Chapter 84

"Who among your subjects has the greatest merit?"

Years later, it is said that someone asked this question to Soma Kisaki, the Child of Destruction.

In response, Soma answered without hesitation:

"It is none other than Mischen Elbaziso."

The courtiers present all tilted their heads in confusion.

Indeed, Mischen could be considered one of the oldest subjects, having been with Soma since he raised his banner in the city of Bornis. However, she was not someone who had achieved any particularly significant accomplishments.

To the puzzled courtiers, Soma continued:

"In times of peace, no one can surpass her in merit. And once a battle begins, no one can achieve merit without her. She is the one with the greatest merit."

None of the courtiers present could raise any objections to this.

◆◇◆◇◆

Years later, there were people who came to be known as the Three Horns of the Child of Destruction.

Horns are something that grow on the head, and thus are symbols of wisdom and authority. The people likened to these horns were not those who contributed to the Child of Destruction Soma Kisaki's conquest through military might, but rather through their wisdom and knowledge.

Among these three horns, the first to serve Soma was a woman named Mischen Elbaziso, known as the "Ice-Blooded Lady Governor."

She was born the daughter of a low-ranking official in the city of Bornis.

Her father died suddenly from an epidemic when she was young, leaving her family in dire straits. Fortunately, the small amount of money her father had saved and the reading, writing, and arithmetic he had taught her allowed the family to survive.

Additionally, a friend of her father, who was also a low-ranking official in Bornis at the time, took pity on her and hired her as a servant.

There, she quickly rose to prominence.

From the few remaining records of the time, many important documents bear her handwriting.

In an era where women's status was low, for her to have been entrusted with so many important tasks must have meant that her abilities were highly valued.

Moreover, when Soma occupied Bornis, her position was that of a mid-level official.

At the time, to be promoted to a mid-level official, one needed the backing of a noble. Without such backing, it would take at least twenty years of service to rise from a low-level to a mid-level official.

For a woman in her late teens, with no such backing, to become a mid-level official was a clear testament to her extraordinary talent.

Furthermore, she was also an ambitious person.

Taking advantage of the chaos in Bornis shortly after it was suppressed by the Child of Destruction Soma Kisaki, she trapped her superiors one after another. Having rid herself of all her obstructive superiors, she proudly presented herself to the Child of Destruction Soma Kisaki.

"I am the highest-ranking official in this city."

Without a hint of remorse for trapping her superiors, Mischen declared this, and the Child of Destruction Soma Kisaki welcomed her with open arms.

"Good, that spirit. I will value you highly, my Child of Destruction."

Thus, Mischen, who had cunningly secured the top position among the officials, was still just a human. The malevolent Child of Destruction Soma Kisaki was far more cunning.

Using his terrifying magic, Soma is said to have grabbed Mischen's intestines while she was still alive.

"Ah, my intestines have been taken by the Child of Destruction! I can no longer defy him!"

Even the resourceful Mischen had no choice but to swear absolute obedience to Soma.

Serving under Soma, she bribed the lower officials with money and goods, laying the foundation for the bureaucratic organization that would support the Child of Destruction's conquest from behind the scenes.

◆◇◆◇◆

A shrill voice echoed through the chief financial officer's office.

"Wh-What?! I'm to serve the new lord?!"

On this day, Mischen, as usual, was called to the office by her superior, the chief financial officer. Worried that she might have done something to be reprimanded, Mischen was surprised when the chief financial officer informed her that she was to serve the new lord.

"Do you have any complaints?"

The chief financial officer glared at Mischen with a menacing look.

In this era, it was unacceptable to object to an order from a superior, especially for a woman whose status was low.

However, being suddenly assigned to serve the new lord was too much for her.

"But, but, it's too much for me! It's too heavy a responsibility!"

Mischen pleaded desperately.

But the chief financial officer was unmoved.

"I hear that the king of beasts can't read or write. Yet, he wants to know the city's financial situation and is asking for someone to lend him."

The chief financial officer said this with obvious disdain.

In this era, reading, writing, and arithmetic were special skills known only to a select few, such as nobles and merchants. For the chief financial officer, who had obtained his current position through such skills, it was infuriating that someone who couldn't read or write would meddle in the finances he managed.

"Of course, he's just pleased with himself for being the ruler of the city. A brute who lives with beasts is unbearable. There's no need for us to waste our precious time on such a person. That's why I'm asking you."

However, the chief financial officer's choice of Mischen was not just for this reason.

While he looked down on Soma as a savage and uneducated brute, he also feared him as a ruthless ruler who controlled ferocious Zoans.

If a subordinate sent to such a person made a mistake, it could be a serious problem. If it affected him personally, it would be even worse.

So the chief financial officer came up with the idea of sending a woman.

If a woman made a mistake, she could be made to pay with her body, and the problem would not spread to him. He even thought that it might please the new lord.

But the problem was who to send as a human sacrifice.

The new lord's conditions were that the person must be able to read, write, and calculate, and understand the city's financial situation.

