Chapter 105
Chapter 105
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 105
Chapter Title: The New Mayor's First Move
-----------------------------------------------------------------
There was no need for Wang-sik to step in himself.
The Magnen family was far more proactive than he was.
He had agreed to hand over everything from the deputy mayor and clerk positions to warehouse management to the Magnen family.
—You may use the remaining posts for lobbying.
Wang-sik desired nothing but the single honor of being mayor.
Based on this, the Magnens distributed honorary positions to various noble families to ensure Wang-sik's rise to mayorship.
Though it was effectively a change of mayor, the public announcement was phrased differently.
—Lennox Vega's return to the mayorship.
A return, not a replacement.
That was why the decision was made with surprising speed.
—A festival will commence tomorrow to celebrate the mayor's return.
They had deliberately decided to hold a festival to dispel the grim atmosphere that had arisen from the back alleys.
With Wang-sik and the Magnen family agreeing to spend a considerable amount of money, and with the announcement of a 20 percent tax cut for the next quarter to commemorate the mayor's return, they had also won the residents' support.
And so, on the night before the scheduled festival.
Wang-sik entered the high-end residential area located behind Elatt's main street.
—Ah, this place...
The ghost butler reacted before Wang-sik did.
“If it’s a gift, it ought to be something like this.”
The great Lennox estate.
That was what it used to be called.
It was the building occupying the largest plot of land in Elatt.
The three-story mansion was structured to overlook a garden so vast it could be called a park.
It was also the place Vega had sold off to the Magnen family just two years after becoming the family head.
—A gift for keeping your promise.
A gift, and a bribe.
The Magnens had given a spectacular gift.
Of course, a gift between nobles carried another meaning.
“It’s a message to stay in line from now on.”
As the white, barred gate that offered a clear view inside opened, a man greeted them.
“Welcome.”
It was Leonard, the other protagonist of this affair.
Having fallen to rock bottom, he had made a brilliant comeback and was now the frontrunner in the Magnen family's succession battle.
“From now on, I suppose I’m the guest.”
As if it were a ceremony, Leonard handed a key to Wang-sik.
It was the key to the safe in the family head’s room, made of blue crystal.
Engraved with the carriage that symbolized the Lennox family, it held such significance that even the scoundrel Vega had hesitated before handing it over.
“Let’s go in. The host can’t just send the guest away.”
Having received the key, Wang-sik went into the mansion with Leonard.
There used to be a small rickshaw that ferried people between the main gate and the mansion entrance, but it was nowhere to be seen now.
“I’ve selected ten servants, as I thought you would need them.”
They were likely spies planted by Leonard’s family to act as watchdogs.
Wang-sik simply accepted it and entered the mansion with Leonard.
The drawing-room, located next to the living room, was so luxuriously decorated that even Wang-sik was seeing its like for the first time.
“I’ll have black tea.”
At Wang-sik's words, the servant following behind them bowed his head and withdrew.
“To begin, you will need to hire a new butler to run this place,”
Leonard said as he sat in the guest’s seat.
“I’ll do without a butler.”
“Will that be alright?”
“Because there’s no one who can match the old butler.”
A faint sob from the ghost butler in the Hanger Chip could be heard.
“Now, this is the final promise.”
Leonard pushed a document in front of Wang-sik.
It was a document transferring ownership of Hail Forest.
“With this, our contract is concluded.”
“Isn’t there still one thing left?”
The final part of the plan was for Wang-sik to promote Leonard through a special request once he became mayor.
“I’ll make sure there are no problems with that.”
“It seems we will have many opportunities to work together in the future.”
Leonard showed his confidence.
After all, he believed he was the one with the upper hand.
The memory of them trying to kill each other was not an issue.
In this respect, the politics here were even more vile and calculated than on Earth.
“Well then, please rest.”
As soon as Leonard left, the ghost butler appeared before Wang-sik.
—Thank you, my lord.
“You’re just being rewarded for your abilities. Manage this place well from now on.”
—I will be careful not to be seen by the Magnen servants.
“There’s no need for that.”
—What do you mean?
“There’s no reason to live with a thorn in my side. It wouldn’t look good for me to kick them out, so make them leave on their own.”
—May I really do that?
Wang-sik furrowed his brow at the question.
—My apologies.
“It doesn’t matter if people find out you’re a ghost in this house. Do you understand now?”
—Thank you, my lord. I will serve you with everything I have.
With those words, the ghost butler disappeared.
He had probably gone to look around the house.
The mayoral inauguration ceremony was conducted simply.
‘What a sour look.’
No matter how much influence the Magnen family exerted, there was one family that found it hard to accept.
The Denello family, which had held the mayorship until now.
“Just returning what was borrowed. You should lighten up.”
“How dare you…”
Wang-sik shot him a scornful look and turned away.
Looking down from the platform, he saw various dignitaries gathered in the party hall.
Oh Min-jae, waving subtly from the back, was the most noticeable, and the four families that divided Elatt were also visible.
The greatest power was, of course, the Magnens; the second was the Denellos, who had lost the mayorship; and the other two were families that supported the Magnens.
‘Now, it will be five families again.’
This event was to announce the revival of the Lennox family.
In addition, with merchants and even naval admirals in attendance, the gathering certainly looked the part.
However, most of them had come not to see Wang-sik, but the Magnen family.
“Thank you to all the distinguished guests for being here. I, Lennox Vega, will forget my dark past and devote everything to the revival of my family.”
Some people found it strange to see Vega looking so composed as he greeted them.
Wang-sik finished his brief greeting and, only at the very end, announced his future plans.
