New Arclight Territory (1)
Using the scroll Noel had prepared, they teleported in an instant, the scenery shifting dramatically around them. Even Mina, who often preached that time was money and rarely used such exorbitantly expensive magic, had pulled out all the stops to bring them straight to the territory Aizen was set to govern.
Right before their eyes loomed the factory for Cyclops golems that Mina had invested in, and as they took in the surroundings, Erica nodded with a grin.
"Whoa. I figured as much, but there's really nothing here."
"Tell me about it."
This place had been forcibly cobbled together from areas that weren't even considered proper territories, clustered around the mines. Size-wise, it was probably even smaller than the rural Arclight Territory back home, with its potato farms.
Mina nodded along. "Starting lordship life with zero subjects."
"No need to appoint a proxy or anything."
Normally, if someone like Aizen suddenly became a lord but couldn't stick around due to attending the academy, they'd appoint a proxy to manage things. But with absolutely nothing here, who even needed one?
It might seem like a total headache at first glance, but...
"Still, geographically and position-wise, it's in a pretty prime spot."
Noel nodded as she checked what looked like a map. It wasn't a detailed topographical chart—just a simple one marking major territories around the royal palace, hand-copied by her family, apparently.
She pointed quietly to a spot near the palace and another large area closer to the north. "This is around where the Nexia Duke family's territory is. Oh, our family usually stays in the capital, so proxies handle the management."
"And going up from there, you've got Phoenix County."
"The academy's here."
Erica and Mina chimed in, pointing one by one. Between the Nexia Duke territory—which they hadn't passed through last time—and the palace sat the academy. Then, from the academy, past what looked like open fields and quite a ways north, Phoenix County. Connecting the academy, Nexia Duke territory, and Phoenix County in a triangle, right in the middle...
"That's your land."
"Talk about a sweet deal."
Honestly, the location alone was surprisingly prime. It sat right on the route anyone from Phoenix County or Nexia Duke territory would take to reach the academy—and the capital was just beyond that.
"It's wild that it's been unclaimed until now, with a spot like this."
"Kinda tangled up in a bunch of vested interests."
The mines had originally belonged to the crown, flanked by Nexia Duke and Phoenix County territories. Trying to throw your weight around there would get you smacked down by all three, so everyone had steered clear. The mana metal from the mines wasn't top-tier quality—just middling to low-grade—so the area had been half-developed and then neglected.
With the duel Gilford started, the crown had handed over the mines as compensation—and while they were at it, dumped the whole region's development on him too, it seemed.
"Figures the royals never take a straight loss."
Aizen had snagged a barony, plus a territory with mana metal mines. No need to develop the mines from scratch either, so with some work on the surroundings, steady profits would roll in. The location was perfect for linking Nexia and Phoenix to the capital, and with no friction from those families, development blocks were unlikely. Linking two massive territories meant reliable tax revenue for the crown too, turning a giveaway mine into a steady income stream.
"We did some lobbying, but it wasn't for nothing."
According to Mina, lobbying boosted plausible odds, not turned impossibles into realities.
"The palace isn't always clueless about losses. The prime minister's no fool—he bought the lobby, and we wrapped up a deal holding taxes until development's done."
"Hold up. How'd you lobby them?"
"When interests align, sweet-talk it right, and most things go through."
Even if it seemed like aiming too high, Noel and Erica nodded like it made sense.
"Well, she is a saintess... Doesn't quite fit, but..."
"Shut it."
Mina's angle aside, there were plenty of upsides. But it was time to revisit the big prerequisite for all this.
"...So, what's the first move here?"
Mina's factory was humming along nicely, goods shuttling in and out—that was great. The crown-run mines had basic lodging and noble-worthy accommodations too. But that was it. They'd been handed raw land, not a managed estate, so it felt daunting.
"That's for the lord—you—to figure out."
"Lord Aizen doesn't know much about territory management, does he?"
"Mark was the Arclight Territory heir."
Aizen had been treated like a rolling stone, so he'd gotten zero training there. Harsh as it sounded, by local noble standards, he was practically illiterate in key areas. Sure, he'd soaked up golem knowledge like a sponge, making it sound ridiculous, but he was sorely lacking in noble common sense, etiquette, and estate management.
"Then we'll have to help out a lot."
Noel smiled gently. As Mina and Erica's expressions shifted ever so slightly, Mina reached out.
"For now, use that building the mine overseers stayed in as the manor—tidy it up and you're good. We were planning to crash there anyway."
Mine overseers sounded rough, but this was a crown operation, so their quarters were noble-grade. The furniture screamed "fit for nobility," making it the grandest structure around. Using it as a manor wasn't a bad call.
"And we prepped for this—sent for retainers and servants from our homes. They'll arrive in a few days, so it'll be perfect for official business once sorted. Decide priorities, and they can assist. I'll help too, of course."
The proximity to Nexia Duke territory was already paying off. Sure, they might claim a huge stake in development, but with no subjects yet, who cared about turf wars?
As Noel smiled to speak up...
"Oh, and Dad's sending aid for security and repaying the Cyclops favor."
"Aid?"
"Yeah. Logistics stuff, prepping roads especially—'cause this'll be a key transit hub."
Coincidence? Or Erica subtly checking Noel? Noel's grin was unwavering, and Erica's innocence leaned toward the former.
"...Count Phoenix moves fast."
"Right? If this develops, Phoenix County benefits big. He said to invest and support as much as possible. Even take migration requests from our people if you want..."
That was huge. Sending tax-paying migrants to a barren land meant eating a revenue hit for Phoenix County. Sure, as a border frontline, plenty might jump at the chance—good PR too—but it was still massive spending. No wonder Noel was impressed.
"And he said to pass on his regards going forward."
"Huh?"
"Pass on mine too."
"What even is that?"
Noel's face dimmed slightly at Erica's words.
"...Anyway, aid won't arrive right away. Shall we check the manor first?"
"Yeah. Noel's help isn't instant either. Let's scope the manor and settle on lodging."
Noel nodded at Erica's straightforward push. As they headed toward the mines, led by the two...
"It's here."
Mina muttered, eyeing somewhere distant. Then, a familiar tracked rumble echoed from afar.
-Kwarrrrumble...
"Caterpillar Golem, right? The one you lent out?"
"Yeah, loaned it before moving the Cyclops and tech prototypes here... and Mina kept using it after."
No reason not to lend it, and figuring she wouldn't do anything weird, he hadn't reclaimed it yet. Now it was returning.
But not alone, obviously.
"...Why so many people?"
"And materials..."
The Caterpillar Golem's rear containers were packed—some opaque, others loaded with timber and stone. People crammed in too, paced to the tracks.
"What's all this, Mina?"
"Surprise."
Mina smirked, then pointed to a corner—the spot right beside the building they'd pegged as the manor.
"We're building there."
"What kind?"
"My building."
She grinned lazily. "Christa Merchant Company—setting up permanent shop here."
Mina's capital branch was relocating.