Chapter 57: Now I Am Rich (1)
Chapter 57: Now I Am Rich (1)
After completing the soul transmission for everyone, Patrick took a moment to further scout the dark mage’s hideout.
If there were any dangerous remnants left behind, he needed to find and dispose of them now. He had to be thorough….
“Tsk, not a single thing worth any money.”
Seriously, this guy….
Patrick spoke with a voice thick with annoyance, his words dripping with sincerity.
“No, this isn't right. This is just wrong. These bastards don't even have a shred of basic decency.”
Patrick fumed as if he would have beaten the dark mage to death all over again if the man were still alive.
“Normally, when you subjugate a demon warrior and raid their base, you’re supposed to find divine weapons, peerless divine arts, rare spiritual medicines, or gold and silver treasures. At the very least, shouldn't a peerless beauty be sleeping in a stone coffin? That’s the standard!”
And to think this guy was called a 'Great Hero' in his past life….
Granted, such things did occasionally happen back in the Jianghu.
But that was the Jianghu; this was the Pangemonia Continent.
“How lamentable… the ethics of the Jianghu have truly hit rock bottom. Tsk, tsk, tsk. Things weren't like this in my day.”
Regardless of the reality, the madman—who only invoked the ethics of the Jianghu when it suited him—continued to blame the innocent (and dead) dark mage.
In truth, the place wasn't completely empty.
Since it was a dark mage’s hideout, there were various miscellaneous items scattered about. The problem was that he had no idea what most of them were or how to use them, making it impossible to determine their value.
“Dammit, these things look suspicious just by glancing at them. I can’t exactly take them outside to get them appraised….”
Without knowing their worth, he couldn't tell if he was looking at a fortune or just a pile of junk.
Still, just in case, Patrick examined the items meticulously. It was a display of pure obsession, driven by the hope of finding even a single scrap of gold to take back.
Rustle.
“Hm? What’s this?”
He heard something rustling and moving in a corner. He turned his head, hoping for the best, but was immediately disappointed.
“Ugh, just bugs?”
There were nothing but insects. There were numerous collection jars filled with centipedes, moths, bees, spiders, and the like.
“They look poisonous. Do dark mages use poison too?”
In his past life, these might have been worth something. At the very least, his in-laws would have loved them.
[Ho ho ho. My son-in-law has brought back a Human-Faced Spider.]
His father-in-law from his previous life had been a man obsessed with toxins, so he would have been overjoyed by such poisonous creatures. But here, there was no one who would accept them….
“Nothing I can do. I’ll just—huh?”
That was when Patrick spotted something.
“Is this… is it really that?”
Patrick was more than a little surprised.
He knew that the Central Plains of his past life and this Pangemonia Continent were different in many ways. However, this was unmistakably that.
He had seen it before.
While working with a merchant group in his past life, he had seen this very thing used as a raw material during the production process.
If this was indeed what Patrick thought it was, he could definitely manufacture it. And that meant….
“Heh… hehehehe….”
Patrick’s grin stretched from ear to ear.
“Kyahahahaha!”
Letting out a mad laugh, Patrick threw his hands into the air and shouted at the top of his lungs.
“Now I am rich!”
Whether he was rich or not was one thing, but he certainly looked like a man who had lost his mind.
* * *
The recognition of merits.
After winning a war, the most important task is to praise those who performed well and provide appropriate rewards.
Count Parmas did not dally; he quickly gathered the nobles to proceed with the business at hand.
The first person to be commended was….
“Hahaha. You were magnificent, Viscount Frace.”
“You flatter me, Count.”
It was Viscount Frace, who had clearly played a major role at the vanguard.
The Viscount held his helmet under his arm and bowed politely to the Count. Seeing his dignified yet humble appearance, the other nobles could not hide their envy.
If I had known it would turn out like this, I would have volunteered for the vanguard….
I was too tense because it involved a dark mage. I made a mistake.
Tsk, what a shame. My troops could have done much better.
After everything is over, anyone can say, “I could have done that too.” However, such grumbling only pales in comparison to the person who actually achieved the feat.
Viscount Frace had risked danger to volunteer for the vanguard and had achieved a clear, undeniable victory.
Count Parmas addressed him.
“Thanks to you effectively blocking the zombies at the front, our forces were able to resolve the situation with the upper hand.”
“……”
“As expected of Viscount Frace, who was renowned for his bravery in his youth, and your elite soldiers. To respond so calmly to the bandits' trap… I suppose this is the formidable power of experience.”
Viscount Frace felt incredibly awkward at the Count’s praise. It wasn't just empty talk; the Count genuinely meant it. And that was the problem.
Can I really call this my own achievement?
It was Patrick who had come to him and given advice when his formation was crumbling due to the competition for the vanguard.
Furthermore, when the battle broke out, it was the soldiers from the Schneider estate who had stepped forward to deal with the zombies. They had even cleanly taken care of the bandits firing arrows from both sides.
Yet, he was the one receiving the accolades.
If he had any conscience at all, he couldn't possibly feel comfortable in this moment. What’s more….
“Baron Haspear and Viscount Byson did well as well. You both fought bravely at the vanguard and upheld the spirit of the East.”
“Thank you, Count.”
“We simply did what had to be done.”
Baron Haspear and Viscount Byson, who had committed blunders at the vanguard, fallen into the enemy’s trap, and exhausted their troops, were also being praised.
While it was hard to say they had achieved much in terms of results, they deserved credit simply for fighting bravely in the vanguard position that others avoided.
“I will personally ensure that the losses your two families suffered are recovered. First, I will grant you a three-year tax exemption, and I will also provide appropriate privileges to the merchant groups operated by your families.”
“Thank you, Count.”
