Chapter 107
Chapter 107
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 107
Chapter Title: The Elder
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The negotiation was brief, but its contents were anything but light.
Leaving the grand mansion, Bishop Verita found himself looking back.
—Was this all planned from the beginning?
Even with his considerable authority, he hadn't been able to give a definitive answer during this negotiation.
—Could you give me some more time to think?
His pride was wounded, but he couldn't make a decision on the spot.
‘I never expected him to demand an Eldership.’
The Elder was a position independent of the temple hierarchy.
It was the highest honor bestowed upon a lay believer, not a priest.
Not only did they have a say in the temple's operations, but they could also receive its aid anywhere in the country.
Currently, the Hemian Temple recognized ten Elders.
All of them were the most renowned figures in the empire.
The highest-ranking nobles.
Merchants who made astronomical donations.
Powerful figures the Hemian Temple had approached first.
The position of Elder was akin to being religious nobility. That was why so many still tried to make donations and maintain connections.
‘It is certainly worth it.’
Given Lennox's past deeds, it was a position that should never be granted, but the returns were too tempting to refuse.
Development rights for the Bronia region.
Authority over the five regions to be subjugated next.
Forgiveness for past transgressions.
Up to this point, he had thought that while the benefits were significant, they weren't enough to warrant granting an Eldership.
But the final condition was enough to sway him.
—Joint development of a Temple City.
The Temple City project, which had been on the verge of cancellation, could be revived.
However, the conditions had changed.
The Lennox family, the Mirje Trading Company, and the Hemian Temple.
A joint development by three parties.
Depending on how one looked at it, this could be an even better deal.
With the Mirje Trading Company, not only would there be sufficient investment, but the city would also be transformed into a place of luxury.
Moreover, the risk of construction halting would decrease, and upon completion, they could maintain a deep relationship with the Mirje Trading Company.
As the most talked-about trading company on the continent right now, this was an excellent opportunity.
‘We don’t really need the Lennox family’s name, but…’
He repeated the name ‘Lennox’ to himself as he walked.
‘He is clearly no ordinary man. It’s hard to believe that man had once been such a scoundrel.’
He wasn't evaluating the family, but the lord he had just met.
‘What if the Lennox family regains its fame?’
This was the best-case scenario.
‘He has the potential. No, judging by his current actions, this might be the only chance to secure him.’
In an instant, he had become mayor and conquered a region thought impossible to subjugate.
‘This might actually be an opportunity for us.’
He had intended to deliberate deeply, but his mind was made up before he even reached the temple.
The Hemian Temple made an unusual proposal.
—We will support the subjugation force with Holy Knights.
The mere participation of the Hemian Temple's Holy Knights would be enough to create a buzz.
“So they plan to make a real spectacle of this.”
—Could it be a ploy to monopolize the credit?
“I doubt it. They must have figured out my personality. If anything, they'll try to promote my name. This is an unexpected gain.”
They knew how to invest wisely.
“They intend to leverage the Lennox name. It has little value now, but if its reputation grows, they'll profit too.”
—Then we should accept.
“It's a hassle, but I have no choice.”
Wang-sik immediately ordered preparations for the subjugation.
The Hemian Temple officially announced the dispatch of Holy Knights.
—Moved by the courage and will of Alart's mayor, Lennox Vega, the Hemian Temple has decided to join his cause. This subjugation will enrich the lives of the eastern coast's residents, and humanity will be able to pursue its dreams on a wider expanse of land.
The announcement, which spread throughout the country, mentioned Lennox Vega first. This signified that the Hemian Temple had accepted all his conditions.
The Mirje Trading Company responded to the announcement as well.
—The eastern coast city construction project, which was underway with the Lennox family, has been confirmed as the Hemian Temple City.
If the dispatch of Holy Knights was a minor point of interest, the construction of the Temple City became a national sensation.
Naturally, the matter drew attention, and just as interest peaked, Wang-sik embarked on the second subjugation.
“Is there anything we should prepare?”
To Mold's question, Wang-sik gave a short command.
“There is something you need to do.”
Wang-sik gave orders to the five private soldiers.
Normally, they would have found the command strange, but the private soldiers understood. Wang-sik had already shown them results.
That afternoon.
The subjugation began under a great deal of public attention.
The target was a coastal area in the northern part of the eastern shore.
It was the habitat of the Demon Crabs, a region that had once thrived on its production of fish and shellfish.
Due to the Demon Crabs' habit of burrowing into lairs like dungeons, several subjugation attempts had failed to completely eradicate them.
With their hard shells and some growing up to three meters tall, they were monsters comparable in danger to those in the Bronia Forest.
“I hear Demon Crabs are delicious.”
Hearing the mercenary behind him, Mold scowled and gestured for him to shut up.
“We'll wait here.”
They were still a good distance from the coast.
This was because Demon Crabs occasionally strayed from the shore, forcing the restricted zone to be drawn wide.
“The Holy Knights are approaching.”
A group clad in gleaming silver armor on white horses drew near.
There were ten in all, not a large-scale deployment, but their leader was a well-known veteran Holy Knight.
“May glory and blessings be with you. I am Depero of the Hemian Holy Knights.”
“Welcome.”
Wang-sik, too, treated them with the utmost courtesy.
“You must be tired from your long journey. Please, rest for a moment.”
He gestured to his private soldiers, who promptly laid out a thick carpet on the ground and set out food.
For a meal served on the ground, it was quite lavish, and the Holy Knights looked slightly surprised.
However, they couldn't refuse and took their places.
