Eugene left Baron Beogalanâs castle after receiving everything he was due, including a certificate to prove his lordship. Baron Beogalan promised to send another document with the seals of the nearby nobles within fifteen days to a branch of the Palin Association. According to Baron Beogalan, it wasnât that difficult since his family shared close relationships with many nobles as a family with a long history in the region.
âHuh!? What is this? Ah! Monster byproducts!? Wonderful one, turnip two, thunderous three, fabulous four⊠Thereâs so much that I canât possibly count them all! Iâm rich now! Rich! Kieeeeekk!â
The spirit of desire shouted with excitement and joy, attempting to comprehend the number of materials gained using a strange system of counting. Eugene felt satisfied as well.
Although he would have to share the loot with the Palin Association, he would still earn a great sum of money. It was equivalent to what he could earn from participating in five or six regular subjugations.
It was all thanks to the mana stone and the materials gained from the wyvern, a high-ranking monster.
âThe materials gained from the wyvern are so precious?â
âOf course. Although a few roamers have been killed in the past, thereâs no record of a wyvern being killed in an evil land. By the way, since you promised to give me a part of the inner skin of the wings and the tailâŠ" Romari answered Eugeneâs question. She had been grinning nonstop while stealing glances at the wyvernâs by-products, which had been separately loaded into the carriage.
âWell, even though you did not contribute very much, a promise is a promise. You can have it.â
âThank you! Although I might not have been of much help this time, I promise I will do my best in the future!â
Romari was greatly moved. The materials gained from a high-ranking monster were precious enough for any wizards to drool over. A wyvernâs materials were even more rare and special, and Romari had been wanting to obtain them at any cost for her goal of producing chimeras.
âKilling the wyvern was only natural. But I didnât expect you to become a lord through the subjugation. This is quite ridiculous. Master, was this your intent all along?â
âOf course not. Things just turned out this way. Well, itâs not bad though.â Eugene shrugged in response.
Galfredik burst into laughter. âPuha! Not bad? I wouldnât have believed it if I had not seen it with my own eyes. Any knight would be shocked to death if they heard the story, both free and territorial knights alike.â
âIs that so?â
âKukaka!â
Galfredik could not hold his laughter after seeing Eugeneâs calm attitude. His master had saved him and provided him with a new life. And now, his master was about to become a lord.
He knew it was within the realm of possibility when they first met, but he never imagined that it would come true in just a few months.
âHehe. Iâm sure more fun and interesting things are waiting for us down the road, right? Iâm really looking forward to this.â
âI thought you wanted to succeed and advance in your life?â
âThis is what success is. Iâm still young, so why would I want to trap myself as a territorial knight and fatten myself with riches? A real knight should chase honor in battles.â
âI see. Now that you mention it, how old are you?â
âHuh? Did I never mention it before? Iâm twenty-four.â
âT-thatâs obviously a lie.â Romari expressed her shock and disbelief from the side.
Galfredik frowned in response. âMiss Romari? Whatâs with that reaction?â
âAh, I apologize. I thought you were at least thirty-four.â
âWhat? What about me that looks over thirty?â
âEverything. Everything from your head to your toes.â
âYou clearly donât have an eye for men. Well, it makes sense that you donât have any experience with men with that figure. Even my grandma didnât look bad.â
âKeup!â
Luke hurriedly covered his mouth and suppressed a laugh while turning away. Simultaneously, Romariâs face turned beet red.
âAre you comparing your grandmother andâŠâ
âMy grandmother was strict, but she used to play with me. She died just before I became a knightâs aide. I miss her.â
ââŠ..!â
Galfredik turned his eyes to the sky. He had a face full of sorrow, and Romariâs eyes quivered. She couldnât possibly get mad at him when he was referring to a deceased family memberâŠ
âWell, I guess ten years is a long life for a dog. Ah, I remember how she used to bite me when she was young. But it stopped as she got older, probably because she lacked the energy.â
ââŠDog? Are you talking about the animal?â
âYeah. A female dog we used to raise in the past. Her name was Tallulah.â[1]
âWhat bullshit are youâŠâ
âSir Eugene!â
Their conversation came to a halt when the scouts returned.
