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Chapter 87
"Huh?"
"What the... is this?"
They say that when a person is too shocked, their brain stops functioning.
A refreshing sea breeze that wasn’t unpleasant.
The sun shone brightly but wasn’t overwhelming.
The sound of waves crashing against the shore rang in their ears.
The soft, warm sand could be felt beneath their feet.
"Uh… S-Senior? What is this…?"
"Am I dreaming…?"
The dazed individuals soon shook their heads vigorously as they looked up at the strange constellations in the sky.
This isn’t reality!
As if to confirm their thoughts, an interface—something that shouldn’t normally be visible—appeared at the edge of their vision.
The knights aimlessly wandered along the shoreline, beginning to explore their surroundings.
But it wasn’t long before a scream shattered the tense silence.
"Ahhh! Let go of me!"
"Heheheh. Senior Knight, you have to enjoy the upper stream first before you can enjoy the lower stream."
"Argh!!"
A senior knight was grabbed by the arms and legs and lifted as if they were a giant blanket being carried away.
He was passed around among the other knights before being thrown straight into the sea.
"Ugh!!"
SPLASH!!!
"Argh! Pfft! So salty! Why is the water so salty?!"
I heard that seawater is salty like salt?!
Curious and intrigued, someone began pressing the interface displayed in their vision as if exploring it.
Suddenly, a parasol, a sunbed, and a luxurious glass filled with what looked like an exquisite fruit juice appeared next to him.
"Oh… Ohhh."
Everyone's eyes focused on the soldier who had summoned it.
He slowly took a sip of the drink.
Then, he let out a brief gasp of admiration.
"Hey! Hurry up and tell us. How is it?!"
"It tastes like a real drink? I’ve never tasted anything like this before, but…"
"What?! There’s alcohol here too!"
"No way, I have to try it too!"
With that, the guards' eyes sparkled with excitement.
They didn’t know what was going on, but they were all desperate for entertainment.
And now, they found themselves in a place that seemed filled with things to enjoy.
They had played in the water before, but an ocean stretching endlessly to the horizon was a first.
Excited cheers erupted as they began exploring like children who had just received new toys.
However, some knights knew they had to stay sharp.
It was impressive, but if they got too caught up in this, they wouldn’t be able to fulfill their duties as guards.
Then—
BEEP!!!
A sudden sound turned their vision black.
At the same time, they shot up from their seats.
What they saw upon regaining their senses was an artifact installation site.
"Gasp?!"
"What the…!"
The illusion had suddenly vanished, and grumbles of dissatisfaction erupted from all directions.
"Come on, I barely got to see anything!"
"What the hell is this…?"
Though they were frustrated, Leon remained calm.
"If a problem arises, just press this button."
Only then did the knights and soldiers realize who had turned off the artifact, their gazes turning sharp.
They clearly wanted to say something but couldn’t—because he was the heir of the noble family.
"If you lose sight of your mission and get lost in indulgence, we won’t be able to provide support."
As he spoke, Leon raised the alarm artifact.
It was a sound that played when monsters in the demon territory exhibited abnormal behavior, signaling the guards to deploy.
And it was the sound they hated the most.
To make matters worse, just as they were about to have fun, this happened…
"Since you all seem to be slacking off, I’ll be confiscating the artifact—"
"No, sir!"
"We’re always ready for deployment!"
The knights clung desperately to Leon’s shoulders.
"Enjoying yourselves is fine, but don’t forget that if you become complacent, the lives of the territory’s citizens will be at risk."
Wasn’t that basically saying that if the monsters hadn't acted strangely, there wouldn’t have been a problem?
Their misplaced anger soon found its target.
"Damn it! Why now of all times?!"
"These damn monsters!!"
"How dare they ruin the mood?!"
With nowhere else to direct their rage, the furious knights and soldiers turned their wrath toward the monsters.
For the next two hours, only the anguished cries of lower-ranked monsters, relentlessly pursued by the enraged knights and soldiers, echoed throughout the demon territory.
* * *
"You should’ve held back a little."
Two weeks after returning from the demon territory, Melissa told me this.
She looked exhausted as she spoke to me, carrying Luna, who was half-asleep, slumped over my back.
"You've become so popular that some knights are actually volunteering to be stationed in the demon territory now. Did you know? Senior knights have been secretly bribing junior knights with gifts to swap shifts, and I caught them."
Oh, I guess it was more effective than I thought.
Indeed, the fact that a team of knights and soldiers had returned over the past two weeks played a huge role.
They enthusiastically shared stories about the convenience facilities they had enjoyed in the demon territory, and after hearing those stories, the other knights went crazy trying to find a way to experience the artifacts for themselves.
"But why is Luna like that?"
"She’s been messing with the artifact non-stop since last night."
To be precise, she had been at it for three days straight, without sleep.
I had only briefly explained how to encode memories into it, yet she was grasping the concept like a massive supercomputer, tinkering away bit by bit.
