Chapter 111
aJGSrdThe soldiers belonging to Calix blinked, stunned. There was no one nearby who seemed to be giving orders, so who was he talking to?DYX8Q
j513Lucian clicked his tongue and looked back at the soldiers.B5aJ7
9wF“What are you doing? I’m talking to you.”fYWVO19
RoR“Huh? T-to us?”t5Qbw9
h1sUq“Yes. Tie him up.”eDdj
FEB“Well, it’s just that… we…”bXtG
JBrtTYq“The war is over. This man is my prisoner, and now I am your lord. Obey.”KEwBrz
MiZG1…Just like that?1pa6
RmXhrGIt didn’t make much sense, but Lucian’s overly confident attitude only added to the soldiers’ confusion.yZg700
VJuzBesides, it was true that when a territorial war was lost, the lord would change, so it wasn’t easy to refute either.DLc
9Za05After hesitating for quite a while, the soldiers cautiously stepped forward and began tying up Norvek.ZyOkF8o
00KFsL“He’s tied up.”gR4
GK2M“Good. Then let’s go to Asagrim. Relay my orders to the decurions of each unit.”qGlP
xtvK2“Y-yes.”OGz
XP5dmThough they obeyed, the soldiers wore doubtful expressions, as if still unsure whether this was really the right thing to do.Z3JPJB
Iwycp6pThen again, that wasn’t such a bad thing. Keeping Calix’s soldiers under his command meant they would now be treated as allies.fGg
vGDThey wouldn’t be hunted down like defeated troops or receive humiliating treatment.OeBp
IyKIn a way, it was the most peaceful resolution possible.bhZ
SL4cR“And you all, what do you plan to do now?”XkuYCBK
RINfXM“…”vDMn7z
k6DLucian looked at the knights, who seemed half out of it. Unable to accept the situation unfolding before their eyes, the three still hadn’t reacted.CaA3U
cOX8HO0After a while, one of the younger knights managed to open his mouth and asked, stammering.9j5ruBu
QUpq60z“W-what do you want us to do…?”WR8Jd
cIDAXAt the foolish question, Lucian let out a dry laugh.eCS2dOG
n2fntUN“Does what I want matter more than your own convictions? What a rotten mind for someone who calls himself a knight.”9ibVA1
GOW2tjU“…!”mBv
IeD1ix“If you call yourself a knight, act like one. That’s all I have to say.”JyOote
9lt0MAt the cold reply, the knight shut his mouth, his face burning with shame.7LPMIk4
0QHlL5YAs the silence dragged on, one of the middle-aged knights unsheathed his sword.nWNVET
aDrqk“Draw yours.”Z5yo
uQ0My“You plan to die here?”mkvx
707xM“Is there another way?”isJcS
wD4Dm8A knight’s oath of loyalty is something that, once sworn, cannot be taken back.2xAjEJ
AKQhJfAs long as Norvek continued to resist, the knights who had sworn loyalty to him had to fight to the end—even if that end was death.KwhyMg
juK“I’m simply fulfilling my duty as a knight. And you wouldn’t want to see us begging for our lives either.”JfEqZ
Tz4Lucian answered those words with a slight smile. Unlike soldiers, who could change lords whenever, knights were bound by their oaths.q8hkLN
GpLZThe moment they betrayed that oath, they ceased to be knights. Lucian had no intention of accepting half-hearted individuals as subordinates.aSUunX5
bRS5T“Come. I may not be able to finish it as cleanly as Felicia, but I’ll try to send you off without too much pain.”wo9BS
aJza“How arrogant. Are you confusing your vassal’s skill with your own?”XBhP
AteLMy4“That’s not something someone who hasn’t moved even once so far should say.”PAk6n
BH2sOxKIf during the duels he had managed to take down Felicia, it would have been worth it, even if several died.1myON
iWsQDJwWith a minimum of skill, they should’ve stepped up at least to wear her down.AXhxBs
LB6v7But until now, he had stayed on the sidelines. In Norvek’s eyes, that only meant he didn’t even reach the bare minimum to be sent out.usk
i1q“My name is Lucian Grimaldi Valdeck. The one who defeated Harald, the Wolf Hunter. If you have any name worth mentioning, say it now.”wH28I
QVVPVo“…If I had one, I would’ve said it long ago. In the end, you come poking at wounds.”Ibyc30
AZHThe middle-aged knight murmured bitterly as he took his stance. It was steady, but no special aura could be sensed.zSISnOc
