Do It Right
Luluen toured the construction site of Wintervalt's new city under the guidance of the ducal couple. And throughout the walk, she had to doubt her own eyes.
What the hell... what is this?
It had been less than half a year since Eleanor had been shipped off to the north like some discarded commodity. Yet right before her eyes stood a massive new city, so complete that merchants could move in tomorrow without batting an eye.
Bathed in the light of the artificial sun hanging in the night sky, the city's panorama was nothing short of spectacular. Every building's outer walls gleamed with a subtle blue sheen, as if entire jewels had been carved into homes.
These gorgeous buildings... are really meant for lowly adventurers?
Luluen's insides burned black with envy. Already seething, the workers' voices praising Eleanor everywhere she turned only made her ears ring.
"Hey! That's heavy—be careful carrying it!"
"Don't worry! Ever since Her Highness the Princess arrived, we've got energy to spare!"
"True. We used to fill up on tasteless barley gruel every meal, but now it's meat every day."
"Come on, though. How long are you gonna keep calling her 'Princess'? She's the lady of the north now—Duchess, Your Grace!"
It was like that everywhere. Infuriatingly so.
"Right? Thanks to the Duchess, everyone's faces are glowing."
"She got rid of those leech-like nobles the moment she arrived!"
"Those rotten officials kept bleeding us dry from above—how many parents had to watch their kids starve in this freezing winter?"
"Without the Duchess, we'd still be living like that. Heaven sent her, that's what."
Luluen's steps slowed. Behind her ornate fan, her lips trembled with jealousy.
"Hoho... My little sister is so loved by the people. As her big sister, it makes me proud."
"She deserves every bit of it. Since she came, the territory's coffers are full, and the people have regained their health. We are eternally grateful for His Majesty's grace in sending such an exemplary wife."
Kailan openly wrapped his arm around Eleanor's waist. She blushed shyly and leaned her head against his chest.
It was saltiness on a whole new level.
Luluen forced a smile and got to the point. "Hoho... You two seem so blissfully happy—makes me relieved as your sister. But Eleanor."
"Yes, sister?"
"I heard the sandworm disaster drove up construction material prices a lot... Are you two alright?"
Luluen asked with a feigned look of concern. Eleanor leaned her head on her husband's shoulder, their intimacy flowing as naturally as water.
"We're fine. At first, I was at a loss and panicked... but His Grace handled everything splendidly."
As Eleanor gazed up at him with rapture, Kailan's eyes dripped with honey.
That monster duke has her completely enchanted...! I need to tread carefully, no provoking him.
"Then I'm truly glad. Now I can sleep without worry."
Luluen cleared her throat fake-coughed, and the man trailing behind her stepped forward. It was Oliver, the imperial architectural inspector.
"Ahem! Your Grace the Duke, Your Grace the Duchess. An honor to meet you. I am Oliver, Chief Architectural Inspector from the Imperial Ministry of Interior. Today, I visit Wintervalt on a special imperial mandate."
"Special mandate?"
As Kailan glared, Oliver unfurled a fine parchment and continued. "Merchant caravans across the continent have invested massive guarantee funds in Wintervalt's new city. For the safety and property protection of imperial citizens, we are to conduct safety inspections on the buildings."
As Oliver finished, Luluen snapped open her fan with a vile smirk. "Hoho. We happened to run into them on the way. They were heading to inspect our dear sister's new city, so I invited them to ride with me since they were going anyway."
Luluen claimed no involvement in the inspection, just a coincidental traveling companion.
Kailan looked at her—or someone—with utter pity. Who exactly, she couldn't tell. She desperately hoped it wasn't her.
"As you can see, the outer walls are reinforced with slime mucus, and the support beams are processed from treant corpses. You won't find sturdier, safer buildings in any city."
Oliver's face twisted. "......Pardon me, Your Grace, but you're saying every building in this new city under construction uses those materials?"
"Ever since that trash Günter tried to humiliate me, we've exclusively used this monster construction method."
Luluen was as dumbfounded as Oliver. Spouting bald-faced lies without a drop of spit...!
Treant corpses? As if laborers could process those steel-hard monstrosities. Anyone with aura would become an adventurer or knight for glory, not toil in construction dust.
And slime? Those rare creatures only popped up occasionally in deep caves. Coating an entire new city with their mucus? You'd have to scour the continent and still come up short. Unless they magically found a fairy-tale slime cave—right when supplies ran dry?
Aaagh...! Infuriating!
She knew it was obvious bullshit but couldn't call it out directly. Clutching her fan, trembling, the sharp-eyed Oliver spoke up.
"Th-that's astonishing, using such precious materials. But regulations are regulations... May I inspect briefly?"
Kailan nodded readily. "Sure. If you're going to do it, do it right."
"Thank you, Your Grace. If you'll excuse me..."
Oliver rummaged for his inspector's special hammer and tools. But as he approached the building, Kailan grabbed his shoulder.
"Your Grace?"
"What can you test with that toy?"
Kailan's gaze slid past Oliver to the imperial princess's guard knight behind her. The empire's elite.
"You need at least an aura-infused sword strike to check the building's strength, no?"
"Wh-what do you... Ah! Haha...! As expected of Your Grace. Your sense of humor is the north's finest."
Luluen assumed it was a joke too. How could a building for common folk withstand an imperial knight's strike—the empire's top-tier skill? Utterly absurd.
But Kailan's expression was dead serious. "Why would I joke to curry favor with you?"
He nodded toward the laborers working the site. "Plenty of the new city's building owners are here—let them see how sturdy their homes are firsthand."
"B-building owners? Those filthy laborers?"
"In our north, those who labor get paid fair value. We sell residency cheap to those who sweat to build, lend top gear to those risking life against monsters. They are the true owners of this city."
At Kailan's words, Knight Captain Cedric bellowed nearby. "By His Grace's command!! All hands, halt work and assemble at the central plaza!"
"Is this... really alright, Your Grace?"
The princess's guard knight stepped forward, pride wounded. North duke or not, treating an imperial elite like a circus performer?
Schling! He drew his longsword with a sharp whoosh.
"One more time: If you're going to do it, do it right. Even if the building crumbles completely, no liability. Though that won't happen."
Provoked, the knight unleashed his hidden aura. Red lightning crackled amid cheers from the thrilled laborers.
"Whoa! Aura!"
"That'll at least dent the wall, right?"
"Nonsense! Know how many slimes I slapped on that wall? No scratch—10 silvers says!"
"1 gold from me!"
Northern folk even bet on the imperial knight like entertainment. Arrogant, as if daring him to try.
These vermin... daring to mock an imperial knight?!
The knight, losing all reason, ground his teeth till blood welled. Red aura coiled his blade to the limit.
"Raaagh!!"
Red lightning slammed down mercilessly.