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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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He tried his best to accommodate me, but I declined his offer, explaining that I needed to report the mission’s completion and that House Lineta was currently very busy.
I did, however, wait until he received the report from the front lines, and once my claims were verified, he couldn’t hold me back any longer.
When I returned to Lineta, the crown prince had already departed.
Naturally, Councilor Adias and Untinia had also returned to their homeland.
Prina greeted me with a bright smile, and immediately thanked me.
“I thought it was an unreasonable request… Thank you for fulfilling it.”
“It was a bit troublesome, but not too difficult. Since Doriem agreed as well, they won’t complain about me bringing back some of their people.”
“They wouldn’t dare complain, even if they had any objections. Not with you here.”
I simply shrugged at Prina’s words.
“Oh, and I’ve sent a messenger with the information you obtained from the bishop, along with a report on the situation.”
“What happened to the bishop?”
“The Earth Mother Religion requested custody, but they asked me to inquire if you were willing to hand him over since he’s your prisoner.”
“I understand their sentiment, but I have use for him, so please inform them I must decline.”
As expected, the Earth Mother Religion’s hatred for the Goddess Religion ran deep.
“They’ll be disappointed, but they won’t complain, considering you’ve thwarted one of their schemes.”
It would be strange if they did.
We shared a common enemy. There was no reason for our relationship to sour.
“It’s a relief that a neighboring friendly territory will be stabilized. It would have been truly dangerous if an external conflict arose… Though it’s a shame we can’t hire mercenaries from there.”
The tide of the territorial war had turned decisively in Doriem’s favor.
However, that didn’t mean we could hire mercenaries from them.
They still needed to subjugate the other territories that had allied with Jutus, and their own territory had expanded significantly with their victory.
Naturally, they would need more mercenaries for internal affairs.
Moreover, I had eliminated all of Jutus’ mercenaries.
In this situation, there was no reason for them to seek work elsewhere.
“Hmm, I presume the mercenaries are needed for the Monster Forest?”
“Yes. While we can manage internal security with the knights and soldiers we’re training, Forest Shield is… While not an immediate concern, the crown prince hinted before his departure that we might need the soldiers stationed there.”
I had anticipated this.
However, it was Lineta’s problem to deal with.
My role was to defend against the Barren Lands.
If they needed additional monster corpses in the future, I could…
‘Hmm?’
A thought occurred to me.
If things went well…
“I might be able to assist you with that.”
“Really? How…?”
“With my increased power, I can allocate some of my forces elsewhere. While I can’t completely handle it alone, like the Barren Lands, I can buy you some time and provide support.”
Moreover, it would be just support, so I wouldn’t bear any real responsibility.
“I would be truly grateful, but… what would you require in return?”
“Nothing in particular. Consider it a favor.”
If my plan worked, simply taking on this task would be beneficial.
“Let’s discuss it after observing the situation. The soldiers haven’t been withdrawn yet.”
“Alright.”
In response to her comment about always receiving help, I explained that I was also benefiting from our relationship.
It wasn’t a lie.
While lacking in actual power, their long history as a founding noble house and the royal family’s favor had shielded me from external pressure.
Moreover, Prina had acted as my representative, handling all external affairs, allowing me to focus solely on my growth, which had culminated in my current power.
Of course, I had paid a price for that, and I wasn’t going to blindly serve them.
However, given our established relationship, as long as neither side became overly greedy, we could maintain this mutually beneficial arrangement.
Helping each other when possible, compensating for each other’s shortcomings. That was enough.
‘Though, considering my growth rate, it won’t last forever…’
After the pleasantries, we changed the subject.
“Was everything alright at Desert Shield?”
“Yes.”
Fortunately, it seemed no monsters had crossed over.
Athena and Annelise had already returned to Desert Shield with the villagers and the undead.
Prina had suggested I stay for a day, and I hadn’t refused out of courtesy.
She then suggested I tour the castle, and seeing no harm in it, I readily agreed.
It had been a while since I had properly seen Lineta’s main castle, and it was bustling with activity.
Unlike its previous state of disrepair, it was now fully renovated, and the residents seemed lively.
The training grounds were filled with newly recruited soldiers and aspiring knights undergoing rigorous training.
While observing knight training was usually restricted, I was accompanied by Prina, and I doubted they would have refused even if I had come alone.
I had earned that much recognition.
I spent the day resting and touring the castle with Prina, witnessing the changes and the territory’s promising future.
Prina seemed to remember my initial assessment of the territory and wanted to show me that I had been right.
Honestly, I wasn’t displeased.
After spending the day there, I departed for Desert Shield, seen off by Prina.
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Upon arriving at Desert Shield, everyone greeted me warmly.
When I mentioned we were returning to the Tower, our main base, Thea’s eyes lit up, and she asked,
“Does that mean I can go too?”
“Yes.”
Things were stabilizing, and we would be traveling back and forth regularly.
She would manage the Tower’s affairs and external relations, essentially acting as my representative.
While I would handle important matters, I intended to delegate most tasks to Thea.
‘It’s a manageable scale for Thea.’
Most of my forces consisted of undead, requiring minimal management.
While outwardly large, we were essentially a small, elite force, so it wouldn’t be difficult for Thea to manage alone.
Our relationship with House Lineta was also quite amicable, so most of Thea’s responsibilities would involve trade and negotiations with merchants.
She had gained sufficient experience, we had secured our base, and things were stabilizing, so it was time.
At my confirmation, Thea beamed.
“Finally, I can…!”
