Chapter 3

Yuto was asked by Valtrode to help manage the territory, but of course, he had no such experience at all.

When he was on Earth, he was on the soccer team until middle school. After entering high school, he joined the homeroom club, and while his grades in the humanities were decent, that was all there was to it.

However, the education level in modern Japan was quite high, and that had helped him to some extent.

In Bluewars, magic—specific spells controlled by magicians—is not influenced by dubious elements such as the magician's own magic power. It grows only through learning and practice.

In that sense, he probably had the aptitude. After being taken in by Valtrode and others, Yuto learned the principles of spellcasting from the elf magician Tertione and quickly mastered the basics.

Well, after mastering the basics, he was thrown into a forest inhabited by dangerous animals and monsters and forced to survive on his own for about a month...

And through continuous battles with the "Void Ledger," he studied to gain an advantage in combat, eventually becoming a great magician, Yuto Amakusa, who could easily use "Instant Teleportation."

Compared to an ordinary person, his starting point was still better.

Thinking about this, in the two weeks since Valtrode's offer, Yuto had been working hard on preparations, such as planning the city with the great sage Vainamainen, whom he had been introduced to through Tertione, gathering information with Alcia's help, and recruiting personnel.

"I'm about to announce the results, so Valt, make sure you listen carefully."

"U-um."

Their house in the capital, Sejour, which they had purchased as a base, stood firm even against the attack of the Black Demon's castle. In the living room of this house, Yuto began his lecture to Valtrode.

It was a single-story square mansion, with several private rooms arranged around a circular living room. It was a layout well-suited for adventurers living together. Meals were usually taken in this living room, with tapestries on the walls and carpets on the floor that ordinary people could never afford. The choice was more a matter of convenience than preference, but to them, it was pocket change. The table was also the best quality ebony, but they chose it for its appropriate size, regardless of the price.

Now, Yuto was starting his lecture to Valtrode, but he was not alone.

After having breakfast made by Alcia—though it was created with a divine spell—the group, including Lacia and Exile, who were planning to leave in a few days, were also present. These two were probably just there for the company. On the other hand, Alcia and Yona were going to the territory with them.

"Actually, I think it would be better to explain this to these two. Am I just imagining it?"

"Definitely not, that's for sure."

"Yeah, yeah."

"Lacia, I'll do my best, too, you know."

"Yeah... That's right."

"Cut it out, Lacia. Don't look at me with those affectionate eyes."

"But since we're leaving, Yuto will be the only guy. Sorry about that."

Exile suddenly let out such a comment.

"Indeed. I just noticed, but the gender ratio is off. Until now, it was 1:1, right?"

"If we had the ability to build a harem, that would be great, wouldn't it?"

"Ah, okay, okay, let's stop this conversation here. That's enough!"

Before Alcia could dig into the wound, Yuto opened a book.

It was the Multiverse Compendium, a valuable magical tool that could display knowledge that the owner might have known. While looking at it, Yuto began to speak.

"First, about the Rothchild Kingdom... I think everyone knows, so I'll just briefly explain about the king and the crown prince."

The history of the Istas family, later known as the shield of the Rothchild Kingdom, began like this.

"The current king is Charlton III. He's almost sixty, but he has no particular health issues."

"The Rothchild king must have the qualifications of a cathedral knight. His robustness might be due to that, don't you think?"

Yuto nodded at Alcia's interjection.

"Probably. He doesn't have any flashy achievements, but he hasn't made any fatal mistakes in the war with the Verga Empire across the northern tower wall, and the country is stable. I think he's qualified, at least."

"Yuto, you sound so authoritative."

"I come from a democratic country."

While saying that it probably didn't make sense, Yuto continued.

"Valtrode was made a baron by this King Charlton. It's unclear how much of it was the king's own intention."

"Hmm? What do you mean?"

"There are also the plans of other aides and nobles, right?"

"I see..."

Lacia and Yuto exchanged a look that clearly said Valtrode didn't understand. Well, it was usual, so he didn't mind.

"So, the next king is Prince Arthus, right?"

In a way, Exile's question read the room. Yuto went along with it.

"Yes. The only direct male heir is Prince Arthus."

The crown prince, the eldest son, was thirty-five years old, an age at which he could have been enthroned, but there was a reason for this.

He had been brave in his youth, studied the art of kingship, and his kindness without discrimination made him an ideal crown prince, but he had been missing for about twenty years.

Until a few months ago, when Valtrode and the others rescued him, he had been petrified and held captive by the "Void Ledger." He hadn't aged, and he was unfamiliar with the political situation. Therefore, he was currently on leave.

Despite the fact that his knowledge and appearance were the same as when he disappeared, time had passed for those around him. Bridging that gap alone would be a challenge.

Yuto, who had come to this world from Earth, empathized with his situation.

Moreover, this ennoblement was likely also a recognition of this achievement.

"By the way, it also includes a gag order, right?"

"Yuto and Alcia weren't the only ones invited to become nobles. I was also asked, and so was Yona."

"I don't need such things, so I declined. Besides, I've never heard of a rock giant noble or knight."