However, in an era where women's status was low, there were very few women who could read, write, and calculate. Most of those who could were either family members or held some status in the city, and could not be sent as a human sacrifice.

That's when Mischen was chosen.

As a clerk in the finance department, she could naturally read, write, and calculate, and was familiar with the city's financial situation. She was also the daughter of a commoner, so if any problems arose later, she could be discarded. She had an average appearance, but the new lord, who kept Zoans like beasts close to him, would be fine with her.

To the chief financial officer, Mischen was a convenient pawn.

Though she didn't understand all of his intentions, Mischen sensed that he was trying to use her and resisted desperately.

"But I'm just a financial clerk. I don't have the status to meet the lord directly!"

A financial clerk is a low-ranking official responsible for financial matters.

In the feudal state of Holmea, those who were granted land (fiefs) by the king were called feudal lords. These feudal lords were given the right to tax and govern their fiefs.

However, in an era where martial prowess was still a requirement for a lord, not all lords were skilled administrators. Rather, such martial lords often placed more importance on martial prowess and looked down on financial matters as something beneath them, fit only for lowly merchants.

Leaving the administration of such fiefs to such lords would inevitably lead to financial ruin. Therefore, capable administrators were needed to manage the fiefs in their place.

These were the officials who handled administrative matters.

These officials were collectively known as officials, clerks, and scholars.

First, the officials, called senior officials, were appointed by the king, just like the lords. The clerks, called mid-level officials, were hired locally by the lords or officials. The scholars, called junior officials, were little more than errand boys.

In modern terms, the king was the CEO, the lord was the branch manager, the official was the management, the clerk was the regular employee, and the scholar was the part-timer.

Imagine a part-timer suddenly being promoted to the personal secretary of the branch manager. One can understand Mischen's shock.

"Oh, that's right."

Finally, the chief financial officer seemed to understand, and Mischen let out a sigh of relief.

"Yes, yes! So, perhaps someone else—"

But the chief financial officer cut her off.

"Then I'll promote you to a financial clerk."

"Huh?"

"So, you're a financial clerk now."

"Wait, wait a minute!"

"Be happy. It's an exceptional promotion for a woman, and at your age. Your salary will also increase. No complaints, right?"

It was more of a command than a question.

Realizing that any further protest would be futile, Mischen slumped her shoulders in defeat.

The chief financial officer looked at her with satisfaction.

"Go to the lord's office immediately. Be sure not to upset him."

As Mischen was about to leave the room, the chief financial officer, who had remembered something, called out to her.

"I almost forgot. Explain the documents I compiled in great detail."

◆◇◆◇◆

"Why me…"

Mischen grumbled as she walked down the corridor, carrying a large stack of documents she had retrieved from the archive.

Her colleagues, the financial clerks, were all good people, but the higher officials, the financial clerks, had always looked down on her because of her low status and gender, and had used her as they pleased.

Tasks that should have been done by the financial clerks, such as calculations and record-keeping, were often pushed onto her because they found them troublesome.

She had thought about quitting her job as a financial clerk many times, but she had an elderly mother and three younger siblings to support. She couldn't afford to throw away the job she had finally obtained.

"Anyway, I mustn't upset the new lord…"

Rumors said he was a terrifying person who would threaten to behead someone on the spot. If she upset him, she might be beheaded instantly.

The image of her severed head floating in the air made her feet feel heavy. Dragging her heavy feet, she finally reached the entrance to the lord's office, where she suddenly realized something.

"What should I do…"

When meeting a noble, there were certain protocols to follow.

From her experience as a document carrier for her superiors when they met the lord, she knew roughly what to do.

However, the problem was the large stack of documents in her hands. With such a heavy load, she couldn't properly greet anyone. On the other hand, she couldn't just place the important documents on the floor.

As a financial clerk, she would have a page to carry such loads. But Mischen, who had just been promoted from a financial clerk, had brought the documents herself.

She wondered whether it would be faster to return to the archive to reduce the number of documents or to find a free page. While she was pondering this, she didn't notice a young boy emerging from the bushes in the courtyard.

The boy tilted his head slightly and called out to Mischen, who was standing in the corridor, muttering to herself.

"Is something wrong?"

"Ahh?!"

Immersed in her thoughts, Mischen was startled by the sudden voice and dropped the large stack of papers at her feet. In her panic to pick them up, she only made the situation worse as the papers in her arms also fell.

The boy chuckled and began to pick up the papers for her.

The scene reminded Mischen of something.

"Are you the one from before…"

The boy's gaze wandered for a moment before he murmured, "Ah."

"This is the second time."

Drawn by the boy's gentle smile, Mischen also smiled.

As they picked up the papers together, Mischen secretly observed the boy.

Who was this boy, anyway?

Mischen wondered.

She had been working in the lord's residence for some time, but she had never seen this face before.

He had picked up her dropped papers, so he didn't seem to be of high status. His clothing was simple, like that of a commoner in the city, not the elaborate attire of someone of high status.

However, this was the lord's residence. A commoner couldn't just be here for no reason.