Perhaps because their armor made it uncomfortable to sit on the ground, they ate while standing.
“Please, join us.”
At Depero's words, Wang-sik shook his head.
“I'm going to scout ahead for a bit.”
“We'll go with you...”
“It won't take long.”
Wang-sik took Mold and two other mercenaries who were standing by.
“Please, make yourselves comfortable.”
The three men, led by Wang-sik, departed, while the two remaining mercenaries followed their prior instructions.
—Just entertain them until I return.
Their mission was hospitality.
Once again, Wang-sik set out to handle the subjugation alone.
“Don't follow and get in my way.”
At least this time, it wasn't a forest, so they could watch the battle from a distance.
The Demon Crab's hard shell made it resistant to external attacks.
Someone like Min Ha-na could have roasted it in an instant, but lacking that kind of firepower, Wang-sik thoroughly exploited its weakness.
It was the crack under its belly. That was its only weak spot; a forceful tear there would cause it to spill its innards and die.
Watching from afar, Mold couldn't believe his eyes.
The sight of him withstanding the Demon Crab's massive claws, diving under its belly, and tearing off its shell made the fight look deceptively easy.
“Could we ever do something like that?”
“If I had that kind of power, I wouldn't be a mercenary.”
“So this is all supposed to be a secret? Just who is our lord?”
“Maybe he made a deal with a devil?”
“If he had, the Holy Knights would've noticed right away.”
“True. So that's his real strength...”
As they marveled, Wang-sik cleared the Demon Crabs on the coast and entered a cave beneath a cliff.
It was the Demon Crabs' habitat, which had become a dungeon.
It was about an hour later that the Holy Knight, Depero, began to feel something was off.
“We'll go and check on them.”
“No, it's alright. They'll be back soon.”
The Holy Knights, who typically avoided rudeness, couldn't insist.
But there was a limit to their patience.
By evening, this was no longer a matter of courtesy.
“Why are you not concerned for your lord?”
The mercenary gave an awkward smile at the irate question.
“You will have to explain your intentions in detail.”
Depero suspected the private soldiers.
Otherwise, the current situation made no sense.
Just as his anger was about to be directed at the mercenaries, a relaxed voice came from behind him.
“I'm a little late.”
“Ah! You're safe.”
Depero was relieved that the lord was unharmed.
After all, if anything had happened to him, their own honor would have been tarnished.
But then he heard a noise behind the lord.
“Hah!”
One of the Holy Knights who spotted it first gasped in shock. The surprise quickly spread to all the others.
The three mercenaries who had gone with him were dragging something massive, sweating profusely.
A Demon King Crab.
The very beast that ruled the coast.
“What happened?”
“We ran into it while scouting and caught it. My private soldiers are quite skilled.”
Depero wanted to ask more, but Wang-sik didn't give him the chance.
“I hear that beast is quite tasty. We can take it back to Alart and share it with the residents.”
Its size alone was enough for a festival.
“We should hurry if we want to get back before sunset.”
The private soldiers had already prepared an oversized cart and were hitching it to the horses.
Depero could only follow blankly from behind.
The original schedule was for two months.
It wasn't a long time, considering they were to subjugate five regions.
Gathering and organizing troops, scouting, and then strategizing the attack—even two months seemed tight.
And yet, it was all over in just ten days.
“Thank you for your hard work.”
What exactly did we do to deserve thanks?
They had done so little that they couldn't bring themselves to return the greeting.
After Wang-sik and his private soldiers finished the conquest, all they did was engrave a holy symbol as a final confirmation.
It was a ritual to purify the demonic energy left by the monsters.
A task that even a priest, not a Holy Knight, could have performed.
One day they would conquer a region, the next they would be treated to a feast at the grand mansion, and the day after that, they would set out for another conquest.
And just like that, the subjugation was over in a mere ten days.
“Thank you again for the Hemian Temple's assistance.”
“Th-thank you.”
Depero found himself returning the repeated thanks with an awkward one of his own.
‘Just how powerful are these men?’
Last night, unable to contain his curiosity, he had conducted a search for demonic energy in the grand mansion.
While the presence of a ghost butler in the mansion was surprising, it wasn't cause for concern.
Other than that, there was no trace of demonic power or energy.
He had no choice but to believe Wang-sik's words—that his private soldiers were incredibly skilled.
‘He said he saved them from execution. Is that why?’
In any case, the subjugation was complete, and news of their exploits spread not only along the eastern coast but throughout the entire country.
—The Holy Knights of Hemian are truly powerful!
While this was the prevailing public opinion, the name of the Lennox family was also mentioned quite frequently.
As soon as the subjugation, once considered difficult, was completed in an instant, the Hemian Temple made another announcement.
—Lennox Vega, lord of the Lennox family, is hereby appointed as an Elder of the Hemian Temple.
This heralded the revival of the Lennox family.
The festival celebrating the completion of the subjugation continued late into the night, but Wang-sik ended his day after making a brief appearance in the evening.
Perhaps because of his recent exploits, the private soldiers followed Wang-sik without their usual banter.
Their instinctive awe of his power was beginning to transform into respect.
“Rest well, my lord.”
As Mold and the other private soldiers bid him good night, Wang-sik gave them a wave and headed to the living room.
—You've worked hard, my lord.
The ghost butler had a sentimental expression.
—With this, the fame of the Lennox family has spread across the nation.
Unlike the ghost butler, Wang-sik felt little emotion.
It just felt like he had finished his homework.
‘This should be enough to qualify me for the social gatherings.’
The real challenge was about to begin.