Chapter 405: It’s a Proclamation Ceremony… Right? (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 405: It’s a Proclamation Ceremony… Right? (4)
A fear of bugs was a trait one could find just about anywhere.
Even Alon wasn't particularly fond of them. In his previous world, the mere sight of a cockroach would immediately trigger the thought: I’m screwed.
While it wasn't unusual for a person to have a phobia of insects, seeing it from Kailas was incredibly fresh and bizarre.
This was, fundamentally, a fantasy world. Unless a place was meticulously maintained and kept spotless, bugs crawled out from everywhere. Consequently, it was much harder to find someone with a debilitating fear of insects here than in the modern world Alon had originally inhabited. Even nobles were accustomed to long-distance travel by carriage, which made roadside camping a necessity. They might find bugs annoying, but they usually weren't terrified of them.
Regardless, Alon looked down at Kailas, who had fainted the moment Blackie transformed into a spider. It was fascinating, and honestly, a little hilarious.
It was funny, but...
...Is it really necessary to go that far?
Alon stroked Blackie, who was currently clinging to him sulkily in the form of a cat, and looked straight ahead.
A massive Spirit Dragon stood before them. It was so gargantuan that it made the Spirit Dragons Alon usually fought for training look like toys.
Alon tilted his gaze toward the sky. He had to crane his neck back more than seventy degrees just to see the top.
There, at the very peak of the Spirit Dragon’s head—so high up he could barely make him out—was Kailas.
“───────”
Kailas was saying something. Naturally, Alon couldn't hear a word. It was simply too far. Alon could only guess he was speaking by the way his silhouette seemed to twitch.
“Hey, I can’t hear you! Could you come down a bit?”
Fortunately, the other party seemed able to hear Alon. The Spirit Dragon, which had been towering toward the heavens, shrank slightly.
Just a tiny bit.
“....”
Thanks to that, Alon could now see Kailas by craning his neck sixty-nine degrees instead of seventy.
“───────”
Kailas seemed to be saying something again.
“Come down more! I can’t hear you at all!”
When Alon spoke again, the silent Kailas reduced the Spirit Dragon’s size further... but Alon still had to look up. About sixty degrees this time.
“From here, I can—hear—”
Alon stared at Kailas with an exasperated expression for a moment.
“Blackie, go inside for a bit.”
[Kyuu—]
Alon quickly tucked Blackie away. Only then did the Spirit Dragon Kailas had manifested shrink down to a size that finally allowed for a proper conversation.
“...Aren't you coming down?”
“We can converse perfectly well from here.”
Kailas wore a cool, composed expression as if he hadn't just been foaming at the mouth and fainting moments ago.
“....”
However, seeing him shoot back up into the air the moment Alon’s hand moved toward his chest where Blackie was hidden, Alon had a brief thought: Is this what they call a 'pathetic excuse for a man'?
“...Let’s talk.”
Alon stopped teasing him and began the conversation in earnest.
“...I’ll tell you upfront, my knowledge might not be that helpful.”
“Why?”
“What I deal with are Spirit Dragons, not Shadow Spirit Dragons.”
Kailas, still maintaining his distance atop the Spirit Dragon’s head, continued.
“But with that in mind, let’s talk. First, Spirit Dragons can change their appearance at will. However, as you mentioned, it is impossible for them to absorb something and use its power.”
“...Then is this a trait unique to Shadow Spirit Dragons?”
“I’d like to answer that it probably is... but...”
“Is there a problem?”
At Alon’s question, Kailas hummed in thought before continuing.
“Fundamentally, Shadow Spirit Dragons grow by constantly consuming things.”
Alon nodded. He had heard that much from Kailas back when Blackie devoured the Rikrakakmur.
“But I have never heard of a Shadow Spirit Dragon that can use the abilities of the opponent it ate.”
“Does that mean Blackie is special?”
“...If I were to make an inference, it’s likely an ability gained through growth.”
“An ability gained through growth?”
“Basically, as a Spirit Dragon grows, it gains a unique ability along with its strength. The same would apply to a Shadow Spirit Dragon.”
Kailas’s explanation continued.
“The ability gained is a unique one that matches the affinity of the partner.”
“...Is it the same for Shadow Spirit Dragons?”
“Yes. And based on that fact, if we draw an inference...”
“...Are you saying Blackie’s ability is related to me?”
“It’s just a theory. But if that’s the case, it would explain why that creature can not only transform into Divine Blood but even use their abilities.”
Alon nodded at those words, but then paused.
“By the way.”
“What is it?”
“...Can’t you just come down?”
He pointed out that Kailas was still hovering at a distance.
“I will come down.”
“...When?”
“After you leave.”
Alon stared at him, utterly speechless at the response.
* * *
Eventually, Alon stepped back outside.
“Ah, you’re out, Marquis?”
“Yes.”
“So, how was it?”
Alon pondered Penia’s question for a moment.
“...He’s not cool. He’s just pretending to be.”
“...??”
He left her with that brief impression.
* * *
The next day.
Alexion, Penia, Evan, and Silli gathered in the office to discuss the matters they had postponed the day before.
“...So, the most pressing issue we need to resolve right now is that shantytown?”
“Yes, that’s correct. Other problems can be handled one way or another, but that part is quite complicated.”
Alon fell into thought at Alexion’s nodding confirmation.
...We need citizens.
Fundamentally, citizens were essential to building a kingdom. A kingdom’s operations were funded by taxes, and the number of citizens was a direct measure of its power and prosperity. Furthermore, from Alon’s perspective of needing to gather Faith, the more people, the better... though he had been momentarily stunned by the sheer, overwhelming number of them at first.