“We are grateful for your thoughtful consideration, Count.”
The two men breathed a sigh of relief at the Count’s words. Their losses had been so severe that the future looked bleak, but thanks to Count Parmas providing a lifeline, they could see a way forward.
And if these two were receiving such rewards, then naturally, Viscount Frace had to receive something even greater.
“Viscount Frace.”
“Yes, please speak.”
“I shall grant your house a five-year tax exemption. Furthermore, I will award you a bonus of 300 gold in cash and 50 warhorses.”
“Thank you, Count.”
“If there is any other reward you desire, please tell me. For the primary contributor to this war, I would spare nothing.”
At the Count’s words, Viscount Frace let out a small sigh.
I can’t let this sit on my conscience any longer.
He didn't know what Patrick was thinking by yielding the credit to him, but if he swallowed all of this alone, he felt like he would suffer from a terminal case of guilt.
“With all due respect, Count. The reason our forces were able to achieve such merits at the vanguard was thanks to the efforts of Young Master Patrick of the Schneider Baron’s family and the soldiers who followed him to support us.”
“Oh? Young Master Patrick helped the Viscount?”
“Without him, our troops would have suffered immense casualties. Therefore, I believe it is only right that Baron Schneider be given a great reward.”
Baron Schneider, who was suddenly named, wore a dazed expression. Seeing the Baron’s face, which practically screamed, “Me?”, Count Parmas spoke.
“Young Master Patrick already performed a great service by saving my daughter once, and it seems he distinguished himself in this war as well. Baron Schneider.”
“Yes, Count.”
“You must be proud to have such a wonderful son.”
No, not really.
Since he couldn't say that, Baron Schneider simply lowered his head. Count Parmas chuckled and nodded.
“Baron Schneider. I shall grant your territory a three-year tax exemption. Furthermore….”
“Count, please wait a moment.”
Before Count Parmas could finish, a noble stepped forward.
“Viscount Valsen, what is it?”
Count Parmas spoke with a hardened expression toward Viscount Valsen, who had interrupted him.
Viscount Valsen bowed in apology before speaking.
“I apologize, but considering the weight of your words, Count, I felt it would be improper for you to have to retract something once spoken. Thus, I took the liberty of intervening so hastily. I beg your forgiveness.”
To Viscount Valsen, who skillfully apologized while arguing that he had a valid reason, Count Parmas let out a small sigh.
“Hmph. State your business.”
“Yes. While I acknowledge the merits of the three families who volunteered for the vanguard, I find it difficult to recognize the merits of the Schneider Baron’s family, who were supposed to be on standby in the rear.”
“Difficult to recognize?”
“Yes. I heard that Baron Schneider brought only a mere 100 soldiers. With such a small number, how much of a contribution could they have possibly made even if they joined the vanguard?”
“……”
“Furthermore, the Schneider family’s position was not the vanguard, but the rear guard behind it. Leaving one's assigned position during war to join the vanguard at will is a violation of military orders.”
“A violation of military orders….”
“Indeed. Normally, this is an act deserving of punishment. It’s not as if the other families lacked the courage to wait in the back, is it? There was a military formation that you, Count, commanded. We, having received those orders, simply did our best in our assigned positions as a matter of course.”
“……”
It was a cunning argument.
He refused to acknowledge the merit Baron Schneider had earned and instead demanded he be held accountable for clearly abandoning his post.
At the same time, by implying, “We could have done it too, but we followed orders—the orders you personally gave,” he gained the sympathy of the surrounding nobles while making it difficult for the Count to take the Baron’s side.
If the Count were to unconditionally forgive and reward someone who ignored his own military orders, it would be no different from undermining his own authority.
That damn tongue of his….
Count Parmas furrowed his brows.
Viscount Valsen was originally a noble from the central government. He had been stationed in the East after his faction lost significant power in the political landscape.
In essence, he had been branded a political scapegoat and demoted.
Unlike most Eastern nobles who were part of the military aristocracy, he was a noble who had survived through political maneuvering in the capital. As such, he knew exactly how to wag his tongue.
Count Parmas personally disliked such people. However….
“Hmm, Viscount Valsen has a point.”
“One shouldn't just abandon their post when there are orders from the Count.”
“It seems more appropriate to issue a punishment rather than a reward.”
The words themselves were technically correct, and once the other nobles began to agree and public opinion formed, even Count Parmas could not easily ignore him.
This is why I hate politicians.
The troubled Count Parmas found it difficult to speak. Instead, someone else spoke up.
“You crafty bastard, do you think anything that comes out of your mouth is the truth?”
It was the fiery-tempered Viscount Frace.
As he stepped forward in a rage, Viscount Valsen flinched for a moment, but he quickly regained his composure and spoke sternly.
“Crafty? What a baseless insult.”
“A man who only watched from the back and wags his tongue now dares to belittle the merits of those who took up swords and bled in battle! The soldiers of the Schneider family fought more bravely than anyone. Without them, the tide of battle would have been dire.”
“Are you saying that the soldiers of the Schneider family—who have no knight order and are mere common soldiers—significantly shifted the tide of battle?”
“That is exactly what I am saying!”
“Hahaha…. It seems the Schneider family and the Frace family are closer than I thought.”
“What did you say?”
“Otherwise, how could you make such an absurd claim? The most soldiers the Schneider family could mobilize was 100. What kind of impact could such a force have on the battlefield?”
“I saw it with my own two eyes! The Schneider soldiers may be commoners, but they are far more powerful than most knights!”
“This is ridiculous. At this point, it goes beyond being stubborn….”
Viscount Valsen spoke with a peculiar smile.
“I can’t help but suspect that some sort of backroom deal took place.”
“You what!?”
Viscount Frace roared in fury.