Chapter 73: Isabella
fDgsGbSeveral days later, a Dragon Spawn from Lorga’s side arrived.m9E
uO6“Greetings. I am Isabella Lorga, assigned here by appointment. Starting today, I will work at Castle Valdrova as an administrator.”Vb7v
cazHwAs befitted a descendant of Lorga, the pair of horns protruding from her forehead were rounded and not threatening at all.Swpp5
qXbZRMqHer sharp eyes and disciplined movements made her look like a strict supervisor at a glance.ttA
frax7gHe had heard that a Spawn would arrive, but there was one incorrect part in the documents.qJT
wEPo30“I heard about this, but they told me the one coming would be a Spawn named Yuria.”1akgZY6
77pnui“I took Yuria’s place of my own will. You may rest assured, as Leader Erika’s chief secretary, I dare say my capabilities are far superior to Yuria’s. Within the tower they call me the merciless secretary.”bwVi
8lo3gIsabella adjusted her glasses while adopting a solemn expression.bvEZ
R8bixcIt was obvious she had great confidence in herself, though there was no way to know whether she was truly that competent.4D6ey
MnsTJzAfter all, Perda already knew the pride of the Dragon Spawn well.Lgo
q3X“Very well, understood.”TmW
xYrnAN“The alliance declaration ceremony will be held in one week. It will be carried out with documents personally signed by Lord Blancaros and will be announced throughout the continent of Serdes. Do you have any questions?”586T
yCQS“I already received a written explanation from Leader Erika, so I do not have too many doubts.”Ra8Eu
aViwknP“Understood. Please review the contents of the alliance agreement intended for our leader and place the seal here.”CMo
RAzSince they were important documents, Perda reviewed every word before placing the official seal.Xa5AdF
Wo9bMmIt seemed finished, but another document appeared before him.h3xD
B6Uzt“This is the authority consent required to act as administrator. Here, judicial and tax collection authority are delegated to me, as well as the right to make decisions when it becomes necessary to subcontract administrative matters and…”gpi
zFMIn summary, the contents were simple.dGvc1UC
BKLPerda would personally handle approval of important matters such as tax collection, law enforcement, or diplomacy, while Isabella would directly manage minor matters, small disputes, and the supervision system for tax collectors.A9I7
jOXq“We have finished all delegation documents.”7O78p
Ae9“That’s all?”ZUkh8Z
Bjzdn“Now the important part begins. We must carefully review the security levels within the castle. Except for resident personnel, all temporary workers and people without rank will be expelled. And furthermore…”bfXCkV
hF6MKAfter that, they spoke about the castle’s internal administration.dv0D
h0qhpAIsabella analyzed the changes Perda had implemented after speaking with Morida, fluently explaining how they would function in practice and convincing him through arguments of efficiency and appearance.Ui2rH
SP6wVAs the discussion about administration was ending, Isabella discreetly looked out the window.4u4FWzq
HYF2What stretched below was a silent forest without the sounds of beasts.24QcR
Gkv7H“I had heard rumors, but it seems there truly is no city beneath Castle Valdrova.”bAD3
30Ov“They say it is too harsh for civilians to live here.”j9Ee
t8hyE3“Where do you intend to house the adventurers?”0W6rs7
QFuGBNK“Wouldn’t Count Consilus’s territory be enough?”PbXX
SvBQh“That is not a good idea.”fuN19Ao
VqkaYuIsabella answered coldly.GWCP7X
d0U9“To form the power of a nation, the priority is neither capital nor food, but population. We must begin designing a city around this place so we can house adventurers.”XmUFnuh
Y0dx5“I have the impression that you are ignoring the fact that it is difficult for civilians to live near here.”VH0
