen refused, this mission would undoubtedly be handed to someone else.
This is another opportunity.
She was currently serving as an intelligence executive.
If she accumulated more achievements here, she might rise to the position of deputy head of the intelligence department.
And if she worked harder, she could even become the head of the department.
When Jeron became an Earl, her dream of elevating her social status would finally come true.
"I am ready."
"Let us go."
The two women traversed the dark fief.
The residential areas were quiet, but lanterns hung along the main streets, illuminating the surroundings.
Patrolling guards could also be seen.
The guards approached Leila and Sharlen, but upon confirming their identities, they immediately saluted.
"Salute!"
"Keep up the good work."
The soldiers departed with disciplined movements.
Tomorrow's subjugation would mobilize a thousand troops, with Barbarian mercenaries providing support.
In the past century, the Farrow fief had never mobilized such a force for a monster subjugation.
It was a testament to the exceptional capability of the current Lord of Farrow.
Security at the lord's castle was also airtight.
A duty knight was responsible for the gates, and a significant number of guards patrolled the interior.
Entering the castle, they arrived at the office.
Knock, knock.
"Come in."
Jeron Farrow was still working.
According to the vassals, he barely slept before dawn every day.
Being the Lord of the Farrow fief was truly an extreme occupation.
Sharlen stood before the desk and saluted.
"Greetings, my Lord!"
"Sir Sharlen, I highly value your abilities. You are not a talent meant to remain a mere intelligence executive."
"T-thank you for your high praise, my Lord!"
"However, even a brilliant talent must accumulate achievements to reach greater heights. You will have to risk your life in tomorrow's special operation. Can you do it?"
"I can!"
"Think carefully before you answer. This is a task where you must truly risk your life."
"I am prepared."
Sharlen was sincere.
How could she expect to become a high-ranking official of the fief without even risking her life?
As if he had anticipated her response, the Lord nodded in satisfaction.
"Very well. If you succeed in this mission, I will immediately promote you to deputy head of the intelligence department. With the Great War approaching, you might even become the head of the department if you perform well there."
"I will do my absolute best."
The Lord explained tomorrow's operation.
It involved infiltrating the Orc village at night to plant certain items—a high-difficulty task requiring them to install ten objects in designated locations.
She wouldn't be alone; three other operatives would accompany her.
It sounded like a perilous mission, but Sharlen accepted it immediately.
She judged that they could succeed if they moved around dawn rather than broad daylight.
However, a question arose in her mind.
"But my Lord, what are these objects we are to install in the Orc village?"
"Ah, you have the right to know. They are called bombs."
"Bombs...?"
He explained that they were objects that exploded, but with Sharlen's common sense, she couldn't fathom how such a thing worked.