Somehow, through all the chaos, the fortress city of Murcia was finally completed, and at last, we could return home.
“This was quite a massive undertaking, but with this, all of His Majesty’s requests have been completed. Everyone, you’ve truly done well!”
“Yes, sir!”
We assembled in front of the Scuderia-side gates of the city, offering our greetings. The lined-up knights responded with deep, resounding voices.
In the front row stood the city’s governor, Murcia, along with temporary knight commanders Dee and Arv. Behind them were two hundred Ceat Village knights and a hundred of Murcia’s personal retainers. Additionally, around ten adventurers remained stationed in the fortress city.
On our side, we had the prodigious young Van, his extraordinarily beautiful fiancée Arte, the super-beautiful(?) maid Till, the future supreme swordsman Kamshin, along with Lou and the merchant Rango. Also present were the ultimate mechanical bow unit, led by Bora, and about ten adventurers serving as guides and guards.
“The Bell-Rango Trading Company will be supplying resources soon, so feel free to use up condiments and alcohol without worry,” I said with a laugh. Murcia nodded with a relieved smile.
“Thank you. Food is important, so even just hearing that is comforting. But I must apologize—I'd like reinforcements for the knights as soon as possible. It’s pathetic, but I can’t help but feel anxious about when the Yerinetta Kingdom’s forces might attack.”
Murcia replied with a troubled expression. I nodded and then opened my mouth, running through plans in my mind.
“Yes. Since this fortress city of Murcia will serve as the front line, we’ll leave only the minimum number of people in Ceat Village and send reinforcements here. The Espada Knights are here as well, so it should be sufficient. If the population increase plan succeeds, we can send even more reinforcements later.”
Upon hearing that, Murcia visibly relaxed, allowing a small smile.
“That’s a relief. I’m a four-element magician, yes, but not skilled enough to turn the tide of battle on my own.”
He muttered it as if it were nothing, but in my mind, I began imagining various strategic uses for his magic.
Traps activated by wind, for instance, might be extremely effective. By constructing seemingly sturdy stone bridges that could collapse instantly when triggered by Murcia’s wind magic, we could create traps with incredible strategic impact.
Preparing several such spots would increase our chances of successfully defending against a large nation in warfare.
“…No, I think Murcia, your magic could be used in even better ways. I’ll think about it a bit more,” I said.
“Eh? R-really?”
“Yes. Since we have the opportunity to use such rare magic, we should maximize its potential.”
With that, our conversation concluded. I offered words of thanks and encouragement to those staying behind, and reminded those returning to Ceat Village to remain alert as they crossed the Wolfsburg Mountains.
The path was dangerous; large magical beasts had been known to appear as casually as rabbits or raccoons before. Even though the roads had been improved, caution was still necessary.
Yet, to my surprise, it turned out to be easier than expected.
As before, with skilled adventurers, ballistae, and the mechanical bow unit, the Wolfsburg Mountain crossing tour became surprisingly manageable. Beasts could be spotted and defeated before posing any threat.
Furthermore, having the wagons proceed smoothly reduced the chances of encountering danger. Overnight stays in the mountains were inevitable, but we established three large resting facilities along open areas to accommodate the night. Though simple fortresses, they were sufficient for safe lodging.
Thanks to these preparations, returning home was far more comfortable and faster than anticipated.
However, the real ordeal began after arriving in Ceat Village. Though the first night was spent resting, the following day brought an urgent summons from Espada for an emergency meeting.
“…Good morning,” I greeted, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. Espada, looking sharp as ever, nodded in reply.
“Good morning, Van-sama. It is time for your duties. First, regarding the task you previously instructed.”
“The task I mentioned?”
“Yes. You were planning to interview capable individuals, were you not?”
Espada’s eyes glinted sharply, silently asking if I had forgotten.
“Y-yes! I remember! I assigned a few underlings to you, right? Is this about them?” I stammered, scrambling to recall.
Espada’s gaze, measuring the sweat on my brow, slowly spoke.
“…Yes. Including that individual, five trainees have completed the first stage of their education.”
“Five! That’s amazing, right!? To have five fully trained people in less than a year… Wait, first stage? I’ve never heard of that term before.”
I tilted my head and asked. Espada raised a hand, showing his palm as he explained.
“The training is divided into five stages. At the first stage, they can handle routine situations independently. Once they grasp the basics and manage some applications, they move to the second stage. The third stage allows them to respond to unexpected problems.”
“Huh… I guess that makes me roughly third stage?” I said modestly. Espada narrowed his eyes.
“For war-related matters, Van-sama is at fourth stage. Academics are likewise fourth stage. Domestic affairs are second stage, and negotiation with nobles and diplomacy are also second stage. Business, however, is third stage.”
“Ah, thank you,” I said, accepting the harsh evaluation with a sigh. Espada stroked his beard, nodding in approval.
“Van-sama possesses astonishing knowledge and initiative in subjects of expertise. Yet, learning etiquette, noble relations, and international diplomacy is approached passively. You must strive to overcome these weaknesses.”
“…Yes… understood,” I muttered, disheartened. Being told to focus on the subject I dislike most felt cruel. The ins and outs of noble banquets or dance invitations mattered little to me. I intended to live in the remote outskirts, far from courtly life, with no ambition for high office.
A relaxed arrangement like Panamera’s visits for bathing and drinking was plenty.
Inwardly, my thoughts circled rebelliously, quite unlike a typical noble. Espada, perhaps anticipating this, sighed deeply and spoke.
“…For someone like Van-sama who dislikes such troublesome matters, I have trained two deputies. One is a former noblewoman, naturally wary due to her upbringing. The other is the eldest daughter of a knightly house, whom I judge sufficiently capable. They will now participate in noble negotiations. Both have had their slave contracts annulled and have been adopted under my guardianship.”
“What!? I-I have so many questions about this!”
I exclaimed, flabbergasted, while Espada calmly nodded.
“A noble must harbor shadows in their heart. The bright and naïve are often exploited. In that sense, former nobles who lost their families and became slaves possess remarkable potential,” he said earnestly, sounding almost like a recruiter presenting talent. I could only nod reluctantly.
“F-Fine. I’ll entrust those two to you. Raise them to be good deputies,” I said.
“Yes, of course. The other three have also been trained—one to manage finances, one to handle supplies, and one to oversee the city and infrastructure. I wish for Van-sama to interview them to determine the extent of their authority.”
“…Honestly, I’d like to leave everything to Espada,” I muttered.
“That is not permissible. The ultimate authority of this territory rests with Van-sama.”
“…Yes.”
I responded, realizing that the expansion of my domain came with a new set of burdens to manage.
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