pqEJp“That would be true if there were no specialists capable of using magic. I will request that Blue Eye send mages responsible for maintaining the magic formations. Of course, that will be under a contract concept, so I will prepare a budget to form a magic squad and submit it for approval. If we eliminate the fear caused by Dragon Fear, this city would have nothing to envy a capital.”iYl
V8Gf9A capital…?1E1
EOtmOlivia Arken had said something similar.D3OyxJ
bCBShe wished for this place to become a second capital.XSeQnS
xSy3xhIt would happen someday, but wasn’t it too soon?4qwzLhi
TV0u2wC“And the pressure from the Empire?”AanXXqp
h3CKL0“That is like being afraid of worms and therefore not making soybean paste. They will not be able to act recklessly. Adventurers will begin gathering in the Demon Land, and that concentration will naturally form a city. If they attempt to block it under the pretext of the eastern conquest, Lorga’s side will show its opposition.”mZeUch
I0NUntil now, the Empire had viewed Valdrova as little more than a watchdog.Kvvqea
nzm2BYBut Lorga was a group of mages with influence across the entire continent.aQa
QOa30XfPerda felt satisfied knowing they would truly support them.3jA
FnMWQ7“We must also contact commercial companies. You already managed to attract one, correct? The Pascal Trading Company.”09spzO2
v7zLPBp“Correct.”QXm
T7d“One large company alone is not enough. Even if we cannot attract merchants from the west, we must actively encourage trade with the north and south.”5md6
7XYo9by“Then I will have to speak with Stephan.”itvA
gB5xx3Y“I will handle that as administrator. We will also be able to reach satisfactory agreements with the Pascal Trading Company.”uHOn
cxqxYd“Do it.”BYDnMj
5NCAfter that, more and more topics continued appearing.WfUwn
QIpFRoad restructuring, investment funds, donations, urban planning strategies.BMc4dc
7stl7vPerda believed he had studied quite a bit, but before Isabella he was nothing more than a drop in the ocean.TpsMqbx
Y8o2HaShe proposed new ideas fluently, linking strategy after strategy and making perfect use of the resources Perda already possessed.jrNWwS
6Pl‘She certainly deserves to be called chief secretary.’Dad
QhaUShe did not use sophisticated wordplay, instead summarizing only the essentials and conveying only what was necessary.3UPdMU
uzUSWEDShe was firm with important matters and flexible with trivial ones, always emphasizing pragmatism.s63orWt
BWDW1z‘I thought I would receive a chicken as a substitute, but a phoenix ended up arriving.’XGy7
qcfShe was definitely a competent person.U555Kgo
Wfk33So competent that it was even frightening.jW7FUe
wNQ5O31‘Why would someone like her come to this castle?’cuHGTJx
FpfJn3mThat was what intrigued Perda.do7QPRQ
M1EIf the Spawn named Yuria had come, he would have simply thought Erika had sent her.gp6LRK5
sWraJBut Isabella had volunteered herself.QfQE08
8GVyJBLorga’s descendants were Dragon Spawn.c4xsxH0
1bmgK8And all of them shared an absolute pride based on the idea that they were different beings.QBQEFk
mUyKLpEspecially the pride they felt for Blue Eye, the tower created by Lorga, was enormous, so they hated leaving the tower.GDs
n9C7CBeing sent to Castle Valdrova was practically exile.2Ws3W2o
tkMBrvAThen why would such a talented secretary willingly come to a place like this?9saYY
ML7nRYZWhile he was thinking that, Isabella organized the scattered documents.a8q0lDa
DSp“For now, we will leave the general summary here and create the roadmap together later. We will finish today’s work lightly. Good work.”FT8
VzMW2Mk“Yes, good work.”iKJqE83
WiL4X7d“May I ask a question?”G3PPtp
JtoFIsabella asked with a solemn expression.sKsVZrG
MaXjr“Does the regent enjoy drinking alcohol?”mvZ
qq0“I do not touch it.”Zdl
AtYuGVqPerda answered bluntly, and Isabella’s body trembled slightly.qCz
bJcaa3The woman who had spoken so fluently showed signs of confusion.2ORrqrm
tJ0T“I should have confirmed this earlier… Is there perhaps a complete prohibition on alcohol in this castle?”kCkUwhh
yTDvc7F“It is not that. I simply do not drink.”3INLR
fHE“I see. Understood.”bKLL8
CFQMEHer expression immediately showed relief.pTwM