"Thanks to that, I had to accept it..."

"It can't be helped, Valt. You're the leader, after all."

"That's right."

"You guys are only friendly at times like this."

Yuto, who said this, had also declined, saying that it wouldn't do him any good to receive a territory since he was planning to return to his homeland.

Then, why was a gag order necessary?

It was something that couldn't even be mentioned among the group.

A magical device that transformed the souls of innocent people into a powerful magical tool. Prince Arthus, along with his sword Traitor, had been the core that activated it.

According to one theory, the currency of the underworld is minted from the souls of the dead.

If that were true, it might mean that they had exchanged souls for magical tools from the underworld.

Although Prince Arthus himself was not involved, it was a truth that could not be made public.

"I don't intend to spread it around. I just hope he becomes a good king and doesn't cause any trouble for Valt and the others."

The Istas family, once a prestigious house that had been extinct for a long time, had been revived. It was hoped that they would not be treated carelessly.

"Well, that's enough of the complicated talk."

Putting the Multiverse Compendium aside, Yuto now spread a map on the table, which was several meters long, and began to explain in earnest.

"This is the capital, Sejour, where we are. From here, this area to the south is the Silver March. It was a direct territory of the Rothchild royal family, but it hasn't been developed much. Tax collectors were sent, but their influence was weak."

Yuto took a pen from the pocket of his uniform, which he usually wore, and drew a square around the lower part of the map.

"Further south, the area around where the Black Demon's castle was located is Valt's territory—the Istas Barony."

At the edge of the map—mountains to the west and south, and a coastal area to the east—he drew a large circle with the pen.

"Ah, isn't that where the village of Falv is?"

"Ah, the place where I first met Yuto."

Lacia and Valtrode smiled nostalgically. The other two, except for Yona, who wasn't there at the time, also had similar expressions.

"Yeah. It's a coincidence, but I'm grateful."

Yuto smiled differently from his companions and resumed his explanation.

"The population in this area is about five thousand. It's not a large scale, but as you can see, the territory is quite extensive compared to the population."

There were seven villages with populations of less than a few hundred, the mining town of Mainz, mainly inhabited by dwarves, and the maritime city of Hardenturm, which faced the sea. The rest were human settlements.

Moreover, it was the southernmost part of the Rothchild Kingdom, bordering the Chronica Theocracy to the west and south, separated by a mountain range.

Although it had not been surveyed, it was about 500 square kilometers in Earth's units. Yuto had checked the Multiverse Compendium, and it seemed to be about the size of an island between Yakushima and Awaji Island.

On the contrary, it became unclear.

"Is it not a very fertile land?"

Alcia, tilting her head cutely, asked. As her long black hair swayed, Valtrode, who was sitting opposite her, nodded. She was wearing casual clothes, but her beauty was undiminished.

"While fighting the 'Void Ledger,' we visited several villages. They didn't seem to be very prosperous."

"Considering the dangerous people nearby and the goblins wandering around, it's no wonder it's not prosperous."

Lacia said this casually, but in fact, it was the correct answer.

"Alcia and Lacia's answers together make a perfect score."

"Mmm. What about me?"

"You only gave an opinion."

"Hahaha. As always, Yuto and Valt get along well, don't they?"

"Exile, what do you mean by that?"

"Teasing innocent boys is not a good thing. It's bad for Yona's education, too."

Using the youngest girl as an excuse to defuse the situation, Yuto continued his explanation.

"As Alcia said, the land is not fertile—there's low productivity, and the population doesn't grow much. Also, there are many dangerous areas for people to live in. That's why the population is small compared to the size of the territory."

Specifically, the population density was less than half of other regions.

"I think you can understand this from walking around here before. The roads aren't well-maintained, and there are many goblins and monsters."

"Yuto, didn't the dangerous creatures scatter when the 'Void Ledger' was destroyed?"

"That's a possibility, but we can't be too careful."

"Actually, I've been flying from home to the castle using 'Instant Teleportation' and fighting battles, so I'm not sure what the situation is like in this area."

Yuto nodded at Lacia's words.

"Alcia is checking the villages, but the results aren't very good. However, I think we can handle it."

"Sure, Yuto."

Praised by Valtrode, Yuto couldn't help but smile happily. However, he quickly composed himself, knowing what might be said if he showed such a side.

Although Alcia was giving him a look that said she understood everything, the effect was questionable. He even wondered if she really could see.

"Then, there's Mainz and Hardenturm. There aren't many security issues, but they don't pay taxes to the Rothchild Kingdom."

"Is that what humans call tax evasion?"

Exile asked in a deep baritone. As a rock giant, he wasn't very familiar with human systems.

"Tax... Now that you mention it, we haven't paid taxes either?"

"Well, we freelancers are basically tax-free. But there is a tax added to high-end purchases. Anyway, let's get back to the topic."

"Yuto-kun, are these two free cities? I've never heard of them..."

"Alcia, what's a free city?"

"Yona doesn't know, does she? Yuto-kun will explain."