‘I should create a proper escort for Thea.’
While I could use Entin, it would be a waste of his abilities once the knight order was complete.
‘I might need him elsewhere.’
Moreover, I intended to select undead with a more… presentable appearance for Thea’s escort.
I had already formulated a plan and anticipated it wouldn’t be too difficult.
Becoming a mage and forging one’s own path meant a deeper understanding of magic and the ability to use it more flexibly.
While it might have been challenging as a mage, as a warlock, I could manipulate the finer details of magic while maintaining its basic structure, so I wasn’t concerned.
I instructed the delighted Thea to prepare for departure, and while she did, Cardinal Connerbine of the Earth Mother Religion, having learned of my arrival, came to see me.
He was very interested in the Goddess Religion bishop I had captured, and upon learning he was my prisoner, offered to “purchase” him.
“I’m sure you won’t mind.”
While he had been kind to me, a subtle madness flickered in his eyes.
I was certain that the Earth Mother Religion and the Goddess Religion could never reconcile.
However, I declined his offer, explaining that I had use for the bishop. While slightly disappointed, he respected my decision.
Despite his hatred, he seemed to recognize me as a benefactor, the one who had revived their faith.
He expressed his regret at my impending departure for the Barren Lands and urged me to visit them whenever I came to Desert Shield.
“I would love to build a small temple in the Barren Lands, but…”
“…That’s a bit…”
Naturally, it was impossible.
No matter how amicable our relationship, demonic energy and divine power were fundamentally incompatible forces.
They would only hinder each other, not benefit.
‘A small clinic might be helpful for others…’
But that was all.
Moreover, I didn’t want to allow any other faction, no matter how friendly, to establish a presence in the Barren Lands, effectively my territory.
While it might seem selfish, it was also a form of self-preservation.
He understood it was an unreasonable request and didn’t press the issue.
After concluding our conversation on good terms, I led my companions back to the Tower.
We encountered no monsters along the way.
We were far too powerful for them to challenge now.
They fled at the sight of us, and we traversed the Barren Lands unhindered, returning to the Tower.
Orie greeted me enthusiastically, and after a brief reunion, inquired about the situation.
We had been communicating regularly via Specters, so she was well-informed.
-Everyone’s fine. They’re defending very well. They’ve almost given up attacking now, focusing more on hunting.
“That much?”
-Yes. The fortress’s defenses, combined with Golun, Baldur, and the zombies you created, are so formidable that they’ve repelled all attacks since you left with ease. There were a few large-scale attacks, but they weren’t a serious threat.
Our main base was even more secure.
If the other two oases were safe, this place, with its superior defenses and forces, was impenetrable.
“That’s good.”
-But your forces seem to have grown considerably?
“They’re spoils of war. I’ve also brought back many corpses, so they’ll grow even more.”
-Excellent news. We’ve accumulated quite a few here as well. This is a good opportunity to expand your forces, befitting your current power.
“Indeed.”
Orie seemed delighted at my response.
-I’m looking forward to it.
As she said, a mountain of monster corpses lay within the Tower.
However, unlike here, she had instructed the other two oases to consume the corpses they acquired.
While they weren’t in any immediate danger, they weren’t as secure as our main base.
It was the right decision, and since I had entrusted her with managing them, I praised her judgment.
Thea was overjoyed at the prospect of living here, and I instructed Athena to show her to her quarters.
‘What does she see in this desolate place?’
While the Tower itself was a magnificent structure, the surrounding landscape, aside from the oasis, was barren. Even Desert Shield was more appealing.
Yet, Thea seemed even happier than when she was at Desert Shield.
‘Is it because of the people, not the environment?’
They had been separated for a long time.
Perhaps she was simply happy to be reunited with her companions.
After resting for a day, I set to work.
I had much to do.
Moreover, I needed to return to Desert Shield to secure Kayla’s knighthood, so I wanted to finish everything quickly.
I first transferred the newly acquired Skeletons and Mummy Priests, along with the captured supplies, to Baldur’s oasis.
Baldur was taken aback by the sudden influx of reinforcements, and I reassigned Annelise to his party, saying,
“I heard you’ve been focusing more on offense recently. If you’re going to do it, do it properly. Take these and expand your territory. Once you’ve cleared the surrounding area… join forces with Golun and begin conquering the Barren Lands.”
“…Conquering, you say.”
“Yes. Eliminate as many of the underground monsters as possible, and if you can, expand to other oases.”
“Are you telling me to kill all the monsters?”
“There’s no need to go that far. It would be too difficult. Just expand your influence from the immediate vicinity of the oases to the entire Barren Lands.”
Completely eradicating all monsters from the Barren Lands would be too tedious and exhausting.
I had no intention of assigning such a task to Baldur.
“I understand. I’ll begin by clearing the surrounding area, as instructed.”
“Good. Work hard.”
“Yes.”
I then sought out Golun and assigned the Draugr and the Bone Golem to him. He seemed particularly fond of the Bone Golem, perhaps because it was smaller than him, but of the same kind. He seemed to feel a sense of kinship.
-Master, you’ve returned?
“Yes.”
-I diligently guarded this place.
“Now, it’s time to attack as well. Just the surrounding area for now. When Baldur comes, join forces and hunt throughout the Barren Lands.”
-An adventure? Are we going on an adventure?
“You can think of it that way. But be sure to follow Baldur’s instructions.”
-Of course! I’ll do my best.
‘There’s still demonic energy left… should I replenish it?’
I also took the opportunity to inspect the walls.
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