2BvrIt didn’t seem like he was hiding it—his level simply wasn’t high enough to emit one.UGMRcIS
4OXLucian spoke to the knight, who looked at him without a hint of fear.cIJCAT
TTR“Even so, you truly are a knight.”K0Qob9
gfqmcYSThe knight responded with a bitter smile.JQfx9X
7tXwKX“I always have been.”fqEtnh
pkDu6***Mt2J
N7aSSwish!8ge1
VmqLucian shook the blood from his sword onto the ground.QsGbuX6
YJ9HSsRJust as he expected, the skills of the three remaining knights weren’t much, so he was able to bring them down without difficulty.nAMLj
vbNTUaAfter finishing off the stragglers as well, Lucian called for Gareth, the commander of the Blue Rose Knights.yz0r542
oVUSbrb“Sir Gareth, take the order and seize the territories Calix once occupied.”onP0
QA8“Just us? Without support from other troops?”crHqB
BijEEGareth replied with some discomfort.gY9v
GFC3HxHe trusted in their strength, but still, launching a siege with only a knightly order was excessive. Sensing his concern, Lucian smiled and added.54TYvB
dDhqrda“There won’t be any fighting. That old man likely came here to face me without even leaving behind a minimum security force. Just go and plant the flag.”E5223g
hSXj“And what if the citizens, terrified, don’t open the gates?”CeXHJ
XngA6“Take some of the knights’ heads lying around and show them. Once they understand it’s all over, they’ll open up whether they want to or not.”GnovRmQ
3KpMy“Understood.”wRiJu
UH6MsThough he answered promptly, Gareth’s expression still held subtle unease.JSkyCm
sP3dIt was understandable—Lucian had just turned seventeen.jEHq
9POpPZHe’d barely have any experience in war, yet he spoke as if he fully understood the state of the newly conquered territories.oQ4xU
ON7y7u4It seemed like the great victory had inflated his confidence too much.W4Y
uGmZcd“Well, once you go, you’ll see for yourself.”NkM
7P0fDzfLucian said with a wry smile, realizing what Gareth was thinking.caL
DeS17eThe doubt was natural, but in truth, it all came from the experience of his past life.CehB
RkN8In chaotic times, when rulers were cornered, they would often throw all their forces into battle without thinking of the consequences.DXSuiO
frP8YoWHowever, by the time it came to that, the outcome was already decided—and what followed was always the same.qoYt
z6Kpad5‘The citizens can still be managed, but the problem is the administrators. Once word spreads that Norvek was captured, they’ll try to flee in secret. They must be caught first.’DEg
FdiwDjQLucian had no intention of punishing the officials who worked under Calix.KnT1ay
0sKOn the contrary, administrators were what he needed most to govern the conquered lands—population records, tax collection, troop maintenance, average harvests, goods production—if the people managing that vanished, he’d have to waste enormous resources recreating everything from scratch.5ppjoF
vVpZG‘The problem is that they flee too often. As soon as they lose a war, they grab all the money they’ve hoarded and disappear.’cLTmb0n
Wj9xdBIt wasn’t hard to understand.fvcM6Bx
gLrULooting by unruly soldiers or massacres by incompetent conquerors weren’t rare. But, regardless of whether he understood it, their escape was a huge loss to Lucian.uxxorwU
5gtLFThat’s why he needed to send the knight order first—to detain the administrators before the outcome of the war became widely known.6iPWOA
f7zJX9‘If there’s no chaos, they won’t even dare to run. Once the occupation is complete, there’ll be no need to pressure them—they’ll stay put on their own.’cpi
QwyUGLucian turned his eyes away from the departing Blue Rose Order.XPfRxS2
NgdQThere were no more enemies left. Only soldiers who once served Calix, and others who had always belonged to Grimaldi. Now, commanding all of them, Lucian gave the order.qGNyyc
rVr“We’re returning to Asagrim.”Joq
2cZQ7PIt was time to announce victory to those who had waited.bRakM
UWRM***pPF61