TFPr4uFor some reason, that reaction irritated Perda, and he ended up asking her.drQ
SpeUXH“You like drinking?”w6DMkw
Q04STP“Only a little. Alcohol after work is something very special.”s2fB
DX2“Hmm, I see.”jYNoV
OOoDEven if they were different races, a mage was still a mage.jZS8
IX3X0rA mage’s friends were alcohol and women.MRMQb
E2ucep4Even if one had both, nobody would say anything, so having only one was perfectly tolerable.5ui8kF
3oFKnock knock.9W3B
7bMSTzbSomeone knocked on the door and entered the office.p7vms
gPUcIt was a girl in a maid uniform, Ruri.MJ9mmoE
asqPoN5“Lord Perda, in front of the castle gates… Hm?”8gE
KVLXgShe had entered to speak about something, but upon discovering Isabella, her attention was absorbed by her.HDNR
ipImW“So you are the person sent this time to assist Lady Valdrova.”Frg
XbWglCdRuri frowned as she walked toward Isabella.JLzD
rfeVYdWhen they were about three steps apart, the height difference between them became obvious at a glance.bZpQpkk
FxEchTEven so, Ruri was not intimidated and directly launched a battle of presence.4T3hTAm
l7T1v“As today is your first day here, I will make this clear. The person who has served this castle the longest is me. If you move or replace anything without my consent, you will not be able to avoid conflict.”AHw
AhcThe atmosphere was truly serious.5II9T
fsbA7If someone touched her things, she seemed ready to start a war.kYhJy
ldsThough to Perda, it looked different.hd2d
2f9N‘She looks like a dog marking territory.’8GPz
QYEPrejudice was truly terrifying.rfH
bjjkETo him, Ruri looked nothing more than a small chihuahua barking fiercely.ZHrYG
3CMSCIsabella looked down at her.MI7ZD3
2P5Her rational eyes gleamed as she opened her mouth.IXn8Uz9
FFHnJhd“How small and adorable.”eOS
Gqcq1MJ“Huh?”UzqIb
EeEAdjusting her glasses with her middle finger, she spoke coldly, as if what she had just said had been an illusion.wdBpaKb
9JPR“I heard that you, Ruri Silverwind, handle all administrative duties within this castle.”MyBlCm6
7iCG2n“That is correct.”6Oo
g54G“From now on, I will call you Miss Ruri. I confirmed that the level of cleanliness exceeds even the standards of our magic tower. However, the administrative work is one step away from absolute disaster. There are far too many things that do not align with efficiency or practicality.”KfoiwaZ
dLmtS“Worrying about such things does not suit the dignity of a dragon.”mdTa
gRaxH“You will have to worry about them. Among all confirmed dragons, Lady Valdrova possesses the least wealth. To the point of frustrating originally planned budgets.”d5HMe
rI7uWIHRuri’s expression hardened when she heard that Valdrova possessed little wealth, but she could not refute it.JWIqNwS
FAxN1DAfter all, Valdrova had always lived without any interest in rare treasures.mFtnL2
ppGvT“Then do you have some complaint?”0mQ
iFdrdT“It is not a complaint. I am only saying that proper financial administration is necessary.”QyXol
JoDkReX“……”fu2CC0W
DbH7c“There will be changes within the castle due to the administrative reorganization, but before that, I will personally come to ask for your permission, Miss Ruri. Does proceeding that way sound acceptable to you?”fbxo
nEi“As long as you do that, I have no objections.”3Pc0wR3
l4qEE“Understood. Then I will take my leave for today. We will meet again tomorrow, Regent Perda.”ZQMStrh
Tlb“Very well.”KV7GZ
0HhR1PThe sound of her shoes echoed across the marble floor.QZ8QQQ2
5moZJust as befitted the chief secretary of Lorga, a magic tower filled with refinement, she departed with elegant steps.bfu
bLLcoK0Ruri watched her back while showing an expression full of displeasure.yfmr
v4dN9o“I do not like that woman.”p4EV
UyXM“Are you jealous?”Mguoo
ebJV“No. Why would I feel jealous of those aquatic lizards? I simply dislike her.”8qq
N6UWhen Isabella looked at her, Ruri had felt a strange sensation.lGWp
Mnom3Even though she had clearly won, it did not feel like she had truly won.gBTif7D