“I have a question.”
Evan, who had been listening quietly while Alon was deep in thought, spoke up.
“What is it?”
“This is just my opinion, but wouldn't it be fine to just leave the shantytown as it is without doing anything specific?”
“...Just leave it?”
“Yes. I mean, there’s no real reason for the Marquis to go out of his way to provide for them, is there?”
“Hmm.”
Evan’s point was reasonable in a way. No matter how wealthy Alon was, he didn't have enough resources to build housing and provide food for every single person standing outside his territory. The treasures he had amassed weren't so vast that he could treat such a massive expenditure as pocket change.
“That’s true. But if we leave them like that, won't it cause several problems?”
“Like what?”
“Isn't it obvious? Public security will definitely worsen, and it’ll turn into a slum in no time.”
“Large-scale shantytowns like that are easy hiding spots for the underworld,” Penia added, and Alexion agreed.
“That is correct. If that happens, merchants will no longer come here of their own accord. After all, one of the reasons they started seeking this place out was because it was safe from bandits.”
“And if we kick them out to prevent security from worsening, it’ll be a loss for the Marquis.”
“...It really is difficult to reach a proper conclusion.”
As Alon mused over Alexion and Penia’s opinions, Silli, who had been silent until now, chimed in.
“Would it be alright if I offered a suggestion?”
“Do you have a good plan?”
Silli seemed to think for a moment before answering.
“For starters, I think we can move about half of the people here to Divine Land.”
“...To Divine Land?”
“Yes. People are flocking to Divine Land as well, but there’s still plenty of room there.”
“That would certainly give us more breathing room to think of a solution, but I wonder if moving people will be that easy...” Penia murmured with a worried voice.
However, Silli spoke with confidence.
“Don’t worry about that part!”
“...Don’t worry?”
“Yes. If you give me about a week, I’ll make sure they move on their own.”
She spoke with a smile, and for a moment, everyone else fell silent at that expression.
The four of them stole glances at each other. Soon, Penia cleared her throat and asked.
“Well... assuming we send half of them... what do we do with the other half?”
“Hmm—if the number is reduced by half, I have a good idea.”
“A good idea?”
“Yes.”
Alexion also cleared his throat.
“Since the current size of the territory can’t accommodate all of them anyway, I think it would be best to move toward expanding the territory and hire them as workers.”
“...As workers?”
“Yes. That way, we naturally secure the labor needed for the expansion while providing them with financial support.”
“...So we use them as labor and help them settle down by providing financial aid. Is that it?”
“Exactly.”
“However, if we spend our resources like that, wouldn't we run out of funds in no time...?”
At Alon’s point, Alexion let out a soft chuckle.
“Do not worry. I have a way to recover it all.”
“A way to recover it?”
“Yes. First, we build many inns as we expand. The Marquis’s territory is already so packed that merchants have nowhere to sleep.”
“...And we offset the costs we spent with those inns?”
“Precisely. Furthermore, if we build inns and increase employment, we’ll be able to clear out the shantytown easily without much resistance. Other nobles might just choose to bulldoze it, but image management is important for the Marquis, isn't it? Besides that—”
As he listened to Alexion recite a plan that used labor rationally and recovered the Marquis’s wealth efficiently, Alon realized once again what kind of person he was.
I forgot that even if he’s like this now, he was once the man who held the slums of Laxas in his palm...
Having reaffirmed Alexion’s competence(?), Alon nodded instinctively.
“However, there is one problem.”
“A problem?”
“Yes. We need materials for the expansion immediately, but at this point, it’s not easy to obtain construction materials. After all... a lot has happened recently, hasn't it?”
“...Indeed.”
Alexion added. It was only natural that materials were hard to come by right now.
“Anyway, to get materials, we either have to supply them ourselves or go out and find them, but the current price of materials is honestly absurd...”
“I’ll try asking around for help first.”
“I will also do my best to scout for some.”
“If there’s someone willing to sell a large amount of materials, it might be worth meeting them in person to talk.”
“You mean a negotiation. I’ll look into that as well.”
After adjusting a few more details, Alon spoke.
“Then, let’s end it here.”
With that, the meeting concluded.
* * *
Tun, the head of the 'Singing Money' merchant guild, had been dealing with a headache recently.
The problem wasn't just his; it was a problem for the entire guild. It was because of the bandits that had suddenly increased in number lately.
A wave of bandit subjugation had swept through the United Kingdoms before, wiping them out, but as time passed, they had multiplied again as if by magic. Such bandits were a massive headache for merchants.
Tun, who had almost been robbed of his goods by bandits just today, entered a tavern with a tired sigh.
“...Hm?”
He realized the atmosphere of the establishment was unusual. Upon closer inspection, the mercenaries and others seemed the same as usual. What was different was the area where the merchants were gathered.
As Tun approached.
“Kun, you’re here?”
Someone acknowledged him. Tun easily guessed who the person calling his name was.
“...Malgam?”
“It’s been a while.”
“You were here?”
“Yes, I’m on my way back from Phindel.”
At the words of Malgam, a middle-aged man who ran a fairly large guild called the Golden Emperor, Tun nodded and naturally took a seat.
“But what’s with this atmosphere?”
“Ah, you mean right now?”
“Yes.”
Malgam cleared his throat, looked around, and whispered to Tun.
“Don’t be shocked. It’s because an opportunity has arrived.”
“...An opportunity?”
“Yes. A once-in-a-lifetime chance to get a line to Marquis Palatio...!”
“...!”
He whispered to Tun... words whose meaning had been strangely distorted among the merchants, becoming something quite different from Alon’s original intention(?).