Yona, unlike Yuto, was a native of this world, but she had been on adventures since she was released from the 'Void Ledger's' cultivation tank. Naturally, she hadn't had many opportunities to learn.

"Right. Don't ask me."

"Expecting Valt to answer such knowledge-based questions is like asking Messi to be a goalkeeper."

"Self-sacrifice? What about it?"

"Let it go. In my world, a free city is a city that has gained autonomy from the control of bishops or lords and is directly under the emperor's jurisdiction..."

Flipping through the Multiverse Compendium, Yuto continued to explain the free cities in Bluewars.

"Here, the country's control is just a formality. All matters related to the city are decided by a council of influential people."

"The king can reign but not rule? That makes the king meaningless, doesn't it?"

"Yona is smart."

Lacia and Exile didn't care much about human affairs. Alcia, too, thought it was an old system.

However, to Yuto, who was born on Earth, it was still strange to have such cities.

"Probably, the root cause is the security issues due to the presence of different races and monsters."

"Why would a city become independent from the country when monsters go on a rampage?"

"Human wars are the result of diplomacy. In other words, the timing and location are somewhat specific. If there are many bandits, they can be eliminated or policies can be changed."

In other words, mobilization power over mobility. In that case, it would be safer to be under the country's umbrella.

"But, when it comes to goblins, it's not that simple."

"Right. It's difficult for the country to deal with goblins in every corner of the territory, especially since the Rothchild Kingdom is at war with the Verga Empire to the north."

"So, that's where adventurers like us come in, right?"

"Right, Valt. But then, why should we pay taxes when we're not under the country's protection?"

Cities, money, and adventurers.

With these three elements in place, things would work out well as long as there wasn't a large-scale conflict. The country's protection was unnecessary.

Of course, if the country had the will, there were many ways to impose and control, but it seemed that there was no need to do so at the moment.

"So, for these two cities, we have to show our worth in exchange for protection money. That's a tough job."

"Don't laugh like it's someone else's problem, even though it is."

Exile and Lacia laughed heartily.

"You rootless people."

Yuto cursed at the carefree duo, but they weren't the type to take offense at such a level.

"Anyway, there are a lot of problems, but in return, the taxes will come in as rewards."

Actually, this was the main point.

"Based on a rough estimate, the annual income will be around 5,000 to 10,000 G."

Converted to Japanese yen, it would be about the annual salary of a top soccer player in the country. It was a considerable amount, but...

"Too little. Per year, not per month?"

Lacia's straightforward comment. Although only this was said, the same words were written on everyone's faces.

"Right. Until now, we've earned several times that much in one adventure."

The exception was Valtrode.

"Is that so? If we lived normally, we wouldn't be able to use it all."

"No, no. There are expenses for interactions among nobles and military service in the future. Nobles have a lot of small expenses."

"But, this isn't a reward for our achievements, is it?"

Alcia's sharpness made Yuto genuinely admire her.

"Right. As I've mentioned, it's a rather peculiar land. It's not easy to send a steward and live a leisurely life in the capital, Sejour."

It would be possible to squeeze more by raising the tax rate, but considering the unstable region, it would be suicidal.

(Plus, Valt would never do such a thing.)

It was a theoretical discussion.

"Steward? I see, that's an option. But, wouldn't that be a shortcut?"

"It's easier and more profitable for us. The steward can squeeze more from the residents and make more profit. It's a win-win situation."

"Yuto?"

Valtrode's eyes narrowed, and a sharp gaze pierced Yuto. Being beautiful, her angry expression was truly terrifying.

"Just kidding, Valt. If you keep that face, your cute face will be ruined."

"C-cute? Don't joke around."

"Your face is red, Yuto-kun."

Yuto groaned and regretted his words.

"So, why did Valt end up being the lord of such a land?"

Lacia's help was a lifeline, and Yuto gratefully accepted it.

"Money."

He made a circle with his thumb and index finger and smiled wryly.

"Money?"

Nodding to Yona, Yuto continued.

"Our assets, excluding the shares of Lacia and Exile, who are going on a journey, are managed collectively, and most of the profits from the last adventure are still intact."

Furthermore, by disposing of unnecessary magical tools, it would be possible to raise an amount equivalent to that.

"Oh, I see."

Lacia, being a seasoned thief, had arrived at the answer. A smile of understanding also appeared on Alcia's lips.

"That's right. The king—whether it's the king or not, at least the higher-ups—seems to expect us to invest our private wealth in the management of the territory."

Without using the country's budget, the new territory would become prosperous. Moreover, the wealth of a strangely powerful vassal would be depleted.

It would be a win for the Rothchild Kingdom, which was struggling to restore the capital, Sejour.

It was easy to imagine that they were willing to give the "name" of the Istas Barony but not the "substance."

However, it was probably unexpected that they couldn't send officials to the Istas Barony for the restoration of the capital.

"By raiding a dragon's lair or something, we could easily recover the depleted wealth."

"Right."

In fact, once, everyone except Yuto and Valtrode had died, almost leading to a total party wipe.

The opponent was a dragon of an ancient species called a pyroclastic dragon.

Inside its lair were seals