gwuEcvUpon arriving in Asagrim, the soldiers who once served Calix began murmuring all at once. It wasn’t fear—but astonishment and admiration.aeFs1Pm
NpwnYeM“Incredible, there really are people living in Asagrim!”6HBr
0T6“I heard a rumor the lord had changed, but it was true?”9F2
Abv“Then… can we move here too?”KzgKg1
kEKni“Although… moving to a place without even a tavern is kinda…”9Tb8D
XgmkJD“Idiot! You think the tavern is the problem now? Do you even know where you are?”U7Y
Nx4n“Just buying a house here will make it worth a thousand times more in a few years!”FpG5H
EEL27ALucian smiled in satisfaction as he listened.QFDY5DN
ZJqo8cIt was precisely that reaction he’d expected by bringing the soldiers here.yCwVI4X
u93XW‘Just as I thought. If I let them tour the place and then send them back, they’ll come on their own.’bixIWe
4F4No matter how many rewards were promised, forced relocation always created resistance.HeS8lFI
15nZiThe ideal was for the citizens to choose to move voluntarily, without needing orders.rm4bGw
b2Rk5SAnd Asagrim—considered sacred land in the North—had enough fame to attract more than enough people.8uF
XBPcd0‘Some will only come to stay a while and resell at a higher price later, but as long as the population increases, that’s fine. The population has to grow first for trade to activate.’SDnAE
3wEFor merchants, population equals number of consumers. The higher the population, the more trade; more trade means more comfort, and that comfort brings even more people.q7Mh
eijoDqPart of the profit would, naturally, become tax revenue.Bnq7r
R56fhl“Wait here a moment.”gkqPeU
VfcLucian left the soldiers outside the citadel and sent for Lothier, who was staying in the White Palace.fcS0dS9
G8sNsThe former commander of Asagrim’s garrison appeared with a triumphant look.FLVeXWd
0joBop2“So, you’ve finally decided to accept my deal.”GFdmUFM
DyFrJxM“No. The deal’s off. Instead, get to work.”E65sS3
sghK“What?”UZW4f4A
15plGQ“There are soldiers from outside waiting. Asagrim seems to have impressed them quite a bit. Since the former garrison members know this place well, guide them and show them the city.”KUS9uH
lKKLothier blinked. Was he being asked to act as a tour guide? And not for nobles, but ordinary soldiers?WPX
8g0kV“Your Highness, I think you’re mistaken. We are not your vassals.”HVSkFC
izlYVs“I know. We have no relationship. If you think about it, you’re more like a freeloading parasite, and I’m a rather generous landlord.”0ZGCt
cITjnuAt Lothier’s direct complaint, Lucian responded with an even sharper retort. Seeing Lothier open and close his mouth in speechlessness, Lucian continued.fZStTsb
38tO“So this isn’t an order, but a request. And since I’m making it politely, I trust you’ll accept.”kQzWJQK
8nrw9“And if I refuse?”loTw9
AVx“What would I do? Nothing. It would just become clear that you’re a parasite living without working, who won’t even grant a simple request from the property owner.”tt1qWYB
ZHkyCk“…”yWef6
DvRw“And we don’t have food for freeloaders. If you won’t accept even such a simple task, you’ll have to leave.”xp4x
mrV57saLothier wanted to argue, but ended up lowering his head. It was humiliating, but he was still living in Asagrim thanks to Lucian’s generosity.EWsh
uYM3M‘If I say I’ll pay rent and he demands the money, I won’t even have enough to get back to the capital.’d0Laj
i0ryqRealizing this wasn’t the time to let pride get in the way, Lothier murmured with a defeated expression.unmlV
0TB3JYf“…What exactly do you want?”iRwDF
TUWdP“I already said. Guide the soldiers outside around Asagrim. Show them the nicest places to live.”NT3oYmJ
ymu7cq“And if I try my best, but the reaction still isn’t good?”o0PkecA
xZgkQ“What would happen?”Pz6
EXUzLucian smiled faintly.JddyWx
jhdz80“Starting tomorrow, your meals will get worse. Someone who doesn’t do their job doesn’t need a full portion.”LlwE3Sh
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