6feWC9BIt was all because of the unpleasant feeling behind that gaze hidden behind the glasses.tZe3lf
vEm74LfOf course, Perda was not interested in that.8Q0anbl
ddfu6He only thought she was jealous.W2kB
Q7F“Then did you come to mark your territory?”znX1GOk
xdr6“Do not compare me to a stray dog wandering around the neighborhood. Rector Escolea has come to see you.”lPUPggS
QbYDzNRector Escolea.3yA
6A61YAs a reward for saving his life, he was supposed to hand over the blueprints for the demon appearance prediction device.cv53k2
6aVZ5Many things had happened, and Perda had not wanted to pressure him, but it seemed the man had not forgotten.vyl
EjCr1t“He must have come from very far away, so receive him properly first. Tell him I will see him in two hours.”QJy
nHhA“Understood.”Vsdo
oEyRzkRuri left like that.BN7UlP
ottJAlthough he wanted to take a short break, there was also another pending matter.ie4
dBRGHSMA crystal sphere rested on Perda’s desk.dumVpT
Bzh4The sphere, engraved with communication magic, was blinking.vfilh
juS7That meant someone was trying to contact him.dDmA3u
5tiPgPerda placed his hand on the crystal and accepted the transmission.M4ViX
f8doI— Hello, Regent Perda.bhR
SJHhIt was Erika Lorga.Jkdyu
AbwDaih“Yes, Leader Lorga.”g4q
v0aG6sh— You are not going to cut the transmission this time, are you?izeFqX
hCYWDuv“If that is what you wish, I can cut it right now.”b6JSx
rTdnTE— Do not be so cold. After all, we will soon become allies, will we not? I received the documents confirming the alliance agreement.E3KV
5rSohF“Did you contact me only for that?”Zuv3
xZws— Let us say it is also an excuse. The one who went was not Yuria, correct?c7ok
1G3tNt“Yes. She said her name was Isabella.”ZsQU
hrL2vZ— Yes, that is correct. What do you think? If you do not like her or something like that, I can send Yuria again.uyNBQsy
GHP5MFor some reason, that sounded as though she wanted to take back her chief secretary, and Perda immediately felt rejection.6mN8
AfkC“That will not be necessary. I think she is exactly the kind of competent person we needed.”XgzdC4
y1Wsm— Yes, she does her work very well. After all, she is my chief secretary. She is so interested in administrative practice that she even secretly went to Escolea under a false identity and earned a doctorate. But…1e30xl
4uFwLgShe let out a long sigh.MTs14RO
ArLrUD“Is there some problem?”GD6b
QItE1Ef— No. It is better to leave that subject alone. It would be better if you discover it little by little. That girl is not bad or anything similar.Uggpnh
fHiZwM6Because at work she is perfect.6csYDLw
cvi86ooPrecisely because she muttered something like that, it only awakened even more curiosity.STR
4VEx2What kind of problem could that woman have?hPfo2Z
knCNShe was surely the type who was troublesome personally but flawless at work.dui4
Lorve— Just as I said, the official announcement will be in one week. You will have plenty of time, so prepare well.xm0fl
0dIxw“Understood.”jvl
HwO— Then, for the sake of our alliance, I hope we continue staying in frequent contact.hWE
wzcnaiPWith a voice that sounded as though she were smiling, Erika cut the transmission.jA56fl
cbJSv‘The announcement will be in one week…’HqqwQ
IQa9They said starting was half the work.wOohg
8w3pdVPerda could already foresee mountains of documents.Ktt
7SYIt would be troublesome, but it was not bad.toqCE
OOzBecause all of this was also for Valdrova.ELszU
3dJ1KA4Perda looked outside.EMn
Zl9For now, there was only a forest densely covered with trees.cfLgxN
NXQdkxBut someday it would be filled with buildings and people.vwdbfrZ
o0BIJBGThe streets would overflow with crowds and carriages constantly moving, and everyone would sing Valdrova’s name while praising her.oxt
Wq1That was why Perda would endure this suffering.blIN
lge7For his one and only fiancée.pGD0W
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Haimiya_cutie.
Body IntegrationTo me this new girl look kind of sus I also feel like she will cause some trouble in future.