Gremori's Overwhelm and the Painter's Arrival
Gremori Overwhelm Quest
Arthur, who had been resting in his chair, rose at the notification.
He stepped out to the outskirts of the castle and looked down over the territory.
"Long live Lord Arthur!"
"Long live!"
The medicine he had made earlier by mixing Ridis flowers and frogweed from the second mission achievement had cured the territory residents' minor ailments.
The 500 residents must have felt their lingering illnesses vanish within ten minutes of taking it.
Soon after, as if all 500 had consumed the medicine, the sky flashed brilliantly, and a notification rang out.
Blessed Territory Achieved
A white-winged angel descended through the light.
The angel began sweeping over the territory.
She passed through the people's bodies, and wherever she went, their minds cleared, and their minor ailments melted away.
Tutorial Quest Stage 4 Complete.
Territory Satisfaction: 200% Achieved
Was achieving 200% really that easy?
No, it wasn't.
Most lords struggled to even hit 40%.
Moreover, the Valkas Territory scenario was on the tougher side.
Arthur had used his VIP-1 Level Pass.
VIP-1 Level Pass Activated
Stepping out to survey the entire territory, Arthur checked his gold and reserves once more.
The dungeons had filled his gold nicely, and reserves were solid.
He could level up the territory a total of five times now.
"Upgrade the castle to level 5."
Rumble!
The castle shook and began to transform.
As upgrades progressed, buildings changed in appearance.
Fully maxed-out castles and structures often left viewers in awe.
Arthur swiftly raised all other buildings to level 5 as well.
During the lord protection period, hitting total territory level 5 wasn't common.
Arthur gained a total of 20 levels.
Every territory level increased the lord's by 5.
That left him with a whopping 40 stat points.
He invested 20 in Absolute Sense, 10 in Luck, and 10 in Dexterity.
Then Arthur checked the barracks.
Barracks allowed soldier upgrades every 5 levels.
Basic soldier units were E-grade.
But with 1.4x strength buffs, they were nearly D-grade.
Upgrades raised them a step each time.
In just a day, his soldiers were almost D+.
Without hesitation, Arthur spent 20,000 gold to upgrade the barracks.
'Time to scout the remaining tutorial opponents.'
It had only been two days since starting territory management.
No need to rush.
But there was something to check first.
Arthur turned back to his seat.
Gremori returned with an excited expression.
"S-Something amazing is happening right now, my lord!"
Arthur nodded.
"I know."
'……!'
Gremori halted mid-step.
To think he'd cure every resident's ailments like this.
She began to admire Arthur even more.
And he looked so cool.
Such charisma from that young boy.
Truly my lord!
My lord!
But Arthur gazed down at her with a cold expression.
She seemed to sense the unusual aura emanating from him.
"Gremori, I have a question for you."
"Yes, speak."
Sensing the mood, Gremori knelt on one knee and bowed her head.
"What is your true identity? And who was the demon lord you served before?"
Arthur paused deliberately.
The Gremori Overwhelm Quest.
With her fanatical obedience, she might reveal it.
Even as a proxy, she wouldn't share everything with her lord otherwise.
She opened her mouth, then closed it.
Licking her dry lips, she spoke slowly.
"I……."
Gremori wanted to please Arthur. She wanted to help him.
She could guess why he asked about her identity and past demon lord.
But no matter how hard she racked her brain, nothing came.
Her memories before becoming Valkas Territory's proxy—and what kind of demon she was—were blank.
"I remember nothing."
Arthur's brow furrowed at her words.
"You don't remember……?"
"Yes. Not even which lord I served or what kind of demon I was."
Gremori bowed deeper.
'No reason to lie.'
Not in her state of fanatical obedience.
Maybe the system had sealed it?
'Possible.'
It wasn't impossible.
Perhaps Gremori hid something greater than he'd thought.
'A shame.'
He'd hoped for intel on demon lords' territory management or the demon realm.
And more.
But it fizzled out.
No scolding her, though.
"Understood."
Arthur's expression softened.
"Do you hate me because I'm a demon?"
Gremori could wonder that.
Humans had always feared demons.
Arthur might too.
Arthur answered flatly.
"I like competent proxies more than anyone. You're a 90 on that."
"90?"
A high score.
Gremori hid a small smile with a bow.
"I'll work to earn the last 10."