âWhatâs going on?â
âA group of men has occupied Roban Village.â
Roban was a small village that Eugene had passed through on his way to the Beogalan Barony. Just like Paranan and Mintan, it had been liberated thanks to Eugene.
âIt seems a bunch of nobodies has crawled in since the owner was nowhere in sight. Master, everywhere except Mintan and Parana are probably in a mess. What do you think? Should we stop by and clean up the villages on our way back? We need to stop by to procure food anyways.â
âAll right.â
Eugene took Galfredikâs advice and gave orders to the three squad leaders. For the next five days, merciless massacres took place in all the villages located between the Beogalan Barony and Moffern.
***
âWhat? Recognize a territory with the Mino River as its boundary? Is this guy out of his mind?â
Lord Feedren frowned while looking over a letter delivered from Baron Beogalan. As was the case with most nobles, the Feedren family had blood ties with the Beogalan Barony from a long time ago.
Although the current situation in Carls Baggins was rather chaotic, or rather, because the situation in the peninsula was chaotic, the nobles were more cooperative with each other. However, it was difficult to simply agree to a request to recognize land, more specifically, the area located right next to the Feedren territory, as someone elseâs territory.
âJan Eugene? Why is he asking me this all of a sudden? Is that his illegitimate son or something? HmphâŠâ
Lord Feedren clicked his tongue before continuing to read the letter. He had the intention of politely refusing the request.
But thenâŠ
âKilled more than two hundred monsters in the Philia Ruins? And the wyvern⊠Wyvern!?â
Lord Feedren kicked off his seat with shock.
âHe has forty well-armed, well-organized troops and another knight under his command as well? And their number might increase in the future? WhatâŠ?â
The hands holding the letter started to tremble. There was no reason for Baron Beogalan to exaggerate the matter or to lie since it would become known in the future anyway. According to the contents of the letter, a knight capable of hunting a troll and a wyvern wanted to establish his territory with enough elite soldiers to burn down a small territory.
âThat means, picking a fight while using legitimacy as an excuse⊠would be a horrible idea. If they happen to invade, then it will be all over.â
Lord Feedren instinctively stopped himself. Since he himself was a knight, he knew very well that thirty soldiers in leather armor could never rival elite soldiers.
Perhaps he could stand a chance if he hired mercenaries, but he couldnât afford to keep mercenaries without knowing when the enemy would launch an attack. It would simply exhaust his finances within a month.
âThis is quite an exceptional event.â
Lord Feedren felt his heart pounding as he finished the letter. The moment he laid his eyes on the last line, his face filled with an even bigger shock.
âWhat? Heâs most likely going to be sworn in by His Excellency Winslon!?â
His mind went blank for a moment. Winslon was a noble among nobles, and his enormous territory was no different from a small kingdom. Lord Feedren quickly came to his senses and shouted while holding up a piece of parchment that was delivered to him with the letter.
âInk! Bring me ink! Bring the seal as well! Quickly!â
It wasnât wise to invite a strong neighbor, but things were different this time around. The least he could do was to avoid offending the knight, even if he couldnât welcome him.
Moreover, Baron Beogalan was the only lord in possession of an evil land in the vicinity, and he possessed the highest status. If the newcomer was a knight recognized by Baron Beogalan, then it was even more important to avoid offending him.
âA knight of Count Winslon⊠This is not the time to stay still.â
Although Baron Beogalan had mentioned it as simply a possibility, Lord Feedren accepted it as a fact. He was in a rush. Such surprising news was better shared with as many people as possible, so he wrote similar letters before sending them to nobles close to him.
The matters regarding the Philia Ruins subjugation continued to proceed in a manner that Eugene had never expected.
***
âS-sir. This isâŠâ
The branch manager of Moffern was stunned speechless after witnessing five carriages filled to the brim with monster by-products.
However, that wasnât the only thing he was surprised by.
âExcuse me, sir, who are all those people?â
âThey are my new subordinates. I came across them by chance. What, is there a problem?â
âNo! Of course not. Ah, then Veron is alsoâŠâ
âThey want to follow me.â
âI see. Congratulations, sir.â
He was shocked out of his mind, but the branch manager quickly grasped the situation like a merchant would and bowed his head. It was a pity to lose a competent mercenary group like Veronâs, but the branch manager was smart enough to realize that Eugene would bring him dozens of times more profit.
