Chapter 4

"My Bau Meister knightly domain is, in fact, as vast as a duchy when it comes to the size of its territory."

After breakfast, I received an explanation from my older brother Erich, who is one year older and shares the same mother, about the actual conditions of my home, the Bau Meister knightly domain.

I was worried that a six-year-old child suddenly asking such a difficult question might seem strange, but it seemed that my new parents, as well as my other siblings and servants, did not find it particularly odd.

Or rather, I am the eighth son, treated like a miso dreg, ten years younger than my gentle and intellectual-looking fifth brother Erich, and thus have not been given much attention until now.

Being treated like a miso dreg also has its advantages at times.

"So, if everything were developed, Father would..."

"Only if it could be developed. Well... the Margrave would be tough, wouldn't he?"

However, Erich's tone was dull, suggesting that it was a matter of whether it could be developed at all.

My new hometown, the Bau Meister knightly domain, is bordered by the sea to the east and south.

However, between the land we have barely opened and the rest, there stretches a vast expanse of undeveloped land and forests.

This forest, known as the 'Forest of Demons' to people inside and outside, produces various natural ingredients, herbs, and in some areas, minerals and gemstones. If it could be developed, it would bring immense wealth.

However, this forest is also a treasure trove of monsters.

Monsters, whose mechanism of origin is unknown, refer to ordinary wild animals that have become gigantic and ferocious, or creatures that clearly deviate from the natural ecosystem.

They have a high reproductive rate, and even the weakest of them are too strong for ordinary humans to handle.

In return, their fur, tusks, and meat are valuable and delicious, making them highly prized.

This is why there are adventurers who specialize in hunting them and guilds that support and manage these adventurers. However, the problem is that the Bau Meister knightly domain is so remote that even the adventurer guilds have refused to set up branches here.

"Indeed, the Forest of Demons might be a great source of income for strong adventurers. However, there are thousands of such monster territories across the continent..."

The Lingaia continent is home to thousands of such monster territories, ranging from deserts, plains, rivers, and lakes to forests like ours.

In any case, certain areas become the territories of monsters, and they will eliminate any humans or other animals that intrude.

The tragic end of the Breichreiter Margrave's army, as Father Althor mentioned earlier, was the result of underestimating the territorial awareness of the monsters.

"Regarding the end of the Breichreiter Margrave's army, it seems that both Father and the previous Breichreiter Margrave were too impatient... and perhaps the judgment of the central royal palace as well?"

Moreover, it is said that there are adventurers who, in small groups or alone, secretly enter monster territories and hunt a few monsters according to their capabilities.

Of course, many of them lose their lives in the process, but the higher the risk, the greater the reward. Many have made a fortune in one generation and become famous, serving the royal palace or nobility, as Erich explained.

"But, Brother Erich, why was the guild branch setup refused?"

"It's simply beyond their capacity."

Indeed, there are multiple monster territories even near the capital.

They do not step out of their territories, but they show no mercy to adventurers or armies that intrude.

The deadly struggle between humans seeking quick riches and the monsters that try to eliminate them means that, despite the large number of adventurers, the Lingaia continent still has many monster territories that remain undeveloped, even in the central regions.

Naturally, developing these territories is impossible, and both the Kingdom of Helmut and the Arkart Holy Empire refer to the monster territories as the 'scars of the continent,' a source of constant worry.

"Think about it. Even though we are on the frontier, how can a mere knightly domain like ours, with only a knight's title, possess such vast territory?"

The origin of the Bau Meister knightly domain is said to be a poor knight who, along with dozens of poor people from the slums, came to this land and established a village.

"The royal palace did not expect that humans could establish a village here. When they received the report of the successful establishment of the village, the formation of the Bau Meister knightly domain was immediately recognized."

However, the Bau Meister knightly domain is located in a terrifyingly remote area, with extremely limited means of communication with the outside world.

"Three villages with a population of about 800 people are located at the foot of the mountain range that runs along the northern and western borders. The main industries are agriculture and a small amount of hunting and gathering. The only saving grace is that a little iron and copper can be mined."

To the west, there is the Breichreiter Margrave's domain, which has suffered due to its involvement with us, and to the north, there is a cluster of territories belonging to small and weak lords similar to ours.

However, between them runs a mountain range where flying dragons live in flocks, and there are many other monsters, so trade with them is limited to the occasional caravan that visits every few months.

"There is a narrow mountain path that can be traversed with proper escort, but the presence of adventurers is essential, and this makes imported goods from the outside more expensive."

Furthermore, the task of escorting caravans to such a remote village, where even flying dragons might attack, is not popular among adventurers. Naturally, the rewards must be high, which increases the price of goods, and Father Althor cannot even impose tariffs, which are a right of the lord.

"If tariffs were imposed, no caravans would come here at all."

Erich continued his explanation with a wry smile, but in essence, the Bau Meister knightly domain is a small and weak territory surrounded on all sides by monster territories. It is recognized by the kingdom as a vast undeveloped land, but developing it is practically impossible.

This is the reality of my new home, the Bau Meister knightly domain.