"Good."
Work harder for me. He'd left 10 points deliberately.
To motivate her.
"Oh, and Aris is asleep in the bedroom. Have the maids wash her and dress her nicely."
Aris hadn't woken for some reason.
'This could be trouble.'
She appeared in four years in his past life.
If she was set to wake then, that'd be a problem.
'Gotta trust Important Information View?'
It might reveal a way to wake her soon.
"Ah, yes."
'Tonight with her…….'
Gremori assumed from the washing order they'd spend a hot night together.
Her bright face darkened instantly.
Seeing it, Arthur rubbed his forehead.
'What is she thinking?'
He spoke gravely.
"Gremori."
"Yes, my lord."
"Nothing like that. She's key to our territory's growth."
"……I wasn't thinking anything."
"You can't lie to your lord?"
"Sorry. But weren't you going to share her bed?"
Arthur nodded.
Gremori's face lit up visibly.
Yes, my lord. Mine forever!
Arthur chuckled.
She was a demon, but no distance there.
Even kinda cute.
Though "beautiful" fit better.
"By the way, my lord. Shall I fetch a painter after washing her?"
"Good idea."
"Yes."
Gremori dashed off, her curvaceous figure swaying excitedly.
Praise dances whales, they say.
'A painter.'
As Creation Lord, it'd help immensely.
The man Gremori brought was a fifty-ish fellow with white hair tied tightly back.
He bowed politely to Arthur.
Arthur had heard the basics from Gremori.
'Once a famous painter, but no details revealed.'
Arthur had checked the Valkas Territory scenario right after.
It looked like a bundle of papers but showed brief info on specific residents when focused.
For him: 'Exceptional painter. A man who once gripped the world with a single picture.'
And the name: Alon. That was it.
"You're the territory's most famous painter."
"A joke."
Alon looked up from his bow and smiled softly.
"I haven't painted once since coming to Valkas. The residents must think so from the paintings on my walls. I did paint before, but my skill was poor."
Arthur nodded.
'Most residents don't lie to me.'
But the scenario called it "concealment."
He was hiding his exceptional talent.
The scenario confirmed it.
'Means he had real influence.'
His charisma couldn't press it out.
Unexpected.
And an opportunity.
A influential painter would boost his own skills.
"Fame doesn't matter."
Arthur gave a wry smile.
"I just need a drawing teacher. Don't need a master artist. Just someone to guide me."
Alon nodded.
'Just teaching…….'
Not hard.
Arthur wasn't forceful.
Seemed fine.
"Understood. I'll teach what I can."
"Gremori."
"Yes."
"Leave us when I'm with the painting teacher."
"Yes."
Consideration for Alon.
Once she left, Arthur continued.
"And don't tell anyone what you see here. Not a word to any resident."
"What I see?"
Alon looked puzzled.
Of course, as a Valkas resident, he wouldn't defy and gossip "Lord's ears are donkey ears!" But better to warn.
"Yes."
With that, Arthur used Creation Painting to draw a sparrow.
The sketched sparrow in mid-air.
White light burst, and it flew into the sky.
"……!"
Alon gasped.
Drawing life into being?
What impossible power!
But it didn't end there.
Arthur drew a flowerpot next.
He plucked a leaf from the orchid growing in it.
"The sparrow's an illusion."
With a gentle wave, the flying sparrow dissolved into the air.
He caressed the orchid, but it remained.
"The pot's real. And if I want……."
Another wave, and the pot vanished.
"Th-That's incredible."
"Still immature. That's why I need your help."
Alon swallowed hard.
Arthur pulled out a basic drawing set.
"Here."
Alon approached.
Step by step.
"Your sparrow was masterful. Do you really need lessons?"
"It's just the ability. Without it, my drawing sucks."
"I see."
Lords were special to residents, sometimes showing great powers seen as "skills."
"Try drawing one."
Arthur started sketching.
'Learn basics today, then use Memory of Art.'
He drew the sparrow mid-flight from before.
"Hm……."
Alon let out a low groan.
Arthur chuckled awkwardly.
'Better than before, but…….'
Still awful.
"I'll have to teach you a lot."
"Y-Yeah?"
"Yes."
Alon said firmly, but didn't scold.
"How many people even try drawing in life?"
Instead, he encouraged like a good teacher.
"Sketching seems the priority."