Chapter 212
Chapter 212
"The principle is correct as Your Majesty says. However, to truly demonstrate the virtue of a monarch, it would be better to show mercy."
These were words Logan never expected to hear from the Sword Duke, considering his usual temperament.
Logan's gaze, which had been seething with anger, instantly shifted to the Sword Duke.
"Sword Duke, what do you mean by that?"
The king's face hardened as if he had been betrayed by someone he trusted.
'Master?'
Logan was equally taken aback.
But the Sword Duke continued calmly, his expression unreadable.
"The suppression of the rebellion has just ended. I fear that applying overly harsh laws may only invite further chaos."
"Punishing rebels causes chaos? That's absurd."
Despite the king's cold, anger-laden expression, the Sword Duke's face remained unwavering.
"The law is sacred, but its value is recognized only when applied to the right subjects. I implore you to show mercy."
"Hah... hahahaha. Such..."
The king's expression grew complicated as he alternated his gaze between the Sword Duke and Logan, as though he had much to say.
But soon, his face turned expressionless.
"Well, if you both insist, what can a powerless man like me do? I shall accept it."
"Your Majesty, such words..."
"Both of you, leave me. I wish to be alone."
The conversation ended in an unexpected manner.
And throughout this brief exchange, Logan couldn't bring himself to speak.
"Why did you do that?"
On their way out of the palace, Logan finally broke the silence. The Sword Duke let out a small sigh.
"I merely said what needed to be said."
"You weren't taking my side?"
"...They are the remnants of a war already lost. Excessive punishment in this situation would not reflect well on His Majesty either."
"I thought you were trying to stop me."
"That too."
Surprisingly, his master nodded without hesitation.
And then—
"I may have taken your side this time, but was it really necessary to antagonize His Majesty like this? Couldn't you have yielded just a little?"
"How much should I yield?"
"What?"
"I don't know how you feel about it, Master, but I believe I've fulfilled my duty as a vassal—no, more than that, honestly. Yet if His Majesty still finds me displeasing, what am I to do? How much further must I bend to satisfy him?"
"...He is still the monarch we must serve. He is the king, Logan."
"If we continue to be dragged around by His Majesty's whims, we won't be able to accomplish what must be done, and the kingdom will eventually fall to the Empire."
"So we're back to that again."
"The kingdom must survive, no matter what."
The Sword Duke let out a deep sigh and met his disciple's crimson eyes.
Those eyes, rare in their intensity, held an indescribable talent—one that had shaped Logan into a hero of turbulent times.
The disciple he had met as a benefactor, bound to him by fate, who had helped him overcome the kingdom's crises.
Now, that disciple was gradually voicing opinions that diverged from his own.
He wondered what those red eyes saw that he could not. But he, too, had lived by his own convictions for a lifetime. If he could not understand his disciple, then he would simply do his best from where he stood.
He believed his stance was just—eventually, they would see the same truth.
"...Putting aside whether war will truly come, disregarding the monarch under the pretext of serving the kingdom is not the duty of a vassal."
"As I said before, offering counsel when the monarch strays from the right path is the duty of a vassal. Those were your own words to me, Master."
Yes. They were.
In a normal lord-vassal relationship, that would hold true.
But now, the monarch viewed his disciple as an adversary, and the disciple, who held power, had no intention of bowing his head.
'What am I to do with this...? I must maintain the balance.'
As the Sword Duke's worries deepened, Logan looked at his master with a hint of sorrow.
Once, it was said that the Third Prince had the makings of a king.
If those who had made that assessment were not entirely mistaken, then there must still be room to mend their relationship.
But there truly was no more time to waste.
So—
"Master. As you saw today, His Majesty has no intention of easing his hostility toward me. Even if we let this pass, if such incidents keep occurring, it will not bode well for the kingdom. I've been considering countermeasures..."
"No, I will persuade His Majesty. Just as I did today. So let this matter rest for now. Logan, if you cannot trust His Majesty, then trust me. If His Majesty opposes you without just cause, I will stand in his way."
"But he might send you away again and act behind your back, just like this time."
"...I will refuse. And I will visit His Majesty often to persuade him."
"Master..."
Logan had originally planned to leave a portion of the MacLaine Knights in the capital—preferably in the palace itself.
But to hear his master say he would defy the king's orders...
He couldn't press further after hearing such words.
"Very well. I will trust you, Master."
"...Good."
Logan bowed to his master, who let out a bitter sigh, then turned away.
Now, no matter what, it was time to return to his territory.
The knight order and crossbow cavalry that had gathered in the capital split up, some heading to MacLaine Town and others to Taren.
Logan joined the group bound for Taren.
His purpose was to check the progress of the workshop—the foundation of his family's wealth and the future producer of their weapons.