Even when I asked her what she was making, she wouldn’t answer, so I had no way of knowing.
"I’m just a little worried that this might affect the surveillance duty."
Honestly, I’m more worried that it’s raising the threshold for what stimulates her.
"You did a good job."
Melissa buried her face back into the mountain of documents as she continued organizing them.
“Still, we never know what might happen. Can you make some artifacts for the family?”
At her request, I shook my head.
“I don’t have the materials.”
“You can just buy them.”
“No, I need some large-scale materials. I looked into it, but to secure the quantity needed, I’d have to request a visit to a major merchant guild.”
Cascadia was in the frontier, after all.
Military supplies were delivered regularly, but the materials I needed weren’t related to that at all.
She pondered over my response before nodding.
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Then, she took something out from her arms and handed it to me.
“A seal?”
“Yes. I’ll be away from the territory for a while.”
I maintained my expression at her words.
“Where are you going?”
“A friend from the academy is getting married soon. Can you manage the territory?”
“Ah, of course. No problem.”
She narrowed her eyes at me, as if doubtful of my response.
“I’ll trust you. Just in case, I’ve already applied for a visit to the merchant guild. They should arrive about half a day after I leave.”
With that, she packed up and left the territory with a few knights, escorted by a Death Knight.
Of course, before she left, I secretly cast dozens of defensive and counter-magic spells on her once again.
Now, we had reached the point of no return with the cult.
As I saw her off, Luna, who stood beside me, spoke.
“You can’t hide the joy on your face.”
At her remark, my expression twisted into a grin.
“Hey, do you know what the best thing in the world is?”
“What?”
“Pleasure without responsibility.”
From this moment on, this territory was mine.
I could do whatever I wanted.
Looking at the count’s seal in my hand, I boldly declared,
“First things first—let’s go shopping.”
I had plenty of money, but since it was public funds, I couldn’t spend it recklessly.
Melissa was meticulous and incredibly strict about finances, saving every coin she could.
But now that I had the seal in my hands, there was nothing to fear.
“Luna, tell me anything you want! I’ll buy it all for you!”
“Oh, I like this a lot.”
A plan quickly formed in my head.
I had plenty of things I wanted to build throughout Cascadia.
But first, I’d indulge in just a little selfishness.
“Selfishness?”
“Let’s install a teleportation device.”
The investment cost was high, but it wasn’t impossible.
Authorization?
I was the acting lord of the territory right now—who would stop me?
* * *
Outside the territory, Melissa couldn’t hide her unease.
She was heading to imperial lands.
Even at the fastest pace, it would take at least a few weeks.
“My lady, are you alright?”
“Ah. I’m fine.”
With a grim expression, she couldn’t shake the feeling that Leon was about to cause some trouble.
“Well, we do have plenty of money… A little bit of trouble should be fine, right?”
Leon might get into mischief, but he wasn’t the kind of scum who ruined people’s lives.
No, if anything, he tried to improve them.
He wouldn’t torment the citizens.
—What are you all waiting for? Let’s get started! I’ll even pay you wages! With big bonuses!
—Ugh… Young master, if the Count finds out about this…
—Do you see this seal in my hand? Right now, I am the king of this territory! And anyway, Melissa will take all the responsibility!!
—Woooooo!!!
At the same time, back in Cascadia, chaos was unfolding.
Melissa had no idea.
In any case, thanks to the teleportation device, she quickly reached her destination.
She had arrived at the Berner territory—one of the imperial count houses.
Since Berner had long had a teleportation device, commerce had flourished there.
Most territories with teleportation devices experienced economic booms.
After stepping out into the bustling streets, she took a carriage and soon arrived at a luxurious mansion.
“My goodness, Lady Melissa. It’s been so long.”
“It’s been a while, Steward. I think the last time we met was after the academy?”
“Yes. You didn’t look too happy that day when you left… But judging by your face now, I take it everything has been resolved?”
“It’s been a few months now.”
“Ah, that’s right. And you’re not just a lady anymore—you’re a Count now.”
The elderly steward chuckled as he welcomed her.
“Is Count Berner here?”
“The master is currently at the imperial palace. But more importantly, my lady has been eagerly waiting for you. She missed you dearly.”
“It’s been a long time since I last saw Lilia. Please, lead the way.”
Following the steward inside, Melissa took in the grandeur of the mansion, far more lavish than anything in Cascadia.
Cascadia, after all, was a small border county in the kingdom.
Berner, on the other hand, was an imperial count house with direct ties to the royal family.
It was only natural.
Of course, Melissa wasn’t the type to show any sign of being overwhelmed.
After walking for a while, she entered a reception room where a girl with a cute demeanor widened her eyes in surprise.
“Melissa!”
The girl rushed forward and threw herself into Melissa’s arms.
Melissa silently embraced her and patted her back.
“It’s been a while, Lilia.”
“My goodness, just how much have you been through? You look half-starved—ah, no, wait. I mean, Count Melissa.”
“It’s fine. It’s just the two of us here.”
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