“As the mayor of Elatt, I will entrust the city's administration to a capable person.”
Everyone seemed surprised by this statement.
‘The scarecrow is admitting it himself.’
‘Is he making it clear he knows his place?’
There was no one in that room who didn't know who truly led Elatt.
‘Clever. Is he telling us not to mess with him?’
There were even some who showed such expressions openly. But no one anticipated his next words.
“Instead, I will proceed with a long-cherished project of Elatt that has been postponed for a long time.”
When no one understood, Wang-sik clearly stated the name of the project.
“It is the residential territory expansion project.”
The meaning of those words was clear.
He intended to change the environment of lands uninhabitable for people.
The most prominent method for this was monster subjugation.
“First, we will reclaim the Bronia region. This is not something I can do alone, so I ask for the help of those who share this vision.”
Wang-sik’s speech ended there. But no one clapped or cheered.
‘What is he doing?’
The head of the Magnen family, sitting with Leonard, quickly racked his brain.
‘Monster subjugation is a finished business. The remaining areas are either too dangerous or have nothing to gain.’
Whatever he did, it was unlikely to be of any help.
“Could he be planning to take the city guard with him?”
Normally, when subjugating monsters, it was natural for the city's guard to be dispatched.
“He can't do that. They are our soldiers.”
The captain of the city guard was also a member of the Magnen family.
“From now on, we do nothing that doesn't bring profit. We must thoroughly educate him so he doesn't try anything foolish.”
“Yes, Father. I will make sure he knows his place.”
“The friendship ends today.”
Just as they finished their conversation, Wang-sik stood before them.
“I look forward to working with you.”
Wang-sik greeted them first.
“I look forward to it as well.”
Magnen Ashport.
The head of the Magnen family replied with a benevolent smile, unlike a moment ago.
Three days later.
“Just as I expected.”
He had posted a notice calling for volunteers to join the subjugation force, but not a single person applied.
The excuse that the city's stability came first was irrelevant.
The next place he visited was Elatt's Mercenary Guild.
The result was the same.
The high-level mercenaries were said to be already on missions, and the same went for the veterans.
It felt as if someone had swept up all the decent mercenaries, but Wang-sik simply turned and left.
—What are you planning to do?
“I don’t mind going alone, but…”
The Bronia region was a swamp teeming with insect-type monsters.
It had been abandoned not because any single monster was powerful, but because their numbers were too great and the risk of poison was high.
Nevertheless, the reason Wang-sik chose this place was because of a peculiar plant that grew there.
In the center of Bronia was a giant mud lake, and in its vicinity, poisonous and medicinal herbs grew intermingled. Throughout the swamp, there were also colonies of Telo Mushrooms, known as the finest nutritional supplement.
If they could just reclaim that area, Elatt's revenue would increase significantly.
—If you go alone, you will certainly arouse suspicion.
“I suppose so.”
The fact that he was strong enough to make people wary of provoking him was already known. But reclaiming Bronia alone was on another level entirely.
This would go beyond acknowledgment and invite suspicion.
—May I offer some advice?
“Speak.”
—In the city hall prison, there is a prisoner named Mold. He was framed and imprisoned by the previous mayor, but he is known to be quite skilled among mercenaries.
“Why is a guy like that locked up in prison?”
—He slapped the mayor.
“What a guy. Why’d he do that?”
—I heard the mayor slapped him first for not recognizing him. So, Mold slapped him back just the same. Thanks to that, the mayor lost three teeth.
“Is he the only one?”
—No. His subordinates, who were trying to spread the word of Mold's unjust situation, were all imprisoned as well. I believe there are four of them in total.
“That’s a good number.”
Wang-sik immediately rose from his seat.
“That was good information.”
—I am glad to have been of help.
Wang-sik headed straight for the prison in the city hall's basement.
While all of Elatt was swept up in a new, hopeful atmosphere, there was one family plunged into despair.
The Denello family, whose head had been the previous mayor.
“Those bastards betrayed me.”
The white-haired old man in his late sixties, forgetting his age, slammed his desk and vented his fury.
Denello Ispa.
He downed the strong liquor in his glass in one gulp.
Until now, the eastern coast had maintained a balance, with the other families forming an alliance against the number one Magnen family.
The mayorship of Elatt was a symbol of that.
But suddenly, his allied families had betrayed him, and he had even lost the mayorship.
He had been caught completely off guard, stabbed in the back, and couldn't even respond properly.
But his shock did not end there.
“That Vega fellow has apparently released Mold.”
“What? I already ordered his execution by hanging.”
Knowing he was about to be ousted from the mayorship, he had hastily issued the order.
“He canceled it all with his mayoral authority.”
After all, with the mayor's authority, he could do as he pleased with the lives of commoners who were not nobles.
While the empire had a review process, it usually passed unless one of three conditions was met.
If the subject was a noble, a detailed investigation would be launched.
If a commoner, they would wait a while for any special requests or lobbying.
Finally, to prevent indiscriminate executions, they would check how many death sentences the issuing authority had requested in the last three years.
That was why he had deliberately left the subordinates alone and issued the execution order only for their leader, Mold.
“I should have just killed him on the spot…”
His plan to torment him to his heart's content had ended up saving him instead.
“What’s the reason for sparing them?”
“They say he’s going to use Mold and his men as his private soldiers.”
“Private soldiers?”
Everything the man did was infuriating.
“Won’t they all die anyway? He’s planning to take on Bronia.”
“I should have killed him with my own hands…”
“Now is the time to be patient. Many eyes are watching.”
“I will have my revenge. On every last one of them who did this to me.”
Downing another drink, Ispa's eyes filled with venom.