Perhaps he was a new apprentice?

Due to the occupation of the city by the Zoans, some of the people who had worked in the lord's residence had fled the city. To fill the vacancies, new people were being hired, and he was probably one of them.

Mischen decided to test him.

"Work can be tough when you're not used to it, huh?"

She spoke vaguely to leave room for any excuse.

"Yes, I don't even know what to do or how to do it. It's quite a problem."

Mischen was convinced that he was a new apprentice.

However, she didn't let her guard down. If she acted too familiar and he turned out to be the son of a prominent citizen or a local leader, it would be a disaster.

After making small talk, she decided to test him further.

"Wouldn't it have been easier to take over your parents' business?"

The boy's gaze turned distant.

"My home, my father, and my mother are all far away…"

Mischen regretted asking such a question.

"Far away" must mean he had lost his parents and home!

Moreover, she could faintly smell a musky odor from his body, which made her think he might have been a stable boy. But his clothes were not dirty, so she considered that he might have been a wanderer for a while after losing his parents.

Despite such hardships, this boy was bravely working as an apprentice. How pitiful!

"It must have been tough! But let's do our best! If you need to talk, I'm here to listen, so don't hesitate!"

Surprised by Mischen's sudden, warm encouragement, the boy was at a loss.

Mischen thought he was a shy boy.

Then, she had an idea.

If she used this boy as a page, it might be a good learning experience for him.

Thinking it was a good plan, Mischen proposed it to the boy.

"Hey, can you do me a favor…"

"What is it?"

"Can you help me carry these documents?"

Mischen pointed to the entrance of the lord's office, and the boy nodded as if he understood.

"Ah, I see. You're the one I heard about. —Yes, I can help."

Mischen was surprised that the news of her promotion had spread so quickly. The boy walked ahead with the documents.

"Wait, wait!"

Mischen called out to him in a panic.

It seemed the boy didn't know how to behave as a page. Mischen thought she needed to teach him properly.

"Okay? I'll teach you, so pay attention."

"Yes, please teach me."

His response was polite, but he seemed to understand nothing. He tried to enter the office, so Mischen quickly stepped in front of him and called out loudly.

"The financial clerk—no, the financial clerk Mischen, has come as summoned!"

"Please, come in."

Mischen's carefully prepared greeting was answered by the boy behind her. The perfect comedic timing made her knees weak.

"Be quiet! When entering, you need permission from the person inside!"

"Is that so?"

The boy's puzzled expression made Mischen regret bringing him along, but it was too late. A woman's voice from inside the office invited them in, and she couldn't send the boy away now.

Praying that the boy wouldn't do anything foolish, she cautiously entered the office.

Mischen had been in the lord's office a few times with the financial clerks, but the scene before her was quite different from what she remembered.

When Prince Vritas was in charge, the large desk at the back of the room was often cluttered with wine bottles, food plates, and sometimes prostitutes or sex slaves. Now, everything was neatly organized, and there was no trace of such things.

Instead, a Zoan woman stood by the desk, her beautiful fur and well-proportioned figure mesmerizing even Mischen, who couldn't distinguish between beautiful and ugly Zoans. She exuded a dignified aura.

"Sorry, but Soma is not here—What, he said he was going to the bathroom, but you went to fetch him?"

The Zoan woman's tone suddenly became soft and affectionate, confusing Mischen. Beside her, the boy responded.

"No, when I came back, he was already here."

The boy, whom Mischen had brought as a page to carry the documents, was calmly talking to the Zoan, causing the blood to drain from her face.

In this era, a lowly page was treated as an accessory or an object. While pages were not expected to follow strict etiquette, they were certainly not allowed to speak freely.

Moreover, a page's mistake was considered the mistake of the person who brought them.

Mischen was horrified.

Since the boy was in the lord's office, he must be someone important. To be so disrespectful to such a person would not end well.

Oh no, he'll tear me to pieces with his claws!

The worst-case scenario flashed through Mischen's mind, and she collapsed onto the floor.

Ignoring Mischen, the boy crossed the room without permission and placed the stack of documents on the large desk at the back. He then sat down in the chair reserved for the lord, a blatant act of disrespect.

The Zoan woman did not reprimand him but instead stood behind him as if it were her designated position.

At that point, even Mischen realized who the boy was.

"Then, let me introduce myself. I'm Aoki Soma. I'm the lord of this city, I guess?"

The content of the boy's statement, phrased as a question, barely registered with Mischen.

This was beyond mere disrespect. The new lord, a conqueror who led ferocious Zoans, was addressed informally, treated as a page, and even scolded.

This was it. She was going to be beheaded and displayed in the town square!

The vivid image of her head on display flashed in Mischen's mind.

"Um? Are you listening? Hello? Hello?"

Hearing Aoki's voice from a distance, Mischen was about to faint.

After confirming the city's financial situation with Mischen, Aoki felt a sense of unease.

Mischen's careless words would cause confusion in the city.

Chapter 4: The First Horn - Numbers

Mischen: "Are