When he arrived at the wasteland that had once surrounded Taren, Logan stood dumbfounded, his mouth agape at the vast "plains" stretching before him.
Early summer was approaching. Green sprouts had grown across the endless fields, and here and there, people were tending to crops.
"This... is already done?"
Logan muttered to himself in disbelief. Henderson, who had followed closely behind, chuckled in response.
"Yes, my lord. Preparations for farming were already underway when I left Taren."
"How?"
"Hm?"
"I didn't expect this to be completed by this summer."
Logan's astonishment was justified.
The land was several times larger than the MacLaine wasteland of the past.
Moreover, the river was much farther away, making the task of digging irrigation canals exponentially more difficult.
...Or so Logan had been told in earlier reports.
At best, he had thought farming would begin next year.
"But with nearly a thousand dwarves gathered, the construction speed became visibly faster. Like that over there."
Following Henderson's gesture, Logan turned his head and saw, in the distance, a horse carrying a dwarf pulling a plow-like device with dozens of blades attached.
"They called it some kind of alloy—I didn't quite catch the name—but it weighs only a tenth of iron yet is far sharper, so it cuts into the soil easily. Once the workshop started mass-producing tools like that, the work sped up naturally."
"Ah...! So the workshop is already fully operational?"
"Yes. It's already gaining fame in the central regions as a city of craftsmen. The generous treatment has attracted many human artisans as well. And Lord Hamar's name has spread far and wide too."
Seeing Henderson's proud expression, Logan finally felt the reality sink in.
'Right. Hamar... Well, it makes sense.'
Strictly speaking, Hamar was Logan's slave, but even before this, everyone in MacLaine had treated him with respect.
The weapons that had brought MacLaine's rise—it was only proper to honor their creator.
If anything, his reputation spreading beyond their borders was long overdue.
"The apprentice mages from the Magic Tower also helped greatly with reclaiming the farmland."
"Apprentice mages? How?"
"They couldn't use golems, but even simple Dig magic was a huge help in construction. Lord Clayton ordered them to assist as part of their training..."
"Oh?"
"Construction is training. It's even inscribed at the entrance of the newly built tower. Honestly, I still don't quite understand what it means."
"Ah, hahaha..."
Logan couldn't help but wonder if he had ruined not just Clayton's personality but the entire foundation of the Golem School.
Suppressing a wry smile, he quickly changed the subject.
"Ahem. Well, if it's done faster, all the better."
The New MacLaine Plains, the Vifros Plains, and now this place—if all three were transformed into fertile land, their combined harvests alone could feed half the kingdom's population.
Which meant—
"No more worries about military provisions. No matter how many troops we mobilize."
"Hm?"
"Never mind. Let's hurry into the city. If this place is already at this stage..."
"Could the mine be completed as well?"
The moment those words left Henderson's mouth, Logan's horse picked up speed.
"It's the Grand Prince!"
"Confirm his identity! Open the gates!"
Creak.
Despite the recent reckless mobilization of forces, Taren's defenses remained tight.
And beyond the gates, the sight that greeted Logan was so different from what he had seen before leaving for the Empire that it felt like night and day.
"Ha... This is impressive."
A sigh of admiration escaped him involuntarily.
Everywhere his eyes could see, stone buildings at least three stories tall stood in orderly rows. Yet, their uniform design and light textures gave the city a fresh, clean feel.
Between the buildings, neatly paved roads ran in a grid-like pattern, enhancing that impression.
Amidst the bustle of craftsmen and laborers carrying equipment along those roads—
At the heart of it all stood an especially tall building with an imposing roof, so grand that Logan couldn't fathom how it had been constructed.
"In just seven or eight months..."
Not a trace remained of the unfinished workshop Logan had seen before his departure.
The only hint was the slightly taller central structure—the newly completed Golem Tower.
'Should we move MacLaine's capital here entirely? Father may have attachments to Vifros Castle or MacLaine Town, but this place will undoubtedly become more important.'
Though Logan had never entered the fortress-city of Taren in his past life, he couldn't imagine it surpassing what stood before him now.
Moreover, once the reclaimed wasteland began yielding full harvests, the food shortages typical of mining cities would be nonexistent.
'Building a new town for farmers in the middle of the developed farmland and operating Taren separately would indeed be the better choice.'
As Logan surveyed the completed city and pondered future plans, a familiar voice rang in his ears.
"Hey! The master has arrived! I meant to greet you outside, but I was too slow. These short legs, you know. Hahaha."
A welcome voice.
Hearing the voice of someone he wanted to praise endlessly, Logan turned with a bright smile.
"Ha...mar?"
But at the sight of Hamar's unfamiliar appearance, he could only stare in stunned silence.