âBy the way, I would like to return to Maren as soon as possible.â
âI will find you a ship so that you can leave within three days.â
âThank you.â
âSince you have more troops, it would be better to rent an entire inn for the accommodation, what do you think?â
âHmm. And what about the cost?â
Eugene was obviously intending on paying for the accommodation. However, he frowned slightly as he spoke, since it would be rather unfortunate to be forced to spend such a large sum. But the branch manager misunderstood Eugeneâs words and actions as he quickly shook his head.
âAh, please donât worry about that. Our association will take care of it.â
âHmm? I would be very grateful.â
Eugene readily accepted the offer, thinking that the branch manager of Moffern was as generous and honest as Priscilla. The two werenât as merchant-like and calculating as Eugene had thought.
âThis isnât the first time youâve done something like this, is it? Just what I would expect from someone soon to become a big-shot noble. Your threats are quite natural.â
The branch manager hid his true thoughts with a bright smile.
âOh, please donât mention it. Itâs an honor for me to know an outstanding, honorable knight like Sir Eugene.â
Although the branch manager continued to bootlick him, Eugene was still grateful to him for paying for the accommodation.
Thus, Eugene spoke softly. âI am still very grateful for your generosity. There is actually another matter that I would like your help with.â
The branch manager wondered how the knight was planning to leech off him further. He asked cautiously. âWhat⊠what kind of help would that be?â
âI came to manage the villages and the hamlets on the way to the Beogalan Barony from here. This is what happenedâŠâ
Eugene gave a detailed account of who attacked him and how he handled them on his way to and fro the barony. The branch managerâs expression gradually changed, and as soon as he saw the certificate with Baron Beogalanâs seal, his jaw dropped open.
âD-does that mean Sir Eugene has just become the master of four villages and six hamlets?â
âThings just turned out that way. A parchment with the seals of the nearby lords will be arriving here shortly as well.â
âOh, my! Forgive me for failing to recognize such a distinguished, exalted figure!â
The branch managerâs attitude had been polite originally. However, his attitude intensified even further after hearing Eugeneâs story. He continued to fawn over Eugene while running his mouth. âPlease forgive me for failing to recognize an upcoming lord. Please accept my sincerest apologies, Sir Eugene. If thereâs anything I can do to assist you, I will do it gladly.â
âEven though I became the master of these villages and hamlets, I donât have enough people to manage the land. I was thinking of asking the Moffern branch to have talented people manage the land.â
âOf course, of course. I will definitely find the right people for the position and send them over. I am truly grateful to you for giving us this chance.â
The branch managerâs lips curled up into a huge grin.
He was already grateful that the knight had crushed the associationâs competition by being successful in the Philia Ruins subjugation. But in addition, the knight had also conquered the road to the Beogalan Barony and had stabilized it before eventually becoming the master of a few villages and hamlets!
âThe roads will be safer for travel, and it will be quite profitable to hire mercenaries and collect tolls. Heâs truly blessed by the heavens!â
âThen could I ask to borrow Sir Eugeneâs crest for our branch? I think that would be the best way to let others know that we are acting as Sir Eugeneâs agent when we are traveling or receiving tolls.â
âCrest?â
âYes, yes.â
âI⊠will give it to you before I leave.â
Eugene was slightly taken aback, but he responded naturally. It appeared that he would have to first think about what he wanted his crest to look like.
âYes. Then I will guide you to your accommodation. We will take you to the best place in Moffern.â
The branch manager fawned while inwardly praising himself for thoroughly following Priscillaâs request to cooperate with Eugene as much as possible.
1.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxEAP9Nmdos hereâs the reference if you donât get it. It might be a culture-specific thing. In Korea, the word âTallulahâ is used when someone unwittingly insults someoneâs parents. For example, A & B are having a conversation. A: Look at this new sweater I got. B: Man thatâs such an ugly-ass sweater, it canât even be recycled. A: My mom bought it for me. B: It canât be recycled because itâs so precious, obviously. â